Deep within the grains of unlimited sand, one contemporary sized General Store stood alone. It is flourishing with limited activity inside. OSCAR ISHOPER seventy-five years old is working side by side with his seventy-two-year-old wife NORMA.

[Act Four of Four Acts] The Friendly Apparition © 2012

By Joe Vojt

An original teleplay

One-hour television program

Registered WGAe No. R20139

The Friendly Apparition


ACT FOUR


DISSOLVE TO:


EXT. AGAINST THE WALL SECTION OF THE ‘B’ STRUCTURE

Without warning, Norma became covered with sand particles. The particles attacked her from all direction.

NORMA
I cannot see. My breathing is
labored. What is happening to me?

A massive force surprised her, she STUMBLED DOWN. Slowly INCHING on her hands and knees, she attempted to reduce the impact of the wild wind.

NORMA
(in a low voice)
The only protection I have is my
durable clothing and the sidewall of
the ‘B’ building.

Moving forward she made contact, with an old bench. Pulling herself up, she sat began stretching the material around her head.

NORMA
This helps shield my eyes a little.
What a strange feeling, for some
reason the force is holding me in
place.

The winds gradually subsided.

NORMA
My vision remains limited, my feet
are trapped.

Trying desperately to open her eyes.

NORMA
This burning sensation is keeping my
eyes shut. I hope this blindness is
not permanent.

FORCING UP one eyelid, she saw an unusual glow. The powerful image had a greenish tinge. STRAINING to FOCUS she overcame the pain. Opening her other eye this unique mass of color converged causing her head to POUND with pain.

NORMA
(thought)
I am forced to close my eyes. This
helps reduce the sting. The glow
for some reason continues penetrating
through my closed eye. Is this real
or is my imagination working overtime?

Trying to reduce the irradiation Norma forced her eyes open again for a brief moment. A human feature sat next to her. Carefully LIFTING her hand, Norma reached out to check if it was real.

JUMPING slightly SAYEED felt an unusual pressure placed on her shoulder.

SAYEED
(became startled)
What is going on? This force feels
human like. Yet the weight is gentle
and soft.

Sayeed OPENED her eyes a form came into focus within the flying particles of sand.

SAYEED
(talking in a low voice)
I have to concentrate in order to
visualize what is happening here.

With the wind subsiding, Norma could see more. The body of color remained stationary, but it had substance.

NORMA
(thinking to herself)
This vision appears almost human it
is well endowed in both physical
shape and body features. There is
an awfully strange pigmentation
about her skin. The mosaic design
reminds me of containers my mother
once had. Why is this happening to me?
Is she human?

SAYEED
Sitting next to me has to be a real person.

Two abnormal configurations became forged into one. Slowly their clothing tattered, revealing their skin. Both bodies became imbedded with sand, causing an irritation that required them to twist and turn.

Reaching out blindly for guidance their hands made contact. With that an alienable restoration occurred.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MODERNISTIC MODULAR TUBE

Inside what was once a clear modernistic modular tube, COREY ISHOPER watched the decaying atmosphere.

COREY
(low voice)
At times, off in the murky distance I
see faint sparkling lights glowing.

Walking around.

COREY
(Thoughts about his past)
I remember clean bright skies, now
With pollutants everything is overcast.

Corey would enter the daylight tube that’s when a sadness reached deeper into his heart.

COREY
This is the only visible tube left in
my facility. It helps me overcome my
isolation.

Through time, the caustic environment began staining the surface of the earth to the point of diffusion.

Finding his resting place Corey started talking to himself.

COREY
Here it is Monday, the first week of
July, the storm has finally subsided.
What will the Fourth of July be like
this year?

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. DESERT REGION

Norma and Sayeed were walking in the open desert region. Norma needed a sign of her past, while Sayeed was looking for her future.

Breathing became labored Norma felt tired. She wanted to rest. Sayeed accepted that situation, recognizing the weakness of Norma’s human form.

SAYEED
Are you all right?

NORMA
Yes, this atmosphere is more caustic
then I ever imagined. I now see why,
Oscar, God rest his soul, couldn’t
take it.

SAYEED
Where is God?

NORMA
In a location of eternal beauty,
where life continues after death.

SAYEED
Oh, Omniam.

NORMA
I have never heard him called that.

SAYEED
In our universal presence, ‘The
Book of Wisdom’ speaks of total
restoration. Our people are now in
that temporal anagenesis.

NORMA
I’m not sure about your universal
presents, but in our human life, we
believe in a form of restoration,
but not until all life has ended.

SAYEED
I have been chosen to lead the way
into another measure, which will offer
eternal with everlasting peace.

NORMA
On our final day we become one. Free
of all bounds and sins.

SAYEED
When would that be?

NORMA
Our specious really doesn’t know.

SAYEED
Then how can you have faith in this
type of belief?

NORMA
That is all we have. Faith is God
and that contains its own reward.
Admittedly our culture has come
upon hard times.

SAYEED
Then why does your God allow the
destruction of the human race? How
can you still look up to him?

NORMA
We call it blind faith, but that
is all we have. Confusing I know,
but that’s all there is. Our
society has been taught to accept
this.

SAYEED
It sounds like your species had a
fruitful life.

NORMA
Yes, but we lost sight in the true
meaning of faith.

SAYEED
Why would your society want the
pleasure of ownership?

NORMA
We allowed material substance to
rule our lives. That caused a state
of absence of law and order.
Allowing one group of people to
prosper.

SAYEED
How does that have real value in
the long run?

NORMA
Good question, but people would not
stop gathering the material possession.
This was the ultimate life driving
them beyond reasonable acts.

SAYEED
Our society worked deep in the mines
for the ultimate goal of restoration.

NORMA
Our people no longer desired sustaining
any type of physical labor known as
work. The good life dominated their
activities. No one wanted the
responsibility of their own life.

SAYEED
Your society had the life. Why didn’t
they look what the outcome would bring?

NORMA
Ten years ago when all hell broke
loose, people realized the ultimate
payback surfaced.

SAYEED
It was too late,

NORMA
Realizing that our dwindling past
would never become the legacy of our
future was sad. I am sorry Sayeed, we
should be moving on. We can become
targets for the SPO’s.

SAYEED
SPO?

NORMA
Yes, they are the so called peace
keepers of this planet, known as
the System Patrol Officers.

Norma STOPPED to think about Sayeed’s reaction.

NORMA
You mean your society has no controls?

SAYEED
Our society worked in the mines for
‘colors’. The male mate was the
worker. We could live together once
the selection process allowed us to.

NORMA
Interesting but bizarre, it looks
like we ended up the same.

SAYEED
My spirit accomplished its goals,
except for that final restoration.
We better find some covering. Our
outfits are quickly disintegrating
in this highly toxic air.

NORMA
I know. You are without any
protection, but your skin appears
resistant to our environment.
In fact, it doesn’t look bleached.

SAYEED
You are right your texture is no
longer pink as I remembered from
the past.

NORMA
You have seen into our culture
before?

SAYEED
I was active with my mother trying
to find a way back into your society.

STOPPING to think for a moment what all this implied.

NORMA
Why would you want to break into
our world? This is getting confusing.

SAYEED
Everything began well before your
decaying process. I was conceived
by one of your forms.

NORMA
What are you saying?

SAYEED
My mother is the only other member of
our society still alive. She is
somewhere in these local mountains.

NORMA
How can that be?

SAYEED
My mother met and mated with one of
your pink skinned men. My conception
and birth was never sanctioned by our
society.

NORMA
This is hard to understand?

SAYEED
It is real, my mother became an
outcast. Even being a member of the
Council of Elders didn’t help.

Norma became fascinated in her story.

NORMA
When were you born?

SAYEED
Your calendar year of 1950.

NORMA
How can that be? You are young with
such a classic figure of a female.
I was born many years after you. Now
The best I can do is hold my life
together in this wrinkled shell.

Sayeed could not understand or comprehend this line of conversation.

SAYEED
My life cycle is only half complete.

NORMA
(in shock)
You’re what? My body never looked
that good at thirty. How can that be?

At that moment, a SPIKE from a power stick PENETRATED through Norma’s body.

NORMA
(cried out with pain)
Stop!

System Patrol Officer #1 & #2 surprised them, but Sayeed went undetected. Norma ABSORBED the energy through her weakened body.

NORMA
Stop!

Sayeed recognized the danger, PULLED Norma close to her body. Effectively they vanished from the scene.

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #2
I don’t understand how anyone could
disappear so quickly.

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #1
I better report this to the command.

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #2
Do you think we will be in trouble?

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #1
No but we best report in. Command
this is System Patrol Officer #1 we
lost one mutton (MUe).

COMMAND
Impossible!

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #1
We do not see anyone, all is clear.

COMMAND
Look here there is an indication on
the helmet screen. A form is close.

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #2
Yes, we see the radiating energy,
but looking at the physical area,
nothing is visible.

COMMAND
You best verify.

Both carefully scanned by probing the region, could not find the body.

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #1
This Mue must have been insignificant.

SYSTEM PATROL OFFICER #2
Let us continue our patrol.

Meanwhile Norma couldn’t believe how Sayeed’s body protected her.

NORMA
How did you know your body would
protect mine?

SAYEED
You forget, I came from your world
and mastered the art of
transformation between both worlds.

NORMA
You are amazing.

Both SAT UP

NORMA
We had best get out of here.

They began SHAKING the clinging sand particles off themselves.

NORMA
That was too close, even for me. I
would have died if I didn’t meet you.

SAYEED
It was normal for me to save a human.

NORMA
Thank you.

Hurriedly, they PUSHED toward the mountain areas.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MODULAR TUBE

Being partially set into the mountain protected Corey from being detected. With the outside environment and its caustic darkness left him stranded.

COREY
(talking to himself)
My training program was successfully
completed after the automatic final
pre-recorded mission. I am ready for
the next phase.

He began PACING watching the strangeness of the atmosphere

COREY
(looking for his micro disks)
Here they are, now to make contact.
It is to be used when I have a serious
problem now is the time.

Placing the disk carefully into the transponder, a miniature screen instantly activated. The message kept BLINKING with a modular sound.

ENTER YOUR CODE NUMBER

COREY
I sure hope this works. These sequence
numbers were assigned for my protection.

Only silence dominated his brain.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT: MODERN CONTROL CENTER

A weak blinking beacon could be seen mixed within the mounds of rubble. The command post was not distinguishable. There we no traces of human life, the blinking light went un-noticed in the massive decay of the past.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. DESERT REGION

Looking around Sayeed was ready to leave when she saw Norma had fallen asleep with a smile on her face.

NORMA
(dreaming in the year 2020)
I am so happy that you have been
selected into the Inter Galaxy Space
training program.

COREY
It is an elated honor.

NORMA
(continued dreaming)
Our son will make us proud.

OSCAR
You are right dear.

Norma was deep in her dreams, her body VIBRATED with that past fear of the power stick.

SAYEED
(heard a panic cry)
The world has ended! The world has
ended.

NORMA
(woke startled and
called out)
Oscar!

Norma could only hear her own echo.

SAYEED
No, it’s Sayeed. I am sorry I had
to shake you, you became violent.
When moisture began to seep out off
your skin I became concerned.

NORMA
I am all right. I had a dream about
my beloved son and Oscar. At the same
time I saw signs of the world falling
apart. The fear of the power stick
remains.

SAYEED
(touching Norma’s arm)
This feels like water.

NORMA
You mean your skin does not perspire?

SAYEED
No, for some reason this event never
occurred in our system. Oh, we better
move, I could feel tracking has
spotted our location. We have to leave.

NORMA
Good idea. The last thing we don’t
want is to get captured. I must
see my son.

Slowly Norma stood, weak but strong at heart. They headed for the security of the mountains. Within a couple hours Sayeed’s vision guided them in an unseen cavern.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. CAVERN

NORMA
How did you find this opening? I could
not see anything but rocks.

SAYEED
Our ability to see beyond your human
band-width is natural.

NORMA
Okay, I guess. It does feel more
comfortable to be out of the
caustic elements.

SAYEED
True, we are safe from the caustic
air and also of being detected.

Norma was not comfortable, because of the lack of visible light. They sat on a slab of gray rock resting.

NORMA
Are you sure we are safe?

SAYEED
Of course, why do you ask?

NORMA
I feel someone or something is
watching. Do you see anything?

SAYEED
No, but sometimes a false vision can
reach beyond the limits of the mind.

Sayeed STRAINED to distinguish cells of radiation resembling her once dominate society.

SAYEED
With my sensitive cells I can’t see
anything worth concerning yourself
about.

NORMA
If you say so, I see a glow, ahead.

SAYEED
You might be seeing sparkle coming
from the cave walls. The harvested
minerals once lined the caves.

NORMA
I feel an icy breeze of darkness.

SAYEED
(thinking in silence)
The true value of darkness is a part
of my world. I must concentrate on
the source of the burning light.

Resting sleep gradually overcame both bodies. Two human spirits of different society united in the struggle to survive.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT: MODULAR TUBE

Corey tried to relax sleep was not forth coming. A sharp sound echoed throughout the vastness.

Standing motionless.

COREY
I better scan the perimeter.

After a few minuets

COREY
The screen shows nothing visible.

The pounding continued.

COREY
My video indication show that neither
human or robot are visible. But the
sound remains solid.

Turning on his spectral isolator.

COREY
Still nothing. I better use my LAS
camera to record the source of the
noise. I see a spectral of an
unknown element has registered.

This indicated someone or something was definitively at his least used opening. It was an auxiliary type escape exit.

Walking through the many tunnels, he found the alley leading to that particular chamber.

COREY
(puzzled)
I better test the inner cell door,
it should be safe.

COREY
(talking)
My main concern is to assure air
purity. The outside environment has
that venomous impurity that would
contaminate my safety.

Activating the anti-chamber locking mechanism Corey looked puzzled.

COREY
This will capture whatever entered
my escape sector.

CUT TO:

INT. ANTI CHAMBER

Carefully OPENING his shielded window, for the first time Corey looked into the room. Shock and surprise came across his mind when he recognized a frail image of his mother.

COREY
(puzzled he thought)
How could that be? Mother, is that
you?

Being able to see Norma felt overjoyed.

NORMA
(started sobbing)
Corey, it can’t be? You are alive.

COREY
Mother, how did you ever find me in
this isolated mountain hideaway?

NORMA
I will explain, but first why don’t
you let us in?

COREY
It will take time to purify the anti-
chamber before I can open my section.
(when it hit him. Us!)
Mom, who else is with you? I can only
see you.

NORMA
Son, trust me, there is another
person with me, she is a safe
element. There is no threat to your
safety.

COREY
I believe you, but I can’t see
anyone else.

QUICKLY SCANNING his spectral isolator he began looking closer for other images. There was a slight flicker of a reading. Normally this would have no meaning, but today it could be another source.

COREY
Are you sure? My equipment can’t
identify the origin of this person.

NORMA
It is ... almost human a character.
Her name is Sayeed. If it wasn’t for
her, I would not be here. I was
almost captured and transplanted to
the bio-pits for ...

COREY
Yes, I have seen some of these
results. I guess Dad didn’t
survive this holocaust?

NORMA
He did, in fact we both started
many elements ago. He couldn’t
endure the hostile environment.
We stopped to rest on the way out
here, he fell asleep.

COREY
Did he suffer?

NORMA
No. His rest is ever lasting, no one
will ever disturb him. He wanted
very much to see you.

COREY
I am sorry you had to struggle like
this. You are now safe try to relax,
it will take time to reduce the
caustic elements. You are safe inside,
the transition will be over soon.

NORMA
Don’t worry, we don’t want to
contaminate your living environment.

After about a half hour, the doors slowly opened.

INT. MODERNISTIC MODULAR TUBE

Norma RUSHED to greet her son.

NORMA
I glad to see you alive and normal
looking. You appear healthy, all that
hair, nothing like what we have
turned out to be.

COREY
Mom, I am sorry both of you had
to experience life like this.
Mother you look extremely tired
and beat.

NORMA
Your father was so proud of you. We
never knew if you survived. Having
faith in your ability to protect
yourself kept us at peace.

COREY
You are safe now.

NORMA
I Know. Oh, I would like you to meet
Sayeed. If it wasn’t for her, I would
be with the spirit of your father.

COREY
Mom, I don’t see anyone. Are you sure
there was another person with you?
I think you better rest. The trip out
in the desert had to be stressful.

NORMA
I am fine.

COREY
Try taking a break I will scan the
chamber for any sign of her.

NORMA
Her name is Sayeed. Sayeed where are
you? You can become visible. Corey
she is a friendly apparition. Sayeed
will save your life once she becomes
visible, it might take some time.

Looking around in PANIC, Norma kept looking for Sayeed.

Sayeed felt altruistic in her hidden form.

SAYEED
(thinking while hidden)
I have limited vision but the union
of my spirit will not be denied.

NORMA
Trust me Corey I know she is with us.

COREY
(thought to himself)
The stress of this chemical
environment must have affected her
thinking process. I will wait
patiently until Sayeed decides to
make her appearance.

Lofty mountains, vast undulating plateaus of sand stretch out for miles. Years of disharmony pass the rural landscape waiting for another time, another day.

THE END

FADE OUT