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.]