Prophecy Page #4

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its brain turned to mush.

Even that old man, that Indian.

You saw the burns on his fingers.

Is that from mercury?

It's from cigarettes. The reason

he didn't feel it is from mercury.

You see, it acts

on the nervous system.

It destroys the brain.

Why are they using it?

Why?

Listen to this.

"...Described as the most potent neurotoxin

of the post-World War II age,

Listen.

"Used from 1948 to 1956...

In pulping processes

as a cheap and effective caustic agent--"

That's why they use it.

Because it's cheap!

"...From forming

on waterlogged timber.

"It is also known for

its mutagenic properties,

"Concentrating in the bodies of fish

and plankton-Eating crustacea,

Affecting the fetal development

of everything that ingests it."

For 20 years it's been

pouring into this water.

- "The ratio of toxin to blood level--"

- It's in the fish, is that it?

And everything

that eats the fish.

"It was discovered

after extensive testing...

"That it is the only mutagen that

jumps the placental barrier,

"Concentrating in fetal blood cells,

where it adheres to the DNA...

And corrupts

the chromosomes."

"The ratio of toxin

to blood level...

Is 30 percent higher in the developing fetus

than in the host."

"It was discovered

after extensive testing...

"That it is the only mutagen that

jumps the placental barrier,

"Concentrating

in fetal blood cells,

Where it adheres to the DNA

and corrupts the chromosomes."

- "Jumps the placental barrier." What does that mean?

- It's a mutagen.

A mutagen.

What is that?

"Freakism"! Freakism. That's what's been

going on out there.

That's why there's a goddamn salmon

five feet long...

And a tadpole the size of what

a bullfrog should be.

And stillbirths.

What?

That's what

that Indian woman said.

And deformed children.

God knows what else has been

going on out there.

So, if a pregnant animal

ate some fish, it could--

Yes.

My God.

Is it possible?

Yes.

The size of a dragon.

What?

The size of a dragon. Isn't that

what Isely said at the airport ?

And something about cat's eyes.

And the old man, the Indian.

Didn't he describe

that creature as being...

A part of everything

in God's creation?

- Isn't that what he said?

- Yes.

Let me try

and put this together.

Uh--

A developing fetus goes

through certain distinct--

A developing fetus goes through

certain distinct phases.

Each phase represents

a specific stage of evolution.

A human fetus,

for instance,

At one stage,

it's a fish.

It looks like a fish.

It's got fins and gills.

At another, it's amphibian--

Webbed hands;

At another, reptilian;

at another, it's feline--

Developing upward in the distinct shapes

and phases of the evolutionary scale.

If this chemical,

Methylmercury,

adheres to the DNA--

DNA's a chromosomal fixative--

Well, it could freeze

certain parts...

At one evolutionary stage,

while the other parts continue growing.

You follow?

- Yes.

- Um--

A pregnant animal

ingests the fish,

And it corrupts the fetus to the point

where it gives birth to a monster.

...corrupts the fetus to the point

where it gives birth to a monster.

How much fish

would it take for--

It concentrates

in the fetal blood cells.

- How much?

- Very little.

I'll need proof.

You're not sure?

Well, I've got to get

blood samples.

Our first priority

is these people.

How long...

before you'll know?

A week. Ten days.

Thank you.

Mike?

Mike Greenbriar.

- How old are you?

- Twenty-Eight.

What's going on here?

- There were more killings in the forest last night.

- Who was killed ?

A family up at Mary's Bend.

- What makes you think they

had anything to do with it? - They're guilty as hell.

I want the following people to step forward

as their names are read.

- John Hawks.

- where's the evidence?

The evidence is at the hospital.

It's in baskets.

Mr. Hawks,

you gonna step forward?

Well, Hawks,

you gonna step forward as instructed?

Stop!

Stop that man!

Let him go, charlie. We'll get him later.

Get these other opies.

I'm sorry, Mr. Vern.

Sorry, Mrs. Vern.

We just gotta do it.

Mary's Bend. Do you know

where it is?

Yeah.

I want to go there.

Just, uh, follow us

right to the car.

Okay?

- Where's the bend?

- Around that ridge.

There's an inlet.

Can we go down?

Just for a minute.

I don't like the look of that sky.

This is helicopter ray-Zebra-2-3-Yankee to base.

Breaking radio contact.

Do you copy?

I read you five-By-Five.

Stay in here

out of the rain.

We got about five or ten minutes

at the most!

Okay.

This way!

What's the matter?

Airsick?

A little.

Got just the thing.

Ammonia.

No.

You'd better take

just a whiff.

The way this weather looks, it's gonna be

a rough and bumpy ride going home.

Okay?

Ramona.

What could have

done this?

A bear, perhaps.

That deep?

That from a bear?

- No.

- What is it, then?

You know this forest.

What could it be?

John!

Boy,

I'm in here tight.

If this wind kicks up any higher,

I can't clear those trees.

Sure hope you and your friends

don't mind walking out of here.

You remember we talked

about those poachers?

See those nets

over there?

They string 'em across the river

and catch everything that comes down.

- Maggie!

- What is it?

There are two of them,

and one's alive.

We gotta

get this one warm.

Leave it here.

Let it die.

Let it die ?

Do you know what this is?

This is evidence.

This may be

the evidence...

That'll save your people

and this forest.

John,

get the other one.

Let's get outta here!

- No way!

- What do you mean?

You see

those trees?

That's 40 miles

an hour!

I gotta get someplace warm!

- So what do we do?

- Take shelter!

- How long?

- Two hours. Maybe less.

We don't have time! I gotta get

this thing back or it'll die!

What is that?

Never mind. Come on.

I warned you

when we put this thing down.

I can't do it!

Christ. How far

is your village?

Too far.

Ten miles.

- Is there someplace else?

- My grandfather.

- Tents?

- It's only half a mile.

I need someplace warm, where I can work

on this thing to keep it alive.

We can build fires inside.

We'll make it warm.

Let's go there.

There's no other choice.

Okay, let's go.

John! It's all right!

They're not here!

M'rai?

- Which one? - Go in that one.

Go in that one.

Get this inside!

We're gonna need some light in here.

Can we get some light?

The old man is gone.

They don't know where.

- Could you get me some more light in here?

- Here's a lantern.

Get this place warm.

I'll bring in some nembers.

Can these people help us?

They can send someone from the village.

I want people to see this.

Is there a newspaper in town?

- Yes.

- Get them here with a camera.

And people from that paper mill,

and that sheriff.

Not that sheriff.

I can't do that.

Hawks!

He'll see the truth here. And you have more

at stake in this truth than I have.

Please hurry. Can you get that lantern

above the table?

- Will it die?

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