DOGGERLANDS

[v3.8253]
Written by
Ross Allaire

2016-12-18 0247

SUPERIMPOSE: DOGGERLANDS, 8100 YEARS AGO, THURSDAY

FADE IN:
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - DAY
Foggy gray late morning over a muddy hellscape. Rivulets flow
between islands populated by few bare trees. Its a desolate
and unfriendly world, until a young girl LAUGHS and HOOTS.
She wears a smile while she runs, spins, and jumps around the
brown muck. She balances with a bow staff in her hands with a
spear on her back. Ten years old, hair in braids, leather
pantsuit, matching wool cape and cowl, all GRAY.
Its starting to flood at high tide. The girl breaks into a
run to keep up with the waters lead edge, an ankle-high WAVE
of black tidewater.
GRAY
Come on! Faster!
Her primitive leather boots have crudely-cut wooden CLEATS
strapped to their soles, and she has no trouble navigating
small canyons in the rock-and-debris-filled mud.
She slows, panting and wheezing. She TAPS her chest, and then
waves to the high-tide mini-tsunami as it passes.
GRAY (CONTD)
Next time, high tide!
A micro-earthquake strikes, a loud out-of-tune PIANO NOTE.
Gray sways on her feet, but seems unfazed. But when her UNCLE
TURNs squeaky voice cries out through the fog she flinches!
UNCLE TURN (O.S.)
Ah! Gray! Help! Oh! Oof!
Grays eyes bulge to find his bearings. She shakes.
GRAY
Uncle?! Uncle Turn?!
She pulls back her hood and has two pointy ears like a fairy,
flat against her head like Spock. Two earrings in each ear.
UNCLE TURN (O.S.)
Gray!
Gray bolts WEST.

2.

EXT. COVE - CONTINUOUS

Gray galumphs up to the top of a small hill above an inlet,
leans against a tree overlooking a vast shallow floodplain,
and pants for breath. Uncle Turn shouts from beneath her.
UNCLE TURN
Gray! Oh, thank the gods!
Gray sees him below, at the foot of the riverbank in a patch
of mud. She gasps to speak.
GRAY
Uh-huh.
Turn is in his mid-thirties, bearded, lanky and goofy,
clutching exposed tree roots for support. He winces in pain,
left ankle pointed the wrong way. Gray sighs.
GRAY (CONTD)
For pitys sake, Uncle Turn...
Turn shakes his head.
UNCLE TURN
I know.
From her belt, Gray produces a coil of rope. Turn laughs.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
You cant just toss a stupid rope.
GRAY
What?
Uncle Turn giggles and nods quickly.
UNCLE TURN
Had some good pickings today, Gray!
He CLICKS HIS TEETH to get her see his WOODEN SLED,
overturned in the mud nearby. There are a few copper and
aluminum cooking utensils (severely oxidized) strewn about.
Gray rolls her eyes and smirks, then climbs and jumps down to
the mud with her uncle. She grabs the ROPE at the front of
his SLED, yanks, and uprights it.
Uncle Turn tries to gather up a few bronze serving spoons.
GRAY
More of those things?
He kisses one of them.

3.

UNCLE TURN
Beauties! But also... that.
He points to where the sled was, and Gray looks.
Half-submerged and caked in mud, half-covered in a canvas
tarp, there is what to them looks like a boxy and oversized
METAL HUMAN HEART. (We recognize it as motorcycle engine.)
GRAY
What is it?
UNCLE TURN
Had it halfway up the bank, by the
gods, but then the land slid away,
and we all went over. Lucky it
didnt hit me. Things heavy as
heaven, I dare say.
Gray inspects the area around it, gazes at the thingamajig in
the mud. Its blackened, about the size of two human heads
side by side. The mud farts a little as the thing settles.
A micro-earthquake strikes, and Uncle Turn darts his eyes to
the muddy incline he fell down. Loose dirt and pebbles tumble
down, but nothing significant. Turning back toward the Metal
Heart, Turn and Gray share a sad look.
GRAY
Well come back next low tide.
UNCLE TURN
Awwww. For shame.
GRAY
Heavy as heaven? Its not going
anywhere fast. I can probably drag
you up and out, but you have to
hold on tight. With your beauties.
Turn clutches the utensil artifacts closer to his chest,
while giving Gray a side-eye raised eyebrow.
UNCLE TURN
Youll take me to the shack?
Gray tugs at the sled rope, judges the incline before her.
GRAY
If we can get up this hill, we can
go wherever you want-Something catches her eye. A micro-earthquake strikes.

4.

Across the shallow floodplain, on another part-time island, a

ROBED FIGURE moves quickly through the woods, cloaked in gray
wool with belt at the waist. The figure runs without a sound,
carrying three large sacks, and vanishes.
Grays jaw hangs limp, her eyes are dazzled and glazed over.
At her feet, UNCLE TURN is grimacing.
UNCLE TURN
Well? We going or what, girly?
Gray snaps out of it, limbers up.
GRAY
Right.
She bears down, grunting.
EXT. SWAMPLAND - LATER
Gray drags UNCLE TURN on the sled along wooden pallets
through a shallow swamp. The pallets form a path across the
mostly barren landscape between raised patches of stone or
long grasses. Theres algae and kelp everywhere.
UNCLE TURN
Youre awfully strong for your age.
Gray wheezes.
GRAY
Youre skin and bones.
UNCLE TURN
That big thing before was heavier
than me, I dare say!
GRAY
I guess so.
EXT. TURNS SHACK - LATER
At a dry patch among the swollen swamp stands a concrete
skeleton of a stand-alone four-car garage, covered in vines
and ferns. The roof has been redone with thatch and mud, and
all the doorways are covered with moss-covered tarps.
Gray drags Uncle Turn toward his Stuff Shack, then stops and
heaves for breath against a tree.
UNCLE TURN
Youre stronger than me, Id bet.

5.

Gray shakes her head, gasping for air. Turn stands with the
aid of a broken tree branch as a crutch. He limps a few
steps, then starts hopping toward the shack, laughing with
glee and shushing himself.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
I know! I have just the thing!
He lifts a tarp and disappears inside the shack, babbling.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
This one thing... I hope, I hope!
GRAY
Im sure youve... got something.
Gray sniffs the air. A single LOCUST CHIRPS. She lifts the
tarp and enters the shack.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Gray wanders forward, swaying in NEAR DARKNESS.
UNCLE TURN (O.S.)
Just straight forward, Gray.
Straight forward.
She balances against the wall.
GRAY
I hate this. Everythings green and
purple blotches.
UNCLE TURN (O.S.)
Awww. Little Baby Gray loved it!
Gray stretches out to touch both walls, and ambles forward.
GRAY
Yeah, well...
In a thin glint of light, Gray sees dust and smoke circles.
Uncle Turn bursts through a canvas tarp flap, with a lighted
room behind him. Turn grabs Gray and yelps, hoots, hoping to
frighten her. He laughs, but she rolls her eyes.

6.

INT. STORE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

In a single hanging lamps meager light, Uncle Turn rolls
himself onto a large wood and copper gurney, then sits
upright with legs spread. He holds a device like giant tongs
with leather straps: a crude prehistoric traction splint.
UNCLE TURN
Ill need your help.
Gray approaches, and Turn begins flicking and clipping pieces
into place to lock the device open. Then he buckles his
injured leg in between the large end of the tongs using
leather straps with bronze buckles.
Gray helps with the devices ankle strap, buckling it just
below the ball of Uncle Turns heel.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
No, above it. Just above the heel,
with that other strap below it.
Across the bottom of my foot.
Theres a little hook to hook it...
He winces in pain.
GRAY
Oh, I see it now.
She moves one leather strap above the ball of his ankle, and
the other across the arch of his foot. The strap is attached
to a chain and a small crank with a wooden handle. Gray clips
the chain into a locking linchpin.
GRAY (CONTD)
This?
UNCLE TURN
I think so. Had this a long time.
GRAY
What is it?
UNCLE TURN
It should pop my ankle out and in.
Again. I hope. Thats your part.
GRAY
Grand.
Turn tightens off all four leather buckles, and points to the
roller at the ankle.

7.

UNCLE TURN
Sun did it once. Crank that.
Gray starts rotating the handle, and little metal clicks
tighten the pressure on Turn's ankle. Gray struggles to turn
harder, and with each click Turn starts to GROAN louder.
GRAY
Keep going?
UNCLE TURN
Rrrrrr! Keep going!
After one more turn, one more click, and screaming, Uncle
Turn's ankle POPS out and then SCHLUNKS back into place.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
Ugh!
Gray and Turn both GROAN and gasp for breath for a beat until
the device on Uncle Turn's leg POPS and explodes into pieces!
Uncle Turns leg SLAMS down onto the gurney. He howls!
Gray screams and covers her eyes from flying shrapnel.
In another moment, its quiet again, and the two of them gasp
for breath, look at each other, and then burst out LAUGHING.
Gray hits Turn on the arm as she backs away from him.
GRAY
Dont ever do that again!
UNCLE TURN
Things busted, now.
GRAY
Your mothers busted.
She walks across the room, into the darkness.
Uncle Turn tosses whats left of the traction splint to the
floor, then flexes his foot.
UNCLE TURN
Probably.
He leans over and pulls what looks like a copper SKI BOOT up
from the floor, slides it on and straps the boot tight, then
clamps shut its buckles with increasing amounts of wincing
and grunting.

8.

UNCLE TURN (CONTD)

She was known to be trouble. With a
capital whatever it is.
GRAY
Theeta. I think-a.
Gray lights a second oil lamp on a table, this one much
larger, with crusty little aluminum mirrors around it.
Everywhere we look is an extensive collection of strange
artifacts made of bronze, copper, and tin, heavily oxidized,
with thick crusty green patina. Their wooden parts are moldy,
badly worn, barely hanging on, or missing altogether.
Uncle Turn lifts an ornate bronze crutch from the wall,
hanging among others, and it is not the right size at all.
He grouses and plucks a warped wooden one from the same rack.
It fits perfectly. He shakes his head, then looks around at
all the artifacts and sighs.
UNCLE TURN
Well, things? Meet the new things!
He holds up the serving spoons and a spatula like trophies,
and introduces them to the rest of his collection.
GRAY
You have a bunch of them already.
UNCLE TURN
Yes! Meet and greet!
He dashes to a cubby-hole in the wall and removes a corroded
copper vase, then plops the new utensils in with some others.
Gray claps her hands. Once.
GRAY
There you go.
Turn holds the vase up like a trophy.
UNCLE TURN
Like things with like things!
He displays the vase to his other artifacts while Gray bobs
her head along, then stops and cocks it at angle.
GRAY
So... The big thing from before?
Well get it tomorrow?

9.

A dark twitch crosses Uncle Turns face. He catches his

breath and sways on his feet.
UNCLE TURN
The big thing before! Yes. I saw
something like it in a... a book
from the Before Times. But there...
There were these pictures.
He pancakes his hands together, horizontally.
Gray cringes one eye.
GRAY
(halting)
Pictures? In a book?
UNCLE TURN
Yeah... a picture of the thing, or
maybe another thing like it, and it
was like, chopped up into pieces.
He pulls imaginary quarter sections of the metal contraption
apart before his eyes. Gray gazes around the room.
GRAY
Which book?
UNCLE TURN
Gone. Too many things get gone.
Things have legs. Souls.
He taps his crutch against a washing machine basin.
GRAY
That I can probably believe.
EXT. NORTH BLUFF - LATER
Gray and Uncle Turn swagger across wooden pallets through a
fog bank, then appear at the base of a grassy bluff rising
out of the swampland. A wide trail snakes up the hill to a
small group of mud huts at the top. They start up.
Halfway up the hill theres another small group of circular
mud huts, half-destroyed and taken back by nature. Gray and
Uncle Turn dont even acknowledge it, continuing on upward.
Some light breaks through as they near the top of the hill.

10.

EXT. GRAYS HUT - CONTINUOUS

They trudge toward their mud hut. Gray hangs back and yawns,
then GASPS! She bolts forward to stop Uncle Turn, and catches
his arm before he lifts a thick leather flap, the door.
GRAY
What are we gonna say?
UNCLE TURN
What?
GRAY
What are we gonna say?
UNCLE TURN
(beat, without guile)
What do you mean, Gray?
Grays eyes go wide, then slam shut. Her shoulders drop.
GRAY
Your leg? The thing? What do we say
happened? She is gonna freak out!
Turn scoffs and bats Grays hand away from his arm. He opens
the second flap, revealing a small dark VESTIBULE inside, a
kind of mud room for a moss-covered mud hut. Turn looks back
and winks at Gray before disappearing into darkness.
UNCLE TURN
Well be fine.
GRAY
Thats not-Hes gone. Grays head drops, her chin rests on her chest,
and she plods inside after him.
INT. GRAY'S HUT COMMON AREA - LATER
Grays older sister SUN is 20, with her hair in braids.
Intensely maternal, she wears earth-tone fabrics and a shell
necklace. Sun flips and flops the hind quarter of a
wildebeest on a large wooden cutting table while shrieking in
hushed, strained whispers. She already sounds hoarse.
SUN
I cant believe a single applepeeling word either of you numbskulls says! No breakfast, no
water, back all banged up smelling
like figgin dragons breath!

11.

GRAY
We told you exactly what happened!
She glances at Turn, like darts.
UNCLE TURN
No dragon, Sun. Just a th-- thing.
Sun slams the wildebeest skin, grabs her needle and twine.
SUN
The worst part... No. All of this,
its only because you havent
gotten hurt yet, Gray. Thats it.
Uncle Turn casts his eyes downward. Its true.
SUN (CONTD)
You have to be better than this.
You cant let Uncle Turn go off,
all by himself, knowing full well-Gray and Turn both cut her off.
GRAY
Hey, Uncle Turn can pretty
much do whatever he--

UNCLE TURN
I am perfectly capable of
doing most things by myself.

Sun raises her hands as if to show she is disarmed, but her

voice indicates otherwise.
SUN
Do you even hear yourselves? No?
No. You know what? Never mind.
Thats not even what matters. Do
you all know youre almost late?
Sun tosses the wildebeest skin aside, gnashes her teeth and
wrings her hands with a yellow liquid as disinfectant.
Gray squints.
GRAY
Late?
SUN
Late. For an engagement.
Uncle Turn SNAPS his fingers.
UNCLE TURN
Oh, right. That thing.
Sun nods furiously, making overly-nice eyes at her uncle.

12.

SUN
That thing.
Grays eyebrows rise, her eyes dart around. Nothing seems to
ring any bells. Sun feigns shock.
SUN (CONTD)
Why would you remember? Its only
your tenth harvest, and the gods
clearly hate when Im surprised.
(beat)
Its Third Harvest eve. Theres a
noon-day meal at Highest Hill!
Gray SNAPS her fingers, weakly.
GRAY
That thing. The whole festival
thing is tomorrow, though, yeah?
SUN
Yes. Today Sweetmother blesses the
children, gives out food...?
Uncle Turn LAUGHS, GASPS, covers his mouth, then starts
dancing away.
His sisters look at him with the same half-closed eyes, like
hes always been a little crazy.
Turn dances over to a small HEARTH in background where two
boys play a game with seashells. Both boys are eight and big
for their age. BREAKER is the tough and brutish one with dark
features. CINDER is conniving, colicky, blond and curly.
UNCLE TURN
Food from the Sacred Grove, boys!
Secret Magical Sacred Grove! Apples
and oranges, dates and cheese!
Breaker shakes a FIST in the air.
BREAKER
Apples and oranges!
Cinder looks uneasy, but hops in his seat.
CINDER
Dates and cheese!
From a clothesline at the top of the hearth, Turn plucks off
a new shirt, wipes his armpits with the old one, and changes.

13.

UNCLE TURN
Therell be eight handfuls for each
of ya! Eighth Harvest for both!
He tosses the dirty linen shirt at the boys, and they each
try to shove it onto the other before it lands on the floor.
Turn makes a spooky face and hands them imaginary fruits,
then drops a few, juggles them. The boys laugh. He ruffles
both their heads of hair at once with both hands.
Gray and Sun share a look. They both shake their heads, and
almost laugh when they see each other do it.
Gray tries to charm her sister.
GRAY
So, its free food...
SUN
Only if youre there. So gather up
all the boys and go! Theres no
time to waste! No foreplay!
They both giggle, and forget themselves.
A womans VOICE cries out from deep inside the hut,
accompanied by the weak JINGLE of a tin bell. Its MOON,
Suns twin. Her room is in back.
MOON (O.S.)
Sun, Sun! Water!
SUN
(whispers to herself)
Evenstar, give me strength.
MOON (O.S.)
Sun, water!
The bell rings with no rhythm.
SUN
Im coming, Moon! Water! Coming!
MOON (O.S.)
Water coming!
Gray tries to get an acorn threaded through a length of twine
to land inside a small wooden cup. She fails repeatedly.
GRAY
Thats all she says now?

14.

MOON (O.S.)
Gray! Gray! Gray! Water coming!
Sun cocks her head, thins her eyes on Gray.
SUN
Anything else youd like to add to
our little conversation here?
Gray shakes her head no. Sun sighs and shrugs just as Uncle
Turn enters, wrestling both boys in headlocks.
UNCLE TURN
Pray the gods make it firewater.
Sun puts a slice of peach shortbread in his mouth.
SUN
Better be. Pray we stay in
Sweetmothers good grace.
Turn MUMBLES a few unintelligible platitudes on his way out.
He shoves the BOYS out the door ahead of him, exits.
Gray leans toward the Vestibule, eyeing her sister. Sun cocks
her head toward the door, smirking. Gray runs for it.
SUN (CONTD)
Oh, find something to sacrifice in
my name?!
Gray exits, leaving Sun alone. Moons bell RINGS.
SUN (CONTD)
...and Moons?
She sighs and sulks.
EXT. SWAMPLAND - LATER
Uncle Turn, the boys, and Gray march along the winding path
of wooden pallets in thick fog. They have to jump between
pallets in places. Gray leads the way, pokes a walking stick
into watery muck alongside each pallet. Breaker and Cinder
sing a song, and Turn plays along with a thin copper whistle.
The song is upbeat and simple, like a marching/travel song.
BREAKER AND CINDER
(singing)
Eighty-two debts and eighty-two
gifts, eighty-two days and eightytwo years. Earth and skies, seas
and cries, a song until we die.
(MORE)

15.

BREAKER AND CINDER (CONT'D)

A song until we die. For eighty-two
fights we fight, eighty-two fears
we fear. Eighty-two kings live so
long, none so brave to sing this
song. Aaaaaaand, eighty-one debts-GRAY
Can we not?
UNCLE TURN
That was good boys! Well have to
take you two out on the road!
CINDER
Whats the road?
Breaker nudges him.
BREAKER
This, dummy!
Cinder shoves his brother back.
CINDER
Shut up!
UNCLE TURN
Both of you, shut it!
Turn watches Gray, who has slowed to a crawl. The girl
creeps, stares up ahead. The track of wooden pallets has
disappeared in the fog. She stops, and the others stop.
A micro-earthquake strikes, and they all sway a little.
Cinder sneezes.
BREAKER
Good grace.
CINDER
Thank you.
A cloud breaks open in the sky to reveal the canopy top and
trunk of an old-growth apple tree, the GRAND TREE. Its the
size of the Empire State Building, with a gargantuan trunk
that rises up at an odd angle with the land. Many of its
thousand branches bloom hot pink flowers.
Fog clears as the sun comes out for a brief moment. The whole
island is basked in a golden glow, and we it is a halfdrowned hill at the base of the Grand Tree.

16.

At the islands northernmost and highest point theres a

stone-and-wood HENGE, encased in mud and thatch, topped by an
aging copper DOME with a thick green patina on it. The henge
and a small farm beside it are surrounded by a ROCK WALL.
Cinder and Breaker stand agape at the sight.
Gray squints, wags her head, rolls her eyes.
GRAY
Youve seen it before.
BREAKER
Never like this.
With a slight wind, the fog nearest them lifts, and Gray and
her family see they are only yards away from the islands
wide, pebbly shore. A cross-path of wooden pallets lies
before them, with another family appearing and disappearing
into the fog as they make their way to Highest Hill too.
UNCLE TURN
(points)
That way.
A micro-earthquake strikes, and then another, nudging them
all a little in two different directions.
Some birds fly out of The Grand Tree, and the LAUGHTER of a
crowd drifts down from above. Some joyful MUSIC starts.
GRAY
Oh no, the music!
UNCLE TURN
Hurry boys, faster!
They all step lively on the pallets, chasing each other
toward the stony shoreline, then disappear around the side of
a cliff-like outcropping.
A micro-earthquake strikes, some pebbles fall from the cliff.
EXT. HIGHEST HILL LAWN - LATER
Sunny, almost noon. Outside the wall around the Domed Henge
is a flat lawn, cut in half by a dirt road that leads to a
wooden GATE in the Rock Wall surrounding the henge.
The rest of the Doggerlanders, maybe fifty people, are
assembled on the lawn, lined up in a ring while they dance in
place. Some dance in the open places to the jubilant MUSIC.
Some have had their faces are painted, many are half-naked.

17.

Uncle Turn appears at the far end of the lawn, coming up a

broken stone walkway with a tower and torch at the top.
He pants and holds his chest, but his face lights up.
UNCLE TURN
Ooh! Boys, theres face painting!
Breaker and Cinder appear alongside, talking over each other.
BREAKER
What colors?
CINDER
Will it stay on forever?
BREAKER
Cinderll try to eat it.
CINDER
Youre gonna eat it!
Cinders about to start crying or fighting. Turn puts his
hands on both boys shoulders, sways them side to side.
UNCLE TURN
Boys, just look at all this! Go.
Dont deny yourself pleasures. And
try not to kill each other.
He shoves the boys into the throng, and joins a group dancing
nearest the band. Turn is handed a few feather necklaces from
a Sister within seconds, and places one on each boy.
Gray is left to enter alone, coming up to the top of the hill
slowly but surely. She stops when she sees the large crowd,
sways once on her heels, adjusts one of her braids.
A voice calls out to her, an old woman with a raspy, singsongy timbre. This is SWEETMOTHER. Shes not thin.
SWEETMOTHER
Gray!
GRAY
Yes?
Sweetmother smiles.
To Grays left is the Big Table, where torches have been lit
and a bit of revelry is in full swing. People dance for their
gods and their lives. They sing and cheer to music.
To Grays right, Sweetmother and six SISTERS stand in
formation, hands behind their backs.

18.

They all wear simple red robes. Sweetmother wears a crown of

sabre-toothed tiger fangs and rams horns, green robes, and a
long string of giant pearls that wraps around her neck a few
times over.
SWEETMOTHER
Please join us, Gray.
The girl squints with one eye. Turn calls out for her.
UNCLE TURN (O.S.)
Gray! Come on and dance! Especially
if you dont feel like it!
Gray turns and sees Breaker and Cinder run around their Uncle
Turn in the dance pit, surrounded by villagers.
With only a passing bow and glance at Sweetmother, Gray runs
toward her family and starts to dance.
Sweetmother looks on, coldly. An older Sister named ZELL
watches both Gray and Sweetmother like a hawk. She wears a
silver sash, indicating some sort of rank among the girls.
She keeps her hair shorter than most of the other Sisters do,
in an uneven curly brunette bob. Her heads a mess, and her
eyes dart between her mentor and her rival to prove it.
Gray has a flower wreath tosses around her neck by a passing
Sister. White asters with infinity knots of purple sage.
The Doggerland BAND strikes up a stirring tune on cobbledtogether hand-built instruments. Theres a giant horn,
entirely covered with green patina. One musician plays on a
drum set attached to a harness that sits on his shoulders
(like from a marching band) with metal and leather drums.
An ELDERLY COUPLE blows fireballs and dances wearing
loincloths, and a YOUNG COUPLE laughs at the spectacle. They
each clutch the other closer, and steal a kiss.
Turn scoops Gray up and sits her on a stool, where the FACEPAINTING MAN paints white spirals on her cheeks. He holds out
an old copper mirror, and when Gray sees her reflection she
GIGGLES, then HOWLS like a wolf cub.
A Sister approaches Gray, pats her outstretched palm against
the girls forehead, leaving a blue handprint. FACE-PAINTING
MAN puts a white dot at the center of it with his thumb.
Gray hops up, spins, and runs away, grinning wildly. She
rejoins the rest of the group, and Turn, the boys, and Gray
dance in a line around a small fire.

19.

A RED-HAIRED WOMAN eyes up Turn, smiling seductively at him.

He sees her and smiles back sheepishly, biting his lip.
Gray lifts the boys up off their feet as they dance, all
three of them laughing and hooting.
Sweetmother watches over all; watches Gray especially,
carefully, motionless, simmering.
EXT. MAIN GATE - LATER
The Doggerlanders settle onto large blankets on a small flat
area before the Main Gate in the Rock Wall. There are SMALL
TABLES and an ALTAR set up at one side of it, facing North.
Sisters in multicolored robes hand out pillows and blankets.
Uncle Turn and the boys sit on a canvas tarp, and Gray
reclines on one elbow on her cloak.
From somewhere, a BELL RINGS.
Two Sisters make their way through the crowd, swinging copper
CENSERS emitting a pleasant smoke. Theyre followed by three
Sisters handing out bread and serving drinks from skins. They
have stacks of extra hollowed-out horns for people with none.
Uncle Turn slaps his own head.
UNCLE TURN
For Moons sake, I forgot my cup!
GRAY
(rolls her eyes)
You threw it away last time you
drank too much.
UNCLE TURN
I dont remember that.
He scratches his stubble. Gray smacks his knee, smirking.
GRAY
Because you drank too much!
UNCLE TURN
Is that how that works?
SISTER #1 approaches, but Turn flags her down anyway.
SISTER #1
Would anyone-Uncle Turn almost slaps her in the face.

20.

UNCLE TURN
Sister! I need a cup!
Gray hangs her face, wipes her brow. Breaker and Cinder both
grab Uncle Turn's shirt and tug.
BREAKER
We dont have cups either.
UNCLE TURN
Buncha cups!
Sister #1 pours ale into Uncle Turn's cup.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
Water for the boys, please.
The boys groan. Sister #1 smiles and struggles not to laugh
while she pours them water from a different skin. A blue one.
GRAY
(to Sister #1)
Ale for me. Thanks.
Turn squints in a moment of sunlight to see Grays eyes.
UNCLE TURN
Sure?
Gray gulps.
GRAY
If its too gross to finish, you
can have the rest.
Sister #1 hands a horn of ale to Gray.
GRAY (CONTD)
Thank you.
Turn scratches the side of his head.
UNCLE TURN
I dont see a downside here.
Breaker and Cinder play slap and tickle, spilling their horns
of water a little. Sister #1s eyes see the spilling water
and widen. Gray and Turn notice this, and Turn slaps Breaker.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
Boys, dont waste water! Its good
water. Relax.
They slowly calm down and sip from their horns.

21.

SISTER #2 enters, and deposits ceramic bowls of food, oatmeal

chunks, apple slices, and orange slices. Each bowl has some
mint sprigs as a garnish.
The boys eyes go wild at the sight of the fruit slices, and
they tear into them.
GRAY
(to Sisters #1 and #2)
Thank you, Sister. Thank the world.
The Sisters bow to her.
UNCLE TURN
Thank the world. Good grace.
Both Sisters move on to the next family. Turn gnaws on an
oatmeal chunk, tries to dab it on an apple. Gray picks at a
brown apple slice. Its tiny.
She leans over, closer to Turn.
GRAY
Is it a lot less than last year?
Turn looks at the food, looks around for no reason.
UNCLE TURN
Is it?
GRAY
(beat)
Thats what Im-Turn holds the bowl straight and at angles in front of his
eyes, measuring the food in his mind.
UNCLE TURN
Are these even the same bowls?
Gray squints.
GRAY
Uncle...
Sweetmother shouts above the din, quieting the crowd.
SWEETMOTHER
Now, please, let us all say...
Thank the world.
They begin a call-and-response prayer. EVERYONE responds.

22.

EVERYONE
Thank the world.
SWEETMOTHER
Praise the world.
EVERYONE
Praise the world.
Breaker and Cinder stop eating and try to repeat along.
SWEETMOTHER
Feel the world.
EVERYONE
Feel the world.
SWEETMOTHER
Be the world.
EVERYONE
Be the world.
SWEETMOTHER
Thank you. Peace be with you.
EVERYONE
(more or less in unison)
And also with you, Sweetmother.
Some people start to clap and shout for joy. Sweetmother
claps her hands twice, and all the Sisters turn to leave,
heading directly for the Great Gate.
Breaker and Cinder shovel the rest of the food into their
mouths. Gray and Turn look around.
Sweetmother makes her way through the crowd, in the opposite
direction of her minions. People reach out to touch her as
she strides, head held high. She moves directly towards Gray,
eyes locked on target.
Gray bites into a piece of orange before she sees Sweetmother
coming toward her. The girl goes pale. Sweetmother moves like
a hawk closing in on her prey.
SWEETMOTHER
Gray.
Cinder, Breaker, and Uncle Turns eyes all go wide, slowly
turning to see. Turn downs the rest of his drink horn.
Gray gulps the rest of her orange slice in one bite.

23.

GRAY
(with food in her mouth)
Sweetmother? Thank you?
Sweetmother crouches next to her, hiding Turn from Grays
view with her robe.
SWEETMOTHER
Hello.
Gray gulps.
GRAY
Uh, hello. Thank you?
The old woman eyes the boys. Theyre frozen, mid-chew.
SWEETMOTHER
Eat up, boys. Get your strength!
The boys start chewing slowly, cautiously.
Sweetmother returns her gaze to Gray.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Ive a question for you, Gray.
Youre a seamstress, yes? Its one
of your many talents, yes?
She touches Grays leather wraparound.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
I admire your use of breathable
fabric to adjust the garments size
as youve grown.
GRAY
Yes. Thank you.
SWEETMOTHER
You remember this was a gift?
Gray speaks in relative monotone.
GRAY
Yes. Thank you.
The old woman leans in close.
SWEETMOTHER
Join us in our Sisterhood, Gray.
Please. We will do wonderful things
together. Join us and live forever.

24.

Grays eyes are locked on something.

Theres a mole on Sweetmothers neck and a single pearl on
her necklace brushes up against it as she breathes.
Sweetmother cocks her head quizzically.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Gray?
Grays nose twitches. She cant look away.
Uncle Turn peeks up over Sweetmothers shoulder. Gray can
only see his eyes from where shes sitting, frozen.
UNCLE TURN
Uh, if this is a serious question,
its a big question, and if thats
the question, then Sun needs to be
part of it, too. Right?
Sweetmother does not break her gaze from Gray.
SWEETMOTHER
Sun?
Turn rolls his eyes.
GRAY
Sun.
UNCLE TURN
My niece? Grays sister? Shes the,
uh, adult supervision right here.
But shes not here. Right yet.
Sweetmother recoils and yawns. Gray and Turn have a very
boisterous mini-conversation with only their eyebrows, even
though Turn is no longer hidden behind Sweetmother.
Breaker and Cinder square their eyes on Gray.
BREAKER
Dont go away, Gray!
CINDER
No. You cant-Uncle Turn makes a strange hand gesture at them.
UNCLE TURN
Nobodys goin nowhere, thats what
Im trying to say right here!

25.

BREAKER
Sun wont like it.
Uncle Turn shushes both boys exuberantly.
UNCLE TURN
Shush! None of that! None of it!
Sweetmother looks at Gray. They all do.
SWEETMOTHER
What do you want, Gray?
Gray breathes erratically, too deep and then too shallow.
Uncle Turn clears his throat so its breathier, quieter.
UNCLE TURN
Gray?
A micro-earthquake strikes, and a few of the background
Doggerlanders hoot and laugh.
GRAY
Sun.
The girl nods to herself, then looks at Sweetmother.
GRAY (CONTD)
Ill let you know.
Sweetmother rises and shuffles away, gives extra orange
slices to the boys, and pats their heads as she exits.
BREAKER AND CINDER
Thank you, Sweetmother.
GRAY
Yes. Thank you. Good grace.
Uncle Turn leans in toward Gray.
UNCLE TURN
Gray? Girly?
GRAY
Sun.
She faces Turn dead on, and looks a little panicked.
GRAY (CONTD)
Sun!
Turns eyes go wide, he almost covers his mouth with a hand.

26.

UNCLE TURN
Oh, Sun!
Quickly he jumps and spins to find Sweetmother, and sighs
delightfully seeing she hasnt gotten very far.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
Sweetmother! I beg you one more
thing? Just a question, really!
The old woman stops and turns. She now has a hood covering
part of her face. The wind has picked up.
SWEETMOTHER
Yes, Turniper?
He blushes a little at the use of his full name.
UNCLE TURN
If you forgive my impertinence...
What is there for the rest of our
families? Yknow, the extra?
Murmurs move through the crowd. Turn shrinks, eyes darting
around. Sweetmother takes a single step back toward him.
With a little cough, Sweetmother silences all the murmuring.
SWEETMOTHER
You were a tad late. Correct?
UNCLE TURN
I guess so.
The wind blows his hair around.
SWEETMOTHER
Yes. In a prayer, I praised the
gods and their wills for this
years bounty, not despite it being
so much less than that of years
past, but because of it. Im sorry.
Turn squints. Gray CHUCKLES cynically.
GRAY
Told you.
(beat)
Oh.
UNCLE TURN
So-A thin grimacing smile has formed on Sweetmothers lips.

27.

SWEETMOTHER
Yes. In Mothers infinite wisdom,
the most beautiful things in this
world are the very last beautiful
things there are. We are truly in
the End Of Days.
Turn and Gray share a weary, cocked-eyebrow look, then both
return to Sweetmothers patient gaze. Uncle Turn squints and
hunches a little when he speaks.
UNCLE TURN
Still?
She ignores him.
SWEETMOTHER
Anything youd like to share with
us all tomorrow evening would be
greatly appreciated.
UNCLE TURN
Ah.
Sweetmother resumes her strolling exit, patting the heads of
her parishioners as she passes over them, joins Sisters at
the Main Gate.
Gray watches them all go, then stares at Turn. Her uncle
scratches behind his ears then looks away, eyebrows aflutter,
and whispers to himself.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
What are we gonna say?
INT. GRAY'S HUT COMMON AREA - LATER
Sun gestures with the innards of a rat while shouting.
Uncle Turn and Gray are assembled before her.
SUN
Wait, wait! Did I-- Did you hear
that right? And I heard that right?
She said, Not despite it being
less than years past...
Gray nods her head, trying to make sure its correct.
SUN (CONTD)
...but because of it?!
Gray nods, watches her Sisters clenched, shaking hands.

28.

SUN (CONTD)
What in the figging swamp-grassy
apple orchard is that supposed to
mean? Huh?
Gray and Turn talk over each other.
UNCLE TURN
Well, Im guessing it has
something to do--

GRAY
The harvest from the Sacred
Grove must have been--

Sun slams some intestines down on the counter, cutting the

meat with a sharpened rock to punctuate her words.
SUN
I know what it means! The harvest
was light. Lean. I get it. Food
scarce. Water everywhere. World
over. But that ballyhoo religiouslycorrect way of it? You know? Not
despite of but... That just grinds
my guts like eating rocks.
Sun points the knife at her sister.
SUN (CONTD)
And as for Sweetmothers oh-so
generous offer to you, Gray?
Grays eyes dart from the knife to Suns eyes.
SUN (CONTD)
Well think about it sometime when
I can see straight!
She continues cutting the rats meat. The rest of the family
sits and stands around quietly in a choked hush. Turn lays
down. Grays voice cracks a whisper.
GRAY
What are we gonna do for food?
UNCLE TURN
Now, Gray-Sun gestures with the now-disemboweled rat.
SUN
Well I stars-sure-as-Heaven dont
have enough rats to feed everybody!
Just us! And barely us!
Turn reclines, puts his booted foot up on a stone. The boys
start wrestling around him, on top of him.

29.

UNCLE TURN
Hey now, Im fragile! Careful!
Gray looks at Sun, speaks slowly and quietly.
GRAY
Ill try to look for-SUN
Take the boys with you. I cant
figging deal with them today.
Grays eyes go wide. Not what she expected. In background
Uncle Turn tries to shoo the boys away, in vain.
GRAY
I guess we can-SUN
Go as far as Small Henge.
GRAY
But the best spots are-SUN
Back before sundown.
Gray puffs her chest and juts her head out at an angle.
GRAY
We already missed low t-Sun slams the knife and a rat down on the chopping block, but
her voice never goes above a loud whisper.
SUN
You bring those boys back before
sundown or you cant go out at all.
Not tomorrow. Not with me. Never.
Understand?
Gray nods.
GRAY
Hard bargain.
SUN
(snickers)
You bet your butt I am.
Gray giggles.

30.

EXT. SWAMPLAND - LATER

On the swampy edge of North Patch, Gray corrals the boys
toward the pallets. She uses a long spear as a walking stick.
GRAY
Boys, stay close. Or else our
sisters going to disembowel me.
BREAKER
Whats disembowel mean?
GRAY
Oh boy.
A micro-earthquake strikes.
CINDER
(beat)
Did you really see a shark get
struck by lightning?
GRAY
Yeah.
Cinder scratches his head.
CINDER
What happened to the shark?
GRAY
It died.
CINDER
And we all ate it?
BREAKER
And Uncle Turn swam out to get it?
GRAY
Got struck by lightning twice, but
he wrapped himself up in these
weird rolls of pink foam. He was
funny-looking as a fig. Smelled
like a week-old fart.
The boys GIGGLE.

31.

EXT. SMALL HENGE - LATER

The Small Henge is eight chalk stones about a meter tall, and
sits on a little island that could fit no more than ten
people. It has three trees. Other chalk stones are around the
henge like benches. Only three remain whole.
Gray and the boys climb up the riverbank. The other side of
the island is a floodplain into a foggy horizon.
GRAY
Be prepared. Watch your back.
She looks out across the floodplain. Breaker looks out at
another angle. Cinder looks confused.
CINDER
What do we look for?
Gray gives him the side eye.
GRAY
Anything.
A micro-earthquake strikes. After another beat theres a low
RUMBLE. Everyones darts their eyes around.
GRAY (CONTD)
Thats no quake.
As the rumble grows louder, Gray looks upstream. Awestruck.
She sees a herd of giant woolly MAMMOTHS tromping up the
floodplain. They HONK and HUFF and SNARL downstream.
Gray and the boys back up, and as more appear they take
shelter against the henge. The stones sway as the mammoths
pass within feet of the kids. The RUMBLING is deafening!
A GIANT BLOND MAMMOTH struts downstream, flanked by a horde
of hangers-on. One of the smaller mammoths gets kicked away
by the Giant Blond, falls, and becomes STUCK in the mud.
The herd struggles to move around her, HONKING, kicking her
more while shes down.
Gray taps both of her brothers on their shoulders.
GRAY (CONTD)
We have to take that one!
Breaker nods on command, but Cinder is wide-eyed.
CINDER
You mean kill it?

32.

Breaker punches him in the arm.

BREAKER
Fig yeah!
GRAY
We could feed the whole island with
that thing. Breaker, you cover me.
Twirling her stick, Gray prowls toward the shoreline, ducking
and weaving between stray mammoths. Breaker follows while
Cinder twists his shirt at the Henge overlooking them.
A brief SHADOW crosses over him, then passes again. The boy
doesnt notice, staring wildly at his siblings. A Sister
lurks in background then vanishes.
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - DAY
Within a meter of the stuck mammoth, Breaker joins Gray near
the center of the floodplain, holds her shoulder with one
hand, and in the other he wields a stone axe.
Gray bears down, removes a BRONZE SWORD from a sheath on her
back, then takes a few slow steps forward with her brother.
GRAY
Steady-ee... Steady.
The mammoth sees them and starts HONKING, and she and Breaker
double-time it forward. They raise their weapons to attack
when theres a blood-curdling SHRIEK above! They STOP.
GRAY (CONTD)
Down!
Gray drops to her knees and forces Breaker down into the
floodwater. He chokes. The mammoths HONK warnings to each
other and scramble for cover. Theres another SHRIEK.
A FISH-DRAGON swoops down from above, swimming and twisting
down through the air! Its the length of a bus!
Two hind legs, wide three-meter wings with claws and fingers
like a bat. Long, thin body like a goby dragon fish with a
wide jaw and ugly smushed face, spiny fins; cream-colored
like a koi with an oily sheen. Beady black eyes. Jaws, teeth,
hind legs like an iguana.
The fish-dragon lands on the back of the stuck mammoth,
SCREECHES and CLUCKS while digging his talons into its back.

33.

The hairy beast tries to knock the lizard off, but the dragon
raises his head and BELCHES a ring of fire straight upward,
lowers his gaze, and seems to LAUGH at the children as he
SCREECHES at them!
BREAKER
What do we do?
The kids bear down and stare at the beast, wide-eyed. They
both cringe with the heat coming off his breath and body.
Gray rushes forward and swipes at the dragon with her sword.
GRAY
(to the dragon)
Leave us alone!
BREAKER
What are you, crazy?!
The dragon SHRIEKS and GROWLS, rips a claw down the back of
the mammoth and digs in again. The poor mammoth cries!
On shore, Cinder hides behind a stone bench, crying.
The dragon TRUMPETS into the sky, then twists the mammoths
head in its jaws. He CRACKS the beasts neck and CHOMPS down.
With a single flap of his giant wings, he takes off.
Gray and Breaker are thrown to their backs in the water by
the gust, but Gray tries to shove Breaker back toward shore.
GRAY
Get back!
BREAKER
That was a thunderbird?!
GRAY
No, a wyvern! Go back!
She shoves him again, and Breaker JUST misses being run down
by a passing mammoth. The kids duck, grit their teeth, trudge
back to shore. From high above the fish-dragon SHRIEKS.
EXT. SMALL HENGE - CONTINUOUS
Cinder scuttles to the shoreline and reaches out to his
brother and sister. Hes wet his pants.
CINDER
Are you all right? What was that?
Breaker scoffs.

34.

BREAKER
A thunderbird. Are you all right?
Cinder gazes at the ground.
Gray slogs up the muddy beach, defeated.
GRAY
Were fine, thank you. But thank
the gods those things are solitary
hunters.
A micro-earthquake strikes. Cinder sways on his feet.
CINDER
I dont think I could... Wha-- Wh-He catches his breath and freezes. His eyes are wide, trained
on something moving in the water upstream, coming closer.
Gray and Breaker see him and swing to look where he looks.
The body of a DEAD WOMAN floats inch by inch toward them,
slowly running aground on the muddy shore. She wears thick
black linens, black leather gauntlets, and a black leather
diadem, bejeweled in onyx.
Breaker seems surprised, for once.
BREAKER
Is she alive?
Gray moves closer.
GRAY
No, but she hasnt been dead long.
Cinder looks up to Gray.
CINDER
Mammoth or thunderbird?
Gray squints and looks around, then shakes her head.
Lumbering forward, she grabs Dead Woman by her wrists starts
dragging her to shore. Breaker tries to help with her legs.
They lay her out on one of the benches, and set her hands on
her belly. The womans legs are flattened at odd angles, torn
in places. Her left breast has been sheared off. There are
some cuts on her face. Gray kneels.
GRAY
Maybe some piranha here.

35.

The boys find it hard to look at her. Cinder looks like hes
going to faint, and Breaker puts a hand on his shoulder, but
looks away himself.
BREAKER
Should someone say something? Like
a ritual? A prayer?
Gray looks down at Dead Woman, whispers to her.
GRAY
Sorry.
Dead Womans lower abdomen GURGLES and deforms, delfates.
Something moves beneath her linens.
GRAY (CONTD)
Thats not possible.
Gray rips away the folds of Dead Womans dress, and theres
another loud GURGLE, then a muffled BABY COUGHING and CRYING
beneath layers of fabric.
GRAY (CONTD)
Its just-Gray removes layers of the womans skirts to reveal a BABY,
now screaming her head off, clutching the pale body of her
dead TWIN sister, stillborn.
Breaker and Cinder finally look.
BREAKER
Gods praise.
Breaker bows and kisses the ground. Cinder looks into the
sky, now watching for dragons.
Gray finds the babys umbilical cord with her fingers.
GRAY
Hand me a knife.
Breaker approaches, gets Grays knife from her own belt,
hands it to her. She slices the cord and puts the knife in
her mouth, bloody as it is, while wringing out and tying off
the cord. It SQUISHES. Both young brothers are wide-eyed.
BREAKER
What are you doing?
GRAY
The thing you have to do. Give me
your shirt.

36.

Breaker eyes his brother like a threat, then takes off his
over-shirt and hands it to Gray. She wraps up the baby,
starts jiggling it, then removes the knife from her mouth,
wipes it on the shirt, and re-sheathes it.
GRAY (CONTD)
(to the boys)
Which of yous the best runner?
Cinder smirks.
CINDER
Me.
Breaker hits him.
BREAKER
Me!
Gray coos the Baby while they push and shove each other.
A passing mammoth HONKS at them.
GRAY
Right? Why dont you boys race!
The boys faces light up.
GRAY (CONTD)
See who can get home first. Losers
gotta tell Sun what happened. Go!
The boys hoot and shove each other as they run away.
GRAY (CONTD)
Race, dont fight. Race!
They both start running in earnest.
Gray laughs, and is left in relative silence against the
water flow and crickets. There are still a few stray mammoths
ambling through the floodplain, two or four at a time.
As Gray wraps the baby up with her Gray cape, the babe looks
right at her and smiles. Gray smiles back.
GRAY (CONTD)
We could start walking back, same
way they went...?
The baby BURBLES.
GRAY (CONTD)
But I dont want to.

37.

Gray sits down on one of the henges chalk benches.

EXT. FLOODPLAIN - LATER
Bugs swarm in tall grass at the waters edge, then hear what
sounds like an AIR HORN! Gray hurries to the shoreline,
holding the baby close.
A GIANT OLD MAMMOTH with thick gray hair and more than a few
battle scars appears. The Old Mammoths eyes are white, and
two younger smaller mammoths guide it downriver.
Gray angles the babys face toward the Old Mammoth.
GRAY
Look at him go!
Old Mammoth sounds his HORN again, right at Gray, deeper and
louder. Gray laughs and covers the babys ears against her
chest and with one hand.
GRAY (CONTD)
(to the mammoth)
Not so loud!
The Mammoth GRUNTS, and she smirks at him. Her smile goes
cold, looking into the Old Mammoths watching eye.
GRAY (CONTD)
Floods forced you out, too?
The Old Mammoth SNORTS at her, then faces front as he walks.
Gray grimaces, rocks the baby.
GRAY (CONTD)
(half to herself)
Not the same, is it?
The thickest part of the herd, around their king, finally
starts to thin, and reveals an OLD MAN! Hes standing halfway
across the floodplain, in the water. He wears fancy padded
leather jerkins like a Medieval knight, and hes CRYING.
Late forties, dark features. Built like a refrigerator.
Gray sees him and scampers backward to high ground.
The man take a few quick disjointed steps toward Gray and the
baby. His breaths are heaving, wheezing. His eyes burn.

38.

EXT. SMALL HENGE - CONTINUOUS

Gray removes a sword from a hidden sheath: a small triangular
bronze blade, oxidized green. She points it at the Old Man,
who doesnt notice the weapon. He cries, approaches the
shoreline, whimpering. His eyes are on the dead woman.
Gray bears down in the dirt to defend the baby, side-stepping
the dead woman and extending her sword. Her eyes bulge.
From her right, we hear a smooth, deep voice. She freezes!
The mans accent is different. This is REEVE, and the fog he
hides himself in is throwing his voice.
REEVE (O.S.)
Please allow a suggestion?
Gray coughs, strains her eyes right.
Reeve comes closer and we see hes just another bearded
Northman in his late forties, but blond and gray, handsome
even with an eye-patch. He wears worn-in tan padded leather
jerkins and a bronze reindeer motif crown. The king holds out
his hands, smiles with perfect teeth, ear to rounded ear.
REEVE (CONTD)
Just a suggestion.
Gray coughs out the words.
GRAY
Im listening.
REEVE
Stand down.
Gray turns her head to see the man straight on, still
gripping her sword for dear life, holding the baby close.
The old man collapses inches away from the dead woman. Hes
dripping wet, crying a name.
OLD MAN
Bjode! Bjode!
Gray glances at him but watches Reeve, holding her sword
steady at the Northmens neck, a meter away.
REEVE
Just let my man grieve. His name is
Wade. Bjode is his daughter.
Grays left shoulder drops.

39.

REEVE (CONTD)
She is his dead sons wife.
Gray nods as if she understands, but then her eyes go wide.
She catches her breath and looks down at the shivering baby
in her arms. This is Wades granddaughter. Reeve moves closer
to see the child, touches her forehead.
REEVE (CONTD)
Bodica.
He tickles Bodicas cheek, pinches it. She burps, farts.
Gray raises her shoulder and slowly brings the sword up to
the Northmans neck.
GRAY
And you? Or your blood is the first
thing she tastes.
REEVE
Reeve Northland the Sixth. Crowned
King of Fynnemick Northland. You?
Gray clears her throat and tosses her braids behind her.
GRAY
Gray. Like the color.
REEVE
Gray, where are we?
GRAY
South of North Bluff. New Apple
Island. Formerly New Appleland.
She rolls her eyes on formerly. Reeve SCOFFS.
REEVE
Appleland.
GRAY
New Appleland.
Reeves eyes sort of glow, then scan the foggy gray and brown
floodplain in all its dark leafless splendor.
REEVE
This far...
Gray moves both of her braids to hang over the shoulder
furthest from the baby in her arm.

40.

GRAY
Its down a-ways from here, really.
Flooded. Everybodys gone now.
The glow in Reeves eyes and the smile on his face die.
Theres a RUSTLING in the brush, and a section of long-grass
parts in two with a pair of gloved hands. Then a boys face
appears! Hes thirteen years old but built like an ox. Square
jaw, curly hair. This is PRINCE RITTER.
RITTER
Flash.
REEVE
(defeated)
Thunder. Come as you are, my son.
Prince Ritter emerges from the brush, wearing tan leathers
and light armor. He slows when he sees Gray and her sword,
hovering near her fathers neck.
RITTER
Father...?
With light flicks of his wrists, Reeve waves for his son to
stand down. He wags his head in Grays direction.
REEVE
Just meeting the locals.
Ritter eyes Gray like a hawk.
RITTER
Scouts report a Grand Tree five
chits West, a small hill one chit
north with a few mud huts on it.
REEVE
Understood.
Gray eyes the boy like fire.
GRAY
Thats my home. How dare you?!
Reeve shakes his head.
REEVE
Gray of New Apple Island, meet my
son, Prince Ritter of Fynnemick.
Named for his mother, who died
during childbirth.

41.

Gray nods to him, lowers her sword.

RITTER
Enchanted.
As Gray almost rolls her eyes, Ritter spies Wade and Bjode on
the ground. The princes jaw drops, his body droops forward.
RITTER (CONTD)
Wha--?
Ritter trips toward them, but only makes it a few wobbly
steps before Gray raises her sword at his neck.
GRAY
Stop! I still need answers!
The prince stops, gazing at the baby. His eyes tear up, but
he looks at the tip of Grays sword and almost laughs at it.
RITTER
(whispers)
Youve no right.
Ritter tries to move his son, but he shakes the king away.
RITTER (CONTD)
Shes no right!
Gray holds Bodica close, looks around for Sun or the boys.
In background a Sister peeks out from behind a tree, but when
Gray glances around that way she disappears.
Ritter stalks back to the tall grass he came in by, tripping,
clutching at his hair in grief, crying.
REEVE
What kind of answers?
GRAY
Wheres Fynnemick? Whats a crown
and prince, even? And whyd you
freak when I said Appleland?
Reeve and Ritter both cock their heads.
REEVE
Its our ancestral homeland.
GRAY
(snorts)
Well, you better get a new one.

42.

Ritter scoffs, but Crown Reeve kneels down. His frame sags as
he clears away some debris on the ground. With a finger, he
draws a line in the dirt, then puts dots along it.
REEVE
Fynnemick was north of Balgrathal,
north of Great Grendia, due west of
Wyvern. Just over half a million
people in Wyvern City alone...
He looks distant, then locks eyes with Gray. She shakes her
head, shrugs and raises her eyebrows.
REEVE (CONTD)
Nothing?
GRAY
Half a what? A m- mill-Ritter scoffs in background. Reeve shakes his head, then
scratches out the whole coastline.
REEVE
Even our scouts didnt realize we
were this far south yet. Wed hoped
to find refuge.
GRAY
You did?
Reeve stands up.
REEVE
Northland is gone. Whole cities
yielded to the sea. The ground
shook, and the land folded and
shattered and melted into the
Great retreating Ice Wall.
His eyes look nowhere into the distance.
Gray looks to Ritter to confirm and the princes lip quivers.
RITTER
My mother... Sisters... We thought
we had sent them to safety.
GRAY
And her?
Gray looks at the dead woman. The baby looks too.
RITTER
Bjode.

43.

REEVE
A landslide yesterday, at a narrow
pass near the edge of the Ice Wall
just to the north of here-The girls eyes light up wild.
GRAY
You saw the Ice Wall?
Reeve flashes rage at Gray.
REEVE
Its our sworn enemy, girl. I would
spit on the ground if I had spit.
GRAY
Oh.
REEVE
The young lady and three of my men
all fell to their-He chuckles darkly, bites his tongue.
REEVE (CONTD)
--what we thought was their deaths.
There was a narrow path over water.
The path shattered beneath them.
Reeve looks down at Bjode and breaks down again.
Gray raises her sword upright, examines both men and the
prince, then sheathes it and hides it back in a fold of her
pantsuit. She crouches down, grabs some dirt, mushes it into
a ball in her palm, then extends her hand to Reeve.
GRAY
Thanks for not spitting on the
ground. They call it a sin.
The king shakes her hand and bows. Gray and the prince share
a glance in the middle of it.
REEVE
But you are not the leader of your
people, are you?
The girl snort-scoffs. The baby chuckle-gurgles too.
GRAY
No. Im like a fart. An apprentice.

44.

Reeve almost smiles. There's a CLOPPING of wooden shoes on

the wooden pallets out on the floodplain. Sun calls out.
SUN (O.S.)
Gray! Blue-Gray where are you?
REEVE
(to Gray)
Who is that?
Gray smirks.
GRAY
Shes the one in charge right here.
Sun hollers louder, getting closer.
SUN (O.S.)
Gray! Where are you?
Gray shouts so she can hear.
GRAY
Just keep walking! Youll-Sun appears out of the fog, seeing only Gray.
SUN
Here you are! The boys said-She sees the baby in her sisters arms, then the dead woman
and Northmen as she comes closer.
SUN (CONTD)
Well, for once those lying little
weasels werent lying! But who the
biscuits-and-chocolate are they?
Gray switches the side on which she holds the baby.
GRAY
Well-Reeve inserts himself between the two sisters.
REEVE
I am Crown Reeve of Fynnemick, and
this is my handsome son, Prince-Reeve and Sun are both taken aback by the word handsome.

45.

SUN
Crown? Prince? Listen, I dont give
two half-hitches who you think you
are. This is my henge. My river.
RITTER
Yours?
Ritter steps forward, but Reeve motions for him to back off.
SUN
Theres been a caretaker from my
clan in charge of this henge for
four hundred years, so you better
start talking because the gods can
hear you too. So, whyd you bring a
baby and a dead girl here? Huh?!
Gray gestures to the dead baby.
GRAY
Dead baby, too.
SUN
Oh, Mother Earth. One lived and one
died? Terrible. The boys didnt-(to Reeve and Ritter)
You got any food? Any wine? Any
good dry land? Yknow, where you
can see more than an arms length
past your face? Any of that?
Ritter leans closer to his father.
RITTER
This explains a lot.
Reeve lurches forward to embrace Sun.
REEVE
Wed hoped to find some sanctuary.
We are Northmen from Fynnemick.
North of Balgrathal, north of
Grendia. Do you know that all of
them are gone? As if thieves-SUN
Oh, let me guess! Flood?
She hops, smiles devilishly.
REEVE
(beat)
Landslides.

46.

SUN
Of course. Rough. Whole city?
REEVE
An entire mountain chain dissolved.
SUN
Brutal. Do you know that it
happened before? And you two are
all thats left, right? Is that
what leg were pulling today?
Ritters shoulders sink. Reeve jerks his head around.
REEVE
No! You dont understand...
Both of Suns hands are balled up into fists already.
SUN
Then you better tell me whats
really what and whos really-RITTER AND GRAY
Stop!
Sun stops, and Gray glances up to search the sky for dragons
while she coughs. Reeve sees her doing it, and glances upward
himself after cringing at her old-man cough.
SUN
(points to Ritter)
Okay, you yell pretty good.
(points to Reeve)
Now you start talking.
REEVE
Its no tale we tell. Five scouts
left from a battalion. Devoured.
What kind of a king is a refugee?
He nearly steals a glance back at his son.
REEVE (CONTD)
My reign is over. We seek asylum.
Ritter shrinks. Reeve tickles the babys chin again, cries.
Ritter looks away, clenches his jaw, avoiding seeing his
father and Grays long gaze at him.
Sun CLICKS her teeth and shakes her head.
SUN
So, one living baby? Huh?

47.

She moves closer, positions herself to take the baby.

SUN (CONTD)
Come on. Here we go.
...when Sweetmother enters out of the fog!
SWEETMOTHER
Good grace, everyone! Good grace!
Please, let me see the child!
Sun goes wide-eyed at the very sight of her, but looks down
and bows on one knee. Gray almost drops Bodica.
SUN
Sweetmother! Praises! All praises!
We pray to stay in thy good grace!
Sweetmother pats Suns head as she waddles over to Gray.
The girl struggles and hups up the baby as Sweetmother hovers
over her, touches the babys face.
SWEETMOTHER
Yes. Yes! Shes beautiful.
Gray side-eyes Sweetmother.
GRAY
How did you...?
SWEETMOTHER
Nothing this beautiful can stay a
secret for very long.
Wade gives Sweetmother the side-eye, red eyes.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Shes a blessing! A blessing.
WADE
A blessing?!
Sweetmothers head tics once to one side.
Gray hups the baby up again, COUGHS and clears her throat,
and gestures to each person she names with the baby.
GRAY
So, Sweetmother, this man is Wade
and hes pretty shaken up about his
daughter and other granddaughter...
Yes? But, this man is a king of uh
somewhere in Northland, and thats
his son, Prince... Um...

48.

Ritter stumbles forward.

RITTER
I am Crowned King Ritter-onFynnemick, the Sixth, and this is
my only son, Crown Prince Reeve-onEast-Fynnemick-by-Starlight.
SWEETMOTHER
Charmed.
Wade goes back to praying on his dead daughter-in-laws body.
Gray brings Bodica closer to Sweetmother.
GRAY
But this bundle of joy... Shes
just a bundle of joy! Right, lady?
Sweetmothers head tics.
RITTER
Her name is Bodica.
SWEETMOTHER
(to Gray)
The child was born on this soil?
Right here?
GRAY
Yes. We dragged the dead woman up
here, and I pulled the baby out.
Tied and cut the cord myself.
She rocks on her toes, humble-bragging in low tones.
Sweetmother has heard nothing since YES.
SWEETMOTHER
And the other child was already...?
Gray looks over at Wade and the dead woman.
GRAY
Yes.
Sweetmothers head tics again.
SWEETMOTHER
Thank you, Gray.
She glances around at the FLOODPLAIN, measures the location
of the sun with her hands, then CLAPS twice.

49.

Two platoons of Sisters appear, one Green, armed with bows

and arrows, and one Yellow, armed with spears. They fan out
in a blended attack formation.
SUN
Where in the weed-tree foxtrot did
they all come from?
Gray sets her sword at her side, finally, but Ritter and
Reeve stand back to back, ready for a fight!
RITTER
Father?
The prince palms the hilt of his sword.
REEVE
Hold.
A few Sisters tip-toe around them, but they all have eyes for
their targets: passing mammoths on the Floodplain.
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - CONTINUOUS
Sisters prowl through the slow, shallow water (high tide).
ALL crouch in unison. Green Sisters start firing arrows in
unison at a group of YOUNG MAMMOTHS.
Theres one adult mammoth with a group of young ones he
cannot manage all at once.
Some Sisters lob spears, striking animals eyes and feet.
Others fire arrows at their eyes. Three mammoths are felled
within several seconds. Highly efficient. All the Sisters
HOOT as the other mammoths scamper away.
Zell runs to each of the felled animals, delivering death
blows to each with an over-sized oxidized-bronze mallet. It
looks like a primitive Mjlnir, the legendary hammer of Thor.
Shes followed by Sisters #1 and #2.
Sister #1 air-kisses and sprinkles chalk dust on each felled
mammoth while Sister #2 dances gracefully behind her and
TINGS a little tin TRIANGLE for each one. Three tings.
When Zell BASHES the last of their kills, she looks around
and HOOTS. The Sisters HOOT back! Sister #2 strikes a TING!
EXT. SMALL HENGE - CONTINUOUS
As all the Huntress Sisters return to shore, Sweetmother
CLAPS three times. Twenty more Sisters appear!

50.

Reeve and Ritter look uneasy, swaying on their feet.

The Sisters drag three large sledges along the ground with
ropes, stopping at the shoreline of the floodplain. In groups
they trudge out onto the floodplain to move the mammoth
carcasses onto sledges with rope nets and poles. They tie
them down and start dragging them all ashore.
Sweetmother addresses the Sisters as they go.
SWEETMOTHER
Thank you, sisters. I pray to stay
in Thy good grace as well. Praises!
All the praises!
Sweetmother returns to Gray to hover over Bodica.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
All the praises.
Reeve inserts himself between them.
REEVE
Sweetmother, I beseech you for
asylum. You are our only hope.
He bows his head and kneels.
Sweetmother grins, amused. She places her hand on the top of
his head, feels his scalp and hair.
SWEETMOTHER
Crown Reeve, it is not like that.
You and your men are our guests.
I thusly decree and swear truce.
Reeve starts crying when he hears the word.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
I know. The Sisters and I shall
take your mans child to Highest
Hill beneath our Grand Tree. There
we have everything this little one
will need to get her strength up!
Sweetmother shakes the babys hand while talking about her.
Ritter looks at Wade, his head lying on Bows chest.
RITTER
Thank you.
WADE
Thank you.

51.

Sweetmother bends down and gathers up some dirt, squeezes it

into a ball in her palm, and extends her hand to shake
Reeves. He takes it heartily, and Prince Ritter and Gray
share a look while they shake. Ritter nods.
REEVE
Its a pleasure. An honor.
Sweetmother closes her eyes and smiles.
SWEETMOTHER
Welcome. May our lands be as good
to you as they have been to us.
After the handshake Ritter doesnt know what to do, but when
Sweetmother turns away to wipe her hands, he wipes his.
REEVE
I must ask more of you. Can my man
stay with his kin? At... Um...
Wherever youre taking her?
Sweetmother stops, dwells for a beat with her eyes closed.
REEVE (CONTD)
I dont want to intrude, but-SWEETMOTHER
Yes. He appears to need medical
attention as well. Mind and body.
She claps twice, then twice again, and four more Sisters
appear. SISTER #1 takes the baby from Gray. Two others assist
Wade in standing and walking. He limps and drags his feet.
Sister #2 attends to Bjode and the stillborn child.
WADE
(to Sister #2)
Dont you touch her without me.
SISTER #2
Together. Ready?
She and Wade lift Bjodes body onto a small sled.
Sweetmother looks around.
SWEETMOTHER
Sun!
Sun appears at Sweetmothers side from behind her.
SUN
Yes, Sweetmother?

52.

The old woman pats her head. Sun has to stoop.

SWEETMOTHER
The crowns men will use the
abandoned huts on your hill.
SUN
Yes, Sweetmother.
They both turn to Ritter.
SWEETMOTHER
Is that acceptable? They are a
little run down. All apologies.
REEVE
It will be fine.
SUN
Hey, the huts arent perfect, but
you can make it work. Theres
nothing a bit of mud and sticks
cant fix, right? Except... people.
Reeve cringes. Sweetmother grins bemusedly, if forced.
SWEETMOTHER
It appears my work here is done.
She EXITS.
GRAY
(to Ritter)
Please excuse my sister, Sun. She
was dropped on her head as a baby.
SUN
Hey!
GRAY
We all were.
Ritter cocks his head, then nods and smiles.
EXT. NORTH BLUFF - NIGHT
The Northmen gather around a fire in a clearing, in front of
the broken-down huts halfway up High Hill. They HOOT and
HOLLER at each other, holding horns of ale.
Gray and Sun stroll away from the group, leaving the fire
behind them. Some cold wind blows.

53.

SUN
They seem nice.
GRAY
(smirks)
Do you think theyll come and kill
us in the night while we sleep?
SUN
Gods, I kinda hope so.
She shivers, and the girls hold each other as they walk.
GRAY
No, you dont.
SUN
(laughs)
I kinda do. Not all the way.
Gray shoves her a little.
GRAY
Just a little bout of hope-theykill-us-in-the-night fever?
Sun shoves her sister back a little.
SUN
Right. Just a tad of that.
GRAY
A tad.
SUN
A tad.
GRAY
A smidgen.
SUN
A speck.
GRAY
A mote.
They giggle and disappear in the partial darkness. The night
sky is clear and still, and there are billions of billions of
stars above. The Milky Ways cross-section is a bright purple
and white band across the sky. Theres no moon. Theres a
shooting star. Then another. Then another.

54.

EXT. GRAY'S HUT - DAWN

Dawn breaks. A dozen cats lay about outside the huts
Vestibule. Its a bright, dewy morning, with golden red
sunlight on the grass, on the cats fur, everywhere.
The thick entry flap opens slowly to reveal Uncle Turn with a
small bowl of chopped meat. The cats cry and whine, doing
figure eights in his feet and fighting each other. Turn tries
to set down a few chunks for each cat, CHIRPING at them.
INT. GRAY'S HUT COMMON AREA - CONTINUOUS
Gray, Sun, Breaker, and Cinder all sit around a wooden-top
table and eat a breakfast of flatbread and egg soup. There is
only silence, chewing. Sun eyes Gray suspiciously.
SUN
Gray, youre eating breakfast.
GRAY
Mm-hmm.
SUN
(beat)
But you never eat breakfast.
Gray shrugs, keeps eating.
SUN (CONTD)
So... Sweetmothers offer?
The girl gives her a look like daggers. She is trying to eat.
GRAY
I dont know.
The girl tries to go back to her food, shakes her head.
Breaker and Cinder both swing their heads back to their older
sister, wearing the same doe-eyed expression.
SUN
I dont believe it. The illustrious
Blue-Gray has no opinion.
GRAY
And Im finishing my breakfast.
Breaker shoves the hay bale table.
BREAKER
Stop being a big baby, Gray!

55.

GRAY
You shut up!
Breaker slams his hands down.
BREAKER
Make me!
Uncle Turn ENTERS, waving his arms.
UNCLE TURN
Hey, hey! Inside voices! How many
times have I said it? What? Ten?
Gray and the boys stop and cringe, shake their heads.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
Boys, respect your sisters! Theyre
older and you cant argue with time
on the clock. You just cant!
All the kids and Sun squint and cringe harder.
UNCLE TURN (CONTD)
Thats what my mothers mothers
mother taught her daughters and her
daughters daughters to teach me.
Sun scoffs.
SUN
(amused)
What was it again?
UNCLE TURN
You cant argue with time on the
clock. So dont.
SUN
Thanks?
UNCLE TURN
This isnt not about you! You too!
You gotta quit your woe is me
while theres hot food about. You
know its unclean to besmirch the
gods gifts, I think. Right?
While he talks he steals a handful of bacon. Sun smiles and
covers her teeth with her hand. Gray and the boys shake their
heads, roll their eyes. Turn spins and looks at Gray.

56.

Gray,
time,
shes
clock
Twice

UNCLE TURN (CONTD)

you give Sun an awful hard
you know that. But remember
got twice the time on the
as you. Think about that.
the time on the clock.

Grays eyes go thin. Sun nods with a hidden grin.

GRAY
Whats a clock, Uncle?
Turn leans back, puffs air out his cheeks, and thinks.
UNCLE TURN
Its, uhm... Its time.
They all cock their heads the same way. Cinder eats.
EXT. MAIN GATE - DAY
A TIN GONG the size of a person hangs in a wooden frame,
painted red and yellow, sun and clouds. Sister #1 enters
wearing an unbleached robe and strikes the gong with a softhead mallet. Some tribal-sounding MUSIC begins, played on
makeshift and jury-rigged instruments by the Doggerland Band.
All the Doggerlanders are gathered on a small flatland just
outside the shadow or footprint of the Grand Tree, just
outside the Main Gate of the Rock Wall around Domed Henge.
Men stand in a line with women facing them. A few people
laugh and giggle before they partner off and start spinning
in each others arms.
FACE PAINTER dances while he puts whiskers on a LITTLE BOY.
Hes painted himself up like the Milky Way in the sky, a
million purple and white and gold dots on blackface.
Two groups of four Yellow Sisters dance with gold ropes that
form a wheel turning as seen from above.
Sisters #1 and #2 in turn place a red flower necklace on each
person, and an air kiss on each of their cheeks.
Sister #1 hands Sweetmother a ceremonial OPAL BLADE with a
dragon claw affixed to its bone handle.
Sweetmother holds the blade in the air and CHANTS something
in a language we dont understand. Sisters bring her a WHITE
RABBIT bundled up in a GOLD FLEECE, and she stabs it.
The Doggerlanders CHEER!

57.

Blood pouring out of the animal is collected by Sisters with

GOLD CHALICES. They MUMBLE and bow, quaking on their feet.
They jump in the air and spray blood everywhere with small
wooden WHISKS.
Doggerlanders CHEER again while they dance. Everyone kisses
their partner and WAILS to the sky as theyre sprayed with
blood by Sisters.
Sister #2 WAILS and pours ale into horns for a family with
TWIN DAUGHTERS. The FACE PAINTER and a YOUNG BOY growl at
each other, laugh. A Sister places bloody handprints on both
their foreheads, then moves on to others.
Sweetmother hands the Opal Blade back to Sister #1, who
grasps it with the Golden Fleece. In background, Sisters
prepare the large white rabbit for cooking.
SWEETMOTHER
For water, sky, and earth, we pray.
SISTER #1
For water, sky, and earth, we pray.
Sister #1 scurries away with the blade just as a short line
of SISTERS marches out, holding plates of FOOD.
Doggerlanders cheer! They bow and sway. The band strikes up
some dancing music. Face-Painter has a LADY on each arm and
high-steps to the beat. Sisters #1 and #2 swing GOLD CENSERS
while they dance and circle each other.
EXT. LOOKOUT NOOK - DAY
Reeve and Ritter appear at the top of the Stone Steps, trying
to act natural. Reeve wears a long cream robe and his crown.
A gold medallion hangs against his chest.
REEVE
This looks like a fun and games
kind of hornets nest. No?
He drinks from a leather pouch branded with a family sigil.
Together with the other Northmen, they step forward.
EXT. HIGHEST HILL LAWN - CONTINUOUS
All the Doggerlanders mingle around stone tables beneath
leafy, laced-vine canopies with wooden frames. The Sisters
weave among them, balancing plates of food and pleasant
smiles.

58.

Reeve and Ritter get their faces painted green, and two
Sisters put bloody handprints on their foreheads.
A couple of OLDER GIRLS eye up the prince and start GIGGLING.
Reeve claps his son on the back, playfully yanks on his ear,
then his own, and LAUGHS. He wanders away laughing.
EXT. MAIN GATE - CONTINUOUS
People CHEER in background as Sister #1 approaches the MAIN
GATE into the Courtyard behind The Wall. She waits a moment
as a parade of Sisters bearing food ends.
The last few Sisters in line bow to her despite the heavy
loads they carry, golden CLOTH NAPKINS on large gold PLATES.
SISTER #1
Good grace.
The load-bearing Sisters respond the same.
SISTERS
Good grace.
Sister #1 enters the COURTYARD.
INT. COURTYARD - CONTINUOUS
Sister #1 crosses a Courtyard outside between the wall and
the domed henge, dancing as she passes a large VENUS MOTHER
STATUE. She settles back down into a power walk once shes
past the goddesss line of sight.
In background there are huts with tracks of vegetable plants
growing, larger rows of withered DYING CROPS all tainted
white, and a CEMETERY with wooden, circular headstones.
Rotting apples are strewn about everywhere.
A large white vein of a deadly fungus growing up the base of
the Grand Tree, hollowing it out as it goes.
Behind DOMED HENGE lies the beginning of the stairway leading
up the side of the Grand Tree to a wooden TREE-HOUSE.
Ahead of Sister #1 a set of Gold Doors stand, guarded by two
SISTERS wearing sets of old gold armor that look like fish
scales. The sisters open the doors with a deep CREAK of its
rusty hinges.
Sister #1 enters her Sisterhoods SANCTUARY.

59.

INT. SANCTUARY - NIGHT

Sister #1 tip-toes across a green stone tiled floor, lit by a
candelabra. A large chalk ALTAR stands at center, covered by
a large fluffy golden silk CLOTH.
Some Sisters in the shadows SING a quick melody as they
approach her. One takes the OPAL BLADE, another takes the
GOLDEN FLEECE. They bow to her.
Another Sister wipes the sweat from Sister #1s brow with a
gold KERCHIEF, and another swings a CENSER. One carries a
GOLD MIRROR on a pole. ALL circle around Sister #1 and SING.
They all remove large HOOKED DAGGERS from their belts and
hold them in the air, moving in and out on cue, toward and
away from the chalk altar.
The gold silk cloth covering the altar moves! It jerks a bit,
and moves again! The sisters back up to reveal the baby
BODICA on the altar, flecked with gold dust, now CRYING.
Sister #1 approaches the baby and with her thumb draws a
small red star on her forehead in blood. The childs CRIES
are drowned out by the Sisters SINGING!
EXT. HIGHEST HILL - LATER
The Doggerlanders play games on the lawn over raucous MUSIC.
Theres a game of Tug-Of-War over a mud pit, with three MEN
on each team, growling and grunting, pulling rope as thick as
a fist. All the men look somewhat weak, sickly.
Another group of four MEN play a log-chopping game, but they
only seem to have one long, warped log.
Off to one side, a group of young children watches the
proceedings with wide, hungry eyes.
Some children play catch with sandbags, and pelt each other.
A MOTHER YELLS at them while breast-feeding two babies.
A group of teens play a game thats a cross between ring-toss
and horseshoes, with woven U-shaped knots of rope. Colored
stones are embedded in each HORN of rope, which the kids
throw at pegs in the ground. One horn catches and spins
around and off the peg, hits a DANCING LADY in the face.
One team of Tug-of-War MEN is pulled into the mud.
YOUNG GIRLS dance around a small MAYPOLE, giggling and
winding multi-colored strands of vines around the wooden
pole, barefoot and wreathed in white flowers.

60.

A larger group of MEN play what looks like Rugby or Football

in a more open are of the lawn. One team is naked. Instead of
a ball they use a giant DEER SKULL, from a six-point buck,
painted all over with molten metals in glittering spirals.
Some TEENS spar with wooden swords and shields. An OLD FIT
MAN watches the kids with sad, tired eyes, SHOUTING critiques
at those sparring. He demonstrates a move and pulls a muscle.
Two couples plays a game with foot-wide squares of stitched
rope, in different colors. They try to get the rope squares
into the center of a series of small chalk circles or knock
their opponents square away from the circle altogether.
Off to one side, nearest the
of the GRAND TREE, theres a
piecing together leather and
at the proceedings every few

wall and just inside the shadow

small circle of KNITTING WOMEN,
stitched cloth. They glance over
moments.

One of them gasps. A NAKED RUGBY MAN almost fumbles the SABERTOOTHED SKULL he and OTHER MEN are using as a ball. The men
LAUGH, shove each other, and line up for another play before
a GONG is struck, distracting them.
The GONG is struck again, turning the rest of the
Doggerlanders heads toward the entrance to Domed Henge.
EXT. MAIN GATE - CONTINUOUS
Sweetmother stands at the ALTAR, before the gong, hands held
aloft as Sister #2 strikes the GONG one last time.
SWEETMOTHER
Rejoice! For the End Times have
come and gone! We survive! We live!
The Doggerlanders cheer!
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
We live in the Earthen Age, in
glorious communion with the Holy
Mother! And we pray to stay in Thy
good grace!
EVERYONE repeats after her.
EVERYONE
We pray to stay in thy good grace.

61.

Sister #1 enters, RINGING a small tin triangle with a knife.

She is followed by a procession of Sisters dressed in white
gowns carrying a COVERED CARRIAGE, a privacy box on poles
large enough for several people. White curtains on the sides
extend all the way to the ground, hiding whoever is within.
The procession comes to a halt, and a YOUNG SISTER (same age
as Gray) steps up alongside Sweetmother, carrying the head of
a slain mammoth stuck on a pike. Theres a RED APPLE in the
beasts mouth. Its eyes have been replaced with roses.
Two Sisters enter holding the MAMMOTHS HEART on a tray.
Sweetmother walks with a quick step toward the heart, smiles
mildly. She stops short, turns toward THE BAND. Theyre still
lined up as a group, holding their instruments over by the
Face-Painters Shack.
SWEETMOTHER
Some music of faith, please.
Joyous, yet weighty.
The HORN-PLAYER cringes, confused. The PERCUSSIONIST picks up
a beat on a copper-and-leather drum. Other Band-Members pick
up a tune to go along.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Yes.
With a little flick of her hand, the Sisters begin stabbing
the Mammoth Heart with WOODEN SHANKS. Sweetmother gathers its
blood with a GOLD WHISK (with jeweled handle), then spritzes
blood onto the SISTERS as they swarm around her.
Young Sister with the mammoths head is shoved a little in
the shuffle. Its not so delicate of a ballet.
Sweetmother walks toward the Covered Carriage as the Sisters
put bloody handprints on each others faces and chant.
SISTERS
We pray to stay in thy good grace.
We pray to stay in thy good grace.
We pray to stay in thy good grace.
Sweetmother claps her hands, and the carriages COVER is
raised revealing a large WHITE UNICORN, old, with a nub for a
horn. Its more like a bone spur, jeweled and crowned.
Sweetmother approaches the tired-looking beast, COOING her.
The mare has long hair (like a Clydesdale) hanging over fat,
swollen ankles. Her hooves are cracking from founder. This is
the last horse in all of Doggerland, and she has only lived
so long because she is their religious totem.

62.

All the Doggerlanders raise their hands, HOWL, and kneel.

But in the middle of the LAWN, surrounded by devout
worshippers, Ritter is trying to force his father to bow.
The king stares at the Unicorn. He breathes out of rhythm.
Hes pale.
RITTER
Father, come on. On your knees.
Its only proper.
Reeve crouches to his knees and bows his face down into the
grass, then looks up. He hyperventilates and sweats. Reeve
starts to shiver. His eyes turn white like diamonds.
REEVE
The horses... The HORSES!
Ritter starts TAPPING his father on the shoulder. Hard.
RITTER
Father, what is happening?
Sweetmother holds the Blood Whisk at the Unicorns eye-level,
having just splattered it, staring at the two Northmen in
grimacing disapproval. The unicorn sways a little, but is
corralled by Sisters. Sweetmothers gaze is on Reeve.
He stands amid Doggerlanders kneeling, staring at him. Ritter
is on one knee beside his father, tugging at his shirt from
below. The kings eyes clear.
REEVE
Sorry.
Ritter pulls on his fathers shirt harder.
RITTER
Kneel, father. Just kneel.
The king ambles away. Ritter stands and follows, tripping.
RITTER (CONTD)
Sorry.
EVERYONE watches them go. Sister #1 RINGS her Triangle.
SISTER #1
We pray to stay in thy good grace!
The Doggerlanders face Sweetmother again, and respond.
EVERYONE
We pray to stay in thy good grace!

63.

EXT. LOOKOUT NOOK - SUNSET

Ritter approaches and looks out over the floodplain, Stone
Steps in background. The prince joins him a moment later.
RITTER
Stuff got on top of you, huh?
The king shakes his head wearily.
REEVE
Everything, I think. You have
another one of those things?
Ritter searches a pocket, and produces a cigar.
RITTER
Two of three left in the world.
Reeve takes a big slow WHIFF down the length of it.
REEVE
I doubt that.
VOICES approach, coming up the Stone Steps. The Northmen try
to hide the cigar, but they relax when they see its Uncle
Turn climbing the last few Stone Steps, out of breath.
UNCLE TURN
Oh, you brought the thing? Nice.
Uncle Turn, Breaker and Cinder, then finally Gray appear at
the top of the Steps. Grays out of breath, like Turn, and
tries to not act super-excited to see Ritter.
GRAY
(to Ritter)
Oh, hello.
Reeve puts his hand on his sons shoulder.
REEVE
My son, I must beg Sweetmothers
leave to see Wade.
RITTER
I will come-REEVE
No. I am his king.
He wanders off without another beat. Ritter watches him go,
and Gray squints. Her mouth screws to one side. Its awkward.

64.

GRAY
Hell be all right.
Ritter turns, looks her in the eyes. Gray leans back.
RITTER
He is a warrior.
Gray nods.
GRAY
I like your face paint.
Ritter touches his face. He looks at Gray anew and smiles.
RITTER
I brought something to show you.
EXT. MAIN GATE - NIGHT
Swarmed by Sisters, Sweetmother points to PLATTERS they carry
and directs them with a thumb or a finger. She CLICKS her
fingers once or twice every few PLATTERS.
Reeve plods toward her with purpose.
REEVE
(booming, cracking)
Sweetmother, I beg your leave to
see my man Wade. Is he well?
A few of the Sisters crowd around Sweetmother, putting hands
on their bow-staffs. Sweetmother clicks her teeth, and they
back down. She approaches Reeve.
SWEETMOTHER
Your man is well. You beat me to
the punch by about a minute.
REEVE
And his grand-child, my god-child.
SWEETMOTHER
Yes.
Sweetmother CLICKS her teeth again, softly, and Young Sister
approaches, holding the mammoths head on a pike. There are
some flies buzzing around it now.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Take Crown Ritter and the totem to
the Sanctuary. You must take the
king to see his man and god-child.

65.

Young Sister nods, curtsies, and takes Reeves hand in hers.

REEVE
Thank you, my lady.
Very much like a robot, Young Sister blinks and starts
forward to the Main Gate, holding Reeves hand.
The king looks back, quickly scans and searches the lawn.
His face lights up with a smile.
From across the lawn, Ritter and Gray approach the FacePainters Shack. It looks like a carnival game shack, with an
open front. An oil lamp lights the booth. Gray hops up on a
wooden ledge while Ritter leans against it, and they seem to
be chatting.
Reeve breathes a sigh, nods. He turns back around, glances at
Young Sister, then faces front. Together they cross the
threshold of Main Gate into the Courtyard. The path is lit
with lanterns.
EXT. FACE-PAINTERS SHACK - NIGHT
A single oil lamp overhead lights the two kids as they babble
to each other. The girl plays with a braid of hair while
Ritter digs through a black leather satchel.
RITTER
Yes. Here we go.
He pulls out a rolled-up piece of thin leather, delicately
unties a cord around it, and unrolls a one-square-foot MAP.
Gray scooches closer.
GRAY
What is that?
Ritter flattens the edges, places round stones at corners.
RITTER
A map of the world.
Its a sideways Europe where dry land connects Ireland,
England, Spain, and Denmark. Sea level is SIXTY METERS lower,
all the shorelines are hundreds of miles farther out.
Grays eyes go wide, gazing the breadth of the small map.
Ritter points to a spot in what will be the North Sea.
RITTER (CONTD)
You are here.

66.

Ritters finger drags across the map, swooping down through

Britain and Doggerland into Netherlands and Germany. To the
north (on the right) the leather is pitted, tattooed with
titanium white. Ritter gestures across it.
RITTER (CONTD)
All this was ice. And it bled out,
washing over all this.
He drags spread fingers down the map, north-to-south, and
touches Grays hand. She moves it, covers a smirk, cocks her
head, and draws breath to speak.
RITTER (CONTD)
(doesnt notice)
We heard that a million people died
in one night. Here.
He points to Crimea. The Black Sea is half its current size,
no Sea of Azov along side. To the south no Aegean Sea, no Sea
of Marmara. The Mediterranean Sea is smaller, but still
represents the edge on the maps left side.
RITTER (CONTD)
Now its all underwater.
Grays lips twist as she stares at Crimea, Ritters finger.
GRAY
How many is a million?
He puts a hand on her shoulder.
RITTER
Im sorry.
GRAY
How many?
RITTER
Its ten by ten by ten by ten by
ten by ten. Multiplied.
Gray shakes her head, sniffs.
GRAY
Wow. Thats just too many people.
EXT. MAIN GATE - CONTINUOUS
Sweetmother watches them from afar with dead eyes.

67.

INT. COURTYARD - NIGHT

Young Sister leads Reeve by the hand through the Courtyard.
She dances past the Venus Statue.
They approach the set of Golden Doors leading inside the
Domed Henge, but there are no guards. Young Sister stops
before the doors, and Reeve eyes up markings on them.
REEVE
Do we knock, or...?
Young Sister shrugs, then pokes at one of the doors with the
mammoth head. The door CREAKS open, unlocked and ajar. Ritter
and the girl exchange a look.
INT. SANCTUARY - NIGHT
Young Sister pokes the mammoth head through the open door,
turns it back and forth. She pokes her head through, looks
back and forth, then enters with Reeve close behind.
Small torches light their way down a dark and narrow hallway.
The walls are covered with tapestries, all solid color. This
hallway is covered in silver cloth. It reflects torch light.
REEVE
This is incredible.
Young Sister waves him on.
INT. SANCTUARY HALLWAY INTERSECTION - CONTINUOUS
Young Sister brings Reeve to a T intersection. To the left
the walls are covered in yellow tapestries, not unlike the
fabric that the Sisters have worn. To the right the walls are
covered in white tapestries.
Young Sister points LEFT. Reeve nods.
INT. SANCTUARY HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Young Sister comes to a part of the wall where a fold of red
fabric between two white wall tapestries. Reeve approaches,
and sees.
The girl pulls back white fabric to reveal more red, then
pulls back red fabric to reveal firelight. Young Sister
points inside.

68.

INT. RED ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Every wall of the triangular room is covered with flowing red
tapestries, like the Sisters cloaks. Theres a hearth at one
corner of the room, and a weapons rack at another; between
them is a long stone bed, covered in gray fabric. Wade is in
the bed.
Reeve stumbles in and he sees him, coughs.
REEVE
Wade, old friend! How are you?
No answer. Reeve goes closer.
REEVE (CONTD)
Can you hear me?
Wades skin is pale and gray, even in the firelight. His hair
has been cut off, and he has been laid out in soft linens.
His armor, sword, and shield lay nearby. Reeve trips to his
knees at the mans side.
REEVE (CONTD)
Old friend?
He lays his arm across Wades waist, and his eyes go wide.
Reeve starts patting the dead mans abdomen, then starts to
stand up. His eyes dart up and down Wades body.
Wades eyes are sunk in, almost black. His frame looks almost
skeletal, as if hes been dead much longer than even just the
one day that has passed.
REEVE (CONTD)
What happened here?
Wades mouth opens with a CREAK, and a torrent of small
SILVER SPIDERS and GOLD SNAKES start pouring out.
REEVE (CONTD)
Gods, no!
Reeve jumps back, falls to his knees before Young Sister. She
kicks him away, then backs up.
Behind her, four Sisters in red cloaks MELT out of the wall!
They OOZE between Reeve and Young Sister, unsheathing
anodized steel SCIMITARS. Each wears SPIKED BRASS KNUCKLES.
Reeve grabs Wades broadsword while unsheathing his own.
The Sisters swords begin to GLOW like cold neon lights.
Young Sister backs out.

69.

Reeve spits on the floor.

REEVE (CONTD)
Give my god-child to my son.
The Red Sisters all glance at each other, their faces hidden
by their cloaks. They all LAUGH horrible, Joker-esque laughs.
They shake their heads, then redouble their fights stances.
The king nods.
REEVE (CONTD)
Thats it, then.
He swings both swords overhead at the Red Sister furthest to
his right, cutting her sword and her body in half.
The other three Red Sisters leap into action. One tries to
stab Reeve in his side, but he paries out of the way in time
so she only cuts him on his hip. Its just a flesh wound.
Reeve GRUNTS as he dances out of the way.
Reeve blocks a hit from another Red Sister with Wades sword
and sweeps both of her legs OFF with his own. He blocks
another swipe from each of the other two Red Sisters and
stumbles across the room.
The Hobbled Red Sister manages to lunge forward on her nubs,
stabs Reeve under his right buttock as he passes.
Reeve YOWLS in pain, then brings down Wades sword on her redhooded head, deflating it like a balloon.
The king uses the forward momentum from that swing to pitch
forward, escaping a SCREAMING Sisters sword-swipe and
ducking behind another Red Sister as she CHARGES him, making
Screaming Sister run her sword through the others CHEST.
Reeve stumbles against the wall.
The last Red Sister GROWLS as she pushes her dead compatriot
off her sword blade. She twirls, fakes him out, and then
strikes Reeve in the knee.
He paries and blocks another hit, and she another of his longarmed strikes. She lunges forward, staying low, and strikes
the back of his other knee.
The king HOWLS and tumbles over onto Wades body, panting and
sweating. He gathers what strength he thinks he has left, and
with a ROAR lunges at the Red Sister.
She brings her scimitar down right on top of him, and chops
off the kings entire left arm up to the shoulder.

70.

The arm (holding Wades sword) falls to the ceramic-tiled

floor, splattering blood on the rushes underfoot.
Red Sister stands in front of the king, admiring her work.
She LAUGHS a few of those horrible laughs again.
Without a sound, Reeve flicks his sword and decapitates her.
The body stands as her head rolls away, then falls to the
ground on another dead Red Sister.
Reeve looks around, then makes for the doorway.
EXT. FACE-PAINTERS SHACK - NIGHT
Face-Painter is putting the finishing touches on Grays face,
making her into a shark-dragon with mean-looking serrated
teeth, not unlike the front of a bomber airplane from WWII.
The top half of her face is painted titanium white.
Gray mocks a ROAR at Face-Painter and Ritter, and both burst
out laughing. Ritter smiles at Gray and blushes. He looks
away bashfully, idly off toward Main Gate, and his expression
instantly melts to horror.
A few of the Doggerlanders SCREAM, GASP. Theres a commotion
wherever hes looking. Gray looks.
Sisters shuffle about to reveal Reeve waltzing through Main
Gate onto Highest Hills lawn, past the altar. Hes bleeding
all over himself, delirious, holding his amputated arm under
his remaining arm and Wades sword in his remaining hand.
RITTER
Father!
He takes off running, and Gray stumbles forward after him.
The leather map of the world falls to the ground.
EXT. MAIN GATE - CONTINUOUS
Sisters all around GASP and SQUEAL, back away from Reeve as
he comes closer. Sisters with weapons step forward, but even
they cringe and GROAN at the sight of the wounded kings
bloody side. Theres not even a stump. Reeve bows as
gracefully as he can before his hosts.
REEVE
Ladies.
The Sisters all freeze. A BELL rings from atop Domed Henge,
and the Sisters shuffle and MURMUR amongst themselves.
Reeve laughs, cringing.

71.

REEVE (CONTD)
Apparently some sort of dire
emergency requires your attention.
The kings eyes roll back and his knees start to buckle.
Ritter SPRINTS up just in time to catch him.
RITTER
Father!
He slides onto his knees to catch and hold his father like a
child. His fathers alive, but barely. Reeve GROANS, COUGHS,
and his eyes clear. He gazes at his son and smiles.
REEVE
I know not why it was done, but I
know I made them pay.
He grabs his son by the hair to see that he understands.
Sweetmother fiddles with her strings of giant white pearls
with one hand, grabs the hem of her white cloak in the other.
Gray plays with one of her braids as they both approach the
king and prince from opposite sides.
Uncle Turn holds his nephews closer. EVERYONE watches.
REEVE (CONTD)
I made them pay.
Ritter cringes, staring into his fathers eyes.
RITTER
Not enough, father.
Crown Reeve coughs, raises a surprised eyebrow, then DIES.
Sweetmother takes a big slow step back, nonchalantly trying
to see if anybodys got her back. Zell appears, clothed in a
PURPLE cloak. She and Sweetmother share a worried nod.
Prince Ritter SOBS and rocks, clutching his fathers body.
RITTER (CONTD)
Not ENOUGH!!
Zell hands Grandmother a rusty steel TRIANGLE KNIFE with a
bone handle.
Gray takes a deep breath and steps forward, but before she
can speak Ritter lurches to his feet, SNARLING. He unsheathes
his fathers sword, grabs Wades, then strides toward the
Sisters. Gray tries to keep up.

72.

GRAY
Ritter...
Across the lawn, the Unicorn snorts and brays. The Sisters
who hold her in place are wide-eyed watching the boy stumble
across the lawn. Ritter starts toward the Sisters again and
they all begin backing away quickly. They start to RABBLE.
Sweetmother SNAPS her fingers softly and fans her hands for
her minions to see. She shakes her head, purses her lips.
Clustered together in small groups, the Sisters move like
fish escaping a drunken predator. Ritter lunges forward and
makes them SQUEAL and SCREAM and leap out of the way of his
wrath. He YELLS, GROWLS. Sisters trip over each other.
Gray watches and chews on her bottom lip, shakes her head.
She GROANS and shifts on her feet.
Ritter swings both swords and flings blood at the groups of
Sisters nearest him. They SQUEAL and trip on their own robes.
Some scream and try to run. Ritter lunges at them quicker and
quicker, swings the swords closer.
Sweetmother steps up, her arms wide. She talks like a trained
customer service representative.
SWEETMOTHER
Prince Ritter, I understand the
size of the grief you must be
experiencing. How may we help you
through this difficult time?
Ritter steps back, indignantly squints, then explodes.
RITTER
Difficult? I have become DEATH!
A loud SCREECH echoes overhead, and the sound of FLAPPING of
leather wings echoes off the nearby Rock Wall.
A heap of green glow-in-the-dark DRAGON FECES DROPS from the
sky, splattering a few Sisters. They GASP and CRY.
Ritter sulks.
RITTER (CONTD)
(beat)
Crap.

73.

EXT. HIGHEST HILL LAWN - CONTINUOUS

Swooping down from above, the Fish-Dragon SLAMS down on the
Unicorns back! Each razor-sharp foot-long talon is dug into
the mares hips, keeping her frozen in place.
Four Sisters try to swat the fish-dragon away with their long
spears, but the beast POUNDS the rest of his body and chest
down onto the ground, like a whip.
One Huntress Sister is just a bloodstain on the grass, but
EVERYONE is knocked back from the dragons fall. As a hail of
arrows start to come down, the beast SLITHERS over the
Sisters guts to the others. No arrows pierce the beasts
heavy scale plating. Not even his tongue.
Sisters and Doggerlanders SCREAM and run for their lives!
Two Huntress Sisters shoot arrows at the Fish-Dragons eyes
as fast as they can, but the Fish-Dragon twists out of the
way. It tucks in its wings and curls up like a boa
constrictor, digs her hind claw talons further into the
Unicorns spine.
The Unicorn SCREAMS and rears up to throw the Fish-Dragon
off, but the beast goes SLACK, uncurling. The Unicorns
attack lands with a weak THUD, she loses her balance.
The fish-dragon swats one of the Huntress Sisters away like
an ant off a picnic table, then bites down on the mares
neck. He rips off a chunk of flesh, and the mare bleeds what
looks like liquid mercury.
EXT. MAIN GATE - CONTINUOUS
Ritter and Sweetmother find themselves the only ones standing
still amidst the chaos. Neither pays any attention to the
attack going on nearby. Sweetmother is stoic, and Ritter has
the same fire in his eyes.
He breathes deep, SCREAMS, and lunges at the old woman
swinging both swords pressed together over one shoulder.
RITTER
Youre dead!!
With a HOOT, Zell SPRINTS into scene and blocks BOTH of
Ritters swords away with one hit from her Hammer! Theres a
double-CLANG as they strike! She swipes at him with a Golden
Sickle in her other hand, but misses.
Ritter rolls away, then pops back up, prepares to fight her.

74.

ZELL
Check your head, boy! Your father
had his revenge!
RITTER
Not enough!
Zell steps forward to attack.
ZELL
You said that already.
Ritter SCREAMS, lurches forward, and swings both swords
separately, spinning toward Zell.
She leaps and kicks down, blocking one sword with bronze
armor on her shins, then swinging her Hammer right at
Ritters naked head. He ducks out of the way, and as the
momentum of her swing carries Zell forward, he kicks her in
the back, to the ground. She hops up, SCREAMING, but he kicks
her in the chest again.
Their fight starts taking them out onto the LAWN proper.
EXT. HIGHEST HILL LAWN - CONTINUOUS
The Unicorn NEIGHS and bucks, sloppily double-kicking the
Fish-Dragon with her hind legs. She hits the beasts face!
Hes disoriented just enough for the mare to leap forward,
escaping the dragons GRIP!
She LIMPS and GRUNTS and CRIES with every step, and one of
her hooves CRACKS. The mare BRAYS and SNORTS, misses a swipe
of the Fish-Dragons wing as Sisters descend on it.
Zell and Ritter trade blocked attacks. Ritter tries to get
around her to attack Sweetmother every few moves. Sweetmother
has, of course, not moved an inch.
The Unicorn canters away from the Fish-Dragon, and the silk
Turnout Blanket she wears becomes more like a cape. Her
shoulder blades bulge, and with a single burst of speed and a
gust of wind, a giant pair of WHITE WINGS emerges!
Shes not only the last Unicorn and last horse in Doggerland,
but the last living Pegasus. But she's missing half her
flight feathers and some of whats left are dark with mold.
Just as it looks like she might try to take off, she flaps
her wings (letting fly a ton of loose feathers) but STOPS!
She slides a little in the wet grass, then looks back.

75.

Zell swings her Hammer around twice, spinning and kicking

toward Ritter.
ZELL
Stand down, filthy Northman!
Ritter ducks a swipe of the Hammer, then lunges forward and
tries to cut off Zells legs.
RITTER
Good riddance, right?!
Zell HOPS over his swords, then doubles-back and grabs the
boy in a headlock. She crouches, flips him over her shoulder.
The Fish-Dragon tosses a few Sisters in gold robes aside like
they were rag dolls, then it bites another one and scans
around across the breadth of The Lawn. He towers above the
fray hes created.
The Pegasus is licking its wounds.
The Fish-Dragon GROWLS, still holding a Sister in his mouth.
She comes to from the shock, then SMASHES her stone axe
against the Fish-Dragons head TWICE before he ROARS with
gritted teeth and snaps her in half.
Sisters around him SCREAM.
The Pegasus stamps her hooves. She SNORTS and charges.
Two Huntress Sisters attack the Fish-Dragon while its dazed
from the axe blows. One Sister unloads arrows at its face
while the other launches rocks with a slingshot at its belly.
The Sisters HOWL, but the Fish-Dragon takes out two more Gold
Sisters (in way too close) with a single flick of his tail.
The Pegasus picks up speed by tucking her wings back.
From where hes laying, Ritter sees that Zell is no longer
between he and Sweetmother, and he trips to his feet and
lunges right at the old woman.
Zell leaps forward, after him, and jumps onto his back.
Ritter flails his swords to try to strike her, but she hangs
down far enough where he cant reach her. She wraps her legs
around his legs, and they both go down to the ground.
Sweetmother smiles, pleasantly.
Surrounding the Fish-Dragon, the remaining Huntress Sisters
HOOT and HISS at the beast as they fire arrows. One looks to
her left and her eyes go wide. She has just enough time to
shove her Sister out of the way before...

76.

With a NEIGH, the Pegasus leaps right at the beast, flying

through the air! She flails her hooves wildly, but the dragon
twirls in place like a top, and HITS the Pegasus away like a
volleyball with its forehead.
The Pegasus flaps her wings to recover but goes down hard on
her chest. Dirty white feathers fly everywhere.
The Fish-Dragon lashes out and doesnt let any of the Sisters
anywhere near close enough. He extends his wings and SHRIEKS.
With one good flap that blows Sisters down, he rises straight
into the sky, then turns and falls straight back down again
to SLAM the ground.
EVERYONE is thrown by the wind of the impact, but myriad
Sisters are simply blown apart by the concussive force.
Gray lands on her back with the wind knocked out of her.
The others SCREAMS and SHRIEKS dull. She stares up.
Against the underside of the canopy of the Grand Tree theres
a dark silhouette of a giant CROW-DRAGON gliding, then a
crescendo of SQUAWKING, one and two, then hundreds of birds.
Their silhouettes start to appear. Dozens. Small.
Gray sits up, and a few BIRDS fly past in background. Then a
few small flocks.
All the Doggerlanders STOP and look and see, and the
squawking has now become all there is to hear. In background,
the Fish-Dragon quietly flies away.
Zell and Ritter, still locked together, stop and listen to
the SQUAWKING. Their jaws hang open as they pant.
Sweetmother takes three slow steps forward, watching with
mouth agape, eyes half-closed.
Birds by the THOUSANDS are fleeing from the Grand Tree.
Flocks of starlings, wide anarchic patterns of geese, and
whole clans of hawks shooting between. Theyre all leaving in
a damn fools hurry, and loudly.
SWEETMOTHER
Oh no.
At first it strikes like all the other micro-earthquakes;
low, broken, piano note. PLUNK.
The Doggerlanders and Sisters get shoved a tiny little bit,
all in the same direction, but otherwise theyre busy
watching the birds.

77.

Another micro-earthquake shoves EVERYONE in the opposite

direction. This quake is just a hair more violent, a tad
longer in duration. Doggerlanders and Sisters look around at
each other and start to MURMUR.
A quick FORESHOCK strikes, knocking clusters of Sisters into
one another. Sweetmother is rocked to one side, but Sisters
hovering around her keep her on her feet. A few of them fall
backwards helping.
Gray is shoved over onto her back again.
GRAY
No!
Doggerlanders SCREAM as theyre all shoved around, and then
the FORESHOCK ends abruptly, leaving only silence. Sisters
faint, and a few others only then start to CRY.
Gray watches as leaves from the Grand Tree high above them
start to fall all across the lawn. Light at first.
Ritter and Zell struggle to free themselves from the other,
and the Fish-Dragon quietly THUDS to a landing in background.
Its carrying a severed leg and hind-quarter of the Pegasus
in its mouth, dripping silvery blood everywhere.
A Red Sister and Uncle Turn appear next to the dragon! They
grab the unicorns leg and pull.
UNCLE TURN
Let go! Its not yours!
RED SISTER
Devil beast! Invader!
UNCLE TURN
Yeah! Youre not even from around
here, you ugly little pecker-head!
The Fish-Dragon shakes his head, head-butting the duo and
then batting them away with the unicorns leg! They fly.
Zell and Ritter FLINCH and cringe, ducking down behind an
overturned hay bale. The princes eyes go wide.
RITTER
Oh...
His fathers BODY lies next to the Fish-Dragon, shaking with
the foreshock. The beast sniffs at it.
RITTER (CONTD)
Father.

78.

Zell puts her hand on Ritters shoulder while he HUFFS.

The foreshock DIES out leaving only the PATTER of leaves.
Every few seconds a small branch falls. Doggerlanders
hesitantly rejoice, CLAPPING and CHEERING.
Gray gets up onto her hands and knees. We can still hear a
faint thudding bass sound, like a big rubber band being
pulled back. Gray feels it in her fingers.
GRAY
Floaty.
Sweetmother whispers to two Gold Sisters but we do not hear.
She flicks her fingers and the girls sprint away, toward the
Grand Tree. Sweetmother turns to whats left of her flock.
SWEETMOTHER
Sisters and Brothers, Children,
everyone, let us all say, WE-The LARGE EARTHQUAKE arrives like a wall of bass, blotting
out everything else! BZHZHZHZHZH!
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Its as if a space shuttle launched directly beneath them.
The quake could be 15-50 miles below, maybe 8.0 on the
Richter Scale. It could be a hundred miles away.
Everyone is thrown back to the ground, crying and squirming,
trying to cover their ears or escape somehow. The earth
gyrates and throws them all back and forth, up and down.
Everyone is screaming and crying, trying to hold each other.
The Fish-Dragon SHRIEKS as its jostled around. It COUGHS and
grabs Reeves body with a hind talon!
RITTER
No!
Ritter lunges and dashes forward sword first, almost falling
onto it. With a single FLAP of its cream-white wings, the
beast darts straight up. He CACKLES.
RITTER (CONTD)
NO!
The prince collapses to the ground, is then thrown to one
side by the QUAKING earth beneath him, lies face-down. Above
the loud bass BWAH sound and the CRUNCHING of the earth, we
can hear him MOANING and SOBBING.

79.

Zell watches him as shes shoved around by the quake, then

crawls closer to him.
A White-Robed Sister spins her head around as shes shoved,
trying to find the Sisters she was huddling with, and cant.
She screams where she kneels.
The Doggerland band-members all try to crouch in a ball,
screaming and shaking their heads. Sisters around them PRAY.
Sisters scream, pray, and hold each other as theyre shoved
about. They crawl underneath each other to escape the torrent
of creepy-crawlies from the Tree above. Some Sisters go mad.
Sweetmother SQUEALS and lifts a silk shawl over head, but a
jolt forces her to the ground, into mud. Sister #2 holds her
but strains to lift her back up, slipping on grass as it
tears away from the dirt.
SISTER #2
What the--?
RIPS and CHASMS open up across The Lawn.
Doggerlanders and Sisters trip and roll over each other to
get across before they spread too far.
A Gold Sister falls halfway into a thinner chasm, and is then
used as a bridge for others to crawl across while she
SCREAMS.
Thick black water BURBLES up and overflows. The Bridge Sister
COUGHS, chokes, and DROWNS. Bugs, spiders, and leaves fall
into the oily-looking water before it recedes, taking the
girls body with it.
Sisters rush forward to try and grab her, but they stop short
and cover their noses and mouths, cringing, COUGHING. A few
groups of Sisters at nearby chasms are doing the same;
gagging, collapsing, running away.
Gray tries stay on her knees, to see. She scans the lawn,
then sees something that makes her face glow.
GRAY
Hey!
Halfway across The Lawn, Breaker and Cinder are muddling
through the chaos. Breakers on his knees, dragging Cinder
forward while he covers his ears and CRIES.
Breakers scanning what he can see of The Lawn too, sees Gray
and lights up! He waves her over, SCREAMS something.
Sisters are SCREAMING in background.

80.

GRAY (CONTD)
Wheres Turn?!
She runs forward on her knees as best she can, and Breaker
does the same. Both grit their teeth, almost falling when
they come together in an embrace! A three-way-hug, swaying
and rocking from the ongoing quake.
Gray pulls away, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
GRAY (CONTD)
Wheres Uncle Turn?!
The Boys shake their heads.
BREAKER AND CINDER
I-- We dont know!
Gray shakes them in addition to the shaking of the ground.
GRAY
What?! How?!
BREAKER AND CINDER
We dont know!
She holds them tighter and scans around the Lawn. Nothing.
Breaker tries to wriggle free from Grays death-grip, but she
steps back and pulls them along. Theyre shoved back by a
jolt of the quake, then trudge on.
GRAY
Come on!
EXT. MAIN GATE - CONTINUOUS
Zell collapses next to Sweetmother. Her eyes are red, and
theres blood and vomit on her cheek and neck.
ZELL
We have to go, Sweetmother!
The old woman nods, trying to stand up. She cranes her neck
to see to the south.
Across the Lawn, beyond a small VALLEY stands the GRAND TREE.
The TREE BASE is at ground level and TREE HOUSE is a hollow
halfway up the tree with a pentagon-shaped doorway and a
DECK. A ROPE BRIDGE leads up to it, circling the tree once.

81.

EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - NIGHT

The Deck shakes, but holds. Its supported by a net of ropes
and pulleys. A pulley-operated elevator dangles and shakes
from a rope with counterweights. The platform is a pallet,
like the ones used in the paths through the floodplains.
Sisters swarm around the Deck. Most of them carry bundles,
trudging them up the Bridge or picking them off the elevator,
grabbing hand-holds placed conspicuously around.
A squad of Gold Sisters lights FIREWORKS like bottle rockets,
struggling a bit as they sway. The rockets SOAR out into the
night air beneath the Grand Trees canopy and POP into DEEP
BLUE showers of sparks, raining down and CRACKLING.
EXT. HIGHEST HILL LAWN - CONTINUOUS
EVERYONEs shadows on the lawn strobe and dance as the flares
light them all up BLUE. Sweetmother and Zell dont look up
but continue crawling.
The Doggerland Band stares up at the flares, agape. Other
Doggerlanders wear the same wide-eyed, slack-jawed face. This
is nothing theyve ever seen before.
Gray and the boys look up agape and afraid, too. Gray squints
hard to see through the glint.
Cinder hyperventilates, looking down at the ground.
CINDER
Uh-- Uncle T-- T-Gray, Breaker, and Ritter all hear him and turn to look.
Uncle Turns corpse lays in the grass, jiggling with the
quake, lit up blue. His spine and legs are bent sideways,
covered in unicorn blood. Spiders crawl all over him.
Cinder falls to his stomach while Breaker and Gray try to
rush forward against a few quick jolts of the quake.
BREAKER
No!
GRAY
Oh no, no, no! NO!!
As they both collapse onto Uncle Turns body, the light from
the flares FADES and dies. Doggerlanders and Sisters SCREAM
as theyre left in the dark. Breaker continues to shout, Gray
tries to form words, failing, SOBBING.

82.

A Huntress Sister falls blindly backwards over a chasm, and

the TORCH shes holding lands at the edge. As the chasm
starts to flood with oily water, it EXPLODES!
Another part of the LAWN lights up and EXPLODES. Sisters and
Doggerlanders finally stop screaming and start running for
their lives. The quake and spiders and branches raining down
werent enough.
EXT. HIGHEST HILL LAWN - CONTINUOUS
Approaching The Lawns far side before the hilt of the
Valley, Sweetmother trudges forward through the jolts with
Zell and a cadre of multicolored Sisters around her.
Theres a CRASH, SHATTERING, metal GROANS, and Sweetmother
looks back at Main Gate and beyond. Her jaw drops.
The Domed Henge headland RIPS apart and collapses, crumbling
into dust and sliding down into the floodplain.
Sisters WAIL and fall to their knees.
SWEETMOTHER
Dont stop! Follow us, children!
Down the valley at the base of the
Grand Tree! Join us and live! We
will all live forever!
There are some half-hearted, terrorized CHEERS in amongst the
SQUEALS and SCREAMS of the Doggerlanders.
Sweetmother starts to sing. No words. The tune sounds Irish.
Her voice cracks with each jolt of the quake as she steps
down a small HILL into The Valley.
A few dozen
keeping up.
back of the
silence but

Doggerlanders follow, dazed and zoned out, but

Gray and her brothers trudge forward near the
crowd, all with twisted, stunned faces. Theres
for the song.

They gain on Ritter, who looks half-dead on his feet. A jolt

shoves the prince backward, and Gray and Breaker prop him up.
He only nods when he sees them, lines up next to Gray.
EXT. VALLEY - CONTINUOUS
Sweetmother floats her hand across the Valleys long grass
while she sings, and EVERYONE shoves and trips this way and
that way together as one with each jolt of the quake. Some
Doggerlanders try to sing with Sweetmother, haltingly.

83.

Gray holds her brothers close, trying to march with the rest
of the Doggerlanders, trying to sing along.
As Sweetmother finishes her song they approach an older, rundown part of the Stone Wall, with an old run-down West Gate.
Its giant doors are open, with torches lit on both sides.
Now CLICKING her teeth, SNAPPING fingers, Sweetmother directs
Sisters and Red Sisters each to walk ahead of her. They
scatter across the little patch of bluegrass ahead, in all
about two dozen Sisters.
Theres one Yellow Sister left, but she stays next to
Sweetmother at the womans insistence. This is all that
remains of the two hundred at the Unicorn ceremony.
EXT. WEST GATE - CONTINUOUS
The quake starts to EASE UP as the Red Sisters and Sisters
line up on both sides of West Gate. The backside of the Grand
Tree looms beyond. The Sisters Tree House looms overhead,
lit up with many torches.
All the girls all hold their sword-hilts and brace each other
from the jolts and jitters of the ongoing quake, though less
intense. They eye each other up, wondering whos in charge.
Then ALL pull their swords, hold them aloft.
Sweetmother passes beneath the shaking blades with a limping
swagger alongside Yellow Sister. Zell tries to catch up. In
background there are fallen apples (from the Grand Tree)
everywhere, smashed and broken. Some look smushed, rotten
already. Others are bone white to their blackened cores.
Sweetmother, Zell, and Yellow Sister disappear through WEST
GATE behind the Rock Wall, followed by a squad of random
Doggerlanders holding the Pegasus torso in a stretcher.
Near the back of a mass of REFUGEE Doggerlanders, Grays
family and Ritter all struggle to march forward, watching the
proceedings at the Gate. They have wide-eyes and dry mouths.
RITTER
No way no how Im going in there.
GRAY
I know what you mean.
RITTER
No, I mean I cant go in there!

84.

He stops and sways where he stands with the jolts and shoves.
Just as Ritter draws breath the earthquake STOPS. Instead of
saying anything, he SIGHS and shuts his eyes.
Gray and the boys almost laugh. They choke up and cry.
Doggerlanders and Sisters rejoice! ALL hug and kiss, CHEER
and HOOT. The BAND-MEMBERS have a group-hug, cry. Theres
seems to be one of them missing.
The Sisters triangle TINGS three times and all the
Doggerlanders start trudging forward again toward West Gate.
Ritter backs up from Gray and The Boys, shakes his head.
RITTER (CONTD)
I cant go in there!
Grays eyes go wide and clear. She stops.
GRAY
Wait, we cant either!
(to her brothers)
Sun and Moon!
Breaker cocks his head, nods breezily. Cinder sighs, groans.
BREAKER
Suns in charge, Im sure
everythings--

CINDER
Theres now way they could
have surv--

Both bolt their necks around to face the other.

BREAKER AND CINDER
What?
Cinder starts hyperventilating.
CINDER
What?
Breaker punches his brother in the arm. Gray shakes her head
while Ritter nods, starts trudging away.
GRAY
We have to go back!
BREAKER
(to Cinder)
Yeah, we have to go back!
He punches his brother again.

85.

CINDER
Ow! Stop!
Gray rolls her eyes and follows after Ritter.
The brothers look at each other, swaying. Cinder tries to hug
his brother, but Breaker shoves and swats his hand from his
shoulder, then exits without a word.
Cinder stands alone, crying, swaying from the quakes jolts.
VOICES approach from behind. Its Sisters #1 and #2.
SISTER #1
Where are they going?
SISTER #2
You should come with us.
Theres a tiny spark in Cinders eyes.
EXT. LOOKOUT NOOK - CONTINUOUS
Ritter and Gray approach the Little Rock Wall at the Stone
Steps. Ritter is HUFFING and Gray tries to keep up.
Ritter glances at her, then down at his feet.
RITTER
We stop at my hut first.
Gray dances a skip to keep up with him. He did say we.
GRAY
What for?
RITTER
(beat)
Im wearing pajamas.
They approach the Stone Steps down to the Floodplain, and
Ritter gets one foot onto a step when Sisters #1 and #2 come
upon them. He stops when #1 calls out.
SISTER #1
Where are you going?
SISTER #2
Its not safe.
RITTER
Not one step closer.
They stop. Grays eyes bounce between Ritter and the Sisters.

86.

SISTER #1
Gray... Grandmother demands your
presence in the Great Hall.
Grays eyes bounce one more time then become stuck.
GRAY
What?
SISTER #1
The Great Hall.
SISTER #2
(rolls her eyes)
Grandmother, blessed be.
Ritters foot dangles over the first Stone Step.
RITTER
Did Sweetmother die?
Gray raises her eyebrows. Sister #1s are on fire.
SISTER #1
No.
SISTER #2
Sweetmother serves Grandmother.
(under her breath)
She never goes anywhere.
Sister #1 purses her lips with wide eyes. Ritters eyes thin.
RITTER
Never goes anywhere?
SISTER #1
You are both to come with us.
Ritter shakes his head, cocks it to beckon Gray to come.
The girl sizes up both Sisters, smirks.
GRAY
No weapons?
Sisters #1 and #2 glance at each other. Ritter LAUGHS and
disappears down the steps. Gray backs away.
GRAY (CONTD)
Just say we killed you!
She EXITS. Both Sisters walk up to little Rock Wall, and
stare out across the starlit floodplain.

87.

EXT. TREE BASE - CONTINUOUS

Two Gold Sisters help Sweetmother and Zell step up onto the
Rope Bridge leading up to the Tree House. Theyre led by a
Yellow Sister, now with a bow and arrow, and followed by two
Big Sisters who carry the Unicorn Torso wrapped in a sheet.
One hand on the rope lines and one on the sheet.
Unicorn Blood spreads on the rope as they half-drag it along.
A Gold Sister slips on it as she starts up after them.
Cinder ENTERS near the back of the line, led by Sister #2.
SISTER #2
A quick wait and a quick climb.
Cinder eyes up the Rope Bridge.
CINDER
Fig.
EXT. NORTH BLUFF - NIGHT
Gray makes it up to the Overgrown Huts before Ritter, and
looks around the Northmen camp. Ritter trudges up after, with
Breaker on his heels.
Ritter peers into a hut, then backs out. He goes to the next,
and sees something.
INT. MUD HUT - CONTINUOUS
Ritter pads in quietly on his toes, wide-eyed. He SQUEAKS and
rushes forward.
RITTER
Bowman!
Prince Ritter grabs the Last Northman, BOWMAN, and ROARS! The
Bowman is still dressed in leather armor, some vomit in his
beard. Maybe twenty-five years old; goofy, bald, and tall.
BOWMAN
Wha--?!
Ritter RIPS him off his blanket and shoves him out the door
into the night air. The prince grabs two canteens of water
and ale off a hook in the ceiling. He cracks it open.
RITTER
Thank the gods.

88.

EXT. MUD HUT - CONTINUOUS

Bowman GROANS at Gray and Breakers feet. We can hear Ritter
rummaging around the hut, MUTTERING.
Gray and Breaker look around uneasily. Gray looks up at her
hut, farther up the hill.
GRAY
Maybe we should-BREAKER
Right?
Ritter exits and dusts off his hands while his man dry heaves
on the grass. The prince wears armor now.
RITTER
The entire history of my people is
in one of these huts! Not to
mention my codpiece! Those crazies
will have my member on a spit!
Bowman dry heaves again. Ritter disappears into another hut.
GRAY
Yeah, were just gonnaBreaker nods, grabs Grays shoulder and pulls her away.
EXT. ROPE BRIDGE - NIGHT
Cinder is almost halfway up the Bridge on the BACK SIDE of
the Grand Tree, holding on to the rope with white knuckles.
Torches light the way. The line on the bridge gets denser
close to where it disappears behind the tree. Up ahead its
slow going as Sweetmother is setting the pace.
Sweetmother wheezes and leans on Zell for support. The Big
Sisters GRUNT as they carry the Unicorns remains behind her.
Cinder slips on some Unicorn Blood! With a COUGH, he catches
himself. He shakes his head, breathes, and continues on.
EXT. GRAYS HUT - NIGHT
Breaker and Gray approach, scanning the hut for any damage.
BREAKER
Im not going in. You go in.
Gray CLICKS her teeth.

89.

INT. GRAYS HUT - CONTINUOUS

Theres some light from a fire inside as Gray peeks in.
GRAY
Hello? Anybody alive?
Theres a SHUFFLE somewhere on the floor.
SUN (O.S.)
Pssst. Gray?
She sounds choked, injured. Gray walks forward, crunching
broken things and twigs from the ceiling and roof on the
straw mats covering the floor.
GRAY
Sun?
SUN
Gray.
The girl turns and sees her sister. Sun is sitting upright on
the floor between a hay bale and the hearth. Both her legs
are broken at the knees, pointed in the same wrong direction.
GRAY
Oh, Sun.
SUN
Dont you woe-is-me me.
Sun lifts up the thigh bone of a wildebeest with an oily rag
attached, sticks it in the hearth, and makes a torch.
SUN (CONTD)
Moon?!
(beat, to Gray)
Still nothing.
She holds the torch above her head, wincing in pain. Theres
no response to her call. Grays lip quivers.
GRAY
Is she--?
SUN
She might think its a game or
something. I dont know. I only
made it here from over there, and I
only passed out twice along the way
from the pain. So...
She hands Gray the torch, and the girl nods and stands.

90.

SUN (CONTD)
Where are the boys?
GRAY
Breakers right outside, and
Cinders probably at the Tree.
Everybodys there.
Sun adjust herself, GROANS.
SUN
What about Turn?
GRAY
(beat)
Hes with Cinder.
Sun HUMS an affirmative, then snort-laughs.
SUN
They make quite the pair.
GRAY
Yeah.
Gray exits with the torch.
EXT. MUD HUT - NIGHT
Ritter dusts his hands off again, holding a leather folio.
RITTER
Here it is, Gray. The entire hi-He looks around and only Bowman crouches nearby, puking.
EXT. LOOKOUT NOOK - NIGHT
Sisters #1 and #2 stare out into the darkened floodplain.
Sister #2 leans over.
SISTER #2
Isnt it high tide?
Sister #1 rolls her eyes.
SISTER #1
Yes.
SISTER #2
But the seas not out there.

91.

Sister #1s eyes search the floodplain. No rivulets. Dry.

SISTER #2 (CONTD)
Ive got a bad feeling about this.
SISTER #1
Run and tell the others.
Sister #2 hesitates, then bolts across The Lawn, down toward
The Valley and West Gate. Sister #1 continues her watch.
EXT. ROPE BRIDGE - NIGHT
The Tree House Deck is just in Cinders sight, with Sisters
holding wreaths of flowers for each person who makes it. The
boy walks sidestep by sidestep, hand over hand, carefully.
He makes the mistake of looking down, and sways on his feet.
CINDER
A quick climb.
Theres a loose rope catch Cinders bare foot. The bridge is
dripping wet with Unicorn Blood here.
CINDER (CONTD)
What-- Ah!
He slips and falls! Cinder dangles below the bridge, with his
foot caught in the loop of rope! He SCREAMS.
EXT. TREE BASE - NIGHT
Sister #2 nearly RAMS into Sisters manning the Rope Bridge,
whispers something to them. The Sisters shes wheezing onto
cringes, step back.
SISTER #2
You have to tell them.
The Sisters eyes widen as they understand. One starts
ringing a TIN TRIANGLE and the other blows a HORN and tries
to cut ahead of the other Doggerlanders on the bridge.
EXT. ROPE BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
The HORN BLASTS and RINGING echo around the BACKSIDE of the
tree, and Doggerlanders start walking double-time along the
Bridge, RABBLING as they go.

92.

EXT. ROPE BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

Cinder dangles from the Rope Bridge, and Doggerlanders RABBLE
past him, overtop where hes hanging.
CINDER
Help me! Its me thats in trouble!
Some of the Doggerlanders MURMUR, but no one helps.
CINDER (CONTD)
Somebody!
A WOMAN glances at Cinder, looks him in the eyes.
CINDER (CONTD)
Hey! Help me, please?!
She looks away.
CINDER (CONTD)
(crying)
Thanks for nothing!
The Woman turns to look back at him, but as her weight on the
ropes shifts she slips and falls, SCREAMING! Cinder watches.
CINDER (CONTD)
Sorry!
EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - CONTINUOUS
Zell appears in the pentagon-shaped doorway. The BELL has
summoned her, but from afar Cinder SCREAMS and she darts her
head and squints to see him.
Cinder dangles while stunned Doggerlanders shuffle past.
Zell tightens GAUNTLETS on her wrists and rushes forward. She
weaves between Doggerlanders and Sisters holding flower leis,
GRUNTING and GROWLING. She finally shoves someone at the Rope
Bridge entrance, and they barely react at all.
EXT. ROPE BRIDGE - NIGHT
Cinders crudely-made leather pants are RIPPING apart.
CINDER
I pray to stay in thy good grace!
I pray to stay in thy good gods NO!

93.

He starts to slip from the loop in the rope, and Zell pushes
past one last Doggerlander to grab Cinder by his bony ankle!
Cinder SCREAMS!
ZELL
All right, good grace. Shut up.
Cinder HOOTS and rejoices! Zell lifts him up.
EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - NIGHT
Zell leads Cinder up the last few steps of the Rope Bridge to
the Deck. The boy gladly accepts leis from two Sisters.
SISTERS
Welcome.
Zell leads him toward the pentagon doorway, gold double-doors
wide open. Sisters and Doggerlanders mosey in and out.
INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS
As they stroll inside, Zell watches Cinders mouth hang agape
wider and wider at the extent of ornate metal-covered walls,
bannisters, spiral staircases, plush furnishings, and a
variety of foods served buffet-style.
Doggerlanders CHAT over grapes and cake, crackers and cheese.
All on gold platters on ornate carved wooden tables.
A Sister cooks eggs over a primitive griddle, but the spatula
she uses is like one of Turns, bronze and old.
INT. MOONS ROOM - NIGHT
Gray pokes her head in, lit by torchlight. Her eyes are wide.
GRAY
Moon?
Nothing. She takes a step forward.
A section of the roof has caved in on Moons bedding.
GRAY (CONTD)
Moon?
She turns to her left, and freezes.
GRAY (CONTD)
Moon!

94.

Moon is propped up against the wall, shaking her head as best

she can. Shes Suns TWIN, three hundred pounds with NUBS for
arms, both legs amputated below the knee. Her hair is short.
MOON
(whispers)
Quiet! The monster will come back!
Gray approaches and crouches next to her sister.
GRAY
(sigh)
I want to say it wasn't a monster,
but at this point I'm not so sure.
MOON
Water coming?
GRAY
Yeah, we just have to get you
outside first.
MOON
Outside?
Ritter peeks his head in through the open doorway, COUGHS.
Gray and Moon both look.
MOON (CONTD)
(turned on)
Outside!
GRAY
Moon!
Ritter comes closer, kneels down beside Gray.
GRAY (CONTD)
This young lady is my sister, Moon.
RITTER
(bows)
Enchanted, my lady.
Moon blushes and shakes her head.
MOON
No ones lady.
While Ritter smiles, Gray leans in closer to him.
GRAY
What say you?

95.

Ritter sizes up Moon, spies the bed and the blankets.

RITTER
Only one way to know for sure.
With a few CRACKS and a CRASH, one whole side of the room
collapses and slides away! The kids scream! Moon howls!
RITTER (CONTD)
Grab her! Go!
Ritter grabs the torch and they both grab Moon under her
flipper arms and start dragging her toward the doorway.
RITTER (CONTD)
Bowman! Breaker! Quickly!
Gray GROANS, gets knocked to the floor by Ritters wide step.
GRAY
Ow!
RITTER
Bowman!
More of the ceiling collapses onto Moons bed, and Gray
stumbles out of the room holding her hip.
INT. GRAYS HUT COMMON AREA - CONTINUOUS
Moon is gently thrown onto Turns Sled right next to Sun.
MOON AND SUN
(to each other)
Hello!
SUN
(to Ritter and Bowman)
Make sure you get my shield! Its
my fathers fathers-Ritter tosses her a pentagonal wooden shield, covered in
thick bronze, crafted to look like a BEARS HEAD, roaring.
RITTER
Its very nice.
Bowman wraps two thick ropes around each hand and limbers up.
He pulls the ropes taught, one over each shoulder, and the
sledge nudges forward.
BOWMAN
Ill get us through the doorway!

96.

Everyone drops their ropes.

Bowman GROANS and charges straight out the doorway through
the vestibule with the sledge. Moon HOOTS as they go!
EXT. GRAYS HUT - NIGHT
Bowman charges out the doorway but sees a CHASM in the ground
before him! He tries to stop but slides on wet grass ripping
away from the mud. But the sledge shoves him forward!
BOWMAN
Stop! No!
He slides over the side of the chasm!
EVERYONE sees as they rush out Grays Huts doorway, falling
to their knees alongside the sledge.
Ritter leaps at the chasm.
RITTER
Bowman!
He lands on his chest, with his head hanging down into the
darkness of the chasm, and he LAUGHS. It echoes.
BOWMAN (O.S.)
Right here, my lord!
INT. CHASM - CONTINUOUS
He dangles from the ropes still wrapped around his hands,
tied to the front of the sledge above him.
BOWMAN
Ill lose me fingers but Im here!
Ritter grabs the ropes and starts pulling.
RITTER
(to anyone)
Pull me back! Pull my legs!
Theres a BURBLING sound from below them.
BOWMAN
You hear that-(sniffs)
...and smell that, my lord?
Ritter sniffs the air as his legs are jerked around.

97.

A micro-earthquake strikes, knocking some dirt loose.

RITTER AND BOWMAN
Pull us up! Pull us up!
EXT. GRAYS HUT - NIGHT
Gray and Breaker HEAVE and pull on Ritters legs!
SUN
Pull him up!
MOON
Pool!
With a GROAN, they get Ritter back up, Bowman is halfway out.
The burbling sound is louder. Gray helps Ritter to his feet.
RITTER
We have to go!
EVERYONE grabs ropes.
BOWMAN
We pull on heave and loose on ho!
Everybody got it?
EVERYONE
Got it!
BOWMAN
Heave!
They all lurch forward. Bowman stands aside and hopes the
crack alongside the sledge, a third of the way across.
BOWMAN (CONTD)
Ho! And mind the chasm! Heave!
They all GROAN and shove the sledge another third of the way
across the chasm.
BOWMAN (CONTD)
Ho!
The chasm BURBLES a retort, and theres another micro-quake.
RITTER
Crap!
BOWMAN
Faster now! Heave!

98.

A ROAR rises up behind them followed by CRASHING. Everyone

looks back to see the rest of Grays Hut collapsing!
SUN
(looking)
Dont look!
BOWMAN
Heave again!
As the north side of the island slides away, the ground right
below the sledges BACK END rises up, pitching the whole
sledge forward! Moon and Sun are shoved about, and the sledge
SLAMS into the inside of the chasm! Everyone screams!
SUN
Come on, you no-good buck-kneed
huckleberry swamp-grass-smoking
ankle-biters and PULL!
MOON
POOL!
BOWMAN
Heave!
GRAY AND BREAKER
Whatever!
The crevasse overflows with OILY FOAM, pushing up against the
bottom of the Sledge as it swells. One of the Sledges
runners SLIPS, but rides the rising floodwater tide!
Everyone HOWLS, yanks on the ropes as the foam forces them
away. Noses scrunch and eyes cringe, start to tear up.
SUN
(choking)
Heave!
They pull and CHOKE and GROWL the sledge until its over the
side, clear of the foam! Everyone collapses to their hands
and knees, hold their noses and coughs from the smell.
All the land on the north side of the
rest of Grays Hut included. The roar
Only dust rising from the floodplain.
around them OOZE down over the cliff.

chasm drops away, the

of it fades below them.
Piles of oily foam
The air clears.

A micro-earthquake strikes. Everyone scrambles to their feet!

They grab their ropes and starts pulling the sledge downhill.
RITTER
Move it! Move it!

99.

EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - NIGHT

Sister #2 heaves and wheezes as she comes to the top of the
Rope Bridge, shoving past an elderly couple with a baby.
SISTER #2
Sorry.
She makes a bee line toward the golden pentagon doorway, up
the step or two into the Great Hall.
INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS
She marches forward with Sweetmother in her sights. The old
woman is mussing up Cinders curly blond hair. He giggles.
Sister #2 moves in close, whispers in Sweetmothers ear, and
the old womans eyes go wide for just a flash, then recover.
SWEETMOTHER
Thank you.
Sister #2 steps back. Her mouth hangs open.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
You may go.
The girl reluctantly exits. Sweetmother turns to her
congregants with a wide smile, sweeping arms.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Children, Sisters... We must
prepare ourselves for safe passage
on a journey into a higher state of
mind and being.
The Doggerlanders MURMUR amongst themselves. Some CLAP.
SWEETMOTHER (CONTD)
Peace!
They CHEER! Sweetmother soaks it up. Behind her, Sister #1
cheers and encourages Sister #2 to do the same. She cant.
EXT. NORTH BLUFF SHORELINE - NIGHT
Gray leads the others to the shoreline, taking point. Now
shes holding Suns heirloom shield. Her eyebrows twitch and
her lips twist.
GRAY
Clear!

100.

Ritter leads the group pulling the sledge. They come to the
shoreline where Gray stands, and slow up.
RITTER
Unless we want to carry it well
have to go across the floodplain.
He sees Grays faraway gaze.
RITTER (CONTD)
Youre making a face. What?
GRAY
Its high tide.
Ritter looks out. Along all the string of pallets in the mud,
someone has placed tiki torches between the planks. None of
them are submerged in water, but still submerged in mud.
At their feet, Ritter and Gray eye the cracks in it.
RITTER
High tide.
GRAY
Apparently not.
Ritter licks his lips. He looks back at the sledge and sees
Bowman and Breaker leaning against a rock, panting.
RITTER
We have to go...
He trails off because of a mid-range HISS that grows in
intensity. The others hear it. Everyone looks around.
SUN
What kinda foolery is this now?
Gray and Ritter look the other way, to the north.
RITTER
What in heaven?
Out on the horizon, theres a glowing line. It twinkles and
seems to be growing in height.
Its a ten-story wall of oily debris-filled water, fire, and
icebergs, rushing southward toward them.
Gray puts her hand on Ritters shoulder, eyes wide.
GRAY
We have to go.

101.

Ritter has a thousand-yard stare. The line entrances him.

RITTER
Yeah. I think youre right.
BOWMAN
Line up, people!
Sisters #1 and #2 appear without a sound and grab Ritter and
Gray full-nelson!
RITTER AND BOWMAN
Hey!
GRAY
Get off!
The Sisters and the kids are swarmed by Red Sisters who grab
and lift Gray and Ritter into the air! Theyre carried away!
Bowman and Breaker charge them, but have no weapons.
BREAKER
Get off my sister!
Sister #1 turns around and spins a double-edged scimitar
sword with a double handle. More like a Klingon batleth.
SISTER #1
Dont.
Sun and Moon shout from the sledge.
SUN (O.S.)
Whats happening?
MOON
Water coming!
Breaker runs back to his sisters, and Bowman HUFFS another
few moments before following. Sister #1 exits.
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - NIGHT
The Sisters carry Gray and Ritter by each appendage to one
Sister, they both kick and scream until Sisters place cloth
ball gags in their mouths. They dont stop screaming.
SISTERS
We pray to stay in thy good grace.
Gray screams as she looks back at North Bluff. The air is
clear for once. But the whole horizon is filled with fire.

102.

EXT. NORTH BLUFF - CONTINUOUS

The breaking tsunami rushes toward North Bluff island at an
incredible speed, churning and devouring patches of oil on
fire and icebergs, grinding them all together like a plow.
The rest of North Bluff slides into the floodplain, and the
wave pushes almost all the way up the ramp of debris, then
swells around the rest of the island, setting trees alight.
EXT. NORTH BLUFF SHORELINE - CONTINUOUS
Bowman and Breaker are halfway to Highest Hill, heaving,
wheezing, dragging the sledge carrying Moon and Sun.
Sun sees the fire water swell around the island toward her.
SUN
Trudge faster!
MOON
Water coming!
The guys GROAN, sinking into the mud.
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - NIGHT
The Sisters continue to CHANT as they carry Gray and Ritter,
double-timing their chant and pace at the same time. Gray and
Ritter continue to scream from behind their gags.
With the Grand Tree on Highest Hill looming closer, Gray
watches her brother struggle, Ritter watches his man.
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - CONTINUOUS
The boys keep trudging harder and faster but the mud is
getting deeper and deeper. The sledge is cockeyed.
SUN
We pray to stay--!
EXT. TREE BASE - CONTINUOUS
As the Sisters carry Gray and Ritter up the shoreline to the
Deck Elevator, both captives are helpless but to watch all of
their kin vanish in the tsunamis approaching tumult.

103.

GRAY AND RITTER

(crying)
NO! NO!
The Sisters march them over to the waiting Deck Elevator.
EXT. DECK ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS
Both Gray and Ritter are thrown onto the elevator platform.
Just another one of the pallets with ropes at the corners.
The kids curl up where they land, WAILING.
EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - NIGHT
Sister #2 and three other Sisters toss the elevators
counterweight over the side. It looks like a cannonball on a
rope.
EXT. DECK ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS
Sister #1 uses a ceremonial knife to cut the rope keeping the
pallet on the ground. The approaching tsunami sounds like a
JET ENGINE is flying right at them.
SISTER #1
Good grace.
She cuts the last of the rope, and the elevator JERKS and
SHOOTS up, shoving Gray and Ritter down on their faces.
As the elevator pulls away the tsunami wave rushes up Highest
Hills north shoreline and engulfs all dozen or so Sisters.
They stand post to the end.
The wave strikes the side of the Grand Tree and some spray
shoots up and strikes the elevator pallet! The wave swells
around the tree and the island, covering the ground below
Gray and Ritter with fire.
Gray lays still and MOANS, but Ritter struggles to his knees.
He sees the Sisters brightly-colored counterweight shoot
past them on its way down, ZIPPING through the air. He nods.
RITTER
(to Gray)
Were gonna have to jump!
GRAY
(mumbled)
What?

104.

RITTER
I said were gonna have to jump!
Gray rolls over to face him.
GRAY
Jump?! What?
Ritter looks up, sees the approaching Tree House Deck.
RITTER
Are you ready?
The counterweight PLUNGES down into the swell of burning, icy
floodwaters below, and the thick rope catches fire.
Ritters head pops up above the Decks ground level.
RITTER (CONTD)
Jump!
He leaps head-first up and out of the elevator and rolls!
EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - CONTINUOUS
The elevator jerks up and strikes the Deck as it rises to the
top, then stops, falls a few feet, and wobbles in place.
Grays stomach turns as she tries to get up, holds the rope.
Ritter rushes to the edge and reaches out his hands.
RITTER
Come on, Gray! Jump!
EXT. TREE BASE - CONTINUOUS
Fire continues up the rope between the elevator and the
counterweight. A strand of its braid POPS.
EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - NIGHT
The elevator pallet rocks with the POP, and Sister #2 reaches
out for Gray to take her hand alongside Ritters.
SISTER #2
Step forward, Gray!
RITTER
Come on!
Other Sisters gather in close to see whats wrong.

105.

EXT. DECK ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

Gray stands and turns around. The entire floodplain is awash
with ice and fire, oil and water, and North Bluff collapses
into nothing as another tsunami wave plows through.
The girl tries to find a spot on the floodplain, but theres
nothing left. Her eyes wander away.
RITTER
Gray!
Gray turns back to Ritter and the Sisters and searches their
yearning, screaming faces.
SISTER #2
Oh my gods!
Gray scans the faces on the deck. No one she recognizes.
EXT. TREE BASE - NIGHT
Another strand of the Deck Elevators rope SNAPS in flames.
The fiery floodwaters rise, set more of the tree on fire.
EXT. DECK ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS
Grays eyes search the deck up to the pentagon doorway and
the golden double-doors. Through them she can see gold and
silver, light, and the clinking of utensils on food.
Cinder and Sweetmother appear in the pentagonal doorway, and
step out onto the deck. When Cinder and Gray see each other,
they both light up! Theyre all either has left now. Cinder
takes off toward the girl.
Ritter and Sister #2 see Grays face light up, turn to see.
EXT. DECK ELEVATOR - NIGHT
Gray shifts her foot and takes two slow strides forward off
the elevator onto the Deck while Ritter and Sister #2s heads
are turned. She steps off the platform just as it JERKS to
one side and falls!
The rope races through a pulley on a crane attached to the
deck, but before the rope gets to its end the pulley breaks!
Gray strides between Sisters holding leis absentmindedly.
Cinder rushes forward, hugs his sister, holds her waist.
Gray wraps her arms around him, kisses him on his head.

106.

Together, they stroll toward the pentagonal doors, where

Sweetmother waits. Ritter follows on their heels.
An AFTERSHOCK strikes, and everyone is thrown north. Sisters
fall to the deck, Sister #2 trips before going over the side!
EXT. PENTAGON DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
Ritter is shoved into Gray and Zell.
RITTER
Great idea coming up here. Sure.
With a few CRACKS and wooden SQUEALS, the whole Grand Tree
QUAKES and tips north!
Sisters and Doggerlanders are pitched off the Deck into the
flames below! Sweetmother, Zell, Gray, Ritter, and Cinder ALL
fall toward and lunge at the doorway just the same.
Sweetmother gets there first.
INT. PENTAGON DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
Myriad Sisters help Sweetmother up and through the tilted
pentagon doorway. She GRUNTS. Beneath the hanging folds of
her cloak and robes she wears silver chain mail.
SWEETMOTHER
Good grace. Thank you. Thanks.
Zell and the rest are assisted by one or maybe two Sisters
while the rest flock around Sweetmother.
Gray shoves Cinder up first, then Ritter pops up and gives
her a hand up into the Great Hall.
INT. GREAT HALL - DAY
Sweetmother makes a bee line for a small wooden doorway in
the corner, brushing off minions, then disappears inside.
Gray and Ritter are given leis, and the couple wanders in and
stares up at the ornate metallic insides of the room.
Even Ritter is agape. Gray gazes back down and spies tables
with half-demolished buffet platters. Cringing, she seethes
while staring at the Doggerlanders there. Smiling. Full.
GRAY
Delicacies while were dying?!

107.

Cinder hugs Grays side. Ritter hovers back-to-back with them

both. Sisters MURMUR and scurry about.
Sweetmother ENTERS from the Wooden Doorway to see Ritter
raising his hands to the ceiling. Her eyes go wild.
RITTER
What are we all doing here, anyway?
Just delaying the inevitable?
The Doggerlanders scoff, sneer, and side-eye orphan Gray and
the newly-orphaned Northman.
A WOMAN sitting reclined on a gold fainting couch snortlaughs, then passes out. Her goblet of wine CLANGS on the
floor as it rolls away, from the odd angle of the floor.
People around her SQUEAL.
Across the room, a MAN starts to seize, then falls dead!
Everyone starts to SCREAM except Gray, Ritter, Sweet Mother,
and Zell at the other corner.
RITTER (CONTD)
I guess not.
They alone stand still amidst the chaos, with only
Sweetmother wearing a look of calm. Zell is frozen, wide-eyed
and jaw hanging. People are dying everywhere.
Gray holds Cinder closer. The Tree SHAKES, but it doesnt
sound like a quake.
INT. PENTAGON DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
Some Sisters peer around outside, MURMURING. The Fish-Dragon
SLAMS down onto the deck! He lunges forward toward the
doorway, BARKING, SNARLING and batting Sisters away.
Sisters and a few Doggerlanders scream and run, only Gold
Sisters with spears stay and fight the dragon, poking it. The
beast tries to stick its head inside, and it cant fit.
The curled rams HORNS on the dragons head are too big to
fit through the weird angles of the doorway. Gold Sisters
stand at a safe distance, sneering at the beast.
The dragon looks around and above, WHIMPERING. Sweetmother
laughs and raises her arms as if its a miracle.

108.

INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS

Gray steps back, watching the nervous behavior of the dragon.
She holds Ritters hand, and he starts backing up too.
The Fish-Dragon looks back and around again, then RAMS the
doorway, WHINING louder. Panicked.
Gray, Cinder, and Ritter find themselves backed up against
the golden wall. The Wooden Doorway is to Grays right. She
sees it and nudges Ritter, shows it to him. He nods.
INT. PENTAGON DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
The fish-dragon
Sisters spears
distracted, and
is cut short by

darts his head behind him, looking about.

hit a weak spot on his underbelly while hes
the dragon ROARS and SHRIEKS. But his shriek
a giant HAWK FOOT that SLAMS down onto him!

Sisters are blown away and the golden doors in the pentagon
doorway are blown apart! The tree rocks with the FLAPPING.
EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - DAWN
In the thin red light of an overcast dawn, a huge CROW-DRAGON
grapples with the decks odd angle, flapping his wings to
stay perched atop the squirming, WHIMPERING Fish-Dragon. The
huge Crow SQUAWKS and shakes his head.
Hes five stories tall. Black feathers like a carrion crow,
naked flesh around its eyes and talons like a turkey vulture,
talons like a hawk, a beak with teeth and an iguanas tongue.
The beast CHIRPS and WHISTLES.
INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS
The chirping and whistling are deafening! The sound RATTLES
all the metal plating on the walls, all the platters of food.
What few Doggerlanders are left take cover under furniture.
RITTER
(to Gray)
Do you happen to have a pair of
birds that are... just friendly?!
There are loud CRACKS and everyone in the room is jolted up,
forced to jump. Everyone screams! A whiny SQUEAL starts up,
and the whole Tree shudders forward again.
The Great Hall rolls forward toward the Pentagon Doorway.

109.

GRAY
There we go!
She leans right and drags the boys into the Wooden Doorway.
They all fall in against the inside wall.
EXT. HIGHEST HILL - DAWN
The whole Grand Tree leans farther north, against the current
of the raging tsunami floodwaters, twisting as it falls.
Crow-Dragon rips the Fish-Dragon off the Deck and flies away!
EXT. TREE HOUSE DECK - CONTINUOUS
Doggerlanders fall to their deaths. Sisters scramble to the
pentagon doorway and are thrown.
INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS
All the tables of food and furniture slides around the room,
against the wall and down the side of it. Doggerlanders fall
and slide around with the furniture, screaming!
INT. WOODEN DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
Gray, Ritter, and Cinder hold each other as they spin!
EXT. HIGHEST HILL - DAY
The tree CREAKS and leans, twisting and SNAPPING its roots in
a CRUNCHING CRASH. Thousands of splinters of wood meters-long
fly everywhere. Some of the wooden shrapnel is stained white
or red or is on fire!
Floodwaters swell up and over West Gate, The Valley, Stone
Steps, and The Lawn. As floodwater moves across the flatland
it washes away bodies, Ritters leather map of the world, and
then the Face-Painters Shack and the others with it.
The Grand Tree rips from its roots and is carried away by the
swiftly-moving floodwaters. Whats left of Highest Hill
slides into the water and washes away with the Tree with it!
All of Doggerland is gone!

110.

INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS

The whole room vibrates on its side. The pentagon doorway is
like an overflowing moon-pool now, as murky black water
pulses up into the room from below. Doggerlanders swim and
trudge from one side of the room to the other.
Gray is tucked behind Ritter with Cinder between them up in
the doorway, sideways in the ceiling. They look around.
GRAY
Theres a ladder here!
She leans forward to see inside.
Zell props Sweetmother up out of the water in the corner of
the room farthest from them.
SWEETMOTHER
(to Zell)
We have to get to the Throne Room.
We have to get to the ship.
Sweetmother and Zell look up and see Gray and Ritter
disappear into the Wooden Doorway. Both sets of eyes go wide.
Zell looks out into the small crowd, and WHISTLES.
ZELL
Form up on Stairway One, now!
INT. HALLWAY ONE - CONTINUOUS
Ritter locks the door behind them. Theyre in quiet darkness.
CINDER
Gray?
GRAY
Yes, Cinder.
CINDER
Did anybody else make it?
GRAY
(beat)
No.
CINDER
(sniffs)
All right.
A CREAK and a CRASH floods the hallway with sunlight!
Everyone JUMPS, cringes to get their bearings.

111.

GRAY
This must go the whole height of
the Grand Tree.
Theres HOOTING and COMMOTION getting louder from below, and
then a BANGING on the locked door, then it unlocks.
RITTER
Time to go!
A Silver Sister climbs up from the Wooden Doorway, and Ritter
kicks her in the face. She falls away. Another two Silver
Sisters climb up at once.
GRAY
Come on!
Gray drags Cinder down the hall, and Ritter catches up.
Theyre going what would be normally be down to the Grand
Trees roots. We see daylight outside.
Theres a CREAK, a CRUNCH, and the tree TILTS back.
INT. GREAT HALL - DAY
Sisters have formed a human pyramid up the golden wall to the
Wooden Doorway. Sisters above help pull Sweetmother the last
steps to the top. But as the room TILTS back Sweetmother
falls into the Doorway on top of the Sisters. One falls,
crushes the crumbling human pyramid.
Doggerlanders and Sisters trudge across the room as water
empties out of the Pentagon Doorway. A Sister and a
Doggerlander get sucked out. People swarm to the corner,
towards Sweetmother, but Zell blocks their way. Silver
Sisters pour into the Wooden Doorway behind her.
ZELL
Get back!
INT. HALLWAY ONE - CONTINUOUS
Gray finds a door, but its locked! Ritter finds one too and
breaks it down, falls inside. The open doorway floods the
hall with BLUE LIGHT. At the other end it fills with
screaming Silver Sisters.
Ritter rushes out into the hall and grabs Gray, pulls her
into the Blue Room. Cinders hand SLIPS from hers.
GRAY
No!

112.

INT. GREAT HALL - DAY

As more Sisters pour into the Wooden Doorway (and others),
the sunlight coming through the Pentagon Doorway BLINKS.
Zell turns to see the Crow-Dragon pace in front of the
Pentagon Doorway, then stop and poke his head inside to have
a look around. He HUMS as he breathes, then starts to RETCH
like hes regurgitating food to feed his young.
INT. BLUE ROOM - DAY
Ritter tosses Gray onto bedding in the corner. Theres a
PORTHOLE WINDOW above her with a thick blue curtain over it.
GRAY
My brother! Cinder!
The doorway crowds with Silver Sisters holding bow-staffs and
stone axes, but Ritter holds them off with a sword.
INT. HALLWAY ONE - CONTINUOUS
Cinder is dragged away by a trio of Sisters.
GRAY (O.S.)
Cinder!
CINDER
Gray! Gray!
INT. GREAT HALL - DAY
A Doggerlander lays hands on Zell and she PUNCHES him with
brass knuckles!
The Crow-Dragons chest pulses as he retches. Thick ORANGE
SMOKE oozes out of his nostrils, ears, eyes, and glowing
orange lava-like drool forms at the corners of his beak.
Zell looks up to Sweetmother, still wedged in the doorway.
ZELL
Go! Run!
The old woman disappears into Hallway One as the Crow-Dragon
starts VOMITING orange napalm!
Zell ducks underwater to escape, leaving the remaining
Sisters and nameless Doggerlanders to burn alive!

113.

INT. BLUE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Gray lunges toward the door, against Ritters back as he
beats back Silver Sisters.
GRAY
My brother!
RITTER
Get back!
A GLOWING LIGHT comes from further up the hall, and all the
Silver Sisters in the doorway see it, bunch up, and SCREAM.
Ritter stabs a Sister and SLAMS the door shut as a wave of
heat starts to incinerate them all. Gray steps back.
GRAY
What was that?
Ritter rests on the door and shakes his head. A baby CRIES
from inside the room. Grays eyes go wide.
GRAY (CONTD)
And that?
She looks around, and crouches down behind a bale of hay,
tossing her shield onto the bedding. Ritter leaps off the
door as it HEATS UP, grabs his hands.
RITTER
Ow! Ow! We gotta go!
Gray lifts and carries Bodica into the blue light of the
Porthole Window. Ritter lifts Grays shield, tries it out.
Gray sees, nods, COOS the baby for a second.
GRAY
(to Ritter)
The window.
Ritter BANGS it open, looks out and shakes his head.
From beside the bale of hay, Gray retrieves Sweetmothers set
of WOODEN CLEATS like hers. Theres a growing COMMOTION
outside. Gray sets down Bodica and starts lacing up the
cleats to her boots.
RITTER
Those things? Now?
She pulls the laces tight, grabs Bodica and her sword.

114.

GRAY
This is how we live.
The door is KICKED open and Gold Sisters flood the room!
Ritter helps Gray out the window with the baby, keeping the
Sisters at bay with the sword and shield.
The tree TILTS, and the wall with the Porthole Window starts
to become the ceiling! Sisters hop and crowd around it while
Ritter climbs up and out.
EXT. PORTHOLE WINDOW - DAY
Ritter plops out of the window and rolls over. Gray helps him
to his feet just as two Gold Sisters pop up out of the window
with swords. Ritter attacks them, slashing one and stabbing
the other, sending both back down.
EXT. SMALL HENGE - CONTINUOUS
The Grand Tree tears over the island and the Small Henge.
EXT. PORTHOLE WINDOW - CONTINUOUS
The tree ROLLS back, making where Gray and Ritter stand
slightly more level ground.
RITTER
Lets go!
EXT. GRAND TREE - DAY
As the tree ROLLS slowly while being pushed downstream,
Ritter and Gray run haltingly, diagonally to stay level.
The whole tree shifts and vibrates wildly as it goes.
Ritter looks back to see a stream of Gold Sisters pouring out
of the Blue Rooms Porthole Window. Its starting to snow.
One Sister slips and falls off the side of the Tree, into the
churning black waters below. The rest give chase.
Gray looks out across the rest of the tree and sees several
other Porthole Windows with Sisters pouring out of each.
GRAY
We got company!
The tree SHAKES. Several Sisters stumble, a few fall away.

115.

RITTER
I know, I got your back!
Gray and Ritter BOB and WEAVE through wavy lines of attacking
Sisters, leaping and slashing their way through in a violent,
crisscrossed ballet of movement and color.
Gray ducks attacks and hops between grooves of the Trees
peeling BARK. She runs and deflects Sisters swords, leaving
Ritter to deal death blows as he trails behind.
RITTER (CONTD)
Not this far back!
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - DAY
The Grand Tree PLOWS through what look like foundations of
modern buildings in an urban grid. The tree angles off-center
and TILTS from the friction, a slow roll back.
EXT. GRAND TREE - CONTINUOUS
Gray and Ritter run and adjust to the angle while Sisters
chase them. Some slip and fall off the tree.
The Fish-Dragon melts out of the Grand Trees roots and
slithers up along the surface. Hiding in the strengthening
snowfall, he sneaks up behind a few Sisters and bats them
away. He eats one before she can scream.
Below Gray and Ritter, the wrecked Tree House Deck and
Pentagon Doorway EMERGE from beneath the floodwaters. As the
Great Hall drains, the murky water takes charred bodies and
broken furniture with it. Gray and Ritter see.
GRAY
There! We go in, find Cinder, get
the fig out and never come back!
RITTER
Im with you!
Gray trips but doesnt fall. As she slows, Ritter has his
first chance to catch up to her. In background the FishDragon rears up and spin-attacks some Sisters. They both turn
and squint farther afield when they hear HOOTING.
Two squads of White Sisters charge, led by Young Sister!
She wears leather jerkins with white robes, wielding Zells
Hammer and Sickle!

116.

She SCREAMS, leaps at the dragon, and the rest of the Sisters
run right past Gray and Ritter. Other Sisters join with them.
YOUNG SISTER
You crones wanna live forever?!
She swings the Hammer and launches herself at the beast,
punching his head with a metallic DONG and dazing him!
Gray and Ritter run from the carnage, but Bodica now sees the
ugly Fish-Dragon in front of her. She CRIES!
The spears and BLOW-DARTS Sisters throw ricochet and bounce
off of the Fish-Dragons oily scales while he shakes off the
daze. He flinches when he hears Bodicas CRIES of terror,
then finds her in the fog and GROWLS, stumbling forward!
Bodica cries louder. Gray SHUSHES her and Ritter scowls, then
sees the Fish-Dragon slithering right at them!
RITTER
Demon!
Ritter stops, turns, digs into a groove of the trees bark,
readies his sword. As the dragon passes, he swings wide and
takes off one of the beasts HORNS! It shatters!
Ritter is thrown to the ground.
From behind the dragon, Young Sister leaps onto the beasts
head and strikes him with the Hammer again, then buries her
Sickle into his neck. The dragon SHRIEKS and takes off again
with her, shoving Ritter out of its way to go after Bodica!
Gray hops from side to side inside a groove in the tree bark,
evading SNAPS of the beasts wide, ugly jaws! She spins on
her cleats to keep Bodica away from him.
Young Sister SCREAMS as she holds on to the embedded Sickle,
riding its wild attack. She wedges her weapon out of the
beasts scales, spraying herself with GREEN BLOOD, then
plunges the sickle back in at the same spot!
The Fish-Dragon HOWLS and rears up, coiling its body.
Gray slows, turns back, and charges the beast! She runs up
its snout and springs off, flying over Young Sister!
Bodica SQUEALS and LAUGHS in her carrier as they fly.
Gray arcs and comes down near the Fish-Dragons wiggling
forked tail, then SLICES it off with her sword!

117.

The beast ROARS and tosses Young Sister off. Her Sickle stays
embedded, but the girl has a wrist strap for the Hammer and
it goes with her. She tumbles away, dragged by the inertia
and gravity, and flies right off the side of tree.
The Fish-Dragon spins around, spraying Sisters with his blood
and batting some away. He turns around and rears up on Gray.
Bodicas still CRYING!
Gray helps Ritter to his feet, but he stumbles back when he
sees the dragon slither closer, coiling up smaller to strike.
Gray crouches down to lift him back up.
The Fish-Dragon HISSES, but before he can strike a giant
talon from the Crow-Dragon pounds down on his head! Something
CRACKS, and the beasts eyes bulge.
Sisters CHEER, charge, and attack both dragons. The CrowDragon shields his face with a wing, then SQUAWKS and blows
some Sisters down. A few fall from the tree.
EXT. PENTAGON DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
Only a few yards from Gray and Ritter, the Pentagon Doorway
TILTS up into view. Smoke and steam rise up out of it.
Gray and Ritter share a look as they run, Gray with a raised
eyebrow. Ritter nods.
INT. GREAT HALL - NIGHT
Dust and soot are so thick that no light penetrates beyond
the pentagon-shaped skylight.
Gray and Ritter BURST IN and slide down the wall. What would
be a step up in the foyer is a ledge over doom. They shimmy
and work their way around the edge of the room, seeing
everything charred, smoking, twisted, steaming, in piles.
GRAY
Mother of gods.
Theres debris and bodies in the rooms corners, the Wooden
Doorway and its counterparts.
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - DAY
The Grand Tree nearly misses a Giant Stump, with floodwaters
rushing around it. Other trees are hung up on the stump, and
the Grand Tree cuts through them, rolls, rotates.

118.

EXT. GRAND TREE - CONTINUOUS

The Crow-Dragon hops to one side to stay level, yanking and
CRUNCHING the head of the Fish-Dragon with him. Leaderless
Sisters struggle to keep up, slipping on wet tree bark.
INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS
Floodwaters still trapped in the room push and drag Gray and
Ritter around as they struggle to get to high ground.
Spitting out gray water, Gray holds Bodica above her head,
climbs up on a step.
Above the din, Cinders voice echoes from the corner.
CINDER (O.S.)
No! Noooo!
Theres a ZAPPING sound like electricity, and he SCREAMS.
The whole room shakes, rolls a little.
GRAY
(searching)
Cinder?! Cinder?!
Ritter points to the Wooden Doorway, both stumble toward it.
EXT. FLOODPLAIN - DAY
The Grand Tree runs aground on a Natural Dam of sediment and
debris, stuck between two white Chalk Cliffs.
INT. GREAT HALL - CONTINUOUS
Gray and Ritter and thrown forward, to the ground, and swept
into the Wooden Doorway!
RITTER
Crap, crap, crap!
EXT. CHALK CLIFFS - DAY
A tsunami wave swells over the stuck Grand Tree. The dam
CRUNCHES forward a little, some debris at one end falls away.

119.

INT. HALLWAY ONE - DAY

Gray and Ritter are thrown into the wall by floodwaters,
huddling in a ball with Bodica between them. Shes
threatening to CRY. Ritter looks side to side.
RITTER
Which way?
Gray shakes her head, out of breath. Ritter holds a stitch in
his side, but jumps up straight when a THUD, a CRACK, and the
ZAPPING sound again echo from up the hall.
GRAY
There!
They both start limp-sprinting that way.
EXT. GOLD DOORWAY - CONTINUOUS
Gold double-doors are recessed sideways in the wall, and Gray
and Ritter stop short when they see them. Then they take slow
sideways steps forward, raising their weapons. Gray in front.
Zell sits outside the doors against the wall, wearing
unbleached linens (like Ritters pajamas). She holds a
crossbow, looks like shes been crying. A torch lays nearby.
GRAY
Zell?
Zell stares down, ahead. No reaction.
RITTER
Youre not dead yet, Sister.
GRAY
Zell, wheres my brother?
Zell rolls her head back and forth on the wall.
ZELL
Inside.
GRAY
W- Why?
Zell huffs out her nose, shakes her head.
ZELL
I know nothing.
Ritter steps forward.

120.

RITTER
Whats inside there?
ZELL
Grandmother.
Gray and Ritter share a look.
RITTER
(to Zell)
Whom youve never seen?
GRAY
And she never leaves this room?
ZELL
(beat)
No.
Gray and Ritter share another look, nodding. In sync.
GRAY
How do you know she even exists?
ZELL
Sweetmother-RITTER
Real swee-Gray steps forward, almost in Zells face.
GRAY
Ill never trust her again. She
said there was no food, but you saw
the buffet down in the Great Hall.
Zell tenses, shakes, tears up.
ZELL
That was all supposed to last the
winter. And she poisoned it.
GRAY
And didnt tell you.
Zell looks up for the first time, at Gray. Then Ritter as he
takes a step forward.
ZELL
No.
Ritter inspects the doors, stands at Zells side. Gray gets a
better handle on the baby as she BURBLES.

121.

Zell looks up at the baby.

ZELL (CONTD)
Grandmother will claim the child.
GRAY
Thats not going to happen.
Ritter picks at a scuff on the gold.
RITTER
Youre all sisters? I had sisters.
And we told each other everything,
so that we would truly know each
other, and truly love each other.
GRAY
...not lie to or poison each other.
Zell CRIES.
ZELL
Im no Sister. Sweetmother stripped
me, ordered me to capture you and
bring you in here. No one but a few
enter the Throne Room and live. It
is my death if I comply.
Theres a quick ZAP and a CREAK muffled from inside the
Throne Room. Some YELLING. The Tree shakes and CREAKS around
them. Debris falls. Ritter looks at Gray, whose eyes are
locked on Zell.
GRAY
If you take us in as prisoners,
none of us come out alive.
She extends a hand.
GRAY (CONTD)
But if we go in together, then
theres a chance well come out
together, too.
Zell stares up at her.
GRAY (CONTD)
I just lost both my sisters.
(glances at Ritter)
Maybe we could be like family, if
only for a short while.

122.

ZELL
(bargaining)
But I owe Sweetmother my life.
GRAY
But only because she needed you.
Now she needs you to stop her.
Zell looks over at Ritter, then back at Gray.
INT. THRONE ROOM - DAY
The gold double-doors open. One opens onto the floor, and
Zell lifts the other with her crossbow. She holds Bodica in
her other arm, and motions Gray and Ritter forward.
ZELL
Mother Goddess, Grandmother,
Sweetmother! I herald the arrival
of your enemies, as prisoners!
Sweetmother CLICKS her teeth. Gray and Ritter look around as
they enter, hands tied.
On the opposite wall is a Gold Throne, suspended sideways.
Its bolted to the gold floor (now the wall), backed by a
gold wall. Strapped to the throne is an ancient old woman,
GRANDMOTHER. She must be over a hundred years old.
Her BLUE robes fall to one side, her body hangs in leather
straps that keep her in place.
Sweetmother curtsies.
SWEETMOTHER
Welcome, children. Step forward.
Sweetmother stands before the throne, perpendicular with it.
Behind her is a row of FIVE cages with beating MAMMOTH HEARTS
suspended in wire harnesses. Copper and gold tubes run from
the mammoth hearts arteries in and out of Grandmothers
veins through tubes running behind Sweetmother.
Each heart compartment is lined with fiberglass insulation,
mylar-side OUT. Dozens of copper wires are clipped to the
heart muscle, and every few seconds theres an electrical ARC
on a hearts surface.
Below the heart compartments (what should be behind them) is
a mess of WIRES running to rows of black CAR BATTERIES bolted
down. Behind the batteries are rolls of pink home insulation.

123.

RITTER
I have seen some messed up stuff in
my life, but this...
GRAY
What are all those boxes theyre
wired to?
Sweetmother smiles, passes a hand over the hearts.
SWEETMOTHER
Lightning. The power of gods.
CINDER (O.S.)
(weak)
Gray?
GRAY
Cinder?!
One the opposite wall (what would be the ceiling), Cinder is
strapped to a rack in a box with his hands above his head.
Copper wiring runs along all the leather buckle straps.
Gray rushes forward.
GRAY (CONTD)
What are you doing to him?!
Shes blocked by two Gold Sisters. They each wield twin-blade
scimitars that have seen better days.
GRAY (CONTD)
Get out of my way!
Ritter stares at Cinder, points a thumb back at the beating
mammoth hearts behind him.
RITTER
And I thought that was-GRAY
(to the Sisters)
Get out of my way!
She starts to WHEEZE.
CINDER
Gray!
Sweetmother strides forward, two Gold Sisters flanking her
remain at Grandmothers throne.

124.

SWEETMOTHER
Zell, are these your prisoners or
arent they? Do you want your death
sentence commuted or dont you?
Zell finishes strapping Bodicas car seat into a saddle
inside an empty Mammoth Heart compartment.
ZELL
Of course, Sweetmother.
SWEETMOTHER
Then contain your prisoners.
ZELL
Yes, Sweetmother.
She stands, raises her crossbow behind Ritters head.
ZELL (CONTD)
On your knees.
RITTER
Whats the uh problem, yknow?
ZELL
(louder)
On your knees!
She brings the crossbow closer. He huffs but bends the knee.
Gray stops struggling with the Gold Sisters and sees.
ZELL (CONTD)
(to Gray)
You too, Gray. On your knees.
She points the crossbow at Gray. She drops to her knees.
GRAY
I thought it was different.
Sweetmother raises an eyebrow, sweeps her eyes to Zell.
ZELL
(beat)
It is.
She squeezes the crossbows trigger and FIRES past Grays
head, nailing a Gold Sister in the chest.
Sweetmother throws her hands in the air.
SWEETMOTHER
Ah-ha!

125.

Zell rips a hidden buck knife from the crossbows stock.

ZELL
Nobody move!
She throws the knife at the other Gold Sister. It flies
between Gray and Ritter into the Sisters neck. Gray rips it
out, cuts the rope around her wrists. She WHISTLES, tosses
the knife to Ritter who cuts his bonds too, then rushes over
and starts unbuckling Cinder from his bonds.
Sweetmother RINGS a hand-held dinner bell and runs back over
to Grandmothers throne.
SWEETMOTHER
Insurgency! Emergency!
The Gold Sisters tag in and head toward Ritter and Zell.
Ritter backs up, nearly trips over debris, wields the knife.
RITTER
I didnt even do anything!
Gold Sister #2 spins her scimitar, shakes her head. Ritter
throws the knife and it embeds in her shoulder! She looks at
it, smirks, then charges forward at Ritter anyway.
RITTER (CONTD)
Sorry!
He backs up past Gray as she unstraps the thicker straps
across Cinders chest and waist.
CINDER
(weak)
Gray...
Zell ducks an attack from Gold Sister #1. The Sister swings
wide backhand, spinning. Zell leaps forward and narrows the
distance, kicks the Sisters hand, sending her weapon flying!
Then she leaps up, twisting through the air, grabs Gold
Sisters neck between her ankles, and breaks Sister #1s neck
while forcing them both to the ground.
Ritter runs past her with Gold Sister #2 on his tail. As she
passes, Gold Sister #2 SLASHES Zells neck!
The girl tries to stand, but keels over forward, choking.
Gold Sister #2 looks back at Zell falling to the floor, and
SNICKERS. Turning to face front, she runs right into a PIKE!

126.

Gold Sister #2s face is gored from cheek to cheek, and as

the pike is withdrawn Ritter HOWLS, then runs her through.
RITTER
Thatll teach you to kill people!
Gray carries Cinder over into the corner of the room,
tromping through water and debris. She shoves him up into the
same empty mammoth heart box Bodica is in, lifts a roll of
pink fiberglass insulation off the flooded floor, shoves it
in her brothers hands and face.
GRAY
Wrap this around the whole box!
She stumbles around the back of the compartment where rows of
CAR BATTERIES are wired together. She traces wires, puts on
her gray leather gloves, reaches in and pulls a WIRE out.
Ritter limps toward Grandmothers throne, toward Sweetmother.
The old woman tears her bow-staff into two pieces, revealing
two thin katana swords. One has the jewel as a pommel.
SWEETMOTHER
(to herself)
No, its a mutiny! Expiation!
RITTER
(to himself)
Crazy lady.
Gray ties an exposed strand of copper wire to the grip of one
of the Gold Sisters scimitars. With another small wire, she
taps the one on the sword. It sparks!
Ritter adjusts his fight stance, Sweetmother dances with her
swords, scarves, and pearl necklace loops swinging around.
SWEETMOTHER
(sings)
Expiation!
RITTER
Crazy lady.
He swings twice at her and she blocks him both times, then he
has to duck a swipe from both katanas trying to cut his head
off, somersaults past Sweetmother toward Grandmother.
The room JOLTS and TILTS toward Grandmothers Throne,
throwing everyone off their feet! Ritter slams into the goldplated wall behind the throne, above Grandmothers head.

127.

EXT. CHALK CLIFFS - DAY

The waterfall over the stuck Grand Tree is now a trickle.
Floodwaters have calmed, but have not yet receded.
From the north, a large ICEBERG approaches. Its heading
straight to the center of the tree. Water on one side of the
berg is on fire, and on the other side theres a Polar Giant
Sloth, white fur with black eyes and snout.
The beast sees the Grand Tree approaching him, and he GROWLS,
WHIMPERS, paces, freaking the hell out!
INT. THRONE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Water rushes into the corner where Ritter is, beneath the
sideways throne. Sweetmother struggles to stay upright then
falls into the water. Ritter laughs at her.
RITTER
Not so much the warrior, ey?
Sweetmother spits.
SWEETMOTHER
Die.
Ritter cringes half his face, nodding.
RITTER
Make me.
She spins in a kaleidoscope of color and shape as best she
can in the water. Ritter swings his sword into the flurry,
blind, and SLICES something.
Sweetmother slows her spin as her long pearl necklace starts
to unravel. A little ribbon torn from her scarf floats down
and away like a feather.
Ritter runs forward, grabs the necklaces loose end,
tightens, tries to strangle Sweetmother where she wobbles.
Grandmother stirs in her seat, CROAKS out a GROAN as her
protege is assaulted right in front of her.
The room ROCKS, TILTS farther. Ritter and Sweetmother sway
where they stand, trying to stay standing. Sweetmother elbows
Ritter in the head, and he loses his grip on her.
Gray grabs Ritter by the collar and pulls herself into a
swing around him, kicking her legs out. One of her CLEATS
strikes Sweetmother in the face!

128.

As Gray swings around to Ritters left side, she yanks him

back against the wall and out of the shifting floodwaters.
Sweetmother spins and drop into to the pool behind her,
gasping and clutching her pearls.
Ritter and Gray fall against the row of mammoth heart
compartments, all pitched diagonally with the TILTING room.
The hearts hang at odd angles and shake as the room shakes.
Gray lifts Ritter up and shoves him into the same insulated
compartment as Cinder and Bodica. She follows him in, and its
officially crammed tight. She grabs a leather strap and wraps
it around both of them, then grabs the two-sided scimitar
with the wire wrapped around its grip.
Sweetmother holds onto Grandmothers throne to lift herself
halfway up out of the floodwaters gathered in that corner.
GRAY
Sweetmother!
The old woman turns, rubbing irritated eyes and squinting.
GRAY (CONTD)
You said the boxes are lightning?
SWEETMOTHER
Yes...
She squints, sees the exposed wire. Her eyes go wide when she
sees Gray twist to throw her weapon like a shot put.
GRAY
Then this will be just like fishing
for sharks with Uncle Turn.
Gray throws the sword into the floodwaters, and an arcing
shower of sparks BURSTS out at the spot! Sweetmother and
Grandmother both scream, shake, and smoke as theyre
electrocuted!
Gray leaps and is blown back into Ritter, Cinder, and the
baby, all wrapped up in a roll of pink home insulation.
The mammoth hearts around them burn and EXPLODE! The entire
bank of car batteries behind the hearts POPS and EXPLODES in
showers of sparks and green flames!
Everyone SCREAMS as the room is covered in sparks and blood.
The room TILTS back with a CREAK.

129.

EXT. CHALK CLIFFS - DAY

Theres a CRACK and CRASH as the iceberg strikes the dead
center of the Grand Tree! The berg collapses and grinds
against it, and the stranded Giant Polar Sloth is thrown and
then engulfed in a cloud of ice dust. He dies ROARING!
The Grand Tree ROLLS and pushes in on the natural dam,
sending more debris at the edges tumbling down into the
flooding valley below. Pressure spreads toward the center of
the dam, and the whole thing CRACKS and falls away!
The Grand Tree tumbles forward in a BARREL ROLL!
INT. THRONE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The whole room spins! Water, bodies, mammoth hearts, electric
arcs and blood fly everywhere!
Gray, Ritter, and Cinder huddle crammed inside the empty
mammoth heart compartment. They scream as theyre flipped and
rolled over each other, jolted around.
Sweetmother screams and slams into Grandmother and the throne
as theyre both spun and tossed about, with waves of
electrified water SMASHING into them. Sweetmother bleeds from
her eyes and SCREAMS, goes limp, smoking.
Gray WHEEZES as her breath is forced out of her lungs, and
Ritter and Cinder COUGH as pink fiberglass fibers fly
everywhere. Gray tries to shield Bodica with a cloth while
she sways back and forth inside her tightly-held seat.
Cinder and Ritter scream together, arm in arm, spinning.
EXT. CHALK CLIFFS - CONTINUOUS
The Grand Tree SLAMS into the Valley below, ROLLS forward.
But the rest of the collapsed dam buries half the tree.
Both Chalk Cliffs break away in landslides!
Floodwater swells around the Grand Tree and drains further
down the valley. The Grand Tree is stuck. It leans back with
a SQUEAL, then comes to rest with a CRUNCHING CRASH. Branches
of the tree break off, shatter, and float away in the chalkstained floodwaters.
INT. THRONE ROOM - DAY
The whole room TILTS, ROCKS, and then comes to rolling rest
with a few CRACKS, GROANS, JOLTS. Then a HISS.

130.

The room SHUDDERS once, but then stays quiet. Water, blood,
stray mammoth hearts, and insulation settle and come to rest.
Gray opens her eyes. Shes WHEEZING, but that too fades.
Ritter and Cinder open their eyes, too. They all start to
gasp and smile as they look around.
RITTER
Were still alive!
CINDER
Good grace!
Ritter slaps the boy on the back.
RITTER
We prayed to stay in it, all right!
(to Gray)
Are you all right?
Gray nods, looking at Bodica.
GRAY
We made it.
The baby smiles and GURGLES, gnaws on Grays finger.
EXT. PENTAGON DOORWAY - DAY
Ritter emerges onto the surface of the Grand Tree, lifts
Cinder up and out by his hands, then extends a hand to help
Gray out. She doesnt need it, carries Bodica in a carrier
strapped to her back like a backpack. They all look around at
the devastation.
Chalk Cliffs behind them are sheared anew, gleaming white.
Ahead, the valley becomes the sea. Clouds part to let
sunlight in, and some light snow falls.
CINDER
What are we going to do?
GRAY
(clicks her teeth)
Im sure well think of something.
Ritter shakes sand out of his hair. Gray watches.
GRAY (CONTD)
(to Ritter)
Right?
He looks at her, scowls playfully for a second.

131.

RITTER
Well have to make some changes.
Cinder and Gray share a surprised look.
CINDER
Like what?
RITTER
Like eating something besides fish
and mammoth for a change! Anything
right now, though. Im starving!
They chuckle, sigh, on the verge of crying but just cant.
RITTER (CONTD)
(beat)
But seriously, were gonna have to
remake the world. Rebuild it. You
know, my grandmother told me there
was a way you could see and hear a
person singing and dancing from the
other side of the world.
Cinders eyes go wide.
CINDER
Really?
Ritter shrugs. Gray cocks her head.
She sees Sisters emerge from Porthole Windows down the length
of the tree. Maybe a dozen. They look shell-chocked, beaten.
The Sisters see Gray above and STOP short, then raise their
hands above their heads. They trudge forward.
Gray watches, nods.
GRAY
I dont know. Maybe we can just
make do with what we have a while.
RITTER
As you wish.
Gray curtsies before him, smiles demurely.
GRAY
Something we could do...?
Ritter snaps to attention. Cinder leans in close.

132.

RITTER
Anything, my lady. Within reason.
She looks around at the tree beneath their feet, an entire
city block worth of wood, half-stuck in the mud.
GRAY
Find ourselves a decent axe.
They all smile, hug, exhausted. The boys close their eyes and
breathe deep while Gray stares out on the horizon with sad
hope, as the valley becomes the sea.
EXT. SKY - DAY
Puffy gray clouds, a thousand feet in the air. The wind is
quiet, the world seems freezing cold. The Crow-Dragon flies
with a limp, SNARLING and HUFFING as he descends.
He glides down in a wide arc toward a steep MOUNTAIN RIDGE.
EXT. MOUNTAIN RIDGE - CONTINUOUS
He lands in a small valley between stony peaks in a long,
barren ridge. Two other Crow-Dragons sidle up on either side
of him. One is his size, but the other is TWICE that, almost
a hundred feet tall.
Both new crow-dragons rub their heads and necks against the
head and neck of ours, all COOING sweetly at each other.
A crescendo of SQUAWKING rises, a cacophony, and our CrowDragon WHISTLES out to the dozens of other giant crows that
now line the ridge. They all start CACKLING.
FADE OUT: