IN THE BACKSTAGE AREA
Dark Divinity readies their instruments.
PAULETTE
LIZA
In your hand, ditz.
Liza grabs Paulette’s hand and pulls it up to her face, showing her the sticks that her own fingers are gripping.
PAULETTE
Oh.
EBANEEN
Try to hold it together, girls. We have to take Ivor’s band down.
Arden walks up behind her.
ARDEN
Yes you do.
EBANEEN
Or you do. We’ve both got a shot at this.
Arden turns away from her. He looks anxious.
ARDEN
Right. Listen, Eb - there’s something I didn’t tell the others.
EBANEEN
What’s that?
ARDEN
Ivor’s label dropping them? That was kinda my fault.
EBANEEN
What?... How?
ARDEN
So this Danish rag interviewed me. This was during the five minutes when I had some clout. And I said The Putrefication Principle’s style was out of fashion and their label would be fools to keep them. Who’d have thought they would listen?
EBANEEN
Oh wow. Arden--
ARDEN
Yeah. So if I hadn’t have opened my trap--
EBANEEN
Don’t even think that way. We’re working together now - I think we’ve got this.
DEEN (O.S.)
...and here they are... Dark Divinity!
Applause from the audience. The stage goes dark. Liza and Paulette push aside the curtain and step onto the stage.
ARDEN
Go ahead. We’ll talk later.
He gives her a gentle push. She starts off, but stops and looks back at him.
EBANEEN
Hey Arden...
He looks at her, listening intently.
EBANEEN
Those fuckers are going down.
She smiles and nods, then walks off. Arden watches her go, looking nervous.
IN THE AUDIENCE
The stage has darkened, though the Demons are still visible off to one side.
Ebaneen’s voice pierces the darkness. An angelic blue spotlight falls on her.
EBANEEN
(singing)
Slithering silhouette
Chases me across the floor
Looks directly in my eyes
Can’t see me anymore
Behind the drums, Paulette catches a glimpse of the Demons watching her. She misses a snare drum hit.
Liza, on bass, gets thrown off. She hits a few wrong notes.
Ebaneen gives a quick look back to them. Her eyes are wide.
She turns back to the mic.
IN THE BACKSTAGE AREA
Arden watches nervously. Ulrich stands at his side.
ULRICH
These women seem spooked.
ARDEN
Well who the fuck wouldn’t?! They can still pull it off.
ULRICH
That seems rather unlikely.
ON STAGE
Ebaneen takes the band out of the song’s bridge and into the final choruses. She has a determined look on her face.
EBANEEN
(singing)
Shred the darkness
Drink the poison
Burn the heartless
Curse oblivion!
Liza and Paulette end by accidentally going back into the verse. Ebaneen tries to cover by screaming the last word, but it only makes the discord more prominent.
Uncomfortable looks from the crowd. It sounds bad.
Backstage, Arden shakes his head and looks hopeless.
Even the Demons wince at the sour notes.
The song ends. Very shaky applause from the crowd.
As Deen walks onto the stage, Ebaneen’s bandmates give her a distressed look. She shrugs back at them.
DEEN
Keep it going for Dark Divinity!
Ebaneen and her bandmates walk to the opposite side of the stage as the Demons. Their heads are down.
DEEN
Now let’s check in with our judges.
CLIFF
An eight for the ladies.
Cliff reveals his score - an 8. Murmurs from the crowd.
DEEN
We have an eight. Not bad.
Backstage, Arden’s bandmates ready their instruments. Arden stares over at the judges.
TURK
Arden, c’mon. We’ve gotta get ready.
Arden ignores him.
Deen walks over to the judges’ platform.
DEEN
And from the sizzling Lezlie...
LEZLIE
A little rough around the edges, but a valiant effort overall.
Lezlie slowly turns her card over. Her hand shakes as she shows it. It’s a 7.
DEEN
...we've got a seven.
The audience barely makes a sound.
DEEN
Fifteen so far. Dark Divinity’s gonna need a ten from Tyrus to beat The Putrefication Principle. What say you, my Japanese friend?
Everyone looks to Tyrus.
TYRUS
Oh it is so good. So good! Yes - so very good! So good you get a ten! It's that so good!
He turns over his card - a 10!
Wild applause! Cheers! Smiles! Hugs! High fives!
Backstage, Arden high fives his bandmates.
ARDEN
Fuck yeah! Eb did it! You can suck my dick you demonic fucks!
Ulrich walks over.
ARDEN
We beat 'em, Ulrich! Does my band even have to play or like, what are the rules?
ULRICH
Arden, something does not seem right here.
They’re interrupted by a commotion on the stage. Arden and Ulrich look over at the Demons.
The Demons huddle and smile. The Amulet around Ivor’s neck glows and hums. It pulls itself upward.
IVOR
Heh heh heh! Cheatorz... you suffer now!
Backstage, Arden looks confused.
ARDEN
What the fuck is going on now?
ULRICH
It seems that the amulet has sensed a deception in the scoring.
ARDEN
One of the judges cheated? But like, how could it even know?
ULRICH
It just does. Magic, Arden.
They look over to the judges. Deen stares at Tyrus.
DEEN
Uh... it seems like there’s been some kinda problem...
The first two judges look over to Tyrus. He’s shaking.
DEEN
Tyrus... would you like to reconsider—
Tyrus stands.
TYRUS
My vote is honorable one!
Arden and Ulrich watch from backstage.
ARDEN
What the fuck is gonna happen?
ULRICH
Because of the deception, the amulet needs to find balance.
ARDEN
What does that mean?
They look over to the stage. The Demons slowly move toward Ebaneen and her bandmates.
PAULETTE
What’s happening...?
EBANEEN
I don’t--
The Amulet pulls itself from Ivor’s neck and flies over to Dark Divinity. It hovers above the band members, hesitating.
Ivor grins and points to Ebaneen.
IVOR DEMON
Dat one! She belongs to us now!
His demonic bandmates chuckle.
The Amulet’s glow swirls at it races around her body. She can’t move - she’s engulfed in supernatural green light!
Arden tries to run to Ebaneen, but Ulrich holds him back.
ARDEN
Let me the fuck go! I’ve got to help Ebaneen!
ULRICH
Arden, you cannot save her now! Not this way!
Ebaneen writhes and moans. Her voice slowly changes
The supernatural light dies and Ebaneen emerges - as a DEMON!
She looks over her body, then struts across the stage to join the Demons. She doesn’t seem fully in control of herself.
The Amulet flies back to Ivor. He grabs it.
The audience gasps in shock and horror!
Backstage, Arden stops trying to break free. He looks at Ulrich with desperation.
ARDEN
No - Eb! What do I have to do to get her back to normal? Tell me! I’ll do anything!
ULRICH
There is only one thing that can be done now. Your band must win!