Off camera

We open right outside of LewisGale Hospital Montgomery, you heard me correctly…OUTSIDE. The escape was rather easy, so easy some wouldn’t even call it an escape they’d simply call it leaving. And to those with such opinion I say touché because that’s technically what Greg helped me do, along with endless and furious writing on the dry erase board from me declaring I wanted to leave. So after a long winded(and written, man my wrist hurt after that. Seriously, it hasn’t hurt like that since the time I watched Mandy fool around with those Siamese twins and then…never mind) debate I was free from the hospital, still bandaged up, sore, and unable to talk after that grueling Room of Thumbtacks match at Art of War. And it’s here we wait as we strategize our next move and wait for our escape vehicle to show up, or you can call it a cab if you want to be tedious about it.

Greg: Ok, so we’re taking a cab to the police impound and then what? Just waltz right into the place and ask if you can get a few personal items off your bus?

Greg smirks knowing that it wouldn’t be that simple, it never is in life especially with Maniac who smirks back in return and then turns to his dry erase board and starts writing.

“Ha-ha, very funny Greg. But no, the plan is that you distract the guard and I’ll sneak into the impound and then onto my bus and get what I need and then get out. No problem”

It’s Greg who looks at the non-existent camera this time, shaking his head as if to say “see what I mean?” He turns back to Maniac and chuckles.

Greg: You really think it’s going to be that easy Maniac? This isn’t the movies where everything just works out, and besides how are you going to sneak into anywhere in your condition?

Maniac just stares at Greg for a few moments before erasing what he wrote and writing something new, turning it to show Greg when he’s done.

“Are you kidding me? Christof is up there in the fake sun/moon directing the whole thing right now. And I appreciate your concern but don’t you worry Greg my boy, I got this.”

Knowing that he wasn’t going to change Maniac’s mind Greg just sighs and shrugs his shoulders. A few moments later the cab shows up and they’re off in an attempt to retrieve what Maniac seeks or end up in a lot of trouble. After a semi-short trip the duo arrived to their destination, which to Greg’s surprise wasn’t the police impound. As he looks around Maniac can’t help but smirk in amusement at Greg’s confusion and gives him a comforting pat on the shoulder before writing on his dry erase board.

“We can’t just pull up in front of the police impound and expect to pull this off, we hoof it from here and when we get closer to the impound we’ll split up.”

Greg: Ok, but how am I supposed to distract the police? And how do you plan on sneaking in with the cameras, and the locked gates, and the barbwire, and not to mention your injuries.

Maniac is getting ready to write a response when he happens to glance up and notice a homeless woman staring at him, now this wouldn’t ever bother Maniac but their was something very off about this woman. It wasn’t her dirty and messy hair, it wasn’t her shoes made from what looked like cardboard and newspaper that were tied to her feet with rope, or even her ripped and dirty clothes. It was her eyes that bothered him, her pupils were as black as night and much bigger then a normal person’s should be. Then she smiles, revealing black and rotting teeth before giving Maniac a wink that sends chills all throughout his body.

Greg: Maniac, you ok?

The sound of Greg’s voice snaps Maniac out of it and he shakes himself back to focus, looking at Greg  and quickly writing on his dry erase board.

“Did you see that homeless woman?”

Maniac points in the woman’s direction and Greg turns to look but there’s nobody there, however in her place is a thick rug. A rug that would be good for using to climb over some barbwire Maniac thinks to himself so he sticks the marker and dry erase board in a side pocket of his black Dickie pants then walks over and picks up the rug, taking it back over to where Greg is standing with a smirk on his face.

Greg: She’s cute, did you get her name?

Greg laughs and Maniac shakes his head as a smile creeps on his face, he then takes the rug and playfully bonks Greg on the head with it before sitting it down beside him and getting his marker and dry erase board from his pocket.

“Funny, but there really was a woman standing where that rug was. Anyway, I can use this rug to get over any barbed wire I need to climb.”

Greg: Ok, so how am I supposed to distract the police while you sneak into the impound?

Maniac erases his message and writes another, showing it to Greg when he’s done.

“I’ll explain on the way, let’s get going before we draw attention to ourselves.”

Greg: How are you going to write with the rug?

Maniac looks at the rug and then back at Greg who quickly gets the message and smirks.

Greg: Sure pal, since you asked so nicely.

Greg picks up the rug and as he’s maneuvering it to put it on his shoulder he playfully bumps Maniac on the shoulder with it who sarcastically acts being shocked and hurt. The two are soon walking down the street towards the Blacksburg Police Department while Maniac writes away as the scene temporarily fades…

When we return we’re in the reception area of the Blacksburg Police Department where Greg is talking to the officer in charge of the front desk while pretending to be on his phone with HWA headquarters.

Greg: Yeah, it’s me. We have a problem here, there not going to release Maniac’s possessions from his bus they’re still processing it.

Greg pauses as if he’s listening to someone talk on the other end but stops to ask the receptionist a question every time she goes to walk away to keep her distracted, mainly from the security cameras facing the impound. Meanwhile, Maniac has successfully snuck his way up to the impound gate with the rug over his shoulder ready to use but is shocked to find the gate unlocked. He cautiously looks around but doesn’t see anyone so be opens the gate just a bit and peeks through, seeing nobody still he opens the gate as quickly and quietly as he can, slips through, and closes it back behind him. Doing a quick scan of the area Maniac quickly locates his bus and starts to make his way towards it but is stopped frozen when an officer spots him from his guard shack.

Officer: Stop right there, you’re not supposed to be in here!

The officer has one hand pointed at Maniac and the other on his gun as he quickly closes the gap between them but suddenly stops when he lays his eyes on the rug Maniac’s carrying. The officer just stares at it for a moment, even tilting his head as if it was the most interesting thing he’s ever seen. It stays this way for a few more awkward moments before the officer finally looks up from the rug to Maniac.

Officer: Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…

The officer says no more, he simply removes his hand from his gun and walks over to Maniac holding his hands out in front of him.

Maniac: Oh, uhhh no problem.

Not knowing what else to do Maniac hands the officer the rug who gladly accepts it and then turns right back around, heading back where he came from. Maniac just stands there and watches him for a moment, temporarily paralyzed by shock and a little curiosity but he shakes it off and continues his way to his bus. He makes it to his bus successfully, gets inside using the spare key he keeps, and goes right for the hidden panel that hides his weapons. Maniac collects all his weapons, the time travel device, and spear of destiny which heals him once he grabs it. Maniac smiles, taking a deep breath and then lets it out as he flexes and stretches his limbs.

Maniac: Much better

A chuckle escapes Maniac’s lips but quickly transforms into a scream of surprise when a voice suddenly comes from behind him.

Voice: Indeed Maniac, you look and sound way better.

Maniac quickly turns around to find the homeless woman from before sitting on a barstool. Her pitch black and over-sized pupils stare right at him but really it feels like she’s looking straight into him, making Maniac feel really uncomfortable and he squirms a little. Maniac can tell not only does she notice but likes it because she smiles, revealing her black and rotting teeth once again as she lets out a laugh.

Homeless woman: Hello Maniac I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you, I’m a huge fan.

Maniac just stares at her for a few moments, temporarily hypnotized by her eyes but quickly shakes it off.

Maniac: I remember you, you’re that lady I seen earlier. Did you follow Greg and I? And if so, how’d you get in here before I did?

The woman just stares at Maniac for a few moments before continuing on as if he didn’t just talk.

Homeless woman: I’m here because you have something that belongs to me, give it to me and I’m out of here.

Maniac can’t help but smirk and he lets out a laugh.

Maniac: Is that right? That’s funny, I don’t remember buying anything from a corner market ran by the housing impaired.

The homeless woman doesn’t find this quite as funny, she scowls as she slowly stands from the barstool. Her anger builds until she looks to be on the brim of explosion but her expression suddenly changes and she puts a smile on her face.

Homeless woman: Look Maniac I’ll make this simple for you, give me the spear of destiny and I’ll give you what you’ve always wanted. I’ll make you a REAL person, not just the split personality of a coked up Italian mobster. How does that sound?

Maniac: It sounds to me that you need to lay down the crack pipe lady, I don’t know who you think you are but…

Maniac is interrupted when the homeless woman suddenly grabs the barstool she was sitting on and throws it at him, he barely dodges and the barstool smashes into pieces when it his the wall behind where he was standing. The middle of the  homeless woman’s eyes slowly start burning red,  like a fire was simultaneously started in both of them. She backs into the shadows and for the first time in his life Maniac experiences true fear as he watches the shape of the woman shift and grow, and when its done and it’s eyes are burning red like eternal fire it speaks. It’s voice is of two different voices, one sounds like a regular man but the other which speaks simultaneously with the other voice is more rough and reminds him of when DreamMaster talks.

Voice: You know who I am Maniac, now give me the spear.

For a moment Maniac is paralyzed with fear, he did know who this was now and if he wasn’t careful he wasn’t going to walk away from this. But that thought soon went out the window and Maniac shakes himself out of it, a smile creeping on his face as he makes his way to the bar. He slips behind it and makes himself a drink then grabs a cigarette from the pack and lights it, taking a deep drag and holds it before releasing it and takes a drink.

Maniac: Well, if it isn’t the prince of darkness himself. Come all the way here just to get this?

Maniac takes the spear from its resting spot in his back waistband and holds it up for the dark asshole to see.

Maniac: Sorry you wasted your time but fuk no you can’t have this, are you kidding? If I was going to do that I might as well have left it with that German asshole, and no I don’t mean Hans.

Lucifer laughs and it sounds like a million nails and Thumbtacks going through his head.

Lucifer: Foolish mortal, I could just kill you horribly and take it from you.

Maniac: Yeah, something tells me if that was true then you would have already. I don’t think you can, I think you need me to hand it over because it’s power is greater than yours and you know it. Just like you know that you lose this crusade you’re on so save us both the time and fuk off, oh and I’m not really sorry for wasting your time.

Maniac flips him off and Lucifer growls as he takes a step forward so Maniac does as well, no longer afraid. Suddenly Lucifer stops and laughs again, making Maniac want to rip his ears off and eat them.

Lucifer: There are other ways of making you give in Maniac, that spear will be mine.

Lucifer laughs one last time as he steps back further into the shadows and this time Maniac wants to break a alcohol bottle and use the jagged edge to gouge his eyes out and then slit his throat. The feeling soon passes and Maniac realizes he’s alone on his bus, he’s quickly overcome with dread at the thought of Lucifer’s words, he had to get to Mandy. He quickly makes his exit from the bus as he tries to call Mandy on his cellphone to no avail so he sticks to the plan and goes to the spot he and Greg agreed to meet at, a few minutes later Greg walks up to the spot and then calls them a cab back to the hotel.

Greg: Cab is on the way, get everything you need? Where are your bandages?

Maniac: Yeah, thanks Greg you did a great job as distraction. I got rid of them, don’t need them anymore.

The shocked look on Greg’s face says it all and Maniac gives him a reassuring look, letting him know that he’ll explain later. Greg slowly nods his head before clearing his throat and continuing.

Greg: Thanks,  but it wasn’t all me. The receptionist cop was about to tell me to get lost when I heard another cop shouting about one of their own shooting themselves, nobody heard it someone just happen to find him.

Maniac: How could nobody hear a gunshot? Did he use a silencer?

Greg: No, he used a rug. And here’s the weird thing about it, the other cops said they’ve never seen that rug before.

Maniac can’t say anything, his voice is caught in his throat so he just stands there wide-eyed and mouth open which Greg chalks up to shock so the two stand there in silence as the scene fades.
___________________________________________________
On camera

The scene opens inside a random room at an unknown location, the walls are all panel but the design on it makes it look like hardwood. On the walls are posters of Matt Miller throughout various stages of his career and the camera pans around in a circle to catch view off all the posters, as it does “Worlds Apart” by CFO$ plays in the background. On the third time around the camera briefly statics a bit, and in that brief static you think you see the room differently and thought you heard something other than music. But as quickly as it came it’s gone just as fast and everything is back to normal for a few more spins until it randomly does it a few more times, then on the tenth spin of the room it statics again, only this time it stays that way for a few minutes until it clears and the room is indeed different. Every poster is destroyed one way or another, either torn, burnt, or completely ripped off the wall and shredded. The music is still playing in the background but it’s distorted, like it’s playing on a record and someone is deliberately dragging their fingers across it. On the center wall is what appears to be a dry erase board with a message, not written but carved on it which reads as follows...

Hello Matty, so good to see you again. Can’t wait to catch up, and by that I mean rip your head off and shyt down your neck.

-M

The camera stays focused on this message for a few more minutes before eventually fading to black.