1
It was 30 years
ago, almost to the day,
that I took my three boys
down to the Sazarac River.
I had grown up on that
river fishing for steelhead
with my brother, Reynolds.
I never spoke to my brother
again after what happened.
They say that history
repeats itself.
But it doesn't.
Not exactly.
History rhymes.
I always said it was
over my dead body
that I would ever go
back to the Sazarac.
Well, that's exactly
what it did take
for me to go back in the end.
My dead body.
You want me to help you?
No, I'm okay.
I still got one good hand.
How is that wife of yours
doing, uh, Lauren or Laura?
What's her name again?
- Laurel.
- Yeah, yeah,
how's she doing?
She's uh, doing better.
She still drinkin'?
Um, she's doing...
Well, you know, you can lie
to your wife and you can lie
to the cops and you can
lie to your mistress,
but don't lie to me, don't lie
to your old man, all right?
I pick her up from
treatment on Tuesday.
Oh, the 28 day things?
I know, I just...
I warned you about her.
I knew it was gonna be
an I told you so thing.
Well that's exactly
what the fuck it is,
it's an I told you so
'cause I did tell you so.
Listen, you wanna
help me with this, I...
Yeah, I'll do
the air filter thing...
Just put the fucking
thing in, would ya?
Here.
So you had Louie the whole time
that she was doing her 28 days?
You got to hear the
stuff outta this kid's mouth.
Like what's he saying?
Dad, I would like you, even
you killed me on accident.
What?
Better figure that one out.
What about your brothers,
do you ever talk to them?
Gus, yeah, I don't know, I
talk to him he's, you know.
What about the other one?
No, I haven't, no I
haven't heard from Pete.
Why don't you talk
to your brothers?
Hey, Louie!
Show Papa that picture
of the crocodile.
Well, you know, he's your son.
He is your boy and uh, when
a man has a son it's like
it's almost a second
chance at life you
got an amazing thing,
it's a gift, it's a.
You'll always have it, you'll
always have that one thing.
Hey, Louie!
Get down from the
car, we got to go.
Okay, all right, I got to go.
Okay, sure.
Okay.
Hey, Louie, come on, I don't
want you to miss baseball.
See ya, buddy.
Bye, Papa.
See ya.
You are just the
man I wanted to see.
I'm having a lot of car trouble.
What kind of trouble's that?
She just keeps gurgling
every couple miles,
I really don't know
what's wrong with her.
Gurgling.
Yeah.
Can I have one of those?
Sure, have that one.
Thank you.
I'd be really grateful
if you could take a look.
You think you can help me out?
I think I probably can, yeah.
I'll drive it around the block.
Would you do that for me?
Shit, this door is
always sticking,
you don't mind, right?
Well no, not at all, go ahead.
I got it.
I don't know anybody
that likes that.
Get me outta here.
- Here we are.
- Jesus.
Wow, who lives here?
My uncle.
Really?
You like it?
Oh, it doesn't
do much for me, honey.
So you're a
hard man to impress, right?
- Come on.
- Are we alone?
Whoa.
We're gonna go this
way, cowboy, let's go.
Come on.
Oh my god.
Where are you taking me?
- All right, babe.
- Where's my car?
That has my three
favorite things.
What are they?
Japanese lesbian period piece.
Yeah, I can see it myself.
Oh, you look good.
You're goddamn right I do.
We both look good.
I'm a handsome son of a bitch.
Whoa, stop shoving me.
Oh.
Oh lordy, I'm kinda dizzy.
What the hell is this?
Hey, Lou.
Hmm?
Wanna take a sauna with me?
Well, sounds like a good idea.
Well there's a
bathroom in there.
You wanna grab that and
then meet me in here?
Well there
you never told me what
happened to your fingers.
Ah, you know, I
was working on a car
and the hood came down on my
hand and busted up my fingers.
Occupational hazard, you
know, what can I say?
You know in my
imagination it's kind
of fucking hot in here, like
more than it needs to be.
Well, it is a sauna.
Plus my uncle had it
fabricated to be extra hot.
Really?
He succeeded in that, yeah.
Jesus God in heaven
it's hot in here.
What about that champagne?
Let me get that for you.
Yeah, you should do that.
You wanna know something, Lou?
What?
This room reminds me an
awful lot of your son Pete.
Okay.
My son Pete?
Hey!
Open up this fucking thing!
Dale.
Yeah, it's me.
Help me.
You betrayed the whole
family, now you're gonna burn.
We been waitin' 29 years!
Now is my time.
Let me the fuck outta here!
You aint goin' nowhere.
Where is that bitch?
Just how long has it been since
the brothers have
seen each other?
Let me the fuck outta here!
Open this thing up.
Where did you go?
Hey, when he's done
cookin' in there,
take him back to his place
so they can find the corpse.
Let me outta this
- fucking thing now!
- Nice work, Rachael.
- We'll see ya in a couple weeks.
- Hey!
Let me the fuck outta here.
We'll see you
back at the Sazarac.
Hey!
Open up this fucking thing!
Hey, Pete.
What's goin' on?
Nothing.
Your phone's ringin'.
Yeah, yeah, I
didn't even hear it.
Uh, usually it stops.
Yeah, it's probably
your brother.
He called the rangers station,
but they told him that
you were on leave.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I had to use
some of my vacation days.
Why are you wearing
the uniform then?
My other stuff's in the wash.
Hey, man, listen,
I've got some bad news.
Let's have it.
It's your dad.
He passed.
Is that all?
I just wanna let
you know how sorry...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Aw, every fucking time!
What?
Jesus Christ, come on.
Put some clothes on.
Well then fucking
call me first, man.
Why, you wanna come in or what?
What's up?
It's Dad.
What?
Wait, wait, whoa, is he alive?
What happened, sweetie?
What are we gonna do?
I got a letter
from Uncle Reynolds.
My dear Duffy,
words cannot express
my sorrow at this time.
I understand you're having
a memorial service
for my brother.
Unfortunately, obligation
has me elsewhere.
I could remember Lou telling
me he wanted to be cremated.
I don't know what your
plans are for the remains,
but may I suggest the
ranch where we grew up?
Down on that river we
had some of the most
profound and some
of the stupidest conversations
I've had in my entire life.
If things had gone
differently today,
I just know that's where
he'd be putting me.
I want you to take
the family house.
I'll have the
caretakers across the
river open it up for you.
I'll come down Friday night,
and we can all have supper.
The only problem your
dad had with me, Duffy,
was my sense of responsibility.
I sure hope we can
put it all behind us
and try to be a family now.
Your uncle, Reynolds.
They give you the
weekly rate here, Gus?
She's got jokes.
She using again?
She's 32 days clean, but
thank you for your concern.
Cheers.
You never did like
my wife, did you?
I never liked her and I
never liked you neither.
Sorry I can't place your name.
Emma.
You've met her like three times.
A little young for
you, isn't she, Gus?
If they're any older than her
I'm just not talking to 'em.
How long has this been going on?
Like a year, we met last winter.
She fell off the ski gondola.
He rescued me.
God.
I'm sure the whole
starving artist thing
seems appealing right now,
but you really are
slumming it over here.
And you know what
happens to nice girls
like you when they slum it?
They end up in slums.
Thanks for the advice, granny.
Um, speaking of grannies.
Do not do it, Gus.
I have the most heartwarming
story for you guys.
No one wants to hear that story,
not in front of the kid.
No, I'm intrigued.
One night Duffy and I are out.
We met these two GIs.
We started hanging out with
'em and throwing 'em back.
We end up back at the
GI's grandma's house.
A few hours go by and nobody
can find Duffy anywhere.
Finally, there's Duffy knee
deep in these GI's grandma.
He's going down on her,
then with the analingus.
We just sat back and watched.
Good God, it was
disgusting, right, Duff?
Woo!
Hey, stay out of there.
Is it Christmas already?
Sup, Petey?
How you doin' man?
What, did you
get married or something?
Oh no, it's something, just um.
This is my friend, Emma.
What is this?
We have Dad's
remains in the car,
we're hoping you'd come along.
We're bringing him
down to the river.
Sazarac?
No thanks.
I got to get some stuff
going on this weekend.
Besides, you haven't
been down there?
It's not exactly
a Starbucks crowd.
It's where he spent his youth.
Can't you find a
pond or something?
Come on man, Dad had one wish.
I'm out.
I don't like crowds.
It would only be the six of us.
With me I count five.
We have Louie in the car.
You're calling him Louie?
How old is he now?
He's six.
Let me see him.
Hey, Louie!
Louie, this is your Uncle Pete.
I have a Uncle Pete?
Mm hmm.
Come on.
Okay.
Do you have enough
room in your closet?
What?
He's been watching infomercials.
Crowded closets
mean wrinkled clothes.
The Bend-A-Hanger can
triple your closet space.
It's strong enough
for five winter coats.
I'll look into that.
I'm gonna ride
with my Uncle Pete.
Come on, let's go, Uncle Pete.
I guess I'll follow you, then.
How creepy is
that fricken place?
I sure hope your
uncle's place is nicer.
Yep, I'd call that nicer.
What the hell have we
been doing with our lives?
I guess we've been slumming it.
I'll take the guest house.
Aw, come on man, that's no fun.
Stay here with us.
Seriously, why have we
never been here before?
They didn't speak for 30 years.
I don't even know what happened.
Maybe some reason Dad
just never liked money.
But it never felt
right to reach out
to Reynolds knowing
how the old man felt.
Go and find
us the best room, okay.
- Okay.
- Okay.
Hey, let's go get our room.
What's with the rain water?
What do you wash your hair with?
I don't.
You should wash your
hair with rain water man.
She taught me.
It's like, it gives it
this really great texture,
just makes it feel natural.
It looks natural.
Where are you going, little guy?
We're going to pick some apples.
We're going over to the
orchard before nightfall.
Whatever, let's go.
Um, you know what,
it was a long drive,
I just, I'm tired, I just
kinda hang with Louie.
Maybe get to know
Pete a little bit?
Unless Pete, do you wanna come?
I like apples.
Hey lady, you hungry?
Do you think your boy
could come play with us?
Of course he can.
Come on, Louie,
go make some new friends.
Hey man, you need some help?
Nah, I've been climbing
outta apple trees
- since I was born.
- Here, I got, give, give.
- I'll give you a hand.
- Get back, buddy.
So which one of
you boys is single?
You don't got to have a big
dick, but you got to have a job.
You don't got to pay my bills,
but you got to pay
your own bills.
So?
So, so what?
You got a job or what?
Well, yeah, I
mean, I'm a painter.
Houses and such?
Nah man, pictures.
Pictures, huh?
I don't mean to sound a
little desperate here,
but time is marching,
I got two nieces
and we don't have
too many male suitors
up around in these parts.
You ever smile?
Come on, I'll take you
down to the Sazarac River.
Beautiful women over here.
Do you wanna come?
Nah, I'm cool.
Come on, meet my nieces,
you boys are gonna love 'em.
I'm gonna go unfold the loaf.
I'll catch up with you guys.
This is Allegra and Rachael.
Do you want some pie?
- Mom just made us some.
- I wouldn't uh
wanna impose, miss.
Nonsense, you can call me Nano.
Nano?
Hey, buddy.
Hey, Pa.
He calls you Pa.
Yes, ever since I
showed him Old Yeller.
I think you're the
most adorable little
thing I've ever seen.
You're adorable.
I remember when I was little
and I got food poisoning
and I threw up all over
my bed and Nano came in
and was like trying to clean up
the whole thing with one tissue.
That was a long time ago.
Yeah, ages.
You're so unappreciative.
I am not.
You need to give yourself
completely, just like I have.
What do I have left to give?
Give him your baby.
My nieces like
you, I could tell.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Why don't you bring
the boy back tomorrow
so he can come play with
the other childrenses.
Anyone seen Gus?
Over there.
I'm going to play in my room.
I coulda sworn
I shut that thing.
Hey Pete, was that
there when we left?
Is it carved there?
Well, that's Latin.
I kneel before no one.
How the fuck did you know that?
It's on the line in the cross.
It symbolizes like protection
among children or something.
That sounds kind of nice.
Uh, I'm going
to check the house.
You know what?
I don't like shit like that.
All this shit creeps me out.
Pete, is anybody up there?
- No.
- By the way,
can everyone stop being
such gigantic pussies?
It's 2018 in America, there
are no boogeymen out there.
Just relax.
Reynolds will be here soon.
Start a fire, have a beer.
Just chill, that's
all you need, okay?
Hope you guys are
liking the house.
Thank you for dinner, I'm glad
we could make this happen.
Yeah, always...
You're so sweet.
Laurel, what is in the,
what's in the sippy cup?
- Let me see this.
- This is.
This is Lilly's.
- Let me see this sippy cup.
- This is Lilly.
- Where's Lilly?
- Let me smell.
Lilly's not at the dinner table.
- Give me the sippy cup.
- Is what's going on.
Let me see, let me see.
Okay,.
Fuck, you stole these.
It's fine.
How'd you two meet?
Yeah, how did you two meet?
- Wow.
- Oh.
- Pete's invested, okay.
- He wants to know.
You don't want to hear
this story, it's it's...
Yeah, I wanna hear it.
So, Gus invites me
to this gallery opening
one night in downtown.
Oh, not this one.
The artist is there
with his young girlfriend
who happened to be.
Before we wed, my
darling wife Laurel.
So, we're there and Gus
sees her and cornered her.
When was this?
It was like 10 years ago,
baby, don't worry about it.
Anyways, so the
sculptor's walking around,
he's talking to donors.
Meanwhile, Gus is
draped all over Laurel,
I mean he's like trapped
her in the corner,
he's playing grabass, he's
doing little secret games.
The guy comes over and
the guy's all pissed off
and he's like, he's like
hey, get away from my chick.
Of course I didn't.
Yeah, Gus starts mouthing
off so the guy shoves him
into the waiter that has a
tray of champagne glasses.
Oh, it breaks everywhere, I
mean, it's all over my eyes.
I can't see, but I felt it.
I mean, he was none
too pleased, but.
Some more waiters
had to come over.
Yeah, meanwhile
Duffy's just standing by
watching this all take place.
He turns and he steps
up to the guy calmly.
Duffy rips his own
shirt to shreds
and takes the guy, smashes
him into his own installation,
and then he stands up and
he turns to the waters
and says, wait what'd
you say to them, Duff?
Who wants a piece of this?
In the middle of an art gallery?
- Best line.
- Best line.
And that's when I
knew I was gonna spend
the rest of my earthly
existence with this one.
What in the fuck is
that supposed to mean?
You shoulda seen it, Petey.
Yeah, Pete,
I wish you were there.
Yeah, me, too.
Pete, are you okay?
Why was he institutionalized?
We don't really know.
I mean, he's crazy as shit.
Dad never told us
anything and obviously
you can see Pete's
not much of a talker.
By the time he got back
he was just really
never himself again.
What do you mean
he was never himself,
he was a little kid
when he went in.
And I remember what he was like.
What?
Just a regular kid, man.
Let's go to bed, baby.
How's it going out here?
Good.
You never realize how
loud it is in the city
until you come out
to a place like this.
Yeah, that's why I
stay out of the city.
So, uh, where do you work?
I work at Crater Lake.
Three months off in autumn.
It's nice.
The national parks.
Aren't they a thing
to be amazed by?
Yeah.
You know, come to
think of it, Pete.
I could use a guy
like you to take care
of the property
down here for me.
You can come and
go as you please
and make up your own schedule.
Why would you do that for me?
Because you're family
and I don't see in either
of your brothers the kind
of strength I see in you.
Why do you spend time
working for strangers
when you can work your own land?
Well it's not my
land, it's yours.
But it's not gonna be forever.
What exactly
would you need me to do?
Who do you think
would win a fight
between Harry Potter
and Peppa Pig?
Harry Potter and Peppa Pig, huh?
Um, I got to say Harry Potter.
What do you think?
Yeah, because he's
been in wizarding school
for like eight years,
so that's an easy one.
Yeah, I think you're right.
He already beat Voldemort,
Draco, the whole Slytherin gang.
Like Tom Riddle?
Tom Riddle, that's
right, he already beat him.
The baskalisk.
And the basilisk.
Louie, I can see
the light, what are...
Good night, little man.
Goodnight, Uncle Pete.
Get some sleep.
What happened last night?
What was that?
I have this
neurological condition
that magnified sounds, I, I
can't process noise like that.
Just rattles my brain.
Sorry if I freaked you out.
No, no you didn't freak me out.
That's why I like
it here so much.
I always like being out
by water where it's quiet.
When I'm here I really feel
like I'm a part of its Earth.
You got any place like
this around your way?
The downstairs bathroom.
It's the only place I
can work on my music.
Gotta hide and lock
myself down there.
It's nice that you have
something like that though.
You know, I saw you play once.
When was this?
You were back in high
school and Dad invited
me to one of your concerts.
You were pretty good, too.
I remember when I was
watching you it was like...
Duffy, what
are you doing out here?
Come back to bed.
What were you saying?
- Oh, nothing.
- Finish what you were saying.
We'll talk about
it later, duty calls.
All right?
See ya.
I saw some books and
stuff, you like reading?
No.
Here's a good one,
let's grab this guy.
All right.
You ready, you ready?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
What is that?
That's a strange
thing to find out here.
What is it?
It's the chalice
of the lord of earth.
There was a pact
made with mankind.
Whoever drinks from it
is granted a new life.
It's like a Christian thing?
No.
Well, how do you
know about this stuff?
About the chalice of
the lord of the earth?
Well the chalice is a symbol.
It's called the occult, Gus.
And how do you know
about all this stuff?
It's super creepy that you do.
Creepy?
Maybe, but the occult
is neither good or bad,
it just means knowledge.
Knowledge is hidden in
symbols and symbols work.
They're at work
on you every day.
- Wow.
- They're not gonna work on me.
How does it work if you
don't believe in it, though?
In the 1950s when Betty Crocker
introduced instant cake mix,
at first it wouldn't sell
and they discovered that
middle class mothers
felt guilty about not
making it from scratch.
They added three simple words
onto the box, add an egg.
Add an egg?
Add an egg.
It's a symbol.
It's the ancient
sign of fertility.
You see, the mother
envisioned herself
cracking the egg and she
no longer felt guilty.
They entered her
mind and controlled
her thought process
subconsciously.
An absolute perversion
of her free will.
And that's the occult.
So what do you
do up there, Petey?
In the mountains?
Cut out that racket, Rachael.
Well, the other night I
watched Miracle on 34th Street.
And then what happened?
I look forward to
that one all year.
You know I like when Natalie
Wood gets the dream house.
Well why do you wait all year?
You know, they got
stores for that now.
You just walk in and they
rent out the movie to you.
- No, what?
- What?
What fucking decade
are you living in?
We don't have video
stores anymore.
You just rent the movie
right there on demand.
Push a button and presto.
I don't think I have
that type of television.
Well, you watch the
movie on TV, though,
you got to watch all
the commercials.
I like to watch it when I know
other people are watching, too.
You know, the other
night I had this dream
and in the dream I'm
watching the movie
and I can see into
everyone else's house
who's watching, only I'm
the only one who's tuned in.
Why did, uh, Dad send you away?
I never heard the full story.
Emotional problems.
Where'd he send you to?
New Hampshire State
Mental Institution.
Oh, hey, that's
where uh Kurt Vonnegut
did all that research
for Cat's Cradle.
That's cool.
Yeah, yeah, it was fantastic.
Dad sent you two to art school
and I got to go to the
mental institution.
Man, what'd you do in there?
Arts and crafts mostly.
Let's head out.
I feel like taking
a walk in the woods.
Where's Gus?
I think he's taking a steam.
Hey, have you seen Pete?
He said he was going for a walk.
Hey, Louie!
Come on, let's go.
I'm going across the river.
He's gonna play with
the other childrenses.
The what?
Okay.
What do you think you're doing?
Come on, I don't
have one in my room.
It's no fair.
Get out.
Grow up, we're practically
brother and sister.
You're wearing your underwear.
It's the same as a bathing suit.
All right, get in.
But no funny business.
In the ancient times in
the valley of the gnome,
the first born
children were forced
to swim in the lake of fire.
And so the land was
polluted with blood.
Then came Moloch,
the benevolent.
Merciful Moloch, he
commanded the Canaanites
relinquish control
of the children.
And so the children
of Canaan were passed
through the fire nevermore.
Henceforth, they were
consecrated to his high priest...
Hey, what do you say, Duffy!
What's going on, Dale?
How did you sleep?
Pretty good.
Good, some stuff got
tagged in the house.
Oh, that's probably the
meth heads down the street.
Yeah, that's what
my brother said.
Yeah, they hit me
before but I hit 'em back!
You staying at
the big rich house, right?
Yeah, how'd you know that?
Well, I saw your car
parked out in front,
it's like a one six, right?
Yeah.
Hey, Rachael, Rachael,
come here a minute!
And the parents
who passed their children
over to Moloch's priest
would not be guilty.
Future childbirths and a
successful harvest awaited.
That's a pretty cool
hat you have there.
It's a Dumbledore.
This must be your
very pleasant wife.
I barely know this woman.
Nice to meet you.
Sorry, it's germy season and
I don't like to shake hands.
Right.
Hey, um, they're listening
to a pretty cool story
over there if you
wanna check it out.
Have you seen the barn yet?
No, I haven't, but I'd like to.
You really should.
We'll watch the boy.
You two go get
yourself acquainted.
So what do you do with yourself?
You mean like my day job?
I'm a nanny.
You're a nanny?
Uh huh.
What do you think?
He said he thinks his
new nanny is pretty.
Oh.
Mom!
Well, why don't I
give you guys a minute
to get acquainted.
Hey, can you go sit
next to Rachael?
Okay.
Hey, listen to her, okay?
Where's my Chinese takeout?
Do you like being a nanny?
I've always enjoyed
looking after the children,
but actually, I'm
more of a singer.
I'd like to
hear you sing sometime.
If you weren't married, like...
- Lau...
- That's not what
this is about, I just wanted
to spend time with you and.
- It's not.
- So you are married.
My wife and her family,
they insisted on it.
So it's like a
religious thing or?
Only as it pertains to
annoying other people.
You know what I think?
I think you just
miss being young.
You know, I'm young.
I need to go to the bathroom.
You can go over there.
Just go in the woods.
Where do you write your songs?
Just over the mountains.
It's my great
grandfather's farm.
There's this old
broken down truck
that I've been playing
in since I was little.
My mom played in it before me.
We've been farming dairy
there for like 100 years.
Can we go there sometime?
We'll see about that, mister.
We should probably get
back before we get caught.
You go that way, and
I'll go out that way.
Which, do you wanna, by
the tree in like 10 minutes?
- Okay.
- Okay.
Go!
Go!
Louie!
Hey, have you seen Louie?
What, uh?
No, I I thought he was with you.
Where's Emma?
Louie' gone.
Look, put your shit
on, come downstairs.
Pete.
Hey, is my boy in there,
have you seen him?
No, there's nobody in here.
What, did you lose
him or something?
I left him with the
people we were with yesterday.
Well, I haven't
seen him since last night.
He's gone.
Well, we'd better
go find him then.
Louie!
He favors our work. Who's he?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, turn it off!
I didn't know it
was gonna turn on,
it's like 100 years old.
Well, come on, man.
Hey.
- Pete, you okay?
- You okay man?
What the fuck?
You see anything down there?
Hey.
Let's go check the barn.
I already checked the barn.
Yeah, like you checked the shed?
Louie!
Hey, Pete.
How'd you know that
compartment was down there?
What?
Oh, you don't know?
I was, I was down there
and I, I don't know,
something just...
You tell me right now!
How did you know that?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
No, show him this shit.
That's just like the
one in the compartment
where Louie's hat was.
What's going on in the
fucking guest house?
What're you trying
to say, Duffy?
You were reading him books.
Nine times out of 10 they
say it's a family member.
Do you, do you hear this shit?
I see how you
fucking act with him.
You're doing all this
fucking Luciferian bullshit.
Look it, I'm starting
to get a little angry.
All right, if you two
assholes wanna stay here
and waste time, that's fine.
I'm going to look
for Louie, all right?
Go look for him
then, you motherfucker.
You're part of my
fucking family!
You think I took your boy?
Huh, is that who
you think I am, kid?
You think I would harm him, too?
I don't have to,
Pete, do you understand me?
Did you know that the Exerciser
provides a complete
cardiovascular workout
in the privacy of your home
in less than three minutes?
If you don't stop
talking, I'm gonna put
you back in the-the-the-the
dark hole again.
I know a kid at school
who talks like you do.
He talks funny.
I told you to stop talking.
So what happened to you, Pete?
Why did Dad take
you away like that?
I don't know.
He never said
anything about the hospital.
I went away when I
was six and I was so
drugged out on scripts that
I don't remember anything
before I joined the Corps.
You don't come back
from where I was.
I don't know why
Dad sent me away,
and after I came
back I just couldn't
be around here anymore.
I don't know what I did,
and I don't know what
happened to me, but,
I haven't been able to think
about anything else since.
And that's all I got.
That's all I got.
That's it.
That's it.
I'm sorry, Pete.
No, that's all right.
- No listen, I'm sorry, man.
- It's okay.
- I was your brother.
- It's okay, man.
I was your brother,
I should've been
- there for you.
- But it's not your fault, Gus
- I should've been there.
- It's not your fault, man.
I should've been there for you.
Look, look, look, look at me.
Hey, hey!
I'm sorry.
There.
We got to go check that out.
No, no, I
think we should split up,
we're running out of time.
Yeah, let's split then.
Duffy, go find out where
that smoke's coming from,
I'm gonna go down by the river
and I'm gonna look
near the canoes, okay?
Why can't I look at the canoes?
'Cause maybe I don't wanna
climb up that fucking mountain.
I'm gonna go
check back at the house.
Why do you keep on putting me
in all these dark places?
Because that's
where the children go.
That's just the way it is.
I want my daddy
to come get me right now!
Hey!
Wait!
Stop!
Sit down.
Louie!
Where is my boy?
I don't know.
I don't know shit.
This is my son's iPad.
Your boy was took?
My son, Vernon Junior.
He got took when we was out
fishing in the creek in 1976.
You see, it's the river
that takes the boys.
When them creeks
rise, they done washed
out all the wood
down along the banks.
And not just the deadwood,
do you understand?
Them trees are alive when
the creek gets to it.
But when that pull comes,
that pull of the dark momentum,
it done washes them all
the way out to the sea.
Is that the last
time you saw him?
Oh, he comes back.
That Vernon stopped being
our boy a long time ago.
Whatever that boy had inside,
they just done ripped
it right out of him.
How old was your boy
when they took him?
Six.
They always take 'em when
they're six years old.
Come quickly now.
Call me Nano.
You better hurry
before they come back.
What's the matter, big guy?
I have nothing to play with.
If you could have
anything, what would it be?
Well, what are you gonna ask
for from Santa this year?
Reindeer antlers.
I know someone
just like Santa Claus.
You do?
Yeah, except that
he knows what you want
before you even ask.
You know how you always
believe in Santa?
How Santa always
comes through for you?
That's exactly like
the one I'm telling
you about to do for you.
You have to trust him.
Whatever happens later, just
hold those antlers tight, okay?
Okay.
All right.
You do realize this is
my brother's grandson?
Dog food is what we've
been giving all the kids.
Have you forgotten
what I taught you?
When a child does good
he should be rewarded.
Just how I used to reward you.
Did I reward you?
You you, you you.
It's all right.
Did I reward you?
You can make your signs.
Hey.
Detective Doherty.
We found the boy.
You, you found him.
We found him.
Louie?
Where did you find him?
These logging roads, it's crazy.
You know, you make a wrong
turn and the kid got lost.
Which one?
Like uh, you know,
up, up River Road there.
Right off it.
Where is he now?
We got him up the way, he's
waiting for you to come on up.
It's the damnedest thing.
Hey, what's going on?
They found him, Duffy.
They found him?
I'm sorry.
He's gone.
He's what?
He's gone.
Don't listen to
a word he's saying.
Every word from his
mouth is a sadistic lie.
He is holding your boy captive,
and he is the one that
killed your father!
Make sure Nano
stays in the barn from now on.
I'll take care of it.
All right.
Louie?
Louie!
Emma, hey.
What the fuck is this?
It was supposed to be a baptism.
It was a sacrifice.
One baptism.
One sacrifice.
Where am I?
Your great grandfather's farm.
This is where it all began.
I must've spent 5,000
hours in this room.
Your dad, too.
It's hard work, dairy farming.
But it prepares you
for what's ahead.
And what is ahead exactly?
I'm genuinely sorry for
what I did to your father,
but we are the
children of Moloch.
And he lacked the constitution
to be part of the
family business.
It's Moloch's sacred
decree that the child
be delivered in his sixth
year in his sixth month
and the sixth day of his life.
Isn't that tomorrow?
We could always have
you spawn with Rachael.
Or Laurel's young enough
to have another kid.
Two kids.
You just got to let this kid go.
See you around six.
Some of my trees
are 3,000 years old.
You know how they feed?
Their arteries run
below the surface
100 feet in all directions.
You can't see them,
but their veins
are there swallowing life.
So it is the way we come at you.
We're in your house
at every hour,
watching everything
you ever say or do.
Tonight you will
witness the dark passage.
Behold the five
sides of your shield
and consider this this
oath that we give to you,
crowned prince.
One baptism.
One sacrifice.
We summon tonight the great
Leviathan within this child
and we offer to you
his soul in veneration
on this, the 52nd year of Satan.
- May the fires of hell.
- May the fires of hell
- burn inside him.
- Burn inside him
- and give him strength.
- And give him strength.
Tonight, little boy,
we will leave this place
and go to the capital,
where for the rest
of your formative
years you will indulge
in every fleshly
pleasure known to man.
Laurel.
Laurel.
How does she know your name?
We're sisters.
Don't you see, Duffy?
They're all my sisters.
- Hi, Uncle Reynolds.
- Hi, Uncle Reynolds.
Nieces.
Hey, it's okay.
Mommy's here.
That nice man is gonna take
you on a trip with him.
But I don't wanna
go on a trip with him.
But he's the high priest.
There'll be lots of other
boys there to play with.
Special boys, just like you.
Now, turn to this
vantage and from
the dark lord's chalice.
Very good.
And now breathe.
Because when we enter
this life, we inhale,
and when we exit
this life, we exhale.
Now, take your final
breath in this room
as you drink from
the true grail.
Good.
Get away from me,
you fat piece of shit.
Duffy, no.
Let him do it.
This is his commencement.
Well yes, that's true.
No, you're doing it wrong.
Don't interrupt me.
He's right and you know it.
Pete.
Pete!
For the love of
whatever you believe in.
Get that snake away
from Louie right now.
Pete.
Pete!
Pete, no!
Stay down!
You mother fucker!
Louie, Louie, go run and hide!
Where do you think you're going?
- Get over here!
- Let me go!
Uncle Pete, help me!
The boy was never meant for you,
he was meant to be an atonement.
Watch out!
That's for Gus!
- Yes, open your both.
- Let the boy go.
Uncle Pete, help me!
You keep coming, I'll kill ya.
You killed me a long time ago.
I love redheads.
Brush this off, okay?
Don't worry, let's go.
Pete, you okay?
Don't worry, Uncle
Pete's gonna be okay.
It's okay.
Stop, you're good, you're
good, don't worry, don't worry.
Come on.
Help me get him up.
Pete, you're good, right?
Good.
What did you say to that guy?
What?
What did you say to that
guy at the bar that time?
I said who wants
a piece of this?
Oh, Pete.
A couple of girls ran off.
I'll take you to the other kids.
Hey, what happened to you, man?
Hey, is this your ball?
Yeah.
Hey, hey stop!
Who in the fuck?
Wait, just.
What are.
What do you want here?
Who are you?
You want a piggyback ride?
Up.
If that's where
we put Uncle Gus,
then where are we
gonna put Uncle Pete?
I got a pretty good idea where
we're gonna put Uncle Pete.