The Lost World (1999) s03e21 Episode Script

Trapped

Oh, it's a horrible place to be buried if you ask me.
What was that? This hill reminds me of the barrows in southern England.
It does? Yeah.
Running through the hills in Wessex I used to love it as a little girl.
Until someone told me they were graves! - Ancient graves.
- Man-made hills to bury the dead.
There's something very repulsive about that to me.
The dead are best forgotten, not glorified in some macabre fashion.
We're the product of our ancestors, Marguerite.
We can't escape that.
No, we are who we choose to be.
At least I am.
Oh, not to worry, this isn't a burial site.
It's just a hillside like any other.
Why isn't it that Challenger can never keep up with us? We're never going to make it back to the treehouse at this rate! Come on now, my lovely.
Haven't you collected enough insects for one day? Oh, insects and arachnids, Marguerite, I saw the most interesting spider crawl down into this hole.
Come on now, my pertinacious little pet! Careful she doesn't pull you in and devour you, George.
There must be something constructive we can do while we wait for Challenger.
What have we here? Care to do a little exploring? Must we? There you go, young lady.
I'd better catch up with Roxton and Marguerite.
We can turn back any time you're ready! Looks like the end of the road.
Someone went through a lot of trouble to seal up this passage.
Celtic runes! It must be thousands of years old! Well, can you read it? Through me is a way to eternal suffering, Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Didn't Dante write that? Apparently he was not the first.
Roxton! Marguerite! Oh, they must have gone in here.
Roxton! Fire ants! This is a curious place for them to make a home! If they had wanted somebody to open it they would have installed a doorknob! Well, aren't you the least bit intrigued? No! Look! Just this once let's heed the warning - and turn back, hmm? - All right, if you insist.
Yes.
Coal gas! Roxton! Marguerite! At the dawn of the last century A band of explorers searched for a prehistoric world Driven by ambition Secret desires A thirst for adventure And seeking the ultimate story They are befriended by an untamed beauty Stranded in a strange and savage land Each day is a desperate search for a way out of the Lost World Are you hurt? Shaken but not damaged, I think.
Oh! I hope there's another way out of here.
Do you think it caved in all the way back to the entrance? More than likely, I would say.
What caused that explosion? Coal gas exposed to an open flame.
We're lucky this part of the tunnel didn't collapse as well.
Lucky! We're a hundred yards or more underground! What about Challenger? Well, if he was in the tunnel, we can only hope that he made it out.
If he wasn't in the tunnel, then he still would have heard the explosion! - That's a good point.
- Challenger! - Challenger! - Can you hear us? That was quite a lump on the noggin.
Oh, what am I doing here? This is treacherous terrain.
I must have tripped and banged my head.
I think I'll sit down here and sort things out.
What was I doing? What's this? Insects?! Now that is curious! Fishing line! Insects! Fishing line! Now we're getting somewhere! I'm a fisherman! Wouldn't get many fish in there! And where's my rod? I must have lost it, not! It can't be far away.
Perhaps I was attacked by a wild animal! Yes! And I used the rod to fend them off! Ow.
Maybe I was robbed and left here to die.
I don't seem to have any money.
Save your breath, Marguerite.
He can't hear us.
No, He's still collecting his bloody insects, blithely unaware that anything has happened to us! It's more than likely that he's gone back to get Veronica and Finn.
Look, you wait and see! They'll be back in no time with tools to dig us out of here.
Looks like we don't have much choice.
In the meantime shall we see what's behind this sealed door? Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.
Not much to look at, but at least it's empty.
You don't suppose there are any creatures in there, do you? Only one way to find out, Marguerite.
Care to go for a swim? Whatever lives in there is welcome to it.
It doesn't seem to be any more coal gas in here, at least.
I'm happy to live without it.
Can't live with it, that's for certain.
My guess would be it's been seeping in through the cracks in the walls.
Probably been building up in here since the place was sealed off.
Is that what the warning was about? Well, could be.
Trouble is, coal gas is more or less invisible, but you can't always smell it either.
You really are trying to cheer me up here, aren't you? Looks like the only way out is back the way we came in.
Oh, terrific.
That's a hell of a lot of rock to move by hand.
In other words, this is where we've come to die.
Oh, Marguerite, let's not give into despair just yet, huh? - This looks like an altar to me! - It does? Well, look, this stone has obviously be hewn by hand! Well, maybe this place was used for religious sacrifices, or Wasn't it you who said this place reminded you of a burial mound? Yeah.
Hey, Vee, watch this! Pretty good, huh? When I was a kid I could do a double back flip from there.
Yeah? Let's see.
Not right now, Finn, I'm reading.
- Maybe you can't do it anymore.
- Maybe I don't want to.
How about one of these? - That's easy.
- Let's see you do one! Come on! Please! Anything for a little peace and quiet! Help me move the furniture, there's no point in destroying it.
- What's all this about? - I'd forgotten all about these.
My mother put them here, we used to play hide-and-seek when I was little.
This was home.
Cool.
Why do you think someone wedged this rock in here? I don't know.
Could be there to block out that gas, or Oh no, let's not make this any worse than already is.
Or it could also be a tunnel.
Or a tomb.
Well that is a good point.
- Best not disturb the dead.
- What are you doing? If there is another way out of here, then I want to know about it.
Well, let's not get our hopes up.
Now who's being pessimistic? It's jammed well.
All right.
Oh, what a smell! The good news is it's not coal gas.
Looks like a woman.
- Seen enough? - No, wait! What is it? The symbol on the shroud.
What symbol? Marguerite? I want to see it.
All right! Oh! This means something to you.
It's the same as my birthmark.
Damn the blackguard who stole my rod and reel a pox upon his wife and children.
Can you see it? Yes I can see it.
And it's not a bit like the symbol on that shroud! It's identical, Roxton! And you know it! Coincidence, Marguerite.
Nothing more to it! Whatever it is, I don't want to look at it any longer.
That's all right.
I'll be fine, please.
Fine.
Great! Well, it's bloody heavy! Now, what you've done? We've got to stop this gas! How? Well, I don't know, but we'd better think of something! Asphyxiation is not a very pleasant way to go! What are you doing? Mud! Here! Give me a hand! All right.
There's not much of it.
- Better than nothing! - Come on! It's working! Best hold it in place until it gets dry.
This was a good idea.
What? Coming into this cave? No! Using the mud to stop the gas.
Well, as long as it holds.
This really isn't your fault you know.
My idea to go exploring.
Well, I was the one who stepped on the bloody switch! I was carrying the torch.
You win.
Well, what have we got here.
Oh yes! The bait! Oh, this could be a vital clue.
G.
E.
C.
Geoffrey Edward Chaucer Gustav Enrico Caruso! George Elliot Ca Ah! What's in a name! Huh! A fish is still a fish.
Scoundrels! Must have stolen my tackle box.
This will have to do.
What a resourceful fellow I am! What ingenuity! A regular Huckleberry Finn! Finn! why is that name so familiar? Looks like it did the trick.
Hard to say how much gas is in the air.
Or how much oxygen we have left.
Yeah, well, there is that technicality to consider.
Have you noticed how quiet it is in here? Meaning? Meaning, if Challenger had gone back to the treehouse to get Veronica and Finn, they would have been here by now! We'd be able to hear them digging us out.
Maybe, maybe not.
We're a hell of a long way inside the hillside.
Roxton, you know as well as I do that there is no one out there! No.
Challenger would never abandon us, Marguerite.
So something has happened to him.
You and I are alone.
If that's the case, we'd best get back to work.
Those rocks won't move themselves.
What are you drawing? My mother, the way I remember her from the dreams I've been having lately.
Since you've been wearing the pendant, you mean? I've been dreaming about her every night.
And this place called Avalon you think she lives in? She does! I don't know, Vee.
I mean, I know you believe all this stuff about your mom being the Protector of the Plateau and all but it sounds kind of weird to me.
It doesn't matter what you think, Finn.
Not everything is black and white! Some things are very complicated.
My mother is the Protector of the plateau just as I will be one day.
But you don't even know what that means! This is getting us nowhere! We're doing fine.
Fine! We've moved what, two rocks! Three! Three rocks to be precise.
Now come on, let's get on with it.
We don't have a choice.
Come on, on your feet - let's get back to work! - Stop ordering me around! I am NOT ordering you around! And if you're going to rest, get out of the way! Is this far enough for you?! You know, sometimes Marguerite, I really don't know what I see in you.
Well, sometimes I know exactly what I dislike about you! - Now what? - Get back to the main cave! Brilliant! Oh, dammit! Is that all you have to say? Well, what do you want me to say, Marguerite? Do you think I made this happen? You did! Let's get back to work.
You have got to be kidding me! No, I am not kidding.
Why? Are you giving up? We're not exactly making progress.
Well what are you going to do, Marguerite? Sit around and wait until we run out of oxygen? No, I thought I'd read a book.
Then again, maybe we don't need to wait until we run out of oxygen.
Maybe this cave will start filling up with gas, then we can inhale it until we both pass out and die! You know, sometimes I wonder why I even bother talking to you! You know, I've followed you around like a faithful servant, I've put up with your contradictions, your deceptions, mixed signals, bloody secrets! But if you are just going to throw your hands up in the air and just give up, you are on your own! The way I have always been.
I'm getting out of here, with or without you! - Good luck! - Oh, I don't need luck! Anger is enough! Call me when you see the light of day! You know, I didn't think you were a coward, I thought life was precious to you! You don't know anything about me! I know more about you than I ever wanted to know! But I give up! You hear me? You're just not worth the effort.
Because all you do is take! You never give one miserable inch! You're cold, you're empty, and if we ever get out of here we are finished! Do you hear me? I mean it! So my aquanautical fiend, a frypan awaits you, I'm just not quite sure where.
Come on! Come on! I must have snagged it on a rock! It's bad enough that I can't catch a fish.
This is just embarrassing.
Great nibbling Neptune! *** I'm not afraid of you! Overgrown minnow! I suppose, I could have been a pugilist.
Giving up? I thought you were getting out of here, with or without me.
Looks like you're stuck with me.
Not for much longer.
You mind if I sit down? So this is how it ends.
Three years struggling to survive on this plateau, to end up here, trapped in some miserable cave running out of oxygen.
Say something, Roxton.
Please.
I'm sorry I lost my temper, I'd never leave you behind.
As much as I'd like to sometimes I don't care about your temper.
I won't forget those things that you said.
I'd give my last breath for you, Marguerite.
You know that.
Then tell me you're going to get us out of here! Tell me everything is going to be all right! I wish I could.
Why can't you? You always have before! There's nothing I can do to save us.
I never thought it would come to this.
Oh, God.
I'm so tired! All I want to do is sleep.
Is this your idea of an apology? Finn? Finn, where are you? What are you doing? How do you spell black? B-L-A-C-K, Why? One of Challenger's experiments.
He was watching them change colour or something.
Said he had to check them every 6 hours.
So, you're helping him out.
Well, he should have been back by now, I'm just making some notes for him.
For black.
What does that mean? It means it's four o'clock and the gunk in these tubes has gone black.
Oh.
Right.
Weren't they heading for the inland sea or something? Well, that's what they said.
Maybe we should go look for them.
I could use a swim.
So could I, Come on.
What is it? Strangest dream I've ever had.
Strange in a pleasant way, I hope.
I dreamed that we were captured by Druids, here on the plateau.
That's interesting.
You were with me.
So was Malone.
The Druids were going to kill me, until they noticed my birthmark! Why would the birthmark stop them? They said I was the reincarnation of their high priestess only I could save them.
You've had that dream before.
- No, I haven't.
- Yes, you have.
I'm sure of it.
You've told me that story before.
Never! You must have dreamt it yourself! Unless it was inspired by being in these caves, and the Celtic runes on the door.
Or perhaps it was all that talk about burial mounds.
Yeah! Makes sense.
- Oh! - What are you doing? The woman, I have to see her! See what? That's incredible.
It can't be.
Druids here? How can I be related to that? Are you? Look at it, Roxton! That woman has the same birthmark as I do! There's bound to be a reasonable explanation.
- Such as? - Well, I don't know.
The body is ancient, Marguerite.
So? Well, did any member of your family ever come to South America? I don't know who my real family is, remember? Of course.
I'm sorry.
Oh, don't be.
It's not your fault.
But There is no such thing as mere coincidence.
Who knows what other terrifying creatures lurk in this inhospitable landscape.
Headhunters, most definitely.
Cannibals, certainly.
Giants! Well, if there are sea monsters there are sure to be girls! - Did you hear something? - Nothing unusual.
Stay right where you are! What are you doing walking around in this jungle? What's going on, Challenger? Are Roxton and Marguerite hiding around here too? That's far enough! Challenger, stop fooling around.
Challenger? G.
E.
Challenger? Is that who I am? I think he's finally lost it.
Challenger, have you been drinking your experiments again? Experiments? Your name is George Edward Challenger.
- You're a scientist.
- Scientist? Am I famous? And who are you? I'm Finn, and this is Veronica.
We live with you.
- Are you my wives? - Brother! Challenger, what happened to you? You're my daughters! Does your mother know you're walking around in the jungle half-dressed like that? Challenger, put the gun down.
Whatever happened to you, we're here to help you.
Help me? I don't need any help.
We'll take you back to the treehouse and you can tell us all about it, okay? The treehouse? What about Roxton and Marguerite Do you know where they are? Are they my children too? Oh boy, Come on.
You're not what I expected.
I beg your pardon? Those were the first words you said to me.
When we met in London, right after Challenger's lecture.
I expected you to be a lot older.
That's funny.
That's what I expected of you.
An old widow with money.
You never told me that.
I hadn't really thought much about it after that day, I was too preoccupied with who you turned out to be.
So I've noticed.
I'm glad of that, at least.
I have noticed more than that.
Oh, really? Would you care to elaborate? - Now? - Yeah.
What's the point? The point is, Marguerite, we're probably going to die in here.
You may never get to say what you really think.
Die here.
With a corpse that COULD be my relative without never knowing who I really am.
With all your emotions locked up inside.
Oh, I have no emotions.
Only calculated responses and poor imitations of feelings I once knew how to express.
That's not true! I've seen your anger and your pain, your laughter.
Your sadness.
It's all there, just beneath the surface.
Aching for release? - Yes.
- No.
You deserve much more than me, Lord Roxton.
You deserve much more than you allow yourself to have.
I love you, Marguerite.
Don't you say I can't! Don't pretend you can't hear me.
No, I'm not pretending.
Then why can't you say it? - Even if it isn't true? - Isn't it? It's over.
You can't keep running away.
Your future OUR future is now.
I love you.
But, um No more excuses.
Roxton? Over here.
When did all of these cracks appear? While we were sleeping.
I think I'm fighting a losing battle.
Oh, I think you're winning.
Have I ever told you how beautiful you are? Yes! Many times.
Don't let go! I don't want this to end, I don't want us to end.
Ever.
We sailed the sea far and wide, month after month! No kidding! We were searching for a great white whale the captain was obsessed by it.
Ahab.
Captain Ahab.
That was his name! And the whale's name was Moby Dick! Right you are! Biggest whale in all of creation! I read that book too, Challenger.
Book? I write books too!? Even with amnesia his ego is out of control! We'd better keep following this trail.
- Try to keep up! - Don't worry about me, I've walked all over this jungle.
Yeah! We noticed that.
Oh, that's interesting.
It's going up.
Up to where? Oh, Marguerite! Marguerite! Wake up.
What? The gas! It's going through those rocks up there! Wake up! That's very pretty, need to sleep now.
No time to sleep.
Come on! On your feet! I wonder The hole where Challenger was fishing for insects it was jammed with rocks too.
You don't suppose this could be the other end! Could be, I guess.
Of course! It's to let the spirits out! What's that? Like the burial chambers in Egypt.
There was always a shaft to allow the spirits of the dead access to the sky above to continue their journey.
Well, if that's the case, why did they block it out? They obviously didn't want this particular spirit to escape.
Why not? Well, she's your relative, Marguerite.
You tell me.
If I could just pry some of these rocks loose it could be our only chance.
Another time my friends and I were in a small boat rowing across this vast lake, when we were attacked by a sea monster, just like the one I caught this morning.
Somehow we managed to get a hook into its mouth, and it dragged us right across the lake! It was the most incredible thing you've ever seen! Oh, will you quit with the fish stories already.
- You're driving me nuts! - Wait! - That one really happened.
- It did? See? I am amazing.
I've been amazing since birth.
A child prodigy no doubt.
Do I play a musical instrument? I know I sing a little.
Perhaps I dance too.
You're so amazing you can't even remember what happens to your friends! I do remember collecting insects! Now that sounds more like you.
Do you remember where you were doing this? Certainly.
On a hilltop.
Any particular hilltop? Yes, of course.
On the hilltop where I was collecting the insects.
Terrific! There can't be more than a million hilltops around here! There was an explosion, I think.
An explosion! Was anybody hurt? That must have been how I lost my fishing rod! Lost your brain more like it! Marguerite? Marguerite! Oh, come on.
Wake up.
Oh, wake up.
Come on, up you go.
Roxton.
I'm right beside you.
I'm going to get us out of here, all right? How? I don't know.
Fire! - What? - Fire! The gas is escaping through those rocks in the wall, just as it did when we opened the door to get in here.
Sorry, I should have looked where I was going Oh, no, no, no.
If we can ignite the gas, the shaft will act like a bloody cannon and blow those rocks sky high! If we light a match the whole place will go up in flames! We'll be burned to death.
Not if we're underwater.
Come on.
There.
I knew I could find it.
I thought you said there was nothing in there! I don't think there is.
Then why have you got the gun? We need the bullet to create a spark.
All right, Marguerite.
Get in the water.
You first.
My pleasure.
Look, no sea monsters.
Come on, Marguerite.
In you get.
All right.
How long can you hold your breath? I'm running out of breath to hold.
It'll be all right, take my hand.
Ready? On the count of three.
One Two Three! What's happening? Run! Run! - What was that all about? - I don't know.
What's that? Marguerite! there.
What were they doing in there? Maybe they were playing hide-and-seek with Challenger! How is he? He's got quite a bump.
We should get him back to the treehouse when you're ready.
And he thinks he's the world's greatest fisherman.
What are you talking about? He's had amnesia.
We found him wandering around in the jungle a little ways back.
Might explain why he didn't try to help us out of that cave.
It didn't look like you needed much help.
I'll get Marguerite.
Oh, my head.
Whoa! Take it easy.
Do you remember what happened now? Yes.
Of course, The cave in! Explosion! We've got to get to Roxton and Marguerite! No! It's okay.
They are right over there.
Up you come.
Easy does it.
Oh, what did I miss? Did you ever hear the one about the fish that got away? About what happened down there.
You mean about you being the reincarnation of a Druid priestess? Yes.
Well, don't you worry.
Your newest secret is safe with me.
Thank you.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode