Twice. Passing the dog.
A third bounce sends it skidding. It flips; its blades
snapping off like toothpicks. It lands belly-up,
soundless except for the whine of its engine.
The man with the gun rolls out before the explosion.
INT. MAIN COMPOUND
The half a dozen men, playing cards, monitoring equipment,
listening to music -- spring to their feet, startled.
EXT. COMPOUND
The dog reaches
as their
voices echo in the sky.
THE CHILDREN (contd)
Seven eight, gonna stay up late...
Jacob takes his hands away from his face and starts to
frantically pull on his seat belt. SNAP - it flies off his
back and miraculously turns into a PARACHUTE. Rope swirls
into the air - the wind grabs the canvas - and Jacobs body
slows with a violent jerk.
But at least hes not falling anymore. Jacob
swirls between the high elms, happy and
carefree -- its all a little surreal -- are those church
bells in the distance? Or cow bells? Or merely the SOUND
of insects?
Jeanne swings round faster and faster, then tumbles over,
laughing, and lies on her back. Shes dizzy and out of
breath. Above her, the clouds seeming to swirl as though
she were still spinning round...
The SOUND of the bells slows do
SWIRLS WITH us as we DASH TOWARDS it, the dark
holes widening as we DIVE at them, PLUNGING HEADLONG INTO
BLACKNESS --
TUMBLING DOWN the rabbit hole.
After a long silent moment, we hear a MAN SNEEZE.
INT. DIME STORE
The DARKNESS BECOMES a curtain that is yanked open as the
same MAN steps out talking to himself.
MAN
Hi, Susan... no. Hi, Susie...
We realize he has just stepped out of a photo booth.
blade rises
and falls amid the SCREAMS in the darkness...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
Beautiful sunlight. AERIAL SHOT of a post rider galloping
along a road through peaceful untamed woodlands. Soaring
old-growth elms arch over riverside maples along the
shores of the gently curving, deep-water Santee River.
SUPERIMPOSITION:
SOUTH CAROLINA
April, 1776
The post rider rides al