Stonemaiden (4)
THEY move forward and slowly begin to undress him, HE raises his hands to touch them but THEY slap his hands away simultaneously. VOICE Don't move. WOMAN We will do everything, just relax and enjoy. Once HE is naked the VOICE kneels down in front of him, the WOMAN'S hand caressing the back of her head and pressing it into HIS body. The frame shows the back of the VOICE'S head, HIS torso and HIS face, his expression registers bliss and HE moans softly. The WOMAN'S hand leaves the VOICE'S head, her fingers trailing their way up HIS torso as SHE circles behind him. WOMAN Isn't that nice? When HE starts to say something HER fingers find their way into HIS mouth. WOMAN Don't speak, just listen. HER hand disappears behind him. WOMAN VO Tonight you will embark on the most important part of your mission. Suddenly SHE slips a cord around his neck, before HE can pull away the VOICE bites down on him, HIS face contorts in paroxysms of pain and terror. The WOMAN'S voice continues it's soothing tone the only change is the effort required to pull the cord tight. WOMAN Now you must go to her, to help prepare for her return, she loves you. HIS body goes rigid as death grips HIM, then goes slack with HIS final gasp. SHE holds the cord a moment longer, just to be sure, before allowing HIS body to fall to the floor. CU, the VOICE'S mouth, her lips curled into a satisfied smile, smeared with blood and saliva, the WOMAN'S hands lovingly wipe away the traces, the MOUTH kissing the delicate fingers which then caress HER chin and lift HER to her feet... VOICE VO That was beautiful... 49. INT./NIGHT, MELINA'S ROOM MELINA sits on the bed despondent, JASON checks the balcony closing and locking the doors the looks at her. JASON How about if I order some brandy? It might help calm you down. MEL Sure... HE picks up the phone and places the order, SHE stands and walks up behind him, when HE turns SHE embraces him. HE is caught off guard, but none the less responsive... MEL Thank you... HE strokes her hair, breathing in her fragrance, HE is suddenly very attracted to her as if it had been lurking under the surface the whole time just waiting for this moment. HE holds HER a little tighter, SHE sighs then suddenly jerks herself away, HE is stunned. JASON I'm sorry I didn't... MEL God what am I doing! Oh Jason... I can't let myself... You'll be in danger... I'm so scared, I have the feeling that I'm being taken over somehow, like there are two of me. It may be too late already, I may have condemned you... Tears begin to roll down HER cheeks, HE takes her hand and pulls her toward him. JASON Didn't I tell you I don't believe in that mojo bullshit? (SHE nods) Didn't I tell you also that I won't leave you until we get to the bottom of this? (SHE nods again) I slacked off at dinner, but I'm telling you lady from this moment on I'm going to be on you every single minute, I'll even scrub your back in the shower if you like. SHE smiles through her tears, HE pulls her to him and they embrace once again, SHE turns her face up to his and they kiss passionately. 50. EXT./NIGHT, FOOT PATH ON TOP OF A CLIFF The VOICE and the WOMAN drag between them MARIO'S lifeless body. THEY stop on the ridge and push his body over the cliff. WOMAN Return to your mistress... THEY join hands and walk back the way they came. 51. INT./NIGHT, MELINA'S ROOM MELINA and JASON are making love, the moon casting pale blue light on their bodies through the French doors as they move rhythmically. 52. EXT./NIGHT, OUTSIDE THE OLD NEO CLASSICAL Jason's MEN are just coming out of the house as the two WOMEN near. They stop in the shadows and watch as the MEN get into their police cars. MAN 1 I think the Captain is chasing phantoms. MAN 2 That crazy broad's got his brains dislocated. MAN 1 If you ask me it's them damn Albanians... THEY pull away, The two WOMEN giggle like naughty school girls and continue toward the house. 53. EXT./PRE-DAWN, A FISHING BOAT Some local FISHERMEN returning from gathering their nets spot something on the rocks, gleaming in the moonlight. THEY draw their boat as near as they dare, close enough to tell it's a body. One of THEM calls it in on the wireless. 54. INT./PRE-DAWN, MELINA'S ROOM MELINA and JASON are jarred from sleep when the phone rings. JASON picks it up. JASON Yeah! We see HIS face darken as he listens, HE looks over at MELINA who is worried. JASON O.K. send a couple divers out to recover the body, I'll be there in an hour. HE hangs up, MELINA is pale. MEL Mario? JASON They don't know yet, it could be VanGo. MEL No... His body is hidden, intentionally to through me off. JASON (looks at her questioningly) I suppose the good news is that if it is Mario at least I can be sure you didn't do it. MEL You have to tell me where they are Jason. HE looks at her doubtfully but SHE is determined, HE shakes his head in submission. JASON Alright, get dressed, I shouldn't do this but I'll drop you on the ring road before I go to the station. But I want you to come straight there after, deal? MEL Deal. Thank you Jason. JASON For what... MEL Your trust. HE kisses HER and they both climb out of bed. 55. EXT./DAWN, ROAD TO OLD NEO CLASSICAL The sky to the east turns rose and orange as MELINA makes her way toward the dilapidated structure. The silhouettes of two WOMEN just barely discernible in the second story window. 56. INT./DAWN, OLD NEO CLASSICAL WOMEN'S POV as MELINA enters, SHE stands an looks at them a moment in silence, then slowly smiles and holds out her arms. MEL My darlings... THEY run to HER as to a mother's arms, SHE embraces them stroking their hair affectionately. MEL I am so proud of you both, you have prepared everything perfectly. (SHE gazes beyond them thoughtfully) I too have been preparing... SHE steps back to look at them, stroking their faces, we see them from behind. MEL You have grown into such beauties. VOICE We have missed you terribly. WOMAN It is you we think about constantly. MEL Yes it has been much too long, but very soon we will be together eternally. I must leave now otherwise he may become suspicious, I just wanted to let you know I have been following your progress. VOICE And we yours... WOMAN Last night there were some police prowling around, did you tell him where we were? MEL No. Your boy Mario was careless, some off duty cop was making out with a tourist nearby and saw him coming out here. Jason was already suspicious because of his clumsy reaction when he met me. I assume of course there was nothing for them to find? WOMAN Of course not, luckily we were taking out the trash at the time. VOICE See I told you she didn't do it. WOMAN Shut up. MELINA steps forward and kisses them both on the lips before turning to leave. SHE speaks without looking back. MEL Until the full moon... WOMAN (hissed whisper) Yes indeed. 57. INT./A.M., POLICE STATION MELINA enters tentatively but when JASON sees her HE waves her to him. JASON It was Mario. SHE bites her lip, HE puts a protective arm around her shoulder. JASON I've ordered a team with dogs to search the island inch by inch until we find VanGo's body, I still don't believe this bullshit, but it's pretty damn clear your sister's do. I have to tell you, I ordered a patrol car to go pick them up for questioning. MEL (shakes her head) They won't be there. JASON pulls her around to face him. JASON What did you tell them? MEL Nothing incriminating, but you have to remember this is a duel to the death, their heads or mine, they aren't going to take any chances. Your men missed their chance last night, when they went to the house they were off disposing of the body. JASON They told you that? MEL In not so many words... JASON Christo Redenta MEL What about the little gypsy girl, any luck? JASON They've rounded up a few, let's go have a look... 58. INT./ HOLDING CELL 7 or 8 gypsy children and their ranting mothers are crowded into the small room, as JASON enters with MELINA their rantings take on a new pitch. MELINA looks them over then looks at Jason shaking her head. MEL She's not here... I'm sure as soon as I left they went out to get her, they may have even bought her from her parents last night. JASON You can't be serious? MEL Jason they will stop at nothing, and as much as I know about gypsies children are chattel at best. JASON That's true enough I suppose. So where does that leave us? MEL (grim) You better get yourself a chaperone for the time we spend together, I might just wring your neck next time you roll over to go to sleep. JASON That isn't funny. MEL It wasn't meant to be. 59. EXT./DAY, GYPSY ENCAMPMENT A middle aged GYPSY MAN counts a wad of English pounds with a satisfied grin, a GYPSY WOMAN pushes the little GYPSY GIRL toward two sets of feminine legs with outstretched hands extending at their sides. The LITTLE GIRL looks from her parents to the strangers with fear and confusion but eventually does as SHE is told. SHE takes the outstretched hands and we watch HER walk away between the VOICE and the WOMAN. 60. INT./DAY, MELINA'S ROOM MELINA paces back and forth nervously, SHE is now smoking without difficulty, JASON watches her , HIS face registers concern. MEL I'm serious Jason, I don't know if I can trust myself any more. JASON I'm willing to take my chances. MEL (snapping) That's not good enough! JASON So what should I do, lock you up? MEL Might not be a bad idea. JASON Melina you have to fight this. MEL (laughs) You still don't believe it do you. JASON Believe what? That there are a couple of crazy women loose on the island killing people? That I believe, lord knows I've got enough bodies lying around to prove it. It's the part about you being the reincarnation of some ancient gorgon that I'm having trouble swallowing. Melina I made love to you, and I can assure you there was nothing inhuman about that. MEL Jason, you have to realize that I can't be entirely certain that it was me you were making love to. Yes I find you extremely attractive, if you told me right now let's go in the back room for a quickie I might very well say why not, and that would probably be me, but I can't give you any guarantee that last night I wasn't merely preparing the ground for the sacrifice. JASON If I were looking for guarantees I would have chosen another line of work. MEL Don't be so sure... Public service is all about guarantees. JASON Touche. MEL I just want you to be careful, don't trust me anymore, O.K.? JASON You are asking a lot. MEL I know I must sound like an absolute loon, but I like you too much not to be careful. HE kisses her forehead, SHE grabs his hand and kisses his palm. MEL listen, there has to be a loop hole, and I am going to spend the next however many hours to find it. I'm going to have to go deep, I don't know what will happen... I will leave my key at the desk with instructions for them to give it to you, if I'm "out of it" when you come back don't try to bring me around, just wait, just be there O.K.? JASON (looks deeply into her eyes) O.K. SHE kisses him and leaves without another word. 61. INT./DAY, MELINA'S ROOM MELINA lies on the bed, her eyes fixed on a specific point on the ceiling. She is about to confront head on the demons she has been flirting with all of her life. 61a. A series of flashbacks, first the dream in it's entirety. A YOUNG COUPLE and their 3 DAUGHTERS on board a sail boat. They are traveling at night to avoid the "Meltemia", the nasty gale winds that plague the Greek islands all through the month of August. The full August moon climbs lazily in the eastern sky. When the MOTHER goes below decks to check on their dinner which she is preparing "En Plo" (under sail) the three little GIRLS exchange cool, meaningful glances. At the stern, one of them MELINA age 10, points up at the sky and begins asking her DADDY questions. The other TWO slip away toward the bow where the dingy rests. When she hears her sisters Melina turns and nods, stepping away from her father, the other two, holding a heavy wooden oar between them, strike him on the back of the head, his body goes slack and the three children push him up and over the rail. Giving her sisters time to slip back into the shadow Melina screams for her mother. When the young woman comes up from below and her daughter points hysterically to the water where her husband is being left behind, she frantically throws the life preserver but they are too far away. The oar strikes again, and as the three little girls look on their parents are consumed by hundreds of sea snakes which come to the surface under the reflection of the moon. Melina takes the helm from the auto pilot while her sisters go below to finish preparing the dinner... 61b. DISSOLVE TO: Adult MELINA in ancient times. SHE is taking part in an initiation, the priestess takes her into the sanctuary to explain the mystery... PRIESTESS It is knowledge, we cloak it in mystery to protect the unprepared, First we must evoke the inner teacher who will prepare the initiate to even be able to hear t he truth not necessarily understand it. Myth is the most effective way to ensure that knowledge will be passed on, it makes it easier to remember. The actual is for the ignorant, the re-enactment is for the initiated. If you want to evoke something, re-enact it... HER voice fades into an echo, the picture becomes blurred and wavy as if seen under water... 61c. DISSOLVE TO: MELINA'S POV, gradually JASON'S face comes into focus, HIS expression belies genuine concern. As soon as SHE comes around MELINA embraces him happily... MEL I know now what we have to do... JASON Are you alright? MEL (smiles) Yeah... Oddly enough I am, but let's order some room service, I'm starved! 62. INT./MELINA'S ROOM, A WHILE LATER Two room service carts full of empty dishes, MELINA sits on the floor her back against the foot of the bed. MEL I know that was obscene, but I enjoyed it immensely, as a matter of fact this is the first meal I have enjoyed since I've been on the bloody island! JASON well now that the celebration is out of the way can you tell me what our plan is? MEL O.K... You see in antiquity myth and legend were the popular methods of transferring knowledge, all mysteries and initiation rites were actually training programs in a sense, cloaked in "mystery" because knowledge was considered a source of power. There were always many levels of initiation, the lower you go, the more literal, crude, or even barbaric the interpretations, the higher you go the more metaphoric and symbolic. JASON So you are telling me that in reality this legend is some sort of code? MEL That's right, all myths and legends are. When the priests and priestesses began to be corrupted by and take advantage of the power that their positions allotted them, those they took advantage of became more and more discontented, to the point where power was coveted so much that the priests and priestesses were gradually killed off. Now those who took their places didn't have the benefit of full initiation so that gradually the rites were desecrated, from knowledge to tradition, tradition to superstition, superstition to "magic". Even today modern scientists make the mistake of trying to interpret ancient legends in literal terms, it is more comforting to see the ancients as "witch doctors" than to admit that so many of our 20th century "discoveries" and advances were actually steps backward. JASON In other words the ladies in question have gone to the trouble of actually killing all these people, when all along they could have gotten what they wanted some other way? MEL Basically, yes. If you enact something symbolically you can evoke things without damage, it is their avarice which blinds them to simple truths, making them very dangerous. JASON (laughs in disbelief) Let me see if I've got this straight now. If I am the "one beloved", I must "die" in some way for the legend to be fulfilled. From what you have told me so far that "death" can be symbolic not actual and still meet the demands of the legend, like a theater? MEL That is right. What is theater really but a form of catharsis, taking the mysteries out of the temples and displaying them publicly. JASON (laughs again) Sounds pretty kinky. MEL This is very, very serious. JASON So we put on a performance of you killing me, that's simple enough. MEL Nothing is "simple" Jason, they will be watching, not up close, but they will be there. We have to convince them that you are really dead, otherwise they will come after us to make sure the job is done. JASON I can arrange some back up, just in case. MEL No. Not a soul can know about what we are doing, it is too risky, after all they got to one of your men, why wouldn't they be able to get to another. I understand you having reservations, but really it is the only way I can make at least some flimsy guarantee for your safety. JASON O.K. then, we'll do it. What do I need to do? MEL It is essential that you just go about your business as usual, you still have VanGo's body to find, and the gypsy child, though I am sure she is already gone without a trace. I will make all the necessary arrangements. If you know what I am planning you might anticipate MEL cont. my actions and they would most certainly pick up on that. I'm afraid it is the only way, you'll have to trust me. JASON (grimly)
Copyright © 2000 Victoria King |