The Magic Hummingbird — El Colibrí Mágico
The Magic Hummingbird — El Colibrí Mágico
Episode 5 (of 6) — Children Of The Gods
The refugees and the cult finally meet, with life changing consequences for both. Episode 5 is the dramatic climax of "The Magic Hummingbird"
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NARR: Episode 5 “Children Of The Gods”
A white separatist cult has uncovered the travelers’ plans to cross the border through a magic tunnel. The cult leader has smashed destroyed water bottles … stored at the mouth ... plans to meet and ambush them… with his militia … and an army of crows …
Unbeknownst, the travelers have arrived a day early … Though near death... they are buoyed by the fading magic of the dragon flower potion…
FRANCISCO: We made it…
ELIAS: Let’s sit here for a little rest… it’s a beautiful desert morning…
FRANCISCO: ¿Cómo te llamas?
IXAZALUOH:: [youngest refugee child] [slowly, shyly… with a question] Ixazaluoh ...
FRANCISCO: Qué nombre tan maravilloso… ¿Qué significa eso?
ELIAS: [translating] Ixazaluoh … the goddess of water, and weaving…
FRANCISCO: you are a goddess …
IXAZALUOH:: [shyly…] Sí, mi madre siempre me dijo que sería yo quien ayudaría a encontrar el agua y tejer la red…
FRANCISCO: [tenderly, with interest and wonder]... like a little spider … como una pequeña araña…
IXAZALUOH: [with confidence, matter of factly] Sí, como una pequeña araña en la mañana con gotas de rocío en su tela de araña … Puedo tejer la red mágica. Soy una araña mágica… Mi mamá me dijo...
ELIAS: [laughing gently, to Ixazaluoh] ¡sí, por supuesto! [yes yes yes of course!]
IXAZALUOH: Señor Francisco, I am thirsty… can we get a little drink?
CLARA: the water … it should be around here … ( in dismay) - there it is ...OMG !
FRANKLIN: now what?
ELIAS: we walk north … don’t lose hope … it’s all we’ve got ..
FRANKLIN: I can’t do it … go on …
NARR: Franklin’s dressing is soaked with blood …
FRANCISCO: There’s nothing left…
ELIAS: We cannot continue without water… the children will never make it… the sun is getting hot…
FRANCISCO: such a long journey, and it ends like this…
IXAZALUOH: La arena está mojada. ¿Ha vuelto el agua al mar? Mi mamá me dijo que el agua siempre regresa al mar y vuelve del cielo…
CLARA: why? So cruel…
ELIAS: The children… we need to let them sleep… the desert will take them quickly …. Let them dream…
NARR: … Apollonia emerges from a cloud
IXAZALUOH: [weakly, but with a smile…] You are the magic lady from the dance…
MUSIC SONG “Lullaby of the Little Saints” DUET Apollonia and Francisco
FRANCISCO AND APOLLONIA
Spin little spider.
Drift on the evening dune.
Oh loosen your braid
let go of your earthbound threads
and float
up on velvet cobwebs to the moon.
Magic hummingbird weaves a lullaby just for you.
While you are away
the little saints will watch over you
in the secret garden.
Dream little spider
Spin on your nimble loom,
Little spider
Spin your cloth of dew.
Little spider
Spin in the moonlight
Mend your tattered dreams
Start anew.
While you are away
While you are
The little saints will watch over you
in the secret garden.
While you are away
FRANCISCO: They are gone
APOLLONIA: … they have passed from this life…
FRANCISCO: they have been called back
APOLLONIA: into the sun…
…. and now ..
FRANCISCO: Now it is the time for those of us who remain…
NARR: Apollonia guides the bone-weary pilgrims up a steep path, atop a small mesa…
Their eyes wander down … into the mouth of the serpent tunnel … below in the ravine
FRANCISCO AND APOLLONIA (“Lullaby of the Little Saints” continues)
Sleep little creatures
Drift gentle children
Dream and slip away
Sleep little creatures
Drift gentle children
Dream and slip away
… NARR: Apollonia floats among them, placing a small fleshy fruit on their lips …
APOLLONIA: unámonos…
… Toma … el sacramento … de la comunión…
…Take this holy sacrament of communion …
ELIAS: Think of the journey … it's all about the journey
SONG “Children of the Gods”. (Francisco, Elias, Franklin, Clara, Apollonia, Plant Spirits & Refugees
We are the children of the midnight train
We are the people of the the morning sun
We are the people of the lost tribes
We are the dispossessed
We are the humble
We are the poor
We are the children of the gods
We stand here in the sun
And die
But as we give
Our lives to the desert
We look once more
to the sun
Without regret
Without regret
****************************************
SONG "Swim In The Immense" drumming, chanting, desert wind ... The Shaman and The Cult
NARR: Two days later the cult gathers in the ravine … to rendezvous with the army of the Crows … and ambush the travelers
NARR: above them on a small mesa, stands a family of saguaro (suh waa row) cactuses … … a solitary crow perches on an upraised arm …
PREACHER: (to shaman) … my soldiers …. Show GOD your Rods of Iron …
PREACHER: (commanding) on my mark: ready … set ... FIRE
PREACHER: auger - summon the Lord of The Crows…
PREACHER: (angrily) _MORE_
PREACHER: (angrily) _CALL_
[SOUND DESIGN: Drumming stops, Preacher fires randomly]
PREACHER: (to shaman) … auger … YOU HAVE FAILED …
Where are the illegals? You TOLD me… _YOU_ Are the translator … “THREE DAYS” you said… They should be crawling out of the cave _NOW_ And this army of crows… Where are they?
... Shoot that crow! - over there …
PREACHER: maybe that will get their attention
SHAMAN: (fearfully, deferentially) … sir… your excellency … please … I cannot .. it's written...
NARR: He shoves the rifle at the Shaman…
PREACHER: (screaming) NOTHING IS WRITTEN! SOLDIERS - RAISE YOUR RODS OF IRON - THERE!
NARR: 37 guns aim at the auger
PREACHER: one last time: Shoot the crow … on my mark … ready set
NARR: he slowly raises the weapon
PREACHER: … you’ve got five seconds
NARR: From behind the saguaros hundreds of crows emerge from nesting holes …
… The crows attack ..
SOUND DESIGN: Thunder Crack - no rain IXAZALUOH GIGGLE
NARR: .. crows vanish ... into the cliffs …
… Charged air crackles in the heat
From the cave … rustling….
… arms … aim …
… From behind the rocks … a young girl … Ixazaluoh
... She races up the path to the mesa
… chasing a hummingbird… they race around the (suh waa rows)
Angry clouds swarm … The sun is snuffed … Furious … The Preacher gets his bearings …… grabs the rifle … aims at the clouds… The cult follows ....The heavens burst... the deluge quenches the saguaros … they return to human form … … they slowly fall and sprawl sleepily, arms dangling over on the sharp edge of the mesa …
SOUND DESIGN: breaking wave then gushing garden torrent, gasping in the water for breathe, frantic splashing
A flash flood … gushes through the ravine … rushes over the cultists …
… they struggle to climb free … reach above for anchor … fingers find hands … dreaming travelers … try to pull them out … it’s no use… cultists are ripped away … helter skelter …, into the mouth of the magic tunnel…
... entranced, they swim away like minnows, through the serpent belly, southward, under the mountains …
... All ... except one... the reluctant shaman, … his upstretched hands find his son's sleeping fingertips… Franklin stirs and pulls his father free …they embrace
The healing rain soothes and quiets… as the storm dissipates into twinkling stars, the travelers ... their magical leader Elias, Francisco, Clara, Franklin and the Shaman … sink into the sand … together in deep sleep… united … in the rain …
— END Episode 5 —