'Haunted' ACT ONE 10 EXT. THE BEACH - DAY 10 Xena is sitting on a hill overlooking the ocean. This is the same beach from 'Motherhood' and 'Coming Home'. Gabrielle is off in the distance. XENA Something isn't right. Gabrielle can't see or hear me. And no matter what I do, nothing seems to be able to ease her pain. SFX SHOT OF CALLISTO APPEARS BEHIND HER. This is the CALLISTO from 'Ides of March'. She gives Xena an unsympathetic stare. CALLISTO (sarcastic) Maybe you're the one with the problem. XENA (sarcastic as her eyes narrow) Callisto. (beat) I should have known you'd show up. What... no singing animals and illusions this time? Xena stands, turns around and sees Callisto GRINNING. CALLISTO My dear, dear Xena... Is that what you think this is? Illusia? XENA What do you want, Callisto? Aren't you supposed to be in my daughter? (turns away) You can't be real. CALLISTO (smiling) Maybe I am, (beat) maybe I'm not. That's for you to figure out. XENA (turns back around mad) Enough with the cryptic games, Callisto. I don't have time for this. I've got- CALLISTO -More important things to do? (beat) Callisto slowly circles around Xena. Xena tries to ignore her. CALLISTO Like trying to figure out why poor, sweet Gabrielle can't see or hear you? Xena's eyes narrow and she flashes Callisto a disgusted look. XENA Look, I'd really like to stay here and play games with you... Callisto SKIPS around Xena. CALLISTO (excited) Oh goody! Games! What shall we play? Pin the tail on the ghost? Truth or Dare? Spin the bottle? (winks) 20 questions? Xena begins to walk away. Callisto follows her. XENA Go away. CALLISTO 20 questions it is! I'll ask the first one. Callisto steps in front of Xena, walking backward to face Xena. Callisto stops. CALLISTO Where does it hurt? Xena stops and ponders the question. XENA (irritated) I have no idea what you're talking about. CALLISTO Ah, a difficult patient. Perhaps it's time to dig a bit deeper. The waves crash into the beach. Suddenly the waves come of the shoreline... CUT TO: 11 INT. PSYCHIATRIST'S OFFICE - DAY 11 Xena is lying on the couch, and Callisto is sitting next to her, glasses lowered on her nose. She's wearing a doctor's white coat and a stethoscope around her neck. In her hands is a note pad. Xena is in a straight jacket with the buckles undone. Xena looks around the scene trying to figure out what's going on. CALLISTO (concerned) Tell me about your childhood. XENA My what? I'm outta here. The straps TIGHTEN as Xena tries to get up. Xena is now restricted to the couch. CALLISTO There's no sense fighting, Xena. You're never going to find out how to solve your problem until you look inside yourself. XENA But Gabrielle is the one who can't see me. CALLISTO Like I said, maybe you're the one with the problem. XENA (solemn) I don't seem to be getting through to her anymore. CALLISTO Um hum. And why do you think this is happening? XENA (frustrated) I don't know! You're the DOCTOR. You tell me. CALLISTO Back to the original question. Where does it hurt? XENA I'm not sure... I've never felt anything like it before. It's not guilt, is it? CALLISTO You tell me. Xena rolls her eyes in obvious frustration. CALLISTO You've felt guilt before. Is this the same? XENA No. CALLISTO Look deeper, Xena. Where do you feel it? XENA (hesitates) My heart. CALLISTO A simple diagnosis then. Guilt rides on the soul. Pain hangs on the heart. XENA I've felt pain and grief before but this is different. CALLISTO Let's investigate further, shall we? 12 INT. SFX TRANSITION TO A DARK ROOM 12 The room is dark, cold and has three entries to three different hallways. Callisto is back in her 'Ides of March' outfit. XENA Where are we? CALLISTO Inside your mind. Xena and Callisto look around in amazement. CALLISTO I'm impressed Xena, I always knew you were complex, but really- Xena puts her hand over Callisto's mouth. XENA What are all these hallways? CALLISTO These are the different paths you must take to end the pain. XENA How can I end the pain of a problem that I can't figure out? CALLISTO (ignoring Xena) That pain you feel... it's different this time because you are carrying the pain of those you care about with you. Xena looks at Callisto trying to understand. Callisto walks around the room as Xena watches her hoping for an answer. CALLISTO Add that on top of your bigger issue and you're carrying a lot of baggage, my dear. Callisto is now standing directly in front of Xena. XENA And what is my bigger issue? CALLISTO You tell me. Xena pushes Callisto out of the way as she heads toward the hallways. Callisto laughs. Xena BUMPS into an invisible barrier and can not enter any of the hallways. CALLISTO Troubling, isn't it? (beat) You can't enter until you've come to terms with YOUR problem. XENA (mad) You're my problem. CALLISTO (happily) Now we're getting somewhere! Look at me Xena. (Beat) What are you thinking? What about me is so terrible? XENA (confused) I don't know... I don't even know if you're real... CALLISTO Xena... (emphatically) What are you thinking? XENA (frustrated) Lots of things! Why am I here? Why are YOU here? Will Gabrielle ever be able to see me again? What thought could I possibly have that is so terrible... Xena gets a shocked look on her face. She's had a revelation. She turns and looks at Callisto who is grinning.
| To listen to Terrible Thought.wav, copy and paste this link in a new browser window--- http://www.babes4bush.com/misc/haunted/TerribleThought.wav |
MUSIC FADES IN- 'Terrible Thought' Xena starts to slowly walk around the room as she begins to sing. XENA (singing) A terrible thought has moved into my mind. Like an unwanted roommate drunk on wine. Callisto coyly lowers a goblet from her mouth and TOSSES it over her shoulder. XENA It feeds on my happiness won't pay the rent. I must take proper measures to evict it. (Beat) A terrible thought has moved into my mind. Rat ears, nose and whiskers, appear to GROW on Callisto's face. XENA (singing) A giant rat that's nibbling on my pride. It's tearing away my patience and my wit. I must take proper measures, set a trap for it. CALLISTO (singing) (sarcastic) What a terrible thought. Xena turns to Callisto. XENA (singing) I don't care what you've done. I don't care who you've won. I know in the end you'll have your fun. Callisto is grinning as she CHANGES back to her normal self. XENA (singing) But you can't have it here. And I won't let you steer. You know I don't want you in my mind. CALLISTO (singing unsympathetically) What a terrible thought. What a terrible, terrible thought. XENA (singing) I must stay calm you know, and I must be clear. It's gonna take a hundred thoughts to make this one disappear. CLOSE UP Callisto. CALLISTO (singing) A train like that can travel a soul for years. CLOSE UP Xena. XENA (singing) A terrible thought could have a terribly long career. CALLISTO (singing) What a terrible thought. XENA (singing) What minds have you shredded? I bet they regretted Having ever thought you up. Xena looks over to Callisto and sings directly to her. Xena is becoming increasingly more ANGRY. Callisto smiles at Xena's words. XENA Just look at you shine. Committing your crimes. I know I don't want you in my mind. Xena EXPLODES in a rage and grabs objects and begins THROWING them. XENA (singing) Cause you're breaking my stride! You poisonous vine... Xena throws and object at Callisto. Callisto DUCKS. XENA (singing angrily) You're strangling me inside. You're breaking my stride. Xena turns and begins throwing objects at the entries to the halls. XENA (singing) You poisonous vine. A barrier SHATTERS. XENA (singing) You're strangling me inside... A second barrier SHATTERS. Callisto looks unimpressed. XENA (yells) You're breaking my stride! A third barrier SHATTERS. Xena continues throwing her tantrum until the music decrescendos. Xena turns around to see Callisto brushing off her body. XENA (happily) I know what it is, Callisto! It all has to do with me and this thought. CALLISTO (singing) What a terrible thought... XENA No! It's not terrible! It's good because I can go forward now. CALLISTO (singing) What a terrible thought... Xena ignores Callisto and looks down each hallway. XENA (looking down each hallway) Which one should we go down first? CALLISTO (singing) What a terrible, terrible thought. What a terrible, terrible thought. What a terrible, terrible thought... What a terrible, terrible thought... MUSIC FADES UNDER. XENA (excited) Come on, Callisto! Which one do we go down first? Callisto walks up beside Xena. They look down a hallway. CALLISTO Well... (beat) Considering an unbalanced god of war could have dire consequences in the present day, we should probably go so Ares. XENA Ares? Why? CALLISTO To put it mildly, he has issues. And for the god of war, that's not good. Callisto motions to hallway number one. CALLISTO Shall me? Callisto and Xena walk into hallway number one and disappear. MUSIC FADES OUT. FADE OUT. END OF ACT 1
