EPISODE 5: When One Door Closes (part 2)
CUT TO
Part 2
EXT Establishing shot, the prison, Day.
The people of this world have obviously put a lot of effort into their prisons since their problems with the Orcs. The prison is a large, foreboding tower which has been carved into a huge, steep pit. The top of the tower is at the same level as the land which surrounds it, and a small bridge to the tower's pinnacle is the only entrance visible.
Pan down the great tower to a small window near the bottom.
CUT TO
INT Prison Cell, Day (although natural light is obscured)
In the small, grimy, dark prison cell, ERIC is thrown against a wall.
ERIC:
Augh!
He bounces off the wall and lands on the filthy floor. He scrabbles for his dropped shield. He finds it close by, and raises it just in time. An Orc sword strikes it.
On the ORC who is attacking ERIC. He reacts to the field of protection emanating from the shield.
ORC:
So you are one of the Seven.
ERIC:
Maybe...
The ORC brandishes the sword.
ORC:
So what you doing with an Orc
sword? You a thief? Or a
murderer? What you do?
The ORC tries to wrestle ERIC's shield from him.
ERIC:
(whimper)
The heavy wooden prison door opens suddenly, revealing a NUN, flanked by the GUARD.
NUN:
It's time now.
On the ORC and ERIC. The ORC drops the sword and looks up pathetically at the NUN.
ORC:
No.
The NUN stands forward and holds her hand out to the ORC.
NUN:
You must pay for what you did.
You understand that.
The ORC sadly takes the NUN's hand. She begins to lead him out, leaving ERIC blinking in confusion.
ORC:
You been good to me. Please...
be with me at the end.
NUN:
Of course.
As she leaves, the NUN looks over her shoulder at ERIC.
NUN:
You're Eric.
ERIC:
Uh-huh.
The NUN smiles kindly.
NUN:
Don't worry. You won't be here
long either.
ERIC smiles back, bemused.
ERIC:
Great.
The GUARD, NUN and newly sedate ORC leave him in the cell. The GUARD slams the door behind him.
CUT TO
INT The Prison, outside the cell.
The GUARD is resting in his chair. A female form in a crinoline dress and cape approaches, her face obscured by a hood. The GUARD sits up and regards her.
On the woman. She raises her head to the candlelight. It is DIANA.
GUARD:
Can I help you?
DIANA:
A prisoner was brought in here
earlier. A dark young man.
GUARD:
A dangerous criminal. He is to
be executed in a matter of
hours.
DIANA:
(sighs)
I thought as much.
She looks pleadingly at the GUARD.
DIANA:
Could I see him? Alone?
GUARD:
Oh, I don't know about th...
DIANA holds out a bag. It jingles with coins.
DIANA:
Please?
The GUARD eyes the bag greedily.
DIANA:
He is my lover. Let me see him
one last time. Ten minutes.
The GUARD looks up at DIANA.
GUARD:
Only ten minutes? With a lover
like you?
DIANA pouts slightly at the GUARD, looking him up and down.
DIANA:
I'm very easily pleased.
CUT TO
INT Prison cell.
ERIC is pacing the floor as the door is opened on him again. He turns to face the two figures framed in the doorway. The GUARD leers at him.
GUARD:
Your last meal is here.
The GUARD steps back out of the cell. As he closes the door on them, DIANA steps forward, removing her hood. ERIC grins.
ERIC:
Hey! They got me my favourite!
DIANA shoots him a sarcastic smile.
DIANA:
Look, we don't have long...
On DIANA, facing ERIC but back to us, as she rips open her cloak and dress in one fluid movement. ERIC reacts, delighted.
ERIC:
Oh my God! I gotta get executed
more often!
Close on DIANA. She rolls her eyes.
DIANA:
Just help me out of the rest of
this, huh?
On the both of them. It is finally revealed that under the crinoline, DIANA is wearing a Nun's habit. DIANA removes the opened dress and cloak. ERIC begins undoing the belt of her Nun's habit.
ERIC:
With pleasure. Say what's the
Nun's habit for anyway?
DIANA:
It's for you.
ERIC removes her belt.
ERIC:
I knew that. Talk about kinky.
DIANA:
No. It's for you to wear.
She retrieves the wimple from under her skirts and throws it to him. He catches it, confused.
DIANA:
It'll go right over your
armour. You can use the belt to
strap your shield to your back.
ERIC looks at the wimple, then starts strapping his shield to his back, with some difficulty.
ERIC:
Don't tell me you've actually
thought of a plan to bust me
out of here.
DIANA tosses the habit aside and helps ERIC with his shield.
DIANA:
Yeah.
She shrugs.
DIANA:
These guys are good people,
just protecting their own. I
wouldn't want to go running in
on the offensive. I could hurt
them.
ERIC:
Oh right. We're worried about
the heavily armed guards now.
DIANA tugs the belt tight around ERIC's back.
DIANA:
One more thing.
She leans in close behind him.
DIANA:
We should be having sex.
ERIC turns his head to hers.
ERIC:
What?
DIANA:
That's what the Guard thinks
I'm here for. So if you
wouldn't mind... you know...
making noises.
ERIC turns round to face her.
ERIC:
"Noises"?
In reply, DIANA gasps a low, orgiastic moan. ERIC copies this, poorly. DIANA moans again, grinning, taking the wimple off him. ERIC moans again, unconvincingly, as DIANA rolls the wimple onto his head.
CUT TO
INT Prison, outside the cell.
The GUARD grins as DIANA lets herself out, back in her crinoline and cloak. She shuts the door behind her.
GUARD:
Sounds like a fun ten minutes.
DIANA nods, pretending to choke up as she passes the GUARD. She hurries off down the corridor.
GUARD:
Listen, since you're going to
be single soon...
DIANA doesn't stop. She turns a corner.
GUARD:
Hey. Where's my payment?
CUT TO
INT Prison corridor.
DIANA stops briefly around the corner and lifts up her skirts to reveal ERIC, crouched between her legs. Although it can't be clearly seen at present, he is now wearing the Nun's habit. He looks shell-shocked but not unhappy.
DIANA:
You OK down there?
ERIC gives her a thumbs up.
GUARD:
(O/S)
Hey! Stop!
DIANA drops her skirts back over ERIC.
DIANA:
Dammit.
DIANA hurries off.
The GUARD comes around the corner in pursuit.
GUARD:
Halt!
The GUARD tries to chase DIANA but is hampered by a gaggle of Nuns who push past him in the opposite direction. Once the Nuns have passed, The GUARD begins running after DIANA again.
DIANA looks behind herself and sprints away.
CUT TO
INT Prison Stairway.
DIANA is sprinting up the stairs.
GUARD:
(O/S, distant)
Stop! Somebody stop her!
DIANA makes it out of the top of the stairs, onto a walkway running around the top of the tower. She stumbles on the newly flat surface and veers a little too close to the edge.
DIANA's POV - the chasm of the pit wheeling beneath her.
On DIANA as she quickly finds her balance and backs away from the edge.
GUARD:
(O/S)
There she is! Up there!
DIANA shoots a glance over to the bridge to the land, off in the distance. The group of Nuns are there, in a stand off with the guards.
DIANA:
(mutters)
C'mon, Eric.
She starts to sprint towards them when she is suddenly tackled from behind by the GUARD.
DIANA:
Argh!
Several Guards surround her with swords as the original GUARD holds her still.
GUARD:
This is her, lads. As soon as
she left the prisoner's cell,
he was gone as well.
DIANA:
Don't be ridiculous. Why would
I be left on my own with a
prisoner?
GUARDS:
That's a point. On top of this,
she didn't give me the bribe I
was promised.
VARIOUS GUARDS:
(cries of disapproval)
DIANA:
Aw, c'mon. Where would I even
put him?
GUARD:
Lift your skirts.
DIANA:
(gasps)
Sir, I am offended...
The GUARD lifts up DIANA's skirts. There is nothing to see but her legs. She automatically hits him anyway.
CUT TO
EXT The bridge to the Prison, Day.
The BRIDGE GUARD sighs and crosses his arms in frustration. The leading NUN (the same one as before) mirrors him.
BRIDGE GUARD:
I am sorry, Sister, but a very
dangerous rapist has just
escaped his cell. We must
search everybody who leaves the
prison.
NUN:
Are you accusing the Sisters of
sexual assault?
Pan across the twenty or so Nuns, waiting at the bridge. All are indignant. One is ERIC.
BRIDGE GUARD:
(O/S)
Not at all, Mum, it's just...
NUN:
(O/S)
Then let us past! I will not
have my order degraded like
this!
DIANA:
(distant O/S grunt of effort)
ERIC looks off in the direction of the noise.
ERIC's POV - In the distance, DIANA is successfully fighting off several GUARDS with her javelin. She lays out the last one with a spectacular high kick, then turns and sprints towards him.
On ERIC. Concerned, he begins sidling away from the rest of the Nuns.
Longer shot of ERIC, the Nuns and the BRIDGE GUARD.
BRIDGE GUARD:
Where are you going, Sister?
ERIC turns and runs, hotly followed by DIANA.
BRIDGE GUARD:
Get them!
The BRIDGE GUARD tries to follow them, as do some of the Guards who have recovered from being laid out by Diana. All of them have considerable difficulty getting past the Nuns, considering the Sisters are just minding their own business...
On ERIC and DIANA, running.
ERIC:
Nice plan.
DIANA:
Don't worry. I got an emergency
back up.
ERIC:
Really? What is it?
DIANA points.
Long shot of the pair running around to the other side of the tower. There, hanging over the chasm from a jutting roof, dangles a flimsy looking length of rope.
DIANA:
That rope.
ERIC:
You're kidding me.
Closer on DIANA and ERIC, still fleeing.
ERIC:
I can't make that!
DIANA:
I can. And you're coming with
me.
ERIC stops briefly.
ERIC:
No way.
DIANA takes his hand and pulls him on.
DIANA:
Yes way. You gotta trust me.
ERIC:
Trust you? Are you nuts?
DIANA grabs his waist and accelerates towards the rope.
DIANA:
Just hold on.
DIANA throws herself, ERIC in tow, at the edge of the walkway. As she does, her javelin extends. ERIC automatically clings to her as she slams the javelin's tip into the floor, launching both of them skywards. ERIC screams, flinching. DIANA reaches out an arm and grabs the rope. She is dragged down a little, unprepared for how heavy they'd both be, but manages to swing them both across the chasm. A couple of arrows fly at them, but bounce off ERIC's shield, strapped to his back. Once the pair are over land, she lets go and they drop.
On the Guards, converging at the opposite side of the drop.
GUARD:
Stop!
On DIANA and ERIC, rising.
DIANA:
Go!
DIANA takes ERIC's hand and they run into the shelter of nearby woodland. They come to a stop behind a tree, panting giddily. ERIC starts giggling. DIANA joins him. She pulls off his wimple.
DIANA:
We did it!
ERIC undoes DIANA's cloak.
ERIC:
You did it.
They look at each other and smile briefly. Their faces then become more serious as they continue to remove each other's disguises.
ERIC:
You know what, I'm not sure
whether it's this place or you
or the pant wetting terror, but
right now I'm feeling...
normal. For the first time in
weeks I'm not scarred, I'm not
grieving. I'm just Eric again.
DIANA:
That'll explain how
insufferable you've been all
day. Arms.
ERIC lifts his arms obediently and DIANA pulls the habit over his head.
ERIC:
Listen. Diana...
NUN:
(O/S)
Went the escape well?
DIANA smiles brightly.
DIANA:
Sisters! You made it!
The Nuns appear, almost magically, out of the undergrowth.
ERIC:
OK, who are these chicks?
DIANA passes the disguises and purse back to the NUN.
DIANA:
It's these Nuns who rang the
bell for the portal. They
helped me set you free.
NUN:
We saw you enter our world on
saving this girl's life. We
knew you were no villain. And
since we bring comfort to the
condemned in that prison, we
felt we could be of some
assistance in your deliverance.
DIANA:
They watch the portals, that's
their job. And they know where
the new one is.
ERIC:
Really?
NUN:
It is not far from here. But
you do not have much time. Soon
it will move again.
DIANA:
Story of our life, huh?
The NUN smiles at ERIC.
NUN:
I said you wouldn't be here
long.
CUT TO
EXT Wasteland in the Realm, Day.
They are reaching the edge of the wasteland. Green is starting to shoot through the ruined soil. HANK and SHEILA walk together, sadly. PRESTO, BOBBY and UNI are far off ahead.
SHEILA:
You know the worst thing? What
I thought when you hit me, when
your panicking made us lose our
friends?
Beat. HANK doesn't answer.
SHEILA:
I thought, "well at least now I
have a good excuse".
HANK looks at her.
HANK:
"Excuse"?
SHEILA:
Exactly. Why should I be
looking for an excuse to not be
with you? That's not healthy.
Beat.
SHEILA:
So tell the others it's for the
sake of the team if you like.
But the truth is that I'm
unhappy. I don't like myself
when I'm with you. And I...
SHEILA looks into HANK's eyes.
SHEILA:
...I don't think I love you any
more, Hank.
HANK searches her face, desperately.
HANK:
So, what? Seven years and it's
just over?
On SHEILA as she looks up at him.
SHEILA:
Yeah. It's over.
A portal to a wooded landscape suddenly, silently opens behind her. Neither of them notices.
CUT TO
EXT Woodland in the other world, Dusk.
ERIC and DIANA are running through the woodland, hand in hand. ERIC points ahead.
ERIC:
There it is!
On the portal in the woods. HANK and SHEILA's retreating backs are discernible through it.
On ERIC and DIANA.
ERIC:
Hank! Sheila!
DIANA:
You guys! Wait!
They are almost upon the portal. ERIC stops and swings around to face DIANA, giddy with excitement.
ERIC:
Hold on. Before we go back...
there's something I've got to
do.
DIANA:
We don't have long, Eric.
ERIC:
It won't take long. It's...
just for today, and this world.
For the two of us. Right here,
right now.
DIANA giggles.
DIANA:
Eric, what are you talki..
DIANA is cut off as ERIC pulls her into him and kisses her, sweetly and sadly. DIANA closes her eyes and melts into him. Her eyes stay closed as he takes her face gently and pulls out of the kiss. They both take a moment to compose themselves. ERIC smiles shyly.
ERIC:
Don't worry. I won't do that
again.
ERIC turns to go. DIANA stays where she is, her hand still in his, and pulls him back.
DIANA:
Eric...
ERIC:
That was wrong, wasn't it.
DIANA:
You shouldn't have kissed me
like that.
ERIC:
Aw fuck, I'm sorry, Diana, I...
DIANA pulls him against her and brings her lips to his.
DIANA:
You should'a kissed me like
this...
DIANA kisses him, much more passionately. She pushes her fingers through his hair and slides her tongue into his mouth. ERIC reacts with suprise at first, but after a moment reciprocates gladly. He wraps his arms around her. Briefly, they come out of the kiss and look at each other. During this moment, ERIC gives DIANA hungry little licks upon her parted lips. Then he kisses her again, even harder, pushing her against the trunk of a tree. DIANA's hands are the first to move downwards, feeling ERIC's arms through the chainmail and settling on his thigh. ERIC pulls out of the kiss again briefly to remove his gauntlets with his teeth. Kissing her again, he rests one bare hand against DIANA's cheek and slides the other down her throat and chest. He runs his hand over her breast, then slips it beneath her top. DIANA runs her hand up his thigh. It becomes lost under his tunic as it journeys towards his crotch. She pulls out of the kiss.
DIANA:
Holy crap! Is that all you?
ERIC smiles as he works his way down her throat with small kisses.
ERIC:
Oh, you like that? I grew it
especially. It's been compared
to the Chrysler Building.
DIANA:
By you?
ERIC moves the little kisses down DIANA's chest, over her top and down to her stomach.
ERIC:
Mainly, yes.
He drops to his knees.
DIANA:
Oh. Hello.
He moves the kisses right down her belly to the top of her shorts, then stops and looks up at her.
ERIC:
Say it.
DIANA:
What?
ERIC:
You know what I need to hear.
DIANA:
(sighs)
I imagine you're right about
Donald Sutherland.
ERIC smiles and hooks his thumbs over the waistband of her shorts.
ERIC:
Good girl. And?
Close on DIANA. She leans against the tree trunk, breathless and blissful.
DIANA:
And I'll concede that you're
probably not gay.
ERIC:
(O/S)
And?
SFX:
Bells begin tolling again.
DIANA snaps out of it. She looks up at the portal, which is beginning to shrink.
DIANA:
Oh no!
ERIC gets back up into shot.
ERIC:
Shit!
DIANA takes his hand and begins sprinting towards the portal. ERIC just gets time to scoop up his gauntlets before being tugged on.
DIANA:
We gotta go!
ERIC:
Really?
DIANA:
Really. I'm sick of being
doubly lost.
They both dive through the portal just before it closes.
CUT TO
INT Belltower, Dusk.
The closing portal can be seen in a sphere of magic in the dark belltower. The lead NUN watches it, smiling. She raises a hand.
NUN:
It was successful.
On two other Nuns, ringing the bell. They note the lead NUN and silence the bell.
On the first NUN. Smiling peacefully, she turns from the magical sphere to the well dressed GOVERNOR of the prison who regards her with reverence yet confusion.
NUN:
Thank you for your assistance,
Governor. And for the use of
your prison. I trust your men
were not badly hurt.
GOVERNOR:
No, but once word gets out that
a prisoner escaped...
NUN:
That is nothing which we
Sisters cannot control.
Besides, I don't believe that
we shall encounter many more
unwanted visitors after today.
GOVERNOR:
But I don't understand. Why
have the lad arrested? And why
such a ridiculous escape?
The NUN smiles.
NUN:
I was under orders. To put them
under pressure, to make them
work together, to create the
most dangerous, ludicrous
circumstances possible. I was
told that such stress would
somehow bring them closer.
Beat.
NUN:
I don't understand young people
at all.
GOVERNOR:
What do you mean, "Under
orders", sister? Nobody gives
you orders, surely.
NUN:
One may.
The NUN leans in to the GOVERNOR.
NUN:
Have you heard of a being known
as the Dungeon Master?
CUT TO
EXT Edge of the wasteland, Dusk.
HANK, SHEILA, PRESTO, BOBBY and UNI are now standing in a group, talking, in the distance. On ERIC and DIANA, on the floor from leaping through the now closed portal. They quickly find their feet again. They look at each other. ERIC takes DIANA's hands.
ERIC:
Tell me that wasn't the only
time I'll kiss you. It felt too
good.
DIANA:
Hey. It wasn't me who said that
was a one-off. I've wanted to
do that for a long time.
ERIC:
You're... kidding, right?
DIANA:
No. Couldn't you tell?
ERIC slaps his forehead in irritation.
DIANA:
What?
ERIC:
Nothing. I'm an idiot, is all.
DIANA:
I knew that.
Beat.
ERIC:
So, what, we're an item now?
DIANA:
I guess.
ERIC looks over at the distant group.
ERIC:
Hey, let's tell the others.
They run, grinning, hand in hand towards the others.
On the other group. They stand in a rough circle, mournfully. HANK and SHEILA are separated by PRESTO and BOBBY. Both HANK and SHEILA look at the floor. PRESTO and BOBBY both regard SHEILA with concern.
PRESTO:
Oh my God.
BOBBY:
Talk about the end of an Era.
HANK:
Yeah. Well. All good things...
DIANA:
(O/S)
Guys!
HANK looks beyond SHEILA and sees DIANA and ERIC running towards them, hand in hand. The others turn to watch them too.
HANK:
That was quick.
On PRESTO and SHEILA.
PRESTO:
Hey. At least we've got our
buddies back.
PRESTO experiments with putting a hand on SHEILA's shoulder, then withdraws it.
SHEILA:
They both look so happy.
SHEILA breaks into tears.
SHEILA:
I can't stand it!
On DIANA and ERIC as they run up to the group, still hand in hand.
ERIC:
(gleefully)
Hey you guys...
They notice the sad expressions and SHEILA's tears. Their faces fall.
ERIC:
What happened?
SHEILA chokes and runs, sobbing, from the group.
BOBBY & PRESTO:
(As one)
Sheila...
BOBBY, UNI and PRESTO follow her. HANK looks up at DIANA and ERIC sadly.
DIANA:
What's wrong with Sheila?
HANK:
We split up.
ERIC:
No.
HANK:
Afraid so. And it looks like
it's permanent.
ERIC:
What happened?
HANK:
It was... this place. We
couldn't do our jobs and stay
together. It just doesn't work,
when you're, y'know, "chosen".
Beat. HANK turns and walks off, alone.
HANK:
This damn world won't let you
spare a little energy for the
ones who make you happy.
ERIC and DIANA stand for a moment, still hand in hand.
ERIC:
Oh God. They didn't make it. If
they didn't make it...
Longer shot. ERIC and DIANA are central in the tableau, with SHEILA to one side, sobbing, being comforted by BOBBY and UNI as PRESTO looks uncomfortably on, HANK walking away on the other side. ERIC and DIANA look at one another.
ERIC:
...how the Hell would we?
MUSIC:
(faint)
God Only Knows, The Beach Boys
ERIC and DIANA still look at each other, troubled. ERIC lets go of DIANA's hand.
CUT TO BLACK.