TITLE: Mt Sanctification - Beginning By TJ Nickel 02/01/07 |
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"MOUNT SANCTIFICATION"
FADE IN:
BLACK SCREEN
SUPER - "Forward or backward we must go. To stay here is death." ~C.S. Lewis
EXT. DRIVEWAY - EVENING
MARY - late-thirties, gorgeous face, perfect makeup, long and wavy hair, short skirt and blazer, no pantyhose needed with those tanned legs and heels - waves goodbye to her family in the window as she gets into her Porsche. The DOOR CLOSES.
Mary looks at herself in the rear-view mirror, touches her lips and makes faces to insure her lipstick looks right, lightly brushes her hair on her forehead to insure perfection, reaches down for shades and lightly places them on the bridge of her nose.
She inserts the key into the ignition. The car PURS with class. She reaches for the seatbelt, pulls it across herself, then sees the perfect ironing job on her clothes being creased by the belt. She pauses. She lets go of the belt and it ZIPS away from her.
She puts the car in reverse, checks her mirrors again - this time including the side mirrors, and slowly backs out of the driveway. She glances at the window as she makes her way from the home to see her daughter waving with a smile in dad's arms.
Mary gets 50 feet from the house and turns on the radio. MUSIC BLASTS into the car and her foot presses down on the accelerator. She races to over 50mph before screeching at the stop sign atop the neighborhood. She looks both ways, then races out into traffic.
EXT. DRIVEWAY - SAME TIME
KATIE - late-thirties, homely face, glasses, no makeup, unkempt medium length hair, gray sweat outfit - waves goodbye to her family in the window as she gets into her beat-up, red Honda. The DOOR CLOSES.
Katie puts her key into the ignition. The car CHOKES and won't turn over. She tries again, this time it STARTS. She reaches for the seatbelt and it won't budge. She can't pull it from its position. She GRUNTS. She turns on the radio - it is a TALKRADIO program. She backs out of the driveway.
YOUNG BOY ON BIKE FLIES BEHIND THE CAR AT THE SIDEWALK.
She SLAMS on the breaks to the car. It jolts and jerks and nearly stops running. She catches her breath, holds her chest to feel her heart beat. She looks behind her and slowly pulls into the street.
She starts to move forward and glances to the window to see her precious daughter in her husband's arms. The husband is waving, the daughter has her eyes covered.
Katie drives to the stop sign and stops. She looks both ways and pulls out into traffic.
MARY'S CAR - SAME TIME
The cell phone RINGS. Mary jerks the car on the road as she repositions herself to answer it. She catches herself, but not before the car next to her HONKS and breaks in traffic. She pulls back into her lane, flips open the phone, and yells at the other car.
MARY
Yeah, I know. I know.
The car HONKS at her again and the man in the car gives her a bewildered look.
MARY (CONT'D)
Yeah, blow that horn again you jackass.
She pulls the phone to her ear. She hits the gas and speeds ahead of the man she offended.
MARY (CONT'D)
Hello.
A voice is HEARD in the background.
MARY (CONT'D)
Yeah, I know I'm running late. I'll be there in 10 minutes. You'll love this house. It's worth the wait.
The VOICE again.
MARY
Look. I'll be there soon. I can make it in less than 10 minutes. You two will kill yourselves if you don't take a look in this house. It's the one for you.
The VOICE again.
MARY (CONT'D)
Okay. Five minutes. I'll be there.
She turns to put the cell phone back into her purse. The speedometer reads 75 mph. She sits tall into her seat again. A truck is breaking only a few yards away. Mary jerks the wheel to her right and the car beside her adjusts quickly enough to let her in. She increases her speed as she stables the car in the right lane now. She looks over her left shoulder at the truck.
MARY (CONT'D (CONT'D)
(back to truck, then moving head back to forward)
Why is everyone trying to kill me today!
A RED, BEAT-UP HONDA is turning left through a YELLOW LIGHT. The light turns RED. Mary is going 80 mph.
The Porsche SMASHES into the passenger side door of the Honda.
EXT. BASE OF MOUNTAIN - MORNING
Two women are standing at the base of a glorious mountain. They are three feet apart and looking forward and upward. They simultaneously turn to notice the other.
MARY
Who are you?
KATIE
Katie Johnson. And you?
MARY
Mary Johnson.
KATIE
That's funny, we have the same last name.
MARY
Funny. What's funny about it. Where the heck are we?
KATIE
I have no idea. I was just driving my car and all of a sudden, here I am.
MARY
Really.
KATIE
Yeah, what about you?
MARY
I was, ummm, just driving my car too. Here I am.
Mary looks away.
KATIE
Where are you from?
MARY
Newborn, Indiana.
KATIE
Wow. I'm from Newborn too.
MARY
This is strange.
KATIE
Yeah, same last name and same town. And here we both are. What do you suppose happened?
MARY
I have no idea. There I was talking on my cell phone and then I, uh, I came here. I'm not sure.
KATIE
Well I'll be. This is the strangest thing ever.
MARY
Not as strange as its about to be.
Katie sees a new intentness coming over Mary's face. She turns to look forward again as well. Coming down the hill in front of them is an older MAN, bearded, wearing a monk's robe and using a cane to walk.
KATIE
I wonder if that is St. Peter.
MARY
Looks more like Moses to me.
KATIE
You believe too?
MARY
Believe? Oh no. I gave that up long ago. This is strange stuff, but it isn't about beliefs.
KATIE
What do you mean. Seems to me we've been raptured or something. I can't wait to see my family.
MARY
I get the feeling you're not gonna find them here.
KATIE
That's a rude thing to say. They believe too. And hey, maybe we're family too.
MARY
We're not related.
KATIE
Oh, we've already got the same last name.
The man is upon them now.
MARY
Who are you and where are we?
He doesn't reply to Mary. He looks them both over, up and down. Katie shivers and twitches and turns her head down. Mary stands firmly.
MARY (CONT'D)
Who are you and where are we?
OLD MAN
Who I am isn't as important as where you are.
MARY
Then where are we.
OLD MAN
Well, at the base of a mountain, of course.
MARY
And why are we here.
OLD MAN
Now you certainly know the answer to that question.
KATIE
(looking up now)
I don't, sir.
OLD MAN
I know, dear Katie.
KATIE
How do you know my name?
OLD MAN
So many questions, much time. Come with me.
He turns to walk away. Mary reaches out for him and grabs his cloak.
MARY
No, no. You don't just walk away. I need answers.
OLD MAN
So many questions, much time. Come with me.
He looks at her HAND GRASPING HIS CLOAK. She releases it. The old man walks.
Mary and Katie stand there for a moment. Katie starts to walk. She realizes Mary isn't coming with her. She stops for a moment and turns around. Mary is standing arms crossed, furious.
KATIE
C'mon Mary Johnson of Newborn, Indiana. Let's go.
Katie turns and jogs ahead. She take a few steps and then stubs her toe on a rock. She falls over. Upon falling, she looks down to see her toe bleeding and that she no longer has shoes on. She then looks up her leg and realizes she is no longer wearing her sweat outfit, but is dressed in a very cute sundress. She looks herself up and down. Her skin seems brighter and more smooth than it was. She touches her hair and it feels fine and light. She reaches for her face and feels no glasses.
KATIE (CONT'D)
(to self)
Lost my shoes and got some contacts. This is going to be interesting.
Mary looks at Katie on the ground in interest now. She looks down at her feet and notices she too has lost her shoes. She looks at her clothes and she is wearing a grey sweat outfit. A $20 outfit. She SUCKS in air in shock. She then feels for her face. She goes for her nose. It is a big nose with a particular angle in the nose bone. She covers it with two hands and GASPS. Tears well up in her eyes.
The old man comes to Katie.
OLD MAN
Are you okay, dear Katie?
KATIE
Oh. I'm fine.
She takes his arm and she pops up. The old man looks back at Mary.
OLD MAN
(hollering)
Come, dear Mary. There is much time for answers.
The old man and Katie begin walking up the mountain. Mary stands in place from fear and sorrow. As they get further away, fear sets into her and she races out to catch up, running while holding her nose with two hands.
EXT. STARTING UP THE MOUNTAIN - 30 MIN LATER
The threesome is making its way around and over and between rocks. The old man using his cane, all three barefoot. The women both feel the pain in the bottoms of their feet and are walking gingerly. The old man's slow pace is due to agility and speed, his feet are fine, he walks with no pain. A large flat rock is before them.
OLD MAN
You have both been silent that last thirty minutes. We should sit here and I will answer a few questions for you.
The old man sits on the flat rock. The other two wince in pain over the rocks to get there and then sit one on each side of him.
OLD MAN (CONT'D)
What would you like to know.
MARY
Why didn't you bring shoes?
OLD MAN
You can know one thing, and you choose this question?
MARY
Yeah, my feet are a bloody mess.
She caresses and inspects her feet. They are punctured and bloody.
OLD MAN
You're feet will heal and then you won't need shoes. It's better this way.
MARY
Where are we?
OLD MAN
That's two questions.
MARY
I get only one? How long will we be here?
OLD MAN
And now a third. I'll answer the last. As long as it takes.
MARY
As long as it takes for what, this delusion to end?
OLD MAN
Time is of no concern to you any longer - at least not how you refer to time.
MARY
How I refer to time. What's that supposed to mean? Time is time. No shoes and no watch either.
OLD MAN
You need not either one here.
MARY
Whatever. Will this take all day?
OLD MAN
How is it you end a day, Mary?
MARY
Uh, when the sun goes down, whoever you are.
OLD MAN
And do you see a sun?
Mary looks around.
MARY
I assume it's on the other side of the mountain this early in the morning.
OLD MAN
You are so thoughtful. But, actually, there is no sun here on this mountain. No sun, no time. Will that satisfy you?
MARY
Okay, assuming there has to at least be a little logic in this delusion of mine, the sun doesn't have anything to do with time.
OLD MAN
And why is that?
MARY
Because, time is happening right here. Things are happening - we're moving up this mountain over time.
OLD MAN
You will forever be in The Moment now, Mary. This mountain is the beginning of The Moment. On top of it you will find The middle of The Moment. On the other side is the end of The Moment.
MARY
So, there is another side of the mountain. Is there a sun over there?
OLD MAN
You are not listening well. There is no sun over there, especially not over there.
MARY
If there is no sun anywhere, how can it especially not be over there?
OLD MAN
I think you've asked plenty of questions.
MARY
And you'll answer them all. I'm in pain here and quite upset. You answer my questions!
OLD MAN
Dear Mary. You have brought up concepts you do not even understand in earthly terms. How can I answer them in this place when you've only been in the beginning of The Moment?
MARY
Like what. I'm not some idiot. I graduated with honors from Harvard Law.
OLD MAN
So, you seem capable of arguing. But, show me you can think now.
Mary gives him a stern look.
OLD MAN (CONT'D)
How does time pass?
MARY
From past to present to future.
OLD MAN
No, time as you know it passes from the present by making the future the past.
MARY
Same difference.
OLD MAN
No, much different indeed. Think, Mary. Think.
MARY
Okay, okay. The present makes the future the past. I agree.
OLD MAN
And how does the present do that? What is the present?
MARY
The present is a moment in time. Surely you know that with all this 'The Moment' talk.
OLD MAN
So, is that present an amount of time?
MARY
Yes, a very quick and small amount.
OLD MAN
Then can't the present be split into future and past?
MARY
Yes, but now you are playing games.
OLD MAN
Playing games? Why, thinking is playing games?
MARY
Yeah, I know about infinite regress arguments or reductions to absurdity. I'm not playing that game.
OLD MAN
Then you can't think of anything else. You can't think of this place. You refuse to see the faults even in earthly terms for earth, how can you see and understand this place when you haven't finished with the old place?
MARY
I'll ask the questions, here.
OLD MAN
Your questions are over. Care to give answers?
MARY
Sure, ask away.
OLD MAN
How did you get here?
Mary stops cold and stares at Katie. She pauses.
MARY
This is only a delusion. I got here because something is wrong with my brain.
OLD MAN
You're brain is now gone, Mary. You are finally thinking.
The old man turns to Katie and Mary turns her back on him.
OLD MAN (CONT'D)
So, dear Katie, your question.
KATIE
Where is my family?
OLD MAN
Dear Katie. Your family, I presume, is at home.
KATIE
Where am I?
OLD MAN
Also, at home. But not the same home as your husband and child. This is Mt. Sanctification.
KATIE
You mean I wasn't raptured?
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