"More coffee?" "No, thank you." "Ruthie in bed, like I told you?" "You draw the shades?" "Sit down here." "Listen... if anybody comes by here, you tell them your mom is sleeping, and she don't want to be waked up." "Don't let nobody in until I tell you different." "Not even Samson." "Nobody." "You can't muck this up." "If you do, we ain't friends no more." "Don't worry." "Just remember, and we're dutch." "Jesus." "You ever coming to bed?" "Not yet." "Enter." "I've gotta talk to you." "Alone." "Don't you come in here giving orders..." "Lila, out." "Let me get some clothes on at least." " l need your help." " What sort of help?" "It's Ruthie." "One of her snakes got out and she got bit." "She's..." "She's unwell?" "She's dead." "I tried to do what I did before but nothing happened" "so she's dead." "I'm terribly sorry." "Will you tell me what I gotta do?" "Me?" "No, I'm afraid I can't help you." "But I know someone who can." "I wanna... I wanna bring her back." "You have the gift." "I tried..." "To restore a life, you must take a life." "I know, goddamnit." "I took her out, way past everyone..." "You must act as a man, not a boy." "A boy mends the broken bones of his playmates and resurrects little kittens for his own amusement." "This is different." "This is a woman's life, a human life." "To restore it, you must take a life." "With deliberation, you must choose the life you take." "That is the way of our kind." "What is this?" "What's he talking about?" "I ain't here to play games with someone hiding behind a curtain." "Best keep a civil tongue in your head, boy." "I've had enough of this." "Another step, and I will kill you where you stand." "Then what will become of your friend, I wonder?" "I can help you, Ben Hawkins." "I can give you the answers you seek." "Who are you?" "Someone who understands the life you've led, the questions you have, the torments." "Someone who understands what it is to make such a choice." "One life for another." "You have made this choice before." "What do you know about that?" "I know that you are capable of making such a choice." "Capable of saying, "This one deserves to live," ""this one deserves to die."" "That ain't my place." "If that is true, my friend, then why is such a choice possible?" "Why are you not like other men, left behind to bury your dead, to gnash your teeth and cry out to God," ""Why her, Lord?" "Why not another?"" "The answer is self-evident." "It is your place, Ben Hawkins." "It cannot be escaped." "It can only be accepted." "Her life for another's." "It is the only way." "You may go now." "Sugar?" " You didn't come to bed last night?" " No." "You OK?" "You and me, it ain't working." "No, it ain't." "I don't think you want it to." " Me?" " That's right." " lt's my fault?" " lt's not about whose fault it is." "The thing is, what are we going to do about it?" "I had a plan." "I don't know if I'm ready to take that step, though." "Where are you?" "Felix, where are you?" "You've been somewhere else ever since... I know about you and Jonesy." "You're the one who put him in my bed." "You said to my face that you were gonna see him but once." "At least I didn't bring him into the tent and put him in the show." "Hell, ain't it something?" "You should have seen your face." "You jackass." "You and Jones..." " it's gotta stop." " lt already has." "You and her?" "It never meant nothing." "It's a hell of a marriage we got here." " l wouldn't trade it." " Wouldn't be any takers." "I don't care, Mother." "I've made up my mind, and I'm leaving tonight." "You'd best be careful what you say to me." "I'm not in a very forgiving mood today." " What are you gawking at?" " Nothing." "Hey there, Clayton Jones." "Just the man I wanted to see." "How much money you got stashed away?" "Money?" "Not much, that's for damn sure." "If it's a loan you're for..." "See, the thing of it is, you owe me some dough." " l do?" " Sure, you do." "Way I figure it, about 50 simoleons." "That a fact?" "That is a fact." " 50, huh?" " Yeah." "Since you're a friend and all, I figure I can throw you a discount." " How about 40?" " Discount cos we're friends?" "Too goddamn stupid to have real friends, have to make do." "All right, 40 clams." " Take me a while to raise that." " lt's all right." "I know you're good for it." "It's a lot of money." "Lose a bet?" "Something like that." "Better let you get back to work." " Busy day." " Always is around here." "I want to see you tonight." "Where and when?" "Stake bed?" "Hour after we shut down?" "You won't stand me up, will you?" "Then I'll see you tonight." "I remember this bird." " Jonesy." " Yeah, boss." "Remember this punk?" "Ain't that the guy we picked up back in Milfay?" " Murder?" " Yeah, a real hard case." "So, is he still with you?" "Sorry." "Took a powder, that one." "Back in Babylon." "Anything else I can do for you?" "Y'all don't mind if I take a look around?" "Not at all." "Much obliged." "Find a deep hole." "Law's here looking for you." " Where?" " Lead truck." " Mr Dolan." " Iris." "Could I have a word with..." "Please, come in." "We've been expecting you." "Thank you for coming, Mr Dolan." "Guess I'm confused." "Just dropped in here on the spur of the moment." "Yes, of course you did." " Lemonade?" " No, thank you." "I hear you think I burned down my church." "Of course not." "No, but there are people in authority who might." "I just want to help you." " Really?" " Absolutely." "That's why I'm here." "You ruffled some feathers down at City Hall." "Now they're going to scapegoat you for the fire." "Now what you need to do is beat them to the punch." "You need to get your side of the story out there first." "I could use a man like you, Mr Dolan." "You know how to use that to reach an audience." "True." "Do you need an audience, Brother Justin?" "What I need will take some time to accomplish." "The first step is getting out my message." "I can help." "But I want something in return." "My sister." "No, of course not." "What are you talking about?" " What do you want, Mr Dolan?" " Exclusive rights to your story." "Whatever happens from here on out, I'm the only one that gets it." "Deal?" "I'm reminded of the phrase, "making a deal with the devil."" " Come on, I'm not that bad." " No, you're not." "Mighty strange Ruthie hasn't been out of her trailer yet." "You think she's all right?" "You shouldn't concern yourself with her, my dear." "Maybe I'll go give her a shout, make sure she's all right." "I said, do not concern yourself." "You know something, you old fraud." "Lila, consider the fate of cats and curiosity." "I want you, I want you..." "Apollonia." "He ain't really leaving." "He's just putting on a show." "Making a big point of poking inside all the tents, asking questions." "Now he's letting us get a good look at him climbing in his car and driving on." "What did you tell him?" "I told him you was in Babylon but he knows you're here someplace." "Talk to the Man?" "What'd he say?" "He said he's got some answers for me." "Said him and me... we're alike." "is that a fact?" "Say anything else?" "Told me how I can help someone." "But there's a price?" "And who's gonna pay that price?" "I don't know what you have to do and I don't care." "I do know what kind of games Management plays." "He don't care much for people." "Like pieces moving around on a board." "But these people around here mean more than that to me." "Whatever it is you gotta do, you make sure it happens to somebody else." "Somebody who don't matter." "Somebody who won't be missed." "Someone more like you." "There ain't nothing good happened since you've come here." "Not for us, not for you." "Apollonia." "Apollonia, my dear." "So what is it you wanted to tell me?" "How long have you been there?" "You taken over Catalina's act now?" "No, I just like her music." " Thought we might partner up for a number." " You like her?" "She's OK." " Yeah, I kind of like her." " More than me?" "What're you talking about?" " Of course not." " l just... want to make sure I still have my drinking partner, is all." "I thought you weren't going to go near the worm again." "I wasn't." "But I just keep thinking about it." "The truth is... I keep thinking about you." "Me too." "I just feel like... you're the only one in the whole world that I can trust." "And I know that you would always look out for me and protect me, make sure no one ever hurt me." "I would." "Absolutely, if I could." "I should go." "Do you want to get together later, after we shut down?" "Someplace quiet?" "Private?" "How long have you known?" "It can't be her." "This is madness." "You cannot do that." "Madness!" "Who is that?" "Him?" "He's no one." "Leftover trash from the fiesta." "Hello, Norman." " l'm sorry. I didn't hear you come in." " You're well?" "I'm fine." "How are you?" "I am a changed man." "I can see that." "And that concerns you?" "Yes, it does." "I can't say I blame you." "From your position, I'm sure it must look as if I've gone mad." "Or worse." "May I?" "Don't tell me you've become a papist." " Doing some research." " Really?" "On what subject?" "The seductive nature of evil." "Fascinating." "I have so much to do." "Maybe I can help you." "Iris told me." "Baptismal water transforming to blood?" "Really, Norman." "I know what I saw." "Well, it's a shame no one else did." "Please." "You must turn away from all this before it's too late." "Turn away from what?" "Say it." "There is a demon within you." "Let me help you." "There is no demon within me." "But there is one within you, Norman." "All men have sinned against God at least once in their lives." " Even you, Norman." " Let me go." " This doesn't make sense." " No?" "I'm sure it will." "It always does." "Children?" "You all right?" "What are you doing out here?" "Are you a man of God?" "Yes, my child. I'm a minister." "My name is Reverend Norman Balthus." "Protect us." "Save us." "People are trying to kill us." "Please help us." "There." "Everything's going to be fine." "It's all right, son." "I promise, I won't let any harm come to you." "My greatest evil?" "Saving your life?" "Giving you refuge?" "Protecting and nurturing you?" "No, this can't be." "By your own words, the sin l must embrace, the evil that I have brought into the world... ls me!" "It's not too late, son." "Pray with me now." "Beg the Lord God to have pity upon you." "Pray with me." " Pray that the demon leave you." " There is no demon in me!" "The demon is me." "Do the thing you must do." "Please, Norman." "Now, before it's too late." "If you've ever loved me..." ""He anointest my head with oil..." ""and my cup runneth over." ""Surely goodness and mercy..." ""shall follow me all the days of my life."" "Norman!" "Her life for another's." "It is the only way." "It doesn't work that way." "You're meant for greater things." "This is who you are." "You're the one." "You must make your choice." "I'm sorry." "People are already gathering." "The Bible tells us we're all born in sin, each of us damned at birth." "The Bible also tells us that redemption is possible." "We can all be reborn again with God's love." "Perhaps God has other plans for some of us." "The hour grows late." "The boy will return." "You've done well, my friend." "At your service as always, my prince." "Such loyal service should be rewarded." "Come closer." "I have a gift for you." "Come." "Not too bad." "Something to feed the kitty." "Couple of gentlemen callers said they'd be interested." "I'm all booked up." "I reckon so." "Where are you going there, Hoppy, all dressed up so pretty?" "You got some johnny l don't know about?" "Nothing like that. I'm just going to spend some time with a friend." "A friend?" "Yeah, Mama, a friend." "Looking for me?" "Maybe." " Smoke?" " Sure." "I don't have a light, so..." "How'd you do tonight?" "Same as usual." "What you doing under there?" "This is what it feels like to be betrayed by someone you love." "You fucked Rita Sue... and you knew." "I'm sorry." "The clock is ticking, brothers and sisters, counting down to Armageddon." "Sofie..." "The worm reveals himself in many guises across this once-great land." "From the intellectual elite, cruelly indoctrinating our children with the savage blasphemy of Darwin to the craven Hollywood pagans corrupting them in the darkness of the local Bijou." "From the false prophets cowering behind our nation's pulpits to the vile parasites in our banks and boardrooms and the godless politicians growing fat on the misery of their constituents." "The signs of the end times are all around us, etched in blood and fire by the left hand of God." "You have but to open your eyes, brothers and sisters." "The truth is that the Devil is here." "What are you doing?" "What are you doing?" "Let go of me!" "The Antichrist, the Child of Lies, the Son of Darkness walks among us, cloaked in the flesh of a man." "Does the Lord not weep at this degradation?" "Does He not tremble with righteous fury?" "And shall He not seek retribution?" "You're wrong." "I ain't like you." "I ain't one of your kind, and I can't do it." "God takes what's His." "Man don't take it back." "That is where you are wrong." "You see, God had nothing to do with Ruthie's fate." "It was Professor Lodz who murdered your friend." "Why are you saying this?" "What are you doing?" "The man's joking, Ben." "You don't believe him?" "Look him in the eyes." "Hawkins, he's lying." "Trust me." "Come on!" "Move those buckets, goddamnit!" "I open my eyes and I see a black sky that tears apart, that screams with a voice that is thunder " ""Rise up, brothers and sisters" ""and take your place at my side. "" "is Sofie in there?" "Is she in there?" "Sofie!" "Goddamnit!" "Give me that bucket." "Jonesy, no!" ""For you shall be my scythe" ""and your faith shall shine like a thousand suns" ""and the streets shall be sanctified" ""with the steaming black blood of the heretics. "" "Take a good look, you son of a bitch." "Take a good look." "It appears we are of ilk nature, after all." "And together, brothers and sisters, together, we shall build a shining temple." "A kingdom that will last for thousands and thousands of years."