Showing posts with label Exorcism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exorcism. Show all posts

Wednesday 19 October 2022

Exorcising Online Narcissism


"We Do an Extremely 
Bad Job of Regulating
Narcissism Online."














"If You See This at the Comments, It's a Troll.." - Jordan Peterson

The Markers :
Anonymous Username.
Anonymous Demonic Username.
"bro"
"brah"
"dude"
"lol"
"lmfao"
Casual use of a First Name.
Casual use of a Familiarity.
Derisive Humour.
Things that would 
absolutely, instantly
get them punched if 
they EVER said them
to anyone in person.



Sherlock Holmes :
Watson, let me go, The Snake,
you don't understand! --
(ceases to struggle, turns demonic)
You insufferable cripple..!!
THUMP!




Friday 16 July 2021

SULACO ESCAPE POD #4

 




THE NIGHT SKY - JOHN POV
Freckled with tiny dots of light.
Stars. Spread across the inky void.
Bathe Arceon's surface with their celestial glow.

John smiles at Mattias, breathes deep. 
The atmosphere up here is thinner, 
but fresher. 

He opens the book.
Reads aloud --

JOHN
In the year of our Lord 1348 
I, Brother Gerhado 
of the Minorite Abbey 
helped bury The Abbot 
and my sixty fellow monks, 
day by day, one by one, 
until I am the only one left. 

I stayed as long as I could bear it, 
then with My Dog -- 

Mattias lifts his ears at this part. 
His favorite part.

JOHN
- fled. 
I have put this to parchment lest This Pestilence - This Black Death - 
stay My Hand.

(beat)

This was finished by another hand...

John closes the book. 
Something catches his eye --
Something among the myriad points of light in the sky.

Millions of miles away:
ONE OF THE STARS
Brighter than the rest. MOVING.

Fast enough to leave a faint trail.
Across the stars. And down...
A comet.
John stands. Watches --

THE STAR
Growing brighter.
Drawing nearer.

JOHN
Joined by three other MONKS.
They are older than he.
The Four men watch the sky...

THE STAR
Brighter still. Closer.

MORE MONKS
Two dozen. A hundred.

They come up through the planet's surface.
Out of wooden trap doors. Join the others.

Days pass.
Now three hundred.
Necks bowed back.
Mouths agape.

A SUBTITLE identifies...
RELIGIOUS COLONY ARCEON
-----------------------
POPULATION: 350 Exiles
CRIME: Political Heresy

THE STAR
Fills the sky.
Burns brighter still as it hits the planetoid's atmosphere.
ON THE SURFACE OF ARCEON
Hundreds of Monks shield their eyes as the ship -- the star --
ROARS over their heads. Trailing FIRE --
John holds up his hands - to touch a star --
Skin BLISTERS as it passes over him,
He turns and watches as it --
Arcs downward --
INTO THE SEA
WHOMP- SSSSSSSSSS --!!
PLUMES of steam rise into the air.
The water boils. Fish bob to the surface. Bloated. Dead.
JOHN
Is the first to hit The Shore.
Small leather and wood fishing boats tossed by the wake.
His coracle is the first into the water.
The others running up behind him.
He cannot hear the SHOUTS of warning.
ON THE SEA - DAWN
The sun cracks over the black water.
John's hands move the rough wooden oars.
Blistered palm opens.
BLOOD flows.
He tears off a piece of his cassock --
Rips it with his teeth --
Wraps the bloody hand.
Rows.
THE STAR
Ship. Star Ship.
Sulaco escape vehicle #4 rocks on the water.
White metal skin blackened by the heat.
JOHN
Rows right into it.
His coracle pitches in the choppy surf. 
He scrambles onto the ship's cracked tile surface.
Teeters -- balances -- moves to the unmistakeable HATCH.
Looks around for a knob, a handle --
NEXT TO THE HATCH
A small panel door whose black and yellow stripes denote
urgency. John hesitantly opens the door, revealing a shiny
metal LEVER. He stares at it...a beat.
Then quickly pulls it down...
WUORRRSH -!
Hull door OPENS.
The doorway is a black maw.
John crosses himself.
Begins to lower his foot into the hatch --
KYLE O/S
Watch it!
He almost falls backwards off the ship. Looks back --
THE OTHER MONKS
Are rapidly approaching.
Kyle gestulates wildly --
KYLE
John! Wait -- ! Don't go in!
John turns back to the open hatch.
Machine recirculated air flows out.
He feels it on the skin of his face. Cool.
Cool, and artificial. It calls to him.
He steps in. Swallowed by the blackness --
WHOOSH-CLANG -!
The door closes behind him.
INT. SULACO ESCAPE POD #4 - DAY
Dark. Dim red lights. John stands still as his eyes adjust to the darkness. He sees:
NEWT'S HYPER SLEEP TUBE
A glass and metal COFFIN -- pneumatic piping twines around its base. 

The glass lid is BROKEN. 

A Small RED LIGHT pulses 
at the head of the tube -- 
a soft VOICE and TONE, 
like your seat belt warning -- 
is audible...
COMPUTER VOICE
(sotto)
Seal broken...seal broken...

John finds himself moving towards the tube...
Looks through the broken lid:

IN THE TUBE
There is a splattered BLOOD STAIN 
on the sterile white interior. 
OLD, turned rust-brown.

Whatever happened here happened a while ago.
Rust colored drips trail down to --
THE FLOOR
Drag marks. His eyes follow the stains to a pile of Bloody clothing against a control panel. 

A jumpsuit. Torn.
Child size. The head of child's DOLL, 
but no body to be found.

JOHN
Looks back towards the door.
Part of him wants to get the hell out here -- but he fights back his fear. 
He is A Doctor - or trying to be - 
someone in here may need his help. 

He presses forward -- 
Averts his gaze from the clothing, 
UP to the blinking and glowing instrument panels and their myraid -- 

LIGHTS
Pressure lights. Data lights. Warning lights.
Thousands of lights. Like the stars in the sky.
It's been decades since he's seen Technology like this -- 
and never this close up. 
He steps further into The Ship, his fear now replaced by fascination, follows the lights....

ON A PALE GREEN SCREEN
LED numbers race -- 7,291.01.05...06...07
A legend identifies 
"Elapsed since separation."

He moves on...
A VIDEO MONITOR
Through scanning bars of snow, an image:
A WOMAN with a YOUNG GIRL standing in front of her.
The Woman's arms are wrapped around the girl.
Protective. Maternal.
The Woman speaks. 
Her message repeats itself.
A tape loop, although John has no idea what that is.

WOMAN
...taking pod four. 
The Crew of the SS Sulaco and all Marine commandoes are dead.

Ship's sensors have interrupted the hyper sleep cycle. 

An overlooked alien egg has hatched. 
Bishop and Hicks have been killed.

Xenomorphs have infested the cruiser. 

Newt and I are taking pod four. 
The Crew of...
The WARNING TONE of the Woman's message rekindles John's fear.
He moves more hesitantly around the periphery of the ship, following the trail of blinking instruments --
Drawn to touch a button. Click...
SOMETHING TENTACLE-LIKE DROPS DOWN ON HIS SHOULDER!
Just an oxygen mask.
John feels his rapidly BEATING heart as he pushes aside the
plastic, dangling object and continues around the shuttle. 
His hand brushes over a SENSOR which responds by lighting and --
HSSSSSSSSS -!
A BLAST of freon shoots out of an overhead pipe --
John SHOUTS and back up into --
ANOTHER HYPER SLEEP TUBE!!!
Next to Newt's now empty tube.
Humming gently. Still operational.
John approaches it cautiously.
He can make out the occupant through the lid...
A WOMAN
The woman from the screen. This is RIPLEY.
In hypersleep. 
Wearing a white cotton tank top and boxer-type shorts. 
Christ, she looks beautiful. 
John looks from Ripley to her image on the monitor, then back.
Sinks to his knees, reverent. Fascination has replaced fear
again. Moves his face closer to the lid. 
Closer to hers...
DAYLIGHT spills in --
John's head WHIPS towards the source of the light --
THE DOOR
Open. Kyle and the other monks.
KYLE
John - what is it? 
Is this a Supply ship?
JOHN
No. No supplies. 
Kyle, there's someone in here --
The Second Monk looks at Kyle.
SECOND MONK
This is forbidden.
KYLE
John. Just get the hell out of there --
JOHN
I don't want to stay. I have to get her
out before this sinks. You come in, give
me a hand --
KYLE
Her? Look, this is not the supply ship,
so this is technology forbidden to us.
Get out of there now!
John looks down at Ripely.
A KEYPAD is mounted at the head of the tube.
A red button: "EMERG-OPEN"
That's plain enough.
JOHN
All right --
He presses it.
The Tube opens with a loud BLAST of compressed air.
The Monks at the door recoil at the sound.
CUT TO:
EXT. SPACE SHIP - ON THE SEA - DAY
Ripley has been lowered into a large coracle. John holds her in
front of him. Unconscious. 
Her head lolls as the boat rocks on the waves. 
The monks start to row back to short.
FIRST MONK
 (reverent)
A space ship...
SECOND MONK
 (even more reverent)
A woman...
KYLE
You shouldn't have gone in --
JOHN
I'm supposed to be a doctor.
He pushes Ripley's hair away from her forehead.
JOHN
She could've been lost.
FIRST MONK
Been a long time since I saw either.
SECOND MONK
It isn't sinking. Look at it. What are we
supposed to do with it?
KYLE
What was it like in there --?
JOHN
Lights. So many lights --
THIRD MONK
Tow it in. Bring it in.
SECOND MONK
It's evil.
FIRST MONK
It's just technology.
SECOND MONK
Evil technology. Look at these fish --
THIRD MONK
The Abbot will know what we should do
with it --
KYLE
Just lights?
JOHN
Machines. Buttons. Metal.
SECOND MONK
See? Just look at the fish.
THIRD MONK
The Abbot will know.
SECOND MONK
They're boiled. These fish are boiled. 
JOHN
Thousands of lights. Like the stars.
Like Heaven on Earth.
Ripley stirs in John's arms. Groans.
Fights to come out of her fugue state...
Looks around through half-lidded eyes --
She is surrounded by rowing, cassocked Monks.
MONKS? She closes her eyes.
Tries to clear the imagine. Opens:
They're still there.
She looks down at the bloodied hands around her waist --
realizes she's sitting on someone's lap.
Looks back over her shoulder --
JOHN
He smiles at her.
Friendly, not sexual.
RIPLEY
Shakes her head. Tries to speak --
Her lips form soundless words.
She looks over her other shoulder, sees --
THE SHIP - RIPLEY POV
Bobbing on the surface. 
Growing small with each stroke of the oars.
RIPLEY
Brows knit. Fights the cobwebs in her brain.
Tries to focus on the ship --
Remembers. 
Turns to John, tries to speak --
RIPLEY
Wait. New...
She loses consciousness. 
GO TO BLACK...
INT. THE ABBEY - RIPLEY'S ROOM - DAY
Streaks of light move across the darkness.
Form patterns of light and shadow against the wooden walls.
There is a sublime stillness, but coming through the walls are
the muted, far off SOUNDS of the Abbey --
The SAWING of wood. HAMMERING.
WHISPERED prayers.
LILTING song.
We move down off the wall to a hand-made wooden bed.
Ripley in restless sleep.
EXT. ARCEON SEA - DUSK
The waters grown rough with the approach of night. Wind whips across
white wave tops -- SPRAYS the dozen Monks who LASH their 
boats to Ripley's SHIP with thick hemp ropes --
Start to tow it to shore...





ON THE ROOF OF THE MONASTERY - NIGHT
The Sulaco escape pod #4 is now a memory as the Monks have
finished walling it up. Now just another part of the Abbey.
As the Monks move down the thin wooden ladders we follow --
Pass them -- down to an open window and into...

INT. LIBRARY - THE MEDIEVAL SECTION - NIGHT INTO DAWN
John is here, Mattias asleep at his feet.
The tables, the benches, the floor are COVERED with hundreds of
books he's pulled off the shelves, their chains all TANGLED.
All open to --
PICTURES OF DEVILS
Different representations of Evil through the ages --
Lucifer, Shaitan, Ahriman, Asmodeus -- Satan.
"The Temptation of Christ" from the Master of Schloss
Lichtenstein. Satan roasting on an enormous grill from
"Tres riches heures du Duc de Berry."
The devil as a serpent. As a semi-humanoid.
Gruenwald's "Temptation of St. Anthony."
Pacher's "Saint Wolfgang and the Devil."
A miasma of Medieval Monsters.

JOHN
Picks his way through the mess. Like a man possessed he fumbles through book after book.
The first golden rays of daylight filter through the huge
stained glass windows. John rapidly flips through the Medieval
tome in front of him - past an illustration of Satan depicted
as having a FACE on his ASS -- further still -- then stops.
This is it.
We can't see what the illustration is, but we see his REACTION:
His eyes open wide as saucers. 
SLAMS the book closed as if the image would strike blind. 
He turns to Mattias as if to say something -- 
Decides not to wake the sleeping dog.
John wraps the book's chain around his hand and puts one foot
up against the shelf. Pulls -- SPANKT!
The old chain gives way.
Face set, he loops the shoulder strap of his burlap medical bag
over his shoulder. Clutches the book to his chest, gently pets
his sleeping dog and goes...

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE ABBOT'S OFFICE - DAY
John strides down the corridor purposefully but stops and
flattens himself against the wall when the door to the Abbot's 
office opens suddenly --
BROTHER GRAHAM, The Hysterical Monk, is forcibly led from the 
room by two burly Monks, taken down the corridor in the other
direction. He is gagged. A third Burly Monk moves out of the
doorway with the Abbot.
JOHN
Now find John and have him brought to 
me immediately.
THIRD BURLY MONK
Yes, Father.
ABBOT
Start in the library. And keep it quiet. 
The Third Burly Monk nods and moves off.
The Abbot watches him leave, then goes back into the room and
closes the door. John stares at the closed door a beat and then
makes up his mind. He turns and runs back down the hallway...





THE MONASTERY LEVEL
Heaven has become HELL.
The ground, the buildings, the Sky-timber - all blackened.
FIRES burn everywhere. Air choked with gray smoke and dust
pouring in from the Orbiter's surface through rends in the
vaulted ceiling.

RIPLEY AND JOHN
Climb through a hole where a trap door has been torn off it's 
hinges. They look at the grim tableau:
Monks impaled on their own pikes.
Tangled together in their own pungy stakes.
Alien cocoon material cobwebbed over their bodies.

THE MONASTERY
Flickering fires lit the first few floor windows.
Ripley takes a step towards it --
Reaches back and pulls John...

INT. GLASS FACTORY - NIGHT
The Glass furnace boils almost to the point of overflow.
Small fires burn out of control around the room.
Finished glass pieces BURST from the heat.
Ripley and John enter.
JOHN
This is the glassworks. They have
tools here --
(spots)
Kyle --
He runs across the room --

BROTHER KYLE
Sits calmly at the Marver table.
He places playing cards on the table in front of him.
Solitaire. 
He sings to himself quietly.
KYLE
 (sotto)
Can't see my baby.
Don't see my baby. Bay be.
John grabs him by the lapels - pulls him to his feet.
The playing cards fall to the floor --
Kyle watches them, not John.
JOHN
Kyle. Brother Kyle.
KYLE
Cards on the floor, fifty two pickup.
Black king on red queen, put the
ace up --
John SHAKES him.
JOHN
Kyle goddammit!
Ripley moves closer.
RIPLEY
John - it's too late --
Kyle begins to sing faster. Faster.
KYLE
Ace up. Put the ace up. Redaceupup.
Blackaceup.Up.Pup-pup-pup-chaka-
boomloommawhacka -- Booomalooma
looma --
Ripley and John look at each other.
They know what this means.
John pulls a length of rope off a nearby table.
Moves in front of Kyle. Looks into his glassy eyes.
A tear runs down his cheek.
JOHN
Keep singing, my friend.
John loops the rope around Kyle's neck.
Strangles him.
Eases the lifeless body to the floor.
Stares at it.

RIPLEY
Pulls a blowing iron from the rack. Feels its weight and
balance. A reasonable weapon. She crosses to John.
JOHN
I killed him. I'm a doctor and I
killed him.
RIPLEY
You had to. You're supposed to end suffering.
She hands him a pontil, a pointed iron spear used to form the
molten glass shapes.
RIPLEY
Let's get the hell out of here.

INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT
Ripley and John move up the stairs.
Flickering orange lit from below.
Smoke and soot rise from the first on the lower floors.

INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT
They enter carefully. The room is exactly as John left it,
books out of shelves, hanging on their chains.
RIPLEY
He's made a mess.
John pushes ahead of her.
JOHN
No. He hasn't been up here yet. 
I  did this.
He moves to the nearest shelf and uses his pontil to pry open
the lock --
JOHN
Here - philosophy - we'll start here --
AAAROO --!
A HAIRY BLUR flies out from between the stacks --
WHUMPH! Knocks John to the floor --
Licks his face.
JOHN
Mattias!
The happy dog leaps all over his master.
JOHN
He waited. 
Ripley, this is Mattias. 
My dog. Good fellow.
Ripley crosses to them.
RIPLEY
I'm glad. Really. But we've probably
only got a few minutes before this
entire place goes up in flames. Just
grab whatever books you want and --
Ripley leans in to pet Mattias.
Mattias draws his lip back. Growls.
He's looking over Ripley's shoulder.
She turns around slowly...

THE ALIEN
Standing in the open doorway.
It's in bad shape from the man traps.
Lost a foot. Tongue hanging out, useless.
Parts of it look like wood. Parts of it look like wheat.
It carries Anthony's waterlogged, limp body --
POPS off his head like a grape from the bunch.
Tosses the corpse at Ripley's feet.
I could swear it's trying to smile.

RIPLEY AND JOHN
Back against the book stacks.
John grabs Mattias' collar.
The Dog GROWLS at the Alien intruder...
JOHN
Easy, boy...
RIPLEY
Is there another way out?
JOHN
Not that will do us any good.

THE ALIEN
Limps into the room dragging one foot.
It's breathing is labored. Dripping acid blood leaves a thin
trail of fire behind it.
JOHN
We hurt it.
The Alien draws itself up to its full height --
Even wounded it is one dangerous mother fucker.
RIPLEY
You wanna give it a bandage? Look --
Where is my ship from here?
JOHN
On the roof directly above this room.
RIPLEY
Here's the plan --
JOHN
But the books --
RIPLEY
Forget the books!
RUFF!!
Mattias pulls free from John's grasp --
Runs to the Alien --
RIPLEY
Shit.

MATTIAS
Snaps and barks at the Alien --
Leaping about to dodge its claws.
Draws its attention --

RIPLEY AND JOHN
RUN at the Alien.
It is trying to spear the dog with its tail.
John swings the iron rod -- THWAP -!
HITS the Alien across the back of its bulbous head --
It turns to him --
SPLIIIITCH -!
Ripley SHOVES the blowing iron into the Alien's torso.
His acid blood SPURTS out the end of the hollow tube --
SPLATTERS Ripley's cassock - she TEARS it off --
John grabs Mattias -- pulls him back.
The Alien SPINS in a circle --
Blood SPRAYING around him -
Creating a CIRCLE OF FIRE about him --
IGNITING the books --
JOHN
No! THE BOOKS!!
RIPLEY
Don't --!
John steps forward -- Ripley grabs for him --
The ACID EATS through the wooden floor --

THE FLOOR COLLAPSES
The Alien, John and Ripley PLUMMET down -!
THROUGH the next floor --

INTO THE GLASSWORKS
The Alien FALLS into the molten glass vat --
SCREECHES - arms flailing as it sinks beneath the surface of
the thousand degree liquid.

JOHN
Finds himself HANGING over the bubbling glass vat - Caught -
DANGLING on the Flying Fox rope. Five feet away - the ledge the
Flying Fox is launched from. He looks down:
He can see the huge open vat of molten glass below him. To its
right, the Water DUMP TANK - a large wine cask-looking affair
where finished pieces are cooled. He looks up:
Ripley holding onto the edge of the broken floor above.
JOHN
Are you all right?
Ripley grunts an affirmative response.
At least is she falls, it will only be a twenty-foot drop to
the floor. John is looking at instant par-boiling.
John starts to move hand over hand UP the rope. He begins to
sweat.
A drop of sweat falls...
HSSS!
POPS AND SIZZLES as it hits the surface of the molten glass --

RIPLEY
Tries to pull herself up to the floor above --
The next level is a raging fire.
She can only hang and DROP. She DOES -!
Falls the two stories.
Bends her knees and ROLLS on impact.

JOHN
Has reached the ledge overlooking the furnace.
He stands. Sees Ripley slowly rising --
JOHN
Ripley -!
Ripley shakily gets to her feet.
Hops on one foot.
RIPLEY
Aargh. I'm fine. Let's get the fuck
out of --
SUDDENLY
THE ALIEN'S head breaks the surface of the molten glass.
SCREAMING. STEAMING. It is white-hot -
translucent -- covered with -- 
It looks like MOLTEN GLASS!!
Hook-like hands grasp the edge of the tank --
It tries to climb out --
Ripley turns to run. Tender ankle gives out.
She falls face down on the floor --
Rolls over --
THE ALIEN is going to climb out of the vat --
She SCREAMS --

JOHN
Grabs the Flying Fox handle.
SWINGS down the rope - across the room --
PAST the Alien --
It turns away from Ripley -
She scrambles across the floor...
John lands HARD.
Points --
JOHN
Ripley - the lever!!
Ripley looks next to her: a burning wooden lever.
The Alien has one foot out of the glass furnace --
RIPLEY grabs the lever -- Hssssst!
Putting out the fire with her hand --
Pulls --

THE HUGE DUMP TANK OF WATER
DUMPS. Empties a thousand gallons --
RAINS DOWN on the Alien. 
It HOWLS in pain --
The Molten Glass instantly COOLS --
The rapid extreme temperature change causes the beast to
BE-THWOOOoooOOM -!!
EXPLODE into a million pieces...!!!!
Ripley helps John off the floor.
They are battered. Bloody.
They look into the vat.
The steam clears...
The room is littered with Alien Bits.
Each piece is encased in glass --
Trapped like a fly in amber.
JOHN
Saw that happen to a bottle once.
RIPLEY
 (panting)
Beat... Beat him - ugh --
She grabs her stomach as her knees give out.
John gives her an arm for support.
JOHN
We've got to get to the Library --

RIPLEY
Don't worry. Ship. Just --

They look up:
Mattias looks down through the hole in the floor.
BARKS...

INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT
An INFERNO.

Every bookshelf ablaze. 
The floor dotted with pools of flame.

Ripley and John are at the door - 
held back by the heat --

John tries to enter the room --
Ripley grabs him --

RIPLEY
Don't be stupid --
JOHN
Some of them! I've got to 
save some of them! Mattias!!

Mattias yelps in response. 
Threads his way through to them.

Ripley spins him to face her. 
Tears stream down his cheeks.

RIPLEY
They're lost. You did your best. 
If you get out, it wasn't in vain.
We've got to live!!

She YANKS him into the hallway --

CUT TO:
EXT. MONASTERY - THE ROOF - NIGHT

Ripley's good foot KICKS down the burning planks that surround the escape ship. 
John and Mattias stand behind as she climbs through to the ship. 

John looks around:
The ABBEY LEVEL is devastated. 

The air is filled with smoke.
The Abbey is burning. The Library is in flames.

John looks down at his medical bag.
Torn, bloody, scorched, 
it still hangs from his shoulders.

Inside: The only remaining book.

RIPLEY O/S
Come on in!

John and Mattias step through --

INT. SULACCO ESCAPE POD #4 - NIGHT

Ripley CLICKS on the lights.
John lifts Mattias into the hatch.

JOHN
The Library --

RIPLEY
I told you -- The Earth is still there --

Ripley checks an instrument: 
Elapsed travel time.
Her brows knit. 

She TAPS the gauge.

RIPLEY
Not working.

JOHN
What does that mean?

RIPLEY
It means I don't know 
how long I was in hyper sleep.

JOHN
It means the Abbot could've been right --

RIPLEY
It means my clock isn't working. 
We have to get out of here. 
Even if he was right this ship's onboard computer is filled 
with 
Man's Knowledge.

JOHN
Not everything
Some things will be lost forever. 

RIPLEY
Then Man starts over. 
He's done it before.

She pushes a few buttons. 
Somewhere under the floor a 
propulsion source HUMS to life. 

THROBBING through the soles of John's feet. 
Ripley is absorbed in her work.

RIPLEY
Okay. The seals weren't broken so we're probably clear.
 
But those dead monks out there are going to start hatching soon. 

Let's get ready to take off.

JOHN
What can I do?
RIPLEY
Here, I need a compressor tank from
in that compartment.
She motions towards an open door.
John enters the compartment.
Whoosh-CLANG -!
The door closes behind him.
JOHN
Hey! What?!
He looks out the window in the door. 
Ripley is staring at him, punching keys on a pad next to the
door.
JOHN
Hey - I'm locked in.
Mattias scratches at the door.
RIPLEY
I know. I locked you in.
JOHN
What?
RIPLEY
I'm not going with you. 
I've got one inside me.
JOHN
What?! You can't --
She runs a hand across her midsection.
RIPLEY
I figured it out. That's why it didn't kill me. 
He must have impregnated me
when I was in the stasis tube.
 (remembers nightmare)
It hasn't come out yet because I 
haven't eaten, 
It's still dormant. 
So either I eat and it kills me or I don't
eat and I starve to death. 
Either way I die.
John pulls the Medieval Tome out of his medical bag.
JOHN
My book -- I know what to do --
RIPLEY
What, an exorcism? No good.
JOHN
You can't do this. 
Ripley - listen to me - 
you're confusing feeling of guilt for actual sin
I can help you --
RIPLEY
 (ignoring)
I've set a time lock. 
When the pod escapes the Colony's gravitational pull this
compartment will open. 
Then all you have  to do is get into the Stasis tube with
Mattias and press the blue button. 
With any luck a freighter or something will pick you up. 
Good luck.
He pounds his fists against the door.
JOHN
NO! No, Goddammit - you can't do this.
You can't let it win.
She turns away from the door.
RIPLEY
It always wins. 
We killed it, but it's still inside me -- 
You're My Last Chance.
If I can keep you alive 
it'll make up for all those I've lost.

JOHN
Listen to me! You have to let me try!
Ripley: You're MY only chance!

She's listening...

JOHN
I told you Father Anselm raised me.
He raised me and when he was dying 
couldn't do anything to Save Him. 
didn't know enough. 
It was My Fault he died. 
If you don't let me try to Save You,
My Body will Live 
but My Soul will be DEAD.

Ripley turns and stares at him.

JOHN
Please.

CUT TO:

THE PAGE
A MEDIEVAL ETCHING.
A Monk vomits up the devil.
Pull back as John lowers Ripley to the pod floor.

John closes his eyes.
Closes the book.

He pours some water into a small plastic cup.
Retrieves a small pouch of herbs. Opens it.
Wrinkles his nose - they smell --
pours these ancient medicines into the space age cup.

RIPLEY
What is this stuff?

JOHN
 (forceful)
Something that will make you well.
Something that will make you sick.
RIPLEY
I don't --

JOHN
Shut up and drink.

He lifts the back of Ripley's head --
FORCES the drink down her throat.

John swings his leg over her midsection. STRADDLES her.

Presses his two hands together in prayer.
Then balls them into one fist.

Takes a deep, preparatory breath...
Ripley starts to GAG -- Cough.

Her body starts to JERK --

John BRINGS HIS FIST DOWN INTO HER STOMACH --

WHAMM -!!

Ripley CONVULSES -- has the dry heaves --
WHAM! WHAM --!

John PUMMELS Ripley's diaphragm!
She sputters -- VOMITS a thick mucous-like substance --

HEAVES --

Ripley's back arches --
She SCREAMS a gut wrenching WAIL --
Her torso BULGES as the creature is forced upwards.

John BEARS down --
Pushes UP under her ribs --

FORCING the chest-burster up her throat --
Ripley fights for air as the alien STOPS halfway up her  esophagus -- She's choking --
John crosses himself -- takes a deep breath --
Lowers his mouth to hers --
Inhales. Exhales. CPR.


THE ALIEN CHEST BURSTER
SLITHERS out of Ripley's mouth --
INTO JOHN'S!!

Reptilian tail whips about before disappearing down his gullet.

John falls back against a computer console.
Gagging. Fights to speak.

Ripley raises herself up on one elbow.

Alien mucous drooling down her chin.

Hair matted against her forehead.
RIPLEY
Why?

JOHN
Choking. It was the only way.

He drops the open book in front of her:
She sees the etching.

JOHN
Gulps back the oozing slime.
Struggles to his feet.

JOHNThey knew.
RIPLEY
But you --

Ripley tries to stand - to go after him --
She can't sit up -- feels like a rib might be cracked.

RIPLEY
You'll die --
John stumbles to the Pod door. Turns back.

JOHN
That's The Idea. Join...My brothers. 
If we were right, Heaven. 
If we were wrong --
either way, where we belong. 
World of Books. Pages.

He draws the parchment out of his bag.
Drops it to the floor.

JOHN
You... are from The Real World.

He starts to step through the door --
Mattias tries to follow.

JOHN
Stay -- both of you.
He exits the Pod.
Ripley drags herself across the floor.

RIPLEY
No - wait! John!

To the Door. Looks out:

BROTHER JOHN
Dawn's rays are peeking through the battered ceiling as he walks slowly across the smoking roof.

Into the inferno that is the burning Abbey.
Ripley watches as John and the alien horror inside him are
INCINERATED.

The heat of the flames grows.
She must pull back --
Reaches up for the door handle.
It closes with a THUD.

She rolls onto her back.
She weeps. For the first time in years.
She's been absolved.

CREeeek -!!

The escape pod SHIFTS.

Ripley's eyes SNAP open --
The Roof beneath the Pod is beginning to GIVE WAY.

Ripley rolls onto her stomach and drags herself to the pilot's chair. 
Pulls herself into the seat.
Straps herself in --

SULACCO ESCAPE POD #4
Blasts THROUGH the wooden outershell of the Orbiter Arceon.
ROARS towards us - past us.

INT. SULACCO ESCAPE POD #4 = DAY
Ripley places Mattias into the Hyper sleep tube.
Rubs under his chin. 
Is about to climb in with him when she
spots something on the floor --

JOHN'S PARCHMENT
Ripley picks it up and unrolls it.
She hears John's voice:

JOHN V.O.
I, Brother John Goldman 
of the orbiter Arceon, 
Minorite abbey and gaol, 
know The Abbot was wrong.
 
There is a great evil here. I have seen it. 
I put pen to paper now lest this plague - 
this creature stills my hand. 

I have gone down below -
both to try to warn the others 
and get The Woman - Ripley - 
get from her some clue 
as to how to battle this evil, 
or at least to make my peace for not defending her

She believes there is still an Earth 
and I hope she is right.

I hope she will be able to find out.

I hope she can find some rest 
for The Devils that torment her.

Ripley looks at the elapsed time counter on the command console. Pulls a pen from it's holder. She adds:

RIPLEY V.O.
Whether The Earth exists or not, 
whether we end up in Heaven, or Hell, 
or the cold vacuum of space, she has.

She sets her course.
Gets back into her tube.
Closes the lid.

DEEP SPACE
The escape pod moves through the jet-black void...

ARCEON
Dwindles into The Darkness behind her, 
a smouldering, slowly dying ember...
THE SCREEN GOES BLACK

END CREDITS ROLL...

Teenager in the back of the movie theater shouts,
"It's in The Dog!"