EXT. HIGHWAY
 
By the side of the road, a car stops. A boy gets out and starts to urinate on the grass verge. A man in a in a suit gets out, and lights a cigarette. He is looking at the traffic passing by. Suddenly, a dishevelled girl emerges from the bushes. She runs up to the boy starts to drag him away from the man, saying something. We see the boy say something also. Then he says something to the man. The man flicks down his cigarette and walks towards the two children. The little girl looks scared.
 
TITLES
 
EXT. BURGER KING DRIVE THRU CARPARK
 
A bright sunny day. A 4x4, pulls into the car park. A couple, late thirties gets out, both dressed casually, expensively. The man, who has a mole on his cheek, goes to the back door and opens it. A little girl in a flowery dress gets out. She raises two arms, the man shakes his head, but indulges her, swinging her onto his shoulders. His wife says something, he nods and laughs. The girl raps him on the head playfully.
 
As they walk to the entrance, a middle aged man comes up to them, says something. The father shakes his hand.
 
CLOSE UP

The girl is on her dad's arm, listening intently to the conversation. It makes her smile.
 
            FATHER (off screen)
      ... and he said, you've got to go. To be honest, I'd never of given it a chance, 
      with all the bad publicity.
 
       2^nd MAN (off screen)  
      Same here bud. Then I thought, what the hey, time's short, and before you 
      know it... boom, the kids are gone, its too late.
 
CUT TO LONG SHOT OF TWO MEN AND GIRL
 
      FATHER
      True. True. Anyhoo, I know it's only a few miles, but we're gonna stop off in
      Key Biscayne for the night, see the Mangrove swamps and all. We'll be there
      tomorrow most likely. 
 
            2^nd MAN (it sounds like a question)
            See you there then hey, old man.  
 
They both laugh, but it is interrupted by a screech of tires, and a thud. 

CLOSE UP OF GIRL'S FACE
 
She screams.
 
            GIRL
            Daddy, Daddy, that little boy.
            Help   him Daddy, he's hurt. That car,
            oh Daddy, noooo.
 
CUT TO LONG SHOT OF THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. 
 
In front of a Wendy's drive thru, a car is almost sideways in the road, a body crumpled in front. The man lowers his daughter, and is shielding her from the sight. His wife comes to take over as the man starts to cross the road.
 
On a grass verge below the big W sign, a boy and a girl, dressed as if for church, are watching. They seem shocked, but are not crying. They are just watching. The boy comforts the girl. A man in a business suit comes over. He does not comfort them in any way, just gestures to a black sedan in the car park. They all walk towards it. 
 
CLOSE UP OF THE GIRL, FROWNING.
 
EXT. A PARK BENCH BY THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY
 
The family is sat having a picnic

          MOTHER (to girl)
          Are you sure you're okay?
 
          GIRL (patiently)
           Yes mom. But that little boy. He ran into
           the road on purpose didn't he?
 
          MOTHER (Looking worriedly at Father)
          Oh Beth, no sweetie, he didn't. He just
          wasn't being careful. You know that we've
          told you about the highway. Never cross it 
          without your Mom or Dad.  
 
         BETH (she accepts this, nodding)
         But.(it's a long drawn out word) What did 
         Daddy mean about bad pubblisea. Is Wonderland 
         a bad place? Is it Daddy?
 
         FATHER (laughing gently)
         No sweetheart, it's the most amazing, wonderful 
         place in the world. Just you wait see. I promise
         you'll see fantastic things, and you'll meet new
         friends. Oh, sweetheart, you'll just love it,
         I know you will.   
 

CUT TO
 
Mother looking a bit dubious about this.
 
FADE OUT
 
FULL SCREEN, "The Candy Man" from ‘Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory' is playing.
 
PULL OUT TO INT CAR
 
Beth is watching a DVD player screen on the back of a big leather front seat. She switches it off, turns and leans on the window, both hands on the sill at the bottom.
 
CUT TO EXT. CAR DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD.
 
Beth, her nose squashed against the glass. The car stops at a junction. One, then two cars pass slowly in front of us. We see Beth, looking bored in between. A third car passes, but when it has gone, Beth is shouting and screaming. We cannot hear anything other than the throb of the highway. She is getting agitated, almost jumping up and down. Her father reaches round and grabs her shoulder. He wags a finger at her once.
 
FADE OUT
 
INT. MOTEL ROOM
 
Beth sat on the bed, hands between her knees, looking miserable. Her Dad is kneeling on the floor in front of her, her Mum is on the bed next to her with her arm round her.
 
            BETH (sobbing) 
     But she WAS. She was banging on the glass,
     and she was scared, and one of those men
     from Wendy's put his hand over her mouth,
     and dragged her back, and I couldn't see
     any more. I'm scared too Daddy.       Who are
     those men? Why are they scaring those kids?       
 
            FATHER (soothing)
      It's okay sweetheart, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.
      She was probably just being naughty and her Dadddy was making
      her behave. And any way, it can't have been one of the guys from
      Wendy's, they were going the other way, remember? It's okay, I promise 
      you. You're just getting worried over nothing. Remember the alligator
      earlier, that didn't worry you did it?
 
      BETH (incredulous)
      Dad. That was in a cage. 
 
 
Mum and Dad smile, he picks Beth up and swings her round.
     
       FATHER (nuzzling her neck making her squirm)
       See, it's all right. Tomorrow we'll go to Wonderland, and
       everything will be just fine and dandy.
 
Beth looks at him as if to say ‘yeah, right'.
 
FADE OUT
 
CLOSE UP A LARGE SIGN, ‘WONDERLAND'
 
PAN DOWN AND ZOOM OUT
 
We see that underneath the sign it says ‘Whatever your age, you're a kid in Wonderland'
 
PAN TO
 
Our family in a queue behind numerous other similar families. All have children of varying numbers. Strangely, they are all about Beth's age, and all the adults seem to be in their thirties.
 
            BETH
            I'm okay now Dad. I've thought about
            it and decided that there can't be
            anything wrong, that boy was just being
            badly behaved.
 
Mum and Dad both laugh, and he tousles Beth's hair.
 
CUT TO LONG SHOT.   


Out family is laughing and joking when, a little away from the entrance, a boy slithers under the fence. He looks frantically this way and that, before pelting towards the queue.
           
            BOY (shouting)
            Help, help me. Stop them please.
 
He runs towards Beth.
 
CLOSE UP ON HIS TEAR STAINED FACE.
 
            BOY
            Don't. Don't let them do it. Run away now, while you can.
            Oh my God, oh my god.
 
He looks to his right quickly.
 
PAN TO
 
Man in suit, running towards them, speaking into his collar.

CUT TO LONG SHOT OF QUEUE 
 
The boy turns and runs, through the queue, away from the man. He tries to follow, but the queue closes ranks and he can't. We see the boy in the distance, at the edge of the car park.
 
CLOSE UP OF MAN, RED FACED.
 
            MAN
            It's okay folks, nothing to be alarmed about, we get them
            every day. Local kids come in and try to steal our wonderful
            toys. Everyone wants to be in Wonderland. It's all
            Right folks. Everything is okay.
 
He speaks into his collar again the look on his face says that it is everything but okay.
 
CUT TO BETH
 
She is looking up at her Dad.
           
            BETH
           That boy wasn't local, and he wasn't stealing. He was wearing 
           a Lincoln High Sweater. That's in Athens, Macy's sister's High School.
 
CLOSE UP OF MOTHER'S FACE
 
She looks worried.
 
EXT. A MAIN STREET
 
An obvious façade based on Disney. Beth is walking along in between her Mum and Dad, holding hands. She looks unhappy. Mum and Dad are pointing things out to her. She is not looking.
 
A blonde haired family with two twin boys, sits on a bench eating corn dogs. A suited man comes over to them, says something, and gestures as if to lead them away. They go, the boys picking up Wonderland backpacks, to a gate in between two High St buildings. 
 
CLOSE UP OF BETH,
 
She is watching. She turns to her Dad and says something.
 
CLOSE UP DAD
           
            DAD
            I don't know sweetheart. Perhaps there's a  message from a
            relative or something. Maybe they've won a prize. 

CLOSE UP BETH
 
She doesn't look so sure.
           
FADE OUT.
 
EXT. A BENCH IN WONDERLAND
 
Our family is eating burgers. Beth seems to be happy. Her parents are very attentive of each other, like young lovers. A man in a suit is walking down the street. He is approaching them.
 
CLOSE UP OF BETH
 
She is looking straight the man, and then at her mum and dad.
           
            BETH (firmly)
            Nonononononononono.
 
CUT TO VIEW OF BENCH
 
The man is nearly there. Beth's father has caught hold of her sweater just as she started to run. He is struggling to keep hold of her.
 
            MAN (slick)
            What's the problem little lady? There's nothing to worry about.
            We just need to  speak to your mom and dad here.
            (To mum and dad) That boy causing problems
            earlier has been caught with a DVD player, we believe from
            your car. He's in our administration suite. All we need you to
            do is identify the player, and we can press charges. Your help
            will be much appreciated. As a thank you kindly, we will invite you
            to our exclusive character meal this evening, complementary of course.
 
CUT OT LONG SHOT
 
Dad is speaking to Beth. She shakes her head. He says something else. She shakes her head. He says something else, and she nods. He opens his arms for her and picks her up. Mum picks up the bags. They start to walk.
 
EXT. A WROUGHT IRON GATE.
 
The suit man is pressing numbers on a keypad. He looks round and smiles.
 
            MAN
            Pretty day, isn't sir? Just like those summers when you were a
            kid. Seemed to last forever didn't they. I remember a rope-swing
            over a little creek down by my old grandma's house. Man, those
            were the days.   
 
He opens the gate, just as another suit steps through a door into the alley, about half way. He holds the door open for three children, about Beth's age. Two are looking around mesmerised, the other looks to be upset. They approach. 
 
            2^nd MAN
            Hey. Just found these, lost their parents, but they've been located
            now. One's a bit  scared, but he'll be okay. 
 
1^st MAN nods and smiles. He looks at mum and dad and winks ‘you know how it is'. Beth is staring at the two happy children.  
 
CUT TO
 
INT. A VERY PLUSH WAITING ROOM.
 
A Wonderland sign fills one wall. Beth is sat on her own on a large settee. Her feet are swinging, and don't touch the floor. She stands up and goes over to a window.
 
CUT BETH POV.
 
It is the main street, full of families. We hear Beth sigh.
 
CUT TO INT. ROOM
 
Beth is climbing onto the settee. A door opens to the right and a lady in a suit enters.
 
CUT TO BETH POV
 
            LADY
           Beth, don't do that, there's a good girl. 
           Thank you. Now, is there anything I can get you?
 
Behind the woman we see a corridor, lushly carpeted, with double doors at the end. We lean to one side to see round the lady, and she moves to stop us. We lean the other way, and get a glimpse of four children, all with blonde hair. Two are unhappy, the twins from earlier. The other two look strangely similar to the twins, but themselves are not alike. They are looking at their own hands, each other, the twins, everywhere, in amazement.
 
CLOSE UP OF LADY
           
            LADY (patronising)
            Now Beth. You're a clever girl aren't you.
            Come on now, sit back down. 
 
CUT TO ROOM.
 
Beth is running past the lady, through the door.
 
            BETH (shouting)
            Hey, you there. What's  happened? What's going on.
            What've they done to you?
 
The two twins look sadly at Beth, unable to say anything. One of the other children  speaks though.
 
            OTHER CHILD
            It's okay little girl. Sit back down
            and I'm sure your mom and dad will be 
            out presently.
 
Beth is just staring at her, starts to speak, then stops. The lady is now standing behind her, with a hand gripping her upper arm.
           
            OTHER (to Beth)
            Come on, don't look so worried,
            everything is just fine, just fine.
 
One of the twins comes over to Beth, and taps her on the shoulder. Looking glazed, he gestures over to a door.
 
CUT TO DOOR PLATE.
 
It says ‘Lab 1.3 : Gestational Symbiosis'
 
CUT TO BETH
 
She shrugs off the lady's grip and bolts for the door. Just before the lady can catch her, she bursts through.
 
CUT TO CLOSE UP OF BETH'S FACE.
 
The room is full of blinding white light, Beth's arm is shielding her eyes. She lowers it slowly, and a look of alarm spreads across her face. We can see her breath. 
 
CUT TO BETH POV
 
There are numerous boxes along one wall. They look like Turkish baths. They have small windows on them.  
 
PAN RIGHT. ZOOM IN ON ONE ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE ROOM.
 
There is a nameplate, ‘Nathan Crane, Jennifer Crane (Brad and Joe)'. 
 
CUT TO BETH
 
The lady and children in the doorway will not enter the room. Beth is reading the nameplate. She peers into the box.
 
            LADY (worriedly)
            Come out of there immediately, you cannot be in the
             symbiosis chamber at this stage. It could be very dangerous.
 
Beth looks at her in contempt.
 
CUT TO BETH POV
 
Through the window we see turquoise jelly, but inside the jelly we see a person. As we look we can make out a face rising towards us. It is a teenage boy. He is struggling to breath - he looks like he is dying.
 
CUT TO BETH
 
She is running up and down looking at the nameplates. We can also see the lady gesturing to someone. Beth gets to the end box. She stops and looks at the window. Two figures in silver suits run into the room, shutting the door behind them. They run up to Beth and one carries her out. She does not struggle. The other figure looks at the box.
 
CUT TO FIGURE POV.
 
The nameplate says ‘Jon Lusher, Julie Lusher (Beth Lusher)'.
 
PAN SLOWLY UP TO WINDOW IN BOX
 
Inside we see nothing but turquoise.   
 
ZOOM IN TO WINDOW AND FADE
 
INT. ANOTHER WAITING ROOM, SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS
           
Beth is sat very still on a settee. Her feet still don't touch the ground. A man is standing before her talking.
 
CLOSE UP BETH'S FACE
 
She is looking at the man, sadness in her eyes, but also bitterness.
           
            MAN (off screen, continuing his lecture)
            ...the symbiosis room just cannot be entered
            at that stage.
 
            BETH
            You should've locked the door. 

            MAN
            Yes, we should. But we didn't and if you had been...
 
            BETH (interrupts)
            Where's my mom and dad?
 
            MAN
            Let me tell you about the symb...
 
            BETH (interrupts again)
            No. Where are they?
           
The man moves to slap her.
 
            BOYS VOICE (off screen, with authority)
            Don't do that.
 
PAN RIGHT
 
In the doorway two children are stood. The boy has a mole on his cheek. The girl looks troubled.
 
            BOY (to man)
            Leave us please. (To Beth) They told us what happened.
            It's all right, nobody was hurt. Sorry sweetie, we should've
           explained before to you.
 
            BETH
            Daddy? Daddy? Mom? Where're my Mom and Dad? Who are you?
            Where's my Mommy?
 
            FATHER (BOY)
           It's us sweetie. We've had these people change us so that
           we can play with you properly. We're all going to live together 
           in another amazing place. It's called Wonderland as well, and
           we can grow up together. It'll be so much fun, you wait and see.
 
CLOSE UP OF BETH'S FACE
 
She is terrified. She mouths the words ‘Dad' and ‘mom' looking at each in turn, then puts her hands over her face and screams.
 
FADE OUT
 
CUT TO HIGHWAY
 
By the side of the road, a car has stopped. It is a different view from the first one, we can see a Wonderland decal on the car door. The boy has been urinating on the grass verge, a man in a suit smokes a cigarette. Suddenly, a dishevelled girl emerges from the bushes, and starts to drag the boy away from the man. She is saying something.

CLOSE UP BOY AND GIRL
 
It is Beth, filthy. She is waiting for an answer.
 
            BOY
            Mr Holland. I think we may have found our runaway.
            Would you be so kind as to come and apprehend her?
 
CUT TO BLACK
 
CREDITS