ARCTIC BLUE

CORBETT

(softly)

Like I said, I'd still be up on

that mountain, frozen solid, it

wasn't for you.

ERIC

We'll get you to a hospital, soon

as we get to Fairbanks.

(CONTINUED)

215 CONTINUED:

CORBETT

So they can patch me up and put

me in a cage? Forget it.

Meyerling's right -- I'm a

dinosaur. Greedy bastards like

him, it's their turn with this

land. Put me in the woods, let

me live or die on my own.

He painfully pulls himself into a sitting position.

CORBETT

(continuing; peers out

window)

Look down there, tell me what any

of this matters. Struggles of

men get swallowed by the bigness.

Soon there won't be a trace of

our troubles... or us.

ERIC

You're wrong. Everything we do

leaves its mark. You said it

yourself -- there are hundred-

year-old footprints in the

tundra.

Too tired to argue, Corbett leans back against the window.

He takes Mitchell's scrimshaw out of his pocket and looks at

it.

EXTREME CLOSE UP - THE SCRIMSHAW

The exquisitely beautiful and detailed engraving depicts a

grizzly beside a wilderness creek, with trees and mountains

in the background.

CORBETT

clutches the scrimshaw in his hand and closes his eyes.

NEW ANGLE - (AERIAL SHOT)

Eric sighs as he looks at the blood -- Mitchell's blood --

on the back of his hand. He stares at Corbett for a long

moment. Then, resolved, he climbs up front and says

something to the Pilot. Grumbling, the Pilot adjusts his

controls.

CUT TO:

216 EXT. HAUL ROAD - PUMPING STATION - DAY

The snow clouds are dissipating. The cargo plane comes down

through them and lands on the airstrip behind the pumping

station.

217 INT. CARGO PLANE

As it rolls to a stop, Eric throws open the cargo door.

Corbett sits up, surprised. He and Eric exchange a long

look, then Corbett crosses to the open door and gingerly

steps down onto the snow-covered runway.

218 EXT. CARGO PLANE

Eric and Anne Marie watch from the door of the plane as

Corbett limps across the runway toward the treeline. As he

goes, his footprints are dusted over by the snow and wind.

Corbett stops, turns and looks back at Eric, then continues

onward, disappearing into the forest.

ANGLE ON CARGO PLANE

Eric closes the cargo door as the Pilot turns the plane

around and taxis back down the runway.

219 INT. CARGO PLANE - (AERIAL SHOT)

Eric wearily sits next to Anne Marie. She kisses him.

The Pilot glances over his shoulder and frowns.

PILOT

(to himself)

Too damn crazy in this state

anymore. I'm moving back to L.A.

220 INT. CARGO PLANE - ANGLE THROUGH WINDOW - (AERIAL SHOT)

The plane climbs above the fog and snow clouds into a sunny,

ice blue sky. It banks and turns south. Behind it, the

mountains roll on toward the Arctic wasteland, forever.

FADE OUT