INT. ALLEYWAY - EVENING
MAGS runs into the shot, not looking
behind her, she is running at full speed. A few more seconds and we can
see why. Hundreds of dog-sized spiders are clamoring after her. Like a
massive moving wave of sheer terror.
We see MAGS pick up her cellphone. She hits a number with her thumb and brings it to her face.
MAGS:
Professor.
PROFESSOR: (V.O.)
Yes?
MAGS:
Can you help me out here. I'm in kind of a bind.
PROFESSOR: (V.O.)
Hold on.
MAGS:
Well I can, but I don't think those behind me will.
PROFESSOR:
Very well.
20130918
Only Death Can Save You Now
Max's eyes took in what was going on around him. He paused, his mind racing through various actions he could take. It looked like he was panicking for a second.
The huge troll stepped out of the tunnel, with big battle axe in hand and it came at Max like a runaway locomotive.
Max had emptied his clips into the damn thing; it appeared that his bullets didn't phase it.
With no other option, Max turned the guns around to be used as blunt objects and he ran towards the troll.
Four Ladies and a Wild
Frank laid the cards down on the table, and sat back and grinned. It was the first time that he had an actual grin that seemed to radiate what he felt inside. "Read'em and weep boys."
Goner tossed his cards onto the table in disgust. He was sure that he had a pat hand, but seeing Frank's ladies staring up at him made him wince in pain.
"Awww poor baby," Suki said as she leaned over and gave Goner a hug. "Do you want that towel now?"
Goner shrugged her off with a nod. He wasn't sure how, but he thought Frank had cheated.
> Debashis in Plureality 3
Finger on switch, ready to pull, a look of excitement on the face of
one. The other's siting at the table, a half-smoked cigarette resting
in the tray – menthol light – half interested.
“How about if you pull that dimmer switch less than halfway down, just to make it zap us, but not too loudly…just a whisper.”
“What’s the point? Let’s just go all the way.”
This little power struggle goes on for a bit of time. One suggesting moderation, the other insisting full steam ahead, both infusing their versions in that nice, and passive-aggressive kind of way.
“I just want a taste.”
“That’s just foreplay and masturbation – sauce and gravy – give me the meat!”
“You’re just gross. You’re an adrenaline junkie. And you’re trying to turn me into one too.”
“Geeeez!!!!! Will ya’ just live a little? With you it’s always, ‘watch out’, ‘be careful’, ‘not too much’. You’re the idiot who takes one fucking toe at a time into the pool while everyone else already swam to the other side of the crater."
“And you push too hard. Ain’t everyone like you, you know. Nothin’ wrong with going slow! And besides, it can hurt. Do damage to yourself. Why do I have join you on this shit?” A long suck from the smoke was more calming than expected.
Well, they weren’t passive-aggressive anymore. Finger on switch, one’s ready to pull, while the other glaring, wordlessly daring defiance. The catalytic electric inducer was better than sex, better than coke, better than weed. A recent invention, it could give the receiver doses of total euphoria-messed-upness that induced all the effects of any age-old vice of choice, with the same range of effects from a buzz to unconsciousness. But its effects were immediate…and maybe just a bit unpredictable.
“Come on, let’s just do this! It’ll buzz for bit, we’ll feel fucking awesome and then it’ll be over. You got nothing to lose.”
“I just don’t like the zap. That just hurts – I hate pain.”
“Don’t be such a baby. Fine, how about instead of full tilt, we’ll go three quarters. You’re a loser.”
“Look, if we can’t go one-quarter, I’m not doin’ this with you."
This half-negotiation goes on. They bully each other, half-heartedly, exchanging insults along the way. Finger on switch, one’s tempted to just pull without the other’s approval. The other inhales a mouthful of cigarette smoke, then inhales a mouthful of rum-shine brew.
“So, we’re settled on one-third power?”
“Fine. Count of three?”
Both disappointed, but ready, one arches the back, takes a deep breath, readying for the anticipated pulse of shock-buzz about to pulsate through the veins. The other, finger on switch, eyeballs getting wild with excitement and maybe even a glint of ……
“One………two……”
“I’m going to kill you after this.”
“Three!”
Finger pushes switch. An ominous hum permeates the room. Punctuations of little crackle noises. As the pulses engulf their bodies, the cat walks by and can hear from one:
“YEEEEAAAHHHHH!!!!!! LET’S KICK IT!!!!!!!”
From the other:
“I’m going to …”
Then a bang and a white flash of light, a smell of burning magnesium, a cat screech, body-vibrations. Explosions inside the brain or outside? Euphoria and lift-off.
BANG and then black.
“How about if you pull that dimmer switch less than halfway down, just to make it zap us, but not too loudly…just a whisper.”
“What’s the point? Let’s just go all the way.”
This little power struggle goes on for a bit of time. One suggesting moderation, the other insisting full steam ahead, both infusing their versions in that nice, and passive-aggressive kind of way.
“I just want a taste.”
“That’s just foreplay and masturbation – sauce and gravy – give me the meat!”
“You’re just gross. You’re an adrenaline junkie. And you’re trying to turn me into one too.”
“Geeeez!!!!! Will ya’ just live a little? With you it’s always, ‘watch out’, ‘be careful’, ‘not too much’. You’re the idiot who takes one fucking toe at a time into the pool while everyone else already swam to the other side of the crater."
“And you push too hard. Ain’t everyone like you, you know. Nothin’ wrong with going slow! And besides, it can hurt. Do damage to yourself. Why do I have join you on this shit?” A long suck from the smoke was more calming than expected.
Well, they weren’t passive-aggressive anymore. Finger on switch, one’s ready to pull, while the other glaring, wordlessly daring defiance. The catalytic electric inducer was better than sex, better than coke, better than weed. A recent invention, it could give the receiver doses of total euphoria-messed-upness that induced all the effects of any age-old vice of choice, with the same range of effects from a buzz to unconsciousness. But its effects were immediate…and maybe just a bit unpredictable.
“Come on, let’s just do this! It’ll buzz for bit, we’ll feel fucking awesome and then it’ll be over. You got nothing to lose.”
“I just don’t like the zap. That just hurts – I hate pain.”
“Don’t be such a baby. Fine, how about instead of full tilt, we’ll go three quarters. You’re a loser.”
“Look, if we can’t go one-quarter, I’m not doin’ this with you."
This half-negotiation goes on. They bully each other, half-heartedly, exchanging insults along the way. Finger on switch, one’s tempted to just pull without the other’s approval. The other inhales a mouthful of cigarette smoke, then inhales a mouthful of rum-shine brew.
“So, we’re settled on one-third power?”
“Fine. Count of three?”
Both disappointed, but ready, one arches the back, takes a deep breath, readying for the anticipated pulse of shock-buzz about to pulsate through the veins. The other, finger on switch, eyeballs getting wild with excitement and maybe even a glint of ……
“One………two……”
“I’m going to kill you after this.”
“Three!”
Finger pushes switch. An ominous hum permeates the room. Punctuations of little crackle noises. As the pulses engulf their bodies, the cat walks by and can hear from one:
“YEEEEAAAHHHHH!!!!!! LET’S KICK IT!!!!!!!”
From the other:
“I’m going to …”
Then a bang and a white flash of light, a smell of burning magnesium, a cat screech, body-vibrations. Explosions inside the brain or outside? Euphoria and lift-off.
BANG and then black.
Ticket to Happiness
"Are you an angel?" the little girl asked Maggie. Maggie and Angst happened to be passing by her. "You're so beautiful."
Maggie smiled at the little girl in the old clothes. The child had been sitting on the steps of her home. "It's amazing isn't it?" Maggie said turning back to Angst.
"What is?" Angst said.
"No matter how many shifts we go through, how many sites we capture, we always end up with similarities in each world," she said. "I guess there is no true utopia waiting out there."
"I guess if there was we wouldn't have a job," Angst stated. "And we would have never met." Maggie cracked a smile.
Maggie and Angst walked down the street, the February evening air was bitter and unwelcome. Winter was showing her true colours. Both girls walked the brisk walk as if they were going somewhere important or they didn't trust the neighbourhood that they were in. It wasn't a pretty section of the neighbourhood and they knew it wasn't the worst either.
"So what brings us here?" Angst asked. She kept in perfect stride with Maggie.
"Our feet," Maggie quipped back, making Angst chuckle.
"I know that," Angst added. "Does it serve a purpose or are we just getting our exercise?"
"Oh, if I wanted exercise I would be battling demonic hordes," Maggie replied. "Besides Angst, you should know that I have a purpose for everything I do."
Mags walked into the convenience store and looked upon the counter; she was looking at the instant win cards. Angst went over to the cooler and took out a can of pop.
"I'll take that one, that one and that one," Maggie told the cashier as she pointed to instant cash tickets.
"What are you doing?" Angst asked. She had placed her cola on the counter and was fishing for change from her purse.
"Oh, it's called gambling," Maggie said smugly.
"Smart ass," Angst chuckled.
No sooner had they left the store than Maggie began to scratch one of her tickets.
"I still got it," she said to the card. Which made Angst do a double-take, her eyes widening with excitement.
"Oh my," Angst said, peering over at the card as they walked. Seeing the secrets hidden behind the panel revealed. "What the heck are you going to do with that?"
They were walking past the house where they had seen the girl. Maggie placed the card into the mail slot, turning to Angst and saying, "They need this more than I do."
The $10,000 game prize sat in the mail box.
Maggie smiled at the little girl in the old clothes. The child had been sitting on the steps of her home. "It's amazing isn't it?" Maggie said turning back to Angst.
"What is?" Angst said.
"No matter how many shifts we go through, how many sites we capture, we always end up with similarities in each world," she said. "I guess there is no true utopia waiting out there."
"I guess if there was we wouldn't have a job," Angst stated. "And we would have never met." Maggie cracked a smile.
Maggie and Angst walked down the street, the February evening air was bitter and unwelcome. Winter was showing her true colours. Both girls walked the brisk walk as if they were going somewhere important or they didn't trust the neighbourhood that they were in. It wasn't a pretty section of the neighbourhood and they knew it wasn't the worst either.
"So what brings us here?" Angst asked. She kept in perfect stride with Maggie.
"Our feet," Maggie quipped back, making Angst chuckle.
"I know that," Angst added. "Does it serve a purpose or are we just getting our exercise?"
"Oh, if I wanted exercise I would be battling demonic hordes," Maggie replied. "Besides Angst, you should know that I have a purpose for everything I do."
Mags walked into the convenience store and looked upon the counter; she was looking at the instant win cards. Angst went over to the cooler and took out a can of pop.
"I'll take that one, that one and that one," Maggie told the cashier as she pointed to instant cash tickets.
"What are you doing?" Angst asked. She had placed her cola on the counter and was fishing for change from her purse.
"Oh, it's called gambling," Maggie said smugly.
"Smart ass," Angst chuckled.
No sooner had they left the store than Maggie began to scratch one of her tickets.
"I still got it," she said to the card. Which made Angst do a double-take, her eyes widening with excitement.
"Oh my," Angst said, peering over at the card as they walked. Seeing the secrets hidden behind the panel revealed. "What the heck are you going to do with that?"
They were walking past the house where they had seen the girl. Maggie placed the card into the mail slot, turning to Angst and saying, "They need this more than I do."
The $10,000 game prize sat in the mail box.
The Art of Daydreaming
Max sat on the bench waiting for the bus to come along, leaning back and enjoying the warmth of the sun's rays, with a cigarette dangling from his lips. His sunglasses sitting on the bridge of his nose and he was ready to take on the world.
"Say sir," a voice stirred him from his daydream. He was watching the clouds showing him how realities merged. "Are you watching the clouds?"
Max turned his attention to the child. "Why yes."
"That's cool," the child said. "I like what they have to say now and then."
"Me too," Max said after he took a long puff and blew out a cloud-shaped smoke ring.
"That's way cool!" the child exclaimed with excitement.
20130917
OPERATION CONTROL II
"How can you be positive?" Angst asked. She knew that for the past few days Frank was getting antsy, as if waiting for a call. And then the Professor had called Frank six hours ago and it had set off this current chain of events.
"I'm sure," Frank stated; he glanced at his watch. He hit the breaks and turned the van down another street. "Eyes peeled everyone."
"What are we looking for?" Goner asked.
"An anomaly," Frank stated. "Anything in the sky somewhere, something out of the ordinary. Something not supposed to be there."
"Is this what I think it is?" Angst asked no one in particular.
"There!" Aqua stated. "I see something over there."
Aqua pointed to a high-rise tower; she saw a swirling mass of clouds over it, releasing what looked to be blue lightning bolts. But she wasn't sure.
Frank turned the van in that direction. He saw the entrance to the tower and he pulled up to it. He hit the breaks and jumped out of the van and went to the back. He broke out the armoury.
"What are you expecting?" Goner asked. "An invasion? More Horde? A LEGACY cell team?"
"I don't know," Frank replied. "Just taking precautions."
They entered the building and walked through the main lobby; they had a purpose. A security guard was walking towards them. The guard's hand was resting on his glock, showing that he was going to mean business. After all, these strangers were intruding on his domain.
"You know what to do," Frank said to Angst.
Angst nodded at Frank and she walked towards the security guard, like a college co-ed looking for a good time. Her hands behind her back and a sultry smile across her face, as if she had a naughty secret.
Before the security guard said a word, Angst spun around like a dervish and took him down at the legs. She stunned him with a quick chop and they all continued their way.
"Oh boy, Frank. I hope you know what you're doing," Goner said.
They came to the row of elevators and Frank paused, looking at the numbers, and pressed the down button beside one set. The door opened, Frank peered in, and moved on to the next one.
The next set of doors opened and Frank nodded. He could see the walls shimmering. He jammed an iron bar into the door to force it open. He reached inside and hit the stop button as well.
"Is this it?" Aqua asked.
"Yeah," Frank said. He glanced at his watch; it was 11:59:43pm. "In a few more seconds we shall know."
The sound of ripping and tearing could be heard from the open elevator, which made Goner cringe and shudder. Frank stepped back and waited.
"OH my god," Angst let out a gasp as she saw a huge clump of flesh fall from the ceiling of the elevator.
"What is it!" Goner said in a horrified moment.
It looked like a tangled blob of blood and sinew, but on closer inspection it was a couple of bodies intertwined, and they began to move. They were nude and seemed to be gasping as if tasting the air for the first time.
"Max!" Angst said. She couldn't believe her eyes but she saw his face.
Goner peered inside, his eyes a mix of horror and repulsion. "Maggie as well... but who is the third?"
"Goner, find a bathroom, get some water and towels," Frank ordered. He reached inside and began to pull the guck off the bodies. Goner nodded and went off down the hallway searching for a bathroom.
"Is that..." Angst asked but trailed off.
The small form of a girl could clearly be seen as Max and Maggie moved about, taking in huge gulps of air. As if learning to breath once again.
"Suki," Aqua said, finishing off Angst's sentence.
20130916
The Calling
Frank sat up in bed. His hand went to his chest: there was no pain
there. It was just a dream. He swung his feet around and touched the
floor and sat there for a few more moments. The time on his alarm clock
clicked from 4:44 to 4:45am.
Man, that was intense, he thought as he stood and stretched.
He went to his bedroom window and looked out to the street. It was clear. Then he headed into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and rummaged around inside until he found what he was looking for, a container of orange juice.
He took an old glass from the counter, sniffed it to see if the contents were sour; satisfied, he poured himself some juice and put the container away. His phone rang as he took a pull from the glass. Caller ID showed who was calling.
"Morning Goner," Frank said. "Did you get that signal?"
"Signal," Goner sounded like he had suffered an anxiety attack. "Do you mean that nightmare I was having? Christ, I thought I was having a heart attack."
"Yes," Frank replied.
"What does it mean?" Goner started.
"It means that someone is trying to contact us," Frank replied with a wry smile.
Man, that was intense, he thought as he stood and stretched.
He went to his bedroom window and looked out to the street. It was clear. Then he headed into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and rummaged around inside until he found what he was looking for, a container of orange juice.
He took an old glass from the counter, sniffed it to see if the contents were sour; satisfied, he poured himself some juice and put the container away. His phone rang as he took a pull from the glass. Caller ID showed who was calling.
"Morning Goner," Frank said. "Did you get that signal?"
"Signal," Goner sounded like he had suffered an anxiety attack. "Do you mean that nightmare I was having? Christ, I thought I was having a heart attack."
"Yes," Frank replied.
"What does it mean?" Goner started.
"It means that someone is trying to contact us," Frank replied with a wry smile.
Crossworlds & Crosswords
The rain splattered against the window, merging together and streaking
down the glass. It had been raining for the better part of the morning
and there was nothing more to do than sit and wait until the next
assignment to pop up.
Frank was sipping from a mug, the newspaper folded down to the crossword section which was nearly completed. He was working on it with a pencil, his mind scanning the letters for clues to help him solve a question.
"What's your fascination with those?" Goner asked him. He had looked over the table and at the crossword puzzle. Goner perferred to do the jumble ones, since they were much simpler to unscramble the words.
"Crosswords?" Frank asked back. He didn't bother looking up from trying to piece together an 8 letter word, then he added, "It's a pastime, Gon. Some people read books, some play video games. I solve crosswords."
"Well, that's okay. I guess," Goner replied. "You'd think you'd give your brain a little break from all that activity after all we've seen and been through."
"It's stimulating," Frank says. "Keeps the mind honed and looking for little clues that seem to fall into place."
Goner slid out of the booth. "Well, I am going to stimulate more in the bathroom."
Frank chuckled.
Frank was sipping from a mug, the newspaper folded down to the crossword section which was nearly completed. He was working on it with a pencil, his mind scanning the letters for clues to help him solve a question.
"What's your fascination with those?" Goner asked him. He had looked over the table and at the crossword puzzle. Goner perferred to do the jumble ones, since they were much simpler to unscramble the words.
"Crosswords?" Frank asked back. He didn't bother looking up from trying to piece together an 8 letter word, then he added, "It's a pastime, Gon. Some people read books, some play video games. I solve crosswords."
"Well, that's okay. I guess," Goner replied. "You'd think you'd give your brain a little break from all that activity after all we've seen and been through."
"It's stimulating," Frank says. "Keeps the mind honed and looking for little clues that seem to fall into place."
Goner slid out of the booth. "Well, I am going to stimulate more in the bathroom."
Frank chuckled.
20130915
Discussions on a Train
Frank sat near the back, his head leaning up against the window.
Watching the worlds blur into a mural. He was tired and just wanted to
sleep for a bit to shake the demons of the day. His attention was
drifting off as the sandman nearly paid him a visit, when Angst plopped
down next to him.
"What you thinking of," she asked him.
"Just thinking of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens," he answered her.
"You sorry you got hooked into this war?" she asked.
"No," he honestly replied. "Just thinking how my life would be much different now if my eyes weren't open to the plural worlds."
The car was nearly empty, except for Goner who was sitting with Trump and both of them seemed to be talking about the latest vampire movie that was playing in one reality.
"Any word yet from the missing?" Angst wanted to know.
"You're full of questions today," Frank answered with a chuckle. "No, not yet... but soon, very soon."
"What you thinking of," she asked him.
"Just thinking of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens," he answered her.
"You sorry you got hooked into this war?" she asked.
"No," he honestly replied. "Just thinking how my life would be much different now if my eyes weren't open to the plural worlds."
The car was nearly empty, except for Goner who was sitting with Trump and both of them seemed to be talking about the latest vampire movie that was playing in one reality.
"Any word yet from the missing?" Angst wanted to know.
"You're full of questions today," Frank answered with a chuckle. "No, not yet... but soon, very soon."
Orlando?
"Orlando?" Trump asked with a sound of disgust.
"Yeah, Orlando!" Goner replied.
"Why Orlando?" Trump questioned. He was trying to understand the logic in that decision.
"Why not!" Goner stated and to emphasize his point he slapped on some Tony Orlando & Dawn.
"This is going to be a long, long trip," Trump muttered.
"Yeah, Orlando!" Goner replied.
"Why Orlando?" Trump questioned. He was trying to understand the logic in that decision.
"Why not!" Goner stated and to emphasize his point he slapped on some Tony Orlando & Dawn.
"This is going to be a long, long trip," Trump muttered.
20130914
A Not So Smooth Transaction
"HERE IT COMES!" Goner shouted and he braced for the impact. His voice
had a touch of horror in it, since he hadn't seen a wave like this
before. He really didn't know what to expect.
Frank turned to see the wave washing over the city; the shift looked liked someone had set off a warhead, because the landscape was changing drastically. This meant the plureality was in a shitstorm of trouble.
He swore under his breath as he witnessed a forty-storey glass & steel skyscraper became a 2-storey stone building, while a 707 that was lowering in the sky changed into a dragon. Frank blinked in utter disbelief.
"Craptacular," Frank muttered.
Angst glanced at Frank when he spoke; she was firing both uzis at the band of beasts at the far end of the alleyway, bullet casings flying through the air like discarded memories.
"Is everything okay?" she asked.
"I really don't know," Frank replied. He was in the middle of reloading; he dropped the gun and pulled Angst down to the ground. "I think someone somewhere dropped the ball."
Frank turned to see the wave washing over the city; the shift looked liked someone had set off a warhead, because the landscape was changing drastically. This meant the plureality was in a shitstorm of trouble.
He swore under his breath as he witnessed a forty-storey glass & steel skyscraper became a 2-storey stone building, while a 707 that was lowering in the sky changed into a dragon. Frank blinked in utter disbelief.
"Craptacular," Frank muttered.
Angst glanced at Frank when he spoke; she was firing both uzis at the band of beasts at the far end of the alleyway, bullet casings flying through the air like discarded memories.
"Is everything okay?" she asked.
"I really don't know," Frank replied. He was in the middle of reloading; he dropped the gun and pulled Angst down to the ground. "I think someone somewhere dropped the ball."
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