Act Three[/u]
INT. DOMINION BAR OFFICE
A variety of standard office furniture, all covered with various papers and objects, fills the room. The voices floating into the room from the bar indicate the crowd is quickly growing, as the patrons who have day jobs start coming to relax.
Kalinka is sitting cross-legged on the floor in the middle of the office, surrounded by a variety of mystical objects. Her eyes are closed, hands placed lightly on her knees, head tilted back slightly. She seems unaware of the commotion happening on the other side of the door. A white candle in front of Kalinka flickers and a blue mist surrounds her. She doesn’t seem to notice, remaining still, the only signs of movement evident in her face. As the mist envelops Kalinka, her eyes open suddenly to reveal pearl-white eyes.
KALINKA:
Willow.
INT. DOMINION BAR
Kalinka is seen walking back into the main part of the bar. The room is half full and Bob and Clem are behind the bar preparing for the busiest time of day. Kalinka walks over and starts pulling glasses from underneath the bar and placing them on the counter. She waits until Bob has moved to the other side of the bar before speaking.
KALINKA (quietly):
I spoke with Willow.
CLEM (upset):
I thought you were going to tell me before you did that.
KALINKA:
I saw the opportunity and I took it. I didn’t want to make a fuss of it in case Bob would get his hopes up for nothing.
CLEM (smiling):
That does sound like you.
(beat)
You’re alright?
Kalinka moves closer to Clem and places her hand in his, squeezing it slightly.
KALINKA:
Yeah, I’m fine. It didn’t take much energy.
CLEM:
What did she have to say?
KALINKA:
Well…
Suddenly a large noise is heard from near the bar’s entrance. Kalinka and Clem instinctively turn to the source of the commotion, but Bob seems to hardly notice. Spike and Illyria had come tumbling into the bar mid-fight. The effects of the bar’s protection spell don’t seem to be putting a stop to the tussle, so Clem rushes over.
CLEM:
Guys? Guys.
Clem glares at the two of them, both oblivious to his pleas.
CLEM (yelling):
Guys!
They stop, both in mid-punch, and turn their heads to look at him. Most of the bar’s guests are continuing to eat, drink, and be merry, ignoring the ruckus. A few, though, shoot the pair disapproving glances as they make their way to their feet, before continuing with their drinks.
CLEM:
Glad you’re back. Kallie has some news.
(beat)
I take it you didn’t find her?
SPIKE:
No. Truth be told, we ‘ad no idea where t’ look, so we just wandered around a bit ‘opin’ t’ get lucky.
The trio move back toward the bar, joining Kalinka and Bob. They notice the look of disappointment on Bob’s face when he realizes Shell hadn’t come in with Spike and Illyria.
CLEM:
Kallie, what did Willow have to say?
KALINKA:
Well, she’s not sure exactly what’s wrong with the protection spell. She said she’d look into it.
Kalinka shrugs, sorry she can’t provide more information.
KALINKA:
She also said it sounds like the voice haunting Bob is a fear demon.
CLEM:
Well, that, um…Well, that actually makes a lot of sense.
BOB (irritated):
Okay, so if it makes that much sense, how come no one thought of that earlier?
VOICE (O.S.):
I’m actually a little disappointed you didn’t figure it out earlier. I mean, I’m quite proud of myself for doing such a good job of shutting you down, but come on. You’re a demon yourself. I figured perhaps you’d be a more difficult target. You really should have figured it out sooner. I wonder how long your little Shell has left.
Bob shakes his head furiously, looking even more irritated. He focuses his attention on the group again, looking expectantly at the others.
BOB:
So,
now I can go find Shell.
SPIKE:
Good luck findin’ ‘er, mate. It’s like lookin’ for a needle.
BOB:
Not if you know where to look.
Bob reaches behind him to pick up jacket, then walks to the door.
KALINKA:
Where are you going?
BOB:
The temple. They wanted her once. Maybe they haven’t given up yet.
SPIKE:
There’s a temple? When did this happen?
CLEM:
That’s a story for another time.
(beat)
Bob, wait up. I’m coming with you.
Clem moves to follow Bob, but turns around and looks at Spike and Illyria.
CLEM:
I need you two to stay here and help Kallie until we come back.
Illyria doesn’t look pleased, but moves to the other side of the bar where a growing group of customers has formed. Spike moves, almost automatically, through the bar, not registering what Clem said.
SPIKE (mumbling):
There was a temple? Why didn’t anyone tell me there was a temple?
EXT. TENGU TEMPLE – NIGHT
Bob and Clem are crouched behind some bushes across the street from the temple. They’re talking in hushed tones, occasionally poking their heads around the bushes to watch for any activity.
CLEM:
So, what’s the plan?
BOB:
I don’t know.
CLEM:
Well, now’s the time to think of one.
BOB:
Well, I don’t think they’ll be keeping her in the same room. And the front entrance is most likely heavily guarded.
CLEM:
So, we’re looking for a back entrance?
BOB:
Yep. The question is can we find it?
CLEM:
You think they’ve cloaked it?
Bob shrugs, not sure of what they should expect or who they may be up against.
BOB:
Or maybe it’s just really hard to find.
(beat)
It looks like the grounds around back are pretty overgrown. No way of knowing what to expect.
CLEM:
You think they’ll be guarding it?
BOB:
Well, if there’s even a back entrance at all I’d say it’s a strong possibility. They’re clearly up to something and I imagine they’ll take all the necessary precautions to make sure no one finds out.
CLEM:
So, what’s the plan?
BOB:
Well…
Bob’s voice slowly becomes softer and softer, an attempt to keep his ideas from prying ears.
EXT. BEHIND TENGU TEMPLE
Bob and Clem are pressed up against the building, their faces and arms covered in small cuts from the heavy growth. Bob signals to Clem to be quiet and follow him as he starts to turn the corner. Bob moves slowly, careful not to make any noise, his spikes protruding from his arms in case he should run into someone. They make their way around the side of the building, finally coming to a door.
He puts his ear to the wooden door, but hears nothing. He turns to Clem, moving his hand as if he were opening a door knob. Then he signals that he’ll go in first and opens the door slowly, revealing a stairwell. They’re caught off-guard, but Clem quickly comes up with a plan and motions to Bob to go downstairs while he goes up.
Bob shakes his head; he’s not happy with the idea. Clem nods, and motions again for Bob to go downstairs while he goes up, before giving him two thumbs up. Bob pauses before nodding in agreement.
INT. TENGU TEMPLE LOWER HALLWAY
Bob slowly opens a door to reveal a long dimly lit hallway. He moves slowly, careful to avoid making any noise or bumping into something.
INT. TENGU TEMPLE UPPER HALLWAY
Clem moves slowly through a fairly well lit hallway. Voices are heard coming from the various rooms lining the hall, so he moves carefully past each door. Clem hears a door open at the far end of the hallway and hides himself as best he can in the nearest door jamb.
When the voices die down again he carefully pokes his head around the corner and decides instead of risking discovery he should meet up with Bob, hoping they would find some added strength in small numbers.
INT. TENGU TEMPLE - LOWER HALLWAY
Bob is still moving slowly. His eyes have adjusted to the darkness, but he is still unable to see clearly. One hand is lightly brushing the wall as he walks, feeling for objects that might surprise him. The hallway is eerily quiet, the silence matching the darkness. As he feels his hand slip from the wall, indicating a door, he hears a grating noise.
He can see a small stream of light coming from the far end of the hallway and soon a shadow emerges in the light. He quickly hides himself in the doorway and holds his breath. He hears footsteps growing steadily louder, but they leave as quickly as they came and he hears the door to the stairwell open and close. He starts to move toward the other end of the hallway, this time a bit faster. When he reaches the end of the hall he’s disappointed to find he’s facing a solid wall.
BOB (under breath, to self):
There has to be something on the other side of this wall. Otherwise I’m going insane.
He begins pressing on different parts of the wall and after a few minutes without success he hears the grating noise and feels the wall move. On the other side is a descending staircase lit only by torches. Bob slowly makes his way down clinging carefully to the wall, his feet carefully feeling for each step.
INT. TENGU TEMPLE – UPPER HALLWAY
Clem steps out from where he’d been hiding and comes face to face with Kristina.
KRISTINA (disapprovingly):
Now, now. We both know you don’t belong here.
Kristina wags a finger at Clem and starts to circle him.
KRISTINA:
You must be one of
her friends. I was expecting you’d show up sooner or later. But it simply won’t do having you here. We wouldn’t want you ruining anything now, would we?
She turns to face Clem again, taking an offensive stance.
CLEM:
We don’t really have to fight about this, do we? I mean, didn’t your mother teach you violence never solves anything?
KRISTINA:
Yeah, but my way’s much more fun.
Kristina throws a slow punch to the right side of Clem’s face, which he easily dodges. While Clem dodges the punch, Kristina’s left leg sweeps the floor, knocking Clem off his feet.
Clem lands squarely on his back and can’t help letting a moan escape him. He struggles to stand as Kristina walks toward him, putting her foot on his chest.
KRISTINA:
You’re not going anywhere.
(beat)
Ashley, Simone, get out here!
Two young girls emerge from a nearby room. They are noticeably younger than Kristina and approach her timidly, staring wide-eyed at her captive. Kristina glares at them, tapping her foot impatiently.
KRISTINA:
Come on. Hurry up. It’s almost time.
ASHLEY:
Well, what are we supposed to do with him?
KRISTINA:
Haven’t you learned
anything?
(beat)
Just tie him up and stuff him in that room there.
Kristina points to the closest room and starts to walk away. Clem cautiously inspects his situation, gauging the possibility of escape, just as Kristina turns around.
KRISTINA:
And gag him. I don’t need him causing a distraction.
(beat)
And lock the door behind you.
Kristina’s eyes drill through the girls, annoyance evident in her features. She turns back around and this time continues down the hallway. As Ashley and Simone bend down toward Clem, he points behind them with a stunned expression. The girls turn around to find nothing, while Clem runs in the opposite direction.
INT. TENGU TEMPLE – BASEMENT
Bob finds himself in another dark hallway and stands completely motionless, allowing his eyes to adjust.
BOB (thinking):
There’s got to be something down here, what with the hidden door and all.
As his eyes start to adjust, he slowly inches forward. The walls are lined with solid wooden doors pressed into the wall that look as though they could have once belonged to a Middle Age dungeon. Many doors have small slits carved into the window but no light is emitting from any of them. Bob moves closer to the right wall, pressing up against it, ears pressed close to each door as he passes. He nears the end of the hall and prepares to turn around and check the left wall when his ears catch a barely audible noise. He presses closer to the door, straining to make out what he heard. A muffled sniffle comes from the other side of the door, followed by an undistinguishable female voice.
FEMALE VOICE (O.S.):
Really, what is it with me being locked in small rooms?
(beat)
Well, I can’t really sit here and wait for someone to find me. Guess I’ll have to do this on my own.
Sounds of a struggle come from the room as Bob turns to face the door.
BOB (whispering):
Shell?
(beat)
Shell, is that you?
FEMALE VOICE (O.S.):
Who’s out there?
BOB (whispering):
Shell, it’s me. Bob.
FEMALE VOICE:
Bob! Yes, it’s me.
BOB (whispering):
Okay, hold on.
Bob grabs the door handle and tries to turn it, but it won’t move. He looks around the empty hallway, squinting in an attempt to see into the corners for something he can use to open the door.
Not finding anything, he extends the spikes from his wrists, looks around carefully, and starts to stab his way through the heavy door.
BOB (whispering):
Stand back. I didn’t go through all this trouble just to impale you on the other end.
With the door weakened, Bob kicks it open.
BOB (whispering):
That was easier than I thought.
(beat)
I was sure there’d be security.
SHELL (whispering):
Something big’s going down tonight.
(beat)
Maybe they’re all preparing?
A crash is heard from upstairs. Bob and Shell instinctively look toward the ceiling and recognition registers on Bob’s face.
BOB:
Clem!
(beat)
I
knew it couldn’t be this easy.
SHELL:
Let’s go!
She grabs his arm and pulls him the wrong way down the hallway. Bob shakes his head, turns them around, and leads them back toward the hidden stair case.
INT. TENGU TEMPLE – UPPER HALLWAY
The girls have caught up with Clem, and to make matters worse, they’ve brought reinforcements. These new girls appear older and more experienced than Ashley and Simone, but they are nevertheless struggling to keep Clem down.
Bob and Shell enter the hallway and are greeted by a wild scene. Broken vases, statues, and furniture line the hallway. One girl is slumped against a wall, unconscious. Ashley and Simone are throwing wild punches at Clem, none of them making contact with their target. The fourth girl is hanging from Clem’s neck, trying to kick and punch him from a place where he can’t strike back, but Clem manages to manoeuvre her into the path of a series of punches and kicks from Ashley, which send her crashing to the ground.
SHELL:
Clem!
Clem smiles at Shell and gives her a happy little wave.
CLEM:
Impressive, huh?
Shell runs into the brawl, quickly knocking out the girl on the floor, before turning her attention to Ashley. Bob rushes after Simone, easily gaining the upper hand in the fight, and leaving Clem free to catch his breath. As Bob eyes the exit, contemplating escape, he sees Kristina entering the hallway.
Bob moves toward Kristina, leaving Clem to deal with Simone. The blurred movement from the corner of her eye makes Kristina stop and turn, abandoning whatever it was that had first brought her to the hallway. The sight that meets her brings instant irritation and she rushes toward Bob, catching him off-guard.
Kristina starts sending some right hooks his way with only moderate success. Her irritation getting the best of her, Kristina lashes out at the other girls.
KRISTINA (yelling):
I thought I told you to lock him up!
Ashley and Simone are caught off-guard by Kristina’s sharp voice, distracting them from their fights. Clem lands a somewhat clumsy punch on Simone’s chin, while Shell executes a successful roundhouse, both of which prove successful in sending their targets to the floor.
Bob struggles against Kristina, slowly losing the ground he had held earlier. She vents her frustration, adopting a fiercer approach to the battle.
KRISTINA (yelling):
I mean, really, how hard was it to put him in a room and lock him up?
(beat)
I even had him on the floor, ready to go for you.
Kristina backs away from Bob before running back toward him and launching a flying kick, hitting him squarely in the jaw and causing him to sail down the hallway.
Clem is keeping Ashley and Simone at bay while keeping an eye on the other young Slayers who are still slumped against the wall.
Shell rushes toward Kristina, and the two are soon involved in a no-holds-barred fight. Certain she could handle Kristina on her own and that the other Slayers are no longer a problem, Shell signals for Clem and Bob could leave.
BOB:
No, we’re not leaving without you.
At that moment, almost magically, a gong sounds throughout the temple. The sound shakes Kristina, allowing Shell to jump, land a kick on the side of Kristina’s head, and slam her against the wall.
Bob and Clem admire Shell’s handiwork then run to the staircase with Shell following close behind.
INT. DOMINION BAR – EARLY MORNING
Clem, Shell, and Kalinka are gathered behind the bar, surrounded by dirty dishes and trash-strewn tables. Clem is talking excitedly, his hands waving. Kalinka smiles and laughs, though Shell appears to be somewhat absent.
CLEM:
And I was, like, POW! WHAM! Isn’t that right?
SHELL:
Oh…uh, yeah. Yeah. Just like that.
INT. TENGU TEMPLE MAIN HALL
The room is empty, except for Kristina, who can be seen through the doorway. She looks frightened and tense. A commanding voice booms at her from further inside the room.
TENGU DEMON (O.S.):
How dare you, you insolent little girl? How dare you go against orders? And not only were you disobeying orders,
my orders, by bringing the girl here, but you captured her only to let her go again. A plan that had been thoroughly considered would not have met with such disastrous results.
(beat)
I’m afraid you’ll have to meet the same end as your friend Bianca.
With this, the Tengu demon steps forward, his presence inspiring an awesome sight. The statue that had been erected in his honor and Kristina are dwarfed by his size. His massive frame seems to engulf the room, his wings folded behind him. He takes another step forward, reaches for the Slayer’s neck, and snaps it with a simple flick of his wrist. Her body crumples to the floor as the demon turns and disappears back into the darkness.
EXT. UNKNOWN DIMENSION – EARLY MORNING
SONG (“Photograph”):
Her name was written on a photograph,
Right next to her red, sunburnt face,
It all had happened in that long tall grass,
About a mile from her old place,
And I can't remember how it started and if it lasted that day in the sun.Bob is sitting underneath an oak tree, the early morning light casting a serene and ethereal glow on the setting. He holds Brigette’s picture in his hands, trying to fight back any tears.
SONG:
It's just another story caught up in another photograph I found.
Now,
When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time.
When I look back on my ordinary ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time.Bob closes his eyes and allows a tear to roll down his cheek. He takes a deep breath, opens his eyes, and stands. After a few more moments of silence spent looking at the sky he turns and walks further into the field that surrounds him.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT THREE.
CLOSING CREDITS ROLL.
Written by:Marie Menninga
Story Editor:Marie Menninga
Dominion © 2007 Allan Whatford; "Past Mistakes" © 2007 Marie Menninga[/i]
