Monsterland (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Eugene, Oregon - full transcript
A lonely teen encounters an unwelcome guest.
Next.
Next!
Sorry. Um, picking up for Gayle Smith.
Smith. All right. Let's see.
This is for Atavax, 30‐day supply.
Is that correct?
Yeah.
All right, just a moment.
Please remove your food from the counter.
Sir. For hygiene purposes,
can you remove your food from the counter?
Freaking weirdo.
Poof!
Okay. That comes out to
$248.61.
What, dollars?
Yes, sir. $248.61.
No, no, that's‐We have, uh,
we have insurance.
Mom still on Oregon
Community Health Plan?
- Yeah.
- Hm.
Looks like they stopped covering Atavax
as of three weeks ago.
How can they do that?
It happens all the time, unfortunately.
You should've received
a notice in the mail.
We didn't.
Well, you should have. We sent two.
We can start her on the generic,
if you want.
No, we tried that and she threw up.
Well,
I'm sorry. This is what
the brand name costs out of pocket.
$248.61.
Is there someone else
to help sort this out?
Dad, maybe?
No!
Sorry.
I have...
$38.
What can I get for that?
- The fuck?
- Whoa!
- Fuck, man!
- Fuck you! Fucking Unabomber!
Hey, Ma?
It's me. You okay?
I'm gonna make dinner. 10 minutes, okay?
Fuck!
Hit or stay?
Stay.
18.
And the crowds go crazy!
No!
Ha ha!
How's school?
It's good. Pretty much living the dream.
Got a B+ on my math test.
Hit or stay?
Stay, Mr. B+.
What's this card?
Six.
And this one?
Rhymes with... heaven.
Seven...
Boom! Mic drop!
Yeah, and then after school,
um, I hung out with, uh,
Aaron and Jordan.
And we had this, like, fencing match
with these bats we found.
It was crazy.
You should've seen me. I was like...
Killed them both.
Have them over!
I wanna meet your friends!
Oh yeah, totally.
I mean, I don't really have time, like,
right now with, like,
work and everything, but...
Ma...
Don't worry, okay?
I like being busy.
Trust me. One day, I'll have,
like, a huge party with everyone.
It'll be so big, you'll be like ,
"Damn, Nick!
Save some friends for the rest of us!"
You know?
Don't forget. If you need anything,
just give me a jingle.
I love my bells.
Of course you do. They're genius.
What can I say?
Mr. B+.
That's me. Night, Mom.
Good night, Nick.
Damn, Nick. You mad, bro?
He's always mad.
Shut up and play
the game before I end you.
Yeah, dick, play the game.
You're the fucking dick, little whiny‐ass bitch.
Who you calling a bitch, bitch?
You're both bitches.
Watch and learn, motherfuckers!
Man, I hate playing you.
Fucking death wish.
Wanna go again?
Nah, not me. Gotta go fuck the old
ball‐and‐chain before she dries up.
You mean fuck your fist, dick?
Fuck you! Later, Nick.
- Stay mad, bro.
- Eh, what the fuck. I'll play.
Just gotta piss real quick.
Same.
All right. Operation Death Wish, let's go!
No, no, no!
- Fuck me, man!
- No thanks.
Wanna go again?
Nah, bro.
Going to sleep. Gotta be up
at 6:00 on a fucking forklift.
Sucks to suck.
Psychopath.
Shit.
What are you?
Hey, I asked you a question.
I'm Nick.
I live here.
I'm a duck!
Quack quack!
Oh shit. You're a fucking duck, too.
Nick! Nick!
Nick!
Ma, I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!
What's wrong? What's wrong?
W‐w‐w‐w‐w‐why did you leave me?
What do you mean?
W‐w‐were...
Gone, you left.
No way, Mom!
I'm right here, okay?
I‐I...
D‐dreamed... you would leave...
and you never came back...
No, Ma. I'm right here, Ma, okay?
You just had a bad dream.
Okay? That's all, it's over. Look.
I'm real, okay? See?
Oh. Nicky.
So handsome.
Just like your father.
Gotta go back to sleep,
okay? You're all safe now.
No! No! Please!
Ma, we both really
gotta get to bed, okay?
Lay here with me, Nicky.
Shadow Watch?
What we're seeing now is a rapid expansion
far worse than we predicted.
We've got 12 confirmed
sitings in the southeast,
‐ nine across the Midwest‐‐
‐ 10.
My cousin caught one in his garage.
- Milwaukee.
- What do you mean caught?
- He trapped it?
- I wish.
If he had, I'd be there tomorrow,
give the fucker the full Guantanamo.
Yeah, you're a real Rumsfeld
in your stupid fucking button‐up.
- Fuck you.
- Hey!
Ooh, careful, Dad's
gonna take his belt off.
Let's review the facts,
if you two don't mind.
We know they prey on the vulnerable.
We know they work invisibly,
for years sometimes,
before they show themselves.
Things have been rough for
your cousin for a while now.
About a year.
Fucking wasteland since the plant closed.
Figures. And of course,
the garage siting tracks.
We know they hate light.
Excuse me.
Well, hi there! What's your name?
Uh, Nick.
Are you guys talking about... shadows?
"Know your enemy, and you shall win
100 battles without loss."
Sun Tzu, Art of War.
War?
Against...
shadows?
Why?
Why?
Because it's the only language
those shitfucks understand.
Dagr.
How's your life, Nick?
I don't know.
Sucks.
You ever feel like it sucks so much,
it can't just be a coincidence?
Like there's gotta be someone
or something pulling the strings?
'Cause that's what the shadows do, Nick.
They sow darkness.
They trade in violence,
chaos, fear.
They ruin lives.
Shatter families.
They killed my parents.
First time I saw one,
I thought it was nothing.
So, I ignored it.
Even after my dad got laid off,
started drinking, bought a gun.
I didn't realize till their funerals...
Shadow was there, too,
on the church wall, watching.
‐ My dad, he would've never‐‐
‐ No.
Of course not. The Shadow made him do it,
planned the whole thing.
- I'm sorry.
- Thanks.
Oh, shut the fuck up!
Go shoot your blanks.
Nick.
The Shadow Watch is
a group of concerned citizens
who are committed to ending
the Shadows' reign of terror
once and for all.
They want a world of darkness,
but we are the light.
And we will win this war.
How'd you find us?
What do you mean?
I mean what the fuck are you doing here?
Showing up out of the blue,
you don't know shit about shit.
What, you get lost looking for porn?
Dagr!
Come on, that's enough!
No, you come on!
What, we got an open door policy now?
Bro's never seen a Shadow
in his fucking life.
You're wrong.
I've got one in my house.
Well.
Then it's a damned good thing you're here.
Fuck!
I'm coming, Ma!
You're gonna have to eat quick though!
I'm late for work. I mean school!
I'm late for school!
Can you repeat that last part, sir?
Two sausage eggs, two hash browns‐‐
I'm sorry, folks! We're just, we're a I‐‐
we're a little shorthanded this morning.
Sorry. Welcome to Fry Town.
What can I get for you?
Nick! Dude!
Darryl wants you in the back.
You wanted to see me?
Not particularly.
You're fired.
Hang your shirt up there
and your visor on the shelf.
Am I speaking in tongues?
You can't fire me.
Yes, I can, Nick.
Why?
"Why?"
You're two and a half hours
late for your shift.
It's one time! One fucking time!
No, no,
often!
And you steal food.
My mom is sick. She can't work.
I'm sorry about that. I really am.
But everyone here's got shit going on.
You think they'd be here if they didn't?
You're not a special kind of fucked, Nick.
You're just regular old fucked.
World doesn't owe you better
just because you throw a fit.
Fuck you!
All right. It's nice knowing you, Nick.
Yeah, fuck you!
Ow!
Nick!
What!?
Uniform.
Hey! Hey!
Hey!
- Ah, fuck.
- Excuse me.
Do you know a guy named Mark Smith?
- He used to work here.
- I don't think so.
Hey, Tom! Mark Smith,
ring a bell?
Maybe.
There was a Mark when I first
got here about 15 years back.
Left pretty quick.
Why did he leave?
Don't know.
Do you guys know his number?
Mark Smith!
What's your name, kid?
- Nick.
- Nick,
I barely know my wife's number,
all right? Go to school.
Fucking...
How was your day?
Fine.
I'm pretty sure I'm flunking English.
I'm pretty dumb, huh?
I've only been speaking it my whole life.
Talk to your teacher?
No.
She hates me.
Why?
Why not?
All right, night, Ma. Love you.
Wait!
W‐w‐w‐will you
brush my hair?
I‐I‐I have knots.
Yeah, sure.
What's wrong?
Nothing. I‐I thought I saw a spider.
That's all. Here.
Oh.
Well, look who's fucking back.
Dude, your face.
Give it a rest, Dagr. Jesus.
I saw it again.
The Shadow.
You did?
Where?
My mom's room.
Your mom's room?
You spend a lot of time
in your mom's room?
Shut the fuck up!
I just thought I'd tell
you guys since you're,
like, tracking them
or whatever. I don't know.
It's okay to be scared, Nick.
In fact, it's smart.
By the time you start
seeing them around,
they got their hooks in good already.
Your mom run into any trouble
the past year or so?
Um, yeah, some.
We need to monitor your situation closely.
You so much as cut yourself shaving,
you tell us. Who knows what sick game
your Shadow's playing here.
But when in doubt, assume it's an attack.
Okay, but...
But what?
What if I just got shit luck?
Then ask yourself why, Nick.
See, this is the fallacy.
You think the pain in your
life is random, but it's not.
It's strategic. It's organized
by the Shadows.
It's a lot to take in. I know,
and they know it, too.
They thrive on our doubt, Nick.
It feeds them.
Fucking terrorists.
And that's why we need Fletcher.
He's the only one who ain't afraid
to call them out for what they are.
Who's Fletcher?
Skip Fletcher, Presidential candidate.
Bro, how do you not know that?
Fletcher said the word "shadow"
nine times in the debate last week.
You look me in the eye
and tell me it's a coincidence.
I guess not.
No, it's a signal.
He's gonna need
a handle if he's gonna stay.
- W-what do you mean?
- An alias, dumb-ass.
Mine's Dagr,
Norse god of daylight,
and he's West.
You know, like‐‐
George Westinghouse,
electricity pioneer. And that's Finalgirl.
Last one left alive.
My gamer tag's LoneWolf.
Mm, "Wolf" it is then.
You're not alone anymore.
Thanks.
Th‐thanks!
Can somebody get
this bitch a drink before he grows tits?
Actually, I‐I do have something.
Fuck me!
This shit's like gasoline, dude.
Yeah, it's probably been
sitting, like, 20 years.
No, I heard that
it's good though because it, like,
ages it or some shit.
- Pussy.
- So, Wolf.
Tell us. What's your story?
Where'd you come from?
Nothing, nowhere.
Nothing, nowhere.
Shut the fuck up!
You're so fucking emo!
Like, why are you so
depressed all the time?
‐ I'm not depressed‐‐
‐ Come on. Lay off.
You know where I met this guy?
Oh, dude, you wanna hear emo...
He was 12,
posting suicide threats
on a gaming thread.
Found his phone number,
talked the belt off his neck.
Twelve?
He was just a little kid.
That was right when his dad left.
That's how I knew I had a Shadow.
Never seen him, but...
shit fucking rules my life.
Do you have one?
No.
My brother did. James.
Broke his leg on
a ski trip with his school.
Doctor gave him oxy for the pain.
Fast forward a year,
find him on the john,
needle sticking out of his arm.
Any of you shits die on me,
I'll fucking kill you.
Would you rather have a second
dick next to your actual dick,
or, like, a whole bunch of
dicks instead of fingers?
- Ew. How about no dicks?
- That's my cue. 3:00 AM in Cleveland,
- gotta get to work tomorrow.
- Yeah, you like that?
Dagr!
Dag, go to sleep.
Quit while you're ahead, man.
Wait, you guys aren't going, are you?
Nah. She'll stay up with you, right?
Yeah.
Course I will.
Nights are the worst.
It's good.
Hey.
Hey.
What's all this?
Protection. You know,
it hates the light.
Hm.
So, where do you live?
Uh, Eugene, Oregon.
I'm in Montana.
Moved in with my aunt
after my parents died.
I wanna move to Florida.
Get a gator, ticket to Disney World.
Where do you wanna go?
Nowhere.
Thought your life sucked.
It does.
But, you don't wanna leave it?
Nope.
So, you live with your mom, huh?
Is she, like, cool or...
Um, she's sick. Um...
She had a stroke last year
uh, while she was at work,
cleaning someone's teeth. Um...
You know, just all of a sudden, boom.
Now, she needs all these...
fucking pills we can't afford,
fucking Atavax bullshit.
I don't know.
Is that why you don't wanna leave?
Because of her?
Yeah, um...
Where's your dad?
My dad, uh,
left when I was five.
And I fucking hated him for it.
And my mom cried nonstop,
which made me hate him even more.
Um...
Never really tried to find him.
Was actually kinda hoping he was dead
until my mom got sick
'cause now it's like...
You're the parent.
It's not like I could find him anyway.
You know how many
Mark Smith's there are,
even just in Oregon?
All I have is his...
truck. My mom won't get rid of it.
Doesn't even run.
Figures. He left,
and everything just sorta...
broke.
It's not fair.
Yeah, it's just kinda
the way it is though. Like...
There's two kinds of people in the world.
The ones that... get things
because other people see them,
and then there's
the other kind that gets nothing.
Just kinda wanders around
the first kind 'cause they're...
like, invisible.
I see you.
I see you back.
I wish you were really here.
Me, too.
Nick?
Sh... Stay down.
Ah, fuck!
Fuck!
Shit!
No! No!
Nick! Nick!
Ma!
Shit.
Gave her a sedative to calm her down.
Blood pressure's sky high though.
She take anything for that?
Uh yeah. Uh, Atavax.
You give it to her today?
Yeah.
Well, sort of.
What's sort of?
Well, I gave her half.
Our insurance stopped covering it, so...
Well, give her a whole one. Now.
Did she, um...
have another stroke?
Night terror.
Oh.
Do I need to take her to
the hospital or anything?
You win the lottery
in the last 10 seconds?
Come on...
Thank you for holding,
Mr. Smith. Unfortunately, your account
has been suspended due to non‐payment.
What!?
You have an outstanding balance
in the amount of $137.68.
Internet service is suspended
after 60 days of non‐payment.
What the fuck am I supposed
to do without internet!?
I'm sorry, sir.
As soon as we receive your full payment
in the amount of 130‐‐
Are you all right? I stayed all night,
I swear, but you just disappeared.
The fuckers shut my internet off.
I‐I gotta pawn a bunch
of stuff to get it back.
Where are you now?
Uh, school.
I don't know how long it's gonna take.
Once I get the cash though,
I gotta take a bus so I can
pay the bill at the fucking place,
and I just...
I don't know. I‐I‐I...
I just didn't want you to worry.
Aw...
Yo, shut the fuck up!
Ow, what the hell?
The Shadow's outta control, Wolf.
We need to mobilize, make a plan
to protect you and your mom now‐‐
All right, I‐I can't really talk
right now. I gotta go, okay?
Tonight then. As soon as you're
back online. In the meantime...
To tide you over.
Finalgirl filled me in.
We're family, all right?
You need something, ever,
all you have to do is ask.
Nick! Is that you?
Hey, Ms. Harmon.
How have you been,
Nick? It's been so long.
Uh, yeah. I had to take some time off
to take care of my mom.
That must be very hard.
What brings you in today?
Oh, I ju‐‐
I just have to check my email.
Sorry.
That's all right.
You know, you left something
in my office last year.
I've been saving it for you.
You have?
Uh huh.
What is it?
I'll go get it.
Uh, j‐just a moment.
Stay there.
What's your name, sir?
Nick. Smith.
Are you a student here?
- Not anymore.
- Then you can't be here.
Okay, fine. I'll go.
Hey! My fucking bag!
Open the bag, sir.
Slowly.
It's my system!
I gotta sell it to pay some bills!
Fuck you!
First my fucking dad leaves,
Mom gets crippled,
we go fucking broke,
I lose my stupid job,
can't even pay a stupid fucking bill,
and people think I'm the fucking threat!?
Maybe you should go back.
Give them what they want.
Yeah, and what!?
Rot in jail,
leave my ma to die in her own shit?
What the fuck am I supposed to do!?
You were right.
All along, it's that thing.
That fucking Shadow.
Thing's been fucking me for
11 years, man!
Yes. Yes it has, Wolf.
How did I not see it before?
'Cause it didn't want you to.
It wanted you blind, but you're free now.
There's two kinds of people in the world.
There's the ones that the Shadows fuck
with and the ones that they leave alone.
You're damn right, Wolf.
So, they pick me,
for who knows why, and I'm just, what,
supposed to sit here
with my dick in my hand,
and let this fucking
wall stain run my whole life!?
Dad goes out for a beer one night,
never comes back,
breaks my ma's heart so bad
it breaks her body,
and I'm left to clean up
her sh... shit and piss
until I put a fucking bullet
through my head?
No, fuck that,
and fuck this fucking Shadow!
How do we get rid of it?
We kill it.
Is that, like, a thing?
Well, the shadows can die,
yes, if they're hit with
a strong enough light.
Look, none of us
wants violence for its own sake.
But with all your Shadow's done to you,
all the pain it's caused,
it'd be self‐defense.
It'd be justice, Wolf,
for you and for your mom.
You see that, don't you?
It's not enough.
Killing just his.
We have to go bigger,
send a message.
Make the Shadows fear us.
We could livestream it.
Holy balls.
I call it the Shadow Slayer.
It blasts 32,000 lumens with a magnifier,
and it's got two settings. Check it out.
There's search...
And destroy.
Whoa!
What do you think?
I think you're a fucking freak, Wolf.
It's genius!
We should upload the design.
Who taught you to build like that?
He taught himself.
He taught himself?
The fuck, man!
Okay, so,
it is pretty user friendly,
but you're probably gonna wanna
fire off a few practice shots to start.
And you're gonna want these.
Uh, Wolf...
What?
Maybe we weren't clear before,
but this Shadow chose you.
You've gotta be the one to kill it.
Oh.
But...
I mean, I figured I'd just, like,
build, and then you guys...
‐ would‐‐
‐ Would what?
Fly across the country
and do your job for you?
‐ No, I mean‐‐
‐ The Watch isn't
a one way street, Nick.
We've had your back the whole way here.
I‐I‐I know that‐‐
So, what's the problem?
I...
I just don't know if I can.
Why not?
'Cause...
'Cause what if it's just a shadow?
How can you even say that?
I‐I‐I don't know.
I'm sorry. That was dumb.
Oh, come on, man! Pay up!
You wanna be a fucking pussy
bitch to some shadow dick
when they take over the world,
or do you wanna‐‐.
Hey, Dagr, settle down! Come on!
Come on! He doesn't have to do it.
Guys. He doesn't have to do it.
You never have to do
anything you don't want to do.
Look, you don't wanna be a part of
the Watch anymore, we understand.
What? No,
I‐I do not wanna leave the Watch!
Well, you're confusing me, Wolf,
because you wanna be a part of us,
but you don't wanna do
your part for the cause?
How is that fair?
I want to! I want to!
I just, I don't know if I can be a‐‐.
What! Be a what!?
What the fuck, Nick!? A killer?
You think you have the luxury not to be?
Wake the fuck up!
It's a fucking war! And in a war,
you fucking exterminate
the vermin on the other side!
You take them out
because you have no other choice!
We've given you everything!
Tell him what we found, Dagr.
Go on. Tell him. He should know.
Tell me what?
Finalgirl was saying you were trying
to find your dad, so I, uh...
did a search online, and...
I think I might've found him.
You did?
Take a look.
- Armor!
- It's ready to go.
- 7.4 megabits per second.
- Sound enough.
Good to go!
Nick, is that you?
I gotta go, Ma.
What? I can't see you...
Testing, testing one, two, three.
Go make me proud, buddy.
Hey, listen!
I, uh, I know I give you shit, but...
what are brothers for, right?
All right, dickhole.
T‐minus five minutes till you're live.
If something happens to me,
just know that I did this for us.
Now, the whole world's gonna see you.
Wait, Nick, what are y‐you...
It's a war,
and I have to go do my part now. Love you.
Nick, wait!
Three, two, one.
And we're live. Go.
- Main room clear.
- Copy that.
Ah!
- Kitchen clear.
- Copy.
- The fuck are you?
- Check your 6, soldier.
Ah!
- Where'd it go? Did I get it?
- No. Look alive.
Ah!
Where the fuck are you!?
I got you, motherfucker...
Nick? Nick?
Where are you?
Where are you, Nick?
Where'd you go?
Next!
Sorry. Um, picking up for Gayle Smith.
Smith. All right. Let's see.
This is for Atavax, 30‐day supply.
Is that correct?
Yeah.
All right, just a moment.
Please remove your food from the counter.
Sir. For hygiene purposes,
can you remove your food from the counter?
Freaking weirdo.
Poof!
Okay. That comes out to
$248.61.
What, dollars?
Yes, sir. $248.61.
No, no, that's‐We have, uh,
we have insurance.
Mom still on Oregon
Community Health Plan?
- Yeah.
- Hm.
Looks like they stopped covering Atavax
as of three weeks ago.
How can they do that?
It happens all the time, unfortunately.
You should've received
a notice in the mail.
We didn't.
Well, you should have. We sent two.
We can start her on the generic,
if you want.
No, we tried that and she threw up.
Well,
I'm sorry. This is what
the brand name costs out of pocket.
$248.61.
Is there someone else
to help sort this out?
Dad, maybe?
No!
Sorry.
I have...
$38.
What can I get for that?
- The fuck?
- Whoa!
- Fuck, man!
- Fuck you! Fucking Unabomber!
Hey, Ma?
It's me. You okay?
I'm gonna make dinner. 10 minutes, okay?
Fuck!
Hit or stay?
Stay.
18.
And the crowds go crazy!
No!
Ha ha!
How's school?
It's good. Pretty much living the dream.
Got a B+ on my math test.
Hit or stay?
Stay, Mr. B+.
What's this card?
Six.
And this one?
Rhymes with... heaven.
Seven...
Boom! Mic drop!
Yeah, and then after school,
um, I hung out with, uh,
Aaron and Jordan.
And we had this, like, fencing match
with these bats we found.
It was crazy.
You should've seen me. I was like...
Killed them both.
Have them over!
I wanna meet your friends!
Oh yeah, totally.
I mean, I don't really have time, like,
right now with, like,
work and everything, but...
Ma...
Don't worry, okay?
I like being busy.
Trust me. One day, I'll have,
like, a huge party with everyone.
It'll be so big, you'll be like ,
"Damn, Nick!
Save some friends for the rest of us!"
You know?
Don't forget. If you need anything,
just give me a jingle.
I love my bells.
Of course you do. They're genius.
What can I say?
Mr. B+.
That's me. Night, Mom.
Good night, Nick.
Damn, Nick. You mad, bro?
He's always mad.
Shut up and play
the game before I end you.
Yeah, dick, play the game.
You're the fucking dick, little whiny‐ass bitch.
Who you calling a bitch, bitch?
You're both bitches.
Watch and learn, motherfuckers!
Man, I hate playing you.
Fucking death wish.
Wanna go again?
Nah, not me. Gotta go fuck the old
ball‐and‐chain before she dries up.
You mean fuck your fist, dick?
Fuck you! Later, Nick.
- Stay mad, bro.
- Eh, what the fuck. I'll play.
Just gotta piss real quick.
Same.
All right. Operation Death Wish, let's go!
No, no, no!
- Fuck me, man!
- No thanks.
Wanna go again?
Nah, bro.
Going to sleep. Gotta be up
at 6:00 on a fucking forklift.
Sucks to suck.
Psychopath.
Shit.
What are you?
Hey, I asked you a question.
I'm Nick.
I live here.
I'm a duck!
Quack quack!
Oh shit. You're a fucking duck, too.
Nick! Nick!
Nick!
Ma, I'm here! I'm here! I'm here!
What's wrong? What's wrong?
W‐w‐w‐w‐w‐why did you leave me?
What do you mean?
W‐w‐were...
Gone, you left.
No way, Mom!
I'm right here, okay?
I‐I...
D‐dreamed... you would leave...
and you never came back...
No, Ma. I'm right here, Ma, okay?
You just had a bad dream.
Okay? That's all, it's over. Look.
I'm real, okay? See?
Oh. Nicky.
So handsome.
Just like your father.
Gotta go back to sleep,
okay? You're all safe now.
No! No! Please!
Ma, we both really
gotta get to bed, okay?
Lay here with me, Nicky.
Shadow Watch?
What we're seeing now is a rapid expansion
far worse than we predicted.
We've got 12 confirmed
sitings in the southeast,
‐ nine across the Midwest‐‐
‐ 10.
My cousin caught one in his garage.
- Milwaukee.
- What do you mean caught?
- He trapped it?
- I wish.
If he had, I'd be there tomorrow,
give the fucker the full Guantanamo.
Yeah, you're a real Rumsfeld
in your stupid fucking button‐up.
- Fuck you.
- Hey!
Ooh, careful, Dad's
gonna take his belt off.
Let's review the facts,
if you two don't mind.
We know they prey on the vulnerable.
We know they work invisibly,
for years sometimes,
before they show themselves.
Things have been rough for
your cousin for a while now.
About a year.
Fucking wasteland since the plant closed.
Figures. And of course,
the garage siting tracks.
We know they hate light.
Excuse me.
Well, hi there! What's your name?
Uh, Nick.
Are you guys talking about... shadows?
"Know your enemy, and you shall win
100 battles without loss."
Sun Tzu, Art of War.
War?
Against...
shadows?
Why?
Why?
Because it's the only language
those shitfucks understand.
Dagr.
How's your life, Nick?
I don't know.
Sucks.
You ever feel like it sucks so much,
it can't just be a coincidence?
Like there's gotta be someone
or something pulling the strings?
'Cause that's what the shadows do, Nick.
They sow darkness.
They trade in violence,
chaos, fear.
They ruin lives.
Shatter families.
They killed my parents.
First time I saw one,
I thought it was nothing.
So, I ignored it.
Even after my dad got laid off,
started drinking, bought a gun.
I didn't realize till their funerals...
Shadow was there, too,
on the church wall, watching.
‐ My dad, he would've never‐‐
‐ No.
Of course not. The Shadow made him do it,
planned the whole thing.
- I'm sorry.
- Thanks.
Oh, shut the fuck up!
Go shoot your blanks.
Nick.
The Shadow Watch is
a group of concerned citizens
who are committed to ending
the Shadows' reign of terror
once and for all.
They want a world of darkness,
but we are the light.
And we will win this war.
How'd you find us?
What do you mean?
I mean what the fuck are you doing here?
Showing up out of the blue,
you don't know shit about shit.
What, you get lost looking for porn?
Dagr!
Come on, that's enough!
No, you come on!
What, we got an open door policy now?
Bro's never seen a Shadow
in his fucking life.
You're wrong.
I've got one in my house.
Well.
Then it's a damned good thing you're here.
Fuck!
I'm coming, Ma!
You're gonna have to eat quick though!
I'm late for work. I mean school!
I'm late for school!
Can you repeat that last part, sir?
Two sausage eggs, two hash browns‐‐
I'm sorry, folks! We're just, we're a I‐‐
we're a little shorthanded this morning.
Sorry. Welcome to Fry Town.
What can I get for you?
Nick! Dude!
Darryl wants you in the back.
You wanted to see me?
Not particularly.
You're fired.
Hang your shirt up there
and your visor on the shelf.
Am I speaking in tongues?
You can't fire me.
Yes, I can, Nick.
Why?
"Why?"
You're two and a half hours
late for your shift.
It's one time! One fucking time!
No, no,
often!
And you steal food.
My mom is sick. She can't work.
I'm sorry about that. I really am.
But everyone here's got shit going on.
You think they'd be here if they didn't?
You're not a special kind of fucked, Nick.
You're just regular old fucked.
World doesn't owe you better
just because you throw a fit.
Fuck you!
All right. It's nice knowing you, Nick.
Yeah, fuck you!
Ow!
Nick!
What!?
Uniform.
Hey! Hey!
Hey!
- Ah, fuck.
- Excuse me.
Do you know a guy named Mark Smith?
- He used to work here.
- I don't think so.
Hey, Tom! Mark Smith,
ring a bell?
Maybe.
There was a Mark when I first
got here about 15 years back.
Left pretty quick.
Why did he leave?
Don't know.
Do you guys know his number?
Mark Smith!
What's your name, kid?
- Nick.
- Nick,
I barely know my wife's number,
all right? Go to school.
Fucking...
How was your day?
Fine.
I'm pretty sure I'm flunking English.
I'm pretty dumb, huh?
I've only been speaking it my whole life.
Talk to your teacher?
No.
She hates me.
Why?
Why not?
All right, night, Ma. Love you.
Wait!
W‐w‐w‐will you
brush my hair?
I‐I‐I have knots.
Yeah, sure.
What's wrong?
Nothing. I‐I thought I saw a spider.
That's all. Here.
Oh.
Well, look who's fucking back.
Dude, your face.
Give it a rest, Dagr. Jesus.
I saw it again.
The Shadow.
You did?
Where?
My mom's room.
Your mom's room?
You spend a lot of time
in your mom's room?
Shut the fuck up!
I just thought I'd tell
you guys since you're,
like, tracking them
or whatever. I don't know.
It's okay to be scared, Nick.
In fact, it's smart.
By the time you start
seeing them around,
they got their hooks in good already.
Your mom run into any trouble
the past year or so?
Um, yeah, some.
We need to monitor your situation closely.
You so much as cut yourself shaving,
you tell us. Who knows what sick game
your Shadow's playing here.
But when in doubt, assume it's an attack.
Okay, but...
But what?
What if I just got shit luck?
Then ask yourself why, Nick.
See, this is the fallacy.
You think the pain in your
life is random, but it's not.
It's strategic. It's organized
by the Shadows.
It's a lot to take in. I know,
and they know it, too.
They thrive on our doubt, Nick.
It feeds them.
Fucking terrorists.
And that's why we need Fletcher.
He's the only one who ain't afraid
to call them out for what they are.
Who's Fletcher?
Skip Fletcher, Presidential candidate.
Bro, how do you not know that?
Fletcher said the word "shadow"
nine times in the debate last week.
You look me in the eye
and tell me it's a coincidence.
I guess not.
No, it's a signal.
He's gonna need
a handle if he's gonna stay.
- W-what do you mean?
- An alias, dumb-ass.
Mine's Dagr,
Norse god of daylight,
and he's West.
You know, like‐‐
George Westinghouse,
electricity pioneer. And that's Finalgirl.
Last one left alive.
My gamer tag's LoneWolf.
Mm, "Wolf" it is then.
You're not alone anymore.
Thanks.
Th‐thanks!
Can somebody get
this bitch a drink before he grows tits?
Actually, I‐I do have something.
Fuck me!
This shit's like gasoline, dude.
Yeah, it's probably been
sitting, like, 20 years.
No, I heard that
it's good though because it, like,
ages it or some shit.
- Pussy.
- So, Wolf.
Tell us. What's your story?
Where'd you come from?
Nothing, nowhere.
Nothing, nowhere.
Shut the fuck up!
You're so fucking emo!
Like, why are you so
depressed all the time?
‐ I'm not depressed‐‐
‐ Come on. Lay off.
You know where I met this guy?
Oh, dude, you wanna hear emo...
He was 12,
posting suicide threats
on a gaming thread.
Found his phone number,
talked the belt off his neck.
Twelve?
He was just a little kid.
That was right when his dad left.
That's how I knew I had a Shadow.
Never seen him, but...
shit fucking rules my life.
Do you have one?
No.
My brother did. James.
Broke his leg on
a ski trip with his school.
Doctor gave him oxy for the pain.
Fast forward a year,
find him on the john,
needle sticking out of his arm.
Any of you shits die on me,
I'll fucking kill you.
Would you rather have a second
dick next to your actual dick,
or, like, a whole bunch of
dicks instead of fingers?
- Ew. How about no dicks?
- That's my cue. 3:00 AM in Cleveland,
- gotta get to work tomorrow.
- Yeah, you like that?
Dagr!
Dag, go to sleep.
Quit while you're ahead, man.
Wait, you guys aren't going, are you?
Nah. She'll stay up with you, right?
Yeah.
Course I will.
Nights are the worst.
It's good.
Hey.
Hey.
What's all this?
Protection. You know,
it hates the light.
Hm.
So, where do you live?
Uh, Eugene, Oregon.
I'm in Montana.
Moved in with my aunt
after my parents died.
I wanna move to Florida.
Get a gator, ticket to Disney World.
Where do you wanna go?
Nowhere.
Thought your life sucked.
It does.
But, you don't wanna leave it?
Nope.
So, you live with your mom, huh?
Is she, like, cool or...
Um, she's sick. Um...
She had a stroke last year
uh, while she was at work,
cleaning someone's teeth. Um...
You know, just all of a sudden, boom.
Now, she needs all these...
fucking pills we can't afford,
fucking Atavax bullshit.
I don't know.
Is that why you don't wanna leave?
Because of her?
Yeah, um...
Where's your dad?
My dad, uh,
left when I was five.
And I fucking hated him for it.
And my mom cried nonstop,
which made me hate him even more.
Um...
Never really tried to find him.
Was actually kinda hoping he was dead
until my mom got sick
'cause now it's like...
You're the parent.
It's not like I could find him anyway.
You know how many
Mark Smith's there are,
even just in Oregon?
All I have is his...
truck. My mom won't get rid of it.
Doesn't even run.
Figures. He left,
and everything just sorta...
broke.
It's not fair.
Yeah, it's just kinda
the way it is though. Like...
There's two kinds of people in the world.
The ones that... get things
because other people see them,
and then there's
the other kind that gets nothing.
Just kinda wanders around
the first kind 'cause they're...
like, invisible.
I see you.
I see you back.
I wish you were really here.
Me, too.
Nick?
Sh... Stay down.
Ah, fuck!
Fuck!
Shit!
No! No!
Nick! Nick!
Ma!
Shit.
Gave her a sedative to calm her down.
Blood pressure's sky high though.
She take anything for that?
Uh yeah. Uh, Atavax.
You give it to her today?
Yeah.
Well, sort of.
What's sort of?
Well, I gave her half.
Our insurance stopped covering it, so...
Well, give her a whole one. Now.
Did she, um...
have another stroke?
Night terror.
Oh.
Do I need to take her to
the hospital or anything?
You win the lottery
in the last 10 seconds?
Come on...
Thank you for holding,
Mr. Smith. Unfortunately, your account
has been suspended due to non‐payment.
What!?
You have an outstanding balance
in the amount of $137.68.
Internet service is suspended
after 60 days of non‐payment.
What the fuck am I supposed
to do without internet!?
I'm sorry, sir.
As soon as we receive your full payment
in the amount of 130‐‐
Are you all right? I stayed all night,
I swear, but you just disappeared.
The fuckers shut my internet off.
I‐I gotta pawn a bunch
of stuff to get it back.
Where are you now?
Uh, school.
I don't know how long it's gonna take.
Once I get the cash though,
I gotta take a bus so I can
pay the bill at the fucking place,
and I just...
I don't know. I‐I‐I...
I just didn't want you to worry.
Aw...
Yo, shut the fuck up!
Ow, what the hell?
The Shadow's outta control, Wolf.
We need to mobilize, make a plan
to protect you and your mom now‐‐
All right, I‐I can't really talk
right now. I gotta go, okay?
Tonight then. As soon as you're
back online. In the meantime...
To tide you over.
Finalgirl filled me in.
We're family, all right?
You need something, ever,
all you have to do is ask.
Nick! Is that you?
Hey, Ms. Harmon.
How have you been,
Nick? It's been so long.
Uh, yeah. I had to take some time off
to take care of my mom.
That must be very hard.
What brings you in today?
Oh, I ju‐‐
I just have to check my email.
Sorry.
That's all right.
You know, you left something
in my office last year.
I've been saving it for you.
You have?
Uh huh.
What is it?
I'll go get it.
Uh, j‐just a moment.
Stay there.
What's your name, sir?
Nick. Smith.
Are you a student here?
- Not anymore.
- Then you can't be here.
Okay, fine. I'll go.
Hey! My fucking bag!
Open the bag, sir.
Slowly.
It's my system!
I gotta sell it to pay some bills!
Fuck you!
First my fucking dad leaves,
Mom gets crippled,
we go fucking broke,
I lose my stupid job,
can't even pay a stupid fucking bill,
and people think I'm the fucking threat!?
Maybe you should go back.
Give them what they want.
Yeah, and what!?
Rot in jail,
leave my ma to die in her own shit?
What the fuck am I supposed to do!?
You were right.
All along, it's that thing.
That fucking Shadow.
Thing's been fucking me for
11 years, man!
Yes. Yes it has, Wolf.
How did I not see it before?
'Cause it didn't want you to.
It wanted you blind, but you're free now.
There's two kinds of people in the world.
There's the ones that the Shadows fuck
with and the ones that they leave alone.
You're damn right, Wolf.
So, they pick me,
for who knows why, and I'm just, what,
supposed to sit here
with my dick in my hand,
and let this fucking
wall stain run my whole life!?
Dad goes out for a beer one night,
never comes back,
breaks my ma's heart so bad
it breaks her body,
and I'm left to clean up
her sh... shit and piss
until I put a fucking bullet
through my head?
No, fuck that,
and fuck this fucking Shadow!
How do we get rid of it?
We kill it.
Is that, like, a thing?
Well, the shadows can die,
yes, if they're hit with
a strong enough light.
Look, none of us
wants violence for its own sake.
But with all your Shadow's done to you,
all the pain it's caused,
it'd be self‐defense.
It'd be justice, Wolf,
for you and for your mom.
You see that, don't you?
It's not enough.
Killing just his.
We have to go bigger,
send a message.
Make the Shadows fear us.
We could livestream it.
Holy balls.
I call it the Shadow Slayer.
It blasts 32,000 lumens with a magnifier,
and it's got two settings. Check it out.
There's search...
And destroy.
Whoa!
What do you think?
I think you're a fucking freak, Wolf.
It's genius!
We should upload the design.
Who taught you to build like that?
He taught himself.
He taught himself?
The fuck, man!
Okay, so,
it is pretty user friendly,
but you're probably gonna wanna
fire off a few practice shots to start.
And you're gonna want these.
Uh, Wolf...
What?
Maybe we weren't clear before,
but this Shadow chose you.
You've gotta be the one to kill it.
Oh.
But...
I mean, I figured I'd just, like,
build, and then you guys...
‐ would‐‐
‐ Would what?
Fly across the country
and do your job for you?
‐ No, I mean‐‐
‐ The Watch isn't
a one way street, Nick.
We've had your back the whole way here.
I‐I‐I know that‐‐
So, what's the problem?
I...
I just don't know if I can.
Why not?
'Cause...
'Cause what if it's just a shadow?
How can you even say that?
I‐I‐I don't know.
I'm sorry. That was dumb.
Oh, come on, man! Pay up!
You wanna be a fucking pussy
bitch to some shadow dick
when they take over the world,
or do you wanna‐‐.
Hey, Dagr, settle down! Come on!
Come on! He doesn't have to do it.
Guys. He doesn't have to do it.
You never have to do
anything you don't want to do.
Look, you don't wanna be a part of
the Watch anymore, we understand.
What? No,
I‐I do not wanna leave the Watch!
Well, you're confusing me, Wolf,
because you wanna be a part of us,
but you don't wanna do
your part for the cause?
How is that fair?
I want to! I want to!
I just, I don't know if I can be a‐‐.
What! Be a what!?
What the fuck, Nick!? A killer?
You think you have the luxury not to be?
Wake the fuck up!
It's a fucking war! And in a war,
you fucking exterminate
the vermin on the other side!
You take them out
because you have no other choice!
We've given you everything!
Tell him what we found, Dagr.
Go on. Tell him. He should know.
Tell me what?
Finalgirl was saying you were trying
to find your dad, so I, uh...
did a search online, and...
I think I might've found him.
You did?
Take a look.
- Armor!
- It's ready to go.
- 7.4 megabits per second.
- Sound enough.
Good to go!
Nick, is that you?
I gotta go, Ma.
What? I can't see you...
Testing, testing one, two, three.
Go make me proud, buddy.
Hey, listen!
I, uh, I know I give you shit, but...
what are brothers for, right?
All right, dickhole.
T‐minus five minutes till you're live.
If something happens to me,
just know that I did this for us.
Now, the whole world's gonna see you.
Wait, Nick, what are y‐you...
It's a war,
and I have to go do my part now. Love you.
Nick, wait!
Three, two, one.
And we're live. Go.
- Main room clear.
- Copy that.
Ah!
- Kitchen clear.
- Copy.
- The fuck are you?
- Check your 6, soldier.
Ah!
- Where'd it go? Did I get it?
- No. Look alive.
Ah!
Where the fuck are you!?
I got you, motherfucker...
Nick? Nick?
Where are you?
Where are you, Nick?
Where'd you go?