Jathia's Wager Prequel - First Scene

Written by Solomon Rothman and Joe Cisco with input from the community

               EXT-GRASSY FIELD-DAY Thunder RUMBLES in the distance.  A
               light wind is blowing. Ashira, an extremely beautiful woman
               in her early twenties, is running toward the mountain trail.
               Her hair is waving in the wind.   JATHIA, is running behind
               her, and is catching up.

                                   JATHIA
                             (yelling)
                         Ashira!!  Ashira wait!!

               Ashira gets to the beginning of the mountain trail and stops.
               She catches her breath for a second, then nervously looks
               back and forth between Jathia and the mountain trail. Jathia
               is now behind her, but she does not turn around.  She gazing
               up at the mountain with an angry look on her face.

                                   ASHIRA
                         Don't try to stop me Jathia!!

                                   JATHIA
                         Tell me where you're going!

                                   ASHIRA
                         You'll know when you're ready.

                                   JATHIA
                         Don't leave.  Not like this.

               Ashira quickly turns to face Jathia.

                                   ASHIRA
                         And go back there!?

                                   JATHIA
                         Trust me, it'll be ok

                                   ASHIRA
                         You're crazy.  Just like my father.

                                   JATHIA
                         So you're just going to run away

                                   ASHIRA
                         I don't want to stay in this place
                         Besides,  I don't care.  Don't you
                         ever wonder what's out there?

                                   JATHIA
                         What about us?

                                   ASHIRA
                             (confused look)
                         I... I don't know

                                   JATHIA
                         If you leave, that's it.

                                   ASHIRA
                         I can't stay.  They'll kill me.

                                   JATHIA
                         No, there has to be another way.

                                   ASHIRA
                         I'm sorry, I have to go.

               Ashira takes two steps back slowly, then turns around and
               starts to run up the trail.

                                   JATHIA
                         Ashira wait!

               A white light glows in the distance.  It flashes brightly,
               then fades away.   Jathia looks down sadly and sighs.  He
               turns around to start walking back, but hears a GROWL in the
               distance.  He turns around, only to see red glowing eyes
               peering at him from afar.  Thunder cracks loudly in the
               distance.  He quickly turns to look in it's direction and
               then quickly back.   The glowing eyes are gone.   He backs
               off with a frightened look on his face.  He turns and runs
               for the town.