An Episode of Not Quite Dead.

Episode Content Warnings

Please bear in mind that this show is a work of horror fiction and frequently places characters in situations which jeopardise their psychological and physical health. This episode contains:

– depiction of a character smoking a cigarette

– discussions of death, grief and loss

– references to sex and blood drinking

– depiction of violent injury, with sound effects

– sounds of a characters in emotional distress

– depictions of physical distress, including struggling to breathe

– loud sound effects (cars, sirens, slamming metal

– discussion of violent abuse and torture

Transcript

COLD OPEN (NO INTRO MUSIC)

A SMALL INTAKE OF BREATH

ALFIE
It’s so weird to be staying back in York. It’s been three days. It’s…

ALFIE SIGHS

I don’t know.

Neige’s flat is warm. It feels so… lived in? Neige has art on the walls, books on the shelves. It all looks a little thrown together, but I like it here.

I wonder how he picks his furniture? He certainly isn’t bothered about the colours matching up. It looks like he’s just tried to stuff as much in here as possible, it’s. Yeah.

It’s nice. It feels very… Neige.

Bet that annoyed Casper. He was forever picking up my stuff after me. Folding my clothes, doing my laundry, tidying the living room. My flat was in a good building, he said. It had nice bones.

Neige is sleeping now. I could leave. Could probably just open the window and jump out if I wanted, but… I’m warm. It’s just. Nice.

Yeah.

The space is good.

ALFIE SIGHS

You know, I think it’s been months since I’ve not been wearing clothes that aren’t slightly damp? I just…

I think Neige is wrong. About Casper. Fucking, groundbreaking, I know, but. I do. Ugh. I want to smoke.

ALFIE SNIFFS AND STANDS UP, WALKING THROUGH THE FLAT. HE CRACKS OPEN A WINDOW AND THE SOUND OF THE CITY FLOATS IN.

ALFIE BREATHES DEEPLY, RUMMAGES THROUGH SOMETHING. THE FLICK OF A LIGHTER. AS THE CITY ROLLS PAST BELOW, ALFIE DRAWS A LONG DRAG OF HIS CIGARETTE AND BREATHES OUT SLOW

ALFIE
(speaking around a cigarette, occasionally taking a drag between words)
God it’s so weird, smoking now. It does nothing. I can taste it, it’s kind of nice, but it’s not doing anything for me? It’s actually the first time I’ve smoked in a while, actually. Not hunting in clubs has really changed my habits. Ha, turns out my mum was right; it was going out that kept me smoking so long. Who knew?

AN AMBULANCE WHIRS ITS SIRENS BRIEFLY, DISTANTLY

ALFIE
Wonder if that’s Terry. Busy night tonight. That’s the third ambulance I’ve heard.

ALFIE BREATHES IN SLOW AND DEEP

ALFIE
It’s funny. I remember Casper telling me vampires liked York because the layout has stayed the same for so long? I wonder how meaningless that feels to someone like Neige? This is one of the oldest cities in the country and it’s brand new compared to how old Neige is.

I wonder if he came when everything was still fields. When you could still walk to England from France. I wonder? I should ask him.

I wonder how many other hidey holes he has near-by? If this flat is where things would stop, or if I could convince him to get somewhere bigger? Like. Not as big as that mouldy old place on the moors, but. You know. Multiple bathrooms.

Ugh, fuck, he said he didn’t like to be, uh, ostentatious but maybe I could get him to go in for a sauna or a hot tub? Oh, god, one of those Japanese soaking tub things, oh my god, imagine bringing someone over and eating them in one of those? The blood would be so warm, fucking hell. They’d have a great time. Lay them out in the sauna after to recover, with a nice big jug of water and orange juice. Give them a little cuddle, send them on their way. It’d be good.

Man, I could hunt. I could hunt right now.

Maybe I could go out whilst Neige is sleeping, pick someone up, come home, wake him up, let him bite me…

Hmm.

ALFIE TASTES A SHORT PUFF OF HIS CIGARETTE

No, this is doing nothing for me.

ALFIE CLEARS HIS THROAT

ANOTHER AMBULANCE PASSES

ALFIE
Four ambulances. That’s a lot for this part of town.

ALFIE PULLS THE WINDOW SHUT, SHUTTING OUT THE SOUND OF THE CITY

ALFOE
That’s the other thing about living so central, not a lot of obvious places to park. Struggled to get the crappy thing we’ve been driving in, and that’s tiny. If we can afford a better car, honestly I think we should get one. Maybe something electric? I don’t know.

Casper’s was a nice car. It had to be, he fucking lived in the thing, most of the time. I just. I don’t think he…

He did love me. He did. I know that, I was there. I knew him. And Neige, he— he’s been so hurt. I think— I wonder if. Maybe he looks for this, in people? Not that Casper never gave him grounds to. He did do all of those weird experiments with Bonham, so. Yeah. If only more of the house that had had survived that fire. But no. Just that little bit…

Wait a minute.

The fire at the house. The fire at Bonham’s lab. And all of the stuff from the lab, that was staged, I’m so sure, I’m so fucking certain, and Bonham, he helped Casper, they worked together there, and—

Fuck.

ALFIE MOVES. HIS BARE FEET PAD ON THE FLOOR. A MATTRESS MOVES.

ALFIE
Neige?

DUVET MOVES

NEIGE
(sleepily)
Hmm? What is it?

ALFIE
The fire at Casper’s house, the one you bought him.

BEDCLOTHES MOVE

NEIGE
What?

ALFIE
Did you say Casper was the one that burned that house down? The one we visited?

NEIGE
Uh, no. He sort of implied this? But I am not sure.

ALFIE
Shit. Theatre, Neige! Theatre!

NEIGE SITS UP

NEIGE
Alfie, mon amour, what the fuck are you talking about?

ALFIE
Fuck. So. When did you say the house was burned down?

NEIGE
Some time around 1910, I believe.

ALFIE
And that’s. After you kill Henri?

NEIGE
Oui. Henri died in 1902.

ALFIE
So Casper and Bonham had already stopped working together by then. And which war was it you said Casper was saving people, during?

NEIGE
The Great War.

ALFIE
World War One. Which started, what 1914? 1915?

NEIGE
I don’t know. I’m not an history book.

ALFIE
And Casper had started disagreeing with Bonham before the thing with Henri.

NEIGE
Yes. Although I am not sure they stopped working together entirely until shortly before the fire.

ALFIE
Fuck. Casper told you that he was the one who burned the house down?

NEIGE
(still sleepy)
He implied it was him.

ALFIE
How?

NEIGE
I cannot remember, it has been over a century! It was something like, oh, like he was glad to see the place up in smoke. That it was a relief to be free of it.

ALFIE
And that implies to you it was him that did it?

NEIGE
Yes? What are you attempting to say?

ALFIE
It’s just. Theatre. Bonham’s lab. Casper’s house. Things were left behind, but not enough to— do you see what I am saying?

NEIGE
Non.

ALFIE
I think that–! I think the fires, or the pretend fires, it– I think they are meant to make it look like what gets left behind is a coincidence. But I don’t think it is. The fucking– the sketchbook! Why would he keep that in his laboratory?

NEIGE
You’re saying Casper staged this?

ALFIE
Or Bonham did.

NEIGE
Would would the point be in any of this?

ALFIE
I don’t know. To distract us, maybe?

NEIGE
Why? From what?

ALFIE SIGHS

ALFIE
You thought Casper was experimenting on people. Bonham really was experimenting on them, but, you didn’t know about that?

NEIGE
Non. I did not.

ALFIE
Casper did. He knew. I’m sure he knew. He didn’t say anything to me about it but he mentioned Bonham was looking to make some kind of panacea. If Bonham was… you’ve never met Bonham, have you?

NEIGE
No.

ALFIE
And, in Tim’s blood, whatever he’d drunk. You said it was a–?

NEIGE
A melange. Yes.

ALFIE
Maybe he’s worried about you finding him. You invited him to Paris, he’d never come, you said. Would you know the scent of him, if you smelled it?

NEIGE
I not know. One of the reasons I took you back to that house was to see if I could recognise him there. He and Casper did not share blood. The smell was only ever residual, and that lingering smell of him, it does not smell like any lineage I know well enough for it to be familiar.

ALFIE
He’s avoiding you.

NEIGE
That is wise of him.

ALFIE
Casper would have known that. Whatever you think about him, you weren’t there, Neige. He wasn’t working with Bonham. He can’t have been. Bonham disgusted him. Whatever secrets he was keeping that can’t have been one of them.

NEIGE
I do not know how you are so sure.

ALFIE
I know him, okay? Maybe he was a liar and he kept too much from me. Fucking hell, maybe he was treating our relationship like I was some little experiment at first, and I’m too stupid to see it, god knows I’ve learned to live with worse. But you weren’t there.

Whatever their relationship used to be, he hated Bonham. He could have gone to him sooner, but he didn’t, and he didn’t because of me. So I may not know why, but I know he didn’t want Bonham to get his hands on me. I won’t believe he meant to hurt me. I won’t.

NEIGE
Sweet—

ALFIE
Don’t. So if he— if he knew you were coming. He’d know– he’d anticipate Bonham would go to ground. You knew Casper was trying to lead you to him. Maybe it’s not– maybe he wasn’t offering you up as a sacrifice. Maybe he was trying to show you something.

NEIGE
Little love. You have too much faith in him.

ALFIE
Maybe you have too little!

NEIGE
He would have said. He would have mentioned. There would be a trail of some kind—

ALFIE
You followed his scent all over the city and it led you to me!

NEIGE
And this gets us no further.

ALFIE
Maybe. Maybe not. But what if the thing he’s trying to show you is something that only I’d know about? Something only I’d know about, and you wouldn’t without my help?

NEIGE
What?

ALFIE
Ugh, what I’m saying is if he was going to leave a clue! It’d be something I’d know about! The trail he left for you led to me, and you’re right, if he wasn’t just– he’d have tried to leave some kind of message, so, what? Scent trails, how do you hide a scent trail? Can you?

NEIGE
It is possible to do this, but on foot? Very difficult. A trace of a path walked can be smelled for months or even years, if you know how to look for it.

ALFIE
Hi— His car. His fucking car, Neige. He pretty much lived in that thing before, before he practically moved into my flat, where the fuck is his car?

NEIGE
I don’t know.

ALFIE
Yeah but. That’s weird, isn’t it? You said you followed his scent all over the city.

MORE BEDCLOTHES RUSTLING

NEIGE
(exasperated)
Yes. I did do that.

ALFIE
And you didn’t find the car?

NEIGE
(now perturbed)
No.

ALFIE
Don’t you think that’s–

NEIGE
Bizarre? Oui.

MOVEMENT. DRAWERS OPEN AND CLOSE.

NEIGE
What are you doing?

ALFIE
I need to find Casper’s car. I think I know where it is.

A DRAWER OPENS, SLAMS SHUT.

NEIGE
In my clothes?

ANOTHER DRAWER OPENS

ALFIE
No, but we used my t-shirt to–

DRAWER SLAMS SHUT. ANOTHER OPENS

ALFIE
Jesus Neige, how much fucking lingerie do you have?! Where are all your clothes?!

NEIGE
It’s only four drawers.

ALFIE
You’re insane!

NEIGE
What is a normal amount of lingerie?

ALFIE
Uh. I don’t know?

NEIGE
Well then, there we are, perhaps you are abnormal.

ALFIE
Because I– you know what, we don’t have time for this. Which drawers have stuff in that isn’t lace or fishnet?

NEIGE
On the right. Spoil sport.

DRAWER OPENS

ALFIE
Neige. Everything in this drawer is made of silk and velvet.

NEIGE
It’s not lace or fishnet. I think you’d suit it.

ALFIE
I am not going out in your slutty pyjamas, you pervert.

NEIGE
Fine. Left hand side, second drawer down. I make no apologies for the contents of the top drawer.

ALFIE
I’m not looking.

NEIGE
You’ll regret that.

ALFIE
Fuck’s sake, Neige, come on! Don’t you want to find the car?

NEIGE
Of course I do. But it’s been missing for a year. A few extra minutes of watching you piss about in the nude will not make it any more lost than it is.

MOVEMENT. A SMALL KISS.

ALFIE
You’re doing the thing.

NEIGE
Which thing? You accuse me of many.

ALFIE
You’re being normal. You’re being calm. Like you were before we found Cas.

CLOTHES MOVE AS ALFIE GETS DRESSED.

NEIGE
What if it is like that? What if you rush, we get there, and everything we find is a disaster of a magnitude I’d not even thought to anticipate?

ALFIE
We still need to look.

MORE RUSTLING AS ALFIE GETS DRESSED.

ALFIE
(quietly)
Also. You knew Cas was dead. You did anticipate that.

NEIGE
Mon coeur. I thought he was likely dead, but I did not think that he would be… emptied. That he. How could have I anticipated what Bonham did? I have been betrayed by friends before, but Casper and Bonham worked so closely for so long. I could imagine him killing Casper, hurting him, yes, but that? No. I did not anticipate that.

ALFIE
Oh.

NEIGE
What?

ALFIE
I’m– I’m sorry I’ve been so. Angry.

NEIGE
You were right to be angry.

ALFIE
You lost him too. and you just. Carried on.

NEIGE
So much was happening, Alfie. You needed me to be strong.

ALFIE
No, I didn’t. I didn’t. I needed– you know, what never mind.

SOUND OF CLOTHES MOVING

NEIGE
Hmm. You should wear nice clothes more often.

ALFIE
Thanks. These pants are too short though.

NEIGE
What did you need?

ALFIE
Uh, maybe a couple more inches in the hips to be comfy, and an extra three on the inseam.

NEIGE
Not from trousers, Alfie, from me.

ALFIE
Oh. Ahah. Right. I needed you to fucking talk to me, honestly. And you just. You put up walls in weird places. You’re terrible at like. Uh.. You don’t have to carry the whole fucking world on your back, you know?

NEIGE
I don’t try to. I just want to relieve you of your burdens.

ALFIE
Next time, just share with me, alright?

NEIGE
I will. Attempt this.

ALFIE
Good. Put on some pants, Long John, we’re going car hunting.

NEIGE
This does not sound remotely delicious. Where are we even going to start? If I have not found it until now, I doubt we ever will.

ALFIE
Where were you looking?

NEIGE
Streets where he left his scent. But cars are difficult, because they trap the scent inside, make it harder to follow.

ALFIE
Yeah, how well do you know York?

NEIGE
I have been living in it for many months now, so I would say fairly well?

ALFIE
Hmm, okay, but like. What about like. Where would you go if you needed to get rid of a car?

NEIGE
I do not know.

ALFIE
Right. Which for the first time maybe ever means I know something you don’t. Which is why I think I’m right.

NEIGE
Quoi?

ALFIE
Casper led you to me on purpose because I do know where I’d get rid of a car. I’d put it in the river Ouse.

INTRO MUSIC

SOUNDS OF WATER

NEIGE
I still do not understand how ‘I would dump a car into the river’ would lead us to this spot, exactly. What are you going to do? Jump in and swim until you find it?

ALFIE
Sort of. But also, this is exactly where I would dump a car if I was going to dump one in the river. It’s the closest point you can comfortably get your car up to the water without properly getting out of town. It’s away from people’s gardens but close enough to the main roads that nobody’s going to be super suspicious if they do happen to hear you. It’s the sweet spot of convenience and inconspicuousness.

NEIGE
I am impressed. There does appear to have been a thought process, I will give you that.

ALFIE
It’s in there.

NEIGE
Yes. I think you’re right.

CLOTHES RUSTLING

NEIGE
What are you doing?

ALFIE
I don’t want to soak all my clothes.

NEIGE
Huh. My clothes, you mean.

ALFIE
Whatever.

NEIGE
Hmm.

ALFIE
What?

NEIGE
There are a lot of vampires out tonight. Can’t you smell them on the wind?

ALFIE
Yeah. I can. Why?

NEIGE
It’s unusual.

ALFIE
Are they coming for us?

NEIGE
Likely not.

ALFIE
Who cares, then?

NEIGE
I do. This isn’t normal, Alfie. Something is wrong.

ALFIE
Something like what?

NEIGE
I don’t know, we’re too far out of the city to know. The scents are mixed and muddled. Something is happening.

ALFIE
We’ll investigate later.

NEIGE
Alfie. Has it occurred to you that this may be a trap?

ALFIE
Yes.

NEIGE
You seem unfazed by this.

ALFIE
What else can I do?

NEIGE
Not this.

ALFIE
Neige. Please.

NEIGE
Mon râleur–

ALFIE
No. I’m not complaining. Let me do this.

NEIGE
D’accord! D’accord. Fine.

ALFIE
Thank you. Hold my pants.

NEIGE
My pants.

ALFIE
Ugh! Whatever.

CLOTHES RUSTLE. WALKING ON WET GROUND. A SPLASH

NEIGE
I suppose I will just. Wait here then.

WATER MOVING. WIND BLOWING. NEIGE TAKES SOME FOOTSTEPS

NEIGE
What is that?

FOOTSTEPS THROUGH GRASS

DISTANT WATER SURFACE BREAKING

ALFIE SPLUTTERS

ALFIE
I found something!

NEIGE
Me too.

ALFIE
Huh? What do you mean?

NEIGE
There’s a light in the trees.

ALFIE
I’m going back down. I’m pretty sure it’s Cas’ car, but I can’t get in. I need to break the window.

WATER MOVES.

NEIGE
A red light, here in the trees.

FOOTSTEPS THROUGH GRASS. A METAL CLANG, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A VISCERAL WET CRUNCH. NEIGE GASPS AND GARGLES, UNABLE TO GET ENOUGH AIR INSIDE OF HIMSELF.

DISTANTLY, A SPLASH

ALFIE
I got in! There’s stuff in there, in plastic bags, tied up like— Neige?

NEIGE CONTINUES TO GASP AND SPLUTTER

ALFIE
NEIGE.

SPLASH, RUNNING ON GRASS

ALFIE
FUCK. Fuck, it’s through your fucking chest, FUCK.

CRUNCHING, VISCERAL SOUNDS OF MOVING FLESH AND BONES.

NEIGE
Beheeed, beheeeed–

ALFIE
I know, I know, I’m sorry! I can’t it’s too- it’s some sort of fucking bear trap, I can’t get it to release, fuck!

NEIGE
(breathless)
Lux rubrum.

ALFIE
What?!

NEIGE
Lumiere rouge.

ALFIE
Red light?!

NEIGE
Arbre. Nous regarde.

ALFIE
The– in the tree. A fucking red light?! A camera! Shit!

NEIGE COUGHS.

ALFIE
I know. Shhh. Let me–

NEIGE
(barely audible)
Pas de sang, courir, Alfie, run!

DISTANT SIRENS

ALFIE
I can’t leave you!

NEIGE
Alfie. Please.

ALFIE
No!

NEIGE
Alfie!

ENGINES ARE CLOSE NOW, THEY SOUND OLD AND WHEEZING, THE SIRENS ARE VERY LOUD.

ALFIE
(tearful)
I’ll come for you.

NEIGE
Go!

ALFIE
I’ll find you.

A SPLASH IN THE WATER AS CAR TYRES SCREECH TO A HALT AND AN ENGINE CUTS OUT, THE SIRENS STOPPING ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY. NEIGE IS STILL BREATHING SHALLOW AND ERRATIC, WITH INCREASED PANIC AS DOORS OPEN. THERE IS A BRIGHT RATTLE OF METAL; CHAINS. A TROLLEY IS WHEELED ACROSS THE DIRT, THE WHEELS LAID OVER TWO SETS OF REMARKABLY CALM FOOTSTEPS. AS THEY APPROACH NEIGE STRAINS AGAINST THE BEAR TRAP.

NEIGE
(rasping)
Reviens, vers!

WHOEVER IS APPROACHING DOESN’T CARE THAT NEIGE IS SCREAMING.

NEIGE
(almost sounding like himself)
Reviens vers!

SOMETHING METAL CRANKS AND RELEASES WITH A CLANG, AND NEIGE MAKES A HORRIBLE SOUND. HE CHOKES AS FABRIC RUSTLES AND HE’S MOVED AWAY FROM THE RECORDING DEVICE, RESTRAINTS LOCKING INTO PLACE.

NEIGE FIGHTS AND WHEEZES, NO LONGER ABLE TO SPEAK. THE TROLLEY IS WHEELED TOWARDS THE AMBULANCE, AND THE DOORS SLAM, CUTTING OFF ALL SOUNDS OF NEIGE.

THE AMBULANCE ENGINE ROARS TO LIFE, AND IT SPEEDS AWAY.

THE MOMENT THE TYRES ARE FAR ENOUGH GONE, WATER SPLASHES AS ALFIE BREACHES THE SURFACE OF THE WATER WITH A GASP AND IMMEDIATELY RUNS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE RECORDING DEVICE.

ALFIE
Fuck. FUCK.

RUMMAGING, THEN MORE RUNNING

KEYS IN IGNITION; ENGINE SPLUTTERS TO LIFE, AND ALFIE FLOORS THE ACCELERATOR

ALFIE
Where are you taking him? This is the road out of town, you fuckers, where are you taking him?! I can’t lose the scent, I can’t, I–

ALFIE SHOVES THE CAR INTO GEAR AND STARTS TO DRIVE.

ALFIE GASPS, YANKS THE HANDBRAKE.

ALFIE
Casper!

CAR ENGINE IDLES

ALFIE
(breathless)
Moving, he’s fucking MOVING.

ALFIE STARTS TO DRIVE AGAIN

ALFIE
Casper, fuck.

ALFIE GROANS, BANGING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HIS WRISTS

ALFIE
No he’s not— it’s not. He’s going too fast, he’s in a car, I think? He’s not awake.

ALFIE PULLS OVER, SWITCHES ON THE INDICATOR

ALFIE
Fucking, fucking, FUCK! I shouldn’t have fucking left him. I shouldn’t have left him, NEIGE! I told you! I TOLD YOU!

ALFIE BANGS HIS FISTS ON THE CAR AGAIN.

ALFIE
FUCK!

ALFIE BREATHES HEAVILY AS THE CAR ENGINE IDLES

ALFIE
I can’t, I can’t, I– I can’t.

RUMMAGING AROUND

ALFIE
Haley, Haley, pick up, pick up!

DIAL TONE

ALFIE
Please, Haley, please!

PHONE DISCONNECTS

ALFIE
No, no, no. No. What do I do? What do I fucking do?

THE CAR ENGINE IS IDLING STILL

ALFIE
Shit. Shit. Neige is– Neige is conscious. Casper is sleeping. He’s. He’s sleeping. I. Can’t. I fucking can’t.

Casper, I will find you, I will fucking find you, Jesus. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I can’t let them have Neige, I can’t let them do this to him too. You’re so fucking important, Casper. You’re so important. I love you I love you I love you. I’m sorry.

ALFIE TAKES A DEEP STEADYING BREATH

ALFIE
But you’re dead!

Okay. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. Find Neige. Go after Cas. Yeah. Yeah. It’s going to be fine.

Let’s just fucking. Go. Let’s just fucking go. Go.

ALFIE DRIVES AWAY.

[END]