Donkerbos (2022–2023): Season 1, Episode 1 - Under The Rot - full transcript

No!

Why... why are you doing this?

I trusted you.

You...

You...

You...

I thought you were right-handed.

Your gun is on the wrong hip, Wolf.

Yes?

Hikers. From Tzaneen.

Mom and dad were asleep.
Son got up to pee, then he found the...



the...

Then he found it.

- Other campers?
- No, it was only them.

Out of season.

- The boy came looking for Bigfoot.
- Bigfoot?

Yes, here. In the forest.

Well, he found something.

Where’s the rest?

It was just... this.

There was nothing else.

Are these... bite marks?

Jackal?

Bigger.

Must be a caracal or a leopard.



Smell that? Under the rot.

Chemicals?

Formaldehyde.

It’s been dragged here.

From where?

Formaldehyde is toxic, so...

Whatever ate from the child
is probably dead.

- Who else did you call?
- Tzaneen forensics.

On their way. Half an hour, max.

Right.

I need a larger perimeter.

Down to the reservoir.

Up to De Hoeke.

The pathologist in Louis Trichardt,

- Claire... something-
- Schlezinger.

Yes.

Tell her to come here. It’ll save time.

Get the dogs from Polokwane.
We have to find that leopard.

Tell the hiker to come
make a statement at nine.

No, ten. It’s Sunday.

- Wolf!
- Yes?

Get someone to talk to the boy.

- Here.
- Thanks.

You're probably used to this?

In the city, I mean...

when you were still a real detective.

Domestic violence... shootings.

A farm murder now and then, sure,
we see a lot of those.

But this...

This fucking world.

Hey.

Hey.

Was it bad?

They only wake you up when it’s a bad one.

Can Francois come over later?

Don’t teenagers sleep late anymore?

So can he come?

We’re having a braai
at their place this afternoon.

Okay.

Why are all the lights on?

Hey.

Where were you? Did something happen?

Poachers at Tshiledzi again?

What was it?

Yes. Still here.

I have to go to work after church.

- On a Sunday?
- Yes. We are behind on our quotas.

And you're coming to church with me.
Both of you.

- If we want to be part of this community--
- We’ve been here for three years.

If they don’t like us by now,
they never will.

It’s Oom Koos’ last Sunday.

- Fine.
- And you should wear a tie.

Sheep.

Are you talking behind my back?

It's a kid.

Well... part of one.

Fuck.

Near the waterfall.

It’s...

I don’t know what it is.

This feels like Pretoria.

Fanie...

I’ll go shower.

Braam went to Polokwane.

To fetch Sybrand.

Friends. I’m not going to say much.

I suppose after thirty years
you must be tired of my voice.

The gospel is a torch made to pass on,
to be handed over.

We’ve waited a long time
for this man to get here.

And now he’s here.

Sent to us.

The Lord lifted this young man from hell
and embraced him in His arms.

We are grateful for His mercy

and we greet you with open arms.

The congregation, the town,
welcomes you, Reverend Abel Roodt.

May the Lord bless you on your road ahead.

The Lord will bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

and give you peace.

So shall they put my name...

upon the children of Israel,

and I will bless them.

Amen.

Leopard!

The boys said they found something?

Your wife’s doings?

I still can’t believe she arrested Apie
for doing a bit of hunting.

In a game reserve?

She’ll learn how things works around here-

You’re being paid to work,
not talk shit about my wife.

Rendani says you were late again.

You’re working late tonight.

Underwater?

That’s what it feels like.

You feel like you are underwater?

Usually I can... control it.

When I was a boy.

But when that fucker--

Mr. Steenkamp?

I don’t know how else to describe it.

Try.

Fuck, Doc. This is our last session.

You say you want to start working again.

Go back.

But if you’re not going to cooperate,
I can’t help you.

You know Tobias, right?

Room at the end of the hall, on my floor.

Tall, thin bastard.

Foggy eyes.

Anyway...

we’ve been talking for a while.

And he’s got...

fuck all.

Not a cent to his name.

No house.

Not a soul on this planet
who would pick up his little bag of ashes

if he decides to cut his wrists tonight.

No one.

- Did something happen--
- And he’s still young.

Thirty, tops.

What must a man do to reach that point?

How sharp is the blade
with which you sever all your ties?

- Why are we talking about Tobias?
- And his parents are still alive.

Marble Hall,
if you believe everything he says.

But that’s not the point. The point is...

He was also just a boy.

Just like you and me, Doc.

A normal boy.

Before all this shit happened.

A boy with dreams and wishes
in that round fucking head of his-

and life grabbed him by the chest and said,
How dare you?

You. Huh?

How dare you?

Take these drugs and sex and hatred
and see what you can make of them.

- I think we should rather focus on--
- The point is the--

The point is, Doc...

The world is broken and no one
is going to put it back together again.

And you say you want to go back to work?

What’s the point of that?

I feel better... really.

Not until you learn how to be honest
about what happened.

So write down that I’m feeling better.

Sign it.

And allow me to go back to work.

Or I’m going to shoot myself.

If I’m being honest.

Tobias.

Hey.

Here.

Tobias.

My number.

For when you’re... feeling better.

I was serious.

Donkerbos is small, but there’s work.

You could stay with my brother and I.

Hey.

We understand.

Really.

Promise you’ll call me?

Braampie.

- Is the house still standing?
- Yes.

That’s great.

Don’t you want to drive?

No thanks.

WHERE IS SHE?

Sir, I can’t arrest him for that.

No...

Sir, it’s not a police problem
if the potholes are getting bigger.

I'd...

Detective.

- Bongani. Is the Captain in?
- Yeah.

Send her home.

- Are you sure? She just--
- Yeah, I know what she did.

Drop the charge and send her home.

Yes, Detective.

Sergeant Wolf is in with the hikers
from this morning.

Thanks.

Yes, sir. I’m still here.

Hello, my Noni.

Hello.

I’m here.

Captain.

How was he?

Captain?

The new reverend.
I hear he’s from Springs.

Very... heavy.

And the child? What do you think?

Dr. Schlezinger is coming
from Louis Trichardt.

- What do you think?
- I--

We need to take a look at her report
before I can... You know?

But what do you see?

Murder.

- Didie--
- Are we going to find more?

I don’t--

- I don't--
- What?

This is the first one.

Since I've been here. It's...

It’s the first one.

You’ve had cases in the last three years.

No. No, not like this.

The words, the ink...

This one feels...

Special.

I have a sword in my knife drawer
and I’m not supposed to use it?

Not what I meant.

Detective Stephanie Van Wyk of the IPS--

That’s not who I am anymore.
It was a long time ago.

Not so long ago.

Look, I don’t know
what happened in Pretoria.

Not from your side anyway.

Why you left Forensic Psychology
to come here.

You never talk about it
and I respect that.

But you cannot walk away from this.

You need to know.

Just as much as I do.

You’re going to take the lead
on this investigation.

Of course.

Captain. Apologies.

Fanie.

Claire is ready for you.

Fanie.

Please let me know first.

Whatever it is. Please.

Yes, Captain.

Black male.

Around nine or twelve years old,

judging by the structure of the skull.

Time of death is hard to pinpoint,
but I’d put it at around three months.

That long?

The bite marks here, they're post-mortem.

The head’s been...

torn clean off.

The leopard must have found the body
and carried it off.

And the words?

Ink. Soluble.

I can’t estimate exactly
when it was applied.

It’s an old form of German.
But that’s not what’s odd.

You see this discolouration
around the ears?

There was definitely an attempt to...

preserve the boy.

Hence his condition.

And...

I removed these from the wound.

- Where did you...
- Found them on my shoes.

Only oak trees on the scene.

Where’s the rest of him?

Fanie.

I’m not really qualified
to perform a necropsy.

You’ll need to get a
veterinary pathologist from Joburg--

Anything. Please, Claire.

I didn’t want to cut.

But the animal clearly died convulsing.

And I found this in its ear.

It belonged to someone.

The doctor thinks it's good
for me to talk about it.

Like a fucking alcoholic.

We arrested him here.

He didn’t even fight back.

I handcuffed him.

And then he said to me what he said...

And I put my hand around his neck
and broke his face on this log.

I don’t feel bad for assaulting him.

I just regret not killing him.

I know.

Let’s braai, boeta.

Come, Braampie.

Coming!

It’s a boy.

Great, thanks Jannie--

Have a nice day. Bye.

Detective.

So the tags... we actually traced it.

It’s a breeding program near Mooketsi.

And they were tracking the leopards
to a place called--

Fanie.

Buddy of mine says this is
a swamp cypress.

Apparently it’s very rare in the area.

Swamp cypress.

Right. Okay, so this is
where we found the head.

And here’s Mooketsi.

So we’re basically looking for farms

between here, here and here
with trees like these.

Okay... Go! Call! Fucking do something.

Where’s my big boy?

Hello, Speedo.

Did you wait for me, huh?

He’s quickly gotten worse.

How’s that fire looking?

I’ll pour us something.

There you go.

Hey! Keep an eye on the fire.

The new reverend is pretty intense.

I know.

But his congregation grew.
Not the other way around.

Why did he leave?

He said something was calling him.

The forest?

- Do you have calluses yet?
- Sorry?

Didn’t you have an office job in Pretoria?

- I worked in forestry for many years.
- Genuine?

Why don’t I know this?

My calling came later in life.

A man’s hands do not lie.

You’re going to lose a finger.

That bad?

No, wait. Don’t tell me.

But what is it? What did you find?

Marietjie.

- Can we get some more soda?
- You have hands.

- Feels like I’m stealing in my own house.
- Don’t let her hear you say that.

She’ll lock us up.

Your own mother?

Doesn’t matter.

She’s laughing, but she’s not joking.

Mom.

Can I sleep over?

Tomorrow’s school.

I’m sure one of his uniforms is
around here somewhere.

- Another time, okay?
- Fine.

Maybe he should sleep over.

So that I can fumigate his room.

I don’t want to know
what he does in there.

Are Francois’ sheets also crispy?

Shame.
Maybe you should borrow Sara on Tuesday?

What’s on the braai? Kudu?

The last Eland.
I need to go hunting again.

You should come with me.

No thanks.
I’ll do my hunting at the shops.

Have you talked to Sybrand yet?

Yes, Marietjie. Sybrand is back.

They’re probably braaing already.

And Jaco?

Jaco’s also braaing.

And you?

I’m making a salad.

And the two of you?

We...

We’re all grownups here.

And from that day on,
they called her three-turd Trudy.

Okay, listen...

Braaiers, the meat was very tough.

- It wasn’t that bad.
- Yes. Less talk, more braai.

Yes, Oom.

My meat was way over.

He even added his own salt.

The braaibroodjies were nice, though.

- I’ll see you at home.
- Fanie.

We’re with company.

I... won’t be long.

- I promise.
- Good luck.

Come on, Fanie.

Drink you beer and be merry.

Where are you going?

Leave her be.

Yes, leave her.

Once that devil starts chasing her...

Right. Pudding.

- Is it Malva?
- Yes.

It’s open.

- Hey.
- Hey.

So he’s back?

Looks like it.

Good luck.

Thanks.

Hey Speedo.

Hey.

Okay...

Hey.

Hey yourself.

I didn’t think you were serious.

When you said you weren’t going to call.

You told Jaco.

Yes.

I probably have to...

give this back to you.

Probably.

Or you could keep it.

You look fucking terrible.

Thanks. I have to agree with you.

The place where you were... was it...

We’re not going to talk
about that tonight.

Not tonight. Okay?

Sure.

What are you up to?

We found something in the forest.

That bad?

A child’s head.

A dead leopard and a few leaves.

We’re canvassing all the farms
between Mooketsi and town. But...

So far, no luck.

There’s one farm that’s not picking up.

Wolf says the gate’s locked.

So now we’re waiting for a warrant.

Whose farm is it?

Mahlberg?

Okay.

What?

I don’t want to encourage you
to break in.

But I’m technically not
a policeman anymore, so...

Old Tannie Mahlberg’s been
in the old age home for four years.

The husband died of old age and the
children have all fucked off overseas.

And the Tannie?

Watches Ricky Lake all day and
walks round and round the same clivia.

Farm’s been on the market for years.
Too many valleys.

Shit for forestry.

Go.

Do you want to come along?

I’m glad you’re back.

I’ll dish up some pudding for Mom.

Rather put it in the fridge.

We don’t know what time she’ll be home.

It feels like Pretoria.

Hello?

Lord help us.