A Kind of Spark (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Spark - full transcript

This may be my last diary entry.

What we're doing is dangerous.

But we have to fight.

The forces we stand against
are strong

and seem to be everywhere.

What have we here?

It's a witch jar, sir.

To ward off evil.

Lord knows the Fraser house
need it right now.

Indeed.

Though it's a wasted journey.



There is no-one home.

I'll leave it for Lady Fraser.

She will know what it's for.

My men and I will accompany you
back to the village.

If anyone should read this,

please know that I,
Lady Margaret Fraser, did my best.

When evil came, I stood my ground,

like a candle flickering
in the darkness,

like a spark.

OK, listen up.

You're moving school buildings.

It's a big change.

Here's what you need to know.

The main site corridors get busy,



really loud.

You have to wait until a bit after
the bell and then head out.

It's usually a bit less...

..you know. I've got it.

The C Block bathrooms are the worst.

Don't go in there at break.

Whoever designed the upper school
definitely wasn't

thinking about autistic kids.

Found it.

Here.

I used this the whole of
my first year there.

Did people notice?

No way.

High school kids are obsessed
with themselves.

Oh. Hi, Nina.

What are you two still
doing in here?

Come on!

There's just a lot more kids,

a lot more bells, announcements.

A lot more...everything everywhere.

I can't wait!

Look, Addie,

there's going to be times when
masking won't work,

and you might feel like
you're going to shut down.

Can I? Sure.

Maybe something like that?

I do this.

A spiral.

Perfect.

You're perfect.

Toast for you, and one for you.

Hurry up.

We are so late!

OK. Let's do this!

You are never still here!

Everything...is...fine.

Come on.

Look after each other!

BELL RINGS

Happy New School Year.

Hey, Heather.

It really is her,

the actual Nina!

Stop it, Keedie.

I'll take you to your class.

It's OK.

I'll just sort of...go in,

like a normal person.

It's the same school, Addie.
Just a different building.

Lots of kids will be
feeling nervous.

Find Jenna.

She'll look after you.

ADDIE SIGHS

INDISTINCT CHATTER

SUDDEN SILENCE

LOUD VOICES AND STAMPING

HIGH-PITCHED RINGING, LOUD SLAMMING

Did you hear what you said?

LOUD STAMPING

ADDIE BREATHES HEAVILY

LOUD VOICES, AEROSOL SPRAYING

That's it.

In you come.

A world of learning awaits.

Erm, Miss Murphy? I'm Addie.

Adeline Darrow.

I've been waiting for you.

In you pop.

Hi, Jenna.

Sorry.

This seat's taken.

It... It's just I sit with Jenna.

Well, did you book in advance?

Didn't know we had to.

There's loads of other seats, Addie.

But... But we always sit together.

Is there a problem?
I'm keeping it together!

LAUGHTER

Well, we're ready to start,
so get yourself settled.

This one's free.

You got there in the end!

Audrey Gladstone is new to Juniper.

Let's all make her feel welcome.

Our topic this term is...

..the witch-hunts
of England and Scotland.

Now, let's turn to Chapter One -

What Makes A Witch?

Adeline?

BELL RINGS

Look, Addie... Wait.

You don't want to be
friends with me.

I do.

It's just...

It's been the two of us
for a long time now,

and I just wanted to see what it
was like having other friends.

LOUD SLAM

OK.

So, what is it like?

Well, Emily's really nice.

I mean, you should see her house.

She has got so much cool stuff.

Stuff?

Look, she sort of said that...

..I can't be friends with you both.

But I thought you said she was nice.

Well, she is nice.
That doesn't sound very nice.

Well, you just don't get it, Addie!
Because of...

..the way your mind works.

It's not like it was in
Juniors any more.

Things are complicated.

Jenna?

I have to go.

Is she going to show you
some more stuff?

Please don't make it worse.

TANNOY: All students visiting
the local woods this afternoon

should report to Miss Murphy's
classroom ten minutes before

the end of break.

HE GASPS

Oh, hello, Mr Allison.

Addie.

Where did you come from?

That corridor.

Before that I was in Classroom 3B.

It's the one with the red peeling
paint around the door.

I think it used to be blue,
or purple, maybe.

Do you want me to go back further?

No, that's all clear.

Thank you.

How can I help?

I need a shark book. Sharks...

..again?

What is your problem with sharks?

Apart from either their teeth...

..and then their fins, and then
the fact they want to eat me.

Sharks are amazing.

You know they have six senses
instead of five?

It means they can get sort of
overwhelmed,

stimulated.

They can lose control.

I guess I can relate.

Ooh!

Just came in.

And you'll be its very first reader,

and that is special, you know.

This book will always remember you.

Thanks, Mr Allison.

This is perfect.

HE LAUGHS

GIRL: You know Keedie?

She's in the year above, I think.

She attacked a teacher.

Yeah, they had to take her out of
school in a straitjacket.

What are they doing letting a mad
girl come in here?

Literally, she could attack
any of us.

Erm, excuse me, are you talking
about my sister?

Oh, my days!

There's two of them!
THEY LAUGH

Quick march!

I can't believe we're getting
a field trip on our first day.

Miss Murphy is so cool.

OK, class, gather round.

This...

..is the old witch tree.

CLASS: Ooh!

Indeed. We had witches right here
in Juniper.

Now, does anyone know how to
spot a witch?

They were old?

Mm...

They were ugly?

They were rude?

I think they were just people

who were a bit...

..different.

People who stood out.

Very good, Emily.

Yes, these women -
and it was mostly women -

had a habit of getting
on the wrong side of people.

And they paid the ultimate price.

They were killed?

Yes.

But... Just for being different?

Exactly.

Now, split into groups and
take a worksheet.

Doesn't anybody care?

Groups of four, please.

Would you like Mr Daniel
to take you back?

Erm, no.

It's probably all a bit much,
isn't it?

New school year and now a trip
to a whole new place.

I know you like things
to be the same.

Not always.

OK, let's find you a group.

We're OK with three.

Adeline won't be any trouble,
will you, dear?

BIRD CAWS

VOICES WHISPER AND ECHO

WHISPERING, RUSTLING

You do it.

Oh, OK.

So, our witch was called Liz Dryden.

She put a curse on her neighbour.

She can't have done.

I'm just reading the sheet.

Don't let her put you off, Jenna.

Liz was known in Juniper
as a madwoman.

She got angry with her neighbour,
and she cursed them.

And she didn't think
anything more of it.

Until his cow died.

Well, that could've been anything.
Cows die.

You some kind of cow expert?

Other people came forward and said
Mad Liz had cursed them, too.

Oh, so she's Mad Liz now? Nice.

Her neighbours took
the case to the Kirk,

and they put her on trial.

It says she couldn't deny
the accusation

because she didn't understand what
she was being accused of.

Then what?

MISS MURPHY: Time's up,
class, back to the witch tree!

What...what happened to Liz?

Well, sadly, we don't have time
to get to the end of the sheet

because you keep interrupting.
Tell me!

You know what happened.

Emily...

But she wasn't the witch!
She confessed.

It does say they sort of forced it
out of her.

We should get back. She didn't know
what she was confessing to!

ECHOING WHISPERS

She was just misunderstood!

You're freaking us all out.

She died just because she was
different! Well, maybe if she'd have

spent a little bit more time fitting
in and a bit less time

cursing her neighbour's cow,
they'd have left her alone!

SHE SCREAMS

No-one going after her?

SHE GASPS

Hey, Addie.

Are you OK?

There's something there.

What is it?

You should put it back.

It's old.

It's probably been holding up
this place.

Look, if we go now, Miss Murphy
won't even realise you've gone.

They're here, Miss!

Adeline! Thank goodness!

Are you hurt?

This is all my fault. I should've
sent you back when I had a chance.

I'll get your bag.

It's OK, I...
What have you got in here?

Um, just books.

Miss, can we go back?
It's a bit chilly.

Actually, my channel has
lots of male followers.

I could give you some tips
if you want?

Thanks, ah, but I'm perfect.

There's always room for improvement.

She said she'd meet us here, right?

"Oh, hey, Frank, how's it going?
"Oh, that's great..."

Maybe she went with Jenna? Jenna
just went off with some other girl.

She'll be inside. I'll go get her.

It's OK,
you stay here with your...

..boyfriend.

Boyfriend?!

Oh, my days, she said the B-word.

He's not my boyfriend. I mean, he
is, but we haven't said...

OK, well, I've said for you.
You're welcome!

Oh, I'm fine.

Keedie Darrow.

I'm just looking for Addie.

She left in a bit of a rush
after school.

There's nothing in the notes
about a pick-up.

But since you're here, perhaps you
could pass this on to your parents.

We had an incident today
during the field trip.

What happened?

Addie ran away.

Ruined the whole trip,
if I'm honest.

Don't worry, I found her,
and she's fine.

Keedie, I know
we haven't always got along,

but I do want
what's best for you girls.

I really do.

Keedie, what the...?

Miss Murphy's
written to Mum and Dad.

She wants Addie to go
to a specialist school.

OK, where's Addie?

I have no idea.

I do.

Where did you find this?

There's a ruined house in the woods.

Oh, the Fraser house? Well, that
site's been known about for years.

They've examined every corner.

Well, it was just sticking out
the chimney, so...

Interesting.

You'd take a jar, you see,

and then you'd fill it,
fill it up with anything sharp.

Edges, anything that can cut.

And then you'd hide it away

and pray there was enough power
to keep them at bay.

Keep who?

Witches.

There are people in this village
whose ancestors were

accused of witchcraft.

And those who pointed the finger.

My teacher said they were
just a bunch of mad old women

who brought it on themselves.

Well, she's wrong. Very wrong.

Look.

Margaret Fraser.

She lived in the manor house.
Where I found the jar?

Indeed.

She wasn't much older than you
when she was accused of witchcraft.

Didn't fit the stereotype,
not at all.

She was young, of noble birth...

What's that?

Her diary.

A first-hand account
of the witch trial years.

Tell me, Miss Darrow,

are you the sort of person
who looks after books?

I am.

Then you may borrow this one.

Perhaps you can solve the mystery.

What mystery?

Well, no-one knows what happened
to Margaret Fraser.

One minute she was here in Juniper,
and then, as if by magic,

she vanished.

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

There you are!

Why do you always
find the most random places?

THEY CHUCKLE
Come on.

Thank you.

BELL CHIMES
Addie! Are you OK?

Miss Murphy said you ran off
into the woods. What happened?

It was amazing. Seriously?

Well, I mean, no, it was awful.

Everyone was looking at me,
and, um, I needed to stim.

And Miss Murphy was being so nice,
but then I sort of lost it.

It made everything clear.

Look, we have a plaque
to Bonnie Prince Charlie,

but nothing about witches.

Witches?

They were real people
who lived and died here.

They were singled out and punished
just for being different.

And we've forgotten them.

What are you doing?

I'm asking the council for a
memorial for the witches of Juniper.

Yes, Addie! Nice one.

Go on.

What?

You know what this place is like,

how vulnerable she is.

Well, maybe this will help.

And what about Miss Murphy?

Mum and Dad will go spare.

Not if they don't know.

So, how was it?

ALL: Fine!

Fine. Fine is good.

No, fine is great! I'll take
fine any day of the week. Oh!

GLASS BREAKS
What the...?

These are the words
of Lady Margaret Fraser.

I write not for pleasure or vanity,
but as a record.

What are you up to?

Nothing, dear sister.
Nothing at all.

I must keep a clear mind
and stay strong.

When something is wrong, there's
only one thing you can do -

you must make it right.

Lights out now, Addie.