Lisey's Story (2021) s01e03 Episode Script

-Hi, Darla.
-Hey.
Amanda wants to know
when you're coming to see her.
-Really?
-No, not really. She's not talking.
I wanna know
when you're coming to see her.
I'm-- I'm coming.
I'm-- I'm coming as soon as I can.
Did you ask her if--
if she has Good Ma's cedar box?
Or did you forget?
What part of "she's not talking"
do you not understand?
Yeah, I know.
Okay, I'm sorry.
Matter of fact, I did ask her,
and for a moment, she actually
seemed to know I was in the room,
so maybe she does have it.
-Do you want me to bring anything?
-Yes.
Some pj's.
That blue jumper thing
they have her in is horrible.
Oh, and bring some Oreos.
Those always seem to cheer her up.
Yeah, but is she allowed
to have them? Do you know?
Did you ask the doctor if she's
even allowed to have them?
I don't fucking know. I haven't memorized
the loony bin rule book.
Don't call it that. It's not the loony
bin. Don't call it that, Darla.
Yeah, it is. Just bring the cookies.
I'm sure if you ask,
Alberness will let her have them.
You've been fucking
his favorite writer half your life.
Hey.
It's just me.
Come on, Manda.
You feel different.
Where you going, honey?
It's me.
Why does your body feel so different?
Hey.
Chief Richards said
you had some stuff on Dooley.
Yes, ma'am. His last known residence
was Calumet City, Tennessee.
This is him at 22.
-And why was he arrested?
-He never was.
But he did serve
four years in a fruit farm.
Involuntary committal, because of this.
University of Georgia.
Professor's name is Bernard Walsh.
-He was videotaping his lecture.
-What can we say about Scott Landon,
who has never managed to write
an original sentence?
Those who discover, to their dismay,
that the so-called cult of Landon is
nothing but a fad, like Beanie Babies--
Liar! You're a liar!
The Pie of Death.
Beg your pardon?
It's from Relics,
one of my husband's books.
The evil magician kills his enemies
with the-- with the Pie of Death.
Fans love that one.
I love that book.
My husband had a lot of fans that weren't
exactly, you know, wired together right.
He called them Deep Space Cowboys.
He-- He really liked most of them.
Respect!
-Respect!
-Where was he committed?
In a place called Tushka
in Western Pennsylvania.
He didn't have any problems there.
He was released cured.
Well, I think they might
have made a little "mistooky" there.
This one's from last year.
Barbara Danton found this
on Mr. Landon's website,
where fans can leave posts.
All right, campers.
This is what I call my Landon wall.
This is what he won
the National Book Award for. Relics.
The Library of America's award
for Prophecy Dying,
and the cover of Literary Digest.
But the awards don't matter.
The stories matter.
Any person that's ever read
a Scott Landon book, his life has changed.
And any person that says different,
that person is a black liar.
I was homeschooled.
I never had much of an education.
And I never read much until Scott's books.
He taught me to read.
He taught me to think.
He taught me to feel.
He-- He shouldn't have died so young,
and he should've won all the big prizes,
like the Pulitzer and the-- the Nobel one.
But he died too soon.
And they would still give him those awards
if they could find those other stories.
Those other stories.
We are all campers.
We will love Scott Landon till we die.
You're the only reason I'm living.
Scott Landon forever. No wife.
Stay single.
-Holy shit.
-Yeah.
At least I know what he looks like.
Well, I'm gonna let you
go on with your business.
I'll be right out here, okay?
Oh, Amanda.
Oh, my God.
Bool.
Oh, Amanda.
"Dear Amanda.
We got here in spite of the snow.
Wow, it's beautiful,
and we are the only guests.
Love, Lisey."
Well, I thought we'd be dead empty
all weekend. How'd you beat the snow?
Yeah, it was coming down hard.
Hey, you're the newlyweds.
Yes. We-- We have a reservation.
Looks like we might
not need it though.
Yeah, slow time of year for us.
Folks we did have coming canceled
'cause of the storm. All except you.
Tell you what, since you have
the whole place to yourself,
I'm gonna upgrade you to room 200,
the honeymoon suite.
No extra charge. My wife, Mrs. Fenton,
she loves newlyweds.
My wife is a fine cook.
Get settled, come down
to the dining room for lunch.
Driving in the storm makes folks hungry.
I love you.
I love you.
Dessert?
I've got apple cobbler.
I made it myself.
Or
No, thank you. I'm so full.
I couldn't eat another thing.
I believe
my husband has something for you.
Little wedding present.
Local, but not bad.
Wow, that's-- that's very kind.
-Thank you.
-Thanks.
It-- It says there are paths?
Starts right around back, can't miss it.
Ends in a clearing
about half a mile into the woods.
There's a view. It's not half bad.
Would you?
Wow.
Here.
Winter out there, summer in here.
Do you remember that night I cut myself
and you asked me if I was crazy?
Yeah.
I have visions.
I write 'em down, people pay to read 'em.
'Cause you're a writer.
That's what you do.
You asked about my family.
I never talk about my childhood.
How bad was it?
Pretty damn bad.
All right, Scott,
I want you to know something.
This is on you. This is not me doing this.
This is you.
If you ain't taking care of him,
he ain't taking care of you.
I mean
I'm sorry.
I don't wanna do this.
I don't wanna do this!
Jump, Scooter.
Jump.
You don't have to, Scotty.
You do have to.
You fucking do have to.
You know why?
Because I've seen the gone in you.
And I've seen the bad in him.
And I won't have it.
I won't have it in my house.
Not my house.
It's in our blood. It's in
the goddamn blood. Grandpa told me.
Scooter.
Just try me.
Don't think I won't.
Go on and test me, test me.
See-- See if I'll do it.
So is that enough for you or
want me do it again?
You don't have to, Scotty.
Take this knife.
Take it!
Put it to my goddamn neck.
Come on, Paul. Do it. Do it. Do it.
Come on, do it.
He don't have to?
That's what I thought.
I'm gonna bleed it out.
Last chance, Scooter.
It's your last chance.
Now you fucking jump, jump, jump.
And you're gonna jump off that goddamn
barn if it's the last thing you do.
Go ahead. Try me.
Test me. Test me, Scooter.
Come on, Scooter.
Scooter, you jump
or I'm gonna cut
this buggerlug right off his head.
You want me to do it?
All right, no problem.
Where is he?
Where's my brave boy?
There he is. I found him.
I did it.
Of course you did it. You're a Landon.
You ain't gone yet.
You can go.
But you ain't gone.
You think I cut you
just to make him jump?
I don't know, Daddy.
You can do better, son.
A smart boy like you.
You had to let out the bad.
That's right, and what do we call that?
-A blood-bool.
-That's right.
Because I've seen the bad in you.
And I've seen the gone in him.
And those who can
go sometimes stay gone.
And they don't ever come back.
I ain't losing him, I ain't.
Daddy, he just likes to--
Scooter, you've seen
the bad in him. Scooter.
You've seen the bad in him.
You've seen it clear as day.
Y-Yes, Daddy.
What's a demon?
What-- What is a demon infestation?
It's the bad.
I wanna hear both of you say it.
Say it now.
-The bad, Daddy.
-Say it again.
-The bad, Daddy.
-One more time.
The bad, Daddy.
Where does it come from?
The other place.
There's good
in that place too, Daddy.
I don't give a goddamn about good.
Good takes care of itself.
Bad
Bad has to be dealt with.
You think I like doing it?
You think I like this?
N-No, Daddy.
Give me a hug.
Please.
You know I love you boys, you stupid boys.
I fucking love you.
All right. Well, go-- go to Boolie Moon
or whatever it is you call it.
Go get yourselves cleaned up.
I can't no more, Daddy.
What do you mean you can't?
I don't know. I just can't.
I-I could take him, Daddy.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
Oh, you think you're hot shit, don't you?
Yeah.
I think you're hot shit, too.
You jumped off that building
like it was nobody's business.
All right.
Go on now, boys.
Go get yourselves cleaned up.
I said go, go! Go, get out of here.
Go get cleaned up
and don't come back until you do.
It probably wasn't much of a jump at all,
but it seemed like it
to an eight-year-old.
At least I think I was eight.
We didn't celebrate birthdays on the farm.
How often was he like that?
Often enough.
Was it alcohol?
No.
Daddy hardly ever drank.
It was the bad.
He cut Paul to let it out.
Then he cut himself.
Did he cut you?
Once or twice.
But it wasn't the bad
he worried about with me.
It was the other. He knew I could go.
He was afraid I'd stay gone.
I don't understand.
He loved us, Lisey.
And I know you understand love,
because if you didn't, you would've left
me that night I cut myself on the window.
We had some good times, though,
Paul and I.
He made these bool hunts.
I told you, didn't I?
You follow the clues to get a prize.
When Daddy was at work
the prize was a candy bar or a soda.
We got 'em at Mulie's store.
That was the best day, Lisey.
The best bool hunt.
It seemed like it went on forever.
And knowing Daddy wasn't home for hours.
And Paul was with me everywhere.
To watch me have fun, sure.
But also to keep me safe.
I loved him so much for that.
I never loved anyone that much
until I met you.
Finally
it seemed like a long time.
Probably wasn't long at all.
Paul!
Took you a while, Scotty.
But you got there.
It was the best bool hunt ever.
Yeah. It was a good one.
Wait.
We have to have a host first.
-A what?
-A host.
We clink bottles and say a wish.
What do you wish for, Scotty?
I wish for the Bookmobile to come back
this summer. What do you wish for?
I wish Daddy electrocuted at work.
That he gets electrocuted and dies.
I shouldn't have told you.
Daddy said we don't unbury the dead.
No, you have to tell me.
You have to tell me.
You have to finish, and then I promise you
we'll never talk about it ever again.
How old was Paul when he died?
I loved him, Lisey.
I know you did.
What's going on? What's going on?
What's-- What's-- What's going on?
It's all right. It's all right.
-Scott.
-Hey. It's all right.
What is this?
Where are we?
Sweetheart Hill.
We have to be quiet.
That's enough.
Lisey.
Lisey.
It's getting late.
Let's go.
So, when we talk about this trip,
we can talk about how beautiful it was
and the snow.
But the-- the other stuff.
The stuff about your brother
and where we went, that never happened.
Because I-- I can't deal with it.
Amanda.
Amanda, going for a walk?
It's nice to see you up again.
Not here. Leave it at the be--
Missus,
I thought we had an agreement.
Hey, Amanda.
I heard you were out walking today.
What the fuck?
Manda, what did you do?
Manda!
Nurse! Help! Nurse!
We need help in here, please!
What did you get your hands on?
Where are you?
Jesus fucking Christ! What did she do?
You're supposed to be
taking care of her, right?
She could have taken her damn life!
What did she get her hands on?
For fuck's sake!
She's supposed to be watched!
She's a cutter!
You are going down!
You are gonna get so fucked!
Manda.
Manda. It's okay.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, babe. I'm sorry.
It's okay.
Fuck.
Is she awake?
Yes, but still not speaking.
I left the pj's and the Oreos in my car.
Would you get them?
Okay.
Do you know what this is?
You do, don't you?
Delight.
It's a delight.
I found it in the cedar box.
I haven't seen the afghan
that it went with for a long time.
I mean, I haven't seen it--
I haven't seen it since
Scott.
Come back to the house.
You'll freeze in here.
Hey.
Stop messing around.
You're my bunny.
Aren't you?
You're my big sissa Manda-Bunny.
I-- I want to come back.
From where?
-I-- I wanna come home.
-Okay, okay.
-You know where. You know.
-No. No.
No, the only place you are
is in your head.
Your-- Your poor-- Your poor head.
-You brought him. You bring me.
-No.
No, no, no. I didn't. I didn't.
I wanna go home.
Be quiet.
I wanna go home.
I wanna go home.
They're all here. The long boy.
The faces.
I don't care. I wanna go--
Scott.
You're home.
Amanda.
Amanda.
Aman--
Okay.
Okay.
You may think that there's a place.
I know that I did because
Scott made me believe in it,
but Booya Moon is not real.
It's a place where Scott
and his brother pretended to go
because their father abused them.
You may think that you're there,
but you're not.
You're not.
And I can't bring you back.
The only person
who can bring you back is yourself.
Okay.
Bool.
The end.
Unit three,
there's a fire on Blackstrap Road.
Old McAfee place.
Barn's fully engulfed. FD's, rolling.
All right. I'm on my way.
Hey.
I thought you said
you were going home.
I was, and then I turned around.
I wanted to apologize.
I've been stressed and scared,
and that makes me mean.
So, I'm sorry.
Have you been sleeping?
No, not much. You?
No. Not at all.
Where's your guard dog?
I didn't see him when I pulled in.
Oh. Probably had a call out.
I mean, Dan said that that--
that guy is most likely gone anyway.
Who's Dan?
Deputy Beckman.
Oh. Right. Sorry.
Do you want, like, an Ambien or something?
-What?
-Or a Xanax?
No. Why do you have those?
Because they help me sleep.
Oh, no, you don't.
When this pack is gone, I quit. Again.
Okay, well,
just to help you quit sooner
I'm on a bool hunt.
Grief is a bool hunt.
What's a bool hunt?
It's a game.
It's a game that Scott and his brother
made up. It's like a scavenger hunt.
When they were kids,
the prize was a candy bar or a soda.
But my prize is learning how to be alone.
Which is not much of a prize.
I know. I know.
I know what's wrong with Amanda.
I know what it is.
It has to do with Scott.
He's gone, but his influence isn't,
because people keep visiting the worlds
that he's created.
But it really is just--
it's just one world.
It's the world that
he and his brother made up.
And it's so strong that
I even believed in it. I believed in it.
That's how strong it is.
And that's how strong his imagination is.
I just-- I-- I can't follow you.
I'm-- I'm sorry.
Forget it. It's okay.
Forget it. Never mind.
Do you want some supper?
What you got?
I have a pound of ground chuck
and some Hamburger Helper.
Wow. First wine, then cigarettes,
now Hamburger Helper.
That's what Dandy Dave would've called
Eating nasty.
Last one. Then we quit.
In the books it's Banella.
He probably thought that
Booya Moon was too childish.
Which makes sense
because it was invented by children.
Banella.
Home of the healing waters where
Captain Black hid out in Empty Devils.
Did you think I hadn't read his books?
I read them all. They're okay.
And the pool didn't just heal,
it had the power to fascinate.
And don't forget the monster guardian.
It's very close, honey.
There's many faces.
And many mouths.
All hungry.
Please tell me you really
didn't believe any of that crap,
even for a second.
I mean, you were always the practical one.
Where'd you go?
-What?
-Nothing.
-Did you get her gun?
-What gun?
Amanda. Didn't you say she had a .22?
Oh, shit. Yeah. I forgot.
Well, she shouldn't have it
when she gets home.
If she gets home.
I said that I thought that he did.
I don't know.
I gotta get to work.
I have so much stuff to do in there.
I wanna take an inventory of his files.
And I think he's even got novels in there
that he's never finished.
Hey.
-If you find more cigarettes, toss 'em.
-Bye.