The Hollow Men (Draft 2) by Nicholas Kole Overleaf: An illustration of the prophecy stone; a surface with crude carvings that depict the coronation of a young prince. Scene: The river runs straight through the woods, it's water still and deep. Curiously narrow and unmoving, the dark water is rimmed with flagstones; a riverbank meticulously assembled by some ancient hand. The forest stretches away on all sides, birch trees stretching up and out of sight; rows of long, slender trunks as far as the eye can see. From the canopy high above, russet leaves drift slowly down and settle on the forest floor. Afternoon light dances across the dark water. Caught in the dappled light, Jehan rows. A boy, no older than 14, paddling a narrow canoe down the river into the deep wood. He has a worried look, clutching his oar too tightly.
VO (Jehan): "The endless wood is beautiful, but so empty. It has been long since the warmth of fire And the company of friends (he adjusts his cloak around himself, covering one shoulder, but leaving the other bare. On both shoulders he bears a tattoo of two immense hands) But I cannot return. To go back would be to face my family. To meet my father's eyes. (he looks down and touches the remaining exposed tattoo) And so I am alone on this unending river. I will not go back. (he pulls his cloak back up to cover both shoulders, obscuring the tattoo) I am running away. Title: The Hollow Men The trees seem to stretch in rows towards unseen horizons on all sides. Jehan paddles on. The only sound is the gentle splashing of his oar in the water. Jehan: "they tried to make a man of me."
(We now cut between shots of Jehan on the river, and close ups on the carvings in the prophecy stone. As we see each crude carving, we see that each figure is representative of a member of the royal family. The young prince: Jehan is a tiny shape crowded in on all sides by the forms and hands of his family. Above him, dwarfing them all, stands the silhoutte of his father.) Jehan: "they took my toys and told me it was time to grow up. (A fire at the base of the carving contains the shapes of simple toys, burning. Hands offer more objects to the flames) They tried to crown me. (A carved crown of leaves is held over the head of a small boy by many hands) They asked for my promise. To swear my life away. (We see the scale of the faceless figures crowning the little boy on all sides) All of them waiting. Expecting. (We cut to a long, narrow panel of Jehan rowing. His face has a dark, pensieve expression) My father (The hulking form of his father towers over him) My mother (His mother is a slender shape to his father's right) My brothers ... (His younger brothers, all in a row) (We snap back to present time and we see Jehan's face with a sad, wistful expression. between the forest trees to his side, the color has changed from the red of the fallen leaves to the bright green of memory. Young playful figures are running through the woods) God, my brothers... (He looks, and they are gone. The forest is red and empty again.) But the home I left is a prison. A cage. (Back in the present, Jehan's face is screwed up into a determined scowl. Trying to look brave.)
In these woods I am my own master. I am free. (We see a wide shot of him alone on the river. The forest is very empty, and utterly silent. His brave face falls and his eyes drop. He stops paddling and he sits in his boat, hunched over. A red leaf falls gently on the water) It is a lonely thing, to be free. ( Clutching his oar with loose hands as the stares into the water. He is despondent. For a moment, his expression breaks into a grimace and he clutches the oar for support, he sobs. Then, catching himself he wipes his eyes angrily on his sleeve and leans back to stare into the canopy. Lying in the boat, his hands behind his head, all is still. The light dances down as we observe the forest ceiling from his point of view. Close up on his pained face, staring upwards into the light.) (He remains this way for some time. We see the sky above him change color slightly, and the red light of sunset falls across him. He feels the cold and shivers, pulling a cloak around him. He turns in the boat, and stares blankly into the woods, the light of the setting sun full on his face. He settles down and begins to fall asleep. His eyes droop dreamily...) (There is a sudden noise, a splashing in the water. Something immense brushes the bottom of his boat. He jerks upright, every limb suddenly taut. All his senses strained to spot the source of the noise. His heart pounds in his chest.) (Something breaks the surface of the water directly in front of him, a little ways ahead of the boat. It is a shriveled white head. ) 1: "I know what you want." He is frozen in time. This is the only voice he has heard in days. (shot: down, revealing the head is only the tip of an immense tangle of white shapes in the still water. Jehan is frozen, staring at the head in the water in terrified disbelief.) 2: "to be sure, what does anyone want in the endless silence of the empty wood?" (This voice, from behind him, belongs to a second being. The twin of the first. It is suddenly and unwelcomingly behind Jehan; twisted so that it is upside down and meeting his eyes. Jehan is startled again, this time he is visibly terrified) 1: "company." Jehan: "w-who are you?" 2: "we-" (The twining creatures, great white serpentine bodies, emerge from the water, twisting around each other. ) 1: "-are never alone, little manling." 2: "and that is all you need to know-"
1: "that is all there is to know-" 2: "of us." 1: "you, on the other hand..." 2: "...other hands..." (inspecting the boys tattoos with his own hands) 1: "are a prince of the Shakhelet, no?" Jehan: "how-?" 1: "we are very old, little prince, and have witnessed the coming-" 2: "-and going." 1: "hm, yes, the going of many kings..." 2: "and the princes they beget..." 1: "and the kings they become..." 2: "but now is no time for genealogies, wouldn't you agree?" 1: "it's no time at all, actually." 1: "what is your name, little prince, we'll start with that." Jehan: "mymy name is Jehan." (he looks darkly away) but I will never be a king of my people if I must be a man, I will be a free one." (now he looks up, he is a small boy again. His longing for companionship is felt in his gaze) but this is such an empty forest, and I am...glad of the company. ...however strange." 1: "we thought you might be." 2: "and we can see why you'd be loathe to return. 1: "Responsibility is a dreadful thing" 2: "at best." 1: "at worst it is a cage." 2: "and we cannot abide cages."
1: "Come, we will pass the time together...freely." 2: "and perhaps we can get you unlost..." Jehan: "lost? but there is only one way through the woods." 1: "there are many ways, through the woods, little manling." 2: "and we assure you, you are indeed lost..." (They pull back to reveal that Jehan is no longer on one solitary river in the woods, but in the middle of a maze of rivers that run twisting this way and that through the trees. A labyrinth going on forever. Jehan falls to his knees at the sight of it, his face incredulous and despairing. ) Jehan: "I-" 1: "now, now, little one. There's no cause to be upset. " 2: "You need not face the winding way alone..." 1: "we will travel with you. Never asking a thing in return." 2: "...we never ask..." (Jehan smiles weakly as they swirl around him. He grips his oar and paddles forward, twined by two serpentine figures.) (Page Break. We continue on in this manner, entering a bit of a montage. Jehan, overshadowed by the slithering forms of his companions. Turning this way and that through the woods. Time passes and the woods grow darker, though the light stays the same, caught at sunset-becoming-twilight . The serpentine figures are chatting incessantly to Jehan, but we cannot hear what they are saying. As they drift through the woods, in the growing dark of the shadows we see Jehan is aging, withering and becoming hunched and old. As he withers, the serpents lose their own wrinkles, becoming large and thickly healthy. Jehan looks more miserable and decrepit than ever. They arrive at a sort of culde-sac. From this round node, many little rivers snake away in every direction. In the center of the space is a raised island, and on it an enormous monolith. It is the prophecy stone, on it is carved the ritual of Jehan's own coronation. Jehan: "...rest." 1: "what did you say, little prince?" Jehan: "I must...rest for a while. I'm tired. " 1: "but of course you are. What better place than this to rest?" 2: "what better time?" 1: "an excellent idea." (Seated in the canoe, small and hunched over, covered in wrinkles and a wild beard, Jehan looks off into the still-setting sun. His face is caught in its red light.)
Jehan: "odd... ...How is it that the sun has never set?" 2: "Ah! Yes, well you see: we are quite outside of time." 1: "frozen in a glorious instant" 2: "captured in a stolen moment!" (Jehan turns his gaze down into the water, and catches a glimpse of his reflection. He starts with some surprise. ) Jehan(mumbled to himself): "I'm old..." (He raises his hands in front of him, surprised to find them spotted and wrinkled with age.) "I've grown old..." (In the background his companions continue their chattering, quite unaware of Jehan.) 1: "and if you like, we can remain here in perfect liberty!" 2: "for always..." Jehan: "...always." (Jehan regards the prophecy stone dreamily. . We see him staring, matched against the carving. His withered silhoutte fits neatly over the small form of the prince. As we proceed, we cut between the stone images of each member of his family again, this time paring each with a vivid green memory of their face. Of their time spent together, and the scene of Jehan's coronation where his father is speaking to all the assembled.) Father: "To be a man of our people is to be strong for others. To give without hope of thanks. If you are strong, it is for the weak. (we cut to look at his brothers and kin among the crowd. One young boy cradles a small baby in his arms) If you are wise, it is for the foolish. (one brother has another in a headlock.) Your joy is for the sorrowful. (his father clutches his mother's hand, who smiles at him gently.) Your peace is for the restless. (His father rests a hand on Jehan's shoulder.)
But you cannot give what you have not received. So to you, my son, I give my blessing and your name. You are Jehan. My son and heir. You are a man of the Shakhelet. If ever you should fail me, and fear my shame know this: it is your fear, not your failure, that shames me. This is who you are. Remember it well: You are mine. You are ours. And we are yours.
The hearts of your people are with you. And the hands of your father. (he places his enormous hands on Jehan's frail bare shoulders. Looking down into his son's face) Always. " (We cut back to current time, Jehan is touching his tattoos with his own shriveled hands. A wistful look on his face) Jehan: "...always..." 1: "what? we were just saying: you could well be lost in these woods forever and for always..." 2: "and why not? You could belong here, among the trees." Jehan(quietly, touching the prophecy stone and staring at the carving): "no. I don't belong here." 1: "surely you'd rather stay here with us than return to your father?" 2: "what he must think of you!" 2: "or worse still, to continue on alone?" (they draw themselves up, becoming more menacing. It is striking how much larger and more powerful they now seem.) Jehan: "I have...been more alone with you than I ever was without you." 1(leaning in to Jehan's ear): "what can they offer you? A cage." 2: "be your own master."
Jehan(finally looking up, meeting their gaze): "As my own master I wandered into the woods alone. I lost myself on many rivers. Leave me. (he turns his back) You are empty, and I pity you." 1(swiveling to get around him): "YOU pity US?" 2: "Why would a shriveled worm like you pity US?" Jehan: "Because know only emptiness. You take without asking. You never give." 1: "Pah! You are small and pathetic. What could you offer them? This family that you run from?" Jehan: "...only what was given to me." (he touches the carved hands of his father on the stone, looking introspective.) 2: "GIVEN?? A painted mark?" 1: "WE could mark your flesh too, you know." 2: "Something deeper, perhaps? More lasting?" (we notice their claws, curving black talons extended from once- blunt fingertips. They are becoming the most gruesome version of themselves) 1: "We'll show you what we can GIVE, child." Jehan: "Leave me. Now." 2: "LEAVE YOU? YOU summoned US!" 1: "with your need you called to us. YOU NEED US STILL." (Jehan is overwhelmed by frenzy and size. Constricted, he closes his eyes and shouts:) Jehan: "I don't need you! I never did! LEAVE ME!" (Jehan opens his eyes. He is released from their coils, sitting quite still in his canoe. The light has changed to dim blue. He reaches up to feel his face, and realizes that he is still old . He looks down and sees the shriveled serpentine figure still gripping the canoe. breathing heavily, clinging and alone.) 1: "...you owe us..." Jehan (seated, calmly regarding the pathetic creature): "I owe you nothing. and still you took from me.
I will not begrudge what you have taken But now, give me back the way. 1: "there are many ways..." Jehan: "There is only one river in the woods. Take the rest with you and be gone. " (it regards him balefully before slipping back into the water. We step back to see now that Jehan is alone again on a single straight river running through the woods. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, opening them with a faint smile. He breathes the night air; it is twilight. He turns his canoe around and, facing the opposite direction, paddles off out of the woods under a rising moon and the first spattering of stars.)
End.