EPISODE 6: Knight of the Living Dead (part 1)
EXT: Small stream in fissure, Night. Fog.
The little brook runs through a deep crack in the plateau. Steep cliffs about the height of two storied houses enclose it. There is a narrow bank of ruined soil. This is where HANK sits, his head in his hands.
FLASH TO
INT: Sheila's bedroom, day.
You can tell it's Sheila's bedroom because it's so terribly pink. Although it's day, the curtains are drawn and pink filtered light shines through. HANK (age 19) and SHEILA, (age 18) lie together in bed.
SHEILA:
I love you.
FLASH TO
EXT: The beach, day.
HANK (17) and SHEILA (16), are walking along the beach, shoes in hand. SHEILA reaches up and prods HANK's nose.
HANK:
Beep.
SHEILA giggles and hugs him.
SHEILA:
God, I love you.
FLASH TO
EXT: Outside some shops (Earth), Christmastime, Night.
HANK (21) is comforting DIANA (20) as she sobs in his arms.
HANK:
Hey. Hey. What happened?
FLASH TO
EXT: Outside Sheila & Bobby's house, Day.
SHEILA (15) breathes on the window of her room and writes an "I" in the condensation with her finger.
FLASH TO
INT: A Bar (Earth), Night.
HANK and DIANA (as before) are both downing pints of beer in one. DIANA finishes first, holds her glass upside down over her head and laughs. HANK laughs too, but chokes on his beer.
FLASH TO
EXT Sheila & Bobby's house, Day, as before.
SHEILA draws a heart next to the "I" on the window.
FLASH TO
EXT: A street (Earth), Night.
HANK & DIANA (as before), are now very drunk. They stumble through the street, arm in arm. DIANA is singing.
DIANA:
(sings)
...Creole Lady Marmalade...
HANK:
They're idiots, Diana. You are
a fucking... Goddess, you hear?
Beat. DIANA smiles at HANK, then continues singing.
DIANA:
(sings)
...voulez-vous coucher avec
moi, c'est soir?...
FLASH TO
EXT: Sheila & Bobby's house, Day. As before.
SHEILA finishes off her message with a "U" and smiles.
FLASH TO
EXT: Outside Diana's house, Night.
There are Christmas lights in the windows. HANK and DIANA, (as before), still steaming drunk, stop outside the gate. HANK gestures towards it with a flourish.
HANK:
My lady's castle.
DIANA does a wobbly curtsey.
DIANA:
Thanks for tonight.
HANK:
Pleasure. We have great fun,
just you and me, don't we?
They smile at each other.
There is an overlong and inappropriately loaded pause.
HANK pushes DIANA's nose.
HANK:
Beep.
FLASH TO
EXT Outside Sheila & Bobby's house, Early evening.
HANK and SHEILA, as they were just after their escape from the Realm, stand outside Sheila's front door.
HANK:
Here's the thing...
FLASH TO
INT Diana's room, Morning.
We can only see DIANA, in a dressing gown, teary with anger.
DIANA:
Get out! Get out!
FLASH TO
EXT Outside Sheila & Bobby's house, as before. Evening.
HANK:
...I think I've fallen in love
with you.
SHEILA smiles and hugs him.
FLASH TO
INT Diana's room, as before. Morning.
DIANA:
(screams tearfully)
Get out, get out, get out!
CUT TO
EXT Small stream in fissure, Night. Fog.
HANK is still sitting next to the stream. He looks down at his reflection.
HANK:
And who the fuck are you? When
did you decide to go and
destroy everything I care for?
HANK removes a cut throat razor from his belt and unfolds it.
HANK:
You're a waste of space, dude.
Pan down to the stream, and follow the water away from HANK's reflection.
HANK:
(O/S sucks sharply in pai & DIANA)
You guys go back. We'll meet
you all later.
On ERIC and DIANA, still standing uncomfortably at the top of the cliff.
ERIC:
OK.
They turn and walk away from the fissure. There is a long, pregnant pause as they walk.
ERIC:
(eventually, conversationally)
Talk about foggy, huh?
DIANA:
What is this, Eric?
ERIC:
Well... it's uncomfortable.
DIANA:
Why? A couple of hours ago you
were all over me like a rash.
Is this about Hank and Sheila?
ERIC sighs.
ERIC:
C'mon, like that didn't hit you
like a bucket of cold water.
We've all got stuff to do here
that's more important than
screwing in the woods. Besides,
I can't take you out on dates
here, I can't buy you presents,
we'd have no space from the
guys or each other... I don't
wanna fuck this up.
DIANA:
Fuck what up? This isn't such a
big deal! You're my friend. A
friend that I wanna bang the
living daylights out of.
ERIC reacts in sarcastic joy.
ERIC:
Wow! Is... is that your Line?
Is that what you tell all the
other guys? Well, I'm touched!
I just feel so very special!
DIANA:
Well, whadda you think this is?
Hearts and flowers? Were you
reciting poetry this evening or
were you tearing my clothes
off?
They carry on walking in a sullen silence.
CUT TO
EXT The stream in the fissure, Night, Fog.
BOBBY and HANK still sit next to each other, sadly.
HANK:
She said I wasn't Hank any
more. I'm not, am I?
BOBBY:
Everybody changes, Hank.
Beat. HANK can't stop the tears, despite himself.
HANK:
What am I gonna do? I still
love her!
BOBBY:
Of course you do. And it's OK.
Maybe some day you'll get back
together, maybe some day you'll
find that somebody else is The
One after all. Maybe not.
HANK:
God, this is all wrong. You're
my gir... my ex girlfriend's
kid brother, why are you...
BOBBY:
Because I care about you, too.
And because I've been through
what you're going through now.
And it's gonna be tough,
believe me. You're gonna want
to hold her again so bad it'll
hurt to breathe. But it gets
better. Eventually. It's like
grief. Ya just learn to cope.
Beat. HANK gives BOBBY a grateful half smile.
BOBBY:
Now either cut your hair or
grow the beard back, because
that just looks weird.
HANK gets up.
HANK:
Beard it is. Let's go back.
BOBBY gets up too.
HANK:
Hey. Have Eric and Diana said
anything? About why they were
holding hands earlier?
The boys start climbing the cliff.
BOBBY:
They were? Jesus. Poor Diana.
CUT TO
EXT: Wasteland, Night, Fog.
ERIC and DIANA still walk together. They are approaching a small, ruined hovel built into a much bigger wall.
DIANA:
I won't lie to you, Eric.
Relationships are painful.
That's why I don't do 'em.
ERIC:
God, I love the way you make
believe that's normal.
DIANA:
What?
ERIC:
(Aping her voice)
"I don't do the 'L' word."
(normal voice)
As if it's some marvellous
decision you made one day, and
not just because you're still
messed up over the 'K' word...
DIANA spins round furiously to face him.
DIANA:
Don't you dare! Don't you dare
use that on me. You've never
felt that way about someone,
what the fuck do you know?
Beat. They face each other off.
ERIC:
This isn't gonna work, is it?
DIANA sighs, makes to walk off, then turns to him again.
DIANA:
Bottom line. Just once? Now?
Get it over and done with?
ERIC shakes his head.
DIANA:
That's too bad.
ERIC nods. DIANA walks off ahead of him.
CUT TO
INT: Small, ruined building. Night, Fog.
The building in question is only one room, an abandoned and ruined guard room. Scrappy grass and moss grow on the walls and floor. PRESTO and SHEILA sit in a miserable silence. Neither look at each other. SHEILA nurses a magically produced cup of coffee. UNI stands next to SHEILA, also downcast. DIANA breaks the pause by storming in , wordlessly marches over to a small piece of fallen masonry, picks it up, hurls it at the far wall so that it smashes, then immediately sits down next to SHEILA, putting her arm around SHEILA's shoulder. PRESTO and UNI look up at this strange behaviour, SHEILA barely notices.
PRESTO:
D'you find Hank?
DIANA nods.
SFX:
A dull thump against the wall.
PRESTO looks round in the direction of the noise.
SHEILA:
He OK?
DIANA shrugs and hugs SHEILA tighter.
SFX:
The thump again.
PRESTO gets up and follows the noise, leaving the hovel.
CUT TO
EXT Outside the building, Night. Fog.
PRESTO, coming cautiously through the doorway, swiftly sees the source of the noise. ERIC is standing against the exterior wall of the building, beating his head against it.
ERIC:
(with every headbut)
Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
PRESTO:
Are you OK?
ERIC darts a look at PRESTO out of the corner of his eye and holds a finger up as a sign to wait.
ERIC:
(still hitting his head)
Idiot. Idiot.
He then stops and turns to PRESTO.
ERIC:
Sure. Why not?
ERIC sits down glumly, his back against the wall, rubbing his forehead. PRESTO joins him.
PRESTO:
So what's with the headbutting?
ERIC says nothing. PRESTO watches him.
PRESTO:
Venger? Hank? Home? Women?
ERIC's eye twitches.
PRESTO:
(sighs bitterly)
Ah. Women.
ERIC:
Women.
HANK's legs come into shot. ERIC & PRESTO look up.
HANK:
This a male bitching session?
ERIC:
Care to join?
HANK sits down beside him, miserably.
HANK:
Women.
PRESTO attempts an empathetic smile at the others. They both look pathetic. PRESTO sighs and fumbles in his hat.
PRESTO:
Oh for fuck's sake.
PRESTO retrieves two cigarettes from his hat and passes them to ERIC and HANK. Both smile gratefully.
On ERIC as he puts the cigarette in his mouth and takes a lighter from PRESTO.
PRESTO:
It's a dirty, dangerous habit.
ERIC:
(lighting up)
...says the Pagan.
ERIC winces as he passes the lighter on to HANK.
ERIC:
For the love of...
He looks up at VENGER, who stands a few yards off.
ERIC:
What is with your fucking
family and the constant
interruptions?
PRESTO stands, and begins walking over to VENGER.
PRESTO:
I'll talk to him. You guys can
stay here.
ERIC also rises, painfully.
ERIC:
I can't.
He wanders off in the opposite direction, muttering to himself.
ERIC:
...guy can't even sulk in peace
these days...
On HANK, watching PRESTO and VENGER talking quietly. He pockets the unlit cigarette and lighter, stands and, setting his face, walks over to meet them. VENGER and PRESTO stop talking as HANK reaches them.
HANK:
So what's the plan?
PRESTO:
Few hours shuteye, head in at
dawn.
HANK nods in understanding and looks up beyond the wall. Very Long Shot of what Hank is looking at - the wall in which the hovel is built is circling a ruined city, with a large tower at its centre. All is shrouded in mist, although strange, reddish lights glow from the top floors of the tower.
HANK:
Can't say I like the look of
this place, though. Are you
sure there's a portal to
Furnus' world in there?
Back on HANK, PRESTO & VENGER.
VENGER:
I am certain. I opened it.
HANK rolls his eyes.
HANK:
Another one of your places,
huh?
VENGER:
You couldn't blow them all up.
Beat. HANK glares at VENGER.
VENGER:
And now she's blocked me out.
PRESTO:
(quietly)
Women...
HANK looks back up at the tower.
HANK:
Don't you worry, Big V. We'll
do your dirty work. I mean,
What else are we here for?
CUT TO
INT The ruined hovel, Night. Fog.
On HANK, sleeping. There is no fire, but everyone has a blanket. O/S laboured breathing stirs HANK awake.
ERIC:
(O/S, weakly)
...help... Jesus, help...
HANK props himself onto his elbows and looks over at ERIC, who is lying paralysed, eyes open, calling faintly for help as he sleeps. DIANA is already kneeling up next to him. The others are sleeping through it. DIANA gently shakes ERIC by the shoulders. HANK starts crawling over to them.
DIANA:
Wake up. It's just a bad dream.
HANK:
That's a night terror. You
can't wake him.
DIANA just shoots HANK a look and continues.
DIANA:
C'mon, it's...
ERIC sits bolt upright with a gasp, grabbing DIANA's shoulders furiously, but focusing beyond her.
ERIC:
Where are they?
DIANA:
Wha...?
ERIC:
Are they hurt? Where are they?
HANK, crawling up behind ERIC, takes his hands off DIANA's shoulders and gives him his shield to hold. ERIC hugs his weapon to himself, quietly.
DIANA:
What are you doing?
HANK pushes the newly placated ERIC's head down to the ground, where he drifts back into normal sleep.
HANK:
You never got those, right?
You're lucky. Presto used to
try to jump out of his bedroom
window, and in the first six
months Bobby could scream so
hard I'd hear it at my place.
Giving the poor bastards some
weapon substitute was the only
way to stop 'em climbing the
walls. The number of times I
used to wake up under my bed
hugging a hockey stick...
DIANA gets under her own blanket.
DIANA:
You don't have to pretend that
you give a flying fuck in front
of me, Hank. You shattered that
illusion long ago.
HANK shuffles back to his blanket.
HANK:
Hey. I fucking care, Diana.
HANK gets under his blanket.
HANK:
I do fucking care.
FADE TO
EXT The ruined city, Dark, Foggy Dawn.
The KIDS and UNI are tentatively making their way through the streets of the city, weapons ready. The fog obscures the suns, making the town yet more dark and sinister. Shop signs and loose doors creak in the wind.
On ERIC and SHEILA, both lagging.
ERIC:
(whistles 1st line of the
X-Files theme.)
SHEILA:
This place is scary.
ERIC takes her hand.
ERIC:
(calls to PRESTO)
Are you sure it's morning? It's
still dark!
On PRESTO, ahead. He turns to the others.
PRESTO:
Suns have been up nearly an
hour. We can't waste any more
time. We need to be quick and
quiet.
SHEILA drops ERIC's hand.
SHEILA:
What about invisible?
BOBBY:
No, Sheila.
SHEILA:
I can...
PRESTO:
No! We do this together. Let's
just move on.
They start walking again. ERIC and SHEILA begin to catch up with DIANA, BOBBY and UNI. PRESTO and HANK lead. On DIANA. Beyond her, in the fog, a shadow shifts. She notices it, but as soon as she looks, it is gone. UNI mutters and growls slightly. BOBBY pats her neck.
BOBBY:
Sshhh. Easy there.
DIANA shivers, clutching her arms around her. As she does, a red cape is thrown over her shoulders. ERIC, now capeless, appears at her side, feigning disinterest.
ERIC:
You're freezing.
DIANA:
I should'a known it wouldn't be
bikini weather today...
On PRESTO and HANK. PRESTO also notices a shape move in the fog. Then another.
PRESTO:
(to himself)
No... they can't be down here.
There can't be that many...
HANK, noticing PRESTO's worry, draws back a bolt, but keeps walking, cautiously.
On the others, seeing this.
BOBBY:
What's happening?
BOBBY catches HANK's eye, who shrugs, apologetically. SHEILA looks from BOBBY and UNI to a worried ERIC and DIANA. She desperately attempts to lighten the tone.
SHEILA:
So... what's everyone's Porn
Name?
DIANA:
"Porn Name"?
SHEILA:
Yeah. Your, um, first pet and
your Mom's maiden name. Me and
Bobby are Tinkerbell and Happy
Taylor. Hank's Socks McNally.
On PRESTO and HANK. PRESTO speeds up his pace, looking wildly off into the mist around him. HANK follows him, raising his bow.
DIANA:
(O/S)
I had a hamster called Honey.
So... Honey Delaney.
BOBBY:
(O/S)
"Honey Delaney"? That'll take
some beating...
Back on the others.
ERIC:
Hmm. Do guard dogs count?
SHEILA:
What if they do?
ERIC:
(proudly)
Killer Darling.
On PRESTO and HANK.
BOBBY:
(O/S)
We have a winner!
PRESTO breaks into a sprint. His hands are suddenly alive with magic. HANK runs too, and calls to the others over his shoulder.
HANK:
Run!
On the others. They sprint after PRESTO.
SHEILA:
What is it?
Longer Shot as PRESTO stops, spins on his heels and faces the others, hands raised.
PRESTO:
Get down!
The others duck obediently as PRESTO sends a wave of crackling magic hurtling over their heads. The magic hits a wall of humanoid shapes in the mist behind them who fall to the ground with many groans. The others shoot glances behind them.
DIANA:
Zombies.
PRESTO turns and runs again, shouting over his shoulder.
PRESTO:
There's a Hell of a lot down
here. I wasn't expecting it.
On the others, also running. A Charred Zombie makes a lurch out of the fog at BOBBY, who smacks it across the head with his club, sending it flying. UNI gallops ahead, terrified.
PRESTO turns again, jogging backwards, his hands raised.
PRESTO:
Again!
Yet again, PRESTO sends a wave of magic over the others' ducked heads. The moving figures he hits are closer this time. PRESTO turns back to run towards the tower but is suddenly struck with dizziness. He catches HANK for support, blinking out of it.
PRESTO:
(to HANK)
I can't fight them out here.
It's too big a space, it takes
up too much energy. We need to
get to the tower.
HANK:
(to the others)
Come on, let's go!
They all speed up their pace.
Almost at the tower now, they pass by a side street. Standing just into this side street is NYM, a girl of about 18, short and stocky in practical clothing. She is hiding, her back flat against the wall, watching them pass. Only ERIC notices her as he runs past her. He double takes, turns and sprints back to her.
DIANA:
(O/S)
Eric!
ERIC skids to a brief stop at the opening to the side street. NYM can be seen running down the street and into the mist. Pushing himself off the wall, ERIC chases her.
DIANA:
(O/S)
Where are you going?
On the others. DIANA looks from ERIC disappearing down the side street to the others. PRESTO runs into the door and tries to open it, but it is locked. HANK and BOBBY approach the door with raised weapons.
PRESTO:
Don't destroy the door! We need
to keep them out.
On many more burnt zombies coming out of the fog, following them at speed. DIANA notices a couple of them duck off down the side street after ERIC and NYM.
DIANA:
Shit.
On the KIDS and UNI at the door. SHEILA approaches it and
slides her knife down the locked side. She jiggles the knife against the lock. There is a dull pop. She stands back. BOBBY kicks the door and it swings open. As the others pile in, DIANA begins to run back towards the side street, now the other side of a wave of zombies.
DIANA:
I'll catch up with you guys.
SHEILA tries to follow her but BOBBY holds her back.
SHEILA:
But how?
DIANA:
Not a clue.
Now mere feet away from the approaching zombies, DIANA extends her staff, uses it to vault up over the heads of the zombies and against a wall, which she manages to run a couple of steps along to gain more height and distance before she drops, behind the zombies.
On the others, inside the door. SHEILA watches DIANA darting down the side street. HANK reaches past her and grabs the door.
SHEILA:
...Diana?
HANK pulls the door shut just before the zombies reach it.
CUT TO
EXT Side street, Day, Foggy.
On ERIC, chasing NYM.
ERIC:
Stop!
On NYM. She reaches a cross-roads and looks about herself wildly, lost.
NYM:
Pistol?
ERIC:
Wait!
MALE VOICE:
(O/S)
Over here.
NYM runs off right, after the voice.
ERIC:
There's two of you?
ERIC follows NYM off right. As he does, the shapes of the two chasing zombies become discernible behind him. NYM disappears into the doorway of an abandoned shop. ERIC slows to a jog as he enters after her.
CUT TO
INT Ruined shop, Day, Fog.
ERIC enters the shop and sees NYM standing in the ruin next to PISTOL, a large man who does not look entirely human. He is slightly green/grey and primitive looking.
ERIC:
It's OK. I'm a friend.
NYM and PISTOL swap a glance.
ERIC:
We're here to make those
zombies go away. It's gonna be
all right.
PISTOL picks a spray can up off a nearby shelf.
ERIC:
I just can't believe you guys
have survived here so l...
PISTOL sprays the contents of the can in ERIC's face. ERIC instantly passes out. PISTOL and NYM look from ERIC to each other.
PISTOL:
I don't believe it.
NYM:
I know. That couldn't have been
easier.
PISTOL:
It could. If the other one had
followed you too.
NYM:
Yes, but that would be...
The two zombies burst through the door. PISTOL and NYM both yelp a little and back away. DIANA comes hurtling through the door after them, staff already raised. She hits one zombie in the side of the head with her staff, sending it crashing against a wall. She hits the stricken zombie in the head another two times, the last one disintegrating its fragile skull messily. She steps backwards, straight into the arms of the second zombie. She is barely able to turn before the zombie is shot through the eye with a stubby arrow. The zombie falls back, lifeless. DIANA looks across, stunned, at NYM, standing against the far wall, crossbow still in hand. DIANA looks down at ERIC's unconscious body, then back up at NYM. PISTOL steps towards her and sprays her in the face. She also loses consciousness and falls. NYM stares at the fallen pair.
NYM:
...inconceivable.
CUT TO
INT Corridor in the tower.
The interior of the tower is dark and gloomy. Hardly any sunlight is discernible. The closed door is now far behind them. They have barricaded it. PRESTO, HANK, BOBBY, UNI and SHEILA now creep at speed through the corridor towards a closed grate.
BOBBY:
So we're safe here?
PRESTO:
No, we're safer.
SHEILA:
What about the others?
HANK:
Guess we just can't trust 'em
to go five minutes without
wandering off together. Anyone
would think they were up to
something.
SHEILA:
But they're out there with
those... Things!
HANK:
And the sooner we find and
close this portal, the sooner
those Things will go away.
Right, Presto?
They have reached the grate, which bars off an empty lift shaft. PRESTO stops and turns to the others.
PRESTO:
Right. Once the portal's shut
they'll start dropping off like
flies. Only trouble is...
He turns back to the grate, grabs it, and with a quick burst of magic, melts the bars away.
PRESTO:
The closer to it we get, the
more of them there's gonna be.
BOBBY:
So where is it?
PRESTO inches out into the lift shaft and looks up.
PRESTO:
Few hundred feet...
He points upwards.
PRESTO:
...in that direction.
BOBBY:
So, what, take the elevator?
HANK:
Not if we wanted to be about as
conspicuous as a big neon sign
saying "Look! Human Brains!"
SHEILA:
Hank...
SHEILA and BOBBY both look indignantly at HANK.
HANK:
Well somebody had to say that
out loud. And Eric's not here.
PRESTO points out a narrow stairwell jutting from the other side of the shaft. There is a small ledge leading to it. The stairwell climbs the shaft erratically, occasionally being replaced with a series of ladders.
PRESTO:
We'll have to take the stairs.
BOBBY:
Uni can't do that.
PRESTO sighs and turns to BOBBY.
PRESTO:
I know. But it's the only way.
BOBBY:
I'm not leaving her here!
PRESTO:
She's terrified of the fire.
She can't help us.
BOBBY:
This isn't about us.
PRESTO:
(with suprising ferocity)
Damn right it isn't! This is
more important than any one of
us! Can't you see what's
happening here?
BOBBY is briefly taken aback, but this turns to quiet, dangerous anger.
BOBBY:
Well if you have all the
answers, why don't you tell us?
HANK steps between BOBBY and PRESTO and addresses BOBBY calmly.
HANK:
What do you think we should do,
Bob?
BOBBY blinks at HANK, then sighs and turns to UNI.
BOBBY:
I want you to go somewhere
safe, Uni. Teleport. To... the
guard room where we slept last
night. We'll find you when
we're done.
UNI just looks at BOBBY. BOBBY takes her head and looks her straight in the eye.
BOBBY:
We'll come back. I promise.
UNI searches his eyes, then bows her head. She snorts softly and swiftly fades away.
Beat. BOBBY looks at the others, poker faced. PRESTO, similarly emotionless, nods, then turns and begins sidling across the ledge in the shaft towards the stairwell. The others follow him.
CUT TO
INT Underground tunnel.
PISTOL and NYM hurry through the dim tunnel. NYM carries the crossbow and extra ammo. PISTOL has various objects and implements hanging from his belt and carries DIANA and ERIC, still unconscious, one over each shoulder.
NYM:
Hurry. Before they wake up.
Close on ERIC. He opens his eyes, groggily.
PISTOL:
Still don't see why I couldn't
bash 'em. Bashing works better.
NYM:
We couldn't bash them, my dear
monkey, because our clients
were very specific that the
goods be delivered to them
intact. Which is probably why
they are paying us very
handsomely to get to them
before Furnus does.
ERIC peers around himself as he jolts upside down against PISTOL's back. He sees the unconscious DIANA and rolls his eyes.
ERIC:
(breathes)
Stupid bitch.
PISTOL:
Furnus wants to bash them?
NYM:
No. Furnus wants to incinerate
them. Big difference.
PISTOL:
Oh.
Beat.
PISTOL:
Nym?
NYM:
Mmm?
PISTOL:
If we're nicking this bounty
what she wants, will Furnus
want to... incinamon...
insunibum, um... bash us, too?
NYM:
Most probably, sweet Pistol.
Still, nothing ventured,
nothing gained, eh?
PISTOL:
Mmm. When can we leave?
The tunnel turns into the bottom of the lift shaft. At the other side of it is a small door. PISTOL and NYM head towards the door, still talking.
On PRESTO, HANK, BOBBY and SHEILA climbing the stairs halfway up the lift shaft. NYM's voice can be clearly heard, off. HANK, just after PRESTO, turns and indicates for the others to be quiet and listen.
NYM:
(O/S)
When the clients have given us
delivery instructions. They can
contact us quick enough, but
it'll take a good ten hours for
our message to get to them.
Back on PISTOL and NYM. NYM produces a key and unlocks the door while PISTOL stands back.
PISTOL:
Poor Trevor's very tired.
NYM opens the door and stands aside for PISTOL.
NYM:
Yes, well when we get paid for
this job we can buy a whole
fleet of carrier pigeons. But
no eating them this time. And
don't worry about Furnus. Those
wretches of hers haven't found
these underground tunnels yet.
PISTOL walks through the door first. NYM, following him, notices that ERIC has woken up.
NYM:
Pistol! One of them's awake!
PISTOL panics slightly, as though there were a spider on him, dropping both ERIC and DIANA.
PISTOL:
Which one? Which one?
On ERIC, hitting the ground.
ERIC:
Ow...
NYM points her crossbow at him.
NYM:
That one!
ERIC:
What's happening?
PISTOL begins searching frantically on his belt for his Chloroform spray.
NYM:
Quickly! They're dangerous!
PISTOL grabs a spray can on his belt.
PISTOL:
Got it.
PISTOL sprays the contents in ERIC's face. ERIC does not pass out, but clutches his eyes and screams.
ERIC:
Augh! Oh Fuck!
NYM wrenches the can off a sheepish PISTOL and hurls it at him.
NYM:
That's pepper spray, you idiot!
PISTOL:
I got confused...
ERIC:
My eyes! Fuck! I'm blind!
NYM takes the correct can off PISTOL's belt.
NYM:
Nonsense. You'll have wept it
all out by the time you
resurface.
She sprays ERIC in the face. He slumps in a faint.
On the others halfway up the shaft, listening.
PISTOL:
(O/S)
Sorry.
SHEILA:
(over him, whispers)
That was Eric. They hurt him.
NYM:
(O/S)
Mustn't cry over spilt milk.
Let's just get them both to the
hideout before anything else
happens. They can do what they
like in the cages once they're
awake, they'll not escape.
SHEILA:
(whispers)
"Hideout," huh...
PISTOL:
(O/S)
Better hide their weapons,
though. That girl was pretty
nasty with her stick.
HANK:
(whispers)
Sounds like Diana's there too.
On PISTOL and NYM. PISTOL picks ERIC and DIANA up again.
NYM:
Isn't it odd? According to the
stories it used to be those
weapons that everybody wanted
to get their hands on. Now it's
the wielders that bring in the
gold.
PISTOL goes through the little door, followed by NYM.
PISTOL:
It's... uh... like in that poem
what I wrote.
NYM:
The "Rain on your Wedding Day"
one? I told you before, Pistol,
that isn't irony.
NYM shuts the door behind her.
On the others, halfway up the shaft. They look at each other. The sound of the key in the lock below is audible.
SHEILA:
I'm gonna follow them.
PRESTO:
No.
SHEILA:
But...
HANK:
No, Sheila. We stay together
'til we get the job done.
SHEILA glares at HANK momentarily, then backs down.
SHEILA:
Fine.
They continue to creep up the stairs, SHEILA trailing. As they pass a new floor level on the grated side of the shaft, PRESTO gasps quietly and presses himself and HANK flat against the wall. HANK follows PRESTO's horrified gaze towards the grate. There are several charred zombies in the corridor beyond the grate. They mill about restlessly but do not look directly into the lift shaft.
HANK:
(whispers)
You think they've seen us?
PRESTO shakes his head.
PRESTO:
(whispers)
We'd know if they had.
He addresses the others.
PRESTO:
(whispers)
Move carefully and quietly...
He blinks. SHEILA is no longer behind them.
PRESTO:
(whispers)
Where's Sheila?
BOBBY looks behind himself, then back at PRESTO.
BOBBY:
(whispers)
She was right here!
HANK:
(whispers)
Dammit. I'm going after her.
HANK begins creeping back down the stairway, squeezing past BOBBY. PRESTO watches him, disappointed.
PRESTO:
(whispers)
Then there were two, huh?
C'mon, Bob.
PRESTO and BOBBY continue to quietly climb the stairs. HANK shuffles down a short way before the sound of crumbling masonry beneath him catches his attention. He stops and looks down. Several floors down, the stairway has become rotten. An unseen weight has caused a part of it to fall away. HANK glares at the gap in the stairs. After a short moment, SHEILA, standing just shy of the hole, uncloaks herself and looks up at him. A silent dialogue takes place. HANK points at SHEILA, then up towards PRESTO and BOBBY, then at an imaginary watch. SHEILA shakes her head, points at HANK, then up to PRESTO and BOBBY. She then points at herself, then down towards the floor, then gives a thumbs up. HANK shakes his head and points at the hole in the stair, then points at SHEILA and mimes cutting his throat. SHEILA smiles at him, and leaps out into the shaft. HANK reacts with horror. SHEILA catches hold of the lift's cable and wraps her legs around it expertly. She smiles up at HANK again. HANK stands agog. He looks back up at PRESTO and BOBBY, who are still climbing, then at SHEILA again. SHEILA, still smiling at him, begins to slide herself down the cable. With one hand she reaches up to her hood and cloaks herself, waving as she vanishes. HANK looks at PRESTO and BOBBY again, then quietly begins climbing after them.
On the bottom of the shaft. The cable vibrates ever so slightly as the cloaked SHEILA hops off it. The lock of the door pops. The door opens. On SHEILA, uncloaking herself in the doorway triumphantly, knife still in hand.
SHEILA:
OK then, let's find this
hideout...
Her voice trails off as she peers into the gloom within. On the other side of the door, five different tunnels wind off into the darkness.
SHEILA:
(sighs)
Why doesn't that suprise me?
She uses her knife to score a small mark in the wall, then walks off to the leftmost tunnel, cloaking as she goes.