[insects chirping]
[footsteps approaching]
It’s okay.
Relax.
I’m not gonna hurt you.
I’m just gonna learn about you for a little while.
Is that okay?
I’m gonna name you Kerolien after my friend at school.
She’s really nice.
But she farts in class sometimes and pretends like she didn’t.
So, please don’t do that, ’cause you’re sharing this jar now, and the others won’t like you if you smell. Okay?
[tree branch snaps]
[footsteps approaching]
Hi there.
I’m not from around here, but I was hoping to make some new friends.
Can I talk to you for a little bit?
I-I don’t talk to strangers.
Of course you don’t.
You shouldn’t. You’re smart.
But I’m here to be your friend, so, hopefully, we won’t be strangers for too long.
What’s your name?
Wenling.
But everyone calls me Wen.
Well, it’s nice to meet you, Wen.
My name’s Leonard.
I see you’re catching grasshoppers.
Can I help you?
Um, I guess so.
I loved catching grasshoppers when I was your age.
[insects chirping]
Oh, you’re really good.
Thanks, Wen.
Can you pass me the jar there, please?
Wait.
Let the ones inside calm down a bit.
We don’t want them to panic.
There you go.
Are you just a natural, or did someone teach you how to catch grasshoppers?
Daddy Eric taught me.
I’m studying them.
I’m gonna take care of animals when I grow up.
You call your dad by his first name?
It’s so they know who I’m talking to.
There’s Daddy Eric and Daddy Andrew.
All the other kids at school only have one dad.
All the Disney Channel shows only have one dad, too.
Well, does that bother you?
No.
Except when my guidance counselor keeps saying how it’s so great that I have two dads.
For some reason, it makes me feel like she’s saying the opposite.
[leaves rustling]
[trees creaking]
What’s wrong?
Nothing.
Nothing at all.
How old are you, Wen?
I’ll be eight in six days.
Well, happy almost-birthday.
In fact, it just so happens that I have something for you.
I saw it, and I thought it was pretty, so I decided to keep it.
So, consider it an early birthday present.
And if you don’t like it, we can play a game with it instead.
What kind of game?
We’ll take turns pulling petals off and asking questions, and by the time we’re done, we’ll know each other better.
Be better friends.
M’kay.
What’s your favorite movie?
Kiki’s Delivery Service.
I haven’t seen that.
I’ll check it out.
Okay, your turn.
Why are you here?
Leonard?
Why am I here?
Well, I suppose I’m here to make friends with you and your dads.
Maybe catch some more grasshoppers.
[sighs] How’d you get that tiny little scar on your lip?
[sighs]
I’m so sorry, Wen.
I shouldn’t have asked that.
It’s too personal, even for this game.
It’s okay.
My lip was broken when I was born.
My dads said it took a lot of doctors to fix it.
Well, I don’t have a scar like you, but if you could look inside, you’d see that my heart is broken.
Why is it broken?
Because of what I have to do today.
What do you have to do?
[rustling]
[wind blowing]
Are they your friends?
You’re my friend, Wen.
No matter what happens, I want you to remember that.
The others who are coming are more like people I work with.
You see, the four of us have a very important job to do.
In fact, it might be the most important job in the history of the world.
[shudders]
This isn’t about you, Wen.
Or your dads.
Okay?
You haven’t done anything wrong, but I’m afraid the three of you are gonna have to make some tough decisions.
Terrible decisions.
[Wen gasps]
And I wish with all my broken heart that you didn’t have to.
Wen!
Your dads won’t want to let us in.
You have to tell them they must.
Otherwise, we’re gonna have to find our own way in. Do you understand?
[chain rattles, clinks]
Wen, tell me you understand!
[door lock clicks]
[“Distance” playing on radio]
♪ Oh, love is always… ♪
[footsteps running]
[Wen breathes heavily]
[Andrew] This isn’t bad.
[Eric] The cheese is good.
See? Factual proof. There she is. You didn’t need to check on her.
You have to come inside right now.
There’s strangers and they want to come in, and they’re scary!
Whoa, whoa. Slow down.
Hurry, now!
Okay, okay, I’m coming.
[chuckles] We’re coming inside.
God, okay.
[Wen] Come on!
[Eric] Honey, what’s happening?
Tell me what’s so…
[Andrew] Relax, relax. Okay. It’s okay.
[Eric] It’s okay.
[Andrew] Wen, what’s up?
Wen, Wen, it’s okay. Listen, sweetie. What happened?
What scared you?
There… there were four of them.
The big one, his name’s Leonard.
He… he says we have to help them.
He says they have the most important job in the history of the world.
Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Great.
They have these weapons.
[seven knocks on door]
[knocking stops]
[Leonard] Hello in there.
My name is Leonard, and I’m here with some associates of mine.
Can you open the door, please?
[breathes heavily]
[whispers] This guy is frigging huge.
What do we do?
I don’t know, um…
Tell them to go away nicely?
Hi. Uh, hello, Leonard. We…
[Leonard] Is that Daddy Andrew or Daddy Eric?
I met your delightful daughter Wen already.
She’s so thoughtful and kind. You two should be very proud.
This is Eric.
Is there something we can help you with?
[Leonard] There is. Why don’t you open the door?
It’ll be easier if we speak face-to-face.
Tell them to go away. Please make them go away.
[whispers] Wen, please.
Uh, we weren’t expecting visitors.
I don’t want to sound rude, but we’d like to be left alone.
[Leonard] I understand.
And I’m sorry to intrude on your vacation, especially in such a beautiful place as this.
Make them go away!
[whispers] Wen.
[Leonard] You should know that this isn’t easy for us, either.
None of us have been to this lake before.
And the four of us, we never thought we’d be here talking to you nice people.
[chattering, shushing]
[chain rattles]
Who else is out there with you?
[Leonard] I’m here with Sabrina, Adriane and Redmond.
And the four of us are here because we’re trying to save a whole bunch of people.
[wood creaking]
[whispers] Eric, come here. Come here.
But we need your help to do that.
We can’t do anything without you, and speaking through a door is making a difficult conversation near impossible.
[whispers] What?
[wood creaking]
[metal clinking]
There’s a woman carrying something that looks like a pick with a chain and a mallet head at the end.
[chain rattling]
[creaking continues]
I’m calling the police now.
[phone pad beeping]
[phone pad beeping]
This can’t be right. There’s no dial tone.
[Eric] What?
I checked it when we got here. Is the battery dead?
The battery’s not dead. It’s not dialing.
[Leonard] Like I said, we need to talk.
We don’t have a choice.
Yeah, well, we don’t have a choice, either! We’re calling the cops!
[Adriane] Hey, um, we know you can’t do that.
None of our phones get service out here, either.
And sorry, we had to cut the phone line.
[strangers muttering, whispering]
[Wen whimpers]
[Andrew] Wen. Wen. Wen. Wen, give me the phone.
[Leonard] We don’t mean to rush you, but we’re a little pressed for time.
Please open the door so we can have a real conversation.
If you want to talk, then why do you…
Wen, Wen.
…have those scary weapons with you?
Wen. Wen.
[Leonard] They’re not weapons, Wen.
They’re tools.
[bangs on door]
[Redmond] Just open the goddamn door!
We’re coming in either way.
The hell you are! I have a gun!
You brought it here?
[whispers] Yes and no. It’s in the safe in the back of the truck.
[Redmond] He’s lying.
Show us what you’re packing, Daddy Andrew!
We all like show-and-tell.
You’ll see it when I’m pointing it at your head, you piece of crap!
[Sabrina] What’s wrong with you? You’re not helping.
You’re upsetting him.
[Redmond] What?
[Leonard] I’m sorry.
Redmond is as anxious and passionate as we all are.
I’m giving you one last chance to open the door.
[bang on door]
[rattling]
They’re breaking in!
[banging on door]
[Eric] Andrew, couch!
Good job, Wen. Keep going.
Push it.
[grunts]
[Andrew] Okay.
[gasps]
[door lock rattling]
Daddy Andrew!
[breathing heavily]
I got you, baby.
[banging on door]
[all breathing heavily]
[bang on basement door]
[objects clattering]
They’re in the basement.
One is in the back, one is downstairs.
Let’s make a run for it to the car.
I’ve got the keys.
[chain rattling]
[breathing heavily]
It doesn’t have to be like this.
Get Wen out of here.
[grunting]
[screams]
Eric!
Let me help him.
Wait…
Don’t touch him!
I’m a nurse! He’s hurt!
[screams]
Stop! Stop.
[banging on door]
[grunts]
[trembling]
Eric.
Daddy Eric.
Please get up. We have to go, Daddy.
[banging on door]
[Andrew] Eric, wake up.
Wake up, Eric!
[breathing heavily]
[grunting]
[grunts]
[breathing heavily]
[blows landing]
[grunting continues]
[Redmond gasping]
[grunts]
[Wen crying]
Shh. Shh, you’ll be okay.
Andrew, that’s enough.
[breathing heavily]
[chain clatters on floor]
[shuddered breathing]
[“Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” playing on radio]
♪ To illustrate ♪
♪ My last remark ♪
♪ Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark ♪
♪ Tell me, what did they do… ♪
I like your fridge.
Thanks, Mom.
♪ Man, they said we got to ♪
♪ Accentuate the positive ♪
♪ And eliminate the negative ♪
♪ And hang on to that affirmative ♪
♪ But don’t mess, don’t mess with… ♪
They drove for seven hours and stayed 45 minutes.
I’m sorry.
What do you expect?
[engine starts]
[sighs]
[phone ringing]
That’s my mom asking how it’s going.
Well, you can tell her you were wrong.
[Eric] Andrew.
[ringing continues]
Always together.
[ringing continues]
[phone rings, beeps]
[Eric] Hi.
[Strawberry Shortcake humming on TV]
Thanks, Custard.
This is a very important cupcake order.
[Custard meows]
[Sabrina] Let me see if this helps.
Is that better?
[glass shards sweeping]
[Custard meowing]
Try not to move.
Almost done.
[Strawberry Shortcake] I have to finish this special order before tomorrow.
It needs to be purr-fect.
[Custard meows]
Can you turn that down?
We did when you asked before, but I’ll do it again.
[volume decreases]
[chattering on TV]
Is Eric cleaned up?
He’s cleaned up, yeah, but severely concussed.
Hey, Eric.
You feeling any better?
I’m… I’m so sorry.
I’ve never watched this show before, but… but I like it.
The characters, they… They seem curious and good.
I get the sense that it explores or teaches empathy and tolerance, and that’s just lovely.
Empathy and tolerance?
Is that what you’re here to talk about now that you have the queers tied up?
[sighs]
Andrew, I assure you that we’re not here with hate or prejudice in our hearts. Not at all.
We don’t have one homophobic bone in our bodies.
I don’t hate anybody.
I do have conflicted feelings about this door.
[door clatters]
[Leonard] You have to believe that.
But we had no idea you were a single-sex couple until we got here.
That one was a surprise.
Well, I guess if you promise, then I have to believe you.
I mean, we’re normal people just like you.
We have no choice.
There’s always a choice!
[trembling]
[Adriane] He’s right about that.
Our choices make our destiny.
I almost got that tattooed. [chuckles]
[sighs] Okay, you’re right, Andrew.
There’s always a choice.
So we choose to be here.
Can everyone come in here, please?
It’s almost time.
Time for what?
You don’t need us tied up.
You said you were here to talk, so we’ll talk.
[grunting]
[Sabrina exhales sharply]
Hi, Eric, Wen… [clears throat] …and Andrew.
My name is Sabrina.
I live in Southern California.
I live in a town you’ve probably never heard of.
I have been a post-op nurse for almost five years.
I used most of my savings to come out to Pennsylvania, to come here to talk with you guys.
I have a little half sister back home, and, Wen, you kind of remind me of her.
[clears throat]
[exhales, clears throat]
[chuckles] Well, I think you… you guys already know my name is Leonard.
And I’m good at catching grasshoppers, right, Wen?
[grunts]
I’m from Chicago.
I’m a second grade teacher, and I run the after-school program.
I’m also a bartender. I…
[weapon thuds]
Okay. Me?
Am I next?
Hi there.
I’m Redmond, and I like long walks on the beach and I like beer.
[Leonard] Hey.
We already discussed this.
They deserve to know who we are.
We wasted time for this guy to wake up.
You know, this get-to-know-you stuff doesn’t matter at all.
Doesn’t change what we have to do or what they have to do.
When you say stuff like that, you sound how you sound, okay?
You just scare them.
You make it less likely that they’ll believe us or cooperate.
Okay. Okay, my turn it is.
I live in Medford, Massachusetts.
I work for the gas company, making sure houses and apartments don’t blow up.
I’m single, if you can believe that.
I’ve done some time, as they say.
Did a lot of, uh… questionable stuff when I was young and stupid.
But I’m much better now.
And my father used to beat the shit out of me, like Andrew just did.
Wish I could go back in time, give the kid-me this thing.
May I speak now?
I hope I don’t sound confusing.
[Eric] Hold on. Hold on a second.
Wh…
We get that you guys are a part of some group, and it sounds like… It sounds like you want to… fix things. To help.
[Andrew] Eric, you don’t have to try to talk…
No, no, I’m okay. I want to say this.
If you’re try… Trying to recruit us, I mean, why else bother introducing yourselves to us, right?
If you’re trying to change us or make us different, all of this… this isn’t the way. [cries]
Can someone put the curtain on the backdoor?
What’s wrong with Eric?
When you have a concussion, you’re extremely sensitive to light.
There’s nothing we can do about that now.
He’s only gonna get better if he rests in a darkened room or if we make it dark in here.
We shouldn’t move him until we make our proposal.
He might need to be in a darkened room for days, not just a few hours.
You’re not separating me from Andrew and Wen.
I’ll see what I can do with the curtains.
So, whatever.
I’m, um, I’m Adriane.
Yeah, I-I’ve been a lot of things, but… but right now, or, um, before I got up here, I-I was a line cook at a Mexican restaurant in… in Dupont Circle, DC.
I love to feed people.
It feels like it’s more than food to me.
Um…
God, what else? Uh…
Oh! I have, um, I have two cats.
And you’d love them, Wen.
Their names are Riff and Raff.
Do you like cats, Wen?
You don’t have to answer her, sweetie.
[Leonard] Sorry, Wen.
Maybe I’ll put it back on later, okay?
Forget the curtains.
It’s time.
[insects chirping]
The four of us are here to prevent the apocalypse.
We… and when I say “we,” I mean everyone in this cabin…
Can stop it from happening, but only with your help.
Ultimately, whether the world ends or not is completely up to you three.
You are having a psychological break of some kind.
[sighs]
Your family must choose to willingly sacrifice one of the three of you in order to prevent the apocalypse.
After you make what I know is an impossible decision, you must then kill the one you choose.
[sighs, swallows]
If you fail to choose, or if you fail to follow through with the sacrifice, the world will end.
You three will live… but the rest of humanity, seven billion plus… will perish.
[trembling]
[crying] They’re lunatics.
And you will all live long enough to witness the horror of the end of everything.
And you will be left to wander the devastated planet alone.
Permanently and cosmically… alone.
[Eric] Leonard.
We haven’t done anything wrong.
I agree with you. You haven’t.
You haven’t done anything wrong to deserve this burden.
You’re just the family chosen to decide for us in this time.
Look, we’re not here to hurt you.
If we wanted to hurt you, we would’ve used duct tape instead of ropes.
You stop.
You have to understand that we cannot and will not choose who has to be sacrificed for you.
And just as importantly, we cannot act for you.
And you cannot kill yourselves.
We’re not choosing anyone.
We’re not sacrificing anyone.
Not now, not ever.
Even if it means the death of everyone else in the world?
Yes.
Even if I believe the world was at stake, which I don’t, that’s what it means.
I would watch the world die a hundred times over before having to…
[Redmond] Christ.
Waste of time.
They’re never gonna choose to do this.
And I don’t blame them.
Who would ever choose…
[Adriane] Shut up, Redmond.
You just vomit everything you think.
Oh, God, we are so screwed. [sniffles]
[Leonard] Okay, you need to listen to this part too.
I’ve been shown exactly what will happen if you choose not to make a sacrifice.
We’ve all been shown.
We couldn’t stop drawing the visions we saw.
I actually thought something was wrong with me, but the visions were so strong, so specific and so, so real.
Sabrina, Adriane and Redmond, they had the visions too.
So, that led us to each other and… and that led us here to this exact cabin.
We have no idea why we were picked.
[chain rattles]
First, the cities will drown.
The oceans will swell and rise up into a great fist and pound all the buildings and people into the sand, and drag everything out to sea.
[Andrew] There is something wrong with you, with all of you, if you believe this.
Then a terrible plague will descend and people will writhe with fever and mucus will fill their lungs.
This is psychotic! It’s delusional.
Did you try to get help? Let us go and we’ll get you help.
The skies will fall and crash to the earth like pieces of glass.
And God’s fingers will scorch the earth, and an everlasting darkness will descend over humanity.
[Andrew] You need help!
This is going to happen.
And we’ve been shown that only your sacrifice can stop it.
Shown by who?
By what?
Are you gonna answer that?
You sound like every fake doomsdayer on every corner of every city.
[Eric] Come on, talk to us.
Dreams can have many different meanings.
Our part in your visions is kind of vague.
Almost like you didn’t know who would be here.
Like it was random.
It doesn’t make sense.
For every “no” you give us, we will unleash a plague for the sins of humanity.
Will you make a choice?
Wait, stop.
You don’t need to do this.
You don’t need those things.
You said you couldn’t hurt us.
What are you doing?
[grunting]
What are you doing? Don’t touch her. Don’t touch her! Get off her! Get off her!
Get off of her!
[grunts]
Wen, Wen.
Run, Wen. Wen.
[Wen] I can’t.
[Andrew] Run.
Please, God, just let us go.
[crying]
Fuck. [sniffles]
I’m scared.
Keep looking at me, okay?
[trembling]
Don’t you fucking look away from me.
[Redmond sobbing]
[Redmond continues sobbing]
A part of humanity has been judged.
[chain rattles]
[Andrew] Whatever it is you’re convinced of, it isn’t real.
You don’t have to do this.
This isn’t real.
It’s not gonna… No!
[squish]
[Eric gasping]
[thud]
[chain rattles]
[Eric screams]
[Andrew gasps]
[squish, thud]
[Andrew grunts]
[whimpers]
[sniffles]
[music playing in distance]
You can pray if you want. I won’t make comment.
[sighs]
[child crying in distance]
Mr. and Mrs. Brooks?
Yes. My wife couldn’t be here today.
This is her brother.
[baby fussing]
[baby crying]
[chuckles]
[exhales]
Now tell me this isn’t a miracle.
[cooing]
Hi. Hi, Daddy.
Hi, Wen.
Hey.
[coos]
Oh! [chuckles]
[trembling]
[breathing heavily]
[Leonard retching]
[gasping]
[weapon clatters on floor]
[breathing heavily]
Adriane, can you help me out here?
Adriane.
Hey, yeah.
What?
Help me take Redmond outside.
We’ll cover him with a blanket.
[door creaks]
[insects chirping]
[dragging sounds]
[body thuds]
[grunting, crying]
Wen, I’m sorry, but I’m gonna have to change the channel for a little bit, okay?
Go fuck yourself, Mister Rogers.
[person 1 on TV] I want you to try a piece of this.
I want to see whether the air fryer oven makes it just as crispy…
Please watch the TV.
It should be on soon.
[person 2] I’m not even gonna kid you.
I really just want this. [gasps]
[crunch]
Do you hear that gorgeous crispy crunch?
Doesn’t get much better than that.
[applause]
[person 2] Mmm!
And it tastes amazing.
Amazing fried chicken and a lot less guilt.
[theme music playing]
We continue with our coverage of the earthquake centered in the Aleutian Islands, which struck more than four hours ago.
The US National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a cautionary advisory to British Columbia, Canada, and more than a thousand miles of coast along the American Pacific Northwest, including the cities of Seattle and Portland.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued its strongest warning to the islands of Hawaii.
Is this what we’re supposed to see?
…high schools, malls and colleges’s campuses…
I explained to you what would happen as a result of you not choosing.
A plague will be released by Redmond’s death.
You have to listen to me. I remember, but this doesn’t mean anything.
It doesn’t mean…
No! Just watch!
I know I shouldn’t yell.
I know you’re afraid of me, of us.
Just… please watch.
[spokesperson] …points to a sizable wave of 15 to 20 feet in height headed south towards the Hawaiian Islands.
We do have information that the tsunami has made landfall.
Now, as you can tell from our live feed, this resort on Kauai has already been evacuated.
Our early warning detection systems gave plenty of time to evacuate the coasts and low-laying areas at the affected Hawaiian Islands.
No injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Please let Eric and Wen go at least. Eric has a concussion.
[news anchor] …sending aid to a few reportedly capsized…
I’ll stay.
And we can talk about doomsday or the apocalypse or mass traumatic events of the 21st century all you want.
I don’t understand, this isn’t the…
Sabrina, just keep watching.
Until we see what was shown to us.
[sighs]
[people chattering on TV]
[news anchor] A second massive earthquake has struck in the Pacific, registering 8.6 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter is only 70 miles off the coast of Oregon in what’s called the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
That’s an area scientists have long feared would produce a catastrophic earthquake.
Unbelievable.
There it is.
We did this.
It’s really fucking happening.
[Leach] …triggered this second quake now…
Oh, Jesus, God.
…five minutes, and given the proximity of the epicenter, people on the coast are gonna have mere minutes to try to find shelter.
A tsunami triggered by a quake of this magnitude and proximity to the shoreline will be massive.
I-I mean, 50-foot-high bluffs along the coast are not gonna be safe.
And we’ve just gotten word the tsunami has indeed hit the Oregon shoreline, and we have footage shot minutes ago from Cannon Beach.
[beachgoers chattering]
[Adriane] Holy crap, this is what I saw.
The same jutting rocks.
Me too.
[chattering continues]
[beachgoers screaming, clamoring]
[screaming and clamoring continue]
Wen, go to your room till I tell you to come out.
[TV remote clatters]
She didn’t need to see this.
Tomorrow morning, you can make the difficult, selfless choice of sacrifice and save the world… or you can choose once again
to let the clock move another minute closer to permanent midnight.
[breathing heavily]
For the rest of today and tonight, we’ll tend to your needs within reason.
But otherwise, we’ll leave you be to reflect and talk it over.
We told you.
You have to believe us.
It doesn’t matter if we believe your craziness. The answer is still the same.
Everyone in the world can die, as far as we’re concerned.
Am I right, Eric?
Eric?
You okay?
I’m okay.
I just need a moment.
[Eric] I have a little surprise queued up for you.
Ooh, a surprise!
What’s that gonna be?
Are you ready?
[“Boogie Shoes” playing]
Yeah!
Oh! [laughs]
Are we gonna sing along?
Yes, of course.
I don’t know.
♪ Girl, to be with you Is my favorite thing ♪
♪ Ba dum, ba dum ♪
[Andrew scatting]
♪ I can’t wait till I see you again ♪
[scatting]
Here we go. Ready?
♪ I want to put on ♪
♪ My, my, my, my, my boogie shoes ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Just to boogie with you ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ I want to put on ♪
♪ My, my, my, my, my boogie shoes ♪
♪ Just to boogie with you ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ I want do it till the sun comes up… ♪
[music fades]
[car approaches, stops]
[engine turns off]
[Andrew] It’s gorgeous.
Except for the… the main road being further away than we thought, I’m officially impressed.
Okay.
Hey, Wen, come get your bag.
[Eric] Wen?
Wen, come on.
Wen, come check out the view. It’s better than the website.
How many grasshoppers did you catch?
Just one so far.
Her name’s Liv.
Ooh, you see any bears yet?
Andrew, don’t start.
If we joke about it, she won’t take it seriously.
We won’t leave the garbage out, we’ll be fine.
[whispers] Wen, show Daddy Eric your scary bear face.
[roars]
[gasps, laughs]
[all screaming]
Wen, run from… Run!
Hey, Wenling, sweetie, not too close. That dock might have rusty nails.
Eric, come on with your rusty nails. We got so lucky with this place.
Whoo!
Get in!
Come on, Wen!
[chuckles]
[Andrew] Come on!
Oh!
[Andrew] Whoo!
[water splashing]
[chuckles]
[Andrew] Whoa!
[shouts]
Here I come!
Eric, come!
He’s coming in!
Oh, come on. [chuckles]
Hold on, one second, one second.
[cheers]
Coming right at you.
Here I come.
Yes, yes, yes!
[screaming]
[giggles]
[laughing]
[Eric] Oh, it’s a cold spot!
[Andrew] Look at you swimming!
[Wen laughs]
[Sabrina] Just applying a little pressure.
[grunts]
Told you I’m a nurse.
You may not be on board with all the “end of the world” stuff yet, but at least trust me on that.
None of us wanted it to go this way.
We need you in a clear state of mind.
You’ve got a big decision to make.
[winces]
You think I’m some kind of religious freak, right?
[Eric exhales]
I would too.
Truth is, I haven’t even been to church since my grandma forced me to go when I was little.
I always thought religious stuff was so tired and boring, from another time, when people were scared of shadows.
Then the visions started.
[whispers] I didn’t believe it at first, either.
But you will.
[sighs]
When I was a kid, my dad used to say to me, “Trust in something more than you.”
It’s sort of become my mantra these past few days.
I said it when I saw the visions.
I said it when I built my weapon exactly the way it was shown to me.
I said it over and over as I passed every freeway exit on my way here.
I said it when I walked out onto the boardwalk and I saw the others.
We were all wearing the same colors we saw in our visions.
That’s when I knew I wasn’t alone.
And all of this… [whimpers, sighs] …is real.
And I’m saying it to you now, Eric, you need to trust something more than you.
You may not want to believe it, but we’re all on the same side.
I’m on my family’s side.
[door opens]
[sighs]
[dishes clattering]
[whispers] Eric?
You really okay?
My head’s still ringing, but my vision is clearer.
You know that first earthquake happened a whole four hours ago, right?
Before they showed up here.
Leonard’s checked his watch a thousand times.
They’ve been timing all of this.
I know.
[footsteps overhead]
I just don’t want you to…
I don’t want you to be spooked or anything.
You think I believe them?
No.
No, it’s just…
With your head and all, I want to make sure you’re thinking straight.
Without them trying to manipulate us.
They take you alone in there and try and talk to you.
I don’t believe them.
[Adriane] I’m trying to keep it together.
This isn’t gonna work. They’re never gonna believe us, man.
[Sabrina] We have to believe in what we’re doing, what our goal is here.
[Adriane] Did you see Redmond’s fucking face? [cries]
It was just crazy.
[Sabrina] Say whatever it is you have to say to them.
Convince them.
[Adriane cries]
[footsteps overhead]
[cellar door creaks]
[bird squawking]
[cabin door closes]
[sighs]
[Leonard] Wen!
[gasps]
Wen!
Wen!
Wen!
[inhales sharply]
[twig snaps]
No!
[Leonard sighs]
[door closes]
I’m afraid the rule is that no one’s allowed to leave.
Were you trying to escape, Wen?
[Andrew] Leave her alone. I told her to do it.
You’re just scared, Wen.
We all are.
You’ll ask us to choose again.
[Andrew] Don’t listen to them, Wen.
We were targeted.
We’ve always been targeted. We…
[Eric] Andrew!
[bottle shatters]
I knew I recognized him.
Redmond… is the guy from the bar.
What?
Are you sure?
What guy from the bar?
Andrew was attacked by a man at a bar in Boston many years ago.
The man went to jail for a short while. But his name was O’Bannon.
It’s him.
He’s gained weight and his beard’s different, but it’s him.
His name was Redmond.
We don’t know dick about him, Leonard.
We all met him for the first time on that boardwalk.
Stop the bullshit!
This is all some kind of sick scam to get us to hurt each other.
That’s not true.
[Sabrina] We don’t know why each of us is here.
It’s a coincidence the man who attacked me and had me in years of therapy is one of your group?
Go get his wallet.
I’ll show you his name isn’t Redmond.
No, we’re not doing that.
[shouts] Why?
Because it doesn’t matter what his name is.
Okay? We all had the visions.
This has to be exact.
Everything has to be right.
Didn’t he tell us about this cabin on the message board first?
And then we all had visions of the cabin?
[Leonard] I don’t know. It…
No, we had the visions first.
Message board?
[Adriane sighs]
Look, we’re not doubting why we’re here.
Go to sleep.
The sun will rise, maybe for the last time for all of us.
The premise of your scam is flawed.
I’m a human rights attorney, Leonard.
How about I show you photos of kids who have been tortured and killed, lying in piles?
You want to make a case for humanity to go on, you’re gonna lose.
[sighs]
This is a picture of some of the kids I coach.
This year, the boys had a record of 3-8.
The girls, 5-6.
So, we’re not very good.
If you could hear them laugh, you’d understand why I’m here.
Maybe you’d sleep better if you could see each other easier.
[footsteps departing]
[sighs]
[insects chirping]
[“Sugar Town” playing on radio]
♪ I got some troubles But they won’t last ♪
♪ I’m gonna… ♪
[Adriane] You like it?
Come to the restaurant, I can make you all kinds of breakfast burritos.
♪ ‘Cause I’m in shoo-shoo… ♪
They say if you can make an egg great, you can do anything.
[Andrew whispers] Eric.
My hands are a little looser.
I just need to get to the trunk of the car.
♪ Never had a friend or wanted one ♪
♪ So I just lay back And laugh at the sun… ♪
You’re very polite.
♪ Shoo-shoo-shoo, shoo-shoo-shoo… ♪
[music stops playing]
You’re a good person.
[dishes clattering]
Okay.
Listen.
You guys met on some kind of message board, right?
You’re having a shared delusion.
That’s a uniquely 21st-century health crisis.
It is real.
You’re in an echo chamber. You know that, right?
You got online, and you found random people who had random visions and you took that as evidence.
Remember the guy who shot up three people in an Army base in Louisiana?
He was part of an online group like yours.
They posted videos about how the shadow government was stalking them and using mind control weapons in an attempt to destroy their lives.
[Leonard] We found each other online because we said we had the same visions.
[whispers] Remember what you did at Thanksgiving?
[Leonard] And then we decided to meet on the boardwalk.
You’re gonna do that if I nod.
Okay, let’s continue.
You have the opportunity to choose.
I don’t mean to rush you, but we’re gonna ask for your decisions very fast now.
I’m gonna be straight up.
I’m the next one to go.
[breathing heavily]
I’m counting on you, man.
You’re, like, my last hope here.
Adriane, you can walk out of here right now.
Just walk out and see, nothing will happen.
None of this can stop until you make a choice.
Don’t you get that already?
You think I want to be here?
I’m just some fucking cook.
I didn’t tell you at first, but I have a son.
I didn’t want to speak his name, but here I am, begging you to do what has to be done because if you don’t, my son is gonna die.
Over the last few days, I’ve had to watch him die over and over and over again.
I’ve watched my little boy burned alive as I held him in my arms.
Everything was burning.
I can’t get the sound of his screams out of my head, even right now, so… [sniffles] …as a mother, believe me when I tell you that this is really happening.
[breathing heavily]
And it’s up to you.
What exactly did you guys see?
Stop talking to him.
He doesn’t believe you.
None of us believe you.
Let your time run out.
We’re not gonna do what you want us to do.
His name is Charlie.
[sighs, sniffles]
He likes pancakes.
Very well.
Close your eyes and cover your ears.
You don’t have to do this.
You guys are delusional.
You are part of a suicide cult. Can’t you see that?
Stop! Please stop this!
[Andrew grunting]
[Adriane crying]
[gasping]
A part of humanity has been judged.
[weapon slicing, smashing]
[thud]
[Sabrina crying]
[chain rattles]
[Leonard breathing heavily]
I’ll move her into the other room so they don’t have to see her.
[whimpering]
[breathing heavily]
Hundreds of thousands of people are going to die now.
We’ve unleashed a second plague.
Bullshit.
[trembling]
Sabrina, put on the TV, please.
[exhales]
[reporter] There have also been new developments with the novel X-Nine virus, which is proving particularly fatal to children.
The X-Nine virus is highly transmittable amongst children age ten and under.
These outbreaks seem to be originating in three distinct pockets of the world: Cape Town, Suffolk, England, and outside Nashville in Tennessee.
Lockdowns in these areas have already begun as numbers rise along with fear for the safety of those infected.
Numerous public schools have been suspended with some being converted into makeshift quarantine facilities.
While there is hope that the virus will be contained to the geographical pockets in question…
I think I saw something, Andrew.
…these communities are trapped in lockdown.
What?
What are you saying?
I think I saw a person.
Or a figure.
[Leonard] Turn the TV off.
Where’d you see a figure?
In the light behind you.
In the reflection in the mirror.
When you were standing behind Redmond.
Right before you struck him.
Eric, look at me.
You have a severe concussion.
She even told you you would be extremely sensitive to light.
We’re under extreme stress here.
I need you to listen to the words I’m saying.
Breathe in for a second, okay?
[inhales]
[exhales]
I’ve been reading about these X-Nine cases for months already. You know that.
It isn’t a fucking plague.
It’s a news report.
They all knew about it before they showed up here and knowingly made it a part of their narrative.
And this guy has been checking his watch all morning, just like yesterday.
Come on, Andrew.
All four of you have watches.
What, you just showed up here like that? No.
You knew you were coming out to this particular cabin where cell reception wouldn’t exist.
Did you see the banner at the bottom of the screen?
It isn’t live. It’s preprogramming. It’s a TV show.
Leonard, Sabrina, all of them knew this X-Nine show would be on and at what time.
[Sabrina] Andrew, this virus is gonna spread everywhere.
If you…
It’s a fucking preprogrammed show!
They knew this virus show would be on at this time, just like they knew the Alaskan earthquake and the tsunami warning had already happened before they showed up here.
I’m clearheaded now.
Always together.
You don’t talk to him from now on. You talk to me.
I want to watch Paddington and Chloe now! I want to watch Paddington and Chloe!
Wen.
[screams]
I want to watch a cartoon now! [screams]
Wen, okay, we’re gonna count down from five together, and we’re not gonna yell anymore, okay?
I want to watch it now!
Wen. Five…
I want to watch Paddington and Chloe now!
…four…
Okay, let’s try this again.
I want to watch a cartoon!
Wen, take a deep breath.
[screaming]
And five… four…
I want to watch Paddington and Chloe now!
Wen. Three…
[grunts]
Get away from my family, fucking losers!
Eric! Eric!
[Leonard] Eric! Eric! Please stop. Please.
[Wen] Stop! That’s my dad.
[Leonard] Everyone needs you.
[Eric] No! No, I don’t believe you!
Eric, please. Please stop…
No. No, no. Back away from me.
Don’t you look at me.
Don’t you look at me. Don’t you look at my daughter!
You don’t understand what you’re doing!
I don’t fucking believe you! No!
Please!
No! No, I don’t believe a word you say! Fuck you!
[breathing heavily]
[door opens]
[Sabrina] Andrew.
[Andrew screams]
[groans]
I hit you in the knee just so you wouldn’t run away.
This is triage, like in an emergency room.
We have to make the decision to save the most lives.
We have to help each other. We have to help each other.
[screaming]
[Sabrina groaning]
[shouts]
[shouts]
[banging on window]
[Sabrina] Open up! Andrew, listen to me!
Andrew.
[grunts]
[safe lock beeping]
Come on.
Please! Come out!
[beeping continues]
Come on.
Stay away from me.
Stay away from me! I will kill you!
[Leonard grunts]
Stay away from me!
[grunts]
Please stop!
[beeps]
[Sabrina grunts]
[window shatters]
Leave whatever you’re going for, get out of the car and come inside!
I don’t want to have to hurt you! [breathing heavily]
Come back inside!
[Andrew grunts]
Now!
We don’t have time for this! Please!
[groans]
Andrew, trust me!
[screams]
Now, you listen to me, you crazy fucking bitch.
You drop that thing and back the fuck up.
Okay. Okay.
Back the fuck up!
Okay! [screams]
Keep going!
Okay, okay.
Move!
Breathe.
Stop. Stop!
Fuck. Fuck.
[objects clattering]
[Leonard grunts]
Stay back!
I believe you were chosen because your family’s love for each other is so pure.
I know you’ve been through a lot, and people haven’t been fair to you.
Drop the weapon and move away from Eric, or I’ll show you I was chosen to put a bullet in your head.
Drop it now, Leonard, or I’ll kill you!
You’re dooming us all, Andrew.
You’re dooming your husband. You’re dooming your daughter…
I’m done with you!
I’m not listening to another goddamn word you say!
It’s time for the next sacrifice.
Are you willing to make a choice?
You’re crazy.
I’m taking my family and I’m leaving.
[Sabrina screaming]
[Eric] Andrew!
[gasps]
[groans]
[body thuds]
[“Long Train Runnin'” playing]
You have a temper.
Not in a scary way, just…
It’s there.
You’re uptight.
You can… suck the life out of any situation.
Hey, we said you have to qualify things.
I’m sorry. You…
You suck the life out of some situations.
I’ll accept that.
It’s not a bad list.
I think most parents would have a worse list than that.
I can’t believe we’re actually gonna do this.
I have never, for one second of my life, ever doubted loving you.
The kid’ll be washed in that every day.
How is it you can say stuff like that out of nowhere?
[bar patron] You guys keep it down?
Were we being loud?
I’m trying to have a drink with my friends.
Oh, we were being too loud?
Is that what it is?
Get your drunk ass back to your seat.
[bar patron] Fuck you.
♪ And the Southern Central Freight ♪
♪ Got to keep on pushin’, mama ♪
You shouldn’t provoke them.
I wasn’t provoking…
[Eric] Oh, my God! What the fuck?
[patrons clamoring]
What the fuck? Andrew, are you okay?
[glass shatters]
Oh, my God! What the fuck?
Somebody call an ambulance!
Andrew! Andrew, look at me.
Andrew, look at me. Are you okay?
Open your eyes. Open your eyes.
Can you hear me?
Andrew!
[heart monitor beeping steadily]
[grunts]
[store owner] All right, so what you got here is an HK P30.
German engineered, very light, very easy to handle.
Um, pretty much good for any scenario.
Carry, home protection.
Screw ’em, right?
I’ll take it.
[sighs]
No, Leonard.
Are you willing to make a sacrifice?
No more, you bastard.
[Leonard] A part of humanity has been judged.
[weapon smashes]
[weapon clatters on ground]
The four of us can’t make this decision.
It’s got to be your choice.
Shut your mouth.
Keep an eye on Leonard.
Yell if he does anything.
It’s O’Bannon.
They were here to torture us.
[Leonard] We don’t know why we were chosen.
Don’t say another word of your horseshit!
None of this is real, and you were targeting us!
I always look for motive, Leonard.
How about a crazy bigot meets a bartender from a bar somewhere, and they find a woman from a small town who has extreme religious beliefs.
That’s not true.
Then they come across a young woman who can be persuaded of anything.
I didn’t believe for a second that Adriane had a kid, Leonard!
Now, I’m not a murderer like you guys, so I’m gonna lock you in that bathroom.
They slashed our tires, but they must’ve come in a truck or a vehicle.
We need to get to that vehicle.
[Leonard] You’re wrong about all of us.
Now get in that bathroom, Leonard.
And make no mistake, I will fucking kill you if I have to.
[whispers] We need something to tie the doorknob to.
[Eric whispers] The lamp.
[clattering]
Here.
[both breathing heavily]
Okay. Come on. Come on.
[glass shatters]
[thudding]
He broke the window.
[Wen] He got out.
He’s gonna come get us!
He’s gonna get to the car before us.
He could be outside and hurt us. We have to make sure he’s in the bathroom.
Leonard?
If I open this door and I see you, I will shoot you.
Leonard!
[insects chirping]
[exhales shakily]
[both shout]
Get off me!
[grunting]
[groans]
[breathing heavily]
Fuck.
Fuck.
I thought you wouldn’t kill us.
I won’t.
But I will shoot you in the leg to keep you from leaving this cabin.
Turn on the TV if you want to be convinced.
You’ll see that everything I said was gonna happen has happened.
No one’s gonna do what you say…
[news anchor] More terrifying images as we see yet another passenger aircraft…
[explosion on TV]
…plummet to the ground.
[Andrew] Eric, what are you doing?
Why did you turn it on?
Local and international governments are investigating whether there’s any correlation between the crashes.
We have yet to receive death tolls or receive any statements from the airlines.
[people screaming]
[explosion]
[sirens wailing]
[helicopter whirring]
You said it wasn’t real.
[explosion]
[people screaming, clamoring]
[explosion]
[explosion]
[explosion]
“The skies will fall and crash to the earth like pieces of glass.”
“And God’s fingers will scorch the earth, and an everlasting darkness will descend over humanity.”
[explosions]
[news anchor] We now have confirmation of as many as 700 airplanes having crashed without warning, without issuing distress calls, amid fears and increasing speculation there may have been a coordinated cyberattack…
That terrorist stuff has nothing to do with this.
[Leonard] I’ve heard this before.
TSA has yet to issue a statement.
Airports around the globe are canceling flights.
It is hard…
It is hard…
[breathing heavily]
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
[both] It is hard to describe the images that we are seeing.
They fill us with disquietude and horror.
We are witnessing a collective tragedy unfathomable only moments before.
[sighs]
We are getting word of more airline…
[grunts]
How the fuck did you know what she was gonna say?
Is this some closed-circuit TV? Did you guys pump this in?
Maybe the truth is…
[breathing heavily]
…that the end was happening long before we got to this cabin.
And what we’re seeing now isn’t the fireworks.
It’s just the final flickering sparks.
I don’t know what’s going on here, but where are the keys to the truck you guys came in?
[Eric] Andrew.
I’m taking my family, and we’re leaving.
Do you really think that everything that happened today… everything we’ve seen…
Do you really think it’s all just a coincidence?
Yes.
I think it’s all a coincidence.
Some horrible, unexplainable coincidence.
Or it has to be a trick.
I have to believe that!
You already don’t believe that.
I know when someone’s lying.
Eric… let’s go.
Let’s get out of here and never come back.
Don’t listen to Leonard anymore.
Can everyone come out onto the back deck now?
I’d like to do this last part outside.
[sighs]
What are you doing with that, Leonard?
[breathing heavily]
When I’m gone, you’ll only have minutes to stop everything.
After that, it’ll be too late.
[Wen] Will all the children die?
Wen, I want you to take your music and your headphones and go to that tree house that we climbed in.
Put your music on until one of us comes to get you.
Do what Daddy says, okay?
[Wen crying]
I love you, chicken.
I love you too.
[Wen whimpers]
Go. Go.
[Andrew] Nothing can happen to the three of us.
You’ll be okay.
[Leonard sighs]
The worst thing about the visions was the screaming.
I could hear everyone screaming.
And I knew when the visions ended, the screaming was just gonna go on and on.
[chuckles] You know what I loved most about teaching kids?
They believe everything you say.
So you have to be careful.
Say only what you know, what you know to be true.
It’s a big responsibility.
Maybe one of the kids I taught will do something great for the world.
What do you think? [chuckles]
Please… my new friends, Eric, Andrew… will you make a choice and save the world?
[breathing heavily]
All of humanity has been judged.
[Leonard gasping]
[thunder rumbling]
[gurgling]
[chair rocking]
[thunder rumbling]
[lightning strikes]
[thunder rumbling]
We still have a few minutes, he said.
Eric.
There was something in the light.
[thunder rumbling]
A figure.
And I feel it now.
[thunder rumbling]
I believe you.
Let’s the three of us leave.
Maybe this is the way it’s always been.
Maybe families have been deciding this all through time.
Let’s just walk the earth, then.
The three of us.
What kind of life is that for Wen?
[thunder rumbling]
Andrew, this wasn’t a home invasion.
They didn’t target us.
They came here to spend time with us… for us to get to know them.
They remind us of all aspects of humanity.
Redmond, malice.
Adriane, nurturing.
Sabrina, healing.
Leonard, guidance.
They’re the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
I believe we had to see them die. We had to feel their loss.
Why us?
We’re nothing special.
Because I know what I felt when we saw Wen in that orphanage and we were together for the first time.
It’s our decision.
[thunder rumbling]
[Andrew] It’s our fucking decision?
We’re supposed to give up our love for them?
It’s a sacrifice, Andrew.
That we would be willing to give up something so beautiful to us for everyone else.
They’re not worth it!
They hate us, Eric.
They hate that we exist.
They’re just scared. Like all of us.
[thunder rumbling]
They’re monsters.
They destroy everything.
They hurt each other.
You’re not just a prosecutor. You know there’s something to defend.
That’s where your anger comes from, Andrew.
Kill me.
No, sweetheart.
[thunder rumbling]
We’re running out of time.
Maybe I saw a figure, maybe I just made it up, but it’s giving me peace. My mind is set in its truth.
I won’t be scared.
You gotta do it now. We’re out of time. All of us.
I don’t believe in them, Eric.
I do.
Do it while I’m thinking the most beautiful thought so that I can have that feeling in my heart to take me right to wherever it is I’m going.
[thunderclap]
It’s almost time. I can feel it.
Kill me, Eric, please.
Please. Please.
I’m thinking about our daughter in the future.
[trembling, crying]
When she’s living her life exactly as she wanted to.
She’s got her own practice.
You’re there with her.
You guys are locking up her office because you guys are going to dinner.
She is everything we always hoped for.
She’s still got her crazy laugh.
She still asks everybody questions about everything.
She found someone who loves her and who she loves just as much.
Just like her dads.
[trembling]
[gunshot]
Eric. [sobbing]
Eric.
[thunder rumbling]
[sobbing continues]
[ascending footsteps]
Did Daddy Eric save everyone?
[crying]
[thunder rumbling]
[rain falling]
[both crying]
[thunderclap]
[wood creaking]
[chattering on radio]
Did we stop it in time?
There’s a diner over there.
[chattering on radio continues]
[survivor on TV] The only thing we could do was climb out of the upstairs window onto the roof…
[bell jingles]
…but water kept climbing higher and higher.
No one could hear us.
Standing on the roof with my daughters, my girls, I thought it was the end.
And two of my girls, they can’t… They can’t swim.
And the water just stopped rising.
[patron] Switch to the other one.
The last of the planes in Australia and Russia have landed safely.
Families are rushing to airports, searching for their loved ones.
Amidst this chaos are emotional scenes…
We were rolling the bodies out into the parking lot because there wasn’t room.
This past hour is the first time in many, many hours that we haven’t had a death in the ICU.
Actually, we’re coming up on our second hour here of no deaths.
I know.
[voice breaking] I love you so much.
Everything’s gonna be okay.
The sudden lightning strikes that set fire to many areas have not returned.
Though several fires have yet to be extinguished and the damage to regions both rural and urban across Great Britain is extensive and remains to be determined, the worst conflagrations have, as of this moment…
[car door opens]
[keys jingling]
[engine starts]
[“Boogie Shoes” playing on radio]
♪ Girl, to be with you… ♪
[radio turns off]
[engine idling]
[radio turns on]
♪ I want to put on My, my, my, my, my boogie shoes ♪
♪ Just to boogie with you ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ I want to put on My, my, my, my, my boogie shoes ♪
♪ Just to boogie… ♪
[radio turns off]
[radio turns on]
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ I want to put on My, my, my, my boogie shoes ♪
♪ Just to boogie with you ♪
♪ Whoo! ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
♪ Boogie down, boogie down ♪
[gear shifts]
♪ Whoo! ♪
♪ I want to put on My, my, my, my boogie shoes ♪
♪ Just to boogie with you ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ I want to put on My, my, my, my, my boogie shoes ♪
♪ Just to boogie with you ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ I want to put on… ♪
[music fades]
[seven knocks on door]
[knocking stops]
