Pandora, Chapter 2 (Sceen Play)

EXT. A moonlight night. The four, having escaped from the fortress, have fled into the forest. They enter a forest and follow PANDORA down a dimly lit path. A few minutes pass and they find themselves standing before the entrance of a cave.

PANDORA: "We'll wait here, until morning."

BRUTUS: "What's that noise... sounds like barking!"

PANDORA: "Just when I thought things could get no worse..."

Edna: "Wolves, they've picked up our scent. How can that be? There's no wolves around here."

PANDORA: "Their appearance is not by chance."

CALLIOPE: "You think they're part of the attack?"

PANDORA: "It's continuing in another form." A cold chill races down her spine... It's just like her dream, but this time it's real. She gives her head a slap. "What have I gotten us into?"

EDNA: "I'll conjure up some fireworks."

PANDORA: "NO! get inside and keep quiet. I'll lead them on a false trail. Stay here and await my return."

EDNA: "Are you sure about this?"

PANDORA: " You know as well as I, who they're searching for." Removes her jacket. "I'll use this to make sure they follow my scent. Keep still and remain quiet."

EDNA: "Be careful my child."

Pandora heads towards the river. The moon is shining overhead and she guides on the dim outline of a trail that stretches before her. How did I ever get myself into this terrible predicament? I knew something was afoot and I find myself totally unprepared. Now I'm really in the soup. Sprinting down the pathway she holds the hem of her dress in each hand running as fast as she dares, a heartbeat from losing her balance. One misstep and she'll stumble, careening onto the ground. A slipper goes flying off, followed by the other.The wolves follow getting closer and closer. She casts aside the jacket and begins sprinting in earnest. The first slivers of the dawn begin to filter through the trees. Knees pumping she finds a second wind and a fresh burst of energy. Don't even think about falling.

She remembers the dreams that have plagued her for months. They were harbingers of the terror she now faces. At least I don't have those LEAD FEET to slow me down. Dodging between the trees, leaping over rocks and tree roots, she forges on, breaking from the dark forest into an open glade. She welcomes the flood of light, and her foot fall becomes less precarious. A river shimmers and sparkles in the distance. The wolves are barking, so close now she can almost feel their breath. Upon arriving at the river's edge, Pandora can't believe her good fortune. A skiff is drawn up on the bank. Wasting no time she puts her shoulder to the bow, pushes off and stumbles aboard. Just in time! The pack arrives in a splash of snarling fangs. They howl in dismay pacing back and forth along the bank. Their quarry has eluded them. The leader glares at her with red eyes, then lunges grabbing the prow. The boat is rocked and buffeted as he twists his powerful neck back and forth.

Then, most unexpectedly, her entire being is beset with a deep calm. Her awareness slowly fills with an unsolicited sense of anger. Rather than fear Pandora experiences a different state of mind. A dark energy sweeps over her animating every pore and fiber. An inner voice speaks to her, WELCOME TO MY WORLD. Her anger turns to rage. A snarl emanates from her throat and she grabs an oar. Hefting it high in the air, Pandora brings the flat side down on the beast's snout. The boat rocks, water sprays and the beast yelps retreating backwards pain. He cowers into the safety of his pack. The skiff drifts out into the river.

Seating herself, she hears a sudden cry and notices a man atop a distant bolder, frantically waving his hands.

"STOP! STOP!" He's waving his arms this way and that.

PANDORA: "Oh dear! This must be his boat. I've taken the poor man's row boat. She sighs anxiously, What choice did I have? She cries out, "Is this your boat?"

She hears a distant answer, but the meaning is drowned out. He continues jumping up and down, waving his arms to and fro. Surely he can see the wolves are no longer a threat. His message is lost in the melee of leaping, barking wolves. Alerted by his antics, the pack wheels and bolts towards him. He jumps off the rock and runs towards the river. They close, in hot pursuit.

The current sweeps Pandora around a bend and she looses sight of the drama.

Ummm . . . the current seems to be speeding up! " She clutches the sides of the boat as water splashes over soaking her skirts. Something whips around and thumbs her back. She jerks away What's this? " She grabs at the strange handle. Oh! the tiller!" She wriggles around and points the bow down stream. Then she hears it. The rushing of rapids and the thunder of a distant falls. The din echoes reverberating between the riverbanks So that's what he was trying to warn me about. " Panic churns in her belly "What do I do now?

As the boat bobs and jumps in the building current, her ankle smacks up against an ore. The two lay loose in the gunnels, rattling against her feet. "Of course. Oars. I need to row. NOW! Without hesitation Pandora wrestles the oars into their locks. She leans in and pulls with all her might. Her motions are awkward and uncoordinated, since she's never rowed more than time or two around the moat. The speed of the flow grows upon entering the rapids and her efforts to row against it are futile. Still she heaves-hoe and manages to turn the vessel upstream.

Water's moving too fast! The craft bobs twists and the boat is buffeted by rocks. Pandora's arm's ache and her muscles burn. Steer toward the riverbank. Her efforts are to no avail. Steam rises from the falls as the stern bobs closer to the precipice. The Princess rows harder and harder until at length, having spent the last drop of energy, the little boat shoots over the brink. Somehow it stays upright and smacks into the turbulent waters below. There is a mighty fountaining splash. Pandora tumbles forward, stunned when her head strikes the boat rail. Drenched she sputters and rights an oar, then grabs the other before it floats away. Sweeping with all her might, she pulls clear of the deluge. "I don't believe it! I'm still alive and the boat didn't fly to pieces. A cry of terror splits the air. The Princess looks up and sees the figure of a man plunge over the falls. Like a rag doll with limbs spread, it pirouettes in space and lances into the waters below. He must be the man who tried to warn me. I guess the wolves didn't catch him after all. Feeling a twinge of guilt, Pandora turns the skiff about and rows to the figure floating face down. She ports the oars and drags him over the side. Spitting and coughing, he flops into the bottom of the boat like a half dead fish.