ACT II
INT. THE WHITE TOMB
A startled Spero sits
up on the stone alter. His eyes are
racing, taking in his surroundings.
Nothing but pale stone
looks back at him. Finally, he settles
on a circular arch that looks like it could be the recesses of a door – but
it’s blocked by a stone slab.
Spero swings over the
alter, letting his legs dangle off the edge.
He spots the broken sword artifact on the sandy floor.
Spero hops off the
alter and bends down, taking the sword fragment into his hands and scrutinizing
it. He touches it with his free hand,
then slowly brings that free hand up to his ear.
He shakes it off. Whatever he’s feeling doesn’t matter right
now. He stands up.
SPERO
Ahh…
Spero rolls his
shoulders back, his eyes scrunched closed in pain.
He brings that free
hand up, past his neck, and feels around on his back, by his shoulder blades.
We watch as his hand
moves closer and closer to the nub of what looks like the root of his
wing. It’s not stained with any kind of
human, or angelic, blood, but the root looks damaged. Not whole.
Spero’s hand gets
closer to it. Closer. His finger brushes against the nub.
SPERO
AH!
Spero’s cry echoes in
the cave as he falls to his knees. He
takes a moment to breathe, then he looks up.
He spots the cave door
again. He tucks the sword artifact into
his belt, and makes straight for the entrance.
Carefully, he puts two
hands on the stone and pushes. It
doesn’t budge.
Spero takes a moment,
exhales, then begins pushing again. He
pushes with all his God-given might, and finally we hear and see the rumblings
of stone moving.
Then Spero begins to
move forward. He keeps moving, slowly
and steadily. Sunlight breaks through
the border of the stone door, but Spero doesn’t see it. He just keeps going, until finally…
EXT. THE WHITE HILL
OUTCROPPING – DAY - CONTINUOUS
Spero pushes the stone
door off along a small rocky path, until there is no more path. The stone door, which was just a giant
boulder, falls over the side of something almost taking Spero with it.
Spero backs away,
noticing that on a small outcropping overlooking the most bi-polar looking
island Spero has ever seen.
To the left, Spero
marvels at lush, vibrant greenery. There
is so much greenery, in fact, that he can’t really see anything else. It looks to him as though the green is
consuming itself – trees eating other trees, vines eating other vines, and so
on.
Except for one glorious
tree that grows tall, so much higher above all the others. It stands in the very center of the green
space, and its bark is pure gold with leaves of silver. Golden, glowing fruit hangs from its
branches.
Spero turns from that
glorious tree, to look at the right side of the island.
It’s sparse. What foliage there is isn’t dead, but it
isn’t lush. It’s filled more with pine
trees, brambles, anything that could survive in a desert.
The land itself is
black and grey, like soot after a fire, and the terrain looks incredibly
difficult. There are no straight, open
roads on this side. It’s all windy
pathways that don’t’ begin or end in Spero’s sight.
There is no great tree
on this side. There are plenty of thin
pine trees with dark bristles that scatter the landscape in small clumps.
Turning from the land,
Spero finds a rocky path that leads from the outcropping, down the high hill
he’s on into the green space. He heads
down it.
EXT. THE BOTTOM OF THE
HILL ROAD – CONTINUOUS
At the bottom of the
hill, Spero notices a much easier path than what he’s been struggling
down. It’s smooth and leads straight
through a tunnel of overgrown trees and plants.
He looks over, and
fifteen feet from where he now stands he spots the stone boulder he rolled over
the outcropping ledge.
Suddenly, a male child
pops out of the bushes right in front of him.
The child looks to be no older than four, and is plump with red cheeks.
Oh, another thing. The child is FLYING. Spero notices the tyke’s wings.
The little flying kid
notices Spero’s sword artifact at his belt.
CHILD
Help!
Fiend!
The kid turns tale and
flies down the smooth road.
SPERO
Wait!
Spero gives chase.
EXT. THE GREEN ROAD –
CONTINUOUS
Spero runs hard after
the flying child, constantly batting away huge branches and leaves – obstacles
the kid easily avoids because he can fly.
Spero gets closer to
the kid, so close he could reach out and grab him, which he tries to do. His open hand hovers over the shoulder of the
boy, and just as it closes…
The kid zooms up into
the sky. Spero watches him as he gets
smaller and smaller. But Spero is still
running forward, not keeping his eyes on the road.
The angel hits a wall
of green. Giant leaves wrap themselves
around and vines gently ensnare him. But
nothing holds taught, and Spero pushes past them finally coming to…
EXT. THE BASE OF THE
GOLDEN TREE – CONTINUOUS
Spero stops in his
tracks. He’s at the start of a small
grassy field that is surrounded by a giant golden root.
In the field, he sees
all manner of other angels – children, middle-aged, old – congregating in this
field. Some are sitting, some are
walking, others playing.
But his presence has
interrupted them. They all turn to see
this stranger.
CHILD (O.S.)
Fiend!
Fiend!
The other angels begin
to panick, as the boy who Spero lost sight of races back into view just above
them all. The child points an accusatory
finger at Spero, as if it needed to be made any more clear.
SPERO
Wait, I’m no…
But before he can
finish, Spero is violently pulled up from the back. In the blink of an eye, he’s got a bird’s eye
view of the base of the tree, because now he’s in…
EXT. THE FUCKING SKY -
CONTINUOUS
Spero looks up, but he
can’t spot the face of the angel carrying him.
The both of them are just going up.
Finally, they
stop. Spero tries to get a glimpse of
the angel’s face, but it’s backlit by the sun.
FLYING ANGEL
Who
are you fiend? How did you get past the
watchers?
SPERO
I
am no fiend, brother. I’m Spero. Archangel in the service of He on High, the
same as you.
FLYING ANGEL
Do
not call me that, fiend! We are not
borne of the same Father. How did you
come here? What do you want?
SPERO
I
am Spero. Archangel in the service of He
on High. And I awoke in the hill that
looks over this place only a few moments ago.
FLYING ANGEL
If
it is as you say, then where are your wings?
SPERO
I
do not know.
The Flying Angel lifts
Spero up to his face. The angel is
ruggedly handsome, though more rugged than handsome. Time and care have clearly worn him
down. But at seeing Spero’s face, LUCIAN
offers a great big smile.
SPERO
Lucian?
LUCIAN
Spero. It is you!
Lucian hugs Spero in
the air, and Spero hugs back, also holding on for dear life.
LUCIAN
How
did you get here? The escorted are
always brought to the village.
SPERO
Lucian,
could we talk on the ground?
LUCIAN
Surely
you’re not afraid of flying.
SPERO
No. I’m afraid of falling.
Lucian holds Spero out
like an adult holding up a seven year old.
LUCIAN
You are wingless. How can that be?
SPERO
I don’t know.
But I’m happy to
tell you what I do know down there.
Lucian smiles
mischievously.
EXT. THE BASE OF THE
GOLDEN TREE – CONTINUOUS
Lucian plops Spero down
like that asshole adult from before who was lifting up an eight year old. Then the angel lands gracefully.
As Spero gathers
himself, his eye catches something.
SPERO
Camilla?
Out of the crowd that
has reformed, who look on Spero suspiciously, an older looking female angel
steps out.
CAMILLA is stocky and
short, with gleaming silver hair, but the stern look on her face melts into a
smile as she gets closer.
CAMILLA
Spero?
SPERO
Yes.
She charges him,
wrapping him in a bear hug. Spero has
just enough time to catch his breath and start to return her hug before she
breaks away and looks him up and down.
CAMILLA
Where are your wings?
LUCIAN
He doesn’t know.
Camilla eyes Spero
quizzically. Finally, she turns to the
other angels gathered round.
CAMILLA
It’s
alright everyone. Spero is one of
us.
She turns back to
Spero.
CAMILLA
He’s a friend.
VOICE (O.S.)
That is for Elior to decide.
Out of the throng, a
huge angel pushes through. He’s taller
than all the rest, and armed to the teeth with gleaming, angelic arms. This bear of an angel is MICHAEL.
SPERO
Captain!
Spero kneels, bowing
his head before Michael.
MICHAEL
On your feet, fiend.
Spero looks up at
Michael.
SPERO
Fiend?
Spero stands.
MICHAEL
Where did you come from?
Spero points to the
high hill, in clear view from where they all stand.
SPERO
Sir. You
know me.
MICHAEL
I
did. But times have changed. You did not come here in the proper way. You just appeared. Like a weed, springing up out of the
ground.
Michael leans down and
in. His fiery blue eyes gleaming and
reflecting off of Spero’s face.
But Spero does not back
down.
SPERO
I am no weed.
MICHAEL
That
is not for you, or I, to judge. Elior is
the arbiter. He will decide.
SPERO
Then
lead on, captain.
Michael turns and
begins walking. Spero follows.
The crowd parts, making
way for the two archangels as they head straight for the base of the tree.
INT. INSIDE THE TREE –
CONTINUOUS
A grand circular forum,
calling to mind those of the Greeks or the Romans, only the size of the
Coliseum.
Surrounding the open
space, with golden lights canvassing the space like stars in the night sky.
Covering all available
surfaces is the same lush green as outside.
This indoor microcosm shows more overtly the claustrophobic nature
hinted at in the field, with pulsing vines and beating walls – a beating heart,
which the land surrounding it imitates.
Michael leads Spero to
the center of the room.
All around them, angels
work tending the violently growing foliage.
They trim it back, push it apart, etc.
Spero spots other
groups collecting the golden fruit.
Finally, the pair stop
at a dais in the center of the room. At
the top of the dais, sits another older looking wizard. He looks like a miniature tree himself, only
one not so thick and healthy as the one they’re all in. He’s stick thin, and sits with a hand to his
brow as if trying to prop up his head because it’s too heavy. This is ELIOR.
MICHAEL
Elior, this is Spero.
ELIOR
What?
Sorry?
Michael signals for
Spero to step forward. Spero does.
MICHAEL
Spero. He
used to serve with me.
ELIOR
He’s an archangel?
Addressing Spero.
ELIOR
You’re an archangel?
SPERO
I…
Michael interrupts.
MICHAEL
He
was. Claims he still is, but his wings
have been cut.
Spero looks shocked at
this revelation. He reaches a hand back
to the nubs on his back.
MICHAEL
Says he came from the high hill.
ELIOR
The high hill?
MICHAEL
Arbiter,
I have never known any of the heavenly host to simply spring up out of the
ground. They descend from on high, right
here, and with fair warning. Has that
changed?
ELIOR
No. Not to my knowledge.
Michael looks at Spero.
MICHAEL
Then he is lying.
SPERO
I am not.
Michael grabs
Spero. He draws a sword at his belt.
ELIOR
Wait!
Please!
Michael does. He looks back up at the arbiter.
MICHAEL
Fiends
are to be slain, yes? That is still the
law of the Father?
ELIOR
Yes.
MICHAEL
Then why should I wait?
Elior doesn’t have an
answer, and it shows.
ELIOR
Please.
Let me talk to him.
Michael considers a
moment, then finally lets Spero go.
MICHAEL
Fine.
Elior waves Spero up
onto the dais. Spero takes a step, but
his arm is grabbed by Michael.
Michael doesn’t look at
Spero, but keeps his eyes on Elior.
MICHAEL
But
I will remain. Right here. Watching.
Michael releases
Spero’s arm, and the wingless angel walks up onto the dais.
Elior motions for Spero
to sit. Spero does. Elior follows suit.
ELIOR
You say you came from the high hill?
SPERO
Yes. I was awakened in a tomb.
ELIOR
Awakened?
What woke you?
SPERO
It
was a mortal, I think. Or, the shade of
one. But when I asked her who she was,
she vanished.
Spero pulls out the sword
artifact from his belt.
SPERO
She dropped this.
Elior takes the
artifact and studies it.
SPERO
It’s one of their weapons. A sword.
ELIOR
Yes. And an old one, at that. From Jerusalem, I think.
SPERO
Yes. My last charge was a preacher who ministered
there.
ELIOR
Who?
SPERO
A
Jewish teacher called Jesus. Of
Nazareth.
ELIOR
Jesus? What do you remember of him?
We HOLD on Spero,
getting ready for the recollection to ensue.
FLASHBACK MONTAGE –
VARIOUS
A) EXT. DESERT HILLTOP
– DAY – Spero stands behind a tree near a kneeling Jesus Christ as he
ministers. The crowd gathered is hanging
on his every word. A young woman offers
a basket to the teacher. Jesus looks in
to find two small fish and a loaf of bread.
He looks out to the massive crowd, who eye the basket hungrily. He looks down at the basket, exhales, and
puts a hand on it as he prays.
B) EXT. OCEAN BORDER –
NIGHT – A violent storm rips the sea apart.
Jesus stands on the shore, looking out to a boat being tossed and turned
in the middle of the sea. The men in the
small boat are flailing and screaming – whether or not they’re calling out for
Jesus, or just for help in general, isn’t defined. Spero stands right next to the prophet,
unseen by Jesus, but taking in the teacher’s concern over his disciples in the
boat. Christ bows his head and
prays. Then he offers that familiar
exhale, and begins walking out into the water.
C) INT. THE LAST SUPPER
– A lively table of apostles, drinking heartily and enjoying one another’s
company. At the head of the table, Jesus
sits quiet, watching his friends in this joy.
Spero stands in a corner, watching Jesus watch them. A shifty, nervous apostle, JUDAS, enters
quieting some of the joy. Spero follows
Jesus’s intent gaze to Judas, who walks to an empty place at the table with a
heavy coin purse tied to his waist.
Jesus turns from Judas to a burly, overly boisterous apostle sitting a
few places away, PETER, who drains his wine cup and pours himself another. A maiden drops the loaves of bread and
pitcher of wine in front of Jesus. Once
again, we see that familiar exhale. With
the attention of the table focused on Jesus, he bows his head, taking the hands
of the men to his right and left, and prays.
END FLASHBACK MONTAGE
INT. INSIDE THE TREE -
CONTINUOUS
SPERO
Only
glimpses. Echoes. Why?
ELIOR
Spero,
Jesus has become one of the leading religious figures in all the mortal
world. Millions worship him as they
would the Creator.
SPERO
How
can that be?
ELIOR
Because
after he died, word of him and his message spread. His story has been spoken, written, studied
and analyzed for over two thousand years.
Spero’s eyes
widen. Slowly, he stands. Behind him, Michael puts a hand on a sword,
just waiting.
SPERO
What
is this place? It looks like the kingdom
of paradise, but it isn’t.
ELIOR
It
is, actually. The paradise made on
Earth, for the first man and the first woman to dwell in. You are in Eden.
SPERO
Why?
ELIOR
If
I had to guess, I’d say you’re here for the same reason we all are. You’ve suffered. You served as best you could, but something
broke you. The Father, in his Grace, has
granted you peace.
SPERO
Is
that why I only have snatches of Jesus and his ministry?
ELIOR
I
don’t know. Whatever great pain I
suffered, I have no recollection of at all.
And I don’t go seeking it, either.
With questions and belabored recollection. You have been given a gift, Spero. The Father has blessed you. Leave the pain in the dark, where it belongs. And join us here, in the light.
MICHAEL
What
of his story of waking in the hill?
ELIOR
You’re
just as bad as Spero, Michael. Who are
we to question how our brother was brought to us?
MICHAEL
But
he could be a fiend!
ELIOR
I
don’t believe he is. And that is not our
way. We do not cast judgment without
merit. Fiends cannot hide their true
natures for long. If Spero is a fiend,
he will be found out in time. But if he
isn’t, and you slayed a brother…could you live with yourself?
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