Blue Light

More grading, so here's some from RING OF THE SORCERESS, which has yet to make the grade with anyone. Today, a battle of mental wills between a witch and an alien. See, I said this one had everything:

DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CYMBALLINE'S CABIN -- MORNING
Peryl rises from a pile of furs and looks around. She is startled by Shadow's sudden presence over her shoulder. He is looking at her steadily.
PERYL
You rose early.
SHADOW
I have no need of sleep.
PERYL
(nods)
Tis true. I forget.
SHADOW
Sometimes I forget...and think that a man's heart still beats in this chest.
Peryl looks Shadow full in the face. Shadow is looking at her frankly. Their faces slowly inch closer. In an abrupt move, they are kissing. Just as abruptly, Peryl is pulling away.
PERYL
Cold...so...cold...
Shadow begins kissing her more aggressively. She is tentative at first, then begins to submit to his caresses.
Until Shadow bites a hunk of meat out of her neck.
Peryl falls, SCREAMING, blood gouting. Then Shadow is on her, biting and tearing. Peryl lets out another BLOODCURDLING SCREAM.
CUT TO:
INT. CYMBALLINE'S CABIN -- MORNING
Peryl sits up suddenly, the scream dying on her lips.
PERYL
A dream...just a dream...
She sees Shadow standing at a nearby table, his back to her. She stands up, and drawing her bedding furs around her, reaches out a tentative hand.
PERYL (CONT'D)
Shadow?
Suddenly Shadow whips around, his sword in his hand, and spears Peryl on its point. His LAUGHTER is loud and harsh. She gasps and cries out, blood pouring from her mouth.
PERYL (CONT'D)
This...can't be.
Peryl turns her head to the side, drawn by a sudden light. A red eye is peering at her from the darkness.
Suddenly Cymballine is beside her, her hair and black dress snapping in an unseen wind.
CYMBALLINE
It isn't.
She pulls the blade from Peryl's stomach, and holds it stretched out. It crumbles into rust. She turns to face the glowing eye.
CYMBALLINE (CONT'D)
So it's a fight on the mindscape, is it? That is fine, creature...I have a fierce imagination.
Cymballine raises a hand, now turned into a lizard-like talon. She rakes it across the red eye before her, which retreats briefly into darkness with a HORRIBLE SHRIEK.
Cymballine smiles with satisfaction. She turns to say something to Peryl, but instead faces the glowing eye again. It spears her in its red beam. A low, unearthly WHINE starts up.
AYOB (O.S.)
Your mind is a child's toy to us...to be played with one afternoon and then discarded.
Cymballine begins to shake and froth at the mouth, trapped in the unforgiving beam.
Peryl and Shadow look on in horror. Peryl squeezes her eyes shut.
PERYL
Wake up. Wake up. WAKE UP!
CUT TO:
INT. CYMBALLINE'S CABIN -- MORNING
Peryl sits bolt upright a third time. She scans the room wildly.
PERYL
Shadow? SHADOW!
Shadow appears at her elbow.
SHADOW
I am here.
PERYL
I too had dreams this night. Something...was in my mind...it...had one cold, red eye...
SHADOW
I know. I have seen it.
Peryl scans the room once more.
PERYL
Where is Cymballine?
There is a rocking chair and small endtable facing a hearth gone cold. Cymballine's back is to them, and the chair is gently rocking. Peryl goes up and touches the witch's shoulder, then recoils.
Cymballine has slit both her wrists with a dagger. On the wall beside her, written in red with one shaking finger, is the single cryptic word: AYOB.
Shadow looks on with regret.
SHADOW
We must go.
The pair leave the cabin.

Give me a yell at johnoakdalton@hotmail.com.