Life Of Pi Page #17

PI:

Praise be to God, Lord of All

Worlds, the Compassionate, the

Merciful!

A wave washes Pi off of the tarp and onto the floor of the

boat. Pi climbs onto the bench. He looks up in wonder at the

sky, overwhelmed by the magnificence of the roiling clouds.

PI (CONT'D)

It's beautiful... Where are you,

Richard Parker? You have to see

this!

Another angle:
he begins unbuttoning the tarp, calling

excitedly to Richard Parker.

PI (CONT'D)

Come out Richard Parker! Come see

the hand of God!

Pi continues to unfasten the tarp.

PI (CONT'D)

Don't hide yourself! He's come to

us! It's a miracle!

A huge wave envelopes the lifeboat, submerging the craft

completely - and then the boat pops to the surface like a

cork. Pi resumes opening the tarp. He tears it aside,

exposing the terrified animal to the storm.

59.

PI (CONT'D)

COME OUT AND SEE GOD RICHARD

PARKER!

The sky lights up all around them. The tiger begins roaring,

pawing at the air, eyes wide, crazed with fear. Pi turns to

face the storm.

PI (CONT'D)

WHY ARE YOU SCARING HIM! I'VE LOST

MY FAMILY - I'VE LOST EVERYTHING! I

SURRENDER! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

A wave washes Pi overboard, and the raft comes crashing down

on top of the lifeboat, then slides away. Pi climbs back on

board. He lies on the bench, coming to his senses, realizing

the extent of the danger they face. He sees Richard Parker

cowering miserably at the stern.

PI (CONT'D)

I'm sorry Richard Parker!

Pi crawls to the bow in time to see the raft, no longer tied

to the lifeboat, drifting away. Pounded by rain and surf, he

works his way around the edge of the boat, re-hooking the

tarp to tarp hooks. With only four left unfastened along one

side, he pulls himself under the tarp.

151 INT. THE LIFEBOAT, UNDER THE TARP - CONTINUOUS 151

Thunder, rain and surf hammer the tarp from above; Pi pulls

himself under the tarp. Richard Parker's grunts and labored

breathing can be heard, but man and beast are only fully

visible when lightning strikes, Pi trying to stay as far away

from the tiger as he can manage. Before long the boat is

tossing Pi and the tiger as though in a washing machine, the

two helplessly colliding with one another, Pi choking as

water splashes in.

152 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 152

Pi wakes in the sloshing water under the tarp. Sunlight

filters in from above. The storm has passed. Richard Parker

lies listlessly in the side bench. Pi climbs out of the

waterlogged hull. A double rainbow pierces majestic clouds,

the sun breaking through.

153 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 153

The gentle sound of water lapping at the side of the

lifeboat; the breeze rattling the tarp. Time has passed;

60.

life on the boat has grown tougher for Pi, his supplies more

meager, since the raft was lost.

Pi lies in the bow, exhausted, delirious. He pulls himself

upright, takes a drink of water and looks around, confused.

Richard Parker lies in the stern of the boat, severely

emaciated, his coat dull, his eyes clouded. Shivering, Pi

uses the last of his strength to drag himself over to the

tiger. The animal's body is curled, his tail flat. Some of

his fur has fallen away from his shoulders and haunches. He's

a skeleton in an oversized bag of fur. Pi reaches out to

place a hand on the tiger. He gently touches him on one spot.

PI:

We're dying, Richard Parker. I'm

sorry.

Pi sits and places the tiger's head on his lap.

PI (CONT'D)

Amma, Appa, Ravi - I'm happy I'm

going to see you soon.

(Pause)

Can you feel the rain?

Richard Parker raises his head slightly; his tail twitches.

PI (CONT'D)

God, thank you for giving me my

life. I'm ready now.

158 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT/THE ISLAND - DAY 158

Pi lies, unconscious, in the bow of the lifeboat. Waves lap

at the sides of the boat, which presses against the shore of

an island.

A gust of wind blows across Pi's face, tousling his hair. Pi

gradually opens his eyes. A beat. He tips his head back.

Pi's POV - above and behind him, the tops of trees.

Pi turns, looking at the island, amazed. The trees have a

pale bark with an amazing profusion of leaves, their color

burning with a neon-like intensity. There is no sand; instead

the ground is an intricate, tightly webbed mass of tube-

shaped seaweed, about two fingers in diameter.

Pi turns to look back to the stern; he calls under the tarp.

PI:

Richard Parker?

61.

Pi rises, stepping out of the boat. The seaweed is rubbery -

uncertain ground. His legs are wobbly. He hooks the gaff on a

root and falls to the ground. Pi tears up a piece of the

seaweed and examines it. He takes an experimental bite. Soon

he's grabbing handfuls of the seaweed, eating as fast as he

can.

Pi climbs the ridge on unsteady legs. A forest comes into

view with nearly symmetrical ponds dotting the island here

and there, many of them reaching 40 feet in diameter.

Half the island seems to be covered with meerkats - thousands

of them standing together in groups all over the island. The

moment the first of the meerkats notices Pi, it turns and

stands on its hind legs - and the others immediately follow

suit.

EXT. THE ISLAND - DAY

Pi walks slowly forward, taking in the meerkats and the

island. Gradually, the meerkats return to all fours - their

squeaking and barking noises coming and going in waves

throughout the herd. They pay him so little attention that Pi

has to shove them aside with his legs in order to walk.

PI:

Excuse me... Go on, move!

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