Hey!
Hey, man, it's just me callin' you back.
Hey, I was just checkin' in,
and seein' how your date with what's-her-face went?
- Oh, no, that's actually today. - Oh!
Yeah, all suited up in a nonchalant way
that signals my complete and total sexual disinterest.
Are you for real with that?
Of course not.
I actually think I'm on the verge of a heart attack.
Probably 'cause I haven't gotten laid in, what, months?
You mean, years?
Shut up!
But I mean, definitely since my mom got really sick.
Oh, no, no, this is an exciting time for me, all right?
I get to have some excitement
- in my life. - YOLO. Man, that's fine to say to me,
but don't let the Boomers hear you say shit like that, okay?
You know what I mean.
Man, you ever have it happen when you feel like life is going one way,
and then all of a sudden, without blinking,
just like everything changes?
To a degree.
I feel like I'm losing my grip on reality,
and might do something terrible today.
So that's why you're packing the Magnums?
Or I mean, the Micros?
Yeah, Magnums for me, and I'll be mailing you those Micros.
Really, like, I don't have to restrict myself
to bare emotional necessities anymore.
Dude, she needs your help, okay?
You were doin' what you had to do.
Needed.
Eason is watching over her now.
I get it, but it doesn't mean
that you can't still call her and check in.
Hey, who called who here?
Sorry.
You think this has been easy for me?
What do you wanna talk about, Magnums again?
Just a sec, my mother needs help with the printer.
Okay.
Okay, I'm back.
You still there?
Max?
What age?
What?
What age does life start staring you in the face?
You know, I'm, I'm by a river right now,
and there's this bald eagle landing.
You know, eagles mate for life.
And I thought you wanted talk about
getting your rocks off, and blowin' off some steam tonight?
I'm serious, man.
Oh, in their nest, they also clench their fists,
so they don't hurt their young.
It doesn't always work out.
Anyways, why don't you tell me about this date, hmm?
No red flags so far?
Red... No, no red flags.
Actually, she seems amazing, which is scary.
Eager, which is, you know, something that I get used to.
Oh, oh, dude, get this.
Though, it has not been addressed yet,
- she... No, wait, wait. - Oh, no!
She is an English and rhetoric major.
Oh, dear God!
But it's cool, though, dude.
- No, no. - Don't be academically prejudiced,
- all right? - Whatever!
- It's your life, okay? - Okay.
But if you break her heart,
just expect countless tones, sighs,
social media essays about how you both shattered
and nurtured her personal growth.
I am looking to keep things light, thank you.
Okay
Well, bottom line is,
come out swinging with your guns loaded.
You have absolutely nothing to prove,
so don't give some girl control over your cortisol level.
Jesus!
All right, but here's a serious question.
What if I actually start to fall for her?
That's terrifying.
Oh, shit!
She just text me. She's here.
- What, like right now? - Uh...
- Yes, right now, actually. - Okay.
I'll ferry you over the other side.
Right.
How nervous are you?
Nervous?
On a scale of 1 to 10,
I could use Pep Talk 5.1.
You're really overthinking this.
I know. I know I am.
- That's exactly why I need you. - Fine.
You're a tiger, okay?
You're a lion!
Roar!
- I'm not gonna roar. - You are Hercules,
and your slashin' Minotaurs,
like they're dollar store discounts.
Okay?
- Okay. - You're Hulk Hogan
getting a settlement for his sex tape.
You got this shit, Max!
Okay, I believe in you.
Now, get out there,
show her the jackpot she scored
when she swiped right!
Thank you.
Tony Robbins doesn't get me fired up like that.
Who?
Forget it.
You're on your own from here.
Bye.
Hi.
How are you?
Well, I'm alive, so.
The same, yep, same.
Excellent.
Like my car?
It's a nice color, yeah.
I'm just kidding. My brother just dropped me off.
Oh, Jesus.
All right, all right, this is how we're gonna kick things off?
Had you goin' for a second, didn't I?
Can you imagine if that's how I showed up?
- I was gonna say... - Red flag city.
No, then again, like I don't even have a car,
so, like, who am I to speak?
Taking care of your mom the last year, was it?
Yeah. Yeah, it didn't leave me much time to make money.
Not about to hold that against you.
Come on! We'll walk over to the theater. It's not far.
Cool, cool.
Well, you're not catfishing me,
that's a good start.
Likewise. You, um...
You look amazing.
Thank you.
Whatever happens, can we both agree that,
as far as the world is concerned,
we did not meet on a dating app?
Yeah, that's totally fine,
but it's not like we met on Mormon Mingle or anything.
You're not wrong.
That would, that would definitely be weird.
I agree.
But, I mean, trust me,
like, I totally get it.
Like, I know it can be a bit of like
a Petri dish for wounded egos and male awkwardness.
But honestly, if it wasn't for the internet,
I don't know how I'd meet anybody, so.
I was talking to my brother about that exact thing.
- Oh, yeah? - He said to me,
"Avery, I don't know if you're aware of this,
but there are people in this world, all around us,
who venture to public places,
go to people they've never met before,
and you become friends with them right there,
right on the spot."
Well, no, that's like science fiction to me.
I don't know.
I mean, I know that's like what a normal,
healthy, average person is supposed to be doing,
or so the world tells me.
- And yet... - Here we both are.
Exactly, here we are.
So if you think about it,
I really should blame you for enabling me.
- Yeah, I was happy you could meet so soon. - Yeah.
I was lucky to have the night off.
When I'm looking to have fun, I'm definitely an enabler,
so look forward to the worst decisions of your life.
- Oh, okay! All right. - I mean in a... good,
wholesome, girlfriend material kinda way.
Who said I was looking for a girlfriend?
Um...
- You know, I was... - Oh, no, don't worry.
No, no, no. I'm sorry to spook you.
- That was not graceful. - No, no, no, no, are you kidding?
No, I'm actually sorry.
That whole...
The whole foot in mouth thing is kinda like my bread and butter,
- and thank god you get it. - Right?
If you ever wanna exchange techniques, you know, just please let me know.
I kind of have a black belt in conversational self-sabotage. Yeah.
You're pretty honest. I do like that.
Not many guys would open a date with confessions of self-sabotage.
So this is a date then?
I don't know. Do you want it to be?
I admit, I'm not picketing the idea.
I'm also cool with this not labeling anything too quickly.
You know, you can't trust someone you just met.
Never know who's out there, or what their motivations are.
I mean, we are going to a movie tonight, right?
- Yes, sir. - Okay.
And no, like, BTK Dungeons, no underground,
- and cell? - Oh, no!
BTK dungeons are after-movie destinations only.
Right! Good. I just wanted to make sure
we weren't, like, moving too fast, right?
You know?
But you were saying,
you study, like, English and rhetoric, right?
- Yeah, I do. - Okay.
I'm in the throes of regretting it, actually,
- My dissertation... - Really?
...is melting, like the width of the West.
I found this Le Guin's story called,
"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas"
Oh, wow!
You gotta meet my buddy, Dave.
You two would get along like fireworks.
- I just... - I didn't mean it.
That's... Sorry.
- Yes. - Oh.
- Yes. - Okay.
So...
Um...
- In Omelas... - Mm-hmm.
...every possible thing that could ever make you happy
is available on tap every second of every day.
No war, no crime, no poverty.
- Well mandatory puppies, of course. - Exactly.
- Right. - Paradise.
Yeah.
Except there's this kid locked in a cage
deep in a dungeon, tortured.
Nobody talks about it.
Everybody just accepts that
the boy needs to be tortured endlessly
in order to maintain the divinity of their paradise.
Wow! A very positive life-affirming story you got there.
You could say that, but you can't say that's more messed up
than the world we live in now.
I guess.
So anyway, there are people who refuse to take part
in that whole system of living.
- Right. - And?
Uh, they walk away from the Omelas.
Yeah. Yeah, exactly.
So...
You know, it's easy to side with the people who walk away,
but the two groups are really doing the same thing.
I mean, at the end, the kid is still there being tortured, right?
Okay, a totally nonjudgmental question.
Shoot.
What would you do?
What would I do?
Yeah, if you had that choice to make,
what would, uh, what would you choose?
I think if I didn't grapple with the answer,
I wouldn't like the story so much.
Why? What about you? What would you do?
Well, I, I guess I just did it.
What do you mean?
Walked away.
I mean, I just left my mom on her death bed,
'cause it got to be too much for me.
I read up on Huntington's disease
when you told me about it. That's no easy thing.
Yeah, I mean, it was...
There were just like only so many days
I could watch her get sick.
You know, it's like all her memories together, fading,
despite her still being alive in front of me.
I mean, like, I was her lifeline.
She honestly really was like my best friend.
I just got to like a certain point where I just,
I guess I just felt like I gave, gave, and gave,
until, like, I felt as sick as she was.
It's kinda like it was trading in all her good memories for...
something terrible.
I mean, I still don't know why, like,
I chose to be her lifeline,
or, like, why I chose to leave.
Maybe there's just something I haven't forgiven her for?
I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry, that was... - That's okay.
Yeah, I don't write, so.
What would your thesis say about that?
Is it just me, or does this look really uninviting all of a sudden?
Yeah. What is going on?
I mean, I know you kind of do have
the school shooter vibe going on.
Maybe they heard you were coming, and thought,
- hey, you know, just in case. - Oh, that's funny,
- now that I know about the whole self-sabotage? - Oh.
I'm actually the manager here.
Oh.
- Nice. - In fact,
if you ever want free tickets, I'm you're gal.
Oh, no, that's too much.
It's no trouble.
God, it's like being on a date with a Hollywood agent.
Well, I don't know about that.
I've got the white tickets, not the green ones.
Well, not yet.
That's the spirit.
Come on!
Oh, be careful.
Hey, you can't go any further!
- Oh, I work here. What happened? - Avery!
Hey! What the hell? What's going on in there?
I was just talking to Lucy about it.
The phone rings, she picks up,
there's a guy on the phone saying,
"There's a bomb under the seat in Theater Three".
We had to cancel the whole "Evil Dead" screening.
No postponement, it's just not happening.
That's crazy! That's what we were gonna go see!
- Yeah. - Yeah, I was in the lobby
when they cleared us out. Look at my hands.
I'm shaking!
Oh, Jake, this is Max.
All right then, salutations.
Nice to meet you too.
How do you two
know each other?
He's, uh...
- Oh, I see! - What?
What?
Still haven't given up on the whole manager routine?
You're talking too much.
It's not like I don't already know
that this shit is a Tinder date.
We didn't meet on Tinder.
Listen, your name's Max, right?
As far as I'm concerned.
You seem nice.
You're really cute, not gonna lie.
I've had a couple.
The pre-game's starting to hit like a drunken stepdad.
And I have to tell you, this girl here,
smart, funny, humble, sweet.
- Do not buy it for a second. - Jake?
Does this same routine step for step, note for note,
that she tried on the last guy,
and the guy before that,
- and the guy before that. - Jake!
She picks him up in the car,
swings by the movie theater.
Oh, what do you know?
I can get you in for free!
Turns up the volume on the sad girl shit,
like it fools anybody.
This girl dips her pen like she's William fucking Shakespeare.
What the hell, dude?
- Oh, my god! - Max, he's plastered.
- Don't listen to him. - I'm not plastered. I'm just being real.
No, I need you to be gone. That's what you need to be right now.
No, look.
- I love you. - Jake?
Okay, I love you.
This girl, man.
Max, I'm sorry.
I'm full of shit.
This girl will take you places.
I've never seen someone so committed to those she loves.
A true family gal.
Yeah, okay.
I love you. I love you too, Jake.
Just, um, get the hell away from me.
We're gonna go have fun somewhere else,
and you're gonna go puke in the bushes, okay?
That sounds awesome.
- I won't let you down. - Okay.
Wish me luck.
Bye, Max.
Bye, Jake.
Wow!
Sure was somethin'.
That was so embarrassing.
Yeah, so... how's it being the manager?
I'm sorry.
Yeah. Why...
Why would you lie about that?
Can I just be honest?
Yeah, I mean, you could've been honest earlier too.
So, we're on Humber, we match,
and I was...
I just felt a strong connection to you.
Your past, what you've been through,
it's not that different from what I've been through,
- or I'm going through. - Okay.
So I didn't think you'd wanna meet me
if I told you I was some girl employed at a movie theater.
So, what, you thought manager of a movie theater
is a huge step up?
Point taken.
So here we are.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
No, it's totally okay.
All right? I mean, I guess it just looks like this
self-sabotage thing is a two-way street.
And, you know, by the way,
there's, like, nothing uncool about
working in a movie theater.
Ginsburg, Friday, movie theater rat at night,
that is totally cool.
I feel a little boneheaded right now.
I guess you'll just have to make it up to me.
True.
Drinks on me.
You said, "You were looking to have a wild night out."
I'll get us a bottle of Inferno.
Inferno? I have never had that.
You've never had it?
No, nope.
Okay, well, it's a bit of a college bro drink,
- to be honest... - Okay, okay.
...but it is always an experience.
Gets the night moving.
It's good.
Is it like actually good?
Like I'll enjoy drinking it good,
or is it burning my stomach lining good?
The best of both worlds, really.
All right.
All right, you had me at Inferno.
Great!
Let's find a bar.
Right now?
Yeah, why not?
"Evil Dead" screening is dead,
- and the evening is young. - Yes.
Okay.
Interesting order we've got going on here.
What?
It's just usually handholding is a bit later in the game.
Oh, I'm sorry, I got a little excited.
Usually after someone says that, they let go.
True! My bad.
I just...
I mean, usually handholding is preceded by kissing, yeah?
Very persuasive.
Now who's moving too quickly?
Come on!
Uh, just wait here, okay?
- What? - It'll just be a moment.
- Who's that? - I will be right back.
Okay.
- Hey! You all right? - Uh...
- Yeah, I'm sure, yeah. - You're bleeding.
I'm what?
Yeah, um...
Here.
Oh!
- No, no, no! - I got it.
It's okay, I got it.
I'm sorry.
- It's... - No, it's okay.
- Who was that in there? - Oh, don't worry about it.
Really.
Come on.
Let's get a drink.
Hey what can I get for you?
Two shots of Inferno.
Shots.
Here we go.
Oh.
Oh, it looks like a caramel apple.
There's already been way too much anticipation.
I take it back. You're gonna hate it.
Cheers.
Yes!
Okay, you are right. I actually hate it.
- I'm done. - Have some more!
Don't you wanna lose your inhibitions?
Feel okay?
- Mm-hmm. - Yeah?
You want some more?
Yeah.
It's kinda loud, and do you wanna take this outside?
Okay.
Uh, we'll do the bottle.
It'll be $35.
Thank you.
Ready?
Yeah.
Let's find somewhere to go drink this.
Actually, I think I've had enough.
Is something wrong?
Okay, yeah, it's just...
before I came out here,
I made this list of, like, resolutions.
One of them was just to be more direct with people.
Okay.
Do you have a boyfriend?
It's just when you paid,
you opened your wallet, there was a picture of that same goth guy
you ran off to go flirt with a few seconds okay,
- and I just wanted to... - Okay, I see.
Yeah, who is he?
Oh, he's handsome, right?
What?
Should I just call it a night?
What? You don't think that we look good together?
Okay, what the hell kind of question is that?
- Stop, stop! - What?
Do you notice any... similarities?
Oh! Shit.
Yeah, uh, he's my brother.
Oh, God!
No, no, no!
Okay.
I am so sorry!
I, I truly hate that guy.
I do not wanna be that guy.
- I hate when guys are like--I mean, if you wanna just call a night,
- then that's what we'll do? - No, no, no, no, no!
- No, I am... - No free movie ticket,
and she has a brother,
so you might as well cut your losses, right?
It's just funny.
I mean, yes, I jump to conclusions,
but who keeps a picture of their brother in their wallet?
Family is really important to me.
There's nothing I wouldn't do for my brother.
Unexpectedly wholesome.
Well, anyway...
I feel stupid.
Oh, my gosh.
What?
It is...
Every time is like the first time.
Okay, well, I got the car off my brother.
Oh.
And I think that we need a little change of pace.
Okay.
What do you have in mind?
Do you believe in ghosts?
- Oh, ghosts, no. - Oh, okay.
So I assume haunted houses are no different?
That's right, but I don't wanna go around
kicking the hornet's nest either.
What if I told you, I know of a haunted house not too far from here?
Would you wanna check it out?
Right now?
Why not?
I don't know.
- You know, it's... - All right, think of it this way.
- Okay. - Why settle for a horror movie
when we can go and see the real thing?
So...
Is that a yes?
I don't know. Um...
What if...
I mean, there could be squatters.
Don't you like surprises?
Yeah, I do,
and I am looking to have a wild night tonight,
just... you know, as long as it's calculated.
I see.
Glove box.
What?
Glove box, open it.
- Okay. - Open it!
Okay, okay!
This is yours?
Pick it up.
Careful, it's loaded.
Why do you have this?
Protection from ghosts.
Point it at me.
What?
Hold it with both hands and point it at me.
You... Avery, I'm sorry, that's really weird to ask someone.
I wanna prove something to you.
Okay.
Now, cock it.
Avery?
Pull the hammer back until you hear it click.
Okay, I'm not so sure Inferno was the best idea.
Come on!
Okay, loaded, but nothing in the chamber.
Do you trust me again?
My God!
Come on, cock it!
Okay.
Nothin' to worry about.
I know you'd never shoot me, right?
Of course, I would not shoot you.
You see?
Calculated, but safe.
I guess.
Okay, but really, like why...
Why do you have this?
Protection?
You know what I mean.
Well, I once walked away too,
or rather, as you put it, ran.
Both me and my brother.
That's why we're so close.
I guess I have it to feel safe.
I see.
Wanna play the question game?
The question game?
Uh...
I would say, it is a bit childish,
but considering we are already on the way
to a haunted house, yes!
Okay.
You can go first.
Oh, no, you.
I insist.
Alright, um...
How many girls have you slept with?
Oh, all right, starting there, are we?
Okay.
Okay, I know the general rule is you divide by two
and say that answer.
But for me, it's probably better if I multiply.
Is that right?
So... four.
Seriously?
Swear to God.
Were you hoping make that five tonight,
or should I slow down?
You don't have to slow down.
Noted.
All right, it is my... my turn to ask.
Shoot.
What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you?
Oh, interesting.
Well, it has to be when my brother and I tried to not run,
but to fight back.
Can I ask from what?
See, my brother has, um, a stalker.
- Oh! - Well, the stalker's not alive anymore.
Oh, had a stalker?
When he was alive, though,
we had a lot of problems of getting anyone to listen
or believe us about what was going on.
When it involves believing a boy, they say, "Be a man",
so we just gave up
and resorted to our own means of survival.
But that was a scary thing coming forward like that.
Oh, it's like...
It's really interesting.
It's like I find that true for myself too.
It's wild, like, that the scariest part is coming forward.
I don't usually tell people about all that stuff.
Also, I shouldn't have,
because it was your second question.
Yes, it was!
I am sorry. That's my bad.
But I am actually...
I'm glad that you told me.
Alright, next game.
- Car dance off. - What?
Something about talking with you,
I'm wonderfully possessed.
Car dance off?
I take it we are here?
I think we are.
Grippin' that steering wheel pretty tight.
You sure you don't want your gun?
No, you can keep it.
Look, we don't have to...
We don't have to go in, you know?
I mean, I would be more than happy
just taking a walk by the river, getting to know you better.
That's sweet, and I know.
No one ever made memories by playing it safe.
There's an upstairs room I wanna show you.
All right, I will bring the gun.
This place is pretty boarded and chained up, huh?
It's to prevent an infestation.
All right, talked a lot of shit earlier,
I will go in first.
You don't have to do that.
Nothing to be afraid of, right?
Thank you.
Max?
Hello?
Max, this isn't funny.
Ha!
Oh, my God!
What the hell?
That was awesome!
Sorry.
Don't do shit like that.
Oh, sorry.
Really old and creepy.
So I'm doin' all right for our first date?
You could say that.
It's been abandoned for half a decade.
For the town, it's a place to be ignored.
What's the story behind it?
A ghost story?
You wanna hear the ghost story?
Well, I got my white tickets, right?
Okay, but shots first.
Makes the story more entertaining.
Don't build it up too much now.
All right, so they him Rotcreep.
Rotcreep?
Look, Stephen King doesn't write
small town urban legends.
That's just what he's called, okay?
That's actually exactly what Stephen King writes,
but okay, please continue.
Okay, so story goes...
Once a year, his hunger must be satisfied,
one victim, or he'll act out beyond these walls.
You don't actually believe this, right?
Of course I do.
I'll show you upstairs where they say it all started.
That's where Rotcreep claimed his very first victims.
What the hell was that?
Hello?
Raccoon, maybe?
Yeah, so much for preventing an infestation.
Let's go up.
You have the gun, don't you?
All right.
All right, Avery, you officially got me
out of my comfort zone.
Well, it feels good to feel something every once in a while.
Not much different from my room growing up, actually.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, I mean, minus all these wrestling posters.
Who really up and leaves all this stuff?
You mean, the fancy wrestling posters?
True.
Come look at these.
Kids who lost their mom.
Why are you showing me it?
My buddy, Dave, would sure approve of you guilt tripping me.
Certainly not my motive.
Sometimes there's more reality than what's farfetched.
Have a look.
Rotcreep.
Told you I didn't make up the name.
Looks like this kid's got more demons than the house.
The house is just a vessel.
What do you mean?
Apparently, Rotcreep is bound to the house,
as long as it's fed.
Right, right, once a year, you mentioned.
Now you're qualified to give the ghost tour.
Yeah, next, you're gonna tell me,
well, we both know exactly what you're going to say,
tonight, he is needing to feed , right?
All good ghost stories escalate quickly?
Come sit on the bed with me.
Okay, um, look.
You know, I know I said, I don't believe in ghosts,
but I'm starting to think whether I believe doesn't matter all that much to the ghost.
Just sit for one moment, then we'll go. I promise.
- I'm good. - You sure?
Yeah, I'm just... having second thoughts.
I know, there's just something that I wanna say.
Um...
I think I'm really starting to like you.
You're a good guy, Max.
You're a good guy.
Thank you for saying so.
I haven't really heard that in a while,
as you could imagine.
Are you...
- Are you all right? - Yeah.
There's just something that I haven't told you,
and it's a lot worse
than not being the manager of that movie theater.
Uh...
You remember my paper on "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas"?
Yeah, yeah.
Well, a number of years ago,
I had a similar decision to make,
my family versus a stranger.
Okay.
I think that my paper has always been a way of justifying my guilt.
I guess you could say, I decided not to walk away.
Okay.
You're really starting to weird me out.
But you understand,
because of what you went through with your mom, don't you?
Because of your past?
Whatever happens, don't think that this is easy for me.
See, Max, this isn't just any home.
This is my childhood home.
I thought you said he'd go down!
- Sorry, Max. - I thought he would.
Whoa, don't! You get out of my way!
Out of my way! I'm leaving right now!
- That's not gonna happen, Max. - We told you all this to prepare you, Max.
You asked about the scariest thing that's ever happened to me.
I'm afraid it's still happening.
We ran from this place as soon as we could,
as far as we could, as fast as we could,
but it didn't matter.
Rotcreep always came for us, until we realized
that someone could take Phillip's place here in this house,
and be his new... interest.
I use the word stalker earlier to put it in terms you'd understand.
He died, but that didn't stop him from coming after Philip.
The same habits in life as in death.
We dropped a kid here just last week,
and thought Phillip would be safe again,
but it seems Rotcreep it still hungry.
And when he doesn't get what he wants,
he comes for me, wherever I am.
Happened this morning.
I barely got away.
Just one touch rots you from the outside in.
For what it's worth, it's not personal, man.
We're just trying to stay alive.
Stop, stop!
You step out of the way right now,
and I'm...
Blanks, so you'd feel safe.
In case her nice tits weren't enough.
- Avery? - I'm sorry, Max.
Sorry, Max.
See, I told you he'd go down.
I'll get his legs.
Zip ties.
Pull him closer.
Don't get too turned on now.
Shut up, Phillip!
Broke ass mother fucker!
It's not working!
Really?
- Sorry, Max. - Avery, come on!
When you wake up, drink this.
It'll make things easier, trust me.
I assure you, it'll be a hell of a lot shorter than Phillip's,
and maybe mine.
You're about to understand it all.
Help!
Hey, just stay back!
I'm not gonna hurt you.
All right?
You just come out.
You come out.
That's right.
Whoa, whoa, hey, hey, hey.
Whoa.
Hi.
I'm not gonna hurt you, that's...
My name's Max.
This is yours?
Okay, okay, who are you, kid?
Who are you?
Like I said, my name is Max.
How long you been hiding in there?
I don't know.
All right, well, how did you get here?
That girl.
Avery, she brought you here?
All right, listen.
I already tried that!
No, no, no, don't open it!
He'll get you!
It?
Rotcreep.
- I'm just gonna make sure the coast is clear, okay? - No, no, no, no.
The hallway's empty.
It's okay.
What the hell was that?
You think I didn't try to open the door already?
I told you. You didn't listen!
It doesn't care if you believe in it or not.
Do you have anything to drink?
Only this.
That's for adults!
Ew!
What is that, gasoline?
You weren't supposed to drink that.
Taste like... burning.
Okay, how the hell do I get outta here?
We don't!
Hey!
Hey, I'm sorry. Okay?
Clearly, you weren't supposed to be here,
but you still are. All right?
You're doing something right.
I'm sorry.
All right?
My dad has to pour drinks...
Okay.
So what do we do?
Out there, it's all boarded up.
Every window, every door!
There's not enough room for both of us to hide.
You've been hiding in there this whole time?
I tried to go in the kitchen,
but that was a bad idea going down there.
- What happened? - You don't wanna find out.
But whatever happens, stay away from his bedroom!
Never go into his room.
Okay.
Okay, well, I'm glad that you're able to get away.
Even my house cat plays with mice before it kills them.
Remember, you're here now.
Yeah.
Okay.
Hey, you never told me your name.
It's Rudy.
- Rudy, son of Sam Quincy. - Mm-hmm.
I lost my bike.
Avery said she knew where it was.
She...
And now, I'm here.
Okay.
All right, Rudy.
Okay, let's get you back up on your feet, all right?
And let's try to get out of this together.
You think we can do this?
Put out your hand.
Little fingers can't break open windows and doors.
These, however, along with these,
we got a chance!
Faith?
What?
My mom said when you're down you have to have faith.
All right.
All right, I guess it's not such bad advice.
So you're with me?
Yeah?
All right.
Hey, that doesn't work.
Hey!
Hey, trust me.
- Okay? - Okay.
Okay, Rudy.
All right, when I open it,
no hesitations, okay?
We're walking straight out and down the stairs.
- You got it? - Got it.
I guess we're supposed to be tied up and not running around together?
That's right.
The hallway's empty.
Okay.
On three.
One, two...
Okay.
Go, go, go, go!
Help me with this one!
That's on too tight.
It's way too tight.
Now, you cover your ears, all right?
Wow!
Just a few more, and then we push it.
Come on! Squeeze through, Rudy!
- Come on! - More!
Not goin' in!
Squeeze through!
- Come on, push! - You!
Push!
Come on!
I'm coming!
Run! Run!
The hell?
Rudy? What are you doing?
Oh, my! Phillip, get him!
Max, you should not have let the boy take your place.
Avery, Avery, you let me
- outta here right now. - There's still no way out of this!
- Please, Avery, please. - I'm sorry. I wish it were that easy!
- I'm begging you! I'm begging you, please! - I can't, Max!
I'm not gonna act like I didn't deserve that.
I'm gonna make sure to get Rudy back for you.
Wait, wait!
No, no, no, no!
No, no!
No!
Go on. Why don't you tell Daddy what you're doing?
It's just Oscar, Daddy.
I'm teaching him how to swim.
I'm not sure if robots know how to swim,
but I just wanted to win the race.
That's cute.
Are you gonna win your swim meet tomorrow, Phillip?
How 'bout you come teach Daddy how to swim?
I'll make a change to my swimsuit, Phillip.
Daddy, Phillip, are you two down there?
Creep.
Go on!
Remember, Max...
...Rotcreep only needs one of you!
I'm sorry, Max!
I'm sorry!
I really tried to get away and get help.
I know, buddy.
I know.
I really tried.
I know, but you remember what I told you earlier?
The same goes for your legs, all right?
How are you supposed to outrun someone twice your size?
Because I'm smarter.
That may be true,
but there's two of them.
Two people twice your size.
So you're still alive?
What's that supposed to mean?
I'm happy you're still alive, truly.
Okay, come on.
Let's get you cleaned up, all right?
I'm worried about my mom right now.
Hey, you be strong for me, okay?
Take this off.
Do you think your mom is worried about you?
Can you stop asking me so many questions, please?
Can you do that for me?
- Okay. - Thank you, buddy.
Are you okay, Max?
I'm fine.
Rudy, I'm fine.
...in her net too!
I said, "I'm fine"!
Hey, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Okay?
I didn't mean to snap at you.
It's okay.
I knew when you said you were fine, you weren't.
Just because you're grown doesn't mean that you don't need help too.
Yeah.
I think you're right about that.
It's just me... trying to be stoic, till I'm not.
Stoic?
It's...
It doesn't matter.
It matters to me, Max.
All right.
Come on!
What you did for me...
I should go back to the hiding place.
Yeah, I hear ya.
What is all this stuff?
It's the dad's video camera.
You mean, Rotcreep's?
You know, too?
I may have little fingers and short legs,
but like I told you, I'm smart.
I know you are, buddy.
Hey!
- Hey, I need to go check out this last room. - No, no, no!
Don't leave me, Max!
Can you hide until I get back?
I'll just be a moment. Can you do that for me?
Like I said, I'm an expert hider.
Yeah.
Show me, come on!
Do you see me?
Not at all.
See?
Told you.
You stay there, all right?
- Wait! - Wait!
- Run, Max!
Rudy!
- Wait! - Rudy!
Max!
No, please!
Please!
Help!
Max!
Please, help!
Please, Max!
Get off of him!
Get the fuck away from him!
Rudy?
Where were you?
I know.
Rudy, Rudy, I'm sorry.
Hey, we're gonna get out of this.
Okay?
Rudy!
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Did I tell you what happened today, Max?
No, you didn't.
The Woman's Club is having a dinner next week,
and we don't know who the speaker's going to be yet,
but Martha accidentally bought tickets
to last year's dinner.
Well, how about that?
I ran into Sally Dotter today.
She said she bought a new car.
Oh, really? Well, what kind?
Well, I don't know,
but payment's going to be $62 a month.
Oh, gee! Well, that sounds like a good car.
Dinner's ready.
Would you mind fetching Uncle Phillip and the kids?
Kids?
Good evening, Phillip.
Good evening, Max.
Please have a seat.
Dinner sure smells great, Mom.
It sure does.
Thanks, Mom.
The family that prays together stays together.
How many cigarettes do you have?
- Huh? - A pack.
How much longer?
Not until we know for sure it's done this time.
We should have cameras inside to watch it unfold.
I don't like that idea.
Why?
I just don't.
I wonder if Max is gonna survive this?
How much do you really like this guy?
I told you, I didn't wanna do this shit with him in the first place.
We really have something between us.
Wow! Well, if that were the case,
you wouldn't have locked him in there to die.
Like you gave me much choice?
What, you think that it's easy dating with a brother like you?
- Fuck you! - I'm just saying.
Well, there's a whole big world on Ember, Avery.
So suck it up, and swipe right again!
Max can't make it out alive. You know that, right?
Fuck you!
Our secret can't get out. You know that, right?
- I know! - What?
I said, "I know", Phil!
What the hell was that?
Come on!
He did it.
- He's out. - Shit.
Where is he?
Phillip?
Rudy?
It's done!
We're safe again!
I'm safe!
Where is Max?
Can you come and help me with the fucking body?
Then we can worry about your damn boyfriend!
- His face. - If it bothers you that much
put something over it.
That's better.
Come on.
Max?
Max, let us out!
Max? Max, open the door!
This is for Rudy.
Max, you know, we really were supposed to go to the movie tonight.
The only thing that I was hiding was that I wished it was a date the whole time.
Phillip called in the bomb threat
only when he realized that he was still in danger.
It was supposed to only involve Rudy from the start, Max.
Is that supposed to make me feel better?
I'm saying sorry, Max.
Now, what started between us really means something to me.
She wants your dick, Max! Isn't that enough?
- Just let us out! - Please, I'm begging you!
Max! We can keep this secret together.
It's the only thing that Philip and I could do to keep sane to survive.
Avery?
Yeah, what is it, Max? Tell me, please.
I'm here to listen.
You realize what you've become, don't you?
Shut up, Max, and just let us out!
Max, take my hand, please. I swear I'm not gonna hurt you again.
I don't think
there's gonna be a second date, Avery!
Relax. Max, come on.
Come on, Max.
I've been thinking about your little writing project, your paper.
In Omelas, you said, "There's only two options",
running, looking the other way,
but there's a third way to stop this one.
What is it, Max?
Tell me, please! Just let us out!
- Just open the damn door! - Come on, Max.
Max, just open it, please. I am begging you!
Max, don't do this. Don't do this, Max. Max, Max!
- Max, wait! - Let us out!
- Open the door! - I'm sorry!
- Max, please, Max! - Please open the chain!
Max! What are you doing?
- Max! - Max, open it!
- Max! - Max!
Max, don't leave me here!
Please!
- Max, please! - Come on!
- Max! - Max, come back!
Please!
- No! - Max, open it!
- Max! - Open the damn door!
- Max, please! - Max!
- Max, let us out!
- Max! - Somebody help us!
Let us out!
- Max! - Come on!
- Why? - Open it!
Open it, Max!
Open the damn door!
- Max! - Max, let us out!
- Why? - Max, please!
- Help! - Please, Max!
Max, don't leave me here, please!
Max!
- Max, please! - Help!
Open the damn door!
Max, open it!
Help!
Max!
Max, what are you doing?
Burning it all down.
- Max! - No! Let us out!
Max, please!
- Help! - Please, Max!
Max!
- Max! - Open the door!
- Help me! - Max, please!
- Help! - Max!
Somebody help us!
Mom?
Mom, it's...
It's me.
Oh, thank God.
How are you?
- Mom, I... - Yes.
I've been worried sick!
I...
You're what, honey?
What is it?
It's just, there's a lot I have to tell you.
You don't have to tell me.
I already know.
I'm so sorry.
I love you.
Cut!