Teaser

FADE IN:

EXT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL – NIGHT

The front of the affluent Southern California school gleams darkly in the moonlight.

INT. HALL – CONTINUOUS

TRACK through the hall. Nothing.

INT. CLASSROOM – CONTINUOUS

Silent.

We track along the wall, past the maps and drawings tacked up on it, past the window, which SHATTERS in our faces!

It’s just a single pane, knocked in by someone’s hand. It unlocks the window and slides it up.

The intrude is a college age BOY, a timid GIRL beside him. She looks about nervously.

BOY
It’s a great idea! Come on.

As they climb in.

INT. HALL – A MOMENT LATER

He leads her out here. It’s even darker than the classroom

BOY
Used to.
On top of the gym, it’s so cool – you can see the whole town.

GIRL
I don’t want to go up there.

BOY
Oh, you can’t wait, huh?

He moves to kiss her.

BOY
Count on it.

He kisses her, but she turns suddenly, real fear crossing her face.

BOY
What was what?

GIRL
I heard a noise.

BOY
It’s nothing.

GIRL
Maybe it’s something…

BOY
Maybe it’s some Thing...

GIRL
That’s not funny.

He looks about them. The place is dark, shadowy. She cowers behind him.

Silence.

GIRL
Are you sure?

BOY
I’m sure.

GIRL
Okay…

She bares HORRIBLE FANGS and BURIES them in his neck.

CREDITS

CLOSE UP: SHOES

A poor man’s shoes, walking down the alley. Echoing in the emptiness.

ANGLE: THE MAN

Walking tentatively, far away. Suddenly the camera RUSHES at him like a predator – he turns just as it reaches him and –

ANGLE: A CANDLE BLOWING OUT.

We HEAR CHILDREN CHANTING a schoolyard song eerily in the blackness, on top of sinister WHISPERS, and we see

ANGLE: THE ALLEY

And the man, face down, unable to crawl, clawing his way along the ground in terror – and his body is YANKED out of frame with incredible speed.

ANGLE: A GIRL IN BED

Tossing and turning, as the camera moves down to reveal the shadow of someone – something – approaching her – and we hear an impossibly low voice:

ANGLE: A POOL OF BLOOD

ANGLE: A DEMONIC FACE

ROARS out of the shadows and we

INT. BUFFY’S BEDROOM – MORNING

Her eyes snap open. Despite the morning light, we recognize the girl – and the bed – from the dream. A moment, as she gets her bearings, shakes off the immediacy of the dream.

BUFFY
I’m up, mom.

BUFFY’S MOM (O.S.)
Don’t want to be late for your first day.

BUFFY
(to herself)
No… wouldn’t want that…

Her voice betrays her uncertainty. She sits up. A wider angle on her room reveals that it’s only half decorated: there are still boxes as yet unpacked in the corner.

EXT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL – MORNING

A day as bright and colorful as the night was black and eerie. Students pour in before first bell, talking, laughing. They could be from anywhere in America, but for the extremity of their dress and the esoteric mania of their slang. This is definitely So Cal.

ANGLE: A CAR

Pulls up outside the school. Buffy’s mom, JOYCE, is driving. Buffy gets out the passenger side.

BUFFY
I promise.

The girl turns, looks at the school. She starts in as her mother drives away.

ANGLE: A SKATEBOARD

Weaving along the road. On it is XANDER, dressed with the shaggy indifference common to skateboarders.

He is bright, funny, and will one day be suave and handsome. Till that day arrives, he’ll do the best he can with bright and funny.

He weaves through a thickening mass of students toward the school.

But he’s doing okay until he passes Buffy – intrigued by the new face, he cranes to look at her, and nearly takes a header. He saves himself from falling, however, coming to a stop just in front of:

WILLOW. She is shy, bookish, and very possibly dressed by her mother. The intelligence in her eyes and the sweetness of her smile belie a genuine charm that is lost on the unsubtle high school mind. It’s certainly lost on Xander, though he brightens considerably to see her. The new face forgotten, at least for now.

Her excitement at the sentiment is sweetly pathetic, and typically unnoticed.

XANDER
Yeah. You know, I kind of had a problem with the math.

WILLOW
(hiding disappointment)
Which part?

XANDER
The math. Can you help me tonight?
Please? Be my study buddy?

WILLOW
Well, what’s in it for me?

XANDER
A shiny nickel…

WILLOW
Okay. Do you have “Theories in Trig?” You should check it out.

XANDER
Check it out?

WILLOW
From the library. Where the books live.

XANDER
Right. I’m there. See, I want to change.

INT. SCHOOL HALL – CONTINUOUS

They are approached by JESSE, their bud. He is a little more awkward than Xander, a little less likely to become a lady killer in his later years.

XANDER
Jesse! What’s what.

JESSE
New girl!

XANDER
That’s right, I saw her. She’s pretty much a hotty.

WILLOW
I heard someone was transferring here.

XANDER
So. Tell.

JESSE
Tell what?

XANDER
What’s the sitch? What do you know about her?

JESSE
(“that’s all”)
New girl.

XANDER
Well, you’re certainly a font of nothing.

INT. BOB FLUTIE’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS

Buffy sits before principal FLUTIE. He is middle aged, a tad officious. Caught between the old school of strict discipline and the new school of sensitivity.

He pulls her transcript from a folder. He looks at it, looks at her.

He smiles, and carefully tears up her transcript up into four pieces.

He is taking the pieces of the transcript as he talks and carefully placing them together again.

BUFFY
Mr. Flutie –

MR FLUTIE
All the kids here are free to call me Bob –

BUFFY
Bob –

MR FLUTIE
--but they don’t.

He pulls out a piece of tape, starts taping the transcript back together.

MR FLUTIE
Hey, we’re not caring about that! Do you think “colorful” is the word? Not “dismal”? Just off
hand, I’d go with “dismal.”

BUFFY
It wasn’t that bad.

MR FLUTIE
You burned down the gym.

BUFFY
I did. I really did. But you gotta see the big picture. I mean, the gym was full of vamp… uh,
asbestos.

MR FLUTIE
Buffy. Don’t worry. Any other school, they might say “watch your step”, or, “we’ll be watching
you” or, “get within a hundred yards of the gym with a book of matches and you’ll grow up in
juvie hall” but that’s just not the way here. We want to service your needs, and help you to
respect our needs. And if you needs and our needs don’t mesh…

Still smiling blandly, he slips the taped up transcript back in her folder.

INT. HALL – A MOMENT LATER

Buffy exits to office, looking a bit depressed. She starts rummaging through her bag and a student runs by, bumps into her. Her books and stuff spill out. Frustrated, she kneels down, starts scooping it back in.

Xander sees this, goes up to her, kneeling.

BUFFY
Oh, thanks…

He starts picking things up, handing them to her.

BUFFY
I’m new. I’m Buffy.

XANDER
Xander. Is me. Hi.

BUFFY
Thanks.

XANDER
Maybe I’ll see you around. Maybe at school, since we both… go there…

BUFFY
Great. Nice to meet you.

He gives her the rest of her books. She stuffs it all in her bag and hurries away.

He notices something on the floor, bends down to get it. Calls after her:

But she’s too far off to hear. He looks at the wooden stake, puzzled.

INT. HISTORY CLASS – MORNING

THE TEACHER is in front, lecturing. We hear her mostly in voice over as we see Buffy near the back, earnestly taking notes. Trying to keep up.

Buffy looks about as kids open their books – she hasn’t got one. The girl next to her, CORDELIA, leans over. She is pretty, self assured. Killer outfit.

She moves her book over so Buffy can read off it as well.

TEACHER
And this popular plague led to what social changes?

INT. SAME – END OF CLASS

Kids are piling up their books and leaving as the bell RINGS. Cordelia introduces herself:

BUFFY
I’m Buffy.

CORDELIA
If you’re looking for a textbook of your very own, there’s probably a few in the Library.

BUFFY
Oh, great. Thanks. Where would that be?

CORDELIA
I’ll show you.

As the girls walk through the crowded hall.

BUFFY
Yeah.

CORDELIA
Oh! I would kill to live in L.A.
Being that close to that many shoes… Why’d you come here?

BUFFY
Because my Mom moved, is the reason. I mean we both moved. But my Mom wanted to.

INT. HALL – CONTINUOUS

BUFFY
(tentatively)
Over?

CORDELIA
SO over. James Spader.

BUFFY
He needs to call me.

CORDELIA
Trendy but tasty.
John Tesh.

BUFFY
The Devil?

CORDELIA
Well, that was pretty much a gimme, but you passed.

BUFFY
Oh, good.

They stop at the water fountain, which is being used by:

That hurt. Buffy says nothing, surprised by Cordelia’s sudden viciousness. Willow says, almost apologetically:

CORDELIA
(witheringly)
No wonder you’re such a guy-magnet.
Are you done?

WILLOW
Oh.

She vacates the fountain. Cordy steps up to it, looking at Buffy.

She bends down to drink. Buffy looks at the departing Willow, unhappily.

INT. ANOTHER HALL – A MINUTE LATER

As Buffy and Cordelia walk toward the library.

BUFFY
The who?

CORDELIA
The Bronze. It’s the only club worth going to around here. They let anybody in but it’s still the
scene. It’s in the bad part of town.

BUFFY
Where’s that?

CORDELIA
About half a block from the good part of town. We don’t have a whole lot of town. You should
show.

They arrive at the entrance to the library.

CORDELIA
Good. I’ll see you at gym and you can tell me absolutely everything there is to know about
yourself.

She goes off.

INT. THE LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS

Buffy enters, looking about her. It’s elegant, full of dark wood, streaming sunlight, and (duhh) books. It’s also empty. Buffy steps in, looking around. She looks down at the check-out counter to see:

ANGLE: A NEWSPAPER

Folded, with an article on the first page circled in red. The headline reads: LOCAL BOYS STILL MISSING, with a blurry picture of three brothers.

Buffy wanders further in. She peers around a bookcase –

And someone touches her from behind. Startled, she spins.

He is British, of middle age, with a quiet intensity.

GILES
Miss Summers.

BUFFY
Good call. I guess I’m the only new kid.

GILES
I’m Mr. Giles, the librarian.

BUFFY
Great. So you have, uh, --

GILES
I know what you’re after.

He leads her to the check-out desk by the door. His office can be seen behind it.

He pulls a book out and slides it toward Buffy. Huge leather bound, with a single word set in gild in the cover.

“VAMPYR”

Real concern floods Buffy’s face, along with the understanding. She steps back from the desk, eyes on the librarian.

GILES
Are you sure?

BUFFY
I’m way sure.

GILES
My mistake.

He replaces the book under the counter.

But she’s gone.

INT. WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM – AFTERNOON

Two GIRLS approach their lockers, talking. They begin undressing (just shoes and coats and stuff. Get your mind out of the gutter.)

GIRL #2
Hey, Aphrodesia.

GIRL #1
Hey.

GIRL #3
Well, the chatter in the caf is that she got kicked out and that’s why her mom had to get a new
job.

GIRL #1
Neg.

GIRL #3
Pos. She was starting fights.

GIRL #1
(opening her locker)
Negly!

GIRL #3 [hand written: “- AURA”]
(opening hers)
Well, I heard it from Blue, and she saw the transcripts –

Something FLIES OUT of the locker at her! She SCREAMS as the dead body of the boy from the opening collapses on her, eyes horribly wide.

ANGLE: FROM ABOVE

The body sprawls out on the floor as the girl steps back, screaming for all she’s worth.

Willow is carefully taking out her packed lunch (and how healthy it is). Buffy approaches her.

WILLOW
Why? I mean Hi. Did you want me to move?

BUFFY
Why don’t we start with “hi, I’m Buffy.”
(sits by her)
And then let’s segue directly into me asking you for a favor. It doesn’t involve moving, but it
does involve you hanging out with me for a while.

WILLOW
But aren’t you… hanging with Cordelia?

BUFFY
I can’t do both?

WILLOW
Not legally.

BUFFY
Look, I really want to get by here. New school… Cordelia’s been really nice – to me, anyway –
but I have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and I heard a rumor that you were the
person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up.

WILLOW
Oh, I could totally help you out! If you have sixth period free we could meet in the library –

BUFFY
–or not. Or, you know, we could meet somewhere quieter. Louder. That place kind of gives me a
wiggins.

WILLOW
It has that effect on most kids. I love it, though. It’s a great collection, and the new librarian’s
really cool.

BUFFY
He’s new?

WILLOW
Yeah, he just started. He was a curator of some British Museum. Or the British museum, I’m not
sure. But he knows everything and he brought all these historical volumes and biographies and
am I the single dullest person alive?

BUFFY
Not at all!

XANDER
(entering with Jesse)
Hey. Are you guys busy? Can we interrupt? We’re interrupting.

BUFFY
Hey.

JESSE
Hey there.

WILLOW
Buffy, this is Jesse, and that’s Xander.

XANDER
Oh, me and Buffy go way back. Old friends, very close. Then there was that period of
estrangement, I think we were both changing as people, but here we are and it’s like old times,
I’m quite moved.

JESSE
Is it me, or are you turning into a bibbling idiot?

XANDER
(a little embarrassed)
It’s not you.

BUFFY
It’s nice to meeting you guys… I think.

JESSE
Well, we wanted to welcome you, make you feel at home. Unless you have a scary home.

XANDER
And to return this.

He produces the stake.

[ Handwritten to the left side - "She takes it”]

BUFFY Oh. No. That was for self defense. Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is so passe.

XANDER
So. What do you like, what do you do for fun, what do you look for in a man… Let’s hear it.

JESSE
If you have any dark, painful secrets that we could publish…

BUFFY
Gee, everybody wants to know about me. How keen.

XANDER
Well, not a lot happens in a one-Starbucks town like Sunnydale. You’re big news.

BUFFY
I’m not. Really.

CORDELIA
Are these people bothering you?

She has appeared behind Jesse, all disdain on her face.

WILLOW
(covering for her)
She’s not hanging out with us.

JESSE
(smitten)
Hey, Cordelia.

CORDELIA
Oh, please.
(to Buffy)
I don’t want to interrupt your downward mobility. I just thought I’d tell you that you won’t be
meeting Coach Foster, the woman with chest hair, because gym has been canceled due to the
extreme dead guy in the locker.

BUFFY
What?

WILLOW
What are you talking about?

CORDELIA
Some guy was stuffed in Aura’s locker.

BUFFY
Dead.

CORDELIA
Way dead.

XANDER
So not just a little dead then.

CORDELIA
Don’t you have an elsewhere to be?

JESSE
(to Cordelia)
If you need a shoulder to cry on, or just to nibble on –

BUFFY
How did he die?

CORDELIA
I don’t know…

BUFFY
Well, were there any marks?

CORDELIA
Morbid much? I didn’t ask!

BUFFY
Uh, look, I gotta book. I’ll see you guys later.

She takes off, the others watching her.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE LOCKER ROOM – CONTINUOUS

Mr. Flutie closes the door quietly. He turns to see Buffy before him.

BUFFY
Um, is there a guy in there that’s dead?

MR FLUTIE
Where did you hear that? Okay. Yes. But he’s not a student! Not currently.

BUFFY
Do you know how he died?

MR FLUTIE
What?

BUFFY
I mean – how could this have happened?

MR FLUTIE
Well, that’s for the police to determine when they get here. But this structure is safe, we have inspections,
and I think there’s no grounds for a lawsuit.

BUFFY
Was there a lot of blood? Was there any blood?

MR FLUTIE
I would think you wouldn’t want to involve yourself in this kind of thing.

BUFFY
I don’t. Could I just take a peek?

MR FLUTIE
Unless you already are involved…

BUFFY
Never mind.

MR FLUTIE
(being nicer)
Buffy, I understand this is confusing. You’re probably feeling a lot right now. You should share
those feelings. With someone else.

Buffy smiles wanly, backs off.

EXT. SIDE OF GYM – CONTINUOUS

Buffy comes around the side of the gym. There is a door to the locker room and she tries it. It’s locked.

She looks around to make sure she’s alone, and then PULLS the door open with a quick tug, splintering the lock. One last look around and she slips inside.

INT. WOMEN’S LOCKER ROOM – CONTINUOUS

Buffy approaches the body laid out under a blanket.

She hesitates, sure she’s not going to like what she sees. Pulls the blanket from his head and shoulders.

ANGLE: HIS NECK

Has two big ol’ bite marks in it.

What floods onto Buffy’s face is not horror, but grim frustration. She stares down at the body, nearly seething.

INT. LIBRARY – MOMENTS LATER

Buffy strides back in, attitude high.

She spies Giles and starts up toward him.

BUFFY
You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?

GILES
Yes.

BUFFY
Well, it’s the weirdest thing. He’s got two little holes in his neck and all his blood’s been
drained. Isn’t that bizarre? Aren’t you just going, “Ooooh….”

GILES
I was afraid of this.

BUFFY
Well, I wasn’t! It’s my first day. I was afraid that I’d be behind in all the classes, that I wouldn’t
make any friends, that I’d have last month’s hair. I didn’t think there would be vampires
on campus. And I don’t care.

GILES
Then why are you here?

She’s stopped for a moment.

She starts out, maybe a little unsatisfied with her exit.

BUFFY
Who?

GILES
The boy.

BUFFY
No, he’s just dead.

GILES
Can you be sure?

BUFFY
To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood and then you have to suck their blood, it’s a
whole big sucking thing. Mostly they’ll just take all your blood and then you just die – why am I
still talking to you?

GILES
You have no idea what’s going on, do you? Do you think it’s coincidence, your coming here?
That boy was just the beginning.

BUFFY
(turning)
Oh, why can’t you leave me alone?

GILES
Because you are the Slayer.

She stops. No comeback just now. He starts down after her, solemnly intoning:

She finishes along with him:

BUFFY
The stop the spread of their evil blah blah I’ve heard it, okay?

GILES
I don’t understand this attitude. You’ve accepted your duty, you’ve slain vampires before –

BUFFY
Well, I have both been there and done that. And I am moving on.

GILES
What do you know about this town?

BUFFY
It’s two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus.

GILES
Dig a bit in the history of this place and you’ll find there’ve been a steady stream of fairly odd
occurrences. I believe this area is a center of mystical energy. Things gravitate toward it that you
might not find elsewhere.

BUFFY
Like Vampires.

She tries to move past him and he pulls a book off the shelf, hands it to her. It resembles the vampire book he showed her earlier. He continues to pull more off, piling them up in her arms.

BUFFY
What, did you send away for the Time Life series?

GILES
Uh, yes.

BUFFY
Did you get the free phone?

GILES
The calendar.

BUFFY
Cool.
(remembering her agenda)
Okay, first of all, I’m a vampire slayer. And secondly, I’m retired. Hey, I know! Why don’t you
kill them?

GILES
I’m a watcher. I haven’t the skill.

BUFFY
Oh, come on. Stake through the heart, a little sunlight – it’s like falling off a log.

GILES
The Slayer slays. The Watcher –

BUFFY
Watches?

GILES
Yes. No! He – he – trains her, he prepares her –

BUFFY
Prepares me for what? For getting kicked out of school? Losing all my friends? Having to spend
all my time fighting for my life and never getting to tell anyone because it might ‘endanger’
them? Go ahead. Prepare me.

A beat, and she leaves. Giles heads out after her.

ANGLE: IN THE STACKS

A shadowy figure moves about back there, emerges into the light. It’s Xander, excitement, amusement and a disbelief dancing in his face. “Theories in Trig” in his hands.

He tries for a long time to form a word. When he does, it is merely:

INT. HALL – CONTINUOUS

Giles comes out of the library, calls out to Buffy.

She stops, turns. There are people about, so they are forced to whisper.

GILES
The influx of the undead, the supernatural occurrences. It’s been building for years and now…
There’s a reason why you’re here, and there’s a reason why it’s now.

BUFFY
Because now is the time my mom moved here.

GILES
Something is coming. Something is going to happen here soon.

BUFFY
Gee, can you vague that up for me…?

GILES
As far as I can tell, the signs point to a crucial mystical upheaval very soon – days, possibly less.

BUFFY
Come on. This is Sunnydale. How bad an evil can there be here?

INT. DARK PLACE – NIGHT

The camera TRACKS silently through a dark and eerie place. We see candles, broken statuary. A few figures bent in supplication. An ominous CHANTING fills the chamber.

As we move up, we see a single figure kneeling, well ahead of the rest. He is large, powerful, appears to be in his late twenties. In fact, LUKE is much older than that. His dress speaks of many eras, but definitely of none.

The CHANTING increases in intensity as the camera continues to move about the place, passing over Luke and we see what he is kneeling before for the first time.

A pool of blood.

As he speaks, we see his face clearly. Vampire. Not pretty.

He dips his finger in the blood.

And now we see:

WIDER ANGLE: THE CHURCH

It’s a bizarre ruin we’re in, buried beneath the ground. The stanchions and arches stand at haphazard angles, sheeted rock pushing in at all sides. The pool of blood is on what would be the altar.

The CHANTING fills the vast room as we

She is in the agony of outfit choosage, getting ready to go out. She has two, one scanty, the other somewhat plain. She holds them alternatively in front of her, looking in the mirror.

Joyce enters, watches her.

BUFFY
Yeah, Mom. I’m going to a club.

JOYCE
Will there be boys there?

BUFFY
No, Mom; it’s a nun club.

JOYCE
Well, just be careful.

BUFFY
I will.

As the conversation segues into serious territory, both women become somewhat uncomfortable with each other.

BUFFY
Great.

JOYCE
And that school is a very nurturing environment, which is what you need.

BUFFY
Mom…

JOYCE
Oh, not too nurturing. I know. You’re sixteen, I read all about the dangers of overnurturing.
(honestly)
It’s hard. New town, and all. For me, too. I’m trying to make it work.
(correcting herself)
I’m going to make it work.

BUFFY
I know.

JOYCE
You’re a good girl, Buffy. You just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that’s all behind us now.

BUFFY
It is. From now on, I’m only hanging out with the living. I – I mean, the lively… people.

JOYCE
Okay, have fun.

EXT. STREET – NIGHT

Buffy makes her way on foot to the Bronze. She leaves the suburban area the house is in for the deserted city streets on the edge of town.

She turns a corner, walks down the street, lost in thought – until she HEARS FOOTSTEPS behind her.

She stops, turns slowly.

A figure stands in the dark behind her. Far enough away that she doesn’t feel right saying anything to it. It doesn’t move – she can’t see its face but it seems to be looking at her.

Buffy turns to go.

The figure follows.

EXT. ANOTHER STREET – A MOMENT LATER

Buffy turns the corner, somewhat worried – moving faster. The figure follows, always at a discreet distance.

EXT. AN ALLEY – A MOMENT LATER

Buffy turns in. She looks about her. A pipe runs across the narrow alley some ten feet above her. Garbage cans cluster at the other end.

ANGLE: THE FIGURE

Turns into the now-empty alley, starts down it.

Buffy suddenly DROPS down on him, legs locked over his neck. She throws herself back, tipping him over, rolling herself and SLAMMING his body onto the ground.

He’s on his feet quickly, but she grabs him and throws him up against the wall. She closes in, but he makes no move to attack. Puts up his hands.

He seems faintly amused. Buffy eyes him suspiciously, getting her first good look at him.

ANGEL is strikingly handsome, with intelligence and a kind of distance in his eyes. Moves with a fighter’s grace.

ANGEL
I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. I don’t bite.

She backs off a bit, perplexed.

BUFFY
What do you want?

ANGEL
Same thing you do.

BUFFY
Okay, what do I want?

The amusement leaves his face.

BUFFY
(game show: )
Sorry! That’s incorrect but you do get this lovely watch and a year’s worth of Turtle Wax what I
want… is to be left alone.

ANGEL
You really think that’s an option anymore? You’re standing at the mouth of Hell. And it’s about
to open.

He reaches into his coat for something. It’s a jewelry box. He throws it to her.

BUFFY
For what?

ANGEL
The Harvest.

He starts out.

ANGEL
Let’s just say I’m a friend.

BUFFY
(exasperated)
Well, maybe I don’t want a friend.

ANGEL
I didn’t say I was yours…

He goes. Buffy watches him go, then opens the box.

ANGLE: IN THE BOX

Is a cross. Small, antique, on a gold chain, [Handwritten to the side: “Silver”, ‘gold chain’ is circled]

WIDER ANGLE: BUFFY ALONE IN THE ALLEY

Buffy looks at the cross, at the departing figure of the mysterious man.

And as she walks slowly away, the camera TRACKS past the corner, past another group of garbage cans.

In front of them, right before us but unseen by Buffy, are two figures. The poor man we saw in her dream, and a vampire. The beast has its face burrowing in his neck, as the last of his life shudders out.

EXT. THE BRONZE – NIGHT

A decent crowd mills aimlessly around the joint, high school students and older. The place has an appealingly dive-y earthiness; no waiting in line for the bouncer to decide whether you’re cool or not. Those that are in line wait only to pay the four bucks to get their hands stamped if they’re old enough to drink.

Buffy moves her way up the line, scanning about for a familiar face. She doesn’t find one. As she is let in we FOLLOW HER INTO:

INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS

It’s dark, crowded and noisy. A fairly thrashsome band holds forth on stage, blasting the kind of music that would cause major moshing in a rowdier crowd. Coffee bar in the back, and a balcony above with tables for two.

Buffy makes her way through, still looking about. A good looking GUY spies her and waves, smiling.

Buffy smiles vaguely, waving back. A moment before she realizes he’s waving to a guy right behind her. She attempts to turn her wave into fixing her hair, looking embarrassed.

ANGLE: WILLOW

Is getting a soda at the bar. She turns back to look at the band just as Buffy comes up to her.

WILLOW
Oh, hi! Hi.

BUFFY
Are you here with someone?

WILLOW
No, I’m just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up…

BUFFY
Oh, are you guys going out?

WILLOW
No. We’re just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up.

BUFFY
How come?

WILLOW
He stole my barbie.
(off Buffy’s look)
We were five.

BUFFY
Oh.

WILLOW
I don’t actually date a whole lot… lately.

BUFFY
Why not?

WILLOW
Well, when I’m with a boy I like, it’s hard for me to say anything cool, or witty, or at all… I can
usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away.

BUFFY
(laughing)
It’s not that bad.
It is. I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk.

BUFFY
You really haven’t been dating lately.

WILLOW
It’s probably easy for you.

BUFFY
(a little forlornly)
Oh, yeah. Real easy.

WILLOW
I mean, you don’t seem too shy.

BUFFY
Well, my philosophy is – do you wanna hear my philosophy?

WILLOW
I do.

BUFFY
Life is short.

WILLOW
Life is short.

BUFFY
Not original, I’ll grant you. But it’s true. Why waste time being all shy? Why worry about some
guy and if he’s gonna laugh at you? You know? Seize the moment. ‘Cause tomorrow you might
be dead.

WILLOW
Oh… That’s nice…

Buffy sees somebody moving about on the balcony. Her brow furrows.

WILLOW
That’s okay. You don’t have to come back.

BUFFY
(smiling at her self-effacing attitude)
I’ll be back in a minute.

She takes off, leaving Willow at the bar.

ANGLE: ATOP THE BALCONY

Buffy comes up, makes her way to the railing overlooking the stage. She leans on it, and we see that Giles is standing beside her. He doesn’t even look at her.

GILES
(witheringly)
Right. This is me having fun.
(looking out on stage)
Watching clown-hair prance about is hardly my idea of a party. I’d much prefer to be home with a cup of bovril and a good book.

BUFFY
STAT.

GILES
This is a perfect breeding ground for Vampire activity. Dark, crowded… Besides, I knew you
were likely to show up. And I have to make you understand –

BUFFY
That the Harvest is coming, I know, your friend told me.

GILES
(thrown)
What did you say?

BUFFY
The… Harvest. That means something to you? ‘Cause I’m drawing a blank.

GILES
I’m not sure… Who told you this?

BUFFY
This guy. Dark, gorgeous in an annoying sort of way. I figured you were buds.

GILES
No… The Harvest… Did he say anything else?

BUFFY
Something about the mouth of Hell. I really didn’t like him.

They both look down at the floor for a moment, at the dancing kids.

BUFFY
Lucky them…

GILES
Or perhaps you’re right. Perhaps there is no trouble coming. The signs could be wrong. It’s not as
though you’re having the nightmares…

And we MOVE IN on Buffy’s face, clouding over. She says nothing, just looks down at the dancing kids.

ANGLE: THE FLOOR

Kids writhe about to the music with healthy abandon.

We find Cordelia off to the side, watching with her friends.

Jesse approaches her, smiling.

CORDELIA
Oh, yay, it’s my stalker.

JESSE
Hey, you look great.

CORDELIA
Well, I’m glad we had this chat –

JESSE
Listen, I, um, do you wanna dance?

CORDELIA
(witheringly)
With you?

JESSE
Well, uh, yeah.

CORDELIA
Well, uh, no.

She takes off, posse in tow. Jesse just soaks up the pain.

He looks around at the throng, officially beginning his prowl.

ANGLE: BUFFY AND GILES

In mid-conversation. Shaken by the dreams thing, Buffy is giving ground.

GILES
But will you be ready? There’s so much you don’t know, about them and about your own
powers. A vampire appears to be a normal person, until the feed is upon them. Only then do they
reveal their true demonic visage.

BUFFY
You’re like a textbook with arms! I know this!

GILES
The point is, a Slayer should be able to see them anyway. Without looking, without thinking. Can
you tell me if there’s a vampire in this building?

BUFFY
Maybe?

GILES
You should know! Even through this mass and this din you should be able to sense them. Try.
Reach out with your mind.

She looks down at the mass of kids on the floor. Furrows her brow.

BUFFY
There’s one.

Giles stops, nonplused.

BUFFY
(pointing)
Down there. Talking to that girl.

ANGLE: THEIR POV

In the corner stands a good looking young man, talking to a girl we can’t really see.

BUFFY
Oh, please. Look at his jacket. He’s got the sleeves rolled up. And the shirt… Deal with that
outfit for a moment.

GILES
It’s dated?

BUFFY
It’s carbon dated! Trust me: only someone who’s been living underground for ten years would
think that was the look.

GILES
But… you didn’t hone…

BUFFY
(noticing something)
Oh, no…

ANGLE: THE VAMPIRE

Is still chatting with the girl. He motions for her to come with him, and she comes into view.

It’s Willow.

BUFFY
Willow.

GILES
What is she doing?

BUFFY
Seizing the moment.

She starts toward the stairs.

ANGLE: WILLOW AND THE VAMPIRE BOY

Head out the back door by the stage.

Buffy fights her way down the stairs. She looks toward where they were and sees they’re gone. She looks about a moment, and then, guessing correctly, heads for the backstage door as well.

But it’s a struggle: the closer she gets to the stage, the more crowded it gets. She finally pushes to the door.

INT. BACKSTAGE – CONTINUOUS

It’s dark here, and somewhat labryinthian. Buffy moves slowly, cautiously. There is no one about.

She finds an old chair, snaps the leg off, a makeshift stake.

There is no one about. Buffy heads for the exit door. Sticks her head out it but there’s no one in the alley either.

Slowly, perturbed, she starts back for the main door.

She turns the corner and he’s ON HER! She grabs him, throws him up against the wall, holding him two feet off the ground –

Well, holding her, actually. Holding Cordelia, who has the same dumbfounded gape that the other girls coming out of the bathroom have.

CORDELIA
Excuse me… could you be any weirder? Is there a more weirdness that you could have?

Buffy lets her down, lowering the stake.

BUFFY
(trying to be chipper)
Did you guys see Willow? Did she come by here?

CORDELIA
Why? Did you need to attack her with a stick?

Buffy gives up. Face red, she retreats back the way she came.

Cordy and the others are still agape. After a moment, Cordy regains her composure.

INT. THE BRONZE – CONTINUOUS

Buffy comes back out, finds Giles at the bottom of the stairs. She looks around as he says:

BUFFY
I didn’t find them.

GILES
The vampire’s not dead?

BUFFY
No, but my social life is on the critical list.

GILES
What do we do?

BUFFY
You go on. I’ll take care of it.

GILES
I should come with you, no?

BUFFY
(heading out)
Don’t worry. One vampire I can handle.

As she exits, she brushes past Jesse. The camera STAYS on him, as we see he is chatting up a girl.

And the camera comes around to show the girl he’s talking to: it’s the vampire from the opening. Needless to say, she has her normal face on. And she’ll be known from now on as:

JESSE
Darla. I haven’t seen you before.
Are you from around here?

DARLA
No, but I’ve got family here.

JESSE
Have I met them?

DARLA
You probably will.

INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINOUS

The CHANTING we heard earlier continues, peaking in intensity. By the altar, Luke suddenly looks up.

He starts moving slowly back, eyes wide with religious fervor. All the figures in the church start moving back, almost as one.

ANGLE: THE POOL OF BLOOD

We are low, right above the surface, as Luke prays before it. Suddenly a HEAD shoots up from in the blood. Luke starts, looks at it. He moves back, away from the pool.

Something breaks the surface of the liquid. Something rises.

It is THE MASTER, the most powerful of vampires. Born Heinrich Joseph Nest (some six hundred years ago,) he wears a vaguely SS-like outfit.

What he does not wear is anything resembling a human face. He is as much demon as man. As powerful as Luke is, it’s clear that this man is much more so, both from his bearing and from the reverence with which Luke looks upon him.

The Master steps forward, his face still in relative darkness. Luke steps back reverentially. The Master looks about him for a moment.

LUKE
Master…

THE MASTER
I am weak.

LUKE
Come the Harvest, you’ll be restored.

THE MASTER
The Harvest…

LUKE
We’re almost there. Soon you’ll be free.

The Master takes another step forward, past Luke. He reaches his hand out slowly. As he does, the air in front of him starts to ripple slightly – a kind of mystical wall. He pulls his hand back.

LUKE
I’ve sent your servants to bring you some food.

THE MASTER
Good.

Luke starts out.

LUKE
(stopping)
Yes?

THE MASTER
Bring me something… young.

EXT. STREET BY WOODED GLADE – NIGHT

Willow and the Vampire Boy walk along, alone in the dark. She is clearly nervous, though not for the reason she should be.

VAMPIRE BOY
It’s night.

WILLOW
That’s a dark time. Night. Traditionally.

They walk a bit more.

He doesn’t answer. Stops.

He takes her hand.

He leads her into the dark of wood.

EXT. OUTSIDE THE BRONZE – NIGHT

Buffy comes from around the back, looking around. Xander comes up to her, carrying his skateboard.

BUFFY
Xander, have you seen Willow?

XANDER
Not tonight.

BUFFY
I need to find her. She left with a guy.

XANDER
We are talking about Willow, right?
(impressed)
Scoring at the Bronze. Work it, girlfriend.

BUFFY
(looking around)
Where would they go?

XANDER
Why, you know something about Mr. Goodbar that she doesn’t? Oh! Hey. I hope he’s not a
vampire. ‘Cause then you’d have to slay him.

She turns back to him, surprised and miffed.

XANDER
I only know that you think you’re a slayer, and I only know that ‘cause I was in the library today.

BUFFY
Whatever. Just tell me where Willow would go.

XANDER
You’re serious.

BUFFY
We don’t find her, there’s gonna be another dead body in the morning.

A beat, as he looks at her. Sees she isn’t kidding. Isn’t wrong.

As they head off.

EXT. GRAVEYARD – CONTINUOUS

Willow is still walking with Vampire Boy, but getting increasingly creeped out.

He says nothing. She keeps walking beside him, uncertain.

He stops at a small mausoleum. The entrance is a well of black.

WILLOW
No thank you.

He moves in close, holding her intimately.

He pushes her into the blackness of the entrance.

INT. MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS

Willow stumbles in. She looks about her frightenedly, adjusting to the increased dark.

The place is small, with carved stone walls. A large tomb takes up much of the middle, the stone figure of a man lying atop it. Behind her is the doorway she came in, ahead, a much smaller, iron door, locked shut.

She spins all the way round to see the boy filling the entrance.

No response. He steps closer, his face in shadow. She circles away from him, moving closer to the doorway.

VAMPIRE BOY
Is that what you think?

All the playfulness has drained out of his voice. She takes a step back, another, turns and moves WHAM – right into DARLA.

Emitting something between a scream and a squeak, Willow steps back. Darla looks at her, at the boy.

VAMPIRE BOY
She’s fresh.

DARLA
Hardly enough to share.

VAMPIRE BOY
Why didn’t you bring your own?

DARLA
I did.

She indicates the doorway behind her, as Jesse stumbles dazed from the darkness.

WILLOW
Jesse!

She goes over to him, relieved. He is clutching his neck.

He takes his hand away. There is blood on it, on his neck. Willow looks over at the other two, eyes wide.

WILLOW
Jesse, let’s get out of here.

DARLA
You’re not going anywhere.

WILLOW
Leave us alone.

DARLA
(in Willow’s face)
You’re not going anywhere until we’ve FED!

And on the last word she brings her face right up to Willow’s and it CHANGES, snaps right before our eyes into the grotesque demon-face we saw before.

Willow SCREAMS, takes a stumbled step back and falls.

The boy laughs, circling, and we see that he has changed as well.

She steps in, Xander following her. Everybody stops.

DARLA
Who the hell are you?

BUFFY
Wow, you mean there’s actually somebody around here who doesn’t know already? That’s a
relief. I’m telling you, having a secret identity in this town is a job of work.

He is moving between the two Vampires, who loosen their grip on their respective victims.

VAMPIRE BOY
Not yet.

BUFFY
Okay, first of all, what’s with this outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge.
(turning to Darla)
Now, we can do this the hard way, or… well, actually, there’s just the hard way.

DARLA
Fine with me.

BUFFY
You sure? It’s not gonna be pretty. We’re talking violence, strong language, adult content.

As she speaks, the Boy Vampire RUSHES her from behind, charging at her with incredible speed and momentum –

Buffy whips a stake out from her jacket and in one graceful motion sticks it out behind her, letting the boy impale himself on it. He stops, eyes wide, and falls back.

Buffy never even faces him.

ANGLE: THE BOY VAMPIRE

As he hits the ground, his body crumbles to dust.

Xander and Willow are speechless, staring at the ground where a body used to be.

Darla is wide eyed, exceedingly wary. But not cowed. She moves slowly around, preparing to fight herself.

BUFFY
Xander, go.

DARLA
Don’t go far.

She lunges at Buffy, who parries her blows with martial arts precision.

Xander herds the others out.

EXT. GRAVEYARD – CONTINUOUS

The three kids run out of the mausoleum, Willow and Xander supporting Jesse. All three are totally freaked – Jesse the least so, since he’s still weak and dazed.

INT. MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS

Darla hit the ground with a painful thud.

Buffy stands over her. She’s a bit out of breath, and the humor is gone from her visage.

DARLA
Who are you?

BUFFY
Don’t you know?

HANDS suddenly grab Buffy by the throat, lift her bodily from the ground.

He steps out of the shadows from behind her – his bulk dwarfing her – and throws her a good fifteen feet. She hits the wall face first, landing badly.

Luke turns on Darla, who is getting up.

DARLA
We had someone. But she came and… she killed Thomas… Luke, she’s strong.

LUKE
(contemptuously)
You go. I’ll see if I can handle the little girl.

ANGLE: BUFFY

She lifts herself off the floor just as Luke suddenly closes on her, grabs her. She’s ready this time, though, and she knocks his arms away, kicks him in the face. It sends him back a bit but he recovers in a second, landing a solid punch to her jaw.

He slams her back to the ground.

EXT. THE FOREST – CONTINUOUS

The three kids are making pretty good time, despite having to support Jesse.

They stop. They stare, despair creeping onto their faces.

Three Vampires stand waiting for them.

INT. THE MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS

Buffy looks like she’s been kicked around a bit. She circles around the tomb, keeping it between her and Luke.

BUFFY
Hey, I had other plans, too, okay?

He SHOVES the top of the tomb with all his might, sends it flying at her.

She LEAPS over it – jumps up onto the tomb, leaps off it, flipping, and WHAM – plants both feet solidly in Luke’s chest.

He falls back, as does she – she gets up first and pulls out her stake, dries it toward his chest – but he grabs just before it reaches.

He squeezes – and the stake splinters in his powerful grip. He PUNCHES Buffy, knocks her back.

He stands, triumphant, over her. Begins intoning the sacred text:

INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS

Giles has his ancient texts out, is studying them in growing consternation.

ANGLE: GILES’ BOOK

Shows a Dore-like engraving: a massacre. People writhing, blood everywhere – in the center of them all, a Demon with a three-pointed star on his forehead, feeding off a woman.

INT. THE CHURCH – CONTINUOUS

We TRACK IN on the Master sitting, his face in darkness.

EXT. FOREST – CONTINUOUS

Xander, Willow and Jesse back away from the vampires –

--to find Darla right behind them!

INT. MAUSOLEUM – CONTINUOUS

Buffy is getting up, keeping her eyes on Luke –

…and Hell itself will come to town.

She tries to move to the side, to get away – he backhands Buffy with all the force he has. She flies back – right into the tomb!

ANGLE: IN THE TOMB

Buffy falls and lands HARD on her back, the wind knocked out of her. She looks beside her – and sees the withered corpse of the tomb’s owner.

She’s hurt pretty bad. She looks up but no Luke. Only the walls of the tomb. He could be anywhere.

Slowly, achingly slowly, she lifts her head. Truly scared. Looks over one side of the tomb – nothing. Looks over the other.

Luke FILLS THE FRAME, roaring, jumping into the crypt on top of her.

She tries to fight him off but she’s well pinned. He contemplates her a moment with gleeful animal hunger. Teeth dripping. [Hand written: “Not”].

He bears down.