"(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "(MOANING)" "(MUTTERING)" " Don't look at me that way." " (GROANING)" "You know this isn't what I intended." "It'll be different next time." "You'll see." "I swear." "It'll be different." "(WHIMPERS)" "(SNICKERING)" "(THUNDERING CONTINUES)" "(GROANING FROM BOX)" "(PUPPET SHRIEKING)" "(SHRIEKING CONTINUES)" "(GROANING)" "(PUPPET SCREAMING)" "(SCREECHING)" "(SCREECHING CONTINUES)" "Sorry." "*" "(BIRDS CHIRPING)" "MAGREW:" "So, what kinds of things are they teaching young girls in college these days?" "JANE:" "Oh, just a lot of useless stuff." "Well, that's good." "This way I feel like I'm not wasting my money." "The practical things you ought to be able to learn on your own." "Another Magrew goes to college." "Why it sure has a nice ring about it." " It's good to be home." " Mmm." "How's the gang?" "Oh, same as ever." "And Matt?" "Matt, well, uh..." "What?" "Matt left." " He left?" "Why?" " Mmm." "I don't know." "He told me his dad was ill and he wanted to go home and help out." "But for some reason when he told me, it didn't seem to ring true with me." "I just didn't feel it was my place to ask him the real reasons." " I always thought he was happy working for us." " Hmm." "Well, sometimes people change." "And you never can predict, quite how." "Hey, what do you say we go for a ride?" "*" "(HONKING HORN)" "Hey, Tank!" "Hey, Tank, customer!" "Come on!" " Hello." " Hey, Tank." "Look at me when you talk to me." "I'm, uh..." " I'm sorry, Joey..." " Hey, hey, hey, hey." "You're doing it again." "Uh, sorry." "Sorry." "Sorry, sorry, sorry." "What the fuck's the matter with you?" "(LAUGHING)" "JOEY:" "I'm a customer here, you're gonna fucking ignore me?" " No, no. (STUTTERING) It's..." " Hey, hey, hey." "I said look at me when you talk to me!" " Sorry." "(SNICKERS) Did you hear that, guys?" "He's sorry." "(MOCKING) Oh sorry." "Little baby's sorry!" " Poor baby." "Okay, guys." "Come on, Joey." " Fill her up?" " (CAR APPROACHING)" "(HONKING HORN)" "I'll be with you folks in just a sec." "Hey, Tank." "You got a customer." "Why don't you wait on me?" " Okay, I'm doin' it." " No, no, no, no, no." "You're not doing nothing that I can see, except standing here like a fucking moron." "All right, Joey." "(STUTTERING) I'm gonna do it." "(LAUGHING)" "Hey!" "(SNICKERS)" "Hey, why don't you check my tires now that you're down there?" "Why don't you leave him alone?" " Why don't you mind your own business, bitch?" " What did you say?" " MAGREW:" "No, no, no." " You want some of this too, Grandpa?" " Grandpa?" " Yeah." "As a matter of fact, I do." "Come on, give me a little something of that, tough guy." " You better watch it." " I better watch it?" "Why what do you wanna do?" "You wanna take a swing at me?" "You wanna try to knock me down?" "You wanna call my daughter names, come on." "Come on!" " (MOCKING) Listen, grandpa!" " Grandpa." " Yeah." " I ain't your cheap white trash grandpa, you understand me?" "Now, you get in your car!" "You and your friends, get in your car and get out of here, you hear me?" "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" "What's going on here, now?" "Tank, get your backside up off the ground!" "I'm not gonna have these boys making flippant remarks to my daughter, understand me?" "No, sir." "I won't have it!" "Now, go ahead, get out of here!" "You're gonna do something about it, old man?" "Huh?" "Yeah, I do wanna do something about it." "Come on, I sure do." " Hey, okay, come on!" " Never mind that!" "Let's turn the volume down here!" "Tank, take care of these people." "Now move it!" "Now." "Let's have some civilization around here." "Come on now, boys." "Here we go." "Come on." " It'd better be premium." " Oh, come on!" "You know it is." "I ain't done with you, Tank." "Aw, come on, get busy, Tank!" "Come on!" "Yes, sir." "Did you do this?" " Yes, ma'am." "(STAMMERING) I'm sorry." " Well, why are you sorry?" "You do this by yourself?" "Yes, ma'am." "It's good." "They say man's half angel half animal." "But you wonder about some folks if they have any angel in them at all." "Don't get yourself in a state about it." "I mean, kids use worse language at college all the time." "Well, thank you, honey, that makes me feel a whole lot better. (LAUGHING)" "JANE:" "Hey." "Hey, take a look at this." "He did it." "Tank, wake up and do the windows." "Yes, sir." "See you later, Tank." " (ENGINE STARTING)" " See ya." "Come over here, boy." "Yes, sir?" "How long did it take you to do this?" "Couple days." "Ain't finished yet." "You do it all by yourself?" "Yes, sir." "What's your name, boy?" "Folks call me Tank." "No, no." "I don't wanna know what folks call you." "What's your name?" "Robert." "Robert Winsley." "Well, Robert Winsley, this is my daughter, Jane." "She's fresh back from college." "Ma'am, uh, miss." "Hey, Robert." "I'm Dr. Magrew." "I'm not a real doctor, it's an honorary title." "Sir." "How much they pay you around here, Robert?" "Pay me?" "Uh, $30 a week." "I run the marvel show out on Route 23." "You know about it?" "Uh, no, sir." "Ha." "I guess that's my fault." "I don't have much of a way with publicity." "But I could pay you $35 a week, if you wanna come out and work for me." "Doing what sort of work?" "This sort of work, Robert." "What do you say?" "*" "MAGREW:" "Robert?" "Welcome to The House of Marvels." "That's Little Sparky, the world's first electric chair." "Over there we have Hotep, King of the Nile." "And that's Mogo, the Beast Man." "I picked him up at the traveling show." "Is that for real?" "For real as man's capacity to dream." "It's an old gorilla skin stretched over a wood frame." " Thank you, my dear." " Wait'll you see the rest of the guys." " The guys?" " Yeah, they're through here, come on." "Where are they?" "Well, I was trying to tell you, with Matt gone that I'd just decided..." "Oh!" "I hate it when you lock them up." "It's not fair." " Honey, you know I do it for their own protection." " I know." "Come on." "They're down in the workshop." "I'll introduce you." "Locked up by this cruel man." " You have something locked up?" " No, no, no." "But go on, be prepared for a big surprise." "Hi, Pinhead." "Oh, did you miss me?" "Here, let me introduce you to Robert." "Is that for real?" "Yeah, we call this fellow Pinhead." "I mean upstairs it's all just bunking', but these are the real marvels." "See that mean lookin' fellow there, we call him Blade." " Don't shake his hand." " (GRUMBLING)" " Fellow next to him is called Six-Shooter." "(GROANING)" " And that's Jester." " (MOANS)" " And that lovely lady is Leech Woman." "(SIGHS)" " Why "Leech Woman"?" " Well, hope that you never find out. (CHUCKLES)" "And this is Tunneler, aptly named. (SNICKERS)" "There are no strings." "That's right, Robert." "Not on these puppets." "So, how do you like your room?" " Hmm?" "Oh, it's, uh..." "It's fine." "Thank you, sir." " Good." " Here you go." " Thank you, miss." "You know you're gonna have to start calling me Jane sometime soon." "MAGREW:" "For these blessings that we are about to receive," " Lord, truly make us thankful." " Hmm?" "Amen." "So, (CLEARING THROAT) do they eat?" "No, son. (CHUCKLES)" "I don't understand." "I just don't understand how puppets can live." "You know, Robert, I don't understand how anything be alive." "A man, a tree, a fish, but, you know, I guess when the miracle is commonplace enough, people just don't question it." "But, how do you make them?" "Well, I have a confession to make." "I didn't make them," " I bought them at an auction years ago." "(GROANING)" "They came in an old trunk and when I took them, well," "they were the same then as they are now." "(SNICKERING)" "See, I've tried to duplicate that process, but I've never been able to make a living puppet." "I've come close." "Heaven knows I've come close." "(CHUCKLING)" "I can't say I like the way they're staring at me." "Oh, don't be fooled by the way they look." "They're really gentle." "You know, Robert, when I hired you, I needed help with the show." "But I did have another reason in mind." "This." "You see, I wanna carve a living puppet just like these." "And you have a special skill." "And I need you to carve me a miracle." "Will you help me?" "Yes, sir, I will." "I'll help." "Clear away now." "Clear away!" "Hey, there." "Aren't you that big old boy that works at the gas station?" "Uh, yes, sir, I was." "I started working here." "How'd you get mixed up with this old coot?" "I'm sorry?" "Heh." "Skip it, skip it." "Where's Magrew?" "Um, I'm not sure, I think he may be in..." "Don't you worry." "We'll find him." "We're not gonna get any answers out of this dummy." "(CLAPPING)" "Solid oak, guys, solid oak." "Pass it around." "(CLAPPING)" "(GUNSHOTS)" "(GUNSHOTS)" "(CROWD APPLAUDING)" "Fastest six guns in the West, Six-Shooter." "Give him a hand, ladies and gentlemen." "He's only a puppet, but he loves applause." "(CROWD APPLAUDING)" "Step right up, ladies and gentlemen." "One of the many marvels of The House of Marvels." "Take a look at them." " Ooh!" " Wow!" "Take a look at them." "One of the many marvels at The House of Marvels." "Go ahead, step right up." "Take a closer look if you want." "Sheriff." "Someplace quiet." "You wanna take care of things for a while?" "Why?" "What's wrong?" "Oh, nothing wrong, darling." "We ain't here to arrest nobody." "Oh, my." "What a nasty looking booger." "Well, I guess folks will pay to see just about anything." "(GUM SQUISHING)" "(FAINT GROWLING)" "SHERIFF:" "So who all you got living in this place?" "Um, myself, my daughter and the young boy selling tickets in the booth." "He lives here?" "Yeah, that's right." "That's my new assistant." "What about the other boy?" "What other boy?" "What other boy do you think I'm talking about?" "Oh, Matt Dairy." "There you go." "Looks like you do all the time." "What about him?" "Well, he left about two weeks ago." "He told me his dad was sick and that he was going home to help out." "Do tell, do tell." "Well, it's funny, on account of him not having a pa, and his ma, she's a bit worried." "Him not showing up or calling or nothing." "Yeah, I know." " You do?" " Yeah, I do." "Oh, I guess that's because Mrs. Dairy gave you a call a couple of days ago." "Well, after she called you, she gave me a call." "Yeah, that's right, I spoke with her." "I told her what I just told you." "It's obvious that Matt must have lied to me for some reason." "What reason would that be?" "Honestly, Sheriff, I don't know." "Honestly?" "Well, heaven knows we all like a little honesty." "Look, Sheriff, if you're implying that I had anything to do with..." "I'm not implying one sweet little thing." "Just since your former assistant seemed to drop clean off the face of the world, and you being the last living soul to see him before the plunge," "I just felt it was my duty to come and talk to you." "He told me he was leaving because his dad was sick." "He packed his bags and he went off to the bus station." " On foot?" " That's right." "Didn't drive him?" "How could I, Sheriff, if he was on foot?" "You trying to be funny, Magrew?" "Hardly." "I got a disappeared boy, that's serious business." "Look, I'm not trying to make light of it." "I'm sorry, I just can't help you." "I don't know what could have happened." "I see." "Bobby, take out your pad." "Write this down." "Mr. Magrew don't know what could have happened to poor little Matt Dairy." "Well, since you're so sure," "I guess that pretty much settles our business here for now." "Sorry I couldn't be more help." "Well, that makes three of us." "But don't you worry, before you're done, you may end up being real helpful." "I gotta think on it a bit." "Tell you though, if I come up with something, I'll be sure to stroll on back." "Anytime." "Okay, it's a deal." "It's just terrible, what happened to Matt." "It's so scary to think you could just vanish, and no one will ever know what happened to you." "(GRUNTING)" " Oh, I'm sorry." "No, no, don't be upset." "You know, I'm sure he's fine." "I mean, he didn't have any money, did he?" "Well, what reason would anyone have for hurting him?" "MAGREW:" "Here are the raw materials." "Hard, fine grain." "No knots, no flaws, perfect wood." "I've never seen wood like it." "What is it?" "Very exotic." "Very expensive." "And here, here are the tools you'll need." "Study them." "Learn what each one can do." "444 pieces." "Each piece must be cut precisely to scale." "Like the inner gears of a wooden clock, there can be no flaws, no mistakes, in size, dimension or shape." "Otherwise, the puppet cannot be properly assembled." "All this would be wasted." "What will it look like when it's finished?" "You'll learn that in good time, son." "I don't understand, I mean what's the secret?" "These are just pieces of wood." "No matter how perfect I carve them, they'll still just be pieces of wood." "How can putting them together make them live?" "You want to know the secret of how to make a dead thing live?" "You put your soul into it." "You put everything you have into this carving, and you have my word, it will live." "When do you think you can begin?" "Right now." "Have you seen his work?" "Yeah, I've seen it." "I can't tell how good it is, it's all in pieces." "This boy's a real artist, yes, sir." "Better than Matt?" "Matt did carving for you too?" "Oh, yeah, he did work for us." "I'd show it to you, except that he took it with him." "His work was good." "He was a natural." "But you're better." "His work had quality." "But yours?" "Yours has perfection." "After all, that's what we're striving for, isn't it?" "Sir?" "Perfection." "We're trying to create perfection." "Take a look at Blade over there." "He never tires, never hungers, knows no fear, tells no lies." "Feels no pain, has no secrets." "And what is man, except at being at war with himself?" "But not Blade, mmm-mmm." "He has no hidden motives, no secret self." "He's purely and perfectly what he is." "In fact, I think the world would be a better place if we were all like him." "But he doesn't talk." "Which only supports my position." "Oh, let me shut myself up." "All right, now go upstairs and go to bed." " No, no, I'm fine." " No." "(SCREAMING)" "(GASPING)" "Hey, how you doing?" "The house is on fire." "I'm naked." "I just think it's a lot." " Robert!" " (GROANS)" "Oh, I'm sorry." "No, no." "It's okay, it's all right." "I was just trying to get your attention." "Just throw that in the scrap pile, would you?" "Robert, it's not broken." "Well, it's not perfect." "I can't use it." "It's got blood all over it." "What did you want?" "Well, hell, I was coming down to tell you that you were working too hard." "I just ended up making more work for you." "I was just being stupid." "No, no, it's my fault." "Come on, let me take a look at it." " It's fine." " Come on, just hold it steady." "You have big hands." "It comes with the rest of me." "You don't talk much, do you?" "Not that much to say, I guess." "Well, where are you from?" "Who are your folks?" "I come from Witherspoon." "Ain't got no folks." "Come from the orphanage, to the gas station, to here." "That's about all." "Ain't been no place, got no brains for school or nothing like that." "Oh, come one." "Brains are the most overrated organ that there is." "You know, college is full of kids with brains who will never amount to anything." "They'll never be worth a damn." "You know, Robert, there's a way of being smart that doesn't have anything to do with brains." "Like you." "You've got woodsman in your hands." "Don't you understand?" "Your hands can do things that people with brains only dream of." "You know, you've been here almost a month and you haven't called me by my first name." "I'm sorry." "Don't be sorry, just say it." "Jane." "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "You know, I really need to get back to my room." "I don't want to fall asleep in here and have my daddy walk in on us in the morning." "Somehow, I don't think he'd understand." "I understand." "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" " (GROANS)" " What?" "What's wrong?" "Ahhh!" "(SCREAMING)" "(GASPING)" "(SIGHS)" "Well, I'm going to take advantage of a luxury." "I'm going to read the Sunday paper." "I had a dream about you last night." "I was still in college, and you were my teacher, or I was yours, I don't know, it was kind of confusing." "I liked the way you kissed me the other day." "I've, um..." "I've got to get back to work." "Hey, Robert." "Yeah?" "I've got to go run an errand in Tunning." "You want to go with me?" "Sure, okay." "JANE:" "You need some sunlight, boy, you're pale as a ghost." "So what do we have to get in Tunning?" "Nothing." "I'm sorry?" "Oh, nothing at all." "Well, I don't have anything to do all day." "I, uh, well..." "I lied to you." "Well, I thought that you might need a little break, and since I knew you wouldn't take one voluntarily, I decided to force you." "Yeah, I kind of thought you'd like to go driving." " Do you?" " I like it." "You know, I thought we could go spend some time there by the lake." "Just hang out for a while." "I'd like that too." "JANE:" "You know, I wanted to show you something." "Well, I've never shown it to anyone else before." " What is it?" " It's a secret." "Wait a second, it's, um..." "Oh, down though here." "You know, I used to come here when I was a little girl, and I was playing around one day and I found this clearing in the woods, and it was so beautiful." "It was like a scene out of a fairy tale, or something, and I used to come here to be by myself." "Never told anyone else about it, not even my dad." "I don't know if anyone else even knows that it's here." "I want to show you." "Come on, I'll take you there." "I haven't been here since I went away to..." "Someone must've buried garbage over here." "Dogs dug it up." "Oh, why did they have to go and do that?" "Looks like they were burning something." "Just leave it alone, will you?" "Look at this, it's a..." "Jane?" "Well, well, well, look what we have here." "You on your way to grandma's house, little girl?" " Out of my way." " Hey, hey, hey." "Cut it out." "What's your problem, anyway?" "You know what?" "You're my problem." "And people like you!" "They're can't be anything good in this world without you destroying it." "Whoa, what's this?" "Where's this coming from?" "You know you have a real problem, little girl, 'cause I'm being perfectly nice." "I'm not raising my voice, I'm not doing anything." "And you come out with this stuff, like I'm some kind of a..." "Incredible Hulk." "Like what?" "She said you were trying to destroy the world, and stuff." "Jesus Christ, what a fucking retard." "Hey, hey, hey, I said cut it out!" "You're being very rude." "'Cause I'm, like, trying to have a conversation here." " I don't want to have a conversation with you." " No?" " Or anyone like you." " Oh, what am I like?" "Hey, hey!" "Again, you're pushing me." "And what the hell's your problem, anyway?" "You like being pushed?" " You like that?" " Get your hands off me!" "Quit it!" "(SPANKING) Whoo!" "Ooh, you liked that, didn't you?" "Maybe you need a good spanking." "You guys, please, just leave me alone." "Oh, well, being that you asked so nice, no." "Jane, you okay?" "Yeah, Robert, I'm fine." "Let's just go." "No, no, no." "I don't remember telling you you could go anywhere." "Come on, guys." "And I don't remember saying anything to you, Tank." "From how I'm looking at it, this is none of your business." "Anyone here think this is any of Tank's business?" " I don't." " Mmm-mmm." " Nope." " Guess it's unanimous." "So, get the fuck out of here." "Me and Little Red Riding Hood are kind of on a little date." "Just leave her alone." "What'd you say?" "I couldn't hear." "What'd you say?" "I said leave her alone." "Or what?" "What are you gonna do?" "Just leave." "Are you gonna punch me?" "Huh?" "Yeah?" "You gonna kick me?" "Slap me to teach me a lesson, huh?" "You big fucking dummy." "Robert!" "Oh, what was he?" "Your knight in shining armor?" "Beep, beep." "Yeah!" "Hey, Tank, what do you say me and Little Red Riding Hood give you a lesson in adult education?" "This is all an act, isn't it?" "The more they struggle, that means they want you to be their man." " Show 'em who's boss." " Fuck you!" "Jesus Christ, what language." "Get the fuck off me." " Robert." " Billy, get him off!" "Robert!" "Jesus, you okay?" "(GASPING) Yeah, I'm fine." "Come on." "It's all right." "Let's go, I'll drive." "You didn't do anything wrong." "Robert, if it weren't for you..." "But you don't understand." "When I had him up against the car, it didn't have anything to do with you." "It didn't even really have anything to do with him." "I just lost control." "It was like I was strangling everything that ever wronged me since I was born." " I could've killed him." " Small loss, if you ask me." "But I could've killed somebody!" "I could have." " I was that close." " Robert, you're a decent man." "I know from experience that there aren't a lot of guys like you out there." "I hope you don't ever change." " I'm going to bed." " Good night, dear." "You wanna know why you're unhappy, Robert?" " Sir?" " You're at war with yourself." "You do your best on the outside to be this meek, gentle boy." "But you're different on the inside." "Yes, sir, I guess I am." "There's another self inside." "A truer, more natural self." "A creature of violence with no fear, with no conscience." "A killer." "You spend your whole life battling the self that lives inside." "And what happened today, though just for a moment, you lost that battle." "The real you, the true you came out." "No, sir." "I won't say you're wrong, but if it is true, all I can say is" "I'd rather die than have it come out again." "Hey, get the hell out of here!" "Keep it down, honey." "We don't want to wake the house, do we?" "(GROANING)" "What the hell?" "Go, go!" "Robert, get her in the house." "Go on, get her in there now." "He tried to save me, that's why he's dead." " Come on inside." " No, we can't just leave him here." " No, I'll do it." " Robert!" " We cannot just leave him here in the dirt." " We won't." "We won't." "Now come on." "(GROANING)" "MAGREW:" "We have work to do." "You hold on, okay." "I'll make you whole again." "Just hold on." "You want it, bitch?" "What are you gonna do now?" "You don't have your fucking ape man and your fucking puppets now, do you?" "What are you gonna do?" "Yeah, you better get out of my fucking face." "(PUPPETS GROANING)" "That's right." "Do it, bitch!" "I said, do it." "Yeah, that's right." "Oh, yeah, you like that, don't you?" "(SCREAMING)" "Somebody came to see you." "Pinhead?" "Pinhead!" "Is he all right?" "Are you really all right?" "Yeah, he's all right." "Actually better than before." "His parts were a bit worn, so..." "That was so brave of you." "You are my hero, do you know that?" " Oh, Robert, I..." " No, no." "I'm just glad he's all right." " I'll see you in the morning." " Robert, wait." "I'm glad you're not angry anymore." "Robert, I was angry with you." "But I had no right to be." "I wanted that boy to suffer." "I wanted you to make that boy suffer." "I should've just let you finish him on the path." " Maybe I should have." " No!" "You were right and I was wrong." "Any fool in this world can be a destroyer." "Only a very few can be creators." "Don't trade one for the other." "And don't let me or anyone else make you." "You can stay if you want." " (KNOCKING AT DOOR)" " Yeah?" " Honey?" " Daddy, come on in." "I just wanted to talk to you about..." " Pinhead." " Robert did it." "He put him back together." "He brought him back." " That's amazing." " It's a miracle." "His hands can do miracles." "You really think a great deal of him, don't you, honey?" "Daddy," "I love him." "I see." "You know, I'm not a little girl anymore." "No, I know, honey." "I just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all." "Do you really think that Robert would hurt me?" "No, I don't mean it that way." "It's just that sometimes these things don't last." "You see, you can give your heart to somebody, and then they're just not there." "Are you talking about Mom?" "No, I'm not talking about your mother." "Look, Daddy, I know that anything can happen, that any of us can be dead tomorrow." "I can't let that..." "I'm talking about Robert." "I'm talking about a temporary situation." "I'm talking about a situation that can't go on indefinitely." "Don't you understand?" "No!" "Daddy, I..." "Don't you see?" "Robert is almost through with the puppet." "Well, what if he is?" "I mean, that doesn't change the way that we feel about one another." " What, are you gonna fire him?" " No, I wasn't going to do anything like that." "'Cause I want you to know it doesn't make any difference to me whether or not you do." "With his talent he can go anywhere." "Honey, please, you're not listening to me." "Well, then tell me, what are you trying to say?" "I'm trying to say..." "I'm trying to say that you're young and that he's young." "And as you said, anything can happen." "I mean, if he were to leave..." "I'm just trying to say..." "I'm trying to say I don't want you to be too attached to him." "I don't want you to get too attached to him." "I don't want you to get hurt." "Oh, please." "Please understand." "Everything I'm saying, I'm saying for your own good." "Good night." "(WHISPERING) Good night, honey." "Hey, Robert, lunch break!" "Hey, you look pale as a ghost." "Robert?" "I'm almost there." "What?" "I'm almost there." "Daddy?" "Daddy, come out here!" "Yes, hi, Dr. Carroll." "No, no, I'm fine, thank you." "I was calling about Robert." "He's been a bit tired lately." "Feverish, delirious." "He's quite ill." "It's all right, Robert." "It's all right." "Just rest." "Yes, thank you, Doctor." "What did the doctor say?" "He's coming over." "That would be great, Dr. Carroll, thank you." "I certainly appreciate that." "He said not to worry." "There's a bit of influenza going around this summer." "Lots of people have come down with it." "A big, strong boy like Robert, he should have no problems pulling through this at all." "When's he coming?" "He'll be here this afternoon." "Don't you worry." "Oh, blast it." "Oh, I forgot all about it." "It's Friday." "What?" "What's wrong?" "Well, Tommy Berke is shipping us that mermaid that we ordered." " Mermaid?" " Yes, yes, yes, you remember." "I told you all about it." "The stuffed mermaid." "It'll be at the Brewster shipping office today." "Well..." "Well, we got the show tomorrow and the weekend's here..." "I think I should stay with Robert until the doctor comes." " Well, I could..." " Could, you, honey?" "I know it would mean that you wouldn't be getting back until late tonight." "No, no, I mean, I could, you know..." "I know." "I know you want to be here with Robert." "But just in case anything should happen, and I don't think anything will happen." "But just in case something should happen, I think it would be better if I were here with him." "Good." "Good, you better hurry." "Drive carefully, take a sweater with you, it'll be cold tonight." "Robert, you just rest." "I'll be back soon, all right?" "Daddy will take care of you." "(GROANING)" "(GROANING)" "Doctor, boy's a bit ripe." "Yeah, I figure three, maybe four days." "I'll know closer when I get him on the slab." "What's the quick and dirty?" "Well, you can take your pick." "Multiple lethal stab wounds." "One hand ground nearly off." "His head peeled clear back to the skull." "In case you're curious, that was all done ante mortem, that's before death." "Do tell." "So, all in all," "I guess we can pretty well rule out suicide." "Well, well, well." "The three musketeers are here." "You." "What is it, Art Cooney?" "Yep." "Let's take a little stroll, Art." "Just chat for a bit." "Now, Art, we know that you and Joey are like two balls in a sack." "When'd you see him last?" "Hmm..." "You know, I don't rightly recall." "You don't?" "Nope." "When's the last time you remember seeing him, try it that way." "All right, I'll try." "Nope." "I'm sorry, nothing comes to mind." "You don't say." "It all just sort of blurs together, you know?" "I mean, sometimes I just can't remember a single thing about nothing." "Oh, that's really too bad." "Here." "Tell you what, why don't we try something?" "Maybe help you out a bit." "Now, I want you..." "Well, here." "I want you to look at this refrigerator." "Look at this dot right there." " Concentrate." " All right." " You lookin'?" " I'm lookin'." " You sure?" " I'm looking right at it." "Ow!" "Ahhh!" "Jesus." "Maybe that'll help your memory, you little shit stain, huh?" "Sunday!" "Sunday, Jesus!" "Tell me all about it." "He got into a fight with Tank down by the lake, all right?" "Last time I saw him, he said he was gonna pay him a visit." "He and that girl he was with." "What girl?" "Ow!" "I don't know her name." "Magrew's daughter." "You know, the old man who runs that freak show out on Lovejoy." "So, he said he was gonna go over there and you haven't seen him since?" "I swear to God, I haven't seen him, okay?" "God..." "I think you broke my nose." "Don't worry about it, son." "It'll give you a little character." "Ahhh!" "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "Sir?" "I'm sorry to have waken you." "This would have been a lot easier if you'd stayed asleep." "I'm..." "I'm sick... (CHUCKLING) I know you are." "You're like most men." "Sick in the soul." "You spend your whole life struggling to be something different than you are." "I want you to relax now." "Please believe, I mean you no harm." "Soon, you will be new." "There will be no more conflicts, no more tearing yourself up inside." "You will be one thing." "The true thing that you are." "Jane..." "No, don't worry about her." "I know about you two, but I'm not angry." "That was in the past." "But now, we must look to your future." "Brilliant work." "Brilliant work, Robert." "Okay, Magrew." "SHERIFF:" "Cut out the hide-and-seek." "If I gotta dig you out like a tick, it's gonna be worse for ya." "Let's go." "Where are you, Magrew?" "Magrew?" "I'm over here." "Well, well, well." "Looky here." "We got a little something to talk about." "Like what happened to Joey Carp the other night." "What do you bet I take a look around, I might find something incriminating?" "Oh, come on." "You're not gonna make me come and get you?" "Kill them." "Ahhh!" "(BONES CRACKING)" "(YELLING LOUDLY)" "(CHOKING)" "Oh!" "(YELLING)" "(DRILLING)" "(STRUGGLING)" "Ah!" "(SCREAMING LOUDLY)" "(LAUGHING)" "Ahhh!" "(SCREAMING CONTINUES)" "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "CLERK:" "Well, I don't know what to tell you, lady." "Do you want to check the manifest?" "Like I say, if we got, we ain't got no reason to keep." "Don't make no money that way." "I just don't understand, my father was sure it would be here." "Thomas Berke Rarities?" "Well, I would certainly be the last person to say it ain't so, but it ain't so." "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "You may be the first of a new race of beings." "A superior race." "You may not understand what I'm doing, but in the long run, it's for your own good." "And his." "His?" "No, no..." "Dr. Magrew, please." "What are you doing?" "Robert, I know this may be painful." "But try to relax." "(MUMBLING)" "It's necessary." "Don't fight." "Accept what's coming." "Oh..." "Please." "Please, don't." "Please." "Can I use your phone?" "Local call?" "No, I'll pay." "Well, tell you what." "Make it simple for both of us, reverse the charges." "(PHONE RINGING)" "(MUMBLING)" "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "(RINGING CONTINUES)" "OPERATOR:" "I'm sorry, there's still no answer." "Well, could you..." "Never mind, thank you." "You're welcome." "Now I'm really worried." "I wonder if Daddy had to take Robert to the hospital." "Uh, I got him." "Who, my father?" "No, Tommy Berke." "Wait." "Yeah, want to talk to her?" "Right." "Hold on." "Hello, Mr. Berke?" "BERKE:" "Hey, there, Miss Magrew." "Yeah, I was just talking to this man..." "BERKE:" "I don't know nothing about no mermaids." "I ain't talk to your daddy in around six months." "I ain't had no mermaid in almost a year!" "Well, are you sure?" "Yeah, I am." "I'm sure." "Well, I just don't understand." "I mean, my father was very specific." "Why on earth would he send me to pick up a shipment he never ordered?" "I really couldn't say, now." "Yeah, yeah." "All right, all right, thank you, Mr. Berke." "(THUNDER RUMBLING)" "(PUPPET CHUCKLING)" "Jane!" "(WAILING) Jane!" "(SCREAMING LOUDLY)" "(WAILING)" "Jane!" "(PUPPETS MUMBLING)" "(ELECTRIC SHOCKING)" "I did it!" "No." "No, please." "See, you don't understand." "Please." "Please, don't you understand?" "It can't be stopped now." "It's too late!" "Ahhh!" "Please!" "You don't understand..." "All I've done, I've done for you... (YELLING)" "Don't make me hurt you." "Please." "(SCREAMING)" "What are you doing?" "I beg you." "All that I've done..." "All that I've created... (SOBBING) I've done it for you." "No!" "No!" "Ahhh!" "No, please!" "Ahhh!" "(SCREAMING LOUDLY)" "(SCREAMING CONTINUES)" "Oh, my God!" "Oh, my God, what have you done?" "You see?" "I did it." "I did it." "Robert, no!" "Ahhh!" "(SCREAMING LOUDLY)" "No!"