The Ghost and the Darkness Page #10

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THE DARKNESS, AND HERE HE COMES AGAIN, roaring and his body hits

the bars and

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THE CEILING- and the bars shake-

-but they're not giving way.

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THE TOUGH COOLIES, as they begin to realize this and

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THE DARKNESS, clawing for them and

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THE DARKNESS, raging and roaring on his side of the bars and

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THE FIRST COOLIE, raising his gun and

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THE SECOND COOLIE, his gun raised too and

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THE THIRD COOLIE and he's ready and

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ALL THREE AS THEY FIRE-

-and reload-

-and fire again, and reload, and-

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THE RAILROAD CAR- and suddenly the lamp is knocked over-

-and a fire starts, flames grow and it's starting to look like

hell in there-

-only it gets worse as we-

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THE DARKNESS at the bars-

-and suddenly it stands up- it seems to fill the car, towering

over everything, it's like a nightmare come to kill you-

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THE COOLIES staring up at this giant thing, and of course they're

more terrified now than they've ever been in their lives- but

these are tough men and they ignore the flames, ignore the

deafening roars of the beast and

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THE DARKNESS, standing there, going crazy on his side of the bars,

trying to knock them down but they're holding and

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THE TOUGH COOLIES, reloading and

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THE DARKNESS, racing around the enclosed area now and he's trapped

and the flames make him seem like something unalive and his eyes

have never been so bright, his roars as deafening and

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THE THREE COOLIES, firing again and

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THE DARKNESS, leaping at the bars again, and they shake, sure they

shake, but they keep on holding and

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THE COOLIES, firing, reloading, firing, reloading and as they do,

something's starting to come clear-

-amazing as it may seem, impossible as it may be to conceive,

they're missing.

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THE DARKNESS, whirling on his side, roaring and leaping and

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THE COOLIES and sure they fire, but they're still so goddam scared

and

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THE DOOR THAT SLID DOWN- it's held in place by some thick wooden

bars-

-and now the Coolies start to hit something- the wooden bars

because they begin to splinter and

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THE DARKNESS, whirling, leaping at the bars and

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THE COOLIES firing and then-

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THE DOOR as it flops open and just like that-

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THE DARKNESS. Out the door and gone. HOLD.

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PATTERSON JUST AFTER DAWN IN THE DAMAGED RAILROAD CAR.

Patterson stands where The Darkness was. The three Coolies are

where they spent the night, on the other side of the bars.

This was the lowest point yet for Patterson. Not only had his

notion come so close to working, he could never fully comprehend

how the coolies missed. It never seemed possible- but of course,

it really happened.

PATTERSON:

Not once?- you didn't hit it once?-

MIDDLE COOLIE:

-I would never make excuses- but a

fire broke out- the light was bad- he

kept moving-

PATTERSON:

-well, of course he kept moving- but

he couldn't have been more than ten

feet away from the three of you- surely

you must have wounded the thing-

MIDDLE COOLIE:

I assure you we came close many times-

Abdullah is in the doorway near Patterson now- with several dozen

men. And from Abdullah's face, this is clearly going to be a

confrontation.

MIDDLE COOLIE:

-the next time we will do better.

(Patterson makes no

reaction; moves outside)

CUT TO:

ABDULLAH, simmering, moving straight to Patterson as soon as he's

out.

ABDULLAH:

The next time will be as this time-

The Devil has come to Tsavo-

PATTERSON:

(not in a mood for this)

-that's ridiculous talk and you can't

seriously believe it-

ABDULLAH:

(moving in- tension rising

as others crowd behind him)

-now you're telling me my beliefs?- I

don't think so-

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THE BUSH just beyond- something is moving- an animal?- Impossible

to say.

PATTERSON:

I wasn't and you know it and don't

push it- just listen- we have a

problem in Tsavo-

ABDULLAH:

(cutting in)

-at last you're right- we do- you are

the problem in Tsavo-

PATTERSON:

-careful, Abdullah-

Patterson and Abdullah and suddenly it's dangerous.

ABDULLAH:

You do not tell me "careful"- you do

not tell me anything- you listen

while I talk-

(Now suddenly a shadow

seems to cross-)

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ABDULLAH. CLOSE UP. His eyes widen.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

AN ENORMOUS PISTOL. Pressed hard against Abdullah's temple.

MAN'S VOICE (over)

-change in plan- you listen while

I talk- because you have a question

that needs answering.

(beat)

Will I pull the trigger?

PULL BACK FURTHER TO REVEAL

REDBEARD.

We are looking at one of those legends- ageless and powerful, with

a tanned face and a thick grey beard. He has seen everything and

is capable of anything.

Just now he seems more than capable of killing Abdullah. Very

calmly, he c*cks the pistol.

SAMUEL (over)

It's Redbeard, Abdullah- he'll kill

you.

REDBEARD:

(not looking around)

No hints, Samuel.

ABDULLAH:

(The name has registered)

You don't know all that has happened

here- the Devil has come to Tsavo.

REDBEARD:

You're right. The Devil has come. Look

at me. I am the Devil.

CUT TO:

ABDULLAH, staring at Redbeard. Right now Redbeard just could be.

ABDULLAH:

(louder)

I am a man of peace.

REDBEARD:

Am I to take it you want to live?

ABDULLAH:

Most certainly. Absolutely. Yes.

REDBEARD:

Excellent decision.

(Now he suddenly reaches

out, shakes Abdullah's hand)

Your name is Abdullah? I'm sure we'll

meet again. Go and enjoy the splendid

morning.

ABDULLAH:

(dazed- leaving)

I think it's been a pleasure.

CUT TO:

REDBEARD, and now he does another surprising thing: embraces

Samuel.

REDBEARD:

(three words)

You got old.

(Now he releases Samuel,

turns to Patterson)

I'm sure you're John Patterson.

(before Patterson can reply)

Stay out of my way.

(And without another word,

he's gone)

CUT TO:

THE HOSPITAL:

as Redbeard moves through, taking it all in. It's even worse than

when we last saw it- bodies crammed everywhere and always the

sound of pain and sickness.

Patterson stands in the doorway, watching, waiting.

PATTERSON:

(as Redbeard approaches)

I didn't have a chance to thank you.

REDBEARD:

(preoccupied)

What did I do?

PATTERSON:

Got me out of trouble.

REDBEARD:

(matter of fact)

Nonsense- Samuel would have done

something.

(starts to move on)

PATTERSON:

We need to talk.

REDBEARD:

Let me save time- (1) you are the

engineer; (2) you are in charge;

(3) you're sorry I'm here. Right

so far?

(Patterson nods)

Good- because (1) I am not an

engineer, (2) I don't want to be

in charge, and (3) I'm sorrier than

you are that I'm here- I hate Tsavo.

So I will help you by killing the

lions and leaving, and you will help

me by doing what I tell you so I

can leave. See any problems?

PATTERSON:

Actually, no.

REDBEARD:

All right- let's go into battle.

(suddenly taking

Patterson's hand)

I'm Redbeard.

(as they shake)

PATTERSON:

Somehow I guessed.

(As they move outside-)

CUT TO:

THE FRONT OF THE HOSPITAL

A BUNCH OF MEN WAIT. Hwathorne, Samuel, Abdullah, and perhaps a

dozen other worker leaders. Redbeard and Patterson move to them.

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