The Thing with Feathers (2025) Movie Script
1
You hungry?
No.
I'm okay.
Sure?
I thought you both
did really well today.
Up we go.
Come on.
Come on, you can do it.
Put your arms through, please.
Good boy.
Do you want me to carry you up?
Okay, I'm gonna swing you in.
Alright, alright.
It's alright.
Night-night.
You know it's true?
Everything that everyone
was saying today about Mummy.
You had an amazing mum, boys.
Let's never forget that, okay?
Night-night, darling.
-Hey, stop it.
-Please don't fight.
-Stop it.
-I was here first.
Just make this guy go.
Uh, right.
What cereal do you want?
Alright, you can have it
this time.
-Rice Krispies?
-I want Rice Krispies.
Alright.
Fuck's sake.
Okay. No, I'll do it.
Thanks.
I'll do it, thank you.
-Is that it?
-Mm.
Where's the milk?
Where's the milk?
There's, there's no normal milk,
but there's, uh,
there's loads of your mum's...
-Got loads of soy milk.
-No, it tastes like farts.
I know, but it's...
it's all we've got, so...
Aah!
Oh, God.
Hey, don't do that.
You sure you want to
go back today?
'Cause you know you don't
have to if it feels too soon.
Mm-hmm.
Right, um, jacket, please.
Which is your jacket?
-Uh, this is mine. Um...
-Okay. Alright.
Where's my P.E. kit?
-Where is it?
-I don't know.
Oh, Christ. We're gonna be late.
Right. Here.
Have a look. Where is it?
Okay. Come on. Good boy.
Let's go.
You'll have to wear it dirty.
Come on, let's go. Thank you.
It's okay.
You're gonna be alright.
It's good to have you back.
Hey. Don't worry.
We'll look after him.
Alright.
Yes, yes, I'm still here.
Right, okay.
Right.
No, I am not ringing
about myself.
I'm ringing...
Yes.
No, I gave that information
to the last person I spoke to.
Um, no.
Um, pl... pl... please
don't put me on hold.
Well, who is the right
fucking person to speak to then?
You don't think? I do.
I think I've got every reason
to speak to you like thi...
I'm sorry. We'll call you back.
I can do this.
Bit like Tracey Emin's
kitchen in here.
Should get the boys
on the washing up.
Do you wanna talk?
Yeah.
Are you getting any sleep?
Do you want me to pick them up
from school today?
Uh... Thank you.
You... you... you're good.
I just... I need...
I need to do the pick-up.
I need to...
keep things as normal
as possible for them.
So, how was it?
Um, good, I guess.
What did you get up to?
David Matthews
tried to be my friend,
but... but he used to be
my enemy at school.
Um... I just wanted to say
how sorry I am
for... for your loss.
Oh, um, thanks.
Thanks very much.
How are you coping?
Uh, I can't imagine
how you must be feeling.
I mean, we lost Mum last year,
so I can a bit.
Bowel cancer.
Oh, I'm very sorry.
But we knew it was
coming, though, with Mum.
I can't imagine what yours
must have been like with it...
being so sudden.
Um... thank you. I, I...
I just want to say I'm... I'm
here if you ever want a coffee,
or if the boys want a playdate?
My two would love that.
Wouldn't you?
Do let me know
if you need anything.
I know everyone says that,
but I... I mean it.
Come on.
Who was that?
I don't know.
Shit.
Look, Margaret...
I'd love to stay on,
it's just...
"Once upon a time
there lived a cat,
and a sparrow,
and a brave youth.
The cat and the sparrow
went to the forest,
chopped wood
and said to the brave youth,
'You keep the house,
but mind if the Baba Yaga comes
and counts the spoons...'"
-Hmm?
-Can you do the voices?
Sure.
Um...
"'You keep the house,
but mind if the Baba Yaga comes
and counts the spoons.'
'Don't say a word.
Keep quiet.'
'Very well,'
said the brave youth.
The cat and the sparrow
went away,
and the brave youth sat on
the stove behind the chimney,
anxiously awaiting their return.
Suddenly the wind outside
howled,
and the Baba Yaga entered
through the open window."
Hello, Mate.
Still not picking up.
Look, I just want to say...
Message deleted.
Hey, It's Mia.
Just checking
to see how you're doing.
Message deleted.
There he is, Sad-Dad.
Look at you, all wife-gone,
all hopeless, all furious.
She's gone, I'm here.
I'll give you something
to think about.
message deleted.
Fucking hell.
Oh, shit.
Oh, fuck.
Darling, can you hear me?
Please, please breathe.
Please breathe.
Can you hear me?
Hello?
Uh, ambulance.
Uh, I... I don't know.
She's... um...
There... there's blood.
She's on the floor.
She's not breathing.
Dad?
There's a feather on my pillow.
Hmm?
There's a feather
on my pillow.
Feathers
are made of pillows.
Right, right. For Christ's
sake, I've got kids up there.
Who is it?
Say hello.
Are you frightened?
Say hello.
Say it properly.
Say hello.
Hello, you.
Miles away.
Yeah, I could see that.
Yeah.
So, um...
How are you...
how are you holding up?
You know, good days, bad days.
How are the boys?
They miss their mum.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's got to be, um...
Yeah.
Poor little fellas.
-Which, uh, reminds me...
-Hmm?
Ah-ha.
Oh, is that Jeff's latest?
They'll love these.
Well, you know what,
I just hope it sells.
Things that bad?
You know, same old, same old.
Well, it won't be long till
you're losing money on mine.
Uh... that's actually
what I wanted to...
talk to you about, you know.
We don't expect it
any time soon.
You know,
and if you need more time...
Honestly, it's actually...
it's really nice
to have something
else to focus on.
Sure?
Well, is it not,
you know, a bit much?
I'm... I'm sure.
Okay.
So, you have
to jump off the bed.
Then just put your feet on here,
and then you have to try
and jump back onto the bed.
- And then you get one point.
- Okay.
Oh! You lost!
I got it!
Cannonball!
Three, two, one.
Cannonball!
Just don't go into the closet.
I don't want to bang my head.
Whoa, whoa, careful, careful.
Now you shall pay!
Alright, that's enough.
Bath time now, please.
-Three, two, one. Cannonball!
-Cannonball!
- Boys?
- Reset it, stupid.
Boys, I said bath time now.
Get off, I'm gonna cannonball.
I hope he doesn't come to our
house and rings on the doorbell.
Alright, no bath,
but can you brush your teeth
and put your pajamas on, please?
-That's crazy!
-Three, two one!
Can you hear me?
When I come back, I want you
to have brushed your teeth
and put your pajamas on, okay?
Okay?
Got ya!
I don't feel deserving of this,
I really don't.
I need to thank, er,
before they play the music
and I'm out of time...
Er, I mean, I don't care.
I'm not leaving this stage
before i thank my wife.
Tor, you are my undying,
enduring inspiration.
I love you.
Ah!
Ah.
Hey, hey, hey, hey,
it's alright.
-It's okay.
-There's someone in here.
Shh. No, no, no.
Look, look, look.
There's no one in here.
It's alright, okay.
There's someone in here.
You just had a bad dream,
alright?
Come on, come here.
Oh. Okay, let's get you
out of those wet things.
There we go. Okay.
-It's alright.
-I heard him.
Who?
The Crow-man from your drawings.
Crow?
Those are Daddy's drawings,
alright?
Look at me.
Sweetheart, they're not real.
They're just drawings, alright?
It's alright. It's okay.
They're not real.
Not real.
It's not real.
Oh.
Ah.
Kraaa!
Kraaa!
Did I or did I not?
Not sudden trauma!
Head down.
Head down, distant dad.
What the fuck?
Trauma
and now distant dad...
Funny how we first met.
I could have bent him
backwards over a chair,
and drip-fed him sour bulletins
of the true one-hour dying
of his wife.
Other birds would have.
But no. No.
I believe in
the therapeutic method.
Dad?
Dad?
What are you doing?
Are you dead?
Dad?
- Dad?
- I'm not dead.
Dad?
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are we doing today?
Getting dressed for school.
But it's a Saturday.
Then... then you're switching
the kettle on for me.
Off you go. Off you go.
Toot, toot, toot, toot
Keep moving
Argh, fuck.
Crap everywhere.
For God's sake.
Boys, um, I need you to...
I need you to help me today.
I need you to help tidying up,
alright?
No, no, no, I'm not joking.
I need you to help tidy up
and put things
where they're supposed to be,
or I will pick up any toy
that I find on the floor
and I will put it in the bin.
Mmm, everything clean!
I am serious!
Go in there now and tidy it up!
Please.
Good morning,
English Widower.
Sleep well, did we?
I find humans incredibly dull.
Not now. No, not now.
Incredibly dull,
except in grief.
There are very few humans
that interest me.
But grieving widowers do.
Grieving widowers
and motherless children
-are pure crow.
-Leave them alone!
How long has it been now?
Uh...
Uh, three months.
Actually, nearly four months.
Four months, huh?
It takes time
to come to terms with.
Yeah, I'm not sure I want
to come to terms with it.
Okay.
I don't really think
there are any terms
that would make it alright,
so...
Yeah.
Alright.
Did you rely on her for...
-emotional...
-Everything.
Everything.
It's okay to feel overwhelmed.
We... we can talk about
coping strategies or...
No, it's alright.
I just... I, um...
I really came here
to talk about my children.
Alright. Have there been
changes to their behavior?
Uh, my youngest
is wetting the bed,
nightmares, that kind of thing.
And...
my older one is... is playing up
a little bit more than usual.
Are you maintaining routine?
Structured bedtimes, mealtimes?
Not really, no.
Oh. Well, you should
stick to routine if you can.
Children take comfort
from routine.
Do you let them see you grieve?
I've been trying not to.
Right. You...
you need to change that.
You know, and you mustn't ignore
your own grief to protect them.
Ah, there he is.
Sad-Dad.
"Doctor..."
"Doctor, I think I'm being
followed by a crow."
You're not fucking real.
Grieving widower
to aisle nine.
Grieving widower
to aisle nine.
"Stick to routines,"
is that what he said?
"Children need routines?"
Not those boys.
Those boys need
bows and arrows,
they need stories,
they need myths,
they need chaos,
they need crow.
You're not real!
Really?
Listen. Leftover,
blank space, death face,
shock, severed, remnant,
earless, eyeless.
Now who's this? Who? Me? Him?
Void filler, time killer.
Oi, stab it!
Dead wife,
let me pick that skull empty.
Spraddle it. Down.
Tot along. Dad, scarper.
Take leave, English widower.
Take leave, grieve,
gallop through corpse dust.
But don't forget to grieve.
Hunted king. Uncrowned.
You don't deserve me.
You don't get to say
how this goes anymore.
No.
Paul?
Yeah, yeah, it's me. Um...
I need your help, please.
Yeah, now.
I'm happy to do it.
Of course, I am.
I'm just not sure
about you being alone.
Look, I just need
to work through things
for a bit on my own, Paul.
And I... I just...
I want them safe.
What does that mean?
I'm worried about you.
I'm not gonna do anything.
Come on then.
Do your worst.
No.
I intend to do my best.
Draw for me.
If I do this,
will you go away?
I won't leave until
you don't need me anymore.
I don't need you.
Be careful.
There are far worse than me.
Far, far worse.
Draw.
Draw what?
Draw one of your stories,
a memory,
the first thing
that comes to mind.
No, no, no, no!
Piss poor!
Looks like a fucking Vettriano.
Piss poor!
Fuck's sake.
That's more like it.
It's cold... and snowing.
It's just the three of us.
I took the boys out
to give her some peace
because she was ill.
She had the flu.
You're still very hot.
She never got ill.
-There's a ghost!
-Dad, Dad, it's snowing.
And the boys must have
been, what, three and four?
Love you.
I took them out.
Out to the park and...
Are these your shoes?
I was hopeless.
No wellies.
No patience.
Wait, wait.
Come on.
My feet hurt.
They wouldn't stop whinging.
There we go.
It's a little bit cold.
Here we go.
They were cold.
That was the first time
they realized
I wasn't the amazing dad
they thought I was.
I want Mummy.
It's okay, it's okay.
It's alright, come on.
Mummy's not very well, is she?
That was it, wasn't it?
The dress rehearsal
for the rest of our lives.
Hey. I didn't bother
calling ahead.
I didn't want to give you the
chance to tell me to piss off.
Come in.
So...
how are you doing?
You know...
Sorry.
It's just that you're the first
real person that I've seen
in a couple of days.
Real person?
Oh, no, no.
No, no. That is not happening.
There's times when I get angry
with her, you know?
"How could you die on me?"
She's the stoic one.
She'd have made a much
better widow.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's inconsiderate of her.
Her mum keeps ringing me
to remind me of things,
you know?
"Do you remember when she... ?"
And I know why she's doing it,
but...
I don't want that.
I don't want her turned
into a series of anecdotes,
because it just reminds me
that she's gone.
But she is gone.
Yeah, but if I'm lucky,
once or twice a week,
I think she's gonna be back
in a minute.
She's gonna be back.
I've got a confession to make.
Hmm?
You remember when you split up
in the third year?
Mm-hmm.
And you gave me that poem
you wrote her
- to win her back?
- Hmm.
She thought it was shit.
Well...
Well, it worked, didn't it?
I don't know what
you were thinking.
And I wasn't gonna
give it to her.
But she waited until
I went to the loo,
and then she went into my bag,
and she got it.
I was... I was
trying to look out for you.
Didn't need to.
We talked. Well, she talked.
You know what she was like.
And she came round to
an appreciation of it.
Of you.
You two were never
not gonna be a thing.
You were perfect for each other.
Yeah.
And I called you back
To a place beside me
And I called you back...
This is fucking awful.
Leave me alone, Crow. I like it.
You would!
Middle-aged, middle-class,
white widower music.
Guardian reading,
beard stroking,
farmer's market, guest ale,
Birkenstock, Barbican shit!
Yeah.
Yeah.
You're such a cliche,
you know?
The dead wife trope.
You'll have the photo album
out next.
You'll be talking
to her headstone.
Crow, just leave me alone.
Aah!
Once upon a time,
there was a king who had...
-Crow, please...
-...two sons, the Queen,
and by the way, they were
perfect for each other.
Please, please, shut up.
Please, please.
They were perfect
for each other.
-They were never not going...
-Shut up!
-...to be a thing.
-Shut up! Shut up!
There we go. There we go.
The Queen had fallen
and bashed her skull in.
And so, she bled to death.
- Please, no more, please.
- Blood everywhere.
I'm trying to tell you a story.
I don't want a fucking story.
I want her back. I...
I want her back,
or I want to be gone.
You want her back.
You wish you were dead.
You wish you were dead.
Very original.
How very fucking original!
Ooh!
-Good, you're angry. Come on!
-Yes! I'm fucking angry!
Oh, fucking angry!
"Yes, I'm fucking angry!"
I... I miss her.
She... she was everything
to me, and now...
"She was everything
to me." Euugh!
You sound like a fucking
fridge magnet!
Fuck!
Now, listen.
Bom, bom, bom, bom
Bom, bom, bom, bom
Bom, bom, bom, bom
Ba, ba, ba, ba
Look at him.
Some may call my work vulgar.
Primal, even.
But I've got him where
he needs to be.
Dad?
Boys.
Mum?
Boys, can you come into
the living room, please?
-I need to talk to you.
-Fine.
We've just got to take
off our gloves.
Mum?
Come sit down, please.
Come on, sit down.
I need to talk to you.
Give me your hand, please.
Um...
Mummy's not here. Okay?
There was, uh...
She got sick
and there was an accident.
And, um...
This is what we know
about our mom.
She always smelled nice.
When she told stories,
she did all the voices.
She loved playing
loud pop music,
because it annoyed Dad.
And then she died.
Our mum died.
After that,
everything was different.
We were different.
Different boys.
Dad was different.
A different kind of dad.
Boys?
Doesn't sound like
you're brushing your teeth.
Boys, are you doing what
I asked you to do?
Boys, come on...
What are you doing?
Take those off.
Dad told stories.
The stories changed
when dad changed.
He went quiet.
Angry.
He'd disappear.
Dad told stories.
The stories changed
when dad changed.
We really miss you.
I told my brother
she could still see us
through the mirrors.
I need you.
He'd spend ages
in the bathroom.
Dad says we're going
to Granny Margaret's
after Christmas.
Will you be there too?
I felt bad about it
for a while.
My brother gets angry
when he loses things
that remind him of her.
He said if
he had to lose things,
Dad should too.
So, it got quite physical,
and...
In the end there's been
a couple of punches thrown,
and the other child
was quite badly hurt.
And in the midst of that,
another member of staff
has come to help...
...especially
with a teacher.
I mean, what were you thinking?
It is not okay.
I mean, what do you think your
mother would have said, hmm?
-No, no, wait, just wait.
-Hey, stop it.
Get off me.
-Ow. Ow.
-I hate you!
It's alright. It's okay.
Dad was different.
A different kind of dad.
Is he here? Is he there?
Is he somewhere over here?
Are you coming or what?
Everyone's gonna run out
of sweets.
-My God, you look amazing.
-Do you like it?
It's something you're
doing with your eyes.
It's new.
It's almost
what you're not seeing.
Can we go to Mrs. Dawson's?
Sure, we can go
to Mrs. Dawson's.
-She has the best sweets.
-Does she have the best sweets?
Alright. Show me the way.
Show me the way.
Which way am I going?
- This way.
- This way?
And then which way?
Are you still with us?
This is symbolic,
isn't it?
- What is?
- This.
This dream, this memory.
This confection,
whatever it is.
I wonder what it all means.
Your wife's not a ghost,
you know.
She's not wailing
about the house,
watching you raise
those boys without her.
-No.
-No.
You're the ghost now.
Boys?
Boys?
Urgh.
Will Dad
ever be normal again?
He wasn't normal before.
So, here's the base.
We have to get through
the passage of peril
and retrieve...
the doom crystals.
What's the volcano for?
Come on, come on.
Listen to that.
Our boys.
I love them like this.
Building worlds full of life,
full of possibility.
I think it's time, don't you?
Crow?
Yes?
Be kind to them.
Naturally.
Let's get the doom crystals.
We have to go faster.
Now, now.
I'm just taking lit...
little crystals on the way.
Ching!
I found another one.
What is it?
Hello, boys.
Now boys.
Now boys.
Should we play a game?
Should we play a game?
Here's how it's gonna work.
You two boys must each
build here on the floor...
...a model of your mother.
...a model
of your mother.
Just as you remember her.
And whichever of you builds
the best model will win.
Not the most realistic,
but the best.
Yes. The truest.
And the prize is this.
The best model I will bring
to life for one day.
A real living mother
to tuck you up in bed.
No.
No. As you remember her.
Right.
And stop. Hmm.
They're both excellent.
You've got her smile.
It's uncanny.
And you have captured
her... posture.
-Hah.
-Which one won?
Uh, well...
Which one's gonna be turned
into Mum?
Sorry, what?
- You promised.
- Yes.
- Where is she?
- But you didn't think...
that she... Where is she?
Where is she,
you bloody old crow?
She's dead.
She can't come back.
That's it, boys,
that's all you've got.
How you doing, boys?
Nearly done?
You can go read these
to Dad shortly.
How's he been, your Dad?
I don't know.
And did you keep an emotion
diary the last two weeks?
No.
That... that's okay.
Did you try
the meditation exercises?
Ohmmmm...
Boys!
No. No, no, it's okay.
It can feel a bit silly
at first.
Is there anything
that you wanna talk about?
Thoughts of Mum?
Right, that's okay.
Maybe we could draw a picture
that shows me how
you're feeling,
and then we can talk about them
afterwards.
Yeah? Sound good?
Cool.
I thought it would get easier.
I... I thought...
Listen, uh...
I think we should
talk about the difference
between grief and despair.
Gran!
- Look at you two.
- Gran!
You're so skinny.
Has your Dad not been
feeding you?
Oh. Come on in.
Hello.
-Hi.
-Merry Christmas.
-Merry Christmas.
-Yeah.
Alright, come on.
Makes them on his own,
even without the book outlines.
I'll see how they're getting on.
So, how's the comic coming on?
Do I call it a comic,
or a graphic novel?
No, you can call it a comic.
Um...
Yeah, it's... it's alright.
It's interesting.
Dad doesn't like it when people
call them graphic novels.
He says it's wanky.
That's what you say.
Well, you wolfed that down,
boys.
Did we get you the right ones
this time?
He's like his mum.
If she was doing something,
she'd pretend
she couldn't hear you.
Was that okay?
Potatoes weren't my best.
Oh, delicious.
What was she like?
Our mum when she was young.
Your mum?
Stubborn.
You two have got
a lot of her in you,
in different ways.
How am I like her?
You're funny.
She was very... quick-witted,
wasn't she, Keith?
Yeah, cheeky bugger, more like.
Oh, no, no, it's alright.
I'll do it. I'll do it.
It was adorable
when she was little.
But when she was a teenager...
Oh, my God,
you couldn't win an argument.
Go and get the photo album
from next door,
and I'll show you the first time
she brought your dad back here.
Destroy the Crow!
Catch and kill.
Let's get Crow!
Shut the gates! Kill him,
and drown him in blood.
All crows, shut the gates!
If he takes our castle,
we burn it!
So much of her
when the boys smile,
it's the same smile.
You can take this home with you
if you want.
-No, that's good. Keep it here.
-No, leave it here, yeah?
-Keep it here. It's good...
-Well... Let the boys see it?
Yeah, they should...
they should see it.
-They should see it.
-Oh.
Woo-hoo, wiggly-wiggly! Up here!
Kraa, kraa, kraa!
We move on, do we not?
We hurtle, do we not?
Love drunk. Fox cubs.
Dead meat. Rat-tat-tat.
Catch and kill!
-Kill him!
-Come on, he went this way.
Come on.
Look at this hat, look.
I think that was my mum's hat.
I'm just gonna check on them,
actually...
-Okay, okay.
-See you in a minute.
Yeah. Alright.
Boys?
Boys?
Boys, what the hell do you
think you're doing, huh?
I've been looking
for you everywhere.
You're bleeding.
What's going on? Huh?
I'm fine.
You've got cuts and scratches
all over you.
What have you been doing to him?
What have you been doing?
-It was Crow.
-It wasn't fucking Crow.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
I'm not angry with you.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I miss... I miss...
I miss Mummy.
I'm so sorry.
Sometimes we felt like
he was our dad again.
But it never lasted.
I'm gonna start
getting a bit worried
if you don't pick up
the phone.
We're thinking about
you today.
Give us a call, eh?
Hope you're alright.
I've tried
you a couple of times.
Today's been tough, and, um,
I'm sure it has for you too.
Anniversaries are hard,
and well...
- Dad?
- Hmm?
Are you gonna read us a story?
No, it's too late.
-Please.
-I said no.
No bedtime stories tonight.
Shame on you.
Does Daddy need a cuddle?
Once upon a time there was
a king who had two sons.
One day his queen
dropped down dead.
Fuck off!
And so, the king
allowed his kingdom
to go to ruin...
and abandoned his two sons,
so he could wallow
in self-pity.
Out. Get out.
No more.
No more.
You have to go.
Are you sure about that?
Yes, yes. Fuck, yes!
Let's see what happens
without me.
Dad?
Who is it?
Simon Coleridge.
From number 56.
How can I help you, Simon?
I know we don't know each other.
I wondered if I could
borrow some milk.
Oh, I'm afraid we've...
we've run out of milk.
I'm sure the shop on the corner
will still be open.
There is no number 56.
Now, boys...
Daddy can't tell you a story
tonight, but I can.
Once upon a time
there was a demon,
a terrible demon
who fed on despair.
A demon who would hunt
every inch of the Earth
for the saddest,
most delicious person
he could find.
He's a very clever demon...
...boys.
Very cunning.
Who is it?
It's Dan. From Parenthesis.
-Dan?
-Yeah.
From Parenthesis?
Can I come in?
It's pissing down.
I've worked there for years,
and I... I've never heard
of anyone called Dan.
What's your last name... Dan?
Graves.
I'm new there.
They put me on your book.
Thought I'd say hello.
I can't let you in.
I've come all this way.
No, you're gonna have to leave.
Can I at least
use your lav?
Now, boys.
This demon can only feast
if those in despair allow it.
So, who do you think
he's coming for tonight?
Who do we know... that's sad?
Open the door.
It's the police.
I'm gonna give you to the count
of five and I'm coming in.
- One, two...
- What's going on?
- Go back upstairs to your room.
- Three...
What's going on?
-Four...
-Go upstairs.
-Five...
-Now!
Okay, have it your way.
There's someone here
who wants to speak to you.
Mum?
It's me.
I'm back.
Open the door.
No.
Open up.
Let me in.
-Are the boys there?
-Mum!
No.
No, boys, no...
-Don't, don't...
-Mum! Mum!
-Please stop, please.
-Mum, Mum!
-Please, it's not Mummy.
-Mum!
-Don't. Don't. Don't!
-Mum!
I've missed you all
so much.
Come on, open up.
Open the door.
Come on.
Dad.
- Let him go, boy.
- Dad!
Let him go.
I missed you.
I love you.
Come with me.
Mum!
Let me in.
Boys?
Boys, could you come into
the living room, please.
I need to talk to you.
What do you think your
mother would have said, hmm?
The boys are so...
And nobody came, nobody came...
Boys! Boys!
Boys!
Oh, no!
No, no. No more.
No more!
Crow!
Come back!
Please! Crow!
Dad?
Dad?
Come here. Come here.
Come here.
Don't look. It's alright.
I've got you. I've got you.
I'm here. It's alright, boys.
I've got you.
Stay here. Stay down.
Crow.
Come here. Don't move.
Don't move.
I am Crow
of the death-chill.
God-eating.
Trash-licking.
Word-murdering,
math-bomb motherfucker.
Oh, God, no.
Uh... Towel.
Quick. Give me a towel.
He's been cut. Here. Here.
Another one.
It's alright, Crow.
It's okay. It's okay.
Just keep with us, please.
Please, Crow.
Don't die on us.
Please don't die.
Please.
You can't die.
Crow, don't die.
We need... we need you, Crow.
We need you.
Crow?
"Please don't die, Crow."
"Please don't die."
"We need you, Crow."
"We need you."
Obviously.
Here he is, the man of the hour.
- Thank you.
- The book's beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
It'd want to be beautiful.
He only kept us waiting
18 months, didn't he?
Eh?
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Got a lot of questions.
So do I.
Seriously, though,
very proud to have it.
Very, very proud. Very proud.
Sorry, are you my brother?
You look a bit like him.
I mean, he's usually
a lot scruffier.
Come here.
Kate, thank you for coming.
Amanda's here. Give me a moment.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Thank you.
I wouldn't miss it. Hey.
Come on, then. Say a few words.
On the spot.
Um, well, uh...
Uh, thank you, everyone,
for coming tonight.
Thank you, Andy,
for organizing it.
Um...
Sorry, I'm not... I'm not very
good at public speaking, so...
Uh, where was I? Um...
Yes, well, thank you.
It's taken a while to get here,
and I...
I wouldn't be here tonight, um,
without a lot of...
people in this room.
So, thank you.
Thank you to my two boys
for putting up
with your sad, mad dad.
I love you both very much.
Um, thank you, too, Paul.
As you were...
English widower.
Let's go all the way back
to the...
Let's go all the way back.
Sorry.
You'd have hated this.
But you're not here, so...
I'm gonna do it anyway.
"To all light things,
I compared her...
to a snowflake, a feather.
I remember she rested
at the dance on my arm..."
I love you!
I love you.
I love you!
I love you.
I love you! I love you!
I love you! I love you!
I love you!
I love you!
I love you! I love you!
I love you.
Whoa!
I love you.
Across the evening sky
All the birds are leaving
But how can they know
It's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire
I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time
For who knows
Where the time goes?
Who knows
Where the time
Goes?
Sad, deserted shore
Your fickle friends
are leaving
Ah, but then you know
It's time for them to go
But I will
Still be here
I have no
thought of leaving
I do not count the time
For who knows
Where the time goes?
Who knows
Where the time
Goes?
And I am not alone
While my love is near me
I know it will be so
Until it's time to go
So come
the storms of winter
And then the birds
in spring again
I have no fear of time
You hungry?
No.
I'm okay.
Sure?
I thought you both
did really well today.
Up we go.
Come on.
Come on, you can do it.
Put your arms through, please.
Good boy.
Do you want me to carry you up?
Okay, I'm gonna swing you in.
Alright, alright.
It's alright.
Night-night.
You know it's true?
Everything that everyone
was saying today about Mummy.
You had an amazing mum, boys.
Let's never forget that, okay?
Night-night, darling.
-Hey, stop it.
-Please don't fight.
-Stop it.
-I was here first.
Just make this guy go.
Uh, right.
What cereal do you want?
Alright, you can have it
this time.
-Rice Krispies?
-I want Rice Krispies.
Alright.
Fuck's sake.
Okay. No, I'll do it.
Thanks.
I'll do it, thank you.
-Is that it?
-Mm.
Where's the milk?
Where's the milk?
There's, there's no normal milk,
but there's, uh,
there's loads of your mum's...
-Got loads of soy milk.
-No, it tastes like farts.
I know, but it's...
it's all we've got, so...
Aah!
Oh, God.
Hey, don't do that.
You sure you want to
go back today?
'Cause you know you don't
have to if it feels too soon.
Mm-hmm.
Right, um, jacket, please.
Which is your jacket?
-Uh, this is mine. Um...
-Okay. Alright.
Where's my P.E. kit?
-Where is it?
-I don't know.
Oh, Christ. We're gonna be late.
Right. Here.
Have a look. Where is it?
Okay. Come on. Good boy.
Let's go.
You'll have to wear it dirty.
Come on, let's go. Thank you.
It's okay.
You're gonna be alright.
It's good to have you back.
Hey. Don't worry.
We'll look after him.
Alright.
Yes, yes, I'm still here.
Right, okay.
Right.
No, I am not ringing
about myself.
I'm ringing...
Yes.
No, I gave that information
to the last person I spoke to.
Um, no.
Um, pl... pl... please
don't put me on hold.
Well, who is the right
fucking person to speak to then?
You don't think? I do.
I think I've got every reason
to speak to you like thi...
I'm sorry. We'll call you back.
I can do this.
Bit like Tracey Emin's
kitchen in here.
Should get the boys
on the washing up.
Do you wanna talk?
Yeah.
Are you getting any sleep?
Do you want me to pick them up
from school today?
Uh... Thank you.
You... you... you're good.
I just... I need...
I need to do the pick-up.
I need to...
keep things as normal
as possible for them.
So, how was it?
Um, good, I guess.
What did you get up to?
David Matthews
tried to be my friend,
but... but he used to be
my enemy at school.
Um... I just wanted to say
how sorry I am
for... for your loss.
Oh, um, thanks.
Thanks very much.
How are you coping?
Uh, I can't imagine
how you must be feeling.
I mean, we lost Mum last year,
so I can a bit.
Bowel cancer.
Oh, I'm very sorry.
But we knew it was
coming, though, with Mum.
I can't imagine what yours
must have been like with it...
being so sudden.
Um... thank you. I, I...
I just want to say I'm... I'm
here if you ever want a coffee,
or if the boys want a playdate?
My two would love that.
Wouldn't you?
Do let me know
if you need anything.
I know everyone says that,
but I... I mean it.
Come on.
Who was that?
I don't know.
Shit.
Look, Margaret...
I'd love to stay on,
it's just...
"Once upon a time
there lived a cat,
and a sparrow,
and a brave youth.
The cat and the sparrow
went to the forest,
chopped wood
and said to the brave youth,
'You keep the house,
but mind if the Baba Yaga comes
and counts the spoons...'"
-Hmm?
-Can you do the voices?
Sure.
Um...
"'You keep the house,
but mind if the Baba Yaga comes
and counts the spoons.'
'Don't say a word.
Keep quiet.'
'Very well,'
said the brave youth.
The cat and the sparrow
went away,
and the brave youth sat on
the stove behind the chimney,
anxiously awaiting their return.
Suddenly the wind outside
howled,
and the Baba Yaga entered
through the open window."
Hello, Mate.
Still not picking up.
Look, I just want to say...
Message deleted.
Hey, It's Mia.
Just checking
to see how you're doing.
Message deleted.
There he is, Sad-Dad.
Look at you, all wife-gone,
all hopeless, all furious.
She's gone, I'm here.
I'll give you something
to think about.
message deleted.
Fucking hell.
Oh, shit.
Oh, fuck.
Darling, can you hear me?
Please, please breathe.
Please breathe.
Can you hear me?
Hello?
Uh, ambulance.
Uh, I... I don't know.
She's... um...
There... there's blood.
She's on the floor.
She's not breathing.
Dad?
There's a feather on my pillow.
Hmm?
There's a feather
on my pillow.
Feathers
are made of pillows.
Right, right. For Christ's
sake, I've got kids up there.
Who is it?
Say hello.
Are you frightened?
Say hello.
Say it properly.
Say hello.
Hello, you.
Miles away.
Yeah, I could see that.
Yeah.
So, um...
How are you...
how are you holding up?
You know, good days, bad days.
How are the boys?
They miss their mum.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's got to be, um...
Yeah.
Poor little fellas.
-Which, uh, reminds me...
-Hmm?
Ah-ha.
Oh, is that Jeff's latest?
They'll love these.
Well, you know what,
I just hope it sells.
Things that bad?
You know, same old, same old.
Well, it won't be long till
you're losing money on mine.
Uh... that's actually
what I wanted to...
talk to you about, you know.
We don't expect it
any time soon.
You know,
and if you need more time...
Honestly, it's actually...
it's really nice
to have something
else to focus on.
Sure?
Well, is it not,
you know, a bit much?
I'm... I'm sure.
Okay.
So, you have
to jump off the bed.
Then just put your feet on here,
and then you have to try
and jump back onto the bed.
- And then you get one point.
- Okay.
Oh! You lost!
I got it!
Cannonball!
Three, two, one.
Cannonball!
Just don't go into the closet.
I don't want to bang my head.
Whoa, whoa, careful, careful.
Now you shall pay!
Alright, that's enough.
Bath time now, please.
-Three, two, one. Cannonball!
-Cannonball!
- Boys?
- Reset it, stupid.
Boys, I said bath time now.
Get off, I'm gonna cannonball.
I hope he doesn't come to our
house and rings on the doorbell.
Alright, no bath,
but can you brush your teeth
and put your pajamas on, please?
-That's crazy!
-Three, two one!
Can you hear me?
When I come back, I want you
to have brushed your teeth
and put your pajamas on, okay?
Okay?
Got ya!
I don't feel deserving of this,
I really don't.
I need to thank, er,
before they play the music
and I'm out of time...
Er, I mean, I don't care.
I'm not leaving this stage
before i thank my wife.
Tor, you are my undying,
enduring inspiration.
I love you.
Ah!
Ah.
Hey, hey, hey, hey,
it's alright.
-It's okay.
-There's someone in here.
Shh. No, no, no.
Look, look, look.
There's no one in here.
It's alright, okay.
There's someone in here.
You just had a bad dream,
alright?
Come on, come here.
Oh. Okay, let's get you
out of those wet things.
There we go. Okay.
-It's alright.
-I heard him.
Who?
The Crow-man from your drawings.
Crow?
Those are Daddy's drawings,
alright?
Look at me.
Sweetheart, they're not real.
They're just drawings, alright?
It's alright. It's okay.
They're not real.
Not real.
It's not real.
Oh.
Ah.
Kraaa!
Kraaa!
Did I or did I not?
Not sudden trauma!
Head down.
Head down, distant dad.
What the fuck?
Trauma
and now distant dad...
Funny how we first met.
I could have bent him
backwards over a chair,
and drip-fed him sour bulletins
of the true one-hour dying
of his wife.
Other birds would have.
But no. No.
I believe in
the therapeutic method.
Dad?
Dad?
What are you doing?
Are you dead?
Dad?
- Dad?
- I'm not dead.
Dad?
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are we doing today?
Getting dressed for school.
But it's a Saturday.
Then... then you're switching
the kettle on for me.
Off you go. Off you go.
Toot, toot, toot, toot
Keep moving
Argh, fuck.
Crap everywhere.
For God's sake.
Boys, um, I need you to...
I need you to help me today.
I need you to help tidying up,
alright?
No, no, no, I'm not joking.
I need you to help tidy up
and put things
where they're supposed to be,
or I will pick up any toy
that I find on the floor
and I will put it in the bin.
Mmm, everything clean!
I am serious!
Go in there now and tidy it up!
Please.
Good morning,
English Widower.
Sleep well, did we?
I find humans incredibly dull.
Not now. No, not now.
Incredibly dull,
except in grief.
There are very few humans
that interest me.
But grieving widowers do.
Grieving widowers
and motherless children
-are pure crow.
-Leave them alone!
How long has it been now?
Uh...
Uh, three months.
Actually, nearly four months.
Four months, huh?
It takes time
to come to terms with.
Yeah, I'm not sure I want
to come to terms with it.
Okay.
I don't really think
there are any terms
that would make it alright,
so...
Yeah.
Alright.
Did you rely on her for...
-emotional...
-Everything.
Everything.
It's okay to feel overwhelmed.
We... we can talk about
coping strategies or...
No, it's alright.
I just... I, um...
I really came here
to talk about my children.
Alright. Have there been
changes to their behavior?
Uh, my youngest
is wetting the bed,
nightmares, that kind of thing.
And...
my older one is... is playing up
a little bit more than usual.
Are you maintaining routine?
Structured bedtimes, mealtimes?
Not really, no.
Oh. Well, you should
stick to routine if you can.
Children take comfort
from routine.
Do you let them see you grieve?
I've been trying not to.
Right. You...
you need to change that.
You know, and you mustn't ignore
your own grief to protect them.
Ah, there he is.
Sad-Dad.
"Doctor..."
"Doctor, I think I'm being
followed by a crow."
You're not fucking real.
Grieving widower
to aisle nine.
Grieving widower
to aisle nine.
"Stick to routines,"
is that what he said?
"Children need routines?"
Not those boys.
Those boys need
bows and arrows,
they need stories,
they need myths,
they need chaos,
they need crow.
You're not real!
Really?
Listen. Leftover,
blank space, death face,
shock, severed, remnant,
earless, eyeless.
Now who's this? Who? Me? Him?
Void filler, time killer.
Oi, stab it!
Dead wife,
let me pick that skull empty.
Spraddle it. Down.
Tot along. Dad, scarper.
Take leave, English widower.
Take leave, grieve,
gallop through corpse dust.
But don't forget to grieve.
Hunted king. Uncrowned.
You don't deserve me.
You don't get to say
how this goes anymore.
No.
Paul?
Yeah, yeah, it's me. Um...
I need your help, please.
Yeah, now.
I'm happy to do it.
Of course, I am.
I'm just not sure
about you being alone.
Look, I just need
to work through things
for a bit on my own, Paul.
And I... I just...
I want them safe.
What does that mean?
I'm worried about you.
I'm not gonna do anything.
Come on then.
Do your worst.
No.
I intend to do my best.
Draw for me.
If I do this,
will you go away?
I won't leave until
you don't need me anymore.
I don't need you.
Be careful.
There are far worse than me.
Far, far worse.
Draw.
Draw what?
Draw one of your stories,
a memory,
the first thing
that comes to mind.
No, no, no, no!
Piss poor!
Looks like a fucking Vettriano.
Piss poor!
Fuck's sake.
That's more like it.
It's cold... and snowing.
It's just the three of us.
I took the boys out
to give her some peace
because she was ill.
She had the flu.
You're still very hot.
She never got ill.
-There's a ghost!
-Dad, Dad, it's snowing.
And the boys must have
been, what, three and four?
Love you.
I took them out.
Out to the park and...
Are these your shoes?
I was hopeless.
No wellies.
No patience.
Wait, wait.
Come on.
My feet hurt.
They wouldn't stop whinging.
There we go.
It's a little bit cold.
Here we go.
They were cold.
That was the first time
they realized
I wasn't the amazing dad
they thought I was.
I want Mummy.
It's okay, it's okay.
It's alright, come on.
Mummy's not very well, is she?
That was it, wasn't it?
The dress rehearsal
for the rest of our lives.
Hey. I didn't bother
calling ahead.
I didn't want to give you the
chance to tell me to piss off.
Come in.
So...
how are you doing?
You know...
Sorry.
It's just that you're the first
real person that I've seen
in a couple of days.
Real person?
Oh, no, no.
No, no. That is not happening.
There's times when I get angry
with her, you know?
"How could you die on me?"
She's the stoic one.
She'd have made a much
better widow.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's inconsiderate of her.
Her mum keeps ringing me
to remind me of things,
you know?
"Do you remember when she... ?"
And I know why she's doing it,
but...
I don't want that.
I don't want her turned
into a series of anecdotes,
because it just reminds me
that she's gone.
But she is gone.
Yeah, but if I'm lucky,
once or twice a week,
I think she's gonna be back
in a minute.
She's gonna be back.
I've got a confession to make.
Hmm?
You remember when you split up
in the third year?
Mm-hmm.
And you gave me that poem
you wrote her
- to win her back?
- Hmm.
She thought it was shit.
Well...
Well, it worked, didn't it?
I don't know what
you were thinking.
And I wasn't gonna
give it to her.
But she waited until
I went to the loo,
and then she went into my bag,
and she got it.
I was... I was
trying to look out for you.
Didn't need to.
We talked. Well, she talked.
You know what she was like.
And she came round to
an appreciation of it.
Of you.
You two were never
not gonna be a thing.
You were perfect for each other.
Yeah.
And I called you back
To a place beside me
And I called you back...
This is fucking awful.
Leave me alone, Crow. I like it.
You would!
Middle-aged, middle-class,
white widower music.
Guardian reading,
beard stroking,
farmer's market, guest ale,
Birkenstock, Barbican shit!
Yeah.
Yeah.
You're such a cliche,
you know?
The dead wife trope.
You'll have the photo album
out next.
You'll be talking
to her headstone.
Crow, just leave me alone.
Aah!
Once upon a time,
there was a king who had...
-Crow, please...
-...two sons, the Queen,
and by the way, they were
perfect for each other.
Please, please, shut up.
Please, please.
They were perfect
for each other.
-They were never not going...
-Shut up!
-...to be a thing.
-Shut up! Shut up!
There we go. There we go.
The Queen had fallen
and bashed her skull in.
And so, she bled to death.
- Please, no more, please.
- Blood everywhere.
I'm trying to tell you a story.
I don't want a fucking story.
I want her back. I...
I want her back,
or I want to be gone.
You want her back.
You wish you were dead.
You wish you were dead.
Very original.
How very fucking original!
Ooh!
-Good, you're angry. Come on!
-Yes! I'm fucking angry!
Oh, fucking angry!
"Yes, I'm fucking angry!"
I... I miss her.
She... she was everything
to me, and now...
"She was everything
to me." Euugh!
You sound like a fucking
fridge magnet!
Fuck!
Now, listen.
Bom, bom, bom, bom
Bom, bom, bom, bom
Bom, bom, bom, bom
Ba, ba, ba, ba
Look at him.
Some may call my work vulgar.
Primal, even.
But I've got him where
he needs to be.
Dad?
Boys.
Mum?
Boys, can you come into
the living room, please?
-I need to talk to you.
-Fine.
We've just got to take
off our gloves.
Mum?
Come sit down, please.
Come on, sit down.
I need to talk to you.
Give me your hand, please.
Um...
Mummy's not here. Okay?
There was, uh...
She got sick
and there was an accident.
And, um...
This is what we know
about our mom.
She always smelled nice.
When she told stories,
she did all the voices.
She loved playing
loud pop music,
because it annoyed Dad.
And then she died.
Our mum died.
After that,
everything was different.
We were different.
Different boys.
Dad was different.
A different kind of dad.
Boys?
Doesn't sound like
you're brushing your teeth.
Boys, are you doing what
I asked you to do?
Boys, come on...
What are you doing?
Take those off.
Dad told stories.
The stories changed
when dad changed.
He went quiet.
Angry.
He'd disappear.
Dad told stories.
The stories changed
when dad changed.
We really miss you.
I told my brother
she could still see us
through the mirrors.
I need you.
He'd spend ages
in the bathroom.
Dad says we're going
to Granny Margaret's
after Christmas.
Will you be there too?
I felt bad about it
for a while.
My brother gets angry
when he loses things
that remind him of her.
He said if
he had to lose things,
Dad should too.
So, it got quite physical,
and...
In the end there's been
a couple of punches thrown,
and the other child
was quite badly hurt.
And in the midst of that,
another member of staff
has come to help...
...especially
with a teacher.
I mean, what were you thinking?
It is not okay.
I mean, what do you think your
mother would have said, hmm?
-No, no, wait, just wait.
-Hey, stop it.
Get off me.
-Ow. Ow.
-I hate you!
It's alright. It's okay.
Dad was different.
A different kind of dad.
Is he here? Is he there?
Is he somewhere over here?
Are you coming or what?
Everyone's gonna run out
of sweets.
-My God, you look amazing.
-Do you like it?
It's something you're
doing with your eyes.
It's new.
It's almost
what you're not seeing.
Can we go to Mrs. Dawson's?
Sure, we can go
to Mrs. Dawson's.
-She has the best sweets.
-Does she have the best sweets?
Alright. Show me the way.
Show me the way.
Which way am I going?
- This way.
- This way?
And then which way?
Are you still with us?
This is symbolic,
isn't it?
- What is?
- This.
This dream, this memory.
This confection,
whatever it is.
I wonder what it all means.
Your wife's not a ghost,
you know.
She's not wailing
about the house,
watching you raise
those boys without her.
-No.
-No.
You're the ghost now.
Boys?
Boys?
Urgh.
Will Dad
ever be normal again?
He wasn't normal before.
So, here's the base.
We have to get through
the passage of peril
and retrieve...
the doom crystals.
What's the volcano for?
Come on, come on.
Listen to that.
Our boys.
I love them like this.
Building worlds full of life,
full of possibility.
I think it's time, don't you?
Crow?
Yes?
Be kind to them.
Naturally.
Let's get the doom crystals.
We have to go faster.
Now, now.
I'm just taking lit...
little crystals on the way.
Ching!
I found another one.
What is it?
Hello, boys.
Now boys.
Now boys.
Should we play a game?
Should we play a game?
Here's how it's gonna work.
You two boys must each
build here on the floor...
...a model of your mother.
...a model
of your mother.
Just as you remember her.
And whichever of you builds
the best model will win.
Not the most realistic,
but the best.
Yes. The truest.
And the prize is this.
The best model I will bring
to life for one day.
A real living mother
to tuck you up in bed.
No.
No. As you remember her.
Right.
And stop. Hmm.
They're both excellent.
You've got her smile.
It's uncanny.
And you have captured
her... posture.
-Hah.
-Which one won?
Uh, well...
Which one's gonna be turned
into Mum?
Sorry, what?
- You promised.
- Yes.
- Where is she?
- But you didn't think...
that she... Where is she?
Where is she,
you bloody old crow?
She's dead.
She can't come back.
That's it, boys,
that's all you've got.
How you doing, boys?
Nearly done?
You can go read these
to Dad shortly.
How's he been, your Dad?
I don't know.
And did you keep an emotion
diary the last two weeks?
No.
That... that's okay.
Did you try
the meditation exercises?
Ohmmmm...
Boys!
No. No, no, it's okay.
It can feel a bit silly
at first.
Is there anything
that you wanna talk about?
Thoughts of Mum?
Right, that's okay.
Maybe we could draw a picture
that shows me how
you're feeling,
and then we can talk about them
afterwards.
Yeah? Sound good?
Cool.
I thought it would get easier.
I... I thought...
Listen, uh...
I think we should
talk about the difference
between grief and despair.
Gran!
- Look at you two.
- Gran!
You're so skinny.
Has your Dad not been
feeding you?
Oh. Come on in.
Hello.
-Hi.
-Merry Christmas.
-Merry Christmas.
-Yeah.
Alright, come on.
Makes them on his own,
even without the book outlines.
I'll see how they're getting on.
So, how's the comic coming on?
Do I call it a comic,
or a graphic novel?
No, you can call it a comic.
Um...
Yeah, it's... it's alright.
It's interesting.
Dad doesn't like it when people
call them graphic novels.
He says it's wanky.
That's what you say.
Well, you wolfed that down,
boys.
Did we get you the right ones
this time?
He's like his mum.
If she was doing something,
she'd pretend
she couldn't hear you.
Was that okay?
Potatoes weren't my best.
Oh, delicious.
What was she like?
Our mum when she was young.
Your mum?
Stubborn.
You two have got
a lot of her in you,
in different ways.
How am I like her?
You're funny.
She was very... quick-witted,
wasn't she, Keith?
Yeah, cheeky bugger, more like.
Oh, no, no, it's alright.
I'll do it. I'll do it.
It was adorable
when she was little.
But when she was a teenager...
Oh, my God,
you couldn't win an argument.
Go and get the photo album
from next door,
and I'll show you the first time
she brought your dad back here.
Destroy the Crow!
Catch and kill.
Let's get Crow!
Shut the gates! Kill him,
and drown him in blood.
All crows, shut the gates!
If he takes our castle,
we burn it!
So much of her
when the boys smile,
it's the same smile.
You can take this home with you
if you want.
-No, that's good. Keep it here.
-No, leave it here, yeah?
-Keep it here. It's good...
-Well... Let the boys see it?
Yeah, they should...
they should see it.
-They should see it.
-Oh.
Woo-hoo, wiggly-wiggly! Up here!
Kraa, kraa, kraa!
We move on, do we not?
We hurtle, do we not?
Love drunk. Fox cubs.
Dead meat. Rat-tat-tat.
Catch and kill!
-Kill him!
-Come on, he went this way.
Come on.
Look at this hat, look.
I think that was my mum's hat.
I'm just gonna check on them,
actually...
-Okay, okay.
-See you in a minute.
Yeah. Alright.
Boys?
Boys?
Boys, what the hell do you
think you're doing, huh?
I've been looking
for you everywhere.
You're bleeding.
What's going on? Huh?
I'm fine.
You've got cuts and scratches
all over you.
What have you been doing to him?
What have you been doing?
-It was Crow.
-It wasn't fucking Crow.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
I'm not angry with you.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I miss... I miss...
I miss Mummy.
I'm so sorry.
Sometimes we felt like
he was our dad again.
But it never lasted.
I'm gonna start
getting a bit worried
if you don't pick up
the phone.
We're thinking about
you today.
Give us a call, eh?
Hope you're alright.
I've tried
you a couple of times.
Today's been tough, and, um,
I'm sure it has for you too.
Anniversaries are hard,
and well...
- Dad?
- Hmm?
Are you gonna read us a story?
No, it's too late.
-Please.
-I said no.
No bedtime stories tonight.
Shame on you.
Does Daddy need a cuddle?
Once upon a time there was
a king who had two sons.
One day his queen
dropped down dead.
Fuck off!
And so, the king
allowed his kingdom
to go to ruin...
and abandoned his two sons,
so he could wallow
in self-pity.
Out. Get out.
No more.
No more.
You have to go.
Are you sure about that?
Yes, yes. Fuck, yes!
Let's see what happens
without me.
Dad?
Who is it?
Simon Coleridge.
From number 56.
How can I help you, Simon?
I know we don't know each other.
I wondered if I could
borrow some milk.
Oh, I'm afraid we've...
we've run out of milk.
I'm sure the shop on the corner
will still be open.
There is no number 56.
Now, boys...
Daddy can't tell you a story
tonight, but I can.
Once upon a time
there was a demon,
a terrible demon
who fed on despair.
A demon who would hunt
every inch of the Earth
for the saddest,
most delicious person
he could find.
He's a very clever demon...
...boys.
Very cunning.
Who is it?
It's Dan. From Parenthesis.
-Dan?
-Yeah.
From Parenthesis?
Can I come in?
It's pissing down.
I've worked there for years,
and I... I've never heard
of anyone called Dan.
What's your last name... Dan?
Graves.
I'm new there.
They put me on your book.
Thought I'd say hello.
I can't let you in.
I've come all this way.
No, you're gonna have to leave.
Can I at least
use your lav?
Now, boys.
This demon can only feast
if those in despair allow it.
So, who do you think
he's coming for tonight?
Who do we know... that's sad?
Open the door.
It's the police.
I'm gonna give you to the count
of five and I'm coming in.
- One, two...
- What's going on?
- Go back upstairs to your room.
- Three...
What's going on?
-Four...
-Go upstairs.
-Five...
-Now!
Okay, have it your way.
There's someone here
who wants to speak to you.
Mum?
It's me.
I'm back.
Open the door.
No.
Open up.
Let me in.
-Are the boys there?
-Mum!
No.
No, boys, no...
-Don't, don't...
-Mum! Mum!
-Please stop, please.
-Mum, Mum!
-Please, it's not Mummy.
-Mum!
-Don't. Don't. Don't!
-Mum!
I've missed you all
so much.
Come on, open up.
Open the door.
Come on.
Dad.
- Let him go, boy.
- Dad!
Let him go.
I missed you.
I love you.
Come with me.
Mum!
Let me in.
Boys?
Boys, could you come into
the living room, please.
I need to talk to you.
What do you think your
mother would have said, hmm?
The boys are so...
And nobody came, nobody came...
Boys! Boys!
Boys!
Oh, no!
No, no. No more.
No more!
Crow!
Come back!
Please! Crow!
Dad?
Dad?
Come here. Come here.
Come here.
Don't look. It's alright.
I've got you. I've got you.
I'm here. It's alright, boys.
I've got you.
Stay here. Stay down.
Crow.
Come here. Don't move.
Don't move.
I am Crow
of the death-chill.
God-eating.
Trash-licking.
Word-murdering,
math-bomb motherfucker.
Oh, God, no.
Uh... Towel.
Quick. Give me a towel.
He's been cut. Here. Here.
Another one.
It's alright, Crow.
It's okay. It's okay.
Just keep with us, please.
Please, Crow.
Don't die on us.
Please don't die.
Please.
You can't die.
Crow, don't die.
We need... we need you, Crow.
We need you.
Crow?
"Please don't die, Crow."
"Please don't die."
"We need you, Crow."
"We need you."
Obviously.
Here he is, the man of the hour.
- Thank you.
- The book's beautiful.
Oh, thank you.
It'd want to be beautiful.
He only kept us waiting
18 months, didn't he?
Eh?
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Got a lot of questions.
So do I.
Seriously, though,
very proud to have it.
Very, very proud. Very proud.
Sorry, are you my brother?
You look a bit like him.
I mean, he's usually
a lot scruffier.
Come here.
Kate, thank you for coming.
Amanda's here. Give me a moment.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Thank you.
I wouldn't miss it. Hey.
Come on, then. Say a few words.
On the spot.
Um, well, uh...
Uh, thank you, everyone,
for coming tonight.
Thank you, Andy,
for organizing it.
Um...
Sorry, I'm not... I'm not very
good at public speaking, so...
Uh, where was I? Um...
Yes, well, thank you.
It's taken a while to get here,
and I...
I wouldn't be here tonight, um,
without a lot of...
people in this room.
So, thank you.
Thank you to my two boys
for putting up
with your sad, mad dad.
I love you both very much.
Um, thank you, too, Paul.
As you were...
English widower.
Let's go all the way back
to the...
Let's go all the way back.
Sorry.
You'd have hated this.
But you're not here, so...
I'm gonna do it anyway.
"To all light things,
I compared her...
to a snowflake, a feather.
I remember she rested
at the dance on my arm..."
I love you!
I love you.
I love you!
I love you.
I love you! I love you!
I love you! I love you!
I love you!
I love you!
I love you! I love you!
I love you.
Whoa!
I love you.
Across the evening sky
All the birds are leaving
But how can they know
It's time for them to go?
Before the winter fire
I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time
For who knows
Where the time goes?
Who knows
Where the time
Goes?
Sad, deserted shore
Your fickle friends
are leaving
Ah, but then you know
It's time for them to go
But I will
Still be here
I have no
thought of leaving
I do not count the time
For who knows
Where the time goes?
Who knows
Where the time
Goes?
And I am not alone
While my love is near me
I know it will be so
Until it's time to go
So come
the storms of winter
And then the birds
in spring again
I have no fear of time