Still Valley At 20,000 Feet - Mike Burns (good ebook reader .TXT) 📗

FOCUS as he climbs up front steps, approaches window.

Paradine picks up a piece of the flower-pot.

SERGEANT PARADINE
Wind...must be the wind...has to be the wind! (looks around)

Paradine turns away from window and walks to end of porch. FOCUS on window as a human hand creeps up onto the window-sill. FOCUS in closer as the hand moves forward to get a firmer grip on window sill. Hand shifts, and something else is heard to clatter to the ground (perhaps another flower-pot fragment). Paradine whirls back to window and sees the hand. Hand withdraws. Paradine lunges toward the window, rifle held at the ready.

SERGEANT PARADINE
All right, in there, you best come out now. You hear? You better come out now, or I’m comin’ in!

Paradine listens intently, hears footsteps within house, moves away from window to take a commanding position in front of the nearby door.

An elderly, grey-bearded man, in dark trousers and shirt with hat, holding a large, leather-covered book, steps through the door, regarding Paradine with mild annoyance, but not fear. Paradine’s expression softens, and he lowers the barrel of his rifle. The old man doffs his hat.

SERGEANT PARADINE
Hello there, old man. You don’t know how close you come to dyin’ just then.

Old man steps close enough to look directly in Paradine’s face.

SERGEANT PARADINE
Now, you better tell me just who you are, and what you’re doin’ here.

OLD MAN
I was just about to ask you for the same information, son...when I first seen you comin’ up the street, I thought you was a Yank.

Paradine regards old man curiously, turning his head slightly and looking askance at him.


////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
OLD MAN
You don’t know how close YOU come to dyin’.

FOCUS on Paradine, who looks amused.

SERGEANT PARADINE
What was you gonna use, Grandpa? That book? That’s a pretty heavy thing to be throwin’!

OLD MAN (smiles, touches book almost reverently)
This book. But I wasn’t aimin’ to throw it. Just use it.

The old man looks out at street.

OLD MAN
Like I used it on them.

Old man takes a step toward street, staring out into it, pleased by what he sees.

OLD MAN
I done that, you know.

(CUT TO)

EXT. LARGE TENT WITH GUARDS IN FRONT OF IT, NEXT TO GAZEBO WITH CHURCH BUILDING WITH BELFRY IN BACKGROUND AFTERNOON


OLD MAN (Voiceover)
Put ‘em all to sleep.
(CUT TO)

EXT. PORCH WHERE PARADINE AND OLD MAN STILL STAND AFTERNOON

Old man still looking out with evident pride and pleasure at the frozen soldiers in the street. Turns and looks at Paradine.

OLD MAN
You don’t believe me, do you? You think I’m lyin’.

SERGEANT PARADINE (doubtful expression)
I ain’t callin’ you no liar. SOMETHIN’ happened to ‘em. But there must be some natural explanation. They just couldn’t...

OLD MAN (laughing)
Natural explanation!

Focus on baffled look on Paradine’s face.

OLD MAN
Now don’t that take all! (looks down at book fondly, rubbing it reverently) This here’s what done it! (turns it and holds it up for Paradine to see) This here book.

.//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

FOCUS on book. Leather cover, gilt lettering, and the title reads “Monumentum De Omnis Magicum Artium.”

SERGEANT PARADINE
Listen here, old man. You may be harmless enough, but I got no time to fiddle around with black magic, or any other old man’s games (walks past, knocks book from the old man’s hands).

OLD MAN
Games? Games, you call it? There in front of you stands the enemy. Not even a twitch. Not even movin’ a’ eyeball. Well! (bends over book on ground, reads aloud from it) “Ye soldier conjured here, in the name of the Prince of Darkness, ye shall remain silent and still.”

FOCUS on Paradine’s face as he bends over the old man.

Paradine freezes, as completely as the Union soldiers out in the streets of Laysdell.

FOCUS on old man's face, looking up with mischievous joy at what he has wrought.

OLD MAN
How ‘bout it now, Johnny Reb? You believe me? I reckon you believe me now, bein’ as you can’t move a muscle. Bein’ as you can’t speak even a word out loud, you’re just gonna have to stand there, and listen...listen to me speak at you. (slowly stands up)

Teague chuckles a little.

OLD MAN
Oh, I know you can still hear me. I only used a little bit of what power I COULD have put into that spell. My name’s Teague. I live down yonder by the creek. I’m a witch man, from way back. I know conjurin’ stuff backwards and forwards, and up and down. It’s my livin’. An’ then the Yanks come. All the people runnin’ a’fore ’em. Except me. Invaders! Tyrants! Thievin’ skunks in blue! I fixed ’em! I didn’t do no runnin’. I opened the book, and I read the words. You can see what happened to them. Now...now, you listen to me Johnny Reb. You’re a secessionist. You fight the Yanks. Now, you be good, don’t give me no argument. Blink yore right eye. (Paradine’s right eye blinks) Now, you’ll be able to move again as soon as I read the words. (bends over book again) “Ye soldier conjured here in the name of the Prince of Darkness, ye can now move and speak.”

Teague looks up. Paradine moves once again, straightening up and flexing his hand, breathing in, as if shaking something off. He looks at Teague skeptically.

SERGEANT PARADINE
Hypnotism!

OLD MAN TEAGUE
Hypnotism? Hypnotism?