27. Touched - Leslie

• FADE IN


• EXT. DESERT SAND DUNES - DAY


• The twin suns beat down on the blindingly white desert sand, silhouetting Ameera.


• She stands at the top of one of the dunes, her robes billowing around her in the wind.


• A pair of round metal goggles are perched on her forehead, her hands are covered in thick gloves, and she wears light pants under her robes.


• She stands at the top of one of the dunes, her robes billowing around her in the wind.


• Several cloudships crisscross the sky far above her head.


• She stares into the distance, searching and sees a wall of dust whirling in the distance.


• Ameera pulls the goggles off of her head and pulling the robes off until she wears nothing but a thin shift and pants.


• She folds the clothes neatly and places them beside her along with the goggles.


• She pulls intricate bracelets from her arm and places them on her pile of clothes..


• She pulls her hood back revealing cropped short, hair, the tips dyed bright blue.


• She sits, her legs crossed and waits.


• The sand storm is now audible, screaming in the distance.


• It races towards her, but she doesn’t flinch.


• It overtakes the dunes around her, covering them.


• She takes a deep breath and looks at the wall, it hovers, seeming to pause at the foot of her dune, and then it engulfs her and she is gazing into the frothing heart of the storm.


• Sand tears past her face, cutting her cheeks.


• She doesn’t move, eyes open, staring into the chaos.


• The roar builds like a song as the storm whips around her, and in the heart of the storm, a mass of glowing tendrils forms.


• They begin to grow, melting and merging until a woman, beautiful and large stands in front of Ameera.


• She sings in a strange, haunting language, wrapping Ameera in her tendrils.


• The strange, glowing embrace seems to last forever.


• Suddenly, all is silent, and Ameera sits on the dune, slumped over as the storm is drained of energy.


• She looks up, her face cut and bruised, her eyes now a strange, milky blue.


• A mark is there now, tracing the lines of her body from her eye to her neck, and around her left arm.


• A scoutship lands nearby, sent by one of the cloudships, now hovering lower.


• The TOUCHED ONE rushes from the ship and climbs the hill with a speed that belies her age, feeling her way with her staff.


• She kneels in front of Ameera and inspects Ameera’s face with her hands then stands, raising her staff in the air. Her eyes are the same blue as Ameera’s.


• TOUCHED ONE
• Our daughter is now a woman!


• Cheers come from the scout ship and the circling cloudships.


• Ameera struggles to her feet, blind, and the Touched One raises her staff again. Louder cries ring out.


• She nods, and takes Ameera’s arm, leading her back to the scout ship.