The Final Journey Page #11

He points at her, shaking his head, then snatches up his

flint rocks. He frowns at them, then looks around for

kindling, avoiding her gaze.

Isha watches him, understanding her interference in his bear

hunt has insulted him, even if she was only trying to help.

LATER:

Isha and Tato sit around a fire, the smoke indeed rising up

through the hole above.

Snow still falls from the hole, but lands behind them on the

opposite side of a great driftwood log they have dragged over

to sit against.

Another log has been dragged over so that one end protrudes

into the fire, burning nicely.

As they sit, Tato rubs one of his mukluks with a broad blunt

stick, trying to soften it up. Isha watches.

She looks at her old, useless hands. Tato notices, looking

like he again wants to ask her something he doesn’t know how.

He finally leans over and draws a little boy, a man and a

woman in some sand between them. He circles the man and

woman, and points at the woman.

TATO:

Isha.

Isha nods. Looking inquisitive, Tato points at the man next

to the woman.

47.

Isha smiles at the innocence of his inquiry but shakes her

head. She crosses out the man and tilts her head to the side

with her tongue hanging out, indicating her husband has died.

Tato points at the boy.

Isha nods and puts up three fingers-- she had three children.

But she closes two fingers, revealing only one is alive.

She leans over and draws a man next to the boy, then an arrow

from the boy to the man, and crosses out the boy.

Tato nods, understanding her surviving son has grown up.

Isha draws a little girl next to the man-- a granddaughter.

ISHA:

Choko.

Tato smiles.

But Isha becomes sad, looking at the drawing of Choko, and

pushes the thoughts away.

She draws a picture of a boy and a girl. Circling them, she

points at the girl and looks at Tato.

Tato blushes and shakes his head. He focuses on his mukluk.

Isha smiles, then notices Tato is sporting an erection under

his clothes.

Her eyes widen, but when Tato looks at her again she acts

like she has not noticed anything and grabs his other mukluk.

She digs through the firewood and finds a blunt stick. Isha

rubs his mukluk, even though it obviously hurts her hands.

Tato is touched but stops her. He makes his hand into a claw

and shakes his head, indicating he doesn’t want her hurting

herself to help him.

Isha waves him off and continues working, pain and all. Tato

smiles and works on his own mukluk.

When he thinks Isha is not looking, he shifts himself to hide

his erection.

Isha sees from the corner of her eye and hides a smile.

INT. CAVE - MORNING

Tato wakes to the SOUND OF BONES RATTLING.

48.

Remembering where he is, he jumps up with a start and

snatches his spear.

The cavern is lit blue again from daylight pouring through

the ice wall, but there is no sign of a bear, nor Isha.

TATO:

Isha?

RATTLING BONES ANSWER from the corridor leading out of the

cave. Tato notices a formless shadow moving in it.

Nervous, Tato creeps toward it, holding his spear ready.

Summoning his courage, he peeks INTO THE CORRIDOR...

...to find Isha picking up bones as she cleans the cave.

He lets out a sigh of relief.

Seeing him awake, Isha smiles nonchalantly and drops an

armful of bones on a pile against one wall.

ISHA:

(in Manpichu)

Good morning, Tato.

Tato half-smiles back, embarrassed he was spooked by her.

TATO:

(in Attopa)

Good morning.

Isha tilts her head, his way of saying “good morning” very

similar to her own.

ISHA:

(imitating Attopa)

Good morning?

She indicates the sun outside, and Tato nods.

TATO:

(in Attopa)

Good morning.

Isha looks pleased. Points at herself.

ISHA:

(in Manpichu)

Good MOR-ning.

Tato nods, hearing the difference.

49.

Noticing something at Tato’s feet, she walks over and picks

up a large walrus skull. Fresher than many other skulls, it

still has the lower jaw attached by dried, shriveled muscle.

Excited, she shows it to a confused Tato.

Isha carries the skull to the cave’s entrance where the snow

has risen three feet overnight.

Isha places the skull on top of a small pyramid of skulls she

has erected on the left side of the entrance.

Tato looks concerned by the pile. Isha laughs.

ISHA (CONT’D)

Uk-thluk...

Isha puts clawed hands in the air and acts like a polar bear.

She pretends to see the skulls and become scared.

She makes a walking away gesture with her fingers.

Tato is skeptical and Isha invites him to inspect the pile.

Tato steps closer, not liking it. Smelling something odd he

notices the snow around the skulls is yellow.

He looks at Isha, who nods and points at her groin.

ISHA (CONT’D)

Urine.

She smiles and points from his groin to the pile.

ISHA (CONT’D)

You do too. Go urine. No Uk-thluk.

She waves him on, then disappears into the cave.

Tato watches her go like she’s gone mad, then looks out at

the freshly fallen snow. The bear tracks are all gone-- the

world outside seems pristine and new.

Tato glances back at the skulls. Shaking his head, he makes

sure Isha is not around and drops the front of his pants.

He relieves himself on the skulls just as Isha appears again.

ISHA (CONT’D)

Tato...

Tato jumps, turning away in anger and embarrassment.

50.

TATO:

Hey, hey!

Isha stops, surprised and amused. His repeated looks over his

shoulder to see what she is doing only fans her humor.

Isha reveals she has found an exotic whalebone spearhead,

carved in a beautiful, intricate way.

Tato finishes and, forgetting his anger, sets his own spear

down and takes the large spearhead from her.

He inspects it, amazed. Isha points at a particular seal

skull in the pyramid with a large hole in it.

Tato nods, impressed.

ISHA:

Now...

Isha takes back the spearhead, hands Tato his spear, and

points at his feet.

ISHA (CONT’D)

...get dressed. Go hunting. Food.

Isha indicates “dressed”, “hunting”, and “food” with

pantomimes, and strolls back down the corridor.

Tato frowns, not pleased to be parted with the spearhead.

He looks out of the cave and his anxiety returns.

Isha brings his mukluks, parka, pack and knife and bends at

his feet to help get him dressed. Embarrassed, Tato lifts his

foot to allow Isha to put one of his mukluks on.

Because of pain in her shaking hands, however, she cannot

fully do this task, so Tato bends and finishes for her.

Isha helps Tato put on his parka, cringing the whole time,

and hands him his pack and knife.

Dressed, Tato looks at Isha. Standing so close, the two share

an awkward moment before Isha steps back and waves him off.

ISHA (CONT’D)

Go my son. Hunt with honor.

Tato nods, getting her gist.

Grabbing his spear, and slinging his pack over his shoulder,

he takes a deep breath and walks out of the cave.

51.

He only gets a few feet before stopping, nervous again.

Isha gets an idea.

ISHA (CONT’D)

Tato...

Tato watches, confused, as Isha grabs a fox skull from the

pile and carries it to him, shaking the urine off it.

She puts the skull into his pack and pats it there. Tato

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