Season 2, Episode 6

INT. DOUGELL HOUSE – EVENING

POV A blurry shot of the ceiling from someone waking up.

Mi lies on the couch with bandages covering her chest & left shoulder. She looks and feels dead. Daniel sits on the floor next to her. He looks at the person sitting on the couch.

Mi rolls her head over to see Daniel.

MI: Keeping an eye on me?

Daniel holds his hands out to Mi with something in it. Mi looks at Daniel’s hand, brings her arm out, and opens her hand to receive what Daniel has.

Daniel puts his hand on Mi’s and pulls it back, revealing a ladybug in Mi’s hand. Mi looks at the ladybug.

DANIEL: Red.

Mi looks over at Daniel.

DANIEL (CONT’D): Like hair.

Mi grins. Daniel smiles back.

Sadie & Tyson enter from the front door. Daniel greet them with a smile.

DANIEL (to Sadie): Momma.

SADIE: Come on, let’s get your hair under control.

Daniel gets up.

DANIEL (waves to Mi): Bye.

Daniel heads out back.

SADIE (to Mi): How do you feel?

MI: Like I took something that was meant to kill me but failed.

TYSON: I thought with all those fancy hospitals every other street, city folks like you would be used to a little tranquilizer.

SADIE: Thomas talked to Doc Allen. He won’t be able to come out until next week.

MI: Save him the trouble. Tell him I’ll be dead by then.

SADIE: Tyson, your shifts on. I’ll be out back cutting Daniel’s hair.

Sadie walks out.

TYSON: Gotcha ma.

MI: Uh, I feel like I’ve been dead all day.

TYSON: You were something yesterday.

MI: Don’t remind me. I’m trying to forget that. I’ve never had medicine before.

TYSON (confused): I thought you could go to the doctor anytime. Even a free clinic.

MI: I’ve never been to one.

TYSON: You’re kidding.

MI: Never had a shot. Never had a check-up. Haven’t been injured enough to okay a go to one.

TYSON: Have you ever been sick?

MI: Does food poising count? My sister cooked some bad fish one time.

TYSON: You have a sister?

MI: Five, and you try being in a small flat with one toilet & six people throwing up their guts all at once.

Tyson bursts into laughter.

TYSON (laughing): Oh man! Oh man. That must have been something.

MI: What? Didn’t think city folks can get sick?

TYSON: No. Just the thought of six puking girls and a toilet. Too bad you don’t a yard to do it in.

MI: Wait, what?

TYSON: My dad threw a party one night, and everywhere you turned, someone was showing off their supper.

MI (chuckling): Oh man, that sounds gross. (Tyson chuckles) No, I don’t think- No wait. Wait.

TYSON: What, what?

MI: I can.

TYSON: Oh you can?

MI: Yes I can.

TYSON: All right. Hit me.

MI: Okay, so one of my sisters was at a soccer game at a high school-

TYSON: How old is she?

MI: Same age as me.

TYSON: Twin.

MI: Triplet.

TYSON: Oh.

MI: Shared the same room.

TYSON: Ooh. Even I need some space.

MI: So there were these cheerleaders getting ready in the bathroom, and I just happened to have a stink bomb on me. Don’t ask where I got it. (Tyson intrigued) I see the girls putting on their faces and I’m holding the bomb in my hand.

TYSON: So you thought “why not?”

MI: So I thought that. And next thing you know, twenty girls come running out of the bathroom with makeup running down their faces and panicking over nothing.

Tyson burst out laughing. Mi joins.

Mi’s wounds start acting up.

TYSON (coming down): You okay?

MI: I guess I shouldn’t laugh right now. That was dumb.

TYSON: Be glad you can. I’m honestly surprised how well you’re doing with that wound. Quite a miracle, huh?

MI: Maybe so. Maybe so…

INT. TULSEN FARMHOUSE, MAYLA’S ROOM – NIGHT

Mayla, Kobai, & Ni hang out in Mayla’s room. Ni holds a lightbulb in her hand. She tries to light it but only a weak glow comes out.

KOBAI: Do you need some help?

NI: Something’s been off ever since we got here.

MAYLA: Well we are on a farm.

NI: Not that. Has anyone else’s powers been acting up?

MAYLA: No.

KOBAI: Clearly, it’s a psychological state of mind which is affecting how your powers are acting. Because of your lack of athletic challenges lately-

NI: Ha ha. Smart it off all you like, but I’m telling you that something is off.

Ni concentrates harder. The lightbulb has a steady glow on it.

Ni focuses harder and harder.

CRACK The bulb blows up. Mayla jumps back.

KOBAI: NI. Would you not-

Ni crashes to the floor.

Kobai checks and sees that Ni has passed out.

KOBAI: Shorted herself out again.

Kobai telepathically lifts Ni and the scattered bulb.

KOBAI (walks out): I’ll try not to get them mixed up.

Mayla checks the floor.

INT. DOUGELL HOUSE – NIGHT

Mi & Tyson talk.

MI: Have you ever been to a city?

TYSON: Once. But that was a long time ago.

Tyson looks at a clock hanging in the room. The face says 1:16.

TYSON: Didn’t realize what time it was. (to Mi) I’m surprised you’re still awake.

MI: You saying that because I’m crippled and take loopy pills?

TYSON: Well, Mama Duck needs to take care of her chicks.

MI: Stop. I told you I’m trying to forget. It’s already embarrassing as it is.

TYSON: Hey. My mom doesn’t see you as a trespasser anymore. You can say it’s worth it.

MI (sarcastic): Yes, it was totally worth humiliating myself to tell your mother I mean no harm. How would you like to do the same thing to my dad?

TYSON (gets up): I think I’ll turn in. You should as well.

Tyson walks to his room.

MI: Hey. Thanks for shooting that wolf off me.

TYSON: What do you mean?

MI: Come on. “My dad’s gun can only fire two shots and is hard to open?”

TYSON: That was my mom. She’s a better shot than me. Both of them wouldn’t let me shoot something with someone else in the line of fire just yet. Good night.

Tyson closes his bedroom door.

Mi lies down.

INT. TULSEN FARMHOUSE, NI’S ROOM – DAWN

4:39 a.m. Shell sleeps.

Ni leans up, her head cut off, drags herself out of bed, and slumps to the door.

INT. TULSEN FARMHOUSE, 2ND FLOOR – DAWN

Ni, head cut-off, trudges to the bathroom.

Ni falls down the stairs.

INT. TULSEN FARMHOUSE, 1ST FLOOR BATHROOM – DAWN

Ni, head cut-off, hangs over the sink and washes her face. She looks at the mirror.

In the mirror, Ni’s hair has turned dark green & brown.

Ni blinks at the mirror.

Ni blinks at the mirror.

Ni rubs her hair.

Ni moves her finger. Nothing’s changed.

INT. DOUGELL HOUSE – DAY

The sun shines on a sleeping Mi. Mi slowly opens her eyes. No one is around.

Mi turns to her side to see Tyson outside from the window.

EXT. DOUGELL FARM – DAY

Tyson changes a tire on his dad’s truck. Mi walks out wearing her shirt.

TYSON: Go back inside. You’re not well enough to move.

MI: Well I had to pee, so I figured I’d take a walk while I was at it.

TYSON: Not unsupervised.

MI (leans on truck): Says the one who’s not allowed to shoot a gun to save someone’s life.

TYSON: Please don’t lean on the truck while it is not on all four tires. Might lose your feet if you’re not careful.

Mi sits on the ground next to Tyson.

MI: You certainly have a lot a face, you know that?

TYSON (pulls tire off): I’m showing you hospitality until you leave.

Tyson puts the tire down and grabs a spare.

MI (sarcastic): So you’re being nice in order to shoo me off easier. That makes sense.

TYSON (places tire): Not like you’ll be any help around here.

Tyson grabs a lug wrench.

MI: What? You saying I’m a lazy bum?

TYSON (grabs a nut): That depends.

Mi snatches the wrench & nut out of Tyson’s hands.

MI (places nut): Piece of cake.

Mi puts the lug wrench on the nut. The nut falls off. Mi places the nut on again.

Tyson watches Mi attempt to put the nut on.

Mi puts the wrench on the nut. The nut falls off. Mi struggles to place the nut on, but the nut slips out of her hand.

Tyson picks up the nut, places it & screws it on.

MI (places wrench on nut): Showoff.

Tyson grabs Mi’s hand & pulls it away from the wrench.

TYSON (grabs four nuts): You need to place them all on first.

Tyson hands Mi two nuts.

Mi places one nut upside-down & screws it on.

TYSON: Other side. (shows nut to Mi) It holds the tire on better.

Mi examines the nut, takes the nut she screwed on off, & puts the two side by side. Mi’s nut is a mirror of Tyson’s. She flips it around to match his.

Mi & Tyson each screw a nut in place. They screw on the last two nuts.

Tyson hands Mi the wrench.

Mi tightens the top nut. The nut gets harder to tighten on. Mi tries to add more force.

Tyson can’t watch this. He grabs Mi’s hand and directs her to the bottom one.

TYSON (holds tire): Works better if the tire is steady.

Tyson guides Mi’s hand to tighten the nuts on. They move in a star pattern.

Tyson takes his hand off Mi’s hand. Mi puts the wrench down and sees her finished work.

TYSON (reaches for jack): Harder than it looks, huh?

Tyson lowers the truck.

MI: If my shoulder wasn’t bad, I could have done it by myself.

TYSON: Yeah right.

The tire touches the ground. Tyson pulls the jack out from under the truck.

TYSON (puts jack in truck bed): You've never changed a tire before.

Mi grabs the wrench.

MI (gets up): You think everything-

Mi’s wounds act up. Tyson grabs the wrench & helps Mi up, somehow burning himself.

TYSON: OW. You are burning. Literally burning. How is that possible?

Mi throws Tyson off her & heads back inside. Tyson can’t believe Mi. He puts the wrench in the bed.

EXT. TULSEN FARM – DAY

Ni tries to use her powers in the middle of a field.

Nothing happens.

Ni throws up her fist.

BOOM A mountain of dirt pops out of the ground behind her.

Ni turns around.

Ni stares at the mountain of dirt.

Ni slowly lowers her arm. The mountain of dirt lowers back into the ground. The place where the mountain popped from is flat and barren.

Ni squats down and looks at the ground.

Ni pokes the ground.

Ni lifts her finger. A string of dirt follows her finger. Ni moves her finger about & the dirt follows.

Ni moves her finger away from the dirt string. The dirt string stays in place.

Ni wiggles. The dirt string follows her.

Ni stops and looks down. The string goes into the ground.

Ni throws her hands over the field. A field of flowers paint the naked spot.

A smile carves its way across Ni’s face.

INT. DOUGELL HOUSE – DAY

Mi mopes on the couch. Tyson enters & sits down. Mi rolls over facing away from Tyson.

TYSON: You mad at me?

MI: What do you think?

TYSON: Well considering I have only known you for a couple of days, I was not expecting much.

MI: You thought I was weak, huh? (rolls over) No. No, it’s not just that. (sits up) You think every girl who comes from the city could not handle the hard work of being a farm hand. Me changing a tire was too much.

TYSON: You have an injured shoulder.

MI: Ugh! You are so two-faced! You’re nice one minute, turn around, and you’re a pain in the side. Oh, by the way, thanks for telling me that your mom was the one who shot the wolf.

TYSON: Why does that matter?

MI: Your mom- what was her name? Sadie- thinks I’m a criminal.

TYSON: You walked onto our land. Besides who are you really?

Pause

Mi turns away and flops back onto the couch.

TYSON (gets up): Hey-

MI: Leave me alone.

Tyson marches up to Mi.

TYSON (grabs Mi): Hey-

MI: I said leave me ALONE!

Mi burst into flames. Tyson jumps back at the mysterious phenomenon: a person exploding into flames.

Mi shrieks in pain. Her flames subside and she curls up in agony. Her side wound glows violently. Mi has never felt this much pain.

Tyson runs out. Mi continues to shrill in pain.

EXT. TULSEN FARM – DAY

Kobai reads a tractor manual.

Background, Ni rides on a wave of earth & plants, causing an earthquake.

Kobai looks up from her book with a surprised look.

INT. DOUGELL HOUSE – DAY

Mi continues to screech in agony. Her wound has stopped glowing and she is covered in sweat.

Tyson barges in with his Thomas. Thomas rushes over to Mi’s side.

THOMAS: Where does it hurt?

Mi can’t answer.

TYSON: Her side was on fire- (Thomas touches Mi) And she just started screaming.

Thomas yanks his hand away from Mi. His hand looks like it touched a hot stove.

THOMAS: Get a cold bath ready!

Tyson hurries out of the house.

Thomas moves the table away from the couch and puts an old rug on the floor He gets behind the couch and tilts it. At the right angle, Mi rolls onto the rug.

CUT TO

EXT. DOUGELL FARM – EVENING

SPLASH Mi splashes into a body of water.

Mi surfaces in a metal tub full of ice & water.

Thomas takes Mi’s shirt off. Half of the shirt & the sleeves have been burnt off. The bottom of the remaining shirt has been singed.

Thomas hangs the shirt on a wash line.

Mi hyperventilates as her pain goes down. Tyson get down beside her.

TYSON: Are you okay?

MI: I- I- I-

THOMAS: Take it easy.

Sadie & Daniel walk up.

SADIE: What’s going on?

THOMAS: Daniel, go inside and see how much ice we have.

Daniel runs inside. Sadie runs up to the tub.

SADIE: How is she?

THOMAS: Burning like a fire in the summer. I don’t know what happened.

Sadie looks at the exasperated Mi.

SADIE: Are you trying to kill yourself?

TYSON: It was my fault. I was changing the tire-

SADIE: Let me ask her. (to Mi) I know wounds. And that thing is not a bad as you make it to be. I don’t know what you are or what you’re doing here. All I want from you is to get better & get out of here. Got that?

Mi, still unable to talk, tries to stare down Sadie, though it seems futile.

Sadie walks away.

THOMAS (to Tyson): I need to clean the living room. Keep an eye on her.

Thomas heads inside with Sadie. Tyson stays outside with Mi whose breathing come down.

EXT. TULSEN FARM – EVENING

Kobai watches Ni play with her new earth powers.

Ni surfs on one wave, jumps off, and jumps onto another. She keeps doing the same thing over & over. And over… And o- You get the picture.

NI (midjump): AWESOME!

Ni lands on another wave.

EXT. DOUGELL FARM – NIGHT

Mi, still sweating heavily, soaks in the tub. Tyson brings out more ice & dumps it into the tub.

TYSON: Feeling better?

MI: I don’t know.

TYSON: What happened-

MI: Forget it.

TYSON: But you-

MI: Forget what you saw. Don’t even bother to remember. It’s easy to forget than to ask. What you saw did not happen. All right?

Tyson looks at Mi with a skeptic look. What ever happened inside was something almost impossible to describe.

TYSON: Let’s get you out. We need to change your bandages now that they’re all wet.

Tyson helps Mi out of the tub. The bandage around her waist has been burnt around the wound.

Mi shoves Tyson off.

MI: I can get out my-

Mi stumbles. Tyson helps Mi steady herself. Mi breathes heavy & heavier. Her wound has a burgundy glow.

Unable to bare much more, Mi faints. Tyson holds her up.

TYSON: Stubborn mule.

Tyson puts Mi on his back and drags her inside.

EXT. DOUGELL HOUSE – NIGHT

Mi lays out on the couch with a new bandage on still sweating heavily.

In the kitchen, Sadie holds the phone to her ear. Thomas cleans the icebox. Daniel & Tyson play a game of cards.

SADIE: They still haven’t fixed the phone.

Sadie slams the phone down.

THOMAS: I’ll go by tomorrow and file a complaint. I’ll take her along.

TYSON: Mind if I come along?

THOMAS: I can be able to handle this myself.

DANIEL (puts down cards): Go Fish.

TYSON: Daniel, wrong game.

Daniel picks the cards back up.

TYSON (to Thomas): Pa, I’ve been taking care of her, probably more than both you and mom. I can answer more of the doc’s questions than you.

Thomas considers Tyson’s proposal.

THOMAS: Hon, what do you plan on doing tomorrow?

SADIE: Got a letter from the doc that looked at Daniel. Said he wanted to check up on him.

TYSON: That crack pot.

SADIE: Crazy as he his, his advice did help when he was five. Figure I’d pay him a courtesy visit. (to Daniel) What do you say Daniel? Feel up for a trip into town?

Daniel smiles and giggles.

THOMAS (to Sadie): Okay, dear. I guess all of us will be going into town.

Daniel cheers.

SADIE: Tyson, you keep an eye on that girl, got it?

TYSON: Yes ma’am.

SADIE (to Daniel): Come on, Daniel, let’s pick out something decent.

Daniel gets up & heads to Sadie. Sadie walks out of the kitchen. Tyson clean up the cards.

THOMAS: Don’t want to go with your brother?

TYSON: Probably better that I didn’t. That shrink ain’t worth two cents of my time.

THOMAS: You’ve been interested in that girl since she got here.

Tyson stops picking up cards. Thomas can tell that something is up.

THOMAS (CONT’D): I know that at your age-

TYSON: That’s not it, pa. Besides, all I know about her is that she’s never worked a day in her life.

THOMAS: Still plan on being a farmer like me, ay boy? (Tyson continues cleaning) Do you want her to leave?

TYSON: Mama does.

THOMAS: Is that what you think? I think she could be useful, after she gets better.

TYSON: You should have seen her change the tire.

THOMAS: Why was she changing a tire?

TYSON: Don’t know. She just walked out and started doing stuff. I don’t know why she did that. Making her a farm hand might be worse than you think.

Tyson gets up and storms to his room.

THOMAS: You know how long it takes to train a mule?

TYSON: Never.

THOMAS: As long as you’re willing to. It’s not easy.

TYSON: Yeah because they’re stubborn. Why is it you always try to find help any chance you get? What if she ruins our crops? Steals our chickens? I’m only helping to keep an eye on her for you & mama. I’m going to bed. Goodnight.

Tyson enters his room and slams the door.

Thomas cracks his shoulder and heads outside.

On the couch, Mi’s eyes are just barely open. She heard everything and thinks she ran somewhere worse than home.

FADE OUT