INT.

PALACE, SILAS ROOM - DAWN

Out of the blinding light of the morning sun, a window
emerges. The camera moves, revealing an opulent room,
pristine marble structures reminiscent of ancient times,
riddled with technological wonders that seem ripped straight
out of an 80s science-fiction fantasy.
Under the covers lies a BOY, about twelve years old.
He rubs his eyes, and sits up, gazing down, contemplating.
INT. PALACE LIVING ROOM - DAWN
The child rushes down the flawlessly white stairs, past a
clunky ROBOT BUTLER.
SIEGMUND
Good morning, sir.
SILAS
(rushing by)
Morning Siegmund! No time!
EXT. PALACE COURTYARD - DAWN
Silas rushes through a lush courtyard, made up of pure white
stone and bright green plants.
The boy comes to a stop near a WALL that seperates the
palace from the outer world. A sentinel, armed with a bulky
LAZER RIFLE guards the stairs that lead up to the viewpoint.
He hides behind a bush.
An ASIAN BOY, of the same age as Silas, appears up at the
wall, spotting him. He opens his mouth.
Silas puts his index finger to his lips and makes a grimace.
He steps out from the shadows, and walks toward the guard.
SENTINEL
(bows)
My lord.
SILAS
(alarmed)
Siegmund is malfunctioning again.
Hes running amok in the armory.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

SENTINEL
(sighs)
Not again.
(looks left and right)
I will be right back, your grace.
Stay here.
The guard runs off. Silas patiently watches him enter the
palace, then rushes up the stairway.
EXT. PALACE WALLS - DAY
JACOB
On time, as always.
SILAS
Shut up.
(beat)
That was easier than I expected.
Jacob is dressed in luxury garments, just like Silas.
They gaze into the distance. In front of them, a bright
GREEN FOREST stretches, neighboured by an even bigger GREY
FIELD past it. A humongous CITY, stretching to the horizon.
SILAS
You got everything ready?
JACOB
Of course, I am reliable.
Silas scoffs. Jacob throws TWO ROPES down the other side of
the wall.
JACOB
Still sure you want to do this?
SILAS
Of course. Getting cold feet?
JACOB
Shut up.
They climb down, and we see the palace rising in the back,
just now noticing its true scope and beauty in contrast to
the grey city mass on the horizon.
Over it towers a PINK-GREY MOON, titanic in its scope.

3.
EXT. MAGICAL FOREST - DAY
The boys are wandering the woods.
JACOB
Is it what you expected?
Silas is dumbfounded, touching the leaves and tracing the
texture on the tree bark.
SILAS
It feels so... real. Theyre all
real.
JACOB
We should not go this deep.
SILAS
Too late. Were going to get in
trouble anyways now. And were
still a long way.
JACOB
I dont get it. Theyre just poor
farmers and lumberjacks. Youre
obsessed.
Silas keeps walking in silence.
EXT. DEEP WOODS/APPLE TREE - DAY
Theyre in much deeper. Only a few light-rays make it
through the treetops, dancing in the fog.
The boys come to a hold in front of an OLD, MASSIVE APPLE
TREE, seperated from the others by a ring of SCORCHED EARTH.
We see a silhouette emerging from the shadows.
Jacob grabs Silas by the shoulder.
JACOB
Lets go back.
Silas tries to hide it, but hes afraid too.
He turns to leave, but freezes as the gestalt steps into the
light.
Its a BALD BOY, around their age. His face has angelic
features, the eyes of a piercing ice-blue. His skin is cold
and pale, his clothes dirty rugs.
Silas turns to him.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

THANATOS
What are you doing here?
The boys look at each other.
SILAS
Were looking for the Samanas.
Thanatos gives them a disgusted grimace.
THANATOS
(pointing)
Theyre not much further this way.
SILAS
(beat)
Who are you?
THANATOS
My name is Thanatos. This is my
home.
SILAS
Do you live here alone?
JACOB
We should leave.
THANATOS
(beat)
You shouldnt have come here. You
dont belong here.
JACOB
(distraught)
Im going home, with or without
you... Im sorry.
Jacob runs off, back to the palace.
Silas looks after him. He contemplates, then starts his walk
toward the SAMANAS.
The bald boy keeps staring at him throughout.
EXT. SAMANAS VILLAGE OUTSKIRTS - DUSK
Silas arrives at his destination.
In front him stretches the SAMANAS VILLAGE.
Dirt, wooden huts, none of the fantastic technology we have
seen at the palace.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

Silas enters the village.

A BEARDED LUMBERJACK in his forties steps in his way.
LUMBERJACK
Where do you think youre going?
SILAS
I want to join you. I want to be a
member of your village.
The lumberjack eyes the boys luxury clothing.
A GIRL, a bit older than Silas, is watching the
conversation.
LUMBERJACK
Youre not like us. Go home.
The lumberjack turns to leave. Tears swell in Silas eyes.
SILAS
(pulls on his shirt)
Please. Ive come a long way to get
here.
LUMBERJACK
(beat)
Youre not welcome here. Go.
The man makes for the huts. The girl is still staring at
Silas.
The boy turns to leave so she doesnt see him cry.
EXT. DEEP WOODS/APPLE TREE - DUSK
Silas is back at the apple tree. Thanatos is nowhere to see.
SILAS
Hello?
Silence. He keeps walking.
Silas looks through the circular gap in the treetops, gazing
into the pink sky. Smoke rises over the leaves. He is
shocked.
The boy starts running.

6.

EXT. PALACE OUTSKIRTS - NIGHT

The palace is BURNING.
Silas stares at the burning gate, stunned.
It gives in to the flames, and falls over. Silas enters.
EXT. PALACE COURTYARD - NIGHT
The courtyard is riddled with CORPSES.
The sentinel from earlier lays stretched over the stairs.
Silas shakes him, but he doesnt move.
Theres no signs of intruders, just flames and dead bodies.
Silas rushes inside the palace.
INT. PALACE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
SILAS
Mother!
Dead butlers everywhere, signs of a fight.
Silas finds HIS MOTHERS NECKLACE on the floor, laying in a
puddle of blood.
SILAS
No...
He picks it up, and stores it in his pocket.
We hear a distorted, robotic sigh.
Silas turns around to find Siegmunds lower body half stuck
under a collapsed stairwell.
SILAS
What happened?!
SIEGMUND
(distorted)
Shes... gone....
SILAS
(picking the head up)
Siegmund, tell me!
The palace starts to collapse. Tears stream down Silas face
as he drops the robot and runs outside.

7.

EXT. PALACE COURTYARD - NIGHT

Silas keeps searching for survivors.
SILAS
MOTHER!
Silence.
The boy spots someone on top of the wall.
Its Thanatos, holding a bloodstained knife that reflects
the fiery light, standing above a corpse.
He locks eyes with him. Silas takes a few steps backwards.
Thanatos rushes at him with speed unnatural for a child.
Silas runs for his life.
EXT. MAGICAL FOREST - NIGHT
Branches cut his clothes and skin as Silas runs as if the
devil himself was hunting him.
He tumbles down a steep slope, and loses his mothers
necklace.
His head hits a rock and he falls unconscious, blood running
down his face.
Its quiet for a while, until the leaves around him start to
move, and a shape towers above him, revealed to be the
LUMBERJACK.
Strange noises echoe through the forest. The lumberjack
looks around, and picks Silas up, taking him back to the
Samanas village.