THE GORGE screenplay by Scott Nicholson Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Scott Nicholson
over. Raintree and Dove stare up the sheer rock face, ropes around their shoulders, belaying pitons and pick hammers stuck in their belts.
RAINTREE
Slippery when wet.
DOVE
We can die waiting or we can die climbing.
RAINTREE
Something’s up there.
DOVE
Great. More ancient Cherokee spirits?
Raintree launches himself up the rock face, free climbing.
RAINTREE
We’ll see.
CUT TO:
EXT. CLEARING IN WOODS. DUSK.
Farrengalli has Castle propped under the canopy, near the fire. Castle is semi-conscious, moans occasionally. Farrengalli checks the red bandage on Castle’s shoulder. The inflated Muskrat lies at the edge of the makeshift camp. It is turned over, and rain drums off of it.
FARRENGALLI
Only a crazy fucker would climb up where they are. We’re better off on the ground, buddy.
CASTLE
I got an idea.
FARRENGALLI
I know. We been there. Climb the cliff, call on the cell phone. And wait for the cavalry.
CASTLE
You fell for it, huh?
FARRENGALLI
What you talking about?
CASTLE
The raft. You and me. I want to catch that son of a bitch.
FARRENGALLI
I like half of that idea.
Farrengalli gets up and heads toward the Muskrat. Castle tries to rise, groans, he’s too weak. Farrengalli starts dragging the kayak toward the river.
CASTLE
You can’t leave me.
FARRENGALLI
I’ve heard that from 20 different women, and all of them were prettier than you.
He keeps on. Castles shouts at his back.
CASTLE
If they make it to the top...
Farrengalli pauses, not turning.
CASTLE (CONT’D)
Helicopters. News crews. Publicity. You want Raintree to have it all?
Farrengalli turns and lets the Muskrat drop to the ground.
FARRENGALLI
Catch you on the other side, Mulder.
CUT TO:
EXT. FACE OF BABELTOWER. DUSK.
Raintree is halfway up. He squats on a narrow ledge, pounds a climbing anchor into a rock crevice. He attaches a safety line and plays it down to Dove, who is on a ledge 10 feet below. The main line is looped through a second anchor, with Raintree holding the end.
RAINTREE
Anchors away.
Raintree holds tension on the main line. Dove begins her ascent. The main anchor slowly pulls free, then it pops. Dove screams as she takes a sudden drop.
The safety line stops her. She is swinging 15 feet below Raintree, dangling by the carabiner in her belt.
RAINTREE (CONT’D)
Hold the main!
He reels in the slack and wraps it around his arm. He braces his feet against a rock. Muscles bulging, he begins to draw her up. The line scrapes along the ledge, fraying. Dove scrabbles for a handhold.
DOVE
I can’t...get...any purchase.
RAINTREE
On three. Make like Spiderwoman and grab everything you can. One...
(braces himself)
Two…
(grimacing as rope tightens)
Three!
He yanks, the rope burning his wrist, he plays in another couple of feet, Dove finds a small crevice and propels herself upward. One of her hands reaches over the ledge.
Raintree secures the slack and reaches for her with his free hand. She is slippery with rain, grunting.
Dove throws her other hand over, finds a crevice, scrambles up and over, rolls flat against Raintree. They lay panting, face to face, looking at each other.
DOVE
Close.
RAINTREE
Too close.
Their lips move forward as if to kiss. The line grows taut. Below them:
FARRENGALLI (O.S.)
Hey, you guys, wait up.
CUT TO:
EXT. GORGE LEDGE. DUSK.
Samford-thing perches on the ledge, looking out over the river. Three of his fellow goregoyles soar over the gorge in the rain. Behind him, the Pete-thing crawls in the clumsy first stages of change.
Samford-thing sniffs the air. He opens his mouth, showing teeth, grinning, hungry, eyes dead. He launches himself from the ledge with a SKEEEEEK .
CUT TO:
EXT. ON THE RIVER. DUSK.
Ace, Clara, and Bowie huddle on the shore, Ace with the gun, Bowie a few feet away. The Muskrat bobs in the water, tied off to a fallen tree. Clara’s Maglite sweeps over the forest and river as she swivels her
RAINTREE
Slippery when wet.
DOVE
We can die waiting or we can die climbing.
RAINTREE
Something’s up there.
DOVE
Great. More ancient Cherokee spirits?
Raintree launches himself up the rock face, free climbing.
RAINTREE
We’ll see.
CUT TO:
EXT. CLEARING IN WOODS. DUSK.
Farrengalli has Castle propped under the canopy, near the fire. Castle is semi-conscious, moans occasionally. Farrengalli checks the red bandage on Castle’s shoulder. The inflated Muskrat lies at the edge of the makeshift camp. It is turned over, and rain drums off of it.
FARRENGALLI
Only a crazy fucker would climb up where they are. We’re better off on the ground, buddy.
CASTLE
I got an idea.
FARRENGALLI
I know. We been there. Climb the cliff, call on the cell phone. And wait for the cavalry.
CASTLE
You fell for it, huh?
FARRENGALLI
What you talking about?
CASTLE
The raft. You and me. I want to catch that son of a bitch.
FARRENGALLI
I like half of that idea.
Farrengalli gets up and heads toward the Muskrat. Castle tries to rise, groans, he’s too weak. Farrengalli starts dragging the kayak toward the river.
CASTLE
You can’t leave me.
FARRENGALLI
I’ve heard that from 20 different women, and all of them were prettier than you.
He keeps on. Castles shouts at his back.
CASTLE
If they make it to the top...
Farrengalli pauses, not turning.
CASTLE (CONT’D)
Helicopters. News crews. Publicity. You want Raintree to have it all?
Farrengalli turns and lets the Muskrat drop to the ground.
FARRENGALLI
Catch you on the other side, Mulder.
CUT TO:
EXT. FACE OF BABELTOWER. DUSK.
Raintree is halfway up. He squats on a narrow ledge, pounds a climbing anchor into a rock crevice. He attaches a safety line and plays it down to Dove, who is on a ledge 10 feet below. The main line is looped through a second anchor, with Raintree holding the end.
RAINTREE
Anchors away.
Raintree holds tension on the main line. Dove begins her ascent. The main anchor slowly pulls free, then it pops. Dove screams as she takes a sudden drop.
The safety line stops her. She is swinging 15 feet below Raintree, dangling by the carabiner in her belt.
RAINTREE (CONT’D)
Hold the main!
He reels in the slack and wraps it around his arm. He braces his feet against a rock. Muscles bulging, he begins to draw her up. The line scrapes along the ledge, fraying. Dove scrabbles for a handhold.
DOVE
I can’t...get...any purchase.
RAINTREE
On three. Make like Spiderwoman and grab everything you can. One...
(braces himself)
Two…
(grimacing as rope tightens)
Three!
He yanks, the rope burning his wrist, he plays in another couple of feet, Dove finds a small crevice and propels herself upward. One of her hands reaches over the ledge.
Raintree secures the slack and reaches for her with his free hand. She is slippery with rain, grunting.
Dove throws her other hand over, finds a crevice, scrambles up and over, rolls flat against Raintree. They lay panting, face to face, looking at each other.
DOVE
Close.
RAINTREE
Too close.
Their lips move forward as if to kiss. The line grows taut. Below them:
FARRENGALLI (O.S.)
Hey, you guys, wait up.
CUT TO:
EXT. GORGE LEDGE. DUSK.
Samford-thing perches on the ledge, looking out over the river. Three of his fellow goregoyles soar over the gorge in the rain. Behind him, the Pete-thing crawls in the clumsy first stages of change.
Samford-thing sniffs the air. He opens his mouth, showing teeth, grinning, hungry, eyes dead. He launches himself from the ledge with a SKEEEEEK .
CUT TO:
EXT. ON THE RIVER. DUSK.
Ace, Clara, and Bowie huddle on the shore, Ace with the gun, Bowie a few feet away. The Muskrat bobs in the water, tied off to a fallen tree. Clara’s Maglite sweeps over the forest and river as she swivels her
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