A N T I P A S
written
by
Christophe Huynh
&
Olivier Phénix
March 1999
final draft
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
--Revelations, 2:13
FADE IN:
1. EXT. LAURENTIAN WOODS (QUÉBEC, CANADA) – NIGHT (11:16 P.M.)
A strong wind blows the snow in the air. The trees try to resist the wind but can’t. The weather is terrible. It’s snowing. A LOT. Even the moon seems scared that it won’t show itself in the sky.
In all this chaos, a cottage is standing in the middle of nowhere. Smoke comes out of the chimney. The shadows of the people living inside can be seen.
MATCH CUT TO:
2. INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
The big, enormous flames in the fireplace are burning and crashing intensely. A hand puts some old newspapers in the fire. An orange flame immediately devours the gray sheets. The hand belongs to a 16 years-old blond male, JUSTIN SUMMERS. He is tall and athletic. A girl comes near him. She puts her hand on his left shoulder. He looks at her. Her name is AMY CHASE. She has long blond hair and looks like the typical bitchy popular teenager girl in the cheerleading squad. She has gone with almost all the guys of the school, which probably explains the snobbish look stamped on her face.
AMY:
Hey!
JUSTIN:
Hey!
AMY:
What are you doing? Having fun by yourself?
JUSTIN:
Just looking at the fire. Is it me or does it look eerie?
AMY:
(after looking at the fire)
It’s you.
AMY CHASE pauses for a second or two.
AMY: (CONT’D)
I’m bored. Eric and Willow are kissing in the other room but the way it sounds, I’m sure they’re doing "it". Anne is sleeping and Lily is reading. Oh yeah! James is in front of his eternal portable computer. I can’t believe he brought it with him. I feel lonely so I came to see you…
JUSTIN:
Shh! Sit here.
AMY CHASE sits next to him. They look at each other and then kiss with passion. Suddenly, LILY KELLER, a 17 year-old girl with short brown hair, comes out of her room. She looks scared. She is pale and is breathing heavily. AMY CHASE hears her and looks and her.
AMY:
What’s wrong? My God! Are you okay?
LILY KELLER:
(breathing with difficulty)
I’m… It’s okay. I’m fine.
JUSTIN:
You should go to the bathroom. You don’t look well.
LILY:
If you say so.
LILY walks toward the bathroom. She opens the door and enters inside.
3. INT. BATHROOM -- NIGHT
She lights up a candle. She turns on the water and puts it on her face. She takes a towel and dries her pale face. She then hears a noise. She looks around but she doesn’t see anyone or anything. Suddenly, she sees a shadow in the mirror. She feels a hand on her shoulder. She touches it with her hand. There’s nothing.
Then, the windows open and a wind enters the place. Her hair is flying in the air. The windows close by themselves after ten seconds.
She quickly opens a drawer and takes out five other candles. She lights them and places them in a shape of a star, more precisely a pentagram. She is still holding the original candle.
LILY:
(whispering)
Nici mort nici al flinçtei. Te implor Doamne, nu ignora accasta rugaminte! Este scris, aceasta putere este dreptul poporuil meu a conduce… Asa sa fie! Acum!
[Not dead nor not of the living. I call on you, gods, do not ignore this supplication! It is written, this power is my people’s right to wield… Let it be so! Now!]
The noise is gone. Slowly, each candle dies out except the one that Lily is holding. She tries to open the door but can’t. She looks herself in the mirror. Her color is back. She looks healthy.
Suddenly, the mirror explodes. She screams loudly. The pieces of glass pierce her body. She collapses on the floor after a piece of glass pierces her heart and mutilates her youthful face.
4. INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT (11:21 P.M.)
A SCREAM is heard. Amy and Justin are still kissing passionately. Amy stops kissing him when she hears the scream. She stands up.
AMY:
(intrigued)
What the hell was that? Where is it coming from?
JUSTIN:
I don’t know. It seems to be coming from everywhere.
AMY:
What?
In the dinning room, James Waters, a 17 year-old guy with brown hair and a pair of glasses, shuts his portable computer down and goes to the other room where Justin and Amy are.
JAMES:
(angry)
What the fuck was that? Who screamed like a jerk? That really wasn’t funny! I was working on my laptop!
AMY:
It wasn’t us, you asshole.
Another SCREAM, louder this time, is heard. The sound is definitely coming from upstairs. It’s a girl screaming.
JUSTIN:
(yelling)
Now what!
AMY:
Maybe it’s just Eric and Willow having fun. She told me that they were going to make a big step in their relationship. Now I know what she meant!
JAMES:
It must be fucking good if she’s screaming like that!
As James finishes his sentence, two young adults enter the living room. Eric Gillnitz, a tall 17 year-old guy with dark brown hair, is holding his girlfriend, Willow Ausbury, a 16 year-old girl with dark long brown hair, by the waist. They look almost identical. Both of them are wearing black.
JAMES:
(to Willow)
Hey! You were having fun with Eric upstairs in the bed?
WILLOW:
What the hell are you talking about?
JAMES:
Your screams of pleasure.
WILLOW:
My screams? We thought it was one of you playing a joke on us for some reason. Also, why would I scream like that? Eric and I were just… talking.
ERIC:
So… That means it came from upstairs.
(chuckles)
Maybe someone just got murdered!
JUSTIN:
Oh! Shut up! You watch too many shows about psychos like Millennium and Profiler. By the way, how can you watch Profiler? Nothing, not even plastic surgery or make-up, can make the main actress look younger. She is too old for my taste!
AMY:
(impatiently)
I can’t stand it anymore! I’m going upstairs!
JUSTIN:
Wait! I’m coming with you.
(funny look at Eric)
We never know.
5. INT. UPSTAIRS -- NIGHT
The five of them (JUSTIN, ERIC, AMY, WILLOW and JAMES) go upstairs. ANNE HOLLIS, a 17 year-old girl with brown/reddish hair, is standing in front of the bathroom. Her face is very pale. Her lips are blue as are her fingers. She’s sweating. She is breathing with difficulty. She looks as if she wasn’t mentally there. She is standing there.
Inside the bathroom, Lily is lying on the floor. Her body is covered with pieces of glass. One of the pieces has cut her jugular and blood is pouring out of her neck. The candle is still in her left hand. Her blue eyes express fear as if she had seen something very terrifying.
AMY:
What the fuck? Oh, my God!
JUSTIN:
(whispers something that cannot be heard)
ERIC:
No one touches the body. Leave it here. Does someone have a cellphone?
AMY:
I told everyone not to bring one so we won’t be disturbed.
WILLOW:
(very angry)
You fucking bitch, one of those days, I will fucking kill you.
AMY:
It’s you who told me that it was suppose to be quiet weekend in the forest so we could relax. I thought that with a cellphone, the peaceful mood will be ruin.
JAMES:
(to himself)
And I thought that it was statistically impossible for a 16 year-old girl to not have a phone with her twenty-four hours a day.
JUSTIN:
(yelling)
Whoa! Everyone, just calm down.
AMY:
Not showing your emotions may work for Steven Segal here, but I’m freaked and I intend to stay that way.
ERIC:
Amy, go get a glass of water for Anne. She’s in a hypovolemic state of shock and she needs to relax. James, can you call for help on the Net?
JAMES:
Yeah! If you want to get help from Poland, sure!
WILLOW:
(yelling)
Now everyone, SHUT UP! Now, we go downstairs and we just fucking think about what we’re going to do!
6. INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
The six of them (JUSTIN, AMY, ERIC, WILLOW, JAMES and ANNE) are sitting around the fireplace in silence. Eric and Willow are holding hands. James and Anne are sitting far from each other on a sofa. Justin tries desperately to comfort Amy who is crying a lot.
JAMES:
So… euh… are you okay, Anne?
ANNE:
(makes a yes with her head)
AMY:
(crying)
What happened? Who could have killed her?
JUSTIN:
(scared)
Hey, guys! Maybe the killer is still in the house.
AMY:
Ahh! Stop, please stop!
ERIC:
And maybe he will enter in your room tonight. Then, he comes near your bed and caresses your blond hair. After that, he enters a heavy axe into your body like a watermelon…
JAMES:
You say one more thing like that and I’ll fucking kick your ass, you bastard!
JUSTIN:
Hey! Hey! Sit down! Fighting won’t help us!
WILLOW:
When I looked in the bathroom, the windows were locked from the inside and Anne said that the door was locked.
ANNE:
Immediately after I heard the scream, I went to the bathroom and it was locked. No one could have entered nor exited in such little time.
AMY:
Is that fun! There’s an invisible psycho fooling around!
ERIC:
Yeah but if we see a floating pipe and a smoking jacket, he’s dropped!
JUSTIN:
It’s not what we’re saying. Maybe she killed herself.
ERIC:
Do you see a lot of people killing themselves with exploding mirrors?
JAMES:
She was a weird chickie just like you, Eric. Maybe she wanted to die in an original way.
WILLOW:
She was depressed but it was not that bad. Either she was murdered or she got killed by accident.
JUSTIN:
Anyway, I think we should stick around to prevent any… accidents. First, Eric and I will move the body. We can’t leave a dead corpse in the bathroom.
ERIC:
It’s against police procedure.
JUSTIN:
I don’t give a shit about police procedure! Do you really want to have the dead body of your friend looking at you while you take a piss?
ERIC:
No, I’m not a necrophiliac.
JAMES:
Necro what? Could you speak like a normal person for once in your life?
ERIC:
Okay… It means someone who is sexually excited by dead corpses, you stupid!
JAMES:
(staring at Eric)
Eurk! Gross! That thought is very disturbing.
JUSTIN:
Okay, just shut up you two and help me take the body outside. Girls, stay here. We’ll be back in a few minutes, all right?
7. INT. BATHROOM -- NIGHT
JUSTIN, ERIC, and JAMES go upstairs. They arrive in front of the bathroom. The dead corpse of Lily is laying there, staring at them. JAMES comes near the body.
JAMES:
Damn! There’s blood everywhere!
JUSTIN:
Poor Lily... She probably doesn’t have a drop of blood left in her body.
ERIC:
Actually, she must still have some blood in her capillaries…
JAMES:
Do I look like someone who had listened in Biology class? I really don’t give a shit.
ERIC:
(handing white towels)
Here. Let’s wrap the body in these white towels
JUSTIN:
Okay.
ERIC:
Wait a minute...
JUSTIN:
What now?
ERIC:
You guys see a word formed with glass on the floor? This time, I’m sure it’s not my mind playing tricks.
JAMES:
AN… TI… PAS… Antipas?
JUSTIN:
And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Eric, you’re paranoid! It’s a coincidence! It’s nothing more than that. It’s a pure and simple coincidence!
JAMES:
Yeah, Antipas isn’t a word anyway.
ERIC:
Well...
JUSTIN:
Enough of that mysterious bullshit! You’d better tell us everything you know, or else I’m going to have to kick your sorry a...
JAMES:
(yelling)
Justin! Stop that! Now, Eric, could you explain what it means?
ERIC:
If you look in a dictionary, the word Antipas isn’t there, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not a word.
JUSTIN:
Let me guess: it’s a fucking word that comes from a foreign language that no person has ever fucking heard of. Why the hell can’t you explain things using normal language?
ERIC:
Book of Revelations, chapter 2, verse 13. It talks about a martyr during Antipas time. Antipas was Herod’s son, and he was known as being the Devil himself. To explain briefly, it’s a reference to the Devil or Evil with a capital E.
JAMES:
I thought you were an Atheist and that you hated God related things.
ERIC:
I am, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have a fascination for the Devil.
JAMES:
So you are suggesting that Lily was killed by some Devil, or some evil monster?
ERIC:
You can put it that way if you want.
JUSTIN:
Oh, come on James! Don’t tell me you are following Mr. X-Files in his paranoid trip!
There is only one thing that is possible. You know it, I know it, and Mr. I-AM-PARANOID knows it too: she committed suicide, God damn it! S-U-I-C-I-D-E! Not murdered by some demonic satanic shit!
I’m out of here!
JUSTIN carefully wraps up the body with the white towels. He makes sure that he doesn’t leave any prints on the body. With JAMES’ help, he brings the corpse downstairs. ERIC is walking in front of them. He opens the main door. JUSTIN and JAMES carry the body outside.
8. INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
They walk back in the living room. They hear a scream. They rush in the room. In there, AMY and WILLOW are around ANNE who is on the floor, covered with blood, mostly on the face.
JUSTIN:
What the...?
ERIC:
What happened?
AMY:
We were talking about Lily’s death when she began to scream. Her nose was bleeding like water from a tap. I told her to lie down so that the bleeding would stop.
ERIC
James, bring me some Kleenex and a bag of ice. Anne, come with me in the kitchen.
WILLOW:
But she’s still bleeding!
ERIC:
That’s why I want to stop it. Anne, do you need help to walk?
ERIC helps ANNE to walk to the kitchen. Blood is still pouring from her nose. She puts her hand under it. After a few seconds, her hand is completely covered with blood.
In the kitchen, ERIC tells her to sits on the floor. He hands her a Kleenex.
ERIC:
Move your head forward. Now, pinch your nose. I’m going to put some ice on your neck. Breathe slowly with your mouth.
Minutes later, ERIC and ANNE return to the living room. Everyone in the room stands up.
AMY:
Are you okay?
ANNE:
Yeah, I’m fine. I think we should go to bed now. We are all exhausted and a night of sleep won’t do any harm. We’ll solve our problems tomorrow.
9. INT. ERIC’S ROOM -- NIGHT
JUSTIN lays down on a medium sized bed in ERIC’s room. The room contains only two beds, a coffee table, and a lamp. On the table, there is a book. It’s "The Exorcist" by William Peter Blatty. He looks at the cover for about five seconds. He’s puzzled.
JUSTIN:
Fucking freak.
JUSTIN then hears a persistent knock on the door. He tries to find a T-shirt to cover himself because he’s only wearing boxers. He doesn’t find one but he decides to open the door anyway. It’s WILLOW. She’s only wearing a cotton bra and a pair of shorts. Both of them stare at each other. Willow looks surprised.
JUSTIN:
(whistles)
Not bad!
WILLOW:
You don’t have an ugly body either. Do you work out? Anyway, what are you doing here? I thought you’d be sleeping in your room.
JUSTIN:
Nope... Eric and I exchanged places. I didn’t like my room.
WILLOW:
Oh! Boy that shower is making a horrible noise!
JUSTIN:
Who’s stupid enough to take a shower?
WILLOW:
Your girlfriend.
JUSTIN:
In the bathroom downstairs I hope?
WILLOW:
Duh... No, she decided that she liked the new red paint on the upstairs bathroom floor.
JUSTIN:
Okay, calm down... It was just a question. Anyway, we never know with her. She sometimes has strage strange ideas.
WILLOW:
I’m sorry. I’m exhausted and very nervous.
JUSTIN:
It’s okay... I understand with everything that happened tonight. I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to sleep.
WILLOW:
Eum... Justin?
JUSTIN:
Yeah?
WILLOW:
I have something to tell you. It’s very important. Can you keep a secret?
JUSTIN:
Of course! Why?
WILLOW:
I’m... well... I suspect Eric of having something to do with Lily’s murder.
JUSTIN:
What? I’ve known him for a long time and I must admit that he is kind of weird, but to suspect him of murder is a bit extreme, don’t you think?
WILLOW:
Well someone killed her!
JUSTIN:
Yeah... herself!
WILLOW:
No! Lily was my best friend. I knew her better than anyone else and I know she didn’t kill herself. And who the hell would kill herself by blowing up a mirror in her face???
JUSTIN:
Still, that doesn’t prove he killed her. Wait a minute! You were with him when we heard Lily’s scream!
WILLOW:
Yeah, but he seemed so far away...as if he was controlling a body, but not his. Oh, Justin! I’m so scared!
WILLOW sits on the bed, very close to JUSTIN. Then, she starts rubbing her hands on his leg. Slowly the hand goes to his chest. She rubs it in a sensual a way. She is passing her hands everywhere on his body. She then makes her way to his crotch.
JUSTIN:
Eum...what are you doing?
WILLOW:
Stop complaining. I know you like it!
JUSTIN:
All this agitation probably affected your reason. Why don’t you go get some sleep?
WILLOW:
NO! I WANT YOU!
WILLOW gets up and grabs a chair. Then, she tries to hit JUSTIN with it. JUSTIN dodges the chair quickly and rushes out of the room. WILLOW follows him.
JUSTIN:
(yelling)
Help! Willow has gone crazy! She’s trying to kill me!
JAMES:
(coming out of another room, behind WILLOW)
(whispering)
What the...
JAMES takes a lamp and edges closer to willow. When he is close enough, he hits WILLOW behind the head. WILLOW falls unconscious.
JAMES:
What the hell did you to her do so that she wanted to hit you with that chair?
JUSTIN:
She was flirting with me, so I tried to get her off of me. That’s all.
JAMES:
Let’s bring her downstairs.
JUSTIN and JAMES bring WILLOW in the living room.
JUSTIN:
Things are really getting weirder and weirder...
JAMES:
Yeah...
AMY screams.
JUSTIN & JAMES:
Shit! Amy!
JUSTIN and JAMES rush to the bathroom. They find AMY naked in the shower. She looks pale and traumatized.
JUSTIN:
Amy!
JAMES:
Well… well…
JUSTIN:
Don’t even think about it. She’s mine.
(to Amy) Are you all right?
AMY:
Y....y...yeah. I think so...
JAMES:
Let’s bring her in the living room.
JUSTIN and JAMES dress AMY up and bring her in the living room. There, they find WILLOW sitting down on the sofa. She seems lost.
JAMES
(looking at Amy):
Are you feeling better now?
AMY:
Yeah.
JAMES:
(looking at Willow):
And you?
WILLOW:
Why does my head hurt so much???
JAMES:
Don’t you remember? You tried to hit Justin with a chair so I had to knock you out with a lamp.
WILLOW:
What??? The only thing I remember is preparing myself to go to bed... You have to believe me!
JUSTIN:
This shit is getting really fucked up!!! And you, Amy, why did you scream like that?
AMY:
I don’t know. I couldn’t control myself. The only thing I knew was that I had to kill myself. The voice told me. When I realized that, I screamed.
JAMES:
What voice?
AMY:
The one I heard in my head. It was a boy’s voice...a bit like Eric’s...
JUSTIN:
(Thinking about what Willow had told him sooner)
Eric! You motherfucker! Where the hell are you?
ERIC:
(coming down the stairs)
What?
JUSTIN:
(yelling)
I understand now! I know you did it! Why did you try to kill Amy? And why did you try to possess your own girlfriend so that she would kill me? Didn’t you have enough with Lily?
ERIC:
I swear! I didn’t do what you’re accusing me of! At least give me a chance to prove to you that I’m innocent!
JUSTIN:
And how are you going to do this, smart head?
ERIC:
I’d like to go in Lily’s room to see if we could find something helpful.
JUSTIN:
If ever you can’t prove your innocence, you have my word that I will take care of your ass!
ANNES wakes up and comes down the stairs
ANNE:
What the hell is going on here?
JUSTIN:
We found our murderer! It’s Eric! He somehow is able to control people’s minds so that they want to kill themselves. He controlled Willow’s mind and forced her to hit me with a chair. Then, he tried to kill Amy the same way he got rid of Lily.
ANNE:
(to Amy)
Are you okay?
AMY:
Well… I’m not running around, wind in my hair, "the hills are alive with the sound of music" but I’m coping.
ERIC:
It’s not true! I could never do such a thing! Come with me Justin, and I’ll prove you that I didn’t do it.
JUSTIN:
Me, going alone with you so that you can kill me too? No way!
ANNE:
Okay... Let’s all go then!
WILLOW:
I really don’t feel like going.
AMY:
Me neither.
JAMES:
Well I’ll stay here with the two girls then.
JUSTIN:
Okay. James, don’t mess with my girlfriend.
11. INT. LILY’S ROOM -- NIGHT
ERIC carefully opens the wooden door. Quickly, he lights up the room and walks toward a medium-sized travel bag. JUSTIN and ANNE are following him.
ERIC:
(looking at Anne)
Is that Lily’s bag?
ANNE:
Yes. Her bed is the one at your left. I still don’t see what you think you’re going to find.
ERIC:
Something useful I hope.
ERIC opens the bag and empties it on the bed. There are books, lots of candles, clothes, stinky herbs (mandrake, belladonna, ergot, etc), pine scent, a diary, a ceremonial bowl and a knife.
JUSTIN:
I don’t feel well to look into her personal stuff. She’s dead and all. Isn’t there something about respect toward the deceased?
ERIC:
It’s our only chance to live.
JUSTIN:
It’s YOUR only chance to live.
ERIC:
In both cases, my life depends on it.
ANNE:
Each one of you take a book.
JUSTIN:
"New Edition of the Witchcraft Encyclopedia"? I think I’ll take the diary!
JUSTIN takes the diary and opens it. After reading the first sentence, he looks up at ANNE and ERIC.
JUSTIN:
Did you know that Lily was Dutch?
ERIC:
What are you talking about?
ANNE:
Give me that!
ANNE reads a few passages.
ANNE:
It’s not Dutch, it’s some kind of code. She used to do that when she was a child. She thought that her parents were spying on her. She must have kept that habit.
ERIC:
Let’s see. Give me the diary.
ANNE gives the diary to ERIC.
ERIC:
I t’nod tnaw ot eb elbisnopser rof rieht shtaed. I t’ndid redrum enoyna... REDRUM!!!
JUSTIN:
What?
ERIC:
"Redrum" is "murder" written backwards.
ANNE:
How did you figure that out?
ERIC:
I saw "The Shining" with Jack Nickelson. Excellent movie. You should all go see it.
JUSTIN:
So, smart guy, translate it all!
ERIC takes out a piece of paper and rewrites it: "I don’t want to be responsible for their deaths. I didn’t murder anyone…"
JUSTIN:
And what the hell is that shit supposed to mean? Whose deaths?
ANNE:
I think it’s our deaths.
JUSTIN:
What? We are still very alive, just in case you didn’t notice!
ERIC:
She talks about our imminent death, I think. Anyway, it will be easier if James can translate this code with his modern gadgets.
JUSTIN:
We call that a computer. You didn’t leave the Middle Ages, did you?
ERIC:
Nope!
13. INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
In the middle of the room, James turns his laptop on only by opening it. They have installed a table for James to work.
JAMES:
Watch the professional working!
JUSTIN:
Oh, shut up and type!
ANNE:
You’re such a bunch of cry babies. Eric, why don’t you explain to us what this is all about. And please, stop drinking black coffee. You’re shaking like a leaf and you’re making weird faces. If you want to drink coffee, at least put some milk and sugar. It will taste a lot better...
AMY:
Will you shut up! We’re not here to learn how to make coffee! Let’s get back to business!
ERIC:
(looking at James)
That diary is written backwards. It would be helpful if you could rewrite it in the right way. Can your laptop do that automatically?
JAMES:
Of course! Things have evolved since the Middle Ages. You know, a computer is very useful. It’s better than using an old dactylo like you do.
JAMES starts typing the text. After finishing the whole text, he highlights it with his mouse and selects the option "rewrite backwards".
JAMES:
Finally, I’m finished!
AMY:
What does it say?
JAMES:
Well... it’s a bit weird, but I’ll read it anyway:
I don’t want to be responsible for their deaths. I didn’t murder anyone nor did I kill myself. It finally got me. The Devil, the Evil One, Sammael, ANTIPAS! Call it the way you want, it’s all the same being, and it’s surrounding you at this moment.
There is only one way to get rid of Him. You must perform what we call an exorcism. Be aware, though, that you probably won’t all survive the shock caused by such a thing. It’s tougher than anything you’ve ever experienced before. But you have no choice! If you don’t want to be killed like me, do it... DO IT!!! EXTERMINATE THIS EVIL BEING!!! DIE, ANTIPAS, DIE!!!
After that, she wrote the ingredients needed and the way to perform the exorcism...
JUSTIN:
What the fuck...
ERIC:
I told you... You should have listened to me since the beginning...
WILLOW:
I think we have only one thing left to do...
ANNE:
Yeah...
JUSTIN:
I guess so...
ERIC:
Let’s do it...
AMY:
Are you all out of your fucking minds??? I say the movie "The Exorcist". The priests who perform the ritual died at the end from violent deaths.
JAMES:
You have the choice... You stay here and you wait until Antipas or Sammael or whatever its name is finally kills you, or you try to survive and you perform the exorcism with us...
AMY:
(crying)
Jesus Christ... It’s like having a choice between death and death...
JUSTIN:
Come on, Amy... I know you can do it! It’s our only hope!
ANNE:
I think I should direct the ritual. I’m used with that kind of stuff.
ERIC:
What?
ANNE:
I think I didn’t tell you guys but Lily and I are neo-pagans. We are modern witches.
JUSTIN:
What?
ANNE:
We worship the Earth and natural things. Sometimes, we make pencils float or we make zits disappear. Nothing much.
AMY:
Since when did you become Sabrina the teenage witch?
ANNE:
A long time ago. You should try it, it’s fun. Anyway, I think I should do it with help. I was told that it’s harder than making pencils float.
JAMES:
That’s for sure. Where are you going to find some "Vibuti", mandrake and belladonna?
ANNE:
I have some in my bag. I always have some with me.
JUSTIN:
I see. I just hope it won’t stink like Lily’s herbs.
ANNE:
I put some pine scent to get rid of the smell. It’s very effective. However, for this ritual, I think we shouldn’t add some pine scent. It risks to affect the quality of the herbs.
There’s something else too. During the rite, we have to be very concentrated. Just focus on your text that I will hand you. It will turn out okay if we follow the orders step by step. I will explain it all between each rite. There’s three at all. The last is the longest and the most dangerous. Like I say, you only have to stay focus.
WILLOW:
(yelling)
No! I can’t let you do that! I will survive! I can’t be exterminated! You fools will all die by my hand!!!
After saying these words, WILLOW falls on the floor.
JUSTIN:
I think she’s Antipas’ favorite! He got in her body once again!
JAMES:
Let’s tie this bitch up before she tries to kill us all!
ERIC:
Hey! You’d better watch who you’re calling a bitch!
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT (3:24)
The entire room is dark. All the furniture has been pushed against the walls. The now emptied floor is covered with ashes. The ashes form the shape of a pentagram. ANNE is at the uppermost point of the pentagram, the Spirit One. ERIC is on the Water point. JUSTIN is on the Fire point. JAMES is on the Earth point and AMY is on the Air point. Five candles also in shape of a pentagram surround them. WILLOW, still unconscious, is tied up to a wooden chair. She’s in the middle of the circle.
ANNE is sprinkling holy water on WILLOW. Then, she takes some herbs, belladonna and mandrake, and burns them with the candle’s flame. She gathers the ashes from the burned herbs in a ceremonial bowl made of clay.
ANNE:
(reading while burning the herbs)
I exorcise thee, O impious Infernus. In vain dost thou boast of this deed. I command thee to restore it as a proof before the whole world that when God receiveth a sinner, thou hast no longer any rule over his soul.
ANNE hands to ERIC the ceremonial bowl. He takes it and burns some other herbs in it. He takes out of his pocket a handful of Holy Ash, Vibuti, and mix them in the bowl of burn herbs.
ERIC:
(reading)
I abjure thee, by him who expelled thee from thy stronghold, bereft thee of the arms which thou didst trust in, and distributed thy spoils. Return therefore this deed whereby this creature of God foolishly bound himself to thy service; return it, I say, in His name by whom thou art over come.
ERIC hands the ceremonial bowl to JUSTIN. He takes it and puts some of the Holy Ash in his hands. He then throws them on WILLOW who is still unconscious.
JUSTIN:
(reading, unsure of himself)
When thy power has come to nothing, presume not longer to retain this useless document. By penitence already hath this creature of God restored himself to his true Lord, spurning thy yoke, hoping in the Divine mercy for defence against thine assaults.
JAMES:
(reading and sprinkling Holy Water on Willow)
Lord! Save me in thy name, and give me justice by thy power. O Lord! Hear my prayer, hear with thy ears the words that came from my mouth.
AMY:
(reading and sprinkling Holy Water on Willow)
Deliver us from evil.
ANNE blows her candle and goes to the door. The others blow all their candles. She then turns on the lights. The others are getting out of the circle. They go sit on a sofa. AMY goes to the kitchen and returns after fifteen seconds with a glass of water. The others are sitting in silence.
ANNE:
The first part of the exorcism is done. Now, we have two other parts to recite to cast out this demon or whatever it is. That’s why we are taking a break.
AMY:
I’m okay to continue if the exorcism consists only of reading some old texts.
ERIC:
I thought there would be some confrontation. I find it weird that nothing happens now. I thought that it would be bigger. If playing with old magick consists of reciting some texts, it’s rather boring.
ANNE:
Be careful what you wish for. We are lucky that Willow is unconscious so the demon cannot manifest itself. I don’t think it will last very long. She may wake up during the ritual and it will confront us.
JUSTIN:
What you guys mean by "confrontation"?
ANNE:
It will play with our minds. It will try to divert us by telling us lies. However, those lies are often mixed with truth. Do not listen it. Also, keep your eyes on the text. If you watch it, it will recognize you and we may have to restart from the beginning.
ERIC:
Why did you skip "The Litany of the Saints"? I thought we were supposed to start with that.
ANNE:
It’s optional. It will only make us more tired for nothing. I only stick to the essentials. If it were me, I would completely skip every God reference. With Lily, I was used to only recite a paragraph or two and the rest was mixing and burning stuff.
JAMES:
Whoa! Can you guys make it weirder? I’m really not at ease with all those burned herbs and holy ash and water.
AMY:
Does anyone want something before starting again? I think I will make some coffee. We all need some.
ERIC:
Mine’s black!
JUSTIN:
I eat take a sandwich.
ANNE:
I will only drink a cup of coffee. Two sugars and a milk.
JAMES:
Same for me.
AMY goes back to the kitchen while the others lie down on the floor and on the sofa in silence. JAMES yawns and closes his eyes. ERIC and JUSTIN are looking at the ceiling. ANNE mentally prepares herself for the next rite. After a minute or two, AMY comes back and hands out the drinks and the food.
FADE TO:
ANNE is standing at the uppermost point of the pentagram. She is lighting up her candle. The others are ready to perform it. They stand silently at each point of the circled star, waiting for Anne’s orders.
ANNE:
Let’s begin. Are you ready James? You look tired. If you can’t do it, you should go sit on the couch. I don’t want you to put yourself at unnecessary dangers. We can wait.
JAMES:
It’s okay. I drank my coffee so everyone will go fine. Let’s go. We have to finish it.
ANNE:
(reading)
Au nom des étoiles et de la lune. In the name of the stars and the moon.
ERIC:
(reading)
Au nom des saints et martyres. In the name of the saints and the martyrs.
JUSTIN:
(reading)
Je t’abjure, Vieux Serpent, par le juge des vivants et des morts, par ton Créateur, par le Créateur de tout l’Univers.
JAMES:
(reading)
I abjure you, ancient serpent, by the judge of the living and the dead, by your Creator, by the Creator of all the Universe.
AMY:
(reading)
Au nom des anges et des archanges. In the name of the angels and the archangels. Je te commande, lève-toi. I command you, stand! Je te commande, pars! I command you, depart!
ANNE:
(reading)
Centrum est obscurus. The center is dark. Tenebrae respiratis. The darkness breathes. Quod perditum est, in venietur. What was lost, shall be found. His verbes, hi conseus rescissus est. By these words, its consent repealed.
ANNE takes out some other herbs and crushes them in the ceremonial bowl. She then mixes them with the Vibuti and the Holy Water. She puts the soaked herbs on Willow forehead. Then, she mumbles something in Latin. After that, she goes turns on the lights. She orders the others to come relax with her on the couch.
ANNE:
The worst will now happen. The third and last rite of the exorcism is the longest and the most painful.
JUSTIN:
What do you mean?
ERIC:
She means that we will have maybe to physically and psychologically confront this creature of the night.
JAMES:
By the way, what’s with all that French and Latin? I can’t even make out the half of it.
ANNE:
Sorry, the text is more powerful when it’s recited in its original language. How come you didn’t understand? The translation was next to each sentence.
AMY:
I see.
JAMES:
It’s been two long hours that we recited those texts. What’s taking so long for the demon to go away? I’m so fucking tired.
JUSTIN:
We have to be courageous. It’s our only hope. You said it yourself.
ERIC:
Everyone is ready for the final act of the exorcism?
MATCH CUT TO:
As before, the five of them are at each point of the pentagram. ANNE lights a charcoal in a censer and places incense in it. She then throws the burned incense on Willow. She comes near her and touches her forehead, saying "Ateh" [Unto thee].
ERIC takes a ceremonial knife and comes near to Willow. He makes the sign of the cross with the knife on the head of Willow. He touches her breast, saying "Aiwass" [Holy Guardian Angel]. He returns to his point.
JUSTIN comes near to Willow. He takes the Holy Oil and makes a star on the Willow’s forehead. He then put his hand near his genitals, saying "Malkuth" [the Kingdom].
JAMES comes near to Willow and touches her right shoulder, saying "ve-Geburah" [and the Power]. When JAMES returns to his point, AMY goes near Willow and touches her left shoulder, saying "ve-Gedulah" [and the Glory].
ANNE:
Ateh Gibor Le-Olahm, Adonai. [Thine is the Power unto the Ages, O Lord.]
In the middle of the circle, where is WILLOW, ERIC faces East and draws a big breath. He then closes his mouth with his right forefinger. He presses it against his lower lips. He then dashes down the hand with a great sweep back and forth.
ERIC:
(yelling)
Apo pantos kadodaimonos. [Away, every evil spirit.]
Suddenly, amrith [a viscous, honey-like liquid] starts to ooze from the walls. It looks like if the walls are bleeding honey. WILLOW starts to wake up. She seems disoriented. Then, she begins to scream loudly. Her screams becomes slowly an evil laughing. She turns to JUSTIN.
WILLOW:
(laughing)
Justin, Justin, Justin. Are you glad to see me? I’m back.
ANNE:
Justin, don’t look at her. It’s not our friend who is talking. It’s Sammael, the angel of death and prince of Satans.
WILLOW:
Me, evil? That’s a funny thing to say. I’m so defenseless and innocent. You should know by yourself, Justin.
ERIC:
(surprised)
What? What the fuck is that suppose to mean?
ANNE:
Don’t listen to her, Eric. "It" is trying to stop us from doing it. It’s all lies.
WILLOW:
Tell them, Justin. Tell them how it was good. How it was intense. The passion was there.
ERIC:
(to Justin furiously)
You fucking bastard… I should have known from the start. It was kind of strange when I saw you and Willow in underwear in my room. The "she’s trying to kill me" was just a lame act!
JUSTIN:
I swear that I didn’t touch her. She did try to kill me. What do you think she was doing with the chair?
ERIC:
I don’t know. Maybe it was one of your games. Did you have fun with her often? Answer me!
AMY:
You guys, calm down! It’s trying to make us fell. We have to continue it and fast.
ANNE:
I am upon thee! Thou shalt not stand before me!
AMY:
Thou hast rejected the Truth, and thou art accursed unto the aeons!
JAMES:
I spew thee out! I cast thee into the Abyss!
JUSTIN:
I bury thy carcass to ashes, that no trace or remembrance of so vile a being may remain among men.
ERIC looks at JUSTIN furiously. He makes a fist with his left hand. He breathes loudly.
ANNE:
Eric, it’s your line.
ERIC:
Amri maratza, maratza, atman deona lastadza maratza maritza -- marán!
ALL:
Amen.
WILLOW starts to convulse on the wooden chair. She tries to make one of them look at her. She screams loudly. Her head is making a full-on "Exorcist" twist.
WILLOW:
It isn’t over. Eric, do you want to know how I fell when Justin and I were on your bed…
JUSTIN:
(yelling)
Stop it! It’s not true. It’s a lie.
ERIC:
Prove it. I don’t trust you.
JUSTIN:
Fuck, Eric. You know better than that. I’m one of your best friends. Do you think that I would mess with your girlfriend like that?
ANNE:
(to James and Amy)
We are not going to make it with those two fighting. We have to finish it ourselves. Amy, take Justin’s lines. James, takes Eric’s. Ready?
AMY:
Now I begin to pray: Thou Child, Holy Thy name and undefiled!
JAMES:
Thy reign is come; Thy will is complete. Here is the Bread; here is the Blood.
ANNE:
Bring me through midnight to the Sun! Save me from Evil and from Good!
AMY:
That Thy one crown of all the Ten even now and here be mine.
JAMES:
Amen.
WILLOW is contorting on the chair, trying to break free from the ropes. ANNE comes near her and put a purple stole around WILLOW’s neck. WILLOW then calm herself. She closes her eyes. She doesn’t make a sound nor does she move on the chair. ERIC goes to release her from her bounds. The five are now at each point of the pentagram, waiting.
WILLOW, reopens her eyes. She is sweating a lot. She looks around her, not knowing where she is. She seems lost.
WILLOW:
Where am I? What the hell is happening here?
ANNE:
Everything is going to be fine. I’m going to make sure that everything will go fine.
ERIC:
Do you remember anything?
WILLOW:
I only remember that I was changing in my room when something went through me. I don’t remember anything after. What I am doing here?
AMY:
I think you should lie down. It’s been a horrible night with Lily’s death.
JAMES:
Here, take a glass of water. You should drink it.
JUSTIN:
I don’t want to rush things but… Willow, do you remember anything about me messing with you?
WILLOW:
(intrigued)
Huh? What?
ERIC:
It’s nothing. I think we should take the rest of the night to sleep. We have a lot to do tomorrow.
ERIC looks at JUSTIN. He seems guilty of something. He makes strange faces. JUSTIN looks at him, trying to say that everything is okay. The six friends are still in the middle of the living room, standing in silence.
15. EXT. LAURENTIAN WOODS -- DAWN (6:36)
In the forest, the storm has calmed down. It’s still snowing but it’s falling slowly. The trees don’t move at all. They look like emotionless watchers. Stars twinkle in the vast, undisturbed black sky. The imagery is relaxing. The silence reigns there. The chaos is gone. Sometimes, the sound of an owl can be heard far ahead from the distance.
In a monologue, ANNE recounts the events of the last night. Her voice can only be heard.
ANNE:
(V.O)
It begins where it ends, in nothingness. The deepest fears had come to me unguarded. I thought it was only an illusion. I was wrong. We were on an uncharted path drawn by an unseen hand on a promising journey.
It begins with a fun trip in the forest; it ends in death and desolation. It begins as a way to celebrate our friendship. Now, we have a hard time to look at each other without remembering what happened that night in the forest.
ANNE is now writing LILY’s red diary. Her writing is swift and round. The blue pen on the white paper make its impression on the journal. She is writing very fast.
ANNE:
(CONT’D)(V.O.)
For years, I was toying with the Black Arts with Lily for fun. It was a way to express our emotions. We never thought that it would end that way. We tried to summon a creature of the night and we thought we fell. We were wrong. This same creature was responsible for all our miseries.
Lily knew what would happen somehow. She tried to stop it all by herself but she didn’t succeed. In one night, our vision in a perfect universe was completely changed.
The exorcism to cast out the demon Sammael out of Willow was successful. She doesn’t have any recollections of what happened. I think she souldn’t learn about it unless something else interposes itself in her young life.
The ritual was not the final act. We had to face the Justice Department with Lily’s death. However, they ruled her death accidental. We are clear of all suspicion but our guilt in her death will always be there. We were responsible in a way for what happened that night in the forest.
ANNE finishes her sentence. Her hand pauses for a second or two on the white paper. She drops the pen on the diary as the scene fades out in black.
FADE OUT.
No reproduction of any kind is permitted unless the authors say otherwise.
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