BLACK JACKS Written By Eric Karkheck (323) 736-6718 [email protected] Black Jack: noun, 18th Century An African warrior who becomes a pirate. FADE IN: EXT. VILLAGE BEACH, WEST AFRICA - DAY Statuesque TERU FURRO (30s) sits in the sand braiding ropes together into a fishing net. She is left handed because her right is missing its pinky finger. She looks out to the vast ocean. EXT. HIDDEN LAGOON - DAY Blue sky and puffy clouds reflect in the surface of the water. A dugout canoe with a sail skims across it. Tall and muscular CHAGA FURRO (30s) paddles in the stern. His skinny son KUMI (13) is in the bow. Chaga spots a school of tilapia. CHAGA Kumi, mind the net. (Note: Italicized dialogue is spoken in Akan African and subtitled in English.) KUMI Yes, father. Kumi gathers the net into his arms. CHAGA Do it clean. If the lines tangle it will scatter the school. Kumi throws the net overboard. He pulls in the ropes. KUMI They are strong. The ropes zip through Kumi's hands. Chaga catches them. CHAGA Place your feet on the side to give you leverage. Together, they pull the net up and into the canoe to release a wave of fish onto themselves. CHAGA Ha Ha!! Do you see this my son?! Good, good, very good! Mother will be pleased. Yes. 2. Chaga wraps Kumi in a warm hug. Kumi halfheartedly returns the embrace. EXT. ATLANTIC OCEAN - DAY Chaga paddles toward land. Kumi scans the ocean horizon through a mariner's telescope. KUMI Can we go on a trip somewhere? Maybe to visit another tribe? CHAGA We are fishermen. Our place is here. Pick up your paddle. Kumi helps his father paddle to shore. EXT. TERU’S VILLAGE BEACH - DAY Teru stands and smiles as her men approach. Chaga and Kumi drag the canoe ashore. KUMI Mama, what a catch we have today! Teru kisses Chaga. TERU Praise Mami Wata for this bounty. Teru stops short. She spots an odd mass bobbing far out in the ocean surf. TERU Chaga, what is that? Chaga busily unloads the fresh fish. CHAGA Only garbage floats out so far. TERU It is a body! Chaga stops. CHAGA Kumi, give me the telescope. Kumi takes it from the canoe and passes it to his father. 3. CHAGA'S POV: A man floats on top of a wood plank. EXT. ATLANTIC COAST - DAY Chaga and Kumi paddle through rough waves to the stranger. They heave the body into the canoe. He is SAMUEL “BLACK SAM” BELLAMY, a Caucasian Englishman in his 20s with jet-black hair. Sam’s back is open in lash wounds to the bone. Kumi pokes at the flesh. KUMI (accented English) A white man. Is it dead? EXT. TERU'S VILLAGE BEACH - DAY Sam’s unconscious body lays on the sand. Teru bends down to shake Sam’s head and look into his eyes. They are closed. TERU (accented English) Hello? Can you hear me? Blink if you hear me. Sam gives no response. Teru leans her ear over his mouth. TERU (to Kumi) Go fetch the priestess. Tell her Teru sent for her. Kumi sprints across the beach. EXT. TERU'S VILLAGE - ESTABLISHING Two hundred circular reed huts surround the village center. Every family member in the village has her or his own private hut. Kumi weaves through a crowd of peasants as they go about their daily routines. 4. EXT. FURRO CLAN HUTS - DAY Four grass and reed huts form a ring around a small clearing for the kitchen. Teru and Chaga carry Sam into an empty one. INT. SAM’S HUT - DAY Teru and Chaga lay Sam on a bed of straw. Teru soaks a rag in a bowl of water. She wrings it out over Sam’s back to rinse debris from his injuries. Kumi enters with an elderly woman adorned with tattoos and gold piercings. Teru and Chaga bow to her. TERU Greetings, blessed one. PRIESTESS Greetings, Teru. You have found a wayward sea-man. I will try to connect with his spirit. Teru, Chaga, and Kumi exit. EXT. FURRO CLAN HUTS - DAY The family waits outside together. They can hear Sam yelling inside the hut. Teru holds Kumi away from the commotion. SAM (O.S.) MY BROTHERS! A moment later, the Priestess exits. PRIESTESS His heart is full of defiant courage but I cannot see if this will lead him through the darkness. Chaga looks at Teru and Kumi. He shakes his head. CHAGA He is a bad omen. We should have left him where he was. TERU This is the will of the sea. We must honor that. 5. Teru offers the Priestess a slaughtered chicken. TERU Thank you, blessed one. Your gifts are boundless. SERIES OF SHOTS: - Sam suffers from night sweats. Teru cools him with a damp cloth. - Chaga drizzles tea between Sam’s lips. - Children from nearby sneak a peak into Sam’s hut. Teru shoos them away. - Kumi and Chaga wait under a tree. Teru carries a bowl of food to them. The family fills themselves with food, laughter, and love. I/E. FURRO CLAN HUTS - NIGHT Each family member sleeps comfortably in her or his own hut. Far in the distance, billowing plumes of smoke waft up from — EXT. NEIGHBORING VILLAGE - SAME The thatched roofs of all of the huts are ablaze. A battle-hardened colossus sits atop a war-horse, CHIEF HUFON OF OUIDA (50s). He wears armor of human bones plated in iron. Hundreds of his soldiers lay waste to the village. They are covered in war paint and leather hides and are armed with rifles, swords, and long staffs that have lassos at their end. Village warriors try to defend their homes. Each wears a colorful armband around his bicep. Many women are armed and fight alongside the men. Hufon’s soldiers overwhelm the villagers. They capture the warriors and lock their necks together into wooden yolks. EXT. NEIGHBORING VILLAGE BEACH - NIGHT Hufon canters to the water’s edge. He looks along the Atlantic shoreline. He stops when he sees the next beach. 6. It is Teru’s village. EXT. AKAN REGION CENTRAL MARKET - DAY Teru and Kumi push their wheelbarrow of preserved fish through a large open marketplace. It bustles with activity of people from various cultures. Teru finds a clearing and splays a blanket onto the dirt. She and Kumi dump their fish onto it. Shoppers gather around them to examine the catch. Teru haggles with SAILOR 1, a Caucasian European. TERU (accented English) The price is proper. SAILOR 1 Far from it! TERU Buy or leave. The price is proper. A SCRAGGLY MAN slips into the crowd. He inches toward the mound of fish. He wraps two into his shirt and sneaks away. KUMI (accented English) Mama! Thief! Lightning quick, Teru catches the Scraggly Man by his wrist. He is immediately remorseful. SCRAGGLY MAN I am sorry. Please, take them back. Teru sees how thin he is. She releases him. TERU You should have them. Eat well tonight. An ELDER approaches with two warriors. ELDER Did this man steal from you? TERU He tried to. 7. ELDER (to the warriors) Take him. The warriors carry the Scraggly Man away. SCRAGGLY MAN No! Please let me go! TERU What are you to do with him? ELDER The law says he is to lose his hand. Teru looks at Kumi. TERU Let him go. ELDER He is a criminal. TERU No, he is not. Release him. The Elder waves to the warriors to do so. EXT. AKAN REGION CENTRAL MARKET - DAY Teru and Kumi stroll through isles of food stands. They purchase bags of millet and jars of foamy beer and set them inside the empty wheelbarrow. EXT. AKAN REGION CENTRAL MARKET - DAY Silver-haired English SAILOR 2 shows a quadrant to Kumi and Teru. SAILOR 2 (slowly) This here is a quadrant. You can look at it more closely if you like. Go ahead. Kumi takes it. SAILOR 2 Try to pronounce it yourself, “quad- rant.” 8. KUMI Quad-rant. Quadrant. SAILOR 2 Well said. Quadrants are used to navi -- KUMI -- Navigate. I know. SAILOR 2 (jolly) Oh, oh. Good show! Teru gives Kumi a shell. TERU Go buy yourself a treat. Kumi runs off. SAILOR 2 He is quite the spirited young man. TERU He learns a new word on every trip here. Kumi trades his shell for a piece of candy. EXT. FURRO CLAN HUTS - NIGHT Chaga meets Teru and Kumi as they arrive home. They unload the groceries. TERU How is the sailor? CHAGA Still asleep. Howling MOANS from inside Sam’s hut startle the family. SAM (O.S.) Prince, you whore of an Englishman! The family rushes into Sam’s hut. INT. SAM’S HUT - NIGHT Sam stands shakily. He sees foggy figures of Teru, Chaga, and Kumi approach him. 9. SAM Villain! I shall have you for mine supper! Sam lunges at them. Teru holds her arm up to protect Kumi but it is unnecessary. Sam falls face first onto the ground. He rubs a bit of earth between his fingers. This is not good. SAM Land. Sam tries to stand again but sways to and fro. Chaga grabs him to hold him steady. CHAGA (accented English) Settle. You are safe here. Sam looks around suspiciously. SAM Who are you? CHAGA Chaga Furro. We found you in the great waters. Teru opens her arms to show hospitality. TERU (accented English) Welcome to our home. We are Akan fishing village. Who are you? SAM Me? A proud grin sparkles across his face.