FADE IN:
INT - PASSENGER CAR - NIGHT
FRIEDRICH, a man in his late thirties is seen sitting alone in a passenger car of a train. He wears a green military uniform that is decorated with a few prestigious medals, although his hair is a bit long for that of a soldier. Beside him on the seat lies his Officer's Cap. On Friedrich’s lap sits a book titled Practical Studies in Modern Botany. The book is closed, but he keeps a page marked with his thumb. He stares out the window, squinting in the dimly lit railroad car. Something catches his eye, and Friedrich almost jumps to his feet, dropping his book on the floor. However, he remains seated, but Friedrich’s eyes are now wide as if he saw a ghost or something much worse. He picks up the book from the floor and begins reading aloud to break the disconcerting silence.
FRIEDRICH
Chapter six: Properties of flowering plants.
At first startled by the sound of his own voice, Friedrich begins to calm down again. He finishes reading the chapter to himself, then closes the book and switches it with his Officer’s Cap beside him. Friedrich stands up and exits the passenger car.
EXT - OBSERVATION DECK - NIGHT
Friedrich steps onto a metal observation deck located in the rear of the train. He leans over the railing to get a better view of the scenery, but the rain only hinders his view. As the train continues along its route, the light patter of the rain mixes with a cacophony of rushing water that can be heard in the distance. When Friedrich catches notice of this, he leans farther out from the train.
FRIEDRICH
I’m nearly there.
A violent gust of wind passes by. Friedrich reaches for his cap, but it is already lost.
INT - PASSENGER CAR - NIGHT
Friedrich returns to the passenger car. He grabs a towel from from the overhead luggage and uses it to dry his hair. Friedrich lies down on the seats and covers himself with the towel. He listens to the rain before falling asleep.
EXT - BUCOLIC LANDSCAPE(DREAM SEQUENCE) - DAY
A CHILD is seen sitting in a grassy field reading a book. A few paces away his MOTHER can be seen hanging laundry between to trees. Bright ambient light obscures the two figures’ appearances. The child waves to his mother.
CHILD
What’s this?
He points at a page in his book. His mother finishes hanging the last item of clothing, and then walks over to her son.
MOTHER
Oh?.. That’s a map of the Southern Republic.
CHILD
Is that where we live?
The child’s mother points at the map.
MOTHER
No. We live here.
CHILD
Hey Mom. When I grow up, I’m joining the military, and I’m going to conquer the world.
MOTHER
If that’s what you really want, but remember, there are enemies out there that are far more powerful than the Southern Republic... Do you hear that?
The child shakes his head.
MOTHER
Listen closely...
The mother sits down in the grass, and wraps her arms around her son.
CHILD
The wind?
The mother nods.
MOTHER
Hmmm... Can you hear what it’s trying say?
CHILD
Wind can talk?
MOTHER
No. Not the way we do, but it can still tell us things.
CHILD
I can’t understand it.
MOTHER
Listen closely. It can take years of practice.
The child and his mother sit together on the grassy hillside for a while. Eventually the mother stands up and heads down the hill, but the child remains there reading his book.
MOTHER
Make sure you’re back by dinner time.
A few minutes later, the wind picks up and roars much louder, to the point it becomes ear-splitting. The child’s eyes widen with sheer terror. He quickly covers his ears with the palms of his hands
CHILD
(Shrieking)
MOM!!! HELP!!!
INT - PASSENGER CAR - DAY
Friedrich jolts awake. He is clearly distressed. Friedrich looks out the car’s window
FRIEDRICH
Is it midday already? No, the sun is setting. Did I sleep that long?
There is a knock on the passenger car door.
The person on the other side of the door does not wait for an answer from Friedrich and enters the car. He is an OFFICER who is about five years older than Friedrich.
OFFICER
May I sit here?
FRIEDRICH
Ah.. Um... I... uh... yes sir!
Friedrich leaps to his feet and salutes to the OFFICER. He loses his balance temporarily due to the acceleration of the train. Friedrich brushes of and straightens his jacket, then sits down again. The officer takes the seat across from Friedrich.
OFFICER
Set aside the formalities.
Friedrich nods.
FRIEDRICH
I thought there was no one else on this train
OFFICER
Oh, me? I was just on another car. I came over here when the rest of the passengers left.
FRIEDRICH
I see.
OFFICER
Were you stationed out here during the war?
FRIEDRICH
Yes. We were trying to claim this region before Southern Republic could.
OFFICER
So much for that plan; it’s a pity we had to pull out.
FRIEDRICH
So did the Southern Republic
OFFICER
Is that why you’re coming back?
FRIEDRICH
Yes. For some reason they fled soon after we did. And why did we even have to retreat? I mean, we were even winning.
OFFICER
You know something, don’t you?
FRIEDRICH
There was something out there that was keeping us away.
OFFICER
And what do you suppose that would be?
FRIEDRICH
I don’t know.
OFFICER
So you want to find it?
FRIEDRICH
And defeat it. Then we can further expand our borders.
OFFICER
You don’t have to do this. The war is over.
The train stops at a small port town
OFFICER
Well, suit yourself. I get off here.
INT - PASSENGER CAR - DAY
Friedrich stares out the car’s window. He watches as the early morning sun appears above the forest. The train begins to slow and eventually comes to a stop at a secluded station. Friedrich grabs his only luggage from the overhead luggage, put on a wool military coat, and exits the passenger car.
INT - NARROW HALLWAY - DAY
Friedrich walks through a completely empty hallway; all of the other passengers had already gotten off of the train many miles back.
EXT - TRAIN STATION - DAY
Friedrich steps cautiously down from the train onto the platform. He pulls his train ticket from the breast pocket of his wool military coat, and walks toward the ticket booth, but the ticket booth’s window is closed and operator appears to be off duty. Friedrich tries to reboard the train to inform the conductor, but it is already leaving the station. There is a cacophonous rumbling sound as the train departs, but it soon dies out and the whisper of a faint breeze is the only sound that remains. Friedrich shivers from the cold and tucks the train ticket back into his coat pocket. He leaves the station and begins hiking out across the swamp that separates the forest and the mountains from the railway.
EXT - SWAMP - DAY
Friedrich makes his way across the wind blasted desolate landscape of the swamp. As Friedrich ventures on, the wind begins to pick up; he buries his hands in his coat’s side pockets and lower his chin against his chest. The wind blows toward Friedrich as if pushing him away. A little while later, it begins to rain. It start out as a light drizzle and grows into a downpour. Friedrich’s feet sink into the swamp as he walks.
The time of day is impossible to determine because of the thick layers of dark clouds. Friedrich begins to grow weary. Eventually he makes it to the edge of the forest. In the distance, the faint rushing of a river can be heard.
EXT - EDGE OF THE FOREST - DAY
Friedrich’s legs give away by a tall ash tree, and he drops to the ground next to the tree. Panting, he pulls a canteen from his luggage, and begins drinking in large gulps. He rests for a while before continuing into the forest.
EXT - MOUNTAIN PASS - DAY
Friedrich stands between two mountains that tower above him on either side. There are rusted remains of tanks and aircraft fuselages overgrown with vines and moss.
The rain begins to let up revealing a scorching sun. As Friedrich continues on the trail it becomes impassable. He stands for a moment to determine an alternate route. Friedrich opens his mouth as if to say something, but the mountain pass is so quiet that the silence could drown out any sound. Friedrich eventually decides to climb one of the mountains
EXT - MOUNTAINSIDE - DAY
Friedrich is climbing a steep cliff. The air becomes much colder as Friedrich’s elevation increases. Friedrich begins to tire and nearly slips a few times, but he makes it to the top.
EXT - MOUNTAINTOP - DAY
The mountaintop is blanketed in mist. Frozen water droplets sting and cut Friedrich’s face. He crosses over the mountain, and comes to a rushing river that flows into another forest. It becomes louder as Friedrich approaches. The sky becomes darker and night soon falls.
EXT – FOREST RIVER – NIGHT
It starts raining again
Friedrich’s clothes are now torn and he has many injuries. He legs give away again, and Friedrich collapses from exhaustion in the mud. He falls asleep.
EXT - BUCOLIC LANDSCAPE(DREAM SEQUENCE) - DAY
Friedrich sees himself standing on a grassy hill with a strong wind blowing in his face.
FRIEDRICH
I understand you now! When I joined the military, I set out to conquer the world! You are my real enemy, not the Southern Republic! I can crush them, but not you. No you will alway come back! It always puzzled me how both sides were defeated, but now I realize it! You were the third army in the war!
Friedrich awakens.
FRIEDRICH
You are truly beautiful. Everyone is mortal; we all die someday! But
only you can be eternal. Only you are the true conqueror. The enemy
I could never defeat! You may take me.
Friedrich becomes limp on the forest floor. The seasons pass and a blanket of snow covers his body.
FADE OUT:
THE END