Full Metal Jacket

MURPHY (O.S.)

Roger. Understand. Wait One.

Cowboy looks around edgily.

MURPHY (O.S.)

You're senior N.C.O. You take charge and continue on with the patrol. Call in at the next checkpoint. Over.

COWBOY

Roger. Out.

Cowboy stares at the radio. He looks scared. He turns to Joker.

COWBOY
I'm squad leader.

Joker punches him reassuringly in the arm.

JOKER
I'll follow you anywhere, scumbag.

Doc Jay stops working over Crazy Earl and slowly looks up.

DOC JAY
He's dead.

The three men stare at the body.

EXT. BURNING FALLEN BUILDING – DAY

The squad moves past a burning five-storey building that has collapsed and is lying on its side.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. LOW CONCRETE WALL – DAY

Eightball, on point, studies a map as he walks. Then he slours to a stop and signals to halt the squad.

The squad stops and crouches down in the rubble.

Eightball gestures for Cowboy to move up.

EIGHTBALL
(quietly)

Cowboy!

Cowboy moves up and they kneel behind a low concrete wall.

COWBOY
What's up?

EIGHTBALL

I think we made a mistake at the last checkpoint.

He shows Cowboy the map.

EIGHTBALL

Here... see what you think. I think we're here and we should be here.

Cowboy studies the map.

COWBOY
We're here?

EIGHTBALL

Yeah.

COWBOY

We should be here?

EIGHTBALL

Yeah... yeah... that's right.

Cowboy is confused and scared.

He checks his compass. Then he peers over the wall through his binoculars.

Cowboy looks back nervously at the squad strung out behind him.

COWBOY
Fuck... What do you think?

EIGHTBALL

Well, I think we should change direction.

Eightball doesn't sound like he really knows what to do either.

Cowboy knows he has to make a decision.

COWBOY
Okay. We'll change direction.

Cowboy motions to the squad to come up. They rattle up and take positions behind the low wall.

JOKER

What's up?

COWBOY

Changing direction.

JOKER

What, are we lost?

COWBOY

Joker, shut the fuck up!

COWBOY

(to squad)

Okay! Listen up! Can you hear me?

Adlibs of "Yeah!"

COWBOY

Okay, we're changing direction. We're heading over that way.

Cowboy points over the wall to some ruined buildings across an open space to their Left.

COWBOY
Eightball's gonna go out and see if he can find a way through.

Eightball shrugs, apprehensively.

COWBOY
Got it?

Adlibs of "Yeah!"

COWBOY

Eightball... let's dance.

Eightball slowly gets to his Knees and peers over the wall.

EIGHTBALL
Put a nigger behind the trigger.

EXT. RUINED STREET HUE – DAY

Eightball climbs over the low wall and moves cautiously out into the open, heading for the damaged buildings.

The squad covers him.

Eightball reaches the buildings and stops to study the smoke-filled square.

SNIPER POV – DAY

POV from a concealed position on the second floor of a building on the square, an AK-47 rifle is slowly raised and aimed at Eightball.

Eightball turns back to wave the rest of the squad up.

BANG!

The Sniper fires.

Eightball is hit in the leg.

Seen in slow motion, Eightball twists and crumples to the ground.

The Lusthog Squad fires blindly, wildly, at every door and window in the direction of the shot.

COWBOY
Okay, cease fire! Cease fire, goddamn it!

Some of the squad keep firing.

COWBOY

Cool it, goddamn it! Cool it! Cease fire!

AdLibs of "Cease fire!"

The firing stutters to a stop.

COWBOY

Okay, listen up! Did anybody see a sniper? Did anybody see anything?

T.H.E. ROCK

(down the line)

Did anybody see a sniper?

DOC JAY

No!

DONLON

Nothing!

RAFTERMAN

Negative!

T.H.E. ROCK

Nothing!

Adlibs of "No!"

COWBOY

Okay, then save your ammo! Nobody fire till I tell you!

Seen, in slow, motion, the Sniper fires again and hits Eightball in the arm. He screams in pain.

The squad opens fire at buildings facing them.

COWBOY
No, no! Cease fire! Cease fire! Animal, cease fire!

Keeping low, DONLON comes up and hands Cowboy the radio.

DONLON
Cowboy, it's Sergeant Murphy.

COWBOY

(into radio)

This is Cowboy. Over.

MURPHY (O.S.)

This is Murphy. What is your present position? Over.

COWBOY

Murph, we're receiving enemy sniper fire. Eightball is down. Our position is about half a click north of checkpoint four. Believe possible strong enemy force occupying buildings in front of us. Request immediate tank support. Over.

MURPHY (O.S.)

Roger. Understand. I'll see what I can do. Over.

COWBOY

Roger. Over and out.

COWBOY

(to Donlon)

Stay close.

DONLON
Got it.

Cowboy thinks hard for a few seconds.

COWBOY
(to squad)

Okay, listen up! I think we're being set up for an ambush. I think there may be strong enemy forces in those buildings over there. I've requested tank support. We're gonna sit tight until it comes, but keep your eyes open. If they decide to hit us, we'll have to pull back fast.

The Sniper fires, wounding Eightball again, this time in the foot. He shrieks in agony.

Again the squad opens fire.

COWBOY
Goddamn it! Hold! Cease your fire, Mother! Cease your fucking fire!

The firing stops.

DOC JAY

Cowboy!

COWBOY

What?

DOC JAY

We can't leave him out there!

COWBOY

We're not leaving him! We'll get him when the tank comes up.

DOC JAY

He's hit three fucking times! He can't wait that long!

COWBOY

I've seen this before! That sniper's just trying to suck us in one at a time!

The Sniper fires and hits Eightball in the thigh.

His cries echo across the open space ground.

Animal Mother fires madly.

COWBOY
(shouting)

Goddamn it! No!

The squad continues firing.

COWBOY

Goddamn it, cease fire!

The firing trails off:

ANIMAL MOTHER

He's out there alone!

COWBOY

Cease fire!

The firing stops.

DOC JAY

Man, fuck this, fuck this shit! I'm going out to bring him in!

COWBOY

No! You stay the fuck down!

DOC JAY

Cover me!