EXT. FOREST - SNOWY EVENING
IAIN comes to suddenly. He opens his eyes and is overwhelmed by bright light. White. Everything is so white. White and cold. It takes his eyes a moment to adjust. Now it's clear that he's in a forest, covered with snow. A few snow flakes lazily drift down and land on his face, melting against the warmth of his skin..
He gets up slowly, fighting a wave of dizziness. Ouch.
Throbbing pain in his neck. He tries to recall the last thing he remembers, as he massages the pain away with no success.
A shiver goes through his entire body as the cold finally kicks in. He's not wearing winter clothing. In fact he looks like he just came away from a formal function, dressed in a suite.
Iain looks around and sees GEORGE a few meters away from him also recovering. GEORGE is the antithesis of IAIN, he's wearing worn down jeans and a heavy jacket.
Iain walks to George in angry steps.
IAIN
George! You did this!
George looks up at him confused holding his neck in pain.
GEORGE
What you talkin' about, Iain?
IAIN
What kind of sick joke is this? You
hired that masked guy to kidnap me,
didn't you?
EX. FOREST - ANOTHER ANGLE
A SNIPER watches George and Iain through a scope. As the man looks up from the scope, we realize that the scope is attached to a sniper rifle. He looks amused at the argument taking place between the brothers.
GEORGE
Whoa, whoa, just hold on to your
pants, alright? I was attacked just
like you.
IAIN
You want me to believe that?
The Sniper decides to take a shot. He squeezes the trigger.
EXT. FOREST - BACK WITH GEORGE AND IAIN
The shot hits a tree a few meters away from Iain. Both brothers jump at the sudden explosion of tree barks flying every where. Another shot explodes the ground where they stand. Now they're panicking.
GEORGE
Let's get outta here.
They both run.
EXT. FOREST - WITH THE SNIPER
The sniper watches them run. He smiles, quietly gets up and walks in the direction Iain and George headed.
EXT. FOREST - BACK WITH GEORGE AND IAIN
Iain and George run frantically without a destination.
GEORGE
You still think I'm doing this?
IAIN
Yes.
George reacts to Iain's stubbornness in frustration.
After a few moments of running, Iain gets really tired and stops to take his breath.
IAIN (cont'd)
(out of breath)
I can't... can't go on.
George stops and looks around.
GEORGE
I think we lost him.
IAIN
Now how would you know that?
Iain, holds his side, panting and looking around.
EXT. FOREST - NIGHT
The two brothers set up separate camps a few meters away from each other.
POV: GEORGE
George looks at the shivering Iain as he tries to start up a fire but can't. He has a bunch of dried wood and money piled up.
George grabs a burning branch from his fire and walks to Iain. Who's now checking his cell phone. There is no signal. George lights up Iain's fire and sits down.
GEORGE
Remember the time Dad took us on this
week long hike? As strange as it
sounds, this kinda reminds me of that
trip.
IAIN
I never understood what you both found
so invigorating about being out in the
woods!
GEORGE
Come on Iain. The adventure, man.
What's not to enjoy?
IAIN
The bugs, the cold, the poison ivy.
GEORGE
Remember what he kept on telling us
whenever we whined?
IAIN
(no interested)
Not really.
GEORGE
"Boys, I want to teach you that out in
the real world, when things get tough,
you only got each other."
IAIN
All I remember is that I hated these
camping trips. It was his way of
punishing me.
GEORGE
(a bit frustrated)
That's why you never figured out how
to start a fire.
George walks back to his camp and sleeps beside the fire, using a rock for a pillow.
EXT. FOREST - EARLY MORNING
Both fires have been extinguished recently. Some smoke still rises from the remnant. George is already up and walks to Iain who's hugging himself trying to keep from freezing.
George kicks him lightly.
GEORGE
Rise and shine sleepy face. We gotta
move.
Iain slowly gets up.
IAIN
I say we stick here. Sooner or later
they'll realize we're missing and send
out a search party.
GEORGE
It's not like we went hiking and got
lost. No one is gonna think to look
for us out here.
IAIN
I'll take my chances.
George looks at him frustrated.
GEORGE
Suit yourself.
George walks off. Iain thinks that he hears a noise and looks around apprehensively. He sees a gleaming reflection in the distance. He's already panicking and this pushes him over the edge.
EXT. FOREST - WITH THE SNIPER
The sniper moves through the thick branches, watching them.
EXT. FOREST - BACK WITH GEORGE AND IAIN
Iain scrambles to his feet and scurries after George.
IAIN
I still think you're behind this.
George shakes his head in unbelief.
Iain is trying to meticulously clean his clothes as he follows George.
IAIN (cont'd)
I mean, what else makes sense? We own
a struggling pizza chain? We're not
even that rich. I mean who'd be
interested in us? So it must be you...
Suddenly Iain bumps into George, as George comes to a halt.
IAIN (cont'd)
What is it now?
GEORGE
You were askin who's interested in us.
I think he is.
George points at a grizzly bear a hundred meters away from them.
IAIN
I thought bears are hibernating this
time of year.
GEORGE
Tell him that. No matter what you do,
don't ...
Iain runs frantically.
GEORGE (cont'd)
(continues his
previous sentence)
Run.
The bear gets up on his hinder feet and lets out a terrifying roar. Then he lands and starts in George's direction.
GEORGE (cont'd)
Time to panic.
He runs after his brother, with the bear gaining on them.
EXT. FOREST - ANOTHER ANGLE
The Sniper, watches them through his scope as they run away from the bear. He takes aim, but then everyone disappears in a thickly forested section.
EXT. FOREST - BACK WITH GEORGE AND IAIN
George and Iain continue running through the forest. Iain is leading George. He comes to a cliff and a waterfall. Beyond the cliff is a vertical drop to a lake maybe fifty meters below.
Iain stops at the edge of the cliff as he starts to panic, but before he could think of his next course of action, George comes from behind him, grabs him from the waste and pushes off, diving towards the lake.
They drop with a scream which the icy water silences. They resurface completely freezing.
IAIN
(flustered)
What were you thinking?
George looks up and can see the bear looking down at them.
GEORGE
I wasn't.
IAIN
That's always the case with you, isn't
it?
George gets angry and splashes Iain with water as he swims to shore.
GEORGE
You're some piece of work, you know
that? I just saved your life!
They reach the shore.
GEORGE (cont'd)
Since I got back, you've been in my
face; makin' me feel that I'm no good
for the family or the business.
What's your problem?
Both are shivering from the icy cold water.
IAIN
You're my problem. You stole Dad's
money and moved out and now you think
you can just come back as if nothing
happened.
GEORGE
You're such a hypocrite.
IAIN
What did you call me?
GEORGE
I didn't steal anything. You're the
one getting kickbacks from our
customers.
IAIN
Shut your mouth.
Iain punches Sam in the face, then tackles him and both go down on the muddy ground.
GEORGE
Ya didn't think I knew about that, did
ya?
IAIN
I was there for dad which is more than
I can say about you.
They roll in the mud and finally George is able to kick Iain off of him, and starts to get up.
GEORGE
You think it was all fun and games. I
got beat down good, Iain. I lost
everything.
Iain throws some mud at George to distract him and then football tackles him. They land with a thud. George is clearly in pain.
IAIN
And now you're back on your knees so
Dad cuts you in on the business.
George is successful in flipping Iain over backwards.
GEORGE
Is that it? You jealous?
Iain scrambles to his feet furiously and both face off for a moment.
GEORGE (cont'd)
Ya can't even say it can ya?
Iain tries to punch George but George avoids it and punches him back. The punch lands quite painfully square on Iain's jaw. He holds his face in pain.
IAIN
I spent my life working for that old
man, and he didn't even bother to say
thank you.
Iain suddenly rams George shoving him against a tree trunk. Holding him there, shoving his shoulder in his chest once.
IAIN (cont'd)
But when you come back
(shoves him again)
he throws you a party
(shoves him again)
and gloats about how he's so proud of
you.
George elbows Iain in the back once, weakening him and then again, this time releasing himself completely.
George rams his knee into Iain's chest, which knocks the breath out of him. George proceeds to kick Iain's legs from underneath him, landing him on his back and then he pounces on him. They struggle together, but George is getting the upper hand.
George reaches for a rock then raises it in preparation to knock Iain, out. But instead of hitting Iain's head he hits the ground beside his head, splattering mud on Iain's face.
George lets go of Iain and collapses beside him. They are both out of breath.
IAIN (cont'd)
And now he wants to make you the CEO
of the company! No Way. I'm not going
to let that happen.
GEORGE
Is that what's drivin' you up the
wall? You think dad loves me more
than you?
George laughs.
IAIN
What are you laughing about?
GEORGE
You know what Dad used to always tell
me, "Boy, why can't you be responsible
like your brother". Iain, you stuck
by dad through the ups and downs,
can't say nothing like that about me.
Iain starts laughing and being emotional at the same time.
IAIN
All I want is for that old man to show
that he appreciates me.
GEORGE
(quietly)
He does.
George starts to get up and give a helping hand to Iain.
GEORGE (cont'd)
Come on now, big brother. Let's
figure away outta this mess.
Iain grabs George's hand and they getup.
Suddenly, the Sniper steps up on a hill opposite them pointing his sniper rifle at them.
SNIPER
I was hoping you finish the job for
me.
The mood suddenly gets more tense. Both George and Iain freeze.
IAIN
Who are you?
SNIPER
Doesn't matter who I am. Fact of the
matter is, one of you has to die.
GEORGE
Why? Whatever grudge you holdin',
man, we can make it good.
The man aims the gun at them.
SNIPER
You can choose who'll die or I'll
choose for you.
IAIN
Me.
GEORGE
Don't be a fool, Iain.
George tries to push Iain out of the way, but Iain punches George landing him in the water.
IAIN
Take your shot.
There is a tense pause, as the man starts to squeeze the trigger, then there is a loud bang.
Iain falls to his knees and George scrambles to him.
GEORGE
Iain. Iain.
George searches for the bullet wound, but there is nothing.
Iain is perplexed to the extreme as well.
GEORGE (cont'd)
What?
George looks up at the man who's rifle is pointing to the ground now. He stands there with a wide smile on his face.
Another older man, Iain and George's FATHER, walks from behind the armed man and down to them hurriedly.
IAIN & GEORGE
Dad!
The father hugs them, getting himself wet and muddy as well.
IAIN
Dad, what's going on?
FATHER
(emotionally, to
Iain)
Iain, you're my first born; my pride
and joy. How could you not know that?
But your brother... I thought I would
never see him again.
IAIN
I see that now.
FATHER
You're brothers; my sons. Without you
my life isn't complete.
GEORGE
(jokingly)
Couldn't you just tell us that?
The father puts one arm around Iain's shoulders and the other around George's, as they start walking up the hill.
FATHER
Boys, sometimes a kick in the pants is
what you need. Do you know how much
trouble I went through to make you see
that you only got each other?
The three of them head up the hill, supporting each other.
Just as they get up there, they see a few people waiting for them with blankets and dry clothes.
FADE TO BLACK.: