| 27 |
EXT - TOPPLED GARDEN: WAY TO RIVER - SUNSET (NO MOON)
ELLE WALKS THROUGH THE TOPPLED GARDEN broken grounds:
Many trees are fallen: Broken irrigation water flows:
The compost-pile is spilled:
The small pet-sheep/goat, still tied, is crushed under its fallen palm
tree:
New-drying crockery is smashed, scattered: Other pets are gone: Elle approaches
the hut now ripped, broken:
Tables are tossed, teepee-cooler toppled, stores broken and scattered about:
Elle picks-up Eve's doll, and ponders:
(01:09 boom forte, chorus)
Elle breaks to full cry - then leaves the grove:
UP THE SLOPE TO THE RIVER'S EDGE: FACING SUNSET:
The boat-raft is impaled on a rock: Elle picks-up Adam's broken clay toy-spaceship,
ponders:
(01:38 boom forte, chorus)
Elle breaks again to cry, stares across waters into reflected sunset:
ANGLE: FOUR noisy merchant-MEN approach along the shore, intoxicatedly angrily
jabbering-arguing their losses, court-like, as: PROSECUTOR, JUDGE, DEFENDANT
wearing shell necklaces of several strands and carrying a jug, and
codefendant TURNED-WITNESS.
The men's voices louder, interrupt: ARTICULATE:
[NOTA BENE: men-speech is very consonantal, their
conversation is rapid, slurred, emphatic, abutted]
PROSECUTOR
y lft th rp untd
DEFENDANT
(points to Turned-Witness)
h drpd th oar
JUDGE
(hand on Defendant shoulder)
y tpd th bt ovr
DEFENDANT
I ws hldng th ls bxs - I svd th brly-brw
(grins bravely, holds-up jug)
TURNED-WITNESS
(cockily)
I ws hldng th dnky - w'd stl hv th dnky: if th rp ws td
PROSECUTOR
(cockily)
th dnky wld hv drwnd whn th bt snk: if th rp ws td
JUDGE
th bt wld hv fltd n th bxs: if th rp ws td |
They notice Elle watching them:
And approach her in a clearing near the water's edge:
PROSECUTOR
who is ths wmn
JUDGE
prtty wnch
DEFENDANT
th mn rn wy
PROSECUTOR
th mn cldn't kp hr
TURNED-WITNESS
th rp wsn't td
ALL MEN
(coarse-laugh)
PROSECUTOR
(to Elle)
wr is yr hsbnd
ELLE
Hello, gentlemen.
DEFENDANT
(aside)
ls wmn - nt gd
TURNED-WITNESS
(shirks blame)
hw dd y gt hr
ELLE
I live here, this is my home, thank you.
JUDGE
no bdy lvs in ths plce
PROSECUTOR
wht is ths ncklce - ths is nt a wmns ncklce
ELLE
It is my necklace - I have worn it many years.
DEFENDANT
it is wrth hlf a bx of swt spce
TURNED-WITNESS
(asides)
unls sh wrs the spce, dncng fr us
(laughs rudely)
ELLE
(rebukes)
It's broken - it doesn't do anything for you - it's not worth your
spice.
JUDGE
(argues)
I cn b th jdg of tht - shw m yr ncklce
(grabs the watcher roughly)
(examines it)
DEFENDANT
(fingers cheapest necklace)
th wrth is one strng of m shl ncklce
ELLE
(strives for harmony)
My necklace is not for bargain, thank you,
(emphasis)
Gentlemen.
TURNED-WITNESS
mn dnt brgn wth ls wmn - lt us brgn wth yr hsbnd
ELLE
(reemphasizes)
Thank you, again, Gentlemen:
(backs away to taut)
The necklace is not your bargain.
JUDGE
(ires red to her face)
w thnk w cn brgn fr a ncklce - gt yr hsbnd, wmn
(pushes Elle with free hand)
|
But the necklace holds taut:
Surprised at the necklace tautness, Judge shoves Elle backward with
both hands holding the watcher:
Elle stumbles back-down: the watcher-necklace
pulling the Judge down to lie on Elle.
JUDGE
(vis-a-vis fiercely)
I wl gv y wht a wmn dsrvs
(glares-grins)
|
Judge squirms on Elle: She struggles:
Finger-nail-scrapes his cheeks bloody:
He ignores the abuse: checking her arms:
She top-head-bashes his nose:
He withdraws uncertainly: begrudgingly loosing
the watcher: face and nose bloody-oozing:
He hand-and-kneels-back: Free-hand nursing his nose.
She stands: He crouch-stands: backing-away stooped to near the others: wiping
his cheeks: nursing his nose:
ELLE
(exasperated)
Stupid mankind, doesn't know which side of a woman they're on - how
will they ever know which side of the planet-Earth, they're on?! |
All except wounded Judge, grin at each other: guffaw-laughing:
|
TURNED-WITNESS
tp-sd, I hp - nd lvng it
ALL MEN
(laugh)
|
All four side-back-away - and at a distance, saunter-on, following the stream:
wounded Judge tending his face:
Elle waits 'til they are gone.
AND RETURNS TO THE WATER'S EDGE:
Self-inspects blood on hands, face, clotheskins:
Tries to rinse-wash:
Pauses: Breaks to tears, and:
Cries: staring across the waters into the sunset:
ELLE
(implores into next music)
Why?!
(grimaces-cries)
|
|
27 |