| EXT. CLEARING. DAY
A bamboo spear, loaded with fish like a giant kebab, is carried
across the clearing towards the cooking area wehre the chef and
his helpers are at work.
The spear is held by richard who smiles as he deposits the fish
on the broad wooden chopping surface.
RICHARD (V.O.)
That's right, I had an aptitude, a hidden talent. All these years
I'm good for nothing, turns out I'm a full-on old fashioned hunter
fucking gatherer.
INT. LONGHOUSE. DAY
As Richard enters there are only a few people inside.
He walks to the partitioned area and looks for a packet of cigarettes
among his possessions.
Opposite to him, Keaty is lying down, reading the Bible.
KEATY
Ah, the hunter gatherer returns. Satisfied with a good day's
killing amongst the fruits of the sea?
RICHARD
That's me: a good day's killing.
KEATY
God has smiled on you.
RICHARD
He has?
KEATY
He has made you sharp of eye and swift of limb. In other words,
you catch a lot of fish, you'll be very popular around here.
RICHARD
Great.
KEATY
Don't forget to thank Him, will you?
RICHARD
I'll try.
KEATY
He'd appreciate that. Anyway, first day's fishing, first day's
catch, you lot are just about ready to join the community.
RICHARD
I thought we already had.
KEATY
Not yet baptized, my son, not yet baptized.
EXT. CLEARING. NIGHT
A blade burns in the fire.
Keaty lifts the knife from the fire.
The entire community is assembled, watching.
He takes Etienne's wrist.
RICHARD (V.O.)
Every society must have its rituals. They're what binds you together,
they tell you that you belong. Ours was simple. Last one to arrive
tattoos the next.
KEATY
It hurts. OK?
Etienne nods.
Keaty swiftly cuts the simple symbol just below Etienne's shoulder
and smears blue powder into the cut.
Etienne winces.
Keaty finishes and hands the knife to Etienne who heats the blade
briefly in the fire before he turns to Francoise. He kisses her
arm before he cuts.
Francoise takes the knife.
Richard offers his arm. She grips it tightly. She hesitates.
He looks into her eyes.
She cuts. He grimaces. She works on, holding his arm.
INT. LONGHOUSE. NIGHT.
A few candles still burn as people prepare to turn in for the
night. Richard is lying in his sleeping area. He is watching Francoise.
She is standing, visible only from the waist up above a partition.
She is inspecting her tattoo.
RICHARD (V.O.)
All the excitement of arrival had given me something to think
about, but it wasn't enough to displace my major preoccupation.
You can go to the most beautiful place in the world, but the sunlight
shall not bleach they passion, nor the tide wash away thy desire.
A hand. Etienne's appears from below, beckoning her down.
She takes the hand.
Just for a moment her eyes meet Richard's and then she lowers
herself towards the ground, disappearing from view.
The last candle is extinguished.
EXT. BEACH. DAY.
A game of soccer is in progress, involving most of the population,
men and woman.
Etienne is playing well.
A few people, not involved in the game, are scattered along the
beach, relaxing. Amongst these are Francoise and Richard, who is
watching the game.
RICHARD
He's good.
FRANCOISE
Who?
RICHARD
Etienne. He's good at soccer.
FRANCOISE
Oh, I wouldn't know.
RICHARD
You don't like soccer?
FRANCOISE
No. It's so boring.
RICHARD
Yea, but he is good. Look. Nearly scored.
FRANCOISE
Is that good or bad?
RICHARD
I think it's good. Not that I think there's anything good about
being good at soccer. Anyone could do that. I could do it if I wanted
to. I just don't want to. That's all.
She sits up.
FRANCOISE
Richard.
RICHARD
Yes?
FRANCOISE
What are you talking about?
RICHARD
I don't know. Just conversation.
FRANCOISE
Do you have a girlfriend?
RICHARD
Here?
FRANCOISE
Anywhere
RICHARD
No. Why?
FRANCOISE
Just conversation.
RICHARD
I'm not jealous, if that's what you're thinking.
FRANCOISE
No, it's what you are thinking. You are far from home. You meet
a girl. It's exciting, why not? You are attracted to her - it's
in your eyes. Perhaps in hers as well. So you think something might
happen; it's easy to believe, it's exciting. But she has a boyfriend
so you are jealous. Don't worry. It's natural. Now I have seen enough
football. Shall we swim?
Richard is stunned.
RICHARD
So would I be wrong?
FRANCOISE
What?
RICHARD
If I thought something might happen - would I be wrong?
She touches him.
FRANCOISE
Richard, how would I know? I don't know any more than you.
She walks away.
Richard watches her go. He turns to the football.
Etienne scores.
RICHARD (V.O.)
And that's all it takes. Nothing more than a few words and the
softest touch and your life is different, won't ever be the same
again. Man dies, leaves you the mystery map to the secret island:
happens every day. But you get a smile from someone you want: well
that's special, that's worth the journey.
INT. LONGHOUSE. NIGHT.
Richard is sitting in his bed.
He is watching Francoise in conversation with Keaty across the
other side of the room. During Richards (V.O.) their conversation
ends and Keaty walks away, leaving Francoise momentarily alone.
Most of the population is present in the room. Sal is reading.
RICHARD (V.O.)
I would have liked to have continued our discussion, to thrash
out the details of our forthcoming affair, but every time I had
the chance to catch her alone, something always got in the way.
Francoise is alone now. Richard is about to move across when
the center of the room is occupied by commotion.
At the heart of this are Bugs, and an Italian man, Gregorio.
Bugs is holding a pair of pliers. Gregorio is in pain.
Richard watches.
BUGS
I can deal with it!
GREGORIO
I don't want you to deal with it.
BUGS
It won't take a minute.
GREGORIO
No! Please, no! I must go to the mainland.
Onlookers join in.
VARIOUS
No way/ You can't go to the mainland/ No, etc.
GREGORIO
Sal!
Sal looks up for the first time.
SAL
Sorry, I wasn't really tuned in. You want to go to the mainland?
To see a dentist, is that it?
GREGORIO
Yes.
Sal is casual but firm.
SAL
No. It's out of the question.
She returns to the book.
With help from two or three other people, Bgs drags Gregorio
to the floor and rips out the offending tooth with a pair of pliers.
Gregorio screams.
RICHARD (V.O.)
I was sort of disturbed by this, but really only by the method,
by the way that Bugs handled it. But the guy couldn't leave; I could
see that. When you have something secret, everyone's got to take
responsibility to keep it that way.
Francoise has gone.
EXT. BEACH. DAY
A tropical lightening storm is in progress.
At the edge of the beach, Christo, Richard, Sten, and Karl are
standing under the ineffectual shelter of a palm tree, ecah holding
their spear. A short distance away, under anotehr tree, sit Francoise
and Etienne, hand in hand.
They are all contemplating the sea and the sky. Christo has a
swimming mask and a snorkel.
RICHARD (V.O.)
In any case, I was more concerned about the Francoise situation.
After such a promising start, it just didn't seem to be reaching
its natural conclusion. In truth it was beginning to annoy me; I
mean what's the use of being in paradise if you can't have whatever
you want. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the whole idea?
CHRISTO
The problem is seeing the fish. With the rain and the poor light,
they are very difficult to catch. It could last for days. Sometimes
when it rains, we get hungry.
RICHARD
Hey, Etienne, you going fishing?
ETIENNE
I don't know, maybe if -
RICHARD
Don't' worry. You just sit there. I'll go, OK? I'll go. You just
sit there.
He takes the mask and snorkel from Christo and marches down towards
the sea.
ETIENNE
Good luck
Richard looks back at them but says nothing. He pulls the mask
on and resumes his march into the sea.
EXT. LAGOON. DAY. AND UNDERWATER. DAY.
Richard swims along near the sea-bed past rocks and coral but
can see no fish.
He surfaces and swims further out.
He hears shouts from the shore. He turns and treads water.
The shouts from his colleagues are indistinct, carried away by
the wind and the rain.
RICHARD
(Shouting)
I can't hear.
He takes the mask off to clean the lens.
RICHARD
(Continuing)
And you can't hear me.
He puts the mask back on and turns away from the shore.
He freezes.
There is a shark's fin in the water, moving towards him.
He looks around. The shore seems far away. He starts swimming
frantically towards it.
The shark closes in.
Richard submerges and turns to face the shark.
The shark approaches head on. It is about five feet long with
the appropriate teeth.
Richard is terrified, convinced he is about to die.
The shark swoops towards him at speed.
It stops, its teeth centimeters from his mask. It pauses then
flicks its tail and swims past Richard.
He is astonished.
It circles him and approaches again, pausing just in front.
Tentatively, Richard raises a hand.
The shark does not react.
Richard pats it gently on its snout.
It swims around him again.
Richard sees small fish swimming around him. He spears one and
holds it out on the tip of his spear.
The shark snatches it off and repeats its circle but does not
threaten Richard.
He smiles.
As it approaches again, he holds the spear in both hands and
lowers it by his side.
The shark bobs in front of him, curious and friendly.
Richard's arms begin their forward motion as his V.O. commences.
RICHARD (V.O.)
I ducked to one side, then to the other as it passed me. First
on my left, then on my right.
INT. LONGHOUSE. NIGHT.
Grilled shark steaks have been passed around and eaten by all
while Richard stands and relates his adventure. He cannot resist
a glance at Francoise, who listens with rapt attention.
RICHARD (V.O.)
But it could see that I was getting tired, so I stood my ground
as he swam in for his final attack.
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