Arctic Blue Page #16

---

NEFF:

Wilder's missing church services;

you believe it?

KENAI:

I just as soon he stay gone.

Fool could've got us all killed,

arresting Ben Corbett here in

town.

139 EXT. FOOTHILLS ABOVE DEVIL'S CAULDRON - DAY

Exhausted, Corbett and Eric climb across the last set of

foothills before the Devil's Cauldron valley. The town

comes into view below them; faintly the MUSIC carries from

below. Corbett looks at Eric and breaks the silence:

CORBETT:

What makes you so sure my boys

won't be waiting for us?

(CONTINUED)

139 CONTINUED:

ERIC:

They think you're in Fairbanks.

If not, they still won't find you

before the plane comes tomorrow.

CORBETT:

Don't bet on it.

ERIC:

I already have.

CORBETT:

You don't know how true that is.

Eric sweeps the snow from between two rocks and sits down.

ERIC:

We'll wait here until nightfall.

No fire, no tarp.

Corbett sits next to him. After a long moment:

CORBETT:

Didn't mean it, you being a

coward. You're a lot of things,

but chickenshit isn't one of

them.

ERIC:

Maybe...maybe not. I'll tell you

what scares me -- stumbling

through life, like an ordinary

jerk. That's why I want to work

on the front lines, where what I

do means something.

(beat)

Soon as I got here, I realized my

job was bullshit. Oil company

propaganda. I was ready to

leave, then I thought screw it,

I'll outsmart them, do the work

anyway.

(beat)

I don't know anymore. Maybe I am

fooling myself. That's what I'm

afraid of most of all.

CORBETT:

Hell, I still get a knot in my

gut every season, wondering how

much longer I can go on. No

'Home for Retired Trappers' that

-more-

(CONTINUED)

139 CONTINUED:
(2)

CORBETT (Cont'd)

I ever saw. We're like Eskimos

-- get too old to be useful,

we're left on the ice to die.

The men listen to the faint MUSIC echoing through the silent

foothills.

CORBETT:

(continuing; softly)

My wife used to go to chapel on

Sundays. See her friends, 'cause

I was away so much.

(beat)

Should've been home that day.

She'd be getting dressed right

about now...

Eric glances over as a look of utter desolation crosses

Corbett's face.

140 EXT. HAUL ROAD - THE TURTLE - DAY

The trappers file out the front door.

VIKING BOB:

My guess is he's loose and

heading for Chukfoktulik. He'll

need supplies; that's the closest

settlement without a lawman.

LeMalle carries his booty with him. Viking Bob looks at him

disapprovingly as he puts the big Remington rifle in the

jeep.

LEMALLE:

I ain't gonna leave a seven-

hundred-dollar Remington behind.

VIKING BOB:

(exasperated)

What you gonna do with it? Large

bore's for sh*t on small game.

LEMALLE:

Not in the right hands it ain't.

To demonstrate, he rapid-fires several SHOTS from the hip,

taking the radio antenna off the roof of the Turtle,

shattering panes of glass in an accurate succession, and

blasting the door latch off the utility compartment.

(CONTINUED)

140 CONTINUED:

Pleased, LeMalle slams back the bolt, ejecting a spent

shell. He glances curiously at the door of the utility

compartment and starts toward it.

LEMALLE:

(continuing)

Thought that door was open last

night...

VIKING BOB:

Quit f***ing around. Get in.

LeMalle climbs into the back of the jeep. With Viking Bob

driving, they pull away.

141 EXT. TRAPPERS' JEEP - (MOVING SHOT)

Grinning maliciously, LeMalle hangs the Remington out the

window as they retreat. Taking careful aim, he SHOOTS.

142 EXT. THE TURTLE

LeMalle's bullet hits the metal fuel tank of the generator.

The kerosene fumes EXPLODE, splattering BURNING KEROSENE on

the rear module of the Turtle.

The trappers don't slow down to enjoy the show. Viking Bob

hurries on to more important business.

143 INT. UTILITY COMPARTMENT - THE TURTLE

As soon as the SOUND of the jeep fades away, Anne Marie

clambers out of the utility compartment. Haggard and numb

with cold, she helplessly watches as the fire ravenously

devours the rear module. Shielding her face from the

flames, Anne Marie reaches under the accordion cover between

the modules. With great effort, she unbolts the coupling

bracket.

144 INT. DIESEL RIG - THE TURTLE

Anne Marie STARTS the engine, SLAMS it into gear, and

lurches the front module away from the burning rear module.

She shuts the motor off and, trying to hold back the tears,

watches the rear module BURNING.

DISSOLVE TO:

145 EXT. DEVIL'S CAULDRON - NIGHT

Bone weary, Eric and Corbett walk toward town, staying on

the outskirts to avoid being seen. They look at one another

-- this moment seemed impossible not very long ago. No one

seems to notice as they limp into Wilder's cabin.

146 INT. WILDER'S CABIN

It's dark. Eric locks Corbett up in the holding cell, not

noticing that Corbett seems almost pleased to be there. He

blocks the windows, pumps up the pressure on the white gas

lantern and heads back outside again.

147 INT. NEFF'S HOUSE

Neff pries himself from his MTV to answer a KNOCK at the

door. Eric hobbles in. Neff notes Eric's weatherbeaten

condition.

NEFF:

You don't mind me saying, Mr.

Desmond, you look like hell.

ERIC:

Have you heard anything from the

girl staying with me, Anne Marie?

NEFF:

Not a damn thing. What's going

on? Mr. Meyerling was here, all

steamed up, looking for you.

ERIC:

Look, Neff, I've got Ben Corbett

with me --

NEFF:

-- Here?! Where's Wilder?

ERIC:

Back at my place... he, uh, broke

his leg.

NEFF:

If Corbett's men find out --

ERIC:

-- I'm putting him on the plane

to Fairbanks, eleven tomorrow.

NEFF:

Jiminy Christmas.

(beat)

What do you want from me?

ERIC:

Corbett ruined my two-way. Go to

my place on the Haul Road, tell

Anne Marie I'm okay and to sit

tight.

(CONTINUED)

147 CONTINUED:

NEFF:

I'll go at dawn.

ERIC:

Thanks. Don't tell anyone you

saw me.

After Eric goes, Neff closes his door and bolts it.

148 EXT. DEVIL'S CAULDRON - VARIOUS ANGLES - NIGHT

The temperature dips as the winds shifts and blows down from

the north. Another storm approaches. The temperate days of

last week seem ages ago.

Kenai, Neff, and other TOWNSMEN batten Devil's Cauldron down

for the STORM. Kenai is bundled up in the cold. The men

tighten guy wires on the radio tower, windmills and caches;

bring firewood indoors; close off unused rooms in the

general store and spa. Then Neff and Kenai split off from

the others.

149 INT. HOT SPRINGS SPA

Via a catwalk, Neff and Kenai climb up into the ceiling

struts above the partitioned cubicles in the spa to caulk a

roof leak with pitch. Neff is sullen from his conversation

with Eric. Kenai, however, is smiling at Neff.

NEFF:

Why the smirk?

KENAI:

Bet I could make some money

turning Ben Corbett in. Maybe

more for lettin' him loose.

(off Neff's flustered look)

I was up in my cache. Saw the

Northland man come talk to you.

NEFF:

You're out of your greedy goddamn

mind.

KENAI:

Corbett coming here stinks of

trouble. We should make the best

of it before it turns around and

bites us in the ass.

NEFF:

Stay out of it.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes