The Gem of Paran | An Original Screenplay By @WendyyWolfe

Scene 28

EXT. STREETS OF JERUSALEM - NIGHT

Slipping silently throughout the narrow streets of the city,
Temira goes straight to the palace, where she finally finds
Tzefan imprisoned in a deep cistern. On her hands and
knees, she peers through a small, barred opening at the
bottom of the wall and sees him sitting forlornly on the
damp floor. Mice scutter at his feet.

INT. CISTERN - NIGHT

Tzefan hears his name echo quietly off the stone walls of
the pit the night watchmen have thrown him into.

TZEFAN
(astonished)
Temira? Is that you?

TEMIRA
Yes!

TZEFAN
How did you escape from Jehdeiah?!

TEMIRA
He let me go!

TZEFAN
What are you doing here! You'll
get us both killed!

TEMIRA
Saving you! And apologizing for
not believing you sooner!

TZEFAN
Forget about it! Save yourself! I
left a donkey tied right outside
town. Perhaps you can reach the
sheep camp by morning. You need to
tell Micah, he'll know what to do.
(hesitates)
And Temira?

TEMIRA
Yes Tzefan?

TZEFAN
Thanks.

TEMIRA
Thanks for what?

TZEFAN
For being a friend. For, believing
in me...

TEMIRA
(snorts)
Save your thanks for later...when
I get you out of this mess. Do you
have your Flute?

TZEFAN
My Flute? Whatever for?

TEMIRA
Quickly! Toss it up to me and
don't ask questions.

She slips her arm down through the bars as far as she can.
Tzefan tosses the thin instrument into the air.

S.M. CLOSE UP OF FLUTE REACHING HER HAND.

She catches it on the first try. Her shadow passes over the
opening and he knows she is gone.

EXT. CISTERN - DAY

Tzefan is jarred from an uncomfortable sleep by the ground
shaking rumble of thunder. The sound grows closer with each
passing moment, then suddenly stops. Tzefan looks up at the
small, barred window hoping to see what is happening when he
hears a frantic hushed whisper.

TEMIRA
Tzefan! Get up!

TZEFAN
(quickly coming
fully awake)
What are you doing now?! I told
you to get Micah!

TEMIRA
I know what you said but we aren't
leaving without you!

TZEFAN
We? Who's we?

TEMIRA
All of us.

Just as the first shafts of dim light break through the
barred opening Tzefan is shocked to see Temira's face, and
all around her, the faces of his herd. He shakes his head in
utter amazement.

TEMIRA
Get ready Tzefan...we're breaking
you out of there!!

Within seconds Temira has several ropes tied to the barred
window which are attached to several donkeys. In moments
Tzefan starts to hear the sound of rock cracking. A
tremendous smile spreads across his face. In three heaves
the bars come crashing out of the window. Temira throws down
a rope that is already tied to Tzefan's donkey. With a sharp
knife filched from Micah she cuts the ropes away from the
other donkeys, they rear up and scramble out of the way.
Hearing a shout from down the city street, she urges Tzefan
to hurry shoving the blade into a scabbard sashed to her
waist.

TEMIRA
Hurry Tzefan! The guards are
coming!

Still smiling broadly, with the rope around his waist Tzefan
is lifted right out of the hole. He clambers to his feet.
Night watchmen have discovered the plot and are running up
the street toward them, but the roadway is too narrow and
crowded with donkeys. They cannot get through. Gathering up
the length of rope, Tzefan throws himself onto his ride and
drags Temira up with him and they take off with the whole
herd following in their wake. The guards give up and let
them go.