IN THE BACKSTAGE AREA
Arden and his bandmates watch with repulsion.
TURK
They’re real? No fuckin’ way!
RICHIE
How is that even possible?
F.F.
They pull at Arden, trying to move him along - but Arden keeps his grip locked on the metal railing.
ARDEN
...but ...the contest...
His bandmates keep tugging but Arden won’t let go.
ON STAGE
The Demons take no notice of the crowd’s departure. They stay focused on consuming the girl’s still-writhing body, making sick wet sounds as they feed off every bit of her meat.
The crowd rushes past the Burly Bouncer, who stands frozen watching the hideous scene. Intestines, organs, and appendages - the Demons wolf it all down, spitting out bones.
Finally, the Demons come to the last bit of the girl. One of them looks up - and locks eyes with the Bouncer.
BURLY BOUNCER
Hell no!
He runs - but unlike the crowd, he heads toward the Emergency Exit hidden behind a curtain along the side wall.
BURLY BOUNCER
You ain't turnin' me into no demon fodder!
The demons lumber behind the Bouncer. He flings the door open, looking behind him and completely missing the fact that he’s rushing into a VOID OF NEBULOUS SPACE!
Stars, planets, even spinning galaxies are visible. The Bouncer drifts calmly - until he breaks through some sort of invisible boundary a few hundred feet outside the club.
The Bouncer SCREAMS - but the scream is quickly snuffed out by the vacuum that consumes him. He implodes!
The Demons stare out through the doorway. They look over at the Void, making confused sounds.
IVOR DEMON
What... what thath?
Two other STAFF MEMBERS point to the emergency doors.
STAFF MEMBER 1
All the air's rushing out of the club!
STAFF MEMBER 2
We gotta seal it up quick. Go!
They struggle to shut the doors. The pierced vacuum outside pulls at them, threatening to suck them in.
STAFF MEMBER 1
Come on, harder!
STAFF MEMBER 2
We almost got it!
They give one last push on the doors, releasing a locking mechanism. The doors slam shut and the Staff Members fall.
STAFF MEMBER 1
Well that wasn't too--
The Staff Members turn around - only to have the four Demons jump on them, tearing them apart!
IN THE BACKSTAGE AREA
Arden and his bandmates watch the scene on stage with horror.
F.F.
We gotta do something!
Richie holds up his phone. “NO CONNECTION” on the screen.
RICHIE
Cell phones aren’t working!
ARDEN
No surprise there! We’re floating in limbo!
TURK
Those poor guards--
ARDEN
Those poor guards are buying us time. We have to tell everyone up front not to open the doors!
AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE
The crowd is just about to open the front doors when the members of Vehement Volition rush to the scene and throw themselves in front of the crowd.
TURK
No! Stop! You can’t open the doors!
DRUNK METAL FAN
The fuck is wrong with these guys?!
STONER METAL FAN
Push their asses out of the way!
They try to remove Arden and his bandmates.
ARDEN
Get off us, assholes! Someone just fuckin’ died going out the emergency exit!
The crowd backs off.
DRUNK METAL FAN
Really? You serious?
ARDEN
(sarcastic)
No. We’re just fuckin’ with you.
NERDY METAL FAN (O.S.)
Look out the windows. Holy shit!
INT. TATTERDEMALION BALCONY BAR - NIGHT
A few people on the second level bar pull a heavy curtain aside to reveal windows. The rest of the crowd rushes up the stairs.
NERDY METAL FAN
This can’t really be happening...
EXT. TATTERDEMALION CLUB
The building itself, along with its foundation, sidewalk, and parking area gently spin through the nebulous void.
In the windows, shocked members of the crowd stare out. The Nerdy Metal Fan’s face is dead center.
NERDY METAL FAN
(muffled)
Fuck me.
INT. TATTERDEMALION BALCONY BAR - NIGHT
The crowd backs away from the windows. They turn to look down at the Demons, still working on the remnants of the Security Guards near the stage.
Arden looks around at the panicked crowd.
TANK TOP DUDE
This is a fucking nightmare.
LEATHER SKIRT GIRL
Where the fuck are we?
NECK CHAIN GUY
Floating in space... but it’s not really space.
BELT BUCKLE MAN
How the hell do you know that?
SHORT HAIR GIRL
Well, for one thing... there’s no sun?
WEIRD BEARD GUY
Space... demons... we’re gonna diiiiieee!
The conversation descends into sea of terrified utterances.
TURK
(to his bandmates)
These people are going to fall apart unless somebody steps up.
A steely look forms in Arden’s eyes. It is determination. He steps forward, into the center of the group.
ARDEN
Listen to me.
No one pays attention. Arden stomps his foot.
ARDEN
I said listen to me, people!
Everyone shuts up and looks at him. His bandmates back off with reverence.
ARDEN
I’m Arden, the vocalist from Vehement Volition. You’re probably already aware of us.
Absolutely no recognition on any of their faces.
WEIRD BEARD GUY
Why the fuck should we listen to you? Cause you can sing?
Arden grabs Weird Beard Guy by the collar pulls him close.
ARDEN
No. Cause I’m the motherfucker who’s going to get us out of this!
Weird Beard guy shaes in terror. Arden pushes him back and he falls into the crowd. Faces are mixed with anger, respect, and confusion.
ARDEN
Okay, we’ve got ourselves a little situation here - that much we can’t fuckin’ deny.
Murmurs of agreement from the crowd. Leather Skirt Girl works her way forward.
LEATHER SKIRT GIRL
So what’s your big plan?
Arden scowls at her.
ARDEN
My plan? What’s my fuckin’ plan?
It’s clear to everyone that he’s bluffing. Arden looks down to the stage below where the Demons roam.
ARDEN
Demons. They’re fuckin’... forces from the dark beyond!
The crowd pays closer attention.
ARDEN
And Demons have certain rules they fuckin’ follow. Like... they can’t stand sunlight! ...or something else like that. But there’s got to be some way to attack them.
SHORT HAIR GIRL
I wonder what she’s using.
ARDEN
She? Who--?
The crowd rushes past Arden. They lean over the balcony railing and stare off the stage below.
Arden turns and looks with them - only to see Ebaneen approaching the Demons holding a bottle of water!
Arden recoils in shock.
ARDEN
What the-- Ebaneen!