Dead Air (2021) - full transcript
A dead father's recently discovered radio sends his adult son on a twisting journey that slowly unravels a dark, unimaginable secret.
What do you
think is in that darkness?
I don't know, but it
must be something bad,
otherwise why would I
block it out of my memory?
We can try and figure it out.
Another attempt to get
me to agree to hypnosis?
You can't blame a girl
for trying, William.
When are you gonna
start calling me Will?
When you call me Lydia.
You seem very pensive today.
I'm just tired.
A lot happening, the
anniversary, yes?
Denise, two years?
Yeah.
How are the girls doing?
They're fine.
Have either of them said
anything
about your wife's passing?
Why would they?
Well with your own mother
passing,
it's a shared experience you all
have.
I didn't lose my mother
when I was a teenager.
But you lost your father,
though when you were a kid.
I'm well aware of that.
I'm just surprised the
topic hasn't come up.
I think it's more important
that we move on with our lives
and leave the past where it
belongs.
It's not my intention to
agitate you.
See, I think it is if
you think it'll help,
which it doesn't.
Ironically, I've actually had a
dream
about my father the other night.
Really?
What were the circumstances?
Nothing really, he
was just sort of there.
You lose your one parent
and then you start dreaming
about the one that you barely
knew
or that you hardly ever give a
thought to.
I mean, up until a couple of
weeks ago,
I had only had like a
single picture of him
and I misplaced that years ago.
What happened a few weeks ago?
I came across some boxes of
his stuff in my mother's attic.
What was in those, in those
boxes?
I haven't had the time
to bring them home yet.
You haven't had the time
or you haven't made the time?
I figure if my mom
put all that stuff away,
maybe she put that
stuff away for a reason.
I mean, maybe she was trying to
keep
something about my father
from me for a reason.
Or maybe she didn't
want to deal with you,
you know, asking questions about
him,
wanting to know more about him.
Maybe she thought that
would be too painful.
For me?
For her.
Have you ever considered
that you might be teeing up
the same exact circumstances
for your daughters?
The
Soviet union announced
it will not participate in the
Los Angeles summer Olympics
in retaliation for the American
boycott
of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
In national news, as the
campaign for November heats up,
president Reagan said today-
- Just go ahead and set the
boxes there.
There's one more.
Can you get it please?
Why can't Shanna get it?
Mindy.
Stuff must be old.
About 40 years.
Looks like a lot of junk.
I'm sure has some value to it
if Nana held on to it
for that long, right?
I miss her.
Me too.
You know, she lived a long life,
right?
Now, she's with your
grandfather.
Yeah, she used to talk
about him sometimes.
Grandpa Harold.
Gerald.
What?
My dad's name was Gerald,
so it'd be Grandpa Gerald.
- Thank you.
- Am I done now?
Yes, you're done now.
Good, I hate it down
here, it smells so musty.
This is W-2-A-S-D.
Whiskey two Alpha Sierra Delta.
This is H-8-A-9-Q-R-L.
How are you, Eva?
I feel like people are
watching me.
I feel eyes on me all the time.
I just want to feel safe.
I'm doing the best I can here.
You're crazy, you know
that?
I know.
Relax, nobody's watching
you.
How do you know that?
You're just a
normal American woman.
Who'd be watching you?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I just feel so alone.
So, go out, meet
people, have a drink, dance.
You know I can't do that.
Copy that, then I can't
help you.
Shit.
Breaker breaker. No, that's
CB's.
Hello out there, anybody home?
Very Dangerous.
Hello, this is William.
Who's out there? I'm picking you
up.
This is K-2-W-M-O. Can you hear
me?
Careful!
It's not what it seams.
Hello, I'm not making that
out.
Hello?
Can you hear me?
What are you reading?
Protocols for using
that radio downstairs.
You're gonna use that old
thing?
Why not? Might be fun.
Get me in touch with my dad,
maybe.
Maybe you can connect
with him on the other side.
I don't think I could afford
that long distance bill, honey.
Who'd want to talk to dead
people?
I think it'd be cool, don't
you think?
Well, it'd certainly be
interesting, that's for sure.
Okay.
Use QC as a general...
Let's give this a try.
Calling QC, is anybody on this
frequency?
Calling QC.
This is W-2-A-S-D
Whiskey two Alpha Sierra Delta.
Who is this? What's your call
number?
Me? It's K-2-W-M-O.
Do you have a handle,
K-2-W-M-O?
Traveling man? What's yours?
Melder girl.
It's nice to meet your Melder
girl.
Whereabouts are you?
Why do you want to know
that?
No reason really, just
curious.
I'm really, really new at this.
So, I don't know how far
away you can reach people.
You can reach people all over
the world.
No shit.
No shit.
New York.
I'm sorry, what?
I live in New York.
The city?
No, small town in New York
state.
Hey, me too.
What are the odds, huh?
Well, you know, it is a big
state,
lot of people live here.
So, what town do you live in?
I'd prefer not to say.
Okay. I mean, upstate,
downstate?
Let's just say New York state
and leave it at that, shall we?
Okay.
Do you like baseball?
No.
Okay. This is why I don't
date.
I'm sorry, I didn't
catch that. Come again.
I said, is anything
interesting going on
around where you are, wherever
you happen to be living?
Nothing interesting ever
happens to me around here.
Same day, same song, as they
say.
See, now I know exactly where
you are.
What do you mean by that?
You know what? You know where I
live?
I was just kidding.
Sorry.
Don't worry, my daughters
don't get my sense of humor
either.
So, you're married?
I was, she died a couple
of years ago, leukemia.
Sorry to hear that.
So am I, how about you, are
you married?
No.
Boyfriend?
Not anymore.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Well, I guess.
You know I'm like a lot
of other women these days.
I mean, so many men have come
and gone.
Tough love life, huh?
I prefer not to talk about
this.
I'm sorry, I wasn't meaning to
be nosy.
It's jake.
Did you just say it's jake?
Yeah.
God, I haven't heard
that expression in years.
Well, jake, you know,
it means it's okay,
everything's fine, like that.
No, I know what it means,
my grandfather used to
use it all the time.
You actually sound familiar to
me.
I wonder if we've met before.
I doubt that.
I'm gonna have to sign
off now, Traveling man,
the boys here with the
groceries.
Copy that, hopefully
we'll find each other again.
That is so cool.
Grocery delivery, she lives in
the city.
Who is it?
It's Billy.
Over there as usual please.
Mr. Krotter says he's all out
of sugar,
but hopefully he'll get
some in by maybe next week.
Oh well.
I guess that means no cookies
for me.
Cookies!?
My ma hasn't baked anything
sweet in such a long time.
Well, it's better for you.
What is it?
It's $2.40 today, ma'am.
There we go.
Thanks, miss Saints, see you
next week.
God, I remember this.
"Sir William and I were
playing catch this afternoon
until it got too dark to see.
Kids got a great arm."
I had a great arm.
Sir William.
God, I forgot all about that.
Point taken Dr. Jennings.
Dad, you down there?
Yeah.
The spaghetti sauce is
burning.
Did you turn the burner off?
No.
Well, Mindy...
So, how was school today?
Boring as always.
That's because you don't have
friends.
- I do too.
- Girls.
I have a stupid history test
tomorrow,
who cares about history?
On what?
World War II.
So stupid, it's 1984,
who cares about some dumb war
anyways?
I don't think it was dumb for
the people
that were living back then.
Were you in the war, dad?
No honey, I'm not that old.
I mean, I was alive back then,
but I was younger than the two
of you.
Did he know anyone who died?
My two uncles, my dad's
brothers, they were both killed.
How come your father
didn't join the war?
He had a problem with the
hearing in one of his ears.
Bet he was glad to get out of
it.
I don't think so.
I think he was really
upset that he couldn't go.
Why?
Things were different back
then.
A lot of people were very
patriotic during the war.
It was America all the way.
Bet they'd feel different
if they had to read about it all
the time.
I started going
through my father's stuff
and one of the things
is his old ham radio.
And I plugged it in and it still
works.
But...
But what?
None of that stuff is
really stirring things up
like I hoped it would.
Like for instance, I came across
this old checkered handkerchief
that he used to carry around all
the time.
And I remembered that he used to
tie it around my face sometimes
like an outlaw's mask.
So, I'm picking up a thing
or two here and there
but I don't remember, remember.
You know, that darkness is still
there.
You know, the mind is a
complicated, tricky thing.
That's why it's so important
that we try different things
because we never know
what's going to stick.
And I know you think I'm
pitching hypnosis here,
but I'm not, all right.
I actually think it's pretty
important
that you go through
your father's belongings
on a number of levels.
It actually might bring
you out of this darkness.
It's just so irritating.
I know something happened,
but I can't just assume
that it has anything to
do with my father's death.
That could be a complete
coincidence.
If you believe in
coincidences, which I don't.
"Well, I was at the hardware
store,
a woman came in, never saw her
before.
Told Chubby she had just moved
to town.
I tried to introduce myself
but she gave me the greasy eye.
Not my type, still there
was something about her.
Looked like the sort of dame
that might enjoy a good tumble."
The things you don't want
to know about your dad.
William!
William!
Hello, who's out there?
Hello?
Hello?
This is W-2-A-S-D
Whiskey two Alpha Sierra Delta.
Traveling man, are you on the
air?
Traveling man?
This is Traveling man, Melder
girl?
Copy.
Didn't have much to do today,
so, I thought I'd reach out.
I'm here.
Can I ask you a question?
Shoot.
I'm sorry, come again.
Yeah, go ahead and ask your
question.
So, why Traveling man? Are
you a salesman or something?
No, I'm a post-harvest
consultant
and it takes me overseas a lot.
What's post-harvest?
It's an agriculture term.
Basically, I show people
how to store their crops
after they harvest them so that
they get
as much longevity out of them
as possible before they spoil.
Sounds like it's very
important.
In some regions of the world
It's the difference between
living and starving to death.
It's very important.
You sound very passionate
about it.
Well, I grew up on a farm
and I used to work in a grocery
store.
So, I guess you could say foods
been a big part of my life.
So, you still have the farm?
No, my mom sold that a long
time ago,
after I left school and decided
I wanted to become a professor.
Professor, huh? Very
impressive.
Oh, it is very, very
impressive.
Especially if you love
red tape and ass kissing,
which I don't like either one.
So, that's why I left teaching
and went into consulting.
I think it makes more of an
impact anyway.
And you know, I get to
do a lot of traveling.
Hence the handle Traveling
man. Okay, I got it.
So, what about you? What
do you do for a living?
Nothing anymore, I inherited
some money.
Life of leisure,
huh?
Not really.
Do you travel at all?
Used to, not much
anymore.
Have you ever been to Europe?
Why do you want to know that?
No reason, just curious.
Yes, I've been to Europe.
I just got back, I was
there a couple of weeks ago.
I think it'd break
my heart to see it now.
I thought it was amazing.
I mean, just absolutely
beautiful.
Especially if you're
into the history of it.
Where did you go?
I was in London for a few days
and then went on to France and
Germany.
What do they look like now?
What do they look like? I
don't know.
Like America, I guess, except
different.
I wasn't there working-working,
those countries don't need my
expertise.
We were actually there for a
conference concerning Zimbabwe.
Dad, you down there?
I gotta be a Danny's in 10
minutes.
All right, I'll be right up.
Melder girl, my kids are calling
me
so, I've got to go, you
have a great afternoon.
Like America.
I doubt that.
I thought you guys
didn't like it down here.
So, why
aren't you sleeping well?
I just had the dream about
my father still being alive.
That's reoccurring?
It's actually expanding.
Not married, don't have kids.
It's just the two of us
working my family's old farm.
Interesting.
And it's not disjointed like
dreams usually are though.
It's very common, very
day-to-day feel.
In some ways it's reminiscent
of that darkness we've been
talking about
in the sense that I feel it
more than I actually see it,
but it's still very real.
But it isn't, and it certainly
shouldn't be keeping you
from a full night's rest.
Dreams are a way for our minds
to work out our problems
and our anxieties.
They shouldn't be adding to
them.
Let me know if this keeps up
and I'll prescribe something for
you.
Okay.
Are you on the airway Melder
girl?
Melder girl, are you there?
Melder girl?
Melder girl?
This is Melder girl,
Is this Traveling man?
Hey, I didn't know
if I'd catch you today.
You caught me, what you doing?
Not a whole lot, just
did some running around.
Got some time to kill before
I have to put dinner on.
What is that noise that I keep
hearing?
What noise?
It's like jingling or
metal or something like that.
Oh, it's 50 cent pieces.
I carry a lot of change around
with me, it's an old habit
and sometimes I wind up playing
with them
and don't even realize I'm doing
it.
Does it annoy you?
Yes.
Sorry.
So, anything new with you?
Nothing ever changes where I
am.
Oh, come on.
Things change all the time.
Not to me they don't,
I don't leave my house.
Never?
Never.
Why's that?
I have a condition,
it's extreme nervousness.
Every time I go outside,
my heart starts to race.
I break into a sweat, I just
feel like I'm gonna die.
Well, that sounds like
agoraphobia.
What's that?
You've never
heard of agoraphobia before?
No.
It's a psychological disorder.
Well, my doctor said it
was extreme nervousness.
Well, what did your doctor
prescribe?
Rest.
Rest, is that it?
There's medications that could
help you
with this Melder girl.
Well, that wasn't mentioned.
I'd get a second opinion.
A shrink could certainly help
you.
Did you say shrink?
Yeah.
I don't understand.
Like what, I'm supposed to be
smaller?
Smaller? No.
Seeing a psychiatrist doesn't
make you
any less of a person, Melder
girl.
What does a psychiatrist
have to do with this?
That's what we're talking
about, a psychiatrist.
You should see one to help you
with being scared to leave your
house.
Well thank you, no.
But I don't think I would
enjoy electroshock very much.
Electroshock? They
don't do that anymore.
Lots of people see
psychiatrists, Melder girl.
I'm even seeing one right now.
Why? What's wrong with you?
I had a traumatic
experience when I was young.
What happened?
I don't remember.
Well then how do you
know it was traumatic
If you can't remember?
That is a fantastic question.
And I'm currently spending $40
an hour trying to answer it.
$40 An hour?
I think I know what's causing
your trauma.
H-8-A-9-Q-R-L. Are you there?
How are you, Eva?
Han, where have you been?
I've been trying to contact you.
Been hot here.
Are you still in Panama?
Affirmative. Be moving
soon.
Why?
Got some people to meet.
I wish I could come.
I've always wanted to see South
America.
You're better there.
I suppose so.
This nervousness is really
getting to me.
Relax, Eva.
How's your project going there?
It's been very successful.
Good.
Han, do you think we'll ever
meet?
No. Signing off.
K-2-W-M-O.
K-2-W-M-O, Traveling man.
Are you on the air?
This is traveling man, Melder
girl?
Yeah.
How are you doing today?
Actually, I'm tired.
Late night, huh?
No, I'm bored.
It's exhausting to have
nothing to do all day.
Saps your brain cells and your
body.
Well, what do you do all day
if you don't ever leave your
house?
I don't know, I cook, I
read books and magazines,
I do puzzles, listen to the
radio.
That sounds lonely.
Do you at least have cable?
Cable? What, like overseas
cables?
No, like TV cable.
What is that?
You really have been
secluded, haven't you?
I mean, how long have
you had this condition,
this nervousness of yours?
I don't know, I guess it's
been bad
for the last couple of months,
but really started about a year
ago
when I came back to America.
Where were you before that?
I was living overseas,
circumstances changed.
My mother died, probably from
shame
that her daughter didn't
live up to her expectations.
But anyway, came back and now
I'm living in their house.
Her hous? So, your dad's past
as well?
Yeah, it's probably the right
thing
to come back to America.
But it was scary.
I mean, I felt like
everybody was watching me
and judging me because I'd
been living in Germany.
And I just felt hostility
everywhere from everybody.
No, I doubt that was the case.
That's probably a lot
of that's in your head.
Maybe, but after a while I
just went out less and less.
I mean, when I went out, I
just felt like I was gonna...
I was having a heart attack
and I would just feel enveloped
by panic, it was awful.
God, that's terrible.
Yeah it was.
Is.
So, you lived in Germany?
Yes.
For how long?
Couple of years.
Like I told
you, I just got back.
Did you get to see any of the
sites while you lived there?
Sites?
Yeah, well, I mean, we were in
Munich,
but I'm not really into cities
so this professor friend and I,
we went around and we did the
castles, the famous castles.
And there was one in particular,
I'm sure I'm butchering that,
but...
It's Neuschwanstein.
That's it.
That place was amazing, I mean
right out of sleeping beauty.
You know, just real fairytale
stuff.
Oh, I know. I see it every
morning.
How's that?
I have a picture of it on my
wall.
Well, I'm gonna sign off now, I
think.
I'm really in desperate
need of a cup of Joe.
Yeah, talk later.
William.
This is K-2-W-M-O,
who's out there? Over.
Who is this? Over.
Melder girl, was that you?
Melder girl, are you there?
This is weird.
What kind of
voices?
It's hard to describe, but
it's like echoey, incoherent.
Voices coming out of a radio,
who would've thought that?
You don't have to be an ass
about it.
I know how it sounds.
It's just not the kind of,
what you would expect to hear
coming out of a radio.
Couldn't it just be people
talking
and you're hearing bits and
pieces,
fragments of their
conversations?
It's more familiar than that.
I mean, I've literally heard
my name more than once.
Your actual name?
Well, you know, that's
actually an auditory memory.
Especially if it's happening
when you're in a hypnagogic
state.
Hypnagogic.
Yeah, well that's that time,
you know, between waking
reality and sleep.
But I'm not in bed.
I'm not nodding off or
anything, I'm perfectly awake.
Yeah, well, you know,
a hypnagogic state,
it's very common and it doesn't
have to be
at that time specifically.
They've actually done studies on
it.
You know, some people think
there's a metaphysical component
to that,
but I don't buy into that.
Just like you don't
buy into coincidences.
You know, the mind's already
shrouded in enough mystery
without taking on anything
paranormal or supernatural.
I bet you're a lot of fun at
story time
around the campfire.
What's that?
Some of your mom's things.
I thought we could go through
them.
I thought you said-
- I know what I said,
and I think it was wrong
and I'm sorry about that.
Come on, let's take a look.
Doesn't it make you sad?
Yeah, it does, a little,
but it's important.
Why?
Because family's important.
I mean I lost my dad
when I was about your age
and I didn't have a
sense of him as a person
because Nana didn't like to
talk about him after he died.
Why not?
I don't know, honey.
I'm sure she had a reason.
But not talking about
him was very hard for me.
And I don't want the same
thing for the two of you.
I don't want you to ever
lose the image of your mom.
I want you to always remember
her
and always be able to
keep that memory close.
I mean none of this is
really that valuable,
but she'd want you to have it.
Are those pictures?
Mm-hmm.
And they're from when she was
younger.
You look like her.
You look just like her in this
one.
You actually both have her
looks.
You also have some of her
mannerisms.
The way you say certain things.
I see her in both of you every
day.
Can I keep this one?
You can keep all of it.
Everything in this box
belongs to both of you now.
Melder girl, this is Traveling
man.
Melder girl?
Melder girl?
I'm here. I also think
I'm a little drunk.
I don't think I'm too far
behind you.
So, you drinking because you're
happy
or drowning your problems?
The last one.
I've been there.
I'll tell you, the devil's hard
to drown.
I know I've been spending
a lot of my days trying.
You know, the problem with
being alone
is you just have all these
thoughts
and you just, you don't have
anybody to work them out with.
So, they just sit there and go
round and round in your head
like some kind of crazy Ferris
wheel.
Well, I'm here right
now. You can talk to me.
I don't know you.
That's what makes it perfect.
I mean, who better than a
stranger to tell your problems to?
Maybe.
So, what's
troubling you this evening,
Melder girl?
The past.
Just doesn't want to let go of
me.
I guess a lot of people
could say something like that.
I know my past's been
haunting me for years.
Why? What happened to
you?
I told you, I don't know.
How can something you
don't know haunt you?
'Cause I feel it, even
if I can't remember it.
Then how do you know it's bad?
That's what my shrink and
I are trying to figure out.
Your what?
I told you I'm
seeing this psychiatrist.
Oh yeah, yeah, that's right. I
remember.
I don't know, Traveling man.
I think I'd like to trade with
you.
I'd like to forget my past.
I don't recommend it.
So, what are you trying to
forget?
Broken heart?
It's part of it.
Probably not like you think
though.
Can I ask
you a personal question?
Depends. What is it?
What's your name? Like your
real name?
Why do you want to know
that?
'Cause Melder girl's
starting to sound like,
"Hey you" or "To whom it may
concern".
It's Eva. What's yours?
My name's William.
Some people call me Will.
Most of them are gone now.
You sound a little
bit drunk yourself, Will.
Either that or very sad.
The last one.
I was actually pretty close
to my mother growing up, you
know?
But all that ended when I lived
abroad.
She didn't approve of my
attachments.
She just stopped talking to me,
you know.
She wouldn't answer my
letters or my telegrams.
My mom and I were always
close.
Of course, my dad died when
I was a kid, so it made sense
that we were sort of
clinging to each other.
I am sorry to hear about your
mom though.
Yeah, me too.
But I don't regret my decisions.
So, I want to ask you
another personal question.
It'll help me put a better
mental picture of you in my mind.
It's jake, go ahead.
How old are you?
That is personal.
I know better, but I'm drunk,
so...
Let's just say I'm old enough.
That is a fantastic age.
God.
We've been doing this all night.
I know, it's been Saturday
for a couple of hours now.
You must be tired.
I am.
Who is it?
It's Billy.
Will, I gotta go now,
the kids here with the
groceries, I'm gonna sign off.
Okay, talk to you later.
Put it over there.
It's $2.10 today, ma'am.
Here.
What's wrong?
I forgot to bring
change.
How can you deliver
groceries without change?
You should always have change on
you.
Tell Mr. Krotter that he can
have his ten cents next time.
when his delivery boy does his
job right.
But he'll take it out of my
wages.
Price of an education, now
beat it.
God.
Don't
get caught up, William.
It's not what it seems.
Live on the wrong side of the
world.
Hello? Who is this?
I think you're bleeding into my
frequency.
What's your call number?
I found it.
Auditory memory my ass.
So, shouldn't I be laying
on a couch or something?
Would that make you more
comfortable?
No.
Okay then.
All right, so how do we do
this?
Well, I'm just gonna talk
you into a state of relaxation
and we'll go from there.
All right, I want you to close
your eyes.
All right, and I want you to
take some slow deep breaths.
Now, can you think of a place
that's peaceful and safe?
You're at that place and
your whole body feels light.
You're at peace.
There's no pain, no sorrow, just
peace.
Now, keeping that safety and
that peace.
I want you to go back in time,
back to the day your memory was
lost.
Start early in that day.
What were you doing?
Helping dad with the tractor.
Is everything okay
between the two of you?
Yes, but he seems upset about
something.
He tries to hide the fact that
he's upset.
Did he say anything out of the
ordinary?
No, but I can tell.
What do you do next?
I'm going to my job at the
store.
Then what?
I don't want to.
It's okay.
I don't know.
I don't know.
It's okay, just take a deep
breath.
Why don't you just go back
to your safe place now.
It's okay.
One more thing I suck at.
We'll get
there.
So, last time we talked
you were a little down.
I was drunk.
Are you feeling
better?
Yeah, you know, it's
actually really nice
to have somebody to talk to for
a change.
God, you say that like
I'm your only option,
which for your sake I
hope is not the case.
Am I becoming a burden to you,
Will?
Just the opposite.
I'm sure I'm only moderately
jake at best.
No, you're fine company.
Seriously though, I mean,
you don't have anybody else
you can talk to like friends,
neighbor?
Something more than just my
stupid voice
coming out of a little box.
I do have a friend of sorts.
What's she like?
It's a he.
Oh.
And we don't do a lot of
talking.
None of my business.
You don't have to snap your
cap, Will.
I mean it's not serious
or anything, he's married.
That's right, I'm one of those
women.
Will, are you still there?
I mean look, I'm not some
crazy man-eater or something.
It's just, you know, one of
those things.
It's not my place to judge.
No, it's not, but you asked.
Yeah, sometimes
I'm not very smart.
Most men aren't.
Are we still friends?
Yes, we're still friends.
I'm glad. I'm gonna sign off
now.
It's not your
time.
This is W-2-A-S-D, Whiskey
two Alpha Sierra Delta.
This is H-8-A-9-Q-R-L,
Hotel eight Alpha nine Quebec
Romeo Lima.
I'm close to having
everything all together.
How do you want me to send it?
Just use the normal
signal when it's ready.
I'll send someone within a
few days after to pick it up.
So, what's all this?
We're making picture boards.
You take the clothes pin
and put it on the board
and put pictures of mom on it
like this.
Then you hang it on the wall.
We're making one for each
of us, including you.
That's okay, isn't it?
It's jake.
Jake?
He's weird.
Yeah, Denise was great.
And she took care of everything
too,
the house, the girls, me.
You must miss her a lot.
You have no idea, I mean,
she was everything to me
and it was amazing how in sync
we were.
I mean, I'd start a
sentence, she'd finish it.
She always knew what I was
thinking.
And she had this way of singing
things,
things that you and I would
normally say.
Like what?
Well, you know, like mundane
stuff
like "The laundry needs to be
folded"
or "I'm starving, why don't
you take me to dinner?"
Actually, it was kind of
annoying but,
I'd give anything to hear her do
it again.
Well, maybe she did that
to get a reaction out of you.
Women like to keep men
on their toes you know?
Oh, she was good at that.
Every time I turned around,
she was redecorating the house,
paint, curtains,
knick-knacks, you name it.
So, it made it that much
harder when she died.
I just couldn't look around
anywhere in this place and not
see her.
So, I wound up packing it all
up.
Didn't really talk about
her much with the girls.
I was kind of a shit father
actually.
I wasn't very fair to them at
all.
Well look, you said
that they're teenagers.
I mean, come on, they're old
enough to know how you feel.
Maybe, but it still wasn't
fair.
So, I pulled everything
back out, gave it to them.
It's not easy looking at it but,
I don't want them to forget her.
I'm sure that they won't.
You're lucky, you have those
things
and you have your daughters.
When I lost Gerde...
Who's Gerde?
He was my fiance.
You were engaged?
Yeah.
Well what happened?
He was killed.
God, I'm sorry about
that.
Yeah, me too.
You remember that castle that
you went to? Neuschwanstein.
It's where I met him.
You're kidding.
No, he worked there for a
while.
God, he was a wonderful man.
You know, a lot of people said
that I was too old to get
married.
Past my prime and you know,
no man would ever look at me
that way.
But he was different, he
saw past the wrapping.
He saw me for who I really am.
When did he die?
Right before I came back to
America.
So, that's why you came back?
It's one of the reasons.
Again, I'm really sorry.
Yeah, me too.
And all I have left of him
is a framed photograph, that's
it.
So, every day I talk to it,
I tell him how much I still love
him.
How much I still miss him.
But now you have a new man,
right?
Is that what you are?
I was talking about the
guy that you told me about,
the married guy.
Nobody's perfect.
You know what, I'm tired, It's
late.
I think I'm gonna sign off.
Hey, if I hit a nerve there,
I'm sorry.
I really didn't mean anything by
it.
It's okay, I really am tired
though.
Good night, Eva.
Good night, Will.
You're late.
I knew you'd be up.
Did anybody see you?
No.
Do you have something for me?
You wouldn't be here if I
didn't.
Don't!
No!
So, what happened to
him?
I'm not sure of all the
details but...
Actually he got shot.
You're Kidding me.
No, I'm not. Apparently
he went to the wrong house,
thought he was calling on some
guy
that wanted to buy a
piece of farm equipment.
Guy told him he'd be out
back working on something
and to go on in.
My father entered and the
woman who actually lived there,
mistook him for a robber and
shot him.
My God, that's really
horrible.
It must've been very hard for
you.
Well, actually I was pretty
close
to the scene of the
accident when it happened.
I was running errands for my
boss
and I fell off my bike or
something,
hit my head, blacked out.
I don't remember any of it,
just the little bit my mother
told me.
What happened to the woman who
shot him?
You know, I have no idea.
And like I said, my mother
never really talked about it
and by the time I got old
enough to look into it myself,
I figured nothing's gonna bring
him back,
so why bother digging it all up
again?
Poor woman.
My mother or the woman
who shot my father?
Both.
Are you in your safe place,
William?
Yes.
Now let's go back to that day.
You're on the farm with your
father working on the tractor?
Yes.
What's his demeanor?
He's upset about something,
but he tries to hide it from me.
What happens next?
I finished my morning chores,
then I go to my job at the
grocery store.
So, you're at the
grocers, what happens next?
I stock some shelves
and I sweep the floor,
then my boss tells me I
need to make a delivery.
Pack the groceries in a
box and strap it to my bike
and then I ride to the house.
I get there and...
It's okay.
It's all right, you know what,
this all happened a long time
ago.
You were just an observer.
Now, watch this as if it
was a television show.
Just tell me what happened next.
I get to the house
and then I pick up the groceries
and I walk to the basement
hatch.
Do you
always deliver there?
Yes.
Why?
I don't know.
It's just what she wants me to
do.
What do you do
next?
I go down the
stairs and knock on the door.
Who answers the
door?
I don't see her,
she says to set the groceries
down.
What do you see
now?
Looking at
the calendar on the wall.
What does it
say?
June, 1946.
There's a picture right next
to the calendar on the wall.
It's familiar.
It's a castle.
There's a man.
It's a picture of a man.
William.
What did you see?
Nothing, nothing.
Just, you know...
To see something from
so long ago, so vividly.
It's okay, just take slow,
deep breaths.
What did you see?
I can't do this anymore.
We can do this next time.
Are you okay?
Think, you can remember this.
Where was that house?
Think William, think.
You had to go across that
bridge.
It was that little house in
Ludlowville.
If Eva's the same woman,
no wonder she didn't want
to tell you how old she is.
Yes?
Is Eva here?
Who?
Eva, I think she lives here.
There's no Eva here,
I've lived here for 15
years, never has been.
Sorry.
Will, are you there?
Will, are you there?
Will, are you on the air? Over.
I'm here, Eva.
Hey, what's buzzin' cousin?
Sounds like you are.
Been hitting the booze again?
Actually, yeah. Well only a
little bit.
I just finished a bit of a
project.
So, I'm celebrating a little
bit.
How about you, what are you
doing today?
Eva, that picture that
you were telling me about
on your wall, the one at the
castle.
Yeah?
How long have you
had that?
A little over a year.
I had a friend send it to me
from Germany after the war.
The war.
You mean the second World War?
Well, yeah, what else
would I be referring to?
You drinking a little
early yourself, Will?
How is this possible?
Will, are you still
there?
Eva.
Yeah?
What's the name of the kid
that delivers your groceries?
Why do you want to know that?
What's his name?
Billy.
Eva, what year is
it?
1946. You have been
drinking.
Will, you still there?
I've gotta go.
She's in the past.
She's in the past.
How is this happening?
This isn't happening.
Look's
like they hit a wreck out-
She was a
big one.
That skirt was so high!
You
knew there'd be a problem-
That dame
would...
William.
Who is this? What do you want?
You can't trust
her.
You're breaking up.
My journal.
QC, this is K-2-W-M-O, who is
this?
K-2-W-M-O.
Yes, this is K-2-W-M-O!
You've reached K-2-W-M-O!
K-2-W-M-O?
Yes, this...
I'm K-2-W-M-O! Who is this?!
K-2-W-M-O.
Read my journal.
William, my journal.
K-2-W-M-O, my journal.
Dad?
Billy.
Master William.
"Today I was headed for
Joe's when I saw her again,
she was just leaving the drug
store.
She saw me looking at her and
she gave me that chilly look.
She walked away without looking
back.
I've been keeping an
eye out for that dame,
I know I shouldn't,
but there's something
mysterious about her.
Haven't seen her though.
I was in Ludlowville this
morning and saw her again.
She was setting her milk
bottle out for the milkman.
She looked up at me this time.
I fancy she might've smiled a
little,
I guess I'm a sinner after all.
I've been with her four times
now,
I know what's wrong, but I can't
help it.
She's gotten under my skin
somehow.
I don't know why, she's not a
young woman.
I can't let Margaret find out.
I've still got her and Billy to
think of,
this would not bode well
in Sir William's kingdom."
God, dad.
June 11th?
You gotta be kidding me.
"I've never been so
fucking furious in my life.
I thought I was falling
in love and with what?
A lying bitch.
She sure put one over on me, on
all of us.
She's a fucking..."
What did you just ask
me?
What's his name?
That's none of your damn
business.
It's important.
No, it's not.
I need to know, Eva.
Well then you are
destined to be disappointed.
All right, fine, then tell me
this.
Have the two of you
been fighting recently?
Again, none of your damn
business.
You have, haven't you?
'Cause his name's Gerald, isn't
it?
His name is Gerald.
I'm right, aren't I?
How do you know these things?
How do I know what,
that his name's Gerald
or that you're a Nazi?
'Cause you are, aren't you?
You're a Nazi!
Eva, I'm right, aren't I?!
Don't call me again.
Eva!
Eva! You're a Nazi, aren't you,
Eva?!
Eva!
Fuck!
Dr. Jennings, this is William.
I need to see you as soon as
possible.
I need to finish this.
Han, I've been signaling,
you aren't answering me.
I'm really vulnerable
right now, somebody knows.
I still have all of this stuff.
Han, please pick up. Do you
copy?
I have everything ready here,
nobody's picked anything up.
This is so important, you
have to get back to me.
Han, goddammit! Where are you?!
Let's go back through that
day.
What happens next?
She opens the basement
door and I go inside.
What do you
see?
Just stuff, a
calendar,
a picture on the wall,
a picture of a guy,
a gun like my uncle used to own,
a clock.
Do either
of you say anything?
I tell her that the bill is
3.19.
She pays me the money.
I start to leave.
What is it,
William?
I hear something.
What do you
hear?
Shouting. It's a
man.
I'm scared.
Why are you
scared?
I can hear them
moving, she might need help.
I keep hearing them shouting.
Can you make out what they're
saying?
Not all of it, but I
keep hearing a man's voice.
What then?
The gun...
- What about the gun?
- It's gone.
I hear the voice again.
"You bitch, how could you?!"
Can you tell
who the voice belongs to?
It's my father.
Remember William, you're safe.
You're just observing.
What do you see next?
I'm upstairs.
The woman and my dad, they're
arguing.
She has a gun.
And then?
What's happening now?
I'm running
away from the house
through the woods.
I just keep running and
running and running and then...
Darkness.
Nothing but darkness.
I can't speak or move,
but I hear them talking.
They asked me questions
but I can't remember.
My mother tells them to leave me
alone.
My father's dead, it
was a terrible accident.
She can't afford to lose me as
well.
I'm just a kid.
I suffered enough.
Will, you're safe, you're here
with me.
You saw something terrible,
but now we know what the
darkness is covering up.
It's okay. It's okay.
Now we can work on fixing it.
Fix?
We can fix it.
My father died on June
12th, 1946, June 12th.
38 Years ago, today.
Did you realize that when
you set this appointment?
Anniversaries can be important
milestones in therapy.
You said coincidences.
I don't believe in them, I
still don't.
Everything happens in its
proper time and place.
Time.
William!
I can still stop it.
The clock in her bunker said
5:07.
There's still time.
Eva?
Eva, I know you're there.
I don't know who you
are, but you need to stop.
I know who you are, you
stay away from Gerald.
Don't you ever contact me
again, do you understand me?
Are you listening to
me, Eva?
Nazi bitch!
You leave Gerald alone, do you
hear me?
Billy.
Hi, Miss Saints.
Yeah, this just really isn't
the time.
Do you hear me, you
bitch?
Just doing routine.
- Just put it down
- Don't you dare touch him.
Don't you dare touch him.
Bitch, where are you?
Just get out, Billy.
Is that my dad?
Get out.
Eva, I know you can
hear me.
But the money.
Dammit, Eva you stay away
from Gerald, do you hear me?
You stay away from Gerald.
Answer me!
Eva, you answer me!
Pick up, Eva!
Are you listening?
Eva, you pick up.
Hello?
Hello?
Do you live here?
Who is this?
Because I need my
$3.19.
Billy?
How do you know my name?
That doesn't matter right now.
Is that woman's still there?
No, she ran out when that
guy upstairs started yelling.
You said she ran out?
Yeah, before she paid me.
Billy, listen to me.
Is the gun still there?
It would be to your
right over on the shelf.
Yeah.
Billy, I want you to
listen to me very carefully.
I'm a friend of your father's,
your dad is in trouble.
He's in danger, Billy. That
woman is going to hurt him.
Billy, I know you.
I know you know how to use that
gun.
Dad.
Billy.
Son, put the gun down.
Listen to me, put the gun down.
- No, he's a little shit.
- No!
Billy!
That's the third time this
season,
he's lost his footing out there.
Of course, in my state I can't
just go out
and drag him back to the house.
And that's when I came
to the sad realization
that my dad and I had been
working that farm together
for so many years.
He's in his late 70's,
so he's bound to slow down at
some point.
Guess it was just inevitable
that we were gonna have
to start thinking about
bringing somebody else on
and I can keep doing what I'm
doing.
I can't run the whole farm by
myself.
Well, that's understandable.
How's it going outside
of the business though?
How about with your personal
life?
Everything's fine I guess.
Been having a hard time sleeping
lately.
Headaches again?
There's always the headaches,
right?
I mean, they can patch you up
after getting shot in the head,
but they can't get rid
of a goddamn headache.
No, what's keeping me up is a
dream.
Tell me about
it.
I'm married in it,
but my wife's not there.
You know, dreams can get weird
like when you're outside,
but you're inside at the same
time, you know what I mean?
But I have kids, two daughters.
I swear I can see their faces,
I can hear their voices.
It's just so real.
Sometimes the things
that we deeply desire,
they can show up in our sleeping
minds.
It doesn't feel made up
though.
It's just too familiar.
Something to
delve into next time, perhaps?
Sounds good.
Well, it's all the
time we have for today.
She's kicking me
out.
Not at all.
You be safe, Will.
You too, Lydia.
William.
I need you to wake up now,
sleepy-head
time to get up.
It's not your
time.
Hello?