Myth Day 2

DAY 2:

INT. MOTOR HOME, MORNING.

FADE IN:

The Man is shaving using a shaving mirror which is steaming over. The Man’s arm wipes across it revealing his reflection, disjointed because of the smear. He wipes it again and his image is clearer; more normal. He picks up a cut throat razor.

MAN
Honey, I forgot, can you feed the dog.

WOMAN
(From the kitchen area)
Okay!

MAN
I asked them to do it but you know…

The teenagers are still in bed

WOMAN
(Opening can of dog food)
Let them sleep.

MAN
(Now shaving)
I want to get that thing back to where it belongs.

WOMAN
(Emptying can into a large clear hour-glass shaped dog bowl)
We have all day. I don’t understand this sudden nervousness with you. It’s not going to develop hands, creep up behind you and choke you to death...

MAN
No - I’ll leave that to you.

WOMAN
Then why the urgency?

MAN
There’s a reservation near – we don’t want to cause trouble

WOMAN
What locals? You mean we aren’t the only lunatics here?
(On her way out outside with the bowl)
Well if I meet Cochise I’ll tell him we’ll put it back after lunch – okay?

MAN
(Shouting from bathroom)
I told you before Cochise isn’t…oh never mind!

The Woman goes toward the door of the Motor home with a huge grin on her face having got a rise out of the Man.

EXT. MOTOR HOME, MORNING

The Woman calls the dog from the door opening of the Motor home. It does not show. She goes out of the Motor home and calls again. The sun hits the glass bowl and reflects in the Woman’s eyes in a golden orange glow. There is suddenly a rustling noise coming from the scrub over to her right. She, not overly concerned, picks up a large rock, replacing it on the ground, with the bowl. Unseen by her she has disturbed a scorpion which is now trapped in the glass bottom of the bowl, but unseen from above through the dog food.

INT MOTOR HOME, MORNING

The Man is shaving underneath his throat.
Back outside there is another rustle from the scrub.
The Woman’s expression shows a steely disposition rather than fear. The cut-throat razor is travelling along the Man’s face and the morning sun reflects off its surface.
The Man is about to take one last stroke with the razor. As he moves it upwards from his Adams apple to below the chin a streak of red blood draws the opposite way down his throat. He does not notice this. He wipes off the remnants of the shaving foam from his chin. There is no blood visible. He puts the razor down on the edge of the sink so that its blade sticks out over the bowl. The steam from the hot water is rising behind it making it look as if the blade were smoking.

EXT MOTOR HOME, MORNING

The Woman approaches the scrub. There is movement inside again and she stops juggling the rock between her hands, bracing herself in case some thing comes out of the scrub.
There is what appears to a half smile on her lips. The motor home is visible behind her and the man is seen coming out. He calls to her.

MAN
What are you doing?

WOMAN
Out here…trying to feed the dog.

MAN
Okay I’ll start feeding the humans then.

As he goes back in she turns back toward the gorse.
She looks down into the gorse at a shadow but there is no movement. She then wipes one hand across her face and realises that the stone is covered with red dust. She lifts the stone into view, examining it and then lowers her arm to drop the rock. As the rock hits the desert floor a black shape leaps out of the gorse on top of her knocking her down. It is the dog and she plays gleefully with it.

WOMAN
(Unruffled)
There you are boy! Come and get your breakfast.

She walks back toward the Motor Home with the dog following. The dog begins to eat as she walks back into the Motor home where the Man is visible from the kitchen area.

MAN
What’s that?

WOMAN
What?

MAN
Across your eye.

Woman looks in Motor home rear-view mirror to check the stain across her left upper cheek, eyelid and forehead.

WOMAN
Oh, it’s dust off a stone.

MAN
A stone? Are we under attack?

WOMAN
Hardly Custer; I thought there may have been a coyote or something in the scrub, so I picked up a dusty old stone – just in case?

MAN
(Laughs)
Now who’s nervous?

WOMAN
(Peeved slightly, at the suggestion)
Not at all; how’s breakfast going?

MAN
Fine considering I seem to be lacking a couple of assistants.

WOMAN
I know, I know; but you’ll cope won’t you?

As the dog finishes its food the scorpion beneath becomes visible. The dog carries on eating. The Scorpion makes attacking movements with his sting. As the dog finishes the food it turns to go but suddenly notices the scorpion and looks curiously into the bowl. The sun is reflecting an orange glow around the bowl.

The dog’s eyes appearing to glow orange and it sits down observing the scorpion indifferently.

FADE TO BLACK.

EXT. CLIFFS. NOON.

All four group members and dog are climbing up towards the cave location where the boy found the headdress, which he is holding now. There is the intimation of a breath of wind and the faint sound of distant hoof beats, none of which is noticed by the family. The sky behind the cliffs is blue and cloudless. They reach a flat ridge just below the cliff top where the cave is situated.

MAN
(Stumbling)
God dammit how much further to this cave?

BOY
It’s just up here on the next ridge.

MAN
You are sure because if you’ve got the wrong cliff I’m not climbing another.

BOY
Does that mean I get to keep it?

MAN
No, it means I'll bury it here in the sand if I have to.

The Woman looks quizzically at the Man as he seems to be developing an obsession in getting rid of the headdress. He sees it and looks toward the ground.

GIRL
It's okay, this is the one, I'm sure of it.

MAN
I hope so.

WOMAN
I don’t know why you’re complaining. We’re only doing this because you insisted.

BOY
Right - what harm are we doing? It doesn’t even fit the guy anymore.

WOMAN
This is ridiculous. It’s not theft is it? The Indian’s been dead for over a hundred years.

GIRL
We could be joining him

MAN
Not before we put that thing back

They walk on until they reach a wide level ridge that leads off to the left and the other side of the cliff. Ahead of them is another face of the cliff and the path narrows in front of it. There is gorse growing in front of the face. The Boy and Girl lead on towards this spot.

WOMAN
Careful now, this looks dangerous.

GIRL
That’s what I told dickshit yesterday.

BOY
I just wanted to see what the view was straight down.

GIRL
Yeah, that included grabbing me around the waist and dragging me to the edge.

BOY
Boy was she scared

GIRL
Not scared – it was stupid. I’m not super-girl.

MAN
(Impatiently)
Where’s the cave?

BOY
Well that’s just it; how we found it, I mean.

CUT TO:

EXT. CLIFF TOP, AFTERNOON, PREVIOUS DAY.

A close-up of the Boy laughing. He moves away from the camera to reveal he has the Girl clutched around the waist pulling her toward the cliff edge, screen right. He is urging her on she is resisting. All of a sudden he loses his balance, drops her to the floor and falls backward into the gorse.

BOY
Ouch, jeez this stuff is sharp!

GIRL
Serves you right, asshole.

Boy is trying to free his clothes which are snagged on the thorns.

GIRL
Wait, I’ll give you a hand.

She goes toward him as he looks back over his shoulder to try and free his shirt that has been snagged from behind.

BOY
(Spotting something)
Wait.

GIRL
What’s wrong?

BOY
There’s something back here.

GIRL
Well get outta there!

BOY
No, it’s…hold on…

Boy manages to turn himself around and raise himself to a crouch. He peers into the interior of the gorse.

INT. CAVE, AFTERNOON, PREVIOUS DAY

The camera pans slowly across the wall of a deep cave that is decorated with Native American drawings. A light appears and grows in intensity obliterating the drawings.

CUT TO:

A view from rear of cave of gorse masking the entrance to the cave itself. A hand is seen carving a way through, letting the outside light in. Then an arm comes through. It winds itself in through the gorse in a snake-like fashion.

BOY
(Emerging through the gorse)
There’s a hole behind here, but you wouldn’t know it.
(Boy moves into cave)
Hey, you’ll never guess what I just stumbled on.

GIRL
(From outside cave)
What is it?

BOY
A cave.

GIRL
Is it safe, I mean there are there any wild animals in there?

BOY
Only me; come on in. It looks like an old Indian burial cave.

GIRL
(Coming through the gorse)
How do you know that?

She enters the cave and walks up to the boy.

BOY
There’s a dead giveaway here.

He points to a skeleton lying behind him on the floor of the cave.

DISSOLVE

INT. CAVE, AFTERNOON, PRESENT DAY

The Man, Woman and Boy are in the cave. It appears shallow but the shadows at the rear seem to indicate hidden depths. The dog is lying down on the other side of the gorse with the Girl. The boy is still holding the headdress in his hand. Reluctantly he fits it back onto the skull. A trickle of blood runs down the side of his face unnoticed by him or the family

BOY
(Sarcastically)
Well I admit it looks better on him today than it did yesterday.

MAN
It’s his in life and death
– you have to understand that.

Son looks disappointed. The blood has gone.

WOMAN
(Mischievously)
I’ve never seen you so spooked

MAN
What do you mean?

WOMAN
You know. Evil spirits, vengeance from beyond the grave and all that.

MAN
Are you going to let this drop? We all agreed yesterday it goes back.

BOY
I didn’t.

WOMAN
As I recall it was all your idea.

Woman smiles and Man realizes he is being teased.

WOMAN
So I'm having a little fun with you. It's the least you deserve for dragging me up here.

MAN
Did I force you? I told you to stay back at the motor home.

WOMAN
I thought I’d hold your hand in case you got a little scared.
(Pointing at the Indian skeleton)
He may leap up in indignation and throttle you with his bony hands.

MAN
Can we conclude the hocus pocus crap. Nothing’s going to happen.

WOMAN
Shame

GIRL
Aw c’mon, this isn’t Tutankamen. It isn’t gold, it’s a bunch of feathers. Besides History’s a subject full of empty graves. The whole of Europe is walking on top of what used to be the Roman Empire and before them the Greeks. Do the Italians walk around Rome on tiptoe in case they incur the wrath of Caligula

MAN
That’s progress – this is different.

They move to exit the cave, the Boy going first. As they go through the gorse bush the Woman turns towards the Man. He is looking at the cave paintings.

WOMAN
Interesting?

MAN
Ah ha.

Intrigued the Woman turns and joins him. The Man points toward a particular section of the wall. It appears to depict a scene where the cavalry are slaughtering the Native Americans. The Man’s finger highlights one particular figure. It is dressed in a cavalry suit but appears to have the head of a bear.

EXT CAVE, AFTERNOON, PRESENT DAY

They three exit the cave and join the Girl. As they turn to descend back down the cliff the dog suddenly gets up and pads toward the gorse. His hackles rise and he begins to snarl and then bark viciously.

MAN
What’s going on now for God’s sake? Can’t I leave anybody alone for a minute out here?

WOMAN
What’s wrong boy?

GIRL
I dunno. Maybe he can sense something in there.

MAN
There’s nothing in there, not anymore, believe me.

GIRL
Can we go now?

BOY
Might as well; the only good thing to come out of this stupid vacation and I had to give it back to skinny Joe in there.

INT CAVE, AFTERNOON, PRESENT DAY

From out of the shadows at the very rear of the cave pads a coyote.

EXT CLIFFS, LATE AFTERNOON, PRESENT DAY

They turn to go back down the cliff. The sky darkens behind them. A storm is brewing. A wind whips across the cliff top and a sound like a horse galloping is heard. As they descend the figure of the Native American is seen back up on the ridge. Lightning cracks in the sky above his head.

EXT MOTOR HOME, EARLY EVENING

The hills are alive with lightning and rain is lashing down. The group are seen rushing in from screen right toward the Motor home, jackets across their heads and with a torch light pointing toward the ground in front of the group. They are being watched.

INT MOTOR HOME, EARLY EVENING

The group enter the kitchen area and start to throw off their wet clothes. The dog shakes his body covering everybody with rainwater. The Woman goes to put on a kettle. The Girl brings a towel to wrap around the dog and throws more on the kitchen table.

BOY
What the hell was that, Cochise’s revenge?

MAN
(Frowning)
If I have…

They each begin to dry themselves off and one by one sit around the table. The Woman is busy making coffee.

GIRL
Red Cloud then?

The Man’s eyes react but he does not answer.

GIRL
Well?

MAN
Well what?

GIRL
Red Cloud…he was a Sioux warrior wasn’t he. This would have been his home.

MAN
Yes, I suppose so.

Girl smiles smugly at the boy

WOMAN
I thought you were the authority around here?

MAN
Well, who is the authority on a hot cup of coffee?

WOMAN
It’s coming, unless you can boil water quicker than me.

The Man and the Girl are sitting at the table with the window behind them.

The Woman puts drinks down for both of them and then moves back out of shot. As she does so lightning illuminates the desert beyond the window.

GIRL
Why so taciturn about an old dead Indian?

MAN
I was thinking of some thing else, that’s all. Maybe we should all think of something else?

GIRL
Be pragmatic. Say we drop the bomb –say we destroy everything and there’s only a small band of survivors; no computers, no electricity, nothing. How do they write their history then. They won’t. Sure they can start drawing on cave walls but eventually all of it becomes oral, passed on by word and in the course of time it gets distorted, enhanced, manipulated. Why? To suit those who hold power – those who wish to shape their own vision of a better future.

BOY
Exactly; and what would the next civilization make of the fragments left behind? When they start digging and come across smashed TV sets, video cameras with maybe a few seconds of tape left with someone porking a Hot dog in Times Square; incomplete snapshots of a world that doesn’t exist anymore.

We’ll end up like all the other extinct cultures, becoming more mythical than factual. (pause) Hey, we may even become Gods.

GIRL
It only takes a little common sense to realize that most of the major cities in the world are built on extinct civilisations. How many condominiums and apartment blocks are merely huge metaphorical gravestones for long dead nations?

Boy who sits down next to the Girl.

BOY
That’s right, didn’t you see Poltergeist?

GIRL
(Putting the torch underneath her chin and mimicking the spiritualist from the film)
Don’t go into the light.

Another crack of lightning illuminates outside the window, but this time the figure of the Indian is seen outside looking at the Motor home but at a distance.

WOMAN
I think someone’s beginning to get a little jumpy.

She walks behind him and grabs him by his sides as if to startle him.

MAN
You know I don’t scare. However if that’s how you’d like to interpret my concern for my family, so be it.

WOMAN
(Puts arms around him)
Can’t you stand a little teasing?

MAN
(Goes to reciprocate)
Only from you.

As he does the boy and girl also run in to cuddle him in a playful but deliberate intent in preventing them embracing.

BOY/GIRL
(In a deliberate childish fashion)
Oh thank you Daddy waddy.

More lightning illuminates outside but this time the figure is gone.

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. MOTOR HOME, NIGHT.

The Man and Woman have just changed for bed. The Man is in bed dozing and the Woman about to climb in. There is a noise outside the door. It disturbs the Man.

MAN
Is that them just going to bed?

WOMAN
Relax, go back to sleep. They’re young. They don’t need to hibernate as long as you do.

MAN
Have they locked up?

WOMAN
The Girl will do it, don’t worry. Sleep.

MAN
(He pulls back the covers for her)
Nothing else?

WOMAN
(Ignores him)
Haven’t you anything to tell me?

MAN
(pause)
Last night?

(Woman looks at him impatiently)

No nothing.

WOMAN
I told you – all that faith in a stupid book about a dead civilisation; written to cash in on the penchant of gullible morons like you.

MAN
Hardly dead!

WOMAN
Well, hardly significant then.

(pause)
MAN
You’re as disappointed as me, I know.

WOMAN
No, I’m angry.

MAN
Angry at me for trying or angry because there never was any magic in the first place?

WOMAN
The truth? The truth is I’m pissed for both reasons. But I’m also pissed because I never wanted this and I’m pissed because I want to go home for good and I’ll never do that. Is there no forgiveness?

MAN
It’s my sin.

WOMAN
Small consolation when it casts its shadow on us all.

(pause)

When you first suggested this trip I empathised with you because I felt that something in our lives might just change for the better; don’t get me wrong – I wasn’t relying on that mystic crap, it just seemed that maybe this time it would be okay. We’d trued to live good lives. No cover ups - we gave to local charities and were involved in the community. Christ we even went to Church. What did we hear there? forgiveness, tolerance for even the most heinous of crimes. Well where’s yours – ours?

(Turns over and goes to sleep. Man pauses looking over her in sympathy, kisses her head and does similar)

In the kitchen area the open Motor home door moves gently
in a soft breeze.

EXT MOTOR HOME, NIGHT

There is movement within the scrub and after a few seconds the head of a coyote appears. It waits there, seemingly tentative, even unwilling, to leave the scrub. Finally it moves into the open followed by two more on either side
They slowly move toward the Motor Home.

CUT TO:

INT. MOTOR HOME, NIGHT

The dog stirs and begins to sniff the air. It begins to stand up and then snarls sensing the intruder’s presence.

CUT TO:

EXT. MOTOR HOME, NIGHT

The coyotes stop and then take a backward step.

INT MOTOR HOME, NIGHT

The dog moves across the kitchen area and out through the door

CUT TO:

EXT. MOTOR HOME, NIGHT

The coyotes are now in turn beginning to snarl, as they sense the confrontation with the dog.

CUT TO:

INT. MOTOR HOME, NIGHT

A medium long-shot of the wide open door of the Motor home, center screen, intimating that the dog has got out. The moon is shining brightly in the sky illuminating the landscape underneath. From beyond a rider is approaching in slow mo. The camera zooms out toward him and beyond the door. As he closes it becomes clear that he is an INDIAN WARRIOR charging out of the night.

He charges on toward the camera; his arm is raised and he is holding a tomahawk. As he gets to a close-up a high pitched howl pierces the silence.

CUT TO:

INT MOTOR HOME, NIGHT.

The Man immediately awakes from the above dream and rises in an arc toward the camera from a prone position. After a couple of seconds the dog is heard snarling and barking and then an excruciating yelp of pain pierces the night.

The Man rises pulling on his dressing gown. Behind him his wife rouses herself.

WOMAN
(Groggily)
What the hell’s the racket?

MAN
It’s the dog. Sounds like a fight.

WOMAN
How the hell did he get out?

MAN
Who was supposed to lock the door?

WOMAN
Oh…

MAN
Exactly and she was going to make breakfast!

The Man enters the kitchen area, in a dressing gown, and begins to search for torch. He finds it and turns it on pointing it at the seat where the dog was sitting.

There is a noise behind him he wheels round and finds the Boy’s face in the torchlight. The Boy, in pyjamas, looks at the Man and then at the seat. The dog fight is continuing outside.

BOY
The dog?

MAN
Uh huh.

CUT TO:

EXT. MOTOR HOME.

The Man and Boy exit through the open kitchen door. As they do the noise of the fight has ceased.

They are quickly followed out by the Woman and Girl, also in dressing gowns.

WOMAN
Any sign?

MAN
No sign, no sound.

GIRL
What’s happening?

MAN
I think the dog’s been in a fight.

GIRL
With what?

MAN
(Contemptuously)
Well it’s a big country around here; pick a fucking animal.

The Girl looks down toward the ground aware the Man’s anger is directly aimed at her.

BOY
(Sympathetically)
Probably a coyote.

WOMAN
Okay, look, we’d better start searching for him.

BOY
I’ll get the other torch. We’ll
(Points at the Girl)
look over there.

MAN
No you won’t.
(To Woman)
Take them back inside I’ll scout around.

GIRL
(Goes to protest out of her guilty feelings)
But…

WOMAN
No, do as you’re asked; one voice is as good as four in this wilderness.
If the dog is out there he’ll come when he’s called.

Reluctantly the Boy and Girl return to the Motor home with the Woman.

The Man moves off with the torch searching further afield. His torch light filters through the scrub as he calls out for the dog.

MAN
Here boy, come on, where are you?

He stops beside the scrub. The torch beam is pointing at the ground. His face shows concern as the torch picks out a severed limb on the ground.

The Man stoops down to examine the limb more closely. All of a sudden a howl pierces the air. The Man looks up from his crouching position.

MAN
I should never have brought them here. I should have stayed away. What have I started?

He begins to walk back to the Motor home. He stops on the step up into the home holding the door in his right hand and motions to close the door then reopens it looking out at the landscape recalling the dream he had moments ago.

INT. MOTOR HOME, NIGHT.

Man puts his head in through the door. The Boy and the Girl are awake in their beds.

GIRL
Well.

MAN
No, no sign of him yet.

BOY
Great, fucking great. I lose a souvenir and my dog in one day in this shit hole.

MAN
Calm down, the dog will be back.

BOY
I don’t share your confidence.

The boy turns on his back. The Girl motions to the Man to go, intimating she will talk to him and calm him. The Man exits.
The Man climbs back into bed. The light is on and the Woman is awake.

WOMAN
That went well Abe. You know you really are cursed.

MAN
We can go in the morning, can't we? That's what you've wanted.

WOMAN
We can't go now.

MAN
You're kidding me. You’ve hated every minute here and now you want to stay?

WOMAN
Not for my sake, for theirs.
(Pointing toward the other bedroom)
I still want to leave; hey I didn't want to come here in the first place, but not now; it'll only make things worse between you and him if we go without giving the animal a chance to come back.

MAN
And if he doesn't show?

WOMAN
Then we take it from there – the same as we’ve been doing all along.

FADE TO BLACK