(episode
written by Joss Whedon , directed by Charles
Martin Smith)
Two
teenagers break into a darkened high school. She
is a little concerned, and is sure they are not
alone. The boy, an ex pupil, assures her they are
quite alone....... her face changes into that of
a vampire, she turns and bites into his neck....
High
school sophomore, Buffy Summers, has moved to the
seemingly sleepy town of Sunnydale, after being
expelled from her last high school, in LA, for
alledgedly burning it down, twice. The night
before the first day at her new high school she
has nightmares about vampires, and zombies, and
demons....
When
Buffy arrives at her new school, her mother asks
her to be positive and stay out of trouble, and
wishes her a good day. Buffy takes a deep breath
and heads up the stairs to the main entrance. As
she is heading in she is noticed by Xander
Harris, who is literally knocked of his
'skateboard' because he is too busy watching her,
instead of the rapidly approaching railing ahead
of him. His long term friend, Willow, goes over
to check on him, and is collared to help him with
math, she suggests he goes to the library and
gets a book on trigonometry. As they enter the
school they meet up with their other friend,
Jesse, who has also noticed Buffy.
In
the principles office, Principle Flutie rips up
Buffy's last high school records, saying that she
starts anew at Sunnydale. As he is talking to her
he notices the content of what he has just torn
up and starts to sellotape it back together as he
continues talking...
As
Buffy exits the principles office she bumps into
one of the pupils, and Xander rushes over to help
her pick up her belongings. He mumbles greetings
to her, in his totally uncool way, and is annoyed
with himself after she has gone. As she is
walking away he realises she has forgotten
something.... a wooden stake?
In
her first class, Buffy is at a disadvantage, as
she doesn't yet have any text books. The girl
next to her offers to share hers. After class she
introduces herself, Cordelia Chase, and suggests
she try the library to aquire some textbooks of
her own. Buffy asks where the library is and
Cordelia offers to show her. As they walk through
the school Cordelia advises her that she will be
fine so long as she hangs with Cordelia and her
friends, that she will be accepted in no time,
but must pass the cool test first of course.
Buffy passes the test. En route Cordelia stops to
get a drink of water, but Willow is already at
the fountain. Cordelia makes some cruel remarks
and Willow leaves. Buffy is not impressed with
Cordelia's bitchiness. When they get to the
library Buffy is left to enter on her own, as
Cordelia goes on her way, to wherever.
When
Buffy enters the library it appears empty, then
she gets a tap on her shoulder and spins round.
She tells the librarian that she is new and needs
some books. He introduces himself, Rupert Giles,
the librarian, and fetches a book out from under
the counter. It's a big, old book, with the word
'Vampyr' on the front. The book was in her
nightmare. Buffy 'wiggs' and makes it clear
that's not the sort of book she was looking for.
Giles puts the book back under the counter,
mumbling 'my mistake' but when he looks up
Buffy's gone.
Buffy
heads outside and goes over to Willow. Willow is
a little suprised by Buffy's interest in her, but
Buffy explains that she would like to get
passable grades and hoped that Willow could help.
She agrees, and suggests they meet up in the
library later. Buffy tells her she doesn't like
the library. Willow comments that a lot of kids
don't like it, but with the new English
librarian, who used to be a museum curator, and
his collection of books, she thinks it's great.
Xander and Jesse come over and join them, and
Xander makes some comments about him and Buffy
going way back, and then returns her wooden stake
to her, asking if she is building 'a very small
fence?'. She says it's for self defence, that
everyone in LA has them. Cordelia arrives,
assuming that Buffy is being 'bothered' by her
new friends. She says not, and Jesse trys to be
nice to Cordelia, but gets a very cold response.
Cordelia explains that gym has been cancelled due
to an 'extreme dead guy in the girls locker
room'. Buffy quizzes her, Cordelia responds with
'morbid much!', then Buffy 'books'.
Buffy
breaks into the locker room and checks the body.
She pulls back the sheet and peers at the neck,
sure enough, there's holes, a bite mark, a
vampire bite mark. She goes to the library and
starts to have a go at Giles, telling him all she
wants is a normal life, she doesn't want to be
the slayer, that she doesn't care about the dead
body, or any of it...... he enquires why she's
there if she doesn't care....... she say's to
tell him she doesn't care, then she turns to
leave. Mr Giles follows her down the stairs,
reminding her of her sacred duty, and that there
is a reason why she has moved to Sunnydale. Buffy
heads out of the library with Giles in pursuit,
he stops her in the corridor, and ushers her to
the side. He tries to warn her of impending
danger, and that she must be ready, but Buffy is
not interested. Back in the library, Xander edges
to the front of the stacks and looks in the
direction of the door through which Buffy and Mr
Giles have just exited.... he mutters one word
'What?'.
Below
Sunnydale, in a dark candle lit cavern, a vampire
is summoning the sleeper to awake...
Buffy
is trying to decide what to wear to the
Bronze.... hmmm, no, too slutty..... no, too
prim... her mother comes into the room and
enquires where she's going. She asks her to be
careful. En route to the Bronze Buffy becomes
aware that she is being followed. She heads down
an alley, and disappears... the man following her
cautiously enters the ally, as he heads under a
pipe crossing between both buildings Buffy swings
down from a handstand and knocks him to the
floor. Before he has a chance to get up she has
her foot at his throat. He looks up at her.
'Is
there a problem ma'm? .... I know what you're
thinking .... I don't bite.'
Buffy
lets him up, but is still wary. They exchange
words, and he warns her about the impending
Harvest, and informs her that she is standing at
the mouth to Hell. When she asks who he is he
tells her he is a friend. He hands her a small
jewelry case and walks away. She opens the case
to find a necklace, with a cross pendant.
Buffy
gets to the Bronze and manages to find Willow.
They talk about boys briefly, with Willow
explaining that she doesn't date because she gets
too nervous around boys. Buffy tells her to sieze
the moment, that life is too short to be shy,
because tomorrow you could be dead. As she is
talking to Willow she notices Mr Giles up on the
balcony area. She tells Willow she'll be back in
a minute and heads upstairs to Giles. She rebukes
him for 'hanging with the students' and he makes
it quite clear that he is only there because he
was sure she would be. He points out that the
Bronze is an ideal hunting ground for vampires.
Buffy mentions her encounter with the 'friend'
and asks what the Harvest is. Giles is suprised,
and concerned. He comments that maybe the signs
are wrong, after all it's not as if Buffy's been
having the nightmares... He tells her to look for
vampires, hone her skills, reach out with her
mind. As she surveys the mass she points down,
'there's one'. She points out the totally
outdated look and then notices who the vampire is
chatting up. It's Willow. They head out of the
Bronze. Buffy makes her way down to the main
floor, and starts looking for Willow. She heads
out back, carefully checking the side rooms, and
snapping of a chair leg, just in case. As she
rounds a corner she grabs someone by the throat
and pushes them against the wall, stake poised.
It's Cordelia. Buffy lets her down and asks if
she's seen Willow. A very perturbed Cordelia says
no, with her shocked enterage looking on in
disgust. As Buffy walks away Cordelia gets out
her phone to 'call everyone she has ever met'.
Buffy
heads back into the Bronze. She tells Giles she
is going to look for Willow, and he heads off to
look up more information on the Harvest. As Buffy
makes her way out of the Bronze she passes Jesse
chatting up a girl. The girl is the vampire from
the school break in.... Outside Buffy bumps into
Xander, she asks where Willow would go. Xander is
shocked that Willow has 'scored', but Buffy's
concern starts to worry him. He jokes that maybe
the guy's a vampire, but Buffy is not amused,
saying if they don't find her, there'll be one
more dead body in the morning.
In
the cavern below Sunnydale, the Master rises... a
vampire, Luke, tells him he has sent his servants
to bring him some food...
As
Willow and the vampire head towards the
graveyard, Willow points out that the ice cream
parlour is in a different direction. He tells her
he knows a short cut and leads her into the
graveyard. They head over to a mausoleum, and he
suggests they go inside. Willow says no and walks
away from the entrance, with her back to him. He
comes up behind her and pulls her hair round from
one side, and goes to kiss her neck. He swings
her round and throws her into the mausoleum. As
she gathers herself, she rebukes him, saying that
was not funny and starts to head for the door. A
girl is stood in the entrance, the one that was
chatting to Jesse. Jesse follows her into the
mausoleum, somewhat disorentated, and stumbles
down to where Willow is. He has been bitten. The
two vampires make it clear that the two of them
are going nowhere. They change to their vampire
faces and Willow screams. A voice from behind the
vampires comments on the decor. Buffy heads down
into the mausoleum, leaving Xander at the
doorway. She heads to the opposite side of the
crypt, to lead the vampires away from Willow and
Jesse. She continues to jest with the vampires,
he sneeks up behind her, and she gets him with
her stake. He stumbles to the ground,
disintigrating to dust as he hits the floor. The
girl looks shocked then turns and attacks Buffy.
Buffy tells Xander to go, he grabs Jesse with
Willow and the three of them run for it.
Buffy
and the vampire fight. Buffy knocks her to the
ground and pulls out her stake. She rebukes the
vampire for coming 'to suck on this town'. Before
Buffy can stake her a hand grabs the back of her
neck and lifts her off the ground... it's the
vampire, Luke......
...to be continued
Narration written by Lizzie Lake.
This episode narration is purely my own
interpretation of the episode. I am in no way
connected with the show or it's creators or
owners. All Buffy copyrights etc are owned by
20th Century Fox / UPN / Joss Whedon etc.
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