Back to the Future - 3

Doc: That's it!

Cut to the station. Doc and Marty are talking to the train engineer.

Engineer: How fast she can go? Why, I've powered her up to 55 myself. I hear that fearless Frank Fargo got one of these up to near 70 out past Verde Junction.

Marty: Is it possible to get it up to 90?

The engineer laughs.

Engineer: 90? Tarnations, son, why'd ya ever be in such a hurry?

Doc: (covering) Well, it's just a little bet that he and I have, that's all. Theoretically speaking, could it be done?

Engineer: Well, I suppose if you had a straight stretch of track with a long level grade, and you weren't hauling no cars behind you - and if you could get the fire hot enough, I mean hotter than the blazes of hell and tarnations - well yes, you might be able get her up that fast.

Doc: When's the next train coming through here?

Engineer: Monday morning at 8 o'clock.

Cut to the waiting area. Doc and Marty are looking at a map of Hill Valley. The clock for the clocktower is on the platform - it's just been delivered. And the time on it is 10.04am! CLARA CLAYTON can also be seen waiting for someone to pick her up, although neither Doc nor Marty see her. As Doc describes the places, he shows Marty on the map.

Doc: Here. This spur runs off the main line 3 miles down to Clayton Ravine. There's a long stretch of track that will still exist in 1985. This is where we'll push the DeLorean with the locomotive. Funny, this map calls Clayton Ravine Shonash Ravine. Must be an old Indian name for it. It's perfect. Nice long run that goes clear across the bridge over the ravine, you know, over near that Hilldale housing development.

Marty: Right, Doc, but according to this map... there is no bridge.

And as we cut to the Ravine, we see Marty is right. There is a dead end for the tracks, and a sign saying the bridge is scheduled for completion in 1887.

Marty: Well, Doc, we can scratch that idea. I mean, we can't wait around a year and a half for this thing to get finished.

Doc: Marty...it's perfect! You're just not thinking fourth dimensionally!

Marty: Right, right. I have a real problem with that.

Doc: Don't you see? The bridge will exist in 1985. It's safe and still in use. Therefore, as long as we get the DeLorean up to 88 miles per hour before we hit the edge of the ravine, we'll instantaneously arrive at a point in time where the bridge is completed. We'll have track under us, and coast safely across the ravine!

Marty: What about the locomotive?

Doc grins.

Doc: It'll be a spectacular wreck. Too bad no one will be around to see it.

Clara: (o.s) Argh! Help me!

Doc turns to where the sound is to see a woman, Clara Clayton (who was at the station earlier) in the distance riding on a buckboard with out of control horses. They are heading for the edge of Shonash Ravine.

Doc: Great Scott! (to horses) Git!

Marty: (to his horse) Hiyah!

Doc catches up to Clara and manages to shout to her.

Doc: Jump!

She jumps off into Doc's arms just in time. The horses veer left at the end of the ravine, the wagon breaks off and falls down the ravine.

Doc: (to his own horse) Whoa.

Clara's hat sits on her head and covers her face.

Clara: Oh, thank you, sir, you saved my...

Clara lifts her hat and we (and Doc) see her face for the first time. Clara looks at Doc and can't speak for a moment.

Clara: ...life.

Doc stares back and his eyes grow wide. We get the felling both have fallen instantly in love with each other - love at first sight.

Doc: Emmett Brown, at your service, Miss...

Clara: Um...um...Clayton. Clara Clayton.

Cut to Marty. He gets the photo out of his pocket and looks at it, then to Doc and Clara.

Doc: Clara. (pause) What a beautiful name.

Cut to a about half an hour later. Everyone is riding to Clara's cabin. Clara is on one of the horses that took her to the ravine, supplies are on the other one. Marty and the supply horse ride a bit behind Doc and Clara. When they reach the cabin, Doc and Marty take the supplies and put them on the porch.

Doc: May I help you inside with these?

Clara: Oh no, that won't be necessary. You've done more than enough already.

Doc: But it's really no trouble.

Marty: Doc, she says it's fine, and we gotta get going. (to Clara) Ma'am, good luck with the school teaching and everything.

Doc: Clara, I'll straighten everything out with Mr Statler from the buckboard rental - don't you worry about that. I feel somewhat responsible for what happened.

Clara: Oh, well, that would be very gentlemanly of you, Mr Brown (slight pause) Emmett. You know, I'm almost glad that snake spooked those horses. Otherwise, we might never have met. I suppose it was destiny. Well, thank you for everything.

Doc: You're quite welcome.

Clara: I will...see you again, won't I?

Doc replies casually, even though he knows he is lying.

Doc: Of course, you'll see lots of me, I'm sure, I have a shop in town. I'm a local scientist...uh...uh...blacksmith.

Clara: Science? What sort of science? Astronomy? Chemistry?

Doc: Actually I'm a student of all sciences.

Marty: Hey Doc, we gotta get going.

Doc: Oh yes, well, excuse us Clara, we have to get...going.

Doc and Marty start to leave, and Doc turns to wave back to Clara.

Doc: Toodle-ooh.

She waves back as they leave. We stay with Marty and Doc as:

Marty: What do ya mean, you're gonna be seeing' lots of her, Doc?

Doc: Well, I might see her again, just in passing.

Marty laughs. He suspects Doc is in love.

Marty: C'mon, Doc, did you see the way she was looking at you?

Doc: Well, she did have quite a scare, right? After all, Miss Clayton almost ended up at the bottom of Clayton Ravine... Clayton Ravine!

Both Doc and Marty realise the connection.

Marty: Holy shit! Hey Doc! Clayton Ravine was named after a teacher. They say she fell in there a 100 years ago.

Doc: A 100 years ago? That's this year!

Marty: Every kid in school knows that story because we all have teachers we'd like to see fall into the ravine.

Doc: Great Scott!

Doc stops his horse.

Doc: (continued) Then she was supposed to go over in that wagon...and now, I may have seriously altered history.