FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

EXT. HUNTER'S COTTAGE - MORNING

The Hunter carries Kiah's cage out to the truck, and puts it in the Jeep's trunk, while Habibah puts in her pungi case. As they pull on the tarp, Critter slips into the trunk unnoticed. Critter peaks out as the Hunter turns to Habibah.

HUNTER: Now remember what you've taught Creature. If you do everything correctly, you should be just fine.

HABIBAH: Got it.

Habibah climbs into the vehicle.

HUNTER: You got this?

HABIBAH: Well if I don't, you better keep your end of the bargain by bailing me out of jail.

Hunter gives a laugh.

HUNTER: Of course, even a crook needs some sort of credibility. And if this all goes according to plan, this will gain us more publicity than we can imagine.

HABIBAH: I don't want the publicity. I just want my share, and then I'll leave.

HUNTER: Of course. I'll write you a reference if you need one though. You've come a long way with that snake-o-phobia of yours. Good luck to ya' mate.

HABIBAH: Whatever.

With that, she CLOSES the door and STARTS the engine. Joey watches them from the brush as the truck pulls out, frustration on his face.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN COUNTRYSIDE - TIME-LAPSE

The truck drives through the Australian countryside, east, towards Sydney.

EXT. SYDNEY STREETS - DAY

The truck is driving through the streets of Sydney, and Critter takes out a map of the city. He looks at it.

CRITTER: I can't seem to find Wallaby Way anywhere.

KIAH: Wallaby Way? Is that important? Even if there's a street named that, it doesn't mean that Joey is going to follow us all the way out here.

CRITTER: I know. It's just... Personal. (Under Breath) You don't watch enough movies.

Suddenly, Critter stops, catching sight of something out the window. He rushes to the window and looks at the building passing by in excitement.

CRITTER: Hey look! A movie theater now. That's where all the good movies go they say.

Kiah just roles her eyes as the car passes the theater, and continues on through Sydney.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM PARKINGLOT - DAY

The Jeep pulls up at the Museum and Critter looks out of the trunk at it.

CRITTER: Oh wow, this is the museum that's displaying the Cross.

Habibah gets out of the Jeep and looks around.

CRITTER: I got to check this out.

Before Kiah can respond, Critter leaps out of the trunk, and climbs unnoticed into Habibah's handbag.

KIAH: Hey! I didn't say you could go!

But it's too late, Habibah reaches the doors of the museum and disappears inside.

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM - DAY

Habibah walks through the museum. She passes an exhibit hosting a display of some snake skeletons. Critter looks out at them and shivers.

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM CROSS EXHIBIT - MINUTES LATER

Habibah stands before the Cross, examining the room, from the alarm sensors on the wall, to the doors and security panel. She spots a vent and nods.

Critter peaks out of the handbag at the Cross.

CRITTER: Wow, it's even better than in the movie.

But as Habibah stands there, inspecting the room, Critter looks up at Habibah's expression, and starts to look uneasy.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM PARKINGLOT - DAY

Habibah comes out to the truck, gets in, and starts the engine.

EXT. SYDNEY HOTEL - DAY

The truck pulls up outside of a hotel.

Habibah carries Kiah's cage in, covered with a blanket.

INT. SYDNEY HOTEL ROOM - DAY

Entering her room, she places the cage on the table beside her bed, and pulls off the blanket.

HABIBAH: Well, we probably should get some rest before tonight.

As Habibah lays back on her bed, Critter approaches Kiah's cage.

CRITTER: So I've been looking into it, and this whole operation, it seems a bit sketchy.

KIAH: Hmm, you're a lovable pet, what would you know about sketchy?

CRITTER: I don't know, but usually operations involving museums are.

KIAH: Listen, this is my one chance to amend myself with womankind. And what better way than through the Cross, which amended humans? This has to be destiny, right?

CRITTER: Yeah, leave it to you to have a sketchy destiny.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM - EVENING

Dressed in black, Habibah approaches the museum under the darkening sky, carrying Kiah's covered cage and pungi box in her hands. Reaching the other side of the street, she pauses, taking in the city past College Street.

Moving around the side of the building, she puts the cage down near a vent and pulls off the sheet. As Kiah takes in her surroundings, Habibah goes to unscrewing the vent.

When she's done, she removes the vent cover, and unlocks Kiah's door.

HABIBAH: Okay, you got to promise not to bite me, okay Creature?

Kiah just looks at her. Habibah looks uneasy.

HABIBAH: Okay.

Habibah opens the cage door, and quickly slips a board over it. She slides the cage up to the vent, door-first, and lays the tablet on top of it, app opened up with a split screen of "Musical Tables" and Kiah's cam. Habibah takes out her pungi, and slowly raises it to her mouth. With a SIGH, she removes the cardboard from the cage door.

Habibah begins to play, and Kiah slithers into the vent.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM VENTILATION SHAFT - NIGHT

Kiah journeys into the vent, the pungi music being amplified by the metal around her. Kiah comes to a T-turn and pauses. Habibah plays a low note, and Kiah turns right, Habibah's blueprints rotating counter-clockwise.

A HIGH NOTE, Kiah turns left; Another LOW, Kiah turns right. Kiah uses the musical code of Habibah's Pungi to travel further into the vents.

Finally, Kiah reaches a grate opening into the Museum's Security Room. Habibah stops playing.

HABIBAH: Great. Now how am I supposed to get these vents open?

But then Habibah looks back at her tablet, and realizes...

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM SECURITY ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Kiah's camera reveals a good view of the room. Two Security Guards stand over the monitors.

SECURITY GUARD 1: The museum is now closing. Activate all security systems.

SECURITY GUARD 2: Got it.

Security Guard 2 glances at a piece of paper with security codes on it.

SECURITY GUARD 2: Is this it?

SECURITY GUARD 1: Yes, that's the one.

Security Guard 2 types in a command on the keypad, and suddenly, all the lasers alarms throughout the museum turn on.

HABIBAH: Now if only I could see what they were typing.

Kiah looks at the grate, and starts pushing. Sure enough, it loosens.

HABIBAH: Oh, must not be screwed in after all.

Kiah finishes pushing out the grate, and it falls off the wall, CLATTERING to the floor. The Security Guards turn to the vent and spot Kiah. She opens her mouth, showing her fangs.

SECURITY GUARD 1: It's a snake. Get back.

Kiah slithers into the room toward the security panel, flicking her tongue in warning. The Guards back away.

HABIBAH: See, I'm not the only one scared of snakes.

Kiah makes it to the panel, and climbs up as the Guards watch in alarm. Reaching the paper with the Security passwords, Kiah looks down so the camera picks it up for the tablet.

Habibah takes a snapshot on the tablet.

HABIBAH: There, got it.

Habibah starts playing the pungi again, and Kiah retreats, bumping the camera controls before slithering off the panel and heading back into the vent.

SECURITY GUARD 2: Is it just me, or do I hear music?

SECURITY GUARD 1: Go, check the perimeter.

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM VENTILATION SHAFT - NIGHT

FOLLOWING THE THE MUSICAL CODE, Kiah continues along the ventilation shaft toward the exhibit containing the Cross of Salvation.

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM - NIGHT

Meanwhile, Security Guard 2 walks around the building's perimeter, shining his flashlight around.

Kiah reaches the end of the vent where it looks out at the room containing the Cross.

KIAH: That must be the Cross... But why did they bring me here?

Habibah blows ANOTHER NOTE ON THE PUNGI. SIGHING, Kiah pushes on the grate, causing it fall out of the wall. It CLATTERS to the floor, and Kiah looks around cautiously. Seeing no movement, she slithers out of the vent...

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM CROSS EXHIBIT - CONTINUOUS

...And onto the floor, just below the laser grid. The Pungi music continues emanating from the vent, and Kiah glances back at it before making her way over to a keyboard on the wall beside the Cross.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM - NIGHT

Suddenly, there is the sound of Footsteps, and Habibah looks up to see the Security Guard 2's flashlight shining from around the corner at the back of the building.

HABIBAH: That's my cue.

Habibah quickly grabs her things and runs the opposite direction, toward the front of the museum. Rounding the corner, she rushes to the front door. She reaches for the handle, and pushes it open. Critter slips inside past her.

HABIBAH: They can't come out without unlocking the way in, I suppose.

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM ENTRY - NIGHT

Habibah takes a quick glance around for Guards. Looking up, she sees the cameras turned away from her, due to Kiah bumping the controls.

Habibah rushes across the hallway toward the exhibit with the cross. With her back to the door, she takes back out her tablet, and examines it.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM CROSS EXHIBIT - NIGHT

Kiah's below the keypad. She raises up to look at it.

HABIBAH: Great, now how do I make him type in the password.

Kiah examines the keypad, and has a flashback of the Security Password sheet in the security room. Without hesitation, Kiah types in the code using her face. The Laser Grid goes dark.

HABIBAH: Okay, that snake is too smart for anyone's good.

Habibah opens the door, and heads in toward the Cross, Kiah looking at her. Suddenly, Critter rushes in, past Habibah, and up to Kiah.

CRITTER: Kiah, we have to stop this.

KIAH: What? But I'm so close to amending serpent's relationship with woman.

CRITTER: But Kiah, don't you see? They're trying to steal the Cross.

Kiah looks at Habibah, just as she reaches the Cross. She stands before it, examining it.

KIAH: But-

SKELETAL SNAKE (V.O.): Mend the ties between serpent and woman, and return to the Tree the sin from her knowledge.

KIAH (In realization) Return to the Tree the sin of her... This is her sin! We have to...!

Without another moment's hesitation, Kiah shoots for the Cross.

Scales coming into contact with wood, a FLASH, a BURST OF ENERGY from Kiah to the cross overlaid with JOEY'S CRY, and the beginnings of a vision starting to form, a vision of the Tree of Knowledge.

And FLASH, it's gone, and Kiah, leaping out of her momentary confusion, is SPIRALING, SPIRALING up the Cross.

And then she's face to face with Habibah just as she reaches out to grab the cross. HISSING, Kiah SHOWS HER FANGS. Habibah pulls away in shock.

HABIBAH: Creature? What are you doing?

KIAH: Get back! I can't let you do this.

HABIBAH: Creature, listen. I know you can't understand me, but I need you to move.

KIAH: I won't let you take the Cross.

HABIBAH: I need to do this Creature.

KIAH: Please don't make me do this.

Kiah and Habibah, eye to eye, stare at each other for a long moment.

And Habibah takes the Cross, and yanks it from its stand.

And KIAH STRIKES.

Habibah takes a step back, letting the cross fall back into place, CRYING OUT as she grabs hold of her arm.

And then she removes her hand, A FRESH SNAKE BITE IGNITING HER SKIN.

Habibah looks back at Kiah, disbelief in her eyes.

HABIBAH: How could you...?

With that, HABIBAH COLLAPSES TO THE FLOOR.

Kiah hurries down from the Cross, and to Habibah's side, but Habibah doesn't respond. Kiah spins on Critter.

KIAH: Get help. Now!

CRITTER: But what about you? You got to get out of here.

KIAH: Just go!

Critter backs up and rushes out of the room.

Kiah looks at Habibah, guilt written on her face. But after a moment, she turns her attention to the Cross.

Kiah goes up to the Cross, and once again, winds herself around it. She tightens herself, and once again, energy seeps out of her and into the Cross. Energy that carries THE ECHO OF JOEY CRYING OUT.

INT. KIAH'S VISION - NIGHT

Energy ERUPTS from the Cross, darkness like shards piercing into the Earth, forming into tree-roots under the Cross.

The roots spiral and spiral through the Earth until we penetrate out to an empty plot of ground, imploding into a double-twined Tree. A lush garden forming around it, as if disintegrating in reverse.

A man and woman stand, the woman holding a golden fruit. And onto the Tree, the woman puts back the fruit.

Kiah squeezes the Cross tighter, and the image plays in reverse, or rather, forward, leading right back to herself, twined around the Cross.

INT. AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM CROSS EXHIBIT - NIGHT

Kiah's eyes snap open.

KIAH: That's- it's- I know where it is!

Critter bursts into the room, the Security Guards right behind him.

CRITTER: Kiah! What are you doing? You need to get out of here!

Suddenly, the Security Guard's look past Critter, and to Habibah on the floor. They follow Critters movement to see Kiah around the Cross. Kiah slides down to the floor.

SECURITY GUARD 2: What on-

Security Guard 1 takes out his walkie-talkie.

SECURITY GUARD 2: Get emergency personnel here immediately. We have a Snake-Bite. I repeat, send emergency personnel here immediately.

Kiah pauses for one last look at Habibah, the sounds of support coming, then, strengthening her resolve, quickly retreats back into the vent, Critter following behind.