Alysse Aallyn

WHITNEY
That went HORRIBLY.

(Goes to sit disconsolately on the beach behind the boulder, hidden from the house. EIGHT appears, wielding his metal detector.)

WHITNEY
(Sarcastically)

Well if it ain’t the Prince of Wands.

EIGHT
Excuse me? Name’s Eight. Like pieces of eight?

WHITNEY
Well, I found out the demon’s name. And it got me exactly nowhere. It’s Creature from the Black Lagoon one, and Firewalkers zero.

EIGHT
One battle ain’t a war. What happened?

WHITNEY
She stole someone’s identity! And then that person disappeared! She killed her mentor. Probably robbed her into the bargain.

EIGHT
That one’s a piece of work all right.

WHITNEY
It’s real bad. But it was fourteen years ago. The missing person’s been declared dead even though no one ever found the body, my father’s trust says it doesn’t matter who he was married to when he died, and if Charmayne hasn’t already legally changed her name now she’s probably going to.

EIGHT
Nothing works when you give up that fast.

WHITNEY
She even had the nerve to accuse ME of Black Magic.

EIGHT
She did? Oh, Whit! Don’t you see how great that is? You recognized the demon, called it by name, and it recognized YOU! You’re on your way, girl!

WHITNEY
I thought you were the one warning me against descending to her level.

EIGHT
(Hunkers down beside her)

She believes this stuff, is all I’m saying. She’s not your ordinary con. You can’t get her where she’s fake, so you have to get her where she’s real.

WHITNEY
Well, I’m going to need a lot more magic. You got any on you?

EIGHT
(Running his metal detector over her body – it rattles excitedly)

You don’t need my magic. You’ve got plenty of your own!

WHITNEY
(Collapsing disconsolately)

Prove it.

EIGHT
Look. I’d say there’s at least two reasons to steal an identity. One is, you actually want to be that person. The other is, you don’t want to be yourself.

WHITNEY
Because?

EIGHT
Do I have to spell everything out for you? I’m saying, if you’re willing to get rid of one person…

WHITNEY
(Starting to get worked up)

You mean maybe she’s done it before? My stepmom, the serial killer!

(As EIGHT ambles down the beach)

Please don’t go! I need you!

EIGHT
Don’t you feel the temperature dropping?

(Shivers)

Time to take cover.