Marchens

EXT. DESOLATE LAND - FOGGY

A girl, no older than 20, clutches a child no older than 8 in her arms. She wraps a crimson scarf around his neck, the fabric far too large for his small frame.

GIRL: "Fairy Tales are bullshit. There's no such thing as a happy ending."

The child's golden eyes stare up at her, tears streaming down his face.

GIRL: "Don't cry. I'll make sure you get yours."

She pulls the scarf tighter, covering his mouth to muffle his sobs.

INT. DORMITORY - DAY

Looking through the windows you could see every room was filled. A dormitory holding 300 men and women. You'd be surprised it hasn't tumbled to the ground by now. Each room filled with 5 people.

RINNNGGGGGGGGG!!!

Men and women erupted from each and every room at once. Squeezing by each other, pushing and shoving. They all ran through the halls down the stairs and pushed open the double doors separating them from the dining hall. One barely big enough to hold all 300 of them.

One by one, they pushed through each other to grab plates, before finding an orderly appearance before the cafeteria ladies.

The line moved in a mechanical sense. Each tray being filled meal by meal to the exact same portion.

STUDENT 1: "Can't you add some more?"

The cafe lady didn't say a word, instead she stared daggers into him, enough to make him shiver.

The student scoffed and carried along. Taking his tray to a seat not too far from the big windows, pitch black from the new moon. There were several others sitting at the same table.

STUDENT 2: "You think they'll ever budge."

Looking back at the cafe ladies.

Student 1 sat down, not looking at the student talking. He took a bite of the rice with small meat chunks.

STUDENT 1: "At least they gave us meat this time. But they could still give us seniors a little extra."

STUDENT 3: "Might as well give us more. Not like we'll last after they kick us out anyways."

Student 3 had his hands sprawled over the table. Not touching his food.

STUDENT 2: "Who's we? Not me."

She reached over and took a spoonful of Student 3's rice.

STUDENT 3: "Cass, you fucking glutton!"

Attempting to take a spoonful from Cass's plate.

CASS: "If you're just gonna die Leo, let me have some. So damn pessimistic."

Cutting off Leo's spoon.

LEO: "That's next year moron, still doesn't give you the right to starve me though."

Fighting with Cass's spoon.

Cass flung Leo's spoon in their struggle.

LEO: "Hiro gimme your spoon!"

Hiro finished his food and continued staring, without looking up from his plate.

LEO: "Hiro! How're you even wearing that in this heat."

Leo yanked at the scarlet scarf around Hiro's neck.

Hiro finally looked over at Leo and Cass. Then Leo began weaving his hand in sign language.

LEO(SIGN LANGUAGE): "Gimme your spoon. Cass flung mine."

Hiro handed over his spoon.

HIRO: "How many days left?"

Readjusting the scarf.

CASS(SIGN LANGUAGE): "About 2 months. Not long."

Hiro looked at his plate. He tensed his jaws. Then finally turned back.

HIRO: "I want-"

RINGGGG. The bell marking the end of dinner resounded through the hall.

Cass and Leo got up quickly, trays in hand. Cass used her free hand to sign.

CASS(SIGN LANGUAGE): "First curfew bell."

The two began walking over to the front of the cafe, where mountains of used trays laid.

Hiro followed shortly after. Sighing a little before grabbing his tray and leaving as well.

Hiro was the last person in the empty cafeteria. He stared at his reflection in the giant mirror.

HIRO: "I want to leave this island."

Hiro stood there a bit longer. As if waiting for his reflection to respond. But then it did. The reflection's mouth moved.

REFLECTION: "Run."

Of course Hiro couldn't hear this. Hiro stood shocked, eyes wide.

Then through the reflection he saw two yellow glowing balls.

A skinny hand reached through the window, shattering the glass aiming straight for Hiro's neck, grabbing onto and unraveling the scarf instead, which fell to the ground.

Hiro fell back on the floor narrowly avoiding being grabbed. He tried scrambling to his feet. Petrified. Illegible sounds escaping his mouth.

The creature was too fast. In an instant it bit Hiro's arm clean off.

HIRO: "ARGHHHHHHH!!"

His blood curdling scream reached Leo and Cass who were waiting just outside. But the pain was too much, causing Hiro to fall unconscious.

Peering in, their hearts dropped.

The creature's limbs stretched wide, ash-grey skin tightly wrapped over bone. The head was completely sunken into the skull, skin and muscles barely visible. Teeth were permanently exposed. From the left side an antler grew out of its skull.

A pungent smell of rot and cold iron filled the room. Cass threw up immediately, Leo barely able to hold it together.

The creature opened its mouth, voice cracked, mimicking that of Hiro's.

CREATURE: "I want to leave…"

Cass and Leo were frozen.

CREATURE: "I want-"

A small shard of glass flew right at the creature's neck. Causing little bits of blood to leak out of the creature's thin skin.

A small boy bobbed down behind where the cafe ladies had been previously. He was stuffing his face with food during the whole commotion.

BANG! BANG! Bullets flew right into the creature's chest. Causing it to stumble back.

At the window two heavily armed men stood, guns aimed at the creature.

Cass and Leo took this opportunity to grab their unconscious friend and run.

The creature fell to all fours and ran at the two men. Lunging, two more men shot nets from the shadows, snaring the creature.

The men all began berating the captured creature with gunfire.

One man walked over to the crimson scarf and picked it up.

MAN: "This the scarf you was making a fuss about?!"

The little boy climbed up from behind the food bar, his mouth stuffed. Nodding his head vigorously as he ran over.

MAN: "If you care so much, stop leaving it behind!"

The man threw the scarf onto the boy.

The boy stood, his eyes covered by the crimson scarf. It was way too big for him.

NAREN: "Stop yelling! My ears hurt already!"

Maren noticed the lumps of rice by his mouth.

MAREN: "Did you eat the meat?"

NAREN: "No. You told me so many times. It's for the hardworking students."

Naren stuck out his tongue.

Maren sighed and stared at him longingly.

INT. HEADMASTER'S OFFICE - NIGHT

HEADMASTER: "Maren you dumbass! You told me you had them under control! Now one of my residents lost a hand!"

The man stood taking in the complaint. Naren sitting atop his shoulders.

HEADMASTER: "Are you taking this shit seriously at all?! You even brought a damn kid in here!"

MAREN: "I get it, I get it. I messed up. These shitheads are supposed to be hungry but they barely come out. It's hard to track."

HEADMASTER: "Whatever. Doesn't matter now anyways. I had to summon a shaman thanks to your fuck up."

The previously laid back man became invigorated. Dropping Naren from his shoulders altogether.

Thump! Naren laid sprawled out on the floor.

HEADMASTER: "Maren, the ki-"

Getting up from her chair.

MAREN: "You can't summon a shaman miss. They…They cost a fortune, and who knows they could even be a scam… I mean have you ever seen one?"

The headmaster ran over to Naren.

HEADMASTER: "Are you okay?"

NAREN: "No more screaming."

HEADMASTER: "Huh?"

MAREN: "You heard him he's fine. Anyways the shama-"

HEADMASTER: "Maren that's enough. It's been 3 years and it's not getting any better."

MAREN: "I get it but, a shaman?"

Narik was getting visibly flustered.

HEADMASTER: "Why do you care so much? Our days are numbered as is, and now these things are running around. What's the point in saving money now?"

Maren tried speaking again but couldn't. He looked up and sighed a deep heavy sigh.

MAREN: "Come on, you've done enough."

Naren didn't say anything. Cozy in his scarf.

Maren walked over and pulled Naren up by his leg. And dragged him out the room. The headmaster left horrified.

Maren swung the door and walked out, Naren hanging upside down.

MAREN: "You changed the reflection didn't you?"

Naren didn't respond.

MAREN: "For fuck's sakes, stop using it."

NAREN: "How come?"

MAREN: "That."

Maren looked down at the upside down Naren, then placed him right side up on his legs.

MAREN: "That's not for you to know."

Naren didn't say anything, he didn't argue.

EXT. SHORE - SUNRISE

A young woman, in her early 20s, washed up on shore. She was soaking wet, her blonde hair in a mess, a single black ribbon hanging from it. She wore a coat which was too big for her. Despite this, her beauty held an enchanting presence of grace. Her name was Alice.

Pushing herself into a seated position, Alice coughed up the rest of water she ingested.

ALICE: "Urghh! COUGH…That's horrible!"

She looked around.

ALICE: "I Guess…COUGH… I'm here."

Her coughing continued, annoying her.

ALICE: "FUCK'S SAKE."

It finally stopped.

Then a bird pooped on her.

Alice looked up at the bird, a blank expression on her face, slowly turning into an expression of grief and whine.

ALICE: "BJOOORRNNNN!"

INT. HEADMASTER'S OFFICE

A tall sturdy man stood. Stiff like a soldier. His presence garnered nothing but fear. His face was half burned.

HEADMASTER: "Bjorn… Was it?"

The man nodded. Not breaking eye contact. The headmaster was getting visibly flustered.

HEADMASTER: "Uhmm…I think we hi-"

At that moment the door swung open. An equally tall Maren entered.

HEADMASTER: "Maren! What the hell are you doing?!"

MAREN: "You the shaman?"

Bjorn shook his head. The two looked at him.

MAREN: "You're not?"

Maren turned to the headmaster who was still looking at Bjorn.

HEADMASTER: "Who? Who are you?"

BJORN: "I am lady Alice's weapon."

EXT. BEACH

Alice walked along the beach, hunched over.

ALICE: "This is horrible. Bjorn probably out there hungry and lost. This is the worst."

Off in the distance, Alice spotted a small little boy. Sitting in the sand, with a glass bottle beside him.

The boy, Naren, was scribbling something on a piece of paper.

As Alice got closer, she looked over the boy's shoulder to see what he was writing. It was nothing but chicken scratch.

Alice fell back laughing. Naren fell forward, startled.

ALICE: "Are you writing to aliens. You're too old to write like that."

NAREN: "Bjorn girl? When'd you?"

Alice continued laughing. Naren grew flustered.

NAREN: "Stop laughing. It's not my fault."

ALICE: "Who else's fault is it."

NAREN: "Maren won't teach me. He says it's useless."

Alice started laughing again.

ALICE: "No way! Is Maren a dumbass?!"

She was holding her stomach laughing.

Annoyed, Naren threw some sand into Alice's mouth. She began a coughing fit.

ALICE: "You…cough…little…shit"

She grabbed a hold of Naren's foot and threw him into the ocean. Continuously coughing.

ALICE: "Hopefully he drowns."

Alice sat looking at the piece of paper Naren was writing.

ALICE: "Wonder what he wanted to write so badly."

She leaned back and stared back into the ocean.

ALICE: "Can't make it out."

Alice looked at the little boy who was bobbing up and down in the water. Flailing around.

ALICE: "Think that's long enough."

A giant tentacle stretched out of the water's surface behind Alice.

Alice's eyes widened. Then she giggled a little.

ALICE: "This is just too much. He's got some real horrible luck."

Then Alice put her hands to her face thinking.

ALICE: "I swear I saw that scarf before…"

Naren continued flailing around. In doing so his body turned and his eyes landed on the giant tentacle. His flailing grew even more erratic.

Then as suddenly as it had appeared, it disappeared.

Naren was still flailing around, until a pair of hands embraced him and pulled him back to shore.

Naren sat on the beach coughing up all the water he ingested.

ALICE: "What were you trying to write?"

Naren glared at her. In return Alice did the same, a shiver ran down Naren's spine.

ALICE: "Come on, fess up."

Naren picked the piece of paper up and shoved it into the bottle. Then he threw it into the ocean.

ALICE: "What're you-?!"

NAREN: "It's a message."

Alice looked back down at Naren.

ALICE: "A message? You know it's not going to reach them. It's just going to sink."

NAREN: "That's the point, that's where she is. At least, that's what Maren keeps telling me."

Alice didn't respond for a second.

ALICE: "Who?"

NAREN: "My older sister."

ALICE: "Ah."

They sat there both looking at the ocean. Alice got up to her feet.

ALICE: "What a shame. I'd hate to be her."

Naren looked up at her in confusion.

NAREN: "What?"

ALICE: "If someone's sending me messages, I'd at least want to read them."

NAREN: "How can I? It's not like I don't want to. Nobody will teach me?"

ALICE: "Then do it yourself."

NAREN: "You think I didn't try? Everybody forg-"

Alice turned around and began walking into the forest lining the horizon.

ALICE: "If that's what you truly wanted. Then who could stop you?"

Naren stared at her. His golden eyes reflecting her figure growing smaller. He didn't know why, but it felt like her words went straight through his ears into his soul. Then Naren screamed at her.

NAREN: "SHE'S NOT REALLY DEAD! I'M GOING TO FIND HER! THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT!"

Alice stuck her hand up and waved. A crooked smile made its way onto her face which darkened.

ALICE: "Ah that's why it's familiar."

As Alice walked away, Naren was standing by himself staring at the reflection in a small puddle in the sand. The reflection waved to him.

NAREN: "I'll find her and get rid of this curse."

Naren stepped into the reflection, but continued to sink, as if passing through a portal.

INT. HEADMASTER'S OFFICE

The headmaster was sat at her desk looking down. Her fingers massaging her temple.

HEADMASTER: "You're telling me that Alice will show up. But no matter what she'll be late?"

Bjorn nodded his head.

MAREN: "Are yall kidding me? This island might seem small and insignificant to yall, but at least do your job!"

HEADMASTER: "I hate it, but Maren is right. We can't brief you on the job, and we already paid the down payment."

The headmaster looked up.

HEADMASTER: "What will you do if everyone on this island dies? If they're killed by those things."

Bjorn didn't say anything. Maren walked closer to the headmaster leaning down in a whisper.

MAREN: "Are you sure you even contacted the right channel?"

HEADMASTER: "I'm starting to doubt I did. I already sent over-"

BJORN: "The Wendigos will be dealt with tonight."

A silence fell over the room.

HEADMASTER: "Wendigos?"

BJORN: "Our task, no?"

Maren stood up straight and approached Bjorn.

MAREN: "How'd you know? About Wendigos?"

Bjorn maintained eye contact with Maren.

HEADMASTER: "Mare-?"

A knock at the door. Maren walked over and opened it, making sure Bjorn was in his sights.

At the door stood a young woman, with long blonde hair, a black ribbon hanging from the back.

ALICE: "Bjorn, you're safe!"

Alice ran right up to Bjorn and embraced him.

MAREN: "Who the hell are you?"

ALICE: "Alice. I'm the shaman you ordered."

MAREN: "YOU'RE the shaman?"

Maren snapped his head towards the headmaster.

MAREN: "Did you go senile?"

Suddenly, Maren shot up at the ceiling, as if gravity was reversed. The headmaster stumbled back in her chair.

Maren fell to a slump onto the floor. Knocked out by the impact.

HEADMASTER: "What… What did you do?"

Alice walked over to the headmaster's desk and pulled the chair in front before sitting down.

ALICE: "Let's talk."

The visibly flustered headmaster began stumbling.

HEADMASTER: "Uhh…So…You're…"

ALICE: "There's a scent of cold iron and blood that lingers in this city. And I saw no animals or farms nearby."

The headmaster fell silent in shame.

ALICE: "You know what that means?"

HEADMASTER: "We can't help it. The ocean can't be crossed. And…and the other nations are too far."

The headmaster spoke small, her authority sucked up by the two foreigners standing before her.

ALICE: "No. This is cannibalism."

The headmaster looked up, a mix of surprise and fear creeping on her face.

ALICE: "Look I don't know how knowledgeable you people are."

Alice leaned in closer.

ALICE: "Do you know what happens when a human resorts to devouring its kin?"

The headmaster shook her head.

ALICE: "They lose their right to be called human. They adopt another name. Wendigos."

The headmaster's face goes pale.

ALICE: "You know what that means don't you?"

The headmaster fell silent. Fighting against the facts in front of her.

HEADMASTER: "What…What are you saying?"

ALICE: "The things you want us to hunt, were originally your own people."

EXT. OUTSIDE DORMITORY - NOON

The sun sat at the apex of the sky. Cementing its seat as the celestial authority.

The city itself, was a very modest place. A huge dormitory was erected at the center. Many wide fields, filled with various sports equipment. Around the dorm were few shops. Further along a river surrounded the land, almost resembling a man made moat.

Beyond that, sat many houses. However, only few had any resemblance of occupancy.

The city was at its most bustling time. Students out and about. Shops all filled. Yet despite all this, everyone but the students had a presence of dread among them.

Alice bit off a tough piece of bread while walking side by side with Bjorn.

ALICE: "I saw a cute kid earlier Bjorn!"

Bjorn just walked by her side, not responding.

ALICE: "He was a bit annoying, but he was also really funny. He also had this pretty red scarf."

The two walked over to the soccer field. Sitting down on the grass. They watched as the students enjoyed their free time.

ALICE: "So what'd you think?"

Bjorn took a second to respond.

BJORN: "We'll leave by tomorrow."

ALICE: "Guess it can't be helped if you say so. How horrible."

A man shouted at the two from behind. Neither paid attention continuing their idle chatter.

MAREN: "Hey! Shaman!"

NAREN: "Hey! Alice!"

Alice turned back. A tall man was walking over, a small kid riding his shoulders, pulling the man's eyes back.

Alice pointed at Maren.

ALICE: "Look! That's the kid!"

The man began losing balance with Naren pushing and pulling his face. Until they both inevitably fell.

ALICE: "Didn't I tell you?! He's a funny kid. He was scribbling chicken scratch on the beach thinking it meant something."

Naren got up quickly from the fall and ran over to Alice. Scarf flailing in the wind.

NAREN: "Look Alice!"

Naren pulled out a crumbled piece of paper from his pocket. Handing it over to Alice. It read:

NOTE: FREE WATER WITH PURCHASE OF BREAD

In very crude handwriting.

NAREN: "Wait, you remembered the bea-"

ALICE: "What's this?"

NAREN: "It says 'My name is Naren.'"

Alice looked back down and then fell back in laughter, barely able to breathe.

ALICE: "Bjorn! Bjorn! This is too much! I told you! This kid's hilarious! He's a dumbass!"

Naren's face grew dark. He jumped at Alice pulling her hair.

ALICE: "Aghh What the hell!"

Naren jumped off running. Alice chasing suit.

ALICE: "You fucking shithead! I'll rip you apart!"

Meanwhile, Maren picked himself up from the ground and walked over to Bjorn.

He sat beside him awkwardly. Silence weighed heavy.

MAREN: "Uhh, so the Headmaster filled me in. You guys seem to know what you're doing."

Bjorn didn't respond.

MAREN: "Uhm. I know I was rude before and I'm… Here."

Maren held a small bottle in front of Bjorn.

Bjorn looked at it then looked at Maren.

MAREN: "Whiskey… Only one on this whole island mind you."

Bjorn took it and gulped it down.

BJORN: "What do you need?"

Maren finally relaxed a little and leaned back on his arms.

MAREN: "You two are real shaman aren't you. I need a favor from you two."

Bjorn turned his gaze back at the two but Maren leaned in close. Cupping his hands around Bjorn's ears and whispering.

MAREN: "Kill everyone but the boy."

Bjorn twitched a little. Startled by the closeness of Maren. He looked at Maren. This time Maren didn't look so rude and Bjorn didn't look so arrogant. Both had a look of maturity and understanding. Of mutual respect.

BJORN: "I'll try. But it's up to lady Alice."

Maren shuffled around and pulled out another little bottle and downed it.

MAREN: "So the master gets the last say."

Bjorn looked at Maren, a look of annoyance creeping in.

MAREN: "Sorry, I meant only one of two on this island."

EXT. DORMITORY SPORTS FIELD - NIGHT

Two figures sat at the field, the silence of night draped over them. A little boy laying on a man's lap.

NAREN: "What's cannibalism and devour mean?"

Maren looked a bit shocked.

MAREN: "Where'd you hear that?"

NAREN: "Alice said it to the headmaster."

Maren stroked Naren's hair. Then stopped and began pulling Naren's ears.

MAREN: "Those damn superhuman ears. Always hearing what they shouldn't."

NAREN: "Ow! Ow! Stop! Stop!"

Maren laid off. But didn't respond to Naren.

NAREN: "You're not going to tell me are you?"

Maren stared off into the sky.

NAREN: "Then can you answer this?…What was the favor you asked Bjorn?"

Maren didn't answer again.

NAREN: "Come on! Tell me-"

MAREN: "I asked them to be good to you."

NAREN: "What?"

Maren looked back down and placed his hands over Naren's eyes.

MAREN: "It's too late. I'll tell you tomorrow."

NAREN: "Come on…fess…"

Naren slowly drifted off to sleep.

INT. DORMITORY - NIGHT

Two students, Leo and Cass tip toeing through the corridor. Following behind them was Hiro.

LEO: "Cass, we should go back."

Cass didn't respond. They reached the end of the hall. Cass peered through the corner slowly before continuing.

LEO: "I mean it Cass. This is stupid. At least tell me what this is about."

Cass turned back.

CASS: "Leo. I saw it. Something's really wrong here."

Cass moved forward. Hiro went to follow but Leo stopped him. Cass turned back once she realized they weren't following.

LEO: "Cass. Hiro's already in no shape for these games. We can't walk around past curfew, risking expulsion, all cause someone was acting weird."

Cass sighed then crept closer to the two.

CASS: "Leo, listen carefully. Please believe me."

Tears began swelling in Cass's eyes.

CASS: "I saw it last night. That thing that tore Hiro's arm…"

Cass clenched her jaw.

CASS: "It had the same scar on its abdomen. The same one Jerald had."

Leo's face paled. His heart dropped.

LEO: "Cass…Stop talking crazy. Jerald. He graduated last year. We saw him. He said he was going to get to the mainland. He… He said…"

Leo's voice trailed off. His eyes widening. However, they weren't looking at Cass. They were looking at what was behind her.

Cass slowly turned her head, expecting the worst, holding her breath. A figure was shrouded in darkness.

HEADMASTER: "Cass!"

Cass exhaled.

HEADMASTER: "This is stupid!"

CASS: "Sorry miss. We were… We were just. Actually I wanted to tell you something."

HEADMASTER: "Cass! This is stupid!"

CASS: "What?"

The three slowly moved back. Hiro stumbling over his feet. Falling on his back.

HEADMASTER: "Cass! Stop talking crazy!"

The shadow stood up, growing unnaturally tall.

Cass was frozen. Unable to move.

A limb moved through the shadows, the moonlight shining on a stretched out hand moving towards Cass's face.

SHING! The arm came clean off. And fell right in front of Cass. Little blood drizzling out of the forearm.

The Wendigo shrieked and fell back.

ALICE: "My, oh my headmaster, what a foul stench you have."

The graceful figure of a young lady with blonde hair and a single black ribbon touched down between Cass and the Wendigo. She carried an executioner's axe, slung over her shoulder.

Cass finally able to move, fell to the ground and moved back. Tears streaming down her face.

CASS: "Thank you… Thank-"

ALICE: "What a shame."

Alice turned to look at Cass with a look of cold terror.

ALICE: "As always, I'm late."

CASS: "What."

Then a stretched arm grabbed her from behind. Cass turned back.

LEO-WENDIGO: "Thank you."

Cass screamed, as she was pulled back by the creature.

CASS: "Help me! PLEASE! PLEASE!"

ALICE: "What's the point? You all ate the same meat."

Alice turned to the Wendigo whose arm was missing.

ALICE: "Seems you didn't know did you, headmaster?"

ALICE: "What should we do about this Bjorn?"

Her axe responded.

BJORN: "Please refrain from unnecessary words my lady."

INT. BLOOD SOAKED DORMITORY - NIGHT

The walls were smeared with blood. The floors crowded with bodies. Hundreds of skinny, stretched corpses littering the halls.

EXT. DORMITORY SPORTS FIELD - NIGHT

Naren laid awake. Holding his ears shut. Clenching his teeth hard. Blood dripping from his lips.

NAREN: "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

A figure walked towards the boy.

Naren looked up through gritted teeth. Alice. Thank god.

NAREN: "Alice! Please make it stop! Please!"

Alice however, paid his cries no attention. Instead she gripped her axe tight. Held it high above her head and swung it down.

SHING.

Her axe made a noticeable gash in the ground, but Naren was nowhere to be seen.

ALICE: "Neat trick. Why didn't you use it in the water. Too nervous?"

A small bottle rolled on the ground by the foot of a little boy.

NAREN: "Alice. Alice what are you doing?"

Alice began walking over to Naren. Naren took a step back.

ALICE: "You're cursed, aren't you? Naren."

Naren didn't respond.

Alice got up right to Naren's face looking right at his golden eyes.

ALICE: "Your sister, she's alive."

Naren falls back on the ground.

NAREN: "What."

ALICE: "She cursed you didn't she? A curse of forgottence, attracting nothing but calamities. Something that should be wiped out."

Naren's eyes grew wider.

NAREN: "What…What're you talking about. How do you remember…How…How do you know she's-"

Once again the axe came swinging down. This time however, Naren was kicked to the side by a tall man.

MAREN: "What happened to our deal?"

ALICE: "I never agreed to spare the boy, did I?"

Maren looked at the boy, then at Alice. Puzzled.

MAREN: "What boy?"

Naren's face grew pale.

A crooked smile shifted on Alice's face.

ALICE: "What a curse she cast."

Alice gripped her axe tighter.

Alice lunged at Maren, swinging her axe in a horizontal slash.

Maren dodged. Sweeping her legs.

Alice fell back. Cementing her axe on the ground to keep from falling over.

Maren's limbs began growing longer.

Maren pointed his stretched fingers at Naren.

His face tightening onto his skull.

Blood pouring out of his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth as his skin tightened, as if squeezing it out.

MAREN: "Why's there another kid alive? I thought I only told you to spare one."

Alice lunged at Maren once again. Vertical slash this time.

Maren side stepped the slash. He swung his hands at Alice's head. Landing a clean hit.

Alice stumbled back again.

MAREN: "Who is it?"

Alice grew annoyed. Raising her other hand.

The axe spoke.

BJORN: "No. You've been relying on your fable too much."

Alice grumbled and dropped her hand. Assuming a defensive stance.

Maren took the initiative this time. Dashing right behind Alice. He went to rip her head off.

Alice elbowed the Wendigo. Then using her left foot as a pivot, spun and kicked him in the side with her heels.

Alice brought her axe to her side. Ready to deliver the final horizontal slash.

The clouds that covered the moon parted. The light of the moon shining and reflecting off Alice's axe.

Naren appeared, from the reflection right on Alice's axe. The sudden addition of weight caused Alice to lose balance.

Naren jumped and poked Alice's eyes.

Alice dropped the axe. Holding onto her face with one arm.

ALICE: "You little dumbass! Don't you see? It's already over."

Alice flicked her other hand, index finger pointing up. Naren went flying into the air, then came down.

Alice opened her eyes. Naren was stumbling through the air.

Maren appeared grabbing Naren by the leg. His mouth gaping open, stretching farther than it should ever be possible.

ALICE: "See! He forgot about you Naren!"

Maren stopped. His eyes flickered for a second. He looked at Naren, who had tears swelling in his eyes.

Then he dropped the boy.

ALICE: "Wow."

The moon once again peered through the clouds. In the wide open field was a creature. Grotesque and stretched out. It had a stench of cold iron and rot.

The creature's own hand was shoved right through its own chest—Maren had pierced his own heart.

Nothing about the thing was human. Nothing but its eyes.

MAREN: "Naren. Who are you?"

The creature fell to the ground with a thud. Lifeless.

Drops of rain started pouring from the sky. One by one, the drops got faster.

Naren stumbled up to his feet. Battered and bruised. He limped over to Alice. Throwing a slow punch.

NAREN: "Bring him back."

He threw another punch.

NAREN: "Bring him back."

Tears began streaming down his face.

ALICE: "He's dead."

NAREN: "Bring him back."

He threw another punch. This time Alice caught it and held his hands tight.

ALICE: "He's already dead I said!"

Naren looked up, tears streaming from his eyes.

NAREN: "He's the only one who remembered me. But…but this was the first time he remembered my name."

Naren threw a punch with his other hand.

NAREN: "I never got to respond to it."

The rain grew louder, masking the sound of Naren's sobbing.

Alice inhaled a deep breath. Then she held Naren's hand tight.

ALICE: "Naren."

Naren looked up. Gasping from the tears.

ALICE: "He's dead."

Naren's face grew with more grief.

ALICE: "But your sister's alive."

Naren continued crying.

NAREN: "Can I…Can I find her?"

ALICE: "If that's what you truly want. Then who could stop you?"

EXT. SHORE - DAWN (SAME NIGHT)

Alice and Bjorn stand over Maren's body. Naren unconscious beside it.

BJORN: "What will you do?"

Alice didn't respond at first.

ALICE: "I'm tired of killing for now. He's lucky."

She slumped onto the floor.

ALICE: "Ten years. He's gotta impress me at Witch's Festival."

BJORN: "Or?"

Alice looked at the moon.

ALICE: "Or I finish my job."

EXT. DESERT DURING SANDSTORM

TEN YEARS LATER.

Winds blew as hard as hurricanes, with nothing visible but your own hands outstretched before you.

A young woman with blonde hair and a black ribbon was holding her arm in front of her face. Spitting out bits of sand.

ALICE: "It's about time isn't it Bjorn."

A tall man braving the same disaster next to her didn't respond.

ALICE: "I'm sure Naren's just about ready to become a shaman."

EXT. OCEAN.

In the middle of a dark murky ocean a ship was sailing. Inside the ship, in a dark cell, a boy, 19 years of age, with reddish black hair, and a crimson scarf laid with his hands tied.