From (2022) s01e03 Episode Script

Choosing Day

Previously, on From Is Daddy coming home? Any second now.
You go start saying your prayers.
I'll be there in a minute.
- Meagan, what are you doing? - Maybe I can come in.
Meagan, no! You want a drink, huh? - Get the - No.
A man protects his family, Frank.
Open your eyes and look! Look at what you did.
Look at them.
No! Tell my parents I said goodbye.
Mom, Julie killed Norman.
- What happened to Norman? - The monsters killed them.
There's no such thing as monsters, honey.
Why is there a tree in the middle of the road? Must've gotten knocked down in a storm or something.
Oh, this can't be the same place.
Excuse me? We're trying to get back onto the highway.
Could you We're on the same fucking road.
Dad, I think he's bleeding.
There's something in his leg.
Are you a doctor? I was a third-year medical student.
Please stop.
It hurts.
Ow! We can make it to Colony House.
Run as fast as you can, no matter what you see.
No matter what you hear, you do not stop.
Hey, I need help here! Hey.
Hey! Donna, let us in! You're from one of those two cars? That hasn't happened in a long, long time.
What do you think it means? There are things you need to know about where you are.
This, unfortunately, is gonna be the worst conversation of your life.
Do you believe in monsters? Why did you bring me here? 'Cause I wanted you to see that if you climb high enough, even a nightmare can look like a dream.
- This isn't your fault.
- What do you mean? I hear their voices.
They said it was the only way to go home.
Sara, just tell me what you did.
I left the door open.
Those things.
They walk.
They never run.
They know there's only so many places we can go.
I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread here.
I can't find any more bodies.
- What are you looking at? - Nothing.
- Oh, my God! Oh, my God! - Come on! Come on! Open the damn door! You have a bad dream? Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Tobey! Somebody get me out of this fucking thing.
Hey! - Tobey, where are you? - What's going on? Anybody fucking Hey.
Shut the fuck up.
People are trying to sleep.
- Who the fuck are you? - Sorry.
I'm usually more cordial when I do this.
You picked one hell of a time to finally wake up.
Listen.
I don't know what's going on here, alright, but you get me outta these fucking straps right fucking now, or I swear to God I'm What? Do you have any idea who I am? Oh, shit.
You're one of those.
One of what? Okay.
Let's start at the beginning.
You hungry, Frank? Anything you need? Look.
It's important for you to understand that what happens tonight it's not personal.
I know.
She liked you.
Lauren.
She always liked you.
She said you were hard on people 'cause you had to be.
That you made the decisions other people couldn't.
You're the one who was gonna get everybody home.
I wasn't always like this, you know.
None of us were.
Look.
If there's anything you need, anyone you wanna see, maybe, tie up loose ends There is one thing I'd like to do.
So, you're telling me that right now I'm in a town I can't leave, and that every night when the sun goes down, monsters come from the forest to hunt us? Monsters who, incidentally, killed my friend the other night.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Fuck off.
This is this is something.
Where did he where did he find you? Who? Tobey.
Are you guys individual hires, or is this one of those traveling companies? 'Cause, I mean, you play the whole thing pretty great.
I buy it.
Not him so much.
I just I thought you were trying a little bit too hard.
But otherwise, I Bravo.
Oh.
Money well spent.
So, uh, okay.
So, what's next? Is there, uh Is there, like, some kind of puzzle I have to solve? Mmm.
Actually, you know what? Never mind.
- Don't spoil it for me.
- Where are you going? Well, I'm not gonna solve the puzzle sitting here all day.
I'm gonna, you know, check out the town, turn over a few stones.
Fuck.
Fuckin' Tobey.
This must have cost a fortune.
You want me to keep an eye on him? No.
Let him wander around town for a while.
We got enough to deal with here.
Ha.
Okay.
It's not quite my Giacometti, but, uh, it'll do.
Oh, perfect! Is that for me? Excuse me? Hey.
Do you, uh do you have anything motorized, - like a scooter or something? - What? No.
No? Okay.
This'll do.
Thank you.
I No, that's my Uh Hey, buddy.
Can I go outside today? Oh, honey.
You need to stay in bed a little longer.
I'm tired of staying in bed.
And I don't like these pajamas.
They're itchy and they don't fit right.
Oh, come on.
Your dad went to the RV to get our stuff.
So tonight you're gonna sleep in your own pajamas.
We all should've gone.
Well, we thought it was best if Dad went on his own.
Well, I don't like people going through my stuff.
Nobody's gonna do that.
Yeah, okay.
How long are we gonna be here? We are, uh we're figuring that out.
Hey.
You hungry? I saw they're making eggs.
Do you want some eggs? Hobo eggs? No.
No, no, no.
No hobo eggs.
But they have oatmeal.
Okay.
What about you? You hungry? Uh, no.
I think I'm just gonna go for a walk.
- Okay.
Stay close.
- Yeah.
I am going to get you your oatmeal.
Stay there.
Oh, jeez.
You okay? Here.
Let me get that.
One three four, five.
Berries? I'm okay.
There's an apple tree out back if you'd prefer that.
I see you grow your own food.
Supermarkets around here are terrible, so Oh.
You're joking.
Ellis and your dad are gonna be back soon.
You'll feel a lot better once you have some of your own things.
Yeah, I guess.
Hey.
You doing okay? No.
Not really.
Come here.
All right.
Let's see what we got here, bud.
I heard you were getting a little itchy, so Thank you, Dad.
You're welcome.
Um, how did it go? It was, uh it was good.
Yeah? Are my books in there? Oh.
Books! How did I forget books? Dad Oh, let's see.
Maybe there's one.
Maybe I can find something.
Oh, wait a minute.
We have books.
What do we want? Do we want Adventures of the Grand Gooligog? Flight of the Cromenockle? Ah.
The Cromenockle.
That's my favorite.
Make the sound.
Make the sound? I have no idea what you're even doo-ooh! She doesn't sound like that.
No? Does it sound like No.
Stop.
Stop it.
Okay, okay, okay.
There's gonna be two Cromenockles for you.
Two.
Two Cromenockles for the cave.
Two Cromenockles for you.
Careful with your leg.
Julie, look.
We got our stuff.
Yeah.
So I see.
- Hey, come here.
- Julie! We're reading the Cromenockle.
Julie! - Yeah.
It's really funny.
- Hey.
Uh, sorry to interrupt.
Father Khatri is here to talk to you about the choosing ceremony.
What's the choosing ceremony? I'll let him fill you in.
All newcomers have to decide where they're gonna live.
Here in Colony House or down in the town.
It's just part of how we do things here.
I'd like to take the both of you, show you around.
Maybe take you to the house you'd be staying in, should you choose the town.
Well, I wanna come.
What? This is about all of us, right? I wanna see.
We need you to stay here and be with Ethan.
Donna can watch Ethan.
Okay.
Fine.
You guys go ahead.
Hey.
We won't be gone long.
Okay.
You know what? Maybe I should stay.
I shouldn't leave her alone.
I think it's very important that both of you see this.
It's gonna be okay.
She's a tough kid.
Takes after her mother.
Come.
Good morning, everybody.
What's cooking today, huh? Is this where I find my next clue? Is this where the, uh Is this where the monsters jump from the shadows? Uh, "Oh, what wonders will avail themselves in the quaint little roadside diner in which my guard hath fallen?" Huh? I did some summer stock back in the day.
Not bad, right? Oh, thank you.
I'm starving.
- What've we got? - Hey.
There's a line.
Look.
I'm all for authenticity, but I'm also really hungry, and since y'all basically work for me anyways, it's kind of okay.
Ow.
What the All right.
Jeez.
People really take all this seriously.
What are you doing here? You promised you'd stay home.
If I didn't show up, they would have wondered why.
It'll be okay.
I wanna help.
- Sara - I need to help.
You should get back to the barn.
- It'll be okay.
- Sara I promise.
It's the talismans that keep them out.
Now, there are a number of other precautions people take.
Nailing the windows shut, for instance.
With a child in the house, this is a must.
Why? Well, there'll be nights where these these things, they'll try to convince you to let them in.
And children tend to be most susceptible.
How are people walking around like all this is normal? Well, the people who survive here are the ones who adapt.
How exactly do they do that? The way someone who lives on a fault line, for example.
They adapt to the notion that the earth could just open up and swallow them at any given moment.
They go on with their lives because that reality is a part of the world that they live in.
Look.
I wish there was an explanation I could give you that would make any of this easier.
But it's gonna be fine.
Okay? Just always remember.
Place the talisman by the door.
Cover your windows.
Nail your windows shut.
You do these things, your family's going to be just fine.
Hey.
Um, I'm sorry.
What's that? Um, we call that the box.
It's our only form of punishment we have here.
You see, the rules we live by are meant to protect each other, to keep each other safe.
And when someone's actions or negligence leads to the death of a resident in town, the only punishment for that crime is a night in the box.
Jesus.
But you keep one of those talismans in there, right? No.
How many times have you used it? Tonight will be the first.
Look.
Come.
- Your house is just up ahead.
- Yeah.
So, it's not much, but it'll keep you comfortable if you choose to live in town.
Looks like somebody's already living here.
Um, there was a There was an incident the night before you arrived.
The first we'd had in months.
What kind of incident? The kind that happens when people are careless.
It was a child? Holy fuck.
Meagan, and her mother Lauren.
The father was passed out drunk at the other end of town when it happened.
This is what happens when you break the rules.
Tabitha, wait.
No, Jim, I'm sorry.
I can't.
I can't do that right now.
You make it seem like we have a choice.
Jim.
Jim, this is fucking insane! That woman and her little girl were ripped apart.
Now they're putting the dad in some fucking box at sundown for those things to You heard what the priest said.
If he'd have followed the rules, they'd all still be alive right now.
Jim? Why are you Why are you so eager to take any of this at face value, Jim? Because I can still hear those things whispering outside the RV.
I can still hear them tapping on the glass.
Tabby, whatever this is, it's real, and we are stuck.
So we better figure out a way to make the best of it.
'Cause we don't want to end up like No, no, no.
No.
This was Meagan's favorite spot.
Put this swing here for her, and she was always wanting me to push her higher and higher, but Lauren was afraid it wasn't safe.
You'll bury me next to them, right? Yeah.
Of course.
Okay.
I'll just be a few minutes here.
Okay.
Take whatever time you need.
All right, little guy.
Give that a try and let me know how it feels.
Feel good? It hurts my armpit.
Oh, it hurts your armpit? Okay.
Hold on.
Here.
I'll add a little extra padding there for you, and if this feels good, I'll tie it on later, okay? Here.
Try that.
Ready? Here.
Let's go down the stairs, yeah.
Take your time.
There you go, buddy.
Come on.
Three, two, one.
Boom! He's adorable.
Why are you doing this? What do you mean? You guys barely know us.
It's just what we do.
It's, like, the ultimate escape room.
I mean, seriously, I don't know how he pulled all this together.
So, um, I'm thinking maybe there's a clue in each one of the buildings? Hmm? Am I getting warmer? 'Cause I mean, usually, you know, you have some type of prompt that lets you know which direction to go.
But this is, uh This is just some next-level shit.
Has, uh Has anyone talked to you yet? Yeah.
The lady up at the, uh, big house.
Donna.
I mean, she gave me the whole intro.
You know, the monsters in the forest.
Tobey's dead.
Blah, blah, blah.
But she didn't give me any hints about where I'm supposed to go next.
Here's the thing, though.
Like, as thorough as all this feels, there's a couple flaws in the logic.
I'm sitting here eating eggs in a diner in a place that's supposed to be, what, some kind of mystical nightmare? I mean, I don't know about you, but my nightmares don't usually serve breakfast.
I suppose you're gonna tell me you've got chickens roaming around in the big bad forest? Yeah, but the chickens, the cows? We don't really know where they come from.
Mmm.
That's actually not bad for a nightmare breakfast.
I should probably get going.
Am I supposed to get anything from you? What? I don't know.
Like a clue or some kind of cryptic direction? You know what? Never mind.
I'll figure it out.
Thanks.
- Was that - The guy from the other car.
He's gonna get himself killed.
Um, are you hungry? Have you eaten anything yet? No, I'm fine.
I just came to check on you guys.
Right.
Okay.
How's she doing? Well, she's Uh, like I said, denial is a major part of our family tree.
Let's see, now.
Twelve.
Ten, 12.
Okay.
What are you doing? I don't think you're supposed to be out here.
Are you looking for something? Go away.
I can help you look.
I'm good at finding stuff.
I'm not looking.
I'm checking.
What are you checking? You ask a lot of questions.
That was only three.
- I can help you check.
- No.
No, you're trouble.
Your mom or pop comes back and they see you out here, who gets blamed? And Donna cuts me off.
Then no more peaches.
- What are you talking about? - Just go away.
Have you seen the boy who lives out here? - What? - Forget it.
No, no.
Hold on.
What do you mean "lives out here"? He's always walking around out here, and I never see him inside.
So I figured he lived out here somewhere.
Is that right? We're friends.
Are you, now? Well, it's good to have friends.
Okay.
Wait.
Hey, come here.
I'm checking to see if they've moved.
If what moved? The trees.
- Really? - Yeah.
Did they? Don't know yet.
I'm not done checking.
Ethan? Ethan, what the fuck? Get back inside.
Mom told me to watch you.
Guess I gotta go.
Yeah.
I guess you'd better, then.
Will you let me know about the trees? I'll keep you looped.
Ethan, now.
Hey.
If you see that friend of yours, tell him Victor says hello.
Don't talk to him.
Why? Because he's creepy.
- No, he's not.
- Come on.
He's checking to see if the trees moved.
Yeah, and that's totally normal.
One, two.
Yahtzee.
All right, Tobey.
Let's see what you got.
Holy shit.
What the fuck? Tobey, you're a fucking genius! Ah.
Woo! That's a sight I don't see very often.
Yeah, well Don't get used to it.
He's not answering.
Well, perhaps you're not listening closely enough.
I can't do it.
Frank.
The box.
Can't do it.
It was never supposed I built the goddamn box as a deterrent.
It's supposed to scare people.
I can't.
All right.
Let's say you don't.
Let's say you absolve Frank of all his crimes.
Then what? What happens next time? I mean, you warned him on several occasions.
Very publicly, I might add.
How do you think people are gonna react when you let Frank go? How much weight do you think the rules that hold this town together will carry? Aren't you supposed to be talking to me about the virtues of mercy? I see.
Is that what you'd prefer? Hey.
I'd prefer not to put a broken man in a fucking box to be torn apart when the sun goes down! That's what I'd prefer.
I'm not gonna stand here and pretend like this is an easy decision.
Great.
But you built a guillotine in the town square.
What do you think happens when people realize you lack the conviction to use it? You're a terrible fucking priest.
You know that? Fucking worst.
Now I'm cursing in the house of the Lord.
What the fuck is this? Goddamn it! There's a little shack about a hundred yards beyond the tree line.
You take that, you put it next to the door, and you make whatever life you can out there.
What are you gonna tell everybody? Thank you all for coming.
Today, our newcomers will choose where they would like to spend their days here with us.
Should you choose to spend your time with the people of the town to live by our rules for the good of the community until we find our way back home, you will select the rock.
Should you choose to join with the people of Colony House to live for today because tomorrow is not guaranteed, you will select the flower.
Now, once you have chosen, this choice will be final.
- Like many of us here - Father Khatri? Uh, sorry.
Do you mind if I, uh Uh, yeah.
Sure.
Since we're all gathered here, figure I might as well address the elephant in the room.
Been a lot of questions today about Frank, the box, the rules.
There is a fine line between savagery and consequence.
And if we're not willing Frank? I'd like to say a few things, if that's all right.
You know what I've been thinking about these last couple of days, sitting in my cell? Christmas.
The last one me and Lauren and Meagan had before we I was a good dad, you know? I mean, I wasn't perfect, but I wasn't like this.
That last Christmas, we got Meagan her first dollhouse.
And when she saw it, the look on her face I let this town, those things in the woods, I let them get to my head, and I forgot what really mattered.
I forgot that if I'd just been a little stronger there might have still been a Christmas morning waiting for us all when we got home.
Don't let this place take that away from you.
Okay? You look after each other.
You take care of each other.
Remember what you're living for.
I appreciate everything you're trying to do for me, Sheriff.
No, I do.
I really do.
But the only two things that I love in this world are gone.
And I just wanna see my girls again.
Wait! No! Don't go, Frank.
Goddamn, I love this! It's scary.
It's, uh, dramatic.
It's Okay.
Whoa, big fella.
Okay.
All right, okay.
Easy, easy.
- Easy.
- Pick one.
You need to fucking let me go.
Ow! What the fuck? - Pick one! - I'm gonna fucking sue you.
Ow! Okay.
All right.
Okay.
- All right.
All right? - Got it.
Let's go.
Damn it! Ow! Damn! Ah! Oh, you have no idea how badly you just fucked up, okay? All right? No idea.
I am gonna I'm gonna fucking ruin you.
All right, I'm gonna fucking ruin all of you! Jade, let me show you something.
Come on.
Frank, you don't have to do this.
You shouldn't be making decisions like this when you're hurting.
No.
Look.
I'm the most clear-minded I've been in a long time.
Trust me.
All right.
Let's get this done.
Are you living in town or Colony House? Town.
Sorry.
You each have to say it.
Oh, yeah.
Town.
Ethan.
Town.
Okay.
Julie.
Colony House.
- What? No, no.
- No.
She doesn't mean that.
Girl made her choice.
- Hold on a second.
- It's done.
- Ceremony is over.
- No, no, I'm sorry.
She can't make that decision.
She's underage.
- No.
- Mom, it's fine.
No, it's not fine.
Come and stay with your family.
You don't have to do that, Julie.
I'm not talking to you.
I'm talking to my daughter.
Now, there's no way anyone's gonna expect us to Are you gonna say something? Okay.
Everybody just hold on, okay? Take a breath.
Ju Julie, Julie.
Do you want to live in Colony House? Yeah.
Why are you doing this? She chose.
Your rules, Boyd, not mine.
No, you know what? It's okay.
I change my mind.
I go.
I choose Colony House.
- Tabitha, just - What? I'm not standing here, knowing that my daughter - is in that fucking house.
- Everything is gonna be okay.
- No, it's not! Fucking no.
- Okay, look.
- We're gonna fix this.
- There is nothing to fix.
Will you shut the fuck up? Please, please, don't do this now, right here.
My son will be up there.
I promise you she will be looked after.
All right.
Uh, everybody, the sun will be going down soon.
So, uh, thank you for coming.
It's okay.
I'll take care of him.
I'm done.
All right.
Your boy, the sheriff, crossed the line, so just call me a car or whatever, 'cause I'm fucking done.
Fuck.
I need you to understand something.
No one is trying to be cruel to you.
But you need to understand what's going on.
Are you listening? Did you hear what I just said? I'm not interested.
Okay? This whole thing lost its interest for me the second that asshole put his hands on me, and Okay, you know what? This isn't funny anymore.
This, uh You hear me, guys? It's not funny anymore! This, uh Oh, God.
I Oh, God.
Oh, God, Jesus.
Tobey? All right, come on.
There he is.
You get these people home, Sheriff.
I'll do everything I can.
Promise me? Yeah, Frank.
I promise.
I'm ready.
Okay.
Careful.
In you go.
There's one outside.
Let's get you settled in.
This is, uh this is Jade.
Uh, let's get you set up.
Are you and Daddy gonna sleep in here? Yeah, yeah.
We're all going to be together.
Is Julie ever coming back? Honey, she's right up the hill.
You can see her anytime you want.
- Okay.
- Okay? Shall we have a read? Yeah! All right.
Last I remember, it was chapter three.
Start from the beginning.
Yeah.
It has been a while.
Well, it all began one sunny morning, as a cat lay comfortably basking in the sun, in a beautiful green shire.
As we always do, let's welcome our newest family member.
Here's to Julie.
To Julie! Thank you.
Welcome, kiddo.
Oh, we're glad to have you.

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