The Survivalist Page #9

She pulls out several picture frames.

All eerily empty, cracked.

She sets them down. Where else?

She takes a dynamo torch and cranks a flickering beam of

light under the stove space. She feels under it for

crevices, alcoves.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Survivalist and Milja walk through the dim, hazy forest.

Survivalist keeps his eyes low, inspecting roots, fern

shades, clumps of bark.

He sees something at once invisible, then suddenly clear to

Milja when he focuses on it. A troop of brown mushrooms

against the light of a fallen branch.

Milja looks for permission; he nods. She bends and picks

one to eat.

EXT. FOREST - DAY (LATER)

Under a dripping bark, the white, wispy frame of a DEATH

CAP. It grows in a small troop.

Survivalist's face is close-by. He's squatting with Milja,

looking at it. He plucks it out and hands it to her. He

shows her the dark streaks under the cap.

SURVIVALIST:

First twelve hours, you won't notice

anything. Then you'll get stomach

aches. Diarrhoea... Then it gets

better. You think you're through the

worst. Within two days you're dead.

EXT. FOREST - DAY (LATER)

Deeper into the forest. They have opened up their jackets

as the midday heat warms the forest.

Survivalist scans the low trees, turns to find Milja

crouching. She's found a small troop of red-capped, tall-

hatted mushrooms.

She picks one and looks at Survivalist.

MILJA:

So will this eat my liver?

He takes it from her hand and eats it.

SURVIVALIST:

No. But it will make you trip.

INT. CABIN, SEED ROOM - DAY

Kathryn lifts up a seed tray to see if anything lies

beneath. Empty.

She opens the seed cupboard - looks through the folders and

dusty bags. She feels down the back of the drawer -

clutches something.

Brings back a small, rattling box. She opens it rapidly -

perhaps what she's looking for. Her shoulders sag,

disappointed:
inside are gold sovereigns and silver coins

in plastic dealer bags with carat certificates.

But something else in the box catches her eye. She

reaches...

INT. CABIN, MAIN ROOM - DAY

Kathryn steps across the wooden floor and surveys the space

again.

The bookcase, the shelves, the stove, the bed. All

searched.

Sh*t.

EXT. CLEARING - DAY

A clearing of dazzling bluebells. The buzz of bumblebees

and flirting insects.

Milja holds her hand out in front of her, suddenly

interested by the shapes the lines her fingers can make.

Survivalist is sunk out of view in the flowers.

MILJA:

You still haven't told us your name.

He lies back, hiding from view beneath the flowers.

MILJA (cont'd)

I need to call you something.

SURVIVALIST (OFF)

Says who.

MILJA:

Says... What if I see a tree

falling? How do I...

She trails off as if losing focus. Then the verb swims

back...

MILJA (cont'd)

How do I address you then?

She looks to the rim of the sunken impression of flowers

he's in. Waits for an answer.

SURVIVALIST (OFF)

Shout which direction. I'll roll.

MILJA:

I think I'll call you... Leonard.

Survivalist sits up, shakes his head.

SURVIVALIST:

(serious)

No.

MILJA:

What's wrong with Lenny?

SURVIVALIST:

Lenny? That's even worse.

MILJA:

You don't like it?

(...)

Then tell me your real name then.

He stands and shakes off the mild stupor.

SURVIVALIST:

Lenny it is.

INT. CABIN, MAIN ROOM - DAY

Milja washes vegetables in a basin and Kathryn slices them.

They speak in whispers.

KATHRYN:

No clothes, no pictures, but empty

frames... as if they never existed.

MILJA:

Memories slow you down.

KATHRYN:

And I found this....

Kathryn takes a DIAMOND RING from her shirt pocket.

KATHRYN (cont'd)

Your father kept his, to the end.

Survivalist comes into view through the window, walking

towards the cabin. Kathryn slips the ring back in her shirt

pocket and continues cutting vegetables.

INT. CABIN, MAIN ROOM - NIGHT

Fork scrapes against bare plate.

The three at supper.

MILJA:

He's got a name, now.

KATHRYN:

(to Survivalist)

You told her?

MILJA:

He let me make one up... "Lenny".

Kathryn smiles. Milja tries to suppress her grin.

Survivalist senses a private joke but says nothing.

EXT. STREAM - DAY

Survivalist squats in the stream. His hands scoop into the

water and bring cupped handfuls to his chest and arms. He

trembles from the sharp cool on his skin.

Kathryn watches him from trees by the bank. She observes

his naked form casually... his jacket, shotgun lie on the

bank nearby.

She steps away, quietly, into the forest.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Kathryn gathers twig and kindle. She lights the pile with a

sparker. A dull, pale flame erupts; silky smoke arises.

She takes out a cigarette, half-smoked but not yet a stub.

She lights it on the flame and takes a slow, first drag.

Then she begins puffing deep and fast.

EXT. STREAM - DAY

Survivalist palms water over his head.

He doesn't notice the thin plume of smoke rising above the

trees behind him.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

The cigarette is worn down now.

Kathryn scuffs away at the kindle with her feet, clearing

the more obvious incendiary evidence but leaving the fire

intact. She drops the cigarette in the flames.

She walks back towards the stream.

EXT. STREAM - DAY

Through the branches, Kathryn watches Survivalist, hands

dipping in the water.

He becomes very still.

So does Kathryn. Has he sensed she's there?

Survivalist's hands remain frozen in the water. All senses

dim to heighten his sense of... smell.

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