Young Writers Society

FADE
IN:

INT – Market –
evening

A
very busy fish market, there are many stalls set up with people
running them

Each of the stalls have names on
the names as follows: Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Debauchery,
Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Discord, Rage, Selfish Ambition,
Dissensions, Factions, Envy, Drunkardness and Orgies

They are right on a harbour, with
the sea in view and a ship in the far distance approaches

Many walk through the market,
looking at all that’s for sale and what is on display

SUPERIMPOSE:

“Fleshly
Harbour”

Adultery Merchant

Sick of your wife? Come here and
let me set you up with some totty. A one night stand with a stranger
in a club or a full-blown affair with that woman from the office.

Fornication Merchant

Come here and receive pleasure.
After all, all of your friends are doing it.

A man with a small book in his
hand walks down the marketplace, as he does the merchants all call
out to him. This is DILIGENT

Selfish Ambition Merchant

Come on, I can make you respected
member of society.

Diligent turns about at the
different stalls

Idolatry Merchant

Choose
which god you will serve. Choose one that suits your interests. No
accountability, no judgement on sin or on your pleasures, just
blessings(!)

Diligent goes past the market and
stands at the edge of the harbour, the stall closest to him is
Drunkardness Merchant by his stall and he is dead drunk. He points to
Diligent and laughs

Druckardness Merchant

Come;
let me set you up with a drink good sir.

Diligent smiles and shakes his
head

Diligent

I’m waiting.

Drunkardness Merchant shakes his
head

Drunkardness Merchant

What for?

Diligent

I
don’t know, I was given this book by a man who told me that
what I am seeking for is found at this harbour.

Drunkardness Merchant burps and
laughs

Drunkardness Merchant

And right he was(!) What shall I
set you up with?

The
ship approaches is much closer, the name Mercy is on its side

Diligent

No, I was told to wait for a
ship.

Drunkardness Merchant cries out,
the people around look at the ship with Drunkardness Merchant with
contempt

Druckardness

Not those.

Diligent
turns to see the ship, it approaches the harbour, angels appear and
help dock it and disappear afterwards

A small crowd gathers, a man
approaches the crowd from the ship, this is PASTOR and he is dressed
as a first mate

Pastor

Come everyman to Mercy, God’s
ship always has room for more. For He says I have heard you in a time
accepted and in the day of salvation I helped you.

Diligent
smiles at Pastor

Pastor (cont’d)

I tell you, now is the time
accepted, behold now is the day of salvation.

The crowd laughs scornfully

Crowd member

You
go back to your God and say to Him: ‘Leave us alone(!) Who is
the Almighty that we should serve Him? What would we gain by praying
to Him?’

The crowds cheers and departs.
Drunkardness Merchant communes with a crowd member. Diligent goes up
to Pastor

Diligent

Sir,
I am here. Your book about the new country has intrigued me and I
wish to go.

Pastor

Welcome
aboard son. We have many ports to travel to. I admit we are running
to a tight schedule. But come on, we’ll discuss more on board.

The both enter the ship together.
The platform is raised for them

CUT TO:

INT – CAPTAIN’S CABIN
– NIGHT

A
small cabin, various trophies of many kinds, many certificates hang
on the wall, in the centre is a chair which sits a rough looking man
with an eye patch. The man is SIN

Sin is studying a book

There is a knock at the door, Sin
looks up

Sin

Come in.

Sin continues to study, a man
dressed as a first mate enters, this is ENTICEMENT

Sin smiles

Sin

Every
book has its place.

He frowns

Sin (Cont’d)

Except
of course one book, which is to be utterly abhorred.

Enticement

Sir,
we’ve just this moment had word from the Commodore.

Sin chuckles

Sin

So what does old Blindness want?

Enticement frowns

Enticement

One of your subjects has been
picked up by Mercy.

Sin turns to him angrily

Sin

What?

CUT TO:

INT – ship – sleeping
quarters – night

It’s
dark with a small lamp that burns, there is a table which has a mini
library above it to be a study, it has a chair next to it with a
hammock at the corner

Pastor enters with Diligent who
that book in his hand

Pastor

Welcome to your sleeping
quarters.

Diligent smiles and looks around
at everything

Diligent

Thank you good sir. But when will
I meet the Captain?

Pastor smiles

Pastor

As you came on board you said you
were intrigued to travel to the Heavenly country?

Diligent smiles and nods, Pastor
smiles as well

Pastor (cont’d)

Son,
you must rest for tomorrow we will take you through the initiation
and you will officially join our crew.

Diligent raises the book that is
in his hand

Diligent

But what about this book?

Pastor smiles

Pastor

See
the table? That’s for you to study. That book is the Captain’s
instruction manual and is utterly infallible. That is undebatable.
Know this book both in word and action and you will be a very rich
man.

Diligent looks at the book

Diligent

It contains a treasure map?

Pastor laughs and nods

Pastor

This
book teaches how one must find true treasure. For it is written, ‘Do
not lay up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and
rust corrupts and where thieves break in and steal. But rather lay up
for yourselves treasure in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust
corrupts and thieves do not break in and steal.’

Pastor puts a hand on Diligent

Pastor (Cont’d)

For
where your treasure is there will be your heart also.

Diligent looks at Pastor with
uncertainty

Beat

Pastor (cont’d)

Get some rest, we'll discuss more
in the morning.

Diligent nods, places the book on
the table and climbs into the hammock, Pastor leaves

CUT TO:

EXT
– harbour – morning

Seagulls
sound, there is a ship that is tied to the harbour, the ship has a
name inscribed – ‘Iniquity’, people are at work on
it

Sin walks up to it, he holds
something in his hands that he eats, he looks disdainfully at the
people on the ship at work

Sin

What are you doing you scurvy
dogs? Let her loose(!) We’ve got some fish to fry.

The people on ‘Iniquity’
turn to Sin, Enticement appears

Enticement

You
all heard the Captain, now move it.

Sin and Enticement go on board,
the people on board scatter and disappear, someone loosens it and it
departs from the harbour

CUT TO:

INT – Ship –
simultaneous

On the hem is a rudder, each
wooden stub is worn out and broken, there is a man who stands there
and holds it, this is COVERTNESS

Sin walks up to him

Sin

We’re after a small vessel,
on account of kidnap.

Covertness

Aye,
aye cap’n. Be it Mercy?

Sin frowns with disgust

Sin

Aye,
tis the cursed Mercy. Has one of me crew and I wish to take him back.
I’m not willing that he should leave my power. I’ll fight
tooth and nail to get him back. No man leaves my service.

Covertness nods

Covertness

Where to cap’n.

Sin smiles

Sin

I think I know where they shall
be stopping first.

Covertness

Really? Where be that cap’n?

CUT TO:

INT – TOWN – MORNING

There are many people, each
person walk but they are all very wary of each other and watch each
other suspiciously

SUPERIMPOSE:

“Town of Deceit”

Two men in powdered wigs walk
together, they look very similar to each other, these are SECULARISM
and HUMANISM

Secularism

See
what a great name I have made for myself.

Humanism smiles and nods

Humanism

Of
course my elder, but you wouldn’t have got where you have
without the loot and spoils of the pirate captain Sin whose ship is
Iniquity.

Secularism nods and turns to
Humanism

Secularism

It
is true Humanism I admit it. I wouldn’t be anything without
Sin. He has got me where I am today.

They
both walk past a small and beautiful shop with a sign on it which
says: “Love – one of the nine holy fruits is sold here.”
Secularism looks at it disgusted, Humanism turns to it and frowns

Secularism (cont’d)

I’m so tired of the bigotry
of the Church. These shops they have set up everywhere to make the
rest of us feel bad about ourselves. Don’t they know there is
no God?

Humanism shrugs his shoulders

Humanism

There is a god, the person
within.

Secularism nods

Secularism

I’ve
tried so very hard to remove from society all traces of the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, a task quite noble. These people are a
thorn in my side.

Humanism nods

CUT TO:

INT – SHIP – SLEEPING
QUATERS – MORNING

Diligent
is sitting by his desk; he is reading the book and sobs quietly to
himself

There is a knock at the door,
Diligent looks up

Diligent

Come in.

Pastor looks at him at the desk
in surprise

Pastor

I didn’t expect to see you
awake.

Diligent nods and sighs

Diligent

No.
I didn’t, I couldn’t sleep. I’ve had nightmares.

Pastor frowns

Pastor

Nightmares?

Diligent gets up from his desk
and goes over to Pastor

Diligent

I know that if I died I would
surely come to judgement. Try as I might I am still under the
dominion of Sin.

He cries out in despair

Diligent
(cont’d)

Oh
how to rid my soul of my evil(!) I’ve not had a good night’s
sleep in years and it is because of this.

He gets out a binding contract
with the letter head ‘SIN’

Diligent
(cont’d)

Not
only that but I know that I am bound to this contract until my death
and afterward will have my part in hell for being in the service of
Sin.

Pastor smiles

Pastor

The Captain, go to the Captain.
There is one God and mediator between God and man, the Man Christ
Jesus Who gave Himself a ransom for all. He is the Captain of this
vessel.

Diligent looks at him

Pastor (cont’d)

He sits forever upon his mercy
seat nullifying the contract of Sin to all who come to Him.

Diligent looks at him with
confusion

Diligent

How can a man give me right
standing with God?

Pastor smiles and laughs

Pastor

That Man is the Mighty God. He is
the Son, one with the Father and one with the Holy Spirit. These
three are One.

Diligent goes to the door, he
goes to open it but turns to Pastor meekly

Diligent

Will He have me?

Pastor

Go and see for yourself.

Diligent nods and leaves the room

CUT TO: