LEGEND OF MOTHER
by Marie Tomisato
Scottsdale Community College
Fade IN:
INT. APARTMENT HALLWAY - DAY
Photos and pinned paper animals line the wall of the hallway.
In chronological order, we see KERANA grow up:
-Baby Kerana, with her parents, surrounded by love.
-Tween Kerana, with her siblings, on the shoulder of her parents.
-Teenage Kerana playing soccer, her family cheering from the sidelines.
Kerana, now an adult, stares at a photo of YAGUARU. There's only one.
-Child Yaguaru. Alone, playing with a solar system, a mini moon in her hands and a sad smile on her face. Outside an ORPHANAGE.
However, at the end of the hallway, there is one photo bigger than the rest, in a bright, glass frame.
-Yaguaru and Kerana. At their wedding. With wide, unbridled grins.
And then one empty frame. Waiting to be filled.
Int. APARTMENT Kitchen - continuous
Kerana sits down next to Yaguaru at the kitchen table. Yaguaru sips maté while Kerana grabs a piece of chipá.
Yaguaru finishes her maté and pours herself some more.
In perfect sync, they switch, Yaguaru sliding the maté cup over to Kerana, and Kerana passing the plate of chipá to Yaguaru.
Yaguaru looks to corner, at a baby cradle - empty, save a stuffed toy jaguar. It's covered with a dusty sheet.
INT. APARTMENT DOORWAY - LATER
Two key cards hang by the doorway. Yaguaru and Kerana grab them and swing them around their necks before heading out the door.
EXT. MUSEUM - LATER
Outside the "PARAGUAY MUSEUM OF GUARANÍ HISTORY," Yaguaru and Kerana swipe their key cards and enter.
INT. MUSEUM - moments later
Paintings of jaguars line the walls, leaping over windows.
Clipboard in hand, Yaguaru heads down the hallway, inspecting the museum's statues.
In rooms of textile and hallways of indigenous art, lies a woodcarving of the god TUPA. Surrounding the carving are stanchions, so the visitors of the museum do not dare breathe on the supreme Tupa.
Past Tupa, the stone of the moon goddess ARASY sits in a corner.
Only about a foot and a half tall. Not nearly as majestic.
Looking through a magnifying glass, Yaguaru takes a cloth and polishes Arasy carefully, getting in all her nooks and crannies.
Yaguaru enjoys the process, even scratching behind Arasy's ears.
Yaguaru
Mmmm...
Yaguaru smiles when she's done, patting Arasy's head.
SNIFFLES come from down the hall, and Yaguaru goes to investigate.
INT. MUSEUM exhibit - Continuous
Yaguaru finds a child, CRYING in the corner, phlegm seeping out of his nose.
Yaguaru nervously waves and crouches down next to him. She wants to help him - but her anxiety makes her GULP.
The child stares at Yaguaru.
Yaguaru
Uh...
Yaguaru pulls out a stuffed jaguar and wiggles it in front of his face.
Yaguaru
Rawr?
The child tears up - this is NOT helping. Yaguaru's eyes widen with hopeless panic.
Child
(on the verge of crying)
....aaaa-
Kerana
Yaguaru?
Kerana turns the corner, and spots Yaguaru and the child.
INT. MUSEUM HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
The child holds Kerana's hand - no longer crying.
Yaguaru stays behind, watching wistfully as Kerana leads him down the hall, the picture of warmth and kindness.
The child sees his friends from school and runs to them.
INT. MUSEUM PUPPET THEATER ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Performing to a visiting class of schoolchildren, Kerana sits in front of a LIGHT, expertly manipulating paper figures.
The figures dance in SHADOWS on the screen hanging from the wall, in which a hunter figure picks up a fallen bird.
Kerana
Juka!
A paper JAGUAR leaps on the screen, attacking the hunter, and Kerana presses a button on a speaker.
Jaguar
(from speaker)
ROOOOOOAAAAR!
The children SCREAM, terrified and delighted.
Kerana grins. When she catches Yaguaru watching at the back of the room, she beams even brighter.
Yaguaru forces a smile back, but when Kerana turns back to the children, she SIGHS, feeling inadequate as she shuffles her feet.
INT. Apartment DOORWAY - later
Yaguaru and Kerana hang up their coats and key cards, picking up the mail as they enter the apartment.
Yaguaru picks up a letter for Kerana.
INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Yaguaru sits with Kerana on the couch as she opens her letter.
Kerana pulls out a photo of her sister, with her husband. They have an announcement:
Kerana's sister is pregnant. Ecstatically holding her bulging belly.
Kerana tries to hand the picture to Yaguaru with a smile - she tries to be happy for her sister.
Kerana
(tearing up)
M-mita!
But Yaguaru doesn't smile back - just looks at Kerana with empathy. Waiting for the grief to kick in.
Kerana breaks down. All Yaguaru can do is hold her.
INT. APARTMENT BEDROOM - NIGHT
With her eyes puffy and exhausted, Kerana sleeps on the bed, used tissues around her.
Yaguaru, sitting on the edge of the bed, looks heartbroken for Kerana.
Cut to:
EXT. ORPHANAGE - 20 YEARS EARLIER
Just like the photo at the apartment, Child Yaguaru stands in front of the orphanage.
Devastated.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT BEDROOM - PRESENT
Yaguaru puts the blanket over Kerana and leaves the room.
INT. MUSEUM entrance - LATER
In the dead of night, Yaguaru turns on the flickering museum lights.
No one is here. Just Yaguaru, her thoughts, and tapestries of jaguars running across the walls.
INT. MUSEUM - LATER
Back in her element, Yaguaru wipes down Arasy with a cloth.
A single tear slides down Yaguaru's cheek,
Falling, floating, and landing onto the statue.
WHOOSH
The wind picks up around Yaguaru, and the lights go out.
From the statue, a spirit flows out, lighting the room like the moon.
ARASY.
Yaguaru
(gasping)
AAAAAA!
Yaguaru stumbles back into the wall, as Arasy wiggles out like a pale ghost, blinking as she takes in her new surroundings.
Arasy sees Yaguaru, on the floor, hyperventilating.
Arasy picks up Yaguaru's cloth. And hands it to Yaguaru.
Hands shaking, Yaguaru takes the cloth, her breath slowly coming back to normal.
Arasy smiles and waves.
Arasy
Eep!
Yaguaru, at a loss for words, waves back.
Arasy wipes the tears from Yaguaru's face. And looks back at Yaguaru questioningly.
Arasy
Huh?
Yaguaru
(trembling)
U-uh...
Arasy thinks, frowning in thought. Then SHOVES her ghostly hand into Yaguaru's heart.
Yaguaru
AAAAA!
INT. DARK SPACE - CONTINUOUS
Arasy transports Yaguaru to the nothingness of space, where they are surrounded by stars and galaxies.
Yaguaru
.....AAAAAAAAAAAA!
As stars twirl through her toes, Yaguaru gapes at Arasy.
Arasy
Hmm... Aha!
With a gust of WIND, Arasy retrieves Kerana's paper figures.
Yaguaru watches in disbelief as the paper figures act out images for Arasy:
-Two shadow figures, two women - it's Yaguaru and Kerana.
-Yaguaru and Kerana have Arasy's stone statue.
-They take it up a mountain.
-At the top of the mountain is a temple.
-Yaguaru and Kerana set the stone on the top of a pedestal, and the temple SHINES.
-At their apartment, Yaguaru and Kerana play with their new baby.
Yaguaru
Mita...
Dazed, Yaguaru reaches for this happy version of her life, but-
The shadows stop.
The lights come on.
Yaguaru blinks. She's back in the museum theater room.
EXT. MUSEUM - MOMENTS LATER
Yaguaru struggles to carry the weight of the stone as she sneaks out the back door.
Arasy disappears, her spirit wafting to a mountain in the distance. It's far away, the top covered in clouds and illuminated by the moon.
Yaguaru nods.
INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - day
Kerana gapes as Yaguaru turns over the entire apartment, opening the closet, the fridge, all the cabinets...
stuffing two bags with food, rope, and every type of gear.
Kerana looks down and pokes the stone statue of Arasy on the floor as Yaguaru CHATTERS away.
Kerana
Uh...?
Yaguaru
Mita! Mita mita mita mita....!
Yaguaru points from the statue to the mountain outside their window, and then waves a toy baby jaguar in Kerana's face.
Yaguaru
Mita!
Kerana pushes the flapping toy away and studies the desperation on Yaguaru's face.
Kerana
...ah.
Kerana picks up the bag Yaguaru packed for her and smiles reassuringly. Ride or die.
EXT. FOREST - LATER
Carrying the stone from each side, Yaguaru and Kerana traipse through the dense forest.
Over trenches, over rocks, over mud puddles...
Carefully making their way through the thick plants that block their way.
EXT. FOREST - LATER
The trees get taller. Vines thicker. Yaguaru hands the stone off to Kerana, taking turns.
Brrrrrrrr-KISHHHHH!!!
A tree falls in front of them, and they stumble backwards, Kerana dropping the stone.
YAGUARU and kerana
OOF!
An automatic HARVESTER machine with a rickety chainsaw and a crane appears before them.
In its wake, a line of chopped trees scatters the ground.
Clearly on a mission, the harvester rolls forward, like a tank.
YAGUARU and kerana
AAAAAAAAAAAAA!
The harvester raises its crane over the stone, about to crush it-
Yaguaru DIVES for the stone and rolls away.
Kerana takes Yaguaru's hand, pulls her off the ground, and they sprint away.
EXT. PLAIN - MOMENTS LATER
Yaguaru and Kerana rush through the grassy soybean field, only to be sprayed by chemicals from sprinklers in the ground.
kerana
(hacking)
Ugh!
Kerana and Yaguaru cover their noses with their shirts.
Yaguaru TRIPS over an ARMADILLO curled up on the ground.
Yaguara
OOF!
She transfers the stone to one arm, picks up the armadillo, and stands up, looking over the field.
kerana
(coughing)
Aya!
Kerana points to the trees at the other end of the plain, and they make a run for it.
EXT. Shady tree - later
Weary after their escape, Yaguaru finds a shady tree and collapses onto a bed of leaves.
YaguaRU
Ah...
Kerana takes her water bottle and rinses off the armadillo.
The armadillo uncurls, wipes its face, and scampers away.
Kerana takes off her bag and sets it against the tree as Yaguaru falls asleep.
Kerana shakes out the last drops of water - bottle's empty.
EXT. RIVER - LATER
Kerana sets the stone on the shore, and then cautiously makes her way across the wet, round rocks in the river.
She dips her bottle in and takes a large gulp.
Kerana
Ahh...
EXT. Shady tree - LATER
Yaguaru wakes up from her power nap and finds...
Kerana gone.
Yaguaru
Kerana?
Yaguaru looks around, searching for Kerana, panic settling in.
Yaguaru
Kerana! Kerana!
Cut to:
EXT. ORPHANAGE - 20 YEARS EARLIER
Child Yaguaru stands in front of the orphanage. Her chest tight, her shoulders heaving.
The sound of an engine ROARS.
CUT TO:
Ext. Shady tree - present
Yaguaru leaps from the ground, grabs her abandonment issues, and speeds through the forest.
Yaguaru
KERANA!
EXT. RIVER - MOMENTS LATER
Kerana sinks another bottle into the river when she hears a voice in the distance.
Yaguaru
Kerana!
Kerana
Yaguaru?
Yaguaru turns around and sees Kerana, who waves.
Yaguaru
Kerana!
Yaguaru rushes to Kerana, relieved.
Yaguaru envelops Kerana in a massive hug, taking Kerana by surprise.
Kerana
...oh.
Kerana hugs her back, consoling Yaguaru, trying to pat away her anxiety.
Yaguaru backs away, embarrassed, but Kerana goes to reach out for her and-
SLIPS on the river rocks, landing face-first in the mud.
Kerana WINCES, and grabs her ankle.
Kerana
Ow...
Yaguaru inspects the ankle immediately. It's SWOLLEN.
EXT. RIVER SIDE - LATER
Yaguaru wraps up Kerana's ankle and elevates it on a log.
Kerana points to the mountain.
Yaguaru shakes her head NO, gesturing at Kerana's ankle.
But Kerana stops the motion with a single finger to Yaguaru's nose, a silent plea.
Kerana points to the mountain again. Commanding.
Yaguaru SIGHS in defeat.
EXT. Mountain side - later
From the cover of the trees, the armadillo watches as
Yaguaru climbs up the mountain, the stone getting heavier with every labored step she takes.
Over vines, over moss, she clambers upwards.
EXT. TEMPLE PRAYER HOUSE - LATER
Hidden behind overgrown plants, a crumbling temple peaks out of the trees.
Yaguaru heaves the stone up a series of steps, finally reaching the temple doors.
Yaguaru
(grunting)
Oof.
Yaguaru grips the temple door handles and gradually pries it open, DUST floating into the air.
Int. Temple ENTRANCE - continuous
Yaguaru stumbles inside, squinting as she adjusts to the light.
Shadows dance across the walls, and Yaguaru's hairs stand on end- is someone here?
Yaguaru blinks and sees the armadillo skitter on the ground.
Yaguaru
(laughing)
Oh!
INT. TEMPLE - CONTINUOUS
Yaguaru looks around and sees torn artwork on the walls. A hole in the ceiling illuminates the room, shining a spotlight on a pedestal.
It's clear - the stone goes HERE.
Yaguaru makes her way across the temple tiles, precariously balancing the stone in her shaking arms.
Jaguars
GRRrrrRRrrRRRRRR...
Yaguaru GULPS.
Two JAGUARS
Come sneaking out of the shadows, growling, digging claw marks on the ground, ready to pounce.
Jaguars
ROAR!
Yaguaru drops the stone with a THUD and sprints for the door. She's almost there when -
Stone
(crying)
WaaaAAAAAA!
Behind a frozen Yaguaru, the stone CREAKS to life - in the form of a
BABY,
Stretching out of its rocky cocoon with uncomfortable WAILS.
Yaguaru whips around.
Cut to:
EXT. ORPHANAGE - 20 YEARS EARLIER
Child Yaguaru stands in front of the orphanage. Heartbroken.
Watching a speeding car fade away in the distance.
Left in the dust.
CUT TO:
INT. TEMPLE - PRESENT
Dust floats in the air as the jaguars prowl in a circle around the stone baby, claiming it.
One of the jaguars VAULTS through the air at Yaguaru.
Jaguar
Rooooaa-
Yaguaru
ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!
Veins popping, adrenaline running through her body like wildfire, Yaguaru LEAPS at the jaguar.
She COLLIDES with the jaguar and HURLS it across the room.
The other jaguar BODY-SLAMS Yaguaru to the ground, clawing at her arms.
Yaguaru
RRRRRRRRAAAA!
Yaguaru RIPS out the jaguar's throat with her teeth.
And the jaguars disintegrate into strips of paper, drifting away in the breeze.
Yaguaru
(spitting out paper)
...ugh...
Yaguaru rises to her feet and picks up the stone baby, the rocks falling off its body, revealing skin underneath.
Stone baby
Ah! Ah!
The stone baby grabs at empty air, and Yaguaru slumps onto the pedestal, emotionally and physically drained.
As she inspects the baby, playing with its little hands,
ARASY appears,
Floating into the room with a devious smile on her face.
ARASY
Ah? Ah?
Yaguaru CHORTLES through her pain and exhaustion.
Yaguaru
(chuckling)
Ah! Ah...ah.
INT. APARTMENT - day
Toys are everywhere. It's hazardous at this point. No wonder there's four fire extinguishers.
Crayon drawings cover the walls of the apartment, adding a nice flair to the new photo in the hallway:
- Yaguaru and Kerana grinning as they lift their baby - Cuarajhy. No longer stone, but still as heavy.
IN THE KITCHEN:
The armadillo is back, sitting on the floor, getting its free entertainment.
Standing in front of a highchair, Kerana struggles to put a spoon of food into Cuarajhy's mouth.
Yaguaru scratches behind Cuarajhy's ears.
Cuarajhy
(giggling)
Aaaaahahahaha!
Kerana sees her chance - and stuffs food in the open mouth.
Cuarajhy makes a face of DISGUST
And SPITS out a moon rock.
Cuarajhy
Fooooo!
Kerana sighs in defeat, and Yaguaru adds the moon rock to an already overflowing bucket.
The armadillo leaps into the bucket with glee, making a rocky splash.
Fade out.
Marie Tomisato's desire to make audiences laugh and cry is no surprise, given her history of playing the harp (poorly). No wonder she ditched her lackluster career in mathematics to become an aspiring screenwriter. Her script, Legend of Mother, is based on her time in Paraguay, where she immersed herself in the native Guarani culture, language, and storytelling.