kungfuwaynewho (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kungfuwaynewho) wrote2010-11-17 10:49 pm
kungfuwaynewho) wrote2010-11-17 10:49 pm
Entry tags:
NaScreeWriMo - Day Seventeen
INT. MIRA’S ROOM - NIGHT
Mira and Ilka in bed, Dominik between them. He keeps looking back and forth at them, as though worried they’ll disappear.
ILKA
We should leave. Now.
MIRA
I want him to have a few hours of rest. I would not
want to try and navigate that road back to the
village in the dark regardless.
DOMINIK
Mama?
MIRA
Yes, what is it?
He just grabs for her hand.
ILKA
He isn’t hurt.
MIRA
That we can see.
ILKA
(sitting up)
I will go and prepare some things.
DOMINIK
(agitated)
No! Don’t go, Ilka.
She lies back down, and he calms. Mira blows out the lamp.
INT. MIRA’S ROOM - DAWN
Mira wakes, slow - did she hear something? The first thing she sees is the window. It hangs slightly open.
Mira rolls onto her back and sees her - Erzsebet standing at the foot of the bed. Watching her. Mira starts to say something, but sees that Ilka and Dominik are still asleep.
She looks back. Erzsebet stands right beside her though she noticed no movement. The girl slowly climbs into bed beside Mira, resting her head on Mira’s shoulder.
Mira is tense, but Erzsebet does nothing else - just closes her eyes, snuggling tight.
INT. MIRA’S ROOM - MORNING
Mira wakes with a start, immediately puts a hand to her throat. But she has not been bitten. Erzsebet is gone - the window is closed.
Mira watches Ilka RIP DOWN one of the bed curtains. She wraps Dominik up in it.
ILKA
It will be cold outside.
MIRA
Dominik?
DOMINIK
I can’t move at all.
INT. STABLE - DAY
Mira enters, carrying Dominik under her arm like a sack. Ilka hurries ahead, to a HORSE. She stands beside it, hands fluttering.
ILKA
Here is a horse.
MIRA
Let me. Take him.
Mira readies the horse as Ilka carefully sets Dominik down.
SCUFFLING FOOTSTEPS outside. They turn to look, on edge.
ANA enters, holding a basket of food. She’s terrified.
ANA
I brought you some things.
ILKA
(goes to her)
Oh, thank you. We had not even thought
about food.
They pack the food into a saddle bag.
ILKA (CONT’D)
Ana. Come with us.
ANA
I can’t.
ILKA
We have plenty of warm clothes. Please.
ANA
If the Count finds you, you will be punished.
If the Count finds me...
Ilka nods, gives Ana a quick hug.
EXT. CASTLE - VILLAGE ROAD - DAY
Gray, flinty sunlight. Ilka and Dominik ride, Mira walks beside. She turns to look at the CASTLE, dark and ominous, but thankfully shrinking behind them.
The road is rocky, difficult to navigate. They still hurry.
Everything starts to grow DIM. Ilka looks up - clouds obscure the sun.
DOMINIK
Look! Look!
He smiles - the women frown. SNOW begins to fall.
MIRA
(tugging on reins)
Come on then.
ILKA
If we do not make it down to the village
soon, if the snow grows too heavy...
MIRA
We cannot stop.
But the snow does grow heavy. Mira has to lead the horse, trying to break a trail through the snow. Ilka huddles Dominik close.
Mira looks around wildly - the snow becomes a blizzard. Whiteout. No horizon, no reference points - just a vast field of white everywhere.
ILKA
(shouting over wind)
Mira! We have to go back!
MIRA
No!
And then the WOLVES start to howl.
They look around, spinning in circles. White. Then, slowly, like gray ghosts appearing out of the fog - WOLVES approach. Surround them.
Mira pulls her dagger out of her dress, holds it out - pathetic. The wolves SNARL, keep coming.
MIRA (CONT’D)
Back! Get back!
One wolf - too big, fangs too long, eyes too bright - darts forward and nips at the horse’s back legs. The horse whinnies, rears up. Ilka struggles to hold onto Dominik.
Dominik screams.
Mira tries to circle around the horse but SLIPS in the snow. A wolf takes the opportunity to LUNGE at her. It leaps--
Another wolf intercepts, hitting it mid-air. They tumble away from Mira, who sits, holding the dagger up and out. She watches as the wolves FIGHT.
The other wolves bark and growl, clustering ever closer. Mira sweeps her dagger back and forth, but they’re getting more brave, more aggressive.
Then the snarls become WHIMPERS. The wolves turn as one, looking past Mira and the horse. They grovel, tails between their legs.
A figure approaches. Spectral, distorted. The wolves whine, YELP. Mira holds her dagger up, but it shakes.
A gust of wind blows the curtain of snow aside. It’s ERZSEBET. In a thin little dress, barefoot. She walks on top of the snow, serene.
One of the wolves walks up to Erzsebet - skittish, jumpy. She bares her teeth at it. It whines, turns away.
The wolves as a pack disappear back into the white.
Mira and Ilka look at Erzsebet, who seems more calm and present than ever before. Ilka holds her hand out to her daughter. Erzsebet considers it - takes a step forward...
CLAMOR from the opposite direction. Mira and Ilka turn to look. At the last moment, they are barely able to move safely aside as the COUNT’S CARRIAGE comes flying up the road. A brief glimpse of furiously running horses, the carriage jostling. Then it’s gone, cloaked by snow.
Beat. Mira and Ilka catch their breath. Turn back.
Erzsebet is gone.
Mira and Ilka in bed, Dominik between them. He keeps looking back and forth at them, as though worried they’ll disappear.
ILKA
We should leave. Now.
MIRA
I want him to have a few hours of rest. I would not
want to try and navigate that road back to the
village in the dark regardless.
DOMINIK
Mama?
MIRA
Yes, what is it?
ILKA
He isn’t hurt.
MIRA
That we can see.
ILKA
(sitting up)
I will go and prepare some things.
DOMINIK
(agitated)
No! Don’t go, Ilka.
INT. MIRA’S ROOM - DAWN
Mira wakes, slow - did she hear something? The first thing she sees is the window. It hangs slightly open.
Mira rolls onto her back and sees her - Erzsebet standing at the foot of the bed. Watching her. Mira starts to say something, but sees that Ilka and Dominik are still asleep.
She looks back. Erzsebet stands right beside her though she noticed no movement. The girl slowly climbs into bed beside Mira, resting her head on Mira’s shoulder.
Mira is tense, but Erzsebet does nothing else - just closes her eyes, snuggling tight.
INT. MIRA’S ROOM - MORNING
Mira wakes with a start, immediately puts a hand to her throat. But she has not been bitten. Erzsebet is gone - the window is closed.
Mira watches Ilka RIP DOWN one of the bed curtains. She wraps Dominik up in it.
ILKA
It will be cold outside.
MIRA
Dominik?
DOMINIK
I can’t move at all.
Mira enters, carrying Dominik under her arm like a sack. Ilka hurries ahead, to a HORSE. She stands beside it, hands fluttering.
ILKA
Here is a horse.
MIRA
Let me. Take him.
SCUFFLING FOOTSTEPS outside. They turn to look, on edge.
ANA enters, holding a basket of food. She’s terrified.
ANA
I brought you some things.
ILKA
(goes to her)
Oh, thank you. We had not even thought
about food.
ILKA (CONT’D)
Ana. Come with us.
ANA
I can’t.
ILKA
We have plenty of warm clothes. Please.
ANA
If the Count finds you, you will be punished.
If the Count finds me...
EXT. CASTLE - VILLAGE ROAD - DAY
Gray, flinty sunlight. Ilka and Dominik ride, Mira walks beside. She turns to look at the CASTLE, dark and ominous, but thankfully shrinking behind them.
The road is rocky, difficult to navigate. They still hurry.
Everything starts to grow DIM. Ilka looks up - clouds obscure the sun.
DOMINIK
Look! Look!
MIRA
(tugging on reins)
Come on then.
ILKA
If we do not make it down to the village
soon, if the snow grows too heavy...
MIRA
We cannot stop.
Mira looks around wildly - the snow becomes a blizzard. Whiteout. No horizon, no reference points - just a vast field of white everywhere.
ILKA
(shouting over wind)
Mira! We have to go back!
MIRA
No!
They look around, spinning in circles. White. Then, slowly, like gray ghosts appearing out of the fog - WOLVES approach. Surround them.
Mira pulls her dagger out of her dress, holds it out - pathetic. The wolves SNARL, keep coming.
MIRA (CONT’D)
Back! Get back!
Dominik screams.
Mira tries to circle around the horse but SLIPS in the snow. A wolf takes the opportunity to LUNGE at her. It leaps--
Another wolf intercepts, hitting it mid-air. They tumble away from Mira, who sits, holding the dagger up and out. She watches as the wolves FIGHT.
The other wolves bark and growl, clustering ever closer. Mira sweeps her dagger back and forth, but they’re getting more brave, more aggressive.
Then the snarls become WHIMPERS. The wolves turn as one, looking past Mira and the horse. They grovel, tails between their legs.
A figure approaches. Spectral, distorted. The wolves whine, YELP. Mira holds her dagger up, but it shakes.
A gust of wind blows the curtain of snow aside. It’s ERZSEBET. In a thin little dress, barefoot. She walks on top of the snow, serene.
One of the wolves walks up to Erzsebet - skittish, jumpy. She bares her teeth at it. It whines, turns away.
The wolves as a pack disappear back into the white.
Mira and Ilka look at Erzsebet, who seems more calm and present than ever before. Ilka holds her hand out to her daughter. Erzsebet considers it - takes a step forward...
CLAMOR from the opposite direction. Mira and Ilka turn to look. At the last moment, they are barely able to move safely aside as the COUNT’S CARRIAGE comes flying up the road. A brief glimpse of furiously running horses, the carriage jostling. Then it’s gone, cloaked by snow.
Beat. Mira and Ilka catch their breath. Turn back.
Erzsebet is gone.