Act One:
A stage lights up showing a Japanese girl dressed as a geisha. There’s a microphone in her hands. She opens her eyes and begins to
sing. Pulling back, we can see a crowd of Asian men at the front of the bar at the foot of her stage; a sea of black hair except for one dark blonde – Carmen. She sits with a drink in her hand, looking sullen.
Lyrics (Note the Romanized version of what she sings comes first, then the translation underneath. The song is sung in Japanese).
Whoa whoa yeah, yeah
Yeah yeah yeah
Lalalala la-i
Lalalala la-i
Yeah yeah yeah
Anata ga yasashiku mitsumeru shisen no
Saki de wa hosoi kata o shite'ru
Kanojo ga yasashiku shiawasesou na kao de
Warainagara unazuite'ta
Translation:
Your gaze is so very tender as you stare at me
Over there, on that little flimsy chair.
With a gentle, happy face,
She agreed, smiling
Carmen takes a sip from her glass as the girl dances takes a seat on a stool on stage. The crowd is chanting Sashiko; her name.
Lyrics:
nanika ga ooki na oto o tatenagara
kuzurete itta you na ki ga shita n' dakedo
miugoki dekizu tada tachitsukushite'ta dake
Translation:
While some kind of loud noise was building,
In my mind, it was as though it was collapsing
Unable to move, I just kept standing there
Carmen leaves her seat and leaves some money on the table.
Cut to:
Carmen walking down a misty peer going out into a lake. She looks to the cold winter sky. A tear swells in her eyes.
Lyrics:
"doushite watashi jya nai no?" tte kokkei de kudaranai
toikake nante shinai kedo
watashi ga mita koto nai you na anata ga soko ni wa ite
tada tada tooku ni kanjita no
konna kimochi ittai nante ittara ii?
Translation: "Why isn't it me?" I asked, but
It's not some kind of foolish example.
You were there as I had never seen you before.
As I can only, only feel from far away,
How on earth can I express this emotion?
Carmen looks to the other side of the lake now. There is another peer some yards away. A man is standing on it, back faced to Carmen. She tries to make him out in the mist.
Cut to:
Sashiko leaving the club. She goes to the street and makes a walk down the road. She paces back and forth a bit until a black sports car stops. There’s an expensively dressed man in the vehicle. She smiles at him and steps into the car.
Lyrics:
anata ga tokidoki miseru kanashii me no
wake o shitte shimatta kara
nanika shite ageru koto ga dekiru no wa
watashi demo nakute dareka demo nakute
tada hitori dake nante koto mo wakatta no?
Translation:
From time to time, the sorrow in your eyes
Would show me the reason, so...
That which can be given to you --
I can't give it; no one can.
Is it only that one person who is so understanding that can?
Cut to:
Sashiko and the man in a bad hotel room. Sashiko is taking off her kimono for him, the man watching, naked on the bed. She comes down onto the bed with the man.
itsu kara anata ni konna ni hikarete ita no nante
imagoro kidzuita furi shite
miesuita uso toka tsuite gomakashite mita'n dakedo
tada tada yokei munashikute
konna kimochi o hito wa koi da to yobu no kana?
When do you first miss her?
About that time, I realized the truth.
I saw through the lies, and even if I pretend they are truth
It's just, just so excessively empty.
This feeling.... Is this known as "love"?
Cut to:
Carmen looking out through the mist.
"doushite watashi jya nai no?" tte kokkei de kudaranai
toikake nante shinai kedo
watashi ga mita koto nai you na anata ga soko ni wa ite
tooku ni kanjite shimatta no?
"Why isn't it me?" I asked, but
It's not some kind of foolish example.
You were there as I had never seen you before.
Did you feel it from far away?
Zoom on:
Carmen’s lips.
Carmen: Rayne?
Cut to:
Michael is asleep on the couch in the reading area of The Sacred Circle. Josh is sweeping around him; again left alone with the shop. He looks at the table; a picture of Leora on it. She pauses and then proceeds to poke Michael with the end of the broom handle. Michael groans for a moment, and then turns over and snores. Josh takes the broom end to his face and begins to rub it. Michael groans and turns so much that he falls off the couch and wakes up.
Josh: Finally! You’d sleep through a nuclear attack.
Michael (Slowly): What do you want?
Josh: Well for one you’re supposed to be watching me.
Michael thinks for a moment and then perks up.
Michael: Oh right! No more thieving customers for you! You know Carmen’s rule!
Josh: Codex Hammurabi applies, I know.
Michael: A lot of hands will be taken if they need to be.
Josh: She’s going to make a person out of hands, isn’t she.
Michael: Do I look like I pretend to know her motives?
Josh: Does anyone really know?
Michael: Well… I think Leora did.
Josh: They were close, weren’t they.
Michael: Sometimes it seemed like she married Leora instead of Rayne.
Michael pauses for a second and begins to daydream. Josh pokes him once more with the broom handle. Michael snaps out.
Michael: Ow!
Josh: Sorry, but you were day dreaming.
Michael: Is it a crime for a man to have thoughts of a woman with another woman?
Josh: With my employer being one of them, yes.
Michael: Fair enough.
Michael takes a seat again. Josh sits next to him.
Josh: Were you close to Leora?
Michael: No. She never really gave me a second thought.
Josh: Did you do something to her?
Michael: Well… you remember how I used to be.
Josh: Yeah…
Michael: I always watched and admired her, even though she ignored me. We were bound because of her cousin.
Josh: What was she like?
Michael freezes at this.
Michael: She was beautiful… and strong! A real warrior.
Cut to:
The back alleyway of The Sacred Circle. Leora is slammed against a wall by a zombie. The zombie bites into her neck. Leora screams. Michael, scrawnier and dirty, is on the ground in the background. He tries to stand, but falls down.
Text: January 2006.
Leora manages to pull the zombie off her.
Leora: Michael!
The zombie grabs at her again.
Leora: Michael! Get up!
The zombie begins to choke her. Michael finally gets up, but struggles to stay that way. He holds his head.
Michael: My head… too cloudy.
Leora chokes. She reaches out for Michael; he faces her.
Michael: Leora? How did you get there? And why is Mr. Finch on you?
He slips again and falls to the ground. Leora gives up struggling against the zombie and slowly lowers. Suddenly a blade slashes the zombies head off; causing it to fall to the ground. A hand pulls Leora up. She coughs and holds herself against the wall. The figure puts the sword away.
Leora: Thanks… Galen.
Galen Byrne walks over to Michael and grabs him up.
Galen: Save it till you can breathe properly.
Leora raises her hand as recognition to him. Galen picks Michael up and pushes him against the wall behind them.
Galen: And just what the **** do you think you just did to our customers? All of them ended up slaughtered because of you! How do you think we can make a living if you get the customers dead?
Michael: It wasn’t my fault… I… the medicine-
Galen: Medicine is used to help people! You’re nothing more than a lowly drug addict!
He pushes Michael to the ground and kicks him once. Michael begins to cough and take the fetal position on the ground.
Galen: All you do is **** up, and I’m getting tired of it! What good is a necromancer with a needle stuck in his arm all the time, huh? What the **** is it with you?
Michael: Please… I’m sorry…
Galen grabs his sword and holds it down to Michael’s neck.
Galen: I should just do what I should have done a long time ago.
Leora’s hand grabs Galen’s arm. He looks at her.
Leora: Please, enough blood has been shed for one night.
Galen: But Leora, he cost us! I think he knows what’s coming to him, and deserves it fully!
Leora: And I think the idea of raising the dead for people is wrong; no matter what the reason is.
Galen: It’s a living!
Leora: It’s not an honest one.
Galen: I don’t care!
Leora: But I do.
She pulls his arm away from Michael. Michael crawls back a bit.
Leora: Don’t get me pulled into a stunt like that ever again.
Galen stares his cousin in the eyes. She stares him down. He looks to Michael and then back to Leora. He turns and goes.
Galen: Whatever.
Leora turns to Michael, who’s breathing heavily. She grabs him and helps him to his feet. She then turns away from him.
Michael: Leora… thank you.
Leora: Don’t even try it.
Michael: But I’m sorry!
Leora: What did you do wrong, Michael?
Michael: I… I guess I killed those people.
Leora: You guess? Do you know how dangerous it is to mess around with necromancy? Do you know how much the danger is amplified when you’re under the influence?
Michael: I’m sorry! I didn’t think abo-
Leora: That’s right, you didn’t think!
She turns and walks away.
Leora: If you did, you wouldn’t let my cousin bully you around like that.
She goes into the darkness, leaving Michael alone.
Cut to:
Michael and Josh on the couch.
Michael: She would say that to me now and then; “don’t let my cousin push you around; he’ll never stop once he starts”, or “he’s dangerous; don’t get on the other side of his sword.” It’s like she knew what was going to happen, and tried to warn me.
Josh: What was going to happen?
Michael: Galen betrayed Leora. He’s part of the reason Carmen’s husband is in a coma right now.
Josh: Mr. Rayne?
Michael: Yeah. Galen really messed things up.
Josh: What happened to him?
Michael pauses.
Michael: I… killed him.
Josh: You what?
Michael: I stabbed him in the back – literally.
Josh: You killed a man?
Michael: I’ve killed a few men, actually.
Josh: And Carmen lets you near her baby?
Michael ignores him.
Josh: You also raise the dead?
Michael: Not anymore. I stopped that when I got better.
Josh: Well why? I mean that’s not exactly a common power.
Michael: Because I know that Leora would have told me to. She would have wanted me to have a clean slate. I can’t do magic until I’m sure it’ll be ok.
Josh: So really, you don’t because…
Michael: I respect her, yes. The way I didn’t when I she was alive. The way she should have been treated.
Cut to:
Carmen reaching the foot of the peer on the other side of the lake. She looks through the mist carefully for the man she saw from the other side. She walks to the point, but no one is to be seen anywhere.
Carmen: Arthur… I was certain…
Hiero (Off Screen): What are you doing out at this hour?
Carmen turns to see Hiero behind her. She looks back out to the peer.
Carmen: I was at a club.
Hiero: Pretty strange place to bring a party to.
Carmen: I just on my way home. I decided to walk by the lake; the mist makes it beautiful on a clear night like this.
Hiero moves beside her as she looks at the water.
Hiero: You saw something here, didn’t you.
Carmen stays silent.
Hiero: I had a vision of your arrival at this lake. You think that you saw him, don’t you.
Carmen: I’m positive about it…
Hiero: There is an eerie feeling at this lake; powerful magic residue is nearby.
Carmen: Do you think that…
Hiero: He escaped? It’s possible.
Carmen: Would Dream just give him up like that?
Hiero: Morpheus knew as much as we did; and it was his realm.
Carmen: But I know he’s there… I just know it.
Hiero goes silent for a moment to think. He waits for a few moments before talking again.
Hiero: Did you see anything interesting at the club you went to?
Carmen: Nothing in particular… just some Asian’s.
Hiero: Placing yourself into that culture further?
Carmen: I need express my multi-cultural support somehow, don’t I?... and I really needed some bubbletea…
Hiero: Are you holding up better than before?
Carmen: I guess…
Hiero: Left Silas with your sister, I suppose.
Carmen: He’s spending the night with her. I have to pick him up before Lily goes for a job tomorrow.
Hiero: You and your sister on good terms as well lately?
Carmen freezes for a moment and then turns to him.
Carmen: Since when did we share our personal lives so much?
Hiero: Since I began asking questions.
Carmen: Well I don’t feel like giving anymore answers!
She begins to walk away.
Carmen: We have a deal, Hiero. We’ll get that out of the way first before there’s any sharing!
Cut to:
Carmen continuing her way home. She comes out of the forest trail that led her to the lake. Hiero walks after her.
Hiero: I’m sorry, but I don’t have a current lead on the situation at hand.
Carmen: You mean…
Hiero: Resources on resurrection spells are hard to come by.
Carmen: Have you found another way, then? Is there any other way?
Hiero: Not without delving into strong magic.
Carmen: Well what are you waiting for?
Hiero: Is that what you want?
Carmen: I will do any-
Carmen stops. Ahead she sees Rayne walking into the city from the forest borders. She begins to run, but Hiero stops her.
Hiero: I don’t think it’s him.
Carmen: Didn’t you see what I saw?
Hiero: You don’t feel things like I do… trust me; that is not him!
Carmen shakes free of Hiero’s grasp and runs after Rayne.
Carmen: I don’t believe you!
Cut to:
Josh and Michael on the couch of the Sacred Circle.
Michael: Is there a particular reason you’re asking about this?
Josh: I just want to know about her; she’s had an impact on everyone around here it seems.
Michael: That’s for sure.
Cut to:
The realm of the red moon at the top of the stairwell. Thunder cracks and lightning fills the sky; a storm has started. Carmen is on her knees crying over the death of Leora. Michael is holding her as she weeps.
Michael: Carmen!
Carmen ignores him and cries harder.
Michael: Carmen! I… I think we need to go!
Carmen pushes him off her. She yells through her sobs.
Carmen: Then go!
Michael: But… I think that
Carmen: Leave me alone, Michael!
Michael tries to grab her arm, she struggles away and slaps him. He moves back and falls down. He begins to cry. Carmen turns to him.
Carmen: What the hell do you have to cry about, Michael? Did you drop a join and can’t find it? I lost my best friend! And my husband!
Michael: I… I killed a man…
Carmen pauses.
Michael: I took a knife and stabbed him in the back.
Carmen waits for a moment, and the wipes her eyes. She stands up, and helps Michael up too. The two of them make their way slowly to the steps.
Cut to:
A hospital room. Rayne is in a bed. Carmen is standing at the foot of the bed, Michael next to her. The doctor is trying to talk to Carmen.
Doctor: Ma’am, I need to know what happened to Mr. Rayne in order to help him. You’re going to need to give me the information.
Carmen tries to speak, but chokes on her words. She is staring at her husband, tears swelling in her eyes.
Doctor: Ma’am.
Michael clears his throat and speaks for her.
Michael: He… he fell down the stairs and hit his head.
Doctor: Well by the looks of the bruises he was beaten into this state.
Michael: And?
Doctor: It’s suspicious. If there’s something suspicious, we have to bring in the cops.
Michael: Bring them in; we told you what we know.
Doctor: And who are you exactly?
Michael looks at Carmen.
Michael: I’m… I’m a friend. A close family friend.
Doctor: If you say so.
The Doctor leaves Michael and Carmen alone. Michael turns to go as well. Carmen grabs his hand and looks him in the eyes.
Carmen: Thank you.
Michael: It’s… it’s the least I can do.
Carmen: Where are you going?
Michael: I don’t know… I’m free now I guess.
Carmen: You can stay with me in the shop.
Michael: But… I-
Carmen: You said you’re a friend, so be a friend.
Michael gives a small grin to her. He hugs her.
Cut to:
Josh and Michael.
Michael: She got me to be where I was today. I owe her everything I have.
Josh: Anything to get an addict of the streets is a good thing.
Michael: Pretty much.
Josh waits for a moment, then stands. Michael takes out a pen and a small slip of paper and writes a number down.
Michael: If you want to know more, you should call that number.
Josh looks down at the paper. Caitlin Smith’s name is written on it.
Cut to:
The mall. Above a store, we can see a sign “Fairly’s Boutique”. Cut to inside the store, where we see an out of breath Lily running into the store, dressed more formally than usual, carrying her purse, and a large shopping bag. She runs into the store, and stops, only to see a woman; looking in her late 30's standing with her arms crossed, pointing at her watch. Lily gulps, still out of breath, realizing the woman is her boss, and is not pleased with her.
Boss: You’re late.
Lily: I know, but -
Boss: No buts. It’s your first day, and you’ve already pissed me off.
Lily: I’m sorry, but...there was this sweater, and -
Boss: Sweater? You’re ten minutes late because you stopped to buy a sweater at another store?
Lily looks as if she’s about to defend herself, but her boss puts a finger up, cutting her off.
Boss: I don’t care. Does it look like I care? Because I don’t. So let’s get you to work before I’m forced to down more Advil.
Lily looks intimidated, her eyes wide, and gives a small, clueless nod.
Cut to:
Lily and her boss behind the counter, as Lily’s boss pushes a button on the cash register, causing it to close. Lily’s boss then looks at her.
Boss: Got it?
Lily stands there, not paying attention, but looking at a small pink sweater. She holds it away from herself, taking a long glance at it.
Boss: Lily!
At the mention of her name, Lily’s head shoots up from her glance at the sweater.
Lily: Huh? Oh...yeah...I got it.
Boss: You know Lily, layoffs are happening in a few months. Which means I’m going to have to fire at least four employees. Now, unless you want to be jobless, and a moron yet again, I suggest you start to stop sucking. Which means no more tardiness, and beginning to pay attention to what it is you have to around here.
Cut to:
Lily holding the same sweater again, eyeing it.
Boss: Lily!
Cut to
Lily walking hopelessly around the store by herself. She looks around, trying to find something easy she can do. She continues to walk about, when she sees a woman, about her age, picking through a rack of jeans. Lily looks excited then bounces over to the woman.
Lily: Anything I can help you with?
The woman turns to look at Lily.
Woman: Hmm? Oh, no...just deciding which pair would make this guy at work want me more.
Lily: Oh, well maybe I can help with that. What size is your...
The view fades out, then back in again, still showing Lily talking to this woman, showing time has passed.
Woman: So then I moved here for the job!
Cut to
Lily listening, looking doe-eyed, and interested in the story.
Lily: I feel like I’m hearing my own li -
Boss: Lily!
Lily turns to again see her boss, looking furious with her.
Boss: Back to work.
Lily: Sorry!
Cut to:
Lily holding the same sweater she was eyeing before, as she stands in front of the fitting room door, looking around for her boss to see if she’s watching her. Lily then stealthily slides into the fitting room. We get a view of the top of the changing room, where only Lily’s arms can be seen, flailing about, trying to try on the sweater quickly.
Cut to
Lily walking back to the cash register with her head down, as her boss follows her, walking quickly behind.
Boss: What were you thinking!? Trying on clothes!
They both walk behind the counter, and Lily’s boss points to a pile of unfolded clothes resting on a table by the counter.
Boss: Fold those, and put them back up. Maybe your tiny brain can at least do that.
Lily rolls her eyes at her boss, then walks over to the pile of messed up clothes.
Lily: Don’t we have...people for that kind of thing?
Boss: Yeah. You.
Lily exhales in a pouting manner, and picks up a shirt then begins to fold it.
Cut to
Lily again, with a pile of about ten folded shirts resting beside her as she folds another. She looks up, and sees the same woman from before browsing through another rack of clothes. Lily quickly runs out from behind the counter over to the woman, knocking her pile of folded clothes in the process. She looks down at the clothes angrily.
Lily: Crap!
She shrugs.
Lily: Oh well...the janitor people can get it.
She then runs over to the woman at the rack of clothes. She looks over and sees Lily there.
Lily: So where were we?
Cut to
Lily’s boss walking through the entrance to the store again, as she sees Lily chatting with the woman.
Boss: Lily!
Lily jumps at the sound of her name, and looks over to see her boss, as the woman continues to talk, ignoring the fact Lily’s attention is elsewhere.
Boss: How many times do I have to warn you before I physically implant this into your head? You can’t just do these things! You have a job! Responsibilities...things you are paid to do!
Lily: I know, but...I got bored.
Boss: You don’t get paid to get bored! You get paid to work!
The woman Lily was talking to continues to ramble on, receiving no attention as Lily’s boss looks down at her watch, then back at Lily.
Boss: Take a break.
Lily: (Excited) A break!?
Boss: Yes. Take thirty minutes to realize how incompetent you’re being, and come back when you have a more serious attitude about your job here.
Lily’s boss marches off angrily, as Lily exhales softly, looking worried about what her boss has said to her. We get Lily caught in a deep thought, as she shrugs, then turns to go for her break.
Cut to
The woman at the rack still rambling, and laughing to herself, as she looks over, expecting to see Lily.
Woman: Hey...where’d she go?
Cut to:
Carmen sitting on a bench outside in the town centre. Very little is happening at the late hours. She looks exhausted and down. Hiero comes and sits beside her.
Hiero: Did you find-
Carmen: Does it look like I found him?
Hiero: I’m sorry…
Carmen: It was him, I swear…
Hiero: The majority of all spells made are to create illusions, Carmen. You know that.
Carmen: Bending realities laws…
Hiero: Didn’t you feel it? Didn’t you feel the magic? The prickling on the back of your neck?
Carmen doesn’t respond.
Hiero: I’m sorry, but I believe that someone is trying to get to you, Carmen. You aren’t popular in this city.
Carmen looks away from him; facing down the street.
Hiero: You should check the hospital tomorrow, see what’s happening.
Carmen: The hospital… I haven’t been there since…
Hiero: It’s ok, Carmen. You just needed-
Carmen: When I ask for your opinion, you can give it.
Carmen gets up and storms off. Leaving Hiero to grin at her as she leaves.
Cut to:
Sashiko opening the side door into the nightclub she works at. She goes beyond the entrance and back to a kitchen area. She goes to a cupboard and picks up a bag of coffee mix. She goes to the coffee machine beside the sink and begins to make coffee. An older Asian man comes into the kitchen. She looks at him and then away.
Note: When a language is stated in parenthesis behind the characters name, it means that subtitles are translating what they are speaking in that language.
Man (Japanese): Are you going to make me a cup as well?
Sashiko (Japanese): Are you going to get me back home one day, Mamoru?
Mamoru (Japanese): If you didn’t spend all your money on drugs then you wouldn’t be stuck here. You were irresponsible, Sashiko.
Sashiko (Japanese): And I’m tired of working as a whore!
Mamoru (Japanese): You could stay here and dance all night if you wanted.
Sashiko (Japanese): Will you increase my wages?
Mamoru (Japanese): A person so irresponsible does not deserve pity from their boss.
Sashiko (Japanese): Back in Japan I would have had a man like you crushed.
Mamoru (Japanese): then I am grateful that I am not in Japan.
Sashiko pours herself a cup of coffee.
Mamoru (Japanese): The crowd loved you tonight. They come to hear your music.
Sashiko (Japanese): I’m glad that I have some fans left in the world.
Mamoru (Japanese): They’re good for business.
Sashiko goes into her purse and grabs out a pack of Pokey. She sits down and begins to eat some. Mamoru takes a stick from the box. Sashiko glares at him as he moves his hand onto her shoulder.
Mamoru (Japanese): Someone as elegant as you shouldn’t have to work the streets.
Sashiko (Japanese): So I am getting a raise?
Mamoru’s hand begins to slip down to her chest. Sashiko doesn’t move.
Mamoru (Japanese): I’m sure we can come to some form of arrangement.
Sashiko looks him in the eyes. He pulls her up and puts his lips to hers; embracing her at the same time. Her coffee mug drops and shatters on the ground.
End Act One: Commercial Break.
big sister! You’re so funny!