Ghost and the Darkness, The (1996)

FADE IN ON

A TINY FIGURE OF A MAN hurrying toward camera. The figure
gets larger as he approaches. But as yet we cannot tell who
he is or where we are.

		MALE VOICE (over)
	This is the most famous true story
	of Africa. It happened a hundred
	years ago, but even now, when
	children ask about it, you do not
	tell them at night.
		(The FIGURE continues
		to grow)
	It began with the race to build a
	railroad across Africa.
		(beat)
	But this is not about building a
	railroad- it is about Patterson.

And now we can tell that the FIGURE is a YOUNG MAN, A
LIEUTENANT COLONEL. This is PATTERSON. He is gifted and
bright and serious, serious about his life, serious about
his career. He has been successful in everything he's
attempted, in part because of his talents, in part because
he is willing to outwork anybody.

AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE: ENGLAND.

More specifically, in a high-ceilinged corridor of an
elegant building - lovely woodwork all around. Everything is
neat, everything is clean and in order.

		MALE VOICE (over)
	Patterson was thirty. A brilliant
	engineer. A fine man, but do not
	become attached to him- there are
	many fine men in this story but do
	not become attached to any of them.
		(beat)
	So many of them die.

Patterson stops at a large ornate door, knocks. Waits.

		MALE VOICE (over)
	And remember this: only the
	impossible parts of what follows
	really happened...
		(Now the door opens
		and we-)

CUT TO

Just a wonderfully handsome man standing in the doorway.
This is ROBERT BEAUMONT - 40, with an irresistable smile.
We're in his office and the place reflects the man - clean,
cold. There are maps and charts on the walls. He ushers
Patterson inside.

		BEAUMONT
		(The great smile flashes)
	John Henry Patterson, come in. I'm
	Robert Beaumont.
		(They shake hands)
	Firm- I like that, tells me a lot
	about you-
		(beat)
	-now why don't you tell me about me?
	To get you started, many people find
	me handsome, with a wonderful smile.
	I'm sure you agree.
		(Surprised, uncomfortable,
		Patterson nods)
	Winning personality, heaps of charm?

		PATTERSON
	My wife is the game player in the
	family, sir.

		BEAUMONT
	Games?
		(staring dead at Patterson)
	Look at me closely, Patterson: I am
	a monster. My only pleasure is
	tormenting people who work for me,
	such as yourself.
		(again the smile - only
		now it's chilling)
	One mistake and I promise you this:
	I'll make you hate me.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, as he realizes Beaumont is serious. Beaumont
turns sharply and moves to a large map.

CUT TO

THE MAP. It covers a great deal of East Africa with a very
clear line that ends at Lake Victoria, a distance of some
600 miles.

		BEAUMONT
		(pointing along the line)
	We are building this railroad
	across Africa for the glorious
	purpose of saving Africa from the
	Africans. And, of course, to end
	slavery. The Germans and French
	are our competition. We are ahead,
	and we will stay ahead providing
	you do what I hired you to do-

CUT TO

A MORE DETAILED MAP. This one ends at "Tsavo," 130 miles in.

		BEAUMONT
	-build the bridge over the Tsavo
	river. And be finished in four
	months time. Can you do that?

		PATTERSON
	I'm sure you've examined my record.
	So you know I've never yet been
	late on a bridge.

		BEAUMONT
	You've never built in Africa.

		PATTERSON
	But I have in India- every country
	presents problems.

		BEAUMONT
	You'll need your confidence, I
	promise you.

		PATTERSON
	I've got a reason far beyond
	confidence: my wife is having our
	firstborn in five months and I
	promised I'd be with her when the
	baby comes.

		BEAUMONT
	Very moving, Patterson; I'm touched
	you confided in me.
		(beat)
	But I don't really give a shit about
	your upcoming litter. I've made you
	with this assignment-
		(the smile)
	-don't make me break you.

		PATTERSON
		(smiling right back)
	You won't have the chance.
		(glancing at his watch)
	Any further words of encouragement?
		(silence)
	Then I've a train to catch.

They look at each other a moment in silence - and it's very
clear they do not like each other. Patterson turns, leaves
and we

CUT TO

A RAILWAY STATION, IMMEDIATELY AFTER

A train is loading up. A lot of activity, a lot of noise.
Patterson stands in the midst of it, anxiously looking
around.

CUT TO

HELENA PATTERSON, hurrying through the crowd. Early 20s,
with the kind of serene beauty of Jean Simmons. She is still
slim, has not begun to show. She spots him, puts a smile on,
goes straight into his arms.

		HELENA
	I tried to be late, John- it would
	have been easier if you'd gone.

		PATTERSON
		(They are nutty about
		each other - he nods)
	We're not much good at goodbyes,
	Helena.

		HELENA
		(brightly)
	Tell me about Beaumont- does he
	understand how brilliant you are,
	how lucky he is to have you?

		PATTERSON
	It was embarrassing- the man showered
	me with compliments.

They start to walk hand in hand along the platform toward a
quieter place. Patterson is suddenly very serious-

		HELENA
	Oh dear-
		(beat)
	-you're geting that downtrodden look
	again-

		PATTERSON
	-well, it's just...
		(beat)
	...other men don't abandon their wives
	at such a time-

		HELENA
		(not unkindly)
	-oh please- if I'd been against your
	taking this, you would have abandoned
	me. You've been desperate to see Africa
	your whole life.

		PATTERSON
	What if there are complications?-

		HELENA
	-not "what if"- there will be, there
	always are. Which only means that our
	"son" and I- note my confidence- will
	have an excuse to come visit.

THE TRAIN WHISTLE sounds.

		HELENA
	Go, now.
		(He kisses her hand)
	Such a gentleman.
		(Now he holds her)

		PATTERSON
	I am desperate to see Africa- but I
	hate the leaving.

CUT TO

HELENA. She hates it, too.

		HELENA
	You build bridges, John-
		(beat)
	-you've got to go where the rivers are.

They hold each other a moment more, then break, then back
into each other's arms a final time, then-

CUT TO

THE TRAIN, and thick clouds of steam-

-Patterson runs into the clouds and disappears.

HOLD FOR A MOMENT.

KEEP HOLDING.

Patterson runs out of the steam and we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

A DIFFERENT TRAIN, A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, A DIFFERENT WORLD.

This is the train to TSAVO and Patterson is alone on the
engine seat- a wooden bench in front of the engine used by
railroad inspectors and visiting VIPs. Behind it is a white
circular piece of wood used to keep the engine heat from the
passengers.

CUT TO

NIGEL STARLING, running as best as he can alongside the
train, trying to pull himself up onto the engine seat.

STARLING is a terribly appealing young man. Clothes do not
fit him well, and he is constantly tugging at this sleeve or
that shirttail, trying to get things right. He wears
glasses, tends nonetheless to squint at the world. He is,
above all, a good man, morally impeccable and very much a
product of these Victorian times.

		STARLING
		(as Patterson helps
		him aboard)
	Many thanks.
		(squints)
	You're Patterson, yes?
		(Patterson nods)
	Nigel Starling- I'll be assisting you
	at Tsavo- but surely Beaumont must
	have told you that.

		PATTERSON
	He just gave me his "monster" speech.

		STARLING
	That. I know Robert seems dreadful,
	but when you truly get to know the man,
	well, he's much worse.
		(beat)
	And I'm one of his defenders.
		(Patterson smiles)
	Forget him for now- it's your first
	ride to Tsavo- I think you'll find it
	breathtaking.
		(And on that word-)

CUT TO

STARLING coughing like crazy, hands over his face which is
caked with dust- he and Patterson stare out at an absolutely
dreary desert.

		PATTERSON
		(shouting toward Starling)
	"Breathtaking" doesn't begin to do it
	justice.
		(As Starling starts to
		laugh, his mouth opens
		and sand flies in, and
		his coughing fit returns
		and)

CUT TO

THE DESERT. ENDLESS. LATER IN THE DAY.

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM, bent over, arms covering their faces as the
dust gets worse- a wind has kicked up.

CUT TO

THE TRAIN, TRYING TO MAKE IT UP A STEEP GRADE. STILL LATER.

Patterson and Starling are walking beside the train now,
helping to push it, trudging through the dust. All the other
passengers spread out behind them, also pushing- the train
obviously needs all the assistance it can get.

CUT TO

INSIDE A RAILROAD CAR, EARLY EVENING.

Patterson and Starling, filthy, sit together. Starling has
nodded off. Patterson has a book open in his lap-

-we can tell there are drawings of African animals- not all
that accurate.

Now Patterson's eyes close and he sleeps.

CUT TO

THE TRAIN POUNDING THROUGH THE NIGHT.

Stokers shovel coal. They are exhausted but they keep at it.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. WAKING IN THE CAR, RUBBING HIS EYES. IT'S DAWN.

He stares out-

-and from his face it's clear something special has
happened. And now, at last-

CUT TO

SOMETHING SPECIAL- and what it is, of course, is Patterson's
first view of the Africa of his imagination.

Because the desert has ended, and now there are grasses and
trees and one more thing-

-bursts of animals. On both sides of the train.

A flock of birds materializes here, a cluster of gazelles
doing there amazing leap there.

Patterson is like a kid in a candy store.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING, back outside in the engine seat
again. Starling points-

		STARLING
	Aren't they amazing?

CUT TO

WHAT HE'S POINTING AT: Some giraffes running along, their
absurd shape suddenly graceful as they eat up the ground in
incredibly long strides.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING, staring out.

		PATTERSON
	You know the most amazing thing
	about them?- they only sleep five
	minutes a day.
		(Starling glances at him-
		clearly, he didn't know that)

CUT TO

A FAMILY OF HYENAS. Close by, loping in their scary way.

		STARLING
	Don't much like them.

		PATTERSON
		(nods)
	The females are bigger- only animal
	here like that- have to be or they
	wouldn't survive because the males
	eat the young.

CUT TO

STARLING studying Patterson. Clearly, he didn't know that,
either.

CUT TO

SOME HIPPOS moving along. Starling turns to Patterson.

		STARLING
	Anything special about them?

		PATTERSON
	Just that they fart through their
	mouths.
		(beat)
	Must make kissing something of a
	gamble.

		STARLING
		(laughs)
	I've lived in Africa a year and I
	don't know what you know. How long
	have you been here?

		PATTERSON
		(looks at his watch)
	Almost three hours.
		(beat)
	But I've been getting ready all my
	life.
		(Now, from them-)

CUT TO

A BUNCH OF IMPOVERISHED-LOOKING NATIVE WOMEN. They hold
children who wave at the passing train. The children are
more impoverished looking than their mothers.

		STARLING
		(suddenly touched)
	Every time I see something like that,
	I know we're right to be here- to
	bring Christianity into their lives,
	enrich their souls.

		PATTERSON
	Beaumont says it's to end slavery.

		STARLING
		(shrugs)
	We all have our reasons. Mine is
	simply to make them understand
	happiness, accept salvation, know the
	serenity that comes-
		(interrupts himself)
	-best I stop. One of the by-products
	of my belief is that I can become
	amazingly boring. But I know God smiles
	on me.

		PATTERSON
		(They really like each other)
	Have you got that in writing?
		(Starling, amazingly good
		natured, laughs. And now-)

CUT TO

A WHITE CLAW.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

Hundreds of white claws.

KEEP PULLING BACK TO REVEAL

They aren't claws at all, they're thorns as sharp as claws
and they're on a twenty-foot high thorn tree.

And there are dozens of those trees, packed together. All
mixed in with other trees, low and stunted, and thick
underbrush and baked red rocks-

-now the train begins to slow.

Smoke drifts across.

A bunch of wildebeest scatter off the tracks.

		STARLING (over)
	Welcome to Tsavo.
		(on the word)

CUT TO

TSAVO.

We have arrived at the train station area and what we see is
a place that is still being built. There are tin shacks; a
water tower is under construction-

-men are working everywhere, for that's what Tsavo is: a
place for work.

THE TRAIN goes slower still.

No one stands idly around here.

But no one looks happy either.

ONE MAN is apart from the rest: this is SAMUEL.

An ageless Masai, tall and slender, he has a smile that can
light the world.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING as they step off the train.

		STARLING
		(indicating Samuel,
		who is approaching)
	Samuel is camp liaison- absolutely
	indispensable- the only man here
	everyone trusts.

		PATTERSON
		(softly)
	Does he speak English?

		SAMUEL
		(not softly enough)
	And very poor French.

		STARLING
		(introducing)
	Samuel- John Patterson.

		SAMUEL
		(as they shake)
	The bridgebuilder-
		(gesturing to the
		working men)
	-we have been getting ready for
	you.

		PATTERSON
	Excellent. Could I see the bridge
	site?
		(Samuel nods)

		STARLING
	I've got medical supplies to
	deliver. Come along to the hospital
	when you're done.
		(starting off)

		SAMUEL
	I will bring him, Nigel.

We should realize by now that Samuel's was the voice we
heard at the very beginning of the picture.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL, starting to walk. They pass the water
tower.

Standing on top of it in a precarious position is an
extremely powerful INDIAN. He waves to Samuel who waves
back. This is SINGH.

WORKERS study Patterson as he moves by. Not smiling. Up
ahead, some SIKHS are erecting tents. Not smiling.

		PATTERSON
	Why do the workers look unhappy?

		SAMUEL
	Because they are here.
		(beat)
	Because Tsavo is the worst place in
	the world.
		(He points ahead)
	Come, John- to the bridge.
		(And on that-)

CUT TO

THE RAILROAD TRACKS as the camera pans along.

CUT TO

THE RIVER in the distance as they walk toward it.

And here is as good a place as any to explain just what the
spot where the movie takes place was like.

There were five hundred men working for Patterson. And they
lived in a spread out area. A bunch of Indian coolies who
might have come from the same town back in their country
might choose to live in one cluster of tents. A group of
natives might be in another cluster.

What we have then, as far as living places are concerned,
are dozens of clusters of tents. (Eventually, as the terror
began, these areas all got surrounded, each with its own
thorn fence.)

The places we'll come to know best are, among others,
Patterson's living area, the hospital tent area, the area by
the river where the bridge is to be built, etc., etc.

As they move, Samuel points out various camps.

A SECT OF INDIANS is getting ready for prayer.

ANOTHER SECT OF INDIANS is eating.

A GROUP OF AFRICANS are cleaning their tent area.

Anyway, you get the idea. Just remember that the place
covered a wide expanse, maybe a mile square, maybe more.

Okay, back to the story.

		PATTERSON
		(as they pass the INDIAN
		tent area where prayer is
		starting)
	It's all wonderfully under control,
	Samuel- you've done a splendid job.

		SAMUEL
	Thank you. The truth is this: you
	have to work at it constantly.

		PATTERSON
	The workers don't get on?

		SAMUEL
	Get on? They detest each other.
	Obviously the Africans hate the
	Indians. But the Indians also hate
	the other Indians. Some of them
	worship cows, while others eat them.
		(As they move on)

CUT TO

RAILROAD TRACK.

PAN ALONG TO

MORE RAILROAD TRACK.

KEEP PANNING

And suddenly the track just stops in mid-air as we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL standing high above the Tsavo River.
The track has come to the edge of the area above the
riverbank- where it just stops-

-and picks up on the far side. All that's missing, in other
words, is the hundred-yard-long bridge that will connect the
pieces of track.

		SAMUEL
		(to the far side)
	Railhead is across there.

CUT TO

THE DISTANCE. Nothing can be made out clearly but there are
great clouds of dust.

		SAMUEL
	Three thousand men laying track- when
	the bridge is done, it all joins up.

Patterson nods, says nothing, but goes to his haunches,
staring at the space where the bridge is to be.

		SAMUEL
	Did it look like this in your mind?

		PATTERSON
		(shakes his head)
	This is more difficult-

CUT TO

PATTERSON. CLOSE UP. Excited.

		PATTERSON
		(eyes bright)
	-but how wonderful that it's
	difficult, it should be difficult-
	what better job in all the world
	than build a bridge?- make things
	connect- bring worlds together- and
	get it right!
		(Now from Patterson-)

CUT TO

THE HOSPITAL TENT

as Patterson and Samuel walk in. Patterson glances around-

-it's not bad at all. Of course there are some patients,
injured or with fever. But like the rest of the camp we've
just seen, everything is working well, everything is under
control. Starling approaches.

		STARLING
	Finish your tour?

		PATTERSON
		(nods)
	And anxious to get started.
		(indicating the hospital)
	What is this, mostly malaria?

		STARLING
	Yes- but their suffering is only
	transitory- once they except God
	into their hearts, He will vanquish
	all pain.

		MAN'S VOICE (over)
	That's just vomitous talk, Nigel- the
	poor bastards will relapse if you keep
	on that way.
		(As they turn-)

CUT TO

DOCTOR DAVID HAWTHORNE. A tough, middle-aged cockney. And a
heavy drinker. A man who hasn't been tactful in twenty
years.

		HAWTHORNE
		(to Patterson)
	I'm David Hawthorne, this is my
	hospital. And my advice to you is,
	"don't get sick in front of it."
		(beat)
	That was meant to be charming,
	sorry. I seem to have lost the knack.

		STARLING
	You never had it.

		HAWTHORNE
	Nigel and I don't like each other much.

		SAMUEL
		(breaking the tension)
	I am also liaison between these two.

		PATTERSON
		(to Hawthorne)
	Clearly you don't agree about building
	the railroad?

		HAWTHORNE
	This sham? Ridiculous. Who needs it?
	It's only being built to control the
	ivory trade, make men richer.

		PATTERSON
	Then why do you stay?

		HAWTHORNE
	Who else would hire me?
		(to Starling)
	Beat you to it, didn't I?
		(beat)
	Oh yes, almost forgot- brought you a
	little welcoming gift.
		(Now he gestures and we-)

CUT TO

A NERVOUS ORDERLY who approaches them. He has been freshly
bandaged across one shoulder.

		HAWTHORNE
	This is Karim, one of my orderlies-
	attacked by a man-eater earlier
	today- first incident of that kind
	here.

Patterson says not a word, just studies the wounded man.

		STARLING
		(incredulous)
	A man-eater attacks and you're such
	a buffoon you almost forget to mention
	it?

		HAWTHORNE
	Well, he got away, didn't he?
		(to Patterson)
	Riding a donkey not far from here
	when the lion sprang on them- donkey
	took the brunt of it- then suddenly
	the lion ran off.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Listening. No emotion on his face.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE. He's kind of enjoying this. Bearing down.

		HAWTHORNE
	I know it's your first day and of
	course you must be tired from the
	journey-
		(beat)
	-but what are you going to do about
	it?

		PATTERSON
		(a long pause, then evenly-)
	Karim will have to show me where it
	happened. And of course, I'll need
	the donkey.
		(beat)
	With any luck, I'll sort it out tonight.
		(And he walks out, leaving
		an astonished Starling
		staring after him)

CUT TO

PATTERSON'S TENT AREA

Starling has a tent there, too, as do Samuel and Hawthorne.
And there are half a dozen ORDERLIES.

Right now, Patterson is unpacking, moving in and out of his
tent. Starling, sipping tea, sits and watches.

		STARLING
	I couldn't believe it when you said
	"sort it out." As if it were the most
	normal thing in the world. "Ho-hum,
	what lovely tea, I think I'll bag a
	killer beast this evening, nothing
	much else going on anyway."

		PATTERSON
	Well, he put me in a spot, didn't he?
	But that's all right- after all, I'm
	responsible for everything that happens
	here. And it certainly won't do much
	for morale if a man-eater's on the prowl.

He goes into his tent with some books now and we go with
him. There is a photo of Helena on a small table. A photo of
an ELDERLY COUPLE, clearly his parents. His clothes are
stacked with precision. He arranges his books precisely too.

Clearly, John Patterson is a man who believes in order.

		STARLING
		(calling out)
	You said "of course" you'd need the
	donkey. Why "of course"?

		PATTERSON
		(taking a rifle,
		moving outside)
	We know three things about man-eaters.
	First, they always return to where
	they've attacked before. Second, they're
	always old- they can't catch other
	animals so they turn to us. And third,
	they're always alone- they've been cast
	out by their pride because they can't
	keep up.

CUT TO

STARLING, sipping his tea and there's no hiding it, he's
excited. But also a bit reluctant.

		STARLING
	I don't suppose I could watch.

		PATTERSON
		(delighted)
	Might be exciting for you.

		STARLING
	I've never been all that adventurous.
	I wouldn't be in the way?

		PATTERSON
	I'd love the company. And I've hunted
	all my life.

		STARLING
		(gathering courage)
	Well, why not? You seem so calm and
	experienced.
		(standing, teacup in hand)
	Why not, indeed!
		(Now from that-)

CUT TO

A SLIGHTLY WOUNDED DONKEY

It's roped loosely to a tree, bells around its neck. When it
moves, they make a sound. Middle of the night. A night wind.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

We're in a clearing with thick trees all around.

KEEP PULLING BACK TO REVEAL

PATTERSON AND STARLING, seated uncomfortably in a tree on
the edge of the clearing, twelve feet up in the air.
Patterson has his rifle ready. This next is all whispered.

		STARLING
		(embarrassed)
	I hate to be a bother, John, but the
	cramp's getting worse.
		(Pulls up his trousers-
		his leg is knotted)
	The pain is actually quite unbearable
	now.

		PATTERSON
	Shhh.

		STARLING
	I'm sure you mean that to be comforting,
	but-

		PATTERSON
		(interrupting)
	-you'll have to deal with it, Nigel.

		STARLING
	That is precisely my plan- but back in
	my tent.
		(And he begins to climb down)

CUT TO

PATTERSON, grabbing him.

		PATTERSON
	They own the night- nobody moves when
	there's a man-eater out there.

Starling glumly obeys. Then-

		STARLING
	John? I know this isn't the time to ask,
	but-

		PATTERSON
	What?

		STARLING
	Since you'd only been here three hours
	when we met, are you sure this is how
	you hunt lions?

		PATTERSON
	Not to terrify you, Nigel, but it's worse
	than you think- I've never even seen one.

CUT TO

STARLING, not pleased with this news. He massages his calf,
tries to get comfortable, which is impossible. Patterson
just stares at the night.

CUT TO

JUST BEFORE DAWN

The donkey dozes. So does Starling. Patterson has not so
much as moved.

Now the bushes behind the donkey shake just a little.

And the donkey is suddenly awake and scared-

-and then it all goes crazy- the donkey screams and a lion
appears from the bushes and Patterson fires one shot and the
sound EXPLODES-

-and Starling topples from the tree to the ground, landing
shocked but unhurt-

-he has landed close to the dead lion- he stares at it.

		STARLING
		(amazed)
	...one shot...

		PATTERSON
		(even more amazed)
	So that's what a lion looks like.
		(Now from the tree-)

CUT TO

THE HOSPITAL TENT AREA - JUST AFTER DAWN

HOLD for a moment.

		SAMUEL (over)
	One shot- one-

KEEP HOLDING

Now Samuel comes walking into the shot, really excited-

-it's the first time we've seen his wonderful smile.

		SAMUEL
	Patterson has made the nights safe
	again.

KEEP HOLDING FOR JUST A MOMENT MORE.

As he walks on, behind him come THREE COOLIES carrying the
body of the lion. As dozens of men come running in from all
over to see the dead man-eater-

		SAMUEL
		(mimes shooting)
	BOOM!
		(Now as the crowd
		continues to grow-)

CUT TO

A ROUGH ENGINEER'S DRAWING OF WHAT WILL BE THE BRIDGE

It has two embankments on either side of the river.

These embankments are big- forty feet wide, fifty feet high.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING standing on the high ground where the
embankment will start. From here, there is a slope down to
the river itself.

Also present is UNGAN SIGNH, who we saw earlier standing
precariously atop the water tower. Singh, enormously
powerful, is another assistant. Bright, a great worker,
another main character in what is to follow.

Now Patterson starts to walk down the slope towards the
river- it's not that easy to do without falling, but that
doesn't bother him. He talks and gestures as he explains to
the other two who move down with him.

Singh, for all his massive size, moves like a cat. Starling
does not, slipping and sliding.

		PATTERSON
		(gesturing)
	All right, I'd like to start the
	embankments today-
		(to Singh)
	-sufficient supplies on hand?

		SINGH
		(nods)
	More than.

		STARLING
	With much more on the way-
		(loses balance, falls)
	-John- we could have had this chat on
	flatter ground-

		PATTERSON
	-true enough- but without the comedy
	relief.
		(Starling, amazingly good
		natured, smiles, gets
		back up)

CUT TO

THE RIVER as they scramble down to it.

CUT TO

THE SLOPE they've come down- it's a long way back to the
top.

CUT TO

THE THREE MEN. It's a glorious morning.

		PATTERSON
	How lucky we are.

		STARLING
	Aren't we full of ourselves today?
		(beat)
	I think it's because of the lion.

		PATTERSON
	Possibly.

		SINGH
		(soft)
	You know, I too have killed a lion.

		STARLING
	How many shots did you need?

CUT TO

SINGH. Almost embarrassed.

		SINGH
	I used my hands.

He holds his big hands up, palms out. Starling looks at
Singh to see if he means it-

-he means it all right. Now, from Starling's perpetually
surprised face-

CUT TO

SURVEYING EQUIPMENT

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PATTERSON sighting through it- we are on the far side of the
river now. Singh is there, Starling, too.

Behind them: a field of tall grass.

		PATTERSON
	All right- thee second embankment
	will go there.
		(He gestures toward
		the river)

		STARLING
	You do plan to mark it a bit more
	precisely than just-
		(imitating Patterson)
	-"there."

		PATTERSON
		(smiling)
	In your honor, Nigel. And you and
	Singh will be in charge of building
	them- and you'll also build the
	roadbeds and the three foundation
	pillars- and you'll be finished in
	eight thrilling weeks.

		STARLING
		(very dubious)
	John, it will not be easy.

		PATTERSON
	Nigel, you'll just have to use your
	hands-
		(And he smiles, repeating
		Singh's gesture, both
		palms out)

CUT TO

SINGH. He smiles back, starts to reply. But his words stop,
his smile dies. He just stares and we-

CUT TO

WHAT HE'S STARING AT- the surrounding field of tall grass.
Nothing unusual about it.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He stares, too.

CUT TO

THE FIELD OF TALL GRASS- suddenly it begins to bend and sway
in a fresh wind.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Silent. As before. Starling follows his glance.

CUT TO

SINGH. Frozen.

CUT TO

THE FIELD. And now the field is making odd patterns- as if
something unseen were moving through.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Quiet. Just the wind.

CUT TO

THE FIELD. Nothing visible. But the odd pattern seems to be
making its way across the field.

CUT TO

SINGH AND STARLING. Quiet. Just the wind.

CUT TO

THE FIELD. The odd pattern seems to stop. Around it, the
wind makes different shapes of the grass.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, as the wind continues to blow. He continues to
stare at the spot where the pattern stopped.

CUT TO

SINGH. As before. Except for one thing: suddenly, he begins
to shiver, as if from cold.

CUT TO

THE BUILDING SEQUENCE

And what we see are a lot of cuts of a lot of activity.

Huge wooden logs are carried in and hammered to each other
and driven deep into the ground- the framework for the
embankments.

And Singh carries the heaviest loads and leads the workers-
and as the structure rises, he is the one darting along the
top, high in the air, pulling more logs up, helping here,
helping there.

And alongside him is his assistant, ABDULLAH, a little man
with glasses and very bright eyes.

Meanwhile, Starling is leading construction on the
embankment that is on the far side of the river. And he does
his best, tries to help on the top part as it rises- but
alas, he is a bit on the clumsy side and balance is a
problem for him. But he stays with it, does well.

And Patterson, in tremendous spirits, helps when needed, but
mostly he is dealing with other aspects of the bridge- such
as the placements of the three stone foundation pillars-

-he wades into the water, climbs the structures, takes it
all in- and at the start he is still in the uniform he has
worn since the start of the story- but it's clumsy for
labor-

-so he changes halfway through to civilian clothes-

-which is all he wears from now on.

And the workers tire in the heat- but Singh keeps them
going, working with the power of three-

-and there are accidents and explosions, injuries and falls-
and Hawthorne appears when needed to help with the wounded-

-it's hard, brutal work-

-but gradually, the wooden structure part is finished- two
huge skeletons facing each other across the Tsavo River- and
now work on the roadbed is going full blast and in the
river, the three foundation pillars are taking shape-

CUT TO

TONS OF RED ROCK- being shoved into the wooden skeleton to
complete the embankments. As this goes on-

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL in the river- the foundation pillar
work is going very quickly.

Patterson stops working, looks across the river-

-movement in the grassy area on the far side.

CUT TO

SEVERAL NANDI TRIBESMEN as they rise out of the grass,
gesture to Samuel who gestures back. The Nandi are a tribe
of powerful little men, primitive, with teeth that have been
sharpened to points.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL watching them.

		PATTERSON
	What are they looking at?

		SAMUEL
	You- they cannot believe you're
	still here.

		PATTERSON
	Nonsense.

		SAMUEL
	You don't know what Tsavo means, do
	you?
		(Patterson doesn't)
	It means "slaughter"...

CUT TO

THE NANDI TRIBESMEN, staring at Patterson, shaking their
heads.

CUT TO

THE TWO EMBANKMENTS, as more and more red rock is shoved and
pushed into shape.

CUT TO

THE THREE FOUNDATION PILLARS- almost finished.

CUT TO

THE ROADBED. The same.

CUT TO

THE NEAR EMBANKMENT as still more rock is forced in and

CUT TO

THE FAR EMBANKMENT done at last-

CUT TO

-and Singh stands on the top of the near one while across
the river, Patterson pulls Starling to the top of the other.

And they all look at each other- the embankments are both
finished- THE THREE OF THEM are flying-

-and what they do is this: hold their hands out toward each
other, in Singh's gesture. It's kind of become their
password.

HOLD. A big moment for them all!

CUT TO

SINGH'S TENT AREA

He sits around a fire and the man is exhausted. His dinner
plate is beside him, untouched. He's too tired to eat.

CUT TO

PATTERSON'S TENT AREA

Starling is there, getting ready for bed. He's wiped out,
too.

CUT TO

SINGH, going into his tent, lying down, breathing deep.

CUT TO

STARLING is in his tent, turning out his lamp, half asleep
already.

CUT TO

PATTERSON in his tent, closing his eyes.

CUT TO

SINGH, deep asleep in his tent-

-he shares it with a dozen others and they're all deep
asleep. They lie on the floor of the tent, heads together
toward the center pole, feet toward the edges of the tent.

HOLD ON SINGH. It's very dark. HE AND HIS MEN just lie
motionless, breathing deeply.

KEEP HOLDING.

Now the CAMERA moves up, high into the center of the tent,
looking down at the circle of men.

KEEP HOLDING.

They don't move, not even an inch. The steady breathing is
the only sound.

YES, KEEP HOLDING.

KEEP HOLDING.

Nothing is going on down there. Nothing at all.

KEEP HOLDING.

Not a goddamn thing.

KEEP ON HOLDING. KEEP ON HOLDING.

And now two things happen at the same time- Singh's eyes go
wide-

-and he starts to slide out of the tent, as if being pulled
by some giant invisible wire-

CUT TO

SINGH. CLOSE UP. Screaming.

CUT TO

THE OTHER MEN IN THE TENT, waking, staring around and

CUT TO

SINGH as he slides out of the tent into the night and his
screams grow even louder as we

CUT TO

THE OTHER MEN IN THE TENT and it's like a bomb just went
off, they rise, spin, cry out, stare-

CUT TO

THE NIGHT OUTSIDE AND SINGH'S BODY sliding along the ground.
It's pitch black, and he's going head first now, face
upwards and he's going ast tremendous speed and whatever the
hell it is that's making this happen is something we can't
make out- because it's so dark and because it's on the far
side of the man, and his body is in our way and

CUT TO

UP AHEAD, some bushes and

CUT TO

SINGH, his body going faster than before and his cries are
weakening-

-CUT TO

THE NIGHT and his body and there is no sound at all coming
from him now and there is no sound from whatever it is that
is making this happen- all we see, barely, is the limp body
of the big man as it skims along and-

CUT TO

UP AHEAD NOW, a low clump of bushes.

CUT TO

SINGH'S BODY, coming closer and

CUT TO

THE BUSHES and as we get in on them we can tell they are
thorn bushes and now-

CUT TO

SINGH, suddenly rising magically in the night, his body
flying over the bushes and gone!

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING, early morning, their rifles held in
front of them, racing along, suddenly stopping, staring down
and

CUT TO

THE GROUND. At first we can't make out much. Then we can- a
spot of red.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND STARLING, hurrying on again.

CUT TO

THORN TREES, and as they force their way through them-

CUT TO

A LARGE VULTURE, wings spread wide as it floats slowly to
earth-

-HOLD-

-as it lands we can see A DOZEN OTHER VULTURES are already
there, surrounding something-

-but we can't make it out. We are in an area of grass and
shadow-

-and specks of blood.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, cries out in shock and fury, fires his rifle,
races forward.

CUT TO

THE VULTURES screeching and screaming, taking off, and as we
watch them soar into the morning sky-

		HAWTHORNE'S VOICE (over)
	What the lion must have done, once
	he'd killed Singh, was lick his skin
	off so he could drink his blood-

CUT TO

THE HOSPITAL

Hawthorne is examining Singh's body, trying to be
professional, but he's clearly upset- it's awful.

		HAWTHORNE
	-then he feasted on him, starting
	with his feet-

		STARLING
		(evenb more upset)
	-please- you needn't be so graphic-

		HAWTHORNE
	You intend "sorting this out" tonight?

		PATTERSON
	I'll try- but this feels so different-
	that old lion I killed could never
	carry off a man Singh's size.

		STARLING
		(maybe a little alarmed)
	But you said they were always old.

		PATTERSON
	That's what the books say...
		(Now from that-)

CUT TO

FLAMES RISING IN THE DARKENING SKY. NOW-

CUT TO

ABDULLAH in tears. Where are we?

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

This is Singh's funeral pyre.

Singh's body is being burned.

A LOT OF INDIANS are there. We've caught sight of some of
them before- they worked with Singh on the embankment or
lived with him in his tent.

There is a terrible sense of shock.

Patterson stands at the rear. He is terribly moved. Now,
unseen by the others, he holds his hands out in Singh's
gesture one final time.

CUT TO

THE FLAMES; they continue to rise...

CUT TO

SINGH'S TENT

Night. The flaps that were open when Singh was alive are now
shut and tied.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, the middle of the night. He is alone, fifteen
feet up in a tree near Singh's tent. He holds his rifle,
ready for anything. He cannot get comfortable.

CUT TO

THE AREA- nothing, no movement.

CUT TO

SINGH'S TENT. As before.

CUT TO

THE AREA. No sign of movement of any kind. Dead.

CUT TO

THE MOON. Lower in the sky. The night is growing to a lose
but there is still darkness.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Battling fatigue- but now, for a moment, losing-
his eyes, against his will, start to close, and as they do-

CUT TO

TWO HUGE YELLOW EYES. That's all we see, just the eyes and
they are near Patterson's tree and they are staring up at
him and-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, startled, grabbing his rifle more tightly,
staring down and-

CUT TO

THE HUGE YELLOW EYES- only they're gone.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, blowing on his hands, looking toward the sky.

CUT TO

THE SUN, RISING, THE NIGHT DONE.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, wrinkled and weary, frustrated and sore, walking
back toward his tent area. Now he stops.

CUT TO

ABDULLAH and a large group of workers- only they're not
working. They smoke, play cards, sit around.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, steaming, going up to Abdullah.

		PATTERSON
	You were contracted to work-

		ABDULLAH
		(gesturing around)
	-malaria epidemic; very sudden.

		PATTERSON
	Let me see the sick.

		ABDULLAH
		(not backing off)
	Oh, you're a doctor now, too?

		PATTERSON
	There is no reason for fear.

		ABDULLAH
	On that I choose to remain dubious.
		(beat)
	Two are dead now in two nights.
		(And on that news-)

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Rocked. He didn't know. Behind him now, Starling
hurries up, Samuel alongside.

		PATTERSON
		(to Starling)
	Second death? Where?-

		STARLING
		(gesturing)
	-far end of camp- man wandering alone
	at night. Hawthorne's examining the
	body now.
		(beat)
	There's even less of him than of Singh.

		PATTERSON
		(just shakes his head)
	But it's crazy- the lion shouldn't be
	that hungry this soon.
		(getting control- he
		looks to Samuel)
	Samuel?

		SAMUEL
	We should construct thorn fences
	around every tent area. Fires burning
	at night.

		PATTERSON
	Fine. Get started. And a strict curfew-
	no one allowed out at night.
		(to Abdullah)
	Send half your men to the bridge, the
	rest with these two.
		(Abdullah nods)
	And I'm sorry for my tone earlier. But
	I repeat- there is no reason for fear.
	I will kill the lion and I will build
	the bridge.

		ABDULLAH
	Of course you will, you are white, you
	can do anything...
		(They look at each
		other. They are not
		friends. Now-)

CUT TO

THE THORN BUSHES WE SAW ON OUR ARRIVAL TO TSAVO

ENDLESS NUMBERS OF THEM. There is a machete-like sound as we

CUT TO

A BUNCH OF WORKMEN, led by Samuel, chopping down branches.
They do it with care- these are claws-

CUT TO

-STARLING, in charge of another area, and he's not hanging
back, he's taking less care than the others, hacking away
with his machete, moving in between bushes and

CUT TO

ONE OF THE BUSHES, SNAPPING BACK into Starling, and Starling
taking the blow with his arms- the claws cut his clothing-

-his arms are starting to bleed-

-he is unmindful, continues to wade into the bushes,
chopping at them, cutting them down. He is a good man doing
a good thing and right now, he is possessed.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, leaving his tent area, lost in thought, going
toward the bridge. Up ahead is a grassy area.

CUT TO

THE GRASSY AREA

For a moment, nothing. Then there is the same kind of
movement we saw with Singh. Something is making the grass
move-

-only now there is no wind... HOLD.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Did he see it? We'll never know.

CUT TO

STARLING, in charge of a thorn fence that is halfway
finished. His clothes are shredded. A WORKER has finished
with a section and satisfied, moves on-

-but Starling is far from finished. He grabs the thorns with
his bare hands and squeezes them together.

		STARLING
	Not good enough- look, it's got to
	be tighter. Tighter.

CUT TO

THE AREA IN WHICH HE'S BEEN WORKING. FENCES ARE WELL ALONG
TOWARD COMPLETION. IT'S LATE AFTERNOON.

PULL UP

We see more fences around more camp areas.

KEEP PULLING UP

The entire place is filled with fences now, all the
individual areas protected.

The skies are starting to darken- dusk is coming fast.

Fires start up. Dozens of them.

Still darker.

Now workers come racing home to their camps, anxious for
safety before darkness takes over. They zig-zag this way,
that way, dodging past each other sometimes they slam into
each other, fall, get up, run on-

CUT TO

THE SUN. Falling out of the sky.

CUT TO

THE CAMP. The fires rise higher. No one moves... HOLD.

CUT TO

STARLING in the main tent area. He is bathing his bloody
hands. Samuel is with him. Both are exhausted.

Patterson brings them each drinks. They nod thanks, drain
them. They stand there together, lit by the flames of their
fire. You get the sense these three will be friends forever.

		STARLING
	What a good week.

		PATTERSON
	You mean nobody died?

		STARLING
		(shakes his head)
	We all worked together. Worthy deeds
	were accomplished. I liked the labor.
		(beat)
	My mother insisted on piano lessons-
	broke the dear woman's heart when I
	turned out to be tone deaf- but she
	still was always at me about being
	careful with my hands.
		(looks at them)
	I like the blood, is that strange?

		SAMUEL
	Oh yes, I think so.
		(Starling smiles, starts
		to speak)

		PATTERSON
	Look out, Samuel, here it comes.

		STARLING
	Even you two must admit that it is a
	glorious thing, what Man can
	accomplish. When there is a common
	splendid goal, there are no limits.
	Think what we will accomplish when we
	all have God's warmth in our hearts.
		(Samuel's eyes have
		closed; he begins to snore.
		Patterson can't help
		laughing)

CUT TO

STARLING. As good natured as ever.

		STARLING
	I am immune to your disdain.
		(He looks at them now)
	When I came here, I had but one small
	goal: to convert the entire continent
	of Africa.
		(shakes his head)
	Now I've decided to move on to
	something really difficult: I will not
	rest until both of you are safely in
	the fold.

		SAMUEL
	I've had four wives, good luck.

		STARLING
	The struggle is the glory...
		(HOLD ON the three friends)

CUT TO

PATTERSON, the next morning, working with Abdullah and some
others at the bridge.

CUT TO

STARLING completing work on the fence from the day before.
It's high and taut and he's done a terrific job.

CUT TO

TSAVO STATION

A BUNCH OF OTHER MEN are working near a large grassy field.
One of the men starts a chant. The others pick it up. It's
really pretty.

CUT TO

PATTERSON wading into the river- he stops as the sound of
the chant comes distantly to him on the wind.

CUT TO

THE WORKMEN CHANTING LOUDER. It's turning into a stunner of
a day- glorious blue sky broken up by pale clouds.

CUT TO

STARLING. Pauses briefly, listening to the sound of the men.

CUT TO

THE MEN WORKING AND SINGING. As before.

CUT TO

THE GRASSY FIELD. As before-

-except it isn't. Because if you looked carefully, something
flicked in a 180 degree arc. No telling what it was, it was
gone too quickly.

CUT TO

THE MEN WORKING, SINGING ON.

CUT TO

PATTERSON waist deep in the river, listening to the sound of
the men, of the birds. The sun is higher in the sky.

CUT TO

THE GRASSY FIELD-

-and here it comes again, only the other way this time,
flicking back in another 180 degree arc-

-still hard to tell for sure what it was but maybe it was
this: a tail. Now quickly-

CUT TO

PATTERSON wading out of the river as Samuel comes into view.
He holds an envelope.

		SAMUEL
	For you.

		PATTERSON
		(taking it)
	Thank you, Samuel.

		SAMUEL
		(watching as Patterson
		opens it)
	Good news?

		PATTERSON
		(glancing at the letter)
	I expect so- it's from my wife.

		SAMUEL
	Do you love her?

		PATTERSON
	I do, actually; very much.

		SAMUEL
		(his wonderful smile)
	You give me hope, John.
		(As he walks away-)

CUT TO

STARLING, probing at the thorn fence, searching out any last
weaknesses.

Behind him now, in the tall grass, something moves.

Starling, intent on his work, notices nothing.

CUT TO

THE SINGING MEN, getting more and more into it.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, by the river, reading the letter.

There is a large tree up the riverbank. It casts a large
shadow.

In the shadow now, something moves.

Patterson, intent on his reading, notices nothing.

		HELENA (over)
	Darling one- the big excitement
	yesterday was when some school-
	children spotted a whale-
		(pause)
	-they were looking at me, John-

CUT TO

HELENA, in their bedroom, moving across to the window,
staring out. She now has a considerable stomach.

		HELENA
	That was an attempt at humor but I
	don't feel very funny these days. I
	miss you terribly and after our son-
	I still have total confidence- well,
	after he's born I think travel might
	be broadening. As he kicks me at
	night I'm quite sure he's telling me
	he definitely wants to come to Africa.
		(pause)
	Thought you might need reminding.

CUT TO

PATTERSON by the river. He smiles, folds the letter. Now-

CUT TO

THE SINGING WORKMEN at Tsavo station- and they sense how
good they sound, and they really concentrate on it, on
making that sound even better-

-there must be twenty of them, working and singing-

-and screaming!

CUT TO

PATTERSON, turning his head sharply and

CUT TO

STARLING, doing the same and

CUT TO

THE SCREAMING WORKMEN and they're running now, running and
shrieking and that's all we see, the workmen-

-some of them run left-

-some run right-

-and now a few of them are starting to cry.

CUT TO

A FAT COOLIE running and running, glancing back, screaming
louder, running on and on and

CUT TO

-a shadow in the grass- no telling what- but it's big and
it's moving and

CUT TO

THE FAT COOLIE and this next goes so fast it could be a
dream- or, more accurately, a nightmare-

SHOCK CUT TO

A GIGANTIC WHITE MANED LION as it leaps onto the Fat Coolie,
brings him to earth, bites his neck in two, kills him,
just-like-that.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL, as they race away from the river and

CUT TO

STARLING, running from the fenced area- he holds a rifle in
his hands.

CUT TO

ANOTER PART OF THE CAMP AND A DIFFERENT BUNCH OF WORKMEN-
they freeze as the screams reach them and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, on the way to his tent area and

CUT TO

DIFFERENT WORKMEN listening in fear and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, racing to his tent, grabbing his rifle and
cartridges and

CUT TO

STARLING, running toward the screaming and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, as he charges ahead, loading his rifle on the fly
and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, carrying more ammunition, running behind Patterson,
keeping up and

CUT TO

TSAVO STATION and nothing is visible now- the men are gone
and from this angle, it looks deserted and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, catching Starling, leading him into the TSAVO
STATION area, Samuel just behind them.

CUT TO

A RECTANGULAR SHED, ahead of them. They move to it, slow-

-then they stop-

-a sound is heard- from around the corner- the sound
continues- Patterson glances at Starling- the sound could be
this: the crunching of bones.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, checking his rifle.

CUT TO

STARLING, doing the same. Samuel, holding the extra
ammunition, moves close to Patterson. Now-

CUT TO

PATTERSON as he suddenly steps away from the shed, rounding
the corner and as he does-

CUT TO

THE WHITE LION, with the Fat Coolie- the lion is crunching
at his feet-

-then the lion stares toward the shed as we

CUT TO

PATTERSON, moving out into clearer view, Starling and Samuel
right with him. THE LION is a good distance away.

CUT TO

THE WHITE LION, a low growl coming from him as he takes the
coolie's body by the shoulder, begins backing away with it.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, dropping to his knees for the shot and

CUT TO

STARLING, doing the same and

CUT TO

THE WHITE LION, growling louder and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, taking aim and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, crying out and pointing and suddenly we're into
super slow motion-

-Samuel has pointed back toward the roof of the shed and-

-and this thing is suddenly there-

-this huge dark thing and it seems to suddenly appear from
the flat roof of the shed and

CUT TO

THE SUN, blocked out as this dark thing moves across it,
fully stretched, it seems to go on forever and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, turning around to see and

CUT TO

STARLING, turning too, and we're coming back into regular
motion now as we

CUT TO

This enormous BLACK-MANED LION diving into the three,
sending them all sprawling and

CUT TO

THE WHITE MANED LION roaring and

CUT TO

THE BLACK MANED LION roaring, running to the other and

CUT TO

THE TWO LIONS IN CLOSE UP.

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS, for that is how they will be
referred to-

-and The Ghost has blood and bits of flesh on its mouth-

-The Darkness has eyes that are crazed-

-they are destruction bringers, these two, they can kill the
old and the young and the fat and the strong-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, lying in pain, dazed, shoulder bleeding, trying
to reach for his rifle and

CUT TO

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS, the white and the black, as they
move toward the field of tall grass, roaring and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, lying in pain, his leg is bleeding and

CUT TO

PATTERSON'S RIFLE and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, as he reaches it, manages to lift it and the
roaring sounds are deafening now and

CUT TO

THE TWO GIGANTIC MALES, backing into the tall grass-

-they roar one final time-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, gun ready to fire but it's futile and he knows it
as we

CUT TO

THE TALL GRASS and they're gone, the grass is full of moving
patterns from the wind- that's all we see- just the grass
blowing this way, that way-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, staggering to his feet, staring at the grassy
field.

		PATTERSON
		(dazed)
	Jesus, two of them...

CUT TO

SAMUEL. Dazed too. He points. Patterson registers, turns and

CUT TO

STARLING, LYING DEAD, his throat ripped open. HOLD briefly
on the young man, then-

CUT TO

THE STATION AREA

A train from Mombassa is slowly pulling in. And things are
fairly chaotic- there is the usual activity of what is
ordinarily one of the busier parts in camp-

-but now, something new has been added: Abdullah is there
with several dozen coolies who work under his command. THey
are waiting for the train.

Patterson and Samuel are there too- and at the moment,
Abdullah and Patterson are in the middle of a screamer-
first one of them walking away, then coming back, then the
other doing the same.

		PATTERSON
		(shouting over the noise
		of the approaching train)
	-oh, sing a different song, Abdullah-
		(gesturing toward the men
		who stand by the train
		tracks)
	-there's nothing wrong with your men
	so stop telling me there is-

		ABDULLAH
		(advancing on Patterson now)
	-you do not call me a liar- you know
	nothing of their health- consider
	yourself fortunate I persuaded so
	many to stay- consider yourself
	fortunate I have decided to stay-

		PATTERSON
		(losing it)
	You think you matter?
		(gesturing toward the
		train which is close to
		stopping now)
	-Beaumont is on that train- he
	matters-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, moving in on Abdullah now-

		PATTERSON
	He sees this chaos, he'll replace
	you all.

		ABDULLAH
	He'll replace you, too- that's all
	you really care about.

		PATTERSON
	You think so? Fine.
		(finished arguing)
	It's best you get out. Go. Tell all
	your people to go, run home where
	they'll be safe under the covers and
	when the bridge is built and the
	railroad is done, they can tell their
	women that out of all the thousands
	who worked here, they were the only
	ones to flee-
		(And he wheels around,
		starts to walk away as we-)

CUT TO

ABDULLAH. Quiet, staring after Patterson.

CUT TO

SAMUEL. Patterson has won. As the two of them exchange a
quick glance-

CUT TO

BEAUMONT standing in the door of a passenger car, handsome
as ever. Somehow his clothes are still pressed.

Patterson moves up. In a splendid mood. Samuel is happy too.

		PATTERSON
	Pleasant journey?

		BEAUMONT
		(stepping off the train)
	How could it be? I hate Africa.

Now there is the sudden sound of men singing- Patterson
looks around and we

CUT TO

ABDULLAH and his workmen, moving away from the train- they
are singing the same song that the workmen sang just before
The Ghost and The Darkness attacked- it's pretty- but it's
also a little unnerving.

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. Listening a moment.

		BEAUMONT
	Lovely sound- they seem happy.

		PATTERSON
	Don't they, though?

		BEAUMONT
	So work must be going well?

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He and Samuel share another glance.

		PATTERSON
		(delicately)
	Truthfully?
		(beat)
	There has been the occasional odd
	hiccup- but then, as you so wisely
	told me, I'd never built in Africa.

		BEAUMONT
	But overall, you're pleased?

		SAMUEL
		(moving in)
	I have never experienced anything
	like it.

CUT TO

BEAUMONT; almost longingly looks back at the train.

		BEAUMONT
	I almost feel like getting right
	back on.
		(glances at his watch)

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL. They do not breathe.

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. He really wants to leave and for a moment it looks
like he just might.

		BEAUMONT
		(a sigh)
	I suppose it would be a dereliction
	of duty not to at least look around.

Now Abdullah wanders happily by.

		PATTERSON
		(waving)
	Morning, friend, glorious day.

		ABDULLAH
	As are they all.

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. He takes a step inside the passenger car.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL. Hoping.

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. Reluctantly returning. He has a large box.

		BEAUMONT
	I do need to see Starling.

		PATTERSON
		(dully)
	Starling?

		BEAUMONT
	Awhile back he ordered some bibles-
		(indicating the box)
	-I've brought them.
		(looking around)
	Is he here?

		PATTERSON
		(beat)
	Yes he is.

		BEAUMONT
	Well, I need to speak to him.

		SAMUEL
		(helpfully)
	Let me deliver the bibles.

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. His eyes flick from one man to the other. It's
over.

		BEAUMONT
	Excellent show.
		(voice low)
	Where is Starling?

CUT TO

PATTERSON. The jig is up. He gestures-

		PATTERSON
	Here he comes now.
		(And on that-)

CUT TO

HALF A DOZEN NATIVES CARRYING STARLING'S COFFIN. They start
to put it on the train and as they do-

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. Stunned. And furious! He storms off the train and
we-

CUT TO

THE BRIDGE

as Beaumont sees it. Patterson and Samuel are with him.

Little more work has been done than the last time we saw it.
A few men are working slowly.

And now there are guards with rifles patrolling it.

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. A deadly look at them. He storms off.

CUT TO

THE HOSPITAL

as Beaumont sees it- Patterson, Samuel, and Hawthorne stand
quietly.

It's much more crowded than the last time. Still under
control, but barely.

Beaumont is icy now. He gestures sharply toward Hawthrone to
join them.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL

THE FOUR MEN speak low and fast-

		BEAUMONT
	What in hell is going on?

		SAMUEL
	The Ghost and The Darkness have come.

		BEAUMONT
		(snapping)
	In English.

		PATTERSON
	It's what the natives are calling
	the lions-
		(beat)
	-two lions have been causing trouble-

		BEAUMONT
	-what's the surprise in that, this is
	Africa?

		PATTERSON
	It hasn't been that simple so far.

		BEAUMONT
	What have they done besides kill
	Starling?
		(beat)
	How many have they killed?
		(Patterson nods for
		Hawthorne to answer)

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE. Doing his best.

		HAWTHORNE
	Well, of course, I can't supply a
	totally accurate answer because
	there are those that are actually
	authenticated and there are those
	that we once thought were workers
	killing each other or deserting
	from camp so any number I give is
	subject to error-

		BEAUMONT
		(cutting through)
	How many?

		HAWTHORNE
	Thirty, I should think.

		BEAUMONT
		(stunned)
	Christ!
		(whirling on Patterson)
	What are you doing about it?
		(Now from there-)

CUT TO

SOMETHING VERY ODD:

We are looking at a small railroad car in a deserted area.
This is not near the track but off by itself, in an area
surrounded by thorn trees.

Several workers are erecting a cloth tent to cover it,
trying to disguise the fact that the small railroad car is,
indeed, nothing but a small railroad car.

It is difficult work and they are perspiring heavily.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PATTERSON AND BEAUMONT looking at it.

		BEAUMONT
	This is supposed to be salvation?
		(staring at Patterson)
	What kind of idiocy are we dealing
	with here?

		PATTERSON
		(keeping control)
	I'm calling it my "contraption"-
	we're going to surround it with a
	boma- a fence, to you- and we're
	going to leave a small opening
	opposite that door.

CUT TO

THE RAILROAD CAR. There is, in fact, an open front door.
Patterson gestures for Beaumont to follow him inside.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE CAR AS THEY ENTER. It has been divided in half by
thick metal bars from floor to ceiling. The bars are close
together, only a few inches between them.

		PATTERSON
	In that half will be bait- human
	bait- I'll start things off-
		(points to the open
		doorway)
	-a sliding door will fit above that
	and a trip wire will run across
	the floor.

		BEAUMONT
		(The smile is back)
	Genius- the beast will enter,
	tripping the wire, the door will
	slide down, trapping him, you, safe
	behind the bars, will have him at
	your mercy and will shoot him.

Patterson nods. Beaumont explodes.

		BEAUMONT
	Are you running a high fever, man?
	How could you expect something as
	lunatic as this to succeed? How
	could you even conceive of it?

		PATTERSON
	I didn't conceive of it for the
	lions- I built one in India when
	there was trouble with a tiger.

		BEAUMONT
		(incredulous)
	And it worked?

		PATTERSON
		(He hates to say this)
	In point of fact, it didn't.
		(hurrying on)
	But I'm convinced the theory is
	sound.

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM. They move outside. The tension between them
is considerable. Beaumont looks at Patterson for too long a
moment.

		PATTERSON
	What?

		BEAUMONT
	I made a mistake hiring you-
	you're simply not up to the job.
		(Silence. Then-)

CUT TO

PATTERSON. CLOSE UP.

		PATTERSON
	You genuinely enjoy trying to
	terrify people, don't you? Well,
	fine-
		(lashing back)
	-except there isn't a higher rated
	engineer and we both know that. And
	since time is so important to you,
	how long do you think it would take
	to find someone else qualified and
	bring him here?

CUT TO

BEAUMONT. Blazing.

		BEAUMONT
	Let me explain about time- you've
	been here three months and already
	two months behind. And the Germans
	and the French are gearing up. And
	I don't care about you and I don't
	care about the thirty dead- I care
	about my knighthood and if this
	railroad finishes on schedule, I'll
	get my knighthood and I want it.
		(glancing around as
		Samuel appears, goes to
		the workers)
	Professional hunters may be the answer.

		PATTERSON
	All they'll bring is more chaos and
	we've plenty of that already- and if
	they come in, word will get out- and
	what happens to your knighthood then?

		BEAUMONT
	I'm going to try and locate Redbeard-
	I assume you've heard of him.

		PATTERSON
	Every man who's ever fired a rifle has
	heard of him- by the time you find him,
	the lions will be dead.

		BEAUMONT
		(long pause)
	Very well, the job's still yours, I'll
	go. But if I have to return, you're
	finished. And I will then do everything
	I can to destroy your reputation. Am I
	not fair?
		(The great smile flashes)
	Told you you'd hate me.
		(And he turns, walks off)

CUT TO

SAMUEL. Moving up to Patterson. Samuel has a bag.

		PATTERSON
		(staring after Beaumont)
	I do hate him.
		(takes the bag from
		Samuel, pulls out flares)
	I want you to distribute one bag of
	flares to every tent area-
		(takes out a flare)
	-tell the men to light them if
	there's trouble-
		(beat)
	-make it two bags.
		(HOLD briefly, then-)

CUT TO

PATTERSON. ALONE. THAT NIGHT. IN HIS CONTRAPTION.

A lamp burns alongside him. Across the bars, the door of the
railroad car is open. Flickering shadows. Above the doorway
is a thick wooden slab the size of the door. n the ground,
barely visible, the trip wire.

CUT TO

THE DOORWAY. Outside, something is moving.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, rifle ready, holding his breath.

CUT TO

THE DOORWAY. SIlence. Nothing moves now.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He rubs his eyes with his hands...

CUT TO

FLICKERING SHADOWS on the wall. It's later that night.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. The man is bleary with fatigue. He sits in a
corner of the car, writing a letter.

		PATTERSON'S VOICE (over)
	"Dearest...
	...peace and tranquility continue to
	abound here- the workers report each
	day with a smile- except for your
	absence, this whole adventunre is
	providing me nothing but pleasure..."

CUT TO

THE FLICKERING WALLS OF THE RAILWAY CAR. It's later still.
Patterson, finished writing, stares out at the night.

CUT TO

A FLARE, rising brightly toward the sky.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, seeing the flare. The man is miserable.

CUT TO

A TREE BRANCH. MANY FLOWERS AS WELL AS THE CLAW THORNS.

		PATTERSON'S VOICE (over)
	Fire.

The branch is destroyed, the flowers blown away.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND THREE INDIAN COOLIES. NOT FAR FROM HIS
CONTRAPTION.

THE COOLIES hold rifles. They look like brothers, which they
are. They also look tough. And they are that, too. THREE
STREETFIGHTERS.

		PATTERSON
		(impressed)
	Very good indeed.

		MIDDLE COOLIE
		(he wears glasses)
	We have hunted since childhood.

		PATTERSON
	All right- you'll spend your nights
	inside.
		(He indicates the railroad
		car. The Coolies nod)
	You'll have plenty of ammunition.
	You're totally protected, you have
	really nothing to fear.

		MIDDLE COOLIE
	That is correct.
		(beat)
	Nothing.

Patterson looks at the three men. Obviously, he could not
have chosen better. From them-

CUT TO

THE BRIDGE. DAY.

A lot of men working under Patterson. Progress is slow.

CUT TO

THE BRIDGE. NIGHT.

Some men sit on the part that's been built. Spending the
night there for protection. Now, they all turn and we

CUT TO

ANOTHER FLARE going off in another part of camp.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, in a tree alone, in despair.

CUT TO

THE THREE COOLIES IN THE RAILROAD CAR.

Tough as ever. Ready for anything. But nothing is happening.
Silence.

CUT TO

THE BRIDGE AGAIN AS NIGHT FALLS - MORE CROWDED THAN BEFORE.

STILL MORE MEN are moving into the river. They wade til the
water is up to their necks. Then they reach out, hold hands,
start to sing.

CUT TO

PATTERSON moving high into a tree. He listens to the sound.
Lovely.

CUT TO

MOONLIGHT ON THE WATER. The men stand as before, singing
softly. The river here is calm, no current to speak of. The
men are safe-

-or rather they should be.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS swimming softly, his great jaws silently
encircling the neck of the last man in line, pulling him
silently away and as the others start to scream-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, watching another flare rise, helplessly
listening.

CUT TO

A CATTLE PEN. THE CATTLE ARE NERVOUS-

-one of them kicks wildly at the wind.

They should be nervous-

-The Ghost walks among them, chooses which one to kill,
leaps on it, brings it to earth as the dust rises.

CUT TO

ANOTHER FLARE IN THE NIGHT.

CUT TO

THE HOSPITAL. DAY. PACKED.

HAWTHORNE seems overwhelmed.

CUT TO

SOMETHING.

And for a moment we don't know what it is. There is a faint
light and now we see what it is we're looking at: a wire.

HOLD ON THE WIRE.

And now a paw walks across it-

-and the instant that happens-

CUT TO

THE THREE COOLIES, the brothers, in the contraption, two of
them asleep, a flickering lamp the only illumination in the
railroad car and

CUT TO

THE DOOR OF THE RAILROAD CAR slamming loudly down and

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

THE DARKNESS, standing alone in one half of the railroad
car- it's incredible, just incredible but Patterson's idea
actually worked and

KEEP PULLING BACK TO REVEAL

The entire of the car- the thick bars separating the two
halves. In one half, the huge lion. In the other, the three
armed, tough coolies.

For a moment, it could be a frozen tableau- both sides are
too startled and surprised to do anything but stare-

-and then all hell just explodes as we

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, and this incredible roar comes from his
throat, the kind of roar that can be heard five miles away
in the night but this one in the enclosed room sounds even
louder and more terrifying and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, throwing his huge body at the bars and

CUT TO

THE BARS and both his front claws are slashing through and

CUT TO

THE THREE TOUGH COOLIES and they retreat against the rear
wall of the car.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, rage building, throwing its body at the bars
again and

CUT TO

THE COOLIES, pressed in fear against the far wall, unable to
do anything but stare and

CUT TO

THE CLAWS, ripping at the air and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, leaping forward, smashing into the bars and

CUT TO

THE CEILING WHERE THE BARS are connected and the sheer power
of his leap has made them jiggle just the least bit and

CUT TO

THE COOLIES, staring up at the ceiling and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, AND HERE HE COMES AGAIN, roaring and his body
hits the bars and

CUT TO

THE CEILING- and the bars shake-

-but they're not giving way.

CUT TO

THE TOUGH COOLIES, as they begin to realize this and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, clawing for them and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, raging and roaring on his side of the bars and

CUT TO

THE FIRST COOLIE, raising his gun and

CUT TO

THE SECOND COOLIE, his gun raised too and

CUT TO

THE THIRD COOLIE and he's ready and

CUT TO

ALL THREE AS THEY FIRE-

-and reload-

-and fire again, and reload, and-

CUT TO

THE RAILROAD CAR- and suddenly the lamp is knocked over-

-and a fire starts, flames grow and it's starting to look
like hell in there-

-only it gets worse as we-

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS at the bars-

-and suddenly it stands up- it seems to fill the car,
towering over everything, it's like a nightmare come to kill
you-

CUT TO

THE COOLIES staring up at this giant thing, and of course
they're more terrified now than they've ever been in their
lives- but these are tough men and they ignore the flames,
ignore the deafening roars of the beast and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, standing there, going crazy on his side of the
bars, trying to knock them down but they're holding and

CUT TO

THE TOUGH COOLIES, reloading and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, racing around the enclosed area now and he's
trapped and the flames make him seem like something unalive
and his eyes have never been so bright, his roars as
deafening and

CUT TO

THE THREE COOLIES, firing again and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, leaping at the bars again, and they shake,
sure they shake, but they keep on holding and

CUT TO

THE COOLIES, firing, reloading, firing, reloading and as
they do, something's starting to come clear-

-amazing as it may seem, impossible as it may be to
conceive, they're missing.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, whirling on his side, roaring and leaping and

CUT TO

THE COOLIES and sure they fire, but they're still so goddam
scared and

CUT TO

THE DOOR THAT SLID DOWN- it's held in place by some thick
wooden bars-

-and now the Coolies start to hit something- the wooden bars
because they begin to splinter and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, whirling, leaping at the bars and

CUT TO

THE COOLIES firing and then-

CUT TO

THE DOOR as it flops open and just like that-

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS. Out the door and gone. HOLD.

CUT TO

PATTERSON JUST AFTER DAWN IN THE DAMAGED RAILROAD CAR.

Patterson stands where The Darkness was. The three Coolies
are where they spent the night, on the other side of the
bars.

This was the lowest point yet for Patterson. Not only had
his notion come so close to working, he could never fully
comprehend how the coolies missed. It never seemed possible-
but of course, it really happened.

		PATTERSON
	Not once?- you didn't hit it once?-

		MIDDLE COOLIE
	-I would never make excuses- but a
	fire broke out- the light was bad- he
	kept moving-

		PATTERSON
	-well, of course he kept moving- but
	he couldn't have been more than ten
	feet away from the three of you- surely
	you must have wounded the thing-

		MIDDLE COOLIE
	I assure you we came close many times-

Abdullah is in the doorway near Patterson now- with several
dozen men. And from Abdullah's face, this is clearly going
to be a confrontation.

		MIDDLE COOLIE
	-the next time we will do better.
		(Patterson makes no
		reaction; moves outside)

CUT TO

ABDULLAH, simmering, moving straight to Patterson as soon as
he's out.

		ABDULLAH
	The next time will be as this time-
	The Devil has come to Tsavo-

		PATTERSON
		(not in a mood for this)
	-that's ridiculous talk and you can't
	seriously believe it-

		ABDULLAH
		(moving in- tension rising
		as others crowd behind him)
	-now you're telling me my beliefs?- I
	don't think so-

CUT TO

THE BUSH just beyond- something is moving- an animal?-
Impossible to say.

		PATTERSON
	I wasn't and you know it and don't
	push it- just listen- we have a
	problem in Tsavo-

		ABDULLAH
		(cutting in)
	-at last you're right- we do- you are
	the problem in Tsavo-

		PATTERSON
	-careful, Abdullah-

Patterson and Abdullah and suddenly it's dangerous.

		ABDULLAH
	You do not tell me "careful"- you do
	not tell me anything- you listen
	while I talk-
		(Now suddenly a shadow
		seems to cross-)

CUT TO

ABDULLAH. CLOSE UP. His eyes widen.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

AN ENORMOUS PISTOL. Pressed hard against Abdullah's temple.

		MAN'S VOICE (over)
	-change in plan- you listen while
	I talk- because you have a question
	that needs answering.
		(beat)
	Will I pull the trigger?

PULL BACK FURTHER TO REVEAL

REDBEARD.

We are looking at one of those legends- ageless and
powerful, with a tanned face and a thick grey beard. He has
seen everything and is capable of anything.

Just now he seems more than capable of killing Abdullah.
Very calmly, he cocks the pistol.

		SAMUEL (over)
	It's Redbeard, Abdullah- he'll kill
	you.

		REDBEARD
		(not looking around)
	No hints, Samuel.

		ABDULLAH
		(The name has registered)
	You don't know all that has happened
	here- the Devil has come to Tsavo.

		REDBEARD
	You're right. The Devil has come. Look
	at me. I am the Devil.

CUT TO

ABDULLAH, staring at Redbeard. Right now Redbeard just could
be.

		ABDULLAH
		(louder)
	I am a man of peace.

		REDBEARD
	Am I to take it you want to live?

		ABDULLAH
	Most certainly. Absolutely. Yes.

		REDBEARD
	Excellent decision.
		(Now he suddenly reaches
		out, shakes Abdullah's hand)
	Your name is Abdullah? I'm sure we'll
	meet again. Go and enjoy the splendid
	morning.

		ABDULLAH
		(dazed- leaving)
	I think it's been a pleasure.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, and now he does another surprising thing: embraces
Samuel.

		REDBEARD
		(three words)
	You got old.
		(Now he releases Samuel,
		turns to Patterson)
	I'm sure you're John Patterson.
		(before Patterson can reply)
	Stay out of my way.
		(And without another word,
		he's gone)

CUT TO

THE HOSPITAL

as Redbeard moves through, taking it all in. It's even worse
than when we last saw it- bodies crammed everywhere and
always the sound of pain and sickness.

Patterson stands in the doorway, watching, waiting.

		PATTERSON
		(as Redbeard approaches)
	I didn't have a chance to thank you.

		REDBEARD
		(preoccupied)
	What did I do?

		PATTERSON
	Got me out of trouble.

		REDBEARD
		(matter of fact)
	Nonsense- Samuel would have done
	something.
		(starts to move on)

		PATTERSON
	We need to talk.

		REDBEARD
	Let me save time- (1) you are the
	engineer; (2) you are in charge;
	(3) you're sorry I'm here. Right
	so far?
		(Patterson nods)
	Good- because (1) I am not an
	engineer, (2) I don't want to be
	in charge, and (3) I'm sorrier than
	you are that I'm here- I hate Tsavo.
	So I will help you by killing the
	lions and leaving, and you will help
	me by doing what I tell you so I
	can leave. See any problems?

		PATTERSON
	Actually, no.

		REDBEARD
	All right- let's go into battle.
		(suddenly taking
		Patterson's hand)
	I'm Redbeard.
		(as they shake)

		PATTERSON
	Somehow I guessed.
		(As they move outside-)

CUT TO

THE FRONT OF THE HOSPITAL

A BUNCH OF MEN WAIT. Hwathorne, Samuel, Abdullah, and
perhaps a dozen other worker leaders. Redbeard and Patterson
move to them.

		REDBEARD
	Starting now, we attack them.

		ABDULLAH
	How; we don't know where they are?

		REDBEARD
	We'll have to make them come to us,
	won't we? And since there are two of
	them, we're going to set two plans
	in motion.
		(to Hawthorne)
	First: we must move the entire
	hospital by tomorrow night.

		HAWTHORNE
		(appalled)
	That's a terrible idea-

		REDBEARD
		(backtracking)
	-is it, I'm sorry, but then, of
	course, you're the doctor, you
	should know.

		HAWTHORNE
	Silliest thing I ever heard of- why
	in the world should we go through
	all that?

		REDBEARD
		(charming now)
	I suppose I could answer you. I
	suppose I could explain that the
	place is so inviting, what with the
	smell of blood and flesh, that they
	have to strike. It's even possible
	that I tell you I found some fresh
	paw marks around back which means
	they're already contemplating
	feasting here.
		(Turning on Hawthorne
		now- his voice building)
	But I don't want to answer you
	because when you question me you are
	really saying that I don't have the
	least idea what I am doing, that I am
	nothing but an incompetent, that I am
	a fool.
		(big)
	Anyone who finds me a fool, please
	say so now.

		HAWTHORNE
		(The words burst out)
	I have been desperate for Patterson
	to let me move the hospital since the
	day he arrived.

		REDBEARD
		(nice smile)
	Then we agree.
		(And on that-)

BEGIN THE BUILDING SEQUENCE.

It was a huge effort and they got half of it done that day-
but there was always the sense of impending bloodshed.

What we see first are Patterson and a bunch of shots of a
lot of workers- laying out the dimensions of the new boma
that would surround the place. This was to be by far the
biggest wall fence they had in Tsavo.

And now here comes Abdullah leading a crowd of men, wading
into a huge patch of thorn trees, cutting the thick branches
down, starting to load them for carrying-

-and it's high noon now, and Patterson drenched with sweat,
leads the start of the actual building- taking the thorn
branches, bunching them together, forcing them so there is
no room between them-

-and we can just begin to get the sense of what the fence
will be- except at the moment it's barely a foot high-

-and now Redbeard appears, beckons to Patterson, and

CUT TO

A LONG SHOT OF A FLAT GRASSY PLAIN. AFTERNOON NOW.

Patterson, Redbeard, and Samuel walk quickly.

CUT TO

SAMUEL turning to Redbeard and Patterson.

		SAMUEL
	Soon.
		(Redbeard nods)

		PATTERSON
		(to Redbeard)
	I have to ask- why do you need me?

		REDBEARD
	I don't really. But understand
	something- even though it may take
	me two or three days to sort this
	out-
		(Patterson has to smile
		at the phrase)
	-when I'm gone, you'll still have
	to build the bridge. And I don't
	want the men to have lost respect
	for you.

		PATTERSON
		(kind of surprised)
	That's very considerate.

		REDBEARD
	I'm always considerate- my mother
	taught me that.

CUT TO

SAMUEL, who just breaks out laughing.

		REDBEARD
	Why do you laugh?- you don't
	believe she taught me?

		SAMUEL
	I don't believe you had a mother.
		(And as Redbeard
		laughs too-)

CUT TO

A MASAI VILLAGE as they approach. Redbeard walks ahead.

		PATTERSON
	You like him, don't you?

		SAMUEL
	Oh yes. But it takes time.

		PATTERSON
	You've known him long?

		SAMUEL
		(He has)
	Since his beard was red.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE VILLAGE. AN AGED CHIEF RUNS THINGS.

Redbeard, Patterson and Samuel stand near him. WOMEN and
CHILDREN are there. Some of the children look at Redbeard,
mime shooting, fall down dead. Samuel translates as
necessary.

		SAMUEL
	How many cattle?

		REDBEARD
	Four should do it.

		SAMUEL
	They will want a lot of money.

		PATTERSON
		(to Redbeard)
	Have you got it?

		REDBEARD
	No, but you do-
		(beat)
	-see, you were needed after all.
		(to Samuel)
	And fifty warriors at the camp
	before dawn.

		SAMUEL
		(Samuel explains. The
		Masai Chief replies.
		Translating)
	Why so many?

		REDBEARD
	Because I have two plans to kill
	the lions- one involving the cattle,
	the other the men.

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON watching as Samuel tells the Chief.

CUT TO

THE MASAI CHIEF. He moves toward Redbeard and Patterson. As
he speaks, Samuel translates quietly. There is a sadness in
the Chief's tone.

		SAMUEL
		(translating)
	The Ghost and the Darkness have
	come... and we can do nothing...
	but if you anger them... they will
	stay in Tsavo... and life will
	become more unberable, that I know...

CUT TO

PATTERSON, watching as Redbeard replies.

		REDBEARD
		(beat)
	Two lions are all that have come...
	they're only lions, that I know.
		(beat)
	And I will kill them both tomorrow.
		(HOLD BRIEFLY, then-)

CUT TO

SHADOWS AND FIRELIGHT. IT'S NIGHT NOW.

We're not sure for a moment where we are but we can hear
metallic sounds.

Now we hear voices.

		REDBEARD VOICE (over)
	I'll need you by me in the morning.

		SAMUEL VOICE (over)
	Whatever you wish.

CUT TO

WHERE WE ARE- IT'S PATTERSON'S TENT AREA. Patterson,
Redbeard, Hawthorne, and Samuel sit around a fire.

THey are cleaning their guns, getting ready.

A WORD ABOUT THEIR WEAPONS. Patterson's is a good rifle and
he cleans it expertly.

Redbeard's surprisingly, is the oldest. And the way his
hands move as he assembles it, he might be bathing a child.

Hawthorne is the least skilled of the three. But his rifle
is clearly the finest. Bigger than the others, with great
killing power.

There is a tremendous tension- Patterson, Hawthorne, and
Samuel show it. Redbeard is as before.

		HAWTHORNE
		(terribly tense)
	You're certain about tomorrow?
		(Redbeard is)
	But you don't seem excited.
		(Redbeard isn't)

		PATTERSON
	You don't enjoy killing, do you?
		(Redbeard doesn't)

		HAWTHORNE
	Then why do it?

CUT TO

REDBEARD. CLOSE UP. He stares at the fire. Then-

		REDBEARD
	I have a gift.

CUT TO

THE CAMPFIRE. Silence for a moment except for the sound of
the weapons being reassembled. Redbeard's hands fly. His
rifle is back together. He stands, nods, goes.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE, watching him.

		HAWTHORNE
	Strange man.
		(to Samuel)
	Has he always been this way?

		SAMUEL
	Much gentler now.

		HAWTHORNE
		(shakes his head on that)
	John?-
		(He holds out his
		beautiful rifle)
	Change guns with me- mine's much
	more powerful. I'll be finishing
	the hospital tomorrow so I won't
	be with you- but if you'll use
	this...
		(beat)
	...then I will.

Patterson, touched, changes weapons.

		PATTERSON
	Thank you.
		(He turns to Samuel)
	Why does he need you by him?

		SAMUEL
	He doesn't. He needs nobody. But
	we have hunted many times...
		(beat)
	...he knows I am afraid of lions...

HOLD ON THE FIRELIGHT UNTIL WE SHARPLY-

CUT TO

THE BRIDGE. BEFORE DAWN.

Misty- hard to see much.

Then GHOSTS appear-

KEEP HOLDING

-they're not ghosts, they're MASAI WARRIORS emerging from
the mists. They are powerful and painted and they carry
noisemaking equipment- tin cans and tom toms and as more and
more of them materialize-

CUT TO

A HUGE THICKET.

Redbeard, Patterson, and Samuel wait as the Warriors
approach.

		REDBEARD
		(whispered)
	I spotted one of them-
		(gesturing toward
		the thicket)
	-in there.

CUT TO

THE THICKET again- alive with thorn trees. Dark, filled with
long dark shadows.

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON AND SAMUEL. A lot of tension.

		REDBEARD
	The best way to ensure the kill
	when you're using trackers is for
	one to shoot while the other uses
	the trackers to force the lion
	toward the shooter. Have you ever
	led trackers?

		PATTERSON
		(He hasn't)
	I can try.

		REDBEARD
		(no good)
	Samuel says you killed a lion.

		PATTERSON
	It was probably luck- I'd rather
	you did the shooting.

		REDBEARD
	You'd never force the lion to me-
	and nobody ever got a lion with
	one shot by luck.
		(points- hand out
		straight)
	Around there's a clearing- you'll
	know it from the anthills- get
	there and hide and listen to the
	sounds- I'll make the lion come
	directly to you.
		(He gestures for
		Patterson to take
		off and as he does-)

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS as Redbeard goes to them-

		REDBEARD
		(as Samuel translates)
	-all of you- spread the width of
	the clearing- no gaps- go-
		(claps his hands once)

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS, spreading apart.

CUT TO

THE SUN. Starting to appear more strongly on the horizon.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, running like hell.

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS, moving quickly, silently.

CUT TO

A THICK CLUSTER 0F THORN TREES.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, ducking his head, blasting through.

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS, starting to cover the entire width of the
thicket.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, quickstepping over rocky terrain.

CUT TO

SAMUEL staying close to Redbeard. The fear is there.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, studying the position of the Warriors, who are
almost ready.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, circling now, racing toward a clearing, picking
up speed.

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS, spread out. They look to Redbeard.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. Not yet.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, racing into the clearing, glances around- lots of
anthills.

CUT TO

AN ANTHILL, eight feet high. It casts a long shadow.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Holding Hawthorne's marvelous rifle, he slips
silently into the shadow.

HOLD ON PATTERSON- it's almost as if he weren't there.

CUT SHARPLY TO

REDBEARD. CLOSE UP. Suddenly screaming and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, screaming too and

CUT TO

THE WHOLE LINE OF WARRIORS, suddenly moving forward, all of
them shouting and screaming and pounding on their drums and
it is loud.

CUT TO

PATTERSON in the shadow. The noise is faint- but he can hear
it.

CUT TO

A DOZEN DRUMMERS, moving forward, banging away.

CUT TO

A DOZEN MORE DRUMMERS, even louder.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, moving forward, his eyes flicking ahead-

CUT TO

THE THICKET AHEAD. Nothing. No movement. No lion.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Just the least bit louder now.

CUT TO

THE WHOLE LINE OF WARRIORS, screaming and pounding and

CUT TO

SAMUEL- the fear worse, dogging Redbeard's steps.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. His eyes flicking ahead.

CUT TO

THE THICKET AHEAD. Nothing. No movement. No lion.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. It's a lot louder now. He's totally still. And
he's ready.

CUT TO

THE DENSEST PART OF THE THICKET we've seen yet.

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS, slashing their way through, drumming and
shouting and

CUT TO

REDBEARD, at their head, eyes, as always, flicking.

CUT TO

THE THICKET AHEAD. Nothing. No movement. No lion.

CUT TO

REDBEARD- starting to suddenly get louder and point-

-because something is there-

CUT BACK TO

THE THICKET AHEAD, and we didn't see it before, only
Redbeard saw it before-

-but now something begins to move and

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND THE WARRIORS and it's all going crazy now, and
they're starting to move faster and

CUT TO

PATTERSON IN THE SHADOW.

The noise has kicked up and all the time it's coming closer
and

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND THE WARRIORS and the movement up ahead is more
distinct and the Warriors are almost in a frenzy as we

CUT TO

A FLASH OF THE GHOST IN THE THICKET- eyes bright- it starts
to move away from the sound-

-and toward where Patterson is waiting.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. Faster, screaming louder and

CUT TO

SAMUEL and the fear starting to leave and he screams louder
too and

CUT TO

PATTERSON- he fingers the weapon.

CUT TO

THE GHOST, angrily retreating faster from the sound- and now
instead of going straight back it begins to veer left and

CUT TO

REDBEARD, immediately spotting the shift, gesturingto the
Warriors to get left and

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS, shifting over as Redbeard directed, blocking
The Ghost's intended path and

CUT TO

THE GHOST, shifting, trying to go the other way this time
and

CUT TO

REDBEARD; he spots that too, gestures for the Warriors to
shift the other way and

CUT TO

THE WARRIORS, racing to thier new positions, blocking the
animal's path again and

CUT TO

THE GHOST, rattled, upset, and now it starts retreating back
in the original direction- toward Patterson and

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND THE WHOLE LONG LINE OF MEN, and it's as if mass
hysteria has gripped them, because their sound keeps
building and sure, their throats must ache and yes, their
arms must tire, but you couldn't tell that from what they're
doing-

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Waiting by the anthill. Waiting. Then, at last-

CUT TO

THE GHOST, backing into view, staring back at the sound,
unaware of Patterson's existence behind him.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Noiselessly he steps away from the anthill into
the sunlight. He raises Hawthorne's gun.

CUT TO

THE GHOST, backing toward Patterson.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, sighting along the glistening barrel.

CUT TO

THE GHOST, starting to turn.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, ready to fire.

CUT TO

THE GHOST IN CLOSE UP, CAUGHT IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF THE
RIFLE. And now its lips go back as it sees Patterson.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, CLOSE UP, and this is it, this is the moment and
as he squeezes the trigger-

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND THE GHOST, and a totally unexpected sound- a
dull snap- Hawthorne's rifle has misfired.

CUT TO

THE GHOST, unharmed and

CUT TO

PATTERSON desperately workingthe rifle, trying to make it
function and

CUT TO

THE GHOST. It stares at Patterson.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, and the goddamn gun won't work and he's a dead
man and

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND THE GHOST-

-and for a moment, they might be frozen in some horrible
tableau-

-THEN THE GHOST ROARS-

CUT TO

REDBEARD as he hears it, breaking into a wild run-

		REDBEARD
	Shoot for chrissakes!-

CUT TO

PATTERSON standing his ground as now THE GHOST takes a step
toward him.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, firing, reloading on the move, and up ahead is the
clearing and as he reaches it-

CUT TO

THE GHOST. Its great head turns in the direction of Redbeard
and

CUT TO

REDBEARD's position- anthills block him from getting a clear
shot at the animal- he curses, races for a better position
and

CUT TO

THE GHOST. One final stare at Patterson-

-then it makes an effortless leap intothe thicket-

-and it's safe and free and gone.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. CLOSE UP. Rocked.

The low point of his life.

CUT TO

SAMUEL, catching up to Redbeard.

		SAMUEL
	Did you ever see a lion that size?

		REDBEARD
	Not even close.
		(Now he moves to
		Patterson)
	What happened?

		PATTERSON
		(a whisper)
	...misfire... it jammed...

		REDBEARD
	Has it ever done that before?

		PATTERSON
	...don't know...

		SAMUEL
	It's Hawthorne's.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. Trying for control.

		REDBEARD
	You exchanged weapons?
		(Patterson nods)
	You went into battle with an
	untried gun?
		(Patterson nods)

CUT TO

REDBEARD. CLOSE UP. For a moment it's impossible to tell
what he's going to do. It seems that a Homeric burst of fury
is about to happen.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Drained, he epects it. It's very quiet.

CUT TO

REEDBEARD, studying the younger man. And when he finally
speaks, his voice is surprisingly quiet.

		REDBEARD
	They have an expression in
	prizefighting: "everyone has a plan
	until they're hit."
		(beat)
	You've just been hit...
		(beat)
	...the getting up is up to you...
		(And he turns, moves
		off and)

CUT TO

THE NEW HOSPITAL.

Nearly finished. The fence is eight feet high and Hawthorne
is supervising men and material that are being transferred.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, checking security in the New Hospital which is
close to the center of camp. (The Old Hospital was situated
on the outskirts, because they wanted to keep the workers
away from the sick and the wounded.) Late afternoon, now.

Patterson, Samuel and Hawthorne are moving with him. As are
TWO EXPERIENCED ORDERLIES, both armed with powerful rifles.
Patterson is silent here, the effects of the misfire still
evident on his face.

		REDBEARD
		(to the Orderlies)
	Gentlemen, there's no sickness smell
	at all here, and little blood. When
	we leave, close the gate securely,
	don't open it til morning and keep
	your fires high. Any questions, ask
	them now.
		(They understand- now
		to Samuel and Hawthorne)
	You two will sleep beautifully in
	your tents.
		(beat)
	And stay there.

		SAMUEL
	And where will you sleep beautifully?

		REDBEARD
		(smile)
	Patterson and I will be in the old
	hospital- where the enticing smell
	of sickness still lingers-
		(beat)
	-and by the time we're done, I
	promise you, the odor of blood will
	be irresistible.
		(And on that-)

CUT TO

THE OLD HOSPITAL. STARTING TO GET DARK.

Redbeard and Patterson have buckets which they empty around
the inside perimeter-

-buckets of blood.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD. Darker. They empty still more full
buckets of blood. Redbeard seems pleased.

CUT TO

SAMUEL AND HAWTHORNE, hurrying toward their camp.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, leading Masai cattle into the
grounds of the Old Hospital.

CUT TO

THE ORDERLIES IN THE NEW HOSPITAL, firmly closing and
locking the gate.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, just outside the fence of the Old
Hospital- they carry many large chunks of raw meat, drop
them as they move.

CUT TO

THE SUN. Dying... dying...

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD. They slip inside the deserted Old
Hospital, pull the gate securely shut.

CUT TO

THE CATTLE. They stand in the center of the Old Hospital,
calling to each other.

CUT TO

THE NEW HOSPITAL. Full. Clean. The men are exhausted. Most
are already asleep. The Orderlies sit by a fire, alert for
anything.

CUT TO

THE OLD HOSPITAL. Patterson and Redbeard stand across from
their fire, waiting. The cows are quiet.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE by his fire near his tent with Samuel. Nervously,
they drink tea.

CUT TO

THE MOON. Higher. An hour has passed. Perhaps more.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. Walking the fence perimeter.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. The cows are edgy. He calms the cows.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE THE OLD HOSPITAL. The large chunks of meat are
visible in the moonlight.

CUT TO

THE NEW HOSPITAL. The orderlies are calm.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, still walking the perimeter.

CUT TO

PATTERSON sitting by the fire, staring at the night.
Redbeard moves to him, speaks in a whisper.

		REDBEARD
	Think about something else.

		PATTERSON
	Have you ever failed?

		REDBEARD
		(sad smile)
	Only in life...
		(He walks away.
		Patterson watches.)

CUT TO

THE NEW HOSPITAL. The Orderlies tend the sick. Quietly.

CUT TO

THE NIGHT AND THE MOON. Lovely.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. Stalking the perimeter. No sound. The night is
deadly quiet.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He stalks the perimeter now too, on the far side
from Redbeard- and suddenly a different and frightening
sound- the ripping of flesh-

CAMERA MOVES UP

Now we can see both Patterson inside and also outside where,
in shadow, The Ghost and The Darkness are devouring a hunk
of meat.

Redbeard moves quickly across the perimeter, gestures for
Patterson to switch positions with him.

As he reaches where Patterson was, the eating sound stops.

Silence again.

Patterson reaches the far side of the fence.

Now the eating sound comes again, and again, BOTH LIONS are
outside, directly across from Patterson.

CUT TO

REDBEARD looks across the perimeter at Patterson. Whatever's
going on, it's sure as hell odd.

CUT TO

THE CATTLE- they are very upset suddenly- one of them kicks
out violently against the night- the same gesture the cattle
did just before The Ghost walked through their pen and
killed one-

-now a different sound is heard: scratching-

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD tracking the sound-

-the main gate is starting to be pushed in. Inside the gate
the ground is covered with blood stains from where they
emptied their buckets.

CUT TO

THE GATE. More pressure against it- it could give way any
moment.

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON and from the look on Redbeard's face,
this is it! Patterson seees this, readies his rifle and we-

CUT TO

THE CATTLE, going nuts and then-

CUT TO

THE GATE. All pressure gone.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD. Patterson is furious.

		PATTERSON
	Goddammit!

		REDBEARD
	It's all right. Stay ready.
		(indicates the blood)
	They know it's there.

Patterson takes a few steps away, stares at the moon.

CUT TO

REDBEARD; he studies Patterson who so clearly craves
redemption.

		REDBEARD
		(going to him)
	Meant to ask you- the railroad car
	trap. Your idea?
		(Patterson nods)
	Excellent notion- I used the same
	device myself once.

		PATTERSON
	But of course yours worked.

		REDBEARD
	In point of fact it didn't- but I'm
	convinced the idea is sound.

He goes back to walking the perimeter. Patterson watches
him- and for the first time since the misfire, Patterson's
mood begins to lift.

CUT TO

THE NEW HOSPITAL

and an ORDERLY, blood pouring from his throat as he lies by
the fire and

CUT TO

THE SECOND ORDERLY rounding a corner, seeing the violence;
before he can scream-

CUT TO

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS suddenly beside him, and their
giant paws slap out so fast we can't follow and

CUT TO

THE SECOND ORDERLY, dropping to the ground, and now we're
starting to spin into madness and these next cuts go like
lightning.

CUT TO

A TENT FULL OF SICK MEN with malaria and

CUT TO

A PAW flashing and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, lips pulling back and

CUT TO

A SICK MAN, falling from his bed, blood pouring from his
slashed face and

CUT TO

TWO MORE SICK MEN, trying to rise and

CUT TO

THE GHOST, leaping on them and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, eyes narrow and brilliant and

CUT TO

A SICK COOLIE, and he's terrified and he tries to scream-

-the sound barely escapes him, but even so, it's the first
cry we've heard and

CUT TO

THE ENTIRE CAMP, NIGHT, WITH ALL THE FIRES BURNING- AND
PATTERSON'S TENT AREA IS CLOSE BY-

-but the New Hospital is on the other end, a good distance
away.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, rifles ready- but no sound reaches
them.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE, out of his tent, because he's close by and he
heard it and he lights a torch, starts for the gate of the
camp as Samuel does his best to stop him-

-but Hawthorne rips free and we

CUT TO

A SECOND TENT, as it starts to collapse and

CUT TO

THE MEDICINE TENT, as The Ghost and The Darkness enter and

CUT TO

MEDICINE, flying across the tent and

CUT TO

GLASS, shattering and more medicine is destroyed and

CUT TO

A BLIZZARD OF CUTS, of lions' claws and lions' teeth and
those terrible bright blazing eyes and

CUT TO

A TENT POLE, being pulled out of the ground and

CUT TO

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS and what they are doing is this:
destroying the New Hospital and

CUT TO

MORE TENTS collapsing and

CUT TO

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS. CLOSE UP. Eyes crazed.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE ALONE IN THE NIGHT, scared shitless as he runs.

CUT TO

SHADOWS, moving, as Hawthorne's torch lights the
surroundings and

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE, heart pounding, looking around and then he gasps
as we

CUT TO

THE AREA NEARBY- TWO LARGE EYES are staring at him.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE, panicked, stumbling, falling, getting up, staring
around-

CUT TO

THE AREA AROUND HIM- the eys are gone-

-and now there are loud shrieks in the night coming from the
New Hospital and the instant they are heard

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON, grabbing torches, throwing the gate
open and they're off as we

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE, running toward the New Hospital just up ahead
now.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, tearing through the night.

CUT TO

THE NEW HOSPITAL. (We see all this next through Hawthorne's
eyes.) The tents are all down. The place is devastated.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE FIRST TENT. Filled with the dead and the dying.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE. Ashen. Moving on.

CUT TO

PAN ALONG THE TENT

Dead. Blood. Pain.

PAN TO THE SECOND TENT

More dead.

More dying.

It's a slaughterhouse.

CUT TO

HAWTHORNE. He's crushed. His body sags. He takes a breath,
his last.

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS are on him, roaring.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD as the roar reverberates- they glance
at each other-

-then they slow.

Because the New Hospital has come into view.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, CLOSE UP, staring at the disaster.

And this terrible crosses his face. For a moment, you think
he's going to fall. His body seems drained of all its power.
He stands there. Just stands there. Unable to move.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. And he does move. Slowly. Carefully. Into the
chaos.

He stares around- the dead and the dying are everywhere.
Hawthorne, his face clawed almost unrecognizably, lies
alone.

All that's left now is this: the sound of pain.

HOLD.

Dust rises. It covers everything. Only the sound remains.

Now different sounds take over-

-an incredible babble of human voices.

AND A RAILROAD TRAIN.

Patterson walks through the dust. Samuel, a worried look on
his face, is a few steps behind.

We are at the STATION AREA and it is jammed. A train has
pulled into the station-

-only you almost can't tell it's a train: all you can see
are workers climbing up, and the inside is full so the
workers clamber up onto the roofs of the cars-

-covering the cars-

-everyone is leaving-

-Patterson can only watch.

Abdullah stands on one of the cars-

-the train begins to pull out of the station.

More and more workers chase after it, get pulled on.

Now the station area is empty, the flat car roofs full.

Patterson still watches, eyes vacant.

Abdullah sees him, looks away.

The train gathers speed.

Rounds a corner...

...gone...

Patterson turns from the scene, begins to walk. Samuel stays
close behind him, the worried look still there.

CUT TO

THE OLD HOSPITAL.

A FEW AFRICAN ORDERLIES do the best they can. Patterson
watches only a moment, walks on. Samuel still behind him.

CUT TO

THE CAMP as Patterson walks through. A ghost town now. Only
Africans remain.

CUT TO

THE CONTRAPTION where the coolies missed The Darkness.
Patterson looks at it a moment, walks on.

CUT TO

THE ANTHILL IN THE CLEARING where Patterson misfired.
Patterson looks at it a moment, walks on. And now, at last-

CUT TO

PATTERSON'S TENT AREA. One or two Africans. Samuel darts
into his tent, emerges with something, holds it out to
Patterson.

IT'S A NECKLACE OF LION CLAWS.

Patterson makes an almost courtly bow of thanks, puts it on-
he never takes it off again. He walks on alone now until at
last-

CUT TO

THE BRIDGE.

It stops abruptly, halfway done; the foundations are in
place, a lot of the scaffolding, but it's useless. Late
afternoon. Desolate.

Redbeard sits alone, high on one of the foundations. He
looks as he did the night before.

Patterson walks to the top of the near embankment. He is
unshaven, wrinkled, he fingers the lion claw necklace.

For a moment, neither says a word. Then-

		REDBEARD
		(out of the blue)
	It would have been a beautiful
	bridge, John. I never noticed
	before, occupied with other
	business, I	suppose...
		(He's rambling)
	...never really pay much attention
	to that kind of thing but I've had
	the time today, nothing else on,
	and this... it's graceful and the
	placement couldn't be prettier...
	and...
		(He goes silent now,
		stares off)

		PATTERSON
	You just got hit.
		(Redbeard nods)
	The getting up is up to you- but
	they're only lions-
		(beat)
	-and I'm going after them crack
	of dawn...
		(And on that-)

CUT TO

A LONG SHOT OF A HIGH ROCKY CLIFF-

-we haven't seen anything like it before- it's hundreds of
feet tall- gorgeous early morning light.

As we watch, we realize there are two dots on the side of
the cliff.

As we watch a moment more, we realize the dots are moving.

CAMERA MOVES CLOSER.

THE DOTS are Patterson and Redbeard, working their way along
the rock face. Patterson is much more nimble. It's
dangerous, of course, but neither of them seems to have that
uppermost in mind. They travel lightly- small knapsacks and
their weapons.

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM as they make it over the cliff face. They
stand, stare out.

CUT TO

WHAT THEY SEE: the world. They move on.

CUT TO

A RAVINE. They are moving along the edge. It's tricky going-
if you fell you wouldn't much like it. They are both
concentrating on their movements, paying no attention to
each other as Redbeard starts to speak. They don't stop
moving.

		REDBEARD
	In my town, when I was little,
	there was a brute, a bully who
	terrorized the place.
		(beat)
	But he was not the problem. He
	had a brother who was worse than
	he. But the brother was not the
	problem.
		(beat)
	One or the other of them was
	usually in jail. The problem came
	when they were both free togther.
	The two became different from
	either alone.
		(beat)
	Alone they were only brutes.
	Together they became lethal,
	together they killed.

		PATTERSON
	What happened to them?

		REDBEARD
		(pause)
	I got big.
		(They move on)

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD working their way up a steep ravine.
It's hard going. They help each other.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, moving along the edge of the ravine
now. Slow. Silent. Redbeard stops, points-

CUT TO

A TANGLE IN THE BUSHES AND THORNS with one odd thing about
it: there is a clearly defined archway, as if a buffalo or
rhino used it as a regular passage.

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM at the archway. They look at each other,
without a word move through it.

CUT TO

THE OTHER SIDE. A small clearing. And at the end of the
clearing: a cave.

CUT TO

THE CAVE MOUTH. Dark.

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON. They each check their guns, move
toward it.

CUT TO

THE CAVE MOUTH. Closer. Suddenly it's getting eerie.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, moving slowly, Patterson right with him.

CUT TO

THE CAVE MOUTH. They're by it- Redbeard squints inside.

CUT TO

WHAT HE SEES: it's dark and dangerous and there is a long
low tunnel you have to half-crawl through.

Without a word, they start inside.

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON, crouched low, moving through the
tunnel. Ahead there is light. They move on.

CUT TO

THE END OF THE TUNNEL- they can see the cave beyond.

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON. They glance down. Nothing much
there- just a copper bracelet, the kind a native might wear.

Now they move past it and as the tunnel ends, they stand up.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE CAVE - IT'S BIG.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, moving deeper into the cave. It's
scary- dark with shafts of light coming from cracks in the
rock. It's dank. It all feels as at any moment, the world
could end.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. CLOSE UP. Thunderstruck-

		REDBEARD
	Dear God-
		(And on those words-)

CUT TO

THE FLOOR OF THE CAVE. More copper bracelets. And still
more-

-and now bones-

-the floor of the place is littered with human bones-

-eyeless skulls peer up at them from all around.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

The rest of the cave. We are looking at a carpet of bones.

		PATTERSON
	Their den?
		(Redbeard nods)
	Have you ever seen anything like
	this?

		REDBEARD
	Nobody's seen anything like this.
	Lions don't have caves like this-
		(beat)
	-they're doing it for pleasure.

CUT TO

SEVERAL TUNNELS, dark and ominous, leading from the cave-

-and now there is a sound from one of the tunnels-

-something is coming close and coming fast and

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON as Redbeard fires into the tunnel and
the sound explodes-

CUT TO

THE TUNNEL-

-shrieks-

CUT TO

REDBEARD AND PATTERSON. What the hell is it?

CUT TO

THE TUNNEL- and here they come, screeching and angry-

-bats-

-swarms of them- hundreds of them-

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, diving to the ground, lying there
amidst the bangles and the bones and the skulls-

CUT TO

THE BATS. Circling above them. Screeching louder.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, lying very still, eyeless skulls all
around, staring.

CUT TO

THE BATS. For a moment, it seems as if they might attack.

CUT TO

PATTRSON AND REDBEARD. Waiting, waiting. Then-

CUT TO

THE BATS  back into the tunnel and

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, scrambling to their feet.

		REDBEARD
	One of my chief attributes is that
	I'm always calm.

And then without warning, from behind them, a roar-

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD spin around, start back toward the
entrance of the cave-

CUT TO

THE LOW ENTRANCE TUNNEL as they scramble half-crawling
through it.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE as they make it, stand straight, look around-

CUT TO

THICK BUSH beyond- another roar and sudden movement and

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, entering the thick bush- but
carefully, because they are vulnerable now and an attack
could come from anywhere- there is the sound of water-

-slashes of light hit their eyes, making it hard to see- and
they're totally vulnerable now but it doesn't stop them- the
water sound gets stronger- and as they burst clear-

CUT TO

AN AMAZING PLACE- AN AREA OF FLAT ROCK SPLIT UP AHEAD BY A
WIDE FAST-RUNNING WATERFALL.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD. They look around. Nothing is there.
But the spot is wide open, exposed.

		PATTERSON
		(The words pour out)
	Where could it have gone? How
	could it get across the water?
		(looks at Redbeard)
	They're only lions, yes?

		REDBEARD
		(shakes his head; he
		doesn't know)
	Don't they have to be?...

They look around a moment more. Nothing to see-

-they turn, leave, re-enter the thick bush. And now-

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS- who knows where it is but it's there-

-watching Patterson.

HOLD BRIEFLY on The Darkness, then-

CUT TO

PATTERSON'S TENT AREA. JUST BEFORE DAWN-

-outside the fence a dreadful sound- the crunching of bones.

Patterson, Redbeard, and Samuel emerge from tents, listen.
Patterson is on one side of the area, Redbeard and Samuel on
the other.

		SAMUEL
		(pointing)
	Both of them over there.

He is pointing to Patterson's area. Patterson goes to
Redbeard.

		PATTERSON
	Ever have to use a machan?
		(Redbeard hasn't)
	I did once. In India. We will
	tonight.
		(Now from that-)

CUT TO

A CLEARING. LATER IN THE DAY.

Patterson leads the few remaining men in constructing an odd
looking structure: four slender poles lashed together,
slanting inward with a plank tied on top, a dozen feet up in
the air. Redbeard and Samuel approach.

		PATTERSON
	They're used to people in trees,
	not in a clearing.
		(indicating the plank)
	It may be tight.

		REDBEARD
	Not for me- I'm too bulky and it's
	your idea, you go up there.
		(to Samuel)
	Take the others to the water tower
	for the night.

		PATTERSON
	I'll be bait alone?

		REDBEARD
	Yes. And I'll be in some distant
	tree where I can provide no
	assistance whatsoever.
		(beat)
	Can you control your fear?

		PATTERSON
	I'll have to.

		REDBEARD
	I can't control mine- I'd be lost
	without the shame factor driving me.

		PATTERSON
	Was that supposed to make me feel
	better?
		(Redbeard doesn't
		reply. Now-)

CUT TO

A DONKEY BEING LED IN. LATER.

THE MEN start to tie it down, across the clearing from the
machan.

Patterson takes a long look at the machan. He tests the
support poles- they're rickety.

CUT TO

DUSK. The sun quickly beginning its quick fall.

CUT TO

THE WATER TOWER IN THE STATION AREA. Samuel is with the
remaining men who clamber up to the platform on top.

CUT TO

THE DONKEY IN THE CLEARING. Quiet.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

Redbeard, holding a wooden ladder that is propped against
the plank. Patterson climbs his slow way up. It's dangerous.

CUT TO

THE PLANK as Patterson makes it, clambers off the ladder,
manages to sit.

CUT TO

THE VIEW. Nothing is around the machan. He is totally
vulnerable.

CUT TO

REDBEARD, taking the ladder down. Patterson tries to get
comfortable. He can't.

		REDBEARD
		(glancing around)
	It's certainly the best chance
	they've had to kill you.

		PATTERSON
	You think they'll come then?
		(Redbeard does)
	Why?

		REDBEARD
		(not answering)
	Good luck.

		PATTERSON
	Why?

		REDBEARD
		(beat)
	Because I think they're after you.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. This registers. Finally, he nods. Redbeard starts
to leave.

		PATTERSON
	How many do you think they've
	killed?

		REDBEARD
		(reluctantly)
	The most of any lions... a
	hundred...?
		(beat)
	Probably more.
		(Now Redbeard looks
		up at the younger man)
	Johnny...?

They study each other in the gathering darkness. They've
been through a lot together, these two. They're not what
they were when they first met. An emotional moment clearly
is at hand.

		REDBEARD
	Don't fuck up.
		(And he turns, never
		looks back, just goes)

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He is alone now.

CUT TO

SHADOWS. Growing longer.

CUT TO

SAMUEL. On top of the water tower. The remaining men are
with him.

CUT TO

THE DONKEY. It peers around.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. His fingers move slowly along his rifle barrel-

-there is no noise- but you have the sense that, at any
second, the world could explode.

CUT TO

THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING, a good distance away. A bunch of
trees. Nothing unusual.

MOVE IN CLOSER:

Redbeard, motionless, rifle in hand, is high in the
branches.

CUT TO

THE SUN. About to die.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, trying to get comfortable. It's not possible.

CUT TO

THE DONKEY, tethered, but able to move.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, testing the machan- not a good idea- it trembles.
He stops, stares out at the setting sun, the light hitting
his skin, giving it color.

CUT TO

THE SUN and here's the thing about Africa- the sun doesn't
just set, it literally drops out of the sky. Suddenly it's
bright and in a blink it isn't. As it drops-

CUT TO

PATTERSON. CLOSE UP. It's madness that he's up here. And he
knows it. And that shows.

CUT TO

THE SKY. No moon. Just thick cloud.

CUT TO

THE DONKEY. Quiet.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. On his precarious perch. He scans constantly
ahead of him past the donkey.

CUT TO

THE THICK BUSH BEYOND THE DONKEY. Nothing moves-

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He swallows, moistening his throat. He stares
down at the donkey.

CUT TO

THE DONKEY. LATER. MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. DARK.

And now, just the beginning of a mist.

CUT TO

THE SKY. THICKER AND THICKER CLOUDS. LATER STILL. GETTING
TOWARD MORNING.

CUT TO

PATTERSON sitting there twelve feet up as the silence
extends, listening for something, anything-

-but all there is is silence.

CUT TO

THE DONKEY. It lies still and quiet.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, looking around- you get the feeling he'd like to
scream.

CUT TO

THE BUSHES AROUND HIM. The mist is getting stronger.

CUT TO

REDBEARD in his tree, cursing, trying to see through the
growing mist.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, listening, listening-

-and then there is a sound and it's so quiet you can barely
hear it but to Patterson it might as well be thunder-

-from behind the donkey there has come this: the snapping of
a twig.

CUT TO

THE DONKEY, and it's eyes widen-

HOLD ON THE DONKEY.

Because now something happens that hasn't happened before:
suddenly there are no colors, only tones-

-because lions can't see colors, only tones, and that's
what's happening- we are looking at the donkey from the
point of view of the lion-

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

THE EYES OF THE GHOST. Watching the donkey.

And from now on, when we are using PATTERSON'S POINT OF
VIEW, everything is clouded and thick with mist, and sounds
are muted.

When we are using THE GHOST'S POINT OF VIEW, everything is
totally clear- and sounds are thunderous.

CUT TO

WHAT PATTERSON SEES: just mist and vaguely, bushes.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: The donkey. And CAMERA begins to move
closer as The Ghost moves, just the barest few steps closer.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Still no sound- but beyond the donkey there seems
to be some movement in the bushes.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: The donkey, very, very close-

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Squinting desperately at the area beyond the
donkey but the mist is so thick, he can't make certain of
anything.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: THE DONKEY.

HOLD.

Now there is something else visible, something behind the
donkey: the four legs of the platform.

HOLD.

Now we travel up the platform- the four legs grow closer
together.

HOLD AS THE GHOST AT LAST SEES PATTERSON.

CUT TO

THE EYES OF THE GHOST. NARROWING.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Involuntarily, a shiver.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON, but the angle shifts-

-what's happening of course is this: The Ghost is circling
around the platform in the safety of the bushes and the
mist.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, following the whispered sound of the bushes
moving. He half turns the other way quickly, making sure
that nothing is behind him.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON shifting as the angle
continues to change.

CUT TO

PATTERSON as the realization hits: the beast doesn't care
about the donkey anymore, it's stalking him.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. In the tree. The mist obscures everything.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON. Still circling, still
closer.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, and it's scary now, this thing circling and
circling, always closer, never visible and his throat is dry
and you know he's just dying to blast it with his weapon or
scream for it to do anything but this constantly circling
movement. (In truth, the lion circled him for two hours,
always coming closer, never quite seen.)

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON, always the circling around.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, trying to turn on his shaky plank, trying to
never to let the animal's position out of his sight.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON. Closer...

CUT TO

PATTERSON, staring, staring at the goddamn mist, about to
come apart now with the tension as it builds and builds and
builds and

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON. Closer.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, gripping his weapon tightly as his head keeps on
turning.

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON. Closer.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, suddenly yelling out loud as an owl lands on him-
that's right, a goddamn owl landed on him, thinking he was a
tree, almost knocking him off the plank and

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON, starting to slip off the
platform and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, fighting the owl away, but his balance is going
and he's trying not to fall and

CUT TO

WHAT THE GHOST SEES: PATTERSON, beginning to topple off and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, helpless, balance going, going-

CUT TO

THE GHOST, starting to charge forward and Christ he can move
and as he starts his leap-

CUT TO

REDBEARD, racing from the tree to the edge of the clearing,
firing his rifle, firing again and

CUT TO

THE GHOST, as this incredible roar comes from him, and he
spins, lands, and sure, he's been hit but he's gone, back
into the bushes and the night has him and

CUT TO

SUDDEN DAWN AND PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, running, stopping,
staring at the ground-

CUT TO

THE GROUND. Blood.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD, moving quickly forward again-

CUT TO

THE GROUND. More blood and...

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM, starting to slow-

CUT TO

STRANGE TERRAIN- huge anthills all over, the tallest we've
seen, some of them fifteen feet high, some even higher.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND REDBEARD. They separate, take different paths
through the anthills.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. Alert. One step at a time.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. The same. One step at at time.

CUT TO

THE GHOST. Crouched high up behind one of the biggest
anthills, staring down at them both.

CUT TO

REDBEARD. He gestures for them to stop. They do. For a
moment they might be statues.

CUT TO

THE ROCKY GROUND. Spots of blood. Redbeard kneels to examine
them and as he does-

CUT TO

THE GHOST, launched in mid-air and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, whirling, falling, firing and as the sound
detonates-

CUT TO

THE GHOST, in mid-air, body twisted and-

-and FREEZE.

Freeze on The Ghost silhouetted against the morning sky.

HOLD. THen-

CUT TO

SAMUEL, WALKING INTO THE SHOT-

-we're by the river and this is a repeat of the earlier
moment when the three men brought the old man-eater into
camp-

-only now eight men appear, carrying The Ghost- eight is the
actual number of men that it took, and as they lower the
dead animal to the ground-

CUT TO

THE GHOST- and now there's a flash of light as we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

BEAUMONT, kneeling by the dead animal. He is smiling
beautifully, and there is no questioning the look of triumph
on his face.

CUT TO

A PHOTOGRAPHER; loads of bulky equipment. Patterson and
Redbeard stand behind him, watching him. We're in a lovely
spot by the river. Patterson and Redbeard have definitely
been drinking.

		BEAUMONT
	I think another for posterity-
	this is an important moment in
	my life.

He strikes another pose- the Photographer goes to work.

		BEAUMONT
	Understand, I had help-

		PATTERSON
	-not a time for modesty, Bob-

		REDBEARD
	-undeniably your triumph.

		BEAUMONT
	Oh surely there's enough credit
	for us all- let's not forget, you
	did the actual shooting. Of course,
	I hired you, I was the general who
	put the team together. And generals
	are the ones who tend to be
	remembered.

		PHOTOGRAPHER
	Perhaps you might put your head in
	its mouth, sir- could be a corker.

		BEAUMONT
	Clever idea, I like it.

CUT TO

THE MOUTH OF THE GHOST- it is huge-

-Beaumont manages to get it open- puts his head between the
enormous set of teeth- he's nervous, tries to hide it when
we

CUT TO

REDBEARD suddenly giving a loud imitation of a lion roaring
and

CUT TO

BEAUMONT, surprised and frightened-

-he jerks his head away-

-there is the sound of laughter, Patterson's and Redbeard's-

-Beaumont tries for his smile, can't bring it off, looks
around, humiliated, and as the laughter builds-

CUT TO

THE TENT AREA. NIGHT.

Patterson and Redbeard flank a fire. It's a sweet moment for
them, their first, no fear in the vicinity.

It should be noted that they both are drinking from bottles
of champagne.

It should also be noted that the Patterson we see is a world
away from the young man who went to meet Beaumont. He's
unshaven, his eyes have seen terrible things, he is weary,
he has known failure- he is more at ease with the world.

		PATTERSON
		(drunk)
	I never thought I'd say this, but
	I'm glad you came.

		REDBEARD
		(drunk)
	Understood- you realize now you
	could never have done it without
	me.

		PATTERSON
	Actually, I could have done it
	much more easily without you, but
	for whatever reason, I'm glad you
	came.
		(They toast each other)

Samuel, with his own bottle of champagne has wandered over,
joins them.

		SAMUEL
		(drunk)
	Where do you go next?

		REDBEARD
	Some Russian princes want to hunt
	the Himalayas. You?

		SAMUEL
	Help finish the railroad.

		PATTERSON
	I want to meet my son- he must be
	what, two months old?

They look at the fire a moment. Then-

		SAMUEL
	Three years I've worked for the
	railroad. Now I don't know why. It
	seemed a good idea once.

		PATTERSON
	I feel the same about the bridge.
	This country certainly didn't ask
	for it, doesn't need it.

		REDBEARD
	Too soon to tell.

They look at him.

		REDBEARD
	My life was shaped because someone
	invented gunpowder. Our lives have
	crossed because two lions went mad.
	But what if in the future the three
	of us do something grand for
	humanity? Was that worth all the
	lives? Too soon to tell.

		SAMUEL
		(drinks)
	Some mysteries should not have
	solutions.

		REDBEARD
		(finishes his bottle,
		rises, looks at Patterson)
	Hold your son high.
		(And he turns, goes
		to his tent)

		PATTERSON
		(beat- quietly)
	He has children?

		SAMUEL
		(beat- quietly)
	Once...
		(HOLD on the two
		in the firelight. Then-)

CUT TO

THE STATION MASTER AT TSAVO STATION, WORKING IN HIS OFFICE.
THE NEXT DAY.

		FEMALE VOICE (over)
	I'd like to see John Patterson,
	please.
		(As he looks up-)

CUT TO

HELENA standing there in Tsavo; she looks weary from travel,
but still lovely. She holds their son in her arms. The kid
is adorable.

		HELENA
	Could you tell him that his wife-
		(catches herself, smiles)
	-that his family has come to see him.
		(On that-)

CUT TO

PATTERSON AT THE BRIDGE- Samuel hurries to him with the
news- Patterson takes off running and

CUT TO

TSAVO STATION and Helena; she holds the sleeping child,
walks back and forth along the shaded front of the building,
no sound at all but her heels.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, running like crazy and up ahead now is the
station area.

CUT TO

HELENA- and now, in the distance, she sees him and she
leaves the building, walks out into the open, smiling and
waving excitedly and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, excitedly waving back and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, moving out of the grassy area behind Helena
and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, suddenly screaming "Get back- back-"

CUT TO

HELENA, and she's too far away- his words are lost on the
wind- she smiles again, waves again and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, screaming now, all he has, "GET BACK" and

CUT TO

HELENA, and she still can't make out what he's saying but
just the same, she stops and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, stalking silently, closing on the mother and
child.

CUT TO

HELENA, and the baby wakes, smiles and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, starting to run and

CUT TO

PATTERSON and now it shows on his face- he's not going to
get there, he's never going to get there-

CUT TO

HELENA, and at last she knows something is terribly wrong
and she turns-

-but too late, too late as we

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, flying toward her now and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, in agony.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, leaping on them, taking them to the ground and
as Helena cries out helplessly-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, crying out helplessly and

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PATTERSON IN HIS TENT,

continuing to cry out until he realized the nightmare he
just had is over-

-he staggers to his tent opening, goes outside.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE. It's dawn. Patterson, shaken, tries to rid himself
of the dream. He looks around.

Redbeard's tent is ripped- Patterson runs to it-

CUT TO

INSIDE THE TENT. It's empty. Patterson stares around-

-there is blood on the tent floor and quickly-

CUT TO

THE SUN. RISING.

CUT TO

PATTERSON running wildly, rifle in hand and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, carrying a weapon, hurrying to keep up and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, flying across rough terrain and as he and Samuel
splash across a small river, he gestures for them to split
and they do, widening the area of search and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, veering off and

CUT TO

THORN TREES, as Patterson rips through them, unmindful of
the damage to his clothes or his skin and

CUT TO

MORE THORNS- he plunges wildly ahead and

CUT TO

A LARGE ANTHILL- it seems to be casting an unusual shadow-
Patterson slows, rifle ready, takes a breath, moves around
it-

-nothing at all- just his imagination which has been working
overtime and is only getting worse-

Patterson stands there a moment, unsure where to go, what to
do-

-and then SAMUEL'S VOICE on the wind- calling to him-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, tracking the sound- Samuel's voice cries out
again, louder-

-Patterson starts to run and run, and as he rounds a bend-

CUT TO

A FIELD OF WHITE GRASS. So lovely.

With one patch in the middle that is blood red.

Something is moving in the blood red area.

Patterson has his rifle ready-

-and then Samuel rises from the blood red patch.

CUT TO

SAMUEL. In shock, in despair, call it what you want- he has
seen something beyond imagination.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, rushing across the field of white grass, rushing
to where Samuel stands in the patch of blood red grass- he
looks down into the grass-

-clearly, Redbeard is there and clearly he is dead.
Patterson and Samuel stare mute at one another-

-and now, from frighteningly near them, comes the triumphant
roar of The Darkness. They don't even react.

CUT TO

FLAMES RISING IN THE LATE AFTERNOON.

We should already have a sense of where we are; we've done
this before.

START PULLING BACK.

Samuel stands there, trying to hold it together.

KEEP PULLING BACK.

Patterson stands there too, trying to hold it together.

KEEP PULLING BACK TO REVEAL

REDBEARD'S FUNERAL PYRE. Flames consume the body.

Just Patterson and Samuel. No one else is there.

The flames lick at the sky...

HOLD...

CUT TO

A LARGE BABOON. ONE LEG IS TIED TO THE END OF THE BRIDGE.
GETTING DARK NOW.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL, both armed, climbing the crane tower
in use at the bridge, not far from the baboon.

		PATTERSON
	You're positive lions hate baboons?
		(Samuel is)
	Pebbles?
		(Samuel holds up a bag)
	Let's get it over with.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL as they reach the crane tower platform,
fifteen feet from the baboon.

They help each other into position. Almost night.

CUT TO

THE LARGE BABOON, baring its enormous teeth, shrieking out
into the darkness.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL on the platform. Samuel tosses a pebble
toward the baboon and the baboon cries out again, not in
pain but irritation-

CUT TO

THE PLATFORM. PATTERSON AND SAMUEL ARE FLOODED BY MOONLIGHT.
IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

They're both tired. Samuel throws another pebble. The baboon
cries out.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, TENSE, ON THE PLATFORM. MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

He's tossing pebbles now as Samuel dozes. Paterson looks
wild; only nervous energy is keeping him going now.

CUT TO

THE SKY. The moon. Peaceful- then it turns bright yellow and
frightening black clouds gather and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, blinking, coming hard back to reality because the
sky is not yellow nor were there black clouds- he's starting
to hallucinate.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL ON THE PLATFORM.

Samuel is awake now. Patterson stares at the river which is
calm.

CUT TO

THE RIVER, raging and black and lethal.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, hallucinating again.

CUT TO

JUST BEFORE DAWN

and The Darkness suddenly is there, creeping across the
bridge toward the shrieking baboon and the instant it
appears-

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Firing-

CUT TO

-THE DARKNESS, and it's hit and it roars and goes down and-

CUT TO

-PATTERSON, turning, reaching for Samuel's rifle, grabbing
it, turning back, ready to fire again-

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS- gone.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL, blinking, looking around.

		PATTERSON
	Where is it?

		SAMUEL
		(pointing down)
	Underneath.
		(beat)
	Somewhere.

CUT TO

WHERE HE'S POINTING. The superstructure for the bridge- it
goes several levels beneath the level where the railroad
will run.

They look at each other- not good news and we find out why
when we

CUT TO

EARLY MORNING LIGHT.

Patterson and Samuel climb carefully down from their
platform to the railroad level. They reach the railroad
level. PAtterson releases the baboon which races away.

CUT TO

WHERE THEY ARE. At the end of the bridge where they began
construction. The bridge, two thirds finished, stretches
away before them.

CUT TO

They begin to walk the incomplete bridge... carefully...

..as they go the look down through the crevices of their
level, making sure they miss nothing.

CUT TO

SAMUEL. Terrified. Holding his rifle extremely tightly.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Ready for anything.

CUT TO

THE BRIDGE up ahead of them. There are some holes.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL slowing.

CUT TO

THE HOLES. The nearest one is the largest.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He goes on tiptoe, trying to see what's in the
hole.

CUT TO

THE HOLE. It seems empty.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL. One step forward. Another. They hold
their breaths.

CUT TO

THE HOLE. It seems empty.

CUT TO

A SHOT FROM BELOW BRIDGE LEVEL- The Darkness is there.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, firing.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, going down through another level of
scaffolding.

CUT TO

PATTRSON AND SAMUEL, trying to track it.

CUT TO

THE SCAFFOLDING. Nothing is visible.

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND SAMUEL- Frozen. They listen-

-nothing but their breathing.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, looking around everywhere.

CUT TO

THE HOLE. Nothing.

CUT TO

THE FIRST LEVEL of scaffolding. Nothing.

CUT TO

THE SECOND LEVEL of scaffolding. Nothing.

CUT TO

SAMUEL, looking this way, that way.

SHOCK CUT TO

THE HOLE AS THE DARKNESS JUST FUCKING FLIES OUT OF IT-
Patterson falls back and fires and The Darkness is hit and
goes down but it gets up and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, turning for Samuel's rifle-

-only Samuel isn't there-

-he's taken off for the trees at the end of the bridge and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS ROARING AND

CUT TO

PATTERSON and he turns, starts running too, running across
the narrow half-completed bridge and it's a bitch to do it
without slipping or falling and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, wounded, sure, but the mother can still run
and it takes off after Patterson and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, making it to the end of the bridge and jumping for
the nearest tree and

CUT TO

PATTERSON running for his life across the bridge and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, closing the gap and ordinarily Patterson would
be a dead man but even though The Darkness hasn't got its
ordinary speed, it's still faster than Patterson and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, and he's never gone this fast in his life and

CUT TO

THE TREE HE'S HEADED FOR, a different one from Samuel's and
it's just up ahead and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, closing and

CUT TO

THE TREE, and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, springing into the air now and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, diving for the lowest branch, grabbing hold with
both hands, swinging his body up as we

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, barely missing as Patterson gets his body onto
the branch and now comes this insane roar and

CUT TO

SAMUEL with his rifle, as he climbs higher into his tree.

CUT TO

PATTERSON in the next tree, climbing higher, until he's
fifteen feet up.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, on the ground, circling the trunk of
Patterson's tree, raging with frustration.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, exhausted but it's okay now, he's safe, and as he
looks across at the next tree not far away where Samuel is-

		SAMUEL
		(embarrassed)
	Afraid of lions.

CUT TO

PATTERSON.

		PATTERSON
	It's all right, Samuel- we all
	get hit-
		(Now he shuts up
		fast and-)

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, as it does this incredible thing- it starts to
climb the tree after Patterson. Lions are cats and when they
want to climb, up they go and that's what The Darkness is
doing now, going up and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, and it's terrifying- he reaches for the branch
above, climbing higher and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, climbing higher too and the tree is sturdy but
there is a four hundred pound thing rocking it now and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, going still higher but the branches are getting
thinner and the tree is shaking, and he could fall-

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, climbing on, nothing can stop it-

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND THE DARKNESS, together in the tree, and
there's no further Patterson can go and it's harder for The
Darkness too, but slowly it moves in and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, calling out-

		PATTERSON
	Samuel!
		(And he gestures for
		the rifle and the
		instant he does-)

CUT TO

SAMUEL, and he takes the rifle between his two hands and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, steadily moving in and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, tossing the rifle with great care and Patterson's
less than fifteen feet away and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, hands out to catch it and

CUT TO

THE RIFLE in mid-air and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, both hands ready and

CUT TO

THE RIFLE as it strikes a tree branch, spins away to the
ground.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, almost on Patterson now and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, suddenly leaping out of the tree, and yes it's a
long way and sure it's going to damage him but sometimes
there aren't a lot of choices in this world and

CUT TO

SAMUEL, staring as Patterson falls and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, crashing hard to earth, stunned, hurt, ribs
broken, leg broken and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, and it's so big it's hard for it to get room
to turn but it does and

CUT TO

PATTERSON crawling for the rifle, and he's in terrible pain
but he reaches the weapon, grabs for it and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, skittering down the tree and as it reaches the
ground

CUT TO

PATTERSON, forcing himself to his feet and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, a dozen feet away as with a roar it starts its
charge.

CUT TO

PATTERSON, aims, fires and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, hit again and down it goes again but up it
comes again and

CUT TO

PATTERSON, firing the final shot and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, hit again and it has to stop, it just has to-

-but it doesn't.

It roars and roars and moves slowly toward Patterson.

CUT TO

PATTERSON; all bullets gone, no place to hide.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS. Still moving forward.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He takes a step backward, falls backwards over a
branch, lands hard and

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, framed between Patterson's legs. Six feet
away, now four, now-

CUT TO

PATTERSON, helpless on the ground.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, and the eyes glow-

-a branch is on the ground in front of it- it buries its
huge teeth into the branch-

-now a long dying sigh... and it goes to the ground.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. Can't breathe.

CUT TO

THE DARKNESS, dead, its teeth still buried in the tree
branch.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. CLOSE UP. And suddenly he just empties and tears
pour down his face and he begins to cry out loud, his body
wracked with sobs. He manages to get to his knees, moves
next to the animal-

CUT TO

PATTERSON AND THE DARKNESS. Just the sound of Patterson's
tears...

HOLD.

KEEP HOLDING.

CAMERA BEGINS TO RISE-

-WE ARE LOOKING AT THE BRIDGE NOW- AND IT'S FINISHED!

-hundreds of people are watching as the first train goes oer
it-

-Samuel is there- lighting up the world with his smile-

-and Patterson's there, too. He stands with Helena, his
young son in his arms.

Everybody smiles, everybody waves, the train goes
triumphantly by.

CUT TO

PATTERSON. He looks wonderful again, vibrant and young.
Watching him, you might think he hadn't been through the
nightmare as he stands there, holding the boy tightly.

But with his other hand, he fingers the lion claw
necklace...

HOLD ON PATTERSON.

Now slowly dissolve to an African evening. Animals stretch
from one horizon to the other.

		SAMUEL VOICE (over)
	Here we still wonder about them.
	How did they escape for nine months?
	And kill 135 men? And stop the
	railroad?
		(beat)
	And were they only lions?
		(beat)
	If you want to decide for yourself,
	you must go to America. They are at
	the Field Museum in Chicago, and
	even now, after they have been dead
	a century, if you dare to lock eyes
	with them...
		(beat)
	...you will be afraid.

In the distance, the animals continue to move.

		SAMUEL VOICE (over)
	Sleep well.

HOLD ON THE ANIMALS. They seem to go on forever...

FINAL FADE OUT.


THE END