The Final Journey Page #4

Without turning, one of the women suddenly dissolves and

reappears with her back turned to Isha.

Isha is horrified.

Another woman dissolves the same way. Then another, and

another, until all five women stand with their backs to Isha.

Only Immanna remains staring at her.

Isha pleads silently with Immanna not to forsake her, but,

looking sad, Immanna slowly fades until her back is turned.

All six apparitions finally disappear, leaving Isha alone and

distressed in the arctic night.

EXT. ISHA’S HUT - DAY

Yantavva, Jokka and Innta work on their skins but Isha is

nowhere to be seen. They occasionally glance, like concerned

gossips, from Isha’s empty log to the hut entrance.

A HORN BLOWS across camp and they run into the hut, excited.

INT. HUT - CONTINUOUS

Yantavva and the others freeze, startled to find Isha in her

corner bundled head to foot in her new blanket, staring at

the smoldering fire in the center of the hut.

Isha is so still she looks dead.

15.

The others look at one another, not sure what to do.

Innta and Jokka grab their family bowls as Yantavva creeps

towards Isha.

YANTAVVA:

Isha?

Isha does not move. Jokka and Innta watch nervously from the

exit as Yantavva reaches towards Isha’s frozen, staring face.

Isha suddenly looks at Yantavva who SCREAMS, startled.

Spooked, Jokka and Innta run from the hut.

Angry, Yantavva stomps to her corner.

YANTAVVA (CONT’D)

Games! Now you play games?! Hunters

have returned with food and thanks

to you, I will now probably get

none! And you will get even less if

you’re going to sit there all day!

Yantavva grabs her bowl and leaves.

Isha remains, staring at the fire.

EXT. CENTER TENT

Everyone has gathered before three hunters divvying caribou.

Isha arrives, looking horrible, and stands wrapped in her new

blanket watching the commotion.

Yantavva gets some meat and stomps to Isha with it.

YANTAVVA:

Where is your bowl Isha? Are you

going to let your family go hungry?

Isha opens her blanket and her bowl falls out to the ground.

Yantavva looks at Isha like she has gone mad.

Isha drops the blanket and holds up her hands.

They will not stop shaking.

Understanding, Yantavva hangs her head.

16.

INT. TORNA’S HUT

TORNA, 50, stands naked in the center of a small hut with his

eyes closed, MUTTERING A MANTRA. His body is completely

covered by lines of black tattoo.

Torna opens his eyes and with deliberate, ritualized

movements, first puts on garments necessary for survival,

then decorative pieces made of wolf and bear fur.

He adorns jewelry made of claw, bone and stone, and a complex

headband made of seagull feathers and long stalks of grass.

Having transformed into an Angakok, Torna exits the hut.

EXT. MANPICHU CAMP

Torna walks through the camp, drawing attention.

Many stop whatever they are doing and follow him.

When Torna arrives at Isha’s hut, he crawls inside past the

four log benches that now sit empty in the snow-- Isha’s no

longer having its woven grass mat covering.

INT. ISHA’S HUT - CONTINUOUS

Torna emerges to find a CROWD gathered, much like the one

from Immanna’s goodbye ceremony, only now Isha sits in the

place of honor. She, however, does not look happy.

Ogga stands before her SINGING, but instead of enjoying her

song, Isha looks like she is merely tolerating it.

Ogga finishes and steps back into the crowd. Nobody steps

forward to take her place.

Isha looks at Torna who holds up a hide necklace. Everyone

bows their head.

Torna walks through the crowd and stands before Isha. Isha

stares at him, looking neither excited nor upset-- just numb.

TORNA:

Isha, as you make your final

journey, may all kind tornaks guide

you to your final resting place.

Long may you be remembered in song,

that many others shall now live

because of your sacrifice.

17.

The crowd nods in assent. Isha bends her head without

enthusiasm and allows Torna to put the necklace on her.

Isha notices the pendant hanging from it is carved like a

polar bear.

She looks at Torna who smiles in a secretive, reassuring way,

then stretches his arms over her and CHANTS A MANTRA.

As he chants, Isha spies Yantavva, Jokka and Innta looking

mock-sad. She frowns, then notices Choko standing with Nadda.

Isha smiles but Choko hangs her head, avoiding eye-contact.

Isha looks down as well, hurt.

Torna FINISHES HIS CHANT and regards Isha a moment before

marching out of the hut.

Sonto, sitting cross-legged behind Isha, stands.

SONTO:

Does anyone else have anything they

wish to say to Isha?

Sonto stares around, perhaps a little too severely, and

nobody else steps forward.

Isha is disappointed but tries to hide it as Sonto nods and

steps before her.

SONTO (CONT’D)

Mother, the time has come. With

love in our hearts, we set you free

to the wind and snow, and thank you

a final time.

CROWD:

Thank you, Isha.

Isha nods in ritual fashion, but doesn’t look like she

believes Sonto’s words.

She tries to stand but lacks the strength.

Sonto helps her up and grabs her satchel. As she takes it,

she looks at him-- old pain and anger echoing in her eyes.

Sonto stares back without emotion, then holds out his arm

towards the exit.

Choko runs out. Isha opens her mouth to stop her, but Choko

disappears too quickly.

18.

Taking a deep breath, and holding back her fear, Isha makes

her way through the crowd.

As she passes, people grab Isha’s hands and bend their

foreheads to her palms in ceremonial appreciation.

Isha grimaces with pain each time this happens, turning her

attempted smiles of appreciation into angry-looking sneers.

EXT. HUT - MOMENTS LATER - SUNSET

The crowd that followed Torna to the hut has remained.

Isha exits the hut and tries to pass everyone as fast as she

can, but is stopped repeatedly and offered thanks.

Sonto BLOWS A MUSK-OX HORN and more people begin to show.

As Isha progresses towards the edge of the village, she

searches for Choko, but Choko is nowhere to be found.

Dread grows on her face.

AT THE EDGE OF THE ENCAMPMENT, Isha turns, looking afraid,

and faces the LARGE CROWD that has followed her.

Her family gathers beside her and Isha notices Sonto is

carrying Choko in his arms.

Isha smiles, but Choko will still not look at her.

Isha clears her throat. Like someone who does not want to go

but has no other choice:

ISHA:

Tribesman, thank you for coming to

see me off. As my mother would have

done, had she not died so young,

and as my grandmother did before

her, I leave now, so that I will

not become a burden to you.

Remember me and my sacrifice.

Isha turns to Choko.

ISHA (CONT’D)

Choko? Will you not look at me a

final time before I go?

Choko stubbornly refuses to look at Isha.

Sonto tries to get Choko to cooperate but she won’t budge. He

turns so Choko faces Isha, but Choko switches shoulders.

19.

Hurt, Isha reaches into her satchel and pulls out the small

sculpture of a winged woman Immanna gave her.

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