9 Page #10

9

(studying the drawings,

carefully)

An alchemist’s ability to drawanimus into the unanimated...

He turns the page and sees a drawing of the Talisman.

9 (cont’d)

Again!

He gazes at the picture as though drawn to it.

9 (cont’d)

What is it? What can it be?

6 comes over and recognizes his drawing.

6

(trying to help)

The source...!

9

(turns urgently to him)

What? What are you trying to say?

6

(helplessly trying to

articulate something)

The first room-

1 now appears out of the darkness. He sees the manuscriptand the drawings of the runes.

1’S VOICE

(angrily)

Dark science.

We whip pan over and see 1 standing in the entrance to theglobe.

1

(angrily)

What good does this useless rubbishdo us? Forget it!

52.

He seems unusually agitated.

9 moves towards him, curiously.

9

What do you know?

He comes closer to 1.

6

(whispering)

The source... the source...

1 turns and meets 9’s gaze unflinchingly. We have a moment

of admiration for the old soldier’s toughness. But he speaksnow with a strange bitterness. He gestures around at thelibrary, at the ruins of humanity’s civilization.

1

(bitterly)

I know enough to leave theirancient evils to moulder. Look

what they have left us with. Leave

it be, I say!

(angrily)

But you. Always asking questions,

so many pointless questions-probing,

pushing--

(spitting out the words,

beginning to rant andrave a little)

like 2--he always had to know--toomuch-

9

(suddenly)

I was right! You did send him out

to die!

5

No!

1

He was old! He was weak!

1 suddenly realizes what he’s said. He collects himself and

stands tall, defending himself.

1 (cont’d)

Sometimes one must be sacrificed

for the good of many.

7 LEAPS angrily at 1, pulling her blade to 1’s neck.

53.

7

Coward!

Her blade flashes at 1’s neck. 9 leaps forward and blocksher.

9

Stop!

1 stands PROUDLY, staring down 7’s blade. Again, we almostadmire the old soldier’s fortitude. 7’s reckless angerblazes from her face. 9 looks at the two of them.

9 (cont’d)

(imploring)

We must work together. We must use

our thoughts, not our weapons.

9 moves back towards the drawing of the Talisman and looksdown at it.

9 (cont’d)

The answer to all our questions ishere, in some way. I can feel it.

We must follow this path...

1 glares furiously at all of them, then turns to address 9.

1

Your path takes us to catastrophe.

He strides away.

CUT TO:

.............................................................

SEQ. 166 - Seamstress

SEQ. 166 - INT. LIBRARY/ANOTHER AREA - MOMENTS LATER

1 picks his way through the stacks, ranting to himself.

1

Can’t he see his way only bringstrouble? What good comes from hispath? I know what we need. I know

what is right-

54.

Suddenly, he hears a sound. The twisted corpse of 2 comesfloating out from the stacks like Banquo’s ghost. 1 stops,

rigid with terror.

1 (cont’d)

(moaning)

No....

2’s eyes click on with their hypnotic gaze.

CUT TO:

INT. LIBRARY/THE GLOBE - SAME TIME

1’s SCREAM echoes through the library. The others rush out

of the globe.

INT. LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

They race towards 1, into an area of the library with a largebroken FOUNTAIN. The fountain is sunken into the libraryfloor (with statuary reaching up into the library).

They now see, to their horror-

THE SEAMSTRESS:

A hideous SERPENT-LIKE CREATURE with NEEDLE-LIKE CLAWS and a

HORRIFYING VACANT FACELESS HOOD.

The Seamstress has sewed the carcass of "2" into her tail in

order to lure and mesmerize the ragdolls. She emits a

GLOWING LIGHT through 2’s vacant eye sockets.

She RISES UP and points her sewing needles at 1... we see 8’slimp body trapped in her belly.

The other ragdolls leap into action.

7 chops off the tail and with it 2’s carcass but then isthrown to the side and trapped as a cascade of books fall onher.

9 manages to grab 1 who is partially sewn on to theseamstress but can’t free him.

The seamstress lashes out towards them.

5 fires an arrow and hits the Seamstress’s eye, blinding her.

She turns to flee, dragging 1 with her. 1 struggles inmortal terror.

55.

5 pulls the blade from 2’s staff from his quiver and throwsit to 9. 9 catches the blade and cuts the threads away from1’s body, trying to free him unsuccessfully as 1 struggles.

At the very last moment, they manage TO CUT 1 LOOSE. But the

seamstress suddenly darts one of her claws out, GRABS 7, andSLITHERS OFF out through the library [ALT: through part of adrainpipe in the bottom of the fountain] with 8 stillattached to her belly and disappears.

The other ragdolls run after her but it is futile; she is

gone.

9

(horrified)

No! No!

...........................................................

SEQ. 168 - Burial and Regrouping

SEQ. 168 - INT. LIBRARY/FOUNTAIN - CONTINUOUS

The ragdolls stand in the bottom of the fountain, whereremnants of water still linger, and water dribbles into thedrainpipe at the bottom of the fountain [ALT: next to thefountain]. The coin in 1’s crown falls to the ground. He

sits down heavily.

The twins emerge, eyes wide. They’ve seen the whole thing.

They look with alarm at everyone, and sadly, at 2’s carcass.

9 looks in the direction of where the seamstress disappeared.

9

I have to get her back! I have to

go after her!

1

It’s too late.

He has a strange, sad look on his face. He looks in the same

direction.

1 (cont’d)

(sadly)

It killed 8... it’ll kill her too.

9

It didn’t kill him.

(thinking)

(MORE)

56.

9(cont'd)

It’s taking them back to the

Machine.

The twins look up and nod their agreement. While the others

have been talking, they have found a book cover and have lain2’s body on it. They now put the sword on top of 2 like afallen soldier and put his hands on his chest holding thesword.

9 (cont’d)

(urgently)

We have to go--all of us. We have

to rescue them-

5

(nodding soberly)

--and destroy the machine for once

and for all.

1 just bows his head. He’s still mourning 8. 9 gives him acompassionate look.

They turn towards the twins, and see them pick up 1’s coinand place it on top of 2’s face. They see that the twinshave prepared 2’s body for burial.

They all bow their heads. The twins now slowly send 2floating down the remnants of water in the drainpipe at thebottom of the fountain.

5 pulls out the piece of burlap from 2’s back with his numberon it. He hands it to 9.

9 looks at 5, 9, and the twins soberly.

They look at him. Slowly, they nod, as though acceptingtheir mission.

1 sighs heavily. Suddenly he looks so very old, so verytired. He stares down at 2 floating away. Slowly, he nodsas well.

CUT TO:

...........................................................

SEQ. 180 - Destroying the Factory

SEQ. 180 - EXT. OIL FIELD BEHIND THE FACTORY - DAWN

A SHOT of the tallest smokestack. It belches smoke,

darkening the dusk sky.

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