King Kong Page #10

ANN leads the way further up the tunnel complex - towards the SOUND.

PEEK:

This is crazy! We gotta go back to the ship - get more guys!

The OTHERS ignore him and continue their WARY journey ...

INT. SKULL CHAMBER - DAY

JACK, ANN, KURT, followed by PEEK - too scared to head back by himself

- walk into a large chamber, about the size of a squash court. DAYLIGHT

FLOODS IN through openings carved in the representation of the EYES,

NOSE and MOUTH of a SKULL ... The MOUTH being the doorway which leads

straight into the heart of the NATIVE CITY. The RITUALISTIC SOUNDS are

very LOUD.

The GROUP hurry across the chamber and peer out Of the doorway, careful

to remain concealed ... They stare in WONDERMENT at the sight ahead ...

EXT. NATIVE CITY -- DAY

SPECTACULAR RUINS surround an open square ... It is FILLED with NATIVES

- in the midst of a WEIRD RITUALISTIC CEREMONY ... A YOUNG WOMAN sits

bedecked in flowers atop AN ALTAR in the center of the square ...

... DWARFING ALL ELSE is the WALL. It rises directly from the square,

towering 5 stories into the air. A STONE structure, with ORNATE

CARVINGS and decorated with HUGE TUSK-like BONES and BRONZE KONG

figures. In the center of the wall is an ENORMOUS 40 foot WOODEN GATE,

strongly built and very old. From the vines and weeds that grow from

cracks, it has clearly not been used for many years. The wall is not

vertical on this side - it slopes like the pyramids, allowing quick

access to the top.

JACK frowns ... DENHAM, ENGLEHORN, HERB and the TWO SAILORS are TAKING

PART in the CEREMONY!! They are totally out of it - DENHAM is stripped

down to his BOXER SHORTS and GARTERED SOCKS! He is in a frenzied dance

with 2 NATIVE GIRLS, drinking greedily from the GOURD, milky fluid

spilling down his chest ... ENGLEHORN is on his knees in some kind of

FERVOR, MAIDENS smearing paint over his bare chest, a WITCH-DOCTOR

piercing his nose with a ring! HERB and the TWO SAILORS are in similar

states of DRUG INDUCED DELIRIUM.

PEEK:

Holy sh*t!

The NATIVES suddenly drop to their knees, all facing the YOUNG WOMAN

who remains STRANGELY SERENE. They start CHANTING softly ... "KONG ...

KONG ... KONG"

ANN:

(whispering)

She looks like a bride ... Is it a wedding?

KURT:

It's a sacrificial ceremony. They're gonna kill the girl.

ANN looks at him ... HORRIFIED.

JACK:

(sudden urgency)

She's not the only one!

From JACK'S position he can see YOUNG NATIVE MEN armed with SPIKED

CLUBS quickly closing in on DENHAM, ENGLEHORN, HERB and the TWO SAILORS

- who are still off their faces, oblivious to their own impending

deaths.

JACK turns to PEEK.

JACK (CONT'D)

Give me your gun!

PEEK:

(worried)

What for?

JACK:

(yelling)

Give it to me!

JACK wrenches the RIFLE out of PEEK'S grasp ...

TOO LATE! SAILOR 1 is clubbed to the ground] JACK targets ANOTHER

NATIVE about to kill ENGLEHORN ...

BANG! The NATIVE is shot off his feet! ... The CEREMONY SUDDENLY GOES

QUIET! Without the incessant noise, we can clearly hear DENHAM SINGING

a MUSIC HALL TUNE.

JACK steps out into the SQUARE, SWINGING the RIFLE from SIDE TO SIDE

... The LOUD GUNSHOT has stunned the NATIVES, but JACK knows they

haven't got much time.

JACK (CONT'D)

(urgent)

We're heading back to the ship. Grab them!

KURT and PEEK step into the square ... followed by ANN.

The NATIVES GASP! They stare at her ... She looks around nervously,

GOLDEN HAIR swirling in the SUNLIGHT. NATIVES resume their chant "KONG

... KONG ... KONG" - except this time it's DIRECTED AT ANN!

ANN, KURT and PEEK quickly steer DENHAM, ENGLEHORN, HERB and SAILOR 2

back through the RUINED CITY towards the beach. They have to herd them

like sheep ... DENHAM is staring at his fingers like someone who has

never seen a hand before ... ENGLEHORN is GIGGLING at some private

joke.

A NATIVE starts rising ... JACK fires into the air, and they back away

EN MASS. PEEK puts his hands over his ears as over 100 NATIVES suddenly

emit a strange PIERCING SCREECH like a pack of frightened monkeys.

JACK (CONT'D)

(yelling)

Go ... Go!

ANN pushes DENHAM, drags ENGLEHORN by the hand ... KURT has LIFTED HERB

over his shoulder ...

EXT. RUINED CITY/JUNGLE - DAY

The GROUP hurrying through the last of the RUINS ... nearing the BEACH.

NATIVES are following them, stealthily slipping behind RUINS and

UNDERGROWTH ... ALL EYES ON ANN. JACK is covering their retreat,

occasionally shooting over the NATIVE'S HEADS if they get too close.

PEEK is roughly shoving SAILOR 2 along - he suddenly STOOPS DOWN,

snatching up DENHAM'S discarded RIFLE ... He spins around and starts

shooting straight at the NATIVES!

PEEK:

(screaming)

Get back you bastards ... Back!

The NATIVES suddenly FRENZY at the sight of their comrades FALLING DEAD

... THEY CHARGE!

JACK:

(yelling)

Run!

EXT. BEACH - DAY

ANN races across the sand, pushing DENHAM and ENGLEHORN ... KURT

staggers towards the boat, carrying HERB. He spins around, FIRING HIS

RIFLE one handed ... JACK is FIRING ... PEEK runs past, heading for the

boat -having abandoned SAILOR 2 to his fate ... he falls under a sea of

NATIVE CLUBS and SPEARS.

KURT reaches the boat, dumping HERB on top of PEEK. He pulls ANN,

DENHAM and ENGLEHORN in as the NATIVES flood across the beach. JACK

pushes off and clambers into the boat ... They rapidly head out to sea,

leaving the NATIVES SCREAMING on the beach.

CUT TO:

INT. DENHAM'S CABIN/VENTURE - NIGHT

DENHAM is slumped across the table, holding his head ... EYES

BLOODSHOT, SALIVA hangs in a drop from his chin ... It's the hangover

from hell! KURT/RT is fussing around ... he offers DENHAM a GLASS OF

LIVER SALTS.

The CABIN DOOR swings open and ENGLEHORN stands there, supporting

himself in the doorway. He looks worse than DENHAM, mainly due to the

RING PIERCING HIS NOSE - the whole area has come up in a NASTY BRUISE.

It is now NIGHT ... clearly several hours having passed since their

return to the ship.

ENGLEHORN:

(gasping)

They're stoking the boilers. As soon as we've got some steam, we're

outta here.

DENHAM:

(slurred)

We should never have come! I pay you good money, only to have my life

endangered. You'll be hearing from my lawyer!

ENGLEHORN gives DENHAM a parting SCOWL, and staggers away...

EXT. VENTURE DECKS - NIGHT

ENGLEHORN lurches down the deck.

ENGLEHORN:

(gasped yell)

Prepare the ship for sailing!

JACK is leaning against the rail, looking at Skull Island. ANN hurries

over.

ANN:

(worried)

Jack!

JACK:

We're leaving.

ANN:

But . . . we can' t Jack, I need time to collect artifacts ... make

sketches ... gather evidential information.

JACK:

(sighs)

Ann ... you're father is dead. You have nothing to prove anymore.

ANN'S hand TIGHTENS on something in her pocket. JACK frowns and gently

pulls her hand out ... she's clutching the small KONG FIGURINE!

JACK (CONT'D)

Oh Jesus ... you took it.

ANN:

Jack! This is the archeological find of the century!

JACK:

(angry)

This sh*t is bad luck! Don't you understand? You treat it like a game -

two men have already died!

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