help me ibrahim!!! the tall arab fights his way to trench. together they pull the new prisoner to his feet. they take him under each arm and fall in with the moving mass. trench we've lost our place. you mustn't fall. the man almost collapses, but trench holds him up. he and ibrahim keep walking the prisoner, trying to keep him conscious, knowing they have to fight till daybreak now. int. house of stone.  prison.  omdurman - day. the sound of early morning prayers drifts into the house of stone. sunbeams pick out bloodmarks and broken nails where prisoners have tried to claw their way to safety. half a dozen bodies lie crushed on the floor, those who didn't make it through the night. those who did, are ushered outside by the prison guards, into the merciless heat. trench and ibrahim support the new prisoner. a fat, oily looking prison guard, hassan, sneers at trench on his way out.
i knew it wasn't true. the guards kept telling me our army had left us behind. how far away are they? harry they pulled out. over a month ago. trench stares in confusion.
then who sent you? harry you did. trench doesn't understand. harry slowly opens his fingers to reveal a crushed white feather in his hand. trench stares at it in bewilderment. then suddenly he starts to laugh, full of anguish and joy, amazed by the madness of the world. ext. prison gates.  courtyard.  prison.  omdurman - day. the compound gates rumble open. the prisoners' relatives are ushered inside, kept in order by the guards' whips. the prisoners limp as fast as they can to receive any food their families have brought them. before they can eat, the guards have to be paid off, idris first, then hassan and the others. as the feeding frenzy breaks out we hear trench's voice: trench v. o . hassan's the only guard who's corruptible. for two hundred he'll get us on the graveyard detail.  ext. riverbank.  courtyard.  prison.  omdurman - day. we see what he's talking about now. the dead bodies from the house of stone are dumped in a row boat. the guards order several prisoners onto the boat with them. they're too afraid to handle the corpses themselves. trench v. o . the farthest the boat goes is a hundred yards from the opposite shore. we'll have to wait until you're strong enough to swim.  harry watches the boat drift into the middle of the river. ripples appear as huge crocodiles move in to feed. the prisoners toss the bodies in the water. the corpses float for a moment, then suddenly vanish in a froth of blood. trench you didn't think of that when you came? harry i didn't think of much when i came. trench looks at him, still unable to believe anyone could be so reckless and so brave. trench all for a feather? harry more than one. trench looks down at the sand, reflecting: trench give it to me harry. harry why? trench so i can show you it means nothing -- that if i throw it in the river it'll float away -- end up between some croc's teeth. harry not this feather. it's got the measure of me. it'll float back and find me. the water laps quietly in the silence. trench there were a dozen british officers here last month. every time one of them died, the last words on his lips were: "don't worry about me lads. our boys will come and get you." they never did. just you. i'd say you've done enough. harry not until i get you out. trench you can hardly walk. harry i don't need to walk, i need to swim. he smiles at trench affectionately. across the river, the boat returns, silhouetted against the sunset. ext. house of stone.  prison.  omdurman - day. the prisoners are herded back into the house of stone. hassan walks alongside trench and harry, negotiating his bribe. hassan . god put you here for a reason, english. he tests us. i have fifteen starving children myself to care for. trench i was thinking of your children hassan. i'd like to help them. god favours the almsgiver. hassan for three hundred i could feed them for a year. trench i can afford two. from myself, ibrahim, and the madman. hassan nods, accepting the offer, and walks ahead. int. house of stone.  prison.  omdurman - night. harry and trench are in the thick of the crowd, fighting for space, trying to give each other strength. trench . the first thing i do when i get back is book a table at wilton's. a private room, all to myself, no bloody crowds.  he shoves into the man in front, gaining a few more precious inches for them to breathe in. trench . i'll start with a half shell of crab, then i'll order the mallard, medium rare. harry a glass of burgundy to wash it down. trench nothing foreign. a pint of stout'll do me fine. harry well i'm getting on the first train to bintree, crowded or not. trench i'll drink to that.  two pints please.  the two of them surge through the crowd, laughing like lunatics. trench a few more days harry. a few more days.  int. house of stone.  prison.  omdurman - day. the morning call to prayer brings sobs of relief from the prisoners. harry, trench, and ibrahim, lie in a corner of the room, exhausted by the night's efforts. hassan steps over the dead bodies littering the floor, and orders them to get up. hassan you three, take the bodies to the boat. harry and ibrahim get to their feet. trench doesn't move. harry reaches down to give him a hand, when he suddenly sees how pale his friend is. he drops to his knees, feeling trench's pulse. he's alive, but very weak. hassan you see, english. god didn't want you to leave. he has given you umm sabbah. trench moans, gripped by typhus fever. harry tries to help him up, refusing to believe their plans are dashed. harry trench, get up. get up.  hassan leave him. carry the dead to the boat. harry ignores him, cradling trench in his arms. hassan steps forward and lashes him hard across the back. harry . get up trench. get up.  hassan lashes him again. this time harry spins around and grabs the whip. he stares at hassan dangerously, the frustration and disappointment pushing him to the edge.
there's only one thing that frightens me now. the thought that the closer i come, the more desperately afraid and sure i am that all this will end right here.  when i so wish i could die at home.  in my own country -- in my own village. to be buried beneath the trees i know -- in sight of the church and houses i know. beside the trout stream, where i fished when i was a boy.  are you laughing yet?.
anything would be better than this.
that'll make a change. harry looks at him sadly, then turns away, preparing for the inevitable charge from the other prisoners. trench . one last thing, harry.  harry turns around. trench . my feather. i'd like it back.  harry stares in silence. trench holds out his hand. harry takes it. as they finally let go, we see the soiled white feather in trench's palm. trench closes his fingers around it, gratefully. trench i hope it gives me as much strength as it gave you. their eyes stay on each other, full of friendship and respect. then, steeling himself, trench snaps the vial, and starts to drink.