The Embrace of Mami Wata

ACT 1
Captivated by the Sea

FADE IN:

BLACK SCREEN.

NARRATOR (MARCUS) (V.O.)
You could hear the whispers sometimes.  In the quiet nights, them new slaves would pray to their gods for mercy. Or escape.  They prayers warn’t never answered, though.  Maybe that’s why Mami Wata ignored mine, too.  But still, I loved her so.

CUT TO:

EXT. CHARLESTON PLANTATION – DAY
Overlooking marshy rice fields near the ocean, we see slaves working under the scorching sun, with overseers walking back and forth watching over them.  We can see the city, the ocean, ships, and large sailing vessels in the background.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
On account o’ what white folks called me bein’ a mongrel I weren’t never no slave growin’ up – but I sure knew ‘em well enough.  They was like kin – always talkin’ about the gods an’ prayin’.  End of the day, they’d git together an’ whisper the stories.  I took a shine ta them tales ‘bout Mami Wata the most.

As the Narrator speaks, we see a handful of black people in chains, gathered around a fire.  We hear the hushed sound of their whispers.  A small boy is there, recognizable as MARCUS by his eyes, listening to them.  We slowly draw closer to the fire as the sound of waves crashing on shore begins to mix and overlap with the crackling of the flames.

We see ethereal, fleeting visions of Mami Wata, dark-skinned and long dreadlocks dancing down to fishlike hips and tail, rising from the water-flames.  The image flickers in and out, dancing with the fire.  She smiles at the boy, and his eyes widen in fear and wonder.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Mami Wata.  Goddess of seas an’ protector of folks who show due respect.  An’ bringer o’ storms ta them who don’t.  Legend was she’d sing a fella inta drinkin’ the deep an’ he’d be lost forever ‘neath the waves.  Salvation, temptation, an’ damnation all wrapped up inta one.  She were wild an’ beautiful just like the seas I were fated to sail, an’ she were more free’n any of us ever dreamed.

CUT TO:

INT. TAVERN – NIGHT
We see an adult Marcus staggering with a bottle of whiskey in his hand, in a rowdy tavern full of other drunken men, sailors, and questionably dressed women dancing and singing and generally behaving badly & bawdily.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
I was 14 whole summers on when I took to runnin’ off.  Got me a job cleanin’ out the latrines & horse stalls up at port.  Met me some fine women, too.  Made a man outta me by 15.  ‘Fore too long, I was just one a’ the lads.  That weren’t easy in a place where most see you’s as property.  And things were goin’ right fine up til George’s men came callin’ ta serve in his royal navy.

The doors of the tavern burst open, revealing a group of men in British Naval uniforms.  The crowd scatters as the group begins grabbing up men, some willingly, others not (with bags being put over their heads in this case).  We see Marcus fight them, briefly, before he, too, is clubbed in the head and the scene fades out.

FADE TO:

EXT. HMS CROWN’S CUTLASS – DAY
The camera flies overhead, the ship dominating the frame.  On the deck below we see the sweat-soaked faces of the crew, including Marcus, exhausted as the scrub the deck and man the ropes and sails.  The BOATSWAIN stalks among them, each crack of his whip filling them with fear as he barks orders at them.  The sounds of seagulls and water fill the background with a short swell of music before these sounds fade away.

BOATSWAIN (BELLOWING)
You call that a knot, boy?  I’ve seen better knots tied by drunken tavern whores!  Secure that sail before I have you dancing a rope jig!

We see Marcus’ hands trembling as he ties off a sail, his face glancing nervously toward the sky as storm clouds gather on the horizon.  A haunting melody begins to drift on the air, cut short by the crack of the Boatswain’s whip.

BOATSWAIN (HISSING IN MARCUS’ FACE)
Up the mast, Darkie!  Secure the main sail.  No one’ll miss ye if you fall, but we ain’t sleepin’ a wink til we see that sail tied down proper-like! Er do ye need more motivatin’?

As he speaks, the Boatswain holds up his whip with one hand to indicate his meaning.  We see Marcus’ tired expression become resigned to his fate, and the camera zooms out as he begins climbing up the mast toward the crow’s nest, showing the darkened skies and distant rocks in the background.

FADE TO:

EXT. CARIBBEAN SEA – MIDDAY
Cries of “squall!” come up from the crew as we watch Marcus climb the mast to secure the sail.  The skies darken as the storm descends upon the ship, and we see the crew scrambling to secure the sails or take shelter from the battering wind and rain.  Marcus clings to the mast as the ship is battered back and forth by the waves and lightning sparks across the sky.

A massive wave rises suddenly from the sea, hoisting the ship up before bringing it back crashing down upon the rocks below.  The mast splinters in half, crashing into the waters below, Marcus still clinging to its side.  We see a shot over Marcus’ shoulder, floating slumped over a piece of the mast, the ship now in the distance.  The dying screams of the men can be faintly heard as the ship sinks below the waves.  We hear the haunting melody again as Marcus falls unconscious and we fade to black.

FADE TO:

EXT. OPEN SEA – DAY
Marcus clings to the piece of mast, his clothing torn and his skin burnt by the sun.  The only sound that can be heard are the waves of the ocean lapping against the piece of debris he holds onto.  We see the vast expanse of the sea, an endless horizon of water, as he floats along, bobbing up and down rhythmically with the waves.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
I can’t say’s why Mami Wata called ta me ‘fore pullin’ my crew into the deep, but I wasn’t hearin’ her no more.  Just the water lickin’ at me over an’ over ‘gain til it hurt so sore I couldn’t take it none.  And then it kept on comin’.  Sunburn like nothin’ I ever felt and a thirst I ain’t known was possible, all while I was swimmin’ in more buckets o’ water than any man could carry in ten lifetimes.

CUT TO:

EXT. OPEN SEA – NIGHT
We see Marcus again, his face exhausted in the glare of moonlight, reflected on the waves, once again on a backdrop of an endless horizon of water.  Small bits of frost can be seen highlighting his hair.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Day turned inta night an’ back ‘gain.  Ain’t sure how long I’s out there ‘fore she came.  Nights warn’t same’s the days, though.  Cold soakin’ inta my bones in ways no fire ken git warm, and then slippin’ back out ‘gain soon as the sun come back ta set fire to my skin.  All while the empt’ness was tuggin’ at my insides to just let go an’ let the deep have its way.

CUT BACK TO:

EXT. OPEN SEA – DAY
We see Marcus a final time, clinging still to the debris of the mast, his skin blistering through his torn clothing and his hair off-color from sun exposure.  He looks once more at the endless horizon of water, sighs, and closes his eyes in resignation.

We hear an echo of Marcus’ heartbeat in the background, growing louder and louder, until it slows as we see Marcus fall asleep once again.  The haunting melody returns, ever so distant, in the background.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
An’ then, just as all Hell was callin’ ta me for all my sins o’ flesh, here she were, comin’ back ta sing me her sweet, sweet song one last time.

FADE TO:

ACT 2

The Sea’s Embrace

EXT. OPEN SEA – DAY
Marcus continues to drift on the open water, the rocks now far from view as the vast expanse of water laps at his shoulders.  The mysterious song returns distantly, and we briefly hear a feminine laugh as we get a close-up of Marcus’ face, his eyes fluttering weakly open.

Marcus looks around, his movements slow and painful as he seeks the source of the sound.  At the edge of the camera, we see the movement of something in the water.

MARCUS (WEAKLY)
Hello?  Hello?  Who’s there?  Please… help me…

We see the MERMAID swimming gracefully, emerging from the water.  Her eyes are a solid black and she is covered in iridescent scales that shimmer in the water.  She moves in circles around Marcus, examining him.

MARCUS (DESPERATE)
Please, Miss… I’ll do anythin’.  I ain’t shor how much longer I got.

The Mermaid opens her mouth in reply, her voice a wordless song filled with emotion, yet her face is expressionless as she continues to examine him.  She moves in slow circles around Marcus, moving in for a closer inspection, only to create distance once again as he turns around warily to keep an eye on the creature.  Eventually, Marcus stops following her movements and slumps back down into exhaustion, and the melody stops.  We hear only the sound of the waves as the Mermaid disappears into the depths, leaving Marcus alone.

CUT TO:

EXT. OPEN SEA – EVENING
We see another close-up of Marcus’ face.  He is asleep, and the camera pans out to show the vast waters once again.  The Mermaid appears on the periphery and begins swimming towards him.  We see another close-up, this time of the Mermaid as she swims in close, face-to-face with Marcus as he sleeps, and looks at him.  She almost looks sad as she moves away from him, opens her mouth, and the melody resumes.  Marcus briefly awakens, looking at her for a moment that seems to linger too long, and passes out again.

This time, with a clear tug from below, he slides down into the water.

FADE TO:

INT. SEA CAVE – DAY
Marcus awakens to find himself on a bed of kelp, his skin bandaged in seaweed.  Bioluminescent algae give the cave a blue, ethereal glow, offset by the golden reflection of a pile of treasures and glittering debris to one side of the small room.  The slow sound of water lapping at the stone breaks the silence as he looks around, weakly, for his rescuer.  It does not take long before she appears, hovering over him.  She pushes him back down, gently yet firmly, and tends to his bandaging.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
I coulda breathed her in forever. She smelt like water lilies washed up on the tide, er waves crashin’ on the beach just ‘fore springtime when the world’s still fresh an’ the frost ain’t all gone quite yet, but flowers are fixin’ ta bloom.

The wordless song returns as she continues to work, her music drowning out the other sounds of the cave.  She is naked, yet covered in opalescent scales that obscure her intimate areas while complimenting her pale skin.  She has long, back, kelp-like hair and eyes to match.  Her legs have fins that dangle at their sides, but sporadically flare out – reminders of her aquatic nature.  She is alien, ethereal, and beautiful.

CUT TO:

INT. SEA CAVE – DAY
We see Marcus again, lying in the bed, in better health.  He has done away with the tattered shirt and is watching the Mermaid as she sleeps next to him.  We see the pair from overhead and a very clear view of the treasures to the side of the room, golden reflections playing off the water.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
It warn’t long ‘fore I was feelin’ better an’ things took an amorous turn.  She was just like what I heard ‘bout Mami Wata as a boy.  I ain’t never felt so lucky as gittin’ ta be with her, smell her, taste her, touch her an’ hold her the way I was.

We see the pair once more, as Marcus leans over and kisses the Mermaid, who kisses back, hungrily.  The camera blurs as the pair moves together and they begin to make love.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
I warn’t rememberin’ ever’thing I heard, though.  Memory ken be fuzzy that way, sumtimes.

FADE TO:

INT. SEA CAVE – NIGHT
We see the sea cave again, but it has slightly changed.  It looks a little more lived-in, with some items moved around and in slight disarray.  The Mermaid’s baubles and treasures, notably, now include a handful of large, opalescent pearls – the same color as her scales – that seem to be clumped together in their own small section.

We see Marcus standing near the bed, watching her as she fumbles around amongst her things, producing a conch shell, which she brings to him and holds to his mouth, then her own, and his again.  He looks confused.

MARCUS (VOWING)
I don’t take yer meanin’, Mami, but I’ll hold ta it like yer heart s’long as ya hold on ta mine.

CUT TO:

EXT. UNDERWATER – DAY
We see a montage of underwater sights as Marcus and the Mermaid swim together beneath the waves.  We see the vibrant colors of the coral reefs, sea turtles swimming the currents, and jellyfish drifting along.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
An’ it were a promise I aimed ta keep.  I ain’t never loved a woman so hard in so short a time as I loved Mami Wata.  She warn’t nothin’ short a’ intoxicatin’ an’ I was drunk on her love.  That shell, though, warn’t just her heart she was givin’ over, but a way ta bridge our two worlds.

Notably, we see Marcus using the shell as the pair swim, bringing it from her mouth to his, as if she were breathing through it for him.  A short swell of music to inspire wonder and awe accompanies the montage.

CUT TO:

INT. SEA CAVE – NIGHT
We see the pair, again, entwined on the bed of kelp and seaweed, fast asleep.  The treasures to the side of the room are now nearly outnumbered by the large, opalescent pearls, scattered amidst the various baubles.

FADE TO:

INT. SEA CAVE – DAY
Marcus awakens, to find himself alone.  We see him sit up on the bed, looking around for the Mermaid, and then he stands.  He looks around for her, then dives into the water.  We see the entry below the waterline, blocked by some kind of make-shift door.  Marcus pulls at it, but it holds fast.  He swims back to the surface, where he looks around the room some more, calling out to her.

MARCUS (CALLING)
Mami?  Where you run off to, Love?  Why you got me locked up?  Were that a mistake er sumthin’ else?  Mami!

Marcus searches the bed for anything useful, taking the conch shell and diving back below the water for a moment.  We see the room, empty, for a few seconds before he returns, looking frustrated.  He moves toward the piles of baubles, treasures, and pearls and begins moving things around amongst them, then picks up one of the pearls, peering closely into it.

We see what Marcus sees: Looking closer at the pearl, he sees through its iridescent shell to its interior – a brown-skinned fetus lies curled up inside, with white spots along its fins.  Shocked, we see Marcus drop the egg, which shatters on impact with the stone.  The fetus flops for a few moments as discordant music plays, and dies.  Marcus stands there, staring numbly at the dead creature, then wipes a tear from his eyes.  He walks over to the bed, looking fully defeated, curls into a ball, and weeps until he sleeps.

FADE TO:

ACT 3

A Doomed Escape

INT. SEA CAVE – NIGHT
We see the full breadth of the room, the bed at the back, as the Mermaid returns.  She slips from the water to the stone floor and joins Marcus on the bed, looking at him curiously as he stirs awake.  We see them closer now; his eyes are stained with the markings of many tears, and his expression is one of sorrow.  Not understanding, the Mermaid kisses him, and things become quickly heated.  The image blurs again as they once again engage in lovemaking.

CUT TO:

INT. SEA CAVE – NIGHT
We see the Mermaid awaken, examining Marcus briefly before she rises and moves toward her collection of baubles.  Deafening and discordant, a scream of music suddenly breaks the silence as she picks up the broken pearl and her dead offspring.  We see her curl inward in pain, clutching the body as the music swells, and she runs toward the water, leaping in and away.  Marcus is jarred awake, just in time to see her holding the body before she leaps toward the exit.  He quickly grabs the conch shell and chases after her.

FADE TO:

EXT. UNDERWATER SEA FLOOR – NIGHT
We see the Mermaid moving gracefully along the reef, the broken pearl in her hands as schools of fish dart around her.  Moonlight pierces the depths, providing dim lighting.  Marcus follows behind her, periodically bringing the conch shell to his mouth as he keeps his distance.  As the camera turns to another side of the reef, we see the Mermaid swim to the ocean floor, where the shattered remains of other broken pearls lay covered in seaweed.  She clears the plants away, and reverently places this new shell among them.  She seems to pause, her head bowed, before swimming away.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
I warn’t fixin’ ta be no Prisoner nor Pa when I asked Mami Wata ta save me, but that don’t mean I ain’t felt nothin’ when that littl’n died.  Seein’ her, puttin’ our baby ta rest… my heart was breakin’ fer all o’ us.  But I still needed ta know what she was gittin’ up to keepin’ me holed up like a slave, so I jus’ kept on followin’ best I could.

CUT TO:

EXT. UNDERWATER SHIP WRECKAGE – DAWN
We see Marcus continue following the Mermaid past the reef as the shadow of a ship emerges in the depths.  As they get closer, we can see that it is the HMS Crown’s Cutlass – Marcus’ ship – splintered in two, and the larger half remains intact.  We see the Mermaid swim towards a hole in the ship as Marcus lags behind, continuing his approach.

CUT TO:

INT. UNDERWATER SHIP WRECKAGE – DAWN
The camera opens on a room that is obviously partially submerged.  The wooden planks of the floor are at an angle, and there is a half-broken desk resting against a lower wall filled with documents and other odds and ends from its previous life above water.  Ruined finery lines the walls alongside the occasional porthole in what was once organized fashion.  In another corner, various sea treasures have begun to accumulate alongside a series of large, opalescent pearls.  We see the Mermaid emerge from the water and make her way towards an obscured figure, laying on a broken bed.  A haunting melody once again fills the air as she saunters in his direction.

BOATSWAIN (Hungrily)
Oy, lass!  Back for another poke, are ye?  Can’t get enough o’ me, I wager.  Well, then – happy to oblige!  Let’s give ‘em insides a wee shake around!

And, with that, he grabs her by the hips and throws her to the bed.  As the camera blurs out, we once again see the motions of a pair engaging in intercourse.

FADE TO:

EXT. UNDERWATER SHIP WRECKAGE – DAWN
Marcus continues his approach of the Crown’s Cutlass, coming to the side of the ship, and begins peering into a porthole.  Seeing nothing, he moves to another one, and then another – and then stops.  The conch shell slips from his hands, and we observe its slow descent into the murky depths.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
Ain’t no man ‘spects ta find his woman with ‘nother feller, an’ it ain’t like I had no ‘lusions ‘bout a ladyfolk’s appetites.  But I figgered she loved me, an’ I done plumb forgot this was Mami Wata.  What right I got ta ‘spect her ta give her heart ta just me?  I warn’t nobody special.  ‘Course, I’d perferred it warn’t that pertickler bastard.

INTERCUT TO:

INT. UNDERWATER SHIP WRECKAGE – DAWN
We see what Marcus sees through the porthole; the Boatswain and Mermaid laying together in bed, both spent, surrounded by more of her large pearl-eggs, fertilized by her union with the horrible man.

INTERCUT TO:

EXT. UNDERWATER SHIP WRECKAGE – DAWN
A montage flashes rapidly by, blending images of Marcus and the Mermaid in intimate embrace with shots of opalescent pearls scattered around the chamber. The sequence repeats, each time with more pearls appearing alongside them, creating a visual dawning of realization.  We see a close-up of Marcus’ expression of betrayal as he realizes he’s been being used this whole time.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)
But what if she weren’t Mami Wata?  It dawned on me right then I ain’t really knowed nothin’ ‘bout her.  What if this weren’t never ‘bout love for her. What if all she wanted were my seed? It warn’t till ‘bout then that I realized I’s missin’ somethin’ of more immediate import.

INTERCUT BACK TO:

EXT. UNDERWATER SHIP WRECKAGE – DAWN
Marcus begins to move his hand that held the conch shell toward his mouth, but then stops short and looks at it as if it has betrayed him.  Panicked, he looks to the left and right, and then to his clothing – all very quickly.  Finding nothing, he looks around himself, and then dives down, out of view.  A few seconds pass, and he returns, a terrified expression on his face.  Looking at the porthole again, he pounds his fist on it a few two or three times with no result.  He looks around himself a final time, and tries to swim upward as quickly as he can.

We see Marcus’ feet from below, kicking as he moves upward, away from the camera, until he is a good distance away – and he stops moving.  Our view shifts to a close-up of his face, now expressionless, as his eyes stare upwards at the shafts of sunlight piercing the surface of the water.  He has drowned.

FADE TO:

EXT. SHORELINE – DAY
We end with a close-up shot of Marcus’ face, pallid and decomposing as a small crab climbs out of his open mouth.  The camera begins to pan out and reveals the shore, and we see the Boatswain’s body washing ashore, brushing against Marcus’ feet as the waves push against the pair.  The bodies of the rest of the crew come into view as the camera begins to move overhead, all of them in varying states of decomposition.  The cries of seagulls can be heard against the crashing waves as the ocean carries on, oblivious to their deaths.  In the distance, we can see a glimmer of what may be tiny mermaids swimming in the open waters.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
I ain’t never had the chance to figure if she were Mami Wata or somethin’ else entire.  All’s I know’s that love is like a woman; only thing more captivatin’ than her beauty’d be her treachery.  She always got secret treasures hid.  Same’s the sea.  An’ just like the sea, Mami Wata’s gone claim us all for her own in the end.  You can’t hate the sea for bein’ the sea.  I reckon that’s why I still love her so.

END.