Return to Nim's Island Page #2

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I thought you said you were 18.

Yeah, I'm cursed with a baby face.

BEN:
I'm cursed with an ugly brother,

right, Frankie?

ID'd everywhere I go.

Mum says I'll really

appreciate it when I'm older.

I'm sorry, kid.

I can't have someone's mother

accusing me of kidnapping

her little prince.

You're Dad's little princess, Frankie.

- But you already have my deposit.

- Yeah.

But it's not enough for me

to risk getting into trouble.

How much would be enough?

BOOKER:
You can put that away.

FRANKIE:
Dad, I've got this.

I'm Booker.

Where is it you're

trying to take my boat?

[CHUCKLES]

That's in the middle of nowhere.

There's supposed to be

this amazing gold back triggerfish.

It lives on this gorgeous coral,

right around there.

I can take you to plenty of spots

to find triggerfish.

No, no, it has to be this spot.

Okay, this fish.

You know how rare gold backs are?

Alive, they're worth at least $1,000.

[CHUCKLES]

Frankie, help Ben with the gear.

We've got a guppy to ferry.

Frankie, get the rest of the gear.

[SIGHS]

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

Ben! Ben, you're mucking

up my clean decks!

I can't get a signal. Moira's

expecting my kiss good night text.

We're only a couple gajillion miles away

from the nearest cell tower, numbskull.

What'd you call me? Hey?

What'd you call me?

Pull it through two cat

paws and voila!

Ain't no one untying that little sucker

without a manual and a couple of hours.

- Hey, Ben, deck looks great.

- Thanks, Dad.

- How long till we reach the spot?

- Not long.

Doubt we'll find your

gold back trigger, son.

They'll be there.

Almost everywhere has been

picked clean these days.

Of everything.

I still think there's plenty out there.

Uncharted worlds waiting

to be discovered.

Flying lizards, talking

sea lions, mermaids.

No, I've got a sixth sense

about these things.

There's nothing out there not charted.

Adventures have all been had.

EDMUND:
Landed on the island

just before sunrise.

Getting the lay of the land.

Meeting all sorts of interesting locals.

Still, no sign of the

gold backtriggerfish.

Hi, little guy.

Oh, wow, look at that.

Is that a lab?

[GASPS]

There she is!

[SELKIE SNUFFLING]

If you want something, ask me to get it.

You know I worked very hard

to find places for everything.

"Empty 500-milliliter plastic jar.

"Purpose TBD."

You have some serious issues.

Serious labelling issues.

You might thrive on chaos, but that's

not how the rest of the world works.

Society thrives on order, control.

Maybe moving to the mainland

might be the best thing for you.

Go to a proper school,

work on your people skills,

improve your manners.

Learn to respect your elders.

I don't need people skills.

It's just me and Jack

and that's the way we like it.

And you're not my elder.

You're not that much older than me.

I've been in school longer

than you've been alive.

So? I've learned why the barometric

pressure drops before a storm,

what starfish eat for breakfast,

all without setting foot

in some stuffy classroom.

Don't you want to be around

kids your own age?

You know, have friends?

How can you imply I don't have friends

in front of Selkie?

And you say I'm the one

who needs to improve my manners.

If you'll excuse me, I've got

three endangered species to find

before the Buccaneers show up.

Come on, Fred.

Let's get some pictures of

our favourite Central Rock Rats.

[BARKING URGENTLY]

I know you want me to go out into

the field, but I'll go out later.

The field can wait.

[STUTTERS] I told you

I'd go do it, and I will.

Just as soon as I finish with this.

[SELKIE BARKS]

The lab is not a petting zoo.

I refuse to be guilt-tripped

by a sea lion.

[BARKS]

[SCREAMING]

Fascinating!

The nitrogen seems to

have frozen my pants.

Solid!

[BARKS MOCKINGLY]

Please keep this between us, Selkie.

Fred, I really thought we had

Central Rock Rats on the island.

This just looks like

your average black rat, doesn't it?

[TWIGS SNAPPING]

[WHISPERING] You hear that?

Sounded big.

Maybe it's our Southern Cassowary.

If we startle it, don't be afraid, Fred.

They sometimes make these terrible

rattling, booming calls.

[BOTH SCREAMING]

Who are you,

and what do you think you're doing here?

[STAMMERING]

The name's Edmund.

- Where are the others?

- Others?

The last time our island was invaded there

was a whole ship full of pasty tourists.

- But I took care of them.

- I know.

I was there, remember?

I talked to you and everything,

which is a miracle

because back then I was absolutely

terrible at talking to girls.

You've gotten, uh,

taller.

- That was you?

- Yeah.

My mother says I've really

grown into my ears. [CHUCKLES]

Are you taking pictures?

Are you a spy for the Buccaneers?

No way. That's just my video camera.

See, I like to film.

I guess you could say it's my hobby.

I've heard of these.

You've never seen a video camera before?

[BOTH SCREAMING ON VIDEO CAMERA]

Is that you?

The high-pitched screaming?

That's all you.

That camera's a few years old,

but that model's perfect

for being out in the wild.

Cool. How do I delete everything?

- What?

- I can't have you bringing proof

of how amazing our island is

to the rest of the world.

We're already about to be

overrun by invaders.

But I've been trying to

get back here for ages.

Start deleting, or I start testing

how shark-proof that thing is.

Hey, no one's looking for me.

Okay, no one even knows where I am.

I won't take more footage.

Save your breath.

It's a long row

back to civilisation.

I've saved for three years

walking dogs,

looking after the twins

in the apartment below

and they were just pure evil.

But dinghies, tents, camping stoves,

they're not cheap.

This isn't a camp ground.

This is our home.

And I've got more important things to do

than to argue with an invader.

Get in.

What could you possibly

be worried about?

This place is amazing. It's perfect.

And I'd like to keep it that way.

Are any ships gonna come by soon

that could give me a ride?

Ships hardly ever come by.

One of the advantages of living

on a remote, deserted island.

How do you expect me to paddle

all the way back to the mainland?

[AIR HISSING]

Oh, no. No, my boat!

Look!

It's ripped. Now I'll have to stay.

JACK:
Look, once I explain to

the Minister of the Environment,

face to face, how

important the island is

there's no way she'll let

those Buccaneers buy it.

Yeah, I'm walking in now.

GRANT:
Are you wearing shoes?

Of course I have shoes on.

Flip-flops do not qualify as shoes.

I'll have your meeting with the Minister

rescheduled for tomorrow.

- What?

- We'll need to buy you a suit.

No, that's ridiculous.

I'm sure I have something that works.

[MOBILE RINGING]

Nim's calling.

- Nim, is everything...

- There's a boy on the island,

but I tried to get him to leave

and his boat sank.

- If you ask me...

- Nim, slow down.

- What if we're stuck with him forever?

- Slow down. A boy?

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