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(We open backstage again. Slip and Sach make their way off-stage as Jane hurries over with the groggy Sally.)
Slip: *Eyes widen* What happened ta her?
Sach: Let me guess, Janey. Those ladies got at her.
Jane: Well...Butch and I found her hidden in a crate in the basement...
Slip: WHAT?!
Sach: Yeah, they got to her all right. Is she ok?
(Sally's shaking her head, looking confused.)
Jane: I don't know. She won't respond.
*Slip goes to Jane and takes Sally in his arms.*
Slip: Sal?
(Sally looks up into his eyes. She blinks, her eyes still a bit clouded.)
Sach: Kiss 'er, Chief! No one's watchin'.
*Slip shoots Sach a glare, and then proceeds to kiss Sally.*
Sally: (Her eyes blink; she groans) Oooh...where am I?
Slip: Yer backstage with us.
Sally: I know, but...Chuck... (frowns) and he had that woman with him. Sheila. He wasn't himself.
Slip: What happened, Sal?
Sally: They had some necklace...Chuck swung it...
Slip: They hypnotized you.
Sally: (Nods) Yeah. Like on Halloween
Slip: *Looks at Sach* Shit.
Sally: That's exactly how I feel.
Sach: Me too. They're doin' it again. I'll bet they're doin' it to other people, too. That's probably what happened to Rachel.
Slip: An' they're usin' Chuck ta do their nasty stuff.
Jane: *Nods* I left Butch in the basement with Chuck!
Sally: I hope he's all right. He may have tried something on him, too. He already did something to him once.
Slip: Let’s go down there an' see fer ourselves.
*We fade as the four head for the basement.*
(Cut to the dressing room. Gabe, Bobby, and Junior are chatting as Butch carries Chuck into the room.)
Bobby: (He wears a leather vest with simple tight trousers and a dark tunic) Wow. What happened to him?
Butch: He went crazy on me in the basement. (He settles him on a chair.)
Bobby: Geez. He's really pale, and I don't think it's makeup.
Butch: No, it's those witches who keep going after us, Sheila and Zelda.
Gabe: *Kneels beside Chuck; lifts an eyelid* He's really out, too.
Bobby: Isn't there anything we can do for him?
Junior: A compress or smelling salts or something?
Butch: Besides kissing him, I'm not sure. It worked on Sally, Rachel, and me on Halloween.
Junior: I'm not doing it.
Gabe: *Sighs* None of us are doing that. *stands; Chucks head lulls to one side, close to Gabe*
Butch: Chuck? (He takes his best friend's hand) Chuck, are you there? It's me, Butch!
Chuck: *His eyes remain closed; quietly* Butch?
Butch: Yeah! Are you ok? Do you need anything?
Gabe: *Sees that Chuck doesn't move* Chuck, can you open your eyes?
Chuck: *Groans; remains in the same position, eyes closed* Can't...trapped...
Gabe: Trapped?
Butch: But you're right here with us!
Chuck: *Mutters* Locked... away...
Junior: I don't get it.
Butch: What's locked away, Chuck?
Chuck: *Mumbles* Me...
Gabe: That doesn't sound good.
Butch: Chuck, what do you mean?
Chuck: *Mutters* Trapped... in mind...
Butch: You're trapped in your mind? But how...
Chuck: *Starts breathing more heavily; excitedly* He's... he's waking up! Please...help me...
Gabe: What exactly does he mean by THAT?
Butch: Who's waking up? Chuck, we don't understand!
*Chuck's eyes open, the same evil gleam still in them.*
Gabe: Chuck?
*Chuck lifts his head...and smirks at Gabe.*
Butch: (Pulls back) Oh no...
Junior: I don't like oh no!
Butch: Chuck, don't get ideas. Where's my Chuck? What have you done with him?
Chuck: *Laughs mirthlessly* He's in a VERY safe place.
Butch: No, he's not! Bring him back!
*Chuck just shakes his head, smirking.*
Junior: Now what do we do?!
Bobby: What's going on?
Butch: (Puts his hands on Chuck's shoulders) I want to see Chuck. Please, bring him back.
Chuck: No.
Gabe: *Folds his arms* Your good side's been locked away in your own mind by this bad side. Am I close?
Chuck: No prizes. Sorry, Gabe.
Butch: How can we release him?
Chuck: *Laughs in Butch's face* Like I'm gonna tell you!
Butch: (Raises his fist) Wanna have a close encounter with this again?
Bobby: (Holds up his own fist) Mine's even tougher.
Chuck: *Scoffs* And that worked well the first time.
Gabe: *Sighs* I'm afraid he might be right.
Butch: Why are you doing this, Chuck? You're hurting yourself!
Chuck: No, I'm not. I'm hurting HIM.
Junior: Can't we have visitation rights, or something?
*Chuck just laughs.*
Butch: But...you're one person!
Chuck: *smirks* No, I'm one BODY.
Junior: I'm so confused.
Butch: What do you mean, you're hurting him?
Chuck: Because he knows exactly what I'm doing, using his body. *pauses as a strange look flashes through his eyes; excited* I'm losing myself in here! It's dark and lonely! *shakes his head as the evil gleam returns; to himself* I told you to shut up!
Gabe: *Eyes widen* Shit.
*Junior faints into a chair.*
Butch: Chuck, you...you're....you're crazy, or possessed, or something!
Chuck: So what if I am? *stands, but has to grab onto the chair; to himself* Knock it off!
Gabe: He's flipped!
Butch: How can we make you whole again?
Chuck: *Straightens* I'm not telling you.
Butch: Yes, you will. (Smirks) Or I'll sic Sach and his ability to know how bad you are on you.
Chuck: I'm really scared of him.
Butch: Honestly, there are times when I'm scared of him.
Gabe: *nods once* Me too.
Butch: Amazingly enough, Sach seems to know when there's something not right with Chuck... (frowns) when you're out, right?
Chuck: *Pokes Butch's chest* Outa my way, kid.
Butch: Nothin' doin'.
Bobby: Or me. (Joins Butch) Even I can tell there's something going on here.
Chuck: So, what? You're going to beat me up? All you'll do is hurt your friend's body. You won't hurt me.
Bobby: How can we hurt YOU?
Chuck: *Shrugs* You can't.
Butch: I want my best friend back.
Chuck: Not a chance. I'm here now.
Bobby: Who are you, anyway? You're not Chuck, that's for sure.
Butch: And how did you get in there?
Chuck: *Smirks* I thought it was obvious I'm the evil Chuck.
Butch: But Chuck's not...you're not evil! You're a good guy! Always have been!
Gabe: I’ll bet you're from his subconscious. You broke free and locked up Chuck in the place you were freed from.
Chuck: Still no prizes, Gabe.
Butch: Sheila and Zelda did this.
Chuck: They just freed me, that’s all.
*There's a flash in Chuck's eyes again and he seems to freeze, staring straight ahead.*
Gabe: What the hell?
Butch: (Gently puts his hand on Chuck's shoulder) Chuck?
*Chuck suddenly winces a few times. His head lulls forward, eyes still open, but blank.*
Butch: Now he looks like Sally did when the ladies hypnotized her on Halloween.
Bobby: Chuck? (Shakes his shoulder a little) Are you in there? Will the real you please stand up?
Chuck: *Faintly* Get me out...please...I...I can't stand what he's doing! Please...you have to free me...
Butch: We will, Chuck!
Bobby: Do you know how?
Gabe: Yeah. We need a little help with that.
Chuck: *Whimpers* He...he's gonna wake up again...I can't...I don't know... how...guys...help...it's so dark...lonely...I... *a few tears stream from his unseeing eyes*
Gabe: *Puts an arm around Chuck's shoulder* Where ARE you, Chuck?
Butch: (Puts his arm around Chuck's other shoulder and nods) Yeah. We can't help you if we don't know where you are!
Chuck: I...I'm...in here...oh guys...so dark...it's smothering me...I just...wanna cry...
Butch: In here where? Where in your mind?
Bobby: Come on, man. Tell us. We're your friends.
Chuck: I don't know where! Oh no! He's waking up! Guys, please, punch him! Knock him out!
Butch: But that would mean knocking you out!
Chuck: Do it now!
*Chuck's eyes start to blink.*
(Bobby hits him in the face.)
*Chuck sags in Gabe's arms. Gabe sets him back in the chair.*
Bobby: Ok. That was weird.
Butch: (Sits next to Chuck) This is beyond weird.
Bobby: What are we going to do? He's one of the leads in the show!
Gabe: I feel like we've stepped into a sci-fi movie.
Butch: We might as well be on "Inner Sanctum." It's just as scary.
Gabe: We'll have to wake him up. Good or bad, I'm sure he's wants his show to continue.
Bobby: (He's trying to bring Junior around) So who wants to do it?
Junior: *Mutters* Five more minutes, Dad...
Bobby: It's ok, Junior. We knocked Chuck out.
Junior: Oh. That's nice... *makes an unintelligible sound*
Chuck: *He's still out, but his mouth moves* I'll do it. No one else knows the part.
Gabe: *Eyebrows raise* That's incredibly creepy.
Bobby: Can you do it, Chuck...without going Vincent Price on us?
Chuck: I think so. He's out good this time.
Gabe: Can you open your eyes, Chuck?
Chuck: I...I'll try...I'm not sure how much control I can take back...
*There's a pause. Slowly, Chuck's eyes start to open. There's a frightened dullness there, but there's also recognition.*
Butch: Chuck, are you here? We really need to get back onstage, before we miss our cue.
Bobby: I'll work on Junior.
Chuck: Yeah, *gives a slow nod* for now.
Butch: Ok, then. Let's go, before something else happens. (Turns to Gabe) You tell the others what happened here, about Chuck and...Chuck. Anyone who isn't onstage. I think they ought to know.
Gabe: Consider it done.
Butch: (Takes Chuck's arm) Come on. I'll help you.
Chuck: *Frowns* Thank you.
(He and Gabe help Chuck out of the room as Bobby continues to try to wake up Junior and we fade out.