The Thing Page #21

Copper pushes it toward MacReady.

MACREADY:

Now step way back.

Copper steps backward, moisture beginning to collect on

his brow. MacReady begins to heat the copper wire over

the Bunsen burner.

The men watch intently. The wire begins to glow.

MacReady points the torch directly at the Doctor. Both of

them perspiring. MacReady lifts the glowing wire from the

flame. The Doctor is dead still. MacReady slowly touches

the wire to the Doctor's plate. A soft hiss.

MacReady heats it again and tries once more. The same

soft hiss. MacReady and the Doctor both let out a sigh.

MACREADY:

I guess you're okay.

DR. COPPER

(shaken, facetious)

Thank you.

MACREADY:

Didn't think you'd use that

fibrillator on Norris if you were

one of them.

He hands Copper the torch.

MACREADY:

Watch them.

He cuts himself with the scalpel and begins collecting his

own blood.

MACREADY:

Now I'll show you what I already

know.

He heats the wire and puts it to his plate. The same

harmless hissing. All eyes continue to watch as he tries

again. The same result. Childs mumbles.

CHILDS:

Load of bullshit.

MACREADY:

We'll see. Let's try Clark.

He heats the wire and lays it in Clark's dish. The

hissing.

CHILDS:

So Clark was human, huh?

MacReady nods.

CHILDS:

So that make you a murderer.

MacReady glances over the group.

MACREADY:

Palmer now.

He sets Palmer's plate in front of him and heats the wire.

GARRY:

Pure nonsense. This won't prove a

damn thing.

MACREADY:

Thought you'd feel that way, Garry.

You were the only one who could have

gotten to that blood plasma...

(placing the wire in

Palmer's dish)

... we'll do you last...

Screech!!! The blood howls, trying to crawl off the

plate.

Palmer bolts forward with incredible force, racing for

MacReady; his face splitting; his mouth roaring --

dragging the couch, Childs and Garry with him. He smashes

into MacReady knocking him over the table.

MACREADY:

Copper!!

It's all happened too fast. Copper tries to get off a

burst of flame. The ever-changing Palmer breaks his bonds

and leaps on the Doctor.

The others sit helpless, struggling at their bindings.

MacReady dives on Palmer's back and the three go rolling

to the floor. Screeching. Crackling. MacReady pounds

viciously at Palmer's head. A powerful, shirt-splitting

arm sends him skidding across the floor.

Copper momentarily has control of the torch. Just as he

positions it, Palmer's mouth splits from his chin to his

forehead and engulfs the entirety of the Doctor's head.

The big torch slaps against the wall. Palmer bounds to

his feet, wrapping his arms around the dangling,

struggling body of Dr. Copper.

The men are screaming hysterically. MacReady tries to

fire up the bruised torch. Busted. Won't work.

Frustrated, he charges up behind Palmer and begins

hammering the thick steel instrument over his head.

The shirt of Palmer's back erupts in MacReady's face.

Splitting and ripping wildly, exposing the beginnings of

yet another orifice. A blackened, iron-strong tongue

lunges outward. Stunned, MacReady manages to elude it,

diving for the top of the table by the boxes of dynamite.

MacReady lights the fuse of a thick roll and bounds from

the table. Palmer awkwardly spins in circles, swinging

the Doctor's body like a propeller blade, struggling to

keep on balance, as he advances on MacReady. The second

orifice, spitting and snarling as it continues to take

form.

MacReady waits until Palmer's back spins around, facing

him. Only two yards away, MacReady flings his lit roll

into the ever-evolving second mouth and leaps onto the

couch covering Childs and Garry with his body.

A muffled boom, as the swallowed explosive ignites from

deep within Palmer and sends his flesh splattering all

over the room. MacReady rolls away from Childs and Garry

as fast as he can.

CUT TO:

MACREADY:

perspiring profusely, his hand trembling slightly,

prepares to continue the test. He heats the wire.

The men are pouring sweat, white-knuckled.

One of the smaller torches is pointed at Nauls. He closes

his eyes. MacReady places the heated wire into his plate.

Hiss. MacReady exhales. Nauls opens his eyes.

MACREADY:

unties Nauls with one hand, while the torch stays glued to

the others.

MACREADY:

heats the wire once again. Both he and Nauls have torches

aimed at Sanchez. Sanchez is near tears.

The wire is dipped into the plate... Hisssss.

Sanchez breaks down and sobs.

CHILDS:

sits stoicly, while he watches the preparations for his

turn.

CHILDS:

Let's do it, Bwana.

Nauls and Sanchez take aim five yards away. Fierce,

determined. The wire comes off the flame into the

plate... the harmless hissing.

The muscles in Childs' face melt into a sigh.

CHILDS:

Muthafu...

ALL EYES:

snap towards station manager Garry. Childs, suddenly

realizing who he is sitting next to, squirms.

CHILDS:

Get me... get me the hell away

from... cut me loose, damn it!

Nauls rips away his bindings. The other two stand guard.

Childs scrambles off the couch and onto the floor.

GARRY:

stares grimly ahead. Childs soaks his clothing with a can

of gasoline. He is then surrounded. The room tenses,

adrenalin pumps, breathing halts.

The burner. The torches. The wire. The plate. Garry's

face.

Hisssss.

MacReady tries again. Hiss. The men breathe. Their

torches are lowered. Nauls throws his on the floor.

Sanchez and Childs flop down in chairs. MacReady wipes

his face.

A long silence. Sanchez weeps quietly with relief.

GARRY:

I know you gentlemen have been

through a lot. But when you find

the time... I'd rather not spend

the rest of the winter tied to this

couch.

A beat. Childs starts to giggle. The strain on

MacReady's jaw begins to lessen. Garry sits catatonic.

Nauls scowls at Childs' uncontrollable laughter.

The infectious rasping causes MacReady a slight smile as

he looks up, taking comfort in the sound of the raging

Antarctic wind vibrating the roof. Nauls, untying Garry,

grumbles, at Childs.

NAULS:

Shut the damn hell up.

Childs wipes his eyes and grins over toward MacReady. His

smile fades, MacReady is now stone-faced. Childs' grin

goes stale, in sudden realization.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes