The Survivalist Page #10

He stands bolt upright, and looks around the tree line

methodically. He's already gathering clothes, pulling on

trousers, boots. No time for socks.

Survivalist spots the smoke and grabs his gun - Kathryn

breathes 'f***' - and runs topless towards the smoke.

She is left alone with the sound of the stream.

Then she sees the jacket.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

BOOTS stamp the fire out. Survivalist grunts with effort.

The ground is moist and has contained the flames.

EXT. STREAM - DAY

Kathryn steps down to the waterside. She slips a hand into

the jacket's pocket. They return with two shotgun shells.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Kathryn bursts through trees to find Survivalist. He picks

over the embers of the fire with a stick.

He finds the charred cigarette butt.

He pinches it between two fingers and turns to display it

to her. Her face pleads contrition.

KATHRYN:

I've only three left. Have them so

seldom, must have forgot to-

His look is unforgiving.

KATHRYN (cont'd)

It was a mistake.

He SHOVES her backwards - up against the bark of a tree.

She gasps a little. Her face, his furious eyes inches

apart.

She smirks.

He shoves her again, drags her back painfully against the

bark. His face is right in hers, hot breath against her

cheeks.

She pulls the back of his hair. He lets her pull it tight

for a moment - then lets go of her.

She sinks down the trunk as he walks away.

EXT. STREAM - DAY

Survivalist yanks off boots and pulls on socks.

He lifts his jacket and puts it on. Pats the shell pocket

instinctively; feels some weight.

He scales the bank, making his way back to the farm.

EXT. HIGHER LAND - DAY

The last wisps of smoke fatten above a hill in the forest.

The watcher (40s) stops to orientate himself against the

smoke. He takes off his woolly hat, scrapes yellow

fingernails against a rash on his scalp.

Then he pulls hat back on and sets off downhill.

FADE TO:

INT. CABIN, MAIN ROOM - DAY

Milja cooks a broth in the amber glow of twilight. Kathryn

walks into the cabin and sidles up beside her. They both

can see Survivalist looking up from his work on the plot,

glancing at them occasionally.

Kathryn samples the broth with one hand, discretely showing

Milja the stolen shotgun shells in her other.

Their body language is that of chattering cooks; Kathryn

sets the spoon back and nods.

KATHRYN:

When he sleeps... where does he put

the gun?

MILJA:

Against the wall. By the bed,

usually.

They see Survivalist stand and dust down his knees.

KATHRYN:

Do you remember how to load one?

MILJA:

It was a long time ago.

KATHRYN:

You remember. With papa's gun. He

taught you how.

Survivalist walks up the grass gangway towards them.

Kathryn turns her back to obscure his view. She

demonstrates the loading action.

KATHRYN (cont'd)

You open the breech. You slot in

both shells. You lock it. You pull

back the triggers, firm and hard.

MILJA:

I won't have time.

He's walking towards the cabin. Whispers now. She offers

the shells to her again.

KATHRYN:

Buy time. Take the gun and go

outside.

Survivalist arrives through the cabin door, scraping his

feet against the wood.

Milja takes the shells and slides them ino her jeans

pocket.

The conversation falls silent.

INT. CABIN, MAIN ROOM - NIGHT

Milja's head rests on Survivalist, her eyes open and

staring at the shotgun rested against the bedside wall.

She looks down at him; side turned towards her, eyelids

still - in deep, dreamless sleep.

She gently lifts Survivalist's arm from her shoulder, slips

it to her side.

She waits...

...he doesn't stir.

She sits up in bed. Looks at the shotgun beyond his

sleeping figure.

She leans over him, reaching for the gun. Her fingers

stretch... almost touching the barrel.

Her stomach pushes against his shoulder... he rolls

slightly onto his back.

She looks down at him, arms at his shoulders.

His eyes are open. Is he awake?

His hands reach up pull her towards him. Arms lock around

her.

He closes his eyes again.

After a while, so do hers.

EXT. FARM PLOT - DAY

Sunrise breaks through the tree line.

FADE TO:

Survivalist drives supporting sticks into the soil, while

Kathryn measures the distance.

Milja emerges from the cabin and walks down the plot

towards Kathryn. She hands her a trowel - shotgun shells

cupped discretely in her hand.

Kathryn backpockets them, digs the trowel in the soil.

Glancing at Survivalist - he hasn't clocked the exchange

and is still fixed on his work.

EXT. STREAM - DAY

Milja takes off her jeans, then her underwear. She steps

down into the water.

She crouches and removes a red-stained cloth from between

her legs. Washes it in the stream.

She rubs water against a streak of dried blood on an inner

thigh.

EXT. FARM PLOT - DAY

Survivalist drives the last stick he's grasping into the

ground. He kneels down and begins coiling a piece of string

around it.

The barrel of the shotgun keeps nudging against the stick.

He unslings the shotgun and sets the weapon on the ground.

Survivalist ties the string off, then takes one of the

branches close at hand and sharpens it with his knife.

Kathryn straightens the sticks and strings, which provide a

seed line for planting. As she does so, she is slowly

moving on her knees towards the gun.

She gets within grabbing distance. She takes the shotgun

shells into her hand. She is very still and contemplative,

rehearsing the actions in her head. She only has one chance

at this.

Survivalist stills. He leans forwards and and pushes back

some potato leaves to inspect something.

Kathryn's breath grows deep and shallow. One last breath

before-

He picks up the shotgun, not looking back at her.

She folds the shells back into her trouser pocket and leans

to see what he's looking at.

A large, deep boot-print in the soil.

SURVIVALIST:

Where's Milja?

EXT. STREAM - DAY

Milja pulls on her underwear again. Trousers and shoes.

She looks down at her face in the water. She pulls back her

hair to see her face more clearly.

Runs the tip of her little finger under her eyelid...

tracing a first wrinkle.

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