ACT THREE

FADE IN:

EXT. SWAMP - MID AFTERNOON

The discussion has gone back and forth on the best way to approach this new set of circumstances.  Xena is scouring the surrounding area for vines, but there aren’t any of an appreciable length within reasonable walking distance.

Gabrielle is pacing back and forth.  Without warning, she drops her bag, and begins digging frantically through it.

GABRIELLE

(mumbling)

I know it’s here.

XENA

(distractedly)

What?  Did you say something?

GABRIELLE

Ah hah!

Gabrielle holds up an object.  It is her old pan flute.  Xena flinches involuntarily, then puts on a fake smile.  Her ears still ring at the thought of Gabrielle’s early efforts with the instrument.

XENA

That’s nice, but, um... how is that

going to help us get over there?

She points to the tree where the snake still sits eyeing them warily.  Gabrielle laughs.

GABRIELLE

It’s not.  It’s going to

bring the snake to us.

Xena turns and fixes her with a perplexed stare.

XENA

How so?

GABRIELLE

You remember India?  And those

snake charmers?  Well, one of

the girls in Gurkhan’s harem

taught me how to do it.

XENA

Do tell.  Another of *your*

many skills, hmm?

Gabrielle blushes.

XENA

(cont’d)

Ya know, Gabrielle.  He’s not gonna

get far before he starts sinking.

GABRIELLE

I figure he can get far enough for

you to lasso him out of there.

Xena thinks about this for a moment, before nodding.  She figures her ears will recover with time.

XENA

Good plan.  Go for it.

Gabrielle puts the flute to her lips and begins to blow.  The snake raises its head, fixing its eyes firmly on Gabrielle and the sound.  Slowly, she beckons it with her music, and he makes his way down the tree.

The tempo and melody changes slightly, and he wavers.  Another change, and he slides across the sand more rapidly than expected, and is halfway to them.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP - XENA CLOSE-UP

We see Xena’s eyes widen.  Her mouth drops open in surprise.

XENA

I think we have a problem.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP – GABRIELLE CLOSE-UP

Gabrielle’s eyes widen as well.  For a moment, she almost drops the flute as her surprise makes her gasp.  She resumes playing almost immediately when she sees the snakes’ reaction to the lack of music.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP – QUICKSAND

The snake is moving so rapidly across the sand that there is no time for him to sink.  His weight doesn’t remain in any one place long enough. 

Worse still, the single snake has become several, and even as we watch they continue to multiply.

XENA

And the hits just keep on coming.

She turns to Gabrielle

XENA

(cont’d)

You think this is what the

vague warning was about?

Gabrielle manages to shrug her shoulders while she continues to play her flute.  Xena removes the chakram from its clip and hurls it towards a section of incoming snakes.  She neatly decapitates them, but more spring up in their place.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP - DRY GROUND

Xena and Gabrielle are completely surrounded now, though the snakes have left a two foot berth around them.  Xena has quickly given up the idea of slaughtering them, as she cannot kill them faster than they can multiply.

Gabrielle is growing winded from her constant playing, and Xena decides to go for the ring.  At her first movement towards him, the original snake lunges for her, nearly impaling her hand with his fangs.

XENA

(cont’d)

Well, that’s not gonna work.

I wonder....  Gabrielle,

do you trust me?

Gabrielle gives Xena an incredulous stare as if to say, “You’re kidding me, right?” but she continues to play.  Xena takes that as the confirmation she needs and nods.

XENA

(cont’d)

When I say so, I want you

to stop the music.  All right?

Gabrielle nods, and they slowly rotate around again until they are standing back to back and Xena is facing the original snake.  She pulls a dagger from her boot.

XENA

(cont’d)

Steady... steady... NOW!

The sudden cessation of music stuns the reptiles for the seconds Xena needs to gain the advantage.  With a lightening swift move, her dagger is embedded in the heart of the snake, pinning it to the ground.  The snake screams; the remainder of the snakes simply vanish.

For a long moment, only the sound of Gabrielle’s breathing is heard.

GABRIELLE

How did you know?

XENA

I didn’t.  But it was worth a shot.

Gabrielle’s eyes widen as she realizes the implications if Xena had guessed wrong.

GABRIELLE

Good aim.

They both look at the dead snake.  The ring is about a third of the way up his body, and the flesh on either side is much thicker than the space where the ring is.  They just look at each other.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Ya know, I’m almost afraid to know

what will happen if we touch it, to

say nothing of cutting it in half.

XENA

Umm, I had the same thought.  But

we’re not gonna get that ring without

doing both of those things, ya know.

GABRIELLE

You want to hold or cut?

XENA

You hold.  I’ll cut.

GABRIELLE

Works for me.

Gabrielle takes hold of the snake just below the head and close to, but not touching the ring.  She flinches just slightly at the cold, clammy feel of the dead reptile.  Her eyes meet Xena’s and wince reflexively.

Xena takes her second boot dagger and slices the snake through, turning her head as a noxious smell assaults her nose.

XENA

Damn, that stinks!

(beat)

Gabrielle?

Gabrielle doesn’t answer.  Xena holds her breath and turns to ask again.  Gabrielle is lying crumpled beside the snake’s body, apparently having passed out from the fumes.

XENA

(cont’d)

Gabrielle!!

Xena moves over to Gabrielle, feeling for a pulse and patting her face gently to bring her around.  Soon she is rewarded with a fluttering of eyelashes and a soft moan.

XENA

(cont’d)

Hey, you okay?

Gabrielle glances around trying to get her bearings.  She smiles at the concern reflected in Xena’s eyes.  She sits up on her elbows.

GABRIELLE

Ow. Yeah, I’m fine.

Gods, what was that smell?

Xena nods back towards the snake’s body, still running her hands lightly along Gabrielle’s reclining body.

XENA

Our friend.  Guess Zeus was

serious about wanting to keep

humans away from his treasure.

GABRIELLE

(snorting)

No wonder it was always moving. You

think he would have been more careful

in hiding it though.  I mean, the pattern

is pretty easy to figure out.

XENA

Well, I never said he was terribly bright.

Wait here a minute.  I need to get

the ring so we can get outta here.

Xena crosses back over to the snake, and uses the dagger to slip the ring off the snake’s body, watching in fascination as the snake disappears into nothing.

GABRIELLE

First time I ever saw a god

clean up after themselves.

Xena chuckles.

She looks at the ring closely, noting that it seems rather ordinary.  It is gold in color with slim lightening bolts of silver on either side.  The stone is a green not quite the shade of Gabrielle’s eyes, but beautiful nonetheless.

XENA

Let me just put this sucker away....

GABRIELLE

(thoughtfully)

You probably shouldn’t

touch the ring directly.

XENA

(teasingly)

Yeah, that would be the perfect

end to this day.... Xena,

Destroyer of Nations on the loose.

GABRIELLE

Not funny, Warrior Princess.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP - DAGGER CLOSE-UP

We watch in slow motion as the ring slides down the blade, missing the open pouch and falling into Xena’s outstretched palm.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP - GABRIELLE CLOSE-UP

Gabrielle sees the ring headed for Xena’s hand and jumps up from the ground.  We watch in slow motion again as she makes a leap for Xena’s body.

GABRIELLE

NOOOOOOO!!!

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP - XENA CLOSE-UP

Xena’s head swivels in slow motion towards Gabrielle when Gabrielle starts to move towards her.  She hears the beginning of her scream just as the ring touches the skin of her hand.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP - XENA and GABRIELLE

When the ring lands in Xena’s hand, lightening shoots down from the clear blue sky.  Gabrielle is blown back several paces.  Instinctively, she shields her eyes from the brightness, but even so, it is several moments before she can see.

When her vision clears, Gabrielle sits up and looks around.  She is alone.

GABRIELLE

Xena??

Gabrielle stands and runs beck to the spot where Xena had last been standing.  There is nothing there, save a black burn mark.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

XENA?!?!

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR