 This forest, not a war that has been fought or one that will be, but any war and the enemies who struggle here do not exist unless we call them into being. This forest then and all that happens now is outside history. Only the unchanging shapes of fear and doubt and death are from our world. These soldiers that you see keep our language and our time, but have no other country but the mind. Do you think they're looking for us? It's... What about ours, all right? You can't see us. But maybe they saw a plane back there. There isn't much left of it to see, unless it's still burning. Even if they could spot us, there isn't anything that they could do to help us here. Here. Six miles behind the enemy lines. Well, that's not too far. Not too far? And those six miles are probably thousands of guys, and every one of them was taught to shoot at uniforms like this. If you're so worried about that, why don't you keep your voice down? I'm not worried. What's going to happen, Lieutenant? If somebody around here saw a plane go down, they might be looking for us in the woods already. I'd feel a lot easier if our arsenal was better stocked. It isn't very much. Too bad you fellas didn't get your rifles out of the plane. Once he would be done. Once you understand how a mousetrap works, if you're clever enough, you can use it as a springboard. Here are the front lines. From our position just before we crashed, we should be in this general area. Our own lines are here, and we should be about here. There's a river that runs east of where we are now, I think. That river cuts right through the front lines and winds up on our side. Now, as I see it, we might be able to use our reconditioned mousetrap on the river. Is that your idea? To go down the river? Yes. How? How can we get down it? I can't swim very well. In pleasure. We could do it on a raft. At night. Well, we'll never make it any other way. It's suicide to try to walk on. I wouldn't have a vaguest idea of how and where to start. This way, we could just cruise through together in a few hours and arrive in one piece. Now, by my computations, we... Your computations? You're a brilliant figure in the goddess in the first place. It must be somebody's pet. It has a collar. Eh, make a better watch, dog. Seems friendly enough. We can't use a mask upon this trip. Hurry up. We don't have all day. No one has a better suggestion. Let's head for the river. Some more animals might show up. We'll fight the other bastard for some reason. We'll get there before it burns in the bushes. I could do it alone. Just a corner to turn and be with a bunch of crippled. Nobody's safe here. Are they watching me? Blame who? I'll blame the pig. Keep them beaded on a string. Lost, I should look around. Getting hungry. What's up? You're all scared. Oh, much isn't back of us. So angry at each other. Time for a night, sooner. I want to look up later. All the twigs cracking in my head. We'll need pause for the night. I crashed through myself. The bird was wounded. I don't run for no reason. Nail on the sun. Wait! What's going to hang in the trees tonight? Hurry with them. No dying in the woods. Maybe I'm getting old. Faster! The lights, please. I'm sinking in the woods. Don't die here. Dark will be bad. All the lights in the woods, please. We'll get past this road. The river isn't very much further. There's nothing so refreshing as an afternoon out of doors and enemy territory. It's really too bad that the sun doesn't burn a screen instead of brown. It's a camouflage. Well, if you see some strange faces across the way, just wave to them casually and try to look as native as possible. Lieutenant! Lieutenant! Come here. Bring your binoculars. What do you want? I'd like you to see something around the riverbed. What? I can't make out exactly what it is, but I think you'll be interested. Come on. Over there. See? Looks like some kind of small airstrip. Yes, you're right. Lots of rank around. Looks like a general. He's a general. Let's get back and help with the raft. Mac, let's go. All we need now is Huckleberry Finn. This ought to see us through. Yeah, it doesn't look bad at all. Yay! Should we make sure it floats? Rafts always float. It's unfortunate that we don't have a distinguished bottle to christen it with. Yeah, we could give it a name. Starting to get dark. I don't know. Perhaps they didn't see us. But it's too dangerous to wait here until we find out. What are we going to do? How are we going to get back? Hurry up. Let's go. That plane must have landed down that house we saw before. What's the difference? There must be something big going on down there. Maybe the generals are having a convention tonight. We didn't see this on the way to the river. Well, we've been running in a new direction. Whatever junk they're eating sure smells good. Like mother's own. Those guns look even more tempting than the food does. I've got an idea. Look, no matter what we do from here on, we're much better off with some guns. I'm going to get some of that stew first. Sidney, better grab something to eat. Maybe a long time till our next feast. You better eat something. How's the stew, Mac? Cold stew's all right. Cold stew on a blazing island. We've just made a perfect definition of war, Mac. Stucky. Of course, a blazing island with a tempest of gunfire around it that fans the blade. Perhaps if we could... Grab those guns and let's keep going. Why did you have to shoot? Forget it. Let's move. There are lives running our fingers down the lists in directories, looking for our real names, our permanent addresses. No man is an island. Perhaps that was true a long time ago before the Ice Age. The glaciers have melted away and now we're all islands. Hearts of a world made of islands only. Hey, how long are you going to hang around here? We're in a fine mess now. I'd give anything to trade placements, that dog we chased yesterday. Seems like whenever people get in a hole they begin to get jealous of dogs. I admit that our prospects aren't very cheerful. But how about going back to see if our raft is still there? Look, if we were spotted they'll have a trap waiting for us when we shot. Well, it's a chance. They're trying to walk out as risky today as it was yesterday. We'll scout around the river and make certain. Then what? Even if we find the raft there, even if none of them are laying for us, then what? Then we'll have to sit tight until it gets dark and hope that we don't have a full moon. We can sing old songs if we get restless waiting. Which man? Which man is Newcomes? I hate that they're cannibals. So even if we get caught, you're pretty safe. Come on. We may be in the woods, McClellan, but let's try to remain civilized. Yeah, I suppose you're right, Luke. Anyway, there won't be many days left to be civilized in. We stick around these woods much longer. Don't be afraid. We're not going to hurt you. She's quite nice. Don't you think so, boys? Well, what are we supposed to do with her now? I've got a wife at home. I'm afraid she's become our uninvited guest. I must say I've had worse guests at better parties. All right, coffee. All right. Let's not forget where we are. Even though we're lost in the woods, let's try to remain civilized. Well, we can't stay here. What are you going to do with her, Lieutenant? Give me your belt. You too, Fletcher. Please don't beat her. She's just scared like we are. She doesn't even talk. Get a grip on yourself. No one's going to punish her. I simply want to tie her up. Now, give me your belt. Let's hurry it up. My arm's getting tied. Be careful not to hurt her. I hope she doesn't start screaming. She's a pretty little thing. Why don't we just leave her here and get going? Don't rush me. If we can make her understand this, perhaps she can tell us whether they found the raft. Habla Espanol? I'll handle this, Sidney. I'm quite sure she wasn't educated abroad. Let's see. You see boat, our boat. Yes, that's it. Boat. You see boat. Don't tell me she doesn't even understand you. If she can't tell us anything, let's let her go. Sure, so she can run downstream to that command post and tip our hand. You kid. Maybe she was going there in the first place. With the fish, you mean? Sure. A general gets what he wants for dinner no matter what. It's fish caught of fresh strawberries with gold plates. This is hardly the time to become a revolutionary. We ought to continue to see about the raft. But we can't let her go yet. Why? What'd she do to us? If she could understand, she would have told you. Make her already told you why. Sidney, you'll stay here with the young lady until we come back. Here, take this. You're going to leave me here? Yes, I told you to watch the girl. You're going to make me stay in and not come back. I know because yesterday. Keep calm, kid. If we're not back by night, just get in touch with the old man about a wedding. Maybe you can settle down in a tree house and raise some monkeys. Leave him alone, Mac. Don't listen to him. Remember, you promised to come back, Fletcher. I'll watch her to stay here and keep an eye on her because she may prove very useful that the raft has been discovered. We ought to be back in a couple of hours. Now, just relax. Don't get panicky. See you later, Sidney. They thought you had liked me. Have you gone, Mac? Don't do that. Don't go away. It's not my fault. I stopped them from beating you. Don't scowl. Watch. I'll make you laugh. Look, I'm the general. Watch me. Attention. The general is here. Attention. Glad to have you with us, sir. Quite frankly, the situation is desperate. I don't think I can cope with it alone. Isn't it funny? Isn't it? Orderly. More fat fish that the girl caught for me. The general. I am the general. You have to hate me. Please try to like me also. You're reading a magazine in that plane. I wouldn't have believed it. Better take a look around the river bend. Careful. We'll get to where camouflageing will ramp. I'm a little worried about Sidney back there with the girl. I don't like the way he's been acting. You're not going soft-headed and thinking about taking her along with us tonight. You're beginning to sound like Sidney. No. She could bring three friends, perhaps. But as it is, she'll remain locked in the forest like we were. Then I could make the red eye between his ears. Then he'd see McLaren. It's so hard to finish and wait for words. You want him more? Do you? Then the spirit and magician's power was back to the island and tells Miranda that her father's dead. The spirit sings how he's dead at the bottom of the ocean. His bones are quarreled, his eyes are pearls. And Miranda, her father's dead. Dead? Can't you understand anything? Dead. Dead. All clear? Everything's all right. I'd like to talk to you about that house. What house? A house down there. The one where we saw that general yesterday. Wait around, Mac. Right now I'd like you to go back to Sidney. I didn't like the way he was acting when we left. I'm a little concerned. But don't you think that we... Do as I say, will you? As soon as we're through here, we'll join you. I don't want anything to go wrong back there. Brought you some water. You'll put your arms around me. I know. Wait. I knew you'd like me. Just a minute. Okay, will you lie to me? Where's the girl? Answer me. Don't leave me here. No, no, no. I want you to a jelly. She was tired. She might lie down. Over there. Annoyer, Mac. It wasn't my fault. The magician did it. Honest. Prosper all the magician. First were a bird, and then were an island. Before I was a general. And now I'm a fish. Blood, Mac. I'm going for a swim. Come on in, Mac. Listen to them. What happened? We're Sidney and the girl. The kid must have gone out of his head. When I got back, he was just laying there. The girl's dead. Over there. He shot her. Where is he? He's gone. He held something about how the magician does it. And before he was something, and now he's a fish. Before I could stop him, he ran away towards the river. He kept laughing and screaming. We can't do anything about it now. We'll have to move again. A nice spot near the raft would be the best place to wait till night. I guess there's going to be more elbow room than I thought. And I want to talk to you about that house down the river. And the general. I won't hear any more about it. I don't know what's gotten into you, Mac. So you saw a general. So what? The raft is all set and in a couple of hours we'll be on it. Can't you see any further? A general, why he... How many times do we have to go over this? What should I tell you again? It's one of their generals to me. He's cheap in my rate of exchange, but our lives aren't. Your rate of exchange. You make me laugh. If you had any guts... Look, I don't want to talk about it anymore. Forget about the general for a minute. What about the plane you saw? That's right. What about that plane? We've already been over this. It looks like a two-seater and with that small field for me to clear. Look, one of us can take that raft downstream to the field when it gets dark and start shooting to draw the sentries from the house. And the other two can plug that guy and get away in a plane while I keep him busy from the ramp. You? Sure. Me. But getcha. You'd never make it back alive. Who else could do it the way I could? You couldn't. You'd be right at home sitting down nice and comfortable in a cockpit looking down on what's going on. Sure. You recite a few sins you've picked up and everything will be all right. I'd just as soon make the trip back myself. All right. Do you think you'd have any chance at all to get away with it alive? Here I am. I'm 34 years old. I've never done anything important. Nothing. When this is over, I'll fix radios and wash machines and they'll sink. Good boy, Mac. I don't care if they got a million generals. There's one, two miles from here. His hide's gonna keep me from going nuts. Like sitting. Only in a different way. I'm gonna put up my own hide. Why should we? The raft's still there. As soon as it gets dark, it can take us all back tonight. Look, if I draw him down to the river, you and Fletcher can do the job and get away in a plane. What do you say, Fletcher? Well, it's not that I want to seem important. Half the trouble in the world happens because some people do. But I think half the good things happen that way, too. If we could get away with it, it would sure be better. I... I don't know the words to say what I mean, but this is something for me. Something... I guess we can all probably make it back on that thing, but when you walk and walk through the woods and then suddenly they dangle a general in front of you like magic, and you know it's only for this once. You can't turn your back on them. None of us asked to be here, but we all have to gamble. It's not as if we could refuse. We had to gamble once we crashed. That general raised the stakes, and we've been so lucky, why shouldn't we put up a little more than we have to? What are you living for anyway? To make talk? Why? Why is your life so precious? Why? Can you tell me why? Why? They always corner me with that why. If I knew a decent answer to it, I'd shout it, and probably should write it on walls with chalk. Do it for me. Well, we have nothing to lose, but our futures. Don't start for a half an hour. The flight isn't still there. We'll have time to get back to you. Don't worry. It'll be there. Good luck, Mac. See you soon. Try not to get your feet wet. Here. You look out for your head. Okay, fellow. So long. Mac, I hope that sometime... I guess we both... Sometimes talk. It's an indispensable medicine. Yeah, but you get sicker later. Good luck. I didn't really mean what I said before about guts. Yes, you did. But don't let it bother you. Take it easy, fellow. The plane's still there, so I guess there's no really good excuse to go back. I guess not. Can you see? Hold it. What time is it? We have about ten minutes before Mac begins. It's better to roll up your life into one night and one man and one gun to keep hurting everyone else in every direction and to be hurt with all the separate hates exploding day after day. You can't help it. A curse buzzes out of your mouth with every word you say. And nobody alive can tell which is which or what you mean. Or after door when you hear voices you like behind them. But the knobs come off in your hand. One of the men did down by the river. He was very busy baying at the moon. There, Proteus, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Staying away without leave for two whole days. An officer should know how to control himself better. Have a drink, Captain. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. You must never, never do that again, Proteus. Don't you know that there are evil spirits without bodies who roam the forests looking for unsuspecting dogs like you and that when you open your jaws to disturb the moon why they leap into your mouth and possess you. Then you could become a murderer or even a traitor. Not your dog, sir. He knows his allegiance. Have you been alert, Proteus? Have you detected all the distant marchings? Has your wet nose become aware of all the blood on the grass? What else can you tell us besides your puppy-dog sadness? I wish you could tell us where those enemy soldiers from that wrecked plain are. They've been bothersome for the last two days. They all soon got tired of starving and being hunted. Even Proteus was tired of it after two days. See that Lieutenant Proteus gets something to eat. Yes, sir. Nobody's gonna cry for me later or cheer for me now. Nobody else is me. I know that. Who else but me is buried under the chain of everything I ever did. I didn't mean any of it. It was all wrong. Good riddance. What a thing to come to at the end. Like building a bridge. Or stealing the crown jewels. Thanks, General. Thanks. I'll take the tombstone if it's really mine. Even the north for four divisions. One by one the men turned black. As we waited for the last snowflake to dissolve. Across the valley our enemies blew on their cold hands. Until no more breath came. Then they were dead. And they knew it. We were so well prepared for death. That the armistice was a mutual disappointment. Now he's in his comfortable house, figuring out the corpses on his maps full of his supper. I'll be the wheel under all the ducks and all the bull's eyes. I still become uneasy when I find myself trapped. Directing the courses of frightened men. I cannot quite admit that it is I who am creating slaughter. It is abyss that I left the road. That I ordered this. That what is a prison for me. I make a grave for others. To your health, sir. Never is helping me out of my life. Sometimes these maps. Sometimes as I look at these maps, I wonder if my own grave isn't being planned. Or here. Or here. No more Sundays. No more a thousand things. Kissing my great-grandmother when she was dying. I missed him. I think he's only wounded. Come on. We have to finish him off. But they'll stop shooting at the river. They'll be here any minute. Please, we don't have any time. Can I come? I won't be any bother. Sure, kid. Hop on. There's plenty of room. Thanks a lot for stopping. He's in there. All right, Mac. You rest. I'll be quiet. I lost my wife. Please. The naked. The naked Mac. And what happened to the sergeant? He might make it. With your permission, I'd like to go down to the river and watch for him. Yes, sir. The same goes for me. You both certainly have the right to it, if you wish. Do you think he'll come back? I'm not sure yet whether even we've come back. I think we've all traveled too far from our own private boundaries. We're not certain about these other things anymore. We'll come back to ourselves. Part of me's glad, but... Yeah. I'm glad in a way, too. And I feel free all of a sudden, but somehow I don't want what I wanted before. I know it's good. There's nothing else I can want. I'm all mixed up. I wish I could want what I wanted before. Is your head bothering you? No, it's something else. What's that? I guess I'm not built for this. Nobody ever was. It's all the trick we performed when we'd rather not die immediately.