Dead of Winter (2025)
Director: Brian Kirk
Writers: Nicholas Jacobson-Larson, Dalton Leeb
Stars: Emma Thompson, Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca, Laurel Marsden, BrÃan F. O’Byrne
Release dates: August 8, 2025 (Locarno); September 26, 2025 (United States)
Plot: After her husband’s death, Barb sets out to fulfill his last request to have his ashes scattered in Lake Hilda in northern Minnesota, where the two had their first date. During a snowstorm as she drives there, she takes an unintended detour to a nearby cabin, asking a man for directions after she notices blood on the snow that the man attributes to a deer. However, when she reaches the lake, she sees that man pursuing and capturing a young woman with her hands tied. Returning to the cabin to investigate, Barb sees that the woman is tied up in the cabin basement and overhears the man and a woman in purple talking about plans to kill the girl.
Unable to get her truck off the frozen lake due to the snow, Barb sets up her husband’s old ice fishing shack as a distraction, luring the couple in so that the man falls into a concealed hole she cut in the ice. Unable to get the girl out of the cabin basement, Barb soaks most of the cabin to force the couple to depart, but they return before Barb can leave and she is shot in the arm as she escapes. Fleeing back to her truck she finds it disabled, but finds the man’s gun out on the ice. With the man suffering from hypothermia, the woman decides to heat him up in her car. The couple wake up in a panic and head to the lake with the woman then leaving to search for Barb. This allows Barb to sneak back to the cabin and make a call on the man’s truck radio for help, but the man returns and interrupts her. She learns that his wife is sick and the girl was chosen because of a previous suicide attempt, but Barb convinces the man to drive to the nearest town and get the police before going to the hospital himself.
Barb sets up her truck to explode to draw in more help, and meets a couple of hunters. They take her back to the cabin to try to help the girl, but the woman shoots them both, having already killed her husband, capturing Barb after Barb manages to shoot her in the leg. Stuck in the basement with the girl, Barb learns that the girl’s name is Leah, but their next escape attempt is interrupted when the woman returns and forces them both to accompany her to the lake at gunpoint.
Arriving at a makeshift medical tent in the middle of the lake, Barb and Leah learn that the woman intends to take Leah’s liver and go to another town to meet a surgeon who can transplant Leah’s liver into the woman. Barb is forced to tie Leah up, but deliberately leaves the bonds loose, and is able to take the woman by surprise when her attempt to shoot Barb strikes the box containing her husband’s ashes. As Leah cuts herself free with a nail Barb slipped her earlier, Barb forces the woman out onto the ice, back to the hole she dug previously. With both women wounded, Barb uses the handcuffs that were previously used to keep her trapped to tie herself to the woman and throw them both into the hole in the ice. Barb scatters her husband’s ashes in the lake as they both sink. Leah escapes her bonds and finds an old photograph of Barb and her husband.
* * *
Dead of Winter (2025) | Transcript
(She sniffs, sighs softly.)
(She inhales deeply.)
(engine chugging)
(She sniffs.)
(She sighs softly.)
(She sniffs.)
(She sighs, sniffs.)
(mysterious music playing)
(radio) Conditions are expected to worsen across the Twin Cities as temperatures drop. Further northwest, we’ll see up to eight inches with nearly a foot towards Nemadji. Whiteout conditions are likely throughout northern Minnesota with winds up to 60 mph. State agencies are encouraging drivers to stay off the roads…
(suspenseful music playing)
(Horn blares.)
(suspenseful music continues)
(Engine revs.)
For crying out loud!
(Tires screech.)
(Engine revs.)
(wind whistling)
(Brakes squeak.)
Oh, Lord!
(She sighs.)
(engine chugging softly)
(She chuckles softly.)
You had to pick the middle of nowhere.
(wind gusting)
(wind howling)
Oh!
Oh! Uff da!
Oh!
(distant bird crying)
(engine still running)
(She sighs.)
(distant chopping)
(suspenseful music playing)
(Chopping continues.)
(wind whistling)
(Chopping gets louder.)
(Engine revs.)
(Engine stops.)
(chopping)
Hello!
Excuse me!
Aah!
Oh, whoa! Oh!
(chuckles) Hey there.
Oh, my! Sorry about that.
I didn’t mean to scare ya.
(breathing heavily)
What are you doing up here?
Fishing.
Just a little fishing.
By yourself?
Yeah.
Used to come up here with my husband, though.
Long time ago.
You wouldn’t happen to know where a Lake Hilda is, would ya?
Yeah.
Just back over the hill here.
If you’re driving, you gotta go the long way round.
Okey-doke.
Sure appreciate it.
Say…
You doin’ OK?
Just thought I…
(panting softly)
Deer.
OK.
Well, stay warm.
(She sniffs.)
(wind whistling)
(Bird squawks.)
(trees creaking)
(engine rumbling)
(Brakes squeak.)
(Engine stops.)
(melancholic string music playing)
(distant voices)
(man) It’s a lot easier.
(woman) Yeah.
(man) All right.
(rumbling)
Oh!
(sighs) Are you sure it’s safe out here?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Got to be seven or eight inches, easy. Look, look.
(rumbling)
(He chuckles.)
Ain’t helping your case any. Oh, we’ll be fine. I promise…
Oh!
(Both laugh.)
(soft music playing)
(She groans, sighs.)
(man) Come on. Do you always give up that easy, huh?
This thing’s a piece of junk.
No, it ain’t.
Here.
Come on.
(She sniffs.)
(She sniffs, sighs.)
(She sniffs, inhales deeply.)
No, other way.
(She groans.)
There you go.
OK.
Jeez, you can get off me now.
OK.
(Both chuckle.)
(string music continues)
(melancholic music playing)
Know where Greta Larsen’s boyfriend took her on their first date?
No.
Where?
Dancin’.
Mmhm.
Down at the VFW.
Are you tryin’ to say somethin’ here?
Just statin’ facts is all.
Oh, yeah? Skol.
Skol, Karl.
(melancholic music playing)
(She sniffs softly.)
Oh…
(distant gunshot)
(Man shouts in distance)
(Man, in the distance) No! Get back here, you little bitch!
(gunshot)
(Bird squawks.)
(She groans.)
(Man groans.)
(gunshot)
(Girl screams.)
(man) Next shot I won’t miss.
Stupid little bitch!
Try that again… and you’re dead.
Do you hear me?
(Girl screams.)
(man) Do you hear me?
(She pants anxiously.)
(man speaking indistinctly in distance) Oh… (panting)
(tense music playing)
(Tires screech.)
(Music intensifies.)
Come on, come on.
(engine revving)
You gotta be kidding me!
(She sighs deeply.)
(wind whistling)
(She sniffs, sighs.)
(She groans, pants.)
(She sniffs.)
Yeah, I know, I know!
(distant wind whistling)
(clatter)
(Engine starts.)
(panting)
(She continues panting.)
(She groans, sniffs.)
(panting)
(wind whistling)
(Girl whimpers loudly.)
(She grunts.)
Oh…
You hurt?
You alone?
(cars approaching)
(Girl whimpers.)
Oh!
(Girl whimpers, pants anxiously.)
(tense music playing)
(She sighs.)
(Car door closes.)
(indistinct conversation) She down there?
Yeah.
(panting)
(girl whimpering)
Any snags?
(man) Nope.
You sure?
She was where you said she’d be, coming out of the pharmacy.
Grabbed her in the alley. No one saw shit.
You didn’t feed her, did ya?
Course not. Think I’m an idiot?
You’re not gonna say thank you?
For what?
I don’t know.
Gettin’ the girl?
Breaking into St Luke’s and stealing half their supply closet?
(She sniffs, sighs.)
(man) Driving out to find your ass?
Digging your truck out of the snow?
You’d still be out there freezing your tits off if I hadn’t gone looking for you.
What the fuck? I said no booze!
I’m not fucking around! You can get as drunk as you want when we’re done.
I’m not drunk!
(woman) Enough!
I’m gonna rest while you sober up.
Then we can unpack the truck.
(She groans.)
(whispering) Hon!
(Girl whimpers.)
(panting)
(window squeaking)
(tense music playing)
(Girl continues panting.)
(Barb panting)
(whispering) OK?
(girl panting)
(ominous music playing)
(dramatic music playing)
(Door creaks open.)
(Woman groans.)
(distant wind gusting)
(Woman groans, pants.)
(She continues panting.)
(tense music playing)
(girl whimpering)
(tense music intensifies)
Fuck!
What the fuck is this?
Um, a mitten?
Yeah, I know it’s a fucking mitten. Where’d it come from?
The mitten store?
Are you trying to piss me off?
Whose is it?
I don’t know.
A lady stopped by. She maybe dropped it.
A fucking lady stopped by?
Yeah, some dumb old bitch.
You didn’t think that was pertinent?
It was two seconds. She didn’t see shit.
Well, she clearly fucking did!
What did she want?
I gave her directions to the lake.
I don’t know how many times I have to tell you to stop being so nice to people.
They take advantage.
Well, she was lost.
Come on!
Well, where are we going?
To tidy up your fucking mess!
(tense music playing)
(Gun clicks.)
Aagh!
Oh! Oh, shit!
(Woman shouts.)
Come here! Over here.
Get me out!
Give me your fucking hand!
Aagh! Holy shit!
I’ll help you. Come on!
Oh, shit!
Come on! Come on!
Hello?
(Door closes.)
Holy…
(She grunts, pants.)
(She groans.)
(Girl whimpers.)
(groaning)
It’s OK, hon.
(coughing) It’s OK.
(groaning) I’m the…
I’m the lady from the window.
Oh!
Took a tumble there.
(She groans, pants.)
Let’s get that off ya.
(Girl whimpers.)
It’s real stuck.
OK, let’s just do it fast. OK.
One, two, three.
(Girl groans loudly.)
Sorry.
Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry.
Oh, sweetheart, where’s the key?
Where’s the key, honey?
I don’t know.
Damn!
Sorry. Didn’t mean to cuss.
Don’t leave. Please don’t leave me!
No, no, no, no.
I’m not leavin’ you, sweetie.
I’m not leavin’ ya.
A promise is a promise.
I’m just gonna find something to get you out of those cuffs. Just hang tight now.
Oh…
Oh!
(haunting, tense music)
(She groans, pants.)
(gunshot)
Aagh!
(gunshot)
Oh!
(gunshot)
(panting)
(Woman sighs, pants.)
Oh, agh…
Agh…
(gunshot)
(gunshot)
(Gun clicks.)
Who the fuck is this cow?
Jesus!
Fuck!
Shit!
(Woman gasps.)
(Woman pants.)
(Girl pants anxiously.)
It’s fuckin’ freezin’ in here.
Do we have any more matches?
The cupboard.
I’m checking the fucking cupboard!
Oh, goddamn it, where’s our bags?
(Man groans.)
Bitch!
Fuck!
Look for something dry!
There’s got to be something.
Maybe I’ll just take a hot bath.
No, you’re hypothermic. It’ll kill you.
We need to strip you down and warm you up slowly with a dry heat.
There’s blankets in my truck.
Fucking–
A right!
(panting)
(She pants more loudly.)
(She whimpers.)
(panting)
(She whimpers.)
(panting)
Uff da. (sniffs)
(Bird squawks.)
Oh…
(groaning)
Oh!
Eeh! (panting)
(She groans.)
(panting) Oh, oh!
Oh… Oh!
(panting heavily)
(groaning and panting)
Oh, oh…
Oh! Uh, uh…
(breathing heavily)
(wind whistling)
(She groans.)
(She whimpers.)
(panting)
Oh! (sniffs)
(She sighs.)
(Karl) Hey, do me a favor and grab me one of those grubbarb lures.
Should be in the tackle box in the bottom left.
Why, did your legs stop working?
Hmm?
(soft music playing)
Will you?
(She chuckles softly.)
(She sniffs, sighs.)
(She groans.)
(wind whistling)
(She groans.)
(She sighs.)
(She grunts.)
You gotta be kiddin’ me.
(sniffs)
(She grunts, sighs.)
(She grunts loudly.)
(wind whistling)
(panting)
(engine rumbling)
(She groans.)
Fuck!
Oh…
We’re running out of time.
I’ve got pins and needles in my skin.
You need to get your ass in gear and get all the supplies down to the lake.
Get everything set up.
(Engine stops.)
Right now? I’m… I’m freezing, though.
We don’t have a choice.
Just give me a feckin’ minute here. My clothes ain’t even dry.
There ain’t fucking time. We need to get to Littlefork by morning!
You know what happens if we miss this fucking surgeon.
O-OK.
OK.
OK.
(wind whistling)
(man) Why don’t we just do it here?
The environment needs to be pristine.
Well, let’s just clean it and get some bleach and shit.
Which one of us spent the last fucking decade working in an O.R.?
Yeah…
I know what I’m doing.
Plus, I can’t have her bleeding all over my grandma’s cabin.
We’re doing it on the lake for a reason.
I know, but…
The cops can’t investigate a crime scene that isn’t gonna exist tomorrow.
Yeah?
(man) Mmhm.
Where’s it gonna go?
(groans) Bottom of the lake.
(sighs) Once we… torch and sink it.
(woman) Exactly.
(Man groans.)
Hey.
(Man groans.)
I really need you right now.
(She sighs.)
Where are you goin’?
I’m goin’ to get the girl.
She’s not safe here any more.
Then I’ll find that bitch and put a bullet in her fucking head!
(footsteps going downstairs)
(suspenseful music playing)
(groaning)
(Door creaks.)
(woman) Get in.
(He grunts, sighs.)
(man) Holy shit!
Where’s my gun?
You are such a goddamn moron, it defies believability!
It’s not my fault, babe. I just…
Ow!
Stop feeling sorry for yourself!
(He groans.)
Move!
I’ll bring her to the lake when you’re set up.
(Door slams.)
Fuck!
(Engine revs.)
(tense music playing)
(Man groans.)
(clanking)
(Barb) What the heck is he doin’?
(vehicle approaching)
(engine revving)
(She groans.)
(Door closes.)
(She grunts, pants.)
(panting)
(Door creaks.)
(Door closes.)
Hon? Hon?
(panting)
(She groans.)
Oh, yeah.
(She sighs, groans.)
Oh!
(She sighs.)
Oh!
(She groans softly.)
(She gulps.)
(groaning)
God!
(She takes deep breath.)
Aaargh!
(She groans, whimpers.)
God…
(She sighs deeply.)
(panting softly)
Steady. Come on.
(She groans.)
(She pants, groans.)
(She sniffs, sighs.)
(panting) Jeez…
Just like sewing a quilt.
(groans) A really gross, bloody quilt.
(She groans, whimpers.)
(She gasps.)
Aagh…
(She sobs, whimpers.)
(She breathes sharply.)
Oh, boy. Come on, come on. Come on.
(panting)
(She groans sharply.)
(panting)
(She groans loudly.)
(She whimpers.)
(groaning sharply)
(panting)
(Scissors clatter.)
(groaning)
Aagh…
(Glasses clatter.)
(She sighs softly.)
(wind whistling)
(She grunts.)
(sighs) Oh!
Oh, oh.
(She grunts.)
(She sniffs, sighs.)
(She grunts.)
Oh!
(She grunts.)
Of course.
Oh!
(breathes sharply) Oh!
(She grunts loudly.)
Uff da. Oh!
(radio crackling)
(She sniffs, pants.)
God… dang it!
Hello!
Hello?
(crackling)
Anyone out there?
It’s an emergency.
Anyone?
Please! Hello!
Hello. Hello…
Frickin’… fiddlesticks! Shit buns!
(male voice) Whoa there! I’m sure it can’t be as bad as all that.
Oh, hello. Can you hear me?
Loud and clear. What’s the trouble?
Oh! There’s been a kidnapping.
These two loonies, they took this girl.
I… I need help. I’m wounded and I…
Slow down. Slow down there. What’s your location?
Uh, a cabin near Lake Hilda.
Lake what now?
Hilda!
It’s off of Route 11. It’s just… It’s south a few miles…
Uh, just outside Beltrami County.
OK, yeah, I… I think we might not be too far…
OK, can you just get…
(She screams.)
(grunting and groaning)
Oh, fuck!
Aagh! Fuck!
(She grunts.)
Oh, fucking hell!
(groans) Oh, fuck!
Aagh!
Oh, fuck. Don’t, don’t…
Don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me.
Why are you doing this?
It’s my… my wife.
She made me do it.
I didn’t want any…
She… she’s sick.
And th-that girl…
She tried to kill herself more than once.
She don’t wanna live.
Maybe… Maybe she don’t deserve to.
Well, that’s not really up to you now, is it?
I ain’t a bad… person.
I ain’t… Please don’t…
All right, all right, cut it out.
(He whimpers.)
Oh!
(He groans loudly.)
(He mutters indistinctly.)
Where’d she take the girl?
Out looking for… for you.
(panting)
I was gonna… lleave and… go to the hospital.
I’m… I’m hypothermic.
I’m done help… helping her.
I just… I just need to get to… a doctor.
Stop that. Stop that.
Don’t move. Don’t move!
(panting rapidly)
Is this… yours?
Oh! (breathing heavily) Oh!
I found it… in the cabin.
(soft music playing)
Oh, oh…
OK… (sniffs)
(panting)
What’s the nearest town?
W-Wannaska.
Ab-about two hours.
You say you ain’t a bad person?
No.
Then you’re gonna prove it to me.
You’re gonna drive like hell till we hit Wannaska.
And go straight to the police station.
You tell ’em to send the whole dang force.
Then, and only then, do you find your way to the doctor.
You got that?
I will.
Don’t make me regret this.
I won’t.
Yeah, OK.
I swear.
All right, well, get goin’.
Thank you.
(He groans.)
(Door slams.)
OK…
(She pants.)
(He groans.)
(He mumbles indistinctly.)
(He mumbles.)
Here.
OK…
Thank you.
(He groans.)
(Door closes.)
(She sighs.)
(Engine starts.)
(ominous music playing)
(Man groans loudly.)
(grunting)
(wind whistling)
(car rattling)
(He groans loudly.)
(Brakes squeak.)
(He shivers.)
(engines running)
(Engine stops.)
(engine running)
(Handbrake creaks.)
(Girl whimpers.)
(man groaning softly)
No, no, no, no.
No, no!
What the fuck are you doing?
Fuck!
Why aren’t you on the lake setting up?
(man) It’s all set up, but…
(woman) But what?
(man) I… Look at me.
(groaning) I need help.
(woman) Then you come to me.
I’m your wife. You come to me!
Like I went to you. That’s what we do.
You made a fucking vow and you’re gonna run out on me?
Now when I need you most?
No…
When you know what happens if this…
You know exactly what happens.
We have to make this work.
(panting softly)
It ain’t gonna work.
This whole thing, it’s… fucking batshit.
What other choice do I have?
I’m not giving up.
Not when there’s a chance.
We just need to make it to Littlefork.
OK.
OK.
Yeah.
Say we make it…
(He groans softly.)
Are you even sure you can trust this surgeon?
Are you even sure he’s gonna be there?
Let’s just leave this shit.
It ain’t too late.
We can walk away.
(She pants.)
(She coughs, groans.)
We walk away and then what?
Just wait for me to die and you’re rid of me?
Is that what you want?
No, it… it ain’t like that, babe…
The fuck it ain’t!
(She sighs softly.)
(She sniffs.)
(She groans softly.)
(groaning)
(She grunts.)
(She groans.)
(soft music playing)
(She grunts.)
(She groans loudly.)
Karl!
(panting)
Karl!
(She groans.)
Hon? Hon?
We need to go to the hospital.
Whoa, whoa.
In, in, in.
OK.
(She grunts loudly.)
(ominous music playing)
(Music intensifies.)
(soft music playing)
(Karl) We’ll keep trying.
We won’t quit.
(ominous music playing)
(She groans, pants.)
(panting)
(She sniffs.)
Come on.
Come on, you stinker!
(panting softly)
Oh, jeez, ya stupid, frickin’…
(She grunts, groans.)
Oh… Oh!
(explosion echoes)
(wind whistling)
(engine rumbling)
Hey!
(panting)
Oh! Hey, hey!
Ah, ah…
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey, hey…
(Brakes screech.)
Oh, oh…
(She pants loudly.)
Hey, I’m the CB lady.
I called you on the CB…
Keep your hands up where we can see ’em! Both of ’em, up!
Sorry, sorry. It’s just it’s kinda… It’s kinda difficult.
Stop!
(panting) It’s kinda… It’s kinda difficult at the moment.
OK, you can put ’em down.
(She continues panting.)
Oh, am I glad to see you boys! What the hell happened over there?
Had to blow my truck up, so you could find me. (panting) It’s a damn needle in a haystack out here.
That was you on the CB?
Yeah, one of them kidnappers attacked me and busted it up.
Where is this fella now?
I had to let him go ’cause he got pretty sick after falling in the lake.
He needed a doctor, but he’s not the… It’s his wife we gotta worry about.
She’s got the girl.
And she was in the cellar.
Then she was in the truck and now…
Now I… I’m not sure where she is.
We should probably really get headin’ back over to the cabin right now.
Are you armed?
Huh?
Are you armed?
Oh, uh, here…
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa!
Sorry.
Sorry. It’s only got the five shots, though. She’s got a rifle.
She don’t hesitate to use it neither. She got me in the arm here.
(She pants, sniffs.)
Yeah.
I’m thinking we should probably hang on to that for you, just to be safe.
Oh, jeez… I’d really prefer to keep her on me if you don’t mind.
Listen, lady, we’ll take a look at whatever the trouble is, but, you know, we don’t know you from Adam, so…
We’ll keep her safe and sound in the glove box.
Don’t worry. You… We, uh… We can handle this for you.
Oh…
It’s that or we can leave you here.
What’s it gonna be?
(She sighs.)
Get it.
OK.
(tense music playing)
(Brakes squeak.)
(engine running)
(man 1) Just the one lady?
(Barb) Yeah, her husband’s long gone by now.
(man 2) What’s she doing in there?
Heck if I know.
Maybe we should just head to town, get the cops.
No, it’ll take hours.
(engine rumbling)
Let’s just go talk to her, figure out what the hell’s going on round here.
I’m not sure that’s such a smart idea. She’s dangerous as all heck. Maybe…
We’ll have a friendly little conversation, see what she has to say for herself.
(man 2) We got this.
We need to be careful about this.
Consider all the angles.
You stay here.
(She sighs.)
(Door closes.)
Oh, wow, heck.
All right.
Oh, boy.
(ominous music playing)
(She grunts.)
(She sighs.)
Howdy there!
(engine running)
We just want to ask you a few questions.
You all right in there?
(ominous music continues)
What the fuck?
(gunshot)
Oh!
Oh, please don’t…
(Man groans.)
Oh, shit! Oh, oh!
Ah, ah, ah, ah!
Oh, God!
(gunshot)
Shit!
(gunshot)
Oh!
(gunshot)
Uh, uh…
(She screams, pants.)
(Woman screams.)
(Gun clicks.)
(Woman screams.)
(Barb groans.)
(woman groaning in pain)
(Woman screams.)
(woman groaning)
(gunshots)
(Barb screams, groans.)
(panting)
(Barb groans.)
(gunshot)
(She pants loudly.)
Aagh!
(Barb) You awake in there?
(man) Who’s that?
Oh, jeez, Karl, you know who it is.
It’s your wife.
You old coot.
Huh? Let’s get you out of there.
Up you get.
There you go. That’s it.
OK. Sorry, it’s cold.
(Karl groans softly.)
Uh-huh.
Other foot.
Let’s get this water nice and hot.
(soft music playing)
You want ’em fried or poached?
Fried it is.
You know, I was just thinking back to that Mille Lacs trip in ’98.
Wish we’d got a picture of that pike.
What a beaut, huh?
Still… we’ll always know you caught her.
That’s the most important thing.
(oil sizzling)
(She chuckles softly.)
Karl?
(melancholic music playing)
Karl?
(coughs) Oh!
(girl) Hey, hey!
(groaning)
(girl) Are you OK?
(Barb groans.)
Oh, well…
(panting) …I’ll be darned.
She didn’t kill me.
Oh!
Is that your blood?
(whimpering) It’s his.
Oh… Yeah.
What’s gonna happen to us?
I really don’t know.
(panting)
Have you ever seen these people before?
The woman, maybe.
I… I think I saw her at the hospital back when…
(She sobs.)
(Girl struggles to speak) But I tried…
Oh, hon. Honey, hon…
(Girl sobs.)
Honey! Oh…
(Girl continues sobbing.)
I don’t wanna die!
That… that’s good. That’s a good thing.
(sobbing)
Hey, what’s your name?
Leah.
Leah? Oh, my husband loved that name.
It was right at the top of our list. No foolin’.
For a boy, we were thinking Eric, and for a girl, it was gonna be Leah.
Between you and me, I was sorta hopin’ for a girl.
What are we gonna do?
(Distant door bangs, creaks.)
I don’t know.
(Leah whimpers.)
Oh, hon.
Say, did you ever hear about the Great Blizzard of 1888?
Well, it froze half the darn country.
It was one of the worst in recorded history and my great-grandfather Iver, he found himself stuck smack in the middle of the thing.
There was nothing but him, his ox and a big sack of grain he was carrying.
Think he was coming back from the mill or something, out in Lac qui Parle County.
Montevideo, actually.
Anyway, he’s on his way home in the middle of this huge snowstorm.
Oh, oh, and by the way, hundreds of people died in this storm.
OK, this was not just a couple of dainty snowflakes floating around, if that’s what you’re thinking.
So, the snow keeps falling and falling.
Iver, he can’t see a damn thing.
And he’s tired, he’s hungry, but he can’t stop, see?
‘Cause if he stops moving, he’s gonna freeze to death.
So, what does he do?
He keeps goin’.
Simple as that. He walks.
With that ox and that grain through the damn blizzard, mile after mile after mile, just him and that ox, puttin’ one foot in front of the other till, before you know it, the sun is peeking out through the clouds and the storm’s over.
That’s it?
That’s it… What, that’s…
Think about what Iver did there!
What… If he’d given up, I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t be here.
I wouldn’t even have been born.
(Girl sniffs.)
I never would’ve… I never would’ve met my husband Karl.
We never would’ve had the joy of… spending our…
(sobbing) …lives together.
Heck, all’s I’m sayin’ is…
(sniffs) …we don’t know what’s comin’.
We never really do, but it don’t matter.
We don’t quit.
(Girl sniffs.)
(Door slams upstairs.)
I… I think she left.
OK.
(Barb groans.)
(She sighs.)
Oh, where…
Oh, it’s up there.
What?
It’s up there.
I saw her search you.
Oh, oh.
(panting) OK.
(Barb groans, grunts.)
(tense music playing)
(She grunts.)
(panting)
(She pants heavily.)
Oh! Shit.
Sorry. Oh, shoot!
Give me your shoes.
What?
Come on, quick.
She could be back any second.
What’s so important about that box?
That’s it, good. OK.
(panting)
Ah!
Yeah, okeydokey.
(She yells.)
Oh, oh, ugh!
(panting)
(She grunts.)
(She grunts.)
I think I’m gonna…
Oh, boy.
(She grunts.)
Getting there.
(Metal squeaks.)
(muttering to herself) Come on.
Here. Souvenir.
(Barb groans.)
(She grunts.)
(She yells.)
(She yells.)
(panting)
(dramatic music)
(She groans loudly.)
Agh! Oh!
Jesus!
Oh…
Oh, OK.
(panting)
There you go.
Get these back on.
(grunting, panting)
(She groans loudly.)
Here you go.
(chuckles) When was the last time someone helped you on with your boots?
(She chuckles softly.)
(panting)
Oh…
OK.
(She grunts, pants.)
Oh! Oh, God.
I…
It’s no good. Uh…
Storm doors!
Huh?
Try the storm doors.
Oh, yeah, good idea.
(loud rattling)
(She sighs.)
They’re rusty. I can… I can jimmy ’em.
Ah!
That’s gonna do it.
OK, OK, let’s get rid of this.
OK. Right.
(She groans, pants.)
Jesus Christ!
(loud rattling)
That’s good.
OK, next one.
(She grunts loudly.)
(rattling)
(rattling)
(She groans.)
You really are one clever bitch, ain’t ya?
(ominous music playing)
(man) So, Karl had an unusual request, um…
He wanted his ashes to be, uh, conveyed via this particular container, uh… up to a particular lake up north and, uh… scattered there.
Which lake?
Um…
Lake Hilda.
Oh.
(She chuckles.)
He’s got a map here for you too.
I guess it’s not too easy to find.
Pretty far out there, huh?
(She chuckles.)
Do you mind if I ask, uh…
What’s so special about Lake Hilda?
(ominous music playing)
(She sighs.)
(breathing heavily)
(woman) Unload it.
(Barb sniffs.)
We need to redress that.
You’re losing too much blood.
I don’t need your fucking advice, lady.
I know what I’m doing.
You’ll lose the whole leg if it gets infected.
The least of my worries.
Because you’re dying.
That’s why you take those, right?
I’m sorry for what you’re going through. Really, I am.
But whatever this is, it ain’t gonna change anything.
You’re wrong. I just need to get to Littlefork.
Open that box and put it over there.
(tense music playing)
Put her on the table.
Please, you don’t have to do this.
Put her on the table.
She’s just a child.
I’ll take her place.
You’re too old.
She’s living on borrowed time anyway.
That doesn’t make it right.
I’ll get you help. I’ll find money.
I’ll do anything, but don’t do this. She’s just a child.
She’s got her whole life ahead of her.
Put her on the fucking table!
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry.
On her back.
Tape her shoulders, her hips… and her shins.
(Leah whimpers.)
(breathing anxiously)
(Fisherwoman groans.)
(Fisherwoman grunts.)
(woman) That’s enough.
Back up.
(Leah whimpers.)
(breathing heavily)
(Leah screams.)
(Leah sobs.)
(dramatic music playing)
(Leah screams loudly.)
(Leah screams.)
(screaming and sobbing)
(She groans.)
(Leah screams, sobs.)
(Sobbing continues.)
(panting heavily)
(yelling)
(Woman groans, screams.)
(Gun clicks.)
(grunting)
(yelling)
(grunting and groaning)
(She groans loudly.)
(yelling and grunting)
(Woman yells.)
(grunting and panting)
(Fisherwoman yells.)
(Leah sobs, groans.)
(Both yell.)
(panting)
(grunting)
(Woman yells.)
(Dramatic music intensifies.)
No!
(Gun clicks.)
(Fisherwoman yells.)
(Woman yells.)
(Leah whimpers.)
(Fisherwoman groans.)
(She yells.)
(both panting)
(Woman groans loudly.)
No, no!
(groaning)
(woman) What the fuck?
Please!
(ominous music playing)
(Fisherwoman groans.)
(Leah gasping loudly)
No! No!
(gasping loudly)
Please!
(yelling)
(Leah panting loudly)
(groaning)
(Leah yells, screams.)
(yelling)
Skol, Karl.
(yelling)
(dramatic music playing)
(screaming)
(Leah panting)
(Leah sobbing)
(soft music playing)
(Leah sobs softly.)
Skol.
Skol, Karl.
