The X-Files

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FADE IN:

EXT. SNOWSCAPE

A BLINDING WHITE SCREEN, under which we hear an ominous

low end Dolby THX Big Screen rumble. We're not in 19"

television land anymore, Toto. As the rumble builds, TWO

BLACK FIGURES appear on what now has resolved into a

distant horizon. From their movements we can shortly see

that the figures are men. Moving along a windswept ice

sheet in an otherwise featureless land.

A LEGEND appears: NORTH TEXAS, 35,000 B.C.

CLOSER ON THE TWO MEN

Continuing toward us, we can now see that they are

dressed in crude garments made of animal skins. If we

squint we can see their hair is long, their jutting

foreheads significant of primitive Homo Sapiens. They

continue toward us, the wind beating against them,

CAMERA IS CRANING DOWN to the snow that lies before

them. To LARGE THREE-TOED TRACKS.

FOLLOWING THE PRIMITIVES

As they track the three-toed prints to a rocky crevice in

the hard-pack ice. The prints stop here, and so do the

men. Dropping down into the crevice in pursuit of their

quarry.

CUT TO:

INT. ICE CAVE

Dark in here, except where the sunlight penetrates the

thick, glassy ice walls. The silhouettes of the

Primitives stark against the glistening cavern. The

sound of flint being struck, then A TORCH CATCHES FIRE,

illuminating their faces. And:

A CREATURE:

Deeper in the cave. Fleeing the light and the men. We

get only a brief glimpse of it in the torch light,

seeing that it moves upright on two legs and has gray,

dinosaur-like skin. And large black eyes. But it moves

quickly enough away that any other identifying feature

is lost in the deeper shadows.

THE PRIMITIVES:

Removing crude weapons made of sharpened bone from under

their thick fur garments, and scrabbling into the

constricting cavern, giving chase.

Following them as they moves with animal-like agility

through the tightening space. Predatory hunters. Their

torchlight catching:

THE CREATURE:

As it disappears into a tight opening in a smaller

crevice leading off the main one. The Primitives

entering frame after a moment, only a few steps behind.

The LEAD PRIMITIVE dropping to the cave floor,

pulling himself into this same tight fissure in pursuit.

Splitting off from his partner who exits frame still on

the run.

INT. SMALLER ICE CAVE - HIGH ANGLE DOWN

The fiery torch comes through first, held by the lead

man. Throwing dancing shadows on the walls of what

appears to be a box cavern.

CLOSE ON LEAD PRIMITIVE

Rising quickly to his feet. Not seeing what the torch

illuminates just behind him: The face of a dead

Primitive Man, his body frozen into the ice. He does

finally notice this, turning to see it, when he's

ATTACKED VICIOUSLY FROM BEHIND.

The torch falls to the floor so that the fight is

difficult to see, but it is loud and cruel. The creature

squealing wildly as the grunts of the Primitive now turn

to the sounds of painful struggle. Until:

THE SECOND PRIMITIVE MAN

Suddenly appears, driving his bone weapon into the body

of the Creature. Again and again, until the Creature is

driven away into the shadows.

The Second Man grabs the torch now, not to see if his

hunting mate has survived, but in pursuit of the

Creature. In the light we see that he and his weapon are

covered with spatters of OILY BLACK BLOOD. As is the

First Primitive whose body lies heaving on the floor.

The Second Primitive stepping over his hunting mate,

stalking the Creature into the shadows, where it has

collapsed. The torch finally landing, for the first

time, on its face.

When the torchlight hits its face, the Creature attacks.

But the Primitive prevails. He drops his torch and

dispatches the already wounded Creature with strong

hard stabs of his weapon, one of which penetrates the

Creature's eye.

LOW ANGLE ON THE DEAD CREATURE

The torch, which lies on the ground, illuminates the

dead creature's face. Its wounds are flowing with the

oily black blood, which, oddly now, BEGINS TO POOL. As

if it has intelligence, sentience. Pooling and traveling

into a fissure in the cave floor. And disappearing.

ANGLE ON THE SECOND PRIMITIVE

Watching this, unknowing. His chest heaving from the

fight, as the spots of Oily Black Blood which have

spattered onto him begin to crawl. Crawling toward his

eyes and mouth. Causing him to let out grunts of fear.

Which are the sounds we hear as the CAMERA SLOWLY CRANES

UP past the struggling Primitive to the roof of the

cave, where the dancing shadows of the torch FADE AWAY

with the sounds of struggle. Moving into darkness and

silence. But only for a moment. Until:

SUNSHINE BREAKS THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE CAVE - PRESENT

DAY:

Along with the spade of a shovel. And then -- the

earthen cave ceiling gives way and A BOY wearing Nikes

and an old t-shirt falls through it. Falling PAST

CAMERA. We hear a YELL, then a THUD, and a CLATTERING of

the shovel that's fallen in with him. Then a pained

GASPING.

Then SEVERAL HEADS appear in the opening. These are BOYS

of ten to eleven, staring down into the cave. Hot

sunlight blazing in. We have traveled far, far forward

in time.

2ND BOY

Hey, Stevie. You okay?

INT. CAVE - PRESENT DAY

THEIR POV OF STEVIE

On the floor below covered with dirt, in his nose and

mouth. Spitting out. (All these boys have Texas in their

voices.)

STEVIE:

I got...I got....I got....

(straining)

....the wind knocked out of me.

This draws no sympathy from above, only LAUGHTER.

THE BOYS UP ABOVE

Staring excitedly.

3RD BOY

Looks like a cave or something.

2ND BOY

What's down there, Stevie? Anything?

OVER THE BOYS ABOVE

Stevie has gotten up, moving out of the patch of

sunlight. Disappearing from view for a moment. Then

reappearing, still spitting out dirt. But holding:

STEVIE:

Human skull.

One side partially missing from the cranium. But it

brings WHOOPS of delight from the boys above.

3RD BOY

Toss it up here, dude.

STEVIE:

No way, buttwipe. I found it. It's

mine.

ANGLE UP ON STEVIE

The other boys looking down at him. Stevie looking at

the skull. Strangely, the light shines through it. It is

milky, opaque, as if it's bone that's turned somehow

glassy in places. Then:

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