Pitch Black Page #16

Audrey and Imam huddle around a bottle of glow-worms: This is

all they could harvest. Presently SCRABBLING SOUNDS on the

shield. Imam eases one eye to a small hole in the shield. He

can't see much until...

A blade rushes through the hole. Imam recoils hard, snatches up

the glow-worm light to see...

More predator blades exploring the edges of the shield. The

light drives them away. For now.

INT. SKIFF - NIGHT

Riddick dims interior lights, activates exterior lights. He's

actually startled by the sight of...

Fry. Standing in the skiffs headbeams. Daring him to run her

over.

Eye-lock.

Riddick opens the hatch.

EXT. SKIFF - NIGHT

They meet at opposite ends of the gangway -- Fry in the rain,

Riddick in the light.

RIDDICK:

Strong survival instinct. Admire that in

a woman.

FRY:

You're not leaving. Not until we go back

for the others.

He laughs at that.

FRY (CONT'D)

I promised them we'd go back with more

light. And that's exactly what we're

gonna do..

RIDDICK:

Think you've mistaken me for somebody who

gives a f***.

FRY:

What, you're afraid?

RIDDICK:

Confusin' me with Johns now -- fear was

his monkey. I only deal in life and

death. All that stuff in between? Some

shade of grey my eyes don't see.

FRY:

I trusted you, Riddick. Goddamn, I

trusted that some part of you wanted to

rejoin the human race.

RIDDICK:

Truthfully? I wouldn't know how.

Fry realizes it's impossible to shame a shameless man. With

desperation edging her voice:

FRY:

Then wait for me. I'll go back myself.

Just give me more light for them.

He tosses her a light. The broken one.

FRY:

Just come with me!

RIDDICK:

Got a better idea. Come with me.

Fry's mouth moves but nothing comes out.

RIDDICK (CONT'D)

They're already dead. Get on board.

FRY:

You're f***in' with me. I know you are.

RIDDICK:

'Course I am -- but doesn't mean I won't

leave you here. If you believe anything

about me, better be that.

FRY:

No, you see, I promised them...I have

to...I have to go and....

She's bleeding resolve. Riddick can see it -- can smell it --

and he keeps slashing away.

RIDDICK:

Step aboard, Carolyn.

FRY:

(tortured)

I can't....I can't....

RIDDICK:

(approaching, extending

a hand)

Here. Make it easy on you.

FRY:

Don't do this to me....

RIDDICK:

Just give me your hand.

FRY:

But they...they could still be....

RIDDICK:

No one's gonna blame you. C'mon. Take my

hand and save yourself, Carolyn.

A beat. She takes his hand -- and jerks him down the gangway.

They sprawl through mud. She gets a knee on his neck.

FRY:

I will not give up on them! I Will not

leave anyone on this rock with those

f***ing things, even if it means --

In a blur, Riddick rolls and slaps a shiv on her neck. Is

history repeating itself? Riddick's face, though, is strangely

calm. Curious. Even gentle.

RIDDICK:

You'd die for them?

FRY:

I would try for them.

RIDDICK:

You barely know them.

FRY:

But I'm human. I know you view that as a

weakness, but I'm sorry -- I do feel fear,

theirs too. Goddamnit, Riddick -- yes.

I would die for them.

EXT. CREVICE - THE GAUNTLET - NIGHT

MORE SCRABBLING at the shield. Imam c*cks his blade back, ready

to do battle with...

Fry. She heaves the shield aside. Behind her, Riddick.

AUDREY:

(big-eyed)

You came for us....

RIDDICK:

Yeah, yeah -- we're all f***in' amazed.

Anyone not ready for this?

EXT. THE GAUNTLET - NIGHT

Protected by the meager light of two glow-worm bottles, the four

remaining survivors head out.

RIDDICK:

Tighter, tighter....

EXT. MUDDY RISE - THE GAUNTLET - NIGHT

RIDDICK:

Stop.

They pile up awkwardly. Fry listens hard. Only RAINFALL.

FRY:

I don't hear --

He covers her mouth.

RIDDICK'S POV:
Water has pooled at the base of the muddy rise.

A predator drinks there.

RIDDICK:

(on his breath)

Doesn't see us...wait for it to leave....

RIDDICK'S POV:
Another predator lands to drink. Then another.

Their backs are to us, but the pool is turning into a major

gathering place.

Soon they all can hear CLICKING above the RAIN. Their nightmare

is far from over.

RIDDICK:

Get behind me.

RIDDICK'S POV:
Of a half-dozen predators shifting places at the

pool. A slim gap appears.

RIDDICK:

When I go, we go. Full-throttle.

CLOSE on their hands, gripping each other.

RIDDICK:

Ready...ready....

RIDDICK'S POV:
The gap between predators widens into a passage.

A gauntlet within a gauntlet.

Riddick runs. Linked like paper dolls, the others follow blindly.

RIDDICK'S POV:
Of a predator turning to "stare" over its

shoulder.

PREDATOR'S POV:
Of Riddick bearing down fast.

The survivors hit the water like lawn mowers on legs, crashing

through, scattering water and predators alike, managing to

reach...

The muddy rise. Audrey loses her grip on the others...

And starts back-sliding. She CRIES OUT, turning the head of...

Riddick. He catches Audrey as her legs hit the pool. He muscles

her back up the rise and heaves her over the top, sending her

slip-sliding down the other side.

RIDDICK:

You know the way!

Not waiting for him, Fry and Imam disappear over the rise.

RIDDICK'S POV:
Of the predators. Regrouping. Crawling up the

rise at us.

EXT. NIGHT

Fry, Imam, and Audrey run hard, glow-worm lights bouncing wildly.

RIDDICK'S POV:
Chasing them.

PREDATOR'S POV:
Chasing Riddick.

EXT. SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

Fry, Imam, and Audrey reach the settlement. They spill around a

corner and see...

The light of the skiff.

EXT. SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

RIDDICK'S POV:
Ahead of us, we see Fry, Imam, and Audrey

vanishing around the corner. BREATHING LIKE A RACEHORSE, we

follow in their steps, storming around the same corner. Suddenly

a predator is right there, right in our face.

PREDATOR'S POV:
Of Riddick skidding to a stop. He snaps a look

up.

RIDDICK'S POV:
Of another predator perched gargoyle-like on the

building. It SPEED-CLICKS at us.

PREDATOR'S POV:
Of Riddick slowly pulling two shivs. Bracing

himself. Ready to blade it out.

EXT. SKIFF - NIGHT

Imam and Audrey stagger aboard. Safe in the light of the

headbeams, Fry turns back, panting, waiting.

Waiting.

IMAM:

Captain....

He wants her to board the skiff. Fry gives it another beat, eyes

sweeping the dark rain. And just when we think it's over for

Riddick -- TERRIBLE SCREAMS are heard from both man and predator:

There's a helluva fight going on out there. Close out there.

Fry snatches the glow-worms off Imam's neck...

And plunges into the darkness, homing in on the SOUNDS until...

A blade flashes in her face. She ducks and spots...

Riddick. Bloody, muddy, he's down on his knees, still trying to

fight off the shadow-beasts that swirl and slash all around him.

Around them both.

FRY:

It's me, it's me, it's me!

She gets the light around his neck. Now we see his face

clearly -- and see a very human expression there: Fear. Fry

grabs his armpits and tries to pull him up.

FRY:

C'mon, Riddick -- said I'd die for them,

not you.

He gets his feet under him. Gripping each other, they start

moving, turning like dancers in a macabre waltz, hoping the

predators can't fix on Riddick's blood.

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