INT. BAR - NIGHT
BRANDON ARNOLD, late 20s, sits at the bar drinking his life away, a suit-and-tie kind of guy. The bartender, the beautiful and cutoffs-wearing EGYPT HOLLIS, early 20s, is wiping the bar when she stops suddenly, shocked.
EGYPT
You did WHAT?!
Brandon BELCHES.
BRANDON
You heard me, woman. I quit my job...
EGYPT
What made you do that stupid shit?
BRANDON
At work, I had this, uh... what’s the word I’m looking
for? E something. Epi...
EGYPT
Epiphany?
BRANDON
Yeah, that. I wanna do something meaningful. Have this
fucking law degree, and all I’ve used it for was to take
people’s houses away.
Another BELCH from Brandon. Egypt CHUCKLES.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Hey. Remember that guy who saved the world 30 years ago?
EGYPT
Ron Johnson? A bit before my time... but I read about him in
school. Had a show, didn’t he?
BRANDON
Yeah, with Lindsey Lowhand.
EGYPT
Whatever happened to her?
BRANDON
We’re getting off topic. Anyway, back to me... I wanna do
what Ron did.
EGYPT
Save the world?
BRANDON
Make a difference -- a real change.
EGYPT
And film it for the world’s entertainment, I bet.
BRANDON
Well... it worked for Ron! Being a hero made for prime reality
TV.
Smiling, Egypt leans forward on the bar. Brandon gazes at her cleavage.
EGYPT
Well, Brandon, sounds like you had a real breakthrough. But
I’mma need you to check back with yourself in the morning.
When you’re sober.
He snaps out of his daze.
BRANDON
I AM sober!
Egypt LAUGHS.
EGYPT
Boy, please. You can’t even stand up.
BRANDON
Woman, watch me!
Crossing her arms, Egypt stands straight and watches him. A little movement from Brandon, and his eyes widen in an “oh shit” expression.
He darts a look at Egypt.
EGYPT
If you can’t do it, it’s okay. Don’t hurt yourself.
BRANDON
Please...
Brandon scoots out of the stool. He looks like he’s got it, but then he completely falls on his ass. Egypt GASPS.
EGYPT
Brandon!
( helps him up)
I think that’s enough for tonight. I’ll call you a car.
The bar doors OPEN. A HOODED MAN stumbles inside, searching. His hood is so far down his face we can’t even see it.
HOODED MAN
Need...
The BOUNCER appears behind him and grabs his shoulder.
BOUNCER
Yo! What part of “show me your ID” didn’t you understand?
The hooded man turns to the bouncer. Tilts his head slightly, then waves his arm. Suddenly the bouncer CATCHES ON FIRE!
People SCREAM and back away, or pull out their phones to record.
EGYPT
Jesus!
Egypt runs behind the bar. Brandon smiles, slowly stands.
BRANDON
I got it...
Brandon approaches the man, much to Egypt’s horror.
EGYPT
Brandon, Brandon get back here! You don’t got this! You don’t ‘
got’ anything!
Brandon steps to the Hooded Man. He attempts to square up, but BURPS and almost falls back. But he quickly straightens up, staring the hooded man down.
BRANDON
Yo, man...
HOODED MAN
Need...
Brandon tries to CRACK his knuckles, but one crack has him wincing in pain.
BRANDON
Ow!
He CLEARS HIS THROAT, then looks up at the hooded man.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
What you “need” is to get yo’ ass up outta here and leave these innocent
people alone!
A FLASH. Hooded Man’s eyes glow red as power BUILDS around him. Brandon gulps, and backs away.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Uh oh...
A GUN COCKS. Brandon looks behind him. Egypt has drawn a shotgun.
EGYPT
Brandon, baby. Maybe one day you’ll save the city from
some 30-foot slime bucket on a rampage. But right now?
You can’t even save yourself from a barstool. Move!
The hooded man runs up behind Brandon.
HOODED MAN
Need... BODY!
Brandon whips around.
BRANDON
Ah! Brandon throws his hands over his head and drops to his knees.
Egypt BLASTS the hooded man down, each shot pushing him further back. She comes from around the bar, SHOOTING him until he drops. The hooded man is sizzling, smoke coming out of him. The glow of his eyes fade to black.
Egypt looks down at the body. Cowering, Brandon slowly looks up.
BRANDON
Is he dead?
EGYPT
Oh, yeah. He’s dead, all right.
Egypt faces Brandon.
EGYPT (CONT’D)
Some work you did, Mr. Hero!
BRANDON
H-Hey! I was merely... surprised.
EGYPT
Uh-huh.
Brandon’s eyes grow wide as he stands to his feet. The hooded man slowly rises behind Egypt.
BRANDON
Egypt?
Egypt freezes, realizing.
EGYPT
The mother fucker got up, didn’t he?
Brandon nods. Egypt RELOADS and whips around. Manages ONE SHOT, but this time the hooded man barely flinches. He swings at her and throws her against the wall, which knocks her out. The hooded man trains his stare on Brandon, who stares back in fear.
All Brandon can do is back against the bar as the hooded man hovers in midair and comes towards him like a torpedo of doom. The hooded man grabs him and lifts him off his feet. It’s like Brandon is staring death in the face. The hooded man stares intensely, and Brandon’s mouth opens on its own.
And then the hooded man VOMITS goo into his mouth! Covered in goo, Brandon falls onto the floor, out cold. Meanwhile, the hooded man’s cloak drops to the floor, empty.
Silence.
As people slowly emerge from under the tables, a MAN looks at his phone in frustration.
MAN
Shit, man! My phone blacked out on me! I didn’t get ANY
of that!
He storms out of the bar, pissed. All the patrons follow his lead.
FEMALE PATRON #1
So... drinks’ on the house, right?
FEMALE PATRON #2
Bitch, we almost died. I ain’t paying for shit!
The last of the patrons make a swift exit. Beat. Then Brandon’s eyes SHOOT open and he jumps to his feet.
BRANDON
Is he gone?!
Frantically, he looks around. Then stops to look at his feet.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Wait... what did I just do?! He sees Egypt’s unconscious body.
He starts to run to her.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Egypt!
ENTITY (V.O.)
Forget her. We have work to do.
Brandon’s taken aback.
BRANDON
W-Who said that?!
ENTITY
You did.
BRANDON
No the fuck I didn’t!
ENTITY
Okay, I did. But I live in your body now. What
I say, you say and what I do, you do.
BRANDON
I didn’t sign up for this!
ENTITY
Suck it up. We’ve gotta move...
BRANDON
Move where? Just what’re “we” gonna do?!
ENTITY
We’re going to destroy the world.
END