The Rewilders Read online

  Later today, it's the lion, mountain goat and llama.

  ROGER (OFF-SCREEN)

  What's our subject for right now, Professor?

  ALLY

  Oh, the wild ass!

  DISSOLVE TO LATER

  Ally addresses a crowd of over a hundred spectators.

  ALLY

  Also called a big-headed Onager, or equus hemionus, today the wild ass is being re-introduced as a proxy for the extinct horse that used to roam these parts.

  The cage is opened and out trots a donkey-like creature, to enthusiastic applause and whistling.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onager

  ALLY

  I release this ass into the wild!

  (to snickers OFF-SCREEN)

  And a lovely ass it is!

  INTERIOR - MACGILLVRAY HOUSE/LIVINGROOM - DAY

  As usual, Evey and Harry are ensconced in front of the T.V.

  CLOSE-UP - T.V. REPORT ON THE REWILDERS

  ANNOUNCER (VOICE-OVER)

  (filtered over T.V.)

  The new Rewilding Team from the Department of Re-Introduction is making a big name for itself!

  Now cut to videotape of Ally, Rachel and the Team waving from the podium as the spectators applaud appreciatively.

  ANNOUNCER (VOICE-OVER)

  Led by Professor Gruberstein, assisted by Rachel Wallington, they're doing successful re-introductions all over!

  INTERIOR - OFFICE/MINISTER PROCTOR (SAME TIME)

  Proctor sits in his office in front of his own T.V., nodding approvingly, fingering the portrait of Ally on his desk.

  ANNOUNCER (VOICE-OVER)

  (filtered over T.V.)

  And teaching lots of children about the need to bring back to the world all of the extinct animals!

  Rachel Delivers Charles' Compensation

  EXTERIOR - RUNWAY/AIRPLANE (NIGHT)

  The propeller plane lands at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

  RACHEL (VOICE-OVER)

  I'm so glad to be home for a while.

  ALLY

  Well, not too long, we're off to the tropics next week.

  INTERIOR - GOVERNMENT OFFICE/C.R.A.P. - DAY

  Rachel works intently at her computer as Roger steps up.

  ROGER

  What are you going to do for these few days, Rachel? Rachel?!

  She's distracted, on the computer, with a kitten on her lap. Yabby joins them, and the kitty crawls into his arms.

  RACHEL

  I have a special project to do...

  ROGER

  Oh?

  Roger reads over her shoulder as she types a name.

  CLOSE-UP - COMPUTER SCREEN: DEPARTMENT OF RE-INTRODUCTION SITE

  A list of "Sufferer's Compensation Claims" and their names. The cursor highlights "Charles A. D. Rath".

  ROGER (OFF-SCREEN )

  Oh, I remember him! Poor bastard.

  RACHEL (OFF-SCREEN)

  His compensation check is ready.

  RETURN TO SCENE

  RACHEL

  I thought I'd ride it over to him.

  ROGER

  Huh? Leave it for Proctor's people!

  RACHEL

  That was so terrible - that wild boar. I want to hand-deliver it.

  The guys eye her curiously as she rises and grabs a jacket.

  EXTERIOR - STREET/GLASGOW - DAY

  Rachel pedals her bike through Glasgow.

  She squeezes off the road when a peaceful protest of about 25 people marches by, chanting slogans, waving signs:

  "Don't ban cars! We need the jobs!"

  "Green, schmeen! Give us food to eat!"

  Then shrill whistles sound and uniformed Eco-Cops grab the protesters and drag them away, amidst shouts and struggling.

  Rachel, her hand to her face, stands at her bike, aghast.

  EXTERIOR - STREET/HAMLET (LATER)

  She pedals through a hamlet, with huge, squeaky wind power turbines lumbering over the traditional houses and flats.

  She passes a playground, where a dozen children play amidst old artillery guns and lorries, and run through gigantic, missile tubes, all brightly painted with Green messages.

  As she pedals by a receiving area, Rachel sees technicians pull apart nuclear rockets and remove tracks off old tanks.

  RACHEL

  (whispers)

  Swords into ploughshares...

  EXTERIOR - CHARLIE'S FARMHOUSE - DAY

  Rachel halts at Charlie's broken, unrepaired farmhouse.

  There's no answer to her knock at the door.

  CLOSE-UP - HER HANDS

  She inserts a Sufferer's Compensation Award check into an envelope. The name on the check is visible, "Charles A. D. Rath", for the amount of 50 pounds.

  RACHEL (OFF-SCREEN)

  It's not very much...

  With an OFF-SCREEN sigh, she drops the envelope into his mailbox.

  RETURN TO SCENE

  As she pedals away, Charlie saunters up from the opposite direction. From his POINT OF VIEW, Rachel toddles off on her bike.

  At his mailbox, he opens the check and rubs his brow.

  CHARLIE

  Shhh....

  He scowls and rips up the check. His eyes move to his broken fence, shattered windows, knocked over planters, and mashed up garden, with big boar hoof prints all around.

  Shaking his head, he glances at Rachel, disappearing over a hilltop, wobbling a little on her bike in a rut on the road.

  Rewilding in Africa

  EXTERIOR - RUNWAY/AIRPLANE - DAY

  At Glasgow Prestwick Airport, they mount another prop plane.

  INTERIOR - AIRPLANE (TRAVELLING)

  Ally leans back to let second-in-command, Rachel, describe the current assignment to the Team. The guys crowd around Rachel and her laptop.

  WALLY

  So what're we doing on this expedition, Rache?

  Her narration is over top of natural scenes of various antelopes that are going to be released back into the wild.

  RACHEL (VOICE-OVER)

  Well, we're going to re-introduce several types of antelopes, like the Dibatag, Nile Lechwe, Eland, and the Bongo.

  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/161965/dibatag

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_Lechwe

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Eland

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bongo_(antelope)

  To each, Yabby makes clicking, honking and other noises.

  RETURN TO SCENE

  RACHEL

  And the Greater Kudu!

  ROGER

  Where's that?

  RACHEL

  It's not a place, Roger! The Greater Kudu! Another antelope!

  ALLY

  Oh, lovely, lovely!

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Kudu

  Rachel Queries on Charlie

  INTERIOR - HOTEL ROOM/ALLY AND RACHEL - NIGHT

  Ally folds up some reading glasses and flops back into bed.

  ALLY

  That's it for me. Night, Rache.

  Rachel is at a small desk, with her laptop set up.

  RACHEL

  Good night, Professor.

  CLOSE-UP - LAPTOP SCREEN: GOOGLING "CHARLIE RATH LOCH LOMOND"

  A list of hits scrolls down the screen.

  RETURN TO Rachel as she inhales, pleasantly surprised. She points her nose forward and smiles.

  CLOSE-UP - LAPTOP SCREEN: MOUSE POINTER CLICKS ON "IMAGES"

  Various images of Charlie show up. The pointer hovers over one, and then clicks. Rachel sighs, OFF-SCREEN.

  It's a heroic photo of Charles as a volunteer fire fighter, holding a young child that he "rescued from a burning flat", according to the caption.

  Charlie's face is smudged with soot, but he's particularly rugged and handsome. As he holds the babe in his arms, he's being congratulated by the parents and other townsfolk.

  The print dialog box comes up and the mouse clicks "OK".

  EXTERIOR - AIRPLANE IN SKY/THROUGH CLOUDS - DAY

/>   Rachel, furtively peeks at the others, before smiling down at the photo of Charlie in the open bag on her lap.

  Rewilding in South America

  EXTERIOR - LUSH VALLEY/CLEARING - DAY

  Rachel's team is all set for more rewilding!

  SUPERIMPOSE - "Outside Belo Horizonte, South America"

  Here, she's surrounded by kids. Roger and Yabby jiggle the gate of a big cage across from them. Ally is at a podium in front of a large crowd of happy onlookers.

  ALLY

  And now, the collared peccary, pecari tajacu!

  Two odd pig critters peek from the cage and then suddenly gallop off: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collared_peccary

  Wally, standing by a roped-off area that guides the creature into the forest, can't stop laughing.

  WALLY

  What advanced ugliness!

  Chuckles are heard among the applause and whistles OFF-SCREEN.

  WALLY

  Professor, maybe there was a reason they're nearly extinct!

  RACHEL

  Aw, their so cute!

  ROGER

  Their blasted heads are over a third of their body!

  WALLY

  Ugly or what!?

  ALLY/RACHEL

  Awww!

  As the peccaries waddle off to their fates, the derisive chuckles are replaced by cheers and big applause!

  MONTAGE - MORE REWILDING OF RARE CREATURES (SOUTH AMERICA)

  A) Near a river, Yabby and Roger jump back from the cage as a Green Anaconda slithers out.

  ROGER (VOICE-OVER)

  Like, they don't have enough snakes in the Amazon?!

  RACHEL (VOICE-OVER)

  Oh, not like this one, no!

  B) The crowd cheers as a rare Red-Legged Seriema races out of the cage and dashes toward a coastline in the BACKGROUND:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-legged_Seriema

  WALLY (VOICE-OVER)

  Lift off! Go! Fly!

  ROGER (VOICE-OVER)

  He's having trouble getting airborne, Rachel!

  RACHEL (VOICE-OVER)

  Oh, it'll fly when it's good and ready, guys. Look at how fast it runs, though!

  C) In a clearing by a dense forest, Brown Spider Monkeys trot and jump and bounce from the cage.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Spider_Monkey

  ALLY (VOICE-OVER)

  Oh, my favorite Atelidae!

  INTERIOR - AIRPLANE - DAY (TRAVELLING)

  Ally and the boys are catching up on shut-eye, but Rachel is again leaning over the open bag in her lap.

  CLOSE-UP - RACHEL'S FINGERS ON CHARLIE'S FIREFIGHTER PHOTO

  Rachel Leaves a Message for Charlie

  INTERIOR - HOTEL ROOM/RACHEL - NIGHT

  Rachel turns away from her computer, on her desk, and punches buttons on her cell phone. There's a ring OFF-SCREEN.

  CHARLIE'S VOICE (VOICE-OVER)

  (filtered over phone)

  Leave me a message, thanks.

  Rachel slumps in her chair, awaiting the beep. BEEP.

  RACHEL

  (into phone)

  Hello?

  (clears throat)

  Hello, Mr. Rath. This is Rachel Wallington with the Central Rewilding and Agricultural Program? I notice you haven't cashed your Sufferer's Compensation Award yet. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me.

  She presses the phone button to disconnect, and sighs.

  RACHEL

  Please call me.

  Rewilding in Australia

  MONTAGE - MORE REWILDING OF RARE CREATURES (AUSTRALIA)

  A) A cage opens, unleashing a Dwarf Cassowary.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_Cassowary

  ALLY (VOICE-OVER)

  The Dwarf Cassowary, casuarius bennetti!

  B) A cage opens, and a rat-like creature scurries out.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmanian_Devil

  ALLY (VOICE-OVER)

  A-ha! The sarcophilus harrisii, a.k.a. Tasmanian Devil!

  C) A cage opens, and another rodent-like creature hops away to freedom.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Hairy-nosed_Wombat

  ALLY (VOICE-OVER)

  And, of course, lasiorhinus latifrons: The Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat!

  ROGER (VOICE-OVER)

  Hey! Yesterday, Wally called me that!

  INTERIOR - SUV - DAY (TRAVELLING)

  With a dusty plain visible through the windows, the Team is crowded into an SUV operated by a turbaned DRIVER.

  As each species is referenced, INTERCUT quickly with sample images of the actual animal.

  RACHEL

  We've got a Peafowl to re-introduce tomorrow, and, oh, a Malayan Tapir, tapirus indicus!

  WALLY

  A tapir? Why do we do so many pig-like creatures, Professor?!

  ALLY

  Well, we can do gavialis gangeticus if you like. A Gavial.

  Yabby, unable to translate or imitate, frowns.

  YABBY

  Huh?

  ROGER

  That sounds cute. What is it?

  DRIVER

  (laughs)

  A Gavial is a crocodile, sir!

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peafowl

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malayan_Tapir

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavial

  EXTERIOR - GRASSY FIELD - DAY

  The Peafowl flutters out of the cage as it's opened, to cheers OFF-SCREEN and smiles from Roger, Yabby and Wally nearby.

  At the podium, Ally, all smiles, glances at Rachel. Ally notices that Rachel seems sad, distracted, but says nothing.

  INTERIOR - AIRPLANE - NIGHT (TRAVELLING)

  As Ally and Proctor talk on video on Ally's computer in the BACKGROUND, the other team members notice that Rachel is off by herself, contemplative. They go over, concerned for her.

  ROGER

  What's wrong, Rache?

  No response.

  Yabby does the plaintive beaver crying sound. Rachel looks at him and giggles, and they all crowd around to hug her.

  WALLY

  Good we're going home, guys.

  RACHEL/ROGER

  Yeah.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  Charles Loses his Home

  EXTERIOR - GENERAL STORE/GLASGOW - DAY

  A STORE OWNER in a smock pats Charlie's shoulder, just outside the store doorway.

  STORE OWNER

  Sorry, pal. Wish I could use you. Try the grocery across the way. He was hiring last month.

  Charlie slumps, shakes the man's hand, and turns away.

  EXTERIOR - CHARLIE'S FARMHOUSE (LATER)

  Charlie arrives to find a cube van backed up to his door, and several men removing furniture from the house.

  CHARLIE

  Hey!

  A man in a vest approaches with a paper for Charlie. In the BACKGROUND, a "Repossessed" sticker is applied to his front door.

  DISSOLVE TO LATER

  Charlie emerges from the front door with only a long coat over his arm, and a suitcase. He steps aside as two men bustle past with another cartful of stuff to take away.

  Rachel Visits Charlie's House

  EXTERIOR - AIRPORT TERMINAL (GLASGOW PRESTWICK AIRPORT) - DAY

  The Team walks the terminal as they arrive home. Much to their surprise, it's to reporters and flashing lights.

  Rachel, Ally and the whole Team are famous!

  EXTERIOR - CHARLIE'S FARMHOUSE - DAY