ACT 5, SCENE 1 INT: TRAP HOUSE – AFTERNOON
LOCO stares at the mural which no long has the image of the GOATMAN.
DISEMBODIED VOICES call out to LOCO his follows them. He stumbles over RICKY’S body. He looks down at RICKY, but feels nothing.
GOATMAN (O.S.):
More. Blood.
LOCO looks up, but misses The GOATMAN walking away behind him. LOCO follows what he thinks he sees and finds nothing.
LOCO:
Where you at? I did everything you told me.
GOATMAN (O.S.):
More.
LOCO spins around at the sound of clattering cans outside the trap house. LOCO grabs his gun and chases the sound.
ACT 5, SCENE 2, EXT: TRAP HOUSE – CONT’D
LOCO runs out with his gun pointed at NEBTHET ENNEAD and her overturned cans.
LOCO:
Get up.
NEB throws her hands up and her eyes are grossly enlarged.
NEB:
Oh my god! I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
LOCO:
I said get up!
NEB:
Oh my god…your gun’s smaller than the one those guys in the woods have.
LOCO’S POV as he looks everywhere around him. The trees are a blur.
GOATMAN (O.S.):
More.
NEB:
Did you say something?
LOCO:
Get inside now.
LOCO drags NEB inside the trap house. She never lets go of her nearly empty cart of cans.
From the trees, a camouflage SWAT team emerges.
ACT 5, SCENE 3 INT: UTILITY CLOSET – CONT’D
LEIGH is fully alert and attempting to struggle against her ropes. Her glowing eyes zoom in on a nail protruding from the wall. She crawls towards it and starts rubbing the nail against it, until she hears voices. She looks up at the door. She squints and slowly she can see through the door.
LEIGH’S POV as the muffled conversation gets clearer she sees SISTER and OMAR outside the door.
OMAR pulls SISTER back by the arm.
CUT TO ACT 5, SCENE 4 INT: GARAGE – CONT’D
INTERCUT between LEIGH’S POV
OMAR:
What was that back there?
SISTER:
I couldn’t stand there and argue anymore.
OMAR:
No. If I recall, I did all the arguing. You left me.
SISTER:
I told you. I couldn’t stand there and argue anymore. It was getting us nowhere.
OMAR:
No. You gave up. Don’t start acting like Amed and lock me out. I’ve done everything for you. The least you can do is not lock me out.
SISTER:
I don’t know what to tell you.
OMAR:
You know things are changing. Amed isn’t acting right. I’ve lost my strength and I pretty sure it’s all gone to him. I don’t know what we’re doing anymore. Rev wants us to run, but the police are gonna find him eventually and if we’re with him…We’re gonna get hurt. I’m scared. Hold me. Tell me everything’s gonna be alright. Please.
OMAR tries to hug and kiss her.
LEIGH cringes.
SISTER doesn’t return it.
SISTER:
I can’t love you like this.
OMAR:
Don’t say that. I’m the same person. I’m still strong.
SISTER:
Not, you. Not your strength. I mean like this. What we’re doing again.
OMAR:
What you and I have…this is…
SISTER:
…Not love. This was an act of a desperate woman. You were my foster child. I was blessed to be there for you and your brother. I was doing so many good things with the church and the community, but I couldn’t let go of Josh. I saw what I needed to do, saw what I needed to see, but I wouldn’t let go. I used. I killed, and I let my demons win. The truth is I haven’t been able to truly see for a while, but Neb knew that. She always knew.
OMAR:
What does Neb have to do with us?
OMAR’S phone rings. He ignores it.
OMAR:
She doesn’t control us.
SISTER:
Wasn’t she there from the start? Giving us what we wanted so that we could all be free from whatever we thought plagued us? But for us to truly be free, she needs to get rid of that falling star, the demon we let out.
OMAR:
Netta, I followed you, not because of demons or some great spirit. I did this because I love you and I would do anything for you.
SISTER:
And now, be free. Let that love for me go.
OMAR is confused.
SISTER:
Be free and know that you were never weak just like I didn’t need to see to know the truth. We can’t enable each other’s demons. We were just holding each other back. I took you away from your destiny because I was selfish. I siphoned your strong for myself and stopped you for growing.
OMAR’S phone rings again.
OMAR:
Melissa keeps calling me.
SISTER:
You might as well pick up while there’s still time. You’re strong. You can handle it.
OMAR slowly picks up the phone as SISTER walks away.
CUT BACK TO ACT 5, SCENE 3 – UTILITY CLOSET – CONT’D
LEIGH sees Sister coming. She crawls back into time and plays possum.
SISTER comes in and closes the door behind her. She kneels over LEIGH and checks on the bondages. She’s surprised that the rope is ripped.
LEIGH attacks! SISTER falls back and LEIGH races to untie her feet.
SISTER:
Wait.
LEIGH:
No!
LEIGH grabs the nearest weapon.
SISTER:
I’m gonna get you out of here.
LEIGH:
If you get any closer I’ll bash your face in.
SISTER:
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, but I see now.
LEIGH:
You hurt me.
SISTER:
I wanted to keep you safe from the city that took my son. I got rid of anything that threatened to get your hurt, but then I became that thing I feared most. I was the Big Bad thing that I scared Josh about when he was little. You made me see that.
LEIGH:
You’re crazy.
SISTER:
But you woke me up.
LEIGH is unsure.
SISTER:
I will get you out of here. I promise.
CUT TO ACT 5, SCENE 5 INT: GARAGE – CONT’D
OMAR is walking around talking on his cellphone.
OMAR:
Hello?
MELISSA:
Omar?
OMAR:
Melissa?
MELISSA:
I’m glad you finally picked up your phone.
OMAR:
I’m surprised you’re even calling me. The last time we spoke, you called me an asshole.
MELISSA:
You still are. Heard about your friend George?
OMAR:
Yeah. Does that make you happy?
MELISSA:
He killed himself in front of me.
OMAR:
I’m sorry. That’s not how it was supposed to happen.
MELISSA (sighs):
Stop.
OMAR:
Why?
MELISSA shuts off her tape recorder and puts it away.
MELISSA:
How would you know what he was supposed to do?
OMAR:
What does it matter? He’s gone. Aren’t you happy?
MELISSA:
Are you?
OMAR:
I finally realized I’d be happier if it were just you and me alone on a beach with sand beneath our feet. None of the bullshit.
MELISSA:
I feel like I’ve been saying that to you forever.
OMAR:
I was stupid.
MELISSA:
No. You were an asshole, and much than that apparently. Before George died, he gave me a letter. For some reason, he couldn’t say it aloud to me, but he left me clues that led to you. So what were you doing all those nights in the town car, Omar? Were you dealing drugs? Are you a pimp?
OMAR:
It’s complicated.
MELISSA:
Then make it less complicated and give up the bullshit.
OMAR:
I helped usher in the reckoning to Astro City with a few people.
MELISSA:
The Reckoning sounds like a cult.
OMAR:
Now that would be a good story.
MELISSA:
Don’t tell me you fell for a cult?
OMAR:
You know you’ve always hated when I said the truth.
MELISSA:
I know, but it wouldn’t hurt to lie to me just a lil’ bit.
OMAR:
Not to someone like you.
MELISSA:
It’s the same thing that broke us up, isn’t it? You were doing stuff around the city. This whole brick-by-brick movement was you, right? Why Omar?
OMAR:
Because this evil was spreading, and somehow it got to everyone I loved. It got to you somehow, and I couldn’t do anything. Everyone knew where this city was going, but nothing was going to change unless we made it change. And sometimes that change required blood.
MELISSA:
There didn’t need to be blood. I was on the verge of getting the story. You didn’t have to stop me. We could’ve made this work…together.
OMAR:
I wasn’t gonna let you get hurt. If the Mayor didn’t kill you, my people would’ve. We’ve killed others before.
MELISSA:
Damn it Omar. I saw you change and I couldn’t put a finger on it. I tried so hard to help you.
OMAR:
I could say the same thing about you. I don’t think either of us was ready to be vulnerable.
MELISSA:
Police will ask questions. They know George gave me something. I need to tell them what I have. They have the right to know everything you and your cult’s done. What am I gonna do?
OMAR:
Never in all our years have I been able to tell you what to do. I loved that most about you. You’ve always been free like that. It just took me a while to get there. Melissa?
MELISSA:
Omar?
OMAR:
I love you. I mean it. I love you.
MELISSA:
You’re still an asshole.
OMAR:
I know. I’m sorry for everything.
MELISSA:
Thank you. I’m sorry too.
MELISSA hangs up the phone and cries.
ACT 5, SCENE 6 INT: REV’S HOME – KITCHEN – TABLE – CONT’D
LOCO pushed NEB into a chair.
LOCO:
Who’s out there?
NEB:
Men.
LOCO:
What kind of men?
NEB:
With guns.
LOCO:
But who are they?
NEB:
Men?
LOCO:
Quit playing games or I’ll kill you!
NEB:
But why would you call me just to kill me?
LOCO:
No one called. There’s no reception here.
GOATMAN (O.S.)
Blood.
LOCO covers his ears.
NEB:
You hear him, don’t you?
NEB attempts to get up, but LOCO points his gun at her.
NEB:
I move quietly. Some call to me, and I answer, but he is my reverse. He must make noise. When he calls you, you question everything: Morals, Faith, and Humanity.
GOATMAN (O.S.):
More.
NEB:
He’s speaking to you now, isn’t he?
LOCO:
How do you know?
NEB:
People see me around everywhere, but they don’t say much to me, and they don’t know that I see them, or the things that I can do. (Beat) I have something for you.
NEB slowly rises to her feet. She reaches into her cart and pulls out a closed fist, which she then shoves into LOCO’S chest. She pulls her palm back and the pin has the face of RICKY on it.
LOCO tries to look for RICKY’S body, but it’s gone.
LOCO:
The hell he go? Where’s he?
NEB:
I carry him now like I carry the others.
GOATMAN (O.S.):
More.
NEB:
It’s now your turn. You called me.
LOCO is remembering.
FLASH BACK TO ACT 2, SCENE 7 INT: TRAP HOUSE – PREVIOUSLY
LOCO ZANE is staring at the mural of the GOATMAN. The sound of rushing wind is everywhere, but nothing is blowing up disturbed except for the trees in the mural. They move and so does the GOATMAN…he moves forward a step.
LOCO is alarmed, turns, and runs out of the trap house.
CUT BACK TO ACT 5, SCENE 6 – CONT’D
NEB:
You been scared for so long.
LOCO freezes in front of her and her large eyes.
NEB:
So what is it you need, Miguel?
LOCO:
Who are you?
NEB:
He knows who I am.
LOCO is distraught. He points the gun at her, until he hears voices coming from outside.
SWAT (O.S.):
Miguel Lozane? This is the ACPD!
NEB:
You must be quick. The men will be here soon.
LOCO (deep voice):
More. Blood.
GOATMAN EMERGES from behind him and NEB spreads her wings.
NEB:
There you are.
END OF ACT 5