One

Scene 1: The Dungeon- Jerusalem- 1187

Fade in:

A Christian knight is serving in the Second Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land from the Muslims. The knight, a tall, dark-haired Englishman, is serving as a watchman over the Muslim prisoners in the dungeons beneath a church in Jerusalem. He notices that one of the captives, a short man with a goatee, is smiling despite his plight. He approaches the strange man and starts speaking to him in Latin, the official language of the Catholic Church.

The Knight:

Hey, Saracen! What have you got to be happy about?

The Muslim:

What have you got to be so angry about, my friend? You are serving your God’s will, are you not? Or has Saladin’s army rendered you anxious?

The knight is taken aback, as he has never met a Muslim man who could speak Latin.

The Knight:

You speak Latin... How?

The Muslim:

I was a librarian before I joined Saladin’s army. I lived a peaceful existence with my family, learning all about the various cultures and languages of the world. But then the warriors of Christ came.

The Knight:

Well, where is your family now?

The Muslim:

I had a wife and son right here in Jerusalem. But all good things must come to an end, I suppose. I was brought into Saladin’s army shortly after. But I was not built for combat and ended up here rather quickly.

Beat.

The Knight:

What were their names?

The Muslim:

Salma and Hadid, they called themselves. Mine is Ibrahim. What is yours?

The Knight:

My name is Robert. I come from England.

Ibrahim:

Tell me, Robert, why did you come all this way to fight my people?

Robert:

Because you’re godless heathens living on land that God Himself blessed with His presence.

Ibrahim:

So your church says, but I get the sense that you disagree.

Robert:

Why in God’s name would you say that?

Ibrahim:

I see no desire for blood in your eyes. You question why you and your brethren are ordered to pour God’s vengeance down on my people. You don’t see a good reason for it.

Robert:

Orders are orders. I can’t stand idly by while those who don’t follow Jesus gallivant all over His territory.

Ibrahim:

Ah yes, it is true that I don’t worship Jesus as my lord and savior. But He is still a significant figure in my religion.

Robert:

What do you mean?

Ibrahim:

It is true, my friend. My people consider Him to be just as important as Muhammad. Did you know Jesus’ name is mentioned 187 times in the Quran while Muhammad is mentioned only five times?

Robert:

Are you telling me that this God you call Allah... is really both the Christian and Muslim God?

Ibrahim:

It makes you wonder why we are fighting in the first place, does it not? If it means that we are all one in God’s eyes, and if He looks down at us in shame for the horrible things we do to our brothers?

Both men cease speaking for a while. Robert realizes that Ibrahim is right about his true feelings toward the war. He turns back toward Ibrahim.

Robert:

I want to get you out of here, Ibrahim. You don’t deserve to die like this!

Ibrahim:

I appreciate the offer, Robert, but your altruism will surely get you executed alongside me. I have no fear of death, and I have a strong feeling that my family is waiting for me up in Heaven. You still have things to do in the world of the living, my friend. I am ready to face Allah’s judgment. Are you?

A horn blower from above signals a changing of the guard. A sadder but wiser Robert exchanges one last look with his unlikely friend as he leaves.

Robert:

I have to go now. I’m sorry about all of this, Ibrahim.

Ibrahim:

Do not worry about me, Robert. Just look out for yourself.

Fade to Black.

Author’s Commentary

This was (appropriately enough) the first screenplay I wrote for a screenwriting class I took in college. If you’re wondering why it’s so short, it’s because the assignment only called for a three-page manuscript. Despite its brevity, I wouldn’t call it bad, but it feels a little bare-bones. There are probably some areas where I can expand it. But that’s for another time.

This story also includes a theme that will prove very important to The Divine Conspiracy: religious pluralism. As the story goes along and Ariel and Ronan travel all across the world with their father fighting beasts that go bump in the night, they start to see how all spiritual faiths seem to have a common goal: to have their subjects treat their neighbor the way they would want to be treated. This will be very important if they are going to unite the peoples of the world to save them from the horrors that would seek to destroy or enslave them.

But that's all I have to say about this piece. Let me know what you think in the comments below, and I hope you're having a wonderful summer so far.