Free Beowulf by Neil Gaiman Page B

door. His eyes open wide like saucers at the horror of what has become of the remaining Danes.
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    Behind him, other Thanes push their way into the room. Their eyes, like Beowulf’s, betray the terror in their hearts.
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    The hall, once white wash over stone, has been stained with the blood of the South Danes. Great crimson splashes paint the ceiling. Golden tapestries have been speckled by the milk of slaughter.
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    TWENTY DEAD THANES in all, their bodies ripped into pieces, litter the soaked hall.
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    Thanes continue to push their way into the hall, trying to get a good look at the carnage. But as each man enters he becomes frozen, unable to move into the room filled with death.
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    It has become a feast for the flies. Their buzz adds a horrific edge to the already surreal bloodshed before them.
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    Beowulf steps slowly through the hall assessing the dead. Not a single man lays living. Beowulf draws his sword from his back and holds it in front of him, as if it might defend him from the invisible air of death in the hall.
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    WE TRACK BACKWARDS AND OUT of a huge hole which has been knocked through the far corner of the south hall. Great stones lay in rubble heaps outside the massive keep.
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    Beowulf jumps out of the keep onto the green glade beyond the rubble heap. He runs into an EXTREME CLOSE UP as he scans the horizon where
    97 THE MOORS
    97
    leads beyond Herot and into a dark forest. Close to the rim of the tangled grove, at least a kilometer away, a SHADOWY FIGURE runs. After an instant the figure vanishes into the deep forest. For a moment, it seems as though it may have never been there at all.
    98 BEOWULF
    98
    squints his eyes in the hope of getting another glimpse at the dark apparition.
    BEOWULF
    What monster is this!?
    Behind him, the Thanes are coming out of the huge hole in the keep. No one can seem to answer him.
    WIGLAF
    Is Grendel not dead? Has he grown his arm anew?
    Beowulf looks at him, afraid to answer.
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    Then, Hrothgar is there, pushing his way through the crowd of Thanes.
    HROTHGAR
    It’s not Grendel.
    WIGLAF
    Not Grendel? Then who?
    CUT TO:
    99 INT. HEROT - THRONE ROOM - DAY
    99
    CLOSE ON: Hrothgar is sitting in his mighty (and portable) throne. He is in his full compliment of battle gear.
    HROTHGAR
    Grendel’s mother. I had hoped that she had left the land long since. True you killed the son. Rid us of a terror like we have never known. But none of us were reckoning with the creature’s foul mother.
    Beowulf doesn’t seem to happy about this.
    BEOWULF
    Another, then another, then another. How many monsters am I to slay? Grendel’s father? Grendel’s uncle? Grendel’s cousin once removed? If there are more please tell me now, friend Hrothgar. For I would like to know if I will have to burn down an entire family tree of these demons.
    HROTHGAR
    There are no more…no more of her kind in this world. And without another she can not procreate. With her gone demonkind will slip into legend.
    WIGLAF
    (shaking his head aghast)
    Where they belong.
    BEOWULF
    And what of her mate? Where is Grendel’s father?
    Wealthow looks at Hrothgar with an expression that says “yes, Hrothgar, where is Grendel’s father?”
    HROTHGAR
    Grendel’s father is dead, gone with a bygone age. Grendel’s father can do no harm to man.
    Beowulf nods, perhaps a little suspicious.
    BEOWULF
    Then let us destroy her.
    HROTHGAR
    Lay into your mind what has happened here!
    Beowulf’s eyes fix into a stare as he imagines the atrocity taking place.
    FLASH TO:
    UNFERTH
    Beowulf.
    Beowulf turns and looks at Unferth.
    BEOWULF
    Unferth. What is it?
    UNFERTH
    I was wrong to doubt you before. And I shall not doubt you again. The blood that flows in your veins is the blood of courage. I ask your forgiveness.
    BEOWULF
    (perhaps a little too abruptly, Beowulf is uncomfortable with Unferth’s humility)
    Forgiven.
    He turns to leave.
    UNFERTH
    Take my