TV Pilot            Thriller   Supernatural   Teen    LGBTQ+
 
Aqedah contains a transgender teen called Delannie who has just found out she is a prophet of the Lord, an angel, and a newly discovered Christian Gospel that states God’s love is for everyone, including those under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Biblical times meets the modern-day in a new and exciting way. 
 
Tagline
Sacrifice for paradise. 
 
Logline
The lost Gospel of Simon finds its way into the hands of a suicidal transgender youth who is visited by Vatican priests seeking the Gospel to destroy its existence and an angel who guides the youth through her existential crisis as she is told she is a prophet of the Lord.
 
Synopsis
 
DELANNIE, 19, with long black hair and wearing subtle makeup that covers a hint of stubble, lies on a stone table in a public park. Her dad, NOEL, strokes her hair before pulling out a large knife. He lifts it above her and starts to yield it down on Delannie as she screams for help.
Inside a once-grand church in New York, homeless people and drug dealers congregate. We meet DELANNIE wearing subtle makeup covering light stubble. Delannie has recently transitioned into a female. The self-inflicted cuts on her arm are fresh and she teases a knife over her wrists. If she was to kill herself right here, right now, God would have to take notice.
 
A bright light dazzles and windows smash above her. She notices a brown briefcase on the altar. She tries to open it. Defeated, she sits down.
 
We meet the ANGEL for the first time.  Delannie assumes he is one of the drug dealers she passed at the back of the church. He says his name is Angelo and he is an angel that spoke to Abraham and Jesus. Delannie presumes he is getting high off his own supply. The angel says that God loves her for who she is. “Male or female, He loves them the same” and “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Delannie gleefully listens.
 
A homeless man, GEORGE, threatens to take the briefcase from her. George realizes Delannie is transgender and says she is an abomination and shouldn’t be in a church. Delannie stands her ground but George persists. Angelo reveals his majestic wings and George shuffles back into the shadows. Her dad phones her wishing her a happy birthday. He calls her “Daniel” which doesn’t go down well. Her dad realizes his mistakes and apologizes.
 
The angel tells Delannie the combination of the briefcase. She opens it up. Inside is an old Papyrus scroll written in Koine Greek. It is the fifth Gospel, the Gospel of Simon. The angel explains this Gospel cannot fall into the wrong hands.
 
 
MICHAELANGELO and RICCARDO wake up in Vatican City. Riccardo tells Michaelangelo that they have discovered the Gospel of Simon. It is in New York. Michaelangelo tells Riccardo to pack, they are going to New York ASAP. Michaelangelo explains the Gospel alludes to an angel and places a great emphasis on his role in Jesus’ mission. The gospel claims Jesus said that God’s love was for everyone, including men who lay down with men.
 
On the plane flying into JFK, Riccardo asks Michaelangelo if he would die for the Gospel. Michaelangelo says he would die for the church, not the gospel. They land and get a taxi straight to the church.
 
Michaelangelo and Riccardo enter the church. The angel tells Delannie they are running out of time. She is a prophet of the Lord who has been sent to protect the Gospel. Delannie laughs. How can a transgender be a prophet? Michaelangelo has a note that promises the Gospel will be in this church at this exact time.  Michaelangelo asks what’s in the briefcase. Delannie says “drugs.” Delannie leaves the church as Michaelangelo trashes the altar looking for the gospel.
 
A normal day in New York. A jumper holds up the traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge. A PASSERBY pushes the jumper into the Hudson. The traffic returns to its normal pace. Noel arrives at his lawyer's office. Angelo enters his office. He says that Noel must prove his faith in God. Noel isn’t interested and asks Angelo to leave. Angelo doesn’t listen and explains that Noel must sacrifice his daughter like Abraham had to do with Isaac. Noel calls security and Angelo leaves, with the promise that he will be back soon.
 
Delannie meets PHILO who is also an angel. He encourages Delannie to hold the Gospel of Simon. When she does her eyes open wide. She throws the Gospel back to Philo. He explains to Delannie that the end times are upon us and to have faith. Delannie questions more than ever why God would choose a transgender youth to become a prophet. Philo continues to reassure her.
 
Noel asks Delannie to go for a drive with him. He wants to get to know the new Delannie. She jumps at the chance. They walk through a park and come across a stone table. This is where we started the show. Delannie jumps on the table and Noel strokes the hair away from her face. He pulls the knife down towards her. She screams. Noel stops at the last second and knicks her skin. A tiny drop of blood pours onto the stone table. Angelo appears.
 
Noel says he did what he asked. Delannie is confused, how does he know the angel? Delannie explains that Angelo is an angel. It crazily is starting to make sense.
 
In Washington Square Park, Delannie welcomes teenagers, all beautiful and under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, and starts to preach her message confidently that God’s love is for everyone.