The Ghost and the Darkness Page #11

REDBEARD:

Starting now, we attack them.

ABDULLAH:

How; we don't know where they are?

REDBEARD:

We'll have to make them come to us,

won't we? And since there are two of

them, we're going to set two plans

in motion.

(to Hawthorne)

First:
we must move the entire

hospital by tomorrow night.

HAWTHORNE:

(appalled)

That's a terrible idea-

REDBEARD:

(backtracking)

-is it, I'm sorry, but then, of

course, you're the doctor, you

should know.

HAWTHORNE:

Silliest thing I ever heard of- why

in the world should we go through

all that?

REDBEARD:

(charming now)

I suppose I could answer you. I

suppose I could explain that the

place is so inviting, what with the

smell of blood and flesh, that they

have to strike. It's even possible

that I tell you I found some fresh

paw marks around back which means

they're already contemplating

feasting here.

(Turning on Hawthorne

now- his voice building)

But I don't want to answer you

because when you question me you are

really saying that I don't have the

least idea what I am doing, that I am

nothing but an incompetent, that I am

a fool.

(big)

Anyone who finds me a fool, please

say so now.

HAWTHORNE:

(The words burst out)

I have been desperate for Patterson

to let me move the hospital since the

day he arrived.

REDBEARD:

(nice smile)

Then we agree.

(And on that-)

BEGIN THE BUILDING SEQUENCE.

It was a huge effort and they got half of it done that day- but

there was always the sense of impending bloodshed.

What we see first are Patterson and a bunch of shots of a lot of

workers- laying out the dimensions of the new boma that would

surround the place. This was to be by far the biggest wall fence

they had in Tsavo.

And now here comes Abdullah leading a crowd of men, wading into a

huge patch of thorn trees, cutting the thick branches down,

starting to load them for carrying-

-and it's high noon now, and Patterson drenched with sweat, leads

the start of the actual building- taking the thorn branches,

bunching them together, forcing them so there is no room between

them-

-and we can just begin to get the sense of what the fence will be-

except at the moment it's barely a foot high-

-and now Redbeard appears, beckons to Patterson, and

CUT TO:

A LONG SHOT OF A FLAT GRASSY PLAIN. AFTERNOON NOW.

Patterson, Redbeard, and Samuel walk quickly.

CUT TO:

SAMUEL turning to Redbeard and Patterson.

SAMUEL:

Soon.

(Redbeard nods)

PATTERSON:

(to Redbeard)

I have to ask- why do you need me?

REDBEARD:

I don't really. But understand

something- even though it may take

me two or three days to sort this

out-

(Patterson has to smile

at the phrase)

-when I'm gone, you'll still have

to build the bridge. And I don't

want the men to have lost respect

for you.

PATTERSON:

(kind of surprised)

That's very considerate.

REDBEARD:

I'm always considerate- my mother

taught me that.

CUT TO:

SAMUEL, who just breaks out laughing.

REDBEARD:

Why do you laugh?- you don't

believe she taught me?

SAMUEL:

I don't believe you had a mother.

(And as Redbeard

laughs too-)

CUT TO:

A MASAI VILLAGE as they approach. Redbeard walks ahead.

PATTERSON:

You like him, don't you?

SAMUEL:

Oh yes. But it takes time.

PATTERSON:

You've known him long?

SAMUEL:

(He has)

Since his beard was red.

CUT TO:

INSIDE THE VILLAGE. AN AGED CHIEF RUNS THINGS.

Redbeard, Patterson and Samuel stand near him. WOMEN and CHILDREN

are there. Some of the children look at Redbeard, mime shooting,

fall down dead. Samuel translates as necessary.

SAMUEL:

How many cattle?

REDBEARD:

Four should do it.

SAMUEL:

They will want a lot of money.

PATTERSON:

(to Redbeard)

Have you got it?

REDBEARD:

No, but you do-

(beat)

-see, you were needed after all.

(to Samuel)

And fifty warriors at the camp

before dawn.

SAMUEL:

(Samuel explains. The

Masai Chief replies.

Translating)

Why so many?

REDBEARD:

Because I have two plans to kill

the lions- one involving the cattle,

the other the men.

CUT TO:

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON watching as Samuel tells the Chief.

CUT TO:

THE MASAI CHIEF. He moves toward Redbeard and Patterson. As he

speaks, Samuel translates quietly. There is a sadness in the

Chief's tone.

SAMUEL:

(translating)

The Ghost and the Darkness have

come... and we can do nothing...

but if you anger them... they will

stay in Tsavo... and life will

become more unberable, that I know...

CUT TO:

PATTERSON, watching as Redbeard replies.

REDBEARD:

(beat)

Two lions are all that have come...

they're only lions, that I know.

(beat)

And I will kill them both tomorrow.

(HOLD BRIEFLY, then-)

CUT TO:

SHADOWS AND FIRELIGHT. IT'S NIGHT NOW.

We're not sure for a moment where we are but we can hear metallic

sounds.

Now we hear voices.

REDBEARD VOICE (over)

I'll need you by me in the morning.

SAMUEL VOICE (over)

Whatever you wish.

CUT TO:

WHERE WE ARE- IT'S PATTERSON'S TENT AREA. Patterson, Redbeard,

Hawthorne, and Samuel sit around a fire.

THey are cleaning their guns, getting ready.

A WORD ABOUT THEIR WEAPONS. Patterson's is a good rifle and he

cleans it expertly.

Redbeard's surprisingly, is the oldest. And the way his hands move

as he assembles it, he might be bathing a child.

Hawthorne is the least skilled of the three. But his rifle is

clearly the finest. Bigger than the others, with great killing

power.

There is a tremendous tension- Patterson, Hawthorne, and Samuel

show it. Redbeard is as before.

HAWTHORNE:

(terribly tense)

You're certain about tomorrow?

(Redbeard is)

But you don't seem excited.

(Redbeard isn't)

PATTERSON:

You don't enjoy killing, do you?

(Redbeard doesn't)

HAWTHORNE:

Then why do it?

CUT TO:

REDBEARD. CLOSE UP. He stares at the fire. Then-

REDBEARD:

I have a gift.

CUT TO:

THE CAMPFIRE. Silence for a moment except for the sound of the

weapons being reassembled. Redbeard's hands fly. His rifle is back

together. He stands, nods, goes.

CUT TO:

HAWTHORNE, watching him.

HAWTHORNE:

Strange man.

(to Samuel)

Has he always been this way?

SAMUEL:

Much gentler now.

HAWTHORNE:

(shakes his head on that)

John?-

(He holds out his

beautiful rifle)

Change guns with me- mine's much

more powerful. I'll be finishing

the hospital tomorrow so I won't

be with you- but if you'll use

this...

(beat)

...then I will.

Patterson, touched, changes weapons.

PATTERSON:

Thank you.

(He turns to Samuel)

Why does he need you by him?

SAMUEL:

He doesn't. He needs nobody. But

we have hunted many times...

(beat)

...he knows I am afraid of lions...

HOLD ON THE FIRELIGHT UNTIL WE SHARPLY-

CUT TO:

THE BRIDGE. BEFORE DAWN.

Misty- hard to see much.

Then GHOSTS appear-

KEEP HOLDING:

-they're not ghosts, they're MASAI WARRIORS emerging from the

mists. They are powerful and painted and they carry noisemaking

equipment- tin cans and tom toms and as more and more of them

materialize-

CUT TO:

A HUGE THICKET.

Redbeard, Patterson, and Samuel wait as the Warriors approach.

REDBEARD:

(whispered)

I spotted one of them-

(gesturing toward

the thicket)

-in there.

CUT TO:

THE THICKET again- alive with thorn trees. Dark, filled with long

dark shadows.

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