INT. REC ROOM, LATER: Rigid, immobile faces. Listening to the storm overhead. Childs is looking out the window at MacReady's shack, the light is now off. He turns to the group.
CHILDS: How long have they been out there?
NAULS: About forty - forty five minutes.
Silence, as the uneasy eyes measure one another.
CHILDS: We better start closing all the outside doors.
As Norris removes the flame thrower harness, he grimaces in pain.
INT. HALLWAY: Palmer and Childs are nailing boards to secure an outer door. Windows is at another door doing the same.
INT. HALLWAY: At another outer door, Norris has gatherered boards and nails for the same job. He notices something out the window.
NORRIS: Hey! All of you come here!
Again Norris grimaces with pain, clutching his chest.
Through the fogged-up windows, a figure can be seen approaching the main compound. It pulls and drags its way along the guide rope, fighting the gale force winds. It's Nauls, he frantically beats on the door, screaming for them to open up.
The men, weapons in hand, huddle at the main doorway. They unbolt it. Sleet and hail send Nauls rolling in from the outside.
CHILDS: Close that door!
The men force the door back and lock it. The weary Nauls kneels on the floor and gasps for air. The others surround him.
PALMER: Where's MacReady?
NAULS: I cut him loose from the line up by the shack.
CHILDS: Cut him loose?
Nauls weighs each of them ominously, while digging down underneath his heavy jacket.
NAULS: Yea. We were up checking around his place. I found this. Look, it was stashed in his old coal furnace. Wind must haved dislodged it, but I don't think he saw me find it. I made sure I got ahead of him on the tow line on the way back. I cut him loose.
He pulls out a thick bundle of heavy clothing. It is mutilated and partially burned. He holds out the jacket to show the name tag -- it reads: R.J. MACREADY The men examine it in a hush. Windows grabs the garment and inspects it. The men continue to examine in various states of disbelief.
WINDOWS (incredulous): MacReady?
NAULS: He's one of them.
WINDOWS (scared): When do you think it got to him?
NAULS: I don't know.
PALMER: It could have been anytime. Anywhere.
CHILDS (to Nauls, suspicious): If it did get to him.
NAULS: Hey look Childs, come on.
PALMER: The lights went out.
NORRIS: That would have been the perfect time.
PALMER: Right, you said guys were missing . . . (pointedly) . . . And Windows, where were you!?
Windows furious, lunges at Palmer.
WINDOWS: You son of a . . .
A scuffle breaks out, the men shouting at each other. Childs and Norris separate them.
PALMER: Where were you!?
NORRIS: This is just what it wants... to pit us against each other!
Then they see the door knob moving, someone is trying to get in. Nauls scampers to his feet. They tense.
The men surround the door, their weapons ready. Fear. The men keep their voices low.
PALMER: Let's open it.
CHILDS: Hell no.
WINDOWS (shaking): You think he's changed into one of those Things?
NORRIS: He's had plenty of time.
CHILDS: Nothing human could have made it back here in this weather without a guideline.
PALMER: Let's open it now!
CHILDS (edgy, hostile): Why you so damn anxious to let him in here!?
PALMER (slightly trembling): Cause it's so close! Maybe our best chance to blow it away.
CHILDS: No. Just let him freeze to death outside!
WINDOWS (voice cracking): Childs! What if we're wrong about him?
CHILDS: Well then we're wrong!
The muffled breaking of a window down the hall. The men turn.
PALMER: Supply window!
NORRIS: All right... all right... we've got no choice now!
HALLWAY / SUPPLY ROOM DOOR: Palmer stands by as Childs tries the knob. Locked. Nauls and Norris disappear to another direction.
CHILDS: Damn it, he's got the keys.
Childs rips a nearby fire ax off the wall and begins hacking away at the door.
CHILDS: You're a dead man, MacReady -- or whatever the hell you are!
SUPPLY ROOM: MacReady begins to rummage through the supplies in the darkness. Childs chops away. MacReady desperately continues rummaging through the supplies.
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