Babel Page #8

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DOUGLAS:

I'll stay with you if you need me.

Elyse (73), his wife, scolds him.

ELYSE:

And why would you stay?

RICHARD:

Please wait. Let me try to deal

with this.

TOM:

We're not going to risk our lives,

so hurry.

Douglas looks defiantly at Tom.

DOUGLAS:

You do what you have to do, we'll

wait.

40.

70 EXT. HAMLET -- DAY

Richard and Anwar walk down the streets of the small hamlet

before the people's inquisitive gaze. They arrive at a

general store with all sorts of roots and grains displayed

outside. Anwar walks over to the owner.

ANWAR:

(in Arabic)

We need your phone. I'll pay for

the call.

71 INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Susan is lying on the floor, desolate. It seems as if the

pain is diminishing. The grandmother leans over her and softly

caresses her with her dirty, wrinkled hands. This startles

Susan.

ANWAR'S GRANDMOTHER

(In Arabic)

How do you feel?

Susan is a little bit uncomfortable with her this close.

SUSAN:

Can I have some water?

The old woman doesn't seem to understand. She grabs a basket

of dates and offers them to her. Susan shakes her head.

SUSAN (CONT'D)

No, water...

With her hand, Susan mimes drinking a glass of water. The

old woman seems to understand. She pours some water from a

jar, leans over her and helps her drink in small sips.

SUSAN (CONT'D)

Thanks.

The grandmother bows her head as if to say "your welcome."

SUSAN (CONT'D)

Where's my husband?

The old woman just smiles. Susan makes a gesture of

desperation. The grandmother leans over her, unfurls her

index finger and points at her heart.

ANWAR'S GRANDMOTHER

(In Arabic)

Trust in god.

Susan keeps looking at her as she slowly gets up and goes to

sit in a chair.

41.

72 INT. GENERAL STORE -- DAY

Richard is in a small cubicle dialing on an old cream-colored

rotary phone while Anwar waits discretely in a corner. Dozens

of people watch from outside. Richard turns to look at them

while the call connects.

RICHARD:

Yes... Rachel? It's Richard...

RACHEL (O.S.)

¿Are you still in Moroccco?

RICHARD:

Yes, we're still in Morocco...Rachel,

there was an accident, your sister

was shot...

RACHEL (O.S.)

(Surprised)

What? Who shot her?

RICHARD:

I don't know... We were shot at from

some hills.

RACHEL:

Is she ok?

RICHARD:

She was hit in her neck and shoulder.

Rachel, she's not doing well... I

need you to tell the embassy as soon

as possible... wait... and call

Mark...

RACHEL (O.S.)

Where are you?

He turns to Anwar.

RICHARD:

Anwar, where are we?

ANWAR:

In Tazarine, three hours southwest

of Erfoud.

RICHARD:

Were in Tazarine, T-a-z-a-r-I-n-e

Three hours southwest of Erfoud...

in the desert... it's a town...

there's no hospital... There's nothing

here at all...

RACHEL (O.S.)

Where are you calling me from?

42.

RICHARD:

From a shop. Rachel, this is urgent...

urgent... call the embassy... They

have to help us... call James too...

RACHEL (O.S.)

Why did they shoot her?

RICHARD:

I don't know... Rachel, you're

sister's badly hurt... do you

understand? Call for help... now...

He hangs up. As soon as he does, he turns to Anwar.

RICHARD (CONT'D)

Call an ambulance...

ANWAR:

I'll call Erfoud so they send one

over.

Anwar, clumsy and stressed at Richard's desperation, takes

the phone and starts dialing.

RICHARD:

And find a doctor...

As he finishes dialing, Anwar turns to Richard.

ANWAR:

They've already gone to look for

him.

73 INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Richard returns to the room. Susan, weak, lies with her

eyes open. The grandmother is tending to the wound, which

won't stop bleeding. She gets up and goes to Anwar.

ANWAR'S GRANDMOTHER

(in Arabic)

Anwar, bring me some water.

74 EXT. PATIO, ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Anwar goes out to the patio and fetches a metal basin full

of soil. He goes to a well, scoops out some water with a

gourd and washes out the basin.

Anwar is walking back when he is stopped by Mohammed, his

brother, a fat man (32) with curly hair and a tanned face.

MOHAMMED:

(the entire dialogue

in Arabic)

Why did you bring them here?

43.

Anwar doesn't pay attention to him and keeps walking toward

the room. His brother catches up to him.

MOHAMMED (CONT'D)

You should have consulted with us.

Anwar stops and looks at him fixedly.

ANWAR:

She's hurt, we had to take care of

her.

MOHAMMED:

In town they're saying she was shot

by terrorists. Do you know what

they're going to do to us when they

find out she's here?

ANWAR:

Don't be paranoid and go help find

the doctor.

Anwar pays no more attention to him and carries the basin

into the room.

75 INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Susan is lying down. A small pool of blood has collected

under her neck. She looks restless. She whispers weakly.

SUSAN:

Get me out of here... please...

RICHARD:

I'm going to as soon as I can. I've

already called Rachel; she's going

to tell the embassy.

SUSAN:

I told you we shouldn't have come.

Just then Anwar enters. The grandmother takes the basin and

sets it in a corner. She gets some pieces of cloth and starts

to soak them.

RICHARD:

How long until the ambulance gets

here?

ANWAR:

About an hour and a half. It's coming

from Alnif.

RICHARD:

That much? Isn't there anyone here

who could take her?

44.

Anwar shakes his head.

RICHARD (CONT'D)

We've got to get her out of here.

There's no one to tend to her.

ANWAR:

My brother already called a doctor,

he's coming.

Richard is going to say something, but holds back. His

despair and confusion are evident.

ANWAR (CONT'D)

Trust my grandmother; she knows a

lot about remedies.

The grandmother wrings out the rags and puts them on a table.

She takes some herbs, a fistful of earth from the floor and

she tosses them into the basin. She stirs it and pulls out

a clump of mud which she lays out on one of the pieces of

cloth.

Susan looks horrified at the dirt. The grandmother leans

over her and tries to clean the wound with the other moistened

rags. Susan resists.

ANWAR'S GRANDMOTHER

(In Arabic)

I have to clean you.

ANWAR:

(To Susan)

Miss, my grandmother is going to

help you.

The grandmother finishes cleaning her with the damp cloths

and grabs the clump of mud. She tries to put it on the wound,

but Susan flinches.

SUSAN:

No, not that.

ANWAR'S GRANDMOTHER

(In Arabic)

It will stop the bleeding.

SUSAN:

No, no... not that...

Richard intervenes.

RICHARD:

(To Anwar)

Let's wait for the doctor.

45.

76 EXT. HAMLET -- DAY

Two old men walk through the streets.

77 INT. ROOM, ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

Mohammed walks into the room and calls him.

MOHAMMED:

(In Arabic)

The sheik and the moukadem are here.

78 EXT. ANWAR'S HOUSE -- DAY

The two men walk past the tourists and head inside without

knocking or asking for permission.

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