The Crow: City of Angels Page #22

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are glowing like twin stars and his lips are curled back in a

feral snarl. In his hands, he holds one of the chains from his

campanile.

Judah grabs Ashe by the lapels of his coat, draging him close

so they're eye to eye -- close enough to breathe the same beath

-- two sides of a coin.

JUDAH:

Tell me, Ashe. Do you every get the feeling we're all just dead

men on leave?

ASHE:

(seething with hatred)

Judah.

JUDAH:

In the flesh.

Judah flings Ashe backwards...

Ashe reaches his hand into his coat, pulling out a .45. He FIRES

into Judah's chest - once, twice, thrice...

Judah doesn't even stagger, he just keeps on grinning. Wisps

of smoke rise up from the holes in his chest.

Ashe stares at Judah, dumbfounded.

ASHE:

What...are...you?

JUDAH:

I'm your shadow, Ashe. Every angel's got a devil. Didn't you

know that? Or maybe you just slept your way through Sunday school?

Judah lashes out with the rope. Ashe spins and falters. Incredibly,

he finds himself feeling pain.

Judah follows with a series of blows, each more savage than the

next, driving Ashe back...

Ashe stumbles, falls to his hands and knees. He reaches to his

mouth, his hand comes away spattered with blood. Ashe shakes

his head to clear it.

Judah kicks Ashe in the face, knocking him onto his back...

...but Ashe springs back to his feet. He tries to strike Judah.

Judah catches Ashe's hand and squeezes tight. We hear bones snapping.

CRACK! Judah smashes out with his other fist, Ashe spins around

and collapses...

Ashe tries to push himself up by his hands. He coughs, spitting

up more blood, crawls forward...

ASHE:

What... did you do to me...?

JUDAH:

I've tasted the blood of the Crow and taken your power.

WHOOSH! Judah whips the rope about, snapping the end around Ashe's

neck, dragging him off his feet.

Judah pulls Ashe forward, crouching over him like a spider ready

to devour its prey.

JUDAH:

You're flesh and blood now, Ashe. You can die like any other

man.

ASHE:

Go to hell.

JUDAH:

Already been there. And I must confess, I liked what I saw.

CUT TO:

INT. JUDAH'S TOWER - NIGHT

Sarah sobs quietly, still chained to the pillar. A figure suddenly

appears at her side -- Sibyl. Sarah looks up...

SARAH:

What...?

Sibyl produces a key from within her robes. She places the key

in the lock on Sarah's manacles. With a turn of the key, the

manacles fall away and Sarah is free.

Sarah looks back at the blind oracle, uncertain.

SARAH:

Why are you doing this?

Sibyl fixes Sarah with her blind stare.

SIBYL:

Ashe needs you now. More than ever.

Sibyl raises her other hand. She's holding one of the misericords

which she extends to Sarah.

SIBYL:

Go to him.

Sarah takes the misericord and racees for the end of the campanile,

towards a beckoning doorway and a stairwell beyond. Printed on

a grime-smeared placard nearby are the words...

"THIS IS NOT AN EXIT"

Sarah rushes through the doorway, heedless.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUDAH'S TOWER, CITY STREETS - NIGHT

Judah plants his foot on Ashe's chest, tightening the chain around

Ashe's throat.

JUDAH:

Looks like the dead have forsaken you, my friend.

Ashe clutches at the rusty chain links which bite into his flesh,

choking.

JUDAH:

Look at you, bleeding like a stuck pig. Where's your precious

strength? Where's your power?

(drawing closer, whispering)

You're nothing now, Ashe, not even a ghost.

Judah rises. He grabs a hold of the chain, pulling...

ASHE:

down the street. Ashe SCREAMS as his body is dragged across the

asphalt...

CUT TO:

INT. JUDAH'S TOWER, ELEVATOR - NIGHT

Sarah rushes into a rickety old elevator, pulling the accordion-style

security gate shut. She punches the "DOWN" arrow on the tarnished

control panel. With a lurch and HUM the elevator car starts its

journey downward.

EXT. CITY STREET, MOVIE PALACE - NIGHT

Judah has dragged Ashe over to the East side of the street, in

front of an old movie palace. He leaps atop one of the vending

stalls and clambers onto the marquee itself.

JUDAH:

shouts to the crowds below, his eyes on fire.

JUDAH:

You want death?! Here he is, people!!! Take a good look!!!

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