JACK INTO THE DARKNESS (Prologue)

I kind of hate biopics. I can't help watching them and think, "Nope... There's no way they had this discussion and used those words." Like, sure the events happened, but I doubt that it went as it is portrayed, and then it seems really disingenuous to me.  I don't know. I'm weird. 

But I've decided to embrace it and write the prologue for my own biopic. Yall wanna know about the time I was born?

The following is based on a true story.

Prologue

(Exterior: A delivery room. Fade in on a typical "delivery" scene. Very normal. Very sterilized. MOM is about to deliver. DAD is at her side. With them are DOCTOR BROWN, NURSE SCOTT. and NURSE MALEVOLENCE. Yes, that's her name.)

MOM: (heavy breathing) Ahhh! Ahhh!

DAD: Just breathe. It's going to be okay. Just breathe.

MOM: Ahhh! Ahhh!!

DAD: Don't think about the pain. Think about... Think about... The A-Team! Remember that? We just watched it tonight. Remember? I pity the fool who missed A-Team tonight. Right? Get it?

MOM: SHUT UP!

DOCTOR BROWN: Okay, it's time to push, Mrs. Batongbakal.

MOM: (Grunting) Hmmm... It hurts! Ahhh!

DAD: You can do it. I know you can! Just push!

MOM: Ahhh!!!

NURSE SCOTT: Wow, he's out! Amazing! So quick!

MOM: That didn't hurt nearly as much as with his sister.

DOCTOR BROWN: And so handsome.

MOM: Yes.

DAD: Oh yes.

NURSE SCOTT: Completely.

DOCTOR BROWN: What are you going to name him?

MOM: (tears in her eyes) Jack. His name is Jack. Jack Batongbakal.

DAD: Jack?

MOM: After the colonel.

DAD: (reminiscing) The Colonel... Jack. I like that. Strong name. For such a strong, handsome, charismatic baby.

NURSE: I've seen many a baby in this hospital, but none compare, Mr. and Mrs. Batongbakal. Well done.

DOCTOR BROWN: Time of birth, Nurse Malevolence?

NURSE MALEVOLENCE: 9:48pm. November 8.

MOM: (slightly shocked) Excuse me?

NURSE MALEVOLENCE: 9:48pm. November 8.

DAD: (long beat) Just like the wizard said.

NURSE MALEVOLENCE: ...What?

MOM: I wonder how he knew...

DOCTOR BROWN: Hmm... You spoke to the Wizard?

DAD: Yes, Merlin's been a family friend for generations. On his deathbed, he predicted that a son, a great son who would change the world, would be born to us on November 8 at 9:48pm.

MOM: And then he died... and turned to stone... and then ash.

NURSE SCOTT: That's incredible... I met Merlin once. He told me that I would be present at the delivery of the world's greatest. And then I asked, "The world's greatest what?" And he just smiled and disappeared into the night. For the longest time, I thought it were a dream. (there's an eerie quiet)

MOM: I think our Jack is meant to do great things.
DOCTOR BROWN: Indeed.
NURSE MALEVOLENCE: (hissing) YOU FOOLS!

DOCTOR SCOTT: Nurse Malevolence?

NURSE MALEVOLENCE: HE WAS MEANT TO DIE IN THE WOMB!

DOCTOR BROWN: What?

NURSE MALEVOLENCE: The prophecy will not come to pass. I will wipe his existence from all time! (NURSE MALEVOLENCE takes off her nurse's scrubs to reveal dark robes)

DAD: It's Lady Malevolence, the demon witch!
DOCTOR BROWN: I should have known!
NURSE MALEVOLENCE: It had always been me, you blind fools! Hahahahaha!
DOCTOR BROWN: You will not take him, sorceress! Once upon a time, I took an oath to do no harm. Tonight, I will break that oath.
NURSE MALEVOLENCE: You will try! Ninjas attack! Bring me the baby's head!
DAD: (Sigh) Here we go again.
MOM: Did you bring my lightsaber?
DAD: I brought them both. (DAD hands MOM two lightsabers which MOM expertly wields)
MOM: I love you. (they kiss)

(What follows is a fucking epic kung-fu/Jedi, fucking awesome fucking sequence. Team JACK are just kicking ass. Even MOM, who just delivered a baby... a really f*cking awesome baby, is just fucking kicking ass. The good guys are outclassing the bad ninjas while baby JACK sleeps quietly in a crib. DOCTOR BROWN is fighting 10 ninjas on his own, and NURSE MALEVOLENCE left to face off with NURSE SCOTT. NURSE SCOTT is barely able to hold his own as NURSE MALEVOLENCE toys with NURSE SCOTT. Eventually NURSE MALEVOLENCE stabs NURSE SCOTT in the heart. NURSE SCOTT collapses to the floor. NURSE SCOTT has been mortally wounded. NURSE MALEVOLENCE then makes eye contact with DOCTOR BROWN. NURSE MALEVOLENCE recognizes that she would be beaten without the rest of her ninjas.)

LADY MALEVOLENCE: THIS. ISN'T. OVER! I WILL RETURN WITH ARMIES! I WILL RETURN WITH DEATH ITSELF. THE CHILD SHALL NOT GROW! THE CHILD SHALL NOT COME TO BE!!! (NURSE MALEVOLENCE vanishes)

(DOCTOR BROWN goes to NURSE SCOTT while MOM and DAD check on the sleeping baby.)

NURSE SCOTT: (dying) Did... Did I do good, Doc?

DOCTOR BROWN: No... You did great, Scott... Great Scott. Stay with me. 

NURSE SCOTT: 'Fraid I can't... Father. I'm sorry.

DOCTOR BROWN: No, no... You fought well.

NURSE SCOTT: I had... a great... teach...er.  And a bett...er... fa...th...er. And... a.... goo...good...frien(NURSE SCOTT dies, and his body faces away).

DAD: I'm sorry about Scott.
DOCTOR BROWN: He knew the risks...
MOM: What do we do now?
DOCTOR BROWN: Now... now, you find out the truth.

(DOCTOR BROWN magically transforms into an old, Gandalf-looking wizard. He is MERLIN.)

MOM: Merlin!

DAD: How is this possible?

MERLIN: I suspected something nefarious when I last spoke to you, so I changed my face and got a medical degree to watch things play out. Quick, there's not much time. We have to move before Malevolence returns.

DAD: Where?

MERLIN: Austin, Texas... 1983

MOM: That's over 15,000 years ago!

MERLIN: Malevolence will never suspect that this is where and when you've gone. And we must keep you all safe. 

DAD: 1983-

MERLIN: You're already versed in early 80s television. You'll fit in. To the rest of the world, you will have recently moved there from Germany.

MOM: What about Kat-?

MERLIN: Your daughter is with the Colonel and his wife already. Trust, I had foreseen this growing darkness... A shadow growing in my mind.
MOM: Wait... (MOM makes a loud pained noise)
DAD: What is it, my love? Are you okay?
MOM: I think... I think there's another child in me.
MERLIN: Twins? I did not foresee this.
MOM: Oh... Oh no... I have... to...push.

(A second baby is born. There is something evil and off-putting about him. He has alabaster skin and blond hair. He has red, albino eyes. He doesn't cry. He just stares at you. Long, pointy nose. Not perfect like JACK's nose.)

MERLIN: Hmm... And what is this one's name?
MOM: ...Baracus. Like on the A-Team.
MERLIN: Okay. That's a name.

MOM: Okay, let's away before the sorceress returns.

MERLIN: There's a problem. The portal can only take 3. One of you must stay behind.

MOM: Let's leave Baracus behind.

DAD: Yeah.

MOM: Merlin, will you take care of him?

MERLIN: What?

MOM: Would you mind? Like... just watching him for a couple years...

MERLIN: I mean... I just got a new place, and I... He won't be on the lease, but I guess that's... okay.

MOM: Thank you. You're a life saver in so many ways. When he is 33, give him this lightsaber. As his twin will have the other. And, perchance, someday they will meet and fight and end the world. And stay alive! He must not be raised by Nurse Malevolence.

DAD: What? That wasn't even... Why would you say that?

MOM: It's... foreshadowing.

DAD: Not really... That was more like-
MERLIN: THERE'S NO MORE TIME TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION! You must go! Batongbakals... My friends... Raise him right. Raise him... into the light.

(Fade to white)

Title Card: JACK INTO THE DARKNESS