2. TITLE SEQUENCE
A vortex of strange, pulsating cloud like structures swirls
and contours into odd shapes and patterns, like butterfly
wings. It is accompanied by eerie electronic noises. The
shapes eventually resolve into the words ’SURVIVED’.
FADE OUT
1. EXT. FIELD - DAY
It’s a blistering summers day in 1782. The Gloucestershire
countryside is vibrant, vivid BLUE sky and lush GREEN
plants. Everything is still. The quiet is suddenly broken by
the ragged breaths of a man. JOHN LOCUST (28), aged beyond
his years by hard labour and hard drink, is sprinting across
the field, drenched in sweat. He is followed by a black
shape, just out of sight, thundering toward him.
2. EXT. FOREST - DAY
Locust darts into a forest, twigs and brambles tearing at
his clothes. Running to the top of a muddy incline, he stops
by a tree to catch his breath. His pursuer soon arrives at
the bottom and Locust takes off again, running as if his
life depends on it.
3. EXT. SUDELEY CASTLE - DAY
The hollow windows of the ruined Sudeley Castle frame Locust
as he crashes out of the woods. He trips and falls down a
steep embankment, scrambling to hide himself and remain as
quiet as possible. THE CREDITOR, a man dressed in regency
dress with a MASKED face, looms overhead, Locust just barely
out of sight.
CREDITOR
You can’t run forever, John Locust!
You’ll pay Sheriff Hayward what you
owe, one way or another!
(He gets no reply)
Your days are numbered,
gaberlunzie!
The Creditor retreats out of view, Locust crouched and
dripping with sweat.
LOCUST (V.O.)
Tails.
3. 2.
4. EXT. FIELD - MIDDAY
Later, Locust has walked across the field and settled
beneath the branches of a great old tree. His face is
covered in beads of sweat mixed with grime from his fall. He
stares at the coin in his hand in apprehension, almost fear.
He flips it, catches it from the air, and tentatively opens
his clasped hand to see how it has landed. After seeing the
result, he continues to flip the coin five more times.
LOCUST
(Denial)
Tails.
(Anger)
Tails!
(Bargaining)
Tails?
(Depression)
Tails.
(Stares at the coin in defeat)
Sixty-Five times. God’s boots.
His head rocks back with frustration.
LOCUST
John Locust, you cunning fox. Can’t
go back to Winchcombe, Sheriff
Hayward’s looking for you. Can’t go
back to the farm, Sarah’ll have
your guts for garters.
He looks at the coin mutinously.
LOCUST
Where are your five loaves and
seven fish?
Whilst he looks at the coin, he notices the ruins of the
castle in front of him, half hidden by foliage. Intrigued,
he rises to his feet and leaves the shade of the tree,
squinting as he re-enters the light.
5. EXT. FOREST - MIDDAY
Locust slowly makes his way through the trees, light passing
through the leaves and dappling the ground. As he gets
closer to the edge of the forest, the bright sun has
illuminated the ruins, making it seem as if nothing lies
beyond the tree line. Locust moves the last few branches and
enters the clearing.
4. 3.
6. EXT. SUDELEY CASTLE - MIDDAY
Locust blinks in the bright light. Standing before him are
the ruins of SUDELEY CASTLE, a Medieval palace laid low by
time. The worn stone walls stand, but the roof and inside
have long since crumbled away, leaving it’s empty windows
staring down, starkly against the clear blue sky. Scattered
about it’s base is all manner of rubble and detritus, half
buried in the long grass.
Locust seems awed by what he’s seeing. He’s lived here all
his life, yet it seems this place has passed him by. He
wanders over to one of the large boulders and sits down. The
awe is quickly being overtaken by the fear of his current
predicament. As he rues his fate, Locust spots something
shining amongst the stones.
Picking it up, he sees that it is the fragment of a golden
icon, barely larger than his coin. Locust comes alive with
excitement, turning the figure over in his hand before
grasping it to his chest and looking up at the sky.
LOCUST
Well, not quite loaves and fish,
but...
He grins, gets to his feet, and begins to comb the castle
grounds.
7. EXT. SUDELEY CASTLE - MIDDAY
Locust has passed the standing wall, and seems to have
reached a dead end. He holds his collected trinkets in his
handkerchief. On top of the icon, he now also has several
worn coins, a fragment of carved wooden frame and scraps of
devotional texts. He seems less than impressed with his
horde.
LOCUST
This can’t be all there is.
(Sighs)
Royalists carted it off, or the
Roundheads torched it. I’m just
picking up the fag-ends.
Dejected, he looks down past his handkerchief and notices
that he has passed from grass onto what appears to be a
tiled floor. Looking about, Locust sees that he has wandered
onto the footprint of a building, grass peaking out from the
gaps in the tiles.
(CONTINUED)
5. CONTINUED: 4.
Stuffing his treasure deep into his pocket, Locust begins to
scorer the remains of the building for more loot. Crouching
onto his knees by a pile of rubble that had at one point
been a wall, Locust begins to shift stones out the way, idly
flinging them to one side.#
Removing one large rock, Locust is suddenly confronted with
the ghastly visage of a demon, a devotional image of hell,
faded paint still embossed on the stone. The demon’s one eye
stares sightlessly back at Locust.
Locust leaps back in shock and, still on his knees, bangs
his hand into something behind him. Grasping his hand in
annoyance, he turns to see what he hit.
It is a large stone slab, about a foot tall and six foot
long, chipped and faded. Intrigued, Locust gingerly crawls
forwards to get a better look at the object
LOCUST
Now what are you? Some manner of
crypt?
Locust gingerly tests his it’s weight, visibly struggling
with the bulk.
LOCUST
Or maybe a treasure chest? Yes...
yes, the Lord of the land would
need somewhere to hide his baubles
before his house was trashed. But
you don’t seem to have been opened
in a while, which means he didn’t
come back for you. Which means...
Locust’s face lights up with hope and excitement.
LOCUST
I’m not technically stealing.
Locust hesitates, staring down at the coin in his hand. He
considers for a moment, before clenching the coin
determinedly and pocketing it.
8. EXT. SUDELEY CASTLE - LATE AFTERNOON
Locust has stripped to his shirt sleeves and is using a
metal pole, sharpened with decay, to try and pry open the
slab.
With a final heave, the top of the slab slides open a
man-sized crack. Exhausted, Locust sits down with his back
to the slab.
(CONTINUED)
6. CONTINUED: 5.
As he catches his breath, Locust takes in his surroundings.
The ruined wall of the castle looms over him, it’s hollow
windows framing the clear blue sky. The eerie stillness of
his surroundings is putting Locust on edge.
A strange, hollow thud in the distance causes Locust to
shoot to his feet, looking around in fear. Seeing nothing,
he swallows nervously and looks back to the ajar slab.
Unwilling to linger any longer than he needs to, he slides
the top half of his body into the slab, legs sticking
incongruously outside.
9. INT. SLAB - LATE AFTERNOON
The hole is about 5 feet deep. The inside of the slab is
pitch black, save for the slither of light freckled with the
particles of dust in the air. Locust’s nose contorts at the
musty smell.
As his eyes adjust to the light, he sees a glint of silver
illuminated by the slice of light. Locust’s breath catches
in his mouth. Coin? Treasure? He leans in further, wiping
away the layers of dust expectantly.
The glint is revealed to be a lead-wrapped coffin. Sealed
hemetically, untouched. Inscribed upon it’s length- "KP /
Here lyeth Queen Katheryne Wife to Kinge / Henry the VIII
and / The wife of Thomas / Lord of Sudely High / Admy... of
Englond / And ynkle to Kyng / Edward VI / Withe God 5
Septembre 1548".
The realisation hits Locust that he is presently half
dangling inside a tomb. Panic washes over him as he
frantically wiggles out of the tomb.
10. EXT. SUDELEY CASTLE - LATE AFTERNOON
Locust is sprawled on the ground outside the slab, breathing
heavily. He lies on his back, looking up at the sky, the
walls of the castle rising up around him like a cage.
LOCUST
Sweet sepulchre. You’ve done it
now, John. Larceny, idleness and
now desecration of consecrated
ground. You might as well move to
hell now and put yourself on the
spit roast, save Lucifer the
effort.
He sits up, kneading his temples, still looking around
warily after the earlier unexplained sound. He looks back at
the hole in the ground.
(CONTINUED)
7. CONTINUED: 6.
LOCUST
A Queen... a Queen undisturbed.
Could I? No, no, your in enough
trouble already!
Locust rises to his feet, pacing back and forth.
LOCUST
In and out. Won’t take more than an
hour. Just open it up, grab
whatever shines are lying about,
and then seal it back up again. As
if you were never even here.
He looks back at the slab, determination crystallizing on
his face.
LOCUST
Not as if she needs them. Just a
body after all. Just a skeleton.
Can’t hurt you one bit.
He looks around, takes a deep breath, and slides his body
back into the hole.
11. INT. SLAB - LATE AFTERNOON
With fresh determination, Locust begins to clear the dirt
away from the lead envelope. He feels around the coffin,
trying to find some kind of opening, but it’s sealed up. He
has a brain wave, and shifts awkwardly so one of his arms
can get out of the hole.
12. EXT. SUDELEY CASTLE - LATE AFTERNOON
Outside, Locust’s arm reaches out of the cracks and feels
about for the sharp metal rod he left on top of the slab. A
black gloved hand silently passes the rod to the fumbling
hand, which clasps the rod and retreats back into the slab.
13. INT. SLAB - LATE AFTERNOON
Inside, Locust uses the rod to cut a hole in the lead
envelope, and peels it back to reveal a layer of cloths. He
gradually unwraps the cloth until the profile of a body
becomes visible. Locust delicately peels back the last
layer.
The body is revealed. KATHERINE PARR is still perfectly
preserved, her skin still white and moist, hair still vivid
red. She looks likes she’s only sleeping.
(CONTINUED)
8. CONTINUED: 7.
Locust’s breath catches in his throat, shock rippling
through his body as he tries to take in what he’s seeing.
After he gets over the initial surprise, his eyes scourer
the body for jewellery or any finery he can see, but there
is non. His attention drifts to the hair.
Locust shifts his body as much as he dares, leaning in
toward the corpse until they are just inches apart. Taking
the rod in hand, he begins to cut away at the hair. His
focus is intense, sweat now pooling in droplets on his nose.
These droplets begin to drip onto the body’s face.
Locust is cutting hurriedly, impatient to get out of the
cramped space. He looks up, and his eyes suddenly bulge with
fright.
Katherine Parr just opened her left eye and is staring at
him.
Locust’s scream catches in his throat, as he struggles to
escape from the slab. With a jolt he slams his head into the
stone ceiling of the slab and slips out awkwardly.
14. EXT. SUDELEY CASTLE - LATE AFTERNOON
Back in the sunlight, Locust is completely disorientated
from heatstroke, fright and the smash to the back of his
head. He sees the Creditor, framed in front of the ruins.
Locust gibbers as the Creditor rides up to him, dismounts,
and puts his flintlock gun to his head. He raises his hands
in fear, the handkerchief of trinkets tumbling from his
pockets and scattering in front of him.
LOCUST
I... I... ah... um... I... I
just... just needed... I just
thought... but, but...
(He waves in the direction of
the slab)
But there! In there, it... she
was... still there, still there,
witchcraft, survived-
The Creditor cocks his pistol and Locust screws his face up
with fright and despair, blood beginning to pool under his
head.
LOCUST
Oh, Oh God, Oh Jesus Christ! I
don’t have the money, I don’t have
anything! Oh please, Jesus, help,
help, God help me!
(The Creditor doesn’t respond)
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
9. CONTINUED: 8.
LOCUST (cont’d)
If... If I’d known it was
consecrated ground... I would never
have, uh, never broken! I’m a
god-fearing man! Ask my wife-
CREDITOR
Cease your prattle, dalcop.
LOCUST
Please, I don’t have anything.
Everything I made from the farm, I
drank it away, I bet it away.
Sarah... oh, my Sarah. I don’t know
why I do this to her.
(He scrables about with the
treasure in front of him)
Take this, it’s valuable, at least,
I reckon, in my, uh, my opinion...
or I can put it back! If that’s
what... you, uh...
(He reaches into his pocket
and pulls out his last coin)
Here, take it. It’s everything I
have. A gesture of faith. Take it.
With his left hand, the Creditor takes the coin from Locust,
gun still pointed at his head. The Creditor looks at the
coin for a long time, before holding it between his thumb
and forefinger and holding it in front of Locust.
CREDITOR
Call it.
LOCUST
I... what?
CREDITOR
Everything is decay. Everything is
transitory. Kings and Queens with
there castles and baubles are all
laid low. Poor players who strut
and threat there hour ’pon the
stage and then are heard no more.
Everything vanishes into the maw of
time. Nothing survives. No destiny.
No fate. Just the tally of cosmic
anarchy, the fickle hand of chance
that rules the lives of men. So,
John Locust. Call it.
Locust recalls the coins strange behaviour earlier that day.
The tiniest glimmer of hope lights up his eyes.
(CONTINUED)
10. CONTINUED: 9.
LOCUST
Tails.
The Creditor flips the coin. It rises into the air,
illuminated by the glimmer of the setting sun as Sudeley
Castle falls into shadow.
In 1782, John Locust discovered the body of Katherine Parr
in the ruins of Sudeley Castle. After 234 years it was still
perfectly preserved. The coffin was opened several more
times over the years, but contact with the air caused it to
decay and by 1817 it had completely disintegrated.
THE END
