The Thing Page #17

MACREADY:

Anybody see Fuchs... or hear him...?

Huh?

No answer as the men's faces roam the room. Childs glares

at Garry as he begins to tie him in.

CHILDS:

Where'd you go?

Garry's groggy features stare blankly.

CHILDS:

I said where? Where'd you go?!

GARRY:

Was dark... find a light...

CHILDS:

You lying bastard...

Garry struggles to his feet, affronted.

GARRY:

(slurring)

I rather don't like your tone...

He grabs Childs by the collar.

CHILDS:

You sit back down...

Childs whales on him with a right hand. Both go tumbling

over the couch. MacReady and Norris dive in breaking it

up.

NORRIS:

Enough...

MacReady, furious, pulls Childs away.

Norris breathing heavily from the activity, massages his

chest. The strong, stormy winds overhead batter the

roofing. MacReady glances up. He and Childs release each

other.

MACREADY:

That storm's going to start ripping

any minute -- so we don't have much

time.

He thrusts one of the blowtorches hard into Childs'

stomach.

MACREADY:

We've got to find Fuchs. When we

find him -- we kill him.

SANCHEZ:

Why?

MACREADY:

If he's one of those Things, we've

got to get to him before he

changes... Nauls, you and Childs and

I'll check the outside shacks...

He tosses torches to Sanchez and Palmer.

MACREADY:

Sanchez, you and Palmer search the

inside...

PALMER:

I ain't going with Sanchez.

Sanchez snaps his head toward Palmer. Palmer looks at the

others.

PALMER:

I ain't going with him. I'll go

with Childs...

SANCHEZ:

Well, screw you, man!

PALMER:

I ain't going with you!

CHILDS:

Well, who says I want you going with

me?!

MACREADY:

Cut the bullshit... Okay, Sanchez,

you come with us. Norris... you

stay here...

(refers to tied-up

men)

Any of them move -- you fry 'em.

And if you hear anything, anything

at all you let loose the siren. We

all meet back here in twenty minutes

regardless.

(a beat)

And everybody watch whoever you're

with. Real close.

The men survey each other.

MACREADY:

Let's move.

CUT TO:

EXT. COMPOUND - NIGHT

MacReady and Nauls, wearing their snowshoes and using

flares for light, pull themselves along the steadying rope

that leads to Blair's shed. They are careful to keep an

eye on each other as they move along.

Sanchez heads off in the direction of another shack.

CUT TO:

INT. COMPOUND - HALLWAY

One of the many doors creak open. Childs and Palmer

stealthily move into the next corridor. Palmer falls a

few steps behind.

PALMER:

What'd we ever do to these Things

anyway...

Childs freezes and snaps his head around facing Palmer. A

beat.

PALMER:

What?

CHILDS:

Don't walk behind me.

Another beat.

PALMER:

Right.

He moves to the other side of the wall, parallel with

Childs. They continue on, skimming along the sides of the

corridor in plain view of one another.

CUT TO:

EXT. COMPOUND

Nauls and MacReady arrive at Blair's shack. They peer in

through the spaces between the boards.

A weak light burns as Blair is seated eating out of a can.

A hangman's noose dangles from the ceiling nearby.

MACREADY:

Hey, Blair!!

Blair jumps in fear, spilling his can.

MACREADY:

Has Fuchs been out here?

Blair approaches the boarded-up window. He looks haggard

and afraid.

BLAIR:

I've changed my mind... I'd... I'd

like to come back inside... I don't

want to stay out here any more...

Funny things... I hear funny things

out here.

MACREADY:

Have you come across Fuchs?

BLAIR:

Fuchs...? No, it's not Fuchs... You

must let me back in... I won't harm

anyone... I promise...

MACREADY:

We'll see...

He and Nauls trudges off. Blair shouts after them.

BLAIR:

I promise! I'm much better now!

I'll be good!! I'm all better!!

Don't leave me here!!

INT. REC ROOM

Norris continues his watch on the sedated trio. He

anxiously tries to keep an eye on the various entrances

behind and in front of him. He rubs his chest in pain.

DR. COPPER

I'm getting worried about you. You

ought to have a checkup.

NORRIS:

Let's just not get worried about

anything just now.

DR. COPPER

(yawning)

After all this mess then.

NORRIS:

(nodding)

After all this mess.

EXT. COMPOUND - THE SLOPE TO MACREADY'S SHACK

The winds are thick and vicious now. MacReady and Nauls

pull themselves along the rope fighting their way up the

slope. A violent gust sends MacReady's body horizontal,

but still hanging onto the rope. The wind slaps him back

down. His flare and torch tumble back toward Nauls.

Nauls saves the torch from rolling down the hill.

MacReady, lying vulnerable, watches Nauls pull his way

toward him. He tenses. Nauls reaches him. A beat. He

hands back his torch. Relieved, MacReady pulls himself

upright.

INT. COMPOUND - KITCHEN - CLOSE ON THICK POWER CABLES

that line the wall. They have been torn apart. Childs

and Palmer examine.

PALMER:

Auxiliary light cables...? Been

cut.

CHILDS:

Cut, bullshit. Been pulled apart.

EXT. MACREADY'S SHACK

as they reach the top. The remaining flare their only

light. Very dark. They stand on either side of the door.

MacReady shoves it open. Pitch black inside. MacReady

flips the light switch. Doesn't work.

INT. SHACK

They enter. Hunched. Torches ready. The place is a

mess. The winds as strong as on the outside.

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