Antz Page #8

Z:

Look out!

A stream of termite acid engulfs the colonel, instantly

burning him to a cinder clutching a still-burning cigar; Z's

paratroop buddies turn in terror to see a herd of termites

rumbling towards them. Z, terrified, dives into the hole

that the huge termite made...

INT. TERMITE TUNNEL - NIGHT

...and tumbles headlong into a corridor of the termite mound.

The corridors here are primitive, caveman-like, pocked with

jagged access holes.

No sooner has Z landed in the tunnel than a termite comes

burrowing out from one of the side walls, snapping at Z's

head. Z just avoids getting decapitated, and digs straight

through the wall in order to escape...

INT. TERMITE QUEEN'S CHAMBER - NIGHT

...straight into the hub of the entire termite complex -- the

Queen's chamber. This is nothing like the civilized court of

the ant colony -- it's a huge, stinking, fetid dungeon whose

walls are held up by one massive (to Z) column of piled

stones.

The termite queen, a repulsive, slimy, squirming, foot-long

monster, is attended by a crew of diminutive, blind termite

nurses. The queen turns to look Z right in the eye.

Z:

Excuse me. I seem to be lost, and I

was wondering if you could give me --

Before Z can say, "directions", the queen gives out a

piercing, blood-curdling shriek. The nurses start shrieking

too.

Z:

(backing away)

I'll let myself out.

But the queen's shriek has summoned a soldier termite -- the

biggest one we've seen yet -- who is charging headlong at Z,

jaws snapping open and shut like huge scissors.

Z:

(backing away)

Shoo! -- Torro! Torro!

At the last moment, Z jumps out of the way -- and the termite

runs headfirst into the supporting column of the chamber. As

if on a spring release, the termite's jaws clamp shut -- and

shatter the base of the column. The walls of the room begin

to rumble...

The termite turns to eat Z...but is crushed by a stone

falling from the ceiling, which gives a final shudder and

collapses, raining earth and stones down on the queen.

As the walls of the chamber crumble, melees of ants and

termites pour into the room from the corridors around and

above...they keep struggling until...

ANT OFFICER:

(points at Z)

He's killed their Queen!

Z:

Hey, I'm sorry, it was a mistake --

ANT OFFICER:

VICTORY!!!

We can see that the termite warriors, deprived of their

leader, are suddenly confused and directionless, easy prey

for the ants.

Z:

(facetious)

This is terrific! Let's exact

crippling war reparations! Let's set

up a puppet government!

ANT OFFICER:

Let's slaughter them all!

The ants set about killing the disoriented termites when...we

hear another rumble coming from the outside...the ants look

up confusedly...

...And a (from the ant's point of view) five-hundred foot

long tongue bursts through the top of the chamber with a

CRASH. The ten or so ants standing directly below are

smashed by the tongue, which squirts out a spray of saliva

around the crater. As quick as it appeared, the tongue

retracts, with a hideous SLUUURPING sound. We can now see

the end of the snout of an ant-eater poking through a hole in

the ceiling high above...

ANT OFFICER:

INCOMING!

The tongue comes down again, smashing some more ants, whose

bodies are slurped up by the tongue...the ants scatter, but

to no avail, as the tongue comes smashing down again and

again...

Z heads into a side corridor as the tongue smashes down

again, barely missing him!

Z retreats along the corridor as the tongue searches for him,

across the tunnel from intersecting access-tunnels, getting

closer and closer to Z, dragging more and more screaming ants

and struggling termites...

....Then the tongue disappears. Silence. Z wipes his brow...

And we hear a thunderous SNIFFING noise as the anteater

searches for more prey... and the tongue starts rumbling down

the corridor right towards Z, the tip squirming as it

ricochets along the walls!

Z gets up and runs, the tongue lapping towards him,

reminiscent of the stone sphere that nearly crushed Indiana

Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark! The walls disintegrate

under the pressure of the tongue, which gets closer to

Z...closer...

...and just misses him as Z tumbles out of the stump and down

to the ground...Z sits there, dazed, as we see the huge form

of the anteater withdraw its tongue and, with a final

contented burp, shuffle off into the distance.

EXT. TERMITE STUMP - MORNING

Z makes his way across the corpse-strewn battlefield, an

expression of horror on his face.

BARBATUS (O.S.)

Z! Over here!

Z:

(hopeful)

Barbatus?

Z looks down at his feet, where Barbatus's still-living,

decapitated head is looking up at him.

Z:

(shocked)

Barbatus!

BARBATUS:

Be honest, kid -- am I hurt bad?

Z:

No, no, you're...lookin' good.

You've got good color in your cheeks.

BARBATUS:

No -- I can see it in your eyes. I'm

a goner. It's alright, Z. In this

ant's army, a soldier's life ain't

worth a sack of fungus.

(he winces)

I can't feel my legs...

Z:

Hang in there, buddy! You can make

it! Just -- take deep breaths, I'll

try and find your body -- it's gotta

be around here somewhere!

BARBATUS:

(gasping)

I wonder...what...was it all...for...

Z:

Barbatus, hang on -- Barbatus!!

BARBATUS:

Don't make my mistake, kid...

don't...be a grunt...your whole

life...

Barbatus dies, leaving Z heartbroken.

CUT TO:

INT. EARLY MEGA-TUNNEL - DAY

Weaver is "passing" as a worker, working alongside much

smaller worker ants. He actually loves the work. He's

throwing up dirt like a bulldozer. He's so enthusiastic, he

scoops up a WHOLE ANT in his shovel and tosses him aside.

Azteca, who's standing next to him in line, is shocked by,

and a little attracted to, this turbo-worker.

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