Graveyard Cinders

Episode 1 | Flight

Scene 1

(The screen is black. In the background there is faint calm music. A soft tapping of plastic on plastic can be heard between beats of the song. A several small squeals gather in volume over a few seconds, breaking the calm feel of the music. The screen opens to a warm incandescent glow of a living room. 3 children come running into a cozy living room, through a doorway that shows a lovely kitchen. They run past an elderly woman sitting in a comfy cushioned chair. The woman is fairly tall and broad shouldered. Her skin is leathery and freckled. She is knitting with soft yarn. The eldest child is running away from the other two, holding a worn teddy bear under one arm. She slows down just a little. She lets out a false cry of alarm as the younger two tackle her to the ground in front of the woman.)

Frinir: (a bit exasperated) Now children, what have I told you about running around the house?

Desra: (giggling) I couldn't help it Grandma! They (more giggles) started it!

Frinir: You know you don't have to egg it on, right?

Rush: But it's fuuuuun!

Odina: Uh huh! Dez and I love to tease Rush!

Frinir: (puts the knitting down in a wicker basket and places her hands on her lap. She holds an unamused look.) Let me see the bear. (Once given the bear, she grins slyly. Standing slowly, she winks at Desra and takes off running. For an older woman, she has surprising agility)

Rush: Wh-what? HEY! That's mine!

(Desra and Odina laugh hysterically. Frinir comes running back in the room a few moments later, huffing slightly. Rush comes panting heavily in after her, he looks overwhelmed.)

Frinir: Here you go, Kiddo (she is a bit out of breath and sits down hard in her chair, but she is smiling widely. She gives the bear to Rush. Rush huffs and snatches it quickly. He hugs it to his chest and scowls at his sisters.)

Desra: she got you better than I did!

Rush: nuh uh! I almost caught her!

Odina: (boasting) I WOULD have caught her!

(Rush pushes Odina and the two start to squabble. Frinir pulls the two apart and sends both off to bed. Desra follows them slowly, almost thoughtfully, looking back once. Frinir is looking at her with sorrow in her eyes. It flashes away swiftly once the older woman realizes Desra is looking back. She smiles and waves the eldest child onward. Desra, too tired to fully register Frinir's look, smiles and waves goodnight. Frinir's frown returns to her face as the screen fades to black)

Scene 2

(Later that evening. Desra, Rush and Odina are tucked away in bed, Desra and Odina sharing the larger of the two in the guest bedroom. All three are sleeping soundly. Odina is curled away from Desra, bunching much of the blanket around her, leaving Desra with barely anything to lay under. Rush is sleeping rather oddly, with half his body twisted over, and his mouth open, drool slowly creeping down his cheek.)

(In the kitchen, Frinir is slowly washing dirty dishes. She stops for a moment and supports herself up with two hands on the counter, her head bowed. A moment later, an elder man walks in, his eyes weary. He is a broadly built, tall man with a wrinkled face, with kind eyes, laugh lines wrinkling at the corners. A wide yawn obscuring his features for a moment. He notices his friends hesitance and immediately his cheerful face turns serious)

Nadir: Hey what's wrong?

Frinir: (she wipes her hands on the hand towel hanging next to the sink before turning. Tears glittering in her eyes.) They don't even know. They thought this was all just a visit. They even played today. They- (she breaks off as a single tear slides down her cheek. She swiftly wipes it off, pretending it had never been there.) I have to tell them. It's tearing me up having to keep it from them.