the boy who drew - august 2013

7/27/2019 The Boy Who Drew - August 2013

1/119

The Boy Who Drew

By

Michael Marche

August 23, 2013

[email protected]


2/119

1

FADE IN:

INT. - CLOSE UP OF PAPER, UNDER THE COVERS - LIGHT OF A

FLASHLIGHT

Paper: folds, leafs, sheets, balls, crumpled and uncrumpled. Thefibres of it. The lush qualities of its simplicity. A pen strokesacross the page, ink sucked into the pores.

THEO, a 12 year old boy, brown hair, sharp eyes, draws under ablanket, his concentration complete. He grows increasinglyfrustrated, then grabs the page before him, tears it from thepad, crushes it up and adds it to the growing pile next to him.One short breath out in frustration and he begins to draw again.

INT. - ORPHANAGE DORMITORY - NIGHT - MINUTES LATER

Theo hears the SOUND of CREAKING DOOR and turns off hisflashlight. He holds his breath and freezes like a statue. TheSOUND OF SHOES approaches too quickly and the covers whip fromthe bed.

The orphanage lady MISS FULABREE, furious and haggard, pulls himfrom his bed and grabs the pad of paper from him.

MISS FULABREEGive me that this minute!

She rips the paper and pen from him.

MISS FULABREE (CONT'D)Stealing again are you?

She looks at the picture of a young woman in her hands.

MISS FULABREE (CONT'D)Your mother? Doesnt look a thing likeher. Go to sleep, all of you. Thanks toyoung Theodore, there will be an extrahour of chores tomorrow. Everything will

be extra clean for visitors.

THEOYou dont know what she looked like.

MISS FULABREENo one knows what she looked like. Anddo you know why? Because she didnteven wait around before dumping you onour doorstep.


3/119

2

She tears up the portrait.

MISS FULABREE (CONT'D)There will be no more of this pointlessbehaviour. Art is never going to get youanywhere. Now go back to bed.

She grabs up Theos pens and balls of paper and storms out.

Theo flops back onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling. ZEE,another member of this homeless family of children, rolls overnext to him.

ZEEPsst. Theo. Theo.

THEOWhat?

ZEEWhy dja always gotta get us all introuble? You know shes gonna take itout on all us tomorrow.

THEOForget her, Zee. Its worth the extrachores. Did you see her foreheadthrobbing?

ZEEThought she was gonna burst.

THEOI'm going to get out of here Zee. Myfamily's out there, I know it. I'm goingto get out of here and find them.

ZEENo ones coming for us, man. Now stoptalking before you get us in moretrouble.

They settle down in their beds.

ZEE (CONT'D)Hey Theo.

THEOWhat?

ZEEHere.

Zee throws him a new pen.


4/119

3

ZEE (CONT'D)You owe me.

THEOI owe you. Thanks.

ZEEYou wake me up again tonight, and Imgoing to have to punch you.

THEOGoodnight Zee.

ZEE(grumbling)

Goodnight.

EXT. - BACKYARD OF ORPHANAGE - EARLY AFTERNOON

Theo plays away from the other kids. He has gathered up all kindsof toy blocks and is making a picture on the ground with them.

JEREMY, a warm and hopeful eight year-old, stops playing withsome of the other nearby children, and goes over to see what Theois doing.

JEREMYWhat are you building?

THEOIt's a picture.

JEREMYA picture? Of what?

THEOI'm not exactly sure.

JEREMYWhy are you drawing a picture withblocks?

THEO

Why not? You can draw pictures withanything.

JEREMYI dont like drawing, I prefer soccer,but your picture is pretty cool.

ELLEN, a thirty-five year old worn-down mom, comes out of theback door and looks hopefully round at all the children playing.She sees her son Jeremy talking with Theo. She watches them


5/119

4

talking for a few seconds, then goes over to them.

JEREMYDo you like soccer?

THEO

Yeah, I guess.

JEREMYHey mom, this is Theo. He likes to drawwith blocks. Isn't that weird?

ELLENNot at all. People used to make pictureson floors with tiny blocks in ancienttimes.

THEOTessellations.

ELLEN(impressed)

Yes.

JEREMYIt's weird, but I like it.

Jeremy runs off to play with the other children. Ellen kneelsdown and looks down at the picture. Theo places a few moreblocks, making a little palm tree.

ELLENWhats the picture of?

Theo looks up at her, then back at the blocks.

THEOIt's a nature scene, I think, full ofanimals and other things. Here's theedge of some woods, with, I'm not surewhat that is -

ELLENIt looks like a bird.

THEOI think it's a fairy. And over there, alamb is running, jumping-

ELLENGamboling.

THEOGambling? Like poker?


6/119


7/119

6

JOHNJeremy! Come on now!

Ellen gets up and starts away, but turns to look back at Theo,who has gone back to his tessellation. She watches him play for afew seconds longer, then leaves.

INT. - CAR - CONTINUOUS

As they pull away from the curb, Ellen stares off into space,holding the uncrumpled drawing in her hands.

JOHNWhat do you think, El?

ELLENHm?

JOHNShould we look at that other orphanage?Or keep looking out of state?

John and Ellen drive by the fenced-in play-space of theorphanage. Theo looks out and catches Ellens eyes as she drivespast.

ELLENNo. No, I don't think so.

EXT. - BACKYARD OF ORPHANAGE - CONTINUOUS

Theo walks the edge of the chain link fence as the car disappearsaround the corner.

As he walks along the edge, he looks down and SEES

The fence, busted at the bottom, has just enough room for him toslide under.

He looks around then grabs his knapsack and starts to squeezeunder the fence.

Miss Fulabree looks up to see Theo half way under the fence, andtears towards him.

At the last moment, Theo slips out under the fence as MissFulabree slams up against the metal.

MISS FULABREETheo, you get back in here this instant.You are already in so much trouble youngman.


8/119

7

Theo backs away from the fence.

MISS FULABREETheo. THEO!

Theo bolts away into the streets and disappears.

MONTAGE

Theo runs through alleys and streets. He looks over his shoulderat the faint YELLING, then the sounds of SIRENS. The city getsuglier, grittier, and less safe around him.

While looking back, Theo bumps into a crazed STREET WALKER, whoscreams like a banshee after him.

The light begins to fade.

EXT. - DARK ALLEYWAY - MINUTES LATER

Theo enters a short, dark, DEAD-END alleyway, turning to face thestreet and listening for any continuing screams. He backs awayfrom the street until he bumps up against a pile of rubbish andrubble.

THE ARTIST, a mix of court jester, knight errant, and bum, risesup screaming.

THE ARTISTGET AWAY FROM ME!

THEOIm sorry!

Theo drops his bag, and a couple of pens and a ratty lookingsketchbook tumbles out. The Artist grabs up the book.

THEOGive that back!

Theo grabs for his book and after a tussle, pulls it free of theold mans wiry grip. Theo turns to leave the alley.

THE ARTISTYoure an artist, arent you, boy?

THEOAn, an artist?

THE ARTISTArtist, yes. We draw dreams, child. Everhad a dream, boy?


9/119

8

THEOI should go -

THE ARTISTWait!

THEOWhat do you want!?

THE ARTISTFine manners from a lowly child to onethe likes of me. Maybe I wont give itto you.

THEOGive me what?

The Artist pulls out a beautiful wood crafted luxurious PEN.

THEOA pen?

THE ARTISTHah! A pen he says, a pen! A pen is justa pen! Business men, accountants,grocery clerks have pens. This is aStylus!

THEOA stylus? Whats that?

THE ARTISTWell, its sort of like a pen. Butmagic!

Theo looks at him incredulously.

THE ARTIST (CONT'D)It can take you to other worlds, boy,make your dreams come to life, rightbefore your eyes!

THEOAnd youre just going to give it to me?

THE ARTISTSound good to you, boy, a magic pen atthe tips of your fingers? All thatpower, to make all the things from yourimagination come to life, hmmm? No! Itsa terrible burden, terrible! Think, allyour hopes and dreams, and all yournightmares too. Which will win, eh,glory or terror, triumph or disaster,


10/119


11/119

10

doesnt get lost again. Thank you foryour time. Goodbye.

POLICE OFFICERMaam.

The officers leave. As their footsteps fade down the hallway,Miss Fulabree spins on Theo, grabbing him by the collar.

MISS FULABREEWhat do you think you were doing? Do youknow how that makes us look?

THEOGet off of me!

Theo and Miss Fulabree struggle. She slaps Theo. They both stoptheir battle.

Miss Fulabree walks calmly around and sits behind her desk.

MISS FULABREEWhat are we going to do with you Theo?Ive tried giving you extra work, but Ithink were both tired of how poorly youdo the chores you already have. What isgoing to make you learn? Perhaps othertraditional forms of punishment would bemore effective.

Miss Fulabree pulls back a felt cloth on top of her desk andreveals several nasty looking canes and paddles.

MISS FULABREE (CONT'D)Ive never had the personal experienceof it, but Im told it can be quitesuccessful. I had to search throughstorage, but in the end I found a wholearray of... tools.

She selects a thin reed cane.

MISS FULABREE (CONT'D)Come here, Theo. Right Now.

Miss Fulabree lunges around the desk, Theo jumps back knocking achair over with a BANG.

The door slams open. MR. REYNOLDS, 38, the headmistressstoadying assistant, barges in.

MR. REYNOLDSHeadmistress!


12/119

11

MISS FULABREEYes?

MR. REYNOLDSTheres a young couple here to see you.

About the boy.

MISS FULABREE(to Theo)

What did you do?

THEONothing!

MR. REYNOLDSHeadmistress?

MISS FULABREESend them in. You, stay over there and

be quiet.

Theo moves to the corner, as Miss Fulabree covers up the whippingtools, and moves from behind her desk to pick up the fallenchair. Ellen and John enters the office.

ELLENHello Miss Fulabree, I just wanted tospeak to you, oh, hello Theo.

THEOHello.

ELLENWell, I uh, well, I was coming back toask, I was going to ask whether or notTheo, if he would like, if you wanted tocome with us, back home, to come andstay with us. Would you like that Theo?

THEOYes. I would.

ELLENGood, good. Would it be alright if we

came, say, later this week, say,Thursday?

MISS FULABREEWell, of course! What a happy occasion.Youll be ready to go with the nicelady, wont you Theo?

THEOYes.


13/119

12

ELLENGood. Well then. Ill get going. See yousoon Theo. Im very glad.

THEOMe too.

INT. - CAR - DAY

Theo gets into the car with his small backpack of personalpossessions, and Ellen and John get in the front seat. As theyall drive away, Theo looks out the window and sees Zee staringback at him from the front window of the orphanage.

INT. - CAR - DAY

Ellen, John, and Theo drive along through the streets of a quietsuburb.

INT. - BIG COLD GREY HOUSE - MID AFTERNOON

Theo steps into the house. He stands in the foyer, looking aroundat the living room, dining room and long staircase. Ellen andJohn enter behind him.

ELLENYour room's upstairs. Would you like meto show you?

Ellen moves past him up the stairs and Theo follows. John followsbehind him.

INT. - ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Theo stares around the small but confortable room, with its newbut small bed. A hideously ugly drawing hangs above it. On thedresser is a small old painting of a collapsing tower under a redsunset.

ELLENI know it's not very big -

JOHNWe thought your own room might be a nicechange. Have you ever had your own room,Theo?

THEONo. Thank you.


14/119

13

JOHNWe'll let you get settled.

John and Ellen leave. Beat. Jeremy bursts into the room.

JEREMY

Hi Theo! You're my new brother, sort of,and Im yours I guess! I hope you likethe room, I drew the picture there, Imjust learning, mom says youre anartist, do you like drawing? Its fun,but I prefer soccer. And hockey. Andmost sports. This used to be my dadsoffice, but he moved all his old stuffto the basement. I guess you could havestayed in the basement, but its full ofspiders. Do you like spiders? I had apet fish once but it died.

ELLEN(O.S.)

Jeremy! Leave Theo alone to settle in!

JEREMYBye!

Jeremy runs out the door. Theo walks to the centre of the room,and stands looking around him, lost, even in the tiny room. Heputs his backpack on the bed and sits next to it.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. - FRONT OF THE HOUSE - MORNING OF A SCHOOL DAY

Theo and Jeremy run and get on the school bus. Jeremy sits at thefront with his friends. Theo gets on the bus, and sees Jeremyoffering him the seat next to him, but walks further along thebus. There are almost no open seats. Finally, a PRETTY GIRLreluctantly offers him a place next to her.

THEOThanks.

The girl looks away bored. Theo sits quietly and tries to look atnothing. A small RAT-FACED BOY stares at him unblinking from overthe seat in front of him.

INT. - CLASSROOM FILLED WITH STUDENTS - MORNING

MISS GRAYSON, Theos art teacher, is up at the board. Theo drawswith his magical pen a picture of a gateway with a magic land onthe other side.


15/119

14

MISS GRAYSONCan anyone tell me what Perspective is?

Anyone? Pespective is a way of drawingto make things look close or far away ona sheet of paper. For example -

Miss Grayson draw two lines of perspective on the board, and addstwo boxes, one bigger and one smaller.

MISS GRAYSONWho can tell me which of these lookscloser. Anyone?

The class is silent.

MISS GRAYSONHow about you, Theodore?

Theo looks up from his drawing. He points silently to the bigger

box.

MISS GRAYSONThats correct. The bigger one lookscloser and the little one looks fartheraway.

Theo goes back to his drawing, as Miss Grayson drones on. Next toTheo, JOHNNY, the class bully, stares around in abject boredom.He rips out a page from his note book, and chews it up.

Theo puts the finishing touch on the world behind the archway andstares down at it.

For a second the picture is perfectly still, then it starts toMOVE. The world behind the archway, the trees of a forest wavein the wind.

MISS GRAYSONTheodore?

Theo looks up suddenly.

MISS GRAYSON (CONTD)Pay attention up here, please.

Miss Grayson goes back to teaching the class. Theo looks back atthe paper, but the picture is still again.

JOHNNY looks over at Theo, a gleam stealing into his face. Helooks around. His two sidekicks - BOLLARD and KEVIN - watch himexpectantly.

JOHNNY(whispering)


16/119

15

Hey, hey, hey, new kid, hey, new kid -

THEOTheo.

JOHNNY

What?

THEOTheo. My name is Theo.

JOHNNY, BOLLARD, KEVINOooohhhhhh...

MISS GRAYSONQuiet back there, boys. Now were goingto look at how perspective has beenused...

JOHNNY(Whispering)

Hey new kid, hey, whatcha drawing there?Unicorns? Fairies? Rainbows?

Kevin and Bollard laugh.

Theo says nothing.

Johnny swipes Theos drawing off his desk. They both grab for it,tearing it right down the middle.

MISS GRAYSONIs there a problem back there, Theo?

THEONo, Miss Grayson.

MISS GRAYSONWell, maybe you should sit up here fortoday.

Theo gets up and moves to the front of the class.

JOHNNY

Bye Theodore!

Johnny eats the half of the picture he ripped from Theo, addingit to the wad already in his mouth.

INT. - SCHOOL HALLWAYS - LATER THAT DAY

The bell RINGS. As Theo walks silently to his locker, hefurtively meets the eyes of a CUTE GIRL surrounded by her


17/119

16

FRIENDS. The cute one smiles sweetly, while her friends turn heraway. Theo keeps walking.

Down the hall, Johnny is picking on someone small, pushing thekid back and forth between Kevin, Bollard, and himself. Theoapproaches and SEES that its Jeremy.

After a particularly brutal push that throws Jeremy to theground, Theo steps forward.

THEOLeave him alone.

JOHNNYWhat?

THEOI said leave him alone.

JOHNNYOr what?

THEOOr I stop you.

Theo steps close so only Johnny can hear.

THEO (CONT'D)You arent that tough Johnny, you arenttough like I know, so stop, or Ill stopyou.

Johnny backs up. Johnny PUNCHES. Theo takes the hit and fallsbackward. Johnny stands smugly over Theo. Theo kicks him in theballs.

CROWDOhhh!!!

Johnny slumps slowly down and Theo gets up. He punches Johnnyhard in the face. Theo gets on top of him and keeps beating him.

MALE TEACHERStop that right now!!

The teacher pulls him off. As Theo is being dragged away, hecatches the eye of the Cute Girl again. She looks at him, shockedand afraid.

EXT. - THE STREET OUTSIDE THE FAMILY HOUSE - AFTER SCHOOL

A school bus pulls away. Theo and Jeremy stand outside the house,staring up at the front door. Beat. Ellen appears on the front


18/119

17

steps.

ELLENFighting? What have you two been up to?Jeremy, youve never been sent to theprincipals office. I wouldnt believe

the calls Ive been getting!

JEREMYBut mom!

ELLENNo, I dont want to hear it from youeither. Jeremy, you should have beenlooking after him, not getting intotrouble!

THEOI can look after myself!

ELLENI want you both to get inside. Goupstairs and do your homework. Youreboth grounded for a week!

JEREMYMom!

THEOWhatever. Doesnt make a difference tome. Not like I have friends here anyway.

Theo stalks off to his room. Jeremy follows him sulkily.

ELLENAnd dont come down until itssuppertime!

INT. - THEOS ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Theo slams the door to his room. He stalks around like a cagedanimal. He looks at the small desk covered in his drawings andflings them off in his anger, then kicks his backpack. The magic

pen falls to the floor.

Theo picks it up and throws it at the dresser.

THEOMagic!

The pen bounces off one wall, spins through the air, and smacksoff his bedroom door. A splotch of ink splashes out and runs downa crack in the surface making a broken jagged blue-black mark.


19/119

18

Theo stares at the ink drip.

It FLARES gold.

A ring of light FLASHES around the door frame, shining a deepochre red.

Theo moves forward slowly, touching the now dry ink. Then,hesitantly, he opens the door.

EXT. - A DYING WORLD - A BLAZING RED SUNSET

Theo steps to the edge of the doorway and looks out. A red andwild world surrounds him, crooked trees, and dried brown grasses.Ruins of a castle fill the distant hills.

THEOMagic.

INT. - THEOS ROOM - CONTINUOUS

MONTAGE

Theo packs his backpack. Sketchbook, flashlight, umbrella, themagic pen, some clothes and a few other items.

EXT. - DYING WORLD - RED LIT EVENING

Theo steps out of the doorway and onto the crusty dried soil. Hetakes a few steps out into the gnarled dying wood around him,which CREAKS suddenly as a low wind arises. A CRACKLING soundbehind Theo makes him turn

To see his bedroom door DISSOLVE into the black centre of amassive tree knot.

Theo scrabbles to find the door and the way back.

Gone. As he stands there staring at the gnarled tree stump, aLOUD NOISE approaches at a very high speed. Suddenly it's in his

ear, bowling him over.

NOTSO, a purple and fat blob with wings, knocks him to theground.

THEOOW!

NOTSOOof! Sorry, no time, busy, very busy!


20/119

19

Hello, hi, nice to meet you, bye now!

THEOWhere are you going?

NOTSO

Running!

THEOFrom who?

NOTSOThem!

THEOThem?

NOTSOThem!!!

Notso points behind Theo. BLACK HOUNDS, made from sticky flowingink, bark and growl as they barrel towards them.

THEOOh? OH!

NOTSORun!

Theo and Notso tear away weaving through the forest.

NOTSO (CONT'D)This way!

Theo and Notso cut through a small shrubbery, over a large log.They hide beneath it and hear the dogs run by.

THEOWhat are they?

NOTSOThe Queens Inkhounds. Nastiest thingsyou could ever want to meet.

THEOWhy are they chasing you?

NOTSOArent they chasing you too?

THEOThey are now!


21/119

20

NOTSOWhat did you do?

THEONothing! I just followed you!

NOTSOYou shouldnt have followed me, theyrechasing me!

THEOI can see that!

NOTSOSh! SHH!

THEOWhat?

NOTSONothing. I just want you to be quiet.Im Notso, by the way.

THEONotso?

NOTSONotso Bright, Im a notsprite.

THEONotsprite?

NOTSODont want to be confused with tinysprites, do we? We still have wings, but...

Notso points to his tiny wings.

THEOKinda pointless then, arent they?

NOTSOWell, you dont have any wings at all,

do you?!

A GROWL right above them, and a massive black head leans over thelog and peers down at them. From all around them the black, blueand red INKHOUNDS slip out from the shadows.

THEOUh oh.


22/119

21

NOTSOHi!

The Inkhounds attack.

BLACKOUT.

INT. - THE THRONE ROOM OF THE RUI NATION - A LITTLE LATER

Theo tumbles to the ground in a large round room. He looks up.

A very tall and elegant QUEEN, her beauty is like ice, cold,sharp, brutal, stares imperiously down at him. Notso is throwndown beside him.

The Queen looks at Theo slowly then down at Notso beside him.Turning, she slinks onto a massive but crumbling throne. Aroundthe room HIDEOUS COURTIERS leer at the captives.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYou are Notso, of the sprites?

NOTSONotsprites, yes maam.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYou are the one who has been heard tosing and dance, daring to mock me in thestreets of my city?

NOTSOYes maam.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYou are a very little thing.

NOTSOThank you, maam.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYou are too stupid to even realize yourfoolishness of mocking me. If you werejust a bit smarter, I would throw you in

my dungeons and let you wallow in youridiocy, but even that is a waste of timeand energy.

NOTSOYes maam.

QUEEN BOUDICCEATake him to the mines. Let him workuntil he grows old and withered. Burn


23/119

22

his bones. But bring me his wings for mywall.

THEOWait!

The Queen turns sharply to look at Theo. She walks slowly over tostand in front of him, staring down.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAAnd who are you, you small unimportantthing?

BLACKDOG, the captain of the Inkhound Guard, CHANGES from hishound-like shape into a wolf-man.

BLACKDOGThis man-child was with the prisoner, myQueen. He suddenly appeared from

nowhere. Carrying this.

Blackdog holds up Theos PEN and his SKETCHBOOK.

THEOThats mine!

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYours? Where did you get it? It isforbidden to draw and write in thisworld!

Theo remains stubbornly silent.

BLACKDOGAnswer her!

THEOIt was given to me.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAWhere? By whom?

THEOBy a man. In my world.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYour world? Your world? You are atraveler of worlds, child, an artist!

The Queen's court roils and hisses.

THEOYes, I am.


24/119

23

BLACKDOGHes just a pup!

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYou drew a doorway and came here?

THEOUm, yes, I did.

QUEEN BOUDICCEA(aside)

Are the days of my entrapment at an end?The final days!

(to the INKHOUNDS)Release him. Immediately!

The guards around Theo fall back. The Queen reaches down andhelps Theo to his feet by his chin.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAI'm so sorry my little one, thesewretched creatures don't understand whoyou are! An artist! But it's been solong since we've been graced with one ofthose here. It's been years since we'veseen your kind of wonder and magic.Would you do us the honour of showingus, and make one of your magicaldoorways?

THEOI, I don't really -

The Queen hands Theo his pen and a sad and dilapidated book.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAShow me.

Theo opens the book to a blank page and draws a door with asquiggly mark on it. A rough adobe archway with a shabby tin doorGROWS UP out of the ground. The Queen opens the door.

A RAGING MAELSTROM OF FIRE fills the other side. The Queen slamsthe door shut. Beat.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAHow did you get here, child?

THEOI dont know. I just sort of tripped andsome ink accidentally got on my door,and -


25/119

24

BLACKDOGHe knows nothing! He probably found thepen or stole it!

THEOHe gave it to me!

QUEEN BOUDICCEAHe?

The Queen looks at the pen and thinks for a few seconds.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAWell then, boy, you can't get home, canyou?

THEONo, not exactly.

QUEEN BOUDICCEATrapped, and so far from home. Iunderstand that. Never to see yourfamily, never to be safe, at home, inyour bed. Maybe I can help you withthat. Yes, I could do that.

THEOHow?

QUEEN BOUDICCEAFirst, you need to prove yourself to me,that you deserve my help. I need a fewsmall trinkets found, things stolen fromme ever so long ago. If you bring thesethings back to me, I promise Ill sendyou back.

THEOThen youll send me home? To my REALparents? My real family?

QUEEN BOUDICCEADont you know who your parents are?

Beat.

THEOCould you send me to them?

QUEEN BOUDICCEAI can.

Theo thinks for a few seconds.


26/119

25

THEOWhere do I start?

The Queen laughs.

QUEEN BOUDICCEA

Oh, but you are a brave one. Three itemswere stolen from me, and three must bereturned before I can send you on yourway.

The Queen, using Theos pen writes in the book and conjures animage of the Forest world above them, moving and shifting.

QUEEN BOUDICCEA (CONT'D)The first is on a world known to me, aworld of Forests and trees, lost amongthe roots and leaves somewhere. APerfect Pen.

The Queen conjures an image of a beautiful golden pen, lying inthe roots of the trees.

THEOA perfect pen? Cant you just use theone I brought?

QUEEN BOUDICCEAThis old thing? Does this one followevery yearning of your heart? ThePerfect Pen is old magic. It bringswishes to life, makes anything possible.No ordinary pen can do that! The seconditem has been lost in a far away OceanWorld. An Endless Inkwell.

The Queen conjures a fuzzier image of the OCEAN WORLD, with itsvast black sea. Monsters and crashing waves are barelydistinguishable through of haze the image. Rising from the sea abottle of ink appears to float above the court.

THEOWhats that?

QUEEN BOUDICCEAA bottle of ink that never runs dry. Itcan draw a million pictures and still befull to the top. With these two toolsyou could make whole worlds appear fromthe very depths of your mind. But onelast element is needed.

THEOWhats that?


27/119

26

The Queen conjures an image of a book inlaid with gold.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAThe Book of Infinite Pages. Lost foruntold ages. Hidden from even the mostpowerful. All we know of its location is

this: All doorways lead to The Book.

THEOWhat does that mean?

BLACKDOGIf she knew, she wouldnt need you, youlittle runt!

The Queen waves off BLACKDOG.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAWith these three objects, You could go

anywhere, draw anything dream anythingand make it real, and that power, mypower, will last a thousand years,forever! For that, I will reward youwith a quick and easy trip back to yourworld. Your safe, quiet, simple littleworld. Now go.

The Queen draws in the book and out of the ground rises anarchway of wood. A dark path appears inside it.

Theo gathers up his bag.

THEOIll find your stuff. But I could use aguide.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYoure quite right. Release thenotsprite.

THE INKHOUNDS release Notso.

THEOHim? Hes the one who got me into

trouble in the first place!

QUEEN BOUDICCEAWe cant go and waste someone moreimportant, Im afraid. Once you start tofind your way, leave him behind.Preferably somewhere hell be eaten.

And one last gift, my youngling, a wayfor you to get back to me, once youvefound all of my property.


28/119

27

The Queen hands Theo a pretty red stone. It burns brightly in hishand, but settles into a low throbbing glow. Theo puts it in hispocket.

THEOOne more thing.

Theo holds out his hand for the pen and book. The Queen stares athim sharply for a moment then gives them to him.

QUEEN BOUDICCEADo not fail me, child! There are farworse things than being lost far awayfrom home.

Theo and Notso go through the passageway.

The Queen's court fades away and the path begins to fill with

roots and dirt. Pushing through the tighter and tighter space,Theo sees a light at the end, and together they push through someoverhanging vines and step out into the sun.

EXT. - FOREST WORLD - MID MORNING

Theo and Notso step free from the centre of a giant tree. Thegolden light hits their faces.

NOTSOWow.

THEOIt's beautiful. Well, Come on. Try notto get me in any more trouble would you?

Trees lilt softly with a musical creak, small armies of orderlyants corral and milk their aphid cattle, soft TINKLING BELLSchime from of the leaves. Two butterflies hum on the wing,locked in a LOVE-DUET. The whole forest is a sing song cacophony,each life-tune weaving a woodland symphony.

Theo and Notso walk through the wonderous wood.

Theo steps between two beautiful cedars and stops frozen. HeHEARS a sad but alluring GYPSY TUNE cutting through the trees,silencing the happiness.

THEO (CONT'D)Whats that?

NOTSOI dunno but I think I'm in love.


29/119

28

THEOI dont know, theres something notright. Hey, Notsprite, Notso, whateveryour name is, come back!

Notso head towards the song. Theo walks cautiously behind him.

As they head out through the forest, all the creatures and songsbehind them, everything in range of the song, scurry into hiding.

EXT. - FOREST GLEN - CONTINUOUS

Theo pushes back a branch and walks out into a small glen.HELENA, a radiant siren, plays a small and shabby lute/balalaika,Notso at her feet. The song she plays is beautiful and dangerous,and Theo stumbles towards her, enthralled.

The grass at her feet withers as she plays.

THEOHello.

HELENAHello sweet child. Come and join yourfriend. What are you doing so far fromhome?

THEOI can't get home.

HELENAHow awful for you. Come closer, maybethere's something I can do to help.

Theo steps closer. HELENA licks her lips.

THEOThe Queen said she could help us.

HELENAThe Queen?

THEOYes. The Queen of Everything -

HELENATall, sharp, cold?

NOTSOShe said all she needs the pen.

HELENANow she sends a child on her foolishquest. Ah well...


30/119

29

Helena leans close to Theo's neck, smiling with razor sharpteeth.

THEOI'm not a fool. I'm an artist.

She hovers above Theos neck with her bite, then looks back atTheo's face.

HELENAWhat did you say?

THEOIm an artist. She said I'm the only onewho can find it. But maybe I'll juststay here with you.

NOTSOIt's really pretty here.

HELENAMaybe I can help you find this pen.

THEOReally?

HELENAThe Queen isn't the only one withpowers. Outside her little world, shesnothing more than a thief. And as ithappens I know where the pen is.

THEOReally, where is it?

HELENAFirst, you must promise that once youhave it in your hands, you will give itto me. I will make sure to send you -

THEOBack to my family, my real family?

HELENA

Exactly. Do you promise?

THEOI promise. Where is it?

HELENANot far from here. But, I must warnyou, it is guarded by some determinedbeasts. You mustnt let them confuseyou, my sweet.


31/119

30

THEOI'll do my best. Come on Notso.

Helena leads them off into the forest, grass wilting at each ofher steps.

EXT. - DARK FOREST PATHWAYS - CONTINUOUS

The forest almost unnoticeably shies away from Helena. Theo andNotso aren't so lucky as the path constricts around them,grabbing at their arms and legs.

NOTSOTheo, if were no match for the QueensInkhounds, what good are we againstmonsters?

THEO

Stop worrying. Itll be fine, Im sure.

EXT. - THE SOURCE - CONTINUOUS

Helena pulls apart a curtain of leaves. A streams Source, agurgling muddy pool burbles up from the ground, the start of abeautiful brook that laughs and babbles away. Surrounding thesource is a host of strong green REEDS.

Theo and Notso step onto the bank around the Source. Helena hangsback.

HELENAThere.

THEOWhere?

HELENAIn the centre of all those reeds. It ishidden well, so you must be careful andbring it back to me. I know a doorway totake you straight to your family.

THEOBut why cant you get it?

HELENAEnough questions! I don't like the waterchild, and those reeds can be anuisance.

THEOReeds? How could they possibly -


32/119


33/119

32

SON OF REED MAYORYah!

REEDS (ALL EXCEPT THE MAYOR)Yes, very true, indeed, right, mhm!

MAYOR OF REED TOWNShush!

The Reeds settle down.

MAYOR OF REED TOWN (CONT'D)So, why are you here at all boy? Comefor a song?

BARBERSHOP REEDSLyda Rose! Lyda Rose! Lyda Rose!!

LYDA ROSE

Oh boys.

LYDA ROSE blushes white to red.

THEOUm, I think I'm here for the perfectpen.

REED MAYORS WIFEHe's here for The Pen!

REEDS (ALL EXCEPT THE MAYOR)The Pen! The Pen!!

MAYOR OF REED TOWNQuiet!

They shut up.

MAYOR OF REED TOWN (CONT'D)Sorry boy, No pen here.

THEOCome on. How stupid do you think I am?

THE BAKER REEDPretty stupid?

THE BUTCHER REEDReally stupid?

MAYOR OF REED TOWNNope! No pen.


34/119

33

SON OF REED MAYORDad, what about that perfect -

MAYOR OF REED TOWNSh!

Theo looks at the Mayor like he's not going to fall for it.

MAYOR OF REED TOWN (CONT'D)Well, All right. Maybe there's a pen andmaybe there aint, but you want it, youhave to search for it. Rules are rules.But choose carefully, you only get threechances. Then...

THEOThen what?

MAYOR OF REED TOWN

Then we tell you to get lost.

THEOGet lost?

ALL THE REEDS (EXCEPT THE MAYOR)GET LOST!!

The Reeds SCREECH. Theo and Notso cover their ears.

MAYOR OF REED TOWNNOT YET!!!

REEDSSorry/sorry/got carried away/caught upin it for a moment/that was very niceGeorge/Why thank you Sam.

THEOBut how do I choose?

MAYOR OF REED TOWNYour problem sonny, not ours.

The Reeds laugh.

THEOOK.

Theo wades out into the central mud of the source.

THEO (CONT'D)Ugh...

Theo puts his hand out and crushes one of the reeds.


35/119

34

OLD MAN REED 1Hey!!

THEOSorry.

OLD MAN REED 1Be more careful!

Theo squashes the Son of the Reed Mayor who squeaks.

NOTSOBe careful, Theo!

THEOExcuse me, sorry, oops, Pardon me. Oh,ow. Oh, Im sorry. Here, just let me fixthat for, ok, or not, whoops.

REEDSHey!/Watch where youre putting thatthing!/Oi! Thats me arm!/Be morecareful!

Theo gets to the centre. All around him are reed shaped pens andpen shaped reeds.

THEONow what?

MAYOR OF REED TOWNYou pick one.

THEOBut how do I know which one? They, theyall look the same.

REED MAYORS WIFEPick the one that looks like the perfectpen!

THEOBut which one's that?

All the Reeds mumble noncommittally.

MAYOR OF REED TOWNWell, you see, we're not exactly sure.It's been so long since we startedguarding it, we're not exactly sure whatit looks like anymore. But we'll know itwhen we see it!


36/119

35

THEOWhat??

BAKER REEDLook, we just watch over it.

SON OF REED MAYORTry that one near the middle.

MAYOR OF REED TOWNShush!

GROCER WOMAN REEDTry one of the pretty ones honey.

SCHOLARLY REEDIt's obvious there must be some logicalway to figure this all out.

ALL THE REEDS (EXCEPT THE MAYOR)How about that green one?/Theyre allgreen stupid/Well I fancy that one!/Oo!Oo! Pick me!/You remember the last timeyou saw it Sam?/Back in aught eight itwas George/Wasnt it right over there?

All the Reeds make suggestions all at once.

MAYOR OF REED TOWNSHUT UP!!!!

The Reeds shut up.

SON OF REED MAYORThat one! Or Oo! That one!

REED MAYORS WIFEQuiet, dear.

Theo looks around, examining each of the muddiest reeds searchingfor some way to tell what he's looking for. Finally he picks onetentatively.

THEO

Is this it?

MAYOR OF REED TOWNNope! Wrong!!

The Reeds laugh. Theo studies the reeds again and picks another.

THEO(cringing)

This one?


37/119

36

MAYOR OF REED TOWNHmmm... Let me see... Wrong!

CACOPHONOUS FANFARE from the Reeds.

THEO

Its not fair! How am I supposed to pickthe right one out of all of these? Idont even know what I'm looking for!

NOTSOOh, Ive got an idea, Theo!

THEOOh fine, what is it?

NOTSOMaybe, maybe you're not looking softenough.

SOME OF THE REEDSOooo... good answer/that sounds likesense/hmm.../I see where you're going -

MAYOR OF REED TOWNShush, Shush, SHUSH!!

NOTSOIt was only a suggestion.

MAYOR OF REED TOWN(To Notso, then to Theo)

Shush! One more pick and then you'llhave to get lost.

ALL THE REEDS (EXCEPT THE MAYORGET LOST!!!

MAYOR OF REED TOWNSHUT UP!!!!!!

SOME OF THE REEDS(murmuring)

Well you did say get lost./Sh!/Sh!.

THEONot looking soft enough...

Theo looks down at the two he's already chosen.

THEO (CONT'D)Soft enough...

He rolls the two reeds hes picked between fingers.


38/119

37

THEO (CONT'D)Dont think too much, dont look toomuch. Just imagine what its like. It'sa pen.

Theo closes his eyes.

THEO (CONT'D)A beautiful golden pen - no, no eyes. Aperfect pen. Perfect. It fits in myhand. It's smooth but not too smooth,delicate but strong. I want to hold it,it moves so lightly when Im drawing.

His hands roam over the reeds in front of him.

Theo smiles.

THEO (CONT'D)

It tastes good when I hold it in myteeth, smells good, never drips, doesntleave marks, never smudges, soft andfirm. It dances but goes just where Iwant it, smooth and graceful andperfect.

Theo opens his eyes and looks up with clarity, then lifts up thePerfect Pen.

THEO (CONT'D)It's the perfect pen.

ALL THE REEDSYAY!!

The Reeds sing and play a TRIUMPHANT TUNE.

Theo climbs back out of the mud, holding the pen high. He washeshimself off in the brook, which continues to babble to him.

NOTSOTheo! That was amazing! I cant believeyou found it!

Helena, still haggard, hops out at the edge of the forest.

HELENAGood child, good, now give it to me,give me the pen.

Helena reaches out for Theo, her shining beauty a distant memory.

SON OF REED MAYORDon't do it!


39/119

38

MAYOR OF REED TOWN(protectively)

Shush.

Helena snarls at the reeds from the bank, but comes no closer.

HELENAIt's time for you to go home, sweetsweet boy. Don't you want to see yourfamily?

THEOWell -

NOTSOTheo, I don't like her anymore.

HELENAShut up, sprite! I can send you home!

Theo takes a step back away from Helena, unsure what to do.

MAYOR OF REED TOWNOne, two, three lads...

ALL THE REEDSGET LOST!!!

The Reeds' song pounds into Helena, flinging her through the air.She twists and perches on a branch, her disguise collapsing backinto her true self. Helena is a HARPY, bat wings and hideousface.

Helenas first scream is one of pain. Her second is one of anger.

Helena's bitter cry hits and hurts the Reeds, Theo and Notso. TheReeds weave a NEW SONG, creating a protective shield of musicaround the source. Helena screams again, but the magic wall ofsound protects them.

Unable to penetrate it, she screams, this time a call.

Calls from other Harpies respond throughout the forest.

MAYOR OF REED TOWNRun, boy, run! We'll try to keep thembusy!

HELENACome back here you brat! Im going toeat you up!

Theo and Notso leap across the stream and dash off into thewoods, harpy calls closing in around them.


40/119

39

A HARPY appears in the branches of the trees behind them, leapingfrom limb to limb after them.

Notso falls behind, hopping and fluttering. He stumbles -

THEO

Come on Notso! Come on!

Theo picks him up, dragging him on.

NOTSOHurry!

THEOI'm hurrying!

Another HARPY dives out of the forest canopy. Theo and Notso leapaside, turning and running in another direction.

Harpy cries ahead stop them in their tracks.

NOTSODo something!

THEOWhat?

NOTSODraw us out of here!

THEOGreat idea. You remember what happenedthe last time I tried to draw a doorway?

NOTSOAnywheres better than here!

Theo whips out his skletchbook and opens it.

THEOWhat do I do?!

Cries, closer and closer.

NOTSOAnything!!

Helena hops from branch to branch, racing toward them.

Theo scrawls randomly into the book. A tree bends and splits infront of them, shaping itself into a little wooden door.

Theo runs over, tears it open, and sees only darkness.


41/119

40

THEOGo go!!

Notso dives into the doorway and vanishes. HELENA swoops down butbarely misses him.

Theo jumps inside.

HELENA charges the door. Theo slams it shut.

EXT. - VOID WORLD - TOTAL DARKNESS

There is nothing. It is silent.

THEONotso.

Notso screams.

THEO (CONTD)What what?!

NOTSOI thought we were still in trouble.

THEOI dont know, we might be.

NOTSOOh that makes me feel better.

THEOStand back, I'll light a match.

There is the sound of a matching being lit, but no light.

THEO (CONT'D)Weird. That didn't help.

NOTSOKeep it away from me! I don't like fireand it doesnt like me!

THEOHey! Watch out!

A fumbling noise, a crash, and they fall into each other and ontothe ground. The PERFECT PEN tinkles off the ground.

A sudden squirt of dark red ink sprays onto the black.

THEOLook!


42/119

41

The splotch rises up and shapes itself into a tiny red brownINKHOUND, the color of it lighting up Theo and Notso.

THEOUh oh. Uh, is that what I think it is?

NOTSOWhat did you do?

THEONothing! You fell into me, and the penfell and -

INKLING, the Inkhound puppy, growls.

Theo backs away.

THEOGood boy. Nice ink, puppy, thingy...

INKLING charges towards Theo barreling him over. It jumps up andbegins licking Theos face. Little blood-red ink splotches appearon his face.

THEO(laughing)

Hey! Get off! Down! Heel! Hey, thattickles! Down boy, down!

INKLING jumps down and barks. Theo wipes his face.

THEO (CONT'D)That's a good boy, that's a good boy.

Theo scratches behind INKLINGS'S ears. When he takes his handaway it's covered in ink again.

THEO (CONT'D)Ugh. We'll have to keep you out of thehouse, I guess.

INKLING solidifies his shape, appearing like a Labrador/beaglecross with long ears and an adorably cute face.

THEO (CONT'D)Nice trick that, little inkling.Inkling. I like it. Hey, Notso, I cansee you!

Notso is hiding in a ball with his hands over his eyes.

NOTSOYou can?


43/119

42

THEOYes!

NOTSOOh no I'm blind!

THEOTake your hands off your eyes.

NOTSOOh. Sorry. Hey, I can see you too!

THEOI wonder why we don't shine...

NOTSOMaybe 'cus we're not from here. Butlook!

Notso point to Theo's pocket. Theo takes out The Queen's stonewhich still glows with a red light.

NOTSOMust be powerful magic.

THEOProtecting us, maybe. I wonder what elseI can make?

NOTSOCan you make a sandwich? I'm alwayshungry when I've almost died.

Theo draws in his book, and a sandwich appears.

Notso holds it up, smiles and takes a bite.

THEOLet's have a picnic.

DISSOLVE TO:

A red and white checked blanket, sandwiches, juice, pillows, afunny looking tree, and a host of unusual objects from a child's

wild imagination: a broccoli with legs and arms runs across theblanket chased by an angry fruit mob, a banana with wobbly legsfalls over, funny coloured fizzy drinks froth in strangeluxurious bottles.

Theo sits comfortably in a bean bag chair, Notso on the ground infront of him playing with two grape armies charging and bouncingoff each other.

Theo continues to draw, all the random things that pop into his


44/119

43

head appearing out of thin air.

THEODo you like it here, Notso?

NOTSO

Oh yes. Except for the emptiness.

THEOWe could stay here as long as we want,you know. Do anything we want.

NOTSOAnything?

THEOAnything we want, Ill draw. What wouldyou like to do?

NOTSOIt might be nice to climb the tree.

THEOThat's it?

NOTSOI like trees.

THEOWouldn't you like to be a pirate, or aking? Or a powerful magician?

NOTSOYou're already a powerful magician.

Notso gets up and tries to climb the tree beside them.

THEOI bet John and Ellen are worried sickabout me. I bet the police are searchingthe house, wondering if they killed me.Where do your parents think you are?

NOTSO

The Queen's prison.

THEOWhat?

NOTSOThey're very happy about it too. It'ssafe in there. The Queen only locks uppeople she doesn't like.


45/119

44

THEOThey think it's safe with those people?

NOTSOBetter than with the people she letsout. But I never liked it in there.

THEOWhy not?

NOTSONo trees. Where are your parents?

THEOTheyre gone.

NOTSOGone? Where?

THEODoes it matter? I dont even know whatthey look like.

NOTSOWhy dont you find out?

THEOWhat?

NOTSOYou have magic, you can do anything!

Theo draws a picture frame in the air in front of him.

THEOShow me my parents.

A picture solidifies and SHOWS his foster parents in the kitchensetting the table. Theo slashes the picture and it jaggedlyshatters.

THEONo, show me my real parents.

He draws another frame, and again his foster parents appear butbefore he can destroy it, their images start to move and talk.

INT. - KITCHEN - EVENING

Ellen stands vigorously scrubbing dishes while John sits at thetable reading a newspaper.


46/119

45

ELLEN- stay there all night. His first monthat school and already Im gettingletters from the principal, angry callsfrom parents! Why did we do this?

JOHNBecause we wanted to.

ELLENAnd why dont you help with him alittle, Im always the bad guy, I haveto do everything.

JOHNWhat do you want me to do?

ELLENBe supportive! Talk to him for starters,

sit him down, learn about him forGoodness sake! It takes work, John.

JOHNI know that.

ELLENThen why dont you help me?

JOHNI thought Id give him some space.

ELLENSpace? Hes had space his whole life!Dont you think maybe hes tired ofspace?

JOHNWere trying out our roles, El, feelingeach other out. Hes never had a family,and if we barge in on his life, dontyou think hes going to, I dont know,react badly? Hell come around, love. Wejust have to let him settle in. We justhave to love him and hope for the best.

Give it time.

ELLENMaybe youre right.

JOHNItll get better. Hell get better,youll see.

Jeremy sidles into the room.


47/119

46

JEREMYMom?

ELLENYes, Jeremy?

JEREMYI just wanted you to know, it, it wasntTheos fault.

ELLENNo?

JEREMYSome boys at school were picking on me.I didnt want to tell you cus I thoughtyoud be mad, but Theo came and stoppedthem and made them stop bullying me sohe got in trouble.

ELLENIm sorry honey.

Ellen hugs Jeremy.

JEREMYIt was great of him to do that.

ELLENVery great.

EXT. - VOID WORLD - CONTINUOUS

Notso steps up next to Theo.

NOTSOThey seem nice.

THEOTheyre not. They dont care about me.I'm going to find the three tools forthe Queen, and she's going to send me tomy real parents, you'll see. I'm going

to have my real family.

Theo slashes with his pen to destroy the picture, but only a tinybit of ink comes out. The picture wobbles and bends, but theimage doesn't break.

THEOWhat the -

Theo tries again, it only works a little. The picture barely


48/119

47

cracks.

THEO (CONT'D)Whats wrong with it?

NOTSO

Its running out of ink! Why do youthink the Queen is looking for anendless inkwell!

THEOWhat do we do?

NOTSOI dont know, shake it about orsomething!

Inkling barks behind them, and they turn.

All of Theos creations have muddled together, turning into agiant terrifying monster. Inkling barks at the mass.

THEOWhats happening to everything?

NOTSOIf I had to guess I think everything ateeverything else when we werent payingattention.

THEOThe world is eating itself?

NOTSOBest guess.

The huge monster begins to half roll have walk towards them. Theoknocks the pen lightly against his hand, and draws a faintdoorway. It shimmers in and out violently, as if it will not lastlong. Theo closes his eyes and prays.

THEOI need help finding the endless inkwell.Take me to someone who can help.

He goes over the outline of the door several times before itbecomes solid enough that he can grab the doorknob. The ball ofPicnic World Monster continues its slow approach. Theo scratcheson the door to draw the symbol but nothing comes out. He triesagain and the very last drop squeaks out. He pulls open the dooronto a cave of ice.

THEOHurry up!


49/119

48

Notso and the Inkling race through just as the door shutters forthe last time.

INT. - ICE BLUE CLIFFSIDE - A BRIGHT GREY DAY

As the door collapses back into the cliff, it vibrates andcracks, spider-webbing out in all directions. They turn from thewall -

NOTSOLook out!

Notso grabs Theo, pulling him back from the edge of a deepcrevice. His voice echoes through the tall Mountains surroundingthem on all sides. Jagged spears of ice teeter above and below. Asmall path leads away through the cold blue.

Theo shakes the perfect Pen. He puts it away and pulls out his

original dull one from the Artist.

NOTSOAnything left?

THEOMaybe a little in my old pen, but theperfect one? I think it's done. You ok?

NOTSOCold. I hate the cold.

THEOAlright there, boy?

Inklings paws freeze to the ice ground, but he ADJUSTS his form,turning into a small bushy-haired St. Bernard.

THEO (CONTD)Cmon.

They walk out into the mountain wasteland.

EXT. - THE ICE MOUNTAINS - CONTINUOUS

They wander through the icy wilderness, white and still.

Secret little movements hide just outside the corners of theireyes. Stalagmites move like strange hermit crabs, scuttlingacross the snow. Ice anemones reappear from the ground as theypass by, eyeballs on their stocks blinking at their passage.

A SHADOW flits behind them, barely a whisper in their wake.


50/119

49

NOTSODid you see that?

THEOStop playing games, Notso, its notfunny. Im too cold and scared.

NOTSONo, I mean it. I have a very good sensefor these things. Theres something...over there!

Notso points to a rock-strewn corner.

Nothing.

Theo rolls his eyes.

NOTSO (CONT'D)

Well, there could have been something.

THEONotso, please?

NOTSOWhat if I had been right? Ive beenchased by lots of things. Its kind ofmy specialty.

Theo and Notso turn away from the corner.

THEO (O.S.)By shadows?

NOTSO (O.S.)Oh, all the time.

A FIGURE pulls out of the rubble, A YOUNG WOMAN camouflagedagainst the rocks.

As Theo and Notso pass by a series of holes in the wall, ICEMORAYS leap out, hissing and snapping at them.

Theo jumps back, and bumps against A ROCK covered in moss. The

rock brays and nips at his leg with a turtle beak. Theo stumblesto the ground. HIS SKETCHBOOK tumbling down beside him.

From the shadows, LIRA, a nimble water-dancing thief, springsforward and snatches it up.

THEOHey!

She bolts away down a passageway.


51/119

50

THEO (CONTD)Thats my book!

Inkling barrels after her, Theo and Notso close behind. Liraleaps along the walls and disappears with Inkling on her heels.

Theo and Notso are quickly outrun, but follow Inklings barkinguntil -

A YELP. Theo throws out an arm to stop Notso.

They peer cautiously around the rocks in front of them.

EXT. - MOUNTAIN GULLY - CONTINUOUS

A large and shaggy OGRE holds Inkling by the scruff, Lira trappedby an OGRE. An third OGRE OFFICER stands between them.

OGRE OFFICERThought youd get away, did ya?

LIRANo, you stupid oaf! I was just bringingthe King his gift. Put me down!

OGRE OFFICERToo late! Its the maze for you luv, andyour little dog too.

LIRAHes not my dog.

Inkling bites OGRE 1.

OGRE 1Ayh! E Bit me!

Ogre 3 laughs.

OGRE 1Stupid mutt!!

OGRE OFFICER

Shaddup the both of you!

EXT. - BEHIND THE ROCK - CONTINUOUS

Theo and Notso survey the scene ahead of them.

NOTSOWhat are we going to do?


52/119

51

THEOWe need a plan.

Notso starts to back away and bumps into a LARGE SHAGGY SHAPE.

NOTSO

Uh oh.

EXT. - MOUNTAIN PATH - CONTINUOUS

OGRE 3 comes out from behind the rock with Theo and Notsodragging behind him.

OGRE 3Got the rest of em, Boss!

OGRE OFFICERWhole little band you got ere, eh Lira?

THEOShes not with us. She stole my book.

LIRASee, and I was bringing it to the King!

OGRE OFFICERToo Late! Bring em along. The Kinglltake care of you himself.

NOTSOThatll be nice. Ive never met a King.

The Ogres laugh and lug them all away.

INT. - THE THRONE ROOM OF THE ICE KING - LATER

The Kings throne is carved from a frozen waterfall, crystallinebeauty in tumbling ice. THE ICE KING, madness and mayhem mixedwith royal magnanimity leaps from his seat as they approach,kicking at ice crabs that scuttle across the floor.

The King has TWO HEADS.

ICE KING 1Ah, guests, guests, guests!!

ICE KING 2Prisoners! Bow before us slaves!

Ogre 2 throws Lira at the foot of the King. They peer down withdisappointed resignation and fury.


53/119

52

ICE KING 1Lira Lira Lira...

ICE KING 2Thief, you try to escape us!

OGRE OFFICERWe took this off er, yourmajesticnessity.

LIRASee, its the gift I promised -

ICE KING 1A book?

ICE KING 2A book?! A worthless book?!

ICE KING 1Might be nice to have a quiet read.

ICE KING 2No time! We have to be strong, to rule-

ICE KING 1Rule!

ICE KING 2Rule!

ICE KING 1 AND 2Rule!

They toss the book away. It bounces over the ledge of a crevasse.

ICE KING 1 (CONTD)Im sorry, but that was entirelyunsatisfactory.

ICE KING 2And for that you get the Maze!

ICE KING 1 AND 2

The Maze!

LIRANO!

ICE KING 2Yes Yes! The Maze! The Ice Maze of Doom!

ICE KING 1The Cursed Crevasse!


54/119

53

ICE KING 2Thats a terrible name!

ICE KING 1You always hate my ideas!

ICE KING 2On with the punishing!

ICE KING 1To the Cursed Crevasse of Doom!

LIRANo! Let me go! Let me go!!

Ogre 1 grabs Lira and tosses her unceremoniously into thecrevasse. Her screams quickly fade.

ICE KING 1

Where are my manners! You are lookingupon the beautiful and majestic face ofthe first-

ICE KING 2And second!-

ICE KING 1King of all the lands of-

ICE KING 2The Glorious and bountiful expanse ofthe Ice World of Magnificence!

ICE KING 1Its our birthday you know.

ICE KING 2Birthday! Birthday!

The Kings stare intently at Theo.

ICE KING 1Well?

THEOUh, Happy Birthday.

The Kings stare at Notso. Theo nudges him.

NOTSOOh, yes! Happy Birthday! How old areyou?


55/119

54

ICE KING 1 ICE KING 2Three hundred Eight!and eleven!

The Ice Kings glare at each other.

THEOWell, Happy birthday anyways.

The Ice Kings stomp back to their throne.

ICE KING 1(aside to ICE KING 2)

We practiced this, you idiot!

ICE KING 2(aside to ICE KING 1)

Eight is the most regal number!

ICE KING 1So what did you bring me?

THEOUh.

ICE KING 1Its customary when visiting royalty tobring them a present, especially ontheir birthday.

ICE KING 2Im a hundred and eleven!

THEOIm sorry your majesty, we didnt knowwe were coming, so we didnt prepareanything worthy of your grand-ness.

ICE KING 1I see...

ICE KING 2Into the Maze!

ICE KING 1They just got here!

ICE KING 2The Maze, the Maze!!

THEONo, wait, Im sure I have something.


56/119

55

ICE KING 2The Maze!

THEOIm sure Ive got something in here!

Theo rummages in his backpack.

ICE KING 1How about the puppy?

ICE KING 2Puppy!!

Inkling growls and changes into a WOLFDOG.

ICE KING 1Not the puppy!

ICE KING 2The Maze!

THEOHow about a flashlight? Or a blanket?Or, uh, how about, um -

NOTSOHow about a poem?

Theo and the Kings stop and stare at Notso.

NOTSO (CONTD)Ive got a lovely poem Ive beenwriting...

THEOWriting?

NOTSOIn my head.

ICE KING 1A poem! About me?

NOTSOUm -

THEOOf course! Notso, the poem...

NOTSOWell its not exactly finished.


57/119

56

THEONotso.

ICE KING 2A recitation! Serenade your overlord!

ICE KING 1Everyone hush! This is all about us! Weare ready for your poem, fat, little,winged, purple, thing.

Notso clears his throat.

NOTSOI made this present for the kings; Agift for both the boys; I filled it upwith pretty things; Like Candy or, um...

ICE KING 1

Cheese!

ICE KING 2Fire! A sword! Very small rocks!

THEOSome toys!

NOTSOYes, um, like Candy or some toys!

OGRE 3I like toys.

ICE KING 1 AND 2Quiet!

NOTSOI, uh, I thought about the way theylooked; It gave me such a fright; Butmaybe if Im nice to them; They wont,oh no,

ICE KING 1Throw you from a height?

ICE KING 2Hit you with a kite?

OGRE OFFICEROo! Oo! Ive got one!

ICE KING 1Oh yes, what is it?


58/119

57

OGRE OFFICEROh, um how about, uh, put you in a pie?

The Kings stare at the OGRE OFFICER incredulously.

NOTSO

They wont know Im not bright!

Theo groans.

NOTSO (CONT'D)The poem was a beauty, sirs; You wouldhave thought it grand; You might havethought it super fun; And want to join aband! But in the end I lost it, Kings;It might have been a gas; I lost it in aforest spring; From falling on my-

THEO

Face!

Everyone stares at the silent Kings. They turn away and MUTTER toeach other. After a flurry of conferring, they turn back.

ICE KING 1I believe I can speak for the wholekingdom and say that that was the worstpoem ever written.

ICE KING 2The worst!

OGRE 1I kinda liked it.

ICE KING 1For the sake of ears everywhere, theresonly one solution.

ICE KING 1 AND 2The Maze of Death!

INT. - MAZE OF MIRRORS A SHORT STRUGGLE LATER

Theo, Notso, and Inkling are thrown down into a jagged corridorof mirrors. The Ice King and his minions stand on a ledge abovethem.

ICE KING 1For crimes against the Royalty -

ICE KING 2And poetry!


59/119

58

ICE KING 1I hereby sentence you to theexcruciating, unbearable, intolerable -

ICE KING 2Agony of madness in the Ice Maze of

Doom. No one has ever escaped.

ICE KING 1Except us, of course!

The Kings and their entourage laugh and disappear from the ledgeabove them.

THEOBeing crazy beforehand must have helped.

Theo reaches out to touch one of the mirrored stalactitessurrounding the path around them. He cuts himself.

THEO (CONTD)Ow!

NOTSOWhat?

THEONothing. Just be careful. Dont touchanything, ok?

Wandering through the maze, they walk past a MIRROR STALAGMITEPILLAR, but as they circle it, we see it is a WOMAN turned toshards of ice-glass silently screaming and reaching out for them.

THEOLets keep going. And stay close.

NOTSOIm not going anywhere.

The walls close in, and Theo and Notso gingerly climb over fallenpillars and around stabbing walls.

Theos REFLECTIONS in the mirrors are slightly off, dark and

viciuos grins twisted with hate and fear.

THEONotso, look at this! Notso? Notso!

NOTSO (O.S.)Where are you?

THEONotso!


60/119

59

Theo searches through the maze, his reflections malicious andleering. Other faces appear, a manic ZEE, laughing like a hyena,a grotesque JOHNNY

INT. THE GLADE OF DISPAIR CONTINUOUS

Theo tumbles onto his hands and knees, sliding in the dirt.

BLACKDOGIts over.

Theo looks up.

BlackDog slinks between mirrors stabbed into the stone, circling.

BLACKDOG (CONTD)You scrawny little nothing. You may havefound the Perfect pen, but look at you,youre about to fail. Youre going to

lose your mind here, and once yourecurled up in a pathetic ball, there inthe dirt, Im going to come for you. Imgoing to tear you apart, and take thePen to the Queen myself.

Theo reaches into his pocket and whips out the Artists pen.

THEOStay back!

BlackDog is gone. But stepping free from one of the mirrorsaround him is MISS FULABREE, looking like The Queen. She raisesand imperious finger at him.

EVIL MISS FULABREENowhere to go, boy, no one to take youin but me, back to where you belong!Worthless. Wasted. Nobody wanted!

THEONo.

EVIL MISS FULABREEYou think theres anyone out there who

loves you, that wants you, that wouldtake you in?

A warped and twisted Zee, and a monstrous Johnny step free of twoother mirrors.

EVIL ZEEI was never your friend.


61/119

60

EVIL JOHNNYIm going to break your legs.

EVIL MISS FULABREEYoure never going to leave here. Neverfind your way home.

Miss Fulabree cackles. The three figures laugh and jeer at Theo.He collapses to the ground, the demons swirling around him in ablur of horror.

Theo looks past Miss Fulabree.

Just at the edge of his swimming vision, he sees Ellen, John, andJeremy, standing, smiling, and looking at him silently.

Theo weaves to his feet.

EVIL MISS FULABREE (CONTD)

You are mine. Forever. Youre nevergoing home. Never going home!

THEOI have a family!

Theo heaves his backpack into Miss Fulabree and she SHATTERSalong with the others. Silence falls through the maze.

Theo straightens up and breathes a sigh of relief.

A HAND grabs his shoulder. Theo spins around.

NOTSOTheo?

THEONotso.

NOTSOIm sorry I got lost. But look! I foundyou!

THEOIm glad.

NOTSOThis maze, I think it does strangethings to your head.

THEOI think youre right.

Theo looks back to the shattered mirrors at his feet. He staresout to where his family has disappeared.


62/119

61

He looks around at the mirrors. They continue to leer, butsilently.

THEOHere.

Theo reaches into his backpack and hands Notso his flashlight.

NOTSOWhat do I do with this? Shine it atthings?

THEOBetter.

Theo takes out his umbrella and smashes the nearest mirror. Someimages in the mirrors FADE and the way through seems clearer.

THEO

Come on, were getting out of here.

Notso and Theo smash the grimacing mirrors.

ICE KING 1 (O.S.)Whats going on in there?

From the ledge above, the Ice Kings pop their heads out.

ICE KING 1 (CONTD)Hey, youre cheating!

ICE KING 2Guards, Guards! Crush them! Crushthem!!!

Theo and Notso run through the maze, and as they break all themirrors they can, a path ahead appears.

The RUMBLE and SHOUTS of Ogres pound behind them.

THEOHurry!

The Kings hurl crabs down at them, and Theo bats one away with

his umbrella. It bounces down the path, smashes through a mirrorpane, and behind it, a long lit STONE PASSAGEWAY leads out fromthe maze.

Inkling barks a warning. Theo looks up.

BLACKDOG stands on the ledge above him.

NOTSOTheo, we have to get out of here!


63/119

62

Theo turns for a blink of an eye to Notso, then looks back.

Blackdog is gone.

THEOLets go!

Notso and Theo run, but as they shoot past a small opening Notsocomes to a halt as Theo stumbles past. Theo tears back. Lirastruggles to free herself from an ICE-GLASS HAND reaching out ofthe ground that is wrapped around her leg.

LIRAHelp me!

THEOCome on!

NOTSO

We cant just leave her!

Theo hesitates, then rushes forward with Notso, smashing her freefrom the hand.

THEOCan we go now?

They run into the tiny passageway. Shards tumble crash and coverthe entranceway, sealing the way back.

EXT. - CLIFF EDGE - BLINDING AFTERNOON

They run, until the lit corridor suddenly pops out on top of aglittering cliff. Theo slides to the edge, pin wheeling back.

THEOWhoa!

Lira slides into Theo, Inkling into Lira. They hover on the edgefor a long second. The ground below them CREAKS. Notso, gaspingand looking behind him barrels through the exit, slips from hisfeet, and bowls them all over the edge.

They tumble and crash down the snowy hill, but instead of a

crunch-filled landing, they blast though the icy ground, tumblealong a chute of ice and fly through the wall of a cave. Ice andsnow collapse around them, sealing them in completely.

INT. - A DARK SEALED CAVERN - PITCH BLACK

Notso turns on his flashlight; it flickers feebly and dies.


64/119

63

NOTSOTheo?

THEOYes, Notso?

NOTSOIts dark again.

THEOI know.

NOTSOYou dont happen to know where we arethis time do you?

THEONope.

NOTSOOh. I thought not.

A RUSTLING, and aquamarine light appears. Lira runs her hand oversome moss surrounding a little pool. The light spreads up overdifferent parts of the cave, until it is filled with a soft glow.

LIRAThank you for saving me.

THEOYoure welcome.

LIRANot you.

THEOOh.

NOTSO(blushing)

Oh, me? Oh, youre welcome.

Theo looks around. There is no way out.

THEOI guess thats it. Almost out of ink, nobook to draw in, and no way out.

LIRAYou mean this book?

Lira pulls Theos sketchbook out of one of her pockets.


65/119

64

THEOWhere did you get that?!

LIRAI picked it up after those idiots threwit away.

THEOGive it to me.

Lira hesitates, then tosses it to him.

LIRAWouldnt have stolen it in the firstplace. I just needed something for theirstupid present.

THEODidnt help you much in the end.

LIRAWhatever. Had to try. What good is anold wrinkled up book anyway?

NOTSOIts not just any book, its magic.

LIRAOh?

NOTSOIt can take us anywhere we want to go.

LIRACan it get us out of this cave?

NOTSOUm, Im not sure. Can it?

THEOTheres not much ink left. We have tofind the Ink Ocean, but how do I drawsome place Ive never seen?

LIRAYoure going to the Ink Ocean?

THEOYouve been there?

LIRAIve seen pictures of it but -


66/119

65

THEOPictures? Tell me about it!

LIRANo! Nobody survives that place, Itsdangerous!

THEOYoud rather stay here?

LIRAAt least here were safe!

THEOAnd trapped.

NOTSOIll go with you Theo, Im not afraid.

LIRAOh please, I bet you run away fromeverything.

NOTSOIf Theos going, Im going too. Wevebeen a bunch of scary places, but werestill ok!

THEOThanks Notso.

LIRAWhat do you want to know?

Theo opens his book and gets out the Artists pen.

THEOI need to know what the worlds like,get a feeling for it.

LIRAA feeling for it? Its an Ocean. Except,well, its more like a beach that juststretches out for ever. Not a nice sandy

beach. Rocky, ragged, rough. Surroundedby cliffs, unclimbable, stretching intothe sky.

Theo begins to draw.

LIRA (CONTD)The waters black and blue, swirling andmurky and you can never see the bottom.

And all those ripples, theyre not just


67/119

66

water. Some say theyre alive.

NOTSOIm not sure I want to go anymore, Theo.

THEO

Well be fine. I think Ive got it. Thecliffs are stained all black and blue.And out in the middle of it, a fountain-

LIRAYes.

THEOA huge fountain pouring into the Ocean.

LIRAYes!

THEOThe Ink Ocean.

Theo stops drawing. They all peer down at the page.

LIRAThats it?

They HEAR the shore, and the sound of LAPPING WAVES. A lightappears blue grey against them. A doorway opens in the wall.

THEOYup. Thats it.

They walk together through the door.

EXT. - VAST AND ENDLESS BEACH - A COLD AFTERNOON

Waves from the OCEAN crash, spraying black and blue. The beachstretches away on both sides as far as the eye can see. WhiteCliffs tower behind them, marred from the inky spray.

As the gang step through the gateway the pebble doorway collapsesand skitters back to the ground.

Out in the middle of the water, a GEYSER OF INK bubbles andfoams.

The gang walks along the beach. Theo dips his pen into the water,but the ink is too runny.

He tries to draw but the page in his book is just a blur.


68/119

67

THEOAnything?

Notso shakes his head.

NOTSO

Should we keep looking?

LIRAFor what? Theres nothing here! Why didwe come here?

THEOI have to find three magical things, Apen, an endless inkwell, and a book ofInfinite pages. If I dont find them,Ill never get home.

LIRA

Im sorry, did you say three magicalitems? Lost for untold ages?

THEOYes.

LIRAA pen, a book, and an inkwell?

THEOYes!

LIRAYou idiots! Youre looking for the losttools of the Artist!

NOTSOThe Artist? I thought they were theQueens.

LIRADont you two know anything!?

THEOWhat?

Lira slumps, and sits on a large boulder.

LIRAIn the beginning, there was nothing inthe universe but chaos.


69/119

68

EXT. - CHAOS - THE BEGINNING OF TIME

A swirling hurricane of chaos, destroys everything, roiling inits unbridled power.

LIRA (V.O)

One day, a great Artist rose up from thechaos. He wrestled with the chaos for aneternity and once it was beaten, drew itinto worlds, filling them with all theideas in his mind.

The Artist, young now, a vision of strength and power rises fromthe depth of the chaos. He pulls the chaos towards him swirls itwith the perfect pen. Worlds spin and form from the chaos,floating around each other.

LIRA (V.O)His drawings were so powerful, so

wonderful, so beautiful that they cameto life!

We fly over one of the worlds. It teems with life, beautiful anddelicate. Forest rise up and fall. Unbridled and wondrous beastspound across wild plains.

LIRA (V.O)When the artist was done creating theworlds, he was so tired that he sleptfor a thousand years. When he woke up,his tools were gone and have been lostever since. No one has ever found thePerfect Pen, the wand of creation, Theendless Inkwell, the last reservoir oftrue chaos, and the Book of infinitepages, The Artists own book that hecreated at the beginning of time.

EXT. - VAST AND ENDLESS BEACH - A COLD AFTERNOON

LIRAThat story is told everywhere byeveryone!

THEOYoure kidding.

LIRAIts only the story of how everythingwas made!

NOTSOI still dont understand.


70/119

69

LIRAYoure looking for the Artists tools!For three things lost or buried or keptsecret for all eternity!

NOTSO

Oh! Oh. Ohhhhhh!

THEOAnd if I found them and gave them to theQueen?

LIRAOh, if you did find the three mostlooked for things in the universe andthen gave them to Queen? Then she wouldhave power to redraw, remake, create ordestroy anything in the whole universe!

NOTSOTheo, she cant have that kind of power!Shes evil!

THEOBut what am I supposed to do? I have toget home! Ow!

Theo wrenches out The Queens CRYSTAL. It flares burning hot andan image of the Queen appears inside it. Theo drops it to theground.

A gateway flows from the stone, stronger and clearer by theminute. The Queen stands on the other side.

QUEEN BOUDICCEAThe pen, child, bring me the pen! Bringit to me or I will come there and takeit from you! You cannot escape me! Youcannot escape.

A gale whips up around them like a tornado.

NOTSONo! No!

LIRADo something!

Theo tries to pick up the stone but it burns him.

THEOOw! I cant! Its burning hot!


71/119

70

NOTSOI dont want to go back, I dont want togo back! I want to stay with my friends!

QUEEN BOUDICCEABring it to me now!

LIRADont just stand there!

THEOBut how will I get home?

LIRAWell think of something!

QUEEN BOUDICCEAYou cant deny me!

NOTSONo! I wont go back, I wont go back!

Notso picks up the stone and hurls it out into the sea. It sailsaway and with a tiny BLOOPnoise, disappears.

LIRAWow.

THEONice throw, Notso.

NOTSOI didnt know I could do that.

LIRAWere all as surprised as you are. Whatnow?

THEOWe keep going. Im going to find the

Artists tools, and maybe, maybe I canuse them myself, and find my way home.

LIRA

Your family must be nice.

THEOI think so. I hope so.

Inkling barks at the water, and Theo jumps back as shapes underthe water swim towards him.

THEOWhat was that?


72/119

71

LIRAWhat? What now?

THEOLook!

Theo points out into the water. SHAPES moving underneath it. Thewaves become less constant steady lapping, and more menacing,stretching from the sea towards them.

NOTSOGuys, Im not sure we should stay heremuch longer.

LIRAQuickly, up here.

The gang climb up onto a pile of skittering stones as the wavesslowly advance upon them stretching around the stones like an

outstretched pair of tentacles. The group presses their backs tothe wall. Inkling whimpers and clambers up onto Theos shoulderbecoming a shaking teacup Chihuahua.

LIRAThis is all your fault!

THEOMine?!

LIRAYes, yours. And his!

NOTSOWhat did I do?!

LIRAYou were all friendly and nice and wewere going to work together! Well nowyoure going to die together, were allgoing to die!

NOTSOFriends are worth dying for!

LIRAThats a matter of perspective. My lifewas fine before I met you two! And itwould have been much longer!

THEOWhat did you say?

LIRAWell it would have been longer, its


73/119

72

looking pretty short right now!

THEONo before that. A matter of perspective!

Theo puts his hand up to his face to make a spyglass to look

through.

LIRAWhat are you doing?

THEOQuiet. Notso, close one eye and look outthere, at that fountain. What do yousee, I mean really see? Look at it. Takeyour time. See it as it really is. Justthe fountain.

NOTSO

I see it.

THEOHow big is it?

NOTSOIt looks so tiny!

LIRAAnd?

THEOAnd maybe it really is! Maybe it istiny. Maybe it looks big because wethink its supposed to be big. Big andfar away, but instead... Keep your eyeson the fountain both of you, dont lookat the water or the cliffs or anythingelse. Just look at that fountain outthere. Its not a fountain, at all, itsa tiny bubbling inkwell. It only looksbig because its so far away, Maybe itsso small, so small that with one step -

The stretching tentacles of the water reach towards their feet,

but Theo ignores them and stares out at the fountain. Theo Notsoand Lira step forward and the universe seems to shrink aroundthem. The inky water they step into is only a thin puddle.

The ink fountain is a TINY INKWELL burbling at their feet. Theoreaches down, picks it up, pulls the stopper out of the groundand closes the inkwell.

The ink ocean at their feet dries up, and looking up we SEE theworld around them has turned into a yellow desert of dunes.


74/119

73

EXT. - THE GOLDEN DESERT - A BRIGHT HEAT-SOAKED DAY

Sand stretches away to the horizon, golden and beautiful. A NOISEbehind them makes them turn.

A rolling expanse of market fills the sand behind them.

EXT. - THE GOBLIN MARKET - CONTINUOUS

Rising from the sand, a new kind of sea, brown and rolling. Tentsof all shapes, sizes, colours. Some rise up like turrets, othersare red and white like a circus big top. The noise of commercefills the air. The friends wander into the Goblin Market.

EXT. - THE GOLDEN DESERT - CONTINUOUS

Back out in the desert, The Queens RED CRYSTAL pulses and flares

in the sand.

EXT. - THE GOBLIN MARKET - CONTINUOUS

A GOBLIN SALESWOMAN approaches the group.

GOBLIN SALESWOMAN 1Like to try one of my fine selections oftoads? Delicious! Soft and delicious,look!

She pokes the toad and it mewls like a cat.

GOBLIN SALESWOMAN 1 (CONT'D)Still good, still fresh, still fresh andgood!

A gaggle of GOBLIN MERCHANTS approach and follow them through themarket, hawking revolting, mysterious, and surprising items.

GOBLIN SALESMAN 1New eyes, new eyes! Green eyes blue

eyes! You need new eyes? How aboutyellow or red or black?

GOBLIN SALESWOMAN 2How about a lovely bowl of tongues?

GOBLIN SALESMAN 1See like a snake! See like an elephant!Like an osprey from the seas of Aloun!Or a Kaloapian Tiger from swamps of


75/119

74

Digraine! How about you trade me one ofyours or the pair, eh? Ill give you agood price!

GOBLIN SALESMAN 2Pixie slaves! Pixie slaves to carry all

your smallest objects.

GOBLIN SALESWOMAN 3Eggs! Eggs of all sizes! Who knows whattheyll hatch into, I dont! Ha!

Theo wanders through the market looking at all the wondrousthings. Rocks that when touched turn into beautiful jewels,models of mysterious solar systems, shoes that tap dance, magicaland monstrous pets. A singing lyre. Food steaming in all shapes,hues and colours.

A Crone shouts to Theo from in front of an especially shabby

tent.

CRONEYou look like youre looking forsomething special, wanderer from thesand. Are you a magician?

NOTSOHes not a magician, hes an artist!

LIRAShut up, Notso!

THEOWhat does your shop sell?

CRONEOh here? Here we sell what cannot besold.

THEOWhat does that mean?

CRONEThe future, boy.

THEOWhat?

CRONEDreams, hopes, glimpses of all thedifferent paths and even differentfates. For those who can afford it I canchange their whole life.


76/119

75

THEOA new life?

The Crone cackles.

CRONE

Come, come! Lets see what you canafford and what you have to offer.

Theo, Lira, and Inkling enter the tent. Notso looks back outsideas he enters. He HEARS a loud crashing noise and catches aglimpse of slinking black shadows.

INT. - THE CRONES SHOP - CONTINUOUS

Three very shaggy dogs bound up to them and lick them all over,cleaning the ink stains off their hands and feet. Inkling changesinto a playful puppy, barks at them and the four mutts run off to

play.

CRONE (CONT'D)Dont mind them. Inks very preciousround here. Very precious. It makesthem hungry. You wouldnt happen to haveany fresh ink, would you?

THEONo.

CRONEAh well.

Theo pokes a low hanging chandeliers and tiny chained firebirdsdance and fly about. A fountain is a weeping water elemental. Apair of green body-less hands climb over Theo like giant spiders.

CRONE (CONT'D)Off, off you little tramps, off!!

They leap onto Notso who screams, tumbles to the floor, knockingover a table of weird hats.

THEO

Notso.

NOTSO (O.S.)Im ok!

Lira rolls her eyes, and slinks around looking for something totake. The Crone beckons Theo towards a room at the back.

THEOStay here guys. And try to stay out of


77/119

76

trouble. Lira!

Lira hesitates as she puts a jewel broach into one of herpockets.

LIRA

What?

THEOBehave.

LIRA(Begrudgingly)

Oh, fine.

She puts it back on the table, but keeps poking around.

The Crone pulls back a curtain to reveal an inner sanctum. Theosteps hesitantly through.

INT. - THE CRONES PRIVATE CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS

Theo looks around the octagonal room, with HEAVY SATIN CURTAINScovering all the walls. A tiny table in the centre of the room.On it is a crystal dodecahedron. A soft keening Eastern Europeanlullaby, soothing and soporific fills the air.

Theo sits on one side of the table and the Crone looks him overlike a doctor, pulling up his eyelids, and searching under histongue.

CRONEHmm, yes, strong, very strong, I seeyour future. Terrible, terrible. But wecan change all that. Yes yes! Apowerful spell, very powerful to changeall that.

The Crone laughs, then pulls out a LONG PIN.

CRONE (CONT'D)

A small token, yes, a slight pin prick,and you can have all the futures youwant.

THEOMy blood?

CRONEJust a tiny prick, a tiny drop.


78/119

77

The Crone pricks Theo.

THEOOw!

CRONE

Yes, yes. A powerful fate. Wonderful.

The Crone sits down across from Theo and drips the blood on topof the crystal between them. It glows a deep purple.

CRONEA life of pain with no way home, ajourney to find treasures lost, a placeto lay your weary head, oh dont youworry, little man, no mother to hold youin her arms, no father to put you tobed. Let go of all that time. The futureis no better, nothing is ever so simple.

You cannot find all youve lost. Giveup, its time to sleep. Give up, itstime to stop.

Theo collapses in the chair. The CRYSTAL on the table begins topull out his soul. The keening SONG swells.

Notso wanders in from the front of the store.

NOTSOYou know, those fairies dont lookhappy, one of them even bit my - whatare you doing to him??!

The Crone hisses.

Notso charges. As Nosto grapples with the Crone Inkling burstsinto the room, coming to a halt at the commotion and looking atthe struggle. He changes from a loveable puppy into a viscouslooking coyote. He bowls over the Crone and the table behind her.The dodecahedron slips from the table and bounces across thefloor.

CRONEMy orb!

The Crone shoves Inkling away and crawls towards the orb. Inklingbites her leg.

NOTSOTheo, wake up!

The Crone turns and blasts Inkling with a bolt of magic, knockinghim away.


79/119

78

NOTSOAHHH!!!!!

Notso hammers into the Crone who tumbles against the curtain onthe wall. She grabs at it for balance and it tears away,revealing the wall behind.

On the wall are row upon row of GLASS JARS. Jars filled withsouls. As the curtains fall, the keening turns to screams of thetrapped.

LIRAWhats going on back here?!!

Notso throws the Crone to the ground.

NOTSOLira, the Orb!

LIRAThe what?

NOTSOThe round shiny thing! AH!

The Crone bites Notso. She runs at Lira clawing at her eyes.

Lira leaps and flips over her and picks up the orb.

Notso flings himself onto the Crones back.

LIRANow what?

The Crone throws Notso across the room and turns.

NOTSOBreak it! Break it!!!

CRONENOO!!

Lira smashes the orb to the ground. It shatters into a millionpieces.

The Crone screams.

A high-pitched noise tears through the room, whipping thehangings on the other walls away. The sound grows, until the JARSshatter, all of them, one by one.

Souls of a thousand colours pour from the shattered remains andsurround the Crone. She swats at them like gnats screaming asthey strike her.


80/119

the boy who drew - august 2013

Documents