Scene 5.08 - The Palace Gates
EST: Valley, Late Afternoon.
(MARY and BUD arrive at what was once a large archway.)
MARY
These are the palace gates; I see the mosaic, see the tile? That was fired and set when I was a small child.
BUD
Mary, this foundation is over five hundred years old. Maybe a thousand. (Looks at it more curiously.) Maybe more. (Brushes dirt from tile.) Maybe alot more. I don’t understand. What is this supposed to mean?
MARY
We must go to the temple. We must see what happened here. This is a strange magic, indeed. If anyone is still here, they will be in the temple, protecting the Goddess... (Draws sword, starts to run, sword pointing away from her.) Come!
BUD
Mary, wait! Should we light a fire?
MARY
Not yet. We must see. Hurry!
(He follows her, closely. As they enter the temple, booby-trapped darts fly from the doorway into the back of BUD.)
BUD
Aaaaaaagh!
MARY
(Ducks, spins, goes to BUD, looks about, sees no one, begins pulling darts from his back. Sets down sword nearby, within reach. One dart is stuck in good, she breaks it off.) Stay calm, it’s a slow poison. They enemy dips their arrows in it. They must have trapped the temple... yet they haven’t desecrated it. That's odd. (Pause, looks back to BUD.) Bud, Bud, listen. I’ve got to cut into your wounds and wash out the poison. Take off your vest if you still can. Stay calm, if you get excited, it will quicken your agony and I won’t be able to save you. Now take off your shirt.
BUD
Oh, oh, this hurts plenty. If you need to cut me, use my knife. (Rigidly, he hands her his knife.) Oh, hurry, I think I’m going to pass out. (Tries to reach for darts, but cannot, removes vest.) Hurry.
MARY
Lean forward! (Sheathes sword and rips a piece of leather from the shoulder of her tunic) Here! Bite down on this and try not to swallow your tongue!
BUD
Mmmmph!
MARY
(Slices back of his shirt with knife, some of dragon tattoo is revealed, blood is everywhere.) Ohh, this is bad.
POV: TWO FEET IN FRONT OF BUD
(Pours canteen over first wound, quickly and expertly pops second barbed dart tip from second wound and repeats the cleansing; she does thirteen in all, eventually seeing the entire dragon tattoo before dipping into the pool.)
BUD
(As if he's in a painful, sexual position:) Aahhh, ooh, eeeeyah, twist it around, whydoncha?
MARY
That’s good, keep talking. Don’t go into shock. What's your name?
BUD
What?
MARY
(Digs in deep.) What is your name?
BUD
Bud! Bud Green. Aaah.
MARY
What is your occupation?
BUD
I’m independently wealthy-
MARY
What does that mean?
BUD
Aaahh! That hurts! Do you have to dig around in there like that?
MARY
What does independenteewelthee mean?
BUD
We all just used to chat online and complain... about how women ruined our lives... until we went in on an offshore cribbage casino... and struck it rich. Then we moved here... to get away from it all. Ohh, my head feels funky. I think I might puke.
MARY
Stay focused; think of work.
BUD
Ahhh! That’s my job! Watching money roll in. I’m talking crazy, am I gonna be okay?
MARY
You’re always talking crazy, now tell me about your apprenticeship!
BUD
My what?
MARY
(Pops out dart, examines it, he screams like a baby, she takes no notice, of course -- she’s cut men far worse. She’s only half-listening to him anyway.) What you did before the kibbij kissin' oh. Hold still. I don’t want to puncture your lung or sever your spine.
BUD
Kissing O? Oh, casino. Ow! You mean before? I... oh... ah... built bridges. I was an engineer.
MARY
Bridge-builder. Good. Tell me about that (Gets up, BUD falls limply from her lap to the stone floor, on his stomach.) as I clean your wounds. (Goes to fountain, fills cup on statue, waits a second, fountain begins flowing, fills canteen, washes blood-soaked rags. The temple pool begins to fill with cool water.) Hey, hey! Are you awake? I don’t hear you talking.
BUD
(Starts to pass out.) Whaja wanmee tahsay?
MARY
Tell me about the bridge you built. Was it wood or stone?
BUD
Reinforst concreed, bud before dat, I you stew blow-’em-up.
MARY
Blow-’em-up, what does that mean?
BUD
I you stew destroy dem.
MARY
Destroy a bridge? Why on Earth would you do that?
BUD
It waz my job. Demolishun specialis, You Ess Armee Core of Engineerz, Ford Lenner Wood, Mizzou-ree.
MARY
You were in an Army?
BUD
Yeah, fohwait years.
MARY
You were a soldier?
BUD
(Eyes closed, breathing slows. Feels nice, cool water splashing on his back as MARY wrings-out the rag Exhales.) Yeah.
MARY
(Pours canteen. Rinses blood off. Sees through watery blood trails from his back. Completely astonished -- with her right from the start. Moves lips, cannot speak. Tingles down spine. Finds breath. Absently puts sunglasses on top of head, smears blood away to reveal tattoo.) A dragon who bleeds red blood, riding on the back of a warrior... You!
BUD
(Weakly:) Hmmmm?
MARY
You were the one I was sent for. You are chosen to save the palace and end the war!
BUD
Huh?
(He sweats heavily and is heavy-lidded, the poison takes its toll.)
MARY
I assumed you were a woman- (No response from BUD.) Come on Bud, wake up! (Lightly slaps his face.) Stay awake! (She slaps him harder. No response from BUD. She sees the temple pool, nearly-full from the multitude of fountains pouring into it since Mary filled the statue's cup. She starts to drag BUD toward pool.) Let’s get you into the water, come on, nice cool water, it will wake you up and- (BUD’S loose arm drags and trips another trap. MARY narrowly escapes a volley of darts from pool-side.) They have trapped the whole temple! I must be more wary. (Puts sunglasses over eyes.) Bud! You still with me?
BUD
You’re pretty.
MARY
(Her eyes widen.) On your feet, come on soldier, on your feet! (She drags him, unable to lift him herself, petite as she is.) Oh, if only I had the antidote from our gardens! An opiate would calm you enough to ride-out the fever. Stay awake, Bud! Squeeze my hand. Squeeze it!
BUD
(One arm flops into the pool as she gets him to the edge. He opens his eyes.) Ahhhh, wadder.
MARY
Yeah, water, nice cool water. (Cups some in her hand, pours it over his forehead.) Feel better, does it feel better? Bud? Bud? (She begins shaking him, rocking him, he lifts an arm toward her.) Oh, good! We’re gonna roll-into the pool now, and the cool water will feel real good, okay? I want you to hold onto me and I’ll do the swimming for you, okay? Squeeze my hand if you understand we’re going into the water. Good, now hold your breath!
(They roll into the water.)
MS: The Couple Submerged
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