(The man, after leaving Bryn’s doorway, hears a sound)

Man: Who’s there? (draws sword and walks down the hall) Show yourself! (turns around corner and is killed by something)

(Shadows fall on the wall, as whatever killed him runs away)

(Elise is taking a bath; she takes her towel off and tosses it onto her doll; she gets into the tub and relaxes; she hears the sound of a door opening)

Elise: (looks toward the sound) Hello? (smiles) If you’ve come for a farewell fling, Aiden, I’ll have none of that. You’ve made your choice. (pauses) Whoever is there better show himself! (turns back) Nerves. I hate weddings. (continues to relax)

(Something makes her water bubble, then pulls her under; she gasps for air, and sees a toy with a scythe, swinging at her; after a few swings, and hits, Elise is dead)

(Sinbad and Doubar are in their room)

Sinbad: Did you hear that?

Doubar: It’s called thunder.

Sinbad: I’ll be right back.

Doubar: Don’t hurry on my account.

(Sinbad leaves)

Doubar: Wouldn’t wanna get any sleep around here.

(Sinbad is walking through the halls; the toys are walking behind him; Sinbad makes it to ?’s room and knocks on the door)

Sinbad: Fallin, it’s Sinbad.

(Fallin opens the door)

Fallin: Come for a nightcap, I hope.

Sinbad: Just wanted to make sure that you were all right.

Fallin: As right as I can be. Poor Kareem. I just can’t get his face out of my mind.

Sinbad: Me neither. I just can’t shake the feeling there’s more to this than just murder.

Fallin: I know what you mean. Elise won’t admit it, but I think it’s getting to her, too. She’s taking a bath, and she’s sporting on her sword.

Sinbad: I’d advise you to sleep with yours.

Fallin: Oh, but I’d much rather sleep with your sword beside me. (she runs her hand along Sinbad’s chest)

Sinbad: (touches her cheek) I’ll take a rain check on that. Sleep tight. (leaves)

(Sinbad walks by a room where he hears conversation going on; he knocks on the door; Jarod opens it)

Jarod: Ah, Sinbad! I was just toasting to Kareem and Zeken. (holds up a doll) My little buddy. He doesn’t drink though. (can’t make out what he says here) (throws doll behind him) Would you care to join us?

Sinbad: As tempting as that may be, I’d rather stay alert until morning. I’d advise you to do the same.

Jarod: (can’t make out what he says here)

Sinbad: Jarod. (can’t make out what he says here)

(Sinbad leaves the room)

Jarod: Where are you, my little friends? It’s just you and me now. Have some wine. Don’t be upset. I didn’t mean to toss you. (looks under table) Oh, there you are.

(The toys advance on him)

(Sinbad arrives back to his room)

Sinbad: Doubar!

Doubar: Sinbad!

(Sinbad enters the room and sees Doubar trying to fight off the harpies that were only dolls earlier)

Sinbad: What’s going on?

Doubar: Remember what you said about harmless turning deadly?

Sinbad: Zeken was right! (helps fight off harpies, but then tries the door) It’s locked! (sees a cut on Doubar’s neck) Doubar, your neck!

Doubar: It’s just a nick. Sinbad!

(Sinbad does a somersault to dodge one of the harpies)

(They continue fighting the miniature harpies)

Sinbad: Real blood.

Doubar: These things are alive?

Sinbad: More than they need to be. I’d say Bakbuk’s an alchemist.

Doubar: Firouz would know all about that.

Sinbad: Firouz!

Doubar: Rongar!

(They try to open the door of the adjoining room, but it is stuck)

Sinbad: Are you all right?

(Firouz and Rongar are ducking behind a table, dodging the arrows of their gifts)

Firouz: Well, we got ourselves a situation here.

Sinbad: How bad is it?

Firouz: Well, we have several uninvited guests.

Doubar: Can you pick the lock?

(Sinbad takes his dagger and tries to pry the door open, with no success)

Sinbad: There’s something wedged in it. It’s jammed! Hang on!

(They keep trying to open the door)

Doubar: Enough of this nonsense.

Sinbad: Be careful.

Doubar: Always have been.

(Sinbad stands out of the way, while Doubar stands back, gets a running start, then runs right through the doorway)

(They try to help them, but the toys all mysteriously disappear; Sinbad moves a stool with his foot, but finds nothing)

Sinbad: Gone! After them!

Doubar: (sees Firouz holding his arm) Are you all right?

Firouz: I’m okay.

(They leave the room)

(Jarod is being attacked by his dolls; he is killed)

(Sinbad and crew go to the door of Jarod’s room, which is locked)

Sinbad: Jarod!

(Sinbad and crew near Bryn’s room)

Bryn: Get away from me! Get away!

(Suddenly, the door of her room blows off it’s hinges; Sinbad and crew run into her room)

Sinbad: Bryn? You all right? What happened?

Bryn: That doll the little man gave me. It attacked me.

Sinbad: And?

Bryn: I got upset, I reacted, the next thing I knew…

(The crew looks at the dead doll, where Dermott is sitting)

Sinbad: Firouz? I need your opinion on something.

(Sinbad pokes the doll with his sword)

Firouz: It’s amazing. It’s a perfect combination of science and sorcery. The body itself appears manmade, but the internal organs have definitely been conjured up. Alchemy.

Bryn: Brought to life. By dark forces.

Firouz: More than likely real skin, bones, and blood were used in the mix.

Bryn: Sinbad? Aiden and the others?

Sinbad: Jarod’s dead.

Fallin: No!

Doubar: Sounds like Fallin!

(They run to Fallin’s room and tries the door)

Fallin: Help me! Can you help me, please? Help!

(Sinbad tries the door)

Sinbad: Won’t budge.

Fallin: No! Help!

Doubar: Elise’s door’s jammed, too.

Sinbad: Keep trying.

Fallin: The door won’t open! Help me!

(Sinbad goes out a window and climbs to where Elise’s and Fallin’s rooms are)

Fallin: Get away!

Doubar: Can’t you do anything?

Bryn: I’m trying Doubar, I’m trying!

Fallin: Keep away from me! Keep away!

(Sinbad jumps in her window just then and kills the toy)

Fallin: I froze, paralyzed.

(Fallin wraps her arms around Sinbad, and he hugs her, comfortingly)

Sinbad: Everything’s going to be all right now.

Doubar: Sinbad!

(Sinbad runs to the door and opens it; he and Fallin join the others in the hall; they are looking at some bloody footprints on the floor)

Doubar: Look at that.

Sinbad: (can’t make out what he says here)

Fallin: Poor soul.

Sinbad: Who’s sleeping upstairs?

Fallin: Aiden, and Kaitlin.

Aiden: Kaitlin! Where’s my Kaitlin?

(The crew and Fallin run upstairs to the sound of their voices)

(Everyone’s gathered downstairs)

Firouz: Hold still.

Aiden: I have to find Kaitlin!

Firouz: Re-opening the wound and bleeding to death is not going to get you there any faster.

Aiden: You’re right, you’re right. If you hadn’t arrived when you did—

Sinbad: Just be thankful this little guy didn’t have better aim. If he got his hooks in you just two inches to the left…

Aiden: Kaitlin?

Doubar: There’s no sign of her, Aiden. We’ve looked everywhere.

Sinbad: The toys?

Bryn: Vanished as well.

Sinbad: Probably joined their maker.

Aiden: The little devils got my Kaitlin.

Sinbad: It looks that way. But why?

Doubar: Ransom, most likely.

Bryn: No. There’s more to it. It’s connected to all of you.

Sinbad: Bakbuk’s motives have nothing to do with money, Aiden. I’m sure of that.

Aiden: What does he want, then?

Sinbad: Our lives.

Aiden: He told us where he’d be this morning.

Sinbad: And he knows we’re gonna come. Kaitlin is his bargaining chip.

Aiden: Come on, let’s go. I don’t want to disappoint the little devil.

Sinbad: We won’t. Doubar, you’re coming with us. I have a little surprise for our little doll-maker. The rest of you stay here. If we’re not back before sundown, assume the worst. We’ll catch Bakbuk and bring him to justice.

Fallin: Take care.

(They leave)

(Aiden, Doubar, and Sinbad are riding to the edge of the forest)

(Bakbuk has Kaitlin prisoner)

Bakbuk: (laughs) Oh, why so glum, my dear? It’s a perfectly lovely day. Granted it will be your last. I believe it’s going to be the biggest day in my life! (laughs)

Kaitlin: You are the devil!

(Sinbad, Doubar, and Aiden hear thunder)

Sinbad: Thunder?

Doubar: Not a cloud in the sky.

(They see Bakbuk and Kaitlin)

Aiden: I say we ride in and kill him.

Sinbad: No, he’s probably prepared for that. We have to keep Kaitlin alive. Give me five minutes. Then ride in. Slowly.

Doubar: Aiden, we gotta listen to Sinbad.

(Sinbad rides around some trees, and stays out of sight of Bakbuk)

(Doubar and Aiden ride in towards Bakbuk)

Bakbuk: Ah, company! No need to get up. I’ll greet my guests.

(Aiden draws his sword)

Bakbuk: I wouldn’t do that, Captain. For all you know, my little friends are all around you. Behind the flowers, or under a rock! Perched in the trees! (laughs) Now, drop your weapons, and dismount. Please.

(Doubar and Aiden do that)

Bakbuk: I was hoping Sinbad would join us as well.

Doubar: Sinbad is dead, along with the others. He died fighting, though. He didn’t give in.

Bakbuk: How noble! He died, fighting off little toys! (laughs) I like that. (laughs) It was unfortunate, then. Some of my friends had to parish, but no matter. I will recreate them! After all, it was for a noble cause!

Aiden: Which was?

Bakbuk: Justice, Captain Aiden! Justice! You know all about justice. Don’t you? (laughs) Captain.

Aiden: If it’s money you want—

Bakbuk: No, no, no, no. But, you will pay me for my life’s work, with your lives. (laughs) You still don’t understand, do you? You really don’t recognize me?

Aiden: I’ve never seen you before in my life.

Doubar: Nor I.

Bakbuk: Oh no? Think back. There was a silly little boy. (laughs) He was a bit clumsy. You tossed coins at him when he danced for you. And dance he did. He wanted so much to be liked. He had never been to sea. And more than anything, he wanted to be an adventurer. He would’ve been happy just to be your Cabin Boy, but you already had one. Sinbad. And so, that clumsy fool tried to impress you. He climbed to the top of the crow’s-nest—

Aiden: And fell into the sea.

Bakbuk: After hitting the deck, Aiden.

Aiden: The poor lad’s name was Kurwin.

Bakbuk: Indeed. That was my name.

Doubar: We all thought you were dead. We gave money to your family, for your funeral. We all mourned your loss.

Bakbuk: (laughs) But, as you can see, I survived! (laughs) After a fashion, I broke my back. I fell back on such a stage, that even my family didn’t want me around. My little sister couldn’t say back broke, so I became Bakbuk. I was shunned by all. I’d no friends, so I decided to create friends. Create a family to replace those you took away from me.

Aiden: We didn’t know.

Bakbuk: I sold my soul to the devil. I spent years studying science and sorcery, using discarded calls, and various potions, and some of my own flesh and blood, to create the only friends I ever knew. (opens door of wagon) And, would ever know. Not yet, my friends, soon! (shuts door) I created them for one purpose only, gentlemen, to cancel out your lives. The lives you enjoyed after canceling out mine. Such big men.

(Sinbad sneaks up behind Kaitlin, and makes her gasp; Bakbuk turns and sees him)

Bakbuk: Sinbad! (runs back to wagon)

(Sinbad jumps for it, and grabs onto Bakbuk’s legs)

Bakbuk: My men didn’t kill you last night! They will now! They’ll kill you! I said they’ll kill you! My friends will kill you!

(The wagon starts rolling as Sinbad tries to struggle with Bakbuk)

Bakbuk: They’ll kill you! My friends will kill you!

Doubar: Sinbad! Come on, Sinbad, let go!

Bakbuk: My friends will kill you!

(Sinbad falls off of the wagon; the wagon goes over the cliff)

Aiden: Had I only known.

Sinbad: Bakbuk was crippled by his accident, Aiden. By his hate.

(The crew is riding back to the Nomad)

Doubar: Do you think Kaitlin and Aiden will be happy together, Sinbad?

Sinbad: Well, I hope so, Doubar. Their love was certainly put to the test.

Doubar: Aye. Zeken, Jarod, Elise, Kareem.

Sinbad: Will be remember by all of us adventurers. And adventurers to come.

Doubar: When I think of that Bakbuk—

Sinbad: It’s just a memory, now. Whatever evil Bakbuk conjured, it died with him.

Doubar: Aye.

(They pass by some peasants walking along the countryside)

Mother: Come on, dear, we’re going to be late.

Girl: But I’m playing with my new dolly, Mommy.

Mother: You can play with it later. It’s just a silly toy.

Girl: It’s not. It’s my friend. (holds doll close to her)

THE END