The Moongazer

Cleo: Try to catch me!

N2: Cleo races down the porch steps with her brothers.

N3: Their home is surrounded by a thick rainforest.

N1: Their grandmother steps outside.

Nanna: Cleo! Boys! Where are you going?

Cleo: To the waterfall!

Nanna: Be home by sunset. The jungle’s not safe after dark.

N2: The children dart through the trees, Cleo leading the way.

Joseph: Wait up, Cleo!

N3: They reach the edge of a cliff where a stream rushes over the edge.

Cleo (yelling): Come on!

N1: Cleo dives into the roaring water.

N2: Cleo’s brothers nervously look down at the water below.

Mark (worried): Cleo!

Troy: Are you OK?

N3: Suddenly, Cleo’s head appears over the waves.

Cleo: Woo!

N1: Her brothers shake their heads.

Joseph: Cleo’s not scared of anything.

N2: The brothers follow a trail to the bottom of the cliff and join Cleo in the swirling water.

N3: They splash and swim all day.

Mark: Look, the sun’s setting.

Troy: Uh-oh, time to go!

N1: The kids start back through the woods, when . . .

N2: A leopard leaps from the bushes, flashing sharp teeth.

Leopard: ROAR!

Joseph: Run!

N3: The boys scatter, but Cleo stands firm.

N1: She grabs a branch and waves it at the leopard.

Leopard: GRR!

N2: Cleo runs toward it, banging the branch on the ground.

Cleo: AYEEEE!

N3: The leopard draws back in fear and then runs into the trees.

N1: Only then does Cleo notice two small cubs hiding in the bushes.

Cleo (softly): Oh, Leopard, you were just protecting your babies.

N2: When the kids get home, they see their family pacing outside.

Ma: We were so worried!

Cleo: I can keep my brothers safe.

Nanna: Not when the moon is full . . . the Moongazer will come!

Mark: What’s that?

Nanna: A giant monster taller than the tallest tree.

Ma: When the moon is brightest, the Moongazer appears and destroys everything it sees.

Troy: But why?

Nanna: It’s a lost spirit trying to go home to the moon.

Cleo: Well I’m not scared of it! And I won’t let it hurt my family.

Nanna: The Moongazer is more powerful than anyone, including you, my child.

N3: It’s a cloudy night. Cleo and her family walk along the river.

N1: Suddenly, the clouds clear, revealing the full moon.

N2: The ground begins to shake.

N3: Screams fill the air.

Villager 1: Run for your lives!

Cleo: What’s happening?

Villager 2: The Moongazer is here!

Villager 1: It’s destroying the village!

Cleo: Ma, where is Nanna?

Ma: I’m sure she escaped.

Cleo: I must find her.

Villager 2: The Moongazer is smashing houses and boats.

Villager 1: If you don’t run, it’ll smash you.

Cleo: I’m not afraid.

Ma: No, Cleo, it’s too dangerous!

N1: But Cleo takes off running.

N2: Cleo rushes through the streets, frantically looking left and right.

Cleo (shouting): Nanna!

N3: The Moongazer’s shadow falls over the rooftops.

N1: Villagers throw stones at it.

N2: But the Moongazer ignores them, its face turned upward, toward the moon.

N3: Then Cleo sees Nanna huddled in a doorway.

Nanna: Cleo! You came back for me.

Cleo: Let’s hide in that tree!

N1: Cleo and Nanna climb the tree and are hidden by leaves.

N2: Suddenly, the Moongazer stomps toward them.

N3: Cleo grabs a stick, ready to fight.

N1: But then she sees its sad face. Tears stream down its cheeks.

Cleo: Nanna . . . the Moongazer’s sad.

Nanna: It longs to return to the moon.

N2: Cleo stares at the monster.

N3: She thinks about the leopard ready to attack, just to protect her cubs.

Cleo: We should help. But how?

Nanna: Well, the highest point is Cloud Mountain. That’s as close to the moon as you can get.

Cleo: I have an idea.

N1: Cleo finds a mirror inside Nanna’s purse.

N2: She angles the mirror beneath the night sky so it reflects the bright circle of the moon.

Cleo (shouting): AYEEEE!

N3: The Moongazer looks down.

N1: There, in Cleo’s palm, it sees the moon.

N2: It reaches giant fingers toward her, and . . .

N3: Cleo bravely steps onto its hand, pulling her grandmother with her.

Nanna (gasping): Cleo, what are you doing?

Cleo: Guiding the Moongazer to Cloud Mountain!

N1: The Moongazer stomps through the forest, following the reflection of the moon.

N2: Cleo calls out warnings so the animals have time to get away.

Cleo: AYEEEE! Watch out!

N3: She sees the leopard and her cubs ahead.

Leopard: ROAR!

Cleo: Run, Leopard!

N1: As Cleo yells, she drops the mirror onto the ground.

N2: The Moongazer stops, following the flash of light.

N3: Then it bends down, reaching toward the mirror-moon.

N1: Cleo and Nanna jump off the Moongazer’s hand onto the ground.

Cleo: Moongazer! I’ll take you to the moon, I promise!

N2: Cleo sees a glimmer of trust in the monster’s eyes.

Nanna (pointing): There’s the trail to Cloud Mountain!

N3: They climb the trail, the Moongazer’s giant feet shaking the ground behind them.

N1: Finally, they step onto a rocky cliff.

N2: The Moongazer lifts its head in wonder at the full moon above.

N3: It looks down at Cleo, its eyes shining with tears of joy.

N1: Then it runs across the cliff and leaps into the air.

N2: Cleo and Nanna watch as the Moongazer shoots into the night sky, heading straight for the moon.

Nanna: You did it, Cleo!

N3: So that’s the story of the Moongazer.

N1: And how Cleo didn’t fight it but helped it.

N2: Which takes even more courage.

Nanna: Remember, even a monster might have its own story . . .

Cleo: . . . and need your kindness.