by Mark E Smith
WITCH
You were expecting to see your lover?
JEFF takes a moment to recover his nerve before he can reply.
JEFF
Yes. Bev. Do you know where she is?
WITCH
They have her close by.
She's alive.
JEFF
Thank God.
WITCH
You're different to them.
JEFF
Yeah I am.
WITCH
Your being here has changed everything.
JEFF
Has it?
WITCH
These men have stalked this land too long. They are already doomed. But you are not. You should go.
JEFF
I'd… I'd like that.
WITCH
Be gone.
Suddenly the flames flare up again and the area of light around them disappears. Gathering himself together, JEFF runs away from the WITCH and through the circle of BIKERS. A second later and LEN seems to come to his senses. He turns and runs after JEFF.
LEN catches up with JEFF just as JEFF reaches the barn doors. JEFF swiftly pulls the door back towards LEN slamming it directly in LEN's face.
We see the edge of the door contact with LEN's face, sending him reeling backwards.
JEFF goes running out of the barn.
A second later, LEN gets to his feet and darts after him.
CUT TO:
EXT. – ABANDONED BARN – CONTINUOUS
LEN darts out of the barn, glances about and sees that all the motorbikes are still there. He searches around for JEFF.
HARD CUT TO:
INT. – STUDIO CONTROL ROOM – DAY
CLARE is still trying to patch things up with the angry MARK.
MARK
I'm angry for the group as well.
The group have been working fucking hard actually!
CLARE
I know. I know. This is dreadful.
PETER takes another Fall reel box off the shelf.
PETER
What about this one?
Whilst they are talking, PETER is threading up the next Fall spool on the tape player.
CLARE
Only me and Len have got keys, so I don't see how… Len wouldn't…
MARK
Well somebody has.
CLARE
Look, let me make it up to you.You can have three weeks free studio time here.
MARK
I don't want to spend any more time here. It's not acceptable. It's not fit for purpose.
PETER presses play.
GRAMS: THE FALL – ‘JACOBITES’ (00.00)
A loud rock track throbs from the speakers. They listen for 15 seconds or so. CLARE bites her bottom lip in anticipation.
MARK (CONT’D)
(sarcastic)
So when's the old woman gonna come in then?
CLARE is nervously waiting to see if the track is going to be interrupted. However, the track continues. Mark's vocal starts up, then suddenly there's a crackle and the recording of Mary comes in.
GRAMS: ‘LO! THE BIRD HAS FALLEN’
CLARE
Shit!
CUT TO:
EXT. – ABANDONED BARN – DAY
LEN is searching the yard for JEFF. He passes a tractor. Suddenly JEFF looms up behind one of the large tractor tires and loops an oily metal bike chain around LEN's neck! JEFF tugs him backwards, slamming the biker's body back against the tire.
LEN gasps for air! He claws at the chain around his throat! He tries to reach around and grab at JEFF. But JEFF's body is protected on the other side of the large tire.
JEFF
(hissing in Len's ear)
Where's Bev?
LEN gurgles incomprehensibly. JEFF loosens the chain ever so slightly.
JEFF (CONT’D)
Say again.
LEN
I can show you.
JEFF tightens the chain again.
JEFF
No! You can tell me!
JEFF relaxes the chain slightly. LEN coughs and catches his breath.
JEFF (CONT’D)
Well?
LEN
Round the back of the barn…
LEN gestures vaguely with his hand.
JEFF
Where?
LEN gasps and goes limp. JEFF releases the chain. LEN collapses. JEFF looks down at LEN's body, shocked at what he's done. After a moment's hesitation he walks forwards.
Suddenly LEN's hand grabs JEFF's ankle. JEFF almost stumbles, then turns and viciously whacks LEN's head with the bike chain a couple of times. We hear the awful sound of metal against skin and bone.
The bloody LEN slumps against the tarmac. The shell-shocked JEFF drops the chain and moves swiftly away.
JEFF rushes past the barn doors. The doors are slightly ajar, the strange flickering light coming from inside.
CUT TO:
INT. – ABANDONED BARN – DAY
The FOUR BIKERS still stand around the burning WITCH.
WITCH
I know you. I know you well.
The BIKERS remove their helmets. When we see their faces, we recognise them as the faces of the JACOBITES! PATRICK, DOUGLAS and DAVIE.
Finally, the INJURED BIKER with the crazed visor removes his helmet to reveal ARTHUR with his cracked spectacle lens.
HARD CUT TO:
EXT. – ABANDONED BARN – DAY
JEFF rounds the corner and sees Bev's empty car parked up next to a high wall. The corner of the bonnet is smashed in from the crash earlier. JEFF glances around then becomes aware of a very muffled moaning. He sees the car is rocking slightly.
JEFF goes to the car and fiddles with the boot lock. Eventually it pops open to reveal the distraught BEV coiled up with the CYCLIST’S CORPSE. BEV's eyes are wide with relief.
JEFF
Oh thank God.
JEFF helps BEV out of the boot. He unties the handkerchief gagging her mouth. And the rope from her wrists.
BEV
Oh fuck. I thought…
I thought…
They hug. Suddenly JEFF notices the CYCLIST’S CORPSE in the boot next to the spade. JEFF stares down at the body.
JEFF
Who is he?
BEV
Somebody who tried to help.
JEFF hesitantly bends down to look at the CYCLIST’S CORPSE.
JEFF
Poor bugger.
BEV
(tearful)
Jeff, I can't stay here.
TIGHT SHOT on JEFF as he stands up straight.
JEFF
Course. Let's go. My mobile's somewhere over that wall.
Suddenly, a bike chain whacks JEFF around the head! JEFF cries out in agony, clutches at his face and crumples to his knees.
CUT TO REVEAL LEN standing over him. LEN's face is cut, gory and bruised from the earlier chain attack. LEN whacks him with the chain again, this time hitting JEFF on the shoulder. JEFF falls sideways gasping in pain. LEN stands over him.
LEN
You fuckin’ bastard!
LEN lifts the bike chain aloft!
C.U. on JEFF as he covers his face! Off screen, we hear a grunt and a quick cutting thudding sound. A second later, JEFF uncovers his eyes. He is shocked by what he sees.
CUT TO REVEAL: BEV has plunged the spade through the front of LEN's head! The blade has penetrated his face just below the eyes and has sunk a good four and half inches into his face. Yet still he stands, with the spade sticking out horizontally.
The injured JEFF scrabbles to his feet. He and BEV stagger away from LEN. But the facially impaled LEN staggers after them, groaning in anger and agony! The shovel still sticking out horizontally from his face like a long Dalek eye stalk!
HARD CUT TO:
INT. – ABANDONED BARN – DAY
The burning WITCH is still hovering a foot above the ground, surrounded by PATRICK, DOUGLAS, DAVIE and ARTHUR in the Biker's leathers.
/> WITCH
Your cause was noble. But your deeds were terrible.
PATRICK, DOUGLAS, DAVIE and ARTHUR look awkwardly down at the ground.
WITCH (CONT’D)
The battle is lost. The campaign is lost. It was lost long ago. You shouldn't still be here. None of us should!
HARD CUT TO:
EXT. – HILLSIDE – DAY
E.C.U. on MACFISK's contorted face. He's flat on his back with his hands over his ears and is having some sort of fit. He twitches and spasms, gasping for air.
HARD CUT TO:
INT. – STUDIO CONTROL ROOM – DAY
GRAMS: ‘LO! THE BIRD HAS FALLEN’
PETER
(sighs loudly)
So every single one of our recordings has been sabotaged.
CLARE nods silently. MARK grabs his jacket and puts it on.
MARK
Right we're going.
(to Peter)
Phone Ed, get him to pick us up.
PETER takes out his mobile and taps at it.
CLARE
Honestly Mark, I will make things alright.
MARK
It's too late for that! Coz you or one of your fucking sheep shagging family has recorded all over our stuff with that daft old woman.
MARK heads out of the room. PETER follows. A second later we hear the front door open and slam.
C.U. on CLARE's face, her expression a mix of frustration and anger.
CUT TO:
EXT. – ABANDONED BARN – DAY
BEV and JEFF are trapped in the corner of the barn yard. On one side, a high brick wall, on the other, a large metal feed container.
LEN stands before them, terrifying in his groaning anger and agony! The shovel still sticks out from his face, the handle swinging from one side to the other as he turns his head. JEFF and BEV have to avoid being hit by it. He tries to pull it out, but there is too much blood on the shaft and it's too slippery.
JEFF makes a dive to one side. LEN turns his head swiftly and by sheer fluke, the hard handle of the spade ends up thwacking JEFF in the temple. JEFF is knocked off balance! He staggers sideways, bangs his head into the metal container and falls dazed to the floor.
LEN turns back to BEV. She stumbles away from him, trips and falls over backwards onto the ground. BEV is helpless!
LEN stands over her, arms outstretched, roaring threateningly, the spade handle protruding from his face. BEV is terrified. She screams! Suddenly LEN stiffens and falls towards her!
BEV rolls away to one side and safety.
LEN falls forwards, the handle of the spade hits the tarmac with a hard thud. The force of this causes the blade of the spade to pass through the rest of LEN's face, slicing off the top of his head!
C.U. on the top of LEN's head as it rolls around and around on the tarmac before coming to rest.
The shocked and bruised JEFF and BEV crawl across the ground towards each other.
CUT TO:
EXT. – WELL SPRING – DAY
GRAMS: ‘LO! THE BIRD HAS FALLEN’
MARY is sitting on a tree stump, eyes closed, playing the guitar and singing in a trance like state.
MARY
(sings)
Three cheers for Master Edward,
Who fought a doughty fight,
F/X SHOT: The strange coils of glowing foam are bubbling up from the well spring.
F/X SHOT: C.U. on the strange illuminated foam.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. – STUDIO CONTROL ROOM – DAY
GRAMS: ‘LO! THE BIRD HAS FALLEN’
MARY (V.O.)
(sings)
When the rebels from Preston,
He drove in headlong flight…
CLARE switches off the reel to reel. However, the sound of Mary's singing continues! CLARE stares in disbelief at the reel to reel player. She fiddles with the controls, but Mary's singing continues to fill the room. CLARE rushes around switching everything off, but, still the singing continues.
CLARE
Shut up, shut up!!
Mary's singing rolls on. CLARE covers her ears in fear. The song continues.
MARY (V.O.)
(sings)
Two salvoes true and mighty,
Rang from his sportsman's gun…
CUT TO:
INT. – ABANDONED BARN – DAY
PATRICK, DOUGLAS, DAVIE and ARTHUR still stand around the apparition of the burning WITCH.
WITCH
I forgive you. Now please, forgive yourselves.
After a moment's hesitation, PATRICK nods then walks ‘into’ the WITCH. As he does so, PATRICK dissolves into a puff of dark dust. One after the other, DOUGLAS, DAVIE and ARTHUR walk ‘into’ the WITCH and each one of them disappears in a burst of dust.
The WITCH blazes even more brightly for a moment, then she's gone.
HARD CUT TO:
EXT. – YARD – DAY
MARK and PETER are waiting to be picked up. MARK smokes a cigarette, PETER texts on his mobile and rubs his cheek where his tooth is aching. The mood is not great.
MARK
Is he on his fucking way or what?
PETER
(reads text)
Says he'll be here in 5 minutes.
MARK
Thank fuck for that!
MARK looks across the yard. Something catches his eye.
CUT TO REVEAL a forlorn looking MACFISK, standing at the entrance to the yard.
MARK's POV: As MACFISK walks across the yard towards them, the surroundings seem to phase in and out of register. MACFISK walks up close to MARK.
Suddenly – as happened earlier in the barn – an area of glistening light separates MARK and MACFISK from the rest of the yard. Through the light we can make out the oblivious Peter fiddling with his mobile. MARK addresses MACFISK in a friendly manner, seemingly unconcerned by the supernatural circumstances.
MARK (CONT’D)
You alright cock?
MACFISK
(shakes his head)
Everything's wrong. I'm away home.
MARK
Me too. Probably for the best.
MACFISK stares at him for a moment.
MACFISK
We don't win do we? The Jacobites.
MARK
(shakes his head)
No. Yer come close though. For a while the Whigs are shitting themselves. But no. After the Battle of Preston, the Jacobites dissipate.
MACFISK
(nods)
Aye. I thought so.
CUT TO:
INT. – STUDIO CONTROL ROOM – DAY
GRAMS: MARY ‘LO! THE BIRD HAS FALLEN’
CLARE is slouched in her swivel chair, head in hands. The song continues to play.
MARY (V.O.)
(sings)
And lo! The bird is fallen,
Raised cheers from everyone…
F/X SHOT: Unseen by CLARE, the strange glowing foam starts to bubble out of the speakers in serpentine coils.
HARD CUT TO:
EXT. – YARD – DAY
MARK and MACFISK are still standing within the dome of light. The oblivious PETER remains outside the dome texting.
MARK
You should go.
MACFISK
I wanted to fight, because I saw injustice against the ordinary folk o’ the land.
MARK
(nods)
It gets a lot fucking worse actually. Better not to know.
MACFISK
Aye, I reckon you're right.
MARK and MACFISK shake hands.
MARK
All the best pal.
The dome of light disappears. MACFISK turns around and walks away, clambers over the wall and starts making his way up the hill.
PETER
My toothache's eased off.
MARK
Good.
Ed's car drives up through the entrance and into the yard.
MA
RK glances about the place, shakes his head and mutters to himself.
MARK (CONT’D)
Fuckin’ countryside…