Below you’ll find a movie screenplay I wrote in 2009. I could never find an agent, production company or studio for it, so it never made it into a film, but you still might enjoy reading it.
Written by Marc Smeehuijzen
Last update: 15 Sep. 2009
92 pages (1 page of screenplay represents about 1 minute of film)
Genre: Adventure/Action/Sci-Fi
Intended audience: 12 years and older
Required budget for Hollywood standards: medium/high
Concept: Dances with Wolves meets Cast Away
Summary
A scientific experiment gone astray, throws Robert Parker back 35,000 years in time into Stone Age France. Being used to a world of cars, computers and supermarkets, Robert now faces starvation, wild animals and competing hunter-gatherer tribes in a prehistoric wilderness. Initially barely surviving, Robert eventually adapts to his new world and slowly realizes the price we pay for our modern lifestyle.
Screenplay terms and conventions
| Beat | = Pause |
| b.g. | = BackGround |
| EXT. | = Exterior |
| INT. | = Interior |
| O. S. | = Off Screen |
| POV | = Point Of View |
Significant characters, sounds and objects are written in ALL CAPS.
© 2009 Marc Smeehuijzen
Registered, WGAe
FADE IN:
INT. NEW YORK APARTMENT – MORNING
A brown reptilian skin slowly moves against a b.g. of dark ‘mountains’. It moves towards some other creature. The head comes into view. It’s a TYRANNOSAURUS REX!
The animal stalks another dinosaur with a long neck and a small head, called a DIPLODOCUS. The T-Rex attacks the Diplodocus and a child GROWLS.
BEHIND THE FIGHTING TOY DINOSAURS, the dark ‘mountains’ come into focus. ROBERT PARKER, late twenties, lies in bed and opens his eyes. Next to him lies his wife, ELAINE, still asleep.
Their four-year old son CHRISTOPHER plays on the bed. Light comes through the blinds.
ROBERT
(sleepy)
Chris, what’s going on? It’s
only…
CLOSE ON DIGITAL ALARM CLOCK: 7:20 AM.
ROBERT
Seven twenty!?
Robert falls out of bed and Elaine wakes up. Toy dinosaurs fall of the bed.
ROBERT
I’m late!
Robert grabs clothes from the closet and throws them on the bed. He puts a pair of business shoes on the floor. Elaine, still sleepy, looks up.
ELAINE
What up?
ROBERT
That stupid alarm clock didn’t go off again.
Chris crawls on the bed to Elaine. She puts her arm around him and SIGHS.
INT. BATHROOM – MORNING
Robert walks in, wearing only boxer shorts. He turns on the shower and looks in the mirror. His hair is messed up, he has bags under his eyes and his belly shows. He inhales which makes him look leaner.
He inspects his right lower arm which has a RED RASH.
INT. LIVING ROOM – MORNING
Chris watches a Flintstones cartoon on TV. Robert walks over, wearing a suit and kisses him on the head.
Elaine stands near the door with her hands in the pockets of her bathrobe, looking concerned. Robert walks over.
ELAINE
You haven’t eaten anything.
Robert finishes the knot of his tie.
ROBERT
I’ll grab something on the way.
Elaine nods towards Chris.
ELAINE
He needs you.
(beat)
I need you.
Robert looks at her.
ROBERT
I know.
(beat)
I got to work.
He kisses her on the cheek and grabs his bags.
ELAINE
He wants to go camping.
ROBERT
Camping? I hate camping.
He opens the door.
ROBERT
Back on Thursday.
INT. HALLWAY – MORNING
A middle-aged man named LOUIS opens his door. Robert passes, carrying a LAPTOP BAG.
LOUIS
Excuse me, are you also having
trouble with the mail?
Robert looks puzzled.
ROBERT
What?
LOUIS
I don’t get my mail or I get it
way too late. Letters,
packages…
ROBERT
(inpatient)
Who are you?
Louis looks at his door and then Robert’s.
LOUIS
Your neighbor? I’m sorry, we
haven’t met before, my name is
Louis. I moved in a year ago. I
work at the…
ROBERT
Oh, okay. Well, our mail works
just fine. I would check the post
office or something.
Robert walks away.
ROBERT
I’m really sorry but I have to
run. I hope it works out.
LOUIS
Okay… bye…
EXT. NEW YORK STREET – MORNING
Robert exits the apartment building and joins a busy STREAM OF PEOPLE. His cell phone RINGS and he answers it.
ROBERT
Yeah, I overslept. On my way.
EXT. CERN SITE – MORNING
A car drives down the road and turns towards the gate of the CERN scientific complex on the Swiss-French border. It rains softly.
A sign next to the entry gate says “CERN – EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH”.
In the car is DR. MAX SCHNEIDER, in his fifties, wearing spectacles. The car stops at the closed gate and an uniformed guard named KARL approaches the car. Schneider opens the electric window.
GUARD
Morning Doctor Schneider. How are
you today sir?
DR. SCHNEIDER
Fine Karl. How about you?
Schneider hands the guard his security pass.
GUARD
Big day today, right sir?
DR. SCHNEIDER
Yes it is.
After a quick glance at Schneider’s pass, the guard electronically opens the gate.
GUARD
Good luck sir.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Thank you.
Schneider’s car enters an extensive area of concrete buildings.
INT. CERN HALLWAY – MORNING
Schneider enters a hallway through sliding doors and meets with ALBERT KOSNOVSKY, who is eagerly awaiting his arrival. Kosnovsky, early thirties, balding and a small beard, holds a stack of papers and looks very excited.
KOSNOVSKY
Good morning doctor.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Morning Albert.
The men walk through a corridor.
KOSNOVSKY
We solved the cooling issue of
the fourth magnet and Professor
Fisher’s team is on standby.
Kosnovsky hands Schneider a sheet of paper and Schneider has a quick look.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Good work. How about the
collision detectors?
Kosnovsky opens another set of sliding doors with a security pass.
KOSNOVSKY
Up and running.
A sign next to the sliding door says: “ALICE – ASYNCHRONOUS LEPTON ION COLLIDER EXPERIMENT”.
INT. NEW YORK SUBWAY – MORNING
Robert enters a long subway car with two lines of seats facing each other. There is an open spot and he sits down. All passengers have EARPHONES and listen to different kinds of MUSIC.
Across from Robert sits a 10-year old girl called SAMANTHA and her MOTHER, both without earphones. Their farming type of clothes suggest they are from out of town. The girl stares at Robert while he opens his laptop.
MOTHER
Stop staring Samantha.
SAMANTHA
Why?
MOTHER
It’s impolite.
SAMANTHA
Why?
MOTHER
You’re not suppose to look at
strangers.
SAMANTHA
But why not?
Robert has earphones in and plugs the jack into his laptop. His MUSIC drowns out their conversation. He looks at his screen, which shows a rotating SATELLITE WIREFRAME in one of its windows, and starts typing.
INT. NEW YORK OFFICE – MORNING
Robert exits the elevator and enters a floor with an endless SEA OF CUBICLES.
His colleague ERIC DUFFY presses many beeping buttons on a coffee machine in the hallway. Eric, early thirties, has an unfashionable haircut and hits the coffee machine.
ERIC
(mumbling)
Damn machine.
He gives up, sees Robert and walks over.
ERIC
Robert!
ROBERT
Hey.
ERIC
Bill is just finishing the
satellite’s chip design.
ROBERT
We have to go or we’ll miss our
plane.
ERIC
Okay.
They look at the endless cubicles.
ERIC
In which one is he?
Robert takes out his cell phone, presses a button and puts it to his ear.
ROBERT
No idea.
In the middle of the sea of cubicles, a red head and hand stick out. It’s BILL WEBB.
ROBERT
What about Jeff. Is he coming?
ERIC
No, he’s still sick.
ROBERT
What was wrong with him again?
ERIC
Heart problems. Which means you
have to do most of the talking.
Robert frowns.
ROBERT
Great.
INT. NEW YORK OFFICE – MOMENTS LATER
Bill, early forties, clearly overweight, runs over, carrying a shoulder bag and a big briefcase.
BILL
It’s done. We can go.
The briefcase pops open and papers spill over the floor.
BILL
Damn.
Eric helps Bill putting back the papers.
ROBERT
Are you sure?
BILL
I ran tests on the prototype the
whole night. If Z-SAT wants
higher bandwidth for their bird,
they’ll want our chip.
EXT. CERN SITE – MORNING
MRS. KAUFMAN, a stout middle-aged woman, guides a group of tourists with umbrella’s around the CERN complex.
The group holds still in front of the main entrance of the LARGE HADRON COLLIDER (LHC) building.
Mrs. Kaufman points to a BIG INFORMATION SIGN on the wall, consisting of three parts:
1. A map of the region with a large circle projected on it.
2. A picture of a little man in a tunnel with a metal pipeline running through
3. An artist’s impression of the Big Bang that started the universe.
MRS. KAUFMAN
We are now at the Large Hadron
Collider or, as it is more
commonly known around here, the
LHC.
(pointing to the circle
on the map)
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
In a long tunnel, WORKMEN with hardtop hats holding papers, walk next to a massive metal PIPELINE. A workman in an electric CART passes.
MRS. KAUFMAN (O.S.)
This underground pipeline is
twenty-seven kilometers long,
making it the largest particle
accelerator in the world.
EXT. CERN SITE – CONTINUOUS
MRS. KAUFMAN
Scientist will use it to collide
elementary particles like protons
at nearly the speed of light.
(pointing to the Big
Bang picture)
These collisions will recreate
the conditions that prevailed
right after the Big Bang, and
possibly reveal new subatomic
particles and forces of nature.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Scientists arrive in, what looks like, a NASA control room. They switch on computers. A LARGE CENTRAL COMPUTER SCREEN on the wall, and several smaller screens next to it, come to life.
MRS. KAUFMAN (O.S.)
And today is a somewhat special
day. Although construction of the
LHC will not be completed before
the end of the year, the
accelerator will be switched on
today, for the first time, for an
initial equipment test.
INT. NEW YORK TAXI – MORNING
Eric, Robert and Bill sit in the back seat of a taxi. Eric flips through a magazine with on its cover: “CLIMATE CHANGE. IS IT TO LATE?”
ERIC
You know how much carbon dioxide
a 747 produces on a transatlantic
flight.
Bill stares out of the window.
BILL
I don’t want to know.
Robert massages between his eyes.
ERIC
You okay?
ROBERT
I’m getting these headaches
lately…
Eric and Bill simultaneously hand him a little BOX OF PAINKILLERS. Robert looks at both and picks one.
INT. NEW YORK AIRPORT- MORNING
Robert, Eric and Bill stand in line for an airline counter. Suddenly Bill sticks up his hand.
BILL
Yes, over here.
A CAFETERIA WOMAN appears carrying a large PIZZA BOX. She hands it to Bill while he pays.
ROBERT
What’s this?
BILL
Breakfast.
Robert and Eric look at each other.
INT. NEW YORK AIRPORT- MOMENTS LATER
Robert, Eric and Bill quickly walk through a hallway. There are airplanes in the b.g. Robert and Eric are both eating a pizza slice while Bills eats from the box.
A FEMALE ANNOUNCER speaks over the airport intercom.
ANNOUNCER
Boarding flight AF-614 to
Bordeaux now starts at gate G47.
The men quicken their pace.
EXT. AIRPLANE – MORNING
A shiny Boeing 747 flies over the Atlantic ocean while the sun glistens in the water. A coastline is vaguely visible on the horizon.
INT. AIRPLANE – PASSENGER CABIN – MORNING
Robert goes over some papers in a window seat. Eric and Bill work on their laptops. Other passengers wear headphones and watch television screens built in their chairs. One of the TV’s shows a DeLorean sports car drive by.
INT. AIRPLANE – COCKPIT – MORNING
The captain gently turns the plane while the copilot works the buttons.
INT. AIRPLANE – PASSENGER CABIN – MORNING
Robert looks outside. A large industrial complex flies by.
INT. BORDEAUX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – MORNING
The three men walk through a busy, modern looking, airport. Both Eric and Bill talk on their cell phones.
BILL
Total bandwidth is expected to be
over 100 Gigabits per second.
ERIC
The dog needs an MRI scan? Look,
I don’t have time for this…
EXT. BORDEAUX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – TAXI STAND – MORNING
Robert flags down a TAXI. Workers are busy on a nearby road construction.
INT. TAXI – MORNING
The taxi manoeuvres swiftly through the busy traffic.
EXT. TAXI ON HIGHWAY – AERIAL – MORNING
The taxi is in the left lane on a busy highway. It passes under a rail viaduct, right when two trains noisily pass each other in opposite directions.
Robert looks out the window and sees two characteristic TABLE TOP MOUNTAINS in the distance.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
Scientists are busy on their computers. The central wall screen shows a horizontal white line and numeric data.
Dr. Schneider has a central position in the control room. Next to him sit Kovnovsky and STEPHEN MILLER. Miller, early forties, has long hair and wears a T-shirt and a bead necklace. On his desk stands a small figure of ALICE from the Disney movie Alice in Wonderland.
Next to Miller is WOLFGANG EIGER, wearing a microphone headset. Other scientists are in the b.g.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Okay gentlemen, I think we’re
about ready for our first 10
minute test run.
Schneider looks at Kosnovsky, Miller and Eiger. All men nod.
INT. TUNNEL – AFTERNOON
An ELECTRIC CART with a TRAILER WAGON loaded with BOXES AND BARRELS drives next to the pipeline. It enters a wider part of the tunnel and turns up a ramp and stops next to a door in the wall.
One of the TOP BOXES shifts a bit to the edge because of the braking action of the cart.
The driver gets out and slams the cart door shut, causing the box to move even further to the edge. The driver leaves the tunnel through the wall door.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
DR. SCHNEIDER
As you know, the objective in
this stage is to calibrate our
instruments so everything will be
ready for the experiments later
this year when the LHC is done.
This switch-on will be low energy
so don’t expect any fireworks
yet.
KOSNOVSKY
Let’s do it.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Alright, power up and activate
the magnets.
Kosnovsky flips a series of switches.
KOSNOVSKY
(mumbling)
Science rocks.
A small DIGITAL CLOCK on his console starts counting down from 10 minutes
INT. TUNNEL – AFTERNOON
Large ELECTROMAGNETS attached to the pipeline CLICK and show a light VIBRATION.
The vibration travels through the floor to the electric cart on the ramp. The top box falls off the fully loaded trailer wagon, right on top of the TOWING HOOK. The hook snaps loose and the TRAILER WAGON starts going down the ramp, towards the pipeline!
The trailer wagon picks up speed and RAMS the pipeline and bounces back.
The pipeline is dented somewhat and, where two segments are connected, a few BOLTS have come loose.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
KOSNOVSKY
Magnets activated.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Cooling level?
MILLER
-271 degrees centigrade.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Commence particle release.
Miller pushes a button. Small DOTS start to move from right to left on the main wall screen and numeric data appears. A smaller wall monitor labeled “LHC ENERGY THROUGHPUT” shows slowly increasing energy levels.
EXT. Z-SAT COMPANY – BORDEAUX – AFTERNOON
Robert, Eric and Bill walk towards the entrance of a modern office building, all carrying laptop bags.
A NINE-YEAR OLD GIRL on roller skates passes them on the sidewalk, TALKING on her CELL PHONE. IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, A MAN with dreadlocks and ear phones passes, listening to his iPOD.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – AFTERNOON
In the large, minimalist lobby, a RECEPTIONIST types on her computer. Her KEYSTROKES ECHO off the walls.
Glass doors slide open and the three men walk in. They are met by JACQUES DEVILLE, forties, wearing a suit and looking slick. Deville shakes Robert’s hand.
DEVILLE
(slight French accent)
Hi. How’s it going? Jeff Davis?
ROBERT
No, Robert Parker. Jeff couldn’t
make it.
DEVILLE
Ah, to bad.
Robert points to Eric and Bill.
ROBERT
My colleagues Eric Duffy and Bill
Webb.
DEVILLE
Welcome to Z-SAT.
The three men walk into a corridor.
DEVILLE
The others are waiting.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – MEETING ROOM – AFTERNOON
Deville, Eric, Bill and a group of French men watch Robert who stands in front of a large schematic projection of a COMMUNICATION SATELLITE. Their jackets are off and some have rolled up their shirt sleeves.
ROBERT
… so our chip could be easily
installed in your next generation
communication satellites and
would be about 20% cheaper than
the main competitor’s.
One of the French men raises his hand.
ROBERT
Yes?
The French man points to the design with a RED LASER PEN.
FRENCH MAN
The distance between the
satellite’s gyroscopes and the
transponder chip in this part, is
pretty small. We wondered if
there was any chance on
electrical interference.
ROBERT
Bill?
BILL
As long as the current in the
power module here…
Bill activates a BLUE LASER PEN and points to another part of the design.
BILL
… does not exceed the threshold
voltage, you should be okay.
However…
Robert rubs his eyes. His mind wanders for a moment and he looks through the window while the TECHNOTALK continues.
Through the half open blinds, a MODERN ART SCULPTURE comprised of gray cubes of various sizes can be seen in a sunny courtyard.
A SMALL COLORFUL BIRD drinks water that is trapped at the top of one of the cubes and starts cleaning itself. It’s a refreshing sight.
DEVILLE (O.S.)
Okay gentlemen. Let’s have a
short break.
The men stand up, put on their jackets and walk out the room, CHATTING to each other.
ERIC
(to Bill)
Cool pen.
BILL
Thanks.
Robert follows the group.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – HALLWAY – AFTERNOON
Robert walks through a long hallway to a SODA MACHINE. The others are gone.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
The main wall screen shows DOTS moving in two directions. Sometimes the dots collide and create SPIRALING TRACKS, like miniature planets blown out of orbit.
KOSNOVSKY
Particle beams focused.
DR. SCHNEIDER
(to Miller)
Collision energy?
MILLER
1.2 tera electron volts and
rising…
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
The damaged part of the pipeline VIBRATES the bolts are getting looser.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – HALL – AFTERNOON
Robert sips from a soda can and checks his watch.
CLOSE ON WATCH
An analog watch reads 4:32 PM, TUE APR 20.
Robert throws away his empty can and walks back.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
Fascinated the scientist look at the wall screen filled with spiraling tracks of colliding particles. Kosnovsky’s digital clock shows eight minutes left.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
The energy monitor on the wall shows a rising energy level to 2 tera electron volt.
MILLER
2 tera electron volt.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS
Robert walks through the hallway.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
The main wall screen shows irregular multi-color spiraling tracks which are reflected in Schneider’s spectacles. The energy monitor reaches 3 tera electron volt and the digital clock is at 5 minutes.
KOSNOVSKY
Five minutes.
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
A bolt falls out the damaged part of the pipeline and then another. The vibration increases and the pipeline seam slightly moves.
Suddenly electrical currents shoot out the pipeline seam like little bolts of lightning. One of the currents connects to a nearby bundle of electricity cables that disappear into the ground.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
An ALARM BUZZER sounds and some WARNING LIGHTS flash. The level on the energy monitor decreases rapidly as do the number of traveling dots and collision patterns on the main wall screen.
MILLER
Wow… a sudden drop of energy
here.
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
A continuous current of electricity flows to the electricity cables into the ground.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
The scientists stare at the main wall screen.
DR. SCHNEIDER
What’s going on?
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
Electricity travels down the cables and into the ground at tremendous speed. It shoots trough dirt, rock and underground water. When it finds another electricity cable, it travels up again, into a building
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – EXHIBITION CORNER – CONTINUOUS
In a spacious hall is an exhibition corner with a six-foot plastic EARTH bolted to the floor. A fifteen-foot model SATELLITE hangs in the air, connected with wires to the ceiling.
Suddenly there are sparks from a nearby electricity outlet and, in mid-air, a small WHIRLPOOL OF LIGHT-BLUE LIGHT appears. It’s a WORMHOLE and FLOATS horizontally between the plastic earth and the satellite!
The LIGHT on the ceiling sparks and goes off and there is soft HUMMING.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS
Robert walks along the hallway and opens a door. He sees an office with people who TALK LOUDLY in French on the phone and work on computers.
ROBERT
Oops. Sorry.
Robert closes the door.
ROBERT
Excusement.
He looks down the hallway. All doors look alike. He walks on and enters the hall with the exhibition corner.
About to turn around, he notices a BLUE GLOW coming from the exhibition corner. He walks closer and hears a soft HUMMING.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – EXHIBITION CORNER – CONTINUOUS
Robert sees the slowly spinning wormhole. It looks like a really nifty 3D projection of a galaxy in space and part of the model earth and satellite exhibition.
ROBERT
Wow! How did they do this?
He looks around but there’s nobody to ask. He steps into the exhibition corner and moves his hand over the wormhole.
CLOSE ON HAND
Some of his fingers cross the light and his fingertips look fuzzy on the other side. Robert quickly retracts his hand and inspects his fingers. They look normal.
He carefully pushes his hand and part of his forearm through the hole. It’s fuzzy on the other side.
Suddenly, the rest of Robert’s arm and a part of his upper body turn into the same fuzzy texture as the wormhole. It’s as if the wormhole extends into Robert. He retracts his arm and tumbles backwards, hitting the satellite on the wires.
CLOSE ON SATELLITE WIRE ATTACHMENTS ON CEILING
One of wires snaps from the ceiling, making the satellite start to spin.
Robert inspects his arm and then notices one of the satellite’s solar panels swinging towards him. To late to duck, the panel knocks him into the wormhole and Robert has… disappeared!
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
The digital clock shows one minute left. Kosnovsky types on his computer and studies the wall screens.
KOSNOVSKY
Strange…
The energy monitor shows the energy level down to 0.5 tera electron volt.
DR. SCHNEIDER
What’s Fisher’s team saying?
Eiger has one hand on his headphone.
EIGER
Same drop in collision rates on
the South side as we’ve got.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Time?
The digital clock show 3 seconds left. Kosnovsky puts his hand on a switch.
KOSNOVSKY
3 seconds.
EXT. FOREST – AFTERNOON
ROBERT’S POV We crash through vegetation, roll over the ground and come to a halt at the bottom of a small drop off.
ROBERT
AAAAAHHHHH!!!
ROBERT gets up on his knees and sticks his head above a field of ferns. He looks around with big eyes.
Large trees are all around. It’s quiet except for an occasional JUNGLE SOUND. In his suit, Robert looks very much out of place.
ROBERT
What the hell is this?
His eyes turn to the flickering wormhole. Robert scrambles back, hindered by vegetation.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
The digital clock reaches zero.
KOSNOVSKY
And… that’s it.
Kovnovsky flips the switch.
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
The stream of electricity from the pipeline to the cables disappears and the vibration stops.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – EXHIBITION CORNER – CONTINUOUS
The wormhole flickers and loses its shape.
EXT. FOREST – AFTERNOON
Robert reaches the wormhole right when it disappears. He moves his hands through the air but there’s nothing there.
ROBERT
Where…?
(beat)
What is this?
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – AFTERNOON
The main wall screen has gone black except for some numeric data. The energy level is at zero. It’s quiet in the control room.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Hmmm, that was interesting.
Kosnovsky is typing on his computer.
KOSNOVSKY
Our instruments and sensors seem
to work but that energy level
went on a roller coaster ride
there.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Anybody any ideas?
One of the scientists gives miller a print out and he
studies it.
MILLER
Well, a sudden interruption of
the particle flow could – in
theory – temporarily transform
space-time, which could account
for such energy loss.
KOSNOVSKY
You’re saying the creation of a
mini-black hole, or a…
wormhole?
MILLER
Uh… Yes.
All scientists LAUGH.
DR. SCHNEIDER
No gentlemen, seriously now.
Let’s start by looking at the
facts.
EXT. FOREST – AFTERNOON
Robert stands next to a TREE STUMP where the wormhole was. From here, he has a good view around the forest. There are JUNGLE NOISES.
ROBERT
Hello?
(beat)
Anybody there?
(beat)
French people?
He walks around and gets his cell phone out of his jacket. He checks the screen.
CLOSE ON CELL PHONE: “NO NETWORK”.
Robert looks around once more.
ROBERT
(screaming)
HELLO!!??
It’s quiet.
ROBERT
(to himself)
I’m gonna miss my meeting.
EXT. FOREST BORDER/GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
Robert walks towards the forest border. COLORFUL BIRDS fly past. He stops and looks into a majestic SAVANNAH VALLEY.
In the distance is a lake and grazing AUROCHS (giant oxen), MEGALOCEROSES (giant deer with eleven foot antlers) and WILD HORSES. It’s a magnificent sight, but no sign of civilization!
ROBERT
(softly to himself)
Where the hell am I?
EXT. FOREST – SUNSET
Robert walks back to the tree stump and looks around. The sun sets through the trees and he looks worried.
ROBERT
How do I get back?
He checks his watch.
CLOSE ON WATCH
The second hand is not moving. It reads 4:42 PM TUE APR 20.
Robert taps and shakes the watch, but it won’t run again. He SIGHS.
EXT. FOREST – EVENING
It gets dark. Robert sits on the ground with his back against the tree stump.
He searches his pockets for anything useful and checks his cell phone again. He gets out his WALLET and his AIRLINE TICKET. He empties his wallet on the ground but it just contains some bank notes, bank cards and coins. He SIGHS.
EXT. FOREST – NIGHT
It’s dark. Robert has his jacket collar up and drifts in and out of sleep.
A half moon shines through the trees. A SPOOKY BIRD SOUND can be heard. Robert opens his eyes and shivers.
EXT. GRASSLAND – DAWN
The morning’s first light appears in the valley. Nature is about to wake up. Aurochs lie on the ground in the distance. Mountains on the horizon are purple colored.
EXT. FOREST – DAWN
BIRD SOUNDS. Robert is asleep against the tree stump.
Soft GRAZING can be heard. The sound gets louder and Robert wakes up. He sits up straight which startles two WILD HORSES. They run away. Robert looks around.
ROBERT
(to himself)
I’m still here.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – MORNING
Robert walks towards the forest border and looks out over the grassland. He looks back into the forest.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – MOMENTS LATER
Robert sticks a long forked stick in the ground and stacks up some rocks at the base.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – MOMENTS LATER
Robert walks over the grassland. The forked stick is in the b.g.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
It’s sunny. Robert walks over the grassland. His hair looks scruffy, he has a one-day beard and his suit starts to show some smudges. He has loosened his tie.
AERIAL SHOT of Robert walking. It looks like he’s the only man in the world.
EXT. LAKE – AFTERNOON
Robert walks near the lake shore. Swimming birds are in the distance. He looks around.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – AFTERNOON
Robert walks over grassland littered with rocks and shrubs.
EXT. LIGHT FORESTED AREA – AFTERNOON
Robert walks through a lightly forested area. A STREAM can be heard.
EXT. STREAM – MOMENTS LATER
Robert kneels at the stream and carefully tastes the water. He starts drinking.
While drinking, he notices a bush with DARK BLUE BERRIES. He gets up, picks one and carefully tastes it. Clearly it tastes very sour and he spits it out.
EXT. HILLTOP – EARLY EVENING
Robert stands on top of a hill which is a magnificent view point. He overlooks the grassland he crossed earlier. In the far distance is a coastline and on the other side of the hill, more grassland, forest and table top mountains.
ROBERT
(to himself)
Coastline on the West… and
those table top mountains… from
the taxi ride… it still has to
be France.
(long pause)
Where is everybody?
INT. CAVE – NIGHT
Robert tries to sleep on a bunch of branches in the entrance of a small limestone cave.
The night’s sky is filled with stars. The milky way and the constellation Orion can be seen.
EXT. HILLS – MORNING
Robert walks through the hills.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
Robert walks over grassland.
EXT. FOREST – EVENING
Robert is in a forest and collects wood from the ground.
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – EVENING
Robert kneels on the ground. Next to him is a disorganized pile of dead branches. He searches his pockets and gets out his AIRLINE TICKET. He reads the back.
ROBERT
Prohibited on board the aircraft:
knifes, lighters, ski poles…
Robert crumples the ticket to a ball and picks up two dark colored ROCKS from the ground. He hits the two pieces together near the ticket. No sparks. He inspects the rocks and keeps trying.
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – EVENING
Robert has taken his jacket off. He still hits the two pieces of rock together. They TICK each time they hit. No sparks.
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – EVENING
Robert now uses a makeshift FIRE DRILL. With his hands he spins a branch on a split piece of wood on the ground. He sweats. The drill SQUEAKS but no smoke. Nothing.
ROBERT
It’s easy on the discovery
channel…
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – EVENING
More drilling. Robert checks his hands.
CLOSE ON HANDS
There are blisters on both.
Angry Robert throws away the sticks.
ROBERT
God dammit!
FROM THE BUSHES Somebody or something watches Robert. There is soft SPINE TINGLING GROWLING.
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – EVENING
Robert sits on a fallen tree with his jacket back on. He types in a number on his cell phone and puts it to his ear.
ROBERT
Hi honey, it’s me.
(beat)
I’m fine, I’m just gonna be a bit
late again tonight.
(beat)
No, no deadlines. Just took a
wrong turn at the office and
ended up on another planet.
(beat)
No, don’t worry honey. I’ve got
everything under control.
(beat)
I don’t know how to get back yet
and I’m a bit hungry, tired and
cold but for the rest I’m fine.
Robert looks at the pile of branches.
ROBERT
I was going to make myself a
little fire but it turns out, I
didn’t bring a lighter.
(beat)
So I decided to give you a call
and just talk to myself…
Robert now holds the phone in front of him.
ROBERT
…using this worthless phone…
(screaming)
…in the MIDDLE of FUCKING
NOWHERE!
Robert throws the phone away which breaks open on the ground. A beat.
Robert walks towards the phone and tries to put the back lid back on. The BATTERY sticks out. He stops and has an idea.
ROBERT
The battery. I could short it.
Robert kneels down with the phone next to the crumpled flight ticket.
CLOSE ON CELL PHONE
Robert removes the battery and searches his pockets.
ROBERT
Metal. Metal.
He get’s a few coins from his wallet and tries to put one against the two poles of the battery. Nothing happens. He get’s another coin. Again nothing happens.
ROBERT
I need Google. Cell phone fire
lighting tips.
A drop of water falls on Robert’s hand. He looks up and sees DARK RAIN CLOUDS. More drops.
ROBERT
God…
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – NIGHT
There is a THUNDER and a FLASH OF LIGHTENING shows Robert lying in a small improvised hut made of branches. His clothes are wet and water drips through the roof.
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – NIGHT
Still raining. Robert has his eyes closed.
FROM THE BUSHES Something watches Robert. A soft OMINOUS GROWL CAN BE HEARD.
Robert wakes up. Did he hear something? He sits up straight, hitting his head against the hut’s roof.
ROBERT
Damn. Hello?
A dark shape moves behind the bushes. Robert scrambles out of his hut, peering through the dark.
A flash of lightning reveals a large CAVE LION emerging from the bushes! The animal releases a terrifying ROAR that would scare the bravest of men.
Robert completely freaks out and runs to a nearby TREE, the lion chasing him.
EXT. TREE – CONTINUOUS
Frantically Robert climbs the tree and just manages to escape the claws of the wild animal. He climbs higher and higher.
The lion stands on his hind legs with his front paws up against the tree. Fortunately the animal doesn’t climb up. More GROWLS.
Robert is BREATHING HEAVILY. It’s windy and the rain slashes his face. The cave lion circles the base of the tree.
The animal walks to Robert’s hut and sniffs inside. It takes Robert’s JACKET and RIPS it to pieces.
The lion walks back to the tree and lies down.
EXT. TREE – NIGHT
It stopped raining. Robert shivers on a branch against the tree trunk, drifting in and out of sleep.
The cave lion lies at the bottom of the tree, licking its paws.
EXT. TREE – SUNRISE
The sky is a beautiful mix of purple, red and orange as the sun comes up. Birds wake up and leftover fog drifts through the forest.
Robert is asleep in the tree. He wakes up with a shock, hugs the tree and looks down for the cave lion. It’s gone!
Carefully Robert climbs down. His hair is a mess and a beard shows. His clothes are stained and wet.
EXT. FOREST – OPEN AREA – MORNING
Robert stands next to his, partly collapsed, hut. He inspects his badly torn jacket. He thinks for a moment.
ROBERT
A lion?
He looks around.
ROBERT
These animals…
(beat)
I went back in time?
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
Robert walks over grassland at the edge of the forest. He carries a STICK with a crude sharp point.
His torn jacket is wrapped around his waist and his face is dirty.
EXT. GRASSLAND – SMALL BUSHES – AFTERNOON
Robert suddenly sees a HARE. He freezes and doesn’t know what to do. The hare disappears.
EXT. GRASSLAND – SMALL BUSHES – MOMENTS LATER
Robert crawls towards an elevated edge and peers over it.
ROBERT’S POV Two hares hop around, eating small plants.
Robert thinks for a second, clutches his spear and clumsily leaps forward.
The hares quickly disappear into the bushes. Robert throws his spear but doesn’t even come close.
He falls exhausted on his back.
FROM THE HILLS From a large distance, something watches Robert.
EXT. GRASSLAND – MOUNTAINS – EARLY EVENING
Using his spear for support, Robert walks over huge open grassland towards the mountains. He looks at one of his SHOES. The sole has come loose and his toes can be seen wiggling. He presses on.
EXT. GRASSLAND – FOREST BORDER – NIGHT
Robert sleeps under a tree, on a bunch of dead branches, shivering.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – NEAR MOUNTAINS – AFTERNOON
Again a sunny day. Robert sweats and heavily rests on his spear while walking.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – RIDGE – AFTERNOON
Robert climbs a ridge and looks exhausted. Suddenly he slips and slides down steep rocks, SCREAMING.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – RIDGE – MOMENTS LATER
Robert lies on the dusty ground. BLOOD STAINS are on his worn out clothes. He GROANS, tries to move but slumps back down.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – RIDGE – SUNSET
Robert still lies in the same position. With much effort he gets his wallet out of his pocket and takes out a photograph.
CLOSE ON PHOTOGRAPH
ELAINE and CHRIS smile in front of a city skyline.
Robert closes his eyes, knowing this is the end.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – RIDGE – MORNING
Robert lies on the ground, eyes closed and pale. Is he dead? A bird CRIES OUT. Robert opens his eyes a fraction.
Large birds circle the blue sky above him.
He closes his eyes.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – RIDGE – AFTERNOON
CLOSE ON ROBERT’S FACE
His eyes open again just a fraction.
ROBERT’S POV In the distance, vaguely, TWO FIGURES holding sticks walk through the vibrating air.
Robert closes his eyes again.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
ROBERT’S POV Fragments of the surroundings drift by. Fragments of an EXOTIC LANGUAGE and a DRAGGING SOUND can be heard.
INT. HUT – NEXT DAY – AFTERNOON
Robert wakes up in a primitive hut made of branches and grass. He lies on a BED covered with animal skins.
With great effort he looks under his furry blanket. Wearing just his shorts, one leg and one arm are ‘bandaged’ with moss and plant fibers. His clothes are in a pile next to the bed.
A little boy named KINGI, about ten years old, stands in the hut entrance. He has wild blond hair and is dressed in animal skins. He sees that Robert is awake and runs off CRYING OUT in a strange language.
INT. HUT – MOMENTS LATER
A young man named TIMUR walks in. He has light brown skin, half long hair and a light beard. He too wears animal skin clothes. Cautious he approaches Robert.
TIMUR
Kubasi nako.
(beat)
Kubasi nako.
Robert just stares at him.
TIMUR
Tutem pas hiera?
Robert looses consciousness.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. HUT – EVENING
Robert opens his eyes and sees Timur and his wife SANA quietly talking in the hut. They both look at him now he woke up. Sana approaches him.
SANA
Hooma taugeh la.
(beat)
Kubasi nako.
She offers Robert water in a bark container. He takes a couple of sips.
ROBERT
(weak)
Thank you.
TIMUR
Tumak ba sowie bunta.
INT. HUT – AFTERNOON
Robert is still in bed but looks stronger today. He eats some fruit and there is more food next to his bed.
YAKU and BUNAK walk in. Yaku, a man in his forties with has streaks of gray in his hair and beard, seems to have some natural authority. Bunak looks strong and athletic. His head is partly shaven bald and he has dark intense eyes.
YAKU
Kubasi nako.
ROBERT
Hello.
(beat)
Where am I?
YAKU
As piku cul chatta.
ROBERT
I don’t understand.
Yaku and Bunak look at each other. They don’t understand Robert. A beat.
ROBERT
Thank you… for taking care of
me.
Bunak and Yaku exchange words in their language.
ROBERT
Who are you?
Bunak and Yaku look puzzled at Robert.
INT. HUT – EVENING
Robert sits in bed, his hut illuminated by flickering torches.
ROBERT’S POV An entire Cro-Magnon tribe named the KUSH WABEKI stare at him in awe. The group of about twenty MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN and ELDERLY stand in the cramped hut, in front of the bed.
Everybody wears clothing and moccasins made of animal skins. Most have long hair and light brown skin. Most men have beards and some of the women wear ivory necklaces and pendants.
Timur, Sana, Yaku and Bunak are in front. It’s quiet.
ROBERT
I’m Robert. I’m from New York.
No response.
ROBERT
Who are you?
(beat)
What year is this?
(beat)
Vous… Francais?
A long pause. JABOB, a balding middle aged man, finally says something.
JABOB
Umanta la rupta.
Bunak SNARLS at JABOB. A beat. Timur picks up Robert’s torn jacket.
TIMUR
Duhas wi tomorak?
Robert takes his jacket.
ROBERT
My jacket. Thank you.
(a beat)
There was this lion…
Robert imitates a cave lion with his hands and GROWLS.
The tribe stare at him like he’s a mad man.
Robert feels his CELL PHONE in his jacket pocket and gets it out.
The crowd moves in closer, intrigued by what Robert holds in his hand. Robert looks at them and presses some buttons.
ROBERT
The battery is almost dead but it
should still be able to…
A cheerful NOKIA WELCOME TUNE comes out. The entire tribe jumps back two feet. Some fall outside the hut, some run away. Babies starts CRYING. Robert is amazed by the tribe’s reaction.
ROBERT
Don’t worry! It’s okay! It’s just
a telephone.
Slowly tribe members walk back towards Robert’s bed, amazed by the device.
ROBERT
I guess you’ve never seen one
before.
Robert holds it to his ear, pretending to have a telephone call.
ROBERT
Hello? How are you? I’m talking
to the telephone.
The tribe members look at each other.
EXT. CAMP- CONTINUOUS
A few huts and a smouldering campfire can be seen. The place is deserted except for Robert’s hut where the whole tribe is packed around the entrance.
Another RING TONE and again a big response from the tribe. It’s fear and admiration at the same time.
TRIBE
Wwwhhhaaa!!
Another RING TONE and the same reaction.
TRIBE
Wwwhhhooo!!
ROBERT (O.S.)
It takes pictures too.
EXT. GRASSLAND – SUNRISE
The sun comes up and the BIRDS can be heard. The camp is visible from a distance. It’s located in a grassland area with trees and bushes scattered around.
INT. ROBERT’S HUT – MORNING
Robert inspects his PANTS. They are torn at the bottom but still okay at the top. He tears off the rest of the bottom so they become half-long shorts.
He picks up his SHOES. One shoe has no more sole and the other has a gaping hole and no more laces.
EXT. ROBERT’S HUT – MORNING
Barefoot, Robert walks out of the hut, wearing his half long shorts and his stained white shirt. He sees the primitive hunter-gatherer camp for the first time by
daylight.
About eight huts are made of branches and grass. TRIBE MEMBERS do their daily chores like carrying fire wood, sharpening sticks, scraping an animal skin. They use flint, antler and bone tools.
Some notice Robert and stop what they’re doing. They stare at him.
Timur walks towards Robert.
TIMUR
Mupaka di basipo kanaffa.
ROBERT
Hi.
TIMUR
(pointing at himself)
Timur.
ROBERT
Timur.
Sana joins them with a baby in her arms. Timur points at her.
TIMUR
Sana.
ROBERT
Sana. Your wife?
Robert points at himself.
ROBERT
Robert.
TIMUR
Ro… Robur.
Robert and Timur smile at each other. Timur points at JUPAZ, the baby.
TIMUR
Jupaz.
ROBERT
Baby. Jupaz.
Timur gestures Robert that he should walk with him.
EXT. CAMP – CONTINUOUS
They pass Jabob who holds a small piece of wood against his ear, like it’s a cell phone, and starts talking to it.
JABOB
Futappa di muti ku lopes bunne.
He imitates one of yesterday’s RING TONES. Timur and Robert smile.
TIMUR
Tukka Jabob.
ROBERT
Hi there. You got a phone too.
Timur and Robert walk on and KINGI, the boy, follows them.
They pass Bunak who sharpens a stick. Timur says his name.
TIMUR
Bunak.
Bunak doesn’t look up or respond. They walk on and Robert glances back at Bunak with a puzzled look on his face.
EXT. YAKU’S HUT – MORNING
Yaku approaches Robert, Timur and Kingi.
YAKU
A pusta na beki la.
Timur points at Robert and looks at Yaku.
TIMUR
Robur.
ROBERT
Robert.
Yaku slowly nods. Timur points at Yaku and looks at Robert.
TIMUR
Yaku.
From the door of the hut appears Yaku’s wife CHABI, a woman in her thirties.
ROBERT
Hello.
A beat.
Robert looks at Yaku.
ROBERT
Thank you for your hospitality
mister… Yaku.
Yaku nods as if he understands.
ROBERT
(waving to the horizon)
I’m from far away and I don’t
really know how I got here.
(beat)
If this is still France, which I
think it is, I must have traveled
back in time.
Yaku and Timur look puzzled.
ROBERT
Way back.
(beat)
And I’d like to get back home.
(beat; to himself)
But my primitive French isn’t
what it used to be.
Yaku notices Robert’s bare feet. He looks surprised at Timur.
YAKU
Tipassa bu yabu quercu ta.
Timur looks at Robert’s feet and nods. Yaku lays a hand on Robert’s shoulder and gives him a comforting look.
Timur guides Robert away with Kingi following.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – MORNING
Robert, Timur and Kingi walk to a smouldering camp fire. Thin strips of deer meat hang on sticks to dry and there are fruits in a basket.
Sana approaches with a pair of animal skin MOCCASINS and gives them to Robert.
ROBERT
For me?
Sana nods.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – MOMENTS LATER
Robert wears the moccasins which looks funny in combination with his shortened business pants and his white shirt.
Timur gestures Robert to follow him. They hear Kingi who stands at the camp fire.
KINGI
Cupassa maran. Cupassa?
Timur thinks for a second and then gestures Kingi to come along. The boy runs smiling towards them.
EXT. VALLEY RIDGE – AFTERNOON
Robert, Timur and Kingi stand on a ridge, overlooking a large part of the valley. It’s an excellent view point. The Kush Wabeki camp and some grazing animals are in the distance. Timur points at the camp.
TIMUR
Kush Wabeki.
He points at a large forest, a few miles from the camp.
TIMUR
Dacusha zo.
Timur points at the mountains behind them.
TIMUR
Robur… Robert.
Robert points in the same direction and depicts a man lying down. Timur nods.
The men just stand there for a while.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
They walk over grassland back to camp. Suddenly Timur stops, kneels down and points at some animal tracks in the sand.
CLOSE ON CAVE LION PRINTS
Timur turns his hands into claws and GROWLS. He touches Robert’s shirt
TIMUR
Canesto.
ROBERT
Oh, he’s around again?
The three continue their walk. Worried, Robert glances left and right into to bushes.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
Kingi points to Robert’s watch. Robert stops walking and shows it to him.
ROBERT
My watch.
(beat)
It used to tell me what time it
is.
Kingi is intrigued by it. Robert takes off the watch and puts it around Kingi’s wrist.
ROBERT
Here, you have it. It’s broken
anyway.
Kingi runs off in the direction of the camp with his arm straight in the air, SCREAMING EXITED.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – EVENING
It’s almost dark. Tribe members, including Yaku, Chabi, Timur, Sana and Jabob sit around a brightly burning campfire.
A man named HASHIM tells an animated tale about a hunt. He portrays a hunter looking at tracks and carefully stalks an imaginary prey. He gives hand signals to colleague hunters and he raises his arm, ready to throw a stick.
RHINOCEROS NOISES and Hashim turns around with a startled look on his face.
Jabob, walking on all fours, holds a big white RHINO HORN in front of his face.
Hashim runs away and the whole group LAUGHS.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – EVENING
Chabi sits next to Robert. She points at Jabob’s rhino horn.
CHABI
Bussibe.
(beat)
Bussibe.
Robert understands.
ROBERT
Rhino.
Robert portrays throwing a spear.
ROBERT
How do you call a spear?
CHABI
Shusta.
ROBERT
Shusta.
Chabi looks at his shirt and points at it.
CHABI
Junemi kula sa ti?
ROBERT
What’s that? My shirt?
Robert feels it between his fingers and Chabi nods.
ROBERT
It’s made of cotton.
(beat)
Hugo Boss actually. I got it in
London.
Chabi looks puzzled.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – CONTINUOUS
Yaku gestures the whole group to be quiet. Everybody looks into the darkness.
A young woman named UMBALA and a man named MIHAI walk into the camp. The Kush Wabeki smile and SAY GREETINGS.
Sana gets up and hugs Umbala who has long brows hair with streaks of blond. Other people get up too.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – EVENING
Chabi explains to Robert.
CHABI
Oppas.
ROBERT
Friends. Family?
Chabi gestures with her hands that Sana and Umbala are related. Robert nods.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – LATER
Yaku kneels behind Robert and Chabi. He points up and then depicts the sun rising over the horizon.
ROBERT
The sky? Ahh, the sun.
Tomorrow…
Yaku points at Robert, Chabi, Sana, and some other women and points away from camp.
ROBERT
Tomorrow I go with them…
Yaku makes plucking gestures.
ROBERT
To… pick up some stuff.
Yaku looks at Robert who nods.
ROBERT
Sure.
INT. ROBERT’S HUT – DAWN
Robert lies on his bed asleep. Kingi shakes him awake.
EXT. ROBERT’S HUT – MOMENTS LATER
Robert walks out of his hut with his hair all messed up.
The women, children and an elderly guy named RUFU carry REED BASKETS and DIGGING STICKS and are ready to go. They try not to laugh at Robert’s sleepy appearance.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
The group walks.
EXT. UNDER SOME LARGE TREES – AFTERNOON
The group picks up NUTS from the ground. Rufu opens a nut and gestures Robert to put it in his mouth. Robert opens one and takes a careful bite. He nods.
EXT. BUSHY AREA – AFTERNOON
The group picks prune-sized fruits.
Sana shows one to Robert.
SANA
Metchi.
EXT. SOME TALL PLANTS – AFTERNOON
Women dig up LARGE ROOTS from tall green plants. Sana takes a piece of flint and scrapes off the root’s skin. She cuts off a white piece of the inside and gives it to Robert.
SANA
Petefu.
Robert takes a bite and nods.
ROBERT
Good stuff.
He studies the root.
ROBERT
(to himself)
And no additives.
EXT. BUSHY AREA – AFTERNOON
The group picks berries and put them in full baskets.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – EVENING
The campfire burns and the results of the day’s gathering trip lie around: baskets full with fruit, nuts, roots and leaves. Large eggs and bark containers are filled with water.
Women prepare meals and children play around. The setting sun colors everything gold and everything is peaceful.
Robert just watches it from the side and tears appear in his eyes. He covers his face with a hand and some of the women look at him.
A little GIRL runs over and puts her hand on his shoulder.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – NEXT DAY
Kingi runs into camp ANNOUNCING the arrival of men. Yaku, Bunak, Timur and some others walk into camp with spears and large pieces of meat.
Robert watches Timur putting down a huge piece of bloody hind leg from some animal.
Timur looks at Robert and imitates a horned animal by putting one finger to his head and scraping his foot over the ground.
TIMUR
Ufenga.
ROBERT
I see… Wow… I’m used to
smaller pieces in cellophane.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – EVENING
The camp is visible from a distance. People eat around the campfire.
EXT. GRASSLAND – FOREST BORDER – AFTERNOON
Timur walks with an axe in his hand (piece of flint hafted in a stick). He inspects a small straight tree and chops it off.
EXT. GRASSLAND – ROCKY AREA – AFTERNOON
Kneeled down, Timur studies a collection of animal bones, spread out on an animal skin on the ground.
EXT. GRASSLAND – ROCKY AREA – AFTERNOON
Timur sharpens a piece of bone on a rock.
EXT. TIMUR’S HUT – AFTERNOON
Timur fits, what’s now a bone spear point, into a carved slit of the long stick. He secures the connection by tightly wrapping deer sinew around it.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – AFTERNOON
Robert sharpens a small stick with a piece of flint when Timur approaches him and hands him the new spear.
ROBERT
For me?
Timur nods. Robert inspects the spear.
ROBERT
Wow. Bring on the mammoths!
EXT. ROBERT’S HUT – SUNRISE
Robert comes out of his hut, holding his spear. Everybody is still asleep except Rufu, the old man, who drinks tea at the smouldering camp fire.
RUFU’S POV Quietly Robert leaves camp.
EXT. ROBERT’S HUT – MORNING
Sana peeks inside Robert’s hut and looks around camp. Rufu points away.
RUFU
Busti na poivi ku nepo.
Sana shrugs her shoulders.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
Timur carries firewood towards the camp and runs into Robert carrying his spear.
TIMUR
Kuwapasi du tjek?
Robert shakes his head.
ROBERT
No catch today.
Both men walk towards the camp.
EXT. GRASSLAND – SUNSET
The sun sets over the grassland.
EXT. CAMP BORDER – AFTERNOON
One of the WOMEN plucks the leaves of a green plant. Robert emerges from the bushes a dead PIKA (hamster-like animal) and his spear. The woman looks at Robert, then the pika and starts LAUGHING.
Robert smiles sheepishly as he passes her.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – AFTERNOON
Robert walks into camp with the pika. Jabob points at the small animal and imitates a cave lion by showing claws and GROWLING.
EXT. ROBERT’S HUT – MOMENTS LATER
Robert puts down the pika and his spear in front of his hut and notices Bunak, staring at him with dark eyes from a distance. Bunak looks at the pika and Robert and SNIFFS in contempt.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – NIGHT
Robert eats small pieces of meat, alone at the camp fire.
EXT. STREAM – SOME DAYS LATER – AFTERNOON
The KUSH WABEKI MEN stand in a stream with 3-POINTED SPEARS, staring into the moving water. Robert watches from the bank. Bunak thrusts down his spear and catches a LARGE FLAPPING SALMON.
EXT. STREAM – LATER
Robert has joined the men in the stream, holding a spear.
A fish is nearby and Robert thrusts his spear in the water. He gets it up and there’s a ROCK jammed between the three barbed points.
He tries to remove it but it’s stuck. He SIGHS.
ROBERT
(to himself)
How hard can it be?
He frees the rock and takes position again. Another jab and another rock.
EXT. STREAM – EVENING
All Kush Wabeki have left but Robert still stands in the stream. A large fish swims near Robert and he thrusts his spear. A splash of water and another miss.
ROBERT
(screaming)
Freakin’ fish!
EXT. CAMPFIRE – EVENING
The Kush wabeki sit around the camp fire, eating fish. Bunak notices Robert entering the camp with his fishing spear.
BUNAK
Tjoge du pape mana so ledio futa.
Everybody turns around and looks at Robert. Timur replies angrily to Bunak.
TIMUR
Habas di nokale tudesa. Monofi be
hoqwa zinno!
Timur turns around, holds up some fish and calls Robert. Robert shakes his head and enters his hut.
EXT. CAMP – NEXT DAY – AFTERNOON
Robert drinks water from a bark container and looks depressed. He sees Kingi and some other children play with sticks and a PIECE OF ROPE made of plant fibers.
He walks over to Kingi and feels the rope.
ROBERT
How did you make this?
EXT. FOREST BORDER – AFTERNOON
Kingi runs a flint knife over a straight branch and removes a narrow strip of bark.
While Robert watches, he twists the bark and twines it into a small length of rope.
ROBERT
Let’s try something…
EXT. FOREST BORDER – LATER
Robert and Kingi sit on the ground, twining long pieces of rope.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – EVENING
It gets dark. Robert and Kingi knot pieces of rope together in, what looks like to become, a NET.
EXT. STREAM – NEXT DAY – MORNING
The FISHING NET is complete, including wooden floaters and stone sinkers. It’s stretched across the stream and Robert and Kingi secure the final anchor point on one of the banks.
EXT. STREAM – AFTERNOON
Robert and Kingi watch the water flow through the net. Suddenly Kingi SHOUTS and points upstream. A large LOG drifts rapidly towards the net.
ROBERT
No!
Robert and Kingi jump into the stream but they’re too late and the log breaks the net.
ROBERT
Dammit!
The two of them drag the net ashore. More CURSING from Robert. Kingi notices a SALMON stuck with its gills in the net!
KINGI
Tubeta! Tubeta!
Robert sees it. A big smile.
ROBERT
Yes! Tubeta!
Elated they drag the net ashore and reveal THREE LARGE SALMONS flapping in the net.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
Robert and Kingi enter camp, proudly carrying the three salmons and their net. People cheer and walk over. Yaku and Timur inspect the net and are intrigued by it.
EXT. ON A RIDGE – SOME WEEKS LATER – EVENING
Robert sits on a ridge overlooking the valley. He looks sad. Chabi walks over and sits down next to him.
CHABI
Tumatta ki?
Robert gets out his wallet and gives Chabi the PHOTOGRAPH of Elaine and Chris. Chabi is amazed by it and studies it from all sides.
ROBERT
It’s a picture.
Robert points to Elaine and Chris.
ROBERT
Elaine and Chris.
(beat)
I miss them and I don’t know if I
will see them again.
Chabi studies the faces on the picture.
CHABI
Jayba di monita.
Robert tries to smile.
ROBERT
Yes, they look nice.
Chabi gives back the photograph and they both stare into the valley.
Down the ridge they see Bunak walking towards camp, holding a spear. Robert frowns.
ROBERT
And what the hell is wrong with
that guy?
Chabi thinks for a moment and then speaks supported by hand gestures.
CHABI
Tobesa ku muneffo tebet ki ralas
pe nofa decos manta.
ROBERT
He… doesn’t like… new
things…? Things… out of the
ordinary?
CHABI
Mene tu besa fogi ab kasumetra
dnuge twale.
ROBERT
He doesn’t trust me… believes
I’m a bad sign… bad omen…
Chabi looks at Robert to see if he understands.
A few beats.
CHABI
Mene tu besa fogi ab kasumetra
dnuge twale.
ROBERT
He lost his wife… recently…
an animal? No, sickness…
CHABI
Mene tu besa fogi ab kasumetra
dnuge twale.
ROBERT
He is… what? Good hunter…
okay…
Both stare into the valley. Chabi puts a comforting hand on Robert’s shoulder.
She gets up and points at the camp in the distance.
CHABI
Cumchassa tupai di funeto danka.
She moves her hand slowly to the horizon.
ROBERT
We’re moving camp? Tomorrow?
Chabi nods and points at the setting sun and at the clouds. She makes the sound of WIND and gestures the falling of leaves from the trees.
ROBERT
The season is changing.
CHABI
Konego.
Robert nods.
ROBERT
Tomorrow. Okay.
Robert stares into the valley.
EXT. GRASSLAND – MORNING
The whole tribe walks. Many carry animal skin bags with some belongings like flint axes, some fruit and extra skins. Some men carry a spear and some women carry a child in a sling.
Robert wears a short-sleeve animal skin jacket over his white shirt and also carries a spear and an animal skin bag.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
The group walks over wide open grassland. A flock of birds takes off from a lake in the distance.
EXT. OPEN FOREST – AFTERNOON
The group walks through an open forest.
EXT. ROCKY AREA – EVENING
The group walks over grassland littered with rocks.
EXT. GRASSLAND – EVENING
The group builds SHELTERS of branches, leaves and grass. Robert helps. Forked branches are interlocked, connections are secured with root bindings and thatching is added.
EXT. CAMP – EVENING
Hashim sits on the ground and quickly rotates a thin, straight stick between the palms of his hands. He drills it into another small piece of wood on the ground and a tiny bit of smoke comes from the contact point. Fascinated Robert watches.
The smoke increases and Hashim stops drilling. On a piece of bark, under the wood on the ground, a small pile of black smoking wood powder has formed. He picks up the small pile, gently transfers it to a bundle of dry grass and blows the grass into flames. Friction fire lighting!
EXT. CAMP FIRE – NIGHT
The tribe sits around a big camp fire.
INT. ROBERT’S HUT – NIGHT
Robert lies on an animal skin bed in his hut. He sees some Kush Wabeki sit around the campfire.
ROBERT’S POV A KUSH WABEKI MAN AND WOMAN enter another hut and close it only partially. Although it’s dark, Robert can see them lie down and start kissing.
Robert SIGHS, turns on his back and looks at the stars in the night’s sky.
EXT. GRASSLAND – SMALL BUSHES – AFTERNOON
It rains. Robert plucks fruit with some women, children and elderly.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – NIGHT
Everybody sits around the campfire. Sounds of a WOMAN GIVING BIRTH come from a hut.
EXT. CAMP FIRE – NIGHT
Chabi walks out the hut, holding a CRYING BABY and gives it to the FATHER. The man is elated and holds the baby in the air, showing it to the rest of the tribe. People CHEER, including Robert.
The MOTHER, supported by other women, walks to the campfire and joins the father and the baby.
EXT. STREAM – AFTERNOON
Robert washes his upper body in a stream. He inspects his arm and sees the RASH HAS GONE. He looks surprised.
EXT. GRASSLAND – WINTER
The whole tribe walks over a SNOW COVERED landscape. Everybody wears thicker animal clothing. Robert’s hair has grown, he has a beard and he is now almost indistinguishable from the other tribe members.
EXT. GRASSLAND – SMALL BUSHES – AFTERNOON
Yaku sets a SNARE next to a bent branch. Other Kush Wabeki hunters walk in the snow covered landscape.
EXT. GRASSLAND – SMALL BUSHES – EVENING
A DEAD HARE dangles up side down in the snare. A Kush Wabeki hunter removes the hare.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
Two Kush Wabeki women sit on their knees and dig in the ground with DIGGING STICKS. Next to them is a pile of roots. Snow is blow around by the wind.
EXT. GRASSLAND – FOREST BORDER – AFTERNOON
The camp is located in a snow covered landscape. The Kush Wabeki sit around a massive campfire. People eat.
EXT. HILL – SPRING – AFTERNOON
Spring has begun! The landscape is green again, flowers are opening and the sun is shining.
Robert appears from behind a hill, wearing light clothes and looking lean, strong and healthy.
EXT. RABBIT HOLE – AFTERNOON
Robert passes Jabob, who has his arm stuck in, what looks like, a RABBIT HOLE. A young KID stands next to Jabob and watches.
ROBERT
(in Kush Wabeki language
– subtitled in English)
He won’t come out?
Jabob SCREAMS and pulls out his arm.
JABOB
No, but he bites!
Robert and the kid LAUGH. Robert walks on. Jabob carefully sticks his arm back in the hole.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
All tribe members have changed their Winter clothes for a lighter outfit. They GREET Robert as he passes.
Yaku, Timur, Rufu and Bunak sit in front of Yaku’s hut. Yaku sees Robert and gestures him to come over.
EXT. YAKU’S HUT – MOMENTS LATER
Robert sits down.
YAKU
(to Robert)
As you know we’ve been
unsuccessful hunting the last few
weeks.
Robert nods.
YAKU
Now Sana saw Megaloceros tracks
this morning at the forest
border.
The men look serious.
YAKU
(to everybody)
I want to hunt it tomorrow.
They all nod.
YAKU
(to Robert)
You want to go with us?
Bunak frowns.
BUNAK
I don’t think that’s a good idea.
YAKU
He’s ready. He has the skills.
All eyes are on Robert.
ROBERT
Yes. I want to go.
YAKU
It could be dangerous.
ROBERT
I’m in.
Timur smiles and Bunak looks away. Yaku turns to Rufu who
slowly nods.
EXT. CAVES – EVENING
The Kush Wabeki climb a rock formation under a full moon. Some carry flickering torches and people WHISPER to each other.
INT. CAVE – LATER
The tribe is in the cave with magnificent charcoal and red ochre CAVE PAINTINGS on the wall. Some animal bones lie scattered on the ground.
CLOSE ON CAVE PAINTINGS.
The wall moves by in the flickering light of the torches. There are aurochs (giant oxen), woolly rhinoceroses, cave lions, wild horses, cave bears and megaloceroses (giant deer with huge antlers).
CLOSE ON MEGALOCEROSES
RUFU (O.S.)
Atuspraga di pitu ma fonia.
Runufutia des kulato di beco.
Rufu looks like a sorcerer in the flickering light and has his eyes closed.
RUFU
Maniefuleti bo roffi du gana.
Robert leans to Timur.
ROBERT
(whispering)
What’s he saying?
TIMUR
He’s asking god Banta in the old
language for a successful hunt.
RUFU
Padooshka die nova ti keno ze
bora multimi boulo te bandu
astavikopera.
TIMUR
Something like “may the tracks be
clear, the wind on our side, and
our spears awesome”.
CLOSE IN ON THE MEGALOCEROS, THE DEER’S HEAD, THE GIANT ANTLERS.
RUFU (O.S.)
Kanuapati dualesum chademsa.
Kanuapati prespulla chademsa.
EXT. HILLS – DAWN
Robert, Timur, Yaku, Bunak, and Jabob walk into the hills with spears.
EXT. RIVER – AFTERNOON
The five men cross a river.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
A few of them have kneeled down to study tracks on the ground.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
The men walk through grassland. They pass bushes and Timur points something out to Robert.
CLOSE ON SOME BROWN COLORED HAIRS STUCK ON A THORN IN THE BUSHES.
They walk on.
EXT. CAMPFIRE – NIGHT
The men sit around a campfire and eat some NUTS.
JABOB
(to Robert)
Tell us about your world again.
Timur rolls his eyes.
TIMUR
Oh, give the guy a break. You
keep on asking.
Robert smiles.
ROBERT
I don’t mind telling again.
Robert sits up straight.
ROBERT
In the future, the huts will be
as high as the hills. Thousands
of people live in them. Like many
many tribes.
JABOB
You know everybody?
ROBERT
No, only some. And even the ones
you do know, you mainly know…
well… superficially.
JABOB
What about the others?
ROBERT
You ignore them. There are just
to many.
Roberts looks around.
ROBERT
And there are much fewer forests
and wild animals. People turned
them into cities and roads and
concrete and farms.
Robert holds his hands in front of his stomach, pretending to have a big belly.
ROBERT
And many people are over weight.
YAKU
Why?
ROBERT
Because they eat much food and move very little.
Robert stands up, spreads his arms and walks around, pretending to be an airplane.
ROBERT
One day I came here by airplane.
TIMUR
What was that again?
ROBERT
Like a giant bird that brings
people to far away places. They
are really cool. You have to see
one to believe it.
Robert sits down again and pretends to be typing behind a computer.
ROBERT
Then I work every day for hours
and hours on the computer, which
is like a… really big cell
phone… to earn money.
JABOB
Money?
ROBERT
Yes, it looks like green leaves
from a tree and you can get food
with it and drinks and lawn
mowers. Anything.
TIMUR
You don’t hunt?
ROBERT
No, you just sit in an office the
whole day until you get money.
YAKU
What about your family?
ROBERT
I don’t see them to much. My
parents live far away and my
grandmother is in an retirement
home. I even have to schedule
seeing my wife and child.
The men stare in the fire.
YAKU
Strange place.
Robert sighs.
ROBERT
And then there is global
warming…
EXT. GRASSLAND – LAKE – DAWN
A bird stands on the lake shore and cleans its feathers while the sun comes up. A light fog drifts over the water. It’s a beautiful morning.
EXT. GRASSLAND – NEAR LAKE – DAWN
The campfire has gone out and the men have left.
EXT. GRASSLAND – FOREST BORDER – AFTERNOON
The five men walk over grassland with a forest and hills in the b.g. They kneel down. Yaku points at the ground.
CLOSE ON DEER PRINT AND BEND OVER GRASS.
YAKU (O.S.)
It looks like one of the bulls
split from the pack and went to
the hills.
ROBERT
When?
YAKU
Two hours ago, at the most.
They all stare at the hills.
EXT. HILL’S EDGE – AFTERNOON
The five men crawl up the hill and peek over the edge.
A MAGNIFICENT DEER grazes in a small valley. It’s a large animal (over seven feet at the shoulders), but most impressive are its ANTLERS, which are the size of a small car! We’re looking at a megaloceros bull in its prime.
The men crawl back down.
YAKU
(lowered voice)
Big bull.
BUNAK
There is not enough cover to
sneak up to it.
The men silently confer.
EXT. HILL’S EDGE – MOMENTS LATER
Bunak carefully moves to the right on the hillside while the others crawl to the left.
EXT. VALLEY – AFTERNOON
The megaloceros is grazing, occasionally looking up. Bunak expertly stalks the animal from behind, using boulders and the occasional bush for cover.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES
Robert and the others have taken position in a distance, on the other side of the animal, behind some trees and boulders that line a shallow stream.
Bunak sneaks closer.
Yaku and Robert are on one side of the stream while Timur and Jabob hide on the other side.
EXT. BOULDERS
Bunak is now pretty close to the megaloceros. A TWIG SNAPS and the animal turns.
Bunak jumps up and YELLS and waves his spear.
The megaloceros makes a loud MOOING SOUND and runs away. Bunak chases it down the stream towards the others and keeps yelling.
EXT. VALLEY
The impressive animal picks up speed and we hear loud GALLOPING.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES
The animal runs through the stream, its hooves splashing in the shallow water.
Suddenly it sees a slight movement where Timur and Jabob hide. The animal MOOS and changes direction, out of the stream… straight towards Robert and Yaku!
YAKU
Damn! Now!
Robert and Yaku jump up and throw their SPEARS.
The animal sees both men appearing from behind the bushes but it’s too late to change direction.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES
Yaku’s spear penetrates the megaloceros’ front leg. Robert’s spear hits the giant antlers and falls broken to the ground. The animal, not affected much by one spear, tramples Robert and comes to a halt.
The deer is now trapped by boulders and vegetation, bleeding a bit and furious. Robert lies on the ground.
Yaku attempts to grab Robert but the megaloceros is too close.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES
Timur and Jabob run towards them, spears ready.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES
The megaloceros dangerously swings its antlers over Robert.
Timur and Jabob throw their SPEARS. Timur’s spear just misses and ends up stuck in a dead tree. Jabob’s spear hits the megaloceros in its hind leg. The animal MOOS again but shows no sign of weakness yet.
It continues attacking Robert who rolls from left to right, trying to avoid the antlers. Large CHUNKS OF DIRT fly around where the antlers hit the ground.
Yaku throws ROCKS at the animal with little effect. Timur frantically tries to free his spear from the dead tree. Jabob YELLS at the animal.
The megaloceros is now right above Robert. The next swing will be lethal!
Right then, Bunak thrusts a SPEAR in the animal’s neck. The animal MOOS, and throws Bunak, still holding on to his spear, through the air.
Now the megaloceros charges Bunak who trips and tries rolling away from the antlers.
Robert sees the top part of his BROKEN SPEAR on the ground. He grabs it, jumps up and jabs it into the animal’s neck.
The megaloceros MOOS again and now Robert is thrown through the air.
The megaloceros now has MULTIPLE SPEARS WOUNDS and bleeds profusely. It calms down, makes a few more steps and falls down to the ground. Dead.
Everybody stares at the animal. Bunak and Robert, covered by its blood, get up. Yaku and Timur walk towards them.
YAKU
You okay?
Robert is still dazed.
ROBERT
Wow…
Bunak nods.
The men look at the animal and each other. Their fists go into the air and they shout VICTORY CRIES.
Robert faces Bunak and, for the first time, he sees something different in his eyes. Respect.
EXT. HILL – AFTERNOON
The men carry large chunks of meat in animal skin bags, attached to their spears. Cheerful TALKING.
EXT. FOREST PATH – AFTERNOON
The five men walk down a dark forest path.
Suddenly a STRANGE MAN with a painted face jumps from a tree on top of Bunak and knocks him to the ground.
TWELVE MEN armed with spears and clubs appear from the bushes. It’s an ambush!
Everybody looks tense. A strong looking man named BOGDAN, from a tribe named the DANATRAK, steps forward.
BOGDAN
We’re taking your meat.
Yaku and the others put down the meat. Yaku is furious.
YAKU
The hell you are.
BOGDAN
You’re on our grounds.
YAKU
No, we’re not and you know it.
Bogdan hand signals one of his men.
BOGDAN
My men are hungry.
The meanest and strongest looking man of the Danatrak, named NAROK, takes Bunak’s meat bag. Bunak, still on the ground, grabs Narok’s but gets hit on the head by a spear but.
A FIGHT breaks out between both groups but the Kush Wabeki are heavily outnumbered and get a heavy beating.
EXT. FOREST PATH – MOMENTS LATER
All Kush Wabeki men are on the ground, bleeding, spear points next to their face.
BOGDAN
We also got word of a new man in
your tribe with a magical sound
maker.
Bogdan stares at Robert.
BOGDAN
We want it.
Robert looks puzzled at the others. Bogdan pretends pushing something in his hand and makes BEEPING sounds.
ROBERT
My cell phone…
(beat)
The batteries are dead. It
doesn’t work anymore.
BOGDAN
We want it.
ROBERT
I didn’t bring it.
Bogdan signals Narok who searches Robert’s animal skins. Nothing.
BOGDAN
(angry)
Then we’ll take you instead.
Narok and some other men drag Robert away. Bogdan looks at Yaku.
BOGDAN
Bring the sound maker to us to
get your man back.
One of the Danatrak men clubs Yaku on the head and he passes out.
INT. PRISON PIT – EVENING
Robert stands in a dug out pit at the edge of the Danatrak camp. A network of thick branches forms the roof and prevent him from climbing out. The ground is muddy. It’s a nasty place.
Robert grabs the BRANCHES to test their strength. They hardly move. He stands on his toes and peeks through.
ROBERT’S POV A large number of huts are scattered around. Some men with spears walk around and only few women and children.
Suddenly Robert is hit by DIRT AND STONES on the head. Danatrak kids throw stuff at him. Robert lets go of the bars and takes cover in the pit. The kids LAUGH and throw more.
INT. PRISON PIT – SUNSET
Robert sits on the muddy floor with his head in his hands. His clothes are dirty. It gets dark.
He hears distressed WOMEN’S VOICES. He stands up and tries to look through the branches.
ROBERT’S POV A group of FIVE WOMEN arrive with baskets and bags of food. Danatrak men take the food away. Bogdan and some other men drag the resisting women to their huts.
One of the women looks familiar. It’s hard to see in the upcoming darkness but then Robert recognizes the long brown hair with streaks of blond. It’s UMBALA, Sana’s sister, who visited the Kush Wabeki some time ago! She disappears.
Robert lets go of the branches and sits down, thinking.
INT. PRISON PIT – MORNING
Robert is asleep on the muddy floor. A trickle of yellow liquid splashes on his head. He wakes up. One of the DANATRAK MEN pees on his head! The man LAUGHS. Robert CURSES.
The man walks away. Robert tries to brush the pee of his clothes.
ROBERT
(to himself)
Fucking pigs.
INT. PRISON PIT – MORNING
Robert sits on the ground. He hears VOICES and peeks through the bars.
ROBERT’S POV The women are grouped together and hold empty baskets. Umbala is among them. An armed Danatrak GUARD stands close by.
The guard is distracted for a moment and Robert calls Umbala’s name.
ROBERT
Umbala.
She doesn’t hear him.
ROBERT
(louder)
Umbala!
The guard is back but Umbala looks in the direction of the pit. Maybe she heard him.
The guard leads the women away but Umbala looks back over her shoulder.
UBALA’S POV Part of a dirty face peeks through the bars and a hand goes up.
The guard roughly pushes Umbala forward and the women disappear.
INT. PRISON PIT – EVENING
Robert sleeps in the pit. He hears a SOFT RUSTLE and opens his eyes. Umbala looks down through the bars in the dark. Robert jumps up. Umbala is nervous.
ROBERT
(whispering)
Umbala?
Umbala nods
ROBERT
I saw you at the Kush Wabeki a
year ago. You’re Sana’s sister.
UMBALA
I am.
ROBERT
What are you doing here? Who are
these people?
Umbala looks around nervously.
UMBALA
They are the Danatrak. It’s an
evil tribe from the Juha forest.
They raided our camp a month ago.
ROBERT
What happened?
A few beats. Umbala fights back the tears.
UMBALA
They killed the men and children
and brought the women here.
ROBERT
God…
A beat.
ROBERT
We need to get out of here.
Umbala nervously looks around.
UMBALA
How? It’s too dangerous. The
Danatrak are merciless.
ROBERT
Can you open this pit?
Umbala looks at the branches.
UMBALA
I don’t know…
FOOTSTEPS can be heard. Umbala disappears.
UMBALA
…morning…
She’s gone. An ANGRY MAN’S VOICE can be heard and TWO SLAPS.
INT. PRISON PIT – DAWN
Robert sleeps on the muddy floor. There are CHOPPING SOUNDS from the ROOF BRANCHES. Robert opens his eyes and stands up. He sees nobody but a small AXE lands on his head and it’s quiet again.
Robert feels his head and checks the axe (piece of flint hafted in a stick). He looks up at the bars.
INT. PRISON PIT – MORNING
One of the bars has been partly chopped through. Robert chops a second bar when A DANATRAK MAN appears from one of the huts. The man stretches and YAWNS. Robert hides the axe and peeks through the bars.
TWO GUARDS arrive with THE WOMEN holding empty baskets. When the group leaves, Umbala shoots a glance in the direction of Robert’s pit.
INT. PRISON PIT – MORNING
All looks quiet again and Robert starts chopping. Suddenly his flint axe head BREAKS. He studies the axe and CURSES.
INT. PRISON PIT – MORNING
Robert is sweating and uses half of axe head as a knife, laboriously scraping one of the bars.
INT. PRISON PIT – MORNING
The bar is almost thinned down to half. Robert stops and tries breaking the bar with all his might. It won’t. He starts scraping again.
INT. PRISON PIT – MORNING
The bar is thinned down more. Robert stops scraping and hangs on it. It breaks with a loud CRACK and he falls on the ground. Robert looks up and two bars are broken now. He gets up and is about to climb out.
A DANATRAK MAN walks up.
Robert jumps back in the pit and puts back the wooden bars as much as possible.
The Danatrak man walks past the pit and sees Robert just casually leaning against the pit wall. The man spits in the pit.
DANATRAK MAN
Kush Wabeki are dumb asses.
When the man is gone, Robert sees the wooden AXE HANDLE lying on the floor, grabs it and climbs out the pit. He disappears in the bushes.
EXT. BUSHES NEAR DANATRAK CAMP – MOMENTS LATER
Robert runs between bushes and trees and crosses a PATH. In the far distance he sees the women and the two guards.
Robert thinks for a moment and turns in their direction.
EXT. PATH IN THE FOREST – MOMENTS LATER
The women quietly pluck fruits and the guards, armed with spears, are chatting.
Robert approaches from behind, holding the axe handle.
EXT. PATH IN THE FOREST – MOMENTS LATER
Robert is right behind the two guards when a TWIG SNAPS. The guards turn around and Robert tries to smile.
He clubs the first guard down but the second guard knocks him to the ground with a sideway sweep of his spear.
The guard is about to stab him in the chest when Umbala hits the guard in his face with her BASKET, squashing fruit all over his head.
Robert kicks the guard’s legs which makes him tumble over. Robert leaps on top of him and both men roll over the ground, fighting.
The guard ends on top and seems to be on the winning hand.
One of the other WOMEN smacks the guard on the head with a spear.
Both guards lie on the ground, MOANING. Robert gets up.
ROBERT
Well done! Come with me!
The women drop their baskets and run after Robert over the path. The guards try to get up.
EXT. PATH IN THE FOREST – MORNING
Robert and the women run down the path. The Danatrak camp can be seen from a distance in the valley.
From a distance Robert sees somebody walking towards the camp. The man looks familiar and Robert slows his pace.
ROBERT
Bunak! My God!
The group stops running. He looks at Umbala and the others.
ROBERT
I have to go back.
The women are all scared to death.
ROBERT
Keep running. Go over this hill
and follow the river. I will meet
you later at the end of the
forest.
Umbala looks at Robert and their eyes hold for a moment.
Then she takes off with the other women. Robert runs back to the camp.
EXT. DANATRAK CAMP – MORNING
Bunak cautiously enters the Danatrak camp, holding a spear.
When the first Danatrak see him, there is a burst of activity. Danatrak men YELL, get their spears and run over.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES NEXT TO THE DANATRAK CAMP
Robert runs towards the camp.
ROBERT’S POV Bunak stands in the camp, facing a group of Danatrak men.
EXT. DANATRAK CAMP
Bogdan appears with Narok. Everybody becomes quiet.
BUNAK
I’m here to exchange Robert for
the sound maker.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES NEXT TO THE DANATRAK CAMP
Robert hides behind some bushes at the camp border. The Danatrak men have their backs towards him but he is in Bunak’s line of sight.
Robert waves his hand but Bunak doesn’t see him.
EXT. DANATRAK CAMP
BOGDAN
Show me the sound maker.
BUNAK
Show me Robert.
BOGDAN
I want to hear the sound maker.
Bunak notices movement in the b.g. He sees Robert wildly gesturing. Bunak looks back at the Danatrak and doesn’t know what to do. They all stare at him.
Bogdan extends his arm.
BOGDAN
Give it to me.
The DANATRAK MEN close in on Bunak, blocking his view of Robert. Bunak hesitates.
He reaches under his shirt and takes the CELL PHONE, attached to a plant fiber necklace, and lays it on the ground. All Danatrak men stare at it. A beat.
Bogdan signals one of the men to pick it up and bring it to him.
Bunak slowly walks backwards while the Danatrak are intrigued by the cell phone.
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES NEXT TO THE DANATRAK CAMP
Robert sees Bunak slowly backing away.
EXT. DANATRAK CAMP
Bogdan inspects the cell phone. It’s dead.
BOGDAN
Why doesn’t it make sounds?
Bunak shrugs his shoulders, still walking backwards.
Robert has disappeared from the bushes.
Bogdan sniffs the cell phone and signals Narok.
BOGDAN
Get their man…
Narok walks away and so does Bunak. The Danatrak look puzzled.
BOGDAN
Where’s he going?
EXT. BUSHES AND TREES NEXT TO THE CAMP
Bunak suddenly runs into the bushes and sees Robert running towards him, wildly gesturing.
ROBERT
Let’s go! Let’s Go! I got away!
BOGDAN
What about the phone?
ROBERT
Forget it! It’s worthless!
The two men run together.
EXT. DANATRAK CAMP
Bogdan still stands there with the cell phone in his hand. Narok comes running back.
NAROK
He escaped!
EXT. BUSHES NEAR DANATRAK CAMP
Robert and Bunak crash through the forest.
Angry Danatrak men SCREAM.
ROBERT
(panting)
The others are down at the river.
BUNAK
Others?
Both men run on.
EXT. KUSH WABEKI CAMP BORDER – EVENING
Robert, Bunak and the five women enter the Kush Wabeki camp where they are GREETED enthusiastically. Sana is surprised to see Umbala and embraces her. Chabi hugs Robert.
Yaku wears a bandage around his head and hugs both Bunak and Robert. Jabob dances around.
EXT. YAKU’S HUT – NEXT DAY – MORNING
The whole tribe sits in front of Yaku’s hut. Everybody looks serious. Finally Yaku speaks.
YAKU
It’s a matter of days before the
Danatrak will raid our camp too.
Yaku looks at the faces around him.
YAKU
I know we have moved camp before
because of them, but I don’t see
another option.
(beat)
They outnumber us three to one.
Bunak looks angry.
BUNAK
I hate it. I don’t want to keep
running from them. We have to do
that forever? That’s no way to
live!
Some people MUMBLE agreements.
YAKU
What do you suggest then?
Bunak stares to the ground. A beat. Robert looks away and sees two small children play with a LONG STICK, bending it.
ROBERT
I might have an idea.
Everybody looks at him.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – AFTERNOON
Robert is surrounded by men, women and children.
ROBERT
I need a strong flexible piece of
wood, about this long.
Robert spreads his arms. The men walk into the forest with flint axes.
ROBERT
And I need strong strings. Same
length. The strongest you can
find.
The women walk away.
ROBERT
And I need many thin branches.
One arm span. As straight as you
can find.
The children take off.
Only one four-year old remains, staring at Robert.
ROBERT
And you get me a coffee.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
Robert fits a piece of wood with a plant fiber string. He pulls the string and it SNAPS.
ROBERT
I need stronger string.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
Sana and Umbala both hold some strings.
ROBERT
What’s this?
SANA
Rawhide.
UMBALA
Sinew.
Robert picks the sinew and fits it on the bow. He pulls and the wood breaks with a loud CRACK that startles the women. THE MEN nod.
MEN
Stronger wood.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
Timur and other men give Robert different pieces of WOOD.
TIMUR
Beech, birch and yew.
Robert picks the yew and runs his hand over it. He bends the stick, nods and gives it back to Timur.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
Timur shaves off a sliver of the, now bow-shaped, piece of wood. He hands it over to Robert who fits it with the sinew string. Robert pulls and the stick bends. Sounds of WOOD UNDER TENSION but nothing breaks. Robert nods.
EXT. CAMP – EVENING
Robert picks up a straight branch, puts it against the string and pulls. Bystanders watch with anticipation.
Robert releases the string and the branch shoots skewed and out of control, into the air. All heads follow the arrow.
ROBERT
One more thing…
EXT. GRASSLAND – SMALL BUSHES – MORNING
A PARTRIDGE walks around, picking the ground. Suddenly Bunak jumps out of the bushes and grabs the flapping bird.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
CLOSE ON STACK OF FEATHERS.
Robert picks up a split feather and glues it to the arrow shaft with tree resin. He secures the feather by wrapping a fine thread of sinew. The arrow now has three feathers attached.
EXT. CAMP – AFTERNOON
Robert slides a piece of pointed flint into a slit in the tip of the arrow. He secures it by wrapping sinew. Bunak, Timur and Hashim watch him closely.
EXT. CAMP – EVENING
The whole tribe sits on the ground, watching Robert. He stands in an open area with a finished bow and a few arrows sticking in the ground.
At twenty-five yards, an ANIMAL SKIN BAG filled with grass, hangs from a branch by a rope. The bag looks like a crude rabbit.
Robert puts an arrow in the bow, brings it to full draw and aims. People watch intensely. Robert releases the string and the arrow hits the target with great velocity, pinning it to the tree trunk behind it.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – SOME DAYS LATER – SUNRISE
In the upcoming sun, A SPIDER sits in the middle of a web covered by dew drops. A FLY flies into the web and the spider rushes over. It wraps the fly in webbing until it’s completely immobilized.
THROUGH THE WEB the faces of Danatrak men come into focus. They are painted with black and white battle stripes. Hiding in the vegetation, we see their SPEAR POINTS, AXES and KNIFES.
In the distance is the Kush Wabeki camp, in a new location. A bit of smoke comes from the camp.
The camp is covered by trees and large rocks on the back. The only way to reach it, is by crossing a large piece of grassland in front of it.
Bogdan wears Robert’s cell phone on a leather strap around his neck.
BOGDAN
(to Narok)
They moved their camp…
A few beats.
BOGDAN
Take half the men and check it
out. If they see you, you charge.
Narok nods and gestures to a group of men.
EXT. CAMP – CONTINUOUS
People are asleep in their huts. Things are quiet.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – MORNING
Ten Danatrak men led by Narok crawl towards camp. They have to cross a large part of grassland with little cover. Bogdan and the other men watch from the forest border.
EXT. CAMP – CONTINUOUS
In camp, very softly, a child’s PLAYING and HUMMING can be heard. It comes from one of the huts.
INT. HUT – CONTINUOUS
Kingi plays with SMALL WOODEN ANIMALS. Jabob sits on a tree stump, dozing away.
An opening in the hut provides an excellent view of the grassland.
THROUGH THE OPENING Danatrak warriors silently approach in the distance.
INT. HUT – CONTINUOUS
Kingi notices that Jabob has fallen asleep. He picks up a STICK from the ground, that seems to lie there for just that purpose, and pokes Jabob.
Jabob wakes up, pushes away the stick and looks out the opening with sleepy eyes.
JABOB’S POV Danatrak warriors move closer, spears visible.
Jacobs eyes enlarge and he falls of the tree stump. He scrambles up, grabs a small drum and runs outside.
INT. ROBERT’S HUT
DRUMMING and Jabob’s ALARM CALLS. Robert opens his eyes.
INT. TIMUR’S HUT
Timur, Sana and Umbala get up quickly.
EXT. CAMP
Jabob runs through camp, passing all huts.
JABOB
Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!
EXT. YAKU’S HUT
Yaku and Chabi run out of their hut.
EXT. GRASSLAND
NAROK’S POV DRUMMING in the distance and movement in the camp. He hand signals his men to charge.
EXT. CAMP
People run around in camp. In the distance the Danatrak jump up and run towards the camp, releasing WAR CRIES.
Robert nods to Chabi who leads the women and children away. Robert runs to the front of the camp and gestures to the other men.
ROBERT
Go go!
The Kush Wabeki men run to strategic positions at the camp border and pull up camouflaged wooden shields. They are primitive armored battle stations.
EXT. GRASSLAND
The Danatrak run towards the camp, SCREAMING. With their painted faces they look like creatures from another planet.
EXT. ROBERT’S BATTLE STATION
The Danatrak run closer.
ROBERT
Ready…
The Kush Wabeki pick up their BOWS AND ARROWS from behind the shields and bring them to full draw.
EXT. GRASSLAND
The Danatrak run closer.
EXT. ROBERT’S BATTLE STATION
ROBERT
Fire!
EXT. CAMP BORDER
The Kush Wabeki shoot their arrows.
EXT. GRASSLAND
Arrows ZING and THUMP between the Danatrak. Some Danatrak fall down with arrows sticking out. Some arrows miss. Most Danatrak keep running.
EXT. CAMP BORDER
The Kush Wabeki quickly reload their bows and shoot again.
EXT. GRASSLAND
Again some Danatrak are hit and fall down. Narok, outraged by this strange arrow defense, utters an ANIMAL-LIKE CRY and throws his spear. Other Danatrak do the same.
EXT. CAMP BORDER
Spears fly through the sky and Hashim is hit by one in his hip. He CRIES OUT as he falls down. Some spears miss their target or end up hitting the wooden shields. Another spear hits one of the Kush Wabeki in his waist and he falls down, SCREAMING.
EXT. GRASSLAND/CAMP BORDER
The Danatrak are almost in the camp. Two more Danatrak are hit by arrows.
Half the Danatrak make it to camp, including Narok. They attack the remaining Kush Wabeki at their battle stations. It’s now brutal man to man combat with sticks and stones.
EXT. ONE OF THE BATTLE STATIONS
Two Danatrak club a KUSH WABEKI MAN who tries to fend them off with his bow.
Jabob and Timur come from behind. Jabob smacks one of the Danatrak on the head with his bow (which breaks) and Timur jumps on top of the other Danatrak while punching him with a stone.
EXT. YAKU’S BATTLE STATION
Narok wrestles Yaku to the ground and reveals a LARGE FLINT KNIFE.
Bunak runs over to help but another Danatrak jumps on his back and the two roll fighting over the ground.
Narok lifts his arm, ready for the final stab.
Right at that moment an arrow ZINGS by and hits Narok in the neck. He falls backward. Dead.
Robert still stands in shooting position.
After taking out his Danatrak assailant, Bunak runs to Yaku, who’s still alive, but can’t get up.
Suddenly a second crescendo of WAR CRIES erupt as the second DANATRAK ATTACK WAVE commences. Bunak looks worried at the grassland.
EXT. GRASSLAND
Another ten ferocious Danatrak warriors, this time led by Bogdan, run with their spears towards camp.
EXT. YAKU’S BATTLE STATION
Robert, Jabob and Timur join Bunak. The odds look bad.
JABOB
(dead scared)
It’s only the four of us now.
TIMUR
I’m out of arrows.
BUNAK
Me too.
Robert looks at Jabob and sees his broken bow.
ROBERT
We’ll fight them with sticks and
stones. Back to your shields!
The men run back to their battle stations.
EXT. BUNAK’S BATTLE STATION
Bunak takes a spear sticking out of his shield and takes position.
EXT. GRASSLAND
The Danatrak run closer to the camp, releasing more WAR CRIES.
EXT. TIMUR’S BATTLE STATION
Timur holds a club and looks fearful at the approaching Danatrak.
EXT. JABOB’S BATTLE STATION
Jabob holds a flint axe.
JABOB
(panicked)
Nothing to worry about… nothing
to worry about…
EXT. GRASSLAND
The first two Danatrak throw their spears.
EXT. BUNAK’S BATTLE STATION
A spear lands in front of Bunak who responds by throwing his.
BUNAK
Die!
EXT. GRASSLAND
A spear just misses one of the Danatrak.
EXT. ROBERT’S BATTLE STATION
Robert throws his spear.
EXT. GRASSLAND
A Danatrak man ducks and the spear flies just over him.
EXT. CAMP BORDER
AERIAL Only four Kush Wabeki are still standing in camp. Ten painted Danatrak men, armed to the teeth, are almost there. Slowly the Kush Wabeki men step back from their battle stations.
EXT. GRASSLAND
The Danatrak are about to strike.
Suddenly a ZING and a THUMP. Bogdan falls down with an arrow sticking from his chest. More ZINGS and THUMPS and more Danatrak fall down.
EXT. TREES NEXT TO THE CAMP
THE WOMEN and Rufu shoot arrows from the tree line! Chabi, Sana, Umbala and other women are shooting.
EXT. GRASSLAND
More Danatrak fall down.
Five Danatrak are still standing. They slow down their pace and look puzzled and afraid. They didn’t expect this!
EXT. CAMP BORDER
Encouraged by the arrow attack, Robert and the remaining men pick up pieces of wood and rocks from the ground and start running and SCREAMING towards the Danatrak.
EXT. GRASSLAND
This is too much for the Danatrak and they retreat. The Kush Wabeki drive them back into the forest.
EXT. CAMP BORDER
The men walk back and the women appear from the bushes, holding their bows. Everybody CHEERS and hugs. The Kush Wabeki won!
Robert hugs Timur and Bunak. Chabi hugs Sana. Everybody is elated. Umbala walks over to Robert and they look each other in the eyes. They embrace and kiss.
EXT. GRASSLAND
Jabob sees Bogdan lying dead on the ground. He notices the cell phone tied around his neck and takes it off.
EXT. CAMP BORDER
Chabi checks on Yaku who is still lying on the ground. Yaku smiles and she hugs him. People support the wounded.
EXT. CAMP BORDER
Jabob walks over to Robert who still stands with Umbala. He gives him the cell phone and Robert smiles. The men hug.
EXT. NEW CAMP – A FEW MONTHS LATER – AFTERNOON
The camp is in a new location. Normal camp activity is going on: PEOPLE chat in front of their huts, CHILDREN play, somebody scrapes an animal skin.
EXT. TIMUR’S HUT – AFTERNOON
Timur, Yaku, Jabob and Hashim play a game with ivory dice. Hashim wears a light bandage around his waist.
Timur picks up the dice and throws.
CLOSE ON DICE: DOUBLE ONE.
YAKU, JABOB, HASHIM
(laughing)
You’re going down!
Kingi runs to the men, very excited.
KINGI
Where’s Robert?!
Absent minded Timur points away.
TIMUR
I think he’s at the ridge.
EXT. RIDGE – AFTERNOON
Robert sits on a rock, overlooking the valley. Kingi appears, excited. He shows Robert the WATCH around his wrist.
KINGI
Look! It’s moving!
CLOSE ON WATCH.
The second hand moves and softly TICKS. The watch reads 10:05 AM WED APR 21.
KINGI (O.S.)
And it’s making sounds!
Robert looks up. Puzzled.
ROBERT
It stopped running when I got
here.
A few beats. Robert looks at Kingi.
ROBERT
Where was it again that I was
found last year?
KINGI
(pointing)
Tuma Hills.
Robert gets up and looks at the hills in the distance. He looks at the forest a few miles from the ridge.
ROBERT
And I walked through the Eastern
forest to get there.
(beat)
I need to check something.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
Robert walks over grassland with a bow over his shoulder and a quiver with arrows on his back.
EXT. GRASSLAND – AFTERNOON
From a distance, Robert sees Sana and Umbala walk towards camp. They are chatting and carry roots.
He stops and looks at Umbala. The women don’t see him. Robert thinks for a moment and walks on.
EXT. FOREST BORDER – AFTERNOON
Robert follows the forest border, looking for something.
He finds the FORKED STICK that he planted in the ground over a year ago, to mark the location where he first came out of the forest.
EXT. FOREST – AFTERNOON
Robert walks through the forest.
EXT. FOREST – BUSHY AREA – AFTERNOON
Robert removes some branches and reveals the WORMHOLE again, softly HUMMING!
Robert looks shocked. He stares at the wormhole and slowly walks towards it. It looks just like last time: a slowly rotating, whirlpool-like, structure of light-blue light.
Robert walks around the wormhole. Through the partly translucent structure, everything looks fuzzy on the other side. Robert stops.
He has a slow look at his surroundings. Trees, plants and flowers are waving peaceful in a light breeze.
Robert closes his eyes.
INT. Z-SAT COMP. EXHIBITION CORNER – MODERN TIME – MORNING
The company’s exhibition corner looks exactly like when Robert left. The wormhole is here too, softly HUMMING. The model satellite hangs skewed from its wires and the ceiling light is out.
Suddenly Robert rolls out the hole and comes to a halt on one knee. The transfer looks much more controlled than last time. He looks around, his hunter-gatherer appearance strangely out of place in the modern building.
A YOUNG FRENCH WOMAN holding pens and papers enters the hall and sees Robert in front of the wormhole. She freezes and items drop out of her hands. Robert and she hold eyes.
Robert gets up and walks past the staring woman.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – CORRIDOR – MORNING
Robert walks through a corridor and passes some PEOPLE IN SUITS who stop talking and stare at him and his strange outfit.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – MEETING ROOM – MORNING
Robert opens the door to the meeting room. Deville is there, holding a phone. He stares at Robert and lowers the phone. A beat.
DEVILLE
Robert!? Is that you?
Robert steps into the meeting room and looks around. Everything looks the same.
DEVILLE
What happened? You were suddenly
gone yesterday.
ROBERT
(to himself in Kush
Wabeki language)
I can’t believe this.
Robert runs out the room.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – MORNING
The CERN Scientists watch the MAIN WALL SCREEN which shows a few colliding particles. An ALARM BUZZER sounds.
KOSNOVSKY
Same thing as yesterday.
MILLER
Strong energy dip there.
SCHNEIDER
(puzzled)
Well at least we can replicate
it.
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
The pipeline HUMS and a continuous bolt of electricity streams from a pipeline seam to the nearby cables that go into the ground.
The vibrating pipeline opens up even more and the RED HOT INSIDE can be seen. One of the LOOSE BOLT falls into the pipeline and shoots away with tremendous velocity.
INT. INSIDE PIPELINE – CONTINUOUS
The loose bolt SPARKS while it hits the pipeline walls and slams into the next magnet causing it to EXPLODE. More debris shoots away through the pipeline.
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
The bolt of electricity between the pipeline and the nearby cables disappears.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
MILLER
Wow, energy back up to 8 tera
electron volts.
The main wall screen shows multiple orange particles colliding. ALARM BELLS start to ring.
KOSNOVSKY
Accelerator instable!
INT. TUNNEL – CONTINUOUS
High velocity debris slams into other parts of the pipeline causing multiple EXPLOSIONS.
Part of the pipeline burns. Sprinklers start to spry water.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Schneider moves his hand through his hair.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Cut all power!
Kosnovsky flips a switch.
KOSNOVSKY
Too late. We got a chain
reaction!
Miller looks at his console monitor.
MILLER
Fire in sections 2, 3, 4, 6…
EIGER
(listening to headset)
Fisher reports extreme
temperatures on the South side.
More ALARM BELLS start to ring.
INT. TUNNEL
More explosions in the pipeline.
INT. CERN CONTROL ROOM
Schneider looks at the screens in despair.
An ALARM SIREN goes off.
DR. SCHNEIDER
(softly to himself)
Evacuate…
He looks at the others.
DR. SCHNEIDER
Evacuate the lab! Now!
The scientists scramble to the door, some grabbing papers. It’s now a chaos of ALARM BELLS and warning lights.
EXT. CERN HALLWAY – MORNING
Scientist hurry out of the building. SIRENS are heard in the distance.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS
Robert runs back to exhibition corner.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – EXHIBITION CORNER – CONTINUOUS
The French woman still stands there, staring at Robert. Robert sees the wormhole disappearing and runs towards it.
ROBERT
NO!
The wormhole disappears. Robert waves his hand through the air but feels nothing.
INT. Z-SAT COMPANY – EXHIBITION CORNER – MOMENTS LATER
Behind Robert appear Deville, Eric, Bill and other colleagues. They all stare at him. Robert turns around. A beat.
ROBERT
You’re not going to believe this.
INT. TAXI – NEXT MORNING
Robert stares out the taxi window while shops with bright neon signs pass by. He wears CASUAL CLOTHES, has shaven off his beard and his hair is cut to medium length. Eric and Bill sit next to him.
BILL
We don’t know what happened
Robert. They checked that
exhibition corner a hundred times
and couldn’t find anything but a
broken satellite wire and a
shorted light.
Robert stares out of the window.
BILL
Apparently you had this
experience, but we don’t know
how.
The taxi enters the highway. A few beats.
ERIC
What did the doctor say?
ROBERT
He was puzzled by the beard and
the long hair… but he said I’m
in perfect health.
INT. BORDEAUX AIRPORT – MORNING
The three men walk through Bordeaux International Airport. Robert looks absentminded.
INT. BORDEAUX AIRPORT – NEAR COFFEE STAND – MORNING
ERIC
We’re getting a quick coffee. You
want one?
Robert shakes his head and Eric and Bill queue up at the stand. Robert just stands still, in the huge airport hall.
PEOPLE move everywhere. A fat man in a Hawaiian shirt walks by, two girls wearing burqa’s, an older couple carrying suitcases, a group of men in suits.
FRAGMENTS OF CONVERSATIONS can be heard. A complaining woman, Spanish words, a crying baby, French speaker announcements.
ROBERT’S POV All sounds and movements become chaotic. The passing faces become intimidating.
Robert is sweating. Everything around him starts to move in fast forward. The airport now looks like a swarming ants nest with Robert standing still in the middle.
A hand appears on Robert’s shoulder and he snaps out of it.
ERIC
You okay man? You don’t look so
good.
ROBERT
Yeah… I’m okay.
BILL
Okay… let’s go.
INT. BORDEAUX AIRPORT – GATE – MORNING
The three men sit in the waiting area at the gate. Eric and Bill work on their laptops and Robert watches a TV, hanging from the ceiling, with a news show on.
PRESENTER
At CERN, the particle physics lab
in Geneva, fire fighters have
largely extinguished the fire in
the Large Hydron Collider.
The TV shows black charred buildings and FIRE MEN spraying water into a smoking hole in the ground. Flashing lights from emergency services are in the b.g.
PRESENTER (O.S.)
The collider, a twenty-seven
kilometer underground particle
accelerator pipeline used for
physics experiments, was largely
destroyed when fire broke out
during one of its first test runs
last Wednesday. CERN management
said it will take years to
rebuild the 8 billion dollar
collider and the European Union
will have to decide whether it is
willing to invest in this project
again.
The presenter is back on TV.
PRESENTER
And then some business news.
General motors announced today…
Robert’s gaze drifts to the waiting planes. Expressionless.
INT. NEW YORK APARTMENT BUILDING – LOBBY – MORNING
A taxi drives off and Robert enters the apartment building lobby, carrying his bags. When he sees Elaine and Chris, he drops the bags and runs over. He hugs and kisses them emotionally.
ROBERT
I’m so glad to see you again.
Elaine looks surprised, laughs and hugs him back.
ELAINE
Is hasn’t been that long.
She feels Robert’s hair.
ELAINE
What happened to your hair?
Robert doesn’t answer. Elaine looks at his face.
ELAINE
You look different…
INT. NEW YORK APARTMENT – EVENING
Chris plays with toy cars on the floor while Robert sits next to him, gently stroking his hair. Elaine watches from the couch, a trace of concern in her face.
INT. NEW YORK APARTMENT – NIGHT
Through the apartment window a SEA OF NEW YORK CITY LIGHTS CAN BE SEEN. Skyscrapers, passing airplanes, moving cars in lighted streets. Clearly we are back in the center of the modern world.
Robert and Elaine’s REFLECTION in the window comes into focus. He holds her close while they stare out of the window.
ROBERT
Back there I felt alive Elaine.
(beat)
Alive…
The reflection goes out of focus.
EXT. NEW YORK – NEXT MORNING
The New York skyline by day.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING – LOBBY – NEXT MORNING
Robert wears a suit. He and Elaine each hold one of Chris’ hands and walk down a short flight of stairs into the apartment lobby.
Robert kisses Chris on his head and looks at Elaine. They kiss.
ROBERT
Let’s have lunch today. The three
of us.
Elaine smiles.
ELAINE
I’d like that.
She walks away with Chris.
INT. CAR – MORNING
Robert sits in his car, in a traffic jam. Slowly he moves forward. CITY NOISES.
He looks to his left. The MAN in the next car, also wearing a suit, stares expressionless in front of him.
Robert looks to the right. The WOMAN in another car CHATTERS away on her cell phone.
Robert stares in front of him.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING – MORNING
Robert walks through the lobby of his office building. PEOPLE in suits criss cross in front of him. It looks like everybody is in a hurry.
Robert walks to an elevator that is quickly filling up.
INT. ELEVATOR – MORNING
The elevator is closed. It’s crowded.
We get a long view of the other people’s faces. A clean cut YOUNG MAN staring at the ceiling. A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN wearing heavy make-up staring at the floor. An OLDER MAN wearing a bowtie, with his eyes closed. Everybody in their
own world.
INT. ROBERT’S OFFICE – MORNING
Robert walks from the hallway into his small office. He sits down behind his PC and turns it on. He hears the NASAL VOICE of a colleague named STEWART.
STEWART (O.S.)
How was Paris?
Robert looks through his open door into the office across the hallway.
ROBERT’S POV A tall man with thick glasses sits behind a desk and on a chair clearly one size to small for him. He stares at his computer screen. Steward works and talks at the same time.
ROBERT
Bordeaux. It was… an
experience.
STEWART
(without looking up)
Good. The Z-40 data is in.
Robert looks at his screen.
CLOSE SCREEN An e-mail program starts up and in the corner of the screen it says “161 NEW MESSAGES”.
Robert SIGHS and looks out the window which gives an impressive aerial view of New York.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING – HALLWAY – MORNING
Robert passes the office of his colleague JEFF DAVIS. Jeff, in his forties, sits behind his desk and reads a piece of paper. A box of pills lies on his desk. Robert knocks on his open door.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING – JEFF’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
ROBERT
Jeff. You’re back.
JEFF
Robert, how are you?
Robert thinks for a second.
ROBERT
I’m okay.
A beat.
ROBERT
How are you?
JEFF
I’m good.
Jeff taps himself on the chest.
JEFF
After four weeks the old ticker
decided to come online again
so… back in business.
Robert nods. He sees some pictures on Jeff’s wall and walks
over.
CLOSE ON
Picture of a boy and a girl in skiing outfit and a picture of Jeff, his wife and the two children in a restaurant.
ROBERT
I didn’t know you had kids.
JEFF
Yep, I do. That’s Peter, he’s 11
and the girl is Laura. She’s 8.
Robert studies their faces.
ROBERT
They look… happy.
JEFF (O.S.)
Eric told me you disappeared of
the radar for a while in France.
Robert turns around.
ROBERT
Yeah, it was the weirdest thing.
A beat.
JEFF
You want to talk about it?
Robert thinks.
ROBERT
I think I do.
One of the SECRETARIES sticks her head into Jeff’s office.
SECRETARY
Robert, I was looking for you.
She hands him some papers.
SECRETARY
These came from Bill. And don’t
forget your 11 o’clock meeting
with the engineering team and
your 2 o’clock tech review.
ROBERT
Right.
Robert SIGHS and looks at Jeff.
ROBERT
Later…
JEFF
Anytime buddy.
EXT. CITY PARK – AFTERNOON
Robert sits cross-legged on the grass in a sunny park. He works on his laptop and has a lunch bag next to him.
Suddenly Chris jumps on top of him.
CHRIS
Daddy, daddy!
ROBERT
Hey cowboy!
Elaine walk over and gives Robert a kiss.
ROBERT
(to Chris)
So I heard you want to go
camping.
Chris nods enthusiastically and Elaine smiles.
ELAINE
I’m getting some drinks. Who
wants some?
CHRIS
(screaming)
Me! Orange juice!
ELAINE
Come help mommy get the drinks
then.
Elain and Chris walk away. Robert sits up straight and takes off his jacket. He feels something in his pocket and takes his cell phone out. He remembers something and freezes.
He connects the cell phone it his laptop.
CLOSE ON COMPUTER SCREEN
A picture emerges of Robert and the Kush Wabeki posing on grassland.
FADE OUT.