Paradise Square

[Community City. Simon's house overlooks the great Paradise Square. Stone pillars encircle the open space where the pilgrims chant to worship their God. At the center, in a wooden ark, lie the ancient relics: The Scriptures and The Mirror of Truth]

[Simon, looking out through the window:]
The noise from the crowd
Growing louder and louder 'til it fills the air
A voice, shouting loud, rumbles on and on
About the faith they share
Nurtured by hate
And the fear it creates everywhere
Condemned for all time
To rule over Paradise Square

[The scarecrow, thinking back:]
And I, I thought that I was stronger than before
Broke out of the cage
To turn a new page in my book
People and places, their names flashing by
So many the faces that only know how to try

[Simon, closing the window to shut out the sound:]
The blood in my veins growing hotter and hotter
'Til it boils my mind
The echo of pain, chilling waves and waves
That shiver down my spine
Lost in their eyes
Are the visions of the wise as they stare
Condemned for all time
Imprisoned in Paradise Square

[The scarecrow, frowning:]
And I, I dreamed I was the champion of the world
I'd stand up and fight
With all of my might 'til the end
People and places soon all were the same
A few were the traces
The shards of my broken name

[Simon stolls along the rainsoaked pavement stones. His home no longer seems to be the sanctuary it was. The notion of God as his personal God now only a childish dream.]

[Simon, unlocking door:]
So strange, that game I played
Was never to be won
I walk through silent streets, hiding from the sun
To see me as before
To try to end the war
But heaven never opens the door

[Simon, hanging hat on hook:]
A headline in The Evening Post
Said the dying days were gone
I shut my window tight and switched the TV on
The way I can stay sane
Is to be thankful for the pain
God walks all alone in the rain

[Simon sits in front of the talk show on the TV, staring at the rain hammering against the window. From out of the shadows behind the piano a masked figure emerges. The Murderer slowly comes forward, one step after another. Simon, paralyzed, eventually faints, whirling through schizoid sceneries. Body floating numb through space, the starsslowly gliding by. Then, through layer upon layer of visions, he dimly sees The Murderer stepping heavily nearer and nearer, reaching out, his red legions chanting in unison. As the dark figure fills his entire field of sight, Simon notices a white glove on The Murderer's right hand.]

[The Murderer, picking Simon up by his hair:]
Hear my name, feel my face burning
Smell my breath, reek of death and decay
Catching souls, catching cold fever
You never know where I am
You never can hide your face
From the death, fear and disgrace
Catching time, catching the ones you love
You know I think it rings so good,
Think it rings so true
I Think it rings in me like you;
Lucifer
Beelzebub
Satan
Lo, the names are written on every wall
Engraved cathedral halls
And in every single place
It's echoed in time and space
Behold the man

[The Dualistic Duel]

[As the Murderer and his legions fade away Simon discovers he is walking alone on a moor. A burned village lies before him and on the far horizon he can see the silhouette of Community City. Even from this distance, specks of light from the pilgrims' torches spiraling up the hill are clearly visible.]

[Simon:]
So the story goes
Who knows for how long?
Pilgrims climb the hillside
On their way up to Paradise Square
Hoping it is there
So the story goes
Who knows for how many?
Pilgrims' feet grow weary
From the burden they surely can bear
If Paradise is there

[Simon walks in the other direction. Many years pass.]