LOVE, MYSTERIOUS

by

Steve Weissman

Copyright © 2020 Steve Weissman

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-6487941-6-5

Artwork by Mattea Scharlipp

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Kolby

Chapter 2 - Boss

Chapter 3 - Cupid

Chapter 4 - Zack

Chapter 5 - Kolby's important mission

Chapter 6 - Wrong house

Chapter 7 - Work harder

Chapter 8 - Right house

Chapter 9 - But what?

Chapter 10 - The Mission

Chapter 11 - Playing together

Chapter 12 - I'll do it

Chapter 13 - Cupid was right

Chapter 14 - 8 years later

Chapter 15 - The Letter

Chapter 16 - Save the Photo

Chapter 17 - Maybe...

Chapter 18 - Hubert

Chapter 19 - REALLY IMPORTANT!

Chapter 20 - 4 years later

Chapter 21 - Trade secret

Chapter 22 - True love

Chapter 23 - Duke

Chapter 24 - Soul mates

Chapter 25 - Arrow rule 309

Chapter 26 - Mr. Right?

Chapter 27 - Study harder

Chapter 28 - Duke on his way

Chapter 29 - Zack on his way

Chapter 30 - Hydrocardiofissionate disease

Chapter 31 - Cupid collapses

Chapter 32 - Mick Mosen

Chapter 33 - Kym meets Hubert

Chapter 34 - Kym arrives

Chapter 35 - Is he?

Chapter 36 - Fireworks coming

Chapter 37 - Bells

Chapter 38 - It's Kym!

Chapter 39 - Time is running out

Chapter 40 - It's not her

Chapter 41 - So?

Chapter 42 - Perfect mess

Chapter 43 - The eyes

Chapter 44 - It doesn't rain here

Chapter 45 - Unable to eat

Chapter 46 - Only 4 hours left

Chapter 47 - It's over

Chapter 48 - Zack collapses

Chapter 49 - How on earth?

Chapter 50 - Duke's "reward"

Chapter 51 - He really is Boss

Chapter 52 - Will you marry me?

Chapter 53 - Cupid & Kolby

About the Author

Steve's 13 stories

* * * * *

Chapter 1 - Kolby

* * * * *

The Colorado Mountains rise behind Denver as the moon reflects on snow covered peaks.

A light glimmers halfway up the hills.

The light comes from a large Meditation Hall, portrayed in moonbeams, with large glass windows.

Thirty people sit on the floor or in chairs, eyes focused on the meditation guru, Montague, 40, black robe, yellow shirt, manicured beard, eyes closed, sitting cross-legged on a stage.

Next to Montague sits his wife and co-guru, Amber, 40, heavy makeup, multi dyed hair, yellow robe, black blouse.

A bell with a large foot long stick rests between them.

Whoosh!

Kolby, a faint 12 inches tall, "invisible" miniature man, materializes on a tree branch close to the Hall.

He looks about 30, sports stylish calico jeans and a baseball-type T-shirt, which shows angels playing a celestial ball game.

Kolby glances at the Hall, shrugs, looks down to see a cute, white, furry, chubby Havanese dog, Dog-O, lying on the ground with it's paws curled over it's head.

Kolby, "Hey, Dog-O!"

Dog-O's ears perk.

Kolby jumps down, tickles the dog.

They roll around, playing.

A loud man's voice, "Kolby!"

Kolby freezes, makes a "sssh" motion to Dog-O, who keeps licking Kolby, "Stop, Dog-O, stop!"

The voice demands, "Kolby!"

Kolby, "Yeah, Boss, okay."

Kolby adjusts his messed up clothes, pats Dog-O and saunters toward the Hall.

He climbs up on a window ledge, peeks in, surveying the group.

Kolby hops straight through the glass, onto the stage, though he is invisible to everyone.

Montague opens his eyes, smiles, "Nothing happens without a cause."

His cheek twitches, "Even love at first sight can be... mysterious... and... amazing."

Kolby grabs the bell-ringing stick, which is as long as he is tall.

Awkwardly he swings it, hitting the bell, "bong."

Surprised, everyone stares at the "floating" stick.

Montague and Amber take it in stride.

Montague, "Love at first sight can be mys... te...ri...ous... and a...maz...ing.-- Heh, heh, not bad, eh Amber?"

Amber, strong New York city accent, grins a curt smile, "Yeah, well, invisible love pixies swinging horizontal is easy."

The stick swings up and down, strikes the bell again, "bong."

Amber plays with her hair, turns her head away from the bell, pretends to ignore it.

"Bong, bong, bong!"

Everyone rolls in laughter.

A young woman's voice screams, "Kolby!", though only Kolby hears her.

Eyes wide, he stops hitting the bell, "Yes, Cupid, right!"

He winds his arm around in the air.

Disappears.

* * * * *

Invisible Kolby appears on the bar of a romantically lit restaurant.

He looks frantically around the room and spots a young couple eating, though hardly taking any notice of their food, eyes glued to each other.

Standing very tall, Kolby's clothes shimmer and change into a white Toga gown, with a red hearts' belt.

He holds out his arms, flexes.

A miniature glass bow appears in one, in the other a glass arrow.

He floats closer to the couple.

Man, "I, uh..."

The woman giggles, "Me, too."

The man leans over and kisses her.

Kolby places his arrow, draws his bow, shoots.

Time stops as the arrow flies ever so slowly through the man's back, out his front, into the woman, out again and back to the man.

Kolby laughs.

He grabs a heart off his belt, places it on the man's head.

Takes another, does the same to the woman.

He holds his hands together next to his face, takes a deep breath, blows - hundreds of little hearts come out of his mouth.

They land all over the lovers.

Kolby nods.

Disappears.

The lovers stop kissing.

Man and woman, "Wow!"

They embrace passionately.

The scene becomes framed like viewing through a camera and shrinks until...

* * * * *

Chapter 2 - Boss

* * * * *

...it becomes a small movie screen floating in the air outside of a very peculiar totally glass house perched precariously on the side of a cliff.

Various rooms can be seen.

A gym room full of fantastic exercise machines.

A bedroom with a huge heart-shaped bed, and a porch that exits into a grassy area where soft lights glow amongst a handful of multi colored trees.

A jovial man, Boss, looks 60, short graying hair and beard, sporting a colorful Hawaiian shirt and shorts, watches the screen from a huge carved chair with wingtips flowing out the back side.

A squirrel sits on Boss's shoulder.

His hands rest on another colorful shirt stuck in a black Singer sewing machine, circa 1960, on a wooden sewing cupboard.

Boss's forehead furrows, his eyebrows flash up and down, he shuts his eyes, lets out one heck of a loud "burp."

The squirrel jumps onto the arm rest of a second identical chair next to Boss.

Boss smiles, starts sewing the shirt.

Whoosh!

Kolby appears, in his Toga, full sized, standing on the empty seat.

His eyes are closed, cheeks puffed and he holds his nose.

Boss stops sewing, "Hey, hey, hey, marvelous, Kolby, well done. And you always look so cute in your Toga."

Boss waves his hand, the screen dissolves.

Kolby relaxes, "Thanks, Boss. Though I do wish Cupid would invent a new uniform."

Kolby wiggles his body like a wet dog, his clothes return to the jeans and T-shirt.

He sits down.

He eyes the sewing machine, shakes his head.

He turns to Boss, smiles but his smile quickly vanishes, replaced by nervous contemplation, "Uh, Boss?"

Boss, "Yeah?"

Kolby, "Well, uh, maybe it ain't that important."

Boss stares intently at Kolby, "So..."

He touches the sewing machine lovingly, kisses it, it disappears, "So... we'll just forget it for now, eh?"

Boss's eyebrows flash up and down, he rises and spins.

Faster and faster until, poof, he disappears, leaving behind a neon sign blinking, "BYE".

The sign dissolves.

Kolby sighs, yet pretends Boss is there.

Kolby, "But Boss, y'know, uh, maybe I could be something else on Earth besides invisible and only one foot tall. Would that be okay, Boss?"

He breathes deep and curls up in the chair.

The squirrel lies down in Kolby's lap.

* * * * *

Chapter 3 - Cupid

* * * * *

From a distance, Kolby's home is not just on a cliff, but his house and yard cover a circular one acre which is the top of a super tall mushroom-like pedestal.

The base disappears down into clouds.

Kolby sleeps screwed up in his chair, with his feet up over the back end.

The squirrel sleeps on one of the chair's wingtips.

Kolby snores and talks in his sleep, "(snore) Leg bone's..."

Cupid's voice, "Kolby."

Kolby wriggles in the chair, "(snore) Connected to the..."

Cupid's voice, "Kolby, Kolby."

Kolby, "(snore) Hipbone--"

Cupid's voice screams, "KOLBY!"

Kolby wakes with a start, falls out of the chair.

The squirrel jumps away.

Kolby rubs his eyes.

He sees two small bare feet, white dress, red belt made of Valentine hearts hugging a tiny waist, a form-fitting upper dress and bare arms.

Delicate hands clasp a miniature glass bow and arrow.

Kolby looks into the eyes of the most beautiful, young woman, her face framed by flowing hair.

Meet Cupid.

Kolby, "Cupid, I'm sorry, I, uh--"

Cupid, "I've told you before, sleeping like that is bad for your back. Why, oh why aren't you in your bed?"

Kolby, "Yes, yes, uh--"

Cupid, "I was thinking about you last night."

Kolby, "Yeah, uh... you were?"

Cupid, "Yes, I want you..."

She purposely pauses long.

Kolby's eyes open wide.

She shakes her head.

He shrugs.

Cupid, "...for a new very important mission."

Cupid waves her hand.

A movie screen materializes showing...

* * * * *

Chapter 4 - Zack

* * * * *

...a southern California beach.

Zack's little three-year-old head pops up behind a sand dune.

He glares left, glares right.

With a determined look, as if he has to break the enemy's line, he rises, showing off his bare chest and swimsuit.

He lifts his hands high, closes them into fists and points them toward the water.

Down he charges, "YA-HOO!"

Straight towards dad, Robert, 25, who waits with his arms outstretched.

Zack races, and with all his thirty-five pounds, leaps up into Robert's arms, bowling him over backwards, rolling in the sand as they both laugh.

* * * * *

Ice Cream Shop.

Strawberry, Tutti Frutti, Peach, Lime.

Zack's small hand slides along the glass, pointing at each flavor.

His eyes can't get any bigger.

He looks up at Robert, licks his lips, blurts out his decision, "Banana and Sas-a-pa-ril-lo."

Robert raises his eyebrows as if to ask, "Really?"

Zack stretches his grin another half inch wider and nods his head emphatically.

* * * * *

Zack's bedroom.

Zack's hand rests on Robert's thigh as Robert finishes a bedtime story, SLEEPING BEAUTY.

Robert, "And they lived happily ever after."

Robert looks down at cute Zack, who's fast asleep.

He tucks the sheet in, turns off the bedside light.

* * * * *

Los Angeles airport.

Zack in his lap, Robert sits surrounded by twenty people who hover close to the CUSTOMS doors.

As travelers emerge, faces light up, followed by hugs and kisses.

A large wall advertisement, with Marc Anthony looking dreamily into Cleopatra's eyes, promises "MYSTERIOUS LOVE" for the wearers of CUPID'S COLOGNE.

Zack draws odd-looking Valentine Hearts on a notebook that Robert holds.

Green with purple stripes, yellow with black stars.

Robert points at the green one, "Zack, most Valentine Hearts are red."

Zack, "No e-ma-jee-nation, Daddy. They all work."

Always wearing alternating matching outfits, Montague, navy robe, pink shirt and pants, and Amber, pink robe, navy outfit emerge.

The crowd stop their hellos, and stare.

Montague waves to everyone, "Bless you all, bless, bless, bless, heh, heh."

Robert greets them as if they were his parents, strong hugs, "Amber, Montague, thanks for stopping in Los Angeles."

Montague, "Robert, Robert, how fortuitous you have the fortune to meet us today. You're so very fortunate."

They laugh.

Montague, "And, and who, just who might be this little, little, little stranger?"

Lovingly, Montague pokes Zack, who puffs himself up like a "big guy."

Zack, "Zackory Mick Mosenberry."

He blushes and hides behind his dad.

Amber, "What a cute tyke."

They sit down at a table in the airport's ETERNAL LOVERS' CAFÉ.

A typical expressionless waiter wipes their table, swaggers away.

Zack sits on Montague's knee getting a horsy ride.

Montague, "Hi-, hi-, Hydrocardiofissionate?"

Robert, "It's so rare hardly anyone knows about it. Her mother and grandmother both died in their twenties, but there was no name for it back then."

Robert's eyes swell with tears, which he tries hard to restrain.

He looks gently at Zack.

Amber, "Zack?"

Robert regains his composure, "Good as gold, it only passes from mother to daughter."

Amber, "Sweet.-- Got a present for him."

The deadpan waiter passes by, peers over as Amber fiddles in her bag.

Amber gives Zack a small, soft brown bear doll.

Zack, "Neat-o!"

Delighted, he climbs into Amber's lap, gives her a sloppy kiss, and plays with the bear.

He takes his black crayon, colors one ear.

Amber, Montague and Robert laugh.

Robert, "A budding artist."

Amber, "Easier to identify."

Montague, "Robert, Robert, I dare to say that little brown bear with a little black ear would be considered good luck in the little old mountains."

Robert, "And I'm sure this little bear will bring good luck to Zack."

The scene shrinks until it is...

* * * * *

Chapter 5 - Kolby's important mission

* * * * *

...the movie screen with Kolby and Cupid watching.

Cupid strokes her ears, the sound mutes.

Kolby, "Cute bear."

Cupid, "Recognize the older couple?"

Kolby, "Sure! The great, miraculous, wild, weirdo, new-age gurus Montague and Amber."

Cupid, "Recognize the kid?"

Kolby, "Let me look closer."

He holds out his hand, fingers spread, palm towards the screen.

He squeezes his hand into a fist.

Nothing happens.

He frowns.

Cupid smiles, does a similar, though much more graceful movement.

The screen zooms in on Zack.

Kolby, "Uh, should I?"

Cupid, "It's Tommy."

Kolby, "No!"

Cupid, "Yes."

Kolby, "This little Zack is Tommy reborn. Far out!"

Cupid, "Yes."

Kolby, "So you want me to shoot Zack, but, uh..."

Cupid, "Right."

Kolby, "Yeah, right, but..."

Cupid, "Right."

An exasperated Kolby shakes his head, his eyes go cross-eyed.

He shouts, "Cupid!"

Cupid, "She's coming. Uh, I think, I'm not sure, uh, maybe..."

Kolby, "So I don't shoot Tommy, uh, Zack."

Cupid, "No, not yet."

Kolby, "Can I go back to sleep?"

Cupid, "Nine earth months. And Kolby... this is very important."

Kolby nods, seriously.

Cupid disappears.

She leaves in her place a large Red Valentine Heart with an arrow through it, which, poof, vanishes.

Kolby dances a "victory" jig, "All right, awesome! I get to shoot Tommy/Zack. Wow-oh-wow!"

He spins, spots the squirrel, on top of his chair, watching, "Did you hear that? Tommy and Dara getting together again! Super, and love will continue on earth! Hoo-ray!"

The squirrel shakes his head.

Kolby, "Oh, right, you're new here, eh? Well, it's like this..."

He waves his arm, a large movie screen appears, showing:

* * * * *

A most unusual classroom.

Love paintings hang on pristine white walls showing couples walking hand in hand, kiss, hug - in boats, on swings, in meadows - all very beautiful romantic vistas.

Red Valentine hearts stand out amongst the scenes.

Similar to a prize trophy collection, inside a large glass cupboard rests a dozen crystal bows and arrows.

Cupid stands in the front drawing heart after heart with arrows in each one.

Twelve young men and women dressed in white Togas sit on eleven large red beanbags.

Kolby's voice, "Welcome to Cupid's Love School, course level 202, one thousand years ago."

Though ten students sit individually, paying attention, one particular pair, Tommy and Dara sit on the same beanbag, Dara on Tommy's lap, hugging and giggling.

Striking, Tommy and Dara look exactly like Marc Anthony and Cleopatra from the airport advertisement, which promised "MYSTERIOUS LOVE" for the wearers of CUPID'S COLOGNE.

Kolby's voice, "See those two, that was Tommy and Dara, the most unusual agents Cupid has ever had."

Cupid shoots a glance at them, shakes her head.

* * * * *

The movie screen changes into a moonlite boardwalk.

A loving couple hold hands, gaze into each others' eyes.

Tommy and Dara appear in their Togas.

Tommy holds the bow, as Dara pulls the arrow.

She lets go, the arrow floats through the man, through the woman and back again.

Tommy and Dara each take one heart off their belts, put it on one of the lovers.

In unison, they blow hearts out their mouths.

As the lovers hug, so do Tommy and Dara, with a very passionate kiss.

Kolby's voice, "Now prior to Tommy and Dara, all of us agents were single. Yeah, right, we help lovers, but we weren't lovers."

* * * * *

Back to the present, Kolby lays on his side, talks to three squirrels, "Rumor has it that Tommy and Dara used to be Adam and Eve."

Kolby motions to the screen, which now shows...

* * * * *

...the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve stroll hand in hand, sans clothes, grabbing fruit from trees, though not the apple tree.

They look like Tommy and Dara.

Kolby's voice, "Now don't ask me why or what or how, okay, right, don't ask."

* * * * *

Back to the present, Kolby sits in a tree, talks to five squirrels on the branches and five on the ground, "And they were the great lovers Cleopatra and Marc Anthony."

* * * * *

The screen now shows an Egyptian palace.

Cleopatra lies sexily on her couch, biting her left pinky fingernail, as Marc Anthony comes over with some grapes.

They look like Tommy and Dara.

* * * * *

Now Kolby squats, talking to fifty squirrels, all around, on the ground and in the trees, "And, yeah, lots of other famous lovers, too."

He waves at the movie screen, it freezes as Marc Anthony places a grape in Cleopatra's mouth.

Kolby, "You see, Tommy and Dara have a very special fate, because humans need role models and their romantic side must be reignited by fabulously awesome, romantic stories. So Tommy, now Zack, and Dara get reborn over and over to inspire humans. That's their job. But..."

Kolby jumps up, "Trouble is, they don't remember each other, so we have to help them get together. They can't do their job unless we do our job, right? Right! So, in nine months, I do my job."

Kolby pulls out a normal looking box from the back of his chair.

On closer investigation, this is a "Calendar Box", with months, years, etc. written all over it.

He acts like he's winding it up with an invisible key on the side, flips an invisible switch on top.

The sky darkens.

Kolby, "I better sleep inside, guys."

He saunters to his porch, enters the bedroom, drops the box on the floor, flops on the bed, face down, falls asleep.

The squirrels dart after him, jump up in the bed, plop on each other, and zonk-out.

* * * * *

Chapter 6 - Wrong house

* * * * *

Kolby's bedroom.

Black.

Kolby sleep talks, "(snore) Ice cream, two hundred, forty-one flavors... (snore) Invent more, more, more..."

The alarm rings.

Hands clap two times.

Kolby's voice, "C'mon, c'mon."

Hands clap twice again.

The ringing gets louder.

Kolby's voice, "Oh when, oh when will I ever master the light?"

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap...

The bed glows like a giant light.

Kolby reaches down for the Calendar Box.

He hoists it up, flicks off the non-existent alarm switch.

Breathes a big sigh of relief.

Daylight brightens the area.

Kolby's bed shakes, rises up.

He holds on for dear life, "Yeah, yeah, okay Boss, go for it."

The bed and Kolby, his eyes closed tight, zoom off, straight through the glass walls.

* * * * *

Kolby, in his bed, lands at the front entrance of a Royal glittering Palace.

His Calendar Box is no where to be seen.

He gets off the bed, faces a diamond-studded door, smiles and shakes his head.

An authentic miniature Liberty Bell, even with the crack, hangs before him.

As he reaches for it, the crack changes into a mouth, which tries to bite Kolby's fingers.

Kolby, "Boss!"

The mouth on the bell smiles.

The palace glitters, fades, disappears.

In its place stands a little rustic outdoor pavilion.

Geese and ducks waddle around near a pond.

Boss strokes a small deer.

His sewing machine stands nearby.

Beyond the pond, in the distance rise dozens of huge pedestals out of clouds.

Many glass and silver buildings adorn the mushroom tops.

People float around between structures.

Boss, "Hey, hey, hey, Kolby, good to see you."

Kolby, "Likewise, uh, nice palace. Can I have one?"

Boss, "We have a problem."

Kolby, "Really, I mean, like what else is new?"

Boss frowns and raises his eyebrows at the same time.

Kolby, "Sorry, Boss, didn't mean to be disrespectful."

Boss, "This is more Cupid's work--"

Kolby, "Oh my gosh, hey, I'm supposed to meet Cupid..."

Kolby pulls a cube out of his back pocket.

He blows on it as it inflates to become his Calendar Box.

He runs his finger across the months, weeks, days, shakes his head, "Boss, please, Cupid's going to be upset with me."

Boss, "It's okay, she asked me to help."

Kolby, "Whew, y'know the last time I missed an appointment with her, I, uh--"

Boss waves, a movie screen appears showing:

Australians Mr. Young, 30, with a very pregnant Mrs. Young, 28, and Craig, a three-year-old inquisitive, chubby son, walk with an American salesman past a "HOUSE FOR SALE" sign, toward the house.

Craig races to the door.

Boss, "Wrong house, Kolby."

Kolby, "Yeah, right, okay, uh, uh... now?"

Boss, "Now."

Kolby stands on a chair, shuts his eyes, takes a big breath, holds his nose, and jumps straight down into the ground.

* * * * *

Kolby appears on a canopied king-sized bed, again as a faint 12 inches tall, "invisible" miniature figure.

He pulls at the bed cover, which for someone his size is super difficult.

He yanks it off, pushes it onto the floor.

The pillows land on the other side.

He leaps off the bed, shoves over a trash can, zips straight through the wall into the luxurious bathroom, onto a marbled sink top.

He jumps on the cistern and with all his little might pries it open.

He grabs the bar of soap, which is a giant weight for him, lumbers over to the toilet flush handle and wedges it in so the toilet runs without stopping.

Salesman's voice, "I'm terribly sorry about the mess in the bedroom but the bathroom is just superb. Marble, spotless..."

Kolby's eyes go wide.

He dives at the toilet paper roll and spins it at super speed to spread paper everywhere.

Salesman's voice, "Quite frankly, Mr. and Mrs. Young, the bathroom will just give you the most wonderful feeling."

The bathroom door opens.

* * * * *

The front door opens.

A disgusted Mrs. Young rushes out past the HOUSE FOR SALE sign.

Mr. Young follows on her heals, toting his son.

The apologizing salesman pursues.

Mrs. Young, "Really!"

Salesman, "Please, I'm sorry, I--"

Mr. Young turns, with his strong Australian accent.

Mr. Young, "Yes, the bathroom and bedroom might be very beautiful if they were clean, but trying to sell a messy house - my goodness, good-bye."

* * * * *

In the bedroom, Kolby finishes tucking in the sheets.

The room's spotless.

He hears the Salesman coming.

Salesman' voice, "Who the hell did--"

Kolby devilishly smiles and disappears as the downtrodden Salesman enters.

Bug-eyed, he can't believe what he sees.

He races out and into the luxurious bathroom, also back to its pristine appearance.

Salesman, "What the--"

* * * * *

Chapter 7 - Work harder

* * * * *

Kolby appears back on the seat in Boss's pavilion, eyes shut, holding his nose.

Boss sews on his machine.

Stops.

Boss, "Hey, hey, hey, tops, Kolby, tops."

Kolby smirks, yet bashfully fidgets as he sits down.

Boss, "Now tell me, anything I can do for you today?"

Kolby, "Boss, do you think maybe Cupid likes me? I mean, like, more than like?"

Boss, "You've always been a bit on the lazy side."

Boss kisses his sewing machine, it disappears.

Kolby, "Yeah, okay, but she's been acting a bit--"

Boss puts two fingers in his mouth.

Kolby shuts his ears with his hands.

Boss lets out a shrilled whistle.

Kolby relaxes, "Whew!"

Chubby Countess, looks about 12, slides in on fluorescent green rollerblades.

She sports a fashionable pink ballerina tutu.

Adorning her 18th century style curled hair rests a sparkling crown.

She spins twice.

Stops.

Smiles wide and flashes her long eyebrows.

She holds out a small box.

Boss takes it, "Thank you, Countess."

He opens the box, pulls out a crystal arrow head.

He scowls at Countess.

She giggles, "Not ready yet."

She looks at Kolby, gives him a funny face, giggles again and speeds off.

Kolby, "I thought Countess worked for Cupid now."

Boss, "She's developing a new hybrid for me."

Kolby, "Sounds dangerous."

Boss hands the arrow head to Kolby.

Kolby, "Uh, thanks, Boss, but Cupid has plenty of these."

Boss, "Keep it in a safe place."

Kolby frowns.

Boss, "Gotta go."

Kolby, "But Boss, what about Cupid?"

Boss, "So... work harder."

Boss flashes his eyebrows, rises, spins and disappears, leaving a blinking sign, "TOOTLE-LOOEY" which dissolves.

Kolby gets up, does some jumping jacks and a tumble roll.

* * * * *

Chapter 8 - Right house

* * * * *

Zack tumble rolls in his front yard while the Youngs talk with a saleswoman across the street.

A statue of Venus adorns the front door landing.

Busting to get away, Craig eyes Zack over.

Saleswoman, "I'm so glad you like the house. There's even a kid across the street for your boy to play with."

All eyes go toward Zack, who smiles back at them.

Mr. Young, "Hey Craig, a new friend?"

Craig stampedes across the street like a locomotive, "CHARGE!!!"

Apprehensive, Zack grabs his eyes and does a back roll.

* * * * *

Chapter 9 - But what?

* * * * *

Still hanging out at Boss's pavilion, Kolby finishes a back roll.

Cupid's voice, "Kolby."

Kolby looks around, shuts his eyes, waves his hands, "Where art thou, my leading lady?"

Cupid materializes, as beautiful as ever, with a bit of extra appeal this time, "Kolby, I just wanted to thank you so much for helping Boss. It was actually my job but--"

Kolby, "No problem, no problem, it wasn't women's work."

Cupid, "And I don't feel--"

Kolby, "Yup, right. I know, I know. Boss gives me the dirty stuff, you give me the sweet ones."

Very softly, Cupid eyes Kolby sexily, "Kolby..."

His eyes widen.

She abruptly changes her attitude to be more official, "Right."

Kolby sighs.

Cupid, "Now very soon Mrs. Young will give birth."

Kolby jumps up, "Oh Jupiter! Let me guess - Dara!"

Cupid, "Well, yes and no, Dara will be reborn as Kymberly, but they will call her Kymmie or Kym."

Kolby, "Wow oh wow, Zack's only everlasting, universe existing soul mate, and, uh, really, really, I get to shoot them?"

Cupid, "Yes."

Kolby dances a slow waltz, hugs himself as if love never knew a finer moment.

He pretends to draw a bow and shoots, "Cupid, how am I to thank thee?"

He gets down on his knees, smiles whimsically.

Cupid smiles back, seductively, then changes to be official, "You be ready, should be three earth days."

Her face softens, "But..."

Kolby, "But?"

Cupid's eyes water.

She struggles to bring forth a half smile, glimmers and disappears, leaving the Heart behind.

Kolby, "But what? Cupid, what!"

Puzzled, Kolby squints his eyes, makes a face, shrugs his shoulders.

* * * * *

Chapter 10 - The Mission

* * * * *

Exercising in his gym room, Kolby adjusts his shoulders before he lifts invisible weights.

He talks to three squirrels, "Okay, Boss told me to work harder, so I better get in shape. Thing is when you press weights, you have to do it just right."

He reaches down, "Be careful about your back."

Positions himself like an Olympic champ, "Lots of guys get hurt because they move at the wrong time."

Grips the invisible bars, "Y'know, you probably won't believe this, but I was taught by Atlas. Yeah, really. Now watch."

He braces, lifts.

Cupid's voice, "Kolby!"

Kolby drops the "weights", falls backward with a thud.

The squirrels race off.

Cupid materializes, "You forgot, it's almost time."

She makes a movie screen.

* * * * *

In a bedroom, Mrs. Young walks back and forth, hugging baby Kymmie.

On the wall hangs a painting of Adam and Eve, walking hand in hand in the Garden of Eden.

They look like Tommy and Dara.

Mrs. Young, "Rock-a-bye baby in the treetop."

She continues singing.

Kolby's voice, "Hey, looks nice."

Mrs. Young, "When the wind blows, the cradle will rock."

Cupid's voice, "It is, but..."

Mrs. Young, "When the bow breaks, the cradle will fall."

Kolby's voice, "You said 'but' last time."

Mrs. Young, "And down will come baby, cradle and all."

Cupid's voice, "Yes."

Mrs. Young adjusts Kymmie's clothes, kisses her and lowers her into her crib.

The scene shrinks into the...

* * * * *

...movie screen.

Perplexed, Kolby looks at Cupid.

Cupid, "Listen... she got the wrong parents."

Kolby, "Bummer."

Cupid, "Yes, I put in fifty-two and a half complaints with Lord Maternity, but he said it's too late. Why, oh why did Lady Maternity go on holiday!"

Kolby paces back and forth, deliberating, "And the powers that be..."

He lashes his arm up like the Statue of Liberty, "Boo-boo'd again."

He hangs his head, slides one hand in his shirt as if he was Napoleon, "I can't afford to miss."

Cupid eyes Kolby lovingly, sighs.

Kolby stands tall, his clothes shimmer, change into a white Toga gown, with a red hearts' belt.

He holds out his arms.

A miniature glass bow and arrow appear.

With a mischievous grin, he looks at the movie screen.

* * * * *

In front of a little playhouse in the Young's backyard, lies a golden cat curled up in the legs of a zonked out black dog.

Zack's beaming little face flashes up in the playhouse window only to disappear again.

Craig storms out the house, "Zack, Mummy got me a baby sister."

Zack's face pops up.

He smiles wide.

* * * * *

Kymmie's bedroom.

Craig and Zack tiptoe to a cot where Kymmie sleeps.

Craig, "Look."

Zack, "She's so small."

Craig, "Watch. Kymmie, Kymmie."

He rubs Kymmie to wake her.

She opens her eyes, looks at Zack.

Her eyes twinkle.

She smiles.

Invisible Kolby appears below the Adam and Eve painting.

He places his arrow, shoots.

Time stops as the arrow flies through Zack's back, out his front, into Kymmie, out again and back to Zack.

Kolby giggles, grabs a heart off his belt, places it on each of their heads.

He takes a deep breath, blows - out comes hundreds of little hearts and land all over Zack and Kymmie.

Zack, "Wow oh wow!"

Kolby nods, disappears.

* * * * *

Kolby returns to Cupid, watching Zack, Kymmie and Craig.

Tears of joy fill Cupid's eyes, "Oh, Kolby."

Kolby gives a self-assured smile.

Cupid waves the screen off, turns toward Kolby, eyes down turned.

She smiles temptingly, then abruptly shakes her head, shimmers, fades.

The fading stops, she looks long at Kolby, she closes her eyes, disappears.

Her red Heart stays for a while, pumps twice, disappears.

Kolby, "Uh, yeah, well, maybe next time."

His clothes shimmer, change back into his T-shirt and jeans.

He sighs deeply.

* * * * *

Chapter 11 - Playing together

* * * * *

Zack, Craig and Kymmie play, all three aging about seven months at a time until Zack and Craig are six, with Kymmie three.

Every time Zack and Kymmie look at each other, their eyes twinkle.

* * * * *

Craig holds an umbrella above Kymmie in a baby carriage with Zack pushing.

Zack looks in on her.

She sucks her left pinky finger.

He scrunches up his face, wags his tongue back and forth.

Kymmie giggles.

* * * * *

Zack shoves Kymmie on a swing, catches her.

Craig's on another swing.

Zack gives Kymmie a big wink.

She tries to wink also, but both eyes close together.

* * * * *

Zack pedals on a tricycle, pulling Kymmie in a wagon.

Craig's on a second tricycle.

Zack turns with a toy horn in his hand, honks it at Kymmie.

She has another horn, honks it back at him.

* * * * *

Zack's clasps a red rose behind his back as he creeps around the Young's house towards the playhouse, where a giggling Kymmie plays with dolls.

Zack, "Kymmie, Kymmie."

Kymmie's smiling face pops up, eyes twinkling.

Zack shows her the rose.

She crawls out, takes the rose, hugs him.

* * * * *

Playing Moms and Dads, dressed in adult clothes, Zack gives Kymmie his bear doll, pretending they are getting married while Craig holds a camera.

Kymmie sucks her left pinky.

Zack, "Kymmie, with this special bear, I promise to be your husband and love you forever."

Kymmie, "Zack, I promise to be your wife and love you forever."

Craig, "And they live happily ever after. Smile!"

Craig focuses his camera.

Click.

* * * * *

Craig gives Zack a photo of his and Kymmie's "marriage".

Craig, "I got an extra one for you."

Zack melts.

His smile covers his face, "My wedding photo."

The photo gets larger and becomes...

* * * * *

Chapter 12 - I'll do it

* * * * *

...a movie screen being watched by Kolby and Cupid.

Kolby bounces up and down with glee, "Oh boy-oh-boy, just super!"

Cupid, "I wish I could be as happy. Kolby, kids playing getting married isn't the same as real marriage on Earth."

Kolby, "But I shot them."

Cupid, "Kolby."

Kolby, "And they both promised each other and we already know they are soul mates and... I... shot... them. Oh ye of little faith! If Cupid doubts, how can humans believe--"

Cupid, "Yes, yes, of course I believe in soul mates. But... humans have a way of messing up. And parents have gotten in the way of famous soul mates before."

Kolby frowns, "Poor Romeo and Juliet. Well, after that fiasco we got another Lady Maternity--"

Cupid, "And it may be worse with Kymmie's parents. Kolby..."

Cupid's body trembles, "...you know what will happen if Zack and Kymmie don't stay together."

Kolby, "It... love, it, oh my gosh, love on earth, it... will end if..."

Cupid, "They don't stay together."

She closes her eyes, tears come.

Kolby puts his hand on her shoulder.

She moves close to him, he hugs her.

She glimmers, disappears.

The left behind Heart vibrates, a tear forms and falls off the bottom as the heart vanishes.

Kolby, "Cupid, I'll do it. Don't you worry, Zack and Kymmie are special, super special, I'll do it. Don't worry."

He waves his hands, squeezes them, shakes them, holds them out together, palms up.

A red rose appears.

Kolby, "Cupid?"

The rose disappears.

Kolby smiles.

* * * * *

Chapter 13 - Cupid was right

* * * * *

Birds splash in a birdbath and hop around on the back porch of Zack's home.

One perches on Robert's knee as he and Zack sit in meditation.

Craig zooms around the corner, stops short, "Hey, what'cha doing?"

Robert, "This is meditating, Craig."

Craig, "Like praying?"

Robert, "Similar, but different."

Craig, "Would I get to have birds on my knee, too, if I meditate?"

Robert, "Maybe, but why don't you ask your Dad or Mom first?"

Craig, "They like birds and praying. It's not like I'm gonna do anything wrong!"

Robert, "I guess it won't hurt. Just sit very still and quiet, and think loving thoughts towards the birds."

* * * * *

Mr. Young pops his head out of his back door, looks around, "Craig. Craig!"

Mrs. Young, "I think he's across the street, Dear."

He frowns, steps out, "I wish he had a different friend."

* * * * *

As Robert and Zack meditate, a bird inches closer to Craig, who sits like a meditator, but peeks at the bird.

Mr. Young's voice, "Craig. Craig!"

Mr. Young comes around the corner.

He freaks out, "Craig, go home immediately!"

The bird flaps off squawking.

An upset Craig yells, "Dad! The bird was almost on my knee!"

His father glares at Craig, who races off, upset.

Very official, Mr. Young confronts Robert, "Mr. Mosenberry, I have not stopped your son playing with my children. But you have no right to try to force your religion on them."

He stomps off.

Robert, "Mr. Young, I didn't..."

Robert shakes his head.

Zack looks at his dad, perplexed.

* * * * *

A family photo of Kymmie hugging her mother and Craig hugging his father stands on a side cupboard in the Young's dining room.

A child's picture book, CINDERELLA rests next to the photo.

Four finished plates.

Some squashed peas remain on one in front of an empty chair.

Another seat is vacant.

Craig and Kymmie's Australian parents talk.

Mrs. Young, "I'm so glad we're going back home."

Mr. Young, "Me, too. It's always been that guy across the street."

Mrs. Young, "New age weirdo."

Mr. Young, "Yeah, and that kid's too attached to Kymmie. No telling what he might do."

* * * * *

Mr. Young lugs suitcases out to their van.

He trips on a step, falling spread eagle.

Kymmie sits in the van, hugging her bear doll, sucking her left pinky and bawling her eyes out.

Craig bear hugs Zack across the street.

Mr. Young, "Craig!"

Craig gives Zack a playful punch, charges at full speed to the van.

Mrs. Young hustles out with a small bag.

All the van doors shut - tight, locked.

They drive off.

Zack waves good-bye, emotionally frozen as his world shuts, too.

* * * * *

Zack sobs in bed.

A drawing of multi-colored hearts lies on his side table, each filled with "Zack & Kymmie".

Purple with green stripes.

Orange with black dots.

Every color except red.

By normal standards, they are all rather ugly.

Good ol' dad, Robert walks in, "Son."

Zack, "Kymmie's gone... like Mommy."

Robert, "I still love your Mommy."

Zack, "You mean Kymmie and I can still love each other, even though she's gone?"

Robert, "Yes, Zack."

* * * * *

A movie screen with Robert and Zack hangs in the air.

Kolby covers his ears with his hands, the sound mutes.

He stomps back and forth exasperated.

He stops, spots two squirrels watching him through a window, "Well, what have we now? Cupid was right, eh? I better call, BOSS!"

Boss's face lights up in the sky, "You have reached the office of Boss. Sorry, I'm in a conference at the moment, please leave a message or call again."

Kolby frowns at the sky screen recording.

Very sarcastically, he imitates Boss, ""You have reached the office of Boss. Sorry, I'm in a blah, blah, blah..."

Kolby stomps back and forth, shaking his head.

He turns to the squirrels, "It was so easy in the old days. Before Earth got so crowded and we needed committees and conferences and, yeah, recorded answering services!"

Kolby waves his fist at Boss's face, it disappears, "Never!"

He plops down in a chair next to his bed, curls up.

* * * * *

Chapter 14 - 8 years later

* * * * *

Kolby sleeps screwed up in his chair.

Kolby, "(snore) Impermanent, sleep is imper- (snore) manent, don't get... (snore) attached."

He burps, wakes with a start, glances at the calendar, "Oh my gosh! Eight earth years."

He waves his arm, a movie screen appears.

* * * * *

The beach bustles.

Many fourteen year olds amuse themselves in normal young teenage activities, especially pairing as couples.

Some kiss and snicker under towels.

Others hold hands, making cute semi-adult teenage faces at each other.

Zack, 14, throws a Frisbee, a wide back hander, spot on to a male friend.

Zack's big, husky cousin, Hubert, 17, missing a front tooth, struts by, hugging a girl.

He looks quite a bit like Zack.

Hubert, "Hey, little cousin, nice throw."

Zack, "Thanks, Hubert."

Zack's friend zings the Frisbee to Zack who jumps, but stops halfway.

He grabs his chest as the Frisbee whizzes by.

His friend bounds over, "Zack, you okay?"

Zack takes a big breath, straightens up.

Zack, "Yeah, no worries."

His friend playfully hits Zack's gut, "I'm fine if you want the girls to play nurse with you. Smart move."

His friend cocks his head toward Mary, 14, and Jody, 14, two budding Miss Universes on a dune, eyeing Zack.

An embarrassed Zack glances at Mary quickly, shakes his head, grabs the Frisbee.

His friend races back.

Zack zips an under-the-leg slider.

Mary grabs Jody's arm, "Jody! He looked at me! He gave me the sign. He wants me. Ready?"

Jody, "Okay, Mary."

The two dart off the mound.

Jody snatches the Frisbee from Zack.

Mary slides in between Zack and Jody, "Zack, Jody's got your Frisbee, want me instead?"

Zack gulps, wide-eyed.

Mary touches his arm.

He turns crimson.

His body shakes, "Uh, uh..."

He gives Mary a silly grin, turns, races towards the water, "Hey, guys, surf's up."

Mary fumes.

* * * * *

Zack and Robert eat together.

Wolfing down his food, Zack sheepishly looks at his Dad, "All my friends are going out."

Robert, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Zack, "I, uh... Mary keeps stroking my arm and I, uh..."

Zack turns red, deeper than his previous crimson, "She grabbed my knee once..."

Robert smiles fatherly.

* * * * *

Chapter 15 - The Letter

* * * * *

Kolby sits on an exercising machine, watches Zack talk about Mary, "Uh, oh..."

Cupid's voice, "Kolby!"

Kolby, "I'm going, I'm going."

* * * * *

Kolby appears in Zack's bedroom, on his headboard in between a dozen swimming trophies.

He races over to a bookshelf, yanks a photo album with all his might until it falls on the floor.

He jumps down, flips the pages until - the "wedding" photo of Zack and Kymmie.

He drags it out.

Then hops up on Zack's desk to watch.

Zack comes in, spots the mess, "What the...?"

Shaking his head in absolute disbelief, he spots the "wedding" photo, and picks it up.

Kymmie's eyes in the photo twinkle.

A smile forms on his yet to be kissed lips, "She sure was cute, uh..."

Kolby nods and disappears.

Zack races back to the dining room, banging into the doorframe as he goes.

Zack, "Hey, oh hey! Dad, remember Kymmie?"

Robert, "Yes."

Zack, "I, uh..."

Robert sees Zack holding the photo.

He smiles that gentle, "I'm with you, son" look.

Robert, "Why not write her, see what she's up to?"

Zack, "Uh... I don't have her address."

Robert, "So hop on the computer and find her."

* * * * *

Zack shakes his head as he searches the internet.

Robert walks in, puts his hand on Zack's shoulder, "Nothing?"

Zack, "Seven hundred and forty-two Kim, Kimmie or Kimberly Youngs."

Robert, "Her dad worked for Walmart call them in the morning, see if they still have a forwarding address."

* * * * *

Zack hangs up the phone.

He can't stand still, "Dad, they have one, they have one! It's just a postal address--"

Robert's voice, "Well, give it a go, maybe they still live there."

* * * * *

Zack writes his letter - "Dear Kymmie".

He stares at it.

Takes another piece of paper, writes - "Dear Kymmie" again.

He totters out to the living room, "Dad?"

Robert, "Yeah?"

Zack, "Dad..."

Robert, "Yeah."

Zack, "I don't know what to write."

Robert, "Let me help you, son."

* * * * *

Zack enters the Post Office and buys a stamp.

He takes a big breath, licks the stamp, wipes his tongue on his sleeve, and sticks the stamp on a letter addressed to MISS KYMBERLY YOUNG, 89 LAWRENCE ST., CALOUNDRA QLD 4575, AUSTRALIA.

His name and return address are in the corner.

He walks past large wall poster replicas of VALENTINE'S DAY stamps, to the letterbox.

He stops, looks at the letter.

With a shaking hand, he moves the letter inches closer to the box opening.

Quickly withdrawing, he leans against the wall and fakes banging his head, "Stupid, stupid, what am I doing?"

Gazing at the letter, he takes a big breath, rushes to the letterbox, shoves it in.

He collapses on the floor with the silliest grin in the world smeared across his face.

* * * * *

Kolby sits on his lawn, mesmerized by the screen showing Zack at the Post Office, "I can't believe it, maybe Cupid was wrong. I... did... shoot... them."

His chair shakes, rises up.

Kolby rabbit hops in, grabs the sides and shuts his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, okay, Boss."

The chair and Kolby zoom off.

* * * * *

They land at the entrance of the Sydney Opera House.

Kolby steps off his chair, smiles and points laughingly at the Opera House, "Boss, really--"

Kolby gets sucked inside, zooms round and around the stage and seats, then out onto the roof to the top of the highest "sail" and plops into a chair.

Boss sits in another chair, darning a sock, "Hey, hey, hey, Kolby."

Kolby, "I liked the express."

Boss, "You should learn sewing. There's an extra machine in the Library."

Kolby, "I'll put it on my to do list."

Boss, "We have a coming problem."

Kolby, "Coming, not yet? Well, maybe we'll just have a nap for a while?"

Boss, "It's winter in Australia."

Kolby, "Really?"

Boss, "Cold."

Kolby, "Cold?"

Boss, "Yes."

Kolby, "They have a fireplace, right?"

Kolby peers down the side of the Opera House, "Boss, uh, it's a long way to jump."

Boss, "Sure."

He waves his hand, the Opera House changes into Boss's rustic outdoor pavilion.

A Kangaroo and baby Joey graze.

Kolby smiles with thanks, stands on the chair, closes his eyes, grabs his nose.

* * * * *

A pleasant middle income suburban street.

A few people walk along the sidewalk wearing heavy coats.

An Australian flag resides over the front door.

Big numbers 89 with the name, YOUNG, grace a mailbox next to the door.

The door opens.

Mrs. Young grabs the mail.

* * * * *

In the Young's living room, double family photos rest on the bookshelf above a burning fire.

One is the same Kymmie, Craig and parents' photo from America.

The second has Kymmie, now Kym, age eleven going on fifteen, Craig, fourteen and looks fourteen, and parents.

Kolby appears next to the photos.

Mr. Young reads a newspaper.

Mrs. Young enters with the mail.

Horrified, she sees the one from Zack, "Oh, no, look dear!"

Mr. Young, "Burn it, honey, we don't want that kid near Kym again."

She throws it towards the fireplace.

Kolby leaps in the air and grabs the letter, turning it in a different direction.

Which as Mrs. and Mr. Young view it, the letter is now floating one foot above the floor, toward the stairs.

Mrs. Young, "HELP!"

Mr. Young bounces up, waving his newspaper, "BLACK MAGIC!"

They chase the letter around the room, tripping over their own legs.

* * * * *

In Kym's upstairs bedroom, Zack's soft toy bear sits on Kym's head pillow.

Kym sits at her desk, hears her mother and father screaming.

Mr. Young's voice, "GET THAT DAMN LETTER."

Mrs. Young's voice, "OW, YOU HIT MY LEG!"

Kym's eyes light up.

She grabs her toy bear, "C'mon, Teddy."

She darts out.

* * * * *

The letter races around the living room, dodging Mr. and Mrs. Young.

It dashes up the stairs toward Kym, speeding down.

Kym freezes - the floating letter comes straight at her, "HELP!"

Kolby drops the letter at Kym's feet, disappears.

* * * * *

Kolby appears back at Boss's outdoor pavilion with a bursting smile.

He stands tall on the chair, not unlike receiving an Olympic gold medal.

Boss tries on his sock, "Not good enough, Kolby."

Kolby shakes his head, looks at the screen.

* * * * *

Mr. Young, Mrs. Young and Kym hug each other, frightened and bewildered.

Mr. Young, "Devil's work!"

He holds the letter at arms' length, tiptoes to the fireplace, puts it in the fire, but too close.

He jumps, clutching his scorched fingers and sticks them in his mouth, "Shit!"

Kym peers dumbfounded at her dad, "Daddy?"

Mr. Young, "Oh, Kym, I'm sorry."

Kym, "But, Daddy, the letter floated?"

Mr. Young shakes his head with a "Yeah, beats me" look.

Mrs. Young, "Kymmie, dear, now don't you worry, it was all a dream."

Kym looks at her mother, like "What?!"

* * * * *

Kolby waves madly at the screen, it disappears.

He plops into the chair, "Shucks."

Boss, "Hey, hey, hey, no worries."

Boss waves his hand, a replica letter from Zack appears.

Kolby, "Boss, how can I thank you, let me count the ways..."

He takes the letter, stands.

* * * * *

Holding the letter, Kolby appears on Kym's desk, below many movie star pictures, all showing handsome actors embracing beautiful actresses.

Kym enters, stroking her toy bear.

Kolby waves the letter at her.

Kym, "Teddy, look, the letter came back."

She hugs her toy bear, "Oh, magic!"

Her eyes bug out as she approaches the letter, "Teddy, it almost looks like someone or thing is holding it in the air."

Kolby waves the letter up and down.

Kym's eyes narrow, she slowly reaches toward Kolby but can't see nor feel him as her hand goes straight through his body.

Kolby shrugs.

Kym, "No, nothing's there."

She grabs the letter, glances around, shuts the door, locks it.

She opens the envelope, pulls out the letter and photo.

Upon seeing Zack's 14-year-old face with sparkling eyes, she smiles wide and bites her left pinky fingernail.

* * * * *

Kolby lies back in a chair, watching the screen, immensely content with himself, "Nice, nice. Eh, Boss? Cupid will be impressed, right?"

Kolby looks around, no Boss, "Boss? Boss?"

He spots Boss's sock, with needle and thread stuck in it, on the arm rest of his own chair.

He shakes his head, pushes the sock onto the floor, "Never."

He heaves a sigh, curls up in the chair.

The screen with Kym smiling at the photo dissolves.

* * * * *

Chapter 16 - Save the Photo

* * * * *

In her school playground, Kym shows Zack's letter and photo to friends, Tammy, 11, and Beth, 11.

The two would-be Catholic nuns are not impressed.

Beth, "No, don't write back."

Tammy, "He's too old, Kym. Fourteen-year-old boys are trouble."

Beth gets very serious and very, very nervous, "Yeah, uh..."

She whispers, "They like to touch."

Kym, "But what if I just don't write him back, can I keep his photo?"

Beth and Tammy shake their heads, disapproving.

Reluctant, Kym accepts, drops the letter and photo into a trashcan.

The three girls walk to the school.

Kym stops as the other two enter.

Beth, "Kym, are you coming?"

Kym, "Oh, I forgot to lock my bike."

Kym darts off toward the bikes, stops, looks back at Beth and Tammy disappearing into the school.

She looks hankering at the trashcan.

She creeps slowly toward it, glancing anxiously over at the school doors.

Kolby appears on its edge, dives inside, rattles away, tossing everything out as he searches for the photo.

Kym's eyes light up, she races over.

Up pops the photo.

A gleeful Kym jumps up and down, takes the photo.

She peers into the trash can, only an inch away from Kolby, "If you're an invisible pixie, will you show yourself to me?"

She steps back, waits, bites on her pinky fingernail.

Kolby, "If only I had that power."

He shrugs, disappears.

* * * * *

Kolby arrives on his porch.

Cupid sits on the bed, looks at him with eyebrows raised.

He blushes.

She shakes her head, "You know we can't."

Kolby, "Yeah, uh, maybe.-- Look Cupid... uh, I did shoot them, and they still like each other. Why are you so worried?"

Cupid, "Kolby, Love Arrows rule number 47."

Kolby, "Oh no! I totally forgot! How much time before the arrow wears off?"

Cupid, "Nine more earth years."

* * * * *

Chapter 17 - Maybe...

* * * * *

A disheartened Zack lies in his bed looking up at the ceiling, feeling sorry for himself.

Robert's voice, "Hey Zack, your buddies are here. Going to swim practice today?"

Robert's face appears in the doorframe, "Zack?"

Zack, "Dad, it's been four months."

Robert, "Maybe she never got the letter. They get lost sometimes. Why not write again?"

Zack, "Dad..."

Zack slowly gets up.

* * * * *

Chapter 18 - Hubert

* * * * *

Now 18, Zack lifts up a large box in the living room.

His older, big, husky cousin, Hubert, 21, ambles past with a suitcase under one arm, a large box under the other.

With another suitcase, Robert follows Hubert into a bedroom.

Zack stops short, drops the box, grabs his chest.

He takes a big breath, straightens up.

Hubert and Robert come out of the bedroom.

Hubert's mouth shows his missing front tooth, "Well, Uncle Robert, shore hope ya like San Fran."

Robert, "Yes, it should be a good job. You take care of Zack, eh?"

Zack, "Dad..."

Robert grins fatherly at Zack.

Zack, "I am eighteen now."

Hubert slaps Zack on the back, bellows a big guy's laugh, "Don't cha worry one bit, Unk."

* * * * *

Chapter 19 - REALLY IMPORTANT!

* * * * *

Zack's bedroom.

Zack attempts another letter to Kym, "Dear Kymmie, I hope".

He stops, tears it up.

He puts his head down on his arms.

The scene becomes framed and shrinks until...

* * * * *

...it becomes a movie screen in front of dejected Kolby who sits on the floor, against his bed.

Kolby, "Aw... no Kymmie."

Boss's voice, "Kolby, remember the 'Good Luck, Bad Luck, who knows?' story?"

Kolby looks up and around, no Boss, "Yes."

Boss's voice, "Well, who knows?"

A downtrodden Kolby shakes his head, "Boss, there's five years left on the Arrow, what do you think?"

No answer.

Kolby, "Boss? Boss?"

Kolby jumps up, "Boss! You know this is important, right? This... is... really, REALLY IMPORTANT!"

Kolby waits for an answer, but nothing comes.

He frowns, walks back and forth, contemplatively.

* * * * *

Chapter 20 - 4 years later

* * * * *

Now 22 and a swim coach, Zack walks back and forth, training his team of fifty kids in an olympic swimming pool near the ocean.

Hubert works as the manager, sporting eyeglasses and a pudgy gut.

Zack, "Okay, sprint practice. Line up."

The kids get out, arrange themselves.

Mary and Jody, now gorgeous young women in tiny bikinis, stroll from the beach, and approach the fence around the pool.

Focusing on Zack, they portray their desire while Hubert's bug eyes give away his.

Mary, "Hi, Zack."

Zack, "Uh, hi, Mary, uh Jody."

Hubert, "I'm here, too. How's the beach?"

Jody gives Hubert a "So what" look.

Mary, "Zack, there's a dance tomorrow."

Zack, "Uh, yeah, uh, maybe."

The two very sexy women walk off.

Hubert, "Hey man, those two have wanted ya for years. They're knockouts. When ya gonna go?"

Uneasy, Zack kinda looks at Hubert, gulps, shakes his head, scuffs his feet and turns back to his swimmers.

Zack, "Flutterby and style free."

His swimmers look at him as if he's from outer space.

Zack shuts his eyes, scrunches his face.

* * * * *

In her bedroom, Hubert's plump girlfriend, Gina, 24, gets dressed for the beach.

She talks to a friend, Pam, 23, who's in the bathroom, "Well, I don't know, but last night my man, Hubie, reckons his cousin's just waiting for the right person, and Pam, he is very cute."

Pam's voice, "And a virgin, eh Gina? Twenty-two and a virgin..."

Pam, a vivacious, buxom blond steps out in a tiny bikini, "Sounds too good to be true."

She adjusts her top, checks herself over in the mirror and slips on a see-through beach dress.

* * * * *

A few surfers catch waves.

Others play in shallow water.

Gina and Pam sit on a high dune.

Pam looks through binoculars towards the surfers.

Amy, 24, an internationally traveled, deeper thinking friend, strides up.

Gina, "Hi, Amy, didn't know you were back from Denver."

Amy, "Yup, school holidays. Teaching's fun, but nice to be home. What are you looking at, Pam, another dumb hunk?"

Pam, "Amy, if you don't mind!"

Pam continues looking through binoculars.

Amy, "These guys are all brawn, no brains. Y'know, the last time I dated a surfer, he asked me if I wanted to see a movie. "Sure", I answered, and then he said, "Great, I'll meet you inside."

Pam, "Amy!"

Amy, "Besides these hunky guys like being with their buddies all the time - only interested in girls for one thing - not like my Duke."

Pam, "Oh, shut up. All surfers aren't just body."

Gina, "Duke who?"

Amy, "My love! Duke! Met him in Sydney, an Australian. He's just everything rolled together. Even gave me red roses."

Her eyes roll, "Tall, dark, handsome, rich, a doctor, tough, but so sensitive... and he's coming to Denver."

Gina, "Wow, sounds good, show us."

* * * * *

Zack exits the swimming pool complex in a swimsuit, holding a surfboard.

He strolls down to other surfers at the water's edge.

* * * * *

Amy fumbles in her bag.

Pam spots Zack, "Gina! It's him, what can I say that you don't know? What a bod!"

Gina, "Yeah, more too, watch how he walks."

Pam, "Graceful, my gosh!"

Gina, "Kung Fu black belt, too. Even does that meditation stuff."

Amy, "He does?!"

Amy yanks the binoculars away from Pam.

* * * * *

Chapter 21 - Trade secret

* * * * *

Looking through binoculars, Pam's body is viewed from head to toe and back again.

Though it's all upside down.

Kolby's voice, "Nice, nice..."

Kolby hangs, upside down, from a tree branch, looking through binoculars at the screen.

Noticing a squirrel staring at him, an embarrassed Kolby flips off the limb, floats to the ground, "Oh, uh, sorry about that, uh... but don't you worry, uh..."

He reaches under his chair, pulls out his calendar, has a good look, shakes his head, "Six months left, eh? Well, love sure is a funny thing. But since I'm Cupid's agent, it's not that hard to figure out."

The squirrel jumps onto Kolby's shoulder.

Kolby pets it, "But y'know what? I can't tell you..."

He glances around and whispers to the squirrel, "It's a trade secret."

Cupid's voice, very weak, "Kolby..."

Cupid materializes, shoulders slouched, very tired.

Kolby, "Cupid, what's wrong?"

Cupid, "I, I don't feel well."

Kolby helps Cupid sit in his chair.

Cupid, "Tell me everything's going to be okay. Tell me you'll get Zack and Kym together."

Kolby, "I'll do it, Cupid, I'll do it. Don't worry."

Cupid curls up in the fetus posture.

She fades, disappears.

The left behind Heart is so faint that it's hardly visible.

It vanishes.

Kolby collapses next to the chair, "No, no, I have to do better!"

* * * * *

Chapter 22 - True love

* * * * *

Munching snacks in their kitchen, Hubert tries to play Cupid.

Hubert, "Ah, c'mon, Zack, Gina's friend is super."

Zack, "Didn't we do this last month?"

Hubert, "But maybe she's the one for ya. Besides, I'm paying, having a meal together's no big deal."

Zack gives Hubert the "Okay, but..." look.

* * * * *

Hubert, Zack, Gina and Pam eat together in a lively restaurant.

Hubert and Gina get up to dance.

Keen and steaming hot, Pam, in a low cut blouse, smiles desirously at Zack, "Gina tells me you're a Kung Fu master."

Zack, "Well, uh, not really a mas--"

Pam, "I'm sure you can master many things."

Zack, "Uh, uh..."

Pam, "I'd love to see you in action."

Zack gulps, looks around.

Pam preens herself, adjusting her blouse to expose a bit more of her more than ample cleavage, "Zack, what do you think of me?"

Zack, "Uh, well, Pam, I think you're..."

Behind Pam, on a wall shelf displaying a small Venus statue, Kolby appears holding Zack and Kym's wedding photo.

He waves it madly.

Zack turns to look at Pam, sees the photo, his eyes go wide, "Shit!"

* * * * *

Pam and Gina storm out of the restaurant with Hubert racing after them.

Pam shakes her head.

Hubert, "But, Gina, baby--"

Gina, "Hubie, he's weird."

Pam, "I'm going to call Steve."

She races away.

Gina, "Pam, I'm so sorry."

Hubert, "Well, I thought, y'know--"

Gina, "Last time, Hubie, your coz is one big oddball, drives my friends nuts. Nuts, nuts, did you hear me, Hubie baby, nuts! Last time, no more of my friends, forget it! Go get him another surfboard."

Gina races after Pam.

Dejected, Hubert moseys over to his car across the parking lot.

Zack sits inside.

Hubert gets in, looks at Zack like, "Man, why'd ya say that?"

Zack shrugs his shoulders.

Hubert drives home, "C'mon, buddy, what's wrong with ya? Ain't any woman ever good enough? Gina reckons ya gay. I know ya not, but hey, ya ain't had a woman yet, have ya?"

Zack, "Hubert, do you believe in love?"

Hubert, "Love, yeah man, I love Gina like nothing. She's my babe."

Zack, "You said that five months ago about Lynn. Last year it was Sue and Becky you were dating at the same time. That's not what I mean, I mean 'True love'."

Hubert, "Hey, a woman's to have fun with. I don't wanna be tied down. Why not have a girl once in a while? Ya so handsome, any of them would jump in bed with ya in a flash."

Zack, "Yeah, yeah-- Hubert, love's not like that."

Hubert, "It ain't?"

Zack, "No, it ain't."

Hubert, "Huh?"

Zack, "When a guy's in love, he can't go messing with other women."

Hubert, "No?"

Zack, "No."

Hubert, "But ya ain't in love, so what's the problem? Have a girl. They want ya!"

Zack, "I am in love."

Hubert, "No!?"

Zack, "Yes."

Hubert, "Wow, magnificent! I'll drink to that. What's her name?"

Zack, "Kym."

Hubert, "Kym, why I ain't met no Kym. Ya been hiding her from me. Where's she live? What's she like? Got a photo?"

Zack, "Australia, beautiful and yes."

Hubert, "Australia, ya kidding? Why she might as well live on the moon. Ya never told me ya been there."

Zack, "I haven't."

Hubert, "Well, how'd cha meet her?"

They arrive home, get out.

Zack points, "She lived across the street."

Hubert, "Huh?"

Zack, "Yeah, over there."

Hubert, "Now wait a minute, Zack, I must be going crazy. I been ya housemate for five years, no beautiful Kym lived there. Just old man Grey."

Zack, "Yeah."

Hubert, "Yeah? What do ya mean, 'Yeah'?"

Zack, "Kym lived there before Mr. Grey."

Hubert, "Oh, ya high school honey, eh?"

Zack, "Well, no, uh, we did get married."

Hubert, "Married! Am I more than crazy? I must be bonkers. If ya got married before I moved in here, what the hell's going on?"

Zack, "Uh, we got married but I, uh, I'm not sure if it's for real or not."

They amble to the door, go inside.

Zack, "Want to see her photo?"

Hubert, "Yeah, well, are ya just gonna show me a photo from a magazine?"

Zack shows Hubert the photo when Kym was three.

Hubert, "WHAT?!"

Kym's face in the photo changes into...

* * * * *

Chapter 23 - Duke

* * * * *

Kym, 19, now an attractive, green eyed young woman, says good night to Dr, Duke Adams, 24, Australian, handsome, muscular, at the front door.

Duke, "Kym, thanks so much for the evening."

Duke tries to kiss Kym but she moves her face so he lands the kiss on her cheek.

She darts inside.

Duke kicks at a rock, walks to his new Mercedes.

It's clear he's done this before.

* * * * *

With the Mercedes parked outside a gym, a large glass window shows Duke, inside, muscles bulging, pushing weights with Craig, 23, Kym's brother.

Duke, "Your sister's one big oddball, drives me nuts, Craig. Nuts, nuts, did you hear me? Nuts!"

Craig, "Look Duke, Kym's--"

Duke, "Nuts, nuts, nuts!"

Craig, "Yeah, I know."

Duke, "How can you know?! I'm in love with Kym, you're just her brother."

Duke throws a weight at Craig.

It hits him in the gut.

He doubles over.

Craig, "Yeah, I know."

* * * * *

Chapter 24 - Soul mates

* * * * *

In their garage, Zack tosses a wrench to Hubert, as they work on an old Model T Ford.

Hubert, "This is ya third antique. Ya know ya must be worth a mint."

Zack, "Yeah, uh-- Hubert, do you believe in soul mates bonded throughout time?"

Hubert, "Not sure, what'cha up to?"

Zack, "Well, I think of it like this, married couples aren't always together, 24/7, right? Sometimes one has to go work or visit friends. But they still love each other even when they are apart, even long distances for many days, weeks, months and all, right?"

Hubert, "Yeah, well?"

Zack, "Right. Now with me and Kym, if we are true mates bonded for eons, it's okay to be apart for a while, yet we still love each other and feel "married", how's that?"

Hubert, "Zack, ya weird!"

* * * * *

Chapter 25 - Arrow rule 309

* * * * *

In his gym, Kolby climbs up an invisible rope.

One hand over the other, legs twisted around the thick cord.

A very depressed Cupid materializes.

Her hair and clothes an absolute mess.

She looks around, shakes her head.

Kolby, "Cupid, I'm working on it."

Cupid wipes some tears.

Kolby jumps down, "I, uh, I know, just one month left. What if I just shoot them again?"

Cupid looks at him with no hope.

She puts her head against his shoulder, barely whispers, "Kolby... Arrow rule number 309."

Kolby, "I'm sorry. I'll..."

Cupid closes her eyes, disappears, leaving a large Red Valentine Heart with a crack down the middle.

Kolby, "I'll do it, Cupid. I'll do it. I, uh, just don't know how I'll do it.-- Boss, you there?"

No reply.

Kolby, "Boss! I'm worried. Cupid's been sick and I think she's getting worse. Is it the Zack and Kym problem? Is that it? Is it my fault? Boss? Please tell me."

Kolby looks around, nothing.

Kolby, "I've just got to figure something out with Zack and Kym. I had no idea it would affect Cupid. There's going to be a lot of trouble if--"

Boss's voice, "Kolby!"

A movie screen appears in front of his face, showing...

* * * * *

Chapter 26 - Mr. Right?

* * * * *

Sydney suburbs.

Kym's home.

A thunderstorm brews.

* * * * *

Kym stands in front of the bathroom mirror, puts in her contacts.

Craig passes by the open door, "Get your new ones yet?"

Kym, "No."

Craig, "You should, those green ones stink.-- I have some stuff to throw out. Want anything?"

Kym follows Craig into his bedroom.

He dumps out a box of photos on his bed next to a suitcase.

The top photo shows their childhood house in America with the Venus statue.

Craig, "Old photos, take what you like."

Kym, "Craig, I'll miss you."

Craig, "Hey, I don't want to pry, but c'mon now, how come you ain't got a steady? My friends fall head over for you. Then you treat them like a platonic. What's up?"

Kym, "Guess I haven't met Mr. Right yet."

Kym sighs, looks out the window, bites on her left pinky fingernail.

Rain patters on the glass.

Kym, "Craig, I want to show you something."

She leaves.

Craig packs clothes in a suitcase.

Kolby appears next to the photos, pushes some this way, some that way, uncovers the marriage one with Zack.

He darts to the other side of the room.

Kym comes back, holding Zack's fourteen-year-old photo, "Do you remember--"

She spots the wedding photo, freezes.

Zack's eyes sparkle.

Lightning flashes outside the window.

Craig, "Hey, seen a ghost?"

Speechless, she points at the photo.

Thunder booms.

Craig, "That's Zack, my best mate when we lived in the States, or I should say, "my best buddy," lived right across the street. That's when we played moms and dads. You and Zack were getting married."

Kym, "Married, yeah, ohhhh, I wonder what he looks like now?"

Craig, "Hey, oh hey, that's the first time I've seen you get excited about a guy and he's only six."

Kym, "Craig, no, look."

She shows her photo, "Here he is fourteen. Look at how his eyes sparkle."

When Kym looks at the photo, Zack's eyes sparkle.

When Craig looks, no sparkle, "Well, okay if you say so. Why not find out if he's Mr. Right?"

Kym, "Huh?"

Craig sits at his computer, types in "Zack Mosenberry".

No results.

Types "Zackory Mosenberry".

No results.

Craig, "Just like you, he doesn't like socializing."

He types "+Mosenberry +California +address".

Five addresses appear.

Craig points at one.

Another lightning bolt.

Craig, "That's it. His dad's still there. Why not take a trip to the States and meet Zack?"

Kym's eyes light up, she smiles wide.

Kolby jumps for glee as thunder rips.

He disappears.

* * * * *

Chapter 27 - Study harder

* * * * *

Kolby dances on his bed in front of the screen showing Kym and Craig, "Looks good, looks good."

He jumps off, spins a waltz, feigns shooting his arrow, "Cupid's going to be so happy! She'll feel better.-- Hey Boss!"

A trumpet blows.

Kolby glances around.

Weaving through the trees on a surfboard rides Countess in her pink tutu and green surf shoes.

She zooms into the room, her grin wide.

Kolby, "Nice waves."

Countess, "My services were desired by Boss to give you this."

She hands Kolby a box similar to before.

Kolby, "I don't need another arrow head."

Her smile disappears, she frowns and mocks him, "I don't need another arrow head."

She bursts out in tears, "Oh, oh, Boss, he doesn't want me!"

Kolby, "Hey, it's okay, it's okay, I'll take it."

Fake tears gone, her face spreads in a big grin.

He opens the box.

Arrow feathers.

Kolby, "Great, first an arrow head, now feathers but no shaft."

Countess, "Not ready yet."

She gives him a funny face, giggles, surfs away.

Kolby shakes his head, stuffs the box in his pocket.

He talks to himself, pretending to be both himself and Boss, walking back and forth between two locations.

Kolby, "Boss, the other day you said you'd help me."

Kolby as Boss, "Did I?"

Kolby, "Twice."

Kolby as Boss, "Try me."

Kolby, "Ever since I've been your agent with humans, I always have to go invisible and only one foot tall. Boss! I need help!"

The earth shakes.

Kolby jumps in his favorite chair, "Thanks Boss, thanks."

Kolby and the chair zoom off.

* * * * *

Kolby arrives in front of a Ferris Wheel.

A huge Amusement Park with every ride spinning, but no one in the seats.

Kolby, "It's been years, not since I was--"

He's whisked into a seat.

The wheel rotates to the top.

Boss sits in a floating chair, "Two feet tall?"

Kolby, "Six would be better."

Boss, "Nope, here."

Boss waves his hand, Kolby shrinks to be two feet tall.

Kolby, "Boss!"

Boss, "Sorry, Kolby, when you're on earth, right?"

Kolby, "It would help."

Boss waves and Kolby's normal size again.

Boss, "And?"

Kolby, "Visible?"

Boss, "So."

Boss looks left and right, then up and down.

His sewing machine appears.

He strokes it, "Study harder."

Kolby, "And--"

Boss, "And, gotta go."

Boss climbs on top of his sewing machine.

Kolby, "Boss, wait!"

Boss flashes his eyebrows, spins and spins with the sewing machine.

Gone.

The residue neon sign blinks, "GOTCHA".

Kolby jumps up.

The Ferris Wheel disappears.

He stands at Boss's outdoor pavilion.

The lake spreads out forever, becoming an ocean.

Kolby, "Boss?"

Kolby shrugs, walks along the shore.

He pretends to talk with Boss.

Kolby, "Boss, see it's like this: I've been Cupid's number one agent since humans populated 100,035."

Kolby shakes his head, "You know that, yeah. She could handle them all by herself until then. And now, my gosh, how many agents she has? Yeah, that many and more, too."

Kolby drops down on the sand.

His eyes water, "And well, when you work with such a beautiful being like Cupid for so long--"

Kolby jumps up, mocks getting his bow and arrow ready.

Pretends to shoot.

Races over to where he aimed the arrow, pretends to be standing next to someone.

Mocks taking hearts from his belt, puts them on his "other" person and himself.

Closes his eyes and blows at his "love", grabs at his "blown hearts", throws some on himself.

He smiles, sighs, shrugs, plops on the sand, lies back, looks up at the sky.

* * * * *

Chapter 28 - Duke on his way

* * * * *

Golf course.

Duke and Craig sport fashionable golfing clothes.

Duke tees off.

The ball slices into a pond.

His face scrunches up.

Craig smiles, "Another two bucks for me."

Duke, "Great."

Craig tees off, the ball lands on the green.

Duke frowns, "Damn it."

They walk towards the balls.

Craig, "No big deal with the money you're going to get with that new job. It sounds great, near those gigantic Rocky Mountains."

Duke, "Yeah. There's also a top meditation center in the hills close to Denver. I plan to learn some. My mentor at Med school reckons it cures stress problems."

Craig, "Meditation? Uh, my parents are against that stuff."

Duke, "Old fashioned, just not with it."

* * * * *

Chapter 29 - Zack on his way

* * * * *

Zack and Hubert wear dirty T-shirts and shorts, playing one-on-one, on a half court next to the local Library.

Zack sinks a long shot, swish, "Got my tickets. First to Denver, do a meditation retreat with my Dad's teachers. Then on to Australia to find Kym."

Hubert, "What'cha gonna do, check all Kindergartens for three year olds? How on Earth ya gonna find her?"

Zack, "Got an old address. Figure I'd start there."

Hubert, "Zack, me good buddy, go for it. But if ya find Kym, don't come back real soon, give me a few weeks."

Zack, "Huh?"

Hubert, "Well, man, like two's a couple, three's a catastrophe, I'll need to find a new home."

They hug.

* * * * *

Chapter 30 - Hydrocardiofissionate disease

* * * * *

Zack reads in his living room, while the TV blares the news.

Announcer's voice, "And today in Sydney, Australia, a medical breakthrough has been achieved by two local doctors, Dr. CC Coleman and his assistant, Dr. Duke Adams."

The TV shows beaming Doctors CC Coleman, 60, and Duke.

CC holds a small vial.

Eager, Zack sits up.

The phone rings.

Zack goes to the kitchen to answer it.

Announcer's voice, "After years of work, they have discovered an antiserum for the rare Hydrocardiofissionate disease. Though known as a hereditary problem just for women, there have been two cases of sons contracting the fatal illness."

A soccer match replaces the doctors' scene.

Announcer's voice, "Now time for the sports."

Zack walks back in the room, plops down to watch.

* * * * *

Chapter 31 - Cupid collapses

* * * * *

Kolby's gym room.

Kolby goes down on a squat.

He changes to pushups.

One squirrel watches.

Kolby, "Now I have a logistics problem. No, no, I mean challenge. Uh, Kym's coming, but Zack's going..."

Kolby collapses face down, "Two weeks... only two..."

A "wiped" Cupid materializes.

Eyes red from tears.

She holds her stomach, looks around, shakes her head.

Kolby looks up, "Cupid, I--"

Cupid, in a bare whisper, "Kolby..."

Cupid collapses.

Kolby, "No! No! Boss! Help!"

Three whirlwinds come from different directions.

They engulf Kolby and Cupid.

Flashes of colored lights explode.

The "storm" passes.

Cupid lies unconscious on a hospital emergency bed.

Kolby holds her hands.

His face distraught with grief.

A nurse massages Cupid's right pinky toe.

Another nurse massages Cupid's left ear.

An angry Boss appears, "So! Kolby, study harder! Work harder! Or else!"

Boss claps his hands.

Cupid and the nurses disappear.

Boss, "So!"

He fiercely frowns, spins, disappears.

His neon sign blinks, "OR ELSE!".

Determined, Kolby races out the house, through the woods.

Trips, falls face down.

He jumps up, dashes around thorny bushes, leaps over bubbly lava, slides down a slope.

Plop, lands in a puddle.

He arrives at the edge of his "mushroom".

A mile away tower two taller mushroom pedestals which lean over at each other, touching slightly, with a large glass building on each pedestal, sharing the same wall, so one can see thru to the other.

The Celestial Library and the Celestial Hospital.

Kolby spins his arm.

He arrives in front of the Library, full of fat books.

He spots Cupid in the Hospital, through front windows on her hospital bed, being massaged by the nurses.

Tears flow down his cheeks.

He wipes them hard, dashes into the Library.

* * * * *

Chapter 32 - Mick Mosen

* * * * *

On a computer screen, website page comes to life: BEAR ROCK RETREAT CENTER.

RESIDENT TEACHERS: Montague and Amber.

Photos show a hillside location plus Montague and Amber, now 60.

The cursor hovers over "CONTACT".

Click.

"REGISTRATION FOR SILENT RETREATS".

Click.

"NAME".

"Zackory Mick Mosenberry" is typed.

Pause.

Zack, "Nah, then they're going to treat me special."

The cursor erases Zackory and berry, leaving "Mick Mosen".

* * * * *

Retreat center dining hall.

Large open glass doors on one side, with dish racks.

A hand written Mick Mosen fills the NAME space of a registration form.

Two strong male hands hold it.

Zack sits in front of Montague, who reads over his form.

Montague's face twitches.

Sitting next to Montague, Amber talks with a woman.

Thirty hopeful retreatants sit at other tables and mill around, keen to join the meditation retreat.

The cute, white, furry, chubby Havanese dog, Dog-O lies below Montague with it's head on his foot.

Montague, "Can you laugh, Mick?"

Montague makes silly faces.

Zack's confused, doesn't know what to do.

Montague, "Really, can you laugh, laugh, laugh?"

Montague makes more silly faces.

Zack bursts out laughing.

Montague guffaws, hands Zack a key and papers, "Good, good, hah. Room key and retreat instructions."

Zack, "Thanks so much, Sir. I'll do my absolute best."

He walks away.

Montague turns to Amber.

He taps his fingers on the table, points at Zack, "Reminds me of someone."

Amber, "Yeah, same."

Montague turns to the other men waiting, "Next."

Duke steps forward.

* * * * *

A very spartan dormitory.

Zack makes his "bed", a thin one-inch mat on the floor underneath a higher bunk.

A similar setup exists on the other side of the room.

In the same room, Duke, wearing his pressed shirt, eyes over his "spot" in utter disbelief.

A laid-back European, new age junkie, Arno, 35, tie-dyed clothes, finishes his "bed".

Duke, "Hell, don't know how I'm going to sleep on this."

Arno and Zack look over the rich guy.

Arno, "Zat's za easy part, fella. Wait for za meditation work, ha!"

Arno strides out.

Duke gives Arno a look.

He turns to Zack, "Name's Duke Adams."

Zack, "Mick Mosen. Duke Adams, Australian, eh? Your name rings a bell."

Duke, "Yeah, we have real beds there."

Zack looks long at Duke, "Sydney, right? A doctor?"

Duke preens himself, "Sure am. I discovered the cure for the Hydrocardiofissionate disease."

Zack, "No kidding? My Mom died from it."

Duke, "Oh, sorry about that. Have you been checked?"

Zack, "Me? Nothing wrong with me."

Duke, "You never know."

He grabs his towel, "Well, off for a nice hot shower."

Zack lies down, feels his chest as he takes deep breaths.

He nods, smiles.

* * * * *

Chapter 33 - Kym meets Hubert

* * * * *

Kym's head rests on a pillow looking out the airplane window at the streaked sky.

An attendant makes final checks, "Almost there, Miss. Please bring your seat up."

Kym fixes her seat.

She takes the childhood wedding and Zack's fourteen-year-old photos out of a notebook, bites her left pinky fingernail in nervous anticipation.

* * * * *

Los Angeles airport.

With the brilliant sky in the background, the plane lands.

* * * * *

Kym walks off the plane.

An Australian backpack hangs on her shoulder with the bear toy tied on.

She walks through the airport, through Immigration, gets her small roller suitcase and out the door.

* * * * *

A taxi stops on the other side of the street, in front of Zack's home.

Kym gets out, rests her backpack and suitcase on the sidewalk, looks at her old house.

* * * * *

Inside Zack's home, Hubert, in half of his pajamas, hair uncombed and a three-day-old beard, glances out the front window.

He spots Kym, zips for his glasses and back to the view.

His glasses rest cockeyed on his large nose.

Hubert, "Super chick. Wonder why she's looking at old man Grey's?"

He stumbles outside to retrieve the garbage can, still half awake.

He rubs his eyes, "Hey..."

He spots Kym's bag - the bear and an Australian flag emblem.

He walks closer, stepping into the street, eyeing her over, "Nah, impossible..."

He turns back toward his home.

He stops.

He shrugs, spins around again, ambles nearer to Kym.

He's almost across the road when she turns around shocked to see this big half dressed fellow giving her the eye.

Hubert, "Hey, didn't mean to frighten ya."

Kym, "Oh, uh, oh it's okay."

Hubert, "Well, I live across the street. Just happened to see ya looking at Mr. Grey's house. Then I saw that bear."

Kym freaks out, thinking Hubert is Zack.

She can barely whisper, "You, uh, you live there--"

Hubert, "And the flag, I just kinda thought, beg me pardon if I offend ya, ya must be Kymmie."

A garbage truck turns into the street.

Kym, "Uh, uh, only my family calls me that. I'm Kym or Kymberly."

Hubert, "Well this is fabulous! I'm--"

Just as Hubert says his name, the garbage truck makes a loud noise so Kym doesn't hear him.

Kym looks around for an escape route.

Hubert, "I gotta talk to ya about--"

Garbage truck noise.

Hubert, "C'mon over, have some breakfast."

He picks up Kym's suitcase, strides toward his home.

Kym stands frozen, scared out of her wits.

Her left thumb plays rapidly with her left pinky.

* * * * *

In the Celestial Library, Kolby speed-reads a four thousand paged book, 30 by 20 inches, which floats in the air.

He slides his finger down each page, flips them at a rapid pace.

Behind Kolby, Cupid lies on her bed in the room on the other side of the wall.

Kolby, "There's got to be something here."

He finishes that book, "Another!"

A chubby, bespectacled librarian floats over, past an old black Singer sewing machine, holding seventeen similar sized books.

She tosses them in the air.

They fall softly, stacking themselves in a neat pile.

Librarian, "Kolby, what, oh what art thou seeking?"

Kolby, "Answers!"

An alarm rings, a TV screen appears with Kym unmoving.

Kolby's eyes open wide, "Oh no!"

He jumps on a table, shuts his eyes.

* * * * *

Kolby appears behind Kym.

He now stands two feet tall and gives Kym a push behind her legs.

To no avail as he goes straight through her.

Kolby, "The rules are so dumb!"

He races to her backpack, tries to raise it up, "I'm allowed to grab stuff but not humans!"

The backpack's as big as Kolby, he can't get it up.

He drags it towards Zack's house.

Wide-eyed, Kym watches her backpack slide along the ground, "Uh, uh, okay, uh, magic?"

* * * * *

Kym and Hubert enter the house, an A-1 mess with girlie magazines and empty beer bottles scattered everywhere.

Kym's repulsion shows.

Hubert tidies some of it, but only some, "Sorry about the mess, let me get a shirt on, ya just get yaself comfortable there."

He dashes into his bedroom.

Kym looks around.

She inches toward her suitcase, but Hubert's out in a flash.

Hubert, "What'll ya like, ham and eggs? C'mon in the kitchen."

Clutching her side bag, a very hesitant Kym follows Hubert into the kitchen.

Kym, "Uh, just some juice would be fine."

Hubert, "Nah, ya gotta be hungry. I'll make some eggs. Y'know, I just can't believe it, going out for the garbage can, there ya was, like a heavenly angel appearing."

He turns his back on Kym, prepares the food.

Kym rolls her eyes with a sarcastic expression, "Great, he's a player."

Hubert, "Yeah, beautiful, ya sure look better than when ya was three years old. I'd never have fallen for ya then but now, wow!"

She scrunches her face.

Hubert, "But--"

Garbage truck noise.

Hubert, "thought ya was truly beautiful then, too, with sparkling eyes."

He turns, quickly zips to Kym, "Let me look close at ya eyes."

Hubert looks into Kym's face, as close as he can get without giving her a kiss.

Kym lights up with horror, shuts her eyes and pulls away.

Hubert, "Well, pretty, yes, sparkle, I don't know."

He returns to his cooking.

Kym pulls out her two photos of Zack.

She sighs, shakes her head.

Hubert, "Sunny up or once over?"

Kym, "Sunny side up is fine, thank you."

Hubert, "I know just why you've come."

Kym points at a bowl of nuts on the table, then back at herself.

She nods a big YES.

Hubert, "Amazing, like minds ya are. Been thinking exactly the same thing. Ever since ya left, couldn't let go of the thought of ya. Been on the mind every day. Seventeen years, wow, here ya are. Never had a girl friend cause ya the one."

Kym shakes her head a violent NO.

Hubert turns to see the ending of Kym's shake.

He looks at her perplexed, as she tries to cover with a half-smile.

He shrugs, "But ya missed him."

Kym, "What?"

Hubert, "Yeah, he's gone."

Kym, "Who?"

Hubert, "Zack, of course."

Kym, "What? You're not Zack?"

Hubert, "Hey, didn't ya hear me? Musta been the garbage truck. The world keeps making tons of garbage, and those guys are the only ones who want it. No, I ain't Zack, I'm Hubert, call me Hubie, if ya wants."

Kym's adrenalin skyrockets, "Oh, oh Hubert, uh Hubie, where's Zack?"

Hubert, "Denver mountains."

Kym, "Denver? Mountains?"

Hubert, "Yeah, tell ya what, I think ya like to see some videos of him, eh?"

Kym, "Oh, yes!"

* * * * *

Eyes wide, Kym, with her left pinky in her mouth, and Hubert sit looking at a laptop.

Zack jumps out of an Olympic swimming pool after winning a race.

American flags wave everywhere.

Hubert's voice, "Gold medal, nothing but the best."

Kym's voice, "Oh, Hubie, he's, he's just..."

Hubert's voice, "Yeah, sure is. There's heaps more, like here, top student at college."

-- AUDITORIUM, Zack stands at a podium with a video screen behind him.

Hubert's voice, "He wrote a poem and made a film for his graduation speech."

-- THE VIDEO SCREEN shows TEAMING MASSES OF PEOPLE

Zack, "With eight billion people, what does it mean?"

-- TANKS AND BOMBS EXPLODE

Zack, "When you read about wars, how do you feel?"

-- POLICE STAND OVER A DEAD BODY

Zack, "You hear about a murder, what do you think?"

-- AFRICAN POVERTY

Zack, "Another person is starving, why?"

-- BEAUTIFUL FOREST

Zack, "And the forest looks lovely, such colors, so fresh, the flowers, the birds, the rocks and the grass."

-- A COBRA SNAKE POPS OUT OF THE GRASS

Zack, "If that is all you see, watch out for the snake."

-- RAIN UPON SUBURB HOMES

Zack, "Perhaps one word, perhaps one word may be all we can change. Yet the value may be great, like in the heat a soft gentle rain."

-- THE WORDS "WHAT CAN I GET?" FILL THE SCREEN

Zack, "And many will think, 'What can I get?'"

-- LETTERS "ET" DISSOLVE, CHANGE INTO "IVE"

Zack, "How often comes the thought, 'What can I give?' One word, one word."

Kym, "Oh, Hubie, I'm in love! Zack's Mr. Right!"

Hubert, "Right ya are, Kym!"

* * * * *

Los Angeles airport.

Another wall poster advertises CUPID'S COLOGNE, with Marc Anthony and Cleopatra, promising "MYSTERIOUS LOVE." Yes, Marc Anthony and Cleopatra look exactly like Zack and Kym.

Kym hugs Hubert and Gina goodbye.

Hubert gets a big kiss on the cheek as well.

She bounces through the Customs entrance.

Hubert, "Well, Gina honey, looks like I better check out a new place. Zack and Kym, wow. Sure would like to be a fly on the wall when they meet."

Hubert glances around at other couples, some hug, some with kids.

He turns to Gina, they smile at each other in that undeniable way.

An "invisible" Kolby appears in his "Cupid" outfit.

Hubert, "Gina, honey?"

Kolby places an arrow, draws his bow, shoots.

The arrow flies slowly through Hubert's back, out his front, into Gina, out again and back to Hubert.

Kolby takes two hearts from his belt, puts them on Hubert and Gina's heads.

Now the blowing - hundreds of little hearts come out his mouth, land all over Hubert and Gina, whose eyes are frozen to each other.

Gina, "Hubie, baby."

They kiss.

Kolby nods, spins his arm.

* * * * *

Celestial Library.

Kolby appears in the Library, and presses up against Cupid's "wall".

She lies unmoving.

Kolby, "Cupid, Kym's on her way! Don't worry, she's coming."

* * * * *

Chapter 34 - Kym arrives

* * * * *

Kym sits in the airplane, in heavenly bliss, and flips through many photos of Zack.

* * * * *

A sign reads: BEAR ROCK RETREAT CENTER, 10-DAY SILENT RETREAT IN PROGRESS - QUIET!! OR ELSE! A steep walk rises thirty yards behind the gate.

A taxi pulls up.

Kym exits.

She grabs her luggage, struggles up the steep drive, pulling her roller suitcase, with her small bag and bear over her shoulder.

Kym, "Two days late, oh, I hope they will take me."

* * * * *

Dog-O sniffs Kym's leg as she reads the Information Board.

Amber strolls by, notices the bear.

Her eyes go wide.

She touches the bear's black ear, plays with her own hair, "Need some help?"

Kym, "Oh yes, yes, please. I want to join the retreat. Can I speak to the teachers? I just really want to join."

Amber, "Retreat's begun."

Kym fidgets, bites her fingernails, "Oh, but maybe I could talk with one of them. I really want to do it. I, I, my boyfriend is here and... do you know where the teachers are?"

Amber, "Boyfriend, yeah? Zack Mosenberry?"

Kym, "Yes, yes, oh, he is here, oh, that's great!"

Amber, "Thought you already knew he was?"

Kym, "Right, uh, yes, um but I, uh--"

Amber, "Name?"

Kym, "Kymberly Young. Most people call me, Kym."

Amber, "Done meditation before?"

Kym, "I had one course at University."

Amber, "Age, Kym?"

Kym, "Twenty."

Amber, "Very young."

Kym, "Oh, but can I talk to the teachers? Do you know where they are?"

Amber, "Yeah, here. I'm Amber."

Kym, "Oh! Please, please can I join?"

Amber looks away, "Normally no one joins late... But Zack's special. You're his girl, we'll give it a go."

Amber turns back to Kym, "But, Kym, this is a silent retreat, no talking with Zack til it's over."

Kym, "Oh, yes, yes. Oh, thank you so much!"

* * * * *

Celestial Library.

A squirrel lays on the sewing machine, watches Kolby speed-read.

Half the books in the library lie scattered around him.

He slams a book shut, shakes his head.

The Librarian floats over, "You may rest. She hath arrived."

She points to a TV screen showing Kym with Amber.

Kolby collapses.

He looks over at Cupid, half-smiles, "Eight days, only eight earth days left, but it won't be long, Cupid. Soon they will see each other again. Studies done."

He slams the book shut.

* * * * *

Chapter 35 - Is he?

* * * * *

With a view stretching down the hills and beyond to Denver, Montague and Amber's home rests amongst the woods.

Montague exercises on a treadmill at a crawl pace, half a mile per hour.

Amber speeds on a stationary bike as if in a race.

Dog-O lies asleep on his back, feet up in the air.

Amber, "Montague!"

Montague, "Yes, my lovely love."

Amber, "Why didn't you tell me Robert's son is here!"

Montague's cheek twitches, "He is?"

Amber breaks the bike, frowns, plays with her hair, "No Zack Mosenberry?"

Montague, "Told you, I would have. Look at the lot."

Montague grabs a bunch of papers on a side table, hands them to Amber.

She flips through them, "The new woman has his bear. Says he's here."

Montague, "Perhaps planned to present his person and had a problem, heh, heh."

Amber, "Guess so."

* * * * *

Chapter 36 - Fireworks coming

* * * * *

With eyes lowered, Zack and the other retreatants silently walk back and forth in many walking track lanes, which are side-by-side.

Kym races up, searches for Zack, yet spots Duke.

Her eyes bulge out in disbelief.

She shakes her head, resumes looking, spots Zack but doesn't see his face.

Her eyes light up.

She joins the walking, moves to a track only two lanes away from Zack.

She tries to do walking meditation, yet looks over regularly at Zack.

He doesn't notice her.

Dog-O waddles into the area, stops, looks around.

It's tail wags madly.

It waddles over to Arno, flops over on its back, tongue out, panting madly.

Arno glances at the dog, turns his head away, walks off without petting it.

The dog hops up, undeterred.

It waddles over to the end of Zack's path, flops over on it's back.

Zack approaches, sees the dog, grins.

He reaches down to pet it's tummy.

Arno coughs, drawing Zack's attention.

Arno shakes his head, no.

Zack shrugs at the dog, mouths, "Sorry, little fellow."

Zack turns and walks off.

* * * * *

Kolby stands next to Cupid in bed, holding her hands.

The movie screen in the Library shows Kym, Zack and the dog.

Kolby looks at the screen, nods.

* * * * *

Zack reaches the other end of his track.

Kym stands at her end farthest away from Zack.

He turns.

Kolby appears mid-way in the track between Zack and Kym.

He whistles to the dog, "Here Dog-O, Dog-O."

Dog-O spots Kolby, races over, flops on its back.

Kolby rubs its tummy.

The dog wiggles in ecstasy, tongue out flapping, tail wagging below its body.

Everyone stares in bewilderment, seeing only the dog and not Kolby.

Kym looks over the dog to Zack.

She sees his face clearly for the first time.

His eyes sparkle.

Wow! In a swoon, her face says it all.

However Zack doesn't consciously look at Kym, he quickly returns to his walking.

A bell rings.

They all walk into the Large Meeting Hall, though Kym "waltzes" in.

* * * * *

Celestial Library.

Dejected, Kolby stands looking at all the books.

The black sewing machine rests behind him about ten feet away.

He yells upward, "Boss! Boss! She saw him, but he didn't see her. Boss!"

Kolby waits.

No response.

Kolby, "More books!"

* * * * *

Everyone enters the Meditation Hall.

Some sit in meditation postures on the floor.

Some sit on chairs in the back.

Zack, eyes lowered, walks mindfully, all the way to the front, slips into the full lotus sitting posture.

A distracted Duke sits in the back, on a chair.

He scans the women, as they enter.

He spots Kym, and does a double take.

He rubs his eyes.

Duke's thoughts, "Kym, nah, must be a vision. She's such an angel. It'll fade soon."

He shuts his eyes, yet pops them open again, gawks at Kym.

Kym squeezes her mat in between two women in the front, trying to get close to Zack.

One of the women frowns at her, shifts her own mat further away.

Duke's thoughts, "That woman sees her, too. She's real!"

He slaps his hands on his knees, making a loud noise.

Close by sits Arno.

He opens his eyes, looks straight at Duke, puts his finger to his mouth to say, Sshh!

Duke nods sheepishly, closes his eyes.

Satisfied, Arno does also.

Duke opens his eyes again, at Kym.

Duke's thoughts, "It's Kym, my Kym! What the hell? Hey, I know - it must be - she wants me, hey oh hey, she finally wants me! She followed me to Denver and now she wants me. Ohhhhh boy!"

Duke is overjoyed.

However...

Many silent interactions between Kym, Zack and Duke show otherwise.

Yet each time Zack won't look at Kym's face - he's very serious, doing the silent retreat.

* * * * *

Dining hall.

Distracted and unnerved as Zack stands close by, Kym drops a dish.

Duke, farther away, dashes to help.

But Zack cleans it up first.

An elated Kym floats.

Duke frowns.

* * * * *

Bathrooms.

Zack stands in line for the bathrooms, but lets Kym go first.

Kym blushes.

Duke sees this, grimaces.

* * * * *

Zack and Kym walk to the Meditation Hall door at the same time.

He lets her enter ahead of him.

Kym smiles.

Duke scowls.

* * * * *

The retreatants sit in the hall, listen to Amber teach.

Amber, "It's called the 'Retreat Romance.' Yeah, you get drawn to another retreatant who attracts you - your potential partner!"

Kym's eyes open wide, as she feels Amber can read her mind.

Likewise with Duke.

Amber, "You dream how perfect you'll be together. Imagine wonderful romantic moments and pleasant sensations. Some meditators experience the Retreat Romance so intensely they even plan a wedding!"

A guilty Kym hides her face as though all the other meditators can also read her mind.

An embarrassed Duke hangs his head, too.

* * * * *

Kym talks with Amber on her cottage porch.

Kym, "Amber, I'm sorry. I have to confess something to you."

* * * * *

Duke talks with Montague on his interview cottage porch.

Duke, "Sir, uh, uh, I have this problem."

* * * * *

In the evening, Amber and Montague relax on their porch.

Montague yo-yos a psychedelic yo-yo as Amber knits a sock, already four feet long.

Montague, "Stranger than strange."

Montague "sleeps" the yo-yo (it stays spinning hanging down, without coming up).

Montague, "So the way I see it, either we have two nut cases or one nut case or three nut cases, or, or... am I missing a nut?"

Amber, "Want a wrench?"

Montague springs the yo-yo up, it hits him in the head.

His cheek twitches, he stops, looks up at the stars, "That young fellow, Mick, reminds me of another young fellow I knew when I was younger, but I can't remember which young fellow, that young fellow was."

Amber frowns.

Montague, "Jumping jezzabees!"

Montague drops the yo-yo, pulls out his iPhone.

Swipes, presses, Robert's photo appears, "Look!"

He hands the iPhone to Amber, races inside.

Amber, "Lightning strike?"

He comes out with the student forms, flips through them.

Montague, "I'm a jumping, Jupiter jackass."

Amber, "Oats in the cupboard."

Montague pulls out Mick's registration form.

Montague, "Zackory..."

His finger touches the name section, "Mick Mosen-berry! It's him!"

Amber, "Fireworks are definitely coming."

* * * * *

Chapter 37 - Bells

* * * * *

Montague teaches in the hall.

Montague, "The norm of the normal human is normally to disregard the absolute norm. Heh, heh, not bad, eh, Amber?"

Amber grins a curt smile.

Montague, "Now what is the norm for all? Our bodies have a time limit. Call it a timely time bomb, which means, of course, in due time our time is up. Heh, heh."

He looks to Amber for approval, she frowns.

Montague, "So with no further ado."

He looks at the bell, waits.

He looks to the left, right, above, under the podium.

Montague, very loudly, "So with no further ado..."

* * * * *

In the hospital, Kolby leans over Cupid, puts his head on her pillow and strokes her hair.

Exhausted, he nods off.

Boss's voice, "Kolby!"

Kolby wakes, "Uh-oh."

* * * * *

Montague's eyes tear, his cheek twitches, "It used to--"

Amber, "It will."

She hands Montague a tissue.

He wipes his eyes, blows his nose.

Invisible to everyone, Kolby jumps in from the window, grabs the bell ringing stick and swings.

Bong!

But he's twice as big now, swinging as he would have before.

His new power knocks the bell off the table, onto the floor.

Montague, "Hey, Pixie, been working out with Atlas?"

Kolby jumps down, grabs the bell, brings it back to the table.

Montague smiles and turns to the stunned students, "Now, a new, new, new mindfulness activity. Whenever you hear a bell, ding-dong, ring-ring, bong, whatever, reflect that your timely time bomb could come at any time."

* * * * *

Chapter 38 - It's Kym!

* * * * *

Everyone does the walking meditation, back and forth, very seriously.

Even Kym, who walks about fifteen feet away from Zack.

Zack walks barefoot, with his sandals at one end of his track.

He finishes a turn at the other end, looks towards the sandals' end, takes a deep breath.

Another retreatant walks by Zack's sandals, accidentally kicks one towards Kym's shoulder bag.

Zack watches as the retreatant picks up the sandal, puts it back, yet crooked - pointing toward Kym's bag, and walks away.

Zack's eyes move from his sandal toward where it got kicked to and back to his sandal.

Again to where it got kicked to, and farther to Kym's bag.

The bear doll!

Zack's thoughts, "My bear, Kym's bear."

He stares, frozen in time.

Two feet approach the bag, stop.

He looks at the feet and up the body as Kym turns her back toward him and continues walking the other way.

Zack's thoughts, "Kym? Can that be my Kym?"

He watches her reach the other end.

She bites her left pinky fingernail.

Zack's thoughts, "Holy cow, she's biting her left pinky! It's her!"

Kym turns, continues walking toward her bag.

She wears sunglasses.

Zack's thoughts, "Looks nice, but what about her eyes?"

The ending bell rings.

Zack watches eagerly.

Kym walks to her bag, picks it up.

She looks toward the Large Meeting Hall.

She looks toward Zack.

Zack's thoughts, "Damn, Kym take off those sunglasses."

An overjoyed Kym sees Zack looking at her for the first time.

She smiles a most loving smile, which screams, "YES, I'M YOURS!" yet doesn't remove her sunglasses.

Zack smiles awkwardly back.

Kym's thoughts, "Oh, he's finally looking at me. Those eyes, those sparkling eyes. He loves me, too!"

She walks into the hall, floating on air now that Zack has acknowledged her.

Zack, "Uh..."

He stands dumbfounded as everyone enters the hall.

* * * * *

All sit quietly.

Neither Zack nor Kym can concentrate worth beans on their meditation practice.

Zack's thoughts, "I can't believe it."

Kym's thoughts, "I have to remember not to judge Zack from the outside."

Zack's thoughts, "Kym's here."

Kym's thoughts, "My parents do that too much. It's just not right."

Zack's thoughts, "It's my Kym and she loves me."

Kym's thoughts, "I have to wait, get to know him inside."

Zack's thoughts, "Seventeen years, now she's so close."

Kym's thoughts, "Oh, Kymmie, who am I kidding? Zack is my love, my true love!"

Zack looks over - Kym's eyes are shut.

Zack's thoughts, "Damn, when am I going to see her eyes!"

* * * * *

Dish racks with name tags stand near the front of the Dining Hall.

Zack passes by toward the bathrooms, towel over his shoulder.

He stops.

He races over to the racks, searches the names.

Spots "Kym".

His face lights up, he dances a "yes" dance.

Dog-O spots Zack dancing, races over, barks and joins in dancing.

Zack abruptly stops, looks around.

Three other retreatants watch wide-eyed.

Embarrassed, Zack heads to the toilets, but can't wipe a silly grin off his face.

* * * * *

Zack lays in his bed, holding his childhood marriage photo.

He fumbles in his backpack, pulls out the drawing of multi-colored hearts he made when he was only six, filled with "Zack & Kymmie".

Zack's thoughts, "We get to talk tomorrow. I'll see her sparkling eyes tomorrow."

A bell rings.

Zack's thoughts, "Oh-oh, yes, death at any moment. Uh, when and if all is okay, I'll see her sparkling eyes tomorrow."

* * * * *

Kym sits in her bed and swoons over her many photos of Zack.

Kym's thoughts, "Soon, so soon. I'll meet my true love so soon. I could just sing and sing, so soon, so soon!"

A bell rings.

Kym's thoughts, "Oh, gee, uh, okay, maybe, maybe... NO, IT HAS TO BE, IT HAS TO BE!"

* * * * *

Zack watches Kym, who sits on the open side of the Dining hall, finishing breakfast.

His eyes dart to her sunglasses, stuck on her shoulder bag.

He looks at the side of her head and waits expectantly.

Kym rises, goes to wash her dirty dishes.

Zack's thoughts, "C'mon, Kym, look this way."

She washes her dishes, walks toward the dish rack.

Zack's thoughts, "C'mon, c'mon."

Kym puts her dishes on a rack, grabs her glasses, puts them on.

She looks toward Zack, smiles tenderly.

He smiles back uneasily.

She walks off.

Zack's thoughts, "Shit..."

He leans back against a wall and pretends to bang his head.

* * * * *

Chapter 39 - Time is running out

* * * * *

Celestial Library.

Kolby leans against a huge pile of books and bangs his head.

He turns to the Librarian, shakes his head, takes a deep breath, "Y'know, I ain't got much time left and if... if Cupid..."

His eyes tear, he looks over at Cupid.

The Librarian puts her hand on his shoulder, gives Kolby a hanky.

Kolby, "I, uh, I don't know. I really want Cupid to be happy."

He wipes his eyes, blows his nose in the hanky, "More books!"

* * * * *

Chapter 40 - It's not her

* * * * *

The retreatants sit in the hall, listen to Montague.

Kym sits across the hall from Zack.

Montague, "One, two, three magic phrases packed with one, two, three magic powers. Make new friendships, strengthen old friendships and renew difficult friendships. Ready?"

He purposely pauses long, looks out a window, looks back, grins.

Montague, ""Please... Thank you... I'm sorry."-- Some of you were perhaps expecting Tibetan mantras?!"

Everyone laughs.

Montague, "They can be magic, magic, magic in relationships.-- Okay, you have three hours for talking."

He exits, leaving all the new retreatants aghast.

Kym, "Now? Not tomorrow, now! Oh, oh!"

Duke, "Wow oh wow, go man go!"

The older students immediately say hello to each other.

The hesitant new ones soon relax and join in.

The hall is ablaze with noise and laughter.

Kym looks at Zack.

Zack looks at Kym.

He sees her eyes.

No sparkle.

Zack's world crumbles, "Oh no, it's not her."

Duke approaches Kym, blocks Zack's view.

Zack, "It's not her... damn... it's... not... her."

A downtrodden Zack watches Duke and Kym talking.

Kym looks over Duke's shoulder longingly at Zack.

He slowly gets up, stumbles out the hall, "Damn."

* * * * *

Zack sits at a lookout, staring vacantly toward Denver.

Arno ascends the rock staircase, two steps at a time, "Hey, Mick, where za hell you been? Zare's a super knockout lady Kym looking for you."

Zack, "Uh, yeah, thanks, Arno."

Arno, "Well, go fella, go."

Zack doesn't move.

Arno sits down, "You okay?"

Zack, "No."

Arno, "Stomach or head?"

Zack, "Heart."

Kym walks up, "Zack?"

Arno, "I go, I go."

He splits.

Zack, disheartened, looks at Kym, no sparkle, "Uh, maybe we should talk, Kym."

Zack's eyes sparkle like stars at Kym.

She sighs deeply, but sits down thoroughly mystified.

Zack, "I, uh--"

Kym, "Zack."

Zack, "Yeah."

Kym, "Zack, I love you."

Zack, "Uh..."

Kym pulls out the "wedding" photo.

Zack, "Look, uh, Kym, that was just kids playing, uh, you know?"

Shattered, tears roll down Kym's cheeks.

Zack's ineptitude with women hits its peak.

But Kym won't quit that easy, "Zack..."

Kym touches Zack's arm gently.

He turns red, his body shakes, he looks off to the valley.

She moves closer, "Zack."

Zack, "Kym, uh..."

He springs up, knees rubbing against each other, "Uh, I have to go to the bathroom.

* * * * *

Zack lies in his bed staring up at the bunk above.

* * * * *

Kym leans against her bedroom wall, bawling her eyes out.

A pile of snotty tissues sits to her side.

Barbara, 40, a straight-talking, world-wise older roommate, consoles her, "Now don't you worry, sweetie. That Zack guy ain't worth a dime. Just one big drip. You deserve better anyhow. Duke, y'know Duke, he's rich, he's a doctor, and sweetie, he's been hot on you for years."

Kym, "Oh, Barbara, you don't understand. I love Zack."

Barbara, "Love's blind, honey, Duke's tops, c'mon, wipe those tears. There's more fish in the sea."

* * * * *

Many people talk and laugh in the Dining hall.

Duke chats with Kym.

Zack, with a towel over his shoulder, walks past to the bathrooms.

Kym wistfully gazes at him.

* * * * *

Chapter 41 - So?

* * * * *

Celestial Library.

Kolby sits on a large open book, head in his hands.

He rises, presses himself against the glass wall between himself and Cupid.

He runs his hands along the glass, "I'll do it, Cupid. I'll, I'll do it. I... I, I just don't know how I'll... do... it."

He bangs his head softly on the glass.

The ground starts to shake.

Kolby jumps in a chair, "Go, please, please Boss, go."

Off zooms Kolby.

* * * * *

Kolby arrives at Mt. Everest.

He frowns, hugs himself tightly.

Waits.

Shakes his head, looks around, "Boss?"

A recording of Boss appears in the sky, "Please be seated, I have been called for an emergency meeting."

Kolby shakes his fist at the vision as it fades, "BOSS! CUPID'S DYING, LOVE'S GOING TO END ON EARTH AND YOU--"

Kolby spins upside down 360 degrees as the mountain top changes into Boss's outdoor pavilion.

Boss's face lights the sky, "So."

Kolby, "So?"

Boss, "So!"

Boss disappears.

Kolby screams, "So! So what?"

His eyes go wide, he spins his arm.

Kolby arrives in front of the Librarian.

Kolby pounds his fist on the counter, "So!"

Librarian, "So?"

Kolby, "So."

Librarian, "So what?"

Kolby frowns, "What so's?"

Librarian, "Sews?"

The Librarian points to the black Singer sewing machine.

They race to it.

Kolby runs his hands over it as if it were a magic lantern.

He whispers to it, "Sew, I'm so sorry, I had no idea, Boss told me, I was lost, please forgive me, honey..."

He kisses it, "What's the answer?"

A book pops out, titled, "HOW TO GO TO EARTH AS A HUMAN."

* * * * *

Chapter 42 - Perfect mess

* * * * *

Zack sits on the men's dormitory verandah, staring blankly.

He rubs Dog-O's tummy, lying on his back.

Loud talking and laughter roars from the Dining Hall in the background.

Arno strides up, "Mick, what's wrong with you? Kym's got za hots for you like nothing and you treated her like a sister."

Zack, "Yeah, uh..."

Arno, "Yeah what? Having second zoughts? Too bad, zat Doctor Duke is chatting her up like mad. Your chance is kaput!"

Zack looks over at Duke and Kym talking.

Zack, "Hey, she's just not quite my type. That okay? I mean she's beautiful, really beautiful, and nice, too, but something's not right for me."

Arno, "C'est la vie, eh?"

Zack, "Arno, have you ever heard the expression, 'the eyes are like windows to the heart'?"

Arno, "Nope, but y'know what? Some windows need cleaning! Maybe yours."

Arno rambles off.

Kolby appears in the doorway behind Zack as a six-foot tall human.

Dog-O spots Kolby, goes berserk, jumps up, swings his head left-right, dives off the verandah howling, races away.

Zack, "Hey!"

Kolby, "Hi, Zack."

Zack, "What?!"

Kolby, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Zack, "Scare me, jeeps, scare Dog-O like nothing. What'd you do, come out of thin air?"

Kolby, "Yeah, well maybe, uh hey Zack..."

He sits down next to Zack, "Nice day."

Zack, "In Heaven, maybe."

Kolby looks up, shakes his head, "Some of them have problems, too."

Zack stares blankly at Kolby, who grins sheepishly.

Kolby, "Nice day for love."

Zack, "Maybe in Paris."

Kolby, "You and Kym, perfect."

Zack, "Perfect mess."

Kolby, "Well maybe, but didn't you love her when you were kids?"

Zack fixes his gaze firmly on Kolby, yet remains dismayed, "How'd you know that?"

Kolby, "And you told Hubert you were married to her. So, what happened? She's the one for you."

Zack, "You got psychic powers?"

Kolby, "Well, maybe, try me."

Zack eyes Kolby over, shrugs his shoulders, "Yeah, sure."

He gets up, walks inside.

* * * * *

Chapter 43 - The eyes

* * * * *

A totally baffled Kolby arrives back at Boss's pavilion, and plumps in a chair.

A movie screen shows Zack lying in his bunk, dazed.

Kolby waves his hand at the screen, it disappears, "Boss, I only have twenty human hours left."

HeH looks around, no Boss.

Only a squirrel sitting on the arm of another chair.

Kolby frowns.

Boss appears in the chair.

He strokes the squirrel, "The eyes, Kolby."

Kolby, "Huh?"

Boss, "The eyes."

Kolby, "The eyes?"

Boss, "Yes, the eyes."

Kolby, "The eyes! Oh Boss, it's so simple! Uh, but, uh, what about the eyes?"

Boss, "Zack fell in love with her eyes, her real eyes."

Kolby, "Boss! How can I thank thee?"

Boss, "Hey, hey, hey."

He does his eyebrow trick, rises, spins, disappears.

His neon sign blinks, "RIGHTY-O".

The squirrel jumps into Kolby's lap.

Very proud, Kolby talks to it, "Did you see that? It's no wonder Boss is Boss. But--"

The squirrel shakes its head.

Kolby, "Okay, I know, you want to know. Why, oh why does Zack have to see Kym's real eyes?"

He looks over his shoulders to see if anyone is there, "Don't tell anyone I told you this."

He glances around again, "But it's not like you can't figure this one out if you tried hard enough. So here it is: when you look into your lover's eyes and tell them 'I love you', where do you look?"

* * * * *

In her bedroom, Kym takes out her contacts, puts them in her contact case.

Kolby appears outside the room as a six-foot human.

Obviously not remembering that he's now human, he attempts to walk straight through the wall.

Crash.

He bangs against the wall and falls down.

Frightened, Kym looks out the window.

But she doesn't look downward.

Kolby lays flat, trying to hide.

Kym shuts the window.

Holding his bruised forehead, Kolby sits up.

Barbara approaches the dorm, spots Kolby.

Kolby, "Sorry."

He gives Barbara a silly grin, disappears.

Barbara stands motionless with eyes and mouth wide open.

* * * * *

Kolby arrives back, and races past the Librarian who sees his bruise.

Librarian, "Oh Kolby, what hath you done?"

Kolby, "So!"

He charges to the sewing machine.

He runs his hands lovingly over it.

He whispers, "Sew, darling, I need..."

He kisses it, "both."

A book pops out, titled, "RE-ESTABLISHING DEFAULT POWERS."

* * * * *

Outside of Kym's room, Kolby appears as a two foot tall, "invisible" figure.

Not sure this time, he gingerly walks through the wall into the room.

Kym combs her hair.

Barbara lies in her bed, eyes open, facing Kym's toiletries and contact lens case.

The case rises.

Barbara's eyes widen.

The case moves.

Barbara tries to speak, but nothing comes out, "Uh, uh, uh..."

Kym turns toward Barbara who points hysterically at the floating case, "Hey!"

Kym lurches for the case.

It disappears.

They both stare dumb-struck.

* * * * *

Chapter 44 - It doesn't rain here

* * * * *

Kolby returns outside the hospital.

Two nurses massage Cupid in her Hospital room.

He opens the case and peers at the contacts.

Two squirrels sit on the back of an outdoor chair.

Kolby, "Yeah, uh, yeah good, eh? But our stupid rules, these have to be returned. I'm stuck."

Boss's voice, "Kolby, it's not in the rules."

Kolby looks around, no Boss.

Kolby's eyes tear, "Boss, Cupid and--"

The contacts disappear from the case.

Boss's voice, "I'll ask Chief."

Kolby collapses in the chair.

A squirrel licks Kolby's cheek.

A very light rain.

Kolby looks up, shocked, "Rain? Rain? It doesn't rain here."

* * * * *

Chapter 45 - Unable to eat

* * * * *

Dining Hall.

Duke plays with his breakfast food, unable to eat, looks over at Kym.

He frowns, shakes his head.

Kym plays with her food, unable to eat, looks over at Zack with a deep longing.

She pulls out a tissue, wipes her teary eyes.

She shuts her eyes, bites her left pinky.

Zack plays with his food, unable to eat.

Perplexed and saddened, he looks over at Kym.

Stares long.

He looks over at Duke, shrugs.

Looks back at his food.

Duke looks over at Zack, frowns, shakes his head.

Kym looks over at Duke, shrugs.

Zack looks over at Kym.

He sighs.

* * * * *

Chapter 46 - Only 4 hours left

* * * * *

Kolby holds Cupid's hands.

A chart hangs on the Hospital wall showing a graph aiming downhill.

A steady rain falls outside.

Kolby, "Please Cupid, don't leave me. Cupid? I love you."

He moves his head close to hers, purses his lips, aims a kiss at her cheek.

Bong!

Kolby spins to see a gigantic Electronic Timer lowering from the ceiling.

It lands in his hands.

Kolby staggers under its weight.

It reads 4:00.00, 3:59.59, 3:59.58, 3:59.57...

Kolby, "I'll do it, Cupid. I'll do it."

He looks up at the sky through the glass ceiling, "Boss? Boss?"

A crack forms in the ceiling.

A huge drop of rain splashes on Kolby's face.

* * * * *

Chapter 47 - It's over

* * * * *

The final retreat teaching in the hall.

Kym and Zack both sit downtrodden.

Kym up front, sunglasses on.

Zack in the back, looks out the door.

Amber, "Simple phrase, right? 'Good luck, bad luck, who knows?'"

She pauses long.

Amber, "Powerful... Blows away negative reactions. Gives a non-resisting attitude... No experience need be thrown away. We can learn and grow from them all... Good luck... bad luck... who knows?"

Amber continues talking in the background.

Kym's thoughts, "Bad luck, bad luck, I know."

Zack's thoughts, "Good luck, bad luck, how true."

Kym's thoughts, "Okay, I've only lost three weeks and $3,000, it could be worse."

Zack's thoughts, "Who knows? Yeah, guess I've wasted 17 years, at least now I know."

Kym's thoughts, "Maybe I'll open myself more to Duke and other guys."

Zack's thoughts, "Hubert's right, I should drop my expectations, go back home, date Mary or Pam."

Kym's thoughts, shaking her head, "Desire and fulfillments, experience, experience. I'll have to make my own magical love."

Zack's thoughts, shaking his head, "Desire and fulfillments, experience, experience. I'll have to make my own magical love."

Amber, "Okay, the retreat is now over. Time for you each to make a new beginning on your magical life."

* * * * *

Hanging around the dining hall, everyone happily talks with each other.

Everyone except Zack and Kym.

Some get into a large tourist, vintage pick-up truck with sitting in the back, two parallel benches under a canopy.

Duke talks to Kym close to the truck.

Thirty yards away, Zack fidgets next to Arno and looks toward Kym, as his world turns upside down.

Kym and Duke get in the truck.

Their bags go on top.

They sit at the very back of the benches.

She looks toward Zack, but has her sunglasses on.

* * * * *

Chapter 48 - Zack collapses

* * * * *

Heavy rain falls outside the hospital.

Buckets lie scattered around the floor, catching drips.

An exasperated Kolby sits next to Cupid's bed, stares at a movie screen, showing the truck driving off.

The timer sits next to him: 0:22.44, 0:22.43...

Kolby, very meekly, "Boss? Hey, Boss?"

He screams, "BOSS! CUPID'S GOING TO DIE! LOVE'S GOING TO END ON EARTH!"

He collapses, the weight of the responsibility has taken its toll, "And... it's... all... my... fault."

His head goes into his hands, his body shakes.

Boss's neon sign appears, blinking "BINGO!"

Boss's voice, "Hey, hey, hey."

Kolby looks up, no Boss.

He looks at the sign, holds out his hands, like "Give me something, quick", "Boss!"

Two clear contacts appear in his hands.

Kolby, "They're clear! They're clear!"

He jumps up, pulls out the contact case.

In go the lenses.

He does some fancy hand movements, the case goes inside a broken package, addressed to Kymberly Young, from Craig Young.

More fancy hand movements, he sports a UPS uniform.

* * * * *

Kolby appears behind Zack and Arno, "Special delivery, anyone know Kymberly Young?"

Zack and Arno, super startled, "What?!"

Kolby, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Arno, "Scare us, for sure. What'd you do, come out of zin air?"

Kolby, "Yeah, well maybe, uh anyone know Kymberly Young? I have a special delivery package for her."

Zack, "Yes, I do."

A perplexed Zack looks at Kolby as if he knows him.

Kolby, "Sorry I, uh, it fell, opened up - yeah, all by itself and well, it looks important, y'know."

As Zack grabs the torn package, Kolby makes sure a letter slides out:

HI KYM, HERE'S YOUR NEW CLEAR CONTACTS, TIME TO THROW AWAY THOSE REPULSIVE GREEN ONES. LOVE, CRAIG

Zack gasps at the letter, "Contacts... green... it's my Kym. I'm such an idiot. Contacts blurring my vision of my love - it's my Kym!"

He hugs Kolby, "I'll get them to her, don't you worry!"

Zack runs off, arms flopping, legs kicking, screaming at the top of his lungs, "NO! NO! KYM! KYM!"

He runs straight down the hill toward the main road junction, as the truck zigzags down the incline.

He leaps over rocks, dodges low tree branches and zips straight through spider webs without blinking an eye.

The driver stops at a junction.

Zack's voice booms over the purring truck engine, "KYM! KYM!"

He flies through long grass and boulders.

He makes it to the back of the truck, breathing very, very heavy.

Kym bites her left pinky, tries to snub him.

Zack, "Kym!"

She still doesn't say anything.

She tries hard, but...

With daggers in his eyes, Duke stares at Zack.

Zack, "Kym!"

Kym, "Yes."

Zack reaches in his pocket, pulls out the contact lens case as if it were a wedding ring case.

He slowly opens it.

Kym's jaw drops seeing her case with clear contacts in it.

Zack, "Can I see your eyes?"

She removes her sunglasses, exposing her tearing eyes.

Zack wipes her eyes with his hanky.

They twinkle like stars.

Zack, "Kym, will you marry--"

His expression changes to fear, as his face turns white.

He grabs his chest, "Duke!"

Zack collapses on the ground.

Duke jumps out, "Shit, help me!"

He cradles Zack's head, "Kym, get my bag!"

Kym sits immobile in shock.

Duke, "Anyone, give me my bag, quick!"

Another passenger hands Duke his bag.

He fumbles, opens a pillbox, takes one out and slides it under Zack's tongue.

He pulls out a mobile phone, "Dr. Adams here... I need a helicopter, quick!"

* * * * *

A helicopter lands at the hospital, winds blowing like a small hurricane.

Many people in white furiously assist Duke with an unconscious Zack.

Kym sits in the helicopter, stares.

* * * * *

In a hospital room, an exhausted, teary Kym sits by Zack's bed, holding his hand.

He's either asleep, unconscious or dead.

* * * * *

Chapter 49 - How on earth?

* * * * *

Duke stands in his office, holding a phone, "C'mon CC, answer your phone."

* * * * *

A phone rings in CC Coleman's office, in Australia.

A clock next to the phone reads 4:00 am.

* * * * *

Duke paces, clutches the phone, "C'mon, c'mon, wake up."

Answering service, "You have reached the office of Dr. CC Coleman, please leave a--"

Duke slams the phone down, "Shit!"

He picks it up again, pushes "REDIAL".

* * * * *

CC rolls over in bed.

The phone downstairs rings.

* * * * *

Duke sits, squeezes the phone, "C'mon, CC, be there, be there."

Answering service, "You have reached--"

Duke slams the phone down, "DAMNIT! SHIT - Calm, stay calm, doctors stay calm."

He picks the phone up again, "Hell, what am I doing? If Zack lives, Kym will..."

He puts the phone down, this time gently.

Duke, "SHIT!"

He picks it up again, pushes "REDIAL".

* * * * *

CC's phone rings.

Groggy, CC stumbles down the stairs in his pajamas.

He enters his office and hustles to the phone, "CC here."

(pause)

"Yeah, Duke."

He nearly falls, grabs on a chair, "You sure?!"

He shakes his head, "No way, he'll be dead first."

(pause)

"Okay, I'll try anyhow."

CC hangs up, sits down, opens his phone book to "U".

His finger slides down to UPS.

He dials.

CC, "Nope, answering machine."

He hangs up.

* * * * *

Celestial hospital.

A cyclone blows outside.

Rain falls in the room, though not on Cupid.

Dressed in rain gear, doctors and nurses surround Cupid.

The building sways.

Kolby, still in his UPS uniform, stands close by.

Lightning strikes.

Kolby, "No... no..."

Thunder booms.

He spots the screen showing CC.

* * * * *

Kolby appears outside CC's home, presses the door bell and bangs loudly.

Kolby, "UPS, UPS, emergency, open up, Dr. CC Coleman, open up!"

* * * * *

CC looks up, stunned, "Coming, coming."

He races to the front door, opens it, "How on earth?"

Kolby, "UPS is the greatest service in the universe. Dr. Adams' patient is a close friend."

CC, "I'll get the antiserum."

Bewildered, CC races off.

He returns with a small box.

Kolby, "Fantastic Sir, we'll get it there in no time."

CC, "Yeah, uh, thanks."

He shuts the door, but, "Oh, I forgot to sign."

He reopens it - Kolby's gone, no truck.

CC, "What the...?"

* * * * *

Hospital lobby.

The front door bursts open with Kolby rushing in.

One nurse serves other people.

Kolby, "UPS, UPS for Dr. Adams, Dr. Adams."

Nurse, "Just a minute, Sir. I am busy."

Kolby, "This is an emergency!"

Nurse, "Please take a seat, Sir."

Kolby, "NURSE!"

Duke comes around the corner, "What's all the noise?"

Kolby, "UPS, Dr. Adams, take it quick from Dr. Coleman."

Duke, "What the--"

Kolby, "Quick, Duke, Zack..."

Duke looks at Kolby thunderstruck, rips open the box, sees the antiserum and races off.

* * * * *

Kym stares as Duke stands over Zack with a syringe.

The syringe goes into the vial.

Draws in the liquid.

The nurse opens Zack's shirt.

The syringe aims just below the heart..

Duke pushes it in.

Injects.

Done.

Duke turns to Kym, attempts a reassuring smile.

Kym, "Duke... thank you."

Duke, "Yeah."

He walks out.

The perfect image of a defeated cowboy, yet a true hero as well.

* * * * *

Chapter 50 - Duke's "reward"

* * * * *

Duke enters his office, collapses in his desk chair.

Invisible Kolby in his Toga outfit appears next to Duke's phone.

He looks at the preset keys: Betty, Jan, Rosemary, Amy.

Kolby pulls the receiver off the phone.

Duke stares in amazement.

He watches a pen rise off the table and hit Amy's button.

The ring sound.

Amy's voice, "Hello."

Duke smiles, picks up the receiver.

Duke, "Amy?"

(pause)

"Great, you're back. Tonight?"

(pause)

"See you then, honey."

Kolby gives a thumbs-up, disappears.

* * * * *

Chapter 51 - He really is Boss

* * * * *

Boss walks back and forth at his pavilion.

Flashing his eyebrows up and down, he smiles, "Kolby, your work with Zack and Kym has been exceptional."

A rapt Kolby sits expectantly, eyes wide.

Boss, "Cupid's recovered and she's very happy with you, too. So very, very, very happy."

Kolby, "Yeah?"

Boss, "And you have Duke and Amy lined up for tonight, terrific, no loose ends, everyone's happy."

Kolby, "Uh, well, almost everyone... Boss?"

Tears fall on Kolby's cheeks, he looks off at the sky.

Boss eyes him over, smiles, "You wanted another favor, right?"

Kolby, "Can I?"

Boss, "Name it, it's all yours."

Kolby bites his lips, begins to speak, "Uh--"

Boss whistles.

Countess, in her tutu and green sneakers, peddles in on a unicycle, spins twice, smiles wide.

Boss, "Ready yet?"

Countess, "Ready."

She hands him a curved arrow shaft.

Kolby's eyes go wide.

Boss, "Thank you, Countess."

She flashes her eyebrows, giggles and rides off.

Boss, "Here."

He hands the shaft to Kolby, who leaps for joy.

Kolby, "Boss!"

Boss, "Careful where you aim."

He winks, raises giggling, spins, stops.

He smiles ever so fatherly to Kolby.

While disappearing his voice rings, "Hey, hey, hey."

The neon sign reads, "HEY!"

Kolby hugs the curved shaft.

This is Heaven.

He takes out the arrow head, connects it to one end.

Does the same with the feathers.

Kolby, "He really is Boss."

He kisses the arrow, plops in a chair, strokes the arrow.

* * * * *

Chapter 52 - Will you marry me?

* * * * *

Zack lies unconscious in bed.

Kym adjusts his pillow, making him comfortable.

She notices a folded paper in his shirt pocket.

She pulls it out.

It's the drawing of multi-colored hearts, filled with "Zack & Kymmie".

Kym, "They're beautiful."

She hugs it, strokes Zack's forehead, "I love you, Zack. I love you."

She puts her head next to Zack's.

Kym, "You'll make it, Zack. You'll make it. I love you."

A bell rings.

Kym looks up solemnly, "Okay, yes, Bell. Zack, you might die now. Even I might die before you wake up. Don't worry, I'll love you, Zack, forever and ever."

Zack's head rocks back and forth.

Kym sits up, eyes wide.

Within Zack's mind, he sees blackness.

He hears his breathing.

He tries to open his eyes.

Everything is blurry.

He closes his eyes.

Blackness.

Breathing.

He opens his eyes.

Blurry.

It clears, he sees Kym.

Her eyes sparkle.

Kym, "Zack."

Her face comes closer.

She kisses him.

Her face recedes.

He closes his eyes.

Blackness.

He takes a big breath and opens his eyes.

Kym.

Eyes sparkling.

Zack, "Kym."

An elated Kym's eyes glisten with tears, "Yes."

Zack, "Will you marry me?"

Her face comes closer.

She kisses him.

* * * * *

Chapter 53 - Cupid & Kolby

* * * * *

Kolby's home.

Cupid, beautifully radiant, and Kolby watch a movie screen showing Zack and Kym hugging.

The black sewing machine stands behind Kolby with a sign on it, "KOLBY'S - ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TOUCH".

Cupid sighs and wipes tears of joy.

Kolby stands tall behind her, with a silly smile on his face.

He changes into his "Cupid" Toga dress, holds out his arms, flexes, the bow appears and the curved arrow.

Still sporting his little grin, he faces Cupid, aims the arrow to shoot behind him, pulls the bow, shoots.

Kolby, "Cupid."

Cupid turns, smiling ever so adoringly at Kolby.

The arrow flies off, does a 180-degree turn around the sewing machine, pierces Kolby, continues through Cupid and back.

She melts.

Kolby takes one heart from his belt, places it on her head, another onto his head.

Hands to face, he blows, hundreds of little hearts float out covering Cupid.

He grabs some, throws them onto himself.

He smiles.

Cupid smiles.

Kolby, "Cupid?"

Cupid, "Kolby."

They kiss, shimmer and both disappear.

Left behind is a Heart with "Cupid & Kolby" written in it.

* * * * *

The end

About the Author

Thank you for reading "Love, Mysterious", one of Steve Weissman's 13 stories now available worldwide. We hope you enjoyed the "journey" with Kolby, Cupid, Kym, Zack, Boss and the other characters.

Steve has been an international Buddhist meditation teacher since 1987. He was a resident teacher at a meditation center in Thailand for 25 years, teaching over 8,000 students from more than 85 countries. He currently lives in Australia, and continues teaching at various centers worldwide.

It was in his early years of teaching that Steve started weaving in entertaining short stories. One of his students commented on how they thought Steve could successfully write a screenplay. At the time Steve had far too much work to consider such a project, and dropped the thought.

Several years later, Steve was contemplating the Buddhist philosophy concerning death in different realms of existence, particularly the higher realms. In those realms, beings are thought to live an extremely long time and may come to believe their existence is permanent. He wondered what it would be like to explain what death is to someone, who had absolutely no knowledge about the aging process or death. These thoughts sparked more thoughts, and three days later, Steve finished his first screenplay draft.

After polishing that script and experimenting with a few more, Steve realized that no one has yet produced a dramatic movie of the Buddha's life for Western audiences. Yes, there are many biographies of the Buddha, but a biography is a biography, and very difficult to create the excitement that movie audiences want.

So, why not write a semi-fictious biography, with the dimension and character of a true "Hero's journey"?

Steve's movie script, "The Great Quest" is that story, which has the potential to become the first Hollywood-level, dramatic movie of the Buddha's life produced for both Western and worldwide audiences. <http://thegreatquest.net>

But although "The Great Quest" has made 22 script contest finals, Steve's many attempts to attract producers, directors, actors, agents and managers, has not yet produced fruit.

Understanding more about the film industry, Steve realized that a film of this magnitude - with good directing & acting - could be Oscar-worthy, but it would be very expensive. So he decided to write more scripts that were lower budget, thinking that if one of these would sell, he might get a better response for "The Great Quest". These scripts have made another 36 finals, and he has now won 7 contests, with dozens more semi & quarterfinals.

But, again, Steve's attempts to attract Hollywood interest, has not yet produced fruit.

So now his thought is - turn the scripts into inexpensive short stories, and see what happens.

Do you have any possible connections with film personnel? If so, would you please pass "Love, Mysterious" on to them. Steve will also gladly send all 13 of his stories to anyone who has a genuine interest in turning one or more of these into a film.

And, if you did enjoy this story and would like to help in even a small way, would you please take a few moments to leave a good review at your favorite retailer? More positive reviews will encourage others to read and enjoy it, too.

Thank you very much. You might be that special person who can help "Love, Mysterious" and "The Great Quest" become wonderful movies.

More information about Steve's teaching can be found at <https://rosemary-steve.org>. And specific film/stories information can be found at <http://thegreatquest.net/stories.htm>.

* * * * *

Steve's 13 stories

The Great Quest

Drama Biopic

Based on the true story of the Buddha: The battles of a Prince who rejects riches and power, risks insanity and death, in a quest to find ultimate freedom.

Imprisoned in the Palace by his father, the time fruits when a naïve Siddhartha awakens to the realities of the world, and escapes in search of a deeper meaning to life. His devious, look-alike, unrelenting alter ego, Mara, presents the greatest obstacle, thwarting Siddhartha at every possible opportunity. Siddhartha also confronts barbaric Brahmin Priests, a war-raging King and evil spirits before he attempts harsh austerities and starvation. Barely escaping madness and death, Siddhartha strengthens himself for his illustrious battle with Mara, when only one will survive.

ISBN 978-0-6487941-0-3

Open Your Eyes, Dude

Romantic Comedy

Relaxing at the beach before a seminar with the world's most renown, yet reclusive eye surgeon, playboy doctor Tom has been given an ultimative - stay a bachelor stuck in his boring job or join an elite group of doctors keen to be in the Senate. However, he has just one week to find a wife who will enhance his public image. When he meets secretive, gentle new-ager Tricia in the surf, she intrigues him and then escapes his advances before he can discover more. He follows her but confronts the scheming tricks of a jealous neurosurgeon, and his own selfish ways. Finally he seduces her for one night, and actually finds that he is falling in love with her. But what happens when she discovers his original motivation?

ISBN 978-0-6488482-5-7

Barred Engagement

Crime Thriller, Romance

Travis and Janie are lovers from high school, engaged to be married, with her father welcoming Travis more than his own son. But when they find out Travis has a different real last name, all hell breaks loose. With her father threatening to kill Travis if they tried to marry, Janie cancels the marriage to save Travis, but he won't give up that easily. Despite the danger, a resolute Travis must fight not only for his love, but for his life. And little did he expect to find out how Janie's father was connected to his parent's deaths.

ISBN 978-0-6487941-8-9

Love, Mysterious

Fantasy Romantic Comedy

Cupid's top marriage agent from who-knows-where, Kolby has a massive problem. His job – and Cupid's life - are on the line unless Kolby can fulfill the hardest of all assignments! Rumor has it the couple were Romeo & Juliet, Anthony & Cleopatra, plus believe it or not - Adam & Eve. But when there's a time limit on the love arrow's potion, things don't always work out the way you'd like. He shot the greatest two soul mates as little kids, but the girl was born to the wrong parents and moved halfway around the world. Kolby must get them back together and make sure they stay that way. He's in a race against time to save Cupid and Love on Earth. And if that wasn't enough, he also struggles with another love agenda of his own.

ISBN 978-0-6487941-6-5

Mick, a kid who fought

Coming-of-age Drama

Brought up by a immigrant Polish father who never "stirs a tiger", quiet Mick shies away from any confrontation, even when he's denied his well earned High School award with a desperately needed scholarship by a jealous teacher. Yet after the girl he loves calls him a loser, Mick chooses to identify with his freedom fighting grandfather who died rocking too many boats. Will Mick learn to fight against bullies and win back his love, or will his father prevent him?

ISBN 978-0-6488482-3-3

Vicki in Viewland

Fantasy Adventure Animation Comedy Spoof

ALICE IN WONDERLAND meets THE WIZARD OF OZ in the land of foolish views.

A 13-year-old's crush on the paper boy has her falling head over heels, landing in the fantasy world of Viewland where the vicious President labels her a terrorist and tries to annihilate her. Aided by a five foot tall Bluejay and Count Alf the Fourteenth, she confronts foolish view after view until she must defeat the President in order to return home. Yet is the President the only one she must battle? Or is there someone more ominous who awaits her?

ISBN 978-0-6488482-7-1

For Life

Drama

For years Taylor, the president of a leading euthanasia group, has pumped all his energy and drive into his "mission". But now he must confront the reality of his own mother's illness and face-off with his estranged anti-euthanasia daughter, who holds power of attorney and medical decisions for her grandmother. Fearing the worst of her hated father, she does what she can to stop Taylor, yet his buddies also come knocking on her grandmother's door. Meanwhile Taylor's incestuous sister-in-law plays her sexual games and plans what to do with her share of the inheritance.

ISBN 978-0-6487941-7-2

Security Act 2070

Thriller Drama Sci-fi

Sixty years in the future, materialism reigns supreme in America, "One nation under Money". Those who protest the accepted creed are declared fanatical enemies of the State. After losing his parents and his love, the death of his brother tips Buddy over the edge into the "disease" which pits him against the culture. Swiftly suppressing his protest, the authorities commit him to a mental hospital where a doctor seeks a live specimen for research.

ISBN 978-0-6488482-1-9

Get Updated, System's Archaic

Coming-of-age Dramedy

Ken and Aaron's childhood sibling rivalry continues as adults. Though Aaron tries to make it good, even saving Ken's life, Ken's hatred stays. When Aaron shows up for a family reunion with Rahula, a half-Asian adopted son, Ken's prejudice grows, and multiplies a hundred-fold when Rahula and Ken's daughter fall for each other. Can the past be healed or will the reunion tear the family further apart?

ISBN 978-0-6488482-0-2

The Kalama Awakening

Cult Drama

On a spiritual quest, young naive Julie's longing for freedom and devotion makes her an easy target for a cult Guru's lust and her boyfriend's willingness to trade her for power and fame. Isolated and drugged, she ends up in a nightmare of betrayal and manipulation, yet resists being brainwashed into submission and becoming the Guru's sex slave. Sage, an ex-devotee, knows the evils that await and risks his life to rescue her. Yet he also becomes caught in the Guru's web and it's up to Julie whether she can save both of them.

ISBN 978-0-6488482-6-4

Leaves fall

Fantasy Dramedy

In a world where soulmates meet, an inept fellow has failed constantly for over 300 years. Even when his true love appears, rather than being ecstatic to see him, she yearns for her past life as a celibate nun. Clever, quick and breaking the rules, she outfoxes mating attempts, not realizing that they are an eternal pair. So what happens when a ninety year old nun, celibate all her life, dies and is spontaneously reborn as a young beautiful woman in a world where everyone meets their true mate?

ISBN 978-0-6488482-2-6

Another Chance

Drama Thriller

Brad, a star High School quarterback/Valedictorian, turns bad, becoming a local drug lord. Despite his wrong ways, he longs for the approval of his virtuous father. When Brad finally entices his father into his nightmare world, a surprised and shocked Brad watches his Dad out perform his own evil ways. When he awakens from his hell, he tries to reform and plans to marry a homely, innocent Librarian whom he truly loves - but will his fate allow this?

ISBN 978-0-6488482-4-0

The Burden of Angels

Fantasy Comedy Short

God warns goofy Humphrey, he's on the verge of failing Angel School when an elite class of angels head to earth to help major catastrophes, yet poor Humphrey plans to aid just one man who lost a piece of paper.

ISBN 978-0-6488482-9-5