S1.E3 Bewitched - Scene 9

Ritual S1 - Episode 3 - Scene 9

UCLA After Dark

Characters in this Scene

Emma Roberts as Debbie Sinclair

Evan Peters as Isaiah Holmes

Lady Gaga as Lilith Levay

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Debbie Sinclair makes her way across the UCLA campus; it is 8 pm a good hour after sunset and the campus is quiet and dark. She had stayed back in the library to finish up an assignment but had accidently nodded off, only waking when the librarian shook her roughly. Her lack of sleep was playing havoc with her studies. Today she had received her first B and was completely mortified. Professor Jones had cocked an eyebrow at her in surprise when he handed over her paper. Today she decided she would apply herself even harder.

She had missed her scheduled pick up by the Sinclair’s chauffer and decided to make her own way back and catch a cab from Sunset Boulevard. In any case her parents were out again tonight, if she was back by the time they got home then all would be well. She heads toward the sculpture garden and as she passes Rodin’s The Walking Man she hears a sound, like the grinding of metal. She glances at the headless statue for a moment, then shakes her head and walks on. She walks for a couple of yards and hears the grinding noise again, instinctively she turns around. The statue is completely missing from its base. She stares in amazement and walks over bending down to examine the bronze platform. She puts her hand in the grooves where the feet had been. She stands up, shrugs her shoulders and is about to walk on when she bumps into the statue which is now alive and bobbing in front of her. Debbie screams and dodges past it, running as fast as she can towards the main road and away from the campus. She hears the thudding of heavy feet and turns to see the headless, armless thing gaining on her. Panicked, she ducks and weaves through the other sculptures and hides behind an abstract piece.  From her hiding place she watches it stop running and turn side to side, momentarily confused, then stalk back to its podium. She breaths out a heavy sigh of relief. Debbie cautiously moves from her spot in the shadows, but she is caught in the grip of a pair of metal hands that latch onto her shoulders.  She wriggles and flails her arms to break free and runs for her life down the path in the direction of Sunset Boulevard. She watches in open-mouthed terror as the Hans Arp sculpture lumbers toward her like a giant slinky.  She sidesteps and leaps over a short hedge across the lawn and finally makes it to the gate, not daring to look back she runs across the road into the oncoming traffic nearly causing a pile up. A car screeches to a halt and the driver angrily abuses her as she stumbles and falls on the sidewalk opposite.

Debbie takes a moment to recover sitting on the sidewalk, warily watching the college gates from the opposite side of the road. She is shaking and hyperventilating, her pupils dilated. A hand touches her shoulder; she jumps and screams her lungs out.

“Hey, hey – it’s ok. Calm down. It’s me.” Isaiah Holmes holds up his hands in a gesture of peace. Debbie instantly throws herself at him and hugs on for dear life sobbing her heart out. Isaiah puts his arms around her. They sit on the sidewalk together and she tells him her story. He listens intently, without judgement.

“It is completely crazy, but that’s what I saw. I don’t know what that was, but it felt real, even though it was impossible. I think I’m losing my mind; I keep having these hallucinations all the time. Something is happening to me, but I don’t know what.”

“That is pretty fucked up and I’m no expert on these things, but I am an expert on cheering people up.  C’mon, I think you need a drink.”

“I can’t drink in bars; I’m only 18!”

“It’s not a problem at this place, it’s not a real bar as in it’s not licensed or anything, more of a hang-out centre for the arty.”

“OK, just for a little while.” Debbie’s heart begins to beat wildly in her chest, she feels rebellious and a little nervous – this is completely uncharted territory for her. Isaiah takes her arm in his and leads her down a side alley to a warehouse with a painted sign emblazoned with the words Klub Kaos. They step inside and Debbie is overwhelmed by the sights and sounds. The warehouse is huge and open with a mezzanine floor and a long bar where wine and beer are served. It looks like most people have brought their own bottles of whatever they like to drink. The place is furnished with a hotch-potch of couches, armchairs and mismatched tables. On one side three people are jointly painting a mural on the wall. On the stage a band is setting up while a DJ in the corner spins Blondie’s Rip Her to Shreds. Isaiah and Debbie sit in a corner on a couch made from the ripped-out seat of an old Chevrolet.

“What do you think?” he produces a bottle of chianti from inside the military jacket he is wearing and pours her a cup. “Cheers”

“Cheers. It’s amazing, do you always come here?”

“Most nights. It’s where I can be myself, just be me, and be free.”

“I envy you then, I don’t have a lot of freedom.”

“Yeah, well that’s one luxurious prison you are living in.”

Debbie punches him playfully in the arm. “How is the acting going?”

“It’s a lot tougher than I thought, but I feel like my big break is just around the corner. I have a screen test next week, and if I’m good enough I’ll be hired on the spot.”

“Why don’t I just ask Daddy if he can pull some strings.”

“Uh-uh. I remember the first day I met you, you accused me of trying to sweet-talk you to get a leg up. I can get my own work, thanks.”

“Ok, well kudos to you then!” She chinks her cup against his. Debbie drinks the wine a lot quicker than she expects and she begins to relax in Isaiah’s arms. She laughs loudly at his jokes, they dance a little, and she is taken by surprise when he holds her chin in his hand and kisses her softly and slowly on the lips. Debbie loses herself in that kiss for a moment, but it also triggers something else deep within her. Something that has conditioned her next response. She stands up abruptly. “I’m sorry, I – I have to go home.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, God no. I just really need to get back.”

“Ok, then. I’ll escort you to a cab.”

At the bar, a woman in a red boiler suit slashed to the waist is talking to a couple of black-clad punks, she turns and watches Debbie and Isaiah leave. Lilith Levay takes a long drag on her cigarette and ponders on what this liaison means for the future of the Temple.

Thank you, this is the end of Episode 3 'Bewitched' of AHV Ritual, stay tuned for the start of the next Episode 4 'In the Closet' - I hope you are enjoying the season so far, feel free to comment on my Instagram page or Facebook as well, and follow along for updates.