Playground 51 - The Wildest Magic School on Earth

Richard tries yelling out the window again, but his voice is lost in the loud music and cheering below. The school bus is racing towards the crowd at full speed.

Richard pulls away and speeds down the hall.

REPORTER LADY

Mr. Beltran?!

Richard ignores her as he runs down the hall. He raises the thin wooden wand, tapping his head with it.

RICHARD

ABRAHCADABRA, SHALAMAR!

He zaps himself several feet forward. He looks back, sighs sadly, spins back around, and keeps running.

RICHARD

What? I need to get downstairs, NOW!

He swings the wand around again.

RICHARD

ABRAHCADABRAH, SHALLAMAR!!!!

He taps his head with the wand again, but this time, he unexpectedly finds himself embedded in the wall.

The Reporter lady unleashes a scream as she looks down the hall and sees Richard. The cameraman has the camera trained right on him.

The reporter carefully walks up to Richard, looking at him with a mix of terror and fascination.

REPORTER LADY

What-in-the-hell?

A hard crashing sound comes from outside. The crash sends a shock wave through the building, making it quiver.

Another scream from the reporter, and she falls backwards. She trembles as she makes it back to her feet, still looking at Richard, half-fused into the wall.

She stands and grabs the cameraman's arm.

REPORTER LADY

Let's get out of here!

RICHARD

WAIT!

The reporter and the cameraman stop in their tracks and look back at Richard.

RICHARD

(Cries)

Please...send someone to help me!

REPORTER LADY

(Yells)

What happened to you?

Richard hangs his head and starts to cry.

RICHARD

(Cries)

I botched the spell! I tried to get downstairs with a spell, but...

The cameraman grabs the reporter's shoulder.

CAMERA MAN

We gotta cover that school bus! The way it was racing towards the school, I know that's what made that crashing sound!

REPORTER LADY

(Nods and turns to Richard)

I'll send someb-

She turns back to Richard and sees he's hanging there, limp, passed out.

She and the cameraman hurry through the door that leads to the staircase.

They quickly dash downstairs.

EXT. FRONT YARD OF THE SCHOOL HOUSE – DAY

Richard lies on the grass, bound in rope, as if discarded, the soft glow of a nearby fire casting light over him. He stirs awake, and as the scene widens, Portia comes into view—also tied up, lying on the ground facing him, sobbing uncontrollably.

Richard watches her for a moment, bewildered, before sitting up in alarm. On his other side sits Eddie, also bound, his back to the group, the fire’s warmth illuminating his face and body.

As Richard regains his bearings, Chris’s voice reaches him—muffled at first—slowly growing clearer as he steadies himself.

CHRIS

--you idiot!

SETH

You're blaming me for this?

CHRIS

It's Eddie's fault too!

CHRIS

(Cries)

I told you we should have crucified the little "Teen Jesus" dip shit! I told you! The Christians woulda loved it!

EDDIE

Shut up, Chris!

Circe, bound in rope, still manages to kick her foot out to hit Chris's knee.

CIRCE

You are such a dork! I swear!

RICHARD

(Breathing hard, eyes opened)

The people...on the school bus?

CHRIS

They're fine! No thanks to you!

EDDIE

(Mutters)

It's ok, no one got hurt in the accident, thank God. But a huge chunk of the school got destroyed.

Richard struggles in his binds to turn around and face the school. Smoke billowed from the beautiful school building. A school bus jutted out from the lower right side, while flames erupted from inside.

Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances surrounded the scene. A big crowd stands by, watching the chaos. There were other news reporters and news vans now.

Richard looks down at Portia. Although she'd quieted down, she was looking past him to the schoolhouse with tears in her eyes.

It was like she refused to make eye contact with him. Richard often got shy around her and rarely could say much to her, but she never seemed to have a problem meeting his eyes before.

Was she disappointed in him? Was everyone disappointed in him?

RICHARD

What's going on? Why are we tied up?

He looks at Seth and Chris crying.

RICHARD

Where's Professor Diaz?

Eddie doesn't answer the last question. Instead, he raises his chin to the bonfire. His serious look remains as he watches what's burning.

Richard follows Eddie's eyes and let's loose a scream as he finds Professor Diaz tied to a stake, being burned alive.

Seth lets loose a trembling wail as tears slide down his face.

Chris's face was red and shiny with shame, turning away from his professor, who was about to be executed.

Circe's eyes were wet with tears, but somehow, she still managed to be chewing on something even though she was bound in rope.

EDDIE

...They tied us up because they didn't want us to try to save our teacher.

Richard gawks up at Diaz in disbelief.

PROFESSOR DIAZ

(Terrified but fighting it)

D-don't cry, children. Everything will continue to go a-as scheduled. As your teacher, I will g-g-grade you boys on your performances today!

In spite of the horror and drama, everyone looks up at Diaz, confused.

CHRIS

What?

EDDIE

You're about to die, though.

PROFESSOR DIAZ

Duty calls, and I will perform my duties till the very end!

His glasses are falling down his nose. He tries to wiggle them in place. He's sweating profusely. The glasses fall off, and he realizes he has bigger worries.

PROFESSOR DIAZ

Eddie, the idea for the illusion was beautiful and brilliant! For thoughtfulness, you get an "A." Seth, you're amazing. I have never seen so much power coming from a s-sound mage, you also get an "A". And Chris, ahhh, my Christopher Robyn!

PROFESSOR DIAZ

(Cries)

You didn't kill anyone or make things worse. So, A+ for you!

Chris turns to Seth and whispers.

CHRIS

You heard that? The teacher is on my BALLS and said I'm better than you! Haha!

\

PROFESSOR DIAZ

And Richard...

Richard looks up at his professor with his face wet with tears, still trying to get out of the rope.

Professor Diaz's face strains as he looks at this beautiful, precious young man, trying to find something uplifting to say to him.

But he finally gives up.

PROFESSOR DIAZ

F@#! YOU, VEGAS!!

Then he screams out and flails his head back and forth frantically as the fire starts burning his feet. His screams sound like mad laughter.

Richard gawks up at him, heartbroken and confused.

The other children look away, unable to take the horrible screams of their master. Well, except Circe, who seemed to have dissociated and was blowing bubbles with her bubble gum.

As the camera continues to pan out, some older Christians dance in celebration as a hippie-looking guy plays a guitar.

Adam unzips his tracksuit jacket and uses it as a blanket as he lies down on his mech, getting ready to take a nap on it, warmed by the bonfire's heat and Diaz's witch roasting, mocking the magic school students.

And the scene closes with a shot of the magic school kids, still bound and defeated.

Music and merry carry all around them, as Circe, still completely lost in a daydream or something, blows a big pink bubble that pops, and the scene fades to black again.