NOCTURNUM COLLECTIVE – SEASON THREE
The Water’s Edge – Chapter Six
Written by Karl White
NARRATOR (OPEN): There are constants that endure in the known world. Space, time, energy, matter. Physical and scientific laws constraining us to this existence. But there's a current below the surface. Contrary to the explainable, it's where the unknown resides, where meaning and form collide with the abstract, where shadows hold dominion…Enter the Nocturnum Collective.
(MUSIC – opening sequence)
NARRATOR: And now, the thrilling conclusion of The Water's Edge, Chapter Six. Written by Karl White.
(MUSIC – tense)
NARRATOR: Steve is on a journey. The most important undertaking of his entire life. He’s heading to Florida in search of a legend he knows exists. The task seems daunting. How do you find something lost to the ages? He’s no explorer. No prospector. He has no expertise in the field. Hasn’t studied the subject or made it his life’s work. But there’s something in the back of his mind, like an intuition, telling him that if he looks, he’ll find it...Is it the water, guiding him? Does it want to be discovered? He feels an unmistakable pull, a magnetism, an undeniable connection. A beacon calling out, pointing him South. Other came before him, like Juan Ponce de Leon, and Harold Hill. The Fountain of Youth has remained hidden for some but found by others. The pieces are there in Steve’s mind. There’s no wild reasoning to contend with. He’s using a classically applied rule of thumb when navigating this difficult question, Occam's razor, the principle of parsimony. To him, the simplest, most uncomplicated explanation is probably right. Armed with the map piece and a set destination, his odyssey begins.
(SFX – bus interior, traveling)
NARRATOR: The bus rolls through the breaking night, alone on the interstate. Inside, Steve sits near the back. He reads the stolen library book about the Fountain of Youth by the light of the headlamp he used to crack Herbert Hill’s safe…
(MUSIC – ethereal)
NARRATOR: Through the window, a splash of light hits his face as the sun peaks over the horizon. He turns off his lamp as he continues reading.
(MUSIC – Cuban)
NARRATOR: The Florida sunshine is a welcome respite from the oppressive grey clouds of New York. But the sticky humidity and sweltering heat is something Steve will have to get used to…At a local rent-a-wreck, he wipes his sweaty brow, walking a car lot with wall-to-wall beaters. Signs promising “Low-Cost Rentals” and “No Credit Card Necessary” are emblazoned in paint marker on the business’s windows…He stops and looks over a compact car with a “$15 per day” sign on the windshield. It’ll do.
(SFX – driving sounds/music on radio)
NARRATOR: Steve drives to Immokalee, Florida. The small city from the postmark on the box the water came in. It’s a depressed area, filled with trailer parks and rundown houses. But it’s as good a place as any to begin his search for the unknown.
(SFX – office ambience)
NARRATOR: All is quiet at the City Clerk’s Office. A lone government employee sits behind the desk. This is Pete, 55, rough around the edges...not unlike Steve in his older form.
(SFX – door open with bell)
NARRATOR: The bell chimes when Steve comes through the door. Pete peers up from a book he’s reading. Bothered to see the whippersnapper standing before him, needing something.
PETE: Yeah, whaddya want?
NARRATOR: Steve picks up the accent right away.
STEVE: What borough you from?
NARRATOR: Pete glances up.
PETE: From Jersey but lived in Bed-Stuy for a spell back in the nineties.
STEVE: Bronx, born and raised.
PETE: The real streets. I try to tell these Florida hicks what the city’s really like, but they don’t get it.
NARRATOR: But looking over the youngster, Pete cracks a smile
PETE: Still probably wasn’t as bad for you growing up, as it was for me.
STEVE: I’m older than I look.
NARRATOR: That’s enough to melt the ice.
PETE: What’s it I can assist you with.
STEVE: I’m looking for maps, land surveys and the like, of the surrounding area.
PETE: Got plenty of those.
STEVE: I’m interested in turn of the century through the thirties.
NARRATOR: Pete raises his eyebrow, intrigued.
(SFX – map unrolls)
NARRATOR: Pete unrolls a large, dusty stack of maps on a table in the middle of a neatly organized file room.
PETE: These are eighteen ninety-seven through the aught-two.
NARRATOR: He points to another lined shelf, full of rolls.
PETE: There’s the rest, up through the forties. Also got maps of surrounding counties, Collier, Monroe, Hendry, and Lee. Along with railroad surveys from the twenties.
NARRATOR: Steve nods in appreciation as he sits at the table. He digs the card protector with the map piece from his backpack…His bag falls over at his feet, the Fountain of Youth book spills out on the floor. Pete sees the book and the map piece.
PETE: Research or treasure hunter?
NARRATOR: Steve wasn’t banking on having to answer questions, so he tries to think fast, hoping he doesn’t give himself away.
STEVE: Just some curiosity.
NARRATOR: Pete bends down, picking up the book. Steve smiles politely, but he doesn’t like the intrusion and he’s itching to get to work.
PETE: Everybody ends up here’s got a story. Otherwise, this god-forsaken town’d be empty...So what’s yours?
STEVE: No story really, just a sucker for chasing rainbows.
PETE: You ain’t the first person, come here looking for this thing...I’m not belittling it. I’m a believer.
NARRATOR: Steve turns his concentration on the map, hoping Pete will get the clue and leave him be...But he doesn’t, he lingers, looking over Steve’s shoulder.
PETE: Question is, what would you do if you found it? Would you just try a little or go all the way in? Guess if you did, you’d what, revert back to like a little baby or something.
NARRATOR: Pete cracks the book, flipping through the pages. He stops on an illustration: Nymphs dancing in a fountain.
PETE: Fountain, huh? I always figured it’d be like a small puddle of water. Something so obvious, people would miss it.
NARRATOR: Hearing Pete say that it doesn’t sound so crazy to Steve. He thinks out loud.
STEVE: It’d have to be pure, untouched.
PETE: Hidden from the elements, right? Like in an underground cave or something.
STEVE: Anything like around here?
PETE: We’re at the mouth of the ‘Glades. There are so many water systems out there. But never heard of one being subterranean.
STEVE: Got any old maps of the Everglades? Like from a-hundred years ago?
PETE: Maybe. Nothing definitive.
NARRATOR: Pete turns back, scanning the shelves.
PETE: There’re places man’s never even stepped foot out there in the swamp.
NARRATOR: He brings over another bundle. Flopping them down for Steve to go through.
PETE: There, that should keep you busy awhile.
NARRATOR: Pete finally leaves and Steve digs in...Back at the front desk, Pete peers down the hall towards the file room, making sure Steve is engrossed…Pulling an old Rolodex, Pete flips to the back, locating an old, worn card, with a phone number hand-written on it....
(SFX – phone dial, line trills)
PETE: Yeah, I was told to call this number if anyone came looking for...you know.
(SFX – various paper movements)
NARRATOR: Oblivious to Pete’s insidious snitching, Steve spends the day unrolling map after map. Carefully searching, comparing the old map piece to geographical features on the topographical grids Pete provided. Steve is meticulous, looking over every inch of every map. It’s tedious but necessary to find the proverbial needle in the haystack. But as the hours pass, frustration mounts. He’s not finding what he’s looking for. More maps spread out on the table, and no luck...at all.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: It’s well past closing time. Pete comes into the room and waits for Steve’s attention, which doesn’t come.
PETE: (clears throat) So, I ain’t approved for overtime.
NARRATOR: Steve looks up disappointed. He lost track of time.
PETE: But I’m usually in around eight.
STEVE: Anywhere cheap I can get a room around here?
PETE: Only place within twenty miles worth a shit is the Indian Casino up the road...might have more luck hitting it big there.
NARRATOR: Steve smiles as he gathers his things.
PETE: My old lady won three-grand on a slot machine few months back...Tell you what, if you’re not here with coffee and donuts for us in the morning, I’ll know you hit the jackpot.
STEVE: You got yourself a deal.
(SFX – casino ambience)
NARRATOR: At the local casino, with his backpack slung over his shoulder, on his way to the room elevators...Steve walks from the front desk through the gaming floor. Passing a row of white-haired retirees playing the slot machines…At the end of the row, he does a double take. One of the slots is themed, THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, complete with a comical rendering of Ponce de Leone, looking at a younger reflection of himself, at the edge of the fabled water…Steve can’t help himself and decides to try his luck. He feeds money into the machine and max bets.
(SFX – coin drop/slot sounds)
NARRATOR: The reel spins...
(SFX – slot machine)
NARRATOR: ...And comes up a loser…Better to preserve his luck for the real thing.
(SFX – elevator)
NARRATOR: Off the elevator, Steve heads for his room, mid-hallway.
(SFX – room door)
NARRATOR: Entering, the room is dark, he flips on the light. He throws his backpack on the floor and puts the bottle with the miracle water on the nightstand. He crashes on the bed, exhausted.
(SFX – flop on bed)
NARRATOR: But after a moment, his stomach growls...With all he’s done today, Steve’s neglected to eat. He reaches for the phone.
(SFX – room phone, dial)
CLERK: (over phone) Front desk.
STEVE: (into phone) Yeah, hi, can you connect me with room service?
CLERK: (over phone) I’m sorry, sir. The hotel kitchen’s is closed. However, several of the restaurants in the casino are open 24-hours.
NARRATOR: He hangs up...now, more hungry than tired, Steve gets up, shuffles to the door. Stopping, he walks back to the nightstand, and grabs the water, not wanting to let it out of his sight. He exits, leaving the LIGHTS ON.
(SFX – casino ambience)
NARRATOR: Steve stands at a nearly empty bar, his water bottle next to him. A waiter is posted behind the bar, texting on his phone.
STEVE: Excuse me.
NARRATOR: He waits a moment, but the waiter doesn’t budge.
STEVE: Hey! Excuse me...What is it with these fucking phones?
NARRATOR: The waiter pockets his cell.
WAITER: What can I get you, sir...
NARRATOR: He trails off as he looks up, expecting to see a grumpy old man...but instead seeing the 20-something Steve.
STEVE: A burger, fries. To go.
WAITER: Anything to drink?
STEVE: Water’s fine.
WAITER: It’ll be about ten-fifteen minutes.
NARRATOR: The waiter puts an identical water bottle on the bar, grabbing the nearly empty one next to Steve, to throw it away.
STEVE: Hey!
NARRATOR: Steve reacts quickly, practically jumping over the bar to snatch the miracle water back from the waiter.
WAITER: Sorry, man.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Waiting for his meal, Steve walks out of the bar, the two water bottles in his hands. He stuffs the miracle water in his jacket pocket and opens the new bottle, taking a hearty drink.
(SFX – open water bottle/drinking)
NARRATOR: With time to kill, Steve saunters along a corridor between the hotel and the casino, littered with shops and eateries. As he strolls, he notices a collection of glass displays, spanning the entire length of the opposite wall. They consist indigenous artifacts, old documents, historic photo and maps of the area. Highlighting the various tribes of the region, the construction of the casino, and land conservation of the Everglades…Covering the wall behind the display is an extensive map mural, blown up as a design element. Steve looks over the display, half-paying attention, when his cell buzzes -- it’s Jane.
(SFX – cell phone vibrates)
STEVE: (into phone) Jane? Is that really you?
JANE: (over phone) Steve, is this a bad time?
STEVE: No. Is everything okay?
JANE: (over phone) I’m sorry about the way we left things.
STEVE: (into phone) Me too.
JANE: (over phone) I’m not ready to work things out or anything like that...But I’m having a lot of feelings right now...
NARRATOR: As Steve listens, his gaze drifts up, past the display...
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: …And suddenly, his eyes grow.
JANE: (over phone) I need a friend right now. And you’re the only person I can talk to about this.
NARRATOR: On the mural is the exact geographical feature from the old map piece he’s been searching for. Steve goes silent...
JANE: (over phone) Steve?
STEVE: (into phone) Let me call you back.
JANE: (over phone) Steve, wait.
NARRATOR: He quickly hangs up and approaches the display. His eyes search each map. At the end of the row, encased in glass, is an antique map of the Cypress National Preserve -- and there, near the bottom corner, is what he’s been searching for…Steve digs in his pocket, thinking he has the card sleeve with the map piece on him. But he left it in the room. He abandons the wait for his food, heading back upstairs.
(SFX – room door)
NARRATOR: Steve bursts through the door of his DARKENED ROOM, not remembering he’d left the lights on. He sets the new more-than-half-consumed water bottle on the nightstand, the miracle water is still in his jacket pocket. Steve turns the lamp on and looks for his bag, but it’s not where he left it.
HILL: (creepy undulating voice) You should’ve given me what I wanted.
NARRATOR: Steve jumps...on the other side of the room, in a chair, in the shadows, is Herbert Hill. He has a gun pointed at Steve. The contents of Steve’s backpack are strewn about the floor.
STEVE: I saw you. You were dead...
NARRATOR: Hill leans forward into the light, his appearance is ghastly, older. His face is rough, cracked with wrinkles. Covered in age spots. His voice sound worn, on the verge of haggard.
HILL: Luckily your friend’s blood had enough of the water in it to heal me. But as you can see, it’s a poor substitute for the real thing.
NARRATOR: Steve notices Hill staring at the water bottle on the nightstand.
HILL: Clever...
NARRATOR: Hill readies his weapon.
(SFX – gun cocks)
HILL: Give it to me.
NARRATOR: Steve grabs the bottle, holding it up, doing his best to conceal the real water in his pocket.
STEVE: There’s no need for violence.
HILL: Too late for that.
STEVE: There’s more water out there. Enough for both of us.
HILL: Don’t be fucking naive. This water was never supposed to be found. It’s left over from the creation of man. We’re born with a little bit of it in our veins and die because our lives dilute it. We’re not meant to have more.
STEVE: Then why do you want it?
HILL: I don’t want it. Can’t you see, I need it. One taste isn’t enough. It keeps you alive but strips everything else away. Until it alone is all you can think about. It owns your soul...You know what I’m talking about. It makes you feel things and see things that aren’t there. Calling to you until you take your last breath.
NARRATOR: Hill stands up, as he does Steve spots the plastic cardholder, with the map piece, at his feet.
HILL: Give it to me!
NARRATOR: Steve quickly unscrews the cap of the half-drunk water bottle in his hand.
HILL: What’re you doing?
NARRATOR: Steve tips the bottle sideways. The water nearing the opening. Hill tenses up.
HILL: (desperate) I won’t kill you, just give it to me. Please...
STEVE: Easy. I don’t want any trouble.
NARRATOR: After a moment, Hill tilts his weapon down. In return, Steve steadies the water bottle and puts the cap on, though he doesn’t tighten it…Steve takes a cautious step forward and acts like he’s gonna hand the water over. Hill reaches. At the last moment, Steve lets go of the bottle…Hill panics. He drops the gun, fumbles for the bottle -- the cap comes off, water spills everywhere.
HILL: NO!
NARRATOR: It’s the split-second distraction Steve needs. He charges Hill, punching him in the face -- sending the wicked old man falling backwards into the chair…Steve reaches down, snatching the map piece. As he hurries away, Hill spots the other bottle in Steve’s pocket...he stretches for the gun at his feet.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Steve’s almost out of the room. He reaches back for the door in hopes of buying himself a head start. But Hill gets off a shot...
(SFX – gunshot)
NARRATOR: The bullet hits Steve in the stomach.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Steve stumbles back, falling into the hallway, but slamming the door closed behind him in the process.
(SFX – door slam)
NARRATOR: The bottle with the miracle water pops from his coat pocket. Struggling to get to his feet, he grabs the water, running for his life…Guests emerge from their rooms, wanting to know what the commotion is. Steve quietly keeps to himself, doing what he can to conceal his wound as he hurries away.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Behind him, Herbert Hill bursts from the room, ready to kill. He fires at Steve...
(SFX – gunshots)
NARRATOR: Who darts around the corner, unscathed…Hurrying towards the stairwell, Steve pulls a fire alarm.
(SFX – stairwell door, fire alarm)
NARRATOR: Stumbling down the steps, Steve, in an immense amount of pain, leaves a trail of blood in his wake…A few floors up, Hill enters the stairwell.
HILL: (yells) Give me what’s mine!
(SFX – casino sounds, fire alarm)
NARRATOR: Steve emerges into the busy gaming hall. The fire alarm blares, casino employees usher gamblers to evacuate -- It’s pandemonium. Steve zips up his jacket, hide his bloody wound. He joins the bystanders as they push their way towards the exits. Behind him, Hill comes out of the stairwell, looking for Steve.
HILL: (yells) Get back here with my water.
NARRATOR: Someone sees the weapon in Hill’s hand, and calls out...
RANDOM GUEST: He’s got a gun!
NARRATOR: More chaos as people near him scatter.
(SFX – panicked crowd)
NARRATOR: With the cries of an active gunman, armed casino security, helping with the evacuation, converge on Herbert Hill.
SECURITY OFFICER: Drop your weapon.
NARRATOR: But Hill, possessed by his lust for the water, doesn’t listen. He keeps pushing forward, searching for Steve, waving the gun.
HILL: (yells) Steve, I want my water!
NARRATOR: More officers hurry over, aiming their weapons.
SECURITY OFFICER: Stop, or we’ll shoot.
NARRATOR: Hill isn’t surrendering. They have no choice. The officers open fire.
(SFX – barrage of shots)
NARRATOR: The echoes from the gunshots reverberate beyond the gaming floor, as Steve lumbers down the corridor towards the display case. With a garbage can, he smashes the glass...
(SFX – glass breaking)
NARRATOR: And takes the map he needs.
(SFX – police sirens)
NARRATOR: In the parking lot, sirens wail, police arriving on the scene, responding to the trouble inside the casino.
(SFX – car door open/close)
NARRATOR: Steve climbs into his rental car…Blood oozes from the gunshot wound in his stomach. He opens the water bottle, taking a sip. Breathing a sigh of relief, knowing whatever pain he’s in now, is only temporary with the curative water. Through his discomfort, Steve starts his car and drives away.
(SFX – car starts, drives off)
NARRATOR: He hits the road, heading to the mouth of the Everglades. Lights from the desolate highway flash in a hypnotic rhythm. As he drives, Steve’s mind wanders back down the strange path he’s taken. Leaving prison hoping for a normal life. His cancer jeopardizing everything. Forced to act, fatefully finding the mason jar in Herbert Hill’s safe. But as the thinks about the cost of the journey, Joe…Enzo…Jane. He’s regretful. But right now, this is about his survival and his destiny. Steve can feel the water calling to him.
(MUSIC – tense drone)
NARRATOR: It’s mid-morning and Steve’s rental car parked on the side of a lonely dirt road on the edge of the nature preserve. The vehicle is caked in mud, the windows covered with hardening grime from the drive in.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Inside, the car is darkened by the dirty windows, giving a confined, claustrophobic feel. Steve, having driven most of the night, is slumped in the driver’s seat, sleeping. But he wakes, as a searing pain in his stomach surges...His color is gone, his shirt is soaked with fresh blood. Putting his hand on the window to right himself in his seat, Steve leaves a wide bloody streak across the glass.
(SFX – streak on glass)
NARRATOR: He pulls up his shirt, inspecting his gunshot wound. It hasn’t healed and looks worse than before. Steve can’t understand why. He picks up the water bottle, examining it closely.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: But his jaw drops when he notices the rolled edge isn’t there. This isn’t the miracle water. His mind reaches, trying to figure out when he lost track of it. Was it at the hotel, or maybe the airport...But it doesn’t matter now, he’s in real peril and in need of more of the water to heal himself. Tired and weak, Steve closes his eyes, wishing he could escape this reality. He grabs the door handle and takes one last deep BREATH...
(SFX – car door opens, sting)
(SFX – nature sounds)
NARRATOR: Steve pulls himself from the car...On the hood, he opens the map of the preserve. Studying it, he tries to figure out where and how far the Fountain might be but has no idea what he’s looking at. But there are coordinates on the map...Using a compass app on his phone, he gets his bearings, gathers the map, and heads into the swamp.
(SFX – walking through mud)
NARRATOR: Under the hot sun, Steve struggles through the muck. He’s ill-equipped to traverse the harsh landscape, but he does his best. The promise of renewed life and riches, pushes him forward.
(SFX – swamp sounds)
NARRATOR: It’s late afternoon, and the sun is slowly marching through the sky. Steve’s been walking for some time. He’s lost a lot of blood, he looks pale. Death isn’t far behind him. He comes to a clearing on solid ground, which sits on the edge of a bank, near a larger body of water. Knowing time is fleeting, he wants to move on, but his body needs rest. He sits on a fallen tree near the water’s edge. He looks up feeling sunshine on his face, smelling the clean air, using his surroundings to re-energize himself. The landscape is serene and untouched, like one of the photos he had hanging on the wall of his prison cell. The thought reminds him that he needs to keep moving.
(SFX – walking through deep water)
NARRATOR: Trudging on, Steve finds himself much deeper in the swamp. He wades through waist-deep water…He looks at his shirt, the blood from the gunshot is dried... checking the wound underneath, it’s looking worse. Doubt is setting in, his energy is waning, he doesn’t know how much further he can go. But the mere thought of the water making his pain go away helps him push onward.
(SFX – insects trill)
NARRATOR: The purple sky of dusk, the bright sunlight giving way to hues of indigo, as the sun retreats behind the horizon. Steve checks the map, but the light is obscured by the trees, and it’s hard to read. He pulls his headlamp from his coat pocket.
(SFX – flashlight click)
NARRATOR: Illuminating the map and looking at his phone, he checks his course…He’s getting close.
(SFX – louder insect trilling)
NARRATOR: Deep in a hidden cypress grove, night has fallen. The only light in the swamp is Steve’s headlamp. He stumbles and splashes through ankle-deep water, in between the ancient trees. Struggling to see what’s in front of him...
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: …But the erratic flash of light from his lamp picks up a peculiar and out-of-place sight…A collection of bright, beautiful flowers are sprinkled along the ground and trees.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Steve curiously follows a growing trail of vibrant blooming flora. It’s like something out of a dream. Flashes of colorful flowers, creating a path through the otherwise dreary landscape…Something is making these flowers grow this deep in the swamp. The Fountain is so close, Steve can feel it…But as the flowery path seems to suddenly end, Steve stops, frantically looking around, searching with his light. That can’t be it.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Then, through twisted vines, through a slight change in elevation, he spots something.
(SFX – cracking vines)
NARRATOR: Parting the vegetation, he reveals a small opening -- the entrance to an underground cavern, like Pete suggested.
(SFX – car on gravel road)
NARRATOR: A County Police cruiser pulls down a dark dirt road. A lone trooper is on patrol, doing his rounds. Out the front windshield, the cruiser’s lights splash over a car parked on the side of the road.
(SFX – car pulling to stop)
NARRATOR: Pulling up behind the vehicle, the trooper fires on his cherries, flashing red and blue light up the dark of night...then he turns on the cruiser’s spotlight, further illuminating Steve’s dingy car.
(SFX – cave ambience)
NARRATOR: Somewhere in the heart of the swamp, Steve climbs down into the dark cavern, using the wall to brace himself. Ahead, the passageway opens, more bright flowers and plants sprout from the walls. He can feel the water is close. The thought of having more consumes every fiber of his being. But as Steve makes his way further into the grotto, he barely has any energy left. If feels as if he’s walking through cement, dragging his heavy legs forward with each step...But his ears perk with the sounds of water.
(SFX – car door)
NARRATOR: Back on the dirt road, the trooper steps out of his cruiser, approaching the car.
(SFX – footsteps on gravel)
NARRATOR: He shines a flashlight along the length of the vehicle and spots dried blood on the doorhandle.
(SFX – car doorhandle)
NARRATOR: He tries it, but it’s locked.
(SFX – cave ambience)
NARRATOR: Steve moves through the cavern, into a subterranean cave. Before him is a small body of shimmering water.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Steve’s done it. He’s found the FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. He nearly cries seeing it. But his troubles are far from over. He struggles to walk, his legs no longer wanting to work. He’s lost so much blood, he can feel his body shutting down.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: He drops to his knees, forcing himself to crawl to the water, with what little energy he has left. The pull is like the polarity of a magnet -- too powerful to deny.
(SFX – window sound)
NARRATOR: The trooper brushes the dirt from the driver’s side window. And shines his light through but can’t see past the thick streak of blood Steve left on the inside of the glass.
(SFX – footsteps on gravel)
NARRATOR: The trooper walks to the passenger’s side of the car, hoping to get a better look inside.
(SFX – cave ambience)
NARRATOR: In the underground cave, Steve struggles, slithering through the muck, towards the water’s edge. Finally reaching it, he dips his hand in the glistening liquid, pulling some up to his lips.
(SFX – drinking from hand)
NARRATOR: Sipping the rejuvenating water, Steve sighs in relief, knowing he’s going to survive.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: He closes his eyes, resting his head on the ground, waiting for the water from the Fountain of Youth to heal him...and with a euphoric look on his face, he sees light. The bright illumination of his future, free from worry and pain.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: On the dirt road, through the passenger’s side window, the trooper’s flashlight outlines the shape of a person in the driver’s seat…He knocks on the window.
(SFX – knock on glass)
TROOPER: Hello in there. Are you injured?
NARRATOR: But there’s no response from inside...the trooper grabs his radio.
TROOPER: Dispatch, I’ve got a ten-fifty-four, possible body, requesting assistance.
(SFX – sting)
NARRATOR: Inside the rental car, the red and blue’s flash. Light from the spotlight and the trooper’s flashlight shine through the windows. Steve’s body, bathed in light, sits motionless in the driver’s seat. He never made it out of the car. But the water from the Fountain of Youth continued to call to him...and deep in his mind he found it, he's there on the banks of Jordan, waiting for his body to heal...as the last synapses of his brain fire as he drifts away…dying.
(MUSIC FADES)
NARRATOR: The end.
In Memory of my friend, Steve.
(MUSIC – Outro)
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