Is God Is (2026) Movie Script
1
[birds chirping]
[indistinct chattering]
Man, she ugly.
[girl 1] Did you see her face?
[boy 1] Ugly.
[kids] [chanting] Ugly girl!
ugly girl! [giggling]
-[baseball bat thudding]
-[children yelping]
[boy 2] Stop it!
I'm gonna tell!
-You stop!
-[boy 1 crying loudly]
[children screaming]
[young woman 1] Twins.
[both gasp]
Them twins burnin'.
They been burnin'.
They had no say in it.
Just burn...
and burn.
[intriguing music playing]
[young woman 2]
They got their own ways.
[young woman 1] Eat... sleep...
dream, all alone together.
-And burnin' all the while.
-[cereal pouring]
[car doors opening and closing]
[car engine starting]
[little girl
giggles, distorted]
[engine revs]
[young woman 1] Them twins...
them burnin' twins...
always on the outside,
lookin' in.
[young woman 1]
You dropped this.
If one finds trouble...
[young woman 2] ...the other
can feel it and come runnin'.
-Thanks. Thank you.
-Mm-hm.
[young woman 2]
Racine is the rough one
who still got
some pretty to her.
Racine.
[gasps]
[Racine] Looking like
she looked,
Anaia don't get to be mean.
Racine does, though.
What you lookin' at,
pretty girl?
Huh?
Huh?
[Racine and Anaia]
She got both their mean.
[grunts aggressively]
Yeah, but he was
always gonna fire us.
He a little bitch.
He a big bitch.
He a dick-in-the-negatives
ass bitch.
He a breath-smell-like-shit-
took-a-shit-
in-his-mouth ass bitch!
Ooh!
-Ooh!
-Ooh!
Ooh!
Who's that from?
I don't know.
[Anaia] And suddenly,
it's like
everything
that's been missin'...
tryin' to make its way back.
[woman] Hey there, baby girls.
[Anaia] Mama.
Look at y'all.
Oh, shit.
We got a mama?
Yep. It say right here.
I thought they said
she was dead in a fire.
Well, she ain't.
[Anaia] She live in the South?
Yep.
Way in the South?
Yep.
Twin?
Uh-uh.
-"Uh-uh" what?
-I know what you gonna say.
[both] Seems like we gotta go
to where she at.
See, I knew you was gonna
say something stupid.
How is that stupid?
'Cause she don't know us,
and we don't know her.
She know our names.
She know how to find us.
We gotta go see her.
And we ain't got no job.
Ain't shit else to do.
Why she ain't come see us
in all these years?
Only one way to find out.
-Let's go.
-Now?
Right now 'cause she finna go.
Where she finna go?
Die.
[scoffing] Die?
-She gonna die?
-Yep.
[both spit]
-Don't.
-Do.
[Anaia] Don't.
Do.
You cried about that kitten
we couldn't get
out the engine that one time.
Mm-hm. The one that died.
You cried, remember?
-All emotional.
-Yeah!
I do be getting
all emotional sometimes.
-[chuckles]
-Like a lil punk.
Yeah, yeah.
Ha ha.
Like a lil bitch.
[giggles]
Now you takin' it too far.
-Switch.
-[chuckles]
But for real though, twin,
we need to go.
I got stuff to do.
-I gotta meet up with Ellis.
-Ellis who?
-Oh, him.
-[chuckles]
We supposed to meet up.
Here we go again
about that man she met online.
What you gotta meet up
with him for?
We need
to talk about the future.
Ain't you told me...
he don't like for you to look
at him while y'all doing it.
I let him get it from behind.
If I look at him, I might
start catching feelings.
I ain't trying
to catch feelings.
Twin...
I ain't got men falling
all over me like you, 'Cine.
Some of us gotta make do.
If we don't go now...
we might
not get another chance.
[Anaia] Where Racine go,
Anaia always gonna follow.
Ain't no choice but to...
[Racine] Go meet
her motherfucking destiny.
[hip-hop music playing]
[Anaia whooping]
[both whooping]
[both laughing]
[hip-hop music
continues playing]
[Anaia] Hey! Hey!
[Racine] 'Cine wonderin'
if she look like her mama.
If maybe
they got the same smile,
or laugh, or somethin'.
[hip-hop music stops]
[both] You look good.
thanks. [chuckle]
[both sigh]
-You think she gonna like it?
-She gonna like it?
[Anaia] You ready?
To see God?
God?
She made us, didn't she?
You gonna get struck down.
[Anaia] Wait, my name
ain't spelled right.
Good mornin'.
[Ruby] They good.
Those are my girls.
Don't mind the smoke.
It's for the pain.
Glad y'all could make it.
I had the nurse put
that sign on the door.
We really like that sign.
I'm ugly, but I don't bite.
Come closer
so I can feel y'all.
My girls.
How you been, Mama?
Oh, you know...
dyin'.
[Racine, Ruby,
and female attendants laugh]
Yeah, yeah. I see that.
We work in an office.
'Naia got a boyfriend.
She got somethin' else too.
-Ma'am?
-Nothin'.
She quiet.
Hi, Mama.
I ain't wrote you, 'Naia,
'cause you be
gettin' all emotional.
Been that way
since you was a little girl.
I ain't wanna upset you.
I wanted y'all
to think I was dead.
Who want a mama...
that's burnt up to where she
look like an alligator. Huh?
What happened?
-[female attendants] Child.
-[female attendant 1] Mm-mm-mm-
mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
[female attendants] Girl.
[sighs]
Well...
It was just a...
Regular day.
[whimsical cartoon
song playing over tv]
I was just getting y'all food
ready in the kitchen when...
[door thuds]
[door thuds]
And again.
[breathing anxiously]
Hm...
[door thuds]
[continues breathing anxiously]
-[chuckles softly]
-[door thuds]
i'm praying
now. [sobs softly]
I'm prayin', please, please be
a branch against the window.
Even though I know
ain't no trees
near our windows.
Hm.
[breathes deeply]
Maybe it's the neighbor's dog.
Wasn't nothin' in there
but a bone-tired woman.
[gasps]
He's just standing there.
Face as plain as a slice of
wheat bread talkin' about...
"Hey."
Like he ain't just break
into my bathroom.
Like it wasn't
no restrainin' order.
[woman screams and cries]
Wasn't much to say.
I could have reminded him...
that he wasn't supposed
to be within 100 yards
of this house...
or I was just fixing dinner.
Or...
I could let him touch me.
He do got a tender side.
You gotta understand.
Men like your daddy
always got a tender side.
[gasps]
[choking]
[ominous music playing]
[man whistling whimsical tune]
[Ruby] He tell y'all
it's a game.
Let's wake mommy up.
-[flames whooshing]
-[young Ruby screaming]
[toddlers screaming]
[whimsical cartoon
song playing over tv]
[man whistling
along to song over tv]
[young Ruby and sisters
continue screaming]
[toddler Racine crying
and yelling indistinctly]
[toddlers continue screaming]
[man continues
whistling whimsical tune]
[young Ruby screaming in pain]
[toddlers continue screaming]
[young Ruby wailing in pain]
[match flicks]
-[screaming and crying stops]
-[distant dogs barking]
[man exhales]
Them scars you got...
was when you tried
to get the fire off of me.
[Anaia sobs and shudders]
'Naia, you got burnt up worse
'cause you was tryin' hardest
to save me.
I'm sick to my stomach.
[whimpers]
She gonna be all right.
She just...
you know...
You always been
my big girl, Racine.
You came out first...
screamin' bloody murder.
[chuckles]
Born that way.
Somethin' I need
to ask y'all to do...
but I don't know
if y'all up to it.
We up to it.
We can do anything.
We strong.
Ain't we strong, 'Naia?
Yeah.
I''mma keep this real simple
for you.
Make...
your daddy...
dead.
Dead.
Dead.
And everything around him...
you can destroy it, too.
I think he took up
with some bitch.
Kill his spirit...
then the body...
like he did me.
Make him dead.
Real dead.
Yeah.
[scoffs softly]
-Uh...
-[Racine] Uh... Uh.
[hesitates] See...
-Um...
-[Anaia] Uh...
[Racine] [hesitating] Mm...
-Now, see, it's, we...
-Um, it's, we not...
-It's kinda... It's... Mama...
-That's not somethin'...
we respect...
that you're dyin' and all...
[scoffs]
But...
this seem a lil crazy.
[chuckles nervously]
Crazier than settin' your wife
on fire
in front of her kids...
then abandoning them?
Changing your name...
and startin' another life
like nothin' ever happened?
-Okay, you got a point.
-Mm. Yeah.
But, uh...
You sure
you don't wanna just...
forgive and forget?
Pull this blanket off of me.
[ominous music playing]
[Anaia gasps]
No peace...
until I know he's gone.
[both breathing heavily
and sobbing softly]
Can y'all do that
for your mother?
Just one last thing
before I die.
Just tell us
where to find him.
[country music
playing over radio]
'Cine's startin'
to think Anaia...
gonna keep up
this lil weak-ass...
silent treatment
for the rest of her life!
She startin' to think
'Naia like being perceived...
as a weak-ass bitch.
Ain't no other explanation
for this kinda behavior
when we got shit to do.
Meanwhile, 'Naia wondering
why Racine
ain't smart enough...
to see she being used.
She startin' to think
Racine can tend
to be a dumb-ass...
reactive-ass bitch
who ain't got no sense!
If I'm dumb, you dumb.
And if I'm weak, you weak!
Since we come
from the same cell, bitch!
Oh. Oh, there she go,
gettin' all emotional!
She ain't come see us, 'Cine!
She ain't come see us
in all these years
and now this!
You know good and well
you woulda shit yourself...
if she'd have come see us
when we was kids...
looking like that,
talkin' about,
"I'm your long-lost mama."
She stayed away
'cause she knew
it was best for us.
I don't know, 'Cine.
I don't know!
[loudly] We ain't got time
for this, 'Naia!
We ain't killers!
[in low voice] I am.
-[gulps] Who you done killed?
-Don't worry about all that.
Think about it
this way, 'Naia.
He the one responsible
for everything bad
that's happened to us.
All them foster homes.
Every time someone
called us ugly...
the stares, every fight.
Imagine what our lives
would look like...
what we would look like,
if he hadn't done it.
[tender music playing]
[handsome man] [whispering]
You're so gorgeous.
Oh, baby, you are lookin'
-so, so good.
-[giggling]
How we gonna live
with ourselves if we do this?
Better.
Shit. This is the purpose.
This is destiny type shit.
This is ours, 'Naia.
I can feel it.
I ain't one for no killin'.
You ain't gotta be.
I'll do it myself.
But I need you to
at least keep me company
till I get there.
I mean, yeah.
She made us, so...
she is kinda like God.
Like you said.
Yep.
Yep. And we ain't finna
leave God hanging, right?
You ready?
Yep.
Good.
We gonna do this.
We gonna do it right.
Starting with...
The lady he took up with
after he burnt us up.
Lady by the name of Divine.
[adventurous music playing]
She stay on Perry Street.
In a ugly-ass house
with purple steps.
Can't miss it.
This don't feel right.
She ain't say it was a church.
[Divine] Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
[mirthfully]
Oh, God, help me with this.
[exclaiming] Oh-ho-ho-ho.
Oh.
The spirit of wickedness
is leaving this boy...
-as I speak these words! Ha!
-Yes, Lord.
The devil knows
that the holy waters...
-of the Lord are coming...
-[women humming]
-and it is afraid!
-[woman exclaims]
[Divine] Can you feel
the rhythm of that fear...
pulsating
in this room, saints?
-Ha! Ha!
-[congregation exclaiming]
[Divine] Is the devil,
hey, hey...
-in this room? Hey!
-Hey!
There he go. He done got me.
I feel him!
Oh, that motherfucker got me!
[gasping loudly]
[scoffing]
You ain't shit, devil!
[congregation exclaims]
-Yes.
-Oh, hell, no.
[Divine] [out of breath]
Seems we...
have some...
guests.
[chuckles] Hello.
Y'all make 'em feel welcome.
Praise the Lord.
Hallelujah.
You oughta
let Mother Divine baptize you.
She'll take and knock them
things right off.
-Mm-hm.
-Knock 'em right off...
like she knocked off
George's sleep apnea.
Now he ain't got
to lay on the porch no more.
Mm-hm.
[china clinks]
Well, well...
You're his girls?
-Yes, ma'am.
-Genetically, anyway.
We don't know him.
[chuckles]
Ezekiel...
these your half-sisters.
[Ezekiel chuckles]
They look
like they in the world.
[Divine] Oh, don't be
judgmental, son.
His girls in my place.
[sighs]
Your mama told you
that I was with him
during the trial?
-Yes, ma'am.
-Mm-hm.
Must find it strange
I take up with a man
been accused of such things.
Well, I mean...
That's your business.
[chuckles]
We just wanna know
if you could tell us
where he at.
Let me tell you girls.
He was so broken.
It was all he could do
to get up in the mornin'.
Came to me a mewling calf.
But he was a bull
after I was through
nursing him.
Mm. Nursin'.
-Mm.
-[smacks lips and laughs]
And then he said he had to go.
But before he left...
he kissed the palm
of my hand...
[kisses]
and promised
he'd be back for us...
and we'd be married.
Mm-hm.
So, do you know where he went?
Oh, I don't know.
Where do all the good men go?
[laughs]
We don't know, miss.
I kept his stuff for him.
Go on.
[Divine chuckles]
[gospel music playing]
If you find him...
tell him...
that Divine
kept her promise...
[Ezekiel] That's right, Mama.
...that she's still
in a white dress,
beating at the devil.
Ever faithful to her man.
Ever faithful! Yes, Lord!
Tell him about the church.
Tell him Divine says it's his
when he return.
[Ezekiel] That's right.
That's my daddy.
How long ago he leave you?
I was pregnant with Ezekiel.
[Racine] what? [stutters]
Oh, uh...
You been sitting up,
waiting on a man
who left you pregnant?
A man who just got through
setting his wife and kids
on fire?
A man who ain't tell you
where he was goin'?
That's the man you waitin' on?
The Bible says...
I can see...
that you're septic with anger
and a spirit of devilment.
And I can see that he...
[imitating gospel singing]
laid... Ha!
...that dick right...
'cause that's the only reason
that I'd be sitting up...
waitin' on a man.
'Naia wondering why Racine
can't keep her mouth shut
sometimes.
Just sometimes,
when there's a lot at stake!
Look at them.
That's a damn cult.
How we gonna find out
where he at now?
mm-mm. mm-mm. [laughs]
Ha!
What's that?
Looks like an address book
to me.
-Twin.
-[giggles]
Yep. Grabbed it
while ol' girl
was running her mouth.
[both panting]
[Racine] The fuck?
[Anaia] That's his lawyer,
I guess.
[shrieks] They took my...
Those two, those two...
oh, you so wicked! [cries]
Oh, they got... that book...
It's a address...
It's got my book...
They got...
[Divine exclaiming
and speaking indistinctly]
-[laughing incredulously]
-[Ezekiel] You demons!
Bring back that book!
That's my daddy's book!
You ain't shit, devil!
[Racine and Anaia
cackling gleefully]
-[liquid trickling]
-How we gonna kill him, Twin?
We ain't doin' it.
Remember, you doin' it.
-You know what I mean.
-[both urinating]
How should it go down?
A gun?
[scoffs] A gun?
Where you gonna get a gun?
Steal one or somethin'.
That ain't no good plan.
You should just do it quiet.
With poison or somethin'.
Poison is a punk-ass,
bitch-ass way
to kill somebody.
At least he'd be dead.
And it won't be
a lot of blood.
I don't like blood.
I know.
We'll push him off a buildin'.
What if he grab one of us
on the way down?
What if we knock him out,
then push him
off the building?
How hard you have to hit
someone to knock 'em out?
I don't like it.
-You don't like none of it.
-'Cine...
we ain't killers.
We come from a man
who tried to kill our mama...
and a mama
who wants to kill that man.
It's in the blood.
Now let's go find that lawyer.
[announcer]
Chuck Hall does it all, y'all.
-[chuck imitating gun shots]
-Slip and fall. Bloody brawl.
You in trouble?
[announcer]
Chuck Hall's got your back.
Moldy wall. Dog maul.
He'll do it all,
I'm tellin' y'all.
-[chuck imitates dog growling]
-[announcer chuckles]
Chuck Hall.
-[punch lands]
-[chuck groaning]
[objects crashing]
You think he in there
getting beat up?
What you gonna do with that?
Take your sock off.
[Anaia] Twin...
is that...
You not finna...
We don't know
what we walkin' into.
-[blows landing]
-[chuck groaning]
[groans]
One...
[both grunt]
-Two...
-[chuck groaning]
-Three!
-[chuck coughs]
That gonna be all
for you today, love?
You want me to, like,
elbow you or nothin'?
Hm.
All right.
See you Thursday.
[Chuck] Chuck Wendell Hall...
is a man with no tongue
in his head.
In the years
since the terrible incident,
which has taken his tongue...
he has developed
a strict regimen...
including enlisting
the services of a woman
-skilled at inflicting pain.
-[grunts]
For he knows that someday...
someone will come...
[groans]
...and when
that someone comes...
he intends to be ready.
[breathing heavily]
-We'll see.
-No.
We just wanna know
if you could tell us
where he at.
Do you know where he went?
That ain't for you to decide.
Right now, he the only one...
standing between us...
and our mission...
and God is finna die.
"Go home.
"Get yourselves
into a trade school
"or a community college.
"Maybe take up
with a sporting young man...
"ambitious if not handsome...
"and live out your lives...
"with as little misery
as can be managed
"given your plight."
-That's it?
-[Chuck] Mm.
[grunting softly]
[softly] Twin.
This fool gonna
tell us somethin'
if I gotta beat it outta him.
[Chuck] The
moment has arrived.
Oh, you ain't afraid, huh?
He offers himself
to the stranger.
I don't like this, Twin.
As if a lamb to the slaughter.
We could just go.
'Cine wish 'Naia
would shut up.
-[groaning]
-[gasping]
Oh, shit.
What'd you do that for?
[Racine] I don't know.
[Chuck] It would seem the only
way to get rid of them...
is to tell
of the unfortunate incident...
that has taken his tongue...
and his will
to practice criminal law.
He had to tell of havin'
taken him home
after celebrating the verdict.
[laughing]
How he'd smiled quite a lot.
Such bright white teeth.
How he'd offered
to get him permission
to see his twin girls
one last time.
How the man
had thought it over.
"No," he'd said.
-[inaudible]
-"Probably not a good idea.
"I might have the impulse
to finish the job."
Such bright white teeth.
[man continues laughing]
How he'd tried smiling back...
but a man like that...
a man like that can tell.
[chuck screams]
-[flesh squelches]
-[chuck sputtering]
[sinister music playing]
[sisters] "For fear
that it would wag,
"he took my tongue."
[Anaia] Dang.
Just ripped it out your mouth?
-[marker scribbling]
-[sighs]
"He will be back
for the rest of me."
"I've been preparin'
to die well."
You ain't got to.
'Cine gonna kill him.
If you tell us where he at.
[Chuck] Hall cannot tell
whether this is his most noble
or cowardly act.
[chuck panting]
[chuck grunts]
[rap music playing
over speakers]
It goes, it goes,
it goes, it goes
It goes, it goes,
it goes, it goes
Guillotine
-Yeah
-[rapping along] Yeah
Sit in the dark and ponder
How I'm fit to make the bottom
Fall through the floor,
and they all
Fall down, yeah
It goes, it goes,
it goes, it goes
It goes, it goes, yeah
Out of the shadows
Barrage of witch tongue...
[rap music playing softly]
Fuck is you doin'?
[rap music playing loudly]
What's wrong with you?
I don't like
how you been acting.
Oh, uh-uh, pull over.
What?
-I said pull this shit over!
-Stop!
You been looking at me funny,
like I'm the monster...
and I'm sick of it.
You got something
you wanna say?
You enjoyin' this shit
too much!
You finna go kill somebody,
Twin.
Ain't we been killed, 'Naia?
-[exhales sharply]
-[car door opens]
[car door closes]
We been stepped on again
and again and he did that.
And I ain't finna feel sad...
about giving him
what's coming to him!
[rear car door opens]
[rear car door closes]
'Cine always want to go
right up to the edge.
Feel like it's 'Naia's job
to catch her
'fore she fall in.
You so mad, Twin.
Ain't you?
[sobbing softly]
I wanna tell somebody
they ugly.
I wanna step on somethin'
for once...
see what it feel like.
Must feel good
if everybody else
keep doin' it.
[chuckles]
Remember how
second foster daddy
used to snap the belt at us?
[Anaia] Wasn't no us.
That was you.
'Cause you laughed
every time he came
down the stairs...
so you'd always
get a whoopin'.
He the first person I killed.
You ain't kill him.
He had a heart attack.
He had it 'cause
he kept whoopin' me.
He kept whoopin' me
'cause I kept doing stuff
to make him whoop me...
'cause I knew it would
kill his pork-chop-sandwich-
every-motherfuckin'-morning
ass.
[both laughing]
-I gotta pee.
-Mm.
-[motorcycle engine rumbling]
-[urinating]
[exclaims]
[Anaia gasping]
[Racine] Oh, shit. Let's go.
Come on, come on, come on.
[both panting]
You got that sock?
It's in the car. Shit.
[biker grunting]
[biker panting]
[whimpering]
[hammer rumbling pipe grooves]
-[hammer thuds]
-[breath trembles]
[Anaia grunting loudly]
[biker grunting]
-[shrieks]
-[Racine yells]
[Racine grunts]
[door thuds]
[biker speaking
indistinctly, muffled]
[helmet thudding]
[Racine] What the hell?
[exhales]
Boy, what's wrong with you?
[out of breath] So y'all think
y'all just gonna kill him?
-What?
-Just chop him down!
That's what y'all think?
My daddy. Mine!
The man who made me.
He who made Ezekiel?
That's who y'all think
y'all gonna kill?
Him? Him?
Him?
Him?
him? [echoes]
[Racine] You ever wanna scrape
your scars off...
and see what's underneath?
[scoffs]
What's the point of that?
I don't know.
I be wondering
what I look like.
It don't do me
no good to wonder.
What we gonna do
about them other twins, Twin?
God said destroy
everything around him.
No, she said we could.
She said we could destroy
everything around him.
Well, if they anything
like that fool...
they ain't gonna give us
no choice.
They innocent, Twin.
They can't help
being his kids.
Ain't nobody innocent.
They probably sit up at dinner
and laugh about us and God.
Stop that.
They ain't done nothin' to us.
Fine.
Look.
[gasping]
-[Racine exclaims in relief]
-[Anaia laughing]
[both laughing]
Wait. Twin?
Yep.
This kinda feel
too good to be true, don't it?
[pipe gurgles]
Shit.
-[bus clunking]
-[baby crying]
We here.
[dramatic music playing]
[Young men] Twins.
[young man 1] Those twin boys
in that beautiful house
have lived lives
of comfort and strife.
Each deals with the confusions
of life in his own way.
[hip-hop music playing]
[young man 2] Scotch masks
his vulnerabilities
with wildness.
[young man 1] Whereas Riley
has learned
to keep still and quiet.
[woman] Their mother, Angie...
is doing exactly
what she's always done.
Wiping and dusting
and polishing...
and scrubbing every inch
of their very nice house...
exactly the way he likes it.
His hats arranged by style,
casual to dressy.
His boots by material...
his leather to the left,
gators to the right.
His neckties
arranged by color.
His slacks by brand
and his shirts by fabric.
He has made it very clear...
the importance of honoring
everything
in its rightful place.
A man in his place.
A woman in hers.
-[door thudding]
-[distorted screaming]
-[Angie] Stop!
-[distorted sobbing]
No, please, don't!
No, no, no.
Not today, Angie.
Not today.
-[urinating]
-[whispering] Today Angie's
choosin' a new path.
[chuckles softly]
[Angie chuckling]
I mean,
that's straight bars, man.
-You don't hear that?
-I'm trying to read.
-Do you wanna hit this?
-I'm good.
-Boy, you trippin', man.
-Get that outta my face.
Breathe this.
[muffled indistinct chattering]
Pretty.
I'm just sayin'.
That for
what I think it's for?
God gonna get her blood,
I guess.
[panting]
[Angie] Any other day,
Angie would hoist her own
suitcases into the trunk.
[whispering] No.
Not today, Angie. Not today.
[yelling] Get out here...
now!
Mom, what happened?
What... Is Dad back?
Are you good?
No, I just need you
to help me get my bags
to the car...
-please.
-Okay.
Why you being all hysterical?
Wait, why do you need
all these bags?
It's a wine trip, baby.
I told you.
It's for the weekend.
What're we supposed
to do for dinner?
[Angie] Angie's plan
is to get herself
to Yucca Valley by nightfall.
From there a train to Vegas...
where she'll gamble
no less than 300...
of the $11,000 she's managed
to scrimp and save
without his notice.
After hiding out a bit,
she'll make her way
to Connecticut...
-where a new name and job...
-Mom, Mom.
...are waiting for her.
I love you.
I love you, too.
Now go inside. Go on inside.
[intriguing music playing]
[singing along to radio]
Like rain
Falling on a windowpane
Tears came to my eyes
when I asked her name
Made me holler
-[whoops]
-When it finally came
[continues singing along]
Said, "Only the children
"Born of me will remain"
'Twas like thunder
all through the night
[continues singing along]
And a promise to see Jesus
In the morning light,
morning light
-[Angie grunting rhythmically]
-[horn honks]
[over radio] Take my hand,
it'll be all right
[Angie] What in the world?
Hello?
[horn honks]
Excuse me?
Who this bitch think
she's shooing?
[whispering]
Ain't you gonna say somethin'?
She gotta come to us.
Do you mind moving, please?
Excuse me.
I'm running a bit late.
Is everything okay?
We fine.
You know us?
Know you?
Am I supposed to?
We're his first ones.
Who?
His first kids.
You're alive?
We look dead or somethin'?
No.
He said you got burnt up
in some accident...
and he didn't have
to pay child support.
Oh, God. Are you here
for child support?
It's real Japanese Akoya.
Don't nobody want your pearls.
Well, it's what I have
to offer.
You know what
our mama's been doin'...
while you been layin' up
in that big ol' house
that look like a castle?
Our mama been in a bed
wastin' away.
He burnt up most of her body!
I am so sorry.
That is unfortunate.
But I hope you understand me
when I say that he lied to me.
You knew he was lyin'.
Oh, no, no, no. I didn't.
'Naia, who this heffa
think she foolin'?
Can't even lie straight.
I don't know, 'Cine.
She could be
telling the truth.
You were sittin' up
in that nice house...
with a pool
while third foster daddy
was lickin' his lips...
anytime I came into the room
with my shoulders showin'.
I have to get away.
This a nice car,
ain't it, Twin?
Not my car! No!
-I need the car.
-Give me them keys!
-No!
-Give me them keys, bitch!
Give 'em to me!
Got 'em!
You're gonna come
and steal from me
because of somethin' he did?
You pack of animals!
We ain't animals.
We on a mission...
from God.
God?
God...
is our mama.
That's right. Your "mama."
Look, I'm not gonna let you
mess this up for me.
I planned this!
I deserve this! Okay?
Listen, listen, listen.
If he comes home
and I tell him
that somebody took the car...
do you know
what he'll do to me?
Our mama
ain't never had a shot
like the one you got.
It is not my fault
that your weak-ass
ghetto trash mama got burnt!
She shoulda left!
-She shoulda left!
-What you say?
[scoffing mirthfully]
Oh, my God.
Girl...
[exclaiming mirthfully]
Excuse me.
bitch. [laughing]
[Racine] Yeah, I just...
-[Anaia] You spittin'?
-[Racine] I just...
-Wait a minute.
-[Anaia] Are you spittin'?
-You spittin', bitch?
-[Anaia] You spittin'?
-You spittin'?
-She spittin', Twin?
-[Racine] Yeah. Yo, she just...
-She spittin'.
On me? This bitch.
[scoffing]
This bitch spittin'!
You know what?
A woman that knows her worth
will leave!
And if you were
smart enough...
-[gasps]
-[Angie gasping loudly]
-[whimpering]
-We smart, bitch.
Say we smart.
Say we smart.
-Twin, don't!
-Stay back!
-[Angie] Animal!
-[grunts]
[sinister music playing]
-[blows landing]
-[Angie groaning]
-[gasping]
-[Angie yells in pain]
[Angie crying]
-[grunting]
-[Angie yelping]
[Angie whimpering]
[blows continue landing]
Twin, stop!
[out of breath] You better
be lucky my sister here...
bougie bitch!
[panting]
You gonna be sick?
I don't think so.
You ain't do anything,
so you cool.
It's all on me.
You want them pearls?
God might.
God don't want
nothin' but blood.
[knocking]
[muffled hip-hop music playing]
I know you?
-No.
-Kinda.
-Who's this?
-I'm Racine.
Anaia.
-Twins.
-Twins.
Oh, shit.
Oh, shit. Oh, shit.
I think Dad did this.
He definitely did.
Come on in, girls.
-Oh, my God.
-[whispers indistinctly]
Scotch, what are you doing?
What are you doing?
You can't just let random
people in the house.
Did you see them?
Twins! Stripper twins.
Dad promised us strippers,
didn't he?
This our birthday.
He always surprise us
for our birthday.
Our birthday isn't for
another two weeks.
So, it's a little early.
This has Dad written
all over it.
Something feels off.
[hesitates]
They don't even look like...
-I mean...
-Man, shut up!
Go on, girls.
Third door to the left.
Yeah, I'm callin'
Michael and DeShawn.
Make this shit a party.
No. This doesn't feel
like something Dad would do.
-Let me just call him.
-"Let me just call him"?
Oh, my God. Do you just
wake up in the morning...
and brainstorm ways
to be the corniest
motherfucker ever?
-Damn.
-What're you doin'?
Let me have this.
Shit. Let yourself have it.
What if they're trafficking...
When was the last time we had
fun in this house, Riley?
[softly] Stank in here.
Not our business.
[in normal voice] Oh, you mad
'cause of that lady?
That lady who spit on me?
We ain't gotta go through
with this just 'cause...
If we don't do this,
who gonna do it, 'Naia?
Who gonna stand up for her?
We ain't nothin'
but the hand of God...
doin' her biddin'.
You know how Dad is
with the fishing trips.
He probably won't even be back
until the morning.
Come on.
Come on.
-[Scotch] mm-hm? [chuckles]
-Hm.
Fine.
Besides, everybody
know talking shit
about God will get you killed.
Hey, but you gotta promise me,
it ain't no more blood
but his.
You gotta swear to God.
Fine. I promise.
I swear to God...
I swear for God...
and I put that on everything.
If you go back on this,
I'm gonna walk away, Twin.
You on your own.
Let's just get ready.
[sensual hip-hop music playing]
Hey. Where the strippers at?
Why your titties looking
so big, Twin?
Bitch.
Ol' dude?
Yeah. It's Ellis.
Dang!
I don't know what I'mma do.
[chuckles nervously]
-A baby.
-Mm-hm.
-Twin?
-Uh?
You remember that time
we got kicked out
of fourth foster
mama and daddy place?
Mm-hm.
'Cause I bust that boy nose
at school.
-[both giggling]
-Yep.
I don't think
I ever thanked you for that.
You know I got you.
[dramatic hip-hop music
playing]
[imperceptible]
[scotch chuckling]
Hey, hold up,
hold up, hold up.
Let's try this
a little different.
You, pretty girl.
You face us, you keep doing
what you're doing.
And you...
[scoffs] ...you gotta
turn around.
[scoffs, then laughs]
Oh, don't be mad.
Hey, come back, girl.
We gotta get
our money's worth.
[exhales]
All right, then, gorgeous.
Guess you dancing for two.
My sister ain't ugly.
Yeah, yeah. All God's children
are beautiful or whatever.
[bass-heavy hip-hop music
playing]
[bass-heavy hip-hop music
continues playing]
[bass-heavy hip-hop music
continues playing]
Why you ain't out there
with them?
It's not my thing.
Can I ask what happened
to your face?
Sorry.
I didn't mean to insult you.
I'm sorry.
[stutters]
I'll leave you alone.
Your brother seem...
He seem like he fit in.
Yeah...
he's always been that way.
You know, he's out there...
and I'm, well...
I'm the type to be hiding out
in the kitchen.
You ever get
to feelin' like...
Like...
Like he's happy you strange?
'Cause that mean he get
to be the normal one.
It give him permission...
to be who he wants to be.
-And you go along with it...
-[girls giggling]
...'cause you'd
rather help him
do stuff
you don't believe in...
than be alone.
Uh, I never thought about it.
I mean, I guess so.
Someone set a fire...
and it crawled up my face
and left me like this.
Damn.
I keep asking myself
how he could've done it.
-You know who did it?
-[chuckles]
[laughs softly]
[flesh squelches]
[gasping]
-[continues gasping]
-[indistinct chattering]
[speaking indistinctly]
-[coughing]
-[all exclaim]
Yo!
-[boy 1] What the hell is this?
-[all exclaiming]
-Dog!
-[scotch sputtering]
[Anaia] [softly] Shit.
What was that?
-Nah, bro, we out.
-Oh, shit!
[boy 1] Hell nah!
Nah, come on, cuz!
[boy 2] Yo, hand me the keys,
nigga, let's go!
We gotta get outta here!
Scotch.
Scotch?
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
-Oh, my God.
-[coughs]
[wretches] No. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no...
[sobbing] No. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no...
No. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no...
My twin.
[Riley continues sobbing,
then laughing hysterically]
He's dead! He's fuckin'...
[continues sobbing]
[Racine] He called you ugly.
Scotch.
I didn't plan to,
but he called you ugly.
Scotch.
If we don't do the other one,
he's gonna tell.
What? No!
You ain't gotta watch,
just go in the kitchen.
-Twin.
-He'll talk.
He might even blame you for it
even though
you didn't do anything.
No. You promised.
You promised!
You in my way.
You keep doin' it!
You said we was gonna do him
and not them,
-but you keep doin' it!
-I'm doin' what's best for us.
You a liar.
Get the fuck
out of my way, Twin!
[Racine laughs]
Girl.
[Racine grunts]
[exclaiming and stuttering]
That's what you want?
Let's go, then.
Come on!
Square up, bitch!
Say, "I'm a punk-ass,
weak-ass bitch!"
Go. Go!
[sobs]
[Racine] 'Cine wonderin' how
the hell 'Naia gonna choose...
that lil boy
-over her own sister!
-'Naia feeling lost.
And found.
She wanna tell him everything.
Things she couldn't
even tell Racine.
Thank you.
[gasping]
[grunting]
-[Racine grunts]
-[Riley groans]
What'd I tell you, huh?
You wanna save
this motherfucker?
-[Riley grunting loudly]
-I told you!
-[exclaims]
-[Anaia coughing and gasping]
[all grunting]
Crazy fuckin' bitch!
You wanna come to my house
and kill my brother?
-[Racine choking]
-I don't care what he did!
-[coughing]
-Fuckin' die! Fucking die!
Die!
[flesh squelches]
[Anaia sobbing softly]
'Cine.
Twin!
'Cine. Twin!
[gasping]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Anaia grunting softly]
[Anaia continues
grunting softly]
[footsteps approaching]
[fridge door closes]
[man] Seem like we got
a lot to talk about.
Why don't you sit with me?
Or you could just stay
under there and wonder.
[Anaia breathing heavily]
[man] Well, you ain't
a complete monster.
That's something.
How about we take turns
asking each other questions?
Just one at a time.
[breath trembling]
[softly] I don't know.
Yeah, you do.
[Anaia] Why did you set her
on fire?
Because she wouldn't
let me hold her.
[scoffing]
Wait, that don't make sense.
Who'd you kill first?
-I didn't kill nobody.
-Mm.
[breath trembling] No really,
except in self-defense...
'cause 'Cine was the one...
Who first?
Your wife.
Angie?
[sighs deeply]
Wow.
Yeah, my turn.
What does that mean?
You were mad
'cause she wouldn't
let you touch her...
so you set her on fire?
It's more nuanced than that.
[crying] That don't strike you
as a bit of a overreaction?
It's my turn.
What'd you use?
On Angie and the rest?
You don't think
you overreacted a little bit?
It was a perfectly
appropriate response
for a young man
out of control.
You are really sick.
[Anaia breathing heavily]
So, you ever have a blemish
that you wanna get rid of?
You squeeze it
'til it fall off,
but there's still
the pus underneath.
So, you go after the pus
with peroxide
or whatever you can find.
Something
that'll sting a little,
so you know it's working.
You ever just need
to put something out...
because it has been
so catastrophic
to your very being?
We was just pus to you?
Just somethin' to get rid of?
I was young and I'm sorry.
Next thing I did was go to
the bridge near our house...
ready to jump so I could
join y'all in death.
But you didn't.
No.
And thankfully,
you all survived.
But you went to court...
and got off.
And God is burnt to a crisp
and I'm so ugly
nobody will look me in my eye.
Well, I'm sorry about that.
But you gotta factor in
every piece of the puzzle.
'Cause she coulda
let me hold her.
[Anaia sobbing softly]
She coulda let me
fully stand up in my house.
I needed that as a young man.
Well, I got a baby comin'.
And you're the granddad.
A baby.
You're not a killer.
Go home.
[Anaia panting]
Whoa.
What am I gonna
tell the baby about all this?
Tell it you made a few
mistakes when you were young,
like I did.
And how am I gonna tell about
how you tried to kill us all?
Kill us all?
I didn't try to kill you two.
Just her.
I never tried to kill you all.
It was just her.
You think I set my own babies
on fire?
She did that.
She screamed and grabbed
ahold of you two.
I couldn't get her
to let go...
that's when I ran out.
You think I tried
to kill my own babies?
Is that what she told you?
[Anaia] No, no, no!
-She said...
-I'm telling you, she lied.
You gotta give this up.
Otherwise what?
You'll try to kill me,
and I'll have no choice
but to kill you.
And in doing so,
I'll be killing my first...
and perhaps only grandchild.
And I don't wanna do that.
I promised her I'd bring back
a piece of you.
-Anaia...
-[Anaia breathing heavily]
You don't have to do this.
You can put that down
and go on your way.
And when the dust settles...
you bring that baby back
and I'll bounce it
on my knee...
and we'll never talk
about all the blood...
on the ground.
[sobbing and breathing heavily]
[suspenseful music playing]
[rock thuds]
How far along are you?
Eleven weeks...
I think.
[man grunts]
[groaning]
That older one,
-the smart one.
-[Anaia groans]
He was gonna be somebody...
dog bitch.
[whimpering]
If you weren't pregnant...
I'd cut your eyes out
and make you eat 'em.
hm... [yells]
[yells]
You go back
to that heavin' corpse...
and tell it I'd do it
all again if I could.
Hm.
Hm.
[Anaia sobbing]
[tense music playing]
[Anaia sobbing softly]
[exhales]
[man humming whimsical tune]
[exhales]
While you was in here...
whistlin'...
and making new babies...
and trying to forget
all the bad things you did...
fourth foster mama
was laughin'
at my scars with her friends.
I warned you.
Somebody gotta go today.
World can't hold us both.
Suit yourself.
[grunting] Kill him 'Naia.
[all grunting and yelling]
[all grunting and yelling]
[sisters yelling]
[sisters grunting
and screaming loudly]
-[feet thudding]
-[flesh squelching]
-You nothin'!
-[taunting loudly]
-[screaming]
-You ain't nothin' now!
[man grunting]
[Anaia] Bitch.
[man grunts]
[man grunting]
[breathing raggedly]
[groans and laughs]
[whimpers]
He ugly, ain't he, Twin?
Yep.
[man whimpering]
[man screaming and whimpering]
[flames whooshing]
Twin?
Yeah?
My bad for what I said before.
you good. [inhales]
'Naia!
[Anaia breathing heavily]
[sobbing and panting]
[Anaia] Them twins burnin'.
'Cine!
[wailing] Them twins burnin'.
'Cine!
On three, 'Naia gonna go.
One.
Two.
Three.
Anaia. Just Anaia.
All by herself
for the first time.
It's quiet.
Too quiet.
[bus approaching]
But out of the quiet...
things get clear.
She sees all the good stuff
that runs alongside the bad.
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
She can see another self
in the distance...
a brave self
who hold her head high...
and got things to do.
[girls laugh]
That other self gonna rock
the baby when she comes.
Tell her
all about Auntie Racine...
and the road
and the good things in it.
Even for girls like us.
[gospel hymn playing]
[birds chirping]
[indistinct chattering]
Man, she ugly.
[girl 1] Did you see her face?
[boy 1] Ugly.
[kids] [chanting] Ugly girl!
ugly girl! [giggling]
-[baseball bat thudding]
-[children yelping]
[boy 2] Stop it!
I'm gonna tell!
-You stop!
-[boy 1 crying loudly]
[children screaming]
[young woman 1] Twins.
[both gasp]
Them twins burnin'.
They been burnin'.
They had no say in it.
Just burn...
and burn.
[intriguing music playing]
[young woman 2]
They got their own ways.
[young woman 1] Eat... sleep...
dream, all alone together.
-And burnin' all the while.
-[cereal pouring]
[car doors opening and closing]
[car engine starting]
[little girl
giggles, distorted]
[engine revs]
[young woman 1] Them twins...
them burnin' twins...
always on the outside,
lookin' in.
[young woman 1]
You dropped this.
If one finds trouble...
[young woman 2] ...the other
can feel it and come runnin'.
-Thanks. Thank you.
-Mm-hm.
[young woman 2]
Racine is the rough one
who still got
some pretty to her.
Racine.
[gasps]
[Racine] Looking like
she looked,
Anaia don't get to be mean.
Racine does, though.
What you lookin' at,
pretty girl?
Huh?
Huh?
[Racine and Anaia]
She got both their mean.
[grunts aggressively]
Yeah, but he was
always gonna fire us.
He a little bitch.
He a big bitch.
He a dick-in-the-negatives
ass bitch.
He a breath-smell-like-shit-
took-a-shit-
in-his-mouth ass bitch!
Ooh!
-Ooh!
-Ooh!
Ooh!
Who's that from?
I don't know.
[Anaia] And suddenly,
it's like
everything
that's been missin'...
tryin' to make its way back.
[woman] Hey there, baby girls.
[Anaia] Mama.
Look at y'all.
Oh, shit.
We got a mama?
Yep. It say right here.
I thought they said
she was dead in a fire.
Well, she ain't.
[Anaia] She live in the South?
Yep.
Way in the South?
Yep.
Twin?
Uh-uh.
-"Uh-uh" what?
-I know what you gonna say.
[both] Seems like we gotta go
to where she at.
See, I knew you was gonna
say something stupid.
How is that stupid?
'Cause she don't know us,
and we don't know her.
She know our names.
She know how to find us.
We gotta go see her.
And we ain't got no job.
Ain't shit else to do.
Why she ain't come see us
in all these years?
Only one way to find out.
-Let's go.
-Now?
Right now 'cause she finna go.
Where she finna go?
Die.
[scoffing] Die?
-She gonna die?
-Yep.
[both spit]
-Don't.
-Do.
[Anaia] Don't.
Do.
You cried about that kitten
we couldn't get
out the engine that one time.
Mm-hm. The one that died.
You cried, remember?
-All emotional.
-Yeah!
I do be getting
all emotional sometimes.
-[chuckles]
-Like a lil punk.
Yeah, yeah.
Ha ha.
Like a lil bitch.
[giggles]
Now you takin' it too far.
-Switch.
-[chuckles]
But for real though, twin,
we need to go.
I got stuff to do.
-I gotta meet up with Ellis.
-Ellis who?
-Oh, him.
-[chuckles]
We supposed to meet up.
Here we go again
about that man she met online.
What you gotta meet up
with him for?
We need
to talk about the future.
Ain't you told me...
he don't like for you to look
at him while y'all doing it.
I let him get it from behind.
If I look at him, I might
start catching feelings.
I ain't trying
to catch feelings.
Twin...
I ain't got men falling
all over me like you, 'Cine.
Some of us gotta make do.
If we don't go now...
we might
not get another chance.
[Anaia] Where Racine go,
Anaia always gonna follow.
Ain't no choice but to...
[Racine] Go meet
her motherfucking destiny.
[hip-hop music playing]
[Anaia whooping]
[both whooping]
[both laughing]
[hip-hop music
continues playing]
[Anaia] Hey! Hey!
[Racine] 'Cine wonderin'
if she look like her mama.
If maybe
they got the same smile,
or laugh, or somethin'.
[hip-hop music stops]
[both] You look good.
thanks. [chuckle]
[both sigh]
-You think she gonna like it?
-She gonna like it?
[Anaia] You ready?
To see God?
God?
She made us, didn't she?
You gonna get struck down.
[Anaia] Wait, my name
ain't spelled right.
Good mornin'.
[Ruby] They good.
Those are my girls.
Don't mind the smoke.
It's for the pain.
Glad y'all could make it.
I had the nurse put
that sign on the door.
We really like that sign.
I'm ugly, but I don't bite.
Come closer
so I can feel y'all.
My girls.
How you been, Mama?
Oh, you know...
dyin'.
[Racine, Ruby,
and female attendants laugh]
Yeah, yeah. I see that.
We work in an office.
'Naia got a boyfriend.
She got somethin' else too.
-Ma'am?
-Nothin'.
She quiet.
Hi, Mama.
I ain't wrote you, 'Naia,
'cause you be
gettin' all emotional.
Been that way
since you was a little girl.
I ain't wanna upset you.
I wanted y'all
to think I was dead.
Who want a mama...
that's burnt up to where she
look like an alligator. Huh?
What happened?
-[female attendants] Child.
-[female attendant 1] Mm-mm-mm-
mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.
[female attendants] Girl.
[sighs]
Well...
It was just a...
Regular day.
[whimsical cartoon
song playing over tv]
I was just getting y'all food
ready in the kitchen when...
[door thuds]
[door thuds]
And again.
[breathing anxiously]
Hm...
[door thuds]
[continues breathing anxiously]
-[chuckles softly]
-[door thuds]
i'm praying
now. [sobs softly]
I'm prayin', please, please be
a branch against the window.
Even though I know
ain't no trees
near our windows.
Hm.
[breathes deeply]
Maybe it's the neighbor's dog.
Wasn't nothin' in there
but a bone-tired woman.
[gasps]
He's just standing there.
Face as plain as a slice of
wheat bread talkin' about...
"Hey."
Like he ain't just break
into my bathroom.
Like it wasn't
no restrainin' order.
[woman screams and cries]
Wasn't much to say.
I could have reminded him...
that he wasn't supposed
to be within 100 yards
of this house...
or I was just fixing dinner.
Or...
I could let him touch me.
He do got a tender side.
You gotta understand.
Men like your daddy
always got a tender side.
[gasps]
[choking]
[ominous music playing]
[man whistling whimsical tune]
[Ruby] He tell y'all
it's a game.
Let's wake mommy up.
-[flames whooshing]
-[young Ruby screaming]
[toddlers screaming]
[whimsical cartoon
song playing over tv]
[man whistling
along to song over tv]
[young Ruby and sisters
continue screaming]
[toddler Racine crying
and yelling indistinctly]
[toddlers continue screaming]
[man continues
whistling whimsical tune]
[young Ruby screaming in pain]
[toddlers continue screaming]
[young Ruby wailing in pain]
[match flicks]
-[screaming and crying stops]
-[distant dogs barking]
[man exhales]
Them scars you got...
was when you tried
to get the fire off of me.
[Anaia sobs and shudders]
'Naia, you got burnt up worse
'cause you was tryin' hardest
to save me.
I'm sick to my stomach.
[whimpers]
She gonna be all right.
She just...
you know...
You always been
my big girl, Racine.
You came out first...
screamin' bloody murder.
[chuckles]
Born that way.
Somethin' I need
to ask y'all to do...
but I don't know
if y'all up to it.
We up to it.
We can do anything.
We strong.
Ain't we strong, 'Naia?
Yeah.
I''mma keep this real simple
for you.
Make...
your daddy...
dead.
Dead.
Dead.
And everything around him...
you can destroy it, too.
I think he took up
with some bitch.
Kill his spirit...
then the body...
like he did me.
Make him dead.
Real dead.
Yeah.
[scoffs softly]
-Uh...
-[Racine] Uh... Uh.
[hesitates] See...
-Um...
-[Anaia] Uh...
[Racine] [hesitating] Mm...
-Now, see, it's, we...
-Um, it's, we not...
-It's kinda... It's... Mama...
-That's not somethin'...
we respect...
that you're dyin' and all...
[scoffs]
But...
this seem a lil crazy.
[chuckles nervously]
Crazier than settin' your wife
on fire
in front of her kids...
then abandoning them?
Changing your name...
and startin' another life
like nothin' ever happened?
-Okay, you got a point.
-Mm. Yeah.
But, uh...
You sure
you don't wanna just...
forgive and forget?
Pull this blanket off of me.
[ominous music playing]
[Anaia gasps]
No peace...
until I know he's gone.
[both breathing heavily
and sobbing softly]
Can y'all do that
for your mother?
Just one last thing
before I die.
Just tell us
where to find him.
[country music
playing over radio]
'Cine's startin'
to think Anaia...
gonna keep up
this lil weak-ass...
silent treatment
for the rest of her life!
She startin' to think
'Naia like being perceived...
as a weak-ass bitch.
Ain't no other explanation
for this kinda behavior
when we got shit to do.
Meanwhile, 'Naia wondering
why Racine
ain't smart enough...
to see she being used.
She startin' to think
Racine can tend
to be a dumb-ass...
reactive-ass bitch
who ain't got no sense!
If I'm dumb, you dumb.
And if I'm weak, you weak!
Since we come
from the same cell, bitch!
Oh. Oh, there she go,
gettin' all emotional!
She ain't come see us, 'Cine!
She ain't come see us
in all these years
and now this!
You know good and well
you woulda shit yourself...
if she'd have come see us
when we was kids...
looking like that,
talkin' about,
"I'm your long-lost mama."
She stayed away
'cause she knew
it was best for us.
I don't know, 'Cine.
I don't know!
[loudly] We ain't got time
for this, 'Naia!
We ain't killers!
[in low voice] I am.
-[gulps] Who you done killed?
-Don't worry about all that.
Think about it
this way, 'Naia.
He the one responsible
for everything bad
that's happened to us.
All them foster homes.
Every time someone
called us ugly...
the stares, every fight.
Imagine what our lives
would look like...
what we would look like,
if he hadn't done it.
[tender music playing]
[handsome man] [whispering]
You're so gorgeous.
Oh, baby, you are lookin'
-so, so good.
-[giggling]
How we gonna live
with ourselves if we do this?
Better.
Shit. This is the purpose.
This is destiny type shit.
This is ours, 'Naia.
I can feel it.
I ain't one for no killin'.
You ain't gotta be.
I'll do it myself.
But I need you to
at least keep me company
till I get there.
I mean, yeah.
She made us, so...
she is kinda like God.
Like you said.
Yep.
Yep. And we ain't finna
leave God hanging, right?
You ready?
Yep.
Good.
We gonna do this.
We gonna do it right.
Starting with...
The lady he took up with
after he burnt us up.
Lady by the name of Divine.
[adventurous music playing]
She stay on Perry Street.
In a ugly-ass house
with purple steps.
Can't miss it.
This don't feel right.
She ain't say it was a church.
[Divine] Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
[mirthfully]
Oh, God, help me with this.
[exclaiming] Oh-ho-ho-ho.
Oh.
The spirit of wickedness
is leaving this boy...
-as I speak these words! Ha!
-Yes, Lord.
The devil knows
that the holy waters...
-of the Lord are coming...
-[women humming]
-and it is afraid!
-[woman exclaims]
[Divine] Can you feel
the rhythm of that fear...
pulsating
in this room, saints?
-Ha! Ha!
-[congregation exclaiming]
[Divine] Is the devil,
hey, hey...
-in this room? Hey!
-Hey!
There he go. He done got me.
I feel him!
Oh, that motherfucker got me!
[gasping loudly]
[scoffing]
You ain't shit, devil!
[congregation exclaims]
-Yes.
-Oh, hell, no.
[Divine] [out of breath]
Seems we...
have some...
guests.
[chuckles] Hello.
Y'all make 'em feel welcome.
Praise the Lord.
Hallelujah.
You oughta
let Mother Divine baptize you.
She'll take and knock them
things right off.
-Mm-hm.
-Knock 'em right off...
like she knocked off
George's sleep apnea.
Now he ain't got
to lay on the porch no more.
Mm-hm.
[china clinks]
Well, well...
You're his girls?
-Yes, ma'am.
-Genetically, anyway.
We don't know him.
[chuckles]
Ezekiel...
these your half-sisters.
[Ezekiel chuckles]
They look
like they in the world.
[Divine] Oh, don't be
judgmental, son.
His girls in my place.
[sighs]
Your mama told you
that I was with him
during the trial?
-Yes, ma'am.
-Mm-hm.
Must find it strange
I take up with a man
been accused of such things.
Well, I mean...
That's your business.
[chuckles]
We just wanna know
if you could tell us
where he at.
Let me tell you girls.
He was so broken.
It was all he could do
to get up in the mornin'.
Came to me a mewling calf.
But he was a bull
after I was through
nursing him.
Mm. Nursin'.
-Mm.
-[smacks lips and laughs]
And then he said he had to go.
But before he left...
he kissed the palm
of my hand...
[kisses]
and promised
he'd be back for us...
and we'd be married.
Mm-hm.
So, do you know where he went?
Oh, I don't know.
Where do all the good men go?
[laughs]
We don't know, miss.
I kept his stuff for him.
Go on.
[Divine chuckles]
[gospel music playing]
If you find him...
tell him...
that Divine
kept her promise...
[Ezekiel] That's right, Mama.
...that she's still
in a white dress,
beating at the devil.
Ever faithful to her man.
Ever faithful! Yes, Lord!
Tell him about the church.
Tell him Divine says it's his
when he return.
[Ezekiel] That's right.
That's my daddy.
How long ago he leave you?
I was pregnant with Ezekiel.
[Racine] what? [stutters]
Oh, uh...
You been sitting up,
waiting on a man
who left you pregnant?
A man who just got through
setting his wife and kids
on fire?
A man who ain't tell you
where he was goin'?
That's the man you waitin' on?
The Bible says...
I can see...
that you're septic with anger
and a spirit of devilment.
And I can see that he...
[imitating gospel singing]
laid... Ha!
...that dick right...
'cause that's the only reason
that I'd be sitting up...
waitin' on a man.
'Naia wondering why Racine
can't keep her mouth shut
sometimes.
Just sometimes,
when there's a lot at stake!
Look at them.
That's a damn cult.
How we gonna find out
where he at now?
mm-mm. mm-mm. [laughs]
Ha!
What's that?
Looks like an address book
to me.
-Twin.
-[giggles]
Yep. Grabbed it
while ol' girl
was running her mouth.
[both panting]
[Racine] The fuck?
[Anaia] That's his lawyer,
I guess.
[shrieks] They took my...
Those two, those two...
oh, you so wicked! [cries]
Oh, they got... that book...
It's a address...
It's got my book...
They got...
[Divine exclaiming
and speaking indistinctly]
-[laughing incredulously]
-[Ezekiel] You demons!
Bring back that book!
That's my daddy's book!
You ain't shit, devil!
[Racine and Anaia
cackling gleefully]
-[liquid trickling]
-How we gonna kill him, Twin?
We ain't doin' it.
Remember, you doin' it.
-You know what I mean.
-[both urinating]
How should it go down?
A gun?
[scoffs] A gun?
Where you gonna get a gun?
Steal one or somethin'.
That ain't no good plan.
You should just do it quiet.
With poison or somethin'.
Poison is a punk-ass,
bitch-ass way
to kill somebody.
At least he'd be dead.
And it won't be
a lot of blood.
I don't like blood.
I know.
We'll push him off a buildin'.
What if he grab one of us
on the way down?
What if we knock him out,
then push him
off the building?
How hard you have to hit
someone to knock 'em out?
I don't like it.
-You don't like none of it.
-'Cine...
we ain't killers.
We come from a man
who tried to kill our mama...
and a mama
who wants to kill that man.
It's in the blood.
Now let's go find that lawyer.
[announcer]
Chuck Hall does it all, y'all.
-[chuck imitating gun shots]
-Slip and fall. Bloody brawl.
You in trouble?
[announcer]
Chuck Hall's got your back.
Moldy wall. Dog maul.
He'll do it all,
I'm tellin' y'all.
-[chuck imitates dog growling]
-[announcer chuckles]
Chuck Hall.
-[punch lands]
-[chuck groaning]
[objects crashing]
You think he in there
getting beat up?
What you gonna do with that?
Take your sock off.
[Anaia] Twin...
is that...
You not finna...
We don't know
what we walkin' into.
-[blows landing]
-[chuck groaning]
[groans]
One...
[both grunt]
-Two...
-[chuck groaning]
-Three!
-[chuck coughs]
That gonna be all
for you today, love?
You want me to, like,
elbow you or nothin'?
Hm.
All right.
See you Thursday.
[Chuck] Chuck Wendell Hall...
is a man with no tongue
in his head.
In the years
since the terrible incident,
which has taken his tongue...
he has developed
a strict regimen...
including enlisting
the services of a woman
-skilled at inflicting pain.
-[grunts]
For he knows that someday...
someone will come...
[groans]
...and when
that someone comes...
he intends to be ready.
[breathing heavily]
-We'll see.
-No.
We just wanna know
if you could tell us
where he at.
Do you know where he went?
That ain't for you to decide.
Right now, he the only one...
standing between us...
and our mission...
and God is finna die.
"Go home.
"Get yourselves
into a trade school
"or a community college.
"Maybe take up
with a sporting young man...
"ambitious if not handsome...
"and live out your lives...
"with as little misery
as can be managed
"given your plight."
-That's it?
-[Chuck] Mm.
[grunting softly]
[softly] Twin.
This fool gonna
tell us somethin'
if I gotta beat it outta him.
[Chuck] The
moment has arrived.
Oh, you ain't afraid, huh?
He offers himself
to the stranger.
I don't like this, Twin.
As if a lamb to the slaughter.
We could just go.
'Cine wish 'Naia
would shut up.
-[groaning]
-[gasping]
Oh, shit.
What'd you do that for?
[Racine] I don't know.
[Chuck] It would seem the only
way to get rid of them...
is to tell
of the unfortunate incident...
that has taken his tongue...
and his will
to practice criminal law.
He had to tell of havin'
taken him home
after celebrating the verdict.
[laughing]
How he'd smiled quite a lot.
Such bright white teeth.
How he'd offered
to get him permission
to see his twin girls
one last time.
How the man
had thought it over.
"No," he'd said.
-[inaudible]
-"Probably not a good idea.
"I might have the impulse
to finish the job."
Such bright white teeth.
[man continues laughing]
How he'd tried smiling back...
but a man like that...
a man like that can tell.
[chuck screams]
-[flesh squelches]
-[chuck sputtering]
[sinister music playing]
[sisters] "For fear
that it would wag,
"he took my tongue."
[Anaia] Dang.
Just ripped it out your mouth?
-[marker scribbling]
-[sighs]
"He will be back
for the rest of me."
"I've been preparin'
to die well."
You ain't got to.
'Cine gonna kill him.
If you tell us where he at.
[Chuck] Hall cannot tell
whether this is his most noble
or cowardly act.
[chuck panting]
[chuck grunts]
[rap music playing
over speakers]
It goes, it goes,
it goes, it goes
It goes, it goes,
it goes, it goes
Guillotine
-Yeah
-[rapping along] Yeah
Sit in the dark and ponder
How I'm fit to make the bottom
Fall through the floor,
and they all
Fall down, yeah
It goes, it goes,
it goes, it goes
It goes, it goes, yeah
Out of the shadows
Barrage of witch tongue...
[rap music playing softly]
Fuck is you doin'?
[rap music playing loudly]
What's wrong with you?
I don't like
how you been acting.
Oh, uh-uh, pull over.
What?
-I said pull this shit over!
-Stop!
You been looking at me funny,
like I'm the monster...
and I'm sick of it.
You got something
you wanna say?
You enjoyin' this shit
too much!
You finna go kill somebody,
Twin.
Ain't we been killed, 'Naia?
-[exhales sharply]
-[car door opens]
[car door closes]
We been stepped on again
and again and he did that.
And I ain't finna feel sad...
about giving him
what's coming to him!
[rear car door opens]
[rear car door closes]
'Cine always want to go
right up to the edge.
Feel like it's 'Naia's job
to catch her
'fore she fall in.
You so mad, Twin.
Ain't you?
[sobbing softly]
I wanna tell somebody
they ugly.
I wanna step on somethin'
for once...
see what it feel like.
Must feel good
if everybody else
keep doin' it.
[chuckles]
Remember how
second foster daddy
used to snap the belt at us?
[Anaia] Wasn't no us.
That was you.
'Cause you laughed
every time he came
down the stairs...
so you'd always
get a whoopin'.
He the first person I killed.
You ain't kill him.
He had a heart attack.
He had it 'cause
he kept whoopin' me.
He kept whoopin' me
'cause I kept doing stuff
to make him whoop me...
'cause I knew it would
kill his pork-chop-sandwich-
every-motherfuckin'-morning
ass.
[both laughing]
-I gotta pee.
-Mm.
-[motorcycle engine rumbling]
-[urinating]
[exclaims]
[Anaia gasping]
[Racine] Oh, shit. Let's go.
Come on, come on, come on.
[both panting]
You got that sock?
It's in the car. Shit.
[biker grunting]
[biker panting]
[whimpering]
[hammer rumbling pipe grooves]
-[hammer thuds]
-[breath trembles]
[Anaia grunting loudly]
[biker grunting]
-[shrieks]
-[Racine yells]
[Racine grunts]
[door thuds]
[biker speaking
indistinctly, muffled]
[helmet thudding]
[Racine] What the hell?
[exhales]
Boy, what's wrong with you?
[out of breath] So y'all think
y'all just gonna kill him?
-What?
-Just chop him down!
That's what y'all think?
My daddy. Mine!
The man who made me.
He who made Ezekiel?
That's who y'all think
y'all gonna kill?
Him? Him?
Him?
Him?
him? [echoes]
[Racine] You ever wanna scrape
your scars off...
and see what's underneath?
[scoffs]
What's the point of that?
I don't know.
I be wondering
what I look like.
It don't do me
no good to wonder.
What we gonna do
about them other twins, Twin?
God said destroy
everything around him.
No, she said we could.
She said we could destroy
everything around him.
Well, if they anything
like that fool...
they ain't gonna give us
no choice.
They innocent, Twin.
They can't help
being his kids.
Ain't nobody innocent.
They probably sit up at dinner
and laugh about us and God.
Stop that.
They ain't done nothin' to us.
Fine.
Look.
[gasping]
-[Racine exclaims in relief]
-[Anaia laughing]
[both laughing]
Wait. Twin?
Yep.
This kinda feel
too good to be true, don't it?
[pipe gurgles]
Shit.
-[bus clunking]
-[baby crying]
We here.
[dramatic music playing]
[Young men] Twins.
[young man 1] Those twin boys
in that beautiful house
have lived lives
of comfort and strife.
Each deals with the confusions
of life in his own way.
[hip-hop music playing]
[young man 2] Scotch masks
his vulnerabilities
with wildness.
[young man 1] Whereas Riley
has learned
to keep still and quiet.
[woman] Their mother, Angie...
is doing exactly
what she's always done.
Wiping and dusting
and polishing...
and scrubbing every inch
of their very nice house...
exactly the way he likes it.
His hats arranged by style,
casual to dressy.
His boots by material...
his leather to the left,
gators to the right.
His neckties
arranged by color.
His slacks by brand
and his shirts by fabric.
He has made it very clear...
the importance of honoring
everything
in its rightful place.
A man in his place.
A woman in hers.
-[door thudding]
-[distorted screaming]
-[Angie] Stop!
-[distorted sobbing]
No, please, don't!
No, no, no.
Not today, Angie.
Not today.
-[urinating]
-[whispering] Today Angie's
choosin' a new path.
[chuckles softly]
[Angie chuckling]
I mean,
that's straight bars, man.
-You don't hear that?
-I'm trying to read.
-Do you wanna hit this?
-I'm good.
-Boy, you trippin', man.
-Get that outta my face.
Breathe this.
[muffled indistinct chattering]
Pretty.
I'm just sayin'.
That for
what I think it's for?
God gonna get her blood,
I guess.
[panting]
[Angie] Any other day,
Angie would hoist her own
suitcases into the trunk.
[whispering] No.
Not today, Angie. Not today.
[yelling] Get out here...
now!
Mom, what happened?
What... Is Dad back?
Are you good?
No, I just need you
to help me get my bags
to the car...
-please.
-Okay.
Why you being all hysterical?
Wait, why do you need
all these bags?
It's a wine trip, baby.
I told you.
It's for the weekend.
What're we supposed
to do for dinner?
[Angie] Angie's plan
is to get herself
to Yucca Valley by nightfall.
From there a train to Vegas...
where she'll gamble
no less than 300...
of the $11,000 she's managed
to scrimp and save
without his notice.
After hiding out a bit,
she'll make her way
to Connecticut...
-where a new name and job...
-Mom, Mom.
...are waiting for her.
I love you.
I love you, too.
Now go inside. Go on inside.
[intriguing music playing]
[singing along to radio]
Like rain
Falling on a windowpane
Tears came to my eyes
when I asked her name
Made me holler
-[whoops]
-When it finally came
[continues singing along]
Said, "Only the children
"Born of me will remain"
'Twas like thunder
all through the night
[continues singing along]
And a promise to see Jesus
In the morning light,
morning light
-[Angie grunting rhythmically]
-[horn honks]
[over radio] Take my hand,
it'll be all right
[Angie] What in the world?
Hello?
[horn honks]
Excuse me?
Who this bitch think
she's shooing?
[whispering]
Ain't you gonna say somethin'?
She gotta come to us.
Do you mind moving, please?
Excuse me.
I'm running a bit late.
Is everything okay?
We fine.
You know us?
Know you?
Am I supposed to?
We're his first ones.
Who?
His first kids.
You're alive?
We look dead or somethin'?
No.
He said you got burnt up
in some accident...
and he didn't have
to pay child support.
Oh, God. Are you here
for child support?
It's real Japanese Akoya.
Don't nobody want your pearls.
Well, it's what I have
to offer.
You know what
our mama's been doin'...
while you been layin' up
in that big ol' house
that look like a castle?
Our mama been in a bed
wastin' away.
He burnt up most of her body!
I am so sorry.
That is unfortunate.
But I hope you understand me
when I say that he lied to me.
You knew he was lyin'.
Oh, no, no, no. I didn't.
'Naia, who this heffa
think she foolin'?
Can't even lie straight.
I don't know, 'Cine.
She could be
telling the truth.
You were sittin' up
in that nice house...
with a pool
while third foster daddy
was lickin' his lips...
anytime I came into the room
with my shoulders showin'.
I have to get away.
This a nice car,
ain't it, Twin?
Not my car! No!
-I need the car.
-Give me them keys!
-No!
-Give me them keys, bitch!
Give 'em to me!
Got 'em!
You're gonna come
and steal from me
because of somethin' he did?
You pack of animals!
We ain't animals.
We on a mission...
from God.
God?
God...
is our mama.
That's right. Your "mama."
Look, I'm not gonna let you
mess this up for me.
I planned this!
I deserve this! Okay?
Listen, listen, listen.
If he comes home
and I tell him
that somebody took the car...
do you know
what he'll do to me?
Our mama
ain't never had a shot
like the one you got.
It is not my fault
that your weak-ass
ghetto trash mama got burnt!
She shoulda left!
-She shoulda left!
-What you say?
[scoffing mirthfully]
Oh, my God.
Girl...
[exclaiming mirthfully]
Excuse me.
bitch. [laughing]
[Racine] Yeah, I just...
-[Anaia] You spittin'?
-[Racine] I just...
-Wait a minute.
-[Anaia] Are you spittin'?
-You spittin', bitch?
-[Anaia] You spittin'?
-You spittin'?
-She spittin', Twin?
-[Racine] Yeah. Yo, she just...
-She spittin'.
On me? This bitch.
[scoffing]
This bitch spittin'!
You know what?
A woman that knows her worth
will leave!
And if you were
smart enough...
-[gasps]
-[Angie gasping loudly]
-[whimpering]
-We smart, bitch.
Say we smart.
Say we smart.
-Twin, don't!
-Stay back!
-[Angie] Animal!
-[grunts]
[sinister music playing]
-[blows landing]
-[Angie groaning]
-[gasping]
-[Angie yells in pain]
[Angie crying]
-[grunting]
-[Angie yelping]
[Angie whimpering]
[blows continue landing]
Twin, stop!
[out of breath] You better
be lucky my sister here...
bougie bitch!
[panting]
You gonna be sick?
I don't think so.
You ain't do anything,
so you cool.
It's all on me.
You want them pearls?
God might.
God don't want
nothin' but blood.
[knocking]
[muffled hip-hop music playing]
I know you?
-No.
-Kinda.
-Who's this?
-I'm Racine.
Anaia.
-Twins.
-Twins.
Oh, shit.
Oh, shit. Oh, shit.
I think Dad did this.
He definitely did.
Come on in, girls.
-Oh, my God.
-[whispers indistinctly]
Scotch, what are you doing?
What are you doing?
You can't just let random
people in the house.
Did you see them?
Twins! Stripper twins.
Dad promised us strippers,
didn't he?
This our birthday.
He always surprise us
for our birthday.
Our birthday isn't for
another two weeks.
So, it's a little early.
This has Dad written
all over it.
Something feels off.
[hesitates]
They don't even look like...
-I mean...
-Man, shut up!
Go on, girls.
Third door to the left.
Yeah, I'm callin'
Michael and DeShawn.
Make this shit a party.
No. This doesn't feel
like something Dad would do.
-Let me just call him.
-"Let me just call him"?
Oh, my God. Do you just
wake up in the morning...
and brainstorm ways
to be the corniest
motherfucker ever?
-Damn.
-What're you doin'?
Let me have this.
Shit. Let yourself have it.
What if they're trafficking...
When was the last time we had
fun in this house, Riley?
[softly] Stank in here.
Not our business.
[in normal voice] Oh, you mad
'cause of that lady?
That lady who spit on me?
We ain't gotta go through
with this just 'cause...
If we don't do this,
who gonna do it, 'Naia?
Who gonna stand up for her?
We ain't nothin'
but the hand of God...
doin' her biddin'.
You know how Dad is
with the fishing trips.
He probably won't even be back
until the morning.
Come on.
Come on.
-[Scotch] mm-hm? [chuckles]
-Hm.
Fine.
Besides, everybody
know talking shit
about God will get you killed.
Hey, but you gotta promise me,
it ain't no more blood
but his.
You gotta swear to God.
Fine. I promise.
I swear to God...
I swear for God...
and I put that on everything.
If you go back on this,
I'm gonna walk away, Twin.
You on your own.
Let's just get ready.
[sensual hip-hop music playing]
Hey. Where the strippers at?
Why your titties looking
so big, Twin?
Bitch.
Ol' dude?
Yeah. It's Ellis.
Dang!
I don't know what I'mma do.
[chuckles nervously]
-A baby.
-Mm-hm.
-Twin?
-Uh?
You remember that time
we got kicked out
of fourth foster
mama and daddy place?
Mm-hm.
'Cause I bust that boy nose
at school.
-[both giggling]
-Yep.
I don't think
I ever thanked you for that.
You know I got you.
[dramatic hip-hop music
playing]
[imperceptible]
[scotch chuckling]
Hey, hold up,
hold up, hold up.
Let's try this
a little different.
You, pretty girl.
You face us, you keep doing
what you're doing.
And you...
[scoffs] ...you gotta
turn around.
[scoffs, then laughs]
Oh, don't be mad.
Hey, come back, girl.
We gotta get
our money's worth.
[exhales]
All right, then, gorgeous.
Guess you dancing for two.
My sister ain't ugly.
Yeah, yeah. All God's children
are beautiful or whatever.
[bass-heavy hip-hop music
playing]
[bass-heavy hip-hop music
continues playing]
[bass-heavy hip-hop music
continues playing]
Why you ain't out there
with them?
It's not my thing.
Can I ask what happened
to your face?
Sorry.
I didn't mean to insult you.
I'm sorry.
[stutters]
I'll leave you alone.
Your brother seem...
He seem like he fit in.
Yeah...
he's always been that way.
You know, he's out there...
and I'm, well...
I'm the type to be hiding out
in the kitchen.
You ever get
to feelin' like...
Like...
Like he's happy you strange?
'Cause that mean he get
to be the normal one.
It give him permission...
to be who he wants to be.
-And you go along with it...
-[girls giggling]
...'cause you'd
rather help him
do stuff
you don't believe in...
than be alone.
Uh, I never thought about it.
I mean, I guess so.
Someone set a fire...
and it crawled up my face
and left me like this.
Damn.
I keep asking myself
how he could've done it.
-You know who did it?
-[chuckles]
[laughs softly]
[flesh squelches]
[gasping]
-[continues gasping]
-[indistinct chattering]
[speaking indistinctly]
-[coughing]
-[all exclaim]
Yo!
-[boy 1] What the hell is this?
-[all exclaiming]
-Dog!
-[scotch sputtering]
[Anaia] [softly] Shit.
What was that?
-Nah, bro, we out.
-Oh, shit!
[boy 1] Hell nah!
Nah, come on, cuz!
[boy 2] Yo, hand me the keys,
nigga, let's go!
We gotta get outta here!
Scotch.
Scotch?
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
-Oh, my God.
-[coughs]
[wretches] No. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no...
[sobbing] No. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no...
No. No, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no...
My twin.
[Riley continues sobbing,
then laughing hysterically]
He's dead! He's fuckin'...
[continues sobbing]
[Racine] He called you ugly.
Scotch.
I didn't plan to,
but he called you ugly.
Scotch.
If we don't do the other one,
he's gonna tell.
What? No!
You ain't gotta watch,
just go in the kitchen.
-Twin.
-He'll talk.
He might even blame you for it
even though
you didn't do anything.
No. You promised.
You promised!
You in my way.
You keep doin' it!
You said we was gonna do him
and not them,
-but you keep doin' it!
-I'm doin' what's best for us.
You a liar.
Get the fuck
out of my way, Twin!
[Racine laughs]
Girl.
[Racine grunts]
[exclaiming and stuttering]
That's what you want?
Let's go, then.
Come on!
Square up, bitch!
Say, "I'm a punk-ass,
weak-ass bitch!"
Go. Go!
[sobs]
[Racine] 'Cine wonderin' how
the hell 'Naia gonna choose...
that lil boy
-over her own sister!
-'Naia feeling lost.
And found.
She wanna tell him everything.
Things she couldn't
even tell Racine.
Thank you.
[gasping]
[grunting]
-[Racine grunts]
-[Riley groans]
What'd I tell you, huh?
You wanna save
this motherfucker?
-[Riley grunting loudly]
-I told you!
-[exclaims]
-[Anaia coughing and gasping]
[all grunting]
Crazy fuckin' bitch!
You wanna come to my house
and kill my brother?
-[Racine choking]
-I don't care what he did!
-[coughing]
-Fuckin' die! Fucking die!
Die!
[flesh squelches]
[Anaia sobbing softly]
'Cine.
Twin!
'Cine. Twin!
[gasping]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Anaia grunting softly]
[Anaia continues
grunting softly]
[footsteps approaching]
[fridge door closes]
[man] Seem like we got
a lot to talk about.
Why don't you sit with me?
Or you could just stay
under there and wonder.
[Anaia breathing heavily]
[man] Well, you ain't
a complete monster.
That's something.
How about we take turns
asking each other questions?
Just one at a time.
[breath trembling]
[softly] I don't know.
Yeah, you do.
[Anaia] Why did you set her
on fire?
Because she wouldn't
let me hold her.
[scoffing]
Wait, that don't make sense.
Who'd you kill first?
-I didn't kill nobody.
-Mm.
[breath trembling] No really,
except in self-defense...
'cause 'Cine was the one...
Who first?
Your wife.
Angie?
[sighs deeply]
Wow.
Yeah, my turn.
What does that mean?
You were mad
'cause she wouldn't
let you touch her...
so you set her on fire?
It's more nuanced than that.
[crying] That don't strike you
as a bit of a overreaction?
It's my turn.
What'd you use?
On Angie and the rest?
You don't think
you overreacted a little bit?
It was a perfectly
appropriate response
for a young man
out of control.
You are really sick.
[Anaia breathing heavily]
So, you ever have a blemish
that you wanna get rid of?
You squeeze it
'til it fall off,
but there's still
the pus underneath.
So, you go after the pus
with peroxide
or whatever you can find.
Something
that'll sting a little,
so you know it's working.
You ever just need
to put something out...
because it has been
so catastrophic
to your very being?
We was just pus to you?
Just somethin' to get rid of?
I was young and I'm sorry.
Next thing I did was go to
the bridge near our house...
ready to jump so I could
join y'all in death.
But you didn't.
No.
And thankfully,
you all survived.
But you went to court...
and got off.
And God is burnt to a crisp
and I'm so ugly
nobody will look me in my eye.
Well, I'm sorry about that.
But you gotta factor in
every piece of the puzzle.
'Cause she coulda
let me hold her.
[Anaia sobbing softly]
She coulda let me
fully stand up in my house.
I needed that as a young man.
Well, I got a baby comin'.
And you're the granddad.
A baby.
You're not a killer.
Go home.
[Anaia panting]
Whoa.
What am I gonna
tell the baby about all this?
Tell it you made a few
mistakes when you were young,
like I did.
And how am I gonna tell about
how you tried to kill us all?
Kill us all?
I didn't try to kill you two.
Just her.
I never tried to kill you all.
It was just her.
You think I set my own babies
on fire?
She did that.
She screamed and grabbed
ahold of you two.
I couldn't get her
to let go...
that's when I ran out.
You think I tried
to kill my own babies?
Is that what she told you?
[Anaia] No, no, no!
-She said...
-I'm telling you, she lied.
You gotta give this up.
Otherwise what?
You'll try to kill me,
and I'll have no choice
but to kill you.
And in doing so,
I'll be killing my first...
and perhaps only grandchild.
And I don't wanna do that.
I promised her I'd bring back
a piece of you.
-Anaia...
-[Anaia breathing heavily]
You don't have to do this.
You can put that down
and go on your way.
And when the dust settles...
you bring that baby back
and I'll bounce it
on my knee...
and we'll never talk
about all the blood...
on the ground.
[sobbing and breathing heavily]
[suspenseful music playing]
[rock thuds]
How far along are you?
Eleven weeks...
I think.
[man grunts]
[groaning]
That older one,
-the smart one.
-[Anaia groans]
He was gonna be somebody...
dog bitch.
[whimpering]
If you weren't pregnant...
I'd cut your eyes out
and make you eat 'em.
hm... [yells]
[yells]
You go back
to that heavin' corpse...
and tell it I'd do it
all again if I could.
Hm.
Hm.
[Anaia sobbing]
[tense music playing]
[Anaia sobbing softly]
[exhales]
[man humming whimsical tune]
[exhales]
While you was in here...
whistlin'...
and making new babies...
and trying to forget
all the bad things you did...
fourth foster mama
was laughin'
at my scars with her friends.
I warned you.
Somebody gotta go today.
World can't hold us both.
Suit yourself.
[grunting] Kill him 'Naia.
[all grunting and yelling]
[all grunting and yelling]
[sisters yelling]
[sisters grunting
and screaming loudly]
-[feet thudding]
-[flesh squelching]
-You nothin'!
-[taunting loudly]
-[screaming]
-You ain't nothin' now!
[man grunting]
[Anaia] Bitch.
[man grunts]
[man grunting]
[breathing raggedly]
[groans and laughs]
[whimpers]
He ugly, ain't he, Twin?
Yep.
[man whimpering]
[man screaming and whimpering]
[flames whooshing]
Twin?
Yeah?
My bad for what I said before.
you good. [inhales]
'Naia!
[Anaia breathing heavily]
[sobbing and panting]
[Anaia] Them twins burnin'.
'Cine!
[wailing] Them twins burnin'.
'Cine!
On three, 'Naia gonna go.
One.
Two.
Three.
Anaia. Just Anaia.
All by herself
for the first time.
It's quiet.
Too quiet.
[bus approaching]
But out of the quiet...
things get clear.
She sees all the good stuff
that runs alongside the bad.
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.
She can see another self
in the distance...
a brave self
who hold her head high...
and got things to do.
[girls laugh]
That other self gonna rock
the baby when she comes.
Tell her
all about Auntie Racine...
and the road
and the good things in it.
Even for girls like us.
[gospel hymn playing]