THE HOLY BIBLE
TELEPLAY EDITION
Episode 1002
“The Decay of Mankind”
by
George Willson
Based on the novel by God
TEASER
SUPER: “1056 Anno Mundi”
It looks like a normal city. Men and women
walk to and fro, doing their daily
duties. TWO MEN walk into a house.
Moments later, they burst out of the house
holding various articles including
carved gods. The HOMEOWNER runs out behind them. He wears some
decorative jewelry.
HOMEOWNER
Hey!
Stop them! They took my gods!
He appeals to some bystanders who just
watched.
HOMEOWNER
Please,
get help. We have to stop
them.
The BYSTANDER pushes him violently away.
BYSTANDER
Get
off me. Take care of it
yourself.
The bystander looks closely at the homeowner.
He rips off the man’s necklace and
runs away.
HOMEOWNER
Hey!
Behind him, another MAN enters his house. A
scream permeates the air. The
homeowner whips around. It is coming from his house.
HOMEOWNER
Zaba?
He runs into his house.
INT. HOUSE - DAY
The woman is back up against a wall. Part of
her garment is torn off of her,
exposing an indecent amount of skin. The HUSTLER is working to strip her
entirely, but she is trying to resist.
HOMEOWNER
What
are you doing?
HUSTLER
What
are you waiting for? We can
share
her, can’t we?
Without missing a beat, the homeowner snaps
back.
HOMEOWNER
You
know very well you cannot sleep
with
my wife until you pay me.
WIFE
What?
I never agreed to that.
The homeowner rears back and slaps his wife.
HOMEOWNER
Why
don’t you be a good little
girl
and do as you’re told! It’s
not
for you to agree or disagree.
You
pay me and she’s yours to
do
with as you please.
HUSTLER
Do
you want to join me?
HOMEOWNER
I
believe I shall.
The homeowner grabs the wife’s legs, and the
two carry her out the room.
WIFE
No!
The screams continues, but no one pays any
attention. As the city is further
regarded, thieves ransack businesses, people are lying in the street,
beaten
senseless or dead, women are dragged into secluded
rooms, men appear to be
having TOO friendly a conversation.
INT.
The ruler, METHUSELAH, now 369, looks out
over the failing kingdom. From his
vantage, he can see a temple to a god fashioned from iron, that
resembles a
plant of some sort.
METHUSELAH
How
easily man turns away from his
creator...
He shakes his head. A servant enters behind
him.
SERVANT
My
lord, it is a boy.
Methuselah smiles and strides behind the
servant who leads him to another room.
In this room, ASHMUA, the wife of LAMECH,
182, lies on a bed, exhausted. Lamech
holds up the baby for Methuselah to see.
LAMECH
Father,
look! I have a son.
METHUSELAH
Well
done, Lamech, my son. At
182,
you waited almost as long
as
I did. How is Ashmua?
LAMECH
She
is resting. Would you like
to
see your grandson?
METHUSELAH
Of
course.
Lamech walks over to a MIDWIFE, standing in the room. He retrieves the
BABY from
her and carries him to Methuselah.
METHUSELAH
Have
you decided on a name for him?
LAMECH
I
know the grandson of Methuselah,
son
of Enoch, should have a name
of
strength in these darkest of
days.
I was going to call him
Menachem, because this one will
comfort
us in our works and
miserable
toil on the earth, which
God
has cursed.
METHUSELAH
That
is the world we live in
now,
but the time is coming when
the
Lord will have his way with the
world,
and this will not be so.
He
should be called Noah, because
the
earth in his days will be at
rest
and free from corruption.
LAMECH
Oh,
that the day would be today.
METHUSELAH
It
will be neither today, nor
tomorrow.
In fact, we will not see
it...but
he will.
NOAH looks towards Methuselah and smiles.
Methuselah smiles back at him.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
EXT. HEAVEN
In the vast brightness of heaven, a voice
issues out of the light on a throne.
Angels stand around listening to God speak.
Their expressions saddened by his news.
GOD
Every
man has made himself a god.
Judges
plunder and take men’s
wives
by force. They have corrupted
the
animals, by mixing the species.
All
flesh has corrupted its ways
upon
the earth: all men and all
animals.
Therefore, I will blot
out
man that I created from the
face
of the earth; from the man to
the
bird of the air, together with
cattle
and beasts that are in the
field
for I repent that I made them.
None
of the men who have followed
me
and obeyed my commandments will
see
the punishment I will bring
upon
the wicked of the world.
MICHAEL, one of the angels, steps forward.
MICHAEL
Oh,
Sovereign Lord, will you
destroy
all of mankind which you
have
created, and all of the
animals?
GOD
Noah,
the son of those who have
followed
me, will be chosen, along
with
his children, to raise up a
new
seed on the face of the earth.
RAPHAEL
When
you do this terrible thing?
GOD
Soon.
EXT. GROVE - DAY
SUPER: “480 Years Later”
SUPER: “1536 Anno Mundi”
Methuselah (now 849), Lamech
(662), and Noah (480) stand beside the grave of
JARED.
METHUSELAH
Old
and full of years was Jared,
the
father of Enoch, who ascended
to
God.
NOAH
He
was a good man. Walked in the
ways
of God.
LAMECH
As
do you, Noah, my son.
NOAH
I
follow as best as I can.
LAMECH
You
do well. However, it disturbs
me
that at 480, you still have not
taken
a wife.
NOAH
What’s
the point? Grandfather has long
since been removed from his position.
No
one cares of the ways of God
anymore.
We are all that remains of
God’s
people. God is going to
destroy
this world, so why should I
have
children? I would only watch
them
die.
METHUSELAH
Noah,
I don’t know what is delaying
God’s
judgment on the people.
He,
of course, knows more than any
of
us, and perhaps there are more
people
who follow him. Or perhaps,
if
we are all there is, then he is
simply
waiting for us to die out,
so we will not experience his wrath.
LAMECH
That’s
not comforting.
METHUSELAH
I
didn’t say it would be.
NOAH
Unless
God commands, I will not
take
a wife.
LAMECH
I
can respect that. Well, I must
be
going. I’ll see you later.
METHUSELAH
Go
with God, Lamech.
NOAH
Good-bye,
father.
Lamech leaves them. Noah and Methuselah continue walking.
METHUSELAH
My
son disturbs me, Noah. Have
you
noticed?
NOAH
I
know my father does not walk
fully
in the ways you have laid
down.
METHUSELAH
It
saddens me that I cannot
prevent
his downfall, but I
rejoice
that your walk has always
been
pure.
NOAH
What
are we to do?
METHUSELAH
God
will guide us.
A light suddenly shines down upon them from
above.
GOD
Noah.
Methuselah.
Noah and Methuselah drops to their knees in
reverence.
NOAH
& METHUSELAH
Here
we are.
GOD
You
are to speak to the sons of
men,
saying, “The Lord commands you
to
return from your evil ways and
forsake
your works, and the Lord
will
repent of the evil that he
declared
to do to you, so that it
will
not happen. For the Lord
has
said, ‘I will give you a
period
of 120 years; if you turn
to
me and forsake your evil ways,
then
I will also turn away from the
evil
which I told you, and it will
not
exist.’”
NOAH
& METHUSELAH
We
will do it.
The light goes away. Noah and Methuselah rise
to their feet.
METHUSELAH
Now
we know.
NOAH
Man
has 120 years, or God will
destroy
them. We have to tell them.
METHUSELAH
Enoch
spoke to them in the middle
of
the city, and many inclined to
his
words. Let’s go.
Methuselah and Noah head off towards the
city.
Noah and Methuselah walks past the booths
being robbed and idols being worshipped
until they find themselves in almost the same place that Enoch did
over 800 years
earlier. Now, there is a statue of some god sitting there.
NOAH
Should
we knock it down?
METHUSELAH
Absolutely.
It’s just a chuck of
metal.
NOAH
It’ll
certainly get some attention.
METHUSELAH
Go
on. I’ll try and stop anyone
if
they try to attack you.
Noah leaps up onto the pedestal, and pushes
the god to the ground. It lands
with a crunch. People turn to the insolent man who dares attack
their god.
NOAH
Listen
to me. All of you. The Lord
God
who created this world and
everything
in it has sent us to
give
you a message. Return from
your
evil ways, and forsake your
works,
and the Lord will repent of
the
evil he will do to you. You
have
120 years to turn away from
your
evil ways. Turn away from
idols
carved by your own hands.
Turn
away from plundering, turn
away
from immorality. If you turn
from
your ways, the Lord will turn
away
from the evil he will do to
you,
and it shall not exist.
Noah and Methuselah stand still for a moment.
The people are silent. Suddenly,
they lift up stones and throw them at Noah.
METHUSELAH
Run!
Noah jumps from the pedestal. He and
Methuselah run for a place of safety. The
mob follows them, throwing stones the whole time.
The pair cuts around a corner and disappears
into an open door. Outside the mob
roars by.
NOAH
Well,
that didn’t go very well.
METHUSELAH
We
can’t give up.
NOAH
I
know.
Noah and Methuselah emerge on a rooftop
overlooking the mob below. The mob is
wandering aimlessly, most reverting back to torturing
one another again.
NOAH
People
of the world, hear us!
Someone points to the rooftop.
PERSON
There
they are!
They scramble around on the ground to find a
way up as Methuselah speaks. Noah
watches the entrance.
METHUSELAH
Return
from your evil ways and
forsake
your evil works, and
the
Lord will turn away from you
the
evil he has prepared. You
have
120 years to turn from your
evil
ways, and follow his. If
you
return to Him, he will
take
this evil away from you and
it
shall not exist.
The people burst through the door to the
roof.
NOAH
Move!
Noah and Methuselah leap from rooftop to
rooftop to escape the angry mob. They
leap onto the ground and keep running.
METHUSELAH
Lamech’s!
Noah nods. They burst through the door to Lamech’s.
INT. LAMECH’S HOUSE - DAY
They close the door behind them and stand
with their backs against it for a moment.
When they hear the footfalls of the mob pass
by again, they relax.
METHUSELAH
Lamech?
NOAH
Father?
They look about the house for a moment and
realize he is not home.
NOAH
Wonder
where he went.
Suddenly, the door bursts open. Noah and
Methuselah jump back, expecting the
worst. Instead, Lamech stands at the door.
He looks at them angrily.
LAMECH
Have
you completely lost your
minds?
NOAH
What
do you mean?
LAMECH
You
know very well what I mean.
I
walk out of the food market
and what do I see? My father and
son running away from a crowd
throwing stones. When I ask
someone why they are doing this
I
learn that you two were
preaching repentance from a
rooftop and
telling everyone
how bad they are. We know how
bad everyone is. We also know
that they don’t care. What is
bringing this on?
METHUSELAH
We
heard from the Lord, my son.
LAMECH
You
did?
NOAH
He
set a time for the destruction
of the world. He instructed us to
tell the people to turn from their
ways and forsake their works and
he will turn from the evil he
intends to do.
LAMECH
How
long?
METHUSELAH
120
years.
Lamech soaks this in for a moment. He shakes his head and scoffs.
LAMECH
You
know how crazy this sounds?
METHUSELAH
What?
LAMECH
Seriously. God will destroy the
world? And if Kenan and Enoch
are right, it will be with water.
A flood of water. How is water
going to flood the land? Will the
land sink? The only way water
gets on the plants is the morning
dew. Water doesn’t fall from the
sky.
NOAH
Father,
do you doubt the Almighty
God?
LAMECH
No,
I doubt you. What about us?
Will
God destroy the righteous
with the wicked?
METHUSELAH
We
are mankind. If God wishes
us to be destroyed, then we will
be destroyed.
LAMECH
Listen
to yourself! It’s one
thing to consider the evil of the
world has elevated to the point
that God wants to destroy mankind,
but it’s another thing entirely
to threaten people with a date.
120
years!
NOAH
It
is what God told us.
LAMECH
When?
NOAH
After Jared’s funeral.
LAMECH
Why
didn’t he speak to me?
METHUSELAH
Perhaps
he dislikes your disbelief.
LAMECH
I
believe in God.
METHUSELAH
But
you do not do as he commands.
LAMECH
I
don’t have to stand here and
take your insults.
Lamech starts to leave.
METHUSELAH
You’re
right, Lamech. You don’t.
But
judgment is on all mankind.
I
don’t know if God will save us,
but you have to follow him to have
a chance.
Lamech pauses for a moment to consider this, but finally leaves. Noah
looks
to Methuselah.
METHUSELAH
I
didn’t want to admit it to myself,
but he is caught up in the ways of
this world, and slowly falling away
from God with the rest of them.
NOAH
So
we are alone?
METHUSELAH
Yes.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
SUPER: “1554 Anno Mundi”
SUPER: “102 Years Remain”
A crowd is shouting and throwing things at
Noah and Methuselah, who continue
delivering the message about the coming destruction
from a rooftop.
METHUSELAH
Destroy
your idols. Cease your
immorality. Turn your hearts to
the one Almighty God who created
this world and everything in it.
Stop
mixing the species of
animals to create what God did
not intend. Do not get drunk on
the fruit of the vine. Turn from
your evil ways and incline your
hearts to God.
NOAH
Time
to go!
Noah and Methuselah slip out a side exit. A
crowd charges the roof and stops,
looking around for their prey.
Noah and Methuselah slip out a side door of
the house and walk down an alleyway
away from the crowds.
NOAH
We’re
not getting anywhere. After
18
years, they refuse to listen
to us.
METHUSELAH
If
we are to preach to them for
the next 100 years in vain, I will
die in peace knowing I have done the
Lord’s
commands.
EXT. NOAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Noah walks alone to his modest dwelling. He
has fields around that are
undisturbed and modestly planted. Noah walks over to a
plant and takes of its
fruit. He eats as he enters his house.
INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Noah finishes his fruit. He kneels in his
house and prays.
NOAH
Father
in heaven, we have done as
you have asked, and still mankind
rebukes us. What is to become of
those you consider righteous in
this wicked generation?
GOD
Noah.
Noah looks up.
NOAH
Here
am I.
GOD
Noah,
it is time for you to take
a wife and have children, for I
have seen that you are righteous
before me in this generation.
NOAH
Forgive
me for asking, Lord, but
why am I to have children if you
are going to destroy the world?
GOD
Because I have found you to be
righteous, you shall raise up your
seed in the midst of the world,
and your children will begin a
new generation of mankind after
this wicked one has been destroyed.
NOAH
If
you intend to destroy it, are
we to continue to try and turn the
hearts of the people?
GOD
If
mankind will turn their hearts
to me, then I will not destroy
them.
NOAH
Thank
you, Lord.
(beat)
Almighty
God, who am I to choose?
GOD
You
will know.
NOAH
Yes,
Lord.
Noah leaves his house.
EXT. NOAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Noah walks through his fields away from his
house. He stops and looks around.
NOAH
(to himself)
Who
would the Lord have me choose
for a wife? She should be of the
lineage of the righteous since she
will be the mother of the future
should mankind continue in its
decay.
Noah continues onward.
INT. METHUSELAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Noah and Methuselah sit at a table in
Methuselah’s house. They have cups before
them. Methuselah takes a sip. A WOMAN places a bowl of fruit in
front of them.
Noah and Methuselah take a piece.
METHUSELAH
So,
you got what you asked for.
NOAH
Yeah,
God told me to find a wife.
But
who should it be?
METHUSELAH
Enoch
had a daughter about 13
years before the Lord took him.
Noah thinks for a moment.
NOAH
Naamah?
METHUSELAH
Naamah.
NOAH
She
would be around 580 now,
wouldn’t she?
METHUSELAH
Yes.
When I’ve considered a
wife for you, I’ve always thought
of Naamah. She would be a good
choice, and since she is my
sister, I would be the one to
approve of the marriage.
NOAH
And
do you approve?
METHUSELAH
Of
course I do.
NOAH
Where
is she?
METHUSELAH
I
am the eldest son, and she is
the youngest daughter. She lives
with me. God has never found her
a husband probably because she
is intended for you. All of our
other relations are married or
have decayed with the rest of
mankind.
Methuselah walks into another room. Noah
stands. Methuselah returns with Naamah
(who doesn’t look a
day over 340).
METHUSELAH
I
know you both know each other
already, but Naamah, Noah has
asked for your hand in marriage,
and I have approved. Will you
have him?
Naamah smiles shyly at Noah, who smiles in
return.
NAAMAH
I
would be honored.
NOAH
The
honor is mine.
Noah and Naamah take each others’ hands.
METHUSELAH
Then
in the name of Almighty God,
may you be husband and wife, and
cleave to each other and be one
flesh. It is finally time, Naamah
for you to leave the house of
your brother and live with your
husband.
Noah and Naamah embrace.
INT. LAMECH’S HOUSE - DAY
SUPER: “1654 Anno Mundi”
SUPER: “2 Years Remain”
Methuselah, now 967, stands waiting in the
foyer of Lamech’s home. Noah and
Naamah walk in along with THREE YOUNG MEN,
SHEM (95), HAM (93), and JAPHETH
(98).
NOAH
Where
is he?
Methuselah points off to another room. Noah
walks into the bedroom and finds
Lamech lying on his bed. Noah takes his hand.
NOAH
My
father, is it your time?
LAMECH
It
is, my son. I know how I
have walked this life, and I
know it was not how I should
have. You were right to follow
my father, Methuselah, and not
my own ways. But our Lord had
mercy on me, and allowed me to
die before he inflicted his
evil on the world of the wicked.
NOAH
He
stands with those who follow
him.
LAMECH
Yes.
I am glad you took a wife.
Where
are my grandchildren?
Noah gestures back. Shem, Ham, and Japheth
come forward.
LAMECH
Has
the Lord said how you are
to be saved?
NOAH
No.
We live every day in the faith
that if he destroys the world, he
will find a way to bring us through
it.
Lamech looks at each of Noah’s sons.
LAMETH
Shem.
Ham. Japheth. Walk in the
ways of your father for the Lord
has declared him righteous and
upright in this generation of
wickedness. As I go the way of
my fathers, you will go on to
a new world that the Lord will
give to you. Remember to always
follow the commands of God with
all your heart. I lived a harder
life than I should have because
I
didn’t.
Lamech takes a deep breath. Noah’s sons step back and stand with
Naamah. Noah
and Methuselah come forward.
LAMECH
Forgive
me for my sins.
METHUSELAH
God
will forgive, my son. Rest
now.
NOAH
Rest in peace, father.
Noah takes his father’s hand. Lamech smiles and then dies.
EXT. GROVE - DAY
Noah and Methuselah stand at the fresh grave
of Lamech along with Naamah,
Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Naamah places her hand on Noah’s shoulder to
let him
know they were going to let him and Methuselah alone. Noah nods.
Naamah leaves
with the boys.
NOAH
What’s
going to happen?
METHUSELAH
I
wish I knew.
GOD
Noah.
Methuselah.
Noah and Methuselah fall on the ground face
down.
NOAH
Yes,
Lord.
METHUSELAH
We
are here.
GOD
All
the sons of men who knew me
have now died before I bring the
evil to the world. I willed them
to die so they would not behold
the evil I am bringing upon their
brothers and relatives, as I
declared to them I would do.
Now,
stand to all men and proclaim
to them all the words I have
spoken to you previously, so that
perhaps they will turn from their
evil ways. If they will repent, I
will turn from the evil and will
not bring it.
Noah and Methuselah look at each other.
Noah and Methuselah stand atop the roof of
another house in the center of
the city.
NOAH
Men
of the world, hear us!
Everyone stops and turns to them.
METHUSELAH
We
have been proclaiming the
word of the Lord to you that
he commands you to turns from
your evil ways and forsake
your wicked works.
NOAH
The
Lord told us to come to you
one more time before he destroys
you all. You have 2 years to
repent or the Lord will bring
his wrath down upon all of you.
METHUSELAH
It
is not too late. The Almighty
God
is merciful and wants to you
return to him and follow his
commands. Turn from your wicked
ways.
NOAH
Do
not steal from one another. Do
not worship your idols of stone
and metal. Women, do not take the
draught of barrenness, for it
defiles the Lord’s command to
be fruitful and multiply. Do not
engage in unnatural relations with
one another.
METHUSELAH
People
of the world, what is your
answer? This is your final warning.
Are
you for God or for yourselves?
NOAH
If
you are for God, you will live
long upon the earth. If you are
against him, you will die in 2
years’ time. What is your decision?
Everyone stands for a moment. Suddenly, a
stone is thrown and it hits Noah.
MAN
Get
out of here!
Everyone starts stoning Noah and Methuselah.
They run across the rooftops
away from the throng and climb back down to the ground. The crowd
doesn’t
chase them any further.
NOAH
That’s
it.
METHUSELAH
Now
what?
INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Noah enters his house. Naamah greets him.
Shem, Ham, and Japheth sit around the
table.
NAAMAH
You
went into the city again?
NOAH
Yes.
SHEM
What
happened?
NOAH
The same as before, Shem. They
would not heed our warnings. They
will not come to God. God will
destroy the earth in 2 years’ time,
and they don’t care.
HAM
What
is to become of us, then?
NOAH
I
don’t know, Ham. I will ask
God
what he plans to do, and
he will tell me.
JAPHETH
We
are with you.
NOAH
Thank
you, Japheth.
Noah walks into his private room and closes
the door. He kneels.
NOAH
Father
of all mankind and all
the earth. We are now 2 years
before you are to destroy us,
and rightfully so, as we are
sinful. You have said that my
children are to be a new
beginning for the world. Show
me, Lord, what I am to do.
How
will you save us?
A light issues from overhead onto Noah. His
head remains bowed.
GOD
I
am going to put an end to all
people, for the earth is filled
with violence because of them.
This
is how you and your family
will endure this evil: Make
yourself an ark of gopher wood;
make rooms in it and cover it
with pitch inside and out. This
is how you are to build it: The
ark is to be 450 feet long, 75
feet wide, and 45 feet high.
Make
a roof for it and make a
door to open at its side and
finish it to within 18 inches of
the top. Make also lower, middle,
and upper decks.
NOAH
What
does this ark do? I don’t
understand it.
GOD
I
am going to bring floodwaters
on the earth to destroy all life
under the heavens, every creature
that has the breath of life in it.
Everything
on earth will die. But
I
will establish my covenant with
you, and you will enter the ark -
you and your wife and your sons’
wives with you.
NOAH
My
sons do not have wives.
GOD
You
will choose three maidens for
your sons from the daughters of
men, and they shall be wives for
them.
NOAH
Yes,
Lord.
GOD
When
the ark is complete, you are to
bring into the ark two of all living
creatures, male and female, to keep
them alive with you. Two of every
kind of bird, of every kind of animal
and of every kind of creature that
moves along the ground will come to
you to be kept alive. You are also
to take every kind of food that is to
be eaten and store it away as food for
you and for them.
NOAH
And
I have two years to do this?
GOD
As you have said.
The light fades. Noah stands, taking in the
gravity of the task ahead of him.
He exits his room and re-enters the room with
the rest of his family.
SHEM
What
is it, father? Did God speak
to you?
NOAH
Yes,
Shem, he spoke to me.
NAAMAH
What
did he say?
NOAH
We
have a lot of work to do.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
INT. METHUSELAH’S HOUSE - DAY
SUPER: “1656 Anno Mundi”
SUPER: “10th day, second month”
SUPER: “7 Days Remain”
Methuselah (969) lies on his deathbed. Noah
(600) is with him.
METHUSELAH
I
knew it was not for me to see
what the Lord planned in his
righteous judgment, but I die
knowing how you will be saved.
NOAH
Yes,
we did it. Just in time.
METHUSELAH
I
am glad your sons took well
to my granddaughters.
NOAH
They
each chose their own, and
the women agreed with the choices.
They
have been as useful as the
men in making the Lord’s ark.
METHUSELAH
I
wish I could have been more help,
but it seems Adam’s sin has finally
caught up to me.
NOAH
As
it will to all of us.
METHUSELAH
Always
remember your God, and teach
your grandchildren what God desires
of us.
NOAH
I
will.
METHUSELAH
I
don’t think a burial will be
necessary in my case. You can
let me sleep peacefully in my
bed.
Noah laughs through his sadness.
METHUSELAH
Go
with God, Noah. He will go with
you.
NOAH
Rest in peace, grandfather.
Methuselah dies. Noah sheds a few tears and
hugs Methuselah. Finally, he
stands and leaves.
EXT.
TWO MEN stand atop a hill overlooking a large
open plain.
MAN
1
What
is it?
MAN
2
I
don’t know, but they been
working on it non-stop over
the last couple years.
MAN
1
But
what does it do?
MAN
2
This
guy thinks his god is going
to destroy the world with water,
and that thing will save him.
Man 1 laughs.
MAN
1
What
a kook! Water doesn’t fall
from the sky!
The pair laughs as Noah walks past them,
ignoring them. Noah walks down the
hillside to the home of he and his family. He enters the dwelling.
INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Noah enters. His wife, sons, and
daughters-in-law stand at his entrance.
JAPHETH
Methuselah?
Noah shakes his head. Japheth’s countenance
drops.
NOAH
He
was a good man, son. His life
was full of years, and he is
resting with our fathers. He
knew he would not see what God
had planned.
NAAMAH
We
will miss him.
SHEM
Does
this mean it is time?
JAPHETH
The
ark is complete. We’ve been
over it inside and out with
pitch, and haven’t missed a
spot.
HAM
What
comes next?
GOD
Noah.
Noah and his family lower themselves to the
ground.
NOAH
Yes,
Lord.
GOD
Go
now with your household into
the ark. I will gather to you
all the animals of the earth, the
beasts of the field and the fowls
of the air, and they will all come
and surround the ark. You shall go
and sit by the door of the ark, and
all the beasts, the animals, the
fowls shall assemble and place
themselves before you. The ones
which bow to you, you will deliver
into the hands of your sons who will
bring them into the ark, but all
that stand before you shall leave.
Noah stands.
NOAH
Let’s
go. Bring what you wish to
bring with you, so when the time
comes, our load will be light.
Noah, Naamah, Shem, his wife Sedeqetelebab,
Ham, his wife Adatan’eses, and
Japeth and his wife Ne’elatama’
out their door.
EXT. THE
As the family walks out their door, THE ARK
comes into view. It is an awesome
sight. Coated with pitch, it is primarily black in color. A huge
ramped door
ordains the side of the vehicle, and its design is boxier than one
might think
(remember, these
people have no idea what a boat looks like).
They enter through the enormous door and walk
up stairs that lead to the upper
decks. The sons each go to his own room with his wife, and Noah and
Naamah place
their things in their room.
A sound issues from outside the ark. It is a
loud, distant sound, like a large
animal.
JAPHETH
What
in the world was that?
ADATAN’ESES
I
have no idea.
NOAH
Come
on.
The family of 8 runs to the door.
Over the ridge near the ark, a line of
animals approaches. Like the line that
Adam named, this group is of every creature
that God made that walks along the
earth with the breath of life in them. They all approach the land
around the ark.
The family continues to watch in awe as these
creatures are led to them by God.
HAM
Amazing!
SHEM
Amen.
NOAH
Boys,
prepare to receive the
animals. Naamah, take their
wives to the upper deck.
Shem, Ham, and Japheth run inside followed by
Naamah, Ne’elatama’
and Sedeqetelebab.
The animals approach the ark and take up the
majority of the open plains around
it. There are more than two of each animal.
Noah watches the animals in wonderment. The
first group of animals approach the
ark. Of the group, two of them kneel to him. Noah admits the pair
that knelt, and
sends away the rest.
Another group of animals approaches, and the
same thing occurs.
Inside the ark, Shem, Ham, and Japheth take
the animals and deposit them in a
myriad of stalls on the various levels, larger animals on the lower
level,
smaller ones as the levels rise.
A group of sheep approach Noah. Instead of a
pair, seven pair kneel before him.
Noah admits the 7 pairs of sheep. Shem
arrives to attend them, and looks
momentarily confused.
SHEM
Seven pairs?
NOAH
Seven
knelt before me, so seven
will be admitted. God finds these
animals to be acceptable sacrifices,
so we would require more than just a
single pair.
Shem nods and takes the sheep in.
The animals continue in their procession to
get into the ark.
EXT. THE
SUPER: “1656 Anno Mundi”
SUPER: “Second month, 10th day”
The animals who were
not permitted to enter the ark stand around it. The door
stands open. The scene is very peaceful. Nothing is happening.
INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Noah and his family eat a meal around the
table.
HAM
How
much longer do we have?
JAPHETH
The
animals are loaded. It can’t be
long.
NOAH
God
will give us a sign.
NAAMAH
How
long do you think we’ll be on
the ark?
NOAH
No
way of knowing. I really don’t
know what God is going to do. We
know it will be a flood, but how
the water is to accumulate on the
earth is a mystery. The morning
dew has already lifted.
SEDEQETELEBAH
What
can we do while we wait?
SHEM
Everything
is finished. We’re here
until it happens.
Everyone sits quietly, waiting.
Suddenly, a huge earthquake shakes the house
and knocks everyone to the
ground.
NE’ELATAMA’
Was
that a sign?
JAPHETH
Ne’elatama’
I
don’t know what else it could be.
NOAH
Let’s
go.
EXT. NOAH’S HOUSE / THE
The family runs outside. They look into the
sky with wonder. Dark clouds roll
in, blocking out the sunlight. Thunder rolls.
HAM
What’s
going on?
NOAH
I
don’t know.
Lightning strikes causing a huge thunder
clap. The family cringes in fear and
curiosity. Suddenly, the first rain falls onto the
earth. As they slowly get
wet, they ponder the drops of water falling on their heads.
ADATAN’ESES
(with wonder)
Water
is falling from the sky.
NOAH
This
is how God will flood the
earth. Let’s get into the ark.
They run across the field towards the ark.
The animals only casually look at
them as they pass by. The rain comes down harder as they run. They
all charge
up the ramp into the ark.
INT.
The family runs into the ark. Japheth stops just
inside the door.
JAPHETH
How
do we close the door?
As if by request, the door closes by itself.
Japheth looks at it for a moment.
JAPHETH
I
guess God has that covered,
too.
The thunder continues to rumble and the rain
beats down upon the outside of the
ark. Japheth runs through the ark to join the rest of the family on
the upper
deck.
HAM
So
this is it. This is the evil
God
planned to release on mankind.
Water
falls from the sky and
destroys them all.
NOAH
This
is what God wished to spare
the eyes of the men who walked
in his ways from.
Sounds issue from outside the ark. Sounds of many, many men. Noah walks over
to a window and opens it.
EXT. THE
Through the increasing downpour, 700,000
people gather outside the ark. They
tramp through growing puddles of water. They all stop outside the
ark.
MAN
Noah!
Hey, Noah!
Noah looks down on them from his high window.
NOAH
What
do you want?
MAN
Open
up, so that we may join you
in the ark, otherwise we will
die. Do you want us to die?
NOAH
Haven’t
you all rebelled against the
Lord,
saying he doesn’t exist?
The
Lord has brought this evil on
you to destroy and cut you off from
the face of the earth. Isn’t this
what I spoke you to about over the
last 120 years? Only now, do you wish
to listen to the voice of the Lord.
Only
now do you wish to live upon the
earth.
MAN
We
are ready to return to the Lord.
Just
open the door for us so we can
live and not die.
NOAH
So
now that you see the trouble of
your souls, you wish to return to the
Lord.
Why didn’t you return during the
` 120
years the Lord gave to you as a
grace period? But now that your lives
are threatened, you come, but the Lord
will not listen to you, so that now
you will not succeed in your wishes.
MAN
Open
this door!
NOAH
God
has closed the door, and will not
open it again until the appointed
time.
The man steps back from the ark, angry. He
turns to his fellows.
MAN
I
don’t care what he says, I’m getting
in there. Come on!
The men rush the ark and start to pound on
its sides as the water slowly rises
around them. Suddenly, the animals that have been standing docile
around the
ark turn on the men, and attack them.
The attack continues until the men flee.
INT.
Noah and his family close the windows.
NOAH
Well,
that is that.
JAPHETH
What
do we do now?
NOAH
We
wait.
EXT.
The rain falls and falls. Slowly the water
rises further and further until the
ark is lifted off the ground.
INT.
The family is standing around inside the ark
until they are shifted off their
feet.
NE’ELATAMA’
What
was that?
NOAH
We
moved.
Shem and Sedeqetelebab walk over to the
window and open it. They look out.
SEDEQETELEBAB
The
ark is floating on top of
the water!
SHEM
Look
at the city.
The water rushes through the city streets.
People stand on their rooftops,
trying to get above the waters, but the water is already flowing over
the
tops of the houses.
People are desperately praying to their idols
of wood and stone. One idol of
wood floats down the street.
INT.
The family closes the window. Their faces
betray their regret of beholding the
horror of God’s wrath.
ADATAN’ESES
It’s
terrible.
HAM
It’ll
only get worse, too.
NAAMAH
I
think we should keep the windows
closed.
SEDEQETELEBAB
I
agree.
EXT.
Forty days later, the ark rides atop the
water. The rains continue falling,
and the water buffet the ark around. Day and night seem immaterial
under the
dark clouds.
INT.
The sounds of animals complaining in the form
of bleats, roars, trumpets,
mews, howls, etc, resonates through the ark. Noah’s family makes a
vain attempt
to sleep, but are mostly unable to.
Noah sits up. He walks out of his room and
checks on the others. Shem sits
awake against the wall of the ark. His eyes are bloodshot, and it
looks like
he hasn’t slept in days. Noah sits beside him.
NOAH
Speak
to me, Shem.
SHEM
The animals. They won’t stop. We’re
being tossed around like pottage
in a cauldron, and they are
frightened. We are frightened.
Shedeqetelebab sleeps only out of
exhaustion.
NOAH
It
is the only slumber we can find
at this time, but we will endure it.
God
has promised that we will live.
SHEM
Forty
days this rain has continued.
The
screams of the people haunt me.
I
understand the why, but part of
me feels horrible for being the ones
left behind out of so many who died.
NOAH
They
were not ignorant of their
fates. For one hundred and twenty
years, Methuselah and I warned them
of what would happen.
SHEM
What
of us, though? I feel like we
also have reached the gates of
death. How long will this continue?
NOAH
I
will speak to God on our behalfs.
Perhaps
he will redeem us from all
of this water.
Shem nods. Noah walks to a stairway that
leads to a door. Once Noah opens the
door, rains and winds rush in. Noah exits the ark as Naamah and the
others
come out of their rooms.
NAAMAH
What
just happened, Shem?
SHEM
Father
went outside to talk to God.
NAAMAH
Let
us hope that God’s judgment on
mankind is completed.
The others nod.
EXT.
Noah crawls across the top of the ark,
fighting against the storm. He kneels
face down on the ark, with the winds and rains whipping around him.
He shouts
over the storm to be heard.
NOAH
Oh,
Lord, help us! For we have no
strength to bear this evil that
has encompassed us! For the waves
of the waters have surrounded us;
mischievous torrents have terrifed
us; the snares of death have come
before us. Answer us, oh Lord,
answer us. Light up your
countenance towards us and be
gracious to us. Redeem your
servants and deliver us!
As if on command, the rains cease. Winds take
the dark clouds away revealing
the sun behind the clouds. The waters are still and calm. Noah,
drenched from
the rain, looks toward the sun and smiles.
NOAH
Thank
you, Lord. Your mercy is
boundless.
The door opens and the other seven members of
the family emerge. They squint
in the sunlight.
SHEM
It’s
over?
NOAH
God
has listened. The waters have
stopped.
They all rush onto the top of the ark,
cheering and hugging each other, having
survived the first part of the Great Flood.
END OF ACT THREE
Source Material:
From the Bible:
Genesis 5:25-7:23
From Extra-Canonical Works:
The Book of Jasher 4:13-6:34