REVISED Story

Hey! Thanks Elizabeth, Danny, Nathan and Marleah for meeting up in the art building today, and making this new story the best it can be. I'm confident and excited about where we've gone with this, and I hope you like it too.

Changes to note: The flute is out of the story. Why? Because it's stupid. Now the talisman is what stops Tahama from dragging Nadia, and it heightens the action in a big way.

Beats:

1. At the bottom of the waterfall, Mokarita, Tahama, and Alex put the climbing sap on themselves while Nadia hesitates.
2. Alex asks what's wrong, and why Nadia isn't preparing for the climb.
3. Nadia explains that she is afraid of heights.
4. Alex points to Nadia's talisman, reminding her that Walimai (the person that gave it to her) said it will protect her.
5. Nadia looks down at the talisman with skepticism, then looks up at the waterfall and is still afraid.
6. Ready to go and impatient, Mokarita sends Tahama over to Nadia to see what the hold up is.
7. Tahama confronts Nadia, and she tells him she's too afraid to climb.
8. Tahama, frustrated, grabs Nadia by the hair and drags her toward the waterfall wall.
9. Nadia screams "Let me go!" but Tahama ignores her.
10. She tries to pry herself from his grip, but he's too strong.
11. She takes the talisman and blows into it.
12. The talisman activates a hooting noise, which in turn causes the local wildlife to react.
13. Owls fill the air.
14. Tahama, mesmerized, let's go of Nadia.
15. Nadia looks down at the talisman with a new appreciation.
16. Nadia looks up at the waterfall with newfound confidence.
17. Nadia walks over to the wall, and signals that she's ready to climb.

Things to note:

Alex isn't sympathetic or invested in Nadia's insecurities. He's excited to climb the waterfall, and tries his best to blow Nadia off.

Mokarita is wise, silent, non physical, and for this particular scene isn't directly related to the conflict. However, Tahama is short tempered, aggressive, and perpetuates the conflict.

The talisman needs to reflect the mystical power that it holds, which would be a hooting sound while blown into it. However, we're taking liberties to play up that aspect. For instance, the jungle reacting directly to the talisman.

The faculty claimed that Alex is the main character of the book and that the scenes should always revolve around him, but if we make a compelling enough sequence, I get the feeling that making Nadia the main character of this particular scene won't be an issue.

Anyway, dialogue is soon to follow. The script is next on my list of things to do.