EPISODE 1: The Call Home (part 2 of 3)
**BLOOD**
EXT A forest clearing in the realm, Day.
The kids are lying, face down, on the ground, having fallen from the sky. They are, again, in their Realm costumes, which have changed size to accommodate their changed body shapes.
On PRESTO, who lifts his head from the ground and looks around.
PRESTO:
We all here?
DIANA gets up.
DIANA:
I think so.
On BOBBY, adjusting his helmet.
BOBBY:
We all dressed like morons?
On ERIC, struggling to get up.
ERIC:
Definitely. Geez, I forgot how
heavy this stuff was. No wonder
I was in shape by the end.
SHEILA joins him.
SHEILA:
No wonder you were always
lagging behind, you mean.
PRESTO, DIANA and BOBBY join them.
PRESTO:
Hey! The kinky boots are back!
SHEILA does a twirl.
ERIC:
Screw the boots, the furry
bikini's back!
DIANA:
Can it, Cavalier.
BOBBY stares at the girls.
BOBBY:
Were those outfits always that
small?
ERIC:
Damn straight they were. It's
one of those things that only
really hits you once your voice
has dropped...
ERIC trails off and admires the girls.
ERIC:
Have your boobs grown?
SHEILA:
Eric!
DIANA:
We were fourteen, Eric. Boobs
grow. Are you trying to tell me
that no parts of you got bigger
since you were last here?
ERIC:
Are you kidding? There's one
part of me getting bigger just
looking at you.
DIANA tries to slap ERIC, who ducks, loses his balance in his heavy new attire and falls over. They all laugh.
On HANK, who is still sitting, away from the others, despondently.
HANK:
How can you all be laughing and
joking? We're trapped again.
God knows how long we're gonna
be wandering lost in this
place. God knows if we'll ever
be free again.
They all look at HANK for a beat. Then ERIC starts giggling hysterically.
HANK:
What? It's not funny, Eric.
ERIC:
I'm sorry. It really is.
HANK gets up, irritated. The others giggle.
ERIC:
Look at yourself, Man. The
words "Kurt Cobain", "Tolkein
Elf" and "Bastard Lovechild"
spring instantly to mind.
HANK:
Oh, this coming from Captain
Shiny.
They all fall about laughing. PRESTO is the first to stop laughing and look about himself.
PRESTO:
Uh, guys, not that this isn't a
hoot, but shouldn't DM be here
by now?
The others stop laughing.
ERIC:
Yeah. That little jerk's got
some explaining to do.
DIANA:
And we can't go anywhere
without him. We don't know
what we're supposed to do. Or
where our weapons are.
HANK:
Who does he think he is,
dragging us back here?
PRESTO:
He's bound to have a reason.
BOBBY:
We're here now. Let's just find
out what we need to do and do
it so we can carry on with our
lives. Again.
ERIC:
Assuming he turns up.
SHEILA:
I'm sure he won't be very
long, he was in enough of a
hurry to bring us here. We'll
just wait until he arrives.
SHEILA folds her arms and sits against a tree trunk.
CUT TO
EXT the same woodland clearing, Dusk.
SHEILA is still sitting in the same position, but now looks very troubled.
Pan out to show the others all waiting around. All are still except for BOBBY, who is pacing.
BOBBY:
Where is he?
DIANA:
This isn't like DM at all.
ERIC:
What are you talking about?
He's brought us to a weird
world against our will and then
abandoned us without a clue of
what to do or where to go.
Sounds like DM to me.
SHEILA:
He hasn't abandoned us!
HANK:
Then where is he, Sheila?
SHEILA opens her mouth to speak, then closes it again and looks at her knees.
Beat.
ERIC:
Listen, I know I'm the only one
here who had a stomach pump
last night, but is anybody else
really really hungry?
The others all raise a hand.
HANK:
OK then. Three guesses what the
plan is.
BOBBY:
We go to a Chinese restaurant.
HANK:
Strike one...
SHEILA:
We all bake muffins.
HANK:
Two...
ERIC:
We go foraging for roots and
berries.
HANK:
Bingo.
The kids cheer sarcastically.
SHEILA:
Roots and berries. Whoopee
fuckin' doo.
PRESTO helps SHEILA up.
PRESTO:
Hey, soon as I get my hat back,
I'll pull ya a big roast dinner
out, how's that?
On ERIC, walking off into the undergrowth. There is the sound of a man clearing his throat. ERIC stops and stares down, deadpan.
Close on a squirrel, right in front of him, looking up at him intently.
On ERIC, still watching the squirrel.
ERIC:
Can I help you?
SQUIRREL:
(using DM's voice)
Cavalier. Forgive my bringing
you here, but the realm has
fallen upon dark times indeed.
ERIC:
Uh huh.
ERIC calls over his shoulder.
ERIC:
You guys. Dungeon Master's been
turned into a squirrel.
The others run over.
ERIC:
(to himself)
Now where do you suppose a
fella can get a drink round
here?
HANK indicates the squirrel.
HANK:
That's DM?
SQUIRREL:
(DM's voice)
My children.
The kids, bar ERIC, start.
SQUIRREL:
(DM's voice)
My children, do not be deceived
into thinking that I am within
this innocent creature. This is
merely a message, hidden where
our enemies cannot find it. If
you are listening to this, then
I failed to meet you on your re
entry to this world. You will
have neither weapons nor
knowledge of why you are here
or what you must do. This
messenger can help you a little
in this at least.
Slow pan across the kids' faces as squirrel continues.
SQUIRREL:
(DM's voice, O/S)
You should know that the six of
you, as mere children,
succeeded where so many others
had failed, where I had failed.
You freed this world from a
great evil, and I in turn felt
obliged to give you your
freedom. But I had seen what
powerful warriors of good had
been created. And with power
comes responsibility.
HANK snarls at this word.
On the SQUIRREL.
SQUIRREL:
(DM's voice)
You all knew that you could
never truly leave your realm
selves behind. They themselves
chose to come back.
On HANK:
HANK:
That's a lie. You brought us
back. Why?
On SQUIRREL:
SQUIRREL:
(DM's voice)
There is a terrible evil afoot.
Everything is at stake.
Everything! You know that this
realm has many portals to many
worlds, including your own.
Every place touched by this
world stands upon the edge of
the shadow.
On BOBBY and SHEILA
BOBBY:
What shadow? Is Earth at risk
too?
SHEILA:
He can't hear you, Bobby.
On SQUIRREL
SQUIRREL:
(DM's voice)
You will need to fight. Hard.
There is little time for mercy
now. Our allies are few and our
foes are growing in numbers.
There is one friend who you
know is true. She has your
weapons. Find her first, you
will need them and need her.
She is very strong now. I dare
not speak her name for fear of
spying ears. Find her first. I
shall meet with you as soon as
I may. Good luck.
On the kids, clustered round.
DIANA:
But where do we find this
friend? Where do we even start?
On the SQUIRREL, staring at them.
DIANA:
Dungeon Master?
The SQUIRREL squeaks and shoots up a tree.
On DIANA and ERIC
ERIC:
But the good news is, he's not
a squirrel.
DIANA shoots him a dirty look.
On HANK, BOBBY and SHEILA
HANK:
So that's it? That's our clue?
A vast fantasy realm and he
tells us that at least we're
not looking for a guy.
BOBBY:
He said we had to look for a
friend we knew was true.
SHEILA:
Well, we made lots of friends
in the realm. Presto, it could
be Varla!
On PRESTO
PRESTO:
It could be Zandora.
On all the kids.
ERIC:
It could be Tiamat.
The kids look at him.
DIANA:
The five headed dragon. Are we
talkin' about the same Tiamat
here?
ERIC:
She's a she, she's an ally,
kinda. And Mr Squeaky said she
was very strong. Strong enough
to guard our weapons, anyway.
BOBBY:
Could be worse. I'm just glad
we're looking for a female. At
least that way we know it
isn't... Him.
Without meaning to, they all glance at ERIC.
ERIC:
It's OK. Just don't... I'm not
quite ready for the "V" word
yet.
HANK:
Me neither.
Beat.
DIANA:
So what then? We look for
Tiamat?
ERIC:
Do we have any better ideas?
The kids look at each other.
HANK:
Fine. We don't know where we
are, we don't know where Tiamat
is...
SHEILA:
But at least now we know what
we're looking for.
They all look at HANK.
HANK:
What?
ERIC:
Well, which way do we go?
Beat.
HANK points a finger in front of him, closes his eyes, then spins round a couple of times. He stops at random, opens his eyes, his finger still pointed out.
HANK:
This way.
HANK walks off in the direction he had ended up pointing in. The kids shrug at one another and follow.
CUT TO
EXT woodland, Night.
The kids are still picking through the woodland. DIANA is now ahead. SHEILA stays close to HANK.
SHEILA:
Hank, it feels as though we've
been walking around this forest
forever. Are you sure we're
going the right way?
HANK:
Of course I'm not. But since we
don't know what the right way
is, we may as well go this way
as any other.
On DIANA. She hears a twig snap and looks up.
On PRESTO.
PRESTO:
I don't think this is very
safe. We need to find our
weapons as soon as possible. I
don't want to run into an...
DIANA spins around and comes pelting back, followed by a stream of Orcs.
DIANA:
Ambush!!!!
The other kids step back a little into a cluster, unsure of their next step. The Orcs begin to surround them, drawing knives and swords.
BOBBY:
Oh shit. Whadda we do?
HANK:
Run.
ERIC:
We can't. We're surrounded.
HANK:
Well we can't fight. We've got
no weapons.
ERIC:
OK, fine. It's was nice knowing
you guys.
On SHEILA.
SHEILA:
We're just gonna have to do the
best we can.
SHEILA launches herself at the band of Orcs.
On the kids, horrified.
BOBBY:
Sheila!
One Orc strides out to meet SHEILA. He leers.
ORC 1:
Mmm. You're eager!
SHEILA screams, throws herself into the air and lands a high kick in Orc 1's face.
ORC 1:
(muffled, cut off screech)
ORC 1 falls back into two other Orcs, taking them down. SHEILA leaps off him and disappears into the fray.
The kids look at one another, astonished, then at the Orcs. As one, they all scream, fists raised, and barrel into the Orcs.
On BOBBY, making good headway, laying out a couple of Orcs with well aimed punches.
On DIANA, dodging and weaving. She manages to somersault over one Orc and lands a killer kick on another.
On HANK, who is having difficulty wrestling with one Orc. The ORC CAPTAIN grabs HANK by the scruff of his neck and hauls him up.
ORC CAPTAIN:
This one's mine.
The ORC CAPTAIN draws his sword. HANK struggles out of his grip.
On PRESTO, on the ground, scrabbling as an Orc drags him by the ankle. The Orc flourishes a sword and stands before him.
ORC 2:
This gonna hurt...
A steel boot suddenly appears between ORC 2's legs from behind and kicks him in the crotch. ORC 2's face twists in agony and he crumples to the ground, revealing ERIC behind him.
PRESTO:
Thanks, Man.
ERIC's grin is cut short as he himself is tackled from behind by ORC 3.
PRESTO gets up
PRESTO:
Eric!
ERIC is dragged backwards. ORC 2 gets up, wincing in pain, and follows. Two more Orcs close the gap between them and PRESTO. PRESTO tries to give chase, but becomes embroiled in a fight with the other Orcs.
On ERIC, who is being dragged to a corner of the melee by ORC 3. He sees ORC 2 pursuing.
ERIC:
No!
ORC 2:
Hold him up.
ORC 3 holds ERIC up by the arms. ORC 2 attempts to punch him in the stomach, but breaks his fist on ERIC's breastplate. ORC 2 cries out in pain, nursing his injured fist. ERIC rolls his eyes.
ERIC:
You never learn, do you?
ERIC kicks poor old ORC 2 in the crotch a second time. As he doubles over, ERIC kicks him in the side of the head, knocking him out. As he does this, ORC 3 spins him round and pins him against a tree. ERIC tries to push him off, but ORC 3 is very big and strong. He punches ERIC, hard, in the face three times. The third impact is so violent that it slams ERIC's head sideways against the tree trunk. He blinks, dazed, spitting blood. ORC 3 draws a knife.
On DIANA, fighting. She sees ERIC in trouble. She tries to run to him but is rugby tackled to the ground by an Orc.
DIANA:
Eric!
On SHEILA, laying out an Orc. She looks up at DIANA's cry.
On ERIC, helplessly watching DIANA struggle. ORC 3 grabs his face and brings up the knife.
ORC 3:
Feast your eyes. It'll be the
last thing they see.
ORC 3 runs the knife's point up ERIC's face, towards his right eye.
ERIC:
Oh God! Somebody, help!
A pale, female hand suddenly reaches out and gabs ORC 3's wrist, pushing it and the knife away from ERIC.
ORC 3:
What...?
SHEILA, still clutching ORC 3's wrist, twists in between them, facing ERIC and elbows ORC 3 in the stomach behind her.
SHEILA:
Hi.
ERIC:
Sheila. Diana...
SHEILA throws ORC 3 over her shoulder.
SHEILA:
...needed less help than you.
SHEILA kicks ORC 3 in the head. ORC 3's grip relaxes on the knife. She grabs it.
ERIC begins to sink down the length of the tree trunk. He turns his head to DIANA again.
DIANA has managed to get out of the Orc's grip. She lands a knockout punch on him and gets up. Her eyes meet ERIC's briefly. She smiles, falsely, and limps back into the fray, clutching her winded stomach.
ERIC watches her go as he brushes blood from the corner of his mouth.
On SHEILA, absent mindedly tucking the knife into her belt.
SHEILA:
You OK?
ERIC:
Get me a sword.
SHEILA:
What?
ERIC begins getting up.
ERIC:
You're the Thief. You've
managed to bag yourself a
knife.
SHEILA notes the knife in her belt.
ERIC:
I need a sword. There's enough
of 'em flying about here.
SHEILA:
Wha... what are you going to do
with it?
ERIC:
Toast marshmallows. What're you
gonna do with that knife?
SHEILA:
I... don't know why I took it.
ERIC:
Sure you do.
HANK:
(O/S, yells)
No!
SHEILA and ERIC look at one another for a second. Then SHEILA speeds off in HANK's direction.
On HANK, struggling with the ORC CAPTAIN. The CAPTAIN has HANK pinned prostrate on the ground. They both have their hands on the CAPTAIN's sword, which is centimetres away from skewering HANK's stomach.
HANK's POV: the CAPTAIN grinning down on him. Suddenly the CAPTAIN's head is kicked sideways by SHEILA's boot.
On HANK.
HANK:
Red! Babes!
SHEILA smiles down at him. The ORC CAPTAIN recovers and gets up almost instantly. He raises his sword towards her. SHEILA backs up a little, drawing him away from HANK, then lightly vaults over the CAPTAIN, kicking him forward as she does so. The CAPTAIN is thrown off balance but doesn't fall. He lashes out at her with his sword. She dodges back, before high kicking the sword out of the CAPTAIN's hand. The sword flies off and lands, its point wedged in the ground, a few feet from them both. SHEILA dodges towards the sword, but the CAPTAIN grabs her by the hair and flings her to the ground.
SHEILA:
Augh!
HANK jumps to his feet.
HANK:
Sheila!
On SHEILA as the ORC CAPTAIN jumps onto her.
SHEILA:
Hank! The sword!
The ORC CAPTAIN begins strangling SHEILA.
ORC CAPTAIN:
Mmm. Girlie so delicate...
On HANK, ignoring the sword and running straight over to the ORC CAPTAIN. He tries to pull the CAPTAIN off SHEILA, to no avail. The ORC CAPTAIN punches HANK behind him in the face and continues. HANK falls back.
ORC CAPTAIN:
One at a time, maggots.
On SHEILA, gurgling for breath. She struggles.
On the ORC CAPTAIN, leering. Suddenly his expression changes to one of suprise. He blinks.
On SHEILA. Her expression is frozen in fear and sadness. Tears are beginning to run down her face.
On the CAPTAIN. He looks confused and glazed. HANK leaps back up behind him, grabs his shoulders and pulls him up, off SHEILA. There is no resistance this time. As the CAPTAIN is pulled up, the knife sticking out of his chest with SHEILA's hand still clutching it becomes visible. SHEILA doesn't release the knife, and it slides out of the CAPTAIN bloodily. SHEILA remains frozen, the blood drenched knife still extended before her.
On HANK, dropping the now dead CAPTAIN on the ground.
HANK:
He's dead! What do you suppo...
HANK's voice trails off as he sees SHEILA.
HANK:
Holy fuck.
SHEILA:
(tiny little voice)
I killed him.
HANK:
It... it was him or you.
SHEILA:
I'm frightened, Hank. I'm gonna
have to do that again, aren't
I? And again and again and
again. We all will.
HANK helps SHEILA up.
HANK:
I don't know, Red. This place
has changed since we were kids.
SHEILA , tucking the knife back into her belt, goes sadly over to the abandoned sword.
SHEILA:
We all have.
She yanks the sword out of the ground.
HANK:
Hey. I don't know how to use
that.
SHEILA:
I know. It's not for you.
On DIANA, who is now really struggling. She repeatedly punches ORC 4 in the face, but he won't fall. He hits her hard and she reels back into ORC 5's waiting grasp. She twists around and scratches his face but he doesn't let go. ORC 4 grabs her legs and lifts them up. DIANA kicks and writhes, now completely off the ground.
ORC 4:
We gotta girlfriend!
DIANA spits in ORC 5's face. Unfazed, ORC 5 spits right back.
ORC 5:
Rude, though.
ORC 4:
We teach her some manners!
As ORC 4 says this, he finds that there is a sword's point resting against his throat. Pan out to reveal ERIC at the other end of said sword.
ERIC:
(quietly)
Get your hands off her.
The Orcs look at each other and laugh. They drop DIANA and unsheathe their swords.
ORC 4:
You run along if you like,
girl. We catch up with you
later after we kill your silly
friend.
DIANA scrambles up to her knees.
DIANA:
What are you doing, Eric?
ERIC:
Getting mad at these assholes
for a start. You heard them.
Get outta here.
ORCs 4 & 5 both leap at him at the same time. ERIC manages to block them both. He ducks and side-steps and engages in a parry with ORC 4. ORC 5 comes up behind him and is about to strike when ERIC, without looking, swings his sword behind him, blocks the blow and knocks ORC 5 off balance, then returns to the swordfight with ORC 4.
On DIANA, picking up a fallen branch. She runs into the fray and attacks the rising ORC 5 with it. She manages to hit him a couple of times with it before ORC 5 slices the branch in two with his sword. He leaps at DIANA, his sword against her throat, pushing her back.
ORC 5:
You stayed! You like us!
On ERIC, seeing this. He blocks one of ORC 4's moves and with a swift dodge manages to wound ORC 4's sword arm.
ORC 4:
(pained squeal)
ORC 4 drops his sword and, clutching his injured arm, flees.
ERIC turns and quickly finds ORC 5, who is moving in on DIANA, his back to ERIC. ERIC places his sword on ORC 5's shoulder.
ERIC:
En Guarde, you son of a bitch.
ORC 5 ignores him.
ERIC:
I said, En Fucking Guarde!
Still nothing. A tremble begins to run up ERIC, but his sword arm stays steady as a rock. He digs the blade deeper.
ERIC:
Fight me!
ORC 5 doesn't even turn his face.
ORC 5:
Don't wanna fight you. You got
armour and a sword. You don't
go squish in the right
places... she will.
ERIC:
(quietly seething)
Don't think I won't kill you.
ORC 5 grabs DIANA's waist with his free hand.
ORC 5:
The Dungeon Master's children
never killed anybody. Not even
Venger. Not when they had
chance to. Now leave us be,
Boy. Or do you wanna be next?
On ERIC, who suddenly snaps. He brings his sword up.
ERIC:
(screams)
ERIC brings the sword down upon ORC 5's neck with all his strength.
DIANA's POV: ORC 5's dead head swings off to the side, almost decapitated. It hits ORC 5's shoulder and rolls back, hanging by a strip of flesh. The body slumps. ERIC stands behind him, transfixed, his withdrawn sword dripping blood.
DIANA:
(screams hysterically)
On DIANA, still screaming, her face and chest blood spattered. She looks up at ERIC wide eyed, trying to make sense of what she just saw.
On ERIC. He locks eyes with DIANA and blinks out of the trance. He looks at the messy remains of ORC 5. He throws up.
On DIANA, who has stopped screaming and struggles to her feet. She staggers over to ERIC, who is coughing up the last of it. She puts a hand on his shoulder. They are both shaking.
DIANA:
He had to say the V word, huh?
ERIC:
He wouldn't fight.
DIANA:
He was gonna rape me. There was
nothing else you could do.
ERIC:
He wouldn't fight.
Three more Orcs start creeping up on them.
DIANA:
Well, there's plenty more here
who will.
DIANA smiles at him. ERIC looks at her.
ERIC:
Diana?
DIANA:
Yes?
ERIC:
That shoulder really hurts.
DIANA:
Oh.
DIANA takes her hand off his right shoulder.
DIANA:
Sorry.
Several Orcs run at them. DIANA and ERIC snap straight back into battle mode.
On BOBBY, who is now completely surrounded and getting tired. He has several bad cuts.
BOBBY:
How many of these guys are
there?
He dodges and knocks out one Orc, but receives a bad blow to the back of the head from an Orc with a mace behind him. BOBBY falls forward, his helmet tumbling off.
BOBBY:
(pained moan)
BOBBY puts his hand to the back of his head. When he brings it back there is blood on it. Struggling to rise, he gets to his knees and looks up. Many Orcs surround him, grinning and brandishing weapons.
ORC 6:
This is the end, Barbarian.
BOBBY:
(quietly)
Please...
(then yells)
Please, help me!
On SHEILA and HANK, also surrounded and fighting. SHEILA spins round, following her brother's voice, and sees him in difficulty.
SHEILA:
(screams)
Bobby!
SHEILA and HANK try to go to BOBBY's aid, but are kept back by the Orcs they are fighting.
On DIANA and ERIC, also trying to get to BOBBY, also being kept back. DIANA is fistfighting, ERIC is parrying with a couple of Orcs at the same time.
DIANA:
Somebody, do something!
On PRESTO, with one Orc backing him against a tree. Desperately, almost automatically, his lips begin to move. The whisper that comes from them is so quiet that any words are completely illegible.
PRESTO:
(indecipherable whisper)
The Orc moves in as if to strike. PRESTO raises his hands as if to guard himself. He sees small sparks appear on his fingertips. He only has a brief moment in which to notice this before the Orc rams into him. The moment the Orc touches PRESTO's fingers, the Orc stiffens helplessly. Electrical sparks fly through his body for a second before he jolts away and falls, charred but alive. PRESTO looks from his fingers to the fallen Orc.
PRESTO:
Woah.
PRESTO looks up at the crowd of Orcs closing in on the wounded BOBBY.
PRESTO:
Bobby! I'm co...
PRESTO is cut off by a loud and furious horse's whinny, closely followed by the sound of approaching galloping hooves, breaking twigs, etc.
All the kids stop fighting momentarily.
On DIANA and ERIC. ERIC grins, relieved. DIANA frowns.
ERIC:
It's the cavalry! We're saved!
DIANA:
It's their cavalry. We're
screwed.
On HANK and SHEILA. From the bushes near to them shoots what looks like one white horse, charging too fast and furiously towards the stricken BOBBY to see properly.
HANK:
It's... a horse. One stray
horse.
HANK's POV: The white horse, from behind, charging the Orcs.
HANK:
(continuing)
Not even saddled.
On ORC 6, raising his mace above BOBBY's head. The horse charges straight into him from the behind him in a streak of white, twisting round a little and butting the side of his torso. ORC 6 groans and is forced sideways, the horse's head still pressed against him. BOBBY squints at the "horse". It is large and dangerous and there is a wild fury in its eye, but it is familiar. It snorts in effort and buckaroo kicks another Orc behind it, ORC 6 still pressed against its forehead. BOBBY looks up at ORC 6, still dazed. ORC 6 is gurgling, blood gushing from his mouth. There is blood dripping down the front of the horse's ginger mane.
On HANK and SHEILA. Even the Orcs have stopped fighting them and are watching ORC 6 die.
SHEILA:
That's not a horse...
On ORC 6, who finally slides, dead, off the unicorn's horn.
SHEILA:
(O/S, continued)
...that's a unicorn.
The unicorn shakes the blood from its mane and kicks another Orc behind it in the head. The snap of the Orc's spine is audible and he falls, dead. The Orcs surrounding BOBBY begin to scatter, afraid. The unicorn turns towards the Orcs surrounding HANK and SHEILA, and paws the ground furiously with a low, growl like whinny.
On HANK, SHEILA and the surrounding Orcs. The Orcs watch the unicorn for a beat, then run, some charging towards the unicorn but most of them fleeing from it. ERIC, DIANA and PRESTO run in to join HANK and SHEILA, all watching the unicorn.
DIANA:
That's not just a unicorn...
On the unicorn as it charges, neighing, at the approaching Orcs. It quickly impales one, shakes him off its horn, turns, impales another and kicks a third.
On HANK, SHEILA, ERIC, DIANA and PRESTO, watching, aghast.
DIANA:
That's our unicorn.
The other kids look at DIANA.
PRESTO:
You think that's Uni?
ERIC:
Diana, Uni was Bambi legged,
bleaty and essentially useless.
ERIC indicates to the fighting unicorn.
ERIC:
(continued)
That is a dangerous wild animal...
SHEILA:
...which just saved our lives. Why
would an animal do that?
On the unicorn, which looks around itself for someone else to fight. Several Orcs lie dead at its feet. The others are fleeing fast. It rears onto its hind legs and neighs a warning/victory cry. She is adult now, strong and sinewy, and there is a certain feral quality to her, added to by the Orc blood spilt on her pale mane and coat, but it is obviously UNI, the creature adopted by BOBBY as a foal. She drops back onto four legs and trots over to the wounded BOBBY.
ERIC:
(O/S)
My God. It is. It's our Uni.
On BOBBY, still kneeling, still badly dazed. UNI nuzzles his face tenderly and snorts. BOBBY catches her face and looks into her eyes, tearily.
BOBBY:
Uni? My sweet little Uni? Is
that really you?
UNI licks his blooded face sadly.
BOBBY:
Jesus, what the Hell happened
to you?
BOBBY hugs UNI and sobs softly.
BOBBY:
Oh God. Oh God Uni I missed you
so much. I knew you weren't OK.
I knew you weren't...
UNI jerks her head up suddenly and snarls. BOBBY starts, looks up, then relaxes a little.
On the other kids, who have gone over to BOBBY and UNI. All look apprehensive, still battered, bloodied and shocked from the battle. UNI glowers and snorts at them.
HANK:
Hey. Uni, it's us.
BOBBY rises with difficulty.
BOBBY:
Don't you remember the others,
Uni? They've changed less than
I have.
UNI regards them and slowly relaxes.
Beat.
PRESTO:
Can she still talk?
BOBBY runs his fingers through UNI's mane.
BOBBY:
I don't know.
ERIC:
Hey, Uni. Say
(poor Uni impression)
"Bahhh-beeee"
UNI just snorts and glares.
BOBBY:
Guess not.
SHEILA:
That's a shame. It was cute.
SHEILA tries to pat UNI's head. UNI jerks back. SHEILA is upset.
SHEILA:
Don't you trust me, Uni? It's
me, Sheila.
BOBBY:
Don't take it personally. I
think she's become kinda wild.
That would explain the... the
bodies.
Beat.
BOBBY:
I daren't imagine what turned
her into a killer.
ERIC:
This place is different now,
Bob.
BOBBY:
What's that s'posed to mean?
On ERIC. He steels himself.
ERIC:
Not all these bodies are Uni's
doing. See, I got Sheila to
steal me a sword...
On SHEILA, becoming teary.
SHEILA:
Oh why'dya have to tell them
now, Eric?
ERIC:
Huh?
SHEILA:
OK then. I admit it. I killed
one of them. I stabbed him in
the chest with a knife. Then
stole his sword and gave it to
Eric.
On BOBBY and PRESTO, stunned.
BOBBY:
Oh shit. Sheila...
On HANK, putting an arm round SHEILA.
HANK:
She had no choice. She was
acting in self defence.
ERIC:
Well I wasn't.
HANK:
What?
On ERIC and DIANA.
ERIC:
See that mess over there by the
bushes? I cut his head nearly
clean off. While his back was
turned.
On PRESTO, horrified.
PRESTO:
Eric?
On ERIC and DIANA. ERIC looks at his feet.
DIANA:
The Orc was attacking me. Eric
saved my life.
Beat.
PRESTO surveys the scene.
PRESTO:
Shit. Look what we managed to
do between us.
PRESTO snorts a humourless laugh.
PRESTO:
And we didn't even have our
weapons.
DIANA looks at him.
DIANA:
Weapons! Weapons, Presto. A
friend who's true.
PRESTO:
Uni's a girl.
DIANA:
And Dungeon Master said who
we're looking for is very
strong now, meaning she wasn't
last time we saw her.
DIANA addresses UNI.
DIANA:
Uni...
UNI snorts and backs up, warily.
DIANA sighs.
DIANA:
Bob?
BOBBY strokes UNI's mane. UNI relaxes.
BOBBY:
Uni, did DM give you our
weapons to guard?
UNI looks at BOBBY for a beat, then trots off into the undergrowth.
ERIC:
Aah nuts. That did it.
On UNI, now small in the undergrowth. She stops and looks back.
On BOBBY. He smiles.
BOBBY:
She wants us to follow her. I
think we're onto something.
BOBBY follows UNI.
BOBBY:
C'mon!
DIANA and SHEILA join BOBBY. HANK and ERIC grudgingly follow. PRESTO looks again at the carnage, then at his fingertips. He clenches his fist and joins in the rear.
FADE TO BLACK.