The Vail: London Fog (Episode One: Psychoactive)

It has been a while since my last post, over a month, and for those of you who read my posts you know that my last post was the "conclusion" to my thirteen part serial called "The Vail". Now, I knew I didn't want to stop writing, I knew I wanted to continue to do a weekly serial, but I did nto know that I would want to continue the Vail. And why not, good shows get to run for ever before cancelling. I figure if I have good enough ideas... and I feel that this season, we'll call it, of the Vail will be ten times better than last season. For those of you unfamiliar with the Vail, here is a short recap of what has occurred so far.

Andy Vail was a boringly normal accountant until the night his sister-in-law, and his secret love, Nancy, walked into his office and admitted to the death of her husband, Andy's brother, Mike Vail. This was only the beginning as both Andrew and Nancy were arrested and questioned in mike's death. The detective in charge, Detective Williams, could find no evidence to charge Andy but Nancy, found in a train station covered in Mike's blood, was obviously the culprit of the murderer. Excpet Andy didn't buy it. Something had happened and he was determined to figure it out and exonerate Nancy. Upon returning to the scene of the crime, Andy met a strange man named Henry who also claimed to be searching for Mike's killer. But Andy believed Henry to be the murderer and Henry was arrested. yet there was more to Henry than met the eye. Henry had an almost supernatural ability to make people believe whatever he wanted. The only person immune to this ability was Andy. Henry used this ability to convince the police that Mike Vail had died of a horrible accident and that Nancy was innocent. The case was closed and Nancy set free. Suspicious and obsessed with finding the truth, Andy and Henry decided to team up and solve the strange mystery. They learned that Mike was a member of a coalition of genius scientists with a secret agenda. Henry and Andy began to visit these scientists only to find they were being murdered, one by one, and the only clue ever left behind was a bdoy so horribly electorcuted and burned that it was barely recognizable. It was also during this investigation that Andy was attacked and injected with an unknown serum. It wasn't long before he felt his mind begin to unhinge. Things finally tooka turn for the utter worse when, on New Year's Day, a strange man named Mr. Skinner entered the home of Nancy Vail and electoructed her friend to death. Nancy, unable to handle the mental strain, slipped into a comatose state. Andy and Henry began persuing this strange man who could shoot electricity from his hands and spoke in alien tones. They caught up to him in the attic of Dr. Tillhouse, one of Mike's colleagues. They found Mr. Skinner holding Steve Tillhouse, the doctor's brother, and Alina Waitts, a young woman, hostage. The outcome looked belak yet at the last second, Steve sacrificed himself by activating a machine which opened a doorway to another dimension. Something came from that dimension, it took over the body fo Dr. Tillhouse, and horrible murdered Steve as well as the monstrous Mr. Skinner. The horror was over... at least it was supposed to be. Andy began to date Aline, united by their trauma. Then the two fo them were kidnapped by zombies one evening and awoke to find themselves in a secret laboratory, the lab of Dr. North, another genius colleague of Mike Vail. It was here that they learned the truth. The scientists had found a secret book of mystical power and begun to perform experiments with it, mixing modern science with old world magic. Dureing one such experiemnt they accidentally released a creature which killed and possessed the body of MIke Vail. Then it went after the rest fo the scientists. Dr. North was the only one left and he believed the monster was still out there, that it had moved to a new body. He believed it was Henry and convinced Andy that he was the only one who could stop the final horror. If Andy was too succeed, Dr. North would do what he does best and bring Mike Vail back to life. He then proved his power as a scientists by bringing Steve back to life. So Andy began to track down Henry again, allies now become enemies. In the process Andy learned that he also was not too normal anymore. It seemed that the serum he was injected with had made him stronger, faster, and even a little bit psychic. he found Henry in no time and was about to kill him when Henry finally told him the truth. Dr. North had lied. Henry was in fact a human from the far future sent back in time to save humanity. Unfortunately, to save the future of mankind, Henry had to possess Nancy Vail and use her body to kill the bug like creature which had possessed Mike Vail. Unfortunately the bug creature had escaped and that was why Henry had enlisted Andy to help him stop it. After telling Andy the utter truth, Andy realized the error of his ways and vowed to help henry save the future. That is when Alina Vail showed her true colors. It turned out that Alina was in fact a powerful alchemist, hundreds of years old, who had been avoiding death by possessing the bodies of her children over and over again. She was also in cahoots with Dr. North and both fo them were working with the Insect, the creature that had originally possessed Mike. In the end, Andy, Henry, and undead Stever teamed up, using their skills to defeat the evil. Alina Waitts was murdered and made into a mindless zombie. Dr. North was also killed but returned from the dead as himself albeit he had seen something horrible that even he could not admit. And Andy Vail found the Insect still possessing the body of his brother Mike. So Andy did what he had to do and he murdered his brother to kill the Insect inside him and save the future. But the advanture was not over yet. Andy had been changed, the serum had turned him into something more than human, and he could not ignore the things that went bump in the night. So Andy knew he would become the Vail. Finally, Andy decided to see Henry off now that Henry's work was done. But Henry had one more confession. It turned out that since Henry was a time traveller he had not yet gone back int ime and possessed Nancy to kill Mike the first time. Andy, realizing he might be able to save Nancy from a comatose life, forced Henry to promise him that eh would travel back in time and posses Andy and force Andy to kill his brother the first time. Henry tried to warn him that this could have terrible effects on Andy's mind but Andy made him promise him anyway. Thus Henry traveled back in time and forced Andy to kill his brother. When we last left Andy, he was dealing with the effect of having to murder his brother.
If this recap was too confusing for you. Too bad. Go read the first arc of the Vail. And if you just don't care about the last arc then scroll down and begin reading "The Vail: London Fog".

The Vail: London Fog
By Joey Pettine

Episode One: Psychoactive

(Four youngsters, ROGER, PARKER, REED, and LEE, sit around an ornate hookah. “Inna Gadda Da Vida” plays in the background as multicolored lights dance across the their faces. Reed and Lee share the hookah, though Lee doesn’t seem as into it as Reed, while Parker rubs his hands slowly, staring at them with wide eyes. Roger nervously watches them, awkwardly refusing the hookah when it is offered to him.)

PARKER
My hands are so soft. Like felt or velvet. Felvet. I think I got a contact high. My skin is so tight.

ROGER
It’s okay. Don’t scratch it off.

LEE
At least that would be interesting.

ROGER
It’s not funny, Lee.

REED
It kinda is. There isn’t even any shit in here.

LEE
This is tobacco, you dope.

PARKER
Oh.

LEE
I can’t take another minute with these losers, Reed.

REED
Just chill, man. Trip is on his way.

(A knock at the door.)

LEE
Thank Gawd!

(Reed gets up and runs off stage for a moment.)

PARKER
So you guys get high a lot?

(Reed returns with XAVIER.)

XAVIER
Who’s ready to get fucked up?

LEE
You have no idea.

PARKER
This freakin rocks!

XAVIER
Who are these bitches, ReeRee?

REED
This is Parker, Lee, and Roger. Guys, I introduce you to the legendary Triple Xavier.

ROGER
I don’t think we should be doing this.

REED
Don’t be that guy, Roger.

ROGER
I will be that guy. Somebody has to be that guy.

XAVIER
Is he for real?

LEE
Yes. Now hook me up.

XAVIER
Patience, son. You don’t wanna fuck with this shit.

LEE
Dude, I’ve done weed before. I’ve got more grass in me than a fucking cow.

PARKER
Me too, man. I’m luck a dirty lawnmower.



XAVIER
That shit ain’t got shit on this shit. This is straight up, hundred percent, high Q, Coyote.

ROGER
Coyote? That stuff can make you insane like ten years after you take it.

XAVIER
It’s that good. Picked it up from this new runner, Coach Metal.

ROGER
Coach Metal?

(Xavier loads the reddish moss into the hookah, lights it, and takes a hit. Then Reed. Lee takes more time, drawing in a long hit. He passes to Roger who stares at it.)

ROGER
I’m not doing this. This is wrong.

(Lee makes a face and blows smoke into Roger’s face. Roger coughs. Lee smirks then passes to Parker who eagerly grabs it, slobbering over the tip.)

ROGER
What did you do that for?

LEE
You just got smoked, bitch.

REED
Not cool, Lee.

XAVIER
Yeah. If he wants to be a bitch you gotta let him be a bitch.

ROGER
I don’t have to take this.

(Roger tries to get up but his legs are all wobbly.)

REED
Roger, sit down.

PARKER
You guys hear that music?

XAVIER
I wouldn’t try going anywhere, Rogo, and I’m a lot stronger than you.
PARKER
That dark dude doesn’t look too happy.

XAVIER
Man, you’re seeing shit already.

LEE
He’s fakin’ it.

PARKER
Behind Roger.

ROGER
That’s not funny.

PARKER
It’s not his birthday but he wants his gifts anyway.

REED
We should be writing this stuff down.

(Suddenly Roger arches his back, blood sprays out his mouth. His shrieks babble through blood. He convulses violently then stops, his body a twisted mess on the floor.)

XAVIER
What the—

(The same thing happens to Lee. He knocks over the hookah in his convulsing.)

REED
Xavier, what the fuck?

PARKER
Watch out, Triple Equis.

(Xavier does the same, garbling curses as he convulses. Dots of blood decorate Reed’s face. Parker sways with the music.)

PARKER
I love this song.

REED
Park…. Parker… Where--

(Reed’s is the worst of all as he convulses and sprays blood. Parker laughs.)

PARKER
Oh, Coach Metal.

(It happens to Parker except he laughs instead of screams. The psychedelic lights fade. A spot appears on ANDY VAIL in a chair, patiently reading. A NURSE wheels NANCY VAIL out then leaves.)

ANDY
I don’t know if you can hear me but the doctors say it can’t hurt. The insurance on your house came. So when… If you snap out of it you’ve got money. This is gonna be my last visit though. Things are starting to get hairy and it’s bad enough Detective Williams knows about you. He’s taken to following me, making my nightly activities a lot more difficult. And man is he an asshole. But he’s good. Knows I killed Mike. At least he thinks he knows. Good thing everyone thinks he’s crazy. Can thank Henry for that. Speaking of which, guess who paid me a visit? Henry. I mean Mischa, the guy Henry was possessing. He sorta remembered me. Needed answers. So I lied. Told him I’d never seen him before and slammed the door in his face. I know what this life does to people. I’m getting weaker. Not sickly but the strength and speed are gone. And I’ve been having nightmares. Things that scare even me. But I can’t stop. I can’t just be an accountant. I know what’s out there. Like that old lady over there, actually a sewer troll. Don’t know how I know I just do. Plus her shoes are covered in shit. I can’t ignore these things. I’m helping people. Last week I hear this baby cry and I know, I just know, something’s wrong. So I grab a can of spinach, wait till late, and break into the house. These people were loaded, nice kitchen, no problem finding a can opener. I go look in on the baby and it’s glaring at me. So I glare back and at this point I know it knows and it knows I know and we both know exactly what’s going on. It starts crying so I shove a handful of spinach into its mouth. Bit me, hard, but the spinach is already doing its work. The warts come back, the eyes go yellow, doesn’t even look like a baby anymore. But it’s still biting me. I get mad and bite it. We’re wrestling across the nursery, breaking toys and the light clicks on and the mom is standing there. And that breaks the spell. Changeling disappears, real baby reappears in the crib, and I make my escape. And by escape I mean throwing spinach into Mom’s eyes and running away. Hell of a night. But I saved a kid. That family is alright because of me. I can’t give that up. If you do wake up, leave me alone.

(The stage fades to black as he exits then all lights come up on a small warehouse. Stacks of crates litter the stage. Andy and DETECTIVE WILLIAMS enter, held at gunpoint by two THUGS. The thugs always speak simultaneously.)

ANDY
I really fucking hate you.

WILLIAMS
What the fuck were you doing breaking into a warehouse?


ANDY
Trying not to get caught by the drug dealers. It was going well until someone screamed Gotcha Sucka!

WILLIAMS
How the fuck was I supposed to know?

ANDY
Basic police work. Your men should have taken care of this already. Instead you spend all your time obsessing over my brother’s murder.

WILLIAMS
You confess! He was murdered!

ANDY
Of course he was murdered and he deserved it but who the fuck is gonna believe you!

THUGS
Shut up!

(Williams makes a horrible sound and grabs his head.)

ANDY
Migraines getting worse? Maybe it’s the stress.

WILLIAMS
Shut up, Vail. I don’t chat with criminals.

ANDY
It ain’t a crime until you get caught.

COACH METAL
I couldn’t agree with you more.

(Enter COACH METAL.)

COACH METAL
So this is the infamous Vail. Bit of an honor to greet the man who’s been rattling so many cages these days. Met a blind vampire the other day who swore revenge against you.

ANDY
Killed him last night. How do you think I found this place?

WILLIAMS
What the fuck are you talking about?

COACH METAL
What’s with the dick? Not much for backup.

ANDY
He ain’t with me.

WILLIAMS
I’m with the Philadelphia Police Department and you’re all under arrest for… possession… of drugs.

COACH METAL
I don’t know. Wasn’t much gusto behind that. What do you think, boys?

(They both give a thumbs down.)

ANDY
He probably wandered in here looking for donuts.

WILLIAMS
Shut up, Vail. I’ll handle this.

ANDY
You can’t even handle your own dick. Your wife might if you were home once in a while.

WILLIAMS
You don’t know shit.

ANDY
I know you’re one pathetic excuse for a cop. Did you even bring your partner with you?

WILLIAMS
He’s listening to every word.

ANDY
Right, cause you had the foresight to bug this place.

WILLIAMS
Shut the fuck up!

ANDY
I wonder how many murderers have walked away right under your fat cock sucking nose!

(Williams swings, Andy dodges it then delivers his own blow. The punch connects squarely with Wiliams’ nose. Then he hits Williams with a sturdy right hook, dazing him further, only to follow it up by grabbing Williams and forcefully swinging his entire body into the thugs. The three men fall to the ground, scrambling over one another.)

COACH METAL
Hey!

(Andy runs to Williams and pulls him to his feet, shoving him toward the exit.)

ANDY
Run! Get out of here!

(Williams doesn’t need to be told twice. Andy turns back to the criminals. The two thugs have more than enough time to stumble to their feet and grab the guns.)

THUGS
Don’t move!

ANDY
Impressive crew you got here.

COACH METAL
These morons. They’re worse than the spics I dealt with six hundred years ago.

(He makes a dramatic fist and the two thugs drop the guns, clutching their faces. When they remove their hands their faces are a screaming mess of blood and pain. They fall to the ground and die.)

COACH METAL
Why didn’t you run?

ANDY
Cause I came here for you? Gotta ask though, before I finish you, what kind of name is Coach Metal.

COACH METAL
It’s not Coach Metal. It’s Cochimetl, God of blood and sacrifice. Who made the Earth tremble and drank the blood of the Aztec virgins. Worshipped for centuries. Reigning with a blood stained fist.

(He squeezes his fist again and this time Andy grabs his eyes. Droplets of blood leak from his tear ducts.)

ANDY
Until Christianity came around. And Hinduism, the Greek Gods, the Romans, the Norse, and eventually TV and the Internet. You’re the old wife. Sides, most of the world’s atheist these days?
COACH METAL
Lies. The world is the same as it ever was. People hurt, kill, sacrifice one another to get what they desire. All in the name of their new gods. Their money, their cellular phones, their drugs.

ANDY
Jealous?

COACH METAL
Millions sacrifice themselves to cigarettes, alcohol, cocaine, heroin every day and all for nothing. With me, they die for something. They die for me.

(He squeezes his fist. Andy falls to his knees and vomits blood. He dabs his eyes.)

ANDY
You might wanna watch it? Crying blood is a Christian thing.

(Another squeeze and more blood. Coach pulls out a syringe and smiles.)

COACH METAL
You need to see the light. How bout a shot of Coyote? Everybody’s doing it.

ANDY
I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I’m an angry drunk.

(He is injected. Smoke immediately begins to fog the stage. It shrouds everything. Coach stands amidst all of it, laughing. A dark figure emerges. His face is shrouded but he wears a black London Fog trench coat and bowler hat. He approaches Coach from behind and, with a sharp razor, slashes his throat. An excess of blood pours from the wound, more than is natural, and drenches Andy. Coach falls to the ground dead. The dark figure is already gone. Andy stands, swaying in an unsteady fashion. He sees a figure in the smoke. It approaches him. It’s Nancy.)

ANDY
Nan? Is that you?

(She pummels him with relentless blows. He is knocked to the ground, trying to block against her but she is too much. Finally, once he is bloody and broken, she kneels down and whispers in his ear.)

NANCY
I’m coming for you.

(She stands and walks back into the smoke whistling “Innocent When You Dream” as she goes. The smoke builds thicker and thicker until the stage is black with it and then the lights change. An orange glow flickers offstage right and the smoke dissipates until there is only the vaguest whisper of it. Williams is kneeling over Andy patting him awake. The light stuff doesn’t work so he slaps Andy. Andy wakes, hacking.)

WILLIAMS
Take it easy, Vail. You inhaled a lot of smoke.

ANDY
I got beat up by a girl.

WILLIAMS
Are you high?

ANDY
He used peer pressure on me. What happened?

WILLIAMS
I was about to ask you. I came back and the whole place was in blazes.

ANDY
How did I get out here?

WILLIAMS
I’m gonna use my keen detection skills to say you walked. What about the other guy?

ANDY
I don’t think he got away. How’s your nose.

WILLIAMS
Hurt and perhaps broken. That was pretty clever what you did.

ANDY
In my experience, the bad guys get all stupid when the good guys start fighting each other.

WILIAMS
It was a good move. Probably saved my life. Enjoy it while you can. Cause I will figure out what the fuck is going on with you. And then you’re mine.

(Andy nods and closes his eyes. Williams stares at the fire. Fade to black.)