"Get your tickets here, ladies and gentlemen... for the most frightening show you've ever seen in your life!" "Step right up!" "That one is closed right now, sir." "This way, please." "Ladies and gentlemen, before we go on..." "I must ask... that anyone easily impressed... or suffering of a weak heart, leave the tent now." "And the children too." "Madam, please, for shame." "Now, you have all heard bone-chilling rumors of the walking dead." "In the West Indies, authorities are baffled... by gruesome crime sprees... committed by men with the strength of an army." ""Zombies," they call them!" "Strange word, I know." "Make no mistake, the zombie is a savage soul... with no conscience." "And if provoked, can and will... rip the guts out of each and every living being here tonight." "You have been warned." "Remember me?" "It's Angus, your friend." "I've brought some nice people who want to meet you." "There's no reason to be afraid." "For God's sake, he looks like my uncle Fergus." " Please, sir, be quiet." " You hear me?" "I demand me money back!" "Sir, for God's sake, just get to the back of the tent." "Be quiet." "We will give you your money back." "What's wrong with you people?" "Can't you see you're being played for fools?" "That's not a zombie." "It's some clown dressed up in rags." "Get out of here, for God sakes!" "Please be quiet!" "Please!" "No, I beg you!" "Please, please!" "Please don't hurt me!" "He's in that tent over there!" "Get 'em out of here." "Get 'em all out of here." "Show's over." "It's clear." "We're clear, Terry." " Not bad." " Not bad at all." "Angus, Terry says I can't come out for a drink with everybody." "We've been through this before, Bailey." "Zombies can't be seen having a drink down at the local." " Ruins the illusion." " But it's our last night here." "Doesn't matter." "The gladiators didn't suddenly nip out for a tortellini... after the lions torn 'em up, did they?" "Man, I strike the tents every town we been in." "It's high time somebody else get stuck with the job." "Welcome to show business, kid." " Knock, knock, princess." " How'd we do?" "Our best night yet." "We're going out with a bang." "You were terrific." "But you already know that." "Here is to the most beautiful creature this planet has ever known... and the most accomplished performer this sorry bunch ever laid eyes upon." "Cheers." "To the most charming charlatan I've ever allowed under my skirt." "And to the Ringling Brothers and their 40 railroad cars... traveling all over America." " Here we go." " Bloody right." "Sir?" " You are no mermaid." " Sir, you're not allowed" "You're no colossal beast from the sea." "That is true, sir, I'm an actress." "A liar!" "Well, that's one way of looking at it." "Look, we intended no harm." "The show's over, sir." "You're not even allowed to be in here." " You are no mermaid." " I think we've established that, sir." " If you'd just kindly step outside." " You're a fake." "Madam, you're just a fake." "Sir?" "I'm sorry." "I apologize." "I'm so sorry." "It's quite all right, sir." " Come on, sir." " Good evening, sir." "I'm so sorry." "Can we offer you a ride home, sir?" "Please be kind enough to wait in the dining room." "I don't leave the house much these days... not since my wife passed away." " I'm sorry to hear that." " Please join me for some of the best." "Certainly." "Are you married?" "Not yet." "Do you live by yourself?" "I thought I heard you talking to someone." "I live by myself, but not alone." "You're right to think me strange... but you'd be strange too... if you knew what I know." "We don't think you strange." "All water holds hidden magic." "Without it there can be no life on Earth." "But what I am telling you is not magic." "You understand?" "Absolutely." "And yet, at the risk of sounding" "For thousands of years... men have believed in an enclave of islands... known as the Forbidden Islands... where mermaids breed." "In Greek mythology, sirens were originally bird women." "Then, somewhere along the line they mutated into fish women." "But like I said, that is Greek mythology." "Mermaids are myths." "Everybody knows that." "They sing, they dance... they lure the sailors to their lair with their pale flesh." "And the story goes that every year... under the strongest of the full moon... usually in summer... the mermaid becomes human for roughly one night." "That's right." "Human." "Legs, feet and all." "Quaint little maidens." "Virginal... innocent... meek as sin." "Now, who would believe an extraordinary story like that?" "This one has a rather unfortunate skin condition." "That is the Queen of the Lair." "Different cultures have different names for her" "Moreski, Rudi, Coralia, Sihrena." "But they all share one thing in common." "They all say her name in hushed tones." "She has powers the others don't." "Certain pagan religions esteem her... the highest of fertility symbols." "You must go." " Well, you know, it's just" " Yes, I understand." "I wasn't always... old and incoherent." " Thank you for bringing me home." " Our pleasure." "Certainly." "You didn't believe a word, did you?" "Oh, sure we did, everything." "It's just that we'll be traveling soon, and we need our rest." "I came to your show tonight because I believed... that you'd captured a real one, and I wanted to warn you of the danger." "Like we explained, it's an illusion." "You know, entertainment." "I believe you, sir." "Come with me." "Come." "Now we're never getting out of here." "That is fantastic." "She looks so real." "That is remarkable." "Has she been underwater the whole time we've been here?" "How does she make it so her skin doesn't get all wrinkled?" "Don't get close." "Is it a see-through breathing tube?" "Is it a straw?" "How does she do it?" "She's not used to strangers." "She's very ill." " Why the chains?" " She's broken the glass repeatedly." "I had to build the cage around her." "Oh, stop it." "Go on." "Tell me how it's done." "Go on, I beg you." "She murdered my wife." "That's all I see when I look at her, and she knows it." "It is a goddamn mermaid, isn't it?" "You'd love to show her as a freak attraction." " Is that what you're thinking, sir?" " No, of course not." "But we could deliver her to a scientific institution where she might be studied." "It seems a shame to deprive the modern world of the insights" "The answer is no." "Perhaps sleep on it?" "I'm not much of a sleeper, sir." "Not anymore." "You'll drive yourself mad, darling." " Perhaps it's meant to be." " Nah, how could it be?" "All my life I've been concocting extraordinary schemes to dazzle a crowd." "I have never come across the real McCoy." "No one I've heard of ever does." "Oh, brother, here come superlatives." "The "nevers" and the "evers" and the "chance of a lifetimes."" "You could forget the Ringling Brothers." "Go straight to Madison Square Garden." "Present the world with the greatest find of the century." "Have a little faith." "The century's just begun." "Besides, I thought I was the star mermaid of this show." "Am I not?" "Yeah, sure you are, darling." "Come on." " Has Bailey gone to bed already?" " Yes, sir." " But not alone." " What do you mean?" "The Siamese trapeze twins are in there." "Both of them?" "Being the star of the show has its perks." " Welcome to show business, kid." " Well, go wake him up." "Tell him he'll be back in action in 1 5 minutes." "I warned you-- I'm not much of a sleeper." "Captain Woolrich, if you just allow me to explain my proposal." "I'm sure it's very civilized." "I loan you the creature... and then you make a name for yourself in the world... and share the profits with me." "But you skipped the part where the creature... bites the hand that feeds it... and you end up a paranoid old fool... staring at her day and night, and night and day and day and night." "That's perceptive of you, but" "Shut up." "The creature will not leave this house." "God knows..." "I've earned the privilege to see her die." "Why not put the weapon down, Captain?" "You have no right." "Just calm down now, sir." " You've no right." "My pills." "Get out of my house!" "I said calm down." "Jesus Christ, Bailey, I think you killed him." "Sir!" "Oh, no, please don't, sir!" "Oh, God, I'm going to hell." "Fifteen minutes ago I was in bed with the twins." "Now I'm going to hell." "Nobody is going to jail!" "Understand?" "Nobody." "Hell, I said." "I'm going to hell." "I can't help you there." "First things first." "He never left the house." "He has supplies brought in once a week." "It'll be weeks before anyone finds him." "I did the most horrible thing a person can do." "It was an accident!" "We all saw it, it was self-defense." "Sir!" " You sure she won't wake up?" " Positive." "That's enough to put down two adult elephants." " What about the tank?" " We'll have to empty it to move it." "What's in the book?" "The old man's wife wrote down her observations on the creature." "Come on, let's get outta here." "All right, take her up!" "All right, then." "Where's your Mr. Shaw and the last passenger?" " They'll be here momentarily." " Better be." "We're leaving soon." "All hands prepare to get underway!" " Have you gone completely mad?" "Jesus Christ, Lily, what's in here?" "My costumes." "You sneak out in the middle of the night... to purchase a creature we don't know the first thing about." "Scratch that." "We do know something." "She murdered the old Captain's wife." "He said that at first, but he changed his story around." "He's an old drunk, you know?" "But the rest of the troupe, we can't just leave them behind." "They'll be joining us in two weeks as planned." "This is wrong, Angus." "This whole idea." "What about it is wrong?" "To have that thing in a tank, for starters, is wrong." "I'll tell you what's wrong." "What is wrong is me and you... stuck in some small town, barely surviving on scraps." "Me up there like a monkey trying to lure poor idiots... into falling for smoke and mirrors... whilst you bat your eyelashes and stick your chest out." "That's what's wrong." "If you think Ringling Brothers give a hoot about our quaint little act... just because we have charming personalities and elocution" "It doesn't work that way." "This life, you see a chance, you take it." "Yes, sir, you need something to make you stick out from the crowd." "And for God sakes, a real life bleeding' mermaid." "Something no one's ever seen before." "This is history... and archaeology and spectacle all rolled into one." "This is our ticket, Lily." "I have a bad feeling about this, Angus." "Mixed feelings are good." "Keeps you balanced." "I didn't say mixed." "I said bad." "Well, there must be something you like to eat then, isn't there?" "You and me both, lady." "I can't understand a word you're saying, so why even try?" "Let's keep it quiet now, shall we?" "Potato?" "What is it?" "A curious somebody, huh?" "Is that it?" "I'll go check." "Please,just relax." "Calm down." " Was that you just now?" " What?" "You wanna come in?" "You keep quiet now, all right?" "You're gonna get us all in trouble." "Come inside, now." "Thank God." "Methinks she like you better than me." "Angus tells me you're a famous artist of the stage, Miss Lily." " One of these actresses." " Angus tends to exaggerate." "It's part of the job description, but not in this case." "Fascinating life, I'd imagine, the life on the stage." "Me, I never understood how anybody could remember all those words... all at once, night after night, eh?" " Is it all it's cracked up to be?" " Sorry." "Excuse me." " She's not used to the motion." " That's the problem with most women." "Either that, or she's with child." " Not Lily." " I notice the African fellow... spends a lot of time in the cargo compartment." "I'm not opposed to him mingling." "Thanks, I'll let him know that." "Just a bit shy." "Hey, Miles, thought I asked you to fix that rigging yesterday." "Yes, sir, you did." " I brought you a little something." " Thank you." "At least someone's looking healthier." "I don't know why." "She hasn't touched food since we left." "Well, it could be the ocean air." "Her skin is much better." "Do you want me to take over for a bit?" "I could use a bit of a stretch." " Gifford is gonna be back in a bit." " All right." "Good morning." "How are you today?" "We're gonna have to name you something, you know." "We all need a name." "Not much of a talker, though." "That's all right." "What's important is that you're feeling better." "Aren't you?" "What are you thinking, I wonder?" "What do you make of all this?" "Oh, God, that was you." "You caught me by surprise." "You're moving much quicker." "Well, that's very interesting, says I, because he's a dunce." "Never reached the second book." "I'll be with you in a minute, darling." "Did I tell you about the hangman and the hawk?" "Bedtime, is it, Miss Lillian?" "Yes." "No, thank you." "Suit yourself." "More for me." "I'm sorry, that wasn't very gentlemanlike of me, was it?" "It's hard sometimes." "We're not used to traveling with dames." " I understand." " Must be awful for you... listening to all this sailor talk day and night... so crass and profane, isn't it?" "It doesn't bother me." "You are a polite young lady, if I may." "I once knew a young lady in London." "I hesitate to call her a lady, but she certainly was feminine." "Not refined, such as yourself, of course... but she was-- oh, God-- rather, what's the proper term" "a resourceful girl." "Charming, full of life." "Wouldn't be accurate to call her an easy woman, 'cause easy she wasn't." "Mary Ann, that was her name." "Mary Ann was barren... which made her chosen profession all the easier." "She had a sad tale of woe regarding her condition." "Backroom operation just off the London port." "Sad stuff." "We spent a whole month together." "She stole my heart... which wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't stolen all my money." "Now, mind you, and I'm not too embarrassed to admit it... mind you, she had charged me handsomely... for the pleasure of her acquaintance, and even so..." "I wake up one morning, and she's gone with everything I own." "Can you believe that?" " That's awful." " What'd you say?" "I said, that's awful-- your tale of misfortune." "Quite awful." "The "awfulest."" "Didn't make me feel any better to find out... that she had done this to a dozen sailors before me." "Like I said, Mary Ann was a very resourceful girl... not a lady such as yourself." "What have we here, Miss Lillian?" "Seems like you have a loose thread." "I'll find it later, thank you." "I hope I didn't scare you... but you don't strike me as the type to scare easily." "I must go now." "She had the sweetest mole" " Mary Ann-- right between her breasts." "I'm sure she did." "Good night, sir." "Not Angus." "Miles." "I said Miles." "Angus, wake up." "Wake up, man, wake up!" "They found her." "I'm telling you, don't be fooled by what it appears to be." "It's a curse on the boat." "Pure evil." "We're better off to kill it now." "It's all right, it's all right." " You knew about this?" " Yes, sir, I can explain." "I don't think any explanation could satisfy." "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw this thing... off my ship right now and you with it!" "If you just let my men get her back down into her tank, and you and I can talk." "I've had men flogged to death for less." "Give me one good reason, Mr. Shaw." "I'll give you more good reasons than you could ever imagine." "Go on, get rid of her." "Miles, come with me." "He's not here, Captain." "Find him, tell him to come to my cabin." "It's as if she's drunk." "Think of it as the greatest treasure any man has ever discovered." "What about my crew?" "This is an advance." "More to come later." "You divide your share any which way you see fair." "I think I'm being more than generous here." "Yes." "Can't find Miles, sir." "He must be down below." "Let him sleep it off." "Thanks, Skelly." "What about their safety?" "I have a responsibility." "So we'll be careful." "Put yourself in my shoes." "What would you have done?" "I had no way of knowing you'd even accept the cargo." "But believe me when I tell you, Captain... you're looking at a good luck charm of a lifetime." "This is not an opportunity you want to throw away." "Excuse me." "What happened?" "She almost made it to the railing, and then she just dropped." "Come on, now, everybody." "On three, fellas, three!" "One, two, three." "Yes, she's heavy." "Get her in here." "Yes, one, two, three." "All right, fellas, thank you, show's over." "Let's get some sleep now." "Very sorry about that, fellas." "We made a mistake, no harm done." "She won't escape again." "I'm going up for some fresh air." "It reeks in here." "That was" " You were quite forceful, darling." " Sorry." "No, I like it." "Perhaps the ocean air is bringing out the animal in you." "Look, Angus, we have to talk." "You know I hate conversations that start with, "Look, Angus."" "It's about me." "Then I am interested." "As long as it's not about me." "I'm bored to the hilt with me." "My past is quite different than what I've told you." "For one, I was never a famous actress in London." "And I was never a champion swimmer." "In fact, I can't even swim." "I wasn't on holiday when you and I met." "I was running away." "There were men." "There were several men with whom I became acquainted." "You understand?" "I don't care what you were or what you did before you met me." "I'm in love with the woman you are now." "The fact is, I'm no saint meself." "But that's not all." "Miles was one of the men I knew back in London." "The Yankee sailor boy?" "That Miles." "No, I didn't steal it." "Look, I had a nasty conversation last night and he was cross with me." "Why didn't you tell me?" "If this character has any claim on you, I will straighten him out." " You can't." " Oh, yes, I can." "He may be a big fella, but he'll be hungover." "I'll have the upper hand." "That's just it." "You won't find him." "He's dead." " What do you mean?" " I think she ate him." " Who ate him?" " The mermaid!" "She did it as a favor to me, see." "Miles was drunk as a skunk... and that's why she became intoxicated and couldn't escape." " I think you might be running a fever." " No, listen to me." "I know how it sounds, but I really believe... that she can read my thoughts, and she did this for me." "Listen to yourself." "A mind-reading mermaid who avenges women with a past." "It sounds like something we'd cook up together for the show." "I'll see you at breakfast." "But we have to set her free." "Look, Lily, I know all about guilt." "I've been trying to outwit it my entire life... and there isn't a chance in hell that we're gonna set free that creature... just because of some nonsense psychic power you think she's got over you." "Are we clear?" ""I'm not a journal writer." "I am just scared." "My name is Teresa Woolrich." "The year is 1 904." "Christopher Columbus is said to have seen three hideous sirens... playing in the water near Santo Domingo." "In 1 6 1 4, the English captain, John Smith... saw what he thought was a woman swimming near the New World." "The man from the Stracke Museum came today." "He had never heard of a creature like this lasting longer... than three weeks in captivity." "Why is this one different?" "He wanted to take her back with him." "We argued, all three of us." "She refused to eat the part of his stomach that had digested food in it." "As before, she refuses to eat cooked foods." "We cannot trust either one to be alone with her." "When he asked me if I saw her in my sleep, I lied again." "I cannot tell him what I see in my dreams." "I do not believe that they are dreams."" "How you doing, sweets?" "Oh, I have a problem." "Anything I can help you with?" "I don't suppose so." "It's about Captain Woolrich." " Something just doesn't add up." " About what?" "Did anything funny happen that night?" "Nothing funny at all, just business talk." "Thanks, Bailey." "You're welcome." "For what?" "What did I do?" "You reveal when you lie." " The right side of your lip goes up." " I was just chewing." "I know." "Bon appetit." " You all right?" " Yes." "Some sort of cramp, I guess." "Here you go." "You're a son of a bitch, Angus." "You're in a swell mood." "Did you read this?" "Is that what's upsetting you?" "What're you looking in that for?" "Did you read it?" "I leafed through it." "Sure." "You leafed through it?" "You leafed through..." ""I know she's taken ahold of him completely and knows my every thought." "Sometimes she answers when I have not spoken out loud, so I am trapped." "I cannot kill her because she knows it's coming."" "You read that, the very last entry?" "Not that part." "It's just the crazy ramblings of his wife." "She sounds completely sane to me." "She sounds like someone who meticulously recorded her descent into despair." "She gives facts, dates." "What of it?" "Her husband was crazy too." ""Was," you said?" "Her husband was crazy?" "Is crazy." "Her husband is crazy." "Why don't you just interrogate me?" "What happened that night with Woolrich?" "I already told you." "He gave us his blessing." "He gave us the book... for reference purposes." "He didn't give you this book, no matter how crazy he was." "You been talking to Bailey?" "I didn't want you to worry" "Bailey said nothing." "Woolrich didn't give you this book... because his wife admits right here... that they murdered two people to feed the creature." "Not to mention it's clear that she herself wound up as dinner." "Nobody's crazy enough to hand over three murder confessions just like that." "It was an accident." "Bailey pushed him too hard." "The creature ate Miles." "You know it." "Let me hear you say it." "Please don't treat me like I'm crazy." "Yeah, you're probably right." "And you're just going to ignore that it's only time before she kills again?" "This is what she does." "It's her nature." "I don't see the point in getting everyone hysterical." "They already mourned Miles." "They said it was an accident." "Now all you have to do is keep away from the tank." " She can get out." " How?" "There's chains and metal and glass." "Is she like this Houdini?" "Bailey already admitted he fell asleep that night." "Maybe Miles walked in, saw her and opened the cage himself." " You're willing to take that chance?" " You know me a little, Lily." "I'm not a murderer." "But hell, yes, I am willing to take that chance." "Here you go, Captain." "Thank you." "Skelly?" " Yes?" " Can I help you with something?" "I don't care how much treasure we're promised." "That beast doesn't belong here." "Right." "Well, you should talk to the captain." "Yes." "Well, I'll be moving on now." "Not yet, not yet, not yet." "Hold on, hold on." "Stop!" "Please, stop!" "I'm so sorry." "What the hell is wrong with you?" "I'm so sorry." "Lily, forceful is one thing, but this is mad." "I know, I know." "I don't know" "I do." "What is it you want from me?" "Huh?" "Say it!" "Look, I know you can understand me... and I know you're playing some sort of game." "But I want you out of my head and out of my body." "Are you listening to me?" "Do something." "Blink twice or tap the glass, wag your tail." "Shit!" "Oh, my God, what am I doing?" "Angus." "What did you say?" "What did you say?" "You are not to touch him." "You leave him the hell alone!" "Go on." "Go on." "The coast is clear." "Go." "Isn't this what you wanted?" "What are you waiting for?" "Go!" "Bailey will be back any minute." "Oh, Lily, what have you done?" " Ensigns down below!" " Get your hands here." "Oh, Holy Mary!" "I swear to God, you have to believe me." "You defied me." "Listen to me." "Bailey is dead." "Is that what you wanted?" "Please believe me." "She wants to hurt you." "She told me." "Please!" "Please don't leave me." "I beg of you." "What am I supposed to do?" "You've become completely unstable." "I'm begging you." "I'm so scared." "Please, don't leave me alone." "You have to calm down." " I'll do anything." "Please" " We'll talk in the morning." "Please, I'm calm, I'm calm." "Angus?" "Are you there?" ""Man born of a woman has but a short time to live and is full of misery." "He cometh up and is cut down like a flower." "He fleeth as were a shadow." "He never continueth in one stay."" "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." "Amen." "Bye, Bailey." "Come on, Lily, talk to me." "I'm sorry you have to be in here." "Now, please." "What I don't understand is why she's lasted so long." "Let's not talk about that." "According to the museum expert, 3 weeks is the most they last in captivity." " You haven't eaten anything." " Maybe later." "I'm not hungry." "Maybe if we talked about something else." "Unless, of course, it has to do with the feeding pattern." "If human flesh is what they eat, which has been established... all those stories about mermaids luring in the sailors... now we know what they lured them in for." "Lunch!" "Still, how could she have lasted on only three bodies while with the Woolriches?" " You know what I mean?" " Will you stop this?" "It doesn't make any sense." "Something about her is different." "You're right, Lily." "It doesn't make any sense." "And you're beginning to scare me." "I need you to bring the book back." " Lily, no!" " Prisoners don't get to read?" "You're not a prisoner." "The captain just said" "I am a prisoner, and you think I've lost my mind." "Well, I will lose my mind if you don't give me something to do all day in here!" "Get me the book!" "Pretty please?" "I need to know." "Thank you." ""I know that due to my age, it is medically impossible... unless the Lord has taken matters into His own hand." "I'm afraid she has put this in me."" ""Medically impossible unless the Lord has taken matters into His own hand." "I'm afraid she has put this in me."" "Holy Mother of God." "I'm not crazy." "I am not crazy." "I'm acting crazy and I recognize it... and that is how I know I am not." "Crazy, that is." "Look, Angus..." "I know I've been acting" "I realize how I must seem." "I'm very affected by this whole thing" "All right." "Look..." "I know it is physically, medically... impossible for me to be with child." "Angus, I know that." "Of course I do." "I wouldn't be saying any of this if I didn't find it... extraordinary!" "What if Mrs. Woolrich was right?" "What if she wasn't crazy?" "What if she became... impregnated somehow?" "What if Mrs. Woolrich was right?" "What if she wasn't crazy?" "What if... she became... impregnated somehow?" "What if she wasn't crazy?" "What if" "For argument's sake, what if Mrs. Woolrich... what if she was right?" "What if she wasn't crazy?" "What if she became impregnated somehow?" "Come out, come out, wherever you are." "I know you're here." "I know you can't help doing the things you do." "That's not my fault." "It's a full moon." "That's why you didn't escape before." "Because you knew that soon you'd be changing form." "All right." "Here, here." "It's all right." "There you are." "I'm all right." "I don't think she's going to try anything." "Nobody fires unless I say so." " Get away from her!" " Please." "Please." "Shoot her!" "Shoot her!" "You gave me such a fright." "Don't ever do that again." "I thought I'd lost you." "A good night's rest is in order for you." "This is Dr. Angus speaking, not me." "I'll just go downstairs, make sure everything's all right." " I fainted." " I know." "It's perfectly normal, given the circumstances." "I fainted because I'm with child." "You fainted because you're in a tense and volatile situation." "But there's something inside me." "I can feel it move." "You're very tired, and you haven't been eating properly... and you're very distressed." "You don't know the half of it." "She's not so tough anymore, is she?" "She's not so tough anymore, is she?" "Take it easy." "She might sprout tail any moment." "Does she stay human?" "I'll tell you what, she'll need a proper place to sleep tonight." "There's plenty of room in my bunk if she'll promise not to bite me." " What kind of a woman is she, anyway?" " What do you think you're doing?" "Making sure she's a natural blonde, that's all." "Maybe we should leave her alone." "There's no telling what she'll do." "Let the men have some fun." "God knows, they've earned it." "A deaf and dumb maiden." "I like that in a woman." "Now, now, easy does it." "I've seen you watching me from the tank... wanting to make a meal out of me." "Leave her alone!" "What's your problem?" "This is a private party." "No circus clowns invited." "I think she's thirsty." "You're right." "How inconsiderate of me." "Hold her." "That's it." "Here we go." "That's a good girl." "Where are you going, circus boy?" "Are you going to call in the ringmaster?" "Acting the clown's one thing, but you're playing with everyone's safety." "Is that your expert opinion on the subject?" "You have no idea what you're talking about." "You think my men are playing with your safety?" "Is that what you think?" "You don't know this little whore, Gifford." "You have no idea what" "None of you have a chance!" "None of you!" "You don't know what she's done!" " What happened?" " Son of a bitch nearly started a riot." "You don't know what she did." "You haven't a clue." "That's enough!" "Oh, God!" "You have no idea... what she's made me do." "But you'll find out." "All right, calm down." "Come on, Captain." "You and me need a little talk." "Sit down." "Sit down!" "You and I have to talk." "Everyone is a bit overexcited now." "But here we go." "Start from the beginning." "Gifford, come over here." "Holy Mother ofJesus!" "It's nothing." "Thunder." "I don't like it." "I'm pregnant, aren't I?" "I always wanted a baby." "I'm scared." "Is it" "Is it normal?" "What on earth was that?" "What's happening?" "See that over there?" "Like a mass of shadows?" "Yes, I see it." " That's an island." "A group of islands." " So?" "So it's the queerest thing." "There is no group of island like such... in the path to New York Harbor." "Not unless the captain read the charts wrong." "She brought us home." "Get that sail up now!" "Rocks dead ahead." "Right full rudder." "I don't care what you do, just turn this thing around." "I can't." "We don't have room." "Go below." "Check for damage." "That must hurt." "Please don't hurt me!" "That doesn't sound like thunder." "That's more like it." "You've done it now." "Come on!" " Go!" " You go." "Where's Lily?" "I don't know." "That thing, it's not the mermaid." " What are you talking about?" " It's something else." "Darts won't work." "You can put down an elephant with one of these things." "You told me that before." "Trust me, this is not an elephant." "The bullets are in the captain's quarters." "Come on." "I just came from there, and I'm not going back." "Fine." "Stay." "Don't make a sound." "I'm going to check the hatchway." " Let's move." "We're sitting ducks here." " You go." "I'll go find Lily." "Go where?" "Where's the rest of the crew?" "We need a plan." "The plan is to find Lily and then shoot the thing out of the water." "You haven't seen it." "It's got claws like knives and horns out to here." "What do you want me to do?" "If you've a better idea, tell me!" "Lily!" "Jesus, are you all right?" "Move, move, move!" "Here's the rest of the crew." "What the devil is that thing?" "It's the Queen of the Lair Woolrich warned us about." "The queen of the what?" "What are you talking about?" "It doesn't matter." "The question is, what is she going to do?" "Feed us to her lair." "Do you mean there's more?" "An island full of mermaids." "That's why she brought us here." "She's the provider." "But no one gets to see the Forbidden Islands and walk out alive." "That's how they've lasted so long." " And you knew about this?" " I told you all I knew." "You told me, let's take a mermaid to America, get rich and famous." "Not, steal the queen of what's-it who turns into a monster and eats people." "I would've remembered the difference." "Stop it." "I'm not waiting around down here." "I'm going up." "Let's get outta here." "God Almighty, if You're up there, if You're watching down on us... please, we have learned our lesson." "Please save us." "I really wanted to have a future with you, to grow old with you." "This is all my fault." "I love you so much." "I love you too!" "Stop!" "Stop!" "Please don't hurt us." "Jesus Christ!" "Miss, what happened?" "Where's your crew?" "Were you attacked?" "They asked other questions, many more throughout the years... but my lips remained sealed... until eventually ourjourney became a footnote... a bizarre, unresolved tale." "As for myself, I gave birth to a healthy baby girl." "The creature spared our lives, and in return..." "I honored her with my absolute silence." "Some things, no matter how magnificent they are... are best left alone." "And as to whether I'd ever see her again, the answer is yes." "But that's another story."