Jumanji Page #11

He takes out a small, metal COMPASS and studies it in his hands.

FELIX (CONT’D)

Although I wasn’t too concerned with

our mission. My mind’s eye saw only

negotiations and profits.

CLOSE UP on the compass.

CUT TO:
The same compass in the same hand, circa 1895.

INT. JUNGLE – CLEARING – DAWN

The party is trekking up an incline, overgrown with foliage.

Timothy is brimming with excitement.

FELIX:

We’re still heading east.

TIMOTHY:

Excellent! Gentlemen, we’re almost

there! Imagine! The first ever to

discover the lost ruins of Jumanji!

The group stops at a “wall” of trees, vines and creepers.

NIGEL:

This is it; the “ring of life,”

exactly where the legends said it

was! That tribesman said his people

were too fearful to approach it...

TIMOTHY:

We’ll need to find a safe way of

entering so as not to disturb the

native-

Alistair marches up to the “wall” and savagely begins HACKING

away at it with a machete.

ALISTAIR:

Talk, talk, talk...

Alistair quickly carves an entranceway. Timothy readies for his

finest hour. He turns to the others.

TIMOTHY:

Alright, everyone. I don’t know

what we may find in there, but

just know that I am forever indebted

to you all for your cooperation.

And now, let us claim our rightful

spoils!

The party charges through the opening into the strange land.

INT. JUNGLE – JUMANJI RUINS – DAWN

The men step into the ruins, and their faces promptly turn to

shock, disappointment and despair. Alistair looks furious.

ALISTAIR:

“Indebted” is putting it lightly.

CUT TO:

It is a barren, desolate wasteland. Absolutely no plants have

grown; not even a blade of grass. The ground is muddy and

putrid.

No people or animals of any kind can be seen or heard. The

entire atmosphere reeks of abandonment.

TIMOTHY:

No...

FELIX:

Well, this is disappointing...

TIMOTHY:

What... What happened here? Where

is everything...? For that matter,

where is anything?

Hasani looks apprehensive and uneasy. He turns to Nigel and

they exchange some conversation.

NIGEL:

Hasani says we ought to turn back.

He’s a little uncomfortable, not seeing

any plant life.

ALISTAIR:

We will do no such thing! I was

promised great rewards, and I

intend to claim them! I will not

leave empty-handed!

TIMOTHY:

I... I’ve heard of ecological blights,

but what could have killed every plant

and animal so quickly?

FELIX:

This didn’t happen recently. If it

did, there would be some remnants of

trees steadily decaying. There are

no remnants in sight, meaning that

they had considerable time to

decompose into nothingness.

Furthermore, it would take many

generations of patient trial and

error before who knows how many

species of animal life decided they

weren’t up to the challenge of

adapting to survive in a forsaken

ecosystem, and simply went extinct.

Without any resources being derived

from plant or animal material, the

humans who depended on those plants

and animals would follow suit, and

eventually die out themselves.

The group stares at him, astonished.

NIGEL:

I didn’t know you studied biology,

Felix.

FELIX:

That, sir, was economics.

Timothy is dumbfounded. Alistair has had enough.

ALISTAIR:

(enraged)

Well! Thus ends the glorious

expedition of Timothy Van Allsburg!

A pointless journey, wasted

opportunities, and not a single thing

to show for it!

TIMOTHY:

NO! No! There... Colonel, there’s

got to be something...

He looks around in desperation.

TIMOTHY (CONT’D)

If... If we can just prove that a

civilization existed here at one time,

then that should be all the university

would need! Now... Now we’ll just

have to pair off and scout the area!

ALISTAIR:

I will not-

TIMOTHY:

(losing it)

SCOUT THE AREA! For God’s sake, I

will not be made a laughingstock!

Colonel, you go with Felix! Nigel,

you and Hasani are with me! We’ll

walk the perimeter, then meet back

here at the hole in the brush!

He marches off, muttering to himself. After a second, Nigel

shrugs and motions Hasani to follow.

Alistair and Felix glance at each other.

FELIX:

I think he’s taking it rather well.

INT. JUNGLE – JUMANJI RUINS – DAWN

Alistair and Felix walk along the bleak grounds. Felix is

scanning the area, but Alistair is too preoccupied to care.

ALISTAIR:

I should never have left England.

FELIX:

Don’t despair, Colonel.

ALISTAIR:

I should have just saved my funds

and simply gone on another safari.

FELIX:

We’ll find something.

ALISTAIR:

Look around, you fool! There is

nothing here! Where would we even

begin to look?!

Felix stops walking and points.

FELIX:

Perhaps that odd cave, there.

Alistair looks. There is an onyx black, stone cave with various

tribal markings around it.

INT. JUNGLE – JUMANJI CAVE - ENTRANCE – DAWN

An unseen source of light illuminates the entrance. The cave is

open and barren.

Felix and Alistair approach the entranceway.

ALISTAIR:

You think the Jumanji constructed

this?

FELIX:

This certainly isn’t a natural

occurrence.

ALISTAIR:

What makes you say that?

Felix points up at the sky.

FELIX:

If the sun in rising in the East,

directly to our left, then what is

illuminating this cave from within?

Alistair ponders this, and has no explanation.

ALISTAIR:

Let’s find out.

They enter the cave.

INT. JUNGLE – JUMANJI CAVE – DAWN

The light is brighter; Felix and Alistair turn a corner and

enter the alcove. They stop and stare, entranced.

A glowing crystal ball is set atop a wooden pedestal. It gives

off an ethereal, intense yellow light.

A couple of DECOMPOSING SKELETONS are nearby.

For the first time, Alistair looks uneasy.

ALISTAIR:

What sort of devilish trickery is

this?

FELIX:

The profitable sort, I hope.

Slowly, they approach the glowing crystal ball.

ALISTAIR:

This must have belonged to the

natives at one time.

Felix gestures to the skeletons.

FELIX:

What, them?

ALISTAIR:

Well, the ancient Egyptians were very

often buried with their belongings and

pets... it’s not so very farfetched.

Slaves were killed by the pharaoh

to ensure the burial’s secrecy.

What better way to keep something

under wraps?

He precariously picks up the ball and inspects it closely. It

seems to glow a little brighter.

FELIX:

You may look Colonel, but remember: all

material possessions are to be turned

over directly to me for inventory in

my stores.

ALISTAIR:

What is producing this light, though?

Fire, phosphorous powder, or...?

He looks in closer and squints his eyes.

ALISTAIR:

Wait a minute... I think I see

something. It looks like...

Alistair begins to grow terrified as he realizes what he is

seeing.

FELIX:

Colonel?

ALISTAIR:

(hoarse)

By all that is holy and pure...

FELIX:

What is it? What do you see?

Alistair turns and presents the ball to Felix.

ALISTAIR:

Look.

Felix leans in, and after several seconds his jaw drops and his

eyes bulge.

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