NIGHTBREED
Written by
Clive Barker
Fade In:
Scene 1. TITLE SEQUENCE
Darkness. Then, a burst of sparks from a bowl held in a scaly hand.
The light shows us a mural. We start to move along the wall. First we
see stars and planets, painted in a primitive, stylized fashion on
bare rock. A voice on the track speaks softly to us.
VOICE: We did not always live in hiding.
We have come to the image of a huge family tree, which springs from
a single seed but divides into two separate halves. On the left,
ruled by the moon, the branches blossom into extraordinary creatures.
On the right, by sunlight, the branches end in ordinary human beings.
Upon the word Nightbreed the title comes up on the screen, against
the image of a moon painted on the wall.
SCENES 2-2K Deleted
2L. EXT. REEDS NIGHT
Cut to a real moon. Then cut wide to a moonlit landscape, through
which the camera careens madly. The soundtrack, which was lush and
almost sacred in the mural chamber, erupts into a tribal rhythm. We
glimpse creatures in the darkness, moving through the reeds. They are
barely more than silhouettes. We see teeth, and gleaming eyes;
glimpses of naked, patterned flesh. Only glimpses.
2M. INT. MURAL CHAMBER
Cut back to the mural chamber. Now we have moved away from the tree
to a more brutal scene. A symbolic representation of a great
apocalyptic war between Naturals and Breed. Terrible scenes of
destruction.
VOICE: But the Naturals made war on us. They feared us for our
strength. They envied our powers. They called us monsters, killing us
by whatever means their malice could invent, finding in each of us
our particular vulnerability.
We are scanning scenes of that war. A breed being staked like a
vampire. Another being shot like a werewolf. Another exposed to
sunlight.
VOICE: None of us was safe. The tribes of the moon dwindled. Our
gods were slaughtered, our homes destroyed. It was the Apocalypse.
2N. EXT. NECROPOLIS WALL AND GATES
Cut back to the landscape. The clouds roil above the heads of the
creatures heading through the reeds. We see their destination now. A
huge wall, with gates.
2P. INT. MURAL CHAMBER
And back to the mural chamber, and a final scene. The gates we've
just seen are in the painting. Looking over them, calling the Breed
in, is a vast indistinct form: that of Baphomet. His eyes burn; his
arms are open in welcome.
VOICE: Only one of our Gods survived the holocaust. Baphomet.
Wounded and near death, he summoned us, the last of the last, into
hiding. Into Midian, where we wait now. The battle is over but not
the war. There will come a saviour.
Now we've moved beyond the image of the gate into a new patch of
wall on which the pictures are only vague sketches. We can interpret
some of the images nevertheless: a man with a bloody hole in the
middle of his chest. A man wearing a mask like a skull. We linger on
a faceless figure.
VOICE: His name is Cabal. He will lead and give us back the Night.
We are the tribes of the moon. We are the Nightbreed.
The titles end.
2Q. EXT. NECROPOLIS WALL AND GATES
Cut back to the landscape. Now we are at the gates, and the
creatures slip through and away into the mist. Only one, a beautiful,
ferocious female called Shuna Sassi remains, turning to look at us.
She beckons.
SHUNA: Come...
The camera retreats from her.
SHUNA: Will you not come?
Now the last of the creatures, the Drummer, takes her by the arm,
snatching her away through the gates. As she disappears, the camera
follows again, stopping at the gates themselves, which close with an
unearthly din.
CUT TO:
2R. INT. LORI'S APARTMENT NIGHT
C.U. on Boone, closed eyes. He is dreaming. His gaze roves beneath
his lids.
Lori's lips come into shot kissing first his eyes and then traveling
down his face to his mouth.
LORI: Boone...wake up.
Boone's eyes flicker open.
LORI: Hi. You OK?
Boone: Yep.
Now Boone's eyes are fully open. He sits up. Looks towards the open
window. Night beyond. She kisses him, distracting him from the sight
of the window.
LORI: You want something to eat?
BOONE: Sure. What time is it?
LORI: Nine-thirty. I was letting you doze.
BOONE: Thought you'd worn me out, huh?
Lori smiles, and kisses him, then crosses the room to the kitchen
area, picks up some fruit, and a knife, carrying both back to where
Boone is lying on the bed. It is unmade. Both Lori and Boone are
lightly dressed, clothes casually thrown on after an afternoon
lovemaking.
Lori: You know what?
BOONE: What?
LORI: We should get out of Calgary for a few days. Just take off.
BOONE: Anywhere special?
LORI: Somewhere we can be alone together.
BOONE: More alone than this?
LORI: Yeah. Just you and me. No work. No telephone calls. No...
BOONE: Bad dreams.
LORI: No bad dreams.
BOONE: How did you know?
LORI: I know. I always know. It's no big deal.
BOONE: I'm going around in some crazy loop in my head.
LORI: You're not crazy.
BOONE: No.
LORI: Say it like you mean it.
BOONE: I believe it. I'm not crazy. But I want this damn dream out
of my head.
He gets up and goes to the window.
BOONE: Decker's started calling me again.
LORI: When?
BOONE: All last week. Every day.
LORI: What does he want?
BOONE: I don't know. I haven't called him back.
LORI: If he can help, see him. Tell him it's all gone but the bad
dreams.
BOONE: They're not bad. That's what's weird. The more I have them
the more I like them. Now I do sound like a crazy, right?
LORI: No. You sound like the man I love. A little haunted, maybe,
but the sanest man I ever met.
BOONE: Keep going.
LORI: Will you see Decker?
BOONE: You think I should?
LORI: Where's the harm? You tell him from me, I'm the only thing you
should be dreaming about.
BOONE: I don't think he'd get it. He never had a wet dream in his
life.
LORI: I don't want to be competing with things I can't see, Boone.
Can't share I don't want to be always feeling that something's
pulling at you.
BOONE: I'm not going anywhere, Lori. Except with you.
LORI: I can't hear that often enough.
BOONE: I'll never leave you. Not ever. I swear.
He kisses her, passionately.
BOONE: Can't remember a time when I didn't love you.
LORI: How about before we met?
BOONE: Even then.
They kiss again. We move past them into the darkness outside the
window.
Dissolve to the moon, clearing cloud.
SCENES 3-15 DELETED
16. EXT. RICKMAN HOUSE NIGHT
A pleasant house in a pleasant neighborhood. Lights burn inside.
17. INT. RICKMAN HOUSE NIGHT
Melissa Rickman emerges from the lounge, with a Dagwood sandwich, a
work in progress. She is thirty-five, and going to seed in a gentle
way. Her husband, Lou Rickman, a similar type, is planted in front of
the television.
MELISSA: Okay, you want ham, cheese, pickle, mustard?
LOU: All of the above and a brewski, thank you.
MELISSA: You're getting porky, Lou.
LOU [amiable - tried to grab her]: I'm comfortable. I like myself
fat. I like you fat too...
MELISSA [secretly amused - she hushes him]: Keep it down, Lou,
you'll wake the munchkins.
She hears something upstairs, goes to the foot of the stairs, looks
up. Her eldest son, Lou Two, waddles into view. He's five.
LOU TWO: Mommy...
MELISSA: Sweetie, you're supposed to be beddy-bye.
LOU TWO: I heard something.
MELISSA: What did you hear?
LOU TWO: Bad man.
MELISSA: No, everything's okay. You go back to bed, munchkin, I'll
be up to see you in a minute.
LOU [V.O.]: How's that sandwich coming?
MELISSA: Coming...
Melissa disappears from the bottom of the stairs.
18. INT. RICKMAN KITCHEN NIGHT
Melissa enters, moves out of sight. We stay at the door. A figure
appears dressed in black, knives in both hands, and crosses to leave
the screen again. We do not see his face. But we hear his labours:
the sound of the blades slicing Melissa. She staggers into view,
grabbing hold of her slit throat. Blood bubbles between her fingers.
The figure appears behind her. She turns, as the knife descends.
19. INT. RICKMAN LOUNGE NIGHT
Lou hears a sound, rises and moves towards the kitchen door.
LOU: Melissa?
At the top of the stairs, Lou Two watches wide-eyed.
20. INT. RICKMAN STAIRS NIGHT
Lou Two's P.O.V. - We see blood running along the highway.
21. INT. RICKMAN KITCHEN NIGHT
Lou reaches the kitchen door and sees Melissa laid out, dead, on the
kitchen table
LOU: Oh God - GOD!
Lou enters, the figure emerges from behind him. While we remain at
the door watching, detached, Lou fights back, throwing himself back
and forth around the kitchen. But the figure is much stronger. We
glimpse its face now, it is a mask, with a zipper for a mouth and
buttons for eyes, blank. Devoid of compassion, hatred or regret. A
death's head, made by a mad child.
Atop the stairs, Lou Two listens. His baby sister cries in her cot.
He looks her way then back downstairs. The sounds cease. Silence.
Terror on his face. Then the child's perfect nightmare appears at the
bottom of the stairs. The figure, heavy knife in hand, starts to
climb, dragging Lou's bloody body after him by the hair.
DISSOLVE TO:
22. SCENE DELETED
22A. INT. BOONE'S APARTMENT NIGHT
Empty. The phone rings. We move towards the answering machine, which
clicks on.
BOONE [on tape]: Hi. Please leave a message.
LORI [thru phone]: Boone, pick up will you? Boone? Are you there?
Boone? Okay, so don't answer. See you tomorrow...G'night.
23. SCENE DELETED
24. EXT. RICKMAN HOUSE NIGHT
Three patrol cars, an ambulance, policeman restraining a small crowd
gathered outside. A n.d. sedan roars up, red bubble light flashing,
and Inspector Joyce gets out and moves towards the house. He's
greeted by the Medical Examiner, Dr Burton, just exiting, carrying a
medical bag.
BURTON [bitter]: Brace yourself, Inspector.
JOYCE: Same profile?
BURTON: Unmistakable. Doesn't miss a trick.
JOYCE [anguished]: Kids? Two kids?
BURTON: If it's any comfort, they went quickly.
JOYCE: Yeah. Makes me feel a whole lot better about the sick fuck.
BURTON: Find this guy, Joyce. They say these guys want to be caught.
I think this one likes it too much.
A rookie patrolman stands on the doorstep, on the verge of tears.
JOYCE [gently]: Let's get these tourists back, Officer.
POLICEMAN: Yes sir.
JOYCE [to Burton]: If we can't protect the kids, what the hell use
are we?
25. SCENE DELETED
26. EXT. SUNRISE
The sun climbs above the horizon, behind the cityscape of Calgary.
Another day begins.
27. SCENE DELETED
28. SCENE DELETED
29. INT. DR DECKER'S OFFICE DAY
Close on a pile of tapes, marked with dates over a period of two
years. They're on Decker's desk.
DECKER: I've been listening to the tapes of our sessions. All two
years' worth...
We move from the tapes to Decker, who gets up from his desk and
moves around to the other side. Boone is sitting on the other side of
the desk, his posture far from relaxed. He hates this room. As Decker
moves, we take in the various pictures on the walls. Dance pictures,
photographs of Decker with civic dignitaries, crippled children etc.
BOONE: Why?
DECKER: Most of my colleagues would have walked away from a case
like yours. The most they would have done was drug you. But you...you
intrigued me. All the talk of monsters. And Midian. Remember Midian?
BOONE: That wasn't me. I heard about Midian from other people.
DECKER: But you made it part of your private mythology.
BOONE: I suppose I did. It was a place of refuge.
DECKER: When you imagined yourself being taken off to this invented
city, to Midian, what crimes were you going to be forgiven?
Boone's looking uneasy now. He wipes sweat from his upper lip.
BOONE: You know what I used to dream.
DECKER: Yes. There's a remarkable consistency in the images you see.
Great detail. Almost as though the violence was real.
BOONE: They were just bad dreams. Midian doesn't exist. Monsters
don't exist.
DECKER: But murder does, Boone. Murder's very real. It may start in
the mind, but it ends up changing to flesh and blood.
He picks up the envelope we saw in his previous scene, and takes the
photographs out.
DECKER [cont.]: Two days ago the police brought me some
photographs. They wanted to know if I had any patients who might be
capable of what's in these photographs. I'm going to show you them.
Are you ready for that?
Boone nods.
Decker lays the photographs on the table. Boone picks them up. We
get glimpses of what they contain. Domestic horrors. Bloody scenes of
corpses caught by the camera in grotesque positions, sliced up and
bleeding. Boone's breath quickens.
DECKER [cont.]: When you talk about murder on the tapes, I thought
it was invention. Now I'm not so sure.
Boone keeps staring at the pictures. The glassy eyes stare hard at
him. His breathing is now rapid and shallow. One or two of the images
seem to move. Bodies twitch. He drops the photographs.
BOONE: I didn't...
DECKER: Didn't what?
BOONE: They were bad dreams.
DECKER: What you describe in your sessions is very specific. Houses;
faces...
BOONE: I don't remember.
DECKER: You want to hear?
BOONE: No!
Decker picks up the photographs. Boone, highly agitated, gets up and
paces the room.
BOONE[cont.]: You think I did this?
DECKER: Six families killed over a two year period. All within
driving distance of Calgary...
BOONE [fury]: Do you think I did this?
DECKER: I hope to God you didn't, for both our sakes. We've come a
long way together. I don't want to believe this any more than you do.
BOONE: But you do.
DECKER: I wouldn't put us through this pain if I didn't...if I
wasn't...afraid you had.
BOONE [desperate; helpless]: What do I do? God, tell me what to do.
DECKER: I can only go so far on your behalf. Patient
confidentiality's one thing. Protecting a killer is another.
BOONE [breaking down]: Jesus...Jesus...Jesus...
Decker returns to his desk. Puts the photographs down and picks up a
vial of prescription pills. He crosses to boone.
DECKER: Listen to me. Take these, they'll help. Go home, and
consider what we've talked about. I'm going to give you twenty-four
hours to go to the police and answer their questions of your own
accord. That's as long as I can give you. if you haven't complied by
then, I'm afraid I'll have to tell them what I know.
Boone grabs the pills.
DECKER [cont.]: I can't tell you how sorry I am...
30. SCENE DELETED
31. SCENE DELETED
SCENES 32, 33 DELETED
34. INT. DECKER'S BUILDING HALLWAY DAY
Boone exits into the hall, forces open the vial of pills, swallows a
couple, shaking, trying to control his terror.
35. INT. DECKER'S OFFICE DAY
Decker sits at his desk, lifts his briefcase, opens it, tosses the
folder of photographs into the case. Looking into the case he seems
on the verge of some powerful emotion. Rage? Revulsion? He snaps shut
the briefcase. The emotion passes.
36. INT. BOONE'S APARTMENT DAY
Boone enters the apartment, his eyes wild. He slams the door and
closes his eyes.
SHOCK CUT TO:
36A. MURDER PHOTOGRAPHS/BOONE'S HALLUCINATION
Boone studies the photographs in his hand, and they come to life.
37. SCENE DELETED
38. SCENE DELETED
38A INT. BOONE'S APARTMENT DAY
Boone opens his eyes.
39. SCENE DELETED
39A. INT. BOONE'S BATHROOM DAY
Boone chews the pills. He is now sweating and shaking violently.
Boone strips off his clothes.
40. SCENE DELETED
40A. INT. BOONE'S APARTMENT AFTERNOON
Boone opens his drawers and pulls out photographs, his passport etc
and starts to make a pile with them. He pours lighter fuel on the
pictures, and watches them burn. Sitting against the wall still
sweating he takes some more pills.
We see Lori's love letters burn and hear her voice speaking the
words as they are consumed.
Boone cries. Then he hears Lori's voice say:
LORI: Boone...
Lori is sitting on the edge of the bed. Boone looks round, sees
himself against the wall and moves forward past the real Boone towards
the bed...
Boone watches as he and Lori make love on the bed. We close in on
the love-making. Lori leans to kiss him.
BOONE: I'll never leave you...
Cut back to boone, his face all grief.
BOONE: Stupid.
CUT TO:
40B. INT. BOONE'S BATHROOM AFTERNOON
Boone's hand pulls the shower curtain aside and turns on the water.
The water pours on him.
41. HALLUCINATION
Another of the murder scenes comes to life. Corpses pulse with
hideous animation.
42. INT. BOONE'S BATHROOM AFTERNOON
With a cry Boone slides to the shower floor, panting, haunted,
destroyed.
BOONE [faintly]: ...I did it...I did it all...
43. INT. BOONE'S APARTMENT EVENING
Behind him, the last of the fire flickers. He looks through the
blinds at the sunset. Takes another pill. Puts on his leather jacket.
Exits. The door slams.
44. SCENE DELETED
45. INT. NIGHTCLUB NIGHT
Lori is on stage, sexy, vivacious, fronting a tight C & W band in a
hip rendition of 'Johnny Be Angry'.
46. INT. NIGHTCLUB NIGHT
Lori's P.O.V. looking though the crowd in front of the stage. Lori
spots Boone standing near the entrance, his face in shadow.
Her eyes light up with joy as the song builds to climax. It ends.
Applause, cat whistles, foot stomping. Lori's in heaven. She looks
out again.
Boone is gone.
47. EXT. HIGHWAY NIGHT
Boone steps into view by the side of the road, watches the traffic.
INTERCUT:
48. INT. NIGHTCLUB CORRIDOR NIGHT
Confused and worried, Lori stands in the empty corridor, a note
Boone has left for her in her hand.
Boone edges out closer to the road. Spots a huge semi with a fully
loaded trailer barrelling down towards him.
Lori opens the note and reads: 'Keep this. Burn the rest. All
wrong.' Tears burst from Lori's eyes.
Boone flings himself in front of the oncoming truck.
CUT TO BLACK:
FADE IN:
49. INT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM NIGHT
A blaze of light. A bustling emergency receiving area. A stern nurse
goes through the pockets of Boone's jackets, which is lying beside
him on a gurney. His eyes are closed, face and T-shirt bloody. She
fishes out the vial of pills.
Boone moans, opens his eyes.
NURSE Lucky you're in one piece, fella.
BOONE [realizing where he is]: ...can't even kill myself...
NURSE: There's a cheerful thought. [to an approaching doctor] I
don't know what kind of fuel he's using, but this guy's cruising at
about 35,000 feet.
The doctor takes the vial of pills, checks the label. Opens Boone's
eyes, shines a penlight flash on the pupils. Boone recoils. Doctor
takes his pulse.
DOCTOR: You don't hit that altitude on lithium carbonate. Let's get
the prescribing doctor on the line... [finally - to Boone] Okay,
we're doing all right, aren't we? Tell me, what've you been taking
tonight, partner?
BOONE: Lithium...
The doctor opens the vial, looks at a handful of the pills.
DOCTOR: Lithium? This isn't lithium, my friend. [to the nurse] Let's
move him. Observation, let's get an IV, valium/saline, 200 milligrams
percodan for pain, as needed...[quietly - hands the pills to the
nurse] We'll have to call this in.
She nods. With considerable effort, Boone sits up urgently and grabs
the doctor's hand, holding the pills.
BOONE: What was I taking?
DOCTOR [patronizing]: Easy. We don't know until we run some tests.
Looks like some kind of lab quality psychotropic hallucinogen. You're
on what we used to call a 'bad trip' there, buddy. You relax now,
you're gonna be fine.
The doctor and nurse ease Boone back down onto the gurney. The
doctor moves away. The nurse pulls back the curtain and rolls Boone
across the hall into a semi-private room
50. INT. SEMI-PRIVATE HOSPITAL ROOM NIGHT
From emergency behind them, a warning buzzer sounds.
VOICE [thru loudspeaker]: Code blue! Code blue!
In an emergency room cubicle, a patient is having a seizure. The
nurse rushes off, leaving Boone. Interns roll the cardiac cart
towards the cubicle and curtains close around the scene.
The door to Boone's room swings closed, shutting out the sounds.
Boone exhales heavily. Closes his eyes.
NARCISSE [V.O.] [muttering - half mumbled ranting]: Shit! Shit! Take
me, why don't you take me?
Boone opens his eyes. Looks across the room at Narcisse, a wild man,
half-derelict, half-punk, bloodied, his hand bandaged, pacing back
and forth like a caged cat, staring out of a large picture window at
the night.
51. EXT. HOSPITAL WINDOW NIGHT
Looking in at the brightly lit window framed in the dark building,
as Narcisse restlessly moves across it, peering outside.
52. INT. SEMI-PRIVATE HOSPITAL ROOM NIGHT
NARCISSE [low and anxious]: They've gone, they've gone, they were
here, they were coming for me, where'd they go? Shit!
BOONE: Hey...
NARCISSE [turns on him - viciously]: Shut up, shut up! They saw you,
they won't come while you're here, they won't show themselves to the
likes of you, don't you see that?
BOONE [placating - knows the type]: Sure, okay.
NARCISSE: Shit! I've missed them, I've missed them! You scared them
off, you kept them from me!
Narcisse paces again, starting to sob and sniffle. Boone leans back.
NARCISSE [cont.] [barely audible - between cries]:
...Midian...Midian...
Boone's eyes open like a shot.
BOONE: What did you say?
NARCISSE: I said shut up, you want to ruin everything?
Boone leaps to his feet, grabs and easily overpowers the smaller man.
BOONE: What did you say, just now?
NARCISSE [suddenly friendly]: What did you say, just now?
BOONE: You said Midian.
NARICSSE [coyly]: Did I? Maybe...
BOONE [hurting him - desperate]: What do you know about it?
NARCISSE: It's where the monsters go. It takes away the pain...
Narcisse reaches his hands into his pockets, then comes out with
long, silver, razor-sharp artificial nails, curved like hooks,
attached to his thumbs. He holds them right at Boone's throat, ready
to cut. He smiles.
NARCISSE [cont.]: ...what do you know about it?
BOONE [pause; cautiously]: They forgive you there.
NARCISSE: Uh-huh. Ever kill anybody?
BOONE: Yes.
NARCISSE: See, they only take you if you're worthy. You know what
they do to those that aren't worthy?
Boone shakes his head. Narcisse draws one razor-nail lightly across
his own throat. A thin trickle of blood runs down his neck. He
chuckles.
BOONE: It's real. Midian's real. [Narcisse nods; carefully] And you
know...where it is. Don't you? We could go there...
NARCISSE: They sent you. They sent you to take me.
BOONE: That's right. But first I need to know...you have to tell
me...where it is.
NARCISSE: It's a test? [Boone nods; Narcisse leans in to him -
whispers] No maps.
BOONE: But you do know. Don't you?
NARCISSE [looks around; leans in again]: North of Athabasca. East of
Peace River. Near Shere Neck, north of Dwyer.
Satisfied, Boone releases him, go back to the bed, collects his
jacket.
NARCISSE [cont.] [ exhilarated]: You'll take me with you, I'm
worthy, you ask anyone, I knew you'd come, they sent you to take me,
I was waiting. I know, I know, first I have to show you, that's how
it works.
Boone is looking out of the window in the door, sizing up his escape.
BOONE: Show me what?
NARCISSE: My true face. That's what there are for. [he raises his
bladed thumbs] So you can see. I'm not a natural man. Underneath I'm
a monster, that's how it works; I show you, then you take me with
you...
He puts the blade to either side of his face. We hear the skin pop.
BOONE: NO!
Blood pours from Narcisse's face, as he traces the outline of his
face.
53. INT. EMERGENCY ROOM NIGHT
Dr Decker, who's just arrived with Lieutenant Joyce and two
policemen, is speaking with the doctor that examined Boone.
DECKER [urgent - showing Boone's file]: ...he was an abandoned
child, raised by the state, first diagnosis of incipient
schizophrenia at thirteen, juvenile delinquency, periodically
institutionalized through early adulthood...some violent episodes,
never criminally charged as an adult, he's been in my care for less
than a year...
A bloodcurdling scream from the semi-private room rivets the
attention of the emergency room
54. EXT. SEMI-PRIVATE ROOM NIGHT
Following the nurse and an intern as they burst into the room and
are greeted with the sight of Narcisse, blood running freely,
ripping the least of his scalp off his bare skull, laughing and
crying maniacally.
Boone stands near the door, horrified.
NARCISSE [variously]: TAKE ME! TAKE ME! I'M A MONSTER!
Nurse [over - to Boone] What the hell have you done?
Boone: Nothing!
INTERN: Fucking junkies! [at the door - yelling into the corridor]
Doctor!
As the door swings open, Boone looks out into the corridor and at
the far end of the emergency room he sees Decker and the cops looking
his way. Medical support move towards the room, as the nurse and
intern try to contain the ranting Narcisse.
Boone grabs a loose doctor's coat off the back of the door, slips it
on and backs out of the room.
BOONE: Let's get some help in here!
Pandemonium. Narcisse screams, as a half-dozen people struggle to
subdue him. As help continues to rush into the room, Boone slowly
backs away, out and around a corner. He stops beside a swinging door,
sensing something.
55. EXT. SEMI-PRIVATE ROOM NIGHT
Dr Decker moving through emergency towards the mêlée, stops on the
other side of the swinging door, his senses lit up with alarm. He
slowly turns to the door. Pushes it open. Empty.
56. EXT. HOSPITAL NIGHT
Boone moves rapidly away from the exit into the parking lot, tossing
off the white coat, breaking into a run. He tries several car doors,
finds one open, gets in.
57. INT. CAR NIGHT
With a rush of adrenal intensity, Boone expertly rips open an under
panel of the dash, locates and patches together the correct ignition
wires and hot-starts the car. Closes the door. Puts it in gear.
58. EXT. HOSPITAL PARKING LOT
INT. CAR NIGHT
Boone slowly drives out of the lot trying not to attract the
attention of the fleet of patrol cars sirens wailing, pouring into
the area.
DISSOLVE TO:
59. EXT. FREEWAY NIGHT
Boone drives up an entrance ramp and onto the highway, past a sign
that reads:
'HIGHWAY 2/NORTH'
DISSOLVE TO:
60. INT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY WARD NIGHT
Dr Decker, a few policeman and medical personnel wait outside the
door leading to the semi-private room. Lieutenant Joyce exits and a
surgeon follows a moment later.
DECKER: What's he saying?
JOYCE: He's talking but he's not making any sense. Something about a
place called Midian.
SURGEON: He's dying. I think he wants to die.
Pause. The surgeon moves on.
DECKER [unobtrusively - to Joyce]: Lieutenant, I know Boone, I know
how he talks, how he manipulates. Perhaps if the right thing is said
to this man it'll trigger something...
JOYCE [consider]: No harm in trying.
DECKER: I'll do my best. But I'll need privacy.
Decker enters the room.
61. EXT. SEMI-PRIVATE ROOM NIGHT
Looking in through the room, we see Decker cross the room to the bed
where Narcisse is lying. Decker says something to the nurse. She
exits. Decker moves closer to the bed. He reaches into his pocket for
something and moves out of our sight.
DISSOLVE TO:
62. EXT. HIGHWAY/INT. CAB NIGHT/DAY
Montage - Boone drives through the night, and the following day,
through a landscape which becomes increasingly more desolate.
DISSOLVE TO:
63. EXT. ROAD SIGN LATE AFTERNOON
The road sign reads:
'DWYER - 56 MILES'
Boone's car speeds past.
DISSOLVE TO:
64. EXT. DIRT ROAD OUTSIDE MIDIAN DAY
Boone's car rolls to a stop. Boone steps out and looks at something
in the dust. A battered sign. It reads:
'MIDIAN/POPULATION 63'
There is no sign of life.
BOONE: No....oh no...[in despair] No!
His shout echos. The wind blows up a cloud of dust around him. He
walks through the dust, on the verge of tears. And then...the dust
clears, and he sees...
INTERCUT:
65. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Necropolis, lying on the other side of a thick expanse of reeds.
Puzzlement overtakes despair. He squints to see more clearly...
The Necropolis is vast. High walls, surrounded by reeds, with the
tops of mausoleums, showing above it. ALmost a fortressed town.
Boone starts towards it.
66. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES DAY
The sun is low in the sky, the light golden glinting off the gates.
The reeds sigh. Boone pushes one of the gates open and steps inside.
His footsteps echo, unnaturally loud in this city of the dead. To
either side of him, elegant and elaborate mausoleums, running away
into the distance, with numerous smalls tombs set around and between
them.
The sun finally sinks out of sight. Its final glow dies on the tops
of the mausoleums. There are already stars overhead.
Boone walks on a little way, as the night sounds begin. Exhausted,
he sits down on a tomb and leans back against the stone.
BOONE [softly - a bitter irony]: Dead ... all of the dead ...
He rummages for a cigarette in his jacket pocket. Pulls one out.
Lights it. The flame seems to excite sounds around him. He looks up.
The walkways are empty in both directions.
There's a guttural sound at his back. He stands, drops the
cigarette, backs away. From the darkness behind him steps a huge
form. A knife is put to his lower belly. Its wielder, Kinski, is a
massive man, face distorted, his features grotesquely bifurcated.
KINSKI [whispers]: Move and I gut you.
Boone stays still. The growling from between the tombs becomes words.
VOICE [from the darkness]: You got him?
KINSKI: I got him.
A reptilian hand reaches out and picks up Boone's dropped cigarette.
BOONE: Midian? Are you from Midian?
KINSKI: We should take him below, Peloquin.
The silhouette of Peloquin, a were-creature, moves between the
tombs. He draws on the cigarette. By its brightening point we glimpse
an extraordinary face: more animal than human, but no recognizable
species.
PELOQUIN: He's not Nightbreed. He's Natural.
BOONE: No! I've killed people, I'm like you, that's why I'm here...
PELOQUIN: Shut the fuck up. You're meat.
KINSKI: If we eat him we break the Law.
BOONE: My God...my God, it's true ...
PELOQUIN: Of course it's true. Everything's true ... [he starts to
emerge from the shadows] God's an astronaut. Oz is over the rainbow.
And Midian's where the monsters live. And you came to die.
BOONE: I didn't...didn't come to die. I came to be with you, I'm one
of you.
Peloquin reaches out and touches Boone's chest.
PELOQUIN: No. Sorry. I can smell innocence at fifty yards.
BOONE: I've killed people. Fifteen people.
PELOQUIN: Who told you that?
BOONE: What do you mean?
PELOQUIN: He lied, asshole. He lied. You're a Natural. And that
means...you're meat for the Beast.
Peloquin growls, throwing his head back and forth with a strange
grace, the image flickering as he does so. Boone watches, amazed. In
the blur of Peloquin's motion he transforms, the tentacles on his
head lengthening and thickening, thrashing around as though they have
a life of their own.
He moves towards Boone, taking hold of him and tearing his T-shirt
open.
KINSKI: We mustn't. It's the Law. They'll exile us...
PELOQUIN: Fuck the Law! I want meat!
He bites Boone's neck, tearing at his flesh.
KINSKI: Peloquin, no!
Kinski takes the knife from Boone's belly and pushes Peloquin aside.
Boone slips away from them.
PELOQUIN: Damn you!
He races after Boone, who runs blindly, his hand pressed to the
wound on his neck.
66A. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
The Breed listen. We track running feet past the grille, and move
close into grille, dropping through a dark rock face.
67. SCENE DELETED
67A. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
In the deep darkness faces look up. The faces are strange and
freakish. There is a woman locked in the embrace of a dark monster. A
monstrous baby cries.
68. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Boone takes refuge against a mausoleum wall. He takes his hand from
the wound on his neck. It is throbbing like a living thing, spreading
across his muscle. He stares down at the wound, then touches it
lightly. It gives him pleasure.
A sound above him. He looks up. Peloquin is climbing down the
mausoleum wall, mouth opened wide to take off Boone's head.
Boone throws himself forward as the jaws snap shut, missing him by
inches. He runs. Kinski appears in his path. For an instant Boone
thinks the game's up...
KINSKI: That way! The gate's that way!
Boone sprints.
69. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
The monsters watch and listen.
70. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES NIGHT
Peloquin pushes Kinski aside and pelts after Boone, who is at the
gate. He flings himself through, and slams it behind him. Peloquin is
at the gate, when Kinski comes up behind and restrains him.
KINSKI: He's gone, give it up! You don't dare go out there!
Peloquin stares at Boone through the gate. Panting, sweating, Boone
stares back. Snorting with frustration, Peloquin recedes, he and
Kinski disappear into shadow.
Boone heaves a sigh of relief, turns from the gate and trudges away
into the darkness, when suddenly . . .
71. EXT. OUTSIDE NECROPOLIS GATES NIGHT
Harsh lights hit Boone from every side; police cars in the reeds all
around, their searchlights focused on him. Two dozen cops, all
levelling firearms.
JOYCE: Freeze! Right there!
Boone squints against the glare.
JOYCE [cont.]: Aaron Boone, you're under arrest. Hands on your head!
NOW!
Boone takes a step back. The wound on his neck throbs and swells. At
the edge of the light, Decker appears, stepping towards him.
DECKER: Boone, listen to him, it's no use!
JOYCE [to Decker]: Stay back!
DECKER [lowers his voice]: Lieutenant, I can bring him out. He'll
listen to me.
Joyce ponders, then signals him forward. Decker advances toward Boone.
DECKER [cont.]: Boone, it's all right, I've explained everything to
them.
Rifles are cocked on every side. Decker stops a safe distance from
Boone.
DECKER [cont.]: They won't harm you, I give you my word.
BOONE [hanging back]: I didn't do it. I didn't hurt anyone...
DECKER [lowering his voice]: Of course you didn't.
BOONE: You...you believe me?
DECKER: You wouldn't hurt a fly. [extends a hand] Come on, Boone.
It's safe, I've seen to that.
BOONE [taking a tentative step forward]: What, what about the pills?
DECKER [pause; whispers]: What about them, Boone?
BOONE: They weren't tranquillizers...
A look of alarm crosses Decker's face. Boone reads it. He gets the
picture.
BOONE [cont.]: You set me up...you bastard, you set me up!
He lunges for Decker, who turns and throws himself to the ground as
he yells.
DECKER: He's got a gun!
JOYCE: FIRE!
The bullets fly. Boone is about to pounce on Decker when he's hit by
a barrage, thrown back, riddled with bullets. On the ground, Decker
covers his head. Boone goes down. The volley ends.
72. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
The sound of gunfire echoes through the walkways.
73. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
In the shadows, a baby held in the arms of a woman with monstrous
but beautiful features, begins to cry.
74. EXT. OUTSIDE MIDIAN NIGHT
Joyce hears the sound of crying and looks up. Boone's body lies on
the ground. Decker rises, hearing the distant sobs on the wind.
75. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
The mother hushes the child, her arms, which are tentacles, wrapping
around it.
76. EXT. OUTSIDE MIDIAN NIGHT
The sound of crying is lost. Joyce moves forward, towards Decker and
Boone.
JOYCE [trying to convince himself]: ...just the wind. He reaches
Decker, looks down at Boone's body. Looks around.
JOYCE [cont.]: Where's the gun?
DECKER [seemingly dismayed]: He reached into his jacket...I thought
I saw it, I swear...oh God, Boone...
JOYCE [quietly, to some cops, meaning Boone]: Get him outta here.
77. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
We track towards a tomb, on which the epitaph reads: 'GOD IS MERCIFUL'
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
78. INT. MORGUE/VIEWING ROOM NIGHT
Moving with Lori, flanked by Dr Burton the pathologist, and a grim
Joyce. They enter a smaller room. Burton flips a switch. Curtains
part in front of a thick glass panel, revealing a small, sterile
viewing chamber.
In the chamber are a morgue attendant and, lying on a stainless
steel table, Boone's body. Lori looks at the body with heartbreaking
sadness. She nods. Burton closes the curtains. Lori and Joyce exit.
On the other side of the glass, the attendant rolls Boone on the
table towards a door marked 'Pathology'.
79. INT. INTERVIEW ROOM NIGHT
Dr Decker sits alone, looking into his briefcase. The door opens,
Lori and Joyce enter. Decker closes the briefcase, rises, aggrieved,
takes both of Lori's hands in his, speaks soothingly.
DECKER: Lori, I'm Dr Decker. Boone was my patient.
LORI: Yes. Hello.
DECKER: I'm so sorry for your loss. I must tell you, you meant the
world to Aaron. He spoke of you constantly ...
LORI [withdrawing her hand - has the creeps]: Thank you, Doctor.
Lori sits across a table from Joyce. Decker sits against the wall.
JOYCE: Miss Winston, are you sure you wouldn't rather postpone...
LORI: No. Let's get it over with.
Joyce turns on a tape recorder on the table.
JOYCE [starting at the beginning]: What was your relationship with
Aaron Boone?
LORI [pause]: We were lovers.
We move in on the revolving reels of the tape recorder.
JOYCE: How long had you known Aaron Boone?
LORI: Two months.
80. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM NIGHT
Burton and the attendant, instruments laid out, Boone's body on a
brightly lit steel table, ready for the autopsy. Burton activates an
overhead microphone.
BURTON: Deceased is a white Caucasian male, late twenties. Suspected
cause of death, multiple gunshot wounds to the thoracic cavity and
extremities.
The attendant lifts up Boone's jacket. Light streams through many
bullet holes.
ASSISTANT: Jesus. They weren't takin' any chances.
Burton picks up a small digging tool and zeroes in on one of the
chest wounds.
BURTON: Wound number one: entered between the fourth and fifth left
ribs, impacted the lower rib, lodging in ligaments adjacent to the
left lung ...
He digs.
81. INT. INTERVIEW ROOM NIGHT
JOYCE: So he never gave any indication ...
LORI: No ...
JOYCE: Surely there must have been something ...
LORI [firm, angry]; Look, you can say whatever you want to about
him. I don't believe it. He never raised a hand to me, he
never harmed anyone in his life.
A strained silence. Decker drums his fingers on his briefcase.
DECKER: Miss Winston, everyone has their secret faces ...
LORI: Drop dead.
Annoyed at Decker, Joyce turns off the tape recorder.
JOYCE: We'll continue this some other time.
Lori stands and heads for the door.
82. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM NIGHT
A pair of callipers drop a distended bullet into a steel bowl,
containing at least ten other similarly maimed bullets. Fatigued with
effort, Burton wipes his forehead, turns off the microphone.
BURTON: Coffee break.
The attendant turns off the bright overheads, he and Burton move
into an adjoining lounge.
83. INT. MORGUE ENTRY WAY NIGHT
Lori is putting on her coat. A contrite Decker approaches her.
DECKER: Miss Winston, I hope you didn't misinterpret what I said.
Boone meant a great deal to me ...
LORI: Where did he die? [pause] What was the name of the town?
DECKER: A place called Midian.
84. SCENE DELETED
85. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM NIGHT
The bowl wobbles on the ground. The bullets roll off in different
directions. Sound of glass breaking.
86. INT. MORGUE ENTRY WAY NIGHT
Hearing the breaking glass, Lori and Decker turn back towards the
autopsy room.
LORI: Boone?
She runs towards the sound, Decker follows.
87. EXT. MORGUE NIGHT
In slow motion, a large first-floor window shatters out towards us.
88. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM NIGHT
As Lori, then Decker enter, moments after Burton, Joyce and the
attendant. The autopsy table is empty.
BURTON: Someone's taken him...
DECKER: My God...
ATTENDANT [looking around]: Where's his coat?
89. EXT. MORGUE NIGHT
Slow motion — distorting time, we see the rest of the shattering
window and a dim figure crosses the moon.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
90. INT. LORI'S APARTMENT DAY
Lori hurriedly throws some belongings into a suitcase. We see some
newspaper clippings beside the suitcase. A headline reads: 'SLASHER
SUSPECT SLAIN'
Another features a map, showing the location of Midian.
91. EXT. ROAD DAY
Montage - Lori drives, at high speed, down the same roads Boone took
previously.
92. EXT. SHERE NECK ROAD EVENING
At sunset, Lori enters the town, past a sign that reads: 'WELCOME TO
SHERE NECK/WELCOME BUFFALO DAYS RODEO'
93. EXT. SHERE NECK MOTEL EVENING
Lori pulls into the parking lot of the motel. A neon sign reads:
'THE SWEETGRASS INN'
Above it, the moon. From the motel itself, sounds of revelry.
94. INT. MOTEL BAR NIGHT
A wood-panelled, Western Frontier-themed bar. Country music. A
banner welcomes rodeo participants. A number of rough types
clustered at tables, many of them wearing baseball caps adorned with
buffalo horns. Lori enters, looks around. A cowboy lassoes a
waitress, ropes her in to general applause. Lori takes a seat at the
bar and is approached by a bartender.
BARTENDER: What'll it be, darlin'?
LORI: A draft and some information please.
BARTENDER [taps a stein of draft]: There's the draft.
LORI [lays down a bill]: I'm looking for a town called Midian.
BARTENDER: You're not the first.
LORI: No?
BARTENDER: Had a bunch of TV news folks passin' through, since they
nailed that baby-slasher up there.
LORI: Baby-slasher?
BARTENDER: Yeah, hell of a week for us. The rodeo this weekend. That
scumbag gets blown away. I hear it took thirty slugs to bag that
sucker. Just goes to show you, don't it? People love a spectacle.
Lori's hit with a burst of emotion. She doesn't want the bartender
to see her cry.
LORI: Where's the bathroom?
BARTENDER: Right around the corner there, darlin'.
Lori rises, exits.
95. INT. MOTEL BATHROOM DAY
Lori enters and leans on the sink as the grief hits her. She sobs. A
stall door opens behind her: Sheryl, a girl in her early twenties,
exits.
Lori pulls a tissue from her bag and tries to compose herself,
standing back to allow Sheryl access to the mirror, where she studied
herself before starting to tease her hair.
SHERYL: Which is it, hon', men or money? [Lori looks at her] It's
usually one or the other, ain't it?
LORI: Oh...[a tiny smile]...A man.
SHERYL: Uh-huh. What'd he do, leave?
LORI: Not exactly.
SHERYL: Jesus, did he come back? That's even worse.
In spite of herself, Lori's brightened by the girl's good humor.
SHERYL [cont.]: Some loser takes a shine to ya, you could toss
'em in the river tied to a piano he'll come back faster than a dog
with a bone. Thing is, why go to all this trouble to look so good if
there's nobody to admire the end product, am I right?
LORI: Can't argue with that, [likes her, feeling lonely] Can I buy
you a drink?
SHERYL: Hell, yes you can. Better than gettin' hit on by some
damn buffalo.
DISSOLVE TO:
186. INT. MOTEL BAR NIGHT
Lori and Sheryl at the bar. Lori's nursing a beer. Sheryl's into her
fourth Black Russian and is getting friendlier by the moment.
SHERYL [pause - just heard the story]: Lord. I have seen men go to
great lengths to walk out on a girl. But, I must say, I have never
heard tell of a fella doin' it while deceased.
LORI: They think some sick bastard's stole the body.
SHERYL: So you want to go check out the place in which he checked out?
LORI: Yeah. Guess it's a way to say goodbye, you know? He was always
a mystery to me. I loved him...[she looks away]
SHERYL: Tell you what, Lori, why don't I drive up there to this
Medium place with you tomorrow and keep you company?
LORI: You don't have to do that.
SHERYL: Yeah, but I'm goin' to and I don't want no argument from you.
LORI [smiles, grateful]: Okay. Thanks.
SHERYL: That's all right.
LORI [finishes her beer]: Guess I'll head up to my room.
SHERYL: You get some rest, sugar. I'm gonna stay down here and close
this damn bar. Maybe one of these lunkheads'll win the
lottery.
Lori smiles, squeezes her hand, exits the bar. Sheryl looks around,
finishes her drink. The bartender sets another drink down in front of
her.
BARTENDER: Courtesy of that gent in the suit at the end of the
bar.
Sheryl looks down the bar, sees the man, seems impressed, waves.
SHERYL [low, to the bartender]: Isn't he just the picture of
sophistication though?
96A. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
We Cut to a wide shot of the Necropolis by night. A shooting star
falls.
Now we move in on one of the mausoleums, and from the ground below
we hear a ritualistic chanting.
Once within the darkness of the mausoleum the camera slides down
over the rock face into the depths of Midian. The volume of the
chanting increases as we come close to its source.
96B. INT. MURAL CHAMBER
We come into the mural chamber, the camera passing down over the
family tree of Naturals and Nightbreed and round to see Rachel and
Kinski approaching and entering the door of the initiation chamber.
Cut to Narcisse and Boone, also approaching the chamber.
NARCISSE: You'll like this. No, really. It's just their way of
welcoming you to the club.
BOONE: I'm not sure I want to be a member.
NARCISSE: You made your way back here for the same reasons I did. We
belong here now. There's nowhere else on earth would
take us in.
CUT TO:
96C. INT. INITIATION CHAMBER
In the middle of the chamber is a kind of font, on which stands a
bowl of Baphomet's blood, steaming and bubbling. Standing in front of
it is Lylesburg. To his side Peloquin. Beside him, Rachel.
On Lylesburg's other side, Ohnaka. Standing around the walls as
witnesses to the ceremony, are a variety of Breed.
Boone enters. The Breed all look his way. Boone sees Shuna Sassi.
BOONE [to Narcisse in a whisper]: Who is she?
NARCISSE: Shuna Sassi. Why?
BOONE: I dreamt her.
Shuna leans towards Peloquin.
SHUNA SASSI: I've dreamt him.
Narcisse nudges Boone forward.
LYLESBURG: Who is your advocate?
NARCISSE: I am.
LYLESBURG: Have you tutored him in the Law?
BOONE: Yes he has.
LYLESBURG: Let the advocate answer.
NARCISSE: Yes I have.
LYLESBURG: You understand what you do, becoming one of us? With this
night you turn your back on the Natural World. The
life you lived will after this be as a dream.
BOONE: I know.
Lylesburg takes the glove off his right hand. The flesh beneath is
cauterized.
LYLESBURG: The blood of the God tells all truths. It can harm as
easily as heal. Are you prepared to be judged?
BOONE: I'm ready.
Lylesburg nods, and puts his hand into the bowl of the blood. The
blood bubbles around his wrist.
We cut to Peloquin and Shuna Sassi, who are watching Boone intently.
Boone's eyes are now on Lylesburg's smoking hand as it approaches
Boone's chest, still marked by his wounds.
LYLESBURG: Be judged.
He puts his hand on the bullet wounds. Boone stiffens. But there's
no pain. When Lylesburg's hand is removed, the wounds have gone.
There's a visible release of tension on the faces of all those
watching.
LYLESBURG: Aaron Boone, in the name of Baphomet, Lord of the tribes
of the moon, I bid you welcome...
The camera moves out of the chamber, and towards the mural.
97. INT. MOTEL BEDROOM NIGHT
Lori lies awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. Outside, and next
door, the noise of laughter and partying.
LORI [quietly, a tear in her eye]: I still love you, Boone...
DISSOLVE TO:
98. INT. MOTEL BAR DAY
Sheryl is sitting at the empty bar, obviously hung over. She is
wearing dark glasses and a horned Buffalo Days hat. The bartender
pours her an eye-opener.
BARTENDER: Hair of the dog.
Lori enters.
SHERYL: Hi.
LORI: How's your head?
SHERYL: My momma always used to say, 'Sheryl Ann, there's a man out
walking around with your name on his mind, all you got to do is run
into him.'
LORI: And he just happened to be checked in here at the crossroads
of the world.
SHERYL: Isn't that something? His name is Curtis, he is a banker,
recently divorced and recently relocated in Edmonton, up for the
rodeo and better yet, he thinks I am the Queen-bee's knees.
LORI: Sheryl, you sure you want to come along?
SHERYL: Wouldn't miss it. Besides, Curtis has to do business today,
we've got an engagement for this evening and if I sit
around all day with this head on I'm gonna feel like the hind end
of a dog sled.
LORI: I'm glad for your company.
SHERYL: Now if we could just make a quick stop for some Alka-Seltzer.
DISSOLVE TO:
99. SCENE DELETED
100. EXT. MIDIAN/INT. LORI'S CAR DAY
Lori's car comes to a stop near the edge of the reeds outside the
Necropolis.
SHERYL: Jesus. Looks like the gold rush is over.
Lori parks the car. She gets out, looks around.
LORI [quiet - reflective]: Why? Why would Boone come here?
SHERYL: To get away from it all? [Lori gives her a look] Shut up,
Sheryl Ann. You go do what you have to do. I'll stay here and...do
somethin' else.
Lori nods and heads away down the street, leaving Sheryl beside the
car. She leans against the car, surveys the emptiness, without
enthusiasm.
SHERYL [cont.]: My luck, I'll end up buying some real estate.
101. EXT. MIDIAN DAY
Lori - as she leaves the reeds and sees the outer walls of the
Necropolis.
LORI: Good God...
102. EXT. MIDIAN DAY
Sheryl - wandering from the car into the reeds. She lights a
cigarette, tunelessly humming to ward off the willies. She stops,
shivers, suddenly feeling very isolated. The atmosphere's got to her.
She starts back to the car.
She catches some movement out of the corner of her eye. Stops.
Slowly walks away from the movement, fighting off panic. She
turns a corner, and realizes she's lost in the reeds.
She hears movement behind her, turns, startled, then, oddly, she
smiles.
SHERYL: Curtis ... what are you doing here?
It's Decker, looking like a commuter, hair slicked back, wearing an
overcoat, carrying his briefcase.
DECKER [big smile]: Hello, Sheryl Ann.
103. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES DAY
Lori reaches the gates, slightly breathless. She pushes one of them
open. The sun is hot and bright, transforming the Necropolis from the
dark, dangerous place it was when Boone was here. Now, with its
gothic tombs and burgeoning plant life, it's almost welcoming.
104. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Lori wanders the walkways, enchanted by the splendor of the place.
There are strange, bittersweet sights along the way: statues of dogs
sleeping on their masters' graves; of mourning mothers; of children,
sitting at their graves. And grotesque images too: gargoyles
protecting the doorways of mausoleums; a tiger, roaring in stone. It
is another world, solemn and silent.
Except...suddenly, the sound of an animal in pain. Lori stops and
looks around. Her gaze comes to rest on a spreading laurel tree
beneath which the shadows are pitch black. From here, the sobbing
comes. She approaches. There is an animal beneath the tree, barely
discernible. She can see its flanks panting, its head moving in pain.
LORI: Jesus...
It doesn't look like a recognizable species, an amalgam of wild cat
and deer. She approaches. It raises its head, weakly. Its eyes are
huge and black.
LORI [cont.]: ...It's okay, I won't hurt you...it's okay...
The creature shudders.
LORI [cont.]: ...What's happened to you?...Let me see.
She reaches beneath the branches and tentatively strokes the animal.
It responds by dropping its head back on to the grass.
LORI [cont.]: Oh God...you poor thing...don't die, please don't die.
She pushes beneath the tree, puts her arms beneath the creature and
picks it up. It is heavy, a dead weight in her arms. She backs out
from beneath the tree. As she steps back into the sun, the creature
snarls and starts to wither in her arms. She realizes what's causing
it pain and steps back into shadow.
LORI [cont.]: You don't like the sun? Is that it?
The sound of sobbing, off to her left, draws her attention. One of
the mausoleum doors is open, and a woman, Rachel, dressed in black,
stands in the shadows, weeping. Lori's astonished.
LORI [cont.]: I'm sorry...is, is it yours?
RACHEL: Bring her. Bring her, please.
Shading the creature from the sun, Lori moves to the door and steps
into the gloom.
105. INT. MAUSOLEUM DAY
The interior is marble, the air murky. Rachel, a fine-boned, pre-
Raphaelite beauty in her thirties, moves back against the far wall,
nursing a wounded arm.
Lori looks down at the creature she's carrying, utterly limp in her
arms.
LORI: ...I'm afraid it's too late.
RACHEL: No...she can't die. Bring her to me, please.
Rachel reaches out. Lori's reluctant to move further into the
darkness.
RACHEL: Hurry!
As Lori crosses the floor, she hears whispering from a stairway that
leads down into the earth. She stops, frightened.
RACHEL: Pay no attention. Please, bring me my Babette.
As the creature is named it starts to move in Lori's arms. Not only
move, but change. Its claws grab at Lori's breast as it writhes.
RACHEL [cont.]: Babette, no!
LORI: What's happening?
RACHEL: Don't look! Don't look!
But Lori can't help but look. Appalled, she tries to pull the
transforming creature off her, but its hold is firm.
LORI: Jesus! Jesus!
With effort, she detaches the creature's claws from her, almost
throwing it at Rachel, who cradles the changing creature in her arms.
RACHEL: Babette...
Lori leans against the wall, trying to wipe the sticky fluids the
creature's exuded onto her hands. When she looks up she sees the
creature in Rachel's arms has transformed into a pale, beautiful girl
of seven or eight. Lori's dumbstruck.
LORI: What...what...what the...?
RACHEL: She likes to play outside. I tell her: you mustn't play in
the sun. The sun will hurt you. But she's just a child. She doesn't
understand.
Lori looks back towards the open door, and the sun-drenched walkway
outside. Then back at Babette.
LORI: This is too weird.
RACHEL [an urgent whisper]: You saved her. I owe you
something...listen; I know why you came here.
LORI: You do?
RACHEL: You must go, this place is not for you. Midian is a home for
the Nightbreed. Only for the Nightbreed.
LORI: Is Boone here? Did somebody bring him here?
A deep baritone voice rises up from the shadows of the stairwell.
LYLESBURG: Rachel...you have said too much already.
Lylesburg appears, a commanding, magisterial man with a vast grey
beard and three slits on each cheek that look like gills. Loping
along beside him, his fool, a muscular man with an innocently
beautiful face: Ohnaka.
RACHEL: My Lylesburg, she brought me Babette, she saved her . . .
LYLESBURG: We know. But you cannot help her.
LORI [her spunk surfacing]: Look, I saved the child's life, don't I
deserve something for that?
LYLESBURG: The child has no life to save, [he looks at her - sizes
her up] But what she has is yours, if you want it. That's the Law. Do
you want her?
LORI: No! I just want some answers.
LYLESBURG: You weren't meant to see this.
LORI: I kind of got that impression.
LYLESBURG: Then you also understand that to speak of this to anyone
will bring dire consequences . . .
LORI: Hey, pal, don't threaten me.
LYLESBURG: Not for you. For us.
His words take the edge off Lori's anger. She notices that inscribed
in the marble arch above the doorway are the words:
'WHAT'S BELOW REMAINS BELOW'
LYLESBURG [cont.]: What's below remains below. This is the Law.
Rachel is carrying Babette down the steps. Lylesburg turns to follow
her.
LORI: Wait! Wait a minute! Boone, Aaron Boone, just tell me, is he
here? You took him, you took his body, didn't you? Hey!
Lori crosses to the stairs. Lylesburg's disappeared down into the
darkness.
LORI [cont.]: Talk to me, damn it, I have to know - come back!
105A. INT. MAUSOLEUM STAIRWELL
Lori heads down the stairs.
LORI: Come back!
Lylesburg, Ohnaka, Rachel and Babette have gone, however. Lori
continues her descent. There are sounds in the darkness below her.
She stops, and looks back towards the top of the stairs. It's a long
way off.
LORI [to herself]: How deep does this go?
She heads on down, turning a corner. In front of her, Peloquin. He
starts towards her. She backs away, into a second creature, and
starts up the stairs. As she does so a third creature swings down
from the darkness above her head. She shrieks, and runs like hell.
PELOQUIN [calls after her]: Come back soon, y'hear?
106. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Lori emerges, squinting against the blinding sun, trying to calm
herself.
LORI: Okay. Walk away, Lori. Don't panic. There's got to be a
perfectly reasonable explanation, [can't sustain it] And hell if I
know what it is.
She sprints back towards the gate.
DISSOLVE TO:
107. EXT. MIDIAN DAY
Out of breath, Lori reaches the car, parked where she left it. No
sign of Sheryl.
LORI: Sheryl! Sheryl! Let's get the hell out of here! [no reply]
Sheryl?
Lori looks around. Sees Sheryl's purse in the dirt near the reeds.
LORI [cont.]: Sheryl?
She moves towards the reeds. Picks up the purse. Peers inside the
house. She hears a gurgling laugh from inside. It could be Sheryl.
LORI [cont.]: Sheryl, come on ...
108. EXT. REEDS DAY
The undergrowth is dark and empty. Lori advances cautiously through
the paths.
LORI: Sheryl, we have to go, uh, something's kind of come up and...
She sees a splash of blood on the reeds.
LORI [cont.]: Oh shit. . .
Something moves across our field of vision in the gloom behind her.
She turns.
LORI [cont.]: Sheryl?
She turns back and follows the trail of blood around the corner,
Lying on the floor is Sheryl. Mouth cut away. Tongue cut off.
LORI [cont.]: Jesus! God!
She turns to run, but Decker steps into her path. He wears a mask of
repulsive simplicity: a linen face with two buttons for eyes and a
zipper [open at present] for a mouth. In his hands are two large
carving knives, both blood-stained.
DECKER: Let's get it over with, shall we?
LORI [mind racing, a survivor]: Take it easy, let's talk about this.
DECKER [advancing]: Don't try and reason with me, Lori. I'm a
lunatic. You don't reason with lunatics.
LORI: How do you know my name?
DECKER: Good question. No reason why you shouldn't have an answer.
[he pulls off the mask] Wish I had a camera. Oh, the look a your face.
LORI: Why? Why did you kill her?
DECKER: Why did I kill all the others? For the fun of it, of course.
For pleasure. Everyone ought to have a hobby, don't you agree?
LORI: Boone was innocent.
DECKER: Is innocent, wherever he's hiding. After all the trouble I
went to to find him a home for his guilt.
LORI: You sick motherfucker...
DECKER: Boone's alive, Lori. And your death is going to bring him
out of hiding.
He comes at her suddenly, but his heel slides in Sheryl's blood. He
falls in front of Lori, and stabs at her feet. She avoids the stab by
an inch. He rises suddenly, throws one of his knives aside and grabs
the blade Lori holds, with a glove which strikes sparks. It is
chainmail. Lori lets go, propelling herself through the reeds.
109. SCENE DELETED
110. INT. NECROPOLIS LATE AFTERNOON
The light is diminishing behind the Necropolis walls. Lori's screams
are distant. We track towards the gate as she runs down the hill.
LORI: Somebody help me!
She flings the gate open and enters. Decker emerges from the reeds
behind her.
111. SCENE DELETED
111A. INT. THE TEMPLE OF BAPHOMET
The temple is an impressive chamber, at the centre of which is a
dais, ringed with representatives of the six failed saviours of Breed.
In the middle of the ring, a statue of Baphomet. There are benches
along the walls. Sitting in them, reciting in soft, sibilant voices
the Laws of Midian, are Breed.
Lylesburg, accompanied by Ohnaka, is also in the chamber, as is
Boone, being held by the Breed.
BOONE: I have to help her!
LYLESBURG: You can't go.
BOONE: I'll kill him. No-one will ever know.
LYLESBURG: What's below remains below.
BOONE: I can't let her die.
LYLESBURG: When we took you in you made an oath to obey the Law.
BOONE: I won't listen to him butcher her. I love her.
LYLESBURG: She's a Natural. She couldn't love you back. Not now.
BOONE: Wrong!
He starts to struggle against his captors, fighting them off.
BOONE: You're wrong!
Throwing one back, and punching the other, Boone breaks for the door.
LYLESBURG: Boone! Boone!
Lylesburg's shout is ignored, as Boone heads up to the surface.
112. EXT. NECROPOLIS LATE AFTERNOON
Lori runs down the walkways pursued by Decker, her breath coming in
gasps, close to collapse.
LORI: Help me! Oh please, God, somebody.
113. SCENE DELETED
114. EXT. NECROPOLIS LATE AFTERNOON
Lori collapses. Decker reaches her and pulls on his mask.
DECKER: That's good. Be still. It's quicker that way.
He pulls a particularly nasty blade from his jacket interior and
advances. She rises and tries to duck the cut. He strikes her with
the back of his hand. She falls, striking her head on a tomb.
DECKER [cont.] [sudden fury]: I said, be still!
Lori is semi-conscious, blood running from her wounded head. Looking
past Decker, she sees something...
LORI: Boone...
Decker laughs. Then he realizes she's reacting to the appearance of
Boone, standing in the shadows behind him, in jeans and leather
jacket.
Lori slips into unconsciousness.
DECKER: You? Here again?
BOONE: Isn't this where the dead are supposed to go?
DECKER: You're not dead.
BOONE [advancing]: You're wrong. We're both dead, Decker.
DECKER: I'm not Decker!
BOONE: No? Isn't that you, Dr Decker, hiding behind that child's mask?
DECKER: I'm not hiding...
BOONE [still advancing, taunting him]: Decker, Decker. Doctor Decker.
Enraged, Decker throws the knife; it buries in the middle of Boone's
chest. Decker laughs, then stops, as Boone pulls the knife out and
tosses it aside.
BOONE [cont.]: Blades are no better than bullets, Decker, don't you
get it? I'm dead. The walking dead.
DECKER: That's not possible.
Decker turns to run, but Boone races to him, catches, turns him
and pulls Decker closer, until they're nose to nose.
BOONE: Not just dead...changed. A monster. Want me to show you?
DECKER [whimpering]: No, please ...
BOONE: Not your kind of monster. Not the soulless kind. I've got
Midian in my veins.
He tears off the mask, uncovering Decker's sweaty, terrified face.
DECKER: Please, please, it's, it's not my fault, it's the mask, it
makes me do things I don't want to...[Boone pulls him closer] Boone,
it was the mask and they were going to find me, punish me, I needed a
scapegoat...
BOONE: You chose the wrong man.
NARCISSE [V.O.]: Man? You call yourself a man?
Boone looks round; Narcisse is squatting on a tomb, his face a mass
of scar tissue.
NARCISSE [cont.]: You're no more man than I am.
BOONE: Monster, then.
NARCISSE: That's more like it. [he jumps off the tomb, moves towards
them] Well, go on, are you going to kill him or not? Only I want his
balls. And his eyes. That is, if you don't want them.
BOONE: I'll pass.
NARCISSE: Remember me, Doctor? I was dying when you had your way
with me. You made me tell my secrets when I was feeling particularly
vulnerable. Now was that a nice thing for a doctor to do?
DECKER [to Boone, craven]: Oh God, Boone, don't let him touch me,
anything, keep him off me, full confession...sweet Jesus, mercy,
mercy, please, I'm begging you!
Narcisse raises his thumbs, still bearing their silver hooks.
NARCISSE: Let's start with his eyes ...
BOONE: No!
Boone pushes Narcisse back, but as he does so Decker slips his
grasp. Boone roars and starts to twitch and stamp as Peloquin did and
we watch as...
Boone transforms into something part man, part carnivore...and gives
chase.
Decker nears the gate, but Boone is after him at great speed,
leaping over tombs like a high-jumper.
115. EXT. NECROPOLIS LATE AFTERNOON
Left behind, Narcisse turns his eyes upon the recumbent Lori.
NARCISSE [filled with hunger, greatly consoled): Well...you'll do.
As he advances on her, Lori's eyes flicker open. She screams.
116. EXT. NECROPOLIS LATE AFTERNOON
Boone right on Decker's tail; he hears Lori's screams and stops.
Decker runs out through the gate. Boone starts back towards Lori.
INTERCUT:
117. EXT. NECROPOLIS LATE AFTERNOON
Lori struggling in Narcisse's arms. He tries to muffle her.
Boone leaps tombs, nearing their location. He bounds into the
clearing, sees Lori unconscious in Narcisse's embrace.
BOONE: Let her go!
Narcisse, all sheepish co-operation, gently lets her go onto the
ground.
NARCISSE: Just...keeping her warm.
Boone is almost human now. He reaches Lori.
NARCISSE [cont.]: I wouldn't have touched her.
Boone breathes in the last of his monstrous condition, and bends to
tenderly stroke Lori's face. Then, very lightly, he kisses her, and
gathers her in his arms.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
118. SCENE DELETED
118A. INT. LYLESBURG'S CHAMBER
BOONE: I had no choice.
LYLESBURG: You've put us all in danger for your love of this woman.
BOONE: Decker can't tell anyone. What's he going to say? That
he tried to kill a girl and a dead man stopped him?
LYLESBURG: He can still lead our enemies here. If he goes - if
Midian's unearthed — you're responsible.
BOONE: So let me make amends.
LYLESBURG: Just take the girl and go on your way amongst the
Naturals. That's the Law.
BOONE: Who made this Law?
LYLESBURG: Baphomet. The God in Obsidian. Who made Midian.
BOONE: So maybe I should speak to this guy.
LYLESBURG: Baphomet is a spirit in stone. He doesn't speak, or move.
His wounds are too great...
BOONE: What are you afraid of?
LYLESBURG: What Baphomet made he has the power to unmake. His blood
is volatile. He mustn't be angered.
BOONE: Then I'll make nice.
119. SCENE DELETED
120. INT. CORRIDOR BY LYLESBURG'S CHAMBER NIGHT
Boone heads down the corridor. He slows as he passes an entrance to
one side chamber and looks in...
Inside the chamber, a dog-faced man is working on a vast elaborate
mosaic mural that extends into shadow in both directions. He looks up
and locks eyes with Boone.
Boone breaks off the contact and continues down the corridor.
The dog-faced man turns back to his palette; a multi-coloured
collection of small tiles. He carefully selects a few, then turns to
the mosaic and we see...
121. INT. MURAL CHAMBER NIGHT
The mosaic mural. Prominent in what appears to be a panoramic visual
history of the Nightbreed race, is a heroic figure who closely
resembles...Boone. The dog-faced man applies the tiles he's selected,
filling in the irises of the Boone-figure's eyes.
122. INT. RACHEL'S CHAMBER
Lori sits up.
LORI: Boone...?
Her head aches. She winces. Babette goes to her aid.
BABETTE: Be still. It was a bad hurt he did us.
LORI: Us? What do you mean 'us'?
RACHEL [moving to them]: You held Babette while she transformed.
She's made quite a bond with you.
BABETTE: I felt your hurt. I still feel it.
RACHEL: She even knew you were coming here. She saw it all, through
your eyes.
BABETTE: And you can see through mine.
LORI [pause - she tries to read Rachel]: You're not kidding.
RACHEL: It's true.
Lori rises unsteadily to her feet. Babette takes her hand, but
Rachel moves her away from Lori.
RACHEL [cont.]: She doesn't want you to touch her, sweet. She's
afraid.
LORI: You got that right. One minute I'm about to get carved like a
Christmas turkey, the next I'm...I'm...[a surfacing memory breaks her
train]...God...it was Boone...Boone saved me.
RACHEL: Yes.
LORI: But he's dead, I saw him in the morgue...
RACHEL: You still don't understand, do you?
LORI: Wait a second, back up...
RACHEL: You're below now. With the Nightbreed. The last survivors of
the great tribes.
LORI: Tribes of who? What?
RACHEL: We're shapeshifters; freaks; remains of races your species
have almost driven to extinction.
LORI: So you're not immortal?
RACHEL: Far from it. The sun can kill some of us. Like Babette. She
follows her father in that. Some of us could be shot down; others
would survive that because they've got beyond death.
LORI: Horrible. It's all horrible.
RACHEL: To be able to fly? To be smoke, or a wolf; to know the
night, and live in it forever? That's not so bad. You call us
monsters, but when you dream, it's of flying and changing, and
living without death. You envy us. And what you envy...
LORI [softly; understanding]: ...We destroy...
RACHEL [to Babette]: Show her. Show her the past...
Babette touches Lori's arm.
BABETTE: Be with me.
The skulls in front of Lori fill her sight. We fly through one of
the eye sockets into...
123. SCENE DELETED
123A. LORI/BABETTE'S VISION [TORTURE SEQUENCE]
Fade through from the skull chamber into grinning people running
towards partially constructed bonfires...The people throw tinder onto
the fires...We track off the fire-building to a wall, behind where
frightened monsters hide...The shadow of a cross falls on them.
CUT TO:
123B. LORI/BABETTE'S VISION [TORTURE SEQUENCE]
Inquisitors in black robes part to reveal the Head Inquisitor in
purple robes...
He reads the charges...
HEAD INQUISITOR: Thou shalt not suffer a monster to live...
CUT TO:
123C. LORI/BABETTE'S VISION [TORTURE SEQUENCE]
Frightened monsters pulled away from the wall.
CUT TO:
123D. LORI/BABETTE'S VISION [TORTURE SEQUENCE]
Inquisitors step aside to show torture scenes. We track through the
tortures: racks, crucifixion, floggings, a hanging. The camera moves
off gallows, past a wall to flags. We cut close on the flag which
reads FREAK SHOW, track past the flag to a cage, containing freakish
Breed.
Well-dressed ordinary men and women applaud and laugh.
One of the freaks is dragged from the cages. He looks back at the
family he's left behind.
The inquisitor reads their charges, as the bonfire awaits.
The Victim is thrown onto the bonfire. A tinder flares, and the
inquisitors and audience light cigarettes and cigars from the tinder.
The bonfire then flares up.
An inquisitor lasciviously strokes the naked buttocks of a beautiful
girl. She turns towards us in despair; we see her head is bestial.
124. INT. RACHEL'S CHAMBER
Overwhelmed with horror, Lori opens her eyes, breaking her
connection with Babette.
RACHEL: We are all that remain.
LORI: And...and you're saying...Boone's like you?
RACHEL: He is Nightbreed. Or he was, until he broke the Law.
LORI [moving towards the door]: No, no, that's not possible -
I've got to find him, there's been some kind of mistake...
BABETTE: Don't go...
LORI: But he didn't kill anybody, it wasn't him, he's innocent...
RACHEL: That no longer matters...
LORI: Where is he? Where'd he go?
RACHEL: Down to the Tabernacle, to Baphomet.
LORI: Who?
RACHEL: The Baptiser. Who made Midian. Who called us here
and saved us from our enemies...
LORI: Take me there, I've got to find Boone...
RACHEL: It's forbidden.
LORI: We'll see about that.
125. INT. EIGERMAN'S OFFICE
Decker is drinking coffee. A cop strides by. Joyce enters.
JOYCE: Decker? This better be good.
DECKER: I found Boone.
JOYCE: Someone brought the corpse down here?
DECKER: He's not dead.
JOYCE: I saw him pumped full of bullets.
DECKER: So did I. But he's alive. He killed again...
JOYCE: In Shere Neck?
DECKER: No, out at Midian.
JOYCE: Why'd he go back there?
Eigerman enters.
EIGERMAN: What are you doing in my office?
KANE: This is Inspector Joyce. Calgary Police Department.
EIGERMAN: We don't need any city boys on the case. Midian's under my
jurisdiction.
JOYCE: We can work together.
EIGERMAN: No we don't. I'll bring him in myself. This is my town.
DECKER: He's not alone anymore.
JOYCE: What?
EIGERMAN: Yeah. I heard that talk. That's nuthouse talk.
JOYCE: Talk about what?
DECKER: Midian's not empty. There's something breeding there. Below
the cemetery.
EIGERMAN: Bullshit.
JOYCE [to Decker]: Do you believe that?
DECKER: Yes I do. And if you don't stop them there's going to be
more bloodshed. I promise.
126. SCENE DELETED
127. INT. MIDIAN CENTRAL CORE
Lori finds herself in a cavernous space, lined with chambers
connected by walkways and ladders, which don't look particularly
secure. She moves out on to a walkway. It leads her into the central
core of Midian, which offers a view of dizzying descent into the
earth. She scans the scene, amazed by the sheer scale of the place.
LORI: My God...
As she descends into the bowels of Midian, creatures in various
doorways watch her with curiosity. One creature seems to have light
running from wounds on its body. Another tumbles past her, a slow
acrobat, defying gravity. She sees only a few of these but hears far
more, chattering and murmuring in the shadows.
127A. INT. MIDIAN CORE
As Lori moves through the chambers toward Peloquin we see the devil
creature Lude feeding snakes to his pet, a horned, many legged beast
which squats on the floor. He gets up and goes to look at her. Leroy,
a grinning grotesque, appears from the back of the chamber, snatches
the snake from the maw of the pet, and comes to watch as well.
LEROY [eating the snake]: There goes the neighbourhood.
128. SCENE DELETED
128A. INT. MIDIAN CENTRAL CORE
Lori looks into a chamber. A dark, winged figure moves aside to
reveal...
A ceremony, with the bowls of white blood later seen in Baphomet's
chamber, is in progress.
128B. INT. MIDIAN CENTRAL CORE
As Lori crosses the bridge something watches from the deep
shadows...the tone darkens. She steps off the bridge and scorpions
scuttle away. Lori is now a little nervous. She finds herself in a
corner with several doors...Through one door she sees a man with a
white T-shirt. She calls after him.
LORI: Boone?
Lori enters through the door.
128C. INT. MIDIAN CHAMBER
In a corner a ghastly meal is underway. The Boone figure is heading
away through another door. Lori follows the figure, and the diners
get up as if to attack. In the next chamber is a tangle of bright red
glistening bodies with no heads...Lori glances round. The diners
pursue her.
128D. INT. MIDIAN CHAMBER
Up ahead of Lori is the Boone figure. She approaches it as it steps
out of the shadows...
It is not Boone!!
She steps away...
128E. INT. MIDIAN CHAMBER
The red beast is rising behind her. Lori turns and exits the
chamber, flattening herself against the rock. She advances. Crouched
in a niche above where she's walking, we see a small lizard-like
creature, Barabas, eating a dead rat.
128F. INT. MIDIAN CHAMBER
Lori enters the final chamber, following the figure she thinks is
Boone.
On the far side, crouching at a door, a figure.
LORI: Boone?
The figure turns. It's Peloquin.
PELOQUIN: No-one here of that name.
She turns. The Boone figure is in the doorway behind her. He has the
face of a snake.
PELOQUIN: Told you!
He approaches Lori.
PELOQUIN: I know you. He talks about you. Lori.
He snatches a broach from her.
PELOQUIN: Nice. You're still a Natural. Want to join the family? [he
goes to bite her]
LORI: No!
Peloquin follows her to the door.
PELOQUIN [at door]: You will. Sooner or later you'll want to live
forever.
He laughs maniacally, returning into his room.
129. INT. MIDIAN CENTRAL CORE
Lori continues her descent. As she nears the cavern floor, Lylesburg
steps into her path, beside him his fool, Ohnaka.
LYLESBURG: You may go no further.
LORI: I want Boone!
LYLESBURG: You're not to blame, but you must understand: what
Boone's done has put us in jeopardy...
LORI: No problem, you tell me where he is and we're outta here...
LYLESBURG: Boone has gone to Baphomet. He is beyond recall.
A low rumbling issues from somewhere deep inside the passage
Lylesburg stands before. Underneath the rumble is an animal
moaning with pain.
LORI: Where is he? He's down here isn't he? You want to stop me
you're gonna have to kill me.
Impressed by her resolve, Lylesburg stands aside. She moves past him
and heads down into the chamber, towards a distant light. Lylesburg
gestures after her. Ohnaka nods and follows.
129A. INT. BERSERKERS' CORRIDOR ANTECHAMBER
Lori heads through a room which leads towards the Berserkers.
The reassuring sounds of the Core fade behind her. She slows her
advance. Suddenly, Narcisse steps from the shadows.
NARCISSE: Up and about already?
LORI: Keep away from me.
NARCISSE: I'm sorry about upstairs. I see a pretty face and I want
to kiss it. [Lori moves on past] Don't go down there.
LORI: Why not?
NARCISSE [instant change of subject]: Don't you just love this
place? Shangri-La on dope. I love it.
LORI: What's that smell?
NARCISSE [sniffs his armpits]: Not me. They keep the Berserkers down
there. Mad bastards. They'll rip your head off and shit down your
neck.
LORI: Boone went this way, right?
NARCISSE: And won't be coming back.
LORI: I'll bring him.
NARCISSE: You think love can raise the dead?
LORI: He's not dead.
NARCISSE: He's that and more. If you don't believe me, you wait 'til
he gets to sniff a little blood. That'll bring out the beast in him.
I'm telling you, don't go...
LORI: I have to. Nothing makes any sense without him.
NARCISSE: Sense? Who needs it?
Lori moves off down the corridor. Ohnaka follows her.
NARCISSE [to Ohnaka]: Love those tattoos.
130. SCENE DELETED
131. SCENE DELETED
132. INT. BERSERKERS' CORRIDOR
Lori starts down the corridor, the walls of which are cracked wide
in places, the gaps covered with chains. From the other side she
hears grunts and growls. Then, to her shock, one of the Berserkers'
arms reaches up from a grille in the floor and snatches at her leg.
She steps aside to avoid it, and another of the Berserkers' arms
reaches through the mesh of chains, taking hold of her by the neck.
It starts to choke her. She shouts for help.
Ohnaka, Lylesburg's fool, appears from down the corridor. He starts
to rattle the chains further along the wall.
OHNAKA: Hey, Ghost! Hey, Slaughter! Come and get me! Come
and get me!
The arm around Lori's neck releases its hold, and we hear the sound
of the creatures moving along the walls in Ohnaka's direction.
OHNAKA: Fat-asses!
Suddenly, arms reach for him through the chains. He steps away just
in time.
OHNAKA: Missed!
He grins at Lori, proud of himself.
LORI: Where's Boone?
OHNAKA: This way!
He starts to lead her towards Baphomet's chamber.
133. INT. OUTSIDE BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
Ohnaka and Lori reach the next to last chamber; a roaring from
below, down a slope in front of them, walls vibrating with the din
from Baphomet's chamber. Ohnaka withdraws. Blindingly bright light,
out of which Lori spots a figure climbing towards them.
LORI: Boone? Boone!
She moves down to Boone, scrambling up the slope towards her,
drenched in sweat, half-mad with terror.
BOONE: Don't...don't look...
He reaches for her, then collapses. She starts down the slope to
him. Dust falls from the roof, the din makes her reel. But she
reaches him, starts to haul him to his feet. Then, she looks up and
we get a glimpse of...
134. INT. BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
Out of the blinding light, and seemingly the source of it, a huge,
black figure turns towards her, twelve feet high, severed limbs
connected by sinews of hot, white energy and extruded spines, the
face terrible, wise and beautiful.
Lori's stunned, she averts her eyes. Boone collects himself enough
to pull her away and they help each other frantically scrabble up the
slope, out of the chamber.
135. INT. OUTSIDE BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
As Lori and Boone emerge, Ohnaka appears and beckons them to follow.
Too exhausted and frightened to speak, Boone and Lori
follow.
136. INT. MIDIAN CENTRAL CORE
Ominous rumblings urge them on, as Boone and Lori make a stumbling
ascent through the core, trailing Ohnaka's urgent lead, watched from
the doorways by a variety of creatures. We cut to the ledge, and move
to a chamber, where Peloquin and Shuna Sassi are making love.
Peloquin hears Lori urging Boone on as they struggle across the
bridge, and looks away from Shuna, out through the door.
PELOQUIN: Well, well...
He goes to the door.
PELOQUIN [cont.]: Guess he couldn't take the heat.
SHUNA SASSI: I dreamt him. He's strong.
PELOQUIN: That's only because the bite was mine.
SHUNA SASSI: No, don't you see? He's the one from the prophesies.
Cabal. The seventh saviour.
PELOQUIN: So why's he leaving?
SHUNA SASSI: Everything has its purpose. Maybe he hasn't learned to
hate his tribe enough. He'll be back.
Peloquin kisses her.
PELOQUIN: Why die waiting?
137. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
The sun climbs over the horizon, sunlight penetrates the graveyard.
A mausoleum door creaks open, Lori and Boone rush out into the open
air. Lori tries to lead Boone away, he squints painfully against the
early light.
BOONE: No, no, I belong here...
LORI [grabs him]: Bullshit! Boone, Boone, listen to me - you belong
with me, that's why you lived, that's why we survived,
because we belong together...
Ohnaka swings the door shut behind them. Boone sees Lori, as if for
the first time. She takes his hand, presses it to her face, her
breast.
LORI [cont.]: This is me. This is why I followed you, this is what
we're living for.
His eyes clear. A part of him seems to return. He embraces her.
BOONE: Lori...
LORI: They don't need you. Nobody needs you but me. We'll go away,
far away, where no-one will ever find us. I love you.
They hold each other.
138. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
LONG ANGLE:
Boone and Lori - two small figures, alone among the sepulchres. They
move towards the gate together.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
139. EXT. SWEETGRASS INN DAY
Empty streets. No activity. Lori's car pulls into the parking lot.
140. INT. LORI'S CAR DAY
Lori turns to Boone, slumped down in the passenger seat, out of
sight, wearing sunglasses.
LORI: I'll get my stuff, I'll be back in two minutes...
BOONE: Don't leave me alone.
LORI: Boone...
BOONE [fiercely]: No!
LORI [calmly — trying to hide her alarm]: Okay. We'll go in together.
She hands him the Buffalo Days hat and opens the door.
141. EXT. PHONE BOOTH DAY
From a phone booth across the street we see Lori and Boone move
towards the motel entrance. In foreground, a chain-mailed hand picks
up the phone and dials.
142. INT. SWEETGRASS INN DAY
Boone and Lori enter the corridor that leads to her room. Eerie
silence, save for a dog yapping somewhere. Boone stops. Alarmed, she
turns to him.
LORI [whispers]: What's wrong?
BOONE: Why is it so empty?
LORI: They must be at the rodeo.
She hurries on, Boone follows, clearly disturbed. Lori unlocks her
door, glancing back at Boone, who has taken off his sunglasses. There
is something strange about the light in his eyes. A subtle wave of
colour passes across his face.
BOONE: I smell blood.
LORI: What?
BOONE: So much blood...
She swings the door open. We expect a horror. Nothing. An ordinary
room.
LORI: It's okay.
INTERCUT:
113. INT. MOTEL LORI'S ROOM DAY
Lori enters and quickly gathers her belongings together.
Boone, sweating with terror, slides down the wall into a squatting
position.
As Lori packs, she looks down, sees a hole in the wall, the result
of some massive violence from the other side. She cautiously leans
down, peers through the hole and quickly retreats, hand over mouth,
horrified by what she's seen.
LORI: Boone?
Boone appears at the door.
LORI[cont.]: Next door.
Boone goes next door and turns the handle.
144. SCENE DELETED
145. INT. MOTEL MURDER ROOM DAY
Boone pushes the door open. Inside, a massacre: five dead card
players, propped up around a poker table in a sick parody of a poker
game tableau; throats slit, Buffalo Hats on their heads. Sitting in
the middle of the table, a tall, elaborate house of cards.
Boone moves into the middle of the room. On his face we can see the
hunger he feels. Ripples of color begin to move over his features. He
moves towards the corpses...as he does so, we hear a nearly deafening
sound from outside...the vibrations knock over the house of cards
and...
146. EXT. SWEETGRASS INN DAY
Into the empty street, a helicopter descends, discharging Lieutenant
Joyce and a platoon of heavily armed Swat Team cops. Local police
cars pour in.
Captain Eigerman climbs out of his cruiser to survey the siege.
Decker introduces him to Joyce. Sharpshooters take up positions,
training their weapons on the motel, as the Swat Team moves in.
147. INT. MOTEL CORRIDOR DAY
Lori moves to the door of the murder room. Boone is inside, his back
to her.
LORI: It was Decker...Decker did this...
In foreground, Boone's face begins to transform, which Lori can't
see. She hears the cops outside.
LORI [cont.]: Boone, we have to get out of here.
BOONE: Stay away from me...
LORI: Boone, what is it?
BOONE: I don't want you to see...
LORI: See what?
BOONE: Get out! Do as I say!
LORI: I won't leave you...
As she crosses towards him, he turns. His face is in mid-
transformation.
148. EXT. SWEETGRASS INN DAY
Lori's scream echoes outside the motel. Joyce orders in the Swat
Team. They charge, entering the motel.
149. INT. MOTEL CORRIDOR DAY
Lori backs out of the room in horror.
LORI: Oh my God...oh my God...
She hears cops charging up the stairs.
LORI [cont.]: Boone! They're coming!
INTERCUT:
150. MOTEL MURDER ROOM DAY
The transformed Boone covers his face, slams the room door shut and
moves towards the bodies.
Lori hides at the end of the corridor as the Swat cops appear at the
far end.
On his knees, in the middle of some frenzied action we can't quite
see, Boone stops and looks down at his blood-stained hands.
BOONE: No...No...
Out of sight, Lori watches the cops prepare to storm the room.
150A. INT. MOTEL BATHROOM DAY
Boone enters the bathroom with the sound of the Swat Team's entry to
the motel on the track. He slams the door. There is blood on his face
and hands. He goes to the sink and turns on the tap. Then he sees
himself in the mirror, his transformed face is a shock, He looks at
himself, appalled. Then a wave of nausea overtakes him. He throws up
into the sink; a splash of blood and flesh he's just eaten. Wiping
his mouth with the back of his hands he starts to breathe out his
condition. His face transforms back to his normal state. He makes a
sob of horror.
SWAT LEADER (V.O.): In here!
Boone looks towards the door, sinking down against the tiles as he
does so. The door is flung open. We see him cowering as the Swat Team
come for him.
151. SCENE DELETED
152. EXT. SWEETGRASS INN DAY
Under cover of the trees and cars around the motel, Lori hides in a
place where she can view the front of the building.
She sees Eigerman talking with Joyce, Decker behind them. They look
up as the Swat cops manhandle a hand-cuffed Boone out of the
building. He has totally reverted to human form, the blood-stains
seemingly a sure proof of guilt. Lori watches as he's thrown into a
police car and driven off.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
153. INT. SHERE NECK POLICE STATION DAY
A clank of keys opening locks. A steel door swings open. Three cops
rough-house Boone down the corridor, Eigerman right behind, passing
other cells holding prisoners watching them go by. We hold on one, a
young fundamentalist Baptist preacher, Reverend Ashberry. He has
haunted, maniacally repressed eyes and the ragged look of a habitual
drunk.
154. INT. POLICE STATION CELL DAY
Boone is thrown into the cell. Eigerman and the three cops,
Labowitz, Sergeant Pettine and Gibbs, all practised hard guys, enter
the cell after him.
EIGERMAN: Fuckin' freak! Fuckin' cannibal! [to his men] Stand him up!
They haul Boone to his feet. Eigerman hits Boone with a wicked
blackjack.
EIGERMAN [cont.]: You picked the wrong town, boy. We believe in real
justice here, [a blow is delivered] They're gonna take you back to
the city...[another blow]...but we're gonna leave you
with something...[another blow]...to remember...[another]...us...by!
Boone sags to the ground, unconscious.
154A. INT. ASHBERRY'S CELL DAY
As the sound of Boone being beaten up filters through the wall,
Ashberry sits in his cell, Bible in hand. He flicks the pages over,
attempting to distance himself from the violence he hears with study.
He halts at a page with an illustration. It is something from
Revelations: monsters and demons doing battle with angels. He puts
the book down, and turns over his palm. It is a mass of tiny scars.
He closes his hand into a white-knuckled fist, retreating into the
shadows in the corner of his cell.
We cutback to his hand. Blood seeps between the fingers, as his
nails dig into the meat of his palm.
155. INT. EIGERMAN'S OFFICE DAY
Eigerman enters. Decker is standing looking at Eigerman's collection
of photographs.
EIGERMAN: You still here?
DECKER: I'm going back to Midian with you.
EIGERMAN: I'm not going anywhere. We got press folks and
photographers coming in from all over. Wouldn't be polite to keep 'em
waiting.
Eigerman starts to exit again. Joyce is in the doorway.
EIGERMAN: Tell him. We got our man under lock and key.
DECKER: Don't trust him. He...he...changes. I've seen him.
EIGERMAN: I'll keep an eye out.
JOYCE: He was right about the motel.
EIGERMAN: So?
JOYCE: So maybe there are more of them...
EIGERMAN: Monsters?
JOYCE: Killers. A cult. I don't know.
EIGERMAN: You want to take some of the boys, take 'em Pettine?
PETTINE: Yes, Sir -
EIGERMAN: You, Tommy and Gibbs, take the Inspector out to the
cemetery. Dig around. If you find anything with more two eyes,
holler. I got photographers wanting me...
He exits.
156. INT. BOONE'S CELL DAY
Badly beaten, Boone lies in the corner, stirring when he hears the
door unlocked. Labowitz ushers in a middle-aged, small-town
physician, Doctor Rose.
LABOWITZ: Doctor's here to examine you, freak. Just so nobody can
say we laid a finger on you...[he winks at Rose] Looks okay to me,
what do you think, Doc?
Boone painfully pulls himself upright. Looks up at Dr Rose, who
slips on his stethoscope, listens to Boone's chest. He moves it,
listens, moves it again, alarmed. He takes Boone's wrist, feels
around. Boone stares at him. Dr Rose clears his throat, rises, moves
to Labowitz at the door and speaks quietly.
DR ROSE: No pulse.
LABOWITZ: What's that?
DR ROSE: No...pulse.
157. EXT. POLICE STATION DAY
A crowd of journalists and on-lookers mill outside the station. We
find Lori, following her through the crowd as she tries to get a view
of the building.
As she watches, Joyce and his three-cop escort climb into two police
cars and drive off.
158. INT. POLICE STATION DAY
An impromptu press conference, with Eigerman centre stage, standing
at a table laced with tape recorders and microphones.
Behind him, a map of the town, with coloured pins and a blackboard
drawing of the Sweetgrass Inn, including a diagram of where the
bodies were found. Eigerman adores the attention.
EIGERMAN: Yes he may have had accomplices but I can't reveal the
precise source of my information on that...
1ST REPORTER: Local source, Captain?
EIGERMAN [a glance at Decker in the crowd]: Not so's you'd notice.
2ND REPORTER: Has Boone made a confession?
EIGERMAN: We found him with a piece of human flesh in his mouth.
How's that for guilty?
Cameras flash furiously. We see Labowitz leading Dr Rose through the
crowd to the podium. Labowitz reaches Eigerman and whispers in his
ear. Eigerman makes him repeat it. His brow knits in puzzlement. He
turns to the press and smiles.
EIGERMAN [cont.]: 'Scuse me, folks, won't be a second.
Eigerman points a beckoning finger at Decker, who follows him into
his office, along with Labowitz and Dr Rose.
159. INT. EIGERMAN'S OFFICE DAY
Eigerman closes the door and turns to Decker.
EIGERMAN: Just exactly how many bullets did they put into this geek
up at Midian?
DECKER: Why?
DR ROSE [severely shaken]: Half of them are still in him. In fact,
he's riddled with them.
DECKER: As I told you, these aren't ordinary people. You're saying
he should be dead?
DR ROSE: No, I'm saying he is dead.
DECKER: When?
EIGERMAN: Not lying down dead, friend. Walkin' around in my fucking
cell dead. Now what about that?
Decker's shaken. He grips his briefcase tightly.
160. INT. BOONE'S CELL DAY
Boone sits in his cell, head down, expression masked, eyes moving
restlessly.
160A. INT. ASHBERRY'S CELL DAY
Ashberry is sitting half in shadow and half in light. His eyes carry
the half-buried mania that we'll see erupt later on. He puts his head
against the wall and speaks softly to Boone, his tone intensifying as
his feelings take stronger hold.
ASHBERRY: Can you hear me? They'll find a way to kill you, you know
that? Can't fight the darkness. Not when it's inside
you. Are you listening? You're an abomination, Boone. You have to
die. There's lots of ways. I've read about them. Seen them when I
sleep. Horrible. HEAR ME?
He suddenly slams his bloody hand against the wall.
ASHBERRY: Have you got a God, Boone? Any God'll do. I had one,
but...he doesn't listen any more. I ask him to take the
dreams away but they keep coming. Blood and fire. Like the end of
the world...
We move from Ashberry's stricken face to the bloody mark his hand
left in the wall. It vaguely resembles something we recognize:
Baphomet's head.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
161. EXT. SHERE NECK STREET DAY
Lori emerges from a supermarket with food to eat. She walks into a
small square, finds a seat and sits down to eat. As she reaches into
the bag:
BABETTE[V.O.]:Lori?
She looks round. The voice sounded real. No sign of Babette.
BABETTE [V.O. - cont.]: Lori...close your eyes.
LORI [frightened]: Where are you?
BABETTE [V.O.]: Please, do as I say.
Lori closes her eyes.
162. INT. SKULL CHAMBER CENTRE CORE
Lori and Babette's P.O.V. - darkness.
BABETTE [V.O.]: Be with me...be with me...
Dim light. We're in the Midian skull chamber, seeing it through
Babette's eyes. Their voices merge into one.
LORI/BABETTE [V.O.]: ...where am I? What's happening to me?
Rachel steps into view, and looks directly down at the camera.
RACHEL: What is it, child?
163. EXT. SHERE NECK STREET DAY
Lori's eyes spring open. She's terrified.
BABETTE [V.O.]: Lori! Comeback!
Lori closes her eyes again and we click back into...
164. EXT. SHERE NECK STREET DAY
Lori and Babette's P.O.V. - we see Babette's view of Rachel.
LORI/BABETTE [V.O.]: Is this real?
RACHEL [whispers]: What are you talking about? Babette? [grips
Babette] What have you done?
LORI/BABETTE [V.O.]: I've brought her, to see. She's in me. Babette
breaks away, Rachel tries to catch hold, Babette runs.
P.O.V. camera veers around and down through the maze of Midian.
165. EXT. SHERE NECK STREET DAY
Eyes closed on the bench, Lori gasps as the journey snatches her up.
166. INT. CENTRAL CORE
Lori and Babette's P.O.V. - Babette races over a rope-bridge. We see
it all through her eyes, her hands coming occasionally into view. We
head down a narrow tunnel and into a small chamber, which is
Babette's hidehole. We scan the treasures she keeps there: a doll
made of grasses; birds' skulls; pretty stones. We hear voices from
above and we look up at a steel grille, facing out on the surface.
166A. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Pushing closer to the grille we see...Joyce, Pettine, Tommy and
Gibbs, wandering through the Necropolis, armed to the hilt. Only
Joyce carries no weapon.
PETTINE: Christ, you could hide a fuckin' army in here.
TOMMY: What egg-zactly are we lookin' for, Sarge?
TOMMY [spits some tobacco juice on a tomb]: We're here to kick some
major-league butt.
JOYCE [distrusts these throwbacks]: We're here to scout, not engage
TOMMY: Well what if they engage us? What about that?
PETTINE: There's people down there, I can feel it.
Lori/Babette gasps, Pettine hears the sound and walks over to the
grille.
TOMMY: Why don't we just shoot 'em in their graves? Save us
diggin' new ones, [giggles - fires at one of the tombs]
JOYCE [angry]: Hold your fire!
PETTINE: We want prisoners, Tommy.
Pettine goes down on his haunches beside the grille, runs the muzzle
of his gun along it. P.O.V. camera withdraws into the
shadows. He shakes his head and...
167. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
We cut out of the P.O.V. as Pettine stands.
PETTINE: There's something down there all right.
JOYCE: If that's the case we'll call for back-up...
Pettine spots a movement in the shadows of a half-open mausoleum
door. He catches Gibbs' eye, nods in the direction of the door, Gibbs
gets the idea and starts to back towards the tomb.
PETTINE [a performance]: I don't know. Maybe we're just spooked.
Hell, who'd live in a graveyard, anyway? [crossing towards Gibbs]
What do you say, Lieutenant? Maybe we oughta just pack it in...head
for home...
He and Gibbs rush the door of the tomb; there's a cry of surprise
from inside.
168. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Lori and Babette's P.O.V. - Camera glides back up to the grille in
time to see Gibbs and Pettine drag Ohnaka out of darkness and into
the sunlight where he lacks the strength to resist.
TOMMY: Well, lookee what we got here...
Tommy strikes Ohnaka with a rifle butt, knocking him to his knees.
169. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
As the cops circle around Ohnaka, he moans, puts his head down and
covers his face with his hands.
GIBBS: Shit. Don't look so tough to me.
PETTINE: Want we should interrogate it, Lieutenant?
JOYCE [amazed]: Give it some room.
In the sunlight, Ohnaka's naked back begins to smoke and blister.
GIBBS: What the hell for?
JOYCE: God damn it! There's something wrong with him...
TOMMY [disgusted]: Shit...
PETTINE: What the fuck is this?
Gibbs, unfazed, steps up to Ohnaka and kicks the creature over.
GIBBS: We want answers, asshole!
JOYCE: Back off, Gibbs!
Gibbs ignores him, trying to drag Ohnaka's hands away from his face.
170. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Lori and Babette's P.O.V. - Watching the knot of men around the
defenceless Ohnaka.
LORI/BABETTE [V.O.]: The light...
171. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Gibbs rifle-butts Ohnaka's hands, then pulls them away from his
face; the features are horribly disfigured, blood running from his
eyes, scorched by the sun. Now even Gibbs tries to back away, but
Ohnaka grabs hold of his shirt.
GIBBS: Shit! Shit! Get it off me! Tommy!
TOMMY: No way, man!
Pettine fires his piece at Ohnaka, hitting him in the belly and arm,
but he still holds on, throwing back his head and howling. Smoke
rises from his entire body, dust pours from his veins. The howl
becomes a high-pitched whine and he explodes, in a burst of dust and
black blood.
172. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Lori and Babette's P.O.V. - They see Ohnaka die.
173. EXT. SHERE NECK STREET DAY
Lori opens her eyes, which are running with tears.
LORI: Oh my God...oh my God...
She stands up, her hand to her mouth.
174. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
Lori and Babette's P.O.V. - Babette's trembling hands hold onto the
grille as she watches.
BABETTE [V.O.]: Lori, don't leave, please don't leave me.
175. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
The cops stare in disbelief at Ohnaka's dusty remains.
PETTINE: Jesus...d'you see that fucker's face?
JOYCE: It was the sun. The sun did it.
GIBBS: Christ on a crutch...
JOYCE: Man, that tears it, I'm calling the fuckin' chief.
Gibbs raises a trembling match to his cigarette as Tommy heads back
to the cars.
GIBBS: Couldn't have been just...just the sun...
JOYCE: Believe it, shithead.
PETTINE [grinning]: So if all it takes is the sun, we got the
perfect weapon, right over our heads.
JOYCE: Until it goes down.
Pettine's smile fades. Then a cry of alarm from the distance.
TOMMY [V.O.]: Oh no! Shit! Pettine! Goddamn it!
The men rush to the gate.
176. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES DAY
The two police cars are on fire. The other cops reach them, Pettine
reaches into the one less involved in flame and pulls out the radio
microphone.
JOYCE: Who did it, did you see anyone?
Tommy shakes his head. They all look up, hearing a distant car engine.
177. EXT./INT. BEAT-UP CAR DAY
Wearing a hat and dark glasses, laughing, Narcisse drives this old
clunker like a maniac, takes a large cigar out of his mouth.
He strikes a match off a thumb hook and lights up. In the back,
protected from sunlight by shades on the windows, is Rachel.
178. INT. POLICE STATION TOILET DAY
The door opens, a panicked Labowitz enters.
LABOWITZ: Chief, come quick...
EIGERMAN [from inside a stall]: This better be good...
LABOWITZ: Pettine's on the radio, they're under attack.
EIGERMAN: Hot damn, we got contact!
He bursts out of the stall, hitching his trousers.
179. INT. EIGERMAN'S OFFICE DAY
Eigerman enters, takes the two-way receiver. Behind him, Decker,
Labowitz and Kane enter the office.
EIGERMAN: Pettine, what's your situation.
INTERCUT:
180. EXT. NECROPOLIS
INT. EIGERMAN'S OFFICE DAY
Pettine on the radio, as the others try to keep back the flames.
PETTINE [into radio]: The place is crawling with 'em...they torched
our cars...fuckin' freaks!...
The transmission breaks up. Eigerman turns to the others in the room.
EIGERMAN [joyfully]: ...Sound the call, boys, let the bells of
freedom ring, we got to mobilize.
Decker affectionately runs his hand over his briefcase.
181. EXT. SHERENECK STREET DAY
Lori moves down the street, blinking through tears.
BABETTE [V.O.]: I'm afraid ...
LORI: I have to go, Babette, I have to get help. I'll be back, I
promise. You hide somewhere.
The connection fades. Lori wipes the tears from her cheeks.
182. INT. POLICE STATION DAY
The crowd and journalists still hanging around; Eigerman throws the
door open.
EIGERMAN: Listen up! We got officers under attack, I need volunteers
for a posse! Y'all sign up with Officer Labowitz here!
He moves back towards the office, as Labowitz, clipboard in hand, is
besieged with offers.
183. INT. EIGERMAN'S OFFICE DAY
Decker is sitting with his briefcase open on his lap, gazing
AFFECTIONATELY
at the button head mask inside. He snaps the case shut as Eigerman
re-enters, followed by the silent Kane. Eigerman digs a key
out of his desk.
EIGERMAN: If you're gonna make an omelette you have to break eggs,
isn't that right, Professor?
DECKER [doesn't follow]: Sorry?
EIGERMAN: Christmas comes early this year.
184. INT. POLICE STATION STORAGE ROOM DAY
Eigerman leads Decker, Kane and another cop down into the bowels of
the station. He unlocks a door and switches on a light. Warehoused
inside is a virtual arsenal in a number of packing crates stencilled
with a martial insignia and the name:
SONS OF THE FREE: SHERE NECK BRIGADE'
The crates are also stamped with their countries of origin: South
Africa and the Soviet Union.
EIGERMAN: Ounce a' prevention is worth a pound a' cure. Save for a
rainy day, one day that day will come. Don't matter if it's Commies,
homos, freaks or Japs, we are ready. World class ordnance, Doc: the
best private sector money can buy.
Kane, with a clipboard, goes over supplies with the other cop.
KANE [over above — in his element): Okay. We got your spankin' new
G3 thirty-odd-six Springfield semi-auto with roller-lock
action and retractable stock. For standard carbine firepower, you
can't beat this match-accurate Galil AR 7.62 NATO assault rifle and
for the sportsman in the crowd we carry this handy, double-pump,
Mossberg Persuader, sling swivels double extractors, which also comes
in a light-weight single-barrel size for ladies and juniors -
DECKER: Marvelous, really, but -
KANE: Now over here we're talkin' Damascus, high-carbon Spetnatz
shootin' knives, and for that tough up-close-and-
personal work, you can always count on your razor-wire/fishing-line
garotte when nuthin' else will do —
DECKER [over Kane]: Captain, have you considered the possibility
that knives and bullets won't be adequate to the task?
EIGERMAN: Show him, Kane.
KANE [pulling off a shroud to unveil]: That's why we bought these
cherry Israeli Army high-octane linear-field flame throwers.
EIGERMAN: Now I know what you're thinkin', Doc; maybe there's some
sort'a spiritual angle to all this. Well, we got that
covered, too.
185. INT. POLICE STATION CELLS NIGHT
A cell door swings open. Decker and Eigerman look in on the Baptist
preacher, Reverend Ashberry.
EIGERMAN: Reverend Ashberry, your services are required.
DECKER: He looks like a drunk.
EIGERMAN: He is; lost his way, poor bastard, [hauling Ashberry to
his feet] You wouldn't wanna miss the Day of Judgment, now would you?
ASHBERRY [seems he's been waiting for this]: The Apocalypse? It's
here?
EIGERMAN: They're warming up for it over in Midian. [leading him
out] Padre, you get your pious butt over to church and load up on
some Holy Water and crucifixes...we're goin' in there with God on our
side.
DISSOLVE TO:
186. EXT. POLICE STATION DAY
Boone looks out the window of his cell as a large, unruly posse
musters outside in a variety of vehicles. A mix of survivalist
fanatics in Sons of the Free-labelled camouflage, Marlboro Men with
six-shooters, red-neck bozos with their diesel-dyke mamas and heavily
made-up bimbos out for a good time. The atmosphere is one of near
carnival.
Accoutred for combat, Kane and some other cops distribute the weapons.
Boone slumps away from the window, his worst fears realized.
Reverend Ashberry arrives, lugging six full canteens and an arm-load
of crucifixes. He loads into the back of an enclosed, high-tech
camper with Eigerman and Decker. Eigerman blows an air-horn, claiming
the crowd's attention.
EIGERMAN: You are all hereby deputized in the name of the law. Now
let's kick some ass!
Eigerman's truck leads the caravan, which drives off, horns honking,
war whoops and liquor-fuelled courage. As the dust clears now, left
more or less alone, Lori looks at the police station.
A beat-up car squeals to a halt in front of her and the front door
opens.
NARCISSE: Hey, chickie, want a ride?
LORI: No...
RACHEL: Please.
Lori sees Rachel and gets in the car.
187. INT. BEAT-UP CAR DAY
Narcisse drives around the block, smoking his cigar.
NARCISSE: We have to get Boone out, Midian needs him...
LORI: What could he do?
RACHEL: He went into Baphomet's chamber. He spoke with the Baptiser...
NARCISSE: And survived; nobody ever did that before.
RACHEL: Perhaps Baphomet told him something, something that could
save Midian.
NARCISSE: Where they keeping him?
LORI: Inside somewhere. He'll be guarded.
RACHEL: He has powers of his own.
LORI: Tell me about it; what's happened to him?
NARCISSE: He was bitten by a Nightbreed, see, the taint's in his
system...
RACHEL: Boone has been turned, he's one of us...
LORI: Okay. So what you're saying is, you're saying he's dead.
NARCISSE: Hey, some of my best friends are dead.
LORI [horrified]: ...I'm going out of my mind.
NARCISSE [to Rachel]: See? I told you she'd take it well.
188. EXT. HIGHWAY DAY
The posse heads down the road, whoops and hollers emerging from the
dust cloud it kicks up.
189. INT. CAB OF EIGERMAN'S TRUCK DAY
Eigerman cleans his silver-plate Magnum .45, Decker sits beside him
holding his briefcase, across from Ashberry, who's frantically paging
through an ancient Bible.
EIGERMAN: Ever performed an exorcism, Father?
ASHBERRY: No.
EIGERMAN: Ever seen one?
ASHBERRY: No.
EIGERMAN: Well I'd start rehearsin' if I was you. [hands a gun
towards Decker] Why don't you hang on to that, Doc?
DECKER [a little prim]: Oh no, I wouldn't know how to use it...
ASHBERRY [finds something in the book, reads]: Listen! 'So Moses
spoke to the people, saying "Arm yourselves for war and let them go
and take vengeance for the Lord on Midian..." and so they burned with
fire all the cities where they dwelt and
killed the kings of Midian, both man and beast!'
EIGERMAN [with a wink]: Hey, how 'bout that, Doc? Sounds like we're
on a crusade against the Devil himself.
ASHBERRY [not terribly convincing]: I don't believe in the Devil.
DECKER: Oh...you will.
Ashberry looks at Decker; no trace of irony in his expression.
Ashberry sorts through the canteens, finds the one that doesn't have
a white cross on it, opens it and knocks back two fingers of bourbon.
DISSOLVE TO:
190. EXT. SHERE NECK POLICE STATION DAY
The sun sinking low in the sky. The shadows are long.
191. INT. POLICE STATION CELL CORRIDOR DAY
The station is eerily quiet. Labowitz and an Irish cop, Connie
Cormack, guard the cells. Two other cops patrol the end of the
corridor. All heavily armed. Labowitz moves to the door of Boone's
cell.
192. INT. BOONE'S CELL DAY
The spy-hole cover is open. Boone looks up.
LABOWITZ [from other side of door]: Hey, freak-face, we found your
pals. They're gonna fry, just like you. Give us a smile now.
Boone stares at the floor, depressed, defeated.
193. INT. CELL CORRIDOR/OFFICE DAY
Labowitz chuckles and closes the spy-hole. He walks back down to the
coffee station near Eigerman's office, where Cormack is pouring two
cups. He takes out a flask, spikes his mug and offers some to
Labowitz.
CORMACK: Little Irish in your joe, Constable Labowitz?
LABOWITZ [a bad brogue]: Don't mind if I do, Constable Cormack.
There is a knock on the station door. They look at each other.
Cormack picks up his gun and crosses to the door.
CORMACK: Who's there?
RACHEL [O.S.]: Help me, please.
CORMACK: What's wrong?
RACHEL [O.S.]: Accident. We need help.
Cormack decides to unbolt the door. On the step stands Rachel,
shrouded in black veils. Only her eyes are visible. They fix
Cormack.
CORMACK: What's the problem, lady?
She drops the veil. The other half of her face has disappeared into
smoke.
CORMACK [cont.]: What the blazes?
Her costume falls to the ground. Her eyes dissolve. As smoke, Rachel
blows into the station. Cormack fires through the smoke, yelling as
he does so.
LABOWITZ [running towards the cell]: Hold 'em, Connie!
194. INT. CELL CORRIDOR DAY
The two other cops hear the shot and run towards the station.
Labowitz runs back in with them before they get there, slams and
bolts the door.
LABOWITZ [to the other cops]: Hold your ground! [yells through the
door] Cormack? You all right?
195. INT. POLICE STATION DAY
Cormack turns back towards the door, sees Narcisse, screams and
fires twice. Narcisse flips one of the bullets out of his chest with
a thumb-nail, then leaps onto Cormack, who manages to shoot himself
in the foot. Lori enters, slams the door and locks it. Narcisse
squats over Cormack, holds his razor-nails under his chin.
NARCISSE: Where is he? Where's Boone?
CORMACK: Cell f-f-f-five...through the door...
NARCISSE [grins at Lori]: I love a coward.
196. INT. CELL CORRIDOR DOOR DAY
Labowitz and the other cops confidently prepare for a siege.
LABOWITZ [calling back to Boone]: Don't think you're getting sprung,
freak. No way they get through that door; solid steel,
armour-piercing shells wouldn't even make a dent...
Smoke seeps through the key-hole, and from beneath the connecting
door.
LABOWITZ [cont.]: You hear me, freak? No fuckin' way!
The smoke from the key-hole begins to form into a face, which floats
on a cord of smoke/flesh from the key-hole. The smoke from beneath
the door forms into breasts and rib cage, in which a heart beats.
Labowitz turns and sees it.
LABOWITZ [cont.]: Jesus Christ...
He empties his gun through the smoke; the two cops on the other side
of the smoke are hit and go down.
An arm moves towards Labowitz; so does Rachel's face. Her beauty
mesmerizes him. Her naked breasts, which float beneath
the head, barely connected to it as yet, enchant him even more.
RACHEL: Come closer...I don't want to kill you...
Her hand presses Labowitz's rifle aside. Rachel's lips touch him. He
doesn't resist, but once his mouth is sealed against hers he can't
breathe. He tries to raise the rifle, but she dashes it from his
hand. Then she snatches the keys from his belt and breaks the kiss.
He falls to his knees, gasping. Her body completed and naked, Rachel
unlocks the connecting door, then starts looking for Boone. Behind
her, as Labowitz reaches for his gun, Narcisse's hand reaches in and
grabs his throat.
NARCISSE: Naughty, naughty.
Labowitz looks up into Narcisse's scarred face and faints. Lori
steps past Labowitz to the cell Rachel directs her towards.
RACHEL: We don't have much time.
LORI: I know.
Lori unlocks the door.
197. INT. BOONE'S CELL DAY
LORI [nervous]: Boone?
BOONE [wakes]: Stay away from me. I'll hurt you.
LORI: I don't think so.
BOONE: You know what I did in that room? I'm a goddamn cannibal.
Stay away!
LORI: They're going to come for you.
BOONE: Let them. Let them find some way to kill me.
LORI: You can't die. Midian needs you.
BOONE: Midian's just a hole in the ground. It's full of things that
should lie down and stay dead.
LORI: All right. If not for the Breed, then for me. You can't give
up on us.
BOONE: You talk like you're one of them.
LORI: Maybe I wish I was. Some little part of me. [she puts her hand
on his face] All I know is, I'm not afraid of you. I know I should
be, but I'm not. I still want you, whatever you are. And I'm not
going to leave you. If they come for you, then they'll have to kill
me too.
BOONE: No!
LORI: So fight. For both of us. For all of us. I don't want to be
dust. I want us flesh and blood. Kiss me. I love you.
He kisses her. First tentatively, then with great passion.
198. INT. CELL CORRIDOR DAY
Narcisse knocks, calls through the door.
NARCISSE: What the hell are you doing in there?
INTERCUT:
199. INT. BOONE'S CELL DAY
Fucking, is the answer. They are wound around each other: licking,
biting, gasping. Boone thrusts up into her.
LORI: Yes...yes!
NARCISSE [to himself]: Jesus. Bastard does better dead than I did
alive.
200. INT. POLICE STATION DAY
The connecting door flies open, a rejuvenated Boone and Lori move
into the office where Narcisse and Rachel are waiting. Narcisse toys
with the unconscious Cormack.
RACHEL: Are we going?
NARCISSE: About time.
BOONE: Midian.
NARCISSE: All right.
BOONE: It's about time they saw the truth.
201. SCENE DELETED
202. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES LATE AFTERNOON
Gibbs, Joyce, Tommy and Pettine wait outside the gates. Pettine
paces. Joyce looks at his watch, moves over to Pettine and speaks
quietly.
JOYCE: How long until dark?
PETTINE: Two hours. Two and a half. I told 'em to bring gasoline.
We'll burn the bastards out.
JOYCE: Has it occurred to you maybe we've got this all wrong? We
could be destroying...I don't know, a whole new species.
PETTINE: You saw that fucker below, Lieutenant, same as me. That
damn thing was just too weird to live.
JOYCE: Maybe they're just different.
PETTINE: Isn't that enough reason?
Joyce stares at him. In background, Tommy starts to holler. Pettine
calls.
PETTINE [cont.]: What is it?
Tommy is pointing frantically at a dust cloud in the distance.
203. EXT. ROAD TO MIDIAN LATE AFTERNOON
A violent cut to the roar of engines as we track with the fast-
moving posse. Eigerman stands up out of a skylight in the cab of his
truck, eggs on the other vehicles with a rebel war cry.
EIGERMAN: Yee-hah!
204. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES LATE AFTERNOON
As the caravan appears. Ecstasy. Tommy and Gibbs dance a jig together.
GIBBS: It's the fuckin' cavalry!
The posse speeds down towards the Necropolis gates.
205. EXT. ROAD TO MIDIAN
INT. CAR DUSK
Narcisse's beat-up car speeds down the highway towards Midian.
BOONE: How much further?
NARCISSE: A mile, maybe two...
We close in on Rachel, who stares ahead of her, as if in a trance.
RACHEL: We're too late.
NARCISSE: Hang on!
Steering hard, he veers the car off the road and into thick woods.
Branches thrash against the windshield.
NARCISSE [cont.]: This is a shortcut!
206. EXT. NECROPOLIS DUSK
The posse is busily at work around the Necropolis, Eigerman and Kane
supervising. Some are laying trails of gasoline through the pathways.
Others are simply patrolling, guns in hand. There is an air of
nervous anticipation.
Ashberry comes round a tomb and we follow him down a walkway,
staring in awe at the mausoleums and statuary.
Looking at a particularly large tomb, Ashberry's eye is captivated
by a large, fantastically rendered marble winged angel. He approaches
it, reaches up to touch it. The angel, a monster, turns to look at
him with sad, impassive gravity. Then we see its shadow on Ashberry's
face and hear the slow, thick beating of its wings as it flies off.
Ashberry's stunned. He fumbles the top of his bourbon canteen off,
takes a long drink, then stops when he sees a load of dynamite taped
to the side of the tomb. He follows the wire that leads off it to
another dynamite pack on an adjacent tomb and then another. He's
panicked.
207. EXT. NECROPOLIS DUSK
Kane is escorting Eigerman and Pettine down a pathway, pointing out
the posse's handiwork.
KANE: ...packets of plastique at every intersection, trip wires
outside the biggest tombs, we figure those'll be the major escape
routes...
EIGERMAN: How much longer?
KANE: Five minutes.
EIGERMAN [into walkie-talkie]: Let's pull back to the perimeter
before we lose the light. We've got movement underground;
they're hearing it round the walls.
ASHBERRY [approaching them from the side]: Captain!
KANE: Jesus, not there, STOP. [Ashberry freezes] We got Claymores
planted in the rosebushes, Reverend, cut your nuts off
faster'n a hedge clipper.
ASHBERRY: We've made a mistake, there are Angels here, a heavenly
host...
EIGERMAN: You're drunk, asshole.
Ashberry dumps the bourbon out of his canteen.
ASHBERRY: No. Listen to me, it's wrong, it's sacrilege, this is holy
ground...
EIGERMAN: Get the hell up that hill, you pinhead.
ASHBERRY: You brought me here because I'm a man of God.
EIGERMAN: That's right; hang round here a couple more minutes,
Padre, and you'll be sitting at his left hand. Now get your sorry ass
out of the fuckin' way...
Eigerman backhands him. Ashberry falls. Eigerman, Kane, Pettine and
the other cops begin to pull back.
Ashberry looks up, as he hears grindings and growls in the earth.
Boone is lifting off the top of a nearby tomb. Ashberry is about to
shoot when Narcisse grabs him around the throat, puts a finger to his
lips and signals him to be quiet. Narcisse follows Boone into the
tomb. The tomb-lid scrapes as it's pushed back into place from
beneath. Ashberry starts to pray.
207A. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
Boone and Narcisse move through the panicking underground, creatures
fleeing in every direction. Boone sees Lylesburg, trying to keep the
panic down, moves towards him.
LYLESBURG: Stay down! Stay where you are, they're waiting for us
above...
BOONE [intercepting him]: No! if you stay here you'll be
slaughtered...
LYLESBURG: This is our home.
BOONE: Not anymore...
LYLESBURG: We belong here...
BOONE: Listen to me, old man, the rules change; if you want to live
it won't be here and it won't be by your laws...
Other creatures have stopped, watching the confrontation. Boone
speaks to them as well.
BOONE [cont.]: If you'want to survive we've got to fight back, we
can't hide anymore! [to Lylesburg] What's it gonna be?
Lylesburg slumps, acquiescing, unable to refuse Boone's assertions.
BOONE [cont.] [to Narcisse]: Get the children above ground, find a
hiding place...[to the others] Get ready to fight! [to Lylesburg]
What about Baphomet? Can he be moved?
LYLESBURG: Yes. It could be done.
BOONE: It must be done. Brothers and sisters, it's time to fight!
207A. INT. CHAMBERS
Leroy and Lude listen to Boone on the bridge.
LEROY: You hear what he said?
LUDE: What chance have we got? They're armed.
LEROY [opens jacket]: So am I.
Two one-eyed snakes, nesting in Leroy's belly, slide up from his
innards and wrap around his neck.
LEROY: They call us monsters, remember? They're afraid of us. Let's
give 'em reason.
LUDE: It's a long time since I spilled blood.
LEROY: You never lose the knack.
208. EXT. HILL ABOVE THE NECROPOLIS DUSK
From this high vantage point, Decker watches the preparations below
through binoculars, with the glee of a pyromaniac at a fire-storm.
The sun is setting. He stares up at it, squinting into its brightness.
THE MASK [V.O.]: ...I'm waiting...Philip?...
Decker looks towards the patrol car parked nearby. The front door is
open. On the passenger seat sits his briefcase. Decker quickly
crosses to the car.
DECKER: Be quiet.
THE MASK [V.O.]: Let me out, Philip. There's going to be bloodshed.
I want to see.
Decker opens the briefcase. The mask and his knives are laid out
inside.
THE MASK: Ah, that's better.
DECKER: We can't let anyone see us...
THE MASK: I want to be free!
JOYCE [V.O.]: Decker?
Decker swings round, slamming the case shut, as Joyce approaches.
DECKER: Lieutenant...[covering flawlessly] You gave me such a start.
JOYCE: Eigerman's invited you to watch from the command post.
DECKER: Oh, I don't think I'm up to it, really.
JOYCE: ...I've got a bad feeling about this.
DECKER: Believe me, Lieutenant, whoever or whatever's living down
there deserves what's coming.
JOYCE: Monsters, you mean?
DECKER: Unnatural, misbegotten creatures.
JOYCE: I don't know. The only monsters I've ever seen had a human
face.
As Joyce looks down at the Necropolis, Decker sneaks an anxious side-
long glance at his briefcase.
209. INT. NECROPOLIS GATES DUSK
The final explosives-layers exit, their backs covered by
flamethrower and machine-gun-carrying mob members. A distraught
Ashberry is the last out.
Midian is now completely deserted. Dandelion seeds drift down the
walkways, caught in shafts of sunlight.
210. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES/COMMAND POST DUSK
Eigerman, Pettine and Kane, looking at their watches.
KANE [a pause — then]: ...T-minus fifteen seconds...ten, nine,eight,
seven, six, five, four, three, two, one ...
EIGERMAN: Go.
Kane depresses the detonator. There are two large explosions,
followed by several smaller ones. Part of the Necropolis wall is
blasted out. Several members of the posse retreat. Eigerman pulls his
pistol.
EIGERMAN [cont.]: You there, stand your ground! [fires a warning
shot] Stand your ground, damn you!
The defectors stop. Several more chain explosions in Necropolis.
211. SCENE DELETED
212. SCENE DELETED
213. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
Narcisse is leading a group of child monsters, as the explosions
bring earth plunging down from the ceiling. Babies cry. Monsters
scream. We see several creatures howling in bestial terror.
Babette is separated from Narcisse's group by falling earth, nearly
trampled in the chaos. She is picked up by the dog-faced man.
BABETTE: I want my mother.
MAN: We'll find her.
213A. INT. PELOQUIN'S CHAMBER NIGHT
Peloquin squats on the step overlooking the fire-pit, listening to
the sound of invasion from above. There is a mixture of fear and rage
on his face. In the darkness opposite, Kinski.
KINSKI: We began this.
PELOQUIN: I just wanted meat. I didn't know he was going to cause
this.
KINSKI: There were prophesies. The seventh saviour.
PELOQUIN: I didn't believe the prophesies and I didn't obey the Law.
You want to see me bleed for it? All right, I'll bleed.
He exits the chamber.
214. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES/COMMAND POST NIGHT
Smoke billows over the walls. Eigerman moves closer to the gates,
listening to the wild cries from inside. He grabs Ashberry by the
collar.
EIGERMAN: That sound like a heavenly choir to you, Padre?
ASHBERRY: I have to see!
Ashberry shakes himself free and heads through the gates, into the
Necropolis. Eigerman turns to the others, lights a cigar.
EIGERMAN: Pettine!
PETTINE: Chief?
EIGERMAN: We're moving in.
PETTINE [locks and loads his machine-gun]: Yes, sir! [turns -
addresses the posse] We're movin' in!
Car engines are revved, headlights turned on, piercing the smoke.
215. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Ashberry wanders through the Necropolis as the Breed begin to emerge
on every side.
The air is full of sad, melodious sounds, like whale-song. Ghostly
forms appear from the smoke and drift towards him.
ASHBERRY [in awe]: Dear Lord...
Some of the creatures brush him as they drift by: their strange
beauty entrances him.
ASHBERRY: Dear Lord ...Forgive me...
There are images here which have the flavour of Christian
iconography. Mother and child. A man bleeding from his brow. A
creature with a halo of smoke. He wanders on.
216. SCENE DELETED
217. EXT. OUTSIDE NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Decker watches impassively. Joyce moves towards the gate. As he
reaches it an extraordinary creature appears.
JOYCE: My God.
It means no harm. Joyce steps aside and the creature moves off into
the night.
We cut back to Decker.
THE MASK [V.O.]: Don't deny me Philip...
DECKER: Soon. I promise.
Decker hears shouts to his flank, steps back, out of sight and sees
Lori and Rachel emerge from a hiding place, Lori trying to restrain
Rachel from going in.
RACHEL: Babette!
LORI: Rachel, no!
Rachel breaks away and runs towards the Necropolis. Lori is alone.
THE MASK [V.O.]: Now, perfect, finish her. She's the only one who
knows about us.
DECKER: What about Boone?
THE MASK [V.O.]: Boone's a monster. They all die tonight.
DECKER [smiles]: All right.
THE MASK [V.O.]: Quickly, Philip, we'll lose her.
The briefcase is opened. The light of distant fires flicker on the
mask.
218. SCENE DELETED
218A. INT. NECROPOLIS
Boone and Narcisse lead the column of Breed, children and babies up
from underground into the Necropolis itself.
BOONE: Hurry up.
NARCISSE: Is this wise? Coming above ground?
BOONE: If we stay below they'll slaughter us.
NARCISSE: This is their territory.
BOONE: No. The night's ours. Now get the rest of the children up
here, I'm going to find a clear way through!
He heads away, leaving a frightened group of Breed and children.
218B. EXT. GATES OF NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Peloquin appears overground, scanning the destruction before racing
off.
219. EXT. GATES OF NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Eigerman addresses the assembled posse.
EIGERMAN: They're coming out, and they're armed, so watch
yourselves. It's a fucking freak-show in there! We're not taking
prisoners! It's us or them! Let's clean up!
The engines rev, and the posse charges the gates. The lead vehicle,
driven by a manic, grinning Kane, rams the gates, and crashes through.
KANE: Us or them! Us or them!
On the other side of the gates, Peloquin appears in Kane's headlights.
KANE: Shit!
Peloquin jumps up into the air as the car careers towards him.
We see him somersault in the air. Kane hears him land on the car
roof. We see Peloquin on the roof, bend over the windshield.
His face appears in front of a panicking Kane, the mouth suddenly
opening grotesquely wide.
Kane slams the breaks on. Peloquin is thrown off.
KANE: Eat dirt, fucker!
Peloquin is thrown to the ground, his face caught in the blaze of
headlights as Kane's vehicle revs and drives at him.
KANE [ecstatic]: Yeah!
His momentum carries the car towards the crater blown in the ground.
Kane's pleasure turns to horror.
KANE: Oh shit! Shit!
He turns to swerve, but too late, the car heads over the edge.
Wounded, Peloquin crawls off.
219A. INT. MIDIAN CORE
Dirt falls from the roof. Headlights appear.
219B. INT. KANE'S CAR NIGHT
The car slides into the earth. The guns stacked behind him fall
forward.
KANE: Oh my Jesus!
219C. INT. MIDIAN CORE
Kane's car drops through the roof of Midian, falling through the
core, breaking bridges as it falls. Breed are thrown off walkways to
their deaths. The car strikes the top of Baphomet's chamber and a
plume of fire, followed by several small explosions, marks Kane's
death.
219D. INT. BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
The explosions rock the chamber. Dirt falls. Baphomet looks towards
the roof, with great sadness on his face.
219E. INT. INITIATION CHAMBER
Boone enters the initiation chamber. Lylesburg is standing beside
the bowl of Baphomet's blood, which is bubbling furiously.
BOONE: What the hell are you doing down here? We need help!
LYLESBURG: This was intended.
BOONE: Fuck that! We're not going to lie down and die.
LYLESBURG: It's Baphomet's will. He's going to destroy the Naturals,
and us. Everything, in one last fire.
BOONE: How do you know?
LYLESBURG: Look for yourself.
He points to the bowl.
BOONE: It's going to blow?
LYLESBURG: Yes.
BOONE: He'll destroy his own people?
LYLESBURG: Better it ends quickly. We can't escape them. We remind
them of the darkness in themselves. They hate that.
BOONE: So did I. I learned better. We can make it out. But I need
fighters.
LYLESBURG: We're not warriors...
BOONE: What about the Berserkers?
LYLESBURG: They're uncontrollable.
BOONE: All the better. Let them out. Don't just stand there!
We're the tribes of the moon, remember?
Doubt and fear mingle in Lylesburg's look, but he finally nods his
head.
LYLESBURG: I'll release the Berserkers.
BOONE: Be quick. We haven't got forever. Yet.
Lylesburg smiles. Boone leaves. The Drummer is at the door.
BOONE: You come with me. The rest of you get out of here.
He exits with the Drummer.
219F. EXT. GATES NIGHT
The posse enter in large numbers, firing to left and right. We see
Breed shot down.
219G. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Boone races to the entrance, to see Eigerman's posse moving towards
the Necropolis. One of the posse has a flame thrower. He burns up the
foliage. From Boone's P.O.V. we view the enemy: grinning sweating
monsters. There's no way out in this direction.
219H. EXT. GATES NIGHT
Lori looks towards the conflagration.
LORI: Oh Jesus, Boone.
Behind her, we see a familiar, masked figure approaching: Decker.
She doesn't hear him over the shouts and screams.
219I. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
One of the posse fires a rocket into a giant Breed who explodes.
Boone reacts with horror at the destruction. When he turns back he
sees Breed watching too, defenceless.
BOONE: Arm yourselves! Defend yourselves! You're not cattle, for
Christ's sake. They don't have any right to kill you!
He races back the way he came, and pulls coffins from the walls,
tearing their lids off with supernatural strength. He breaks the wood
into clubs. The Breed watch him.
BOONE: Weapons! You need weapons or it's over!
One or two understand, and do as he's doing.
BOONE: All of you!
They do as he orders.
BOONE: Stop them getting in! They'll kill the children!
219J. EXT. GATES NIGHT
Lori turns to see Decker appearing from the darkness. He attacks
her, cutting her arm. She backs away before he can strike a second
time, retreating towards the gates. Then she turns and walks through
the reeds; Decker on her heels.
219K. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
The posse led by Pettine invade the entrances to the Necropolis,
engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the Breed.
219L. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Boone races through the Necropolis, finding that other posse
members are breaking in from other sides.
BOONE: They're everywhere!
219M. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
The Nightbreed children hear the sound of slaughter approaching. One
of the Breed with enormous, dark eyes, speaks.
LEOPARDO: We can't stay here.
NARCISSE: He told us to.
LEOPARDO: He can't help us. He's too late.
219N. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
We see the posse shooting Breed as they move towards the children.
Several are entering doorways that lead underground.
2190. INT. MIDIAN CORE
Posse enter the core, firing at anything that moves.
219P. INT. BERSERKERS' CORRIDOR
Lylesburg, his leg broken, is hobbling towards the Berserkers'
chamber, as the sound of gunfire gets nearer.
219Q. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Narcisse still keeps an increasingly panicked group of Breed and
children from scattering.
Pettine and two bloodied, grinning posse appear through the smoke.
PETTINE: Look what we got here! A freak-show nursery school.
The group back away, but two more posse members appear, one with a
flame-thrower, another with grenades.
PETTINE: Say goodnight.
BOONE [from above]: Goodnight.
Pettine looks up. Framed against the stars, Boone. He drops on
Pettine breaking the man's neck. Then he and Narcisse lead the attack
against the posse, dispatching them all.
NARCISSE: What way's safe?
BOONE: The west wall! But be quick! I'm going after Eigerman.
219R. EXT. NECROPOLIS
Leroy and Lude hide around the corner of a mausoleum. Two posse
members are beating a Breed up with their rifle butts. Leroy heads
out to help.
LUDE: What's the plan?
LEROY: The usual. You take the big guy. [he yells to the Naturals]
Hey!
They turn. Leroy raises his hands in surrender.
LEROY: I wouldn't do that if I were you.
1ST POSSE: Give me a good reason why not.
LEROY: I'll give you two!
The snakes emerge from his body.
1ST POSSE: Shit!
He raises his gun, but Lude flips over his head, landing behind him
and in front of the 2nd posse member. Lude's eyes blaze.
LUDE: Pretty gun.
The 2nd posse member looks down at his hands. The gun is covered in
snakes. He drops the gun. When he looks up Lude has gone. He turns
again, backing off towards a monument. Lude is there, a living devil
hidden amongst the carved variety. He takes hold of the man, turning
him round and driving his horns into the man's neck. He staggers
back, blood pouring from the opened wounds.
Leroy, meanwhile, draws the 1st into an embrace. The snakes strike.
Poisoned, the man dies.
LEROY: Look at this mess.
LUDE: Just like the old days.
219S. EXT. NECROPOLIS
Kane leads two cops through the mayhem, firing to right and left. He
shoots a Breed against one of the mausoleums. Blood is spattered on
his face.
KANE: Look at these bastards. Fucking freaks.
He wipes the blood from his face. Then he takes off his spectacles,
and wipes the blood off them. As he does so 1st cop yelps.
1ST COP: Yow!
KANE: What?
1st cop pulls a quill from the back of his neck.
1ST COP: Where the fuck did that come from?
Kane puts his spectacles back on, and sees Shuna Sassi in one of the
mausoleums. She moves sexily in the shadows. Kane grins and starts to
approach.
2ND COP: Wait...
KANE: It's just a girl...
1st cop is still rubbing the back of his neck. He is looking sick now.
1ST COP: I don't...feel...so...good...
Kane pushes the mausoleum grille open, as the 1st cop kneels over,
face down. The 2nd cop kneels to help him. Meanwhile,
Kane has stepped into the mausoleum. Shuna is in the corner, her
spines covered with the swaths of red cloth.
KANE: It's OK, Baby.
He lowers his gun. Outside the 2nd cop turns the 1st over. He is
frothing at the mouth, his face blotchy and sweating.
2ND COP: Oh shit! Kane!
Inside again, Shuna drops her cloth and leaps at Kane. 2nd cop now
approaches the mausoleum.
2ND COP: Kane?
As he reaches the threshold, Kane staggers out, his body and face
pierced in dozens of places with Shuna's spines. He reaches for 2nd
cop.
2ND COP: Keep away from me!
In panic, he fires at Kane, who falls to the ground. As the smoke
clears a hand appears and strokes his cheek. He turns. It's Shuna. He
screams, and falls to the ground at her feet, his arm covered in
spines. He twitches, and dies. She drops her swath of red cloth over
the faces of the three dead men.
SCENES 220-224 DELETED
225. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES NIGHT
Cut to Eigerman's leering, grinning face as he fires at Breed.
Ashberry emerges from the shadows and grabs him.
ASHBERRY:. Please, you've got to stop...[takes out a pistol - points
it) There's children down there, you're killing children!
EIGERMAN: Go ahead, faggot, [pauses contemptuously] You haven't got
the balls to pull the trigger.
Eigerman snatches the gun away and pistol-whips him to the ground.
Eigerman draws a bead on Ashberry's forehead.
EIGERMAN [cont.]: Lemme show you how it's done...
Nearby, Joyce sees them, draws his weapon, ready to fire at
Eigerman when a shadow passes over him. He ducks, his expression
changing from horror to wonder.
ASHBERRY [eyes closed-hands clasped fervently]: Father, I am
heartily sorry for having offended thee...
EIGERMAN: Sorry, Padre. Nobody's listening...[prepares to shoot]
BOONE [V.O.]: I hear you.
Eigerman turns, looks and fires as Boone leaps at him. He roars,
effortlessly picks Eigerman up and body-slams him against the wall of
Midian.
BOONE [cont.] [to Ashberry]: Get up!
ASHBERRY: Don't kill me!
BOONE: Run, go on! We don't like priests here.
Ashberry pulls at his collar, tears it off, clings to Boone.
ASHBERRY: No, no, take me, I have to see.
Boone gets a sense of his commitment. He heads off. Ashberry
follows. And, at a distance, so does Joyce.
226. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Boone races through the walkways, Ashberry following. There is
pitched hand-to-hand battle on every side. Nightbreed are prevailing
in some; in others the mob repeats scenes from the history we
witnessed earlier: Breed being beaten or burned to death, impaled on
stakes. Boone assists some along the way, pulling off their
assailants.
227. EXT. NECROPOLIS GATES NIGHT
Lori enters the Necropolis, running through the smoke. Decker follows.
LORI: Boone! Boone!
228A. SCENE DELETED
229. INT. BERSERKERS' CORRIDOR
Lylesburg has reached the door of the Berserkers' chamber. He puts
the key in the lock. A shout stops him turning it. He looks towards a
man with a laser-sight rifle.
MAN: Yo!
The light from the rifle plays on Lylesburg's robes.
MAN: Watch the pretty light.
It moves up towards Lylesburg's face, until it's centred on his
forehead. The man fires, killing his victim. Lylesburg falls, hanging
from the door by the key chain around his neck. His many eyes have
opened. The man grins. Then hears a noise behind him. He turns to see
the Ferreol Vees, creatures like Manta Rays that glide through the
air, appearing around the corner. They swoop towards him, separating.
The middle one opens its mouth as it strikes his face. He is
eclipsed. When the Vees pass on down the corridor, the man's face is
a bloody wreck. He falls to the floor, just out of reach
of the Berserkers, who roar their frustration.
230. INT. MIDIAN CORE
Boone and Ashberry are on one of the walkways, which are swinging
violently. Boone hears the Berserkers' roar, and heads towards the
door that leads into their corridor, leaving Ashberry on the bridge,
tears pouring down his face. Then he follows Boone. As he reaches the
ledge he looks back to see a fabulous beast, the Mezzick-Muul, and
its beautiful rider, Diadaria, appear. He watches, awestruck.
230A. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Lori races through the smoke and horror of the Necropolis, as Decker
follows.
231. INT. BERSERKERS' CHAMBER
Boone reaches the door. Lylesburg is dead. Boone pulls the key from
off Lylesburg's neck, and pulls the corpse aside. Then he turns the
key in the lock. The door opens. A rush of filthy wind emerges from
the chamber beyond. Then the Berserkers appear: lethal brutes, all
teeth, armour and muscle. One of them, Ghost, takes hold of Boone,
and there's a beat when it seems certain to dispatch him.
Then a burst of light from Baphomet's chamber spills over them, and
there's a roar from their unseen God. They let Boone go, and they're
away. Boone looks towards the chamber, then heads back towards the
surface.
SCENES 232-235 DELETED
236. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Tommy leads a line of five posse members who have cornered a number
of wounded Breed against one of the walls. One of the
creatures attempts to scramble away. Tommy guns him down. He turns
to the other gunmen.
TOMMY: Watch this!
The two posse members prepare to kill the Breed. The ground around
them begins to shudder, and a fist bursts out of the ground and grabs
the leg of a posse member and drags him down.
Another fist then bursts out of the ground.
Then in silhouette the Berserkers climb out of the earth beside the
posse. Two of the posse turn, and fire at the Berserkers, who advance
through the hail of the bullets, and quickly dispatch the two gunmen.
Tommy has begun to fire at the feet of the cornered Breed, obliging
them to dance.
TOMMY [laughs]: Dance, fuckers!
The display gets appreciative hoots and laughter from the three
surviving posse members, who - like Tommy - are as yet unaware that
the Berserkers are advancing on them. Tommy continues to fire at the
ground around the Breed, as one by one his three companions are
dispatched by the Berserkers. We close in on Tommy, whose face is
suddenly spattered with blood. He stops firing. He looks round to
find himself surrounded by Berserkers. The shadows fall over him.
Their hands take hold of him.
We see the shadow of what they do to him on the walls: his body is
torn apart.
We cut to the Berserkers. Ghost has Tommy's gun, with the hand still
attached. He tosses it aside, roaring like King Kong. The wounded
Breed hurry away as the Berserkers head off in search of
new mischief.
237. EXT. NECROPOLIS NEAR THE GATES NIGHT
With the tide turning inside the Necropolis, a disorganized retreat
is underway. Eigerman is at the gate watching the remains of his
'army' staggering away. Joyce is watching the scene.
EIGERMAN: Stand your ground! Stand your ground! They've got to come
this way. We can mow 'em down.
He climbs up on a vehicle which is parked at the gates. In the
driving seat is Gibbs. Beside him, a woman, her face smoke-stained,
her expression near catatonic.
EIGERMAN: Gibbs?
GIBBS: Sir?
EIGERMAN: Lights!
Gibbs switches the lights on, to pierce the smoke. Bad move. The
illumination shows the Berserkers appearing. They approach the
vehicle.
EIGERMAN: Shit!
Eigerman jumps from the vehicle, as the retreating posse fire at the
Berserkers. It's a useless response. Bloodied but unbowed, the
Berserkers run at the vehicles. The woman throws herself out, but
Gibbs isn't quick enough. One of the Berserkers pushes the vehicle up
the wall of the Necropolis, and Blatz, a small, vicious creature,
stamps on the roof. Inside, Gibbs cowers as the roof is beaten in. He
is crushed.
Joyce, who has been watching this entire scene, moves away from the
gate towards the Necropolis. The fires are dying down
somewhat, and an eerie half-light bathes the scene he moves through.
A few surviving posse hurry away, firing at every movement in the
shadows.
Back at the gate we see one of the escaping Berserkers flip another
car over, while his brothers dispatch posse members. The survivors
simply drop their weapons and flee.
237A. SCENE DELETED
237B. SCENE DELETED
238. INT. MAUSOLEUM NIGHT
The dog-faced man lies dead at the door and beside him Babette, her
face subtly bestial. Joyce hears Babette weeping; her cries hit him
hard. He goes to her, gathers her up gently in his arms. Babette
clings to him; he sees her arms are partially transformed into claws,
but he keeps holding her.
Boone emerges from the depths, into the wrecked mausoleum.
BABETTE: Boone...[he goes to them] Lori. She's hurt.
BOONE: Where?
Babette points outside.
239. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Lori runs, Decker follows, his steps steady, relentless and gaining.
Lori takes another stride and the ground gives way beneath her. She
slides down into the earth.
240. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Boone is tracking them, Joyce following, carrying Babette, who has a
vision.
BABETTE: Falling!
241. EXT. BELOW MIDIAN
Chaos, and collapse. Earth is falling all around. Lori picks herself
up and finds her way back up is blocked by debris. She has no choice
but to cross the swaying walkways, while the air thickens with dust
and smoke.
There are only one or two Breed left alive down here, desperately
collecting their belongings. They exit the chamber leaving the
smoking bowls...We track towards the bowls, as the contents brighten
and bubble.
241A. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
Lori descends a flight of stairs, to find Peloquin badly wounded at
the bottom.
PELOQUIN: It's all over. I didn't believe the prophesies and now
it's all over.
LORI: What prophesies?
Peloquin takes her arm.
PELOQUIN: You want to see?
241B. INT. ENTRANCE TO MURAL CHAMBER NIGHT
Peloquin pushes Lori ahead of him.
PELOQUIN: See?
We track towards the mural. Lori can barely believe her eyes. Here,
laid out on the walls, is a whole history; and featured amongst its
more recent additions, the face of Boone.
PELOQUIN: Yes, it's him.
Boone squatting in front of his fire of love letters. Boone dead in
the reeds.
PELOQUIN: All these years waiting for a saviour. But he hasn't saved
us. He's destroyed us. I made him, and he's destroyed us.
LORI: Made him?
PELOQUIN: The bite was mine. The bite that mocks death.
LORI: That doesn't make him yours. I belong here on this wall, just
as much as you do. Why aren't I here?
PELOQUIN: You're still a Natural. Go back while you've still got a
life. Join your tribe.
LORI: That? My tribe? Not any longer.
PELOQUIN: Then die with us. It's over.
Peloquin exits. Lori looks back at the images on the walls once
more. Then she exits.
242. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Boone, Joyce and Babette approach the hole where Lori fell.
BABETTE: Let me down. I can't go any further.
BOONE: Why not?
BABETTE [looking down into the hole]: Baphomet.
BOONE [to Joyce]: Take her. Run.
Joyce nods and moves off with her into the smoke. As she disappears,
Decker steps forward from the smoke.
DECKER: Quite a dance, huh? Death everywhere and you and me in the
middle. Catch!
He throws the head of a Breed at Boone.
DECKER: Even the dead can die!
Then Decker strikes out at him, slashing at Boone's face. Boone
falls backwards. At the last moment he catches hold of Decker,
pulling him down into the hole and together they tumble into the
earth.
243. SCENE DELETED
244. INT. MIDIAN
Boone and Decker land on one of the rope bridges. Boone heads across
it, pursued by Decker, who slashes at his neck, cutting him.
DECKER: Almost!
Boone falls back. Decker closes on him, the knives at his neck. The
force of his stabs, which miss Boone's neck, break the boards of the
bridge. Boone braces his feet beneath Decker and tosses him over.
Decker gets up and approaches him again, slashing the ropes of the
bridge with his blades as he comes. The fighters connect and
struggle, their violent motion carrying them over the edge of the
bridge, dropping them down another level. Decker lands very heavily,
and lies still. Boone gets up. His exit along the bridge in one
direction is blocked. He has to step past Decker who doesn't
move. Only when Boone has stepped beyond him does Decker get up,
pursuing Boone across the bridge, and flinging one of the
knives at his victim's back. The blade cuts straight through Boone,
sticking out from his chest a good six inches. He turns, his fury
transforming him into a more extreme creature. Decker comes at Boone
with a second blade, slashing at Boone's neck. The battle carries
them off the bridge onto the stairs. Decker takes hold of Boone's
hair, preparing to deliver the coup de grace. Boone reaches for a
weapon, finds a skull, and smashes it into the mask. Decker lets go.
Boone tumbles off the stairs, falling face down on a card table.
Decker follows down the stairs. Boone pulls the table off his chest,
leaving the Ace of Hearts on the blade in his chest. Decker follows
through, driving Boone back into one of the Breed's rooms, where the
fight continues. Decker takes a whip from the wall and uses it to
disarm Boone, who has snatched up a bone to defend himself with.
Boone snatches up a second bone and retaliates, delivering blow after
blow against Decker, eventually knocking the knife from his hand and
driving him out on to the ledge once more. Decker teeters on the
edge, now defenceless. Boone approaches.
BOONE: Want to dance?
He snatches the mask off Decker's face and draws him close, impaling
Decker on his own blade. Decker screams.
Then Boone pushes him off the blade, and over the edge of the ledge.
Decker falls.
Boone stands on the ledge, and spits down at the corpse. As he does
so he hears the same roar from Baphomet that called the
Berserkers from harming him. Out of it, comes Baphomet's face.
BAPHOMET [V.O.]: Boone!
244A. INT. LYLESBURG'S CHAMBER
The chamber is empty of life. There are two or three corpses on the
floor. We approach the central dais, on which is perched the statue
of Baphomet, surrounded by six white heads. Momentarily, lines of
light break from the statue's head and strike the white heads, which
in turn begin to glow...
244B. INT. VARIOUS CHAMBERS
In the chambers we've seen before we see copies of the six statues,
in front of which are bowls of Baphomet's fluid...They begin to glow,
the brightness building. Sparks rise from the fluid.
245. INT. BERSERKERS' CORRIDOR
Lori sits, exhausted, in the corridor. She looks up to see Boone,
with the knife still transfixing him.
LORI: My God...
BOONE: Decker's dead. Take the knife out.
Lori pulls the knife from him, and throws it down.
BAPHOMET [V.O.]: Boone!
LORI: Don't go...
BOONE: I'm. responsible. I have to.
Lori and Boone head down the corridor, passing Ashberry, who is
standing in the shadows.
Lori and Boone head down the stairs towards the chamber.
246. INT. BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
Blinding light. As Boone descends into the chamber, he sees eight
Nightbreed, surviving members of a Senior Council, Rachel among them,
standing around Baphomet. They are wrapping severed limbs of
Baphomet, preparing to include him in the exodus. His head and
shoulders remain suspended in the light. Baphomet's lips move, making
a terrible, eloquent sound. Rachel translates, the deep voice we hear
coming from her lips.
RACHEL/BAPHOMET: Come closer...
Boone obeys. Baphomet's remaining arm reaches down and holds Boone,
as Baphomet's face stares down at him.
RACHEL/BAPHOMET: ...You have destroyed our refuge...
BOONE: I never meant...
Baphomet silences him. Boone trembles but maintains eye contact.
RACHEL/BAPHOMET: This was foretold. No refuge is forever. But you
are charged . . .
BOONE: Yes...
RACHEL/BAPHOMET: ...You must rebuild what you've destroyed.
BOONE: Where?
RACHEL/BAPHOMET: That you must find yourself. In the world above.
BOONE: I don't...I don't know how...
RACHEL/BAPHOMET: You shall not be alone. You will find me there and
heal me. [holds him close] You are not Boone...
And now the words emerge from Baphomet himself, shaking the chamber.
BAPHOMET: ...you are Cabal!
Boone/Cabal is released. Baphomet is consumed in light. The Council
move towards him to finish their task.
LORI [O.S.]: Boone?
Boone/Cabal turns; Lori stands at the bottom of the slope, offering
a hand. He takes it, they start up the slope.
Cowering in a niche inside the chamber, out of sight, watching in
wonder is Ashberry. Transfixed by Baphomet, he crosses himself.
Boone/Cabal glances back. The Council receive pieces of Baphomet
from the light wrapping his smoking fragments in
shrouds. The light builds to its brightest level. Pieces of ceiling
begin to fall.
246A. INT. VARIOUS CHAMBERS
The bowls start to explode with sparks of white light.
247. INT. BELOW MIDIAN
Boone/Cabal and Lori race up towards the surface, as Midian
continues to collapse around them.
248. INT. BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
Ashberry descends the stairs into the blaze of light. Tears pour
down his cheeks.
He watches as the Council prepare to take down Baphomet's head.
Near to him is one of the bowls of Baphomet's light. Ashberry
approaches it, hungry for a taste of this glory. He reaches to touch
the bowl. As he does so Baphomet's eyes fix on him. The bowl flips in
the air. The fluid it holds rains down on Ashberry like acid. He
falls back, his body smoking.
249. EXT. NECROPOLIS NIGHT
Boone/Cabal and Lori reach the surface and race through the ruined
Necropolis, flames all around them. And then, behind them ...
250. INT. BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
The tentacles attached to Baphomet's head are detached.
The blaze of light instantly begins to diminish...
250A. INT. MIDIAN CORE
The lights start to go out in the core, and earth begins to pour
from the tunnels.
We see it flood the various corridors, with a shuddering roar.
250B. INT. BAPHOMET'S CHAMBER
We glimpse Baphomet's head being covered by the Council, as the
roars increase...
CUT TO:
251. EXT. OUTSIDE THE GATES NIGHT
Boone/Cabal and Lori find Joyce, holding Babette, protecting her,
near the gates.
Joyce steps back from the form of Rachel, who pulls her veils around
her and holds out her arms.
RACHEL: Give me my child...
Joyce looks at Lori, Boone/Cabal, at Babette and Rachel. He tenderly
hands the child over. Rachel holds Babette and they both disappear
into the darkness.
JOYCE [to Boone/Cabal]: ...I never understood...nobody ever told me...
He steps away from them and the night engulfs him.
DISSOLVE TO:
252. INT. MIDIAN CORE
The earth has almost obliterated the core entirely.
253. EXT. OUTSIDE THE GATES NIGHT
The roar ceases. Silence.
254. EXT. NECROPOLIS
Lori and Boone stand in the reeds as the last, bright bloom of the
fires dies away on their faces. Figures move away through the smoke,
creatures we recognize. The drummer beats out a tattoo as they depart.
Narcisse appears from the darkness. As he does so, a final explosion
roars up from the underground. In the smoke pillar above the site,
Baphomet's image momentarily appears before the wind disperses it.
NARCISSE: Never piss off a God.
Lori looks up into the sky.
CUT TO:
Lori's P.O.V. of the sky, with other Breed, spirits of smoke and
light, moving away into the night.
LORI: Where are they going?
NARCISSE: Any hiding place they can find. It'll be dawn soon.
BOONE: When I need you where will I find you?
NARCISSE: You'll find me. And you will need me.
He reaches to shake Boone's hand.
NARCISSE: Never touched a legend before.
He laughs his manic laugh.
NARCISSE [cont.] [to Lori]: Good night, pretty.
He fades into the night, the laughter going with him.
255. EXT. NEAR MIDIAN NIGHT
In the distance, the burning ruins of Midian. The wind sighs in the
moonlit reeds. Cabal and Lori reach the top of the hill, turn and
look down, standing apart.
CABAL: I'll have to start tonight.
LORI: I'll go with you, Boone.
CABAL: I'm not Boone, Lori. Do you understand? I belong to the Breed
now.
LORI: Then make me belong too; they made you one of them, you can do
it to me...
CABAL: I can't...
LORI: I want to be with you.
CABAL: I'll come back for you when I'm finished...
LORI: And when's that gonna be, when I'm ninety and you're still the
way you are? I went through hell to find you and you
just, just walk away from me? [pause; broken-hearted] Well go on,
then, just go. Go on! What more do you want? Leave me some dignity,
for Christ's sake!
Pause. She turns away, trying not to show him her pain. Cabal turns
to go. Lori turns back, sees him going. She can't bear it, looks
around, sees Decker's briefcase lying beside the police car. Runs to
it, finds a knife.
LORI: Boone!
He turns. She puts the blade to her belly and drives it in.
CABAL: Lori, NO!
She cries out and sinks to the ground in terrible pain. He reaches
her and holds her in his arms.
LORI: I lied, I lied, you're all I want.
CABAL: Don't die, God, Lori, don't die...
LORI: Well why don't you do something about it, God damn it...
remember what you said...[fading]...quickly...
He raises her neck to his mouth. Her eyes flicker closed. He bites.
A fatal, bloody kiss. He rises from her. Her eyes are closed.
CABAL: ...too late?...Oh God, too late...
Her eyes open. She's turned.
LORI: You said you'd never leave me.
She grins, presses up to kiss his bloodied mouth. Camera moves up
off them to find the moon and we:
DISSOLVE TO:
255A. EXT. NECROPOLIS DAY
We track through the ruins of the Necropolis. The walls are
blackened by fires that are almost extinguished; corpses [human and
Breed] lie in barely distinguishable bundles, from which partially
cremated limbs jut. Smoke hangs in the air. From the distance we see
Eigerman, going amongst the corpses, reclaiming guns, bullets and
grenades. As we get closer we realize that he is a broken man, his
face dirty, his eyes lunatic. He's been crying, the tracks marking
the dirt.
Suddenly, he hears a noise, and stands up to see a large figure
appearing from the smoke. He goes for his own gun, levelling it at
the figure as it approaches.
EIGERMAN: Keep your distance!
The figure keeps coming, emerging from the smoke. It's Ashberry. He
has been transformed by the confrontation with Baphomet. His hair has
been almost burned away entirely and there is a subtle
reconfiguration in the shape of his skull. His clothes are in
tatters. There are hints that his once broken body, poisoned by
alcohol, has taken on new strength. He looks as insane as Eigerman,
but stronger in his lunacy. There's a dangerous fervour in his eyes.
ASHBERRY: I saw their God...I saw him...
EIGERMAN: What the hell are you talking about?
ASHBERRY: I can still smell him. He's out there...
Ashberry walks past Eigerman towards the exit from Necropolis.
EIGERMAN: You mean you can find them?
ASHBERRY: Oh yes.
EIGERMAN: We'll go together then. You can lead me to the bastards.
Then I'll wipe them all away.
ASHBERRY: No. They're mine. Their God burned me. I want to burn him
back. All of them. Burn them all away.
EIGERMAN: You can't, you don't have the wits ...
Ashberry turns on him, his face wild. He takes hold of Eigerman by
the neck, his fingers digging into the muscle. Blood runs. Eigerman
tries to raise the gun but Ashberry takes hold of the man's hand, and
summarily snaps his wrist. The gun is dropped. Ashberry starts to
lift Eigerman up off the ground. The policeman's flailings stop
suddenly. The head lolls. Ashberry flings the body aside, and starts
out of the Necropolis. As he approaches the exit he looks up.
Sunlight falls on his face.
CUT TO:
256. EXT. MOON NIGHT
Shining, full. We move down to find a derelict barn, standing alone
in a vast field.
DISSOLVE TO:
257. INT. BARN NIGHT
We track through the darkness to find Rachel, Babette, Kinski and a
number of other refugees and children of Midian, staring out at the
night.
BABETTE: ...who will come for us?
KINSKI: His name is Cabal. He unmade Midian.
BABETTE: How soon?
RACHEL: On the next wind. If not tonight, then tomorrow.
Babette gazes out over the cornfields.
BABETTE: On the next wind...
DISSOLVE TO:
258. EXT. HILL NIGHT
Cabal and Lori, standing on the hill, against a background of stars.
BABETTE [V.O.]: ...if not tonight...tomorrow...
DISSOLVE TO:
259. INT. BELOW MIDIAN NIGHT
Moving through the ruined chambers, illuminated by dying flickers of
flame, we find and track along the end of the heroic mosaic/mural. It
tells, in a rush of images, the story of the ruin of Midian.
Camera comes to a stop on the final image: Cabal and Lori, as we
just saw them, on a hill, framed against the star-filled heavens.
The sound of the wind...
Fade to black.
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