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Read the fiction below.
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Synopsis: It has been two years since the Nome dogsled team beat out the bush plane and then saved the pilot from death in the wilderness. Now, Balto is becoming less and less energetic as his children continue his legacy of dog sledding excellence by winning the first two Iditarod races, which have been held in their father’s honor. When they are to set the world record for distance covered by a sled team in 24 hours, they, along with their father, who has come along for one last spell of glory, they encounter their estranged family member, Aleu, along with the pack of wolves she is heading. When the team’s musher is killed on Aleu’s orders, Balto and his children are stranded in the Alaskan wilderness and Aleu has no idea they are her family. She repeatedly orders for their death, and her siblings and father continue to outmaneuver her henchmen, Balto and Kodi secretly sneak into the pack’s headquarters and have a conversation with his daughter, who, in turn, becomes very angry with herself and calls off the orders for them to be killed.
Meanwhile, back in Nome, after the team has been missing for three days and having received no transmissions from the town they were supposed to be headed to, the town begins to panic, sending up search teams, and, due to Balto’s national fame, the National Guard and entire Airborne Divisions are called in to search for the dogs. As the media descends on the quiet town, Jenna and the rest of the Gang become aware of the magnitude of the situation and Boris, along with Muk and Luk, attempt to comfort an increasingly depressed Jenna, who is finding solace at the local Church along with hundreds of other people praying for the dogs’ welfare.
Back in the wilderness, Aleu and the rest of her pack are not able to give directions to Balto and the rest of Aleu’s family back to Nome. When Balto decides to spend some time alone while the rest of his children remain in the hospitality of Aleu’s pack, he is visited by the ghost of his mother, who tells him—spiritually and cryptically, of course—directions back to Nome. Balto returns to headquarters and tells of his encounter with the spirits, but everybody believes him to be crazy. Will they listen to Balto and follow his directions back to Nome or will they all perish?
Scene 1
The scene opens with upbeat music swelling over an overhead view of the town of Nome, we see a moving shot of multiple stores and then to a shot of Balto’s children all running together pulling their musher’s sled, they stop, but the camera keeps going and goes to a shot of Balto and Jenna walking together down the sidewalk. They look at their children with noticeable pride on their faces.
Jenna: Oh, Balto, look. The kids are in from their rounds. We should go and say hello!
Balto: Nah, they don’t wanna be bothered while they’re working.
Jenna: Do you think they’ll win the race again?
Balto: I don’t know. Steele’s son and his team are pretty strong this year.
Jenna: I really can’t believe he even found a girlfriend.
Balto: Well, she wasn’t really his girlfriend. It was kind of like when humans go somewhere where they all gather and…well…you know.
Jenna: Well, I’m sure he wanted to raise him; why else would he be training him?
Balto: Maybe.
(Kodi enters)
Kodi: Hi, Mom.
Jenna: Hi, sweetie.
Balto: How ya doin’, Sport?
Kodi: Great.
Jenna: Kodi, how were the rounds today?
Kodi: Well, I don’t care who made him, Valo couldn’t keep up with us to save his life. The whole time, Dingo and I were dragging him and he was trying to tell us shortcuts back. If you ask me, it’s just so he doesn’t have to run any longer.
Balto: Well, Sport, you gotta give him a break. It was his first day on the job.
Kodi: But he wouldn’t shut up about how Steele is his dad.
Jenna: You know, Kodi, I know some things about his father that would frighten anyone.
Balto and Kodi: Like what?
Jenna (slyly): Well, let’s just say he’s not as big as he likes to think he is.
(She walks away, but stops briefly to smile at Balto and Kodi and then continues walking.)
Kodi: I don’t get it.
Balto (after an I-can’t-believe-she-just-said-that sigh): You’re not supposed to.
(Balto exits and Kodi begins walking toward where he originally came from at the beginning of the scene)
Dingo: Hey, Kodi!
Kodi: Bro, what’s up?
(The enter into an indecipherable handshake with their right paws)
Dingo: I think Valo’s gonna get into a fight with Juno.
Kodi (urgently): Well, why didn’t you tell me before we did that stupid handshake? (He runs off, leaving Dingo behind.)
Dingo (yelling after Kodi) Hey, it’s not stupid!!!! (He runs off after Kodi.)
Scene 2
The scene quickly cuts from the previous scene to a happening of extremely tense proportions: One of Balto’s sons, Juno, and Steele’s son Valo are face-to-face with each other while Balto’s two daughters, Kayla and Leta, look on in sheer horror. Juno and Valo are growling at each other from a pouncing distance.
Juno: I don’t want to hear you ever saying that again, you little twerp! You never call my father that ever again!
Valo: Who cares?! He’s a half-bred, worthless lowlife. It’s true!
Juno: You!!!!!!! (He takes a swipe at Valo, nicking his chest.)
Valo: Hey! You lay another paw on me and my dad’ll kill you.
Juno: What, you don’t got the guts to kill me yourself?
(Kayla screams and faints. Kodi and Dingo come rushing into the scene and stop in between the two combatants.)
Kodi: Hey, guys, stop it!
Valo: Is that a half-breed talking to me, because all I hear is howling.
Juno: You!!!! (He lunges at Valo, but is held back by Kodi and Dingo.)
Dingo: Why don’t you call your daddy and he can fight this battle for you, Valo, because you’re gonna lose, you know that right?
(Steele walks in (perhaps wearing glasses) as though he doesn’t notice Juno attempting to lunge at his son.)
Steele (casually): Hey, hey, what’s going on here?
Valo: They’re trying to kill me, Dad.
Steele: Uh-huh. (He walks up to a now relatively calm Juno.) Mind explaining?
Juno: Your son’s calling us half-breeds, sir, and I don’t take kindly to that.
Steele (walking away from Juno): Well, that’s a surprise, because, last I checked, it was the truth.
(Juno lashes out at Steele, but is once again held back by Kodi and Dingo.)
Leta (frantically): Stop!!!
Juno: Come back here!!!! I’ll—I’ll—
Steele: You’ll what, wolf-boy?!
Valo: Hey, wolf-boy!
(Juno’s face becomes contorted with literally suppressed rage.)
Valo: Ha, ha, look at him, Dad!
Kodi: Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?
Steele: You mean like your father?
Balto (off-camera): That’s enough, Steele!!!
(Everybody turns to the direction of Balto’s voice and Kayla awakens.)
Steele: Oh, ho!!!! Look who it is: it’s wolf-boy himself!
Balto (entering the scene as Juno is now almost completely calm): Keep our kids out of this, Steele.
Steele (while attempting to stare down Balto): Don’t tell me what to do with my son, you half-breed! I’ll decide what’s best for him!
Balto: What’s that: teaching him to call dogs without a pedigree half-breed?
Steele: Maybe if your crazy son over there weren’t so quick to kill him, maybe Valo wouldn’t call him a half-breed.
(Juno babbles indistinct threats as he lunges toward Steele once more.)
Balto (through slightly gritted teeth) I said leave them out of this!
Steele (advancing on Balto, but still keeping eye-contact): Well, what’re you gonna do about it, wolf-boy?
Doc (off-camera): That’s quite enough, Steele!!!
(Doc comes into the picture, followed closely by Nikki, Kaltag, and Star.)
Doc: What in the name of all that’s holy is going on here?
Steele (very quickly and forcefully): These wolves are harassing my son.
Nikki: Youse sure it wasn’t the other way around, Steele? Cause I actually saw what happened here, Doc. Valo here was callin’ Juno over there a half-breed and Steele came in and joined him.
Steele (threateningly): You sure that’s what you saw, Nikki? Cause I saw you not saying anything if you want to live to see the summer.
Doc: Steele, was that just a threat I heard?
Steele: Maybe, maybe not.
Kaltag: Steele, you are the most audacious, the most repugnant, the most sniveling little—
Star: You’re bad.
(Kaltag bonks Star on the head and Star falls down.)
Balto: Doc, if I may be allowed to say something—
Steele: You’ll say something when you’re spoken to, wolf-boy!
Doc: Steele, you do not make the decisions here.
Steele: Oh yeah? And who does: you, old man?
Doc: Yes, I do, Steele. Now, Balto, what were you going to say?
Balto: If I may, we’re all really tired and a little on edge, so if we could just leave, we’d like to avoid even more trouble.
Doc: You may go. Steele, if I may, I’d like to have a stern talk with you and your son, please.
Steele: Whatever.
(Steele and the rest exit while Balto and his children remain. Jenna runs in suddenly.)
Jenna (almost out of breath): What happened?! I saw you all from down the street.
Balto: Nothing, we were just leaving.
Jenna (to Kodi, Dingo and Juno): What happened?
(The boys stare off into space as though they didn’t hear their mother.)
Jenna (to Kayla, basically ignoring this): What happened?
Kayla: Juno got into a fight with Valo and Steele came in and—
Leta: And called us all half-breeds and then Daddy came in and—
Balto: And solved the problem peacefully.
Leta (apparently not able to take the hint): No you didn’t, Daddy. You almost got into a fight with Steele and then Doc had to come in and solve it.
Jenna (after staring scornfully at Balto for a few seconds): Kids, can you leave your father and me alone for a few minutes? I’d like to talk to him for a while.
(All except Kodi exit.)
Jenna (in a kindly way): That means you too, Kodi.
Kodi: But Mom, Dad didn’t do anything. Steele was—
Balto (in the same kindly way, but in a more masculine tone): Sport, Doc’s gonna deal with Steele. Listen to your mother, all right?
Kodi (in a dejected tone and not making eye-contact with Balto): Okay, Pop.
(Kodi walks off slowly as Balto and Jenna watch him.)
Jenna: Balto, why do you still think you have to match yourself with Steele to gain respect?
Balto: I don’t, Jenna. It’s just—(he sighs)—I want the kids to have somebody they can look up to.
Jenna: You don’t think our children have somebody they can look up to? Are you saying that their father, the one who saved the entire town, isn’t a good example for them to follow?
Balto: No it’s just—(with noticeable menace) Steele.
Jenna: Balto, you shouldn’t worry about him. He’s just very bitter because he’s lost all his fame to you.
Balto: Still, that half-breed thing he and his son do…
Jenna: Balto, he’s just jealous because you have what he used to have and that’s his fame.
Balto: Maybe.
Jenna: And I think he’s also jealous that you have what he never had.
Balto (in a what-are-you-talking-about way): What’s that?
(Jenna nuzzles under Balto’s chin very lovingly.)
Balto (with realization): Oh.
(Perhaps a song selection sung by Jenna. Boris flies into the scene extremely energetically.)
Boris (flying, apparently unable to stop): Balto!!!!!!!!!!
(Boris, because he is unable to slow down, slams into the window of the building that Balto and Jenna are in front of.)
Balto: Boris, you all right?!
(Boris appears at the window, but appears to be dizzy.)
Boris (slurred): No, mother! The bagel shop isn’t closed. Yeah, you can get some at this hour, I’m sure.
(Boris falls from the window into a barrel, where Balto and Jenna walk up to.)
Balto: Boris, you okay?
Boris (popping up, apparently not realizing what just happened): Oh, Balto!!!!!!! (He jumps out of the barrel.) The eggs are hatched!!!!
Jenna (happily): Stella’s eggs?
Boris (sarcastically): No, mine. (Giddily) Of course Stella’s eggs!!!!!! What’re you, a meshugginah???!!!
Balto: When did they hatch?
Boris: Just now! Come on! (He flies off.)
(Balto and Jenna grin warmly at each other as the picture fades out to the next scene.)
Scene 3
The scene opens with the fade from the last scene to an overhead shot of Balto’s ship which we see Balto, Jenna and Boris all approaching. The shot goes down to a frontal view of them walking. Soft music is playing in the background. The view fades to a view of Boris, Balto and Jenna walking into the entrance of the ship, with Boris ecstatically leading the way. Jenna sees something off-camera and gasps happily. Boris is energetically muttering something indistinct in Russian. Balto has a wide toothless grin on his face.
Jenna: Stella! They’re beautiful!!!!!!!!
Stella: Thank you, Jenna.
Boris: Yes, they are beautiful! Stella, do you need anathing?
Stella (kindly): No, Boris. I told you already. I’m fine.
Boris: You’re sure? Water? Seed? Cream cheese?
Stella: Yeah, I’m sure.
Jenna: Oh, Balto, look! There are six of them: Just like ours!!!
Stella: I have to get some food for them pretty soon. (She shudders.)
Jenna: Oh, Balto, aren’t they adorable?
Balto (softly, but clearly audible): They sure are. (He notices something in the group of chicks.) Is that one gray?
Boris: Yes, he is.
Jenna (not as enthusiastic as before, but still happily): Just like—
Balto (softly and with a reminiscing look on his face): Aleu.
Boris: Ah, Aleu. She was a good kid. But she was a wolf depp down and there was nothing you could have done to hold something like that down, Balto.
Stella: Spoken like a true father.
Boris: Stella, you’re embarrassing me.
Jenna (sniffing the air, saying slyly): Uh oh, Boris, do know what I smell?
Boris (in a please-don’t-mean-what-I-think-you-mean tone): Herring?
Balto (teasingly): Oh man, I smell it too. It’s gotta be—
Muk (off-camera and distant): Uncle Boris!!!!!!!!!
Boris: No!!!! Not de bears!!!!
Muk (running on-camera as Luk embraces Boris): Uncle Boris, we just heard about it!!!
Boris (with forced inquisition after he frees himself from Luk’s grip): Really, from who?
Muk: From Sylvie.
Boris: How did Sylvie find out about it?!
(He casts an accusing look at Stella, who looks back with an apologetic smile.)
Jenna: Stella, I wouldn’t go telling your personal secrets to her if you want a secret kept. Balto, remember when she—Balto?
(Balto is reflecting and apparently not listening.)
Jenna: Balto!
Balto (snapping out of the reflection): Wh—What?
Jenna: I was saying what a big mouth Sylvie has and she knows about the chicks.
Balto: Stella, why did you tell her?
Stella: Well, I can’t hide six newborn chicks when she comes over.
Balto: Well, you could try.
Jenna (kicking Balto in the leg): Balto!!!
Balto: Well, she can’t keep a secret if she was being held down by a bear.
(Luk makes whimpering noises toward Muk.)
Muk: Of course he’s going to show us the chicks!
(The rest cast Boris chiding looks.)
Boris: All right, all right!!!!! Muk! Luk! Come over here and see them.
(Muk and Luk excitedly run over to Stella and the chicks, leaving Jenna and Balto alone.)
Jenna (comfortingly): Balto, I’m sorry, I just…forgot. I remember how much she meant to you and I didn’t want to bring her up because I know how you get…upset whenever we mention her.
Balto: You know, I haven’t thought about Aleu for years, Jenna? Letting her go was one the hardest things I ever had to do. God, I miss her, Jenna.
Jenna: Balto, she just realized who she was and she realized she belonged to that pack. You couldn’t have changed that.
Balto: I know, but I just haven’t thought about her for awhile and it’s kind of too much for me right now.
Jenna (comfortingly still): Balto, Aleu’s found a new family, but do you know where she’s still a part of this one?
Balto: Where?
(Jenna lifts up her paw and touches it to Balto’s heart.)
Jenna: Here. And the rest of our family is here to love and care for each other. Aleu is with us in our hearts.
(They nuzzle each other.)
Balto: I love you, Jenna.
Jenna: I love you too, Balto.
Balto: I just can’t fill in that hole that she left, Jenna.
Jenna: We all could try to help, Balto, we all have holes in our hearts from it, even me. We all need each other’s help to fill it.
Balto: I guess you’re right. And Steele and his—
Jenna: Oh, Balto, try not to think about him.
(They return to nuzzling each other. After a few seconds, they open their eyes and still have their heads together as they look towards Boris and the rest who are looking at the chicks. They both smile as the camera view cuts to an elevated view of their backs, but captures the rest of the characters in the scene. The camera pans up to the afternoon sky and fades to a clear night sky with perhaps a few patches of clouds. End of scene.)
Scene 4
the view of the last scene slowly pans down to a view of the telegrapher’s office building. The solemn music from the last scene dies out as the scene cuts to a view of inside the office where the telegrapher is drowsily waiting for incoming messages at his desk while Morris, his dog is snoozing in his bed underneath the desk. A message begins coming in and the telegrapher is struck with a jolt of energy as he begins writing down the message. Morris’ ear begins to twitch in its signature way as he wakes up from his deep sleep and is listening with great interest.
Telegrapher (mumbling as Morris listens more and more attentively): Wow…Really! Hmmmm….interesting……..
As the message continues to come in, Morris appears to be fairly excited about the message. The scene quickly cuts out to a view of the gang’s shed.
Scene 5
The view of the shed zooms in slowly as slightly daunting music begins to play softly, perhaps barely audible. The scene cuts to inside the shed where a fairly large crowd is gathered about a conversation being had between Doc and Steele and Valo.
Doc: Steele, why would you call innocent children half-breeds? They’ve won the big race the past two years and—
Steele (menacingly): I don’t care what those little brats have won.
Dixie: Steele, you’re repulsive!!!!!
Steele (sarcastically): Thank you, my lady fan.
Dixie: Hmph!!!
Town dog (in his signature Chicago accent): Steele, jus’ admit it! Yaw jealous o’ Balto’s kids for beatin’ yaw worthless son ‘ere at all them races!!!
Valo: Hey!
Steele: Shut up, freak!
Town dog: Don’t you cawl me a freak, you inbred sonuva—
Doc: That’s enough! Now, Steele, you can’t go walking about calling the town hero’s dogs half-breeds. I believe you and your son owe Balto and his family an apology.
Steele (after letting out a loud single laugh): From who?
Doc: From you!
Steele: You’re barkin’ up the wrong tree, here, Doc.
Valo: I was just letting his kids know that their dad’s a worthless mutt.
Doc: Well, young man, your father probably never told you this before, but that worthless mutt saved his hide a few years ago in the serum run.
Steele: That’s a lie, Valo!!! Don’t believe that old man!
Valo (staring down at Doc): I don’t, Dad!
Nikki (from behind Doc): Steele, we were there and if you weren’t tryin’ to kill him, you might not be denying it.
Steele: Didn’t I tell you before to stay out of this, fat boy?
Doc: Steele! Now you and your son’s behavior has gone far enough!!! I’m going to have to—
(A messenger dog comes running into the shed full speed wailing at the top of his lungs and stupidly smashes into a pile of barrels. He pokes his head up from the smashed barrels in a daze and jerkily salutes Doc as all the members of the group stare at him.)
Messenger (almost drunkenly): Doc, sir! There’s a message from Morris incoming, sir!!!
Doc: Really? (He turns his head to the door opening.)
Messenger: Sir! Permission to use the lavatory, sir!
Doc (turning back briefly): Just go!
(The messenger dog walks over to the nearest corner and lifts his leg, but before we witness the process, we turn to several females in the group who grimace and make disgusted sounds as some quiet tinkling is audible.)
Kaltag: That’s the grossest, most disgusting, most disturbing thing I’ve ever—
Star: Eeeeewwwwww!!!!! (Kaltag is held from bonking Star by Nikki, who blocks Kaltag’s paw and shakes his head.)
Doc: Shhhh!!!!! Everybody!!!
(Everybody stares at Doc who is listening to the distant Morse-code barking of Morris in the background as Steele has turned away from the group and is scoffing to himself as he lies down on a bed of straw. Valo begins to pace the length of the shed slowly and cockily. Cut to a shot of Doc from directly behind the group gathered to receive the news.)
Doc: Amazing! That’s absolutely amazing!
Dixie: What is it, Doc?
Town dog: What’s the news?
Doc: Astounding!
Elder dog: Well, what’s astounding, Doc?
(Cut to a close-up of Steele snoozing with one ear poking up to hear the dialogue.)
Doc: The world records people want Balto’s children to attempt the record for distance covered by a team in 24 hours!
(Steele wakes up as the group begins to chatter.)
Doc: And not only that! They want Balto to be on the team!
(The group’s chatter intensifies so nobody notices Steele’s next outburst.)
Steele (turning his head furiously): WHAT???!!!!
Valo: What?!
Doc (as he begins to speak again, the chatter dissipates): And they want Valo to be on the team!
Valo (suddenly excitedly to Steele): You hear that, Dad?!
Steele: Wait a minute!!! No son of mine’s gonna be on a sled team with a bunch of mutts!
Valo (with subtle disappointment): He’s not?
Doc: Steele, I think you should consider your son lucky to be on a team with the possibility to actually be remembered.
Steele: What’s that supposed to mean, old man?
Nikki: What it’s supposed to mean, Steele, is that your kid and his team are a bunch of good-for-nothin’ pieces of sh—
Steele: Shut up! Valo can outrun any dog in this town, even the wonderful Kodi. He’s just as good as any “legend” that’s ever been.
Doc: Well, why don’t you give him a chance to prove that, Steele?
Steele: Because he’s not going to be on a team with half-breeds!
Valo: But Dad—
Steele: No buts!
Town dog: Ya see that, kid? Yaw dad’s a chicken!
(Closeup of Steele making a convoluted face. Several make sounds signifying they sense a confrontation (aka “Ooooooh”).)
Steele: Nobody calls me a chicken! For your information, my son is going to be on that team and he’s gonna get all the credit for setting the record because he’s going to be the lead dog!
Doc: We’ll see, Steele. We’ll see….
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