Just a Pair of Ruby Slippers

by thefandomchick95

Jodie Duncan runs away from home after her best friend is taken away only to get caught in a storm that takes her on the wildest journey of her life. On the way, she meets Jacques, an articulate scarecrow, Andrewlane, a witty, robotic carnie, and Possé, an IOBK, Incapable of Being King, lion. As they venture to find the Wizard, their bond grows into a friendship larger than life.

1. SCENE 1

FADE IN:

SONG: Overture

TITLE, BEGINNING CREDITS painted on a mural painted on a school building.

JUST A PAIR OF RUBY SLIPPERS

SOUND: School bell

FADE OUT

FADE IN:

1. EXT. SIDE STREET 1986 NOON

JODIE, 17, wavy blonde hair, jeans and a red sweater, chunky sneakers, all in grass stains, and BEN, JODIE's best friend, 16, dirty, short hair, taller than JODIE, torn jeans, better fitted sneakers, Michael Jackson t-shirt (Thriller album), bleeding at the back of the left leg, run down the street. BEN slows, gasping for breath. JODIE stops and turns to him.

JODIE

Ben, come on! We have to get home!

BEN

I can't run much longer, Jo. It hurts too much.

JODIE returns to BEN.

JODIE

Did it get you bad?

Checks legs. CAMERA gets a close up of BEN's bleeding spot. JODIE gasps.

JODIE (cont.)

It did, that mutt! Grab onto me. Mama will fix it. She heals everything.

BEN wraps arms around her stomach. JODIE continues to run, carrying her friend the rest of the way home.

SCENE CHANGE: EXT. DUNCAN ESTATE GARDEN

DOLLY, 50, JODIE's mother, is plucking weeds with the family's black cat, TOTO, beside her. Stops at JODIE's call and stands to see JODIE with BEN on her back.

JODIE (cont.)

Mama! Mama! Mama, look at Ben's leg! Look at his leg!

DOLLY

Jodie, where have you been? School ended an hour ago. I told you that Ben could stay with to help him out, not to fool around and find trouble in places you don't want to end up.

JODIE

We were heading home, Mama, but Mrs. Hanagan's dog ran from its leash and bit Ben right in the leg. Get a load of this!

DOLLY harshly gasps at BEN's bloody leg.

DOLLY

My Lord Almighty! This needs to be cleaned immediately. Ben, come with me, honey. We'll see if this needs to be stitched up by a doctor. Jodie darling, go find your father. I want him to drive Ben to the hospital if this is worse than we think it is.

JODIE nods and runs farther into the backyard. DOLLY guides BEN into the house.

SCENE CHANGE: EXT. SHED

KENT, 51, JODIE's father, and two neighbors, CLARKE and RICHARD, are fixing the door before the next storm.

RICHARD

How long do we have to stand around for, Kent?

CLARKE

Until he clicks the damn door, Rich.

KENT

Stop being impatient, you two. Ow!

(Pulls hand back and licks the injury)

Clarke, you idiot, you pressed on my fingers!

CLARKE

Well, your fingers should never have been there in the first place.

CLARKE & RICHARD laugh as KENT pushes the door in place.

KENT

There. That's all.

JODIE runs into the scene.

JODIE

Papa! Papa! Mr. Clarke! Mr. Richard!

KENT

Jodie, what's the matter? Why are you covered in grass stains? What happened?

JODIE

Ben got bit by Mrs. Hanagan's dog! It escaped and chased us to the ground.

KENT

And this is Benny that got bit?

JODIE

He was bleeding and everything, Papa. He could barely walk.

RICHARD

This sounds like a lawsuit to me. The Hanagans don't know how to control that mutt from attacking children coming home from school.

KENT

Stop it, Rich. It's almost Easter, and I don't want my daughter spending a Lord's Day by going to court.

JODIE

Papa, Mama wants you to go to the house in case Ben needs stitches. She wants you to drive him to the hospital.

KENT

Well, more than obliged to do just that, darling. Richard, make sure the shed is stable. Clarke, make sure my daughter's okay.

RICHARD moves to the back of the shed. KENT runs to the house. CLARKE walks with JODIE from the shed.

CLARKE

So...looking forward to Easter dinner, Jo?

JODIE

Kinda.

CLARKE

Benny will be fine. Mrs. Hanagan needs to learn that there are more than her, her husband, and that dirty dog in this neighborhood.

JODIE

That's not what I'm worried about, Mr. Clarke. I mean I love having the togetherness over Mama's cooking, but your son ain't exactly a prince.

CLARKE

He'd probably say the same about you, but you know your father holds the dinner for the whole hood every celebration, so you lose by default.

JODIE

Soon as I go to school, I won't be able to see him again.

CLARKE

Give him time, Jo. He'll mature soon enough. Stay outside a bit. I'll fetch us some sandwiches, and I'll check up on little Benny for you.

CLARKE heads to the house. TOTO trots over to JODIE's ankles.

JODIE

Give him time. Sure. I've been with Ben since we met as babies, and I know boys don't mature like us girls. The only real men that exist don't at all. Well, at least they don't here. They're from a very distant place with no clouds, rain, or doubt. Somewhere…

SONG: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

JODIE (cont.)

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

Someday, I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops away above the chimney tops that's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Why then, oh, why can't I?

JODIE stares into the beyond of the sky while petting TOTO. CAMERA points to the sky.

SOUND: Birds tweeting

JODIE (cont.)

If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow,

Why, oh, why can't I?

SONG END