1 EXT. MOON STREET, BRISTOL – LATE AFTERNOON.

A graffiti’d alley. Colours stand out in the dim light. One end of the alley opens out into streets
near the city’s hub, the other extends back into dark shadows. Nooks and crannies conjured up by
dumpsters, empty doorways, corners.

A trembling thud sounds, accompanied by smoke and an agonising retch. A flash and the graffiti
pulses, including that of a flame motif.

MEPH steps out from a corner, wearing modern clothing but unsure as to their attire. They look
unblinkingly around, standing still before consulting a compass that sits in a singed palm. MEPH
nods.

The noise of an aeroplane flying overhead. The sound of people laughing from the open end of the
alley. MEPH’S attention tracks haphazardly.

At the wide-end of the street, JONATHAN FOSTER, slightly drunk, walks past and as he does he
notices MEPH. From somewhere a siren sounds. JONATHAN turns his head in its direction before
heading into the street and approaching MEPH. MEPH continues to stare at the sky.

JONATHAN

Hey. (no response) How’s it going?

MEPH looks down and locks eyes with JONATHAN. With a guttural clearing of their throat, MEPH
attempts to speak.

JONATHAN

(approaching) You alright there?

MEPH

Now… what wouldst thou have me do?

JONATHAN cocks his head to the side and smiles.

MEPH

I am a servant to great Lucifer and may not follow thee without his leave.

JONATHAN halts and arches an eyebrow.

JONATHAN

Bloody hell, I thought I was drunk.

MEPH opens their mouth once, but pauses. Words confound them.

JONATHAN

I’ll tell you who I am. I’m a magician. So time to disappear.

JONATHAN begins to move away. This affects MEPH.

MEPH

Sporting in the dalliance of love, in courts of kings where state is overturned. In the pomp of proud audacious deeds.

JONATHAN pauses and looks back. MEPH touches a fingertips to their lips.

JONATHAN

I really am a magician. I mean, I have one of those proper jobs. I’m a fucking child psychiatrist. Those fucking kids. We’re doomed, y’know.

MEPH

Magic?

JONATHAN

Let me show you a trick. It’s my power.

JONATHAN lifts his hand up to MEPH and performs a simple coin trick. MEPH watches, then takes the coin proffered.

MEPH

Why don’t I perform for you?

JONATHAN steps closer.

JONATHAN

I don’t do that.

MEPH

Not that type of trick. I could show you something truly devilish.

JONATHAN

Oh, yes. How is ol’ Lucifer?

MEPH

You don’t seem particularly frightened.

JONATHAN

You’d have to believe in God to be frightened of the Devil, no?

MEPH

Who do you worship then?

JONATHAN

Well… I admire Siegfried and Roy.

MEPH

Who is this man you mention?

JONATHAN

Men.

MEPH

And which one do you want?

JONATHAN

I’m pretty sure neither are with us anymore.

MEPH looks around. Seeing nothing, they click their fingers. A phone rings. MEPH flinches at the sound as JONATHAN extracts his mobile from a pocket.

JONATHAN

(answers phone) Hello? I beg your pardon? (looks to MEPH) Very funny. (listens) Yes. Thank you very much. It was an easy trick.

Bemused, JONATHAN hangs up his phone.

JONATHAN

Who’s your (coughs) Roy then?

MEPH

My Roi? You know who my king is. The only one I must obey. You are a man of magic, you say… How do you get followers in this world?

JONATHAN

Followers? On Instagram?

MEPH

I don’t know what that is.

JONATHAN presses something on his mobile and holds the screen up to MEPH. The number above ‘Followers’ is ‘532’.

MEPH

That isn’t a following.

MEPH touches a fingertip to the phone-screen. The number above ‘Followers’ now reads ‘240M’.

JONATHAN

(laughs) That’s my type of magic! But…

JONATHAN looks up and around the alley.

MEPH

What are you looking for?

JONATHAN

A camera.

MEPH

Obscura? I came from the dark chamber.

JONATHAN

A magician never tells his secrets, but… Will you? Show me these.

MEPH fails to respond. JONATHAN reaches out for MEPH’S fingertip. MEPH pulls their fingertip away.

MEPH

You say there’s no God in this world?

JONATHAN

There is but they’ve been cancelled.

MEPH

What kind of followers is He pulling in?

JONATHAN

Oh, you think God’s still a He, do you?

MEPH

Then what would He be?

JONATHAN’S phone rings again. He looks at the screen, smiles and holds the phone up, it says ‘WIFE’.

Phone rings.

JONATHAN

She.

JONATHAN lets the call ring out.

JONATHAN

The games are over. The wife wants me back.

MEPH

Helen?

JONATHAN steps back.

JONATHAN

(slightly fearful now) Who are you?

MEPH

The question is ‘What am I?’.

JONATHAN

A what. Give me a go of your power, go on.

MEPH

What would you do first? If you had my power? Wish it now… (holds a hand up) … silently!

JONATHAN

(a pause, then) Made.

MEPH

Check your bank balance.

JONATHAN turns his phone on again and accesses a banking app. He widens his eyes in disbelief and looks to MEPH. MEPH steps towards JONATHAN, into his personal space. JONATHAN stands his ground. MEPH raises a palm. JONATHAN makes the handshake and a thunderclap occurs.

JONATHAN

Guess you can sell your soul, after all.

MEPH

You don’t sound worried about that either. If you have nobody who needs obeying, I wonder if my own-.

JONATHAN

Don’t worry about that now. Wanna spend some of my easy-earned money?

JONATHAN holds out his hand.

MEPH

(frowns) What about your wife?

JONATHAN

C’mon, let’s go. The night is young.

JONATHAN takes MEPH’S hand and leads them to where the alley opens out onto streets, the city’s early evening life visible. On the way out, MEPH notices the flame graffiti. He places the coin JONATHAN gave them near it. JONATHAN leads MEPH out. As they exit, MEPH’S face basks in the glory of the open street. They stop. JONATHAN looks back to MEPH, whose eyes have lit up in wonder. A smile plays across their face.

THE END