Production #V705 - Episode 5

WRITTEN BY
Susanne Beck

DIRECTED BY
Denise Byrd

PRODUCED BY
Carol Stephens

SCREENGRABS
Judi Mair

ARTWORK
Lucia

EPISODE TITLE GRAPHIC
MaryD

TEASER

FADE IN

EXT. FOREST GLEN. MORNING

The sun shines down on a well-prepared camp deep in the forest. ARGO grazes on a large patch of meadow grass and ignores the two women behind her. GABRIELLE is standing against a tree, blindfolded, and grinning widely.

XENA
(Off Stage)
Are you ready?

GABRIELLE
Oh yes, I'm ready.

XENA
(O.S.)
Are you sure?

GABRIELLE
Of course I'm sure!
C'mon, Xena! It's not as if
we haven't done this before.

XENA
(O.S.)
True, but it's been awhile.

GABRIELLE
Well, you know what they
say. Once you've done it,
you can never get enough.

XENA
(teasing)
All right, if you're very, very sure.

GABRIELLE
Xena, you know what I want!
Just do it already!

Xena smirks and draws back on the bow she's holding. Two arrows have been expertly notched, and with a smooth pull, she releases them both. One veers to the left, and Gabrielle catches it easily. The second veers to the right. Gabrielle reaches up to catch it, but she clenches her fist too soon, and curses as the edge of the arrowhead scrapes along her palm and sticks into the tree behind her. Hissing, she rips off her blindfold and stares down at her hand. A thin stripe of blood stares back at her.

GABRIELLE
Ow!

Xena puts down her bow and walks up to Gabrielle, grasping her injured palm and turning it up, toward the sun. A small scrape is the extent of the damage. Releasing Gabrielle's hand, Xena goes to their supplies and brings back a clean cloth and some water, with which she tends to the scrape.

XENA
You're still favoring this hand.
You need to focus.

GABRIELLE
Easy for you to say. You
were probably born with an
arrow in each hand.

(beat)

Hey! That stings!

XENA
(smirks)
Baby.

GABRIELLE
And you say *I* have
hands like a sailor.

(beat)

So, what's the verdict?

XENA
Oh, I think you'll live.

GABRIELLE
Remind me to work on that
bedside manner of yours.

Xena laughs and returns to their gear to stow her supplies. Straightening suddenly, she lifts her head and scents the air.

GABRIELLE
What is it?

XENA
Smoke. If I'm right, it's coming
from that village we passed
on our way here. Let's go.

They quickly load their gear on Argo and head toward the smell of smoke.

CUT TO:

EXT. VILLAGE. DAY

A medium sized village is completely engulfed in flames. Off to one side, a MAN stands, staring into the conflagration. His clothes are ripped and dirty with sweat and grime.

As Argo charges in, Gabrielle hops off her back and runs to the man, grabbing his shoulder.

GABRIELLE
What happened here?

(beat)

Hello?

When the man doesn't answer, she uses her grip on his shoulder to turn him to face her. His face is wet with tears, and his expression tells a tale of misery and loss.

GABRIELLE
What happened here?

The man clutches Gabrielle with desperate strength.

MAN
They're all dead. I tried
to help. I really did. You
have to believe me!

GABRIELLE
I believe you. Can you tell
me what happened?

Xena, on Argo, tries to enter the village, but the fire is burning too strong, and keeps pushing her back with its smoke and heat. Argo dances away from the flames, rearing and snorting, and shaking her head. Realizing that no one inside could possibly be alive, she comes to Gabrielle's side, and stares at the man as his body shakes with sobs.

MAN
They were dying. And I---I didn't
know what to do! I tried, you see,
but it wasn't...wasn't enough. And
now they're dead. All of them.
My wife. My children. Everyone.

The man releases Gabrielle and stares at the both of them, eyes wide with terror.

MAN
(cont'd)
And if you don't leave now,
you'll be dead too!

Keening his grief, the man clutches his head and collapses to his knees.

Gabrielle stares at Xena, worry in her eyes. Xena stares back, her expression unreadable.

FADE OUT:

END OF TEASER

ACT 1