National Novel Writing Month Forum Novel "Dreaming Brooklyn&..

Alan	Novel "Dreaming Brooklyn" - Will try to complete the 50,000 words this month - writing buddies? 17 Years Ago I'm going to have as my goal to complete a 50,000 word novel this month; it's entitled Dreaming Brookyn at the moment. Is anyone looking for a writing buddy to help get through the month? If so, contact me. I'll try to find my way back here. I've been very busy with other things lately, so I am out of the writing loop. I'd like to hear from some published writers if possible; if you've published (somewhere that an editor accepted your work, that is) say hello. I've published short stories, essays, etc. My writer's website is a.gerstle.com. I haven't been active with any writers' group ever, so I thought I'd give this a try.
MadManMike	[no subject] 17 Years Ago NAM (BOO-COO DINKY-DOW) FADE IN EXT. TRAIL IN JUNGLE - DAY The rain begins to pick up again as AIRBORNE takes off down the trail. He comes upon the deadly incident. He sees SLIM lying face down in the muddy trail next to a large hole. The back of Slims head is gone. Airborne sees the Lieutenant looking down into the hole on the side of the trail. Airborne slowly walks over. Once there, he sees PONCHO in the bottom of the hole, blown apart. AIRBORNE (ANGRY) They didn’t have to die, Sir. If you would have listened to me and stayed off this trail, they would still be alive. The Lieutenant turns around, facing Airborne. LIEUTENANT REED (YELLS) My Fault! This mess is all yours. You disobeyed my orders. You fucked up soldier...and I’ll see you in the stockade... Before another word left the Lieutenant’s mouth, Airborne slings his M-16 towards Reed and puts two rounds into his chest area. A look of shock, terror, and pain are all wrapped together on the Lieutenants face as he falls backwards into the hole. Airborne looks down in the hole and can see Reed dragging himself around at the bottom. Airborne pulls off a grenade from his belt. He pulls out the pin and holds the grenade and handle over the hole. AIRBORNE This is what we call fragging. The bullets were just for general purposes and all. Airborne drops the hand grenade, the handle flies off. He runs to the far side of the trail and dives in the mud. A muffle explosion is heard and dust filters up through the hole. SMASH CUT: INT. BUNKER ON FIRE BASE - DAY AIRBORNE (V.O.) Olga, I don’t think I’ll make it out here. I’m not the same person you knew. This world is changing me. Don’t hate me babe, but I just killed one of our own. I felt it needed to be done, before he killed anymore of our people. And he would of. He didn’t listen to me and because of him, two new guys are dead and one man was injured. I think I’m gone insane out here! Six months earlier. BLACK SCREEN: The sound of a chopper is heard. The screen opens to us looking down into the jungles of Vietnam. The CAMERA pans down at the green vegetation from the inside view of the chopper. As the TITLE and CREDITS run, the Bob Dylan song,"HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED" is playing. The two soldiers sitting in the huey, are clean cut with new green fatigues, backpacks and M-16's. They are looking out over the landscape with frighten faces. They turn to look at each other. Kids just out of high school, now in a different world. A new world. A world of war, with all it's baggage that comes with it. Baggage that will be with them for the rest of their lives. CUT TO: INT. CHOPPER - DAY WALT MULLEN Names Mullen, Walt Mullen, where you from? RANDY JENKINS Seattle Washington, Randy Jenkins. They shake hands. WALT Torrance California...I wonder why I volunteered for this s*t? Walt looks uncomfortable staring out of the huey. RANDY (SOUNDING UNCERTAIN) To kick some VC"s as! The chopper circles a fire-base camp. The huey comes down in the middle of the camp, on the chopper pad. One of the door gunners, taps Walt on his shoulder and points to a soldier, standing at the far west end of the landing pad. SUBTITLE READS: AUGUST 1969: 1230 HRS. - DAY The whining sound from the chopper ceases, as the rotor blades come to a halt. With their rucksacks and M-16's in hands, Walt and Randy make their way over to the soldier. CUT TO: EXT. THE HILL - DAY SERGEANT BAKER Go ahead and put down your weapons and gear. Welcome to the hill. I'm Sergeant Baker, but you can call me, Shakey Legs. They lay down their gear, looking a little confused. The Sergeant chuckles. SHAKEY LEGS You two will soon find out, nobody uses their real names here. We all have our own nicknames, as you two will. Lets get you guys some chow, down at the mess tent. Shakey knows that look on the men's faces. SHAKEY LEGS (CONT’D) I know the first day of joining your Battalion is somewhat intense... RANDY JENKINS Being over here in Nam is intense. SHAKEY LEGS Well, I just want you to know that you are on a very safe Fire Base here. Can't say the same about the bush, unfortunately. After we eat, I'll take you around. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY CAMERA pans the Hill. A mountain top Fire Base, Located 10 miles West of Duc Pho. This Fire Base sits on two hill tops with a short saddle between them. In the saddle is the Artillery Fire Support Base. The mess tent is just opposite of ARTY. Around both hill tops are bunkers and trenches being secured by the Company that is occupying the HILL at that duration, while the rest of the Battalion is out in the bush on patrol or some type of mission. The Helipad is located East on the South hill. There is a dirt road that runs in a figure eight shape, from one hill to the other. CUT TO: EXT. MOUNTAINS OF VIETNAM - DAY The beauty of the bluish-green mountain tops could almost make you forget where you were at. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY The three soldiers leave the Helipad and make their way towards the saddle, heading in the direction of the mess tent. Walt and Randy are sweating profusely. Shakey Legs notices. SHAKEY LEGS You never get use to the heat, but enjoy it, once the monsoon season starts, you'll want it back. WALT Sergeant, why do they call you Shakey Legs? SHAKEY LEGS Simple, my legs shake when I sleep. Two men are approaching them from the opposite direction. You hear them laughing and conversing as they approach. This makes Walt and Randy feel a little more relaxed. SOLDIER ON THE LEFT Hey Shakey, you take care of these FNG's. SHAKEY LEGS They are in the best of hands, Charlie Company, second platoon. The three continued walking towards the mess tent. WALT What did he mean by FNG? SHAKEY LEGS You're going to learn many terms and acronyms while you are here. You learned your first one. FNG stands for: F**n New Guy. Walt and Randy laugh. SMASH CUT. EXT. BUNKER ON THE HILL - DAY Walt and Randy are sitting on the rocks next to a bunker, on the outer rim of the North hill top. A sound of a jeep is heard. It comes into view around the dirt road and stops at their bunker. Shakey Legs gets out. The jeep continues on around the figure eight road. SHAKEY LEGS You guys get some rest in the bunker? I know it's not the most comfortable place to sleep, but after a couple of months in the bush...these bunkers are like hotel rooms. RANDY We laid on the bunks, but neither of us slept any. WALT Too much anxiety and fear I guess. To the right of the bunker is a foxhole with sandbag protection. This foxhole has an elevated roof of sheet metal, reinforced with sandbags also. SHAKEY (POINTING TO FOXHOLE) This is your fighting hole. If the VC try to over run this Base...this is where we fight from. Our own ARTY will bomb the hill side. Hasn't happen since I've been here. I think they know to stay away from this Hill...too much fire power here. Well our Company is due back on the Hill in two weeks. I just got back from R&R a couple of days ago. RANDY What's R&R? SHAKEY Another acronym for you two. Stands for rest and recreation. Like your leaves back in the States. I was sure hoping the Commander would keep us on the hill since our Company is due back next, but I just got the word, that we are going out tomorrow with the C-rations and ammo supplies around ten hundred hours. Shakey looks at Walt's cap, with the jump wings pinned in front. SHAKEY LEGS Now for the important things. Walt I see jump wings on your cap. You went to jump school? WALT Fort Benning Georgia. SHAKEY Why did they send a paratrooper to a leg unit? WALT When I was waiting for my orders in Cam Ron, they had two foot soldiers going off to an Airborne Unit. Never jumped out of a plane, never went to Jump School. I guess the old saying is true. There's the right way, the wrong way and then there is the Army way. SHAKEY Walt, your new name now is Airborne. WALT Okay, I like that. Shakey looks hard at Randy. SHAKEY We have a Sergeant in charge of the 3rd squad, who looks like Captain Kangaroo. We call him Cap. for short. Your smaller in size, but your faces are similar. Randy, you are now known as Cap. Jr. RANDY Cap. Jr. Can't wait to meet the original Cap. SHAKEY This is our bunker tonight. We'll get our ammo and c-rations tomorrow before we leave. It's your first time out, I would pack light...not on the ammo though. We're lucky. We are in a good platoon. Our Lieutenant is a good soldier and a good man. He listens to the old timers. He won't bark out orders to endanger his men. We call him LT. Bravo Company is securing the Hill this week. We'll pull guard duty in three hour shifts. The first man usually ends up pulling two shifts, so I'll start first. Airborne I'll get you up for second shift...you wake Cap. Jr. for third, and Cap. Jr. you wake me up for the last. AIRBORNE If we hear or see something, do we just start shooting, or should we wake you up? SHAKEY (GRINS) If you start shooting, I'll be up. Let me tell you guys what we have out there. A little ways down the hill are trip flares. They cover the whole perimeter of both hills. Also covering the perimeter are claymores mines. Some are rigged up as booby-traps...others are command detonated with the clackers. Charlie is going to have a hard time coming up this Hill. Come on in the bunker, I'll show you where we keep the clackers for the claymores. The three head down into the bunker. SMASH CUT: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM - THICK BRUSH - TRIPLE CANOPY - DAY SCREEN opens to us looking across the jungles of Vietnam. The song "LAST TIME" by the Rolling Stones is playing. In the sky from a far distance are three black spots, moving in the CAMERA'S direction. Soon the humming of rotor blades are heard. It becomes louder as the three choppers are noticeable from view. As the first two Hueys pass by the screen, you can see crates of ammo and C-rations inside the choppers. The third Huey passes by, carrying Airborne, Cap. Jr. and Shakey Legs. They sit on the floor, with their legs hanging out of the chopper. The CAMERA stays behind the three Huey's as they fly between mountains and through the valleys. Then, far up ahead, in a flat field is green smoke raising out of the grass at the far end of the field. There are soldiers in the tree line on both sides of the smoke grenade. CAMERA'S view is now at the tree line, looking out at the three Hueys coming in for landing. Canned Heat's song, "GOING UP THE COUNTRY" is now playing during this scene. The choppers land. Some of the soldiers come running out to off load the crates from the hueys. AIRBORNE (V.O.) Well Olga, I am out in the bush. Just jumped off the chopper. We look out of place, with our clean fatigues and camouflage helmets. Most soldiers are without helmets and shirts. Some wear bush hats. All looked tired and dirty. You can't tell between the enlisted men and the officers...but I guess that's the way it needs to be out here. The three (Shakey Legs, Airborne, Cap. Jr.) pass by four men sitting in a circle playing cards. Airborne and Cap.Jr. look shock. SHAKEY We have squads on both our flanks. The whole Company is out here. Those men have been in country over six mouths, they know what to do. They come to a man shaving out of his helmet. His face is covered with freckles. SHAKEY (CONT’D) Freckles, have you seen LT? FRECKLES (CONTINUES SHAVING) He's talking to the Kid and Castleman further up ahead. SHAKEY Freckle, meet Airborne, and Cap. Jr. Without turning around, Freckles continues to shave. FRECKLES Welcome to your new nightmare FNG's. Enjoy the boiling heat...the razor sharp elephant grass...the exhaustion...the monsoon rains...the blood sucking leeches...the bamboo vipers...booby traps...and lets not forget Charlie...don't forget him, cause he won't forget you. CAP.JR. Sounds like we’ve been missing all the fun. Freckles drops his razor in his helmet and turns around to face the two new soldiers. He stares at them both. FRECKLES (LOOKING PISSED) Fn FNG's! The three continue down the trail. CAP.JR. I didn't mean to upset him. SHAKEY He knows that. He's the first platoon’s point man: his slack man, which is the man behind him...was killed last time out. Freckles blames himself. He'll be okay. CAP.JR. I should go back and apologize to him. I had no idea. SHAKEY And he knows that. Hell in a couple of months you two will be coming down on the FNG's. Now our point man and slack man for second platoon are both from California and are anxious to meet another Californian. CUT TO: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM: THICK BRUSH: TRIPLE CANOPY - DAY A soldier comes up to them and shakes their hands. He introduces himself as the platoon’s Medic. He looks very young, more so than the others. He is short with thick glasses. DOC Call me doc. I'm the one you come to when you run out of your malaria pills. Don't forget. They keep walking till they come up to three men sitting on a log, huddling over a map. The tallest man stands up and approaches the three with a big smile across his face. CASTLEMAN (EXCITED) Okay, which one of you FNG's are from sunny California, man? AIRBORNE That would be me. Castleman runs up to Airborne, giving him a big hug. CASTLEMAN (BIG SMILE) Home town? AIRBORNE Torrance. CASTLEMAN (LOUD) Holy st...we're neighbors...Redondo Beach. One of the two men on the log gives Castleman a sign by lowering his hand to keep it down. CASTLEMAN (MUCH LOWER) (CONT’D) Do you surf? AIRBORNE Did...but I think those days are gone. Hermosa Beach was my favorite spot. CASTLEMAN The babes. Hermosa had the best looking babes. Hey, didn't mean to be rude. My name is Castleman. It was the name of the car club I was in. Castleman shakes the hands of both men. CASTLEMAN (CONT’D) I'm sure ole Shakey Legs has tagged a name on you two already. SHAKEY In deed I have Walt here went to jump school, so you can call him Airborne Now take a closer look at Randy here. CASTLEMAN I'll be damned! The Captain is going to trip on this when he gets back. SHAKEY Where did he go? CASTLEMAN R & R. Last week. He'll be back when we’re on the hill. SHAKEY I forgot all about that. Castleman laughs. SHAKEY (CONT’D) You'll get to see him when we get back up on the hill. They all walk over to the two sitting on the log. The skinny man, without a shirt on, and bright red hair looks at them. His name is LT. LT. Welcome to my platoon soldiers. It's a pleasure to meet you two. LT reaches out to shake the hands of both men. LT. (CONT’D) We don't salute out here, might get me killed And please no sir st. Call me LT. The other man, who looks more like a Clark Gable type, stands up and speaks softy. CALIFORNIA KID Welcome to our world. We will do everything in our power to get you two back home safety. Second Platoon is the best. The Kid also shakes their hands. The Kid sits back down on the log. CALIFORNIA KID (CONT’D) Have your Nam names yet? CAP.JR. Cap. Jr. of course. CALIFORNIA KID Fn-A. That is a little scary. Cap. is going to flip over this. AIRBORNE Airborne, from Torrance California. THE KID Hometown buddy. San Diego, Airborne. Airborne? In a leg unit. What's happening back in the real World? AIRBORNE They’re building these things called Malls. CASTLEMAN What the hell is a Mall? AIRBORNE Not exactly sure. They’re talking about connecting all the stores together at one place. THE KID In a few months, Castleman, we'll find out what those Malls are. Your talking to two short timers. CASTLEMAN Two digit midgets. I have 65 days left. The Kid has 57. CAP.JR. Must feel great. AIRBORNE Since I’ll be here for awhile, send me a picture of one of those Malls. CASTLEMAN You got it, Airborne. A muscular black man, with a radio strapped to his back, heads towards the group. SNAKE Higher & Higher says there’s movement 20 kliks north of here...we have a way to go, to meet up with the third platoon by tomorrow. Better get humping. LT Okay. Let first platoon know we'll be walking point. LT looks over to Airborne and Cap. Jr. LT (CONT’D) We're doing things a little different than we normally do. Usually when we go out in the bush, we stay together as a whole Company. But our new Battalion Commander wanted use to try something different. He wanted the three platoons in different areas. We just meant up with first platoon last night. When we meet up with third platoon tomorrow, we'll stay together as a Company till we get back up on the Hill. Eventually he wants us going out in squads. Don't know if I agree with that st. SMASH CUT: EXT. TRAIL - DAY The two platoons are moving down a trail. Second platoon in the lead. The California Kid walks point with Castleman in the slack man position. (second) AIRBORNE (V.O. WHILE WALKING) Well Olga, I'm in the second platoon of Charlie Compamy. Humping down my first trail. They have Me and Cap. Jr. in the middle. A good place for FNG's... A loud explosion is heard coming from up the trail. A lot of screaming. Doc passes everyone with his medical bag in hand. Shakey Legs comes back to see Airborne and Cap.Jr. AIRBORNE(WIDE EYED) (CONT’D) What was that? Is anyone hurt? SHAKEY (LOOKING SICK) The Kid just tripped a booby-trap. The Castleman and the Kid got hit bad. Keep your eyes open to your flank. Shoot anything you hear. I'll be back. Shakey Legs and LT are carrying Castleman to the back. Airborne and Cap. Jr. see a grayness in Castleman's face. Blood is streaming out of his neck, between the medical patch and LT's hand, which is applying direct pressure to the wound. Freckles is running to the front, while Snake runs back and stops near Airborne and Cap. Jr. SNAKE We need a medi-vac, Have two wia's. Snake starts moving towards the back, still talking on the box. A small black man just ahead of Airborne, looks towards Airborne. MAC You never get used to this st. AIRBORNE (POINTING TO CAP. JR.) It's our first time out. I don't mind telling you I'm scared shitless right now. MAC We all are. I hope they make it. They only had a month or more left out here. It just wouldn't be right if they didn't make it. Freckles is walking back, when he stops in front of Cap. Jr. FRECKLES (LOOKING AT CAP JR.) Your not missing all the fun now, are you? Cap. Jr. tries to get out a word, but Freckles moves on. CAP.JR. (LOOKING AT AIRBORNE) Damn, I wish I would of never said that. AIRBORNE It's not your fault. This is war. This is hell. Freckles was right about one thing...this is a nightmare. All the soldiers watch as Shakey and LT carry Castleman back up front. It’s obvious the body of the Castleman is very heavy now. The medical patch around Castleman's neck is completely red, and no longer are they applying direct pressure. Smoke is coming out from around the patch. The Castleman is pale gray. They all know he is dead. MAC Mother Fn Gooks! Mother Fuckers! Chicken st gooks. They set their booby-traps and leave. You don't even get a chance to fight back. Tears run down Mac’s face. MAC Get back here you chicken st mother fuckers. Snake is heading back towards the front, still on the radio. Mac is kneeling at the edge of the trail and tells Snake to stop. MAC What’s happening Snake? Airborne moves closer to Mac. SNAKE Castleman didn't make it. The shrapnel hit his jugular. AIRBORNE How's The Kid? SNAKE The Kid died instantly. Blew the back of his head off. I gotta get up front and call in our coordinates. There are tears in Snake’s eyes, as he continues moving to the front. Mac turns around and stares out into the bush. Airborne moves over to Cap.Jr. CAP.JR. (STUNNED) What he say? AIRBORNE Both are dead. We were just talking about California a few minutes ago and now they're dead. CAP.JR. I want to get back up on the Hill. This sucks. I don't know if I can handle this Airborne. AIRBORNE If we’re going to get out of here alive, we have to handle this. CAP.JR.(PANICKING) No...they were experience soldiers, and they died. What fn’ chance do we have? A sound of rapid fire from Mac's M-16 goes off. Airborne and Cap. Jr. hit the ground fast, looking out into the jungle. Mac's M-16 is on rock and roll. The bullets can be heard hitting the trees throughout the jungle. MAC (SCREAMING) Come on you fs! We're coming to get ya! LT comes running back from the front to Mac. He grabs Mac. LT Don't waste your ammo! Wait till the real thing. Then I promise...you can mow the b***s down...and I'll be right there to help. They killed two great men. People will pay. Mac stops shooting. He drops his weapon and breaks down. The LT hugs him till Mac gains back his composure. LT (TALKING TO ALL) (CONT’D) Everyone stay put. We're waiting for the Medi-vac. Don't waste your ammo, unless you’re sure you see something...so keep your eyes open to your flanks. The man on the other side of Cap. Jr. comes walking up. He's a big man. Six foot five and about 290 lbs. He's carrying an M-60 machine gun. He looks like Poncho Villa with all the ammo wrapped around his waist and over his shoulders in a bandoleer pattern. He carries the machine gun on his shoulder. He removes the M-60 and crouches down between Airborne and Cap. Jr. They move closer to him. BIG FOOT DODDS Sorry you two had to experience this on your first day out. Dodds looks over to Mac. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) You okay Mac? Mac shakes his head yes. AIRBORNE I'm Airborne, this is Cap. Jr. He nods his head to both. BIG FOOT DODDS Call me Big Foot. Our last time out, Kansas was killed by a booby-trap also. He was Freckle’s slackman man from the 1st platoon. Bad st out here. I know you may have fear in you right now, that's normal. No matter how much training we had back in the States, the fear will get you...but don't let the fear kill you. You keep pushing on. And if you ever come face to face with the enemy...remember if fear gets in your way, you will die. Because if you don't kill them, they’ll kill you. Something more to remember...everything you learned in the States, forget it now. It will get ya killed. It's a whole different battle out here. AIRBORNE Man, thanks for the advice. CAP.JR. Yeah, much appreciated. BIG FOOT DODDS See you guys around, gotta get back to my position and find my, st head loader, Puppet. Big Foot picks up the M-60 and throws it over his shoulder as if it were a M-16. Heads back down the trail. The sound of the Medi-vac chopper is heard. They can see it landing just over the ridge. It seems just as fast as it landed, it was up and on its way. LT and Snake are together. LT is on the radio communicating to the other platoons. Shakey Legs passes by them and stops at Mac's position. He talks to Mac, Airborne can not hear what is being said, till Mac begins to yell out. MAC (TALKING LOUD) Are you fn crazy? Three months and counting...and you want me up there! Fk no! Get someone who has more time left! Shakey Legs takes off, hesitates when he gets to Airborne, but then starts to leave. AIRBORNE Shakey, what are you looking for? SHAKEY A slackman. LT wants me walking point. I've done it a few times, but I need a second man. AIRBORNE I'll do it. SHAKEY I appreciate that, but this is your first day and you just saw two men die. AIRBORNE Look, if it's because I have no experience, then I understand. But if that’s not the reason, then I want to learn. We lost two men of California. I feel I owe it to them...Charlie is gonna to have to deal with another Californian man. SHAKEY Okay, let me okay it with LT. LT and Snake come up to Shakey. LT still on the radio. LT Shakey, Freckles said he would walk point if you want to take position of slack man. Shakey looks at Airborne. SHAKEY Tell Freckles thanks, but Airborne and I will take the lead. LT (LOOKING AT AIRBORNE) You just saw what happened. You don’t have to do this...it's your first day out. AIRBORNE I do have to do this...for the Kid and Castleman. LT I know they were from your state, and they were two great soldiers, but... SHAKEY I think our minds are made up, LT. LT Okay, I'll let this go by. Airborne, listen to Shakey. AIRBORNE You won’t need to worry about that. SHAKEY Tell Freckles, I’ll need his machete. LT gets back on the radio to tell the first platoon to have Freckles come up with his machete. LT and Snake move up ahead. CAP.JR. You really going to do this? AIRBORNE Crazy huh? But it feels like the right thing to do. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) We came in country together. Your like a brother to me. I would lose it if something happened to you. AIRBORNE Nothing will happen...I’m praying. But like Dodds said: to survive, you gotta push on. SHAKEY Airborne, we're going to cut through the jungle for a little, possibility of more booby-traps on the trail ahead. This news did help relieve some tension that has been stirring around in Airborne's stomach. Freckles comes up with the machete. Hands it to Shakey. FRECKLES (TO AIRBORNE) You have a lot of balls or you’re just f**n crazy...maybe both. I respect you for what you’re trying to do, but Shakey and I should do this...you have no experience out here. SHAKEY Freckles, this is where his experience starts. FRECKLES Then the best of luck to you both and may God be on your side. Freckles looks at Cap. Jr. FRECKLES (CONT’D) Just like to apologize about my rude comments. I lost a good friend, and you guys didn't know about that. I welcome you two, to Charlie Company. I'm Freckles, first platoon's point man. Cap. Jr. and Freckles shake hands. Airborne sees that and smiles. CAP.JR. Thank you...I wanted to apologize to you also. I was scared and didn't say the right thing. Freckles stares hard at Cap. Jr. Cap. Jr. knows why. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) They call me Cap. Jr. Freckles smiles. FRECKLES Cap is going to freak out. Freckles looks at Airborne. FRECKLES (CONT’D) Don't believe I had the pleasure... AIRBORNE Airborne. FRECKLES I guess I was right...you do have big balls and you are crazy. Take care up there. Freckle heads back to his platoon. CAP.JR. Shakey, you’re right. Freckles is a-okay. SHAKEY I'm always right. Shakey smiles. FADE OUT. THREE MONTHS LATER: 1100 hrs. EXT. THE JUNGLES IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIRE FIGHT - DAY Noise and confusion is all around. The constant gun fire and explosions from grenades are heard, along with men screaming. Airborne is without shirt and wearing a bush hat and Cap. Jr. wears a head band, they are lying flat behind a bed of rocks. There are men on both sides of them. More men run up, but hit the dirt fast when the hacking sounds from the AK's go off. One man is hit in the throat. The blood jets out in a long stream. Another is hit in his shoulder. Airborne screams for the Medic. Without looking up, Cap.Jr lifts his weapon over his head and begins firing again. Doc, in a hunched over position, stops at the man who was hit in the throat. It is too late for him, he is already dead. Doc scoots over to the man who is hit in the shoulder and begins applying a dressing. Shakey Legs, low crawls up to Airborne and Cap. Jr. SHAKEY (SHOUTING) (CONT’D) LT and Snake are calling in for artillery help from our hill. After that the first platoon will move pass us on our left flank. They're going to attack them from the side. This is dangerous...their bullets could stray our way. AIRBORNE I hate these fn’ fire fights. Airborne and Cap. Jr. now looking like real soldiers. Clothing and gear, ripped and torn. Their bodies dirty and dusty. Airborne is now the second platoon's point man and Cap. Jr. took the spot of the slack man. Even with all the noise, you can still hear the overhead artillery whistling by. SHAKEY (YELLS) Take cover! It is a continuous blast of exploding shells, bounding the ground out in front of them. Flying shrapnel is heard hitting the ground with loud thuds. A soldier screams just right of Cap.Jr. SHAKEY (CONT’D) Arty is coming in too close...gotta tell LT. Shakey crawls back. Doc runs to help the screaming soldier, who is hit in the collar bone by the flying shrapnel. Someone is singing the Mighty Mouse song. He taps Cap. Jr. on his shoulder, who is still firing out in front. AIRBORNE You hear the Mighty Mouse song? CAP.JR. Airborne, you gotta slow down on the joints dipped in Opium, man. With all the explosions and gun fire going off, comes Big Foot, wearing a black cowboy hat, with his M-60 machine gun, down next to his side, and Puppet, his loader, carrying four cases of ammo. Big Foot is singing the Mighty Mouse song as he heads towards Airborne and Cap. Jr. Puppet is right behind. Puppet is a skinny man and pounces around, which makes him look like someone is pulling him with strings. BIG FOOT DODDS Are these your st head friends out there? Big Foot sets the M-60 on the rocks as Puppet loads the ammo to the existing rounds. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Rock and Roll mother fuckers! Light up! Big Foot lets loose. The M-60 sounds like a Company of soldiers in itself. Airborne and Cap.Jr. return fire also, with all the rest of the soldiers up front. It is a "MAD MINUTE." Artillery continues coming down, but now they are right on target now. AIRBORNE Lovely parrrty. Big Foot bellows out with laughter, which makes Puppet, Cap.Jr. and Airborne all laugh in the middle of this fire fight. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL (AT BUNKER SITE) - DAY The Beatle song, "LET IT BE," plays as Airborne sits on top of the bunker, takes a hit off a joint cured in Opium. He looks around, but not for VC's this time, it's Higher & Higher he's watching for. He passes the joint to Cap.Jr. who is sitting on the rock beside the bunker. Shakey Legs, Snake, and Doc are all down in the trench. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Someone coming around the bend. Cap.Jr. hurries and hands the joint over to Shakey. He takes a hit before handing it over to Doc. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) It's Big Foot and Puppet. Doc slowly inhales his hit, holding it in, with a big closed lip smile across his face, before letting it out. DOC Nothing but a thing. Doc hands the joint to Snake. SNAKE What the hell does that mean? AIRBORNE Nothing but a thing. SNAKE I got to catch up with your heads, you guys are out there. Snake takes a big hit into his lungs, coughs a little out, but holds the rest in. Then they all start laughing at the sight in front of them, coming their way. Puppet is only few steps ahead of Big Foot, bouncing around as normal. Big Foot holds his arm up over Puppet’s head, moving his hands back and forth as if he was the Puppet Master, controlling Puppet on strings. Puppet finally sees what Big Foot is doing, he moves ahead of Dodds. Airborne likes how they get along, and when the time is needed, they are there, like that last fire fight, they worked as one. An amazing sight to see. PUPPET (YELLS) I think I have some problems! BIG FOOT DODDS Oh, the st head has some problems...but he needs a second and third opinion. I gave him mine. Even though Dodds gives Puppet a hard time, he wouldn't change loaders for anyone. They work good when the pressure is on. AIRBORNE Lets give our Sergeant first crack, Shakey, you do have more seniority. SHAKEY I'll do my best under these circumstances, Puppet. PUPPET What circum....oh I smell your circumstances. Dodds leans up against the bunker and gives Airborne the "Vietnam Dap." SHAKEY What seems to be the problem? Puppet pulls out a letter. PUPPET Just read it, and tell me your spin on it. Shakey opens the letter. It reads: Dear Stephen: I miss you more everyday. Are you safe? I pray for you to be safe. I started night school to improve my typing and secretarial skills. I meant a man named Dave. I told him about you. He says I should be proud to have a boyfriend who is fighting against those Commie-Pinkos. I hope I get a letter from you soon. Tell me what you are doing now? Are you still Dodds loader? Write me. Love you baby. Will love you more than ever, when you get home. I'm horny for you! Dave says hi. Love Dee Dee. Shakey passes it down the trench. SHAKEY Just a friend helping her get through these hard times. Nothing to worry about. PUPPET How can she say she's horny, then says Dave says hi. DOC (HOLDING THE LETTER) It sounds bad because of the way the letter is drafted. Doc takes off his glasses, trying to look intelligent, but he is st faced. Gives Snake the Letter. DOC (CONT’D) She shouldn't have placed horny right next to Dave's name. That's all. Doc turns his head and looks at Snake. SNAKE Nothing but a thing! PUPPET Huh? Snake hands Puppet back his letter. AIRBORNE Puppet...she is honest. She didn't have to tell you about him, but she did...cause it's innocent. CAP.JR. What did you think, Dodds? BIG FOOT DODDS I think it sucks. She's a st head, doesn't need to be around men if she’s horny. Trouble is what I think. Big Foot pauses. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Anyway, just found out that we’re going to be going out in platoon groups again for the last time. Our next missions will be squad size. Not looking forward to that. I also heard Cap. isn't going out. They’re keeping him back. Cap. Jr. You may want to say good-bye...he'll be heading back to the real World, while we are pounding the bush. He's in the juicer's bunker. CAP.JR. Yeah, I think I can make it two bunkers down. Let me go see ole Cap. Snake hands him the roach. Cap.Jr suck in so hard, it shoots down his throat. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) Whoo! A cold beer will cool that down. Cap. Jr heads his way toward the juicers bunker. When he gets just outside he hears T-Bone Walker's guitar on the tape deck, playing IT'S A MEAN OLD WORLD. He walks down into the bunker that is twice the size of theirs. Cap. immediately staggers over to his little buddy. Bottle of Jim Beam in hand. A drunken Captain Kangaroo, funny sight Cap.Jr thinks CAP. Brothers...it's my little brother, Cap.Jr. All the men in the bunker are black except for Cap. and now Cap. Jr. MEN IN BUNKER (LAUGHING AND YELLING) Hey! It's Cap. Jr. CAP.(HANDING THE BOTTLE TO JR.) I know your with the "BETTER HEADS" group, but you know I'm leaving and won't be going back out in the bush. Have a drink with me. CAP.JR. I would be honored. All the blacks scream and applaud. Mac pops up behind Cap. Me and Caaap. came in to...gether...and we be lea...ving together. Mac starts to spin and collapses at Cap's feet. Another loud applause and screams of laughter is heard. The Stones, HONKY TONK WOMAN, plays next. Cap. Jr. takes the bottle and takes a swig. CAP.JR. We will miss you Cap. MAC (YELLS FROM THE FLOOR) And me? CAP.JR. We will miss you both. More clapping and whistling comes from the other blacks. Cap gives Cap.Jr. a big hug. A black man jumps down off the bunk, walking up to Cap.Jr. He has a more serious look about him. T-BONE You tell your radio man, is it Snake, to come down here and drink with the blacks. See he's been smoking too much of that wacky weed and he don't know he's black. MAC (LAYING ON THE FLOOR) He's black...your black...I'm black. CAP. Back off T-Bone. Bartender, cut this man off! Who's the bartender? More laughter is heard inside the bunker. CAP. (SPEAKING SOFTY TO T-BONE) (CONT’D) You been here about a mouth, trying to bring prejudice feelings amongst us. We work as a team here. That's how we survive. You might want to remember that when I'm gone and when you're out in the bush. Plus it wouldn't seem right for a black man to be thrown out of this bunker by his own kind...don't you think. T-Bone smiles, and walks out on his own. CAP.(YELLS) (CONT’D) Our you can walk out on your own. MAC I...throw that...blaack baastard out Caaap, when I caan git up. Laughter is heard throughout the bunker and outside. HONKY TONK WOMAN plays on. SMASH CUT: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM - DAY Second platoon is at the base of a mountain, they just came off of. AIRBORNE Pass the word back, to have everyone check for leeches. Cap. Jr. watches the front, while Airborne strips. He's clean except near his boot, he feels a leech, the size of a golf ball. Airborne removes his boot, removes his sock. He wrings out his sock which is full of blood. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Look at this monster leech. Why won't it just fall off. It's got to have enough blood. CAP. JR. backs up, still looking ahead, he bends his head down to take a look. CAP.JR. Fn-A. That's the biggest one I’ve seen yet. Cap. Jr. reaches into his fatigue pocket and pulls out insect repellent . Airborne gets his also. They both soak the leech, emptying their bottles, but the leech still hangs on. AIRBORNE You got your Zippo lighter? CAP.JR. Always. Cap. Jr. reaches into his top shirt pocket. Cap. Jr. runs the flame all around the leech, it finally drops off. AIRBORNE Fk, that leech is an addict...that's why he wasn't coming off. Airborne starts to get dress. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) You better check yourself next. Airborne takes watch, while Cap.Jr. checks himself. He is clean. Back in the ranks someone is screaming for Doc. CAP.JR. I wonder what that's all about? Airborne, look at this. Cap. Jr. is pointing to a rock, just across the trail. The two leeches on the rock are standing up on one end, sniffing and are making their way over to the other side of the trail, where Cap. Jr. is standing. AIRBORNE Those blood sucking fuckers! Airborne steps on them with his boots. They hear movement coming from the back. It's LT. with a smile. LT Have you both checked yourselves out? AIRBORNE Had one the size of a golf ball in my boot. CAP.JR. Who the hell is screaming back there? LT (STILL SMILING) Puppet has a leech on his prick, half of it, is up in his pee hole. AIRBORNE Holy st! Cap.Jr. makes a movement as if it is on him. LT (CHUCKLING) Doc's getting it out with fire...repellent is moving it in the wrong direction. CAP. JR. (LOOKING SICK) Stop it! AIRBORNE We had to use fire to get mine off, but I'm not complaining now. LT There should be a small hill, east of us...about 10 kliks, according to the map. That is where we will pick up our supplies. First and third platoon will meet us there also. Weather is changing. Monsoons will be here soon. SMASH CUT: EXT. WALKING ON TRAIL - DAY Airborne is glad it is now daylight. They came down the hill during the early morning while it was still dark. There was a lot of slipping and sliding. He used the machete to create a pathway. Cutting a trail is tedious and slow but Airborne didn't mind that. He feels safer making his own path, rather than walking on a pre-made trail where the VC's are known for making boo-coo booby-traps. But now he's back on the trail. Airborne can smell a decaying body close-by. Cap. Jr. is right up close on Airborne, looking for booby-traps. He gets a good whiff also. AIRBORNE Pass it back...there is something dead up ahead. Cap. Jr. passes the word back to a soldier. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Let's move slow. Second platoon moves ahead slowly. The smell is now overwhelming. Airborne spots a dead body just to the right of the trail. It is a dead VC. He is bloated. Skin very tight. Flies are everywhere, and maggots are crawling out of his mouth. They all keep walking pass, not touching the dead man. One of Charlie's tricks is to have a dead body booby-trapped. Airborne is thinking about The Kid and The Castleman, when he comes around a bend, just to be facing three VC's coming from the opposite direction. The three Vietcong stop. Airborne stops. The quick action and responsibility gives Airborne no time to be afraid. Respond immediately or die is filling Airborne's head. He let's loose with his M-16, putting two, to the ground. The other tries to take off, when Cap. Jr. shoots him full of holes in his back. Shakey sees what is happening. SHAKEY (TO THE REST OF THE PLATOON) Take cover! VC up ahead. Everyone gets off the trail, including Airborne and Cap.Jr. LT and his radio man, Snake, are coming up along the edge of the trail. LT (TO AIRBORNE) You need Dodds M-60 up here? AIRBORNE Not sure...They weren't expecting us. I think they were on their own. LT They are like ants...where there is one, there is more. Hold your position. I'm getting Dodds and Puppet up here. LT heads back, Shakey, cuts across to the other side of the trail, giving Airborne and Cap.Jr. a thumbs up. It finally hits home for Airborne and Cap.Jr. Even in a fire fight, your never sure if you hit someone, or if it was from someone else's weapon. But this is certain. Cap.Jr. looks at Airborne, who stares at the bodies he just killed. CAP.JR. It would be us laying on this trail, if you hesitated. He pats Airborne on his back. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) You kept us from dying today, my friend. AIRBORNE Just doing my job, right. I mean that's what we were trained for...to kill...we were trained to be killers. Right? We passed our exam Cap.Jr. Your a killer...I'm a killer...take us to the head of the class...oh fk...we are already at the head of the class...we're f**n point men. Cap. Jr. can see that Airborne is beginning to lose it. CAP.JR. None of us wants to die. We all want to get back to the Real World. Damn think about The Castleman and... Airborne breaks in. AIRBORNE I think of them everyday I'm out here. Don't need you to tell me what to think about. CAP.JR. I'm sorry Airborne. I just killed someone to... but it's them or us. I didn't want to die today...so I'm thanking you for keeping us alive. AIRBORNE You know when I saw them, my first emotion was anger. I'm thinking those son-of-a-b*s are here to kill us, but I didn't feel the same way when I saw them drop. I hate this fn’ war. Dodds and Puppet are moving their way up the trail. When they get up to Airborne and Cap.Jr. they see the three bodies out front. Dodds turns to Puppet. BIG FOOT DODDS Second platoon takes care of their own. That's why we are the best. Big Foot looks over to Airborne and Cap.Jr. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Thank you, guys. We'll set up right here, in the middle of the trail...anymore Charlie's decide to come marching down this way...bye bye gooks. Big Foot sets his M-60 right on the trail. Puppet is next to the gun with his ammo cases. Big Foot lays himself down in the middle of the trail waiting for any kind of movement up ahead. AIRBORNE Hey, Puppet, are your leech problems taken care of? PUPPET You better believe it. Using a boot dressing, to hold a sock in place. AIRBORNE Good thinking there. Puppet connects the rounds from the ammo can to Big Foot's M-60. Dodds lays still. He is ready. AIRBORNE (V.O. WHILE AWAITS IN HIDING) (CONT’D) Well Olga, just ran into 3 VietCong's today. I killed two and Cap.Jr. got the other one. Have mixed emotions right now. Anger was my first...now I just feel shocked. It was like it happened in slow motion. I think my Higher-Power is sticking with me. Just hope He sticks with me through the rest of my tour of hell. Fifteen minutes has passed. LT comes up to Airborne. LT Ready to move on? AIRBORNE Oh yeah...this waiting is killing me. LT Just keep your eyes peeled. Big Foot, Puppet, we are going to move out. Puppet breaks off the clip of ammo. Big Foot places his machine gun on his shoulder. BIG FOOT DODDS (TO AIRBORNE & CAP. JR.) Careful out there. Remember we're just a scream away. AIRBORNE Thanks guys. The "Better Heads Dap" is executed between Dodds and Airborne. Shakey walks across the trail and wishes them good luck. SHAKEY You did good you guys, real good. Airborne opens his ruck sack and pulls out a brown bottle with a picture of a fat lady on the label. CAP.JR. Obesital? We are only humping about seven more miles. Airborne takes a big swig of the liquid speed, and holds the bottle out for Cap. Jr. He takes the bottle from Airborne and swallows the sweet tasting liquid. AIRBORNE Now it's time to move out. Airborne replaces the bottle back, then sits up against his pack, placing his arms through the straps and gets up with his pack on his back. He makes adjustments, keeping the rucksack sitting up high on his back. Grabs his weapon, tells Shakey his moving out. Shakey passes his word down. Airborne is worried that the three VC's may have been coming back from setting up a booby-trap. The speed keeps them alert. FADE OUT. EXT. A SMALL HILL TOP - DAY Second platoon makes it to the base of the hill where re-supplies are to be dropped off. LT passes the word to the front to hold their position. LT and Snake come up to Shakey Legs. LT Shakey, third platoon has already occupied the hill top. Says it would be a cluster fk to have all the platoons up there. They say that they passed an open field just South of us. It might even be better to have the supplies dropped there. The hill top is very small. SHAKEY Where is first platoon now? LT Still about five Kliks away. Airborne walks up to Shakey and LT. Cap. Jr. is watching the front. AIRBORNE Are we moving up the hill to break for lunch? LT We'll eat down here...not enough room... KA-BOOM! A very loud explosion rocks the land. Smoke bellows out from the top of the hill. Horrible screams are heard coming from the hill top. Panic and frantic hits the second platoon hard. LT (PANIC IN VOICE) (CONT’D) That hill top was booby-trap with something big! Snake try to contact third platoon. Snake keeps trying, but only static sounds are coming from the receiver. He gets called by the first platoon. They heard the explosion from where they are located, and can see the smoke up on the hill. Snake tells them third platoon went up there to eat lunch. LT gets on the phone. LT (TO FIRST PLATOONS LT) (CONT’D) Big Al, you need to call in med-a-vac's. I think all of third platoon was hit hard. We hear screaming, so someone is still alive, but from that blast...I just don't know. We are going up to see the situation. Get here quick, we'll need your medic also. Doc comes running up with his bag, looking very much afraid. DOC That wasn't just a grenade...that was a bomb. LT (FRANTIC) I need all of second platoon here now! Airborne gathers the troops. All the soldiers huddle around LT. LT (CONT’D) Shakey Legs, Airborne, Snake, Doc and I are going up. Big Foot and Puppet, set your M-60 right here. Cap. Jr. post yourself on the opposite side of the trail. Rest of you...no more than a couple of yards apart. Make sure the back of the trail is well covered. Eyes wide open guys. Lets roll. Airborne takes the lead, then Shakey, followed by Doc, LT and Snake. As they approach up the hill, the acrid smell of gunpowder from the explosion fills the air, along with burning flesh. The scream is becoming louder. You can hear a soldier crying out for his Mother. Airborne hears movement in the bush, just left of the trail. Airborne points his weapon to shoot, till he sees his first sickening sight. It's a soldier blown in half. Only his upper torso is there in the bushes. He's trying to walk as if he still had his legs. His face and chest are smoking from the shrapnel. His eyes bug out in shock. The rest of the rescue party come up around Airborne. LT (TO AIRBORNE) (CONT’D) Put him out of his misery. He doesn't even know his dead yet. Airborne shoots a few rounds into his blown apart chest. The body stops moving. AIRBORNE I surely don't want to go up there. LT There's still someone screaming up there. We may be able to save a life. They continue up, the dust makes it hard to see. When they reach the top, nothing could have prepared them for what they were going to see. The whole hill top is one big crater. Scatter body parts everywhere. Pieces of bodies beyond recognition Around the outer tree line, sounds are heard falling through the trees, ending in a thud, when hitting the ground. The men look to see what it is, only to find in horror, that it is body parts falling out of the trees, and onto the ground. Doc runs over to a soldier, screaming from across the crater, in the bushes. DOC Airborne, help me! They run across the crater, jumping over legs, arms, torsos and heads. There are no survivors, except maybe the one screaming. As Airborne runs across the crater, he is hoping there are no more bombs left. He is definitely afraid. LT is on the radio with the first platoon, asking how close they are? SHAKEY LT...look at your right boot...then look to the right of your boot, about one yard. Sticking halfway out of the crater, is an 81mm morter, still intact. LT Those f**n Congs, must of covered this whole hill top with these morters. It had to be command detonated. They would not want to waste a trip wire for this much explosives. They know with a trip wire, the first one will trip it, but the rest of the platoon would still be down on the trail, walking up. No, these mother fuckers were watching them. LT looks around, points to a smaller hill to their North. LT (CONT’D) There...I bet you anything and everything...they were watching from that hill. Once they saw the whole platoon up here, they blew them up. Those b****s blew them up! Snake falls to his knees and begins to upchuck. Doc and Airborne are standing in the bushes, the screaming has stopped. DOC (YELLS) Medic here! (V.O.) Over here Doc...heeelp meeee! Airborne and Doc head in the direction of the voice. AIRBORNE He seems to be pretty far in here. DOC That's probably what saved his life. Doc and Airborne comes to a soldier laying on his stomach, face down. He has multiple wounds on his back, and one on the back of his head. Doc see's he is bleeding from his left ear, possible blown ear drum from the concussion, even out here. DOC (CONT’D) Going to give you some morphine to stop your pain...then we are going to patch you up. Airborne grabs the soldiers hand, as Doc shoots him full of morphine. Airborne see's his face. It is T-Bone. He remembers what Cap. Jr. told him about the bunker incident with Cap. But now that didn't mean a thing. The only thing important now, was to get him patched up and med-a-vac'd out. T-Bone looks to Airborne and understands what Cap. meant. There are no colors out in the bush, just soldiers. T-Bone smiles at Airborne. AIRBORNE (SMILING BACK) Your going home my friend...you hang in there. T-BONE (WEAK) I was going to take a dump...next thing I knew...I'm eating dirt. How are the rest doing? DOC (WHILE DRESSING UP THE WOUNDS) You worry about yourself getting better...we'll take care of the rest. T-BONE Loud explosion...can't hear too good still. Snake is still on his knees. LT takes the hand receiver to call in a air strike on the hill, he thinks the VC are. After LT gives the coordinates and tells them they lost all of third platoon, it isn't long before you hear the two jets dropping their 500lb drag bombs, on the hill next to them. They also dropped some Napalm. (a gasoline, jelly mixture). The Med-a-vac is also hovering over their hill top. It is too tight to land, so they drop down the jungle penetrator. DOC Your rides here. Look there is a lot of particles flying around, we don't know what is safe...use this to cover your eyes, we'll guide you to the chopper. T-BONE (FEELING NO PAIN FROM THE MORPHINE) Okay fellows...lets do it. Doc. gives him a gauze dressing, tying it around his eyes. Airborne knows exactly why he did that. To see your platoon blown in pieces is not what he needs to see. Airborne and Doc are on both sides of T-Bone, guiding him to the chopper. They get him hooked up to the jungle penetrator, and he is hoisted up to the chopper. The med-vac takes off. LT gets off the radio. LT They can not use a jungle penetrator on dead bodies...which means we have to carry the body pieces down to that field, South of the hill. We'll wait for first platoon to get here. We'll all have to help. Movement can be heard coming up the trail. LT gets on the radio to first platoon’s Lieutenant, Big Al. LT (CONT’D) Is that you guys coming up the trail, Al? BIG AL (HUFFING & PUFFING) Roger. Freckles should be getting pretty close to you guys. It isn’t long before Freckles comes up to the top, with his new slackman, Tracker. They both begin to slow down, the closer they got to the hill top. Both have sickening looks, as they survey the area. FRECKLES (TO TRACKER) From the blast, as far as we were...I know this is going to be bad. Big Al tells his platoon to hold their position on the trail, and he meets up with LT. BIG AL I see you called in a fire strike on that hill. You think they’re there? LT If they are...their not now. In the background, the song "FRIENDS LOST" by Eric Kaisinger is playing while everyone stands in shock, frozen in place, as the CAMERA spins around on them, and on the devastation from the explosion. Body parts still falling from the tree tops. FADE TO BLACK EXT. BACK ON THE BASE CAMP - DAY Airborne sits on top of his bunker, looking out over the Hill. He just came back from the mess hall, where they gave a Mass for the third platoon. Everyone is walking around in a daze, dumbfounded. Shakey comes walking up. SHAKEY I hear Higher and Higher (Battalion Commander) is going to come by every bodies bunker to talk to us all. Keep the drugs out of sight. AIRBORNE What's he going to say, "do you want to go home?" I do want that. I've seen enough death...I killed enough. SHAKEY I know one thing he's going to talk about. LT says a lot of FNG's are coming to our Battalion. You know they aren't going to put them together to make the third platoon...we are all going to get moved around. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY Airborne, Cap.Jr., Shakey Legs, Doc, and Dodds are standing around the bunker, when a jeep pulls up. A soldier gets out, carrying a package. SOLDIER WITH PACKAGE Airborne, you got a package from home. Airborne walks up to the soldier, takes the package. A Coors case was used. Airborne places it on top of the bunker. Usually there would be yells of happiness and excitement, but the slaughter of third platoon has hindered the mood. BIG FOOT DODDS
MadManMike	[no subject] 17 Years Ago NAM (BOO-COO DINKY-DOW) FADE IN EXT. TRAIL IN JUNGLE - DAY The rain begins to pick up again as AIRBORNE takes off down the trail. He comes upon the deadly incident. He sees SLIM lying face down in the muddy trail next to a large hole. The back of Slims head is gone. Airborne sees the Lieutenant looking down into the hole on the side of the trail. Airborne slowly walks over. Once there, he sees PONCHO in the bottom of the hole, blown apart. AIRBORNE (ANGRY) They didn’t have to die, Sir. If you would have listened to me and stayed off this trail, they would still be alive. The Lieutenant turns around, facing Airborne. LIEUTENANT REED (YELLS) My Fault! This mess is all yours. You disobeyed my orders. You fucked up soldier...and I’ll see you in the stockade... Before another word left the Lieutenant’s mouth, Airborne slings his M-16 towards Reed and puts two rounds into his chest area. A look of shock, terror, and pain are all wrapped together on the Lieutenants face as he falls backwards into the hole. Airborne looks down in the hole and can see Reed dragging himself around at the bottom. Airborne pulls off a grenade from his belt. He pulls out the pin and holds the grenade and handle over the hole. AIRBORNE This is what we call fragging. The bullets were just for general purposes and all. Airborne drops the hand grenade, the handle flies off. He runs to the far side of the trail and dives in the mud. A muffle explosion is heard and dust filters up through the hole. SMASH CUT: INT. BUNKER ON FIRE BASE - DAY AIRBORNE (V.O.) Olga, I don’t think I’ll make it out here. I’m not the same person you knew. This world is changing me. Don’t hate me babe, but I just killed one of our own. I felt it needed to be done, before he killed anymore of our people. And he would of. He didn’t listen to me and because of him, two new guys are dead and one man was injured. I think I’m gone insane out here! Six months earlier. BLACK SCREEN: The sound of a chopper is heard. The screen opens to us looking down into the jungles of Vietnam. The CAMERA pans down at the green vegetation from the inside view of the chopper. As the TITLE and CREDITS run, the Bob Dylan song,"HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED" is playing. The two soldiers sitting in the huey, are clean cut with new green fatigues, backpacks and M-16's. They are looking out over the landscape with frighten faces. They turn to look at each other. Kids just out of high school, now in a different world. A new world. A world of war, with all it's baggage that comes with it. Baggage that will be with them for the rest of their lives. CUT TO: INT. CHOPPER - DAY WALT MULLEN Names Mullen, Walt Mullen, where you from? RANDY JENKINS Seattle Washington, Randy Jenkins. They shake hands. WALT Torrance California...I wonder why I volunteered for this s*t? Walt looks uncomfortable staring out of the huey. RANDY (SOUNDING UNCERTAIN) To kick some VC"s as! The chopper circles a fire-base camp. The huey comes down in the middle of the camp, on the chopper pad. One of the door gunners, taps Walt on his shoulder and points to a soldier, standing at the far west end of the landing pad. SUBTITLE READS: AUGUST 1969: 1230 HRS. - DAY The whining sound from the chopper ceases, as the rotor blades come to a halt. With their rucksacks and M-16's in hands, Walt and Randy make their way over to the soldier. CUT TO: EXT. THE HILL - DAY SERGEANT BAKER Go ahead and put down your weapons and gear. Welcome to the hill. I'm Sergeant Baker, but you can call me, Shakey Legs. They lay down their gear, looking a little confused. The Sergeant chuckles. SHAKEY LEGS You two will soon find out, nobody uses their real names here. We all have our own nicknames, as you two will. Lets get you guys some chow, down at the mess tent. Shakey knows that look on the men's faces. SHAKEY LEGS (CONT’D) I know the first day of joining your Battalion is somewhat intense... RANDY JENKINS Being over here in Nam is intense. SHAKEY LEGS Well, I just want you to know that you are on a very safe Fire Base here. Can't say the same about the bush, unfortunately. After we eat, I'll take you around. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY CAMERA pans the Hill. A mountain top Fire Base, Located 10 miles West of Duc Pho. This Fire Base sits on two hill tops with a short saddle between them. In the saddle is the Artillery Fire Support Base. The mess tent is just opposite of ARTY. Around both hill tops are bunkers and trenches being secured by the Company that is occupying the HILL at that duration, while the rest of the Battalion is out in the bush on patrol or some type of mission. The Helipad is located East on the South hill. There is a dirt road that runs in a figure eight shape, from one hill to the other. CUT TO: EXT. MOUNTAINS OF VIETNAM - DAY The beauty of the bluish-green mountain tops could almost make you forget where you were at. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY The three soldiers leave the Helipad and make their way towards the saddle, heading in the direction of the mess tent. Walt and Randy are sweating profusely. Shakey Legs notices. SHAKEY LEGS You never get use to the heat, but enjoy it, once the monsoon season starts, you'll want it back. WALT Sergeant, why do they call you Shakey Legs? SHAKEY LEGS Simple, my legs shake when I sleep. Two men are approaching them from the opposite direction. You hear them laughing and conversing as they approach. This makes Walt and Randy feel a little more relaxed. SOLDIER ON THE LEFT Hey Shakey, you take care of these FNG's. SHAKEY LEGS They are in the best of hands, Charlie Company, second platoon. The three continued walking towards the mess tent. WALT What did he mean by FNG? SHAKEY LEGS You're going to learn many terms and acronyms while you are here. You learned your first one. FNG stands for: F**n New Guy. Walt and Randy laugh. SMASH CUT. EXT. BUNKER ON THE HILL - DAY Walt and Randy are sitting on the rocks next to a bunker, on the outer rim of the North hill top. A sound of a jeep is heard. It comes into view around the dirt road and stops at their bunker. Shakey Legs gets out. The jeep continues on around the figure eight road. SHAKEY LEGS You guys get some rest in the bunker? I know it's not the most comfortable place to sleep, but after a couple of months in the bush...these bunkers are like hotel rooms. RANDY We laid on the bunks, but neither of us slept any. WALT Too much anxiety and fear I guess. To the right of the bunker is a foxhole with sandbag protection. This foxhole has an elevated roof of sheet metal, reinforced with sandbags also. SHAKEY (POINTING TO FOXHOLE) This is your fighting hole. If the VC try to over run this Base...this is where we fight from. Our own ARTY will bomb the hill side. Hasn't happen since I've been here. I think they know to stay away from this Hill...too much fire power here. Well our Company is due back on the Hill in two weeks. I just got back from R&R a couple of days ago. RANDY What's R&R? SHAKEY Another acronym for you two. Stands for rest and recreation. Like your leaves back in the States. I was sure hoping the Commander would keep us on the hill since our Company is due back next, but I just got the word, that we are going out tomorrow with the C-rations and ammo supplies around ten hundred hours. Shakey looks at Walt's cap, with the jump wings pinned in front. SHAKEY LEGS Now for the important things. Walt I see jump wings on your cap. You went to jump school? WALT Fort Benning Georgia. SHAKEY Why did they send a paratrooper to a leg unit? WALT When I was waiting for my orders in Cam Ron, they had two foot soldiers going off to an Airborne Unit. Never jumped out of a plane, never went to Jump School. I guess the old saying is true. There's the right way, the wrong way and then there is the Army way. SHAKEY Walt, your new name now is Airborne. WALT Okay, I like that. Shakey looks hard at Randy. SHAKEY We have a Sergeant in charge of the 3rd squad, who looks like Captain Kangaroo. We call him Cap. for short. Your smaller in size, but your faces are similar. Randy, you are now known as Cap. Jr. RANDY Cap. Jr. Can't wait to meet the original Cap. SHAKEY This is our bunker tonight. We'll get our ammo and c-rations tomorrow before we leave. It's your first time out, I would pack light...not on the ammo though. We're lucky. We are in a good platoon. Our Lieutenant is a good soldier and a good man. He listens to the old timers. He won't bark out orders to endanger his men. We call him LT. Bravo Company is securing the Hill this week. We'll pull guard duty in three hour shifts. The first man usually ends up pulling two shifts, so I'll start first. Airborne I'll get you up for second shift...you wake Cap. Jr. for third, and Cap. Jr. you wake me up for the last. AIRBORNE If we hear or see something, do we just start shooting, or should we wake you up? SHAKEY (GRINS) If you start shooting, I'll be up. Let me tell you guys what we have out there. A little ways down the hill are trip flares. They cover the whole perimeter of both hills. Also covering the perimeter are claymores mines. Some are rigged up as booby-traps...others are command detonated with the clackers. Charlie is going to have a hard time coming up this Hill. Come on in the bunker, I'll show you where we keep the clackers for the claymores. The three head down into the bunker. SMASH CUT: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM - THICK BRUSH - TRIPLE CANOPY - DAY SCREEN opens to us looking across the jungles of Vietnam. The song "LAST TIME" by the Rolling Stones is playing. In the sky from a far distance are three black spots, moving in the CAMERA'S direction. Soon the humming of rotor blades are heard. It becomes louder as the three choppers are noticeable from view. As the first two Hueys pass by the screen, you can see crates of ammo and C-rations inside the choppers. The third Huey passes by, carrying Airborne, Cap. Jr. and Shakey Legs. They sit on the floor, with their legs hanging out of the chopper. The CAMERA stays behind the three Huey's as they fly between mountains and through the valleys. Then, far up ahead, in a flat field is green smoke raising out of the grass at the far end of the field. There are soldiers in the tree line on both sides of the smoke grenade. CAMERA'S view is now at the tree line, looking out at the three Hueys coming in for landing. Canned Heat's song, "GOING UP THE COUNTRY" is now playing during this scene. The choppers land. Some of the soldiers come running out to off load the crates from the hueys. AIRBORNE (V.O.) Well Olga, I am out in the bush. Just jumped off the chopper. We look out of place, with our clean fatigues and camouflage helmets. Most soldiers are without helmets and shirts. Some wear bush hats. All looked tired and dirty. You can't tell between the enlisted men and the officers...but I guess that's the way it needs to be out here. The three (Shakey Legs, Airborne, Cap. Jr.) pass by four men sitting in a circle playing cards. Airborne and Cap.Jr. look shock. SHAKEY We have squads on both our flanks. The whole Company is out here. Those men have been in country over six mouths, they know what to do. They come to a man shaving out of his helmet. His face is covered with freckles. SHAKEY (CONT’D) Freckles, have you seen LT? FRECKLES (CONTINUES SHAVING) He's talking to the Kid and Castleman further up ahead. SHAKEY Freckle, meet Airborne, and Cap. Jr. Without turning around, Freckles continues to shave. FRECKLES Welcome to your new nightmare FNG's. Enjoy the boiling heat...the razor sharp elephant grass...the exhaustion...the monsoon rains...the blood sucking leeches...the bamboo vipers...booby traps...and lets not forget Charlie...don't forget him, cause he won't forget you. CAP.JR. Sounds like we’ve been missing all the fun. Freckles drops his razor in his helmet and turns around to face the two new soldiers. He stares at them both. FRECKLES (LOOKING PISSED) Fn FNG's! The three continue down the trail. CAP.JR. I didn't mean to upset him. SHAKEY He knows that. He's the first platoon’s point man: his slack man, which is the man behind him...was killed last time out. Freckles blames himself. He'll be okay. CAP.JR. I should go back and apologize to him. I had no idea. SHAKEY And he knows that. Hell in a couple of months you two will be coming down on the FNG's. Now our point man and slack man for second platoon are both from California and are anxious to meet another Californian. CUT TO: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM: THICK BRUSH: TRIPLE CANOPY - DAY A soldier comes up to them and shakes their hands. He introduces himself as the platoon’s Medic. He looks very young, more so than the others. He is short with thick glasses. DOC Call me doc. I'm the one you come to when you run out of your malaria pills. Don't forget. They keep walking till they come up to three men sitting on a log, huddling over a map. The tallest man stands up and approaches the three with a big smile across his face. CASTLEMAN (EXCITED) Okay, which one of you FNG's are from sunny California, man? AIRBORNE That would be me. Castleman runs up to Airborne, giving him a big hug. CASTLEMAN (BIG SMILE) Home town? AIRBORNE Torrance. CASTLEMAN (LOUD) Holy st...we're neighbors...Redondo Beach. One of the two men on the log gives Castleman a sign by lowering his hand to keep it down. CASTLEMAN (MUCH LOWER) (CONT’D) Do you surf? AIRBORNE Did...but I think those days are gone. Hermosa Beach was my favorite spot. CASTLEMAN The babes. Hermosa had the best looking babes. Hey, didn't mean to be rude. My name is Castleman. It was the name of the car club I was in. Castleman shakes the hands of both men. CASTLEMAN (CONT’D) I'm sure ole Shakey Legs has tagged a name on you two already. SHAKEY In deed I have Walt here went to jump school, so you can call him Airborne Now take a closer look at Randy here. CASTLEMAN I'll be damned! The Captain is going to trip on this when he gets back. SHAKEY Where did he go? CASTLEMAN R & R. Last week. He'll be back when we’re on the hill. SHAKEY I forgot all about that. Castleman laughs. SHAKEY (CONT’D) You'll get to see him when we get back up on the hill. They all walk over to the two sitting on the log. The skinny man, without a shirt on, and bright red hair looks at them. His name is LT. LT. Welcome to my platoon soldiers. It's a pleasure to meet you two. LT reaches out to shake the hands of both men. LT. (CONT’D) We don't salute out here, might get me killed And please no sir st. Call me LT. The other man, who looks more like a Clark Gable type, stands up and speaks softy. CALIFORNIA KID Welcome to our world. We will do everything in our power to get you two back home safety. Second Platoon is the best. The Kid also shakes their hands. The Kid sits back down on the log. CALIFORNIA KID (CONT’D) Have your Nam names yet? CAP.JR. Cap. Jr. of course. CALIFORNIA KID Fn-A. That is a little scary. Cap. is going to flip over this. AIRBORNE Airborne, from Torrance California. THE KID Hometown buddy. San Diego, Airborne. Airborne? In a leg unit. What's happening back in the real World? AIRBORNE They’re building these things called Malls. CASTLEMAN What the hell is a Mall? AIRBORNE Not exactly sure. They’re talking about connecting all the stores together at one place. THE KID In a few months, Castleman, we'll find out what those Malls are. Your talking to two short timers. CASTLEMAN Two digit midgets. I have 65 days left. The Kid has 57. CAP.JR. Must feel great. AIRBORNE Since I’ll be here for awhile, send me a picture of one of those Malls. CASTLEMAN You got it, Airborne. A muscular black man, with a radio strapped to his back, heads towards the group. SNAKE Higher & Higher says there’s movement 20 kliks north of here...we have a way to go, to meet up with the third platoon by tomorrow. Better get humping. LT Okay. Let first platoon know we'll be walking point. LT looks over to Airborne and Cap. Jr. LT (CONT’D) We're doing things a little different than we normally do. Usually when we go out in the bush, we stay together as a whole Company. But our new Battalion Commander wanted use to try something different. He wanted the three platoons in different areas. We just meant up with first platoon last night. When we meet up with third platoon tomorrow, we'll stay together as a Company till we get back up on the Hill. Eventually he wants us going out in squads. Don't know if I agree with that st. SMASH CUT: EXT. TRAIL - DAY The two platoons are moving down a trail. Second platoon in the lead. The California Kid walks point with Castleman in the slack man position. (second) AIRBORNE (V.O. WHILE WALKING) Well Olga, I'm in the second platoon of Charlie Compamy. Humping down my first trail. They have Me and Cap. Jr. in the middle. A good place for FNG's... A loud explosion is heard coming from up the trail. A lot of screaming. Doc passes everyone with his medical bag in hand. Shakey Legs comes back to see Airborne and Cap.Jr. AIRBORNE(WIDE EYED) (CONT’D) What was that? Is anyone hurt? SHAKEY (LOOKING SICK) The Kid just tripped a booby-trap. The Castleman and the Kid got hit bad. Keep your eyes open to your flank. Shoot anything you hear. I'll be back. Shakey Legs and LT are carrying Castleman to the back. Airborne and Cap. Jr. see a grayness in Castleman's face. Blood is streaming out of his neck, between the medical patch and LT's hand, which is applying direct pressure to the wound. Freckles is running to the front, while Snake runs back and stops near Airborne and Cap. Jr. SNAKE We need a medi-vac, Have two wia's. Snake starts moving towards the back, still talking on the box. A small black man just ahead of Airborne, looks towards Airborne. MAC You never get used to this st. AIRBORNE (POINTING TO CAP. JR.) It's our first time out. I don't mind telling you I'm scared shitless right now. MAC We all are. I hope they make it. They only had a month or more left out here. It just wouldn't be right if they didn't make it. Freckles is walking back, when he stops in front of Cap. Jr. FRECKLES (LOOKING AT CAP JR.) Your not missing all the fun now, are you? Cap. Jr. tries to get out a word, but Freckles moves on. CAP.JR. (LOOKING AT AIRBORNE) Damn, I wish I would of never said that. AIRBORNE It's not your fault. This is war. This is hell. Freckles was right about one thing...this is a nightmare. All the soldiers watch as Shakey and LT carry Castleman back up front. It’s obvious the body of the Castleman is very heavy now. The medical patch around Castleman's neck is completely red, and no longer are they applying direct pressure. Smoke is coming out from around the patch. The Castleman is pale gray. They all know he is dead. MAC Mother Fn Gooks! Mother Fuckers! Chicken st gooks. They set their booby-traps and leave. You don't even get a chance to fight back. Tears run down Mac’s face. MAC Get back here you chicken st mother fuckers. Snake is heading back towards the front, still on the radio. Mac is kneeling at the edge of the trail and tells Snake to stop. MAC What’s happening Snake? Airborne moves closer to Mac. SNAKE Castleman didn't make it. The shrapnel hit his jugular. AIRBORNE How's The Kid? SNAKE The Kid died instantly. Blew the back of his head off. I gotta get up front and call in our coordinates. There are tears in Snake’s eyes, as he continues moving to the front. Mac turns around and stares out into the bush. Airborne moves over to Cap.Jr. CAP.JR. (STUNNED) What he say? AIRBORNE Both are dead. We were just talking about California a few minutes ago and now they're dead. CAP.JR. I want to get back up on the Hill. This sucks. I don't know if I can handle this Airborne. AIRBORNE If we’re going to get out of here alive, we have to handle this. CAP.JR.(PANICKING) No...they were experience soldiers, and they died. What fn’ chance do we have? A sound of rapid fire from Mac's M-16 goes off. Airborne and Cap. Jr. hit the ground fast, looking out into the jungle. Mac's M-16 is on rock and roll. The bullets can be heard hitting the trees throughout the jungle. MAC (SCREAMING) Come on you fs! We're coming to get ya! LT comes running back from the front to Mac. He grabs Mac. LT Don't waste your ammo! Wait till the real thing. Then I promise...you can mow the b***s down...and I'll be right there to help. They killed two great men. People will pay. Mac stops shooting. He drops his weapon and breaks down. The LT hugs him till Mac gains back his composure. LT (TALKING TO ALL) (CONT’D) Everyone stay put. We're waiting for the Medi-vac. Don't waste your ammo, unless you’re sure you see something...so keep your eyes open to your flanks. The man on the other side of Cap. Jr. comes walking up. He's a big man. Six foot five and about 290 lbs. He's carrying an M-60 machine gun. He looks like Poncho Villa with all the ammo wrapped around his waist and over his shoulders in a bandoleer pattern. He carries the machine gun on his shoulder. He removes the M-60 and crouches down between Airborne and Cap. Jr. They move closer to him. BIG FOOT DODDS Sorry you two had to experience this on your first day out. Dodds looks over to Mac. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) You okay Mac? Mac shakes his head yes. AIRBORNE I'm Airborne, this is Cap. Jr. He nods his head to both. BIG FOOT DODDS Call me Big Foot. Our last time out, Kansas was killed by a booby-trap also. He was Freckle’s slackman man from the 1st platoon. Bad st out here. I know you may have fear in you right now, that's normal. No matter how much training we had back in the States, the fear will get you...but don't let the fear kill you. You keep pushing on. And if you ever come face to face with the enemy...remember if fear gets in your way, you will die. Because if you don't kill them, they’ll kill you. Something more to remember...everything you learned in the States, forget it now. It will get ya killed. It's a whole different battle out here. AIRBORNE Man, thanks for the advice. CAP.JR. Yeah, much appreciated. BIG FOOT DODDS See you guys around, gotta get back to my position and find my, st head loader, Puppet. Big Foot picks up the M-60 and throws it over his shoulder as if it were a M-16. Heads back down the trail. The sound of the Medi-vac chopper is heard. They can see it landing just over the ridge. It seems just as fast as it landed, it was up and on its way. LT and Snake are together. LT is on the radio communicating to the other platoons. Shakey Legs passes by them and stops at Mac's position. He talks to Mac, Airborne can not hear what is being said, till Mac begins to yell out. MAC (TALKING LOUD) Are you fn crazy? Three months and counting...and you want me up there! Fk no! Get someone who has more time left! Shakey Legs takes off, hesitates when he gets to Airborne, but then starts to leave. AIRBORNE Shakey, what are you looking for? SHAKEY A slackman. LT wants me walking point. I've done it a few times, but I need a second man. AIRBORNE I'll do it. SHAKEY I appreciate that, but this is your first day and you just saw two men die. AIRBORNE Look, if it's because I have no experience, then I understand. But if that’s not the reason, then I want to learn. We lost two men of California. I feel I owe it to them...Charlie is gonna to have to deal with another Californian man. SHAKEY Okay, let me okay it with LT. LT and Snake come up to Shakey. LT still on the radio. LT Shakey, Freckles said he would walk point if you want to take position of slack man. Shakey looks at Airborne. SHAKEY Tell Freckles thanks, but Airborne and I will take the lead. LT (LOOKING AT AIRBORNE) You just saw what happened. You don’t have to do this...it's your first day out. AIRBORNE I do have to do this...for the Kid and Castleman. LT I know they were from your state, and they were two great soldiers, but... SHAKEY I think our minds are made up, LT. LT Okay, I'll let this go by. Airborne, listen to Shakey. AIRBORNE You won’t need to worry about that. SHAKEY Tell Freckles, I’ll need his machete. LT gets back on the radio to tell the first platoon to have Freckles come up with his machete. LT and Snake move up ahead. CAP.JR. You really going to do this? AIRBORNE Crazy huh? But it feels like the right thing to do. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) We came in country together. Your like a brother to me. I would lose it if something happened to you. AIRBORNE Nothing will happen...I’m praying. But like Dodds said: to survive, you gotta push on. SHAKEY Airborne, we're going to cut through the jungle for a little, possibility of more booby-traps on the trail ahead. This news did help relieve some tension that has been stirring around in Airborne's stomach. Freckles comes up with the machete. Hands it to Shakey. FRECKLES (TO AIRBORNE) You have a lot of balls or you’re just f**n crazy...maybe both. I respect you for what you’re trying to do, but Shakey and I should do this...you have no experience out here. SHAKEY Freckles, this is where his experience starts. FRECKLES Then the best of luck to you both and may God be on your side. Freckles looks at Cap. Jr. FRECKLES (CONT’D) Just like to apologize about my rude comments. I lost a good friend, and you guys didn't know about that. I welcome you two, to Charlie Company. I'm Freckles, first platoon's point man. Cap. Jr. and Freckles shake hands. Airborne sees that and smiles. CAP.JR. Thank you...I wanted to apologize to you also. I was scared and didn't say the right thing. Freckles stares hard at Cap. Jr. Cap. Jr. knows why. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) They call me Cap. Jr. Freckles smiles. FRECKLES Cap is going to freak out. Freckles looks at Airborne. FRECKLES (CONT’D) Don't believe I had the pleasure... AIRBORNE Airborne. FRECKLES I guess I was right...you do have big balls and you are crazy. Take care up there. Freckle heads back to his platoon. CAP.JR. Shakey, you’re right. Freckles is a-okay. SHAKEY I'm always right. Shakey smiles. FADE OUT. THREE MONTHS LATER: 1100 hrs. EXT. THE JUNGLES IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIRE FIGHT - DAY Noise and confusion is all around. The constant gun fire and explosions from grenades are heard, along with men screaming. Airborne is without shirt and wearing a bush hat and Cap. Jr. wears a head band, they are lying flat behind a bed of rocks. There are men on both sides of them. More men run up, but hit the dirt fast when the hacking sounds from the AK's go off. One man is hit in the throat. The blood jets out in a long stream. Another is hit in his shoulder. Airborne screams for the Medic. Without looking up, Cap.Jr lifts his weapon over his head and begins firing again. Doc, in a hunched over position, stops at the man who was hit in the throat. It is too late for him, he is already dead. Doc scoots over to the man who is hit in the shoulder and begins applying a dressing. Shakey Legs, low crawls up to Airborne and Cap. Jr. SHAKEY (SHOUTING) (CONT’D) LT and Snake are calling in for artillery help from our hill. After that the first platoon will move pass us on our left flank. They're going to attack them from the side. This is dangerous...their bullets could stray our way. AIRBORNE I hate these fn’ fire fights. Airborne and Cap. Jr. now looking like real soldiers. Clothing and gear, ripped and torn. Their bodies dirty and dusty. Airborne is now the second platoon's point man and Cap. Jr. took the spot of the slack man. Even with all the noise, you can still hear the overhead artillery whistling by. SHAKEY (YELLS) Take cover! It is a continuous blast of exploding shells, bounding the ground out in front of them. Flying shrapnel is heard hitting the ground with loud thuds. A soldier screams just right of Cap.Jr. SHAKEY (CONT’D) Arty is coming in too close...gotta tell LT. Shakey crawls back. Doc runs to help the screaming soldier, who is hit in the collar bone by the flying shrapnel. Someone is singing the Mighty Mouse song. He taps Cap. Jr. on his shoulder, who is still firing out in front. AIRBORNE You hear the Mighty Mouse song? CAP.JR. Airborne, you gotta slow down on the joints dipped in Opium, man. With all the explosions and gun fire going off, comes Big Foot, wearing a black cowboy hat, with his M-60 machine gun, down next to his side, and Puppet, his loader, carrying four cases of ammo. Big Foot is singing the Mighty Mouse song as he heads towards Airborne and Cap. Jr. Puppet is right behind. Puppet is a skinny man and pounces around, which makes him look like someone is pulling him with strings. BIG FOOT DODDS Are these your st head friends out there? Big Foot sets the M-60 on the rocks as Puppet loads the ammo to the existing rounds. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Rock and Roll mother fuckers! Light up! Big Foot lets loose. The M-60 sounds like a Company of soldiers in itself. Airborne and Cap.Jr. return fire also, with all the rest of the soldiers up front. It is a "MAD MINUTE." Artillery continues coming down, but now they are right on target now. AIRBORNE Lovely parrrty. Big Foot bellows out with laughter, which makes Puppet, Cap.Jr. and Airborne all laugh in the middle of this fire fight. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL (AT BUNKER SITE) - DAY The Beatle song, "LET IT BE," plays as Airborne sits on top of the bunker, takes a hit off a joint cured in Opium. He looks around, but not for VC's this time, it's Higher & Higher he's watching for. He passes the joint to Cap.Jr. who is sitting on the rock beside the bunker. Shakey Legs, Snake, and Doc are all down in the trench. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Someone coming around the bend. Cap.Jr. hurries and hands the joint over to Shakey. He takes a hit before handing it over to Doc. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) It's Big Foot and Puppet. Doc slowly inhales his hit, holding it in, with a big closed lip smile across his face, before letting it out. DOC Nothing but a thing. Doc hands the joint to Snake. SNAKE What the hell does that mean? AIRBORNE Nothing but a thing. SNAKE I got to catch up with your heads, you guys are out there. Snake takes a big hit into his lungs, coughs a little out, but holds the rest in. Then they all start laughing at the sight in front of them, coming their way. Puppet is only few steps ahead of Big Foot, bouncing around as normal. Big Foot holds his arm up over Puppet’s head, moving his hands back and forth as if he was the Puppet Master, controlling Puppet on strings. Puppet finally sees what Big Foot is doing, he moves ahead of Dodds. Airborne likes how they get along, and when the time is needed, they are there, like that last fire fight, they worked as one. An amazing sight to see. PUPPET (YELLS) I think I have some problems! BIG FOOT DODDS Oh, the st head has some problems...but he needs a second and third opinion. I gave him mine. Even though Dodds gives Puppet a hard time, he wouldn't change loaders for anyone. They work good when the pressure is on. AIRBORNE Lets give our Sergeant first crack, Shakey, you do have more seniority. SHAKEY I'll do my best under these circumstances, Puppet. PUPPET What circum....oh I smell your circumstances. Dodds leans up against the bunker and gives Airborne the "Vietnam Dap." SHAKEY What seems to be the problem? Puppet pulls out a letter. PUPPET Just read it, and tell me your spin on it. Shakey opens the letter. It reads: Dear Stephen: I miss you more everyday. Are you safe? I pray for you to be safe. I started night school to improve my typing and secretarial skills. I meant a man named Dave. I told him about you. He says I should be proud to have a boyfriend who is fighting against those Commie-Pinkos. I hope I get a letter from you soon. Tell me what you are doing now? Are you still Dodds loader? Write me. Love you baby. Will love you more than ever, when you get home. I'm horny for you! Dave says hi. Love Dee Dee. Shakey passes it down the trench. SHAKEY Just a friend helping her get through these hard times. Nothing to worry about. PUPPET How can she say she's horny, then says Dave says hi. DOC (HOLDING THE LETTER) It sounds bad because of the way the letter is drafted. Doc takes off his glasses, trying to look intelligent, but he is st faced. Gives Snake the Letter. DOC (CONT’D) She shouldn't have placed horny right next to Dave's name. That's all. Doc turns his head and looks at Snake. SNAKE Nothing but a thing! PUPPET Huh? Snake hands Puppet back his letter. AIRBORNE Puppet...she is honest. She didn't have to tell you about him, but she did...cause it's innocent. CAP.JR. What did you think, Dodds? BIG FOOT DODDS I think it sucks. She's a st head, doesn't need to be around men if she’s horny. Trouble is what I think. Big Foot pauses. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Anyway, just found out that we’re going to be going out in platoon groups again for the last time. Our next missions will be squad size. Not looking forward to that. I also heard Cap. isn't going out. They’re keeping him back. Cap. Jr. You may want to say good-bye...he'll be heading back to the real World, while we are pounding the bush. He's in the juicer's bunker. CAP.JR. Yeah, I think I can make it two bunkers down. Let me go see ole Cap. Snake hands him the roach. Cap.Jr suck in so hard, it shoots down his throat. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) Whoo! A cold beer will cool that down. Cap. Jr heads his way toward the juicers bunker. When he gets just outside he hears T-Bone Walker's guitar on the tape deck, playing IT'S A MEAN OLD WORLD. He walks down into the bunker that is twice the size of theirs. Cap. immediately staggers over to his little buddy. Bottle of Jim Beam in hand. A drunken Captain Kangaroo, funny sight Cap.Jr thinks CAP. Brothers...it's my little brother, Cap.Jr. All the men in the bunker are black except for Cap. and now Cap. Jr. MEN IN BUNKER (LAUGHING AND YELLING) Hey! It's Cap. Jr. CAP.(HANDING THE BOTTLE TO JR.) I know your with the "BETTER HEADS" group, but you know I'm leaving and won't be going back out in the bush. Have a drink with me. CAP.JR. I would be honored. All the blacks scream and applaud. Mac pops up behind Cap. Me and Caaap. came in to...gether...and we be lea...ving together. Mac starts to spin and collapses at Cap's feet. Another loud applause and screams of laughter is heard. The Stones, HONKY TONK WOMAN, plays next. Cap. Jr. takes the bottle and takes a swig. CAP.JR. We will miss you Cap. MAC (YELLS FROM THE FLOOR) And me? CAP.JR. We will miss you both. More clapping and whistling comes from the other blacks. Cap gives Cap.Jr. a big hug. A black man jumps down off the bunk, walking up to Cap.Jr. He has a more serious look about him. T-BONE You tell your radio man, is it Snake, to come down here and drink with the blacks. See he's been smoking too much of that wacky weed and he don't know he's black. MAC (LAYING ON THE FLOOR) He's black...your black...I'm black. CAP. Back off T-Bone. Bartender, cut this man off! Who's the bartender? More laughter is heard inside the bunker. CAP. (SPEAKING SOFTY TO T-BONE) (CONT’D) You been here about a mouth, trying to bring prejudice feelings amongst us. We work as a team here. That's how we survive. You might want to remember that when I'm gone and when you're out in the bush. Plus it wouldn't seem right for a black man to be thrown out of this bunker by his own kind...don't you think. T-Bone smiles, and walks out on his own. CAP.(YELLS) (CONT’D) Our you can walk out on your own. MAC I...throw that...blaack baastard out Caaap, when I caan git up. Laughter is heard throughout the bunker and outside. HONKY TONK WOMAN plays on. SMASH CUT: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM - DAY Second platoon is at the base of a mountain, they just came off of. AIRBORNE Pass the word back, to have everyone check for leeches. Cap. Jr. watches the front, while Airborne strips. He's clean except near his boot, he feels a leech, the size of a golf ball. Airborne removes his boot, removes his sock. He wrings out his sock which is full of blood. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Look at this monster leech. Why won't it just fall off. It's got to have enough blood. CAP. JR. backs up, still looking ahead, he bends his head down to take a look. CAP.JR. Fn-A. That's the biggest one I’ve seen yet. Cap. Jr. reaches into his fatigue pocket and pulls out insect repellent . Airborne gets his also. They both soak the leech, emptying their bottles, but the leech still hangs on. AIRBORNE You got your Zippo lighter? CAP.JR. Always. Cap. Jr. reaches into his top shirt pocket. Cap. Jr. runs the flame all around the leech, it finally drops off. AIRBORNE Fk, that leech is an addict...that's why he wasn't coming off. Airborne starts to get dress. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) You better check yourself next. Airborne takes watch, while Cap.Jr. checks himself. He is clean. Back in the ranks someone is screaming for Doc. CAP.JR. I wonder what that's all about? Airborne, look at this. Cap. Jr. is pointing to a rock, just across the trail. The two leeches on the rock are standing up on one end, sniffing and are making their way over to the other side of the trail, where Cap. Jr. is standing. AIRBORNE Those blood sucking fuckers! Airborne steps on them with his boots. They hear movement coming from the back. It's LT. with a smile. LT Have you both checked yourselves out? AIRBORNE Had one the size of a golf ball in my boot. CAP.JR. Who the hell is screaming back there? LT (STILL SMILING) Puppet has a leech on his prick, half of it, is up in his pee hole. AIRBORNE Holy st! Cap.Jr. makes a movement as if it is on him. LT (CHUCKLING) Doc's getting it out with fire...repellent is moving it in the wrong direction. CAP. JR. (LOOKING SICK) Stop it! AIRBORNE We had to use fire to get mine off, but I'm not complaining now. LT There should be a small hill, east of us...about 10 kliks, according to the map. That is where we will pick up our supplies. First and third platoon will meet us there also. Weather is changing. Monsoons will be here soon. SMASH CUT: EXT. WALKING ON TRAIL - DAY Airborne is glad it is now daylight. They came down the hill during the early morning while it was still dark. There was a lot of slipping and sliding. He used the machete to create a pathway. Cutting a trail is tedious and slow but Airborne didn't mind that. He feels safer making his own path, rather than walking on a pre-made trail where the VC's are known for making boo-coo booby-traps. But now he's back on the trail. Airborne can smell a decaying body close-by. Cap. Jr. is right up close on Airborne, looking for booby-traps. He gets a good whiff also. AIRBORNE Pass it back...there is something dead up ahead. Cap. Jr. passes the word back to a soldier. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Let's move slow. Second platoon moves ahead slowly. The smell is now overwhelming. Airborne spots a dead body just to the right of the trail. It is a dead VC. He is bloated. Skin very tight. Flies are everywhere, and maggots are crawling out of his mouth. They all keep walking pass, not touching the dead man. One of Charlie's tricks is to have a dead body booby-trapped. Airborne is thinking about The Kid and The Castleman, when he comes around a bend, just to be facing three VC's coming from the opposite direction. The three Vietcong stop. Airborne stops. The quick action and responsibility gives Airborne no time to be afraid. Respond immediately or die is filling Airborne's head. He let's loose with his M-16, putting two, to the ground. The other tries to take off, when Cap. Jr. shoots him full of holes in his back. Shakey sees what is happening. SHAKEY (TO THE REST OF THE PLATOON) Take cover! VC up ahead. Everyone gets off the trail, including Airborne and Cap.Jr. LT and his radio man, Snake, are coming up along the edge of the trail. LT (TO AIRBORNE) You need Dodds M-60 up here? AIRBORNE Not sure...They weren't expecting us. I think they were on their own. LT They are like ants...where there is one, there is more. Hold your position. I'm getting Dodds and Puppet up here. LT heads back, Shakey, cuts across to the other side of the trail, giving Airborne and Cap.Jr. a thumbs up. It finally hits home for Airborne and Cap.Jr. Even in a fire fight, your never sure if you hit someone, or if it was from someone else's weapon. But this is certain. Cap.Jr. looks at Airborne, who stares at the bodies he just killed. CAP.JR. It would be us laying on this trail, if you hesitated. He pats Airborne on his back. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) You kept us from dying today, my friend. AIRBORNE Just doing my job, right. I mean that's what we were trained for...to kill...we were trained to be killers. Right? We passed our exam Cap.Jr. Your a killer...I'm a killer...take us to the head of the class...oh fk...we are already at the head of the class...we're f**n point men. Cap. Jr. can see that Airborne is beginning to lose it. CAP.JR. None of us wants to die. We all want to get back to the Real World. Damn think about The Castleman and... Airborne breaks in. AIRBORNE I think of them everyday I'm out here. Don't need you to tell me what to think about. CAP.JR. I'm sorry Airborne. I just killed someone to... but it's them or us. I didn't want to die today...so I'm thanking you for keeping us alive. AIRBORNE You know when I saw them, my first emotion was anger. I'm thinking those son-of-a-b*s are here to kill us, but I didn't feel the same way when I saw them drop. I hate this fn’ war. Dodds and Puppet are moving their way up the trail. When they get up to Airborne and Cap.Jr. they see the three bodies out front. Dodds turns to Puppet. BIG FOOT DODDS Second platoon takes care of their own. That's why we are the best. Big Foot looks over to Airborne and Cap.Jr. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Thank you, guys. We'll set up right here, in the middle of the trail...anymore Charlie's decide to come marching down this way...bye bye gooks. Big Foot sets his M-60 right on the trail. Puppet is next to the gun with his ammo cases. Big Foot lays himself down in the middle of the trail waiting for any kind of movement up ahead. AIRBORNE Hey, Puppet, are your leech problems taken care of? PUPPET You better believe it. Using a boot dressing, to hold a sock in place. AIRBORNE Good thinking there. Puppet connects the rounds from the ammo can to Big Foot's M-60. Dodds lays still. He is ready. AIRBORNE (V.O. WHILE AWAITS IN HIDING) (CONT’D) Well Olga, just ran into 3 VietCong's today. I killed two and Cap.Jr. got the other one. Have mixed emotions right now. Anger was my first...now I just feel shocked. It was like it happened in slow motion. I think my Higher-Power is sticking with me. Just hope He sticks with me through the rest of my tour of hell. Fifteen minutes has passed. LT comes up to Airborne. LT Ready to move on? AIRBORNE Oh yeah...this waiting is killing me. LT Just keep your eyes peeled. Big Foot, Puppet, we are going to move out. Puppet breaks off the clip of ammo. Big Foot places his machine gun on his shoulder. BIG FOOT DODDS (TO AIRBORNE & CAP. JR.) Careful out there. Remember we're just a scream away. AIRBORNE Thanks guys. The "Better Heads Dap" is executed between Dodds and Airborne. Shakey walks across the trail and wishes them good luck. SHAKEY You did good you guys, real good. Airborne opens his ruck sack and pulls out a brown bottle with a picture of a fat lady on the label. CAP.JR. Obesital? We are only humping about seven more miles. Airborne takes a big swig of the liquid speed, and holds the bottle out for Cap. Jr. He takes the bottle from Airborne and swallows the sweet tasting liquid. AIRBORNE Now it's time to move out. Airborne replaces the bottle back, then sits up against his pack, placing his arms through the straps and gets up with his pack on his back. He makes adjustments, keeping the rucksack sitting up high on his back. Grabs his weapon, tells Shakey his moving out. Shakey passes his word down. Airborne is worried that the three VC's may have been coming back from setting up a booby-trap. The speed keeps them alert. FADE OUT. EXT. A SMALL HILL TOP - DAY Second platoon makes it to the base of the hill where re-supplies are to be dropped off. LT passes the word to the front to hold their position. LT and Snake come up to Shakey Legs. LT Shakey, third platoon has already occupied the hill top. Says it would be a cluster fk to have all the platoons up there. They say that they passed an open field just South of us. It might even be better to have the supplies dropped there. The hill top is very small. SHAKEY Where is first platoon now? LT Still about five Kliks away. Airborne walks up to Shakey and LT. Cap. Jr. is watching the front. AIRBORNE Are we moving up the hill to break for lunch? LT We'll eat down here...not enough room... KA-BOOM! A very loud explosion rocks the land. Smoke bellows out from the top of the hill. Horrible screams are heard coming from the hill top. Panic and frantic hits the second platoon hard. LT (PANIC IN VOICE) (CONT’D) That hill top was booby-trap with something big! Snake try to contact third platoon. Snake keeps trying, but only static sounds are coming from the receiver. He gets called by the first platoon. They heard the explosion from where they are located, and can see the smoke up on the hill. Snake tells them third platoon went up there to eat lunch. LT gets on the phone. LT (TO FIRST PLATOONS LT) (CONT’D) Big Al, you need to call in med-a-vac's. I think all of third platoon was hit hard. We hear screaming, so someone is still alive, but from that blast...I just don't know. We are going up to see the situation. Get here quick, we'll need your medic also. Doc comes running up with his bag, looking very much afraid. DOC That wasn't just a grenade...that was a bomb. LT (FRANTIC) I need all of second platoon here now! Airborne gathers the troops. All the soldiers huddle around LT. LT (CONT’D) Shakey Legs, Airborne, Snake, Doc and I are going up. Big Foot and Puppet, set your M-60 right here. Cap. Jr. post yourself on the opposite side of the trail. Rest of you...no more than a couple of yards apart. Make sure the back of the trail is well covered. Eyes wide open guys. Lets roll. Airborne takes the lead, then Shakey, followed by Doc, LT and Snake. As they approach up the hill, the acrid smell of gunpowder from the explosion fills the air, along with burning flesh. The scream is becoming louder. You can hear a soldier crying out for his Mother. Airborne hears movement in the bush, just left of the trail. Airborne points his weapon to shoot, till he sees his first sickening sight. It's a soldier blown in half. Only his upper torso is there in the bushes. He's trying to walk as if he still had his legs. His face and chest are smoking from the shrapnel. His eyes bug out in shock. The rest of the rescue party come up around Airborne. LT (TO AIRBORNE) (CONT’D) Put him out of his misery. He doesn't even know his dead yet. Airborne shoots a few rounds into his blown apart chest. The body stops moving. AIRBORNE I surely don't want to go up there. LT There's still someone screaming up there. We may be able to save a life. They continue up, the dust makes it hard to see. When they reach the top, nothing could have prepared them for what they were going to see. The whole hill top is one big crater. Scatter body parts everywhere. Pieces of bodies beyond recognition Around the outer tree line, sounds are heard falling through the trees, ending in a thud, when hitting the ground. The men look to see what it is, only to find in horror, that it is body parts falling out of the trees, and onto the ground. Doc runs over to a soldier, screaming from across the crater, in the bushes. DOC Airborne, help me! They run across the crater, jumping over legs, arms, torsos and heads. There are no survivors, except maybe the one screaming. As Airborne runs across the crater, he is hoping there are no more bombs left. He is definitely afraid. LT is on the radio with the first platoon, asking how close they are? SHAKEY LT...look at your right boot...then look to the right of your boot, about one yard. Sticking halfway out of the crater, is an 81mm morter, still intact. LT Those f**n Congs, must of covered this whole hill top with these morters. It had to be command detonated. They would not want to waste a trip wire for this much explosives. They know with a trip wire, the first one will trip it, but the rest of the platoon would still be down on the trail, walking up. No, these mother fuckers were watching them. LT looks around, points to a smaller hill to their North. LT (CONT’D) There...I bet you anything and everything...they were watching from that hill. Once they saw the whole platoon up here, they blew them up. Those b****s blew them up! Snake falls to his knees and begins to upchuck. Doc and Airborne are standing in the bushes, the screaming has stopped. DOC (YELLS) Medic here! (V.O.) Over here Doc...heeelp meeee! Airborne and Doc head in the direction of the voice. AIRBORNE He seems to be pretty far in here. DOC That's probably what saved his life. Doc and Airborne comes to a soldier laying on his stomach, face down. He has multiple wounds on his back, and one on the back of his head. Doc see's he is bleeding from his left ear, possible blown ear drum from the concussion, even out here. DOC (CONT’D) Going to give you some morphine to stop your pain...then we are going to patch you up. Airborne grabs the soldiers hand, as Doc shoots him full of morphine. Airborne see's his face. It is T-Bone. He remembers what Cap. Jr. told him about the bunker incident with Cap. But now that didn't mean a thing. The only thing important now, was to get him patched up and med-a-vac'd out. T-Bone looks to Airborne and understands what Cap. meant. There are no colors out in the bush, just soldiers. T-Bone smiles at Airborne. AIRBORNE (SMILING BACK) Your going home my friend...you hang in there. T-BONE (WEAK) I was going to take a dump...next thing I knew...I'm eating dirt. How are the rest doing? DOC (WHILE DRESSING UP THE WOUNDS) You worry about yourself getting better...we'll take care of the rest. T-BONE Loud explosion...can't hear too good still. Snake is still on his knees. LT takes the hand receiver to call in a air strike on the hill, he thinks the VC are. After LT gives the coordinates and tells them they lost all of third platoon, it isn't long before you hear the two jets dropping their 500lb drag bombs, on the hill next to them. They also dropped some Napalm. (a gasoline, jelly mixture). The Med-a-vac is also hovering over their hill top. It is too tight to land, so they drop down the jungle penetrator. DOC Your rides here. Look there is a lot of particles flying around, we don't know what is safe...use this to cover your eyes, we'll guide you to the chopper. T-BONE (FEELING NO PAIN FROM THE MORPHINE) Okay fellows...lets do it. Doc. gives him a gauze dressing, tying it around his eyes. Airborne knows exactly why he did that. To see your platoon blown in pieces is not what he needs to see. Airborne and Doc are on both sides of T-Bone, guiding him to the chopper. They get him hooked up to the jungle penetrator, and he is hoisted up to the chopper. The med-vac takes off. LT gets off the radio. LT They can not use a jungle penetrator on dead bodies...which means we have to carry the body pieces down to that field, South of the hill. We'll wait for first platoon to get here. We'll all have to help. Movement can be heard coming up the trail. LT gets on the radio to first platoon’s Lieutenant, Big Al. LT (CONT’D) Is that you guys coming up the trail, Al? BIG AL (HUFFING & PUFFING) Roger. Freckles should be getting pretty close to you guys. It isn’t long before Freckles comes up to the top, with his new slackman, Tracker. They both begin to slow down, the closer they got to the hill top. Both have sickening looks, as they survey the area. FRECKLES (TO TRACKER) From the blast, as far as we were...I know this is going to be bad. Big Al tells his platoon to hold their position on the trail, and he meets up with LT. BIG AL I see you called in a fire strike on that hill. You think they’re there? LT If they are...their not now. In the background, the song "FRIENDS LOST" by Eric Kaisinger is playing while everyone stands in shock, frozen in place, as the CAMERA spins around on them, and on the devastation from the explosion. Body parts still falling from the tree tops. FADE TO BLACK EXT. BACK ON THE BASE CAMP - DAY Airborne sits on top of his bunker, looking out over the Hill. He just came back from the mess hall, where they gave a Mass for the third platoon. Everyone is walking around in a daze, dumbfounded. Shakey comes walking up. SHAKEY I hear Higher and Higher (Battalion Commander) is going to come by every bodies bunker to talk to us all. Keep the drugs out of sight. AIRBORNE What's he going to say, "do you want to go home?" I do want that. I've seen enough death...I killed enough. SHAKEY I know one thing he's going to talk about. LT says a lot of FNG's are coming to our Battalion. You know they aren't going to put them together to make the third platoon...we are all going to get moved around. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY Airborne, Cap.Jr., Shakey Legs, Doc, and Dodds are standing around the bunker, when a jeep pulls up. A soldier gets out, carrying a package. SOLDIER WITH PACKAGE Airborne, you got a package from home. Airborne walks up to the soldier, takes the package. A Coors case was used. Airborne places it on top of the bunker. Usually there would be yells of happiness and excitement, but the slaughter of third platoon has hindered the mood. BIG FOOT DODDS
MadManMike	[no subject] 17 Years Ago NAM (BOO-COO DINKY-DOW) FADE IN EXT. TRAIL IN JUNGLE - DAY The rain begins to pick up again as AIRBORNE takes off down the trail. He comes upon the deadly incident. He sees SLIM lying face down in the muddy trail next to a large hole. The back of Slims head is gone. Airborne sees the Lieutenant looking down into the hole on the side of the trail. Airborne slowly walks over. Once there, he sees PONCHO in the bottom of the hole, blown apart. AIRBORNE (ANGRY) They didn’t have to die, Sir. If you would have listened to me and stayed off this trail, they would still be alive. The Lieutenant turns around, facing Airborne. LIEUTENANT REED (YELLS) My Fault! This mess is all yours. You disobeyed my orders. You fucked up soldier...and I’ll see you in the stockade... Before another word left the Lieutenant’s mouth, Airborne slings his M-16 towards Reed and puts two rounds into his chest area. A look of shock, terror, and pain are all wrapped together on the Lieutenants face as he falls backwards into the hole. Airborne looks down in the hole and can see Reed dragging himself around at the bottom. Airborne pulls off a grenade from his belt. He pulls out the pin and holds the grenade and handle over the hole. AIRBORNE This is what we call fragging. The bullets were just for general purposes and all. Airborne drops the hand grenade, the handle flies off. He runs to the far side of the trail and dives in the mud. A muffle explosion is heard and dust filters up through the hole. SMASH CUT: INT. BUNKER ON FIRE BASE - DAY AIRBORNE (V.O.) Olga, I don’t think I’ll make it out here. I’m not the same person you knew. This world is changing me. Don’t hate me babe, but I just killed one of our own. I felt it needed to be done, before he killed anymore of our people. And he would of. He didn’t listen to me and because of him, two new guys are dead and one man was injured. I think I’m gone insane out here! Six months earlier. BLACK SCREEN: The sound of a chopper is heard. The screen opens to us looking down into the jungles of Vietnam. The CAMERA pans down at the green vegetation from the inside view of the chopper. As the TITLE and CREDITS run, the Bob Dylan song,"HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED" is playing. The two soldiers sitting in the huey, are clean cut with new green fatigues, backpacks and M-16's. They are looking out over the landscape with frighten faces. They turn to look at each other. Kids just out of high school, now in a different world. A new world. A world of war, with all it's baggage that comes with it. Baggage that will be with them for the rest of their lives. CUT TO: INT. CHOPPER - DAY WALT MULLEN Names Mullen, Walt Mullen, where you from? RANDY JENKINS Seattle Washington, Randy Jenkins. They shake hands. WALT Torrance California...I wonder why I volunteered for this s*t? Walt looks uncomfortable staring out of the huey. RANDY (SOUNDING UNCERTAIN) To kick some VC"s as! The chopper circles a fire-base camp. The huey comes down in the middle of the camp, on the chopper pad. One of the door gunners, taps Walt on his shoulder and points to a soldier, standing at the far west end of the landing pad. SUBTITLE READS: AUGUST 1969: 1230 HRS. - DAY The whining sound from the chopper ceases, as the rotor blades come to a halt. With their rucksacks and M-16's in hands, Walt and Randy make their way over to the soldier. CUT TO: EXT. THE HILL - DAY SERGEANT BAKER Go ahead and put down your weapons and gear. Welcome to the hill. I'm Sergeant Baker, but you can call me, Shakey Legs. They lay down their gear, looking a little confused. The Sergeant chuckles. SHAKEY LEGS You two will soon find out, nobody uses their real names here. We all have our own nicknames, as you two will. Lets get you guys some chow, down at the mess tent. Shakey knows that look on the men's faces. SHAKEY LEGS (CONT’D) I know the first day of joining your Battalion is somewhat intense... RANDY JENKINS Being over here in Nam is intense. SHAKEY LEGS Well, I just want you to know that you are on a very safe Fire Base here. Can't say the same about the bush, unfortunately. After we eat, I'll take you around. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY CAMERA pans the Hill. A mountain top Fire Base, Located 10 miles West of Duc Pho. This Fire Base sits on two hill tops with a short saddle between them. In the saddle is the Artillery Fire Support Base. The mess tent is just opposite of ARTY. Around both hill tops are bunkers and trenches being secured by the Company that is occupying the HILL at that duration, while the rest of the Battalion is out in the bush on patrol or some type of mission. The Helipad is located East on the South hill. There is a dirt road that runs in a figure eight shape, from one hill to the other. CUT TO: EXT. MOUNTAINS OF VIETNAM - DAY The beauty of the bluish-green mountain tops could almost make you forget where you were at. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY The three soldiers leave the Helipad and make their way towards the saddle, heading in the direction of the mess tent. Walt and Randy are sweating profusely. Shakey Legs notices. SHAKEY LEGS You never get use to the heat, but enjoy it, once the monsoon season starts, you'll want it back. WALT Sergeant, why do they call you Shakey Legs? SHAKEY LEGS Simple, my legs shake when I sleep. Two men are approaching them from the opposite direction. You hear them laughing and conversing as they approach. This makes Walt and Randy feel a little more relaxed. SOLDIER ON THE LEFT Hey Shakey, you take care of these FNG's. SHAKEY LEGS They are in the best of hands, Charlie Company, second platoon. The three continued walking towards the mess tent. WALT What did he mean by FNG? SHAKEY LEGS You're going to learn many terms and acronyms while you are here. You learned your first one. FNG stands for: F**n New Guy. Walt and Randy laugh. SMASH CUT. EXT. BUNKER ON THE HILL - DAY Walt and Randy are sitting on the rocks next to a bunker, on the outer rim of the North hill top. A sound of a jeep is heard. It comes into view around the dirt road and stops at their bunker. Shakey Legs gets out. The jeep continues on around the figure eight road. SHAKEY LEGS You guys get some rest in the bunker? I know it's not the most comfortable place to sleep, but after a couple of months in the bush...these bunkers are like hotel rooms. RANDY We laid on the bunks, but neither of us slept any. WALT Too much anxiety and fear I guess. To the right of the bunker is a foxhole with sandbag protection. This foxhole has an elevated roof of sheet metal, reinforced with sandbags also. SHAKEY (POINTING TO FOXHOLE) This is your fighting hole. If the VC try to over run this Base...this is where we fight from. Our own ARTY will bomb the hill side. Hasn't happen since I've been here. I think they know to stay away from this Hill...too much fire power here. Well our Company is due back on the Hill in two weeks. I just got back from R&R a couple of days ago. RANDY What's R&R? SHAKEY Another acronym for you two. Stands for rest and recreation. Like your leaves back in the States. I was sure hoping the Commander would keep us on the hill since our Company is due back next, but I just got the word, that we are going out tomorrow with the C-rations and ammo supplies around ten hundred hours. Shakey looks at Walt's cap, with the jump wings pinned in front. SHAKEY LEGS Now for the important things. Walt I see jump wings on your cap. You went to jump school? WALT Fort Benning Georgia. SHAKEY Why did they send a paratrooper to a leg unit? WALT When I was waiting for my orders in Cam Ron, they had two foot soldiers going off to an Airborne Unit. Never jumped out of a plane, never went to Jump School. I guess the old saying is true. There's the right way, the wrong way and then there is the Army way. SHAKEY Walt, your new name now is Airborne. WALT Okay, I like that. Shakey looks hard at Randy. SHAKEY We have a Sergeant in charge of the 3rd squad, who looks like Captain Kangaroo. We call him Cap. for short. Your smaller in size, but your faces are similar. Randy, you are now known as Cap. Jr. RANDY Cap. Jr. Can't wait to meet the original Cap. SHAKEY This is our bunker tonight. We'll get our ammo and c-rations tomorrow before we leave. It's your first time out, I would pack light...not on the ammo though. We're lucky. We are in a good platoon. Our Lieutenant is a good soldier and a good man. He listens to the old timers. He won't bark out orders to endanger his men. We call him LT. Bravo Company is securing the Hill this week. We'll pull guard duty in three hour shifts. The first man usually ends up pulling two shifts, so I'll start first. Airborne I'll get you up for second shift...you wake Cap. Jr. for third, and Cap. Jr. you wake me up for the last. AIRBORNE If we hear or see something, do we just start shooting, or should we wake you up? SHAKEY (GRINS) If you start shooting, I'll be up. Let me tell you guys what we have out there. A little ways down the hill are trip flares. They cover the whole perimeter of both hills. Also covering the perimeter are claymores mines. Some are rigged up as booby-traps...others are command detonated with the clackers. Charlie is going to have a hard time coming up this Hill. Come on in the bunker, I'll show you where we keep the clackers for the claymores. The three head down into the bunker. SMASH CUT: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM - THICK BRUSH - TRIPLE CANOPY - DAY SCREEN opens to us looking across the jungles of Vietnam. The song "LAST TIME" by the Rolling Stones is playing. In the sky from a far distance are three black spots, moving in the CAMERA'S direction. Soon the humming of rotor blades are heard. It becomes louder as the three choppers are noticeable from view. As the first two Hueys pass by the screen, you can see crates of ammo and C-rations inside the choppers. The third Huey passes by, carrying Airborne, Cap. Jr. and Shakey Legs. They sit on the floor, with their legs hanging out of the chopper. The CAMERA stays behind the three Huey's as they fly between mountains and through the valleys. Then, far up ahead, in a flat field is green smoke raising out of the grass at the far end of the field. There are soldiers in the tree line on both sides of the smoke grenade. CAMERA'S view is now at the tree line, looking out at the three Hueys coming in for landing. Canned Heat's song, "GOING UP THE COUNTRY" is now playing during this scene. The choppers land. Some of the soldiers come running out to off load the crates from the hueys. AIRBORNE (V.O.) Well Olga, I am out in the bush. Just jumped off the chopper. We look out of place, with our clean fatigues and camouflage helmets. Most soldiers are without helmets and shirts. Some wear bush hats. All looked tired and dirty. You can't tell between the enlisted men and the officers...but I guess that's the way it needs to be out here. The three (Shakey Legs, Airborne, Cap. Jr.) pass by four men sitting in a circle playing cards. Airborne and Cap.Jr. look shock. SHAKEY We have squads on both our flanks. The whole Company is out here. Those men have been in country over six mouths, they know what to do. They come to a man shaving out of his helmet. His face is covered with freckles. SHAKEY (CONT’D) Freckles, have you seen LT? FRECKLES (CONTINUES SHAVING) He's talking to the Kid and Castleman further up ahead. SHAKEY Freckle, meet Airborne, and Cap. Jr. Without turning around, Freckles continues to shave. FRECKLES Welcome to your new nightmare FNG's. Enjoy the boiling heat...the razor sharp elephant grass...the exhaustion...the monsoon rains...the blood sucking leeches...the bamboo vipers...booby traps...and lets not forget Charlie...don't forget him, cause he won't forget you. CAP.JR. Sounds like we’ve been missing all the fun. Freckles drops his razor in his helmet and turns around to face the two new soldiers. He stares at them both. FRECKLES (LOOKING PISSED) Fn FNG's! The three continue down the trail. CAP.JR. I didn't mean to upset him. SHAKEY He knows that. He's the first platoon’s point man: his slack man, which is the man behind him...was killed last time out. Freckles blames himself. He'll be okay. CAP.JR. I should go back and apologize to him. I had no idea. SHAKEY And he knows that. Hell in a couple of months you two will be coming down on the FNG's. Now our point man and slack man for second platoon are both from California and are anxious to meet another Californian. CUT TO: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM: THICK BRUSH: TRIPLE CANOPY - DAY A soldier comes up to them and shakes their hands. He introduces himself as the platoon’s Medic. He looks very young, more so than the others. He is short with thick glasses. DOC Call me doc. I'm the one you come to when you run out of your malaria pills. Don't forget. They keep walking till they come up to three men sitting on a log, huddling over a map. The tallest man stands up and approaches the three with a big smile across his face. CASTLEMAN (EXCITED) Okay, which one of you FNG's are from sunny California, man? AIRBORNE That would be me. Castleman runs up to Airborne, giving him a big hug. CASTLEMAN (BIG SMILE) Home town? AIRBORNE Torrance. CASTLEMAN (LOUD) Holy st...we're neighbors...Redondo Beach. One of the two men on the log gives Castleman a sign by lowering his hand to keep it down. CASTLEMAN (MUCH LOWER) (CONT’D) Do you surf? AIRBORNE Did...but I think those days are gone. Hermosa Beach was my favorite spot. CASTLEMAN The babes. Hermosa had the best looking babes. Hey, didn't mean to be rude. My name is Castleman. It was the name of the car club I was in. Castleman shakes the hands of both men. CASTLEMAN (CONT’D) I'm sure ole Shakey Legs has tagged a name on you two already. SHAKEY In deed I have Walt here went to jump school, so you can call him Airborne Now take a closer look at Randy here. CASTLEMAN I'll be damned! The Captain is going to trip on this when he gets back. SHAKEY Where did he go? CASTLEMAN R & R. Last week. He'll be back when we’re on the hill. SHAKEY I forgot all about that. Castleman laughs. SHAKEY (CONT’D) You'll get to see him when we get back up on the hill. They all walk over to the two sitting on the log. The skinny man, without a shirt on, and bright red hair looks at them. His name is LT. LT. Welcome to my platoon soldiers. It's a pleasure to meet you two. LT reaches out to shake the hands of both men. LT. (CONT’D) We don't salute out here, might get me killed And please no sir st. Call me LT. The other man, who looks more like a Clark Gable type, stands up and speaks softy. CALIFORNIA KID Welcome to our world. We will do everything in our power to get you two back home safety. Second Platoon is the best. The Kid also shakes their hands. The Kid sits back down on the log. CALIFORNIA KID (CONT’D) Have your Nam names yet? CAP.JR. Cap. Jr. of course. CALIFORNIA KID Fn-A. That is a little scary. Cap. is going to flip over this. AIRBORNE Airborne, from Torrance California. THE KID Hometown buddy. San Diego, Airborne. Airborne? In a leg unit. What's happening back in the real World? AIRBORNE They’re building these things called Malls. CASTLEMAN What the hell is a Mall? AIRBORNE Not exactly sure. They’re talking about connecting all the stores together at one place. THE KID In a few months, Castleman, we'll find out what those Malls are. Your talking to two short timers. CASTLEMAN Two digit midgets. I have 65 days left. The Kid has 57. CAP.JR. Must feel great. AIRBORNE Since I’ll be here for awhile, send me a picture of one of those Malls. CASTLEMAN You got it, Airborne. A muscular black man, with a radio strapped to his back, heads towards the group. SNAKE Higher & Higher says there’s movement 20 kliks north of here...we have a way to go, to meet up with the third platoon by tomorrow. Better get humping. LT Okay. Let first platoon know we'll be walking point. LT looks over to Airborne and Cap. Jr. LT (CONT’D) We're doing things a little different than we normally do. Usually when we go out in the bush, we stay together as a whole Company. But our new Battalion Commander wanted use to try something different. He wanted the three platoons in different areas. We just meant up with first platoon last night. When we meet up with third platoon tomorrow, we'll stay together as a Company till we get back up on the Hill. Eventually he wants us going out in squads. Don't know if I agree with that st. SMASH CUT: EXT. TRAIL - DAY The two platoons are moving down a trail. Second platoon in the lead. The California Kid walks point with Castleman in the slack man position. (second) AIRBORNE (V.O. WHILE WALKING) Well Olga, I'm in the second platoon of Charlie Compamy. Humping down my first trail. They have Me and Cap. Jr. in the middle. A good place for FNG's... A loud explosion is heard coming from up the trail. A lot of screaming. Doc passes everyone with his medical bag in hand. Shakey Legs comes back to see Airborne and Cap.Jr. AIRBORNE(WIDE EYED) (CONT’D) What was that? Is anyone hurt? SHAKEY (LOOKING SICK) The Kid just tripped a booby-trap. The Castleman and the Kid got hit bad. Keep your eyes open to your flank. Shoot anything you hear. I'll be back. Shakey Legs and LT are carrying Castleman to the back. Airborne and Cap. Jr. see a grayness in Castleman's face. Blood is streaming out of his neck, between the medical patch and LT's hand, which is applying direct pressure to the wound. Freckles is running to the front, while Snake runs back and stops near Airborne and Cap. Jr. SNAKE We need a medi-vac, Have two wia's. Snake starts moving towards the back, still talking on the box. A small black man just ahead of Airborne, looks towards Airborne. MAC You never get used to this st. AIRBORNE (POINTING TO CAP. JR.) It's our first time out. I don't mind telling you I'm scared shitless right now. MAC We all are. I hope they make it. They only had a month or more left out here. It just wouldn't be right if they didn't make it. Freckles is walking back, when he stops in front of Cap. Jr. FRECKLES (LOOKING AT CAP JR.) Your not missing all the fun now, are you? Cap. Jr. tries to get out a word, but Freckles moves on. CAP.JR. (LOOKING AT AIRBORNE) Damn, I wish I would of never said that. AIRBORNE It's not your fault. This is war. This is hell. Freckles was right about one thing...this is a nightmare. All the soldiers watch as Shakey and LT carry Castleman back up front. It’s obvious the body of the Castleman is very heavy now. The medical patch around Castleman's neck is completely red, and no longer are they applying direct pressure. Smoke is coming out from around the patch. The Castleman is pale gray. They all know he is dead. MAC Mother Fn Gooks! Mother Fuckers! Chicken st gooks. They set their booby-traps and leave. You don't even get a chance to fight back. Tears run down Mac’s face. MAC Get back here you chicken st mother fuckers. Snake is heading back towards the front, still on the radio. Mac is kneeling at the edge of the trail and tells Snake to stop. MAC What’s happening Snake? Airborne moves closer to Mac. SNAKE Castleman didn't make it. The shrapnel hit his jugular. AIRBORNE How's The Kid? SNAKE The Kid died instantly. Blew the back of his head off. I gotta get up front and call in our coordinates. There are tears in Snake’s eyes, as he continues moving to the front. Mac turns around and stares out into the bush. Airborne moves over to Cap.Jr. CAP.JR. (STUNNED) What he say? AIRBORNE Both are dead. We were just talking about California a few minutes ago and now they're dead. CAP.JR. I want to get back up on the Hill. This sucks. I don't know if I can handle this Airborne. AIRBORNE If we’re going to get out of here alive, we have to handle this. CAP.JR.(PANICKING) No...they were experience soldiers, and they died. What fn’ chance do we have? A sound of rapid fire from Mac's M-16 goes off. Airborne and Cap. Jr. hit the ground fast, looking out into the jungle. Mac's M-16 is on rock and roll. The bullets can be heard hitting the trees throughout the jungle. MAC (SCREAMING) Come on you fs! We're coming to get ya! LT comes running back from the front to Mac. He grabs Mac. LT Don't waste your ammo! Wait till the real thing. Then I promise...you can mow the b***s down...and I'll be right there to help. They killed two great men. People will pay. Mac stops shooting. He drops his weapon and breaks down. The LT hugs him till Mac gains back his composure. LT (TALKING TO ALL) (CONT’D) Everyone stay put. We're waiting for the Medi-vac. Don't waste your ammo, unless you’re sure you see something...so keep your eyes open to your flanks. The man on the other side of Cap. Jr. comes walking up. He's a big man. Six foot five and about 290 lbs. He's carrying an M-60 machine gun. He looks like Poncho Villa with all the ammo wrapped around his waist and over his shoulders in a bandoleer pattern. He carries the machine gun on his shoulder. He removes the M-60 and crouches down between Airborne and Cap. Jr. They move closer to him. BIG FOOT DODDS Sorry you two had to experience this on your first day out. Dodds looks over to Mac. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) You okay Mac? Mac shakes his head yes. AIRBORNE I'm Airborne, this is Cap. Jr. He nods his head to both. BIG FOOT DODDS Call me Big Foot. Our last time out, Kansas was killed by a booby-trap also. He was Freckle’s slackman man from the 1st platoon. Bad st out here. I know you may have fear in you right now, that's normal. No matter how much training we had back in the States, the fear will get you...but don't let the fear kill you. You keep pushing on. And if you ever come face to face with the enemy...remember if fear gets in your way, you will die. Because if you don't kill them, they’ll kill you. Something more to remember...everything you learned in the States, forget it now. It will get ya killed. It's a whole different battle out here. AIRBORNE Man, thanks for the advice. CAP.JR. Yeah, much appreciated. BIG FOOT DODDS See you guys around, gotta get back to my position and find my, st head loader, Puppet. Big Foot picks up the M-60 and throws it over his shoulder as if it were a M-16. Heads back down the trail. The sound of the Medi-vac chopper is heard. They can see it landing just over the ridge. It seems just as fast as it landed, it was up and on its way. LT and Snake are together. LT is on the radio communicating to the other platoons. Shakey Legs passes by them and stops at Mac's position. He talks to Mac, Airborne can not hear what is being said, till Mac begins to yell out. MAC (TALKING LOUD) Are you fn crazy? Three months and counting...and you want me up there! Fk no! Get someone who has more time left! Shakey Legs takes off, hesitates when he gets to Airborne, but then starts to leave. AIRBORNE Shakey, what are you looking for? SHAKEY A slackman. LT wants me walking point. I've done it a few times, but I need a second man. AIRBORNE I'll do it. SHAKEY I appreciate that, but this is your first day and you just saw two men die. AIRBORNE Look, if it's because I have no experience, then I understand. But if that’s not the reason, then I want to learn. We lost two men of California. I feel I owe it to them...Charlie is gonna to have to deal with another Californian man. SHAKEY Okay, let me okay it with LT. LT and Snake come up to Shakey. LT still on the radio. LT Shakey, Freckles said he would walk point if you want to take position of slack man. Shakey looks at Airborne. SHAKEY Tell Freckles thanks, but Airborne and I will take the lead. LT (LOOKING AT AIRBORNE) You just saw what happened. You don’t have to do this...it's your first day out. AIRBORNE I do have to do this...for the Kid and Castleman. LT I know they were from your state, and they were two great soldiers, but... SHAKEY I think our minds are made up, LT. LT Okay, I'll let this go by. Airborne, listen to Shakey. AIRBORNE You won’t need to worry about that. SHAKEY Tell Freckles, I’ll need his machete. LT gets back on the radio to tell the first platoon to have Freckles come up with his machete. LT and Snake move up ahead. CAP.JR. You really going to do this? AIRBORNE Crazy huh? But it feels like the right thing to do. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) We came in country together. Your like a brother to me. I would lose it if something happened to you. AIRBORNE Nothing will happen...I’m praying. But like Dodds said: to survive, you gotta push on. SHAKEY Airborne, we're going to cut through the jungle for a little, possibility of more booby-traps on the trail ahead. This news did help relieve some tension that has been stirring around in Airborne's stomach. Freckles comes up with the machete. Hands it to Shakey. FRECKLES (TO AIRBORNE) You have a lot of balls or you’re just f**n crazy...maybe both. I respect you for what you’re trying to do, but Shakey and I should do this...you have no experience out here. SHAKEY Freckles, this is where his experience starts. FRECKLES Then the best of luck to you both and may God be on your side. Freckles looks at Cap. Jr. FRECKLES (CONT’D) Just like to apologize about my rude comments. I lost a good friend, and you guys didn't know about that. I welcome you two, to Charlie Company. I'm Freckles, first platoon's point man. Cap. Jr. and Freckles shake hands. Airborne sees that and smiles. CAP.JR. Thank you...I wanted to apologize to you also. I was scared and didn't say the right thing. Freckles stares hard at Cap. Jr. Cap. Jr. knows why. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) They call me Cap. Jr. Freckles smiles. FRECKLES Cap is going to freak out. Freckles looks at Airborne. FRECKLES (CONT’D) Don't believe I had the pleasure... AIRBORNE Airborne. FRECKLES I guess I was right...you do have big balls and you are crazy. Take care up there. Freckle heads back to his platoon. CAP.JR. Shakey, you’re right. Freckles is a-okay. SHAKEY I'm always right. Shakey smiles. FADE OUT. THREE MONTHS LATER: 1100 hrs. EXT. THE JUNGLES IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIRE FIGHT - DAY Noise and confusion is all around. The constant gun fire and explosions from grenades are heard, along with men screaming. Airborne is without shirt and wearing a bush hat and Cap. Jr. wears a head band, they are lying flat behind a bed of rocks. There are men on both sides of them. More men run up, but hit the dirt fast when the hacking sounds from the AK's go off. One man is hit in the throat. The blood jets out in a long stream. Another is hit in his shoulder. Airborne screams for the Medic. Without looking up, Cap.Jr lifts his weapon over his head and begins firing again. Doc, in a hunched over position, stops at the man who was hit in the throat. It is too late for him, he is already dead. Doc scoots over to the man who is hit in the shoulder and begins applying a dressing. Shakey Legs, low crawls up to Airborne and Cap. Jr. SHAKEY (SHOUTING) (CONT’D) LT and Snake are calling in for artillery help from our hill. After that the first platoon will move pass us on our left flank. They're going to attack them from the side. This is dangerous...their bullets could stray our way. AIRBORNE I hate these fn’ fire fights. Airborne and Cap. Jr. now looking like real soldiers. Clothing and gear, ripped and torn. Their bodies dirty and dusty. Airborne is now the second platoon's point man and Cap. Jr. took the spot of the slack man. Even with all the noise, you can still hear the overhead artillery whistling by. SHAKEY (YELLS) Take cover! It is a continuous blast of exploding shells, bounding the ground out in front of them. Flying shrapnel is heard hitting the ground with loud thuds. A soldier screams just right of Cap.Jr. SHAKEY (CONT’D) Arty is coming in too close...gotta tell LT. Shakey crawls back. Doc runs to help the screaming soldier, who is hit in the collar bone by the flying shrapnel. Someone is singing the Mighty Mouse song. He taps Cap. Jr. on his shoulder, who is still firing out in front. AIRBORNE You hear the Mighty Mouse song? CAP.JR. Airborne, you gotta slow down on the joints dipped in Opium, man. With all the explosions and gun fire going off, comes Big Foot, wearing a black cowboy hat, with his M-60 machine gun, down next to his side, and Puppet, his loader, carrying four cases of ammo. Big Foot is singing the Mighty Mouse song as he heads towards Airborne and Cap. Jr. Puppet is right behind. Puppet is a skinny man and pounces around, which makes him look like someone is pulling him with strings. BIG FOOT DODDS Are these your st head friends out there? Big Foot sets the M-60 on the rocks as Puppet loads the ammo to the existing rounds. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Rock and Roll mother fuckers! Light up! Big Foot lets loose. The M-60 sounds like a Company of soldiers in itself. Airborne and Cap.Jr. return fire also, with all the rest of the soldiers up front. It is a "MAD MINUTE." Artillery continues coming down, but now they are right on target now. AIRBORNE Lovely parrrty. Big Foot bellows out with laughter, which makes Puppet, Cap.Jr. and Airborne all laugh in the middle of this fire fight. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL (AT BUNKER SITE) - DAY The Beatle song, "LET IT BE," plays as Airborne sits on top of the bunker, takes a hit off a joint cured in Opium. He looks around, but not for VC's this time, it's Higher & Higher he's watching for. He passes the joint to Cap.Jr. who is sitting on the rock beside the bunker. Shakey Legs, Snake, and Doc are all down in the trench. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Someone coming around the bend. Cap.Jr. hurries and hands the joint over to Shakey. He takes a hit before handing it over to Doc. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) It's Big Foot and Puppet. Doc slowly inhales his hit, holding it in, with a big closed lip smile across his face, before letting it out. DOC Nothing but a thing. Doc hands the joint to Snake. SNAKE What the hell does that mean? AIRBORNE Nothing but a thing. SNAKE I got to catch up with your heads, you guys are out there. Snake takes a big hit into his lungs, coughs a little out, but holds the rest in. Then they all start laughing at the sight in front of them, coming their way. Puppet is only few steps ahead of Big Foot, bouncing around as normal. Big Foot holds his arm up over Puppet’s head, moving his hands back and forth as if he was the Puppet Master, controlling Puppet on strings. Puppet finally sees what Big Foot is doing, he moves ahead of Dodds. Airborne likes how they get along, and when the time is needed, they are there, like that last fire fight, they worked as one. An amazing sight to see. PUPPET (YELLS) I think I have some problems! BIG FOOT DODDS Oh, the st head has some problems...but he needs a second and third opinion. I gave him mine. Even though Dodds gives Puppet a hard time, he wouldn't change loaders for anyone. They work good when the pressure is on. AIRBORNE Lets give our Sergeant first crack, Shakey, you do have more seniority. SHAKEY I'll do my best under these circumstances, Puppet. PUPPET What circum....oh I smell your circumstances. Dodds leans up against the bunker and gives Airborne the "Vietnam Dap." SHAKEY What seems to be the problem? Puppet pulls out a letter. PUPPET Just read it, and tell me your spin on it. Shakey opens the letter. It reads: Dear Stephen: I miss you more everyday. Are you safe? I pray for you to be safe. I started night school to improve my typing and secretarial skills. I meant a man named Dave. I told him about you. He says I should be proud to have a boyfriend who is fighting against those Commie-Pinkos. I hope I get a letter from you soon. Tell me what you are doing now? Are you still Dodds loader? Write me. Love you baby. Will love you more than ever, when you get home. I'm horny for you! Dave says hi. Love Dee Dee. Shakey passes it down the trench. SHAKEY Just a friend helping her get through these hard times. Nothing to worry about. PUPPET How can she say she's horny, then says Dave says hi. DOC (HOLDING THE LETTER) It sounds bad because of the way the letter is drafted. Doc takes off his glasses, trying to look intelligent, but he is st faced. Gives Snake the Letter. DOC (CONT’D) She shouldn't have placed horny right next to Dave's name. That's all. Doc turns his head and looks at Snake. SNAKE Nothing but a thing! PUPPET Huh? Snake hands Puppet back his letter. AIRBORNE Puppet...she is honest. She didn't have to tell you about him, but she did...cause it's innocent. CAP.JR. What did you think, Dodds? BIG FOOT DODDS I think it sucks. She's a st head, doesn't need to be around men if she’s horny. Trouble is what I think. Big Foot pauses. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Anyway, just found out that we’re going to be going out in platoon groups again for the last time. Our next missions will be squad size. Not looking forward to that. I also heard Cap. isn't going out. They’re keeping him back. Cap. Jr. You may want to say good-bye...he'll be heading back to the real World, while we are pounding the bush. He's in the juicer's bunker. CAP.JR. Yeah, I think I can make it two bunkers down. Let me go see ole Cap. Snake hands him the roach. Cap.Jr suck in so hard, it shoots down his throat. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) Whoo! A cold beer will cool that down. Cap. Jr heads his way toward the juicers bunker. When he gets just outside he hears T-Bone Walker's guitar on the tape deck, playing IT'S A MEAN OLD WORLD. He walks down into the bunker that is twice the size of theirs. Cap. immediately staggers over to his little buddy. Bottle of Jim Beam in hand. A drunken Captain Kangaroo, funny sight Cap.Jr thinks CAP. Brothers...it's my little brother, Cap.Jr. All the men in the bunker are black except for Cap. and now Cap. Jr. MEN IN BUNKER (LAUGHING AND YELLING) Hey! It's Cap. Jr. CAP.(HANDING THE BOTTLE TO JR.) I know your with the "BETTER HEADS" group, but you know I'm leaving and won't be going back out in the bush. Have a drink with me. CAP.JR. I would be honored. All the blacks scream and applaud. Mac pops up behind Cap. Me and Caaap. came in to...gether...and we be lea...ving together. Mac starts to spin and collapses at Cap's feet. Another loud applause and screams of laughter is heard. The Stones, HONKY TONK WOMAN, plays next. Cap. Jr. takes the bottle and takes a swig. CAP.JR. We will miss you Cap. MAC (YELLS FROM THE FLOOR) And me? CAP.JR. We will miss you both. More clapping and whistling comes from the other blacks. Cap gives Cap.Jr. a big hug. A black man jumps down off the bunk, walking up to Cap.Jr. He has a more serious look about him. T-BONE You tell your radio man, is it Snake, to come down here and drink with the blacks. See he's been smoking too much of that wacky weed and he don't know he's black. MAC (LAYING ON THE FLOOR) He's black...your black...I'm black. CAP. Back off T-Bone. Bartender, cut this man off! Who's the bartender? More laughter is heard inside the bunker. CAP. (SPEAKING SOFTY TO T-BONE) (CONT’D) You been here about a mouth, trying to bring prejudice feelings amongst us. We work as a team here. That's how we survive. You might want to remember that when I'm gone and when you're out in the bush. Plus it wouldn't seem right for a black man to be thrown out of this bunker by his own kind...don't you think. T-Bone smiles, and walks out on his own. CAP.(YELLS) (CONT’D) Our you can walk out on your own. MAC I...throw that...blaack baastard out Caaap, when I caan git up. Laughter is heard throughout the bunker and outside. HONKY TONK WOMAN plays on. SMASH CUT: EXT. JUNGLE IN NAM - DAY Second platoon is at the base of a mountain, they just came off of. AIRBORNE Pass the word back, to have everyone check for leeches. Cap. Jr. watches the front, while Airborne strips. He's clean except near his boot, he feels a leech, the size of a golf ball. Airborne removes his boot, removes his sock. He wrings out his sock which is full of blood. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Look at this monster leech. Why won't it just fall off. It's got to have enough blood. CAP. JR. backs up, still looking ahead, he bends his head down to take a look. CAP.JR. Fn-A. That's the biggest one I’ve seen yet. Cap. Jr. reaches into his fatigue pocket and pulls out insect repellent . Airborne gets his also. They both soak the leech, emptying their bottles, but the leech still hangs on. AIRBORNE You got your Zippo lighter? CAP.JR. Always. Cap. Jr. reaches into his top shirt pocket. Cap. Jr. runs the flame all around the leech, it finally drops off. AIRBORNE Fk, that leech is an addict...that's why he wasn't coming off. Airborne starts to get dress. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) You better check yourself next. Airborne takes watch, while Cap.Jr. checks himself. He is clean. Back in the ranks someone is screaming for Doc. CAP.JR. I wonder what that's all about? Airborne, look at this. Cap. Jr. is pointing to a rock, just across the trail. The two leeches on the rock are standing up on one end, sniffing and are making their way over to the other side of the trail, where Cap. Jr. is standing. AIRBORNE Those blood sucking fuckers! Airborne steps on them with his boots. They hear movement coming from the back. It's LT. with a smile. LT Have you both checked yourselves out? AIRBORNE Had one the size of a golf ball in my boot. CAP.JR. Who the hell is screaming back there? LT (STILL SMILING) Puppet has a leech on his prick, half of it, is up in his pee hole. AIRBORNE Holy st! Cap.Jr. makes a movement as if it is on him. LT (CHUCKLING) Doc's getting it out with fire...repellent is moving it in the wrong direction. CAP. JR. (LOOKING SICK) Stop it! AIRBORNE We had to use fire to get mine off, but I'm not complaining now. LT There should be a small hill, east of us...about 10 kliks, according to the map. That is where we will pick up our supplies. First and third platoon will meet us there also. Weather is changing. Monsoons will be here soon. SMASH CUT: EXT. WALKING ON TRAIL - DAY Airborne is glad it is now daylight. They came down the hill during the early morning while it was still dark. There was a lot of slipping and sliding. He used the machete to create a pathway. Cutting a trail is tedious and slow but Airborne didn't mind that. He feels safer making his own path, rather than walking on a pre-made trail where the VC's are known for making boo-coo booby-traps. But now he's back on the trail. Airborne can smell a decaying body close-by. Cap. Jr. is right up close on Airborne, looking for booby-traps. He gets a good whiff also. AIRBORNE Pass it back...there is something dead up ahead. Cap. Jr. passes the word back to a soldier. AIRBORNE (CONT’D) Let's move slow. Second platoon moves ahead slowly. The smell is now overwhelming. Airborne spots a dead body just to the right of the trail. It is a dead VC. He is bloated. Skin very tight. Flies are everywhere, and maggots are crawling out of his mouth. They all keep walking pass, not touching the dead man. One of Charlie's tricks is to have a dead body booby-trapped. Airborne is thinking about The Kid and The Castleman, when he comes around a bend, just to be facing three VC's coming from the opposite direction. The three Vietcong stop. Airborne stops. The quick action and responsibility gives Airborne no time to be afraid. Respond immediately or die is filling Airborne's head. He let's loose with his M-16, putting two, to the ground. The other tries to take off, when Cap. Jr. shoots him full of holes in his back. Shakey sees what is happening. SHAKEY (TO THE REST OF THE PLATOON) Take cover! VC up ahead. Everyone gets off the trail, including Airborne and Cap.Jr. LT and his radio man, Snake, are coming up along the edge of the trail. LT (TO AIRBORNE) You need Dodds M-60 up here? AIRBORNE Not sure...They weren't expecting us. I think they were on their own. LT They are like ants...where there is one, there is more. Hold your position. I'm getting Dodds and Puppet up here. LT heads back, Shakey, cuts across to the other side of the trail, giving Airborne and Cap.Jr. a thumbs up. It finally hits home for Airborne and Cap.Jr. Even in a fire fight, your never sure if you hit someone, or if it was from someone else's weapon. But this is certain. Cap.Jr. looks at Airborne, who stares at the bodies he just killed. CAP.JR. It would be us laying on this trail, if you hesitated. He pats Airborne on his back. CAP.JR. (CONT’D) You kept us from dying today, my friend. AIRBORNE Just doing my job, right. I mean that's what we were trained for...to kill...we were trained to be killers. Right? We passed our exam Cap.Jr. Your a killer...I'm a killer...take us to the head of the class...oh fk...we are already at the head of the class...we're f**n point men. Cap. Jr. can see that Airborne is beginning to lose it. CAP.JR. None of us wants to die. We all want to get back to the Real World. Damn think about The Castleman and... Airborne breaks in. AIRBORNE I think of them everyday I'm out here. Don't need you to tell me what to think about. CAP.JR. I'm sorry Airborne. I just killed someone to... but it's them or us. I didn't want to die today...so I'm thanking you for keeping us alive. AIRBORNE You know when I saw them, my first emotion was anger. I'm thinking those son-of-a-b*s are here to kill us, but I didn't feel the same way when I saw them drop. I hate this fn’ war. Dodds and Puppet are moving their way up the trail. When they get up to Airborne and Cap.Jr. they see the three bodies out front. Dodds turns to Puppet. BIG FOOT DODDS Second platoon takes care of their own. That's why we are the best. Big Foot looks over to Airborne and Cap.Jr. BIG FOOT DODDS (CONT’D) Thank you, guys. We'll set up right here, in the middle of the trail...anymore Charlie's decide to come marching down this way...bye bye gooks. Big Foot sets his M-60 right on the trail. Puppet is next to the gun with his ammo cases. Big Foot lays himself down in the middle of the trail waiting for any kind of movement up ahead. AIRBORNE Hey, Puppet, are your leech problems taken care of? PUPPET You better believe it. Using a boot dressing, to hold a sock in place. AIRBORNE Good thinking there. Puppet connects the rounds from the ammo can to Big Foot's M-60. Dodds lays still. He is ready. AIRBORNE (V.O. WHILE AWAITS IN HIDING) (CONT’D) Well Olga, just ran into 3 VietCong's today. I killed two and Cap.Jr. got the other one. Have mixed emotions right now. Anger was my first...now I just feel shocked. It was like it happened in slow motion. I think my Higher-Power is sticking with me. Just hope He sticks with me through the rest of my tour of hell. Fifteen minutes has passed. LT comes up to Airborne. LT Ready to move on? AIRBORNE Oh yeah...this waiting is killing me. LT Just keep your eyes peeled. Big Foot, Puppet, we are going to move out. Puppet breaks off the clip of ammo. Big Foot places his machine gun on his shoulder. BIG FOOT DODDS (TO AIRBORNE & CAP. JR.) Careful out there. Remember we're just a scream away. AIRBORNE Thanks guys. The "Better Heads Dap" is executed between Dodds and Airborne. Shakey walks across the trail and wishes them good luck. SHAKEY You did good you guys, real good. Airborne opens his ruck sack and pulls out a brown bottle with a picture of a fat lady on the label. CAP.JR. Obesital? We are only humping about seven more miles. Airborne takes a big swig of the liquid speed, and holds the bottle out for Cap. Jr. He takes the bottle from Airborne and swallows the sweet tasting liquid. AIRBORNE Now it's time to move out. Airborne replaces the bottle back, then sits up against his pack, placing his arms through the straps and gets up with his pack on his back. He makes adjustments, keeping the rucksack sitting up high on his back. Grabs his weapon, tells Shakey his moving out. Shakey passes his word down. Airborne is worried that the three VC's may have been coming back from setting up a booby-trap. The speed keeps them alert. FADE OUT. EXT. A SMALL HILL TOP - DAY Second platoon makes it to the base of the hill where re-supplies are to be dropped off. LT passes the word to the front to hold their position. LT and Snake come up to Shakey Legs. LT Shakey, third platoon has already occupied the hill top. Says it would be a cluster fk to have all the platoons up there. They say that they passed an open field just South of us. It might even be better to have the supplies dropped there. The hill top is very small. SHAKEY Where is first platoon now? LT Still about five Kliks away. Airborne walks up to Shakey and LT. Cap. Jr. is watching the front. AIRBORNE Are we moving up the hill to break for lunch? LT We'll eat down here...not enough room... KA-BOOM! A very loud explosion rocks the land. Smoke bellows out from the top of the hill. Horrible screams are heard coming from the hill top. Panic and frantic hits the second platoon hard. LT (PANIC IN VOICE) (CONT’D) That hill top was booby-trap with something big! Snake try to contact third platoon. Snake keeps trying, but only static sounds are coming from the receiver. He gets called by the first platoon. They heard the explosion from where they are located, and can see the smoke up on the hill. Snake tells them third platoon went up there to eat lunch. LT gets on the phone. LT (TO FIRST PLATOONS LT) (CONT’D) Big Al, you need to call in med-a-vac's. I think all of third platoon was hit hard. We hear screaming, so someone is still alive, but from that blast...I just don't know. We are going up to see the situation. Get here quick, we'll need your medic also. Doc comes running up with his bag, looking very much afraid. DOC That wasn't just a grenade...that was a bomb. LT (FRANTIC) I need all of second platoon here now! Airborne gathers the troops. All the soldiers huddle around LT. LT (CONT’D) Shakey Legs, Airborne, Snake, Doc and I are going up. Big Foot and Puppet, set your M-60 right here. Cap. Jr. post yourself on the opposite side of the trail. Rest of you...no more than a couple of yards apart. Make sure the back of the trail is well covered. Eyes wide open guys. Lets roll. Airborne takes the lead, then Shakey, followed by Doc, LT and Snake. As they approach up the hill, the acrid smell of gunpowder from the explosion fills the air, along with burning flesh. The scream is becoming louder. You can hear a soldier crying out for his Mother. Airborne hears movement in the bush, just left of the trail. Airborne points his weapon to shoot, till he sees his first sickening sight. It's a soldier blown in half. Only his upper torso is there in the bushes. He's trying to walk as if he still had his legs. His face and chest are smoking from the shrapnel. His eyes bug out in shock. The rest of the rescue party come up around Airborne. LT (TO AIRBORNE) (CONT’D) Put him out of his misery. He doesn't even know his dead yet. Airborne shoots a few rounds into his blown apart chest. The body stops moving. AIRBORNE I surely don't want to go up there. LT There's still someone screaming up there. We may be able to save a life. They continue up, the dust makes it hard to see. When they reach the top, nothing could have prepared them for what they were going to see. The whole hill top is one big crater. Scatter body parts everywhere. Pieces of bodies beyond recognition Around the outer tree line, sounds are heard falling through the trees, ending in a thud, when hitting the ground. The men look to see what it is, only to find in horror, that it is body parts falling out of the trees, and onto the ground. Doc runs over to a soldier, screaming from across the crater, in the bushes. DOC Airborne, help me! They run across the crater, jumping over legs, arms, torsos and heads. There are no survivors, except maybe the one screaming. As Airborne runs across the crater, he is hoping there are no more bombs left. He is definitely afraid. LT is on the radio with the first platoon, asking how close they are? SHAKEY LT...look at your right boot...then look to the right of your boot, about one yard. Sticking halfway out of the crater, is an 81mm morter, still intact. LT Those f**n Congs, must of covered this whole hill top with these morters. It had to be command detonated. They would not want to waste a trip wire for this much explosives. They know with a trip wire, the first one will trip it, but the rest of the platoon would still be down on the trail, walking up. No, these mother fuckers were watching them. LT looks around, points to a smaller hill to their North. LT (CONT’D) There...I bet you anything and everything...they were watching from that hill. Once they saw the whole platoon up here, they blew them up. Those b****s blew them up! Snake falls to his knees and begins to upchuck. Doc and Airborne are standing in the bushes, the screaming has stopped. DOC (YELLS) Medic here! (V.O.) Over here Doc...heeelp meeee! Airborne and Doc head in the direction of the voice. AIRBORNE He seems to be pretty far in here. DOC That's probably what saved his life. Doc and Airborne comes to a soldier laying on his stomach, face down. He has multiple wounds on his back, and one on the back of his head. Doc see's he is bleeding from his left ear, possible blown ear drum from the concussion, even out here. DOC (CONT’D) Going to give you some morphine to stop your pain...then we are going to patch you up. Airborne grabs the soldiers hand, as Doc shoots him full of morphine. Airborne see's his face. It is T-Bone. He remembers what Cap. Jr. told him about the bunker incident with Cap. But now that didn't mean a thing. The only thing important now, was to get him patched up and med-a-vac'd out. T-Bone looks to Airborne and understands what Cap. meant. There are no colors out in the bush, just soldiers. T-Bone smiles at Airborne. AIRBORNE (SMILING BACK) Your going home my friend...you hang in there. T-BONE (WEAK) I was going to take a dump...next thing I knew...I'm eating dirt. How are the rest doing? DOC (WHILE DRESSING UP THE WOUNDS) You worry about yourself getting better...we'll take care of the rest. T-BONE Loud explosion...can't hear too good still. Snake is still on his knees. LT takes the hand receiver to call in a air strike on the hill, he thinks the VC are. After LT gives the coordinates and tells them they lost all of third platoon, it isn't long before you hear the two jets dropping their 500lb drag bombs, on the hill next to them. They also dropped some Napalm. (a gasoline, jelly mixture). The Med-a-vac is also hovering over their hill top. It is too tight to land, so they drop down the jungle penetrator. DOC Your rides here. Look there is a lot of particles flying around, we don't know what is safe...use this to cover your eyes, we'll guide you to the chopper. T-BONE (FEELING NO PAIN FROM THE MORPHINE) Okay fellows...lets do it. Doc. gives him a gauze dressing, tying it around his eyes. Airborne knows exactly why he did that. To see your platoon blown in pieces is not what he needs to see. Airborne and Doc are on both sides of T-Bone, guiding him to the chopper. They get him hooked up to the jungle penetrator, and he is hoisted up to the chopper. The med-vac takes off. LT gets off the radio. LT They can not use a jungle penetrator on dead bodies...which means we have to carry the body pieces down to that field, South of the hill. We'll wait for first platoon to get here. We'll all have to help. Movement can be heard coming up the trail. LT gets on the radio to first platoon’s Lieutenant, Big Al. LT (CONT’D) Is that you guys coming up the trail, Al? BIG AL (HUFFING & PUFFING) Roger. Freckles should be getting pretty close to you guys. It isn’t long before Freckles comes up to the top, with his new slackman, Tracker. They both begin to slow down, the closer they got to the hill top. Both have sickening looks, as they survey the area. FRECKLES (TO TRACKER) From the blast, as far as we were...I know this is going to be bad. Big Al tells his platoon to hold their position on the trail, and he meets up with LT. BIG AL I see you called in a fire strike on that hill. You think they’re there? LT If they are...their not now. In the background, the song "FRIENDS LOST" by Eric Kaisinger is playing while everyone stands in shock, frozen in place, as the CAMERA spins around on them, and on the devastation from the explosion. Body parts still falling from the tree tops. FADE TO BLACK EXT. BACK ON THE BASE CAMP - DAY Airborne sits on top of his bunker, looking out over the Hill. He just came back from the mess hall, where they gave a Mass for the third platoon. Everyone is walking around in a daze, dumbfounded. Shakey comes walking up. SHAKEY I hear Higher and Higher (Battalion Commander) is going to come by every bodies bunker to talk to us all. Keep the drugs out of sight. AIRBORNE What's he going to say, "do you want to go home?" I do want that. I've seen enough death...I killed enough. SHAKEY I know one thing he's going to talk about. LT says a lot of FNG's are coming to our Battalion. You know they aren't going to put them together to make the third platoon...we are all going to get moved around. SMASH CUT: EXT. THE HILL - DAY Airborne, Cap.Jr., Shakey Legs, Doc, and Dodds are standing around the bunker, when a jeep pulls up. A soldier gets out, carrying a package. SOLDIER WITH PACKAGE Airborne, you got a package from home. Airborne walks up to the soldier, takes the package. A Coors case was used. Airborne places it on top of the bunker. Usually there would be yells of happiness and excitement, but the slaughter of third platoon has hindered the mood. BIG FOOT DODDS