Holloways Garden The Cursed Land By Sarah-Beth Cooper

Sarah-Beth Cooper 07915698863 Lauren Harrison 07725858975

INT. STUDIO - DAY A dimly lit room with a long cluttered desk. A gentle scratching of pen on paper is constant. Out of the darkness, a man raises his head suddenly, his hair slicked back creating a sharp silhouette, he bends back over and continues drawing. He throws the pen and brushes his paper away to the left, sending dust frantic in flows while the smoke streams through the sunlight, the paper in an elegant glide lands on the desk where the light hits. The head disappeared again as the man lowers it into his hands, as we MOVE closer to the drawing, the sunlight rests on the page, highlighting a dark, detailed shadowed skull of a sheep, lifelike and vicious, a sketch of darkness captured the mans soul... INT. FRONT ROOM - DAY TRACK: WE ENTER THE FRONT ROOM FROM THE KITCHEN ERNEST enters the front room, he stands in front of the window where the curtains are ajar. The old artist standing with a slightly hunched shoulders, he looks out onto the garden with a solem look, his mouth down turned and eyes sullen. He wears a blazer, lacking any colour, but smart and straight, as neat as his sharp cut greying beard. He looks across the garden, and notices that a rose bush has bloomed a spectacular red rose, his eyes linger on the flower. Ernest turns to the cabinet, he unlocks the glass doors to a collection of sketchbooks, selecting one with a dark red cover then taking a jar holding a selection of pencils and putting it into his blazer pocket, he then shuts the doors and exits to go into the garden. He comes down the garden steps, with a stool under one arm and the other holding the sketchbook close to him. He takes a seat in front of the rosebush and begins to draw. As he looks up to study the petals, he notices a slight movement from the center of the rose. He leans closer. The petals begin to separate. He drops his sketchbook, pencils scattering the garden bed, the old artist does not blink, transfixed on the beautiful flower in front of him, as a tiny figure flies out of the heart of the rose and flutters before his eyes. He tries to speak but no words manage to escape his lips. (CONTINUED)

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The little figure rests on the grass, with one leg neatly crossed over the other she leans forward and rests her head in her hands, gazing up at the old artist she smiles ALIA Hello. ERNEST Youre a fairy? ALIA Quite, what you see is right, a fairy so small but might. But never have I seen a you before, what are you to tell me more? ERNEST Oh my, well I, I am an artist. I see what I draw. If youd like, I shall draw you? ALIA The sun draws the day to close, the moon draws the night to sky, you shall draw I before the time passes by. Alia takes a pose as the artist picks up his sketchbook and pencils, he begins to draw the fairy. As he draws, the talk about the garden, he asks the fairy how long she has been here, she tells him they have lived many more years than the humans on land, but this is where they have connection to the other world. The hours easily pass, and as the sun begins to set, Alia says her goodbye. ERNEST Can I see you again? ALIA (fluttering above him) Meet in the morning dew, a magical time, where the garden feels new. Ernest returns to his house, he feels a warmth, as though arms have wrapped around him and squeezed him tight, it had been so long since he had felt anything.

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He takes a seat in his armchair and looks through his sketches. He carefully tears out the pages he likes the most. He goes into the drawer of the cabinet and finds a frame, in which he delicately mounts the portraits, and hangs them on the wall of the front room. EXT. MONTAGE OF OLD ARTIST AND FAIRY FAMILY The sequence develops his relationship with Alia, and meets the other fairies of the garden. Colour begins to creep into the old artists world, significantly he starts to wear more red, the colour of Alias glow. The wall is covered in framed drawings and paintings of the different garden fairies, a beautiful collection of his family. He looks happier and brighter than the first scenes. TITLES EXT. FAIRY WOODLAND - DAY Victoria finds herself looking over the fairies world. She can see a small folly below her, and across on the highest point of the land, a castle. Slightly fearful of the castle, she decides to walk down to the folly. A figure is seen through the windows. EVA comes to the entrance, holding a cream dress for Victoria, beckoning her in to her home. The inside the walls were covered in vines of ivy and flowers of beauty. Eva cares for her decor as Victoria pulls the dress over her head. (FLASHBACK) Victoria remembers small details of the forest and folly. Vivid colours, wonder and surprise. EVA The care you give must fulfill the care you take, the land you live is the land you make. There are many beauties to this land, Victoria, follow and you will understand. Victoria follows Eva out into the wood. VICTORIA Its familiar, this place, where am I?

(CONTINUED)

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EVA Innocence is a grace, dig deep, the inner you, you will find your memory is true. She pulls at Victorias hand EVA (CONTD) The saviour will always find her place. They arrive at a small stream with water trickling down. (FLASHBACKS) A fast flowing waterfall, dancing figures, small hands holding the pendant. A young fairy places the pendant round a little girls neck, they smile at each other. YOUNG EVA It wont be long til we see you again, when it is time for your reign. Goodbye, so long Victoria. FLASHBACK DISSOLVES Eva dances in joy that the Saviour has come. VICTORIA I remember it, the dancing, the most magical flowers and the water so pure. Where are the other fair(Beat) Almost in a flash, Eva drops from her dance to sit on a rock. EVA (unsteady) They could not survive through, we fought for many years, our song and dance would keep the land in high spirits, but soon the misery sunk into the roots, it fed the new buds and the birds would eat their seed. We are close to the end of the battle. Eva looks up to Victoria EVA (CONTD) But there is hope, you will succeed!

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Victoria and Eva walk further into the forest, Eva tells her of the curse. INT. OLD ARTIST STUDIO - DUSK EVA VOICEOVER It was a cold winters day, as the fairies play, our man rushes down, falls to the ground. We laugh and we howl, we dont notice his cowl. The artist stormed off in stern, for never would he return. Not half a year had passed, but the winter took toll, his crushed heart could not console. Not even a glimpse, nor a peek. His loneliness and misery made his soul grow weak. A dark room silhouettes the Old Artist in his red suit, looking out onto the garden. He picks up a sheep skull from his desk, his last moments of darkness and misery he poured into the skull. ERNEST Spirit hear this curse I lay, on the fairies land to live in misery. Let the beautiful witch who tore me apart, age as old as I in her skin, her hair, her heart. He breathed the final words of his curse, Sorrow, for if this curse was to rift, the one who defeats will not lift, forever shall they rest in the depth, unable to take their last breath. With all of the strength he had left in him, threw the skull out of the window and to the garden below. He laid down in the darkness, his breathing slow before he closed his eyes. EXT. FAIRY WOODLAND - DAY EVA No further, we are but close, the darkness weakens my strength. Alia lies in the castle walls, be truthful and she will give you all. Go now, Victoria.

(CONTINUED)

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VICTORIA Thank you Eva, your kindness gives me courage. Victoria continues alone. It begins to get darker, dullness in the distance, undertone of death as Victoria climbs to the top. She enters through the archway of the castle. INT. STUDY - DAY Ms. Holloway is scrying through the mirror, the smoke pours down the black glass, a figure walks through the smoke. Ms. Holloway turns and scans the many books in her cabinet. Her skin is brighter, the colour in her hair is coming back. There is a framed painting on the wall behind her, Ms. Holloway when she was younger, Ms Holloway is looking more and more like the portrait. The desk is clear of all books, candles light the room. She casts a circle on the desk and begins a deep chant. INT. ALIAS HOME - DUSK Inside the castle, a Fairy sits by the window looking over the land. She holds her hand up as Victoria clears her throat. ALIA IMPOSTER! VICTORIA No! I ALIA No I will not be fooled! I saw the glisten in your eyes as you stole, the book my master from his heart poured. She thought back to that first page she read, the poem. Victoria reached for her neck, and found her pendant to show Alia. VICTORIA I never, the book called to me! I was meant to find it. This is my fate, the same symbol has been round my neck since I was young!

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Victoria stood strong, with all her strength built in her as Alia steps to her and hands her a lantern. She gives her the guidance for her journey ahead and pours her light into the glass lantern and fades from her vision. INT. LABYRINTH Victoria turns from where Alia left her, the breeze catching her hair, she knew she had entered the labyrinth. Victoria is overcome with loneliness, as surrounding shadows dance in a cold celebration on the walls. Victoria knew that the Curse had sent its strongest spirits to weaken Victoria, but as she holds the lantern high, beaming Alias red glow over the shadows, with the Fairys faith, she knew that she was not alone, as she carried on through the labyrinth. The next encounter curse threw upon Victoria was fear, the torment of failure, to be stuck in the depths of the labyrinth forever. Her mind racing through the Spirits fears, she breaks out with her hope of freeing the garden of this curse. She would not give up. Victoria continues deeper into the labyrinth, reaching the cave where the Skull rests. The heroine stands brave, she recites the poem from the book. The pendant around her neck glows bright, the skull begins to crack. The sound of water builds, the cracks creek from the pressure, suddenly the cave is pouring with water. Trapped, there is no escape for Victoria, she fights for her life. By defeating the curse, Victoria has saved the fairies world, but the curse leaves Victoria to drown in despair, as the water floods in. INT. STUDY - DAY Ms. Holloway stands over her book, in a room flooded with candle light. The witchs reflection in the mirror allows us to see both in front and behind, as she begins a spell.