Chereads / Death's Bargain / Chapter 13 - Act 3: Part 1

Chapter 13 - Act 3: Part 1

GOH

Why is he here with us?

FRANKLIN

I didn't want to leave him.

GOH

My wife... that was the only reason

I wanted to go to the miracle

worker. You!

Goh fights back the pain and grabs Franklin's collar.

GOH (CONT'D)

You're the reason why I lost my

will to live... You should've just

left me out there.

Sumi grabs her fathers arm. A tear marks her cheek and Goh

turns to see his daughters reaction.

GOH (CONT'D)

I'm... sorry...

FRANKLIN

No, you're right. There's a lot

that I'm responsible for, but

that's why I'm going to fix things.

SUMI

What is there left to fix?

Blood trickles down her ears, she doesn't notice it but Goh

gasps in response to seeing it.

He gently reaches up and wipes the blood away, analyzing her

ears for what could've caused this.

FRANKLIN

The gunshot. It was very close to

her ear drums. Can you hear us

okay?

SUMI

I think so... we've been talking

with each other just fine.

GOH

Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry.

Goh pulls her in for an embrace.

62.

GOH (CONT'D)

I should've never let you get close

to those men.

Goh glares at the sleeping commander.

GOH (CONT'D)

Throw him off the plane. Why are we

keeping him?

FRANKLIN

I still have some unanswered

questions that only he can answer.

You can do as you wish once I'm

finished.

BACH

Can you please get back up here?

How long are you going to let this

thing fly on its own?!

FRANKLIN

Goh, please tell me where to go. We

need to see this witch doctor.

GOH

We? I don't-

FRANKLIN

You're missing a leg. Your daughter

may go deaf. If you have no will

left to live for yourself, at least

think of Sumi.

Goh looks at Sumi who is looking out the window at the

clouds. His eyes linger there for a moment before turning

back to the sleeping commander.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Please Goh.

GOH

Fine, but I'm piloting the plane. I

can't stand being next to this

monster.

CUT TO:

EXT. SKY/MEADOWS - DAY

The plane is flying on a beautiful sunset sky, weaving in and

out of clouds, over hills and valleys.

63.

Goh looks out of the front windshield down to where he will

land; surveying for a good area in the meadows.

The plane descends and lands swiftly on a long stretch of

grass, stopping to a halt.

We see people hiding near the forest, watching and waiting

for who may exit the aircraft.

Sumi exits first, followed by Goh who she helps down.

Franklin and Bach carry the commander over their shoulders

who is shouting curses at them as he wiggles around

frantically.

The people who are hiding are hesitant to approach them

because of the commanders demeanor, but one brave little boy,

Tito (12), steps out from the bushes and greets Sumi with a

wave.

SUMI

Hey, we need to see a doctor!

The boy turns around and looks for the others approval who

are still hiding in the woods. A man shakes his head.

The boy looks at Sumi and Goh, studying his stump leg. He

shakes his head and gets on the other side of Goh to help him

walk.

TITO

Right this way...

The people who were hiding emerge from the bushes as

Franklin's group nears the forest.

A tall large man holding a pick axe stands in front of them,

obstructing their way.

He holds his hand up to stop them and glares at Tito.

TITO (CONT'D)

Sir, they need help!

The man does not move.

SUMI

Please sir, he's bleeding out. I

don't want to lose my father...

The man glances at the commander who is continuing to curse a

storm and struggle against Franklin's grip. He studies the

commanders uniform and shakes his head in disapproval.

64.

PICKAXE MAN

No.

Franklin drops the commander on the ground and pulls out his

pistol.

FRANKLIN

We don't have time for this!

TITO

No, please don't...

Bach does the catholic symbol over his chest. The man notices

his robes and nods.

PICKAXE MAN

Who are they to you father?

Bach opens his eyes from his prayer and looks at the pickaxe

man with confusion.

BACH

My... friends?

Pickaxe man nods in approval.

PICKAXE MAN

A friend of the church is our

friends too. Leave the Nazi here

and we'll lead you to the healer.

Franklin lowers his gun and reluctantly drags the commander

back to the plane where he locks him up.

The forest villagers trail in behind the pickaxe man who

leads Franklin's group deeper into the bush where the hidden

village is.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREST VILLAGE - LATER

People are washing clothes, boiling water over a fire, and

bustling about the small village. They abruptly stop what

they are doing to stare at the new comers.

Franklin notices serval injured and sick people being tended

to by women and children.

Starving children crouch by the fire, eating around the mold

of old bread.

A group of teenage boys dig graves for the deceased and

mothers pray over their dead children's bodies, clinging to

their pendant cross hanging from their frail necks.

A toddler crawls towards them from the porch of a cabin but

the mother quickly scoops him up and shields it away from the

mysterious new faces.

RANDOM VILLAGER

The scouts are back!

Children stop picking at their moldy bread and rush up to

meet pickaxe man. The teenagers drop their shovels and join

the kids.

Mothers cautiously approach with their toddlers hiding behind

their matted skirts.

The group of women and children who were tending to the

wounded part way for a single woman whom everyone bows in

reverence to as she walks by.

Franklin locks eyes with Jill, a middle aged woman, the

healer of this village, and the witch doctor he has been

looking for.

JILL

What is this? Where are the

supplies that I asked for?

Pickaxe man bows and looks away ashamed. He points at Tito.

PICKAXE MAN

He insisted.

Tito wiggles out from under Goh and raises his hands in

defense, giving pickaxe man an annoyed look.

TITO

Hey! What the-

Jill raises a stern hand, stopping Tito.

JILL

He's a single boy, stopping my

scouts, an entire fleet of a dozen

grown men?

Pickaxe man looks down at the ground, ashamed.

TITO

Wait, but they really do need our

help mam... we couldn't just turn

them away...