The Ghost and the Darkness Page #15

REDBEARD:

(pause)

I got big.

(They move on)

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD working their way up a steep ravine. It's

hard going. They help each other.

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, moving along the edge of the ravine now.

Slow. Silent. Redbeard stops, points-

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A TANGLE IN THE BUSHES AND THORNS with one odd thing about it:

there is a clearly defined archway, as if a buffalo or rhino used

it as a regular passage.

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THE TWO OF THEM at the archway. They look at each other, without a

word move through it.

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THE OTHER SIDE. A small clearing. And at the end of the clearing:

a cave.

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THE CAVE MOUTH. Dark.

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REDBEARD AND PATTERSON. They each check their guns, move toward

it.

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THE CAVE MOUTH. Closer. Suddenly it's getting eerie.

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REDBEARD, moving slowly, Patterson right with him.

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THE CAVE MOUTH. They're by it- Redbeard squints inside.

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WHAT HE SEES:
it's dark and dangerous and there is a long low

tunnel you have to half-crawl through.

Without a word, they start inside.

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REDBEARD AND PATTERSON, crouched low, moving through the tunnel.

Ahead there is light. They move on.

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THE END OF THE TUNNEL- they can see the cave beyond.

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REDBEARD AND PATTERSON. They glance down. Nothing much there- just

a copper bracelet, the kind a native might wear.

Now they move past it and as the tunnel ends, they stand up.

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INSIDE THE CAVE - IT'S BIG.

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, moving deeper into the cave. It's scary-

dark with shafts of light coming from cracks in the rock. It's

dank. It all feels as at any moment, the world could end.

CUT TO:

REDBEARD. CLOSE UP. Thunderstruck-

REDBEARD:

Dear God-

(And on those words-)

CUT TO:

THE FLOOR OF THE CAVE. More copper bracelets. And still more-

-and now bones-

-the floor of the place is littered with human bones-

-eyeless skulls peer up at them from all around.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

The rest of the cave. We are looking at a carpet of bones.

PATTERSON:

Their den?

(Redbeard nods)

Have you ever seen anything like

this?

REDBEARD:

Nobody's seen anything like this.

Lions don't have caves like this-

(beat)

-they're doing it for pleasure.

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SEVERAL TUNNELS, dark and ominous, leading from the cave-

-and now there is a sound from one of the tunnels-

-something is coming close and coming fast and

CUT TO:

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON as Redbeard fires into the tunnel and the

sound explodes-

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THE TUNNEL-

-shrieks-

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REDBEARD AND PATTERSON. What the hell is it?

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THE TUNNEL- and here they come, screeching and angry-

-bats-

-swarms of them- hundreds of them-

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, diving to the ground, lying there amidst

the bangles and the bones and the skulls-

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THE BATS. Circling above them. Screeching louder.

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, lying very still, eyeless skulls all

around, staring.

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THE BATS. For a moment, it seems as if they might attack.

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PATTRSON AND REDBEARD. Waiting, waiting. Then-

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THE BATS back into the tunnel and

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, scrambling to their feet.

REDBEARD:

One of my chief attributes is that

I'm always calm.

And then without warning, from behind them, a roar-

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD spin around, start back toward the entrance

of the cave-

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THE LOW ENTRANCE TUNNEL as they scramble half-crawling through it.

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OUTSIDE as they make it, stand straight, look around-

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THICK BUSH beyond- another roar and sudden movement and

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PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, entering the thick bush- but carefully,

because they are vulnerable now and an attack could come from

anywhere- there is the sound of water-

-slashes of light hit their eyes, making it hard to see- and

they're totally vulnerable now but it doesn't stop them- the water

sound gets stronger- and as they burst clear-

CUT TO:

AN AMAZING PLACE- AN AREA OF FLAT ROCK SPLIT UP AHEAD BY A WIDE

FAST-RUNNING WATERFALL.

CUT TO:

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD. They look around. Nothing is there. But

the spot is wide open, exposed.

PATTERSON:

(The words pour out)

Where could it have gone? How

could it get across the water?

(looks at Redbeard)

They're only lions, yes?

REDBEARD:

(shakes his head; he

doesn't know)

Don't they have to be?...

They look around a moment more. Nothing to see-

-they turn, leave, re-enter the thick bush. And now-

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THE DARKNESS- who knows where it is but it's there-

-watching Patterson.

HOLD BRIEFLY on The Darkness, then-

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PATTERSON'S TENT AREA. JUST BEFORE DAWN-

-outside the fence a dreadful sound- the crunching of bones.

Patterson, Redbeard, and Samuel emerge from tents, listen.

Patterson is on one side of the area, Redbeard and Samuel on the

other.

SAMUEL:

(pointing)

Both of them over there.

He is pointing to Patterson's area. Patterson goes to Redbeard.

PATTERSON:

Ever have to use a machan?

(Redbeard hasn't)

I did once. In India. We will

tonight.

(Now from that-)

CUT TO:

A CLEARING. LATER IN THE DAY.

Patterson leads the few remaining men in constructing an odd

looking structure: four slender poles lashed together, slanting

inward with a plank tied on top, a dozen feet up in the air.

Redbeard and Samuel approach.

PATTERSON:

They're used to people in trees,

not in a clearing.

(indicating the plank)

It may be tight.

REDBEARD:

Not for me- I'm too bulky and it's

your idea, you go up there.

(to Samuel)

Take the others to the water tower

for the night.

PATTERSON:

I'll be bait alone?

REDBEARD:

Yes. And I'll be in some distant

tree where I can provide no

assistance whatsoever.

(beat)

Can you control your fear?

PATTERSON:

I'll have to.

REDBEARD:

I can't control mine- I'd be lost

without the shame factor driving me.

PATTERSON:

Was that supposed to make me feel

better?

(Redbeard doesn't

reply. Now-)

CUT TO:

A DONKEY BEING LED IN. LATER.

THE MEN start to tie it down, across the clearing from the machan.

Patterson takes a long look at the machan. He tests the support

poles- they're rickety.

CUT TO:

DUSK. The sun quickly beginning its quick fall.

CUT TO:

THE WATER TOWER IN THE STATION AREA. Samuel is with the remaining

men who clamber up to the platform on top.

CUT TO:

THE DONKEY IN THE CLEARING. Quiet.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

Redbeard, holding a wooden ladder that is propped against the

plank. Patterson climbs his slow way up. It's dangerous.

CUT TO:

THE PLANK as Patterson makes it, clambers off the ladder, manages

to sit.

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THE VIEW. Nothing is around the machan. He is totally vulnerable.

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REDBEARD, taking the ladder down. Patterson tries to get

comfortable. He can't.

REDBEARD:

(glancing around)

It's certainly the best chance

they've had to kill you.

PATTERSON:

You think they'll come then?

(Redbeard does)

Why?

REDBEARD:

(not answering)

Good luck.

PATTERSON:

Why?

REDBEARD:

(beat)

Because I think they're after you.

CUT TO:

PATTERSON. This registers. Finally, he nods. Redbeard starts to

leave.

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