Cliffhanger Page #2

HAL:

lets go of the overhead line and claps his hands to his face

in mock horror -- he quickly whizzes down the last thirty feet

of the line, where Frank catches him and pulls him out. Hal

gets out of the harness, checks every stitch of it, signals

thumbs-up, and sends it back.

THE LEDGE:

Gabe, retrieves the harness on a small attachment line, and

gives Susan a reassuring smile, but she's still, sensibly,

very scared. Gabe recovers the harness, rigs Susan into it,

and meticulously re-checks it.

GABE:

Ready?

(sees she's afraid)

Did he tell you about the time he

almost made it up Everest?

SUSAN:

He said you gave him a bad oxygen mask

--

GABE:

Well, if he's bored you with that

bullshit, then this has to be the best

part of a bad date. Right?

Susan nervously laughs.

GABE:

Ready?

SUSAN:

(scared but tough)

Okay --

Gabe starts to push her out on the line, but she grabs his arm

in a panic.

SUSAN:

I can't --

Susan starts to tilt her head down -- Gabe gently takes hold

of her chin, turning her view up to face him.

GABE:

Yes you can.

(reassuring)

You can do it. Don't look down. The

whole way across, don't look down.

Look at me. Just keep looking at me --

and you'll be okay.

Susan looks at Gabe -- trying to be confident -- nods.

GABE:

Sure?

SUSAN:

Yeah.

(beat)

I have always depended on the kindness

of Rangers.

Gabe grins and gently pushes her out. Susan tentatively pulls

herself across -- then develops a rhythm, building speed --

GABE'S POV - SUSAN

inching away in the harness, looking more confident now --

SUSAN'S POV - GABE

signalling "OK" -- "you're doing fine" --

SUSAN - ANOTHER ANGLE

thirty feet out, going fine --

INSERT -- A HARNESS CLIP

holding the strap under Susan's left leg breaks --

GABE'S POV - SUSAN

The harness completely unravels all at once, its strands

shoot through the clips -- what was a seat has become a trap

door in half a second -- as the harness shoots out from under

her, Susan falls but grabs the harness strand --

HAL:

is helpless, and can only watch as

SUSAN:

too scared to breathe, dangles on the remaining strand of what

used to be the harness -- she sways from the wind and the jerk

of her own weight, her grip loosens --

INSERT - THE TOP CLIP

that is supporting all of Susan's weight is being seriously

tested -- a single knot in the harness has caught there, but

it clearly won't last long --

GABE:

moves back from the ledge.

GABE:

(loud, in control)

Hold on. I'm coming out to get you.

Gabe gently pulls himself up on the line, crosses his ankles

on it, and clips himself on with a three foot safety line.

Gabe starts smoothly, quickly pulling himself out, but --

SUSAN:

is in trouble -- the bobbing of the line from Gabe's weight

and the winds are making her lose her grip even more --

GABE:

urgently pulls himself along the line faster, trying not to

shake the line. As he gets closer and closer to a terrified

Susan, his eyes lock on hers --

GABE:

Keep looking at me. Hold on --

WIDER ANGLE:

Gabe is only ten feet away from --

SUSAN:

who stares at Gabe, petrified -- this focus is helping, but

her strength is just about gone --

INSERT - THE CLIP

The knot has worked itself halfway through -- it doesn't make

any difference how tight she holds on to the harness, the

harness itself is letting go --

ON GABE:

who knows it and pulls himself the rest of the way, a little

faster, almost bridging the gap --

ON SUSAN:

staring desperately at Gabe, holding on --

INSERT - THE TOP CLIP

that's keeping Susan alive surrenders the knot -- it passes

through, and

SUSAN:

falls --

GABE:

deliberately lets go of the main line and launches himself

at Susan --

THEIR HANDS:

miss --

ANGLE ON BOTH:

Gabe's three foot safety line pulls taut, testing the limits

of the line above as it yanks him back --

GABE'S POV - SUSAN

is just out of reach -- her hand is still stretched out, her

eyes still locked on

GABE:

who can only look down, swaying helplessly on the wire as

Susan's SCREAM starts --

ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE

Frank and Maggie look down in horror, but neither look as

anguished as Hal --

LONG SHOT - SUSAN

falling -- falling -- falling -- looking very small against

the vast mountain range --

SUSAN'S POV - FALLING

from this height takes the longest nineteen seconds you can

imagine --

GABE:

twists from his safety line, spinning helplessly -- he wants

to, but can't, shut his eyes --

GABE'S POV - THE CHASM

Susan is gone. Her SCREAM, cut short, echoes -- the "safety"

harness spirals down after her like a carefree bird --

SMASH CUT TO:

INT/EXT SMALL AIRLINER - GABE'S POV OUT WINDOW - DAY

As the plane dips to land, Gabe can see a bird circling far

below, over the same mountainous terrain.

INT. SMALL AIRLINER - GABE

sweating, panting, awake. It hasn't been that long since the

accident -- a year, to be exact -- but he looks older. He

looks as if he's watched Susan Collins drop at least one

hundred times. Gabe reels himself in as a STEWARDESS hands him

a glass of water.

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