Chapter Text
We found a sentinel alone, pacing around in a dark and misty exterior corridor, next to a silent leafless garden for it is winter
BERNARDO
Who 's there?
FRANCISCO
Who’s Here? Who’s There?! Hold and identify yourself
BERNARDO
Francisco? You tit, it’s me
FRANCISCO
Bernardo?
BERNARDO
Yes, It is I
FRANCISCO
Bernardo, I do rejoice in your presence for it brings me great relief
BERNARDO
Go to bed Francisco, you are tired and you’d began to speak funny
FRANCISCO
It’s cold as balls here. And I have to distract myself, this garden makes me feel eary
BERNARDO
That boring was your guard?
FRANCISCO
Ay, Bernardo. Not even the squeak of a mouse heard I
BERNARDO
…
Get out of here, you tit *he kicks Francisco on his way out*
*yelling* And If you see Horatio with Marcellus send them my way.
FRANCISCO
*To himself* But say, aren't those figures approaching?
Hold! Identify yourselves!
Enter Horatio and Marcellus
HORATIO
We are Friends, calm yourself Francisco
MARCELLUS
You know us, humble servants of the king much like yourself
FRANCISCO
Good night, Marcellus, My Lord
MARCELLUS
YES, and Good-bye Francisco. You have been relieved from your duties already, correct?
FRANCISCO
Ay, Bernado has my place.
Good night my lords
*Francisco exist with a deep bow*
MARCELLUS to Horatio
Good kid, but what a tit he can be
*They approach to Bernardo*
MARCELLUS
Hola Bernardo
BERNARDO
Marcellus, have you Horatio with you?
HORATIO
Whatever parts of me that managed to keep from my warm bed tonight is here, yes
BERNARDO
Yes...Sorry about that. Welcome either way
HORATIO, with noticeable disdain
Thanks
MARCELLUS
Is it here yet? The thing
BERNARDO
Not to my knowledge, no
MARCELLUS
Horatio I swear it’s real. I could hardly believe it myself the first time it appeared but now twice it had been that we’d had our gourd disturbed by its presence. Horatio, I beg you stay the night with us and you will see it for yourself, as real as I see you and Bernardo next to me
HORATIO
Bullshit
BERNARDO
Mate, it’s real. I don’t believe in those thing myself but I don’t know how else to explain it
HORATIO
Let’s hear it then
BERNARDO
Alright
So...It was late. It was freezing, it was just before the break of dawn
*A loud slamming noise interrupts Bernardo. The garden fills with a bleeding mists that covers every inch and starts to flood the corridor*
MARCELLUS
Shut up! It’s coming!
HORATIO
It is but the wind
*Enter Ghost with a noble port and wearing full armor as it’s customary for royals*
HORATIO
...Or not
BERNARDO
See! It’s just like the passed King! He even wears the silly feather in the helmet and all
HORATIO
The passed king has a twin you know? The current regent? Ring a bell?
MARCELLUS
Oh if so clever you are, Horatio, talk to him if you feel it is just King Claudio
BERNARDO
Yeah, go on Horatio
HORATIO
Em...Alright
*To the Ghost*
Your Majesty? It’s late your Majesty
*Ghost produce and unholy screech*
HORATIO to Marcellus and Bernardo
Perhaps he’s just ill
*To the Ghost, caussious*
Do you feel alright, your Majesty? ...You are looking a bit pale there
MARCELLUS
Don’t be daft Horatio. It’s the spirit of our late King, look at the inscription on his battle armor!
HORATIO
By God Marcellus! You are right! It’s the same armor the late King was buried in!
BERNARDO
He’s also floating five inches to the ground
MARCELLUS
Do something Horatio!
HORATIO
WHy me?!
MARCELLUS
Cuz you didn’t believe us!
HORATIO
Oh excuse ME for not believing in the afterlife only by your word MAarcellus
*Ghost produced another screech, deep and sonorous as a grave ripping open from the ground up*
HORATIO
Alright, Alright
*To the Ghost*
Speak, Apparition! Tell us what is the unfinished business that bounds your lost soul to this earthly ground
*Ghost remains silent, with a blank stare*
BERNARDO
You’ve offended it
HORATIO
I have not
MARCELLUS
If it is the late king, you should address it as your Majesty perhaps
HORATIO with his pride hurt
Maybe
BERNARDO
Look! It’s leaving! Horatio you hurt it’s feeling
HORATIO to the ghost
Your Majesty! Stay! Speak! I beg, your Majesty, explain your presence to us, your humble servants
*The Ghost stand in the middle of the garden and disappears in a swirl of mist dense as the moonless night sky*
MARCELLUS
Nicely done Horatio
*Horatio faits*
BERNARDO
Woo there *he catches Horatio and helps him seat down*
What happened Horatio? It wasn’t just the wind? Does thee still call bullshit on our recollections?
HORATIO
How do you expected me to believe you when I can hardly believe my own eyes now, my reason can barely graps what had just happened here tonight
MARCELLUS
Told you it was the late King
HORATIO
I can see that now!
He even had the same vacant stare he used when Polonius bored him with his endless chatter
That, and he also had his royal highness battle armor, the one that rest with him on his undisturbed tomb
MARCELLUS
Twice it has happened before now. Always at the same pace, always at the same time. First the mist in the cold deserted garden, then he appears just as you had seen it, Horatio, with the glory the late King carried with him into battle. He then stands around for a bit and leaves again …
BERNARDO
This are no working conditions Horatio
HORATIO
I can not explain what we witnessed this night. I mean, beyond the philosophical and moralistic matters this brings to light as it redefined what we collectively understand as the boundaries of reality and religion, one can’t help to wander...what does it mean to Denmark
BERNARDO
Wot?
HORATIO
Well we are at war with Norway, well rather Norway is at war with us, and the appearance of a dead King that left everything nice and clean when he checked out might not be a good omen Bernardo.
BERNARDO
Well, when you put it like that
HORATIO
Yes, indeed this ghost it’s something to worry about. Not only for its metaphysical implications but for what it’s prophecies. It is said that in Rome in the final days of the mighty Julius Caesar, no grave laid empty as the corpses parede through the city in funeral fore-tale of his assassination. The skies bled shooting stars, the moon brought sea to the lands and darkness to the eclipsed daylight, warning the romans of the dark day to come
MARCELLUS
And you now believe that to be true?
HORATIO
WHY NOT! It was a bloody ghost right there Marcellus!
*The mist reappears in a blink, with the Ghost standing in the middle of the corridor*
HORATIO startled
SHIT! It’s back
*To the Ghost*
What do you want?! What is your message? Speak apparition!
*the ghost opens his arms*
BERNADO
Charades?
MARCELLUS
Shut up you idiot.
Horatio, go on, he seems to listen
HORATIO
If thy really is the spirits of our beloved late King Hamlet, speak illusion, speak of what deed us, humble servant, can do for thee, great majesty, to bring you peace in your eternal rest and honor, to us, as your subjects. If it is words of warning what you carry from beyond the cold of your grave, let us have it and we will pass them on to you brother, the ruling King. Tell us what it is that keeps you here!
BERNARDO in a whisper to Marcellus
I think Horatio broke
*rooster crows in the distance as the dawn starts to break*
HORATIO
It’s leaving! Marcellus do something
MARCELLUS
Are you mad? What can I do?! The dude is a ghost AND a king?!
*Rooster crows again. The ghost falls and disappears becoming mist*
HORATIO
Shit
MARCELLUS
Do you believe it was the rooster that chased it away?
Me nan used to tell me rooster spooked fairies, witches and evil spirits, preventing them from doing us harm in the night
HORATIO
Yes, me nan used to say the same and I thought her mad. Now I'm not so sure. But perhaps it was the light of the dawn that is now painting our skies with the red and orange of the morning.
BERNARDO
You think it can’t go out in the light then?
MARCELLUS
Those are vampires you twit
BERNARDO
It can be ghost too! Till two days ago we didn’t believe they were real!
MARCELLUS
Fair, I’m sorry then
HORATIO
Perhaps this ghost will speak to Hamlet, Prince Hamlet I mean. You know, from Hamlet to Hamlet. Maybe that way the apparition’s tongue could be loosen. And even if the ghost remains so jealous of his words, we should tell Prince Hamlet what it is we saw this night. It is his father after all
MARCELLUS
Agree. I know where to find the young Prince.