"No!" "She wants to see you again." "There's only one thing I ask in return." "They call it the stone of Belial." "It allows you to bend the laws of space and time." "We need to set a trap." "With a virgin." "You like him, don't you?" "Ella, why can't we do something normal?" "I'd forgotten how much fun it is having Ella around." "He's never going to forgive me for this." "Malachi is nearly in maturity." "I want her out of the way." "She may not realize it, but her trial is about to begin." "Society as we know it, is a new concept." "In our modern society we like to encourage diversity, difference, the rights of the individual." "But exclusion from a group or community can result in alienation." "Now, in the past, the exclusion of those individuals deemed different took on extreme forms." "Punishment, persecution, even death." "Take the example" "Take the example of witches." "Now, women accused of witchcraft were usually individuals with mental problems, who didn't fit into the group, or even just slept around." "In fact, you may be interested to hear that there was a witch in Medenham village, ...and she was tried at the Corn Exchange in the year 1666." "What happened to her?" "Well, that you will discover soon enough." "I'll see you next week." "Didn't they have suitter tones, Rox?" "Fashion guru." "Bitch." "Photographer." "Sorry, did I mention bitch?" "No, didn't." "All I did was make you a star." "No, you made her one." "Oh, hi!" "I love the look." "It's a tracksuit, Roxanne." "Yeah, but the way you wear it makes it something so much more." "Yeah, a sweaty tracksuit." "Well, some men like that, you know?" "Animal lust and all that." "I can see Jez is going for it." "I didn't know you were interested in Jez." "I'm not." "You are." "Don't be ridiculous." "He is a man of the cloth, for Christ's sake!" "Nothing like a challenge, huh?" "Hi." "Leon." "The answer is no." "But, you don't know what I was going to say." "The answer is still no." "I want to talk about what happened." "That makes one of us, then." "That part of the month?" "Sorry?" "You've just got that look about you, that's all." "Really?" "You should eat more fruit and vegs." "Interesting that stuff about the witch, isn't it?" "Is it?" "Did you notice how Jez was looking right at you?" "No, I didn't." "Well, I did." "It was like you were the only one in the room." "It was weird." "Why would he do that?" "I have no idea." "Do you know something about the witch?" "Thelma!" "Go bug someone else, alright?" "You know the best thing about being a ghost?" "No PMT." "And she was definitely the last one to use the court?" "You always dress like that?" "What would you want me to do?" "Put it over my head?" "I wonder if you've always chosen your underwear with such art." "This isn't art." "It's science." "How's Ella?" "Not her." "Come on, Roxanne." "I'm concerned about Ella." "It's my job to look after my students' needs." "Don't you do your job well?" "I judge every case on an individual basis, Roxanne." "And if I have to determine whether Ella is fit to continue as a student," "I'm going to need your help." "Well, I already told you that stuff with Leon." "Well, I need more." "Ammunition?" "Evidence." " I'm keeping an eye on her, OK?" " And?" "Anything odd?" "Anything out of the ordinary?" "Odd like what?" ""You caught down the groups today"" ""You're sure the big surprise"" "So, is it finished with you two?" "Oh, yeah." "She doesn't give him wood anymore." "Aren't you going to extend the olive branch?" "No way." "He's turning over a new leaf." "Wow, a comedy master class." "You know, you guys should be recording this." " Yeah." "Maybe I am." " Look," "I've got a life, OK?" "I've got better things to do than think about Ella." "Yeah, exactly." "So, we are all going to town then?" "Sorry, no can do." "Busy." "We are making a collection, actually." "Charity?" "If you ask nicely." "Whatever." "I didn't think sausages would be your thing somehow." "There's something different about you, isn't there?" "Yes, Thelma." "I'm alive." "You're the Medenham witch, aren't you?" "You know, Thelma?" "You've one hell of an imagination, even for a ghost." "You are tough, aren't you?" "Wow, a real witch!" "What was it like?" "Dancing under the moon, ...witches broods, deviant sexual practices." "It wasn't like that at all." "No disrespect, but I can see you making a great witch." "Slash of lipstick, back over the hair," "Mysterious, sexy..." " Thelma!" "I envy you." "I really do." "And you didn't even get burnt." "Ella?" " I'm fine." " You don't look fine." "I said I'm fine!" "Ella, what's going on with you?" "You are not your usual self." "What you said: that time of the month." "It's the stuff about the witch, isn't it?" "Let it go, Thelma!" "Maybe I can help!" "Maybe there's something I can do!" "I said let it go!" "God, you are uptight!" "And you know what you are?" "You are a leach!" "You're a sodding parasite, that's what you are." "Leave it out, would you?" " What?" " You know what." " What?" " Just leave it, OK?" "What if someone sees us?" " No one will see us." " But what if they do?" "We could get expelled for this, shit!" "Tom, don't be a twat." "So what if they see us?" "They don't know what we're looking for, do they?" " Do you know what we're looking for?" " Yes." "We are looking for these." "Magic!" "A witch finder's job was not straightforward." "To hunt down a witch wasn't easy." "They didn't look any different from me or you." "Most witches were denounced by friends and relatives." "That way you would avoid suspicion falling on you." "If you were unlucky enough to be arrested, you'd be brought before the witch finder." "And this is where the fun began." "Suspects were taken to a chamber beneath us... and tortured until they confessed." "Sometimes the torture lasted for days." "But whether you confessed or not, you still had to face the ordeal of the trial itself." "And it was here, in this very room, that the Medenham witch was tried." "But have no fear..." " You" " You alright, mate?" "Abso-bloody-lutely." "Talking to oneself is hardly a mark of lunacy." "I do it myself continuously." "Good, do you denounce yourself as a leach and a parasite?" "Who told you about it?" "They wish to remain anonymous." "You know how students are like." "They don't want to be seen grassing on each other." "Why don't they come to me?" "You are the head master." "I guess they want to keep it low-key." "But you don't." "Well, I'm sufficiently concerned about Ella." "As it happens, so am I." "Because obviously she's finding it tough to settle in." "In fact, this morning something was brought to my attention." "An act of vandalism." "I don't think we can ignore this, David." "What do you suggest, Jeremy?" "I think that this is a delicate matter." "I think with my experience I can help." "I would suggest that this is a matter of a counselling, rather than punishment." "Azazeal." "Poor Ella." "Imprisoned in a waking nightmare." "In memories she cannot forget." "Are you sure you can break her?" "Just a matter of time." " But you broke her before and yet" " And yet." "God only knows what happened that day, and I don't think He is about to tell us." "No matter." "This time there'll be no escape." "Mind if I join you?" "How are you doing?" "Fine, thanks." " Migraine, right?" " Right." "They're a bastard, I know." "I do know." "Lifetime sufferer." "It feels like having your head in a vice." " You know what I mean?" " Yeah." "The pain is so bad sometimes it makes me act crazy." "It gets people the wrong impression." "You don't want that." "As the gossip by Roxanne around..." "Look, why don't you try some of these?" "They'll help." "I don't think so." "Well, they work for me." "They don't work for me, and they won't work for me, believe me." "This isn't the normal over the counter stuff." "I get them from a friend of mine." "A herbalist." "A magician, in his own way." "Take care of yourself, yeah?" "You know, you shouldn't feel too bad about what happened." "What are you talking about?" "You know exactly what I'm talking about." "Come on, Leon." "We all make mistakes." "It's nothing to get in a total soak about." "You and I make mistakes." "Not many, obviously, but..." "Where exactly are you going with this?" "All I'm saying is it's not your fault that your girlfriend turned out to be a total psycho." " Ella is not a psycho." " No?" "The school is worried about her, did you know that?" "Seriously worried." "Thy think she might be genuinely unbalanced." "A screw-loose." "Or should I say a loose-screw?" "Very funny." "Seriously, they want people to come forward and tell them if they've seen anything or heard anything." "Yeah, I don't think so." "You're so wet, Leon." "She doesn't give a damn about you." " She doesn't give a damn about anybody." " Or maybe, she just doesn't give a damn about you." "Why are you protecting her?" "She made you look like a complete fool." "I'm not protecting her." "I'm just not a grass, that's all." " Ella." " Can I help you?" " I was just..." " You were just what?" " I just wanted to" " Jez, this is my room." "How would you feel if I just walked into yours?" "You could be shagging one of your students, for all I know." "Ella, I'm worried about you." "I just wanted to see how you're doing." "I'm doing the same as I was 5 minutes ago when I last talked to you." "This hostility is unwarranted." "I'd like you to leave, please." "You remember to take those pills." "Excuse me." "No problem." "Ella." "Ella." "What's happening to you?" "Tell me!" "Imagine the worst day of your life." "The most agonizing, desperate, soul-destroying day of your life." "OK." "Imagine having to relive it every day." "I do." "Believe me, I do." "He offered you something, didn't he?" "Azazeal." "Something to do with Cassie!" "And in return you gave him the stone, didn't you?" "Ella, no." "You took the stone!" "No one else knew it was there." "You stupid selfish bitch!" "You took the stone and now he is killing me with it." "Take these up." "You need to sleep." " Done?" " Done." "Is there anything else?" "I don't believe so." "Remiel, if there's anything on your mind..." "The un-living girl, Thelma." "I think she might suspect something." "Don't worry about Thelma." "OK, guys." "The moment of truth." "Are we actually going to drink that stuff?" "Yep." "We all drink it." "Just like tea." "Can I add milk and sugar in mine?" "No." "Like herbal tea, ...apparently." " Apparently?" "You've never done this before?" "I never said I had." "Come on." "Don't be chicken." "Bottoms up!" "Oh, it's disgusting." "No pain, no gain." "How long does it take till, you know, kick in?" "It should be more or less instant." "I'm sorry." "I'm so sorry." "We all have someone, don't we?" "Someone we'd give anything to see again." "You probably do." "Not that you'd tell me about it." "I didn't think about what I was doing." "I didn't think about what he'd do." "I just didn't think." "I promise you, Ella." "If there's anything I can do, ...anything I can do to stop this, I will." "Whatever it takes." "I think I feel something." "Alright, alright, keep your hands to yourself." "I feel sick." "Just relax, everyone." "Relax." "Leon, if I got any more relaxed, I'd be unconscious." "Why don't we all just admit that there is more magic in this carpet than there are in your mushrooms?" "That's not fair." "What do you mean my mushrooms?" "He is such a fun guy, after all." "You can say that again." "It obviously worked for someone." "Why can't we have what she's on?" "You!" "If you have something to say, doo, ...share it with the whole class." "Riddle:" "how does Jez get his rocks off?" " Oh, my God, she's gone insane." " Ella, ...calm down." "Just take it easy, okay?" "Riddle: why is Leon such a wanker?" "Ella!" "Ella!" "Why didn't you call me earlier?" "It just like happened." "Don't you even know anything about this?" "What put her on?" " She didn't have any." " Have any what?" "Symptoms." "Right." "Let's get us to the library." "It's quieter in there." "Give us a hand, Leon." "Is that absolutely necessary?" "I mean, she is not insane." " You poisoned me, you bastard!" " It wasn't me." "You've served your master well, but I will destroy you!" "You and each and everyone of your creatures of Hell!" "Looking for something?" "Guilt: the most powerful of human emotions." "Forget about love, forget about hate." "Guilt is the one." "Guilt will get you every time." "After all, it's what's got you." "You lied!" "You lied to me!" "We had a deal, as far as I remember." "I gave you Cassie, you gave me the stone." "You didn't tell me you were going to torture Ella with it." "And what did you think I was going to do?" "Thelma Bates, you've acted selfishly, as have I." "The only difference is I'm smarter than you." "Result:" "Ella is losing her pretty little mind, ...and by giving me the stone, you've bought yourself a front row seat." "Torture, isn't it?" "Jez, I don't question your judgement, but don't you think this is a little extreme?" "Seriously, I mean, we're grown men." "She can't harm us." "Is not her harming us that bothers me, David." "It's her harming herself." "You can't trust this piece of shit!" "Those candles." "Can you smell them?" "Can you?" "Saint John's wort." "No!" "That's right." "Homeopathic." "Helps release stress." "Completely harmless." "Not to me, it isn't." "You know what it does to me, you bastard!" "What does it do to you, Ella?" "It kills my power." "He knows that!" "Your power?" "Listen, listen, I'm screwed up." "It's the pills." "Just don't trust him, OK?" "Why shouldn't I trust him, Ella?" "Because his sole purpose is to kill me." "Do you understand?" "Do you get it?" "Kill me!" "Why would he want to kill you?" "Because I am the enemy." "Ella, this is paranoia." "Go suck your master's dick." "Am I the master?" "No." "He is." "Jez, I need to talk to you." "This isn't working, look at her." "Well, in a few moments the soothing candles should work." "You have to trust my judgement on this." "No." "I'm going to call a doctor." "How many centuries have you played me, Ella?" "Seems like forever." "Do you remember the civil war?" "Good times." "Great times." "And the Pharaoh's palace." "You nearly had me there." "You know, I still can't stand the sight of sand." "I'll almost miss you, you know?" "Almost." "So, you're going to grass on her." "It's called a psychiatric evaluation, Leon." "We have to give any information that might be helpful." "Yeah, it's called grassing." "If you're so worked up about it, what are you doing here?" "Don't really have much of a choice, do I?" "Grass or get expelled for drugs." "Thank you, father Jez." "Jez knows what he is doing." "He only wants what's better for Ella." "You've done well, Remiel." "It's been a pleasure." "I hate this one." "Merely the sight of her makes my stomach turn." "Why don't you go and see how Tyrel's doing?" "Remiel has no taste for the finer things." "He's never appreciated your... qualities." "I will miss you, Ella." "The coal does not live at thy command, witch." "I have its own herbae:" "Hyperycum perforatum; the wort of Saint John." "Nullifies thy power will: a witchcraft." "Your bleeding shape has tempted the weak and the last fool tempting them to the bosom of devilry." "And you are pleasing, my girl." "But I'm not pleased." "I'm righteous." "A pillar of righteousness." "Help me to help thyself." "Use my strength, girl." "Make it thy known and the path to redemption will be open to you." "Confess." "Expel the evil within thee." "Free thyself." "Join me in the path to redemption," "or I cannot save thee." "Confess and I'll stop it then." "That's all I can give her now." "It should at least stabilize her mood." "OK, Ella." "Can you tell us what you feel." "It's what we need." "There's nothing wrong with me, ...apart from being poisoned by him." "That pathetic creature of Satan." "David, I have a colleague at the hospital." "He is rather of the best in these situations." "I think I should call him." "Yeah." "Why don't you do that, slaphead?" "Ella, ...you have to help us help you." "I know this is difficult for you, but admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery." "Yeah, yeah." "I get it." "Either I admit I have a problem and commit myself to the funny farm, or I don't and you do it for me, right?" "It's not like that, Ella." "Listen to me." "I will not..." "I will not confess!" "Let me put the matter to thee plainly, girl." "Confess to the witchery for which thee stand accused, ...and the court will show you the mercy of perpetual imprisonment." "Confess not and thy sinner's flesh shall be burnt until they are not but ashes." "Do thee understand?" "So be it." "Perhaps this should be backed on life." " Doctor Wilkinson?" " The same." "David Tyrel." "Thank you for coming so quickly." "Quite a place you have here." "Reminds me somewhere where I used to work." "Really?" "On another school?" "A lunatic asylum, actually." " This is father Jez Heriot..." " Hello." "Roxanne, Leon with him." " Can I see her, please?" " Of course." "And she's been like this for an hour or so?" " About that, yes." " Good." "And you said she should be affected a while longer." "What's that smell, by the way?" " Saint John's wort." " Ah!" " Is that a problem?" " No, no, no." "Not a problem." "Perfectly harmless." "Perfectly useless." "Right." "I'd like to see some of her friends, if I may." "Right." "As friends of Ella's I realize this must be very upsetting for you." "However, it is my job to assess Ella's mental state and to recommend treatment, if treatment is indeed needed." "My assessment will depend partly on an interview with Ella, and partly on any information you may wish to share with me now." "David has given me to understand that you might be willing to share some information with me." "Roxanne, if I might start with you." "I take it you are a friend of Ella's?" "Yes, sir." "I am." "Or was." "There is no malice in your deposition." "Thee wish her no harm." "I only wish that she would be herself again." "That is indeed all a friend would wish." "And you saw the accused, your friend, conversing with space." "She conversed with an invisible entity!" "Yes, sir." "I cannot explain it." "This was not mere space, no invisible entity." "This was a familiar." "The incubus." "A diabolical parasite." "And you're quite sure that no one was there?" "I'm sure." "What were you doing?" "Spying on her?" "No, of course not." "Let's leave that to one side for now, shall we?" "What Roxanne has described is by no means unusual." "An individual who, for whatever reason, feels excluded from a group... often takes, creates, if you will, an imaginary friend, an ally, who they believe they can depend on." "You were led into wood?" "Yes, sir." "The woods, sir." "The woods beyond the village, sir." "You felt moved by a strange power?" "A force beyond your control?" "Well, sir..." "You were bound to a tree." "The accused enchanted words you did not understand." "I've never heard the likes, sir." "Not in these parts." "You were stripped naked." "Do not be ashamed, my boy." "You should be proud." "Proud that you have survived this terrible ordeal." "And by surviving you may bear witness, and justice can be done." "That this boy survived is a miracle." "A sure sign of God intent." "You were a sacrifice for a demon, my boy." "You were, I submit, bewitched." "Thank you, Leon." "Am I to infer from this that you are having or have had relations with Ella?" "If that's what you want to call it..." "Forgive me for asking this, but I don't suppose there's any reason why you might have fabricated the story?" "After all, love is quarrel." "And you subsequently severed relations with Ella." " You chopped her!" " What would you do?" " I mean, for Christ's sake, she" " It's alright, Leon." "Nobody's blaming you." "It's a classic example, really." "Feeling inadequate, the individual forces an intimate or loved one to reject them, and this rejection in turn precipitating an episode of the sort that you've witnessed here today." "Roxanne, Leon, thank you." "You may go now." "I will see Ella now." "Alone." "Hello, Ella." "My name is doctor Wilkinson." "I wondered if we might have a little talk." "Get the hell away from me!" "Get the" "By the lights of truth, which we have shown, this woman must be judged." "Thelma." "Is Thelma a student here?" "Thelma is a ghost." "I see." "Ella, I want to help you." "Just answer a few questions and everything will be fine." "What happened with Leon?" "He was a sacrifice for a demon." "I..." "Thank you, Ella." "Well?" "She's in an acute state of distress, clearly delusional, borderline schizophrenic, if you want my opinion." "You were right to call me when you did." "And you're certain?" "Absolutely certain?" "I know Ella, she's a strong girl." "This could be an episode." "By morning she" "By morning she could be dead!" "You saw the marks on her harms." "Doctor Gareth, please." " I feel responsible." " No." "It's no one's fault." "No one is responsible." "He's right, David." "What are you going to do?" "You've heard testimony." "Testimony about the damning and foul." "But some may bear forth witness this be a court of law, not roar rubble letting in." "We seek proof." "And if it be proof that be thy desire, proof there'll be!" "Thy!" "See the mark!" "The black hand of Satan alone can make this mark," "Thy." "And only one kind may bear it:" "A witch." "And there'll be only one fit punishment for a witch." "Ella!" "Ella!" "Ella." "Not so lucky this time, hey?" "Coming up on Hex" "They are going to poison me." "It started at Medenham." "Hi!" "Remember me?" "You did what?" "!" "I don't sodding want this!" "I feel so much better when she is in such caring hands." " Little bitch." " You're death!" "What do you care?" "You're asleep, you're dreaming." "You're my fairy godmother."