Episode 4: Stars

DEVISER

 EPISODE FOUR - STARS

Original script provided by Harlan. Transcript by K.M. Reviewed by Liz.

Deviser contains extreme subject matter, graphic descriptions of violence, self-harm, and mature themes throughout. Listener discretion is strongly advised. For a full list of content warnings, head to deviser.ca

(BEGIN Episode 4.)

(Opening theme.)

SON: Who are you?

(Footsteps, these carry on throughout the following scenes)

STRANGER (rasps): You.

SON: What does that mean? Who are you?

STRANGER: I saw you. In the walls.

SON: That was you. I heard you breathing.

STRANGER: I saw you…

SON: How did you… did you get out of Cryo or?

STRANGER: You haven’t figured it out yet.

SON (irate): Figured what out?

STRANGER: The stars.

SON That’s why I came up here. You said, “because we’re not in space.”

STRANGER: Exactly.

SON: So where are we then… How far did we travel?

STRANGER: Travel? No. No. We’re not traveling at all.

SON: What do you mean?

STRANGER: We never left.

SON: Never left what? Why are you clinging to the shadows? (Upset and speaking quickly.) Who are you?

STRANGER: I told you… I’m you. 

(Dripping noise of blood with continued footsteps.)

(Stranger coughing.)

SON (Hesitant): Y-Your skin… is…

STRANGER: Dad tried to burn me alive.

SON: Dad tried to kill you. Why? W-Why did he try to…? –

STRANGER (irate): Because I was wrong.

SON (Off guard): Wrong? (Hesitantly.) N-None of this makes sense… How are you awake right now?… Why are you – 

STRANGER: Where are your other fingers?

SON: What?

STRANGER (snappy): Where are your other fingers? Your fingers, you’re missing one. On each hand.

SON: Uh… I’ve only ever had four fingers… wait…(He opens the pill bottle he put the finger into.) This is yours?

STRANGER (Sigh): You’re wrong, too.

SON: Wrong? What are you talking about?

STRANGER (frustrated): You’re what Dad said he got wrong.

SON: I shut Dad down.

STRANGER: You did. I thought I felt it leave.

SON: It's just us now. Okay?

STRANGER (Sharply): Show me your hand again.

SON: Okay, j – slow down… (soothing.) Take it easy. A-Are you part of the Bridge crew o-or another…

(Loud banging from Stranger)

STRANGER (sharply and near growling): I. Am. You.

SON: Look… You look nothing like me okay… your skin is…

STRANGER: I’m. You. You took my skin.

SON (aghast): I didn’t take your skin. 

STRANGER: You took. My skin. –

SON: What’s your name?

STRANGER: Same as you.

(Gasping wheeze followed by a cough.)

SON: How did you get here? Do you remember anything? Is -?

STRANGER: Nothing, I woke up, in my bed, weeks ago.

SON: I-In your bed?

STRANGER (wheezing): In the habitation deck.

(Coughing.)

SON: Okay. Then what happened?

STRANGER: Dad and I went about maintaining the ship. Monitoring the science deck, cleaning the cafeteria, discussing plans…

SON: Plans for what?

STRANGER (wheezing): For when we got back home. Back to Earth.

SON: But we’re not heading back to Earth.

(Stranger spits onto the floor.)

STRANGER (Drawn out): No.

SON: And?

STRANGER: And eventually… I started to notice things were wrong.

SON: Wrong how?

STRANGER (Irate): You’ve seen it too. Things about this place are off. Wrong!

SON: You keep saying wrong.

STRANGER (Angrily): Because it was wrong! (Gasp from Son.) That’s what Dad said. That’s the word he used. On me.

SON (stunned): On you?

STRANGER: Reclamation.

SON: What about Reclamation, what is that? Dad mentioned it too.

STRANGER: That’s where he took me… when he was done with me. (Quieter.) Before he gave my skin to you…

SON: J-Just stay over there! Keep your distance, okay?

STRANGER: You look like me… but different.

SON: J – Hey – Just stay there. Let’s just, let’s just talk a minute.

STRANGER: Your eyes.

SON (Cautious): What about my eyes?

STRANGER: They are split. Down the center.

SON: And your pupils aren’t, so what?

STRANGER: Your teeth. What is wrong with your teeth?

SON: Wh-Wh-What…(Stammering.) So what is this place then? You seem to know.

STRANGER: Some facility.

SON: Facility?

STRANGER: They’re doing tests on us…

SON: Who are they?

STRANGER (irate): Them, the people watching us.

SON: You think we’re being tested? (Wheezing from the stranger.) That we’re some… sort of experiment.

STRANGER: I’m sure of it.

SON: And you think Dad is… what? D-Designed to…? – 

STRANGER: Smile.

SON (Cautious): Why?

STRANGER: I want to see your teeth. They didn’t give you my teeth, or my eyes… or hands.

SON (growing annoyed): E-Enough of this. I don’t believe you.

STRANGER (Angrily): You don’t?

SON (Irate): No, why should I? For all I know this… you’re just a-a passenger who got out of cryo who’s been sabotaging the ship. (Angry huffing from the stranger, Son begins shouting.)  I said stay there! (Stranger wheezing.) I said stay there. (Stranger coughing.) Did you? Look. Did you? Hey. Did you sabotage the ship? Did you turn off the power? Did you mess with the elevator? (Getting confrontational.) Did you?

STRANGER: Do you think I brought it with me, too?

SON: It?

STRANGER: The Devil.

(Loud droning note of music begins and plays throughout the next scene.)

SON (Stammering): I don’t know what that thing was…

STRANGER (Spitting out the words): The Devil.

SON: That’s what you and Dad might call it.

STRANGER: The Red Dragon, Son. The winged serpent from Hell.

SON (Angrily): Enough.

STRANGER (Wheezing): I can prove it.

SON (Shocked): What?

STRANGER: All of it. That this is all part of some… plan.

SON: How?

STRANGER (Wheezing): There’s so much more to this place than you realize.

SON: Is there?

STRANGER (Hissing it out): Yes. Do. You. Want. Me. To. Show. You?

SON: Yeah, okay yeah.

STRANGER (Wheezing): Then follow me.

(Clanging noises signal the elevator as it makes its way to their floor. The pneumatic door of the elevator opens with a hiss, a beep, and a minor repeating buzz before sealing shut with a thud. More footsteps and the dripping of blood as they settle into the elevator.)

STRANGER (to the elevator): Deck 4. Cryogenics.

(The elevator loudly begins to move toward the requested deck. Stranger wheezes.)

SON: How did you survive?

STRANGER: I climbed into the walls… the panels. They aren’t impenetrable.

SON: What do you mean?

STRANGER: This is a facsimile of a ship. There is no space beyond its walls and so the walls themselves are a facade.

SON: A facade?

STRANGER: Layers upon layers; metal upon concrete and stone; built upon the bones of something else. Something… ancient. It’s massive… Sprawling tunnels and corridors that go on for… (an inhale.) Days.

SON: How do you know all this?

STRANGER (Wheezing): Because I’ve seen it. (He coughs.)

SON: Your… your finger.

STRANGER: Dog.

SON (taken aback): Dog?

(Stranger coughs harder.)

SON: Why would Dog attack you like that?

(Droning music starts up again during the strangers speech.)

STRANGER: The gods once disputed whether it was possible for a living being to change its nature. One said, “Yes”, the other, “No”. (wheeze.) To try the question, they turned a Cat into a woman, and gave her to a young man as a wife. During the wedding, the one God turned to the other, seeing the woman acting proper and normal… and said, “See how becomingly she behaves? Who could tell that yesterday she was a Cat? Her nature has changed.” (Stranger spits to the floor.) And it seemed like he was correct… until the other god released a mouse. (Coughing.)

SON: And?

STRANGER: You can’t change nature.

(Elevator clangs to a halt and the pneumatic door opens, with mechanical whirring and buzzing. The lighting snaps on above and throughout the deck.)

SON: I’ve already been to this deck.

STRANGER: But did you kill it? (Coughing.)

SON: I did. (Stranger wheezes.) Hey. Look, can we just… hold up a second, I wanna check something.

STRANGER: What?

SON: Just… you know, before… during the fight I… Uh, I thought - I thought I lost something… I just need to check it out…to see if…

STRANGER (Wheezing): What did you lose?

SON: I lost… (Stammering.) I-I had written-written down a password for my terminal and I – 

STRANGER: You don’t even know where it is?

SON: No, I’d have to look, I… W-What do you mean it? (Angrily.) Where what is?

STRANGER (Coughing): The storage locker.

SON (under his breath): Damn it. 

(Stranger presses buttons on the panel of the storage locker, and Son runs, panting, to catch up.)

STRANGER: That is what you’re looking for, no?

SON (Sigh): (There’s clicking in the background as the stranger fiddles with what sounds like a gun.) Look, listen, I just – 

STRANGER: I’m not going to hurt you. (Irate.) Why would I hurt you? I need you to see what I’ve seen. Then you’ll know. Then you’ll understand.

SON: Just keep the – (Banging from the locker.) Why don’t you just keep the gun in the locker then, okay?

STRANGER: The Devil (Spitting onto the ground.)

SON: I told you, I already dealt with the Devil.

STRANGER: One of them. These halls… these dark, dirty, half padded halls. They mirror my empty mind. I woke with no thoughts, no memories… same as you. 

SON: Yeah. 

STRANGER: For weeks I walked these halls. Believing every lie Dad told me. Believing this was to save humanity… believing… that I was the shepard… they created him to monitor us. But they – those up there, on the surface. Those are the ones who are watching us. Still watching. Waiting for me to do it. (Wheezing.)

SON (Irate): Do what?

STRANGER: But I won’t. I won't do it, and I won't have to once you’ll see. 

SON (Hesitant): Where are you taking us? 

STRANGER: Here. (He opens a door.) They put it in plain sight. (Growling out his words.) They wanted us to find it. 

(Pneumatic door opening.)

SON: Yeah, it seems like a storage room, so.

STRANGER: Seems like it. (He pushes many heavy things to the side.)

SON: This seems pretty hidden…

STRANGER (Continuing to move things): Not hidden. I moved this here… To stop more from coming out.

SON: More?

(Clanging on the door as the stranger reveals the door he hid.)

STRANGER: No lock. No passcode. They put a passcode on the waste disposal… but not on this? 

(Beeping and buzz as the pneumatic door opens.)

STRANGER: Seem familiar?

(Loud hydraulic sounds and the clanging of machinery come from the vast room they’ve entered.) 

SON: It’s another cryogenic room… (A hiss of hydraulics comes from the revealed cryo deck, and a distant alarm begins to sound briefly.) Another 4000 passengers or what?

(The hiss of more hydraulics comes from the machinery and surrounding cryogenic chambers.)

STRANGER: Maybe. (Stranger taps on a console.) Look at one. 

(Stranger taps incessantly on a consoles keys, followed by a cough. The machinery begins to make a conveyor noise as it brings one to them. The alarm in the distance begins again, growing closer, a hiss and thud as the machine stops.) 

STRANGER (adamant): Go, look at it.

(Son steps towards the chamber, there is a squeak as he wipes the condensation off the glass.)

SON (gasping): It’s the Devil… (low note of music begins. Son stammers.) I-I-I-I don’t understand… why would they…?

STRANGER: All of them are in there.

SON (aghast): Why the hell are they aboard the ship? This horrid cr – (There is a loud hiss from the machinery.)

STRANGER: It’s part of the test, don’t you see? These aren’t frozen like the others… these aren’t even the same layout - this is a birthing chamber. (Conveyor noises from the machinery.) This is what they do, they wake us up (A distant alarm begins.) They test us to see if we fail. They bring us to Reclamation. (Alarm grows louder.) It’s the same as you and me. – 

SON (quietly to himself): I don’t understand… I don’t understand – 

STRANGER: We’re the same. – 

SON: But why would they (The alarm grows louder.) – 

STRANGER: But I didn’t go to Reclamation, (Son makes confused sounds in the background.) I saw what was in there… what was behind the door. It’s on the maintenance deck, again just out in the open (Stranger pushes buttons, and a pneumatic door opens.) Just open enough for us to stumble upon – 

SON: Stop – 

STRANGER: To find out – 

SON: Stop – 

STRANGER: To visit and –

SON (Snapping): Stop.

(Loud clanging from the door opening as the music hits a crescendo, there’s a wet splatter as Son gags and vomits onto the floor. The snap of the lights turning on above, and a loud buzzing and hiss from the pneumatic door opening. Son pants and sniffles.)

STRANGER: Now you’re seeing it.

SON (Gasping): No. (He pulls in a shaky breath.) No… We don’t know…

STRANGER: How blind are you!? (Sound of the stranger hitting Son, white noise rings out, Son hits the ground with a gasp of shaky breath.) I am sorry, I am sorry but you’re not listening. (Son gasps as the ringing white noise grows distant.) Ugh! (Coughing.) I am trying not to do what they want me to, don’t you get it? How are you still in denial? You think these… creatures are just getting out on their own? (Noise of frustration.) You think this is part of… the recolonization effort? (Stranger is panting with frustration.) There is no effort, there is no Earth anymore. This is all a dream, all a sick… twisted game by some group of people… who are trying to break us. I won’t let it happen. (Stranger moves quickly.) Get up. Get up! (Choking noise.) I’m sorry I hit you. Did I break any teeth? (Getting insistent.) Do they look more like mine? Let me see.

SON (Struggling): Get off me, don’t touch me. –

STRANGER: How dare you! I saved you. (Son pants while the stranger wheezes.) You… it’s you… it’s okay… Fine! I am… (Son pulls in a shaky breath.) Then I’ll take you to Reclamation, I-I can’t get you inside because the door is locked. Dad was the only one that could open it… but there has to be another way in. They let them out… Ah, but not in. That’s… yes… yes… then you’ll understand. There’s no denying it after…. You’ll see… There are more of us.

SON (determined): I’m not going with you.

STRANGER (Affronted): This is for you. For us. Don’t you get it? Don’t you want out? Don’t you want to escape this maze? (Growling.) What is wrong with you? (Snapping.) What is wrong with you? (Son gasps, there are sounds of struggle. Stranger growls and pants. A gunshot rings out followed by white noise.)

SON (scared and panting with shaky breaths): Okay, okay – 

STRANGER: I won’t kill you! (Son pants quickly with fear.) Don’t you understand that’s what they want, stop trying to make me. Stay down – Just… Just stay down, okay? Just stay down! (Panting.) We’re going to go to Reclamation. We’re going to turn Dad back on and he’ll have to… wait I’ll have to…

(A clanging noise comes from far off down the hall, Son gasps and then they both stop to listen. The motion activated lights clang on and buzz, indicating something moving down the hall. Steps are heard coming closer from the hall, followed by whining from Dog.)

SON (happily): Dog! (Dog continues whining as he comes closer to son.) Good boy –

STRANGER (aghast): Dog. –

SON: Good boy. (Hopeful music plays as dog pads around Son, whining and giving a gentle bark.)

STRANGER: What does it want?

(Dog happily barks and his feet pad around.)

SON: He must’ve come back down somehow…(Dog continues to happily bark.)

STRANGER: You… (Dogs collar jingles.) You… (Dog begins to growl aggressively.) Listen. 

SON (softly to Dog): It’s okay…

STRANGER: They want us to turn on each other (Wheeze.)

SON: You’re the one holding the gun at me (Dog begins to bark again.)

STRANGER: The Devil – 

SON (irate): I don’t know what that room is… yes, those are monsters. Clearly, Dad is not who he says he is, or at the very least is being controlled by someone who wishes us harm (Dogs collar jingles.) We can work together.

STRANGER: I agree.

SON: Well that starts by trusting each other… So put the gun down… okay? 

STRANGER: I can’t do that.

SON (Angrily): Why?

STRANGER: I was wrong. (Dog pants quickly in the background.) That’s what Dad told me. –

SON (softly to Dog): Hey, hey… It’s okay –

STRANGER (upset): He burned me because I was wrong. Because I wouldn’t go to (voice breaking.) Reclamation… to die.

SON: You don’t know that you were going to die…

STRANGER: I do.

SON: Okay. Well… Do you trust me?

STRANGER: Do you believe me?

SON: I’m trying to. (Dog whines, and the stranger wheezes. Dog starts to give whining barks.) You’ve shown me where the Devils are but… I need proof.

STRANGER: Okay. (Sound of patting.) I can prove it.

SON: NO! (He yells as there is a loud gunshot followed by Dog yelping. The gunshot fades out slowly.)

(Music starts to build as the audio slowly fades back into focus.)

STRANGER (Interspersed with whining from Dog): I’m doing this to show you! You asked me how I could prove it! This is how I prove it to you! (Son is panting, on the verge of hyperventilating.) We’ll look inside him and – 

SON (gasping out his words): No-no! Dog! Dog! N-No, no no no – It’s okay boy. It’s okay –

STRANGER: Stop talking to it, like it’s a thing you can – 

SON (to dog): We can… I can get you up to medical –

STRANGER (insistent): Look you and I – We’re on the same team – 

SON: I’ll get you up to medical… It’s okay – 

STRANGER: you’ll see when it…

SON: No – (panting out his words.) I’ll kill you… I’ll kill you!

STRANGER (Aghast): Kill me? Why!

SON: I’m going to kill you…I will kill you!

STRANGER: I’ll… I’ll show you… I can… I’ll show you… just wait here… okay? (Son begins to sob.) Just wait here… In the living quarters… I’ll-I’ll get a knife… we can cut him open and you’ll see! And you’ll see… It’ll just… (Son gasps out.) Once that thing is dead… (voice growing distant.) You’ll see –

SON (yelling): Leave us!

STRANGER (farther away): Yes, I’m going to go and I’ll…

SON: Leave!

STRANGER (nearly gone): You weren’t supposed to…You’ll see… I’ll find a way to…

(Dog whines as Son begins to cry.)

SON (sobbing, but gentle): Hey… hey boy… Hey – (Son gasps with shaky breath.) It’s okay… (he pats Dog.) It’s okay… it’s okay (Dog pants as Son begins to sob.) It’s okay, you’re gonna be fine… (Dog pants and whines while Son sniffles.) Y-You’re gonna be fine… (Soft music begins to play,  Dog pants quickly, and Son breaks down to sobbing out his words.) I’ll remember you… (With shaking breaths Son gasps while Dogs whines softly. Son breathes out the final words.) I’ll remember you. 

(Dog continues to whine, Son grunts with effort as he breaks Dog’s neck with a snap. There's a soft thump as Dog gets laid onto the floor.)

SON (sobbing): I’ll remember you. 

(Son takes a moment to cry. He sobs and then sniffles, taking in a few breaths to try and calm himself.)

SON (breathing heavily, near growling): Where are you. (Son begins to yell and the music rises, turning sinister.) Where are you! (Growling out his words.) Where are you. I’m going to kill you. I am going to kill you. 

(Son begins panting as he moves. With a grunt he gets to the elevator, sounds of the elevator can be heard before the door opens with a hiss and buzz.) 

SON (Snapping to the elevator.): Deck two, living quarters. (The elevators machinery clangs with its movement.) You killed the only thing I had (Son is breathing heavily.) I’m going to end you… you… you monster… you freak… you… you…

(The elevator clunks to a halt while Son continues to breathe heavily. The door opens with a hiss. Son is immediately attacked and grunts with the hit.)

RVA (robotic voice): Living Quarters –

STRANGER (panting): It’s okay – it’s okay… I figured it out – I figured it out (the sound of blood pouring to the floor.) It’s been in the medical center… it’s been here all along… the solution to my problem (Stranger breathes heavily.)

SON: Why?

STRANGER (breathing heavily, music jerks to a halt): It’s in my nature.

(The sound of a final hit, and Son grunting with pain.)

(Music plays: ‘Fido Is A Hot Dog Now’ by Billy Murray.) 

(END Episode 4.)

DEVISER was written, performed, edited, mixed and mastered by Harlan Guthrie. All themes were written, recorded, and performed by Harlan Guthrie. If you enjoyed this episode, please share this podcast with a friend or family member, and leave a review at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you might listen. If you enjoy creations like this, please consider supporting us through the INVICTUS Stream Patreon at patreon.com/theINVICTUSStream. For more shows like this check out Malevolent.ca. Thank you for listening.