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Post by Frodo on Jul 29, 2018 11:13:02 GMT
Somewhere In Greece…
A fierce storm breaks over the misty moors…
A girl runs through the moors… fleeing for her life.
She pants heavily, exhausted from running. But she can’t stop. Her dark hair glistens in the rain. She’s soaked through - her thin cape offers little protection from the weather, over her embroidered silk dress.
She pauses for a moment. She looks at the ring she’s wearing, and kisses it, then looks up at the dark sky.
GIRL: Osiris, I beseech thee… *pant pant* Please, hear my…
Voices are heard in the distance.
VOICE 1: She MUST have come this way. She can’t be too far ahead.
VOICE 2: She can’t escape!
VOICE 3: She WON’T escape! If she does, we’re all doomed.
VOICE 4: Not if we stop her. COME ON!
The girl glances back and sees fire from torches in the distance. The mob are gaining on her. She’s terrified! But she can’t let them catch her! She turns to flee again, but trips in the slippery mud. Frantically, she scrambles to her feet again, and desperately runs through the blinding rain. She’s exhausted… not sure how long she can keep going… but she HAS to!
The storm rages on as she reaches the mountains. A flash of lightning lights up the mountain edge ahead of her. She’s trapped! The mountain edge in front of her… the mob behind her. There’s nowhere left for her to run. She peeks over the edge, and sees the waves crashing against sharp rocks below.
She takes a few moments, trying to catch her breath. She can still hear the angry mob in the distance. She kisses her ring again, and stretches her arms up to the thundering sky. She looks up, rain pelting down on her face.
GIRL: Osiris, won’t you hear my prayer? Take me far away from here.
Distant shouting from the mob grows louder. She glances in their direction, then back up at the dark sky.
GIRL: OSIRIS! OSIRIS! HEAR MY PLEA! HEAR ME… OBEY ME!
A crash of thunder. A flash of blinding light.
Minutes later, the angry mob reach the mountain edge. They look around, completely baffled.
VOICE 1: Where did she go?
VOICE 2: She’s escaped! We’re doomed!
VOICE 3: No, she didn‘t escape. The only way off this mountain, is back through the moors. And she didn’t get past any of us.
VOICE 4: Then where is she?
VOICE 5: Yes, where is she? She turns 18 tomorrow, and thus inherits the throne. And you KNOW what that means!
VOICE 6: The curse! She’ll invoke the curse! We’re all doomed!
Voice 7: She will NOT invoke the curse! We’ll find her, and we’ll stop her.
The mob spread out to search the mountain top.
VOICE 8: Look over here. Aren’t these her clothes? Her dress and her cape and her shoes?
VOICE 9: And her ring! *picks up a ring that is lying on the ground*
VOICE 6: *looks over the edge of the mountain* She must have jumped.
VOICE 3: *also looks over the mountain edge* She wouldn’t have survived a jump like that. Look at those rocks.
VOICE 4: She jumped? But why would she take the time to remove her clothing?
VOICE 1: How should I know? Besides, does it really matter?
VOICE 5: No. She’s gone, and that’s the important thing.
VOICE 7: *looks over the mountain top* Wait… is that a cave down there, in the mountain? What if she’s hiding in there?
VOICE 8: It’s just your imagination. Lightning casting shadows on the mountain wall. She’s dead, for sure.
VOICE 2: She’s dead. And we’re all saved! HURRAH!
EVERYONE: HURRAH! WE’RE SAVED!
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Post by Frodo on Jul 29, 2018 11:23:46 GMT
Rivermouth…
The bustling town of Rivermouth, as the name may suggest, sits on the edge of a river. The sandy beach is overlooked by high cliffs and mountains. Ana stands on the edge of the cliff, enjoying the sea breeze blowing through her hair. She looks down at the waves below, crashing against the rocks. Being near the sea like this always makes her feel calm, and helps her forget how lonely she is. She’s been living in Rivermouth for 2 years now, but she still feels like an outsider. Being shy, she finds it hard to make friends. Her sheltered upbringing doesn’t help matters. But her difficulty in talking to people, especially strangers, comes across as arrogance and coldness, so most people tend to shun her. Besides, she finds the company of animals MUCH more pleasant than the company of people.
She hears a bark from behind her, and before she can react, a dog trots up, and sits down beside her. She looks at the dog. ANA: * to the dog* Well, hello there. Ana smiles and squats down, so she can pet the dog. ANA: And what’s your name? * still petting the dog* A voice replies. VOICE: Bandit. ANA: Bandit? That’s a good name. Ana looks around, and sees the dog’s owner walking towards her. MAN: I call him Bandit, cos he’s a little rogue, and likes to get his nose into everything, and ‘borrow’ things, just like a bandit. * chuckles* Hi, I’m Ben. Me and Bandit just moved here last week. ANA: I’m Ana. BEN: It’s a beautiful view from this cliff top, overlooking the water. ANA: * nods* I come up here for a walk every day. I find it relaxing, hearing the waves below. BEN: * looks at her* That’s an interesting accent you have. If you don’t mind… where are you from? ANA: Greece. My parents are from Greece. But I left there long ago. BEN: I’m still trying to find my way around Rivermouth. Is there any other local landmarks you can recommend? Preferably with some wildlife? ANA: I… uh… That familiar feeling of shyness comes over her. She doesn’t even know this man… why is he asking HER about landmarks and wildlife? ANA: I… I have to go. With that, Anna heads off in the opposite direction, back to the safety of her home.
Ben stands there, watching her as she walks away. He scratches his head, puzzled at her reaction. BEN: Well, THAT was odd. * looks at his dog* Wouldn’t you say, Bandit? A while later, Ana arrives at her home. It’s a simple cottage, on the outskirts of town. She opens the gate, enters the garden, and is greeted by a large black cat, meowing at her. ANA: Hi Suki. * picks up the cat* Have you come to welcome me home? Let’s go inside, shall we? Ana takes Suki inside, and automatically refills the cat’s water bowl. As Suki takes a long, cool drink, Ana tells her about her walk along the cliff top, and about the strange man that spoke to her.
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Post by Frodo on Jul 29, 2018 11:42:46 GMT
The Next Day…
Ana is in the town centre, buying some messages. It’s early, so there’s not many people around yet. But as she turns the corner, she sees a very peculiar site. She can’t help but smile at the mother duck, leading her chicks across the road. Then she notices Ben kneeling at the side of the pavement, snapping away, talking lots of photos. It’s quiet at this time of the morning, and there’s not many cars on the road. The few cars that ARE there, have stopped, to let the ducks across.
Well… MOST cars have stopped to let the ducks across.
Out of nowhere, a screech of tyres is heard. A black car races up the road… getting closer to the ducks by the second! And there’s no sign of it slowing down. ANA: NO! STOP! THE DUCKS! Without even thinking about it, Ana jumps onto the road, to try and stop the speeding car, and protect the ducks. The mother duck starts quacking loudly, trying to get her babies to hurry up. But the car still doesn’t slow down. It swerves past Ana, just barely missing her (and the ducks), and then speeds off into the distance. Some passers-by stop to make sure she’s okay. Ben also runs over to her. BEN: ANA! Are you okay? Ana nods, clearly shaken, but unhurt. BEN: What made you jump out in front of the car like that? You could have been killed! ANA: But I had to save the ducks. BEN: Not many people would have risked their life for ducks. ANA: I couldn't help it, I love animals. And those poor little ducks are so adorable. BEN: Well, that was incredibly brave of you! Ana looks around. There’s too many people, all staring at her. What’s she supposed to say to them? She shuffles from one foot to the other. Ben puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. BEN: Want to get out of here? Ana nods again. BEN: C’mon then. Ben starts walking away, and Ana follows him. To Ana’s relief, the crowd doesn’t follow, and start gossiping amongst themselves about the ducks and the speeding car.
A few streets away, Ben and Ana sit down on a street bench. BEN: * looks at Ana* Phew, that’s better. Ana, isn’t it? I saw you yesterday, on the cliff yesterday. Are you okay? That car barely missed you. ANA: Yeah, I’m okay. I just couldn’t let those poor ducks get hurt. BEN: You seemed pretty nervous back there. ANA: I get… flustered… around people. I’m shy, and I never know what to say. And my accent doesn’t help - I think a lot of people can’t understand what I’m trying to say. BEN: I like your accent. I’ve always liked the Greek accent. ANA: * turns red* Thanks. BEN: * smiles* Anyway, I got that whole car\duck incident on my camera. * holds up his camera* ANA: Do you take your camera everywhere with you? BEN: Only when I want to take photos. It’s a passion of mine. I love photographing wildlife - birds, fish, big cats, reptiles, you name it. Even ducks! Ana gives a little smile. BEN: There we go! I knew I could make you smile. Must be my rustic charm… natural good looks? * smiles* ANA: * starting to feel a bit more relaxed* So where’s your dog today? He was lovely. BEN: Bandit’s back at home. He tends to chase any wildlife I try to photograph. ANA: Hehe. Bandit sounds adorable. BEN: So… about those wildlife landmarks I was asking about yesterday…? ANA: Well, there’s Jonah’s Hill. That’s kind of a wildlife nature reserve. There’s a pond for geese, ducks, swans, fish. But also, there’s things like chickens, geese, and even peacocks, all walking around freely. BEN: Sounds amazing. Care to give me the tour, sometime? That comment makes Ana feel shy again. A tour? What’s she going to say? ANA: I don’t think I should. You’d enjoy it more, exploring on your own. * pause* Anyway, I have to go now. I still have my messages to get. BEN: * gives an understanding nod* Okay. Maybe we’ll bump into each other again sometime? Ana goes off to get her messages, while Ben studies the photos he took on his camera. He has some lovely shots of the ducks. He also, unintentionally, has some shots of Ana and the ducks… and Ana and the car and the ducks. What a weird incident. He’s glad Ana is okay though.
Later that afternoon, Ben decides to check out the local library. After asking a passer-by for directions, he soon finds it. As he enters the library, he greets the grumpy old librarian. who seems to be frantically writing something. BEN: Hi there. GUNTHAR: Hmmm. The librarian barely looks up from his work. BEN: I wonder if you could help me? GUNTHAR: I’m busy. BEN: I won’t keep you long. I’m looking for some books on photography. Especially wildlife photography. GUNTHAR: Over there. Gunthar points to a rack of photography books, then goes back to his writing. BEN: Thanks. * pauses* So… what are you writing? GUNTHAR: A book. BEN: A book? Well, that’s good, since you’re a librarian. Ben tries to be friendly. Gunther just glares up at him for a moment, before looking back down at his writing. BEN: What’s the book about? GUNTHAR: History. BEN: History? GUNTHAR: Of Rivermouth. BEN: The History Of Rivermouth. That sounds interesting. * smiles* Any interesting facts about Rivermouth you’d care to share? GUNTHAR: No. BEN: … Okay, well… I’ll leave you to it then. I’ll just… go and look at the photography books. Gunthar gives Ben one last glare before Ben goes to look at books. How dare this new upstart interrupt his writing. That evening, Ben neighbour Susie reads a story to her young son, as she puts him to bed. SUSIE: * to her son* And you know what happens then? SON: They all lived happily ever after? SUSIE: * smiles* Yes, that’s right. They all lived happily ever after. The End. And now it’s time for sleepy little boys to go to sleep. SON: * yawns* Night night mummy. SUSIE: Don’t let the bed bugs bite.
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Post by Frodo on Jul 29, 2018 11:58:04 GMT
A new day shines bright in Rivermouth. Ana is woken up by her cat Suki walking across her face. ANA: * sits up* Ack, SUKI! Get off the bed. Suki just meows, and looks at Ana. Ana instinctively reaches out to stroke the cat. ANA: * smiles* You just wanted some attention, huh? * yawns* Let’s go and get some breakfast. She gets up and goes through to the kitchen. She turns on the radio, as she makes breakfast. She sings along to the music, and sits down to eat her cereal. But then, a news report comes on. Ana stops, mid-bite of her cereal. Was that the car that nearly ran the ducks over? That would explain why the car was in such a hurry. She looks over at her cat. ANA: Goodness Suki, a BANK ROBBERY? I hope the police catch them soon. Meanwhile, Ben’s neighbour Susie goes to wake her young son. But… he’s not there. She calls out his name, but there’s no reply. He’s not in his bed, he’s not under the bed, he’s not hiding in the cupboard, he’s not in the kitchen, he’s not anywhere in the house. She’s starting to panic… WHERE IS HER SON???
Next door, Ben hears his dog Bandit barking excitedly. He goes to see what the commotion is… and sees Bandit, paws up on the window sill, barking away, with his tail wagging madly. Outside the window is a small boy peeking in at Bandit. The boy is far too young to be out on his own - he’s only about 6 years old - so Ben goes out to investigate.
Back at Susie’s house next door, poor Susie is still panicking. She’s called the police, to report her son missing. Then she hears a knock on her door. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK She goes to answer the door… and Ben stands there, with a small boy in his arms. BEN: * grins* Morning Miss. I believe this is yours? * indicates the boy* SUSIE: Oh, YES! THANKYOU! THANKYOU SO MUCH! Where did you find him? * takes the boy, hugging him tightly, and kissing him with relief* BEN: Believe it or not, he was outside my window. I live next door. BOY: I wanted to play with the doggie. BEN: My dog, Bandit. SUSIE: * looks at the boy* I’ve told you before, NEVER leave the house without me! BOY: I’m… I’m sorry mummy. * starts to cry* SUSIE: Oh, but you’re safe! I can't tell you how relieved I am! BEN: Glad to be of help, ma’am. If you and your boy want to come and play with Bandit, you’re both welcome anytime. SUSIE: Oh, thank you Ben. Meanwhile, Ana has taken her daily walk along the cliff top. She stands there, looking out across the water. She was quite worked up, after hearing about the bank robbery on the radio, and realising it must have been the robber’s stolen car that nearly ran her down. But standing here… it calms her down. Up here, she feels like she’s on top of the world.
That evening, at the library, Gunthar locks ups for the day. He breathes a sigh of relief, now that the last visitor has left. Now he can do some research for his book on history. That’s the reason he took this job at the library - so he can have instant access to any book he wants. He’s reached an important chapter - Royalty In Rivermouth.
He searches the library shelves, and finds a book on ‘Ancient History’, then settles down to see if there’s anything relating to Rivermouth.
But as he flicks through the pages, he finds something that takes his breath away. GUNTHAR: * gasps* What the HELL… The book he’s flicking through, has information about an ancient Greek Princess - Anastasia Castellanos. And the book has a picture. She looks EXACTLY like Ana, the foreign girl that moved to the village 2 years ago. But it can’t be - the book says this painting is from the 16th century. He reads on. Gunthar looks at the picture again, and gulps. He STILL thinks it looks like Ana. He slams the book shut. Maybe he’s overdoing it? Maybe he’s just tired? Who knows? But the painting in this book CANNOT be Ana. He stands up, and decides to go home for the night, to get some rest.
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Post by Frodo on Jul 29, 2018 12:24:54 GMT
The next day, Gunthar arrives early at the library. The book about Anastasia has been on his mind all night. He takes it from the library shelf again, and flicks through to the right page. Yep, that picture is definitely Ana. But how is that possible? He intends to find out!
He takes the book, and makes his way up to the cliff edge, where he knows Ana likes to go. Sure enough, she’s standing on the edge, looking out across the water. GUNTHAR: YOU THERE! Ana turns round, and sees Gunthar approaching her. And he seems even grumpier than usual. ANA: Um… hello Gunthar. GUNTHAR: * grabs her* Don’t’ ‘Hello’ me. I want to know how you did it! ANA: * puzzled* How I did what? GUNTHAR: I know your secret! LOOK! *thrusts the open book at her* This is YOU in that painting, isn’t it? Ana gulps, and turns pale. ANA: Don’t be silly Gunthar. How can that be me? I’m only 18 years old. That painting was done in, when… * checks the date in the book* the 16th century? GUNTHAR: You can’t fool me, you know. I’m not stupid! I found this book when I was researching for MY book on local history. How did you appear in this painting, and also be here now? ANA: * getting very nervous* That’s not me, Gunthar. How can I make you believe me? GUNTHAR: Then explain how she’s the SPITTING IMAGE of you? ANA: I don’t’ know. An ancestor, maybe? But come on, you can’t really think I lived in the 16th century, as well as now, the 21st century? GUNTHAR: What are you? A ghost? A witch? Immortal? A time traveller? What? TELL ME! ANA: Gunthar, please? Gunthar looms over her in a very threatening manner. GUNTHAR: If I kill you know, will you die? Or will you use… whatever power you used before, to escape? He grabs her by the throat… his grip tightening. She starts to choke. ANA: * cough cough cough* You’re * cough* CRAZY! *cough cough* GUNTHAR: Crazy? You think so? EXPLAIN THIS PAINTING TO ME!!! Ana’s arm feels around the ground, as she’s losing consciences. Her fingers touch a rock. She picks it up, and hits Gunthar with it. He yells, loosens his grip, and steps backwards. Ana takes this chance, and breaks free from his clutches. She runs… runs for her life… a sickening feeling of déjà vu rising in her.
She reaches her cottage, and slams the door behind her, in tears. She begins packing her things frantically. ANA: * looks at her cat* We have to go, Suki. We have to leave. We’ve been in Rivermouth for too long. Time to start again somewhere else. Suki meows, and Ana puts her in her crate. A few minutes later, Ana leaves her cottage for the last time. A backpack in one hand, and Suki’s crate in the other she takes one last look back at her cottage, then quickly heads for the road leading out of town, before Gunthar can find her again.
It’s a lonely existence. When she made her plea to Osiris all those centuries ago, she didn’t know she would be catapulted through time. And she didn’t know she would become immortal, not aging at all. She looks exactly the same now, as she did when she got that royal painting done, a week before she would inherit the Greek throne. Now Gunthar knows her secret, it’s only a matter of time before he tells everyone else, and she’ll be hounded out of THIS town, as well.
Maybe the next town will be better? Maybe?
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