Cliffhanger Page #19

Brett doesn't even look down -- he responds by FIRING a short

burst over Travers' head.

BRETT:

Nice try. I've got one of these at

home. Now drop 'em.

All drop their guns -- Brett, unfortunately, realizes at the

same time we do --

BRETT:

Hey -- where's the other guy --

HAL:

(shouting)

Brett, behind you!

Too late -- Brett can only twist around half way before --

QUALEN:

easily mows down Brett with his machine gun, riddling him with

at least thirty rounds at close range. Brett falls dead into

the snow. Qualen walks up to Brett's corpse, blood steaming in

the reddening snow, and kicks it over.

BELOW ON THE WALLSIDE

Gabe, reacting to the sound of the machine gun fire, climbs

up, but there's nothing he can do --

TRAVERS AND QUALEN

and the others pick up their guns.

TRAVERS:

(turning to face Hal)

Time to --

Travers sees that Hal is gone -- he's escaped in the

confusion.

IN THE WOODS - HAL

runs like his ass is on fire and practically collides with

Evan, who is more panicked than ever.

EVAN:

What are we going to do --

HAL:

You came up here to jump the spur --

(pulls Evan's chute out

of his pack)

This'd be a great time to do it.

EVAN:

(panicked)

But --

HAL:

(quick)

Listen -- they don't know you're up

here -- I'll draw their fire, you've

got to make the jump and get help.

EVAN:

I don't -- I -- uh --

HAL:

(exasperated, grabs

chute)

Unless you want to do it the other way

around?

Evan snatches the parachute and runs off. Hal, wasting no

time, runs in the opposite direction, deliberately making as

much noise as he can, slapping branches, stomping on rocks.

EXT. WOODS - THE BANG

runs into the woods -- Qualen and Kristel, hearing Hal's noisy

retreat, run after him. But Travers stops for a second -- he

has spotted

EVAN'S FOOTPRINTS

in the snow -- not unlike a neon arrow.

TRAVERS:

runs in the direction of the footprints and quickly closes the

gap between him and

EVAN:

who tries to pull on the chute and run at the same time --

it's not easy. Evan closes one of the three buckles -- but

TRAVERS:

bursts out of the woods and runs up right behind him --

QUALEN AND KRISTEL

in the meantime, get behind Hal in a clearing -- Kristel FIRES

over his head.

KRISTEL:

Stop!

Hal, caught again, freezes in his tracks.

EVAN:

is still up and running -- he dodges Travers' fire, weaving

through trees, getting the second buckle closed -- he sees the

edge, just ahead, and puts on an extra burst of speed --

TRAVERS:

does likewise, still firing -- his clip runs out, but this

only buys Evan an extra few seconds --

THE SPUR:

is a rock formation that just out like a diving board -- Evan

runs like hell to the edge of it --

TRAVERS:

is right behind him, and has slapped a fresh clip in place,

but before he can shoot --

EVAN:

dives off the edge and clasps the third buckle --

ON THE LEDGE - GABE

is directly below a few hundred feet -- looking up, he thinks

Evan has made it -- but

ON THE SPUR EDGE - TRAVERS

throws himself down, aims quickly but carefully, and FIRES

twenty rounds towards Evan's falling figure --

EVAN - FALLING

Evan LAUGHS -- he hasn't been hit --

GABE - WATCHING

GABE:

Come on -- wait till you're out of

range -- don't pull it yet --

LONG SHOT - EVAN FALLING

Several seconds pass -- Evan is now several hundred feet down

and apparently out of firing range --

TRAVERS:

stops firing -- but doesn't seem unhappy at all.

EVAN:

LAUGHS more and pulls the D-ring -- the parachute billows

open, inflating --

CLOSE ON THE PARACHUTE

which has been shredded by bullets that hit the pack -- as

quickly as it inflates, it deflates through dozens of

holes -- whatever resistance is left vanishes as the canopy

collapses.

EVAN'S

exhilaration turns to panic as he frantically pulls on the

chute's guide lines -- but the more he does this, the faster

the chute caves in -- he SCREAMS as the chute finally gives

way and plummets right past

GABE ON THE LEDGE

who is powerless to do anything but watch --

EVAN:

falls the long, full five thousand feet, desperately,

uselessly, pulling in the lines of the tattered chute until

he's tangled in it like a shroud --

GABE:

turns away -- he can't watch Evan hit bottom -- he grimaces

and looks up with absolute hate at

TRAVERS:

who doesn't see Gabe -- he's laughing at Evan's desperation,

which ends as his death scream is cut off.

Hal is led over to the spur, with the other gang members

behind him. Hal looks as angry as Gabe.

QUALEN:

Was that Walker?

TRAVERS:

No such luck.

(to Hal, smiling)

Cheer up. Everyone should die in a

spot this beautiful.

ON THE LEDGE BELOW - CLOSE ON GABE

who has heard this and is shaking with fury.

GABE:

(quietly)

Don't worry. You will.

LONG SHOT OF MOUNTAIN

On top, Hal reluctantly leads the gang away -- below, we can

see Gabe start out on a parallel path along the ledges.

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