EPISODE 9: No Rest for the Wicked
PART 1
INT Eric's bedroom, Night.
ERIC is asleep in his bed at home on Earth. He rolls over in his big bed, feeling for Diana, who is not there. He mumbles in confusion, opening his eyes groggily.
ERIC:
Dee? Wha... Where..?
He sits up.
ERIC:
What am I doing back home?
ERIC'S DAD:
(O/S, distant)
Son!
He kneels up, pushing his blankets away.
ERIC:
...Dad...?
ERIC'S DAD:
(O/S, distant)
Son? What's happening?
ERIC pushes himself to his feet, against the headboard, panicking silently.
ERIC:
You shouldn't be here. I
shouldn't be here, but... but
you're...
There are heavy, slow footsteps outside the bedroom door.
ERIC'S DAD:
(O/S, closer)
Please, Son. I don't
understand. What's happening to
us, Eric?
The footsteps stop. ERIC presses himself against the bedroom wall, pale with fear.
ERIC:
(whispers)
Is... is that you, Dad?
The handle turns.
ERIC:
Don't come in.
The door slowly creaks open.
ERIC:
Dad? Don't. You don't belong
here any more. You died.
The door continues to open slowly, revealing ERIC'S DAD behind it. Besides the greying hair, the middle aged man's likeness to Eric is unnerving - even more so since he currently has the blueish pallor of the obviously dead. The look of fear and confusion on his face matches his son's.
ERIC'S DAD:
I don't understand.
ERIC:
Dad...?
The door continues to open. A DARK, FACELESS FIGURE begins to become visible next to ERIC'S DAD.
ERIC'S DAD:
There's somebody here with me,
Eric. He says he knows you.
Says he wants you to come with
us.
The DARK FIGURE unfurls fiery wings.
FLASH TO
EXT: City street, Earth, Day.
ERIC'S DAD, about to cross the street, coffee in hand, passes the Dark Figure, who stands still, watching him. As ERIC'S DAD steps onto the street, he winces in pain, clutching his chest, and, curling in on himself, collapses into the gutter, where he will spend the last few seconds of his life. On the DARK FIGURE, still watching, impassive.
DARK FIGURE:
(voice obscured)
What must be, must be.
FLASH TO
INT: Eric's bedroom, Night.
ERIC tries to push himself harder against the wall, terrified.
ERIC'S DAD:
Eric? He hurts me. He says that
if you don't come, he'll...
The wall that ERIC was pressing himself against dissolves and ERIC falls through it. He hits the floor of a hospital ward, suddenly in hospital robes, his arms covered in tubes which run up to drips on wobbly stands. As he falls, he pulls the drips off balance, and they collapse on top of him.
ERIC:
Augh! What the fuck...?
ERIC'S DAD and the DARK FIGURE approach him slowly.
ERIC'S DAD:
Please, Son. Do what he says.
ERIC, in a blind panic, tries to push himself away on his back and begins to rip the drip tubes out of his arms, desperately, but every time he does, he finds yet more sticking in him.
ERIC'S DAD:
Please. I don't like it here.
The DARK FIGURE leans in on ERIC, a hand extended.
ERIC'S DAD:
Eric, I'm frightened.
ERIC screams, still tearing the drips from his arms, chest and neck, as the DARK FIGURE reaches out and grabs his shoulder.
CUT TO
EXT Camp site in the Realm, Desert, Night.
At a small camp site at a sand dune's foot just off a pathway, PRESTO and BOBBY are struggling to restrain ERIC as he writhes, flails and screams in his sleep. SHEILA, UNI, HANK and PISTOL stand nervously to a side, watching the scene in concern. ERIC, unseeing, slaps and claws at PRESTO before BOBBY can hold his hands still.
ERIC:
(screaming, still asleep)
No! No! Help me!
PRESTO holds ERIC's head still, but his wails grow even louder.
PRESTO:
It's only a dream.
ERIC:
(his Dad's voice)
Please, Son. I'm afraid.
(his own voice)
Please! Please, stop!
SHEILA:
This is the worst I've ever
seen him.
PRESTO:
Me too. Come on, Eric! Follow
my voice. It's not real.
ERIC's struggling becomes less frantic and more pathetic.
ERIC:
Dee... I'm so sorry... where
are you? Where's Diana? Where
is she?
PRESTO:
She's not far. She's coming.
ERIC calms down slightly at this. PRESTO turns to the others and mouths 'Where is she?'
CUT TO
EXT Sand dune, Night.
DIANA is sitting at the top of the hill, looking up at the stars, fiddling with the beads around her throat. NYM
appears behind her, watching this as she approaches.
NYM:
Your Boyfriend's asking for
you.
DIANA jumps slightly, and turns, guiltily, to NYM.
DIANA:
He's awake, already?
NYM shakes her head.
NYM:
Bad dream.
DIANA:
Oh.
Beat.
NYM:
You two haven't spoken much
since Zinn, have you?
DIANA turns back to the stars.
DIANA:
Mind your own business.
NYM:
He didn't know he was married,
you know. You haven't had sex
since then either, I noticed.
DIANA turns to NYM, angrily.
DIANA:
How is this minding your own
business, again? Say, when are
you two going to leave, anyway?
Or do we have to talk Hank into
sleeping with you to get you to
fuck off?
NYM just purses her lips and looks up at the stars.
NYM:
What were you looking for up
there?
DIANA gets to her feet and walks off past NYM.
DIANA:
Nobody... Nothing.
NYM watches her go.
NYM:
Certain?
NYM gazes out at the dark desert landscape again. Something catches her eye. She squints. NYM's POV - the starlit desert. A small orange light is visible on the horizon.
CUT TO
EXT The campsite, Night.
ERIC is now awake, but seriously freaked out. He trembles uncontrollably under his blanket. SHEILA and PRESTO sit next to him. HANK, PISTOL, BOBBY & UNI stand further off. PRESTO passes ERIC a cup of water which he accepts with shaking hands.
SHEILA:
Same dream again?
ERIC sips the water, shaking his head.
ERIC:
They're getting worse.
Pause.
ERIC:
I think... I think my Dad might
have been...
DIANA pushes her way through to him and crouches down in front of him.
DIANA:
Hey. What's up?
ERIC:
Where were you?
DIANA opens her mouth to respond, but she is cut off by NYM, O/S.
NYM:
(O/S)
Hey! Hey, chaps!
DIANA tuts in irritation and turns to face NYM, in the direction she has just come from. The others follow her gaze. On NYM, running down the sand dune to HANK.
NYM:
There's a light!
HANK catches her.
HANK:
Where?
NYM:
Off on the horizon. Northwest.
BOBBY:
What is there Northwest?
NYM:
I don't know. This land is new
to us.
PISTOL:
We thought you knew where we
were going.
PRESTO stands.
PRESTO:
OK, I'll admit. We're a teensy
bit lost. I, uh... hadn't
expected this desert to be this
big. Or this empty. I was
hoping for something a little
more... civilised.
NYM:
Why? It's a desert.
PRESTO:
You'll see. But you've spotted
signs of life, that's great.
We'll head Northwest in the
morning.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT: Desert, Morning.
The gang are traipsing through the desert. For once, HANK and NYM are walking in front, chatting and laughing. SHEILA walks behind them. She gazes sadly at HANK and sighs. PRESTO, walking behind her, looks at her just as sadly and sighs. ERIC and DIANA trail sullenly, both exhausted. Both keep their eyes off each other. DIANA walks with her arms folded.
ERIC:
You still haven't told me where
you were last night.
DIANA:
(half to herself)
Jesus Christ. You're not my
fucking Mother...
ERIC:
I'm supposed to be your fucking
Boyfriend though, aren't I?
Aren't I..?
DIANA:
I needed some space, OK? I
needed to think...
ERIC:
...About what I said.
DIANA:
(scowls)
Not just that...
ERIC:
About that big, bad, terrible
'L' word that you told yourself
you don't do.
DIANA:
Well of course it has to be all
about you, doesn't it?
ERIC shakes his head, seething.
ERIC:
I can't believe you, Dee. I
spill my soul to you and you
just start mooning over Him
again. I mean, what do I have
to do to get you to...
DIANA:
(interrupts, furious)
Nothing! You have nothing to do
with this!
ERIC stops in his tracks and grabs DIANA's arm, turning her to face him.
ERIC:
I have everything to do with
this, Diana! I'm busting a gut
here trying to live up to a
dream!
DIANA:
He was not just a dream!
ERIC:
He might as well have been for
all the good he did. He used
you and he vamoosed.
DIANA:
He did no...
ERIC:
(continues unabated)
Then where is he, Diana? He
isn't here, but I am. I'm here,
I'm real and I love you,
doesn't that...
DIANA:
You don't love me like he does.
She puts her hand up to her beads defensively.
DIANA:
Nobody can.
ERIC moves in on DIANA.
ERIC:
Diana, will you just wake up? I
know what it feels like to be
this crazy about you, and I
know that I would never leave
you like he did.
DIANA:
He had no choice!
DIANA tries to wrench herself away from ERIC, who is now practically nose to nose with her.
ERIC:
I'da found a way. I'd have
stayed, or come back to find
you. That's love. That's
devotion. And he showed you
none of it.
DIANA:
(screaming over him)
Shut up! Shut! Up!
The others stop, a distance away, and turn to watch this escalating fight with concern.
ERIC:
Kosar didn't stay for you. He
didn't help you. He didn't come
back for you.
DIANA clutches at her beads, desperately. ERIC tries to grab her hand to pull it away, grabbing the beads by accident.
DIANA:
(starting to cry)
Shut the fuck up!
ERIC:
(screams over her)
He didn't love you!
DIANA automatically lashes out at ERIC with a right hook, which catches him on the chin. He reels back, breaking DIANA's necklace as he does.
DIANA:
No!
DIANA instantly drops to the ground to pick up her scattering beads. ERIC, infuriated, hurls himself, screaming with rage at her. She collapses, still sobbing, under his body weight and he holds her, prone, down in the sand.
BOBBY:
(O/S)
Hey!
BOBBY's large hand grabs ERIC's shoulder and pulls him up, off DIANA. ERIC blinks, looking down at the sobbing girl. The rage on his expression quickly turns to sorrow.
ERIC:
Shit. I'm sorry.
DIANA, still avoiding Eric's gaze, begins to pick the beads up.
DIANA:
Yeah. You are.
ERIC pushes away BOBBY's hand and gets to his feet. NYM exchanges a nervous look with HANK.
NYM:
Are you lot always this crazy?
HANK:
Never a dull moment. It wasn't
always like this, mind.
ERIC pushes past him, flushed with frustration.
HANK:
Though I guess some things
never change.
He flashes NYM a smile and follows ERIC.
HANK:
C'mon. You don't want to stay
in this damn desert forever, do
you?
NYM smiles back at HANK and catches up with him as the others begin to follow.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT Desert, later that day.
The gang are still wearily walking towards the town. They are now only a few hundred yards from the town's walls. The buildings within look grey and dead, like Swinville. On PRESTO and PISTOL, walking side by side. Both have identical frowns of concern on their expressions.
PRESTO:
Something's wrong.
PISTOL:
I know. They'd be able to see
us by now. Little remote place
like this, guards should have
come out to check up on an
armed gang like us.
PRESTO:
(calling to the gang)
Can anybody see any signs of
life in there?
L/S of the town, its windows dark and empty.
BOBBY:
(O/S)
No.
On the group. They reach the gates and stop.
SHEILA:
Hello?
Pause. DIANA steps up to the gate and pushes it. It swings open easily, then falls off its hinge, the weakened wood splintering on the sandy ground.
PISTOL:
Gate's been forced.
PRESTO steps through the gateway, staring about himself, miserably.
PRESTO:
Something terrible's happened
here.
The others follow him, searching the empty street for signs of life. UNI, particularly nervous, loiters by the gate, unwilling to go in.
NYM:
But this is insane! I saw
firelight only a few hours ago!
HANK notices something on the ground and halts NYM with a hand on her shoulder.
HANK:
There's tracks here. Look.
HANK sinks to his knees to properly examine the footprints. NYM and BOBBY join him.
HANK:
They're heavy. They were laden.
There's a lot of them. Running.
HANK points in the direction that the footprints are all heading - the broken gate.
HANK:
Running away.
BOBBY:
Poor people. They must have
taken what they could and fled
for their lives. But from what?
NYM frowns and looks closer at the footprints.
HANK:
I don't know. But whatever it
was they ran from could still
be here.
NYM:
No.
HANK:
Hmm?
NYM runs a finger over one of the footprints.
NYM:
Look how big these marks all
are. If they were refugees
there would be women and
children. These are all men.
NYM sits back. On the other guys, still standing. PISTOL sighs.
PISTOL:
Looters.
The others hang their heads despondently. On the kneeling HANK, NYM and BOBBY again.
NYM:
Right. They must have found
this place yesterday, stripped
it of anything valuable and
torched it as they left. Not
that there was much left to
burn by the looks of things,
but that would explain the
light I saw.
BOBBY shakes his head in disbelief.
BOBBY:
Why would anybody just set
light to a whole town?
ERIC:
(O/S, behind him)
Liven the place up a bit?
BOBBY:
(without turning to him)
Don't take the piss.
On ERIC and the others, standing.
ERIC:
I'm not. This place has been
dead for months. Look at it.
Longer Shot of the street. HANK, NYM & BOBBY rise. DIANA wanders over to a large building with barred windows.
ERIC:
It's a morgue.
DIANA runs her hand over the bars of one of the windows.
DIANA:
Hey! Look at this!
PRESTO joins DIANA, feeling the bars himself.
PRESTO:
A jail?
On SHEILA, looking at the windows of another building.
SHEILA:
This one's got barred windows
too!
NYM looks around.
NYM:
They all do.
PRESTO is drawn to the larger building that SHEILA is looking at, passing ERIC.
ERIC:
Looks like between this place
being a town and a morgue it
was used as a prison.
PRESTO runs his fingers over the bigger building.
There is a bright green flash. Nobody notices except
PRESTO, who closes his eyes suddenly as if in pain.
FLASH TO
INT: Dark, dingy room, Night.
Confused images of thrashing, flailing bodies in the dark room. Orcs grapple with naked, bleeding humans.
SFX:
Terrified, agonised screams.
There is a flash of white and orange hair amongst the confusion. A rope flies past.
ORC:
(O/S)
That's the one!
SFX:
Loud whinny.
A gash in the pale hide opens up suddenly and blood begins to pour from it.
FLASH TO
EXT: Abandoned Desert Town, Day.
PRESTO jerks his hand away from the wall as though it were scorching hot. His breath is suddenly shallow with fear and horror. SHEILA glances at him, concerned.
SHEILA:
What is it?
PRESTO turns away from the building, facing UNI, who still stands nervously at the gate.
PRESTO:
What happened here?
UNI meets PRESTO's eyes for a moment, then drops her head miserably to look at the floor.
ERIC:
(O/S)
More to the point, why are you
asking her?
UNI snorts, shaking her head. BOBBY jogs over to UNI.
BOBBY:
What's up, Uni?
BOBBY runs his hand gently through UNI's mane. UNI doesn't respond. ERIC sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
ERIC:
...like talking to a brick
wall...
PRESTO joins BOBBY and UNI, stroking the unicorn's nose, watching her intently.
PRESTO:
She's probably just thirsty.
He looks up at the others.
PRESTO:
I'm gonna see if I can find a
trough somewhere and, y'know,
twiddle up some water for her.
HANK:
And what about the rest of us?
PISTOL silently passes HANK a gourd of water.
PRESTO:
Just take 5, OK?
PRESTO begins to lead UNI down a side street. He looks across at the others. DIANA is peering in to a building through the barred window. NYM is experimentally kicking at the door of a different building.
PRESTO:
Don't touch anything until I
get back. Don't go into any of
those houses, either. I don't
like them.
Stay with PRESTO as he continues to lead UNI away.
ERIC:
(growing distant)
'Kay. Sunstroke it is then.
PRESTO doesn't respond, but rolls his eyes.
CUT TO
EXT: Side street, Day.
Close on a dry water trough. Water magically begins to pool in the bottom of it - a few spots at first, swelling quickly to fill the trough. UNI dips her head down to it and drinks. PRESTO dunks a cup into the trough. Open up the shot. PRESTO is perched on the edge of the trough, drinking from his cup as UNI drinks.
PRESTO:
You've been here before.
UNI looks up from the trough.
UNI:
Correct.
UNI drinks again. Pause.
PRESTO:
What was this place?
UNI:
(her mouth full)
What do you think?
PRESTO:
Prison camp? Torture camp?
Death camp?
UNI:
Correct, correct and correct.
PRESTO:
What did they do to you?
UNI looks up again.
UNI:
Nothing, really. Not compared
to what they did to the others.
The things I saw... The things
I heard... You don't want to
know.
PRESTO:
Uni, I need to know. I'm the
Dungeon M...
UNI:
(snaps)
You're just a Bloody child!
PRESTO:
And you're just a baby!
UNI:
You want to know? Go
underground. To the basements
of that big building Sheila
found.
PRESTO:
That's where it all happened. I
felt the pain. It had soaked
into the bricks themselves.
UNI nods.
UNI:
Just don't expect me to go in
there with you. You'll find
machines, and bodies. I'll find
terrible memories.
Pause.
UNI:
I want you to protect the other
children. Make them stay up
here. Bury the dead far from
their eyes. Take the pirates to
help you. At least they won't
recognise the fragments of
faces they'll see.
PRESTO:
So Tiamat was right?
UNI:
I saw it with my own eyes. The
dead, and the mangled living
begging to join them.
PRESTO:
How many?
UNI:
I don't know. Don't ask me to
start reeling off names. I
don't think I could bear it.
SHEILA:
(screams, O/S)
Presto! Oh God! Presto!
PRESTO:
Sheila.
PRESTO leaps off the trough, and sprints back down the side street in the direction of the voice, throwing the cup back into his hat. UNI follows him.
CUT TO
EXT Main Street of Abandoned Town, Day.
PRESTO and UNI run from the side street into the main street where they left the others, who, except PISTOL and NYM, are now in a state of great distress. PISTOL has something brown and fluffy in his hands.
PRESTO:
What is it?
ERIC:
It's Fucked Up, Presto. It's
all Fucked Up...
NYM:
(tuts)
It's just a pelt.
PRESTO goes to PISTOL and NYM.
PRESTO:
Show me.
PISTOL shows PRESTO the object in his hand - a small brown furskin. PRESTO's eyes widen and he takes the pelt from PISTOL.
PISTOL:
Looters must've dropped it.
PRESTO holds the skin out flat in front of him. It is pretty much whole - only the head is missing. It looks as though it used to belong to a giant teddy bear.
DIANA:
(O/S)
It's not 'just a pelt', is it?
PRESTO:
I think I'm gonna be sick...
He pushes the pelt back into PISTOL's hands.
PISTOL:
What is it, then?
Wider shot, incorporating the others.
HANK:
The Texas CareBear Massacre.
HANK notes ERIC's incredulous Look.
HANK:
You were thinkin' it...
NYM:
I still don't understand.
DIANA:
(quietly)
Ever seen a Cloudbear?
NYM:
Hmm. Short, fluffy, annoying,
lob fruit at people, right?
PRESTO sits miserably against a wall, putting his head in his hands.
PRESTO:
Right.
NYM takes the pelt off PISTOL and inspects it, coldly.
NYM:
There's nothing to it. And the
fur quality's terrible. Who'd
bother flaying one?
HANK:
Somebody who wanted to make a
point to those who'd helped us.
NYM looks down at the pelt in her hands.
NYM:
Oh.
Long pause.
BOBBY:
This is it, isn't it? The furs,
the bars, the desolation...
BOBBY turns to PRESTO, who is still sitting, head in hands.
BOBBY:
Uni can sense it and so can
you, can't you, Presto? What
Tiamat was talking about... it
happened here. Didn't it?
PRESTO still doesn't look up.
BOBBY:
Didn't it?!?
Pause. BOBBY turns from PRESTO to the others, his rage growing.
BOBBY:
Screw this. I'm goin' in. Who's
with me?
PRESTO:
(still behind his hands)
Don't go in.
SHEILA:
I... I'm going with you.
PRESTO:
No.
DIANA:
We'll all go. Right?
PRESTO finally uncovers his eyes and looks at the others.
PRESTO:
No! I'll go with Pistol and
Nym. The rest of you...
ERIC:
Nu-uh. We deserve to see what
our friends went through
because of that Bastard.
BOBBY:
We're not children any more.
PRESTO stands, his back against the wall.
PRESTO:
Yes you damn well are.
ERIC:
There'll be people in there
younger than us. If there are
survivors, we can help them. If
not... we can bury them
properly, at the very least.
PRESTO:
Fine. You guys dig a pit. But
you are not going into these
houses and that is final.
ERIC folds his arms.
ERIC:
Why not?
PRESTO:
Because I can make sure you
spend the next twenty four
hours as a teapot if you take
another step towards that door,
that's why.
ERIC furiously points a finger out at PRESTO, so that it practically touches his nose.
ERIC:
Don't you try that Wizard shit
with me!
PRESTO blinks, taken aback slightly by ERIC's outburst.
ERIC:
We are going in there with you,
and you can't stop us! I mean,
who the Hell do you think you
are?
PRESTO pushes ERIC's finger away from his face, fighting to retain control.
PRESTO:
(quietly)
There's nothing in there but
misery. Trust me, Cava...
PRESTO trails off as he realises what he's saying. The look in ERIC's eyes indicate that he has spotted it too.
ERIC:
(whispers)
What did you just call me?
They are interrupted by BOBBY who, growing frustrated with the argument, has decided to take matters into his own hands by smashing the door to the largest building down with his club. He stares into the entrance grimly, then begins to pick his way through, closely followed by DIANA, PISTOL and the others.
PRESTO:
What are you doing?
SHEILA stops at the door, turning to PRESTO.
SHEILA:
Come on, guys. We'll go together.
As HANK passes SHEILA, he gives PRESTO a sympathetic half smile.
HANK:
You can't tell these guys not
to do something just 'cos it's
dangerous, Presto. Trust me.
PRESTO looks pleadingly at ERIC, who meets his gaze with a miserable expression, then turns to follow the others. PRESTO sighs and looks back at UNI, who remains waiting forlornly by the side street. He follows the others in.
CUT TO
INT Abandoned building, Day.
The large building must have been a hall of sorts once, but it has since been stripped of all furniture and trimmings. It is dusty, cobwebbed and grey. Light falls into the building in stripes due to the barred windows. Now that they are in the hall, the gang stand around aimlessly, looking about themselves.
HANK:
It's not so bad.
NYM:
This is no abattoir. Never was.
There's not a trace of blood.
On DIANA. She spots something in a far corner, and begins to walk towards it.
DIANA:
What's that?
SHEILA:
What?
On DIANA, now crouching next to a grate in the floor.
DIANA:
There's stairs down here.
DIANA struggles to lift the grate, managing to do so only with BOBBY and PISTOL's help. On PRESTO, hugging himself nervously.
PRESTO:
Would you guys please just...
But DIANA is already beginning to descend the lit staircase under the grate, with BOBBY in hot pursuit.
DIANA:
(O/S)
Look! Oil lamps!
The others begin to follow DIANA's lead.
PRESTO:
Guys?
PRESTO steps towards the staircase as SHEILA, the last to remain, steps down onto the stairs.
PRESTO:
Guys!
PRESTO follows the others down the stairs.
CUT TO
INT Underground Stairwell, lit with oil lamps.
On DIANA, still leading the way, distracted. Shift focus to show ERIC, walking behind her, watching her unhappily.
FLASH TO
EXT: Abandoned Town High Street, Day.
DIANA sits on her haunches, her back against the large building. ERIC squats down to join her.
ERIC:
Hey, Dee.
DIANA:
Not now, Eric. OK?
ERIC continues unabashed.
ERIC:
Listen, uh...
He picks at his gauntlets.
ERIC:
I'm sorry about earlier. I just
get kinda frustrated sometimes.
I didn't mean to hurt you. I'd
never do that on purpose.
DIANA just looks at ERIC.
ERIC:
Are we OK?
DIANA drops her head.
DIANA:
Eric... now's not the time, OK?
ERIC watches her.
ERIC:
Just... just tell me we're cool
for now. Put my mind at rest.
We can talk more when we've got
time.
DIANA says nothing, doesn't look at ERIC.
ERIC:
We're not OK, are we? Jesus,
Diana, I said I was sorry, what
else can I do?
DIANA looks up at ERIC.
DIANA:
It's not your fault, Eric. It's
me that should be apologising.
You got mad. Of course you did.
I can't give you what you want.
I never can. It was wrong of me
to make you believe that I
could.
ERIC takes her hand.
ERIC:
Don't... don't do this, Dee.
DIANA:
I don't want to hurt you any
more than I already have.
ERIC laughs, desperately, joylessly.
ERIC:
Then don't hurt me! Deeds,
please...
DIANA stands up, trying to free her hand from ERIC's, who refuses to let go.
DIANA:
I think we've had our day in
the sun, Eric.
ERIC:
No... I need you, Diana, I...
DIANA finally succeeds in wrenching her hand free of ERIC's, and shakily walks away.
FLASH TO
INT: Underground Stairwell, lit with oil lights.
On DIANA, still descending the stairs, frowning at the memory. She senses ERIC watching from behind her, and turns her head to him. The moment she turns, he suddenly becomes very interested in the wall. DIANA faces forward again, sighing. On NYM and HANK. NYM stops in her tracks, sniffing. This causes HANK to stop too, looking at her in concern.
NYM:
Can you smell that?
HANK sniffs, then nods, grimly.
HANK:
Yes. Rotting.
NYM:
Blood and corpses.
On PRESTO, trailing.
PRESTO:
We should go back.
BOBBY speeds up his pace, pushing past ERIC and DIANA.
BOBBY:
We're getting close.
CUT TO
INT: Large underground chamber, Lit by Oil Lamp.
On a heavy iron door. It has many locks and bolts, but all are open. It swings open easily, revealing BOBBY and DIANA in the doorway, the others behind them.
BOBBY:
It's not locked.
DIANA:
And the lights are on.
PRESTO:
(behind them)
Almost as though they wanted us
to come...
Ignoring PRESTO's warning, BOBBY strides out into the chamber, followed by the others. He stops, just inside the doorway, covering his nose and mouth with a hand. SHEILA, stopping behind him, peers about herself, aghast.
SHEILA:
Oh God...
HANK:
I think we found it.
Long shot of the chamber. The floor and walls are spattered with long-congealed blood. Pushed against the walls are several rusty Medieval torture devices - an Iron Maiden, a Catherine's Wheel, a Rack, as well as some more complicated looking contraptions. They, too, are covered in dry blood. At the far end of the chamber is an open door to a room so distant and dark nothing in it can be made out. There are, however, a lot of blood trails leading towards it.
On PISTOL, standing next to a surprisingly emotionless looking ERIC. PISTOL shudders.
PISTOL:
This is 'orrible. You ever seen
the like before?
ERIC shrugs, sadly, picking at a splash of dried blood on the wall next to him.
ERIC:
Sometimes it feels as though
our lives consist of nothing
but Dungeons and Dragons.
ERIC frowns to himself. On BOBBY. He points at the far door.
BOBBY:
What's that?
BOBBY starts to walk towards the far door.
SHEILA:
Bobby...
SHEILA follows BOBBY, worriedly.
BOBBY:
There's somethin' in there!
BOBBY speeds up his pace as the others all start to follow him.
PRESTO:
Bob...
PRESTO breaks into a sprint to draw level with BOBBY. He grabs BOBBY's arm desperately. BOBBY doesn't slow.
PRESTO:
Bob, please, just leave this.
BOBBY doesn't even look at PRESTO. He keeps his eyes on the doorway.
BOBBY:
Why, Presto? What do you know?
PRESTO gapes momentarily, unsure as to what to say.
SHEILA:
(O/S scream)
PRESTO starts, shaken from his train of thought. Both he and BOBBY look at SHEILA as she sprints ahead of them towards the doorway. There are now shadowy shapes visible beyond it, dangling from ropes attached to the ceiling. On DIANA, breaking into a run along with the others.
DIANA:
What?
SHEILA stops in the doorway before the others can get to her. She begins to shudder with the onslaught of tears.
SHEILA:
Oh my God. Oh Jesus...
On PRESTO as he skids to a halt by her side, putting his hands on her shaking shoulders. He follows her eyeline upwards. As the others join them in the doorway and look upwards, their jaws all grow slack with horror. A deadly silence falls. It doesn't even sound as though anyone is so much as breathing. Long shot of the room's ceiling - hanging upside down from it are around 50 bodies. Many of them are human, but there are Bogbeasts, Dwarves and more Cloudbears hanging amongst them. It is gloomy, and many of the bodies have been dead for some time, and are thus unrecognisable, but the three corpses closest to the door are fairly fresh and easily identifiable as Lawrence, Martha and Sir John.
SHEILA:
(O/S laboured breathing.)
A drop of blood falls from Lawrence's dead, gaping mouth, and lands in the middle of PRESTO's upturned forehead. It runs down underneath his glasses and down his cheek, like a tear, joining with the trickle of blood already beginning to seep from his nose.
SHEILA:
(whispers)
It's all our fault...
HANK:
(O/S)
Oh Jesus.
HANK pushes between PRESTO and SHEILA and points off to the far wall of the room.
HANK:
What the fuck's that?
Long shot of the room. At the far end are three more bodies, their feet on the ground and the right way up this time, but stretched out by their arms. Two of the corpses are human sized, the other on the right is huge. HANK leads the others through the room, towards the stretched out bodies.
PISTOL:
There's a giant.
NYM:
Bits of one, anyway...
BOBBY:
Holy Shit.
HANK, PISTOL, NYM and BOBBY stop in front of the bodies. BOBBY and HANK gasp in utter horror. BOBBY slumps to his knees, tears beginning to well in his eyes.
BOBBY:
This isn't happening.
SHEILA and DIANA stop behind them. The girls are both already in tears, but the sight before them causes SHEILA to collapse into howls of anguish. Barely able to stand, she is supported by DIANA.
DIANA:
Oh God...
SHEILA:
No! No!!!
On the three bodies. The giant on the right is Karox, once befriended by Bobby. His head has been staved in with a large, blunt instrument. The body on the left is that of Venger's sister Karena. There is a large stab wound in her chest. The body in the middle, that of a skinny young man, has been all but decapitated and strung up backwards, stripped to the waist. A large, wing shaped burn covers much of the right side of his back.
BOBBY:
(O/S, whispers)
They copied what we did.
HANK:
(O/S)
They knew we were coming.
On the group as ERIC and PRESTO join them. SHEILA now completely collapses, sobbing desperately. PRESTO, too, drops to his knees. ERIC pushes his way through to the front.
PRESTO:
(whispers)
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
On ERIC, dreamily brushing the central splayed corpse's burn with his fingertips.
ERIC:
It's me.
PRESTO doesn't look up.
PRESTO:
It's not.
ERIC gives PRESTO a curious glance.
PRESTO:
You know who it is, Eric. You
don't have to look.
ERIC ducks beneath the body's arms to face its front.
PRESTO:
No!
PRESTO weakly tries to get to his feet. On ERIC as he takes the young man's slumped head, hanging forward by a strip of flesh, by its brown hair, and begins to raise it.
PRESTO:
(O/S)
Somebody, stop him!
PISTOL takes a step towards ERIC, but he's too late. ERIC looks into the corpse's face, still concealed to the rest of the group, since the body's back is to them. As the recognition hits ERIC, he breaks into a sudden fit of hysterical laughter.
DIANA:
Eric?
ERIC's laughter gets louder and more breathless. He hugs the corpse's head to his chest.
BOBBY:
You think this is a joke?
ERIC just carries on laughing uncontrollably. A dim orange glow becomes faintly visible over his right shoulder. PRESTO finally finds his feet and runs to ERIC. As he catches ERIC's arms the glow fades away.
PRESTO:
Eric? Look at me.
ERIC's laughter is turning into a fit.
ERIC:
I can't... I can't...
PRESTO presses his fingers against ERIC's forehead, but fire leaps from it onto his fingertips, causing him to jerk his hand away.
PRESTO:
No...
DIANA:
(O/S)
What's going on?
ERIC:
...can't do this any more.
PRESTO tries placing his fingers on ERIC's head again, but the fire nips at him once more.
PRESTO:
Come on, Eric. Hold on.
The glow on ERIC's shoulder begins to shine again.
ERIC:
What's the point?
Desperately, PRESTO smacks his palm against ERIC's forehead. He winces in pain as flames rise up against his hand, but he manages to hold it there. ERIC convulses again, then his eyes roll upward and he falls out of consciousness. PRESTO is unable to hold ERIC's weight and sinks to the floor with him.
DIANA runs forward.
DIANA:
Is he OK?
PRESTO:
I don't know.
Beat.
PRESTO:
I'm taking him topside. If
anyone else wants to come, feel
free.
PRESTO looks pointedly at SHEILA who, still softly sobbing, shakes her head.
PRESTO:
The rest of you had better
start cutting down the bodies.
HANK:
Right. We'll bury them, and
then I think we'd better leave.
We don't know who'll be coming
back when.
PRESTO:
(breathes)
You don't know the half of it.
PISTOL steps towards ERIC and strokes his head.
PISTOL:
Why was he laughing?
DIANA also crouches by ERIC.
DIANA:
Because he doesn't cry.
She stands, and gently lifts the middle corpse's head to see his face. Lorne can't have been dead for more than a few weeks, but he is still emaciated and gaunt. His lips are swollen with bite marks and there is a small 'Z' scar cut into his cheek. She lets his head fall again.
DIANA:
Shit. This is recent...
Retaliation for Zinn.
NYM shakes her head.
NYM:
That's not her style. The way
they've been killed, and the
bodies displayed... that's
Orcish.
BOBBY:
(quietly, miserably)
They knew we'd come this way.
That's why they left this for
us. Why didn't they wait here
to attack us?
On PRESTO and ERIC.
PRESTO:
Because they were ordered not
to. You want to tear somebody
inside-out, you start with the
heart.
CUT TO
EXT Abandoned High Street, Evening.
On PISTOL and BOBBY, filthy and exhausted, hauling Karox's body out into the street.
PISTOL:
Dat's the last one.
Open up the shot. In what used to be a burnt and desiccated former vegetable patch, the others have dug a large pit, into which they have already deposited most of the bodies. The bodies of Karena and Lorne are still above ground. HANK and NYM have Lawrence's body in their arms, holding him over the pit, while DIANA comforts SHEILA. HANK turns to BOBBY.
HANK:
We're doing Lawrence now, Bob.
Wanna say goodbye?
BOBBY nods, miserably, and runs over to the pit.
BOBBY:
Thankyou, Lawrence. And we're
sorry.
BOBBY kisses his fingertips and lays them on Lawrence's forehead.
DIANA:
We're all very sorry.
SHEILA cannot speak through the tears. She merely gulps and nods in agreement.
HANK and NYM lower Lawrence into the pit.
On PRESTO, still with an unconscious ERIC. He attempts placing a hand on ERIC's head, but flames leap onto his fingers again. He frowns, perturbed.
HANK:
(O/S)
Presto?
PRESTO looks up. HANK is now standing next to Lorne and Karena's bodies.
HANK:
Should we leave Lorne until
Eric comes round?
PRESTO shakes his head.
PRESTO:
Can't risk it.
HANK frowns at this, sympathetically.
HANK:
What about Karena?
PRESTO:
What about Karena?
SHEILA:
(still choking back tears)
Venger missed his father's
burial... he's still Karena's
brother. He has a right...
On BOBBY, next to SHEILA.
BOBBY:
After everything he did? Sis,
this is all his fault. He's got
no rights!
SHEILA:
Bobby, if it were me lying
there, you'd...
BOBBY:
You wouldn't be lying there,
Sheila. I'd die first. So
should he!
VENGER:
(O/S)
The Barbarian is right.
Everybody turns their head to face the direction of VENGER's voice. Everyone's expression, even SHEILA's, becomes dark with fury.
On VENGER, on the street. He doesn't meet anyone's gaze, but walks, slowly, to his sister's body, never once taking his eyes from it.
VENGER:
Poor little sister. Poor
Karena. I feared that this had
happened to you. That you had
shared the fate of the rest of
my family. It is my fault.
He drops to his knees by her body, cradling her head.
VENGER:
I am so sorry. But how can you
hear my apologies with deaf
ears? How can you forgive me
with a dead tongue?
He folds himself over Karena's head, hiding his tears from the others. In the background, unnoticed by anyone, even PRESTO, who is on his feet watching the sorry scene, ERIC opens his eyes and looks at VENGER.
VENGER:
I have brought death to
everyone that I love. I have
destroyed everything that I
hold dear.
On ERIC, still on the ground. He cocks his head, watching the display.
ERIC's POV - VENGER, hunched over the body, although he and the world around him have become dark and warped. VENGER is entirely black, and fuzzy looking, and his wings now glow orange, as if they were aflame.
VENGER:
(voice twisted & obscure)
I have killed them. I have
killed them all.
C/U on VENGER, normal again, still cradling Karena's head
VENGER:
Poor Karena. Poor Karena...
On HANK, standing before him, coldly.
HANK:
We have to bury her now.
VENGER looks up, pathetically.
VENGER:
So soon?
PRESTO begins to walk around to face VENGER. Behind PRESTO, still unnoticed, ERIC rises to his feet.
PRESTO:
We need to leave this place by
nightfall. It's not safe.
VENGER nods, getting up, Karena still in his arms.
VENGER:
Very well. But, please... I
know you befriended my sister,
Thief, but if I may say a few..
VENGER gasps suddenly in pain, cutting himself short, dropping his sister's body in surprise. PRESTO takes a step towards him.
PRESTO:
What?
VENGER gurgles a little, still in agony.
VENGER:
Oh...
PRESTO:
What is it...?
His mouth falls mutely open as he sees what is behind VENGER. PRESTO steps to one side.
PRESTO's POV: As PRESTO steps to one side, ERIC becomes visible behind VENGER, his eyes consumed with fury, an orange glow over his right shoulder, his right hand tightly clasping the sword still lodged deep in VENGER's back.
PRESTO:
(whispers, horrified)
Eric, no.
ERIC doesn't meet eyes with PRESTO, but smiles strangely, a little too pointily, to himself.
ERIC:
I gave him fair warning.
ERIC suddenly yanks the sword from VENGER's back, spurting him with blood. He doesn't react. VENGER crumples into a heap. O/S, the others scream in horror at what they can now see.
On the others.
Bobby:
Eric's gone Apeshit!
NYM:
Why did you do that?
On ERIC, and the collapsed, bleeding VENGER.
ERIC:
You heard him admit it himself.
He killed all these people. And
more besides.
PRESTO:
We don't know that for sure...
ERIC scowls at PRESTO.
ERIC:
I saw him! I saw him do it! He
double crossed us. Sold us out.
And I warned him against that.
VENGER, still curled up, fights for breath.
VENGER:
What have you done? What have
you done?
A strange light flashes over ERIC's face.
ERIC:
I've killed you, you bastard.
Hell is coming in to get you.
And not before time.
VENGER struggles to look up at ERIC. The glow on ERIC's shoulder is becoming brighter, and his eyes and mouth look wrong - too harsh and sharp.
VENGER:
You sense the darkness of Hell.
ERIC:
It's all around. And all for
you, my good friend.
VENGER's expression turns to one of pity.
VENGER:
No.
ERIC snarls at him.
VENGER:
I am still far from human. It
would take much more than an
ordinary Orc sword to kill me.
But you... You attacked me out
of spite. You wished to kill
me, for revenge.
ERIC takes an angry step towards VENGER.
ERIC:
Shut up and die!
DIANA:
(O/S)
Eric, what's happening to you?
VENGER gets to his feet, with difficulty.
VENGER:
You are allowing the fear and
the despair to take control.
You are twisting love into a
reason to hate. Aren't you?
You're letting the darkness
flood in. You must stop it!
PRESTO tries to touch ERIC's arm, but a wave of fire emanating from ERIC pushes him away.
PRESTO:
Eric, please listen...
ERIC:
It isn't darkness. It's
firelight. It's bright.
VENGER:
I know.
ERIC:
It's illuminating all the
corners, all the little truths
that I've been hiding from.
VENGER:
No! It's telling you lies!
Don't you see what it's doing?
Pause.
VENGER:
It is taking you.
SHEILA:
(O/S)
No!
ERIC:
Liar.
VENGER:
I know this! This is how it
begins! The scar you carry...
the curse... it is a part of
the creature I used to be. It
is seeking to find a new form.
The hatred that surrounds
you... it's mine. It's mine.
Poor child, you carried it on
your back all this time...
ERIC:
Don't you pity me, you filth.
VENGER tries to grab ERIC's shoulders himself, but a huge wall of flame shoots up around ERIC's body.
VENGER:
You have seen a terrible demon.
It follows you in your dreams.
ERIC grins a pointy, predatory smile at VENGER.
ERIC:
Yes.
ERIC's POV The world is warped, dark in places, bright with fire in others. The other kids are just shadows, but VENGER has become a black, faceless figure with wings of flame.
VENGER:
(voice obscure)
Do not let it out! You must not
let it into this world!
Back on ERIC. He smiles again.
ERIC:
I don't intend to.
The flame coming from ERIC's body begins to wrap itself around VENGER.
ERIC:
If I'm going to Hell, it's only
to take you with me.
PRESTO runs towards them.
PRESTO:
No!
He tries to prize his way through the flames, but at that point the fire roars up, briefly forming a winged, grinning figure before imploding into nothing. The bodies of both ERIC and VENGER fall, lifeless, to the ground. DIANA tries to run to ERIC, but PRESTO pushes her back, running to ERIC's side himself.
DIANA:
Oh God, they're dead!
PRESTO:
No.
He tries to touch ERIC's forehead, but flames shoot up over his hands and arms again.
SHEILA:
(O/S)
What are you doing?
PRESTO:
(half to himself)
Come on! Let me in.
PRESTO attempts to touch ERIC's head again, but is met with yet another wall of fire.
HANK:
(O/S)
Presto...?
PRESTO sits back, shaking the feeling back into his hands. He turns to VENGER's still body.
PRESTO:
OK then. I'll do it the long
way round.
On the others. HANK takes a step forwards.
HANK:
Presto, what are you doing?
PRESTO looks up at them.
PRESTO:
Make sure we're not moved until
we come back round.
He flexes his fingers, then looks up again as an afterthought.
PRESTO:
Hank, you're in charge.
HANK:
Yes. I thought so too.
Concentrating, PRESTO places his fingertips on VENGER's temples, then slumps lifelessly next to him. On the others. SHEILA, DIANA and BOBBY are starting to panic.
DIANA:
What... what..?
BOBBY:
What's happening?
SHEILA:
What do we do?
HANK becomes aware that everybody, including PISTOL and NYM, are looking at him. He shrugs.
HANK:
I don't know. Presto said not
to move them, so... wait, I
guess. Wait, and hope our
Wizard knows what he's doing.
CUT TO