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EXT. SYDNEY AIRPORT RUNWAY - DAY

A plane comes in for a landing on the runway.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - TIME-LAPSE

Kiah and Critter once again make their way back through the Australian Outback, across barren plains, past towering bluffs, jostling along in the back of an old pickup down a dusty road. Weariness, the silence of unspoken thoughts weighs heavy between them.

EXT. VULKATHUNHA-GAMMON RANGES - DAY

In the rocky terrain of the Vulkathuna-Gammon Ranges Critter trails slowly behind. He looks at the pouch hanging from Kiah's side, and his gaze falls down to his own paws, following step by step after her. He hesitates, takes another step, and comes to a complete stop.

Kiah, noticing the stillness behind her, stops and turns to look at him.

KIAH: Critter? Are you... Is everything...?

CRITTER: Yeah. It's just... Kiah, I can't keep going like this anymore.

Kiah's face softens.

KIAH: Do need a break, we could stop here...

CRITTER: No, it's not... Kiah, this isn't... (Beat) This isn't right.

Kiah takes in the words, her gaze sharpens.

KIAH: Listen, we've traveled far, we just need to rest. To get our minds back on track.

Critter fidgets uncomfortably.

CRITTER: No Kiah, we can't... We have to stop this. Right now. Everything about this... It's just...

Critter takes a heavy breath.

CRITTER: We lied to an Angel of God, Kiah.

KIAH: Well, that "lie"... (Firmly) That lie will redeem my kind.

Critter looks Kiah straight on.

CRITTER: You can't lie to God.

Kiah turns back to Critter.

KIAH: God could have just struck me down then and there. But he didn't. He let me take the fruit. So, it must have been his will.

CRITTER: I don't think... Do you think God wanted Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree? Yet he let it happen.

KIAH: Well what am I supposed to do? Just let my kind continue like this? Continue to be cursed and hated forever?

Kiah flicks her tail, and some pebbles go CLATTERING. Kiah looks away.

KIAH: Are you saying that you're supposed to hate me too?

Critter looks at Kiah for a long moment. Finally--

CRITTER: I'm saying... that maybe you're focusing on the wrong things.

KIAH: Like what? Is it wrong to not want to be hated? Wrong to show the world that I don't have to be evil because I'm a snake?

CRITTER: Have you really shown the world you don't have to be evil?

Kiah goes still. Quickly, she turns her head away from him. Critter instantly looks regretful of what he just said.

CRITTER (Extending a paw): I'm just saying maybe you should take a step back before it's too late-

KIAH: No! I'm done!

CRITTER: Done?

KIAH: Done. I don't want you as my pet any longer.

CRITTER: But Kiah-

Abruptly, Kiah spins on him, bearing him down.

KIAH: You're free to go Kyle, okay! Have a nice life!

Critter is taken aback by the outburst, by the sound of his real name. Kiah takes in his expanded beard; for a moment her expression wavers. But then she hardens her resolve.

KIAH: Go. I'll finish my journey on my own.

With that, Kiah spins back around and heads for the hills. Kyle stands looking after Kiah for a moment, then with a heartbroken look, turns and heads off in his own direction.

EXT. VULKATHUNHA-GAMMON RANGES - AFTERNOON

Kiah travels alone through the brush, nearly at the Skeletal Snake's Cave.

KIAH: He's wrong. I'm not evil. I did what I had to to make amends. I will make amends.

Nearby Joey stands, looking around hopelessly. Suddenly, he notices the RUSTLING in the grass. He looks closer and makes out Kiah's slithering form.

JOEY: The snake!

Joey quickly picks up a rock and hurls it at Kiah with all his might. Kiah reflexively pulls out of its path, in time and the rock hits a boulder behind her with a sharp SPARK, ricocheting back, and BASHING Joey right in the weak spot near where his legs connect.

With a GASP Joey folds over in absolute agony.

JOEY: Like not having a pouch is really the worst of it.

KIAH: Well, that's, uh, interesting...

Not wasting another moment, Kiah makes a dash for it, heading in the direction of the Skeletal Snake's Cave.

Through bleary eyes, Joey looks up and sees Kiah fleeing, already with a huge head start.

JOEY: No! I won't let you escape. You killed my sister!

Joey scrambles upright with a struggle, and hops after Kiah. He CRIES out as the landing jars his injury, causing him to fold over again, and nearly sending him into a roll. But using his front paws to regain himself, he flings himself forward in pursuit, using all fours to alleviate the impact of landing.

They reach the entrance to the Skeletal Snake's Lair, Kiah slipping in a moment before Joey catches up. Joey tries to follow her in, but he's too small to make it through the opening. Reaching in, he tries to grab her but she's already out of reach.

JOEY: Come back here! I won't let you escape like this! You will not get away for killing my sister! (Breaking down) She was too sweet and innocent for that. I was just the dumb male... But she saw something in me anyway. She saw something in me, because that was what was in herself.

Kiah turns to face Joey.

KIAH: I'm sorry about your sister, I really am. But right now I have my own problems to worry about.

Kiah turns to go-

JOEY: You're evil, you know that?

KIAH: I'm not evil, I'm just a snake. And pretty soon you'll see that maybe that's not a bad thing.

Kiah starts out again...

JOEY: And what with your Bearded Dragon "friend" of yours? Don't tell me, you ate him.

Kiah stops, regret filling her face.

KIAH: Yes. Yes, I did.

With that, Kiah heads deeper into the cave. Joey glares after her as she disappears into the darkness. Once she's gone, Joey SIGHS and lets himself drop down from the cave entrance. Giving a MOAN, he folds back over in pain.

INT. SKELETAL SNAKE'S LAIR - AFTERNOON

Kiah reaches the Skeletal Snake's Cave, and waits solemnly.

After a moment, the Skeletal Snake slithers out of his tunnel.

SKELETAL SNAKE: Kiah, you have returned.

Kiah takes the Fruits out of the sling with her tail.

KIAH: Yes. I found the Tree of Knowledge, but it was tied to the Tree of Life. I wasn't sure which tree was which, so I took a fruit from each. But I wasn't sure on what to do next, and was hoping you would have some insight.

The Skeletal Snake inspects the Fruits, pleased by what he sees.

SKELETAL SNAKE: Yes. Two may complicate the process, but given my experience on the subject, it will take but a moment to determine which fruit is from the Tree of Knowledge and which is from the Tree of Life.

With that, the Skeletal Snake slides the fruit into a sling of his own, which Kiah notices with interest.

SKELETAL SNAKE: Your journey must have been hard, but now is the time to make things right.

KIAH: I'm not so sure anymore. It doesn't feel like I've really done the right thing.

SKELETAL SNAKE: And why wouldn't you have? You spared Habibah a terrible sin, and you've retrieved the fruit from the Tree. All in an act to redeem your own kind. What could be more noble that?

KIAH: Okay. I got the Fruit. Now what?

SKELETAL SNAKE: Return to the Tree the sin from her knowledge. Return Habibah's sin back into the Fruit from which it came.

KIAH: Okay. And that means...

SKELETAL SNAKE: To bite Habibah to prevent her from stealing the Cross, her potential for that sin was removed from her life. Now it has transferred to you as it's unaffected carrier, until the time when you bite the fruit and release Habibah's sin back into it.

At the word "bite", the world begins to shift around Kiah as if she's seeing the situation in a new light.

KIAH: No. No. I won't do this. I will not eat the fruit of the Tree. It's forbidden.

SKELETAL SNAKE: It is forbidden to eat the fruit from the Tree, but did the Lord ever say you could not bite into it? To inject your venom and release the sin of another?

KIAH: No, but...

SKELETAL SNAKE: Kiah, this is the only way to undo what was done during the Fall. Did you really go to such lengths just to turn back now?

KIAH: No, I... No, I didn't.

SKELETAL SNAKE: Then you must finish your quest.

With that, the Skeletal Snake holds the Silver Fruit out before Kiah. Cautiously, Kiah raises her head, moving toward it. She opens her mouth and prepares her fangs. A moment's hesitation. Then she sinks her teeth in. Glowing venom transfers from Kiah's fangs and into the fruit, causing it to light up.

For a moment, nothing happens, then suddenly, there is the sound of CRACKLING. Kiah instantly jerks away from the fruit with a CRY of pain as all her muscles begin to contract, withering her into a coil.

And the Skeletal Snake has an ominous look of victory on his face.

KIAH: What's happening?

Kiah tries to move, but her muscles lock her in place. Horrified, she tries again, harder. Her MUSCLES CRACKLE as they snap out of place, and Kiah CRIES OUT as she falls back down.

KIAH: What did you do to me?

SKELETAL SNAKE: The question is, what did you do to yourself?

The Skeletal Snake pauses to let that sink in.

KIAH: But the curse... You said if I didn't eat... If I only bit into it--

SKELETAL SNAKE: You really believed there was a loophole in God's word? No, you bit into the Fruit, so the consequences are the same. With eating the Fruit also comes a curse.

KIAH: You tricked me!

SKELETAL SNAKE: Yes. But think about what you've gained because of it. For, "if they reach out, take fruit from the Tree of Life, and eat it, then they will live forever." Kiah, you have now become immortal.

KIAH: But... You switched out the Fruit on me? Why? What could you be trying to accomplish?

SKELETAL SNAKE: Simple. I want immortality.

KIAH: Well, too bad. Then you should of ate the fruit yourself, instead of giving it to me.

SKELETAL SNAKE: I said I want immortality, not the curse.

With that the amulet on the Skeletal Snake's neck lights up, and Kiah gives a CRY, CRACKLING as she unsuccessfully tries to pull away. Energy flows out of her and into the Skeletal Snake through the amulet.

The Skeletal Snake begins to rejuvenate, his weakened flesh filling with new strength, his dull eyes filling with new malicious light.

Then it's over, the amulet blinks dark once more. Kiah slumps back to the floor exhausted.

SKELETAL SNAKE: Don't worry, I only took your immortality. I've left you with your mortal life, whatever that means now.

KIAH: That joey's sister... That was you, wasn't it?

SKELETAL SNAKE: Yes. For years I've been living off the life force of others as my only means of survival. But though the prey may have many years left to live, it never sustains the predator quite so long, and the inevitable still lingers. Immortality, no matter how you divide it is still infinity.

KIAH: But the amulet... I found it. I traded it...

SKELETAL SNAKE: I left it for you to find. Honestly, if you saw me with it, wouldn't you at least be a little suspicious of my motives? Simply act like it's not mine, get you to trade it back for my guidance... In the end, I sacrificed nothing, and you don't suspect a thing.

KIAH: And how did you know I would do what you wanted?

SKELETAL SNAKE: Simple. I already had you following my will. I told you to come find me and you did. How much harder would it be to make you pick up a beautiful amulet off the road?

KIAH: So you just used me so I could take the fall you weren't willing to take.

SKELETAL SNAKE: Cursed for the deception of Adam and Eve, I realized I could no longer attain my plans myself. To accomplish my goals unhindered, I needed another to take the next curse for me.

Kiah goes still.

KIAH: You're the Serpent, aren't you?

SERPENT: Yes. I am thee who deceived Adam and Eve.

KIAH: But that's not... That's not possible. The Serpent that deceived Adam and Eve... That was Satan.

SERPENT: According to classic interpretation. But perhaps Satan deceived Adam and Eve not as Serpent, but through Serpent. Perhaps we weren't unjustly cursed for a deception we didn't commit, but as a willing participant in Satan's plan. Just as you were a participant in mine.

KIAH: You used me. I would never have willingly followed you if I had known what you were planning.

SERPENT: Maybe. But you're not entirely innocent either, are you? Biting Habibah, deceiving the Cherubim; In your desperation to show the world that you were more than everyone believed you to be, you ultimately proved you were just that. Someone who deserved to be cursed.

KIAH: How... How could you be so evil?

SERPENT: Hasn't anybody ever told you? Never trust a snake.

At these words, Kiah's world collapses around her. The Serpent takes one last victorious look at her and retreats through the tunnel to the outside world, fruit in his pouch. Kiah lays left behind, slumped on the floor, SOBBING in defeat.

EXT. VULKATHUNHA-GAMMON RANGES CLIFFS - SUNSET

Joey awaits outside of the cave, still squinting through his easing pain, holding a rock, ready to throw.

JOEY: You have to come out eventually.

Suddenly, a snake head appears from the cave entrance. Joey prepares his throw, when he suddenly stops himself, taken aback. The snake isn't Kiah, but the Serpent.

JOEY: You're not- What happened to the other snake?

SERPENT: Not who you were expecting, am I?

Joey stops as he notices light glinting off the amulet around the Serpent's neck.

JOEY: The amulet- But that girl snake... How did you?

The Serpent looks at Joey and moves toward him. Joey takes a step back.

SERPENT: Yes, your sister. What an evil act to kill her for no other purpose than to leave her body abandoned. All along you were so sure that Kiah was responsible for her death, but now you see another serpent arrive in her place, wearing the same amulet she did.

JOEY: Were you the one to kill her then? What about the other snake?

SERPENT: Yes, I see you're confused. You seek revenge on the one who killed your sister, and now you find you may have almost killed a snake who was not responsible. But then again, why didn't she exit that cave instead? Maybe she did kill your sister, and I avenged it for you. But how would you know? How would you know who's good and who's evil if you don't know the difference between good and evil yourself?

JOEY: What are you saying? I know the difference between good and evil. Whoever killed my sister is evil, and I will have revenge!

SERPENT: Really? Well, did you ever think that revenge may actually be evil? And shortening the life of another to extend one's own may actually may be permissible, given they are of another species? But only those who've eaten from the Tree of Good and Evil have the Knowledge to discern such things.

Upon these words, the Serpent withdraws the Golden Fruit from his sling.

SERPENT: Eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and all will be known to you.

JOEY: Why would I do that? How do I know it's not some trick?

SERPENT: You wouldn't, would you. Not without the knowledge that this fruit will bring you?

The Serpent holds the fruit before Joey, and Joey looks at it.

INT. SERPENT'S LAIR - SAME

Kiah is laying on the cave floor SOBBING gently. Weakly, she tries to raise her head.

EXT. VULKATHUNHA-GAMMON RANGES CLIFFS - SAME

Joey takes the Fruit from the Serpent and looks at it.

INT. SERPENT'S LAIR - SAME

Kiah attempts to slither toward the cave exit, but this causes her joints to CRACKLE, and she falls back with a CRY of pain.

EXT. VULKATHUNHA-GAMMON RANGES CLIFFS - SAME

SERPENT: Don't you want to be as wise as your sisters.

Closing his eyes, Joey raises the fruit to his lips...

INT. SERPENT'S LAIR - SAME

Kiah, desperation on her face, looks toward the exit, and cautiously, starts to move toward it once more.

CRACKLE, CRACK, CRACK! Kiah CRIES OUT with each move, but slowly, through gritted teeth, she's able to make her way forward toward the exit.

EXT. VULKATHUNHA-GAMMON RANGES CLIFFS - SAME

...And Joey TAKES A BITE OF THE FRUIT.

And the world goes still.

In an instant, Joey drops the fruit, stunned. The fruit roles over to the Serpent, who puts it back into the sling. Joey inspects himself full of horror.

JOEY: What did you make me do? You are the evil one who killed my sister! And you made me eat... That fruit was forbidden, wasn't it? You cursed me.

SERPENT: Welcome to our fallen world.

With that, the Serpent heads into the brush.

JOEY: No! You will not escape!

SERPENT: Oh but I will. Don't you see it, the evil of revenge?

Joey picks up a rock.

JOEY: I don't care.

Joey throws the rock, but the Serpent moves out of the way and the rock misses, landing in the dirt with a soft THUD. The Serpent looks at Joey.

SERPENT: You have a really bad aim, you know that?

Joey glares back with hatred in his eyes. Turning away the Serpent retreats into the brush. Joey stands there stunned.

Suddenly, there is a CLATTER of rocks and CRACKLING joints. Joey looks over his shoulder to see Kiah struggling her way out of the cave. Kiah stops when she sees him. Joey turns away and looks at the ground.

JOEY: You didn't kill my sister, did you?

Kiah reaches the edge of the cave, and slides down to the ground with a shaky HUFF of impact.

KIAH: No, I didn't.

JOEY: But you helped the Serpent get the fruit, didn't you? The fruit that I've now ate, that's made me as cursed as the world.

KIAH: I'm sorry. But the Serpent... He'll get away if we don't... He'll...

JOEY: How do I know I could ever trust you? How do I know you're not working with him, that even now you're leading me into a deeper trap than I'm already in? (Looking away) Of course I couldn't. You're a snake. It's in your nature to be deceitful.

KIAH: Yes, I've done terrible. But it's not the fault of other snakes I did what I did. My Mum... Birrani... You can't hate them because of what I've become.

JOEY: No? Then tell me, who was it who brought you up to be capable of such evil?

With that, Joey leaves the speechless Kiah behind as he heads off into the outback.

In the light of the darkening sky, Kiah begins to WEEP.

KIAH: I'm sorry mum, I'm sorry Birrani... I didn't want it to turn out this way.

After a moment, her crying softens, and she looks into the distance. Slowly, joints CRACKLING, and SOBBING through exertion, Kiah makes her way forward.

EXT. ROADSIDE - EVENING

Kiah reaches the dirt road as the stars are beginning to speckle the dark evening sky. Kiah looks down the road and sees a truck pulled over. A father and son sit on lawn chairs beside it, looking up at the stars.

EXT. B83 - NIGHT

The truck drives down the road with Kiah coiled up in the truck bed. Kiah looks up at the stars in the sky.

KIAH: I'm sorry Joey, I'm sorry Habibah, I'm sorry Kyle...

With that she trails off into SOBBING.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - TWILIGHT

In the Twilight air, Kiah drops out the back of the truck near her home. There her family, alerted by the sound of her CRACKLING joints rushes to meet her, concern on their faces. Kiah sees them coming, and upon reaching her, she looks at them with guilt on her face.

KIAH: I'm sorry mum.

And with that, Kiah collapses into the dust, breathing hard with exhaustion.

FADE TO BLACK