Episode 4 (of 6) — Thru The Belly of a Snake

The Preacher makes a pact with the Lord Of The Crows.  The refugees travel through the body of a snake...


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NARR: Episode 4 “Journey Through The Belly of a Snake”

…  Francisco and Elias have harvested the dragon flower’s nectar …
…  Clara and Franklin have returned to San Diego to prepare for the refugees' arrival …
… The Preacher has sent his thugs to capture Franklin, and holds his father, the shaman,
prisoner … The henchmen lie in wait

[Sound design: RV trunk being opened, cases being loaded, trunk closing …]

Clara loads cases of water into a 4 wheeler,

Song “Shouldn’t”  pt. 1

 CLARA

Shouldn't there be a place 
a place where we can go and all be safe 
to spend our lives and die in grace 
to love our kids 
and wake each day to see the morning sun 
Is that my friend I say 
is that too much to ask?
Ah, ah, ah, ah, la, la, la 
Can't we see that there's a price 
a price to pay when crossing o'er the street 
we turn our head and walk the other way 
that person sleeping on the sidewalk 
could be us instead another day 
Is that too much to ask?

 *************************************

NARR: Inside the cult hideout … Franklin’s father, The shaman, is locked in a cage …  outside, The Preacher has a vision 
THE PREACHER: receive the Lord of the Crows
LORD OF THE CROWS:  We rule sky… tree … you get rule man… .  Go … NOW … snake jaw dream place…  ... Send rain gift down sand … back three sun… fire dance tongue  ..  beat heart rock …. war plan MAKE… Go … GO NOW (cf. p. 59)

[SOUND DESIGN: Crow flyover]

PREACHER: (repeating the words of the Lord of the Crow, turning them over in his mind.. Trying to understand them) “snake jaw dream place … rain gift … beat heart on rock ... fire dance tongue  .. “  

PREACHER: auger - explain this dream ...

*************************************

NARR: In Tijuana Francisco dreams …  He’s back in the grotto of the Dragon Flower.  But now there is a mirror between him and the withered plant … 

SKELETON-ROSE  (echoing) … together you are like a garden… 

(singing a cappella) 

Song “BEYOND THE MIRROR”

You must learn to
Love
Forgive
Accept
Let go
To look beyond the mirror...

*************************************

SKELETON-ROSE  (echoing): … seek your friends … look beyond the mirrorNARR: a few hours later, the shack of Franklin and his father .  rural San Diego, the cult guerrillas wait behind Franklin’s bedroom door

[Sound design: exterior rural outdoor ambience; walking up to door; exterior door opening, closing; change to interior ambience]

[Sound design: knocking on bedroom door]

FRANKLIN: (cautiously) Dad?  …
NARR: checks  the fridge
FRANKLIN: (cautiously) Damn! … 

[Sound design: desert wind, car driving on gravel, parking, door opening, footsteps on gravel, trunk opening, desert bird cries…(hawk)]

*************************************
NARR: In the desert … Clara has found the cave …  unloads cases of water.

Song "Shouldn't" Pt. 2
CLARA

Ah, ah, ah, etc. [
Shouldn't we make a frame 
to sound the call 
and shout the echoes down 
the hall of shame for leaders that renounce
their duty to protect 
to walk beside the homeless and ignite 
a flame 

[SOUND DESIGN: Clara punching out numbers on cell phone, Franklin's phone ringing through Clara’s phone speaker]

of caring and compassion 
Is that my friend I say 
is that too much to ask? 

CLARA:  Come on...pickup…
CLARA: (on speakerphone) Hey there! 
FRANKLIN: Hey! - how’s it going?
CLARA: (speakerphone) It’s all good .. I’m out there now! I found a dozen cases of bottled water at the back of the garage …
FRANKLIN: Did you find the tunnel entrance?
CLARA: (speakerphone) yea … there's a small cave opening… just like they told us…
What about your dad?
FRANKLIN: … weird … just got home… he’s not around… maybe he’s out in the garden…
CLARA: (speakerphone) did you get the pickup coordinates?
FRANKLIN: yea it’s all on my phone… schedule, google Maps… guess I’ll poke a… …DAD!!!? Dad!!!?  … What are you do..???!! …What are you do..???!! 

[SOUNF DESIGN: GUNSHOT]

ARNOLD: hey let’s go ...
CLARA: (speakerphone from floor … ) Hey what’s going on !!!??? Franklin ….. Did you slip?... ARNOLD: … keep your finger on the surface so it doesn’t lock…
NARR: The hoodlums jump into their pickup …,
ARNOLD: see what's on the phone…
FLASH:  got it… google map… directions… schedule… they’re gonna show up in three days… ARNOLD: The Preacher will be very interested in this!!  NARR: Clara races back to San Diego… just as she pulls up. ... Franklin bursts into view…
CLARA: What’s going on?
FRANKLIN: They’re after …   comin’  …  They’re comin’ after me … we .. we gotta go - come on!
CLARA: Where?
FRANKLIN: I dunno - Mexico! ... hurry …
NARR: he ninja’s pickup rounds the corner … It’s a wild chase… zipping through traffic 100 mph… They arrive at the crossing .. a long line of stalled cars  …
CLARA: what do we do?!!
FRANKLIN: ditch it!...
NARR: ... sprint heads down between the cars… Franklin winces
CLARA: (in horror) you’ve been shot!
FRANKLIN: the pedestrian crossing!! Over there!!! …
CLARA: I see it … put this on …
CLARA: we need to get past the guards ….
FLASH: there they are!... they’re crossing on foot
ARNOLD: let ‘em go… we can’t cross .. too much heat from the cartels …They head straight through security …
CLARA:  It’s so easy coming this direction…
FRANKLIN: I think we lost them… now what?
CLARA: let me see… blood on the front and back …
FRANKLIN: shit!... my phone …
NARR: Clara reaches for her purse …
CLARA: OMG - it’s in the car… my phone and ID… 
… the refugee shelter … come on … Francisco & Elias… 

*************************************
[SOUND DESIGN: pickup arriving over gravel road ..[
PREACHER: (angrily, imperiously, bullying) where's the kid?
ARNOLD: (obsequiously, military style deference) he got away, sir… but,
PREACHER: (flaring into temper tantrum) … you incompetent losers ...
ARNOLD: (stammering, afraid) … but ...permission to speak, sir ... we got his phone... it’s got some data ...
PREACHER: (calming slightly) continue
ARNOLD: there’s a tunnel — refugees gonna use it — the punks are helping … the girl has ...
PREACHER: shut up ... where?!
ARNOLD: we got the coordinates, sir - on the phone … google map … sir.. Permission to speak?
PREACHER: go on
ARNOLD: His girlfriend - is in the band - has stashed water at the entrance… the illegals will emerge in three days …
NARR: Preacher recalls his vivid dream …
LORD OF THE CROWS: (echoing)... Send rain gift down sand … .. 
PREACHER: (echoing)  … rain gift … beat heart on rock ... “  

PREACHER: (thinking about it for a few seconds) well ….  all right … ninjas, Ok … maybe not so bad after all … this seems to be part of a plan ...  OK - gather the Aryan Knights … in three days we will drum at this new tunnel… bring rods of iron  … we’ll be waiting … they will get the reception they deserve… Now go! Report back when everything is arranged…*************************************
NARR: Clara and Franklin find the refugees.  Franklin is weak …
ELIAS:  We’ve got to move tonight? … a day early … it’s too dangerous ...
FRANCISCO: (to Franklin) can you travel?
FRANKLIN: yea … yea ... I’ll be fine … it went out my back ... 
CLARA: you sure?  maybe you should stay here …
FRANKLIN: no … no it's not right ... I’m coming … 

***********************
NARR: After dark Francisco and Elias lead the travelers to the sacred grotto… 
FRANCISCO: (gently) close your eyes, stretch your hands before you, palms up …
NARR: Apollonia appears:
APOLLONIA:  open your eyes …
NARR: In the center of the grotto there is a mirror 

Song “Everything - Mirror In The Moonlight”

APOLLONIA

We can never
Know the pain
Another heart conceals
Each re-visits their suffering …
Love
Forgive
Accept
Let Go
To see beyond the mirror

NARR: One by one they join Apollonia … slowly dance toward the mirror  

APOLLONIA: now reach out beyond yourself - to all beings - imagine their suffering …

“Everything - Mirror In The Moonlight”

APOLLONIA & Ensemble

We can never
Know the pain
Another heart conceals
Love
Forgive
Accept
Let Go……

NARR: As they touch the mirror, it dissolves … the withered dragon flower stands before them…
*************************************
NARR:  The PREACHER & Franklin’s father, pull up in the desert
Preacher lugs out an assault rifle…
Off to one side are the water jugs … The tyrant jams the rifle between his hands and shoulder
PREACHER:  if your son won’t do then you’ll do it for him … shoot the water bottle
THE CROW: I can’t fire weapons - it’s a vow
PREACHER:  I know the vow: “no _living_ things” … I will train you to kill…
PREACHER: shoot them or I’ll shoot you…  and don’t even think about turning on me - you will be dead before you can raise your arm…

SONG: "Brother’s Keeper"

PREACHER

It’s survival of the fittest
It’s either you or me
We got here first!
We got here first!
We got here first!
We got here first!
Got here first Got here first Got here first
We got here First
That’s all the proof I need
I’m Not my brother’s keeper
I’m Not your uncle’s friend
I Don’t believe in heaven
Just in hell
That’s where you’ll end
It’s Survival of the fittest
Old Darwin said it first
Let the battle begin
Let the strong survive
Go back to hell
Where you belong
With all the little weasels
The weaklings
The natives
The freeloaders
Let the land return
To the strong
I’m Not your brother’s keeper
I’m Not your uncle’s friend
I Don’t believe in heaven
Just in hell
That’s where you’ll end

*****************************************************

Song: "Ocotillo Moon Potion" (instrumental tone poem)

NARR: Francisco places a drop on each traveler’s tongue… 
… empties the vial onto the roots… 
The sand swirls ... opens into a mouth… 
a long soft glistening tongue, 
… The humans lose weight … float over the opening … then quickly down … too fast for fear… … an ancient song seizes them and they enter a dream world ...… become sea creatures … they swim … together … different but united ...…  Clara, an octopus …signals all and swims forward aggressively -- seeing a light in the distance…  … the current grows suddenly strong and throws them through the opening … They tumble through the air and transform into jungle animals. … They are all friends.  …. There is a waterfall in the distance … they walk toward it …… A wind gust rushes up and pushes them into the waterfall…… In the waterfall they all transform into birds and come flying out of the waterfall together… … Franklin has become an ostrich… he runs quickly under the others, keeping pace ... … The birds fly out of the jungle onto a meadow near a lake.  There is a beautiful cottage.  They land on the roof of the cottage.…  Evil human versions of each of them emerge from the cottage....… Each has a slingshot… They hurl stones at the birds… … As the stones from the slingshots strike the birds, each morphs into an insect or snail …… crawling among the flowers of a tropical garden……  the ladybug is on a leaf … she flies off and over to a hibiscus flower, where Elias the blue butterfly has landed and sips nectar… the butterfly alights and the two of them dance together in the air…

*************************************

[Sound Design: machine gun bursts coordinated with snare drum bursts]

Song: "Brother's Keeper" Pt. 2

I’m Not my brother’s keeper
I’m Not your uncle’s friend
I Don’t believe in heaven
Just in hell
That’s where you’ll end
We took it from you justly

[SOUND DESIGN: machine gun blasts w snare drum]

Because we’re blessed
The most fit to thrive
There’s only room for the best
It’s mother nature’s law
We didn’t write the book
It’s survival of the fittest
Don’t forget
Take your smell
Away from here
Where you go
I don’t care
I’m Not my brother’s keeper
I’m Not your uncle’s friend
I Don’t believe in heaven
Just in hell
That’s where you’ll end

[SOUND DESIGN: [moaning & whistling sounds of a hot constant wind, rising and falling, writhing through the mesas and washes.] We hear the sound of crawling in the sand, shuffling]

NARR: Two days later … Dawn  … the travelers emerge from the earth, crawling one-by one out of the cave, hugging one another .. touching arms, legs, torsos, … they are soaking wet, shivering  Clara and Franklin find one another … … though fragile, arrival fills all with a sense of giddiness… the morning smells like freedom … Elias and Francisco survey the group, motion gently for the others to join them, all sit down ….

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