Hero Page #10

FIRE CAPTAIN:

GET 'EM BACK! GET 'EM BACK!

ANGLE ON RICHIE:

Staring at the smoking plane in horror when a hand grips his

shoulder. Turning he finds himself looking up at the MAN whose

back we saw LESLIE push out of the plane... FLETCHER!

RICHIE:

DAD! OH, DAD!

FLETCHER:

Son! Thank God! I couldn't find

you. I was terrified... terrified.

They're hugging.

INT. EXIT AREA/727 CABIN - NIGHT

LESLIE and BERNIE are awkwardly pushing GALE'S limp body out

the exit to a FIREMAN, DENTON in an asbestos suit just outside.

FIREMAN DENTON:

(to Leslie)

You too, miss! Right away!

LESLIE turns to BERNIE.

LESLIE:

I've lost (cough) lost count. I

think (cough) everybody's out.

But BERNIE isn't there! He's disappeared into the smoke. As

she stares in dismay, she hears him yelling...

BERNIE'S VOICE

HEY, FLETCHER! SPEAK UP, WILL YA?

INT. MAIN CABIN/727 - NIGHT

Coughing and choking BERNIE struggles through the cabin, his

light nearly useless now.

BERNIE'S VOICE

HEY (cough cough) FLETCHER!

Nothing! Darkness. BERNIE can see orange in the black near

the tail. Fire!

This is crazy! Time to turn back! He's turning toward the exit.

when suddenly...

A VOICE:

Here! Over here! Help me, please.

At last! BERNIE waves the light in the direction of the VOICE

and stumbles that way through the smoke.

BERNIE:

Where the (cough cough) hell are

ya, buddy?

VOICE:

Over here. My leg's broken (cough

cough). I need help.

BERNIE finds an injured MAN crawling along the floor.

BERNIE leans down and grips him under the armpits.

BERNIE:

Fletcher, right?

The MAN cries out in pain as BERNIE half drags him over seats.

MAN:

Aaaaaaaah! Smith!

BERNIE:

You're not Fletcher?

BERNIE lets him go.

SMITH:

Please help me. My name's Smith.

BERNIE looks around with the light.

Thick smoke. Flames back toward the tail.

BERNIE:

I'm looking for Fletcher! HEY,

FLETCHER!

BERNIE waves the light at the darkness and...it goes out.

BERNIE:

Sh*t!

BANG! BANG! BERNIE bangs the flashlight against a seat.

SMITH:

Don't leave me. Please don't leave

me.

BERNIZ:

Awright, awright.

Angrily BERNIE grabs him and hauls him urgently toward the exit

while SMITH cries out in pain.

BERNIE:

Don't count yer chickens here,

Smith. I can't see sh*t.

EXT. AIRPLANE/RIVER - NIGHT

A dazzling worklight shining down from the bridge illuminates

the fuselage and the partially opened exit as TWO FIREMEN in

asbestos fire suits splash through the water carrying GALE from

the plane.

FIREMAN DENTON stands at the narrow exit, too narrow for him

to enter in his bulky asbestos suit and shouts through his

helmet.

FIREMAN DENToN

You've gotta come outta there, miss.

Right now! This thing's gonna go.

LESLIE squeezes out of the exit, looks back...

LESLIE:

There's another...

FIREMAN DENTON:

(grabbing her)

RIGHT GODDAMN NOW! COME ON!

As LESLIE and FIREMAN DENTON splash the ten yards to the

riverbank flames eat their way toward the wings where the fuel

is stored.

Suddenly BERNIE'S VOICE cuts through the chaos...

BERNIE'S VOICE (O.S.)

HEY! GIMME A HAND HERE. HEY YOU!

IN THE BUNNY SUIT.

LESLIE looks back and sees BERNIE awkwardly pulling SMITH out

of the narrow exit.

FIREMAN DENTON slogs back to BERNIE.

FIREMAN DENTON:

I'll help him, buddy, you run for

it.

FIREMAN DENTON tries to grab SMITH but BERNIE won't let go.

BERNIE:

I gat this guy, you go get the guy

who's still in there.

FIREMAN DENTON is lifting SMITH bodily.

FIREMAN DENTON:

Get out of here, pal, she's gonna

blow.

BERNIE:

You're not goin' in? There's a guy

in there! You got a f***ing suit.

FIREMAN DENTON:

SHE'S GONNA EXPLODE, YOU DUMB SH*T.

FIREMAN DENTON starts to stagger away from the plane, carrying

SMITH.

BERNIE looks back at the plane, sees the fury of flames and

suddenly he splashes through the water after FIREMAN DENTON.

EXT. RIVERBANK - SECONDS LATER (NIGHT)

FIREMAN DENTON is staggering up the slope carrying SMITH when

he glances back.

He sees BERNIE poking around at the edge of the riverbank.

FIREMAN DENTON:

HURRY 'UP, BUDDY!

In the orange glow of the fire, BERNIE gives a delighted grunt

as he finds half of what he's looking for... a single shoe.

FIREMAN DENTON:

COME ON, YOU STUPID SH*T!

BERNIE:

I LOST MY GODDAMN SHOE!

BERNIE is looking around frantically when...

EXT. RIVERBANK - NIGHT

BOOOOOOOOOOM! BERNIE is knocked backward by a tremendous

explosion. Suddenly he's sitting in the mud, the night around

him bright with flames.

BERNIE:

Holy sh*t!

Then he's running, clutching one shoe, no longer worried at all

about the other...

BAAAAAAAAAAAAA-DOOOOOOOOOOM! A SECOND BLAST! MUCH BIGGER!

EXT. ACCIDENT SCENE/HIGHWAY - NIGHT

From the relative safety of the road, CHUCKY's pointing his

vidpak with the Channel Four logo at the exploding plane.

Panning the camera from the furious mountain of flames he picks

up a marvelous image.

CHUCKY:

(excited, under his

breath)

Tight on fire, yes, yes, pulling

back, flame everywhere, find

survivors backlit in orange glow,

yes, yes, yes, awesome, major award,

cameraman of the year,go Chucky,go,

baby, how you shoot it.

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