Samantha Kessler stands alone, atop a bluff over the Green river. Her eyes are closed. Suddenly, a noise makes her turn, and she's grabbed by a thing out of nightmare - a vampire! It grins at her, and licks her throat, preparing to bite. A woman's scream cuts the air, and Samantha struggles. As the scream dies, a sparkle of light surrounds Samantha and the vampire. She breaks its hold and throws it over her hip into the river below. Sam runs into a fringe of woods and a graveyard beyond. She finds a Chinese girl's body, her throat gored by deep teeth-marks. Sam backs off and then bolts down the hill.
Matthew Hartsdale arrives in Solomon, asking at the Sacred Grounds to see Mr. Preuter. A fight in the street between Britta and three other vampires. Tori Clark gets vampire-dust spattered all over her, and wails "my dress!" Hartsdale explains to Moira "She's the Slayer... the vampire Slayer... one who slays vampires." (Flash images of Vivan, dead, and Sam, on the cliff looking all Zen and the Art of Vampire Slaying)
The party in the Marshall's Carriage House - Britta arrives, "So, what do you do for fun?" "I'm here to kill vampires." Sam, Drew and Erik arrive. Britta morphs, throws everyone around, and holds Drew up by the neck. Alex crumples, holding his ribs and moaning in Scots-Gaelic. Sam points her shotgun at Britta. "Stop!" Britta spits "Don't ever trust them. (Flash-image of Hartsdale, looking confused) They're just out to screw you over. When the time comes, and you need them most, they abandon you."
"What is your name?" "Samantha Jane Kessler." Britta's Mona Lisa smile. "Britta Kessler." Britta throws Drew and disappears into the night.
TEASER: Black and white, grainy images; complete silence. MOIRA is walking through the streets of Solomon, but things look different. Everyone is dressed as if they were from a time in the past, the twenties, perhaps. Yes, the cars on the streets are from the era as well. Moira is following a man in a tweed jacket. He seems nervous. Is he afraid of her? No, Moira is just a spectator. He is being followed. Moira sees the men in black trench coats. And it's getting darker, the light of old fashioned street lights making halos in the fog.
The scene changes. It is the man, now recognized as HARTSDALE. He is training a young girl who is much taller than him in hand to hand combat. The training is intense, but there seems to be a bond between them.
The scene changes again. Moira sees herself in a mirror. She is dressed as Louise Brooks. She is in a theater of sorts, along with other finely dressed men and women. Hartsdale and the young girl enter. They too are dressed in eveningwear.
Then there is a subtle change in the atmosphere. The guests take on demonic visages and the young girl fights. Moira looks at Hartsdale as he is too frightened to fight. The young girl is quickly vanquished and Moira suddenly realizes that the vampires are looking at her.
INTERIOR: MOIRA DONOVAN'S BEDROOM. It is decorated in Art Deco bric-a-brac and prints of theater and 40's-era movie posters. Grey dawn filters in through the blinds. Moira wakes up, sits up in bed and rubs her eyes.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
INTERIOR: MOIRA DONOVAN'S BEDROOM. Moments later.
MOIRA: (Murmurs)"What a weird dream..." (yawns)
Knock on the door.
HARTSDALE: (From outside the closed door) "I hope you don't mind... I made some coffee. Would you like a cup?"
MOIRA: "Yes, very much!"
She gets up, wearing a soft, flannel nightgown, chooses an outfit from the closet and heads into the bathroom.
CUT TO: MOIRA'S APARTMENT. The sofa has a pillow and two neatly-folded blankets on it. Hartsdale is sitting at the kitchenette table, wearing the same faded tweed suit that he was wearing yesterday, somewhat more rumpled. He looks as if he slept poorly.
MOIRA: (Pours herself a cup of coffee and adds sugar) "I'm sorry if the sofa wasn't comfortable."
HARTSDALE: (Blearily) "No, the sofa was fine." (Runs one hand through his hair) "I am afraid that I will not sleep well until I find out what happened to Mr. Preuter... and the new Slayer. I am now certain that it was that tall girl who found Vivian's body... what was her name?"
MOIRA: (Sips her coffee, leaning against the kitchen counter) "You got me." (Shrugs) "Like I said, I don't see her come in the store much... But if you want to, come to the store. Those two boys, Erik and Drew, you know they'll be there. If she's hanging out with them now, she might come in, too."
HARTSDALE: (Nods) "It is a slim chance, but better than none at all. There is research I must do as well..." (Downs his coffee with a grimace) "Shall we go?"
Moira finishes her own coffee, rinses the cups and puts them in the dish-drainer.
CUT TO -- MORNING, SAM'S ROOM. Sam, in flannel PJ's, is sprawled over the bed with her feet hanging off the end and one arm trailing to the floor. Two books (Interview with the Vampire and Dracula) are on the floor beside her hand, Dracula opened to an illustration of the Count bending over Lucy. The alarm rings, and Sam slaps it, sending the hapless alarm clock shooting across the room, striking a display case, and cracking the glass. That is the sound that wakes her.
Sam hops out of bed, stumbles over the books, and goes to examine the broken case. A sliver of glass cuts her bare foot, and she hops backwards, lands on the bed, and examines the cut. It is shallow, but messy. She pulls out the shard and carefully puts it on her night-table, examines the wound for any more slivers, doesn't find any, and applies pressure with her thumb. When it seems like the bleeding has stopped, she puts one slipper on her undamaged foot and hops over to her closet. She pulls out a rumpled orange backpack and removes a large box. Inside is a complete camper's first-aid kit, including bandages and a bottle of peroxide. She grabs a T-shirt from the bottom of her closet to clean herself up and then bandages the cut. When that is taken care of, she carefully gathers up the rest of the broken glass, puts it in her trashcan, along with the bloody shard, which she wraps in a tissue. She mops up a few drops of spilled blood and looks into the display case itself. One of the moths was crushed at the point the clock impacted the case, and the eight insects all around it are bent outward and some have lost legs or antennae.
SAM: "Whoa!"
SAM SR.: (From downstairs) "Sammy! Breakfast!"
SAM: (Shouting) "Coming, Dad!"
She goes to the closet again and starts to change into work clothes, slightly grubbier than her school clothes, with grease stains on the pants that won't come out.
(CUT TO: DOWNSTAIRS, KITCHEN. Sam Sr. is stirring scrambled eggs and dividing them between two plates. The toaster dings. Sam enters, pulling on a flannel shirt over an olive-green T-shirt and jeans. She's limping slightly. She grabs one piece of toast and a plate of eggs and sits down at the tiny kitchen table.)
SAM SR.: (Affably, but he still looks tired) "How's my girl this morning?"
SAM: "Fine. Sleep well?"
SAM SR.: (Turns from the stove) "Tolerably. I seem to remember you telling me something last night about vampires..."
SAM: (Chokes on her toast) "V-vampires? I didn't say anything about vampires!"
SAM SR.: (Turns away from the stove, deja-vu like) "Vampires? What's that about vampires?"
SAM: (Confused) "Nothing." (turns bright red) "I -- nothing. I was reading about them last night. Couldn't sleep, so I came down and got a book... Dracula."
SAM SR.: "Oh, one of those on the bottom shelf, huh? Classics. Should always read the classics. Well, maybe not that one, so late at night. Give you nightmares, at the very least. Vampires." (snorts a laugh) "Maybe it was the booze listening. Should give that stuff up someday."
SAM: "Yeah, right. You started already?" (she's not exactly teasing, more concerned)
SAM SR.: (pretending hurt) "I can stop any time!"
SAM: (Chuckling) "Yeah, right. Do I have to search the house again?"
SAM SR.: "I am offended to the core of my being!" (draws himself up haughtily) "A little hair of the dog never hurt anyone. And I know better than to drink alone, at home. I only drink in a convivial atmosphere, with plenty of friends, and in moderate quantities. And you should know that!" (Shakes his finger at Sam, then sits down with his own breakfast, plus a glass of prune juice. Sam has orange juice.) "Evil stuff, is alcohol. Do not follow your father's example in this area, Sammy-dear. Just don't do it."
SAM: (Chewing) "I know, Dad. Don't worry about me."
SAM SR.: "I have to worry. It's my job as a father. That and grease-monkeying is what keeps me going." (sips his juice) "And prune juice." (makes a face) "Good stuff. Really."
Sam laughs, and her father joins in.
CUT TO: THE SACRED GROUNDS. Moira and Hartsdale are upstairs, in the occult literature section, poring over books about vampires. None of them are trade paperbacks. The order of their table is "musty old tomes."
The bell jingles, and Moira gets up to check on the customers. It's early enough there's no one else in the store at the moment. Drew Killian and Erik Sorenson come in the door. Drew makes a bee-line toward the table they'd occupied yesterday and scoops up his stack of comic books. Erik catches sight of Moira upstairs and waves.
ERIK: "Hi, Moira! Are you officially open, yet?"
MOIRA: "Yes, I guess we are. What can I get for you?"
DREW: "How about a couple of answers?"
MOIRA: "That depends on the questions. Come on upstairs."
Drew and Erik climb the stairs and see Hartsdale at the table in the back.
HARTSDALE: "Ah, just the lads I was hoping would come in."
Drew and Erik share a glance. Drew mouths "Lads?"
HARTSDALE: "I don't suppose you'd know whether your friend - tall girl, short hair, dour expression - is going to be coming by today?" (He sounds hopeful)
DREW: (Shrugs) "She might."
HARTSDALE: (Takes a deep breath) "Well, I need to talk to her. Very important..."
DREW: (Notices the book open on the table) "Hey! That's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to find. Can I borrow that one?"
HARTSDALE: "No, you may not borrow it. It's from Mr. Preuter's private collection."
DREW: (Disappointed) "Oh." (Changes tactics) "Making yourself quite at home here, I see."
HARTSDALE: "Yes, well, I am the new owner after all. The papers went through this morning; however my own library is still going through customs in Boston, so I am forced to make use of what books Mr. Preuter had on hand." (Back to the original topic) "Can you tell me her name, at least? Everything happened so quickly, last night. I didn't get a chance for a proper introduction."
DREW: "I'm sure she'll be happy to introduce herself if she drops by."
HARTSDALE: "I don't think you understand, young man. It's very important that I find the Slayer immediately."
ERIK: (Ears perk up at that) "Slayer?"
DREW: "The what?"
MOIRA: (Makes little "quote" marks in the air) "She has "Special Powers.""
DREW: "You mean she's a superhero?"
HARTSDALE: (Tired) "Yes. The Vampire Slayer. Your friend, whose name you won't divulge, is the new Vampire Slayer. When poor Vivian died, a new one was called."
ERIK: "And that's Sam?"
DREW: (Elbows Erik in the ribs.) "Good job! Maybe you missed the part where I wasn't telling him that?"
HARTSDALE: "Sam. Thank you. That's short for Samantha, I presume? Does she have a last name?"
DREW: "Before this goes any further, I don't suppose you'd mind stepping in front of that mirror over there?" (He points to a large wall mirror on the other side of the room.)
HARTSDALE: (Reluctantly impressed) "A reasonable precaution, I suppose." (He gets up and walks over to the mirror.) "See, I have a reflection." (Returns to the table.) "Now. Her full name?"
DREW: (Backs off a pace and shakes his head) "Like I said, I'm sure she'll want to tell you all that stuff herself."
HARTSDALE: "But I can't discuss it with her, if she's not here. Is she coming by, or isn't she? Do I have to put a 'help wanted' advert in the paper to get her attention? She could die before then if I don't help her."
DREW: "Oh, so, you want to help her?"
HARTSDALE: "Of course. That's what Watchers do, child."
DREW: (Does not like being called a "child.") "Just who are you?"
HARTSDALE: (Explaining slowly) "I am Matthew Hartsdale, of the Watchers Council. I am a Watcher. Specifically, I am Sam's Watcher. It is my job to train her, teach her what she needs to know about the forces of darkness that she will be facing."
ERIK: "Forces of darkness...? Cool. We want to help." (He and Drew stand shoulder-to-shoulder, and nod)
Hartsdale looks flummoxed.
HARTSDALE: "Help? Well, you could help by getting her here, so that we can begin. I may not know where to find her, but the vampires can sense what she is and they'll be after your friend whether you tell me who she is or not."
DREW: "I thought vampires slept during the day."
HARTSDALE: "There are other things than vampires to worry about."
DREW: "I'm sure there are.. And, while I'm impressed that you show up in mirrors and all, that's why I'm not real keen on giving her up to the first weird English guy who shows up looking for her."
HARTSDALE: "Commendable, I suppose, although horribly misguided. Fine, I'll wait. You are sure that she will be by today, at least?"
DREW: (Nods) "She's got to work this morning, but she'll be coming to meet us this afternoon. Before dark. We're going to see Alex at the hospital."
HARTSDALE: (Pales) "Hospital? Somebody was hurt?"
DREW: "Yeah. Last night, one of your vampires threw Alex into a lawnmower and he broke three ribs."
HARTSDALE: "They're not my vampires... But, dear God! It's already begun." (Steeples his hands over his mouth and closes his eyes for a moment)
DREW: (Rubs his neck) "Apparently. The question is: What can we do? Besides yanking Sam out of her job, which I'm sure would go over real well, and carting her over here right this second. Where do we start? What is the right way to fight them, so they don't come back?"
HARTSDALE: (Opening his eyes, surprised) "You're serious."
DREW: (Gathers his courage) "There were things following us last night. All of us. They put Alex in the hospital. There was something waiting at Erik's house. We can't just pretend that this stuff doesn't exist... well, maybe Tori can. Not us, though."
ERIK: "Yeah. We're in this, together."
Hartsdale looks from one serious, young face to the other. He comes to a decision.
HARTSDALE: "I only hope you're this sure when you know what you're up against. Come, sit down." (He moves his chair, making room at the table for the other two to sit. They gather around the book that Hartsdale was reading, and flip back to the beginning.)
CUT TO - TORI CLARK'S ROOM - Tori is sprawled across a lacy, canopy bed. Every toy, cosmetic or TV star poster a 16-year old girl could want, is right here. She's leaning on her elbows, legs crossed at the ankles, talking on the phone while she twirls the cord around her fingers.
TORI: "So, then Dana says to Ben, you can't come over, Jeff is here." (pause, giggle) "I know! Can you believe it? And then they both broke up with her. She is so bubble-headed... Yeah. I know... so, what are you guys doing tonight?"
Phone VO (Marcy Lee, sounding really smarmy) "Well... I was thinking... you know, your dad has all those contacts, you know, he can get tickets to things sometimes..."
One of Tori's eyebrows goes up. "Like what?" (She's interested, if there's something she hasn't heard about yet.)
MARCY: "Well, you know, of course about the Paradise."
TORI: "Well, duh, what about it?" (Tori shifts on the bed, so she's lying on her back now, legs dangling over the edge)
MARCY: "Well, there's the movie they're showing there. Silent Screams. Everybody who's anybody is going to be there... I even heard that there's going to be some real movie stars and even... producers coming all the way out here to see it!" (She screams a giggle.) "Could you imagine! Oh, Tori, if we could get tickets to that movie, we could be discovered!"
(Now, Tori is all ears.) "Well, I'll see what I can do, then. How many of us want to go?"
MARCY: (Makes "hmm" noises and counts under her breath.) "There'll be ten of us, plus you."
(TORI'S expression changes. She's annoyed, stares at the phone, but recovers quickly.) "Okay. I'll ask my dad, and call you back."
MARCY: "Oh, thanks, Tori, you're the best!"
CUT TO - THE PARADISE THEATER. Located just off of Solomon's Main Street, this towering edifice harkens back to a more refined time, when black tie was the order of the evening, and duels were fought with swords over honor, or blood... In the daylight, it is closed, but the re-painted façade and polished glass doors glimmer with promise of a sophisticated evening to come...
CUT TO -- CAMERA DISTANT, AND ABOVE -- Sunbeams fall through motes of dust. Sam and her father are at the garage, heads together under the hood of a 1980's era Toyota. There's the sound of metal clanking, but no conversation. They move around the machine, perfectly in synch as two surgeons around a body. Sam hands her father tools, helping and watching him work. When finished, he wipes his hands on a rag and nods. They close the hood, and go on to an older Ford that's waiting in the next bay.
SHIFT OF LIGHT, AFTERNOON -- Sam is sitting in the garage's little office, going over paperwork. She runs her pen down a column of numbers, punches an old-fashioned ribbon adding machine, checks the total, and logs it in a book. Her brow is furrowed. Outside the door, Sam Sr. swigs from a sports-bottle, and scatters sand on the garage floor to absorb oil-spills.
CUT TO -- SAM AND SAM SR. WALKING HOME. Sam has her hands in her pockets, looking up at the trees that are mostly bare.
SAM SR.: "You did ask me something, last night, about Grampa George -- my father -- didn't you? (scratches his head) Sometimes, I'm a little... fuzzy... when I've had a few."
SAM: (Murmurs) "I know." (louder) "Yeah. I was wondering..."
SAM SR.: "You might look up in the attic. I don't know what's up there, but... your mother put away some things."
Sam looks at him quickly. He hardly ever talks about her mom.
SAM: "Okay. I'll do that."
SAM SR.: (With difficulty) "She liked to keep... old stuff. I don't know. It might not be anything..."
SAM: (gently) "Thanks, Dad." (She takes his hand and gives it a squeeze, and releases) Sam Sr. smiles and nods. They turn up the sidewalk to their block, and up to the front door of their house.)
CUT TO -- SAM IN THE ATTIC, with a Coleman camp-stove for light, rummaging in boxes of old clothing, junk, comes across some newspapers and a packet of letters tied up in a red ribbon. She sits down with her back to an old steamer trunk, carefully unties the letters and begins to read them, but finds that she can't. They're written in German. But the dates are from the 1920's and she's able to pick out Grampa George's name, and Great-Grandma Lottie... and on one of the pages, in reference, is the name Britta.
Sam re-folds the letter, puts it back in the envelope on top of the pile, and re-ties them in a bundle. She takes the camp stove with her and descends the ladder.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
(TIME-PASSAGE MONTAGE AT THE SACRED GROUNDS)
The door-bell jingles and more customers come in, in ones and twos. As the light changes toward afternoon, one of these is Kevin Vastarley, a young man dressed all in black, with a big, black oiled canvas coat. His long, black hair is smoothed down over his ears and tied back in a ponytail. He heads up the stairs and starts idly perusing the shelves of the occult section. He notices Hartsdale, Erik and Drew still in their corner, with cups of tea and hot chocolate at hand, and gives a polite nod. Hartsdale nods back and turns the page, reading intently.
A few minutes later, Hartsdale, Drew and Erik gather up their books and go downstairs. Kevin keeps reading, until Cora Hicks, a very cute 15-yr old girl dressed in the height of Goth fashion, bops up the stairs. Her face is powdered chalk-white, and eyes and lips are lined in black.
CORA: (In a sing-songy "teenager" voice) "Oh, hi, Ke-vin!"
KEVIN: (Turns, and smiles) "Hi, Cora."
CORA: "What'cha do-in?"
Kevin shrugs and shows her the spine of the book he'd been browsing - Advanced Divination by the Stars.
CORA: (Eyes widen) "C-o-o-o-l!" She peels a stick of bright blue chewing-gum and pops it into her mouth. "You're into that magick stuff, right?"
KEVIN: (Shrugs and blushes a little.) "I think it makes... interesting reading."
CORA: (Sidles closer, popping her gum) "You interested in doing some real magick?"
Kevin raises one eyebrow. "What sort of 'real' magic?" (You can hear the 'ck' on the end when she says it, but not when he does.)
CORA: (Whispering, close to his ear) "Juanita found something. In the library at Martense. (She breathes peppermint into his ear) "She's going to perform a spell there this afternoon, and it needs three people, and I just thought... you might like to join us? Maybe?"
Kevin's earlobes are turning bright pink.
KEVIN: "That... sounds like fun." He licks his lips and smiles. "What time?"
CORA: "Four o'clock. Be there... or be somewhere much more boring." She trails her hand along Kevin's shoulders, and skips back down the stairs.
KEVIN: (Takes a deep breath and stares at the ceiling) "My dad's gonna ground me forever..." (He glances back the way Cora just went.) "But it'd be worth it."
He leaves the bookstore. On the way out, he brushes shoulders with Sam, who is just coming in.
Sam looks around, spots Erik at the counter, picking up refills of hot chocolate from Moira.
SAM: "Hey, Erik. How's it going?"
ERIK: "Sam! Great. You're here! Wait until you meet... hang on. Moira, can you add one more cup?"
MOIRA: "Coming right up."
ERIK: "Drew is downstairs, with Hartsdale. We found out some interesting things about..." (He wiggles his fingers in his mouth, mimicking fangs. Erik balances the tray of mugs on one hand, and points Sam down the stairs with the other.)
CUT TO - THE SACRED GROUNDS BASEMENT. Hartsdale is going through books which he has pulled out of a covered bookshelf and arranging them on a table. Drew has a crossbow, and is shooting at a target on the far wall.
HARTSDALE: (Looks up as Erik and Sam enter. A very relieved look crosses his face) "You are... Samantha... I presume?"
SAM: "That's right, Stanley. What can I do you for?"
HARTSDALE: (Half amused, half befuddled) "Well, actually, my name is Hartsdale. Matthew Hartsdale, of the Watcher's Council, London, England. And I am... very pleased to meet you at last." (He holds out his hand)
SAM: (Shakes the offered hand) "Well, that's good to hear, I guess." (Cuts a glance to Drew, who is almost bouncing up and down with excitement, and Erik, who is slightly smiling) "Wha-a-at?" (She looks as if she were preparing to bolt, but Erik cuts off her escape to the stairs.)
ERIK: "Just give him a chance, Sam."
DREW: "Yeah. He says he can tell you why Britta came looking for you, for one thing. And all about... (dramatic pause) Vampires!"
SAM: "Is that right?"
HARTSDALE: "Absolutely. That's why I'm here, you see. Why the Watcher's council sent me... well, one of the reasons they sent me, I think..." (Confusion, but then forging on) "You see..." (Expectant pause) "You are the Slayer."
SAM: "The what?"
HARTSDALE: "The Vampire Slayer. It is your destiny to fight vampires, and the forces of darkness... and mine to help you in that battle."
Sam doesn't buy this for a minute, but she can't leave. She crosses her arms in front of her.
SAM: "What are you talking about? Slayer? What Slayer? Why am I the Slayer? I mean, me, of all people! That's really rich."
HARTSDALE: (Clears his throat) "Yes, well... You remember, of course, the young woman whom you found, Vivian, who was killed last night... She was the previous Slayer. Mr. Preuter was her Watcher, and now, she is dead and he is missing... But last night, at about the same time that Vivian died... didn't you experience something... extraordinary? (His eyes light up) Something that came upon you suddenly... like a surge of strength, or well-being, or rightness with the world?"
SAM: (Thoughtfully) Yes... there was... That's about when I threw Twisted Sister over the cliff." (Flashback to the sparkle of light around that scene) "He had me, really tight. I thought... I was dead. But then, I... broke out, and threw him over..." (Sam mimics the motions, an expression of wonder dawning on her face.) "There might have been something, right then."
HARTSDALE: "You see! You understand? It happened. I can't say why. No one on earth could tell you why Destiny chose you, but it did. Britta recognized you right away. And these boys tell me that you faced her down without any problem whatsoever."
SAM: (Blushes) "Well, I don't know..."
HARTSDALE: (Certain) "I do. And I am here to help you. Any question that you have that I can answer, I will. Any training or preparation for what you are going to face that is in my power to give, you will have it."
DREW: "And, you get to use really cool weapons!" (Hefts the crossbow and grins)
ERIK: "Speaking of weapons, I should go pick up some more..." (He 'chucks' Sam on the shoulder and grins as he leaves. She frowns, but no longer looks ready to run for it. She approaches the table, warily, and Hartsdale opens one of the books to show her.)
CUT TO - MARTENSE COLLEGE LIBRARY
Kevin walks in, through the security arches at the door, and looks around. Tall stacks of dark wooden shelves hold thousands of volumes of books. Off to one side is a small room walled with card catalog drawers, and a high-fronted desk where the librarian sits. To the other side, he spies Cora, lounging against one of the stacks. She catches sight of him, glances toward the librarian, and then quickly gestures for Kevin to follow her. He does, through the bookshelves to an arched doorway that leads to stairs downward.
CORA: "Oh, I'm so glad you decided to come! This is sooo exciting. Just wait until you see what Juanita found."
They go down the spiral staircase to the basement stacks, and Cora leads the way through another room, to a far corner where JUANITA MADERAS sits in between two tall bookshelves. She looks up, a smooth-skinned biracial girl with calm, cinnamon-colored eyes. She's holding a large book on her lap, and there's a circle filled with symbols drawn in chalk on the floor in front of her, and three candles.
KEVIN: "Hi, Juanita. What've you got there?"
JUANITA: (Her voice is smooth and melodic) "Welcome, Kevin, please, sit. We are now ready to begin."
KEVIN: (Sits) "But begin what?" (He eyes the circle warily, and some of the symbols that Juanita is wearing, on a necklace, and pinned to her clothing) "You practice Santeria."
JUANITA: "That is correct." (She smiles) "You are conversant in the Ways. It is good you are here." (She puts the book down in the middle of the circle, and then picks up a small box of grey powder, dips her thumb in, and smears some on Kevin's forehead, then Cora's, then her own)
CORA: "This is just the coolest thing... Juanita knows how to cast real spells, and she found this book that summons a spirit from the Other Realm." (Her eyes are starry, and the capital letters on Other... Realm... are clearly heard) "It's okay. It's a knowledge-spirit. It's supposed to answer your questions, and then disappear. Right, Juanita?"
JUANITA: (Nods) "Let's hold hands." (She extends her hands to Kevin and Cora, and they join to make a triangle. Juanita begins reading from the book, which is written in Arabic. The language is fluid on her tongue. Finally, she breaks into English) "Awasum Raj! I command you, appear to us! Appear to your servants and bring your wisdom into the world!"
A bright, white ball of light bursts out of the pages of the book and hovers, rotating slowly over the center of the circle.
Cora gasps. Her eyes are wide, shining with delight. The glowing ball zips over to her, hovers in front of her face for a moment. She looks transfigured. It then zips over in front of Juanita, whose face is more impassive, but she seems very pleased that this worked.
Last, it hovers in front of Kevin, who stares at it with a little trepidation. He isn't supposed to be doing stuff like this, and he knows it.
The ball rotates faster, and then hurtles off, down the aisle of bookshelves towards the stairs.
KEVIN: "Was it... supposed to do that?"
JUANITA: "I... I don't know." (She leans forward and skims through the book, flipping pages.)
KEVIN: "What do you mean, you don't know? How do we get it back here, back in the book?"
JUANITA: (Blushes, frantically reading) "I haven't gotten to that part, yet."
KEVIN: "You haven't...! You mean you didn't read the whole thing before you started???"
JUANITA: (Trying to be patient) "It's written in Arabic. I'm only in Second-year Arabic, and it's supposed to disappear back where it came from when the ritual is complete!"
There's the sound of a startled scream from above.
KEVIN: "Well, it didn't! We need help." (Grabs the book) "I'm calling my dad." (Runs up the aisle, muttering) "He's gonna kill me, or ground me for life... or both... in sequence... or possibly simultaneously..."
Ahead, books are flying off the shelves. A few students who had been studying in carrels are screaming, covering their heads, or running for cover. The glowing ball is bouncing around, tossing books, buzzing people like a giant, glowing bumblebee. It "sees" Kevin, and darts off, up the stairs to the main floor.
Kevin takes the stairs two at a time, dodging around the corner to the hallway to the water-fountain, the bathrooms, and the pay phones. He thumbs a quarter in, and dials. It's picked up immediately.
DEEP VOICE: "Vastarley residence."
KEVIN: "Hi, Dad. It's me."
MR. V: "Kevin? What's going on? You sound... out of breath."
KEVIN: "Yeah... Well," (Winces) "It's a... it's a magic thing, Dad. (Rushes on before his father can answer) Now, I know what you're going to say, that I shouldn't have been doing it, and I know that I'm not really ready yet, but there were these girls, and they invited me to go with them, and they started doing things, and it all happened so fast..."
MR. V.: (Sighs) "Yes, son... I understand. That happened to me and your mother, once; too ... Now, tell me what's happening right now."
KEVIN: "Well, we're at the Martense Library, and there's this ball of white light, and it's bouncing around, trashing the place. Juanita and Cora thought it was going to be a benevolent wisdom-spirit, but it looks more like a spirit of mischief, to me. Oh, it's called 'Awasum Raj' and the book is written in Arabic. Do you read Arabic, Dad?"
MR. V.: (Makes a rumbling sound) "No, I don't. But I know someone who does. Keep an eye on it, son. Don't let it out of your sight. I'll be over there as soon as I can." (hangs up)
KEVIN: (Hangs up) "Great... just great."
The ball of light makes one final swoop across the lighting-fixture, blowing out several light bulbs, and zooms out the front door. Kevin takes off after it, carrying the book through the security arches, which go off, beeping and lights flashing. He gets through the doors and trips, falling down the stairs. He manages to grab the book and pick himself up before security arrives, though, and takes off running across the quad, keeping an eye on the ball of light ahead of him.
It swoops across the grass to the Coliseum, one of Martense College's sports complexes, now used mainly for JV and intramural sports, now that the larger football/track and field arena is complete. In fact, there's a football game going on there right now - A huge cheer erupts from that direction. The ball of light doesn't go quite that far, though. It swoops inside the Coliseum, followed shortly by Kevin, who is rather out of breath. He pauses in the doorway to shove the large book into his backpack, and then follows the trail of crashing noises upstairs to the multi-purpose practice rooms above the wrestling mats.
CUT TO: INSIDE THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM. Two people are sparring with rattan longswords. They're both wearing hand sewn, multi-layer quilted padding, which reaches to the thigh, and leather leggings and slippers on their feet. One is a tall, broad-shouldered young man with a thatch of dark hair and a superior sneer on his face. The other is a tall young woman with brown hair tied in a small bun at the back of her head. Her smile is confident as she parries a strong thrust, and follows it up with a whistling riposte that catches her opponent across the mid-section. There's a scraping sound as the rattan catches on the padded armor.
ANNE: "A palpable hit!"
RUSSELL: "I'll palpable hit you!" (Rushes at her)
ANNE: (Easily dodges to one side and raps him upside the skull with her pommel) "Ha! You haven't improved any since the Summer Revels, Russell. I can still beat you with one arm behind me." (To prove it, she tucks her left hand into her belt behind her, and exchanges blows using only her right. This only infuriates Russell more.)
Behind them, the glowing ball of light hovers in the doorway, unnoticed by either. The clash of swords drowns out its soft buzzing. It rotates quickly like a top, and darts into the room, just as Anne hits Russell again, this time a full-edge swipe against his stomach. The ball of light plunges into him, and the combination throws him back against the wall, where he crumples in a heap.
ANNE: "Whoa! You okay? Sorry about that." (She reaches out a hand to help him up) "No hard feelings, I hope?" (Her grin adds a sarcastic spin to the words.)
RUSSELL: (Ignores her, gets to his feet) "Where am I?" (His voice is deeper, gravelly and harsh, and his eyes glow deep red with no pupils. He stares down at his own left hand, wiggling the fingers one by one.) "Yesss... It'll be good to have a body again... Ohhhh! I see." (He looks up at Anne, and the smile on his face makes the other one look positively friendly.)
Suddenly, before Anne can raise her weapon in defense, Russell bears down on her with a crushing blow that throws her backwards onto her butt.
ANNE: "Hey! What gives!" (Springs to her feet)
Russell doesn't answer, he just starts pounding on her as if the sword were a club. She tries to defend herself, but his strikes are twice as strong as before, and she's having trouble getting out of the way in time.
Kevin appears in the doorway, with Erik Sorenson close behind him. Erik is carrying a large, zippered bag on his back, and seems to have just been showing Kevin what was inside: a Viking-style Greatsword.
ERIK: "See? And, it's sharp."
Russell abruptly stops beating on Anne, and turns toward Erik.
RUSSELL: "Sword? You... me... fight!" (He rushes at him)
Erik dodges out of the way, and Kevin trips Russell, and both he and Erik sit on top of him. Anne gets up.
ANNE: "What the hell is wrong with him?" (Winces, holding her side)
KEVIN: (Looks Russell in the face, notes the red eyes and incoherent growling) "Hold him! Was there... a ball of light? Did you see it?"
ANNE: "What?" (Thinks back, realizes) "There was a glow, or something. I thought it was St. Elmo's fire."
KEVIN: (Shakes his head) "I don't think I can explain this well right now, but there will be someone coming by later to take the St. Elmo's fire out of him."
ANNE: "What are you talking about?"
KEVIN: (Deep breath) "The glowing ball was a demon. It must have possessed him."
ANNE: "A demon? Like, watch out for the projectile split-pea soup?"
KEVIN: (Nods) "Something like that." (Looks back at Russell) "Awasum Raj?"
Russell seems to explode, cursing in Arabic and squirming, but Anne joins in to hold him down.
KEVIN: "I think we have identified our demon... Downstairs! I saw a volleyball net. Can you go get it, and we'll tie him up?"
Anne goes downstairs, and comes back a minute later with the net. Between the three of them, they get Russell securely wrapped. They carry him awkwardly downstairs, and hide him in a maintenance closet, where they find a roll of duct-tape and tape his mouth shut.
ERIK: (Dusts off his hands) "Now that that is taken care of... (to Anne) Are the crossbows still in the cabinet with the rest of our equipment?"
ANNE: "Yessss... What do you need them for, dare I ask?"
ERIK: (Grins) "Vampire hunting!"
ANNE: (Groans) "I shouldn't have asked."
KEVIN: "But, we still need to get the demon... out... of Russell. My dad said he'd meet me at the library, but he doesn't speak Arabic." (Shakes his head) "Neither of you are taking Arabic, are you?"
Anne and Erik shake their heads. Erik is rummaging in a storage cabinet, takes out two authentically reproduced medieval crossbows, and several satchels of quarrels.
ERIK: (Hefts one of the crossbows, sights down it, looks satisfied) "Maybe Hartsdale would know how to do that. He knows a lot about all sorts of weird stuff."
KEVIN: "Who's Hartsdale?"
ERIK: "New owner of the Sacred Grounds coffeeshop. I'm going back there. You wanna come?" (Holds out the crossbow to Kevin)
ANNE: "Now, wait just a minute! I wanna know what got into Russell, and why you guys are arming to the teeth."
KEVIN: "I told you, it's a demon. You saw its eyes. And it didn't sound like Russell, or fight like him, did it?"
ANNE: (Reluctantly) "No, not really. It fought much better, actually."
ERIK: "Then, come with us. I'm gonna need help carrying these things." (Holds out the other crossbow to Anne) "Neither of you guys has a car, do you?"
ANNE: "No, I came on my bike."
ERIK: "Well, it's not far, we can just walk."
ANNE: (Nods toward the closet) "What about him? We can't just carry him across town. People will notice."
KEVIN: "We could take the bus. Prop him up between us."
ERIK: "What is this, Weekend at Russell's? Just leave him. He's not going anywhere." (He shoulders his sword and the packages of quarrels, while Anne and Kevin carry the two crossbows)
CUT TO - THE SACRED GROUNDS. The sun is westering, almost to the tops of the mountains, and Tori has arrived, with a dozen "pretty people" girls in tow. Her father has arranged for tickets to the show tonight, and they are all dressed to impress the stars and producers that rumor says will be there. Moira is taking their order for a dozen hot chocolates, and they sit down at three tables that they push together. Choruses of giggling ensue from that direction.
Erik, Kevin and Anne arrive, with weaponry. Drew, Hartsdale and Sam come upstairs to meet them.
DREW: "Awesome, man!" (Takes one of the crossbows and runs his hands along the stock.) "Sweet!"
Erik catches sight of Tori and her "friends" and goes over to her. In the background, Anne and Kevin introduce themselves to Hartsdale.
ERIK: "Hi, Tori!"
TORI: (Looks down her nose at him, quite a feat from sitting down) "What do you want, geekazoid?"
ERIK: (Unfazed) "We're just going off to slay some more vampires. Wanna come?" (He grins and raises his eyebrows at her.)
TORI: (Fluffs her hair) "Stupid geeky D&D games." (She looks away, and then pointedly back at him.) "Go. Away."
Erik goes back where Drew and Sam are waiting for him.
SAM: "Let's go see how Alex is doing." (Lowers her voice to a whisper) "I've got some stakes with me, too." (Pats her coat, where the inner pocket contains two weapons.)
Sam, Erik, and Drew leave, with crossbows.
TORI: (To the other girls) "I don't know what that's all about. Some stupid game... whatever."
MARCY: "Why do you even care?"
The hot chocolate arrives, and conversation returns to the movie, Silent Screams and who is supposed to be there.
Moira gets a thoughtful look on her face, and retreats behind the counter, looking for something below.
KEVIN: (Counting who's left) "One... two... three..." (To Hartsdale) "You wouldn't happen to read Arabic, would you?"
HARTSDALE: "I am fluent in several languages, including Arabic. How can I be of service?"
KEVIN: (Relieved) "Great! Well, since you're not doing anything right now, can I borrow your body for a little while?"
HARTSDALE: (flummoxed) "Whatever do you mean?"
KEVIN: (Reluctantly leans closer and whispers, pointing to the book he's carrying)
HARTSDALE: (Appalled) "Good Lord! There are enough things in this town without you inviting more of them in!"
Kevin looks sheepish.
HARTSDALE: "But it must be dealt with, so of course I'll help."
CUT TO - SOLOMON GENERAL HOSPITAL. Alex McClintosh lies in his bed, one arm attached to a slow IV drip of painkilling drugs. He's humming something about "The rugged shores of fair Islay" under his breath. From the other side of the curtain that separates him from his roommate comes raspy, gurgling breathing.
ALEX: "Oi, there woman! Can't you quiet down a little?" (Mutters to himself) "Can't handle my liquor, Mrs. Marshall said... Sod that! Couldn't handle the fall from the second story, is what! I tell you..."
Outside the window, dusk is falling over the town of Solomon. The final sliver of the sun sinks behind the ridge of mountains to the west, and blue-gray shadows spread over the hospital grounds.
The door to the room opens. Alex groggily looks toward the visitor. The light from the hallway puts him in silhouette for a moment. (blurry focus, as Alex tries to sit up)
ALEX: "Who're you?"
The newcomer doesn't say a word. He steps into the room, and his form resolves. He's tall, blonde, very pale, with chiseled cheek-bones, wearing a long, black coat, black turtleneck and trousers, even black gloves. He raises one finger to his lips, puts on "game face" and steps behind the curtain.
Alex bolts up out of bed, tearing the IV from his arm with a wince. There's weak thrashing from his roommate, and the curtain ripples. Alex tries to edge past the scene, trying not to look, but he can't help it.
The vampire rounds on him, blood dripping from his mouth. Alex gives a hoarse cry and backs away. The vampire advances. There's movement in the hallway. A breeze from the window riffles Alex's hair, and he turns, throws the window wider, yanks at the screen, and jumps.
CUT TO - Long shot of Alex, falling out of the window, four stories down, landing in a dumpster full of autumn leaves. (Close-up) He's crying, and struggling to get free of the wet leaves, in which he's mired to the knees. Camera pans upwards to show the vampire on the window-ledge, who lightly jumps and lands in the same dumpster beside Alex. He smiles and licks blood from his lips. Alex gibbers.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
CUT TO: A dark place, there are rafters above and uncertain flooring below. A slender figure, dressed all in black with a ski-mask over his face, is moving among large, dim shapes of boxes, crates, large wardrobe-like cabinets.
JOSHUA: (Murmuring very softly to himself, his voice is pure New Joisey) "...Said it was up here somewhere..." (Takes a mini-crowbar out of a fanny-pack around his waist, and applies it gently (and quietly) to one of the crates. The seal cracks, and he freezes, waiting for a count of five before lifting the lid.) "Would'dja look at that?" (Holds up a pair of Chinese handcuffs to a shaft of moonlight that angles down from somewhere above.) "Authentic... not reproduction." (Pockets the handcuffs, and lifts out a pack of cards, embossed with elaborate designs on the backs. He shuffles them experimentally, flips one over his knuckles, and grins.) "Pure silk... Feel like a dream..." (Pockets that too, and moves on to the next crate)
CUT TO: INTERIOR: HOSPITAL CORRIDOR. Sam, Drew and Erik are walking together, talking.
SAM: (To Drew) "I hope they let us in to see him today..." (Turns her head, frowns.)
Up the corridor, three vampires, in "game face" are standing in the hall. One of them is bent over a figure in nurse's whites. The other two look on, encouraging him.
SAM: (Pulls one of the stakes from her pocket) "Showtime." (Points to the one farthest out in the hall) "You guys distract that one. I'll get the one feeding."
DREW: "But that leaves one more... Distract. Right."
All three break into a run. Sam plunges her stake into the vampire who is bent over the nurse. He never sees it coming, and vanishes in a puff of dust. The nurse falls to the floor, limp. Sam faces off against the second vampire. Erik kicks the third one in the knee and keeps on going. Drew puts his thumbs in his ears and wiggles his fingers, going "Booga-booga-booga!" in the vampire's face while it's down. He takes off after Erik. The vampire recovers his balance, and takes off after him.
Sam and the remaining vampire exchange blows. It spins her around and grabs her in a bear-hug from behind. She throws herself backwards, landing on top of it. It manages to get its teeth into her neck, but where the muscle is, not the vein. Sam drives her elbows into its sides, loosens its grip on her, and rolls off. She rolls back with the stake in hand, and finishes it off.
Down the hall, Erik and Drew come to a fork in the corridor, one goes left, the other right. The vampire decides to follow Erik. Drew doubles back and finds Sam, covered in dust, in Alex's room. The roommate is dead, and Alex is missing, but there's no blood on his bed, so that's possibly a positive. But where is he?
Thundering footsteps back down the hall - Erik passes the door again, shouts "Vampire!" and points behind him. Sam steps out, and trips the vampire as it goes past. It sprawls on its face. Drew spots a portable defibrillator in the hall, and grabs the paddles. While the vampire gets up and Sam is boxing with it, Drew throws the switch and rubs the paddles together.
DREW: "Sam! Throw him over here!"
Sam catches the vampire in a judo-hold, and throws him. He lands, staggering, just in front of Drew.
DREW: "Clear!" (Applies the paddles to the vampire's back and thumbs the trigger.)
Electricity courses through the undead body and it twitches and bucks, collapsing to the ground. Sam steps up and stakes it. It poofs to dust.
DREW: (Pointing to her trapezius) "You're bleeding!"
SAM: "Only a flesh wound... You should see the other guy." (Grins)
Drew grins weakly back.
SAM: "Let's find Alex." (She glances out the window, and does a double-take)
DREW: "Sam! The nurses are coming!"
SAM: "You guys leave. I'll meet you out front."
DREW: "But what are you doing? They'll be here in a minute."
Female voices approach, quickly, sounds of dismay and anger when they find the nurse in the hall.
SAM: "Just go! I'm going out this way" (Points to the window, and climbs up to the sill)
DREW "But..."
Sam lets her feet hang over until she's half-way over the edge. She nods toward the door like "go on!" and lets herself drop until only her fingers are visible on the sill.
DREW: "Well... Okay. I guess..." He leaves just as the nurses arrive. Cries of dismay at the sight of the roommate's body. They cluster around the bed, and Drew manages to get past them without being noticed.
CUT TO - THE HALL:
ERIK: "Where's Sam?"
DREW: "She went out the window. Said she'd meet us out front."
Erik shakes his head and the two boys head back toward the front door. They get there, and see Sam, carrying Alex's body. There are tears in her eyes, and a large, teeth-mark shaped gash across his throat.
SAM: "We were too late... they got him."
A bevy of nurses coalesce around them, one of them brings a gurney and Alex's body is laid upon it.
DREW: "Are you sure he's..."
Sam nods.
DREW: "Oh, jeez."
SAM: (Quietly) "Yeah."
COMMERCIAL BREAK
CUT TO - THE SACRED GROUNDS Tori and her "friends" finish their hot chocolate, and troop out the door en masse. Moira counts the money they've left behind and mutters "Chintzy tip, too." Pockets it, and clears the table.
CUT TO - THE PARADISE THEATRE. Tori presents the handful of tickets to the ticket-taker with a flourish, and they're all let inside. Soft light plays from high chandeliers, bouncing off the gilded surfaces, the rich, red brocade and velvet curtains. In fact, it is very like the theater from the TEASER, except filled out with color and sound. Everyone here is dressed in evening wear, elegant and formal. The tuxedoed men all look dashing and handsome. One or two are semi-famous. The women are tall and slender, sheathed in black or cream or red. In comparison, the girls in their sequined prom-dresses look very young and very out of place. Tori herself is wearing a simple, knee-length, dark-red dress with a scoop neckline and a small mother-of-pearl heart on a silver chain. Her hair is swept up and six-inch spike heels make her seem taller. She looks like a young Ava Gardner.
A gentleman in a perfect Victorian tuxedo with white tie and tails steps over to her, attracting her attention away from the others, who are lost in wonder at the rich appointments, and envy of the rich people.
ERICH: "Good evening, my dear. Might I have the honor of an introduction? I am Erich Sahr, maestro of this... little event." (His voice is deep, and accented from central Europe.)
TORI: (Charmed) "Of course." (She holds out her hand delicately) "I am Victoria Clark."
ERICH: (Takes her hand, and bows to kiss it) "Miss Clark, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Might I show you around our little theater? Do not worry about your friends. They will find their own way..." (His eyes are mesmerizing, and Tori follows him, smiling when he tucks her hand into the crook of his elbow as he gives her a guided tour of the theater, up to the two balconies, even to the backstage.
CUT TO - THE COLISEUM. Hartsdale, Kevin and Anne go inside. Hartsdale is carrying the "Awasum Raj" book under his arm. They look around to be sure no one is nearby. The wrestling mats are empty, and so is the corridor where the maintenance closet is.
KEVIN: (Opens the door and checks inside.) "Yup, he's still here."
HARTSDALE: "We should bring him out of the closet." (Anne chortles at that. Hartsdale looks confused, but then shakes his head and mutters) "Children."
They pick up Russell, Anne has his head, Kevin his feet. Hartsdale follows, skimming through the book and muttering to himself. They take Russell back up to the multi-purpose room where he and Anne had been sparring and lay him down on the floor. Hartsdale takes a piece of chalk from his pocket and begins drawing out a circle and various symbols on the hardwood floor. He refers to the book, as he pulls out a box from his pocket, and anoints his forehead, and then Anne's and then refreshes Kevin's spot.
HARTSDALE: "It is fortunate that you Society for Creative Anachronism folks keep loose gunpowder on hand. That is what Juanita used, apparently."
KEVIN: "Gunpowder? On our heads?"
HARTSDALE: "Don't touch it. It's perfectly safe, as long as no one holds a match to the spot. And even then, loose gunpowder is devilishly tricky to light. As you well know." (He nods to Anne, and she nods back, agreeing.) "Well, there we go, then. This should be the ticket Russell needs to come back to the world of the non-possessed." (He places the book in the center of the circle and holds out his hands to the younger folk. They join hands in a triangle.)
Hartsdale speaks an intonation in Arabic with rising and falling cadence like a poem. It is different from the incantation that Juanita used, and he never falls back on English. Russell thrashes against his restraints, but Hartsdale raises his voice louder, and then louder as the thrashing and muffled screams crescendo.
Abruptly, Russell falls limp, and a glowing ball of light emerges from his chest. It spins like a top, and seems to be fighting against the incantation, but Hartsdale does not waver. A net of threads of light emerge from the book, latch onto Awasum Raj, and drag it back into the pages. A great gust of wind that comes from nowhere and goes nowhere slams the book shut.
The three ritualists drop hands. Anne and Kevin unwrap unconscious Russell from the volleyball net while Hartsdale gathers up the book and uses his handkerchief to obliterate the chalk-marks.
ANNE: (Grips a corner of the duct-tape gag) "This might wake him up. You two'd better leave."
Hartsdale nods and he and Kevin exit the room. Anne rips the tape off of Russell's mouth and stands back.
Russell bellows in pain. "You didn't have to hit me so hard, bitch!"
ANNE: (Sighs) "Same old Russell we know and despise."
Russell picks himself up, glares at her and exits the practice room, rubbing his face.
HARTSDALE: (In the hall with Kevin, hefts the book) "Where did you find this?"
KEVIN: "I need to return it now, actually. It was in the college library."
HARTSDALE: (Mutters) "They should raze this town and sow the earth with salt." (More loudly) "This must be taken out of the public eye. It is much too dangerous to return to the library."
KEVIN: "No! I have to take it back. They think I stole it!"
HARTSDALE: "No, it is much too dangerous. I will take care of it."
KEVIN: "They don't know you. They know me. I have to return it... Maybe you can arrange to buy it from them later, but I have to take it back. I have to... It's the only honest thing to do."
This argument catches Hartsdale off-guard. Reluctantly, he nods. Honesty is on the side of the angels, even though he has severe misgivings about giving the book back. Kevin takes it and heads out the door.
ANNE: (Comes out into the hall) "Well, what now?"
HARTSDALE: "I must return to my shop." (Bows slightly) "Thank you for your assistance in this matter." (Stiffly, he leaves.)
Anne stands for a moment, and then follows, one hand upraised like she wants to ask a question.
CUT TO: DARKNESS. Joshua is still quietly rummaging around in boxes of paraphernalia suitable for stage magic. There are occasional gasps and murmurs of excitement as he makes one discovery after another.
JOSHUA: "If only I had room to carry this with me..."
Attention on what he has discovered, he makes a mis-step, his foot breaks through a rotten board, and he plunges to the knee through the ceiling of the room below.
CUT TO - PARADISE LOBBY. Tori, walking arm-in-arm with Erich Sahr, dimples up at something Sahr just said. She hears something, and looks around, catching sight of something moving, a foot, in a snug black climbing-shoe, and part of a leg in black tights, dangling through the ceiling. She points up a short stairway that leads to a closed door.
TORI: "And what's up there?"
SAHR: "That is just... where we store old props, and things. You need not concern yourself with that."
TORI: "But there's someone up there, and he seems to have fallen through the ceiling." (She points to the foot, which wriggles, and then disappears back up into the attic.)
SAHR: (Frowns, but then turns on the charm again when he faces Tori) "Do not concern yourself. It is probably only one of the technicians. We will fix the problem." (He pats her hand) "But the show is to start soon. Would you like me to walk you to your seat?"
Tori seems very pleased at the thought of arriving, in front of the group, on the arm of this elegant gentleman. But, while his hand rests on top of hers, she realizes something...
TORI: "That is so kind, Mr. Sahr. But first," (She looks uncomfortable) "Where is the ladies room?"
SAHR: "Ah, of course... right around the corner, to the right there." (He releases her, and watches as she wobbles just a little bit on her heels before disappearing into the powder room. Then, he turns to one of the very muscular ushers who stands at every door) "There is a rat in the attic." (Nods brusquely toward the ceiling.) "Take care of it."
USHER: "Yes, Herr Sahr."
CUT TO: ATTIC. Joshua is cursing under his breath as he carefully steps away from the hole that he has made. Light from below pours up into the gloom. He heads towards a metal staircase that goes up to an exit to the roof. A louder sound from above and behind him makes him turn, and he pulls himself up into the rafters to one side of the stairs, effectively disappearing in the dark.
From below, a burly man in a tuxedo comes up into the attic. At the same time, from above, three figures let themselves in from the roof. The man, we've seen before, is the same vampire ("Twisted Sister") that Sam fought on the cliff when she was Called. He has his "game face" on. Joshua stares in horror, as the meager light plays across the inhuman visage, and only barely keeps his grip on his precarious perch. Cold sweat trickles down his face.
Twisted Sister growls a challenge and heads up the stairs. The three women, Britta and her Satanic Kittens, head down the stairs. Britta doesn't even stop when she beheads Twisted Sister with her sword and moves on. His flesh dissolves to dust, and a moment later, his skeleton, and then his skull, follow suit. Britta and Satanic Kitten #3 (The Red-head) continue down to the door to the stairs to the lobby, and disappear. However, Satanic Kitten #2 (The blonde who inspired the name with her "Hello Satan" T-shirt) stops on the stairs and turns her long eyes to look up - exactly where Joshua is hiding. She sits down, smiles, and insolently blows him a kiss.
CUT TO - TORI, IN THE LADIES' ROOM. There are three stalls, and three sinks, and everything is marble and gold filigree, just like outside. A cut-crystal vase of dried flowers stands in one corner of the counter, near a stack of thick towelettes, and there are bottles of hand lotion as well as liquid soap. However, the window is barred from the inside. There is no way out. But on the wall beyond the last stall, is a pay-telephone. Tori checks to make sure the wires aren't cut, and lifts the receiver. There is a dial tone. She rummages in her purse for a quarter, deposits it, and dials...
CUT TO - THE SACRED GROUNDS. The phone rings, and Moira picks it up. She's holding a letter in her other hand, frowning as she reads it.
MOIRA: (Distracted) "The Sacred Grounds, where coffee is our religion. How may I help you?"
TORI: (Biting her lips on the other end, she sounds very nervous) "M-moira?"
MOIRA: (Catches onto the voice) "Speaking."
TORI: "It's me - Tori Clark... is... is Sam there? Or the... tweed guy?"
MOIRA: "Just a sec'" (Covers the mouthpiece and shouts) "Sam! Telephone!"
SAM: (From downstairs) "Yeah, what is it?" (She comes up, still looking upset. Hartsdale follows.)
MOIRA: "It's Tori! She wants to talk to you! And I think I found a clue about where Preuter went." (Hands the phone to Sam, and the letter to Hartsdale.)
Sam rolls her eyes, but takes the phone. Hartsdale takes the letter and reads it.
SAM: "Tori? What's up?"
TORI: "I'm at the Paradise Theater... and... this is stupid, but I think..." (She swallows) "I think some of those people are here."
SAM: "What people?"
TORI: "Like that woman, Britta. I saw her, just now..."
SAM: "Where are you?"
TORI: "In the Ladies' Room."
SAM: "Stay right there. I'll be right over." (Hangs up. To HARTSDALE:) "Tori's at the Paradise Theater, and she saw Britta there. She didn't say there were other vampires, but if I know her, she wouldn't admit it even if they were breaking down the door."
HARTSDALE: (Holds up the letter) "This says that Mr. Preuter was invited to view the theater, before its official opening... Silent Screams... that film has a history of terrible things happening, every time it is shown, even small sections of it. I don't think an entire copy of it exists anywhere. Even the Watchers' library only contains fragments."
MOIRA: "So, that's where Preuter went, the night Vivian was killed..." (A thought crosses her mind.) "Damn! I forgot. Sometimes, my dreams come true..."
HARTSDALE: "What dream?"
MOIRA: "This morning, I dreamed... well, it was you, and Sam, but you were dressed like the '20's, and you went into a theater together. And got swarmed with vampires..." (Looks sadly at Sam) "You were all alone."
SAM: (Misinterpreting her words) "It was only a dream. We'll have help." (She jumps down the stairs several at a time, to where Drew and Erik are both experimenting with the crossbows now. Anne is giving them pointers. Kevin Vastarley has also joined the group.)
ERIK: (To Kevin) "So, what do you know about vampires?"
KEVIN: "Not much, but I'm being trained in the magical arts." (He holds out his hand, and a sword floats through the air to him, where he catches it.)
SAM: (Stares at Kevin's display, but then shakes her head) "You guys want to use those things for real?"
DREW: (Grins) "Sure! What's the emergency?"
SAM: "Vampires at the Paradise Theater. Wanna go with me to check it out?"
Drew looks like he's just been offered a ticket to the real Paradise.
SAM: "Can I try one of those?" (Drew hands her his crossbow.) "Thanks."
Anne, Moira, Kevin and Hartsdale get stakes and swords. They're the only ones at the Sacred Grounds anyway, so Moira locks up and puts up the "Back in 5 mins" sign. Everybody piles into Sam's Jeep Cherokee, and they're off to the theater.
CUT TO - THE PARADISE THEATRE, parking lot. Sam pulls in, and everyone piles out. She, Drew and Erik have crossbows. Hartsdale, Kevin, Anne and Moira follow. Through the glass doors, four vampires are visible in the lobby, "game faces" in place. The doors are locked.
DREW: (To Sam) "I think the phrase is - 'kick it'?
SAM: (Nods to him and Erik) "Left, right, center." (Hefts her crossbow and kicks, right at the central lock. The doors fly open and glass shatters into the lobby. Sam kicks it out of the way.)
Erik and Drew draw beads on their respective vamps. Sam snaps off a shot at the one in the middle, and all three quarrels find their marks. Three vampires fall to dust.
Anne and Moira push forward, slash and stab at the fourth vampire. Kevin holds out his right hand, and one of the broken pieces of the door-frame levitates, and flies in between Moira and Anne, to lodge in the last vampire's rib-cage. Four piles.
SAM: (Looking around for more) "That was fun. Let's go find Tori, and find out what's going on here." (Edges into the lobby, which is empty.)
Tori, having heard the noise, peeks out of the door of the ladies room, and breathes a sigh of relief. She comes out, holding her shoes in her hand.
TORI: (In a scared whisper) "Thank goodness you're here! They locked the doors, and then went in there." (Nods toward the closed doors to the auditorium.) "I don't know what they were going to do, but there are a lot of people... trapped... in there."
SAM: "You want to put those back on. There's glass."
TORI: (Sighs, puts the shoes on, and promptly snaps the heels off.) "I am not about to run in those." (Gathers up the broken heels and puts them in her purse)
Sam edges towards the auditorium doors, and opens them as little as possible. She, followed by Erik and Drew and then the others, slip inside, around the light-baffle and into the dark theater.
The movie is playing. Silent Screams is the same film as is in the TEASER - but for one difference. The girl in the flapper dress is Britta, looking young and care-free, and the older man is only in his late twenties, with a handlebar mustache. He only fights half-heartedly, and retreats almost immediately in the face of opposition, covering his eyes and shaking his head at Britta's silent pleas and screaming as the vampires pull her into their midst.
DREW: (Murmuring) "So that's why Britta hates the Watchers."
SAM: (Also quiet) "Let's go up to the projection room. If she's here, she's probably there."
KEVIN: "There might be others... I thought I heard something, back there..."
Everybody edges back out into the lobby and puts their heads together.
SAM: (To Erik and Kevin) "Will you guys go find out where the back door to this place is, just in case we need it?" (Erik looks non-plussed, but they nod.)
TORI: "I know where the office is. Sahr showed me."
SAM: "Who's Sahr?"
TORI: "This delightful old gentleman, with very cold hands." (She shivers) "He gave me a tour of the place before the show started and I went to the ladies room."
SAM: "Okay. You go with Kevin and Erik. Check the rest of the place, but be careful. If you see any vamps, come get the rest of us." (To Anne and Moira) "Which way do you want to go?"
ANNE (Looks to the larger group) "Safety in numbers."
MOIRA agrees.
DREW: (To Sam) "I'll come with you."
HARTSDALE: "And I, also."
So, Kevin, Erik, Tori, Anne and Moira head toward the office at the back of the theater. Sam, Drew and Hartsdale head upstairs to the projection booth.
CUT TO - THE PROJECTION ROOM. Sam stands in the doorway, with her friends behind her. Britta is there with Erich Sahr. Satanic Kitten #2 is not with them. Drew levels his crossbow at Britta's heart.
SAHR: (Rambling to an end) "... Yes, it may be your movie, but there is the greater Evil to think of!" (Gestures widely.)
BRITTA: (Catches sight of Sam over Sahr's shoulder) "Hello again." (Sneers as she spots Hartsdale behind Sam. Her voice drips venom.) "Like my movie, Watcher?" (Eyes cut back to Sam) "I told you, never trust them. Why didn't you listen!?"
SAHR: (Spins around, gapes.) "What are you doing here? This is my theater! Get out!"
SAM: (Ignores Sahr. Coolly, to Britta) "I'm not you, and he's not your Watcher." (Nods back towards Hartsdale) "Leave him out of this."
BRITTA: "They're all the same. Cowards. Betrayers. Liars!"
SAM: "I thought you said we were on the same side. We both Slay vampires, right?"
BRITTA: (Sarcastically) "Oh, yeah. We're on the same side." (Points to Sahr) "There's your 'greater evil'! Just let me pull my girls out of here and he's all yours."
SAM: "Go." (To the others) "Let her leave." (Drew doesn't answer, but he shifts his aim slightly, from Britta to Sahr. Sam continues, to Britta) "Just, don't eat anyone on the way out? Okay?"
BRITTA: (Still sarcastic) "Okay. I won't eat anyone... on the way out." (Bares her teeth at Hartsdale as she goes by, but keeps her face smooth)
Sam aims her crossbow at Sahr, who abruptly realizes that he's in trouble. She fires and Drew follows a moment later, but he dodges and the quarrels stick in the wall behind him. Sam drops the bow and moves to engage hand-to-hand.
CUT TO: Long shot, up from the theater floor. Sam fights the vampire, in silhouette, while the audience watches the film, oblivious to what is going on in the booth. Finally, Sam flips him over her shoulder to the floor.
CUT TO: PROJECTION BOOTH. Sam sits on Sahr's chest, pounding his face in. Drew has reloaded his crossbow and waves it at Sahr, but can't get a clear shot around Sam. Behind them, Hartsdale stops the film and pulls the reel out of the projector. Noises of surprise and annoyance from the audience below. Roughly, with his sword, Hartsdale begins chopping the film into smaller pieces.
Sam brandishes a stake. (To Sahr) "Any last words?"
SAHR: (Spits blood) "Bitch!"
Sam stakes him, and rises to her feet. (To Hartsdale) "What are you doing?"
HARTSDALE: "Must be destroyed... History of evil... Must never be shown again!"
SAM: "Okay, I'll help." (Takes out her hunting knife and holds up a long strip of film, cutting it right down the middle.)
Voice up from below: "Hey! What's happening? Where's the movie??"
SAM: (Moves to the front of the projection booth and cups her hands around her mouth) "This movie has been cancelled. Please move toward the exits."
(Cries of outrage and annoyance follow)
SAM: "Please exit in an orderly fashion! There is nothing more to see here!"
The crowd finally "gets" it and starts to rise out of their seats and leave. Drew finds the light switch and the lights come on below.
SAM: "And please be careful at the front doors. There has been an... accident and there is glass on the floor. Please be aware, and move in an orderly fashion. Thank you for your attention."
Sam settles back into helping Hartsdale destroy film. Drew also helps.
SAM: "There was something else, I forgot to tell you..."
HARTSDALE: "Oh, yes?"
SAM: "I found some letters... in our attic, from my great-grandmother, to her sister-in-law. They're written in German, which I don't read, but in some of them, they mention a Britta Kessler. And, it's about the right time period - 1924."
DREW: "So, Britta was telling the truth."
HARTSDALE: "About what?"
SAM: "Our names. She implied that she was my ancestor."
HARTSDALE: "Well, it's possible; I suppose... it has been known to run in families... Of course most Slayers..." (He breaks off awkwardly)
SAM: (Seems to know what he was going to say anyway) "Don't live long enough to have kids?"
HARTSDALE: (Regretfully) "That's right, Samantha... I'm sorry."
SAM: "Hey, don't sweat it. It's not like I was planning on having kids any time soon, anyway. How's this?" (Holds up a handful of chopped celluloid)
HARTSDALE: "That's fine." (They put the film-bits into a bag they found under the counter)
SAM: "That's a good question, though. What's the life-span of your average Slayer?"
HARTSDALE: (Really uncomfortable with this line of questions) "How old are you now?"
SAM: "Just turned sixteen. On November fifth."
HARTSDALE: "Guy Fawkes Day." (Softly laughs, but not with mirth) "Most Slayers are Called earlier, around the age of fourteen... most live to around eighteen, or nineteen..." (He looks at her, then purses his lips and goes back to cutting up film.)
SAM: "Oh."
Drew looks like he's been punched, but Sam doesn't seem too fazed. At least, she doesn't react in any visible way. They finish dealing with the film. Hartsdale has the bag. Sam flips one of her stakes into her fist.
SAM: "Well, there are still vampires to deal with." (She heads out the door.)
Drew steps in front of Hartsdale, preventing him from following.
DREW: (Jaw working, holding back anger, he speaks quietly.) "What's the record?"
Hartsdale looks at him, understanding dawns, with compassion in his eyes. He doesn't pretend to mis-understand.
HARTSDALE: "Thirty."
Drew just stares at him. There is a palpable air of challenge in his stance, and anger on his face. The silence becomes uncomfortable, and then unbearable. Heartsdale breaks it.
HARTSDALE: "This is an ugly business you've gotten yourself into."
Drew glares at him for a moment more, and then turns on his heel to follow Sam down the stairs.
Tori is standing, in her broken shoes, at one side of the auditorium, gesturing for Sam to come over that way. The draperies that cover the walls up from the screen break here, and there is a door hidden behind them.
TORI: "The lobby is abandoned, and the office. We checked. There's nobody else in the place at all. The others went down that way to check the basement." (Points)
Sam (crossbow back in hand) heads down the stairs to the basement. Moira, Anne, Kevin and Erik are waiting at the bottom of the stairs, all of them with their shoulders pressed against the door, which is shuddering from blows from the other side.
ERIK: (Over his shoulder) "Vampires, inside. At least two of them. They were talking about the movie, something about an apocalypse..."
SAM: "Let them through."
Erik counts "One, Two, Three!" and all four step back. The first vampire through the door gets Drew's crossbow-bolt through the heart. The second gets sword-cuts from Anne and Moira, and a stake from Erik.
Inside the room, another vampire in long, ceremonial robes is doing something with a reel of film, a gourd rattle, and a circle of candles.
Kevin closes his eyes and reaches out, and the candle-flames jump - and catch on the celluloid, which bursts into flames. The vampire holding it shouts "NOOOO!" and tries to shake it out.
Sam decks him, and then stakes him. Kevin gestures and the flames leap across the room to the final reel of film (waiting to one side), which also goes up in flames. Abruptly, the candles go out and a sound like the wind of a closing door blows through the room.
Everyone looks at each other, and gives a whoop of joy.
Just at that moment, Joshua Archer appears at the top of the stairs. He has his ski-mask off, and is wiping sweat from his forehead.
JOSHUA: "I... Hey. I know you guys." (Blinks, looking from one face to another.) "Does anybody want to tell me what the hell is going on around here? And who those three, really creepy... really hot... but really creepy women were?"
SAM: (Climbs up the stairs toward him) "Three women? A tall brunette, a shorter red-head..."
JOSHUA: "And a blonde in a "Hello Satan" T-Shirt, yeah."
SAM: "Where did you see them?"
JOSHUA: (Points behind him) "They were going up, out on the roof. I was in the attic..."
SAM: "Why were you in the attic?" (She takes in his 'cat-burglar' outfit)
JOSHUA: "Just looking around... Why were you guys shooting people with crossbows?"
SAM: "They weren't people."
JOSHUA: "Ri-ight." (He stirs the dust on the threshold with his toe.) "Just how does someone join this little club?"
SAM: "Well, that depends on how much you're willing to believe... Why don't we all go back to the Grounds for some hot chocolate?"
JOSHUA: "After what I've seen tonight, I think I'd believe just about anything... I like it!"
FADE TO FINAL CREDITS