30. EXT MOUNTAIN DAY
The day dawned bright. The storm from the night before had
washed the forest that now seems rejuvenated. The greens
were greener, contrasting with a bright blue sky. Rabbits
and deer were walking through the trees relaxed. A feast
of fresh grass, watered the night before, was not a moment
to miss. The sun’s rays pierced the canopy, lighting the
damp ground with reflections of colored balls.
31. EXT FIELD DAY
ALFONSO gets up and leaves his small hut. In the clearing,
as had happened the previous morning, all of the other
huts, and even traces of the large fire had disappeared.
Interestingly, these time he has none of the boys to watch
over him. Even Afy is not in the field. However, he has at
his door a large green leaf, full of berries, and a
container of the forget-me-not’s nectar. He sits quietly,
savoring the flavors of the woods looking everywhere while
he eats. He stands up makes a small pack with the last
berries and start to walk into the waterfall.
32. EXT WATER FALL DAY
ALFONSO comes from the field. THE BOYS had already passed
dozens of Bright Water leaf bags from the river, and are
joyfully singing their work’s song. When they see ALFONSO
coming, they become lively and make a huge uproar. That
makes ALFONSO very proud.
ALFONSO
Dear Friends, I have something to
tell you...
Everyone stop what they are doing. Some among the group
looked-up and are very attentive. ALFONSO feels a little
embarrassed to have so many listeners interested in what
he is going to say. Finally he gains courage, gasps and
begins to speak:
ALFONSO
These last two or three days have
been very strange for me... you
must understand my surprise to
find a group like yours in the
woods. Moreover, I don’t think
anybody has ever seen you before.
What is even stranger is that you
are so many. There is also your
names, your songs...well,everything!
ALFONSO points to the water source and small constructions
of bark that help the water to be diverted to the river of
Bright Water. Some PONY BOYS suggests with their funny
faces, that they don’t understand why ALFONSO is so
surprised.
ALFONSO
Imagine my surprise when I was
told I had to be your king...
(Some kids giggle). Actually,
it’s something that I do not want
to talk about now, but I just
want to say I was quite outraged
by the way you are treated by
Totopuk... (ALFONSO raises his
voice) the master of life. I
suspect that is not very true
...that wizard! I don’t trust
that story... Sounds rubbish to me.
The PONY BOYS look scared and react in all directions,
almost in search of Totopuk, as if the sorcerer was spying
on them in some way. ALFONSO pretended not to notice the
concern of The PONY BOYS and continues undaunted.
ALFONSO
To relax you, I’ve decided that I
will stay with you and be your
king...but only for a few days!
But the PONY BOYS are already too euphoric to hear more of
what ALFONSO is saying. Everyone are yelling.
THE PONY BOYS
It will be! He will stay!
The joy is such that they soon begin to sing and dance.
The uproar is widespread and the dance increasingly
unrestrained. SHAP’s euphoria became somewhat excessive.
He begin to spin, arms open like a top. Everyone laugh and
begin to encourage him. SHAP spins and spins and spins
until he becomes dizzy. SHAP begins to stag from one side
to another, barely able to stand. The laughs were hellish
and the entertainment becomes crazy. Still giddy SHAP
stumbles unbalanced to another boy. Almost falling, he
puts one foot on a leaf bag of Bright Water. From then on
nothing can be done. The chubby SHAP falls, flat on his
back. But he still clings to a root tip hanging from a
tree. With all his weight he pulls off the tree root, then
another...and another. Three or four trunks fall along the
canal of bark that served to drive the water diverted from
the bright source.
THe PONY BOYS become in silent with suspense to see the
logs skim a small but important structure.
The silence remains for a moment. All the branches near
the channel of bark fall...All but one, which was left
swinging at the top of the tree.
Dozens of eyes are following the swinging of the branch.
Then, as if taking forever they following it as if
hypnotized, from the top of the tree, until it came
crashing right next to the channel. Rolling a little
faster, a little more, it finally takes off with a violent
clash into the feet supporting the channel, causing a huge
explosion of water.
The PONY BOYS shout in panic as the water spreads across
the land. Without thinking properly, they all throw
themselves to the ground in a wasted effort to get hold of
water they had already collected, which was scattered on
the ground. The screams and panic show an inability to
retain the Bright Water that passes through their fingers.
Within moments, all the water that had been stored seeped
into the ground, leaving it shining. The boys stood
dumbfounded by the tragedy. They became speechless. No one
could say anything. Some just sat on the ground defeated.
AFY has her hands covering her mouth. SHAP bursts into
tears. ALFONSO doesn't know what to say.
KALI (GAPING, MURMURED)
Punishment...
Other BOYS also begin to murmur.
SOME PONY BOYS
Punishment...
Slowly, all of THE PONY BOYS whisper together.
ALL THE PONY BOYS
Punishment...Punishment...PUNISHMENT!
PUNISHMENT!
ALFONSO (CRY)
No way! No penalty! There is no penalty!
ALFONSO lower the tone of his voice when the boys look at
him.
ALFONSO
Shap has not purposely done any
harm! He cannot be punished!
THE BOYS were quiet surprised.
KALI
But why Shap?!
ALFONSO
Well unfortunately it was Shap
that involuntarily caused this
accident...would the punishment
not usually be for him?
THE BOYS look up in astonishment.
HYG
We are one! No one is guilty...we
are all guilty. The punishment
will befall one of us...any of us
can be chosen for the punishment.
ALFONSO
But nobody will be punished!
Nobody!
THE BOYS look at ALFONSO with yet more surprise.
KALI
Of course there will be a
punishment. Soon Totopuk will
notice the lack of Bright Water,
and will send Count Van Forent to
demand the punishment. Tonight,
one of us must cross the field of
berries...
ALFONSO
No Way!
I am the king of the Pony Boys!
No one will be punished this time!
HYG
Alfonso, there has been no
ceremony of Kingdomnation. You
are not yet the King of the Pony
Boys, there’s nothing you can do...
Stays on ALFONSO face gaping.
TIME ELLIPSE
A few minutes after the accident some of THE BOYS are
working on repairing the canal. They pull the trunks of
the tree that crashed with some effort, they managed to
remove it from the canal. They begin to dismantle what
remained of the old canal on order to be able to rebuild
it. The others do what they can to collect water again to
send to the creek, which is now visibly empty.
ALFONSO is among THE BOYS, trying to help with everything,
passing leaf bags of Bright Water, or helping to carry
bark. THE BOYS spent the day impatiently waiting for the
expected visit of Totopuk’s messenger. As usual some are
preparing the feast for that night.
ALFONSO
You’ll celebrate again? Even on
this terrible day?!
HYG
Haven’t we said that every night
we celebrate the day...
ALFONSO
But one of us will be punished
tonight!
HYG
And then? What is the problem?!
Even if one of us will soon be
punished, this will be an
opportunity to celebrate one last time.
ALFONSO
How do you know who will be punished?
HYG
By the Ritual of Berries.
ALFONSO
Ritual of Berries?!
HYG
Yes...the punishment will be to
cross beyond the field of
berries, so it’s the berries that
make the choice.
ALFONSO
How come?
HYG
The field of berries is harvested
enough for there to be one for
each boy. During the Great
Bonfire, each of us will take a
turn to shoot our berry into the
fire. When the field of berries
decides who to punish, the berry
will release a green light from
the fire. At that point, we know
who has been chosen.
ALFONSO (DECIDED)
I want to throw a berry into the fire!
HYG
But you’re not one of us! I
mean...you are not yet a Pony Boy...
ALFONSO
Hyg, sorry, but if I’m going to
be the King of the Pony Boys, it
is because I am one of you!
HYG
No more talk! I have the berries
to begin the ritual!
At that moment the air was cut by the sound of a sort of
trumpet, very tuneful. From the field of berries comes a
little man (COUNT VAN FOR RENT), more like a dwarf or an
elf, with a large rustic book in hand. The man is beside
two beautiful fairies with fake grins. Each one of them
has a giant flower in tow, serving as a trumpet.
With some very small, synchronized and studied steps, they
seemed to be assistants of a television show (ZENA and
ZORA). COUNT VAN FORENT, much smaller, makes a sign with
his fingers, and each fairy held the book, one on each
side.
COUNT VAN FORENT with the book is well above their eye
line. He looks with disapproval to the fairies and coughs.
They look down and try to adjust the height of the book to
the elven dwarf. They always keep an artificial smile
stamped on their face.
THE PONY BOYS join, willing to listen. ALFONSO could not
fail to have a face of enjoyment before the creatures. HYG
looks at him reproachfully.
HYG
That is Count Van Forent, Master
Totopuk’s messenger.
ALFONSO pulls himself together. COUNT VAN FORENT is going
to start talking. He seems to speak a strange language.
HYG sees ALFONSO’s look of puzzlement and realizes that
the future king did not understand a word. He approaches
him and begins to translate:
HYG (TRANSLATING TO ALFONSO)
Totopuk, Master of life and Pony
Guardian of all good souls, sends
a report: Sadly, the Bright Water
was not running for at least two
hours. With this failure, he
cannot commit to save the souls
of the ponies, and as such will
have to apply a punishment!
In such a moment the boys make a sound of discomfort.
THE PONY BOYS
Oooh!
COUNT VAN FORENT continues his speach while HYG keep
translating to ALFONSO.
HYG
This is very sad. The Master of
life regrets having to impose a
punishment to serve as an example
and to save the soul of that
pony. So tonight, there will be a
ritual of berries, after which
one of you will have to cross the
field of berries and travel to
Totopuk’s destination. In
addition, the production of
Bright Water will rise to
nineteen thousand four hundred and sixty one
leaf bags a day to serve as an
example of dedication from all of
the Pony Boys.
COUNT VAN FORENT nods, and the girls close the book,
running a few studied steps further. Distracted, they
almost pinch the nose of the little man who muttered a few
words of displeasure. With the book under his arm, he
turns his back ready to go. He abruptly turns again after
realizing that HYG is still finishing to translate his
speech to ALFONSO. COUNT VAN FORENT looks ALFONSO up and
down. And speaks in a clear understandable language.
COUNT VAN FORENT
Who is this?!
ALFONSO
I got lost in the forest and the
boys took care of me...
COUNT VAN FORENT
What?! Who dared to bring a human
to the Pony Boys Field?
ALFONSO
No one brought me here! I simply
got lost and found the Field by
accident.
COUNT VAN FORENT
Totopuk will know! Another
punishment will come next! We
will talk again tomorrow!
Furious, COUNT VAN FORENT turns away while the fairies’
make the flower trumpets to sound, they make an effort
keep up with the small man, trying not to lose balance and
continuing to make the trained steps.
THE PONY BOYS watched them disappear into the trees.
ALFONSO failed to contain a laugh.
ALFONSO
Who was that?!
ALFONSO continues to laugh without being able to stop. At
the same time THE PONY BOYS start getting restless with
the laughter of ALFONSO. HYG rebuks him in a very serious tone.
HYG
Alfonso?! Will you stop?!
Are you crazy?!
Making fun of Count Van Forent,
Totopuk’s messenger!
ALFONSO (LAUGH)
Was that Totopuk’s terrible
messenger?
HYG becames seriously angry.
HYG
You are very happy at this!? You
think this is a lot of fun!?
THE PONY BOYS turn their backs on ALFONSO. Grumpy and
disappointed, they return to the camp, leaving ALFONSO.
Only AFY stares at ALFONSO with a look of disdain.
AFY
You have much still to learn
about Totopuk and the Pony Boys...
ALFONSO
I owe you nothing, remember that
I didn’t choose to stay here!
Must I remind you, that I’m here
compulsively?! Must I remind you
that I am your prisoner here!?
(ALFONSO shouts angrily) Well
thank you for nothing! Thank You!
you have made me lose time
to return to my friends!
ALFONSO turns back and disappears. AFY starts to cry
compulsively, drops and is left sitting on the floor.
No comments:
Post a Comment