Reply With QuoteTAROT-CON
PAGE 1
1. An African American woman in her late 40’s is standing in front of a large group of people. She is heavy set. She’s wearing a sarong and a head band that pulls back her hair showing only the grey on sides. The audience consists of mostly women wearing either tie-die or wolves on their shirts.
TERRY: I’ve got time for one last one. It’s bringing me heart pains and it‘s a man. Does someone in this room have a father or a brother that died of a heart problem.
2. Several people raise their hands. Terry closes her eyes.
TERRY: This person’s name starts with an “M”. A Mike or Mitch or Mel.
3. Two people keep their hands up. She points to the one closer to her, an older woman in her sixties.
TERRY: And who is this to you.
CROWD MEMBER: My Uncle Mark. He died last year of a heart attack.
4. The lady begins to cry. The woman next to her, who is also crying, goes to give her a hug.
TERRY: He wants you to know he loves you and he is so thankful that you’re watching over his daughter.
Thank you all for coming.
5 & 6 (2 panels)- A large hall way running through a convention center. Several stands are partnered next to each other. One has a thin man with a wispy grey beard and a tie-die shirt selling crystals of varying colors and sizes,. The next stall is a make shift Tee-Pee with a Native American woman. A sign says “Bone Reading 10 minutes=$40”. Next to them is a large woman selling books. Across from them is a young, thin man with pictures of people’s faces surrounded by color. His sign reads “Picture of your aura, $30”. There is an older couple next to him with a sign stating “ Passed lives reading.” The hallway is filled, like any market, but all others become indistinguishable.
PAGE 2
1. Terry walks on. She see’s a medium named “Raven” who is much older and well over weight. She is dressed in black with a tall witches hat. She looks bonkers, for lack of a better word.
2. She passes a young woman on a table. There is a Chinese man pulling on her arm with his foot in her armpit. His sign reads. “Chakras alignment here”
3. Terry passes a young woman in her early thirties sitting a table alone. She’s got died black hair and too much eyeliner. You can tell she‘s pushing the goth angle. Her sign simply says “Psychic Reading.”
VIRGINIA: I assure you I am not a fraud, Ms. Wilkinson. Or should I call you Madam Hartha?”
4. Terry sits down smiling, but slightly embarrassed. Virginia is straight faced begins to shuffle her tarot cards.
TERRY: Terry is fine. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just that you meet so many charlatans at these things.
VIRGINIA: You didn’t pry. I did. My name is Virginia. You come to these things often?
TERRY: Once or twice a year, maybe. It’s the few times I can get out and make some money. with the gift. Slim living unless you’re one of those that’s lucky enough to get a radio show.
VIRGINIA: Or you end up like Edward Johns.
5. Virginia looks up as she’s dealing cards on to the table. Virginia is still smiling and watches Viriginia closely.
TERRY: How about you?
VIRGINIA: Haven’t been doing it for more than about five years.
TERRY: Being psychic never seemed like much help to others. You’re just telling others what they already know.
VIRGINIA: You’d be surprised at what people hide from themselves.
6. There’s a woman standing next to Virginia off to the side a bit. This woman is dressed in a hospital gown. Her hair is stringy and unkempt. Her eyes bulge with an intensity and her lips are thin and blue.
TERRY: So who is that you’ve got with you?
VIRGINIA: Who do you mean?
TERRY: Tall, 6’4’’ maybe. Long thin, hair. Big eyes and a crazy ass look on her face.
PAGE 3
1. Virginia stands and puts a “Out to Lunch” card on her table.
VIRGINIA: I’m sorry, Terry. This was a terrible idea. I should’ve known a psychic and a medium can’t keep secrets from each other.
TERRY: Wait.
2. Virginia disappears. Terry stands there confused. The crowd milling around her.
3. Next to the doorway for the stairwell, Terry sees the woman in the hospital gown. She’s pointing towards the door.
4. Terry walks through the door of the rooftop.
TERRY: Nice trick, lady. So you’re more than a psychic. Was that a little test to see if I was for real as well?
5. Virginia is sitting at the edge of the roof looking out to the city. She is holding her hand out and Terry holds her hand.
VIRGINIA: It wasn’t a test really. I just can’t seem to breathe in there. It just gets to be too…loud. Come and take my hand, I’ll show you what you want to know.
PAGE 4
1. The woman in the hospital gown is sitting and looking out of a window. Bars line the window to block any sort of escape. Her face is passive and distant.
CAPTION: Her name is Marlo. I met her at a state hospital in the psych ward five years ago. I went after a severe bout of depression caused by my divorce.
2. The two of them are walking along the path through the courtyard next to a fountain.
CAPTION: Marlo told me she came after her husband committed a double suicide with his mistress. Rumor had it that she did more than just find the bodies. In any case, it was nice to have a friend…for both of us.
3. A hospital worker is closing the door to her room. Marlo is curled up on the bed in fear. She’s gripping the covers white knuckled.
CAPTION: Abuses were pretty regular in these types of places. I remember that one night, a worker had tried to make his way with her.
4. (Shot from the waist up) The worker is looking down at himself. He’s crying/screaming in pain. His scrubs are still on and his stomach is completely covered in blood. His hands are working below frame at the origin of his wound below his stomach.
CAPTION: That’s when I began to understand the extent of it. Not only could she read people. But when her emotions took over, she could make people do…things..awful things.
5. Marlo is kissing Virginia on the cheek with her hand on Virgina’s cheek.
CAPTION: A couple months later, she decided she couldn’t handle it anymore. The guilt, the power. She gave me her powers that day with a kiss. And all she said was…
MARLO: Do you think God will forgive me?
6. Marlo holds a butcher’s knife to her throat. Her eyes are wide with a fear and intensity.
PAGE 5
1. Virginia and Terry sitting on the roof. Virginia’ s face is full of sorrow while Terry’s is astonished.
VIRGINIA: She must’ve got one of the workers to bring her the knife, I guess. For the last five years, I’ve had the ability to read people and a few other parlor tricks, but it’s not as strong. Not like hers.
2. Terry is standing and pulling Virginia up by her arm.
VIRGINIA: I can still hear her like a whisper. Like a radio station that’s not quite tuned to the station. Death is turning her in to something …darker.
TERRY: This is isn’t over for her. This cnnection you have with her is keeping her here. I know we’ve just met, Virginia, but I want you to trust me. I know some people and, together, we can help release Marlo in to the afterlife.
3. Back to the convention. It’s after closing and the stalls are cleared out. The lights are dimmed and there are candles surrounding a table. Virginia is lying down on the table. Terry is squeezing Virginia‘s hand and looking in to her eyes. Another psychic is placing large crystals on her body. There is a small group of other psychics holding hands surrounding them.
VIRGINIA: You know, it was Marlo’s idea to come here. Maybe she knew that you’d be here to help her.
TERRY: Shhh, shhh, shhh. That’s very sweet dear, but I need you to relax and clear your mind.
4. The group is chanting. Terry is rubbing the temples of Virginia.
CROWD: Oh Gracious mother of the night.
CROWD: Give this spirit back to the light.
5. The group is chanting louder. The flame on the candles is growing larger.
CROWD: OH GRACIOUS MOTHER OF NIGHT!
CROWD: GIVE THIS SPIRIT BACK TO LIGHT!
6. Then darkness.
TERRY: Virginia? How do you feel?
7. Terry holds a match up and you can only see Terry and Virginia’s faces.
VIRGINIA: Sorry dear, Virginia’s not here anymore. Might I say you exceeded my expectations. Strange things happen to you when you’re dead. You‘ll see. Now go fetch me a knife from the cafeteria.
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