The Elsewhere Files

The camera sees a blood splattered and dirty, beat-up woman lower a pistol, clicking the safety on. Lying bloody on the floor at the woman’s feet is a very battered and bloody military man. Just beyond him is a freshly bleeding corpse, an axe dropped from nerveless fingers.

Man on floor has a clear military air to his fatigues even though now it is torn and stained. “That was a very good chance to get rid of me.” His voice is soft and low, cautious.

The woman has dark auburn hair, ragged and matted with grime. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that Jareth. I get the opportunity to, I will kill you. But it looks like it’ll have to wait for another day. No more bullets.” Her voice is dry and sarcastic. She drops her pistol to the floor and limps over to the man who has been her jailor and tormentor for the last ten months. Her body was harder now, marked up and scarred; no longer the same woman she used to be. Jareth holds a bloody hand up and the woman helps haul him to his feet. She tucks his arm over her shoulder and he leans on her as they stagger away from the corpse.

Jareth leans heavily on the woman, his head resting briefly against hers.

[Jareth]: “Thank you Kiera. But when I report this, I’m going to make it so that I rescued you.” Voice is plain, too tired sounding for sarcasm.

[Kiera]: laughing softly  ”Of course Major; wouldn’t have it any other way.”

They stagger to an SUV and climb in, driving off towards a busier road in the distance. Camera remains still while Jeep fades into the traffic. As the Jeep disappears from view, Kiera’s voice is heard asking “Where to now?”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Camera opens on Kiera, who is heavier and more relaxed looking than in previous scene. Clearly a flash back to a different time. Her hair is pale blonde with a single lock dyed robin’s egg blue. There is a plainly attractive man next to her and both are sitting at expensive computer stations. Camera angle swings to look over their shoulders at the screens of the computers. They are playing a military style first person shooter, role playing game, and clearly are working together. There is an engagement ring around Kiera’s finger, and it is clear that the man next to Kiera is her fiancé.

Neither one speaks while they play, other than to murmur words about grenades or troop deployments. Both Kiera and her fiancé have on headsets and are speaking into microphones to other players online. Although both look happy and relaxed, it is obvious by their focus that they take the game seriously. Kiera curses when her character in the game is killed, clearly distraught at the set back.

Camera fades out on Kiera and her fiancé, opening on a different scene. Major Jareth from the previous scene is less battered and garbed in black fatigues, face covered in camouflage paint. He is moving quickly through a ruined building, the city around him dusk and quiet. Behind him move a team of similar men, all clearly some kind of military team. A flash in the dark and a splash of red blood paints the wall behind the second man in line. His body slumps, the killing bullet imbedding in the wall, camera zooming in on the hole.

Camera zooms back out, slow motion revealing each of the remaining soldiers scattering behind cover, silently disappearing from view. None of the men have insignia, but it is clear from the group dynamic, that Major Jareth is the commander, all others defer to him.

Camera swings from group view, to see the concealed soldiers from the enemy’s vantage point. Jareth sticks his head out, a brief target that quickly disappears. Bullets pepper the wall he is hiding behind, evidence that the sniper saw the eye blink quick movement. In a brief hesitation between shots, Jareth’s head snaps back into view and he fires a single time, the camera following the bullet to see it impact into the sniper’s chest, punching a hole clear into his body.