- The dark history of Provincetown and its residents is brought to light.
- The Chemist comes to Provincetown to continue her drug trials, and Belle is one of her first customers. Others are drawn to the dark allure of the pills, but not all are talented enough for the drug to take hold. Meanwhile, the Chemist pays Mickey to find people to bring to her to be her test subjects.—Gislef
- October: Five Years Ago
The Chemist drives into Provincetown and Vaughn shows her the house she's buying. She says that she likes the privacy, and Vaughn talks about how P-Town used to be a bastion of homosexuality. He figures that the Chemist is there to set up her own meth lab, and the Chemist says that a meth lab is below her. She insists that she's just looking for quiet, and tells Vaughn that she'll take the house.
After moving in, the Chemist set up a lab and works on her chemical. She creates dozens of Muse pills and studies one with interest.
At the Muse, the chemist is sitting cross the bar and listening to Mickey and Austin talk. Vaughn finally tells Mickey to leave, and the Chemist asks Mickey if he does girls as well and has a few extra bucks.
At the house, Mickey looks at the Chemist's things until she tells him to stop. He asks what she wants, and says that he'll do anything for $20. The Chemist says that she just want to talk and will pay Mickey for his time. Mickey sits on the couch with him, and the Chemist asks what his dream is. He says that he writes a little but hasn't shown anyone he's ever written, but thinks that he's good.
The Chemist explains that she's a biochemical engineer who has been studying the creative part of the brain, and has been trying to learn the origins of creativity. She says that she's locate the part of the occipital node that is the center of creative, and she's created a chemical that will speed up the neurons. She tried it on test apes, and the ones with higher cognitive functions became more creative. The others became more bloodthirsty, and the Chemist figures the "medicine" has different effects on creative and non-creative persons.
When the Chemist puts a bottle of Muse pills out, she invites Mickey to try them. he refuses and asks for his money, and the Chemist says that she'll give him $50 for anyone he convinces to come and take a pill.
Later at the Muse, Kate is talking to Mickey about her singing on stage. She says that she likes P-Town when it's quiet, and the painting stop mocking her. Mickey asks Karen if she thinks that she's talented, and she says that she isn't. As Mickey gives her a hit, Blackflash gets up on stage and sings.
Later, Mickey goes to the Chemist's house and Blackflash says that he's a singer and Mickey sent him. The Chemist makes sure no one is watching and then lets Blackflash in.
Later, a woman is holding an Octoberfest reading event at the bookstore. She welcomes Belle, who will be reading from her new book. Only four people are there, and Belle starts reading from her romance novel.
The Chemist walks through P-Town to the bookstore, and tells Belle that she's a good write and has some real potential. Belle autographs one of her books, and the Chemist takes it and leaves.
Later, Belle meets her husband Ray at a cafe. Her books gross him out, and he is disgusted that she's only sold one book. Belle insists that it's his dream, and Ray says that he spent his retirement on her book tour. Disgusted, he leaves, and Belle goes after her and invites her to the Muse. Ray says that he doesn't want to go to a gay bar, and says that he's angry at Belle that she's weak and scared and boring. He was at work during much of their marriage, and now that he has to be with her all the time it's intolerable.
That night at the Muse, Belle is sitting alone drinking, and Mickey joins her. She figures that he's a hustler, and tells Mickey that she's married. Mickey saw her through the window of the bookstore, and Belle buys him a drink and talks about how a writer is who she is. Belle asks Mickey for some cocaine, and he says that he has something better.
Belle takes Mickey's drug and soon is dancing frantically. Blackflash comes in and asks for a drink, and tells Mickey that he feels sick. He figures Karen has given him bronchitis, finishes off his drink, then says that he's going to puke and runs to the bathroom. Once Blackflash is done, he goes to the sink to clean up and realizes that his hair is falling out.
Belle goes to the bar, and says that she's happy, and Mickey warns her that the first time isn't repeatable. He says that he has something that will make her happy forever, and it only works for artists.
Mickey takes Belle to the Chemist, who reads her book. She tells Belle that she has talent, and says that the pills create certain craving and create aggression even in the creative. The Chemist warns that the effects are temporary and Belle will have to stick around so the Chemist can study her. Belle figures that she will find her destiny and takes the pill.
Belle goes back to the motel where she and Ray are staying, tries to call her husband but gets his voice mail, and is sick. She then sits down at her computer and writes furiously. Belle writes through the night without stopping, and finally finishes her book. She bursts into laughter, and Ray comes in and finds her laughing. Belle tells him that she wrote a whole book and it's beautiful. Ray looks at it and says that Belle couldn't have written it because it's good.
Belle, furious, yells at Ray and tells him what she did. Ray says that he went on the dune tours and had sex with a woman. He tells Belle that their marriage is over, and Belle breaks her bottle of whiskey and uses the shard to cut Ray's throat. As he bleeds out, she grabs at his throat and drinks his blood.
Later, Belle goes back to the Chemist and tells her what happened. She says that she could smell Ray's blood through his skin, and felt she would die if she didn't drink it. The Chemist says that the test apes had the same effects, and Belle wonders if she'll have to keep drinking blood to write well. When the Chemist asks if that would stop her from taking the pills, Belle sits back and considers the idea. Then she says that after she killed Ray and drank his blood, she went back to writing her next book and didn't even think about Ray. The Chemist tells her that Belle has to get rid of Ray's body.
Later, Vaughn is out walking his dog on the beach and comes across several severed limbs.
Blackflash goes to the Chemist, now completely bald, and explains that most of his hair fell out and he shaved off the rest. His skin is pale, and Blackflash says that he hasn't shown any aggression yet. Blackflash wants more of the pills, and the Chemist says that she sets the protocol and he doesn't get a pill until day five. The Chemist refuses to give him any more pills, and admits that she doesn't know what's happening to him.
Blackflash goes to Lark's shop and asks Lark for a coat for the little money he has. She offers to give one to Blackflash, and he picks a shiny coat to wear and goes to the graveyard. a widow is there and smiles at him, and Blackflash approaches her. The woman asks Blackflash to pray with her, and he cuts her throat and drinks her blood.
That night, the townspeople are celebrating Halloween. They congratulate the blood-covered Blackflash on his Halloween costume, and he goes to the Chemist house. She lets him in and asks what happened, and he says that he's a vegan but killed a woman. The Chemist explains that he hates everyone because he now knows he's not talented. She says that the rage of the untalented is darker, and Blackflash hates the world for giving him dreams too big.
Blackflash lunges at her, and the Chemist draws her gun and tells him to get out, and soon he'll have company as other people take the drug and transform into Pale Person. As Blackflash walks away, he comes to a drunk in a back alley and kills him, drinking his blood.
Halloween two years later, and, Belle goes to Lark's shop to buy a new wardrobe. She says that she left her husband in pieces and drank his blood, and Lark figures that Belle is also on the pill and says that she killed her boyfriend and drank his blood. Lark explains that the pills have given her a creative urge to create tattoos and dental fangs, and invites Bell into her back dental office.
That night, Belle wearing her new wardrobe goes to the Muse where it's Karaoke Night. She pays the cover fee and goes in, and listens in where three drag queens are talking about how lousy the fourth one, Austin Sommers who is using the stage name Patty Furniture, looks. The leader, Crystal Decanter, says that she oozes elegance and the other two are just as bad as Patty.
Austin takes the stage and performs, while the other drag queens heckle him. Afterward, Belle goes over to where Austin is playing the piano and gives him a drink. Austin takes it, and Belle tells him that he doesn't belong there. She wonders why a man with his talents is lip-syncing in drag, and Austin explains that he's a playwright and the man who was going to back him disappeared.
Belle remembers killing the backer but says that he hasn't seen him. Austin tells her that he's doing drag to pay for food and smokes, and he can't "catch". Belle offers him a pill, and Austin takes and swallows it. He goes into convulsions, hearing music in his head, and says that he feels unstoppable and unafraid... and starving.
Crystal and the other two drag queens are at a house watching TV. Belle comes in and shoots them, and Austin jumps on one and feeds. Crystal locks herself in the kitchen, and escapes before Austin can break down the door. Belle says that they can't win them all, and it's time to go write.
Running through the night, Crystal finally stops, sobbing. A Pale Person finds and kills her.
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