fugue robert e g black black. off

8/14/2019 Fugue Robert e g Black Black. Off

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CUT TO

EXT – FIELD - DAY

A male, white horse, QUIET CRIER, is running in a field.

He slows as he gets closer to us, then he stops. He looks at usand he speaks.

QUIET CRIERWake up, Persy.

CUT TO

EXT – DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - STREET - NIGHT

Persy’s eyes open and she sits up suddenly.

PETER, a man in his twenties, is crouched down next to her.

PETERAre you alright? You shouldn’t—

Persy starts to get up.

PETERYou probably shouldn’t get up. I called for an ambulance. I was…

You had me scared for a minute there. I thought you were dead.

Persy looks at him, confused. She puts a hand to the back of herhead.

PETERYou hit your head pretty hard there.

Persy brings her hand down. There is blood on it.

PETER

Miss, Just sit tight. The ambulance will be here…

He looks down the road. There are hardly any cars and definitelyno ambulance in sight.

He looks at Persy. She looks at him. She is beautiful and it isright about now that Peter notices that.

2



PETERUm, they’ll be here soon. You hurt anywhere else? I mean, I knowI wasn’t going that fast—piece of shit car’s dying on me—but,are you ok?

Persy nods, but she looks like she is not sure if she is hurt ornot.

Peter looks around as a car speeds by the two of them, honkingits horn. Someone inside yells something like GET OUT OF THEROAD.

Peter looks at Persy again.

PETERI’m sorry I—

She just looks at him.

PETERI didn’t… You sure you’re ok, Miss?

Persy nods but, after a second, that nod is a shaking of herhead.

PETERMiss… What’s your name?

QUIET CRIER (V.O.)Wake up, Persy.

PERSYPersy.

PETERHi, Persy. I’m Peter, the guy that just hit you.

Persy pulls away from him a little.

PETERI didn’t mean… I just… I didn’t expect anybody to be around herethis late. This street’s usually pretty damn empty when I getoff work.

Persy looks around.

PERSY

3



You work about thisplace?

Peter nods.

PETERBig building over there. I’m just temping right now, but someonein personnel told me they wanted to make it permanent.

Persy does not have any idea what he is talking about.

PETERYou sure you’re ok?

PERSYI am ok. I just… I cannot…

PETER

Can’t what?

PERSYWhere am I?

Peter looks concerned, worried even.

PETERYou don’t know where you are?

Persy looks around. She looks up at the tall buildings.

PERSYI have never… I have never been thisplace fore.

PETERIt’s ok. It’s just downtown.

He looks around.

PETERWhere’d you come from? You have any idea how you got here?

Persy shakes her head.

PETERYou knew your name, though. So, it’s not amnesia or something,right? I mean, you said you were ok.

PERSY

4



I do not know. The horse…

PETERThe horse? Oh god, you’ve like lost your mind or something. Youhit your head and now you’re going crazy, and it’s all my fault.

PERSYCalm down. I am ok. I just… I cannot remember how I got tothisplace. This is downtown? What city?

PETERLos Angeles.

PERSYI have heard of it.

PETER

Heard of? It’s Los Angeles. L.A. It’s… Where are you from?

Persy thinks for a second.

PERSYI am not sure.

PETERShit. I’m—

SIREN in the distance.

An ambulance approaches and stops by them. Two paramedics getout.

PETERShe came out of nowhere. She… Is she going to be ok?

The first paramedic, BENNY, kneels down by Persy.

The second paramedic, LES, goes to Peter as Benny talks to Persy.

BENNY(smiling)Hi, my name’s Benny. What’s yours?

PERSYPersy.

BENNY

5



Well, Persy, looks like you took a good hit here. Can you tellme where it hurts?

Persy looks down at herself. On her bare arms and legs arenumerous scrapes, nothing too serious.

PERSYI guess it is just my head. These are not too bad.

BENNYYou hit your head?

Persy nods.

Benny checks out the back of her head and reaches for his bag.

BENNY

How old are you, Persy?

PERSYI am…

Benny looks at her, concerned.

PERSY(matter of factly)I am 19.

BENNYReally? I’ve got a sister your age.

He moves her head a little.

BENNYWhen’s your birthday? Does your neck hurt?

Persy shakes her head.

BENNY

You don’t have a birthday?

PERSYMy neck does not hurt. I have got a birthday.

BENNYSo, when is it?

6



PETER (O.S.)I’M NOT ON ANYTHING.

Benny looks toward Peter. Then, he returns his attention toPersy.

BENNYDon’t move.

Benny gets up and returns to the ambulance. He comes back with aneck brace.

BENNYI’m going to put this on you, just in case.

Persy eyes the brace suspiciously then she nods. Benny crouchesby her.

BENNYSo, what happened?

PERSYTo what?

BENNYTo you.

PERSY

Car hit me.

BENNYFan of details, aren’t you.

PERSYWhat?

Now, Benny’s got the brace on Persy’s neck.

BENNY

Nothing. What were you doing out here this late on a Tuesday?

Persy looks at him.

PERSYYou cannot trick me.

BENNY

7



Ha. Thought I had you there. You’re right, it’s Thursday.

PERSYAnd this is Los Angeles.

BENNYRight. You win a prize.

PERSYReally?

BENNYNo. Well, a ride to the hospital.

PERSYReally, I am ok.

BENNYJust to be sure there wasn’t any internal trauma.

Benny touches Persy’s side lightly. She winces.

BENNYThat hurts?

Persy nods.

Benny looks at Peter’s car.

BENNYHow tall are you?

PERSYI do not know.

Benny looks at her.

PERSYI have not been measured lately.

BENNYYou know where the car hit you?

PERSY(pointing toward car)Right there.

8



BENNY(smiling)I meant, where did it hit you on your body?

He touches lower on her side. She winces more.

BENNYMissed your ribs, but not by much. Les, get over here.

Les leaves Peter. He and Benny head for the ambulance.

They start to get out the stretcher then realize Persy isstanding behind them. They step out of her way and she climbsinto the ambulance and sits down on the stretcher.

Peter gets in too. Benny gets in the back. Les closes the door.

INT – AMBULANCE – NIGHT

Benny sits by the stretched. Persy is lying down.

BENNYCan you move your toes?

Persy looks at him like he is crazy.

PERSYI can walk.

BENNYWell…

PERSYMy head hurts is all.

BENNYYou could have a concussion. Did you lose consciousness backthere at all?

QUIET CRIER (V.O.)Wake up Persy.

PERSYMayhap a little.

Silence as Benny checks Persy’s blood pressure.

9



BENNYSo what kind of name is Persy?

PERSYWhat kind of name is Benny?

BENNYTouché.

PERSYFrench.

BENNYPersy is French?

PERSYTouché is French.

BENNYRight.

PERSYI know French.

BENNYEver been to France.

Persy thinks.

PERSYNo. You?

BENNYOnce when I was younger.

PETERI’d like to go to France.

Persy and Benny both look at Peter. Peter looks down, avoids

their eyes, says nothing.

Benny looks to Persy.

BENNYWhat WERE you doing out there this late at night?

Benny looks at Peter.

10



BENNYAnd, what were YOU doing?

Peter does not look up.

PETERI work graveyard at Undheri Dandridge.

BENNYLawyers have graveyard shifts?

PETERDocuments department does.

Benny looks at Persy again.

BENNYYou working late too?

Persy nods.

PERSYSame place as he was.

Peter shoots Persy a look. He knows she does not work where heworks. But, he does not say anything.

Persy looks right back at him.

PETER(to Persy)You should have waited. I would have given you a ride.(to Benny)She insists on public transportation.

BENNYSo, you know each other?

PETERAcquaintances more than friends.

Benny nods.

PERSYAre we almost there yet?

11



CUT TO

INT – HOSPITAL – NIGHT

Persy is on a bed in Emergency. A DOCTOR is talking to her. But,we can barely hear him. What we can make out is the same sortsof question Benny asked, her name, her age, etc. Persy answersbut she is not paying attention either. She is watchingsomething.

What she is watching is Peter in the hall talking to a POLICEOFFICER.

Peter looks back at Persy as he speaks.

A moment later, the doctor gone, the police officer using aphone nearby, Peter walks over to Persy.

PETERThey’re going to know you lied. That I lied.

PERSYThey know who you are.

Peter nods.

PETERI’m gonna be in trouble.

PERSYI am already in trouble.

PETERWho are you?

PERSYI do not know.

PETER

How do you know you’re in trouble?

PERSYI just know.

Peter looks out at the police officer.

PERSY

12



Will you help me?

Peter looks at her. He wants to say no. That much is clear.

PETERHow?

PERSYGet me out of thisplace.

PETERMy car’s not even here. Police have it.

PERSYThere are other ways about in this city, yes?

PETER

Yes.

PERSYWell, let us go.

They sneak out into the hallway, behind the back of the POLICEOFFICER and head down the hall to the stairs and they leave.

INT – STAIRWELL – NIGHT

Persy and Peter run down the stairs.

EXT – HOSPITAL – NIGHT

Persy and Peter emerge from the hospital by an unmarked (read:not for the public) door.

PETERWe can catch a bus near here. This way.

He grabs Persy’s hand and pulls her along.

PERSYWait.

Peter stops.

PETERWhat?

13



PERSYYou talked to that policeman.

PETERYeah.

PERSYHe knows who you are.

PETERA lot of people know who I am… Well, not a whole lot, but, it’snot like I’m… What are you getting at?

PERSYDo you have family at home?

Briefly Peter glances down at his left hand. There is nothing

there. He looks at Persy.

PETERYes.

PERSYYou need to warn them, choosehow.

PETERWarn them about what?

PERSYThey are in danger. You are in danger for helping me.

PETERThanks for warning me beforehand.

PERSYI told you I was in trouble.

PETERYou also said you’d only HEARD of Los Angeles. Who are you? What

did I just get mixed up in?

PERSYYou can get out thismoment. Go to the police, tell them I left.Tell them you have no idea who I am—

PETERI don’t have any idea who you are.

14



PETERDo they have yours?

PERSYNo. Not really. But, they have a description. And, he is verypersistent.

PETERWho is?

PERSYI do not—

QUIET CRIER (V.O.)Stop dawdling.

PERSY —know.

PETERYou don’t know?

Persy looks at him.

PERSYI have got to go. You coming or staying?

Peter thinks about it. Persy starts to leave. Against his betterjudgement, Peter follows.

PETERWait up.

He catches up to her and they walk, quickly, away from thehospital.

INT – BUS – NIGHT

The bus is mostly empty. There is one other passenger besidesPersy and Peter. He keeps to himself in the back.

PETERSo, what is all this?

PERSY

16



Really, I do not know. I do not know if it was hitting my heador something fore, but things… Things are blurry. I know myname. I know someone is after me. Wrath.

PETERWrath?

He rolls his eyes like he is sure right then Persy is nuts.

PERSYHis name. Wrath something. And, he has killed fore. Somewhere…

PETERIt would be easier for me to save you if I had a better idea ofwhat I was up against.

PERSY

(smiling)You are going to save me?

Peter shrugs.

PETERI’m going to try. But, I need to… What time is it?

PERSYI do not know.

PETERYou say that a lot, you know.

PERSY(smiling)I do not know.

PETERWe’ll stop at my place first. This guy who’s after you, Wrathsomething, he won’t be there already, will he?

Persy thinks about it before answering.

PERSYProbably not yet. Will we be there soon?

PETERYeah.

17



CUT TO

EXT – BUS - NIGHT

Peter and Persy exit the bus in Echo Park. Not much of aneighborhood, but Persy does not seem to notice how run down itis and Peter is used to it.

PETERThis way.

Persy follows him.

PETERSo, this Wrath guy? Who is he?

PERSY

(thinking)Private.

PETERIt’s private? I’m going to need some kind of information if I’mgoing to help you.

PERSYNo. He is a Private.

PETER

In the military?

PERSYMayhap.

PETERSo, you don’t know who you are, but a Private Wrath from themilitary is after you, a horse talked to you and you’ve onlyheard of Los Angeles.

Persy nods. She knows it sounds crazy but it is true.

Peter wants to be rid of her on the one hand, but he also cannothelp but feel something for her.

They turn a corner by an apartment building.

PETERHow dangerous is he?

18



PERSYI do not really know. He has killed fore.

PETEROver you?

Persy looks at him.

PERSYYes. A man that helped me.

PETERHere.

PERSYWhat?

Peter indicates an entrance into the apartment building.

PETERHere.

Persy follows him to the gate. It is open, the lock broken. Theygo inside and head toward a ground floor apartment near theentrance. There are no lights on inside. Peter unlocks the doorwith a key.

PETERIf my… Don’t… Just wait here for a second.

Peter goes inside. Persy waits. After a few seconds, Persyenters also.

CUT TO

INT – APARTMENT – NIGHT

The apartment is small. A living area goes right into a dining

nook right into a kitchen. There are paintings on the walls ofthe living room. Persy looks at the paintings.

The one nearest the door is mostly a blood red and black. It isa strange image, a red woman on a black background, the twoblending together, the colors twisting about each other, thewoman a whirlwind in human form.

19



The next is more abstract, a white triangle with a brilliantwhite center and a bluish halo, the blackest of backgrounds.

There are others. They are each relatively simple, evocativecolors and imagery but no real substance to them necessarily.These are the works of an amateur.

There is a hallway off the living area that leads to the twobedrooms and the bathroom. Persy wanders toward this hallway.

Something catches her eye.

By the TV in the living room, there is a shelf with videos onit. They are children’s movies, with the oversized plasticcases. There’s nothing too special there, maybe some Disneyfilms, a copy of A Bug’s Life, maybe The Wind in the Willows.But, one in particular is noticeable. It is still wrapped in

clear plastic, a thin paperback book wrapped with it. As Persymoves closer to it, we see the title, The Empress of Time.

Persy picks up the case and turns it to see the front of thebook. It is also titled The Empress of Time. It is by N AStrauss with a foreword by Zoe Christopher. The book has arelatively simple fantasy cover, a mystical mountain, a castle,a meadow. In the foreground a young girl. In the background,there is a face, only barely hidden in the clouds above thescene, looking down on everything.

PERSY(fondly)Empress Time.

PETER (O.S.)They’re gone.

Persy looks toward the hallway. Peter stands there, lookingshocked, frightened, dismayed, finally aware, even if onlymomentarily, of how serious the situation is.

PERSYWhat?

PETERThey are gone. What happened? What did you get me into?

PERSYWe should have called.

20



PETER(increasingly loud)Should have called? Should have called? Damn it. Why the helldidn’t you tell me this Private Wrath guy was going to take myfamily?

PERSY(calmly)I believe I did warn you.

PETER(practically yelling)No, you didn’t.

PERSYI did. I told—

QUIET CRIER (V.O.)Persy, the fridge.

Persy looks toward the kitchen. Video and book still in hand,she walks over there.

PETERWhat are you doing?

Persy looks at the fridge.

PERSYWho is Nana?

PETERNana’s my… What? Why?

Persy points to a note on the fridge, held by a magnet that sayssomething like Look What Billy Did.

Peter enters the kitchen and looks.

CUT TO

The Note.

Peter,

21



I took Nana up on her offer. I tried to call you but they said

you were busy. See you in the morning.

Love,

Annie

CUT TO

Peter has noticeably calmed down.

PETERNana’s what Billy calls my mother.

PERSYSo, they are safe?

PETER

Most likely, yeah. We were supposed to go to my parents’ cabinin Arrowhead this weekend. Annie wanted to go early but I had towork. My mom offered to take Annie and Billy with her and I’dcome later.

PERSYAnd, they took her up on the offer.

PETERLooks like it.

PERSY(indicating video)What is this?

PETERWhat?

Persy holds up the video and book.

PETERIt’s a movie.

PERSYA movie with Empress Time.

PETERThe Empress of Time. I never really cared for it myself, butBilly loved it when they showed it on cable a couple years ago.

22



PERSYHe has not opened it.

PETERNo. Guess he didn’t love it as much as I thought.

PERSYAre there others?

PETEROther movies?

PERSYGardea movies.

PETERI think they made a Return to Gardea movie or something, or I

might be confusing it with the Oz one… I’m not sure.

PERSYCan we watch it?

PETERI thought someone was after you, and you want to watch a movie?

PERSYNot thisplace. Not thismoment.

PETERThen where? We can’t stay here, right?

PERSYRight. We should go. But, first, you should call your family,let them know they are in danger.

PETERIt’s the middle of the night. I’m not calling them.

Persy is quiet for a moment.

PERSYVery well. Can we go somewhere else? Can we go to this Arrowheadplace?

PETERI’m not just going to show up with you in tow. My… My familywouldn’t get it.

23



PERSYYou believe me, right?

PETERI’m not sure what I believe, but I know you need help. Maybehelp I can’t give you.

PERSYSo, we will go somewhere else.

Peter nods.

PETERLet me get some clothes and things.

Peter leaves the room. Persy looks at the TV and the vcr, then

she sits down on the floor, turns on the TV and rips open theplastic wrapper on The Empress of Time. But, she stops abruptlyand stares at the screen.

On the screen is a late night replay of the nightly news. Areporter, CHRISTINE SANCHEZ is sits behind a desk. In the topright corner of the screen is a photo of a balding man, old butnot too old, a distinguished businessman. This is TALUS COYNE.

CHRISTINE…Talus Coyne, current CEO of Zaladhis International and major

contributor to Senator Le Marchand’s campaign.

PETER (O.S.)What’s wrong?

Persy looks up at Peter. He holds a suitcase.

PERSYYou packed quickly.

PETER

Annie already packed my things for Arrowhead. I just had to addone or two things. What’s wrong?

Persy looks at the TV.

PERSYThat is my pere, my… father.

24



PETERSenator Le Marchand?

Senator RANDOLFO LE MARCHAND is on the screen now. Talus is gone.

PERSYNo. Talus Coyne.

Persy looks down.

PERSYThis is strange. I thought I was… Well I know you think I amcrazy and I have not been able to remember much tonight. Ithought it was by cause I hit my head on the street and it wouldall come back in time, but I still cannot remember much, but Iknow that Talus Coyne is my father.

PETERTalus Coyne is not your father.

PERSYHow would you know?

PETERHe doesn’t have any kids. They had some thing on 20/20 a whileback about the Arnisso family and this whole thing about whichkid was heir to the whole fortune.

Persy doesn’t know what he is talking about. But, she does notspeak.

PETERWell, they made a point of how no one in the Zaladhis family,even with their own separate chunk of cash from they’re bigcorporation was going to get any of it. And, Talus Coyne is partof that family, and barely even that. He’s got no children andhis wife is dead.

Persy just looks at him.

PETERI work nights so I don’t get to watch much television. When Ido, it’s mostly news shows. What can I say?

PERSYYou would not have seen me on any news show. The fact that I amalive is not usually advertised.

25



Peter nods.

PETERRight. You know when I said you’d probably need help I can’tgive you. I think that was an understatement.

PERSYI am not lying to you, Peter. By Parrow, I swear it.

PETERParrow?

PERSYAnd, I need your help. My father does not want me out on my ownlike this.

PETERI thought Private Wrath wanted you.

PERSYWrath is after me. But, my pere is pulling the strings.

PETERConvenient how that works. If you’re Talus Coyne’s illegitimate—

PERSYI am not illegitimate.

PETER —daughter, just go to the press or the police and tell themeverything. Hell, go to Le Marchand’s campaign headquarters herein Los Angeles. Tell them who you are and make them help you.

PERSYThey will not help me. If I will not go home quietly, my perewill have me dead. Wrath will kill me. The press cannot stophim. The police cannot stop him. Senator Le Marchand cannot stophim. The most any of those people could do is let Wrath know

right where I am so he can come pick me up. Then, he will killme like he killed Morty Fenimore—

PETERWho’s Morty—

PERSYThismoment, I need to know something.

26



PETERWhat?

PERSYAre you going to help me or not? If you are not then I need tobe on my way.

PETEROn your way where?

Persy holds up the video.

PERSYChoosehow, I need to find the person hind this.

PETER

The delusions just keep getting more complicated, don’t they?

PERSYI am not delusional.

PETERRight.

PERSYWill you help me or not?

Peter looks around the empty apartment.

PETERHell, why not?

CUT TO

EXT – GARAGE – NIGHT

Peter and Persy enter the apartment building’s garage area.There is a jeep in one of the spaces under a canvas cover.

PETERThis jeep was my dad’s. I don’t get much chance to drive it,usually.

PERSYBut, thismoment you do.

27



Peter pulls the cover off the jeep.

PETERLucky me, I’ve got to drive a crazy girl—

Peter stops and looks out toward the street. A police car hasjust parked out in front of the building.

PETERShit. Get in.

They get in. Peter throws his suitcase into the back then pullsthe jeep out of its space, leaving the cover behind, and speedsout of the driveway.

CUT TO

INT – MOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Peter and Persy enter. Peter throws his suitcase on the bed.

PETERI got you some clothes, if you want ‘em. Some of Annie’s.

PERSYShe would not mind?

PETER

Oh, she’d probably mind, but that dress of yours isn’t lookingto great, torn and greasy, and is that blood?

Persy looks down at her dress then up at Peter.

PETERHold on. I’ll get you something.

Peter opens the suitcase. Behind him, Persy heads for thebathroom.

PERSYI think I will take a shower first.

Peter looks up as she pulls her dress off. She wears no bra andthere are deep red lashes visible on her exposed back andshoulders.

PETER

28



What the hell?

Persy turns around.

PERSYWhat?

PETERWhat happened to your back?

PERSYBruises from earlier.

PETERNo, not that. The scars.

PERSY

Oh, that. My pere.

PETERYour father did that?

Persy nods then closes the bathroom door.

She turns on the shower. The bathroom fills with steam as shestrips off her slip, revealing scars covering the entirety ofher back, and steps into the shower stall. She winces gettinginto the shower. Her back and side, which are quite bruised,

still hurt from getting hit by Peter’s car.

As the water and steam cover her, a scene plays out projectedonto the steam and the wall of the shower…

EXT – MANSION – DAY

MORTY FENIMORE in a three piece suit stands near Persy in theyard. She is wearing the same white dress from before but it iscleaner, newer.

MORTYGet out of here Persy. Now, while your father’s in Washington.

PERSYI cannot. I go away, I always end up back in thisplace. I cannotstay there.

The scene fades as Persy opens her eyes in the shower.

29



MORTY (V.O.)No! Please!

GUNSHOT O.S.

Persy cries.

She turns off the water and gets out.

CUT TO

Persy comes out of the bathroom wrapped in a white towel.

Peter looks up at her.

PERSY

What?

PETERYour father?

Persy looks down, then she sits on the bed. She does not look atPeter.

PERSYMy pere did not like me seeing the world.(smiling)

It is evil.(frowning)He is evil.

She looks at Peter.

PERSYMorty worked for my pere. He was one of his many personalassistants.

PETER

What’s Morty’s full name?

PERSYMorton Fenimore. Why?

Peter says nothing.

PERSY

30



You are going to check my facts. You do not believe me.

PETERIt’s hard to believe all this.

PERSYIt is ok if you do not believe me.

PETERTell me anyway.

PERSYI will tell you what I remember.

PETERWhatever you can.

PERSYMorty worked for my pere. Morty was probably the only assistantto my… father that liked me or paid any attention to me. Mostly,I was kept locked away from prying eyes. You said my father hasno children. That does not surprise me—that that would be theofficial story, I mean. He did not let my mere get out mucheither. When he went away on business, he would leave men towatch us.

Persy is silent for a moment.

PERSYMorty was one of those men. Others—they would see what my perewould do to me and they would not do a thing. Morty tried tostop it.

Persy turns her back more to Peter, showing off her scars.

PERSYWhen my pere would whip me, Morty was the only one with the gutsto try to stop him.

Persy lets her towel slip down, showing off her whole back. Shesits there silently as Peter eyes her scars.

PERSYAnd, it was Morty that helped me get away.

She pulls her towel back around her body.

31



PERSYHe is dead. Wrathbone killed him.

PETERWrathbone? Private Wrath?

PERSYPrivate Investigator I think. It is like some details aregetting a whole lot clearer, some are just staying right out ofreach. Wrathbone is the guy that killed Morty. I know that. But,there is something else. There is more to Wrath than him.

PETERWhat does that mean?

Persy gets up and goes to the dresser. The Empress of Time videoand book are sitting there by the suitcase, which is open now.

Persy picks up the book.

PERSYI think she can help.

PETERThe Empress of Time?

Persy nods.

PERSY

Zoe Christopher. Gardea has something to do with this.

PETERGardea’s a made up place. It’s no more real than Oz or NeverNever Land.

Persy sets the book down and looks at Peter.

PERSYYou have a limited worldview.

PETERWhat?

PERSYJust by cause something is in a book or a movie does not mean itcannot be real.

PETER

32



There’s no such place as Gardea.

PERSYHow do you know? How do you know that Dorothy Gale was not areal person, that Mary Prejean was not a real girl? How do youknow what is real or what is not?

PETERIt’s fairly easy to not believe in things like that. Hell, Ibarely believed in any of that stuff when I was a kid.

PERSYYou seem like someone with more imagination than that.

PETERI’ve got imagination. Some say I’ve got too much imagination.That’s how I know what’s real and what isn’t, what’s hard fact

and what’s imagined. Gardea is just a place from some children’sbooks and a couple movies.

PERSYAnne Frank.

PETERWhat?

PERSYMorty gave me a copy of her diary once. My pere never knew. I

burned it after I read it. Did you ever read it?

PETERI think we had to in school.

PERSYWas Germany a made up place?

PETERThat’s not even close to being the same thing. There’s a bigdifference between biographies and novels. Book stores are so

nice, they let you know right off whether a book is a true storyor not. They put them in sections and everything.

PERSYI have never been in a book store.

PETERSorry.

33



PERSYWhat if they are all true?

PETERThey’re not.

PERSYWhat if they are? What if this world—this universe—is bigger andmore complicated than you have ever imagined, than anyone hasever imagined?

PETEROk, I’ll play along. Gardea, Oz, Never Never Land—they’re all asreal as Germany. So what?

PERSY

You can fly a plane to Germany right?

PETERI don’t have my pilot’s license, but yeah, I could go as apassenger.

PERSYWhat if there are ways into these other worlds, these“imaginary” worlds, ways to—

PETER

(abruptly)Talking horses!

PERSYWhat?

PETERYou said something about a horse. There are talking horses inGardea. I remember. The Bellroffs. They were like theHouyhnhnms, only more fun.

PERSYThe who?

PETERNevermind. Different world altogether.

PERSYAnd you went to this different world?

34



PETERI read about it, just like I read about the Bellroffs in Lion

Horse Tree.

PERSYLion Horse Tree?

PETERThe second Gardea book. You’ve never read it?

PERSYNo. Morty gave me a copy of Ugly Ogre once, not long fore hehelped me escape. Thing is—I had met Dilden. I always thought itwas in my head. When my pere would punish me, I would go away inmy head. And, I would be in this other world—Gardea. I thought Ihad made it up. I had a limited view of things like you. I never

expected it all to be real.

PETERYou’d probably heard the story when you were little.

PERSYI considered that.

PETERBut?

PERSYThere are things we just know, somewhen.

Persy looks at the open suitcase, grabs some clothes from it andheads into the bathroom.

She comes back out in a large tee shirt and continues talkinglike there was no break.

PERSYAnd, this was one of those things I just knew. In my head, I

could pull myself into Gardea just like you could take a planeto Germany. It was real.

PETERUnless you’re nuts.

PERSYWhat?

35



PETERFollow me for a minute. What if you are crazy? What if there’ssomething wrong in your head? Or maybe this is all some delusionfrom hitting your head earlier. Why would your explanation beany more valid or likely than any other?

PERSYAnd why do I have to be crazy to validate your ken of theuniverse? Do you hold to God?

PETERHold to… You mean, do I believe in God? Not most of the time.

PERSYBut, some of the time? Mayhap YOU are crazy. Mayhap all theChristians are crazy. Mayhap there is something wrong with the

human brain itself that makes us all delusional, makes us allsee a creator or a pantheon of gods, makes us see whatever weneed to see to make our world keep going from day to day. Mayhapwe are all crazy. What difference does it make if that God orthose gods or a monster from some made up world can effect ourlives as directly as such things often do? You think everymiracle is just chance or is it possible that, made up or not,real from the beginning of time or not, God can do exactly whatenough of us hold he can do? Mayhap we make him real.

PETER

And maybe reading Gardea stories makes it real?

PERSYSomething like that.

PETERBut, you said you’d never read them.

PERSYAnd, you said you do not always believe in God. But, still thereare those that do believe in him all the time. And, there are

plenty who have read all the Gardea stories.

PETEREspecially now.

PERSYWhat?

36



PETERSince Zoe Christopher bought the rights to the stories so shecan rework them and write new ones.

PERSYKelly, I do not ken.

PETERRight, you’re a shut in. Zoe Christopher’s quite a success inthe book business, with half a dozen bestsellers already.

PERSYOh. So, she is not the one who wrote them originally?

PETERNo. She’s not even that old. That movie version was made a fewdecades ago. The books even farther back, maybe even a hundred

years or so. I don’t recall exactly. N A Strauss wrote themoriginally. But, he’s dead. He died a long time ago.

Persy looks down, thinking.

She looks up.

PERSYYou want to check my story, right? You want to check what youcan about me and about Morty.

Peter nods.

PERSYYou can do that at the library, I assume.

Peter nods again.

PERSYWell, while you do that, I am going to do some checking of myown. I need to see all the Gardea stories. I need to see ifStrauss could go there too.

PETERWhy? What does it matter?

PERSYI can hide there. I can hide there forever.

CUT TO

37



Persy and Peter are asleep in the motel bed together. There issome space between them though.

Persy does not sleep restfully. She moves about, like someonestereotypically reacting to a nightmare, which is just what sheis doing. A scene plays out projected onto the wall above thebed…

EXT – WOODS – DAY

Persy is running with a small drawstring bag in her hand. Shewears that same white dress. As she runs it should be noticeablethat there is blood spattered on her dress, but only here andthere.

Close on her hand and a bag covered in blood. She got this from

Morty.

In the motel bed, Persy moves some more.

In the woods on the wall above, Persy comes to a fallen tree andclambers over it then sits down behind it, glancing back to seeif anyone is following her. No one is in sight. She relaxes andcatches her breath.

She opens the bag and pulls out a handful of things. She setsthem in her lap and looks at them. There is a passport, a large

wad of cash and a couple candy bars.

She laughs. It is a strange laugh, a realization of someabsurdity to her situation. She starts to cry, then stuffs thethings back into the bag, closes it and gets up. She pullsherself together and hurries off on foot again. She walksquickly. She does not run.

In the motel bed, Persy relaxes a little.

CUT TO

EXT – LIBRARY – MORNING

Peter’s jeep enters the parking lot. Peter and Persy are in it.

Nearby a man watches. A large man, he goes by the inappropriatenickname LITTLE B.

38



He pulls out a cell phone and hits a number on speed dial.

LITTLE BIt’s me. They’re at the library.

Pause.

LITTLE BWhat should I do?

Pause.

Persy and Peter get out of the jeep. Persy is wearing blue jeansand a white blouse, Annie’s clothes.

LITTLE BGot it.

He hangs up the phone. Then, he walks toward the parking lot.

Little B enters the library about ten feet behind Peter andPersy.

CUT TO

INT – LIBRARY LOBBY – MORNING

Peter and Persy stop.

PETER(indicating direction)Children’s section is that way.

PERSYWhere will you be?

PETERComputers.(indicating direction)

That way. You’ll be ok?

Persy nods. Peter leaves her.

She stands there for a moment, watching him. Then, she headstoward the children’s section.

Little B follows Persy.

39



CUT TO

INT – CHILDREN’S SECTION – DAY

Persy has seven books laid out on a library table. First on theleft is The Empress of Time with a similar cover to the one wesaw before. Next to it is Lion Horse Tree with a Yggsdrasilictree connecting a forest below to clouds above, a group ofhorses running near the forest below, a lone girl in whiteriding one near the lead. Next is The Song of Fellfaraway withhands on the cover with a strange writing on the flesh. Next isUgly Ogre with the most childish of the covers, a little girlOgre in a lacy dress picking flowers. Then is On a Clear Day:

Tales from Gardea with an old man on the cover, sitting on atree stump with a large book open in his lap. Then is The

Eleventh Heir , with a classy image of a knight fully decked out

in armor, a friendly but vicious dragon behind him, its tailcurled about in front of him. Last is The End of Time with anold woman pouring out a bag of sand, amongst the grains tinypeople and animals and buildings and trees.

Persy stares at the group of books for a moment.

A LIBRARIAN sets down three more books before Persy.

LIBRARIANThere you go. That should be everything we’ve got.

Persy looks at these new books. The first is a proof edition ofSword in Shadow by Zoe Christopher. The second is From Twisted

Rock to Mullivan’s Pike: An Atlas of Gardea. The third isFaraway Castle and the Unattainable: The Works of N A Strauss.

Persy looks up at the Librarian and smiles.

PERSYThank you.

LIBRARIANThis is for a school paper?

PERSYYes. My Thesis.

The librarian nods, happy to help, then walks off.

40



Persy opens the Atlas first.

Inside there is a map of The Kingdom of Gardea. There areillustrations of specific places. There is Salogee, a massivestone arch. There is the Pavanschall, a steppes region. There isStanjantuwel, the volcano. There are the titular Twisted Rockand Mullivan’s Pike, two malformed mountains. There isMalminaret, a stand alone castle tower so tall it putsRapunzel’s cell to shame. There is Hide Lake, Finity Field,Sidhollow, the Ester Wall, Hanging Shadow, Keravel, Parrow’sPeak, Orm and the Balkor, a dark swampy area on the outerborders of Gardea. And, of course, there is Faraway Castle. Theyeach have text descriptions, but we do not spend much time evenglancing at these.

Persy closes the Atlas and opens the first Gardea novel, TheEmpress of Time. As she leafs through it and then the other

books, we notice a few key names: Quiet Crier, Dilden the Ogre,Hesperus, Empress Time, Tonomo, Kimbly, Leandress and Agirath.

Upon seeing that last one, Persy abruptly gets up from her seatand turns to leave but Little B is right behind her. He speakswith a southern accent.

LITTLE BHiya Persy.

PERSY

Who are you?

LITTLE BName’s Beauchamp but my friends call me Little B.

Persy looks up at him.

PERSYLittle?

LITTLE B

One of them ironic kinda names. I work for Ansin Wrathbone.Well, I’m doing him a favor anyway.

PERSYYou are following me.

LITTLE B

41



Right. And, I’ve got a message for you. See, Ansin’s on his wayhere to LA to get you himself, take you back where you camefrom. Me—I’m just supposed to keep an eye on you…

Little B gives her a quick look up and down. He likes what hesees.

LITTLE B…though I’d be up for a little more than just some voyeuristicthrills, and what’s with you and that guy sleeping in the samebed and there’s no touching at all? What is that about?

PERSYI do not—

LITTLE BAnyway, I’m supposed to give you a message.

Persy backs away from him, right up against the table.

PERSYWhat is it?

LITTLE BCome quietly and nobody gets hurt.

PERSYSomebody already got hurt.

LITTLE BI don’t know nuthin about that. I just know what the good manlets me know.

PERSYThe good man, ha.

LITTLE BI’d not go mocking the likes of Ansin Wrathbone if I was yougirly.

PERSYYou are not me.

LITTLE BNor do I want to be.

Little B looks over her at the books laid out on the table.

42



LITTLE BWhat’s all this?

Persy looks down at the books. One of them is open to anillustration of Grilder the Ogre, piggish of face with two tusksand extra joints in his legs like a satyr. Persy reaches downand closes that book.

Persy looks Little B in the eye, as best she can anyway giventhe height differential.

PERSYTell Wrathbone or Agirath or whomever you work for that not onlywill I not be coming quietly I will not be coming at all.

LITTLE B

I’ll tell him. But, if I was you, I’d stop with that line soonas I could. You don’t want to be on Wrathbone’s bad side.

Little B looks down at the books again, then at Persy.

LITTLE BGood day to you.

He turns and leaves.

Persy stands there momentarily, shaken. Then she grabs the books

into a stack and carries them with her as she heads out towardthe lobby.

CUT TO

INT – COMPUTER ROOM – DAY

Peter is sitting at one of the computers. Persy comes up behindhim, books in hand.

PERSY

We need to leave. Do you have a library card?

Peter turns around and looks at her. He gets up.

PETERWhat’s wrong?

PERSY

43



Nothing. Can we go?

PETERYeah, sure.

He reaches down and uses the mouse to close the window he hadbeen using on the computer.

CUT TO:

EXT – LIBRARY – DAY

Persy hurries to the jeep. Peter keeps up.

PETERWhat’s the rush? What happened?

PERSYJust get us out of thisplace. Then, I will tell you.

Persy looks back behind her as Peter gets into the jeep.

Little B emerges from the library.

Peter notices him as Persy drops the books onto the floor of thejeep and climbs into the passenger seat.

PERSY

Let us go.

Peter starts the engine and pulls out of the parking space.

Out on the city streets, Persy calms down a little.

PETERWhat happened? Who was that guy?

PERSYHe said he worked for Wrathbone.

PETERAnd, he let you walk out of there?

PERSYWrathbone wants to get me himself, I guess. Little B—that washis name—told me to come quietly and no one would get hurt.

44



PETERAnd you’re—

PERSY —not going to come quietly. I did not go through all this justto be sent back home. Besides, it will not matter if I comequietly. It is not just Wrathbone that is after me.

PETERWhat do you mean?

Persy grabs the copy of The Song of Fellfaraway from the floorof the jeep. She flips through it.

PERSYRemember I said there was something more to Wrath than just him.

PETERRight. Didn’t make much sense.

Persy finds a particular passage and reads.

PERSYCarrian fell from Salieron’s saddle, the poison inside hertaking effect. The Demon stepped out of the shadows and laughed.“You thought you could get away from me, Carrian? No one evergets away from Agirath.”

Persy stops reading and looks at Peter.

Peter gives her a look that half says he’s convinced finallythat she is the craziest person he ever met and half says don’tworry, I can protect you from that thing.

Persy holds up the book to show Peter the front cover. Thereagain is Agirath looming over Stanjantuwel.

Peter looks ahead. He steers into a lane to get on the freeway.

PETERThere’s no demon from Gardea following you.

PERSYYou do not even believe there is a murderous private eyefollowing me, so what does it matter what you think?

PETER

45



Persy has Faraway Castle and the Unattainable open in her lap.

PERSYDid we not just drive through San Bernardino?

PETERYeah, why?

PERSYIt says that is where Zoe Christopher lives.

PETERSo?

PERSYIt cannot just be a coincidence.

PETERWe’re not going to go find her.

PERSYWhy not?

PETERWe’re just not.

Persy looks down at the book, frowning.

CUT TO

EXT – MOUNTAINS – DAY

The jeep keeps going up the mountain road.

CUT TO

EXT – CABIN – DAY

The jeep pulls into a parking space before a modern log cabin.There are already a couple cars parked out front. Persy gets outof the jeep and grabs her stack of books.

PERSYThey will not like me in thisplace, will they—your family?

47



Peter looks at her for a second then gets out of the jeep andgrabs the suitcase.

PERSYPeter?

Peter looks at her again.

PETERMy family is nice enough. Don’t worry.

Peter walks past Persy and walks toward the front door of thecabin. Persy follows.

PERSYI did not ask if they were nice. I asked if they would like mein thisplace. Will they think we are—

PETERI don’t know what they’ll think, Persy.

The front door opens just as Peter reaches to open it. And,there is ANNIE.

ANNIEPeter.(smiling)Who’s this?

PETER(to Annie)Annie, this is Persy.(to Persy)Persy, this is Annie… My wife.

PERSYYour wife?

PETER

Yeah.

PERSYYou did not say you had a wife.

PETERI thought that was kinda obvious. You saw our house—

48



ANNIEShe saw what?

PETERWhat did you think all those pictures were about—Annie and I andour little boy?

PERSYI did not notice any pictures. When you said you had family athome—

ANNIEWhat’s going on, Peter?

Peter faces Persy

PETER

(to Persy)Give us a second.(to Annie)Annie, inside.

Peter goes inside with Annie.

Persy waits outside.

Persy looks around at the trees all around, another cabin downthe road. It is all very quiet.

PETER (O.S.)Persy.

Persy looks. Peter has the door open.

PETERCome in.

Persy goes inside. Immediately on entering she notices Annie ison the phone.

PERSY(to Annie)Who are you…(to Peter)Who is she calling?

PETER

49



I told her what happened.

PERSYYou told her what? Who is she calling?

PETERI told her the truth.

PERSYWhat truth?

PETERAbout the car last night.

PERSYWho is she calling?

PETERDon’t worry.

ANNIEHi, I need to report a, well not a crime exactly.

Persy shoots Peter an accusatory look.

PERSYTo whom is she talking, Peter?

PETERThe police.

PERSYNo.

Persy drops her books and grabs the phone from Annie and slamsthe receiver down.

PERSYNo police!

Annie backs away from Persy.

ANNIEDon’t hurt anybody.

PERSYWhat do you mean? I would not hurt a…

50



PETERShe wouldn’t hurt—

Persy looks at Peter.

PERSYWhat did you tell her?

ANNIEHe told me you’re crazy.

PETERThat’s not how I said it.

PERSYHow could you? You said you would help me.

PETERI will help you.

ANNIEThe police could have gotten you help.

Persy spins and faces Annie.

PERSY(loudly)

The police would put my name out there and Ansin Wrathbone orone of his people would be on this place in no time. I will nothurt you, but Wrathbone would.

ANNIEDon’t threaten me.

PETERAnnie, come on.

PERSY

I am not threatening you.

Billy, age 4 comes into the room.

BILLYMom, can I have a… Dad! When did you get here?

PETER

51



Just now.

ANNIEBilly, get out of here. Go back down and play with Nana.

BILLYBut, I wanted a—

ANNIENow!

Billy pouts.

PETERDo what your mother tells you.

Billy turns to leave. The phone rings. Billy stops.

Annie looks at the phone. Persy looks at it then at Peter.

Peter picks up the phone.

PETERHello?

BILLYWho is it? Is it Uncle Craig?

PETER(into phone)No, there’s no one by that name here.

Peter hangs up the phone. He looks at Persy.

ANNIEWas that the police?

PETERNo. That was Mr Wrathbone.

PERSYWhat? He knows I am in thisplace?

ANNIEI thought you said she was crazy?

PETER

52



(to Annie)That’s not what I said.(to Persy)That’s not what I said.

PERSYI am not crazy.

ANNIEIf you’re not crazy then you just put our family in danger.Either way, I don’t want you here.

PETERAnnie, stop it. We can’t throw her out.

ANNIEYes, we—

PETER(loudly)No, we can’t.(normal)I nearly killed this girl last night. Then, I helped her. And,I’m not going to stop helping her now. If this Wrathbone ISafter her, I’m going to get her help.

ANNIEJust what you’ve always wanted.

PETERWhat’s that supposed to mean?

ANNIEAn adventure. You’ve always had your head in the clouds, Peter.Ever since you were little. All those wasted years on dreams youcouldn’t achieve, and you’re still just dying for an adventure,aren’t you?

PETER

Annie, don’t—

ANNIEDon’t what? You bring this woman here, you endanger your family,and for what? You hoping she’ll put out later?

PERSYPut out?

53



PETERIt’s not like that, Annie. I would never… I love you, Annie. Iwouldn’t cheat on you like that.

ANNIENo. You’d just endanger my life and the life of your son.

PERSYWait a minute.

ANNIEYou think I like that you work nights to make enough money tokeep us from being broke? You think I don’t miss you. You thinkI don’t miss the old you, with all those dreams.

PETER

Those wasted dreams, you mean.

ANNIEYou don’t get it, Peter. You—

PERSYWait a minute.

ANNIE —just don’t get it. I’ve offered to help with money stuff, butyou insist it’s your job.

PERSYWe do not have time for this.

ANNIE(to Persy)Shut up.(to Peter)Just because you’re too scared to keep painting.

PETER

I’m not too scared to keep painting. There are more importantthings than chasing dreams, more important thing than wasting

years.

ANNIEI didn’t mean it like—

PETER

54



You can’t have it both ways, Annie. You can’t want me to keeppainting to make myself happy—

ANNIESo, you’re not happy?

PETERThat’s not what I said. You can’t have me keep painting AND haveme make a living for our family. It doesn’t work that way. And,you can’t say I wasted years painting then act like I abandonedsome great part of my life. It’s one or it’s the other. It’s notboth.

PERSYPeter.

PETER

What?

PERSYWe do not have time for this.

ANNIE(to Persy)We’d have time for anything if you weren’t here.

PERSYI did nothing to you. You do not need to be rude.

ANNIEYou’ve endangered my family.

PERSYIt sounds like your family was already endangered.

Annie’s mouth drops open.

ANNIEDon’t you dare speak to me like that.

PERSYI will speak choosehow. I am no child anymore. I am not going tolet anybody tell me how to live or how to speak. I will do whatI please.

ANNIEWell, you will do it somewhere else. Get out.

55



PETERAnnie.

ANNIEWhat? You going to defend her? Our family is none of herbusiness.

PERSYIt IS my—

Annie turns on Persy.

ANNIEIt’s not! It’s not your business.

PERSY

You want your family to stay intact?

Annie just looks at her.

PERSYI will leave.

PETERPersy, no.

PERSY

Yes. I will leave. It is for the best. I will go someplace else,get you out of danger.

PETERAnd, how will you keep from getting caught?

PERSYAdmit it, Peter, you do not have any way of stopping Wrathbonewhen he finds me. I am just aswell off on my own as I am withyou.

ANNIEWell, what are you waiting for? Get out already.

Persy looks at Annie.

ANNIEWhat?

56



PERSYWe are in the wood.

ANNIESo?

PETERI’ll give you a ride.

ANNIENo, you won’t. You’ll stay right here with us where you belong.You’re not running off on this adventure with her and riskingyour life.

PETERFirst of all, that’s my decision—

ANNIEOh really?

PETER —not yours. Second of all, I’m not running off on someadventure. I’ll take her back down the mountain, into the city.

PERSYThen, I can fend for myself.

PETER

No more than that. I’ll be back before you know it.

Annie thinks about it. Billy looks back and forth between theadults.

ANNIEBack before I know it.

Peter nods.

ANNIE

Get going. The sooner she’s gone, the sooner you’ll be back.

PERSYAnd, you will not be in any danger.

ANNIEMy husband gets hurt at all, and Wrathbone won’t be the only oneafter you.

57



PERSYHe is already not the only one.

ANNIEWhat?

PERSYNevermind.(to Peter)Let us go.

Peter hugs his wife. Persy walks out the door as he also hugsBilly.

CUI TO

EXT – CABIN – DAY

Peter comes out behind Persy. They go to the jeep and get in.The jeep pulls out of the parking area.

CUT TO

EXT – JEEP – DAY

It grows dark outside. The sun is not yet down but it is cloudy,a storm brewing. Peter’s jeep speeds around a mountain curve.

CUT TO

INT – JEEP – DAY

As Peter drives out of the mountains and toward San Bernardino,Persy mostly just looks at the passing scenery.

PETERLooks like a storm is coming.

Persy is silent.

She looks at him.

PERSYThose paintings in your apartment—you did those?

58



PERSYRealizes what?

PETERI gave it up fore Billy was born. She thinks I gave it up tohave more time for work to keep us all from starving. But,that’s not how it went. For years, I’d had nothing coming frommy work, my art. There were those who liked what I did, Anniefor one. But, all in all, it just wasn’t going anywhere. And…

Peter takes a deep breath.

PETERLife with Annie was.

PERSY

Only room in your life for one great idea at a time?

PETERWhat?

PERSYI have never had much of any great ideas in my life. There havenever been any lofty plans for me. Most of the time, I just didnot even know I needed any. If I had had some talent to putpaint to canvas or some great love, a child…

Persy is quiet. After a moment she leans down and picks up thelibrary copy of Lion Horse Tree.

PERSYAll I ever wanted to do is live. That was my great idea.

She holds up the book for Peter to see. She points at the cover.

PERSYThat girl on the horse, that tiny speck of white—that is me.Well, that is who I am when I go there.

She puts the book down in her lap.

PERSYThere is a whole other world that is at least partly inside ofme, and all I ever wanted to do is just live, to be able to makemy own way in the world, this world. You have got more than Iever dreamed. You have got a wife and a boy. You have got dreams

60



of leaving your mark on the world and you have got the talent todo so. Do not waste any of it. Do not neglect it. Do not work somuch that it seems like it is everything you are and everythingyou do. It is possible to be great, you know. It is possible tohave two great ideas or even three or as many as you canimagine. This universe allows us all the opportunities we couldever hope to get. Do not let any slip by… except mayhap one.

Peter looks at her.

PETERWhat one?

PERSYWhen you drop me off, do not follow me—

PETER

I wasn’t going—

PERSYYou thought about it.

PETEROh, you’re psychic now?

Persy looks directly at Peter.

PERSY

Do not try to protect me anymore. There are more importantthings in your world than being a part of mine. I have made itthis far. I will make it farther. Thisplace is good.

PETERWhat?

PERSYExit thisplace.

Peter heads off the freeway and pulls the jeep into a gas

station.

Persy gets out.

PETERYou can take the books. I trust you to return them.

PERSY

61



(smiling)You take them. I do not think I will need them anymore. I amremembering more every minute. Thank you for everything.

Persy turns to leave. Peter quickly gets out of the jeep andcomes around to the passenger side.

PETERPersy, wait.

PERSYYou are not coming. There is no adventure for you thisday. Thereis just life. That is better than any adventure.

Peter comes close to her.

PETER

Good luck finding your Empress Time.

Persy laughs.

PETERWhat?

PERSYYou are not even sure you believe me, still.

PETER

I believe you.

PERSYWell, believe me also in this: this world, your world is all youneed to be happy. Go be with your wife and your boy.

Peter hugs Persy.

Persy steps away from him.

PERSY

Peter means rock, right?

PETERRight.

PERSYWell, I will remember my rock.

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Suddenly, blood spurts, a knife bursts out of Peter’s stomach.Persy screams.

Somebody laughs. A devilish laugh.

The knife pulls back through Peter and he falls. There behindhim is Little B, knife in bloody hand.

LITTLE BHello again, Persy.

Persy drops to the ground by Peter and picks him up in her arms,cradles him. Blood comes from his mouth. He coughs.

PERSYWhat did you do?

LITTLE BMan shouldn’t have gotten involved. And, he definitely shouldn’thave hung up on Ansin Wrathbone. Leave him be and come with meand no one else gets hurt.

PETERDon’t—

Peter coughs up more blood.

Persy holds Peter tight against her. She looks up at Little B.

PERSYGo to hell, and tell Agirath he cannot have me.

Little B smiles.

LITTLE BI don’t know any Agirath, but after I’m through with you, no onewill even want you.

His smile disappears.

LITTLE BSee, thing is, I’ve got permission now to do anything to keepyou from talking. If I can’t get you to go home, well then, I’lljust have to make sure you don’t go anywhere.

Little B grabs Persy by the arm and yanks her to her feet.

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LITTLE BThat doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves first.

He throws her against the side of the jeep. Then, he is by heragain and he tears her blouse open. Underneath is her slip frombefore, tattered and dirty.

LITTLE BTsk Tsk. You should really take better care of your underclothes.

She struggles to get free. He shoves her hard against the jeepagain.

He rips her slip open.

PETER (O.S.)Get off of her.

Little B turns around. Peter is on his feet though he does notseem to have much strength left.

Little B rolls his eyes.

LITTLE BIt’s like you want me to finish you.

PETERLeave her alone.

Persy spots a toolbox in the back of the jeep. She reaches forit but cannot quite reach without moving.

Little B lets go of her and moves toward Peter.

Persy grabs the toolbox by its handle and swings it over herhead right into Little B’s.

Little B is momentarily motionless then he falls to the ground.

Persy runs to Peter and he collapses into her arms. They fall totheir knees together. She holds Peter from falling any further.

PERSYYou will be ok. I will get you to a hospital.

Peter laughs. Blood spurts from his mouth.

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PERSYWhat is funny?

PETERCrazy shut in girl— (coughing) —thinks she can drive.

PERSYI will get help, Peter. Just hold on.

Peter coughs. It does not sound good.

Peter looks around, dazed. Rather abruptly his eyes focus on thecamera, on us.

PETER

They’re watching.

With that, he goes limp in Persy’s arms.

Persy bows her head over him.

Then, Little B pulls her to her feet again.

LITTLE BYou thought you could get away from me, Persy? No one ever getsaway from Little B. It’ll take more than a toolbox to put me

down.

Persy screams. Little B shoves her against the jeep again, hishand, knife in it, to her throat.

LITTLE BSilence, bitch.

PERSYWhy? You are going to kill me othergate.

Little B presses the knife against her neck. There is a dropletof blood. Persy quiets.

LITTLE BSee, you and me are going to have some fun here in this little…

He looks around and the gas station is not there.

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LITTLE BWhat the hell?

Pull back and we see Persy is no longer up against a jeep but atree. The pavement and asphalt, the gas station, the city—allgone. Little B and Persy are at the edge of a clearing in thewoods.

QUIET CRIER (O.S.)Get off of her.

Little B turns around. A semicircle of horses surround him.Quiet Crier is in the middle.

LITTLE BWho said that?

QUIET CRIERI did. Step away from Leandress.

LITTLE BYou got the wrong girl. This here’s Perseverance Coyne.

PERSY(from behind Little B)Not anymore.

Little B turns to look at her. She looks mostly the same, but

her ripped blouse and her blue jeans have been replaced by asimple white dress, so thin as to be translucent. Her hair ispulled back, plaited. She is radiant in this world, Gardea. Sheis Leandress here.

Little B grabs her and gets her between he and the horses. Heputs his knife to her throat.

LITTLE BDon’t come any closer. What the hell is all this? What’s goingon?

QUIET CRIERI am Quiet Crier. We are the Bellroff. You are about to die.

LITTLE BYou come near me, it’s this girl that dies.

QUIET CRIER

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I do not think so.

Little B’s knife suddenly dissolves in his hand.

Persy pulls free from his grip and the circle of horses closeson Little B. Several of them rear up and kick at him. Little Bscreams in pain. We follow Persy as she squeezes past them intothe clearing.

And there stands a woman in a purple robe. She is old butsomewhat spry. She clutches strangely at her side, where herrobe is a deeper hue, like all the pain of her age is focusedthere. The witch, HESPERUS.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)On a clear day, I know you.

HESPERUSYou should.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)You are Glimmer Hesperus.

Hesperus curtsies, with a pained expression.

HESPERUSAt your service.

Little B’s cries stop.

HESPERUSA violent end for a violent man. It is poetic in a way.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)It is death.

HESPERUSAnd death is not poetic?

PERSY (LEANDRESS)Death is ugly.

Quiet Crier comes to Persy’s side.

QUIET CRIERThat is why you never killed your pere. If willan took, youcould have escaped years earlier, but you would not kill him.

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PERSY (LEANDRESS)I could not. It was not right.

She turns and looks toward Little B’s battered body leaningagainst the tree. The other horses linger nearby.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)That was not right.

QUIET CRIERHe would have killed you.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)Not thisplace he would not have. You cannot just kill Leandress.She is a story. She lives forever.

HESPERUSUntil Ladytime ends her.

Persy looks at Hesperus.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)That is why I am thisplace, actually. I need to see the Empressof Time.

HESPERUSYou need to see her in your world.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)I do not know how to find her.

HESPERUSYes, you do. Your memory has been coming back. Concentrate andyou will remember where she lives, the specific address even.Étan menem.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)No, I—

HESPERUSSee, you remember.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)How did you know?

HESPERUS

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It was I that took your memory away.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)Why?

Hesperus takes a sudden, deep breath.

HESPERUSTo give you a head start. It was the last I could do… the least

I could do.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)Kelly, I do not ken.

QUIET CRIERIt was the easiest way to keep Agirath off your trail. If youcould not remember how to get to this place you would not come

to this place and Agirath could not catch your scent.

HESPERUSYou traveled in your world to get to Empress Time, the Creatorof us. Agirath lingered thisplace, waiting for a sign.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)Does he know where I am thismoment?

HESPERUSI suspect he does. You should leave. Go back to your world and

find Empress Time. She is the only one that can guarantee yoursafety.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)But, I just got thisplace. I cannot just leave.

QUIET CRIERYou must. It is the only way. Go thismoment, fore you bringAgirath down on the Pavanschall.

Persy hugs Quiet Crier.

QUIET CRIER(whispering)She dies for you.

Persy takes a deep breath and pushes away from Quiet Crier.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)

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What?

QUIET CRIERDirak could mayhap fix this, but…

Quiet Crier looks to Hesperus then again to Persy.

QUIET CRIERGo.

PERSY (LEANDRESS)How?

HESPERUSIt is easy for you now. You have but to want it.

Close on Persy as she closes her eyes. Pull back and she is back

in the gas station. And, she is Persy again, torn blouse andeverything.

Peter’s body is nearby. Persy looks at it briefly then she goesaround to the driver’s side of the jeep and gets in. The engineis still running.

She looks at Peter again, then puts the jeep into gear anddrives. She does surprisingly well for someone who has neverdriven before.

CUT TO

INT – JEEP – DAY

Persy drives well enough. But, she fights off tears. As shedrives, a scene plays out, projected onto the inside of thewindshield.

INT – BEDROOM – NIGHT

Persy in white nightgown kneels by her bed to say her prayers.

There is a triptych on the bedside table.

PERSY…and bless mother in heaven. Amen.

The triptych changes. The center image is a man, resemblingstained glass in structure but moving. The image on the left isa demon, sedate and resolute, structured like stained glass and

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barely moving. The image on the right is an angel, beautiful butcunning, structured like stained glass but fluid almost, thefeathers of her wings ruffling. The man in the middle, theTRIPTYCH MAN looks at Persy.

TRIPTYCH MANIt’s not all like this, you know.

Persy looks around, not realizing from where the voice is coming.

PERSYWho said that?

TRIPTYCH MANI did.

Persy looks at him. He playfully waves his hand.

PERSYWho… What are you?

TRIPTYCH MANI’m here to tell you something.

PERSYWhat?

TRIPTYCH MAN

That place where you go in your mind when your father hurts you— that place is real.

PERSYThat place is in my head.

TRIPTYCH MANEvery place is in your head. Every place is in my head. Thewhole universe is inside us all. And we are all inside it.

PERSY

Sounds complicated.

TRIPTYCH MANQuite simple really.

PERSYAnd if Gardea is real, so what?

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You want to belong in Gardea.

Persy nods.

ZOEDifficult to do.

PERSYIf I stay in this world, I am as good as dead.

ZOEIf you go back to Gardea, you’re as good as dead. Agirathdoesn’t like you.

PERSYWhy not?

ZOEHe’s jealous. You can go back and forth at will. He can’t. Ittakes a lot of his power and strength to cross over. He has noalternate here.

PERSYWhat does that mean?

ZOEOnly some of the players in Gardea have counterparts in thisworld, alternate selves with at least limited knowledge of the

parts they play in both places. I am not actually Empress Time.

PERSYYou are not?

ZOENo. But, then again, I am, sometimes. When I cross over, I amshe. When I write the Gardea stories, I am she.

PERSYStories? I thought you have only written one so far.

ZOESilly Leandress. Empress Time is forever. Who do you think N AStrauss was?

PERSYI do not know. A man who had been to Gardea fore.

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ZOEStrauss was not a guy. Strauss was me. I was Strauss. I’ve hadmany names over the years. Zoe Christopher is just the latest ina long line of them.

PERSYSo, you control Gardea?

ZOEI create Gardea. I maintain Gardea. But, strictly speaking, I donot control Gardea. Once things there are there they have livesof their own.

PERSYSo, you cannot stop Agirath.

ZOE

I could end any life in Gardea at any time just by writing it,but that would ruin it. That would kill everything that makesGardea special. See, I could make things happen however I wantthem to in Gardea, but I choose not to. I choose just to recordwhat I see there, throw in some new characters from time to timeand see what happens. I’m not God.

PERSYEmpress Time is.

ZOE

And, again, I am not Empress Time. At least, not completely.

PERSYSo, you cannot help me?

ZOEThat’s not really my place.

PERSYBut, you were my only hope.

ZOEGet used to disappointment. Life isn’t fair.

PERSYNo.

ZOEWhat?

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PERSYNo. You CAN control things. You just do not want to.

ZOERight.

Pause.

ZOEI don’t want to.

PERSYWell, mayhap you do not have a choice.

ZOEWhat?

PERSYI stay in thisplace, Agirath comes to thisplace. I stay inthisplace Ansin Wrathbone comes to thisplace. In Gardea or inEarth, you are in danger as long as I am in your house.

ZOEAnd I could just as easily write you out of the story altogetheras write out Agirath. No, in fact, it would be easier to writeyou out. Agirath is a necessary part of Gardea. You are not.

PERSYA necessary part? What does he do that is so necessary? He isevil. All he does is cause people pain, inflict misery and death.

ZOEAnd, without those things, the good parts wouldn’t be worth thetime. You think bliss is a good thing, Leandress?

PERSYStop calling me that.

ZOEI’ll call you whatever I want to call you. You’re just a flukein the grand design, consciously existing in both worlds, ableto slip back and forth at will—

PERSYYou cannot do that either, can you?

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ZOEWhat?

PERSYYou said Agirath was jealous. You are jealous too. You createdthe place and you cannot just go there whenever you like.

Zoe looks away.

PERSYI am right, am I not?

ZOEI can’t go there at all.

PERSYWhat?

ZOEFor me, it’s in my head, and that’s where it stays. I can seeeverything that goes on there, and I can effect things there bywriting them, but I cannot go there myself. Empress Time is justan illusion.

PERSYBut, people have seen her. Mary Prejean went to her for help.

ZOE

An emissary playing a part. I can’t go there and Agirath—

PERSY —cannot come to thisplace.

Zoe nods.

ZOESomething like that.

PERSY

Agirath cannot come into this world after me?

ZOENo.

PERSYSo, if I can just stay out of the clutches of Wrathbone, I amfree to live in this world.

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ANSIN (O.S)A little too late for that.

Persy spins around. Behind her is ANSIN WRATHBONE, privateinvestigator. In his own way, he is more powerful than Zoe couldever be and it shows in his eyes. This is a man who can makepeople jump through hoops if he wants them to do so.

PERSYWrathbone.

ZOEHe got here before you did.

PERSYAnd this was not worth mentioning?

Ansin raises his hand to show he has a gun.

Persy looks at it then at Zoe.

PERSYI thought Empress Time is forever.

ZOEYou ever get shot? It hurts.

ANSINAnd there’s a lot more I could do to someone like her to be sureI get my way. A lot I can do to you too. You killed one of mybest men.

PERSYI did not kill him.

ANSINYou pulled him into another world.

PERSYAnd he died there. I did not do it.

ANSINYou couldn’t just come quietly, could you?

PERSYI do not do quietly anymore.

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ANSINThis is why your father wants you dead if you won’t go home.

PERSYThen kill me thismoment. I am not going back there. I cannotlive like that. I cannot live like this.

ANSINI was hoping for something better from you, Persy. Can’t you atleast beg a little?

PERSYYou know, in another reality, mayhap I was never beaten,whipped. Mayhap I was never chained to my bed. Mayhap I neverhad to run away and you never killed Morty.

ANSINRight. Well, this is this reality.

PERSYIs it?

Ansin rolls his eyes.

PERSYMayhap I never had reason to meet you. Mayhap I never even wentto Gardea.

ANSINOr maybe that car killed you the other night. What’s your point?

PERSYSome realities are better, stronger than others. Some exist onlyin our heads, in our books, our movies. Some are weak, onlythere for amusement. Some watch us. Some think they can controlus, tell us what to do, how to live.

Persy steps up onto a chair.

Ansin points his gun at her.

ANSINGet down. What are you doing?

PERSY

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I am closing this. I am ending this. This is my life, my worldas much as it is your world or the world of my pere.

Ansin shoots.

The shot hits Persy in the chest, a bright red spurt on her tornwhite blouse.

Persy reaches up and as she falls she grabs the edge of thescreen and pulls at the edge of the film, tears it down. Itrips, blinding white light coming through the tear. The filmburns on the projector.

White, blinding light overtakes us.

Then, gradually, back into focus and Persy is there in thelight. The blood is gone. She is in white, her skin pale. She

looks right at us.

PERSYYou cannot just put me through all of this.

She moves closer to us.

PERSYI am not just some mindless fiction, some blank slate on whichyou can hang your hopes, your dreams and your fears idly.

She is quiet for a moment.

PERSYYou do not just get to sit there watching.

She looks away for a second, then takes a deep breath andreturns her attention to us.

PERSYThis may all just be a story for you, sitting there with yourpopcorn and your fountain drinks. But, that does not mean it

does not hurt.

She pulls off her blouse. There are scars that wrap all the wayaround to the front but she turns so we can see her back, thelacework of scars there.

PERSY

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These scars are not just makeup to me. Every line hurt. Everyline still hurts.

Persy faces us.

PERSYMy pain is not for you to put away in your memory with all thefictions you have read or seen.

She is silent for some time.

She moves closer.

PERSYLeave me alone. Go home. Live your own lives.

She turns to leave.

PERSYI do not have the strength to amuse you anymore.

She walks off into the light, fading into the white of it.

Off center “the end” fades in then fades away.

The credits roll, black on white.

regb

2-26-3

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