Hero Page #8

SUSAN turns away from GALE and half-carries KELLY toward the

exit, leaving GALE alone, trapped, in pain and fear.

EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT

BERNIE is climbing cautiously down the undercarriage of the

bridge toward the water, as OTHER VOICES callout from the

twisted fuselage.

BERNIE:

Hold on there, hold on there. Just

a minute.

BERNIE is awkward and... very careful... climbing down, not

brave or dashing. He doesn't notice that, behind him, where

the plane is corkscrewed through the bridge a BOUQUET OF ORANGE

FLAMES IS BLOSSOMING IN THE FUSELAGE OF THE JET.

INT. MAIN CABIN/727 - NIGHT

Thick smoke is oozing through the cabin. PASSENGERS are

stumbling over each other, clogging the canted aisles while

OTHERS slump in their seats, immobilized.

RICHIE'S VOICE (O.S.)

Daddy! Daddy! Daddy, wake up!

LESLIE'S VOICE

Keep calm! Everybody, keep calm.

ANOTHER VOICE:

Someone's coming!

EXT. RIVER - NIGHT

Having reached the riverbank, BERNIE is reluctant to step in

the water. He hesitates, then he takes off his shoes, looks

in the darkness for a place to leave them.

VOICE:

Help us! Help, please.

BERNIE:

Hold on, buddy. I got hundred

dollar shoes here.

More cries. BERNIE steps cautiously into the water. Up to his

ankles. Deeper.

BERNIE wades along the huge fuselage, toward the VOICES,

stumbling, landing on all fours in the water.

BERNIE:

Jesus Christ!

Struggling to his feet, hands muddy, he blunders toward the

Emergency Exit and finds it canted into the water, jammed into

the mud so that it only opens a crack.

MR. BROWN is wedged in the crack, trying to force the door open

without success. Glimpsing BERNIE'S hands in the crack, he

pleads.

MR. BROWN

Help us, please. We can't get out.

BERNIE makes a tentative attempt to open the door. He has no

effect whatsoever.

MR. BROWN

Push it! You gotta push hard.

BERNIE:

Whaddaya (grunt) think I'm (grunt)

doing?

Reluctantly BERNIE digs his feet into the mud, puts his shoulder

into the door and shoves with all his might. Because he has a

better angle on the door and better purchase, he's actually able

to move it several inches.

MR. BROWN

Harder. Push it harder.

BERNIE leans back into the door again and pushes with all his

might. It gives ever so slightly. Another inch. MR. BROWN

is trying to squeeze out.

MR. BROWN

Again! Harder. Come on.

BERNIE:

(grunting with effort)

I'm... pushing... it, buddy.

MR. BROWN

Harder!

BERNIE:

I'm... pushing... it... a**hole!

INT. MAIN CABIN/727 - NIGHT

PASSENGERS stumble over each other while a flashlight makes

panicky stabs at the darkness, RICHIE cries out for FLETCHER

to wake up, the BABY screams.

Someone's trying to get out the overhead exit, others are

hammering at an aft exit.

GALE slumped in her seat, fades in and out of consciousness.

Above her, across the canted aisle, SUSAN is calling out for

help... Then, GALE'S eyes flicker with awareness at the sound

of an urgent shout...

VOICE:

THERE'S A GUY OPENING THE DOOR.

HE'S OPENING IT!

A sudden shadowy surge of movement in the darkness, PASSENGERS

urgently scrambling over seats toward the exit.

EXT. AIRPLANE/RIVER - NIGHT

BERNIE gives a great heave and goes down in the river face

first.

He's opened the door just wide enough for MR. BROWN to squirm

through the narrow opening, then pull MRS. BROWN through.

BERNIE, sputtering, is trying to get to his feet when the BROWNS

knock him down again in their frantic rush to get as far away

from the burning plane as they can.

As BERNIE struggles to his feet yet again, more PASSENGERS are

oozing out the door. They brush him aside, splashing toward the

river bank, while orange flames are flickering wildly now in

the tail section.

INT. MAIN CABIN/727 - NIGHT

LESLIE is beside the exit, using her flashlight to guide people.

Her face is bruised and bloody, her uniform torn, but she is

courage itself...

LESLIE:

Once you're outside, immediately

move as far away from the aircraft

as you can. If you see someone who

needs help...

Scared PASSENGERS are struggling to get over the seats that are

close to where the floor ought to be.

LESLIE:

Please, everybody, one at a time.

Please, one at a time.

Just then the young RICHIE, caught in the surge of PASSENGERS,

bumps into her.

RICHIE:

Please, Miss, my father can't move.

He can't move.

LESLIE grabs him and shoves him bodily out the narrow exit as

she speaks urgently...

LESLIE:

We'll try and help him, you wait

outside. Get as far away from the

plane as you can.

Just then LESLIE sees the bloody PILOT and CO-PILOT staggering

toward her.

She helps them out the narrow opening, half pushing them.

EXT. RIVERBANK - NIGHT

BERNIE'S face is smeared with mud! He staggers out of the water

in the flicker of firelight and starts searching for his shoes

on the muddy riverbank.

PILOT:

Don't stop!

BERNIE:

You gonna bUy me a new pair a shoes,

pal?

The sound of approaching SIRENS cuts through the rainy night.

EXT. AIRPLANE/RIVER - NIGHT

RICHIE is outside the plane, struggling in chest deep water.

He looks back at the plane, sobbing...

RICHIE:

Dad! Dad!

He doesn't know what to do.

EXT. RIVERBANK - NIGHT

Muttering curses, BERNIE is floundering around on the riverbank

when a hand clutches at his sleeve.

BERNIE whirls, his face a mask of mud. Finds himself facing

RICHIE.

RICHIE:

Sir! Please, sir. Sir, my father

can't move.

Where? BERNIE looks around.

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