The Tale of Tests: Movie Script

EXT – OUTSIDE ON THE FIELDS – DAY

CLEO WEXLER, an ordinary looking teenager around the age of sixteen, trudging up the hill to her little house and with a flushed smile after seeing the sunrise, the start of a brand new day. Crossing over the threshold, she enters the house.


INT – INSIDE THE HOUSE - DAY

Cleo’s mother, CALLIDA TERRESELL (MRS. WEXLER), sits beside the kitchen table reading a piece of paper with the look of astonishment mingled with shock Seeing Cleo entering the house, she beckons her quickly over to the table, telling her that she has been accepted to a great academy.

Cleo shaking her head wondering why her mother is not giving her details about this academy that she is about to go. Her mother tells her to pack and that a carriage will come tomorrow to take Cleo to the school. The next day, Cleo and Callida wait for the carriage to arrive.

CALLIDA
(chattering merrily)
I will miss you so dearly my dear. I was so surprised when the letter came to tell me that you had been accepted.

CLEO
What is this academy about mom, you haven’t told me anything about it yet.

CALLIDA
Hush now, no worries. You’ll be fine, now turn that frown and let me see you smile.

CLEO
You haven’t told me nothing whatsoever about where I am going. Couldn’t you at least tell me what I am supposed to be doing when I get there?

CALLIDA
You’ll know soon enough, ah, I think I hear the carriage coming…?

CLEO
Mom, purrleeeeease. This is getting us no where, just please tell me what is going to happen.

CALLIDA
I can’t dear; it’s not my position to be doing that.

CLEO
(her eyebrows almost disappearing under her bangs)
Your position? What do you mean by that? Is it that you’re not allowed to tell anyone?

Callida sees the carriage pulling up and quickly pushes her inside with her bags.

CALLIDA
Just do your best, I mean, uh, I’ll miss you!

CLEO
What do you mean? Look I don’t get this, tell me what –

Carriage door is closed by Callida and the carriage instantly starts moving.

CALLIDA
Bye! I love you!
(in a whisper mutters)
…good luck.


INT – INSIDE A CARRAIGE – DAY

Cleo looks around to see no windows and no driver. Trying to open the carriage door, she discovers that it is locked from the outside! She panics but orders the carriage to stop. The carriage stops and Cleo is dumped out of the carriage along with her belongings. Then, the carriage rolls away.


EXT – WOODS – SUNSET

As it gets darker, Cleo starts to be apprehensive and is afraid of what will happen to her. She is hungry and extremely thirsty.

CLEO
(Mutters to herself)
I wonder what is going to happen to me. What if no one finds me? Will I be lost here and starve? Oh please, some one fined me?

At the moment sees a girl behind a tree, close to where Cleo is. Cleo is so surprised that she nearly screams.

CLEO
Oh, um, hello. How did you come by here? Do you live here?

HELENA (the new girl)
(Ignoring her and with a slight scowl)
Who are you? What’s your name? How did you come here?

CLEO
I’m Cleo and as for how I got here, it’s a long story. It started with getting a letter from this academy that I-

HELENA
Is that true? Well… would you like something to drink? I have a bottle here.

CLEO
That would be wonderful, you see, I’m tremendously thirsty right now and –
(taking a gulp from the bottle)
I didn’t have chance to drink anything-
(her eyes slowly closing and her head drooping then falling into a deep sleep).


INT – HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

Cleo wakes up to see herself in the house of the girl that she saw in the woods the other day. The girl explains that her name is Helena and tells her that she had fainted yesterday in the wood. Helena leaves the room to go to the bathroom and Cleo notices Kyle, Helena’s boyfriend, and falls in love at first sight.


INT – HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

Cleo starts talking to Kyle, both of them stumbling over what they should say to each other.

KYLE
So, uh, how did you end up in here?

CLEO
I met Helena in the woods and I remember her giving me something to drink. Then the world went all hazy and I don’t remember anything else. Helena told me that I had fainted.
KYLE
(blurts out)
I don’t think so.

CLEO
What? How do you know it’s wrong? Do you know what’s going on with me?

KYLE
Oh no, no. I was just thinking of something else…Well by the way, what’s your name?

CLEO
(blushes)
I’m…Cleo

There is an awkward silence for a few seconds, the two of them staring at each other when Helena comes back and sees the two of them.

HELENA
(Realization dawning upon her face and retorting back with a glare)
We’ll see about this! Kyle, how could you let her fall for you? As for you,
(pointing at Cleo)
you are going to pay for this!


INT – HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

Helena takes Cleo and hurls her into a book. Cleo now realizes that Helena is a sorceress as well as Kyle. Kyle is now troubled because if Helena had been a sorceress, had she essentially made him love her by using an enchantment?


EXT – INSIDE THE BOOK, OUTSIDE IN THE BOOK – DAY
Cleo lands with a thump inside the book. She sits up straight trying to see where she is.

CLEO
(Mutters)
Where is this place? Anybody here?
Breaking off and jumping out howling in pain

CLEO
(looking down at the place where she had sat)
That hurt! What in the world -

There she sees a small creature and within seconds, the little creature shoots up into the air and falls downward gracefully. Cleo stares at the creature and notices that she looks like a pixie.

CLEO
Did I sit on you?

JOVIE
(haughtily with her nose in the air)
Yes, you did. I would advise you to be more careful. Sitting on someone without noticing I tell you that’s really…

CLEO
Well, if you can fly, than why didn’t you fly away when I was falling?

JOVIE
I was busy thinking of something else, and didn’t have time to move.



CLEO
Oh, what a great excuse! I’m perfectly convinced now –

There is a sudden gust of wind and a whirl of light as Cleo and Jovie are hurled high up into the air.

CLEO and JOVIE
(both flailing their arms wildly)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

The winds quickly disappear as quickly as it had happened.


INT – INSIDE HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

Helena ruffles the pages of the book that Cleo is in. Kyle peers over Helena’s shoulder to try and see what she is doing.

KYLE
Helena, what do you think you’re doing?

CLEO
Oh, just giving her a taste of what I’ve got for her –

KYLE
But that’s dangerous! She could get hurt!

HELENA
(annoyed, now brushing Kyle away like an irksome fly)
Please go away for a moment Kyle, I’ve got some work to do.


EXT – OVER THE SEA AND ON AN ISLAND - DAY

Cleo and Jovie can see an upcoming island as they plummet down towards the growing earth. Safely landing, they see a gigantic footprint on the side of the trail. However, being famished, they overlook it and goes inside a cave that they had seen when they were falling.

CLEO
I am so hungry that could eat a whole Cyclops!

JOVIE
(looking around the cave and spots food)
Look at this! It’s a feast!

CLEO
Hmmm… You know the foot prints that we saw? I wonder what could have made such a footprint. Now I think about it, don’t you think there might be something sinister on the island as big as that?

JOVIE
Like what?

CLEO
Well, maybe a –

Suddenly there is rumble, like an earthquake that turns out to be one of the Cyclops living on the island with others.

JOVIE
(gulping with an expression that would be appropriate when one is beated on the head)
Cyclops?

CYCLOPS
Who are you who, coming in here without my permission?

CLEO
Well, uh, you see, we came to –

CYCLOPS
(licking his lips)
What’s your name?

CLEO
(wildly looking around until the idea hits her)
It’s ‘Yoo’. All my brothers call me Yoo.

Cleo manages to make him sleep by giving him more and more wine.

CLEO
Quick! Let’s get this going Jovie, we have to do this before he wakes up!

The two friends make a wooden spike, sharpening it and getting ready for just the right moment.

JOVIE
Cleo, are you positive that this is going to work? This is never going to work you know.

CLEO
(determined face)
Never say never Jovie! Come on. One, two three, now!

The enormous spike made by the two friends piercing the one eye with a horrible squelching sound. The bellow of the Cyclops rings throughout the cave.

JOVIE
Let’s go! The entrance to the cave is open! We can go through there.

Jovie and Cleo stumble out of the cave tripping over and dragging their eyes off the horrifying scene they are leaving behind them.


EXT – OUTSIDE THE CAVE - NIGHT

CYCLOPS
I’ll find you and rake your eyes out! Come out, come out! Arghh!
My Brothers! Brontes! Steropoes! Arges! Yoo hurt me! Yoo has poked my eye!

CYCLOPS’ BROTHERS
What’s going on? What’s wrong with you little brother?

CYCLOPS
Yoo hurt me! I have to find that little wretch! You have to help me!

CYCLOPS’ BROTHERS
(wandering off back to their own caves)
How dare you? Why would I hurt you? We can’t even see you anyway.

CYCLOPS
No! I’m not lying this time! I’m telling you the truth!

CYCLOPS’BROTHERS
(rolling their eyes, tongue lolling out)
Yeah, yeah, of course you are
Good night little bro.

Cyclops’ wailing and moaning with agony grows fainter while the brothers go back to their own caves to go back to sleep.


EXT – NEAR THE COST OF THE ISLAND – NIGHT
Cleo and Jovie reach the shore of the island and they pause for a moment to rest after all the running.


INT – INSIDE HELENA’S HOUSE – MORNING

KYLE
What are you doing this for? I mean can’t you just make her do something else then going through all this dangerous tasks?

HELENA
You just keep quiet, I still haven’t forgotten about what’s between you and her.

KYLE
Yes.
(muttering under his breath)
See if I do.

HELENA
What did you say?

KYLE
Nothing.
(More quietly under his breath, and with a determined and glowering eyes)
I’ll help her and get her out if I have to and she can’t stop me from doing that.

HELENA
Look! They’re resting! This will be fun…
(smiling wryly)
Don’t you think?
(positively grinning)



KYLE
(clenching and unclenching his fists remaining silent)

Helena flashes a grin once more at Kyle, then ruffles the pages.


EXT - NEAR THE COST OF THE ISLAND -MORNING

Cleo and Jovie are once again, hurled through the air and blown off the island.


EXT – BACK ON SOLID GROUND – MORNING

Once the two are back on solid ground, Cleo hears the most beautiful song she has ever heard. She follows the sound becoming ignorant of her surroundings and herself. Meanwhile, Jovie is looking around when she notices that Cleo is not there. She sets out to look for Cleo and follows the sound of the music.


INT- HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

Helena goes outside and Kyle peer over the pages and waits.

INT – A ROOM – DAY

Cleo finds the Sirens. Jovie finds Cleo and quickly drags her back by pulling at her hair and to get her out of her entranced state. Frantically she tries to catch her attention when a deep voice rings out.

INT – HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

Kyle watches Cleo entering the room and Jovie who later follows her in. He studies Jovie’s desperate attempts to try getting Cleo’s attention. Then with a deep breath, he says into the book for Cleo to get her attention.

INT – IN THE ROOM – DAY

Cleo endures Jovie’s lecture of how to not be careless and going off like she did.


EXT – JUST OUTSIDE THE ROOM – NIGHT

While Jovie still shakes in fury, Cleo glances up at the bright sky now turning into a dark black sky and points this out to Jovie. Looking around, they spot a vacant-looking house several miles away from them and head towards it. It begins to rain as thunder and lightning fill the malicious looking sky.


INT – INSIDE THE HOUSE – NIGHT

Once they are inside, Jovie flutters over to the windows to close them as Cleo slams and locks the door shut. Cleo looks back at Jovie and sees her gaping through the closed windows. Peering over Jovie, she barely manages to stop herself from toppling over Jovie in horror. A few old and frightful looking women are walking towards the house.

JOVIE
(brandishing her little fist)
Come on Cleo, get ready to fight!

CLEO
No! We’re easily going to be out numbered. This is no time for action.

The women pound and kick the door and after a moment bursts open to reveal them. All of them are soaking and dripping wet, making a puddle and each of them wear identical evil grins.

CLEO
Hello, horrible weather isn’t it?

OLD PEDDLER WOMAN
(with a granny’s voice)
Yes… Like to try one my dearie?

CLEO
(taking a step back with puckered forehead)
No, no thank you.

Cleo backs up again when the peddler woman tries to push her apple into Cleo’s hands.

OLD PEDDLER WOMAN
Come on now…
(cracking a toothless grin with fiery eyes)
Eat it!!!

Cleo wildly looks around, finds a pail full of water and throws the water aimlessly. The water splashes down on a scraggy old woman, this time, with a pointed hat and silver shoes.

OLD SCRAGGY WOMAN
I’m melting! Help!

Surprisingly, her human form now melts like candle wax onto the ground.

OLD OCTOPUS WOMAN
Get her!!!

JOVIE
Cleo, come on! Hurry!

Cleo scrambling up staggers across, wrenching open the door and disappears. The women’s cries dim away as Cleo and Jovie run away for their dear life over grass hills, streams, brooks and others.

JOVIE
(a slight frown)
Pretty strange island if you ask me.

CLEO
Not as strange as the creatures that are on it though.


INT – INSIDE HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

HELENA
(chuckling)
Well they’re certainly having fun, I dare say.

KYLE
Give her a rest! What has she done to you?

HELENA
(smiling broadly)
Part of it, I have no choice because I just need to see if she gets through this, and part of it…
(grin fades off)
…I won’t tell you.

KYLE
Let me guess… Is it because of what you saw going between Cleo and me?

HELENA
Look, just don’t go near her okay?

KYLE
Why?

HELENA
Anyway, look, she’s now at the edge of the island.



KYLE
You stay out of this. Leave her alone!


HELENA
I don’t think I will.

KYLE
Then I’ll make you!

Struggels to tie her up and succeeds.


EXT – EDGE (COAST) OF THE ISLAND – DAY

Cleo and Jovie running non-stop wildly surveys for something to use to escape the island. A magic carpet suddenly zooms up next to them and Cleo leaps onto it.


EXT – ON A MAGIC CARPET – DAY

It shoots towards the sky as soon as she gets on to it. Jovie trails along. When the carpet suddenly lurches sideways as it turns sharply, Cleo slips and manages to hold onto the edge of the carpet. However, her hand slips and she falls. A helpless and frightened looking Jovie, whooshes after her like a bullet.


EXT – ON A HOT AIR BALLOON – DAY

Fortunately, Cleo meets the man of the Twenty-one balloons is able to safely land on board of the hot air balloon. Jovie drifts down looking relieved. However, before she can recover from her shock, the three see a seagull landing on one of the balloons poking holes. Jovie shoos the seagull away, but it is too late. Their balloon starts to sink.


EXT – ON PEGASUS

All of a sudden, Cleo sees Pegasus, the flying horse, and jumps to get onto the horse. Jovie attracts Pegasus with her gold dust and they succeed in getting Cleo onto Pegasus. Pegasus glides unhurriedly and descends toward the ground, landing on a farm.


EXT – A FARM – DAY

Cleo clambers off and realizes that she has no where to go and does not even know what she should do. Cleo feels dizzy and the world spins and darkens as she sees a house not far away.

INT – HELENA’S HOUSE – DAY

Helena squirms and tries to hop to where Kyle is with the book since her feet are tied together. Kyle pushes her back down. He then goes outside of the house.


EXT – INFRONT OF A FARMHOUSE – DAY

Trembling towards the house, she collapses on the front porch. She is lifted up in strong hands and opens her eyes feebly to see herself in the arms of a good-looking boy. She starts when she realizes how familiar the face is. Then her sight starts to become hazy and she faints.


INT – INSIDE THE HOUSE – DAY

Kyle carries Cleo into Helena’s house. When Cleo regains consciousness, she finds herself lying down, staring into Helena’s eyes.

CLEO
You! You, you…

HELENA
Yeah, me. I suppose you’re surprised to see me again?


CLEO
Not really, but why did you put me in that book? I almost died! Why did you have to put me in there?
(smacking her forehead)
Oh no! My school! I can’t go there now because of you!

HELENA
Quite the opposite actually, you can go now because I say so.

CLEO
Why?

HELENA
I’m the daughter of the headmaster of the school that you are going to and it was my job to test you.


At that moment, the door opens to reveal Callida, Cleo’s mom. With an expression of overwhelming happiness, she hugs her daughter and says how proud she is of her daughter. Callida asks Helena of all the details of what her daughter did. They now go into a blow by blow account of what Cleo did in the book. Cleo, being embarrassed of the attention excuses herself.


EXT – OUTSIDE THE HOUSE ON A BENCH - NIGHT

Outside, she sees Kyle sitting on a bench. Cleo thanks Kyle of how he helped her out from the Sirens. He replies back saying he didn’t do much that she just seemed to be in a tight stop and Jovie did most of the job with helping. Cleo suddenly gasps and realizes that she has totally forgotten about Jovie.

INT – HELENA’S HOUSE - NIGHT

CLEO
(snatching up the book)
Jovie! Are you in there?

JOVIE
Yes, I’m right here.

CLEO
Oh Jovie, I’m so sorry. I really don’t know how to get you out of that book-

JOVIE
No, it’s fine. I rather like it here. You know the old women that we met? They were actually witches and you know what? They are actually not that evil once you get to know them. Everyone just thinks they’re horrible wicked people but that’s not true.

CLEO
(sounding relieved)
Really? Um, okay. So you’re okay with staying in there?

JOVIE
Yup.

CLEO
This is so cool! It’ll be like having a friend in my pocket who I can talk to any time!

JOVIE
Hmmmm, very nice. Now shoo! I would like some peace and quiet.

Kyle ambles back in.

KYLE
Cleo, I’ve been meaning to ask you this…
(blushing)
Will you go out with me?


CLEO
Oh! Okay.

Helena frowns that the fact her boyfriend in love and now wanting to go out with someone else.

KYLE
Helena, I know this is hard for you, but when I found out that you were a sorceress, I was really, you know… I’m, I’m really sorry.

HELENA
(shrugging, looking defeated)
It’s okay.

As Kyle puts his arm around Cleo, Callida startles everyone by starting sobbing.

CALLIDA
You look so sweet together my dears! You know, everyone in this world should have friends who they can rely on and can help them go on with their life.

INT – HELENA’S HOUSE - DAY

Together, Kyle and Cleo get ready to go to academy the following day.Cleo hugs everyone saying how she is fortunate to have good friends who can be at her side. She even hugs Helena, who had let her be exposed to terrible danger and tells her that although there can be evil in the world; there is always some good in them. They will be friends from now on.