Cliffhanger Page #11

THE PITON - CLOSE

also has been clipped by the still falling boulders and droops

at half mast -- no way are these going to hold in the

unreliable ice --

HAL:

tries to stay flat, but one boulder painfully CLIPS him on the

shoulder, knocking him from his perch -- Hal falls --

WIDER - HAL FALLING

In falling, Hal's weight on the rope yanks out the nearest

anchor piton -- Hal tumbles in space, keeping pace with the

boulders, as --

GABE:

who's seen everything we have, quickly reaches to the piton

he's just anchored, and removes the carabiner clip --

HAL - FALLING

The rope draws taut, yanking out the last piton between he and

Gabe -- nothing but a few yards of slack rope now --

GABE:

has the bolt gun out. He rapidly hooks the rope's carabiner

clip to the chambered bolt, and FIRES it at a solid rock ledge

above him --

INSERT - THE BOLT

imbeds solidly in the rock --

GABE:

lashes the rope to his shoulder, bracing for the coming impact

by lodging his feet in the ice --

THE JOLT - WIDER SHOT

The line pulls taut, leaving Hal suspended, the wind knocked

out of him from the impact --

GABE:

is almost dragged down by the jolt -- he painfully takes most

of the impact in his shoulders -- the shock forces his feet

through an ice ledge -- but the rope, bolted to the rock

above, has held. Barely.

GABE:

(shaken, voice gone)

Anchored --

(shouts this time)

Anchored!

HAL:

now somewhat recovered, steadies himself.

HAL:

(breathless too)

You're sure this time --

Hal climbs up the rope, finally reaching another ledge

slightly below Gabe's. Hal leans against the wall, gasping, as

Gabe clips the gun to his pack.

HAL:

(looking up at gun)

Don't say it --

GABE:

(wheezing too)

It's kind of hard to resist --

GABE HAL

It's not dead It's not dead

weight -- you weight -- I am.

are.

Hal and Gabe start howling -- that hysterical, giddy laugh

that only comes from just missing a violent end.

WIDE SHOT ON MOUNTAIN - THE TWO LEDGES

Hal and Gabe's friendship is starting to resurface -- their

LAUGHTER is nearly louder than the wind, as we --

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. PRECIPICE EDGE - DAY - BINOCULAR POV

From the top of the bluff, someone is looking down through

binoculars -- Gabe and Hal's orange jackets are plainly

visible a few hundred yards below.

RYAN:

lowers the binoculars, and keys an ear button on the headset

radio he's wearing, sending a beep.

INSIDE THE PLANE

Travers is wearing another headset -- the others are just

resting in the seats

TRAVERS:

(into mouthpiece)

Have they arrived?

(two beeps in response)

Good. Return to the plane and cover

your tracks.

QUALEN:

(to others)

Get ready.

ON THE MOUNTAIN BELOW

Hal and Gabe are tired, but get a second wind from the

excitement of being almost on top. Gabe stops, breathless for

a second, then goes on. Hal lags a little behind.

GABE:

Come on -- the hard part's over.

Gabe heads up and over

THE MOUNTAIN'S EDGE/CRASH SITE

and helps Hal up. From here, the rest of the range looms

large. Even in the continuing snowstorm, it's a spectacular

sight -- but Gabe and Hal don't pause to enjoy it. This isn't

a trip for sport. Hal looks off into the trees, and sees the

torn tree stumps from the plane crash.

HAL:

(grim)

That's it.

Hal and Gabe run into the wooded area and follow the

wreckage -- felled trees, a smashed wing -- and reach

THE FUSELAGE:

which sits intact by the other edge of the precipice.

GABE:

I thought the fuselage was broken.

That looks pretty cozy.

HAL:

(puzzled too)

The pilot was hysterical.

GABE:

Something's wrong here --

HAL:

Does this look like a prank to you?

Come on --

Hal pulls open the passenger door and goes in -- Gabe, wary,

takes a look around the plane.

INSIDE THE FUSELAGE

It's comparatively dark in here -- Hal starts in, shining a

light -- the beam finds

HAL'S POV - TRAVERS

slumped down on the cabin floor, a blanket wrapped around

him -- he's shaking and is generally giving a good impression

of a shock victim. Hal rushes to him.

HAL:

Relax -- we're here to help --

"Weak", Travers whispers as Hal gives him some water.

HAL:

Don't try to talk --

Travers won't quit -- Hal leans down to hear.

TRAVERS:

(hoarse whisper)

Where?

HAL:

-- Where? What are you --

A gun barrel moves INTO VIEW as it presses against Hal's neck.

Heldon and Ryan are right behind him. Travers instantly drops

his act.

TRAVERS:

You said "we". Where are the rest?

GABE - OUTSIDE THE FUSELAGE

notes footprints in the snow -- fresh ones -- and kneels down

to look at the cable wrapped around the tree. No ordinary

accident. But before he can think about this, he gets an

earful of gun barrel from Qualen, who is behind him.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes