I Am Elizabeth Smart (2017) - full transcript

Perhaps you remember
my story.

[ Reporters ]: Tonight,
we begin.

Elizabeth was found this
afternoon in good condition.

Elizabeth was 14 years old
when she was kidnapped-

From her bedroom in
the middle of the night-

She was raped each day.

He tied her up-

Plied her with alcohol
and drugs-

Forced her into a polygamous
marriage-

Repeatedly threatened to kill
her and her family.

The odds were certainly
against this reunion.



Less than two percent of
long-term missing child cases

are resolved by finding
the child alive.

I know you've heard
all of this before,

and maybe you ve asked
the questions

why didn t you run?

Why didn t you scream?

"Why did you not try
to escape?"

Everything I did,
I did to survive.

You may think you know my story

but the truth is you don't.

Not from me.

Don t make a sound.

Get up and come with me
or I will kill you

and I will kill your family.



I have a knife at your neck.

Get out of bed now or I will
kill your little sister.

Grab your shoes.

No, those.

We re going outside?

I m taking you hostage.

Not a sound,
or they're dead.

Your family s dead.

Quickest way out, now.

[ door opens, closes ]

Put your shoes on.

Put them on.

Let s go.

Hey!

Help me, please!

If you move or make a sound
I'll kill you

and go back for your sister.

This is the work of God.

Let this cop car pass
without finding us.

Get up.

Why are you doing this?

I haven t done anything.

Go!

What did I do?

Please, don t.

Please, if you re going to kill
me do it here please

so someone will find me.

[ sobbing ]

If you let me go
I'll tell my parents

not to call the police.

[ screams ]

One word and my people will
kill everyone in your house.

If you run I will kill you.

If you do anything I don t
tell you to do,

then your blood is
on your hands.

Do you understand?

Do you understand?

[ sobbing ]

Get up!

Go! Get up!

[ sobbing ]

Hephzibah.

Immanuel.

[ gasps ]

[ crying ]

[ sobbing ]

Take off your pajamas.

No.

You must be cleansed
for the celestial marriage.

Put this on.

No.

[ sobbing ]

Take them off.

Take off your underwear.

No.

No.

Take off your underwear

or I will have him come in here
and rip them off.

[ sobbing ]

I can't... I can't...

[ hyperventilating ]

[ sobbing ]

Please... please...

[ hyperventilating ]

I seal you to me
on this Earth.

What is sealed here on Earth
will be sealed in the afterlife.

No...

I take you as my wife-

No. NO!

Before God and his angels-

No! NO!

...as my witnesses.

NO!!!!!

If you scream again,
I'll duct tape your mouth

and then I'll kill you.

[ crying ]

Wait, please!

I m still a child!

I haven't started
my period yet!

[ screaming ] No! No!
Please Stop!

No! NO!!!!!

Wait! Wait!

Wait!

Do you want it to stop?

So did I.

I tried everything.

I tried so hard
to protect myself.

I rolled onto my stomach

thinking that he wouldn't be
able to hurt me,

thinking that he wouldn't be
able to rape me.

But he did.

And afterwards I ll never forget
how I felt.

I felt so broken.

I felt so shattered,

like I had just been smashed

into a million tiny
little pieces

and nobody could ever put me
back together.

I remember thinking maybe it
would be better if I was dead.

[ sobbing ]

That safety pin was the only
thing I had from home,

but it was enough to remind me
that I was loved always.

The spirit of the lord, God,
is upon me

'cause the lord hath
anointed me

to preach good tidings unto
the meek,

he has sent me to bind up
the broken hearted.

To proclaim liberty
to the captives

and the opening of the prison
to them that are bound.

To proclaim the acceptable
year of the lord

and the day of vengeance
of our god.

Comfort all that mourn.

[ shivering ]

[ laughing ]

[ sobbing ]

You are lucky, Shearjashub.

You have been called by the lord
to be saved from the world.

[ pouring ]

I- I remember you.

My mother gave you money.

My father gave you a job.

He tried to help you.

So did my mom.

Why would you do this?

The lord is ready to bear
a force, his army.

Destruction is coming
Shearjashub.

I m Elizabeth Smart.

God called me
into the wilderness

and instructed me
his prophet,

Immanuel David Isaiah,

to begin preparing
for the second coming.

The lord commanded me
to pluck the young virgins

from this evil world and take
them as my wives.

I have no choice but to obey.

Amen.

Your presence is proof that
the lord God almighty has

opened the way
for more wives.

You are blessed you
are the first.

After me, of course.

Hephzibah Elladah Isaiah s
first wife and mother of Zion,

you Shearjashub Isaiah
are now second wife to me

and handmaiden
to Hephzibah-

I'm not your wife,
we're not married!

We re not!

We are.

We ve consummated it.

Which means-

[ sobbing ]

No man will want you now.

Yes, yes.

We are bound forever.

You are mine to fulfill
every bodily need.

Please.

Please don t do that again.

You did it once, once
consummates it, right?

We are husband and wife.

I- I can be your wife,
at home with my parents-

[ gasps ]

We are your family now!

[ crying ]

God commands me to show you all
the low things of the world.

Take off your robe.

Hephzibah will teach you.

And then you'll show us
what you've learned.

Wake up!

Who wants to watch that?

I didn t.

I was raped every single day.

Sometimes twice a day, and
it was every bit as horrific

as you can imagine.

[ whimpering ]

[ laughing ]

The lord told me you would
resist at first, Shearjashub,

but then you would learn
to love it.

Learn to obey your husband.

[ kicks bucket ]

Or he will dispatch the warring
angels to your house

and lay waste
to the sinners

who would lure you off
God's chosen path.

Do you hear me?

Do you?

'Cause it looked like you were
thinking about something else.

Are you gonna lie to me?!

No- no.

I was just confused.

You're calling me Shearjashub.

I m Elizabeth.

No!

You're not what you were before.

You are Shearjashub,

named for the first-born son
of Isaiah.

It means a remnant will return.

But- but it s a boy s name.

Can I pick a middle name?

Like you two?

I don't wanna be called
a boy's name.

Alright.

You can pick a middle name.

But it cannot be Elizabeth.

It has to come from
the Old Testament.

Esther.

I'd like to be called Esther.

A girl s name.

Esther.

The second wife and orphan that
the king plucked for himself

and re-named.

Yes, I will call you Esther.

So you remember your place.

Remember your place, Esther.

I chose Esther because
she won in the end.

She outsmarted the king and
she didn't use a sword,

she used different weapons,
just as I would.

Brian David Mitchell took
so much away from me

but what he didn't realize was
that I was determined to live.

[ grating ]

I was so determined to get back
to my family

that I actually helped
my captors

because when people like you
it's harder for them

to kill you.

Can I help?

What do you want me to do?

Grate the carrots.

I usually prepare meals myself,
on my own,

as first wife.

Oh, I don't want to be
first wife.

I thought I was supposed
to help you.

I can stop if you want.

She didn't need to move
the knife.

I was chained up.

If I tried to hurt her

I would have received
it back ten fold.

Ok.

I got that recipe in Oregon
at a homeless shelter

after the lord commanded us
to sell our RV

and everything we owned
and live with the homeless.

The food was terrible.

It was not what we deserved,
so I said to myself,

I said Hephzibah bake something
sweet, so I added raisins.

Wanda Barzee is the scariest
woman I have ever met.

She is so evil she took her
daughter s pet rabbit

and fed it to her.

She delighted in my abuse.

One time while I was being
raped she sat there and said

"if God commands it,
it's not evil".

The lord called upon me to
devote myself to Immanuel.

You cannot disobey.

Children services
couldn't see his light.

Made me sign away all my kids
the day I married him.

That s my cross to bear.

Why're you just sittin' there?

I- I'm sorry, I-

Can't you read the instructions?

I m sorry.

[ grating ]

How dare you eat before
I've blessed the food?

You will not eat today.

Get on your knees and beg
the lord s forgiveness.

We live thy will, lord.

Bless and consecrate this meal
that your servants

Hephzibah and Esther,
handmaiden and second wife,

have lovingly prepared for
their husband and master.

[ voices in the woods ]
Elizabeth.

Who you have commanded me
to take,

who I will bring low, lord...

[ voices calling ]
Elizabeth?

Elizabeth?

Uncle Dave?

Uncle Dave?

Elizabeth!

Can you hear us?

Elizabeth?

You yell and I will take that
knife and slit his throat open.

If he comes into this camp
he s dead.

If anyone steps foot in
this camp I will kill them,

do you understand?

[ faint calling ]

Good girl, Esther.

I did anything and everything
for them

and then the LDS church
tries to excommunicate me

when they get a copy?

But I beat them.

I beat them.

Satan worked through
our families.

They-

The book of Immanuel
David Isaiah,

the word of God almighty,

we should read to you
like a bible...

[ helicopter hovering ]

[ screaming ]
Help me!

Every day in every way
he had proved

that he was always
one step ahead

and that's why I believed him.

Not because I was a naive
14-year-old

but because he always got
what he wanted.

I knew people were still
looking for me

and I knew that my parents
would never give up

but still, after a week
went by

and no one came,

it showed me just how good
Brian Mitchell was at hiding.

[ sobbing ]

Sweep it up.

Cleanliness is next
to godliness.

This is a mess.

Sweep it.

When you ve finished that I
want you to do all those dishes.

In all that time there was
abuse, there was work,

and there was nothing else.

You don t know how to sweep.

Let me show you
how to sweep!

I had a farm.

One night I was driving home-

You had to push your mother
down those stairs.

I hit a cat.

It s the lord.

The lord s testing me,
the lord s testing me.

We re all just dirt
and just filth-

Smeared it all over the road.

Trash over here.

He told me there s a law.

There's the water,
there's the bucket.

You have to find the owner.

So I... Like, liquor bottles.

That didn't happen
when you came...

...showed me the tag...

[ voices talking over
one another ]

There were times I thought
I d go crazy.

[ bell chimes ]

But thinking of home
kept me sane.

[ whispering ]

Stop talking
about your family!

I don t wanna hear
about swings and car rides!

They are not
your family anymore!

They broke covenant with God

and that's why they were called
upon to sacrifice you.

And I will kill them
if you forget again!

No, no, I m sorry, please
don t do that, I m sorry.

You're fighting your calling.

And to think I thought you were
ready to go to the stream

and help collect water.

I- I m ready.

I- I promise.

Please let me help you
carry the water.

I d beg to go anywhere
with my rapist

if it meant that I wouldn t die
of thirst.

Patience and endurance
became my weapons,

and it wasn't easy.

I had to submit to get
any kind of freedom.

Praise God, Hephzibah.

[ whimpering ]

My new wife has accepted
her calling.

She no longer resists
the will of the lord.

[ laughs ]

This is one thing I want you
to understand.

I never had Stockholm Syndrome.

Just because I physically
stopped resisting

didn't mean that I hated it
any less.

I wasn't sympathetic
towards them.

I despised them.

Your carnal urges find Esther
day and night,

night and day, because
she is young and beautiful,

ignoring the mother of Zion!

You're not acting like
the mother of Zion!

You said we would share!

We do!

You never lie with me!

I do!

Not since she got here!

[ panting ]

Esther, my wife, come here.

The lord has spoken.

Hephzibah,

my sunshine, you will be mine
during the day.

Esther is not as bright.

She will be mine at night.

Thus is the divine proclamation.

Praise God.

Praise God.

[ click ]

There aren t words to describe
how great that sound was,

but I paid for it with a piece
of my soul.

You are ready.

You will be good.

I will be good.

We were always thirsty.

Water was in short supply

because it was so difficult
to get.

[ gasps ]

Who said you could drink?

[ gasps ]

Fill the jugs for your family.

I didn t have the energy
to outrun him.

I would have taken two steps
and he would have caught me

and then I would have
paid severely.

That doesn t mean that
I didn t try to escape.

I used to read
Louis L amour westerns

and I knew that people
could follow tracks.

Fill that.

Wash your face, and
then you can drink.

[ click ]

Back in 1997,

when the lord declared
our hitch hiking

and covenanting with
his people at an end,

Immanuel was directed
to begin wearing tunics...

Hey.

Sorry, I was listening.

As well you should.

These two talked non-stop
but I forced myself to listen

because I knew I would hear
something I could use.

When he goes to Salt Lake
to minister and plunder,

what does that mean?

Immanuel ministers to
the citizens on the street

who give him money
to help sustain him.

And plundering?

[ exhales ]

When the children of Israel
captured a city

they would plunder goods
and bring them back

for the lord s purposes.

Immanuel goes into the stores
of the wicked

and takes goods in the name
of the lord.

So he shoplifts for God.

He plunders for the lord.

Yes, of- of course.

Um... I was just concerned
as to what the non-believers

would think.

What if he gets arrested?

He has the key.

We d die up here.

He doesn t have a key
to me.

Well, what about if-

♪ I need the every hour
most gracious lord. ♪

I am a lightening bolt!

Sent from the lord!

I am the rain!

[ laughs ]

I am the thunder!

Wives, your husband
has returned.

Guess what I saw while
I was down there?

I saw my sweet Esther s face
plastered all over the city

in every store,
on every lamp post.

Posters of her absolutely
everywhere,

and you know what I thought

the whole time I was
walking around?

I thought, I got the real McCoy.

[ laughs ]

And that made me proud.

Ah!

Can- can we eat?

You can eat whatever
you want.

Anything you see there.

After.

After.

Hephzibah, the chalice?

After we all have the sacrament.

Our God almighty.

[ pouring ]

Bless this wine through me,
your true prophet.

Amen.

You will take the sacrament,
Esther.

No.

You will drink when
I tell you to drink.

I won t do it.

Jesus Christ descended
from heaven

to live amongst the lepers!

You think you're better
than Jesus?!

You think you don't need
to be lowered?!

I promised myself
I would never drink.

That s the one thing
you can't hold me down

and make me do.

I can make you do anything.

Drink, work, think.

You do what I say
when I say.

No sleep.

No water.

No food.

Until you drink it.

I was 14.

I'd never even tasted alcohol.

[ whimpers ]

Now you can eat, Esther.

Now you can eat.

Now, eat up.

I had never understood why
people would want to get drunk,

but after two cups of wine
I was numb.

Then I understood.

I know.

I saw water in the tent
not two days ago.

We drank it.

[ arguing ]

I know there was no water
near that camp.

I believe that was a miracle.

It s fine if you don t,
I understand.

God offers hope in the darkest
places and that is a miracle.

Mine was that cup of water.

You re not digging too close
to those support beams, are you?

Cause if there s no shelter
come winter

we're gonna have to go
some place warm.

Please tell me there's one thing
you can do right.

I'm doing it exactly
like you told me.

Your way.

So do you think that he ll
let us see the fireworks?

Woooo!

[ laughs ]

Happy Fourth of July!

Whoo!

Ho, ho!

We re gonna eat that, right?

We ll have a fire tonight.

Won t someone see?

It s been over a month.

They're not searching
the woods anymore.

The lord is good.

The lord working through me.

I provide for my family,
don t I?

You are a great provider.

Don t I, Esther?

Yes. You do.

You re the best provider.

Make that dish I love.

We'll see the fireworks first.

Thank you!

Thank you.

[ click ]

Why are you just standing there?

[ fireworks explode ]

Seeing the fireworks
reminded me

of my family and
of the happy life

that had been stolen away
from me.

[ laughing ]

After the fireworks were over
and I was taken back to camp

I was made to do
terrible things.

Nothing was ever
just given to me.

Who's Olivia?

You were talking
about an Olivia.

I was?

I didn't- I didn't know I was.

She s my cousin.

I will allow it.

We had so much fun together.

We re almost the same age.

She s, like, my best friend.

I mean was.

Before you saved me.

Mmm.

[ exhales ]

I have another
divine proclamation.

The lord has commanded me
to go forth and pluck Olivia

from the world and to take her
as my third wife.

No.

I must obey him.

It will be done tonight.

I know the house well
and I know my methods work.

Pack the bags, Hephzibah.

[ crying ]

I felt guilty that I had
mentioned Olivia.

That I had painted a target
on her back.

But my next thought was,
if he gets her,

I won t be alone anymore.

You will be good
while I'm away, Esther.

You will be good.

Please keep Olivia safe,
God.

Please protect her.

Please don't let anything
happen to her.

Was I really gonna sit there and
watch my best friend be raped,

be hurt, be abused
the same way I had?

Go through all the same terrible
things that I had?

What happened?

Argh.

When I pushed back the blinds
to crawl through the window

something crashed to the floor.

Lights come on,
someone starts shouting.

I realized God had not chosen
Olivia to be my new wife.

He blocked your way.

You're free of that burden now.

I m gonna take a nap.

The lord didn t choose Olivia.

She wasn t the one.

So why me?

Why didn t something block
his way to me?

[ chuckles ]

More.

[ laughs ]

I did it!

I got it. I saved it.

Like the world.

[ cackling ]

Guys, I need to pee.

Then go.

[ laughing ]

♪ I need thee
every hour, ♪

♪ stay down nearby,

♪ So stay-

♪ So stay nearby...

[ laughing ]

[ gasps ]

[ whimpering ]
No!

[ sobbing ]

hurt.

I realized that if I was
going to escape

I had to play by his rules.

I used to teach music.

[ chuckles ]

Now I just try to teach you.

You're truly strong to give up
teaching others and...

and since now that Immanuel
goes to Babylon

and you have to stay here
with me...

I guess what would happen
to the world without you.

Well, it hasn t been easy
locked up with you all day long.

You sacrifice so much for me.

I- I m not worthy of that.

You re not.

I didn t do this for you.

The word of God brings bounty
to the righteous.

A glorious day in Babylon.

Oh, was it?

Was it?

Was it a glorious day?

Well, it wasn t up here.

Maybe I will go down
and see

how glorious it is out there!

You don t think that I will.

[ clanging ]

Watch me!

She s- she s coming back,
right?

At some point.

Hopefully not soon.

How- how often does she go
into the city on her own?

She s not going to the city.

She wouldn t leave
this mountain

without divine dispensation
from me.

I want you now.

Right here, out in the open,
with only God watching us.

God doesn t want us to.

Of course he does.

It s why he gave you to me.

What about the divine
proclamation

that you're only to have me
at night?

That came from God, right?

Yeah.

Well, then we ll be breaking
his command and-

and I'll have to tell Hephzibah.

She'll need to know
as mother of Zion

when she gets back here
any minute-

Fine.

Hephzibah has returned to us,
Esther.

Yes.

Hephzibah.

My queen.

You truly have a place
in heaven

as long as you stay faithful
to the calling.

I am faithful.

You are the one that's forgotten
your place.

I m done staying up
here, starving, while
you go down, party,

do whatever you want.

Impossible.

You know Esther
can't be left alone.

You know what I know?

If you're going,
I'm going.

[ heart thumping ]

I will kill you!

[ heart thumping ]

If I disobeyed them,

if I called out,
if I screamed,

they would have killed me.

[ Inside Voice ]: Hey! Hey!

Save me, please!

LOOK AT ME!

Hey!

Help me, please!

Please, look at me!

PLEASE!

You gotta save me!

Please save me!

I will kill you.

And I'll kill your whole family.

He will.

He ll kill them all.

Liquor first.

You're gonna spend
the whole day

descending below all things,
Esther.

Starting now.

[ chuckles ]

[ zip ]

That's it?

Yep.

That ll be $0.89.

It s party night.

Some house on Second South.

All are welcome.

I never doubted when he said
he had people

who could kill my family.

[ loud rock music ]
♪

Immanuel, man!

[ laughing ]

[ muffled party music ]
♪

Oh, man.

I m glad you came.

Wait here.

Wait here.

Don t talk to anybody.

♪

♪

You have beautiful eyes.

[ heart thumping ]

Hey!

Alright.

That is my daughter.

You never said
you had one before.

Drink.

I want to go.

Drink.

Now.

♪

My guardian angel.

I am a prophet.

Hey.

Are you alright?

[ heart thumping ]

You don't look so hot.

Do you need help?

[ heart thumping ]

We are going. Now!

[ chuckling ]

We're going back to camp.

Now!

I am a prophet!

Now!

Repent!

You re drunk!

Repent!

All of you sinners, repent!

Go!

[ partying continues ]

[ panting ]

I was never physically
chained up again

but what really held me
on that mountainside

were the mental chains

that he was constantly
wrapping around me,

threatening my life,
threatening my family's life,

making my life so difficult

I wondered if I could survive.

It would be winter soon and
Mitchell wanted to leave Utah

for a warmer place.

Can I help you?

Freak.

[ heart thumping ]

Someone had to recognize me.

I couldn t speak.

I was screaming inside,
but I was stuck.

San Francisco?

Un-huh. Warmer.

We got nothing to make it
through a real winter.

Maybe that s because you ve
been doing too much time

descending during the day
and screwing through the night

to plunder supplies.

Los Angeles.

Heathens.

San Diego.

Excuse me.

I'm a detective
and we got a call

that there might be
a missing girl here.

If you could just allow me
to lift the veil

and see your face
then we can clear this up.

I ll kill you!

I ll kill them!

I can t let you do that.

It's forbidden in our religion.

My daughter is pure now.

Innocent.

I only need to see her face.

Please.

I know this must be new to you
but our faith forbids it.

Well, can I convert
to your religion

just long enough to see
her face?

Even if you did only her
husband and her family

will ever see her face.

I m sorry.

I hope you can respect that.

I'm finding it very difficult
to practice in peace

in the aftermath of 9/11.

I can respect that
but you must respect

that we're talking about
an abducted child here.

Officer, if she were the girl
you're talking about,

why would she just sit there?

Thank you for your time.

Have a nice day.

San Diego...

Why would I just sit there?

People who have been damaged
and feel like they re shattered

find it almost impossible
to speak out.

Maybe there's no way for you
to understand it

unless you live it,

and if that's the case then
I hope you never understand.

The further I got
from Salt Lake,

from the people who were
searching for me,

from the people
that knew me,

from the people
that loved me,

the urge to just surrender
and give up, it grew.

[ cries out in pain ]

Haven't I suffered
and bled enough?

We have to live.

It hurts but we gotta
eat something.

What we find in the dumpsters
isn't enough

and he eats what he gets
from church so...

I can pick these by myself.

The needles aren t so bad.

Be my guest.

[ gasps ]

[ laughing ]

Where have you been,
my wives?

Huh?

Your husband has need of you.

You been drinking?

What happened to the lord
declaring an end

to our drinking?

It s just for my wives now.

You don t wanna share.

You don't wanna share
your drink.

I am starving and you don't
bring any food!

Hephzibah, Hephzibah, Hephzibah,
my love.

If I didn't wanna share
would I come back here early

to tell you about the free
Thanksgiving dinner

they're giving out tomorrow?

Now, as I said I have need
of my wife, Shearjashub.

No.

It s daytime.

Divine schedule is over now.

They fell apart in California.

They almost stopped pretending
it was all about God.

But when I saw them
starting to fall apart

I started to feel again.

See, every Thanksgiving
I list the things

that I m grateful for,
and that night I did, too.

In fact, I did every night
through Christmas.

[ Silent Night plays ]

[ chatter ]

Does that seem like
a Polly-Anna move?

That I was thankful for the tent
that I was being raped in

because it kept the sun off me?

Or because people would
throw out their leftover food

because it meant that
I had another meal?

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

What God does is offer hope
in those dark places.

God is a ride
when you re tired.

A man with a radio.

A cup of water.

God is hope,

and it s hope that
keeps you fighting.

Hello?

Hey.

Anyone there?

If I d have yelled,

Mitchell would have
killed him

and then Mitchell would have
killed me.

I wasn t going to be the reason
that this man died.

That doesn t make me weak.

That makes me strong.

California was supposed to be
a test of our faithfulness.

But now a heathen entered
our camp!

Pack up, both of you.

Because of your failings
we re gonna have to move.

You drag us all the way up here
and have the gall to say

that we're the ones
who s faith is weak?!

You sin with lust!

Days go by and you don't get
any work!

Don t get any food!

Greed, envy, wrath.

This is the mother of Zion.

Heaven turns and weeps
from the sight of you.

[ laughing ]

I'm going to kill myself.

Then what will you do?

I am gonna kill myself
right now.

Hephzibah.

Hephzibah, not again.

Not again.

It s ok.

Come on, it s ok.

[ cries out ]

No!

Drop it!

No!

[ clang ]

You almost killed me,
you demonic shrew!

[ screaming ]

[ clang ]

It is my turn to talk
and you're going to listen.

God told me my election
to heaven is now assured.

It doesn't matter what I do
from now on.

I no longer have
to follow you.

But you, Immanuel,

you are no longer following
in God's footsteps.

You have strayed
from the path.

You can't leave, you have
to face this now.

I'm going to town,

and I don't know
when I'll be back.

What- where-
where is he going?

Is he- is he coming back?

Is he gonna bring back food?

When Mitchell left camp
that day

we only had enough food
and water for two days.

[ gasps ]

What do we do if he doesn't
come back?

Can we go get water?

I won t run.

I can t run.

I had wanted to see my family
one last time,

but as I waited to die

I felt grateful that I had
had them at all.

[ rain pattering ]

[ joyous crying ]

[ thunder rolls ]

It rained.

In California.

Now, no one can say
it wasn t a miracle

and another sign of hope.

[ cheering ]

I talked them
into giving me leftovers.

Immanuel, where have
you been?

Well, the cops got me.

Anyway, I ve been locked up
for a whole week

so I wandered around the city
for a little while,

got supplies, and then I headed
back here.

You left us up here for seven
days without a scrap of food.

Not a scrap.

The lord called me to prison!

Seven days of preaching
to the inmates.

In prison you had three meals
a day.

Esther and I had nothing!

You left us with nothing!

You left us here to die!

All I did was serve the lord.

I have an announcement.

The lord has declared

it's time for us to move on
from California.

Praise God.

To a camp near food and water.

Some place where people know us?

Back to the east coast, maybe.

My students in Boston loved me.

A move that big
will be permanent.

I uh... I've been overwhelmed
with the feeling

that God wants us to go back
to Salt Lake.

He told you that you d be
blessed with more wives

and since our path here has been
blocked I just-

I just have the feeling

that it'll be harder
for you back east.

And I know that,
in the mountains,

that there are all these
grow camps and I mean-

I- I don't know, but...

do you think you can ask
the lord if that's right?

I know he ll answer you.

I d spent months listening
to them.

I d become an expert
in playing the role

that was expected of me.

I knew their made up religion
inside and out

and how to twist it
in just the right way.

I will pray on it.

But it ll take longer to get
the money here than in Utah.

Can we- can we hitch hike?

It's just... Hephzibah has
told me how you and she

would hitch hike.

I ve never done it before.

Ed and Lois sheltered me
and I feel that it would be

instrumental in my descent
below all things.

I- I need to be brought lower,
I know that.

And- and then you wouldn t
have to spend days and days

on your own, collecting money,
leaving us up here.

Yes.

Shearjashub needs
the experience,

and you will no longer
have to minister

the ungrateful of California.

I will have to find a different
head covering for Shearjashub.

And no one will pick us up
on these roads.

What- whatever you think
is best.

You alone know
the rule of God.

Mmm.

The lord is beginning to work
with you, Shearjashub,

and that makes me very happy.

I got him to take me back
to Utah.

I had learned to use his
own tricks against him.

Manipulation.

I forced myself to be likable.

I forced myself to keep going
when every part of me

wanted to give up.

♪

♪ It doesn't hurt me,

♪ You wanna feel how
it feels, ♪

♪ You wanna know,

♪ know that it doesn't
hurt me, ♪

That s how I rescued myself.

♪

♪ You and me,

♪ And if I could make a deal
with God, ♪

♪ Get him to swap...

What's with the wig?

You can drop us
at the next town.

♪

♪ If I only could

♪

♪ You don't wanna hurt me,

♪ Let's see how deep
the bullet lies, ♪

♪ Unaware that I'm tearing
you asunder, ♪

♪ There's a thunder
in our hearts, baby, ♪

♪ So much hate for
the ones we love, ♪

♪ Tell me we both
matter... ♪

That's the long version of it.

Oh, uh, watch that window
handle when you- oh.

Oh, I am so sorry,
I am so sorry.

Hey, hey.

Don't be sorry, it's
just a little broken.

♪ If only I could make
a deal with God, ♪

♪ Get him to swap
our places, ♪

What did I tell you
about talking to people?

You never talk to people!

We re not coming down
off that mountain

'til the world has gone
to seed.

We're too important
to the end of times!

That night, as he did every
night for the last nine months,

Brian David Mitchell
raped me,

but it was the last time.

Let s go.

You re not up there.

No one remembers or cares
about you anymore.

You're mine forever,
now let's go.

Sir?

I need to speak with you.

You need to stop.

I m from out of town.

I m a minister.

What s your name?

[ heart thumping ]

What's your name?

Her name is Esther.

I m not speaking to you,
sir.

I'm speaking to
the young lady.

Hold on, hold on,
she's scared.

Come here.

Come with me.

It s ok.

Nobody s gonna hurt you.

Is your name Elizabeth Smart?

[ heart thumping ]

It's ok.

I am Elizabeth Smart.

I am Elizabeth Smart.

Wait, what-

[ click ]

It's ok, it's just protocol.

He s just gonna take you
down to the station.

Take em in.

[ click ]

Are they locked up?

Take a seat.

Am I free now?

Oh, God.

Elizabeth?

Dad?

You re alive!
Oh my God!

Hello?

Could you take your clothes off?

Take off your pajamas!

Take off your robe.

Elizabeth?

Mom!

Woah, watch the clothes.

Oh honey.

They re evidence.

[ sobbing ]

Hey.

[ reporters clamoring ]

[ shutters snapping ]

Hey.

Your father and I had the idea
that everyone would sleep

in our room tonight.

Kinda like a slumber party.

Mom, this is my room.

And that s my bed.

So I m gonna sleep in here.

And I m gonna sleep well.

Ok.

I'll still be here
in the morning.

I promise.

Alright.

Goodnight.

Why did I tell you this story?

Those posters on the wall.

The children like me.

The others who have it worse.

The ones who don t come home.

I wanted to tell you, as someone
who has been through hell,

that there still is hope.

Find a miracle, hold on to it,
and keep going.

I m not cracked.

I m not shattered.

I am Elizabeth Smart.