The Eye of the Storm

A daring pilot flies into the eye of a hurricane to try and save
his parents.
INT. DUSK. A HOME IN A SMALL PORT VILLAGE
Rylynn, 19, awakes from a nap. He overslept. He throws on
some clothes and rushes out of his house. We see some family
photos and a cozy home as he rushes through it. He runs out
of his house and down to the docks to prep for his parents'
return to port after their day of fishing. Expecting to get
chewed out for tardiness, there is no boat docked. He gazes
out at the sea. They're nowhere in sight. The storm swirls
out on the horizon as it always does, the sky a deep hue of
purple and green. Rylan starts to worry. He calls over to
Hercule, an old family friend in his late 40s, on a separate
dock.

RYLYNN
Hercule! Hey, Hercule! Have you
seen them??
HERCULE
No!
Rylynn gazes back out at the sea. The storm swirling with
distant lightning flashes. Hercule comes over to reassure
him.
HERCULE (CONT'D)
I'm sure their fine, kid. Your
parents are the best sailors I
know. They know not to tread to
close.
RYLYNN
They've been gone since morning.
They're never out this late. You
don't think... the dark tides?
Hercule has a grim look on his face. The village whistle
blows from the lighthouse, signaling all ships to dock. The
dark tides at the edge of the storm begin to swell at dusk.
Rylynn runs over to the lighthouse and shouts up.
RYLYNN (CONT'D)
Ahoy! Do you see The Osprey out
there??
LIGHTHOUSE GUARD
Sea's clear! Is the Osprey not
docked??
RYLYNN
No! My parents are still out there!
The lighthouse guard checks the horizon again. No sign of a
boat and the sea is beginning to churn.
 2.

LIGHTHOUSE GUARD
Hang tight! Sounding for the Guard!

The lighthouse guard sounds the alarm. It rings throughout

the village. Rylynn rushes back over to Hercule, exasperated.
He beelines for Hercule's boat.
RYLYNN
I need to borrow your boat-
Rylynn tries to push past Hercule. Hercule holds him up.
HERCULE
Rylynn, there's noth-
RYLYNN
I need to get out there- Please, I
need to find them!!
Rylynn in his desperation tries to push past Hercule and jump
on his boat. Hercule contains Rylynn as Rylynn starts to
break down in his arms.
HERCULE
It's suicide, kid! No one's come
back from that storm in a hundred
years.
The Air Guard, a fleet of sleek nose propeller planes, roars
directly over their heads. Hercule and Rylynn watch the fleet
as they fly out over the sea.

HERCULE (CONT'D)
Keep faith. If anyone can save
them,
SMASH CUT TO:

EXT. DAY. COCKPIT OF RYLYNN'S PLANE

We see a shot of Rylynn flying high above the sea, near the
hazy wall of the storm.
HERCULE (OFF SCREEN)
They can...
We see a title card appear over an aerial shot of Rylynn's
lone plane flying that reads: "5 Years Later"
Rylynn looks a little older and more grizzled. The weight of
the past 5 years have weighed on him. We see a photo of
parents clipped to his cockpit.
 3.

He himself a member of the Air Guard now. He gazes down at

the sea below as he scours the perimeter of the storm,
keeping an eye out for anyone in need.. and still hoping to
catch a glimpse of his parents' schooner.
CUT TO:

EXT. DAY. A GRASSY FIELD

Rylynn sits alone with his pilot's field journal. He stares
at the sea and storm in the distance. He stands up and walks
back down to the port village. He heads towards Hercule's
house.
CUT TO:

EXT. DAY. HERCULE'S FRONT PORCH

Hercule is sitting on his front porch, drinking tea and
working on his fishing equipment. He sees Rylynn walk up.
HERCULE
You still daydreamin' about your
dream girl up on that hill?
RYLYNN
You guessed it...
HERCULE
Well until you find her, mind
giving me a hand with this reel?
Hercule goes to hand Rylynn fishing line.
RYLYNN
You see the call for volunteers?
HERCULE
Whatever they're asking, it's not
worth it, kid. I've seen too many
good people erased by that storm.
RYLYNN
I volunteered.
Hercule scoffs.
HERCULE
What do you think sailing into that
thing is going to accomplish? What
have you got to prove?!
 4.

RYLYNN
I'm not going to sail. I'm going to
fly.
Hercule laughs.
HERCULE
Great. Fly. Even better. Volunteers
for a research grant my ass! The
mainland scientists are just too
chickenshit to do it themselves,
because they already know the
fucking outcome! So they take
advantage of the good will of the
people of Angling. Because hey!
They'll go on a suicide mission to
hell. They're probably still
holding on to the hope that they'll
find a friend or their brother or
their fath-
Hercule composes himself.
HERCULE (CONT'D)
There's nothing to find out there
but chaos, fury, and death.
RYLYNN
Even so.. I have to find out for
myself. I have to know what's out
there. You're the only person I
could think of to tell. The only
one who I thought might understand.
Hercule drops his shoulders. He sees there's no talking him
out of it. He gives him a long hard look.
HERCULE
What are they asking you to do?
RYLYNN
Chart the circumference. They've
outfitted my plane. No one's ever
circumnavigated the entire storm.
They've never had the endurance.
But I'm not going to fly around
it.. I'm going to fly through it.
HERCULE
You're madder than I thought..
What's the Board have to say about
that?
 5.

RYLYNN
Fuck em. They want me to come back
and tell them what they already
know.. "It's big, scary, and
dangerous. Don't go near it." I
don't want to know what's around
it. I want to know what's inside of
it. I have to.
Hercule respects Rylynn's courage. He can tell this means a
lot to Rylynn. Maybe even the opportunity he's been waiting
for.. To find some peace.
HERCULE
Well kid, I was saving it for when
you got your first schooner, but
seeing as you prefer to be above
the water as opposed to in it..
Hercule reaches under his work table and hands Rylynn a
harpoon gun with a steel cable attached.
RYLYNN
Thanks Herc, but I'm going flying,
not fishing.
HERCULE
Hurricanes are full of monsters,
kid. You might need it.
SMASH CUT TO:

EXT. DAY. COCKPIT OF RYLYNN'S PLANE

We see Rylynn take off and head directly towards the storm.
Hercule and many of the villagers stand and watch as Rylynn
ascends towards his fate.
HERCULE (OFF SCREEN)
Where will you enter?
RYLYNN (OFF SCREEN)
Where it appears darkest.
HERCULE (OFF SCREEN)
God help you.
RYLYNN (OFF SCREEN)
I want to find the center.
We watch from the point of view of the village as they crane
their necks higher and higher as Rylynn flies towards the
darkness of the storm wall.
 6.

Hercule looks over towards his boat, one of the fastest and
sturdiest of the village. Just in case.. He signals to some
of the villagers.
HERCULE
Get your vessels ready..
CUT TO:

EXT. COCKPIT OF RYLYNN'S PLANE

As Rylynn's plane ascends higher above the fog and haze of
the storm's wall, the sky starts to illuminate. He's above
the wall now. The piercing sunlight sheds light on the horror
below. He flies along the edge of the storm, looking for the
right moment to penetrate the wall. He rolls towards a dark
cluster and thrusts forward towards the darkness until he's
fully immersed by black clouds and lightning all around him.
He tilts the nose down, into the heart of the storm,
searching for the eye.
The wind, the rain, and the dense clouds start to make
keeping control of the plane nearly impossible. The plane is
under assault. Rylynn increases the thrust, trying to push
his way through the storm as fast as the plane can take. The
wings are violently shaking and the windshield is starting to
crack. The altimeter is rapidly dropping. This is it. The
plane is at its breaking point. Rylynn is doing his best to
pull up.
Suddenly, he breaks through the clouds. The air becomes calm.
The sky becomes illuminated. Rylynn's plane is still in free
fall. He ejects the landing gear just in time lands the plane
harshly on a cliff in front of him.
Rylynn is in shock. He catches his breathe, unable to believe
he made it through that. He composes himself and looks
around. It is an utter paradise. A lush island with beautiful
beachside cliffs, white sands, blue water, with a glowing
blue and orange sky. The storm forms like an orbital wall all
around, dancing in the distance and kept at bay. He has
reached the eye.
Rylynn exits his battered plane and notices fierce looking
tropical birds flying all around the island.
AOIFE
Hello?
Rylynn jumps and turns around. He is shocked to find a woman
of incredible beauty in front of him.
 7.

RYLYNN
Yes? Hello. Where am I? Who are
you?
AOIFE
My name is Aoife. Where do you come
from, stranger?
RYLYNN
My- My name is Rylynn. I'm from the
village of Angling. Where are the
others?
AOIFE
I am sorry. I don't know what you
mean. I am the only human on this
island. You are the first person I
have seen since... since I can
remember.
RYLYNN
That- that can't be. Are you sure
there are no other people here??
AOIFE
I was cursed to live on this land
for eternity.. alone. A twisted
joke. But now you are here.
Aoife is enlivened by Rylynn's presence.
RYLYNN
I'm sorry. I can't stay here with
you. I came here to find my
parents.
AOIFE
Your parents?
RYLYNN
They were sucked into the storm
that surrounds this place 5 years
ago. I came here to find them.
Aoife looks sadly at the storm.
AOIFE
Anyone lost to the storm of souls
is doomed to remain. The gods who
cursed me here have ensured it. But
you have survived. The gods have
deemed you worthy!
 8.

RYLYNN
I don't understand. Worthy of what?
AOIFE
Worthy of life in this paradise.
Aoife gets closer to Rylynn.
RYLYNN
I thought you said this place was
cursed?
AOIFE
Look around you, Rylynn from
Angling. I want for nothing here.
The curse of this place is
loneliness, no one to share this
beauty with. But now that you are
here, we can share this paradise
together and live however we
desire! We could live like the
gods.
Rylynn is conflicted.
RYLYNN
I'm sorry, that was not my
intention of coming here.
AOIFE
Don't you want to live freely..
with me?
Rylynn notices the tropical birds have slowly started to
surround them.
RYLYNN
Why are there so many birds here?
AOIFE
They live as they wish and keep me
company.
Rylynn realizes these birds have a strange glow in their eye.
RYLYNN
Something isn't right. I need to
go.
Rylynn heads towards his plane. A cluster of birds land on
his plane.
 9.

AOIFE
You cannot leave, Rylynn. There is
nowhere for you to go. You must
stay here with me.
RYLYNN
No, no. My parents are here. I can
feel it!
Rylynn walks through some birds who are staring at him,
waiting to pounce. Behind him, Aoife levitates into the air.
AOIFE
You shall join them soon enough.
Rylynn turns to see Aoife floating above him. Her eyes have
turned sharp. Her face, twisted.
AOIFE (CONT'D)
Tell me pilot boy, haven't you ever
wanted wings?
Rylynn looks again at the birds and realizes. Aoife signals
to her army of birds.
AOIFE (CONT'D)
Get him.
Rylynn darts towards his plane, swatting the birds away as he
runs. He jumps into his cockpit just in time, pleading with
his propeller to fire up.
RYLYNN
Come on, come on! Yes!
The plane starts up and races down the field, shedding birds
off of its wings and lifts into the air.
Aoife transforms into a giant peregrine falcon and soars
after Rylynn.
Rylynn tries to gain as much altitude as he can to shake off
all of the birds swarming around him. Suddenly, a giant talon
hits his tail and sends him spinning. Rylynn tries to
stabilize the plane, losing altitude, but regains control. In
a massive dogfight with one giant falcon and hundreds of
smaller birds, Rylynn isn't sure what to do.
AOIFE
There's nowhere to run! Give up
this silly game. You'll soon be
free to fly to your heart's
content!
 10.

Rylynn dodges another attack. He leads Aoife near the

curvature of the storm wall. Aoife reels back and becomes
hesitant to get too close.
AOIFE (CONT'D)
No one leaves this place! Your soul
is mine!
The cursed birds start to fly headfirst into Rylynn's plane,
slowing him down. The windshield shatters, the propeller
stops, and Aoife grasps the plane within her massive talons.
The giant falcon savors the clutch of her prey, waiting to
deliver the final blow.
AOIFE (CONT'D)
When my sister fell prey to sea,
struck out of the sky by lightning
for wanting to dance in the rain, I
created this hurricane so that all
those who dare may feel my fury and
sorrow. Yet, I still give them what
my sister could never have.. a
place to dance freely in the sky,
forever.
Aoife opens her beak to cast the spell on Rylynn. Rylynn
hoists himself up above the cockpit and points Hercule's
harpoon at the falcon.
RYLYNN
I won't live in your cage.
The harpoon strikes Aoife before she can cast the spell.
Aoife turns back into her human form, giant feathers floating
around her as she and Rylynn's plane go streaming out of the
sky.
Rylynn quickly gets the propeller to fire up one last time.
He pulls up back into the sky, rolling the plane as he does
so that the cable wraps around the rear of the plane. Aoife
trails behind, attached by the steel cable and harpoon stuck
in her torso. Rylynn goes hurdling towards the storm wall.
The plane wobbles up and down, barely able to stay in the
air. The cursed birds chase after him, but are unable to keep
up and scared to go near the storm wall. The plane pierces
the storm wall and pushes deeper into the dark hurricane.
Barely able to stay in the air, the plane charges on. The
witch cannot survive it. She comes to and screams as she
tries to cut herself free when a massive blast of lightning
strikes Aoife and disintegrates her whole. The electric bolt
transfers to the plane as well. Rylynn passes out. The plane
careens towards the ocean.
 11.

As it does, the storm clears and the plane sails, peacefully,

into the ocean. Rylynn is still unconscious as the plane
sinks into the water.
Suddenly, a hand reaches down and pulls Rylynn free from the
cockpit. We see Hercule hold onto Rylynn as they are yanked
up out of the water onto a ship. They lie Rylynn onto the
deck of the ship as he jolts awake, spitting up water, and
inhaling deeply for the first time. He look up at Hercule.
HERCULE
Sight for sore eyes, kid?
RYLYNN
Wha...?
HERCULE
You did it, you crazy son of a
bitch.
The storm is finally over. The sky clears and the sun shines
bright. Rylynn looks around and sees a fleet of boats all
from the village. Rylynn looks to Hercule.
HERCULE (CONT'D)
You didn't think I'd totally leave
you for dead did ya?
RYLYNN
Thanks, Herc. I'm sorry. I couldn't
find them.. They're gone.
HERCULE
You sure about that?
Without Rylynn realizing it, they've sailed back to the
island. From the ship, we see hundreds of people in tattered
clothes standing on the beach. There are feathers swirling
all around the beach.
Rylynn sees his parents. He runs to the bow of the ship. We
see a close up of Rylynn's parents, their eyes filled pride
and tears of joy, beaming towards their son. We see a close
up of Rylynn beaming back at them.

BLACKOUT.