56 Days
Season 1 – Episode 7
Episode title: Chapter 7
Original release date: February 18, 2026
Episode plot: The incident at Narrow River sends shockwaves through Oliver and Ciara’s lives. Lee and Karl discover the truth, but face brutal consequences.
* * *
Transcript
Note for Students & Writers: This transcript is archived here for educational purposes, critical analysis, and screenwriting study. All rights belong to the original creators.
[ominous, droning music playing]
[birds singing]
[Shane] Anything they start off fighting about, he can bring it back to that.
I mean, this time, it was about how mom never puts gas in the car and he always has to do it when he’s already late.
You know, and somehow he brings it back to how my school wants me to apply to all these private, out-of-state D1 colleges for lacrosse and it makes him look like the bad guy, ’cause he can’t afford any of them.
Shane, I mean, your dad is the Kevin Garnett of talking shit about Bridgefield.
You know? And, also, there’s such a thing as lacrosse scholarships.
Ivies don’t have athletic scholarships.
And nowhere else is gonna be a full ride.
Whatever. I mean, talking about why all these schools are no-go’s also pisses him off.
Mm. You’re so lucky.
Yeah, I know you think so.
I’m not even talking about being able to afford Stanford.
Being able to afford to buy Stanford and rename it after yourself.
St. Ledger University.
Shut-shut up, dude, please.
I’m talking about not having to listen to your parents screaming at each other every five minutes.
Over something you can’t change and neither can they.
Well, I mean, to want to argue about shit, you kind of got to care about it.
[chuckles] You know? It’s not that difficult.
Well, I mean, anytime mine want to stop caring so much, that would be great.
But they won’t, ’cause they can’t live unless they’re up my ass.
My sister can’t either. I mean, Shyla moved to fucking Pawtucket, and she’s still trying to be my boss.
Aw. [chuckles]
What I would give… to be you. Here we go. [chuckles]
For one day.
Just one. Just to try, just to see.
Not even for the money. Just for the, like… silence.
[rustling]
I might’ve told Paul we would be here.
Whatever. He’s not a bad guy if you give him a chance.
You say that every single time.
He’s just insecure.
I promise, if you hang in there, eventually, he stops being such a dick.
Prove it. [chuckles softly]
What does that even mean? [Paul] Sup, fuckheads?
[panting]
You gonna be okay? What’s up?
What’s up is I fucking ran here.
You’re kidding. From Bridgefield?
Yeah, that’s right, shithead.
Wow. Well, I know Coach said you need to do more cardio, but damn. [chuckles]
[sighs]
[sniffs]
You guys are so into this place.
I mean, it was cool for, like, I don’t know, five minutes in middle school.
But Jesus.
And don’t you literally have, like, a massive house with a fucking… helipad?
There’s no helipad.
[Paul] Why would anybody want to hang out here instead of there?
Your dad have, like, a “no peasant” rule or something?
Oh, ’cause I’m a peasant, right?
A scholarship peasant? Yeah, I’ve been in there.
Has your dad even lived in that house before?
Like, uh… even when you were a baby?
‘Cause my dad says your dad hasn’t been back to Narragansett since, like, the ’90s.
[Shane] How would your dad even know that?
[Paul] Well, he’s in global finance, too, dude. People talk to each other.
It’s a… network.
Who cares? All right?
Ollie’s house is fucking freezing, and none of the furniture is comfortable.
Okay? Yeah.
What the…
Are you fucking kidding me? There’s mosquitoes now?
Come on.
Is your mom in town?
Is that why we can’t go to your house?
[Shane] What’s your fucking deal, dude? Uh, it’s buggy and clammy here, and it doesn’t not smell like pee.
[Shane] Uh, you have a house, too, dipshit.
[Paul] Yeah, well, they’re selling it.
[exhales]
‘Cause the whole divorce is my dad punishing my mom for getting mad at him for cheating, so…
[sighs]
That’s hard.
I’m really sorry.
Thanks.
How is your mom doing?
Shittily.
Why? [Shane] Just sucks. That’s all.
Makes total sense why she’d be having a tough time with everything.
Yeah. Makes total sense your mom would be running her mouth again about someone she barely fucking knows.
[Shane] Fuck you. She knows her.
[Paul] Yeah, from sidelines and sport banquets, but not really.
What are you even talking about?
You just seem like you know something, Shane, so you tell me.
Your mom’s the one saying shit she heard from somebody who heard it from somebody like it’s fucking real.
She saw it in the paper, Paul. Who reads the local news? No one.
[Shane] When… [stammers]
When NPD arrest someone, it’s always in the local police blotter.
I’m not saying it should be, but…
She didn’t think she was gonna need a basket, and then she had too many things in her hands, so she was gonna go get one.
I mean, she didn’t even leave the fucking store, and now everybody thinks she’s a fucking thief!
[sniffs, exhales]
You know what? I’m sorry.
Yeah, I’m sorry, too. Yeah.
I’m sorry your mom’s a bitch who won’t shut the fuck up.
[clangs]
Man, what’s your fucking problem? [groaning]
[yells]
[grunting] Hey, guys!
[grunting]
Guys! Fucking… [grunts]
Oh! Ow…
Take a fucking second!
Take a second, okay? Chill. Fuck! Fuck!
Chill out. [yells]
[♪ Tool: “The Pot”] ♪ Who are you ♪
♪ To wave your finger? ♪ [grunting]
♪ You must have been out your head ♪
♪ Eyehole deep in muddy waters ♪
♪ You practically raised ♪
♪ The dead ♪ Stop!
[panting] ♪ Rob the grave ♪
♪ To snow the cradle ♪
♪ Then burn ♪ [gasps]
♪ The evidence down ♪
[grunting]
♪ Soapbox house of cards and glass so ♪
♪ Don’t go tossing your stones around ♪
♪ You must have been ♪
♪ High ♪
♪ You must have been ♪
♪ High ♪
♪ You must have been ♪♪
Let me go!
♪ ♪
[grunting]
♪ ♪
[indistinct voices on TV]
[vehicle approaching]
[insects trilling]
[engine shuts off]
[breathing raggedly]
If I say it’s self-defense, if I just tell them that it’s self-defense… It doesn’t work like that.
It doesn’t work like that! They’re gonna… they’re gonna… they’re gonna say
that it’s self-defense. Just stop!
But if we j… but if we just… They’re not gonna call it self-defense, ’cause it was you that did it!
You weren’t defending yourself!
[panting]
[sniffles] Look.
[sighs] We didn’t go to the Narrows today after school, all right?
And we didn’t… we didn’t know Paul was gonna be there.
He didn’t ask me to hang out after practice, and he wouldn’t have asked you anything, ’cause you’re not even fucking friends.
Uh, I had to go home and babysit my sister anyway.
So you gave me a ride, and then you what?
[breathing heavily]
Say it. I…
[pants, sniffles]
I went home.
And I studied for chem until I got a headache and then I… and then I went to bed.
[somber music playing]
What about… what about your, um…
[sighs, stammers]
I wiped out during scoring drills, and… someone must have stepped on me.
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry.
I know you were just trying to help me.
Hmm. Save me.
You probably did.
Thanks.
[shudders]
♪ ♪
[engine running]
[sniffles]
[Megan] What are you doing?
Nothing.
[sniffles]
Where were you?
Those are dirty.
Yeah, whatever.
Why are you wet?
I took a shower. When?
Just now.
Then I thought I heard something outside.
What did you do to your face?
Nothing. You look like you…
No, I don’t, Megan!
I got fouled at practice. All right?
And then I came home and I took a shower and now I’m back in here, with you, like I have been this whole time.
Are you okay?
Yeah, I’m fine.
I’m hungry.
You want to make stovetop s’mores?
[dryer running]
[insects trilling] [tense music playing]
[breathes sharply]
♪ ♪
[birds chirping] [breathing heavily]
[inhales deeply]
[shudders]
[school bell rings faintly]
♪ ♪
[inhales]
[exhales]
♪ ♪
[crying]
[line ringing]
[woman] Hey, Oliver. I don’t have him, but I maybe might this weekend.
It has to be now.
I’m sorry.
It’s really important.
[breathing heavily]
I hope he thinks so. [click]
Okay. [breathing heavily]
[insects trilling]
[quiet, somber music playing]
Hello?
Can anyone hear us?
[Caspar] Gretchen and Kenji, if you’re on, get off.
[clicks]
So what’s so cloak-and-dagger…
I killed someone.
What?
Who?
[cries] Paul.
Paul Sparling.
You’re sure he’s dead?
[crying softly]
Yeah.
We were at the Narrows.
Who’s “we”?
Me, Shane Martin and Paul.
Who else?
It was just us.
Okay. Stop talking.
I need to think.
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
Not sick of Boston yet, I guess, huh? [indistinct chatter]
Oliver, I’m Detective Sheehan.
My lieutenant’s just getting off a call, but we can start and he’ll join… [Sykes] This being recorded, Gerry?
Not a custodial interrogation, so…
I want to make some notes, but first things first.
Your lawyer here, Mr. Sykes, he filled me in a little bit on what happened, but obviously, I want to hear it from you.
Can you tell me about it?
Just start wherever you’re comfortable. If I have any questions, I’ll ask.
[Oliver] Yeah, I was, um… I was home, and I-I’d been studying all night because I had a midterm coming up and, uh, I didn’t really understand the material.
Uh, but I, uh, I forgot to eat.
So, uh, after a little while I got-got a headache, and, um, I set an alarm for early so I can, uh, wake up and do some more in the morning.
But then I, uh, I woke up, uh, because someone was, um… was, uh, buzzing to be let in.
And who was that?
Um…
That was, uh, Shane.
Shane Martin.
Shane Martin. Okay.
And this was what time?
This was around midnight.
[Conrad sighs] Last chance. No idea?
You have no idea? No.
You can’t think of a single thing happening
they might want to talk to you about? [Kristi] He said no.
Right, and I don’t buy it, is why I keep asking ’cause I want to have some idea of what kind of buzz saw we’re about to walk into.
You knock out some more streetlights?
Or steal some shit your buddies think is nothing but to regular people means real money?
[Kristi] God, like you and your friends never got into anything stupid before.
Except, you know what, no one at your school ever got into an Ivy League college.
Probably doesn’t even know what one is. [Conrad stammers] Oh… Sh…
[scoffs] So, Shane’s going to the Ivy League now?
Wow. Really, wow. When were you guys gonna tell me that?
After we talked to the cops, I guess? [Kristi] Could you have a little faith in your son, please?
Can we just… He’s a good kid. [Conrad] ‘Cause-’cause I have, I have no faith in my son, right? He’s a good kid, and he’s a great… So you’re on with that
whole narrative again, that I have no faith in my son… He could have a better f…
[Kristi] He could have a better future. He could have a…
[lock buzzes, latch clicks]
[tense music playing]
Jeff.
Hey, great to see you. [indistinct chatter]
[Sykes] Fabulous. Look at you, young man.
Listen, I want you to tell your father I said hello.
[speaking inaudibly]
[door bangs open]
Stop, stop! [detective] Shane!
Hey! Hey!
Stop that! Hey! Hey!
Now stop it!
[Kristi] Don’t hurt him. Don’t hurt him.
Stop! Come on! [officer] Take it easy.
[detective] Stop it. Get out of here.
[Kristi] Where is he going?
Where is he go… Wait. [officer] Please, step back inside.
[eerie music playing]
[Sykes] All right, come on. [panting]
[hyperventilating]
[dramatic music playing]
[grunting softly]
♪ ♪
[school bell ringing]
[loud, indistinct chatter]
[rock music playing over stereo]
[music stops]
[whimpers] [car door closes]
[Dan] Cutting it kind of close
there, Otis. [Oliver quietly] Fuck.
[Dan] Hey, Oliver, move it.
Seven minutes till morning announcements.
If I had that car, I’d probably want to hang out in it all day too, but… you’re about to get one demerit for being late and another for ignoring me to my face…
Oh, my God, are you, are you all right? [door handle thudding]
Hey, Oliver, can you open the door? Jesus.
Where’s my, where’s my… we need to call 911.
No. Please, please, please.
No, please don’t.
Please.
I still think we should at least go to urgent care.
I feel way better now. I really do.
All right, but still, an hour ago, you were passing out in your car.
Uh, amoxicillin.
Here.
Take two… or maybe four.
Why do you just have these? Dog bite.
In the Stop & Shop parking lot. Yeah?
Apparently, different tail waggings have different meanings.
I thought a dog wagging its tail always means friendly.
It does not.
Yeah, I thought that, too.
Yeah, well, now we both know better.
[pills clatter]
What about your mom?
What if we called her? No, I think it’s, uh, I think it’s 12 hours ahead there.
Well, it still wouldn’t be past 11:00 p.m.
I don’t think that there’s reception.
There’s gonna be reception at a resort.
Uh, she’s off the coast. It’s-it’s her friend’s boat.
Um, and the school knows. She told them.
I’m gonna have them mark you an excused absence.
I’ll say I saw you and I sent you home sick.
That’s not even a lie.
And I’ll leave you the amoxicillin.
Take a couple more tonight.
Look, uh, I know… you were good friends with Shane and Paul.
I know you’re having a hard time right now.
Wish you weren’t having it alone.
Go easy on yourself, okay?
Understand that… something terrible has happened to you, too.
[plastic crumples]
Try to give yourself a little grace.
Uh, wait. Uh…
Uh, please, wait.
[Caspar over phone] And you’re what again?
The guidance counselor?
[Dan] School counselor.
What kind of background’s a school counselor supposed to have in this kind of thing?
Well, I-I’m actually a licensed independent clinical social worker, but I’m working towards getting licensed in Rhode Island as a clinical mental health counselor.
And what makes you think my son needs your help?
[stammers]
I’m not saying it has to be me… but… from the amount of detail Oliver gave me about his present headspace, and what led to it, he’s gonna need therapy from someone.
And what amount of detail would that be, exactly?
Clinically.
Enough.
Enough for what?
Just enough to know what really happened.
[Caspar sighs] Hmm.
Every time I think there’s nothing left that can surprise me…
I’ll put you in touch with my personal accountant.
[footsteps approaching]
Mom?
[Kristi] Yeah?
[Megan] Do you want tea?
[Kristi] No.
[atmospheric music playing] [Oliver exhales]
[Dan] I understand this may be weird at first.
[labored breathing]
[Oliver] It’s okay. You do this, too?
You know, you see people outside of school?
[Dan] My real-life goal was… always this.
So, I’m your first patient?
Yeah. Kind of are.
[indistinct chatter]
[Oliver] But don’t you have to be able to come clean?
Tell the truth? You know… be honest?
[Dan] What are you saying, you haven’t been honest with me?
[Dan] You didn’t tell me the truth?
Of course I have. Yes. I did.
Okay, then.
It’s-it’s gonna work.
Hey, it’s already working.
[eerie music playing]
[ragged breathing]
[breathing deeply]
[gasps]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Yo, Shyla. You want to meet us at the Crypt?
I can’t. Do a shooter for me.
[sighs] [line ringing]
[Megan over phone] Hello? Hey, Megeggie?
Hi, Shy. [Kristi over phone] Hello?
It’s not Shane, Mom.
[Kristi] Don’t tie up the phone.
She just talked to him yesterday, didn’t she?
They’re not gonna let him call her again today.
[Megan] I doubt she knows what day it is.
When are you coming home?
Twenty minutes. I’m leaving work right now. Just… do us all a favor and stay out of her way, okay?
Okay.
[Dan] You all packed?
You travel Tuesday, right?
[sighs]
Orientation’s probably gonna be pretty hectic.
Lot of new people, new living situation.
What? What are, what are you thinking right now?
That you were right.
That I might not be ready, right now, to go to Stanford.
That I can’t.
Have you talked about any of this with your dad?
No.
Ah. [dramatic music playing]
Well… you need to, Ollie.
[breathing shakily]
Call him and tell him.
I can’t.
You want me to do it?
Please, yes.
Okay.
Thank you.
[Megan] Oliver St. Ledger. He dropped my brother off at our house in his car.
Are you aware Mr. St. Ledger says he did not see your brother after school until Shane came to his house after midnight?
Yes, I am, but it’s not true, because… What the hell are you doing?
Are you…? Are you playing at trial or something?
Is it…? Is it supposed to be funny? No. No.
Because it isn’t.
I know.
I did see him.
Shane didn’t come right home after practice.
He didn’t come home till later and… when he did, I saw him.
I saw him getting out of Oliver’s car…
I can’t believe you’re doing this right now.
I cannot believe you can’t see how wrong it is for you to do this right now!
It’s not like that. It’s really true!
It’s never like that. Right?
Like… like when your teacher kicked you, like when the woman in the Stop & Shop tried to kidnap you…
It’s never about you wanting attention. It’s always true.
The jury is deciding right now, Megan, remember?
They’re all sitting in a room talking about whether they’re gonna send your brother to prison for life.
Now, I’m sorry that we are all so terrified about that we can’t put our attention on you.
I’m sorry this is the worst fucking thing that’s ever happened in the world and you still have to make it about you.
[melancholy music playing]
[door closes]
[gasping]
♪ ♪
The people of the State of Rhode Island v. Shane Martin.
Verdict, count one, voluntary manslaughter.
We the jury find the defendant guilty.
[dark music playing]
[Caspar over phone] Six minutes, 11 seconds, actually.
[chuckles]
Pretty good for my age, huh?
Or anybody’s age.
What were you, last time you were in the pool?
Uh, 3:17.
The fuck?
You’re going backwards now. Are you even practicing?
I’m not really sleeping lately.
[tense music playing]
Since the verdict.
I get it.
All the more reason to stay disciplined.
Here’s the thing: Practice.
You have to do it every day. You’re staying on it, right?
Grow your capacity.
[exhales] Your number grows. It’s like anything.
Just keep at it and let me know.
[breathing heavily]
[Oliver] Sometimes I just feel like I have to call Shane.
But that’s stupid, because you can’t call, so…
[Dan] No, you can’t call.
I tried to go to see him.
To be put on his visitors’ list or whatever.
When, um… when did you do this?
I don’t know. A month ago.
They said he said no.
Oh, well… [chuckles softly]
That’s understandable too, though, right?
[sighs]
If he’d said yes, what, um…
So I tried to write it in a, in a letter.
I am disappointed that you didn’t feel like this was something you could talk over with me first…
It felt like I could, I could start with-with this.
Uh, but then, but then, I-I felt like, if I send it, is he even gonna open it?
And if he doesn’t open it, then maybe sending it at all is still the point…
I don’t… I-I don’t know.
Okay. Okay. What about this?
Shane knows me, from school.
What if I ask to be put on his visitors’ list?
I-II don’t say why, but I take that with me.
And I read it.
Out loud.
And whatever happens next is up to him.
[sighs]
[Oliver] I’m just sorry I couldn’t make myself do it before.
And I know it won’t make me a good person to do the right thing now, but still…
I’m gonna fix everything.
I promise.
[lock buzzes, latch clicks] [indistinct chattering]
You look a little… [Shane] The, uh…
The food’s pretty bad here. Yeah.
And they serve it at weird times. Whatever.
I don’t know why I didn’t think you’d actually come.
I don’t know why it took me so long to ask.
Well, I mean, we didn’t ever talk all that much in school, so…
[huffs] I’m sorry. I’m not saying that for, like, blame.
No, I-I know you’re not.
I… Just doesn’t reflect very well on me, though.
So can I ask how you are?
[exhales] I’m so sorry, about all of this.
It’s just… it’s really terrible.
Yeah.
Yeah, it’s pretty terrible. Yeah.
In full disclosure, and I know I should have said this up front
when I first asked to come see you… Are you gonna try to write a book or something?
Oh. Uh, no.
I’m working with Oliver.
Working with him how?
Just counseling him. As his therapist.
So you’re with him, then?
I wouldn’t let him in, so he sent you?
No.
Although, obviously, that’s a very logical first question…
What does he need therapy for? Huh?
Does he feel bad for what he did?
Actually, yeah, he does.
Which part?
Killing Paul?
Or killing me?
I understand it must feel unbelievable…
What must? I don’t know.
How the world’s just still turning.
Like you were never even in it.
Like all I am is this thing I didn’t do, you mean?
All because I was stupid and tried to help my friend?
Do you guys talk about that, in your little fucking therapy sessions?
What he did to me for trying to help him?
Because if anything else, you’re just another person getting paid to listen to him lie.
Shane… you know, it doesn’t matter what Oliver’s told me.
My job isn’t to judge what the truth is, and I wouldn’t be in charge of anything even if it was.
It’s more that his pain has made me think about yours, and how I just, I can’t imagine what you’re going through.
Or the strength I know you’ll need to find.
For what?
I have strength. I know you do.
See, I remember that about you.
Like you said, we didn’t talk much, but still, I could tell you had character, integrity.
That those things mattered to you.
Just…
[sighs]
Before I came to Bridgefield, I was a social worker… this was in Connecticut… and a lot of my clients were in your situation, with public defenders who were no match for white shoes.
And? One of my clients…
Dawn, uh, her husband was doing 15 to life in MacDougall.
Dave had a carpet-laying business with his cousin, and the cousin had a shady side thing where a guy ended up getting killed over money, and the cousin took a plea for saying it was all Dave.
And, you know, Dave just thought, he didn’t do it and that would prevail.
[pensive music playing]
And he didn’t know how to stop his frustration and rage from getting him into situations that just added more years to his sentence…
Or how to live knowing he was only in prison in the first place off a lie from someone he trusted.
And compared to you… he was lucky.
He wasn’t up against people with enough money to make the world exactly the way they want it.
So, what happened to Dave?
Is he still in prison?
No.
When did he get paroled?
He didn’t.
I’m-I’m not gonna… go into details, if it’s okay.
Just out of respect.
I’m just never, never gonna forget that phone call.
[sighs]
There was one tiny silver lining… crazy as that is to say…
Dave’s family didn’t think so, but I know Dave would have.
It’s something called the doctrine of abatement.
Look, if you’re convicted at trial, even for murder, and you die in prison before all your appeals are exhausted, your conviction’s automatically set aside, and your indictment is dismissed, like it never even happened.
When he died… because he died… as far as law and the world were concerned, Dave was an innocent man.
Hey, finally no line at the vending machines.
I’m gonna get a soda.
You want one?
♪ ♪
[Shyla] No, no, no, they must have, Mom, they-they wouldn’t just say
“this is the prison calling,” okay? [Kristi] Yes. Yes, they did.
They said this is ACI calling and we’re sorry to inform you that…
[Shyla] Okay, that doesn’t make any sense, Mom, okay?
So, so, are they gonna, are they gonna call us back?
[Kristi] He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t do that to himself.
He wouldn’t do it to me, he would never do that!
Listen, it’s okay.
I’m going to call them and I’m going to find out who called us, all right?
[continues indistinctly]
[Caspar] It’s terrible, it’s a terrible thing.
It’s hard to even think about, the kind of desperation behind a choice like that.
Makes you think about all your own choices in life, right?
All the things you’ve done or haven’t done.
[crying quietly]
[sobbing] [Dan] Hey.
Hey. Hey, hey.
Hey, you know the Navy SEALs use this thing, to help them calm down?
Which is crazy, right?
These elite warriors, they train and they practice and still, they panic.
Even Navy SEALs have to make themselves remember to breathe.
Okay? In for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four.
It’s called box breathing.
A box has four sides.
You just focus on the numbers and the sides and that’s it.
4 x 4. Do it with me, come on.
Let’s build a box together, right now.
[whispers] Hold… two, three, four.
[inhales] [inhales]
Hold, two, three, four.
[exhales] Out, two, three, four.
[switch clicks]
[floor creaks]
Hi.
Do we have a… What the fuck did you say to my brother?
Excuse me? Show up out of nowhere, get in his mind, say who the fuck knows what until suddenly he thinks he has no way out of…
Oh… Okay. My God.
[exhales]
Can I just…
I-I was so sorry when I heard what happened.
Why were you even there? Hmm?
You didn’t exist for Shane at school, and I know that, he never mentioned you once.
To be fair, seeing the counselor is not always gonna be something a student talks about at home, right?
You’re telling me he fucking came to see you?
HIPAA requirements say I can’t tell you anything.
I’m sorry.
But whether he did or didn’t, with a student body of 600 kids, being generally aware of all of them and their various struggles, yeah, that was my job.
Why’d you go to the prison?
To offer my support…
No, I want to know what kind of apocalyptic shit you said to him.
Besides that, fucking Oliver St. Ledger sees you for therapy, which is…
I just don’t really know how to wrap my mind around that, actually.
So he told you that, but he didn’t tell you what else we talked about?
Okay, he’s figuring things out, he’s taking fucking classes and then here you are, and a month later he kills himself.
A-And you think talking to me had something to do with that?
I do, and I think I have a lot of questions that I’m gonna ask to whoever’s responsible for you having a license to talk to anybody, okay?
So just know that’s what’s gonna be happening.
Well, then maybe also ask them if they think someone without a baseline of mental instability and history of emotional detachment in the home can be goaded into suicide by one casual conversation with a sympathetic relative stranger.
Oh, this is such an awful thing.
Look, I-I understand needing to explain it away somehow.
But when an already mentally vulnerable person is put into such a challenging environment, at an age where they’re still struggling with coping skills, and with the idea that the future even exists, not to mention a support system at home that just isn’t up to the task in a real…
[grunts] [coughs]
Jesus fuck!
[coughs]
[panting]
So… as soon as court opens tomorrow, I’m gonna file a temporary ex parte order of protection against you.
And just to make it final…
Fuck you! Okay.
[door closes]
[ragged exhale]
[Megan] Did Mom go to sleep?
[Shyla] She went to her room.
I’m sure she’s not sleeping. Nobody sleeps in this house.
Obviously.
[pats sofa cushion]
[both sigh]
Okay. Talk show, old movie, infomercial, or… Where do you think Shane is now?
[sighs]
Shit.
I’m gonna need a drink or ten for that conversation.
Megan, I don’t want to talk about heaven or whatever, okay?
Because you don’t think he’s…
If there is a place he is, I hope that everything makes sense to him, that he doesn’t hurt any more.
Okay?
Me, too.
Also I wish there was a place like that for Mom to go.
Yeah, I mean, Mom’s still alive, but I get what you’re saying.
I saw him that night.
What does that mean?
Mom and Dad went to Holy Spirit purse bingo and he was supposed to come home after practice and make dinner, but he didn’t, so I made it, and I saw him get dropped off.
By a car that I saw.
Whose car it was…
Okay, and… Okay, well, d-did Shane know this?
Yes. When?
Right when he came inside. Okay, and what did he say?
H-He said he was home the whole time.
And he never asked you to say anything later to anybody, ever?
I thought he would. [shaky breath]
I was waiting, but he never did.
Why didn’t he want me to?
You know what? Maybe he was… afraid, yeah, of you bringing Oliver into it, and of Oliver’s family.
Of what they might do, t-to us, to you.
I mean, who-who knows?
With people who can be… what they are.
You feel guilty? For not saying?
Don’t.
Okay?
It wouldn’t have made any difference.
It still would’ve all happened the exact same way, and you couldn’t have stopped it.
So, please, please… don’t let it derail your life.
Okay? Come here.
[Megan crying]
[sorrowful music playing]
♪ ♪
[knocking at door]
Ms. Martin? One of them.
Which one are you?
Shyla.
[Lee] Is your mom Kristi? Is she here, too?
She’s not here at the moment.
And you live here, with her?
Rub it in, why don’t ya?
So, uh, you’re Shane’s sister?
Hey, can I ask a question?
[Karl] Yes, we are here to ask people questions about a guy named Oliver St. Ledger.
Specifically, about the possible revenge killing of a guy named Oliver St. Ledger.
We spoke to Annette Sparling. She gave us your address.
[Lee] Does your sister live here, too?
Megan or Ciara Wyse? W-Which one do you call her?
Look, I don’t know where Megan lives, okay?
I don’t even know where she is.
Or if she’s ever coming back.
[droning ambient music playing]
[peaceful breathing]
Hey.
[quiet atmospheric music playing]
I’ve just been sitting here watching you breathe.
You’re Megan.
You’re Shane’s sister.
Yeah.
[Oliver chuckles softly]
The day that Paul Sparling died…
I saw you.
And I knew that you were lying.
But I was no one, compared to you and your family.
And there was nothing that I could do.
And it just kept spinning out of control, my whole life.
Even so many years later, spinning out of control.
And I wanted to hurt you.
I really, really wanted to hurt you.
And so I made a plan.
But then I started to know you.
And I saw… how lonely you were.
That I didn’t need to do anything to ruin your life because you were doing that on your own.
[chuckles]
I really wanted to tell you the truth. [shaky breath]
I-I had so many opportunities to tell you the truth and I didn’t.
I’m sorry.
I am sorry.
He was my best friend.
[Ciara chuckles thinly] And your brother, he didn’t deserve that.
You brother didn’t do anything wrong.
It was me.
[voice breaking] I know that.
I knew that.
But thank you for saying that.
Because I think I really needed… you to say that to me.
[Ciara sighs quietly]
And I’m so in love with you.
I’m so in love with you.
Yeah?
Yeah.
♪ ♪
[traffic passing]
[Karl] Can’t say that I am surprised that you’re a Tom Petty fan, but if I hear another Tom Petty song in the next million years, it’ll be too fucking soon.
When was Tom Petty bothering you?
When I was driving and you were sleeping, or when I was driving and you were sleeping?
So, do we think Megan Martin, slash Ciara Wyse, is somewhere in the world, with or without Oliver Kennedy?
Yeah, we don’t know that.
I said “we think,” not “we know.”
But you do agree that that’s the first road we should go down tomorrow?
Okay, yeah, it’s the first road, but it’s not the only road…
[gunfire] [Karl exclaims]
[♪ Tom Petty: “You Got Lucky”] ♪ One, two ♪
♪ ♪
♪ You better watch what you say ♪
♪ You better watch what you do to me ♪
♪ Don’t get carried away ♪
♪ Girl, if you can do better than me ♪
♪ Go ♪
♪ Yeah, go ♪
♪ But remember ♪
♪ Good love is hard to find ♪
♪ Good love is hard to find ♪
♪ You got lucky, babe ♪
♪ You got lucky, babe ♪
♪ When I found you ♪
♪ You put a hand on my cheek ♪
♪ And then you turned your eyes away ♪
♪ If you don’t feel complete ♪
♪ If I don’t take you all of the way ♪
♪ Then go ♪
♪ Yeah, go ♪
♪ But remember ♪
♪ Good love is hard to find ♪
♪ Good love is hard to find ♪
♪ You got lucky, babe ♪
♪ You got lucky, babe ♪
♪ When I found you ♪♪
