Sc. 24 EXT - FORESTED HILLSIDE - DAY
Brigid is stomping up the wooded hillside. She reaches up to push a branch out of the way of her head but only the Shadow-branch moves under her hand. She flinches as she realizes she is walking THROUGH the physical form of the branch. In her shock, she lets the Shadow-branch slip from her grasp and it whips back to smack her painfully across the cheek.
BRIGID: Ow!
Her hand darts to the sore spot. A glistening gash forms and tiny sparkles detach from her cheek and escape into the air.
Brigid frowns at the double imaged branch and reaches for it again. When she tries to push the branch away, only the Shadow moves and her hand goes through the physical form, just as with her own physical body.
A little disturbed, Brigid continues climbing the hill, carefully moving Shadow-branches from her path but still ducking their physical forms, as well.
Sc. 25 EXT - HILLTOP - DAY
Brigid emerges from the trees at the top of the hill to find an ancient Hawthorn hedge, gnarled and looming 9 feet above her. The hedge disappears into the forest in either direction.
She approaches the hedge and tries to peer through it. She reaches a hand into the hedge to make a hole and stabs herself on the vicious thorns she had failed to notice.
BRIGID: Ow!
Brigid watches more sparkles escape into the air. For a moment it seems she is going to cry but she takes a steadying breath and chants to herself.
BRIGID: It's okay. It's not blood. It just stings a little.
She looks around and considers the birch trees. One of the trees soars above the height of the hedge. Biting her lip, Brigid approaches the tree and studies it for a moment then begins to climb.
Sc. 26 EXT - HIGH IN THE BIRCH TREE'S BRANCHES - DAY
Brigid is almost level with the top of the Hawthorn hedge which is covered with white blossoms where the sunlight touches it. She reaches up for another hand-hold but stops and clings to the steady Shadow-trunk, closing her eyes as the tree's physical form bends heavily in the wind, swaying through Brigid and back again.
When the wind drops, Brigid risks opening her eyes and climbs another few feet. Her mouth drops open and she wraps her arms around the trunk again as she sees over the top of the hedge.
Beyond the hedge, the land drops steeply away to a deep valley surrounded on three sides by a horse-shoe of sheer cliffs. The white-blossomed hedge extends right around the top of the cliffs.
A long way round to the east, the hedge is suddenly twice as high and the square edges of a stone structure peeks out against the early morning sky. Brigid is aghast.
BRIGID: It's miles away.
She steadies a trembling lip, steels herself and carefully begins the journey back to the forest floor.
Sc. 27 EXT - HEDGE-LINED CLIFF TOP - DAY
The trees' shadows grow shorter as Brigid follows the Hawthorn along the cliff-top. The forest is thick and it is hard going. Brigid is not happy when she sees a fallen tree, three times her height, blocking her path.
BRIGID: Great.
She studies the trunk and, finding no hand-holds, chooses a tree nearby and swings herself into the Shadow-branches. She climbs a couple of meters, then, carefully, she leans out and stretches one foot out toward the top of the fallen trunk. She cannot reach it.
Brigid pulls her foot back in, changes her grip on the tree she is in and tries again. Again, it is too far.
She prepares herself one more time and jumps. Her feet reach the fallen tree-trunk but continue on through the bark.
Sc. 28 EXT - INSIDE FALLEN TREE TRUNK - DAY
Brigid squeals as she falls and then lands on her back inside the rotting tree trunk.
She picks herself up, easily standing within the ancient tree. She examines the inside of the trunk. She reaches a hand out and her fingers go through the bark.
BRIGID: Okay, if it's dead I can walk through it - Ew!
With complete confidence she walks out through the tree bark.
Sc. 29 EXT - OUTSIDE FALLEN TREE TRUNK - HEDGE-LINED CLIFF TOP - DAY
Brigid steps through the bark of the fallen tree trunk.
BRIGID: Okay. Starting to understand this place.
She continues following the Hawthorn hedge.
Gradually the forest thins and the ground begins slope away from the hedge less steeply. Eventually, the thinning forest reveals a steep drop barely ten meters away.
As the ridge narrows further, the hedge becomes higher and the forest disappears, giving way to a square hill of matted Hawthorn. Brigid can clearly see the stone peeking through the hedge.
BRIGID: Yes!
Brigid sprints for it.
YOU ARE READING
The Shadowkeeper **Feature Screenplay**
Fantasy** Wattpad Featured Story!** A young girl arouses the wrath of an ancient Scottish water spirit who takes her brother's soul in revenge. To save him Brigid must journey through the Shadow realm, begging help and proving herself to each of the totem...
