EXT. HOGARTH’S HOUSE – THAT NIGHT – ESTABLISHING
We push through the storm towards an upstairs window, and into…
INT. HOGARTH’S HOUSE – CONTINUOUS
A flashlight beam illustrates the STORM SMASHING against a window.
A WIDE-EYED NINE-YEAR-OLD BOY, HOGARTH, GRIPS THE FLASHLIGHT.
AS THE STORM RAGES, HOGARTH EXPLORES HIS ROOM BY FLASHLIGHT. THE MOVING BEAM GIVES LIFE TO THE ROOM FULL OF TOYS AND MEMORABILIA, THE WINDS HOWL GROWS LOUDER. GLASS SHATTERS and a cold wind whips into the room.
VOICE: (O.S.) Hogarth….?!!
The door flies open and Hogarth’s mother ANNIE is there. Late twenties, attractive.
ANNIE: Are you alright, honey?
HOGARTH: Yeah, Mom, I’m okay…
Annie turns to the shattered window pane, then pushes Hogarth’s bookshelf in front of it to block the wind. Hogarth stares at his mother. She looks spooked.
HOGARTH: … are you?
ANNIE: I hate when the power goes out. But… yes, I’m fine.
Outside, the wind howls.
HOGARTH: Wanna stay up with me for a while? (coaxing) I could tell you a story…
Annie smiles, touched.
ANNIE: A story, huh? What have you got for me this time?
HOGARTH: Well, it’s a story about…
Hogarth scans the toys and souvenirs on his bedside table. With a sudden flash of inspiration, he grabs a baseball card.
HOGARTH: Mickey Mantle. He had a magic bat, Mom. Everybody says so.
As Annie watches Hogarth with motherly adoration, Hogarth picks up a plastic dinosaur.
HOGARTH: Anyway, this is the story of Mickey’s adventures with the stegosaurus. It’s got action and romance. And the best part is, it’s all true.
Annie laughs and touches a fingertip on Hogarth’s forehead.
ANNIE: You’ve got a lot going on in there, don’t you, Hogarth? (wistfully) Just like your father…
For a moment Hogarth beams. He looks over at a framed photo that sits on his nightstand, that shows a handsome man dressed in an army uniform. And as he stares at the photo, a sad, pensive look comes over Hogarth’s face. Annie sees it.
HOGARTH: I can’t wait ’til he comes back.
ANNIE: (gently) We’ve been through this before, honey…
HOGARTH: They found his plane, mom. They didn’t find him. He’s gonna come back. Annie sees the resolute look in her son’s eyes and decides to change tack.
ANNIE: So what could he do with that magic bat of his?
HOGARTH: (lost in thought) Huh?
ANNIE: Mickey Mantle. Could he cast spells with it, like a magician?
HOGARTH: Oh… (brightening) Yeah. Yeah that’s exactly what he could do. And that’s why he was known as the Wizard of Sherwood Forest.
ANNIE: (amused) Sherwood Forest, huh?
HOGARTH: Right. And then one day, this Stegosaurus shows up. And he says– (deep voice) “Who thinks he is mightier than me, the mighty thunder lizard?”
ANNIE And this is all true, now?
HOGARTH: Every word, Mom — I wouldn’t make this up. So Mickey says, “I’m the two time American League batting champ. I was MVP of the All-Star game three times running. I go anywhere I please in this forest…”
We DRIFT BACK from mother and son, hunkered down in a pool of warm flashlight, surrounded by darkness…
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