On the Hill

Episode 1 What’s an Empath?

Intro

Sign that says

1 out of 10 people are an Empath and many don’t know.

That’s 10 percent and the numbers are growing.

This show will help you understand us.

We live around you.

While the fiction gets going, pay attention to how much truth comes through.

“What’s an Empath?”

Opens to a full room of trimmers.

STACY
What if we pulled all of the weed together?

ANTHONYDon’t be stupid.

STACY
No, if we…

POPPA SMOKE
Yo, we need to get crackin’ on the Casey Jones

PRIELLE
Not that shit again. Every time we spend anytime on the Casey Jones, we get further behind on
the DOG.

POPPA SMOKE
That’s what I keep telling her and she wants Casey Jones.

Pop the Logo for the show.

Interior room with trimmers.
P

RIELLE
What’s an Empath?

GRACE
An Empath is someone who can take on others emotions. They do it as a manner of being.

PRIELLE
They do what?

GRACE
It’s hard to understand unless you do it. People can repress or suppress their emotions. What they repress or suppress is what the Empath can feel. Like when you say you want something but you don’t, an Empath can feel that you don’t want it.

PRIELLE
Bullshit!

GRACE
I know it sounds fantastical, however we live in a weird world.

Hollar from off camera.

GRACE
I’ll be right there. There will be more time to tell you about this later.

PRIELLE
OK.

Popps Smoke
Yo PRIELLE, what’s goin’ on?

PRIELLE
Just some bullshit

POPPA SMOKE
Bullshit. Let’s hear what you got.

PRIELLE
Some shit about Empaths and shit

POPPA SMOKE
You know I’m an Empath.

PRIELLE
BULLSHIT!

POPPA SMOKE
And I’m a Medium, and Telepath, and I gotta couple other things I do too.

PRIELLE
Yeah right, POPPA SMOKE.

POPPA SMOKE
I know it’s hard to believe. However if you take belief out of it, it becomes easy to understand.

You gotta turn your mirror inward, and watch.

PRIELLE
OK, some of what you’ve been saying is jiving.
Not enough to get you through to this one though.

POPPA SMOKE
What needs more explainin’?

PRIELLE
Turn your mirror inward?

POPPA SMOKE
Your mirror is what you reflect back at people. So to turn your mirror inward is to reflect back at yourself. Letting go of all the bullshit and getting to know yourself.
Most people never really get comfy with themselves. Once you start getting to know yourself, there’s a lot to discover. It’s an awakening of sorts for some people.

PRIELLE
Awakening?

That I’ve heard of. I hear about people having a spiritual awakening. Is it like that?

POPPA SMOKE
There’s a little something more to it than that. We are spirits wrapped in flesh on a human
adventure. Everything we do is a spiritual experience. However some people think they need to sweat in lodges, and take drugs in order to have a spiritual experience.

They’re all backwards and shit.

It’s what they do to tell themselves they are more spiritual than other people that drives me insane.

PRIELLE
How do you know this?

POPPA SMOKE
I’m a Táltos, it’s a kind of Shaman. One who knows, that’s what Shaman means. Way back when people would go to the Shaman who would talk to the spirits and figure shit out. They also performed healing.

They were a community thing. Each community had their Shaman. You might read thatnShamanism is a form of religion, it’s not, it’s spirituality.

PRIELLE
What’s the difference?

POPPA SMOKE
In a religion you can’t question anything, in spirituality you have nothing but questions.
In religion you have dogma or their sacred texts, in spirituality you have everything.
In religion you have good and evil and in spirituality you understand where that comes from.

Turning your mirror inward gets you to talk to your spirit, some might even call it the Holy Spirit.

PRIELLE
Yeah well I, uh, got to go.

POPPA SMOKE
Catch ya later.

We follow PRIELLE outside. JACK and DIANE and others are hanging out. JACK and DIANE
are making hash using bags.

JACK
Yo PRIELLE we need some help

PRIELLE
Gotcha

We see they are trying to dump the bags for making hash.
P

RIELLE
Hey have you guys heard of Empaths?

JACK
Empaths? Do you mean like the counselor on Star Trek?

DIANE
Are you high, wait I know your high, but you don’t know what an Empath is?

JACK
Well look at you all Scif and shit.
DIANE

It’s not Scifi, I am one jackass. So is POPPA SMOKE and a few others we know.

Don’t you ever wonder how it is that I know what you’re feeling even if you’re not showing anything?

JACK
Actually yeah, how do you do that?

DIANE
I’m an Empath (angry stressed)

JACK
But I dunno what that is. Could you explain it?

DIANE
OK so when you’re repressing or suppressing shit, that hits me like a ton of bricks. Anyone is suppressing or repressing any emotion and I know. It’s like I can feel it with them and I can tell when their moods change.

JACK
So I have a mood girlfriend?

DIANE
Look, this is serious. You wanted to know what I am and that’s what I am. I don’t have anything to do with how they feel, I feel what they feel.

However I have heard of energy vampires that drain people of their energy. It’s an Empath who knows what they are doing.

PRIELLE
Energy vampires?

DIANE
They are the ones who take all your joy away and take it for themselves. There’s more to it than that, but POPPA SMOKE can you more than I can, I only realized I’m an Empath recently.

POPPA SMOKE has been giving me some stuff to work on so I can manage myself better.

JACK
Is that all that meditation you’ve been doing?

DIANE
Yeah it is. But POPPA SMOKE can tell you more than I can.

ANTHONY
Yo, what y’all doin?

JACK
Making Hash

ANTHONY
What strain did you use?

JACK
Casey Jones

ANTHONY
Let me know when you’re done with the bags I got some shit to try.

JACK
We’re done with the bags, what are you gonna try?

ANTHONY
I’m gonna mix in some Sensi Star, and some DOG, and some Cheese.

JACK
You’re a madman Anthony!

ANTHONY

What else you gonna do on the hill?

Cut scene

Inside a cargo container

DAVID
How are we doin’?

GRACE
Were doin’ fine. This group is really getting it done.

And we have a small group in this year’s batch that are Empaths. PRIELLE is as strong an Empath as I’ve met and she doesn’t know she’s an Emapth. She thinks it’s bullshit.

DAVID
I remember before I knew I was an Empath, I didn’t want to believe it either. What does Clay say about them?

GRACE
You mean POPPA SMOKE.

DAVID
I’ve known him before he had that mask.

GRACE
He doesn’t ever come out of his mask, and you know that. It’s part of what he does as a Táltos.

So give him a break already.

DAVID
I liked him before he knew what he was. Now it’s all I can do to talk to him. I love the dude like blood, I just wish he was the same ol Clay.

GRACE
Then just love him like blood. When blood gets on your nerves, what do you do?

You get away from blood. You have to allow him to be who he is and not who you remember.

It’s as simple as that.

DAVID
I’m going to fire you.

GRACE
You can’t, I’m your partner.

DAVID
Then I guess I’m stuck with ya. (Gives her a hug).
Thank you Mama Blaze and thank you GRACE.

GRACE
You know I don’t use that mask anymore.

DAVID
Ever miss it?

GRACE
To say I missed it would be a regret, and I have no regrets. There are things I miss about it,nhowever I don’t miss it. I never liked having a mask. There was too much, and I don’t know how POPPA SMOKE does it. Having to be a demon and an angel or at least having their energy inside of you as you, it was more than I could bear.

DAVID
I get ya. I don’t say this often and I will deny it if you ever say a word, I’m glad Clay dawned his mask, he’s a good friend and I do love him.

POPPA SMOKE pops his head in.

POPPA SMOKE
Yo

GRACE
Speak of the devil and he appears.

POPPA SMOKE
I’m not the devil, I’m POPPA SMOKE. I wish you wouldn’t do that, you know the devil could show up, and then I would have to deal with him. And I don’t feel like kicking the devils ass today.

DAVID
I wish that wasn’t true.

GRACE
I’m sorry Poppa Smoke.

POPPA SMOKE

Don’t be sorry, just don’t do it anymore.
G

RACE
What do you think about PRIELLE?

POPPA SMOKE
Well there’s a way to change the subject. PRIELLE is a strong Empath for sure, one of the strongest I’ve met. That she doesn’t know she’s an Emapth is one of the things guarding her.

When PRIELLE accepts this it will be difficult for PRIELLE to manage because Preille is so
strong. The meditation is going to be important for this one, it might even save PRIELLE’s life.

Anything I could try, could fail, and as you know I’m not one for getting wrong.

DAVID
And she had to come here.

POPPA SMOKE
Where else would she come?

DAVID
I liked you more when you were Clay.

POPPA SMOKE
I know, I simply don’t give a shit. (Smiling as he says it.)

Besides you love me, you know you do and so do I.

GRACE
Would you two knock it off.

POPPA SMOKE
Anyway PRIELLE is going to need to be given a wide berth. Let PRIELLE ask questions and
don’t even try to lie. You guys have dealt with me and you were there as I made my way,
PRIELLE will have a lot of similar experiences. There’s nothing we can do to change that.

PRIELLE is my mission.

This, this stuff we’re doing, training Empaths, it was so I would meet PRIELLE.

PRIELLE is a Táltos.

By the Stables, POPPA SMOKE brushes GAZOO
Their talking dubbed. It’s their thoughts.

POPPA SMOKE
Yo GAZOO
GA

ZOO (The Horse)
Hey Clayton how are you?

POPPA SMOKE
I have met the one we’ve been waiting for.

GAZOO
I know, this PRIELLE came by the stables. Quite the character that one. Had no idea I was listenin’. Was talking about something to do with Empaths and they’re total bullshit.

That was PRIELLE’s words, not mine.

POPPA SMOKE
Yeah, PRIELLE is a Táltos and I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I have to teach PRIELLE and I had no one to teach me. I’m not sure if I’m ready. I mean I fucked(stressed) up a ton of shit, and never took the help I was offered. I never even knew I was being offered help.

GAZOO
I hear ya. I’ve heard ya for years. You know what you’re doing. So just do it already.

POPPA SMOKE
I know what I’m doing?

GAZOO
Yes you do and you do it well.

You’re a Táltos, a damn good one. All of this worrying is not going to do anything but piss me off. Now you remember what happened that last time I got pissed off?

POPPA SMOKE
Yeah I do.

GAZOO
I’m working at helping you, you know that help you never accept?

POPPA SMOKE
Yep

GAZOO
Let me help you with PRIELLE.

POPPA SMOKE
What can you do?

GAZOO
I’m the Horse, and this horse can talk to PRIELLE as well as you dumb ass.

POPPA SMOKE
I need to get a real friend.

GAZOO
You know you love me and I know you love me, so get over it.

POPPA SMOKE
I just said the same thing to DAVID.

GAZOO
I know, I can hear you anywhere.

POPPA SMOKE
I’ll never get used to that.

GAZOO
You’re a Telepath and you can’t get used to talking to me even if we’re a long ways apart?

POPPA SMOKE
I get it, I know that thought energy has no mass, so it’s instantaneous. I have a thought and it goes everywhere, meaning every fuckin’ where in the Universe. However application of this does take getting used to.

GAZOO
You’ve been a Telepath you’re entire life.

POPPA SMOKE
But I thought I was crazy for 37 years. I’ve only known for 9 years, and 3 of that, I was going “I do what!”

So it’s been 6 years, Wow, has it been 6 years?

GAZOO
Yep

POPPA SMOKE

And I’m still getting used to it.

GAZOO
Yep

POPPA SMOKE
When do I get used to it?

GAZOO
When you do.

POPPA SMOKE
Fuuuucck Yoooooou.

Room with trimmers

ANTHONY
Has anyone tried Acid?

GRACE
That shit will fuck you up. It stays in your spine, and you can have flashbacks, and you don’t get to choose when they happen.
I tried it when I was younger. I didn’t understand what I was seeing, so it did nothing for me but made me loopy for a few hours. I thought it was me, so I tried it a few more times, it wasn’t me.

ANTHONY
How do they get it?

GRACE
Ergot. It’s a poison that’s killed people. L.S.D or Lysergic acid diethylamide is a derivative.
Ergot is a fungus that grows on wheat. People ate the wheat, and then they got sick. That’s not anything you want to fuck with.

ANTHONY
Well what about Leary?

GRACE

I understand that there’s a lot of people who quote Dr. Leary, however they forget the other thing he said. “When you get the message, hang up the phone.” It was his way of saying take it if you want, but stop taking it.

He never meant for people to use it the way they have. The abuse I see with LSD is criminal.

ANTHONY
Well it’s illegal.
GR

ACE
I’m talking about the people who use it as a spiritual thing. There’s nothing spiritual about it. L.S.D is a drug made from poison that leaves you scarred forever.

ANTHONY
“How about Ayahuasca?”

GRACE
I understand where you’re going, and I am not sure I like it, however Ayahuasca is a plant.

Youtake the plant and you mix it up. It turns to a liquid substance you can drink. You drink it and have a spirit walk. It’s best prepared by a Shaman, not some kid, an actual Shaman.

The Shaman is there for protection because people can get real fucked up taking that shit. It’s been used to create possession parties, where everyone gets possessed. That’s what it’s used for in the U.S.A predominantly. They never say that’s what they are doing and whoever is leading it, you can be sure they’ve been possessed.

ANTHONY
Possessed?

GRACE
Demons and shit.

ANTHONY
Are you kidding me, please tell me you’re kidding me?

GRACE
I’m not kidding. Most of the world thinks that demons are fiction, and they like it that way.
Most people wouldn’t believe the truth.

ANTHONY
I’ll bite?

GRACE
Let me put it this way, have you ever thought about using the nickname Tony?

ANTHONY
Yeah

GRACE

If you used that nickname you would be turning yourself over to Tony. The same can be said for Chuck, which is short for Charles. You were given your name and that is the first thing you have to accept about yourself.

ANTHONY
Wait a minute, let me get this straight. P-Diddy is demon?

GRACE
Most likely. Pretty much everyone who has changed their name or uses a nickname has the potential to be possessed. Now what it is they are possessed with, that has more options than you can shake stick at.

ANTHONY
You’re fuckin’ with me?

GRACE
I’m not fuckin’ with you Anthony however I understand why you think so. It’s a lot to take in.

ANTHONY
Yeah it is.

GRACE
It’s OK you will feel peaceful very soon.

ANTHONY
Yoah! What was that?

GRACE
I could tell you, but you wouldn’t believe me.

ANTHONY
You’re probably right. So how about DMT?

GRACE
It’s a chemical your brain makes, and if you spend time in meditation your brain will release DMT for you to see something you’re actually going to understand. Taking it is stupid.

ANTHONY
Gotcha. So what you’re sayng is taking drugs is stupid?

GRACE
Yeppers.

ANTHONY
How do you know if you’ve never taken it?
GR

ACE
Anthony you are one of those people who simply wants to try everything and doesn’t care about what it does to your body.

ANTHONY
So.

GRACE
Your body is a temple where your spirit resides. If you treat it that way your body can do amazing things.

ANTHONY
My body already does amazing things. (as he smiles)

How about the ganj?

GRACE
That’s a cure all, not a drug, however it’s abused. Take a look at the Casey Jones strain.

When you smoke it, it’s like an energy drink and you can focus. Most people don’t grow Casey Jones because it doesn’t produce as much. You get 4 or 5 lbs off a Casey Jones plant, and you get 12 to 13 lbs on a DOG plant.

However DOG is only good for one thing, getting fucked up.

You kids need to learn about your strains and what they are good for.

STACY
Like what?

GRACE
As I said Casey Jones is great for focus and when you need to get shit done. Purple Kush is alsongreat for focus. If I need to sleep, that’s what I smoke Hindi Kush for. Something like DOG is only good for rearranging your brain and so fucked up you can’t think.

ANTHONY
I love DOG

GRACE
That’s why you’re an idiot, an intelligent person, but an idiot.

Have you ever heard of an Empath?

ANTHONY
I heard somethin’ about it, never put much stock in it though.

GRACE
What have you heard?

ANTHONY
Well ya know, I’ve heard that they can take people’s emotions and do all kinds of shit with them.

GRACE
Stop right there.

You’ve heard they can take people’s emotions?

ANTHONY
Yeah.

GRACE
Who did you hear this from?

ANTHONY
I dunno, it was some dude.

GRACE
Some dude?

ANTHONY
Yeah

GRACE
Anthony you really need to pay attention to who you are talking to as much as what they are saying. Just some dude doesn’t tell you anything about the dude. If you knew his name I could do some shit.

ANTHONY
Like what?

GRACE
Let me put it this way.

If I knew his name I could see him in your memories, as it is he’s shrouded.

Anthony
What do you mean you can see my memories?

GRACE
I’m a Telepath

ANTHONY
What the fuck is that?

GRACE
There are degrees of Telepathy, as for me I need to be looking in someone’s eyes to see what’s inside, and when I do there’s nothing they can hide.

ANTHONY
Ok Granny you’re starting to scare me.

GRACE
I know, I can feel it. I’m an Empath as well.

ANTHONY
What?

GRACE
Relax. You’re OK.

ANTHONY
I feel that crazy peace again

GRACE
That’s Reiki that I’m giving you to chill you the fuck out.

ANTHONY
Whats Reiki?

GRACE
Well, the word means soul energy and what it is, is using your soul to heal another. In fact
POPPA SMOKE is a soul healer, that’s what it means to be a Táltos, well he does other stuff
too, however he’s who cleans me out.

ANTHONY
Why do you need to be cleaned out?

GRACE

As an Empath, and one who works with healing others, I take on a ton of shit. It’s more than I can manage, and he cleans me out.

ANTHONY
Who cleans him out?

GRACE
You’ll have to talk to POPPA SMOKE about that one.

And there he is

POPPA SMOKE
Yo

GRACE
We were talkin’ about bein’ an Empath and Reiki and that’s right up your alley.

POPPA SMOKE
That it is. What you wanna know?

Stacy
GRACE was telling us you clean her out and we wanted to know who cleans you out?

POPPA SMOKE
I do.

PRIELLE
What?

POPPA SMOKE
You all need to understand that I’m considered to be a Reiki Grandmaster. I have been working with Reki a good chunk of my life. Let me see if I can show you.

PRIELLE
I can feel that, is that you doing that

POPPA SMOKE
Yep, Tell us what you feel

PRIELLE
The air around me just got warm.

POPPA SMOKE

That is something I can do.

PRIELLE
What else can you do?

POPPA SMOKE
I can show you how to meditate. You need to start there. That’s where I started.

It’s real simple, say

“I let go of everything”

Keep saying until you actually do. Then tell yourself to go into your mind to learn what you need to know right now.

PRIELLE
How did you know I was going to ask how you do it?

POPPA SMOKE
I’m a Telepath. I could (using quotes) hear you.

It’s how I knew you all were talking about Reiki.

PRIELLE
I don’t believe it, but it happened. (puzzled)

POPPA SMOKE
Have you ever said what someone was thinking?

PRIELLE
I’ve been told that a lot. I don’t like where this is going. I gotta go.

EXT The Bass Mint POPPA SMOKE is sitting with a sign that says Pick a Card for free. He has art around the table and crystals. He sits in the light where he can be seen.

POPPA SMOKE
Let me tell you how this works. You already know every card in the deck. Your subconscious is going to pick the card you need.

Now the cards are based on what you need to hear in this moment, not what you want to hear. I’m here as a Medium that can channel your spirit or soul.

If you need me to tell you about the card, you channel yourself through me. Make sense?

DUDE
Yeah

Dude picks a card and show it to POPPA SMOKE
P

OPPA SMOKE
Do I even need to speak

DUDE
Nope

Thanks.

C-ya

POPPA SMOKE
Have a blessed one
(In his mind as he chuckles)

I love my life, every time they pull that card it never fails.

GAZOO
(Telepathically)
You know you could have channeled for him

POPPA SMOKE
(Telepathically)
What was the point, he knew what he needed to know just by pulling the card. I’ve gotta go
PRIELLE is here.

Yo Preille, have you been in yet?

PRIELLE
No, I’m just getting here. Do you know who’s playin?

POPPA SMOKE
You know I never go in.

PRIELLE
Why is that

POPPA SMOKE
You know how you love an actual live show with a band?

PRIELLE

Yeah

POPPA SMOKE
You know why that is?

PRIELLE
Nope

POPPA SMOKE
That’s analog music and the shit they play down there, that’s digital noise. Analog is a wave and digital is a sample of that wave and no matter how much they sample the wave they never get the full analog sound. I don’t understand how you all listen to it.

PRIELLE
I liiike it.

POPPA SMOKE
Of course you do, you were raised in the digital world.

PRIELLE
You say that as if I had a choice when I was born.

POPPA SMOKE
We never get to choose when we are born, however we do have choices afterward.

PRIELLE
How’d I know you would say that?

POPPA SMOKE
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, however I will tell you how to figure it out.

PRIELLE
Go

POPPA SMOKE
Try this, say I let go of everything until you actually do. Seriously repeat the word I let go of everything until you feel as if you have. Then tell yourself I go into my subconscious mind to learn what I need to know. That’ll help you figure it out.

PRIELLE
I dunno. It seems kind of simple.

POPPA SMOKE

It is simple. We complicate stuff to make it seem as if it’s more, it’s why the complex mind looks to simplify things. While the simple mind is focused on making it complicated to impress people.

Who do you think our society thinks well of?

PRIELLE
I never thought about it like that. But what your saying makes sense. If I was to look at
something simple and wanted to impress people with it, I would make it seem more complex, but the thing is simple.

POPPA SMOKE
You get it

PRIELLE
I do?

POPPA SMOKE
Yeah, you do.

PRIELLE
I guess I do. I never really thought about it before, but it makes sense. Everything complicated is done so unnecessarily to make people look smart when they aren’t. If you look at it from a societal standpoint it makes sense. It’s why the world is fucked up, were being run by stupid people.

POPPA SMOKE
I think she gets it.

JACK walks up

JACK
Yo POPPA SMOKE what up?

POPPA SMOKE
Not much but a blessed night

JACK
OK I gotcha.

PRIELLE
Where’s DIANE?

JACK
She’s inside already.
PR

IELLE
Cool, I’m headin’ down. Catch ya later Poppa

POPPA SMOKE
Have fun.

So what you got goin’ for the night JACK

JACK
Just takin’ some medicine and partying all night!

POPPA SMOKE
What do you mean medicine?

JACK
L.S.D.

POPPA SMOKE
That ain’t medicine you fuckin moron. That’s a drug that will stay in your spine the rest of your life. And when you have flashbacks, and you will, you don’t get to determine when they happen or what you see.

JACK
Yoah Poppa chill the fuck out.

POPPA SMOKE
I care about you, I love you JACK and I don’t want to see you fuckn’ yourself up with that shit.

JACK
I get it, but I wanna have some fuckin’ fun.

POPPA SMOKE
If you need the drugs to have fun, you’re not having fun.

JACK
I never thought it like that.

POPPA SMOKE
That’s why I am here and I’ll be here til Midnight.

JACK
Catch ya later POPPA SMOKE
In

The Bass Mint on the dance floor we hear PRIELLE’s mind

PRIELLE
Gotta turn my mirror inward.
Gotta turn my mirror inward
Gotta turn my mirror inward
I let go of everything
I let go of everything
I let go of everything

The crowd begins to shift and PRIELLE can see what’s feeding on them. We hear her voice.

PRIELLE
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

Roll credits.