Earthbound Screenplay (ACT FOUR)

Earthbound Screenplay (ACT FOUR)

EARTHBOUND, ACT FOUR

FADE IN

EXT : PEACE VALLEY : EARLY MORNING :

The world is dark for only a moment before the pale blue light on the distant horizon is seen. It grows until it has enveloped the screen, and the recurring girlish voice joins it soon after.

VOICE
(anxious)
You're getting close! I can feel it! Please,
hurry. There's not much time left. Listen close--
not with your ears, but with every part of your
heart and soul.
(pause)
Ness, that's your name. I know it now. I'm Paula.
Please, come find me.

CUT TO:

EXT : PEACE VALLEY : MORNING :

With the camera focused in on his face, NESS awakes in a cold sweat. Clear beads of perspiration are running down his forehead. Though he appears heated and exhausted, he soon begins to shiver beneath the clothes he has piled atop himself.

The landscape is bathed in misty white fog. Every tree is nothing more than a ghostly gray-green figure. It is impossible to see more than a few meters into the distance.

Shaking, NESS gathers up the Sound Stone and his clothes, and stuffs them into his backpack. Then, he appears to change his mind and removes the Sound Stone. It glows in his hand. Even in the dense fog, it shines like a beacon.

NESS begins walking--his baseball bat in the opposite hand--as the camera cuts to a different view of the valley.

The river bank is not far from tunnel leading out of TWOSON CITY. It slopes downward sharply into swift, merciless waters. When the camera pans back up from the roiling surface, NESS is standing on the edge. To his left is a wooden bridge, its midsection shattered.

NESS
(speaking to himself, disappointed)
Just my luck. I guess if they did come this way,
they didn't want to be followed.

NESS peers over the top of the riverbank, his eyes analyzing the movement and depth of the water. He puts the Sound Stone in one pocket and holds tightly to his bat as he gets onto his hands and knees.

NESS (CONT.)
I hope this Paula girl doesn't mind if I show
up little late.
(pause)
And wet.

Streaks of mud are left on his clothes as NESS climbs down the steep bank and puts his feet into the river, but he does not react until the first bit of bare skin is exposed. NESS cries out, twitching and dancing about in chill waters with the bat held high above his head. The Sound Stone in his pocket continues to give off a faint glow that can be seen even as the level of the water rises above his waistline.

The camera focuses in on the pained expression NESS wears as he moves, though the river never swells much higher than chest-level. There is a feeling of anxiety about him as he struggles with the current to get to the other side.

NESS reaches out with his bat, lodging the thick end of it in the mud on the bank ahead. This he uses to pull himself out of the water and climb up to the grass where he collapses in a heap of wet clothes and flesh, shaking like a madman in the throes of death.

NESS
(shouting)
If Mom thinks I would rather be here than at
home, she's insane! I wish I never left!

In a fit of anger, NESS removes the Sound Stone from his pocket and pulls his arm back, ready to send the stone flying, but he stops himself and sets it down.

NESS sits up and begins to pull the clothes from his bag. Those at the very top are still dry, but the rest have been soaked by the river, including what he is wearing. He begins to undress, first removing the badge from his wet shirt, as the camera pans over the nearby landscape.

Some of the fog has cleared, revealing more defined shapes in the trees, hills, and short cliffs, but the white mist that remains blots out the sun entirely. The setting seems almost surreal.

Once NESS has put on dry clothing and reattached the Franklin Badge, focus returns to him as he drapes all wet articles over the low branches of a tree. They are to be left behind. NESS picks up his much lighter backpack, muddy baseball bat, and the Sound Stone, and exits the scene.

FADE TO:

EXT : PEACE VALLEY : LATE MORNING :

Some time has passed traveling. This is evident by the clarity in the landscape. Nearly all of the fog has lifted, though the sky remains a solemn, overcast gray.

NESS ascends a steep hill and stops to rest at its peak. This is when he notices that the Sound Stone is glowing more vibrantly. When he holds it close, it shakes, though gently. He concentrates on it while catching his breath, but this moment of respite is interrupted by a sharp snapping.

NESS stands and approaches the source of the sound, which takes him to the edge of a cliff roughly six meters off the ground.

The drop is a sharp one--straight down to a level plot of land bordered completely by cliffs of varying heights. Toward the northern end of this small section of PEACE VALLEY is a cottage with a green tile roof and white siding. It looks quite lonely among the sparse vegetation, but there are dozens of men working around it, all of them dressed in deep blue robes. They appear to be part of some common group or cult.

Most of the men, as the camera pans over them, are gathering wood in a pile. There are many tree stumps in the area, suggesting that this was once a thick forest. The trees that remain are being cut down and broken into manageable pieces.

NESS, wearing a curious expression, moves onto his stomach to hide his existence from the men below. His eyes scan the scene with caution and the camera follows from first-person point-of-view.

The southern edge of the enclosed valley tapers to a rounded point. There the cliffs are less deep and, at their base, is a manmade tunnel, which allows for ground-level access to the property. There is another tunnel entrance at the opposite end, but it has been sealed up with plywood boards.

Focus returns to NESS as he watches the activity below, a look of growing anxiety on his face. His visible emotions turn suddenly to surprise as he spots the front half of a parked car poking out from behind the cottage. Its body is royal-blue, set with a gleaming silver bumper.

NESS
(speaking to himself, quietly)
That car!

The scene cuts away to a brief flashback from the perspective of NESS: a blue car drives past his house on ONETT HILL and stops at the front gate of the MINCH RESIDENCE. ALOYSIUS MINCH and an unfamiliar man step out together.

When the flashback ends, the camera is focused on NESS. His mouth hangs open in surprise.

NESS (CONT.)
It's the same one. If not, I'll eat my hat…
(pause)
Or be in a helluva lot of trouble. I guess I got
nothing to lose. No going back.

NESS slips off his backpack and puts the Sound Stone inside, thus adding to the weight of the bag. Then, he chucks it off the cliff and waits with blatant apprehension. His hands are trembling.

One robed man notices the disturbance. He departs from the group while the other cult members remain occupied with felling a tree. As he inspects the bag, NESS drapes his legs over the edge of the cliff, bat in hand, and takes a flying leap.

With the element of surprise working in his favor, and the fall adding force to his attack, NESS collides with the robed man and a struggle ensues. The noise attracts the attention of others in the group, who enter the scene.

NESS drops his bat in the rising confusion and is pulled off the first robed man, who retreats. The backpack is taken, and when NESS sees this, his face is filled with anger.

The camera cuts in close to the center of the blue swarm as a blinding light erupts between the bodies. Everyone except NESS is thrown several feet through the air, some straight into the side of the adjacent cliff.

NESS, though he appears confident, is shaken after the sudden burst of energy. He falls to his knees out of exhaustion. It is apparent that he lacks the strength to continue the fight, but the robed men do not attack him. Those that are first to rise exit the scene in the direction of the cottage. The rest remain stunned, motionless.

After catching his breath, NESS gathers up his belongings and heads toward the cottage as well. He stops when a pair of robed men emerge. Their faces are hidden by tall blue hoods, but their eyes-- violent and dark--can be see through slits cut into the fabric.

HOODED MAN #1
What business do you have here, child?

NESS
(angry, tired)
I'm looking for a girl named Paula. She's gone
missing from her home and I'm the only one who
can help her.

HOODED MAN #1
(annoyed)
There is no one by that name here, and no
children, certainly. This is a place of worship,
what will be the church of the Joyous Blue. We
suggest you leave quickly before you anger our
high priest.

Before NESS can respond, the front door of the cottage opens again and PORKY steps out. His blonde hair is combed neatly and he is dressed in a pair of dark slacks with a sky-blue, button-up shirt and blue striped tie.

With an arrogant swagger in his walk, PORKY approaches the hooded men and stands between them.

PORKY
(smiling, a mocking tone to his voice)
Well hey there, bestest friend. What might you be
doing all the way out here...
(angry)
In the middle of nowhere.

NESS
I should be asking you that question. Where's Paula!

PORKY
(feigning innocence)
Paula? Who's Paula? Your girlfriend?
(chuckling)
I didn't think freaks like you had girlfriends.
Wow, you learn something new every day.

NESS
(angry)
Cut the crap, Porky!

PORKY
(interjecting)
That's Master Porky to you. I am now the right-
hand man to the founder of the Joyous Blue Cult--
Mr. William Carpainter. He's put me in charge of
his affairs and lets me do whatever I want.

NESS
(confused)
What the hell are you talking about?

PORKY
Only the greatest thing in the world, Ness! Two
days ago, my father and Mr. Carpainter met to
discuss our great new religion, and Mr. Carpainter
thought I had potential.
(smiling, smug)
He was right, of course. And so here I am now,
soon to be a king among men. All I need to do is
show people what they need to be happy, convert
them to the Joyous Blue, and as our numbers grow,
so will my power.

NESS
All right. I'm not even going to try and make
sense of what you just said. I don't care what
kind of weird, freaky cult you and your dad are
in. I only came to save Paula--and don't play
stupid! I know you've got her. You and your dad
are the ones who kidnapped her in Twoson!

PORKY
(stunned, furious)
Dammit! Fine! Maybe we did take some stupid girl
away from her parents. But who cares? She's a
nobody-- a freaky loser like you, Ness! And you're
not going to come between me and my plans.

NESS
Quit playing games, Porky, and tell me where she is!

PORKY
Games? Quite the contrary, Ness. I'm not playing,
and this isn't a game anymore.
(angry, speaking to the hooded men)
Get him!

PORKY steps back as his hooded cohorts rush at NESS.

NESS crosses his arms in front of himself, eyes shut. He is concentrating hard. A thin, dome-shaped barrier of light appears over him. Its surface ripples violently when the men strike it. They are unable to break through, but continue to wail on the unseen wall at full-strength.

A close-up shot of NESS is seen as beads of perspiration run like rivers down his face. Several seconds pass in which his face turns a deep crimson. Then he screams, arms out, and a burst of colored light appears. It seems to erupt straight from his heart, accompanied by a blast of melodious sound, before colliding with the robed men.

The bodies fall lifeless in front of PORKY, who stares at them in fearful anger. The camera focuses in on them also. A thick, pitch-black substance slowly begins to bubble out of the eyeholes in the hoods and soak into the fabric.

PORKY
(staring, in shock)
Sick!
(speaking to NESS)
This isn't over yet, freak!

PORKY retreats into the cottage.

Again, the focus is on NESS, who is red-faced and drenched with sweat. He is breathing heavily from exhaustion, but the furious expression he wears is evidence that he is not ready to lie down just yet. NESS follows PORKY into the cottage.

CUT TO:

INT : PEACE VALLEY : CARPAINTER'S COTTAGE : AFTERNOON :

The interior of the cottage is quite spacious, despite how small it looks on the outside. All pieces of furniture are covered in blue fabric, disguising their shapes. They are packed tightly together near the front entrance, leaving the far end of the front room empty.

A few hooded men remain inside. They approach NESS when he enters, but a sharp, masculine voice stops them. The owner of it is an elderly man standing in front of an angry-but-nervous PORKY.

This is WILLIAM CARPAINTER: obsessive and deranged. He is dressed in a slate-blue suit, the same color as his thinning hair, and leaning on a solid gold staff for support. The thick black frames of his glasses seem to add to the sharp lines cut into his face by time. Although he does not appear physically strong, this is made up for by his outrageous ideals and personality.

To the left of CARPAINTER is a large golden statue nearly as tall as himself. It has the shape of a human body, but set atop its head are fierce horns, giving it a demonic look.

CARPAINTER
(speaking to the hooded men)
Leave him be. He's only curious. Perhaps he's come
to learn about the Joyous Blue.

NESS wipes sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt, pushes past the men in his way, and approaches CARPAINTER and PORKY.

NESS
(angry)
I don't care about any of that nonsense! I'm here
to find Paula. I know you have her.

CARPAINTER
(stunned)
Well I don't know how you've found out about our
little sacrifice, but it doesn't matter now. She
won't be leaving-

NESS
(interjecting)
What do you mean sacrifice!? What've you done!

CARPAINTER
We've barely scratched the surface. The girl has
amazing power, it's almost inhuman. And that
power can be transferred to my beautiful
Mani-Mani god-
(indicating the golden statue)
Which, in turn, will be transferred to me. The
founder of a powerful religion ought to be
powerful himself, don't you agree?

NESS
I don't care about your stupid made-up religion!
I came to get Paula and I'm not leaving until you
hand her over.

CARPAINTER looks at PORKY, who moves off-screen. Then, CARPAINTER turns his attention back to NESS.

CARPAINTER
(annoyed)
We will not be releasing the girl, nor will you
be leaving. Those who do not submit to the
Joyous Blue will be punished accordingly. As for
you, dear boy, I believe your fate ought to be the
same as the men you left lying outside.

CARPAINTER stands upright, brandishing his golden staff. The Mani-Mani statue begins to spark and glow. Bolts of lightning fly from it, coursing through the staff, which CARPAINTER directs at NESS.

The thunderous clap of electricity fills the room as every stray bolt races toward its target. NESS is struck directly in the chest, though the charge concentrates on the badge he is wearing. There is another loud crack as the lightning recoils, doubling-back on the man who produced it. CARPAINTER is struck and NESS collapses from the impact.

Painful screams are heard as the electricity courses through CARPAINTER, making his skin sizzle and his hair stand on end. He falls lifeless mere seconds into the onslaught. Sparks dance on his body and a black ooze pours from his mouth and eye sockets.

With a look of shock and disgust on his face, NESS turns away, dry-heaving. The robed men in the room remove their hoods. They appear confused.

PORKY
(entering from off-screen)
Mr. Carpainter?

While NESS gathers his bearings, the camera focuses in on PORKY, who approaches the body of CARPAINTER with caution. He prods it with one foot. When there is no reaction, he searches the pockets of the suit CARPAINTER wears.

NESS stands and reenters the scene.

NESS
(stern, furious)
Where the hell is she?

PORKY jumps in surprise. He looks immediately to the robed men, who are currently off-screen.

PORKY
What are you waiting for? Get him!

The robed men all appear confused. They wear expressions of disdain as they look at PORKY and NESS

ROBED MAN #1
(confused, frustrated)
Who are you? And what the hell is this place?

Several of the men exit the cottage, bewildered. They converse among themselves. The few that remain look over their robes as if they have never seen them before.

PORKY
(striking and kicking the Mani-Mani statue)
Dammit! Useless piece of junk!

NESS approaches PORKY as the rest of the robed men exit. He holds his bat high, a fierce and angry expression on his face.

PORKY backs off into the wall, visibly nervous.

PORKY
Ness! Hey, come on! We're still best friends,
aren't we?

NESS
(winding up)
As if.

PORKY
(shielding himself)
Wait! Come on, I'm sorry! I-
(hesitation)
I just lost my mind. It's this thing, this statue.
Mr. Carpainter was using it to control people's
minds. It's evil.

NESS
And you were helping him.

PORKY
Yeah, but-
(hesitation)
But I've learned now that I made a mistake.
I thought this new religion was gonna help me
and my family, but I was wrong! Please don't be
mad, Ness. We grew up together--we're best friends!

NESS remains still for a moment, and then puts his arms down. PORKY stops cowering and grins.

NESS
I didn't come to deal with you. I didn't even
expect you to be here. Things just happened that
way. But here we are. And I'm not leaving without
Paula. Where is she?

PORKY
(pointing, sliding away from NESS)
In the back room. There's an opening in the floor
to the basement. Mr. Carpainter was keeping her
down there.
(pause, still moving)
Ness, just remember, we'll always be friends. Okay?

NESS does not respond. He exits the room, but the camera remains focused on PORKY, who is concealing a ring of car keys in one fat hand. He jingles them when he gets to the front door, grinning.

PORKY
(speaking to NESS)
Ha! Just kidding. Catch you on the flipside, loser!

PORKY exits quickly with keys in hand and the focus returns to NESS, who appears unfazed by the comments.

CUT TO:

INT : PEACE VALLEY : CARPAINTER'S COTTAGE : BACK ROOM : AFTERNOON :

NESS enters the empty back room of the cottage and immediately heads for an opening in the floorboards. A stone stairwell leads underground. NESS descends it as the sound of a car engine is heard coming from outside.

CUT TO

INT : PEACE VALLEY : CARPAINTER'S COTTAGE : BASEMENT : AFTERNOON :

At the bottom of the stairwell is a narrow hall and nothing more. The only distinguishing feature is a small cell along the right wall, and sitting calmly behind the bars is a young girl.

This is PAULA POLESTAR: soft and feminine. She is the perfect model of childhood innocence, though there is something very precocious about her. She holds a great deal of wisdom in her young mind. She is wearing a bright pink dress, two red bows in her bouncy blonde hair.

PAULA stands and smiles as NESS approaches.

PAULA
I knew you'd come.

NESS
Paula? Was it you who-

PAULA
Yes. I've been trying for a week, at least.
The only time I could get through, it seemed, was
at night--I suppose because you were asleep.

NESS
But why-
(hesitation)
I mean, how-

The conversation is interrupted by an explosion upstairs.

CUT TO:

INT : PEACE VALLEY : CARPAINTER'S COTTAGE : BACK ROOM : AFTERNOON :

Wooden boards and torn pieces of siding lay in a tangled heap on the floor. There is a gaping hole in the far wall near the basement entrance and, in the center on the hole, is the front end of a now-dented blue car.

PORKY sticks his head out the window, one hand on the wheel as he laughs. There is a hint of madness in his voice and a devilish grin on his face.

PORKY
(shouting to NESS)
How perfect. Ness, the freakshow of Onett, goes
to save his freaky little girlfriend, only to
find himself trapped--forever!
(laughing)
See ya later, loser! Then again, I guess I won't!

The car backs off and rams the cottage again, and the supports begin to give way. PORKY drives off as the roof collapses on the back half of the building.

CUT TO:

INT : PEACE VALLEY : CARPAINTER'S COTTAGE : BASEMENT : AFTERNOON :

Focus returns to NESS and PAULA in the basement. They are shielding their faces from the dust as it billows out of the stairwell. Pieces of the cottage are blocking their only way back to the top floor--an immeasurable mess of wood, nails and plastic. It looks as though the house has imploded.

When the dust settles, NESS looks upon the blockade, discouraged.

NESS
Oh, no. No! God damn him!
(looking at PAULA, shocked)
Sorry!

PAULA
That's fine. What happened?

NESS
(sighing)
Well, where should I start? Once upon a time,
an evil child was born into an evil family-

PAULA
(interjecting)
I meant what happened just now. It sounded
like the whole house collapsed.

NESS
It did. And we're trapped in here now. We can't
dig through all that.

NESS approaches the pile of rubble and pulls a piece off of it, causing the rest to shift.

NESS (CONT.)
One wrong move and the whole thing will come
down on us.
(pause, frustrated)
Great. This is wonderful! Exactly what I wanted
to do today.

NESS drops to the floor, letting the bat roll out of his hand and over to the cell gate. Knees against his chest, he crosses his arms atop them and buries his sweat-stained face.

NESS
(frustrated, on the verge of tears)
I'm so tired. I just want to go home.

The camera keeps focus on NESS as the sound of stone grating on stone is heard.

PAULA
(off-screen)
Ness, could you help me, please?

NESS looks up as PAULA struggles with a manhole cover at the far corner of her cell.

PAULA (CONT.)
Mr. Carpainter keeps the key on a hook at the
end of the hall. Let yourself in and help me
with this. It might be a way out.

NESS grabs his bat, stands, finds the key on the wall, and returns to the cell with it. The lock it fits into is rusted. It squeals when the key is turned, as does the gate when opened.

The inside of the cell is empty, except for a single chair, a table, and the rug that had been concealing the manhole.

PAULA struggles with the heavy slab of iron and, with help from NESS, is able to drag it away, revealing an opening cut deep into the Earth.

NESS
(surprised)
A tunnel! But how-

PAULA
(interjecting, smiling)
I've known it was here the entire time.

NESS
Well, then why-

PAULA
(interjecting)
I was waiting for you, of course. Although I
admit, I was starting to feel a bit worried.

NESS
(smiling)
Where do you suppose this goes then? Do you
know that?

PAULA
No. But we'll find out soon enough.

FADE TO:

EXT : PEACE VALLEY : UNDERGROUND : LATE AFTERNOON :

The scene fades to black as NESS and PAULA drop down into the tunnel system. Nothing can be see, but the shuffling of feet can be heard. At the far left corner of the screen, a blue light suddenly appears and casts its glow on NESS, who is holding the Sound Stone.

NESS gets onto his hands and knees, and then begins to crawl forward. He is careful about keeping in contact with the stone at all times while still holding tightly to his baseball bat with the opposite hand.

PAULA
(crawling behind NESS)
How are you doing that?

NESS
I don't know, actually. It's kind of a long
story, but every time I touch this rock,
it lights up like this--sometimes just a
little, and sometimes it's really bright,
like right now.
(pause, crawling ahead)
I think it has something to do with the
Sanctuaries.

PAULA
The what?

CUT TO:

EXT : PEACE VALLEY : LILLIPUT STEPS : LATE AFTERNOON :

Though much of the day has been overcast and gray, the sun has finally made an appearance on its path toward the horizon. It casts a blazing orange hue across the landscape as the camera pans over the cliffs and focuses in on a small, enclosed plot of land between them. There is a wide opening at the base of one cliff, and near it are bushes growing together in wide clumps. They conceal the entrance to the underground path.

One bush begins to quiver as NESS rises out of it. The stone in his hand is glowing brightly enough to be seen in the glaring sunlight.

PAULA rises up next to NESS a moment later, an expression of pure joy on her face.

PAULA
Oh, my! I never would have guessed.

PAULA steps out of the bushes and into the clearing. There are trails of child-size footprints running across it. As NESS enters the scene, the stone in his hand begins to shake.

PAULA
(dancing)
Ness, do you know where we are? I've been wanting
to come here ever since I was a little girl. This is Lilliput Steps.
They say these footprints were made by happy children
children a long time ago--or, that's what the story says, anyway.

NESS does not respond. He approaches the winding trails of footprints and gasps, suddenly, clutching the Sound Stone to his heart. He moves it to his forehead.

There is a sudden flash as the scene cuts away from NESS. The next segment is colored in sepia tone, suggesting a memory or flashback...

A baby lies on a blanket, its feet in the air as it clutches
them and smiles. The hand of an adult moves in and places a
a bright red cap over the baby. Music is playing, but it lasts
for only a few short notes.

Another flash and the dream sequence ends.

The camera focuses in on NESS, who takes the stone away from his forehead. It is no longer glowing.

NESS
(content)
There, see? Now it's over with. This must have
been one of them.

PAULA
One of what? A Sanctuary? What does that mean?

NESS removes his backpack and sets down the stone and bat. He takes a seat on the ground, in the center of the dancing footprints, and PAULA joins him.

NESS
I don't really know. I can try to explain, but
it's going to sound stupid and crazy.

PAULA
That's all right. We're friends now, and friends
listen to each other.

NESS
(hesitant)
Well, a few nights ago, a meteor crashed into
Onett Hill--that's where I'm from. I was sort of
conned into going up there to look, and-
(pause)
Then this thing attacked us. I don't even know
what it was--like a robot from outer space, or
something. Next thing I know, this light comes
outta nowhere, kills it, and there's a beetle
crawling up my arm, telling me about this stone
and the Sanctuaries of the Earth. Stupid, right?

There is a moment of silence between them as PAULA looks down at her feet. Her legs are stretched out in front of her and her black dress shoes are shining in the sunlight.

PAULA
(contemplative)
I had a dream about that. Well, not exactly the
same. But I dreamt of you, and of these other
boys--kids like us. I've never seen them before,
though. I never saw you before, either, ‘til now.
It took me a while to really get a good look at
you, though, and even longer to learn your name.

NESS
I still don't understand. How could you dream
about me without even knowing me?

PAULA
I just did, and it felt so real. You know how
dreams are sometimes. You wake up and you think
it's happened, because it really has! At least,
in some ways.
(turning toward NESS)
When we sleep, our bodies and minds shut down
and our souls can travel outside them for a while.

NESS
(skeptical)
That doesn't make sense.

PAULA
But it's true! It's how we found each other, and
how we'll find the other kids.

NESS
(interjecting)
Whoa, wait. Why do there have to be others? Why
do we have to go looking for people we don't
even know?

PAULA
You came looking for me.

NESS is stunned into silence.

PAULA (CONT.)
They're our friends. And when we find them, we'll
know what we're looking for.
(pause, looking at NESS)
You feel it, too, don't you? That awful hurt
inside that won't go away. No matter what you do,
it's always there-

NESS
(interjecting)
Eating away at you, driving you insane-

NESS AND PAULA
(together)
Making you feel like the world's gonna end...

PAULA
If we don't find what we're looking for.
(pause)
I'm lost, too, Ness. After trying to reach you
for almost a week, I figured you probably weren't
going to come, or that maybe you couldn't find me.
And then I felt it--you were so close last night!
That's when I knew this was real and that I had to
wait for you. You were on your way to save me,
just like any friend would.

NESS
(dejected)
Yeah, but I'm a freak. I don't have any friends,
only people who lie and pretend.

There is another moment of silence in the conversation.

PAULA
You know that boy, don't you? The one who was
helping Mr. Carpainter.

NESS
He's my next-door neighbor.

PAULA
(stunned)
Wow... awkward.

NESS
His name's Porky Minch, and he was my friend--
sort of. He always said he was, and we used to
play together, but I guess that was more
convenience than actual friendship.
(pause)
I don't know what to think about him anymore.

PAULA
We're friends now, aren't we?

NESS
Yeah, I guess we are.
(smiling)
After coming all this way, we better be, right?

PAULA laughs and NESS joins in. They continue this for several moments until they are forced to stop and catch their breath. Then, they are silent. Their eyes roam the landscape rather than look at each other. NESS reaches for his backpack suddenly.

NESS
(frantic)
Oh, shoot! I forgot! I left most of my clothes
hanging on a tree!
(looking at PAULA)
I had to cross the river this morning and I left
my clothes out to dry.
(touching his shirt)
These were all I had that didn't get wet.

PAULA
We could go and find them. Do you remember the way?

NESS
I guess so, but that could take hours. I didn't
expect to come out this far, or stay this long.

PAULA
Then we'll go in the morning. I'm sure nothing
will happen to them. It's getting dark, anyway,
and we won't be able to find them at night.

NESS
(sighing)
You're right. Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter.
I'm so tired I could sleep for days. I'm not
about to go walking around in the dark looking
for a pair of pants.

PAULA
We'll sleep then, and tomorrow everything will
be better. You'll see.

PAULA lies down, smiling at NESS.

PAULA (CONT.)
By the way, I see you found my Franklin Badge.

NESS
(shocked)
This is yours? I'm sorry! Someone in Twoson
just gave it to me-

PAULA
(interjecting)
That's all right. You keep it. It looks nice
on you. It's a good luck charm, you know.

NESS
(smiling)
Yeah, I know.

NESS gives up his backpack for PAULA to rest her head on, and then lies down as well, the Sound Stone held close to his heart as both children drift off to sleep.

FADE OUT
END ACT FOUR.