«IN THE CIRCLE OF KUNDUZ» Page #6

Military men in yellow field uniforms for regions with a hot climate are waiting on the platform — they are lean, tanned in wide-breasted panama hats and army boots. The train passes the last meters, stops with a screech. There is a group of officers and soldiers on the platform. The SENIOR OFFICER is slightly ahead, loudly commanding the newcomers who are looking out of the train windows.

SENIOR OFFICER:

Fellow soldiers! Listen to my command: everyone urgently leaves the wagons and, in two columns, quickly load into the KAMAZ trucks waiting on the square in front of the railway station!

34. INT. SLEEPING CAR — NIGHT.

There is a fuss in the wagons, a hustle, a crush. Newcomers jump off the upper tiers, jump up from the seats of the lower tiers, and urgently leave the wagons.

35. EXT. TERMEZ STATION — NIGHT.

Following the directions of the movement of the welcoming soldiers, soldiers run in two columns through the open high doors of the tiny station and, running out onto the square, deftly jump onto the KAMAZ trucks standing in a row.

All the recruits have already loaded, the soldiers run around the cars and, looking inside, tighten the awnings on all sides. The KAMAZ trucks are leaving.

36. EXT. THE MOUNTAIN TRAINING CENTER (MTC) "SHERABAD" — EARLY MORNING.

TITLE:
THE MOUNTAIN TRAINING CENTER (MTC) "SHERABAD", TURKVO.

There is a formation of newcomers at the one-story building of the military unit headquarters. There are six men standing nearby — Sidor, Strela, Rust, Mongol, Kostyan, Koster.

Three military men in camouflage uniforms without military insignia strut along the line. In front, an important man, obviously a senior in rank, walks with a long stride, hands behind his back. Two men follow him, standing on either side, apparently his subordinates, who look a little younger than the senior.

The SENIOR looks at the faces, examines each newcomer.

SENIOR:

Masters of Sports, Candidates for Masters of Sports, dischargers who want to prove themselves in military service, as well...

The senior stops moving, turns around, looks at the formation.

SENIOR:

(continuing)

Having misunderstood conflicts with the Law: Step forward!

Sidor, Strela, Rust, Mongol, Kostyan, Koster are out of order.

37. EXT. THE MOUNTAIN TRAINING CENTER (MTC) "SHERABAD" — DAY.

There is a training session – working out the actions of scouts on a raid and an ambush. A reconnaissance patrol of the raid group is advancing along a narrow street between a high adobe fence. There are three comrades in it – Sidor, Strela, Koster. The main group is moving behind the patrol at a distance of twenty meters – ten soldiers. The soldiers are quietly sneaking around, vigilantly looking, pointing the barrels of their submachine guns and machine guns at a likely target.

Mongol throws a lasso from the roof of an adjacent low building at Sidor, who is walking in front, nailing him to the wall, not allowing him to leave his place. Rust and Kostyan jump from behind the fence at lightning speed on the heads of Strela and Koster and begin to strangle them with belts of machine guns.

38. INT. TENT OF THE TRAINING RECONNAISSANCE COMPANY - NIGHT.

TITLE:
TWO MONTHS BEFORE BEING SENT TO AFGHANISTAN. TENT OF THE TRAINING RECONNAISSANCE COMPANY.

After the evening verification, Mongol walks around in the tent of 5 friends lying next to each other, preparing for bed: Kostyan, Rust, Strela, Sidor, Koster.

MONGOL:

I made an agreement with the foreman, this night he lets the six of us out of the unit into the desert, so that I can perform the traditional rite of exorcism of evil spirits for the end of October. So, be ready to perform at night.

Everyone in the company will already fall asleep!

39. EXT. MTC "SHERABAD - NIGHT.

A gusty wind is blowing, a fine, dank rain is drizzling. Mongol takes out an oversized bag rattling with contents and three fascines lying at the exit and distribute the load among friends.

40. EXT. MTC "SHERABAD - NIGHT.

Friends reach the border of the MTC, seep through the barbed wire and move away from the location of the military unit.

41. EXT. THE MOUNTAIN RANGE- NIGHT.

Friends follow each other along a narrow mountain path. Strela, coming from behind, overtakes everyone, takes Mongol in front by the sleeve and asks.

STRELA:

(on the move, aggressively)

Mongol! Is there anything you want to tell us?

MONGOL:

(with sincerity)

At the end of October, the border between the worlds opens, and I am obliged to facilitate the relocation of the spirits of the dead, hovering among people in the underworld. In this regard, according to tradition, it is urgent for me to perform tailagan – kamlaniya. Simply put, prayer services accompanied by ritual dances around the campfire with a tambourine fight.

SIDOR:

(joking)

"You should go to the doctor and say — he will give you medicine if you are sick!"

42. EXT. THE PLACE OF TAILAGAN - NIGHT.

Mongol shows the place where the boards need to be stacked and where to light a bonfire. Friends assemble a bonfire from fascines and light it. The wind quickly blows up the flames.

MONGOL:

Tailagan is held in a place of worship — on the shore of a reservoir, at the foot of a mountain, in the desert. We have always believed that the mountain, the big water, the ancient tree and the desert have their own spirit.

Mongol takes out handmade “tonog” — items of shamanic utensils. The friends look at each other in silence and continue to watch.

RUST:

(perplexed)

Good! This is an old tradition and ritual! But what are we doing here?!

KOSTYAN:

(lazily)

Personally, I'd rather sleep. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn, we should get up at five in the morning and march.

Mongol puts on a Boo “khoyag” — a shamanic dress made from a brand-new raincoat tent.

The wings give the shaman a bird-like appearance when wearing a Boo “hoiag”. Bells and tambourines rattle and create noise when moving. Mongol wears a “mayhabsha” on his head - a metal crown made of a rim and two curved cross—sections, with jeyran horns attached to them from above.

MONGOL:

(in a faded voice)

But we're friends!

And it is customary to perform the rite in the circle of relatives and friends.

STRELA:

(interested)

Let's say. But how did you explain the reason for our excommunication to the foreman?

MONGOL:

(dodging)

Said it like it is!

SIDOR:

(excitedly)

How is it?! That is, you said: Foreman Tolstoperov!

I don't have any strength; I want to run around the campfire and knock on the tambourine to the point of stupefaction?!

And yet he was deeply imbued and blessed you on the kamlaniya, letting you go into the desert at night with five comrades — so what?!

MONGOL:

(embarrassed)

But why? Not right away.

I found a special approach, and I was able to agree on many things. Including tailagan.

Sidor slowly adjusts the firewood in the campfire.

SIDOR:

(aggressively)

Come on, Mongol, lay it out, what kind of a special approach is this?!

MONGOL:

(evasively)

It's not that important!

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