POPSTARS of the APOCALYPSE!
Act 5 Scene 8
Steve
and Docs quickly get to work handing out joints and lighting them.
Docs: Light multiple joints for a spare.
If one goes out you might not have enough fire power!
Steve:
Laughing for once Enough fire-power? Didn’t you see what this stuff did to
paedo Johnny?
Docs: Just in case. We can’t be certain
yet if the effect is consistent. Besides, he smoked it himself! And it was one of the rockets too!
They all leave the cellar holding joints in each hand. Naomi Spence has
been quietly briefed and has a joint in each hand. And is smoking them
alternately.
Naomi Spence: Ahh, I feel so clear! It really DOES chase out your demons this
stuff! I can’t hear the voices anymore.
They hear noises and shouts coming into the
house.
Steve: Well I can hear those voices: they
must have heard St Vile’s demon exploding.
Steve: So ok how do we do this?
John Hampton: Good question! Give me a second...
They do not need to be given time to think for an answer because the
answer is provided for them by the destruction wrought upon the men as they
come into contact with the protective smoke wafting all around the company. As
soon as they smell the smoke it is enough to break their mind control and send
the possessing demons fried back into hell. Suddenly all of the shouting and angry men in
cowls all seem to come to themselves and start chatting and asking where on
Earth they are and what’s going on.
Prime Minister: I say, does anyone know
what’s going on? I can’t remember a damned thing!
King of Spain: stumbling towards Naomi ¿Donde estoy? He perdido mi memoria
Naomi Spence: Huh? I’m sorry I don’t
speak Spanish.
King of Spain: Lo seinto… I try to say, I am forgotten my memory….Do you know
who Iyam?
Naomi Spence: No idea. But if you’re here
you’re probably some kind of evil pervert I would have thought.
The King frowns mumbling ‘perverso’ and wanders off.
For a while the men are confused and disturbed and don’t know who they
are and they just chat like forgetful old men and some women.
English prince: looking around him and appearing to realize something Excuse me! He is largely ignored so he raises his voice
adopts a commanding tone Listen to me! I think I know what we’re all doing
here. We’re wearing these creepy
costumes like from some weird movie about dark evil satanic rites.
A noise of assent and agreement stirs up
from the now vaguely interested crowd.
French occultist: He is right!
English prince: So whatever is happening we are the bad guys
and they pointing to Steve Crew and the
others are the good guys.
The sound of dawning realization comes
from the erstwhile forgetful participants.
News-presenter: So what shall we do? I
don’t even know my own name.
Famous pop musician and pianist: So we
must chase them round and round until they all fall down! starts laughing hysterically
Steve and Crew come out of the house and
face to face with Mr Hands.
Mr Hands: grinning and rubbing his hands together Yes indeed. We must most
certainly chase them. Round and round indeed, until they all fall down.....DEAD.
Steve: taking a big draw on a joint and blasting it into Mr Hands’ face Take
that you boney looking ghoul bag
Mr Hands: after the smoke clears I’m sorry son, there’s no smoking allowed
here.
Mr Hands cuffs Steve hard around the right eye with his Tailor’s ring drawing
blood and knocking Steve to the ground.
Mr Hands: the façade of kindly but creepy old man suddenly falls away leaving a
very dangerous and self confident and extremely psychotic being Now you
have a scar there son. Is your name Mark? You thought your poxy little puff
factory would work on me? I’m not like these brainless vessels waving dismissively at the King of Spain and
the Prime Minister of England. I am the MASTER…. My will is my own because
the Dark Lord and I are ONE.
Mr Hands: calling out to a group of still confused men in wizarding robes who
seem to be having a little conference of
their own: Come here you men.
Spokesperson of the confused wizards: I’m not sure that we will, we haven’t
yet picked a side.
Mr Hands: You old fool, you picked a side lifetimes ago or you wouldn’t be in
those robes.
Spokesperson of the confused wizards: Well
hang on there a moment, we need to clear this up. We all appear to be dressed
in the same way so we’ve decided we’re going to band together and make a joint decision about who and what we
do.
Mr Hands: quietly cursing for God’s sake. You old band of fools.
Spokesperson of the confused wizards: Who says we’re fools? Maybe we’re the masters
here.
One of the less confused confused wizards prods the spokesperson of the
confused wizards.
Less confused wizard: quietly but not quietly enough not to be
overheard What if we were doing something bad? Well, if we were doing something bad we must
have been doing it for a good reason. I mean, all this must be here for a reason. So maybe we should just carry on
doing what we were doing in the first place.
Spokesperson of the confused wizards: ponders for a moment But we don’t really
know what we were doing in the first place.
Less confused wizard: Take a look around.
Burning torches, creepy old house, old men in robes. It can’t be something good
and if it isn’t, then that guy pointing
to Mr Hands, definitely looks the worst and creepiest around so he must be
the boss.
The spokesperson of the confused wizards stops and finding the logic
difficult to refute, adopts a slightly thwarted look on his face: Hmmm, very well. You may continue Master turns around to less confused wizard and
surreptitiously hits him. There is an
OW clearly enunciated from within the confused wizards and Mr Hands smiles and
continues as leader.
Mr Hands: And now suddenly returning to his guise as erudite and essentially harmless
school teacher my dear though rather naughty young friend Cecilia Green must
return to us for the culmination of the night’s revels which despite the loss
of our esteemed friend Jimmy St Vile, we will continue a clock tower strikes and a bell is heard right on cue.
The smoke from the weed slowly dissipates
and ceases to be effective as the assembled throng, restored to their wills,
effectively decide that they are evil anyway and would very much like to
continue as planned. Particularly as there are dim memories of an orgy taking
place a little later.
Mr Hands: You see John and your clever,
though scruffy little pothead friends, your special weed no longer has the desired
effect. Some people are just born this way. Why discriminate? Let us have our
fun…. indicating Steve, Crew and Docs, at their expense….
John Hampton: defiantly Not without a fight Hands!
Mr Hands: his eyes lighting up and pouting his lips with delight Shall we wrestle? No, a duel! I’ve always
wanted to do that. So Byronesque. He was a fine Tailor of a man was Lord Byron.
I had you as a man very much after his heart you know. You do so disappoint me
with all this new found ‘morality’ of yours you know. Besides, what is this all
about anyway Hampton? Why are you siding with these worthless oafs? Signalling to the cowled men to restrain
them Hold them!
John Hampton: Who says they’re worthless?
Mr Hands: Oh come on man, take a look at
them! They are restrained by a dozen
hands and cannot move What do they do but bumble around in their half life daze moving from one pronounces the word with
disdain ‘cheeseburger’ to the next? Watching funny cats on the internet while stoned and buying tinned
beans in supermarkets. They’re scarcely alive at all Hampton! I thought you
were headed for the stars John, like us. Living eternally in the astral light
with the Earth perpetually under your gaze and at your command. Considering a moment I’ll tell you what,
we can make this work for both of us. I shall make you an example of my
infinite mercy. I will forgive you and readmit you to the infernal light. But
you know what you must do. Mr Hands hands
Hampton a ceremonial dagger. Do it now John. You’re one of us, you always
were. I can’t hypnotise you, you seem to have foiled even my best tricks but
you can be like me, a free and willing servant of evil dwelling forever in the
heart of the dark star pointing to a specific place in the night sky
and we shall climb the serpent’s tail together.
John Hampton turns to Steve and Crew. A new look has come into John
Hampton’s eyes, a growing malice and a disquieting smirk at the corner of his
mouth.
Steve: seeing this new look in John’s eyes resignedly holds up his hands
and turning to the others Ahh, that’s it then. At least we tried. I think
this is as far as we go on this one guys.
Docs: considering
Meh. I suppose so. We did well to get this far really to be honest. Who’d have
known these guys are just naturally evil. I thought once we blew the demons out
that would do the trick. But hey ho, there y’go. You live and learn.
Steve: wanly tries to crack a joke Well, not so much of the living
anymore.
Docs gives a mirthless dry single laugh.
Crew: The bad guys always win, everyone
knows that. Life isn’t a movie.
Docs: pleasantly
surprised Hey Crew, you’re straight again…. Well, that’s something I guess.
Crew: Yeah, thanks for that ‘chocolate’.
Steve: winking There’s nothing that Crew won’t swallow.
All three of them smile and chuckle for a
moment, then await John’s work with the ceremonial knife.
John Hampton: for a moment is still, holding the knife. The strange look suddenly
leaves his eyes and he throws it down to the ground. Never. These baked
bean eating straggly stoners are my new friends. I could never in my life imagine anyone
facing death so bravely. Certainly not one of you people. These are better men than you give them credit for and
I will gladly die by their side as one of them.
Crew: Great!
Docs: considering well…not so great
for John and no better for us.
Mr Hands: surprised raising one eyebrow in a slightly camp malefic gesture of
surprise, like an evil Kenneth Williams then he shrugs. Hmm. I thought you’d do something recklessly and
self destructively noble like that….. There’s something about you. Lost in thought for a moment, appears unsure
of what to do next. Makes a sudden decision. Ok bring them with us. I don’t
know why but I like you Hampton, and your stupid friends….. Would be a shame to
kill you somehow, at least right now… stops
for a moment again apparently lost in thought I’ll have to think of a more
noble and deserving end for you and your unwashed friends than mere quick butchery.
They all walk away from the house towards the Hellwood caves.
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