INCUBI, HAGS AND CRUELS. OGRES, SPRITES AND HORRORS.

The air hangs still. Torches burn straight to the sky.

Finally, Aslan looks up. There, at the foot of the Stone Table, stands...

THE WHITE WITCH.

The girls gasp.

Aslan stares at the Witch. The Witch stares back, hesitant.

FINALLY, SHE LOOKS AT HIM ALMOST WITH ADMIRATION.

WHITE WITCH
Behold. The great lion.

ALL THE CREATURES PEER AT HIM, SCARED.

FINALLY, GENERAL OTMIN STEPS FORWARD. HE POKES THE LION WITH HIS AXE HANDLE.

ASLAN DOES NOTHING.

Satisfied he will not fight, OTMIN KNOCKS ASLAN TO THE GROUND.

THE WHOLE CROWD EXPLODES WITH SICK LAUGHTER.

GINARRBRIK
Here kitty, kitty...Do you want some milk?

Lucy tries to go to him. Susan holds her down.

LUCY
Why doesn't he fight back?

WHITE WITCH
Bind him!

CREATURES bind Aslan's feet and drag him along the ground.

The Witch raises a pale hand.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
Wait!

The Crowd freezes.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
Let him first be shaved.

THE CROWD ROARS. GINARRBRIK HACKS OFF ASLAN'S MANE, THROWING IT TO THE FRENZIED CROWD.

Lucy weeps. Susan just rocks back and forth.

Aslan's shorn face looks smaller.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
Bring him to me.

Lucy turns her head, unable to watch.

They shove and kick at ASLAN. Tiny creatures spit at him.

Aslan just stares up sadly at the night sky.

They muzzle him. Ogres drag Aslan onto the Table. Hags bind him to the rock.

A frenzy builds until the Witch raises a hand.

A HUSH FALLS OVER THE SCENE.

Hags start to pound the ground rhythmically. Creatures hiss.

The Witch approaches Aslan. She gently runs her STONE KNIFE across his mighty head.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
You know, Aslan, I'm a little disappointed in you. Did you honestly think by all this that you could save the human traitor?

She leans close to Aslan's ear and whispers harshly.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
You are giving me your life and saving no one's.

She regards him critically.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
So much for love.

The Witch takes one final look at Aslan. She raises herself up theatrically for the sake of the ghoulish crowd.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
Tonight, the Deep Magic will be appeased but tomorrow we will take Narnia forever.

ASLAN'S GAZE MOVES FROM THE SKY...TO LUCY, HIDING IN THE SHADOWS. THEIR EYES LOCK.

The Witch slowly cocks back the cruel knife...

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
In that knowledge, despair...and die!

...then savagely SLASHES DOWNWARD.

Aslan's eyes close. Susan and Lucy turn away.

The Witch raises her dagger high.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
The Great Cat is dead!

THE CROWD SHRIEKS.

The Witch turns to GENERAL OTMIN.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
General, prepare your troops for battle.

She looks down at Aslan.

WHITE WITCH (cont´d)
However short it may be.

THE HORRORS DANCE IN A FRENZY, SILHOUETTED IN THE FIRE.

A115 EXT. STONE TABLE HILL - NIGHT
The girls slowly approach the LIFELESS LION.

Susan strokes his limp paw.

Lucy stares, then suddenly a HOPEFUL LOOK crosses her face. She digs in her pocket and pulls out...THE CORDIAL.

But Susan just shakes her head.

SUSAN
It's too late. He's gone.

LUCY WEEPS.

SUSAN (cont´d)
He must've known what he was doing...

SUSAN BREAKS DOWN. They sob quietly in the moonlight, sitting vigil.

Slowly, Lucy's eyes focus.

A LINE OF MICE CLIMBS THE TABLE, SWARMING OVER ASLAN'S BODY.

SUSAN
Get away! Get away, all of you!

She swats at the mice,

LUCY
No. Look.

Susan stops, stunned.

THE MICE CHEW THE ROPES, FREEING ASLAN. When they're finished, they scurry away.

Susan fumbles at the muzzle around Aslan's mouth. Finally, it comes free. Aslan's noble face hangs slack.

The girls stare at Aslan's exposed face.

SUSAN
We have to tell the others.

LUCY
We can't just leave him.

Susan hesitates, not wanting to go.

SUSAN
Lucy, there's no time. They need to know.

Lucy droops, but then straightens.

AN IDEA spreads across her face as she looks across the barren hilltop...TO THE TREES RUSTLING IN THE WIND.

LUCY
The trees...

115 EXT. NARNIA, FOREST - NIGHT
Leaves blow though the forest.

Kindly provided by Griffle

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