The Bondage of Liberty

This is the 4th episode of "Project Blueberry Man", and I think one of the best.  I decided to skip posting the next two: they are in need of some serious re-working, and I think drag a bit.  You have missed a few important developments; the remaining five captives still haven't gotten their memories back.  In the episode preceding this one, they decided to give each-other new names, a step to restoring their lost sense of humanity.  I think I'm going to let the rest of this episode speak for itself.  I hope you enjoy.  And if you do, I desperately hope that you can some day enjoy it in the format it was meant to be seen in...

Project Blueberry Man
“The Bondage of Liberty”

TEASER

INT. ROOM WITH CELLS - UNDETERMINED
All is quite as everyone examines the room.

DEXMAN runs his fingers over one of the gowns.

DEXMAN
Do you think these are for playing
make-believe?

WENDY
I don’t think this is going to be
very nice make-believe; not the
kind with pretty dresses and tea.

PAUL
The voice, I think she said we were
going to make-believe we are in
prison.

SAPPHIRE
We’re already prisoners.

DEXMAN
(shaking head)
There isn’t anything make-believe
about that.

ANTINOUS
I don’t see any diagrams telling us
how to play this game. Maybe we’re
supposed to make up our own rules?

WENDY
(anxiously looking around)
Suffocation. It might be the way
out... and to a better place.

There is a loud buzzing-sound, followed by:

WOMAN (V.O.)
We will now begin the simulation.
Would the one called “Sapphire” and
the one called “Dexman” and the one
called “Wendy” please each take a
white gown from the wall.

Each one does as instructed.

DEXMAN
I’m not very fond of the “gown”
look.

WENDY
There’s no color’s, no life.

SAPPHIRE
Just stay calm.

WOMAN (V.O.)
Would the one called “Antinous”
please take the key ring from the
wall.

ANTINOUS does as instructed.

WOMAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Would the one called “Sapphire” and
the one called “Dexman” and the one
called “Wendy” each step into a
sperate holding chamber.

SAPPHIRE points inside on of the small cells.

SAPPHIRE
I think she means in there.

DEXMAN
It looks very small in there.

SAPPHIRE
We have to. We have to play the
game if we want to get out of here.

WENDY
(shaking head)
Please no. There are bad things in
there with hands and fingers!

SAPPHIRE walks into a cell, then motions to DEXMAN.

SAPPHIRE
Come on.

DEXMAN steps into the cell next to SAPPHIRE.

WOMAN (V.O.)
Would the one called “Antinous”
please instruct anyone not in their
chambers to please do so, then,
using the key, lock each one
inside.

ANTINOUS approaches WENDY.

ANTINOUS
(leaning close to WENDY)
Listen, I’m going to keep us safe,
but in order for me to do that, I
need you to do what I say.

WENDY
(hurt)
Et tu Brute?

WENDY starts to softly cry.

ANTINOUS
I do not understand?

ANTINOUS tries to lay a comforting hand on WENDY’S shoulder,
but she shrugs him off, then walks to her cell.

WENDY
(defiantly, as she walks)
I’ll do as three out of four
dentists recommend and brush three
times a day, no one has to remind
me!
(closing the door)
I’m a big girl now, or don’t you
remember?

One by one, ANTINOUS locks each cell.

ANTINOUS
(at WENDY’S cell)
Please don’t be angry with me. I’m
going to keep you safe.
(as he moves to the other
cells)
All of you.

Now that that’s finished, another door opens:

WOMAN (V.O.)
Would the one called “Antinous” and
the one called “Paul” each take a
uniform labeled “guard” and proceed
through the open door for further
instruction and supplies.

ANTINOUS
Let’s go.

The two men walk through the door. It quickly closes behind
them.
We hold on a wide shot of the three cells.
There is a small barred window on each door. We can only see
SAPPHIRE and DAXMAN’S eyes. WENDY is too short, all we see
is her arms occasionally flail about.

WOMAN (V.O.)
Would each of you now change out of
your old cloths, and into your
gowns.

All we see as they change are eyes and arms.

DEXMAN
I very much do not like what’s
going on.
(long beat)
Can some one please explain to me
what is going on?

SAPPHIRE
Dex, I need you to listen.

DEXMAN
(gasp)
Is this it... the thing where my
name does the shrinking?

SAPPHIRE
You too, Wendy.

No answer.

SAPPHIRE (CONT'D)
Wendy, you with me?

We see WENDY’S feet as she does a handstand.

WENDY
(still doing handstand)
It’s not about strength, it’s about
inertia.
(lands)
How do you think man can move
mountains?

There is a buzzing, and the door re-opens, and a uniformed
PAUL and ANTINOUS emerge. The door closes behind them.
Before we get a good look at them, we:

ANGLE: LOOKING OUT FROM INSIDE WENDY’S CELL

WOMAN (V.O.)
Would the one called ANTINOUS
please open each cell so that we
may begin with our first exercise.

One by one, ANTINOUS opens each cell. WENDY’S is the last.
WENDY looks down in horror as she steps out of her cell.

WENDY
Where did you get those.

PAUL raises a gun.

PAUL
We have guns.
SMASH CUT:
END OF TEASER

ACT ONE
INT. ROOM WITH CELLS - UNDETERMINED
There is a buzz, then a door opens.

WOMAN (V.O.)
The guards will now move the
prisoners through the door.

ANTINOUS
(gently)
Okay everyone, move.

SAPPHIRE motions to the others to follow. WENDY slowly backs
away.

WENDY
No, you can’t make me. I won’t go
in there.

BUZZZ

WOMAN (V.O.)
The guards will subdue the
prisoner.

ANTINOUS
(walking to WENDY)
Wendy, please.

WENDY runs away from him.

WENDY
Please stay away from me with that
thing.

ANTINOUS stops.

ANTINOUS
(raising gun)
I can protect us with this.

WENDY
No, no, no, no.
(whispering to self)
There’ll be no more soft breeze
blowing through your hair
When the Bluberry Man comes,
and traps you in his snare...
(repeats)

SAPPHIRE starts toward WENDY.

SAPPHIRE
Let me talk to her.

ANTINOUS
(relived)
Please. Go ahead.

BUZZZZZ!!!

WOMAN (V.O.)
The prisoners will not speak unless
they are instructed to do so.
Would the guard please subdue the
prisoner.

PAUL rushes to SAPPHIRE.

PAUL
Come on. We gotta get through that
door.

SAPPHIRE
(not looking PAUL in the
eyes)
I’m going to wait here. For Wendy.

BUZZZ!!

WOMAN (V.O.)
This will be the prisoners final
warning about not speaking.

PAUL
We should go now.

PAUL gently guides SAPPHIRE by the arm, and she follows.
WENDY rushes toward SAPPHIRE and pulls her back.

WENDY
(frantic)
No, please listen to me! You can’t
go in there!

BUZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!

WOMAN (V.O.)
One of the guards will administer
the punishment from diagram A to
prisoner marked: 11323(wendy).

Gently, yet assertively, ANTINOUS grabs WENDY by the arm, and
takes her to the wall.

ANTINOUS
I’m going to need you to sit like
this for a while.

ANTINOUS crouches in a sitting position with his back to the
wall, in demonstration, then stands back upright.
WENDY protests.

ANTINOUS (CONT'D)
Wendy, please.

WENDY
(backing away, seething)
What do you tell a woman with two
black eyes?
(beat)
Nothing you haven’t already told
that bitch twice!

SAPPHIRE marches to WENDY.

SAPPHIRE
Wendy, you have to listen.
(points to loud-speaker)
They will kill us all.

BUZZZZZ!!!!!

WOMAN (V.O.)
The guard named Paul will
administer disciplinary actions
from diagram “B” to the prisoner
marked: 321143(sapphire)

PAUL walks and faces SAPPHIRE.

PAUL
The diagram says you have to remove
your gown, then get down on your
knees. Then I am supposed to lower
my pants.

There is a long beat. A tear rolls down SAPPHIRE’S cheek.

PAUL (CONT'D)
But that would be wrong for me to
do, so I don’t think I will.

PAUL throws his gun across the room.

PAUL (CONT'D)
I am finished playing this game
now.

BUZZZZZZ!!!!!!!

WOMAN (V.O.)
Antinous will correct Paul now, the
simulation is not over.

ANTINOUS turns to PAUL.

WENDY dives for PAUL’S gun.

ANTINOUS
I’m not sure what I should do now.

WENDY
(gun aimed at ANTINOUS)
Drop the gun now please.

BUZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOMAN (V.O.)
Antinous will not drop his gun.

WENDY
(to ANTINOUS)
Have you every fired a gun before.

There is quick beat, followed by WENDY shooting past
ANTINOUS.

WENDY (CONT'D)
I have.

ANTINOUS drops his gun.

SAPPHIRE
Wendy...

WENDY
Everyone will listen to me now,
thank you! You have all been very
naughty and mommy has been very
nice giving you treats and kisses
when you know you don’t deserve
them!

ANTINOUS
(sincerely)
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made
you play if you didn’t want to.

SAPPHIRE slowly walks toward WENDY.

SAPPHIRE
You shouldn’t be mad at him. The
Blueberry Man made him do it.

WENDY
(aiming at SAPPHIRE)
Stay back!

SAPPHIRE
Antinous is your... friend. Isn’t
he? You got to pick his name, and
that seems like a very special
thing.

ANTINOUS
I would very much like to be your
friend.

WENDY
(trembling, still aiming
gun)
I think that we can be friends.

SAPPHIRE
I don’t think friends shoot each
other.

SAPPHIRE takes a step toward WENDY.

WENDY
(aims gun at WENDY)
No! He hurts you, the Blueberry
man does, and then you scream. You
scream so loudly the dogs start to
bark and the birds fly from the
trees. They scatter like dice.
(beat)
But he doesn’t like it when you
scream, so he takes away your
voice.

SAPPHIRE
(sweetly)
Wendy, lower the gun. We can go
after the Blueberry Man together.

WENDY lowers her aim.

WENDY
(looking off to her right,
in a whisper)
We can go together.

SAPPHIRE
That’s right. Just ease it on down
to the floor.

VERY SLOWLY WENDY bends down, but does not let the gun go.

WENDY
(whimsical)
Easy on the floor, just like
daddies whore.

An alarm loudly sounds, and the lights start flashing.

WOMAN (V.O.)
The prisoner marked: 11323 will
drop the gun, or termination will
commence in thirty seconds.

Startled, WENDY screams, and firs the gun randomly.

WENDY
No, the voices tell you to do nasty
things. Dirty and nasty things.

SAPPHIRE
We had things under control, thank
you!

ANTINOUS tries to approach WENDY. WENDY aims just past
ANTINOUS and fires.

WENDY
You have to asses the situation.
You have to ask yourself what she
wants. You have to be gentle, and
touch her the right way. Stroke
her skin back and forth, just like
this.
(makes stroking gesture
with free hand)

ANTINOUS starts at WENDY, but is restrained by SAPPHIRE.

SAPPHIRE
Don’t.

WOMAN (V.O.)
Prisoner marked: 11323 has ten
seconds to comply before
termination.

WENDY points the gun at her head, and closes her eyes.

WENDY
I can feel the breeze again.
(laughs)
The sunshine tickles my skin.

ANTINOUS jumps to WENDY, but is once again restrained by
SAPPHIRE.

ANTINOUS
Wendy, don’t!

Smoke starts to seep into the room.
WENDY shoots herself in the head. Blood splatters the wall.
The alarm stops, and the lights go back to normal.
ANTINOUS breaks away from SAPPHIRE and runs to WENDY. He
cradles her body in his arms.

ANTINOUS (CONT'D)
Wendy, I’m so sorry. You were my
friend and I let this happen to
you.

DEXMAN puts his hand on ANTINOUS’S shoulder.

DEXMAN
This wasn’t your fault.
(beat)
This wasn’t your fault.

After a short moment, SAPPHIRE starts to walk to WENDY’S
body. PAUL stops her.

PAUL
I don’t think you should go over
there. Looking at her body isn’t
pleasant.

SAPPHIRE
(placing hand on PAUL’S
shoulder)
Thank you for your concern. But I
need to.

SAPPHIRE walks past PAUL. She leans down to WENDY’S body,
and touches it.
After a moment, she puts her hand on ANTINOUS’S shoulder, and
directs him to stand.

SAPPHIRE (CONT'D)
(resolute)
We will make the Blueberry man
suffer. Just like he’s done to us.

SAPPHIRE walks away, as:
END OF THE BONDAGE OF LIBERTY

-Cody Hobbs

The hard climb

So, I've been sitting here trying to think of what to write for the past hour or so, and today is just one of those days that I can't seem to get my brain to rev up.  I'm sure you've had those days, dear internet, where nothing seems to gel quite the way you want it to, where your thoughts jump from one place to another so fast and so randomly it feels impossible to catch one of them, and formulate it into anything cohesive.  So, I think that's what this post is going to be: pushing through the block, even when it's hard.

Like I said, I'm a writer who's let himself get into the habit of procrastination, giving into the void of writers block.  In those situations, of course it's always easier to say that I'll put it off for another day.  But no more.  Even as I write this, I can feel my thoughts coming into a clearer focus.  In between bouts of trying to come up with what to write for today's blog, I glanced over a couple of old scripts I had written for what was originally intended to be a pseudo-zombie web series, titled "Generation Z".  I definitely can see some places where it could be tightened up, and I think the first three or four "webisodes" may need to be re-written entirely.  But, after having it sit on the "shelf" for nearly two years, I think the spark is still there.

And, dear internet, that's the way it goes sometimes.  Sometimes you need to give something a little space to gain perspective, to see if the idea still works, is something that still excites you; and let me say now, the idea still excites me, and that's kind of a nice feeling to have.  It's like getting re-acquainted with an old friend.  It also helps me to find some direction on where to go with my immediate screenwriting endeavors.

I'm going to make a confession: re-starting my journey as a screenwriter/filmmaker is a scary one.  It's a passion that I just can't let go of, a dream that follows me wherever I go; it's something that I think I tried to convince myself that I should grow out of, but that hasn't been the case.  I've tried a few times to make a go of it, and haven't succeed yet.  But that's not to say those experiences were a waste of time, either.  I've learned from all of them.

So, maybe today's blog has more of a focus than I originally thought.  Just because you don't succeed at something on your first outing doesn't mean it should be immediately abandoned.  A period of evaluation should be taken, for sure, but even a step that ends in a stumble can still be a step forward; if you have the wherewithal to pick yourself back up again, that is.  Getting back on track is rarely easy, but what comes easiest is rarely the most rewarding.  And this is a lesson that I think can be applied to just about every area of life.

In moving forward, I can only try not to repeat my past mistakes, or let myself get discouraged by them.  If I can look at them as learning experiences, then I know that I can make the next step.

Cody Hobbs