Witch - Episode 1.07 - "How Can I Help?" (Part One)
Episode 1.07 “How Can I Help?”
Kaspar VO: Previously on Witch…
[Open to: Lora and Pete in a taxi.]
Lora: Are we being friendly?
Pete: Absolutely not.
[Cut to: Jade and Fynn in the witch hunters’ training room.]
Jade: What’s the deal with you and Ameya? I have to say, she’s not your best bet. There are better people-
Fynn: Jade, what I need is her.
Jade VO: She’s in your way, from me.
[Cut to: Autumn and Lester in The Lesper Bay Public Library.]
Autumn: [nervously] L-leave me alone.
[Lester walks closer to her, grinning.]
Lester: You really think I’ll let that happen? Watching you cower, it’s the only thing that makes this god-awful job worthwhile. Watching you scream under me, shudder.
[Lester approaches her again, she backs away. He slams his hand viciously against the wall, she jumps.]
[Cut to: Ezra and Rina in their bedroom. Ezra entwines her hand with Rina’s. She gazes into Rina’s eyes.]
Ezra: Stay with me.
Ezra VO: My god, how can I love you so much?
[They hold one another softly. So softly. Delicate.]
Rina: Forever.
[Cut to: Kaspar’s car, he’s looking out of the window.]
[He sees a person walking up to the witch hunters’ house, growing closer and closer…]
Drake: Well, well, what do we have here?
[Kaspar’s eyes widen, horrified. Rina.]
Rina: Mind if I come in?
START OF EPISODE
Teaser
[Open to: a wide shot of Lesper Bay, night. We see a large portion of the city, illuminated in city glow, lights glinting from every other nook and cranny in the shot. We slowly move over the city, seeing birds fly over in the night sky, a helicopter flying over in the distance.]
[Song: “Mad World” by Gary Jules.]
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
[Suddenly zoom down to ground level, where we see the witches’ house.]
Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
[Rina is staring out of the window of hers and Ezra’s bedroom, night. The rain is now pounding down harder. Rina stares out of the window, into the neighbouring house to see a birthday party bubbling away with innocent life.]
[She sees small children running around in their joyful play and smiles slightly. Then a twang of pain strikes her, she turns and looks towards Ezra, who’s taking a nap in the gentle light of the room.]
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what’s my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
[Fade to: a boy, in his mid teens about sixteen, he’s very scruffy looking walking down the usual run of the mill, dark, dank alley, night. His head is down in thought, he hears footsteps behind him and turns abruptly. Still.]
[The footsteps have stopped so the boy keeps on walking, he reaches the crossing between two alleyways. Suddenly a figure leaps out of another alleyway, slamming him into the wall. He struggles violently.]
Boy: Pl-please, please I’ll give you whatever you want, t-take anything.
And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I’m dying
Are the best I’ve ever had
[The boy continues to struggle, we move away to see silhouettes of both the figures, a dark eerie smoke moves from the attackers mouth into the boy’s mouth.
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
[Zoom into the boy’s shocked face. He gasps. A gasp of pure, gaunt terror. Fade to white.]
It’s a very, very mad world ... mad world
Enlarging your world
Mad world…
[Cut to: the boy entering the front door of an average looking house, night. His eyes are worn and he looks very shaken, though there appear to be no bruises and cuts on him, he’s just been emotionally worn.]
Boy: Mum?
[A woman in her mid forties enters from another room.]
Woman: [furious] Darren, where have you been?
Darren: I-I’m sorry, mum.
Mother: You’re late from school again. Two hours late.
Darren: I-Mother: No excuse this time. You had us worried sick. Wherever you were, whatever you were doing-
Darren: I was attacked.
Mother: [appalled] What?
Darren: I was walking home…then something pushed me against the wall and then-
Mother: [sighs, unconvinced] Not again, Darren.
Darren: Again?
Mother: Don’t lie to me again.
Darren: I’m not lying.
Mother: Like you have such a good track record. Give me a reason why I should believe you, you don’t have a scratch on you! You were probably doing god knows what with those so-called friends of yours you stick around with. They’re a bad influence on you, I told you to stay away from them.
[Darren sighs and tries to walk past her up the stairs, he clearly can’t be bothered to argue.]
Mother: Don’t walk away from me.
Darren: [harsh] Why not? It’s what you do best.
Mother: Don’t give me that backchat, young man.
Darren: Mum, please I just want to go to bed.
Mother: No, you’re not getting away that easily. You’re going to tell me what you’ve been doing tonight.
Darren: I’ve already told you. I have to report this to the police or somebody-
Mother: Tell me the truth.
Darren: I have to report this now, mum.
Mother: [firm] Not now.
[Mother pulls Darren down the stairs as he makes another attempt up, in instinctive retaliation he pushes back with equal force, a sudden green light shoots from his hands into Mother who flashes an eerie green, suddenly freezing. Without warning she falls down the stairs.]
Darren: [suddenly worried] Mum? Mum?
[Mother lies at the bottom of the stairs - still, just still.]
Darren: [quiet] Mum?
[We hear the steady sound of a heartbeat, growing fainter and fainter and fainter…]
[Fade to: a similar kind of dark evening. The street is quiet and Kaspar sits in his car, while the rain still splatters outside, looking out of the window. He sees a person walking up to the witch hunters’ house, growing closer, closer, closer…]
Rina: [dark, echoey.] Mind if I come in?
[The phrase continues to echo, echo, echo as the screen slowly fades to black.]
[Flash to: several quick, violently bright shots of Rina’s face, grinning and grimacing with malice.]
[Flash to: Rina holding a bloody knife, holding it into a person’s back. Move abruptly to see it’s Ezra’s face. Her eyes wide, gaunt. Her cheeks are chalk white and pale. Her eyes are dark and hollow, almost dead looking. She groans slightly her voice is croaky and lower than normal, almost ghost like.]
Ezra: Help me.
[Rina twists the bloody knife further into Ezra’s back. She screams. She screams. She screams. The piercing sound resonating endlessly, forever. A knock cuts the piercing scream away.]
[Abruptly cut to: Kaspar waking up suddenly in his bed, his eyes wide as he sits up with haste. He’s sweating madly in fear, he turns to the door to see Rina there, his eyes darken further.]
Rina: Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?
Kaspar: [weak] No, you…
[Rina peers into Kaspar’s eyes, with a concerned look.]
Rina: Breakfast is downstairs in five if you’re hungry.
Kaspar: [empty] Yeah, thanks.
Rina: Are you ok?
Kaspar: [quickly] I’m fine.
Rina: Okay.
[Rina nods, she turns away and leaves. Kaspar takes a heaving breath and stares ahead for a few moments, in pain and worry. He then slowly gets himself out of bed and opens a drawer in his bedside table. He brings out - a knife. He slowly rubs his finger over the smooth, silver surface and looks towards the door. And scowls.]
[Blackout.]
Thunder cracks…
Opening Credits
Theme song: “Wherever I Go” by The Album Leaf.
Starring -Amber Benson - Tara Maclay
Anna Belknap - Ezra Storm
Carmine Giovinazzo - Kaspar Sharpe
Percy Daggs III - Pete Golloway
Samaire Armstrong - Rina Faraday
and Autumn Reeser as Autumn Sharpe
With-David Anders - Drake
Jennifer Garner - Ameya
Amanda Seyfried - Jade
Jonathan Bennett - Fynn
Guest Starring:
Lacey Chabert - Lora
David Tennant - Lester
James Lafferty - Darren
Barbara Alyn Woods - Mother
Tara Reid - Julia
Created by: Yosso
Written by: Yosso
Produced by: Yosso
Beta: http://zandra-x.livejournal.com
Songs featured:“Mad World” by Gary Jules, “Into Dust” cover by Ashtar Command.
Disclaimer: “Witch” is a virtual fan made series, set in Joss Whedon’s Buffyverse which is property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Entertainment, The WB, UPN and 20th Century Fox Television. No profit is made from this, the character of Tara was created by Joss Whedon. All other original characters were created by me (Yosso), so keep your hands off ‘em (except with permission).
~+~
Act One
[Open to: Kaspar in his psychologist’s office, day. He’s sitting on a chair at his table and sorting out a few files here and there. A woman pokes her head through the door.]
Kaspar: Ah, Julia what can I do for you?
[Julia smiles, opening the door further to reveal the rest of her petite body.]
Kaspar: You know you can just come in, you don’t need to keep on poking your head in like that.
Julia: You tease too much, sir.
Kaspar: Please, I’m Kaspar, or Kas, whatever’s good. Just not the friendly ghost.
[Julia chuckles slightly.]
Kaspar: You have a pretty laugh there, Julia.
[Kaspar gives Julia a little playful wink, she stares at Kaspar, turning bright red.]
Julia: Well… I…uh… why… Thank you, Mr. Sharpe - I mean Kaspar, or Kas.
[Kaspar gives Julia an encouraging smile.]
Kaspar: Relax Julia, it’s called harmless flattery, we men do that sometimes.
Julia: Well… sir, your first patient’s here.
Kaspar: [with a gentlemanly nod] As usual, thank you Julia.
[Cut to: an overweight guy in a chair in front of Kaspar.]
Kaspar: So. What is your problem? What predicament has brought you here? What is wrong with you?
[Beat.]
Kaspar: You don’t seem to have a file.
Fat Guy: Yeah, it’s a thing. Your name’s Kaspar?
Kaspar: Unless I’m in the wrong office.
Fat Guy: Haunt anyone lately?
[Kaspar sighs, rolling his eyes.]
Kaspar: Ok then, what’s wrong?
Fat Guy: I’m…fat.
Kaspar: Uh huh. So why’re you here?
Fat Guy: I’m fat.
[Kaspar simply looks at him, almost expressionless.]
[Cut to: another man sitting opposite Kaspar.]
Kaspar: So how can I help you?
Man: I’m scared.
Kaspar: What about exactly?
Man: Don’t you have the information in the file?
Kaspar: Yes it, but it’s better to hear it from you. It confronts the issue with more force.
Man: I’m so selfish.
Kaspar: Selfish?
Man: [growing slightly tearful] My sister is dying - of cancer. Cervical cancer. Cancer of the cervix. Whatever you want to call it, I don’t know. And I can’t cope. I’m falling apart.
Kaspar: [nods sympathetically] How?
Man: I’m worried. I’m so worried about her it’s killing me, but it’s affecting me, I can’t sleep very well, I can’t focus. This shouldn’t be happening, it shouldn’t.
Kaspar: It’s ok to be worried. You need to learn to relax, it’s a good skill to learn.
Man: How could I do that?
Kaspar: Let me show you.
[Cut to: Ezra and Rina’s room, day. Rina is sitting cross-legged on the double bed, holding a small ripped piece of bread. She’s thinking, a grim expression on her face.]
[Flash to: the witch hunters’ house, night, a flashback. There is a knock at the door, Drake approaches it and undoes the locks, opening it to the outside night air.]
[His expression turns to an amused smile as he stares at her. Rina stands outside the house, she pulls her coat more firmly around her. The two stare for a few moments in silence. Drake’s grinning is close to a laugh, Rina is slightly intimidated but still remains strong.]
Rina: So are we going to do a staring competition or can I come in?
[Drake spits maliciously at Rina’s face, a manically gleeful grin on his face. She sighs and wipes it off.]
Rina: [kind of shaky] So what does that mean in English?
[Jade, Fynn and Ameya appear behind Drake.]
Ameya: [with contempt] What’s she doing here?
Rina: I came… to talk.
Fynn: To talk? Wow that’s a new one and here I thought all you did was annoy and pollute.
Rina: And not get killed by you.
Drake: [darkly] D’you want me to test that theory?
Rina: Just hear me out.
Drake: Going right into the hornets’ nest, isn’t that a little thick? If I knew you witches were this suicidal I wouldn’t have bothered.
Rina: I’ve got protection, I can handle myself.
Drake: [darkly] Or so you think. Not when the crow calls at dawn.
Jade: Why should we trust you? Why should we hear anything you have to say?
Drake: Oh come on, hear her out, it’ll be amusing.
[Beat.]
Rina: I’m just trying to do the right thing.
Drake: Oh this’ll be a laugh. How’s the Mrs taking all this? Chatting with the enemy an’ all.
Rina: They don’t know, none of them know. They wouldn’t understand, so you obviously can’t tell them.
Drake: [with a smirk] Oh if you’re playing, I’ll play. Let’s just see which one of us lands on top, eh?
[Drake steps aside, letting Rina through. She takes a few tentative steps in.]
Drake: [grins] What can I offer you, Judas?
[Rina sighs.]
Drake: Bread? Wine?
[Flash to: Rina sitting on the bed again, present day, the flashback is over. She looks out of the window, still holding her small piece of ripped bread. She sighs and lets the bread slip from her hands, falling and crumbling to the floor.]
[Cut to: Kaspar’s psychologist’s office, day, a young man is sitting opposite Kaspar.]
Man: Am I crazy?
Kaspar: Quite possibly.
Man: My wife has left me for some tramp.
Kaspar: Oh that’s…bad.
Man: I need to move on.
Kaspar: Acknowledgement, that’s a good first step.
Man: With revenge.
Kaspar: Revenge?
Man: Got any ideas? I was thinking maybe I should start with hot pokers.
[Kaspar looks very uncomfortable. He nods.]
Kaspar: Next!
[Cut to: The Lesper Bay Bugle Office, day. Lora walks briskly down an aisle, the usual bustle in the background. She has a document in her hand, she head straight for Pete’s tiny desk.]
Lora: [sharp] What is this?
Pete: [looks up] Does it not look like an article to you?
Lora: It looks like it was written by-
Pete: Einstein?
Lora: Don’t flatter yourself. And what does “embourgeoisement” and “hepatocarcinoma” mean anyway?
Pete: It means somebody’s stuck on stupid.
Lora: How is anyone going to get your opinion on this dating agency if it’s not clear?
Pete: How about we get a second opinion?
Lora: Like that’s going to make a difference.
Pete: Hey, you’re not the boss of me, we’re partners in this.
Lora: [quietly] Unfortunately.
Pete: Ugh!
Lora: You just can’t handle the criticism. Cry baby.
Pete: Wino.
Lora: Loser.
Pete: Moron.
Lora: Coward.
Pete: I’m a coward huh? I’ll show you I know what I’m talking about here.
Lora: About dating? You don’t know the first thing. You’ll probably have your first kiss at forty.
Pete: Oh, that is so outta line!
Lora: Prove it.
[Pete leans forward and kisses Lora on the lips, a dramatic, passionate kiss. The two share a kiss for a moment, just a moment, but for a fraction of a second it remains, deep. They tear apart.]
Lora: [horrified] What the hell?
Pete: [smug] Looks like that’s another argument you’ve lost.
[Pete walks off past Lora who remains stunned. She touches her lips, lightly in her shock, but it turns into a tiny, tiny flicker - of a gentle smile.]
[Cut to: an empty street, day. A car drives up and stops, Rina steps out of the car and looks around. She sighs. She takes a gulp of air, her face wrought with tension. She takes out blueprints of a building from her bag. Her phone suddenly rings, she takes it out of her handbag and flicks it open.]
Rina: [harsh] What do you want?
Drake: Now a boss can’t even wish his employee good luck?
Rina: It’s not like we’re friends, so don’t act like it. I’ll get your documents.
Drake: You’re wearing the ninja suit?
Rina: No. What d’you think I am? In some spy movie?
Drake: [callously] I wish, sweetpea. Good luck.
Rina: [dismissively] Yeah, thanks for that. But I don’t need it from you of all people.
[Rina closes her phone, hanging up. She takes a breath and looks up to a giant warehouse.]
[Cut to: a door, just outside the warehouse, a sign is on the door saying “Warehouse Closed Today”, with a fence a few feet from the door making a passageway, a CCTV camera is also swivelling around. We return back to the warehouse door, these is a burning sound, move away to see Rina walking through a burnt hole in the fence, she has her face covered by her jacket. She looks up at the camera.]
Rina: [under her breath] Freeze.
[The security camera suddenly stops in mid-swivel, then fizzles and sparks with electricity, dead and limp. Rina looks up to the camera and lowers her jacket. She turns her attention to the door. She heaves a sigh and braces herself. Rina takes hold of the door handle.]
Rina: [whispering] Unlock.
[There are several bolt sounds and the door swings open, revealing pure black darkness inside. Rina looks up, her eyes shadowed, low and dim. She takes one step, and enters into the dark abyss.]
[Cut to: Kaspar’s psychologists office, later on. A boy comes in through the door in silence, a boy fairly, in fact very familiar to us - it’s Darren. Darren sits down in the patient chair.]
Kaspar: Hello.
[Silence.]
Kaspar: So where do you want to start?
Darren: Look, I’m not here for pity. I-I’m not even sure I want to be. My uncle has made me go to counselling, but it’s not like they’ve helped.
Kaspar: How many others have you been to?
Darren: [exasperated] I don’t know… too many.
Kaspar: So, are you prepared to tell me this problem? It’s quite vague in your file.
[Darren sighs, he looks down and takes a deep, hard breath.]
Darren: [raspy] I…
Kaspar: It’s ok, take your time.
[Darren suddenly stands up, Kaspar raises his eyebrows.]
Darren: Look, I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think… I just can’t.
[Darren starts to walk away towards the door.]
Kaspar: Look, I know you don’t know me. I’ve seen many patients come in here and go back out because they didn’t believe. They didn’t believe they could do this and help themselves, but I’m sure you can, I know you can, if you just push yourself, it’ll be better for you, whatever your problem is.
Darren: I’m sorry. I can’t.
[Darren continues to walk past, he reaches the door just as Julia opens it.]
Julia: Mr. Sharpe your-
[Darren pushes past Julia and accidentally brushes against her, the green light shoots into Julia at the touch, her skeleton showing in her body in a flash of green, she freezes. She falls.]
Darren: Oh my god…
[Darren staggers back, shocked.]
Darren: I…I…
Kaspar: [rushes up to Julia’s body] What happened?
Darren: [panicked] I told you this was a bad idea. I told you we shouldn’t have come here!
[Kaspar kneels down, checking for her pulse, he turns round - grave.]
Kaspar: There’s nothing. She’s dead.
[Fade to black.]
End of Act One.
Act Two.
[Open to: the psychologist’s office, day. Kaspar stands up, slowly backing away from Julia’s body, clearly stunned.]
Darren: I - I need to…
Kaspar: You killed her…
Darren: I should go.
Kaspar: No! Look what you’ve done! Look what you’ve done now!
[Kaspar grabs Darren and turns him around. Darren quickly flinches, moving away from a furious Kaspar, his eyes burning and blazing.]
Kaspar: [fiercely] How did this happen?!
Darren: [sighs] It was me. I can’t keep hiding like this. I can’t keep lying like this.
[Beat.]
Darren: I know it sounds crazy but…
Kaspar: There was a flash of light, before… before-
Darren: [quietly] Before I killed her.
[Beat. Darren looks to the floor, Kaspar sighs, quickly forcing himself to calm down.]
Darren: I - I, I didn’t mean to… This… this always happens! It always happens to the wrong people. It always happens!
Kaspar: [with laboured breath] Whatever’s happening… I think I might know how to help.
[Darren looks up to him, slightly surprised.]
Kaspar: I can help you.
[Cut to: the psychologist’s office, later on. There are police officers and detectives milling around. One is talking to Kaspar and Darren.]
Detective: So she just dropped dead?
Kaspar: We don’t know what happened, one minute she was bringing in a new patient, the next-
Detective: We’ll have to bring you in for questioning - both of you.
[Cut to: the witches house, later on that day. Kaspar and Darren are sitting down on the sofa.]
Kaspar: Tell me what’s wrong, you need to be straight with me if you want me to help you. What killed her?
Darren: It was me. It was my… my touch.
[Tara and Autumn and Pete come in hearing the talking.]
Autumn: You’re back early.
Kaspar: I have an important patient.
Pete: I know the décor here is great an’ all, but isn’t your office the best place for all this?
[Rina enters, quickly followed by Ezra.]
Kaspar: No, not right now at least. There was a death.
Rina: [with dry sarcasm.] Oh. What an uncommon occurrence in our lives.
Ezra: Death, demons and destruction, those are three words I need to hear less of.
Tara: What happened?
[Silence. The witches all look to Kaspar to tell them.]
Kaspar: Long story short, when he touches people, they die, he accidentally did it to Julia my secretary.
Rina: [shocked] Oh…
Darren: [quiet] My touch - it killed her.
Tara: So when you touch things, they die?
Darren: [quiet] No, it only happens sometimes.
Kaspar: When? Randomly or at certain moments?
Darren: [quietly diffident, ashamed of himself] I don’t know. They seem pretty random right now. That’s what makes it more dangerous, I never know when it’ll decide to act.
Ezra: D’you know when all this started?
Darren: A few months back roughly, I got attacked - by something, I really don’t know what. I got home, and it happened for the first time… That’s a night I’ll never forget.
Rina: How many times has it happened before?
Darren: Counting today, twice. But I’ve nearly killed someone three times before.
Tara: How many people have you seen about this?
Darren: So many I’ve lost count. Doctors, hypnotists, they all seem to blur together now. Nothing’s helping, either nobody knows or people just think I’m crazy.
Kaspar: And it’s a little difficult to prove without-
Darren: [nods] Yeah.
Darren: This disease, it’s ruining my life, and the lives of the people around me. I’m hurting people, when I don’t want to, I don’t mean to and yet it still happens. I want to know if I’m wasting time here both yours and mine, I want to know if you can help me. If you can really help me.
Tara: We can.
[Cut to: Tara and Ezra walking along a commercial street, day.]
Tara: So I’ve had enough of the mooching.
Ezra: Hey, you weren’t mooching, you were…squatting.
Tara: [with a grin] Well now I can squat and be useful.
Ezra: Nothing better than a working hobo.
Tara: Got that right.
[Ezra and Tara stop and enter a shop on the high street - “Wicca Wonderland”.]
Voice OS: Hey Tara, it’s not your shift now is it?
Tara: I know, I’m just showing a friend around, giving the tour.
Woman: [with a grin] Oh great. How long d’you expect that to last?
Tara: ‘Bout three minutes.
Woman: You read my mind. [to Ezra] I’m Jera and…
[Two other women conveniently walk out of the back room.]
Jera: Here’s Gabby and Diane.
Gabby: Huh?
Jera: [mouths] Visitor.
Gabby: Oh! Hey, uh… well I’m-
Diane: The stupid one.
Gabby: [jokingly] Hey, I’m more smarter than you could ever be.
Tara: Well all, this is Ezra.
Diane: Well Ezra, have a look around, is there anything in particular you were looking for?
Ezra: Well there is one problem we’ve been having-
Diane: Great, I’ll hand you over to Gabby.
Gabby: Gabby? You’ve got to be joking.
Diane: Yes, because I’m that hilarious.
Gabby: But Gabby’s busy enjoying her very work-free break. Which means no work. Hint hint.
Jera: Glad you’ve managed to work that out, hun.
Gabby: Don’t patronise me, woman.
Diane: But breaks can be changed. And so can salaries which means less money for Prada shoes. Hint hint.
[Gabby glares, but can’t help but grin.]
Gabby: You’ll be the death of me, you two.
[Gabby hitches on a smile to Tara and leads her away.]
Jera: We love her really.
[Cut to: the back of Wicca Wonderland, the door opens, Gabby, Ezra and Tara walk in.]
Gabby: Sorry about this, most of our decent stock is back here, we put all the showy stuff in the front, brings in the cash.
Tara: I get that.
Gabby: So what’s your problem? Pixie infestation? Poltergeist in your attic?
Tara: Oh, just a tortured, emotionally broken, guy infected by a touch which kills anyone he touches unpredictably.
Gabby: Oh.
[Pause. Gabby looks around, slightly awkwardly.]
Gabby: That’s not good.
[She’s clearly completely clueless about what to do.]
Gabby: Aspirin?
[Cut to: the outside of a large public park, night. Slowly move down from a high height diagonally down to a sign - “Lesper Bay Public Park”. Ameya and Fynn walk out of the park under an archway, both have ice cream cones in their hands as they walk, grinning.]
Fynn: So we finally got out for a break. The witch hunting biz officially aint no part time job.
Ameya: So this is our first date, huh? I pictured it being more…classy.
Fynn: Date? We’re on date mode right now? I was under the impression this was just an…outing.
Ameya: Ok, outing it is. But that doesn’t mean the kissing part isn’t allowed, is it? Cos I’m going to have to complain.
Fynn: Oh, if that’s the case…
[Ameya grins and Fynn leans in to kiss her. They slowly separate.]
Fynn: …I think we can make an exception.
Ameya: Ooh, I’ve got brain freeze.
Fynn: Are my kisses that bad?
Ameya: No, from the ice cream, doofus.
Fynn: Well hey, let me warm you up there.
[Fynn takes off his floppy eared hat and places on Ameya’s head, rubbing her head a little and giving her a little peck on the nose.]
Fynn: Any warmer?
Ameya: Uh… well it’s a little cold, over here…
[Ameya points to her lips with a cheeky twinkle. Fynn grins and kisses Ameya on the lips.]
Ameya: Ah, now that’s better.
Fynn: My little Eskimo.
[Cut to: the witches’ kitchen, day. Ezra is in there building a small construction out of crackers with a book “Paranormal Diseases” next to her. She’s examining the tower closely with a grin and wide eyes, while taking a peek at the book. She turns the page over.]
Ezra: Empire State Building here we come.
[Kaspar opens the door, entering the kitchen, he approaches Ezra and taps her on the shoulder. She turns around and in the process accidentally knocks down the tower. She turns to it and her smile fades.]
Ezra: Oh…
Kaspar: Could we talk?
Ezra: [turns to Kaspar] Isn’t that what we’re doing now?
[Kaspar gives her a slightly annoyed look.]
Ezra: Ok, ok. Sure. What’s up?
Kaspar: Have you talked to Rina recently?
Ezra: Uh… why?
Kaspar: Just asking.
Ezra: [her eyebrows raise] Why’re you being so weird all of a sudden?
Kaspar: Weird?
Ezra: There’s just something about you this last week that’s been… different.
Kaspar: I’m sorry, it’s just… she has something to tell you.
Ezra: [bemused] Ok…
Kaspar: So you’ll tell her?
Ezra: So you want me to tell her, you told me, that she has something to tell me?
Kaspar: No, I told you, that you should tell her that I told you, that she…
Ezra: That she what?
[Beat. Kaspar looks into Ezra’s eyes, soft, bright and green. Kaspar looks back at them. Then he looks down, he frowns, his face contorting in discomfort, an inner struggle inside him.]
Ezra: Kas, what’s going on?
Kaspar: [beat.] I can’t. Not now.
Ezra: [confused] What?
Kaspar: You’ll find out.
Ezra: Kas…
Kaspar: She’ll tell you. Just make sure she tells you…
[Kaspar walks past Ezra who turns and watches him. She sighs, uneasy.]
[Cut to: the witches’ sitting room, day. Kaspar, Tara, Ezra and Darren are all sitting around talking.]
Kaspar: This thing that attacked you before your first kill, did you see what it looked like?
Darren: No, too dark to tell.
Tara: Did it say anything? Make any distinctive noises?
Darren: Yeah, it said: “Fun. Fun. Fun. This will be fun.”
Kaspar: You didn’t tell us that before.
Darren: I didn’t think it was important. Plus I’ve got enough people thinking I’m a nut-job as it is.
Kaspar: Where were you attacked?
Darren: An alleyway, this town seems to have a lot of them.
Ezra: You’re not wrong.
Darren: Jewel Avenue I think, off the main road.
Tara: This is good, we’re making progress.
Ezra: So we going to find it?
Kaspar: We should find out what it is first before going in all hack and slash, it might help cure Darren, we don’t know anything about this.
Tara: Good plan, Darren’s our main priority here, not the demon, we should find a way to help him first.
Ezra: So some sort of releasing spell to get this power out of him?
Tara: It’s worth a shot.
[Cut to: the witches’ house, day. The front door rings, Autumn strolls to the door and opens it - Lester. She freezes. Her face tenses. Her body goes rigid.]
Lester: I don’t even get a good afternoon kiss?
[Autumn’s casual air has vanished. She suddenly appears drained, paling.]
Autumn: [weakly] Please. Not now.
Lester: I think now’s a better time than ever.
[Lester slides his way into the house and bites seductively on Autumn’s ear. She simply remains frozen, petrified by his touch. Autumn tries to push him away, but it’s a feeble attempt. He just clutches her shoulder, tight, continuing his invasion.]
Autumn: [quietly] Why did you come here? Why now?
Lester: What, you’re scared we might get caught?
[Autumn finally gathers the strength to push Lester away. He laughs, harsh and bitter.]
Lester: You’re fighting back now? [growing darker] You know that’s not a good idea. It never can be.
Autumn: There is no “we”. There never has been. There’s just me being…being…
Lester: Being what?
Autumn: Being weak. I don’t want this, and you’re making me do this.
Lester: [harsh] Well let me give you a wake up call miss, you don’t get to define what we are. I do. I have the power, I own you. I am-
Autumn: Big Brother? No, you’re not. I already have one of those.
Lester: And he’s what? Your knight in shining armour, he’s going to save you from the big bad me?
Autumn: [desperate] Please… Don’t do this. Don’t ruin this part of my life as well.
Lester: Desperation. I can smell it all over you.
[Autumn moves back from an advancing Lester.]
Autumn: I-
Lester: [a harsh whisper] He can’t save you, you’re stuck in the dark - with me.
[Kaspar appears, strolling up to Autumn.]
Kaspar: Hi. Who’s this?
Autumn: [brisk] Salesman.
[Autumn quickly takes this chance to shut the door, closing the door on a callously smirking face.]
[Cut to: the witches’ living room, day. Tara and Kaspar enter while Pete, Autumn, Ezra, Rina and Darren are sitting around in the room.]
Kaspar: We got everything?
Ezra: [nods] Ok, chant time.
Tara: We’re going to try and extract the power from Darren using a general extraction spell, once we deal with this, hopefully it should give us more of an idea of the thing that infected him.
Darren: Where will it go once it’s extracted?
Kaspar: It should go into the ether somewhere and disappear.
[Darren nods in understanding. Kaspar, Tara, Ezra, Rina and Darren go to the centre of the room and set up the spell, Ezra lighting a candle. Tara sprinkles some herbs over the candle and they begin.]
Rina: Unwanted entity hear me, release and be free.
Tara: Expel and banish.
Ezra: Sever and vanish.
Kaspar: Never to be seen again.
[Beat. There is an eerie wind which wafts through the house from the window, blowing the candle’s white smoke slowly towards Darren, washing over him, past him, cleansing him. As the smoke touches his skin it turns green, carrying on past him. There are sighs of relief and smiles of satisfaction.]
[The smoke continues on and on, now green and infected it reaches - Pete. A speck of it touches Pete’s skin. Into him. Violently flashing green for a second. The relief of the witches quickly vanishes, now tensed shock.]
Pete: Oh my god…
[The smoke green smoke continues to waft, on and on, out of the window, follow it until it reaches Drake.]
[Blackout.]
End of Act Two.