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Episode Summary
In the Middle Ages, a young man approaches a horned demon, who smiles at him and then breaks his neck. Later, a group of monks, outraged by the deed, chant in Latin, open a book and the demon is sucked into it — its pages now filled.
Back in the library, Buffy opens a crate and finds the long forgotten book. Along with Xander and Willow, the school’s two computer experts are helping scan books: Fritz, a menacing looking bruiser, and Dave, a geekier kid.
Also present is Miss Calendar, the computer science teacher, who rides Giles about his fear of technology. As Willow scans the ancient book, the characters disappear from its pages. When she looks away, words appear on the screen: “Where am I?”
A week later, Willow tells Buffy about Malcolm, a boy she’s having an online romance with. Buffy, worried about her naive friend enlists Dave’s help to try to find out more about Malcolm. Dave tells Buffy to leave Willow alone. Meanwhile, Miss Calendar stumbles upon the ancient book and asks Giles about its blank pages.
When Giles notices the horned demon on the cover, he suspects trouble. Dave gets Buffy to look for Willow in the girls’ locker room but when she gets there, Fritz has rigged up some wires in the shower to try to electrocute her.
A puddle reaches the exposed wires and Buffy is sent flying into the locker room — the soles of her shoes smoldering. A shaken Dave tells the computer he can’t kill Buffy. Angry at his disrespect, it types up a suicide note for him.
Back in the library, Giles explains to Buffy and Xander that in the Dark Ages, the souls of demons were sometimes trapped in certain volumes, where they remained harmless until the pages were read aloud. When Willow scanned them, the demon, Moloch, was unleashed into the computer, and how had access to any computer in the world.
Moloch preys on impressionable minds, which makes both Fritz and Dave vulnerable to his power. Buffy tries to delete Willow’s files, hoping to “delete” Moloch along with them, but Moloch appears on the screen warning Buffy to stay away from Willow.
Looking for Willow in the computer lab, she finds Dave’s body hanging, with the suicide note pinned to it. Fritz goes to Willow’s house, chloroforms her and brings her to a mysterious warehouse where Dave had been spotted earlier.
A desparate Giles asks Miss Calendar for help and discovers she has extensive knowledge of the mystical realm. She helps him repeat the spell the monks had chanted while she links up a configuration of different computers around the world.
Meanwhile, Buffy and Xander try to save Willow at the warehouse. By the time they arrive, Moloch has left the computer and appears as a robotic incarnation of the horned demon that was back in the Dark Ages.
He breaks Fritz’ neck and is about to break Willow’s when the spell takes hold, immobilizing him. Injured, but fighting, he lunges at Buffy, but she ducks and he punches a high-voltage junction box and is electrocuted to death.
Shooting Script
Teaser
INT. ROOM – NIGHT – ITALY (THE MIDDLE AGES)
We see a YOUNG MAN approaching. Three others stand behind him, reverently quiet. He stops, and smiling, kneels before us. We HEAR a voice:
MOLOCH (O.S.)
Carlo, my dear one…
A horrible CLAWED HAND emerges and rests on the Man’s head as if bestowing a blessing. The Man smiles rapturously…
CLOSE ON: MOLOCH
He is the corruptor, a horned demon. He looks upon the man and speaks. Subtitles translate his strangely gentle Italian…
MOLOCH
Do you love me? I will give you
everything. All I want is your
love.
The enormous hand TWISTS, SNAPPING the smiling Man’s neck…
CUT TO:
INT. MONASTERY – MINUTES LATER
A group of monks has assembled. The eldest of them, brother THELONIUS, holds an ornate book.
THELONIUS
It is Moloch. The corrupter. He
walks again. More and more of our
people have fallen under his
mesmerizing power.
The men look at him in fear as he moves to the center of the room.
THELONIOUS
We must form the circle. Now!
There is still time to bind him.
The monks form a circle around Thelonius. They begin to CHANT in Latin. Thelonius, at the center of the Circle, opens the book. The pages are all blank.
INT. ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Moloch lets the man’s body drop with a sigh of contentment. The CHANTING becomes audible in here. Moloch whips his head around, concern on his face.
MOLOCH
No…
INT. MONASTERY – CONTINUOUS
The CHANTING continues.
THELONIUS
(By the power of the Circle of
Kayless, I command you, demon…
come!)
A wind picks up in the room. Thelonius stops, looks around. It’s working.
THELONIUS
I command you!
INT. ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Moloch SCREAMS and as he does, we see his face dissolving, the particles sucked out of frame — ANGLE: THE BOOK
Suddenly STRANGE CHARACTERS SPLASH onto the blank pages as the demon’s spirit is sucked into the book.
The CHANTING stops. Thelonius looks down at the book.
ANGLE: LATER
Thelonius places the evil book inside a wooden crate.
ANGLE: LOOKING OUT FROM INSIDE THE CRATE
Thelonius’ face, now weary, appears as he intones —
THELONIUS
(Pray this accursed book shall
never again be read, lest the demon
Moloch be loosed upon the world…)
He shoves the heavy lid over, and all is BLACKNESS…
INT. SCHOOL LIBRARY – DAY (PRESENT DAY)
And the lid is PRIED OPEN! It’s BUFFY, disappointed.
BUFFY
Oh, great. A book.
Buffy pulls out the now-dusty book, idly tracing the RUNE as GILES comes over.
In the library we see a few COMPUTERS with scanners, a jarring sight in the old-world library. WILLOW, XANDER and two boys scan in books at the other terminals. They are DAVE, a shy, bookish kid, and FRITZ, a big, slovenly bruiser. Computer geniuses both.
GILES
I haven’t gone through the new
arrivals. Put it in that pile —
(points near Willow)
Dave comes up to Buffy.
DAVE
Here, I got it.
BUFFY
Thanks, Dave. The Willow pile.
GILES
After I’ve examined it, you can,
uh… skim it in.
WOMEN (O.S.)
Scan it, Rupert. Scan it.
ANGLE: TO REVEAL
MS. CALENDAR, computer teacher, and Giles’ polar opposite. She’s maybe 30, pretty, hip, and irreverent.
GILES
(dripping polite venom)
Of course…
Ms. Calendar regards the flustered Giles with amusement.
MS. CALENDAR
I know our ways are strange to you,
but soon you will join us in the
20th century… with three whole
years to spare!
GILES
Ms. Calendar, I happen to believe
that one can function in modern
society without being a slave to
the idiot box.
MS. CALENDAR
That’s TV. The idiot box is the
TV. This is a good box.
GILES
Well, I still prefer a good book.
FRITZ
The printed page is obsolete.
Information isn’t bound up anymore,
it’s an entity. The only reality
is virtual. If you’re not jacked
in, you’re not alive.
As he walks off:
MS. CALENDAR
Thank you, Fritz… for making us
all sound like crazy people.
(to Giles)
Fritz comes on a little strong, but
he has a point. You know for the
last two years there was more
E-mail sent than regular mail?
More digitalized information went
over phone lines than
conversations.
GILES
That is a fact that I regard
with genuine horror.
MS. CALENDAR
I’ll bet it is.
(to the kids)
All right, guys, let’s wrap it up
for the day.
People start moving out.
WILLOW
I’ve just got a few more to do.
I’ll hang for a bit.
MS. CALENDAR
Cool, thanks.
WILLOW
(to Xander)
Xander, you want to stay and help
me?
XANDER
Are you kidding?
WILLOW
Yes, it was a joke I made up.
XANDER
Willow, I love you, but bye.
He heads out.
WILLOW
(calls out)
I’ll see you tomorrow…
XANDER
Buffy, wait up!
Willow watches Xander’s retreating figure a bit piningly, then goes back to work.
GILES
I have to stay and clean up. I’ll
be back in the Middle Ages.
MS. CALENDAR
Did you ever leave?
Off Giles’s look,
DISSOLVE TO:
ANGLE: WILLOW – LATER (NIGHT)
All alone now, solemnly scanning in books. She takes the ancient volume and waves the glowing scanner over the first page…
On screen, data streams into a file, BOOKl2, in a directory labeled WILLOW — strange characters like in the book…
As Willow turns each page, we see — but Willow does not — the strange words disappear from the paper!
ANGLE: THE COMPUTER SCREEN
The last characters stream into the BOOKl2 file. The screen goes BLACK. After a beat, words appear: Where am I?
BLACK OUT.
END OF TEASER
Act One
INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR – MORNING – DAY 9
Willow walks along, happily lost in thought. Buffy spies her, approaches, calling out:
BUFFY
Willow! Willow! Hey, wait up!
Willow finally notices Buffy as she comes abreast of her.
WILLOW
Buffy! I didn’t even see you.
BUFFY
Or hear me. What was up last
night? I tried your line like a
million times.
WILLOW
Oh, I was… I was talking.
BUFFY
Talking to…
Willow smiles.
BUFFY
Okay, that’s it. You have a secret
and that is not allowed.
WILLOW
Why not?
BUFFY
(petulantly)
‘Cause… there’s a rule.
WILLOW
Well… I sort of met someone.
BUFFY
I knew it! This is so important.
When did you meet?
WILLOW
Last week. Right after we did the
scanning project in the Library.
BUFFY
(rapid-fire)
Does he go here? What’s his name?
Have you kissed him? What’s he like?
WILLOW
No, Malcolm, no, and very nice.
BUFFY
You are a thing of evil for not
telling me this right away.
WILLOW
Well, I wasn’t sure there was
anything to tell. But last
night — oh, we talked all night.
It was amazing. He’s so smart,
Buffy, and he’s romantic and we
agree about everything.
BUFFY
What’s he look like?
WILLOW
(cheerfully)
I don’t know.
Buffy tries to work that one out as they exit the hall.
INT. COMPUTER LAB – CONTINUOUS
It is silent in here. There are a dozen high-end computer consoles (complete with camera and voice box). The only people in here are Fritz and Dave, both staring at their computer screens intensely. After a moment, Dave speaks quietly:
DAVE
Yes… I will. I promise.
Buffy and Willow enter, Buffy still puzzling.
BUFFY
You’ve been seeing a guy and you
don’t know what he looks like.
Okay, it’s a puzzle. No wait, I’m
good at these. Does it involve a
midget and a block of ice?
WILLOW
I met him on line.
BUFFY
On line for what?
Willow indicates a computer (the one she usually works on).
BUFFY
Oh. On line. As in — right.
Duhh.
Ms. Calendar enters.
MS CALENDAR
Morning, kids. Buffy, are you
supposed to be somewhere?
BUFFY
I have a free.
MS. CALENDAR
Cool. But this is lab time so
let’s make it a nice short visit,
okay?
BUFFY
Oh sure.
Willow has sat at the computer and logged on. Buffy sits next to her.
COMPUTER
You have mail!
WILLOW
It’s him…
She accesses her mail and we see
ANGLE: ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN
is the simple message: “I’m thinking about you.”
Willow is totally charmed. Buffy slightly less so.
WILLOW
He’s so sweet.
BUFFY
Uh, yeah, he’s a sweetie.
WILLOW
What should I write back?
BUFFY
Uh, Willow… I think it’s great
that you’ve got a cool pen pal,
but… you seem to be kind of
rushing all into this. You know
what I mean?
WILLOW
(hasn’t heard a word)
“I’m thinking of you too!” No,
that’s incredibly stupid.
BUFFY
Will. Down girl. Let’s focus.
What do you really know about
this guy?
WILLOW
See, I knew you’d react like this.
BUFFY
Like what? I just think you should
be, well, careful.
WILLOW
Buffy —
COMPUTER CAMERA POV — BUFFY
A pixilated DIGITAL IMAGE. Buffy is heard over the mike:
BUFFY
He could be different than you
think.
CUT TO:
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – SAME TIME
Empty. A computer sits silent on the desk. Suddenly it FLICKS on. School records are reviewed… students’ files FLASH by… until Buffy’s frozen photo-smile greets us…
INT. COMPUTER LAB – CONTINUOUS
The image of Buffy comes up on Fritz’s computer. It disappears and is replaced by the words: Watch her.
ANGLE: BUFFY AND WILLOW
Are still talking:
WILLOW
His name is Malcolm Black, he’s
eighteen, he lives in Elmwood which
is like eighty miles from here and
he likes me.
BUFFY
Short, tall, skinny, fat…
WILLOW
Why does everything have to be
about looks?
BUFFY
Not everything. But some stuff
is. I mean, what if you guys get
really intense and then you find
out he… has a hairy back?
WILLOW
(almost wavers)
Well… no. He doesn’t talk like
the kind of person who has a hairy
back. And anyway that stuff
doesn’t matter if you really care
about each other.
(a little vulnerable)
Maybe I’m not his ideal of
babelitude either.
BUFFY
(softening the moment)
Hey. I just want to make sure he’s
good enough for you, that’s all. I
think it’s great that you’re —
FRITZ
(appearing by her)
Hey! Are you done?
BUFFY
What?
FRITZ
I’m trying to work.
BUFFY
Okay, sorry…
She throws Willow a look as Fritz leaves.
BUFFY
Boy, Fritz is even more charming
than usual.
WILLOW
I don’t know what his problem is
lately.
BUFFY
He needs to get out more. Or ever.
ANGLE: FRITZ
as he sits back down at his computer, Ms. Calendar approaches.
MS. CALENDAR
Hey, Fritz. I’m looking at the
logs — you and Dave are clocking a
pretty scary amount of computer
time.
FRITZ
New project.
MS. CALENDAR
Will I be excited?
FRITZ
You’ll die.
CUT TO:
EXT. QUAD – DAY
A MALE STUDENT sits by the fountain, staring in disbelief at his laptop.
MALE STUDENT
This isn’t my report. “Nazi
Germany was a model of a
well-ordered society”? I didn’t
write that! Who’s been in my
files?
Willow passes him, not noticing anything. Xander comes up behind her and puts his hands over her eyes.
XANDER
Guess who.
WILLOW
Xander.
XANDER
Well, yeah, but keep guessing
anyway.
WILLOW
Xander.
XANDER
(removing his hands)
I can’t fool you. You see right
through my petty charade.
(pronounces it
“charAHde”)
Are we going to the Bronze tonight?
WILLOW
Not me. I think I’m gonna make it
an early night.
XANDER
Malcolm, huh? That’s right, I
heard. Okay, but you’re missing
out. I’m planning to be witty.
I’ll be making fun of all the
people who won’t talk to me.
WILLOW
That’s nice. Have a good time.
She ambles off, in her own space. Xander watches as Buffy comes abreast of him. BUFFY She certainly looks perky.
XANDER
Color in the cheeks, a bounce in
the step — I don’t like it. It
isn’t healthy.
(turns to Buffy)
So what about you? Bronze? No,
you probably have to slay vampires
or some lame endeavor like that.
Everybody deserts me.
BUFFY
(laughing)
Check out the jealous man.
XANDER
What are you talking about?
BUFFY
You’re jealous!
XANDER
Of what?
BUFFY
Willow’s got a thang and Xander’s left hanging.
XANDER
That’s meaningless drivel. I’m not
interested in Willow like that.
BUFFY
Yeah, but you got used to being the
belle of the ball.
XANDER
No, it’s just… this Malcolm guy.
What’s his deal? Admit that it
wigs you slightly.
BUFFY
Slightly. I mean, just not knowing
what he’s really like.
XANDER
How about who he really is? Oh
sure, he says he’s a high school
student. I could say I was a
high school student.
BUFFY
You are.
XANDER
Okay, but I could also say I was an
elderly Dutch woman, get me? Who’s
to say I’m not? If I’m in the
elderly Dutch chat room —
BUFFY
I get your point.
(it sinks in)
I get your point. This guy could
be anything. Old, weird, crazy…
he could be a circus freak!
XANDER
You know, you read about these
things all the time. Two people
meet on the net, they talk, they
get together, dinner, a show,
horrible axe murder…
BUFFY
Willow axe-murdered by a circus
freak. What do we do?
A beat, as they think. Buffy realizes:
BUFFY
What are we doing?
(hitting his arm)
Xander, you get me started… we’re
totally over-reacting.
XANDER
I know, but isn’t it fun?
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER LAB – EVENING
Fritz sits at his console, staring in wonder.
ANGLE: ON THE COMPUTER
complex equations race by, filling the screen.
Fritz stares, mumbling:
FRITZ
I’m jacked in I’m jacked in I’m
jacked in I’m jacked in…
ANGLE: HIS ARM
As he watches, he is finishing carving an “M” in his forearm with an exacto knife. CUT TO:
INT. LOCKER ROOM – NEXT DAY
Buffy has just finished changing for gym as Willow rushes in, starts pulling off her sweater (she has many layers).
BUFFY
Whoah, you’re the late girl.
WILLOW
I overslept.
BUFFY
Till fifth period? Talking to
Malcolm last night?
WILLOW
Yeah.
(a beat)
What.
BUFFY
Nothing.
WILLOW
You’re having an expression.
BUFFY
I’m not. But if I was, it would be
saying… It’s just not like you.
WILLOW
Not like me to have a boyfriend?
BUFFY
He’s… boyfriendly?
WILLOW
I don’t understand why you don’t
want me to have this. Boys don’t
chase me around all the time-I
thought you’d be happy for me.
BUFFY
I just want you to be sure. To
meet him face to face-in a
crowded place – in daylight – with
some friends. You know, before you
get all obsessive.
WILLOW
Malcolm and I really care about
each other. Big deal if I blow off
a couple of classes.
BUFFY
I thought you overslept.
Beat.
WILLOW
(turning away)
Malcolm said you wouldn’t
understand.
Buffy stands.
BUFFY
Malcolm was right.
And exits.
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER LAB – AFTERNOON
Dave sits at the console, typing furiously. A less enthusiastic student leaves as Buffy enters (back in street clothes). She spies Dave and approaches.
BUFFY
Hi Dave.
He doesn’t look up.
BUFFY
Hey there Dave.
No response.
BUFFY
Anybody home?
She touches his shoulder and he jumps, turns.
DAVE
Oh. What do you want?
BUFFY
I wanted to ask you something. If
you had a minute…
DAVE
(scattered)
A minute. Okay. Yeah, a minute…
What is it?
BUFFY
Well, you’re a computer geek
(covering)
–nius… I have a technical
problem. If I wanted to find out
something about someone, if someone
E-mailed me, could I trace the
letter?
DAVE
Well, you can pull up someone’s
profile based on their user name.
BUFFY
But they write the profile
themselves, right? So they could
say anything they want.
DAVE
True.
BUFFY
Wow, I had knowledge.
Dave smiles — she’s bringing him out a bit.
BUFFY
Well, is there a way to find out
exactly where a letter — an
E-letter — came from? I mean the
actual location of the computer?
DAVE
(intrigued)
It’s a challenge…
BUFFY
‘Cause Willow’s got this friend
Malcolm and it’s like he’s —
DAVE
Leave Willow alone.
The color has drained from his face. His abrupt change startles Buffy, who looks at him in concern.
BUFFY
What do you mean?
DAVE
That’s none of your business.
BUFFY
(sudden thought)
Dave… are you Malcolm?
DAVE
Of course not. I have to get back
to work.
He turns, bringing his hands back to the keyboard. Buffy notices them for the first time.
BUFFY
Your hands…
ANGLE: DAVE’S HANDS
The fingertips all have bandaids on them. Buffy takes one in hers but Dave pulls it away.
DAVE
It’s nothing. I’m typing a lot.
BUFFY
What’s going on?
DAVE
Look, I’ll talk to you later. I’ve
got work to do.
Buffy rises, starts out, saying to herself:
BUFFY
So do I.
ANGLE: FRITZ
Has been sitting at his console the whole time, surreptitiously watching. The expression on his face is murderous.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – MINUTES LATER
Buffy has been explaining to Giles
BUFFY
There’s something going on. It’s
not just Willow; Dave and Fritz,
they’re all wicked jumpy.
GILES
Well, those boys aren’t sparklingly
normal as it is.
BUFFY
Giles, trust me.
GILES
I do.
(almost a beat)
But I don’t really know how to
advise you. Things involving the
computer fill me with a childlike
terror. Now if it were a nice Ogre
or some such I’d be more in my
element.
BUFFY
And our resident computer expert is
too wrapped up in her new
cyber-beau to help out. I gotta
figure this out.
GILES
Well, I suppose you could “tail”
Dave, see if he’s up to something.
BUFFY
Follow Dave? What, in a trench
coat and dark glasses? Please.
I’ll work this out.
(thinks)
Willow’s been acting weird since we
scanned those books. Fritz has
been acting weird since birth… I
don’t know. I’ve got all the
pieces but no puzzle. Or, I’ve got
puzzle pieces but some of them are
missing. Or they’re in the wrong place
in the puzzle… I hate
metaphors. I’m gonna follow Dave.
CUT TO:
EXT. FRONT OF SCHOOL – AFTERNOON
As students leave, Dave steps out of school and heads for his old car.
As he does, we pick up Buffy waiting by the door. She is in the Buffy equivalent of a trench coat and sunglasses.
CUT TO:
EXT. LABORATORY/MAIN GATE – DAY
A large, blocky, government building surrounded by a high fence. A sign says CRD in large letters above the door. Workmen are bringing in large boxes into the building with hand-dollies and a forklift. No one speaks.
Dave’s car pulls up to the building.
Buffy runs up — barely winded — and stands outside the gate, watching:
Dave heads toward the building. He is greeted by a couple of scientists who speak with barely an expression. They enter together. A security guard, equally expressionless, stands by the door.
As Buffy watches…
ANGLE: A SECURITY CAMERA
mounted on top of the gate turns automatically to look at Buffy.
INT. COMPUTER LAB – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: CAMERA’S POV
We see Buffy standing outside the gate. PULL BACK to reveal that we are watching this on Fritz’s monitor in
Fritz stares at the monitor.
FRITZ
She’s too close… What do I do?
ANGLE: THE SCREEN
The image disappears. For a moment just blank space, then the words appear: Kill her.
Fritz stares at the command.
FRITZ
Party.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
Act Two
INT. COMPUTER LAB – DAY
Ms. Calender sits at her computer, staring at the screen, her face gradually lighting up with quiet revelation.
MS. CALENDAR
Oh, yes…
EXT. SCHOOL – DAY
Students mill about as we hear:
BUFFY (V.O.)
Whatever Dave is into, it’s large.
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
Buffy is talking to Giles and Xander.
GILES
What was the name of the place?
BUFFY
Said CRD. I couldn’t get close
enough to see what it was —
XANDER
Calax Research and Development.
Computer research lab. Third biggest employer in Sunnydale, till it closed last year.
(off their looks)
What, I can’t have information sometimes?
GILES
It’s just somewhat unprecedented.
XANDER
Well, my uncle used to work there. In a floor-sweeping capacity.
BUFFY
But it closed.
XANDER
Uh-huh.
BUFFY
Looked pretty functional from where I stood. I don’t have a clue what they were doing…
XANDER
And what do they need Dave for?
BUFFY
Something about computers, right? I mean he is off-the-charts-smart.
GILES
We still don’t know a terrible lot. Whatever’s going on there could be on the up and up.
XANDER
If CRD re-opened it’d be in the news.
BUFFY
Besides, I can just tell
something’s wrong. My spider-sense is tingling.
GILES
Your spider-sense?
BUFFY
Pop-culture reference.
XANDER
Duck.
GILES
Yes, well, I think we’re at a standstill. Short of breaking into the place, I don’t see —
BUFFY
Breaking in. This then is the plan.
XANDER
I’m free tonight.
BUFFY
Tonight it is.
GILES
(scoldingly)
A moment, please, of quiet
reflection — I did not suggest
that you illegally enter the
(sudden shift)
data into the file and then the
book will be listed by title as
well as author.
The cause of this lame cover up: Nicki Calendar has entered the room.
MS. CALENDAR
Hi.
GILES
Hello.
MS. CALENDAR
I was gonna check your new
database, make sure your cross
reference table isn’t glitching.
‘Cause I’m guessing you haven’t
gone near it.
GILES
A safe assumption.
MS. CALENDAR
(to Buffy and Xander)
You here again? You kids really
dig on the library, don’t you?
BUFFY
We’re literary.
XANDER
To read is makes our speaking
English good.
BUFFY
(dragging Xander off)
Well, we gotta go.
GILES
(pointedly)
Yes, we’ll continue our
conversation another time.
BUFFY
No, I think we’re done.
(to Xander as they exit)
Our speaking English good?
XANDER
I panicked, okay?
And they’re out.
INT. COMPUTER LAB – AFTERNOON
ANGLE: A COMPUTER SCREEN
On it are the words, “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, Willow.”
WIDER ANGLE:
Willow is alone, chatting on the computer with Malcolm. She speaks her thoughts as she types them, Malcolm replying in print.
WILLOW
I know what you mean. I feel like
you know me better than anyone.
Malcolm types: “I do”.
WILLOW
Do you think we should…
(hesitates before saying\ typing)
… meet?
Malcolm types: “I think we should. Soon.”
WILLOW
I’m nervous.
Malcolm types: “I’m not. Isn’t that strange?”
WILLOW
That’s what Buffy doesn’t
understand. How comfortable you
can make me feel.
Malcolm types: “Buffy just makes trouble. That’s why she got kicked out of her old school.” Willow stops, suddenly perturbed.
WILLOW
How did you know that?
Malcolm: “It’s on her permanent record.”
Willow doesn’t reply, and after a moment Malcolm adds: “You must have mentioned it.”
WILLOW
I guess.
Malcolm: “Let’s not worry about her anymore.”
WILLOW
I have to sign off. I’ll talk to
you later.
Malcolm: “Don’t.”
Willow just types: “Bye.”
She turns off the computer and rises, brow furrowed. Heads out of the lab.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – AFTERNOON
Nicki is finishing up. She and Giles are getting along famously.
MS. CALENDAR
You’re a snob!
GILES
I am no such thing.
MS. CALENDAR
You’re a big snob. You think
knowledge should be kept in
carefully guarded repositories
where only a handful of white guys
can get at it.
GILES
That’s nonsense. I simply don’t
adhere to the knee jerk assumption
that because something is new, it’s
better.
MS. CALENDAR
This isn’t a fad, Rupert. We’re
creating a new society.
GILES
A society in which human
interaction is all but obsolete.
In which people can be completely
manipulated by technology. Thank
you, I’ll pass.
MS. CALENDAR
Well, I think you’ll be very happy
here with your musty old books.
She picks up the book Moloch was bound in as she says it, starts leafing through it.
GILES
These musty old books have a great
deal more to say than any of your
fabulous web pages.
MS. CALENDAR
This one doesn’t have a whole lot
to say.
She shows him the blank pages.
MS. CALENDAR
What is it, like a diary?
GILES
(taking the volume)
How odd. I haven’t looked through
all the volumes, yet, I didn’t —
He stops as he sees the cover.
ANGLE: THE COVER
on it is the representation of Moloch.
MS. CALENDAR
What is it?
GILES
Uh, nothing. A diary. Yes. I
imagine that’s it.
MS. CALENDAR
(looking at the picture)
Nice. You collect heavy metal
album covers, too?
GILES
(his mind elsewhere)
Yes…
MS. CALENDAR
You do?
GILES
Well, it was nice talking to you.
MS. CALENDAR
We were fighting.
GILES
We must do it again sometime. Bye
now.
CUT TO:
EXT. QUAD – AFTERNOON
A SCHOOL NURSE talks to a teacher, very upset.
SCHOOL NURSE
But I checked the computer! There
was nothing in his file about being
allergic to penicillin.
Buffy walks past, is accosted by Dave. He is even antsier than usual.
DAVE
Buffy.
BUFFY
Dave. How’re you doing?
DAVE
I’m okay. I’m sorry about
yesterday. I haven’t been sleeping
much.
BUFFY
Don’t sweat it.
DAVE
Uh, Willow was looking for you.
BUFFY
Oh, great, I wanted to catch her
before she went home. Do you know
where she is?
DAVE
She said she would be in the girl’s
locker room.
BUFFY
Great. Thanks.
Buffy heads off. Dave watches her go, upset.
CUT TO:
INT. GIRL’S LOCKER ROOM \ SHOWERS – A MINUTE LATER
Buffy enters. It’s dark and empty.
BUFFY
Willow?
She moves down the line of lockers, turns the corner. Nothing
ANGLE: THE SHOWERS
We see Fritz standing in the shadows. He reaches out and turns on the shower. Slips out of the room. Buffy hears the water going, starts toward it.
BUFFY
Will? You taking a shower?
She enters the shower area, but it’s empty.
BUFFY
Guess not.
She steps into the shower area to turn off the faucet.
ANGLE: HER SNEAKER
As it steps into the growing puddle.
BUFFY
This is how droughts are started.
ANGLE: THE CORNER OF THE ROOM
The puddle is growing, heading for the corner of the room — where we see wires brushing the floor. It is the exposed end of a zip cord, running up into the light socket at the far wall.
ANGLE: THE FAUCET
As Buffy turns if off.
ANGLE: THE PUDDLE
is almost to the wires.
DAVE (O.S.)
Buffy!
Buffy spins — Dave is at the other end of the locker room, looking terrified. Buffy looks around her — sees the wires.
She bolts — one step takes her to the edge of the shower stall —
ANGLE: THE PUDDLE
reaches the wires
and Buffy LAUNCHES into the locker room, a massive jolt running through her. She lands HARD on the bench, thence to the floor.
She lies there, shaking, trying to catch her breath. Dave is gone. The camera arms down to Buffy’s feet. The bottom of one sneaker is melted and smoking.
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER LAB – MOMENTS LATER
The shades are drawn — it is well dark in here as Dave rushes in, goes over to his console. He doesn’t sit, just turns to it.
DAVE
I can’t do it. I’m not gonna do
it!
We hear a voice program, a typical impersonal computer voice, only slightly deeper.
COMPUTER
But you promised.
DAVE
Buffy isn’t a threat to you! It’s
not worth it.
COMPUTER
The project is almost complete.
You won’t have to do this for me
anymore.
DAVE
I can’t…
COMPUTER
I’ve shown you a new world, Dave.
Knowledge, power… I can give you
everything. All I want is your
love.
DAVE
No. This isn’t right. None of it
is!
COMPUTER
I’m sorry. I’ve been a terrible person.
ANGLE: DAVE’S SCREEN
as the voice says it, the words appear.
Dave is thrown — did he win this argument?
COMPUTER
I’m a coward and I can’t go on
living like this. Forgive me, Mom
and Dad.
Dave takes a staggered step back as he realizes what the computer is writing.
COMPUTER
At least now I’ll have some peace.
Remember me.
Dave takes another step back — and we see Fritz standing in the dark right behind him. Leering.
COMPUTER
Love, Dave.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – A BIT LATER
Buffy is sitting, Giles looking at her with concern. Xander paces, upset. Buffy is taking it slow, a little frazzled.
XANDER
I’m gonna kill Dave.
BUFFY
He tried to warn me.
XANDER
Warn you that he set you up!
(to Giles)
Is she gonna be okay?
GILES
She was only grounded for a moment.
(to Buffy)
Still, if you’d been anyone but
the Slayer…
BUFFY
(with quiet concern)
Tell me the truth. How’s my hair?
XANDER
It’s great. It’s your best hair
ever.
GILES
Oh yes.
BUFFY
I just don’t understand what would make Dave do a thing like that.
GILES
I think perhaps I do.
XANDER
Care to share?
GILES
Does this look familiar to either of you?
He shows them the Moloch volume.
BUFFY
Yeah, sure. It looks like a book.
XANDER
I knew that one.
GILES
Well, this particular book was sent to me by an archeologist friend who found it in an old monastery.
XANDER
Wow, that’s really boring.
GILES
(glares at him)
There are certain books that are not meant to be read. Ever. They have things trapped within them.
BUFFY
Things.
GILES
Demons.
BUFFY
Here we go…
GILES
In the Dark Ages Demons’ souls were sometimes trapped in certain volumes. The demon would remain in the book, harmless, unless the book was read aloud.
(points to the picture)
If I’m not mistaken, this is
Moloch, the corruptor. A very deadly and seductive demon. He draws people to him with promises of love, power, knowledge. Preys on impressionable minds.
XANDER
Like Dave’s.
GILES
Dave, and who knows how many others.
BUFFY
And Moloch is in that book?
GILES
(shows the blank pages)
Not anymore.
XANDER
You released Moloch!?
BUFFY
Oh, way to go.
GILES
I didn’t read it! That awful
Calendar woman found it and it was
already blank.
BUFFY
So a powerful demon with horns is
walking around Sunnydale? And
nobody’s noticing?
XANDER
If he’s so big and strong, why
bother with Dave? Why didn’t he
just attack Buffy himself?
GILES
I don’t know. And I don’t know who
could have read the book. It
wasn’t even in English.
BUFFY
Where was it?
GILES
In a pile, with the other books
that were… scanned…
Everybody gets real quiet. As one, they turn to the computer sitting on the desk.
BUFFY
Willow scanned all the new books.
XANDER
And that released the demon.
BUFFY
No… he’s not out here. He’s in
there.
She points to the computer.
GILES
(working it out)
The scanner read the book. Brought
Moloch out — as information to be
absorbed.
BUFFY
He’s gone binary on us.
XANDER
Okay, for those of us in our studio
audience who are me, you guys are
saying that Moloch is in this
computer.
BUFFY
And in every computer connected to
it by a modem.
GILES
He’s everywhere.
XANDER
So what do we do?
BUFFY
Put him back in the book?
GILES
Willow scanned him into her file.
This may be a futile gesture, but I
suggest we delete it.
BUFFY
Solid.
She sits, turns on the computer.
XANDER
Don’t get too close.
BUFFY
So, which file is it? Willow.
That’d probably be the one. I’ll
just delete the whole thing.
ANGLE: THE SCREEN
The Willow file icon is highlighted, dragged to the trash. Suddenly a digitalized image of Moloch’s horrible face fills the screen, turning and looking right at us. We hear that voice:
COMPUTER
Stay away from Willow. It’s none
of your business.
And the computer turns itself off. All three stare at it in shock.
BUFFY
“Stay away.” That’s just what
Dave said when I asked about Willow
and… Malcolm…
XANDER
What are you thinking?
BUFFY
(quietly)
I’m wishing Willow’s new boyfriend
was just an axe-murdering circus
freak.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Act Three
INT. LIBRARY – MOMENTS LATER
Our trio is still assessing the situation.
BUFFY
Okay, so much for “delete file”.
GILES
This is very bad.
XANDER
Are we over-reacting? This guy’s
in a computer, what can he do?
BUFFY
You mean besides convince a
perfectly nice kid to try and kill
me? I don’t know… mess up all
the medical equipment in the
world…
GILES
Randomize traffic signals…
BUFFY
Access launch codes for our nuclear
missiles…
GILES
Destroy the world’s economy…
BUFFY
(to Giles)
I think I pretty much capped it
with the nuclear missile thing.
GILES
All right, yours was best.
XANDER
Okay, he’s a threat. I’m on board
with that now. What do we do?
BUFFY
The first thing we do is find
Willow. She’s probably talking to
him right now. God, that creeps me
out.
XANDER
What does he want with Willow?
BUFFY
Let’s never find out.
(starts out)
I’m gonna check the computer lab.
You call her house.
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER LAB – A MINUTE LATER
It’s still dark in here. Buffy enters, moving slowly.
BUFFY
Willow?
She goes to the computer Willow usually works at — no one in the cubicle.
All the consoles turn on at once, Buffy takes a step back, creeped out.
She’s suddenly not anxious to make her way past all the computers to the door. She heads back into the dark, toward the other door —
and bumps right into Dave. He’s twisting slowly, feet just above the floor, the rope creaking ever so slightly. The printed out suicide note taped to his shirt.
BUFFY
Dave…
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – MOMENTS LATER
Xander hangs up the phone.
XANDER
No answer.
GILES
Damn.
XANDER
Well, it’s not busy either, so
she’s not on line.
Buffy enters.
XANDER
She’s not home.
GILES
(sensing her mood)
What did you find?
XANDER
Willow isn’t —
BUFFY
Dave. He’s dead.
GILES
My God…
XANDER
This is really real, huh.
GILES
How —
BUFFY
Well, it looked like suicide.
XANDER
With a little help from my friends?
BUFFY
I’d guess Fritz. Or one of the
zomboids from CRD.
GILES
Horrible.
BUFFY
(to Xander)
We’re going to Willow’s house.
(to Giles)
You have to find a way to get
Moloch out of the net.
GILES
I have records of the ceremonies
but that’s for dealing with a
creature of flesh. This could be
completely different.
BUFFY
Then get Ms. Calendar. Maybe she
can help you.
GILES
Even if she could, how am I going
to convince her there’s a demon on
the internet?
BUFFY
Okay, stay here and come up with a
better plan.
(to Xander)
Come on.
They leave Giles looking all worried.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILLOW’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Willow lets herself in, calls out:
WILLOW
Mom? Dad?
She waits a second for an answer — there is none. She shuts the door.
CUT TO:
INT. WILLOW’S ROOM – MOMENTS LATER.
She comes in, puts her bag down on her bed, obviously still preoccupied.
COMPUTER
You have mail!
It startles her a bit, and she goes over to the computer. Accesses the E-mail. ANGLE: THE SCREEN
“No more waiting. I need you to see me.”
She is obviously made even less comfortable by this. She thinks a moment, then abruptly turns off her computer.
ANGLE: THE SCREEN GOES BLACK
Willow goes over to her bed, starts pulling her books out of her bag.
COMPUTER
You have mail!
She turns, sees the computer is on again. This is extremely freaky. She moves hesitantly toward the computer — and the DOORBELL RINGS. Willow looks back at the computer one more time before exiting.
CUT TO:
INT\EXT. WILLOW’S FRONT DOOR
She goes to the door, a little more confidence in her step.
WILLOW
Dad, did you forget your keys
again?
She opens the door — nobody’s there. She looks out a bit, perturbed again. Turns back inside, reaching for the door —
Fritz steps out behind her and throws his hand over her mouth. A rag with chloroform held to it. Willow struggles briefly, fading into unconsciousness. She droops in Fritz’s grasp. He props her up, looking around to make sure no one has seen.
FRITZ
No more waiting.
He starts dragging her away as we
CUT TO:
INT. GILES’ OFFICE – NIGHT
Giles is poring over text, looking for help.
GILES
Binding ritual… there we are…
He looks up as Nicki Calendar enters the room.
MS. CALENDAR
I got your message. What’s so
urgent?
GILES
Thank you for coming. I need your
help. But before that, I need you
to believe something you may not
want to.
(gathers himself)
Something has gotten into…
inside…
(oh just say it)
There’s a demon in the internet.
She stares at him a moment.
MS. CALENDAR
I know.
She smiles, slightly — Giles’ expression draining to genuine concern — as she shuts the door behind her.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILLOW’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Buffy and Xander run up to Willow’s house. The door swings open.
XANDER
That’s not good…
BUFFY
(calls out)
Willow!
And they enter.
CUT TO:
INT. WILLOW’S ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
BUFFY (O.S.)
Willow?
They enter, seeing the empty room.
XANDER
Okay, any thoughts?
BUFFY
(reads off screen)
“No more waiting. I need you to
see me.” See him? How? And
where?
XANDER
What about CRD?
BUFFY
The research place?
XANDER
I’m guessing that’s Moloch central.
BUFFY
I guess it’s our best lead. Let’s
just hope Giles can back us up.
They exit as we
CUT TO:
INT. GILES’ OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
Giles stands, slowly, not taking his eyes off Nicki.
GILES
You already know. How exactly is
that?
MS. CALENDAR
Come on, there’ve been portents for
days. Power surges, on-line
shutdowns — and you should see the
bones I’ve been casting.
(excited)
I knew this would happen sooner or
later. It’s probably a mischief
demon — Kelkor, or —
GILES
It’s Moloch.
MS. CALENDAR
(affected by this)
The corruptor. Oh boy.
(realizes )
He was the one on your book! I
should have remembered.
GILES
I’m sorry, I have to say — I mean,
you don’t seem terribly surprised
by — who are you?
MS. CALENDAR
I teach computer science at the
local high school.
GILES
A profession that hardly lends
itself to the casting of bones.
MS. CALENDAR
Wrong and wrong, snobby. You think
the realm of the mystical is
limited to ancient texts and
relics? That bad old science made
the magic go away? The divine
exists in cyberspace same as out
here.
GILES
Are you a witch?
MS. CALENDAR
I don’t have that kind of power.
Technopagan is the term. There’s
more of us than you’d think.
Giles rises, book in hand, and exits into:
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
As he speaks he places the book near the computer. Nicki follows him in.
GILES
Well, I definitely need your help.
What’s in cyberspace at the moment
is less than divine. I have the
binding rituals at hand but I am
completely out of my idiom.
MS. CALENDAR
Well, I can help — I think. I
hope. I mean, this is my first
real… Do you know how he got in?
GILES
He was — scanned is the term, I
believe.
MS. CALENDAR
(progressively more freaked)
And you want him back in the book.
Right. Cool. But shouldn’t we
make sure we’ve got enough ammo
to —
GILES
There’s no time. Moloch seems to
have fixated on Willow. We need to
get him out now.
MS. CALENDAR
Okay, okay… minor panic, but I’m
dealing… first thing is… what
does the book say?
The PHONE RINGS. Giles grabs it at the check-out desk.
GILES
Buffy?
INTERCUT WITH:
EXT. PHONE BOOTH BY CRD – NIGHT
Buffy and Xander are standing at a phone booth near the gate. Buffy holds the phone.
BUFFY
Yeah.
GILES (V.O)
Willow?
BUFFY
Not at home. It looks like she was
taken somewhere.
GILES (V.O.)
Where are you?
BUFFY
CRD. Whatever Moloch wants Willow
for, it’s probably in there.
GILES (V.O.)
Ms. Calendar and I are working on
getting Moloch off line.
BUFFY
Here’s a tip: Hurry.
She hangs up. Makes for the gate, Xander alongside.
XANDER
This place is pretty heavily
secured. How do we get in?
BUFFY
With jumping, sneaking, and the
breaking of heads.
XANDER
I’ll work on the sneaking.
BUFFY
I just hope Willow’s still okay.
CUT TO:
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
Willow comes to on a steel gurney. She takes a moment to remember, then sits up quickly. Looks around.
The lab is dark, shadowed. Everything visible is metal or plastic. High tech. Willow looks toward the door —
ANGLE: THE DOOR
as Fritz and the scientist step in front of it, blocking her exit.
MOLOCH’S VOICE
Welcome. My love.
It sounds like the voice of the demon at the beginning, but definitely computerized. Willow turns, slowly, and sees:
ANGLE: A COMPUTER TERMINAL
Glowing in the darkness at the other end of the room. The camera moves slowly in on it as we hear:
MOLOCH’S VOICE
I can’t tell how good it is to
finally see you…
And a metal HAND lowers onto the top of the console.
We see it wasn’t the terminal talking at all as he steps out of the darkness. Moloch, horned and hideous as he was before, but entirely gleaming metal. A robot, eyes glowing malevolently.
MOLOCH
… with my own two eyes.
Willow can’t move — fear and realization fill her eyes.
WILLOW
(whispers )
“Finally see me?”
(realizing)
Malcolm…?
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
Act Four
INT. LABORATORY – MOMENTS LATER
Willow takes a step back — to find herself flanked by Fritz and scientist.
Moloch walks forward slowly, speaking to her.
MOLOCH
This world is so new, so exciting.
And I can see all of it.
Everything flows through me. I
know the secrets of your kings.
(looks at his hands)
But none of it compares to having
form again. To be able to walk…
to touch…
He reaches out and places a hand on Fritz’s head. Fritz smiles rapturously.
Moloch whips his head around, snapping his neck.
MOLOCH
To kill.
CUT TO:
EXT. GATE – CONTINUOUS
Buffy ably drops down inside the gate. A moment later Xander drops through frame, landing poorly just below it. He gets up, joins her.
XANDER
Back way?
BUFFY
Back way.
They head towards it. Buffy tries the door. Locked. She Kicks it in.
ANGLE: A SECURITY LIGHT
Turns red.
ANGLE: MOLOCH
cocks his head.
MOLOCH
Ah. Here they come.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
Nicki and Giles are preparing, lighting candles.
MS. CALENDAR
The first thing we have to do is
form the Circle of Kayless, right?
GILES
Form the Circle — But there’s only
two of us. That’s really more of a line.
MS. CALENDAR
(sitting at computer)
You’re not getting it, Giles We
have to form the Circle inside. I’m
putting out a flash. I just
hope enough of my group responds.
GILES
Won’t Moloch just shut you down?
MS. CALENDAR
I’m betting he won’t figure out
what we’re doing till it’s too late.
GILES
‘Hoping’ and ‘betting’. That’s
what we’ve got.
MS. CALENDAR
You wanna throw in ‘praying’, be my
guest.
CUT TO:
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
Willow moves away from the prodigious construct. The scientist grabs her arm but she pulls it out of his grasp roughly, eyes never leaving Moloch.
WILLOW
I don’t understand. What do you
want from me?
MOLOCH
I want to give you the world.
WILLOW
Why?
MOLOCH
You created me. I brought these
humans together to build me a body,
but you gave me life. Took me out
of the book that held me. I want
to repay you.
WILLOW
By lying to me. By pretending to
be a person.
(weakly)
Pretending… that you loved me.
MOLOCH
I do.
CUT TO:
INT. LOBBY – CONTINUOUS
The door from the hall opens and Buffy marches in, Xander behind her. The guard at the security station comes up to her — blocking her path and reaching for his weapon. Buffy doesn’t even break
stride as her fist slams his face, sending him groundward.
She heads for the door opposite, but Xander stops at the security station, looks at the video monitors.
XANDER
Buffy…
She joins him, looking at:
ANGLE: A MONITOR
On the screen is a security camera’s view of Moloch and Willow. On the bottom of the monitor is tape with robotics lab 02 written on it.
BUFFY
It’s her!
XANDER
Yeah. Who’s the other guy?
They look at each other — and head toward the door.
CUT TO:
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
MOLOCH
Don’t you see? I can give you
everything. I can control the
world.
(stops a moment, then:)
Right now a man in Beijing is
transferring money to a Swiss bank
account for a contract on his
Mother’s life. Good for him.
WILLOW
You’re evil.
MOLOCH
Is that a problem?
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM ADJOINING LAB – CONTINUOUS
Buffy and Xander enter at a good clip. They see the door marked ROBOTICS LAB 02 and head for it. Buffy tries it and it’s locked as well.
BUFFY
I can’t bust this. This is heavy
steel.
XANDER
Then let’s find another way in —
The lights go out, emergency lights casting a dim, eerie glow. We hear the loud K-CHNK of a deadbolt locking. Xander runs back to the door they came in through — it’s locked.
XANDER
What’s going on?
Buffy spies:
ANGLE: A SECURITY CAMERA
in the corner of the room.
BUFFY
The building’s security system is
computerized.
XANDER
Whoops.
ANGLE: RED LIGHT MARKED FIRE
Starts flashing —
-and jets of gas pour down, start filling the room.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
MS. CALENDAR
Almost there.
ANGLE: NICKI’S SCREEN
shows a map of the world with a line from Sunnydale to various cities, forming a global circle.
GILES
Couldn’t you just stop Moloch by
entering some computer virus?
MS CALENDAR
(not looking up)
You’ve seen way too many movies.
Okay we’re up!
(turns to Giles)
You read, I type. Ready?
GILES
I am.
She spits in one hand, rubs them together. Poises them at the keyboard.
GILES
By the power of the devine…
(she types fast)
By the essence of the word… I
command you.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM ADJOINING LAB – CONTINUOUS
Xander and Buffy are staggering, the room filling with gas. Buffy SLAMS herself against the door in an effort to get out.
CUT TO:
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
Willow jumps a bit as she hears something bang at the door. Turns back to Moloch.
WILLOW
What are you doing?
MOLOCH
What comes naturally.
WILLOW
Let me leave.
MOLOCH
But I love you.
WILLOW
(genuinely upset)
Don’t say that! That’s a joke.
You don’t love anything.
MOLOCH
You… are mine…
WILLOW
I’m not yours. I’m never gonna be
yours. I hate you.
He stops, head down. Taking in the blow she has dealt him. After a moment he lifts his head again.
MOLOCH
Pity.
He grabs her.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
GILES
By the power of the Circle of
Kayless, I command you!
(looks at screen, tells her)
Kayless. With a K.
MS. CALENDAR
Right. Sorry.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM ADJOINING LAB – CONTINUOUS
Xander drops to the floor. Buffy slams into the door again, much more weakly. CUT TO:
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
Moloch puts his hand on Willow’s head. She SCREAMS —
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: GILES
GILES
Demon, COME!
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: MOLOCH
rears back, letting go of Willow and SCREAMING himself.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM ADJOINING LAB – CONTINUOUS
The gas stops and the lights flicker on, off. Buffy tries the door — it’s now unlocked. She grabs Xander and pulls him into
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
Willow whirls as they pour in.
WILLOW
Buffy!
Moloch comes at Willow — Buffy runs and does a flying kick to his chest, pushes him back but not over.
BUFFY
Ow! Guy’s made of metal.
ANGLE: XANDER
as the scientist GRABS him from behind.
Buffy grabs Willow and they make for the door. Moloch moves between them and the door — then stops again, clutching his head.
MOLOCH
No! I will not go!
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: NICKI
Typing — and the screen flashes, sparks flying.
MS. CALENDAR
Whoah.
GILES
I command you!
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: XANDER
throws himself backwards, SLAMMING the scientist into the wall. It breaks his hold and Xander punches him full bore in the stomach. The guy goes down.
Buffy and Willow join him at the door. As they exit:
XANDER
I got to hit someone!
ANGLE: MOLOCH
Drops to his knees.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
Nicki finishes typing — we see the colors from the screen changing on her face. A wind kicks up in her face, a huge cosmic NOISE booms around her — and then it all stops. Silence. The computer screen dark.
MS. CALENDAR
It worked…
Giles looks at the screen. After a moment he moves to the book on the table, the one with Moloch on the cover.
MS. CALENDAR
He’s out of the net. He’s bound.
Giles hesitates — then opens the book.
ANGLE: THE BOOK
The pages are still blank.
GILES
He’s not in the book.
MS. CALENDAR
What do you mean?
She comes over, looks.
MS. CALENDAR
But… he’s not in the book…
Where is he?
INT. CRD LAB – CONTINUOUS
ANGLE: MOLOCH
He raises his head. His eyes glow brighter than they ever have.
CUT TO:
INT. HALL – CONTINUOUS
Our three are headed for an open door — when they see the security guard and two other scientists running toward them from the other side of the door. Buffy shuts the door on them, locks it.
XANDER
Let’s go this way!
He takes off down the corridor —
BUFFY
Wait —
She looks down the corridor — and Moloch smashes through the wall right behind her. He grabs her, throws her against the other wall. She sinks to the ground as he approaches.
MOLOCH
I was omnipotent! I was
everything! Now I’m trapped in
this shell…
He reaches for Buffy, who is still dazed —
WILLOW (O.S.)
Malcolm!
Moloch turns — and Willow SMASHES him in the head with a fire extinguisher, speaking through gritted teeth.
WILLOW
Remember me? Your girlfriend?
SMASH — in the head again.
WILLOW
I’m thinking we should break up.
SMASH!
WILLOW
But maybe we can still be
friends.
She brings it down again — only this time he grabs it. Throws it and her away — she flies back right at the returning Xander, knocking them both down.
Moloch turns back to Buffy, who has gotten shakily to her feet. She punches him once in the stomach area. Bad idea.
BUFFY
Ahhh!
MOLOCH
This body is all I have left, but
it’s enough to crush you.
He advances — she steps back, looks around for an avenue of escape.
ANGLE: BUFFY’S POV
there is no escape — she’s backed into a corner. Right behind her is a giant fuse box with the legend DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE on it.
Sayyy…
She backs up another step, faces Moloch.
BUFFY
Take your best shot.
Moloch pulls back his arm — drives his fist at her — and Buffy does a perfect split. Drops right out the line of fire as Moloch SLAMS his fist right into the fuse box. He starts to shake, to smoke — as Buffy rolls out and comes up next to him.
BUFFY
Hurts, doesn’t it?
He turns to her, smoke pouring from his eyes like fury. She takes a step back as he starts to spark — she turns and runs —
BUFFY
Get down!
— and DIVES to the floor alongside Xander and Willow as
ANGLE: MOLOCH
EXPLODES!
It takes a moment for the smoke to clear. When it does, the three look around. By their feet lies his lifeless head.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SCHOOL – DAYS LATER
Normal life once again.
CUT TO:
INT. COMPUTER LAB – DAY
Nicki is alone in the lab as Giles enters. She sees him, smiles.
MS. CALENDAR
Well, look who’s here. Welcome to
my world. Are you scared?
GILES
I’m remaining calm, thank you. I
wanted to return this.
He holds up a strange, corkscrewlike earring.
GILES
I found it among the new books and
naturally, I thought of you.
MS. CALENDAR
Cool, thanks.
(he starts out)
Listen. You’re not planning to
mention our little… adventure,
are you? To anyone on the school
staff?
GILES
Nothing could be further from my
mind.
MS. CALENDAR
Great. Pagan rituals and magic
spells tend to freak the
administration.
GILES
Yes, I know. I’ll see you.
MS. CALENDAR
Can’t get out of here fast enough,
can you?
GILES
Truthfully, I’m even less anxious
to be around computers than I used
to be.
MS. CALENDAR
It was your book that started the
trouble, not a computer. Honestly,
what is it about them that bothers
you so much?
GILES
(a moment, then)
The smell.
MS. CALENDAR
Computers don’t smell, Rupert.
GILES
I know. Smell is the most powerful
memory trigger there is. A certain
flower or a whiff of smoke can
bring up experiences long
forgotten. Books smell — musty
and rich. Knowledge gained from a
computer has no texture, no
context. It’s there and then it’s
gone. If it’s to last, the getting
of knowledge should be tangible.
It should be smelly.
A beat, as it sinks in to Nicki that she is entirely charmed by this man.
MS. CALENDAR
You really are an old fashioned
boy, aren’t you?
GILES
Well, it’s true I don’t dangle a
corkscrew from my ear…
MS. CALENDAR
(smiling)
That’s not where it dangles.
She crosses to the back of the class, leaving Giles to think about that one.
CUT TO:
EXT. QUAD – THE SAME DAY
The three kids sit together. Willow looks pretty glum.
XANDER
So we’re going to the Bronze
tonight? We three?
BUFFY
It’ll be fun.
XANDER
Willow? Fun? Remember fun? The
thing when you smile?
WILLOW
I’m sorry, guys. I’m just thinking
about…
BUFFY
Malcolm?
WILLOW
Malcolm, Moloch, whatever he’s
called. The one boy that’s really
liked me and he’s a demon robot.
What does that say about me?
BUFFY
It doesn’t say anything about you.
WILLOW
But I thought — I mean I was
really falling —
BUFFY
Hey. Did you forget? The one boy
I’ve had the hots for here turned
out to be a vampire.
XANDER
Right! And the teacher I had a
crush on: giant praying mantis.
WILLOW
(brightening)
That’s true…
XANDER
It’s life on the Hellmouth.
BUFFY
(cheerfully)
Let’s face it. None of us is ever
going to have a normal, happy
relationship.
XANDER
(laughing)
We’re doomed!
WILLOW
Yeah!
They all laugh together. Then it kind of sputters out, and they all sit there, incredibly depressed. BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR
Transcript
Prologue
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. A castle in Cortona, Italy, 1418. Cut inside. Carlo is standing by a window looking into the room at his master.
Moloch: Carlo, caro mio.
Translation: Carlo, my dear one.
Carlo comes into the room and over to Moloch. He kneels. Moloch steps
over to him and puts his hand on his head. The camera pans up to
Moloch’s demonic face.
Moloch: Mi ami? Ti darò tutto. Tutto quello che desidero è il tuo
amore.
Translation: Do you love me? I can give you everything. All I want is
your love.
Carlo: Tu hai il mio amore.
Translation: You have my love.
Moloch growls and quickly twists Carlo’s head, snapping his neck.
Cut to a church. Cut inside. The priest Thelonius is talking to a group
of monks bearing torches.
Thelonius: E fuori. E il diavolo, Molocco. E fuori nel mondo, facendo
tante cose male. Abbiamo bisogno di fare il circolo.
Translation: He’s out. It is the devil, Moloch. He is out in the world, doing such bad things. We need to form the circle.
(Transcriber’s note: in this part there is a significant difference between the subtitles from the episode and what was actually said, so the subtitles are included below.)
Subtitles: It is Moloch. The Corrupter. He walks again. More and more people have fallen under his mesmerizing power. There is still time to bind him. We must form the circle.
The monks gather around him as he opens a large book. Cut to a shot from above. The pages of the book are blank.
Thelonius: Per potere di questo circolo di Kayless…
Translation: By the power of the circle of Kayless…
Cut to Moloch. He smiles as he straightens up and lets Carlo’s body fall. His expression changes when he realizes something is wrong, and he looks up.
Moloch: (surprised) No!
Cut back to the church.
Thelonius: Per potere di questo circolo di Kayless, ti commando! Vieni!
Translation: By the power of the circle of Kayless, I command you! Come!
Cut to Moloch. He begins to scream angrily. Cut to the Church. Thelonius: Ti commando! Vieni!
Translation: I command you! Come!
Cut to Moloch. He screams even more loudly in terror. Cut to the Church. Thelonius: VIENI!
Translation: COME!
Cut to Moloch. He continues to scream. Suddenly he bursts into millions of tiny particles. Cut to the Church. The particles fall into the book as the camera follows them down.
Thelonius: Vieni, demonio! Vieni!
Translation: Come, demon! Come!
As the particles fall into the book an ancient script appears. When the pages are filled, Thelonius closes the book. He steps over to a table and puts the book into a heavy wooden box.
Thelonius: Preghiamo che questo libro è mai letto più… Translation: Pray that this accursed book is never again read… Cut to a shot of the priest from inside the box.
Thelonius: Che il demonio Molocco è mai lasciato più fuori nel mondo. Translation: Lest the Demon Moloch be loosed upon the world.
He puts the lid on the box.
Centuries later the lid is lifted off of the box, and Buffy looks in. Buffy: (sarcastically) Oh, great! A book!
Cut to the library. A book-scanning project is going on, and Willow and a few other computer science students are seated at the table, scanning the books into the library’s computer system. Buffy pulls the book out of the box and blows some of the dust off of it.
Giles: Oh, uh, I, uh… haven’t gone through the new arrivals. Uh, put it in, uh, (points with his book) in, in that pile.
Dave: Here, I’ll get it.
He gets up from his computer.
Buffy: Oh, thanks, Dave. The Willow pile.
Dave takes the book from Buffy and goes over to the pile of books next to Willow.
Giles: Uh, when I’ve examined it, you can, uh, uh, skim it. Ms. Calendar: Scan it, Rupert. That’s scan it.
Giles: (gives her a sarcastic look) Of course.
Ms. Calendar: Oh, I know, our ways are strange to you, but soon you will join us in the 20th century. With three whole years to spare! (grins)
Giles: (smugly) Ms. Calendar, I’m sure your computer science class is fascinating, but I happen to believe that one can survive in modern society without being a slave to the, um, idiot box.
Ms. Calendar: (annoyed) That’s TV. The idiot box is TV. This (indicates a computer) is the good box!
Giles: I still prefer a good book.
Fritz: (self-righteously) The printed page is obsolete. (stands up) Information isn’t bound up anymore. It’s an entity. The only reality is virtual. If you’re not jacked in, you’re not alive. (grabs his books and leaves)
Ms. Calendar: Thank you, Fritz, for making us all sound like crazy people. (to Giles) Fritz, Fritz comes on a little strong, but he does have a point. You know, for the last two years more e-mail was sent than regular mail.
Giles: Oh…
Ms. Calendar: More digitized information went across phone lines than conversation.
Giles: That is a fact that I regard with genuine horror.
Ms. Calendar: (teasingly) I’ll bet it is. (to the students) Alright, guys, let’s wrap it up for today.
Willow: I’ve just got a few more. I’ll hang for a bit. Ms. Calendar: Cool! Thanks.
Xander grabs his bag and pulls it onto his shoulder.
Willow: Xander, you wanna stay and help me?
Xander: (in disbelief) Are you kidding?
Willow: (taken aback) Yes, it was a joke I made up.
Xander: Willow, I love you, but bye! (leaves)
Willow: (calls after him) See you tomorrow!
Xander: (ignores her) Buffy, wait up!
Giles: I’m, I’m just gonna stay and clean up a little. I’ll, uh, I’ll be back in the middle ages. (starts up the stairs)
Ms. Calendar: Did you ever leave?
Giles stops and looks back at her. She’s smiles to herself, pleased with his reaction to her comment. He continues up the stairs.
Cut to later. Willow is alone in the library scanning the last book. She draws the scanner over the two pages, and they appear on the monitor. As she types to save the scan, the script in the book disappears. Willow closes the book, puts it in the pile with the others and leaves. The computer monitor goes blank and Moloch’s words appear.
Moloch: Where am I?
Opening credits roll. Buffy’s theme plays.
Part 1
The hall at Sunnydale High School. Buffy runs to catch up with Willow as she slowly walks along.
Buffy: Willow! Willow, hey, wait up! (reaches her)
Willow: Oh, Buffy, I didn’t even see you.
Buffy: Or hear me. What was up last night? I tried your line, like, a million times.
Willow: Oh, I was, I was talking.
Buffy: Talking to…? (no answer) Okay, that’s it, you have a secret, and that’s not allowed.
Willow: Why not? (opens her locker)
Buffy: ‘Cause… there’s a rule.
Willow: Well, I sort of met someone. (smiles)
Buffy: (excitedly) I knew it! This is so important! When did you meet?
Willow: Last week after we did the scanning project in the library. (closes her locker)
Buffy: (curiously) Does he go here? What’s his name? Have you kissed him? What’s he like?
Willow: (amused) No, Malcolm, no, and very nice.
Buffy: (annoyed) You are a thing of evil for not telling me this right away!
Willow: Well, I wasn’t sure there was anything to tell. But last night, oh! We talked all night, it was amazing. He’s so smart, Buffy, and, and he’s romantic, and we agree about everything!
Buffy: (sighs) What’s he look like?
Willow: I don’t know!
She continues down the hall with a big smile on her face. Buffy is confused and stares after her a moment, then starts to follow.
Cut to the computer lab. Fritz and Dave are there, typing away. Dave: (to the monitor) Yes, I will. I promise.
Willow and Buffy enter.
Buffy: So, you’ve been seeing a guy, and you don’t know what he looks like? Okay, this is a puzzle. No, wait, I’m good at these. Does it involve a midget and a block of ice?
Willow: I met him online.
Buffy: On line for what?
Willow indicates a computer.
Buffy: Oh!
Ms. Calendar strides quickly into the room wearing dark glasses and holding a mug of coffee in one hand and her books in the other.
Ms. Calendar: Morning, kids!
Buffy turns to look at her. Ms. Calendar notices Buffy as she heads to her desk. She puts her mug down.
Ms. Calendar: Buffy, are you supposed to be somewhere? (takes off her glasses)
Buffy: No, I have a free.
Ms. Calendar: Cool! But this is lab time, so let’s make it a nice, short visit, okay?
Buffy: Sure.
PC: You have mail.
Willow: It’s him! (types to get the message)
Message: I’m thinking of you.
Willow: He’s so sweet!
Buffy: (nods) He’s a sweetie. (smiles nervously)
Willow: What should I write back?
Buffy: (cautiously) Uh, Willow, I think it’s really great that you have this cool pen pal, but don’t you think you’re kinda rushing all into
this? Y’know what I mean?
Willow: (excitedly) ‘I’m thinking of you, too!’ (crestfallen) No, that’s incredibly stupid!
Buffy: Will, down girl! Let’s focus here, okay? What do you actually know about this guy?
Willow: (disappointed) Oh, see, I knew you’d react like this. Buffy: Like what?
The camera closes in on the computer’s video feed.
Buffy: I just wanna make sure you’re careful, that’s all. Cut to the computer’s view.
Willow: Buffy…
Buffy: He could be different than you think.
The computer focuses closely on Buffy.
Cut to an office. The computer on the desk suddenly comes on. The student records scroll by. It stops on Buffy’s record and expands it.
Cut to Fritz’s PC in the lab. Buffy’s record appears there. The camera pans over to Fritz as he studies her record. The monitor goes blank and a message appears.
Moloch: Watch her.
Cut to Willow and Buffy.
Willow: His name is Malcolm Black, he’s eighteen, he lives in Elmwood, which is about eighty miles from here, and he likes me!
Buffy: Short, tall, skinny, fat?
Willow: Why does everything have to be about looks?
Buffy: Not everything, but some stuff is. I mean, what if you guys get really, really intense, and then you find out that he… has… a hairy back?
Willow: Well, no! Uh, he doesn’t talk like somebody who would have a hairy back. And anyways, that stuff doesn’t matter when you really care about each other. Maybe I’m not his ideal either.
Buffy: Hey, I’m just trying to make sure that he’s good enough for you. I think it’s great that you met someone.
Cut to Ms. Calendar at her desk. She gets up holding some papers and comes over to Fritz.
Ms. Calendar: Hey, Fritz… I’m, uh, lookin’ at the logs. You and Dave are clockin’ a pretty scary amount of computer time.
Fritz: New project.
Ms. Calendar: Ooo, will I be excited?
Fritz: You’ll die.
Cut outside to the steps in the quad. A boy is sitting on them reviewing his report on his laptop.
Boy: (upset) This isn’t my report! ‘Nazi Germany was a model of a well ordered society’? I didn’t write that! Who’s been in my files?
Willow comes down the steps next to him. She’s off in her own world and doesn’t notice Xander coming from her right. He puts his hand over her eyes, and she’s forced to stop, nearly losing her balance.
Xander: Hup, guess who?
Willow: Uh, Xander?
Xander: Yeah, but keep guessing anyway.
Willow: Xander.
Xander: (takes his hand from her eyes) Oh, I can’t fool ya, you see right through my petty charade. We goin’ to the Bronze tonight?
Willow: (smiles) Not me, I think I’m gonna call it an early night.
Xander: Oh, Malcolm, right? (Willow smiles and nods) Yeah, I heard. But you’re gonna be missin’ out. I’m plannin’ to be witty. I’m gonna make fun of all the people who won’t talk to me.
Willow: That’s nice. Have a good time!
She smiles and quickly leaves. He watches her go. Buffy arrives and watches her go, too.
Buffy: She certainly looks perky.
Xander: Yeah, color in the cheeks, bounce in the step… I don’t like it. It’s not healthy. (faces her) So, are you goin’ to the Bronze tonight? Oh, probably not, you probably have some vampire slaying or some lame endeavor like that, don’t you? Everyone deserts me.
They begin to walk.
Buffy: Check out the jealous man!
Xander: What are you talking about?
Buffy: You’re jealous.
Xander: Of what?
Buffy: Willow’s got a thang, and Xander’s left hanging.
Xander: Oh, that’s meaningless drivel. I’m not interested in Willow like that.
Buffy: Yeah, but you got used to being the Belle of the Ball.
Xander: No, it’s just… this Malcolm guy? What’s his deal? I mean, tell me you’re not slightly wigged.
Buffy: Okay, slightly. I mean, just not knowing what he’s really like.
Xander: Or who he really is. I mean, sure he says he’s a high school student, but I can say I’m a high school student.
Buffy: You are.
Xander: Okay, but I can also say that I’m an elderly Dutch woman. Get me? I mean, who’s to say I’m not if I’m in the elderly Dutch chat room?
Buffy: (making light) I get your point! (gets his point) I get your point. Oh, this guy could be anybody. He could be weird, or crazy, or old, or… He could be a circus freak. (panicked) He’s probably a circus freak!
Xander: Yeah. I mean, we read about it all the time. Y’know, people meet on the ‘Net, they talk, they get together, have dinner, a show, horrible ax murder.
Buffy: Willow ax murdered by a circus freak… Okay, okay, what do we do? (realizes her paranoia) What are we doing? Xander, you get me started! We are totally overreacting!
Xander: But it’s fun, isn’t it?
Cut to the computer lab. Fritz is staring at stuff scrolling by on the monitor.
Fritz: (in a trance) I’m jacked in. I’m jacked in. I’m jacked in. The camera pans down to his arm where he’s carving an ‘M’ into it. Fritz: I’m jacked in.
Cut to the girls’ locker room the next day. The camera is following two girls out when suddenly Willow comes barging in.
Buffy: Whoa! You’re the Late Girl.
Willow: I overslept.
Buffy: Till fifth period? Talkin’ to Malcolm last night? Willow: Yeah. (sees Buffy’s look) What?
Buffy: Nothing.
Willow: You’re having an expression.
Buffy: I’m not. But if I was, it’d be saying, ‘This just isn’t like you.’
Willow: Not like me to have a boyfriend?
Buffy: He’s boyfriendly?
Willow: (confused) I don’t understand why you don’t want me to have this. I mean, boys don’t chase me around all the time. I thought you’d be happy for me.
Buffy: (concerned) I just want you to be sure. To meet him face to face. In daylight, in a crowded place with some friends. Y’know, before you become all… obsessive.
Willow: Malcolm and I really care about each other. Big deal if I blow off a couple classes.
Buffy: I thought you said you overslept.
Willow: Malcolm said you wouldn’t understand.
Buffy: Malcolm was right.
Cut to the computer lab. Buffy comes in, sees Dave and goes over to him. Buffy: Dave? (he’s oblivious) Hey there, Dave. Anybody home? He jumps in his seat when she puts her hand on his shoulder. Dave: Oh, what do you want?
Buffy: I wanted to ask you something if you have a minute. Dave: What is it?
Buffy: Well, you’re a computer geek… genius, and, uh, I sort of have a technical problem. If I wanted to find out something about someone, i if someone e-mailed me, could I trace the letter?
Dave: Well, you could pull up somebody’s profile based on their user name.
Buffy: But they write the profile themselves, right? And so they could say anything they wanted.
Dave: True.
Buffy: Wow! I had knowledge! (Dave smiles) Well, is there a way to find out exactly where a letter, an e-letter came from? I mean, the actual location of the computer?
Dave: (considers) That’s a challenge.
Buffy: ‘Cause, you see, Willow’s got this boyfriend, Malcolm, and to tell you the truth, I think…
Dave: (interrupts, annoyed) Leave Willow alone.
Buffy: What do you mean?
Dave: (insistently) That’s none of your business.
Buffy: (jumps to a conclusion) Dave, are you Malcolm?
Dave: (turns back to the PC) Of course not. (types)
Buffy: Dave, what’s going on?
Dave: Look, I’ll talk to you later, okay? I’ve got work to do. She gets up and leaves.
Buffy: (exhales) So do I.
Fritz watches her go as she passes him.
Cut to the library. Buffy follows Giles down the stairs to the counter.
Buffy: I’m telling you, something is going on. It’s not just Willow. Dave, Fritz, they’re all wicked jumpy.
Giles: Those boys aren’t sparklingly normal as it is.
Buffy: Giles, trust me.
Giles: I-I do! I-I-I really don’t know how to advise you. Things
involved with a computer fill me with a childlike terror. Now, if it were a nice ogre or some such I’d be more in my element. Well, I-I suppose you could, um, tail Dave, see if he’s up to something.
Buffy: Follow Dave? What, in dark glasses and a trench coat? Please. I can work this out myself.
Cut outside after school. Dave gets into his car, starts it and drives off. The camera pans over to Buffy wearing dark glasses and a dark coat as she watches him go.
Cut to a front view of the CRD building. Cut to the loading dock in back. Dave drives up and gets out. Cut to outside the fence, where Buffy is looking in. She sees Dave go up to a technician and start talking to him. After a moment Dave and the technician go inside. The camera pans over to the CRD logo. Cut to a security camera turning towards Buffy. Cut to the view from the camera on Fritz’s PC at school. It stops on Buffy and pulls in for a close-up.
Fritz: She’s too close. What do I do?
Moloch: (on the monitor) Kill her.
Fritz: Party.
Part 2
Sunnydale High.
Buffy: Whatever Dave is into, it’s large.
Cut to the library. Buffy is sitting on the study table. Giles: What was the name of this place?
Buffy: It said CRD. But, I couldn’t get close enough to see what it was.
Xander: Calax Research and Development. It’s a computer research lab. Third largest employer in Sunnydale till it closed down last year. (gets stares from the others) What, I can’t have information sometimes?
Giles: Well, it-it’s just somewhat unprecedented.
Xander: Well, my uncle used to work there. I-in a floor sweeping capacity.
Buffy: But it closed?
Xander: Uh-huh.
Buffy: Looked pretty functional from where I stood. I don’t have a clue what they were doing.
Xander: And what do they need Dave for?
Buffy: Something about computers, right? I mean, he is off-the-chart smart.
Giles: We still don’t know an enormous amount. Whatever is going on there may be on the up-and-up.
Xander: No, if CRD opened, it would’ve been on the news. Buffy: Besides, I can just tell something’s wrong. My spider sense is
tingling.
Giles: Your… spider sense?
Buffy: Pop culture reference. Sorry.
Giles: Yes, well, ahem, I think we’re still at a stand still. Uh, uh, short of breaking into the place, I don’t see…
Buffy: Breaking in! (slides off of the table) Then this is the plan! Xander: I’m free tonight!
Buffy: Tonight it is! (goes over to Xander)
Giles: (tries to dampen their excitement) A moment, please, of quiet reflection. I do not suggest that you illegally enter the…
Ms. Calendar enters the library.
Giles: …data into the file so the book will be listed by title as well as by author.
Ms. Calendar: I just came by to check your new data base, make sure your cross reference table isn’t glitching. ‘Cause I’m guessing you haven’t gone anywhere near it.
Giles: Uh, I’m still sorting through the chaos you left behind you.
Ms. Calendar: Hmm. (to Buffy and Xander) You’re here again? Kids really dig the library, don’t cha?
Buffy: We’re literary!
Xander: To read makes our speaking English good.
Buffy: (embarrassed) We’ll be going now. (grabs Xander and turns to leave)
Giles: Uh, w-we’ll, uh, continue this conversation at another time.
Buffy: I think we’re done. (they leave) (to Xander) Makes our speaking English is good?
Xander: (defensively) I panicked, okay?
Cut to the computer lab. Willow is chatting online with Malcolm. Malcolm: I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, Willow.
Willow: I know what you mean. I feel like you know me better than anyone.
Malcolm: I do.
Willow: Do you think we should… meet?
Malcolm: I think we should soon.
Willow: I’m nervous.
Malcolm: I’m not. Isn’t that strange?
Willow: That’s what Buffy doesn’t understand, how comfortable you can make me feel.
Malcolm: Buffy just makes trouble. That’s why she got kicked out of her old school.
She is puzzled and pauses for a moment.
Willow: How did you know that?
Malcolm: It’s on her permanent record.
She doesn’t respond, still puzzled.
Malcolm: You must have mentioned it.
Willow: (unsure) I guess.
Malcolm: Let’s not worry about her anymore.
Willow: I have to sign off. I’ll talk to you later.
Malcolm: Don’t.
Willow: Bye.
She turns off the monitor, gets up and leaves.
Cut to the library.
Ms. Calendar: (exasperated) You’re a snob!
Giles: (incredulous) I am no such thing.
Ms. Calendar: Oh, you are a big snob. You, you think that knowledge should be kept in these carefully guarded repositories where only a handful of white guys can get at it.
Giles: Nonsense! I simply don’t adhere to a, a knee-jerk assumption that because something is new, it’s better.
Ms. Calendar: This isn’t a fad, Rupert! We are creating a new society here.
Giles: A society in which human interaction is all but obsolete? In which people can be completely manipulated by technology, well, well… Thank you, I’ll pass.
Ms. Calendar: Well, ahem, I think you’ll be very happy here with your musty, old books. (opens Moloch’s book)
Giles: These musty old books have a great deal more to say than in any of your… fabulous web pages.
Ms. Calendar: Hmm. (pages through the book) This one doesn’t have a whole lot more to say.
Giles stares at the empty book.
Ms. Calendar: What is it, like a diary?
Giles: How odd. I haven’t looked through all the volumes yet, I didn’t, um…
He closes the book and sees the etching of Moloch on the cover. Ms. Calendar: What is it?
Giles: (puzzled) Uh, nothing, um, a, a diary, yes. I imagine that’s what it is. (pauses to think) Well, it’s been so nice talking to you. (heads to his office with the book)
Ms. Calendar: We were fighting.
Giles: (absently) Must do it again sometime, yes… Bye, now. She watches him disappear into his office.
Cut outside. The school nurse is frantic as she quickly walks along with a man.
School nurse: I checked the computer, and there’s nothing in his file about being allergic to penicillin!
Buffy comes walking out of the school. Dave comes up to her. Dave: Buffy!
Buffy: Dave! How’re you doing?
Dave: Okay. Uh, look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I haven’t been getting much sleep lately, y’know?
Buffy: Don’t sweat it.
Dave: (awkwardly) Willow was looking for you.
Buffy: Good, I need to talk to her. Do you know where she is? Dave: She said she’d be in the, in the girls’ locker room. Buffy: Great. Thanks.
She looks at him for a moment, and then goes to find Willow. He watches her go.
Cut to the girl’s locker room. It’s deserted. Buffy slowly walks down the aisle and into a row of lockers.
Buffy: Will?
She walks further.
Buffy: Willow?
Cut to Fritz in the shower. He turns the water on and leaves. Cut to Buffy.
Buffy: Will? You taking a shower?
She goes to the shower and sees that it’s on, but no one’s there. Buffy: I guess not.
The camera cuts to a light above and follows an electrical cord from it down to the corner of the floor in the shower. Buffy walks into the shower to turn off the water.
Buffy: This is how droughts get started.
She turns the water off. The water creeps toward the exposed wires.
Dave: Buffy! Get out!
She turns to him and notices the wires. They begin to spark. She leaps out of the shower. An arc of electricity follows her for an instant. She lands on a changing bench and rolls off onto the floor. Dave runs from the locker room. She sits up and looks over toward the showers. The camera pulls back to show the soles of her shoes smoking.
Cut to the computer lab. It’s dark. Dave comes in and turns on a PC. Dave: I can’t do it! I’m not gonna do it.
Moloch: But you promised.
Dave: (desperately) Buffy isn’t a threat to you! Stop with it. Moloch: The project is almost complete. You won’t have to do it again. Dave: (drops his bag and whimpers) Oh, I can’t!
Moloch: I’ve shown you a new world, Dave. Knowledge, power… I can give you everything. All I want is your love.
Dave: No. This isn’t right. None of it is.
The scratch pad comes up on the monitor and Moloch writes a note:
I’m sorry. I’ve been a terrible person.
I’m a coward, and I can’t go on living like this.
Forgive me, Mom and Dad. At least now I’ll
have some peace. Remember me.
Love, Dave.
He backs away from the computer. Fritz is waiting behind him by the window.
Cut to the library. Buffy sits at the table while Xander paces. Xander: I’m gonna kill Dave!
Buffy: He tried to warn me.
Xander: Warn you that he set you up? (to Giles) Is she gonna be okay?
Giles: She was only grounded for a moment. (sits and hands Buffy a mug) Still, if you’d been anyone but the Slayer…
Buffy: Tell me the truth: how’s my hair?
Xander: It’s great! It’s your best hair ever! (smiles) Giles: Uh, oh, yes.
Buffy: I just… I don’t understand what would make Dave do a thing like that.
Giles: I think perhaps I do.
He goes over to get Moloch’s book from the cage. He comes back holding it up.
Giles: Does this look familiar to either of you?
Buffy: Yeah, sure. Looks like a book.
Xander: I knew that one.
Giles: (sets it on the table) In the dark ages the souls of demons were sometimes trapped in certain volumes. They remained locked within the book, harmless, unless the pages were read aloud. Unless I’m mistaken, this is Moloch, the Corrupter. A very deadly and seductive demon. He draws people to him with promises of love, power, knowledge. Preys on impressionable minds.
Xander: Like Dave’s.
Giles: Dave, and who knows how many others.
Buffy: And Moloch is inside that book?
Giles: Not anymore. (opens the book)
Xander: You released Moloch?
Buffy: Way to go!
Giles: I didn’t read it! That dreadful Calendar woman found it and, and it was already blank.
Buffy: Okay, so a powerful demon with horns is walking around Sunnydale, and nobody’s noticed?
Xander: I-if he’s so big and strong, why bother with Dave? I mean, why didn’t he just attack Buffy himself?
Giles: I don’t know. And I don’t know who could’ve read that book. It wasn’t even in English.
Buffy: Where was it?
Giles: Uh, in a pile with others that were, um, uh, scanned. They look over at the PC.
Xander: And that released the demon?
Buffy: No, he’s not out here. (points to the PC) He’s in there.
Giles: The scanner read the book. It brought Moloch out as information to be absorbed.
Buffy: He’s gone binary on us.
Xander: Okay, for those of us in our studio audience, who are me? You guys are saying that Moloch is in this computer?
Buffy: And every computer connected to it by a modem.
Giles: He’s everywhere.
Xander: What are we gonna do?
Giles: Willow scanned him into her file. It may be… a futile gesture, but I suggest we, um, uh, delete it.
Buffy: Solid!
She gets up and walks over to the PC.
Xander: Don’t get too close.
She sits down in front of it.
Buffy: Okay. Okay. (turns on the monitor) So which file do you think it is? Willow? (types) That’s probably it, right? I’ll just delete the whole thing.
She drags the file icon to the trash bin, and inhales in fright when Moloch’s demonic face appears on the monitor.
Moloch: Stay away from Willow! It is none of your business! The monitor returns to normal.
Buffy: So that’s what Malcolm looks like.
Part 3
The library.
Buffy: So much for delete file.
Giles: This is very bad.
Xander: Are we overreacting? He’s in a computer! What can he do?
Buffy: You mean besides convince a perfectly nice kid to try and kill me? I don’t know. How about mess up all the medical equipment in the world?
Giles: Randomize traffic signals.
Buffy: Access launch codes for our nuclear missiles.
Giles: Destroy the world’s economy.
Buffy: I think I pretty much capped it with that nuclear missile thing. Giles: Right, yours was best.
Xander: Okay, he’s a threat, I’m on board with that now. But what can we do about it?
Buffy: I think the first thing we do is find Willow. She’s probably talking to him right now. God, that creeps me out!
Xander: What does he want with Willow?
Buffy: Let’s never find out. (gets up) Okay, I’m gonna check the computer lab, and you guys call her home.
Cut to the computer lab. Buffy comes in and looks around. It’s dark. Buffy: Willow?
The PC’s suddenly all come on, startling her. She backs further into the room while looking around more. She turns around and jumps as she bumps into Dave. He’s hanging from the ceiling with the note pinned to his shirt.
Cut to the library. Xander is on the phone trying to reach Willow. He gives up.
Xander: No answer.
Giles: Damn it!
Xander: (hangs up) Well, it wasn’t busy either, so she’s not online. Buffy comes back into the library.
Xander: (to Buffy) She’s not home.
Giles: What did you find?
Xander: (worried) Willow isn’t…
Buffy: Dave. He’s dead.
Giles: How?
Buffy: Well, it looks like suicide.
Xander: With a little help from my friends?
Buffy: I’d guess Fritz. Or the other zomboids from CRD. Okay, (to Xander) you and I are gonna go to Willow’s house. Giles, you need to come up with a way to get Moloch out of the ‘Net.
Giles: I, I have records of the ceremonies, but, but that’s for a creature of the flesh. Th-this could be something completely different.
Buffy: Then get Ms. Calendar. Maybe she can help you.
Giles: Well, even if she could, how am I gonna convince her that there’s a demon on the Internet?
Buffy: Okay, fine, then you can stay here and come up with a better plan. (to Xander) C’mon.
Cut to Willow’s house. She’s coming home. She unlocks the door and goes in. Cut inside.
Willow: Mom? Dad?
She closes the door. Cut to her room. She dumps her book bag on the bed and opens it.
PC: You have mail.
Willow looks at her PC. The mail icon is active. She goes over to her desk, logs on, clicks on the icon and opens the new message folder.
Message: No more waiting. I need you to see me.
She turns off her monitor and goes back to her bag. The monitor comes back on by itself again.
PC: You have mail.
Willow stares at it in disbelief. The doorbell rings, and after another look at her computer she goes to answer it. Cut to the front door.
Willow: Dad, did you forget your keys again?
She opens the door, but no one’s there. She turns to go back in. As she starts to close the door behind her Fritz reaches around her head with a cloth splashed with chloroform. After a brief struggle Willow loses unconsciousness.
Fritz: No more waiting.
Cut to the library. Giles is researching and listening to the radio.
Radio: A spokesman for the archbishop denied the allegations, blaming computer error for the apparent financial discrepancy.
Giles: Binding rituals…
Radio: In Washington D.C., the FBI today reported that all of its serial killer profiles have been mysteriously downloaded from its central computer.
Ms. Calendar knocks on the door.
Ms. Calendar: Hi. I got your message. What’s so urgent?
Giles: (turns off the radio and gets up) Um, thank you for coming. Uh, I need your help. (laughs nervously) But before that, um, I need you to believe something that, um, you may not want to. Uh, there’s, uh… something’s got into the, um… i-i-inside, um… (takes a breath and lets it out) There’s a demon in the Internet.
Ms. Calendar: I know.
Giles is surprised to hear that.
Cut to Willow’s house. Buffy and Xander arrive and find the door open. Buffy: Willow?!
Cut inside.
Xander: This isn’t good.
Buffy: Willow?!
They come in and head for Willow’s room. Cut to Willow’s room. Buffy: Willow?!
They walk into the room and see that Willow isn’t there. Xander: Okay, any thoughts?
Buffy looks around and sees the message on the computer.
Buffy: (reads) ‘No more waiting, I need you to see me’? (to Xander) See him how? Where?
Xander: What about CRD?
Buffy: The research place?
Xander: I’m guessing that’s Moloch central.
Buffy: Guessing that’s our best lead. Let’s just hope Giles can back us up.
They leave.
Cut to the library. Giles unfolds his arms and gets up from the table. Giles: You already know? How exactly is that?
Ms. Calendar: Come on, there’ve been portents for days. I mean, power surges, online shutdowns… You should see the bones I’ve been casting. I knew this would happen sooner or later. I mean, it’s probably a, a mischief demon, y’know, like Kelkor, or…
Giles: It’s Moloch.
Ms. Calendar: The Corrupter? Oh, boy. (exhales) I shoulda remembered, I just don’t…
Giles: Uh… You don’t seem exactly surprised by… Who are you? Ms. Calendar: I teach computer science at the local high school. Giles: A profession that hardly lends itself to the casting of bones.
Ms. Calendar: (exasperated) Wrong and wrong, snobby. You think the realm of the mystical is limited to ancient texts and relics? That bad old science made the magic go away? Mm. The divine exists in cyberspace same as out here.
Giles: Are you a witch?
Ms. Calendar: Mm. I don’t have that kinda power. ‘Technopagan’ is the term.
Giles lets out a chuckle.
Ms. Calendar: There are more of us than you think.
Giles: Well, uh, you can definitely help me. (gets the book) Um… What’s in cyberspace at the moment is less than divine.
They go out into the main area.
Giles: I have the binding rituals at hand, but I’m completely out of my idiom.
Ms. Calendar: Well, I can help! I think… I hope, I mean, well, (sits at the PC) this is my first real… Do you know how he got in?
Giles: He was, uh, ‘scanned’ is the term, I believe.
Ms. Calendar: And you want him back in the book?
The phone rings. Giles goes to get it.
Giles: Buffy!
Buffy: (cut to a pay phone outside CRD) Yeah.
Giles: Willow?
Buffy: Not at home. It looks like she was taken somewhere. Giles: (cut to him) Where are you?
Buffy: (cut to her) CRD. Whatever Moloch wants Willow for, it’s probably in there.
Giles: (cut to him) Ms. Calendar and I are, uh, working to get Moloch offline.
Buffy: (cut to her) Here’s a tip: hurry! (hangs up)
Cut to a lab inside CRD. It’s dark. Willow is lying on a table unconscious. She wakes up. After a moment she sits up and looks around. She sees Fritz and a technician standing there, and beyond them a computer monitor. The camera begins to close on the monitor.
Moloch: Welcome, my love.
Cut to the camera starting to close in on Willow. Cut to the camera closing in on the monitor again.
Moloch: I can’t tell you how good it is to see you…
The camera closes in on Willow’s terrified face. Cut to the monitor. A metal hand slaps down on it. The camera pans up to Moloch’s face. A robot body has been built for him.
Moloch: …with my own two eyes.
Willow is breathing hard and is very afraid.
Part 4
The lab at CRD. Willow is terrified.
Moloch: Willow.
Willow: (whispers) Malcolm.
Fritz and the technician come to get her and take her by the arms. Moloch slowly comes closer.
Moloch: This world is so new, so exciting. I can see all of it. Everything flows through me. I know the secrets of your kings. But nothing compares to having form again. To be able to walk, (puts his hand on Fritz’s head) to touch, (breaks Fritz’s neck) to kill.
Willow watches Fritz’s dead body fall. She looks back up at Moloch.
Cut outside. Buffy lands on the other side of the fence. Xander yells as he falls after climbing over the top. Buffy helps him up.
Xander: Back way?
Buffy: Back way.
They make for the rear entrance. Xander is limping badly. Cut inside. Buffy kicks the doors open. She walks in determinedly. Cut to the lab.
Moloch: Here they come.
Cut to the library. Ms. Calendar is lighting candles.
Ms. Calendar: The first thing we have to do is form the circle of Kayless. Right?
Giles: Form a circle? But there’s only two of us. That’s really more of a line.
Ms. Calendar: You’re not getting it, Rupert. We have to form the circle inside. (sits at the PC) I’m putting out a flash. I just hope enough of my group responds.
Giles: Won’t Moloch just shut you down?
Ms. Calendar: Well, I’m betting he won’t figure out what we’re doing until it’s too late.
Giles: Hoping and betting, that’s what we’ve got.
Ms. Calendar: You wanna throw in praying? Be my guest. Cut to the lab at CRD.
Willow: I don’t understand. What do you want from me? Moloch: I want to give you the world.
Willow: (suspiciously) Why?
Moloch: You created me. I brought these humans together to build me a body. But you gave me life. Took me out of the book that held me. I want to repay you.
Willow: By lying to me? By pretending to be a person? Pretending you loved me?
Moloch: I do!
Cut to the lobby. Buffy and Xander walk up to the guard. He gets up to stop them, but she punches him out and continues. Xander notices the guard’s monitor.
Xander: Uh, Buffy!
She comes back to look.
Buffy: It’s her!
Xander: Yeah, who’s the other guy?
Cut to the lab.
Moloch: Don’t you see? I can give you everything! I can control the world! Right now a man in Beijing is transferring money to a Swiss bank account for a contract on his mother’s life. Good for him!
Cut to another hall. Buffy and Xander come through the doors. She finds the door to the lab and tries to force it open.
Buffy: I can’t bust it. It’s heavy steel.
Xander: Then let’s find another way in.
He starts toward the next set of doors when an alarm goes off and red lights flash. Xander jumps to the door to try it. It’s locked. He comes back.
Xander: What’s goin’ on?
Buffy spies a security camera.
Buffy: Building’s security system is computerized.
Xander: Whoops!
A gas begins to spray into the hall.
Cut to the library.
Ms. Calendar: Almost there.
Giles: Couldn’t you just stop Moloch by, by entering some computer virus?
Ms. Calendar: You’ve seen way too many movies. Okay! We’re up. You read, I type. Ready?
Giles: Uh, I am. By the power of the divine, by the essence of the word, I command you…
Cut to the hall at CRD. Buffy and Xander are pounding on the doors. Xander begins to cough. Cut into the lab.
Willow: Let me leave?
Moloch: But I love you!
Willow: Don’t say that! That’s a joke! You don’t love anything! Moloch: You are mine!
Willow: I’m not yours! I’m never gonna be yours! Never!
Moloch lowers his head and considers for a moment while Willow just watches and waits. He raises his head again.
Moloch: Pity.
Cut to the library.
Giles: By the power of the circle of Kayless, I command you… (sees her typing) Kayless, with a ‘K’.
Cut to the hall. Xander slides down the wall to the floor, almost unconscious. Buffy is still weakly hitting the door.
Cut to the lab. Moloch has Willow cornered. He reaches up and puts his hand on her head.
Moloch: I’ll miss you.
Willow screams. Cut to the library.
Giles: Demon, come!
Cut to the lab. Moloch screams and lifts his arms in pain, letting go of Willow. He begins to writhe. Cut to the library.
Giles: I command you!
Cut to the lab. Buffy comes in though the door with Xander close behind. She leaps into a jumping side kick, making a dull thud when she connects with Moloch’s chest, but he only staggers a bit, and she just falls to the floor.
Buffy: Ow… Guy’s made of metal!
The technician grabs Xander from behind and pulls him away. Buffy quickly gets up and looks at Willow while Moloch continues to writhe in pain.
Moloch: No! I won’t go back!
Buffy grabs Willow’s hand and they run out of the lab. Cut to the library.
Giles: Demon, COME!
Cut to the lab. Moloch continues to scream. Cut to the library. The computer sparks several times. Cut to the lab. Xander pushes the technician back into a wall, turns around and punches him out. He quickly follows the girls out.
Xander: Hey! I got to hit someone!
Moloch falls to his knees. Cut to the library. Wind is blowing inside and the computer monitor is flashing. Cut to the lab. Moloch screams loudly. Cut to the library. Giles and Ms. Calendar watch the monitor flicker. Cut to the lab. Moloch’s screams die out. Cut to the library. The computer monitor stops flashing. Smoke comes out of the back of it.
Ms. Calendar: He’s out of the ‘Net. He’s bound.
Giles goes over to the book, picks it up and opens it to look.
Giles: He’s not in the book.
Ms. Calendar: (gets up and looks at it also) He’s not in the book. Well, where is he?
Cut to the lab. Moloch slowly raises his head. Cut to the hall. Buffy and Willow open a set of doors and see a guard and two technicians running toward them. They push the doors closed.
Xander: Let’s go this way! (begins to run the other way)
Buffy: Wait!
Xander is still limping heavily. Suddenly Moloch crashes through the wall between them. He looks at Xander and backhands him in the face. Xander falls to the floor unconscious. Moloch turns and advances on the girls. He starts to swing at Buffy, and she tries to block the hit, but he doesn’t budge and just pushes her aside and into the wall. She slides to the floor, a bit dazed.
Moloch: (angrily) I was omnipotent. I was everything! Now I’m trapped in this shell! He reaches out to grab her by the head.
Willow: Malcolm!
Moloch turns to face her. She has a fire extinguisher.
Willow: Remember me, your girlfriend?!
She pounds the extinguisher into his chest hard enough to make him bend back.
Willow: Well, I think it’s time we break up!
She hits him again even harder.
Willow: Or maybe we can still be friends!
She tries again for his face, but this time he grabs the extinguisher from her and throws it down. He grabs her and shoves her down the hall
into Xander, who’s just getting up again. They both crash to the floor. Buffy has recovered from her daze and gets up to face Moloch. He turns his attention on her.
Moloch: This body’s all I have left. But it’s enough to crush you!
Buffy looks around for a way to deal with him. She notices a power junction box on the wall. She faces him again and eases her way in front of the box.
Buffy: Take your best shot.
Moloch rears back for a punch and swings. Buffy ducks away, and he punches right into the electrical box. It shorts out, and Moloch is enveloped by high voltage electricity. Buffy runs over to Willow and Xander and crouches down to protect them. Moloch’s circuitry overloads, and his body explodes. His head lands right in front of them.
Cut to the school the next day. Cut to the computer lab. Ms. Calendar is standing at her desk and typing on her PC. Giles comes in, clears his throat and knocks on the open door. She turns to see who’s there.
Ms. Calendar: (smiles) Well, look who’s here! Welcome to my world. (with a bit of an attitude) You scared?
Giles: I’m remaining calm, thank you. Uh, I just wanted to, uh, return this. (holds up a small curly earring) I found it among the new books, and naturally I thought of you.
Ms. Calendar: Cool. Thanks. (takes it)
Giles: Uh, well, I’ll, I’ll see you anon. (begins to go) Ms. Calendar: Can’t get outta here fast enough, can you?
Giles: (comes back in) Truthfully, I’m even less anxious to be around computers than I used to be.
Ms. Calendar: Well, it was your book that started all the trouble, not a computer.
Giles is at a loss.
Ms. Calendar: Honestly, what is it about them that bothers you so much? Giles: The smell.
Ms. Calendar: Computer’s don’t smell, Rupert.
Giles: I know! Smell is the most powerful trigger to the memory there is. A certain flower or a, a whiff of smoke can bring up experiences… long forgotten. Books smell. Musty and, and, and, and rich. The knowledge gained from a computer, is, uh, it… it has no, no texture, no, no context. It’s, it’s there and then it’s gone. If it’s to last, then, then the getting of knowledge should be, uh, tangible, it should be, um… smelly.
Ms. Calendar: Well! You really are an old-fashioned boy, aren’t you? Giles: Well, I-I don’t dangle a corkscrew from my ear. Ms. Calendar: (mischievously) That’s not where I dangle it.
She walks past him and smiles. Giles follows her with his gaze and looks Puzzled yet intrigued.
Cut outside to the fountain. Xander and Buffy are trying to cheer up Willow.
Xander: We gonna go to the Bronze tonight? We three?
Buffy: It’ll be fun!
Xander: Yeah, Willow, fun? Remember fun? That thing where you smile? (smiles)
Willow: Oh, I’m sorry guys. I’m just thinking about… Buffy: Malcolm?
Willow: Malcolm, Moloch… whatever he’s called. The one boy that’s really liked me, and he’s a demon robot. What does that say about me?
Buffy: It doesn’t say anything about you.
Willow: I mean, I thought I was really falling…
Buffy: (interrupts) Hey, did you forget? The one boy I’ve had the hots for since I’ve moved here turned out to be a vampire.
Xander: Right, and the teacher I had a crush on? Giant praying mantis? (goofy smile)
Willow: That’s true. (smiles)
Xander: Yeah, that’s life on the Hellmouth.
Buffy: Let’s face it: none of us are ever gonna have a happy, normal relationship.
Xander: We’re doomed!
Willow: Yeah!
They all laugh. Their laughter quickly becomes nervous and stops. Only the fountain can be heard as they each consider their plight.
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