The Rose of Socorro: The Black Rose

By M. Francois Winder

The International Botanical Society is offering ten million dollars for a pure black rose.

Four couples, all small college professors from a eastern Pennsylvania campus, go in search of The Rose of Socorro. A high ranking Senator who is an industrialist, capitalist and multi-millionaire has a taste for the arts, and The Rose of Socorro is living art.

Sending the couples to the Isle of Socorro to procure the Black Rose is dangerous enough, but add to that Headhunters, a love sick Mountain Gorilla, a volcanic island, white water, wild dogs, swamps, grass and reeds, a giant eagle, vultures, earth quakes, crocodiles, lizard and snakes and death all around. This is not and expedition or excursion, its a fight for life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 20, 2002
• ISBN: 9781477168035

M. Francois Winder

M. Francois Winder, a talented actor, director and producer has now turned his talents to writing. The Rose of Socorro is just one of 65 screenplays credited to him. Living in Titusville, New Jersey, all his life, he has no plans to move away. Educated in college in the filed of arboriculture, Francois’ stories are very real, as he is. A down-to-earth man. He has worked at numerous jobs, gained knowledge in each along the way and has a love of life and living. Francois is a man’s man and it shows in his stories. Read on and enjoy.

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Copyright © 2001 by M. Francois Winder.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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CAST OF CHARACTERS

Jack Oberling, PhD. agricultural engineer

Zoe Oberling, PhD. horticulturist

Arthur Van Dych, PhD. landscape engineer

Kimberly Van Dych, PhD. arboriculturist

Deacon Teague, PhD. botanist

Raven Teague, PhD. floriculturist

Senator Ethan Zeil

Ms. Rogue

Chef

Head Cannibal Male

Head Cannibal Female

Cannibals (18)

Mountain Gorilla

Helicopter Pilot

Scout Master

Scout #1

Scout #2

Scouts (10)

1 EXT. THE ISLAND—MID MORNING

(AERIAL SHOT).

On the near horizon, an island.

TITLE/CREDITS, BEGIN/END. (RED ROMAN BLOCK LETTERING).

2 EXT. THE ISLAND—MID MORNING

On the beach, SLOW 240 DEGREE PAN, stopping at the base of a cliff. SLOW PAN up the cliff.

3 EXT. THE ISLAND, IN A SMALL CLEARING—MID MORNING

In a small clearing, everything seems normal.

ISLE OF SOCORRO. ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE MILES OFF THE WESTERN COAST OF MEXICO… SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

From out of the jungle, DEACON and RAVEN TEAGUE emerge. Holding hands tightly, sweating profusely and running into the center of the clearing, running flat out, running for their lives before they stop. Totally exhausted, they look around.

DEACON

(to himself)

Where are we?

RAVEN

Thats not the question.

Seconds of silence as DEACON looks out over the ocean. A slow smile comes to his lips as he silently chuckles.

RAVEN

What is it?

DEACON

(pointing)

There.

RAVEN

What? Where?

DEACON

(pointing)

There! . . . There!

RAVEN looks in the direction that DEACON is pointing.

4 EXT. ON THE WATER—MID MORNING

(AS SEEN FROM THE CLIFF).

Just beyond the breakers, a small sailboat is bobbing up and down.

5 EXT. THE ISLAND, IN THE CLEARING—MID MORNING

DEACON attempts to pull RAVEN towards the jungle on the opposite side of the clearing, but she has her feet dug into the sand.

RAVEN

Deac! . . . No!

DEACON

Not now, Rav! Be a little cooperative!

RAVEN

Not in the jungle! Not again!

DEACON

The boat is down there! We are up here! We have to go through the jungle to get to the beach, to get to the boat! Understand?

RAVEN

But, Deac… Whoa!

DEACON pulls RAVEN along, into the jungle.

DEACON

We got to get to the boat! Got to get to the boat! . . .

DEACON and RAVEN disappear into the thick foliage of the jungle. SLOW PAN ACROSS THE CLEARING, stopping on a group of SCOUTS.

6 EXT. ACROSS THE CLEARING—

MID MORNING

A SCOUT MASTER and a dozen SCOUTS are watching everything.

SCOUT MASTER

What in the world is going on?

SCOUT #1

I have no idea.

SCOUT #2

Something supernatural?

7 EXT. THE ISLAND, IN THE CLEARING—MID MORNING

Suddenly about a dozen and a half CANNIBALS emerge from the jungle, stopping in the center of the clearing. They look around, listening. The HEAD CANNIBAL MALE looks out over the water. Shouting something in his native tongue, he points out the way. The others look.

8 EXT. ON THE OCEAN—MID MORNING

(AS SEEN FROM THE CLIFF).

Just beyond the breakers, a little sailboat is bobbing up and down.

9 EXT. THE ISLAND, IN THE CLEARING—MID MORNING

Grunting, the CANNIBALS turn, heading back the same direction they came from. The HEAD FEMALE CANNIBAL shouts. All stop, turn and look at her. Smiling, she points towards the ground.

10 EXT. THE ISLAND, ON THE GROUND—MID MORNING

On the ground, fresh footprints made by DEACON and RAVEN, leading off into the far side of the clearing, into the thick jungle, disappearing.

11 EXT. THE ISLAND, IN THE CLEARING—MID MORNING

The CANNIBALS let loose with a "WAR YELP’. All charge into the jungle after DEACON and RAVEN.

12 EXT. THE ISLAND, ACROSS

THE CLEARING—MID MORNING

The SCOUT MASTER and SCOUTS stand in stunned silence. The SCOUT MASTER turns to SCOUT #1.

SCOUT MASTER

I don’t believe it.

SCOUT #1

(to himself)

Cannibals!

SCOUT #2

Lets get out of here.

Seconds of total quiet. The SCOUT MASTER clears his throat.

SCOUT MASTER

As Scouts, our motto has always been to be prepared…

SCOUT #1

To run away!

SCOUT #2

Run! Run, run, run!

SCOUT MASTER

Good idea!

The SCOUT MASTER and SCOUTS, screaming, all turn and disappear into the jungle.

FADE OUT:

13 EXT. LAVENDER HALL—EVENING

LAVENDER HALL, NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FULL FRONTAL FACADE OF THE HALL. The palatial estate is flooded in lights, with everything completely illuminated. Headlights add to the lighting, as a vehicle pulls up in front of the hall, parking next to another vehicle there. ZOOM IN on the SUV.

14 EXT. LAVENDER HALL,

THE DRIVEWAY—EVENING

From behind the wheel of the Ford Expedition, JACK OBERLING emerges. Walking around the back of the vehicle, up to the passenger door, opening it. JACK helps his wife, ZOE OBERLING out of the truck. In awe, they both look over the home of SENATOR ETHAN ZEIL. JACK slips his arm around ZOE’S waist, letting his hand drop to her buttocks, cupping it.

ZOE

Jack!

ZOE grabs his hand, pulling it back up to her waist.

JACK

What?

ZOE

Behave!

Slowly they start to make their way towards the front door.

ZOE

Arthur and Kim Van Dych are here.

JACK

I can see that, Zoe.

ZOE

Why do you suppose Senator Ethan Zeil, a powerful Senatot, wants to dine with four small college professors?

JACK

He’s hungry?

ZOE

Maybe, but… He’s a Republician…

JACK

As I!

ZOE

Industrialist, capitalist, multi millionaire. Which you are not! . . . What do we have in common?

JACK

We both eat.

ZOE

Snappy reply.

JACK