Firelight (2012) - full transcript

Help me over!

Give me the stuff first.

Help me.

They're close, just
pull yourself over!

Come on!

Babe... Come on, they're close.

Here, take this.

I don't want it.

You're under 18, you
won't even do the time.

No, no, no, don't leave me.

Don't leave me!



You'll be all right, just
keep your mouth shut!

Drop the gun, drop it!

Wait for me!

Out of the car!

Put your hands
where I can see you!

Okay, okay, okay man.

Hands behind your head.

Hey man, I don't know her.

I don't know her, man!

Give me your hand.

I don't know
her man, what's going on?

I don't know her.

I hereby sentence
you, Caroline Magavo,

to three years at the Educational
and Reformatory Services



of the State Youth Authority.

Fight this fire aggressively,
but always with safety first.

Be aware of your surroundings.

Work with a sense of
urgency, focus, and control.

Relax ladies, we blew a tire.

Hey DJ.

Tommy.

Yeah, yeah we blew a tire
what do you want us to do?

Well I have the crew doing a
control burn off the service road.

Meet me there.

I got you, I'll take care of it.

Captain Kelly, the
bus is on the way.

Got it DJ.

Control, focus.

Spot fire, move it!

Hey Keisha, come now.

Come on now, tighten it up!

Move it!

Let's go now, keep it up.

Oketa, I know you got my back.

Hey DJ.

The county firemen are
impressed by your girls.

I never expected anything
less, you know that.

Way to hold the line ladies.

And I tell you, if I had
your line in college,

I would've made the NFL.

Yeah DJ, we know, we know.

You were a legend
in your own time.

He was a legend in his own mind.

Watch that.

All right,
single file to the van.

What are they doing here?

Let's go ladies.

They're switching vehicles.

They got a flat and
I gotta get them

through processing by dinner.

So you girls can kick back
while the tire is being changed.

Oh... That works.

Yo, let me get this water.

You want a water?

Yeah.

Come on ladies.

No, no, no, no, no,
get it off, get it off.

Get it off me!

I got it, I got it.
Get it off me!

It's gone.

Did you see the
size of that thing?

You almost died.

I don't know why you
laughing, Keisha.

First time you saw a ladybug

you thought it was
a flying cockroach.

Let's go ladies.

Let's keep it moving ladies.

Hey Butterfly... When it lands on you,
it's good luck.

Okay ladies,
single file, off the bus.

All right ladies, come on.

Move it.

Come on.

Come on now.

All your clothes in the bin.

Everything.

There are the phones,
that's the rec room.

CO is on the block 24/7.

Back there's your shower...

Your unit houses all the older
girls, 17 to 25 years old.

Here we are.

Ms. Magavo, your cell's
there, number seven.

Ms. Catares, you're over
there, number eight.

Ms. Adams, number nine.

All right, okay,
whatever you need.

Amy... Check out Butterfly
over there eating by herself.

She hasn't been here 24 hours

and you're already
trying to save her.

Don't hate.

Ain't that what I did for you?

Yeah you ever need a kidney,
you know who to call.

Hey sorry about yesterday.

Yo check out that new girl.

We weren't laughing at
you or nothing like that.

I'm Terry.

And you are... I'm
none of your business.

Well she told you.

What?

Watch who you chill with.

All right, take it easy ladies.

So what clique you roll
with on the outside?

I'm not with a gang.

That's too bad, a
gang's like family Nana.

We take care of each other.

I'm cool, I take care of myself.

Yeah, you got runaway
written all over you.

Like I told that other girl...
I'm none of your business.

Oh now see, that's
where you're wrong.

Everything up in
here is my business.

Whatever you want I
could get for you.

Whatever?

Whatever.

I want to get a letter
to my boyfriend.

Where's he at?

Locked up.

They won't let me
send him a letter.

It's done.

And if he writes me back?

Hey, I got you babygirl.

Caroline Magavo.

I'm Dwayne Johnson, DJ.

I'm the Senior Youth
Counselor here.

Why don't you follow
me into my office.

Do I have to?

Ms. Magavo... If you pick
up on Pedra's bad attitude,

you might get detention.

If you pick up on
her other vices,

you may never get outta here.

Follow me.

No contraband, weapons,
tobacco or drugs allowed, ever.

No making contact
with younger inmates

outside of your
housing unit, ever.

You get in a fight, spit on a CO,
or try to escape you get TD.

That's temporary detention.

Now you're free to move
about your housing unit

when you're not
in school or work.

School is mandatory
until you get your GED.

Once you complete your GED...

Then you have the option
of taking college courses

or getting a job.

What kind of job?

You can learn animal grooming,
or landscaping... There's a...

Culinary program if you
wanna become a chef.

What about those girls?

They're firefighters.

Like real firefighters?

They can do that
when they get out?

That is correct.

There's a special program
for inmates who qualify

called "Crew Nine".

If you're interested... I
don't want to be no firefighter.

Am I done?

Why do you think you're here?

That kind of attitude
isn't gonna get you

very far in here, Caroline.

Sit down.

Now why don't you tell me why
you really think you're here?

Cause the robbery.

Did the robbery just happen?

Or did you cause it to happen?

I'm doing my punishment okay?

So back off.

Voltaire says the
punishment of the criminal

should serve a purpose.

Once a man is hanged,
he is useless.

What do you think the
purpose is of you being here?

Do you know what the
word "redeemed" means?

Yeah, like... If you pawn something,
if you got the money,

then you can buy back.

That is correct.

You became a criminal the moment
you broke into that store.

But... You can
buy yourself back.

And it starts with turning
every "it just happened"

into "I made it happen".

Hear me?

Good.

We all create our own reality
by the choices we make.

You're home early.

Hey dad.

Hey son, looking good.

Hi.

I needed to be reminded how
things are supposed to be.

What's the matter?

Hey!

Oh, that's what
I'm talking about.

You want some of the old man?

Oh, don't do it to
me, don't do that!

Watch out!

He got an A on his
science test, by the way.

Did he really?

He did, he did.

Oh okay, we'll play to 10

and then we'll take the
pretty lady to dinner.

All right.

Let's go, let's see what
you're working with.

Okay, show him how it's done.

Don't do it to me,
don't do it to me, don't do it to me.

Very nice, watch your
mother pass the ball.

Got it.

See that?

You passed it to him?

Double teamed here.

I thought he was an accident.

I lived in Master Hugh's
family about seven years.

During this time I
succeeded... In...

Learning to read and write.

All right.

Caroline, next.

Like basically Frederick Douglass,
one is willing to read.

Very good, but can you
continue reading the paragraph?

I don't like reading out loud.

It is required in this class.

I don't think she can read.

Hey!

Tammy, turn around.

All right ladies, line
up at the door please.

Aight, go.

You know what?

I'll probably be fine.

Where does it hurt?

Nah, nah, it's okay.

Thank you.

Hey, hey, what are you doing?

It's mine!

I need a notebook.

Hey, give me back my notebook.

Or what?

Hey.

Why don't you give the
girl back her notebook?

I got mad respect
for you, Pedra.

This broad ain't down
with you, are you?

Tell me cause... If you are,
I'll give it back.

Don't fall for the
setup, just walk away.

I'll give the girl back her
notebook... Not your fight.

Baby... I miss you so much...
I'm not mad at you for saying...

I don't care that you
said it was my idea.

Just back away.

I'm so scared.

So scared...

Call the fight!

DJ, DJ!

Hey, move it!

Get out the way, move!

Move, now!

Hey, that's enough!

Let her go.

That's it, hey!

Stop it!

That's enough, stop it!

DJ, she stole her notebook.

I don't care!

That's 24 hours detention for... Hey,
stop it!

She started it!

Hey, hey, stop it!

That's it, 24 just became 72.

It wasn't my fault!

Stop!

It never is.

It wasn't my fault!

It wasn't my fault!

It wasn't my fault!

Who's there?

Terry.

How are you doing, Butterfly?

Why do you call me Butterfly?

Cause I don't
know your name yet.

Caroline.

Caroline.

Why is Terry talking to her?

She knows better than to
break the lockdown rules.

Hey, hey, hey.

Leave her be.

I brought you a magazine
to kill the time.

Wait... What's that book about?

A philosopher.

A who?

He's a Greek dude who
asked a lot of questions.

I could fill up a book
with a bunch of questions.

All right, Caroline.

Wait... Isn't that
book boring and stuff?

It has no stories?

Nah, there's stories in here.

Yeah, about Greek dude.

About everybody.

You see that shadow of
the window on your wall?

What about it?

Socrates tells this one story

about these inmates
down in this cave.

Now they've been chained
together their entire lives, right?

No sunlight, nothing.

Just this fire behind
them making the light.

Tell me something,
is there a shadow

of the razor wire on
the wall right now?

Yeah.

Look out the window.

Can you see the razor wire?

Yeah.

See?

You're already better off than
the prisoners in the cave.

I mean they've got these chains

around their necks and
around their feet, right?

They can't even turn
their heads around

and see what's behind them.

Their entire world is
just the wall of the cell.

Isn't that crazy?

It's a metaphor.

Socrates was saying that...

Everybody's a prisoner until
they start asking questions

and finding out the answers.

The prisoners of the story,
they never ask questions.

The cave wall is
their entire world.

Do they ever escape?

Psh... These zombies come down,
right?

And then there's
this crazy scene

where all these vampires
come out, and mermaids...

It's crazy, Caroline.

Are you serious?

No, I'm not for real.

You're going to have
to read the book.

All right Caroline,
I'll see you later.

DJ.

We gotta talk.

Hey.

I've been going over
the files some more...

And we've got two Crew Nine
girls coming up for parole soon,

so keep your fingers crossed.

Nothing helps the program
more than a success story or two.

Great, for the girls... Not
sure about the program,

this is gonna make our
numbers even smaller

and my commander is
already concerned

that with not enough
girls out there

we could have safety issues.

Well you tell him the
program was designed

to teach the girls
how to build things,

how to save people's lives,

girls that have been abused
and objectified their entire life.

But if you can't provide me
with the bodies to do the job...

We gotta kill the program.

♪ Hey now ♪ All you
children ♪ Leave your lights on

♪ Better leave your lights
on ♪ There's an angel

♪ With her hand on my head
♪ She say I got nothing to fear ♪

♪ There's a darkness
♪ Living deep in my soul

♪ It's still got a
purpose to serve ♪

♪ So let your light shine
♪ Deep into my home

♪ God don't let
me lose my nerve ♪

♪ She say ♪ La ilaha

♪ Illa Allah ♪ You all shine
like stars ♪ And we fade away

♪ I don't know what
you've been told ♪

♪ I don't what
you've been told ♪

♪ Crew Nine girls
too hot to hold ♪

♪ Crew Nine girls
too hot to hold ♪

♪ We fight fires
with all the men ♪

♪ We fight fires
with all the men ♪

♪ And do it while looking
much better than them ♪

♪ And do it while looking
much better than them ♪

♪ I don't know what
you've been told ♪

♪ I don't know what
you've been told ♪

Well look at you.

Ready to get out of here?

Do you know who
Nelson Mandela is?

Being in here doesn't
mean you're stupid.

When they asked
him how he made it

through 27 years of prison...
He said "By being measured".

Acting like a hothead
isn't gonna make the time

go any faster, Ms. Magavo.

Let's go.

Are those cigarette burns?

I don't want to
be late for class.

You can't sleep?

Remember that new
girl I told you about?

She had cigarette burns
up and down her arms.

But it's nothing you
haven't seen before.

Still, you never get used to it.

These girls come in so broken.

Kelly threatened to
pull his program today.

Not enough girls.

You've got other programs, baby.

Why are you fighting an
upward battle with this one?

What am I supposed to do,
have them in therapy all day?

You don't understand it.

Maybe I don't.

When I first transferred
from the men's facility

I remember this
17 year old girl.

She got her diploma...

I patted her on her shoulder,
you know, to congratulate her.

Boy, was that a mistake.

Shoulda seen the
look on her face.

One of absolute repulsion.

That poor child must've
experienced inner life.

I built Crew Nine to change
the way they saw themselves.

So that those girls
could feel strong.

And in turn, see how other
people respected that strength.

That's all I ever wanted.

You can't get that
feeling being in a cage.

So... The Pythagorean theorem
says... That in a right triangle,

the sum of the square of
the two right angle sides

will always be the same as
the square of the hypotenuse.

That's the longest side of...

Let's say that in this
equation that side A

is just as long as...

Move these women before
I let these kids out.

Hold on.

So, you can get
this letter to my boyfriend?

You should spread the
word up in that school

that I can get them
what they need.

Hey, I sling for you.

Knucklehead, you got suspended
how you gonna sling for me?

So what you think?

I'm not trying to
get in no trouble.

What, you don't think
I get in trouble

for smuggling that
letter to your man?

I'm looking out for
you, like family.

All right.

All this good stuff,
here look at this.

Fresh from the vending machine.

Thank you.

Thank you, so good.

So when you go back?

Monday.

Are you sure the doctor said
it was okay for you to come?

Well I had to come and
see about you baby.

Make sure you were
doing all right.

Well what'd they say?

Well... They wanna
do some more tests,

so I've gotta go back in
the hospital next week.

It's okay.

It's okay!

What are you doing
here on a Saturday?

Couldn't stay away?

I'm here checking
in on the new girl.

Amy's dad is back again.

I'll try to get her to see him.

Sir... Hey.

Nice to see you.

Thanks.

I don't know,
I... How are you doing today, Mrs. Easle?

Oh... I'm hanging in there, DJ.

Your daughter is
doing fantastic work.

But don't tell her I said that.

Just counting down the
days when I can make a

nice home-cooked
meal for my baby.

I'll be looking forward to
my invitation to that dinner.

Visiting days are moved to

Wednesday, Saturday,
and Sunday next month.

Hi.

Oh... Hello.

This is for you.

This is for me?

It's crazy.

Pedra's baby playing
with Amy's daddy.

I made it myself.

Poor man.

Can't believe that girl's still
not talking to her father.

I put some lemon in it.

One more?

Have you seen Ms. Scott?

Nope.

No visitors today, Ms. Daniels?

Nope.

I thought your mother was
coming to visit this weekend.

One of her yearly visits.

She said something came up.

Hang in there, all right?

Ms. Scott, your father's here.

Again?

See, here's the thing...

You're gonna have to
face him sooner or later.

Why not today?

It's called Solitaire.

Okay.

I'll tell him.

I mean I know it hasn't
been easy in here...

Just two years, you know
all you've accomplished,

the Crew, and school work...

Remember what you told me
when I first came in here?

"Don't think about how you're
gonna fill up the years...

Just think about filling up
the minute that you're in."

One step at a time.
At a time.

Oh hey.

I'm sorry, she's not coming.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

All right, everyone.

Visiting hours are over.

Okay, bye mom.

Can momma get a hug?

Bye baby, I love you.

Bye mama, bye.

How are you today, Ms. Magavo?

"I'm fine DJ, and how are you?"

If I don't say that
I get detention?

If you don't practice
social graces,

the world closes up for you.

I thought you might be a fan.

It's a movie about Plato's cave.

I didn't ask you for that.

"Oh thank you, DJ."

"Thank you so much,
I promise I won't lose it or scratch it."

If I do, I get detention?

If you do, you'll disappoint me.

I'm lending it to you
because you have my trust...

And that my dear, is more
precious than any DVD.

Here they've been
from their childhood...

And had their legs
and necks chained

so they cannot move, and
can only see before them.

And now look again, and see
what would naturally follow

if one of the
prisoners is released.

He will be required to grow
accustomed to the natural world.

At first, he will
the shadows best.

Next, the reflections of
the objects in the water,

and then the objects themselves.

Then he will gaze upon the stars,
and the spangled heavens,

in the light of the moon.

Last of all... He will
be able to see the sun,

in its own proper place,
and not in another.

Caroline.

That's his writing.

Thank you.

That's how we do it.

We look out for
each other in here.

Ms. Magavo.

Hello?

You want your DVD back?

Whenever you finish
with it is fine.

Listen, I spoke to one
of your teachers today...

I didn't do nothing, okay?

It's anything, I
didn't do anything.

Anyway... He said he was
impressed with your schoolwork.

I'm doing all right.

Except for the whole
reading out loud part.

We would accomplish
many more things

if we didn't think of
them as impossible.

Who said that, Socrates again?

Nope.

Football coach by the
name of Vince Lombardi.

Terry, Keisha.

I need you to come see
me when you're done.

Okay.
All right.

Thank you ladies.

Hey... Can I ask you something?

Why not?

How come they get to leave
even if there's no fire?

Fighting fires isn't
all they do, they...

Clear out camp sites,
hiking trails...

They help out with
natural disasters.

It's a privilege they've earned.

Stay out of trouble, I might
let you test for the crew

when you turn 18.

I don't know.

You've got 90 days
to think about it.

I hope you consider it.

Challenge yourself, Ms. Magavo.

Come in ladies.

I just got the date for
your next parole hearing.

It's in two weeks.

Finally, two weeks!

Two weeks.

Both of us?

That is correct, same day.

Same day!

Let's not get
ahead of ourselves.

This is not a done deal by any means,
it's just a hearing.

We got you.

I'm gonna catch up
with you in a minute.

I just wanted to say thank
you, for everything DJ...

You don't even understand,
my mom needs me so much right now.

Thank you.

Oh, hey... Oh I know,
I know, you're not a hugger.

You don't need to thank me.

You put in all the hard work.

Aight, I'm gonna go call
my mom with the good news.

That's great, baby.

When's the hearing?

Two weeks, mom.

I'm hanging in there.

Yup.

Just two weeks.

You're my baby girl.

Oh, they're tossing your cell.

Better run.

Hey, what are you
doing with my stuff?

Keep better company and
this doesn't happen.

The room's clean.

Look at this.

She looks like she's five years old,
she's having a tea party.

Looks like she was
spying on you, P.

That's not true,
I wasn't spying.

This is my grandpa.

You got no right
to be drawing this

with our people,
this is private.

I didn't do anything wrong.

Then why you hiding
pictures of us in your bed?

You drew my dad?

Why would you do that?

You don't want me
to draw your dad?

There.

Are you happy?

There.

Are you happy?

Don't tear that up, please!

I'm saying, that
looks more like my mom

than any picture I've ever seen.

Make her pay for it.

Terry's got a mama who puts
money in her commissary every week.

Nobody does that for you.

All right everyone, break it up.

Go on, go on, get your
stuff back in the room.

Go on, Pedra.

Hey... What you want for it?

I want a butterfly.

A butterfly... They let
you out of here every day,

shouldn't be too hard for you.

Hold the line.

Watch the wind!

Stay with it, stay with it.

Amy!

Keisha, get out!

Terry, Keisha's in trouble!

Terry, Terry come here.

What?

Hurry up!

All right ladies, ladies don't stop,
hold the line all right?

Keep pushing, keep pushing.

Keep that coming.

Stay low, I'm here,
I'm here Keisha.

Oh no...

You did it!

Yeah, you did it!

Do not do that to me again,
do not ever, you hear me?

Great job guys!

That's right.

Thanks Cap, good job.

Close?

Yeah.

Nobody ever jumped
through fire for me.

We sisters.

They say when you
get out of here

and go back to your
regular life...

You forget about everybody
you called family on the inside.

I don't ever want
to forget Crew Nine.

Aight, aight, aight.

Let's stop looking
like crybabies.

The firefighters are passing by.

Oh, I got that one.

How are the girls?

A little shaken up,
but they'll never tell.

Yeah.

Hey DJ!

Terry made a Hail Mary.

That's a pass.

What Terry made was
a wild kick return.

Oh yeah!

All I know is, I
was saying Hail Mary

before she got me out of there.

She's my hero!

I hear you on that one.

Good to see you in once piece.

For real
Keisha, that looked rough.

Captain Kelly told
me what happened.

That's a heroic thing
you did there, Terry.

We had to keep
Keisha alive, right?

We gotta get her to
parole next week.

Hey ladies... Let's
get Terry her butterfly.

Come on!

♪ Yeah we up, up,
up in the clouds ♪

♪ Yeah we up ♪ Yeah we up
♪ Yeah we up ♪ Yeah we up

DJ, take a picture, take
a picture, take a picture.

♪ Find your way, find your way

♪ You're gonna get
yourself a land ♪

♪ You'll get it free
♪ You'll get it free

♪ It's the way now, way to see

What are they doing?

Being kids.

Hey, I might have a
new recruit for ya.

Now that's what I want to hear.

Yes sir.

Does finding a dead one count?

We could just tell
her it's asleep.

She didn't say it
had to be alive.

Yeah... Done and done.

It looks completely different
from the one I saw before.

It looks like a
roach with wings.

They're all different.

They got crazy bugs
in the country.

I never been to
the country before.

Maybe you should think
about joining Crew Nine.

Yeah, you should.

Right?

We leave this place every day.

Every day.

I don't think so.

Why not?

You could train to be a
firefighter, help people out.

That ain't me.

How do you know, Caroline?

How do you know that's not
you if you haven't even tried it?

You got DJ
making you the boss of things.

He's willing to help you too.

And you got your
moms driving up here

every weekend to visit you.

So?

You got people telling you
you weren't made for this place.

But all my life, they've
been telling me I was.

What, you trying to buy
her artwork with a bug?

You don't speak for Caroline.

Yeah I do.

She's down with me.

We don't get paid with insects.

Then take your butterfly back.

Terry... Nah.

Come on.

You're going to have
a lot of peer pressure

on the outside to
make wrong decisions.

Coming back in here is a choice,

and it won't happen unless
you allow it to happen.

Just like that?

If that's what you think,
you have no idea what it's like

for some of us out there.

Well let's talk about it.

Forget it.

Pedra... You can't bring
stuff up and then just drop it.

It doesn't help you, it
doesn't help the group.

You really want to
know what it's like?

Tell me.

Well... I know a girl in here...

Who had to steal food, just
so she wouldn't starve.

Her parents were so strung out

they forgot to feed
her for a week.

That's so messed up.

That must've been a
tough situation for her.

That's why me and my
girls got each other's backs.

We look out for each other,
I mean we got our own family.

And we get mad respect.

Yeah, but not everybody
wants a gangsta life.

Amy, what do you even
know about gangs?

I was just trying
to make a point.

Talking about something you
don't know nothing about.

Maybe she don't, but I do
know something about it Pedra.

That for some of us...

Maybe not you, cause we
all know how proud you are

to call yourself a gangsta,
but for some of us...

Joining a gang is more
about having protection,

especially in the hood.

Where somebody got
killed every day.

Hey, sit down.

I'm just going to my cell.

Let's go.

We're not done, Pedra.

I am.

All right, come on.

Back to your cells, come on.

Amy, how's your father?

Did you make contact with
him like we discussed?

Not yet.

Would it help if I
facilitated a meeting?

Can I think about it?

Sure.

How's your mom, Terry?

Back in the hospital.

So unlike some of ya'll,
I can't wait to get up outta here.

We ready.

I think she was talking to... Me,
right?

I think... Just keeping it real.

Caroline, right?

You gonna be finishing high
school while you're in here.

That's a really
big accomplishment.

Everybody sweats this
chick like she's smart,

when she's just some
dude's sidepiece.

You shoulda heard the
letter he wrote to him.

"I don't care what
you did to me..."

Stop it.

We all come here to help each other,
how are you being helpful?

By telling her she should
read her schoolbooks

and educate herself instead
of writing letters to a dude

that got her busted.

I didn't finish 8th
grade and I know that.

I read a lot.

The only thing you're reading...

Is homeboy's letters, like
an ignorant sidepiece.

I read Plato's cave thing,
so mind your business.

You read Plato's Republic?

Yeah, that cave thing.

That's that big old fat book
Terry be carrying around.

You lying!

If you really read it,
what's your favorite part?

Cause Terry will
know the answer.

You don't have to
answer that, Caroline.

My favorite part is
when the prisoner

goes back down into the cave

and tells everyone
about the world up top.

All the other prisoners think
he's crazy and laugh at him.

What kind of stupid
stuff is she saying?

They say... "Don't even think
about looking up into the light,

if it's gonna make
you like that."

It's like...

Everything you thought you
ever knew was true, isn't...

Same time next week, ladies.

And please leave the
attitudes in the cell,

so we can actually
get some work done.

You can handle more
than you think.

Did Socrates say that too?

My mom.

When her pain get real bad.

Okay, let's go.

Just try to relax, read
from your statements,

and be honest with
the parole board

no matter what they
ask you, hear me?

Now you're here because
you deserve to be here,

so I need you to
own responsibility.

They're ready for you.

Yes, no?

Yes!

You ready?

Yeah.

Ms. Easle, sit down.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Well it looks like all
your paperwork is in order,

anything you'd like to say?

Yes sir.

Excuse me.

The night of March
12th, three years ago...

Was the worst night of my life.

And one that has haunted
me every day since.

It's okay, it's okay,
it's okay, it's okay.

It's okay...

I wish I could say I didn't
know better... But I did.

I did know better.

I should've stayed
and not run away.

And our news on the hour,
the woman in the hit and run accident

which occurred on Magnolia
Drive and Piedmont

late last night has died.

The investigation is ongoing,

and investigators are following
several leads this morning.

Including an apparent witness

who had seen the vehicle
fleeing the scene.

Terry, you okay in there?

I'll be out in a minute, mom.

Well come on, you gonna
be late for school.

I'm going to work.

Hey... That's my car.

Let's go ma'am.

No, it's a mistake.

It's not my baby.

Look, I just want
ya'll to know that

I've been trying to make
up for it every day.

And I'll continue to do that
for the rest of my life.

Thank you.

You've accomplished quite
a bit in your time here.

You've completed
several college courses,

no alcohol or drug abuse,

and I see that recently you
were made the lead of Crew Nine.

Yes sir.

Still, I don't see why we
should give you an early parole.

So, I'm kinda on the fence here.

Where do you stand?

I'm recommending parole.

Thank you.

I am... Impressed with your
accomplishments in here.

Out there, you left
the scene of a crime.

Yes sir, I made a
terrible mistake.

Let's see, you hit the
victim, you stopped,

and you drove away
and left her to die.

I was young and
scared and stupid.

We're well aware of what
teenagers are capable of

when they're scared,
I have three of them.

But this was way beyond that,
way beyond being scared stupid.

You were more concerned about

what would happen to you
if you got caught driving

without a license than the
woman who was bleeding to death

under your car.

You frighten me, Ms. Easle.

And no college courses
or firefighting training

is enough to set
my mind at ease.

I'm denying parole.

DJ, I don't like the wording

in her psychological
evaluation, it's ambiguous.

Nr. Lewis.

As you know, her state of
mind has never been an issue

at any of her hearings.

Well it is an issue now.

I want specific
language that states

that if Ms. Easle found
herself in a similar situation,

her counselor
categorically is convinced

that she would not
make the same decision.

I'm denying her parole.

If the paperwork is revised,

she can come back again
in 90 days, thank you.

DJ... Wait, wait, wait.

No, wait, wait.

Please... May I say something,
please?

This girl's mother
is in the hospital.

Now she's very sick.

I'm asking you as a
personal favor to me,

to please reconsider
your decision.

I've made my ruling.

She can come back
again in 90 days.

Now good afternoon.

Listen, I need a favor.

I need to take these with you,

see what you can do
with them at school.

I'm not doing that.

Your man needs the cash,
you don't want to let him down.

He let me down.

Forget him, you keep the cash.

I'm not doing it, Pedra.

The guards hardly ever go
in the school bathroom,

it's easy money.

You may not want to get out of here,
but I do.

You think I don't want
to get out of here?

I got a family on the
outside to support.

They depend on me.

So... I gotta do
what I gotta do.

And I gotta do what I gotta do.

You walk away from me mama,

you better walk yourself
into protective custody.

I did you favors.

You owe me.

You sling for me or
you bleed for me.

My arms feel like
they're gonna fall off.

Oketa, stop whining.

Too bad it's not your mouth.

Really don't know why ya'll
standing around here laughing

when we got this bus to clean.

Terry, you've been
pushing us hard all day.

It's not our fault
you didn't get parole.

Amy... You can chill inside,
aight?

I'll do it myself.

Look, we all really
wanted you to make it.

You're not the only
one working here.

Hit the showers ladies.

No,
but... Ms. Easle has it under control.

You pushed them hard today.

I'm crew leader, that's my job.

A good crew leader knows
when to take care of her crew.

My moms is the only one who
needs me to take care of her.

Ms. Easle... I just
want to do a good job,

and get good evaluations so
I can get back to her, okay?

I'm not interested
in evaluations.

Parole board is.

I'm interested in
Terry the person.

Well... Terry's not
such a good person.

You heard what I did.

Can I just do my work?

Okay.

Where's Caroline?

She put herself in
protective custody.

Left all her trash.

You will do your
schoolwork in your cell.

You will have one
hour of yard time

when the yard will be
clear of all prisoners

for your protection.

Your meals will be served
through this hatch.

Who's threatening you, Caroline?

I'm cool.

You are not cool.

Get off those tables.

Sit down.

Whatever's going on with
Caroline is gonna stop.

Right now.

If it doesn't, you
are gonna be spending

the rest of your time
here... Look at me!

You are gonna be spending
the rest of your time

in a detention cell.

Do I make myself clear?

Answer me!

Yes sir.

Dang, DJ... I'm scared of you.

How are you feeling?

I'm nervous.

That's natural.

But you're ready.

Just remember everything
that you learned with the Crew,

and continue to stay
focused on your goals.

I can call you, right?

You better.

Love, Amy.

You better write... Every week.

You know it.

You came!

You know I wouldn't miss this.

Keisha, your ride is here.

Group hug!

One, two, three... Crew Nine!

Crew Nine!

I just want to say... It
should be you going home.

Keisha Daniels... You deserve
this as much as anybody.

Thanks for always
having my back.

All right, all right.

We'll miss you Keisha.

Bye Keisha.

Bye Keisha.

Bye!

DJ... You gonna get
me some new recruits?

Well I'm...

You know, I'm going over
the files of the new girls.

A lot of young ladies
coming in on meds

and dealing with psychological
issues, violent offenses.

I'm not seeing anybody stable
enough for the program.

Well it's getting
thin out there,

we can't run the
program without bodies.

Yes.

But it's the quality of the girls,
Kelly, not the quantity.

DJ, I'm serious!

What are you gonna
do about it, DJ?

Hey.

Thanks for the picture.

My mom's gonna love
those butterflies.

Can't wait to show it to her.

Sorry you didn't make parole.

It's all good.

Did you really read
Plato's Republic?

Saw the movie.

I could lend you my copy.

That book's too hard for me.

You sell yourself short.

I'm gonna see if DJ will let
me get it for you, all right?

Hang out here for a minute.

Where else am I gonna go?

Aight.

So first of all, it's
not the cave thing.

This is a book about Socrates.

His ideas, his story, his life.

The cave, just one of
the stories in there.

Hustle ladies!

How you doing with the book?

And all of what are
now called realities.

I don't understand any of this.

Well, we're gonna keep
reading over and over 'til you do.

Anyone tried to lose another,
and lead him back into the light.

I lost where I'm at.

Stop fidgeting, concentrate.

Socrates looked at him and
said... "How charming the man is..."

"Since I've been imprisoned,

he's always been
coming to see me."

Let them only
catch the offender,

and they will be put to death.

What does that mean?

That some people get mad at
the people who try to help them.

See?

You get it.

I was mad at you and DJ.

We must do as he says, Crito.

And therefore, let
the cup be brought.

If the poison is
prepared, if not...

Let the attendant prepare some.

He's gonna drink
the hemlock now.

Yup.

Couple more pages and
Socrates' life will be over.

Three more pages and...

We won't be sitting
here reading it anymore.

Excuse me for interrupting.

Happy birthday, Ms. Magavo.

My wife made it for you.

Thanks.

It's your birthday and
you ain't tell nobody?

Her 18th birthday.

Which means... In a few
weeks when she hits her 90 days,

she'll be old enough
to test for the Crew.

Who said I'm testing for Crew?

You have something
better to do, Ms. Magavo?

I'm not leaving PC.

If you joined up, you wouldn't
need protective custody.

Crew Nine will have your back.

I'm not going back out there.

Caroline...

Let's move out.

What a shame.

There's Terry.

Terry.

We need to talk.

How are you?

Hey, what happened?

Your mom?

Did she...

She's gone.

She died... Alone.

Finish it, please.

Now I was at the first... For Crito,
when he found himself

unable to restrain his tears.

I got up,
and I followed... And at that moment,

Apollodorus who had been
weeping all the time

broke out in a loud
and passionate cry

which made cowards of us all.

Why is Terry not
dressed for Crew?

Did she say something to you?

No.

Come in.

I wanted to talk to
you about the Crew.

Okay.

I've done a lot of
thinking this past week,

and I decided to quit.

Okay... And you
want to tell me why?

I can't lead the
Crew right now, DJ.

I understand.

You can come back
whenever you're ready.

My mom...

She knew what I did.

She heard everything in court.

But she never saw me the
way thar parole board did.

Listen...

Listen to me.

It doesn't matter what
they parole board saw.

You did Crew because
of who you are.

You helped Keisha
because of who you are.

You've become apart of the solution,
that's who I see.

Hear me?

We get up in the morning,
we do what we gotta do.

Hear me?

The same.

Except you get to go
home to your family,

and I've got nothing
left to go home to.

I just don't see
the point anymore.

Then what's the point
of me joining Crew?

You promised if I came
back out, you'd help me.

♪ I'm coming home,
I'm coming home ♪

♪ Tell the world
I'm coming home ♪

♪ Let the rain wash away
♪ All the pain of yesterday

♪ I know my kingdom
awaits You go Caroline!

I can't go any
further with this bag.

I know.

Let's go!

Come on.

Keep those elbows
out, elbows out.

You got it, you got it.

Come on, a little harder.

Do it!

You go girl.

Ya girl look like a zombie.

♪ Coming home, I'm coming home

♪ Tell the world that
I'm coming home ♪

♪ Let the rain wash away
♪ All the pain of yesterday

♪ I know my kingdom awaits ♪
And they've forgiven my mistakes ♪

♪ I'm coming home,
I'm coming home ♪

♪ Tell the world
that I'm coming ♪

♪ Home You are officially
a member of Crew Nine.

She did great!

Congratulations Ms. Magavo,
I hear you did exceptionally well.

I did all right.

Everyone exit the bus,

line up alongside of
the bus single file.

Go, step lively please.

I thought my peoples was
looking out for me on the outside.

The only one looking out
for Keisha is Keisha.

You and Terry always
looked out for me.

You gotta make the right
decisions for yourself,

can't let other people
make decisions for you.

No price is too high to pay

for the privilege
of owning oneself.

Come help me pick this up?

He looks just like my dog Lobo.

He must be so old by now...

I wish I knew if
he was still alive.

You can't find out?

Well he lives with my dad.

Is he okay living with your dad?

Yeah, why wouldn't he be?

I don't know...

You don't talk to him,
so I thought you know... Maybe he...

There's something
wrong with my dad?

No, there's something
wrong with me.

You didn't hurt anybody.

That's what I thought, you know?

I'm just printing fake checks,

big corporations would
never even notice,

no one would get hurt... If you're here,
you've hurt somebody.

When they arrested me,
I saw the strongest man

that I ever knew crumble.

My dad just crumbled.

So you're never gonna
talk to him again?

He raised me right.

I threw it all away.

Yo, what's he barking at?

Hey buddy.

Get help, now!

We're on the upper
part of Canyon Road,

the car appears unstable.

We cannot wait!

Can you do this?

Yeah.

All right.

Do not exceed the limit.

These ropes only
hold 600 pounds,

we just want to secure
the car until help comes.

Got it?

Yup.

All right.

Let's go.

I'm gonna fall.

Don't move, we're coming down!

Give me some slack.

Slack!

Pass me the rope.

Tie it mid point.

We're stabilizing the
car, are you okay?

Get me out.

I'm gonna fall!

Okay, don't move.

Don't move.

Talk to him, calm him down.

Okay... I need you to stop
looking down right now cause

I need you to think
about something else.

I'm gonna fall.

No, no, no.

You're not gonna fall, okay?

There's gonna be an ambulance
here in a couple minutes, okay?

I'm gonna fall!

Caroline!

Please don't leave
me, don't leave me!

Get off the car!

Get off!

Don't leave me!

Caroline!

What are you doing?

Get off the car!

Caroline!

He's gonna fall outta the car!

Get back on line!

Terry, get her off!

I'm not gonna leave you!

Don't move, Caroline!

Caroline, get off!

Caroline!

Jump down!

Grab the rope!

Pull Pull!

Pull harder!

Pull, Pull!

Pull the rope!

Grab the line!

Pull!

Pull the rope!

You're okay?

Butterfly, you good?

They're good!

♪ I want to thank
You, Heavenly Father ♪

♪ For shining your light on me

♪ You sent me someone
who really loves me ♪

♪ And not just my body

Amy, how do you know
this old school jam?

My babysitter.

♪ He keeps me happy, so
very happy, he loves me ♪

♪ I don't know how to
be ♪ It's been a long time

♪ Since I had someone
who loves me ♪

♪ I owe my thanks to Thee

♪ I know it could not
happen without your love ♪

♪ Oh, without your love Let
me find out babygirl got lungs.

I'm here with Dwayne Johnson,

Senior Counselor for the
Rockwood Butte Detention Center.

Dwayne, you must be
very proud of Crew Nine.

Can you tell me a little more
about the two young ladies

that orchestrated
that amazing rescue?

They're amazing girls,
I mean they work hard

and they're trying to
get back to society

and I couldn't be
prouder of them.

That's amazing.

Oh, is that them?

I hear them.

♪ And he'll be there ♪ Just do all right,
don't do no wrong ♪

♪ And keep the faith ♪ The
Lord will shine his light your way ♪

Excuse me.

♪ I did cause I believe ♪ He
makes me happy, so very happy ♪

You girls all right?

♪ I don't know how to be DJ,
DJ, you gotta hear her sing.

♪ It's been a long time Come on Caroline,
it's okay.

Let me hear it.

♪ I owe my thanks to
Thee I can't hear you.

♪ I know it couldn't have
happened without You ♪

♪ Oh, without You

Go DJ!

Go DJ!

Oh yeah!

Go DJ!

Dwayne, you must be
very proud of Crew Nine.

Can you tell me a
little more about

the two young ladies that
orchestrated that amazing rescue?

They're amazing
girls... Yes we are!

Is that them?

I hear them.

Yes we are!

DJ, DJ, DJ.

Ms. Scott, right here please.

Look DJ, we're on TV!

Bring it back, play it again,
you gotta play it again.

No, we can't play it
again... Your father's here.

He is?

Apparently he saw
you on the news

and he drove all the way up
here just to see if you were okay.

Amy, see your father.

No, it's not visiting day.

Obviously I made an exception.

Amy... Amy, can I talk to you?

You can tell me to mind
my own business... I'm fine.

But you're crying.

I'm not crying.

Okay.

But you know what?

That boy in the car... Do you
want to know what kept him alive?

It was thinking about how
much somebody loved him.

And if you got
that... And it's real...

Why would you ever push it away?

Because I'm not his
little girl anymore.

I'm a thief.

That was what you were.

But you know what?

I figure you brought
yourself back

with everything that
you've done in here.

You found that kid in the car.

You did that.

You saved him.

You did.

Hi daddy.

Hey!

I miss you.

Yeah... I miss you too.

I love you.

I love you too.

I'm sorry.

What?

I'm sorry.

Oh no... It's okay.

Will I see you next week?

It's a date.

Bye babygirl.

I'm very proud of you!

We frighten people
by the deeds we did.

We frighten ourselves...
But sometimes...

It just takes one person who
got a vision of who we could be.

That woman died on the
street cause of me.

Now if the point of me
being here is to be punished...

Then there's not enough
years in my life to pay

what I took from
her and her family.

Then what do you
think the point is?

To learn that it's
not all about me.

No matter how scared...

Hurt...
Misunderstood... Alone...

No matter how I feel,

I still gotta step up
and do the right thing.

Even if you deny me today,
and you deny me in six months,

and you deny me next year.

Yeah... I'm not doing
anything to impress this board.

It's just who I am.

Now you tell your aunt she
better take real good care of you.

I will.

We're gonna miss you.

Thank you.

Just take care.

Not fair... You've leaving
before the girls get up.

You know I'm bad at goodbyes.

You'll tell them for me?

Thank you, DJ.

For everything.

Goodbye, Ms. Easle.

Got me, you got me.

Good morning.

Good morning.

♪ Terry's on her way back home
♪ Terry's on her way back home

♪ Crew Nine girls
still holding strong ♪

♪ Crew Nine girls
still holding strong ♪

♪ We fight fires
with all the men ♪

♪ We fight fires
with all the men ♪

♪ And do it while looking
much better than them ♪

♪ And do it while looking
much better than them ♪

♪ Crew Nine ♪ Crew Nine We got a fire,
ladies!

Suit up and be ready in 10.