Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) - full transcript

[♪♪♪]

KYA:

Marsh is not swamp.

Marsh is a space of light...

where grass grows in water...

and water flows into the sky.

[BIRD CALLING]

Then within the marsh,

here and there...

true swamp.

A swamp knows all about death...

and doesn't necessarily

define it as tragedy.

Certainly not a sin.

I thought Chase Andrews

would have more common sense.

Best quarterback

this town ever had.

Boys, are these

your footprints here?

BENJI: Yes, sir.

STEVEN: Yes, sir.

[♪♪♪]

JACKSON:

Where's his footprints?

PERDUE: Yeah, some kids

just get crazy ideas in their heads

and drink and think

they're invincible.

That Chase Andrews was no kid.

[PANTING SOFTLY]

Hey. Look at this.

JACKSON:

He open the grate himself?

Could've been an accident,

all the same.

CONE: Time of death,

between midnight and 2 a.m.

Cause of death, sudden impact

from the 63-foot drop.

Since you found that blood

and hair on the support beam,

I would deduce that was

the cause of the primary injury.

Laymen's terms,

he banged the back of his head

on the way down.

To hit the back of his head

on the beam,

he would've needed to fall

backwards, is that right?

I'd say yes.

So he might have been pushed.

There's no fingerprints on the

railing, the grates, nothing.

No fingerprints?

Not from Chase either?

No fingerprints, no tracks.

We do have those red fibers

found on the jacket.

I just got the lab report

back from Atlanta.

They did not come

from any of his other clothing.

Wool, it says.

That could be a sweater, scarf.

Hell, it could be anything.

And we gotta find it.

MOSELY:

A beautiful wife, good family.

Can't think of anyone

who'd want to kill Chase.

Come on.

You know how Chase was.

Tomcattin', ruttin' around

like a penned-up bull let out.

Don't speak ill of the dead,

Frank.

Heh, I'm just saying

I could think

of a few guys up to it.

Mr. Milton.

Hi, Sandy.

The usual? Brunswick stew?

How'd you guess.

[CHUCKLES]

What do you make

of the Chase Andrews case, Tom?

Oh, I'm retired. That's none

of my business anymore.

Fair enough.

Could've been that woman

in the marsh.

She's crazy enough

for the loony bin.

I bet she'd be up

to something like this.

My brother's told me that

Marsh Girl's the missing link.

You know poor Chase Andrews

had something going on

down in that marsh.

SANDY: Chase Andrews

and the Marsh Girl?

Now if that ain't asking

for trouble.

MOSELY: What do you

think really happened, Frank?

You think that

Marsh Girl killed Chase?

LANE: Hell, I don't

know. Truth will come out.

[VEHICLE PULLS UP]

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

[♪♪♪]

Look at all these feathers

and whatnot.

[KNOCKING]

She a scientist

or a witch?

[TWIG SNAPS]

JACKSON:

Miss Clark?

Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff.

Look.

Could get a warrant.

Plain view.

Probable cause, sheriff.

Bet that door isn't even locked.

[KNOB TURNS]

[CAR DOORS CLOSE]

[ENGINE STARTS]

[TAKING SHUDDERING BREATHS]

[♪♪♪]

There she is.

[ENGINE ACCELERATES]

PERDUE: This is the

Sheriff's Department.

Shut down your engine.

[SIREN WAILING]

Go straight, go straight.

Follow her in!

[GRUNTING]

[SIREN WAILING]

WOMAN 1: You're guilty!

MAN 1: You killed Chase Andrews!

WOMAN 2: You'll

pay for this, Marsh Girl!

MAN 2:

Rot in jail!

[♪♪♪]

[CAT MEOWS]

[PURRING]

JACOB:

Sunday Justice.

Where you gone, kitty?

[SOFTLY]

Please stay.

JACOB:

Here, kitty, kitty.

[LOCK CLICKS]

[DOOR CREAKS OPEN]

[DOOR CLOSES, THEN LOCK CLICKS]

Miss Clark?

I'm Tom Milton.

I'm a lawyer. May I come in?

Thank you, Mr. Frazier.

You probably know

that you're being held

for the murder of Chase Andrews.

And I have taken the liberty

of putting myself forward

to defend you.

I know you've never been

in trouble before,

so I can explain the courtroom

and the trial

and who is who and whatnot.

Uh, do you have family that you

might want to come be with you?

Uh...

Miss Clark, I don't quite know

how to put this, but, uh...

[STAMMERING]

Well, I know you

as Catherine Danielle Clark,

but here in Barkley Cove they

don't call you by that name.

They call you Marsh Girl.

And when you stand trial,

you will be judged

by a jury of your peers

from Barkley Cove,

who only know you as such.

They are going to judge you

whether they know you or not.

But I can't help you

unless I know you.

Even just a little bit.

Well, all right, then. Um...

I'll come back in a while

when you've had time

to consider.

Oh, and I brought you this

just in the meantime.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Mr. Frazier.

[CHAIR SCRAPES]

People forget about the

creatures who live in shells.

I had a family once.

They called me Kya.

[♪♪♪]

MA:

Kya!

Kya! You'd better not get

too far out.

[CHILDREN GIGGLING]

MISSY:

Get it, get it!

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

MA: Now this little

piggy went to market.

[KYA GIGGLING]

Now you hold still.

This little piggy stayed home.

This little piggy

ate roast beef.

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy

went wee-wee-wee-wee

all the way home.

That's my special girl.

[CHILDREN LAUGHING]

TATE: Hey, Jodie!

Hey, Tate!

Wanna come fishing?

I ain't got too much time.

MA: "Ain't" isn't a real word.

Hey, how many times I told you

not to mess in my goddamn boat?!

Get in the house!

Are you stupid?!

Come here! Now you've done it.

[WHIMPERING]

You gotta learn respect.

You hear me?

Stop it! You're hurting her!

Hey, you leave my pa alone!

Come back on my land,

I'll shoot you! You hear me?!

Calm down now.

Shut up!

[GROANS]

[GASPS]

Shut up!

[♪♪♪]

[GLASS SHATTERS]

MA: Leave me alone!

PA: I'll show you!

MA:

Please just stop!

[CLATTERING]

[GASPS]

[MA SOBBING]

[SCREEN DOOR CLOSES]

[BREATHING SHAKILY]

Ma!

Ma?

KYA:

Ma never came back.

And everybody else was quick

to get out the same way.

Murph was the first to leave.

A few months later,

Mandy and Missy.

Then, finally, Jodie.

Kya.

Kya, listen.

I have to go, Kya.

I can't live here no longer.

[SNIFFLING]

Kya, you be careful, hear?

[PA COUGHING]

If you're in trouble,

run and hide deep in the marsh

way out where the crawdads sing.

Like Ma always says.

[CLATTERING IN HOUSE]

[SOFTLY]

Run!

PA:

Jodie!

KYA: I learned from the

mistakes of the others

how to live with him.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Just keep out of the way.

[DOOR CREAKS, CLOSES]

Don't let him see you.

Fend for yourself.

[♪♪♪]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[GIGGLES]

[ENGINE SHUTS OFF]

I had been out in the marsh

plenty of times with Jodie,

but never alone.

I didn't know

which way was home.

Damn you for leaving me here,

Jodie!

Damn you.

You okay?

You're Jodie Clark's sister.

Used to be. He's gone.

You know your way home?

Yeah.

It's okay.

I get lost all the time.

[♪♪♪]

My name's Tate,

in case you see me again.

KYA:

Tate.

There was something

about that boy

that eased the tightness

in my chest.

For the first time

since Ma and Jodie left,

I felt something

other than hurt.

I felt brave.

I'm hungry.

[♪♪♪]

[JUMPIN' SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Morning, Mr. Clark.

How you doing?

Well, Jumpin',

I woke up

on the right side of dirt.

Oh, this is my daughter,

Miss Kya Clark.

Well, I'm mighty proud

to know you, Miss Kya.

Oh, don't mind her. I tell her

stay away from everybody.

It's a dangerous world,

isn't it?

It is.

But the fishing's good.

PA:

Could I get a bag of grits?

And, um, some of that Jim Beam?

And maybe you fill her up

for me?

JUMPIN':

It's okay.

Mabel.

Mm-hm.

You wait for our change,

you hear?

Helping out your pa

while your ma's gone, huh?

I ain't seen her in a while.

She's doing chores at home.

Mm-hm.

Grits ain't much to go on.

All right. Let's see here.

Your pa left $2 here.

And the bill is $1.50.

How much does that leave

for gas?

Don't worry about that.

I got another question for you.

You go to school, honey?

Do you know that they publish

the school lunch menu

in the paper?

Today's is...

Salisbury steak.

You could get a nice, hot meal,

make some friends.

Plenty of kids go to school

without shoes.

But you will need a skirt.

Ask your mama for one.

There you go.

And the change is 50 cents.

[♪♪♪]

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[BIKE BELL DINGS]

[GASPS]

Boys!

Chase Andrews,

what you got

to say for yourself?

CHASE:

Sorry, Miss Pansy.

We didn't see you

'cause that girl got in the way.

Hello there.

I think you've got yourself

turned around the wrong way,

little lady.

Isn't school that way?

GIRL 1: So dirty.

GIRL 2: Gross.

You have just as much

of a right to be there.

Go along now.

It's all right.

ARIEL:

Miss Catherine Danielle Clark,

are you reading and writing

already?

[STUDENTS WHISPERING]

Can you spell "dog," honey?

[SOFTLY]

Who is that?

G-O-D.

[STUDENTS LAUGHING]

Well, we can all use practice,

can't we?

You can go ahead and sit down,

Miss Catherine Danielle Clark.

Where you been, marsh hen?

Where's your hat, swamp rat?

[STUDENTS LAUGH]

Now, boys and girls, settle

down. Just an hour until lunch.

Please, try to pay attention

to our lesson.

Who can tell me a word

that has a long vowel sound?

PEARL:

She probably lives in the mud.

TINA:

Someone's got cooties.

PEARL:

That stink in the room.

[STUDENTS LAUGHING]

ARIEL:

Excuse me.

[♪♪♪]

KYA: That was the only

day I ever spent in school.

Reckoned I was better off

learning from the wild.

Hi, Tate!

[PA SUCKS TEETH]

Mm-mm.

Need you to be careful out here.

You hear me?

Mm-hm.

You can't trust nobody.

You protect yourself.

[ENGINE SHUTS OFF]

Great horned owl, probably.

For a while, Pa was good to me.

[♪♪♪]

[CLEARS THROAT]

I thought you could use this

for your feathers, bird nests.

Other stuff you collect.

Oh, thank you.

Yeah.

[VEHICLE APPROACHING]

[HORN HONKING]

It was my old Army... Mail!

It's my old Army knapsack.

It's from Ma!

It's from Ma!

It's Ma's handwriting!

Ma's alive!

Give it to me.

Give it to me.

When's she coming home?

Wait.

What does she say?

No!

Quiet.

Pa! Pa, stop!

Stop it! Stop that!

Stop!

Quiet. Quiet!

[SOBS]

Ma.

Now you listen to me.

She ain't never coming back.

You hear me?

[SOBBING]

That isn't true.

"Ain't" isn't even a real word!

PA:

Goddamn bitch!

[GRUNTS]

Useless.

Pa took to burning

any trace of Ma.

Get your shit out of my house.

And then one day...

he was gone.

Wasn't like the pain

when Ma left.

But being completely alone

was a feeling so vast,

it echoed.

And there was the small matter

of surviving.

I didn't know

how to do life without grits.

[♪♪♪]

Well, hello, Miss Kya.

Uh...

You want something?

Mr. Jumpin'...

I hear tell y'all buy mussels.

I got some here.

[STAMMERS]

They fresh?

Dug them before dawn.

Just now.

MABEL: Your pa sent

you out with these?

Look, I tell you what,

I'll give you 50 cent

for the one bag

and a full tank of gas

for the other.

How many bags y'all need a week?

Are we striking up

a business deal?

[CHUCKLES, STAMMERS]

I buy about 40 pound

every two, three days.

Mind you, others bring them too.

So if you bring them,

and I already got some,

why, you'd just be out.

It's first come, first served.

Ain't no other way of doing it.

That's fine. Thank you.

Can I, uh...?

[CHUCKLING]

Oh, yeah.

You sure are growing up fast,

huh?

Why don't you come by next week,

I'll measure your feet.

I got some shoes

in the church donation bin

just collecting dust.

Thank you, ma'am.

Sure.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Poor child.

Her ma's gone,

and now her pa's gone too,

I bet.

What?

We ought to be careful,

messing in folk business.

It don't say that in the Bible.

"Be careful."

"And the King shall answer

and say unto them,

verily I say unto thee,

inasmuch as ye hath done it

unto the least of these,

my brethren,

ye have done it unto me."

All right, Mabel.

Don't say about "be careful."

[♪♪♪]

Let's see.

[GIGGLES]

One, two, three. That's all.

JACOB:

They're from Miss Mabel.

SIMS: Catherine Danielle Clark,

of Barkley County, North Carolina,

is charged with the murder

in the first degree

of Chase Lawrence Andrews,

formerly of Barkley Cove.

In such cases,

the State is allowed

to seek the death penalty.

The prosecution has announced

it will do so

if the defendant

is found guilty.

MAN 1: Guilty! We

all know she's guilty.

MAN 2: She's guilty.

[GAVEL BANGING]

SIMS: We will now

begin jury selection.

Will our prospective jurors

in the first two rows...

There is an option. It's

what's called a plea bargain.

And it means that

if you are willing to say

that you did go to the tower

that night

and met Chase Andrews there

and you had a disagreement,

and in a horrible accident

he stepped backwards

through the grate.

You'd get 10 years,

but you'd be out in six.

No.

If we lose, we lose big.

It's life in prison,

or the other.

Mr. Milton, I won't say

anything that implies guilt.

I will not go to prison.

Please call me Tom.

And promise me

that you will think about this.

I have to get out of here.

One way...

or the other.

CHASTAIN:

Between midnight and 2 a.m.

on October 30th...

the defendant lured

Chase Andrews to the tower

and pushed him to his death.

She then covered up her tracks

and fingerprints.

Now, you're gonna hear

she had the time,

she had the motivation,

but most importantly...

she has the weakness

of character

to murder Chase Andrews.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

Ladies and gentlemen,

the State is going to throw

a lot of words at you

about Miss Catherine

Danielle Clark.

But I am asking you

to look at the evidence that

the State will be offering

to back up those words.

You'll find that there is none.

Furthermore, you are going to

hear that there's a good chance

no one murdered Chase Andrews

and that the defendant,

Miss Clark, finds herself here

because it is easier

to lay blame on an outsider

than it is to rely on facts.

And although she was born

and grew up not five miles

from this courtroom,

Miss Clark is an outsider.

[♪♪♪]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[PANTING]

[♪♪♪]

Oh.

Hi.

It's me. Tate.

[CHUCKLES]

Tundra swan.

How do you know birds?

My ma liked birds.

I can't read your note.

Oh, all I said was I'd seen you

a couple times

when I was out fishing,

and it got me thinking that

maybe you could use some seeds

and a spark plug.

I had extra.

Thought it might save you

a trip to town.

And, uh, I don't know, I figured

you'd like the feathers.

All right, then.

All right, then.

Well, I better be going, so...

I could teach you to read.

I thought you may as well learn

to write at the same time.

Oh, yeah.

Good.

Okay, so we start with A.

Just go ahead and draw

that shape right there.

Don't tell me.

You're getting there.

Don't help me.

Sure. I got all day.

"There are some who can live

without wild things, comma,

and some who cannot."

Oh.

That's what I'm talking about,

Kya.

Whoo!

[LAUGHS]

And there will never be

a time again

when you can't read, ever.

I didn't know words

could hold so much.

Not all words hold that much.

[CHUCKLES]

We could read

at my house sometime.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

We went through

the whole library.

Three times a week,

summer into fall.

Read how plants and animals

change over time

to adjust

to the ever-shifting earth.

How birds sing mostly at dawn

because the cool,

moist air of morning

carries their songs and

their meanings much farther.

How some cells divide

and specialize

into lungs or hearts

while others remain

uncommitted as stem cells

in case they're needed later.

Within all the worlds

of biology...

I searched for an explanation

of why a mother would leave

her offspring.

"Mr. Jackson Henry Clark

married Miss Julienne

Maria Jacques, June 12, 1933."

That means

these are my parents.

[CHUCKLES]

"Master Jeremy Andrew Clark,

January 2."

That's Jodie.

"Master Napier Murphy Clark,

Miss Mary Helen Clark,

Miss Catherine Danielle Clark."

I miss them.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

I had, um...

I had forgot how much...

I feel them not here.

[SIGHS]

But, um...

I feel them not here right now.

I mean...

Sometimes I feel so invisible...

I wonder if I'm here at all.

You are.

[OPERA MUSIC PLAYS ON RADIO]

Sorry I'm late.

Come on. Give me a hand.

Son, you know I don't listen

to idle talk.

But there is a regular riptide

of gossip going around

you got something going on

with that Marsh Girl.

Hey, you know

you can tell me anything.

She your girlfriend?

She's my friend.

I bring her books 'cause people

are so nasty to her,

she can't go to school.

She doesn't have any family.

Hey. Come on.

There's no need to be huffy.

It's my job to say

all the things

that we don't like

to talk about,

and I can't give you

a lot of things

those other dads

can give their sons.

So I'm asking you.

Just be careful.

Everything you've worked

so hard for,

your dreams of going

to Chapel Hill...

Life can change in a second.

You understand that?

Yeah.

Now turn up my music,

would you? Come on.

[VOLUME INCREASES]

It's Puccini,

in case you're wondering.

[PUCCINI'S "VISSI D'ARTE"

PLAYING]

[SNIFFS]

A young girl

living on her own like that

looks immoral, don't you think?

No, sir. I don't.

Think, that is.

At least not enough.

Heh, just ask my wife.

There are some fine group homes

that would help keep

a young woman out of trouble.

Hm.

They say she comes in here

from time to time.

I do see her from time to time.

She's not alone.

She's got her father with her.

Well, I've never seen anybody

home all the times I've been by.

When does she usually

come around?

I never know

just when she'll boat in here.

Have her call me

next time she comes in.

Mm-hm.

You don't have any reason

to lie to me, do you, boy?

[SCOFFS]

No reason at all, sir.

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

We gotta meet somewhere else.

Hi, Kya. Good to see you too.

Social Services

are looking for me again.

They're gonna pull me in,

put me in some group home.

It's polite to greet people

when you see them.

You know, a group home

might not be the worst thing.

What? No, no. You'd have

someone cooking you warm meals.

Real bed.

I got a real bed.

'Sides, I'd never

leave the marsh

to go live with a bunch

of strangers.

It's "besides,"

not "'sides."

And you can't live alone

in the marsh forever.

Watch me.

All right.

Tate.

I, um...

I appreciate

you teaching me to read

and all the things you gave me.

But why do you do it?

Don't you have a girlfriend

or something?

Sometimes I do.

Sometimes?

[STAMMERS]

I mean, I've had one.

Uh, but not now...

I don't, so...

All right.

I, uh...

I saw you on your pa's boat

the other day.

He seems real nice, your dad.

Yeah. Yeah, he is.

You never talk about your ma.

What's she like?

Uh...

You don't have to say nothing.

My mother and little sister

died in a car wreck

over in Asheville.

My little sister's name

was Carianne.

It was, uh...

What, Tate?

You can say anything to me.

I think they went to Asheville

to buy me my birthday present.

There was this bike I wanted,

and Western Auto

didn't carry it...

so I think they went

into Asheville

to get that bike for me.

[♪♪♪]

And I don't even remember

what kind of bike it was.

It wasn't your fault.

[WIND WHISTLING SOFTLY]

Oh!

[CHUCKLING]

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, my gosh!

[EXCLAIMS BREATHLESSLY]

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

Am I your girlfriend now?

Do you wanna be?

I know feathers.

Bet the other girls

don't know feathers.

All right, then.

[CHUCKLES]

All right, then.

[♪♪♪]

[GIGGLES]

Whoo!

I've never been out this way.

It's worth the trip.

You'll see.

[TATE CHUCKLES]

Happy birthday, Kya.

[GASPS]

[STAMMERS]

How'd you know

it was my birthday?

Oh, I read it in your Bible.

Did you know

it was your birthday?

Don't have a calendar.

Oh, um, not my name.

Don't cut my name.

Yes, ma'am.

Mm.

Pretty good, huh?

[BIRDS CALLING]

What's that?

Here they come.

[♪♪♪]

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, wow!

Snow geese.

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

Kya.

Kya, look at me.

[♪♪♪]

Kya.

Kya, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Jeez.

No, Tate, I want to.

Why not?

Because I...

I care about you too much.

Look, Kya. I want you

more than anything,

but I can't be damaged

as easily.

It's more dangerous for you.

You understand?

[♪♪♪]

Fall gave way to winter.

Winter to spring.

The only constant in nature

is change.

Dad, I got in!

[EXCLAIMS]

Why are you quiet?

You know I'm going away soon.

To college.

You talked about it.

When?

Not right away.

Soon.

I got a job at the biology lab.

Starts next week, so...

Stay here.

And do what?

No, look. I just mean

there's no work for me here.

What am I gonna do? I don't want

to be a shrimper like my dad.

I'm going to get a degree

and be something, Kya.

So could you.

What do you want me to be?

That's not what I meant.

You're never gonna come back.

Yes, I will. I won't

leave you, Kya. I promise.

I'm gonna come back to you.

Kya! Kya, stop!

You can't run away

from every whip stitch!

[BOAT MOTOR PUTTERING,

THEN SHUTS OFF]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

One more night.

One more night.

[♪♪♪]

What's this?

It's a list of publishers.

For all your drawings and notes.

There's nothing like them

out there, Kya.

There's enough for a book.

Lots of books.

And, you know,

you wouldn't have to leave home.

You could just mail

your samples into a publisher.

You know, bring some money in.

You know,

probably not a huge amount...

but maybe you wouldn't

have to dig mussels

the rest of your life.

Just give it a try, Kya.

Come on. What can it hurt?

You're gonna forget about me.

When you get busy

with all that college stuff,

all those pretty girls.

I could never forget you, Kya.

Ever.

I'll be home in a month.

I promise.

For the Fourth of July.

Okay?

I'll be back before you know it.

We'll meet on your beach

and watch fireworks together.

Just write those publishers,

all right?

[♪♪♪]

Goodbye, Kya.

[WHISPERS]

Goodbye, Tate.

[CAWING]

Seabirds

of the Eastern Seaboard.

Starring you, Big Red.

[♪♪♪]

[SOFTLY]

No.

No.

[SNIFFLES]

No, Tate.

No, no.

No.

No.

No.

No, no, no.

[SOBBING]

Tate and life and love

had been the same thing.

They were all gone.

[BIRD CHIRPING]

And then...

[♪♪♪]

Whenever I stumbled,

the marsh caught me.

At some unclaimed moment,

at last,

the heart pain seeped away,

like water into sand.

Still there, but deep.

JACKSON: There were no

footprints around the body

or on the fire tower.

And no fresh fingerprints

either.

Not even on the grate,

which somebody had to open.

All this indicated that someone

had destroyed evidence.

No more questions.

Your witness.

TOM: Sheriff, I'm

handing you the tide table

for the night of October 29

and the morning of October 30.

Now, this shows here that

low tide was around midnight.

So at the time Chase Andrews

arrived at the tower

and walked to the steps,

he would have made tracks

in the wet mud.

And then

as the groundwater rose,

those tracks would have

been wiped out.

Do you agree

that this is possible?

Well...

And then you'd agree

that if he had

any friends with him,

their footprints

would be washed away as well.

Under these circumstances,

the absence of footprints

in and of itself

does not suggest a crime.

Correct?

Sheriff?

The absence of footprints

does not,

by itself,

prove there was a crime.

You also testified

that there were no fingerprints

found anywhere

in the fire tower,

including on the open grate.

So this led you to conclude that

someone must have opened

the grate

and wiped away

their fingerprints afterwards.

Correct.

Now, in fact, isn't it true

that these grates were left open

so often and considered

so dangerous

that your office submitted

a written request

to the U.S. Forest Service

to remedy the situation

on July 18 of last year?

This is a copy of that request.

Who wrote this, sheriff?

I did it myself.

Would you read to the court

the last sentence

of this document

that you sent

to the Forest Service?

Just the last sentence.

"I must repeat,

these grates are very dangerous,

and if action is not taken...

if action is not taken,

a serious injury

or death will occur."

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

Thank you, sheriff.

[♪♪♪]

[GIRLS GIGGLING,

PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]

[GASPS]

Somebody's been taking pictures

round my house.

What do you think they want?

Developers.

They've been all up and down

the marsh last few weeks,

wanting to drain the

"murky swamp." Build hotels.

Yeah, I saw them last year.

Cutting oak and digging

channels down the way.

They want my house?

Maybe not the house,

but I bet they offer you

a heap of money for that land.

Jumpin'!

There ain't nothing wrong

with some money going to Kya.

You do own that land, don't you?

You own that house?

Pa said so.

Well, you're gonna need

some proof.

A deed, title.

CHASE:

Hey.

Sorry to startle you.

Can I carry that for ya?

I got it.

Please. Let me get it.

Oh, I'm Chase Andrews.

Your name's Kya, right?

Yeah. Yeah. It's a nice name.

I like it.

It's different but nice.

This is yours right here.

There we go.

You wanna go for a picnic

in my boat this Sunday?

Okay.

I'll pick you up at noon

from Point Beach.

Does that work?

All right.

Well, I'll see ya, Kya.

[ENGINE STARTS]

CLERK:

Well, here we are.

Mr. Napier Clark,

looks like, bought it in 1897.

Yeah, that's my grandpa.

Yes, ma'am.

It's never been sold, so,

yes sirree, I reckon

it belongs to you.

Looks like you gotta pay

some back taxes

if you wanna keep it,

Miss Clark.

In fact, ma'am,

the way the law reads,

whoever comes along and pays

those back taxes owns the land,

even if they don't got no deed.

Well, how much?

Looks like about...

Eight hundred dollars total.

[♪♪♪]

KYA:

Five years.

It had been five years

since Tate showed me this path.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am sending you

the following pages

on the shells

of the Carolina marsh

for your consideration.

Five years for my heart

to open its shell again.

[CHASE PLAYING HARMONICA]

How's it feel to bask in

the presence of musical genius?

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Hey, look.

Oh!

Oh! That's an ornate scallop.

Pecten ornatus.

All right.

Well, it's unusual

to find one here.

Really?

Yeah.

This particular species usually

inhabits regions south of here

'cause these waters

are too cool for them.

[CHUCKLES]

What?

Oh, no, it's just, uh,

the Marsh Girl knows

the Latin name for shells

and where they inhabit and why,

for Christ sakes.

Here. You keep it.

Thank you.

You're something else, ain't ya?

I know you think I'm trash,

but I'm worth more

than a picnic.

Oh, no, Kya. Come on.

I'm sorry. No. Hey, come on.

I've never thought

you were trash.

Please. I'm sorry.

I understand if you wanna go,

but you can't walk from here.

It's too far.

Can I make it up to you?

Please, can I make it up to you?

I can't believe you never been

up the fire tower.

Come here when my family's

all in my business. You know?

It's a great way to see

the whole marsh from above.

[PANTING]

Here.

[♪♪♪]

What is it?

You can tell me.

I won't laugh at you.

It's like having a friend

your whole life

but you never saw

their full face.

Now I see it.

Your house is over there,

ain't it?

Take me there.

Oh, um...

It's far.

Hey, I like far.

I don't care what it's like,

if that's what

you're worried about.

Is this it right here?

How long you lived out here

by yourself?

About 10 years, I think.

Neat.

Living out here with no parents

telling you what to do?

There's really nothing

to see inside.

Wow, what you got on the porch?

What?

Oh, um, nothing.

What is all this?

Nothing.

What, you writing a book

or something?

Sort of.

These look straight out

of an encyclopedia.

You're the real deal, ain't ya?

Ah, swanee.

You got a water pump.

I wasn't ready for guests.

Hey, don't worry.

Hey, there's nobody I know

who could live out here alone

like this.

I mean, most guys

would be too scared.

What do you want with me?

Okay. Look, I'm real sorry

I came on like that.

I wanna get to know you better.

All right?

I think you're gorgeous.

I do. I think you're free

as a dang gale

and smart as a whip.

But I won't do anything

unless you want me to.

How's that?

That's fine.

All right. Heh.

[CHUCKLES]

[CHASE PLAYING HARMONICA]

I didn't know

exactly how I felt about Chase.

But I was no longer lonely.

That seemed enough.

Is that for your book?

Yeah.

Anyway, who knows

if anyone will read it.

I will.

The marsh was our secret.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[ALL CHUCKLING]

KYA:

Tell me about your friends.

Oh, I don't really have

any friends.

You always seem to be

having a good time

when you're with them.

You spying on me?

It's funny.

My dad told me once,

he'd had something to drink

and a fight with my mom.

He told me if my friends

really knew me,

they wouldn't be my friends.

I don't know if anyone

really knows me,

is what I'm saying, I guess.

I wonder

what makes the sky blue.

Blue and violet wavelengths

from sunlight.

They bounce off the gas

particles in the atmosphere

and scatter.

[CHUCKLES]

Is it okay if I...

kiss you now?

[♪♪♪]

CHASTAIN: Let's turn

to the red wool fibers

found on Chase Andrews'

denim jacket

the night he died.

Did you compare those samples

to this red ski cap?

Exhibit C.

Yes.

The fibers from the cap

and the jacket matched exactly.

CHASTAIN:

And where was that cap found?

CONE: It was found in

Miss Clark's residence.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

TOM:

Now, about these red fibers,

is there any way, doctor,

to determine

how long the fibers

had been on the jacket?

CONE: No. We can tell where

they came from, not when.

TOM: And if someone

wore this hat often,

is it possible the fibers

would be in their hair

and on their clothes?

CONE: Yes.

I would suppose they could.

So would you agree that

at any time during the years

that the defendant,

Miss Clark, knew Chase Andrews,

the fibers of the hat

could have been transferred

onto Chase's jacket?

From what I've seen, yes.

At any time they met.

Yes.

[♪♪♪]

"Dear Miss Clark, we were

fascinated by your manuscript.

If, as you say, your materials

are already complete,

we hope to edit

and publish in record time."

Hey. You're looking at

the new manager of Western Auto.

Oh, Chase.

That's great news.

Come on. Let's celebrate.

So they're gonna pay you

for those drawings?

Yeah.

[EXCLAIMS SOFTLY]

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Just don't get too full

of yourself, I guess.

I wouldn't.

I know people

have disappointed you.

And I'm sorry for that.

Getting left by your own

family. I mean...

God, my family's

a pain in the ass,

but I don't think

I could take that.

But I want you to know that

I'm gonna take care of you.

Now I've been promoted,

I can get you a nice house

when we're married.

"Married"?

Yeah.

A nice two-story on the beach

with a wraparound veranda.

Yeah.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

What about your parents?

Have you told them about me?

What you gotta understand

about my folks

is that if I say you're

my choice, that'd be that.

They'll fall in love with you

when they get to know ya.

Come here.

Oh, by the way, I have to drive

over to Asheville in a few days

to buy goods for my dad's store.

I was thinking you could come.

Celebrate your book and all.

There'd be lots of people.

It doesn't matter.

You'd be with me.

I know everything.

Hell, you don't have to talk to

one soul if you don't want to.

Come on.

If we're gonna get married,

you need to get out

in the world a bit.

Spread those long wings

of yours.

Come on. It'll be fun.

It's a two-day job,

so we'll stay the night.

[THE YARDBIRDS' "SMILE ON ME"

PLAYING ON RADIO]

CHASE:

♪ ...hold my head up high ♪

Incredible, huh?

Hey. It's an adventure.

Come on.

[BOTH CHUCKLING]

[ZIPPER UNZIPS]

[MOANING SOFTLY]

[SIGHS]

[ZIPPER ZIPS]

It'll feel better for you later,

the more you do it.

Oh.

Hey, I never wanna lose you.

Yeah?

Yeah.

I think about it a lot.

Sneaking out at night

to come see you.

My Marsh Girl.

♪ Nobody knows ♪

♪ Nobody sees ♪

♪ Nobody knows but me ♪

Hey, you don't have to prove

yourself to anyone.

You understand?

You have me, and I love you.

I made you something.

Oh.

PATTI: It was a single shell,

hung on a piece of rawhide,

tied in a tight knot,

and it was missing.

CHASTAIN: So to be

clear, what you're saying

is that the shell necklace

that Chase wore every day

was missing from these items

that law enforcement

recovered from his body

the day that he was found.

Is that correct?

I think it's important.

Yes.

He had that necklace on when he

had dinner with us that night.

And it was gone from his body.

And what I'm saying is

he never took it off.

Whoever killed him took it.

Objection, Your Honor.

It's speculation.

Sustained.

Ladies and gentlemen

of the jury,

you will disregard that

last remark by Mrs. Andrews.

CHASTAIN: Mrs. Andrews,

where did Chase get this necklace?

PATTI: It's from that

Marsh Girl. Miss Clark.

I didn't even know her name

or if she even had one.

I can't see why Chase...

But what I'm saying is,

she's the only one

who'd have any interest

in taking the thing.

Mrs. Andrews...

were Chase and Miss Clark

romantically involved?

PATTI: You could say. I

saw him sneaking out at night.

When I finally asked him

where he was going,

he told me the truth.

I thought:

What would people say?

I was a silly woman to be

worried about that next to...

[VOICE BREAKING] But he

told me he broke it off with her.

She knew she couldn't have him

anymore, so she killed him

and took back her ugly necklace!

TOM: Objection, Your Honor.

[GAVEL POUNDING]

SIMS:

Sustained.

No further questions,

Your Honor.

[SIGHS, STAMMERS]

Mrs. Andrews, you have my

deepest sympathy for your loss.

With all due respect,

you are aware that Miss Clark's

house was thoroughly searched.

And that the police

did not find the necklace there.

Did they?

No.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

[♪♪♪]

[KYA LAUGHING]

CHASE:

Hey.

KYA:

I got it.

CHASE: Almost got you.

KYA: Almost knocked me out.

Just trying to show off.

[CHASE LAUGHS]

BRIAN: What's that

Marsh Girl like in bed, man?

Is she an animal?

CHASE: Wild as a bobcat

and worth every bit

of the gas money.

Tell me her eyes glow.

[CHUCKLES]

Only for me

and only when I make them.

Hey, don't talk

about her like that.

What's that?

I said don't talk about her

like that.

Oh, the college boy.

He taught the Marsh Girl

her ABCs.

Oh.

Mm.

You're a waste of her time.

Go ahead, college boy.

What you gonna do?

Come on, you're tough, right?

Come on, let's do something.

You wanna hit me?

Hey, y'all settle down now.

That's enough.

Settle down

before someone get hurt.

There's better ways than this.

[BOAT APPROACHING]

[ENGINE SHUTS OFF]

Hey, Kya.

[GRUNTING]

Hey, what the hell?

Wait! Kya, wait! Please.

Look, I just wanna talk.

Get out of my lagoon,

you dirty creep!

Kya, please!

I just need to talk to you!

I don't care what you want!

I never wanna see you again.

Ever.

Kya, I need to talk to you

about Chase, okay?

About Chase?

He's not good enough for you.

You're the one who left me.

Who didn't come back

when you promised.

Who never came back.

[SCOFFS] You didn't

even write to explain

or even to say

if you were alive or dead.

You just disappeared.

I know.

And I'm so sorry, Kya,

you have no idea.

You weren't man enough

to face me.

You're right, Kya.

Everything you say is true.

Leaving you like that was

the worst thing I've ever done,

the worst thing

I'll ever do in my life.

I knew how badly I'd hurt you,

and I couldn't face you,

like you said.

I thought you wouldn't be able

to leave the marsh

and live in any other world.

You know, I thought I had

to choose between you

and everything else.

But the truth is, Kya,

everything else

that I thought mattered,

the scholarships,

the grants, the jobs,

it means nothing without you.

I was so wrong.

I've been sorry for years.

And I'll be sorry

for the rest of my life.

You look...

I brought you something.

You know, I'm working

at the new lab near town.

You'd love it, Kya.

I get to study all this

under a microscope.

So I'm here now.

I'm back for good.

Kya, I would do anything to...

I would've done

so many things differently.

What do you want now, Tate?

Is there any way that you

could possibly forgive me, Kya?

Please?

[SOFTLY]

I don't know how.

TOM: Kya, I trust you would

tell me if you knew of anyone else

who had reason to harm

Chase Andrews.

Well, all right, then.

Try and get some rest.

[LOCK CLICKS]

Oh. Hi.

Hey. What you doing in town?

I had some good news

from the publisher,

so I thought we could celebrate.

I was gonna make...

PEARL: There he is.

Kya, you know

Brian, Tina, Pearl.

You guys know Kya.

Sure, yeah, the Marsh Girl.

Pleased to meet you, Kya.

I'm Chase's fiancée.

All right.

Well, I'll see you around, Kya.

[PANTING]

[♪♪♪]

[BOAT APPROACHING]

Kya!

Hey, Kya. I can explain.

Are you in there?

Hey, I just wanna talk.

Kya!

I know you're here, damn it!

[FURNITURE CLATTERS]

Kya!

[CLATTERING]

[♪♪♪]

[ENGINE STARTS]

[♪♪♪]

[SCREAMS]

[SNIFFLES, THEN PANTING]

KYA:

I had to do life alone.

But I knew that.

I'd known for a long time.

People don't stay.

"Dear Miss Clark,

enclosed is the final copy

of your beautiful book,

along with the initial check

for delivery,

with royalties to follow,

I'm sure.

I'm attending a conference

in Greenville next month

and would love for you

to join us

and celebrate this great

accomplishment."

[♪♪♪]

"A full deed

for Catherine Danielle Clark

for 310 acres of lagoons,

marsh, oak forests and beach.

Wasteland category:

murky swamp."

[CAR APPROACHING]

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]

Jodie?

JODIE: There I am in Asheville,

and I see your book in a shop:

Catherine Danielle Clark.

And my heart just broke

and leapt for joy all at once.

I knew I had to find you.

I just didn't think

you'd still be here.

What about the others?

I don't know a thing

about Murph, Mandy or Missy.

I wouldn't know them

if I passed them in the street.

And, um...

what about Ma?

Ma passed, Kya.

Ma had a sister, Rosemary.

She found me in the Army

and told me what happened.

Showed up at Rosemary's door

in her alligator shoes.

Rosemary said

she didn't talk for months.

And then about a year later,

she remembered she had children.

Rosemary helped her

write a letter to Pa,

asking if she could come get us.

And he told her if she ever

so much as contacted us again,

he'd beat us unrecognizable.

Yeah, sounds like Pa.

She saved up for lawyers

and everything,

but then she got sick.

Leukemia.

She tried, but...

She never had a chance.

I've been waiting...

all these years

for her to walk down the lane.

You didn't have a family

your whole life,

and there's nothing I can do

to give you that back.

But I'd like to come see you

as much as I can get up here.

Yeah, I'd like that.

[BLUES MUSIC PLAYING SOFTLY]

JUMPIN':

Mabel's gonna be so proud.

Just one more thing.

I'll be sure he gets it.

Thank you, Jumpin'.

How y'all doing?

One pack of your finest,

please, sir.

And give me some matches.

JUMPIN': Sure thing.

BRIAN: "Sure thing."

[BOYS SNICKERING]

CHASE:

Kya Clark.

Miss Catherine Danielle Clark.

You wrote a damn book.

Come here.

Wait, wait, wait.

I wanna talk to you.

Don't act like that. Come on.

Leave me alone.

BRIAN: Damn, the Marsh Girl

thinks she's too good for you now.

[LAUGHING]

Shut up!

Here you go, sir.

It's on the house.

Thought I might find you here.

I told you to leave me alone.

No, I know, but I just...

Listen, I wanted

to say I'm sorry.

Really. I feel bad about

how things turned out.

"How things turned out"?

What, you mean how it turned out

you were engaged the whole time

we were together?

How it turned out

that you lie to everybody?

Kya, I have to do things I don't

wanna do. You know that.

No, I have to get married

to someone like Pearl. I had to.

But you're the one

I really want.

You know any other man

would have tried to change you?

To fix you?

I never did.

No, no. Please, please, wait.

I need you. I really need you.

Don't leave me all alone

in that place.

You know, nobody else knows me.

[GRUNTS SOFTLY]

You know, I feel sorry for you.

But I want nothing to do

with any of that.

[SPITS]

Wilder than ever.

I know you want this too.

Stop!

I know you want this too.

[EARS RINGING]

[DISTORTED] You're

mine, Kya. You belong to me.

I'm not letting you go

this time.

[COUGHS WEAKLY]

Leave me alone, you bastard!

You bother me again

and I'll kill you!

RODNEY:

She shouted it real loud, sir.

I heard a commotion,

and I come closer,

see if anybody was in trouble,

and there she was.

And do you recognize the woman?

Is she in the courtroom today?

Yes, that one there.

The defendant.

[PEOPLE MURMURING]

The one folks call Marsh Girl.

[GAVEL BANGING]

KYA: I finally understood

why Ma had to leave.

[TWIG SNAPS]

[GASPS]

[♪♪♪]

[BIRD CALLING]

[GASPS]

[BOAT ENGINE DRONING

IN DISTANCE]

One thing I learned from Pa,

these men have to have

the last punch.

Being isolated was one thing.

Living in fear, quite another.

I will never live like that.

A life wondering

when the next fist will fall.

[BOAT APPROACHING]

[GASPS]

Tate, you can't be here.

I just wanted to check on you.

Jumpin' said he hadn't

seen you since...

Not now.

Kya, what happened to your face?

Was it Chase?

Tell me, Kya. Did he do this?

I need you to stay out of it.

That son of a bitch.

That son of a bitch.

Tate, I need you to go.

Kya.

You know, I was gonna go

to Greenville next week.

Finally meet my publishers.

Talk about the next book.

I was feeling brave enough.

Well, you can still go.

Looking like this?

Don't let him ruin this for you.

Go to Greenville.

Okay? There's a bus.

It's easy.

Jumpin's got the schedule.

Let them put you up

in a nice hotel,

eat some hot restaurant food

you didn't have to make.

Stay a week, if you can.

And I'll come see you

when you're back. Okay?

Hear how it all went

with the publishers.

[SOFTLY]

All right.

Hey, you cold?

I'm fine. I don't need you

to take care of me.

I know, but just take my hat.

I said I don't need your help.

Just take it.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[DOOR CREAKS]

JUMPIN': You wanna tell me

what happened to your eye?

I need to write down

the bus schedule.

You have a copy, right?

It was that Chase, wasn't it?

Kya, look at me.

Now you tell me what he did.

[WHISPERS]

I can't say it.

It's over now.

I just want it out of my life.

And how you know he ain't

coming after you again?

You're all by your lonesome

out there.

Jumpin', please.

You can't tell anybody.

You know how it is.

They'd drag me

into the sheriff's office

and make me describe it

to a bunch of men.

And then write me up

in the papers,

accusing me of whoring.

Or trying to get money

out of his parents.

Okay?

They'd do nothing about it.

You're right, Kya.

And I ain't gonna do anything

to make this thing worse.

But you let me know

when you're coming and going.

You hear?

I gotta know

if you're out of town.

'Cause if I don't see you

for a while...

[SOFTLY]

Thank you, Jumpin'.

I'm leaving in a few days.

I'll come see you

as soon as I'm back.

Okay, that's good.

That's good.

TOM:

Miss Price, would you tell us

what you saw

on the morning of October 29?

I saw the Marsh Girl...

Miss Clark, that is. Pardon me.

...get on the 9:00 bus.

TOM: Well, you've got

quite a good memory.

We all talked about it.

We'd never seen her

all cleaned up like that.

Hair combed, makeup.

TOM: Just to be clear, on

the morning of October 29,

you and several others

saw Miss Clark

board the 9 a.m. bus

and leave Barkley Cove.

Yes, that's right.

Thank you, Miss Price.

No further questions,

Your Honor.

CHASTAIN: Miss Price,

is the Piggly Wiggly open

at 1:30 in the morning?

No, sir.

Well, the reason I ask is,

you couldn't have seen

who got off

the night bus from Greenville,

nor could you have seen

who got on the 2:30 a.m. bus

from Barkley Cove

back to Greenville, could you?

Well, no. Of course not.

So after you saw Miss Clark

board that morning bus

to Greenville...

she could have returned

to Barkley Cove that night

and been back in Greenville

for breakfast,

all without you taking notice.

My name is Robert Foster.

I'm a senior editor at Harrison

Morris Publishing Company

in Boston, Massachusetts.

TOM: Mr. Foster, you sat down

for dinner with Miss Clark

at 7 p.m.

on the night of October 29.

Correct?

Yes.

What was

your first impression of her?

[CHUCKLES]

My first impression was

that she was very shy,

very gentle, very smart.

I knew that she was

something of a recluse,

but I also knew that

she was a gifted naturalist.

TOM:

How long did that dinner go on?

ROBERT:

At least a few hours.

KYA: Some female

insects do eat their mates.

Fireflies, in fact, have

two different light signals.

One for mating,

and one to attract a male

in order to make him

her next meal.

MAN: So she eats him?

WOMAN: How gruesome.

Oh, dear.

I must spend less time

with insects.

It's quite amoral.

WOMAN: Amoral, indeed.

I don't know if there is

a dark side to nature.

Just inventive ways to endure.

Against all odds.

TOM: And when you

met with Miss Clark

the following morning,

October 30th,

was there anything unusual about

her appearance or her demeanor?

Not at all.

TOM: No further

questions, Your Honor.

Mr. Foster, did Miss Clark

stay at the same hotel

as you and your colleagues?

No. She preferred

a smaller hotel.

The, um, Mountain something.

Could you look at this map

of Greenville for me, please?

I think you'll see The Piedmont,

where you

and your colleagues stayed,

and then The Three Mountains

Hotel, where Miss Clark stayed.

Could you tell me which one

is closest to the bus station?

The Three Mountains Hotel

is closer.

In fact, The Three Mountains

is the closest hotel

to the Greenville bus station.

Is that correct?

Looks that way.

No further questions.

TOM:

I don't think a good lawyer

ever puts their client

on the stand,

but this might help you.

For the jury to be able

to hear from you, directly.

For them to be able

to see you...

as the kind and thoughtful

person you truly are.

They're never gonna see me

like that.

Listen. I know you have

a world of reasons

to hate these people...

No, I never hated them.

They hated me.

They laughed at me.

They left me.

They harassed me.

They attacked me.

You want me to beg for my life?

I don't have it in me.

I won't.

I will not offer myself up.

They can make their decision.

But they're not deciding

anything about me.

It's them.

They're judging themselves.

All right, then.

Mm.

[SIGHS]

Mr. Milton, you have always

been kind to me.

Even as a child.

I never forgot.

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

CHASTAIN: His life was

cut short by the jilted lover

who could not accept that

he had returned to the fold.

A witness saw Miss Clark

and Chase in the marsh.

Heard her say the words

"I'll kill you."

And what's more,

is there's physical evidence

from that night connecting them.

Fibers from her red wool cap

left on his denim jacket.

Dad, I'm going over

to deal with it.

Who else would have motive

to take that shell necklace?

You can, and you must,

find that the defendant is

guilty of first-degree murder.

Mr. Milton.

[CLEARS THROAT]

I have lived

in Barkley Cove my whole life.

And like you,

I heard the tall tales

told about the Marsh Girl.

That she was part wolf.

A missing link

between ape and man.

That her eyes

glowed in the dark.

Well, here she is.

The reality is that

she was an abandoned child.

A little girl surviving out

there in the marsh on her own,

reviled and shunned.

Mr. James Madison

and his wife, Mabel,

they are sitting here

in the courtroom today.

They're about the only people

in this town

who showed her any care.

The rest of us...

Well, I'm ashamed to say

that we labeled her

and rejected her

because we thought

she was different.

And now...

the job of judging this shy

and rejected young woman

has fallen on your shoulders.

But you must base your judgment

on the facts presented

in this courtroom,

and not on the rumors

and feelings

from the past 25 years.

Miss Clark has a solid alibi.

She was in Greenville

the night Chase Andrews died.

And what facts,

exactly, stand against her?

The State has not proven

that this incident

was indeed a murder,

and not just some

tragic accident.

The State wants you to believe

that at 11:30 at night,

without a single witness

seeing her,

she caught the last bus from

Greenville to Barkley Cove,

and rode that bus disguised,

since neither of

the bus drivers that night

could identify her

as a passenger,

all the way back

to Barkley Cove.

And then,

in less than an hour...

she tracks down Chase Andrews

in the middle of the night,

lures him to the tower,

murders him,

wipes away

all physical evidence,

and somehow catches the 2:30

a.m. bus back to Greenville.

Again, without

a single witness seeing her.

And after doing all that,

she meets with her publishers

the next morning, unruffled.

Now, these are not facts.

These are just more

of the rumors

and tall tales

that we have been spreading

about Miss Clark

her entire life.

I believe you will come to

a judgment based on the facts,

and not the gossip

that you have heard for years.

It's time, at last,

for all of us to be fair

to the Marsh Girl.

TOM: Maybe you should go

home and do your waiting there.

Six hours already. How long

do you think they'll take?

Well, let's hope they take

a good long while.

If a few jurors have doubts,

we got a chance.

SIMS: Mr. Foreman, is it correct

that the jury has reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

[♪♪♪]

The defendant will please rise

for the reading of the verdict.

[SOFTLY]

Stand up.

"We, the jury,

find the defendant,

Catherine Danielle Clark...

not guilty

of first-degree murder

of Mr. Chase Andrews."

[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]

[GAVEL POUNDING]

Miss Clark, you are free to go.

And I apologize,

on behalf of the State,

for the time

that you have served.

This court is dismissed.

Thank you.

Come here.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

You're okay.

You're all right.

ROBERT: You just

forget about this nonsense.

We're looking forward

to the next book.

[SNIFFLES]

Can you take me home?

KYA:

Now I can finally admit.

All the months in isolation,

yearning to be back

in the marsh,

it was knowing

how much was left to explore,

how much life

to uncover in the wild,

that kept me going.

And the hope,

always that hope...

that one day I could share it...

with the only person

I had ever truly loved.

[♪♪♪]

[BOAT APPROACHING]

Kya!

Kya.

[♪♪♪]

Hey.

You know I love you, right?

[LAUGHING]

[CHUCKLES]

What?

Will you, uh...?

Sorry. I'm sorry.

Will you marry me?

I mean, do you want to?

Well, aren't we already?

Like geese?

I can live with that, I guess.

[BOTH LAUGH]

Come here.

[♪♪♪]

Oh, here we go.

Hey.

Hey, you. Hi, there.

Come here, baby girl.

[SNIFFLING]

He loved you so much.

Kya. Look at that.

You see that up there?

On the elbow of that branch?

When's the last time

we saw one of those?

I know.

This book's pretty good.

This guy's still talking

about...

KYA: I hope when it

is time for me to leave,

I will go quick and easy,

without making too much noise.

Ma!

Ma.

Ma.

TATE:

Kya?

Kya!

[♪♪♪]

[GASPS, EXCLAIMS SOFTLY]

[SOBBING]

KYA:

It has always been enough...

to be part of the natural

sequence of things.

Sure as the tides.

Nature my guide.

The marsh knows

all about death...

and doesn't necessarily

define it as tragedy.

Certainly not a sin.

It understands

that every creature

does what it must to survive.

And that sometimes,

for prey to live...

its predator must die.

[♪♪♪]

I am the marsh now.

I am the feather of an egret.

I am every shell

washed upon the shore.

I am a firefly.

You'll see hundreds

beckoning far into the dark

reaches of the marsh.

And that's where you will

always find me.

Way out yonder.

Where the crawdads sing.

♪ Oh, Carolina creeks ♪

♪ Running through my veins ♪

♪ Lost I was born

Lonesome I came ♪

♪ Lonesome I'll always stay ♪

♪ Carolina knows why ♪

♪ For years, I roam ♪

♪ Free as these birds

Light as whispers ♪

♪ Carolina knows ♪

♪ And you didn't see me here ♪

♪ No, they never did

See me here ♪

♪ And she's in my dreams ♪

♪ Into the mist

Into the clouds ♪

♪ Don't leave ♪

♪ I make a fist

I'll make it count ♪

♪ And there are places ♪

♪ I will never, ever go ♪

♪ And things

That only Carolina ♪

♪ Will ever know ♪

♪ Carolina stains ♪

♪ On the dress she left ♪

♪ Indelible scars

Pivotal marks ♪

♪ Blue as the life she fled ♪

♪ Carolina pines ♪

♪ Won't you cover me? ♪

♪ Hide me like robes

Down the back road ♪

♪ Muddy these webs we weave ♪

♪ And you didn't see me here ♪

♪ Oh, they never did see me ♪

♪ And she's in my dreams ♪

♪ Into the mist

Into the clouds ♪

♪ Don't leave ♪

♪ I make a fist

I'll make it count ♪

♪ And there are places ♪

♪ I will never, ever go ♪

♪ And things

That only Carolina ♪

♪ Will ever know ♪

[VOCALIZING]

♪ And you didn't see me here ♪

♪ They never did see me here ♪

♪ No, you didn't see me here ♪

♪ They never saw me ♪

♪ Oh, Carolina knows ♪

♪ Why for years they've said ♪

♪ That I was guilty as sin ♪

♪ And sleep in a liar's bed ♪

♪ But the sleep comes fast ♪

♪ And I'll meet no ghosts ♪

♪ It's between me

The sand and the sea ♪

♪ Carolina knows ♪