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EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - TIME-LAPSE.

Time passes over the Outback, near the burrow Kiah calls home. The Sun and Moon travel through the Sky as the days pass by.

INT. DEATH ADDER BURROW - DAY

Kiah lies in her hollow quietly.

Suddenly, there is the sound of SLITHERING and Kiah looks up. Birrani enters, carrying a dead rat in his mouth.

BIRRANI: Here Kiah, I brought you something.

He tosses the rat to her, and Kiah examines it.

KIAH: Thank you. You've gotten good at hunting, haven't you?

BIRRANI: I sort of had to. Would have starved otherwise.

Kiah nods and picks up the food in her mouth. After a moment, Mum comes up beside Birrani.

MUM: How are you doing? Are you okay?

Kiah swallows with a weak nod, her joints CRACKLING slightly.

KIAH: It's not as bad as it was, but I don't think that I'll be able to move like I used to again.

MUM: Well, whatever you need, we'll be here for you.

She turns to leave when-

KIAH: I'm sorry Mum. I know you said it didn't matter that we didn't have limbs... I just didn't want to accept it. And now...

MUM: I know. (Beat) Oh, by the way, you have someone here for you. Do you want me to send him in, or should I bring him to you fresh?

KIAH: Who?

Without answering, Mum heads from the room, Birrani following. With a SIGH, Kiah rests her head.

A moment later, there is the sound of CLATTERING rock, and Kiah raises her head to see Critter step into the room.

KIAH: Critter-? I mean, Kyle? What are you doing here?

CRITTER: I heard about what happened. I wanted to be here for you.

KIAH: But you don't have to. You're not my pet anymore.

CRITTER: That doesn't mean I don't care for you.

Kiah's face goes distressed.

KIAH: Why? You're not supposed to care for me. I held you captive, threatened to eat you. For all my insecurities of being... me, I made you into nothing more than a snack.

CRITTER: No you didn't. You may have always threatened to eat me, but I knew you saw me as more. I was your companion.

KIAH: Why would you want to be my companion? I'm a snake, cursed above all other creatures. Made to be hated.

CRITTER: Maybe you are the most cursed among all creatures, but you are certainly not the most hated.

Critter humbly raises a paw to Kiah, taken by surprise by his own next words.

CRITTER: Because you're my best friend.

Kiah raises her head and looks Critter in the eyes, the two sharing eye contact for one long moment.

KIAH: Don't you understand? You can't have me as your friend. (Deflated) Never trust a snake.

CRITTER: Yes, you are a snake, and you always will be Kiah. But it's not what you are that matters, it's who you are.

KIAH: And who am I Kyle? Who is it that you think you see in me?

CRITTER: I see somebody who traveled to the ends of the Earth to make amends, somebody who just wants to make everything right, but only made things worse. You're lost, seeking for what's right, you just don't know what path to walk.

KIAH: Well, I can't walk. I can hardly even slither anymore.

CRITTER: I know. But I'll still be here for you.

Kiah turns to Critter.

KIAH: Thank you Kyle.

Critter flinches at the name.

CRITTER: You know, you can call me Critter.

KIAH: But... You're not my pet anymore.

CRITTER: I know. But the nickname's really grown on me. (Pause) So what will you do now?

KIAH; I want to stop the Serpent from doing whatever he plans on doing. But like I said, I can hardly move anymore.

CRITTER: Perhaps you don't need to.

Kiah looks at him confused.

CRITTER: Follow me.

Critter retreats back out of the cave, and wearily, Kiah struggles to follow.

CUT TO:

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - CONTINUOUS

They come out into the sunlight, and Kiah comes to a stop, taken aback to find Joey waiting for her. Mum and Birrani are off to the side watching.

KIAH: Joey? What are you doing-

CRITTER: I convinced him to come and help us. I figured we would need his help.

JOEY: You said you ate him!

KIAH: He didn't sit well in my tummy. I regurgitated him back up. (Pause) So you came to help us stop the Serpent? But how do you know you can trust me?

JOEY: I don't. But I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you want to bring the Serpent to justice just as much as I do.

KIAH: Justice? Are you sure revenge is the answer.

JOEY: Before eating the fruit, I thought knowledge of good and evil would make the world more black and white. Now I see there's much more gray. The Serpent killed Zoe and deceived me. I don't want revenge, he needs to be stopped before he can hurt anybody else.

Kiah nods.

KIAH: So, what's the plan?

JOEY: I'll carry you where you need to go. What you do from there is up to you.

KIAH: Not to be... offensive or anything, but you don't have a pouch.

Joey turns so Kiah can see the bag on his back.

JOEY: I picked up something that should serve just as well.

Joey takes off the pack, and opens it, extracting a fruit to make room for Kiah. As Kiah slithers in, Joey turns to Mum.

JOEY: Just so you know, you brought up quite a daughter.

MUM: Oh, I'm not claiming her.

Kiah looks taken aback. Joey realizes this is probably a good time to turn his attention to his fruit in paw, and cautiously examines it before taking a bite.

MUM: I'm a snake. The only reason she lives here is because she chose to. As far as what she does with her life, that's on her.

KIAH: Oh.

At her disappointed expression, Mum moves to the bag to look Kiah in the eyes.

MUM: But still, after all our time together, I've learned something. Even though snakes don't tend to see their children as other animals do, I've come to see you for who you are deep inside. And I love you for that Kiah.

Kiah and Mum press their heads together.

KIAH: Thank you.

His fruit finished, Joey picks up the bag with Kiah in it, and puts it on his back.

MUM: Please be careful Kiah.

KIAH: I'll try. But this is the Serpent who deceived Adam and Eve. I can only do so much.

MUM: I know.

With that Joey starts to hop away. Kiah continues to watch her family in snake vision as they move away.

KIAH: I love you guys.

When they've left them behind, Critter turns to Kiah.

CRITTER: Do you think you can find where the Serpent took the fruit? Like you did when finding the Tree of Knowledge?

KIAH: I don't know. But we have to try anyway.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - TIME-LAPSE

Joey travels across the Outback, Critter scurrying alongside him.

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. AUSTRALIAN JUNGLE - DAY

The Serpent is inside of the Jungle. He withdraws the Fruits from their sling and splits them open with a sharp swing of his tail.

He looks at the seeds within, and takes them out with his tail. He drops them into a fresh hole in the ground, and covers them back up with dirt.

SERPENT: You may be immortal Trees of Knowledge and Life, but by taking from your years, I can increase the rate of your growth.

With that, the Serpent's Amulet lights up, and a group of seedlings bursts from the ground. They wind around each other, as a new Tree of Knowledge and Tree of Life begins to grow.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - DAY

Joey continues with Kiah across the Outback toward the East.

Kiah peaks out of the bag with a CRACKLE, and looks at Joey over his shoulder.

KIAH: You smell good.

Joey looks uncomfortable, Critter has an amused look of understanding on his face.

JOEY: You better not think about eating me.

KIAH: No, you're too big to fit down my throat. (Beat) I could inject my venom into your veins though, just for fun; To see how you react.

Joey turns to Critter.

JOEY: Are you sure it's safe to be carrying this thing?

CRITTER: Don't worry, she does this a lot. You'll get used to it.

JOEY: Wonderful.

Kiah, looking exhausted from her position, sinks back into the bag, wincing at the CRACKLING of her joints. Critter watches with sympathy.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - EVENING

Eventually, Joey comes to a stop. He turns to Kiah and removes the bag from his back.

JOEY: Okay, it's time to get out and stretch.

Joey puts the bag on the ground, and Kiah slides out, CRYING OUT as her joints CRACKLE. Critter rushes to her side.

CRITTER: Kiah?

KIAH: It's okay, just a little stiff. Joey's been through worse.

Critter gives a quizzical glance at Joey, who shifts uncomfortably on his feet. Then Critter turns his attention back toward Kiah and notices the sickened expression on her face, and he once more fills up with pity.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - TIME-LAPSE

Joey, Kiah, and Critter are once again traveling across the Australian Outback.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK - DAWN

Kiah, Critter, and Joey are all curled up on the ground asleep.

Suddenly, a family of hikers passes along a nearby trail. A little kid, trailing in the back, spots Joey, and in fascination, leaves the trail to get closer.

Suddenly, the kid trips on a rock and falls over on top of Kiah. Kiah snaps awake instantly and reflexively springs into striking position. The kid gives a CRY, and Kiah stops, taking in the innocent child's expression of terror in snake vision.

The Parents, alerted by the noise, come running to the kid, and Kiah pulls back. Spotting Kiah, the family cries out. They help the kid to his feet, and drag him away in horror, inspecting him for snake-bites.

As they go, the child looks back at Kiah, and she watches him with compassion. Critter and Joey, awake now, watch too.

KIAH: "A little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm."

CRITTER: Huh? But I thought the Cherubim said the time for that to be brought about has not yet come.

KIAH: I may not be able to bring it about for the world, but I can bring it about for myself.

EXT. RAINFOREST OVERLOOK - DAY

They continue to travel, finally reaching a ridge overlooking the rainforest. Two twin trees, twined around each other tower above all the others. The Trees of Knowledge and Life.

CRITTER: It's so big.

KIAH: The Serpent must somehow be using the amulet to increase their age. They must be way older than even the Trees in the Garden by now.

CRITTER: What could the Serpent possibly want with a new Tree of Knowledge?

JOEY: He wants to trick others into eating the fruit, like with Adam and Eve. Like with me.

KIAH: Outside of the Garden he can use the fruit on others, unhindered.

EXT. AUSTRALIAN JUNGLE - DAY

Joey heads through the jungle, Critter trailing behind. It is overcast with a slight drizzle.

They come to the foot of the Tree of Knowledge and Life, and Kiah looks up the massive trunk, into the branches with snake vision.

KIAH: He's somewhere in the Tree.

JOEY: You'll have to go on without me. I don't think I can get up there.

KIAH: I don't expect you to. Thank you for bringing me this far. Are you coming Critter?

CRITTER: Yes. I've been with you this far.

Kiah moves her way out of the bag, and over Joey's shoulder, toward the Tree's trunk. Her joints CRACKLE, and she gives a MOAN, but continues. Reaching the trunk, she turns back to face Joey.

KIAH: One last thing Joey, you are not lesser than your sisters. In fact, your dedication to the one you lost... You truly are a loving brother. Remember that.

JOEY: I still shouldn't have let that lead me to doing what I did.

KIAH: We've all made mistakes. Now it's time to make amends.

EXT. TREE OF KNOWLEDGE - CONTINUOUS

With that, Kiah begins to wind her way up the Tree's massive trunk, using the knots for platforms. Critter climbs using his claws beside her.

Reaching the first level of branches, they come to a stop to rest, Kiah is breathing heavily.

KIAH: Do you... Think we're... close.

Critter looks up to the higher branches as Kiah momentarily rests her head.

SERPENT (O.S.): Kiah. I see you've made it.

Kiah looks up to see the Serpent a few branches higher up.

SERPENT: Do you really still think you can undo the curse? Who are you to lift a curse that the Lord of the Universe declared?

KIAH: I didn't come here to break the curse, I came here to make amends.

With that, Kiah starts making her way back up the branches toward the Serpent, CRACKLING as she goes. The Serpent turns away and starts heading up the trunk as well. It quickly becomes apparent that Kiah is losing ground.

SERPENT: Look at you, hardly able to move. Do you think that's a fair punishment for letting yourself be deceived?

Kiah ignores him, and continues up after him. Finally, near the top of the Tree, the Serpent disappears into a hole in the trunk. Kiah reaches it PANTING, and Critter comes up alongside her.

KIAH: He's in there.

Critter nods, and together, they make their way into the opening.

INT. TREE OF KNOWLEDGE HOLLOW - CONTINUOUS

Kiah glances around the hollow in snake vision, startled to find several Australian Jungle animals, fretting in horror.

ANIMAL 1: What did I do? How could I have done that?

ANIMAL 2: Please take this away from me.

ANIMAL 3: I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was doing.

CRITTER: What happened here?

SERPENT (O.S.): They ate from the Tree of Knowledge. Now they are cursed to live with regret for the rest of their lives.

Kiah looks up to see the Serpent hanging from a knot in the wood. He lowers himself to face Kiah. Critter tries to expand his beard, but the Serpent gives him a glare, and it deflates.

KIAH: So this is your plan. What do you hope to gain from all this?

SERPENT: What wouldn't I want to gain? After this, we will no longer be the most cursed among all the creatures, because all the other creatures will be cursed alongside us. Don't you want that? Don't you want to claim equality with the other animals?

Kiah looks over at Critter who is cowering in fear, but bravely remains standing beside her anyway.

KIAH: Not if it means dragging the other creatures down with us.

SERPENT: I see.

With that, the Serpent leaps at Kiah. Kiah dives out of the way of his fangs, but he catches his tail around her, and drags her after him as he plunges out through the opening. Critter cries out after her.

EXT. TREE OF KNOWLEDGE - CONTINUOUS

Kiah and the Serpent plummet down through the branches of the Tree, CRASHING on a branch a few layers down. The Serpent, poised over Kiah, rears back, and STRIKES!

Kiah dodges out of the way just in time, the Serpent's fangs CHIPPING AT THE BARK INSTEAD. Pulling back, he STRIKES again. Kiah once again dodges-

And all goes still as the Serpent fangs SINK INTO A FRUIT FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE, dangling right past where Kiah's head just was.

Taking advantage of the moment, Kiah slips free from the Serpents grasp and looks at him. Slowly, he raises his head, HIS JOINTS SLIDING SMOOTHLY WITH THE CURVE OF HIS BODY. He turns to face Kiah, the fruit falling from in his mouth, a devious look on his face. Kiah stares back at him in shock.

KIAH: You're... The fruit...

SERPENT: If further you eat from the fruit of the Tree... But it's only the first bite that has any power.

KIAH: You've already...

SERPENT: Yes. Where else did you think our craftiness to twist right and wrong came from? Before Adam and Eve ate from the Tree, I was the first. The Father of all Serpents was the first to fall.

Before Kiah can fully process this, the Serpent rears back and STRIKES. Kiah CRIES pulling away, a fresh wound on her neck.

Weakened, Kiah topples backward, off the branch. She hits another further below with a CRACK, causing her to CRY out.

The Serpent is spiraling down the Tree toward her, closer, closer. Kiah struggles to lift her head and look at him.

KIAH: If you know right from wrong, how can you do all this? How could you do something so clearly wrong?

SERPENT: I never wanted to eat the fruit. Satan forced me to. He possessed me, made me eat the fruit against my will, made me deceive Adam and Eve. I never wanted to do evil, but as a weak, worthless animal, I had no choice. But who took the curse? Me! Me, the side character. Made to suffer the curse of a sin that I didn't choose. Just to benefit the story. Do you think that's justice? Do you?

Kiah rests her head, weak from the poison, as the Serpent reaches the branch Kiah's on and begins making his way over to her.

KIAH: I don't know. I don't know. But that doesn't make it right to cause the suffering of others just because of our own.

SERPENT: Ah, conscience. I see it has passed down to you much stronger than other snakes.

The Serpent reaches Kiah and looks at her weakening body, her scales growing dull, her eyes glassing over.

SERPENT: I see the poison's got to you. You don't have much longer. Maybe it's for the best. Perhaps its best you don't have to see what will become of the world when I'm done with this Tree.

The Serpent raises up over Kiah for another strike.

With the last of her remaining strength, through her weakening snake vision, Kiah eyes wander up the tree to where Critter is, scrambling desperately down toward Kiah. Kiah struggles to refocus her unsteady gaze on the Serpent before he can follow it to Critter, joints CRACKLING as her neck realigns itself.

KIAH: Maybe you're right, maybe I am just a crafty creature.

The Serpent narrows his eyes.

SERPENT: Your craftiness won't stall for time.

Critter reaches a branch only a few layers above them.

KIAH: Of course, but those few seconds was all I needed.

Instantly, the Serpents eyes go alert.

And just then, Critter leaps. The Serpent reacts a second too late as Critter lands on his head. Critter tries to pull the amulet free, but the Serpent struggles beneath him.

CRITTER: You had to warn him you were distracting him! What is it with you snakes always having to reveal your clever plans too early!

Unable to free the amulet, Critter abruptly expands his beard, SLAMMING the Serpents face into the branch underneath it. While the Serpent is stunned, Critter yanks the amulet free, and throws it to Kiah.

Kiah reaches forward, toward the amulet. Almost has it...

And misses, knocking it away with the force of her own body, sending it falling toward the ground.

The last of her strength used, Kiah lets herself slump over her head drooping just below the amulet as it falls, catching it around her neck.

With a slight burst of energy flowing into her, Kiah finishes the loop around the branch, the amulet falling perfectly against her "chest".

CRITTER: Kiah use the amulet. Save yourself.

Kiah looks at the Serpent weakly.

KIAH: I can't let you succeed in your plan.

SERPENT: Yes. My plan to right the wrong. To make other animals suffer only as we have ourselves. But perhaps you're right. Perhaps snakes do deserve to remain the only creature cursed without reconciliation? Perhaps the reason Satan chose us for his plan is because we really are the most crafty and wicked of all creatures.

KIAH: No. Snakes can't be that bad, because that's what I am. And I choose to be good.

With that, Kiah flashes the amulet at the Serpent.

Light.

The light fades, and Kiah, stronger and more full of health than before, looks down at the Serpent. The Serpent lays on the branch deflated.

KIAH: I only took your immortality. I've left you with your mortal life, whatever you choose that to mean.

SERPENT: It doesn't matter. I'm already living on borrowed time. That immortality was all I had left.

With that, the Serpent's scales start to FLAKE OFF, blown away by the wind. His skeleton, unable to hold its own weight, collapses in on itself. Then finally, there's left only the remains of the Serpent that once was. Gravity takes over, and the Serpent slides off the tree branch, and falls toward the Earth below.

CRITTER: Now that we've firmly established that you're good, could you maybe try a different type of humor, so I don't feel so... edible around you?

Kiah looks at Critter for a long moment.

KIAH: No!