Volunteers
Page 5
Alleiram laughs, picking up an apple.
ALLEIRAM
Esidarap read your minds. We are forbidden.
EUNICE
Forbidden? By who?
Alleiram looks at the apple then sets it back down.
ALLEIRAM
I know this all seems very strange to you but we must have your trust.
EUNICE
All right, you want us to trust you show us what you really look like.
ALLEIRAM
I'm afraid that's not possible. In time it may be, but not now.
MARIKA
What do you want with us?
ALLEIRAM
(smiles)
“Want”? We don't want anything. We want to give. You are each about to be rewarded for your courage. You have been given a rare opportunity.
EUNICE
What kind of opportunity.
ALLEIRAM
To understand the cosmos.
She draws back.
ALLEIRAM (CONT'D)
(beat)
Come, let me give you a glimpse of the wonders that lie ahead of you.
The volunteers look at each other, then cautiously follow.
CUT TO.
EXT. PALACE - FRONT - BRIGHT SUNNY DAY
Two large doors open.
The group step out into the sunlight.
Marika gasps, Vincent's jaw almost drops.
Alleiram smiles, pleased by their reactions.
The golden palace sits on a hilltop, to their right is a lush green meadow stretching off towards a forest and mountains, to their left is an enormous waterfall flowing clear water into an ocean that becomes perfectly still.
Suchin slowly looks up.
The sky is a clear soft blue, the stars still visible along with a rainbow and three moons.
VINCENT
(stunned)
We're in heaven.
ALLEIRAM
(smiles)
No, you are in Esidarap.
CUT TO.
INT. BALCONY - VINCENT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Vincent looks out over the mountains. Esidarap's night sky is just as beautiful as its day.
He sips his pint of beer and smiles.
CALEB (O.S)
We should have stayed downstairs, she said we're free to go anywhere we want.
Caleb knocks back some bottled beer and bites into a thick burger.
CALEB (CONT'D)
Mmm, I swear to God this is starting to taste just like Hinano's.
Everyone is sat on the bed or on the floor, picking from plates of food taken from the dining hall.
EUNICE
We've got plenty of time to explore.
Marika pours herself some more wine and looks at the glass, quiet.
MARIKA
(beat)
We can never go back, can we?
CALEB
(laughs)
Who wants to go back?
EUNICE
(to Marika)
What makes you think that? We can always ask.
CHRISTOPHER
“The Chosen must come of their own accord”. There's no turning back.
Eunice sees the pain and anguish on Marika's face.
She smiles, pouring more wine for herself.
EUNICE
(to Marika)
What did you do with your money?
Marika glances at her.
MARIKA
(beat)
I have a son, he's three. I left him everything.
(sips wine)
He'll have a wonderful life.
Eunice nods and smiles, trying to lift morale.
EUNICE
I'm certain he will.
She turns to the others.
EUNICE (CONT'D)
What about everyone else? Vincent?
VINCENT
I have a niece and a brother. My brother's always wanted his own business, now he'll have one.
CALEB
Something tells me he won't need one.
CHRISTOPHER
I gave everything to the church in my home town, the money will help many people.
Eunice turns to Suchin.
EUNICE
How about you?
Suchin looks up from her bowl of noodles, still quiet.
SUCHIN
My family.
MARIKA
(to Eunice)
And you?
EUNICE
(smiles)
Charity.
Caleb opens another bottle.
CALEB
No kidding, me too.
Eunice looks at him with sarcasm.
EUNICE
Really?
CALEB
Yeah.
(sips some more beer)
What? You think I don't have a conscience?
He winks.
Eunice smiles, pleasantly surprised.
EUNICE
Sorry, shouldn't have judged.
Caleb glances at her, pleased.
CUT TO.
INT. HALLWAY - LATER
Suchin checks the doors on the right.
SUCHIN
(to Eunice)
This one is mine.
Eunice follows behind.
EUNICE
OK, I'm two corners around, at the far end, I think it's the last door.
Suchin nods, opening the door.
EUNICE (CONT'D)
Hey.
Suchin looks back.
EUNICE (CONT'D)
If you need anything or just don't want to be alone come over OK.
Suchin nods.
SUCHIN
Good night.
EUNICE
Night.
She goes in.
Eunice turns her head and sees Caleb approaching with two bottles of beer in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.
CALEB
What?
He holds up the wine.
CALEB (CONT'D)
(smiles)
Wanna join me?
CUT TO.
INT. SUCHIN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Suchin closes the door and turns around.
The candles are already lit, the room quiet.
She sees her reflection in the mirror and pauses.
She looks completely different to normal self back in the village.
She removes her head-pin and lets her hair fall loose.
Her hands slowly settle on her belly. She then notices something different in the reflection. Daylight is coming in through the balcony's opening.
She slowly turns her head.
The sun is strong.
She approaches the opening and comes out onto the balcony. It's level with the ground.
EXT. RICE FIELD - THAILAND - DAY
Suchin looks up, the sky is clear.
She hears laughter and looks ahead.
She sees men and women are working. Amongst them her father, strong and healthy.
He's teaching a young girl of 7 how to pick.
SUCHIN'S MOTHER (O.S)
(Thai, subtitled)
Suchin! Suchin!
SUCHIN'S FATHER
She is with me, leave her alone.
Suchin backs away.
The vision disappears, the balcony again overlooking the ocean and night sky.
Suchin stands still, the wind swaying her hair.
DISSOLVE TO.
INT. CALEB'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Caleb's eyes are closed, sunlight cutting across his face.
He slowly wakes and looks down.
Eunice looks up at him.
CALEB
(smiles)
Morning.
EUNICE
(smiling back)
Morning.
She leans up and slowly kisses him.
CALEB
Sleep all right?
EUNICE
(still smiling)
Absolutely.
Caleb grins, stroking her shoulder.
“KNOCK KNOCK�
�
Caleb wakes, alone in the bed.
He looks around, confused.
“KNOCK KNOCK”
CALEB
Hold on!
He climbs out of bed and quickly puts on some clothes.
CALEB (CONT'D)
Damn it.
He opens the door and stops.
CALEB (CONT'D)
You've got to me kidding me.
Standing outside is the actor Steve Buscemi.
BELAC
(smiles)
Hi there.
CALEB
Mr Pink?
BELAC
No, Belac actually, you're just seeing me as someone you met and liked.
CALEB
I've never met Steve Buscemi.
BELAC
Oh, well, someone you saw and liked then. I'll be your guide. Are you ready to come down?
Caleb stares at him, still adjusting.
CALEB
Yeah... Just... give me a sec.
He returns to the bed and looks for his shoes.
BELAC
Did you sleep well?
CALEB
What?
He leans down and notices a bra on the floor.
BELAC (O.S)
Did you sleep well?
He stops and looks again.
The bra is gone.
CALEB
(beat, to himself)
I think I did.
CUT TO.
INT. GROUND FLOOR HALLWAY - DINING HALL
Caleb follows Belac to the dining hall.
BELAC
First night is Esidarap always takes some adjusting to, or so I'm told.
Caleb sees the others standing with unfamiliar individuals beside them.
BELAC (CONT'D)
Ah looks like you're the last one.
Belac heads in. The six walk into each other and merge into one (still in Buscemi form).
Everyone stops stunned.
BELAC (CONT'D)
(to the group)
Will this appearance be acceptable for everyone?
CALEB
You can look like anyone you want?
BELAC
Not really, Esidarap will allow you to see me in the form you want. For consistency it's preferable I have the same appearance for you all.
EUNICE
This one's fine.
CALEB
-Wait wait. How about someone a little more exciting.
EUNICE
Like who?
Caleb approaches and focuses on Belac.
Belac changes into Rosie Huntington-Whitely (*or another model/actress*).
BELAC
Is this satisfactory?
CALEB
(laughs)
Wait wait, I got another.
He focuses again. Belac now changes to Rihanna (*or another celebrity*)
EUNICE
You do know you're getting turned on by an extraterrestrial who's probably not even female.
Belac returns to Buscemi form.
CALEB
Just screwing around.
BELAC
Happy?
EUNICE
Yes, we're happy.
CUT TO.
EXT. GARDENS - PALACE - MORNING
The group follow Belac down a footpath, flowers and fountains around them.
BELAC
As Alleiram said you're free to go anywhere you want, inside and outside the palace.
EUNICE
“But”?
BELAC
“But” what? This whole reality is yours.
A woman passes by carrying a basket of fruit.
VINCENT
(to Belac)
Who was that?
BELAC
Part of the scenery, if you don't want them around they'll disappear. From my understanding you're a very social species so expect to see others like yourself wandering around. -Oh and feel free to talk with them, they're personalities will have echoes of people you've seen or encountered, it's pretty neat.
MARIKA
But they're not real.
BELAC
(laughs)
Nothing here is real.
Eunice looks aside and sees an old gardener trimming a plant. The gardener looks at her and smiles.
CUT TO.
EXT. PROMENADE - WATERFALL - MORNING
The group follow Belac down a wide promenade by the waterfall.
BELAC (CONT'D)
(continuing)
Remember in reality those waters over there would be so loud you wouldn't hear me speak, but since you all want to hear me speak, or at least I hope you do, you hear me and not the water.
Eunice stops in front of him.
EUNICE
Why are you telling us all this? Alleiram, or whoever she is, said you people wanted to teach us about the universe. So far it feels like you're just giving us a personal tour of a prison.
BELAC
“Prison”? Esidarap isn't a prison. Look around you. You can recreate your entire planet if you wanted to, granted you'll need to have total knowledge of your entire planet, but-
EUNICE
-Fine, it's a very big and very nice prison but it still feels like one nonetheless.
Belac looks at them all.
They all have the same skeptical expression.
BELAC
Guys, none of this is permanent. And this isn't some place you're forced to stay forever. It's a necessary phase of your transition.
CHRISTOPHER
“Transition”?
BELAC
Yes. From the life you knew to the life you'll have.
EUNICE
What if we don't want new lives?
Marika glances at Eunice.
Belac laughs, but then stops, realizing she's serious.
BELAC
Wait you're not joking. You want to go back?
EUNICE
We just want to know if we have a choice?
Belac looks between them all, surprised.
BELAC
Wasn't this explained to you?
MARIKA
What?
Belac steps back, embarrassed.
BELAC
I'm sorry, I hate to be the bringer of bad news but I'm afraid there won't be anything for you to go back to.
EUNICE
What do you mean?
BELAC
Your species is to be terminated.
CUT TO.
INT. GRAND DINING HALL - NIGHT
Marika paces back and forth, shaking her head. The others are seated and look equally shaken.
ALLEIRAM (O.S)
I had hoped to wait until you had settled into Esidarap.
Alleiram sits opposite, Belac beside her.
ALLEIRAM (CONT'D)
It was the Council's decision.
CALEB
The “Council”?
ALLEIRAM
Delegates from a hundred thousand class 7 civilizations.
MARIKA
This is why you brought us here, to put us in some cosmic zoo.
ALLEIRAM
Of course not.
(sighs)
Your planet had been neglected for a long time. As you can imagine there are many worlds in the galaxy that require the Council's attention.
Alleiram waves her hand, a video image appears in front of them.
ALLEIRAM (CONT'D)
Initially we watched your kind from afar.
We see clips from television sit-coms, a BBC nature documentary, then violent video nasties.
ALLEIRAM (CONT'D)
But it was difficult to assess your civilization based on these fabricated realities you created for your amusement.
News footage shows genocide in Rwanda.
Eunice draws back.
ALLEIRAM (CONT'D)
Several probes were then sent. The reports they returned were not thorough but it was enough to convince the Council that your species were not progressing.