The Paradox
Fade in:
Int. Fighter Jet - night
1943 Sicily
Strange red lights FLASH from the dashboard. An inaudible woman's voice travels from a small radio box labeled WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), seated next to Nancy (23).
Woman's voice (O.S)
Nanc- Nancy do yo- -ead.
Nancy
Rachel, I can't- I don't think I can make...
Rachel (O.S)
Don't say tha- take-- deep breat-
Nancy's hands are shaking, pale. She FRANTICALLY flips switches and then, the static voice cuts out completely. Lights flash for a last time, then extinguish and the jet goes dark. Muted by horror, Nancy manages to fumble for her parachute. It's easily accessible in a bright yellow pack. She is just about to jump out the jet when she turns around last minute to grab her radio before slipping out the plummeting plane.
Ext. woods - night
The premise is dark. But, in a distance is the bright orange burning remnants of the jet Nancy once flew. Nancy however, was doing no better than her jet. She lays sprawled on the undergrowth. Her chestnut hair splayed across her face, various rips show along her uniform and fresh cut shows on her cheek. She doesn't wake but there is the sound of her small intakes of breath.
An animal in the distance calls, and Nancy awakes. She looks stunned for just a moment but immediately stands to attention. She picks up her broken radio and exhales.
Not far from her, she sees a body lying on the ground, still. She walks over to the body and realizes it's a man with a huge wound in his leg. She immediately feels for his chest. She lets out a breath after she finds his pulse. Then, she leaves him and wanders into the woods looking for something intently.
Then the sound of flowing water is heard up ahead. Nancy's boots squish through the mud and she finds a river. Immediately, she runs back to the man. She looks around in frustration.
Nancy
Damnit, I need a container.
Nancy looks at the man then carefully tries to lift him. He's too heavy so she drags him but making sure not to disturb the wound on his leg.
MONTAGE
Nancy slowly drags the man into the forest. She takes short breaks to catch her breath
He shifts once in his sleep and she realized she's accidentally disturbed his wound and adjusted her posture.
She finally makes it to the river and slowly lowers him. She cups water onto his face and wipes it clean. It's to dark to see his face but she winces at his prickly beard that's just began to grow.
Then she looks to the wound on his leg and gasps. Without much though she cups a hand full of cool water and pours it over the wound.
His leg jerks upward and hits Nancy in the nose.
END OF MONTAGE
NANCY
Oww!! So much for saving your life.
MAN
Es tut mir lei.
NANCY
Sorry... what?
Man
Ummm i said so-orry.
Nancy looks at him quizzically but then nods her head in understanding.
Ext. woods - day
The sun hasn't risen yet, but Nancy is up and about. Poking at bushes and looking in trees. Several minutes later she comes back with two leaves each with an assortment of berries. She hands one to the man and keeps one for herself.
MAN
What this?
NANCY
Breakfast, don't worry they're safe.
She pops some berries in her mouth and the man looks at her skeptically. When he sees no fatal reactions occurring, he tentatively pops one in his own mouth. A moment later he scrunches his nose.
MAN
Sie sind bitter!
NANCY
They're not ripe
Upon finishing up their morning meal, Nancy cleans up then looks at the mans leg. Traces of blood line his pants and she kneels down next to his leg.
NANCY
I'm going to check on your leg.
She exaggerates her motions as she points to his wounded leg. He nods. Carefully she cuts away a section of his pants with a pocket knife to reveal his wound. A big red gash, not too deep but big enough impair him from walking.
NANCY
It's a bullet wound. I know how to fix it. But, its going to be a while before you can walk.
She helps him move over to a tree where he can rest. A berry bush is next to him so he busies himself by compiling berries on a leaf as Nancy heads deeper into the forest to look for materials.
A while later she comes back with twigs, vines and some leaves filled with water. The man, is slumped over in an uncomfortable position as he sleeps and next to him is a tall pile of berries. Nancy gives a slight chuckles before setting him upright.
She cleans away the blood from the wound by pouring water from the leaves. The man wakes up with a jolt. He sees her working away at the wound.
MAN
What es your name?
Nancy looks up just noticing his waking.
Nancy
It's Nancy. What about you?
Man
Matthias.
Nancy ties leaves around the wound with vines.
Nancy
Do you know what happened to the camp?
Matthias
Escape.
(imitates finger guns)
Take zeh weapons and fight. But, I was wounded.
Nancy then uses two branches to secure the cast.
Nancy
I'm a pilot in the US women's airforce and my plane crashed.
She points to the burnt remnants and sits across from Matthias.
Matthias
I was a blacksmith.
Ext. Woods - Day
2 weeks later
MONTAGE
The woods still look the same, green and dense. But, Nancy and Matthias look like they've lost a lot of weight. Nancy is sitting against a tree attempting to rewire her radio while Matthias slowly walks around with a stick in his hand.
They both are struggling but slowly as the sun sets that day, Nancy has managed to receive static from her radio and Matthias can slowly walk 6 feet without his walking stick.
Then, Nancy builds a fire in their little camp. And they both pile up leaves and find a spot near the fire to rest.
END OF MONTAGE
Ext. woods - day
Next day
Matthias is up before Nancy who is sleeping next to a dying fire. Without waking Nancy he walks off in the direction of the river.
Moments later, Nancy wakes up and looks around. When she doesn't see Matthias she immediately stands up. She looks on the ground and sees traces of blood on the ground. She follows the tracks deeper into the woods.
Nancy
Matthias?
Her call is meet with silence. But she continues to walk further into the forest. Then, there are sounds of splashing water coming from the direction of the river. Nancy runs in the direction of the river and stops when she sees Matthias.
His hair glistens in where the sunlight hits him and just as he's about to put his shirt on, the sunlight shines on his arm where a tattoo shows.
When Nancy sees the tattoo her eyes widen and she immediately runs back to the camp. Upon reaching the camp she hears noises. She looks around started, then looks at her radio.
Rachel (O.S)
Hello, who is this?
Nancy runs to the radio and carefully handles it in her hands. She presses a button then speaks.
Nancy
It's me. N-Nancy.
Rachel (O.S)
Where are you? We thought you were dead!
Nancy
I'm not. I think I'm somewhere in Sicily in some part of the woods. You have to get here quickly. I'm with a man, I thought he was a prisoner but I think he's a Nazi. Rachel, I just healed a Nazi! What am I going to do?
Rachel (O.S)
Nancy calm down. You did nothing wrong and the situation called for it. We can track you with the radio. Just hang on.
Footsteps crunching on leaves approaches Nancy and Matthias comes in view.
Matthias
Nancy? Vhat was that noise?
Nancy looks at him fearful for only a moment before putting on a smile.
Nancy
Look! I got the radio to work. My comrades will be coming in no time.
Ext. woods - night
Nancy is awkwardly setting up for dinner while Matthias strikes a fire. It is dark at first but once the fire starts burning, shadows dance across their face.
Matthias
We will eat real food soon.
Nancy only looks up from her leaf bowl and nods.
It is night again and they pile their leafs for makeshift pillow cushion. Matthias falls asleep immediately but Nancy stays restless next to her radio, staring off into the fire.
She turns to look at Matthias and sees that he's asleep. Quietly she crawls over to where he lay and gently rolls his sleeves up and on his arm is the unmistakable symbol that marked him as a Nazi.
Matthias begins to stur. Nancy has no option but to go back to her side of the fire without rolling his sleeve all the way back.
Ext. woods - day
In the woods carry a light breeze that awakes Nancy. She gets up and sees that Matthias is gone again.
Nancy
(mutters)
He probably went to wash up.
She kneels down to pick up her radio but it's not there. Nancy looks panicked. She then feels her pants for her knife, looks around in each pocket but, her knife is gone too.
Nancy
He's taken everything.
Suddenly a woman's voice screams in the distance. Nancy's head whips around in the direction of the voice and runs towards it.
Nancy (Cont'd)
Rachel!
There are 5 other pilots surrounding Matthias all wearing the same uniform as Nancy. As Nancy steps closer to the circle she realized that Rachel was in the middle, held at knife point. Her eyes are wide with terror.
Nancy (Cont'd)
Hey, that's my knife.
Matthias
Tell zhem to back off and I will give back ze knife.
Nancy
Girls, you heard what he said.
Nancy motions something at them and they nod. The girls back up to where the plane is. And stay there. They look on their guards but don't come near. Nancy slowly walks closer to Matthias with her arms raised.
Nancy (Cont'd)
I mean you no harm. Now put the weapon down and we leave you be.
Matthias
I should be saying zhat, not you.
But, Matthias slowly lowers his weapon and Rachel quickly runs away from him. Then, Nancy gives a quick motion towards the 5 girls and they suddenly charge at Matthias with a rope. Before he is able to pick up the knife again it's in Nancy's hand and his own are bound in rope.
Matthias (Cont'd)
We are both liars now.
Nancy
We are nothing alike.
The girls bring the struggling Nazi onto the plane and seat belt him into a chair at the very back. On the plane, the rest of the girls sit and watch guard while Rachel pilots the plane with Nancy as co-pilot.
Matthias
Where are you taking me?
Rachel
To jail for now.
Nancy turns around to look at him one last time.
Nancy
The judges will determine your fate.
Fade to Black: