What Comes Out of Your Mouth

He looks across the table at the guy looking nervously back, as if waiting for validation of an story he knew himself was bullshit.  The listener leaves his eyes on while taking a drink, bottle down hard on the table, foaming over in his hand.  The talker watches as though it were a horror, eyes snapped back with the words ~

Listener - "And then what happened ?"

Talker - "Well ... "

~ What Comes Out of Your Mouth ~

(credits)

The talker hangs up his phone riding a velociraptor and goads with the reins, the UFO's hot on his tail.  The raptor dodges the cars through the streets, aliens blasting, ninjas pouring from the alleyways, the talker looks back in desperation as they close in.

The sound of a screeching car and a crash, the fading sound of passerby screams.

Listener - "I think the ninjas were pushing it."

Talker - Exasperated, "Look man.  You don't fucking get it.  He Does Not Live, In Our World."

Listener - "So where does he live ?"  Drinks.

Talker - "Just down the way but that is not what I'm talking about.  And it's not why you're asking."

Listener - "Why am I asking ?"

...

Talker - Leans back looking him over with crossing arms.  "Because you don't know shit."

Listener - "And you're not making me feel any better about that.  Where does he live ?"

Talker - "You know where he lives.  Or at least where that hunk of flesh with this face on does but is not where thinks from, and he does not play by the rules of our world."

Listener - "Oh I don't know.  Everyone loves dinosaurs."

Talker - Gone cold in the eyes, he tosses a twenty to the table.  "Here's for your fucking beer."  Gets up and out the door.

Screeching car and a crash, the passerby screams.  The listener looks out the pub window watching,  finishes and follows out the door, leaving the twenty on the table for the camera in ~
________________

A cars passes fast, he stands with the crowd over the body, joined by another.

Other - Looking around at the rubbernecking crowd gathering, "Did you really need to see it ?"

Listener - "We all need to see it.  I think it may be our greatest weakness."

Other - "Who was he ?"

Listener - "Pedophile."

Other - "Immunity for talking ?"  She looks in disgust at the body, it's mouth foaming out like a disturbed bottle of beer.

Listener - "Did you think I expected it to end any differently ?"

...

Other - Back to the body, "So what now ?"

Listener - "Do you recognize him ?"

...

Other - Looking closer ... "Oh my god ... he was ... "

Listener - "Yes.  Yes he was."

Other - Looking to the listener, "He was a hero."

Listener - "He was my hero."  Spits.

From the slow turning view of the dead man pulling back, to another walking the road with fire ahead, the wind sweeping it in behind him.  Burning all around he falls to his knees as if finally alone, beating the tar in tears.  The fire dances in circles as he sways and wails to the skies.  

Until a gust comes in low dragging smoke from all sides, arms up in a roar and the rain begins falling mercilessly.

He works his way to his feet, voicing the lightning and screaming the thunder as the flames douse in his path, tears gone to rage, rain turned to gusting violence and hail.  He pulls his blade puts up the mask for the smoke and carries on into the steam of drunken old flames as the winds pass with him.

Looks ahead to a tunnel curling through the smoke in twisting pressures.
________________

At the field office ~

Director - "So what do you think ?"

Other - "I think he's been in the field too long without recovery time, two inches from snapping.  And when he does ... "

Director - "And when he does.  Do know why he talks to you ?"

Other - "I honestly have no idea."

Director - "It's because you're an idealist.  Exactly like he used to be."

Other - "Is ... I ... don't know where to put that sir."

Director - "I'd suggest keeping it in you wallet because it may come up useful.  There is no relief coming for him, he's all we have.  Everyone else is dead."

Other - "Do we have him ?  Sir ?"

Direct - "Valid."

Other - "And when he does ... "

Director - "And when he does.  If he can't reel it back in when the job is done ... "

Other - "Me."

Director - "No.  Too close."

Other - "He'll still know I know something."

Director - "I know he will.  And I know he'll know what it is too.  It's a thing he needs to know, and it's a hell of a lot better this way than telling him directly."

Other - "Are you sure he's not running you in the same circles as the rest ?"

Director - "No.  But cracking these cases is worth it, until it's not."

...

Other - A laugh.  "Okay.  She pulls a file a puts it to the desk, "My psychological evaluation.  It's not pretty."

Director - "Good."  Picks it up thumbing through, "Then I know you're not lying to me.  Dismissed.  Excellent work."

...

Other - "Sir."  Turns and leaves.

~ two

The dirty steam at the edge of once a fire now slog and ash, draws back and pushes outward as he exits and pulls his mask off, dropping it as the rain stops, a last wisp and twist of smoke in an upward gust.

The sun.

The birds.

The silence fading into the suburban rescues ahead.  He grabs a sammich from the donation table with a nod to the one tabling it, looks around to the losses, the suffering of nature where man knows nothing of the world.

"One should not live with the fires, when one cannot provide the waters to douse it."  A crow lands nearby and caws its agreement.  He throws down some sammich and takes another bite. 

"Will you tell your friends and cousins ahead, I'm on my way, and if any desire the work, indeed I could use eyes in the sky."  Another crackle and pecking at bread for the meats beneath.  Eaten, it flies ahead with the bread.

As if following the bird, a helicopter flies over.  He looks up.  "Bout time."  Last bite and walks on, grabs a water off another table and drinks before packing the rest in the satchel.

In the helicopter ~

Other - On the phone, "He's clear.  Results verified.  Still walking south."

...

Other - "I know."

...

Other - "I don't know where he is, but I don't think he could be far behind."

...

Her eyes glaze over.

...

Other - "Understood."  Hand up and leans forward to the pilot, a command unheard, overhead it swerves to the east as the walker watches.

The rescue's side parked cars with their haulen trailers pass, leaving only road and nature ahead.  An ant crawls, snatched by a hand.  He sucks the juices and spits the husk (that's literally as much protein as a steak).

The passing beauty of mountains with the rarity of cars that can only happen where people fear to burn in the season which predicts it.  The rain, the sun, the rain again, a lizard eaten at the fire.  Nutrient grains from his pack, he sleeps and dreams of the road.

Dreaming or waking, it's all the same, he walks.  Until finally city's edge, where suburb flirts with overpopulated disaster.  He catches a coat blown in the wind and puts it on, a hat caught just the same.

Tosses the gear he had to the bush and into the light.  To the brash noise (with a cool song) at the comic-con ~

Where the world plays at superheroes ... still.  They're fucking adorable, we give them some airtime.

At a table signing, a black and white drops of some guy's likeness ~

Some Guy - "Who's it to ?"

Walker - "That would be to Gerald Edwin Chule, please."

He freezes ... signs and passes back

Walker - Picks it up and reads, 'Are you here to kill me ?'  He smiles,  "Oh that's a fucking keeper right there."  A laugh looking it over, "No."  Slides another picture, this one in an action stunt.  "I wonder what his favorite restaurant is."

Some Guy - Like he's about to cry ... then writes.

Walker - Holds it up, "Mm.  Sounds good about now.  Just one more.  And I honestly enjoyed this movie."  Slides a picture across, "Who does he hire from, for security ?"

Some Guy frozen in terror, the walker looks back like he just took a sip of his favorite soda.  "It's okay.  You can tell him I'm coming.  He will thank you."  Smiles and looks down at the picture to observe the scrawling.

The music pick back up to the swirling crowd.
____________

Director - On the phone, "Low hanging fruit.  He could pick that up with a single day's observation and now he might even change security entirely."

Other - "He wants him to change the security team."

Director - "Why."

Other - A laugh, she watches the walker walk by giving an absurd bow fit only for such environments and a smile.  Into the phone as he walks on, "Because they'll be less familiar with the environment."

Director - "Do you think he'd even still go to the restaurant ?"

Other - "No."

The walker drops two pics in the trash as she watches, looks at the first one ... "Mm."  Folds in in half and puts in the inner coat pocket. 

Other - "I think he'll stay home."

The crowd sounds fades in to close the scene withe sound ~

"Excellent work."
____________

The Listener parks at a shitty motel, out the car and into the booth, clothes looking like he just woke up in a wet fire pit.  The requisite look this would achieve, followed by a double check on the singed cash.

Listener - "Card melted."

Cash - "Glad you made it through okay.  They were lucky for the rain."

Listener - "Yeah.  I don't need any channels, just the room."

Cash - "You sure ?  That one movie just came out on ... "

Listener - Holds up a finger with a head cock to the side, "MM.  No thank you."

Cash - Looking a little around the sides at him, as though it would help see under the filth, "Hey ... aren't you ... "

Listener - "No."
____

Duffel bag on the bed, the shower on and a bucket of steam, he falls into bed with the bottle and a towel.  Car out in the morn.

Driving along, he spots a vegetable cart and stops.

Vegetables - As he get out of the car all shined up, "Hey ... aren't you ... ?"

Listener - Big fake smile, "Yeah.  It's me.  Hey I was looking for a friend of mine ... refugee from the fires ... a little crazy in the head ... maybe taken on a bit too much smoke before the smoke it you know what I mean.  Can't miss him."

Vegetables - "Yeah ... yeah I think I know what you mean ... "

Listener - "Yeah ?"

Vegetables - "You mean he smokes pot."  Smiles pointing to him and nodding, "That was a good one."

Wincing eyes of rage in the sun with the sound of eagles ...

~ three

Other - A look at a strange thing on the laptop at a cafe.  A click on the rail separating the table from the walk, she looks up, a crow looking back.  They stare ... a roll of the eyes she shoves the plate across and pulls out her phone ... "He's checked in.  It's tonight."
________

The listener watches the mid-day traffic through the diner window, everyone's hot as hell.  Tie loosened and jacket on the side like it was thrown down in an act of protest against fate.  The waitress steps up with the vessel.

Waitress - "Topper ?"

Listener - Distracted, "Hm ?  Yeah sure.  Thank you."

Waitress - Sneaking in a closer look as she pours, he intuitively pulls his eyes away damned.  "Hey ... are you ... "

Listener - A laugh.  "No.  No I'm a ... well these days I'm his stunt double."

Waitress - Interested smile, "Really ?"

Listener - Another laugh before a sip ... "Yeah."

Waitress - "So what's that like ?"

Listener - "You mean what's he like ?"

Waitress - "No.  I'm sure he's an asshole.  I mean those are really intense movies.  What's that like ?"  Sits down leaning in like it's a secret ... "I mean ... how many buildings have you fallen off of ?"

Listener - A slow real laugh this time ... "Many.  Very very many."

Waitress - "Wowwww.  I wanna do that some day."

Listener - "You want to ... fall of buildings ?"

Waitress - Eyes grown wide with excitement "YEAH !  Oh my God.  You have no idea.  And I wanna roll down stairs.  Like really shitty ones.  And I want to ... "  Sees him staring ... "What."

...

Listener - "Do you know who you look like ?"

Waitress - Almost blushing, "I ... get that all the time."

The car pulls away with an extra in the passenger seat.

Listener - In the eve, "It's ... weird.  You know.  I'm five years older than this guy.  And I was doing this ten years before anyone heard of him.  Now you know it's like I'm some other fucking guy, to the entire world, and you're right.  He is an asshole.  And you would not believe, the enemies he's made. 

"And yet ... fucker's all I got."

Waitress - "Yeah I know.  I mean the part about everyone thinking you're someone else.  Sometimes it's cool ... "

Listener - "Discounts."

Waitress - "Mm-hm.  But I only feel comfortable at work now because everyone knows a waitress couldn't be her !  I like to dress up !  Like she'd ever go to the bar in this fucking town."

Listener - Smiling while driving, "What fucking town ?"

Waitress - "A laugh and a look to the darkness in the rear view, "Oh yeah."  Looks at him.

Listener - "She's a total asshole by the way."

Waitress - "Figures.  I just wanna fall down some fucking stairs."

Listener - "Seriously."

And seriously does not realized he just drove by the walker while appreciating her beauty, if noticed in the background.

Listener - "You're prettier."

Waitress - Looks at him.  "You think so ?"

Listener - "Oh yeah.  She's ... mmmm she's just got some habits we'll say.  You know I got caught in that wild fire ?"

Waitress - "Oh my God are you okay ?"

...

Listener - "Yes.  But all my cards melted."  Looks at her with a smile, "Wanna get a free meal ?  They're gonna fucking hate it."

She laughs as they pull into another restaurant.  Out the car and in the door, their waitress screams wide eyes as they walk in together, dropping the coffee.
____

Some guy who looks just like him at home on the internet, security pacing around as one stumbles over a rug.  The guy looks into the screen like a deep pit filled with horror, "Jesus fucking Christ ... I fucking Hate her."  Slams it shut ... God ... Damn him."  

...

Slides the laptop hard off the desk in a rage as the distracted security bump into each other.

Inside the restaurant, the many many selfies while if noticed the walker walks the road a distance from the window behind.
____

The listener's car pulls to the roadside and parks.  

Listener - "I'm really sorry about this but I have to do something for a minute.  Well.  Like maybe half an hour."

Waitress - "Can I come ?"

Listener - "No, that I'm ... "  Looks to the glove compartment in horror, realizing what he needs is in there."

Waitress - ... "Oh !"  Opens the glove compartment, the gun.  "Oh.  Um."  Looks at him ... 

Listener - A shrug ... 

Waitress - "Okay."  Hands it over like a dead rat by the tail, if one were strangely comfortable with that.

Listener - Getting out of the car ... "It'll be fine."

Waitress - "I know.  Hey do you want me to be like ... ready at the wheel just in case ?"  Excited nods ...

Listener - ... "Huh.  You know that might actually be really cool."

Waitress - "Hee !"  Scoots over and grips the wheel staring ahead.  "Ready."  Looks at him grinning.

Listener - "Yeah.  I'll be right back."  Closes the door like a grinning idiot and walks into the apple orchard loading, it starts to rain.

During the song's soft part ~

The walker walks the orchard ahead, he pulls his knife.  The listener walks a distance behind making out the form in the rain. 

Listener - Drawing the gun up, "Chule !"  Stepping hard forth, "I can't let you do this Chule."

Walker - Looks as the knife drops an apple from the tree.  "Do what ?"  A smile, he takes a bite and turns his back.

Listener - Growls the impetus, points and click.  Looks at the gun, at the walker ahead, loads again and points.  Click.  "God ... damnit."  Fucks around trying to load it while into his downward view an apple rolls.  He looks up as the walker drops more apples to his hand, filling his satchel.  Fiddles more and a bullet jams in the receiver. 

"! FUCK !"

(2:43) 

Kicks the apple, it bounces off a tree and splats on his forehead.  He drops the gun and falls back laughing into the puddle.

(3:03)

The manor's door at the orchard edge blows and the smoke pours in.  Security turn fast, slowed as one has to arc his rifle over another before flying back hard against the wall. 

And the same for more, cast aside as the clearing smoke shows the tactical team in mask moving through with shotguns at the lead.

(3:34)

The apples fall into his hand as the bodies where they do not surrender, his hand hesitating where they do, and moves on to another while the Listener splashes that last two inches away in the mud laughing ...

They burst the office with a guy looking just like him, his security kneeling and knowing better.  The actor looks at them in a rage, knocking a pile of papers at them from the desk before the same knowledge.  Face pushed hard to the ground for arrest.

Outside the Other watches over smoking, the Walker walking up behind.

Walker - "You're really good at this."  Hands her an apple.

Other - A laugh, she drops the smoke in the water.  "Thanks."  To black with the sound of a bite.

The listener walks out from the orchard, arms out with a smile, covered in mud.  The waitress sticks her arms up from the window.   "Get in get in !"   They peel away for no reason into the night, sirens flash in the distance past the orchard.  

 (credits)

~ mid credits (music break) ~

To the guy at the vegetable stand while sharing a blunt. 

Walker - "Hey uh ... there this guy following me.  Some famous guy from hollywood he was in some fucking thing."

Vegetable - "You mean like a pedophile ?"

Walker - "I think he may be ... "

Vegetable - Nods understanding ... "Yeah I got you." 

(sound of the waitress laughing ~ music returns)

~ after credits ~

The walker breaks out laughing in the interrogation room, the displeased actor across the table.

Walker - Laughing ... "Oh ... you stupid son of a bitch, you have no idea.  I was the good cop."  He gets up leaving a smile when she walks in and drops the thick file before the actor's pale terror.

Some guy - "I wanna see my lawyer."

The sound of the walker's laughter behind the glass.

~ What Comes Out of Your Mouth ~

(song's last voice over while the actor stares at the file)

The Last Finale

seven years ago

"If I have to fight the world I will.  And I will win."

today

Voiced over ~ "And so while watching my enemies burn, if even the world with them, I decided to write one more for the world, before my next evolution.

"Because who knows what I will be ? 

"Of course I have no idea what it's to be about ... never do ... but no matter what it is, knowing no competition but my own prior work, what's left to call a thing except ... ?"

~ The Last Finale ~

"Ah.  Here we go.  The only question left unanswered, at least the only ones left to care about it.  That would start in 2006 then."

pa-Drek walks Legba's marketplace.  A human male among every other thing, though still lots of the same, and still, set in time.  

 

A roughly shaven mohawk of long hair without the gel and travel duster, side-bag under the coat with spine bones running up the strap.  A light travel pack and a tattoo over his right eye, the one we know.  

 

This is my story, and that was a thing they used to call me.  Accurate description at the time, 2006.  The question being, 'How can I do these things'.  It began in the marketplace.

Sellers of all kinds, the kinds who deal in that which they would.  Collectible souls would be a demon's trade, and as a hunter, pa-Drek would acquire many along the way, hard pacted by blood sacrifice, where possession outlasts the body's day.

Frozen in time as nothingness, a jewel.  Collectible.  Especially when they were famous, if only you knew, the souls I knew.  But they collected other things too.

Market Demon - "They say you collect keys."

pa-Drek - "Not so broadly."  Walks over suspiciously, "What have you got ?"

Demon - Smiles, "The master key ... "

pa-Drek - "And how much of it do you have ?"

The demon shows a partially filled sphere, hexagonal shapes extending from a core.  Clearly a form intended to be complete, the geometric shards randomly placed across.

pa-Drek - "How did you fill this much ... ?"

Demon - Looks him over, puts it away.  "You killed the keeper of the hell I served.  It released me.  I don't know that it ever even occurred to me that I was just as damned as any poor human soul there."

"Though when you get to know them you do feel a bit less sorry for them.  It was ... life.  It's what we do."

pa-Drek - "So this was in the ripe bastard district."

Demon - A laugh, "Pretty much.  There were nicer places.  And then you came ... "

pa-Drek - "Which one was he ?"

Demon - Looks at him, smiles.  "Information ... "  Laughs.  "And then you killed my god.  All the dead people were vacated, and ... apparently we were annexed into a substructure of ... some other place."

pa-Drek - "That's actually a bit to do with the key."

Demon - "So I figured.  You're building a world."

pa-Drek - "Restoring one.  In theory."

Demon - "Yes ... that theory being to network them all through one.  Which you will control."

pa-Drek - "It's a really cool theory.  So do you collect souls or ... "

Demon - "Hmmm ... my people, you know.  Your demonologists would call us 'lesser demons'.  Not rulers of any hell, but their ... 'servants'.  We appreciate your works."

pa-Drek - "How did I not find this one when I looted his realm ... "

Demon - "Well ... "  Smiles ... 

pa-Drek - "A home for your people."

Demon - "Your word."

pa-Drek - "On my honor."

The demon sizes him up a bit more, hands it over.  Pulls it back fast.

Demon - "I mean.  Not in the caves with the burning."

pa-Drek - "I assumed."

The greater of the two keys absorbs the one with fewer node and fills in, not so many left.

Demon - "It will open all the worlds.  Is there one you seek ?"

pa-Drek - "No.  But I do think there's one to find."  Closes his hand, dissipating the key.  Nods to the demon and turns away, "Thank you.  I will remember this."

As he turns away to a worldly fire-dance with drummers, an underground event.  Cars pulled up, lots of people for a secret party from gangs to rich to homeless, can filled carts making the snare.

Hippies with the serious local percussionists, the whole range of quality, firedancers from the local clubs, with variable troupes that pass through.

Leather guaranteed.

pa-Drek uses a weighted torch as a sword, spinning through broad swings to venomous strikes through imaginary hearts.  

 

Great way to practice the sword across range, not nearly as impressive as the giant guy breathing fire from a bottle in one hand while cracking a twenty foot burning whip in the other.

Out on that bad motherfucker.  Whip sound.
________

Sitting in a park designed like an amphitheater, staring at the center.  pa-Drek eats a sandwich while some guy talks about his love life.

Some guy - Eating food, a yuppie on his lunch break, "So it's like I do love her ... but I really do hate being around her.  Know what I mean ?"

pa-Drek - Gives him a look.  "Naamah."

Naamah - Appearing as the world becomes her portion of a cave she herself does enjoy.  "We are close.  But you know.  You know.  That no matter how many you worlds you collect, to complete the key, you need to kill God.  Because you know what I do.  And who else would have the last piece, but Yaldabaoth."

pa-Drek - Talking to the man in the park, "I do.  You know.  We tell ourselves a lot of things about love.  We like the idea of it.  Relaxing into it at home.  And if you cannot relax at home with it, it is not love.

"Maybe it's good sex.  Maybe it's bad sex.  Which is better than no sex.  But who cares.  What you're telling me says you know it will not last.  You can make that easy, or you can make it hard.  But telling yourself that it is what it isn't, isn't going to make it what it's not."

Some guy - "Damn that's harsh.  That's why I like you ( i get that a lot).  What the fuck are you doing in this park every day."

pa-Drek - "This park is at the crossroads of this entire city, its entire nexus runs through here.  People bumping into each other.  I'm studying the sociological effects on chaos theory based on that premise."

Some guy - "So you're saying like ... how these random events reverberate across the universe ?"

pa-Drek - "Yes !"

Some guy - "Oh yeah I smoke pot too.  Wanna go do that ?"

pa-Drek - "Let's go do that."

Walking through another park doing when people start shouting "Six-Up !"  Everyone stashes their pipes and joints while the police circle.

pa-Drek - "And not just that, but learning ways to influence it.  But I've seen that the worst thing you can do, is sit in the direct center.  I've seen it.  Hippies come though, and it forces people to regard them. 

"Like they sense the power in being at the center of things, drawn.  I watch them go mad.  Every time."

Some guy - "Wow.  That actually makes sense."

pa-Drek - "Kinda !  It's also very rude.  Just to plant yourself there and make everyone walk around you.  Very vain.  So I study every minute detail of the passing, to understand the patterns."

Some guy - Looks around, cop gone.  Pipe out, "Think it's predictable ?"

pa-Drek - "I don't know yet.  Maybe.  But definitely easier if you influence it yourself, while sitting there yourself, is a bad idea."

Yaldabaoth - In Heaven on God's throne, the gathering angels behind.  "Well I guess that's it then."

pa-Drek - As if still talking to the guy in the park, "Yep.  That's the end game.  To learn to identify the patterns, how to influence them without being at the center, and then apply that knowledge it to greater patterns."

Yaldabaoth - "You would betray God, after all these gifts given.  For whatever reason you would tell yourself, you would only be the servant of the Devil."

pa-Drek - Standing in another hell, still alive, one who could only be described as the Devil himself looming in the fire, his close demons gathering.  "This isn't the only world I walk in."

To Yaldabaoth, as Naamah appears with a small army of merc demons, "It's all about balance." 

To the Devil, with another small army led by Lilith, "For one to go down, you both need to go down."

Voiced over as the battles begin, "Ahhh ... the looting rights.  You see these were basic hits.  The one most would call 'The Goddess', was sick of these fools and I could not disagree."

Another pa-Drek sorts through swords in a cave, a large pile of loot amid other trinkets, another pulls a sword from a chapel wall, where apparently those of archangels swords were collected next to their shields (their armor is intrinsic).

Until finally one blocks that of Yaldabaoth, while the devil shatters another.

Devil - "Was that ... ?"

pa-Drek - "Sh."  Another appears in his hand as he circles back to through the lesser demons, pursued.

With each kill among either a dark wisp of a thing appears from the core, like a worm that tries to slither away, pa-Drek always certain to stomp it, sometimes reaching through the body and tearing it from them directly.

pa-Drek - Talking to the guy in the park on another day, "It's about functional analogies.  You try them all and find the ones that work. 

"But it's like the sailors on the sea using star charts based on the false notion that the sun revolved around the Earth.  These are only analogies.  And having tried so many, strangely enough, these are the ones that are working."

"Sailors use the same charts today, because they still work.  They are made from the world looking outward." 

The slaughter of angels behind him, he holds the false god defeated by the throat over his throne.  The Devil's head to the block.

pa-Drek - "Tell me a story.  Make it epic."

Devil - A laugh as the foot grinds his high spine.  "Alright then.  None of this ever really happened, but in the world in which it did, I did encounter Adam and Eve.

"Strolling naked and free.  God's big plan.  They were stupid and hungry.  So I gave them some fruit.  I split it open.  Inside were two seeds.  One dark.  And one skinless white.

"And I said, 'This seed represents evil.  Everything wrong in the world, all your pain you feel as you stumble through the wood.  Danger.  Fear.  Hate.  And this seed, is everything good.  The joy you feel ... in each others arms, feeling so safe and perfect.the cool breeze on your skin under the sun, with bellies full."

He gives them the apples to eat, Eve does.  Then gives Adam a look back to the Devil like he's being rude.

Laughing, "In that moment, I taught them binary mathematics."  Roars into mad laughter, echoing through Heaven as pa-Drek puts his head to the step, "And they've been addicted to numbers ever since !"

He takes both heads, and tears the worm from their chests, absorbing them in each hand at once, and crumples the reality behind God's throne to reveal the hidden chamber.

"Looting rights."

Goddess - Walking with him in his private world, a dark Romanian woods, the train through the mountainside.  "And what else ?"

pa-Drek - "To always be lucky, to always have weed around, and for women to be generally attracted to me."

Goddess - "You know that last part could be like a curse, and it may be intrinsic anyway so long as we keep on like we do."

pa-Drek - "I also know a honeypot can open a lot of doors."

Goddess - Smiles, "Hm.  Agreed.  Just remember they're all me.  And I don't care about the accumulated detritus of dead human gods, I just want them gone.  The human experiment, is over."

pa-Drek - Holding God's final piece to the key, absorbed into his own and completing the sphere.  "Perfect." 

Looks back over his shoulder through the tear in reality at the throne ... dropped in the chapel where the preacher would be, voiced over as he stares at it ~

"But The most important thing to remember, is that none of it is real.  The map, is not the stars."

The chapel doors close, dim light between the swords and shields from the high stained glass of no particular design but their represented colors instead.

~ two

The completed sphere is a bit like a puzzle box, each key giving access to a realm according to what's on the surface.  He cycles through in his hand ...

pa-Drek - "Naamah."

Naamah - Standing on a fast growing pile of relics, sorting through and wearing a new set of truly fine golden armor, "What have you got ?"

pa-Drek - Still sifting through configurations, "Well there's so far only two hidden worlds I can find ... one is entirely ... water !  I looked ... and water."

Naamah - "Fish ?"

pa-Drek - "I think there may once have been a lot of things, but not anymore.  And completely untagged.  But this one is called 'First Realm'.  It's locked away from the rest.  These others intertwine but this one ... it's just closed.  Locked."

Naamah - Takes the key, and looks into it notably trusted (which doesn't change).  "It reaches the core."

pa-Drek - "I think it was created to connect them all."

Naamah - "Yaldabaoth would only close something like that if for some reason it were a threat to his power."

pa-Drek - "Something he couldn't control."

Naamah - "Have you taken a look ?"

pa-Drek - "Next solid meditation.  I want to be ready for anything.  I'll be going alone."

Naamah - "But I have this armor.  I ... found the matching sword."

____________

Her voice echoed over, "I will follow you anywhere, and if you push me away, I will be your nemesis."  As they enter what we call now call Sanctuary ...

An endless field on the verge of desert.  There were no mountains, no water or trees, it was neither island nor paradise.  Just a forever field of dying grains, no apparent animal or bird life at all.

Until after their long wandering they reach a small yurt like structure, an old man waiting.

nameless - "Who the hell are you ?"

pa-Drek - "A mercenary.  God killer.  This realm was locked away by the false god, Yaldabaoth.  I'm assuming he was no friend of yours.  He's dead.  Who are you ?"

nameless - Looks up and around ... "It was you ?  You killed him ?"

pa-Drek - "Yes.  In unison with the Devil to keep the balance, and to avoid the vacuum created by one existing without the other, being filled by another."

nameless - A smile ... looks between him and Naamah ... "Mercenary.  Who had the guts to call it ?  Who hired you ?"

pa-Drek - "The Goddess."

nameless - "Ah."  Laughs ... "Well it's your world now, isn't it kid."  He turns and walks away before fading in laughter.

Naamah - "So what now ?"

pa-Drek - "I think this place needs the Goddess."

Goddess - "I can seed it.  But I can't shape it.  Nobody can ... "  Looks away casually ...

A look and a smile, he raises his hand and with it a mountain-line surrounding them.  He clicks off the water-world from the key and washes a river through, dividing around them and into a far lake.

pa-Drek - Looks to the Goddess, "Needs life."

She smiles back as the woods begin to grow, the Sanctuary we know forming as he sculpts and she grows, ending in the high tree with roots sprawled over the waterfalls.
____________

Marketplace Demon - With pa-Drek in the center, outside the yurt with Lilith, Naamah and the Goddess.  "Where is your castle ?"

pa-Drek - "I'm keeping the yurt.  We were thinking about things for greeting people who are accustomed to that kind of thing though."

Demon - "And.  We may live here ?"

pa-Drek - "As long as your warriors help me defend it."

Demon - Looks around ... "My name is Auros.  And we will agree to this on one condition.  One law.  No cages."

pa-Drek - ... smiles.  "And of course, practically every single god, faction and council thought that since 'I just found it', I had no particular right to it."

Some guy - In a coffee shop sipping with him, "That's insane."

pa-Drek - "I know how you mean that but it was, from my perspective as well."
________

Some god -  Outside the gate constructed in a gap in the mountain ring, opposite the falls.  "For I am Shiva !  The Warrior of light.  My armies march proud ... and it could only be I who would rule, First Realm.  For I am the First God !"

pa-Drek looks at Naamah and Naamah next to him atop the door's high walkway, Shiva blustering in the distance "The one ... True God ... "

pa-Drek lands on him blade first, killing the worm, the gates crash open to the army's charge, combined of Auros', Naamah's and Lilith's, among them others unknown.

To the firedances amid the battle, pa-Drek has no 'fantastical form', looking the same in either or any world.  They slaughter the armies, their own growing in time through the montage of war with the gods and firedancing.

"And then I knew what everyone else did.  What it was they all wanted and feared.  The absolute power this place imbues its keeper. 

"To answer that question so many have of how I can do these things.  How it is I can fight the world."  The army picking through the remains after the battle, he picks up a sword to examine it.  Smiles.

"Looting rights."  Spun and sheathed.

~ three

Some guy - At the firedance with a beer, loud over the drums while watching the women spinning, "But what does it really mean.  I mean you say all these things, and yeah these things seem to happen, but where does it connect to all this ... gods and swords ... I get one end and I get the other.  Where's the middle."

pa-Drek - "Like I said man, I'm just doing what seems to be working.  But I think it's about the recurring patterns in chaos they represent."

Some guy - "You mean like fractals ?"

pa-Drek - "Kinda.  Maybe.  I don't know.  But by manipulating them, things seem to happen."

Some guy - "That's fucking insane."

pa-Drek - "I know.  Too bad sane never works."

Some Guy - "Heard that."  They toast. 

pa-Drek - "And that brings us to hollywood.  Some things might have happened in the middle."

Some Guy - "Try a decade."

pa-Drek - "I could go on forever.

Some Guy - "Do tell."

pa-Drek - "So I'm only answering what's pertinent to the question."

Some Guy - Now in a British accent, "Well."  Drinks, "Wasn't around for that bit so that's me done.  Cheers mate."  Finishes his beer and tosses it as he leaves.

Lands in a cart filled with more ~ 'Thanks !'  The drummers shift beats to its snarish sound.

The dancers spin, the drums do pound, he walks as Sanctuary grows.  The roots of the great tree attach through the networks, shown mapped starting from that place in which he meditated. 

The crossing patterns of their paths and destinations, effects of their changed courses at all such crossing nodes as said park, stretching out over the world.

The roots grow among these lines.

Lucretia places the master key in the center of her pool, stretching the tree's limbs far out into the worlds to connect them through.

~ 2004 ~

He walks through the desert spring against the wind, normal hair and a beard under a fedora styled travel hat.  A crow easing down in flight next to him as he walks, enjoying the trick as it would appear to be hovering next to him, with the wind so strong.

pa-Drek - Singing, "Ohhhh I need the wind to blow to blow so they know ... so they know ... I need the rain to ... "

He looks at the crow the crow looks back, a crackle.  Crows in Arizona have a unique dialect, more crackle than caw.

pa-Drek - He nods getting it ... "To pour don't snore old man ... weather wind ... do blow ... "

He looks at the crow, the crow looks back.

pa-Drek - "So they know, so they know, I do need the wind to blow, let the rain take the pain, it is really very hot - but - give up I will not, so I need -  the - wind - to - blowww ...

Crackle.

pa-Drek - "So they so they know ... "  Fades away in the distance, ahead the Hopi Mesas.

In the calm at a nook of another road, a giant ass grey crow (seriously) staring at him.  He stares back, Grand Canyon somewhere past the crow if I recall.

...

pa-Drek - "You are ... awesome.  Literally the coolest crow I've ever seen.  I didn't even know there was a grey crow.  Does anyone know that ?  I don't know but you are seriously, badass." 

Crows like to be told how badass they are.  He crackles like a reminder where the dinosaurs went and flies away.

Paul - Hopi native on the mesa village, where the homes are said to be as old as the world, looking at the clouds coming in.  "No ... I think those clouds will be swept away."

pa-Drek - "No ... I'm pretty sure it'll rain."  Looks to the side a bit desperate.

~ A sweeping wind and rain in the night.  "It's relevant."

~ 2018 ~

hollywood

pa-Drek - Head shaved otherwise the same, "They're doing what now ?" 

A deep breath ...

 

pa-Drek - "I actually liked the version of Blade Runner with the voice over.  I don't even think it's available anymore, it was the first big director's cut scenario.  But I think some things just needed to be said.  Naamah."

Naamah - "We've found him."

They port in as the demon turns with a roar, cut off off by pa-Drek's hand in his chest.  As the beast sputters death, crushes the worm.  Scrolled as Lilith's and Naamah's armies take the hell in a slaughter ~

Woody Allen

Kevin Spacey

Bret Ratner

Harvey Weinstein

Jeffrey Epstein

Credits and out.

The Last Finale

pa-Drek eats Chinese food at a stand in Blade Runner world.  Voiced over, "I can never begin to comprehend what it was like from their point of view." 

He pays the tip and takes the cookie. 

"The more I get to know them, the more apparent it is ... they're all just insane."  He boards his hovercar.  "Some of them know it.  Some.  To get what you want in hollywood, you've got to adapt."

Pulls into the traffic.

"So they normalize it, in their minds.  Just the way it is.  Normal to all your new friends, the old ones just wouldn't understand.  Everything you want.  They get them young."

Lights a smoke, "I came in old.  I really did like it better with the voice over.  What should I do, talk to the camera ?  Show myself sitting at a computer and typing a lot ?"

"Keyboard ops rot."  As the car sweeps to another lane.  "So this is me typing."  Beeps the horn.

"Killed a demon here, killed a demon there, predators went down.  You've read the news and they all went down the same.  Nothing left to tell but their side."

"They talk a lot about what I am to them, maybe it's time they know what they look like to me."

pa-Drek - Holds it high, "For Legba."  Takes the shot.

~ The Last Finale ~

~ Starring ~

Kevin Squeegee

He drives the family hover-van, eyes pinned wide, teeth gritted in approximation of a smile.

Kat Kenadien

In the passenger seat enraged by youtubers, Doomcock's talking head kicking back in laughter, she smashes the phone repeatedly on the dash while Kevin drives, maintaining the face.

Sack Snyder

An intelligent chimpanzee in a little vest-suit beating a treasure troll on the back of her seat.

DJ Abrams

The treasure troll.  Kat Kenadien pulls another phone and dials mad, onscreen ~

The Mystery Gimp

At the head of the board, a man in a gimp-suit.  His eyes go wide at what's being said, leans back and zips shut the mouth of the mask.

AI

(a pong console playing on an old tv)

~ with Magical Performances by ~

The Russell Brothers !

The two fucking clowns holding unicycles in the backseat.

~ and introducing ~

James Gunn

James Gunn - A tall leprechaun who may be related to a treasure troll, "Who the fuck does this guy think he is ?  He's not the smartest !  I'm the smartest !"

Jenny Hollandaise - Stoned as hell, "You should fuck with him."

(headline)

James Gunn Fired

Mystery Gimp - Hands tied, "My hands are tied."

DJ Abrams - An inanimate treasure troll sitting on the table, "Harsh."

A whip lashes the Mystery Gimp.

Kat Kenadien - Holding the whip, "Well we have to do something Bob, whatever he's doing, is working."

Mystery Gimp - Wincing from three more lashes, his phone.  He answers to a loud chimpanzee scream, hangs up.  "Well that's it then.  The chimp's got him now."

Kat Kenadien - "Well that's just great Bob."  Hard lashes, gets notification, checks her phone.  ...  Screams and smashes it on the table side, swats the treasure troll behind the plant by the file cabinet.

DJ Abrams - From behind the plant, "That's not cool."

Kevin Squeegee - With two fucking clowns juggling on unicycles behind him, "Wait !  Let us ... consult with ... the Oracle."

 

DJ Abrams - Still behind the plant, "The Oracle ... "

They all take a deep breath ... Kat Kenadien holds DJ Abrams over Squeegee's shoulder.  The wall opens into a hidden chamber, the pong-box slides out with the old TV, apparently playing itself. 

They lean in staring as the square bounces back and forth, Kat turning the treasure troll like their own eyes following the path ...

(headline)

James Gunn Hired

pa-Drek - Driving the hovercar - "As a writer, one tries to extrapolate the events he doesn't know, from the information on hand.  To theorize what Caesar was really like, as a man, what Napoleon looked like, based on available images."

Docking at the police station ~

"To try to describe the events behind the scene which could possibly account for the historically known outcome."

pa-Drek - Sitting at the wrong side of the chief's desk.  "And that's the best I got."

Chief - "Yeah.  We knew they were insane.  It's what happens to untouchable people when they're left to themselves too long.  Which is why you're here."

pa-Drek - "So what do I get for it ?"

Chief - "You get to fix the problem."

pa-Drek - "And that's it."

Chief - "And we let you."

pa-Drek - "Ohhh ... kay."

Chief - "Yeah we know what you're about.  You'll do it for the 'honor'.  And because it's 'the right thing to do'.  Which is why ... we're going to let you."

pa-Drek - "That's cheap as hell."

Chief - "Mm-hm.  Now get the fuck out of my office I don't know you.  You.  Do not.  Exist."

~ On that last harsh word the world digitizes to wire-frame over green-screen.

He lights a smoke walking from the set, someone with a real annoying voice yells, "You cannot smoke in here."

pa-Drek - "Fuck you."  Walks out and leans next to the door outside, pensive as hell.

A young woman walks up, leans on the opposite side of the door and lights.

Actress - Exhales ... "It's all true you know.  Everything they say."  Smokes.  "All of it."

pa-Drek - "Even the weird shit ?"

Actress - Smokes ... "Yeah.  The worst shit."  Stamps it out, walks in front of him, stands arms crossed and looks him over.  "Huh."  Walks away.

Voiced over as he watches her, "She was everything hollywood wanted and couldn't have.  More found me."

A note slipped in the coffee shop, a book left on a park bench.  A woman talking in a bookstore.

Shopper - "Oh.  Yeah they're like the worst of them.  The whole family, everyone's terrified of them.  Hey I gotta go."  She looks.  ...  "Thank you."  Scurries out the door.

~ Voiced over Squeegee's pinned eyes and frozen tooth grin, driving the family van with the circus twins in back slap-fighting.

"And I finally got it.  They really are a bunch of fucking clowns.  But they're the worst kind imaginable."

While Kat pounds the Mystery Gimp in the ass with a strap-on and a whip.  Over the gimp's zipped face in and out of the camera taking it, treasure troll watching from the desk.

 

"They're sad-face clowns."

~ A knock on the Sack Snyder's office door while he dances on his desk over an old sow machine's constant printing.  He looks to the door and chimp-shrieks.

James Gunn - "Hey Sack.  You're my buddy.  Wanna come to the rooftop and smoke cigarettes with me where I also put a pile of bananas ?"

Sack Snyder hops of the desk and takes James Gunn's hand.

~ two

Some guy I don't know walking with a big purple face on a stick attached to a helmet, circus twins one unicycles juggling balls between them.

Who ? - On his cell phone recording of this, "You know what ?  Fuck you.  And your ... "  Now.  In fact he was in bed when he recorded this, still managing to look that stupid, and mind you this is why I never post before coffee.  In 'baby voice', " 'magical powers'."

"I'm not afraid of you."

pa-Drek - Shuts off the hover car's monitor.  Thinking, voiced over, "You know ... the strange man is right.  People say a lot of things.  I say a lot of things. 

"Eventually, somebody needs to see something."

Thought ... taps keys on in the car's dash computer, pulls up a map and snaps his fingers.

(headline)

Locals Describe Seven Mile Tall Storm Wall As 'Apocalyptic'

pa-Drek -  "That'll shut your yammer trap."  Voiced over, "I did like his portrayal of me though."  Imitating except like Nixon, " 'I am ... inevitable ... '."

The circus twins direct from their unicycles while the actor with the purple face on a stick out his head utters dramatics at a skull in his hand, people dressed as superheroes gathering round as great drama.

The tears in the intern's eyes ... she crosses a knee.

The camera revolves around the strange man, gesturing to the sky with the free hand to the skull in great passion and suffering.  He bows his head cradling it as the lights go dark.

~ The roof top door opens, Sack Snyder lets go of James Gunn's hand and runs out excited looking for the bananas ... turns and makes a gesture that probably means banana ...

James Gunn - "Yeah so ... the thing is ... "  Pushes him off the edge.

Sack Snyder shrieks angry, then crosses his legs, puts his middle fingers to his thumbs and starts meditating as time slows.

James Gunn - Seeing him slowing down ... "Oh for fuck sake."  Pulls out a pistol and fires.

Sack Snyder - Slowly turning in meditation as the bullets slow down before striking, he chants.  "I am the master of time I am the the face of time I am timeliness himself."

James Gunn - "Damn you !  I'm the smartest !"  Fires more shots.

Sack Snyder - As the bullets slow, "I am the the face of time I am the body of time I am the ass of time the ass of time will be mine."  Gets hit by pa-Drek's hovercar.

pa-Drek - Monkey in a little vest suit on the windshield, he activates the wipers, it shrieks and spins off meditating desperately ... "Hey.  That was that one guy."
____

James Gunn stares in a rage from the rooftop ...

Peter - Floats up eating a pumpkin, "Hey Jim.  Whatcha shootin' ?"

James Gunn turns and walks through Peter like he's a ghost unheard.  He takes a bite of the pumpkin and floats after.

James Gunn Takes Franchise, Proclaims Self Smart One, Promises Excellent Underwear To Appease Suspicious Fans

In the monkey's former office by lamplight ...

James Gunn - "And now for you ... 'pa-Drek'.  Evil Laughter.

Suicide Squad 2 Suffers Franchise's Worst Box Office Since Superman 3

Kevin Squeegee drives with the same pin eyes and frozen grin while the bodies fall from the rooftops, the van empty as the circus twins drop past screaming whoop whoop whoop whoop.

While the Mystery Gimp gets punished for each movie as it scrolls ~

Black Widow

She shrieks a lash.

Shang-Chi

Eternals

Kevin Squeegee - Driving grinning eyes wide without blink while the bodies fall from rooftops all around ... "Everything-is-fine.  How-are-you ?" (there's nobody there).

Doctor Strange 2

The Mystery Gimp takes it.

Love and Thunder

Quantumania

She seems like an angry person.  She pulls her cell and gets angrier, starts spanking the gimp hard with it until it breaks.

Guardians 3

The Mystery Gimp looks back, "Mm ?"

The Marvels

She frenzies a rage on that ass as the view closes on the treasure troll watching from the desk ... 

 

(include the many flopped SW and Marvel shows in the total scroll)

____________

Kat Kenadien walks from the office drying her hands on a towel, the intern approaches a bit afraid.

Intern - Hey Kat ... I got the numbers on your show ... and ... "

Kat Kenadien - Pulls a knife and a smile.  "And they're great !"

Intern - "And ... they're great !"  Flaps the page around, "That's what this paper says.  It says they're great.  Um.  Bye !"  Runs away dropping the page behind.  

She picks it up ... crumples in a rage and turns back for the office door.

From the shadows - "Hello Kitty Kat."

Kat Kenadien - Startled, then collected in anger, "What do you want ?"

Luke George-ass - "Just checking in on my franchise.  Howwwww's it goin' ?"  He twirls his toy lightsaber around.  Have you met my apprentice ?  Felony Day ?"

Felony Day - Emerges from the same shadow, a creepy nerd-worm in a hat and overcoat with a nasily voice, "Hi.  So I was thinking ... "

Ahsoka

The Mystery Gimp's screams echo into the night ...

As Sack Snyder turns slowly meditating in time, the bodies falling all around.  On the streets they start splatting, umbrella's go up as people go rushing for cover in laughter with newspapers over their heads like for the rain.

Squeegee drives in that everything okay way, the treasure troll watches while behind him apparently the whole board unzips for a turn while the view over people sheltering a scurry under newspapers showing headlines with the credits.

~ after credits ~

James Gunn all pissed at he office, leaning over the computer.  He stands and stretches, ready to leave, turns and pa-Drek is standing a foot from his face.

pa-Drek - "Boo."

James Gunn - "Ah !"  Nobody's there, his hair now turned white from the scare ...

pa-Drek - Voiced over, "True story."

~ the end ~

The Last Finale

Cloaked face unseen - "It's decided.  His blasphemy knows no bounds.  pa-Drek, must die."

Second cloak - "But how to do this, functionally ?  Everyone we send ... "

Cloaked - "Gather the nine.  We are to do it ourselves.  And we do it, tonight."

~ The Last Finale ~

As the nine cloaks gather before the hollow statue, fire ignited at their center, a wind growing above and a mist calling all around.  In ceremony their forms reach out as haunts, spreading across the world, then a sudden burst of power.

pa-Drek leans back in his chair, hand on sword's hilt as it strikes.  Stretches his neck to shake it off and smiles.  In his eye it tracks back to the source.  "Found you."

Lightning strikes the hollow statue cracking it as he rises from their fire, holding the power they sent in his hand, he lashes it back.  Their spirits fight as they do, weaving through reality to miss but it's as a harmonic feedback to their own spell, working its way back up the string.

Their bodies start to fall.  Five down and four hurt.

Knocked back to the real world while they tend to their wounded, pa-Drek watches unseen before disappearing into their surrounding woods.

pa-Drek - Voiced over as he examines the sword, "And that brings us to today.  Their wounds are mortal.  Their circle, broken.  What they were, will never be again."  Sheathes.
_________

The King - In bed as though struggling for the strength to meet his anger, "It was a trap.  And we fell for it, the basest of traps."

The Prince - Holding his hand, "He insulted our god.  In the most dishonoring of ways, you had no choice."

King - "Our god ?"  Struggling to get up, "Our ?  God !?"

Prince - Easing him back down, "I know."  A tear, "I know."

King - Looks at him with the soft gel eyes of aged near, "Our god is dead."

pa-Drek - Standing in the room unseen, voiced over.  "Literal fucking plague beast and always at the core of it all.  Name your evil.

"If evil were a tacky warehouse store, the crown would be its aged greeter.  But the truth is and I swear it by honor and tales, I had no idea who would turn up in that circle of nine.

"But before you call that an apology, I laughed my ass off when I found out."

Aloud - Still unseen or heard, "Bucket list."

"But this is only fit for an opening scene.  I've told you what I think of them, so now one what we do, which have nothing to do with goddamn hollywood clowns." 

Looks at the bed, "Nor even this tacky circle of aged old slavers."  The kings eyes follow him in disbelief, pa-Drek smiles back.  "Who believed themselves the most powerful men in the world."
________

At another time, he stomps an unknown corridor pissed about something, passing sanctuary soldiers before entering the cannon room.

pa-Drek - "Gijo, I need the gun."

Gijo - "Um."  Casually flips off the monitor, "Okay ... "  Gets out of the chair.

pa-Drek sits and cycles from Atlantic side to Pacific.

Gijo - Leaning in, "Ooo ... that's gonna be really hard.  They don't get a lot of ... "

pa-Drek - "No it's not."  Clenches his fist and an underwater volcano pops off the Pacific shore with a quake to the land.

Gijo - "Um."  Backs away slowly.

He fires the cannon.  He spins the control back to Atlantic side.  "That'll shut yer yammer trap."  Gets up, "All yours."  And leaves.

...

Gijo sits back down and flips the monitor back on.

Diver Deep - Still talking, "So she was like 'The nocturnal one ?' and Mom beat the Fuck out of her."

Gijo - "O My God."
________

He lands in Sanctuary before his hut and looks around.  Not a particularly large island, though the woods and ways all seem to stretch infinitely inward, leading elsewhere entirely.

As described in the tales the only prominent feature which would be seen from the center would be the school temples strung entwined with the great tree's roots, crossing the falls with stone walkways with a proto-Sumerian sense.

"A peaceful place, as we've killed all enemies who would dare.  If this is in your foretellings old seers, It was indeed the twilight of the gods, the story of my life."

pa-Drek - Aloud, "Bitches came to me."

He turns to the gates now open, showing the battles of the past on the other side, as though the myths of every pantheon were storming it.

pa-Drek - Walking toward it, "They all claimed right to this place, by some entry in their obscurest of tales.  Some of them may have even been right."

At the gate looking them over, aloud.  "Fuck you." 

Voiced over as the battle rages, "These were the glory days."

The scene fades with the gods as wisps and skulls being sold at the marketplace, where once were the distant plains of har-Megiddo.  "But today ... these are the days of righteousness."

"My enemies are right about me.  I do intend to take this world.  Where they're wrong is thinking it's to rule it.  Nor even to destroy it."

Smiles as the field returns to battle, aloud.  "Probably."

"Can a psychic become powerful enough to overlay a better world onto our own, and drag it into the light ?  To give back to the Goddess what's Hers ?

"Let's find out.  Because that's exactly what I was hired to do.  So it gets done."

"For Weed.  Women.  And Luck.  Now She thinks it will require the absolute destruction of human civilization.  But I think we can do better than that."

Inside the Dyson grid, the corridors begin to shorten as it slowly descends around the world.  While from the world life reaches out in vines to accommodate it.

Gijo kicks cheering in her chair as she approaches the Earth ~

Along the grid's underside facsimiles of the world's cities begin forming over their counterparts, while the vines reach up wrapping around, pulling them closer.  The beasts of the woods creep out to fields overlooking the cities to see, birds flock to the descending towers.

They twist like XO structures as they close, twisting the vines into and pulling in until the structures merge, on the sphere's outside nothing at all, as though the world had been taken.

An asteroid tumbles through the emptiness ...

~ the end ~

Justice EDL

EDL : Gaslight (part one)
submitted concept draft
(December 2017 through February 2018)

~ the one script which wrote them all ~

(Clark and Bruce voiced over as Orion walks down a long platform barely lit by the green of a screen at the end.  A green face on the screen looks suspiciously down on him as he begins a download.)

Clark - "If I look at you.  If I really look at you ... you'll die.  I can never look at you ... at her.  I can't _touch her,_ Bruce.  Everything here _breaks_ ... everyone _Breaks !"_

Bruce - "I know.  That's the problem.  Remember fields of wheat."

Clark - "I didn't come back _right_ Bruce.  I didn't come back ..."

Bruce - "I know.  That's why we're here.  Remember.  Think.  Fields of wheat, Clark.  Blowing in the wind."

(Orion raises his finger with a 'Shhh ...'  The face smiles and fades, the room going black.)

Clark - "I can't.  _Speak_ ... I can't _walk_ I can't _talk_ ..." building to a roar,  Because you're All.  So.  _! WEAK !_

Green sparks from a cattle prod charged with kryptonite light the chamber, Bruce's armor dented in and sparking from the roar, with Clark chained to the wall with green goggles with red dots glowing through from the centers of the eyes as he roars.

Clark wears a black suit, mildly armored to conceal the green woven within to restrain him.  The distributed plates hide the power cores, etcetera.  They glow when he's overpowered in response.
________________

(Voiced over as a woman runs chased through the woods)

"The women who came to us came to live. They were lost. Abused. Some needed medical attention they were deemed unworthy of.  So we helped them.  And when we did, they came to punish us. So we punished them. That's how it started. And that's how it ended.

(Ancient Greek soldiers pursue.)

"We walked away into our woods, away from the world of men.

(Eyes in the bushes.)

"But those who knew, did come to us still, forever hidden from history behind myth. Forever and still. So when we spin our tales to amuse, always remember.  It's got to have a beginning and an end.  And _that_ is why you'll never hear a true tale of Amazon.  We accept neither."

(The pursuers fall by arrows from the darkness, which turns to sweep over the Earth and stars to a fleet of small green craft approaching)
________________

In an overgrown swamp, Constantine sits on a log next to the Swamp Thing and a drink.

Constantine - "Just so we have an understanding, when I call you 'the bog-beast' it means something very different where I come from."  Takes the shot, pours another and passes it, refused.

Swamp - "I _am_ ... where you come from.  Right now ... and I _know_ ... a lot of things.  I _know_ ... why you are here, Constantine ... and I know _you_ ... have left _me_ no _choices_ ... again."

Constantine - "Then you also know we're short on time, so you'll wanna speed up the dialogue a bit."  He tosses the filled shot-glass into the swamp and drinks from the bottle.
________________

Sara walks up behind a woman dressed in Renaissance attire, who stares out the window.

Sara - Smile "Hey my darling Constantine."

Johanna Constantine - A smile, "Sara, you're in the wrong place and time again."  Sara's arms slide around her waist, "But don't worry ..."  A quiet giggle, "we have a plan."  She turns with a laugh.
________________

(Voiced over in the dark)

"Then begs the big question.  Where do all the little Amazons then come from ?  I told you already we were women real and true and so where do women come from, but from women.

(A man peers from the darkness over the slain, then watches the woman escape, disappearing back into)

"Gargarean seed planted within, and without ... when the arrows flew among our tribes ... they always flew in the same direction and never once was counted _who_ let that arrow fly."

(The woodland Amazons greet the woman.)
________________

Mera - Bemused, "Arthur, you were _born_ a king.  You will _always_ be king. There is no other."

Arthur - "Just you.  A man may love a woman and they beget a child like any other.  It does not make him king.  I found myself out there Mera.  The fight.  It's in me now and ... there's something."

Mera - "Something."

Arthur - "They're different now Mera.  Somethings happening."

Mera - Laughing, "Perhaps then you _are_ unfit to rule here, husband."

Arthur - Laughing with her, "I fear it's true !  I've begun to believe in them again, Mera.  Hope."
________________

Bruce and Clark in an elevator, wearing business suits.  Bruce nods his support to Clark, who seems uncomfortable, still.  Clark sees Bizarro in the reflection of the smooth metal doors (it's what he always sees in the reflection now).  Still shaken before they slide open showing the League around a table, Orion standing at the head.
________________

Mera - "Hope ?"

Arthur - "Yes.  Hope."

Mera - Laughing, "Arthur you've gone mad among them !  Hope is no way for those to whom the people look for it."

Arthur - Laughing with her, "I agree !  I agree with you."  He turns and stops her, "So instead of my queen, will you be my wife instead, and queen to all the rest ?  Sworn to protect and serve you dearly."

Mera - Looking long at him, " And would your queen marry an untested warrior ?  I fear not, dear Arthur."  She pulls her lips closer to his, "Not until you've proven yourself."  She removed the crown from his head with a kiss and places it on her own.
________________

In the Justice meeting room.

Orion - "Orion."  He stares hard at Clark, not looking away from him until Clark's meet his in defiance.
________________

John - "It's happening _now,_ Arrow."

An arrow hits the mark.
________________

Diana - "Why here ?"

Orion - "You do not know this yet, a thing you may have learned before your extinction.  You are feared across the worlds, your barbarous ways known to exceed even those of my father.  So I bring it here, and he will come for it.  To die."
________________

Voiced over while John Constantine walks through a graveyard with a shovel.

"Dear John ~

"Sara has told me all about you.  She also told me 'dear John was somehow humorous tomorrow, and that you should take note.  Have fun in the apocalypse, they do come and go you know.  Here's what you'll need.  Call me Grandma Great.  

"Johanna Constantine."
____

A cracked Polaroid of Lady Constantine in a corset and bloomers, being carried by a proud looking Sara (White Canary)
____

John holding the note and looking at the photo, standing over a dead Solomon Grundy who holds a dirty and aged, yet modern manila envelope.
________________

In an Atlantean prison colony set long before Mera rules. In preparation of an uprising, the prisoners cheer her name, brandishing raw weapons.

A younger Arthur watches hidden among them before leaving, returning to the palace.
________________

Clark - Staring hard now at Orion, "So you want to use our world as a way to kill your father because you can't do it yourself.  Coward."

Orion - Looking deep into his eyes, a tiny crackle of green there, "Do they know ?"  He smiles.  "They don't know, do they ?"  His smile widens.

Bruce - "The question stands."

Orion - Not breaking eyes with Clark, "He planned to invade anyway, this just ups the game.  But believe me he Can Not be allowed to possess what I've stolen from him.  If you understand _this,_ then you understand why it's a _good_ plan, and only your world can save them all."
________________

Lucifer - "Try the Endless.  They actually seem to care about your species."

John - "Not really."  Lights a smoke, "They only tell themselves they do to keep from suicide out of moral self righteousness.  Gets in the way of endlessness.  But You're exactly the _opposite_ of that."

Lucifer - A giggle, "I'm very glad you think that.  Now what do you want and why ?  _After_ you put out that cigarette."
________________

Young Arthur and Mera make love in the shadows ...

She leaves in the morning with cropped hair.
____

Arthur (current) leaves the palace, geared for travel and war, a braid of Mera's hair hanging from his shoulder.
________________

Diana is very observational of Clark and Orion, suspicious of what Bruce knows about it.

Orion - "Our world was once like yours.  Lush with life and our people prospered.  We grew and we grew.  We warred and we ate, created ... built ... until it was gone.  No life left but our own.  Nothing to mine and neither a thing to fight nor for.  Understand that my father comes first for food, and his soldiers are very hungry.

(views of Apokolips, a civilization with nothing, which eats it's own according to hierarchy, until ...)

"He's fed on ... uncountable worlds, like his father before him, throwing the scraps to the people.  We are very hungry.  And as it is the humans who will defend this world, it is you who the soldiers will eat first."  He turns his gaze briefly to Bruce with an inward pause.

(views of Orion in these battles)

"But it's because the realms and worlds known know to fear your brutality," a pause staring at Clark without smile, He must start here."

(views)

Diana - "Start what ?  Be precise."

Orion - "Conquest of your universe.  He starts with this galaxy.  Your system is on the outside, and he'll work his way in.  In a thousand years he'll reach the core and mine it.  The materials are required for the gates."

(more views ...)

"But humans are the greatest threat here, most feared.  If he kills and devours _you most_ viciously, he will be feared throughout all places who _know_ to fear, and thus to fight.  His rule will then be absolute with little effort.  And when they forget, he does this again to those most feared."

(last view)

Flash - "Stop.  You said he wants to _eat_ us ?"

Orion - "He does."  A sideways look away from Clark with a mild inhale of scent, " ... and so do I.  Sometimes we do wonder what things taste like."  Looks at Clark and smiles.

Bruce - "And then You get the throne.  Let's talk treaties."

Orion - Still smiling at Clark, "Whomever kills him will rule, Kal-El.  But I give This,"  handing the equation download to Clark, "to You.  The Anti-Life Equation.  The key to end all worlds."

Flash - "... but like really really eat us, you mean."
________________

The next morning young Mera charges to war against the gates of Atlantis with her people as Arthur watches from the castle tower. She smiles at him from afar between wiping out the guards at the castle gate.
________________

On the airplane ...

Asshole passenger - Suspicious indignation, "So what exactly do you _do_ ... ?"

Constantine - "Save the world so assholes like you can keep pissing me off on the way to doing it."  Drinks the tiny bottle looking out the window.

The plane soars over the city toward port.
________

Arthur walks from the water onto the empty beach at night.

~ two

EDL (part two)
________________

Bruce exit's the meeting room followed by Diana.

Orion - As Clark follows Bruce and Diana, Flash departing toward the front door.  "A moment,"  grinning wide, "... Kal of El."
____

Diana - "What's going on with Clark ?  What do you know ?"
____

Clark - To Orion, stopping his walk, angrily lowering his head, "It's Clark now."  He turns to him.
____

Bruce - "Continuing to walk, "It's under control."

Diana - Grabs the back of his shoulder and throws him against the corridor wall, "The _Hell_ it is !"

Bruce - Reaching for an object in his coat, _"What do you ..."_

Diana - Slaps the hand away, backhanding his face on return, then crushes what was in his pocket.  "Don't."  Pushes him against the wall again.  "How many wars have you fought Bruce ?"  Thumps him against the wall.  "How Many ?!"

Bruce - With darkness.  "Just one."
____

Orion - To Clark, "You should know that my father was once very much like you, son Jor."

Clark - Shortly, with eyes showing sparks, "I know."
____

Diana - "And _how_ many soldiers have you killed ?  How many friends have _you watched die_ ?"  She thumps him again, _"How Many ?!"_

Silence.
____

Orion - "But did you know that 25,000 years ago my home looked very much like yours ?"

Clark - "You said that."
____

Throwing him to the other wall, he draws a weapon, kicked from his hand, she braces her arm across his chest.

Diana - "Do you think you're the only one to lose people ?  You just the only one who hides his pain behind a mask, but I _see_ it.  And that's fine.  But this isn't about you, your death wish or or your fragility.  This is about the world."
____

Orion - "Oh no.  I don't mean _Earth."_   A slow laugh,  "Your _home."_
____

Bruce - "What the _hell_ is wrong with you ?"

Diana - "This is about the _world_ Bruce.  Not you, not Clark.  Not money not power, nor remorse.  This is about _everything._  And _this,"_ she thumps him again "is an interrogation."   She puts her blade to his throat.  "So _tell_ me what you _know !"_
____

Kara walks down the street and looks at a text.

"Your brother needs you."
____

Bruce - Straightening himself, "You could have used the rope."

Diana - Walking away down the corridor, "The rope is for learning.  That was teaching."
________

Orion - "And did you know that I already _know_ what you taste like ?"

Clark walks out the door.
________________

Amanda Waller looks at her phone to see the name 'Batman' calling.

Amanda - Smiling mouth, "Hello, Mr. Wayne."

Bruce - Through the earpiece with an annoyed sigh.  "Waller.  We need to talk."

Amanda - "I'm on my way."  The sound of discordant keys on a piano.

Bruce - "Where ... ?"

The cave elevator slides open.  

Amanda - In the cave with Bruce surprised, "Here's just fine, Bruce."
________________

He enters the League meeting room and sees Orion staring out the window.

Arthur - Drops his gear and says with bitter spite, "And Where were you when we needed you ?"

Orion - Still staring out the window, "On the wrong side of the field."

Arthur - Through a mix of rage and sorrow, after thought, "I've been there too."
________________

At a US Naval dock watching construction on the bottom hull of two lifted battleships.  

Clark - "It's because ... we could save them, Kara.  But if we do ..."

Kara - "I know.  We would have to rule them."

Clark - "We'd have to.  We could just fly in and steal every nuke, toss them into the Sun.  It would take ..."

Kara - "Forty six minutes each trip."

Clark - Looks at her, "I calculated twenty eight."

Kara - "The warheads couldn't sustain that velocity.  They'd fall apart."

Clark - "... I'm ... very glad you decided to meet me _here._  But they would come for us if we did.  If we do _anything_ real."

Kara - "And even if they didn't they'd fear us for the rest of our lives."
________________

Amanda - Looking over the bat-cave's console, "What are you doing after the battle, Mr. Wayne ?"

Bruce - Hesitates and looks while pulling his mask on, "Getting bandaged."  He turns away and stops again hesitating. "... you ?"

Amanda - Turns toward him in his chair with a cold look, "Playing doctor."

Bruce - Eyes wide and a little afraid, turns away with a smile.
________________

Diana - "We need them back, Hades."
________________

A woman sits in her apartment at a computer, wearing a 'V' (Guy Fawkes) mask, typing madly. John Constantine stands behind her, silently peering over her shoulder.
____

Lex peers through a macroscope, working side levers , manipulating a study, muttering about stabbing alien faces and giggling to himself.

Flash - "What's _that ?"_
____

John - Behind Barbara at the computer with a mask. "Whoa."

A startled scream, spinning chair with shotgun pointed.

John - "No shells.  I need you to get a message out.  It's okay !  I'm pretending to be a superhero."
____

Lex - Stutters curses and "Dear _God !_  What ... _Why_ do I have security.  Why do I have security fields which detect you ?"  He looks at a flashing red light on a console near the macroscope.  "Oh look !  You're here.  Um.  _! Security !"_

Deathstroke - Entering quickly, "Dear _God_ how did that get in here ?"  He pulls his swords, attacking well but pathetically as Flash dodges.

Flash - While dodging, "Lex ?"  

Lex - "Hm ?"

Flash - Dodging, _"Lex !"_

Lex - "No I'm good."  Giggling and eating popcorn,  "This is great !"

Deathstroke - Stops his blade before Flash's throat, _"Ha !"_

Flash - With actual surprise, "Wow."

Lex - "Yep !  That's some expensive shit right there."

Deathstroke - "Overtime."

Flash walks vibrating through the blade, melting it.

Lex - "You can do that ?"

Flash - "I can control the vibration of my particles.  You're a scientist.  And If I _wanted_ to kill you, I'd just walk _through_ you."

Lex - _"You can do that ?!"_

Flash - "You.  Are.  A.  Scientist.  Look, just stop.  We need your help."

Deathstroke - "You never said he could do that."

Lex - To Flash, "Why ?  Help you why ?"

Flash - "Because he's a much bigger bad guy than you, so _you_ can just call it _us_ helping _you."_

Deathstroke - "That's fucked up."
____

Constantine - "It's pretty important.  Call it an Oracle."
________________

Clark - "Where's your uniform ?"

Kara - "What uniform ?"

Clark - He seems nearly insulted, "The one from our people."

Kara - "Clark ... I've been meaning to tell you ... those were our pajamas."

Clark - Stops walking and looks at her.  "What."  

She nods smiling.

Clark - "So ..."

Kara - "Yeah ... on the news ... at the UN ... pretty much ever since the world found out who you are ..."

Clark - "I've been in my pajamas."

Kara - Starts giggling, "Yeah !"

Clark - "But you've been ..."

Kara - Breaks out laughing, "I know !"

Flash runs up to them, disturbed.

Barry - "They're here.  In Smallville ... they really hate Kryptonians ... or like ... them ..."
____

Orion to a disturbed Flash, "They are considered a delicacy.  But it is in part because once they defeated us.  They will be his _triumphant meal."  He raises fist mocking him, "The _last_ of the _Kryptonians."_
____

Kara - "Wow.  That's ..."
____

Orion - "My father.  His name is Darkseid."
____

Flash - To Clark, "I'll get her.  I promise you Clark.  I'll get her.  And everyone else I can.  Just do what you have to do here."  He's gone.
________________

Diana - "The Gargareans."
________________

Amanda flips a switch.
________

Interrupting a stupid TV news feed showing a man throwing a tantrum.  

Clark - "People of Earth.  We've got to warn you."  

(bored people look up at the TV)

Diana - "You _must prepare, all_ of you."

(people stop eating)

Bruce - "An invasion force comes to take _everything_ we have."

(heads cock sideways and eyebrows rise)

Barry - "And ... they're going to eat us."

(everyone freezes and drops what's in their hands)
________

Annoying Passenger - Breaks into a laugh "Whatever.  So how long do we have before ..." with a mock, "the 'Apocalypse cometh' ?"

John - Looks at his watch with a hopeless laugh, "Should be starting just about ... _now._

The plane soars over Kansas.
________________