FADE IN:

1 EXT. THE SKIES OVER ENGLAND - NIGHT

GRAY CLOUDS hang over a quiet English countryside
Slowly, A MENACING BUZZING fills the sky: AIRPLANE ENGINES.
A SQUADRON OF BLACK AIRPLANES pushes through the clouds.

2 INT. GERMAN BOMBER - NIGHT
A GOOGLED GERMAN PILOT calmly relays orders to his crew. The Nazi navigator peer down into the eyepiece of his bombsight.

3 EXT. THE SKIES OVER ENGLAND - NIGHT
The bombers drop out of the clouds, bent for grid of middle-class row houses.

AN AIR RAID SIREN WAILS.

BOMBS DETONATE ACROSS LONDON.

4. INT> PEVENSIE HOUSE - NIGHT
EDMUND (11) stands AT THE WINDOW staring out in awe at the fiery assault.

MRS. PEVENSIE (O.S.)
Edmund, get away from there!

MRS. PEVENSIE yanks him away

MRS. PEVENSIE (cont’d)
(calls)
Peter!
(to Edmund)
What do you think you’re doing?!

She pushes him toward

PETER (15). Peter grips his brother’s arm.

MRS. PEVENSIE (cont’d)
Peter, quickly. The shelter! Now!

PETER
(grabbing Edmund)
Come on!

5. INT. PEVENSIE HOUSE, GIRLS’ BEDROOM - NIGHT
LUCY (8) cowering in her bed, clutching a toy dog.

LUCY
Mommy?

SUSAN (13) bursts through the door. She snaps up A TEXTBOOK and FLASHLIGHT. The beam sweeps the room, finally landing on

SUSAN
Lucy, come on!

Susan yanks her sister out of bed.

6. EXT. PEVENSIE HOUSE - NIGHT
Peter throws open the back door, hurrying the family toward the SHELTER.

SUSAN
Hurry!

Suddenly, Edmund skids to a halt.

EDMUND
Wait! Dad!

MRS. PEVENSIE
Edmund! NO!

Peter grips Edmund’s elbow, but Edmund wriggles out of his sweater and RACES BACK INTO THE HOUSE.

PETER
I’ll get him!

Furious, Peter, throws down the sweater and tears after him.

MRS. PEVENSIE
Peter. Come back.

7 INT. PEVENSIE HOUSE - NIGHT
Edmund dashes into the sitting room and grabs...

A FRAMED PHOTO of a man in an RAF UNIFORM.

PETER tackles Edmund just as

AN EXPLOSION BLOWS IN THE WINDOW, SPRAYING GLASS OVER THE BOYS.
Peter shakes the shards from his hair, glaring at his brother beneath him.

PETER
Edmund! C’mon. You little idiot! Run! Get out!

Edmund snatches up his father’s now-shattered portrait as Peter pulls him to his feet.

8 EXT. PEVENSIE HOUSE - NIGHT
Peter and Edmund race across the yard and into the shelter.

9 INT. AIR RAID SHELTER - NIGHT
They tumble in, panting. Lucy and Susan cower with their mother.

Peter glares at Edmund.

PETER
Why can’t you think about anyone but yourself? You’re so selfish. You could’ve got us killed.

MRS. PEVENSIE
Stop it.

PETER
Why can’t you just do as your told?

Edmund fights tears as he stares at his dad’s crumpled photo.

Mrs. Pevensie pulls Edmund to her as Peter slams the shelter door SHUT.

10 INT. TRAIN STATION - DAY
HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN say goodbye to their families on the platform. Most wear nametags, gas masks slung around their necks.

TRAIN STATION ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
Attention, attention. Would all parents ensure that their children carry the appropriate identification papers. Children and evacuation staff only beyond barrier

Mrs. Pevensie pins identification to Lucy’s coat

MRS. PEVENSIE
Are you warm enough?

Lucy nods.

SHOT OF A POSTER of a DESTITUTE FAMILY: "HELP THE CHILDREN. HOUSEING EVACUEES IS A NATIONAL SERVICE!"

Edmund stars glumly up at the poster.

EDMUND
If dad were here, he wouldn’t make us go.

PETER
If Dad were here, it’d mean the war was over and we wouldn’t have to go.

MRS. PEVENSIE PINS EDMUND’S NAME AND DESTINATION TO HIS COAT.

MRS. PEVENSIE
You will listen to your brother won’t you Edmund?

She tries to hug Edmund, but he turns away. She sadly settles for kissing his cheek.

She hands Peter A SHEAF OF DOCUMENTS, hugging him tight.

MRS. PEVENSIE (cont’d)
Promise me you’ll look after the others.

PETER
I will, Mum.

MRS. PEVENSIE
Good man.

Mrs. Pevensie turns to Susan and hugs her.

MRS. PEVENSIE (cont’d)
Susan. Be a big girl.

Mrs. Pevensie takes a long, sad look at them.

MRS. PEVENSIE (cont’d)
All right. Off you go.

Lucy anxiously takes Peter’s hand. Peter looks down at her, forcing an uneasy smile.

Peter leads them to the train. Confused, he sifts through the documents his mother gave him.

Susan rolls her eyes and takes the papers, handing them to the official. Peter grimaces, annoyed.

Lucy looks back, searching for her mother, but Peter turns her toward the train.

PETER
Come on, Lucy. We’ve got to stick together now.

The Pevensies uncertainly climb the steps.

MOMENTS LATER:
A whistle screams as the train eases out of the station.

The Pevensies join the rest of the children, leaning out the windows, shouting good-bye.

They watch as Mrs. Pevensie follows the train down the platform, fighting back tears.

Music starts a TITLE MONTAGE:

11 EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
The train emerges from a tunnel into the countryside.

12 INT. TRAIN COMPARTMENT - DAY
The Pevensies ride in a cramped compartment. A red-headed brother and sister sit glumly at the far end.

Peter reads a book, "Biggles Goes to War." On the cover, two planes dog-fight in the setting sun.

At a stop, Lucy watches the little boy fumble with his bag, nervously making to leave.

Lucy stands and offers the boy her DOG.

Edmund stares out the window as the children are collected by SOMBER FOSTER PARENTS. The boy clutches Lucy’s toy dog.

Susan smiles at Edmund, trying to cheer him up.

13 EXT. RURAL RAILWAY STATION - DAY
The train pulls away, leaving the Pevensies on an empty platform. A sign on the ticket booth creaks in the wind.

A car drives up the small country road, the Pevensies look hopeful, but it passes by.

SUSAN
(uneasily)
The Professor knew we were coming.

Edmund eyes his nametag.

EDMUND
Perhaps we’re been incorrectly labeled.

His smile fades as he sees Lucy’s worried face.

Suddenly, AN ANCIENT BLACK BUGGY CLATTERS UP.

MRS. MACREADY (O.S.)
Come on. Hup, Hup.
Whoa. Whoa.

A STERN WOMAN peers down from the seat. Peter checks the papers and steps nervously forward.

PETER
Mrs...Macready?

MRS. MACREADY
I’m afraid so.

She looks the children over, none too impressed.

MRS. MACREADY
Is this it, then? Haven’t you brought anything else?

PETER
No, ma’am. It is just us.

She smiles tightly.

MRS. MACREADY
Small favours.

The children wilt.

Kindly provided by DavisChristian

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