top of page
Writer's pictureJacob L. Hollingsworth

JESTER BUSKEE S1C9: THE NIGHTMARCHERS

(Jester, Tako and Davidson trail Madam Cara's forest green jeep out towards the outskirts of Pinaii Island where high grassy plains covered the mountain side next to a large body of water.)


DAVIDSON: Wow. It's really beautiful out hea.


(Madam Cara parks her jeep on the dirt road, and steps out onto the rocky ground. The 3 follower her and get out of Tako's car and approach Madam Cara.)


MADAM CARA: This is where they live, out here. They recognize me, so you three might have to stay back here and wait for me to come back.


TAKO: No. We can all go.


(Madam Cara turns to Tako with a slither of surprise.)


MADAM CARA: You willing to risk your life? You're from this island; so you know what will happen if you go up there. Unless...


(Madam Cara tips her chin upward right in suspicion.)


MADAM CARA: I did sense a little somethin' from you back at the shop.


(Tako simply nods.)


MADAM CARA: Why-- I don't believe it. Well, let's go then.


(The four of them begin to walk up the side of the hill approaching the grassy lands. Madam Cara leading the way.)


JESTER: What was she talkin' about? What's going on?


TAKO: The Nightmarchers are watchers over our land. They are our protectors. Essentially they keep a balance of the island. Making sure no spirits cross that line, and no humans cross their lines. Humans are never suppose to see Nightmarchers.


(This confuses Jester, because he considers Tako, himself, and Davidson "human".)


JESTER: So what are we doing here?


TAKO: That's the point: humans are never to see Nightmarchers, unless, they are accompanied by someone of the ancient bloodline. The bloodline of the Nightmarchers. And that's me.


(Jester and Davidson look at each other before Jester gives a response.)


JESTER: So that's why your eyes can do the whole "glowing thing" you do, right?


TAKO: Yes. I'm not as powerful as the Nightmarchers though. A lot of my powers were stripped according to my father because he wanted to leave the Mountain Side of the Nightmarchers to live in the city. He thought it would make life too difficult for him and the family. So he sacrificed it. And here I am. I was born in the cities.



[The sun begins to set West on the mountain's horizon.]


JESTER: Hey I don't mean to be a nagging city kid, but how much further?


(Madam Cara looks back and smiles, and then keeps walking upon reaching a side of the mountain that is horizontal and not diagonal and continues to walk facing forward with a grin.)

MADAM CARA: We are already here.


JESTER: So what are we still walking for?


MADAM CARA: They already know we're here. They will approach us on their time. Not ours.


JESTER: This is quite spooky; are we suppose to wear something special when we meet these guys? I feel like I'm under dressed to be meeting guardians of an island.


(As they continue to walk, they start to hear loud, echoing, and horrifying screams growing loud surrounding them. Loud enough to hear from a distance off of the island onto the waters and beyond.)


"AAAAAHOOOOOOOUUUUUHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! AA-AAh-OOUUUHHHAAAAAAAAA!!! AAAAAHOOOOOUUUUHHHAAAAA!!!"


(The 3 look around trying to locate where the screams were coming from, but there was no direct line.)


MADAM CARA: They're ready.


(The 3 continue to look around frantically still attempting to locate the source of the continuous loud screaming.)


TAKO: Up-- over there!


(Tako points to the West of him in the distance as he spotted red eyes glowing from behind bushes on a hill. Wearing a skull as a mask.)


DAVIDSON: I think they're everywhere.


(Davidson spots someone walking along the trail they came up on. Eyes glowing, and he seemed to be walking with something along the side of him, like a staff of some sort.)


JESTER: Ah-- what the hell!? Do you guys smell that?


(Tako smells the scent next and reacts. Davidson scrunched his face after smelling the foul odor.)


TAKO: Smells like... like eggs.


(Another comes up from behind the land horizon closest to the water, and now they could make out what one of the figures looked like. Also wearing a human skull as a mask with red eyes glowing. Shirtless with animal fur for the rest of his get-up. Fog began to grow heavier and heavier now around them. Now, fire brimming torches appeared around them in cornering fashion. More glowing read eyes continued to appear until they were completely surrounded. The screaming finally stops as the eyes halt in their approach. A loud roaring voice just as loud as the screams echoed from the grey shrouding.)


VOICE: What have you brought here, Mohit!? This land is sacred! --


MADAM CARA: WAIT! PLEASE!


VOICE: You risk your life for these humans? WHO... ARE... THEEEEEYYY!?


TAKO: I AM ONE OF YOURS!


(There is a silence. Then, a huge burly man standing seemingly 8 feet tall comes from outside of the fog wearing the skull of a bull... or maybe it was a lamb as a mask. Next, he removes it. Revealing the face of a man seemingly in his early or mid 40s. A clean shaved handsomely structured jawline and cheek lines. He also had a dimple in his chin. His voice much softer now as his eyes were no longer glowing that red color.)


NIGHTMARCHER #1: INDEED... you are.


(There was another silence as this man and Tako gazed at one another.)


NIGHTMARCHER #1: Take them up the mountain!


(The huge man turned around and walked back into the fog.


Up at the top of the mountain was camp-like setting with no technological advances in sight. There was a complete village of these... Nightmarchers. Children, adults, elderly. All together. Children running and playing like children back down below. Some adults sat by the edge of the mountain gripping their weapons tightly; standing guard. All of the clothing was made of fur. This could have easily been mistaken for B.C times. There is a huge campfire where some of the Nightmarchers prepared... "dinner"? Madam Cara, Jester, Tako and Davidson were all sat down by the fire quietly.)


JESTER: So what are we suppose to do now?


MADAM CARA: We wait for the Moi.


DAVIDSON: The what now?


MADAM CARA: The Tribe Moi; the Tribe King. He was the really big one down at the bottom of the mountain. Here he comes now.



(The Tribe Moi comes walking toward the them amongst the huge campfire. He sits besides them.)


MADAM CARA: Strange you wanted to talk out here.


(The Moi looks at Tako, then exclaimed...)


THE MOI: They need to know who their people are. You have brought family home. Welcome, Tako.


TAKO: You know my name?


THE MOI: ... I had to ask the elders. They certainly remember you. And your father. You look like you have aged just like the humans.


TAKO: Yeah...


THE MOI: How old are you?


TAKO: Depends on what age scale we're looking at, haha.


(Jester and Davidson are now completely confused. The Moi smiles...)


THE MOI: In our years.


TAKO: Well, I'm 152 years old.


(Jester and Davidson's jaws drop.)


THE MOI: My friend. I am only ... 21 years older than you are. I am 173.


TAKO: Ahh, okay.


THE MOI: Ahaha. I've heard stories about your father. He was the 1st Nightmarcher to leave this Sacred Place.


(There's an awkward silence before The Moi changes the subject matter.)


THE MOI: What brings you home?


(Tako looks over to Madam Cara.)


MADAM CARA: We have come for your permission.


THE MOI: For?


MADAM CARA: Well, these gentlemen have gotten themselves mixed up in some very wicked stuff. Ain't that right boys?


(The 3 remain silent.)


MADAM CARA: The Devil himself has a... death mark on these boys. They came to my shop trying to get a hold of my tools to help them fight him.


(The Moi looks over to Tako in disappointment.)


THE MOI: How'd you get yourself mixed up in this?


TAKO: I...


JESTER: Look, if you just give her permission to let us use those tools, we'll be out of here as quickly as possible. Or we can just go to some other magic shops, right?


DAVIDSON: The power on this land, with these tools is unlike anything I ever seen. Where would we? We need as much power as we can get.


(The Moi gives a demeaning stare towards Jester.)


TAKO: Can we make this a quick thing?


(The Moi looks back at Tako.)


THE MOI: You should stay here. Home. We can protect you. There are lines The Devil himself will not cross.


TAKO: ... I don't belong here. I belong down there. No offence, but this isn't my home.


THE MOI: ... I understand.


JESTER: Look how about I make this easy for you: you let us go and use your tools, and I won't set fire to this entire camp site.


(Everyone looks over at Jester in complete and utter shock. A deeming of fear also on the expressions of Tako, Davidson and Madam Cara.)


MADAM CARA: Have you completely lost your mind!?


TAKO: What the hell are you saying, man!?


(Jester wears a smug look staring at the king, and responds.)


JESTER: Go on, tell them. You were never going to allow us to leave here alive. That right?


(The Moi looks on and raises his chin with conviction.)


JESTER: I knew it from the moment we arrived up here. That's why he keeps trying to convince you to stay. It may not be his decision, but it's his order and demand.





*JESTER BUSKEE FLASHBACK*


JESTER: The guards lined up gripping their staffs and weapons when we arrived up here...


"...Some adults sat by the edge of the mountain gripping their weapons tightly; standing guard..."


JESTER: The time he spent separated from us speaking with, "The Elders"...


"(The Tribe Moi comes walking toward them amongst the huge campfire. He sits besides them.)


MADAM CARA: Strange you wanted to talk out here.


(The Moi looks at Tako, then exclaimed.)


THE MOI: They need to know who their people are. You have brought family home. Welcome, Tako.


TAKO: You know my name?


THE MOI: ... I had to ask the elders. They certainly remember you. And your father."


So it was their demand to kill us. Not yours.


"MADAM CARA: They already know we're here. They will approach us on their time. Not ours."


JESTER: That's why they didn't approach us right away. They were devising a plan, because they're scared. He went back to the Elders to confirm what the plan was, because he was afraid to execute it.


"(More glowing read eyes continued to appear until they were completely surrounded.)"


JESTER: That's why they sent so many Nightmarchers down to the bottom of the mountain. They're obviously not afraid of her. She's been up here before. So my second assumption, was that they were afraid of the three of us. But he was more than willing to speak to Tako and welcome him. He's spent very little time speaking to Davidson, and me. Tako's family, right? So why would he be afraid of him? So it's me and Davidson. But the look he just gave me confirms...



"(The Moi gives a demeaning stare towards Jester.)"


JESTER: He's afraid of me. Which means, he knows a lot more about me than we do at the moment.




Yorumlar


bottom of page