Light of the World BACK ISSUE SEND YOUR ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION IN Christian Literature Today.
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CHRISTIAN LITERATURE TODAYWas blind, but now I see.1 : 3 January 2002 LIGHT OF THE WORLDAn Original Screenplay by W. G. OrrBased On CAST RIK (a blind man who is later healed) OTHER DISCIPLES (IF NEEDED) RIK'S HEARING AND TRIAL CAIAPHAS NICODEMUS (A PHARISEE) AT THE BUS STATION MAN #1 (LATER CALLED LARRY) OTHERS MARKETPLACE PHARISEE #5 (Plus one other) SHOPPERS A HIGHWAY PATROLMAN OTHERS AS NEEDED SETS INTERIOR BOARD ROOM EXTERIOR BUS STATION ESTABLISHING AND TRANSITIONAL SHOTS DUSK THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD FADE IN: EXT. CITYSCAPE We are treated to an ESTABLISHING SERIES OF SHOTS of the modern city wherein the action of our story takes place. Modern electronica music PLAYS OVER the main titles and story setup. This music can be in the vein of Depeche Mode or Moby; or something "farther out there," like Cosmonaut or Micronaut. As the ESTABLISHING SERIES OF SHOTS near their end, mingled in with them should be: EXT. DOWNTOWN - NEAR BUS STATION - DAY RIK makes his way along the sidewalk toward a bus station. His appearance is that of a raggedy man, poor and filthy in poor and filthy rags. He's also blind and all his actions should be those of a blind man making his way in the world, one step at a time. CLOSE SHOT: RIK'S FACE Rik continues making his way toward the bus station. Despite his blindness, his gait is nearly steady, and determined. EXT. BUS STATION CAMERA FOLLOWS BEHIND AND TO THE SIDE OF Rik as he heads in the direction of the bus station. Past him, we see a GROUP OF PEOPLE [i.e., LOITERERS] milling around outside. TWO OR THREE of them turn, watching him as he nears. They SNICKER and MURMUR among themselves about him, gesturing [perhaps obscenely] at him. [Except as noted, the actors largely improvise this scene.] RIK continues his unseeing march toward the bus station. He cocks his head as he HEARS: MAN #1 WOMAN #1 CHILD #1 INSERT: JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES CAMERA FINDS JESUS leading his DISCIPLES down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. He stops when he spots the scene at the bus station. JESUS' DISCIPLES stop too, staring at the same scene as he. CAMERA BACK: OUTSIDE THE BUS STATION Some of the group loitering outside the bus station bunch round Rik, including Man #1 [from this point forward referred to as LARRY]. They scoff, prod and push Rik. Rik is patient as he's shoved. He's endured such taunts as this from people since he was born. CHILD #2 LARRY INSERT: YOUNG WOMAN [MÄRTA] Standing among the group jeering at Rik is a YOUNG WOMAN named MÄRTA. But she isn't jeering; she's mildly amused by the fracas, especially given the fact Rik seems to accept the way the others are shoving him and ridiculing him. CAMERA BACK: OUTSIDE THE FRONT OF THE BUS STATION WOMAN #2 MAN #2 LARRY WOMAN #1 LARRY The group gathered around Rik LAUGHS at the bad joke. RIK has at last had enough. He pushes his way through them. LARRY, however, trips him up. Rik sprawls to the ground. RIK lays there for a minute, trying to clutch the ground, trying to clutch his pride back into himself. JESUS looks on from across the street. RIK finally starts to his feet... JESUS continues looking on across the street from the bus station as Rik makes it all the way to his feet. THE CROWD taunt and jeer Rik even more now. RIK in his own blind way starts down the street. LARRY this time rushes up behind Rik and shoves him - HARD. RIK stumbles and nearly falls. But he doesn't fall. Without a word and without turning on his attacker, Rik slowly keeps going, disappearing around the nearest corner. THE CROWD behind him LAUGHS and go back about their business. JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES step into the street. Oncoming traffic stops dead as Jesus and his men cross to the other side of the street. EXT. REAR OF BUS STATION - DAY Rik stops near a dumpster, leans against it. His blind eyes raise toward Heaven... only to turn toward the ground. He begins to weep. JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES round the corner. Jesus pauses, studies Rik silently, compassionately. JOHN, one of Jesus' disciples, steps up beside his teacher. JOHN RIK HEARS John's VOICE and hurriedly brushes aside the tears from his eyes, straightening himself as if he were caught doing something he shouldn't have. JOHN (CONT'D) RIK JOHN JESUS PETER steps up beside Jesus. PETER JESUS Jesus steps closer toward Rik, to study his face more intently. Even blind, Rik seems conscious of being scrutinized. JOHN JESUS AT JESUS' AND RIK'S FEET, there is mud and there are puddles all around the dumpster area. JESUS bends down and scoops up a fistful of wet earth. He spits into it and begins trowelling the spit into it, softening up its texture even more. JOHN looks on, bewildered. JOHN PETER shrugs, equally puzzled, but stays looking on. JESUS pulls Rik to the ground beside him. Rik falls on his rump with a YELP. Jesus begins caking the mud into Rik's eyes. As he does so, Rik pushes back, caught off guard. JESUS RIK JESUS RIK JESUS INSERT: MÄRTA Unseen by Jesus or the other disciples, Märta inches around the corner of the rear of the bus station and stares on as Jesus applies the mud to Rik's eyes... CAMERA BACK: REAR OF THE BUS STATION Jesus finishes caking the mud onto Rik's eyes. RIK JESUS RIK JESUS Rik hesitates. He touches the mud caked on his eyes. JESUS (CONT'D) RIK JESUS RIK Jesus does not respond. Nor do the disciples say anything, opting to let Jesus take the lead in dealing with Rik. RIK (CONT'D) JESUS RIK JESUS RIK Rik stands; Jesus a beat behind him. Jesus points Rik in the general direction of the Pool at Siloam and gives him a gentle push. PETER AND JOHN step up beside Jesus and together they watch Rik walk off. MÄRTA pauses; then, turning, disappears back toward the front of the bus station where we first encountered her. EXT. STREET MONTAGE - DAY We begin to hear MUSIC OVER Rik's march to the Pool of Siloam, perhaps the beginning of "In the Lap of the Gods" by The Alan Parsons Project. The closer to the pool Rik gets, the music builds moves toward its crescendo. EXT. POOL OF SILOAM - DAY Rik stumbles his way toward the pool. We progress nearer the end of The Alan Parsons Project's "In the Lap of the Gods." Rik stumbles his way toward the pool, past the crowd gathered there about it. Rik keeps walking, and then falls into the pool! THE CROWD reacts appropriately, watching on. UNDERWATER SHOT: THE POOL OF SILOAM Rik twists, turns and spins in the water, unfamiliar with it. Ceasing his thrashing at last, Rik begins washing the mud that remains from his eyes. Finally, this done, he opens his eyes. Looking upwards, he kicks toward the pool's surface. EXT. POOL OF SILOAM - DIFFERENT ANGLES Rik breaks the surface of the pool. He stares wide-eyed and wild-eyed around himself. We are in full crescendo of The Alan Parsons Project's "In the Lap of the Gods." ANGLE UP: RIK, FROM SURFACE OF THE WATER He flings his arms out wide in triumph and lifts his face toward Heaven. He LAUGHS and then he CRIES OUT in pure joy! CAMERA DOLLIES a 180-degree circle round and round and round him as he continues rejoicing in the miraculous healing he's experienced! EXT. SERIES OF SHOTS - DAY Rik walks fast down the street, staring at everything but moving too fast to let anything really soak in. EXT. RIK'S HOUSE - DAY ESTABLISHING SHOT. Rik rushes toward the front door of his parents' home. INT. RIK'S HOUSE - DAY Rik storms inside. RIK Rik rushes through the house, CONTINUES SHOUTING for his parents. He finds his MOTHER in the kitchen, cooking a meal. She stares at him, as if not recognizing him. He grins at her. RIK'S MOTHER Rik LAUGHS. RIK'S MOTHER (CONT'D) Rik's FATHER ENTERS, looking from his wife to his son, also acting as if he hardly recognizes him. RIK'S FATHER RIK RIK'S FATHER RIK'S MOTHER There's something about the tone in their voices that squelches the joy and the excitement Rik felt when he first rushed into the house. EXT. BUS STATION - NEXT DAY Rik marches up to the front of the bus station. THE SAME CROWD which was there the previous day -- who mocked and ridiculed him -- are there today. MÄRTA sits in her car parked by the curb farther up the street. She studies the scene unfolding at the bus station from here. THE CROWD is busy carrying on and making nuisances of themselves. They don't pay him much mind... until he stops and stares at them, grinning stupidly. They don't say anything at first. He leans against a wall, folds his arms, watching them... and waiting. LARRY Rik shrugs, barely able to contain the wonder he's still feeling at having the ability to see. LARRY (CONT'D) RIK MAN #2 WOMAN #1 MAN #2 WOMAN #1 Larry looks Rik up and down, doubtful. WOMAN #2 WOMAN #1 Their faces - even Larry's - takes on a surprised look. LARRY Rik shakes his head adamantly. MAN #2 RIK LARRY RIK WOMAN #1 RIK Rik studies the hesitant and questioning looks he's getting from this crowd. RIK (CONT'D) LARRY RIK LARRY The others aren't so sure and we can see this in the sullen expressions on their faces. They say nothing; simply mill about the front of the bus station, shiftless in the looks they pass amongst themselves. Rik becomes subdued himself in the face of their reactions of the fantastic story he's trying to tell. Finally, however, he moves on. M#RTA watches him go from her vantage point in her car. She starts the car's engine, and... WE WATCH AS THE CAR pulls away from the curb and rolls down the street and past the bus station. EXT. DUSK ESTABLISHING SHOT of the sun hitting the horizon, as a POINT OF TRANSITION in our story... INT. BOARD ROOM - NIGHT CAIAPHAS and his group of PHARISEES are gathered in an informal meeting, scattered throughout the room. They study RIK for a long silence. Among the Pharisees are NICODEMUS and SAUL OF TARSUS. Rik stands at the head of the big meeting table, no longer in rags but now well-groomed, dressed in a suit and a tie. TWO GUARDS stand at the doors to the board room, huge and dressed in black immaculate suits themselves. CAIAPHAS RIK SAUL OF TARSUS RIK CAIAPHAS RIK SAUL OF TARSUS PHARISEE #1 RIK PHARISEE #1 Rik shrugs, noncommittally. Nicodemus leans forward in his seat. NICODEMUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS PHARISEE #1 CAIAPHAS RIK CAIAPHAS RIK PHARISEE #1 RIK The group of Pharisees quietly assess Rik's words. CAIAPHAS There are several nods throughout the room as the two guards remove Rik from their presence. TRANSITION SHOT: A CLOCK We see a clock [maybe even a digital one] informing us that is 3:00 A.M. INT. BOARD ROOM - 3:00 A.M. This scene is much like the one where Rik gave his testimony. SEVERAL PHARISEES have shuffled around the room, loosened their ties or rolled up their sleeves. NICODEMUS stands contemplatively staring out a window at the dark morning. RIK'S PARENTS are present now. They occupy the spot at the head of the table where Rik stood before. They are very nervous, fidgeting. CAIAPHAS RIK'S FATHER SAUL OF TARSUS RIK'S MOTHER PHARISEE #1 RIK'S FATHER SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS SAUL OF TARSUS Nicodemus turns back to the window, saying not another word. Caiaphas waves a hand. The doors to the board room open. The two guards return and escort Rik's parents out. Nicodemus leaves the window and finds a seat nearby. SAUL OF TARSUS (CONT'D) NICODEMUS PHARISEE #1 NICODEMUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS INT. SHOPPING MALL - DAY - SERIES OF SHOTS RIK walks THRU DIFFERENT PARTS of a shopping mall. CUSTOMERS are everywhere. RIK checks out the latest mens' fashions, assesses the WOMEN shopping, etc. He gathers with a FEW CUSTOMERS at a video store and watches a MOVIE on the TV screens, and then moves on. MÄRTA is found BY THE CAMERA following Rik on his shopping expedition, at a supposed discrete distance. RIK pauses in front of a bookstore, staring at the books on display. He goes inside. INT. BOOKSTORE - SHOPPING MALL - DAY CAMERA DOLLIES with Rik as he browses the bookstore. [Be careful to avoid any SHOTS of the Religious and Bible sections.] Scene is broken into a SERIES OF SHOTS as we see Rik leafing through different books, in different sections of the store. [E.g., "Les Miserables" by Hugo, or John Le Carré or Faulkner, Joseph Conrad, Dickens, Louis L'Amour, the science fiction and fantasy section, etc.] MÄRTA peeks over the top of a book gondola. We see just the top of her head and her eyes. [Perhaps the actress might have a distinctive hair style. This could be played for comic effect.] RIK browses the magazine section... and then he EXITS the bookstore... followed soon after by Märta. INT. SHOPPING MALL (OUTSIDE BOOKSTORE) - DAY CAMERA ON Märta as she leaves the bookstore, stepping into the mall itself. Abruptly, she runs face-to-face into Rik. He's standing right there, leaning against a wall. Märta is speechless; caught. RIK Märta's groping for something to say. But it's obvious she's used to getting caught. MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK Märta's eyes telegraph her search for something to say. But finally... MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK INT. EATING AREA - SHOPPING MALL - MOMENTS LATER Rik and Märta just finished eating. Märta sucks on her Coke's straw. MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA There is a long, drawn-out pause between the two. MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK EXT. HIGHWAY UNDERPASS - NEAR DAWN ESTABLISHING SHOT. A dark morning. STREET SHOT with a highway overpass OVERHEAD. A GROUP OF STREET PEOPLE huddle together for warmth and protection. Among them, Jesus and his Disciples. FIRES burn in SEVERAL TRASH CANS. CLOSER ANGLE - EXT. HIGHWAY UNDERPASS - NEAR DAWN SHOT IN SILHOUETTE. [If any features of our primary actors are seen, it is only vaguely.] Jesus stands IN FRAME, a FIRE blazing in one of the trash cans in the B.G. PHILIP approaches, carrying a SACK OF FOOD. PHILIP JESUS PHILIP Philip offers Jesus the bag but Jesus shrugs it away. PHILIP (CONT'D) JESUS PHILIP JESUS PHILIP JESUS PHILIP JESUS Pause. The scene continues, still SHOT IN SILHOUETTE [mostly, probably]. JESUS (CONT'D) Philip hands him the bag and Jesus peers inside. PHILIP JESUS PHILIP JESUS Jesus smiles. He takes a bit of the sausage and biscuit. Philip grins in return. HOLD ON SCENE for several BEATS... INT. ADJUNCT OFFICE - SYNAGOGUE - DAY Caiaphas and Nicodemus are alone. Both are haggard from a long night of interrogations. A moment of SILENCE as we study these two men. Suddenly, Saul of Tarsus BURSTS INSIDE. He SLAMS the door angrily. Caiaphas and Nicodemus study him as he strides about the room, unspeaking. CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS Saul halts his pacing and glares at Nicodemus. SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS A BEAT. Nicodemus and Saul hold glares. Abruptly Saul resumes his heated pacing. CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS DIFFERENT ANGLES: INT. ADJUNCT OFFICE - SYNAGOGUE - DAY Saul no longer paces. His motions from here to the end of the scene are jerky, full of stops, starts; fast action. There is a desk in the room. Caiaphas is seated at it. Nicodemus stands on one side of it, near a window. [Wherever and whenever he appears, Nicodemus' attention always seems to wander elsewhere from the central action.] Saul of Tarsus remains separate from them though Caiaphas sits framed in the SHOT more in Saul's part of the room than Nicodemus'. SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS Saul draws slowly toward Caiaphas, seated at the desk. SAUL OF TARSUS By the end of his speech is leans on Caiaphas' desk with his elbows, perhaps even clutching the high Pharisee's arm. CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS NICODEMUS SAUL OF TARSUS Silence. CAIAPHAS NICODEMUS Saul lunges away from the desk, GROWLING. Nicodemus turns back to the window. EXT. SYNAGOGUE - VERY EARLY MORNING ESTABLISHING SHOT. INT. HEARING CHAMBERS - SYNAGOGUE - VERY EARLY MORNING THE PHARISEES are gathered together in formal attire. RIK ENTERS, escorted by the two guards. THOSE GATHERED in the room are silent. RIK comes to a stop directly in front of the Pharisees. NICODEMUS is present as well; he isn't pleased by what he knows is coming. CAIAPHAS PHARISEE #1 NICODEMUS PHARISEE #1 NICODEMUS SAUL OF TARSUS RIK Nicodemus is visibly satisfied at that remark. There are OTHERS - notably Saul of Tarsus - with whom this does not set well. DIFFERENT ANGLES: INT. HEARING CHAMBERS - SYNAGOGUE RIK (CONT'D) SAUL OF TARSUS RIK CAIAPHAS PHARISEE #1 SAUL OF TARSUS NICODEMUS RIK This causes ANGRY GRUMBLING from the Pharisees, twitching uncomfortably in their seats. NICODEMUS grins at Rik's boldness. DIFFERENT ANGLES: INT. HEARING CHAMBERS - SYNAGOGUE SAUL OF TARSUS PHARISEE #1 RIK CAIAPHAS RIK There is a nervous pervasiveness about the silence from most of the Pharisees. NICODEMUS RIK DIFFERENT ANGLES: INT. HEARING CHAMBERS - SYNAGOGUE CAIAPHAS RIK The Pharisees ERUPT in angry SHOUTS, DERISION, etc. Except Nicodemus. Accusations and taunts come at Rik in a WALL OF SOUND. SAUL OF TARSUS DIFFERENT ANGLES: INT. HEARING CHAMBERS - SYNAGOGUE The SHOUTING subsides somewhat but it continues UNDER: RIK PHARISEE #2 PHARISEE #1 PHARISEE #3 SAUL OF TARSUS PHARISEE #4 PHARISEE #5 At those words, the hateful SHOUTS and TAUNTS subside. There is a long pause as everyone in the room takes seem to come to their senses as one. DIFFERENT ANGLES: INT. HEARING CHAMBERS - SYNAGOGUE PHARISEE #2 CAIAPHAS RIK PHARISEE #1 PHARISEE #2 RIK PHARISEE #1 SAUL OF TARSUS DIFFERENT ANGLES: INT. HEARING CHAMBERS - SYNAGOGUE CAIAPHAS PHARISEE #1 PHARISEE #2 PHARISEE #3 PHARISEE #4 CAIAPHAS RIK Caiaphas is obviously struggling to keep his composure with Rik's insolence. CAMERA BEGINS A SLOW DOLLY PUSH IN on Caiaphas... CAIAPHAS Caiaphas motions. The two guards come forward. With a guard on either side of him, Rik turns - and slowly, at the pace of a slow recitation of his sentence, he is led from the room by the guards: CAIAPHAS (CONT'D) EXT. SYNAGOGUE - SOON THEREAFTER Rik descends the steps of the synagogue, slowly. In deep thought. CAMERA HOLDS ON him a few BEATS more as he walks away from the synagogue... INT. RIK'S HOME - LATE AFTERNOON Rik sits at the dinner table with his parents. There is an awkward silence between them as they eat. This scene should be drawn-out, and we should be equally uncomfortable watching inaction and silence as the trio seem to be. EXT. BACK PORCH - RIK'S HOME - AFTER DINNER Rik steps outside the house. He sits down somewhere on the porch, alone. INT. LIVING ROOM - RIK'S HOME - NIGHT The TV set is on. Anything can be showing. [Perhaps even The Ten Commandments?] Rik and his parents sit for a long, uncomfortable length of time in the scene, as in the previous one. RIK RIK'S MOTHER RIK'S FATHER Rik stands to his feet and EXITS to the back of the house. Rik's mother and father turn to give each other a look. One that mirrors their thoughts, their apprehensions as to what to do with this "mockery" their son has become. INT. RIK'S BEDROOM - MINUTES LATER Rik sits on his bed, lost in thought. Another, drawn-out, uncomfortable scene. Finally, he gets under the covers. Almost like a forgotten action, he reaches over... and turns out the lamp on the nightstand beside the bed. EXT. BACKYARD - RIK'S HOME - DAY Rik sits staring up, into the sky. At the wind in the boughs of trees, at birds. And then, he shuts his eyes. CLOSER SHOT of Rik as he listens to the sounds around him. Overwhelmed, he can't help alternately smiling, grinning and LAUGHING. Suddenly, we hear the BLARE of a CAR HORN. It keeps BLARING. Rik opens his eyes, looks around as if the car's in his backyard. INT. KITCHEN - RIK'S HOME - SAME INSTANT Rik's parents sit at the kitchen table, peeling potatoes. THRU THE WINDOW, IN THE B.G., we see Rik outside, looking around like he was in the previous scene. RIK'S FATHER RIK'S MOTHER RIK'S FATHER Rik's mother's only response is to sip a cup of coffee. She peers through the kitchen window and sees Rik get up from his seat. Her gaze follows him as he walks around to the side of the house. EXT. SIDE OF THE HOUSE Rik steps through the fence gate. Closing it behind him, he heads toward the front yard. EXT. FRONT YARD - RIK'S HOME Märta grins at him from behind the wheel of her car. MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK The sweep of Märta's hands is intended to take in the entire city. MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA By Rik's expression, we know he sort of has an idea precisely what she means, but chooses not to say anything. Märta backs out of the driveway as we begin hearing the opening phrases of "More Than This" by Roxy Music. INSERT: RIK'S PARENTS The pair gather just inside the front door. They stare as Märta's car with Rik beside its driver backs into the street and heads off into the distance. RIK AND MÄRTA - DIFFERENT SHOTS HEARD OVER the sequence of scenes is the Roxy Music song "More Than This." We see Rik and Märta spending the day together:
One SHOT in particular is of Märta's car speeding down the highway, its top down. RIK is standing up in his seat, wind whipping his hair. He's LAUGHING, SHOUTING with excitement. His arms are spread wide open. It's obvious he's enjoying himself. And so is Märta. Until... A HIGHWAY PATROL CAR APPEARS in her rearview mirror, bubbles FLASHING and siren WAILING... Roxy Music's "More Than This" FADES OUT. EXT. HIGHWAY - MINUTES LATER On the shoulder of the road, a HIGHWAY PATROLMAN writes Märta a ticket. She takes it from him, grimaces. The patrolman returns to his patrol car, not saying a word. EXT. LAKE - LATE AFTERNOON The music that COMES UP and is played UNDER the dialogue is now "T-Shirt" by Yuko Yamaguchi. Rik and Märta walk by the lake shore. HEALTH NUTS are everywhere, passing them by. The late afternoon has a warm glow as the sun lowers toward the horizon. RIK MÄRTA RIK He falls silent and there is a pause. She throws two or three quick looks at him and, finally, Märta grips one of his hands inside both of hers. MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK MÄRTA RIK Märta smiles. Nervously, the two turn and stare across the water at the lowering sun. MÄRTA EXT. CAFÉ PATIO - NIGHT Yuko Yamaguchi's "T-Shirt" starts fading out as the scene begins. Rik and Märta sip at their glasses of wine throughout the scene. Perhaps the sunset is in the B.G. throughout too. RIK MÄRTA They sip their wine. Rik takes Märta's hand... EXT. SYNAGOGUE - DAY ESTABLISHING SHOT. It's raining. INT. BOARD ROOM - DAY Perhaps the curtains are pulled and we can see the rain spattering the windows. Only Caiaphas [standing, pacing], Nicodemus, Saul of Tarsus and one or two other Pharisees are present. Everyone looks haggard. CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS NICODEMUS CAIAPHAS NICODEMUS CAIAPHAS SAUL OF TARSUS CAIAPHAS Caiaphas looks from one man to the next. CAIAPHAS (CONT'D) SAUL OF TARSUS He stares at Caiaphas, eyes wide, blazing... mad. Then at Nicodemus and back to Caiaphas. Silence across the room. EXT. MARKETPLACE - DAY A LOT OF PEOPLE decorate the scene. Rik is doing some absentminded window shopping. OTHERS are shopping all around him. TWO PHARISEES from Rik's trial happen to be there. They're headed in his general direction, and also happen to be shopping. SHOPPERS are TALKING and LAUGHING and generally carrying-on, going about their business. JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES APPEAR. He and his disciples do a little haphazard looking at the merchandise. Then Jesus' eyes fall on Rik. Jesus makes his way slowly but doggedly toward - RIK, who's oblivious to everything around him. He happens to look up in Jesus' direction... and stops. He's puzzled at first, then stunned. There's something about Jesus that Rik recognizes and we see it on his face. JESUS makes his way through the crowd toward Rik. Jesus steps up beside Rik. RIK, for his part, just stands there, staring at Jesus, mute. THE PHARISEES finally take notice of Rik. One of them points Rik's presence out to the other one. JESUS folds his arms and leans against a wall [or post; something]. JESUS RIK Rik feels himself getting dizzy, starting to reel. Then - ABRUPT CUT: EXT. MOUNTAIN TOP - SAME INSTANT Suddenly Rik finds himself atop a mountain, staring down on a BEAUTIFUL PANORAMIC VISTA! JESUS stands beside him. JESUS RIK JESUS Rik turns from the beauty of the vista. In fact, he is somewhat stunned as well as nervous at the sight before him. Turning to Jesus, he stares at his healer for a long few BEATS, working his mouth. His nerves begin to calm and he finally manages: RIK JESUS RIK ABRUPT 2nd CUT: BACK TO MARKETPLACE Rik finds himself and Jesus back at the strip mall. The shoppers are all still there, only now the Pharisees are standing beside he and Jesus. [From Rik's perspective, he and Jesus were on the mountain top, but to everyone else's, they had never budges from the marketplace.] RIK PHARISEE Ä6 JESUS turns to the LAUGHING Pharisees and suddenly - BOTH PHARISEES clutch at their eyes. They've suddenly been struck quite blind! In their astonishment, they cannot speak as well. JESUS Without another word, Jesus pushes away from the Pharisees and Rik. He is joined by his Disciples as they make their way through the marketplace and its shoppers. RIK steps away from the shoppers and the suddenly-struck-deaf-and-dumb Pharisees... until ONLY RIK AND JESUS AND THE TWELVE DISCIPLES SHARE THE FRAME. After a few BEATS, Rik turns and walks away. FADE OUT: FADE IN: EXT. HOUSE - EARLY EVENING ESTABLISHING SHOT. A home on a dark and stormy evening. Raining. INT. A LOCKED ROOM - HOUSE - SAME MOMENT The room is dark but light FILTERS in from somewhere. The disciples who remain are there, and SEVERAL OTHERS, plus Nicodemus and Rik. Their demeanor is one of mourning. PETER THOMAS PHILIP RIK NICODEMUS PHILIP NICODEMUS RIK PETER PHILIP THOMAS NICODEMUS Slowly, light fills the room, spreading through the room, falling on each individual, each man, woman, child in the room. THE LIGHT falls on Rik. Surprise - and then delighted surprise - crosses his face. THRUOUT THE ROOM, others react. Peter, Philip, John and Thomas get to their feet at different speeds. [I'd like to think Peter is the first and he jumps up immediately.] PETER JESUS At varying speeds, everyone else in the room gather closer now around Jesus. The room is filled with light. RIK, tears filling his eyes, reaches past the others, toward Jesus. Reaches... reaches... JESUS sees him and, smiling, reaches for Rik. Probably the scene can be shot so that we are reminded of Michelangelo's panel in the Sistine Chapel, of God reaching out his hand to touch Adam's hand. Jesus' and Rik's fingers touch. Reach. Begin to lock. Barely. Reach farther still. Hold. CAMERA HOLDS on the two hands barely locked together. CAMERA FREEZES on this picture. As the CREDITS BEGIN ROLLING, we hear the opening phrases of either Eric Clapton's "My Father's Eyes"; or perhaps Martina McBride's "Love is the House." And we... FADE TO BLACK: THE END To the thousands killed in the attack on the Twin Trade Towers in NYC, Potter's Field of the Amish Community: The Judas Tree | Antioch and Antichrist: Frank Peretti's The Visitation | How to Become Friends With God? On Leith Anderson's Becoming Friends With God | Hunger? Or Love? Which One to Focus On? | Peace Through Religion? | Superstitions Everywhere! | Something God Foretold Is Going to Happen | HOME PAGE | CURRENT ISSUE of the journal | CONTACT EDITOR W. G. Orr 3013 NW 69th St. Oklahoma City OK 73116 E-mail: remembered@cox.net |