Episode 1.01 Memory Lane

[vampyre]

Univeristy student Jennifer Moore is on vacation, staying at her aunt's antique shop. Before her vacation ends, Jennifer's view of the world will never be quite the same again.

[vampyre]

1011 Prologue I

The wall clock ticked past 1.31am. The clock looked out over the shop floor, where shelving contained antiques and curios of all kinds, the only light coming through the windows from street lights outside.

In the darkness…in the quiet…in the stillness, a clicking sound is heard…followed by the mechanical rounding of a spring, then a chime. Amongst the shelving a small box had opened and light emitting from it shows a 2” doll of a slowly spinning ballet dancer, moving to the sweet melody of the chime. Upon a closer look, the dancer is dressed in a pretty red dress and white lace blouse and her smile is infectious. For a moment the light flickered…then a new sound was heard….whispering, not of one voice but many, that seemed to emit out from the box twirling and moving about the shop, resonating, the whispers rising and falling as it seemed to encircled the shop with the music box at the centre….the whisperings invoking…seeking….searching...


Memory Lane

Starring:
Professor McDowell
Gabriel Markham
Clarissa Morgan

Also starring:
Malcolm Moore
Deidre Moore

And introducing: Jennifer Moore

[Admin]

Jennifer tossed and turned restlessly as she dreamed .. flashing blades, slashing clawed hands, monsters ... and she awoke startled and distressed again. Her room was deathly quiet and unsettled by this she reached out in the dark to fumble for the switch and flick her bedside lamp on. It illuminated dimly with its low wattage bulb and after a few moments her vision adjusted to the light. The pill container was empty. She knew those were the last Ambien CR pills her doctor would agree to prescribe; her obsessive nightmares and visions were simply the product of an overactive imagination. She was a troubled young woman. At least that's what the doctor and her therapist had told her. They insisted that monsters aren't real and had made it quite clear to her that there could be no such thing as a "slayer" - something they had taken great pains and undertakings to stress to her. Yet every time, in her dreams, she knew that this is what she was seeing. Herself, as the "slayer" and it always felt real.

The pills had been a short-term solution and Jennifer knew that without them her true nature would now have to be realised. "The doctors are wrong", she told herself "I am the slayer and into every generation a chosen one is born. The pills had got her through high school ... but she'd have to get through college without them.

She'd never forgotten her training - "martial arts club" she'd told her parents when she was younger and, even now, she knew the professor was waiting for her to resume her role after having spent three years in denial. But Jennifer realised that had been long enough. There could be no escaping what she was and it was time to emerge and accept what she was meant to be.

She was ready.

[vampyre]

"...and so are we..." the voices whispered from the store below to the chime of the still opened music box.

[vampyre]

A door opened and a figure entered his feet shuffling slowly along the varnished wooden floor. The room was empty adn the figure dressed in a faded brown overcoat moved slowly towards the window, breathing in slow loud rasps, seemingly struggling for air...a trail of dripping blood following in his wake. Reaching the window, two pale gaunt eyes looked out across the overgrown garden below, faintly lit by two glass globed lamps. In the driveway was a car, on top of which was a rack with luggage.
Looking down he eyed the severed head he held by its hair in his left hand...blood dripping on the floor. There was still one other to be found...and he had to find her...and shield her from living world she was now seeking to return too. The figure could hear her racing heartbeat...feel and smell the fear and panic...she was coming to me. Turning he saw the girl enter the room and seeing him...screamed.

[vampyre]

The Professor was awake when he got the call…he had not rested since learning that Rhy’s car had been found. Blood…but no bodies and Jenna had been with him, both investigating a possible sighting of the Nomads. “Professor McDowell speaking.”
“Professor, Gabriel here…sorry to wake you, but I have detected active magic within the shop where Jennifer and her parents are staying. It is still active and is not malicious or threatening…so far.”
Gabriel unique gifts was showing again….I knew he was sensitive to magic, capable of detecting and discerning its nature. “Where is it originating from?”
“An object in the shop I believe…I can sense music…chime music, voices whispering…I do not know the language and something dancing, turning round and round.”
Chime music…dancing…what could that be...antique shop…something old…dancer, ballet…a music box. I had not seen one of those for years. They had gone out of fashion decades ago. “Well done Gabriel…I think it may be a music box.”
“Sorry…what is that?” Gabriel asked
“Well they were made for young children…you open the box and a chime would begin and a plastic ballet doll would dance, usually around a platter of some kind. They were used to help calm children and put them to sleep. Ah…where are you?”
“I am parked about 40 yards away from the shop. And I have not seen anything suspicious…no activity and has been so since midnight or so.”
“Yes…good…good. And you say it is not threatening.”
“No…but if it does become so, what should I do?”
“Ah…well…help as best you can.” The professor then paused for a moment. No…what if, he checked the date…Jennifer would have no pills for her “condition” “No…don’t do that, just be there should the need require it. Look, what I will do is call a friend of mine and ask her to purchase this box and also find out who was the former owner, as a matter of historical inquiry. So for the moment…just keep an eye out and continue to sense this magic. If anything changes call me.”
“Ok Professor.”

Professor McDowell terminated the call. Yes…Jennifer would have taken the last of her Ambien CR pills the night before and on this night…would have none to take. It has been 3 years…and the world has moved on. She could only deny what she truly is for so long…I am amazed she had lasted this long...oh she has that fighting spirit necessary. He sighed, thinking just how spirited she might become and rising went over to the varnished cedar oak paneling of his lounge. Pressing one panel, it slid away revealing an opening and reaching in removed a wooden case. Taking it to the table he smoked his pipe opening the case and removing the red silk carefully. Within the case were two long knives, made of the finest steel…Witchblades, last used by a Slayer, Charlotte Caulfield in the early 18^th century. The workmanship was amazing, taking nearly 15 years to be made by the renowned Hermetic Mage, Henry Cornelius Agrippa, who lived from 1486-1535. Largely unknown today, his considered satirical work of 1529, “De nobilitate et praecellentia foeminie sexus" - (On the nobility and superiority of the female sex) discerned the sacred feminine, the treatise touching on alchemy, cabala, hermticism and neo-platonism, a revolutionary work that advocated female equality…a sin for the period it was written in, which is why it was considered satirical. What no one knew was that Agrippa was a Watcher and through knowledge of his Slayer, one Anna Coecini, became fascinated by why the Slayers were female and ONLY female. The concept of the Witchblades came to him in a dream and the result was a fusion of the finest steel of the time and alchemical processes…the reason for the length of time for the long knives to be fashioned. The term “Witchblade” came about when Charlotte, the 3^rd and last of the slayers to use them, was accused of being a witch and possessed by demons. The accusations coming from those she was indeed hunting at the time…demons, in human guise and among the leading elders of Boston. From records, it seemed Charlotte was indeed successful in destroying the demons…but met the fate witches of the day did. And the Witchblades were lost to time…until found 18 years ago. Cabalistic and Hermetic runes graced each of the blades, 18” in length, at the top of each blade, the Rain guard or Chappe was designed as a half moon, with two cross-guards, grip and pommel shaped in a rose. Accentuating the feminine. “You may be needed very soon.” The professor said, more to himself…more to the blades. He placed the silk over it and closed the case placing it back into the alcove, the panel sliding back into place.

He rubbed his eyes. Today was the day that the Priory would receive Amanda Jansen. He thought about Rhys and Jenna. No bodies…and blood. With the inclement weather, a police car was at the accident site, but there would be no official search until the morning. Though he wanted to help, he could not be seen with associating with them…questions would be asked. No I have to get Amanda to the Priory and be prepared to pay what they decide to exact from me.

[Admin]

She was there amidst the swirling acrid smoke and the wafting heat of the intense flames. Was this another hallucination? Jennifer was no longer certain of what was real or imaginary when she slept and awakened. Her frequent medication had seen to that. But she knew that some element of this experience was real because it felt real and it was recurring. Too vivid to simply be dreaming she had told herself. The screaming and agony is too loud.

As the smoke parted she witnessed the hooded chanting figures surrounding the burning post, the wood stacked beneath it, piled high and blazing fiercely. Who is she? Jennifer could see the tormented girl, barely 18, writhing and twisting with her skin blistering unable to free herself from the pole. What has she done and why do these people do this to her?

From her vantage point behind the rocks near the mouth of the cave, Jennifer watched in horror and fascination as the scene unfolded. "We triumph again, for the Master ... the lead figure announced as the chanting lowered in tone. ... For he has spoken and for him we have delivered unto him another Slayer ...

Jennifer continued watching as the figure turned its head and looked at her, a darkness within the hood that remained concealed until it revealed a wicked long toothed smile ... as we will do again when we are summoned ...

The smoke swirled again, obscuring the ritual burning and then Jennifer snapped out of her dream.

[Narrator]

[restless sleeping]

Jennifer hears lightning and sound of thunder echoing and the lightning illuminates a house on a cliff face. It is familiar, Jennifer remembers she knows this place - she has been here before, with her aunt and now she is walking towards the house. Despite the howling wind, and the lashing cold rain Jennifer feels nothing. For a moment the wind blown trees are twirling around her as she approaches the house and she is impervious to them as the branches pass periously close to her face.

Then she sees a car pull up outside and from the main door of the house emerges a figure, huge in build and dressed in an oilskin raincoat with a cowled rainhood fixed onto it pulled over his head. There is the dull thud from his steel capped boots on the ground and he is holding in his hands by the hair a severed head of a young man and a woman, their stilled faces twisted in agony and terror.

The figure lumbers slowly along the verandah and at this point she awakens.

[Jennifer wakes up frightened]

*****************

The clock is 5:34 am and she is sweating from the experience. She notices the drawer of the bedside table is slightly ajar (it is usually locked), Jennifer remembers that house in her dream is Rylanor house where Wolfred Gainsborough used to live. She knows him because her aunt used to go there to keep the old man company and it was like an old curiosity shop. He used to tell stories when she was young and has recently passed away.

It really is raining outside and there is thunder rumbling in the distance. She gets out of bed and washes her face and looks curiously at the partly opened drawer, wondering if she had locked it. She opens it and finds something she did not have last night; a thin wooden case ... latched but not locked. She opens it and immediately remembers the earlier dream of the burning girl and the watching figures uttering "we triumph again for the master and deliver unto him another slayer ..."

In the distance Jennifer can hear soft melodic chime music and voices whisper to her; the voices say "for we have delivered thee to the slayer."

Inside the case are two long knives, the blades are 18" in length at at the top of each blade the guard is shaped like a crescent and the cross guards are shaped .... and the pommels are shaped like a rose. Jennifer feels a kinship between the blades and the dreamlike sequence she experienced of the girl burning [Like she is tied to them somehow] She feels the blades have been "passed down" to her by that slayer who was burning. But then she realises the one who was burning was an ancestor. She sympathises with their pain and, somehow, it briefly feels real.

[how? why? who left the blades in my room?]

[vampyre]

Memory Lane

Nothing else in the room has been disturbed.

Jennifer has not seen the blades before but she instinctively knows that the last person who used them was the young woman burning in her dream. So how did they get here?

Outside the storm has struck and heavy rain and wind lashes against the windows. The street below is empty, just the odd car passing bar lights on as the day is gloomy.

It's Saturday.

She studies the blades with curiosity and apprehension. She examines the box. Is there any indication of who has sent them? None.

The blades fell good, balanced in hands. Like a natural extension until released willingly. 8.40am - time for breakfast. Quiet knock on the door. It is her Aunt.

"Is everything alright, dear, are you ready for breakfast?" she calls.
"Yes I am," Jennifer replies. "I'll be there shortly."

She goes downstairs down to breakfast table and her parents are there. Polite chat but Jennifer is a little withdrawn from the conversation.

During breakfast Jennifer’s Aunt mentions that she has had a number of items bequeathed to her by Wilfred Gainsborough including 4 paintings of Rylinor House that she intends to hang up on the 4 walls of her curio shop. “The items are not for sale, they are to precious to me.” “Penny for your thoughts dear.” Jennifer’s mother asks seeing her slightly distracted…distant.

"Oh nothing really, I'm just tired is all."
"Unfortnately Jennifer we're not able to go out and about today. Unles you're planning to use the car most shops will be closed. I see the fishing fleet hasn't gone out so there'll be no fish market today."

Jennifer knows her aunt has a marine radio.

"I'm pleased to be having a break from college," Jennifer says. "Is this storm going to get any worse?"

"No, it's going to wane over the next 48 hrs. We got the brunt last night."

"That's good, I think I will go out for a drive. There's some places I might go look at that I remember seeing when I was little. Can I borrow the car?"

"Sure, just drive carefully and take your cellphone with you," her father says.

"You know me dad, nothing to worry about there."

He smiles and winks "Dad's got to say what a dad's got to say."
Aunt says "Any places in particular that you might be seeing?"
"ummmm ... I just thought I'd drive out and see what looks familiar. Nothing special."

[favourite food] aunt says she'll make it.

"That'll be nice - I'll be here."
"Don't look at the car yards until next week" her father says.

[she has been badgering parents about getting a car]

Breakfast ends and get keys to car.

Jennifer is wearing stylish dark blue jeans, a cream coloured blouse with a bright yellow sweater and a windbreaker over the top. Her hair is long, not tied back. She takes box with the blades from the house under her windbreaker and slides it under car seat when she gets outside.

Jennifer drives to the house she has been seeing in her dream.

The house is located on a cliff top overlooking the sea and rain continues to fall, the howling wind, thunder and lightning coursing across the gloomy dark sky. Jennifer turns of the coastal road into a narrow driveway that wounds to the house and stopping before the gates Jennifer saw the car from her dreams the night before. Beyond the gates lies Rylinor house surrounded by now overgrown and unkept gardens. The front door is open. Jennifer drives in and parks beside the other car. Lightning flashes across the sky.

The house looks and feels ominous. Solemnly, Jennifer takes both blades out of the box to conceal on the side loops of her jeans. As she handles the blades she gets a slight tingling sensation and she knows they are meant to be hers. They feel powerful. But she also feels afraid of what will happen if she has to use them. It has been so long since her former training that she worries she may no longer be skilled at fighting, if she has to defend herself against anything nasty.

Jennifer gets out of the car and rushes up to the veranda and under the shelter of the portico looking at the open door calls out “hello”. There is no answer. Jennifer had been to Rylinor House before with her Aunt Clarissa and remembered distinctly the rooms she was familiar with, two lounges on the ground floor, both with walls of shelving containing hundreds of books. Wilfred Gainsborough had two staff, a house keeper, Annetta Meddann, who cooked and cleaned for him and a man servant, Annetta’s husband Alfred and they both stayed in the house in one of the guest rooms upstairs. Jennifer wondered what had become of her since Wilfred’s passing. She also remembered the house had no electricity…the rooms lit by lamps, wood fire places and food was cooked on a wood burning stove…things she had seen in a museum

Jennifer walks around the house, on the verandah, looking for any signs of movement or activity and she looks at the windows. She can't see in as the windows are heavilly curtained.

At the point on the verandah where she think s she saw a huge shuffling man in a raincoat she looks to see if there is any evidence of that here. Are there any blood stains? Yes, droplets. The droplets leave a trail that go down the steps and into the rain.

"Creepy."

The droplets of blood lead to the general direction of the car that was here when Jennifer arrived. She runs out to that car and checks to see if it locked. It is not. She opens the driver side door and looks inside. Normal car interior. She pops the boot lever and looks in the trunk. Couple of bags and luggage cases. Spare wheel. etc.

It's cold and wet so she goes back up the steps to the front door.

"Hello? Are you here. Are you alright?"
No answer.

Jennifer steps inside the front door. Gloomy but not lit. "Hello?" she calls. "I'm coming inside."
She enters a hallway. Recalls that lounges are on the left and right from when she used to visit. She also knows where the kitchen and dining rooms are. [The oldness and antiquated look and feel of this place has always fascinated her].

She enters the lounge on the left. Are there any signs of disturbance? Its a comfortable "smoking" lounge whewer he used to smoke a pipe. Furinutre covered by sheets. All shelving is toally empty of books. Unsual because it was amassive collection. She checks the other lounge. Same. Framed photos of gabriel are still here on the walls. All statues and curios have gone too.

"This is weird." Jennifer says.

The floor is varnished wood and she sees wet foot marks on it. Curiously enough, Jennifer can also smell sea water here.

The house overlooks the sea. The smell might just be an effect of the storm.
She suspects otherwise.

Goes back to the hallway. Stops and listens for any sound or movement. Just the storm outside.
Jennifer decides to go to the kitchen.

On the dining room table is a headless body stripped of its skin, blood flowing from exposed organs and flesh. Rib cage split and opened. The body is female. Jennifer backs out revulsed by the sight of the corpse and she feels very sick. She moves back to the hallway and pulls out her cellphone to call the police.

Jennifer sees a solitary figure on the veranda, seen briefly as lightning illuminates him for but a brief second. The figure is dressed in a thick dark green windbreaker his face surrounded by a hood…Jennifer can smell and almost taste seawater. The face is pale and gaunt, almost sickly…and for a brief moment Jennifer is reminded of a portrait of Wilfred done 50 years ago…there was an uncanny resemblance. Then it suddenly strikes her, Wilfred had mentioned his brother William, who went missing 52 years ago along with the crew of the fishing vessel “Sea Urchin”. It was last known to have sent an SOS as it lost power “…we are drifting towards the mist…drifting towards the mist.” As Wilfred said repeating it over and over again. No sign of the vessel or crew was ever found.

Jennifer runs upstairs. Hallway. Left or Right. She turns right and runs to the end of that hallway. A big arched window at the end. There are two doors here - she opens the door to her right. She enters a guest room. Apparently undisturbed. She shuts the door. She hears heavy booted feet coming up the stairs. Slow. Thud. Thud. Thud.

She barricades the door to the room with some furniture. And then she moves to the far side of the room to the windows. She pulls the curtains aside and looks out. Stormy gloomy day. Narrow landing outside. Waits. Thud. Thud. Thud. on door. She opens the window (pulls up) and goes onto the narrow landing outside and she edges around to the front of the house. She can see the parked cars and is above the front door. Partially exposed to weather. Waits.

"Damn I left the window open."

She looks back. Nothing there.
She keeps watching, convinced the man will break into the room she left and follow her.

Thunder and lightning. One flash illuminates the figure rounding the corner, approaching her.
It has a hook in its hand.

"Who are you?" Jennifer yells at the figure.
The figure moves forward, not responding.
there is a strong smell of sea water.

The ladder down is behind it as it advances.

Jennifer moves away by jumping onto the portoco and up onto the opoosite side to the ledgeway of the house. The figure stops.

"What do you want? Who are you?"
It leaps across the gap with the hook in front of it to land in front of her.

[vampyre]

FADE IN:

EXT. ROAD LEADING TO RYLINOR HOUSE - STORMY DAY

ANGLE: GABRIEL DRIVING A CAR

GABRIEL
"What is this place…"

Gabriel turns off the road and passes through the open gate, climbing slowly up the hill.

CUT TO:

EXT. RYLINOR HOUSE - STORMY DAY

The figure leaps and crashes onto the landing, which begins to give under the weight, the bolts connecting it the wall breaking and the landing crashes onto the roof of the portico and the figure falls backwards losing its footing and lands on the portico roof. Jennifer stumbles as the landing lurches and she knows it is going to break away completely, the landing now angled away from the house and another bolt shears off from the wall. The howling wind and driving rain makes it difficult for Jennifer to see the figure on the portico roof, whether it is moving then a flash of lightning strikes the roof of the house and the landing vibrates, another bolt snapping. She sees the figure on the landing on its feet watching her…then it leaps again…and Jennifer knows that should it reach the landing…it would completely break off and fall to the ground below.

Jennifer jumps through the window beside her, expecting that the heavy curtain behind it will protect her and stop the sharpness of any broken glass. The pane of glass SMASHES as she struggles through the curtain to find herself inside.

There is a CRASHING sound and the landing outside breaks as the figure lands on it again.

CUT TO:

INT. EMPTY ROOM INSIDE RYLINOR MANOR HOUSE - DARKENED

There is a old style desk and a lamp in the corner of this room, but that is all. The wind and rain are coming in from the broken window. Jennifer Moore moves into the middle of the room and stops and listens for further movement outside or below. The wind and rain is HOWLING outside, making it difficult to hear anything else.

She moves to the door of the room and opens it. It leads to a hallway. This is the far end of the opposite upstairs wing. She waits. Jennifer sees the door close before her and turning she sees a gray figure sitting beside the table…where no chair had been before. She can see through him.

GRAY FIGURE

"My it is young Jennifer all grown up (gasps quietly) I do not wish to frighten you … but there is an aura about you that made me realise you would be able to see me. I cannot leave this house until my murderer has been found."


Jennifer realizes it is Wilfred Gainsborough, the former owner of the house.


JENNIFER MOORE
“So, you're like, a ghost now Wilfred? You died a month ago. Creepy.”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“I suppose I am. But I cannot move on until my murderer is found. I need to move on. The more I remain here the more I feel I may become
something i do not wish to be.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“You mean like that thing that's chasing me around this house?”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“I do not know. I just know I should not be here.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“I'm not a big fan of math but I'm thinking that one and one are making two right now so I'll stop that thing somehow and maybe that will put you at peace.”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
"You are mistaken. My brother has visited here each year on the only 3 nights he can do so. But with my death, he is now unable to be controlled by me. The one who murdered me was Paul Gantt, one I thought a friend. He came to my home in the hope of purchasing a rare item I had recently come into possession of. When I refused to sell…he flew into a rage, that I tried to calm down and thinking I had…I did not know that he had put poison into my wine, one that I know is used by certain groups in dealing with difficult people. The poison took my life and he took the amulet."


JENNIFER MOORE
“So the thing that is chasing me is your brother?”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“Yes, sadly he is. I have no influence over him since I passed. I fear he has killed two people already.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“Yes, he has and now he's after me. If you can't control him then how do I stop him?”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“You must remove his head. Decapitate him. For he is dead in body but his brain still functions.“

JENNIFER MOORE
“Why does he kill? What is he?”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“I believe he could be a zombie.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“... a zombie? Like it wants brains and stuff to feed on? You mean to say you knew that thing was coming back each year and you let it?”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“I had no choice. He had become something more powerful and less human, but he was still my brother.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“Ewwwww, that's creepy. ”

Jennifer draws the two slender blades she received as a mysterious gift the previous night. She prepares to leave the room and search for
Gainborough's brother.

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“Those look like the witch blades.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“Really, What do you know about them? I got them last night.”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“One of my books refers to such blades, having been made in the 1500s by a hermetic mage called Henry Agrippa. I believe he made them for a woman although I do not know who.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“I have a feeling she was someone special, someone like me.”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“Yes, I do sense something about you Jennifer. Even when you were younger there was something about you. The eyes ... I'm not too sure. Yes, you are special. May I look at the blades.”

JENNIFER MOORE
“Sure ... but no touching ... oh, of course you can't touch them being a ghost and all that. Here they are.”

Jennifer holds the blades out fully so that Wilfred may inspect them.

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“(mutters) These are cabalist and hermetic runes. I recognise some of them ... 'of the spirit, strength in one, alpha and omega'. The half moon (the rain guard) is associated with the Phonecian goddess of the Moon. There is the hermetic rune for female. The runes are designed
in the feminine representation of them. How did you get this, Jennifer? You seem to be quite comfortable with them. Surely this
is not what university does to students these days?”

There is a hint of amusement in his voice.

JENNIFER MOORE
“Feminine runes? Is that unusual? The blades came to me while I slept and while I was having a nightmare. I am not sure that I am comfortable with them yet. But I feel they are powerful and I feel that they belong to me.”

WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH
“I think these witch blades can only be used by special women like yourself. I wish you luck, Jennifer, the longer I remain in the physical world I only decrease the chances of my passing. There is a place that exists between this world and the next and though I do not like it, while I am in there I am not affected by time.”

With that, he fades, along with the chair.


WILFRED GAINSBOROUGH (O.S.)
“Remember ... you must remove the head ...” Wilfred's voice fades away.


FADE OUT

[vampyre]

FADE IN:

EXT. RYLINOR HOUSE - STORMY DAY

Jennifer is in the room, Wilfred Gainsborough no longer there…and outside she hears her name been shouted.

GABRIEL (O.S.)
"Jennifer!!!!"

Jennifer tries to distinguish the voice but finds it impossible due to the prevailing weather conditions outside. She knows the voice belongs to a male. She approaches the window and looks outside to see who is calling her name.

CUT TO:

EXT. RYLINOR HOUSE - STORMY DAY

Outside she sees another car parked next to yours and a figure in a raincoat is looking through the windows of Jennifer’s car … he then looks around and calls her name again. Jennifer has seen him before at University … Gabriel Markham.

JENNIFER MOORE
"Hey!"

She waves from the window to try and get his attention.


JENNIFER
"Gabriel ... watch out ... there is a killer on the loose around this manor!"

She prepares to climb down.

GABRIEL
"Ah…what…killer…really!!!!!"

Gabriel shouts back as he sees Jennifer climbing out the window and about to drop to the ground.

GABRIEL
"That is quite a drop…let me catch you."

And Gabriel comes racing up and Jennifer falls gracefully landing on her feet, after sliding off the veranda right in front of him.

GABRIEL
"Sorry…a little too late." He says.


JENNIFER
“Thanks, you're my hero!” (sarcastic but in a fun way)

GABRIEL
“Oh, thanks. A little slow on the uptake though.”

JENNIFER
“We've got to get out of this rain. Follow me onto the verandah and we'll get some shelter. I need to stop this thing before it kills more
people.”

She leads him up the wooden stairs to the verandah.

GABRIEL
“I saw no one outside so he must be in there.”

JENNIFER
“Be careful – you wait here – I think it is upstairs, looking for me. It's already killed two people and you really don't want to see what
it's done. It's quite gross.”

GABRIEL
"Ah…Jennifer I don’t think you need to go upstairs…it has just walked outside." Gabriel said.

Jennifer turns and sees the figure in the windbreaker looking towards where the cars were parked and he looks left then right and sees Jennifer and Gabriel…and leaps towards them.

The figure leaps towards them.

Jennifer pushes Gabriel aside and stands her ground with the witch blades at the ready. She feels strong and powerful holding them as her former training and slayer instincts take over with the surge of adrenalin.

She dodges as it moves past her and, from behind the figure she slashes with the witch blades to try and sever its head. She sweeps the
blade to the back of its neck and to her surprise, she feels it easily slice through. The figure's head falls to the ground and it's body topples. The body is not moving. Then it disintegrates into sea water and bile, which seeps through the cracks of the verandah. The head dissolves too.

JENNIFER

“Ewwwww ... that's gross. I hate stupid zombie sea water things. Are you alright Gabriel?”


GABRIEL
"Nothing that a shower can’t fix."

Gabriel's face and clothing are covered in mud.


JENNIFER
“Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't want that thing to get you. It made a mess of it's other victims. We should get out of here. The place is empty, which is weird, because there used to be a lot of old stuff kept here.”

GABRIEL
“Perhaps it is hidden away? This house looks old enough to have a basement or something like that.”

JENNIFER
“I guess we could have a quick look – but don't go to the kitchen as that's where the woman's body is – but, hang on a minute Gabriel, why are you here?”

GABRIEL
“I suppose 'taking in the weather' would not be justifiable (smiles). I was sent here.”

JENNIFER
“Who sent you? (demands)”

GABRIEL
“Professor McDowell. I followed you down here when you started you vacation.”

JENNIFER
“So you're spying on me for him? (accuses) Why does he care what I am doing. I thought I'd told him to back off years ago. Why the sudden concern and interest. What has he told you? (demands)”

GABRIEL
"Well I don’t know about your past with him. But I do know that I was sent here to watch out for you, not watch you directly. 4 girls had disappeared around where you live and the Professor felt you may be a target…as they all had been taken by vampires. So I followed you down…and by the way, spying is not what I like doing. I do like to respect other peoples privacy, but if anyone was watching you then…I could have done something. You have the Witchblades thanks to the Professor, he has had them in his keeping for quite some time. It was I that ensured they reached you…the Professor felt that with the pills due to run out, what you are…and what you cannot deny…would come forth. So don’t kill the messenger Jennifer…you are what you are, but heck…you might find that doing this alone could be far worse than having people around you to help. And that includes me."

JENNIFER
“(incredulous) So ... you've graduated from being a general study buddy to more of a watching my back because I know what you are type of guy, have you? Why did the professor tell you about what I am? I thought that stuff was supposed to be kept secret.”

GABRIEL
“Outside the professor I know of only three people who knew what you prospectively were. As for my knowing it is because I have 'gifts' myself. That was how I got the witch blades into your room.”

JENNIFER
“(confused) What are your 'gifts' Gabriel? Sneaking and snitching? I thought you just liked reading books about occult stuff.”

GABRIEL
“(uncomfortable, possibly hurt feelings) I'm not proud of what I've done but I did it thinking that in the end, in my own little way, I would be helping you. And yes, I research the occult. It helps me understand my own abilities. One which I was able to determine last evening that there was a magical item in the curio shop. A music box that played most of the night.”

JENNIFER
“So do your 'gifts' extend to giving me dreams? Like did you show me this house in my dreams last night? Did you do that for the professor?”

GABRIEL
“(surprised) I would never do that. That's invasion of your mind and your thoughts.”

JENNIFER
“But something did it. If it wasn't you or the professor willing it then what did. You talk about a music box playing most of the night. I heard music in my dream. Perhaps ... that was not a coincidence. But it seems to weird that I would dream about this place and then have to fight something that I needed the blades to kill. What's going on, Gabriel, is there something else that you are not telling me? Perhaps this is just a test, set by the professor, and maybe you don't know about it.”

GABRIEL
“Perhaps. But it's just not like him.”

JENNIFER
“Oh believe me, it is every bit just like him. He has tested me before when I first learned what I was and, admittedly it's not completely his fault, that's what caused me to walk away from him in the first place. Because I hate the stupid dumb tests that those stuffy Watchers and their council like to set.”

GABRIEL
“Perhaps I have seen a cruel streak in him on occasions. But I've seen a very human side of him as well. One could say he is an enigma. I do share some wariness about him. Perhaps I've been a little too trusting of recent. Do you think there is more than one watcher.”

JENNIFER
“Duh. There has to be. There's a whole council of them in England. And they're all toffee-nosed and into 'testing the slayer' and what-not. It's never pleasant when they show up and insist on that. It's always a mind game that they enjoy no matter how miserable it might be for the testee. Hasn't the professor told you anything about where he's come from?”

GABRIEL
“No he has not but I am under the impression that he is the last of the watchers. On occasion he has said 'the world has moved on' and he is rather sad when he says it. But I believe he lost contact with them some years ago. I think the last of them was about three years ago. I've known him about that long.”

JENNIFER
“Then perhaps that was my fault when I failed the test they wanted him to set me because I refused to do it. I'd had enough of the nightmares and the mind games. I walked away. Perhaps he lost contact as a punishment for losing me. But I'd always made it clear I'd return when I was ready. I didn't want any test to force me back. I hope that's not what this is.”

GABRIEL
“Well, if this is a test then I would quite happily walk away from all this. I consider this an insult. But I don't think it is. This music box seemed to start things off. However it was not offensive or harmful in any way. It was meditative. Voices from an ancient past. All female. It was quite beautiful. It certainly breaks the monotony of sitting in a car and spying on a place (smiles)”

JENNIFER
“(smiles) You're right. The music wasn't unpleasant. In some ways it feels like it woke me up. I don't know how to explain that. But it was there. And while I dreaming perhaps it was the music that helped me recall the vision of the previous slayer that I have seen. It was horrible. And yet the music was like a guide and calmed me. It brought me back and then I woke up and found the blades where you say you placed them. That's weird.”

GABRIEL
“I told the professor about the box earlier this morning and then he turned up a couple of hours later and gave me the witch blades. Now, the professor told me he was planning to get someone to buy that music box. Is your curio shop open today?”


JENNIFER
“No, it isn't. But I could get my aunt to ...”

GABRIEL
“Buy it off her and keep it as your insurance. Perhaps together we may learn more about the box. If this is somehow related to you then shouldn't you be the one to have it, rather than someone else?”

JENNIFER
“What? You mean we keep it secret from the professor? I have to admit I do kind of like that plan. There is a sense of devious justice about it. I'll do it.”

Jennifer is thinking about the guy named Paul Gantt who poisoned Wilfred Gainsborough to get an amulet off him after arguing about it.

“You know, did the professor ever name the person who was supposed to show up for the music box?”

GABRIEL
“I think its a local. A lady. One of his friends. That's what I got the sense of. She might show up on Monday.”

JENNIFER
“Hmmmm ... I was just curious.”

GABRIEL
“Why?”

JENNIFER
“Oh ... because a ghost inside this house told me how he was poisoned by some guy who wanted to buy an amulet off him from this place.”

GABRIEL
“A ghost! You've seen a ghost? (smiles) Join the club.”

JENNIFER
“Yeah. The former owner of this house. He disappeared a short time ago after telling me how I could stop his dead brother. You know the one, that gross sea water zombie thing that I just killed before.”

GABRIEL
“Did he name this person?”

JENNIFER
“Yeah. Some guy named ... Paul. Paul Gantt. They had an argument and that led to Wilfred Gainsborough getting poisoned. That's kind of sad because I met him when I was little and he was a nice man. Still is, just dead and a ghost.”

GABRIEL
“I know of a Paul Gantt, who is a collector. He works, or is employed by, one of the hierarch families, David Winchester III. A year ago he was thrown out of one of the freemason churches for suspected embezzlement, though no charges were laid. I only know this because I am interested in how the politics of New Providence works and I have grown to be very wary of the heirach families. All ten of them. They all seem to have their own agendas.”

JENNIFER
“So this guy with the poison is linked to very powerful allies. I wonder what was so special about the amulet that he had to kill for it? I wonder if there are any other clues left here, or maybe other items? All I know is that Wilfred's book collection is entirely gone. And that's a pity because it was stuff that you might have liked. You know, occult things and witchery.”

GABRIEL
“Are we talking about Wilfred Gainsborough. Is this his house?”

JENNIFER
“Yeah.”

GABRIEL
“I have all his books. In his younger years he was like Indiana Jones. It was he who got me interested in learning history and matters esoteric, or occult. Perhaps this amulet is in one of his books. He often writes of finding things in the forgotten world, as though the world has forgotten history, if you know what I mean.”

JENNIFER
“I never knew that. It's clearly a small world for us to have both known him. I used to visit here with my aunt when i was little. The house didn't seem so creepy then. For one thing there was no headless torso on the kitchen bench and there was no head sitting in the upstairs room.”

GABRIEL
“I did not meet him personally. I like to think I knew him through his books. He was still writing articles up until four months ago. I have them all at home. Let's go inside and have a look around. But I think we should at least consider that perhaps Mr Gantt should be deprived of the amulet.”

JENNIFER
“But that would be difficult, surely. He works for a powerful family. It wouldn't be easy to get near him. And in any case, isn't that stealing. Although ... it's really just a case of getting Wilfred's estate back for its proper disposal. And maybe that might put Wilfred's soul at rest. He did tell me his murderer had to be found. The least we could do is to help him get his property back.”

GABRIEL
“And I know someone who can help.”

JENNIFER
“Let me guess – professor McDowell?”

GABRIEL
“No, actually.”

JENNIFER
“Then who is it?

GABRIEL
“He is a friend of mine. He built my first computer. He built all of my computers and, when it comes down to breaking down security barriers, there is no one quite like him. In fact recently he told me he has broken into some blog that he thinks is very covert. People interested in that fire at the bar. Do you know who ran that bar, the Isis?”

JENNIFER
“No, I don't. But what blog? Why would bloggers care about a fire?”


Gabriel turns to look at Jennifer as the storm continues around them.

GABRIEL
“Because from what I can tell…the fire was a deliberate act targeting its owner. I believe and this is only my suspicion that the Professor was involved and that others detected what would be considered a magical effect. The owner, Nicola is…and I say, as I believe she survived…is a woman who feeds of the ecstatic energy of others. Unfortunately on the night of the fire, a friend of yours, Tanya was going to be there and I had been asked by Jacob her boyfriend to help and I believed she was under the influence of Nicola and on that night we had to drug Tanya to ensure she did not go. Nicola is definitely a supernatural creature and I believe is a Succubi. Believe you me it was very long night for both of us watching over Tanya. But by the following the influence had passed."

JENNIFER
“I'm pleased Tania is alright. Thanks for looking out for her. There's obviously more going on around New Providence than I had realised. It's not that I haven't cared but rather I was tired of all the responsibility so I tried to forget it. But it seems that time is over. I'm back and I'm ready. But it's not going to be easy.”

GABRIEL
“Well don't shoulder the burden alone. You don't have to.”

JENNIFER
“(touches his shoulder lightly) thanks, I appreciate that. Now, what's in this house?”

FADE OUT

[vampyre]

FADE IN:

EXT. RYLINOR HOUSE - STORMY DAY

Jennifer leads Gabriel inside.

CUT TO:

INT. RYLINOR HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Jennifer shows him the empty living areas, but avoids the kitchen and dining area. They enter a room on the second floor. The wall by the fireplace is darker than the rest of wall covering the area.

Jennifer leads Gabriel inside and shows him the empty living areas, but avoids the kitchen and dining area. They enter a room on the second floor. The wall by the fireplace is darker than the rest of wall covering the area.

JENNIFER
“Look at this. Maybe it's a secret compartment in the wall, or something.”

GABRIEL
“(taps on wall) It's not hollow (taps another part) The sound is different; there's something behind there.”

JENNIFER
“(observes the rather ornate mantle piece of the fireplace) Maybe there's something around here that will make it open.”

GABRIEL
“Let's just press and see what happens.”

The wall slides away.

JENNIFER
“I KNEW something like that would happen. What is it?”

GABRIEL
“It's a lift of some kind.”

JENNIFER
“Let's check it out.”

CUT TO:

INT. SECRET ELEVATOR - DIMLY LIT

Jennifer leads Gabriel into the wall space and stands on the lift. There are three buttons. Brown, blue and red.

GABRIEL
“Perhaps brown is this floor, blue is ground and red is underground. Is there something blue on the ground floor?”

JENNIFER
“Yes, the wallpaper in one of the living areas was blue. Let's go underground.”

Jennifer presses the red button.

[vampyre]

[FADE IN]

CUT TO: INT -BENEATH RYLINOR HOUSE

The lift descended slowly and it is quite large inside, Gabriel suggesting it could well double as a service lift. The lift opens revealing darkness beyond. "Oh…torches…" Gabriel says. "Back in the car sorry."
Feeling around near the lift Jennifer flicks on a switch and light appears, revealing a cave…a mining tunnel perhaps as there are wooden buttresses situated every 20 or so yards. "It goes quite a way." Gabriel remarks.

Jennifer and Gabriel exit the elevator into the basement area beneath Rylinor House into what appears to be a mining tunnel. Under the dim illumination Jennifer looks around surprised and says “Wow, this is spooky, it's like a Scooby Doo episode or something down here. Let's have a look around!”

“i was thinking of western movies myself,” says Gabriel.

“Well come along cowboy, let's look for the bad guys if there are any others around.”

Counting the buttresses, Gabriel guesses the corridor extends about 120 yards and opens out into a cave. Lit by simple light bulbs the room contains a number of wooden crates.

Jennifer inspects the nearest crates. None are open. She says “I wonder what is in these.”

Opening a crate, they find a stack of paper wrapped square or rectangular items, neatly stacked. Unwrapping one, it is a book, by Karl Jung, entitled "Psychology of the Mind" "They must be all books….He must have had help…I wonder who?" Gabriel muses aloud. There was no ladder, chairs or table in the room. The floor is sandy and wet foot prints are found on the floor leading to a natural fissure in the rock, narrow and twisting. Light can be seen ahead through the darkness.


“ Let's follow those footprints,” Jennifer says. “But be ready for something bad to happen. There might be another one of those zombie things. Maybe the brother had some friends.”

“What about the rest of the crew?” Gabriel asks.

“Good point, maybe they're all down here. But I hope not because that could be trouble.”

“You've got that right,” Gabriel mutters.

“And in any case I don't think those guys would be big on reading, so they'll probably be somewhere else.”

Feeling their way along the damp walls of the fissure, they both can smell sea water and it opens out to a cave lit by the opening that leads out to the sea. The sound of thunder and rain can be heard. The sea laps against the rocky edge of the cave and jutting out from the rocks is a fishing trawler covered in seaward and slime and beyond it, the opening to the cave. The vessel looks like it is lodged fast against the rocks and seemed to have submerged for some time. On the deck though is a tall broad shouldered figure dressed in a black oilskin face concealed by the hood. The figure steps off the boat onto the rocks and moves towards them, carrying a large carving knife in his right hand.


[FADE OUT]

END OF PART ONE

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