Season 1, Episode 15
Decontamination
Content Warnings:CWs:
-Cancer
-Talk of parental death/suspected murder
-Suicidal ideology
-Covid-esque symptoms
-Character death
-High-pitched sound[Halloween night, Christine’s apartment. The three are all sitting or lying on the floor, watching the 1960 version of Little Shop of Horrors, which we hear in the background. There are also paper sounds as Victor flips through the journal]
HENRY
This is so corny, I love it.
CHRISTINE
The musical is better. But then, I might be a little biased. You guys need anything? Food, blankets?
HENRY
Nah, I’m good.
CHRISTINE
Victor?
[He doesn’t reply, still looking through the book]
HENRY
Hey, shitstick? You still with us?
VICTOR
[Snapping out of it]
Hmm? I-- No. No, sorry, I’m fine.
CHRISTINE
Are you, though?
VICTOR
I am fine. [There is a beat, then he sighs] Just… gimme a few more minutes. Let me finish my notes.
[Everyone is quiet for a few seconds, then the TV switches from the movie to basketball]
SPORTSCASTER
Two minutes left in the fourth. Pastronak drives, he dunks it! Pastronak with forty-six, doing it all! It’s eighty-four, seventy-nine—
CHRISTINE
Uhh…. Did one of you guys--
HENRY
Nope. Looks like Victor’s Ghost is just a basketball fan. [Victor groans at the mention of ghosts. The TV shuts off]
Or not.
VICTOR
Sorry.
CHRISTINE
Don’t be, it’s not like you make it happen. Besides, it could be worse.
VICTOR
Don’t push your luck. Now can I please just--
[Victor’s phone begins vibrating. There are a few seconds where no one speaks]
VICTOR
Buxley area code.
HENRY
It’s probably just spam, dude.
VICTOR
But what if it’s not?
CHRISTINE
They can track your location, they probably just know we were up in Maine when we visited Ingleside.
VICTOR
...Should I answer it?
CHRISTINE
You can if it would make you feel better.
HENRY
[Laughs]
Just don’t give the ghost your social security number.
VICTOR
Yeah, haha.
[There are a few more seconds before Victor answers]
...Hello?
ICHABOD
[Sounding more than a little anxious]
Victor?
CHRISTINE
Wait, Professor Crane?
ICHABOD
Christine, good, you’re there too. Listen, I need--
VICTOR
Hold on, hello? Anyone wanna tell me how people keep getting my number? Is that something we can talk about? Does it just show up in people’s contacts? Do people just close their eyes and my phone number appears in their dreams like the visions of a particularly useless prophet? Is nothing sacred? Am I--
ICHABOD
Victor, we don’t have a lot of time. I need you to listen to me, okay? Do you have your mother’s journal with you?
VICTOR
I-- Yeah?
[The sound of him getting the book out. What sound is that? No fuckin clue]
Is— Is this about the symbol you were looking at?
ICHABOD
No. Not-- Not exactly. But another one.
VICTOR
What? Which one, what are you--
ICHABOD
I don’t know. I don’t know, my knowledge is very limited. But one of them is your key, okay? You might be able to bind her somehow.
VICTOR
[Increasingly agitated]
Who?!
ICHABOD
The woman in the sweatshirt, the Red Death.
CHRISTINE
Wait, how do you know--
ICHABOD
You need to hurry, you understand me? And Christine? Are-- Are you familiar with Act IV, Scene VI of Hamlet?
CHRISTINE
Not off the top of my head, but--
[The call is ended before she can finish. There are a few more seconds of silence before Henry speaks]
HENRY
...Anyone wanna tell me what the fuck that was?
[Victor flips through his mother’s journal]
VICTOR
Professor Crane recognized one of these when we went to Ingleside. He wouldn’t say anything else about it. One of the others…. Shit, there are four more, which one is it?!
HENRY
What even is it? Victor, even if we figure out which one… binds her or whatever, A: We don’t really know what that means, and B: We have no idea how to do it.
VICTOR
I-- I know, I-- [He laughs] God, I-- I can’t do this. I can’t do this, I don’t know anything, I don’t know what any of this means, and there are just more and more pieces and none of them are fitting together, and I--
[There is a knock at the door, and Victor cuts himself off]
CHRISTINE
It’s okay. It’s just trick-or-treaters. Probably the kids from down the hall, they were telling me the other day how excited they were.
VICTOR
Wait. Wait, no, that-- That’s it.
HENRY
That’s what?
VICTOR
This.
[He gets Erik’s note out of his pocket]
HENRY
[Reading]
“She intends to besiege the masquerade.” What does that mean?
CHRISTINE
[Soft, a touch of fear creeping in]
Victor, where did you get this?
VICTOR
Henry, you-- You know the Prosperos, right?
HENRY
Those rich assholes in Alcott Heights?
VICTOR
Exactly! They-- My parents used to go over there every year, remember?
HENRY
[Suddenly getting it]
For the Halloween party.
VICTOR
For the freaking Halloween party!
CHRISTINE
So that’s where she’s gonna be, then?
VICTOR
I think-- I think she’s planning on killing someone. Maybe everyone, I don’t know. I-- I need to get over there.
CHRISTINE
And then what? You want to just run in there without a plan?
HENRY
Also, what’s this “I” crap?
CHRISTINE
Exactly.
VICTOR
There’s a woman there who’s actively trying to murder people, and we don’t have time to sit around and come up with theories on the best way to go about all this. I’m not putting either of you at risk by throwing you into the middle of it.
CHRISTINE
And we’re not letting you just jump in alone so that she can kill you.
HENRY
Yeah, sorry, you’re gonna have to find another outlet for your martyr complex.
VICTOR
...I’m not going to be responsible for you guys getting hurt.
HENRY
No. You’re not. If anything happens, that’s on us.
CHRISTINE
Now come on. We’re gonna need costumes.
—
[The recording ends and picks up later that night outside the Prospero residence]
VICTOR
You guys ready?
HENRY
Yeah, but is this a cool party, or a boring rich people party?
VICTOR
Not sure, I’ve never been. But I can make a pretty good guess.
HENRY
[Groans]
Boring rich people party, then.
CHRISTINE
So what’s the plan, then? We go in, we find her, then what?
VICTOR
Figure we scope it out, get as much information as we can. Then once we think we have what we need to stop her, we go for it.
HENRY
...So basically, we have no plan.
PROSPERO
Well, would you look at who we have here. Mr. Frankenstein, always a pleasure.
VICTOR
Mr. Prospero, good to see you again.
PROSPERO
I didn’t think you’d make it, I haven’t heard from you in a while. Your father, either.
VICTOR
Yeah, he--
PROSPERO
[Clearly not listening]
I’ve been calling him, but he never seems to have his phone on. Not very professional, if you ask me. But, we all have our quirks, I suppose. Is he here? I haven’t seen him yet, how is he?
VICTOR
[Cold]
Dead.
PROSPERO
I’m sorry?
VICTOR
He’s dead. Has been since February.
PROSPERO
Oh. Oh, that’s too bad, I’m sorry to hear that. I imagine you and your sister will be inheriting quite a bit.
VICTOR
...Right, yeah.
PROSPERO
Oh. And who might you be?
[Christine lets out a noise of disbelief]
VICTOR
Christine. Friend of mine, we met in school.
PROSPERO
Ah yes, that… debacle. And from what I hear, you were always a smart boy. Shame things went that way. You could have had such a bright future.
HENRY
Now hold on--
PROSPERO
And this must be Elliot? [Judgemental] ...Different than I pictured. Cute couple, though.
VICTOR
I-- No. No, this is Henry. Another friend.
PROSPERO
...Oh, I see.
VICTOR
What?
HENRY
[Cutting in]
Nice to meet you.
PARTYGOER
Mr. Prospero? A moment?
PROSPERO
Yes, of course. You three enjoy yourselves. And Mr. Frankenstein, I do hope you’ve left any lighters at home.
[A few moments of silence as he leaves]
CHRISTINE
...I don’t like him.
HENRY
No one likes him.
VICTOR
I changed my mind, we can let him die. [A beat as they look at him] Joking, Jesus!
[The open the large front door, and Nocturne op.9 No.2 by Frédéric Chopin can be heard amongst the chatter of party guests]
CHRISTINE
You see her anywhere?
HENRY
We can rule out anyone who has their face showing, I guess.
CHRISTINE
So that still leaves about, hmm, fifty percent of the people here.
HENRY
Still don’t know what we’re gonna do when we do find her.
VICTOR
Maybe I’ll just throw the book at her and hope for the best.
CHRISTINE
Best case scenario, it works. Worst case, you piss her off and she kills you.
VICTOR
So it’s a win-win.
HENRY
Man, please don’t.
VICTOR
...Right. Sorry.
CHRISTINE
Where do we start?
VICTOR
Anywhere, I guess.
CHRISTINE
...What even is this?
HENRY
No idea. Rich boy, what the hell is this fancy shit they’re trying to pass off as food?
VICTOR
Looks like carpaccio.
HENRY
Is that word supposed to mean anything to me?
VICTOR
Basically it’s raw beef.
HENRY
[After a long beat]
Please tell me you’re joking.
CHRISTINE
Ugh, ew.
[Henry makes a Noise as someone bumps into him]
MAGE
Pardon me.
[Beat.]
VICTOR
You good, dude?
HENRY
Yeah, I…. I thought she looked familiar for a second.
CHRISTINE
You wanna say hi?
HENRY
No, I… I think I'm thinking of someone else. Plus, life-or-death mission, remember?
[As the trio move about the house, the ticking of a grandfather clock fades in]
CHRISTINE
Are we positive she's gonna be here? There's gotta be a hundred parties going on tonight.
VICTOR
...I will admit. I didn't think of that.
HENRY
Oh Jesus Christ.
VICTOR
For the record, neither of you said anything about it until right now, either. If-- Do you really think I was wrong, I-- if she's somewhere else, then--
[In the background, overlapping with Victor, we hear a clock strike twelve, followed by Prospero in the distance.
PROSPERO
[Agitated, hardly audible above the crowd. Every so often, he speaks through coughs, which get worse by the second]
Are you even listening to me? You come into my home, disrespect me and my guests, and don't have the courtesy to so much as tell me who you are? I have half a mind to--
[He is cut off as he falls into a coughing fit. After a few seconds, we hear a door slamming]
CHRISTINE
Was that--
HENRY
Prospero, yeah.
[They open the door, and we are greeted by the sound of Prospero still coughing and struggling to breathe. The door slams behind them as they enter]
RED DEATH
I see you brought friends.
CHRISTINE
Get away from him!
RED DEATH
Of course.
[Prospero falls silent, and he hits the ground, dead]
HENRY
Shit!
RED DEATH
Leave us.
CHRISTINE
What?
RED DEATH
Frankenstein wants to speak. I can see it. Give him the privacy to do so.
VICTOR
...Guys, do it.
HENRY
Fuck you, we--
[He is cut off by a gasp of pain]
CHRISTINE
Henry?!
VICTOR
Just do what she says!
[Christine leads Henry out, reassuring him with whispers of “You’re gonna be okay”, and “Just breathe for me”. The door closes, and the two are alone]
RED DEATH
Ask your questions, researcher.
VICTOR
…Why are you doing this?
RED DEATH
This is my sole purpose in the harrowing phantasm that is reality. It is all that I am. It is all that I ever will be. Not all things have a why to explain themselves. A wound festers because bacteria know only the desire to repopulate. They are not dictated by a why, they simply are. Such is the case with me, and the others like me.
VICTOR
Others?
RED DEATH
Do not get too far ahead of yourself, child. For the moment, we have but you and me. Think not of that which does not yet concern you.
VICTOR
Fine. Whatever. Then-- Then what did she know? What did she figure out? [There is no answer] For God’s-- Tell me why you killed my mom!
RED DEATH
All things die, child. Your mother was no different.
VICTOR
No. No, you said--
RED DEATH
That mine was the last voice she heard before her death. The same can be said for countless others. Everyone who falls ill with no chance of recovery. I greet all those whom I infect. There is nothing noteworthy in that.
VICTOR
...But you gave her the cancer.
RED DEATH
I did.
VICTOR
So then why her?
RED DEATH
Why anyone? Why the doctor, who could save so many lives? Why the child, with so many more years of opportunity ahead of them? Why the mother? Whose passing would break the mind of her eldest son? There is no reason, child. So many people have learned what your mother did. We did not take them to quell their curiosity or halt their progress. We took them because we take all things. Regardless of her work, your mother was nothing remarkable in my eyes. And neither are you.
VICTOR
Fuck you!
[He throws the journal in frustration, which hits her. As it does, strange, unnatural sounds begin to quickly fade in]
RED DEATH
[Struggling]
How did--
[The noise intensifies, getting louder and more sinister for several seconds until stopping on a dime. After a second or two of nothing but Victor’s trembling breaths in the silence, the door opens]
HENRY
...You’re shitting me, right? That’s it?
CHRISTINE
Did that actually work?
VICTOR
...Seems to have. You okay?
HENRY
Yeah, I’m fine
CHRISTINE
That seems like it was way too easy.
HENRY
And anticlimactic.
VICTOR
Y’know, at this point? I don’t care. I just…. I just wanna go home.
—
[The scene changes to Christine’s apartment again later that night]
CHRISTINE
[Whispering, half asleep]
Hey, you still up?
VICTOR
Yeah. Couldn’t sleep.
CHRISTINE
Probably has something to do with the three energy drinks you downed earlier.
VICTOR
Yeah, probably.
CHRISTINE
[After a beat]
When did you see him?
VICTOR
Hmm?
CHRISTINE
The note. Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize his handwriting?
VICTOR
...A few nights ago. At the cemetery.
CHRISTINE
And he wanted to help?
VICTOR
I wouldn’t go that far. He was exceptionally vague.
CHRISTINE
...Did he say anything about me?
VICTOR
A bit. ...You were right.
CHRISTINE
About what?
VICTOR
He’s in love with you. I could tell.
HENRY
[Muttering in his sleep]
Victor…. I hope you don’t leave me…. I’ll miss you if you go….
CHRISTINE
[Smug]
Is that right?
VICTOR
...You think it’s over? All the… crazy stuff?
CHRISTINE
Honestly? No. It’s like I said, it seemed too easy. And no offence, but when has anything you’ve been involved in been easy?
VICTOR
That’s true.
CHRISTINE
Do you?
VICTOR
...No. No, some of the stuff she said…. We’re just scratching the surface. She made it seem like things are going to get a lot worse before they get better.
CHRISTINE
We’ll figure it out though, okay? This was just step one. We don’t know how long a process it’ll be, but we’ll get there.
[She waits for Victor to respond, but he stays silent]
Try to get some sleep, okay?
VICTOR
...Okay.
CHRISTINE
And Victor? ...She’d be proud of you. I sure am.
—
[The recording ends and the scene changes again. We hear Ichabod making muffled noises against a gag in his mouth]
MAGE
That went smoothly. I appreciate all your help, Ichabod.
[He manages a muffled “Fuck you”]
MAGE
Though I do have to say, I was a bit upset at that last little comment to the girl. As clever as it was. But then, [We hear her signature whispers, and Ichabod begins making noises suggesting that he’s in agony. Laura leans in close, whispering] What can she do about it?