The Wanderer Episode 5: Transient Written by Jasmine Louis ACT ONE
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The Wanderer Episode 5: Transient Written by Jasmine Louis ACT ONE EXT. SPIRIT REALM - NIGHT A pitch black forest that is overrun by uncommonly wild foliage. The sky is void of any light, but on land, little balls of light bounce from plant to plant. There is a large clearing with a glorious waterfall at the center. The water glows an electric blue color. IZZY, 16, dressed like a 90s teenager, roams around the forest trying to find her way back to the waterfall. She hears the SIREN's STOMPS, RUNS to the nearest bush and hides. Izzy watches as the Siren walks by sniffing the air. Izzy stealthily gets up and makes her way to the waterfall. She reaches into the water and attempts to contact JORDAN. IZZY (whisper) Jordan, have you figured out anything yet...Derek, what about Derek... Joorrdaaan... Jordan! Go the fuck to- There's a loud STOMP and Izzy RUSHES back into the forest. Izzy carefully observes the Siren as it walks to the water and JUMPS in. The Siren swims into the waterfall and disappears. Izzy stares at the waterfall as the song of the Siren begins. Faint images of spirits begin to manifest throughout the clearing. They slowly wander around the clearing and into the forest. IZZY (CONT’D) Holy shit.... Izzy slowly gets up and quietly walks towards the waterfall. INT. IN BETWEEN PLACE - NIGHT An abyss of dark water with a slight tint of blue. Jordan, 16, dressed in old shorts and a t-shirt, floats in the In Between Place. There is a faint voice calling his name. 2. IZZY Jordan. Jordan! JORDAN Izzy? IZZY (fast gibberish) Yes! Now listen to me, the Siren uses music to call spirits into the realm. I saw it disappear into the waterfall and then, like, this amazing song started playing... Wait! The waterfall must be its home! Jor- JORDAN Izzy! IZZY What?! JORDAN Chill. Slow down and repeat what you just said. IZZY (frustration) The Siren sings a song and spirits come! ...God, we need to stop this. JORDAN Yeah, I know... IZZY ...I don't wanna be here anymore... JORDAN Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Just trust me. Beat. IZZY ...I haven't seen Derek in a while. Is he okay? Is he getting better? Please tell me he's getting better. JORDAN I... I don't know. Izzy, I'm sorry. 3. IZZY Please, find out! Jordan, if something happens to him, I don't know what I'd- JORDAN (grounded) Izzy! You're doing it, again. Stop. Don't work yourself up. IZZY Yeah... yeah, okay. ...thank you. JORDAN Now, tell me everything. IZZY The Siren rests somewhere behind the waterfall. Then it starts the song that makes the spirits appear. But, I haven't seen Derek's spirit in a while. Jordan, I'm really worried. JORDAN I know, I know. IZZY Maybe, go talk to him? See what's up? Jordan groans. IZZY (CONT’D) Please, Jordan. I know you don't really like him but... For me? Please? JORDAN Izzy, I'm really not tryna talk to him, okay? I don't even understand why you guys were together anyway. IZZY Derek understands me. We have a... had a special connection... He's my special somebody. What if he is okay and knows how to stop this? Jordan, please. JORDAN Okay. I'll talk to him. 4. IZZY Thank you! JORDAN You still call him that? IZZY What? JORDAN Special somebody... IZZY He is. A ringing sound comes from the distance and Izzy's voice fades away. IZZY (CONT’D) Okay. I gotta go. I'll find out more... JORDAN Wait! Izzy! The ringing is a lot louder than before. Jordan JOLTS awake. INT. JORDAN'S BEDROOM - MORNING A small bedroom with posters of old and new school rappers all over the wall. The room is slightly messy with sneakers laying haphazardly on the floor and hair products on the dresser. The theme of the bed is plaid. Jordan reaches over to the nightstand and turns off the alarm. He swings his leg over the edge and sits on the bed. EMELIA (o.s.) Y'all go get ready for school! I'm not tryna have y'all be late, again! JORDAN Yes, ma'am! INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER A small kitchen with fairly recent model appliances and an island attached. 5. Breakfast foods and textbooks lie on the island, while book bags sit on the floor. The kitchen is attached to the living room. The TV in the living room is on and playing in the background. It is on the local news channel forecast. Jordan, dressed in fitted jeans and a crew neck sweatshirt, sits at the kitchen island and eats cereal and toast. SHANICE, 13, dressed in a middle school Catholic uniform with big curly hair, sits at the kitchen island next to Jordan with her breakfast. Emelia, 48, business casual, prepares the coffee machine to make her morning coffee. EMELIA Jordan, remember to help your sister with her homework - especially math. I don't want another call from Mrs. Rosen. Lord knows that lady get on my nerves. Jordan, are you listening? JORDAN Yes, momma. EMELIA And Shanice, I don't want any sass coming from your mouth. Your brother is doing me, and you, a favor. Be respectful and listen to him. SHANICE But, momma, I don't need help. I promise I can do it. Trust me. I got this. EMELIA Uh huh. You said that last time. SHANICE Yea, but that time wasn't even my fault. EMELIA (stern) Little girl, let it go. Emelia walks out the kitchen and heads towards her bedroom. SHANICE (mumble) I don't even need help. 6. EMELIA (o.s.) Oh and Shanice, be back in the house by three. You got- SHANICE What?! Why?! EMELIA (o.s.) A curfew. Because I will not have you disappearing on me just like that Kelly boy. JORDAN They still haven't found him? SHANICE ...no. There's been search parties and everything. They think someone took him from his home. JORDAN Damn... Emelia walks back into the kitchen with her purse. She sets the purse on the counter and pours herself some coffee. EMELIA In any case, you will not be in danger because you will be back by curfew, am I right? Emelia stares at Shanice and she nods. EMELIA (CONT’D) You know what? That goes for you too, Jordan. Jordan begins to protest, but is stopped by Emelia's look and he reluctantly nods. EMELIA (CONT’D) Okay. Breakfast is done. Get your things ready for school. Jordan and Shanice pack up for school, but a breaking news announcement is heard. Emelia quiets Jordan and Shanice, grabs the remote and turns up the volume. 7. ANCHOR This just in. The body of the missing boy, Quentin Kelly, has washed up on the shore of Brighton Beach. Authorities are not sure of the details. More will come soon. Please stay tuned. Everyone stands and stares at the television in shock. INT. ST. MARY AUDITORIUM - DAY A large auditorium with wooden seats attached to each other in a slope. There are large windows on either side of the auditorium. The front of the room is a huge stage with red curtains and a podium in the middle. The room fills with chatter as STUDENTS fill in and take up seats. Everyone is gossiping about the Quentin incident. Shanice walks in and many glance or stare at her. BRIANA, 13, in a Catholic school girl's uniform with unstylish glasses and a high curly puff, walks with Shanice. They find seats in one of the middle rows and sit down. A GIRL in the row in front turns to Shanice and Briana. GIRL Aren’t you the girl that Quentin stole the diary from? SHANICE ...Yeah, and? GIRL So, it’s true isn’t it? SHANICE What's true? GIRL I guess hitting him and getting him suspended wasn’t enough. The Girl sits correctly in her seat. Shanice stands up and SHOVES the Girl's shoulder. SHANICE Excuse me? 8. The girl turns towards Shanice, while the auditorium quiets down. Everyone stares at the rising situation as Briana stands up. BRIANA Shanice, it's fine you did nothing wrong. Sit down before you get in trouble, again. (to Girl) Please, mind your business. You don't know the story, so shut up. The PRINCIPAL walks up to the podium and clears her throat, which causes audio feedback to fill the room. Everyone turns their heads to the stage and Briana and Shanice sit down. PRINCIPAL (into mic) Good Morning, everyone. As you all may know, Quentin Kelly went missing about a week ago. It has been reported that his body was found on Brighton Beach... SHANICE (whisper) Who the hell do she think she is? I should snatch her braids off. BRIANA (whisper) Shanice, please. I'm trying to listen, like you should be. SHANICE Does everyone think that? BRIANA Think what? PRINCIPAL ...our condolences are with the Kelly family... SHANICE That I did something to Quentin? BRIANA I'm sure it's not everyone... 9. SHANICE Oh no, we gotta fix this. I am not tryna have everybody think I'm just going around killing people! BRIANA Well, we can't do anything now. Don't worry about it. It's nothing but a rumor. PRINCIPAL ...We will have counseling for those of you that are deeply affected by this.