I Am The Night. (Scenes 4 & 5)

Scene 41

*Eptesicus- Hans Zimmer*2

(He just lays there, the rain pouring on his face. Soaking him, his dark long black hair is pushed back against the ground by the amount of rain. Hours pass by, till it’s about 4 in the morning, then his eyes start twitching. Violent shudders reverberate across his body, his mangled self. One of his eyes twitches violently and opens; it’s green! The whole eye is green! The camera is focused on his face, stained and crusted with the foam and blood. His other eye flitters manically as well, gradually opening and that too is green. His eyes are an illuminating green colour, no white in them. Then, to the horror of the viewers, while he is still half-dead, his heart is not beating, he is still not moving, but the skin on his forehead starts disintegrating slowly, replaced with the same kind of green colour that’s in his eyes. His hair has gone; his scalp now a glowing illuminated bright green. The skin on his face starts to go as well; gradually his lips change to green and the camera slowly follows the cracks in his skin, all over his body we can witness running cracks with the radiation forming and replacing his skin. His chest, his legs, his feet, his arms all turn green. A glowing sensation around him forms, but the most shocking thing we see is that the black liquid that replaces his blood, seals up his wounds. The bullets within him start to pop out really slowly, like as in a rewind of the bullets trajectory they pop out and fly a few metres away into the rubbish that hugs the alleyway walls. We see them land in the heaps smoking, the radiation burning them. His wounds start healing rapidly now and as the camera moves to his arms, we see them regenerating. What looks like a small stump forming slowly starts to resemble a hand. We keep watching, surely fascinated as his right hand spouts out fingers and the distinction of them. The Left one however spurts some liquid which circulates within the prosthetic limb and ignites life into it. He’ll need to get a new one though, as fingers are missing from the brutal attack.3

Then, as we watch the rain soak him, we notice that it creates a smouldering effect, with steam being let off. The camera zooms in a little more, studying tiny movements in his body, the clothes melted off, completely consumed in green radioactive layers of skin. His eyes start to move side to side, they blink and then they blink again. He sits up really slowly, looking at his transformation, aghast maybe. We see a tear from his left eye, burning into his cheek, the smoke being let off. We hear heavy breathing; we see a burnt mark from where his body laid as we watch him stagger upwards onto his feet. He looks at his hands and follows the path of his veins and notices distinct differences in the way his body is shaped, let alone the new muscles he has gained. Then we see sadness across his face, the first real impression we’ve seen since he morphed into this figure of green, this frighteningly looking creature- a human who is different, the radiation didn’t go. It was there all the time, holding onto the human body that had hosted it. All those medical experts got it wrong, so badly wrong. The treatments he got and the therapies he had didn’t get rid of it at all, it just laid in his body, strengthened itself, sleeping until it needed to burst out. 4

John’s face screws up in pain and anger, his face contorted. His eyebrows are non-existent, the only way it can be told if he is frowning or not is by the skin, albeit radioactive that was underneath, like anyone else’s. More tears start to trickle out slowly, the burning sensation in his face is again letting off steam. The marks of tears then disappear slowly and get replaced by a new layer of skin. He looks down at his naked self, he see’s no definition in his feet, there are no toes, all the gaps closed together. John leans against a wall, collapsing against it through the tragic emotions he feels right now.)5

John: No…no…no…no…no…no…NO!!! (He starts saying it in disbelief and then cries it out, screaming.) Why? Why me? (He thumps his fist against the wall. Then he drags himself rather slowly into a rubbish bin and scuffles through it. Fighting the rubbish in anger, he finds a mirror.) What…do…I look like?? (He says it in mixed horror and anguish as the mirror reflects what we have seen him transform into. He smashes it violently, the glass shards bouncing off the brick wall and flying off in different directions. He shakes himself off rapidly, noticing the burn marks all over his body by the rain, which like his tears, are quickly regenerated again.)6

John: I need…7

Kelly: Wake up… (She says it really softly)8

John: Huh?? (He sits up instantly, shocked and baffled. It feels like only minutes ago that he was in an alleyway half-dead. But there he is, lying in his bed, at their home. He covers his body, maybe thinking that for some reason he’s still green. That he will expose what is now a terrible secret. He just sits up, looking at her through blurry eyes, and we hear him sniff a few times, through his view, the camera looking through his eyes we see Kelly sitting on the end of his bed and twiddling a little with the green duvet. She looks beautiful, possibly 34/35. Brown eyes, thick lips, a darkened tanned look, brown hair that curls as it gets longer. Her face is something to behold in a way of beauty. She’s wearing a police uniform. The white blouse, with a black tie all neatly ironed out along with the black trousers with a crease down the middle of each leg. Her belt has a holster on it along with a pocket for the mobile and an attachment for the truncheon. She holds her black jacket which on the back, with a white stripe across the middle says emblazoned in yellow ‘MPD’ or ‘Metropolis Police Department’.)9

Kelly: You ok? (She looks at him.)10

John: Umm… (Looking around at his surroundings) yeah I think so.11

Kelly: You got home late honey. I’ve covered for you don’t worry. I phoned college and told them you’re ill. (As she speaks John tries to but he only opens his mouth and can’t get a word in.) Just don’t do it again ok? This place isn’t a barn, so yeah, you know…12

John: Hu-argh, my god what a headache I have. Kelly, I swear now that I wasn’t out or anything. I just must of finished work late that’s all.13

Kelly: Don’t lie to me! (She points her finger at him.) Rafa phoned me at midnight last night and told me you went off from work early. So where were you then?14

John: I was just, ya’ know? (Shrugging his shoulders, not really knowing what to say)15

Kelly: Well, I’m not impressed Johnny. 16

John: (Mock sneering.) Neither am I! 17

Kelly: Listen, I don’t want you out late at all now for the rest of the month ok? Oh and whatever happens, do your homework yeah? (Looking serious) Your teacher person rang me after school and said about you and his classes…18

John: I just get bored that’s all! (Yawns) I can’t help it if he’s a boring old man!19

Kelly: Just do it ok!! (Gets up and leaves, leaving the door open and opens the sliding front door open.) Have a good day Johnny! (She shouts as she makes the start of her journey to go to work.)20

John: Ok, love ya’! (Scratches his head and relieved that she didn’t notice what happened to him, let alone his prosthetic hand.21

He gets up slowly and the song *No one knows- Queens Of The Stone Age* starts playing as he observes himself in a mirror to check he is all fully human. What shocks him more though is that he has a ripped body!) Where’s that come from John-boy? (He checks himself out, slowly getting used to it by making poses and feeling his newly developed six pack.) I certainly didn’t get that from eating pizza four times a week, nor did those biceps come from a gym. (He looks at his arms, chiselled, veins showing from the top of his shoulder running to his wrist on his right side, he gets annoyed by the mangled sight of his prosthetic hand and puts it to one side. Not only that, but how does he explain he no longer needs glasses anymore? His vision is perfect seemingly the powers bestowed upon him as a young child have come to fruition.)22

(We then follow him as he walks into the kitchen, yawning and adjusting his boxer shorts. John then starts making himself some cereal only to realise he’s melting the bowl with his hand.)23

John: For heavens sake! (He says angrily as a tap melts in his hand as he goes to get himself a drink.) Is nothing touchable here? (As he gets angry, his hand lights up and a green fireball appears just above it, causing another expletive and shock) Woah! What the?? This is getting too much; I’m having a damn shower. Breakfast is called off today. (Even in the shower he finds he has some problems he needs to deal with. Firstly the water just steams off his skin, even if it is the normal human-type. Then he also has to contend with the fact that as he went to turn it off in frustration at not having a productive wash he accidentally sent a fireball through the wall in the bathroom and it travelled and went through four other walls that got in the way.) Ah, that’s bad.24

Rafa: So what you are saying to me my friend is that somehow your hand just got a hole in it? (Not entirely convinced here.)25

John: Well, yeah! That’s the one! (Puts on a smile and clicks his fingers in Rafa finally saying it.)26

Rafa: I would say what I really think at the moment, however I won’t. (Johns face drops.)27

John: Well, the hole was created by me falling over very badly and somehow impaling it on a very sharp object that was on the floor! (On the other side of the counter of Rafa’s shop.) Come on Rafa, just help me fix the hand ok? (Almost begging)28

Rafa: (Raised eyebrows) only because you are a friend. I consider you an employee and a good friend Mr John. Please don’t lie to me; I am not stupid like you may think I am. I come from Spain, I lived in Madrid and believe me, there was some bloody liars over there, in Europe in general my amigo! Bloody liars! (Slams hand on table, making John jump) Er…yes (Regaining composure) just don’t lie to me ok? Mrs Kelly won’t be pleased if she found out you have, what you say ‘a retarded hand problem’ yes?29

John: (Looks at Rafa and wonders why he has to put up with him.) Yes, can we just sort out my ‘retarded hand problem’ yeah?30

Rafa: What do we need to fix it then?31

John: Well, you’ve got most of the materials already Rafa. A bit of short circuiting wouldn’t do any harm and…32

Rafa: (Interrupts him) the skin? Where do we get that from John?33

John: Ah, yes. Good point, trust me here yeah? (Making it up as he goes along.)34

Rafa: I’m all ears…35

John: You get a knife and slice some off me. 36

Rafa: I do what? (Horrified) you want me to do what with a knife? What was that? I heard something about your skin and a knife. 37

John: (Clearing throat and trying to look serious.) Yes Rafa, you (points at him) cut some skin off me and we’ll put it on my limb yeah? (Waves limb about to show Rafa.)38

Rafa: Whereabouts are we talking?39

John: Trust me on this, anywhere. 40

Rafa: What? Even…41

John: No! Not there!42

*Gimme Shelter- The Rolling Stones*43

(The camera screen opens up again with the sizzling noises made in the back and slight anguished pains coming from the back of the shop as Rafa gets some skin off John. Then we see both of them fixing his limb with an assortment of fuses and wires and metal layers being put into it. When it’s finally done, John re-connects the blood system into his limb and they high-five each other with John kissing Rafa on the forehead, to which he looks shocked and backs off very quickly! Then Rafa notices something. Then the song ends.)44

Rafa: (Pointing) what is that green thing on your hand Mr John?45

John: (Nervously he looks down and see’s a green fireball in his hand again.) That is a radioactive fireball Rafa. It’s another reason why I need my left hand so much, because it can’t conjure these up. (He nods to the fireball) They are kinda’ dangerous as well, like, I threw one earlier and it went through a rooms easily, (Rafa looks astonished) what? It was an accident!46

Rafa: So…you are still radioactive?47

John: Yes, very.48

Rafa: You can make things like that just appear?49

John: No, for some reason it just happens. I need to control them otherwise it could happen in the wrong place at the wrong time. You know?50

Rafa: (Looking sweaty and rather freaked out) I seriously am considering whther or not to start a travelling circus with you my main freak attraction Mr John…however, I do indeed have something to help you.51

John: You do? (Brightens up.)52

Rafa: Hold just there. (The porky middle aged Spaniard runs into the back and after some rummaging, minutes later he appears with a glove.) Here…try this.53

John: (Doesn’t know where to put himself.) It’s a glove Rafa. This fireball here, will burn through that glove in nanoseconds. This stuff is all over me Rafa, anytime I could turn into some big green mass and start accidentally blowing stuff up. I’m a nuclear disaster; call me a by-product of the third world war. I’m a freak, one of the only people to survive radiation poisoning of this magnitude. I can melt things like taps and showers with a finger. For god’s sake Rafa, the only thing I do know is that I can control the times of when I can go to the toilet. Anything else at the moment is a risk and that glove won’t last at all. 54

(A stunned silence as Rafa tries to take that all in. They both look away from each other, John realising he said too much and Rafa not quite knowing what to say next.)55

Rafa: I think you should try it on, you know? (He hands the glove over to John.)56

John: Yeah. (John gets the glove and puts it on, expecting the fireball to melt it in no time. Instead, the glove has extinguished it and stayed intact.) Wow. What…what…what material is this??57

Rafa: It’s illegal that’s all my friend.58

Scene 559

(Flashback: The camera invites us into the architecturally decadent and gothic looking Metropolis Incarceration Centre way back in 2042. The place smells of grot and grime, the weeds of the walls spreading to cover the brick and mortar that it was built with. The prison itself is astonishingly big, possibly six or so miles long and maybe more in width. It was built five years before the flashback when crime and depraved acts deemed wholly inappropriate by the judges of the government and senior police of the new city decided to act upon the constant criminal activity. Though it did act as a deterrent along with harsh sentences, corruption and bribery has made sure the real kingpins of the world stay free and sentences are often halved by the dubious parole system put in place. Criminal activity in Metropolis is still amazingly high, so high that as John found out, no one is safe.60

The inside of the prison is practically made up of many floors of cells, the traditional looking barred effect. No windows since they learnt that people may try to escape from them and normally it’s up to five prisoners per cell, with the long corridors of cells and inmates almost endless. They mix murderers with burglars, petty thieves with gangsters. There is no separation system except for the deeply insane. They have their own ward, their own sector. People in there are kept in there for a reason and will stay until their lives are over. An approximate guess of 2.5 million prisoners is give or take, but that’s the closest number you’re likely to get, from guesses and government run organisations. As we follow the camera to ‘Floor 13’ we see blood-stains on the floor, all crusted and dry, the red has turned violet colour and we hear prisoners talking, wardens keeping order and walking around making sure nothing is going on. The camera only focuses on the noises, the wardens feet are the only thing we can see, apart from the floor. It’s almost as if we are crawling with a camera on us. Then we stop, the camera turns left and looks up, focusing on two people in a cell.61

We meet two men. One is a middle aged man, greying hair, bald at the crown with a grey moustache and a stomach that grows, even in prison. His clothes, just like all other prisoners is the same. Orange jumpsuits with a choice of white or black vest on underneath the jumpsuits are shoddily made with stitches coming undone all the time. He is sitting on a bed watching proceedings, which to him, are much more entertaining then what has happened so far the last couple of years he’s been in prison. Boredom is the biggest killer in the Incarceration Centre. 62

The other man is dressed smartly. A black suit, with coat-tails, a white shirt on underneath with a red tie and black trousers that are loosely fitted but very smart anyway, the outfit looks cheap and probably was, supplied by the prison supply section it’s a dead certainty that the suit and all the things that came with it were from a charity shop down the road. His hair is slickly gelled so a parting runs down the left hand side of his head. His dark grungy blonde-brown hair is of a medium length and combed behind the ears. Not a single hair is out of place and the man is a perfectionist in every sense. His shaven skin has broken out in a few isolated spots and a rash at the bottom of his neck. His charming eyes are dark grey, with a pointy but average sized nose and his lips are rather thin. He stands at about 5’11 but possibly looks taller due to the shoes he is wearing at the moment. His name is Victor Redding, most likely mid thirties. He’s obsessively packing and unpacking his suitcase, tearing clothes out and then after a few seconds satisfaction having packed everything he then puts it all back together.)63

Prisoner: Man, why don’t you just stop going over the damn stuff in your bag?64

Victor: I just… (He looks around to the prisoner who is lying on his bunk bed) need to ok? I’m not coming back here so I need to make sure everything’s packed and ok.65

Prisoner: Well…that’s what they all say. (He laughs and shakes his head.)66

Victor: What do you mean by that? 67

Prisoner: Just that most people, born a criminal, always a criminal that’s all.68

Victor: Well I’ve got to stay clear you know? (Looking at himself in the mirror again.) My family haven’t seen me for a long time. 69

Prisoner: We all know why as well.70

Victor: Yes we do. My family are excited just as I am, it’s been hard on us all and I need to fit into a city I hear everyday, but has passed me by without blinking. I need to fit in and seize my second chance at life. (He turns and smiles.)71

Prisoner: You really think you’ll be staying out o’ here don’t you! (He slaps his hand across his knee and laughs) I’ll tell you, the boys in cells 1 and 5 are betting on how long before you end up back here.72

Victor: The one who bets ‘never’ is the guy who’ll win then right? I’ve learnt my lessons.73

Prisoner: Gonna’ get a job are we? (Almost sneering)74

Victor: Hopefully.75

Prisoner: What like mob enforcer like last time? 76

Victor: (Turns around slightly disgruntled with a comb in his hand.) No. I’m legit now remember? I’ll work hard for hardly any money if I have to. If it’s the choice of murder and lots of credits or work hard and hardly a credit to my name, then I’ll be choosing the latter anyday. (Clicks his finger) FACT.77

Prisoner: Ok, if you say so Vic. 78

Victor: Why are you always so negative? I wonder. (He carries on combing his hair, looking at himself and brushing himself down all the time.)79

Prisoner: Be careful of the outside world that’s all. It might not be what you want it to be. (He rolls over and starts sleeping. His comment makes Victor think, he stops for a little bit and looks in the mirror at himself, wondering what exactly lies ahead.)80

Victor: Believe me my friend (He says quietly, maybe to himself or to the mirror) the world changes and so does everything that is within it.81

(A tap on the bars of the cell grab his attention. He turns around and see’s his wardens, who’ll escort him out of the prison and literally shove him out to the big wide world without a goodbye. The warden who made the tapping nods at him and smiles meekly his baton in his hand occasionally tapping the bars with it. The other warden is standing there just looking at Victor, making him feel ill at ease and almost as if he is looking just straight through him.82

The electronic cell opens up and as one keeps an eye on the sleeping prisoner in the bunk bed, another warden steps forward and almost marches to Victor Redding. He takes a step back, unsure of the moment and unsure of what is going to happen. The warden then searches his suitcase rather pathetically, shoves it into Victor’s chest and walks back out of the electronic cell standing and waiting for Victor.)83

Warden #1: Ok now, time to leave Vic.84

Victor: Yes, yes it is. (He seems sad at leaving. He walks out of the cell and the bars go up again and connect together. Then the old prisoner turns around and with his smile shows his yellow teeth.)85

Prisoner: I bet ten credits by the way! (Chuckles loudly to himself)86

(Victor looks at him, expressionless and he can’t be bothered to respond. One warden practically grabs him by the arm and tries to push him forward, but stops just short of doing so.87

He starts walking a little faster, only because the eyes that focus on him from the other cells are leering and full of hate, anger and jealousy mixed in with sprinklings of sorrow. He looks a little each way but is afraid of people’s reactions, so instead he concentrates on the back of the head of the leading warden who walks very fast and the gangway is full of passing wardens who look at Victor and then look back on. One less maybe?88

The gangway is clanging; the metal vibrations can be heard from five minutes away. He looks up and within the dingy and dark prison; he spots people with automatics on the balcony overlooking any misdemeanours by prisoners but none would anyway, so the job is said to be worthless. They near the end, where the security gate towards the lift is and where the gate guard is situated. Every gate is guarded, all of them with different keys fitted, so it’s a new key everytime.89

The warden with a thin moustache turns around and stops Victor right next to the gate guard.)90

Warden #2: Would you like to go to the men’s Redding? (He points to the right hand side where the toilets are.)91

Victor: Good idea. I want to look smart and perfect for the wife back home.92

Warden#2: Let’s go then. (He signals the other warden follows as well, as they make their way into the tile walled lavatories. Not exactly clean but more likely black, nonetheless Victor goes to a urinal.)93

Warden#2: Woah there Vic, got something for ya’.94

Victor: (Turns around as he was about to go to the toilet.) Oh yes? What is it Warden?95

Warden#2: Your family Vic… (long pause, then a sick smile appears across his face) are dead Victor. DEAD.96

Victor: (Taken aback.) What?97

Warden#1: Here, let this cool you down grass! (The warden appears so quickly and fast that Victor has no time to react as a bucket of acid is unleashed upon him. We watch in slow motion the acid jump out of the bucket and fly into Victor, full frontal and all over his arms and body. The camera looks at him as he stumbles backwards in pain, crashing into the urinals, holding his face with both hands uncontrollably and clutching his face in a desperate bid to be able to open his eyes.)98

Victor: ARGHHHHH!!!!MY GOD!! HU-URGHHHH!!!! (He falls to his knees and starts shaking, about 90% of his body is covered in acid which is burning his skin so badly that he could die from the shock. One of the wardens kicks him in the face, his steel capped boots crashing into his hands and sending Victor backwards, whom is still tearing at his face, trying to rip the skin off as it burns so badly and goes through the skin into the blood system. He huddles into a corner and itching his face and feeling the acid burn his clothes onto his body makes him scream even more.) OH MY GOD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE????? (He starts breathing heavily, rocking his head backwards and forwards.)99

Warden#1: This my friend is for the Pachino gang. You know the ones you grassed for a shorter sentence!?! (He spits on Victor) Boss Mario says hi!100

(The second warden walks up calmly and gets a lighter out.)101

Warden#2: We promise this won’t hurt. 102

(He gets the lighter, flicks it alight and drops it on the floor, right next to the trace of acid that leads up to Victor.)103

Victor: NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! (He says in a begging manner as the flame rushes towards him and engulfs his flammable body, setting him on fire and leaving him in a mess of disgusting proportions. We can hear his blood-curdling scream as the camera catches the full sight of him on fire, the flames picking him off inch by inch, scarring him like the acid but hundreds times worse. The wardens look at each other and satisfied their job has been done they calmly walk out of the toilet area, never to be seen again.)104