Timestorm Episode 24 Transcript

NARRATOR:
Previously, on Timestorm…

BENI
Faro, Tibes, torre más alta. 

JANELLY
I’m digging more into the Tibes clue. Here, I printed out what I found online. 

ALEXA
The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center.  

JANELLY
I am the research captain.

ATABEY
Quest: Find the largest slab—where the arrowhead rests. 

OSVALDO
You’re trespassing on an excavation site.

BENI
I’ll keep them distracted. Search the big rock. 

ALEXA 
That’s gotta be the arrowhead Atabey wants us to find. La punta de flecha. Nope. Definitely not taking it with me now. 

ATABEY
You found where the arrowhead rests.

ALEXA
I even marked the stone on Janelly’s map. It’ll help us find it in twenty-eighteen.

ATABEY
Quest: Retrieve a guanín arrowhead in Ponce in two thousand-eighteen.

MUSIC: THEME SONG - "IN THE TIMESTORM"

Witness. Find. Remember.
The hidden past seeks its dawn,
showing us that we all belong.
Horacio, Alexa, and Beni take back time,
find history in the timestorm.
Witness. Find. Remember.

2018. TAINO COMICS AND GAMES - OLD SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO.

MUSIC: TAÍNO COMICS AND GAMES-SAN JUAN TRANSITION.
THE TWINS PUSH ASIDE THE CURTAIN SEPARATING THE BACK AREA.

JOSIE
How’d it go?

BENI
Muddy. But good.

ALEXA
We were on the right track with the ceremonial center.

JANELLY
You were at Tibes?

BENI
Yeah. Except when we were there, it was an excavation site.

JOSIE
What year?

BENI
Nineteen eighty.

JANELLY
So? What’d you find?

BENI
La punta de flecha de guanín.

ALEXA
A guanín arrowhead stuck in a rock.

JANELLY
Whoa. Really? Guanín in the stone. That’s epic. How’d you pull it out?

ALEXA
We couldn’t. It’s still there. But I marked it on your map, Janelly. So, it should be easy to find, here, in twenty-eighteen.

JOSIE
Sounds like we’re going on another road trip. Janelly? You up for it? Or do you have to get back to New Jersey?

JANELLY
I told my mom I wouldn’t be home for lunch.

JOSIE
I’ll buy sandwiches for the road. Then we’re headed to—

BENI
Ponce.

ALEXA
The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center.

2018. TIBES INDIGENOUS CEREMONIAL CENTER. PONCE, PR.

MUSIC: TRANSITION RHYTHM.
ALEXA, BENI, JANELLY, AND JOSIE WALK ALONG A PATH IN THE TIBES INDIGENOUS CEREMONIAL CENTER.

JANELLY
It’s cool how they can tell the age of the village based on the style of pottery they found here.

JOSIE
Some parts of the center are just like I remember. The museum, the bateys. (reading a sign) Sección cerrada. Another closed section. Ay, so much damage from Hurricane Maria.

ALEXA
Those huts weren’t here in nineteen eighty.

JANELLY
Makes sense. The guide in the museum said the bohios are replicas.

JOSIE
And here are the batey courts. Imagine what it was like to gather around and listen to the stories of the village.

JANELLY
This is where they performed areítos?

BENI
Kind of like this—

ALEXA/BENI
In the beginning, only the goddess Atabey existed.

JANELLY
What’s that?

ALEXA
The beginning of the creation tale we heard back in the fifteenth century.

JANELLY
Oh, right. The quest where you met the future cacique.

JOSIE
Must have been quite a thing to see.

ALEXA TAKES OUT THE MAP FROM HER POCKET.

ALEXA
Hey, Beni. That stone past the railing is the one with the arrowhead stuck inside.

JANELLY
That’s the map I gave you!

JOSIE
It came in handy.

BENI
There aren’t any groups around right now.

ALEXA AND BENI WALK TOWARDS THE STONE.

JANELLY
Hey! Where are you two going?

ALEXA
(shouting) Be right back!

JOSIE
Hey, Janelly. Check out these petroglyphs carved into the rocks.

JANELLY
Where? I’ve read so much about them!

A WOOSH. ALEXA AND BENI AT THE EDGE OF THE CENTER’S PROPERTY.

BENI
Look at the sign. (reading sign) Estás saliendo del parque.

ALEXA
Guess we have to leave the park property to get it.

THE TWINS HOP A RAILING INTO A WOODED AREA. A PUERTO RICAN WOODPECKER CHIRPS AND PECKS AT THE STONE.

BENI
Hey, shoo, bird! Get outta here.

ALEXA
The guanín arrowhead! The bird was able to pry it loose. See it in its beak?

BENI
What is it with animals and guanín?

ALEXA
No! Don’t fly away—

SFX: BIRD CAWS AS IT FLIES AWAY.

BENI
The arrowhead! It’s falling!

THE ARROW CLINKS ON THE STONE.

ALEXA
It’s behind the rock.

ALEXA CLIMBS ON TOP OF THE ROCK.

ALEXA
I can just climb up and reach behind...whoa!

ALEXA FALLS BEHIND THE ROCK.

BENI
You okay?

ALEXA
I’m fine. I think if I just...Ha! I got it.

A WOOSH. THE TWINS WALK OUT OF THE WOODS.

JOSIE
You two find what you were looking for?

ALEXA
Here it is. La punta de flecha de guanín.

JANELLY
Whoa.

BENI
We should probably leave before someone sees we have this.

ALEXA
Yeah. Good idea.

ALEXA AND BENI JOSIE START WALKING.

JANELLY
Wait! I think...I think you should give the guanín arrowhead to the museum. I’m sure one of the guides can turn it into the right person.

BENI
We came here to retrieve this. That was the whole point of the trip.

JANELLY
But it seems wrong. Doesn’t it belong here? For other people to see and enjoy?

ALEXA
The timestorm sent us to get it. A bird had the arrowhead in its beak. It was about to fly off with it.

BENI
And it would’ve ended up in some nest somewhere or lost in the Portugues River.

JANELLY
It’s in your pocket. Not in some nest.

BENI
Trust us. This isn’t our first quest.

JANELLY
Oh, I almost forgot. You’re King Arthur pulling out the guanín arrowhead in the stone and I’m just the clueless friend.

JOSIE
Hey, come on, we’re a team, remember? Janelly is the amazing research captain?

BENI
Yeah. Well, maybe we don’t need the research captain tagging along on quests.

ALEXA
Beni—

JANELLY
Tagging along? Is that what this is? Ugh.

JANELLY STOMPS AWAY.

BENI
You can’t run away like you always do.

JANELLY
I’m not! I’m doing the right thing. I’m telling the museum about what you found.

JOSIE
Hey, you two. Let me talk with Janelly a minute?

ALEXA
Come on, Beni. Look at these petroglyphs.

BENI
Yeah, okay.

JOSIE APPROACHES JANELLY.

JOSIE
Janelly.

JANELLY
I’m just trying to do what’s right.

JOSIE
Of course. But turning over the arrowhead will create an alternate timeline.

JANELLY
Alternate timeline? That’s not in Take Back Time.

JOSIE
Take Back Time is only part of the story. You see, giving the guanín to the museum would create a timeline with an alternate Alexa, Beni, Josie, and am alternate Janelly.

JANELLY
That...sounds complicated. I’m all for alternate universes in, like, games, you know? But this is...

JOSIE
I know, I know. It’s a lot. Hey, I’m proud of you.

JANELLY
For what?

JOSIE
Questioning things. It’s brave.

JANELLY
Thanks.

JOSIE
We should get going.

JANELLY
Yeah, okay.

JOSIE
Alexa? Beni?

ALEXA AND BENI WALK TOWARDS THEM.

JANELLY
Hey, I’m…I’m sorry.

ALEXA
Don’t apologize.

BENI
Yeah, If anything, I should apologize, Research Captain.

2018. TAINO COMICS AND GAMES - OLD SAN JUAN, PR.

MUSIC: TAINO COMICS AND GAMES - OLD SAN JUAN TRANSITION.
JOSIE, ALEXA, BENI, AND JANELLY WALK INTO THE STORE.

JOSIE
Come on. Time to get you all through the tapestry and back to Newark.

JANELLY
I...I think maybe I should take a break from being research captain.

ALEXA
Oh.

JANELLY
Maybe I’ll hang out more at the store in Newark. You know, play games where my choices only affect what’s on the table.

BENI
Okay.

JANELLY
So...I’ll leave this research stuff here.

ALEXA
Yeah. It’ll be good to have.

BENI
Super helpful.

JOSIE
You know where to find us if you change your mind. Okay, Janelly?

JANELLY
Uh-huh. Thanks.

JANELLY PUSHES ASIDE THE CURTAIN. TAPESTRY ELECTRICITY.

JANELLY
Locus.

JANELLY GASPS AND THE TRAVELS THROUGH TAPESTRY.

BENI
Josie? You think Janelly’s taking a break because of me?

JOSIE
It’s new territory for her. I’m sure she’ll be back.

BENI
Okay.

ALEXA
See you in Newark tomorrow, Josie?

JOSIE
Yep. I’ll teleport there by nine.

TAPESTRY ELECTRICITY.

ALEXA
Locus.

ALEXA GASPS AND THE TRAVELS THROUGH TAPESTRY.
TAPESTRY ELECTRICITY.

BENI
Locus.

BENI GASPS AND THE TRAVELS THROUGH TAPESTRY.

JOSIE
Those kids. Ay. I better clean up all these books.

KAYLEE OPENS THE FRONT DOOR AND WALKS INTO THE STORE. JOSIE PILES UP THE BOOKS.

KAYLEE
Hello?

JOSIE
Hi. Sorry. We’re not open for business.

KAYLEE
I see.

JOSIE
We’re closed for renovations. Right now, I’m using the space to organize hurricane relief resources.

KAYLEE
Oh. That’s so great.

JOSIE
Is that why you’re here? Because I’ve got pamphlets about food distribution and—

KAYLEE
No, I...no. Hi, I’m Kaylee.

JOSIE
Josie.

KAYLEE
Look at all of these books and papers about ruins and towers. How fun.

JOSIE
Can I help you with something?

KAYLEE
Just getting a sense of the neighborhood. I bought the building next door.

JOSIE
Oh? Really? Uh, what are you doing with it?

KAYLEE
It’s going to be a community center.

JOSIE
And you’re running it?

KAYLEE
Yes. But I just hired my first employee. Really sweet guy. Lalo Suarez.

JOSIE
Ah, Lalo. He’s one of the volunteers who helps distribute these fliers.

KAYLEE
Sweet guy.

JOSIE
Lalo’s great.

KAYLEE And he knows so much about Old San Juan. I really do love all the narrow streets and the original architecture.

JOSIE
Colonial architecture. There were structures here before the Spanish ones.

KAYLEE
Oh, right.

KAYLEE LAUGHS AWKWARDLY.

THE VENTURA HOME. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY & THE TIMESTORM.

MUSIC: HOME TRANSITION.
ALEXA OPENS THE DOOR LEADING TO THE STAIRWELL. THE TWINS CLIMB THE STEPS TO THE SECOND-FLOOR APARTMENT.

ALEXA
It’s so good to be home. And I can smell dinner. It’s been a while since that sandwich.

BENI
Janelly acts like it’s our idea to take the arrowhead. Like we were some kind of pirates or something. But it wasn’t even on the center’s property.

ALEXA
It was pretty close.

BENI
Fine. Why don’t you tell Horacio that you want to give la punta de flecha de guanín to the museum?

TRANSITION INTO THE TIMESTORM.
CHANNEL CHANGE. HORACIO AND ATABEY WATCH THE TWINS THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD.

HORACIO
What’s this transmission, Atabey?

ATABEY
Beni triggered it by saying your name.

ALEXA
(through the windshield transmission) Hey. That’s not what I meant.

BENI SEARCHES HIS POCKETS.

BENI
(through the windshield transmission) Here. Take the arrowhead...wait a minute.

ALEXA
(through the windshield transmission) Do you have the arrowhead?

ALEXA
(through the windshield transmission) Uh, it’s in your pocket.

BENI
(through the windshield transmission) Except it isn’t.

HORACIO
What’s this? They’ve lost the artifact?

ALEXA
(through the windshield transmission) This isn’t funny, Beni.

BENI
(through the windshield transmission) I’m not joking.

ATABEY
It seems the young humans have indeed lost the object.

HORACIO
How will they get it back?

CHANNEL CHANGE. TRANSITION BACK TO THE VENTURA HOME.

ALEXA
We should retrace our steps.

BENI
What? Now?

RAMIRO OPENS THE APARTMENT DOOR. ALEXA AND BENI ENTER.

RAMIRO
Here they are, Clara. Hey, you two!

CLARA
Dinner’s ready...pero, ¿qué pasa?

ALEXA
Uh, we forgot—

BENI
An important game piece.

RAMIRO
I’m sure Jose and Datu keep it safe if you call and let them know.

ALEXA
Yeah. We’ll call Josie right now.

ALEXA AND BENI RUSH DOWN THE HALLWAY.

CLARA
Then get your butts to the dinner table.

BENI
Okay, Ma!

THE TWINS CLOSE THE DOOR TO BENI’S ROOM.

CLARA
(sighs) I wish the twins were excited about our trip to Puerto Rico next week. Seems like it isn’t on their minds at all.

RAMIRO
I’m sure they’ll be excited once we’re on our way.

CLARA
I know it’s different for them growing up here in New Jersey. I just want them to feel connected to our culture.

RAMIRO
They will, Clara. In their own way, in their own time.

WOOSH.

BENI
It’s going straight to her voicemail.

ALEXA
Okay. Then you leave a message. I’ll text her too.

BENI
Josie. We lost the, uh...souvenir from our trip today, so please—

ALEXA
(overlapping, while typing) Please look in the car and at the store.

BENI
(overlapping) —check the car and the store.

2018. TAINO COMICS AND GAMES - OLD SAN JUAN, PR.

MUSIC: TAINO COMICS AND GAMES - OLD SAN JUAN TRANSITION.
KAYLEE STEPS ON SOMETHING AND CATCHES HERSELF.

KAYLEE
Whoopsie!

JOSIE
Ay, sorry about that. I swept earlier today—

KAYLEE
Oh no, no, no, no. I just...dropped my key.

JOSIE
Don’t want to lose that.

KAYLEE
Definitely not. So nice to meet you, Josie.

JOSIE
A pleasure, Kelly.

KAYLEE
Kaylee.

JOSIE
Kaylee. Welcome to the neighborhood.

KAYLEE
Thanks.

KAYLEE WALKS OUT OF THE STORE AND ONTO THE STREET.

KAYLEE
Oh. An arrowhead. Wonder what this is worth.

MUSIC: THEME SONG "IN THE TIMESTORM" (INSTRUMENTAL).

NARRATION
This episode was written by Andrew Siañez-De La O. With additional writing, story, and direction by, me, Dania Ramos. Sound design and original music by Michael Aquino.

The role of Alexa Ventura was played by Leilany Figueroa. Beni Ventura was played by Claudio Venancio. Josie was played by Angelica Ubiera. Janelly was played by Frances Ramos. Horacio Méndez was played by Orlando Segarra. Atabey was played by Alicia Rivas. Kaylee was played by Kate Hernandez. Clara was played by Jennica Carmona. Ramiro was played by Walter F. Rodriguez. The guest musician was William Ruiz.

Timestorm is produced by Cocotazo Media and is a proud member of TRAX from PRX. Support for TRAX comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Learn more about TRAX at t-r-a-x-dot fm.

All episodes of Timestorm are available at TimestormSeries dot com and on all podcast apps. If you enjoy the show, please share it with two friends.

Timestorm is produced in Essex County, New Jersey, which is situated on the traditional territory of the Leni Lenape people.

ATABEY
Witness. Find. Remember.

END OF TIMESTORM - EPISODE 24: PUNTA DE FLECHA