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Beast with a Million Eyes, The (1956)
The Beast With a Million Eyes (1955)
(THUNDER CRASHING) BEAST: I need this world. From millions of light years away, I approach your planet. Soon, my spaceship lands on Earth. I need your world. I feed on fear, live on human hatred. I, a strong mind, without flesh or blood, want your world. First, the unthinking, the birds of the air, the animals of the forest, then the weaker of men shall all do my bidding. They shall be my ears, my eyes, until your world is mine. And because I see your most secret acts, you will know me as the Beast With a Million Eyes. (THUNDER CRASHING) ALLAN: A date ranch in the off-season is the Ioneliest place in the world. When you've lived through 10 years of off-seasons, it does things to you. Not very nice things, I'm afraid. This is my ranch, not much of a place anymore. We've been losing money for three years now and I guess that makes me a failure. At least, my wife seems to think so. But it isn't just the fact that the ranch is going bust, and it isn't just being alone out here day after day, year after year. It has something to do with the feeling you get when you start thinking, "What's out there, just beyond the grove, surrounding us?" The vast and cruel world, still, dry, deadly, slowly withering beneath the white heat of that desert sun, the perfect place to hatch a brood of horror or of hate. Perhaps it began out there, the hate. Something that goes far deeper than angry words, a growing, twisting thing that's slowly destroying us. (CHICKENS CLUCKING) Carol, we've got to settle this. ALLAN: We're sending Sandy to college in the fall. CAROL: I won't let her go. The money's in the bank. It's going to be used for her schooling. If you want to know the truth, it has nothing to do with the money. Carol, what's the matter with you? ALLAN: We can't keep her here on the ranch all her life. - Give her a chance. - Chance? I never had a chance. She's your daughter. Do you hate your own daughter? Sometimes, when I see her, so young and pretty, with all the best years ahead of her, the years I missed. Yeah, sometimes I think I do hate her. That's it! Run away! You haven't got the courage to... (EX CLAIMING) (SIGHING) - Carol, I... - Oh, get out. Get out! Sandy, how long? Sandy, I told you to keep that dog out of here. Come on, boy! (CHICKENS CLUCKING) I don't suppose it really matters, but... Does anything really matter to you anymore? Well, I'm sorry she heard. I... I didn't mean to... You say a lot of things you don't mean, Carol, but you still say them, don't you? Yeah. I'm not easy to get along with, am I? Oh, I don't know. I think I could stand it, except for... Out there. All that wasteland and mountains. We might as well be on another planet. Oh, Allan, without Sandy, I don't know what would happen to me. It'd be just you and me and him, always watching. Why doesn't he ever go away on his day off? Always watching us. Heaven knows, thinking what thoughts. (BIRDS CHIRPING) We've been over this before. You must know by now he's harmless. I've never been sure. I've got to flood the north grove this morning. I'll be home for lunch. (ENGINE STARTING) I want you to get out. Go on! Who's there? Sandy, is that you? Duke, how did you get in here? - It's my fault. - Well, it doesn't matter. I taught him how to open the screen door. - Where are you going? - Swimming. Sandy, there's something I'd... - Will you be back for lunch? - Do you really care? Come on, Duke. Come on, Duke. Here, boy! (DUKE BARKING) (BARKING) Come on, Duke. Come on! Come on! (WHOOPING) Come on. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) Allan! Allan! (SOBBING) Crazy pilots. Always showing off. What's the matter, boy? It's all right. Why, you're shaking. Funny, I feel sort of shivery myself. (BARKING) Come on, Duke. Let's go home. (GROWLING) (GROWLING) Come down from there! What are you doing up there? Come down! Stop that! What were you doing up there? You scared me half to death. I'm sorry. I forgot. You couldn't even tell me if you wanted to. You can't even say your own name, if you ever had one. No, I'm meeting my father in just a few minutes. Do you hear? My father will be here. Go on. Now, where did he go? Duke! Duke? This is not funny, Sheriff. They must have been inches away from the roof. No, I didn't see a plane, but... What else could it have been? No, it didn't sound exactly like a plane. There was sort of a humming noise. But there are so many new ones these days. All I know is that all my good glassware and pretty windows are broken. I didn't hear a crash, anyway. Well, how do I know? You're the sheriff, do something! Report it, I guess. (SIGHING) People aren't safe anywhere these days. All right. And see you don't forget. Goodbye. (EX CLAIMING) (SOBBING) No. No food now. Later. Get out. Get out! (SIGHING) (SOBBING) (BIRDS CHIRPING) Duke! Here, Duke! (CHICKENS CLUCKING) - Good morning, Ben. - Hi, Allan. A little early in the day to be milking old Sarah, isn't it, Ben? Oh, time don't matter to Sarah. (LAUGHING) Well, just as long as she has enough left for us tomorrow. Don't you worry, Allan. Ben, did you ever hear of blackbirds attacking a man? No, why? Just wondering. Well, to tell you the truth, I wouldn't have been surprised at anything that happened. Since that plane went over here, things have been mighty funny around here. - Plane? - Yeah. There's that game leg of mine vibrating again. Say, Allan, did I ever tell you how I got this leg? Teddy R and me, we was charging up this ridge... - Ben, Ben... ...and there... Ben, about this airplane. Passed over this morning, you say? Well, it sounded like planes, anyway. One of them jets, maybe. But I never knew them come so close. Oh, yeah, I was telling you about my leg. (PAIL CLATTERING) Consarn that cow! That's the second time she's done that! (LAUGHING) Flying machines. I know what you mean, Ben. - Take care, now. - Yeah. - I'll see you tomorrow. - Yeah, drop in. (ENGINE STARTING) - Hi, girl. Going my way? - Hi, Dad. What's the matter, honey? You've been crying? Oh, I was swimming and Him's been following me again. You know he's as harmless as Duke. (BARKING) (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (BARKING) - Carol? - Hello, Allan. What's happened? Plane, I guess, a jet. Almost hit the house. All the windows in the living room, too. - Doesn't seem possible that an airplane... - What else could it have been? - Mother, all the glasses and your china... - I know. Is it... What can I do? You can pick up the glass in the living room. I'll finish this. All right. - This is the limit. I'm calling the sheriff. - I've already spoken to the sheriff. He thinks it's a big joke, but he's checking. ALLAN: Carol, are you all right? Oh, I'm fine as usual. Come in. Lunch will be ready in a minute. - Tell Him to get out. - Carol, he's only coming in to eat. I've been through enough today, Allan. I can't explain. Please. What can I tell him? You might as well know right now, I don't want him in this house, now or ever. Carol, he understands you. CAROL: You understand, do you? Fine. Then get out of my house. Well, go ahead, say it. You mean, say that you shouldn't have talked to him like that? All right, it was wrong. But I wasn't going to say that because... Well, I... I think I understand. A little, anyway. All your beautiful china, your glasses. They were all you had left from home, weren't they? I... I'd better fix lunch. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (BARKING) - Hi, Mr. Kelley. - Hi, Larry. - How've you been? - Fine. - Any news on that plane? - Afraid not. Sheriff sent me out to check the damage. Most of the damage is inside, (CHUCKLING) But Sandy's on the outside. - I'll check the damage later. - All right, boy. She's probably out back. LARRY: Hey, Sandy, where are you? Hey, Sandy, where are you? (SIGHING) - Hi. - Hi. I... Mother wanted to know if you could come over to dinner tonight. It's my birthday. Gee, I don't know. I... I'll have to check my date book. (EXCLAIMING) Who would go out with you? (CHUCKLING) - You're the girl in my life. - I didn't know that. Yeah. It's all right. Come on. Poor old Him. Him? Doesn't he have a name? He can't talk and we don't know his name. So we just call him "Him." Dad wants him around. - It's hard to believe a plane caused this. - Well, maybe it wasn't a plane. But if another one of those goes over this house, we won't have a glass left to drink out of. Believe me, Mrs. Kelley, I'll do everything I can to find out what happened. We'll see you later, Dad. Wait till I get my hand on that police siren. Take it easy, now, kids. - LARRY: See you at my office. - Okay. (ENGINE FIRING) My aching ears. (SIREN WAILING) Well, we'll be home soon. Don't forget that package at the emporium, Allan. I won't, dear. (AX CHOPPING) (BARKING) Duke! (DOOR CLOSING) Here, Duke! Come on, boy! (SNORTING) Stay, Duke! Stay! (BARKING) (BARKING) (BARKING) (DUKE SCRATCHING) (GUN FIRING) (GROWLING) (BARKING) (BARKING) Let me in! (KNOCKING) Hurry! Please! (KNOCKING) Let me in! Hurry! (BARKING) Let me in! (CAROL GASPING) (BARKING) Hurry, please! (BARKING) (BARKING) (GROWLING) (BARKING) (CAROL SCREAMING) (BARKING) (CAROL SCREAMING) (CAROL SCREAMING) (BIRDS CHIRPING) I wonder why the lights aren't on? There's another one. Can you manage? (CHUCKLING) The way I feel, I could carry them all. (CHUCKLING) You're pretty happy over that new dress, aren't you? Oh, it's a dream. Imagine Mom keeping it a secret all this time. She didn't even mention it to me until today. (LAUGHING) - Can you manage? - Sure. Shut the door for me, hon. Carol, what's the idea of the blackout? I'm right here, Allan. Turn the light on, honey. What are you sitting here in the dark for? (SIGHING) I'm all right, Allan. I'm all right. Carol, what's the matter? What happened? It's only a bruise. I... I fainted after... - Where's Sandy? - She's coming. Allan, quick, Duke, in the woodshed. Don't let Sandy see him. Sandy mustn't see him! Don't let Sandy see him. Sandy mustn't see him! Mother, the dress is... Mother! Sandy, stay here with your mother. There's something... Well, you stay here. - What is it, Dad? - I'll be right back. Mother? Put the packages in the kitchen, dear. The... The gun on the floor in there? It's Duke, isn't it? Something's happened to Duke. - I'm going out there. - Sandy, no. He's my dog, I have a right. Sandy! (DOOR CLOSING) (SANDY SCREAMING) ALLAN: Sandy! Go back, Sandy! Get back! Who'd do a thing like that? An ax! Did he do it? That's what happened, isn't it? The loony did it. He was using the ax today! That's enough, Sandy. Your mother's been through enough today. Allan, she has a right to know. Sandy, you've got to try to understand. It won't be easy. Duke came home this afternoon acting very strangely... You! Duke wouldn't hurt anybody. He was so gentle. - I remember a baby squirrel I had... - Sandy, listen to me. Something must have happened to Duke because he tried to kill me. Do you understand? There was nothing else I could do. Like that? With an ax? I tried to shoot him. I missed. - I don't believe you! - What? - You hate me, don't you? - ALLAN: Stop it, Sandy. - You don't... - Let her go, Carol. She'll never forgive me for this. She shouldn't have said that to you, or even thought it. Maybe she was right, Allan. Maybe, in some strange way, the dog sensed that... Maybe I'm losing my mind. Stand out, Carol, you hear me? You're all right. Oh, Allan, there's something awful happening here, as if some power were trying to tear us apart. I know, darling. I felt it, too. When we're together like this, I... I feel strong. (SIGHING) We've got to stay close, Allan. We haven't been close in a long time, have we? It's been so long. (EXCLAIMING) What are you doing here? What am I doing here? There's nothing out there. Hey, wait! You can't go out there! You'll get lost. Dinner's ready. Mom and Dad will be mad if we're not back. I thought that would get you. You're always hungry. Come on, they'll be awful mad if we're late. (BIRD CHIRPING) It's pretty, isn't it? I wonder what it's doing way out here? Come on. - It's almost ready, Allan. - I'll go find her, honey. Come on. What are you afraid of? Sandy? Coming! Well, all right, if you're going to be stubborn... I'll bring a plate out to you. - Where have you been, honey? - Just walking. I found Him out in the desert. - What were you doing out there? - Dad, I'm not sure. I was sitting and thinking and then suddenly there I was, as if I'd been walking in my sleep. Except for one thing, that humming noise. Except for one thing, that humming noise. Oh, Dad, I know I didn't dream that. A humming noise? Yes, I remember it starting and then I blacked out. Honey, this sound, this humming noise, did it sound like the plane this morning? Well, I never thought about it. Yes, only not so loud, Dad. And you ran into Him and you snapped out of it. - How did you know? - Something Carol said. - The two of you together. - I... I'm awfully sorry about what happened this morning, Dad. Never mind, honey. You save that for your mother. Mother? Mother, can you forgive me? I forgive you. Oh, Sandy. Whenever you gals decide to break it up, I'm hungry. (CHUCKLING) - Goodnight, all. - Goodnight, dear. Oh, Sandy? I want you to close your shutters tonight. - But I won't be able to breathe in there. - And lock them, too, baby. - Okay. Goodnight. - Night-night. You're really worried, aren't you, Allan? Yes, I am, Carol, especially after what happened to Sandy. First, Duke went into the desert, then Sandy and... And now Him. It's almost as if there was some strange force at work. I'm almost afraid to think what might have happened to her if she hadn't run into Him out there. - You think that made a difference? - To both of them. Until Sandy took his hand, he... She couldn't bring him out of it. It seems that being together made them stronger. Stronger than what? I don't know, Carol. Maybe we're imagining things. Allan, there's more to this than just Duke and those birds, isn't there? (YAWNING) (YAWNING) (COW MOOING) (CHICKENS CLUCKING) (COW MOOING) Sarah, I hope you're feeling better this morning. Now, you behave yourself. Sarah? (THUDDING) (MOOING) No, no, Sarah! No, no! No, no! Sarah! No, no, Sarah! No, no! No, no... - Need any help, hon? - No, dear. I'm just going to feed the chickens. Good morning, ladies. What's the matter with you? You seem more interested in me than... Allan! Allan! (CLUCKING) It's all right, Carol, get behind me. It's all right now. (SIGHING) There seems to be some sort of pattern to this. Oh, you're imagining things. - First Duke and now... - Now let's have a cup of coffee. Such a lovely day outside. Much too nice for all these crazy animal revolutions. Carol, revolutions have to have leaders. This plane, or whatever it was, well, it just might have brought something along with it... Well, anyway, it brought me to my senses. Sometimes, it takes a few healthy shots for a person to appreciate... Well, it's made me realize... - What, darling? - Something very important. Something I've needed all these bad years and let myself forget. It's very simple. Merely that I love you very, very much. Oh, Sandy, I must have been blind! This place is a mess! I'll never get it all done. - ALLAN: Sandy! - These helpless men. Get me some more putty, will you, honey? It's in the kitchen. Dad? I can't get over Mother, the way she's changed! We all have, a little. The last 24 hours have been pretty rugged. I feel like I have a family again. Maybe sometimes something like Duke has to happen. Maybe so, baby. You get a wiggle on you. Get me that putty. (BIRDS CHIRPING) (BIRDS CHIRPING) Hey. You got a job to do. Do you feel like finishing today? You better drop by Ben Webber's, darling. He didn't call this morning. Oh, Ben probably forgot. I'll stop by on the way home, darling. The shotgun's loaded. Dad? You must have dropped this when you changed your shirt. Thank you, honey. All right! Let's go! (ENGINE STARTING) That's the first time Allan's let Him do that. - What's that? - Cutting off-shoots for transplanting. Maybe he just wants to get Him out of the house while he's gone. Ever since that plane flew over, he's been acting mighty funny, even for Him. And then Dad told me about yesterday afternoon. Yeah? Mom, that letter, it was to the Veterans' Administration. Well, you know, your father never talks about the war. But this was the psychiatric division. Well, if we're going to get started on your hair, we better get started. Now, let's see. What's it going to be? An Italian bob or one of those pixie cuts? - I believe I'll have the desert special. - Well, as you say, Madame. (GIGGLING) (BIRDS CHIRPING) I'll pick you up in a few hours. (ENGINE RUNNING) (BIRD CHIRPING) (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) Hey, Ben! Ben? Who did this to you? We thought it was all over. It's just beginning. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) There. (CHUCKLING) I do believe that's Ben Webber's cow. Oh, my gosh! It is! I wonder how old Sarah made it way over here? I didn't think she had the strength. Poor Ben, he's probably looking all over for her. He loves that silly beast so. Come on, we'll really have fresh milk today. Well, do you really think we should, Sandy? - She might not like it if... - Oh, that old lady? She doesn't have the strength to resist. Come on, I'll get a rope. (MOOING) Sandy! The door! (GASPING) (SCREAMING) (GUN FIRING) It's all right, now, honey. It's all right. It's all over. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) Well, find him, will you? It's an emergency. I can't reach Larry. Hello? No, no message. I want him personally. I want Larry to handle this. Operator? Give me Larry Brewster's house. I think the number's 9-4-7-6. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (CRACKLING) Hey! Hello? Hello? - The phone's out. - What could have happened? Power's gone, too. This thing's closing in on us. I think we better get out of here. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) What do you mean you don't know who called? You mean, nobody got his name? You better trace that call. Stay in the car. - Mom, did you hear what he said? - He didn't mean to be harsh, dear. No, I mean before that. He said, "It's closing in." As if he meant something else. - Something else? - Yes, besides all these... These animals. Something or someone, bigger or... Oh, I don't know. Just the way he looked when he said it. I really got scared, but not like before. Just... As if there were something more at stake? Yes. (SIGHING) I don't know. It's... Well, here's Allan now. He's alone. He's gone. Carol, drive into town. Get Larry and tell him to bring some men. What about you? I'm going back to the house. He may be there. He may think we've deserted him. - We'll all drive back together. - There isn't time. What you mean? Carol, look, I don't know. I actually don't know, but I want you and Sandy where it's safe. - My place is with you. - Your place is where it's safe. - I don't care... - He's right, Mom. Somebody's got to go for help and we'd only be in Dad's way. I don't know what's right anymore. All I know is that we should stay together. Sandy, you better drive. Hop in. I just think we ought to be together. Come on, honey. Allan, come. No, Carol. Get started, Sandy. (BIRDS CHIRPING) (BIRDS SQUAWKING) (CHIRPING) - Carol! - Hello, Allan. Are there any more of these outside? I could only find two. What are you doing here? Well, in a minute I'm going to get dinner started. Where's Sandy? Putting on her new dress. It's her birthday, remember? Carol, are you out of your mind? We need help here, and quick! Oh, Allan, Larry's no fool. He'll have the call traced. Besides, there's nothing else I could do. I was depending on you! Allan, come out front. I want to show you something. (BIRDS CHIRPING) They're blackbirds. There was one big bird, a crow, I think... They must have flown directly to the car. - What do you mean? From where? - They attacked me in the grove. The big bird, the crow, I think he led them. He flew away and then they all followed him. I didn't know what it meant until now. Carol, birds can't think. It was weird, the way they acted. An animal going mad and trying to kill like Duke and Sarah, well, that makes some awful kind of sense, but, Allan, these birds kept attacking us until we were forced to turn the car back. They made us go back, Allan. Oh, it was like a nightmare. - It made you go back. - It? You said that before. - Did you find out anything, Allan? - No, Carol. But there's something guiding these birds and animals. I know that for sure. It all started since this plane flew over yesterday. Carol, suppose it wasn't a plane in our sense of the word. Suppose it landed out there in the desert somewhere for a reason. (BIRDS CHIRPING) You mean, a plane from somewhere else? Can you imagine anything human in all of this? A plane from another world... Oh, Allan, what's it trying to do? What kind of a trap are we in? I wish I knew. (LOUD CHIRPING) They're coming here. Run, Carol! (BIRDS CALLING) (GROANING) Oh, Allan, maybe it's trying to drive us all insane! Hello? Allan Kelley, huh? Well, connect me with him now. (BIRDS CHIRPING) It is? That's funny. Well, I'm going out to the Kelleys' now, anyway. Tell the sheriff where I'll be. Yeah. Yeah, let me know. Thanks. Goodnight. (HISSING) It's beautiful, Mom. Thanks to you. It wouldn't be a cake if you hadn't turned off the oven. Larry should be here by now. You said around 6:00, dear. Give me something to do, Mom. I got to do something. Well, you can set the table. You'll have to use the heavy mugs. There's not a glass left in the house. (TIRES SCREECHING) What are you trying to do, get killed or something? Well, don't just stand there, say... Oh, I'm sorry. You can't say anything, can you? Well, what do you want? Not this side. Get in the other side. (CHUCKLING) You want to ride in the back, do you? Okay, but get in, I'm late already. (DOOR OPENING) Well, I hope you're honored, you two. I don't wear my best duds on every occasion. (SIGHING) Something's happened to Larry! I know it! - Now, Sandy... - You know it, too. Both of you! How can you just stand there as though nothing were wrong? Oh, we've got to do something! - Maybe she's right, Carol. - No, Allan. - I'll just drive down to the entrance. - Sandy and I will go, too, then. - Now, wait a minute, there's no sense... - I've been doing some thinking, too. Remember last night when you said this force, this master brain or whatever it is, almost had Sandy? You said she escaped because she met Him, because together they were stronger. That's our strength, Allan, being together. Alone, we're nothing. Don't you see? Come on, let's go. Four flat tires. That's that. Can't we go on foot? Maybe the birds wouldn't attack us at night. It's too bright. We wouldn't have a chance. No, Sandy. I don't think Larry would want us to go in, Sandy. Come on, baby, let's go inside. Well, I guess I better clean up. I don't suppose anyone wants any cake. (SIGHING) - Leave her be, Carol. - I suppose you're right. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (CRASHING) Larry? Larry? Larry? You! You certainly turn up at the darnedest times. Where have you been? Everybody's been so worried and looking for you. What's the matter? You look so... As long as you're here, you can help me find Larry. (BIRDS CHIRPING) You look the way I feel tonight. I guess maybe we better go back. Let's go... Let me go. No! (SCREAMING) Let me go! No! No! (SANDRA SCREAMING) What's the matter, Larry? What happened to you? That loony of yours has gone mad. - Are you sure? - He tried to kill me in the car. I trailed him out to the desert and finally knocked him out. - Where's Sandy? - In her room. Why? I thought I heard a scream. (CAROL GASPING) I can't explain now, Larry, but I think that loony, as you call him, is not fully responsible. - Sandy's gone! - Carol. - The window! - You stay here and keep the door locked. Don't open it for anyone but us. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) - Here they are, Larry. - Oh, I thought we'd lost them. He's still carrying her. There's only one set of tracks. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) Do you hear what I hear? (BIRDS CHIRPING) Yeah. I was afraid of that. Come on, let's get behind these rocks. Look. Something moving there. No! No! I won't go down there! Come on! (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) ALLAN: Carl! Hold it! Carl! Carl! I can't shoot, I may hit her. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) Hold my rifle. I'll try it. Carl? Carl, it's Allan, your friend. Carl, bring her to me. That's it, Carl. She's my daughter. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) Carl! Carl, give her to me. It's Allan. Give her to me, Carl. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) No, Larry. It's too late. Let's get her out of here. - Oh, Allan, is she... - No, she's going to be all right. I told you to stay home, Carol. Well, I was so worried. You were away so long. I just went to the edge of the grove and the birds, they came back. The door was open and they flew into the house. It was horrible. We'd better wait here. Larry, you still want to go through with that? Of course. The birds will be out of the house by now, anyway. You get back as fast as you can. - I hope you're right about Sandy. - I hope so, too, Larry. Sandy! Listen to me. Snap out of it. Snap out of it, baby. Dad? Listen, do you remember anything? (SIGHING) He was climbing, and light, and then you called... That's all. That thing in the crater, it controls minds, but its power is limited. It controlled Him until it killed him. Now it's had you under its control. But we've got you now. And he can't keep you if you fight it, if we all fight it together. That's the thing to remember, we're together. Together, we can defeat it. Understand me, baby. Remember that. If we fight it together, we'll win. Yes, Dad. - It's happened again. - But this time I expected it, Carol. Now I know something about this thing, this master brain, that I don't think it wanted us to know. What are you talking about, Allan? A few minutes ago, the birds attacked Larry. You let it happen, that boy. He'll be all right. He can take care of himself. But what about Sandy? What good will it do her if help does come? I don't know how, yet. But, somehow, you and I can help Sandy. This thing controlled Him until the very last minute. - And I got through to him. - And he was killed. Sandy's mind is stronger. This thing preys on minds. First, the weaker minds of the animals, then Him and now... But is it just our minds or are we stronger because of our minds together or... We may possess something stronger than our brains. I don't know. BEAST: Very well, Earthman. - Did you... Did you hear that, Carol? - Where did it come from? I have some secrets, too. I... I think I understand. It's not actually a voice. Well, you think. In my world, only we are allowed that luxury. - But I hear it, Allan. - No, dear. Your mind hears it. Very well, Earthman, it seems we must part. I... I don't think we can. I offer you life, yours and the woman's, for the girl. No, together we're strong, you can't have her. I have no wish to hurt you or her, but, if necessary, (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (GROANING) I can leave her in a screaming oblivion. You can't let him. Oh, he's powerful enough, Allan. Why are you here? What do you want of us? Your world. Life on my planet is dying out, or, I should say, we begin to die. You see, I and my kind have no material form of our own, and so we must use the bodies of those that do. We, shall I be specific, feed on brains. Unfortunately, they don't last very long. So we've been reduced to seeking a new world, new life. Emissaries have been sent to many planets in different solar systems. Those that return will decide our new source of food supply. This is somewhat like our own planet, though ours is a dark world. This is a perfect testing ground. Isolated, possessing hate. Hate and madness are the keys to power in my world. And this one seemed easy. Something went wrong. I've invaded the minds of the birds and the animals, used their brains and eyes against you. Every move you've made has been observed by their eyes. I have waited for you to weaken. But you have a secret, Earthman, some power I don't understand. Instead of weakening, you've all grown stronger. Even the one I was able to control completely, he defied me at the last, and he was sick. He was a victim of one of our wars. Part of his brain was removed. Allan, how did you know? Carol, he was in my unit in Kwajalein. We were out on patrol. I made a snap judgment. I was wrong. He's been paying for it ever since. I had to take care of him. I couldn't let him be laughed at the rest of his life. Oh, Allan, why didn't you tell me? Even now, I sense it. The woman is closer to you, growing strong. And she was the weakest at first. You've shown me what our strength is. It's not a strength of the mind, it's something far stronger than that. So, you want to take the girl with you? You want to test her to find out why we're stronger, is that it? She'll return to my planet with me. - No! - But why not? After the experiments, we'll all be back. All of us. So, you want to know our secret? Very well, I'll tell you. You won't understand it, mind you. As a matter of fact, it just came to me. It's the simplest thing in the world. We call it love. What is that? It's a need within each of us to reach out beyond ourselves. That means you'll never find one of us humans alone, never one mind alone. That's it, Allan. That's our strength. Each of us is bound to each other. That's what love means. Once, I remember, long ago, there was something. This is a weakness, not a strength. You're lying, Earthman. I told you, you wouldn't understand. My spaceship, as you call it here, is set to leave on the first hour of light. Bring me the girl. No, you can't have her. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (SCREAMING) - It's almost dawn. - Yes. He seemed so cold to the last. Then he seemed furious. Once, his kind might have been something like us, before they evolved into these super brains, these monstrosities. But they lost something along the way, Carol. For an instant there, he remembered, he knew. I think he remembered he had lost his soul. Carol, will you bring the rifle? - Where are we going? - To the crater. - Alone? - He's alone, Carol. We aren't. But isn't his power stronger out there? Wouldn't we be safer here? Maybe so, Carol. There's a lot I don't understand. Maybe, for the same reason, we'll be stronger, too. We'll be closer to him, we can fight. Sandy's a part of us, Carol. They can't destroy her without destroying us. I don't think he can do that. There's only one way to find out. (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) (GROANING) Well, then? We've come as you asked, the three of us. You can't have the girl. We're not afraid of you. Oh? (SCREAMING) (GROANING) Well, then? You're nothing. We're not afraid! (HIGH-PITCHED HUMMING) Take her, Carol, and give me the gun. (GASPING) (SOBBING) We're stronger than it is now. We're together. We can defeat it. It's dead. It's taking off! The controls must have been set. Go on, get out! (ENGINES ROARING) Sandy, you all right? Larry? Allan, I thought the brain had no physical being. What about that monster? I guess it had to travel here in some form, something to handle the ship. It said life was almost extinct on its planet. This was the last survivor. No wonder they were looking for a new world. I just hope that brain is dead, too. I know it couldn't have gone back to the ship because the creature is dead. It has no existence except in a new body. Dad! Look! All right. Wait! Look! - Allan, wait. - What? Have you ever seen an eagle around here before? - No. What's that got to do with this? - Let it go. Don't kill it, Allan. I wonder where it came from. And, Allan, there's something else. What killed the creature in the ship? Where did the eagle come from? Why do men have souls? If I could answer that, I'd be more than human. - I'd be... - Yes. |
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