Truepoint (2) BRENDA With no way back. CARL (grimly) Looks that way. BRENDA At least we're safe in here. CASSIE Are we? CARL I don't think so. We can't wait here like sitting ducks for slaughter. BRENDA Please… CASSIE Where do we go? CARL Anyplace but here. Let's get some provisions and clear out before Scott catches up. BRENDA If he finds us … CASSIE (firmly) He won't. CARL I'll make sure of that. We've got a good head start. Ought to be able to find something before nightfall. BRENDA Out here? Away from the boat? Do you think that's safe? CASSIE I don't there's anything safe on this island. CUT TO: EXT. BEACH Scott is several miles away from the boat, standing on a dune, trying to see above the tree line. SCOTT C'mon, I know you're bound to be working toward the cliffs. A sudden rustling in the jungle draws his attention. SCOTT (cautiously) Hello? A deep-throated growl sounds close by. SCOTT Shit…it's an animal. He hurriedly scans for cover. SCOTT Not a damn cave in sight. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as he begins running for the shoreline. Bounding out of the jungle, a man-eating tiger makes a bee line for Scott and just misses the chance to nab him for breakfast. Scott wades out from shore, stripping off his shirt and plunging headlong into the waves to swim farther away from his adversary. The tiger quickly loses interest and goes back to the duffel bag to scavenge. SCOTT Now what? I need that stuff. He flails at the water surrounding him, knowing he's helpless to prevent the tiger from taking anything. CUT TO: CLOSE SHOT as flying darts are visible flying at the tiger. None find their mark, but significantly irritate the animal to move on. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Scott sees his apparent rescuers emerge from the jungle. They are tall, slender, with golden brown textured skin and stern, inquisitive features. All are pointing at him as struggles to maintain his footing in the undertow threatening to drag him farther away from the shore. SCOTT Looks like the rescue party has arrived. He moves toward shore as several of the tribe members reach him. They grab him roughly. SCOTT Hey…I'm not here to hurt anybody. HUNT LEADER Sinchi Roca? SCOTT (warily) Don't know the tongue. He tries unsuccessfully to shake off the guards holding him. The hunt leader grabs his hair and pulls Scott's mouth open. HUNT LEADER O Mayta Capac? SCOTT (forces a grin) Hey, guys. I'm just a man. CUT TO: WIDER SHOT as all the warriors freeze. Their faces are all searching the hunt leader for direction. The hunt leader is surprised, fearful, yet remains unemotional and in control. HUNT LEADER Man?… Manco Capac? SCOTT (smiles and nods) Yeah, that's me… HUNT LEADER Manco Capac. (subtitle: son of the sun god) All warriors kneel, before the hunt leader motions for them to rise. The guards release their tight grip on Scott, but keep him in hand. HUNT LEADER (points toward jungle) Vaya conselo Tillca Yupanqui. (subtitle: You go with us to see Tillca Yupanqui) SCOTT (nods his assent) Lead on. I'm right with you. WIPE TO: EXT. CLIFF FACE Carl, Cassie and Brenda reach the summit of the cliff, and POV as they view the jungle below from the high vantage overlook. BRENDA It's beautiful. CASSIE (fearful) Dangerous. CARL Sorry about the honeymoon. CASSIE (manages a faint smile) We're together. It's all that matters. BRENDA And getting down from here. They all smile briefly, then continue. WIPE TO: INT. JUNGLE Various sights of plant and animal life draw Cassie and Brenda's attention as Carl moves steadily forward. Suddenly, he draws up short. Motions them down and they crouch, watching a line of tribesmen approach through the trees. CASSIE (whispers) Are they human? CARL Quite. But not friendly. BRENDA They look Indian. CARL Yes. South American. CASSIE (looking intently) Colombian, maybe. CARL Shh … they mustn't find us. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as the Scout Leader pauses to listen. He motions for the followers to fan out for a swift search. CUT TO: CLOSE SHOT of Carl, Cassie and Brenda. BRENDA (whispers) We're done for. CARL (glancing sternly) Shut up! CUT TO: WIDER ANGLE as the tribesmen begin beating the bushes. Suddenly, a lion's roar sounds very close. All of the group freeze, waiting instructions from the Scout Leader. He signals and they reassemble, moving quickly out of sight. As they vanish, a large lion enters the clearing. CARL (whispers) Let's hope it follows them. BRENDA (whispers) Instead of us. CASSIE (whispers) Wait, something's coming. BRENDA (whispers) I didn't hear anything. SPECIAL EFX as a rumbling begins. The ground shakes slightly, then begins a distinct more pronounced quake. CARL The island's unstable. As if in response, the lion runs off into the jungle. CARL We've gotta get out of here…now! POV as they begin running away from the site, along the same path used by the tribesmen. CASSIE Honey, we'll run into them this way. CARL They know the jungle. We don't. BRENDA Wish I knew a way home. A branch snaps forward toward Brenda's eyes. As she reaches to push it aside, CAMERA ZOOMS to the branch. CUT TO: CLOSE SHOT of a branch being pulled back. It reveals a well-laid out stone hewn city, hidden in the thickest part of the jungle. Its primitive beauty is complemented by the inhabitants who are hard at work in all areas of the site. A huge pyramid, flat on top, overlooks the entire city. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as the Hunt Leader's tribesmen take Scott to the opening of a large temple area. POV as they enter. Scott glances around carefully, noting ritual fires illuminating the interior. An assembled group fixes its gaze on the newcomer and the Hunt Leader. CUT TO: DIFFERENT ANGLE as Scott rounds a corner of stone pillar, he sees the back side of a naked man, who has been chained to two identical pillars. He is facing the assembled group and doesn't notice Scott's entrance until Scott speaks. SCOTT What the hell's going on here? The chained man's head turns slightly to identify the voice. It is Burke. BURKE (groggily) Glad you could make it. SCOTT Burke? BURKE What took you so long? HUNT LEADER Mudo. (subtitle: Silence) SCOTT Kinda busy with the others. HUNT LEADER Silenque! The leader bows to the assembled council. COUNCIL LEADER Como se llama este? (subtitle: How is this one called?) HUNT LEADER Manco Capac. (subtitle: son of the sun god) COUNCIL LEADER Tanto desconcertado. (subtitle: there is much confusion.) HUNT LEADER (points to Burke) Quien este llamado? (subtitle: who is that one called?) COUNCIL LEADER Manco Capac. SCOTT I'd just like to say … COUNCIL LEADER Silenque! Motions to the guards who take Scott, strip him and chain him to the opposite pillar, across from Burke. SCOTT Hey, wait a minute. I'm an American citizen. BURKE Doesn't mean a damn thing here. SCOTT I want a lawyer. BURKE Wouldn't help, either way. SCOTT Either way? BURKE If we live … or die. HUNT LEADER Quien optar por este? (subtitle: who decides upon this?) COUNCIL LEADER (glaring at both men) Uno querer testarudo. (subtitle: one will die.) HUNT LEADER (nods) El verdadero dio quiero vivir. (subtitle: the true god will live.) COUNCIL LEADER (vehemently) Uno querer testarudo. WIPE TO: EXT. JUNGLE Carl, Cassie and Brenda have stopped to rest beside a thunderous waterfall. The peaceful, idyllic setting reminds them of home. BRENDA Eden should have been this peaceful. CASSIE With Satan waiting. CARL Save comparisons for later. We need to survive this nightmare first. CASSIE You think Scott's still tracking us? CARL Or the tribesmen got him. BRENDA Be a load off us. CASSIE And one less person on our side. CARL (quickly) He was never on our side. All of it's my fault. CASSIE Your fault? You can't take the blame for this. CARL Who then? The company? I worked the promo. BRENDA Now who's unfocused? CASSIE She's right. CARL Sorry. Guess it's the heat. CASSIE Wonder how hot it gets here? BRENDA Too hot … already. CASSIE Water's cool. BRENDA Very. CARL There's no time to swim. CASSIE (agrees) Tribesmen might be on the way. BRENDA (splashes a foot in the water) Still … CASSIE (pleadingly) Honey. CARL Five minutes. I'll stand watch. He goes to the edge of the clearing. Both women disrobe quickly and enter the water. CASSIE This is wonderful. BRENDA (looks around furtively) Hope there's no snakes. CASSIE Ugh! You would think of that. BRENDA Hurry, we've only got four minutes left. The women manage to swim quietly as Carl scans the forest. MUSIC UP as VARIOUS ANGLES show the placid beauty of the area. It's a somber, but exhilarating few moments of peace in the midst of all the terror surrounding them. MUSIC FADES as Carl indicates they need to dress and move on. WIPE TO: EXT. HIGH MOUNTAIN AREA AERIAL VIEW as CAMERA ZOOMS to show a line of tribesmen following the Hunt Leader. Scott and Burke are being carried on separate mats of poles between them. Both men are tied securely and modestly covered with loincloths. Neither are coherent, and when either tries to speak, a tribesman raises a gourd of coca leaf liquid to their lips, forcing the mixture down their throats. It is liquid cocaine and designed to keep them in a state of semi-consciousness until they arrive at their destination. HUNT LEADER Quedarse domido. (subtitle: make them sleep) TRIBESMAN Por su mando. (subtitle: by your command) The tribesmen reach a ground opening with a tremendous stone slab set to one side. Lowering the pole mats, they cut Scott and Burke loose, drag them to the edge of the hole and lower them inside. Then working as a team, they raise the slab and deposit it over the hole, covering all but a thin sliver of space. HUNT LEADER Ahora mismo, el exacto dio queraba ascendo. (subtitle: at last, the real god will arise) The group turns and heads back down the mountain, leaving Burke and Scott groggily returning to consciousness inside the earthen tomb. CUT TO: INT. TOMB Burke coughs as he regains his senses. Glancing around he sees the space is no larger than a small half bathroom for the two men. BURKE Man, that stuff kicks. SCOTT (holds his head) What a buzz. BURKE (panic setting in) We gotta get out of here. SCOTT (looks around) What happened to the council? Thought we'd go free. BURKE Wasn't debatable. Scott manages to stand, but must hold the wall for support. SCOTT My feet feel numb. BURKE A lot more might if we don't get out of here by nightfall. SCOTT Now what? BURKE Did some research for an ad campaign I just ran. SCOTT And? BURKE These people are part of an Inca tribe. SCOTT So? They're just savages. BURKE No, they're not. The Incas were highly organized at one point in their civilization. SCOTT And this affects me how? BURKE It could affect both of us. A lot! They put us in here together for a reason. SCOTT Hey, man, I'm straight. Nothing like that's going on. BURKE Get your mind out of the gutter. SCOTT Ok, I'm listening. BURKE They had legends explaining existence just like modern religions. SCOTT You mean like the seven days of creation, Garden of Eden, that sort of thing? BURKE Right. But it's a little different. SCOTT Hell of a lot different, obviously. BURKE Their Sun God, Wiraqocha, sent his two children to earth to educate humans on how to create a culture. SCOTT Adam and Eve? BURKE No, these were brother and sister, Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo. They rose from the waters of Lake Titicaca like gods in human form. SCOTT That first one… BURKE Manco Capac? SCOTT Yeah, that's what they called me. BURKE Welcome to the club. Everybody started yelling the same thing when I washed up onshore. SCOTT After I pushed you overboard. (sighs) Man, I'm sorry about that now. BURKE Pity won't get us out of here. SCOTT So they think we're gods? BURKE Yeah, but they can't decide which of us is the real one. SCOTT That's why we're in here. BURKE They had elaborate torture techniques. Be thankful they used this one. It's a bit more humane. SCOTT I don't get it. What's humane about torture? BURKE They mean for one of us to die. Without passing judgment on a real god, they left it to us. SCOTT So only one of us is supposed to walk out of this tomb alive? BURKE Seems to be the point. SCOTT Won't they be shocked when both of us get out. BURKE Both of us can't. SCOTT What do you mean? BURKE If we leave together, we won't survive. They're sure to have guards posted somewhere out there. SCOTT So we just sit and wait for them to leave? BURKE Not likely. Temperatures at this altitude can get frigid at night. SCOTT (noticing the loincloths) And we're not exactly dressed for cold weather. BURKE Bingo! Both men begin digging around the thin opening of light overhead. SCOTT By the way… BURKE Yeah? SCOTT What else could have happened back there? BURKE Instead of this? SCOTT Yeah. BURKE For starters, they could have made you an ideal bride. SCOTT Screw that. BURKE Same method, probably. WIPE TO: EXT. JUNGLE LATE AFTERNOON POV as Carl turns from watching a mountaintop in the distance. Cassie is searching for plant life to serve as food. Brenda is gathering branches to build a fire later. CARL Ladies, I think it best to stay here tonight. BRENDA Suits me. If we're gonna die, might as well be together. CASSIE Stop it! Nobody's dying tonight. We'll be fine right here. CARL (chuckles lightly) Don't know how accurate an assessment that is. But I hope you're right. CASSIE Don't go giving up, too! CARL I'm not ready to cash it in, yet. Would help, though, to have a weapon or two. Kinda push the balance for our side. Brenda, with a sharp intake of breath, draws her hand back from where she's been searching. BRENDA Maybe this will help. She holds up a rusty bayonet. CARL (impressed) Just what the doctor ordered. Wonder who brought that here? CASSIE And if they're still around. BRENDA Anything's possible. CARL (examining the weapon) Effective weapon. CASSIE (carefully sizing the sword) A little more than a foot. CARL Isn't that standard? CASSIE No. They varied. American was 16 inches, French was 22, British varied in World War I. CARL Guess that's settled. No way of telling which war this came from. CUT TO: CLOSE SHOT of Brenda's face as she recognizes something on the back side of the handle. BRENDA World War 2. (points to the barrel) My grandmother escaped one of these in that one. CUT TO: WIDER ANGLE as Carl turns the gun over and sees a blackened swastika emblazoned on the backside. CASSIE It can't be. CARL That's impossible. CASSIE I don't want to know. CARL All of that was a half a world away. BRENDA Weren't we yesterday? CASSIE She's right. If those people are here, we don't stand a chance. CARL It hasn't been fired. CASSIE So? CARL Maybe the tribe took care of business. CASSIE That's what you think this is? Business? CARL I didn't mean it that way. CASSIE What other way is there? BRENDA Please, don't fight. It's getting dark. CARL Look, all I'm saying is maybe we don't have to deal with this. CASSIE Right. There's enough other stuff out there to kill us. Without thinking about some deranged Nazi on the loose. BRENDA That's enough! CASSIE It could be just a collection. CASSIE Like the stuff in the other caves? CARL We don't know what we're dealing with. Until we do, we've got to consider all options for explanation. BRENDA There's no other explanation for that. We're dealing in evil here. That's for sure. CASSIE With little or nothing to fight it. CARL All right, listen. We need to find better cover … more shelter. BRENDA There's no protection against that. For all we know … CASSIE Don't even think it. BRENDA But he could be here. CARL Don't be ridiculous. That'd make him 113 years old. He died April 30, 1945. CASSIE There was no positive I.D. CARL That would defy the laws of nature and physics. CASSIE Well, we didn't get here on the straight and narrow. BRENDA She's right. You know it's possible. SOUND EFX as thunder booms in the distance. CARL (looks upward) Like I said, let's find better shelter. CUT TO: AERIAL VIEW as it begins raining. The downpour drives all three up against a solid tree. EFX as lightning crackles overhead, then splits the tree down the middle. They run in different directions. Brenda falls, screaming into dense vegetation. Carl and Cassie jump and roll into the side of a hidden hut. They smash through a wall and roll inside, out of danger. CASSIE Carl, where are you? CARL Over here. Rattled but ok. CASSIE Brenda? CARL Don't see her. Heard her yell. He starts back out through the hole in the wall. CASSIE You can't go back out there! CARL She won't stand a chance if I don't. CASSIE (lunging after him) Don't leave me here! CARL (pushes her back) It's safer. I'll be back. He vanishes outside in the driving wind and rain. CASSIE NO!! CLOSE SHOT of her face as she searches the gloom outside. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Brenda slowly opens her eyes. She is held closely in the arms of a drenched blonde-haired man. He is older, muscular, moderately tall, though seated and has the most piercing blue eyes she's ever seen. Awakening with a jolt, she tries to pull away. BRENDA Let go of me! ADAM Hush! Someone's coming. BRENDA (managing to break free) I said, leave me alone! ADAM Have it your way, then. BRENDA (noticing his accent) You're foreign. ADAM German, yes. SOUND EFX as the crunching of trees sounds close. CARL Brenda, can you hear me? BRENDA Yeah, Carl, over here. ADAM Friend of yours? BRENDA (brushes herself off) Kind of my travel agent. ADAM (smitten with her) Good, Brenda. Adam pauses as Brenda gives him a look for being so forward. He just shrugs it off. ADAM So I just heard him call you. DIFF ANGLE as Carl finds them. Adam helps Brenda to her feet. CARL I see you had help. ADAM She fell into my arms during the storm. My name is Adam. CARL (shakes hands) Carl. Good to meet you. Hell, it's good to see anybody from back home. ADAM Back home? BRENDA You know, the other side. ADAM I do not follow. CARL How'd you get here? ADAM I don't know exactly. One of my father's aides told me some things. CARL Your father's here? ADAM No. They said he sent me away before he died. CARL I'm sorry. ADAM Thank you. I never really knew him. CARL We'd better get back. Cassie's probably worried. ADAM And she is … ? CARL My wife. Ten years together. ADAM You are lucky. CARL So far … in this place. They head back to the hut and enter using the door. Rain is still pouring outside and Cassie is startled by their entrance. CASSIE You're back. She embraces Carl, then hugs Brenda. Stops short with Adam. CARL Thank God, Brenda didn't get too far. CASSIE (staring at Adam) And you would be? ADAM Adam. Adam Brown. CASSIE Very nice to meet you. CARL He saved Brenda out there. CASSIE We're very grateful. BRENDA Boy, I'll say. ADAM This is my hut. (glances at the wall) Or what's left of it. CARL Sorry about the wall. Of course we'll repair it. ADAM It may not be wise to stay here any longer. BRENDA What do you mean? ADAM Tribesmen get closer every day. They were almost here before you arrived. BRENDA You knew we were here? ADAM There is very little about the island I don't know. I've been here all my life. CARL You're not that old. ADAM Counting in years, 57. BRENDA Sure don't look it. CASSIE (whispers to herself) Remarkable. ADAM I assure you, I've tracked every sunrise since I was ten years old. CARL Is there any way off the island? ADAM You can go short distances in any direction. But there's an energy field that prevents further travel. CARL That would be how we got here. ADAM You've been through the field? CASSIE Yes. ADAM Very few make it. BRENDA You've seen others? ADAM They wash up onshore sometimes. After the storms. BRENDA You mean like this one? ADAM No, this is a natural phenomenon. Something else happens when the field opens. CARL Like what? ADAM I don't know how to explain exactly. The sky opens and you can see a horrible black void behind it. BRENDA I didn't see anything like that. CASSIE We were preoccupied. CARL (to Adam) Go on. ADAM Everything seems thrown out of the void by some great force. I was fascinated at first, but then, when people died (pauses to collect his emotions) I couldn't bear to watch anymore. CARL They all come through the same way?
Copyright © 2002 Emmett O Saunders Iii |