Production #V703 - Episode 3

WRITTEN BY
Melissa Good

PRODUCED BY
Carol Stephens

SCREENGRABS
Judi Mair

ARTWORK
Lucia

EPISODE TITLE GRAPHIC
Judi Mair

TEASER

FADE IN

1.

EXT. A CAMPSITE - NIGHT

It is dark and the sky is cloudy. Small stripes of moonlight lay across two sleeping figures under a large set of furs. Nearby, a fire burns low. The figure closest to the fire begins to move, twitching and murmuring.

GABRIELLE
N...no...

Xena wakes up and peers at her, very concerned. Gabrielle does not wake, instead, she becomes more agitated. 

GABRIELLE
(cont'd)
Oh... no... Please...
no... no, not...

XENA
Gabrielle.

Xena shakes Gabrielle gently. Gabrielle’s eyelids twitch, but remain closed, and suddenly we can see her dreams.

INTERCUT TO:

EXT. JAPA - VILLAGE - NIGHT

Gabrielle runs through the night, searching.

INTERCUT TO:

EXT. BATTLEGROUND - NIGHT

A stark, horrific view of Xena’s dead, mutilated body hanging,
seen from Gabrielle’s perspective, fading as first tears,
and then blood obscure Gabrielle’s vision.

GABRIELLE
Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!

INTERCUT TO:

EXT. A CAMPSITE - NIGHT

Gabrielle sits bolt upright, horrified.

GABRIELLE
NO! NO!!!!!
DAMN YOU!!!!

Xena grabs Gabrielle and turns her around, shaking her a little. 

XENA
Gabrielle! It’s okay.

Gabrielle stares at Xena, but she does not relax, and her expression remains both anguished and fearful. Xena reaches behind her and picks up a cup. Gabrielle’s eyes fasten on Xena’s hand, and remain fixed there as Xena brings the cup to her lips.

XENA
(cont'd)
Here, take a drink. 

Gabrielle takes the cup, but she folds her hands around Xena’s hand and closes her eyes, her body at last relaxing in relief. 

GABRIELLE
Sorry. I wasn’t sure if
you were really...

Xena looks very concerned.

XENA
I know.

GABRIELLE
Here. 

(beat)

Damn. 

Gabrielle wipes the hair out of her eyes. Her hand is shaking. Xena takes her hand and clasps it.

XENA
I can give you something so
you can sleep. You’ve been
up for days, Gabrielle. 

GABRIELLE
I know.

XENA
Then let me...

Gabrielle squeezes Xena’s hand.

GABRIELLE
Xena... It’s just going to take
time for me to get your
murdered, headless body
out of my dreams.

(beat)

I’ll be all right.

Gabrielle gets up and sits by the fire. Xena watches her, then gets up to sit next to her. Gabrielle stares into the flames, but reaches out to take Xena’s hand and holds it between both of her own.  

FADE OUT:

2

EXT. ROAD - DAY

Xena and Gabrielle walk along the road. Argo walks along behind them. The road is well constructed and maintained. Gabrielle appears tired, and Xena keeps an eye on her as they travel. 

GABRIELLE
I thought after you came back
it would get easier. I don’t know
what it is, I just can’t seem
to shake what happened. 

XENA
I know it’s tough. 

(hesitant)

But we’ll find a way to
put it behind us. 

GABRIELLE
(softly)
Will we?

Xena reaches over and rubs Gabrielle’s back. 

XENA
Just give it some time. 

GABRIELLE
Easy for you to say.

(smiles)

I’ll just keep trying,
I guess. 

There is a loud rumble coming towards them. Xena and Gabrielle look up to see a fully loaded wagon rolling at them at full speed. Four horses pull the wagon, and it takes up the entire road.

XENA
Hey!

Xena waves her arms, attempting to attract the driver’s attention. The wagon does not slow down. 

GABRIELLE
Xena, those horses are
not going to pass through
you. We need to move. 

XENA
Take Argo, move over there. 

Xena keeps trying to stop the wagon. The driver obstinately ignores her and keeps his head down, yelling at the horses and striking them with a short whip. 

XENA
(cont'd)
Slow down! You!
Hey buddy!

Gabrielle leads Argo off the road, and turns, her face tense with fear as she watches Xena.

GABRIELLE
Xena, get out of there!

At the very last moment, Xena leaps out of the way. The wagon almost brushes her as it rushes past, the horses sweating and snorting as they run at full speed.  Xena and Gabrielle watch it disappear around the bend. 

XENA
Friendly travelers. 

GABRIELLE
(grim)
Maybe he was late
for a funeral. 

Xena and Gabrielle continue on their way.

CUT TO:

3.

EXT. CROSSROADS - A SHORT TIME LATER

A large crossroad with a great deal of traffic passing. Wagons rolling, men and women on horseback, muleback, even cowback all traveling in one direction. Xena and Gabrielle are going in the opposite direction. A man slows down as his cart draws even with them.

MAN
Hey! You’re headed
the wrong way!

XENA
(points behind her)
Been there already. 

MAN
You don’t want to go
that direction, lady.
There’s trouble that
way, big trouble!

GABRIELLE
(under her breath)
Bigger trouble than us?
I think not. 

XENA
We’ll take our chances, thanks.

MAN
Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!

Xena and Gabrielle continue to make headway against the crowd. Xena tries to stop a few passersby to ask them questions, but they ignore her and rush past. A woman stops, however.

WOMAN
Don’t go that way. 

GABRIELLE
Why not? What’s wrong?
What’s that way?

WOMAN
Milltos is that way. 

XENA
Who’s Milltos?

WOMAN
Not who, what. A village
at the end of the road!
Hah! End of the road! Isn’t
that the truth! It’s ruin,
I tell you, RUIN!

The woman pushes on. Xena and Gabrielle finally make it past the big rush of people. 

GABRIELLE
We could listen to her, and
turn around or keep going and
find out why they’re all running. 

XENA
I never was much
for lemmings.

(beat, looks at Gabrielle
with some concern)

But we can go the other
way if you want.

Gabrielle thinks, as they walk. After a few steps, she shrugs and smiles.

GABRIELLE
Maybe dealing with someone
else’s problem is just the right
thing for us right now. 

XENA
Yeah.

(beat)

Besides, how much trouble
could one little village
be, anyway, right?

GABRIELLE
Right. Let’s go. 

Xena and Gabrielle march off towards Milltos, as the crowd raises a cloud of dust going in the other direction.

FADE OUT:

END OF TEASER

ACT 1