STARDUST KALIDEOSCOPE by Jie Lian

www.TheArtofJieLian.com

FADE IN: SANZU RIVER - NIGHT The camera glimmering small feet small girl slowly pans between lush foliage, bright with moths and fireflies. It stops as it reaches two covered in dirt. The camera pans up to reveal a looming over the Sanzu River. SHIORI Oh mother, I miss you. May I see you just one more time? The young girl cries, holding her face between her hands. A small frog rows over to her playing a flute in one hand. He hops onto land and his flippers almost seem to levitate right above the ground. SHIORI Little Kaeru, I don't want you to see me cry. Go to bed now please. KAERU I am not just any small frog, I am Takayomi, the courier of the dead. It's my job to ferry these souls to the other side! But you are very much alive .. At least I think so. The small frog jabs Shiori a few times with his flute then proceeds to sit by her. Her tears drop onto his tiny head. KAERU Well you are alive and leaking salt water. I've seen humans leak this water all the time while they sit by this river. Why is it you leak? Kaeru shakes off the tears from his head and bounces back to his small boat. He sets his flute down carefully and digs through his burlap sack. SHIORI Well my mother passed away recently. She was really sick and then one morning she never made breakfast. That day she never made dinner either, she never even got out of bed.

KAERU Sounds familiar, Sounds like .. SHIORI Then we brought her .. Kaeru interrupts her abruptly and holds out a kaleidoscope in his webbed hands. KAERU Come here only at night, starting tomorrow. When the moon rises and the fireflies dance, come watch me Ferry the dead across the river. SHIORI How will she see me if she's dead? How will I find her?! What if I never find her!?!? Shiori starts to weep again and her words become lost within her shuttering breaths. Kaeru starts to hop away and disappear into the mud and dirt underneath him. KAERU Only in the stars can you find your mother. Use the kaleidoscope I gave you to find your way. If you wish to speak to her, sail your letter across by candle light. The screen starts to fade black and Kaeru's voice still can be heard over the weeping of Shiori. KAERU Remember, the Stars. SANZO RIVER - LATE AFTERNOON, DAY TWO. Fade in after three seconds of darkness. Shiori is busily writing on a piece of Cyprus papyrus and folding it into a small boat with a candle inside. SHIORI Mother I hope you get this, I just want to tell you one last thing. The sun sets and the candle lit boat drifts into the horizon across the river.

SHIORI Oh yea! Kaleidoscope!! He said look into the stars. Humm, Why would they be up above? I guess spirits can fly. She holds out her Kaleidoscope and closes both eyes tight. As she opens her right eye, she peers through the Kaleidoscope into the night sky. Thousands of stars glimmer above and the moon is shining brightly. The camera zooms out to her still intensely staring at the sky. Around her feet and through the river are thousands of green spirits drifting to the sound of a small flute. The fireflies all stop flashing at once and the screen blacks out. SHIORI Not tonight, I don't see anything. Through this stupid thing, I can't even see the stars. The sound of the flute continues to play through the darkness and gradually stops. SANZO RIVER - DEEP INTO THE NIGHT, DAY THREE. The scene opens with Shiori standing out in pouring rain as lightening ruptures the sky. The Sanzu river crashes against the foliage as Shiori starts to run home with her umbrella bending in the wind. The camera zooms out into an extreme long shot and the depth of field is changed to focus on Shiori. Shiori's small stature almost gets enveloped by the waves untill it fades to black. SHIORI'S VOICE Tomarrow, I bet tomarrow will be the day! SANZO RIVER - MIDNIGHT , DAY FOUR The camera sits on a small paper ship as it pans across twenty more. All lit by candle and slowly drifting across the river. Then it cuts back into a medium shot of Shiori. SHIORI What stars, what stars, what stars?! She mumbles to herself anxiously and her mind is completely

focused on this riddle. SHIORI I know what stars are but why would my mother be up there? Grandma says spirits visit Keneo! Stupid frog. She kicks a small rock and loses balance. Shiori slips and falls sideways into the river. As she floats down to the bottom of the river, her arms failing trying to reach the top. The sound of a flute can be heard again. Shiori hears the music now and panics frantically while looking side to side. Her eyes slowly closes as she drowns, the camera tracking her almost graceful drop. Suddenly her eyes shoot open and she reaches around looking for the Kaleidoscope. She peers one last time through the viewing glass, looking through the murky water and into the night sky. KAERU Good Shiori, now watch close. Shiori keeps staring through the kaleidoscope as a giant water bubble forms around her. She gasps for air inside the bubble but her eye never leaves the lens. Her bubble is taken away by the roaming spirits following the music. KAERU Now don't be scared. Just keep watching. Shiori's bubble is taken through a coaster of up and downs as it follows the movement of the spirits. Suddenly the waves of the river, the ripples on the surface and the melodic movement creates a clear view through the kaleidoscope. SHIORI Mother! Mother!! How do you.. Shiori sees her mother looking down at her from one of the paper boats she made. Her mother's face radiates palely by the candle light. Her body made of stars themselves. SHIORI I must know! Why did you have to leave us?! Please wake up. Brother is sick too just like you. Please save him, I miss you.

THE SCENE CUTS SUDDENTLY TO BLACK ONLY TO HAVE THE FLUTE STILL PLAY FOR 5 SECONDS.

THE END