The Bell Wishers (1)
THE BELL WISHERS By Emmett O. Saunders III Copyright 2001 CAST OF CHARACTERS FERGUSON Male flyscout LADY OF THE MIST Kind benefactress DEVONIKA Evil sorceress GUARDIAN Supreme Being of the Island CAPHUS Friendly cyclops FRYGUND Beast PROFESSOR KINDGARDEN Friendly scientist of astrophysics GABE Fourteen-year-old Landmover CRENUM Friendly cyclops ERIC Landmover elder DANIELLE Eric�s daughter MR. AND MRS. ADAMS Jewel�s parents MR. AND MRS. HENDERSON Jason�s parentsJEWEL ADAMS 9-year-old girl, golden hair, blue eyes JASON HENDERSON 8-year-old boy, brown hair and eyes ALI Lion, Ruler of the Forest FARINA Flyscout leader, female FERENKO Farina's brother STONEHIGH Cave creature TRISTAN Male, Tugg-Ugglie leader HIGGLES Hedgehog MURRANZO Eel, King of Tugg-Ugglies KARMEN Monster, assumes many shapes SECOND TUGG-UGGLIE Companion to Tristan SAGEUS Wise woman of the Tugg-Ugglies PIPERCALL Forest musician WINDWOOD Pipercall's flute MUSIC BEGINS: A beautiful rendition of "Rushing Wings of Dawn" by Tim Janis, found on the Music Of Hope CD featuring the New York Philharmonic and conducted by Kurt Masur. FADE IN: opening credits superimpose on a beautiful overhead shot of a national forest preserve, seen at dusk as VO narration begins: VO Each evening before the shadows close in on everyday things that most of us tend to forget, two small children remember. But what they recall is seldom ordinary and mostly about journeys that few would ever begin. This is the story of their first travel, how it began and where it took them. TITLE appears: THE BELL WISHERS SUBTITLE appears as title vanishes: A LAND REMOTE: The first journey EXT. A brightly lit mobile home is visible cruising slowly along a back road path of a national forest preserve. Various animals are seen watching the familiar human intrusion into their living habitat. CUT TO: VARIOUS ANGLES as the forest and its vast depths are welcoming the onset of dusk. CUT TO: EXT. MOBILE HOME as the vehicle hits a pothole. CUT TO: INT. MOBILE HOME showing two children engrossed in magnetic chess, but noticing the brief interruption of the road hazard. Nine-year-old Jewel Adams, beset by unsettled wisps of golden hair, fixes her sparkling blue eyes on eight-year-old Jason Henderson, whose dark brown hair and eyes are cemented intently on his next move. Jewel is poised within two plays of checkmate. JEWEL Aren't you tired of this, Jason? (squirms uncomfortably) Mother said we'd be there soon. Why don't we play I Spy instead? JASON (replies quickly) None of that, Jewel! I gave you time to move. JEWEL Silly, what are you talking about? JASON (defiantly) You're just trying to break my concentration. JEWEL Nonsense! CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as the mobile home grounds to a halt. JASON You may be older, but at least I'm smarter. She stares back with the barest trace of amusement curling the corners of her mouth. JEWEL Is that why you lost the game? JASON'S DAD (calls from front) Everybody out, we've had a flat! JEWEL Great�and it's getting dark outside, too! FADE TO: EXT. Fire crackles at one end of the makeshift campsite. The parents are seen working on dinner and getting preparations made for an early departure in the morning. CUT TO: EXT. Edge of the forest. Jewel and Jason are seen exploring thick underbrush along a makeshift path they'd forged. JEWEL We'd better get back. (tugs at Jason's jacket) If they have to start looking for us, we'll be in trouble. JASON (whispers) Wait! (he uncovers a tiny wooden box from under a small stone monument) Look at this. CUT TO: CLOSE UP of a dirt-covered box. A little golden crown is etched in the face of the lid. Rusted hinges and a locked clasp at the side holds the top in place. JEWEL Don't open it. It might be some sort of dead animal inside. JASON Out here? (fingers the lock expectantly) I doubt it. He gently pries the top off as a wisp of wind blows, momentarily startling them. JEWEL Stop! We'd better get back. JASON (grins) Afraid? JEWEL No. I just think it'd be better to take it back to camp. Open it where our parents can see. JASON Well, too late. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as he folds the top back to expose a blue metal bell inside. Intricate engravings with all sorts of intriguing figures and symbols surround the perimeter. A piece of parchment, neatly folded, had been placed with the musical instrument. But as Jason unfolds the note, the lower half of the parchment crumbles away, scattering as dust in the wind. JEWEL (shines her flashlight at the inscription) What's it say? JASON Listen (his voice shrinks to a whisper) "Ring the bell, call the cloak, Travel far to a land remote�" JEWEL Where's the rest of it? JASON (waves at the dark branches overhead) Wind took it. JEWEL (grabbing the bell and running up the path) We'd better get back. JASON Wait! Aren't you curious? He catches up to her and snatches the bell away. Both children stare at each other, neither wants to be the first to give in. Jewel nods in silent agreement. JEWEL (snaps off the flashlight) It probably doesn't mean anything anyway. Just a poem. JASON (holding her hand tightly) Don't worry. I'll be here to protect you. Jason raises the bell and rings it once. The softest, clearest note sounds in the stillness. JEWEL Now what? JASON I don't know. (shrugs his shoulders) Call the cloak, I guess. JEWEL How? JASON (begins in normal voice) Cloak � They stand shivering for a moment. Nothing moves. JEWEL See? It's just a joke. JASON (speaking loudly, sternly) CLOAK, COME� CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE: A round, dark green object appears, spread across the ground. It looks like a thin blanket, no bigger than the width of a baby's crib. The edges are spun in golden thread and the outline of a bell, surrounded by a circle, is sewn directly in the center. JASON Not much space to do a lot of traveling. Jason steps onto the surface. Eerily, the edges begin spreading outward, expanding to twice the cloak's original size. JEWEL I really don't think this is such a good idea. We can't both fit on it. She tries pulling away as he tugs her to sit beside him. JASON Oh, but look we can. He points to the rapidly growing boundaries of the cloth. JEWEL (squinting at him in the shadows) It's just pretend. JASON (assumes a captain's stance) Nonsense. CLOAK�TO THE LAND REMOTE! CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as the cloak grows again, surrounding both children in its folds. Jewel screams as the cloak rises into the air and begins spinning around them. EFX: It glows bright green as billions of emerald sparkles flow around them. Jewel clings tightly to Jason as they begin moving forward. Wrapped in the cloak, neither child can tell in which direction they're headed. With a sudden, but gentle bump, the cloak stops, earth bound once again. CUT TO: OVERHEAD ANGLE as the cloak opens. CUT TO: CLOSE UP of the children's faces as they view the surroundings. CUT TO: EXT. Rolling waves of purple-green ocean wash against an endless shore of palm trees. In the distance, pink clouds dot a pale orange sky. The colors mix together in a confusing rainbow array. But the strange sight stirs the urge to explore in Jason's mind. He rises to step off the cloak, but Jewel's hand holds his own tightly. JEWEL No, we should get back. Our parents will be looking for us. JASON Just look at it, Jewel. Have you ever seen anything like this? He drags her from the cloak onto the dark, glittering grey surface of the ground. A soft twittering sound draws his attention. JASON That's a bird. (points to a dense clump of trees) Want to bet? JEWEL Not exactly. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as they step away form the cloak. It fades into dust at their feet. Her sudden gasp freezes Jason in mid-step. JASON What's wrong? JEWEL The cloak is gone! Now we can't get back. JASON (assuringly) I've still got the bell. I can always call it again. JEWEL (pleading) Please, let's just go then. I don't think we should be here. This was a mistake. JASON (hugs her) All right, we'll go back. If that's what you want. He tugs the bell from his pocket and rings it once. JASON CLOAK, COME� The traveling cloak immediately appears in its original form. They step onto it and seat themselves quickly. JEWEL Hurry�I hear something moving through the bushes. JASON No problem. (puffs up his chest and assumes the captain's pose again) CLOAK, HOME� JEWEL Jason, it's getting closer. Her eyes widen as something begins running through the jungle. CUT TO: INT. FOREST: A large dark form is barely visible racing through the thick underbrush. CUT TO: EXT. Jason is beginning to panic, glancing left and right at the approaching danger. He realizes they would be overtaken in a matter of seconds. JASON CLOAK, HOME� CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Jason grabs Jewel's arm and they run for cover in the opposite direction. JASON We have to reach the trees. JEWEL (panting) The cloak dissolved again. JASON Good, at least we can call it back. Even if we can't use it to get home. JEWEL (pausing to catch her breath) Speaking of which�how are we going to get back? JASON Shh� (warning her, pressing a finger to his lips) First things first. CUT TO: CAMERA FOLLOWS as Jason whirls around, his eyes shooting open at the sight of a lion, the size of a Clydesdale horse, plunging into view. CUT TO: Jewel remains glued to her spot, her footsteps remaining frozen in the slightly muddy grey earth. Jason snaps a large tree branch beside him. JASON When it attacks�run and don't look back. JEWEL I'm not leaving without you. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as the lion bares its teeth, growling to clear a throat covered in dust. Its demeanor changes from frightening to merely curious. LION Excuse me, why were you trying to avoid me? JEWEL A talking lion? Whoever heard of such a thing? JASON Can't be any stranger than the rest of this place. (lowers his weapon) We thought you were trying to eat us. LION (eyes lighting up) I don't think that would be the wisest choice for either of us. (pats his stomach) No, not wise at all. I could do to lose a few pounds but here it isn't that easy. JEWEL A dieting lion? She claps both hands to her mouth to stifle a giggle, then tries stepping forward to greet the forest monarch. But she is stuck securely in place. LION I don't really think you'll be doing much walking past the predicament you're already in. It's squishy stuff that most inhabitants here call a marsh. JASON Like quicksand? Jason tries tugging either one of his feet free. He is completely mired in the black, granular mud. LION Everyone usually avoids the stuff. Except, of course, lower-minded creatures and visitors like yourselves. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as Jason searches desperately for something to pull them closer to the edge of the marsh. All overhead vines are just out of reach. Both children feel themselves beginning to sink quickly into the depths of the deadly mire. JASON We can't get out of here by ourselves. LION Probably not. JEWEL (begging) Well, help us! LION What's in it for me? JASON What do you mean? You could save our lives. LION And in return? What do I get for my mercy on such poor helpless creatures? JEWEL Why do you have to get something in return? LION (sniffs) No one gives anything for nothing. That wouldn't be prudent for survival. (pauses to savor the moment) What are you willing to give me in return for my saving your lives? CUT TO: CLOSE UP of the bell resting in Jason's pocket, but descending into the marsh. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Jason calls to the lion. JASON What about a magic bell? LION (eyes narrowing to slits) Say again? JEWEL Jason, no. It's our only chance out of this place. JASON A magic bell. (whispers to Jewel) If we don't get out of here, we'll never get home anyway. LION I might be interested. Let me see it, first. JASON (shouting back) NO. You get us out of here. Then I'll hand it over to you. LION (paces back and forth at the edge of the sand) How do I know you really have it? JEWEL How do you think we got here in the first place? Geez, for a ruler you sure do have some king-sized doubts. LION (grinning) Well, I'm not the one up to her knees in quicksand either. Just show me the bell, and I promise to help. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as Jason slides his hand into the muck and feels for his pocket. He draws forth the bell, covered in gritty sand, and holds it over his head, firmly holding the clapper in place. CUT TO: CLOSE UP of the lion's face. LION That's it? (smirks) A little bell � and you expect me to believe it's magical? CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE as Jewel clings tightly to Jason, who struggles with the remainder of his strength to keep them both aloft. JASON It is. Anyone who holds it possesses great power. LION All right. CUT TO: CAMERA FOLLOWS the lion as he bounds through the brush, returning with a thick, strong vine. LION Grab hold of this and I'll pull you both to safety. JEWEL (feebly) Thanks. CUT TO: DIFF ANGLE as the lion tugs with all his might, yanking both children through to the shallowest end of the mire. Regaining their feet on solid ground, Jason and Jeewel bow respectfully to their rescuer. LION (waves away the adulation) Enough of that. Hand me the bell. It's rightfully mine now. Jason places the small bell in the leader's paw. CUT TO: CLOSE UP as the lion rolls the bell first one way, then the other, examining the strange symbols on its surface. CUT TO: ANOTHER ANGLE focusing on the lion and Jason. LION How does it work? CUT TO: CLOSE UP of the children's faces and the lion's face as a swift shushing sound overhead draws their attention. CUT TO: DISTANCE SHOT as a dark cloud of fluttering wings begins descending through the trees, heading straight for them.
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Copyright © 2001 Emmett O Saunders Iii |