The Pony Boys part XII by JR Villar

 

 

46.EXT FORREST NIGHT

ALFONSO and ZENA move all the PONY BOYS forward and escape in the midst of the turmoil. ZENA stops and turns back. ALFONSO calls her but he doesn´t receive a response. ALFONSO joins the PONY BOYS and run through the forest. ZENA eventually appears again a few minutes later, joining them.

ALFONSO
What were you doing?

ZENA
Nooottthhiiinngg...

ALFONSO makes a suspicious face of disapproval, but at that moment a violent explosion tosses thousands of colored lights into the air like a fire.

ZENA
Fire works! (laughs)

ALFONSO (LAUGH)
So you did Nothing?!

ZENA
Let me say…

Totopuk’s cabin could not stand the heat

this evening...it is a very hot night…

ZENA laughs like a crazy. Suddenly she stops and freezes. ALFONSO doesn't realize the serious and static face that ZENA pulls now. In a spasm, ZENA roses into the air. Her head lolles to one side with a screech. The PONY BOYS crie out in terror. ALFONSO is paralyzed. TOTOPUK had emerged from the darkness and gripped ZENA by the neck. With a sharp movement of one hand, TOTOPUK brokes her neck. In an apparently very easy gesture, TOTOPUK projects ZENA into the air, causing her to disappear with a small explosion of bright colours. ALFONSO distracts TOTOPUK by looking at the sparkling rain of lights that used to be Zena, and while TOTOPUK is looking too, ALFONSO gives TOTOPUK a big push that make him fall back helpless. ALFONSO shouts to the PONY BOYS.

ALFONSO
Run! Run! Run!

The PONY BOYS are very clumsy with chains on their feet, but race down the hill towards the Field of Berries. TOTOPUK, who had loaded his pockets with diamonds, is running heavily behind them, casting colored beams of lights that look like lasers. The PONY BOYS turn away from it, while they explode around them in full bright colors.

47.EXT BRILLIANT SPRING NIGHT

The first PONY BOYS arrive in the clearing of the Bright Water spring, they are terrified. Ahead of them a veritable army of TOTOPUK’S GUARDS, surrounds them. The PONY BOYS are trapped.
ALFONSO arrives with AFY and the other PONY BOYS who are attached to her. They stop defeated before the  TOTOPUK GUARDS. TOTOPUK furious approaches from behind, denying them the way to the rear as an escape.
ALFONSO, AFY and the other PONY BOYS, close up into a circle, waiting now for the unexpected end. TOTOPUK comes up breathless and flushed with anger.

TOTOPUK
Well, well, well!

 I’ve already heard about you, kid!

I knew you would give me trouble,

but I never thought it would be so soon.

ALFONSO (shouts)
why?! Because I did not fall into your lies?!

 So you know, I never believed

in the story of the Water of Life!

TOTOPUK laughs.

TOTOPUK
Sure kid!The Pony Boys do not know

anything else in the world,

so it's easy to fool them! Ha ha ha!!

AFY
What?! What do you mean?!

TOTOPUK
Yes, yes my little girl!

You ever think the water is living water?

Or miraculous water or whatever?!

It’s not brilliant!(snarls).

For you, stupid mountain dwellers,

the water is nothing but brightness!

Its only shiny, glittering and sparkling spin!

Ha ha ha!

(changes his expression to a more devilish face)

 Out of the mountain comes wealth!

Loads of riches!

TOTOPUK gives a deceitful laugh into the face of Afy.
AFY goes right up to TOTOPUK, willing to do anything, but her foot is stuck to the other PONY BOYS, and the chain gives a mighty stretch causing her and another two or three PONY BOYS to fall.

TOTOPUK (laughs)
Oh so cute, my little one, you are very brave!

Too bad this little life has to finish early!

(smiles and shouts) Hunt them down! All of them!

The TOTOPUK GUARDS move a little closer; the PONY BOYS are scared and scream. ALFONSO respondes, but TOTOPUK turns and points his finger, throwing a blue ray that causes ALFONSO to fly against a tree.

TOTOPUK (shouts)
You! You will be the last! And at my hands!

ThePONY BOYS are now touching each other back to back, with dozens of sharp spears, ready to transfix them. Some scream and are petrified. Suddenly they begin to feel a flutter on the ground. The TOTOPUK GUARDS and TOTOPUK stop. TOTOPUK turns, puzzled. The pulsating sound resides from the jungle. In the distance a rapidly approaching shadow files the horizon through the trees.

AFY
The Souls! The Souls!

TOTOPUK try to understand what is happening. He tries to improve his sight by putting his hands above his eyes. He makes a scary face and screams in a furious yet amazing roar.Towards the clearing come dozens of ponies ride by the all the PONY BOYS of the field. ALFONSO, leans against a tree as the ground began to tremble. The TOTOPUK GUARDS begin to get agitated and uncomfortable, and turn their backs on the trapped PONY BOYS. TOTOPUK is visibly nervous and start waving and shouting in their incomprehensible dialect. The charge of the ponies ridden by PONY BOYS is approaching fast. In front, HYG, followed by KALI and SHAP, are now distinguishable. In their hands they bring their spears tipped with sharpened stones.Within seconds, they came thundering into the clearing and destroyed TOTOPUK GUARDS formation. Seeing his guards being swept away, TOTOPUK run to the water spring and tries to fill his pockets even more, despite them already being full of diamonds. In the clearing in front of him, the PONY BOYS, helped by the ponies, are dueling with TOTOPUK GUARDS making them flee within a short time. With the help of some of the other PONY BOYS, SHAP and HYG release the chains, breaking the locks with their stone spears.ALFONSO is tripping the TOTOPUK GUARDS who pass by him, as they fled. ALFONSO is so distracted that he did not see that TOTOPUK approaches him from behind. In a violent gesture TOTOPUK grabs ALFONSO by the neck . TOTOPUK roses to the top of the rock at the Bright Water spring, with ALFONSO’S feet hanging above the ground.

TOTOPUK (SHOUTS)
Boys!

TOTOPUK's voice roars furiously. All stalled and look to TOTOPUK who have ALFONSO suspended by the neck.

TOTOPUK (SHOUTS)
It seems that your little party is over!

From now on, the penalty is going to be

related to your silly pony souls!

TOTOPUK raises his arm up very high and shows ALFONSO, kicking and breathing with difficulty.

AFY (scream)
No!

TOTOPUK (taunts)
Yes!

AFY
No...

TOTOPUK
Yes... (says in a fake sweet voice that began to harden)...

yes...Yeeessss…YES, YES!! (cries, smiling).

 By my hands...Alfonso will be the first soul.

TOTOPUK neatly presses a little more around ALFONSO’s neck, who shakes unable to breathe. At the same time TOTOPUK is interrupt by MAFALDA who comes from behind with a big tree brunch in her hands.

MAFALDA
No... is no!

Caughting TOTOPUK by surprise, MAFALDA gives a mighty thwack in the TOTOPUK's forehead. This make him drop ALFONSO, and the stumbles to the edge of the escarpment, clinging to his face in pain and unbalanced. TOTOPUK remains in an unstable position on the edge.
MAFALDA grabs a handful of diamonds from the source,  looks at them in her hand. With a mischievous smile, MAFALDA chose a most beautiful one and keeps it in her pocket, smiling, then She closes her hand firmly around the other diamonds and turns around, as if she was surprised, to TOTOPUK.

MAFALDA
Is this what you want?

Are diamonds what you want?

Even in exchange for the lives of children!?

You want these diamonds, don’t you?... So get it!

 

 

At the same time, MAFALDA throws the handful of diamonds with all the force she can.
TOTOPUK tries to protect himself, but the sudden movement make him lose his balance. His feet are dangerously approaching the edge of the escarpment. With his heels in thin air, TOTOPUK hesitates,  tries to hold onto the rocks, but the imbalance is much too strong. TOTOPUK makes a series of movements to try and balance himself, but with a false step, he slips and crashes into the abyss, followed by the diamonds, which float around him. Even so,TOTOPUK tries to grab the diamonds throughout the fall. Eventually he hits the ground in an explosion of thousands of coloured lights and smoke. The PONY BOYS shout with joy.  GUSTAVO and MAFALDA rush to ALFONSO, who was coughing upon returning to breathing properly. AFY joins them. Around them, the PONY BOYS celebrate together with those who had been prisoners.

48.ext night field
The PONY BOYS have the biggest party ever, this time with special guests, MAFALDA and GUSTAVO. They were charmed and entertained by the PONY BOYS. ALFONSO stands up and begins to speak:

ALFONSO
Dear Pony Boys, it’s already approaching

the time when we have to leave.

I know that I could never be your king,

but you have someone with that ability right here.

You do not need me.

One of you has led you very well

and helped greatly in freeing you from Totopuk!

ALFONSO looked at HYG, who shook his head negatively.

ALFONSO

Yes Hyg! You showed how to lead the other boys

with justice and knowledge.

Without bragging or being arrogant,

you lead them with energy

and are willing to change the situation.

 Afy can help you!

Afy with her sensitivity can accompany you!

Shap smiles, and with a bottle of nectar he was drinking in his hand, began yelling:

SHAP
Hyg! Hyg! Hyg! Hyg!

The boys all started to scream, joining with more and more in support of Hyg. Everyone was yelling:

THE PONY BOYS
“HYG, HYG, HYG, HYG!

They are all happy again and they sang and danced for hours. MAFALDA and GUSTAVO are like two children among many others. They had also liberated themselves from that dull life, and the rules of adults that often block the spirit. AFY pulls ALFONSO by the arm and whispers to him

AFY
You know Alfonso, the Legend was right after all!

You saved the Pony Boys! You are really the boy from the legend.

They smile to each other hand in hand.

THE END

The Pony Boys part XI by JR Villar

 

 

44. EXT. NIGHT CAVE
ALFONSO's footsteps echoes in the eerie silence of the cave. He begin calling for Afy. The shout multiplies with the echo.

ALFONSO
Afy...

AFY(off)
Here…We're here!

ALFONSO goes down and finds himself in a big gallery. The PONY BOYS are trapped in some smaller chambers, with iron bars. AFY is with them.
ALFONSO goes right to the small cell where AFY is with some other PONY BOYS. He stepps back to reflect on the situation. ALFONSO tries to open the grill, but is prevented from doing so by a large iron lock, closed with a huge rusty padlock. ALFONSO searchs around and sees no key.

ALFONSO
The key?(shouts) Does anyone know where the key is?

The PONY BOYS all start talking at once. ALFONSO can not understand anything in the confusion. ALFONSO opens his arms and calls them to stop.

ALFONSO
Wait! Wait...One at a time,

or I cannot understand anything...

Afy, do you know where the key is?

AFY shrugged her shoulders. ALFONSO looks at the other kids. ALFONSO motions to one of them who seemed to have been there the longest, judging by the state of his clothes.

PONY BOY
The guards...it’s the guards who hold the keys...

it is them who keep them...

ALFONSO turns and climbs the narrow corridor, running back to the exit where he had left the two Totopuk Guards sprawled out and unconscious.
ALFONSO reaches the entrance and there are the two TOTOPUK GUARDS, still faint. ALFONSO looks through all the pockets of one of them.
Twists it, rolls it, yet finds nothing. ALFONSO spusn and turns to the other, but the second TOTOPUK GUARD is no longer there. ALFONSO roses with a sudden jolt. The other TOTOPUK GUARD stands looking at him, laughing with a cynical air.
In one hand he sways the keys in defiance, in the other he shokes a huge wooden club menacingly, like a baseball bat. ALFONSO swerves backwards to avoid the first onslaught of that very heavy club. Then again to one side and to the other.
Despite being a weapon that could be lethal, it is very heavy and the TOTOPUK GUARD shows some difficulty in handling it. Even so, the TOTOPUK GUARD lifts the club, once again, to strike another blow. ALFONSO steps back, but stumbles on the first TOTOPUK GUARD who is still on the ground lifeless.
ALFONSO fells backwards. ALFONSO looks menacingly at his opponent. With no time to react, ALFONSO realizes he had lost. He closes his eyes and waits resignedly for the blow that would surely come.
A scream echoes through the air followed by a shrill whistle. But nothing happens. No knock at all. ALFONSO opens his eyes and sees the TOTOPUK GUARD with his arms static in the air and completely stunned.
Behind the TOTOPUK GUARD is ZENA one of the fairies with colored hair that Alfonso had seen with Count Van Forent. ZENA had blown her flower trumpet with all the strength in her lungs, down into the ears of the TOTOPUK GUARD. This completely paralyzed him and with wide eyes from the loud sound echoing within his big ears, he was still in attack position, with the club hanging over him.
Quite dizzy, the TOTOPUK GUARD drops it right on top of his head. The TOTOPUK GUARD hesitates, twists himself around and crashes to the ground.

ZENA
Hello kid, I'm Zena. Rainbow Hair Fairy!

Today it was my turn to become a star!

ALFONSO smiles at her, while she pulles a stupid smirk and does a funny dance step, as if to present a prize won by a competitor of a TV contest. ALFONSO looks baffled, but at the same instant the other fairy, ZORA,  comes with the face evident of only having a few friends, wielding a big stick in her hand. She cries hysterically spinning the stick to ZENA and ALFONSO just like a ninja.

ZORA
Not you baby! Oh no! Here the star today is me!

ZENA makes some tuts with her mouth as she looks with disdain at ZORA. With a defiant hand on hip, and head tilted slightly and provocative.

ZENA
Zora Oh… Do you not understand?

Is it hard to see? Did you not learn?!

I was a PONY GIRL!

You just came from the mountain!

You were lost on the Mountain! You are a loser!

ZORA
And then?!...

What is so special about you being a Pony Girl?

ZORA makes a face of disdain looking to Zena up and down and completing her insult:

ZORA
Peasant!

ZENA smiles and looks at ZORA and says cheerfully:

ZENA
Nothing...There is nothing special about being

a Pony Girl. Absolutely nothing.

Having said that, ZENA throws a bold and unexpected punch right in the middle of ZORA's face, who fells lifeless. ZENA, says with contempt:

ZENA
Peasant!? (looks at ALFONSO, as if nothing had happened)

So kid... Are you going to stay lying there and looking at me,

or will you come and help me to save the world?

ZENA laughs with fun, snatched the key to the padlock from the hands of the TOTOPUK GUARD and descends to the cells. ALFONSO stands up and follows, slightly incredulous. They open the padlocks and release the other PONY BOYS. ALFONSO embraces AFY with all his strength and covers her face with kisses. ZENA enjoys the scene with fun.

ZENA
How sweet, you are just like little love birds!

Oh the love... is so pretty.

The PONY BOYS leave, chained together in small groups. They walk out with some difficulty. But when they reached the cave entrance, they just run into a group of TOTOPUK GUARDS who had been waiting.

45.EXT NIGHT TOTOPUK CAMP

The PONY BOYS stop. ALFONSO, ZENA and AFY did too.
One of the PONY BOYS shouts, and his group run right to the TOTOPUK GUARDS. The PONY BOYS move away from each other as much possible and let the chains that bound them stretch very tightly. With one blow the TOTOPUK GUARDS are dragged by their feet and smashed them all back with the spears and fly around everywhere.
The following group of PONY BOYS jump on the TOTOPUK GUARDS and start to punch them all frantically. They were both stunned and amazed by the reaction and begin fleeing wildly, bumping into each other in a big mess.

The Pony Boys part X by JR Villar

 

 

43. night FIELD OF BERRIES / TOTOPUK CAMP(sequenced)

ALFONSO finally stops at what looks like a wooden fence, made of sticks, but sharp and threatening. Carefully, he lays on the floor to watch, coming into contact with what he could now see.
On one side, a kind of wooden bridge gives entrance to a plaza containing a large, wooden hut, which looks more like some kind of country house. Perched atop a pillar is a small pile of burning wood. The windows of the house are lit from within. ALFONSO have the intention of crossing the wooden bridge, but when he crawls up there, he realizes there is a TOTOPUK GUARD 1 guarding it. TOTOPUK GUARD 1 is armed with a spear pointed at the tip. ALFONSO did not want to risk it and retreats, always ensuring he is pinned to the ground while crawling. ALFONSO notices the creek that passes under the bridge. Without hesitation, he crepts up there and dives into the water. Carefully, swims under the bridge, only surfacing once he knew he had passed it.

ALFONSO (Whispers)
Just as I suspected, the two streams are actually one.

The Bright Water goes up to some big wooden boxes, which through some networks, filters the water, leaving the diamonds. After passing through two sets of boxes, which filter two different sizes of diamonds, the course of the river have an elbow, turning 180 degrees down towards the lake of the ponys. Leaning against a wooden pillar that supports the bridge, ALFONSO can watch while overcasts by the shadow of night. A sort of whistle suddenly sound through the night. It cames from an excavation in a rock - a kind of cave. Shadows that are almost imperceptible started to come out.
ALFONSO tries to look closer. He failes to contain a gasp of surprise. He realized that the shadows he is seeing are PONY BOYS. Chained by the feet to one another they approach the wooden boxes that filter the diamonds and start to carry the baskets.  Chained in small groups, they fill the baskets with diamonds and return to the cave, closely followed by other tiny TOTOPUK'S GUARDS.
When this group return to the cave a new group came forward. ALFONSO almost screams, but he restrains himself at the last moment. Attached to one set of chains is AFY. She is visibly dejected and have a look of someone that does not fully understand what is happening to her. ALFONSO takes the opportunity to carefully swim as close as possible to the box where AFY is collecting diamonds. When he came up to it ALFONSO whispers to AFY.

ALFONSO
Afy!

AFY pretend not hear him and continues working. ALFONSO calls a little louder.

ALFONSO
Afy!

AFY still not answer back. To the dismay of Alfonso, he sees her filling the basket and then go back down the path to the cave, without being able to contact her.
Desperate, ALFONSO let himself sink back into the water. ALFONSO is ready to depart when a new group of boys approach.
To avoid attracting attention, he makes himself freeze in order to see those PONY BOYS.
One PONY BOY comes a little closer and surprises ALFONSO, muttering to him:

PONY BOY
Afy told you to go away!

And not to try anything crazy!

ALFONSO is elated; however, he have the good sense to keep quiet. Afy had seen and heard him, she knew he was there.
ALFONSO stays leaning against the Filtrating box, looks around and spots three TOTOPUK GUARDS with their sharp spears. While contemplating what to do, ALFONSO notices some small wedges of wood that held the walls of the filter boxes together. He plunges underwater and grabs a large diamond, and with the help of it, he starts to hammer to push out one of the wedges.
ALFONSO beats it very sparingly so as not to attract attention.
He whacks again and again, until he almost releases the wedge. The wall gives in a little, opening a small crack. The wood creaks a little louder.
One of the TOTOPUK GUARDS begin to prowls. ALFONSO remains glued to the box, practically breathless, trying not to make any noise whatsoever. The TOTOPUK GUARD approachs a little. ALFONSO is nervous now and begins trembling. He let himself sink into the water, disappearing from the surface. For a few seconds, the TOTOPUK GUARD looks around the area that ALFONSO had been in. The TOTOPUK GUARD sees nothing unusual, so he returns to his place.
ALFONSO returns to the surface and takes a deep breath then knocks once and nothing happened. He knocks a little harder and the wedge became a little looser. Another stronger blow causes the wood to crack even louder. The TOTOPUK GUARD looks suspicious again, and begins to approach for a second time. ALFONSO sees him coming towards him. Now without trying to disguise or conceal himself, he throws some hard blows at the wedge using his full force, making a very loud noise.
The TOTOPUK GUARD runs to where ALFONSO is. The TOTOPUK GUARD now sees ALFONSO violently beating the wooden wedge. The TOTOPUK GUARD shouts something incomprehensible to the others. They all turn. ALFONSO, now discovered, continues hitting the piece of wood to fully release it. One, two, three knocks and nothing...
When the TOTOPUK GUARDS are little more than ten feet away, ALFONSO with all his strength, throws a huge blow. The wedge finally came loose, flying around in the air. The pressure of the wooden wall is now enormous and without any force to uphold it.
ALFONSO dives just in time to avoid a mighty thwack from one of the TOTOPUK GUARDS, who keeps shouting angrily at him. In that instant, the water pressure makes the whole box creak. The TOTOPUK GUARDS try to support the walls of the filtrating box. They desperately push the wooden walls back with the tips of their staves.
An impressive shadow appears against the light from the cabin door. The TOTOPUK GUARDS cry furiously in a brutal effort to sustain all the pressure on the walls of the box. Then, with a roar, the walls cave and finally explode into the stream, and the TOTOPUK GUARDS are dragged into the river below.
The thicker boards, carried by the whirlwind of water, hit the walls of the other filtrating box, head on, with an enormous crash. The violent clash blew up the second box, scattering diamonds, spurred by a new burst of water.
ALFONSO swims as hard as he can and clungs to the shore with all his might. With his feet, he moves the remainders of the boxes as they came in his direction, as well as three little men who were waving helplessly, stuck in the full force of the waters. With some effort, ALFONSO crepts ashore and under the cover of night, goes to the cave where he sees the Pony Boys going.
From the door of the cabin, a towering figure comes out. In fact, only his shadow is impressive. With clarity, it  proves to be a thin old man with a wizard like look, but with some malicious features. The man is TOTOPUK. He wore a suit similar to that of a medieval knight’s. TOTOPUK is angry,  waving and screaming in the same dialect that Alfonso had heard Count Van Forent use.
From several directions, emerge TOTOPUK GUARDS with their spears. They run everywhere wildly. Some dive into the river, trying in vain to hold the diamonds that pass through their fingers.

In mean time ALFONSO is getting near to the cave where the Pony Boys were. Cautiously, ALFONSO peers through the entrance. Two TOTOPUK GUARDS guard what seems to be some dungeons. It is lit by torches, suspended on the walls. Without much thought, ALFONSO, walks near. The TOTOPUK GUARDS see him approaching quietly as if it were the most natural thing in the world for a stranger to walk through the dungeons, even during the utter chaos happening outside.
Intrigued, they approach ALFONSO, menacingly pointing their spears in his direction. ALFONSO, keeping calm and apparently cold blooded, walks toward them, waving to them as if they were old acquaintances.
One of the TOTOPUK GUARDS, rather bewildered, also waves back and smiles faintly in a rather ridiculous manner. The other TOTOPUK GUARD looks at him completely stunned but keeps the aggressive stance and continues to point the weapon at ALFONSO. ALFONSO carries on, undaunted, towards them. They respond again. Oneof the TOTOPUK GUARDS, still with a silly face and bewildered by ALFONSO’s performance and the other, aggressive and distrustful.
When ALFONSO is near them, he makes a gesture as if greeting someone behind them. Instinctively the TOTOPUK GUARDS turn to see who it is that Alfonso is acknowledging. They see too late that there was no one behind them, as ALFONSO, with a very fast gesture, pulls out the spear from the hands of the nicer TOTOPUK GUARD. With a caning and mighty blow, ALFONSO sent both TOTOPUK GUARDS flying against the wall of the cave, leaving them unconscious.
ALFONSO tors a torch from the wall and enters further into the wet and sharply walled cave, completely fearless.

The Pony Boys part IX by JR Villar

 

 

41. ext night field
Around the Great Fire the PONY BOYS are silent, watching the flames. HYG roses when he sees ALFONSO coming from the forest.

HYG
Alfonso?! Why are you here?

ALFONSO (CRY)
Where is Afy? Where is Afy?!

ALFONSO eyes seems wild. The PONY BOYS look again at the flames, resigned.

KALI
Afy...she already went...

ALFONSO
She has been chosen? She’s already been?!

She was the chosen one?

(The PONY BOYS nods in agreement)

Who will come with me?! (ALFONSO shouts).

The PONY BOYS are undaunted; none gives any sort of gesture. ALFONSO cries in anger. 

ALFONSO
You let her go?!

ALFONSO irade turns around and runs right to the direction of the source of the Bright Water which is a few meters before the Field of Berries. HYG shouts at ALFONSO:

HYG
Stop Alfonso!

ALFONSO doesn't even turns and keeps running disapearing in the dark of night between trees. HYG looks at the other PONY BOYS. They all stay in silence.

42. night brilliant spring / FIELD of berries (sequenced)

ALFONSO arrives at the Brilliant Spring. He is going to run towards the Field of Berries, but the land where that the Bright Water had spilled across that morning caught his attention.
With the moonbeams, that piece of land is shining dimly. ALFONSO stops for a closer look. The glow is intense. ALFONSO kneels and touches the ground. 

HYG
Wow! How I missed it before?

Thousands of small crystals!

The water was so bright

because it is full of diamonds!

Rough diamonds! Hundreds...thousands!

So that’s why Totopuk wants the water!

That’s why the brook that rises towards

the forest is much brighter than

 that which goes down to the lake of the ponies.

 Totopuk is collecting the diamonds

and then sending the water back!

 It can only be that. Now I get it!

Undeterred, ALFONSO goes straight to the Field of Berries.
Without hesitation, crosses the wide Field of Berries.

The Pony Boys part VIII by JR Villar

 

 

33. EXT field night

That night the party seemed more cheerful than ever, although, it had been a hard day for everyone. THE PONY BOYS even joke about SHAP being ‘the pawn’, which gave rise to all the events of that afternoon. Suddenly many of THE PONY BOYS begin to swirl as SHAP had done before he fell and caused the accident with the water canal. They start with a huge uproar, and for several minutes they forget the problems of the day.
Even the lack of Alfonso, who had disappeared that afternoon, was forgotten in those moments of fun. AFY just sit on a trunk, perfectly estranged from everything that is happening around her. She sketched only a slight smile when she see all THE PONY BOYS shouting and swirling with open arms.

THE PONY BOYS
Shap, Shap, Shap!

 

HYG sees AFY sited and approaches her.
AFY looks up and smiles. HYG speaks to her gently.

HYG
You miss him, don’t you?

AFY nodds.

HYG
Never mind, I believe we will be able

to do something to change our destiny.

AFY
Until now the only person

I saw with any intention

of changing anything was Alfonso…

HYG looks at the floor, feeling responsible about the lack of motivation to face Totopuk. HYG speaks timidly without taking his eyes off the ground.

HYG
The fear of the Master of Life

is great. Very great...

 I'll try and see that this ritual is the last one.

AFY
Really?! Are you thinking of something?

HYG
I have not thought of anything...

but at least we’ve started...

I'll have to think. (Smiles).

For starters, let's hurry this ritual along!

The longer we delay it,

the worse it is for everyone.

HYG gets up and gives a cry like nothing human, very typical of the Pony Boys.
All THE PONY BOYS stop and look in the direction of HYG. HYG speaks for all to hear:

HYG
Time for the Ritual of Berries.

Prepare the fire and blackcurrant leaves!

It is immediately a tense environment. Without rushing, the boys walk slowly to prepare for the ritual.

34.ext forest night

ALFONSO is climbing down the mountain as best he can. He feels very strange. On the one hand, he wanted to go home; he thought of his parents and how they would be feeling. On the other hand, his heart was with the Pony Boys. He wanted to help them fight Totopuk. He could not rest knowing that one of the boys had to face the punishment that night. ALFONSO takes care while walking, with some difficulty, down a fairly steep slope. Suddenly the ground under his feet is running with lots of fresh mud. Alfonso slips down the slope without being able to control himself. ALFONSO increasingly gains speed until it became maddening. Inadvertently, he had entered the bed of a brook left by the previous night's rainstorm. For a few minutes he slips on the muddy bottom, which miraculously snaked through the trees. Unable to stop, he began desperately shouting. His cry echoes throughout the mountain.

 

35.Ext forest night

GUSTAVO and MAFALDA, on a nearby hillside, can hear Alfonso shouting with clarity. 

GUSTAVO
Mafalda! Listen! Is Alfonso!

That voice is Alfonso!

GUSTAVO stops and listens carefully to confirm what he was hearing, he cries with all the strength he have.

GUSTAVO
Alfonso! Alfonso! here...we are here!

36.ext forest night

ALFONSO continues his dizzying descent.

37.ext forest night

GUSTAVO and MAFALDA run towards the screams of ALFONSO. They are horrified when they see him quickly coming down, unable to stop. The end of that river of mud is at the border of highest edge of a cliff. GUSTAVO goes right to the end of the creek, always keeping his eyes on ALFONSO, controlling his descent. He cries even more frantic.

GUSTAVO
Alfonso here! I'm here...get ready...I'm here!

ALFONSO looks and is appalled at what lay at end of the brook. If he could not stop, he would fly from a gigantic height, a fall where he would surely barely emerge alive.
In the last moments, he could see GUSTAVO trying to stretch himself in ALFONSO’S direction. With a stretch that almost tore his arms, ALFONSO founds himself half-hanging off the cliff, clinging to GUSTAVO. With his legs swinging over the abyss, he sat motionless, eye to eye with GUSTAVO. GUSTAVO grits his teeth, with the force he is using to sustain his position. MAFALDA comes up panting, and grabbed him too. Together, the parents pull him hard into a safe place.
Altogether they laugh and crie while hugging, not saying a word. ALFONSO pauses and looked over GUSTAVO'S shoulder as he hugs him. ALFONSO eyes are lost in the mountain.

38. ext field night

The PONY BOYS are all sitting around the Great Fire. In their hands each one of them helds a berry, some are staring into space. HYG takes the floor.

HYG
Dear boys, once again we have

to perform the Ritual of Berries.

It’s only a few months after we last had to.

The last time was when wild pigs crossed

the field and drank part of our collection

as well as took a bath in it...

The PONY BOYS laugh remembering the situation. HYG smiles and continues...

HYG
This time it was a moment of pure joy

that brought this punishment and one of us

 must suffer simply because we were happy...

(more serious than ever)

But I’ll tell you one thing,

this will be the final punishment!

We will not tolerate other punishment

in these conditions! I promise you that

I will not allow any more of us to be punished!

The boys looked at each other amazed.

HYG
I swear there will not be any other punishments!

The boys burst out with euphoria.

HYG
I cannot avoid it today...well,

I do not really know what to do to avoid it...

But today we cannot take unnecessary risks

that put us all in danger and could

 jeopardize our future.

I would have liked to give some thought

to it before today had happened

but some day it will be...

we could not avoid all the punishments

that we’ve had so far but

we can prevent future ones from tomorrow!

Again, the boys burst with euphoria.

HYG
One of us will suffer today.

But they will always be remembered

as the last Pony Boy punished by Totopuk.

The boys shout a great uproar of approval.

HYG
I should remind you though;

someone gave me this strength

to face Totopuk.

The boys look at each other, trying to figure out which of them it could be.

HYG
I will remind you...Alfonso.

(There were murmurs everywhere.)

Although he was only with us for just

a little more than two days,

he showed us how we were

being mistreated by Totopuk.

I will not forget him.

This was because his world was different.

We wanted to hold him here.

We forgot that Alfonso had his own world.

What if we instructed him to stay,

we'd be withdrawing him from what he likes best.

We would be on equal footing with Totopuk.

The boys are now very quiet. Hyg looks at them.

HYG
To the Great Fire.

The ritual of berries must begin!

The PONY BOYS sing a song far sadder than is customary, a sort of leaving ballad. One by one, the PONY BOYS are throwing their berries. Each time they cast one, a small flaring light broke out from the fire. Each boy whose own berry cause a yellow flare is instantly relieved. KALI and SHAP, are lucky. They see their berries burning in yellow.
One after another, they throw berries that had been burnt as a small match head. Finally, they are just three boys, HYG, AFY and another PONY BOY with freckles and reddish hair. As his berry launchs he closed his eyes and says a few words as if they were prayers. Nothing happened in the first few seconds. All eyes turned to the redheaded kid, but his berry eventually burned yellow. The boy sighs with relief. HYG and AFY look at each other. One of the two is the chosen one.
KALI and SHAP are anxious and desperate at the same time. AFY launches her berry. Two seconds passed and nothing…three, four...then, an intense green light erupts from the Great Fire. All the flames turn green. AFY covers her mouth with her hands. She is been chosen.

39. ext night mountain

At that exact moment when Afy is chosen, ALFONSO feels a sharp pain in his chest. He grims with pain. MAFALDA and GUSTAVO exclaime in surprise. ALFONSO pushes them away, gets up and looks at the mountain top.

ALFONSO
(murmures) Afy! (shouts very loudly) Afy!

GUSTAVO and MAFALDA are astonished with this sudden cry from ALFONSO, and before they could react, ALFONSO begins running, climbing up the slope. GUSTAVO and MAFALDA shout to him.

GUSTAVO
Alfonso! Stop! What's up?!

MAFALDA
What are you doing?!

They can't do anything. They try to chase ALFONSO, but being less agile, they slipped in the mud he was leaving behind. GUSTAVO even cries once more to ALFONSO, but he disappears into the trees.

40. ext night mountain

ALFONSO runs as fast as he can, clinging to the trees for support. Some bushes scratchs his skin, but nothing can hold him back now. Instinctively, he feels Afy calling for him, so he runs furiously. Ahead the mountain's animals take refuge in the burrows. For over an hour ALFONSO runs without stopping, guided only by an invisible instinct that led him to the field.

time ellipse

The Pony Boys part VII by JR Villar

 

 

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.

The Pony Boys part VI by JR Villar

 

 

NOTE: After some months here is another part of The Pony Boys. This was my first full script many years ago. It's still a bit heavy (as a formal script), but it gave me a job! (For any reason the copy paste, made a bit of a mess on the format, so I just tried to keep it readable here).

 

 

 

26.EXT FIELD NIGHT

AFY and ALFONSO come from the creek holding hands. HYG and

KALI are very glad to see them both return from the creek

holding hands. SHAP, who is already eating a piece of meat

with a slice of pineapple on top, approaches the HYG and

KALI. SHAP with a nonchalant air and admiring his dinner

in a gluttonous manner, says very convincing, but at the

same time not giving any importance to it.

 

SHAP

It also seems that we have a

queen.

HYG and KALI look at SHAP in surprise. SHAP, without even

looking at the other two, takes a mighty bite of his

delicacy, completely ignoring what he had just said.

TIME ELLIPSE

An hour of great excitement has already passed, all the

PONY BOYS dance and sing around the campfire, as ALFONSO

had already seen, and even participated in, the night

before. Suddenly, a few drops of water fall, then some

more, and yet more, and finally it begins to rain heavily.

The Pony Boys still had just as much fun and shout with

joy, completely drenched. The music and laughter echoes

throughout the forest.

 

27.EXT FOREST NIGHT INT CAR

In another section of the forest, a Jeep stops in a

clearing. GUSTAVO and MAFALDA come out of the car looking

up to the mountain in front.

 

GUSTAVO

I’m beginning to get seriously

worried. Now with this rain we

have to walk... I ’m afraid we’ll

get stuck someplace. There is

already a lot of mud here.

GUSTAVO looks up a road that climbed further into the

trees.

 

MAFALDA

We must go... We have taken many

laps on every road in the

mountain. Now we can only walk...

We just drove in it for two days

... We must get into the woods.

The car cannot reach everywhere.

I don’t like this, not at

all... It’s getting dark again

and with this rain... It really

scares me.

 

GUSTAVO did not answer. His eyes are on the slope in

front, illuminated by the headlights of the car. He is

concerned but the challenge had to be taken. GUSTAVO looks

at MAFALDA determinedly.

GUSTAVO

Let’s go!

 

MAFALDA

I help you.

 

They open the doors and leave the car. They barely set

foot on the floor yet their feet sank down in the mud a

considerable amount. MAFALDA grims with distaste. GUSTAVO

stops, a little hesitant then heads for the trunk of the

Jeep and, pulls out the backpacks, notices MAFALDA’S look

of displeasure looking to her shoes.

 

 

GUSTAVO

Do you want to get back in the

car?

MAFALDA

Of course not! I came to see this

through to the end! I came to

find Alfonso!

 

MAFALDA takes a few steps further into the mud, towards

the bag that GUSTAVo is handing her. She shows a few more

grimaces of disapproval, for her beautiful trainers buried

themselves into the fresh mud until they almost

disappeared. GUSTAVO closes the car. They wear water proof

capes and hats to protect themselves from the rain. Then

they put the backpacks on and start to climb the slope.The

effort is huge, especially over wet and muddy ground. They

are engaged in climbing the hill, visibly clumsy. When

they can, they shout for Alfonso or use an old whistle

that GUSTAVO brought. They use rocks, lower tree branches,

and even bushes or tufts of grass. Anything served to give

them momentum on the rise. Actually, the slope was only at

a slight angle, but the small business of a life of

leisure, which had built up over the years, made it hard.

Sometimes MAFALDA lets out a muffled shriek, when at times

she gets hurt on a branch or a sharp thorn half-hidden in

a more harmless shrub. GUSTAVO rushes to help her. He too,

from time to time, had his skin pricked by a thorn or some

other such thing. Sunddely MAFALDA shouts.

 

 

MAFALDA

Listen! Listen! Can you hear

that?!

 

The two fell silent and listen intently to the sounds of

the mountain. They heard nothing, just the sound of rain

falling on the leaves of the trees.

 

MAFALDA (DISAPPOINTED)

I could have sworn I heard kids

screaming...

 

GUSTAVO

Dear, Alfonso is alone! You

probably heard some animal...or

the sound of the rain confused

you.

 

GUSTAVO takes fright at the spontaneity of his wife, but

picks up the whistle and blows as hard as he can. The

sound of the whistle echoe across the mountainside.

 

 

28. EXT FIELD NIGHT

It is impossible for the boys to distinguish the sound of

the whistle in the field; such is the excitement that

reign there. All are singing, aggravate by the sound of

the rain, doesn’t allow them to hear nothing more than

what is happening at that party.

 

 

29. EXT MOUNTAIN NIGHT

GUSTAVO and MAFALDA carry on through, hugging each other

in an effort to protect themselves from the rain as best

as possible. The forest floor, becoming increasingly

muddy, make their footsteps more and more difficult. The

backpacks, now soaked, weight more and caused a very

painful discomfort.

GUSTAVO is a little ahead of his wife, disappearing from

MAFALDA’S line of sight. He unexpectedly gives a scream of

terror. GUSTAVO sinks into a huge mud pit. MAFALDA calls

out for her husband.

At the surface of the mud pit, MAFALDA sees air bubbles

that are releasing with little pop like noises.

Desperation is now turning into panic, powerless to

prevent the tragedy before her eyes.

She began to cry uncontrollably, as she sees the air

bubbles float away from the muddy surface, until they

finally stop altogether. MAFALDA covers her face with her

hands, brown with mud.

Suddenly a huge splash emerges from the pit. GUSTAVO cames

to the surface, trying to breathe all the air in that he

possibly could. MAFALDA rises instinctively, while GUSTAVO

disappears again into the brown mass.

 

 

MAFALDA (CRIES DESPERATELY)

NO!

Without thinking MAFALDA begins to try and remove the mud

from inside the hole, with little or no practical effect.

Just as she lost all hope, GUSTAVO’s hand came flying out

onto the surface and grabbs MAFALDA’s hand who uses all

the forces imaginable and pulls GUSTAVO hand. Another hand

clungs to her, and finally GUSTAVO’S head appears,

desperately trying to breathe. This time, holding both his

hands, MAFALDA make sure he is no longer able to sink back

in again. The mud that had engulfed him makes his

breathing difficult. Leaning on MAFALDA, GUSTAVO manages

to cling to the edge of the slimy, water filled pit, and

can finally rest for a few moments, regaining his strength

to get in one last effort to drags himself out of the

hole. MAFALDA, cries, hugging him closely.

 

GUSTAVO (APOLOGETIC)

I had to drop the backpack...I

had to drop it...

 

MAFALDA, both laughing and crying at the same time, still

in shock, sobs.

 

MAFALDA

Leave it... just leave it...

They are both receiving a clean from the rain water,

hugging and lying on the forest floor, overworked and

desperate, but feeling relieved just moments after a scare

that they would never forget.

TIME ELLIPSE