"Apologies, miss." "I didn't know how else to wake you." "The Heelshires had to step out for a moment." "They beg your pardon, miss, and they ask that you wait in the parlor." "It's like something out of a storybook, isn't it?" "Oh, the Heelshires have already taken care of that." "And I put your things inside." "Thanks." "(DOOR SHUTS)" "(EXHALES)" "Whoa." "(DOOR SHUTS)" "Is anyone up there?" "Hi." "(DISTANT RUMBLING)" "Is anyone up here?" "(TWANGS)" "(CHUCKLES)" "(WHIRRING)" "Hi there." "(GASPS)" "GRETA:" "Sorry." "Believe it or not, I was actually trying not to scare you." "No, I'm sorry I jumped." "I..." "I thought I heard someone upstairs." "(LAUGHS)" "Are you all right?" "(LAUGHING) Yeah, I'm sorry." "It's so stupid." "Are you Mr. Heelshire?" "No." "I know you're not." "Yeah." "(LAUGHS)" "Uh, no, I'm the grocery boy." "Well, grocery man." "You know." "I own the shop, actually." "(LAUGHS)" "Okay." "I'm Malcolm, by the way." "Hi." "You must be here for the nanny job." "Yeah." "Greta Evans." "I've got some groceries to unpack downstairs if you want to join me." "I could give you a tour of such exotic locations..." "Uh, as the pantry and bread bin." "Does that interest you?" "(CHUCKLES)" "Sounds great." "Sure." "Lead the way." "MALCOLM:" "You're American, yeah?" "Yeah." "My first trip to the UK." "All right, let me guess." "California, right?" "Montana." "In this?" "Oh." "Yeah." "It goes in the basket." "You know, I'm usually so good at these things." "I've got a touch of the gift." "The gift?" "Prognosticator, clairvoyant, whatever you like to call it." "Uh, I had a grandmother that read tea leaves." "My mother read palms, so..." "Okay, what do you read?" "Me?" "Yeah." "Uh..." "Chewing gum." "Okay. (LAUGHS)" "We don't get to choose our gifts, Miss Evans." "Come on, if you'll allow me." "Don't be shy." "Allow you to..." "Yeah, I'm going to read your gum." "I'm a professional." "Trust me." "Okay." "Oh, my God." "All right." "Oh." "Okay." "Huh." "Interesting teeth marks." "Uh... (CHUCKLES)" "I see that you're a writer..." "From Phoenix, Montana." "It looks like you've come here to be inspired by the English countryside..." "To get away from the hustle and bustle of your life in the US of A." "No." "Close." "Um..." "Not at all." "No." "Okay, one more try." "Okay." "Okay?" "Just one." "Ah." "Okay." "Okay, I see where we went wrong now." "It's very obvious now." "Of course." "Um..." "I see a dark past." "On the run from someone, are we?" "(CHUCKLES)" "That's what it looks like." "I'll throw it away now." "I'm afraid that was my best attempt at flirting." "Believe it or not, I'm actually considered charming in this country." "It's okay." "It's amazing that any of us manage to procreate at all, really." "Bread?" "Yeah, in the cupboard behind." "So..." "Um..." "So, what's the family like?" "Well, they're nice, you know?" "They're very generous." "As good a people as you'll ever hope to meet." "And the son?" "Brahms?" "Brahms." "Oh, he's, um..." "Uh..." "(DOOR OPENS)" "I'm not sure quite how to explain it, really." "Oh, look." "GRETA:" "Mrs. Heelshire... (SIGHS) It's so nice to finally meet you." "Hmm." "Where are your shoes?" "Uh..." "Brahms is very excited to meet you, Miss Evans." "He's never met an American before." "I'm very excited to meet him, too." "I, um..." "I was sure I left my shoes right here." "They'll turn up." "It's Brahms." "He can be playful." "I assume you brought other shoes." "Yes, I did." "Then let's hurry up." "We've kept them waiting long enough." "MR. HEELSHIRE:" "Her name is Miss Evans." "So, we want you to be on your very best behavior." "You're looking very smart." "You know, I like that tie." "Do you know why I like that tie?" "Daddy." "Miss Evans, allow me to introduce Mr. Heelshire." "Miss Evans." "And this is our son, Brahms." "(LAUGHS)" "(CLEARS THROAT)" "MALCOLM:" "So, you've met Brahms then." "How are you doing, Brahms?" "Eh?" "Now, you take it easy on Miss Evans." "She's traveled a long way just to meet you." "I'll be off then." "The bill's on the table." "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Evans." "I hope to see you on my next delivery." "MRS. HEELSHIRE:" "Thank you, Malcolm." "MALCOLM:" "Of course." "It's so nice to meet you, Brahms." "I hope that you and I can be friends." "MRS. HEELSHIRE:" "Daddy, will you take Miss Evans' things up to her room, please?" "Miss Evans, we might as well get started." "I have a lot to show you." "MRS. HEELSHIRE:" "You'll be all alone out here." "Do you think you can manage?" "Yeah, of course." "Hmm." "Well, we've had a number of potential nannies come through already." "Brahms has rejected them all, though they weren't nearly as young or as pretty as you." "You will wake him at 7:00 each morning and you will dress him." "Okay." "You'll find his clean clothes behind you." "So, I should..." "Wake him up and dress him, Miss Evans." "There's no better way to learn than by doing." "Okay." "(WHISPERING) Wake up, Brahms." "Well, I don't know about you, but that certainly wouldn't wake me." "It's time to wake up, Brahms." "He's not a baby, Miss Evans." "You needn't be afraid of hurting him." "Change this stuff..." "Excuse me. (CLEARS THROAT)" "Mmm-hmm." "Now, let's show Miss Evans how we get you dressed." "I'd let her do it herself, but I'm afraid we'd be here all afternoon." "Brahms has three hours of lessons five days a week and I like to start by reading some poetry." "Do you know any, Miss Evans?" "Uh..." "I know all the words to Green Eggs and Ham." "Well, it doesn't have to be poetry, of course." "Any of these books will do, but you must read in a loud, clear voice." "Yes, of course." "(CLEARS THROAT)" "(LOUDLY) Yes, of course." "Excellent." "Next is music appreciation." "Oh, now, Brahms." "You must sit up straight, hmm?" "Like a good little boy." "Music, Miss Evans." "I don't know how Brahms would go on without his music." "It's his world." "Of course, he likes it rather louder than I prefer..." "But it gives him so much joy." "I don't dare take it away from him." "(OPERA MUSIC PLAYING LOUDLY)" "We don't throw any food out in this house, Miss Evans." "This is a country house." "Do you know what that means?" "No." "It means we are in constant battle with the outside elements." "Weather, plants, vermin." "Especially vermin, Miss Evans." "And so we take certain measures against them." "(COOS SOFTLY)" "Hello, my darling." "Mr. Heelshire will explain the rest of your duties." "Uh, the food goes in here." "Thank you." "Now, I'll show you the traps." "(HUMMING SOFTLY)" "MR. HEELSHIRE:" "Yes, we do our best to keep up the house." "Oh, by the way, we don't use the fireplaces anymore." "A bit of a hazard." "And regrettably, the last tradesman we had actually... (CHUCKLES) He managed to paint the windows shut." "You know, personally, I don't think that all of this is necessary, but Mrs. Heelshire is convinced that the rats will get into the walls." "And Brahms, of course, he's never been very fond of animals." "He's always been very shy, you see." "Very timid." "I know how this must look to you, Miss Evans, and to be completely honest," "I'm not sure how it all came to this." "Little by little and then all at once, I suppose." "Mmm." "What I'm trying to say is that whatever it might look like on the outside," "our son is here." "He's very much with us." "Do you understand, Miss Evans?" "Yes." "Good." "Oh, good." "That's very good." "MR. AND MRS. HEELSHIRE:" "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, look upon a little child." "Pity my simplicity, suffer me to come to Thee." "God bless Mummy." "God bless Daddy." "God bless Greta." "God bless me." "Amen." "Amen." "You were such a good boy today, Brahms." "You behaved like a little gentleman." "Mummy's so proud of you." "Could you give us a moment alone to speak to Brahms privately?" "Oh, sure." "(LOCK CLICKS)" "MR. HEELSHIRE:" "Brahms... (INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)" "He wants you, Miss Evans." "He's chosen you if you'll have him." "(CLOCK CHIMING)" "(CHIMING CONTINUES)" "GRETA:" "I don't know." "This whole thing is just creepy." "A huge house in the middle of nowhere." "No neighbors." "The windows don't even open." "No cell service, no Wi-Fi." "SANDY:" "Greta, you know you needed to get away." "The situation is perfect for you." "(WHISPERS) I feel like I'm taking advantage of them." "No, you're just being paid to babysit a doll." "You should see the way they talk to it." "Yeah, it's a little creepy, but it's only for a few months." "You can handle it." "Sandy, if this was for two weeks..." "Greta, you need this money." "You can start over, forget what happened." "Then what?" "You're going to be okay." "You're right." "Um..." "What?" "It's Cole." "He's been calling nonstop." "He even came by the house." "He scared Morgan half to death." "What did you tell him?" "Nothing." "And I'm not going to tell him anything." "I guess he doesn't care about the restraining order." "Okay." "Don't engage." "Okay." "Don't say that you spoke to me." "If he asks, say that you don't know where I am." "I know." "I know." "You know that." "Sorry." "I just don't want to see you hurt again." "(OBJECTS CLATTERING)" "MRS. HEELSHIRE:" "Brahms!" "How could you?" "What have you done?" "Wait till I tell Daddy." "(SIGHS)" "I don't believe you've done this." "Mummy has to go now." "And you have to be a good boy..." "Because you promised us." "I apologize..." "(GASPS) ...for the rush, Miss Evans." "It's so long since we've been on holiday and we're anxious to be off." "Besides, Brahms seems so fond of you." "I only wish we had an opportunity to, uh..." "To explain to you the vicissitudes of a child as unique as our Brahms." "But, uh, you'll pick it up, I'm sure." "Oh, I've got something to, um, help you along." "A schedule." "The rules." "Mrs. Heelshire, she was kind enough to write one out, you see?" "Now, it may seem a bit silly, but it is important that you follow them because Brahms is not like other children." "He can be particular." "I'm afraid we may have indulged him a bit over the years." "MR. HEELSHIRE:" "Come along, Mummy." "Malcolm will be by once a week with groceries and, of course, your payment." "And I'm sure that he can answer any other questions that you might have." "I'm sorry." "I'm..." "I'm a bit off today." "It's so long since we've gone anywhere." "(SIGHS)" "Be good to him and he'll be good to you." "Be bad to him..." "Oh, she will be good to him." "Won't you, Miss Evans?" "Yes." "I'll..." "I'll treat him like my own." "I'm so sorry." "Come along, my dear." "It's time we left." "(CAR DOOR CLOSES) (ENGINE TURNS OVER)" "(SIGHS)" "(SIGHS)" "No offense, Brahms, but you kind of creep me out." "(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING)" "(MUSIC STOPS)" "(POURING)" "(SIGHS)" "(GENTLE RATTLING)" "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "(RAIN PATTERING)" "(THUNDERCLAP)" "(INFANT CRYING)" "(THUNDERCLAP)" "(CRYING CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY)" "(THUNDERCLAP)" "(THUNDERCLAP)" "(GASPS)" "(THUDS) (INFANT CRYING)" "(GASPS)" "(SIGHS)" "Jesus, Gret, you just got here and already you're cracking up." "(PLAYING)" "SANDY OVER PHONE:" "Hey, it's Sandy." "Leave a message." "Or don't." "(ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS)" "GRETA:" "Hey, it's me again." "(CHUCKLES)" "Call me when you can." "And send me some more magazines, too." "Anything with..." "Actually, anything." "Okay." "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello?" "(STATIC)" "Sandy?" "(MAN BREATHING)" "Cole?" "(PHONE DISCONNECTS)" "(CAR APPROACHING)" "Do you need a lift?" "So, all that food just goes to waste?" "No, not all of it." "Mr. Heelshire eats some of them." "He's always been the less strict one about all of this." "You could have warned me, you know?" "What, and ruin the surprise?" "Thanks." "Oh, speaking of surprises..." "Your first week's pay for a job well done." "Thank you." "But I have to ask you." "Yes." "I am single." "Believe it or not." ""What's the story with the doll?"" "Yeah." "MALCOLM:" "It was a fire." "Brahms didn't make it out." "On his eighth birthday." "Such a tragedy." "And the doll turned up not long after that." "I know it must seem strange." "I mean, it is bloody strange." "But it's all harmless." "A way to cope." "I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a child." "So, he died 20 years ago?" "He'd be about your age." "They've lived like this for 20 years?" "Mmm-hmm." "And they've been looking for a nanny for the last year." "You're probably going mad in this house, aren't you?" "It might be good to get out." "I could show you the world-famous local nightlife." "I mean, I know technically you're not supposed to leave Brahms, but I won't tell if you won't." "I just..." "I just got out of a thing." "No." "Uh, this is not a thing." "You know, I..." "I assure you of that." "This is, uh, a professional courtesy seeing as we're employed by the same people." "You know, it's a duty is what it is." "(LAUGHS) I will take no pleasure in it whatsoever." "I promise." "Yeah?" "Okay." "Yeah." "SANDY:" "Wow." "Do you realize that's more money than I make in an entire month." "And they paid you in cash?" "Yeah." "In pounds." "What are you doing?" "Uh, I'm just getting dressed." "Malcolm's going to give me a tour of the town." "Are you going on a date?" "It's not a date." "I wouldn't call it a date anyway." "Right." "It's more of a professional courtesy." "How is that not a date?" "Well, we work for the same people, don't we?" "Yeah, okay." "Are you going to wear your coral dress?" "I don't know." "I'll figure it out." "Oh, and let me guess." "You're drinking a nice glass of red wine." "Maybe." "I know your going-on-a-date routine." "(CHUCKLES)" "I think it's good that you're going out." "You don't have to deny it just because he's a grocery man." "Greta?" "Hey." "Are you there?" "Sorry." "What happened?" "Nothing." "It's Brahms." "Brahms?" "(SIGHS) It's the doll." "(SHOWER RUNNING)" "(BREATHING DEEPLY)" "My clothes." "(FAINT PATTERING)" "Hello?" "Malcolm, if that's you, this isn't funny." "(WOOD CREAKS)" "Look, if somebody's up there..." "For God's sake." "Hello?" "Is anybody here?" "(GASPS)" "(TAPPING)" "(DOOR SLAMS) (FOOTSTEPS THUD)" "(WIND HOWLS)" "Malcolm!" "Up here!" "Malcolm!" "(BANGING)" "No, Malcolm!" "No!" "Oh, my God." "Up here!" "Malcolm!" "Greta?" "(GRUNTING)" "No." "Malcolm!" "Malcolm!" "(SHRIEKS)" "(GROANS)" "Oh, God." "Hmm." "(SIGHS)" "MALCOLM:" "You spent the night up there?" "What kind of girl goes into someone's attic?" "I bet no one's been up there for years." "What on Earth compelled you?" "Whoa." "Well, that's one mystery solved." "(SIGHS) Let me check the rest of the house." "(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)" "MALCOLM:" "So, Greta," "I've checked every nook and cranny of this very lovely, very weird and large house." "All the windows are sealed tight." "The house is clear, okay?" "There was someone in here." "I know it." "My clothes." "You know," "I used to sleepwalk when I was a boy." "I wasn't sleepwalking." "Well, I could stick around for a bit..." "Make sure we don't have some very polite burglar on our hands, coming in, taking nothing, and then locking up after himself before he leaves." "It's really no problem." "I'm here anyway." "Are you sure?" "Absolutely." "Okay." "(CHUCKLES) You've played this before." "Misspent youth." "Let me know when you're ready to play for money." "Oh, no, thanks." "So, tell me about Brahms." "I told you about all I know." "Wow." "That was a truly terrible poker face." "(LAUGHS)" "All right, what do you want to know?" "What was he like?" "The real Brahms." "You need to know there's two types of talk in town." "There's polite talk and pub talk, you know?" "And the truth is somewhere in between." "Okay, what was the polite talk?" "Ah..." "That he was a lovely lad and it's a tragedy that he was taken at such a young age." "And the pub talk?" "Well, you know, that he wasn't such a lovely lad." "Yeah, that he was downright strange." "What's the truth?" "One night, I came out here for a delivery." "I didn't know it at the time, but it was Brahms's birthday or would have been." "And Mrs. Heelshire, she was in the sitting room opening presents with the doll." "And Mr. Heelshire..." "He was in here." "Off his pickle." "(SNICKERS)" "Drunk and mumbling to himself that he couldn't do it anymore." "I told him I'd come back..." "But he said, "No, no, come on." ""Have a drink with an old man."" "So I do." "Well, we get a couple of drinks in." "We're chatting about the weather and so on and finally..." "I get the courage to ask him that exact question." ""What was Brahms, the real Brahms, like?"" "God, he just looks at me with this heartbroken look." "It made me sorry I even asked." "And he said one word." ""Odd," he says." "Odd." "And that was it." "Which, I suppose is all the answer we'll ever get." "My shot." "Are you sure you're going to be okay here on your own?" "Yeah." "SANDY:" "Oh, okay." "So, a family friend of the freaky people, who pretend a doll is their dead son." "Yeah, totally trust in their judgment." "It's not like that." "He didn't have to come over here and check the whole house." "No, you watch." "You'll wake up in the middle of the night and he'll be standing over you in your coral dress, with lipstick smeared all over his face." "(CH UCKLES) I am serious." "There are some really bad people out there in this world." "Unfortunately, you should know that better than most." "(SIGHS) Speaking of..." "Cole came by the house." "Morgan said he just kept pounding and pounding on the door." "Cole told him some story about wanting to write you a letter apologizing for everything." "Please tell me Morgan didn't give him the address." "He didn't know how else to get rid of him." "He's 10 years old." "I'm sorry, Greta." "No, I know." "I'm the one that should be sorry for dragging you guys into this." "Don't say that." "We are family." "And you didn't do anything wrong." "What happened back then was his fault." "God, what he took from you." "I won't read anything that that son of a bitch sends me." "Everything happens for a reason." "(CLOCK TICKING)" "(SPITS)" "(CHILD GIGGLING)" "Hello?" "(GASPING)" "Jesus." "(GIGGLING)" "(SIGHS)" "(GIGGLING CONTINUES)" "(DOOR SLAMS)" "(CLICKING)" "(SOBS) No." "(SOBBING)" "(BREATHING RAPIDLY)" "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello." "(STATIC)" "(PANTING)" "Hello?" "BOY:" "Greta." "(SOBBING)" "(PHONE RINGS)" "Hello?" "Who is this?" "BOY:" "Please come out." "Come play, pretty Greta." "Greta?" "Who is this?" "Why won't you follow the rules?" "Oh, my God." "Leave me alone!" "(KNOCKING ON DOOR)" "What are you doing?" "(KNOCKING CONTINUES)" "(BRAHMS HUMMING)" "BRAHMS:" "I promise I'll be good." "It's your favorite." "(BREATHING HEAVILY)" "GRETA:" "Oh." "Oh." "(LAUGHS)" "(PHONE BEEPING)" "(SIGHS)" "Is this what you want?" "(PHONE RINGING)" "Okay." "Hello?" "Greta, it's Malcolm." "Hey." "Uh, it's the weirdest thing." "When I first got here, Mrs. Heelshire said that Brahms took my shoes." "And that he was playful." "And I thought she was joking." "Greta, are you okay?" "What about shoes?" "You need to replace your shoes?" "No, it's not about my shoes." "Uh, Greta, I'm not sure I understand, but I was calling to see if you'd like..." "I have to go." "Greta?" "(RECEIVER CLATTERS)" "MR. HEELSHIRE:" "It's time, my dear." "(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)" "GRETA:" "Wakey, wakey." "(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)" "(MUSIC CONTINUES)" ""I went to the door and watched its lamps" ""approach rapidly through the gloom." ""'Is she going by herself?" "' asked the porter's wife." ""'Yes.' 'And how far is it?" "'" ""'Fifty miles.'" ""'What a long way!" "'" ""'I wonder Mrs. Reed is not afraid" ""'to trust her so far alone.'" "(PHONE RINGING IN DISTANCE)" ""I remember but little of the journey." ""I only know that the day seemed to me of preternatural length" ""and that we appeared to travel" ""over hundreds of miles."" "I think we did it all." "(HUMMING)" "(PIANO PLAYING LULLABY)" "I think we could teach you this one, couldn't we, Brahmsy?" "(CHUCKLES)" "MALCOLM:" "I didn't know you could play." "Sorry." "I tried knocking." "That's okay." "What are you doing here?" "You didn't pick up your phone." "So, I thought maybe I'd make the delivery a little early this week." "I can come back if you..." "No, that's okay." "I just wasn't expecting you." "Right." "Hey, I grabbed the mail on the way in." "Are you sure you're okay?" "Yeah." "You can put it in there." "MALCOLM:" "It looks like you and Brahms are getting on." "Yeah." "Oh, I was thinking I might take you up on that, uh, night on the town." "Dinner, drinks, dancing." "I'll have you know, I'm a legend in these parts for my dance moves." "I don't think I should." "Well, you're not..." "(CHUCKLES)" "You're not worried about Brahms, are you?" "I mean, he doesn't mind." "Do you, eh?" "You old sod." "(AS BRAHMS) Of course not." "I've been hoping she'll get out." "I need a little privacy." "I think I'll watch telly, have a nice bath." "A little Brahms time." "(CHUCKLES) Hey, yeah." "Good on you." "High five." "Maybe another time." "Yeah, another time then." "I better be off." "Brahms." "Can you hear me?" "Brahms." "Reach for your food." "(SIGHS)" "If there is a spirit in this house, please give me a sign." "Boo!" "Stupid." "(BRAHMS GIGGLING)" "Brahms." "(SIGHS)" "I'm so sorry to make you drive all the way out here again." "Are you okay?" "I needed someone else to see it." "So I would know." "To see what?" "He's alive." "Who's alive?" "Brahms is alive." "Brahms is alive?" "I know." "You must think I'm crazy." "I would think the same thing." "I just have to clean this off so you know that I'm not cheating." "I don't think you're cheating." "No worries there." "I think you've gone completely mental." "I have to use the chalk, because sometimes he doesn't move that much and it's hard to tell." "I was very scientific in the beginning." "I was even measuring him, because I want to make sure that when it happens, there's no doubt at all." "Okay." "Here we go." "This is something." "It's something." "MALCOLM:" "Okay." "(DOOR SHUTS)" "I couldn't figure it out before." "All these strange things kept happening." "But little things like..." "The footsteps, my necklace, uh, my shoes." "My clothes kept disappearing." "(KNOCKS)" "Then I remembered what you said, that he's shy." "He doesn't want people to see him, so if you go out of the room and you leave him alone," "then he'll give you a sign." "Okay, this is like some kind of magic trick, right?" "You don't really think he's alive." "It's not a trick." "Come on." "Okay, Brahms, here we come." "Okay." "It's okay." "I think maybe we should sit down for a bit." "Honestly, I think you're a bit tired." "Hey." "Please, Brahms." "I need him to see, okay?" "I know this is hard for you, but do it for me." "I need this or I have to go." "I can't stay here anymore." "Greta, come on." "Brahms..." "Please, just give it one more chance, okay?" "If he doesn't move, if nothing happens, then I'm crazy." "Just one more chance." "Okay." "Okay, Brahmsy." "Okay." "(FLOORBOARD CREAKING)" "(FOOTSTEPS THUDDING)" "(BRAHMS GIGGLES)" "Jesus." "Oh." "(LAUGHS)" "All right, where's he gone?" "I don't know." "He does it differently every time." "(LAUGHS) He's just gone." "He's just gone." "Whoa." "God." "GRETA:" "Oh." "He's never been there before." "MALCOLM:" "It's bloody incredible, isn't it?" "And we really don't even know what we're dealing with here." "Is it a ghost, some sort of trapped spirit?" "A boy." "Brahms is a boy." "Yeah, he is." "Well, he's lucky you came along." "Hmm?" "I don't even think it was luck." "MALCOLM:" "It wasn't?" "I think I was brought here for a reason." "Okay." "There was a guy back home that I was involved with." "Cole." "Not a good guy." "And everyone I knew begged me to leave him." "And then I found out I was pregnant." "And..." "He swore up and down that he'd change." "And that he was sorry." "And I believed him." "And..." "Then one day, he went off again..." "And my sister took me to the hospital." "But I knew before I even got there that I had lost the baby." "What I'm trying to say is I..." "I know what it feels like to lose a child." "Just like the Heelshires." "And that ties me to them." "And to Brahms." "And to this place." "Does that make any sense to you?" "Yeah." "Yeah, it does." "But whatever the reason," "I am very happy that you ended up here." "I am, too." "GRETA:" "And God bless Malcolm." "God bless me." "And God bless Brahmsy." "You were such a good boy today." "Sweet dreams." "Hey." "So..." "GRETA:" "That's a nice shirt." "MALCOLM:" "My mother bought me this shirt." "She has good taste." "I'll let her know." "Are you okay?" "Mmm-hmm." "(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING LOUDLY)" "What the hell is going on in here?" "You're going to hurt your ears, you silly boy." "What do you have that so loud for?" "Given everything that's happened, maybe it would be wise if you stayed in town tonight." "Okay?" "What just happened..." "That music..." "Yeah, that was..." "Children have tantrums." "It was a tantrum." "All right, I understand what this means to you." "Okay?" "But let's just step back for a second, get some perspective here." "No, I don't need perspective." "I know exactly what is happening here and I'm not going anywhere." "The Heelshires asked me to look after him." "I promised the Heelshires that I would take care of him." "MALCOLM:" "Under the circumstances, I think they'll understand." "They chose me." "They want me to stay here with Brahms." "Oh, God." "I should have told you this before..." "But I didn't want to scare you off." "A little girl from town used to come out here once a week to play with Brahms." "Emily Cribbs." "And on his birthday, she comes out and never makes it home." "They finally found her body in the woods." "Her skull had been crushed." "The police called the Heelshires to let them know that Brahms would need to be questioned." "By the time they arrived, the place was already up in flames." "The Heelshires made it out, but Brahms was burned alive up there." "GRETA:" "Did they ever find her killer?" "No, they never did." "All I'm saying is if you're right..." "If this thing is some kind of spirit or ghost or..." "Okay." "I don't even know." "I am not sure that it is the good kind." "Well, you said yourself that's just pub talk." "But what if it isn't?" "I know he wouldn't hurt me." "I know." "It's not safe in this house, okay?" "I'm not leaving." "(EXHALES) Okay." "GRETA:" "Now, you go straight to sleep like a good boy, okay?" "You wouldn't hurt me, would you, Brahms?" "Emily Cribbs." "(METAL CLANKS)" "(SIGHS)" "Who's hungry?" "I am." "(BILLIARD BALL CLATTERS)" "Malcolm?" "Let's go see." "Malcolm?" "I thought you weren't coming till..." "Cole." "Who's Malcolm?" "I was going to write you a letter, but you know me." "I've never been one for writing." "Is this the little fellow?" "What's his name?" "Brahms." "Uh..." "This is a joke, right?" "A real boy's just going to come running out any second now." "There isn't a little boy." "They..." "They pay me to look after a doll." "(SIGHS)" "You're serious." "Well, that makes things a hell of a lot simpler." "The whole way here I was trying to figure out how I was going to convince you to come home and how we'd deal with the boy, but now this shit?" "I've been working out at Fairview with" "Ed Bruner's crew." "He got a contract on a, uh, new hotel." "So there's more than enough work for all of us." "Wow." "That's awesome, Cole." "That's what you wanted." "I understand why you left." "I do." "(SIGHS)" "Our flight leaves tomorrow afternoon." "I'm taking you home." "(DOOR OPENS)" "MALCOLM:" "Greta?" "Oh, sorry." "I, uh..." "I let myself in." "That's okay." "This is, uh, Malcolm." "COLE:" "Malcolm." "He brings our groceries and stuff out here." "Hey, nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you, man." "(COLE CLEARS THROAT)" "So, what do you make of all this doll stuff?" "Uh, you know, I try not to get involved in other people's business." "(CHUCKLES)" "Smart man." "I have that delivery if you'd like to go over the inventory list." "Yeah, sure." "I'll be right back." "What the hell is he doing here?" "He just showed up." "Well, he has to leave." "You can't actually let him stay here." "No, I don't." "I'm not letting him do anything." "He wants me to go home with him." "Well, that isn't going to happen." "And what if he attacks you or something?" "He won't." "Trust me." "I have a plan." "Sounds good, though." "MALCOLM:" "Pleasure meeting you." "You, too." "Yeah, have a good evening." "Should I be worried?" "About Malcolm?" "Mmm." "No." "(CHUCKLES)" "Here you go." "So, I guess I'm not sleeping in your bed tonight, huh?" "No." "I can bring you more blankets." "No, this is good." "What are you doing with that thing?" "Well, I was going to get him out of your way." "I figured you wouldn't want him sitting in here with you." "He is a creepy little guy." "Yeah." "Look, Greta..." "I'm sorry for what happened." "I just need to know that you forgive me." "I'd like to hear you say that." "I can't." "Greta." "Fine, but I want you to realize something right now." "You're not leaving me, Greta." "And I'm not letting you go, no matter where you run off to." "You understand?" "Hmm?" "(WHIMPERS)" "Now..." "Make sure you're packed and ready by morning." "Okay?" "All right." "Don't worry, Brahms, I'm not going to leave you." "But I need your help." "(WIND HOWLING)" "COLE:" "Greta!" "Greta!" "Get in here!" "Greta!" "(PANTING)" "Cole, what happened?" "Get in here." "Right now." "What is this?" "Huh?" "Was this you?" "GRETA:" "I..." "I didn't do that." "Don't play these games with me!" "How can that not be you?" "No one else is in this house." "Brahms." "The doll?" "The doll wrote this?" "Don't pull this shit on me, Greta." "Okay, fine." "It wasn't you." "It was the doll." "Give it to me." "Give me the doll." "No." "Give me the doll." "Greta." "Hand him over!" "GRETA:" "No!" "Cole, no!" "Get off of me!" "I've had as much as I can take." "It was me." "You were right." "It was me." "It's too late!" "Now give me the doll." "No." "MALCOLM:" "Greta!" "Now!" "I'm not joking around!" "Hey, hey!" "Get your things and get out of here!" "You know, everyone just seems to be in a big hurry for me to leave." "Are you all right?" "GRETA:" "Yeah." "Maybe..." "Maybe you left that little message for me." "Huh?" "Or are you going to say it was the doll, too?" "MALCOLM:" "What did Brahms do?" "Cole, you don't understand what's happening." "The doll..." "No, I think I understand exactly what's going on here." "MALCOLM:" "Give me the doll." "What's so special about this doll?" "GRETA:" "Cole!" "Huh?" "Cole, please." "No. (SOBS)" "Cole!" "Fine." "(METAL GRATING)" "(FLOOR CREAKS)" "What the hell was that?" "(THUDDING)" "I think we need to leave." "COLE:" "What's going on?" "(BANGING)" "We should..." "We should really go." "Shh." "(CREAKING)" "There's something..." "MALCOLM:" "Oh, shit." "GRETA:" "Oh, my God." "BRAHMS:" "Greta?" "(COLE COUGHS)" "BRAHMS:" "Greta?" "Get up, come on." "Jesus, what is that?" "It's Brahms." "It can't be." "Oh, no." "GRETA:" "No!" "No!" "(GRUNTS)" "(COLE GROANS)" "GRETA:" "No!" "Stop!" "No!" "Ah!" "Oh, my God." "(WHIMPERING)" "No." "No!" "No!" "(SCREAMING)" "(GRUNTS)" "Let's go." "(BOTH YELL)" "It's dead." "Come on." "(DOORKNOB CREAKS)" "(FLOOR CREAKING)" "The closet!" "(GRETA SHRIEKS)" "(GRUNTING)" "MALCOLM:" "Come on." "BRAHMS:" "Greta!" "GRETA:" "This way." "The key." "The key." "Find the key." "GRETA:" "I can't see anything." "Oh, my God." "Malcolm!" "We can get out this way!" "Let's go." "GRETA:" "Close it." "Come on." "It only goes up." "There's an opening." "Oh, which way?" "Dead end." "Malcolm." "Yes." "Here." "Jesus Christ." "Oh, my God, what is this?" "He's got everything you could need." "He's been living in here, hasn't he?" "We've got to find a way out." "Okay." "GRETA:" "It's me." "That's my dress." "That looks like my hair." "MALCOLM:" "Greta, I found a way down." "Oh, my God." "He's been watching me this whole time." "(SOBS)" "Okay, come on." "This way." "Come on." ""We will not be back." "The girl is yours now." ""She is yours to love and care for."" "They were never coming back." "Come on, Greta." "Come on." "He's been living in the walls the whole time watching me." "Come on." "They knew he would do this." "Get in, please." "So, take this down all the way." "GRETA:" "Shh." "(GASPS)" "Go, go!" "(GROANS)" "No." "Yeah." "Out, out, go." "Come on." "GRETA:" "Is he outside?" "(RATTLING)" "GRETA:" "It's locked, it's locked!" "Come on, Greta." "Open it." "Shit!" "I can feel it giving." "It's going to give. (GRUNTS)" "Come on, push." "Where are you going?" "He's coming." "BRAHMS:" "Greta!" "I am not leaving without you!" "Just go!" "I want you to go!" "No!" "Go!" "Come on!" "(GRUNTS)" "No, Malcolm." "(STRUGGLING)" "(CHILDREN GIGGLING) (INAUDIBLE)" "No!" "Greta." "Come back." "I'll be good." "I will." "No." "BRAHMS:" "Greta." "No!" "Get back here." "(DOOR RATTLING)" "Get back here." "Don't leave me." "You get back here!" "If you leave, I'll kill him!" "I'll kill him just like the others!" "No." "No." "Malcolm." "I came back for you, Brahms." "(BREATHES DEEPLY)" "I told you I wouldn't leave you and I didn't, did I?" "I told you I wouldn't." "Brahms!" "It's time for bed now." "Brahms, I said it's time for bed." "Let's go." "You know the rules." "Put that down now, Brahms." "Are you ready for bed?" "Under the covers." "Be a good boy, Brahms, and go straight to sleep, okay?" "Kiss." "No kiss tonight, Brahms." "That's your punishment." "I'm sorry." "Okay." "Kiss." "(GASPS)" "(CHOKING)" "Please..." "(GASPS)" "(BREATHING RAGGEDLY)" "Malcolm." "Malcolm." "Malcolm."