Scene 1

    This scene is set at night, deep in the forest. Hepseba, Penelope, and Leanora (witches, although young and attractive) are gathered around a very large kettle, stirring in ingredients and chanting. There is a lot of fog in the air and a full moon overhead.

    They chant in unison:
        "Double, double, boil and bubble,
        Horror churn, terror struggle,
        Triple, triple, churn and stick,
        Muck and mire, deep and thick,
        Eye of newt, toe of frog,
        Earth and water, fen and bog."
 

Blend slowly to

Scene 2

    This scene is set inside a dungeon room of a castle Hepseba is seated on a plain stool in the center of the room. Her hands are shackled and she has a few bruises. Cedric the Inquisitor is leaning over her in an intimidating fashion, but she remains defiant and contemptuous of him.

    Cedric: "You are accused of the evil of witch craft."

    Hepseba: "Who says I am a witch?"

    Cedric: The accusation has been spoken; that is enough....do you deny it?"

    Hepseba: "Does it matter?"

    Cedric: "If you confess, and point out your confederates, there is a chance your life will be spared....You may merely be banished from the kingdom."

    Hepseba: "My name would be dishonored....My family reduced to serfdom."

    Cedric: "If you deny it and you are found guilty, you will bun at the stake."

    Hepseba: "Maybe I'm not guilty."

    Cedric: "Come now my dear....When was the last time the Inquisition Tribunal returned an acquittal?"

    Hepseba: "So I have been convicted already."

    Cedric: "Confess Hepseba....You know you are guilty....I'm trying to save your life."

    Hepseba: "I'm trying to save my name and family....You just want to confiscate my lands."

    Cedric: "You will burn then."

    Hepseba: "I have the right of trial by natural process....I demand that right."

    Cedric: "You will die....no one has survived the trial by natural process for many years."

    Hepseba: "Perhaps not, but my name will not be dishonored, nor my family enslaved."

Fade to black

Fade in to

Scene 3

    This scene takes place in a grassy/marshy area. A medieval castle is visible in the background (blue screened in). There is no dialogue, but there is background music consistent with an ominous procession or execution. The scene shows the progress of a procession, which includes Cedric, Hepseba (in shackles), two guards, and a few witnesses. The procession eventually arrives and circles around a large mud bog. Hepseba is dressed in a loose-fitting, raggy-looking monk's robe but without a hood.

Fade to black

Fade in to

Scene 4

    As this scene opens, Hepseba stands at the edge of the mud bog. The shackles have been removed but her hands are re-tied in front of her. She remains defiant and contemptuous, especially toward Cedric. The guards are close by.

    Cedric: (to all present) "This woman, Hepseba, is accused of witch craft and has demanded the right of trial by natural process. Thus, she is now to be cast into this mire. If she remains afloat after one hour, that will be in defiance of natural law and is therefore evidence of her guilt. She will then be taken out and burned at the stake. If she sinks under the mire, that fact will be in accordance with nature, and she will stand acquitted. If probing by our guards can retrieve her alive from the mire, she will remain for life free of further accusations for events prior to day. If she cannot be retrieved, then at least she will be recorded as having been innocent."

    (he pauses)

    "Hebseba, I give you one last chance to confess and plea for banishment before you face the bog."

    Hepseba: (defiantly, and with a trace of unexplained confidence) "Never!....Cast me into the mire."

    Cedric: "Very well then....throw her in."

    The two guards quickly shove Hepseba into the mud. She staggers off balance, for several steps before bogging down. She then sinks, rapidly at first and then more slowly, but without pause, until she goes all the way under. There may be some ad-libbed dialogue from Hepseba and/or Cedric, but Hepseba does not deviate from her contempt for Cedric, nor does she show any fear whatsoever. She may even show a subtle hint of sensuous enjoyment, especially toward the end. The sequence should be inter cut with shots of the reactions of Cedric and witnesses, but continues until Hepseba's hands have disappeared completely.

Fade to black

Fade in to

Scene 5

    Cedric signals and the guards begin probing the mud with poles. They do this for a minute or so but without success.

Fade to black

Fade in to

Scene 6

    This scene is back in the woods around the huge kettle used in scene 1. Penelope and Leonora are leaning over the kettle and probing it with stirring poles. Suddenly one of them pulls upward on the pole as if it suddenly had something attached. The camera moves in to a close up of the surface of the potion in the pot. Then Hepseba slowly rises up out of the potion. She opens her eyes and looks around; then all three suddenly burst out into wild laughter.

END