4x10 "Him"

[Him]

Previously on Lost

EPISODE 10 – ‘HIM’

In memory of timekeeping

*****

A brown left eye flickers as a door opens, flooding the room with light. It is the eye of a boy, bedridden, and visibly unwell. A tall man, with slightly straggly silver hair, dressed in old fashioned black overalls, approaches, and sits on a chair to the left of the bed. The wooden room creaks.

MAN: We’ve landed.
BOY: [with effort] We’ve been sailing the wrong way for weeks. Months. Where are we?

The man, his face giving nothing away, hands the boy some well coloured, but very old clothes.

MAN: Well Richard, get dressed and you’ll see.
The man smiles and exits.

*****

SCENE 2 – INSIDE A TENT - AFTERNOON


Sayid looks dubious

SAYID: Where are they?


DANIELLE: I have a new shelter, after I had to destroy the last one.
SAYID: How long would it take one us to get there?
Danielle looks out of the tent
DANIELLE: It's possible to get there before nightfall
Sayid thinks for a moment.
SAYID: I doubt I will be able to access it without falling into one of your traps that surround it. You will take me.
DANIELLE: ...OK
SAYID: Good. Let me get my stuff.

Sayid exits the tent and is met by Desmond.

DESMOND: Hello brother
SAYID: Yes Desmond?
DESMOND: I’m going to tell everyone today. About the ship.
SAYID: Right now?
DESMOND: Well, in about an hour, and leaving soon after, depending on how long it takes for those coming to get packed. I’m going to try to get Jack on side again - he didn’t expect the boat to take this long. Will you gi’e us a hand?

Sayid nods in agreement

SAYID: However, I won’t be able to leave with you; I’m going to get documents from Danielle’s camp. I take it you are still going to the caves?
DESMOND: At the moment, aye.
SAYID: OK. That will do for tonight.

SCENE 3 – LATE AFTERNOON

Locke arrives at the Ruins as he said to Richard he would, concerned by the absence of anyone. He wanders for some time, looking for tracks, and as he is kicking around a bit of ground, inspecting it, his attention is caught by a shout.

RICHARD: John!
Locke turns to see Richard approaching from some trees in the distance.
LOCKE: Richard - Where’s Widmore, and his men?
RICHARD: They’ve been taken care of.
LOCKE: What does that mean?
RICHARD: That doesn’t matter right now.

Richard looks uneasy being out in the open.

RICHARD: What does matter, is that we get to the temple. You saw Jacob yeah?
LOCKE: Yeah.
RICHARD: …I assume you accept?
Locke pauses, and then nods. Richard smiles.
RICHARD: Excellent.
LOCKE: … On the condition that I get some answers.
Locke smirks a bit.
RICHARD: So be it.

Richard motions for him to follow him into the jungle.

LOST

*****

The Black Rock is docked on a rocky coast green with moss. Several men, about twenty or so, all of which are wearing old seafaring clothes, climb down a rope ladder. Richard, by far the youngest, about 12 years old, tags along behind them. Richard struggles with the ladder, but reaches the rocky ground, and is met by the man he was speaking to earlier. The rest of the crew seem fearful of him and have kept their distance.

MAN:Hanging in there?
Richard nods tiredly
MAN: Well? Not much to say? It’s our very own island, Richard!
RICHARD: Um
Richard peers out into the dense and vibrantly green jungle, remarkably close to what there is of a beach.
RICHARD: [coughing] It’s nice?
MAN: Haha. That it is. And more than you know Richard.
RICHARD: It looks deserted.
MAN: It is.
Richard is caught off guard by this
RICHARD: [worried] I am going to run out of medicine then.
MAN: Don’t worry about that. By the time we leave here, you’ll have enough money to bribe your illness.
Richard continues to look at the man concernedly.
RICHARD: How are you going to make this money then? There’s no one to sell the slaves to here.
MAN: You’re asking the right questions, my friend, you’ve learned well. But we’re not trading slaves here. If you can improve the life of others, and make them sensible of that fact, you will get rich regardless of your material. We don’t need the slaves anymore. In time, you’ll realise what I mean.

*****

SCENE 5 – THE BEACH – LATE AFTERNOON

Desmond and Sayid approach Jack’s tent. They enter, and Desmond shakes Jack’s shoulder to wake him.
DESMOND [subdued]: Hey. Jack. Wake up.
Jack groans, lets his eyes adjust, and leans back on his elbows to hear the kneeling Desmond.
DESMOND: About the boat…
JACK: Oh, not this again. We’ve been through this. Several times now.
Jack looks surprised to see Sayid with him.
DESMOND: Yeah, I know, and today, I’m going to tell everyone. I’m getting as many people off this beach as I can, with or without you.
Jack scoffs at what he’s hearing
JACK: You already tried that, and no one took you seriously
DESMOND: Aye, and I went about it the wrong way, mainly because I was raving about Widmore at the same time, but only a few people heard me, brother, and everyone needs to know. I was wondering, that considering your wonderful rescue boat has apparently taken the best part of a week to make a journey that shouldn’t take more than a few hours at the most, and that you’re getting no response over the satellite phone, if you’d now be willing to give me a hand?
JACK: What? No. You’re just going to worry and panic everyone. Don’t bother. The...
SAYID: They’re already worrying, Jack - they expected to get rescued that day.

Desmond stands up and leaves the tent. Jack looks to shout after him but has nothing to say, and look visibly worried by what Desmond has said. Sayid makes eye contact with Jack and leaves.


SCENE 6 – THICK JUNGLE – DUSK

Richard hands Locke a flashlight

RICHARD: Where you’d you get the gun?
He points to the old fashioned pistol Locke used to confront Jack at the radio tower.
LOCKE: A ditch. Full of bodies. One which I ended up in after Ben tried to kill me.
RICHARD: Dharma?
LOCKE: You mean there’s another ditch full of bodies in the middle of the jungle?
Richard chuckles for a few seconds.
RICHARD: It was necessary, you understand.
LOCKE: What? Shooting me?
RICHARD: [smiling] No. Killing them.
LOCKE: I’m sure it was. But I was thinking. This looks like a cowboy pistol to me - why was it in with them?
RICHARD: Why would I know?
Locke raises his eyebrows
RICHARD: It’s a long story.
LOCKE: It’s a long journey.
RICHARD: Have you had any visions John?
Locke is thrown off balance by this, tries to refrain from perking up, but his eyes widen
LOCKE: What?
RICHARD: Visions. Of people.
They stop walking and look at each other
LOCKE: Why?
RICHARD: Will I take that as a yes?
Locke considers what to say
RICHARD: If you’re going to lead us, John, you’re going to need to be a bit more trusting of me… you said you wanted answers.
LOCKE: Yeah. Yeah I have.
Richard nods knowingly, and walks on. Locke jogs to catch up
LOCKE: What do you know? Why? Is it the Island… controlling them?
Richard considers what to say.
RICHARD: No, not really. The Swan, John. Do you know what it did?
Locke is frustrated by the change of subject
LOCKE: No. You’ll answer my question first. What do you know about these ‘visions’.
RICHARD: If you’d let me finish, things might make a bit more sense? Do you know what it did?
LOCKE: [bitterly and sarcastically] Put us under surveillance. From the Pearl.
RICHARD: [smiling] I know you know it was important, John.
It researched electromagnetism on the island - originally at least - its unusual abilities on this Island. And up until you destroyed it, it was saving the world.
LOCKE: [perturbed] Well it’s gone now, and the world’s still here? And why would Ben say it was a joke?
RICHARD: For the time being it is. And Ben was uninformed as to its purpose.
LOCKE: And yet you were? And time being?
RICHARD: I may not be the leader of this community, John, but it doesn’t mean I’m uninformed.
LOCKE: Why did Ben allow himself to get captured if it had nothing to do with the Swan?
RICHARD: He was there to try and convince Jack to operate on his back, and to make a list, a list of the pregnant women in your camp.
Locke looks slightly disappointed.
LOCKE: How was it helping to save the world?
RICHARD: You wouldn’t believe me.
LOCKE: Try me.
RICHARD: Have you ever heard of the conspiracy theorists that believe the Mayan claim, and purport, that the world will end in 2012 because the magnetic poles are due for reversal? 23rd of December 2012, the winter solstice.

Locke looks unsettled about the direction of the conversation

LOCKE: Well, actually, I have heard about the 2012 world ending… I've never heard anything about it having to do with 'magnetic poles'.
RICHARD: Well John, it’s very true. Inputting the right set of numbers of the time, was doing valuable work. And, that boat, waiting off-shore, isn’t here to rescue people. It’s here to fix that problem now that the Swan’s gone – at our expense.

Locke stops walking

LOCKE: Wait a sec’… You’re saying we’re stopping them from saving the world?
RICHARD: Relax John. They also want to take over the Island, harness its power – and dispose of us. Everyone. And it doesn’t have to be that way. It can’t be that way.

*****

The jungle is alive with noise. Some of the crew are present in the clearing which is filled with hammocks at the edges, and makeshift beds in the middle, around a fire. One of the beds a young Richard is in.

The previously seen man approaches Richard

RICHARD: [Smiling profusely] Magnus.
MAGNUS: Feeling better.
RICHARD: Yeah. I.. don’t understand
Magnus makes a gesture that he should keep quiet.
MAGNUS: Come on.

Magnus makes a torch out of a stick and cloth using the camp fire. They head out into the jungle.

RICHARD: What’s going on? Why am I suddenly fine.
MAGNUS: The others, they don’t realise it yet, but we’re doing work here. Pioneering work.
RICHARD: What work?
MAGNUS: Well, you see, you’re not suddenly able to walk around with me out of coincidence. This place, this Island, you’ve already heard about it.
RICHARD: [frowning] I don’t think so.
Magnus leads him to a body of water
MAGNUS: Touch it
Richard kneels down, touches, and recoils slightly.
RICHARD: It’s warm.
MAGNUS: It’s a spring. You could say it’s the Fountain of Youth.
RICHARD: [scoffing slight] That’s a myth.
Richard sits down on the edge of the pool.
MAGNUS: I agree, but, metaphorically speaking. I mean, you’re healthy again aren’t you? A few weeks ago you were yellow and coughing up blood. That’s why your father wanted you aboard.
RICHARD: My father wanted rid of me. The only reason I’m here is because he told you to take me.
MAGNUS: You’re father’s a powerful man. And I had my doubts at first too, but already, I can see that what he told us was right.
RICHARD: [frowning] He told you about this island?
Magnus nods. Richard notices an infected cut on his hairline despite the darkness.
MAGNUS: But, I’m not stupid - really he wants us to do the dirty work.
RICHARD: And what does that mean?
MAGNUS: We’re not the only ones on this Island. There are others, out there.
RICHARD: So, what, you plan to get rid of them?
Richard looks disapprovingly, before taking a drink from the pool.
MAGNUS: You have to think big picture, Richard. How many people can benefit from this? There’s no limit!

Richard turns, hearing something behind him, though Magnus is none the wiser.

Magnus gestures for him to follow. They leave the spring and walk into the jungle again.


RICHARD: We’re going to the ship?
MAGNUS: That’s right.
RICHARD: Why?
MAGNUS: We’re going to see someone. Also to pick up some items.
RICHARD: Who?
MAGNUS: That’s what we’re trying to find out. Inside the brig, there’s a man. We found him spying on us. He speaks English, but he won’t say much.
RICHARD: What did he say?
MAGNUS: That we’ve to leave, for our own good.
RICHARD: That’s not a promising start.
MAGNUS: I wouldn’t worry about it. There shouldn’t be many of them.

They board the slightly bobbing Black Rock with the previously used rope ladder.

At the door of the brig, they meet a crewmember.

MAGNUS: [nodding to the door] Said anything?
CREWMEMBER: He wanted water earlier on…
MAGNUS: You didn’t give him any did you?
CREWMEMBER: No. Nothing. I haven’t heard anything since.
MAGNUS: Right.

Magnus opens the door, and pauses for a moment. He scans the room, and turns round to the crewmember.

MAGNUS: [angry] Where is he?!
CREWMEMBER: [confused] What?
MAGNUS: He’s gone!

The crewmember stands up, and looks in, to see that cuffs hanging from the chains are still shut.

*****

SCENE 8 – THE BEACH – DUSK

The beach is busy and bathed in orange from the setting sun – people are eating and moving about.

Desmond is with Hurley. They move a box with a view to Desmond standing on it.

HURLEY: Good luck dude.
DESMOND: Thanks.
Desmond climbs on top of the box.
DESMOND: [shouting] Hi. Er – Everyone!
He gets a lot of people’s attention.
DESMOND: HELLO?
Desmond waves people in to come up to him, and people gradually gather and murmur. Jack appears, at the back of the crowd.
DESMOND: Emm, for those who don’t know, when Charlie I were in the underwater station… we made contact with the outside world.

A lot of chatter breaks out

DESMOND: And we…

Desmond suddenly stops as he sees a man in the distance.

It is Sawyer carrying Juliet’s body. They all look over to see what he’s looking at and a stony silence descends upon the group.

Jack sprints across the sand over to him.

SAWYER: [panting] She’s dead, Doc.
JACK: [distraught] What happened?!
Sawyer lays her down
SAWYER: Ben.

Jack inspects her wound and accepts the hopelessness of the situation.


SCENE 9 – JUNGLE – NIGHT

SAYID: I thought you said we would get here before nightfall?
DANIELLE: I thought we would.
Sayid is unimpressed
DANIELLE: But we’re here.
Danielle reveals a frame of bamboo acting as a roof, well hidden under foliage. She raises a small section of the roof and they enter. It is similar to her previous shelter, but with less equipment.

Danielle lights a lamp and uses it to help her access an aged chest of drawers.

Sayid is scanning the shelter when he is distracted by the increased amount of rustling Danielle is making.

DANIELLE: None of it’s here!
SAYID: What?
DANIELLE: The books. Everything. It is all gone.

Danielle turns to face Sayid, looking mystified. Sayid examines Danielle’s expression for a moment.

SAYID: Look again.
DANIELLE: I know exactly where they were – they’re gone.
SAYID: [scowling] You brought us all the way out here for nothing at all?
DANIELLE: They’ve been taken Sayid!

Sayid looks unconvinced and storms up the ladder and out of the shelter.

*****

The sky is overcast, the rain only starting to show any signs of relenting. Magnus walks out of the jungle, and is surprised to find Richard standing in front of the docked Black Rock, waiting. Richard looks the way we now expect to see him, but with long hair. Magnus has aged as well.



RICHARD: Hello there.
MAGNUS: What are you doing here?
RICHARD: Stopping you from leaving.
MAGNUS: I’m afraid you have no choice.
RICHARD: I’m afraid it’s you that doesn’t have a choice. I’m not letting to leave.
MAGNUS: You know fine well I have to leave, and you can’t stop me. It’s been planned for a long time. It’s time to share this island with the world.
RICHARD: You have no idea the damage that would cause.
MAGNUS: Maybe you've not realised yet that you no longer have any say in our decisions.
RICHARD: Maybe so, but regardless of that, you’re not gonna leave.
MAGNUS: I am.

Magnus attempts to walk by but Richard sidesteps to obstruct his way.

MAGNUS: Move
RICHARD: [shaking his head] No.

Richard holds him at arms length

MAGNUS: I’m warning you. Get out of my way.

He knocks his arm away and tries to get past. Richard outstretches it again and pushes him.

MAGNUS: Where are my men?
RICHARD: I sent them back.
MAGNUS: And they listened to you?
RICHARD: Yep.
Magnus, angry, looks around, pulls out his gun and points it at Richard.
MAGNUS: Meet me at the pool.

Richard looks puzzled, as Magnus pulls the trigger and shoots him in the chest, from what is practically point-blank range. Richard recoils and stumbles backwards onto the wet rocks, before waking up, still young, in his makeshift bed in the jungle. He looks around confusedly, and sees everyone else asleep, around the dulling fire.

He gets up, and makes his way to the pool.

*****

SCENE 11 – THE JUNGLE – NIGHT

The jungle looks blue in the darkness, lit by the moonlight.

LOCKE: So what’s going to happen to Ben now?
RICHARD: As our new leader, it’s up to you John.
Locke is slightly startled
RICHARD: And I’d choose very carefully, considering he’s already tried to kill you.
LOCKE: So you expect me to kill him?
RICHARD: Well, I didn’t say that, but it is up to you, and it is a viable option. He serves no purpose to the Island anymore. In fact, I imagine he won’t take to this whole situation too kindly. He might even be a hindrance.
LOCKE: I’m sure he has his part to play

Locke’s face is vacant, as they draw near to the foot of a cliff. Richard moves some vines to reveal a large circular tunnel, about eight feet in diameter.

LOCKE: [concerned and surprised] Where does this take us?
RICHARD: It’s just a shortcut. A Very good shortcut – it’ll save us several hours.
LOCKE: Who made it?
Richard turns away and heads inward
RICHARD: Natives
Locke is clearly impressed with the tunnel, which despite not having any structural support, has remarkably smooth and rounded walls.
LOCKE: Natives? Isn’t it a bit sophisticated to be built by ‘natives’?
RICHARD: …They were talented natives obviously.
Locke looks unsatisfied but continues onward.

*****

There are slaves working, building some sort of structure which is in its early stages. There is a fully built hut, in the distance, obscured by the trees and rain, but still visible. It looks about midday. Richard, now looking like what we’re used to, but with long hair, is carrying a cotton bag full of food. Clearly some time has passed.

RICHARD: Here’s your food.
Richard drops the bag onto the ground, in front of the sitting Magnus.
MAGNUS: Thanks.
Magnus is visibly irritated by Richard’s presence, though Richard is treating him normally.
RICHARD: You’re still planning to leave?
MAGNUS: As you well know Richard, I have to. We’ll get nowhere if I don’t.
Richard starts to walk away.

MAGNUS: And Richard – no more funny stuff.
Richard turns around
RICHARD: There was no ‘funny stuff’, Magnus.
MAGNUS: Every time I leave you in charge when I go off somewhere on the island, something has always happened to my men when I return. The last time being the worst – they’re now all petrified and talking of some…
RICHARD: I told you, it’s nothing.
RICHARD: I don’t know then if it’s because you’re just useless in charge, but it has to stop.

A look bordering contempt comes across Richard’s face while he looks at Magnus. As Magnus looks away, Richard takes some food from the bag, and heads to a supply box for a seat.

Suddenly, a nearby tree explodes up into the air, scattering earth and dust around. The slaves cough and splutter. There is a roar, followed by a thump - the slaves panic. Most of them run towards the already built hut, following Magnus. Richard has already made his way there, waiting with the door open.

Magnus arrives gasping. He immediately closes the door, and puts the lock down.

RICHARD: Hey! What are you doing?!
MAGNUS: Making a tough decision, and keeping us alive.
RICHARD: There’s plenty of space! Open the door!
MAGNUS: No, it’s for our own good.
Magnus leans against the door with his back as the slaves batter it from outside, shouting hysterically.
RICHARD: This is ridiculous! You’re going to get them killed!

Richard unsuccessfully tries to pull Magnus away, and gets kicked to the floor.

MAGNUS: Don’t…

Richard gets up, runs at Magnus, and grabs his hair. He violently smacks his head off the door, before punching him in the face hard enough to stun him. Magnus falls, but stays beside the buckling door. As Richard pulls him away to get to the door, screams are heard, and blood spatters through the unfilled window. Richard pauses. The hut shakes. There is more screaming. Magnus looks up to the window as the sudden silence is interrupted by the noise of chains and creaking.

Richard moves to open the door. Magnus grabs his ankle.

MAGNUS: [spluttering] What are you doing?!

Richard ignores him, pulls his foot away violently, and opens the door slightly. He sees nothing but blood dashed along the dirt.

*****

SCENE 13 – A CLEARING - LATE NIGHT


RICHARD: We’re here

Locke waves his torch around

LOCKE: [bemused] Doesn’t look much like a temple to me
RICHARD: … Not from here.
Richard proceeds to topple a giant black rock. There is a metal hatch, similar to the Swan’s but without a window.
LOCKE: Ah, well.
Richard raises his walkie.
RICHARD: Maurice? It’s us.
After a few seconds, a crackling comes from the walkie
MAURICE: [walkie] OK. Give me a sec’.

The hatch door clunks. Richard reaches down and manages to find a grip of it, before opening it.

Locke peers down but there’s nothing but blackness to be seen.

RICHARD: What’s down there might not be what you expect to see. You ready?
LOCKE: Yeah.

As Locke continues to peer down the hatch, they hear the noise of a gun loading. They turn round to see a tired and rough looking Ben walking out of the jungle, pointing a gun at Locke.

*****

In the rain, Magnus walks out of the jungle on his way to Black Rock, and is surprised to find Richard sitting nearby, waiting.

RICHARD: Hello there.
MAGNUS: What’s going on?! Where’s the ship?
RICHARD: It’s gone.
MAGNUS: What do you mean gone. I sent half my men down to get it ready, have they moved it?
RICHARD: Nope, I sent them back.
MAGNUS: [confused] What?? And they listened to you?
Richard nods.
RICHARD: You’re not leaving, Magnus.

Magnus, closer to Richard now, notices him fiddling with something in his hand.

MAGNUS: What’s that?
RICHARD: Bullets… from your gun.

Magnus is disturbed, and checks his gun. He sees that it is indeed empty.

RICHARD: Do you remember you spoke of increasing the quality of people’s lives, Magnus, to get ‘rich’? I think we can both agree that you were a bit selective.
MAGNUS: I done everything to help you Richard. And the slaves… they had a life better than they were going to have.
RICHARD: Slavery’s been abolished for a hundred years. [laughing] And they’re mostly all dead! I think they would have disagreed that you improved their life. Or do. I'm sorry.

Magnus looks confused at this, and begins to say something, but hears the noise of the monster to his side, far down the beach.

RICHARD: Think you can get to that hut in time again?

They hear the monster again and Magnus starts to run, panicking.

As he runs through a wet and swamp-like patch of the jungle, he can hear the monster, but not see it. His lungs start to clamp in from exhaustion, and he slows down, the monster sounding further away, but his head is pushed, suddenly, from behind by the Black Smoke. He tries frantically to raise his head from the watery mud, but to no avail. He flails for some moments, but eventually his body goes limp, adorned with only the occasional twitch.

*****

SCENE 15 – JUNGLE - LATE NIGHT



Sayid and Danielle approach the Caves, neither of them talking, but the pelting rain drowns out the silence. As they enter the caves area, Sayid is worried by the fact there is no one, not even Desmond, present at the caves. Sayid suddenly stops, and raises his arm to tell Danielle to do the same.

SAYID: [whispering] Do you see that?

Sayid points to a shadowy figure at the waterfall about 30 feet away, only visible because of the moon illuminating the clouds.

DANIELLE: [whispering] It’s one of them
SAYID: [whispering] Put the torch out. Stay here

Sayid readies his rifle, and creeps up. The man is leaning over the waterfall, possibly drinking from it. The noise of the rain helps Sayid’s cause but he clinks his gun off his bag, and alerts the figure. The person starts to run.

Sayid gives chase, into the almost pitch black jungle, nearly tripping several times. The figure trips completely however, and Sayid catches up. It’s a man, and he quickly regains his composure, keeping only narrowly ahead of Sayid.

SAYID: Stop or I’ll shoot!

Sayid keeps running after him, but stops, takes aim, and shoots the man in the leg, resulting in him collapsing to the ground face down screaming.

With the man wounded, Sayid walks over, checks his trousers and pockets to make sure he’s unarmed, and turns him over.
SAYID: Michael!

*****

15 HOURS AGO

Richard and Widmore walk out of a door into an enclosed and dark submarine bay.


WIDMORE: It’s impressive, it really is.
Richard smiles at him
WIDMORE: Are you going to tell him before you do it?
RICHARD: [shrugging] Maybe.
They walk out over the dock.
WIDMORE: You should… when he finds out it’s you that’s been behind this pathetic Jacob, for all this time, his face will be a sight to see.
Richard continues to smile.
RICHARD: He’s just inside. [nodding at the submarine hatch]
WIDMORE: And he honestly believes that this destroyed the carrier?
RICHARD: Yep

Widmore laughs

Richard opens the hatch, and Widmore starts to descend the ladders. As he does, Richard removes a gun from his trousers and shoots him in the neck from above, causing him to let go of the ladder and tumble down.

Richard glances down to see Widmore on the floor, still moving. He climbs down the ladder.

WIDMORE: [struggling] What… What are you doing?
RICHARD: It isn’t obvious? I’m breaking our arrangement.
WIDMORE: But... this makes no sense. And Robert?

He struggles to breath, and makes wheezing noises.

RICHARD: I expected I’d have something more to say to you, but…

Richard shrugs, and shoots him again.

*****