ACT ONE

INT. SERENA’S DORM ROOM – DAY

It’s a pleasant day to begin with. The sun is shining through the curtains of the window as SERENA settles into her dorm room, looking tired, but still pleased.

She takes a seat on her bed, wiping sweat off of her brow.

SERENA

Yeesh, I need to remember not to pack so much when I move.

Beside her, her phone suddenly lights up and vibrates. She glances at it, and picks it up.

The screen shows her sister, AMANDA. Selena smiles and taps her screen, before bringing the phone to her ear.

SERENA (CONT’D)

Hey, sis, what’s up?

AMANDA (O.S.)

Hey Serena! Just wanted to check up on how you’re doing. You settling in fine?

SERENA

Oh yeah, I’m doing okay, just finished putting stuff away. Next time, tell me to lighten the load.

Serena idly plays with her hair using her free hand.

AMANDA (O.S.)

(laughing)

Not my fault you got so much stuff, sis! Anyway, I gotta go, professor needs me. Stay out of trouble!

Amanda hangs up. Serena rolls her eyes.

SERENA

Stay out of trouble. Yeah, sure, I’m such a magnet for it.

She stands up out of her bed and looks out the window, shoulders sagging a little.

SERENA (CONT’D)

Finally here… better make the most of it.

She looks at her phone screen and checks the time. Suddenly, something else gets her attention.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

(untranslated)

Ariga rigar. Aruna zor zor?

Serena flinches and looks around her room, startled. Her eyes dart around.

SERENA

W-what the hell was that?!

She starts to breathe heavily, waiting for that voice to speak again… but it doesn’t.

SERENA (CONT’D)

Uh… okay.

She blinks, then stands up straight, scratching her head.

SERENA (CONT’D)

Okay, probably nothing. Must be my imagination. Whatever. I need to get to class anyway.

She shrugs and grabs her backpack, before leaving the room.

– END OF ACT ONE –
 

ACT TWO

INT. COLLEGE CLASSROOM – DAY

Numbers of students file into the room, Serena among them. Their PROFESSOR stands near the whiteboard at the far back, checking his laptop on the podium before him.

Serena sits down, a glum look on her face.

Their professor looks up at them all and smiles.

PROFESSOR

Good morning class! So happy to see you guys here. Hope y’all are ready, because I’m going to get right into the material in about a minute.

The class collectively GROANS, but Serena says nothing. She just stares ahead.

PROFESSOR (CONT’D)

Oh, don’t give me that. You’re not in high school anymore, folks, you’re in college. Now, if you don’t mind…

The whiteboard lights up as a projector from the ceiling displays a presentation from his laptop.

He begins his LECTURE, but his actual speech is muffled and distorted. Serena’s not really focusing, her mind elsewhere.

SERENA (V.O.)

(thinking)

I’ve never heard that voice before. I can’t be crazy, can I? I hope it’s not like grandpa said about my books, grouchy old coot.

PROFESSOR

…and you see, that’s the basis of all myths. There’s always a central hero, fighting countless battles for love, justice, all sorts of things.

Serena leans forward at her desk, trying her best to focus, when suddenly…

WARRIOR (O.S.)

(stilted)

This… don’t remember. Don’t know.

Serena’s eyes widen and she stiffens. She glances around at other students, who don’t appear to have heard that voice.

WARRIOR (O.S.) (CONT’D)

(stilted)

Where home? Where family?

SERENA

(quietly)

You got to be kidding me.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

(stilted)

No kids, no goats. Feel… different.

To her right, another student is glancing at her with a raised eyebrow. She returns the expression, causing them to look away.

Professor looks up at her with a raised eyebrow, and she freezes.

PROFESSOR

Is there something the matter, Miss Lawson?

WARRIOR (O.S.)

Lawson? What is Lawson?

Serena ignores the voice in her head.

SERENA

Uh, no, nothing’s wrong, sorry.

PROFESSOR

Alright then. As I was saying…

Her heart POUNDS in her chest as she realizes she got the professor’s attention for the wrong reason. Serena struggles to focus.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

Not my home, my land… whoever this is, you and I need a proper introduction.

Serena bites her lip. The temptation to respond in bewilderment is strong, but she ignores it.

Luckily classes finishes up, and everyone begins to pack up and leave. Serena does the same, while the professor watches her with a quizzical quirk of his brow.

She leaves quickly.

– END OF ACT TWO –

ACT THREE

EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS – DAY

Serena strides across the path, trying to keep her cool.

She ducks into an alley where nobody’s looking.

EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS ALLEY – DAY

Double checking to make sure the coast is clear, Serena speaks up.

SERENA

Alright, whoever you are… what are you doing in my head? Who are you?

WARRIOR (O.S.)

I could ask you the same thing, young one. I did not anticipate my coalescence in such an… unfitting vessel.

Serena frowns.

SERENA

Vessel? I’m just some vessel to you? Really?

WARRIOR (O.S.)

My apologies. I did not mean to offend. Your family has not told you of my existence, have they?

She looks down, a perplexed look on her face.

SERENA

They didn’t mention anything about a voice in my head that isn’t my own, no.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

Peculiar. Well, regardless, your body will serve my needs well. I just need a weapon.

SERENA

Whoa whoa whoa! A weapon?! Are you nuts?

WARRIOR (O.S.)

I cannot be a warrior without a weapon. And no, I am not nuts. I am a spirit.

SERENA

A spirit. Great.

She peeks out from the alley, and sees people passing by.

SERENA (CONT’D)

I gotta call my sis, she has to know what’s going on.

She dashes out back onto the campus.

EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS – DAY

She fishes out her phone and dials Amanda’s number, and waits for her to pick up. Eventually, she does.

AMANDA (O.S.)

Hey, Serena, what’s up?

SERENA

Okay, first of all, please don’t freak out or anything.

AMANDA (O.S.)

Uh, everything alright?

SERENA

Yeah, I… no, I’m not alright. Look, when you get a minute, meet me in my dorm room? I dunno if I can talk about it out in the open.

AMANDA (O.S.)

Uh, sure, I guess. You’re starting to worry me.

SERENA

Yeah, I know. Love you.

She hangs up and puts her phone away.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

Your sibling sounds mighty. Why is she not my vessel?

Serena SCOFFS.

SERENA

Yeah, a med student in training is mighty. Sure.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

Med student… is it something you eat?

She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

SERENA

No, it’s… ah, forget it.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

I still require an armament.

SERENA

You aren’t getting one, dude.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

I am not a “dude”. You would do well to respect our lineage.

Serena shakes her head, before looking around, noticing a few other students looking at her strangely. She blinks, then hurriedly runs off, towards her dorm room.

INT. SERENA’S DORM ROOM – DAY

Serena runs in and shuts the door, PANTING. She drops her backpack down and sits on her bed, fingers on her temples.

SERENA

I hope to God I’m not crazy, I hope, oh God I hope.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

There are no gods here, far as I can see. Only mortals.

SERENA

Oh, would you shut the hell up for a minute, you–

Just then, the door CREAKS open. Amanda’s face is visible through the crack in the door.

AMANDA

Hey, came as soon as I could. Can I come in?

Serena nods, and Amanda enters, shutting the door behind her. She comes close and kneels in front of her sister.

AMANDA (CONT’D)

You sounded super frazzled on the phone. You’re not coming down with something, are you? Did anyone hurt you?

SERENA

No, no, none of that. It’s more than that.

She pauses, looking at Amanda.

SERENA (CONT’D)

I’m just gonna be blunt. There’s a creepy voice in my head that wants a weapon and refers to me as their vessel or some crap like that.

Amanda leans back, looking startled. Then she looks away.

AMANDA

Damn it, I thought it wouldn’t hit this time.

Serena looks baffled.

SERENA

This time? What the hell do you mean? What’s going on, sis? Why do I got this thing in my brain.

AMANDA

You sure you want to know?

Serena tilts her head.

SERENA

I don’t like the sound of that, but sure.

Amanda turns her head back around, fixing Serena with a hard look.

AMANDA

We’re the descendents of a legendary warrior, and a ritual was done to have their mind live on through their descendants. Mom and dad hoped it wouldn’t happen to us…

Serena’s eyes widen again.

AMANDA (CONT’D)

But it looks like you’re the unlucky one who got to be their vessel. Say hello to the Warrior, sis.

WARRIOR (O.S.)

Greetings, sister of my vessel!

Serena looks incredulous.

SERENA

Seriously?