Holloways Garden The Witches Story By Sarah-Beth Cooper

Sarah-Beth Cooper 07915698863 Lauren Harrison - 07725858975

EXT. WOODLAND, LOG CABIN - DUSK The door opens and a CELIA comes out onto the porch and lights the candles in the glass vases that sit on the edge of the steps. The wind blows through the surrounding trees, the young woman walks towards them, her arms opens as her eyes close as she listens to the wind. The breeze silences, she returns to her cabin in haste, leaving the door open. SLOW TRACK INTO CABIN revealing an open space that is cluttered with materials, , ornaments and jars of dried herbs and coloured liquids, each labeled in a scrawl. The cabin is cosy, a proud home to the woman, she lives alone but her many accompaniments bring life to her cabin. INT. LOG CABIN Celia lights the candles surrounding a table with ornaments and incense, she pulls back a curtain revealing a black mirror. She looks deeply into it, searching for the answer to the news she heard carried in the wind. The witchs vivid violet eyes do not break from the blackness, the candles flicker and shadows dance across around the walls as she stares intensely. The darkness stirs, an elegant smoke fills the mirror, it creates an image of a sheep skull that lingers for a second, before changing into a mans face, as his lips move and in the harsh breath of his last word, the smoke blows through his mouth and the image disappears. The witch steps back with shock of what the mirror reveals. She turns to the cabinet underneath the bunk, takes a selection of her jars down and releases the clasp of a large wooden box, detailed in carvings and gold. The candles surround her in flickering glow as the flame dances in the reflections of the jars. The wooden table pulls out from the cabinet, the stool scrapes out, the witch gathers her skirt and rests on it. She takes a deep breath and begins to work. Firstly she casts a circle with salt on the table top. She brings out 8 candles from her drawer, placing them North South East and West, and in the NE, SE, SW and NW points of the inside of the salt circle. She stands, raises her hands in the air, and calls out (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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"Wind in the north, run through the trees. Three times three, let them see, let them see. Sands of the east, rich soils beneath. Three times three, set them free, set them free. Fires in the south, awaken from sleep. Three times three, let them see, let them see Water of the west, flow to the seas Three times three, set them free, set them free." As she chants, she circles her hands round and in front of her, cupped, she opens her fingers and a piece of paper flies out. The paper had the name Ernest scrawled on it. She picks up the paper and holds it to the candle as it slowly burns. She repeats her first position, with her hands in the air and calls out "Transformation I call to me, Blessed Fire answer my plea. Banish the old and bring in the new, Clear the way for whats healthy and true." As her hands move back round and her fingers open, another piece of paper flies out, this time with the name Victoria scrawled across. The witch takes the papers and chants "By the dragons light, on this April night, I call to thee to give me your might, by the power of three, I conjure thee, to protect all that, Surrounds me, So mote it be, So mote it be!" And she places the paper into the box. For her final spell she opens a jar of beautiful green stones, and drops a single malachite stone into a small pouch, along with a selection of herbs from other jars, uttering blessings under her breath as she holds the pouch and pours the herbs in to it. She ties the pouch, (whispering ) May the child that keeps this charm, Be protected from every harm, Cast off all the bane and ill, So may it be, as is my will She holds the pouch close to the nearest candle, purifying the energy that will burn away all negativity and harm. Fully charged, she places the charm into the box. (CONTINUED)

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Next, she closes the lid, grasping the box tightly, closes her eyes before holding the box high above her her head. (calling out) Abundant Mother, Moon so bright Hear my plea upon this night. Your fertile power lend this spell; Make it potent, strong and well. As she opens her eyes, smoke begins to pour out of the sides of the box, submerging the witch in the colourful mist, when finally it begins to clear and the towering trees appear all around, the witch stands in the forest. The forest builds a gentle hum, she kneels to the ground, where a tree trunk lies, a small fairy glowing golden with a crown of leaves comes out to her. CELIA The terrible curse has cast, I could not fulfil as protector. This gift is for the next, to her you must give before she is to find you. Until that time I will serve by your side. TITLES EXT. MRS HOLLOWAYS HOUSE Victoria rings the doorbell of a large Victorian house on the corner of a small avenue. No answer. She rings again, looking through the window but unable to see anyone. She walks around the side of the house, following a path to the garden. She sees an elderly woman, with a purple embroided shawl across her shoulders and her silver hair in a single plaig hang down over her shoulder, she twists the end in her spindly fingers. She stares endlessly over the patio onto her garden. Victoria approaches her. VICTORIA (softly) Ms Holloway? Hello, I rung the bell but you must not be able to hear back here. My names Victoria Moon, Im here to help you with your move. May I sit with you? Ms Holloway pulls her shawl tighter across her shoulders, as she follows the birds playing in the trees. VICTORIA and I will also be there as you settle in your new home. It really (MORE) (CONTINUED)

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VICTORIA (contd) is a lovely place, Ms. Holloway, their garden is much like yours. Ms. Holloway finally looks at Victoria, with a soft gaze. MS. HOLLOWAY There is no garden like mine, dear. Ms. Holloway elegantly stood, as she turned her layered shawl and skirt whirled around herself and she graced to the back door and entered her house. Victoria watches in awe. INT. MS HOLLOWAYS LIVING ROOM - DAY Victoria follows Ms. Holloway into the house. Since entering the house, Ms. Holloway appears to have become overwhelmed, her fatigue and exhaustion is noticeable. She goes to retrieve her walking stick from the cupboard. Victoria begins to look around the room, a cabinet of books stood boldly in the room, she began to examine the titles. Many of them nature and herbal related. Ms Holloway studies Victoria from across the room. MS HOLLOWAY I must rest. Victoria turns quickly to face her. A pendant that was tucked into her uniform is visible catches the light, Ms Holloway smiles MS HOLLOWAY But first, here is a list. You must find it all for me. Ms Holloway opens the cabinet from behind Victoria and gives her a wax stamped sealed envelope before she leaves. Victoria sits in the armchair reading the list, the last scrawled Chest of C.H. E.S. Novels She takes out Ms. Holloways file to read the lack of personal history she has given. Curious, Victoria puts down the file and creeps out the front room, careful not to disturb Ms. Holloway. She enters the hallway, she turns the handle on the door opening to a dark room.

5. INT. MS HOLLOWAYS STUDY The daylight from the window gives her just about enough light to make out a desk, covered in books. She walks towards it to look at the books, but she is distracted by a wooden chest behind the desk, she opens it carefully, revealing a treasure of books. Her heart begins to race. She lifts a few out, admiring the covers and flicking through the pages, when she notices a shimmering gold catching the light, a book illustrated with fairies in the chest. As she picks it up she instantly feels a connection with the book. a red glow appears in the window thump - disappearing as Victoria looks up. Fearful Ms Holloway will come in, she places the other books back, apart from the illustrated book, which she hides under her cardigan as she leaves the room. There is no sound of Ms. Holloway when she walks back through the hallway, so she decides to take the book into the garden and read for a little while. EXT. GARDEN - DAY Victoria opens the book, the first page there is a poem, she reads it aloud, noticing a sketch underneath it, the exact same symbol as the pendant around her neck, she holds it in her hand whilst turning the page with her other. She begins to read. The wind stirs around Victoria, and the leaves of the rose bush behind her rustle against her skin. She is engrossed in the book, oblivious to the bush that twines around her body and is pulling her backwards. Before she even realizes she is falling to what seems like a bottomless pit. The book falls to the ground as Victoria disappears. We TRACK out from the bush, revealing Ms. Holloway stood looking over the garden. She comes down the steps, picks up the book and takes it inside. INT. MS HOLLOWAYS STUDY With a lift of her arm, the study instantly glows in candlelight. The desk stands center, surrounded with candles and cabinets full of glass bottles, dried herbs hang and a selection of pots and wicker baskets. She opens the book at a double page illustration of a woodland scene and places it on her desk. Her fingers follow the lines of the tree trunks, she presses down on the book, we ENTER the scene.

6. EXT. WOODLAND - DAY The scene that lay in the book is before us, we PAN around, revealing an easel and canvas set up, as a man looks out from the painting to study the scene. We PAN again to move behind the ARTIST, he is adding detail into the trees. In the distance, we see movement, the artist unaware keeps adding detail. He looks out again, the figure is closer to the opening, extravagant motion flows through the figures dance, the artists attention is fixated on her. He stands, moving closer to be able to make out more of the mysterious figure. Celia spins through the trees, reaching to the leaves then suddenly lunging to the earth. As the artist grows closer, he can begin to hear the soft sound of her voice, a majestic song that lingers through the woodland, the birds sing along as she holds her high note, spinning wild on the spot. The artist crosses over the invisible boarder of the forest. She instantly stops, in a single swift of her shawl she disappears. The artist, realizing she is no where to be seen runs to where she just spun. On the ground the leaves have separated in a circle, a single seedling begins to grow. His instincts heighten, although he cant see her, he hears a noise to his left, turning towards face the direction, another noise comes from behind him, he faces the other way and he hears laughter, he bolts towards the laughter and sees a flash of the womans skirt as she races through the trees. A playful game of hide and seek through the forest begins, close up glimpses of the woman, and wide angle shots of the artist. Eventually he gives up, deep in the forest he turns trying to work out which way to get out. The artist starts to walk, he feels a tap on his shoulder. He slowly turns, the woman stands with her head slightly bowed, hair flowing in front of her face, her breath was steady and slow but the excitement glowed in her cheeks. CELIA (whisper) You saw me. ERNEST You walked into my painting, I wanted a closer look. The two look at each other, the artists eyes pick up the detail of her face, she smiles crookedly, she notices the pain behind his eyes, she goes to take his hand and pulls him as she turns to head back through the forest.

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Ernest doesnt take his eyes of Celia, the graceful movement across the uneven ground, the vivid colour and power she emits, they open out to a circle of stone pillars, a druids temple. The artist rests against the stone, as the witch rests a charm on the center stone and whispers a prayer. A simple protection spell to wrap around the stone circle. She goes to sit next to the artist. She takes his hands, he doesnt hesitate. With her eyes closed she takes a deep breath and as she opens her eyes, they have turned a vivid purple, she looks into the artists eyes and begins to read the artist. CELIA You have an observant mind, you see things as they are, reality and perceptive. You have never been here. ERNEST Never, no. CELIA Not many people have, my pleasure, you can see. The past is dark, difficult to read, I feel your sensativity, cautious around others. You dont have to feel that here. ERNEST I dont, I didnt the second I saw you. CELIA (smiling) Do you trust me? She swiftly stands, still holding the artists hands. He looks up at her, picking himself up to her level. ERNEST Your eyes, theyre blue -. CELIA (laughs) like magic! - write meaning and symbolism into the romantic montage sequence The two lie, looking up at the clouds in the sky. They are forming clouds into their favourite things,

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CELIA Tell me about your first time ERNEST Story: I was old enough to go to school on my own, I remember the other kids would all walk together. They never asked me to join them, so I chose my own way. I used to go the long way along the river bank, I would set off early to make sure that I could enjoy the walk... One morning, I followed a path I had never seen before, it went deep into the woodland, the sunlight seeped through the trees, casting shadows that danced in the light breeze. I dont know how long I followed the path, but I had lost all sense of where I was meant to be going, all I wanted to do was follow it further. The trees began to get denser, the shadows darker, I could hear laughter. Dark, sinister laughter, it muffled the sound of crying, tears of pain and hurt. I could see figures crowded together through the trees, their laughter errupted as a piercing scream raised through the woodland. I reached out to the girl, although I was nowhere near, I wanted to get them away. I couldnt explain it, the crowd of people were scattered across the woodland. I ran to the girl, picked her up off the ground. The boys lay wincing in their pain, but one stood up and called my name. He was one of the care home kids, the meanest. He called me a freak, he told me hed make my life hell. I grabbed the girls hand and we ran. She couldnt understand what had happened, I said it was a miracle. EXT. WOODLAND - NIGHT