TIME CHASERS

Chris inspired me. I dug up an old script I wrote years ago. Here's the beginning...

TIME CHASERS By Alba Arango

FADE IN:

EXT. CHURCH - SUNDAY MORNING

SARAH REYNOLDS

16, blonde, Homecoming Queen, walks up the church path with her very trendy parents. She spots ELLIE CHOI, also 16, Asian, stylish, Sarah’s best friend. Sarah waves good-bye to her parents and runs to catch up with Ellie.

ELLIE: (pointing) He’s here.

Sarah primps her hair and smooths her form-fitting shirt.

SARAH: How do I look?

ELLIE: Fabulous.

Sarah turns around casually and smiles at AARON PETERS, 17, tall, buff, captain of the football team. Aaron walks by and nods to Sarah.

AARON: Hey.

SARAH: Hey, Aaron.

Aaron disappears inside the church. Sarah grabs Ellie’s hands and rushes her into the church.

SARAH: Come on! I want to get a seat where I can see him.

They disappear inside the church.

SAME CHURCH PATH - MOMENTS LATER

ROBBIE NELSON

16, slender, shaggy brown hair, grunge look, walks up the path with his mom, MRS. NELSON, 40s, homely, typical churchy mom.

MRS. NELSON: Remember to save me a seat, Robbie.

ROBBIE: I know, Mom.

MRS. NELSON: We’ll only be singing four songs today, so we’ll be done early.

ROBBIE: Okay, Mom.

MRS. NELSON: Oh! There goes Mrs. Tyson. See you in a bit, Honey.

She gives Robbie a quick kiss then rushes toward MRS. TYSON, a large, jolly African-American woman, waving her arms wildly. Robbie smiles and walks into the church.

SAME CHURCH PATH - SECONDS LATER

JAMAL JACKSON,

aka “JJ”, 16, African-American, athletic, corn rows, walks up the path with his MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, and BROTHER, age 8.

GRANDMOTHER JACKSON: What a beautiful morning for church.

MS. JACKSON: I hope Pastor Thomas gives his sermon on self-discipline. Some of us could use a refresher.

JJ rolls his eyes, careful for his mom to not notice.

JJ: Come on, Mom, I wasn’t that--

MS. JACKSON: (interrupting) Twelve-thirty. You got home at twelve-thirty. You know your curfew is twelve o’clock.

JJ: Mom! None of my other friends have curfews.

MS. JACKSON: None of your other friends live in my house.

A woman near the door waves for them to come over.

MS. JACKSON: We’ll talk about this later.

JJ’s face shows signs of “I can’t wait” as he disappears inside the church.

INT. CHURCH - TEN MINUTES LATER

Rows of chairs are filled with PEOPLE talking. The band is setting up on stage.
Sarah and Ellie sit a few rows behind Aaron.

SARAH: These are definitely choice seats.

ELLIE: Yeah. We’ve got a prime view of Aaron and the hot drummer.

Sarah is tapped on the shoulder. She turns around and looks up at MICHAEL, 30ish, tall, elegant, handsome. He smiles.

MICHAEL: Excuse me. Sarah Reynolds?

SARAH: Yeah?

MICHAEL: You are needed in the conference room.

Thinking nothing of it, Sarah rises and places her purse on her chair.

SARAH: My parents probably forgot something. I’ll be right back.

BACK OF CHURCH - MOMENTS LATER

Robbie looks up at Michael.

ROBBIE: I’m needed where?

MICHAEL: The conference room.

Robbie turns to the boy next to him.

ROBBIE: Save me and my mom seats, will you?

The boy nods. Robbie turns to follow Michael, but he has disappeared to

FRONT OF CHURCH - A HALF-SECOND LATER

JJ’s brother is poking JJ and laughing. JJ looks annoyed. Michael walks up to them.

MICHAEL: Excuse me. Jamal Jackson? You are needed in the conference room.

MS. JACKSON: Boy, what did you do now?

JJ: (indignant) Nothing!

MICHAEL: He has not done anything wrong, Ms. Jackson, I assure you.

MS. JACKSON: Well, that would be a first.

JJ stands up, mainly to get away from his mom right now.

JJ: I’ll be right back.

INT. HALLWAY IN FRONT OF CONFERENCE ROOM

Sarah, Robbie, and JJ arrive at the conference room simultaneously, and look at each other inquisitively. Robbie opens the door and motions for Sarah to enter.

ROBBIE: After you.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM

Michael sits at the end of a large rectangular conference table.

MICHAEL: Have a seat. We have much to talk about.

None of the kids move. They seem wary.

JJ: What’s going on?

ROBBIE: What’s this all about?

Michael rises slowly and approaches the kids, who all appear uneasy. Suddenly, the room changes. The table and chairs are gone and everything looks white, as though light was emanating from the walls.

SARAH: Okay. I’m officially freaked out now.

JJ shakes his head.

JJ: It’s some kind of trick. I’m outta here.

He reaches for the door, but the doorknob disappears in his hand.

MICHAEL: Sarah Reynolds, Robert Nelson, and Jamal Jackson. You have been chosen for a special mission.

The ‘chosen’ ones look at each other uneasily.

MICHAEL: Have a seat and I will explain everything.

Three very comfortable looking chairs appear out of nowhere.

ROBBIE: Who are you?

MICHAEL: I am called by many names, but you may call me Michael.

Michael motions for them to sit.

JJ: (as he sits) I must be dreaming.

MICHAEL: Something...unfortunate has happened and God needs your help to fix it.

JJ gives a short laugh.

JJ: Now I know I’m dreaming.

MICHAEL: Yesterday, a man by the name of Edward Dobson made a discovery mankind has only ever dreamed about -the secret to time travel.

ROBBIE: Time travel. As in going back and forth in time?

MICHAEL: Exactly. Except in his case, he can only go back into known history; he cannot travel to the unknown future.

The kids look at each other doubtfully. This man was crazy.

SARAH: Assuming for a moment I believe you -which I don’t- what does any of this have to do with us?

MICHAEL: Dobson is determined to reshape history; change historical events so that the present will reflect his image of how the world should be.

ROBBIE: And what exactly is his image of what the world should be?

Michael drums his lips with his fingers.

MICHAEL: Only he can answer that. You see, genius though he is, Dobson is also mentally unstable. There is no way to predict what will run through his mind.

SARAH: And I repeat, what does this have to do with us?

MICHAEL: Look at your left wrists.

The kids hold up their left arms, which all now bear an iridescent silver bangle bracelet.

JJ: Oh, uh-uh. Get this thing off of me.

As JJ struggles in vain to remove the bracelet, Michael continues.

MICHAEL: The bracelets glow whenever time has been altered. When your three bracelets touch, you will be sent back in time to prevent Dobson from distorting history.

JJ stops struggling.

JJ: Come again?

ROBBIE: Let me get this straight. There’s a psychopathic maniac running loose in history, and God is sending three teenagers to go straighten things out? No wonder the world is so screwed up.

SARAH: I don’t get it. Why doesn’t God just take care of this Dobson guy himself?

JJ: Yeah. He is the ‘Almighty.’ Why not just take him out?

Michael takes a deep, patient breath.

MICHAEL: It doesn’t work that way. When God created mankind, he gave you free will. Whatever problems mankind creates, mankind must fix. In this case, God’s just giving mankind a boost.

ROBBIE: But why us?

MICHAEL: Believe me, I asked God the same question.

ROBBIE: And what’d he say?

MICHAEL: He said, ‘trust me.’ And I do. And now, so must you. Remember, the fate of the world is in your hands.