The Thing Page #16

NAULS:

Now why'd you go and...

BLAIR:

And I don't want any more food with

sedatives in it. I know what you're

up to. Don't think I don't. And if

anyone tries to get in here -- I've

got rope. I'll hang myself before

it gets to me.

NAULS:

You promise?

Nauls picks up the tray, heads back mumbling.

NAULS:

Crazy white scientist motherf***er...

EXT. COMPOUND

Palmer works on the snowmobile. Sanchez resumes searching

through the trash.

INT. BALLOON TOWER

MacReady slashes into the huge uninflated weather

balloons, rendering them useless. Tanks of helium and

hydrogen are stacked nearby.

INT. KITCHEN

Nauls does the dishes. His cassette plays in the b.g.

INT. REC ROOM

Childs continues guarding the three men.

CLARK:

Gotta go to the can, Childs.

Childs follows him to the other end of the room.

CHILDS:

Be quick.

Clark walks to the head. Childs moves back to the middle

of the room. As the guard he is much more vulnerable in

this position. Being split between his prisoners.

The lights begin to flicker. The soft purr of the

generator begins to fade.

CHILDS:

Oh, no.

The lights go out. Nauls calls from the kitchen.

NAULS (O.S.)

Childs! That a fuse?

CHILDS:

No. The generator. You got the

auxiliary box just off the kitchen.

Get to it.

(fumbling around)

Where's the damn flashlight?

(calling out)

You fellas okay over there?

Dr. Copper giggles in the dark.

CHILDS:

Cut that out, Copper.

(beat)

Nauls? What's taking you?!

NAULS (O.S.)

I'm working it! Nothing's

happening!

CHILDS:

That's impossible, man! Okay,

Clark, out of the john where I can

see you!

NAULS (O.S.)

It's shorted out or something!

CHILDS:

(shouting)

Clark, you come on out here!!

Childs lights the tip of his torch, allowing him a strong

candlelight. Garry is no longer in the room.

CHILDS:

Where's... Where's Garry?

Dr. Copper looks numbly at the empty seat next to him.

Childs finds the portable siren and blares it.

EXT. COMPOUND

MacReady, Palmer and Sanchez heed the call and head for

the compound.

INT. REC ROOM

Childs jerks his head around in different directions.

CHILDS:

Where are you, Garry? Don't you

move an inch, Copper.

(shouts)

Nauls, bring me a goddamn

flashlight!

INT. KITCHEN

Pitch black.

NAULS:

Somebody's taken it. I can't find

it!

CHILDS (O.S.)

Clark, you want me to come in after

you?!

INT. HALLWAY

MacReady, Sanchez and Palmer come in from the outside.

They bump into each other trying to get their bearings

from the lack of light. Palmer, the only one who seems to

have one, turns on his flashlight.

MACREADY:

(shouting)

What's happened?!

NORRIS (O.S.)

MacReady, that you?

MACREADY:

Yeah!

NORRIS (O.S.)

It's the generator I think! No

power.

MACREADY:

(to Palmer)

Well, let's get down there.

CHILDS (O.S.)

MacReady!

MACREADY:

What?

CHILDS (O.S.)

Garry's missing!

MACREADY:

(to self)

Oh, sh*t!

(shouts)

Well, hang on!

CHILDS (O.S.)

Gee, thanks!

INT. GENERATOR ROOM

Palmer and MacReady stumbling down the stairs. MacReady

turns around, looks.

MACREADY:

Where's Sanchez?

Both look around. Sanchez is gone. Palmer's light finds

the motionless generator. He examines it.

PALMER:

The fuel pump... it's gone...

(frantic)

You've got to get up to supply, Mac.

If we don't get this thing started

soon, it'll freeze on us and we'll

never get it going.

MacReady dashes upstairs into the darkness.

INT. HALLWAY

The lab door is opened. Fuchs holding a small candle

walks out. As he passes, the shoulder of a man springs

into frame.

INT. GENERATOR ROOM

Palmer is feverishly working underneath the generator on

his back.

INT. REC ROOM

The temperature continues to drop rapidly. Childs swats

himself to keep warm, while still keeping an eye on Dr.

Copper and the rest of the room.

INT. HALLWAY

MacReady rushes out of the supply room, with a fuel pump,

bumps into somebody.

MACREADY:

Who... Who is that?

The silhouette moves on down the hallway.

MACREADY:

Sanchez...? Hey, who...

PALMER (O.S.)

Mac, where the hell is that pump!!

CUT TO:

INT. GENERATOR ROOM

MacReady holds the flashlight for Palmer. Their breath,

puffs of white smoke.

PALMER:

Somebody definitely messed with it.

MACREADY:

We going to make it?

PALMER:

Hope so. Another ten, fifteen

minutes. What I don't get is...

The sound of a screeching. From somewhere in the

compound. The two men's faces, locked in fear.

CUT TO:

INT. REC ROOM

The generator has been repaired; the lights within the

compound are back on.

Grim and tense. Everyone is present but Fuchs. Eyes flit

from man to man. Palmer, Nauls and Sanchez are spread out

about the room, keeping as much distance as possible from

the rest.

Norris and Childs are tying the Doctor, Clark and Garry to

the couch. MacReady prepares several makeshift

blowtorches as he kneels on the ground.

SANCHEZ:

Where were the flashlights?

MACREADY:

Screw the flashlights. Where the

hell were you?

PALMER:

Tons of stuff's been missing around

here. Magnetos, cables, wire...

NAULS:

Kitchen things, too...

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