"What do you cherish most in your life?"
An audio series produced by MLA Entertainment.
Now Streaming on Youtube and Spotify!
Now streaming on Youtube and Spotify!
Melissa Del Toro Schaffner - Minny
Blake Cogdill - Trace
Caden Yungwirth - Gramma
Rich Summers - Papa
Chloë Elmore - Sandra
Indi Schaffner - Charlotte
Keiko - Director, Writer, Producer, Character Artist, Additional Background Artist
Jeffrey Penn Johnson - Composer
mBOsco - Background Artist
Want to share fan art with us? Interview a cast or crew member? Review the show? Or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you!Reach us at: mlaentertainment[dot]info[at]gmail[dot].com
Visit us at: mlaentertainment.carrd.co
Want to share fan art with us? Interview a cast or crew member? Review the show? Or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you!Reach us at: mlaentertainment[dot]info[at]gmail[dot].com
Visit us at: mlaentertainment.carrd.co
Cerulean Summer - Episode 1 - Promise TranscriptSC. 1 — LOST IN MY MEMORIES
EXT. SUMMER SKY
We SLOW FADE in to reveal a stunning blue sky. The soothing
sounds of the ocean and seagulls are heard.
MINNY NARRATION
(soft, reflective)
Let me ask you a question. Just
between you and me…
What do you cherish most in your
life? For some, it’s the hope that
comes with a new day. For others,
it’s their family or maybe their
keepsakes.
As for me, it’s my memories. No
matter where I am in life or what
problem I might be facing, I can
always close my eyes and return to
a better time. A time I cherish.
The summer of my youth. The summer
in Cerulean…The summer when…we
first met.
FADE TO WHITE:
OPENING THEME
SC. 2 – ARRIVAL
INT. AIRPLANE - DAY
We FADE IN to MINNY riding an airplane and looking out the
window.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
(calm, pleasant)
Attention passengers, we are
approaching our destination.
Please fasten your seat belts and
make sure your tray tables are in
their full upright position. Thank you for flying with us.
MINNY NARRATION
(calm, casual)
June 2000. Before my junior year
of high school, I went to spend
the summer with my grandparents in a small coastal town called
Cerulean. I flew all the way from
Egypt to meet my grandparents at
the airport…
Minny is shown disembarking the plane.
MINNY
Gramma! Papa! Hi!!!
GRAMMA
Minny! You’ve gotten so tall! You
look beautiful!
PAPA
Your personal transport awaits,
little lady! Lemme take that
luggage off your hands.
MINNY
(playfully strained)
Thanks, Papa! Feels like I brought
the pyramids with me!
PAPA
Appreciate the souvenir.
(hearty chuckle)
MINNY NARRATION
We hopped in Papa’s yellow jeep
and were on our way. Cerulean’s
about an hour’s drive out from the
city. The country roads and wideopen sky are always sure signs
you’re nearly there.
We CUT to them riding into the town of Cerulean.
MINNY NARRATION
Thing is, my parents are both
renowned archaeologists. They had
sorta dragged me from place to
place all my life, and frankly, I
was all traveled out.
EXT. CERULEAN - DAY
PAPA
There it is, Minny! Cerulean’s
been waiting for ya.
GRAMMA
And it hasn’t changed a bit!
MINNY
(laughs)
Wow! It’s exactly how I remember
it!
(inhales and exhales in
satisfaction) Ah man, I
needed this!
MINNY NARRATION
I had spent several summers there
when I was little and during
middle school. My memories of
Cerulean hadn’t faded in the
slightest. The steady music of the
cicadas. The lush green hills. The
little houses painted every shade
of the rainbow with all the
windows swung open. The sound of
children playing in the distance,
and the smell of something
delicious always lingering in the
air. Something about that coastal
town always put my mind at ease.
A summer to remember. That was the plan, and that was exactly what I got…
SC. 3 - TRACE
EXT. MINNY’S GRANDPARENTS’ HOUSE - DAY
Minny, Gramma, and Papa pull up in the driveway of their
home. They all exit the jeep.
PAPA
Well, little lady, home sweet
home.
GRAMMA
Your room is waiting for you
exactly as you left it. Well, I
did give it a good cleaning, but
you know what I mean.
(chuckles)
MINNY
I’m so happy to be here. Thank you
both for taking care of me.
PAPA
We were tickled to death when your
parents called. It’s our pleasure,
baby girl. Oh, that reminds me.
This is from your Gramma and me.
Papa hands Minny a small gift.
MINNY
Ooh, a present?
Minny opens the present to discover a disposable camera.
MINNY
(gasps softly)
A disposable camera? Oh my gosh,
this is perfect! I keep breaking
the expensive cameras Mom and Dad get me so they haven’t been
keen on replacing them yet.
GRAMMA
(chuckles warmly)
We heard. Now you can remember
this summer forever.
PAPA
And you know what? That sucker can take a good beating and still work.
MINNY
(chuckles)
Thanks so much! I’ll take pictures
of everything. I guess I should
probably unpack first?
PAPA
(lifting heavy luggage)
I’ve got this, little lady.
Dontchu worry. Go have fun.
GRAMMA
Just be back by sundown. We’re
having your favorite: fish and
chips Cerulean style! Think your
empty stomach can hold out until
then?
MINNY
Mmm sounds great! I’ve still got
half a bologna sandwich so I’ll be
fine. I think I’ll go shoot some
hoops down by the seawall. See ya
later!
GRAMMA AND PAPA
See ya!
MINNY
(Minny hums merrily to
herself)
EXT. HILLS - DAY
Minny makes her way over to a grassy hill by the house. She
stops to take a photo.
MINNY
(under her breath)
Ooh, now that’s a nice shot. Man,
this hill still has the best view
of the ocean.
(inhales and stretches)
It feels so freakin’ good here. I
needed this so bad.
PORCO emerges from some nearby bushes.
PORCO
(curious sniffs)
MINNY
Hm? Where
did you come from? So cute. You’re a, what are they called…a Bichon-a Bichon Frisé, right?
PORCO
(sniffs incessantly)
MINNY
Oooooh. You totally smell my
bologna sandwich, don’t you? Here,
knock yourself out.
Porco gobbles the sandwich up.
PORCO
(gobbling sound)
MINNY
(chuckles)
Wow, you really like this stuff,
don’t yo – !
PORCO
(sniffs incessantly)
Porco comically begins sniffing and crawling all over Minny.
She remains stunned before grabbing Porco and holding him
away from her.
MINNY
U-Uhhhh…Dude, what
the heck?! I’m all out! I’m all
out! Ever heard of personal space,
ya little bologna monster?
Suddenly, TRACE appears a few feet away.
TRACE
(slightly panting)
Porco? Porco! There you are! Oh…
MINNY
Hm?
Minny and Trace stare at each other for a moment.
MINNY NARRATION
I locked eyes with a tall, skinny
boy I guessed to be around my age.
His thick head of hair was so
blonde that I fought the urge to
stare out of sheer admiration.
TRACE
(polite, kind, slightly
embarrassed)
Sorry about that, he’s mine.
MINNY
(friendly)
That’s okay. He sure is crazy
about bologna.
TRACE
Yeah, he loses his mind over it.
He’s such a pig that I named him
Porco.
TRACE AND MINNY
(giggle)
MINNY
I’m Minny, by the way.
TRACE
Trace. Nice to meet you, Minny.
Did you just move here?
MINNY
No, I’m only staying here with my
grandparents for the summer. My
parents are in Egypt.
TRACE
Woah! That’s really cool. I’ve
always wanted to go there.
MINNY
They’re archaeologists so they
kinda travel a lot. I thought I’d
switch things up and stay here for
a little while instead.
(chuckle)
I used to come here a lot when I
was younger.
TRACE
How old are you if you don’t mind
me asking?
MINNY
Sixteen. I’m a Sagittarius, if
you’re into star signs.
TRACE
Sorry, completely inept, but I’ve
always been curious about them.
(chuckles) I’m sixteen, too! My
mom and I just moved here. Maybe
we could be friends then? F-for
the summer, I mean?
(warm chuckle)
MINNY
Sure! I was just heading down to
the court. Wanna shoot some hoops?
Trace’s friendly disposition suddenly changes. His expression
turns cold and distant.
TRACE
(serious, very soft)
What?
MINNY
Basketball. There’s a court by the
seawall. It’s been forever since I
last played so I’m probably rusty.
(chuckles)
TRACE
(cold, distant)
Mm…That’s okay. I’d better get
home. Bye, Minny.
MINNY
Hm?
TRACE
Come on, Porco.
Trace picks up Porco and walks off. Minny is blank and
confused with what just happened.
MINNY
(soft, confused)
Did I…say something wrong?
SC. 4 - FISH AND CHIPS
We hear cicadas, ocean
waves, and children playing. Teenagers can be heard playing
basketball.
MALE BASKETBALL PLAYER
(pumped up, pleasant)
Try to keep up!
(make some effort sounds)
FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYER
(laughs happily)
Watch me go!
The girl makes a basket.
FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYER
Woohoo! Did ya see that?!
MINNY
Hey! Do ya mind if I take your
picture? The sunset is perfect
right now.
FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYER
Yeah, sure! Go ahead.
MINNY
1, 2, 3. Got it! Thanks!
MALE BASKETBALL PLAYER
Can we get back to the game now?
FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYER
Okay, you asked for it!
(laughs)
MALE BASKETBALL PLAYER
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
As Minny heads home, Gramma calls to her from the porch of
the house.
GRAMMA
There you are, perfect timing!
Supper’s on the table!
INT. GRANDPARENTS’ HOUSE - SUNDOWN
That evening, Minny has dinner with Gramma and Papa. The
doors and windows are open, and the sounds of summer surround
their cozy dinner table.
MINNY
(mouth full)
Mmm!! Your food is so good, Papa!
PAPA
(laughs warmly)
Well, I’m glad you like it, little lady.
GRAMMA
So did you have fun at the court?
MINNY
(mouth still full)
I didn’t play actually. I took
lots of pictures though. I went to
the beach and collected some
seashells. Just relaxed really.
I’ve missed this place so much.
And your food.
(chuckles)
GRAMMA
Summer’s just getting started.
Maybe you’ll make some new friends
with some kids here. Teenagers, I
mean.
MINNY
(swallows food)
I was thinking of sleeping over at
Page’s soon. Oh! I did meet this
boy named Trace on my way down to the seawall. He had this crazy dog named Porco with a bologna
problem.
(chuckles)
Ugh, I didn’t get a picture of them
though…
GRAMMA
Making friends already, huh?
PAPA
That’s Minny for ya.
MINNY
Friends…
SC. 5 – LOST IN THOUGHT
INT. MINNY’S ROOM - NIGHT
It starts to rain. Minny is lying wide awake in her bed,
thinking about the day’s events.
MINNY NARRATION
I didn’t do much sleeping that
night, but I did plenty of staring
at the ceiling.
MINNY’S THOUGHTS
Trace seemed so nice at first. We
got along right away like we
already knew each other or
something. What did I do to make
him change all of a sudden? It’s
so weird. I just don’t get
it…whatever, I’m exhausted…
(yawns)
Minny tries to sleep. The sound of thunder and rain is heard.
Then, a dog starts barking.
MINNY
(groans groggily, speaks
in a flat tone)
I can’t be hearing this. Ugh, I’m never gonna fall asleep like this.
Minny gets up and looks out her window.
MINNY
Huh? That’s Porco! Crazy thing,
what’s he doing? It’s pouring rain
out there!
Minny goes to the front porch to meet Porco outside.
MINNY
Okay, okay! I’ve got your blasted
bologna. It’s like four in the
morning, you nut. Don’t you
realize it’s storming?
PORCO
(whines)
MINNY
That’s weird. You don’t want it?
Then what are you barking for? Is
something wrong?
Porco runs to the end of the yard, turns to face Minny, and
continues barking.
MINNY
Is it Trace? Maybe he’s trying to
lead me to him?
A loud thunder crack is heard.
MINNY
Ah, maaaan.
(sighs)
You’d better not be messing with
me, dog.
SC. 6 – THE RESCUE
EXT. THE SEAWALL - THUNDERSTORM NIGHT
MINNY
(slightly out of breath)
Phew…it’s really coming down…slow down…where in the…?
Minny follows Porco a good distance before they wind up on
the seawall adjacent to the beach. The storm is picking up
and becoming more threatening.
MINNY
You’re stopping here?! The
seawall?! Oh, come on. Nobody’s
out here, Porco!
Minny thoroughly scans the area, trying to give Porco the
benefit of the doubt. Then, she spots a LITTLE GIRL standing in the middle of the road.
MINNY
(gasps in concern)
Who’s that little girl over there?
Hey! Excuse me!
Minny runs to join her.
MINNY
(worried)
Little girl, what are you doing
out here?! It’s really dangerous!
LITTLE GIRL
(cautious but very
worried)
You…you have to save him!
MINNY
Who?!
LITTLE GIRL
The nice boy! You have to save
him!
MINNY
Little girl, who are you talking
about? I-is he around my age? Real
tall? Blonde hair?
LITTLE GIRL
(hesitant)
Y-yes! Yes, that’s right!
MINNY
That’s Trace! Where is he?!
LITTLE GIRL
(worried)
You have to save him! Down there!
It’s Trace! He’s in the water!
MINNY
Huh?!
TRACE
(desperate, drowning)
HELLLP!!!! SOMEBODY HELP!!!
MINNY
(gasps in horror)
What?! Oh my gosh! It is Trace!
He’s in the water! TRACE!
TRACE
(distressed)
MINNY?! (coughs) HELP!!! I CAN’T
SWIM!!!
MINNY
Don’t worry, I’m coming!! Little
girl, stay right here! I’ll be right back!
(pants as she runs down
to the beach)
TRACE
I can’t swim! HELP! I can’t stay
up!
MINNY
Hold on! I’m coming to you!
(fights the water and
coughs)
Don’t panic!! Kick towards me!
TRACE
I-I’m trying!!
(coughs)
MINNY
(intense and worried but
bravely in control)
Gah! TRACE!! Trace, hold on! Unh!
Trace, I’ve got you! I’ve got you!
TRACE
(losing strength)
Minny…!
We hear them get swept underwater for a moment before
resurfacing.
MINNY
(coughs and strains as
she swims them to shore)
I’m pulling us in! You’re okay!
Keep kicking! I’ve got you! I’ve
got you…
MINNY AND TRACE
(exclaim as they plop
onto the shore and then
pant for several
seconds)
The two are safe at last. They are exhausted. Porco joins
them with joy.
PORCO
(barks happily)
TRACE
(coughs, out of breath)
I’m okay, Porco. Sorry…I must’ve
worried you a lot.
MINNY
(panting and exhausted
but relieved)
Phew…safe. Safe at last…Phew, I
feel like…I feel like I just swam
the Nile.
TRACE
(panting)
Minny…Thank you…so much!
(coughs)
I-I thought I was a goner!
MINNY
(lighthearted, worn out
but sweet)
D-don’t mention it…I used to be on
the swim team so it’s no big deal.
You’re lucky. If it hadn’t been
for Porco and that little girl, I
wouldn’t have known you were in
trouble.
TRACE
Huh? What little…Unh!
(groans in pain)
Trace grips his chest.
MINNY
(serious, concerned)
Trace! What’s wrong? D-does your
chest hurt? Trace!
TRACE
(in pain)
I’m okay…just gimme a second.
At that moment, Trace’s mother SANDRA pulls up in her car on
the seawall. She immediately gets out and spots Minny and
Trace below on the beach.
SANDRA
(extremely worried)
Trace?! Trace!!! Darling, what are
you doing down there?! Hold on!
I’m coming to get you!!
Sandra drives Minny to her and Trace’s home.
SC. 7 - THE TRUTH
MINNY NARRATION
What a beautiful woman to wear
such a scary expression. With the
way she looked at me, I wondered
whether saving her son had been a
heroic act on my part…or if I’d
volunteered for my own execution.
The drive to Trace’s house was
completely silent. And awkward.
And wet.
INT. TRACE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
MINNY NARRATION
Trace’s house was nothing like my
grandparents’ house on the green
hill. It was sleek and modern.
There were cardboard boxes
scattered everywhere since they
had only recently moved in. The
scary, beautiful lady gave us
towels and dry clothes. My
favorite part was the hot cocoa.
Although as I drank mine and felt
its warmth rush through my body,
part of me wondered if she had
secretly poisoned it.
We mostly just stared at each
other. Yeah, pretty awkward. She
was wearing scrubs and a long
black ponytail that fell
gracefully over her shoulder. She
kept her red lips pursed tightly,
and I could’ve sworn I never saw
her blink once.
Finally, Trace popped the awkward
bubble and explained that I had
nothing to do with him ending up
in the ocean and, in fact, I had
rescued him from the water. His
mom gave me a venomous glance up and down before finally softening
her beautiful stone face.
SANDRA
(intelligent, very calm,
focused)
Hm, I see. In that case, I want to thank you for saving my son. You are…?
MINNY
Minny, ma’am.
SANDRA
Call me, Sandra. Thank you. My son means everything to me.
MINNY
Porco’s the real hero tonight.
SANDRA
I'm sorry, Porco?
MINNY
Yeah. I was in bed at my
grandparents’ house when he
started barking at my window. I
could hear him from the second
floor! He led me straight to the
seawall where I found Trace. And a
little girl. Hm, I sure hope she
got home alright…
TRACE
Porco deserves extra bologna
tonight.
(chuckles)
SANDRA
(stern but nurturing)
Baby, I’ve told you a million
times not to go near the water at
night. Especially in this kind of
weather. I was terrified when I
got home from the hospital and you
were missing.
TRACE
(gentle, embarrassed)
I’m sorry, Mom. I was…exploring
and lost track of time.
MINNY
(lighthearted)
I’m just glad everything worked
out okay. You really freaked me
out when you were holding your
chest like that, Trace. I thought
something was wrong for a second
there.
(chuckles)
The room goes silent.
MINNY
(awkward)
I…I did it again. Didn't I? I said something wrong. What did I do
this time?
TRACE
(soft, solemn)
It’s okay, Mom. You can tell her…
MINNY
Tell me what?
SANDRA
(sighs)
Minny...my son may look healthy and strong on the outside…but he’s not. He used to love playing basketball.
He was good, too. Really good. In
middle school, it looked like he
was going to go really far,
but…that’s when we found out…
SC. 8 - TIME OUT
INT. BASKETBALL COURT - DAY
We temporarily flash back to a basketball game Trace was
playing in during middle school.
COACH
(pumped up)
Time out! Time out! Alright, boys,
listen up. Joey, you can’t keep
letting them block you like that.
JOEY
(determined, slightly
short of breath)
I know, Coach.
I know what to do
this time.
BASKETBALL SHOOTING GUARD
They’re clobbering us.
JOEY
It’s nothin’ we can’t take. Don’t
let ‘em psyche you out, man!
COACH
That’s the spirit, Joey. Cover
some ground then pass it to Trace.
He’s the fastest. We’re counting
on you, boy. Understand?
YOUNG TRACE
Yes, Sir! I won’t let you down.
The game resumes in full swing.
COACH
(pumped up)
Come on, boys! Go, go, go! Get the
ball to the wing!
JOEY
This is it, guys! Swing it!
BASKETBALL SHOOTING GUARD
They’re all over me! Sorry, man!
JOEY
Trace! Go for it!
YOUNG TRACE
(pumped up, panting)
I got it!
YOUNG TRACE
(panting as he runs)
JOEY
I’ve got you covered, man! Keep
going!
BASKETBALL SHOOTING GUARD
Go go go, Trace! It’s up to you
now!
JOEY
(really worked up,
impatient but concerned)
Trace! Keep going!
YOUNG TRACE
(intense, determined, out
of breath)
I’m going! I…
Trace's heart seizes up.
JOEY
What’s the matter?!
YOUNG TRACE
(grunts in pain)
My chest…it’s like it’s
splitting…
SANDRA
(yelling from the stands
in great worry)
Stop the game!! Now!
COACH
(intense, very concerned)
Time out! I said time out!!! Get
the nurse! Time out!!!
BASKETBALL SHOOTING GUARD
Hang in there, Trace! Help’s
coming!
JOEY
Breathe, buddy! Breathe!
YOUNG TRACE
I’m sorry…
(cries in pain)
SANDRA
(horrified, sobbing)
Trace!! TRAAAACCEEE!!!!!
SC. 9 - HEART
INT. TRACE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
We continue the previous scene at Trace’s house.
TRACE
(soft, pensive)
I almost died that night. When I
woke up in the hospital, I found
out there’s something wrong with
my heart. If I do anything too
strenuous now, it…seizes and
swells up and…even stops beating
sometimes. It used to just last
for a few seconds, but it’s gotten
worse and worse. Sometimes it’s
like it’ll never stop. Like my
heart’s gonna explode.
SANDRA
(extremely solemn)
He never played again. Not once.
MINNY
(gentle, trying to
understand)
That’s awful. I mean, do you think
his heart just needs to…build up
its strength or something? Or
maybe he was just pushing himself
too hard.
SANDRA
(explodes, threatening,
upset)
You think living like this is a
choice?! This isn’t anything like
that! Healthy people like you can
never understand. Trace doesn’t
get to make his own choices like
you! We’ve tried everything! And
now, all our hope has been
stripped away because…! Unh…
TRACE
(very soft, trying to be
comforting)
Mom…it’s okay.
MINNY
(soft, wanting to know
the truth)
What is it?
TRACE
As far as we can tell, this…this
is going to be my last summer.
MINNY
(gasps)
SANDRA
(tries restraining her
sobbing)
TRACE
The doctor said I’ve got about two
months to live.
MINNY
(deflated, at a loss for
words, sad)
W-what? But that’s…no, that’s
terrible. That can’t be right…!
How can a human decide whether
you’re going to live or die?!
That’s ridiculous!
SANDRA
You think we want to accept it?
You think we haven’t exhausted
every possible option to cure
Trace’s condition?! This has been
a lifelong battle, young lady, and
now, we just want peace. To give
Trace a calm and relaxing summer
before he…
TRACE
(calm and trying to be
friendly despite feeling
down)
The doctor said some fresh air
could help me last a little longer
so Mom moved us here a couple of
weeks ago. She’s a nurse now at
the local hospital.
MINNY
(feeling stupid, tearing
up)
I’m so sorry. I had
no idea. There I was offering to
play basketball, and you have this
horrible condition that forced you
to quit. Talk about shoving my big
ugly foot in my mouth…
TRACE
No, it’s not your fault. I
should’ve said something, but I
just…I get tired of always being
“that kid”…I just wanted to be
normal friends. But…I guess…I
guess I just can’t do that.
MINNY
Isn’t there anything that can be
done? Anything left to try? I just
can’t imagine Trace not getting to
live his life.
SANDRA
(more composed, serious)
There is one thing. A heart
transplant. But even that is risky
and the chance of success is low.
Trace told me he was more scared
of the operation than the idea of
dying from the condition itself
so…we’ve chosen our path. Please
respect that.
MINNY NARRATION
Sandra drove me back to my
grandparents’ house even though
the rain had finally stopped, and
it was just a ten-minute walk
tops. Just like before, we
remained silent for the entire
ride. I couldn’t decide if Sandra
simply hated my guts or was so
depressed by our conversation that
she couldn’t find the energy to
speak. My questions were answered
faster than I’d anticipated.
Minny gets out of the car.
MINNY
Well, thank you for the ride. Good
luck with everything, ma’am.
SANDRA
Minny, wait.
Sandra gets out of the car and joins Minny.
SANDRA
(gentle, calm)
I’m sorry for snapping at you back
there. I just…get overwhelmed
sometimes. But you haven’t done
anything wrong. I’m sorry. I…can’t
thank you enough for saving my
son. What you did was brave and
selfless. Thank you. You were our
angel tonight, and I’ll never
forget it. It’s just…there’s no
greater pain than a mother going
through what I’m going through
right now. I hope you can
understand and forgive my
frustrations.
MINNY
Oh, no worries. I can’t even
imagine what that feels like. I’m
sorry you’ve been dealt such a
rotten hand. It’s always the good
people.
SANDRA
(smiles at Minny)
Well, not always. Thank you for your help. Honestly, if there’s anything you ever need, just let me know. Have a good night, Minny.
Sandra drives off.
MINNY THOUGHTS
Hm. What a nice lady. I guess
stress can make even the best
people lose it sometimes.
INT. MINNY'S ROOM - NIGHT
MINNY NARRATION (CONT’D)
It’s needless to say I didn’t get
any sleep that night. I tossed and
turned, my mind swimming with
thoughts about Trace and his final
summer.
How could things like that really
happen to people? It could’ve just
as easily been me. I really felt a
strange sense of survivor’s guilt.
Why was my heart normal? Even
though I’d only just met Trace, I
couldn’t forget the look he had in
his eyes. So kind. So innocent.
And so sad. So deeply,
unimaginably sad.
(very soft)
At one point, I held my hand to my
chest, felt the steady beat of my
heart…and wept.
SC. 10 – SHIPWRECKED
EXT. MINNY’S GRANDPARENTS HOUSE - DAY
The next day, the sounds of summer are loud and all around.
Papa is finishing frying some eggs as Gramma sets the table
for breakfast. Minny joins them.
PAPA
Oh hey, there she is. Ready for some breakfast, little lady?
MINNY
(sleepy but pleasant)
It smells delicious in here. Could
I get mine to go? I kinda wanna
sit on the hill and just look at
the water today.
PAPA
It’s summertime, pumpkin. You can
do whatever you want.
GRAMMA
Are you feeling okay, Minny? You
look tired. Lemme check your
temperature.
MINNY
(starts rambling
sleepily)
Oh, yeah, I didn’t get much sleep
last night. Some dog started
barking at my window and then I
went to give him some bologna. One thing led to another, and I saved a guy from the ocean. Yeah, it’s a long story.
GRAMMA
(genuinely concerned)
Good gracious! Are you being
serious?! Oh, Minny, please tell
me you’re kidding.
PAPA
(unbothered)
I’m not surprised. She was on the
swim team a few years back.
GRAMMA
There was a terrible storm last
night! I never dreamed you were
out in it. Why didn’t you wake us
up?
MINNY
(lighthearted, sleepy)
Well, I wasn’t exactly planning
for things to go the way they did.
It just kinda happened. Anyway,
that guy I met yesterday couldn’t
swim so it’s good I went. My first night back in Cerulean was certainly eventful, I’ll say that.
PAPA
We’re just glad you’re safe,
little lady.
(gets playful and flirty)
You know, that reminds me of our
midnight swims, honeybee. Yeah...
Remember?
(chuckles)
GRAMMA
(chuckles, giddy like a
school girl)
Keep your hands to yourself, old
man.
MINNY
Uuum. Well, see ya later! I
need to recalibrate.
EXT. HILLS - DAY
MINNY NARRATION
Meals to-go had been a
staple for the better half of my
life. When you’re always on the
move there’s not much time for
sitting down and having an old
fashioned family meal. The fact
that I could count on eating with
my grandparents every day washed
my spirit with a comfort so
foreign that it truly pained me to
skip even just one breakfast
together.
Minny sits down and looks out at the water.
But I needed to be alone. I felt
like I’d survived a shipwreck and
wasn’t back to my usual self quite
yet.
MINNY’S THOUGHTS
The ocean’s so calm today. It was
like a hurricane last night. No
wonder Trace got caught in it. I
wonder exactly what he was doing
down there anyway?
Porco appears and begins sniffing Minny’s leg.
PORCO
(sniffs incessantly)
MINNY
(playful)
Aha! I thought you might show up.
I swiped some wonder meat for you.
PORCO
(barks and attacks the
food)
MINNY
(chuckles then says
dryly)
Enjoy your breakfast, pal. Hm?
TRACE
Porco, why do you keep–? Oh...
Trace appears a few feet away. He and Minny stare at each
other for a moment before she rises to her feet and greets him.
MINNY
(pleasant)
Trace, uh…hi!
TRACE
(gentle, sweet but
reserved)
Hi, Minny.
MINNY
Whatcha doing? I was just about to
eat some breakfast.
TRACE
I already had mine. The weather’s
so good today I thought I’d…well,
I thought I’d take Porco for a
walk. Iiin this particular
directionnn…
MINNY
(chuckles)
Total coincidence. Gotcha. Well,
it’s good to see you again.
(doing a bad job of
trying to not sound
concerned)
So…uh, how are you feeling?
Everything…okay and functioning
normal today?
TRACE
(flat, slightly annoyed)
I’m not gonna just fall out, ya
know.
MINNY
(sheepish)
R-right. You probably get so sick
of people treating you like that.
I’m sorry…
TRACE
(defeated, not wanting to
accept reality)
No, I am. Look, you seem really
nice, and I wish we could be
friends. But…I just don’t see the
point. I can’t really do anything
fun, and it’s all too depressing
anyway. I totally get why you
wouldn’t want to be friends with
me. So, I guess…well…I guess this
is…
Minny gets a look of determination and hugs Trace.
MINNY
(determined)
Trace? Come here.
TRACE
(shy and frazzled)
M-Minny…?!
MINNY
I don’t care what the doctor or
anyone else says. You’re going to
be just fine! I don’t know how,
but I just know it. But either
way, let’s make a promise.
TRACE
(very soft, innocent)
A promise?
MINNY
Let’s make this a summer we’ll
never forget!
TRACE
H-huh?
MINNY
Let’s make enough memories to last
TEN lifetimes! I’ll be your
friend! Your best friend. Let’s go
on a new adventure every day and
talk until there’s nothing left to
talk about! What do you say?!
TRACE
(shocked and touched)
M-Minny…!
MINNY
Let’s do it, Trace. Let’s make
this the best summer ever. A
Cerulean summer. Sound like a
plan?
TRACE
(tearful, soft)
Minny, I…I don’t know what will
happen or how long I’ll be able to
hold up, but…yeah. I want to give
it my all!
(chuckles)
Let’s do it! Let’s be friends!
MINNY
(laughs in victory)
Let’s do it! You just wait,
we’ll have so much fun together
that we’ll be sick of each other
by the end of summer!
TRACE
(laughs)
Deal!
PORCO
(barks excitedly)
TRACE
(laughing)
I guess even Porco’s in!
MINNY
Ooh, ooh! Hold up. This moment
calls for a photo op. Say cheese!
1, 2, 3…
MINNY AND TRACE
Cheese!
Minny pulls out her disposable camera and takes her first
picture with Trace.
MINNY NARRATION
That was the first photo I took
with Trace.
MINNY
(curious, confused)
Oh, that reminds me. Do you know a little girl who lives around here?
Around ten years old or so?
Shoulder-length brown hair. With
pink overalls? I saw her last
night on the seawall just before I
found you.
TRACE
Hm? Well, I haven’t been here
long, but…I haven’t seen a girl
like that recently.
MINNY
Really? That’s odd. She was
standing there last night. Porco
ran straight to her. Like she was
waiting.
TRACE
That’s weird. Actually, there is
something I’d like to show you.
But…promise me you won’t tell
anyone about it, okay?
MINNY
(like a soldier)
Aye-aye, sir. My lips are sealed.
TRACE
It’s unlike anything you’ve ever
seen. It’s my secret. Come on,
follow me!
Outro
Cerulean Summer: Episode 2: Secret TranscriptEXT. SEAWALL - DAY
MINNY, TRACE, and PORCO are walking together along the
seawall.
MINNY
(pleasant, playful)
Well, we’re at the seawall. Where
to next, Captain?
TRACE
(calm but clearly
excited)
Almost there. Now we just go down
these steps and onto the beach
like last night.
(talks like a butler)
After you, Miss.
MINNY
(playfully)
Why, thank you, fine sir.
MINNY AND TRACE
(chuckle)
They walk down the stairs and stay close to the wall of rock
lining the beach.
TRACE
(holding in excitement)
Okay. So you see how this big wall
of rock lines the beach? I was
just looking around when I
discovered it recently.
MINNY
Oh yeah, there’s lots of walls
like this around here. They’re
really impressive, aren’t they?
TRACE
No, no, no. It’s not the wall.
It’s what’s inside the wall.
MINNY
(stumped)
Inside?
TRACE
Here, lemme show you. See? There’s a small opening
right under there.
MINNY
(gasps in surprise)
Woah…you’re right! Ya know, I
played on this beach a million
times and never noticed it before.
(dry, sarcastic)
Daughter of two archaeologists
here. That’s embarrassing.
TRACE
(chuckles)
Come on, you haven’t seen the best
part! Remember, promise not to
tell anyone else. Okay?
MINNY NARRATION
(calm and fondly
reminiscing)
Trace, crouched in front of the
opening, had the excitement of a
little boy as he looked at me with
his ocean blue eyes.
In that moment, he wasn’t thinking
about his heart or any other
problems. All that mattered was
this secret place he wanted to
share with me. I swear it felt
like I was right back in
kindergarten.
I wiped a thin layer of sweat from
my forehead, tucked my long hair
behind my ears, and gave him my
word.
MINNY
(confident and sincere)
I promise.
OPENING THEME
INT. CAVE HIDEOUT - DAY
Minny and Trace are crawling into the cave.
TRACE
(slightly strained)
Careful, it’s a pretty tight
squeeze.
MINNY
(slightly strained but
pleasant)
That’s okay. Never been very
claustrophobic. Kinda reminds me
of Lovelock Cave back in Nevada.
You ever been there?
TRACE
I haven’t. I’d love to hear more
about it though.
MINNY
Oh, my parents dug up all sorts
of stuff there. Shoes, baskets…
even people. Heh. Hey…is uh…is
that a light up ahead?
TRACE
(trying to hold in his
excitement)
We’re here. Can I give you a hand?
MINNY
Sure. Unh, thanks.
They enter a round, open cave illuminated by the magnificent
blue light of glowworms.
MINNY
(long, soft gasp,
astonished)
No…way! This is unreal…! It’s…it’s
like another world!
TRACE
I know, right? It’s my secret
hideout. I couldn’t believe it
when I first saw the glowing blue
lights. I think it’s actually—
MINNY
Glowworms! Wow, they’re so
gorgeous. There’s so many of them,
too! I haven’t seen any since
Arachnocampa luminosa in New
Zealand!
TRACE
Wow, you really know your stuff!
MINNY
(chuckles)
Eh, I just geek out over that
sorta stuff. This is a perfect
hideout! Thank you so much for
sharing it with me.
TRACE
Of course! I found it a few days
after we moved here. Even at high
tide, the water in here only gets
about ankle deep so the storm last
night really caught me off guard.
It’s seriously a crazy miracle you
showed up.
MINNY
You can thank Porco for that. And
my bologna supply. Seriously, give
that dog one piece, and he’ll find
out where you live.
MINNY AND TRACE
(laugh happily for
several seconds)
All of a sudden, a strange creature appears out of thin air
and begins crawling Trace’s shoulder.
MINNY
(gasps)
T-Trace! Hold still! There’s
something crawling on your
shoulder!
TRACE
Huh?! G-get it off! Get it
off!
MINNY
Don’t move! You’ll scare it!
TRACE
What is it?!
MINNY
(confused)
It… doesn’t look especially
poisonous or anything. It’s all
boneless and blubbery-looking.
TRACE
Gah! You too! There’s one on your
head!
MINNY
(yelps)
I can’t even feel it!
TRACE
Look, there’s more!
MINNY
What are these things?! I’ve seen Honduran white bats but these are all smooth and…translucent.
TRACE
A-and floating?! They’re like little balloons!
MINNY
But they don’t have any wings!
CHARLOTTE
(laughs)
MINNY AND TRACE
Huh?!
PORCO
(barks)
TRACE
Where’s that voice coming from?!
MINNY
You hear it, too?!
CHARLOTTE, the little girl Minny saw on the seawall the night
before, appears out of thin air inside the cave.
CHARLOTTE
(having a laughing fit)
Oh gosh, I think I’m crying! You
guys are so funny! Look at your
faces! Guess my little friends
like you, too!
MINNY
You! Y-you’re the little girl!
Trace, she’s the little girl I ran
into last night on the seawall!
TRACE
(gasps)
Really?!
MINNY
Little girl, y-you just appeared
out of thin air! How’d you do
that?!
TRACE
You said these floating creatures
are your friends?
CHARLOTTE
(pleasant and reassuring)
Don’t be afraid of the sprites,
Trace. These are the good kind.
You both created them just a
minute ago!
MINNY
(perplexed)
What?
CHARLOTTE
When you started laughing
together.
(imitates a hearty belly
laugh)
Ha! Ha! Ha!
Every time something good happens,
light sprites are born! And that’s
good because they help take care
of the Earth, and the people who
live here. Aren’t they adorable?
You’re sooo lucky, I wish I could
create them.
TRACE
(cautious and curious)
Ahem. Um, w-who are you? Where did you come from?‘
CHARLOTTE
Hm? Oopsie! Sorry! My name is
Charlotte. I’m glad you’re okay now,
Trace.
Porco barks excitedly.
CHARLOTTE
And it's very good to see you again, Porco. We make a pretty good team, huh?
MINNY
So, you sent him to my grandparents' house?
CHARLOTTE
Yep. He's such a good boy. Yes, he is.
MINNY
I’m Minny. Thanks again for
helping me find Trace last night.
You really haven’t met him before?
CHARLOTTE
Nah, I’ve just been keeping a
watch on him and his mom since
they moved here. I always wanted a
puppy so I like to watch him play
with Porco. Plus, it’s kinda my
job.
MINNY
Watching Trace is…your job?
(mutters)
Looks like you’ve got yourself a
pint-sized stalker, Trace.
CHARLOTTE
(offended)
I heard that! It’s my job to watch
over everyone in Cerulean, for
your information.
MINNY
(chuckles with
embarrassment)
Whoops. Sorry.
TRACE
(chuckles)
You’re very well-spoken for your
age. How old are you?
CHARLOTTE
(perky once again)
I’m not sure! I think ten! Give or
take a little!
TRACE
(concerned)
You don’t know your own age? But
that’s…
MINNY
(fangirling)
So. AWESOME!
TRACE
What?!
MINNY
Don’t you realize what’s
happening, Trace? We’ve just met a
GHOST! We’re talking to a real-life ghost! W-well, real dead
ghost. No offense!
CHARLOTTE
None taken!
(pouty, bummed)
It’s so nice just to talk to
someone. I’ve been so bored and
lonely. Taraji is so hard on me,
it stinks. I never get to have any
fun. She’s a real stick in the
mud.
TRACE
Ta…raji? Who’s that?
CHARLOTTE
(panicked gasp)
Oopsie! I-I’ve said too much! Way
too much! I-I gotta go! Pretend
you never saw me okay?! Byeeee!!!
MINNY
No, wait! Charlotte!!
(groans in
disappointment)
TRACE
(at a loss for words,
stunned)
She just dissolved into thin
air…like she was never
here…This is absolutely
insane.
MINNY
(stunned)
Yeah…totally insane. Trace…?
(gets really excited)
We just met a ghost! We just met a
freaking ghost!!
(laughs with joy)
TRACE
We met a ghost!
TRACE (CONT’D)
(mimics a ghost)
Woooooooo!
(laughs happily)
MINNY
I can’t believe it!!
TRACE
I can’t believe it either!!
MINNY NARRATION
To this day, that remains
one of the most surreal moments of
my life.
In fact, my love for all things
paranormal and not-so-easilyexplained was one of the things I
enjoyed most about traveling
around the world with my parents.
Learning about ancient
civilizations and their different
legends piqued my interest to no
end. Science, however, has a way
of bringing you back to boring
reality. Most often, legends and
myths are exactly what they seem
to be: legends and myths.
To encounter a real life ghost
here at my childhood getaway was
the last thing I had ever
expected. But I knew one thing:
that summer with Trace was gonna
be one for the books.
EXT. MINNY’S GRANDPARENTS HOUSE - DAY
Minny and Trace are walking towards her grandparents’ house.
GRAMMA and PAPA are working in a garden beside the house.
MINNY
Phew, pretty toasty today. Just
let me know if you get too hot,
okay?
TRACE
Thanks, but I’m fine. Is this your
grandparents’ house?
MINNY
Yeah. Come on, I’ll introduce you.
They’re usually in the garden
around back. Gramma! Papa!
PAPA
(warm, friendly, curious)
Morning, little lady. Well now,
who’s this young fella?
MINNY
(happy)
This is my new friend, Trace. He’s
the one I was telling you about.
PAPA
Nice to meet you, son. Good to see
you in one piece. Sounds like you
two had quite a night!
(chuckles)
TRACE
(polite and relieved)
Yeah, Minny really saved the day.
She’s awesome.
PORCO
(barks)
TRACE
And Porco, of course.
PAPA
Ah, so this is Porco. Well dontchu
worry, we got all the bologna you
can eat. Honeybee, come say hello.
GRAMMA
(charmed and curious)
My, what a handsome young man you are. I’d have freshened up if I’d
known you were coming. Are you
Minny’s age? I imagine you already
have a girlfriend.
MINNY
(through her teeth,
chiding)
Gramma!
TRACE
(friendly, bashful)
I’ll turn seventeen in March.
MINNY
Ooh, are you a Pisces, then?
TRACE
Mmhmm, I think so. Whatever that
means.
MINNY
(playfully confident)
Don’t worry. I’ve got a giant book
in my room. I’ll explain it later.
GRAMMA
(polite and welcoming)
How about I get you two some
lemonade? The sun’s almost reached
its peak. I could use a break
myself.
TRACE
(polite)
Thank you, ma’am. Your garden is
amazing.
GRAMMA
Why, thank you, dear. Nothing
centers one’s spirit like getting
your hands in that dirt and
spending time with the plants.
You’re welcome to help out anytime
you’d like.
PAPA
Absolutely. We could always use an extra set of hands.
TRACE
Well, it looks great. You should
be very proud of your work.
PAPA
Son, if you find this impressive,
you should come with us to Mrs.
Saffron’s place.
TRACE
Hm?
MINNY
Every summer, Gramma and Papa
drive out to Mrs. Saffron’s farm
to help harvest all the produce.
It’s a lot of work, but a lot of
fun too.
TRACE
Sounds cool.
GRAMMA
(reflecting)
I’ve known Juniper since we
were girls. Ever since her husband
passed, she’s needed extra hands
on the farm. Poor dear, her mind’s
not as sharp as it once was, but
she’s still strong as an ox.
PAPA
Now now honeybee, we both know her mind was never sharp to begin
with.
GRAMMA
Charles!
PAPA
(chuckles warmly)
Listen, I’m sure you kids didn’t come to
hear about us old people though.
You run along now and have some
fun.
TRACE
(chuckles)
I don’t mind, I’m new here so I
like hearing more about the people
who live around here. It’s been a
refreshing change of pace from the
city.
GRAMMA
Cerulean is full of kind people
who like to take life slow and
easy so don’t hesitate to reach
out to anyone if you need
something.
TRACE
Wow. Back in the city, you can get
murdered if you’re on the wrong
street.
PAPA
(throat chuckle)
Welcome to the other side, son.
MINNY
Come on, Trace. I’ve gotta show
you something upstairs!
GRAMMA
I’ll bring up that lemonade in a
minute. You want some peaches with yours, darling?
PAPA
(warm, slightly flirty)
You read my mind, honeybee.
GRAMMA
(hearty chuckle, playful)
Oh, you stop winking at me like
that.
INT. MINNY’S ROOM - DAY
Minny and Trace enter her room.
MINNY
Ta da! Welcome to my humble abode.
Make yourself comfortable.
TRACE
(taking it in, smiling)
Woah, it’s really cool in here.
It’s got you written all over it.
Look at this. Are you into
constellations?
MINNY
(casual)
Is it that obvious? I’ve got a
telescope around here somewhere.
Go ahead, sit down. Now, here’s
what we came for.
Minny opens a trunk at the foot of her bed.
TRACE
Woah, that trunk’s stuffed with
all kinds of neat stuff. What are
you looking for, Minny?
MINNY
(on a mission, pleased
and focused)
If you and me are gonna be ghost
hunters, we’re gonna need the
proper equipment.
TRACE
(caught off guard)
What?! Who said anything about
being ghost hunters? Charlotte was
nice!
MINNY
Yeah, she was. But now that we’ve
confirmed friendly ghosts exist,
we can only assume that bad ones
exist, too. We can’t just be
sitting ducks and get our souls
sucked out.
TRACE
(flat)
Don’t say that.
MINNY
(speaks in a funny,
spooky voice)
You don’t want to get possessed do
you?? Give me your souuuul, Trace! Woooooo…!
TRACE
Would you cut it out! I don’t
wanna meet any bad ghosts.
MINNY
It’ll be totally awesome! We’ve
just gotta be prepared. Now let’s
see…ah, here. Put this around your
neck.
TRACE
(skeptical)
Uh, Minny, what is this thing?
MINNY
It’s called a gris-gris. Got it
from some old guy in West Africa.
It’s supposed to protect you from
evil spirits and bring good luck.
I think.
Minny pulls out another charm from the trunk.
MINNY
I, on the other hand, will use
this little talisman to summon
friendly spirits like Charlotte.
Maybe we can even get some of
those sprites to reappear.
TRACE
But Charlotte said they’re created
when something good happens.
Wouldn’t that mean they’re born
all the time, but we just can’t
see them for some reason? Maybe
Charlotte made them visible for us
somehow.
MINNY
(in hunter mode)
You may have a point, my friend,
but have no fear, this charm will
cut right through the barrier!
TRACE
Minny, you’re scaring me.
MINNY
(chuckles)
Come on, let’s head back to the
cave! I’ll pack us some lunch.
TRACE
(hesitant, feels like a
bummer)
M-Minny! Hold on…uh…sorry to be a bummer but is it okay if we meet
up later tonight? My mom got like
zero sleep, but she’s switching to
a day time shift. She said she’d
have lunch with me today. After
that, I’m supposed to take my
medicine and lie down until
dinner.
MINNY
(chill but playful)
Ahh, I see. All booked up, huh?
(sighs)
Well, since it’s your cave, I’ll
wait till we can go together.
TRACE
Thanks. I’ve been walking around
after dinner though. I’ll ask my
mom if it’s okay to go near the
water if you’re with me. So,
uh…meet you tonight around eight-thirty? Possibly? Maybe?
MINNY
You’re a difficult man to get a
hold of, Trace, but I suppose it’s
worth it.
(chuckles, shrugging off
the act)
Okay. Hopefully I’ll see you at
the seawall later.
MINNY NARRATION
(a bit dry with boredom)
And so I waited. All day. I
suppose I could’ve done something
productive with the time, but it
was one of those scenarios where
you have your mind set on doing
one thing and one thing only.
Everything else is an
inconvenience and uninteresting.
Time passed slowly. So freaking
slowly. I tried napping the hours
away, but...I just wrestled with my
bed sheets. The more that
time passed, the more I began to
question if we’d really seen a
ghost at all.
Was it all a dream? A
hallucination? So many questions and absolutely no answers.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
GRAMMA
Minny, I asked you if you want
seconds?
MINNY NARRATION
Only when I heard Gramma’s voice
did I realize I was sitting at the
dinner table.
MINNY
Huh? Oh, I’m stuffed. Thank you.
It was delicious as always, Papa!
GRAMMA
You always cook too much, dear.
PAPA
(enjoying the food)
Blasphemy. Leftovers are one of
life’s greatest treasures.
GRAMMA
Minny, would you like me to wrap
some up for you to take to your
friend?
PAPA
You know, that handsome young man you were playing with.
(chuckles mischievously)
GRAMMA
(chiding)
You know that’s not what I meant.
PAPA
Riiiight. Okay. Gotta keep your eye on this one, pumpkin.
MINNY
(chuckles)
I’d love to bring Trace some
samples. Your food’s too good to
go to waste.
(gasps)
Oh my gosh! It’s almost eight-thirty! I totally forgot! I’ve been waiting all day!!
GRAMMA
(startled)
Minny! Good heavens, what’s the
matter?!
MINNY
(happy but frantic)
I was supposed to meet Trace at
the seawall! Well, maybe! Can I
just throw these in a container?
1, 2, 3. And some of these. That
should be good. Thanks! Gotta go!
It was so good! See you guys
later!! Bye!
GRAMMA
(hearty chuckle)
What a mess.
PAPA
(chuckles)
She’s her mother on steroids.
MINNY NARRATION
Classic me. Squander an entire day
anticipating something, only to
forget about it when it finally
comes. In my backpack, I carried
the spirit talisman and a battery-powered lantern. In my hands, I
held onto the container holding
Papa’s leftovers. The plastic
simply wasn’t thick enough to hide
the divine aroma radiating from
inside. Word of advice to my past
self: never forego seconds when it
comes to Papa’s cooking.
EXT. SEAWALL - NIGHT
Trace is waiting for Minny on the seawall. She runs to join
him with pleasant surprise.
MINNY
(laughing with happy
surprise)
Trace! Hey, dude, you made it!
This is awesome! So what did your
mom say?
TRACE
She said she’s not crazy about it,
but she trusts you since you know
the area. And you kinda saved me.
PORCO
(barks)
TRACE
And Porco has to escort us,
too.
MINNY
(chuckles)
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
That’s awesome! Your mom seems
like a cool lady once you get to
know her.
TRACE
Mmhmm! Hey, what have you got
there?
MINNY
Oh, my Papa is the best cook in
the world so my Gramma thought you might like to try some of his
latest.
TRACE
Smells amazing. What is it?
MINNY
(proud)
Fried shrimp with the tastiest
dipping sauce, sorullos, and,
because why not, French fries.
TRACE
(polite, hates to say it)
Gee, Minny, that’s really kind of
you guys, but I can’t eat food
high in sodium.
MINNY
B-but, the fries are just
potatoes, and the sorullos are
cornmeal and uh…well, I just know
it’s all deep-fried.
TRACE
(knows he’s being a
bummer)
Exactly. Sorry.
MINNY
(matter-of-fact)
Well, that stinks. Sorry for
shoving it in your face.
TRACE
No, it’s fine. I don’t really like
food anymore so it doesn’t bother
me. Did you bring your summoning
charm thingy?
MINNY
(perky)
You’d better believe it! And my
camera. Not making that mistake
again! Got your gris-gris?
TRACE
Right here.
MINNY
I’d go ahead and put it on if I
were you.
TRACE
You’d better hope it works.
MINNY
(chuckles)
Trust me! Even your mom believes
in me.
TRACE
(chuckles)
INT. CAVE HIDEOUT - NIGHT
MINNY NARRATION
And so, we waited. The running
theme of the day, apparently. Our
only company was the glowworms,
whose blue-green bioluminescence
shined as brilliantly as ever like
the stars on a moonless night. I
used the bell on my talisman to
try and summon Charlotte…
The sound of a bell is heard.
MINNY NARRATION
…But the results were lacking to
say the least. We passed the time
by talking. About anything and
everything. After all, that had
been part of my promise to Trace.
MINNY
(trying to keep the mood
fun)
Question number…was it thirty?
TRACE
Thirty-two.
MINNY
Oh. What’s your favorite color?
TRACE
Mm, is blue a boring answer?
MINNY
No, no, blue’s great. It’s one of
the reasons the ocean’s so nice to
look at.
TRACE
I guess silver’s pretty cool, too.
MINNY NARRATION
(dry, growing impatient)
Trace trivia hour continued as we
waited…some more.
MINNY
Question number seventy-eight.
Would you rather live in space or
underwater? Assuming you could
breathe in both places.
TRACE
(chuckles as he speaks)
What kind of a question is that?
MINNY
(playfully confident)
I told you we were going to talk
about everything! Now go ahead,
space or underwater?
TRACE
Hmm…space freaks me out.
MINNY
What? You never wanted to be an
astronaut?
TRACE
No, humans are supposed to stay on the ground!
MINNY
Oh come on, you’d get used to it.
What if I dug up fossils on Mars,
proving the existence of aliens?
TRACE
(chill and pleasant)
Send me a postcard.
MINNY
Ugh.
MINNY NARRATION
It felt like an eternity had
passed inside that cave…
MINNY
(bored out of her mind)
Mind if I eat some leftovers in
front of you?
TRACE
(equally bored)
Knock yourself out.
PORCO
(sniffs and barks
angrily)
MINNY
Are you always hungry? Here.
MINNY NARRATION
After the first hour passed
without the smallest hint of
ghostly activity, we got the
bright idea of repeating the same
steps that had caused Charlotte to
appear in the first place.
MINNY
Ready? One, two, three!
MINNY AND TRACE
(laugh like lunatics for
a good ten seconds then
awkwardly fall off)
TRACE
(pleasantly matter-offact)
That was refreshing.
MINNY
(flat)
I’m beginning to think the whole
thing was simply caused by a lack
of oxygen inside this tiny cave.
MINNY NARRATION
It wasn’t until well after a half-hour of fake laughing–and my
consumption of all the
leftovers–that we realized we
weren’t going to be seeing
anything supernatural that night.
EXT. THE SEAWALL - NIGHT
Minny, Trace, and Porco have exited the cave and are now back
on the seawall.
MINNY
(dry)
Well, that was a bust. Just to
clarify, you saw the ghost earlier
today too, right?
TRACE
I know we saw her. And the
sprites. They’ve gotta be hiding
for some reason. I’ve heard ghosts
are only seen when they want to be
seen.
MINNY
Maybe my charms scared them away…
PORCO
(growls and barks in
alert mode)
TRACE
Huh? Porco? What is it, boy? Do
you see something?
MINNY
(shouted hush)
Ssh! Trace, Trace, Trace! Look!
Over in the trees!
TRACE
(soft gasp)
It’s a sprite! Look at it float!
Do you…do you think it’s waiting
for us…?
MINNY
(shouted whisper)
Well, what are we waiting for?
Let’s go find out!
Minny and Trace begin following the sprite into the woods.
More sprites appear and join them the further they go.
MINNY
This. Is. So. Cool! Look how many
there are now!
TRACE
Where are they leading us?
MINNY
I don’t know. I’ve never gone this
far into the woods.
TRACE
We don’t even need this lantern.
Look at ‘em! They’re glowing!
Minny snaps some photos.
MINNY
(laughs with joy)
This is absolutely insane.
Legendary! They’re moving with us!
We’re like the first people ever to experience the spectral realm at this level!
TRACE
Are we gonna be famous?
MINNY
It depends. If we share our
findings with the world, we’ll
probably win a Nobel Prize or
something big like that. Maybe
we’ll even meet the President!
TRACE
(confused)
Minny, wait! Look…they’re
stopping.
MINNY
(mesmerized)
Interesting. They’re all floating
around this tree. Woooah, check
this thing out. It’s huuuge. This
is the biggest tree I’ve ever
seen! Maybe it’s their mother or
something?
TRACE
Minny, I think that one is trying
to tell you something.
MINNY
(baby talk)
Oh? What is it, my little forest
blob friend? I mean…light sprite?
The sprite opens its mouth but a voice isn’t heard, only a
blubbery sound.
MINNY
Aw It’s nice to meet you, too. I
like your tree very much.
TRACE
(cautious)
Uhhh, Minny? I-I don’t think it’s
here to say hi. I think
it’s…warning us.
MINNY
Warning us? About what?
At that moment, a giant, dark monster tears out of the bushes
and growls at Minny and Trace.
MINNY AND TRACE
(scream in horror)
TRACE
(freaking out)
Minny!!! What the heck is that?!
It’s huge!!
MINNY
(not terrified, just on
very high alert)
I-I don’t know! B-but I’m pretty
sure it ranks higher on the food
chain than we do!
MINNY AND TRACE
(scream in horror)
TRACE
It’s like a shadow! O-or an evil
spirit!
MINNY AND TRACE
(gasp)
The gris-gris!!
TRACE
(brave)
Get behind me, Minny! I-I’ve got
this!
MINNY
Y-you sure about this, Trace?!
TRACE
Not at all! Hey! Get back, you
monster! Look at this! You can’t
touch us! This charm is deadly to
you so just get lost!!
Trace holds out his charm in an effort to ward off the beast.
It continues to growl with malice.
MINNY
Trace, be careful! In my
experience, glowing red eyes
usually indicate mortal danger!
TRACE
Get back! Evil spirit be gone!!!
The dark sprite launches itself towards them for an attack.
They dodge and miss its jaws by inches.
MINNY AND TRACE
(yelp)
MINNY
Trace! Get down!
TRACE
It’s so fast! What are we gonna
do?!
CHARLOTTE
(brave, ready for battle)
HAAAA!!!! STAY AWAY FROM MY
FRIENDS!!!
Suddenly, Charlotte appears carrying a staff with a net on the
end.
MINNY
(in happy disbelief)
C-Charlotte!!
TRACE
What’s that staff she’s carrying?! It’s got a net on one end!
CHARLOTTE
Get back! Yah!! Take this! And
that! Filthy monster! Ha!
She hits the monster several times.
TRACE
Charlotte, you’re amazing!
CHARLOTTE
(in a big hurry but
polite)
Light sprites, hop in the net!!
Quick! It’s not safe here!
The light sprites make blubbery noises as they jump into
Charlotte’s net. The dark sprite, temporarily subdued from
the hits, begins growling.
MINNY
Charlotte! What are you doing
here?!
CHARLOTTE
(brave but intense)
Minny! Trace! To the cave! It’s
the only place that’s safe! Run!!!
MINNY AND TRACE
Okay!
(pant as they run)
MINNY
THIS IS CRAZY!!! IT’S GAINING ON US!!!
TRACE
DON’T LOOK BACK!! KEEP MOVING!!!
CHARLOTTE
Just get to the cave!! It can’t
follow us in there!!
INT. CAVE HIDEOUT - NIGHT
Minny, Trace, and Charlotte manage to reach the cave hideout
safely.
MINNY AND TRACE
(panting heavily)
MINNY
(breathless, relieved)
That…was…too close. Oh my gosh…my
hair…is stuck to my face.
TRACE
(breathless)
I haven’t run like that in…HUNH!!
(groans in terrible pain)
MINNY
Trace! Oh my gosh, I totally
forgot! Your heart! What can I
do?! What can I do?!
TRACE
(in severe pain, gasping)
Oh God, this…this is bad…Minny,
get my mom…
PORCO
(barks and whines)
CHARLOTTE
(worried, pleading)
Sprites! My friend needs your
help! His heart is hurting him!
Please! Please help!
She dumps the sprites out of the net. They make blubbery
sounds and swarm all around Trace.
MINNY
(worried)
Trace! He can’t breathe! T-they’re
smothering him!
TRACE
(strained)
No! No! I…I think they’re helping…!
MINNY
What?!
CHARLOTTE
Very good! Very good, my friends! Very good.
MINNY
T-Trace…?
TRACE
The pain…it…I don’t believe it…!
The pain stopped…T-the sprites
they…thank you all so much! Ha ha!
PORCO
(barks)
TRACE
(a bit strained but
relaxed)
It’s okay, Porco. I’m fine now.
Everything’s going to be okay.
MINNY
Charlotte, you’re amazing! How did
you know the sprites could fix his
heart?!
CHARLOTTE
(chuckles, happy to help)
Well, I’m afraid they didn’t fix
it exactly. They just calmed it
down. You know, like when you pet
a dog? They were in my net so I
figured why not give it a try?
TRACE
Charlotte, thank you so much for
helping us. You literally saved
our lives. Was that thing some
sort of evil spirit?
CHARLOTTE
You mean the scary shadow monster thingy?
MINNY
(dry, matter-of-fact)
Yeah, the thing that tried to eat
us.
CHARLOTTE
You remember how I told you when
something good happens, light
sprites appear? Well,
it’s the same story when bad stuff
happens only those sprites aren’t
so nice. I’ve never seen one that
big before, though.
MINNY
(inspired)
You were amazing! The way you ran in swinging that staff! Pretty brave for a little kid.
CHARLOTTE
(flattered, proud)
I told you, it’s my job as the
Guardian of Cerulean. I’ve gotta
protect the light sprites from
dark sprites.
(a bit bummed)
But it’s a lot easier said than
done. I’ve kinda got my work cut
out for me.
TRACE
(concerned, caring)
I don’t understand. Why do you
have to carry such a big burden on
your own? Aren’t there other
ghosts out there willing to help?
CHARLOTTE
(calm, patient)
I wish, but it’s against the
rules. One Guardian per town.
Besides, ghosts aren’t as common
as people think. They’re spirits
who can’t pass on.
MINNY
(gentle and curious)
Wow, really? I never knew that.
But…why can’t you pass on?
CHARLOTTE
Because I can’t remember who I am or how I died. Weird, huh?
TRACE
You remember your name. That’s a
start, isn’t it, Charlotte?
CHARLOTTE
Yeah, but that’s all I can
remember. Sometimes I even wonder if that’s right…
MINNY
(in deep thought)
Hm Quite a pickle, huh?
(gets an idea)
Hey, maybe we could help you
remember?
CHARLOTTE
Hm?
TRACE
Yeah, I bet if we work together,
we could figure out who you were
and what happened before you
became a ghost!
CHARLOTTE
(instantly perked up)
Y-you’d really help me? Wow, you
guys are the bestest friends ever!
MINNY
(chuckles happily)
It’s the least we can do! I’d hug
you but you’re kinda…not solid.
CHARLOTTE
Ooh! Ooh! D-does this mean I’m one of you now?!
TRACE
One of us?
CHARLOTTE
You know, a member of your secret
club?! I’ve always wanted to be in
a secret club!
MINNY
(chuckles)
Yeah, why not! We’ll call
ourselves…the Sprite Society!
Yeah, that works.
TRACE
(laughs)
Yeah!
A magic sound is heard.
TRACE
Did…you guys hear that?
CHARLOTTE
(gasps and panics)
Taraji! Oh no oh no oh no! I
totally blew it! I said too much!
WAY too much!
MINNY
Charlotte?
CHARLOTTE
I thought maybe if
we were in the cave she couldn’t
hear us!
MINNY
What are you talking
about?!
CHARLOTTE
She’s gonna kill me! AGAIN!
MINNY
Who's Taraji?!
CHARLOTTE
(in a major hurry but
perky)
I’ve gotta go! Just pretend this
never happened, okay?! Forget
everything I just told you! It was
nice chatting! Byeee!
MINNY AND TRACE
Charlotte, wait!!!
Charlotte vanishes.
MINNY NARRATION
And just like that, Charlotte
vanished once again.
ENDING THEME