———–<.thom+.>———–
THE BROKEN BOOK OF BEASTIES
“Book I: A Book by Any Other Cover”
Part Two of Three
By Thomas Typewriter and Primo Operahouse-Typewriter & Secondo Operahouse-Typewriter
(c) 2023 thomas typewriter
———–<:type+:>———–
FADE IN
INT. THE ALCOVE AT THE BACK OF THE TRILIBRIS’ MAIN ROOM, DAYTIME
MS OF THE CODEXIAN
The Alcove is a dark wood wall decorated with gold and brass metal in long blocky snaking patterns illuminated by two torches. In the center of the alcove is a podium holding THE CODEXIAN. The Codexian is a thick book, with covers of a purple stone and thick leather binding. The front cover has a vertical row of three circles made from gold wire on the binding side. The other side is a snaking angular pattern similar to the patterns on the alcove walls. The pattern snakes down to two horizontal lines across the bottom portion of the front cover. It is currently open to the middle of its binding with THE GREY MOUSE off to the corner looking in at the illustrations on the page.
CS OF THE CODEXIAN
Golden scroll-work forms a border around a central image across the two pages. Inside the border is an image of THE BAKER leaning on her counter looking forlorn. The image is done in a style combining woodblock prints and illuminated manuscripts. Small hands of THE GREY MOUSE enter the bottom of the frame followed by the head and body. The Grey Mouse is leaning over the page.
THE GREY MOUSE
“Squeak”
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “That is funny. It almost sounded as if you asked why she was sad.”
THE GREY MOUSE
“Squeak.”
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “Oh, you did. In that case, maybe the Baker was sad because they had spent so much time fleeing and surviving that they had forgotten how to live. Or maybe something simpler. While she was a good baker and well respected in the community, baking was something she never thought of very glamorous.”
THE GREY MOUSE
“Squeak.”
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “I understand that makes no sense to you and how amazing bread is, but if you could lean off the page I can continue the story.”
The Grey Mouse moves out of the frame.
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “Thank you.”
The page turns. The illustration shifts between a series of images of The Baker mixing dough and baking bread.
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “The Baker would find her mind wandering to certain thoughts repeatedly. I used to be someone who mattered. I used to be the best bookbinder in the city. Now I bake bread. Now I don’t know my value. Anyone can bake bread. Where is the specialness in that.”
The page turns. The illustration shows The Baker at her counter. At this point the illustrations start to show some basic animation. Where before they would fade from one static drawing to another, each picture now has a little bit of animation in each sequence. The Baker leans on her counters and sighs. The sigh appears as a written sound effect on the page. The baker then starts to think with her thoughts written out in thought bubbles and with the Codexian narrating.
THE CODEXIAN
(Voice-over) “I used to be one of the best. Now I just make bread. Bread. Ugh. People used to come from all over the city to buy one of my spell books. I was respected. I was important. I was a true artist. Now, what am I? I make bread. Ugh. So common. So pedestrian. What is the value in a common thing? More importantly, what is the value in those who make common things?”
The thought bubbles fade away and the Baker leaves her counter. The empty counter fills the page for a moment before the Codexian continues the story.
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “And so she would have continued self-flagellating if not for a simple moment.”
It changes to The Baker at her counter with a Mother and her daughter entering the shop. The Baker waves hello. The Mother approaches the counter and purchases one loaf of bread. She breaks off a bit of the heel of the loaf, steam rises from it, and hands it to her daughter. The image shifts to the daughter eating the bread, closing her eyes and smiling. The illustration shifts to the Mother shocked at the smile quickly shifting to smiling and turning to speak to The Butcher
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “The mother said something so simple it cut through all the Baker’s doubts and disappointments. She said, that is the first time I have seen her smile. Thank you.”
The Mother and her daughter leave the bakery. The illustration shifts to the Baker at her counter visibly moved and affected by the Mother’s words.
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “The Baker, as the mother and her daughter left the bakery, realized that maybe there is something worthwhile in baking bread. She also realized that as great as she felt about her current situation now, she was still dwelling on the past. It was a poison and she needed to let go.”
The page turns. The new page shows an illustration of The Baker at the front window of her bakery. She rotates the open sign to close. She then moves over and locks the door before walking to a table in the back room. The table is laid out with bookbinding tools and supplies.
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “The Baker decided she would make one last book and then move on, putting that part of her life behind her.”
In a series of vignettes makes a book. Note that the Baker incorporates some extra steps not usually included in bookbinding. The prestigious bookbinding career she has been remembering was binding spell-books. She rubs each page with various herb leafs before cutting them. Once all the pages are cut, she places the herbs in a pan and burns them. The ashes she mixes with oil and then messages into the leather cover and strings. She sets aside the pile for later. She then continues building the book. At the end, she pulls back the oil and ash mix. She dips a small brand into it and then heats it over a flame. The oil flares with streaks of red, blue,yellow, orange, and green. Then she presses the hot brand onto the cover of the book. Smoke rises from where the brand touches the leather. When she removes the brand, the Baker sees that five colors are leaking from the brand into the leather: red, blue, yellow, orange and green. She sees the bleeding colors and is surprised. She runs her fingers over the colors and the book starts to shimmer. The Baker disappears from the room in a flash of light.
THE CODEXIAN
(voice-over) “The Baker soon discovered that the world has a way of surprising you.”
The page turns. The Beastlands fill the page. A landscape of orange grass and prairie fills the foreground while in the background blue mountains, green forests, red forests and yellow sand dunes spread out. In the bottom corner of the illustration a sparkle appears then fades out becoming an image of the Baker. She looks around, confused as to what just happened.
CUT TO CS OF THE BAKER
THE BAKER
“Well, this is a surprise.”
CUT BACK
Hold a moment as The Baker stands in the vast new realm. The page turns to reveal a closer image of the Baker standing with the orange grassland behind her. She is looking around with a face of pure joy. In the grass behind her comes a “rustle” sound effect. The Baker turns to see what the cause of the noise is. From the grass emerges a Furocerous. It is a large rhino-like creature covered in very thick fur. The fur is longer on the head and shoulders than the rest of the body. It charges towards the Baker. The fur on its head stiffens into a kind of plate armor. The Baker screams in surprise and fear with the words of her scream drifting out across the page. The illustration cuts to a close-shot of the Furocerous running. It then cuts to a medium-shot of the Baker backing up then falling down and scrambling backwards. She pulls up the spellbook in a feeble attempt to shield herself. The illustration then changes to the Furocerous colliding with the Baker and her spellbook in a bright flash of orange light.
The page turns and now the illustration is of a long shot of the outside of the Bakery. There is a flash of orange light. The illustration shifts to the inside of the Bakery. The Baker materializes in the air in a flash of orange light and flies backwards against the display. Her spellbook goes flying in another direction. The Baker shakes her head and slowly gets up. She checks her body for injury and does not find any. She starts to laugh to herself.
THE BAKER
“Did that just really happen? That is too wild.”
She walks over to the spellbook and retrieves it from under a table. The spellbook looks different. She examines the changes. The front cover branding now has a line of orange in it. She then opens the book and sees an image of the Furocerous surrounded by a circle of runic patterns and scroll-work.
THE BAKER
“Wow.”
She runs her fingers over the image. The illustration changes to a close-shot of the spellbook’s page. She then runs her fingers in a circle along the scroll-work and runes. They start to softly glow orange. Her fingers start to glow orange. The illustration shifts back to the bakery. As the Baker runs her fingers over the page a spectral glowing version of the Furocerous explodes out and into the bakery display pushing it back. The spectral disappears. The Baker looks back and forth between the spellbook and the display case. A large smile spreads across her lips. She starts to run her fingers over the page again. The illustration cuts back to the longer shot of the Bakery from outside. In the windows flash an orange light burst and then the entire bakery shakes.
FADE OUT
Why the silence?
I see you
I feel you
I remember you
Why the silence?
You used to listen
You used to move at my command
You used to be a part of me
Who will take my place on the road
As the distance folds on top of itself.
Every day in the dark
Every night in the bright
Traveling Death’s domain
Surprise a shudder
The candle goes out
———–<.thom.>———–
THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT
a puppet play in many parts
Season 05, Episode 03
By Thomas Typewriter
(c) 2023 thomas typewriter
———–<:type:>———–
FADE IN TO BLACK
From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “05-03”. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE
The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING rings out in the dark. The TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE materializes in the distance when unseen lamps turn on over it.
PAN IN ON THE TYPEWRITER ABSTACT PUPPET STAGE
TRANSITION FORM THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE TO THE MID-STAGE
PAN IN ON THE MID-STAGE AREA UNTIL IT IS PROPERLY FRAMED
MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The Mid-Stage curtains open. The stage-lights turn on to the sound of A LIGHTSWITCH CLICKING ON revealing…
MID-STAGE: MARY MARCHHARE’S LIVING ROOM
Two sofa chairs sit at a perpendicular angle to each other and each at an angle to the front of the stage. A wide side table with a brass bulbous lamp sits between the chairs. A large window, the window seen from the outside on the front of the house, sits behind the chair on the stage-right side. On the wall behind the stage-left chair a giant clock, shaped to look like a pocket watch on a chain, hangs on the wall. A small painting of an early 20th century race car hangs below the clock. Mary Marchhare sits in the chair on stage-left, fanning herself with a small paper fan she keeps in a drawer in the side table when not in use. Thomas Typewriter sits in the chair on stage-right holding a can of Sparkle Soda, deep in conversation.
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So that’s all of it Grandma. The proposal, the unemployment, everything.”
MARY MARCHHARE
“Well of course you can stay here while you figure things out.”
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I still do not know what to do about Ophelia. About working with her. For her on her film. Animated short.”
MARY MARCHHARE
“You’ll figure it out.”
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Did you ever regret working with Grandpa.”
MARY MARCHHARE
“Sure. All the time. He drove me crazy, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Silly as it sounds, I sometimes miss his complaining.”
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Really. Like what?”
MARY MARCHHARE
“Oh Thomas, I can still hear him. He’d start yelling “Jinny” Jinny, How I hated that nickname and he knew it. Jinny was another term for a stubborn mule where we grew up. I wasn’t a mule. He was the stubborn one.”
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“When did you first meet Grandpa.”
MARY MARCHHARE
“Well. He used to run with the kids in the neighborhood. This was back in Rockford. He was living with his Grandparents and I was shipped off to my two aunts before going out south with my Grandparents. So I knew of him then, but we weren’t friends.”
The stage lights dim while Mary Marchhare speaks.
THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM THE MID-STAGE AND PANS UPWARD. IT MOVES OVER THE MID-STAGE SETS AND UP TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS BEHIND. IT CONTINUES PANNING UPWARD. AT THE TOP OF THE CLOUD OF CURTAINS IT REACHES THE HIGH-STAGE. THE CAMERA PANS UP INTO PROPERLY FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE
HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The High-Stage curtains part and the stage lights turn on with the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING ON revealing…
HIGH-STAGE: EXT. THE FORE-GROUND THEATRE, DAYTIME
A boarded up theatrical venue lines the back of the stage. Their are four sets of doors, all with boards over them. To each side of the doors are two sets of poster cases. Each is currently empty. Above the doors is a simple marque for hanging style letters but the only thing on there is “CLOSED”. at the top of the marquee is a neon sign reading the following in a slightly stylized cursive script: “the Four-Grounds”. Sitting on the sidewalk in front of the theatre sits ORTHO MERCUTIAN, a cat-lady wearing a disguise of an old-man. Ortho has an open guitar case in front of them and is playing on a guitar for money from passing pedestrians. At this time there are none. Ortho sets down their guitar and stretches. The strings begin to vibrate on their own. Ortho reaches for the strings putting their fingers over the vibrating strings. A spotlight turns on focused on Ortho Mercutian while the stage-lights dim.
ORTHO MERCUTIAN
“No, I am glad you called. How is he? (pause) That is serious. And his friends? (pause) Same boat huh. What’s Solar/Lunar saying? (pause) Does not sound like them. Must be someone else getting involved. If they really go through with that I’ll cover the shortfall. Just heal them up. (pauses) In the meantime, keep me updated. (pause) Thanks, you too.”
Ortho removes their fingers from the guitar. The spot-light turns off and the stage-lights brighten. Ortho picks up the guitar and starts to play. The stage-lights turn off to the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING OFF. The High-Stage curtains close.
THE CAMERA UNCOUPLES FROM THE HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT MOVES ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. AS IT DESCENDS THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS SLIDE UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. THE CAMERA CONTINUES PANNING DOWN UNTIL PROPERLY FRAMING THE MID-STAGE
MID-STAGE: INT. MARY MARCHHARE’S FRONT PORCH, DAYTIME
A large window sits center-stage. A front door with small landing and steps sits to the stage-right of the window. The window itself occupies most of the stage, being made of three windows. Two smaller windows with screens sandwich buttress a large picture window. The porch lite turns right before the front door opens. THOMAS TYPEWRITER steps out onto the landing. MARY MARCHHARE follows him into the doorway. He turns and gives her a hug.
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thanks again Grandma. Love you.”
Thomas steps away from Mary.
MARY MARCHHARE
“No problem. It’d be nice having another person in the house again.”
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So, I’ll be back tomorrow with the first of my stuff.”
MARY MARCHHARE
“Great. I’ll make dinner to celebrate.”
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Awesome. What are you thinking about making?”
MARY MARCHHARE
“Cacciatore. Maybe some bread.”
THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Sounds great. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Thomas walks stage-left down off the front porch and out of stage/frame. Mary Marchhare watches from the doorway. Once Thomas is out of frame, she waves goodbye and then closes the door. The stage-lights turn off to the sound of A LIGHTSWITCH CLICKING OFF while the Mid-Stage curtains close.
FADE OUT
Thomas Typewriter 
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