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Guardian Angel - Act IV - Scenes 5, 6, 7 & 8


INT. ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL

A high-hanging, life-size crucifix hangs precariously over the rapidly sinking dais.  Enough of the foundation of this part of the church has been eaten away by the wraith-like shadow that half of the structure is about to collapse.

At the other end of the chapel, on more stable ground, Beth, Miriam and Professor Alton Kind look on in awe.

Miriam breaks out of it first, looking over at the other two, who seem blind to her.

MIRIAM
Guys!

Beth breaks out instantly.  

Alton Kind doesn’t.  He can’t take his eyes off the shadow tendrils swallowing them all whole.

MIRIAM
(To Beth)
We gotta get outta here.  Now.

Beth turns to Professor Kind and shoves him hard.  Now she has his attention.

BETH
Let us out.

ALTON KIND
No.  Not until we contain it.

BETH
There’s no way to contain that thing.  Look at it!

Back at the head of the chapel, the stone under the altar gives way.  Both fall into nothingness.

BETH
Concrete, steel, ya know, thing we’d probably use to imprison something?  It’s eating them.  

ALTON KIND
This is my life’s work.  I can risk a little more time to think through all our options.

BETH
But you’re not just risking time.  You’re risking all of our lives!

ALTON KIND
Not if we can figure out a way to contain it.


BETH
But it’s not from here!  It doesn’t follow our rules!

Beth stops suddenly, hit with a thought.  

BETH
But if we can find a way to send it back…

The crucifix falls, screaming toward the black.  The dais is now completely swallowed, and tendrils of smoke rise through the hole, beginning to come together on the nearest solid flooring left.

MIRIAM
Well, shi…

Miriam looks up at the stained glass windows over where the dais used to be.  They depict various religious scenes.

MIRIAM
…shoot.  

BETH
No choice now.  

The tendrils come together to reform the familiar shadow man with spectral wings that originally grabbed Beth.  It begins walking toward them.

And Beth steps out to meet it.

ALTON KIND
What are you doing?

BETH
Hail Mary play.  It grabbed hold of me to get here.  Maybe if I can touch it, I can send it back.

ALTON KIND
But the disk was the key.  

BETH
Maybe not.  

She turns to Professor Kind in a god damned hero shot.
BETH
Maybe I’m the key.

MIRIAM
Beth…

The loud SCREECH returns.  The shadow man now wields a shadow sword, and it’s picked up the pace.

BETH
No time.  Get out of here!

Beth turns back to the shadow man and starts jogging for it.  

The creature begins flying toward her in kind.

The two finally come to a head.  The shadow man SWINGS HIS SWORD at Beth.

The college girl AWKWARDLY DODGES.  The blade narrowly misses her, but catches a bit of her hair, slicing and searing it instantly.  

Beth realizes now that this thing can definitely hurt  her.

The shadow man raises his sword again.  

But Beth, with a mighty –

BETH
HAAAA!

PUSHES her hands onto the shadow man’s torso.  She CONNECTS.

But the shadow man pauses for a moment, looking down at her hands.  He doesn’t disappear.

Beth immediately turns back to the professor and Miriam and BOLTS for them.

BETH
I’m not the key!  I’m not the key!

She’s fast, but not fast enough.  The shadow man BRINGS DOWN his sword.  It’s going to just catch her…

When a bright light INTERCEPTS Beth and her dark doom.  A loud CLANG REVERBERATES throughout the badly damaged chapel.

And the bright light, white hot at first, fades into the form of a familiar face.  Spero.

Spero has put his sword in between Beth and the shadow man’s own blade.

The shadow man instantly PULLS BACK his sword, leaping into the air and slowly backing away, upwards towards the stained glass windows that still hang over where the dais used to be.

Beth turns around to find Spero, all awesome and angel-ly, looking up at his shadowy foe with kick-ass intent.

BETH
Hey…

Spero turns to her.  His face instantly lightens up at seeing her relieved smile.

BETH
Thanks.

A familiar, piercing SCREECH summons Spero to the reason he came.  

SPERO
You all have to leave.  Now.

BETH
We can’t.  The doors…

SPERO
Then find cover.  And do not leave it for any reason.

Spero gives a mighty single flap of his wings, which launches him into the air.  

In an instant, he’s hovering closer to the shadow man.  They circle each other in mid-air, swords at the ready.

Then the battle begins.

Swords of light and shadow meet in spectacular fashion, and the battle is pretty even as the shadow man proves himself as capable a warrior as Spero – meeting the angel blow for blow.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Miriam is the only one to take Spero’s advice.  She quickly gets under a pew.  

Alton Kind and Beth just stand there, looking up in awe at this scene of Biblical myth play out in front of them.

In the air, Spero begins to prove himself the better warrior.  He gets some good shots in on the shadow man with his sword, finally running his blade through the fiend’s gut.

Victory is his.  Until he hears something from the shadow man he has not heard before – coughing.

SHADOW MAN
Very good, Spero.  Very good.  But I am not so easily slain.

The shadow man backs itself off of Spero’s blade, maintaining its flight.  

The whole in its gut, where Spero ran him through, is quickly filled in with more shadow.

SHADOW MAN
To kill me, is to kill yourself.

SPERO
Who are you?

SHADOW MAN
Oh, I am no mere who.  No one.  What I am, is made for this world.  And in it I will flourish, and thrive.

SPERO
No.  You will die here.  Now.  

Spero charges with lightning speed, his sword out before him.

But as he charges, the shadow man falls.  Spero’s sword misses its mark.

The shadow man’s fall turns into downward flying.

Spero turns to the fiend and sees his target, just as we do.

The shadow man grabs Beth and flies her up to the ceiling of the chapel.  

Spero gives chase.  

The shadow man then tosses her through the stained glass window.  She shatters it… 


EXT. ST. PAUL’S CHURCHYARD - NIGHT

…and instantly plunges to the ground on the other side.

The shadow man follows her out first, leaving her to fall to her death.


INT. ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL - CONTINUOUS

Spero puts on an extra burst of speed, shooting out the window.


EXT. ST. PAUL’S CHURCHYARD – NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

In slow motion, he watches as the shadow man flies off into the night, and then he looks down to see a bloodied Beth falling.

He doesn’t look back up.  

He shoots toward the earth, and just before Beth’s body smashes onto the headstone laden side yard of the churchyard, Spero scoops her up, lifting her back upward.

He takes her back through the broken stained glass window.


INT. ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL – CONTINUOUS

Spero lands softly on what’s left of the ground in the church, gently laying Beth out.  

She’s unconscious and bloody from being used like a bag of rocks to break a window.

Miriam is at her side in an instant, pulling out her phone.  Alton Kind stands not far away, watching voraciously.

Spero, feeling hungry eyes on him, looks up and meets the professor’s gaze.

The professor does not look away – does not even blink – instead, he looks at Spero with the exuberant eyes of a toy collector, who’d just discovered an original, unopened Luke Skywalker action figure from 1977, mint.  

Spero is pulled from his stare-off with Professor Kind by Miriam.  

MIRIAM
You gotta go!

SPERO
But…

MIRIAM
Ambulance is on its way.  I’ll take care of her.  Just go!

Spero nods.  He sets Beth head down in Miriam’s lap.  

He stands, gives one more look to Professor Kind – “Don’t fucking mess with these kids” is what that look says.

Then, Spero launches up, up – through the broken stained glass window – and away.

Miriam looks down from the thrilling site of seeing an actual angel take flight.  Her eyes land on where Kind stood just a moment ago, only the professor is gone.

Miriam has time enough to furrow her brow, and then the sounds of SIRENS and the FLASH OF RED LIGHTS on her face creep in.


INT. HOSPITAL ROOM

Miriam sits alone in a chair in the corner of the room.  
Huddled around the hospital bed where Beth lays unconscious, are Beth’s parents.

They stand over her, each of them gripping one of her hands tightly.  Their heads are bowed and their eyes are closed.

MARY
Dear lord, we come to you on our knees…

CHARLES
Amen.

MARY
Humbly asking that you watch over our baby girl.

CHARLES
Please Lord.

MARY
Heal her, Father.  If it be your will.

CHARLES
If it be your will.

MARY
And…if you should see fit…to take her…

Mary can’t get the rest of the words out.  She and her husband start blubbering.

BETH (O.S.)
(Whispering)
Hey.

Mary and Charles open their eyes and look down at Beth, who’s smiling weakly up at them, and also awake.

They lose it, blubbering turning into full-on over-the-top crying as they practically fall on their daughter with hugs.

MARY
Oh baby!

CHARLES
It was touch and go there for a while.

BETH
Dad, no it wasn’t.

MIRIAM
It’s true Mr. Shaw, she actually woke up in the ambulance.  

CHARLES
(to Beth)
But, you were unconscious.

BETH
I was asleep.

Charles is stumped.  

MARY
Bethel.

Beth slowly turns to her mom, who’s wearing a sobering expression.

MARY
How did this happen?

BETH
Well mom, I was in St. Paul’s Chapel…

CHARLES
You went to church?

BETH
Yeah.  That special program that Miriam and I got into for NYU, that’s where we do all our work.   

CHARLES
Miriam…

He looks back at Miriam, who gives a small wave and a smile.

Charles turns back to Beth looking confused.  He gets low, close to Beth’s face.

CHARLES
(Whispering)
But, St. Paul’s is a Christian church.
BETH
We’re there to learn, dad.  And Christian churches are open to everyone.

CHARLES
(on the defensive)
No, no, I know.  That’s what I tell people.

MARY
What exactly are you there to learn, Bethel?

BETH
Religion, mom.  

CHARLES
God is good.

MARY
(to Charles)
Hang on Charles.
(back to Beth)
The Christian religion?

There’s an awkward moment of silence.  Miriam shifts positions in her chair.

BETH
Pretty much.  I mean, we look at others too.  But I’m confident Christianity’s gonna be a really big part of our curriculum moving forward.

Mary eyes her daughter with some suspicion.  

CHARLES
God is good!

MARY
(Still eyeing Beth)
Yes He is.

Mary bends down, touches her forehead to her daughter’s.


MARY
(Whispering)
And I’m confident you’ll come to learn that.

Mary gives Beth’s forehead a kiss.  Then she stands.

MARY
Charles, let’s get these kids some food.

CHARLES
Sounds good.

Mary and Charles leave the room.

Miriam walks to Beth’s bed and takes her friend’s hand.  They smile at each other.

TAP, TAP, TAP

Beth notices something behind Miriam.

BETH
The window!

Miriam turns.  

Outside the window, stooped like a gargoyle, is Spero looking in.  His wings are folded back, and he’s tapping at the glass.

Miriam races to the window, opens it up and lets the angel in.  

It’s a bit of a struggle, getting a 6’ tall armored warrior with wings in through a small NYC hospital window, but Spero eventually makes it through.

MIRIAM
Did you find that shadow thing?

BETH
(Scolding)
Miriam!

Miriam turns back to Beth, confused by Beth’s tone.

BETH
(to Spero)
How are you?

MIRIAM
Is that necessary?  He looks fine.  Oh, and also, he’s a supernatural being who just happens to be real.

SPERO
I am fine.  But how are you?

BETH
I’ll be ok.  Cuts and scrapes…

MIRIAM
And a mild concussion.  Stained glass sticking out of your scalp.  Possible nerve damage to your left hand.  Oh my God, Beth are you ok?

BETH
I’m fine.  I swear.

SPERO
I am sorry that I could not stop that beast from hurting you.

BETH
It’s ok.  Just tell me you got him, and all will be forgiven.

Spero bows his head.

BETH
You didn’t get him?

SPERO
I hunted him all throughout this city, but even with all the light he eluded me.  I do not know this place.  And there are too many cracks for him to hide in.  Too many crevices.

MIRIAM
What does that mean for us?

Spero looks up at her.
MIRIAM
Humans, I mean.

SPERO
The monster will multiply.  His shadow will spread, and other dark creatures will spring up in its wake.  If left unchecked, the dark ones will cause you mortals all manner of torment.  

BETH
Like what?

SPERO
I do not know.  I was born after the last time such creatures inhabited man’s world.  It was because they had all been defeated, that the High Father commanded we should no longer interfere in the everyday lives of mortals.  The dark ones were the last mountain that mortals could not climb themselves.  With them gone…with everything in the mortal realm set firmly in the sphere of mortal influence…it would be wrong for angels or any of the heavenly host to tip the scales in any way.  

BETH
Why do I get the sense that you didn’t agree with that command?

SPERO
I did agree with it.  I just did not follow it.  And now, I must go back to answer for my sins.  Past, and present.

MIRIAM
But you said that left unchecked, this monster will wreak havoc!  Shouldn’t you at least, I dunno, look again?

BETH
Yeah!  And we could help you!

MIRIAM
Excuse me?

BETH
What?  Who better to lead the search than people from New York?

MIRIAM
We’re from New Jersey.

BETH
Same thing.

MIRIAM
It’s really not.

BETH
We’re coming to school here in less than a month.  We’re ideally placed.

MIRIAM
Wait, why do I have to be involved?

BETH
Because you’re my best friend, and if I die and you’re not there, you’d feel incredibly guilty.

MIRIAM
Guilt is absolutely foreign to the Jewish faith.

SPERO
That is not true.

They both look at him, surprised that he’s still there and even more surprised that he’s joined in.

SPERO
At least, it did not used to be.  Perhaps things have changed?

MIRIAM
No, angel man.  They haven’t changed.  I was being sarcastic.

SPERO
Really?  I completely believed you.  You are a gifted performer.

MIRIAM
Stereotypes abound today.

BETH
How can you not love this?

MIRIAM
I do.  

SPERO
Truly?  Your face implies that you do not.

MIRIAM
I’m feeling a lot of things right now, dude.  But I’m in.  She’s convinced me.

BETH
That settles it.  You have to stay until we find this thing, and stop it.

SPERO
These wings were meant to take me back to Eden when the task was done.  Yet I am still here.  Bethel Shaw, I do believe you are right.  We are meant to embark on this journey together.

Miriam holds out her hand to shake.  Spero takes it gravely, bowing his head to her.

The angel turns to Beth, who is pushing herself up in her hospital bed.  

He gets to one knee.

SPERO
Thank you for offering to help me.  I do not accept such good will lightly.  And I swear to you, I will never allow you to endure such pain again.  I will be your shield against the shadow.  Your light in the dark.  I will guard you against that which you cannot guard yourself.  This I promise you, in the name of the heavenly Father.  Amen.

MIRIAM
Wow.  Why didn’t I get one of those?

Beth, unable to speak, brings her hand down to him, like a lady offering her hand for a knight to kiss.

Spero takes her hand in his and bows his forehead against it at the same time, and once he makes contact, his eyes fly open, white with recollection.


EXT. GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE – NIGHT – FLASHBACK

We hear the fractured breathing and scattered sobs of someone trying to keep it together.  

As we move through the desert garden, we land on a familiar man, kneeling against a boulder just about his size.  His head is bent low, even as his hands are clasped together and raised high.

Jesus is all but weeping: the words of his prayer coming through intermittently.

JESUS
(Subtitled)
Father…please…if it is possible, let this cup pass me by.

Jesus raises his head, looking off to the side from where he is.

A stone’s throw away from him, lie three of his apostles.  They are all asleep.

JESUS
(Subtitled)
The spirit is willing.  But the flesh is weak.

Jesus lowers his head, even lower than it was before, and he raises his clasped hands higher.

JESUS
(Subtitled)
Forgive me father, but if there is any way…let this cup pass me by.

We move away from Jesus, past the sleeping disciples, to a large stone.  From behind the stone, we see Spero’s head popping out, watching Jesus make his plea.

We move behind Spero, getting the clear view of Jesus as he prays, when suddenly a HAND GRABS SPERO’S SHOULDER.  

Spero is SPUN AROUND to face Godric, the angel from the teaser.

GODRIC
(in English)
What are you doing here Spero!

SPERO
(in English)
What I was made to.  Guarding my mortal.

GODRIC
You’ve been doing much more than that. 

SPERO
You know?

GODRIC
All of Heaven knows.  You have bent the laws of the Father as far as they can go.  If you do what I think you’re planning to do, it will be an act of betrayal.

SPERO
Why, Godric?  This man has inspired hundreds, if not thousands, to follow the ways of the Father.  All he seeks now is comfort.  

GODRIC
Are you certain that comfort is what he seeks?

SPERO
If you wish to accuse me of something, then please come right out and do so.


GODRIC
Peace, brother.  I am not your enemy.  But the path you are on with this charge – allowing him, and his followers, to believe he is capable of miracles – it can only lead to ruin.  His, and yours.  I would spare you that fate, if I can.

SPERO
I want to help him, Godric.  He has been betrayed by one of his own.  He could be arrested, or worse.  Is it so wrong, in this moment of need, to reward his faith?

GODRIC
Yes.  It would.  Because that reward is not yours to give.  It is the Maker’s.  

SPERO
Where is he then?  Why doesn’t he comfort this poor man, who’s life thus far has been spent preaching a message of unity, peace and hope. 

GODRIC
You forget your place, Spero.  It is not for us to question the will of the Father, who governs over the infinity of all creation.  We…

Godric points to Christ.

GODRIC
…they, are a few twinkling stars in the vast ocean of the cosmos.  There is nothing special about one mortal, even a talented preacher.  There have been others like him before, and there will be others after.  They are spread all across this world, with their own variations of what it means to be faithful.  That is their purpose.  To show others a way.  I had hoped that in guarding this man, you would have found one for yourself.

SPERO
I have, Godric.  Through him.

GODRIC
He is a man.  A second-born.  It is our job to help guide them, not the other way around.

SPERO
Nevertheless.  I have heard his words.  I have seen him live.  And I have felt that those things are right.  I am sorry brother.

Spero takes a step away from Godric, backing against the stone.

GODRIC
Spero, don’t do this!

SPERO
I do not ask you to forgive me.  But I hope you can.  

GODRIC
They will send me back for you.  To punish you!

SPERO
Goodbye Godric.

Spero turns from Godric, steps out from behind the stone, and suddenly ALIGHTS WITH A HEAVENLY GLOW.

The lights radiates onto Jesus’s prostrate form.  As if feeling it, Jesus raises his head and looks toward it.

A bright light – like a candle flame, but human-size – approaches him.  

It’s blinding at first, with nothing but light to be seen in it.  But as it gets closer, the shape of Spero comes into view.

Spero sits on a rock on the other side of where Jesus is praying.  He smiles comfortingly, and while the glow around him fades just enough to see him, it never leaves.

Spero stretches out his wings, and Christ slowly rises, finally kneeling as erect as he can.

SPERO
(Subtitled)
Hello.

JESUS
(Subtitled)
Hello.  Forgive me for asking, but, are you a man?

SPERO
(Subtitled)
No Jesus.  I am an archangel, set by the Lord on High to watch over you.  And guard you where I may.

JESUS
(Subtitled)
Has God the Father answered my prayer?  Are you here to take this suffering from me?

SPERO
(Subtitled)
No.  

JESUS
(Subtitled)
Then why have you come?

SPERO
(Subtitled)
To talk with you.  And in what little time we have together, perhaps, help you to find your faith again.

JESUS
(Subtitled)
I have prayed so many times before.  Always sure God heard me.  But tonight, I don’t know why, it just seemed that He wasn’t listening.  

SPERO
(Subtitled)
Why do you say that?
JESUS
(Subtitled)
Because He already showed me what is meant to happen.

Spero is affected by this.

SPERO
(Subtitled
He did?

JESUS
(Subtitled)
In a dream.

SPERO
(Subtitled)
And what is meant to happen?

JESUS
(Subtitled)
I will be arrested, tortured…and then crucified.

SPERO
(Subtitled)
The Father showed you all of this?

JESUS
(Subtitled)
I couldn’t believe it, at first.  “Why?” I thought.  “Why am I meant to die?”

SPERO
(Subtitled)
Did he answer you?

JESUS
(Subtitled)
He did not.  But you did.

SPERO
(Subtitled)
I?


JESUS
(Subtitled)
Mm.  Over the last three years, I have learned to trust in my faith above all else.  To give in to it, fully.  There was doubt, of course.  There is always doubt.  Yet when it crept in, before preaching to masses or even just sharing a meal with those closest to me, I would just bow my head and pray.  For courage.  For strength.  For wisdom.  For whatever the message needed to get through.  And then I would carry on.  And sure enough, after the first few steps forward, I felt it – the light of the holy spirit.  It washed over me, like a soft rain at first, and then, as I surrendered, like a wave.  It made blind men see.  It made lame men walk.  It raised dead men to life again.  It, not I.  For the holy spirit is the will of God.  I knew that, then.  I felt it.  Just as I feel it now.

Jesus looks intently at Spero.

SPERO
(Subtitled)
Because of me?

JESUS
(Subtitled)
You are my miracle.  My testament that the Father is watching over me.  And that He will be with me…to the end.

SPERO
(Subtitled)
Jesus…

Spero is given time to go on, but after a beat it’s clear he’s at a loss.

Jesus, inexplicably, breaks out into laughter at the sight of Spero so flummoxed.  

Spero looks back at the prophet dumbfounded, which only makes Jesus laugh harder.

Finally, Spero can’t help but smile and offer a small laugh of his own.

When the laughter dies down, Jesus brings his hands together and looks up at the heavens with open eyes.
JESUS
(Subtitled)
Thank you Father.  For sending your guardian.  And if this cup cannot pass by, but I must drink it, your will be done.”

Jesus gets to his feet then, offers Spero one last smile, and turns toward his disciples.

Spero does not move.  He sits there looking stunned.  The aura of light surrounding him fades to nothing.

And as it does so, we let the Spero of the past return us to…


INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – CONTINUOUS

…Where we find the Spero of the present wearing the same exact expression as he was over two thousand years ago.

He lifts his head from Beth’s hand, looking up at her.

BETH
What’s wrong?

SPERO
I remember.

BETH
Remember what?

SPERO
The night I helped Jesus of Nazareth, a good man, find his faith again.  And the day after, when I lost my own.

BETH
I’m so sorry.

Spero lets Beth’s hand go and slowly rises to his feet.

SPERO
So am I.  I wanted to save him.  I broke God’s law, to save him.  But I didn’t.  I couldn’t.  I only made things worse.  And now, I’ve done it all over again.

BETH
That’s not true.

SPERO
It is.  I’ve brought evil, true evil, back into this world.  And it will spread.

MIRIAM
Hey!

Spero turns to look at Miriam.

MIRIAM
Shut up!

BETH
Miriam…
MIRIAM
You shut up too.  I’ve experienced a lotta really heady, mythological stuff these last few days and I am at the end of my rope.  There’s a lotta questions swirling around in my head about exactly what’s true – including questions about my very belief system, and I’m the one who has to deal with that so forgive me for having zero tolerance for someone saying something that’s completely untrue. 

BETH
What are you talking about?

MIRIAM
(to Spero)
You!

Miriam points at the angel.

MIRIAM
Saved her!

Miriam slides her arm over to Beth.

MIRIAM
You saved me too.  And that slimeball professor.  That’s real.  That really happened.  

BETH
What’s your point Miriam?

MIRIAM
My point is, people die.  Human beings die.  It’s inevitable.  But just because Jesus died, and I hate that I’m saying this right now I’m gonna sound like a megachurch evangelist, but…just because Jesus died, it doesn’t mean he wasn’t saved.

BETH
Girl’s got a point.

MIRIAM
(to Spero)
So it sounds to me, like we have a chance to do now, what you couldn’t do back then.

SPERO
Which is?

BETH
Keep saving people. 

They both turn back to Beth.

MIRIAM
I was gonna say that.  I was setting myself up for it.
SPERO
You are both right.

MIRIAM
I was right.

SPERO
The past is gone.  It is time to move forward.  We must find this fiend and end it.  

Spero turns back to the both of them.

SPERO
So.  Where do we begin?

END OF PILOT

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Aid

              The stalwart knight quickly rolled out of the way as two gargantuan masses of vines, branches and bare earth came crashing down upon him.   The creature they belonged to was comprised of little else, and it used these appendages as arms.             In frustration, the monster grew to its full height and threw back its head, as if to roar.   Instead of noise, however, the earth underneath it shook.   The young knight had been dodging the giant’s attacks for some time now, but this new development caught him off guard.   He fell on his face, still clutching his sword, and as he looked up at the beast before him he was finally able to see it in all of its horror.                It stood ten feet tall; a giant borne of the earth with a torso as wide as a tree trunk and legs that did not end in feet, but instead were grown out from the ground.   The tangle of vines and foliage that made it up did not fully cover its innards, and deep within the chest and
EXT. SHUSTER HIGH - DAY We see the font of the school, pulling back slowly to reveal a lawn bustling with STUDENTS. They're laughing as they meet up at the start of a new, beautiful spring day. We travel back farther to see more students coming in off the sidewalk in front of the school. We're in the street now, as oblivious kids on bikes ride haphazardly in the middle of the street.  Huge smiles are on their faces. Not so with the drivers of the stop-and-go cars piling up behind them. We move further back until we land... INT. PARKED CAR - CONTINUOUS We settle behind CLARK, 16, just shy of obese, as he watches the bustling lawn with a growing smile, behind glasses too big for his face. CLARK This is gonna be good. WOMAN (O.S.) Yeah? Clark turns in the passenger seat to look at JOYCE, his mom who's 40, rail thin, and who sits up anxiously in her seat as she locks eyes with her son. CLARK Yeah.  I'm gonna make friends here mom.  I have a good fee

Kiki's Cat Cafe

INT. KIKI’S KITTY CAT CAFÉ Along the walls are a bunch of loose cushions and bean bag chairs – lots of soft stuff. Kids are running all over chasing and playing with all kinds of cats. High-top tables line the center of the room where trendy adults stand, sipping organic teas and ignoring their kids. Behind the coffee bar in the back is a 40-ish white woman with the build of a shot-putter – like from the Olympics. This is KIKI, and she watches on with a relaxed smile. A THIN WOMAN and TREVOR, her ten-year old, approach Kiki.                           THIN WOMAN                We’re done.                           TREVOR                But mom, just a little longer?                           THIN WOMAN Trevor, I said no. It’s time to go to your dad’s.      (to Kiki) How much?           KIKI Let’s see, two hours…           THIN WOMAN      (to Trevor) Wow, two hours. See? How good a mom am I?           KIKI And six boysenberry