Random Acts of Violence (2019) - full transcript

There can be
no beginning without an end.

Eventually, something you know
and understand

becomes expanding
myriad possibilities.

Its original purpose
and reason,

all but completely
evaporated.

"Everything else
is masturbation."

It just ends there.

Yeah, I...
I need to find an ending.

You hate it, that's okay.
It's all right.

No! I didn't say that
I hate it! I don't hate it!

No, you think it's too, like,
esoteric or abstract.



Oh, honey, you're
putting words in my mouth.

- Fancy words.
- I didn't say that!

It's all right.

What are you doing?

Nothing, I'll just put it
where it belongs.

What are you doing?

What do you think?
It's trash.

They're not gonna
fucking get it anyway

because anytime
I try to do anything

with any semblance
of substance,

critics misrepresent it
completely,

or members of my audience...
It's lost on them.

It's like, you know,
it's the final issue.

I'm trying to put a little bit
of medicine in the sugar,



but nowadays
everybody just wants

all fucking sugar
all the time.

It's good, babe.
It's good.

Like, good, real good?

And you know
that it's good,

but you're just spinning
right now, like you do.

- Mmm-hmm.
- Okay? So close your eyes.

Close 'em and zip it.

- Close your mouth.
- Mmm-hmm.

Breathe through
your nose.

Open.

Feel better?

- A little bit. Thank you.
- Welcome.

And I know
I'm being dumb.

I just feel like
this final issue of the comic

could be, you know,

my last chance
to show the critics

that it actually
means something, you know?

It's not just all the hype.

I know. And it will.

Thank you.

Babe, is that all
you're bringing?

'Cause, like,
I could've packed for you.

I could've helped you.

Yeah. It's, like,

I don't need to change
my underwear every day.

No,
no, that's...

Um, we could also just shorten
the trip by flying.

This is a road trip
that will be really fun

and really informative
for my book,

and I appreciate
your patience.

That was more like...

You know,
when I sold it to the team,

I was talking more about,
like, finding the people

in places that inspire
the number one R-rated comic

in the genre.

Okay, I'm literally
going to smack you.

- Mmm-hmm.
- I said be supportive,

not be sarcastic.

You stop giving
me suggestions

and focus
on planning our vacation

for when you're
out of a job.

- Oh, perfect, I did.
- Yeah?

Vacation time awaits,
right now.

- Yeah?
- Yeah,

we get out of the house,
hit the road,

- look at the scenery...
- Mmm. Yeah?

You know? Yeah.
Do some, like,

kinky stuff in the back
while they drive...

Yeah, but this isn't
our vacation, honey,

I don't want, um,
Ezra and Aurora there.

Oh, I thought
this was the vacation.

No, no, no, no, no,
I want something nice just us.

Oh, we'll get some time
in the motel on the road.

We'll see
if the bed springs work.

They're here.

A romantic getaway

with your business partner
and assistant.

Come on, hubba-hubba!
"Hubba-hubba"?

We should
probably get out there.

- We gotta break this up.
- Ooh, bless him.

- Let's do it!
- Yeah, let's go!

So, the Slasherman,

he's actually based
on a real guy.

Some of our listeners
may remember, is that right?

Inspired. Inspired by

the I-90 murderer,
that's right.

That's right. From 1987-91,

there were
six vicious murders,

there were over
a dozen disappearances.

All within the same
200-mile stretch of I-90.

You know, our hero

is the serial killer himself.

That kind of protagonist,
that kind of character

needs a special
kind of ending. So, I...

For the final issue,
I'm gonna be honest

with you and your listeners,
I haven't found my ending yet.

Okay, itinerary.

We, uh...
First up on the docket,

we have, um...
Oh, Jesus Christ.

- Fuckin' hell, Aurora.
- Um, we have, uh...

Put eyes
on the road. Please.

- Yep, got it.
- Want me to do it?

Nope, it's good.
Got it. Um...

It's a test,
this is a test.

All my assistants
have to do this.

- Uh, so we got a...
- 'Kay, listen up.

We got a quick pit stop
in McBain,

and then, um,
we are headed,

uh, to that... To that
radio show with the guy

who would
not stop, uh,

harassing me about
getting an interview.

He sounds like
a real fanboy.

I think he's gonna be
pretty psyched

to see you
and me, Todd.

Yeah, both of us, huh?

Uh, well, I don't know.

You know, he might...
He might wanna be psyched

to hear, uh,
the story of

a successful independent
comic book publisher.

Oh, I thought you said
he might talk to you.

Oh, fucking guy.

Finish your fucking comic.
How about that?

You come off a little
bit as like a huckster

when you...
When you start.

"I'm the investor,
I'm the...

- I know you meant that...
- "...small business owner."

You meant that
as an insult,

except for huckster's
the nicest thing

anyone's said about me
in months.

What else
you got there, Aurora?

So, then we just have
that one comic signing

at that store
Mangopolis in Albany,

and then we're off to the
Big Apple for the convention.

That's a big one.

How 'bout accommodations,
are we stayin'?

I emailed you
three weeks ago.

- It's fine, Ezra, it's fine.
- Okay, all right, all right.

I learned to stop opening
your emails ages ago.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

We are staying
in all motels,

they're all rural,
and they're all real.

- Four, five stars?
- Stars?

Like
a solid two-and-a-half.

Stars?
Okay, there's no stars,

no diamonds.
This is on the potato system.

It's just three solid
fuckin' old potatoes.

And they all have
the recurring theme of

- 21st century western decay.
- Oh, my God.

And thank you, Aurora,
for arranging that.

I really appreciate it.

I'm hoping this fucking
book research was worth it...

What the fuck
was he doing?

For Christ's sake,
don't do that again.

You know what...

I'm so sorry! I...

I got it, I got it.
Stay right here.

Motherfucker, I'm gonna
go have a word with him.

No, no, no, no, babe.
Don't, please.

I'm sorry. No.
It was my fault.

- Kick his ass, Todd.
- No,

don't go out there.
People have guns here, okay?

We're not getting
out of the car!

He could be crazy.
He didn't even try to stop.

Yeah, well,
they don't fuckin' know

how to drive, either?
Come on. Jesus.

- Everyone's okay?
- Yeah.

Okay.

Do you
want me to drive?

No, it's fine.
I just...

Okay!

All righty,
boys, lady.

Whoo! Holy fuck!
Where the fuck are we?

Oh, hey, bud.

Toilets are
for paying customers only.

Uh, we are lookin'
for gas,

we have money,
that's no problem.

Um... Do these things
have fuel in them though?

Uh...

- Okay, cool!
- All right.

- You wanna... Thank you.
- Good.

Well, this may be
a terrible idea,

but I think I may have just
found my first interviewee.

- All rural, all real.
- Yeah.

Safe word is "help."

Hey, um, wondering if I could
ask you a few questions?

Are you familiar
with the I-90 killer?

Do you have meth?

Um, oh, yeah,
another terrible idea,

I'm gonna go around to
the back of this gas station,

hopefully just pee,
not get murdered.

Or, you know, contract
some terrible disease.

But if I do, lovely
working with you all.

- Goodbye forever!
- Adios!

So, um... So you're
from around here, yeah?

An odd bird, isn't he?

Holy! Shit.

I didn't know places
like this still existed.

Uh, what do they even
fuckin' sell here?

Uh, pickled eggs.

Yeah, but I mean...

I meant...
Let me rephrase that.

What do people actually buy
from here in the last...

Nothing, apparently.

Um, is any of this, uh,

getting your creative juices
flowing, you know?

All right,
give it a rest.

This could be the scene
of a massacre, yes.

Final issue startin' to

fuckin' get into
your head now?

- No. It's...
- It's my fuckin' job, man.

It's coming, all right?
That's the whole point of me

designing, you know, the
fuckin' road trip, all right?

It just, like, tingle
stimulate some inspiration.

Final issue inspiration
is the objective right now.

Or conversely, it doesn't have
to be the last issue, buddy.

It's the last...
We've talked about it, man.

I'm fuckin'... I can't...
It's not healthy, you know?

You don't have to wake up
in cold sweats and...

Whatever it takes.

I wish I wanted to eat
some of this food

so I could make you
pay for it.

No, none...
None of this is edible.

Um...

Oh, my God.
Look at this fuckin' thing.

Janked? The fuck
is this supposed to be?

Looks to me like just
a sold-out rack of Slasherman.

Are you thinkin'
what I'm thinkin'?

Oh, you know I'm thinkin'
what you're thinking, buddy.

I think it's time
for a refill.

Fuckin' right, it is.
We got a trunk full of 'em.

Or we could maybe do that
the next town over.

This is kind of...
It's a little bit much...

- Nah, c'mon.
- ...for them, no?

McBain & McBain.

He lived here
when you were a kid.

Even if you don't remember
those years,

you still have every right
to explore this story.

I would say
this rack would look better

with our comics on it
than in its current state.

- Hey! Jesus Christ!
- Oh! Shit!

Oh, my God!

You scared
the shit out of me.

I'm sorry.
I was in the bathroom

and then I was, like...

Have you been in there?

- It's fucking disgusting!
- Yeah, it...

And I come out here
and like...

What is this?
Why is this here, you know?

- Like, that's somebody's pet!
- The smell, it's...

Somebody's pet
is just lying here dead.

And I don't get it!
I'm, like...

You know what? Let's just not
keep looking at it.

- I can't... Sorry.
- I don't what I'm...

- Yeah.
- I look like I'm fucking crazy

'cause I'm out here and I'm
drawing this fucking dog.

Ezra told me that if I have
any ideas that could be used

for the final issue,
then I should draw them.

And I want
to prove to him

that I'm more than
an assistant.

I'm a good artist.

But I have this thing
where if it's in my head,

and I see that something's
just like fucking awful,

I can't get it out of my head
unless I draw it

and so, like,
I'm...

I look fucking insane.

No, no, you don't,
you don't. No, no.

Todd does exactly
the same thing

and way weirder shit.

I'm sorry. Yeah,
are these for your book or...

Uh, yeah.
Yeah, it's, uh...

It's gonna be a book
eventually.

Todd's told me a bit
about it. I don't...

I don't know very much,

- but, like...
- Yeah.

It sounds like it's
gonna be amazing.

Thank you. Yeah.

It's like the true story
behind Slasherman,

or something, right?

- Todd tell you that?
- Am I wrong?

Well, no, it's not...

It's about Slasherman, but
it's... Peripherally, it's...

It's, um, focusing
on the victims. Um...

Oh! Okay, yeah.

It's about giving a voice
to those who, um,

- no longer have a voice.
- Fuckin' right.

Yeah, so Todd did
the initial research

and, um, now I'm going
a little bit deeper.

Is that one
of them? Or...

Yeah, this is
Henry Dunn.

He lived around here
two decades ago.

Couple months
after he was murdered,

his family just kept getting
these cryptic phone calls

for about a year or two.

This is Ginny Adams,
she was seven years old.

Oh, my God.

Last seen
walking home from school.

This is Victim Zero.
Belinda Cooksey.

She was murdered
over Christmas dinner.

She was a single mother,
active in her church.

Why is it weird
that she's smiling?

She looks helpless,
you know, 'cause...

You know something
that she doesn't.

She's about to be murdered...

horribly.

And she's
just helpless

and there's nothing
we can do about it.

Yeah.

It's on the house.

Guess everything's
comin' up me today.

Can you get the fuck
outta my store, please?

Good evening,
Jefferson County,

you're listening to
WMXV The Eagle!

I'm Gary Ressin and this
is Heartland at Night.

Tonight, we have a one hour
special treat lined up for you

as I'm joined by none other
than Todd Walkley,

brainchild behind one of
the most successful

R-rated comics ever,
Slasherman.

How's life treating one of

today's hottest
comic creators?

Uh, great, great.

You know,
we're just road trippin',

um, getting ready to,
you know,

try to promote Slasherman.

I'm workin'
on the final issue, uh...

Glad to be staying
in Jefferson County,

found a great place to stay.

Can't say enough
about my lodging

at the Comfy Suites.

It's pretty cool.
Good stuff.

So, the Slasherman,

he's actually based
on a real guy.

Some of our listeners may
remember, isn't that right?

From 1987-91,

you saw a string of six
particularly vicious murders,

over a dozen disappearances,

all in a 200-mile stretch
of the I-90.

And in many of these cases,

the victim's families received
suspicious phone calls.

The killer
mutilated his victims,

turning their bodies into
what I think looked like

grotesque sculptures.

The police never found
a witness or suspect,

he just disappeared.

These are the very qualities

that lift these folks up
from men to myth.

For some, frankly,

heroes or heroic-like figures
in that they're untouchable.

That kind of protagonist,

that kind of character needs
a special kind of ending.

So I... For the
final issue,

I'm gonna be honest
with you and your listeners,

I haven't found
my ending yet.

And I presume
you must feel

a certain sense of
responsibility then

to get the I-90 story right.

I'm not sure
what you mean.

I mean, I was just
going off a quote I have

from The Atlantic here,

"But every page drips with

"Walkley's tired brand of
senseless violence

"and morally bankrupt
teen angst.

"Slasherman is nothing more
than yet another toxic element

"of a dangerous culture
than lionizes male violence."

Mmm-hmm. All the things
that are going on

with our culture
and my comic book's a problem.

Just got those in today.

The guy who makes 'em
came by to fill up

and just
gave 'em to me.

But is there
a legitimate concern

the cultural toxicity could
push the already unstable,

those just looking
for a reason

over the edge
into violence?

I mean, crazy folks
are always gonna come up

with an excuse
for their actions.

In this case, he's not
killing for no reason,

I don't suspect.
I think he's got a purpose.

I think he's got
his purpose.

I believe he thought
he was creating art.

And artists often do what?

They think they need
to suffer their work.

He thought
that as a true artist,

he needed to
make others suffer.

Instead of inflicting pain
on himself,

he thought he should seek...

the infliction of pain
on others.

And, um, like so many
that rise and fall,

he eventually
ran out of inspiration.

Art. Inspiration?

Yeah.

I have a picture
here, folks.

This is...

this was, Ginny Adams.

Her and I
were really close,

and then she disappeared
walkin' home from school

right along I-90.

- I'm sorry to hear that.
- Yeah, I'm sure.

You know what
keeps me up at night

all these years later?

Just thinkin' about
what would have been

going through her mind
right at the end.

Right in that moment
she realized what was coming.

Her mother
hanged herself.

She couldn't take not knowing
who did it or why...

Probably, never know,
you know,

it could've been anyone
for any reason.

Could've been your hero.

That's not what I meant
by "hero." Hero is a...

I could've said "protagonist,"
"main character."

It's a writer term.
Don't... That's what I meant.

Well, I'm sure if you have

no personal connection
to any of this,

feel free to just pull
this stuff out of your ass.

I mean a machete,
a Mack truck.

Some type of vintage
welder's mask, come on.

I mean,
the welder's mask

was something
that connected to me.

All right? It's a comic book.

A damn successful one, too,

and if you don't enjoy it,
that's your choice.

I'm glad I got you
some ratings though.

That's...
That's cool for you.

Okay.

Oh, hold on there,
Mr. Walkley.

Can't have you
leaving just yet.

One more moment
of your time, all right?

Now we got a call
from your first fan.

Belinda Cooksey,
you're on the air.

Hello?

Hello?

One.

Twelve.

Eighteen.

One.

Twelve.

Eighteen.

One.

Twelve.

Eighteen.

Okay,
here's the thing.

With cats,
I never have to know

the temperature
of their feces.

That is why cats
are the superior animal.

And, okay...

And you care about that
because, what reason?

Because
I don't wanna...

- Okay, cats' litterboxes...
- That's such a small little thing to nitpick about.

I don't have to know.

That's your deal-breaker?

Cats are warm.

Dogs are
unconditionally loving.

You just don't
want to like them.

They will never
hurt you intentionally.

It's just because

everybody likes dogs,
I think, and...

- Cats are...
- You just don't wanna

fit in with...

- Adam!
- Yes.

It smells
like weed again!

You hate dogs!
You hate me!

Yes, it does
smell like weed.

Is that okay?

Do you hate
sunshine and children, too?

All right, there we go.

Everybody good?

Yeah, I almost
got my seatbelt on.

- Got it?
- Yeah.

Okay. Well, too bad.
She's lying, we're out.

Here we come!

That was a nice place,
eh, Hannah?

- Oh, yeah, so nice!
- How was the couch?

Light it up.

Light it up!

You're having a little,

I don't know why
you're saying no.

No! Excuse me,
no, no. I'm not, no!

Meg's getting high!

- No! I am not getting high.
- Meg's getting high!

- Meg's getting high tonight!
- No, I'm not!

Oh, my God,
don't be a child.

Pass it to Meg.

- No, I don't want it, no!
- Yes!

I rolled this
especially for you, on your...

Don't! It's not
a fucking candle!

Did you...

Oh, my God!

You're fucked.

Megan, do you ever get tired
of being such a fucking nerd?

Excuse me...

Hey, you cannot talk to me
like that on my birth...

Fuck.

What happened?

It sounded like
we ran into something,

but you weren't
on the shoulder though.

And you didn't...
The wheel didn't get caught

on the shoulder,
we didn't...

What are you talking...

...hit like
a rock or some shit?

Why are you
narrating this?

The car didn't
just stop!

Is that
an engine problem? Is that...

"Is that..." Do I look like
a fucking car expert to you?

I don't know!
I don't know!

Guys! We are in
the middle of nowhere,

- we need to figure this out!
- Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

Who's getting out? Are you...
Is anyone gonna get out?

It's my fucking birthday,
I'm not getting out!

- Just, fucking...
- Fuck you guys.

I'll fucking do it
if you want me to.

Fuck!

Fuck!

Fucking car is fucked.

Come on, you fucking...

Don't you
have a spare?

Do you know how
to change a fucking tire?

Hey! Hey,
someone's coming!

Oh, fuck.
Oh, fuck, yes!

Hey, we're over here!

Hey! Hey!

Oh, my God!

Oh, my God!

Hi.

Why isn't he getting out?

- What the fuck?
- Huh?

Holy shit.

Hi!

- Hey, man.
- Hey.

Um...

Thank you! Thank you
for stopping for us

but I just called my friend
and he's coming,

so we're gonna be okay!
But thank you!

Yeah.
We're good!

Phones
don't work out here!

No, no, no!
Ours works!

Ours is working!

You need one of these!

She's gonna call right now
again, see?

Yeah, man, we're...

- Thank you so much...
- It's fine.

- ...but we're good!
- Thank you!

I'm calling again.
I'm calling again.

Seriously, man.
We're really good. Thanks.

Let's get back in
and fucking lock the car.

Oh, my God,
what the fuck is going on?

He's not fucking
gone yet. What the fuck!

Why is he not going?

He might
know someone in the area!

He had
a fucking mask on!

Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!

Oh, my God!

Please, no!
No, please!

Oh, my God. Help me!

One. Twelve.

Eighteen.

One.

Twelve.

Eighteen.

One.

Twelve.

Eighteen.

"I am he that liveth,
and was dead,

"and, behold,
I am alive forevermore.

"Amen, and have the keys
of hell and of death."

...a lot of respect.

No...
Yeah, absolutely.

It's about...

It's about
remembering him.

Yes. That's the whole point.
I...

Okay.

Yes! Okay, I... I look forward
to meeting you.

Um... And thank you so much,
this means the world to me.

Okay. Okay. Bye.

That, um, that was
Henry Dunn's sister,

and she agreed to me
interviewing her in New York.

Awesome.

Wow. Wow.

- It's a big deal. Um...
- Yeah.

It's a big deal.

No, I've just been writing
to her and I was afraid

that she was just
going to shut me down,

thinking I was trying
to exploit her, but...

Yeah... Just don't tell her
you're with me.

I feel like

you should have
got an interview

with Reston yesterday,
too, he's...

in a similar camp,
you know?

Close to the victim

and really pissed at me,
but, like,

he's got insight,
you know?

If that's
the perspective that...

Are you kidding me
right now?

It's probably
aligned perspective, right?

They've got...
were close to it...

I come in here,
I have the best news

I've had in like, months.

- I mean, I've been...
- I know.

You've been
working hard.

Yes, I've been working
really hard

and you literally make this
about your interview?

Which, yes,
was fucked up,

but how you could
draw parallel

between the two of them
like that?

They're both
close to the incidents.

And they both have
a feeling about it.

They're probably not
a fucking fan of my franchise.

This book isn't
about you, so...

Nah, kind of.

Kind of is, isn't it?

All the things
in the world

that you chose
to write about,

and the biggest fuckin'
critique about my work

you've chosen
to hone in on?

You shut your eyes to that,
you just...

I'm doing my job!
But like I said in there

it's not...
I'm not a nonfiction writer,

I don't have to...
Every moviemaker,

everybody that
makes a movie

or draws a fucking
cartoon has to...

Okay, but don't talk, please
don't talk to me like I'm him.

Okay, I'm not interviewing
you, it's not fair.

Well, it's kind of
blurring together.

- It's blurring together?
- Yeah. You're a little bit...

So, I'm like one
of your fans,

I'm like one of your fans,
or like...

What? No.

He wasn't my fucking fan,
was he?

- Here's what really bugs me.
- Tell me what bugs you.

What really bugs me
is everyone

talks about Slasherman.
Everyone talks about the murders,

Here we go, uh-huh.

nobody ever talks
about the victims,

and those are the people
that matter!

This guy, whether
he's a fucking pig, demon,

piece of shit,
he went and did something,

and now people
are examining that,

people who... if things
happen to, sorry,

I know I couldn't say this
in public, I'm not, like,

I know it's an un... It's an
unpleasant thing to say,

but let's not pretend...

But you don't really
believe that.

- I believe that people...
- I don't think you be...

...watch and make things that
are compelling for a reason,

not just a list of people
that things happen to.

I'm highlighting
who this monster killed.

- That's what I'm doing.
- Mmm-hmm.

I'm not attacking you.

Derek, what are
you telling me?

What, you
can't find them?

We shipped them
three weeks ago.

Fuck, sorry,
Derek from Mangopolis

seems to have misplaced our
box full of comics.

What does it look like?
It's a fucking cardboard box.

It's fine, though.

I'm losing, Derek,
can you hear me? Derek?

Fuck you!

Maybe we don't go.

- I fucking hate this guy.
- Hey, it's okay.

Whoa, what the fuck's
all this?

Hmm?

Some kind of traffic stop,
is it an accident?

Come on,
come on, come on.

Oh, my God!

Put that tarp down,
what the fuck!

Get going,
move, now, go!

I told you no pictures
till the road's cleared.

Move, move, move, move!

No partners,
no groups, please.

We'll sign posters,
we'll sign pictures,

we'll sign T-shirts,
we will not sign weapons.

You saw
what those people looked like.

Like the triptych,
am I right?

- Yes.
- Don't.

Wait, what do you mean
the triptych?

- Nothing, that's...
- Sorry, what's the...

I mean...
this is nothing to you?

- Okay, let's...
- Todd!

He's jumping
to conclusions, okay?

That doesn't mean...

He's just seeing
something

- that isn't there, possibly.
- Really?

I've drawn what,
a thousand kills?

And once in a while,
one of them might

match up with
something that happens

in this fucking
crazy country.

What do you wanna know?

All kinds of bad things
happen to people.

Bad men,
dead women.

Belinda Cooksey,

she had a son who saw
everything that night

and he was fucking
catatonic after that.

Put in the foster care system,

and no one around here
saw him after that.

Jesus Christ.

Uh... Did you
fucking make this yourself?

Slasherman's like,
my life...

- My religion, I find it...
- inspiring.

Look inside.

Oh, my God.

It's Slasherman's
truck with his kill studio.

Yeah?

Three.

Twelve.

Who is this?

- Four.
- Huh, who the fuck are you?

What?

- Three.
- Who the fuck are you?

Man, fuck this.

Oh.

It's the same voice from
the Reston phone call shit

with the numbers.
It was the same...

I'm not tripping, man.

How the fuck did this person
get your number?

He got it, all right?
It's the same fucking voice.

It's probably
not that hard, honestly.

And then, somebody lays

the triptych out
all nice for us...

Exactly,
so that's why...

Let's go to the
fucking cops, man.

- We need to call the cops.
- Go and... Tell them what?

All right, that there's
a killer running around,

re-creating murders
from my comics?

And that we just happen
to have a binder

of all the murder victims,

like, I don't fucking
think so, dude.

All right.
I don't understand...

...what harm
it would do if...

I don't wanna go
to the cops,

I wanna go away
from the cops.

We go to the cops,

we tell them someone
cut your fucking hand,

we tell them
about the phone calls.

We tell them that
the crime scene looks

very fucking familiar to us,
we just do it.

In the morning,
we go to the cops.

I don't know, man.

Okay?

I'll think about it.

Okay?

- All right, all right.
- All right, okay.

Hey, how's your hand?

Oh, my God,
I'm so, fuck...

No, that's fine,
that's fine.

- Cool, that's fine.
- I'm so sorry,

I didn't mean to startle you,
I'm just, uh...

- Yeah, uh...
- How's it going?

It's okay.
Can I get you anything?

No I'm, I'm great, great.
How are you?

Um, I'm good,
yeah, I'm, um...

And how are you?

I'm, uh, yeah,
I don't know. Really?

Just a little
freaked out.

I'm sorry.
I was just, like,

a lot of, um...

It was just really horrible,
what we saw,

and I'm just like,
kind of trying to...

Yeah, I know.

...deal with it a little bit,
but I'm okay.

I'm just gonna...
I'll just probably go draw.

I'm gonna...
I'm gonna go do the same.

Yeah, draw, draw.
Just kind of...

- Yeah. Draw this shit out.
- Forget about it.

Uh... But call me or text me
if you need anything.

And I'll... Fuck!

Jesus Christ.

Phew!
This fucking day.

All right, so...

- Yeah. Yeah.
- Be careful.

- Goodnight.
- Thanks, night.

Hey.

What...

What's going on with you?

Uh, me? I'm fine.

- Fine?
- Chilling, yeah.

Yeah? Really?
Because you don't...

You don't really
seem so fine.

A little edgy, maybe.

Yeah, I'm having
a hard time, babe.

I don't know.

I don't really know
what's happening and...

Um, but...

I'm sorry about earlier,
you know,

what's important to you
is important to me.

Truly I, I lost sight of that,
I recognize that

and I'm sorry.
Okay?

It's gonna get better,

we'll be done
with this whole thing,

get the fuck out of here

- and go home, you know.
- Yes. Yeah.

And I promise
it'll get better, okay?

Okay.

All right.

I'm gonna go in,
you wanna come in?

Uh, no. I still got
a little work to do.

- I'll be in in a little bit.
- Sure.

I love you.

Three, four...

Three, 12...

Uh, three...

Three...

Twelve...

"And she shall then continue

"in the blood
of her purifying."

- Nice.
- What do you mean "nice"?

Hour-and-a-half late?

Do you have any idea

how many fucking hours I've
been putting in this place?

Do you have any idea
how many fucking hours

I've just been standing here
waiting for you as per usual?

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
that's what I thought...

- Guess what though?
- What?

Got a puppy for us.

No, you didn't.

- Yeah, I swear to God.
- Are you lying?

Give me a kiss.
Yeah, no, really...

- Why?
- It's like...

You're trying to
make me feel better.

Okay, I didn't get
a puppy. I got a gerbil.

Oh!

Yeah, um,
Aurora works for me.

She's terrific. She's...

Was, um, really helpful

in a whole number of things,
uh, namely...

With your comic book.

Yeah.

Slasherman.

Were you with him?

- I was passed out.
- You were passed out.

She texted me,
I was passed out.

You know
what she looked like...

- Oh.
- ...when we found her?

- I don't wanna, come on.
- No, you're gonna have to look

because...

Well, actually,
what we found of her.

Oh, God.

Ezra.

Todd drew this.

Todd drew it.

And you let him do it.

No, he didn't do this.

He drew this.

Somebody did this.

You seen this
particular comic before?

No. No.

No? You read
a lot of their comics?

Kathy, do you like
their comics?

I don't. It's not...

It's not really my thing.

It's not your thing.

'Cause it's really
gory shit.

It's all
tortured women

and bisections
and disemboweling and...

Who comes up
with this stuff?

- Todd.
- Todd.

Our friend is dead

because what came out
of your fucked-up head.

That was in your head.

Girls...

mutilated,

bound up and tortured.

You know what?
That's why you can't come up

with an ending
to your book.

You have nothing to say.

You legitimize
violence.

You fetishize evil.

And my life is in danger
because of it.

Motel surveillance
cameras

corroborate your story.
You're free to go.

We have to call
her parents.

You're right.

No, I just have
a fucking heart.

Even if you
didn't kill this girl,

in the eyes of everything
I hold dear,

you may as well have.

Your minds are all over
this mess.

You were supposed to go
this way.

The other stop sign,
no, we were supposed to go left.

Honey, slow down.

No,
what are you talking about?

What?

What?

What is it?

Oh, my God.

Fuckin' him.

Four. Eight. 35.

Is it
the fucking numbers?

What do you mean?

Those numbers
at the fucking radio station.

- Four, eight, 35. Hold on.
- And then he called him again

- at the fucking comics shop.
- What? What?

Let me find it,
wait a second.

Is it...
It's Bible shit?

Why the fuck are you
reading a Bible?

Because I found it before,
okay? Last couple ones.

Why did...
Oh, my God.

I think
there's a pattern here,

hold on a second.
Four, eight, 35.

He called us
from her phone.

Four, eight, 35.

He called us
from her fucking phone.

Four, eight, 35.
There's no fucking 35.

What?

- What?
- What? What is it?

- It's the fucking com...
- What?

Year, issue, page,
it's the comics.

- It's the comics.
- A year issue page?

Remember,
at the radio station,

he called, right?
And he said 1-12-18.

Year, issue, page.

- Year one, uh, issue 12, page 18.
- Okay.

Take a look, take a look,
take a look. 1-12-18.

- Oh, my God.
- What? What, what?

What is it,
what is it?

There's
the fucking triptych.

- Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God.

Um, the next one, the next one
was, uh, 3-12-4.

Three... Year 3,
Issue 12, Page 4.

Fucking, it's "The Gift."
God damn it.

No, no, no, no.

He's been telling us!

He's been fucking telling us
what he's gonna do.

He just called, when he called
and he said four...

What'd I say
when he called? Four, uh...

Uh, 4-8-35.

Page 35 on, uh, year...

Year 4, Issue 8.
4-8-35.

All right, I mean...

It's the fucking
"Wish You Were Here"

thing with
the dead family, is the...

Oh, no,
no, no, no.

It's the fucking family...

They aren't
all the fucking...

There's a fucking family
ahead of us!

It means he's fucking
watching us.

Where the
fuck is he?

We have to fucking warn them.

Hey! Pull over!

- Stop!
- Pull over! Pull over!

- What do you want?
- Pull over! Pull over!

- We'll call 911.
- Get the fuck away from us!

It's not safe!
Pull over!

Get outta here!

Call 911! Call 911!

Fuck, where the fuck
is this guy?

Fuck!

Oh, shit.

Okay, we gotta go,
we gotta go.

No, no. We have to help them.
We have to fucking help them.

Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck.

That's fucking him.

- Oh, no, no, no, no.
- Oh, my God, he's got a gun!

- Gun, he's got a gun.
- He's got a fucking gun.

Call 911, call 911.
Tell a cop.

- He's got a fucking gun.
- I'm calling.

Fuck.
No, no, no, no.

Yeah. Yeah,
I'm on Interstate 90,

outside of McBain...

All right,
there's a family,

he's fucking shooting
a family.

- Oh, my God.
- 90, Interstate 90.

He's got a fucking gun.
We've got to fucking go.

What the fuck
is he doing?

Fucking shit!

We should
fucking help them.

Run! Now!

He's fucking shooting!

He's fucking shooting them!

Fuck,
no, no, no!

Oh, my God,
we gotta go, we gotta go!

He's shooting, all right?
Just get here now!

- No, no, no.
- Save somebody...

There's a kid
in the back seat!

He just shot a fucking kid!

Get out of here.
No, no, no, no.

Go, go, go, go, go.
No, no, no, no. Go, go, go.

Fuck!
Fuck! Fuck!

Ow... Oh, Kath.

Kath. Oh!

Fuck.

Kathy. Baby.

Hey. Ah...

Sweetheart...
Come on, sweetheart. Hey.

No. No, no, no, no.
Hey. Fuck off.

Fucking get away
from her.

No, no.

Take me, take me, no.

Babe. Babe. Babe.

Kathy.

Oh...

Kathy.

Ah... Kath.

Hey.

Hey, Kathy.

Shh, shh. Okay.

We'll figure it out, okay?
You got me, I'm right here.

How are we
gonna figure it out?

I'm right here.
I'm gonna get you out of here.

Why... Why am I...

I'm gonna get you
out of here, okay?

I'm gonna get you
out of here, sweetheart.

Oh, God!

Oh, God. Ezra.
Oh, oh...

It's not...

Okay, okay.
We're okay.

What are you doing?

We gotta get the fuck
out of here.

- Stop, just stop.
- Hey...

Listen to me,
just listen to me.

Don't fucking give up
on me right now, okay.

Listen to me.

- We're not okay.
- Hey, don't do that...

He is going to kill us.

Don't you fucking
say that right now.

- Listen. Listen to me.
- Don't give up on me

- right now, okay.
- Listen to me.

Okay, listen to me.

This is it.
It's over.

- It's over.
- No.

- Yeah, I, I...
- Mmm-mmm.

Please just stop,
stop, stop!

I'm so sorry,
sweetheart.

It's okay.
It's okay.

It's okay.

I don't want
the end of my life

to be panic and fear,
I don't.

And...

And it doesn't have to be.

- Because you are with me.
- Mmm-hmm.

And I love you
and we're together.

- Hey.
- I love you.

- Fuck that. All right?
- No.

Nobody's taking you.

All right, and you hear me?
Look at me, look at me.

Take a deep breath, okay?

In...
and out.

And out.

Now.

You gotta get home.
You don't wanna die, right?

- I don't wanna...
- You don't wanna die.

- I don't wanna die.
- So don't, all right?

That's all it is,
there's no choice.

But I can't let you
fucking die. I won't.

Okay, you live.

Look at me, you live.

Okay? Get up.
Up with me.

Come on. Come on.

All right, here we go,
here we go.

Run, Kath.
Run, run, run!

Go. Go.

Don't... no.

Run, Kath. Don't stop.

Kathy!

Kath! Kath!

Kath!

Kath! Kath!

Fuck! Kathy.

God,
get the fuck off me.

Five. 12. 35.

Why, you sick
motherfucker?

I can't wait
to show you.

Help!

Help me, please!

Help!

Help me!

Someone,
please help!

Please!

Fuck.

Kath!

Kath!

Kathy...

Kath?

Kath?

Kathy. Fuck, where are you?
Where are you?

I won't scream for you.

I will not scream...

Fuck you!

Kath!

What...

35. 5-12-35...

Five, five, five...

Three, three, 34...

No.

No, no, no. Fuck.

34. No. No!

No. Fuck!

♪ O little town of Bethlehem

♪ How still we see thee lie!

♪ Above thy deep
and dreamless sleep

♪ The silent stars go by

♪ Yet in the dark streets
shineth

♪ The everlasting light

♪ The hopes and fears
of all the years

♪ Are met in thee tonight

♪ For Christ is born of Mary

♪ And gathered all above

♪ While mortals sleep,
the angels keep

♪ Their watch of wond'ring love

♪ O morning stars, together

♪ Proclaim the holy birth

♪ And praises sing
to God the King

♪ And peace to men on earth

♪ Oh, holy child of Bethlehem

♪ Descend to us, we pray!

♪ Cast out our sin,
and enter in

♪ Be born in us today

♪ We hear the Christmas angels

♪ The great glad tidings tell

♪ Oh, come to us

♪ Abide with us

♪ Our Lord... ♪

Oh, Kath.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

No, no, no.

I got you.

No, no.

Our ending.

I was going
to kill you, too, that night.

But there was something
about that drawing.

No one had ever
drawn me before.

But you...
You saw something.

You saw what I did

and you saw that it was
fucking beautiful.

Hmm?

You showed me
I could be something.

You showed me
who I'm supposed to be.

I've been reading your comic,
since the beginning.

I knew as soon
as I saw it...

You were keeping
my work alive.

And I didn't feel
the need to kill anymore.

But when I found out our
work was coming to a close

and you hadn't
found an ending yet,

I knew you needed me.

So here it is.

Our final... issue.

Isn't it beautiful?

True art is created
by inflicting pain on others.

You showed me that.

I inspired you.

And now
you've inspired me.

Together, we will inspire
so many more

and they will never forget
what we've done here.

Kill me...

so the world
can see our ending,

and know our story.

Kill me.

And together
we will kill the world.

Help me.

Fuck your ending.

There can be
no beginning without an end.

There can be no darkness
without color and light.

There can be no accidents

without there first
being a design.

Enter truth, cold-hearted,

unforgiving, and specific.

The closer
you look at anything,

the less you will see.

Eventually something
you know and understand

becomes an expanding
myriad possibilities.

Its original purpose
and reason

all but completely evaporated.

Truth is
the forced perspective

that mutates
the abstract into reality.

Real art is born of truth.