Act Two[/u]
EXT. SUMERIAN DESERT – DAY
The sun beams down on the vast Sumerian desert as Shell stands alone opposite SENAYA. No indication of civilisation can be seen anywhere, just vast desert which continues for miles.
SENAYA:
Two down, two to go.
SHELL:
What?
SENAYA:
Two down, two to go. The Tengu is accumulating power for when the Oni rises…
SHELL:
What kind of power?
SENAYA:
The
ultimate power. Beware the Void. Stop the Void. Prevent him from harnessing their power.
Shell looks at Senaya with confusion.
SHELL:
The Void?
BOB (V.O.):
Shell, wake up.
INT. DOMINION BAR, SHELL’S BEDROOM
Bob stands over Shell’s bed as she tosses and turns in her sleep. She is evidently dreaming, and it doesn’t appear to be very pleasant. Bob reaches down and shakes Shell’s shoulder.
CAPTION:
Four days ago.
BOB:
Come on, Shell, wake up. We need to be ready.
Shell slowly wakes up, looks at Bob groggily and yawns.
SHELL:
Morning, Bob.
Shell climbs out of bed to reveal bright pink pyjamas. She slides her feet into fluffy bunny slippers and follows Bob out the door.
INT. DOMINION BAR
Bob leads Shell into the main bar area where Kalinka, Clem and Illyria are waiting.
CLEM:
Morning, Shell. It’s unlike you to be up at this hour.
SHELL:
Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess.
BOB:
We’ll have time to chat later. But right now, we need to focus on the issue at hand.
(beat)
Four nights ago, the Tengu attacked a girl and left her in a catatonic state. There was also a mystical disturbance, keeping demonic life in hiding.
KALINKA:
Demonic life? That’s a bit of an oxymoron.
BOB:
You know what I mean, Kalinka.
(beat)
The nature of the disturbance, and that it isn’t
only affecting Earth, indicates that the Tengu is up to something
big. Four nights prior to that, there was a similar disturbance. So it’s not a great leap to assume that there was a similar attack on that night. If these are to continue, tonight will be the night.
CLEM:
How will we know?
BOB:
If you have customers tonight, it’s a safe bet that the Tengu isn’t attacking anybody.
KALINKA:
Well, that would be a good thing. And I’m not
just talking about potential revenue here.
BOB:
No, it’s not a good thing. It would mean that the Tengu already has what he needs.
Shell looks distant, as if she were lost in thought.
BOB:
Shell?
SHELL:
Two down, two to go.
BOB:
What?
SHELL:
Senaya appeared to me in a dream last night. “Two down, two to go,” she said.
BOB:
Two deaths?
SHELL:
I don’t know, she’s never very clear.
(beat)
She also mentioned something else. Or some
one else. The “Void.” Does that make any sense?
BOB:
Can’t say that it does, but at least it gives us something else to research.
(beat)
What can you tell us about the girl the Tengu attacked?
SHELL:
She was about my age, and she looked scared. She had these powers. It was almost like she could control the wind. Aside from that, not much.
BOB:
And the symbol?
Bob passes Shell a piece of paper and a pen. Shell draws a crude rendition of the shi character on the paper and passes it back to Bob. Bob shakes his head and passes it to Clem and Kalinka. Clem shrugs his shoulders as does Kalinka.
KALINKA:
Nothing, sorry.
Kalinka passes the sheet of paper to Illyria, who examines it.
ILLYRIA:
It is kanji. Shi.
Clem begins counting on his fingers.
CLEM (under breath):
Ichi, ni, san, shi…
(beat, to the group)
Four. It means
four!
BOB:
But four what?
ILLYRIA:
Shi also means
death. That symbol…it’s a mark of death.
SHELL:
Okay, it’s a mark of death, but shi also means four. Two down, two to go.
(beat)
It can’t be a coincidence, can it?
BOB:
Where the Tengu’s involved, I would say there’s no such thing as coincidence.
(beat)
Okay, everybody, it’s time to hit the books. Find out whatever you can about shi, four, wind, and the Void. We need to find any connection to these,
anything that might help.
Shell stands up and walks towards the bar’s exit.
BOB:
Shell? We need to research this.
SHELL:
I’m going to the hospital first.
(beat)
Maybe the girl has woken up and can tell me something.
BOB:
Fair call, but come straight back. I wouldn’t expect it to yield any results.
SHELL:
Sure thing, Bob.
As Shell exits the Dominion, Bob turns to Illyria, Kalinka and Clem.
BOB:
Okay, everyone, let’s get to it.
INT. SACRED HEART HOSPITAL, RECEPTION AREA
The hospital’s reception area is buzzing with people filling out forms and waiting for doctors. A receptionist sits behind the counter arguing with a patient.
RECEPTIONIST:
Look, sir, unless you fill out the paperwork, I can’t get you a doctor.
PATIENT:
Look at the amount of forms. I’ll be
dead by then!
RECEPTIONIST:
I doubt that, sir. But if you do happen to die, it will lighten our load.
Shell enters the reception area and approaches the receptionist.
RECEPTIONIST:
Can I help you?
SHELL:
Yeah, I was wondering, did you have a young woman admitted about four nights ago?
RECEPTIONIST:
Can you be more specific?
SHELL:
She was catatonic, has a tattoo on the palm of her hand…
RECEPTIONIST:
By “specific,” I meant does she have a name?
SHELL:
No, yes…I mean, I don’t know it.
RECEPTIONIST:
You
don’t know it?
SHELL:
Look, I just need to see her.
The receptionist looks away from Shell, toward the back of the reception area.
RECEPTIONIST (calling):
Security!
Two SECURITY GUARDS run toward Shell and the receptionist.
RECEPTIONIST:
Please escort this young lady from the premises.
The security guards grab Shell by the arms and move to drag her outside.
SHELL (yelling):
Hey, let go of me! Don’t make me hurt you!
In the distance, Dr. Kobayashi hears Shell yelling and runs toward the security guards and Shell.
DR. KOBAYASHI:
Can I help you?
SHELL:
I just need to see a patient.
RECEPTIONIST:
She doesn’t even know her.
SHELL (to receptionist):
Oh, shut up.
(beat, to Dr. Kobayashi)
She was admitted about four nights ago, in a catatonic state.
DR. KOBAYASHI (to security guards):
Let her go.
The security guards let Shell go and take a step back.
DR. KOBAYASHI:
Does she have a strange mark on her hand?
SHELL:
Yeah, it’s a Japanese character.
Dr. Kobayashi leads Shell away to a quiet corner.
DR. KOBAYASHI:
Do you know her?
SHELL:
Yeah…she’s my, um…sister.
Dr. Kobayashi smiles.
DR. KOBAYASHI:
I doubt that. But I get the feeling you’re trying to help, and to be honest, it’s like nothing in this world.
(beat)
And she’s the second patient to be admitted with the same symptoms.
INT. DOMINION BAR, CLEM’S OFFICE
Clem and Kalinka sit on opposite sides of Clem’s desk. Each one of them is skimming through a large book, trying to find the information required.
CLEM:
Man, I hate this.
KALINKA:
I thought we were going to try and tolerate each other’s company, Clem.
CLEM:
No, not you, Kalinka!
(beat)
The reading, I hate the
reading. And I haven’t found a single thing that can help.
KALINKA:
Tell me about it. I’m coming up with nothing, myself.
Kalinka looks down back at her book.
KALINKA:
Hey, wait a minute. I think I have something.
Clem leaps from his chair and rushes behind Kalinka and reads the book over her shoulder.
KALINKA (reading):
The Void is a state of nothing, and a state of everything. It represents spirit, thought, and creative energy, as well as humanity’s ability to think and communicate. It is also associated with power. It is rumoured that the Void resides within a demon. When combined with the powers, the Void will be an unstoppable force of nature.
CLEM:
That doesn’t sound good. I’d better get Bob.
INT. SACRED HEART HOSPITAL, INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
Dr. Kobayashi leads Shell into the hospital’s intensive care unit. Shell feels a cold chill run down her spine as she looks at the patients barely kept alive by the hospital machinery.
DR. KOBAYASHI:
This way.
Dr. Kobayashi and Shell stop at two beds, positioned side-by-side. Vanessa and Melody lie on the beds and remain in their catatonic states.
SHELL:
They’ve just
stayed like this? There’s been no change?
DR. KOBAYASHI:
None whatsoever. We’re barely keeping them alive, but I don’t know how long we can keep it up.
(beat)
Do you have any idea what’s causing this?
SHELL:
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. But my friends and I are working on it, and we’re making sure this doesn’t happen again.
Dr. Kobayashi smiles sincerely.
DR. KOBAYASHI:
Good luck.
INT. DOMINION BAR, CLEM’S OFFICE
Clem and Kalinka sit on their seats while Bob and Illyria stand by the desk.
BOB:
We have an oblique reference to the Void, and apparently he’s a demon. Is there any chance it’s another name for the Oni, Illyria?
ILLYRIA:
It is possible, however he was never known by that name.
BOB:
That leaves us with the Tengu.
KALINKA:
Well, that sounds great. I mean, it’s not like he wasn’t already unstoppable.
The door to Clem’s office opens and Shell walks in.
SHELL:
There’s been no change, but I can confirm that the Tengu got another girl previously. She’s in the exact same condition, with the same marking.
BOB:
Then we’d best locate the Tengu and stop him
before he strikes again.
INT. NEW YORK CITY, SUBWAY STATION
Bob, Illyria and Kalinka descend the stairs in the subway station. The station is closed and still a mess after their last battle on the premises. The lights are out, and it is difficult to see.
As they reach the platform, a figure steps from the shadows. The figure walks toward the trio and can be made out to be Miranda.
MIRANDA:
He’s not here, you know.
Bob ejects the spikes from below his wrists and Shell draws her sword.
ILLYRIA:
Where is he?
MIRANDA:
Well, that’s for me to know, and you to find out. Or not.
Illyria moves with demonic speed and grabs Miranda by the throat and lifts her into the air.
ILLYRIA:
Are your secrets worth dying for?
Miranda grins as she gasps for breath beneath Illyria’s grip.
MIRANDA:
You bet they are.
Illyria slams Miranda to the ground.
ILLYRIA:
So be it.
Illyria clenches her fist tightly, poised for a brutal attack.
BOB:
Illyria,
don’t.
(beat, to Miranda)
Miranda, tell us what you know.
MIRANDA:
Tonight, the Tengu destroys the earth.
SHELL:
He’s going to destroy the planet? The dimension?
MIRANDA:
I didn’t say that. I said he’s going to destroy the
earth.
Bob, Shell and Illyria look at each other in utter confusion before running back up the stairs.
MIRANDA (chanting, O.S.):
Someone’s gonna die…
EXT. NEW YORK CITY, PARK – NIGHT
The sun has just set, and ZOË, a woman in her late-twenties, stands up from a park bench and turns toward her five-year-old son, BOBBY, who is playing with a ball in the distance.
ZOË:
Bobby! Come on, it’s time to go home.
TENGU (O.S.):
There’s no need to involve the boy.
Zoë swivels around to see the Tengu looming over her.
ZOË:
Bobby! Run!
BOBBY:
What?
ZOË:
Just
run, Bobby!
Bobby runs off into the distance and Zoë runs in the opposite direction. The Tengu pursues her on foot. Zoë concentrates as she runs and the ground begins to crumble underneath the Tengu, and collapses into a hole. The Tengu falls inside, but manages to fly back up.
TENGU:
Really, Zoë, I expected more from you.
Zoë turns herself around, ready to face the Tengu. Rocks begin to hover above the ground and float toward Zoë before spinning around her. One by one, rocks fly directly at the Tengu, smashing and crumbling on impact. He simply dusts himself off and shakes his head.
The rocky ground beneath Zoë begins to rumble before levitating upward as Zoë stands confidently atop it. The rock beneath Zoë hovers before speeding directly at the Tengu. The rock flies directly into the Tengu’s head and smashes, knocking Zoë to the ground.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY, STREET – NIGHT
Crying, Bobby runs across the busy street as a car swerves to miss him. He sees Shell and rushes toward her. With tears streaming down his cheeks, he points across the road.
SHELL:
Hey, little guy, what’s wrong?
BOBBY:
It’s…my mummy. A monster’s chasing her.
Shell turns to Bob and Illyria.
SHELL:
Sounds like our girl.
BOBBY (to Bob and Illyria):
You look funny.
SHELL:
You two go, I’ll look after the kid.
Bob and Illyria run across the road and Shell kneels down in front of Bobby.
SHELL:
And what’s your name?
EXT. NEW YORK CITY, PARK – NIGHT
Bob and Illyria run through the park, noticing the damage to the ground. The Tengu is nowhere in sight.
BOB (under breath):
No, we
can’t be too late…
Illyria points into the distance.
ILLYRIA:
This way. I see something.
Illyria and Bob rush over to see Zoë lying on the ground, catatonic. Her eyes are pale white, and she has the shi marked on the palm of her hand. Bob angrily slams his fist into a park bench, shattering it.
BOB:
Damn it!
INT. DOMINION BAR
Bob paces back and forth agitated as Shell, Clem, Kalinka and Illyria watch with uneasy expressions.
BOB:
Three girls have been attacked by the Tengu. Shell’s dream said there would be
four. The fourth attack is due tonight, and we’re no closer to figuring out who the Tengu’s next target will be.
CAPTION:
Tonight.
SHELL:
Okay, let’s think this over. There have been three attacks out of four. The girl I saw seemed to harness the wind. Miranda made a reference to the Tengu destroying the Earth…or the
earth.
KALINKA:
That doesn’t make a lot of sense, Shell.
SHELL:
Bear with me here. We don’t know what she was talking about, but…
BOB:
The ground around the third girl was destroyed. The earth.
CLEM:
So, she had power over the earth? As in the element?
ILLYRIA:
There are
four elements. Earth, wind, water and fire.
SHELL:
Oh, crap.
Bob looks at Shell with confusion before piecing it together in his head.
BOB:
Beck. She bonded with a Fire Elemental, right? It doesn’t mean that she’s the next target.
ILLYRIA:
Beck bonded with
the Fire Elemental. There is only one of each.
Without saying another word, Shell, Bob and Illyria rush out of the Dominion Bar.
INT. BECK’S APARTMENT
Beck’s apartment is messy, with clothes strewn over the floor and couch. She does not appear to be inside. Her telephone starts to ring before being connected to an answering machine.
BECK (voice, over answering machine):
Hi, this is Beck. I’m not available right now, but leave a message and I’ll call you back.
(beat)
Unless you’re a telemarketer, a debt collector, or someone equally evil.
SHELL (voice):
Beck, it’s Shell. Pick up. Come on, please, just pick up…
EXT. NEW YORK CITY, STREET – NIGHT
Shell, Bob and Illyria run frantically through the city street as people of all shapes and sizes stare at Bob and Illyria. The two are oblivious to the stares, and are simply focused on the task at hand.
Frustrated, Shell disconnects her call.
SHELL:
Dammit!
Shell dials a second number on her phone – Beck’s mobile.
SHELL:
Beck, where are you?
(beat)
Sorry I didn’t ask how you are, but that’s not important right now.
(beat)
No, it really
isn’t.
(beat)
Oh, I just thought we could catch up, and I could
save your life.
(beat)
Yes, I’m serious, and there’s no time to explain.
(beat)
Okay, stay
right there. We’ll get there as soon as possible.
Shell disconnects the call and turns to Bob and Illyria.
SHELL:
She’s at the Sunrise Theatre.
ILLYRIA:
That’s twelve blocks away.
BOB:
Illyria, you go ahead. We’ll catch up.
Illyria starts to run quickly, fading into a blur.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY, SUNRISE THEATRE
Beck waits impatiently outside the Sunrise Theatre and watches everybody on the street with a paranoid glare.
BECK (under breath):
Nice of Shell to warn me, but I can handle myself.
The door to the Sunrise theatre opens and a man in an expensive suit steps outside. His features are obscured in the darkness.
MAN:
Excuse me, miss, could you please not loiter in front of the theatre?
Beck turns around and recognises the man as the Tengu in his human form. She steps back, scared.
BECK:
It’s you. Get away from me.
The Tengu morphs into his demonic form as Beck becomes engulfed in flame. She launches a fireball directly at the Tengu. He dodges the attack as the flame hits the front of the theatre, igniting it.
TENGU:
Fire. The most powerful of all the elements.
Beck launches flames at the ground between the Tengu and herself. The Tengu grins as he refuses to step through the flame.
TENGU:
I do not have time for this. I can sense your friends approaching.
The Tengu stares directly into Beck’s eyes, and they fade to white. Beck collapses to the ground and the flames engulf her, the ground and the building extinguish themselves.
The Tengu stretches his wings out and launches himself into the air as Illyria appears in a blur from around the corner. Illyria leaps into the air and manages to grab the Tengu’s foot. The Tengu soars into the night sky, well above the New York skyline. Illyria grips his foot and slowly pulls herself up his leg.
With his free leg, the Tengu kicks at Illyria’s head repeatedly. Eventually, Illyria loses her grip, and slides down the Tengu’s leg and back down to his foot. She dangles from it as he increases his speed. Illyria struggles to hold the Tengu’s foot, and with one final kick to her head, he sends her plummeting toward the ground.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO.
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