The Otherwise

by Mark E Smith

  MARK stares at them for a moment, then turns and walks towards the studio.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – FIELD – DAY

  MACFISK and ALUN stand watching.

  ALUN

  Well then?

  MACFISK ponders a moment then shakes his head.

  MACFISK

  We should come back later. Do it after night fall.

  ALUN

  Why not now?

  MACFISK

  It's easier to make chaos at night. Folk are less sure of ‘emselves. The darkness…

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – HILLSIDE – EVENING

  ESTABLISHING SHOT of empty fields and dry stone walls. It's dusk. We see MARY, the octogenarian folk singer, shuffling along. She enters a wooded area.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – WELL SPRING – EVENING

  As the light fades from the sky, we move into C.U. on the gently bubbling waters of the well spring.

  CUT TO REVEAL MARY watching the waters, thoughtful and focussed.

  When the sunlight is finally gone, the water in the well spring begins to gently glow with light.

  MARY smiles. Despite the strangeness, MARY seems reassured. She closes her eyes and appears to enter a trance like state.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – LIVE ROOM – DAY

  GRAMS: THE FALL – ‘NEW SONG’ (00.00)

  MARK is watching THE FALL playing a new song.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – LIVE ROOM – DAY

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE AS BED)

  CLARE is at the mixing desk, checking the sound levels. BEV is sitting, going through her handbag.

  BEV

  That's odd.

  CLARE

  Hmm?

  BEV

  I was gonna show you these two coins Jeff found on the way here. Proper antiques; William and Mary.

  CLARE

  Would they be worth anything?

  BEV

  I thought they might be real silver. If I could find them.

  BEV continues to search through her handbag.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – PENDLE HILL – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  LEN and JEFF are riding the motorbikes. LEN is going at high speed. JEFF is struggling to keep up with him. LEN wears a black helmet with a reflective silver visor. JEFF wears a more ordinary helmet.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – ROUGH TRACK – NIGHT

  LEN drives off the road into the entrance to a rough track. He slides to a halt spraying gravel. Moments later, JEFF appears around the corner on his bike. He almost misses the turn off, but swerves and pulls up next to LEN. When they speak their voices are muffled.

  LEN

    (gestures down track)

  This way.

  JEFF

  What's dow–––

  Before JEFF can finish speaking, LEN has roared away down the track. JEFF drives after him.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – ABANDONED BARN – NIGHT

  Six motorbikes are parked up in front of the dilapidated barn. LEN and JEFF pull up. LEN dismounts and heads inside. JEFF dismounts, takes off his helmet and follows him.

  JEFF

  What's happening here then?

  LEN doesn't answer but simply disappears inside.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – ABANDONED BARN – CONTINUOUS

  JEFF's POV: He follows LEN through the barn door inside.

  It's very dark inside. The dark corners of the barn are impenetrable. But the very centre of the space is illuminated by three Tilley lamps. JEFF puts his hand on LEN's shoulder.

  JEFF

  Len?

  LEN turns around and stares at him with his blank silver visor.

  JEFF (CONT’D)

  What's going on?

  When LEN speaks his voice is muffled.

  LEN

  This is your chance.

  JEFF

  My chance?

  LEN

    (hisses)

  Your chance to become a Son of a Witch.

  JEFF

  But I never said…

  LEN grabs JEFF by the shoulder and pulls him forwards.

  LEN

  Come on. There's something you have to see.

  LEN points to the lamps.

  FOUR BIKERS in leathers and silver reflective visored helmets step forwards into the light. They stand facing inwards towards the light.

  JEFF looks unsettled.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – STUDIO CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT

  CLARE is at the mixing desk. She presses record. C.U. on the spool of tape turning on a reel to reel recorder. CLARE speaks into the mic.

  CLARE

  Okay, recording.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – LIVE ROOM – NIGHT

  ELENA, PETER, DAVE and KIERON are at their instruments, MARK near the mic. The band start up. The music is slow, strange, ghostly and mysterious.

  GRAMS: THE FALL – ‘SOLARIS-LIKE’ (00:00)

  DISSOLVE TO:

  INT. – ABANDONED BARN – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  LEN and the other FOUR BIKERS are gathered in a circle around the uneasy JEFF. LEN and the BIKERS all have their helmets on and silver reflective visors down. They all join hands. The circle is complete. The nervous JEFF licks his lips. He makes a desperate bid to defuse the atmosphere.

  JEFF

  So then, what exactly are we doing? I'm er, I'm not sure what you want me to do. Just tell me and then…

    (nervous laugh)

  I'm presuming I'm not being sacrificed.

  Suddenly, there's a tiny, but bright flicker of yellow light down on the ground by his feet. JEFF looks down, transfixed by the light.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  INT. – LIVE ROOM – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  The unsettling music continues to play. The mood is more like a séance then a recording session. MARK intones into the mic.

  MARK

  It's truth was amazing. O Joy!

  Solaris-like! White and translucent foams. It squirmed unfettered, energised in wondrous coil.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  INT. – ABANDONED BARN – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  F/X SHOT: The light continues to glow and increase in size. The light becomes a sphere of flames.

  F/X SHOT: Suddenly the bristles of a broomstick appear next to the sphere of flames. A moment later, the whole broomstick is there. It appears to be trying to put out or brush away the flames. Yet this only spreads the flames across the ground.

  JEFF looks on in awe. He's transfixed.

  F/X SHOT: The broomstick becomes more agitated. Suddenly an OLD WOMAN appears. She's holding the broom and desperately waving it around. Suddenly the broom is in flames!

  Suddenly the OLD WOMAN is in flames! The OLD WOMAN's wizened face contorts into a silent scream. JEFF recoils, but is somehow unable to step away.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – FIELD – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  MACFISK and ALUN stand with flaming torches. MACFISK holds one, ALUN has two. MACFISK winces and gives his head a slight shake.

  GRAMS: (DIP TO BED)

  ALUN

  What's wrong wi’ you?

  MACFISK

  That noise. Can you nae hear it?

  ALUN

    (strains)

  Aye. Aye, what is that?

  MACFISK

  I dunno. It's weird. Almost like music.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – LIVE ROOM – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  The sound of THE FALL grinds on, strange and unsettling.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – ABANDONED BARN – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  E.C.U. on the OLD WOMAN's screaming burning face!

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – FIELD – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  CUT TO:

  MACFISK and ALUN
stand holding their torches. They know what they must do, but both are hesitant.

  ALUN

  I suppose we'd best…

  MACFISK nods. They move forward a few paces, but both begin to wince at the noise in their heads. They cannot walk any closer to the house, something is holding them back.

  MACFISK

  I cannae do it.

  ALUN

  What is it? What's stopping us?

  MACFISK and ALUN try a moment longer. Their faces set, urging themselves to move towards the farmhouse. It's useless.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – STUDIO CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  The strange, ghostly music continues to play. CLARE is at the mixing desk. She seems to be almost in a trance.

  Suddenly she gasps in fear at something she has seen in her mind's eye.

  HARD CUT TO:

  EXT. – FIELD – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  MACFISK and ALUN running in fear away from the farmhouse, holding their flaming torches and fleeing through the darkness.

  HARD CUT TO:

  INT. – ABANDONED BARN – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  Suddenly the light, the flames and the Witch disappear in an instant. JEFF blinks, then collapses in a faint.

  HARD CUT TO:

  INT. – LIVE ROOM – NIGHT

  GRAMS: (CONTINUE)

  The track concludes.

  CUT TO:

  INT. – STUDIO CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT

  C.U. on the reel to reel tape recorder as the spools continue to spin.

  HARD CUT TO:

  INT. – CLARE’S LOUNGE – NIGHT

  JEFF and LEN are drinking cans of lager. LEN seems at ease, whilst JEFF is clearly unsettled by the vision he saw in the barn. LEN clinks his can.

  LEN

  Now you've seen the witch, you're one of us. A Son of a Witch.

  JEFF

  Is she really a witch?

  LEN

  She's on fire and she's waving a broomstick around! It's as conclusive as fuck. This is Pendle mate.

  JEFF

  I'm still shaking.

  LEN

  I know. Shat meself when I first saw her. Literally. Only a little bit, but still. Proper terrifying.

  LEN clinks his can against JEFF's can.

  LEN (CONT’D)

  Welcome brother.

  LEN takes a confident swig. JEFF takes a nervous sip. LEN points to his own silver visored helmet on the sofa.

  LEN (CONT’D)

  You'll need to get yourself a proper helmet. I'll warn you, they're not cheap.

  JEFF

  So what do you do?

  LEN

  What d’yer mean?

  JEFF

  What do you – as a bike gang – actually do?

  LEN

  Well y’know. Drive around, have a few beers, watch porn, do a bit o’ speed.

  JEFF

  Jesus, I haven't had any speed since I was about 18. But, but that's it?

  LEN

  What d’yer mean?

  JEFF

  You don't do anything else? Surely the Witch must give you something?

  LEN shrugs.

  JEFF (CONT’D)

  See I thought contact with these sort of spirits was supposed to give you power, influence and… dominion? Otherwise what's the poin–––

  JEFF stops mid sentence as the door creaks open. It's BEV. She loiters in the doorway, without make-up and dressed in pajamas.

  BEV

  Thought I could hear your voice.

  JEFF

  Hi love. All right?

  BEV

  Yeah. Just can't sleep. You okay? You look pale.

  JEFF

  No I'm, I'm sound.

    (indicates can)

  I'll just finish this then I'll be up.

  BEV

  Okay. See you in a bit. Night Len.

  LEN

  Night Bev.

  BEV exits closing the door. Beat. JEFF looks at LEN.

  JEFF

    (lowers his voice)

  Think she heard anything?

  LEN

    (shakes his head)

  And make sure she never does. Sons of Witches don't tell anyone else their business.

  JEFF

    (joking)

  Like what kind of porn you watch, or what beer you drink?

  LEN suddenly grabs JEFF by the throat. JEFF gasps.

  LEN

    (threatening whisper)

  We don't fuckin’ joke about this stuff pal! We don't joke about it. We don't discuss it with outsiders. And we never talk about the Witch. Not even to Bev. I don't tell Clare. Understood?

  JEFF nods. LEN releases him.

  LEN (CONT’D)

  Good. So hopefully I won't have to do that again.

  JEFF rubs his neck.

  JEFF

  Okay, okay. Sorry.

  LEN

  Now if I were you, I'd go upstairs and give Bev a proper seeing to.

  JEFF

    (pretends to play along)

  Right, yeah. Yeah, good idea.

  LEN

  That's obviously why she came down here. Wants it in every hole by the looks of her.

  JEFF finds this offensive but due to his fear of LEN, he still half plays along.

  JEFF

  I'll er, see what I can do.

    (stands up)

  I'll catch you in the morning.

  LEN

  Let me know if you need any help with her. Very ‘appy to join in.

    (oily smile)

  Sons of Witches share everything. I reckon Bev'd love that an’ all.

  JEFF

    (increasingly awkward)

  No, no she definitely wouldn't. Thanks anyway. See you tomorrow yeah?

  JEFF can't get out of the room quick enough.

  LEN

  Night brother.

  The door closes. LEN smiles to himself and swigs from his can.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  INT. – SPARE ROOM – NIGHT

  OVERHEAD SHOT looking down at JEFF and BEV in bed. BEV is curled up, fast asleep. JEFF is wide awake and worried, staring up at the ceiling.

  C.U. on JEFF's worried face.

  JUMP CUT TO:

  INT. – ABANDONED BARN – NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

  The burning WITCH's face is silently screaming.

  JUMP CUT TO:

  INT. – SPARE ROOM – NIGHT

  The troubled JEFF closes his eyes and cuddles up to BEV.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  EXT. – WOODS – NIGHT

  MACFISK and ALUN are walking through the woods.

  MACFISK

  Here we are.

  MACFISK points. A hundred yards or so away we can just make out a small fire in amongst the trees. There are FOUR JACOBITES sitting or standing around it.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. – WOODS – NIGHT

  The JACOBITES are gathered around the bonfire warming themselves. They look grizzled and tired, their features illuminated in the darkness like faces in a Caravaggio painting.

  They are: PATRICK (40), a burly fat man with a beard. DOUGLAS (32), a handsome ginger man. DAVIE (20), a strong, stocky man and ARTHUR (35), a small and balding man with a wiry frame. ARTHUR also wears a pair of spectacles with a large crack crossing the left lens. MACFISK and ALUN walk up to join them. PATRICK nods at them in greeting.

  PATRICK

  Evening lads.

  ALUN

  A’right?

  MACFISK

    (sniffs the air)