ARIANNA: An Original Screenplay (4 page)

ALANA

It's all right.

KYLAN: (beat) Wait a minute, last night, I

heard something. Something was in here.

ALANA: What was in here?

KYLAN: I don't know, it disappeared as

soon as I came in. It must have been a wild

dog or something.

ELLIOTT: A "wild dog"?

KYLAN: I must have scared it off.

ELLIOTT: A wild dog came in here and

went for a closed jar of biscuits on the top

shelf?

KYLAN: I didn't take them!

Alana raises her hands.

ALANA: Please, they're just biscuits. We

can always get more.

Elliott returns to his breakfast.

Kylan looks away, angry.

CUT TO.

INT. STABLE - DAY

Kylan replaces the feed for his horse.

KYLAN: Enjoy.

He strokes the top of his head and looks away, still annoyed.

He sees something on the floor and kneels down.

KYLAN (CONT'D): (low) What have we

here.

He picks up a half eaten biscuit.

KYLAN (CONT'D): (to horse) Looks like our

little thief is still around.

The horse grunts, more interested in his food.

Kylan pauses, then quickly gets up.

CUT TO.

EXT. WOODS - DAY

A fishing net drops from the trees.

Rence sits a short distance away, holding the end of the line.

RENCE: I don't know how long it'll hold him,

some of these dogs can be pretty big.

KYLAN: This one was quiet, it must have

been small.

Rence winds up the line.

RENCE: Big ones can be quiet too. And if it

gets cornered it might bite.

KYLAN: (beat) You think?

Rence smiles, taking a knife from his belt.

RENCE: Here, take this.

Kylan hesitates.

RENCE (CONT'D): (laughs) Relax!

He places the knife in his hand and slaps his arm.

RENCE (CONT'D): This could be just what

you need. You get this thing and you won't

even have to write that poem. You'll be the

talk of the festival. "Kylan Orin, slayer of the

wild beasts of Ellora!"

Kylan smiles, liking the sound of that.

CUT TO.

EXT. ROOF - FARM HOUSE - NIGHT

Chimney, Kylan finishes writing and smiles.

KYLAN: Perfect.

He kisses the paper and sets down his pencil.

ALANA (O.S): Kylan. Don't stay up too late.

Kylan looks down the hatch.

KYLAN: I'll be down in a few minutes.

He hears his mother leave.

He turns away and slowly picks up Rence's knife.

KYLAN (CONT'D): All right, lets do this.

CUT TO.

INT. KITCHEN - FARM HOUSE - LATE NIGHT

A biscuit lies on the floor, the back door left ajar.

Kylan stands on a chair and sets the net on the ceiling.

He takes a lantern off the table and backs out of the room, line in hand.

INT. HALLWAY - GROUND FLOOR

He sits down by the side of the door and turns off the lantern, peeking around the corner.

KYLAN: Come and get it.

DISSOLVE TO.

... Kylan sits asleep.

A low "creak" wakes him.

He comes about and looks around the corner.

A small shape approaches the biscuit.

Kylan leans forward... then pulls on the line.

The shape turns just as the net drops on top of it.

Kylan jumps to his feet and pulls on the line again.

The shape trips back, landing on its side.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Gotcha you little runt!

He grabs Rence's knife and moves in but then trips on the line and falls forward, the knife sliding across the floor.

KYLAN (CONT'D): No no no...

Feet race down the stairs.

ELLIOTT (O.S): What's going on??

KYLAN: It's in here!

Kylan gets to his feet just as his parents enter.

ALANA: Kylan get back!

The trapped shape fights the net.

Kylan grabs the line again and drags it away from the door.

KYLAN: It's gonna get away!

Elliott hurries around the table and shuts the door.

The shape finally gets out of the net and scrambles under the table.

KYLAN (CONT'D): (pointing) Over there!

Alana grabs another lantern off the wall and turns it on.

ELLIOTT: (to Kylan) Just stay back.

Alana kneels down and lowers the lantern.

We glimpse scruffy pale hair.

Alana stops.

ALANA: (beat) I don't believe it.

Naiyoo's eyes dart left and right, her dress tattered and filthy.

Alana hands Kylan the lantern and slowly moves in.

ALANA (CONT'D): It's all right little one,

don't be afraid.

Naiyoo's eyes continue to zip around.

ELLIOTT (O.S): I got her.

Naiyoo springs out. Alana grabs her from behind, holding her down.

ALANA: Shhh shhh...

Naiyoo kicks to free herself, making no sound.

ALANA (CONT'D): We're not going to hurt

you sweetheart...

Kylan quickly approaches with the lantern, Elliott behind him.

Alana rocks her gently, trying to ease her down.

ALANA (CONT'D): There there, you're all

right, you're all right.

Naiyoo begins to settle, her body going limp.

KYLAN: Why is she so quiet?

Elliot leans forward as Alana strokes back her hair.

Naiyoo's eyes staring blankly into thin air.

Kylan stops.

KYLAN (CONT'D): Great Spirit.

He sees the tattoos on the left side of her face

CUT TO.

INT. KYLAN'S BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

Alana sets down a plate of bread and a glass of water.

Naiyoo lies on her side facing away, sound asleep.

INT. HALLWAY - UPPER FLOOR

Kylan tries to peek in through the doorway, Elliott pulls him back.

Alana gently closes the door behind her.

ELLIOTT: You think she'll try and run?

ALANA: I don't think so, she seems exhausted.

KYLAN: Why are we keeping her here? Just

let her go.

ELLIOTT: Kylan, go to bed. You can take

our room.

Kylan looks to his mother.

She touches his shoulder and nods.

Kylan shakes his head and leaves.

Alana rests back against the wall.

ELLIOTT (CONT'D): What do you think?

ALANA: Did you see the way her eyes

moved?

Elliott nods.

ALANA (CONT'D): I don't think she can

hear. Probably mute as well.

ELLIOTT: What about her face?

ALANA: I don't know, I mean her hair, her

eyes, she's not from around here.

ELLIOTT: She could be a Nomad.

ALANA: (beat) Those markings. There's

something familiar about them. When I was

in the Capitol there were books in the library,

they showed the language of the Southern

Realm.

ELLIOTT: "The Southern Realm"? Alana no

one's been seen or heard from the Southern

Realm in years.

ALANA: Perhaps she's from one of the

older tribes that left before the war.

ELLIOTT: It's possible.

He squeezes her shoulder.

ELLIOTT (CONT'D): It's late, you can share

the bed with Kai, I'll take the floor.

Alana nods, touching his hand.

CUT TO.

INT. KYLAN'S BEDROOM - MORNING

Sunlight rises from the window. The plate of bread and glass of water empty.

The door slowly opens. Kylan leans forward and slowly creeps in, moving to the closet

Naiyoo still lies on the bed, now on her other side.

Kylan looks across at her face. Her long hair covering the left side of her face.

He pauses a moment then slowly approaches, stopping by the side of the bed.

He reaches down, curious, and nudges back her hair.

Naiyoo's eyes snap open.

Kylan screams, jumping back. Naiyoo also jumps, instantly backing away into the far corner of the room.

Elliott bursts in, followed by Alana.

ELLIOTT: What happened?

KYLAN: Nothing I just came in to get my

clothes.

Naiyoo's eyes again zip between the three of them, petrified.