Ironically, through some balance of faith, another world co-existed. It occupied the same physical living area, but in total darkness. Existing not to far from the same settlement, a fine young woman, named LARA kept walking outside in the wilderness of life. She was active and full of vigor, because darkness was the active part of her day.

[Act Three of Four Acts] A Slice In Time © 2012
By Joe Vojt
An original teleplay
One-hour television program

Registered WGAe No. R20975
ACT THREE
A SLICE IN TIME

In the western desert, the appalling sun-baked earth felt more like a transient inferno that could not measure. This savored desert revealed the heart of what was once considered an ancient land. While an old dust covered wagon appeared across the peaceful horizon. Darkness blended within the shadows of the night. A refraction of the sun's corona formed, as night continued its domination of the earth.

RAY and HARRIET were sitting in their General Store, talking about their twenty-year-old son, NIGEL. Once the sun set, he became a new person. With the advent of darkness, his attitude instantly changed. He became elated with new energetic functions. Slowly he turned nocturnal, but the real reason why never came to light.

Ironically, through some balance of faith, another world co-existed. It occupied the same physical living area, but in total darkness. Existing not to far from the same settlement, a fine young woman, named LARA kept walking outside in the wilderness of life. She was active and full of vigor, because darkness was the active part of her day.

Nigel and Lara were two varied living elements; both lived in the same spectrum of time. Life was only separated by the concept that two diverging visions would never cross.

ACT THREE


DISSOLVE TO:


EXT. WESTERN DESERT

One single image drew Nigel’s spirit out of the wagon into the center of this activity.

NIGEL
Everything is a blur with dust
swirling around.

Dancing next to him was what he believed to be a woman.

NIGEL
My vision is not clear. It appears
there is someone with a large
headdress of feathers.

The headband remained motionless, while her body moved in a slow deliberate dance.

MIGEL
I feel a broad beaming smile
penetrating my vision.

Without warning, this spirit reached through the mist of his feeling. A hand came forward he grabbed it.

NIGEL
This has to be a dream.

Without control, he physically JUMPED out of the wagon, following the enchanted spirit into the center of activity.

NIGEL
Here I am dancing like a hardened
native performer.

His garments changed into a tapestry type blanket.

NIGEL
Hanging over my shoulders is a weave
of brown and white material. How can
that be?


Dancing, he became transformed into a new symbolism of native chanting.

NIGEL
I am moving within this thunderous
beat, but I only see many hands
beating the tops of distant drums.

A massive ROAR broke between him and the moving images. A bright spike of light cut into the ground striking close to his feet.

NIGEL
Wow that was close. Good thing I
covered my face. When I try opening
my eyes I see a blank, but the
pain remains real.

Rolling in the sand his sensitive eyes continued to burn like never before.

INT. COVERED WAGON

The wagon began to rock and roll. Nigel quickly BOLTED up, as sweat poured from his forehead and face.

NIGEL
My hands are dripping with
perspiration. What a dream, I felt
like one of the natives.

Looking around.

NIGEL
All I see is darkness.

Then a massive SLAP of thunder rocketed throughout the vastness of the region. Wild winds began tossing the wagon.

NIGEL
I am moving from side to side.
This feels like a summer storm.

As the gale winds increased, water droplets began bouncing off his tight cover.

NIGEL
This sounds like the mystery
drumbeat of my dream.

Standing was impossible because the motion kept him pinned down.

NIGEL
For a brief instant, I glanced
through the opening of my cover.
Nothing but darkness

A series of bright spikes brightened the skies as lightning reached the earth.

NIGEL
The first set of discharges sure
came close to hitting the wagon.

He forced himself to stand and covered his eyes. It was too late another FLASH bounced through the small opening blinding him. The reaction was instant, he DROPPED to the floor with pain.

NIGEL
This is no dream I am hurting.

A heavy down pour followed with smaller blinding flashes going off in the distance.

NIGEL
Keeping my face covered does little
to prevent what I am feeling through
my sensitive vision.

Finding his bunk, he straightened out COVERING his head with the both arms.

NIGEL
I have to wait for this summer
phenomena to end.

One-hour pass, Nigel got up and stuck his head outside.

NIGEL
For some reason I continue seeing
unusual images moving in and out of
focus.

The morning sun's rays faintly penetrated the horizon of this flat escarpment. These waves started DANCING around his wagon.

NIGEL
Some of the energy is close enough
to be touched. When I start moving
my body everything becomes instantly
blurred.

The turbulence began reducing his ability to see.

NIGEL
I feel the pulsating heat waves
coming toward me from a distance.
Those brilliant colored sand
scripts open before my eyes. What
a display.

Quickly turning around he FLIPPED the cover down and sat on his bunk.

NIGEL
Normally this is my time for
sleeping, but for some reason this
morning I feel energized.

Placing his head between his hands.

NIGEL
What is going on out there?

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. WESTERN DESERT

The morning brightness should have increased, but it remained gloomy. Almost as if a giant curtain covered what would have been the beginning of a new day. With it, the surrounding motion instantly ceased.

EXT. UNDER THE COVERED WAGON

The amount of the downpour caught Lara by surprise.

LARA
My body became cleansed by
removing my natural trapped
particles. Not a good sign.

What emerged, from that processes was a new youthful appearance.

LARA
I am concerned what this new
sensation running through my body
has created.

It was hard to believe this fresh looking person was 80 years old. Running her hands up and down on her wet skin.

LARA
These feelings have been dormant
for a lifetime. My plain drab
brown colored clothing is attaching
itself to my new full-developed
youthful body.

Slowly this shrinking force began SQUEEZING her ever so tightly. Particles of material had flowed away from her body.

LARA
My wet feet are no longer appear
normal. What can I do?

The coolness of the water became a sedative in her mind. At the same time, she started feeling perfectly pure.

LARA
For some reason my inner spirit is
one. I have to relax. This trapped
feeling will be with me until the
rain stops.

Even on the rough rocky moist ground, she fell asleep.

Nigel was out cold never knowing that he had a guest underneath. Those visions of dancing spirits continued.

INT. COVERED WAGON (ONE HOUR LATER)

Nigel woke and listened.

NIGEL
Everything feels strangely at
peace.

Looking around he had expected that light would have dominated the area.

NIGEL
For some unknown reason it is still
dark.

Jumping out of his secure home, he landed on the dry powdery earth.

EXT. WESTERN DESERT

NIGEL
I cannot believe that this surface
had been soaked with rain not too
long ago.

He began CIRCLING the vastness of the open sands cape, looking for some clue of what has been happening in the area.

NIGEL
(Talking quietly to
himself)
This weird feeling has captured my
body. It started with those crazy
dreams with the pain of light. Then
lighting with rushing water now
nothing.

Looking around.

NIGEL
All I see for miles is more
darkness. I know ancient people once
lived here.

Realizing his search for the memory of their past lifestyle was possible. Excitement overcame him as he aimlessly viewed this extraordinary new darkness.

NIGEL
I understand that few people really
care, what happened in the past.

Walking around Nigel had a strange sense that he was not alone.

NIGEL
With my keen night vision, I am able
to see beyond the many primitive
land forms

EXT UNDER THE COVERED WAGON

Unknown to Nigel, a faint almost human form was resting under the covered wagon.

Nigel began walking back toward the wagon.

NIGEL
With my vision sensors I sense a
distant shadow moving. Is this
another part of my dream?

The closer he moved the SHARPER the shadow became. Stopping short of the wheel, he focused on the object.

NIGEL
I am trying hard to make out what
it might be.

A quick gust of wind blew particles of sand through the area. Before he could wipe his eyes, the veil of dullness cleared instantly.

NIGEL
That sharp pain returned but it is
helping me focus on a faint vision
of a beautiful women.

Adding to his burning sensation, her invisible radiating source revealed an eerie power.

NIGEL
I am enduring the pain in order to
see this once in a lifetime vision.
This radiant beauty, is worth the
torment.

Nothing happened, but Nigel did not want to loose this image, he could not believe her inherent beauty.

NIGEL
(whispering)
Hi, can you hear me.

Being scared was an understatement as he reduced his voice.

NIGEL
Hi, my name is Nigel. Can you hear
me?

The form stopped STRETCHING and walked forward a little. A strange high-pitched SHRIEK came out of her mouth; it sounded like a bat.

NIGEL
She is alive! But is she human?

Lara moved closer, causing Nigel to lose sight. He moved back, until she became visible.

NIGEL
For some reason my vision gets
blurred when we move closer.

Her eyes burned but Lara saw a new form. From her viewpoint, it was a human figure of the male type. This sparked her interest.

Both figures searched for a common form of contact.

INT. CHUCK WAGON

Jumping up Nigel realized he was dreaming again.

NIGEL
I hear water flowing, it has to be
coming near me.

Walking to the end of the wagon, he opened the back flap.

NIGEL
The desert is dry.

Quickly covering his face, as the blistering sun broke through his thick glasses.

NIGEL
What happened out there? I cannot
understand this transformation.

SHIELDING his eyes, he bends down to look under his wagon.

NIGEL
Where is the water coming from?
It has to be seeping from some
place.

Jumping out he realized living in the wilderness became a challenge.

EXT UNDER THE COVERED WAGON

NIGEL
No breeze, nothing is moving. These
events have to be playing with my
imagination.

Sitting down in the shadow of his wagon.

NIGEL
I sure hope the oxen are safe.
Where is the stream of water I
remember sitting in before?

Resting against one of the wheels, the thought came about the women he saw.

NIGEL
She was real, but how could that be?
Her strange skin had this scale type
configuration, it couldn't be human.

His feelings began running overtime.

NIGEL
That green/brown textured
glowing body was something.
Life cannot exist in that form.

At the same time, excitement kept running through his body.

NIGEL
Nothing is making sense.


Nigel had never seen any women with little clothing especially that developed.

NIGEL
People talked about those types of
photos in forbidden magazines.

Being convinced was not easy, but he felt drained.

NIGEL
This had to be a dream.

It did not help him concentrate on his overall mission. Yet the vision became an obsession that started changing his perception and lifestyle.

NIGEL
I remember reading all possible
printed information regarding the
history of image turbulences. How
it becomes altered and scattered
by the rays of the sun.

Stopping to think what this might mean.

NIGEL
I am convinced life with intellect
has survived. Proving it might
take another lifetime.

Nigel decided to stretch his body and began thinking while walking around the wagon.

NIGEL
Here I am in the vastness, of what
can be considered to be the land of
wisdom.

Time passed he continued trying to find that one image.

Meanwhile under the covered wagon Lara’s clothes continued TIGHTENED. Looking around she felt alone and could not see clearly.

LARA
Finding this somewhat unique
protection helped me cope with the
events of the tempest.

Her skin kept on reacting with a new process of expansion.

LARA
I feel tiny sections of my skin
breaking off. Never have I felt
so uncomfortable.

(It was characteristic of sunburn for a normal human body.) Trying hard to shed her clothing became impossible.

LARA
Everything has fuzzed and feels
like a part of my body. What was
once soft and comfortable covering
turned stiff and painful.

Nigel continued having a hard time with his visual experiences.

NIGEL
I’m not sure what I will find, but
I have to learn what is happening.

At the same time increment, Lara saw a shadow.

LARA
The water must have modified my
visualization of what I now see.

What Lara didn’t know it was a life form out of her society.

LARA
This inflammation reduced my
image concentration. This is
affecting both body and soul.

Closing her eyes.

LARA
The shadow has not disappeared.
I continue sensing this phenomenon
even with my eyes closed. Maybe it
is an illusion.

Slowly opening her eyes, she tried to understand the rationale for seeing the outline.

LARA
The shadow is casting an image of
a figure.

A new FEAR began building.

LARA
I have never seen anything in my
civilization resembling this pink
type life form.

Out of the shadow, eyes PIERCED into her shaking body.

LARA
What type of form could this be?

A quick gust of sand covered her body. With sand in her eyes, she was able to see clearly.

LARA
It looks like a pink male life form.
It sure isn’t from my civilization.

With this observation, new fears began building.

LARA
What is happening to me? Nothing
makes sense.

Becoming uncomfortable did not help her concentration. She decided to overcome her anxiety and make contact.

LARA
(concerned)
Who are you?

Nigel looked around hearing a strange high-pitched audible noise.

NIGEL
It sounds like it is coming from
under my wagon. But there is
nothing visible.

Moving closer he bent down and faintly saw a shadow.

NIGEL
Looks like a small figure, hidden
near one of the wheels. It has a
familiar shape to it. My guess it
is a frightened young women?

Lara slowly moved out from under the wagon. Being fearful, she repeated her question.

LARA
Who are you?

END OF ACT THREE