Klondike Page #20

ON A RIDGE ABOVE THEM

we glimpse a shadow flit past... followed by another. They

are being tracked.

BELOW:

Jack has stopped. Takes a long draught from his flask of sour

mash. Stares confusedly around him.

BILL:

Are we lost, scribe?

Jacks’s answer is to take another long drink from his sour

mash.

39.

BILL (CONT’D)

Might want to take it easy with the

booze.

Jack turns to Bill, eyes lit... everything about him lit.

JACK LONDON:

Dog knows.

It’s only now we notice Jack’s mangy dog and constant

companion... sniffing his way forward.

Jack, (Bill following) moves in the direction of the dog.

BILL:

(mutters it)

We’re following a dog.

Jack lights up a cigarette with trembling fingers. Offers one

to Bill who refuses.

JACK:

Might want to take it up. Helps

with the mosquitos.

Bill smiles. Heard that one before.

THE DOG:

has stopped. Bill and Jack stop beside him. Their fearless

canine leader smells the air.

BEFORE THEM:

lies a forested expanse framed by a cliff on the left, from

which pours a cascading waterfall.

JACK (CONT’D)

That forest before you, hero, is

sacred Tlingit hunting ground.

Abandon hope all ye who enter here.

He grins a lopsided missing-tooth grin and stumbles forward.

JACK (CONT’D)

Ye are no longer in the land of

your father.

Bill follows... but doesn’t like this.

WIDE VIEW OF EXPANSE OF ALASKA WILDERNESS - DAY

The sky is entirely black, except for a single SLASH OF

LIGHT... like a signal from God. Thunder GROWLS.

40.

INT. TLINGIT FOREST - SAME TIME

We’re in a world of green. Puffy wet moss everywhere. It

covers the rocks, the trunks of the huge CREAKING trees.

IN THE FOREGROUND

A FIGURE whisks past. Soundlessly, like an animal. Unseen

by...

BILL AND JACK:

trekking through the dark, ominous forest. Jack continuing to

drink.

JACK:

Lie on the leaves, close your eyes,

might feel the cold paws of wolves

passing over you. And you’re one of

‘em here. A wild... human...

animal. No difference.

Jack offers the flask to Bill. Pushes it on him.

For the first time, we sense a glimmer of real fear in Bill’s

eyes. He takes a long draught from the flask. And then

another.

The moment is interrupted by LOUD GROWLING.

JACK’S DOG

stands frozen before them, staring into the thick trees. Tail

down, back arched. Ready to pounce.

JACK (CONT’D)

(whispers it)

We’re being tracked.

BILL:

By what?

JACK:

Could be wolves.

(beat)

Could be men.

BILL:

(almost to himself)

No difference.

Bill pulls out his gun. Jack stops to stare at him.

JACK:

That’ll only help with wolves.

41.

No drunkenness in Jack’s eyes now. He’s scared himself sober.

Bill puts away his gun.

They move tentatively forward through the dark, sacred woods.

They freeze at the sound of a BREAKING TWIG.

AN ELK:

stands less than ten feet from them. Not moving a muscle.

Just staring. More curious, than afraid.

Bill and Jack continue forward... alert to every sound.

Knowing how vulnerable they are.

BILL:

(a whisper)

You ever seen an Indian?

JACK:

Yes, I have seen Indians and talked

to them-

BILL:

What is their complexion?

JACK:

They are like all the colors of a

mountain, run together and dripped

in a jar.

He suddenly stops walking.

AHEAD OF THEM:

A MAN is standing absolutely still. As still as the elk. God

knows how long he’s been standing there.

JACK (CONT’D)

(quiet)

They are the color of nature.

Bill and Jack turn.

EVERYWHERE THEY LOOK

stand TLINGIT WARRIORS. They have come silently and taken up

positions, surrounding them. Still as the trees.

Their eyes are not friendly.

ACT OUT:

42.

ACT FIVE:

EXT. TOWN OF DAWSON - NIGHT

It’s just beginning to rain again. Not much... but a storm is

coming. Something different about this storm. It’s more

rageful.

A ROARING WIND blows an awning off a closed-up store. The

awning is hurled down the street as if thrown by a giant.

INT. FATHER JUDGE’S DRY GOODS STORE/CHURCH - NIGHT

A FLASH OF LIGHTNING bleaches the straight-backed figure of

Father Judge sitting on a freshly made bench. His first pew.

He looks devastated.

BEFORE HIM:

is his packed suitcase. He’s made the decision... but can’t

quite get himself to leave yet.

Finally, he hoists the suitcase. Heads disconsolately toward

the door. He pauses at the door to cast one last look at his

would be church. His eyes fall on...

A WHITE-WASHED WOODEN CROSS

lying on a plank of white-smeared plywood on the floor. Just

painted.

He can’t leave a cross on the floor.

FATHER JUDGE:

lifts the cross. HIS HANDS are smeared white from the fresh

paint. This gets to him. The cross leaving a mark on his

hands. A deep emotion passes over his features.

CUT TO:

FATHER JUDGE:

climbing a ladder to the peaked roof of the store, holding

the heavy cross. Eyes determined, hair blowing in the wind.

His coat is smeared white with the holy burden.

FATHER JUDGE:

balances himself astride the pitch of his roof. A skeletal

wooden structure has already been placed there.

LIGHTNING flashes. Wind and rain whip his harrowed face as he

lifts a hammer and nails his cross to the roof.

CUT TO:

43.

INT. TAVERN - SAME TIME

A small crowd has gathered around TWO PEOPLE KISSING. The

young, pretty (might be under 18) SABINE and a GRIZZLED

MINER. Sabine pulls out of the kiss,.

SABINE:

That’s your dollar’s worth.

Gold dollar in her hand, she moves with a slinky, confident

grace through the tavern. We hear other laughing miners, “I

got a dollar too.” etc.

SABINE:

turns to stare at them with sleepy eyes. Conscious of her

effect.

SABINE (CONT’D)

I’m tired of kissing.

Continues forward with forced arrogance. A little leather

pouch is dropped at her feet.

MALE VOICE:

This should get me more than

kissing.

Sabine picks up the leather pouch. Looks inside. Gold dust.

She looks at the MAN who tossed it at her feet. He is neither

attractive or unattractive. Neither appealing or unappealing.

He is nothing.

SABINE:

Have you ever heard of buying a

lady a drink?

MAN:

What would the lady like to drink?

Sabine ignores the mocking tone. Sidles (with a touch of

regret) up to the man.

SABINE:

(to bartender)

Red wine. Merlot.

She turns to her new customer. Smiles an exaggeratedly

elegant smile.

SABINE (CONT’D)

Enchantee.

Her eyes are sad.

44.

INT. BELINDA’S PRIVATE CHAMBERS - SAME TIME

Belinda stands at her boudoir window combing her hair... all

alone. We sense she spends a lot of time alone.

VIEW OUT WINDOW:

By the stables near the Hotel, two people are all but going

at it. Sabine and the man who just approached her. Sabine

hardly moves. Her eyes are open.

BELINDA:

starts to turn away when she reacts to something new in the

landscape of Dawson.

Something akin to (but not quite) panic crosses her features.

HER POV - TOWN OF DAWSON

The cross--a distance away... but shining brightly through

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