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The River (WIP)
by Jackson&Jason (ezorock11@yahoo.com)

Rated: PG-13   Genre: Drama   User Review: *1/2
A detremined father must rescue his son from accross the river before it's too late...


This screenplay is copyrighted to its author. All rights reserved. This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the author.



FADE IN:

EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY
                                                            
TWO KIDS are playing in the front yard of thier house. They
are running around slapping each others heads.
                                                            
EXT. BACK YARD - DAY
                                                            
TWO MEN are standing by a grill chatting with each other
while the burgers burn.
                                                            
EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY
                                                            
The kids are still slapping eachother on the head. We HEAR
ICE CREAM TRUCK MUSIC playing O.S.
                                                            
                       KID #1
Do you have any money?
                                                            
The other kid digs into his pocket and brings out two
crumpled bills.
                                                            
                       KID #2
Yep.
                                                            
                       KID #1
      (Excitedly)
Then let's go!
                                                            
The kids begin running in the direction of the MUSIC.
                                                            
EXT. BACKYARD - DAY
                                                            
TWO WOMEN have joined the two men. They are laughing, then
there is scilence.
                                                            
One of the women turns her head toward the grill.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (Casually)
I think the burgers are about
done.
                                                            
One of the men turns his head to the grill.
                                                            
                       FATHER
      (Surprised)
Oh sweet Jesus!
                                                            
He runs over and to the grill and takes the burgers off with
his hands and puts them on a plate.
                                                            

2.

The other man and the women laugh.
                                                            
EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY
                                                            
THe kids aren't there.
                                                            
The father comes out from behind the house and looks around.
                                                            
                       FATHER
      (Calling)
Kids! Dinner's ready!
                                                            
The ICE CREAM TRUCK MUSIC gets louder.
                                                            
An ice cream truck comes around the corner. The father
stares at it.
                                                            
The two kids who were playing in the front yard are in the
truck along with a few others.
                                                            
                       FATHER
      (Calling in anger)
Oh my God! Get out of there right
now!
                                                            
                       KID #1
      (Calling to Father)
It's okay daddy. He's taking us
to the ice cream facotry!
                                                            
The ice cream truck drives past.
                                                            
                       FATHER
      (To Himself)
No.
                                                            
The father begins to run after the ice cream truck.
                                                            
EXT. BRIDGE - LATER
                                                            
The ice cream truck goes over the bridge. The kids inside
are cheering.
                                                            
The moment the fathers' foot touches the bridge, a GUNSHOT
is heard.
                                                            
The father falls down dead.
                                                            
ROLL OPENING CREDITS
                                                            
 

3.

EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
                                                            
The gas station is old. The pumps are rusty. HENRY MINER
finishes filling up.
                                                            
Ten gallons for three bucks!
                                                            
Henry goes inside to pay.
                                                            
INT. GAS STATION - DAY
                                                            
A FAT GUY is standing behind the counter eating chips. Henry
aproaches him.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Pump 2.
                                                            
The fat guy checks his computer.
                                                            
                       GUY
Ten pongos even.
                                                            
Henry hands him a note and leaves.
                                                            
EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
                                                            
Henry goes over to his car. He steps in.
                                                            
INT. CAR - DAY
                                                            
DILLON MINERS sits in the passenger seat.
                                                            
                       DILLON
How much?
                                                            
                       HENRY
Twn pongos.
                                                            
They drive off.
                                                            
 
INT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - DAY
                                                            
We are looking at the front door. Henry and Dillon come in.
                                                            
INT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - DILLON'S BEDROOM - DAY
                                                            
Dillon enters his room. The room has clothes all over the
floor.
                                                            
He goes over to his bed and takes out a peice of paper.
                                                            

4.

The paper has gas prices written all over it. Dillone
writes, "10 pongos."
                                                            
INT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - KITCHEN - NIGHT
                                                            
Dillone and Herny are seated a small table. They are eating
some kind of fruit.
                                                            
                       DILLON
      (CURIOUSE)
Dad, how come we're not allowed to
cross the river?
                                                            
Herny looks up.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Well...ummm, you see, there are
some very bad people that live
accross that river who take
children.
                                                            
                       DILLON
What do they do with them?
                                                            
                       HENRY
No one really knows Dill, but who
ever goes taken there is never
seen again.
                                                            
They begin to eat again in scilence.
                                                            
INT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - DILLON'S ROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
Herny tucks Dillon in for the night. He goes to the door to
turn the light out.
                                                            
                       DILLON
Dad?
                                                            
Herny pauses and looks back.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Yeah Dillon?
                                                            
                       DILLON
What would you do if I was taken
by the bad men?
                                                            
Henry walks over to Dillon's bed and kneels down.
                                                            

5.

                       HENRY
Dillon, If the bad men took you, I
would go in there and get you
back.
                                                            
                       DILLON
I love you daddy.
                                                            
                       HENRY
I love you too son.
                                                            
Henry kisses Dillon on the forehead.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Goodnight.
                                                            
Henry gets up, turns off the light, and leaves the room.
                                                            
INT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - LIVING ROOM
                                                            
Henry comes into the living room picking up a newspaper on
the coffee table. He sits in a chair and begins to read.
                                                            
The headline on the front of the paper says, "Another Kid
Taken Accross River!"
                                                            
 
EXT. SCHOOL YARD - DAY
                                                            
Dillon is sitting with his friend, DAN, on a jungle-jim. Dan
is hanging upsidedown on the jungle-jim
                                                            
                       DAN
Your dad couldn't just go and save
you! He'd get shot!
                                                            
                       DILLON
What do you meen?
                                                            
                       DAN
They only let kids go accross the
bridge. If an grown-up trys to,
he gets shot!
                                                            
They sit in scilence for a minute. Dan comes down from the
jungle-jim.
                                                            
                       DILLON
Dan, do you know what they do to
the kids they steal?
                                                            

6.

                       DAN
      (Gravely)
No one really knows, but my dad
says that the kids are sacrificed
to the bad guys gods.
                                                            
Dillon GASPS.
                                                            
                       DILLON
      (Amazed)
Wow! For real!
                                                            
                       DAN
That's what my dad says, and my
dad is always right.
                                                            
We hear the SCHOOL BELL RING. Dillon and Dan walk toward
the building.
                                                            
EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - DAY
                                                            
Henry waits in his car.
                                                            
Dillon comes around the corner of the school with dan.
                                                            
Henry rolls down his window.
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Calling)
Hey Dillon!
                                                            
Dillon waves to Henry. Dillon and Dan do a secret
hand-shake and leave each other.
                                                            
INT. CAR - DAY
                                                            
Herny is driving and Dillon is in the passenger seat.
                                                            
                       DILLON
Dad?
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Looking over at
       Dillon)
Mm?
                                                            
                       DILLON
Do the bad men sacrifice children
to their gods?
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Surprised)
Woah! Who told you that?
                                                            

7.

                       DILLON
Dan. His dad is always right.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Well, no one really knows what
they do.
                                                            
There is SILENCE.
                                                            
                       DILLON
Dad, you can't save me.
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Startled)
What!?
                                                            
                       DILLON
If the bad men took me, you
couldn't save me. They shoot
grownups.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Well, as long as you don't go near
the river, we won't have to wory
about that.
                                                            
FADE TO BLACK.
                                                            
 
INT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD DILLON'S ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Dillon is drawing a picture. It's pretty good for a seven
year old.
                                                            
The picture shows a bridge with a dead man laying on it in a
puddle of blood.
                                                            
                       HENRY (O.S)
Dillon, have you seen the paper?
                                                            
Dillon looks up from his drawing. We PAN to the floor to
see a pile of newspaper on the ground.
                                                            
                       DILLON
It's in my room.
                                                            
Henry comes into Dillon's room.
                                                            
                       DILLON
Daddy, look at my drawing.
                                                            
Herny looks over Dillon's shoulder at the drawing. He draws
back.
                                                            

8.

                       HENRY
      (Disturbed)
What is the man doing on that
bridge?
                                                            
                       DILLON
He's dead. He got shot trying to
save his kid.
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Upset)
Dillon, I don't want you drawing
pictures like that anymore.
                                                            
EXT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - DAY
                                                            
Dillon and Dan are playing in the front yard. We hear
something SCREAM.
                                                            
Dillon and Dan look at each other. Another SCREAM.
                                                            
They leave the yard.
                                                            
LATER
                                                            
We are in another part of the neighborhood. Dan and Dillon
are running and laughing.
                                                            
We see they are chasing after a MAN in a dog suit.
                                                            
                       MAN IN DOG SUIT
      (Taunting)
I'm gonna beat you.
                                                            
EXT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - CONTINUESLY
                                                            
Henry comes out the font door.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Guys, dinners read-
                                                            
He looks around.
                                                            
He runs back into the house.
                                                            
EXT. BRIDGE - CONTINUESLY
                                                            
Dillon and Dan are panting. So is the man in the dog suit.
                                                            
                       MAN IN DOG SUIT
Want to go accross the bridge?
                                                            

9.

                       DILLON
      (Surprised)
No way! The bad men will take us!
                                                            
Dillon and Dan begin to back away.
                                                            
                       MAN IN DOG SUIT
      (Soothing)
Come on you guys. I'll protect
you. My house is just on the
other side. It's safe there.
                                                            
                       DAN
      (Nervouse)
I don't know...
                                                            
                       MAN IN DOG SUIT
Come here. I have to tell you a
secret.
                                                            
The boys begin to walk toward the man in the dog suit.
                                                            
He grabs them both and puts them under his arms.
                                                            
They begin to SCREAM. The man in the dog suit laughs. He
takes them accross the bridge.
                                                            
INT. POLICE CAR - DAY
                                                            
There are two cars in front of the car we are in. One
POLICE OFFICER is in the car.
                                                            
                       OFFICER
      (Into radio)
We have a reported kidnapping; we
are heading toward the bridge
right now.
                                                            
EXT. BRIDGE - DAY
                                                            
The police cars arrive at the bridge. The man in the dog
suit is on the other side holding the two boys who are
uncounciouse.
                                                            
TWO POLICE OFFICERS get out of their cars. They pull out
their guns.
                                                            
The man in the dog suit turns and walks away.
                                                            
We HEAR A GUN SHOT and the two officers fall down dead.
                                                            
FADE TO BLACK.
                                                            
 

10.

INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - DAY
                                                            
Henry is stading in front of a panel of MEN in black suits.
                                                            
                       HEAD JUDGE
So let me get this strait Mr.
Miners-
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Plain)
You can call me Henry.
                                                            
                       HEAD JUDGE
Henry. You want us to send an
army into Rebel territory and save
your son.
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Emotional)
I don't care how, I don't care how
much, I just want you to get my
son back as soon as possible.
                                                            
The head judge looks down at his papers. Then back at
Herny.
                                                            
                       HEAD JUDGE
You know that no children have
ever been recovered from the other
side of the river?
                                                            
                       HENRY
I know.
                                                            
                       HEAD JUDGE
You also know that any man who has
ever gotton withen an inch of the
bridge have been shot?
                                                            
                       HENRY
I know.
                                                            
                       HEAD JUDGE
You also know that an operation
like this would cost you millions
of pongos?
                                                            
                       HENRY
Yes, I know and I will pay every
single one.
                                                            
All the men begin to MURMER amongest themselves.
                                                            

11.

EXT. COURT BUILDING - DAY
                                                            
Henry storms out of the building. The pigeons on the stoop
fly away as he walks toward them.
                                                            
CLOSE UP - HENRY'S FACE
                                                            
His face is red with anger. A tear rolls out of his right
eye.
                                                            
INT. MINERS HOUSEHOLD - DAY
                                                            
Wide shot of the house. Henry pulls up in front of the
house.
                                                            
He turns of the car.
                                                            
Beat.
                                                            
He turns it back on and goes on his way.
                                                            
EXT. GAS STATION - DAY
                                                            
Herny comes out of the gas staion and gets in his car.
                                                            
INT. CAR - DAY
                                                            
Henry sits in the drivers seat and looks over toward the
passenger seat.
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (To no one)
Eleven Pongos and fifty pongas.
                                                            
He drives off.
                                                            
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
                                                            
Herny pulls up to the house and gets out.
                                                            
EXT. FRONT DOOR - DAY
                                                            
Henry knocks on the door. A MAN, ERIC HENDER, opens the
door.
                                                            
                       ERIC
Hey Henry, havn't seen you in a
while.
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Quick and
       emotional)
I need your help.
                                                            

12.

Eric moves back a little.
                                                            
                       ERIC
      (Confused)
Okay?
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Shakey)
They took him.
                                                            
                       ERIC
Who took who?
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Sobbing)
The sickos accross the river took
Dillon!
                                                            
                       ERIC
Woah, calm down Henry-
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Angry)
Don't tell me to calm down Eric,
now are you coming or not?
                                                            
                       ERIC
What? Coming where?
                                                            
                       HENRY
To save Dillon.
                                                            
                       ERIC
Woah! you know you'll get killed,
there's no way-
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Yelling)
I promised him I would save him if
they took him and I am going to
save him!
                                                            
                       ERIC
That's suicide! If you go-
                                                            
Henry pushes past Eric and goes into his house.
                                                            
INT. HENDER HOUSEHOLD - DAY
                                                            
A gun case with a shot gun in it is up against the wall.
                                                            
Henry comes up to it and SMASHES the glass. He grabs the
gun.
                                                            

13.

                       ERIC
      (Angry)
What are you doing?!
                                                            
                       HENRY
If you're my friend, you will help
me get Dillon back.
                                                            
Eric SIGHS.
                                                            
 
INT. CAR - NIGHT
                                                            
Henry is driving the car with the shot gun on his lap. Eric
is in the passneger seat.
                                                            
                       ERIC
What's the plan?
                                                            
Henry keeps driving.
                                                            
                       ERIC
You do have a plan, right?
                                                            
Henry speeds up.
                                                            
                       ERIC
So we're just gonna drive over the
bridge and go on a killing spree
with a shot gun that only has two
shells?
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Turning to Eric)
No. We are going to be smart, or
we'll be killed.
                                                            
We see the bridge approaching.
                                                            
                       ERIC
There's the bridge.
                                                            
Henry speeds up again.
                                                            
                       ERIC
      (Nervous)
What are you doing?
                                                            
The bridge is closer now.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Put these on.
                                                            

14.

He hands Eric a pair of safety goggles. Herny puts on
another pair.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Duck.
                                                            
Eric ducks down in his seat.
                                                            
A BULLET HOLE APPEARS on the windsheild. Henry doesn't even
flinch.
                                                            
THREE MORE BULLET HOLES APPEAR.
                                                            
EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT
                                                            
We see the headlights approaching. We hear many GUNSHOTS.
                                                            
Henry's car speeds accross the bridge.
                                                            
INT. SNIPER TOWER - NIGHT
                                                            
The MAN in the tower is SHOOTING at Henry's car. It keeps
coming.
                                                            
                       MAN
      (Through clenched
       teeth)
Do you die?
                                                            
Henry's car changes course and is now headed straight for
the sniper tower.
                                                            
                       MAN
      (stops shoothing)
Oh-
                                                            
 
INT. WOODS - NIGHT
                                                            
WIDE SHOT - SNIPER TOWER
                                                            
Henry's car hits the tower with a CRACK.
                                                            
INT. CAR - NIGHT
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Plain)
Get out.
                                                            
Eric unbuckles his seatbelt.
                                                            
EXT. CAR - NIGHT
                                                            

15.

Henry comes out of the car. Eric comes from behind the car.
                                                            
More CRACKING as the sniper tower COLAPSES.
                                                            
                       ERIC
Holy-
                                                            
                       HENRY
      (Interupting)
Shhh.
                                                            
Henry begins looking around.
                                                            
BANG.
                                                            
A bullet hole APPEARS right next to Henry's foot.
                                                            
Eric dives into the pile of rubble. Henry keeps looking.
                                                            
BANG.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Eric, get that shotgun.
                                                            
We HEAR ERIC SHUFFLING around inside the rubble.
                                                            
Henry goes over to the pile.
                                                            
He searches through some splinters of wood and finds what
he's looking for.
                                                            
He pulls out a two foot long slpinter of wood with a very
pointed tip.
                                                            
Eric emerges from the pile with the shotgun.
                                                            
                       ERIC
Got it.
                                                            
Henry takes the gun from Eric's hands and hands him the
spear.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Be careful with that. It's sharp.
                                                            
BANG.
                                                            
A bullet hole APPEARS in a peice of wood next to Eric's
head.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Let's get going.
                                                            

16.

MONTAGE:
                                                            
1.)Henry and Eric are walking through some tough
under-brush.
                                                            
                       HENRY
It's gonna rain.
                                                            
2.)Henry is using his gun to whack away the brush. Eric is
slapping at misquitoes.
                                                            
3.)Henry and Eric step into a clearing. It begins to rain.
                                                            
4.)Henry and Eric are in a homemade shelter. There is a
fire in the middle of it.
                                                            
END MONTAGE
                                                            
 
INT. HOMEMADE SHELTER - NIGHT
                                                            
Henry and Eric are roasting something over the fire.
                                                            
Eric takes his away from the fire and eats it.
                                                            
                       ERIC
      (Mouth full)
Frog legs really do taste like
chicken.
                                                            
Henry pulls his away and eats it.
                                                            
He finishes chewing it and looks at Eric.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Do you want any more?
                                                            
                       ERIC
One more.
                                                            
                       HENRY
Okay. I'll go get them.
                                                            
Henry gets up and leaves the shelter.
                                                            
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
                                                            
Henry comes out of the shelter and walks away from it.
                                                            
EXT. SWAMP - NIGHT
                                                            
Henry approaches the swamp and looks into it.
                                                            

17.

HENRY'S POV.
                                                            
He's looking at his own reflection in the water. The rain
drops ripple his features.
                                                            
Henry's face MORPHS TO DILLON'S FACE.
                                                            
                       DILLON
      (reflection)
A promise is a promise Dad.
                                                            
A frog jumps onto the refelction.
                                                            
BACK TO SCENE.
                                                            
Henry shakes his head and grabs the frog.
                                                            
INT. SHELTER - LATER
                                                            
Eric is poking at the fire with a stick when Henry comes
back in.
                                                            
Henry rips off the dead frogs leg's and hands two of them to
Eric.
                                                            
INT. SHELTER - THE NEXT DAY
                                                            
The fire has died down to coals now. Henry and Eric are
asleep on the ground.
                                                            
SNAP.
                                                            
Eric wakes as anoter TWIG SANPS outside.
                                                            
Eric picks up his spear. He peeks around the corner.
                                                            
ERIC'S POV
                                                            
A MAN is standing four feet away from the shelter.
                                                            
BACK TO SCENE
                                                            
The man takes out a walkie-talkie.
                                                            
                       MAN
      (into
       walkie-talkie)
This is number 713. I think I
found the intruders.
                                                            
                       MAN (o.s)
      (walkie-talkie)
Alright. What is your location?
                                                            

18.

Eric runs out of the shelter and hurls the spear at the man.
                                                            
It hits the man square in the stomach.
                                                            
                       MAN (o.s)
      (walkie-talkie)
Repeat. Where are you located?
                                                            
The man falls backward.
                                                            
Eric runs over and takes the walkie-talkie from the man.
                                                            
                       ERIC
      (imatation of man)
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't find
them. Never mind.
                                                            
                       MAN (o.s)
      (walkie-talkie)
Are you alright? You
sound...different.
                                                            
                       ERIC
      (imatation)
Oh, no. I'm fine. Just forget
what I said.
                                                            
Eric turns off the walkie-talkie.
                                                            
Eric goes back into the shelter.
                                                            
INT. SHELTER - CONTINUOUS
                                                            
Eric shakes Henry awake.
                                                            
                       ERIC
      (excited)
Hey! Wake up! Look what I got!
                                                            
Henry wakes up.
                                                            
Eric waves the walkie-talkie in Henry's face.
                                                            
                       HENRY
That might come in handy. Good
job.
                                                            
 
EXT. WOODS - DAY
                                                            
Henry and Eric are trecking through a giant mud puddle.
Henry is holding the shot gun.
                                                            

19.

                       ERIC
Henry, do you even know where we
are going?
                                                            
                       HENRY
No.
                                                            
Silence.
                                                            
                       ERIC
Wow. We are probably the only
people from Garason to ever make
it this far into the woods.
                                                            
                       HENRY
We probably are.
                                                            
 
EXT. SCHOOL YARD - DAY
                                                            
all the kids come out of the school for reeces. dillion and
dan are getting chaced by tommy
                                                            
dillion and dan run up and crall on top of the monkey bars.
                                                            
                       TOMMY (POV)
      (looking up at
       dillion and dan)
what the heck is that?
                                                            
still looking from tommys POV you see dan turn his head and
move it 6 inches to the left. now there is visible smoke
rising from the forist of in the didtance.
                                                            
Ext. bridge day
                                                            
you see fore kids run up to the bridge.dillion, dan, tommy,
seth
                                                            
                       DILLON
      (scared)
i'm so scared right now.
                                                            
                       TOMMY
      (acting tough)
you wose im not scarred see
                                                            
tommy starts running twards the woods
                                                            
                       SETH
      (worried)
stop come back!
                                                            

20.

seth tacks off behind tommy
                                                            
now you see tommy as he reaches the woods you see him step
in a trap and a rope flips him so he's hanging upside down
in a tree.
                                                            
now you see seth he's still running but when he sees his
friend cought in a trap he stops. all of a sudden the ground
underneth him falls and he goes down with it.
                                                            
                       SETH
      (scared)
help!help!
                                                            
you see him climbing out but two scarred hands rip him back
down.
                                                            
now you see tommy get pulled up into the tree.
                                                            
                       DILLON
Tommy!Seth!
                                                            
dillion and dan run away.
                                                            


FADE OUT.


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From david a. wright Date 1/13/2005 *1/2
I think I see where you're going with this. It's an interesting idea. But, on the most basic level, it's kind of jarring to see so many typos. I know this is a work in progress, but you need to hit Spellcheck once in a while. A "reader" will drop a script like a hot rock if they see typos, format mistakes, etc., no matter how good the concept or story. Things like "shot gun" for "shotgun," "strait" for "straight." It sounds picky, but it's an easy thing to correct. Keep working.


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