The Gloaming (2019) s01e08 Episode Script

The Night of the Mothers

Spirits of the past, that move within us and amongst us, be guided by this light.
Darkness surrounds us.
We need guidance.
Spirits of the past Beloved Valerie we bring you gifts, from life into death.
Be guided by the light in this world to enter and be amongst us.
Mama Oh, Valerie! Concentrate.
Mama! Valerie, I'm here! Auntie Grace! Oh, Valerie I'm here! Mama! Oh Valerie! Grace, stop.
Don't break the circle.
It's a trap.
Oh! Valerie Emily! Oh Emily's gone! Emily's gone.
My my baby's gone How long do you plan on staying here, if you're not gonna kill me? I should.
This whole mess is 'cause of you.
You killed Valerie Gowdie.
We got a DNA match.
It was an accident.
Then why was it covered up? Why do you give a damn? You made Ricky Jones the fall guy.
He spent 10 years in prison, then rode himself into a tree.
Oh, you think I don't know that? I was 14.
You've had plenty of time to redeem yourself.
You ever made a mistake in your life? I've made plenty.
Mm.
You felt regret? Of course.
Do you wish you got home a little earlier from school that day you found your father hanging in the shed? Yeah.
I did a little digging.
He was a good cop.
By all accounts.
How do you know about him? It pays to have friends in high places.
It helped me understand you a bit.
You know, the harassment.
Trying to blame me for Elizabeth's death.
But really, it's all about you, isn't it? You never really forgave yourself.
Which I understand.
But now you're always looking for someone else to blame, aren't you? That's not true.
Oh, it's not? I mean, you know I didn't kill Elizabeth.
But it suits you to think I did.
She'd never kill herself.
Yeah, you probably thought the same thing about your old man, too.
You shut your mouth.
Come on.
Elizabeth was your friend.
You knew she was unstable but you couldn't let up, could you?! Huh?! Your life is a mess.
Even your kid doesn't want to live with you.
And you're gonna lose your job when my lawyer is done with you, I can guarantee you that.
Either way, you're going to jail.
Mum? Stay there, Lil.
Hey.
- Who are you? - What are you doing here? I thought I'd drop in before school.
Well I'd better get going.
Yeah, yeah.
- See ya.
- See you later.
Bye.
Who's he? - Oh, just a friend.
- Yeah? Go on, sit down.
I'll, um I'll just I'll be back in a sec.
Oh, and, Mum? I came to tell you I'm going to a festival tonight.
Auntie Grace, please, let me out! Our bloodline is everything.
Let me out! I've got to keep you safe, Stephanie.
Auntie Grace! - Please! - Your baby's gone.
I can't lose you, too.
Not tonight.
We've got cars heading up along the Brooker and the Tasman Highway.
Airport's on full alert.
He shouldn't get far.
You okay? It's been a hell of a night.
You were lucky you got out of there alive.
His, uh, lawyer is making some noise about police harassment and illegal entry into his house.
They're always looking for something.
We're working our way through his business files.
The corruption runs deep.
I'd hate to lose our foothold.
We won't.
I need to get a statement from you, when you're ready.
Okay.
I've just got to do something on my way in.
Oh, I meant to ask you How did you get onto Gareth McAvaney and Jacinta Clunes? Just a hunch.
That's exactly what your old man used to say.
Alex?! Hey, this is Alex.
Can't get to the phone right now.
Please leave your number and I'll get back to you.
Alex, it's me, again.
I'm at your house.
Call me back.
Alright, bye.
Ohh! Hey, has Alex been in this morning? I thought he was with you.
Where have you been? - Coffee? - Yeah, make it strong.
It's a long story.
Um has he called? No.
What's going on? I haven't heard from him since last night and he's not answering his phone.
Is Lewis in? He's up at Police Headquarters, briefing the Assistant Commissioner.
He's organising up to 25 warrants.
Pretty impressive.
We've only just scratched the surface.
Also, test results have come back on the bones Alex found at Grace Cochran's property.
And? Some animal, some human.
Oh - Should we bring her in? - No, we should wait.
If Lewis has got warrants, we can bring them in all together.
Um, Oscar, can you get the trace on Alex's phone? Sure What'll I tell 'em? That we're concerned for an officer's welfare.
Eileen? Sister! Eileen! Let me in! Eileen! What?! They know who we are.
The police.
Where's Stephanie? She wants her baby back.
Then she can come and get her.
You can't take a baby away from its mother! And you can't take my child away from me.
Stephanie chooses to be with me! You know your influence over her.
And she's so curious about our family, just like Jenny was.
She's not as stubborn as Jenny! She wants to learn the old ways, to protect them.
The old ways? The old ways have to adapt.
Do you know, we used to be about about tradition and the value of life? - We still are.
- No, no, no, now now we're about violence and death and disease.
I can hear her, sister.
My Valerie.
She's calling for me.
You need to let her go.
She's stuck between two worlds.
- Because you keep calling her! - She needs me! Tonight is the Night of the Mothers, when the veil is the thinnest between worlds.
I can bring her back, Eileen.
But I need the strength of our bloodline.
When Stephanie's home, I'll give you the help you need.
Thank you, sister! But then, Grace, that's it.
Tonight will be about letting go of our past.
Thank you.
Stephanie is free.
Auntie Grace? Oh Ohhh! Ahh! Ahhh! Molly? Alex's phone pinged off a tower near Poatina in the Highland Lakes district yesterday, at 5:35pm.
It's the last communication.
Why would he be up there? It's not too far from where Dorothy Moxley's body was found.
Near the waterfall.
Why would he go to the waterfall? I'm going up there.
Uh, shouldn't you wait for Lewis? I'll call him on the way.
Where's Emily? Oh, no, she's fine, she's she's safe.
- She's safe and well.
- Why did you take her?! Steph, I had to.
I want my baby back! I know.
I know.
Where's Auntie Grace? Don't worry about Auntie Grace.
Did you bring what I asked for? What are you gonna do with it? You don't need to worry about that, Steph.
Who are we, Mum? Come away from here.
Please, come with me, Steph.
Hey, Molly.
Yeah, I missed four calls from you.
When? Okay.
Where are you now? No.
Just stay where you are.
Just wait for me.
I might know where he's heading.
I'm off, Dad.
See you later.
Where you off to, Lil? Angela's taking me to the mid-winter festival.
Come on.
Let's go.
Well, have a good time.
Yep.
Ohh Ohh! Water Water! Water! What's going on, Lewis? I think Alex has gone up to the property where Jenny McGinty was shot.
It's not far from here.
Why would he go up there? I told Alex a few things last night, about Jenny McGinty's death.
Do you know who killed her? No.
He's been gone all night.
I've called for back-up.
Do you think he's in danger? I don't know.
But I'm not taking any chances.
We should wait here.
No, I'm going up there.
Well, I'm going first.
You follow me.
Ahhh! Ohh! Ohh! It's more painful if you move.
Don't do this, William.
This isn't gonna help you.
- You gave me no choice.
- There's always a choice.
You made a choice by not killing me before.
Alex? Jenny Why did you kill Jenny? She threatened to expose our beliefs.
She didn't deserve to die.
You don't understand.
You should never go looking for that which is lost to the past.
She was a kid! She was a kid! She was innocent! So was I! You weren't supposed to be there.
And I am sorry that you were.
You're sorry? William William, please Please Let me out of here! Don't make this worse than it is.
Our sacred beliefs Your beliefs are a joke! You you hide behind your pagan rituals to cover up corruption and murder! They don't belong in this century! Oh Poor Alex.
You don't understand my beliefs.
There's a higher power that decides our destiny.
It is time for us to honour the darkness and to journey deep within.
O mighty Goddess, the longest night has come once more.
The sun has set and darkness surrounds us.
The trees are shadows, the earth is as cold as stone.
How do you know this place? This is where I found Jenny's backpack.
Over there.
Who are they? Crofters.
Witches.
Alex told me.
Pagan, yes.
It's winter solstice, the night the dead return, according to them.
Oh, we have to find Alex.
Let's head down there and take a look.
Why would he be down there? Just follow me and keep close.
How long are you gonna keep me like this, huh? - Huh? - Until we're summoned.
Summoned by who? Oh People will be looking for me, William.
Yeah.
Lewis must know about this place.
Lewis does as he's told.
Our fields are bare, our livestock thin.
Tonight, we rejoice! And we embrace the darkness.
We welcome the night and all that it holds.
What the hell? We offer up a sacrifice our bloodline so that we may gather Your strength to bring my Valerie back to this world.
We'll never find him here.
He won't be in that crowd.
Do you think Alex could be in there? Maybe.
Francis, get onto Headquarters.
- Call for more back-up.
- Copy.
I'm going.
Molly! The light lives in her name and is held in her hands.
They bring forth the flame to cast out winter's dark tale.
It's time for the living to meet the dead.
Aaaaagh! Gahh! Aaagh! She heralds in all that is radiant.
Aaaagh! Aaagh! Oh! Aaaagh! Casting out the darkness and welcoming the renewal of a new season.
Aaagh! Nobody move! Nobody move! Alex! Everybody, stand back! Lewis, what are you doing here? - You - What are you doing? Put your gun down.
- Stay on them.
- Right, move! Over here! - You promised me - Police! Nobody move! - they were safe.
- Spread out.
Cover this side.
Are you okay? You okay? What are you talking about? The children.
My friends.
You told me that they'd gone to good homes.
They did.
- Lewis - They're dead! - All of them.
- Lewis! And you killed 'em.
Lewis! Don't Listen to her, Lewis.
Lewis, don't do it.
Billy Susie, Sam My friends.
All gone.
Why did you spare me? You've got it all wrong, Lewis.
You always wanted to be a policeman.
Don't throw it away now.
I don't care anymore! Uh-uh Lewis! Lewis! Lewis, don't.
Lewis! It's not worth it.
Lewis! Cuff him, Francis.
You always lacked conviction.
No It's over, William.
It's all over.
You deceived us all, bringing him back! I wanted to find out what happened to Jenny McGinty.
And now I know.
I suppose I should be proud of what you've achieved.
You made something of your life.
Gareth - Go.
- Okay, yeah.
Alex! Get him outta here.
Aagh! We wait now for the sacrifice, so we may amend the past Valerie.
Come to me, Valerie.
You gonna shoot me, Alex? I thought we were friends.
Oh, he put you on the stretcher Huh? Your time's up, Gareth.
You know, my mother put me on the stretcher when I was a kid.
All the time.
To suffer is to be closer to God.
But you know what? I think she used to like to make me suffer! Stand back Stand back! 'Cause she really wanted a daughter! Stand back! - Okay.
- It's over, Gareth.
It's over.
You know, I'd go without food for days? As more punishment.
But it's okay.
It's only children.
Right? Stand back.
There was a point where I realised now that my mother's dead I've never ever been happier.
Valerie? Oh, where is she, sister? I'm sorry.
It's the only way that you can be with Valerie.
Aaagh! Aaagh! Aaagh! You escaped this island, Alex! Why would you come back? Huh? Unfinished business, I guess.
No, don't touch it! Don't touch it! Molly Put it down, Gareth.
You're already in enough trouble.
I've got nothing left to lose because you took it away from me! Didn't you?! Jenny Alex! Alex? Alex! Get away from him! - Alex! - Alex! Get away! Get away! Drop the gun! Drop it! Don't let them get away! Hurry up! He's been shot! Make sure that you round up all of them! You can never return now.
We leave the dead to bury the dead.
Police! Nobody move! Everybody stand still! Stay where you are! Nobody move! Get him! Pick him up! Put pressure on his wound! Get him into the car! Call ahead! Get an ambulance to meet us at Mowbray Highway! Lily Just you and me, Molly.
Mum! What are we gonna do, Molly? He's got a gun! Are you gonna shoot me? Come on! Is this what you really want?! Lily! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! Don't shoot! - Don't shoot! Don't shoot! - You, don't move! Mum Lily! Get away from her, Angela.
- It's okay.
- Stand down, now! Mum! Move away from the body! Step aside.
Now.
Now! Valerie? Aagh! I'm sorry! Aaagh! What are his vitals? Heart rate is 140.
We're losing him! He's gone into cardiac arrest.
Start CPR.
Right, we'll get ready to shock him.
Charging to 200.
Right, everybody clear.
Right, everybody clear.
Vitals? He's still in VF.
Alright, we need to shock again.
Everyone, clear.
Check for rhythm.
We've got a pulse.
Sorry, I got held up.
How is he? He's breathing.
But he's still pretty out of it.
Mm.
Oh Well, I better pop in and see him.
How are you holding up? Never better.
They retrieved Gareth McAvaney's body.
He fell into a mineshaft.
His statement wasn't executed, so without that, the case against you can't continue.
You'll still be disciplined.
- But not charged.
- No.
Anyway, I'd better go and see Alex.
It was a big call, Lewis.
What was? Bringing Alex back.
I heard what William said.
It was for Jenny, wasn't it? It'd been haunting me for 23 years.
Those kids Yeah.
I could have been one of 'em.
It's time to let the past heal.
You've done a really great job, Lewis.
I'm only as good as my team.
Yeah.
Don't know about that.
Well, you keep going, Molly McGee.
Your dad would be proud.
There's children There's children up in the house.
Someone needs to get them.
What children? They're freezing.
Call the station.
Someone needs to get up there.
What children would Alex be talking about? I think we found them.
It was on a freezing day in the middle of winter.
The 'gloaming', my dad used to call it.
This time between sunset and dark.
Life and death.
And we used to play this this game called the memory game, where he would go around the house and find as many things as he could and put them on this tray and then cover it with a cloth, and try and remember as many items as he possibly could.
And I remember this one night, he, um he got to 20.
He was so good.
I mean, I I could only ever get to five while he was still alive, anyway, but I remember just being in in complete awe of him.
Just this ability he had.
But it's what killed him in the end, his his memory.
See, as a cop, it's, you know I mean, this really powerful tool.
Like, a good memory.
But then it has its flipside.
You can't forget anything.
It never goes away.
Are you worried you're like him in that way? I have a daughter that needs me.
You needed him.
It must have upset you that he left you behind.
How did you feel when he died? I was only 14, the same age as my daughter is now.
I just don't know how you could do that to someone.
Grief is such a powerful emotion, Molly.
It just leaves you stuck.
You can't move forward, you can't move backwards.
It's Today is the start of recognising that.
I just miss him.
I miss him every day.
It's me.
Molly.
Look at you.
You're an idiot for taking that bullet for me.
I'm so sorry, Alex.
I want you to know that I'm not angry with you for going off with Jenny that day.
I was, uh I was hurt You left here without saying anything to me, after her death.
And it hurt like hell.
But I understand now why you did it, and that it wasn't about me.
I guess I just missed you.
That's all.
Alex? Mm - Molly - Hey.
How you feeling? I feel like I've been shot.
Were you just saying something? No.
You're gonna be okay.
Hmm.
Mm.
Who's that? There's no-one here.
It's just me.

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