Jumanji Page #8

Slowly, Krystyl turns around. A large BLACK LEOPARD is perched

on the sideboard, sizing them up. Its tail twitches excitedly.

KRYSTYL:

(hoarse)

What do we do?

ERIC:

Whatever you do, don’t look away.

Try not to even blink.

The leopard shifts its weight from one leg to the other.

ERIC (CONT’D)

Now slowly stand up...

She does. Eric FOLDS up the game.

ERIC (CONT’D)

Easy... don’t make any sudden moves.

Now, carefully move toward the door.

The leopard GROWLS. Krystyl flinches and instinctively puts her

hands up.

The leopard POUNCES! Krystyl ducks down out of its way. The

leopard lands on the table. It SLIDES off the other side, along

with the tablecloth.

It lands in a tangled heap on the floor, fighting to unwrap

itself from the cloth.

KRYSTYL:

That was close!

ERIC:

We’re not through, yet! The clue

didn’t say “hunter.” It said

“hunters.” There’s more than one!

On the floor, the leopard THRASHES and SNARLS.

KRYSTYL:

It’s going to get out of there!

ERIC:

Come on! Downstairs!

They run out of the room and race toward the basement. Eric

flings open the door. Bestial GROWLING is heard from below.

ERIC:

Did I say downstairs?

KRYSTYL:

Uh-huh.

ERIC:

My bad.

He slams the door shut. They turn around and bolt upstairs.

After a second, the leopard SMASHES through the door.

INT. ERIC’S HOUSE – UPSTAIRS FOYER – DUSK

Eric and Krystyl reach the top of the stairs, panicked.

KRYSTYL:

Look out!

A third LEOPARD wanders out of the bathroom.

The second leopard SNARLS behind them. Eric’s eyes dart off to

the side.

KRYSTYL:

There’s no place left to go!

ERIC:

The attic!

He points to a door on the adjacent side of the foyer.

INT. ERIC’S HOUSE – DINING ROOM – LATE AFTERNOON

The first leopard tears itself free of the tablecloth and

lithely climbs up the stairs.

INT. ERIC’S HOUSE – UPSTAIRS FOYER – LATE AFTERNOON

Eric and Krystyl race toward the door, but are quickly cut off

by the third leopard. The duo is soon backed into a corner.

The second and third leopards join the first and crowd around

them.

Krystyl is gripping Eric’s arm so tightly that her knuckles have

begun to whiten.

KRYSTYL:

We’re surrounded!

As LEOPARD 1 charges, LEOPARDS 2 & 3 tackle it. The three

felines begin to fight amongst each other with much CLAWING and

SNARLING. Eric and Krystyl stare, almost entranced.

KRYSTYL:

What... What’s going on?

ERIC:

I can’t believe it... They’re fighting

over which one gets to eat us!

The leopards FIGHT with greater intensity.

KRYSTYL:

Sibling rivalry...

They carefully inch their way to the attic door.

KRYSTYL:

You have to admit, this is a lot

more exciting than watching a movie.

ERIC:

I’m willing to bet this game is a

lot more exciting than most things.

Eric opens the door and they enter the attic.

INT. ERIC’S HOUSE – ATTIC – DUSK

Eric is setting up the square table in the center of the room.

Krystyl is sitting cross-legged on the floor, examining the game

more thoroughly.

KRYSTYL:

You know, I think there’s more to

this game than we realize.

Eric gives her an “are you an idiot?” look.

KRYSTYL (CONT’D)

No, no; I mean, I think I know how

it’s progressing.

Krystyl stands and PACES the room.

KRYSTYL:

At first it started small. The

scorpions, well, they were creepy,

but they didn’t really cause any

damage. You just... you know...

sucked them up and that was it.

Then you rolled the dice and the

monkeys came out. They were more

challenging to deal with, but they

were all contained in one room.

But then things got a little more...

complicated.

ERIC:

“Frenzied beasts are at your heel...”

KRYSTYL:

Exactly. The wild pigs caused even

more damage, and it was at that time...

or turn, I should say, that we actually

had to take action in order to avoid

getting hurt... or killed. Then you

took your turn again and we had

freaking leopards chasing us-

ERIC:

I know, Krystyl. I was there.

What’s your point?

KRYSTYL:

Don’t you see? The more we play this

game, the more dangerous it becomes!

Each turn sends out something worse

than the previous turn!

Eric considers this, and realizes she is right.

ERIC:

It knows.

KRYSTYL:

What?

ERIC:

The game is getting harder because

Jumanji knows we’re getting closer

and doesn’t want us to finish. It

doesn’t want either of us to win.

KRYSTYL:

Then the game is... alive?

ERIC:

Why not? It’s definitely sentient.

KRYSTYL:

But why doesn’t it want us to win?

Eric takes the game, sets it on the table and unfolds it.

ERIC:

Maybe it’s trying to keep something

protected. Maybe there’s some secret

that it doesn’t want us to uncover.

He stares at his beetle figurine on the game.

CUT TO:
The beetle figurine, now in the palm of a child’s hand.

INT. JUNGLE – ZA’RU’A VILLAGE – LATE AFTERNOON

A native GIRL (9) holds the beetle figurine in one hand and the

parrot figurine in her other. She arches an eyebrow.

Felix stands in front of her, rummaging through his overstuffed

vest. He produces a small metal WHISTLE and demonstrates.

The girl shakes her head.

Felix offers a spare derby, much too large for her.

The girl hesitates, but then shakes her head.

Bemused, Felix takes out a silver POCKETWATCH and winds it up,

demonstrating how it works.

The girl watches, amazed. She eagerly nods.

Felix gives a Cheshire Cat grin, and exchanges the items. She

runs off, holding her new treasure. He trots off with his own.

INT. JUNGLE – ZA’RU’A VILLAGE – LATE AFTERNOON

Za’ru’a villagers have crowded around the strange foreigners in

their land. Most of them look afraid, some even angry.

Nigel and Hasani sit with a NATIVE (30s), slowly engaging in

conversation. Timothy and Alistair stand nearby, the latter

looking impatient.

Felix SAUNTERS up, oblivious of the distrusting stares from

onlookers.

FELIX:

Look at these! Aren’t they

magnificent?! This is genuine ivory,

you know!

ALISTAIR:

(not looking)

Fascinating.

TIMOTHY:

Those are remarkable... who did you

get them from?

FELIX:

A particularly shrewd little girl who,

by now, is showing off her brand new

Pitkin pocket watch to her associates.

Courtesy of the one and only, Felix J.

Kauffman!

TIMOTHY:

You’ve been doing quite a bit of

trading since we arrived... what else

are you giving these people?

Felix grins and takes a HORSESHOE MAGNET from out of his front

pocket.

FELIX:

In most cases, one of these little

beauties here is enough to convince

an average customer of the Negroid

persuasion to part with his or her

belongings. A simple demonstration

of its abilities upon an ordinary

nail, and the deal is made!

Nigel and the native have finished their discussion. They stand

up and shake hands. Nigel and Hasani rejoin their group.

NIGEL:

Alright, gentlemen. From what I’ve

gathered, the ruins of Jumanji are

several miles due South. After that,

we may have a slope to climb, and

then... well, we shall see if this

legend is indeed based on fact.

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