Zack Barwinczak
"A Charming Place To Cross Over"
(The scene is in an old Victorian house, we are in a bedroom, and there is a girl lying on the bed. She isn't moving, she is barely breathing, and she is quiet and solemn. Her dark brown hair is a mess and is loosely pulled back, her usually sun kissed skin seems pale and hollow. She is only wearing a loose brown top with brown sweatpants to match. Sunlight is trying to fight through the heavy shades that have been drawn over the windows, all the lights are off, and the door is closed. Another girl walks in, she is clearly happy, but is also distressed by what she finds in the bedroom. She turns on the light and walks over to the bed.)
PHOEBE: Paige, how are you doing?
(PHOEBE sits on the bed.)
PHOEBE: Paige, really, I hate seeing you like this…you need to get up, and at least eat something.
PAIGE: *silent sobs*
PHOEBE: Paige…oh Paige. I know, it's hard, dealing with death, especially when it's-
PAIGE: (In a hiss) No!
PHOEBE: I know it's hard to talk about it, but you need to…
PAIGE: I said no!
PHOEBE: Paige! I know you don't want to hear this, but you need to. You know that Piper and I love you, we are always here for you, and we always will be.
PAIGE: That's what he said…
PHOEBE: Paige! Henry is gone, there is nothing you can do about that, we all have lost someone special, someone that we loved and cared for, but eventually we have to move on…
PAIGE: No, no, no! I can't take it! I can't get up knowing that I will never see him again, that I will never get a chance to love him again! The pain of losing someone you love and would give anything for is eating me alive! I am so, tired of being sad!
PHOEBE: Paige…
PAIGE: No Phoebe, don't Paige me…you have Coop, , that I will never get a chance to love him again! The pain of losing someone you love and would give anything for is eating me alive! I am so, tired of being sad!
PHOEBE: Paige…
PAIGE: No Phoebe, don't Paige me…you have Coop, Piper has Leo, you have Kerry, Piper has Leo, Chris, and Melinda on the way! I don't get that chance! I can never have a piece of him to hold onto forever!
PHOEBE: I know…
(PAIGE is balling her eyes out at this point.)
PAIGE: No you don't, you don't know anything. We never told anyone, but I was pregnant, it was the happiest day of my life. I had the man I loved on my side, and our child growing inside of me, I was going to be a mom! But then, the day before Henry dies, I get a call from the doctor, the baby is dead, it didn't make it past a week!
PHOEBE: (In almost a whisper.) Oh my god…Paige, why didn't you tell anyone?
PAIGE: We were going to, at dinner, the day that Henry died, we were so excited…
PHOEBE: Oh Paige, I know that has got to be awful, but you can't stay in here forever, I am going to make you some lunch, we can talk about it more afterwards, but if you starve yourself, you are just going to feel worse.
PAIGE: Whatever…
(PHOEBE goes and opens the curtains and then leaves, PAIGE lies there for a few moments trying to decide what to do. Then she gets excited, she stands up and leaves her bedroom, she creeps up the stairs to the attic. She is making sure she isn't heard. Once she gets to the attic, she shuts the door and locks it. Once inside she runs over to the shelf and grabs a cauldron and a few smaller bottles of different colors. She starts to pour them into the cauldron, and soon they start to smoke.)
PAIGE: This has got to work…
(She throws in some powder.)
PAIGE: Sadness and despair are what fills my air, I am drowning and no one seems cares. I have to look back, and ask to repair the one and only rip in my heart, the one and only tear.
(Almost instantly PAIGE is taken up into a swirling pink cloud.)
(Now we are looking at a young girl, about 17 in a room filled with many magical looking things. She is crying and mixing together many liquids. She is clearly distraught. A boy of about 20 walks in and takes the bottles out of her hands. They are both classily dressed in all black.)
JUSTIN: Alex, what do you think you are doing!
ALEX: Leave me alone Justin!
JUSTIN: No! You are going to kill yourself! You can't just put all of this random shit together!
ALEX: Watch me.
JUSTIN: For god's sake Alex! We just got back from dad's funeral! Now stop it!
ALEX: No! Because if I stop, then I am going to have to accept the fact that he's dead!
(ALEX begins to cry, JUSTIN"S eyes bud with tears.)
JUSTIN: What are you talking about?
ALEX: Justin, when dad died, we all became full wizards, we all got some of his magic, his magic flows through us. When I do magic, I feel close to him, I feel like he is here with me, alive!
JUSTIN: Oh Alex…
ALEX: that's why I am in here, mixing nonsensical potions, I feel his presence in here. This was his study too; his vibrations are all over the place…
JUSTIN: Fine, as long as none of those potions kill you, then go for it, but don't get too attached to this, it could be bad for you.
ALEX: Thank you Justin…I love you.
JUSTIN: I love you too.
(With a smile, JUSTIN leaves and closes the door behind him. ALEX wipes the tears from her eyes and begins mixing again.)
ALEX: I have your magic, I am a full wizard now, and this is going to help me bring you back.
(She throws in a powdery substance.)
ALEX: Pain and suffering is all this death has brought us, we are alone and scared. We don't know where to go, we need guidance. I take you from where you don't belong, and bring you here, to help us through this time of loss. We need you here…I need you here!
(At that moment, a swirling pink cloud comes down from the ceiling. PAIGE is carried out of it on a chariot of pink orbs. She is let off on the couch in the middle of the room. ALEX looks angry and sad, but most of all, she looks shocked.)
ALEX: Who the hell are you?
PAIGE: What? Why didn't my spell work?
ALEX: Um, excuse me!
(PAIGE just notices ALEX, they are both in utter shock. Neither of them know what to do.)
ALEX: Should I repeat myself? Who the hell are you and why the fuck are you in my study!
PAIGE: Excuse me? But you need to calm down. Swearing at me like that? What are you, like eight?
ALEX: Actually I'm eighteen, and I don't appreciate it when random strangers plop themselves in my magical study! What do you think you are even doing here?
PAIGE: Well, I was casting a spell, and clearly it went terribly wrong...wait, unless, are you a whitelighter?
ALEX: A what?
PAIGE: Oh never mind, besides, you look to finicky to be a whitelighter, let alone a witch.
ALEX: I don't know who you think you are, but I'm not too finicky to be a witch! If you must know, I am a full fledged wizard!
PAIGE: Yeah right, and I'm the wicked witch on the west. Wizard's are old men who plays tricks and cast illusions, and unless you are illussioning yourself to look like a twelve year old girl, then you are definitely not a wizard.
ALEX: Well if I'm not a wizard, then what am I? I did just conjure you here!
PAIGE: You wish you conjured me here, I cast a spell to…never mind, that's not important.
ALEX: If you can cast spells, then what are you? A witch?
PAIGE: Actually yeah, I am.
ALEX: Well aren't you supposed to be green and warty!
PAIGE: Alright, clearly you don't have any idea about magic or witches, especially if you believe that mumbo jumbo! I don't expect them to teach magic 101 in seventh grade anyways.
ALEX: For the last time I am eighteen god dammit! And I do know about magic! I am a freaking wizard, no some old dude! And I am trying to conjure my dead father, so if you would be so polite as to hop on your broomstick and fly on out of here, I have work to do!
PAIGE: Conjuring the dead? That's not a smart idea.
ALEX: Why do you care? You don't even know me, or what I'm going through!
PAIGE: Well I am a charmed one, a magical protector slash savior thing person, and I know that conjuring the dead can turn into dark magic, plus, if you don't know what you are doing, then you could potentially kill yourself and unleash like uber evil.
ALEX: Well I don't know you, so therefore I don't have to listen to you, oh charmed one.
PAIGE: Well that's just rude.
ALEX: So was interrupting my spell.
PAIGE: Touché'.
ALEX: But really, are you staying or going, because I'm going to do this whether you are here or not. I don't even care anymore.
PAIGE: I'm glad that I have an invitation now…but anyways; I'm staying to make sure that you don't perform any dark rituals. I E conjuring the dead.
ALEX: Suit yourself, but I am calling on my father.
PAIGE: If you really must go through with this, can I at least show you a safe and "good" way to do this. You know, a way that won't turn you into a power hungry lunatic.
ALEX: What?
PAIGE: I am going to show you how to safely call upon your father.
(Alex starts to perk up, her mood completely changes.)
ALEX: Really?
PAIGE: Yes, but it's only temporary, just so you can talk to him and see him. He will come back as a spirit, but better.
ALEX: But I want him back for good.
PAIGE: I know, but you can't, I'm sure he taught you that.
ALEX: I know…
PAIGE: Look, this will help give you closure. It will feel good to see him, but painful to see him leave. You are going to have to let go if you plan on living a normal life.
ALEX: I don't know if I can…can I do this every day?
PAIGE: No, you can't. You can't get addicted to seeing him, here. Eventually you will see him as alive again, and you will depend on him to get through the day. And, the more you see him, the more you will want to bring him back, and possibly turn to dark magic to do it. Besides, it hurts him if he is here for too long, he has to rest and move on too.
(ALEX looks down and begins to cry.)
PAIGE: Don't cry, this will give you closure. Now, I don't even know your name yet.
ALEX: Wow, I guess I haven't told you yet, I'm Alex. I don't think you said who you were either.
PAIGE: I'm Paige. Now, Alex, where do you keep your crystals?
ALEX: Over there.
(She runs over and pulls out a bunch of crystals.)
ALEX: How many do I need?
PAIGE: Six, and arrange them in a circle.
(They put the six crystals into a circular form; they light a few candles and begin to chant a soft a quiet spell. Eventually a light comes up in the middle of the circle; a man in his late forties appears in the light.)
PAIGE: Alex, look up.
(ALEX looks up and see's her father, she instantly starts to cry, but then wipes away her tears.)
ALEX: Dad! Is it really you?
DAD: Alex? What am I? How did you call me hear?
(He looks down at PAIGE.)
DAD: Who is this?
ALEX: Dad, this is Paige, she helped me call you.
PAIGE: Hello sir.
DAD: I really appreciate you trying to help my daughter and all, but there was a reason I didn't teach them these spells.
PAIGE: Excuse me?
ALEX: Daddy? What are you talking about?
DAD: Alex honey, I didn't want you to get attached, not just to me, but to anyone, I didn't want you to become obsessed.
ALEX: Dad, but I wouldn't…
DAD: Alex, we all know that that is not true.
PAIGE: I know that this goes against what you wanted sir, but I did talk to her about this whole situation, and she knows that this is a onetime thing, at least for now.
ALEX: Trust me dad, I know, I just couldn't bear to have you gone so quickly.
DAD: Oh Alex, I love you so much.
ALEX: I love you too daddy.
(Everyone begins to cry.)
PAIGE: I think it's time to let him go.
DAD: She's right baby, I need to move on.
ALEX: Will I ever see you again?
DAD: I'm not leaving forever, I'm just dead.
(They all share a dry laugh.)
ALEX: So maybe?
PAIGE: After you both have moved on, you guys can make contact again, but not for a long time. You both have to be able to live independent from one another for awhile, then you can call on him again.
DAD: She's right Alex.
ALEX: Alright dad…then I guess, this is goodbye…for now.
DAD: I guess so…oh, don't tell Max or Justin about this, I don't want them to get the same idea.
ALEX: I won't.
DAD: Well, goodbye sweetie, remember, I will always be there for you, I love you.
ALEX: I love you too.
(ALEX's father is gone in the next second. ALEX and PAIGE break down the circle in silence.)
ALEX: Thank you so much for that Paige, I really needed that. I needed closure.
PAIGE: I am happy that I could help you.
(They exchange smiles.)
ALEX: You never told me, what spell did you cast that brought you here?
PAIGE: Well, I lost someone close to me, like yourself, I needed closure.
ALEX: Oh, I see, do you need to call on-
PAIGE: Henry, he was my husband…
ALEX: Oh, I am so sorry…
PAIGE: And no, I got the closure I needed from seeing you and your father.
ALEX: Oh, well I am happy for you then. I'm glad I could help you.
PAIGE: I'm glad too…
(PAIGE still looks upset.)
ALEX: Paige, is there something else?
PAIGE: I guess there is…before my husband died, I lost our baby…
ALEX: Oh Paige! That's awful!
PAIGE: I know…I just didn't know how to feel anymore, that's why I cast the spell.
ALEX: I don't know how to, help…I don't know what to say.
PAIGE: No, it's okay. Maybe it's for the best.
ALEX: Maybe…
PAIGE: Well, I guess I should be getting home.
ALEX: Do you have to leave already?
PAIGE: Yeah…my sisters are probably looking for me.
ALEX: Oh, well how do you get home?
PAIGE: Are we on earth and in the year 2011?
ALEX: Yeah, why?
PAIGE: Who is the president?
ALEX: Obama. Why is any of this important?
PAIGE: I can teleport, it's called orbing, and as long as long as I am in my world still, I can just orb home.
ALEX: Really?
PAIGE: Yep, I just-
(PAIGE orbs from one end of the room to the other.)
PAIGE: Do that. Haha.
ALEX: That is so cool!
PAIGE: I know. Well, I guess this is goodbye…
ALEX: I guess so, but only for now!
PAIGE: Of course!
ALEX: Thank you for everything Paige, it really means a lot.
PAIGE: Of course, I'm glad I could help, and thank you for helping me.
ALEX: No problem!
PAIGE: If you ever need to talk, or just want someone to hang out with, just call my name, and I will be here, okay?
ALEX: Okay.
(They hug and PAIGE gets ready to leave.)
ALEX: Goodbye Paige!
PAIGE: Goodbye Alex, take care!
(PAIGE orbs out and is gone…we are back in the attic that PAIGE was taken out of earlier. PHOEBE and her sister PIPER are there waiting for PAIGE.)
PHOEBE: Paige! Your alive!
PIPER: What happened? Where did you go?
PAIGE: I cast a spell to try and fix things, and it worked.
PIPER: You didn't do anything stupid did you?
ALEX: No, I helped a girl deal with the loss of her father, and that really helped me to let go.
PHOEBE: Oh Paige, you did a good deed.
PAIGE: I know, now let's go and eat!
PIPER: Now she's talking! I'll whip you guys something tasty up!
(They all go down two flights of stairs to the ground floor and walk into the kitchen, PIPER begins cooking and PHOEBE is talking with PAIGE. After a while the phone starts to ring.)
PIPER: Not everyone rush at the same time to get it.
(PIPER answers the phone.)
PIPER: Hello?
(She listens intently.)
PIPER: Paige, it's for you.
PAIGE: Who is it?
PIPER: Your doctor?
PAIGE: That's weird.
(PIPER hands the phone to PAIGE, she listens very closely for a few seconds, until she gives a thank you and hangs up the phone.)
PHOEBE: What did he want?
PAIGE: He wanted to let me know that, his first test was wrong.
PIPER: What test?
PAIGE: Guys, I'm pregnant!
(They all cheer in excitement and the scene fades out.)
Fin.
Paige: A witch who is in her late twenties and lives in San Francisco. She is part of the famous charmed ones; her sisters are Piper and Phoebe. Over the course of the past eight years, she has discovered that she was a witch and has battled many demons and other sources of evil. Her husband Henry has just died and she is mourning over him, and the loss of her child. Paige is a funny and very unique character, she is strong and independent, but just like her sisters, she is a sucker for love.
Alex: Alex is a wizard who lives in New York City with her family. She has known about her wizard heritage her whole life and has quickly learned how to make the most of her powers. She is a witty and very sarcastic person who always has a one liner ready. Her father recently passed away, leaving her with her two brothers and mother. When her father died, his magic separated and turned all three of his children into full wizards, instead of just one, like it was supposed to be.