I am Legend

I'll be right back. I promise.

He gives her the last gun and runs to the lighthouse.

INT. LIGHTHOUSE - NIGHT

Neville climbs up the creaking staircase. Ethan spots him and runs away, up the stairs.

NEVILLE

No! Ethan! Wait!

EXT. LIGHTHOUSE - NIGHT

Neville emerges from a maintenance door and steps onto the catwalk surrounding the pinnacle. Atop the DOME of the lighthouse, painted into the sky, is a LIGHTNING ROD. Neville sees it, keeps low, and calls out..

NEVILLE

Ethan!

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING. Followed by a child's whimpering. Neville moves to it and finds Ethan cowering in a fetal position. He cautiously kneels, gently extends his hand...

NEVILLE

Please, Ethan, come with me.

With tear-filled eyes, the boy looks to Neville.

NEVILLE

I won't let anyone hurt you.

Ethan slowly extends his hand. Neville takes it, smiles, and lifts the boy into his arms. He stands. When he turns, he finds... CORTMAN waiting for him. Dripping wet, pumped up, eyes gleaming, teeth bared.

CORTMAN

Hello Robert.

TALONS emerge from his fingers.

CORTMAN

By now, we should use first names, don't

you think? I'm Ben.

Neville steps back, away from Cortman, who calmly advances, the two men moving around the circular catwalk.

CORTMAN

You're very resilient, I'll give you that.

Neville continues to back off, Cortman closing in...

CORTMAN

Shouldn't you simply give in? Join the

rest of them? Die?

Neville glances to his left and sees what he wanted--the maintenance hatch. He quickly lowers Ethan and instructs...

NEVILLE

Go to the boat! Go to Anna!

The boy does as told and runs down the stairs. Brandishing the COMBAT KNIFE, Neville turns to Cortman.

CORTMAN

You're sentimental. A weakness.

The two men face off. Cortman makes the first move. SLASHES at Neville's chest, RIPS through the coveralls and SCRAPES his flesh. Neville LUNGES with the knife, but Cortman is swift and easily steps aside. He LAUGHS.

CORTMAN

You'll have to do better.

EXT. BEACH - PIER - NIGHT

Ethan runs into Anna's arms. She looks up at the lighthouse.

ANNA

ROBERT!

EXT. LIGHTHOUSE - CATWALK - NIGHT

Neville looks down at the boat, at Anna. SHOUTS to her...

NEVILLE

GO, ANNA! GO NOW!

CORTMAN

How noble.

Cortman SLASHES. Neville ducks and crawls away.

CORTMAN

Show some dignity.

Neville THRUSTS with the knife. Cortman BLOCKS and the knife FALLS over the side, into the sea. Cortman LAUGHS. Pulls in his talons and proceeds to PUMMEL Neville with his fists. Neville can barely defend himself. He falls and pulls himself up. Neville appears hopelessly doomed to defeat. Cortman extends his TALONS and moves in... Like a cat, Neville scurries up the lighthouse dome. It's slippery, but he makes it to the very top, clinging to the lightning rod.

CORTMAN

Please, Robert. Where do you think

you're going?

NEVILLE

I don't know, Ben...

Neville stands and LEANS against the rod, using his weight to SNAP it free from its mooring.

NEVILLE

But you can go to hell.

With the lightning rod extended like a spear, Neville slides down the dome and DRIVES IT STRAIGHT INTO CORTMAN'S HEART. Cortman HOWLS with pain. His chest BURSTS with crimson. Blood gurgles from his throat and all he can mutter is...

CORTMAN

No...!!!!!!!!!!!!

LIGHTNING FLASHES IN THE SKY. In a split second, Neville JUMPS into the hatch. Like the Hand of God, a BOLT OF LIGHTNING slashes across the night sky and touches the spike of metal in Cortman's chest. The top of the lighthouse--and Cortman--

EXPLODES IN A BURST OF WHITE SPARKS. Cortman's SCREAM ECHOES. His scorched body falls into the ocean.

EXT. BEACH - NIGHT

Anna waits at the boat. Neville runs across the sand. Although weak, his face is filled with joy. She waited. Anna waited. At this moment in time, he is happy. It's all behind. You can move forward. He STOPS DEAD when he SEES...

A PACK OF WILD HEMOCYTE DOGS. Waiting. Six vicious creatures. GROWLING. Hungry. They circle Neville, waiting for the precise moment to move in for the kill. A HARSH BARK stops them. ANOTHER DOG runs from the forest and climbs atop a large rock. THE LEADER.

Neville's dog.

The other dogs back off, intimidated. Neville's dog runs across the sand, BARKING at his subordinates. Tails between their legs, the others break into the forest. Neville's dog--proud and strong--approaches his former master.

A look of recognition and understanding passes between them.

The dog looks to the boat, turns to Neville. His eyes. There's still something in the eyes. The dog gently BARKS and steps aside, allowing Neville entry to the pier. Neville walks on, breaks into a run, and falls into Anna's arms.

The dog observes, mournfully HOWLS and returns to the forest.

INT. BOAT - NIGHT