PARADISE LOST 1: THE NEPHILIM AND THE GRIGORI Written by Aaron McDonald Patrick Henry Creations Loosely based on John Milton's Paradise Lost Largely based on The Holy Bible Address Phone Number WHITE TEXT ON BLACK BACKGROUND “This is a story about family.” FADE IN: EXT. WOODS - DAY ISAIAH MOSES MELTON is walking through the woods holding his HD Handycam. He is also carrying (under his arm) a sketchbook titled “Storyboards.” He points it at his face to address the viewers. ISAIAH Uh, hey. Hey everybody. It’s me, Isaiah. Figured I’d take a break from the vlogging and, um, do something different. (laugh) And weird. Isaiah stops in the woods and looks around. ISAIAH (MUTTERS) (CONT’D) Okay, this seems like a good spot. Isaiah sets the camera down on a stump facing him. He opens his sketchbook and gets on his knees (or sits down) and looks into the camera. ISAIAH (CONT’D) I want to make - or remake - Milton’s Paradise Lost into a movie. I’m not sure exactly where to start, but I figure my drawing ability might come in handy. Maybe I’ll make it into a cartoon or anime or something. But anyway, I’m gonna pray for guidance, for a heavenly muse. That’s what the original author did... Isaiah places his sketchbook on the ground in front of him and clasps his hands in prayer, lowering his eyes. ISAIAH (CONT’D) Lord, send me your holy spirit so that I may know and understand how man and angel fell... 2. SOPHIA (O.S.) What are you doing? Isaiah’s eyes snap open, slightly annoyed. He turns around and sighs. Then he stands, picking up his camera and pointing it at Sophia. SOPHIA is a dark-haired woman wearing a flowing gown or robe. She is wearing combat boots and a strange BELT around her waist. She seems to glow but it could be the sun behind her. ISAIAH Who are you? You look familiar... SOPHIA What are you doing? ISAIAH None of your business. SOPHIA (LAUGHING) Yes it is. What are you doing? ISAIAH Praying. Who are you? Why are you dressed like that? Are you lost? Sophia shakes her head. SOPHIA I am found. Isaiah narrows his eyes at her suspiciously for just a second, but then realizes who - or what - she is. ISAIAH (SOMEWHAT SHOCKED) Are you (beat) an angel? Sophia shakes her head smiling. SOPHIA Not in the traditional sense. I am the muse of Wisdom. Your prayer was heard, young man. Isaiah blinks, astonished. ISAIAH I knew God would answer my prayer but... 3. SOPHIA ...you didn’t think it would be so literal. ISAIAH You can read my mind? SOPHIA (SHAKING HER HEAD) Inference. Wisdom, remember? Sophia smiles warmly. ISAIAH This is - this is amazing! Wait (beat) How do I know you’re not a demon pretending to be a muse. I know most of the so-called muses and gods of Greek mythology were demons. Sophia takes a couple steps toward him. She frowns, but her kind demeanor doesn’t falter. SOPHIA I am no demon. What is your name? ISAIAH What is yours? SOPHIA Sophia. ISAIAH That’s Greek! SOPHIA I am no demon. What is your name? ISAIAH Why don’t you know? SOPHIA I cannot read your mind. Father requested I go here so I came here. That is why I asked what you are doing. ISAIAH Makes sense. My name is Melton, with an E, coincidentally. I mean, you can call me that. I’m trying to recreate the epic poem Paradise Lost. 4. SOPHIA (NODDING) John Milton was (beat) mistaken about a lot. Even modified to modern English, his book are confusing. They are not even in chronological order. Father is not a one of confusion. I will give you Truth, Melton with an E. ISAIAH Uh, just Melton is fine. Ok, if this is really going to happen, what happened first? Sophia smiles and turns to gesture to an empty field by the woods. SOPHIA Imagine, if you will, that this forest exists not. And that field is nothingness. Isaiah tries to record the field but cannot. There is only a bright glare and a gentle wind. There is also some static. He turns the camera to his face. ISAIAH Is that God? The wind? He begins looking at the camera to see if something is wrong with it. ISAIAH (CONT’D) My camera’s going all static-y. SOPHIA Yes. You cannot look on the true glory and brilliance of Father... Isaiah looks over to Sophia, pointing the camera at her. SOPHIA (CONT’D) Not even with High Definition. ISAIAH Was that joke? SOPHIA I have been around since the beginning. I have, believe it or not, acquired a sense of humor over the millennia. 5. Isaiah turns his attention back to the “field.” ISAIAH (EMOTIONALLY DISTRAUGHT) Why do I feel -? Isaiah falls to his knees. He looks as if he is going to burst into tears. ISAIAH (CONT’D) What is this? I can’t take this pain. I’m an empath. Sophia moves to comfort Isaiah, knowing it’s futile (feeling his pain?) SOPHIA (EMPATHETICALLY) You are feeling the most profound loneliness in the cosmos. Isaiah has dropped the camera and it’s viewing Sophia’s feet and Isaiah’s face as he is on his hands and knees moaning and sobbing. ISAIAH When will it end? SOPHIA When Father brings forth his first creation. Behold. Sophia gently lifts Isaiah’s head to watch what will transpire. SOPHIA (CONT’D) Father’s first Son, the Firstborn Morning Star. The Morning Star has long curly dark brown hair, a dark brown beard, green or blue eyes, and basically the appearance of “perfect beauty.” He appears to be wearing a sharp suit. ISAIAH (RELIEVED) Is that (beat) is that Jesus? SOPHIA Your modern media portrays the Messiah like this, however this is not the Messiah. Lucifer (Luci) is looking around, confused. He then looks as if he has heard something, or suddenly knows something. 6. LUCIFER I am Lucifer, Bringer of Light. Isaiah is surprised and afraid. Eyes wide, he steps back, even though Lucifer does not appear to have seen him. ISAIAH Did God create him out of nothing? SOPHIA No. He created Lucifer out of Love, the very essence of Himself, and out of Perfect Beauty. Lucifer was intended to be the incarnation of Light of Father. Behold his brother... ISAIAH Luci has a broth -? Another being (Yeshua) who looks almost identical to Lucifer appears. He has blue eyes and does not have the same perfect physical attributes as Luci. However, his confidence is the same. He appears to be wearing a robe/toga/ancient attire. SOPHIA (SMILING PROUDLY) Love and wisdom made our Messiah. He became the incarnation of the Word of Father. Logos. Isaiah is once again surprised, but being an empath, and so close to the entity that would once be known as Jesus Christ (YESHUA/Yeshua), Isaiah’s surprise is quickly transformed into wonder and reverence. The two celestial brothers smile and embrace one another in brotherly love. TEXT: “Job 38: 5,6 - ‘Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof. When the Morning Stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?’” Isaiah brings himself together and picks up the camera to face the field just as the outline of a man takes shape.” YESHUA (TO LUCI) Brother! I am Yeshua, the Word - the Logos - of the Father. We are beloved, and THROUGH ME the Father will create others to exist alongside us, and entire worlds! (MORE) 7. YESHUA (TO LUCI) (CONT'D) And you shall inherit the kingdom of the Father, for you are the firstborn. Let us give glory to the one who made us! Immediately YESHUA falls to his knees to praise his Father, who remains unseen. Luci hesitates, but does so as well. YESHUA and Luci praise in an unknown tongue. ISAIAH So (beat) where are you in this scenario? Sophia turns to Isaiah, somewhat disturbed by his inquiry. SOPHIA Have you not just witnessed the first creations of the universe, the Lords of Truth and Light? How then can you be concerned for MY past? ISAIAH I was just wondering... Sophia gestures to the field. YESHUA and Luci stand simultaneously and YESHUA ONLY turns to create Sophia seemingly out of thin air. She appears between Luci and YESHUA. Isaiah turns to see that she is gone from his side. He turns back to the field to watch the interaction... YESHUA You are Wisdom. The Father has created you through me. Yet with Wisdom the Father of all created us. LUCI Shall we now make myriads of hosts over which we shall rule and with which do the will of our Father? SOPHIA First we must create a world for our living beings to inhabit. 8. LUCI We will give glory to our Father in these creations, for He will glorify us! YESHUA (TO LUCI) Oh how those words bring delight to my heart! For so as long as we glorify the Father together, we shall be as brothers and allies! For we are mere creations never to be worshiped as He! LUCI (THOUGHTFULLY) Indeed, my brother. A gust of wind blows and the three “angels” glow brightly. Heaven is created. Isaiah looks on with amazement. FADE TO: EXT. HEAVEN’S THRONE ROOM - DAY Yahweh, embodied as a cloud of light, summons Sophia.