The Adventures of Taylor Chelsea and Manny

THE ADVENTURES OF TAYLOR, CHELSEA AND MANNY Written by Stephanie Butler 3679 Washington Blvd 317-403-5520

FADE IN

THE ADVENTURES OF TAYLOR, CHELSEA AND MANNY

EXT: CENTRAL LIBRARY - DAY TAYLOR and CHELSEA walk into the library and find their way to the children’s section. CHELSEA - C’mon Taylor let’s look at some books over here. Taylor looks up at Chelsea

CHELSEA (CONT'D) - These are more like the ones you like to read

TAYLOR - Okay (Cheerfully)

INT: CHILDREN’S SECTION - DAY

Taylor and Chelsea move to another book shelf MANNY is sitting at a table adjacent to the shelf. He looks nervous when he sees Chelsea

MANNY - Hey uhm, Chels! You getting books for the summer readathon?

CHELSEA - Hey Manny! Yeah, I’m really helping my little sister find some good books

MANNY - Oh sure, hi Taylor

INT: AT THE BOOK SHELF

Chelsea and Manny are in conversation Taylor is standing behind Chelsea. Taylor doesn't appreciate Chelsea spending their alone time with a boy.

TAYLOR - Chelsea I wanna go over there! Taylor points to an area away from Manny

CHELSEA - Wait Taylor, I’ll take you in a minute

MANNY - So...what are you doing later?

CHELSEA - I don’t know. What’s up?

MANNY - Some of us are going over to the park. You know skateboarding and stuff. You wanna come?

CHELSEA - Well...I have to take my little sister home first Chelsea turns around to look at Taylor and finds she’s no longer there or in sight.

CHELSEA (CONT'D) - Oh no! Taylor where did she go?! As she twists and turns to see if Taylor is nearby

MANNY - She was just there!

CHELSEA - What a brat! I have to find her. I’ll see you later Chelsea begins to walk away

MANNY - Here, I’ll help you look for her

INT: MEANWHILE MYSTERIOUS HALLWAY

Taylor is walking down a mysterious hallway. At the end of the hallway is a light of crystals shining and drawing her nearer

INT: END OF THE HALLWAY

Taylor walks into the lighted area. Her image is enveloped in the light and swallowed

INT: AT THE SAME TIME MAIN LIBRARY COMMON AREA Chelsea and Manny are walking through the library searching for Taylor

CHELSEA - Taylor!

LIBRARY PATRON#1 - Shhh!

MANNY - Taylor!

LIBRARY PATRON #2 - Shhha!

CHELSEA AND MANNY - Taylor!

LIBRARIAN - Shhhhh!

Chelsea and Manny stand at the end of the book shelves adjacent to a door

CHELSEA - I’m going to be in a lot of trouble if I don't find her MANNY - Maybe she went thru there, let’s look pointing at the door.

CHELSEA - It says staff only

MANNY - All the more reason to go in. You forget I have a little cousin? You know how curious little kids are

Manny and Chelsea walk thru the door and down the hallway until they come upon a large room. The room looks as though it was a reading room at one point. Cob webs and dust now decorate the room Manny and Chelsea begin searching for Taylor

INSERT MONTAGE A) Manny looks under a table B) Chelsea looks under the same table behind Manny C) Manny looks around a bookshelf and sees Chelsea D) Chelsea is looking around the other end and sees Manny E) Backing up searching, Chelsea and Manny back into each other

END OF MONTAGE

INT: IN THE ROOM WITH TAYLOR

Taylor sits on the floor surrounded by books. They are on her lap and around her in stacks. Taylor is laughing and having fun CHELSEA - (looking around) This must be an old part of the library. It looks like a home for abandoned books.

MANNY - This part is weird. I didn’t know it was here

Chelsea gets frustrated

CHELSEA - Taylor knows better than to run off like this! MANNY - (Reassuring) Hey, if Taylor is anything like you she’s okay. Okay?

CHELSEA - Yeah? Thanks but we still need to find her. Taylor! TAYLOR - Chelsea! Over here! Chelsea and Manny excitedly look at each other

CHELSEA AND MANNY - Taylor! Where are you?

TAYLOR - Over here!

Chelsea and Manny follow Taylor’s voice and locate her in the pile of books

INT: IN THE ROOM WITH TAYLOR

Taylor holds up a handful of books

TAYLOR - I found some books see!

Chelsea rushes to her

CHELSEA - What did mom say about running off! (Looks around) Where are we?

Manny slowly walking around investigating

MANNY - It looks like a closed off section of the library. These books must be really old

As Manny walks around the room he picks up a book from the shelf MANNY (CONT'D) - Hey check this out! Mother Goose Rhymes, Grimm fairytales...Briar Rabbit!

Chelsea turns back to Taylor

CHELSEA - C’mon Taylor put those books down, we need to get back to the other side. We shouldn’t be here

Chelsea grabs the books from Taylors hand and begins to put it down...

BOOK - Read me!

Chelsea looks at the book

CHELSEA - Did one of you say that?

MANNY - I didn’t

TAYLOR - It was the book. It talks. They all do! They told me to read them

CHELSEA (Grabbing Taylor’s arm) - Okay Taylor it’s time for your nap. Home we go!

Chelsea attempts to pull Taylor up from the floor

BOOK - Read me!

MANNY - Uh Chels, I don't think she was imagining...I heard it too CHELSEA - Manny your doing that! You can just cut out the tricks now they’re getting creepy! Chelsea picks up a book

CHELSEA (CONT'D) - It can’t be this book

BOOK - Take us home with you! Read us!

The book in Chelsea’s hand speaks to her. She throws the book down and backs away The three children look at each other. Just then Raggedy Ann and her little brother Andy pop out of the book Chelsea was holding

RAGGEDY ANN - Don’t be afraid we want to be your friends Chelsea turns to Manny

CHELSEA - Do you see this?

MANNY - I can’t believe it but I am seeing it

Taylor runs to Ann and grabs her hand

TAYLOR - (To Chelsea and Manny) They’re my friends. All the books are! They said we could be friends forever if I read them!

Chelsea grabs Taylor back to her side with Manny

CHELSEA Who are you?

RAGGEDY ANN - I’m Raggedy Ann and this is my brother Andy. Please don’t run from us we want you to take us home with you RAGGEDY ANDY - Yea we are lost stories. If you don’t read us we will be forgotten forever in this place

Taylor gets away from Chelsea and begins to sort thru other books opening and letting the characters free

MANNY - Why are you back here?

RAGGEDY ANN - We were put here a long time ago. Forgotten and never to be read again

RAGGEDY ANDY - But we want to be remembered

CHELSEA Who’s we?

TAYLOR - Here they are!

Taylor hands Chelsea some books. Chelsea begins to open the books freeing the characters The children are still surprised but are getting used to the idea of seeing the characters pop out of the books Raggedy Ann and Andy begin singing a song about being lost and forgotten but they are now free

RAGGEDY ANN AND ANDY - We’re free! We’re free! The girl has set us free! We can dance and play and sing all day! We’re free! We’re free!

As they sing the children continue to set free the abandoned captured storybook characters

INSERT MONTAGE A) Raggedy Ann and Andy dance together B) Chelsea and Manny look at each other awkwardly C) Raggedy Andy and Taylor dance together D) All the other characters dance together

END OF MONTAGE

RAGGEDY ANN - Wont you be our new friends?

RAGGEDY ANDY - If you take us home with you we will be remembered. You will be our newest friends

TAYLOR - Ooowee! Oowee! I wanna be your friend! I wanna be your friend!

They continue to celebrate. Just then, Manny grabs a certain book from the shelf Everything stops

RAGGEDY ANN - No! No! No! Not that one! Close it before HE gets out!

MANNY - Before who gets out?!

(As he continues to open the book) Out pops the Bookkeeper and his Wooden Soldiers. The Bookkeeper clad in all black with a cape slung over his shoulders hanging down his back. He wears a stovepipe top hat that never falls from his head

BOOKKEEPER - What are you doing out of your books?!!! All the story book characters scream and scatter for their books BOOKKEEPER (CONT'D) - Back! Back! Back into your books! He turns to the children

BOOKKEEPER (CONT'D) - You children have no business here! These are my stories and are to be read by no one! Go away! Chelsea grabs Taylor’s hand and the three begin to run. Most of the story book characters have run safely back to their books except Raggedy Ann and Andy. The Wooden soldiers are escorting some characters to their books. Other Wooden Soldiers are chasing Raggedy Ann and Andy, Chelsea, Taylor and Manny The children and their new friends are hiding behind a bookshelf The Wooden Soldiers are bumbling and fumbling into each other. They have a limited range of motion and only move with straight arms and legs. Their mouths can open very wide making them look intimidating and scary. The Bookkeeper sings a song as they search for the children

BOOKKEEPER (CONT'D) - Come out, come out from where ever you are! Come out come out from where ever you are WOODENSOLDIERS - Ooohhhh----

BOOKKEEPER - You cannot hide from me I’ll find you where you are, come out, come out from where ever you are WOODENSOLDIERS - Oooooohh----

Chelsea, Manny, Taylor, Raggedy Ann and Andy are hiding behind a book shelf

CHELSEA - Manny you opened the book! Manny is dumbfounded MANNY - I uhmm uhmm

RAGGEDY ANN - We should go see the Storykeeper. She will help MANNY - Storykeeper? Who is she?

RAGGEDY ANN - She is the one who cares for and protects the stories

RAGGEDY ANDY - She keeps our memory alive

CHELSEA - Well, where is she?

MANNY - Yeah and why didn't she save you from him?

RAGGEDY ANN - I don’t know. But her book is at the top of the hill Both Raggedy Ann and Andy point to the book shelves at the highest point in the room

MANNY - You mean at the top of that book shelf? Awkward silence CHELSEA - Okay so here’s the plan. Raggedy Ann and Andy you take Taylor and start up the stairs. Manny you come with me.

RAGGEDY ANDY - Right let’s go!

Raggedy Ann and Andy take Taylor and they start up the stairs MANNY - Chelsea what are we going to do?

CHELSEA -We’re going to hold them off. Hey over here! The Bookkeeper turns in the children's direction and they begin a choreographed chase

INSERT CHASE A) The Wooden soldiers bump into each other and fall B) The Bookkeeper is yelling at the Wooden Soldiers C) Chelsea and Manny are watching from their hiding place

END MONTAGE

INT: STAIRCASE

Raggedy Ann, Andy and Taylor make it to the top

INT: MAIN ROOM

The Bookkeeper corners Chelsea and Manny by some shelves MEANWHILE - AT THE TOP OF THE BOOKSHELF

The Storykeeper is telling a story to some storybook characters Raggedy Ann interrupts.

RAGGEDY ANN - Please! Storykeeper save us!

The Storykeeper sees Taylor and her friends

STORYKEEPER - Raggedy Ann and Andy why it’s so nice to see you. Where have you been?

RAGGEDY ANN - The Bookkeeper has had us hidden away and would not let us out!

RAGGEDY ANDY - Yea and this little girl set us free! Bu, bu but he’s chasing us now!

TAYLOR - These are my friends and he’s mean to them. He has my sister and our friend now!

The Storykeeper turns to the little listeners she was telling a story to

STORYKEEPER - You must hurry along home now. Return later and I’ll finish our story

The story book characters run home The Storykeeper turns to Taylor and friends

STORYKEEPER (CONT'D) - Come follow me They walk past a giant beautiful book which sits on a shelf by itself. The book is lustered with gold writing and edging. It shimmers with magic and happiness

TAYLOR - Gasp!(Gasps as the sight of the book)

They walk to the edge of the shelf with the Storykeeper The Storykeeper looks over the edge and sees the Bookkeeper closing in on Chelsea and Manny

STORYKEEPER - Bookkeeper! Let those children go! For your crimes against the stories, books and its characters I purge you from this world and you are to stay in the pages of your book forever! You are to never hide a story from it’s readers again!

INT: MAIN ROOM

From out of the corners of the room come four regal looking bookmarks. They carry him away into the darkness

BOOKKEEPER - No! No! Please don’t take me away! No I don’t want to be lost! Nooooo

His voice wanes The Storykeeper looks pleasantly upon the children and their book friends

FADE OUT

FADE IN

EXT: LIBRARY - DAY

With an arm full of books, Taylor smiles at Manny and Chelsea as they walk down the street Manny reaches over and grabs the books from Taylor relieving her of the chore. Taylor hugs him for a thank you The three walk home

THE END