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The Host (2013)
NARRATOR:
The Earth is at peace. There is no hunger. There is no violence. The environment is healed. Honesty, courtesy and kindness are practiced by all. Our world has never been more perfect. Only it is no longer our world. We've been invaded by an alien race. They occupy the bodies of almost all human beings on the planet. The few humans who have survived are on the run. (BREATHING HEAVILY) (PANTING) Please. Come with us. We only want to help you. Please be careful. Please don't hurt yourself. We don't want to hurt you. Like hell! No! (GRUNTS) No! (PANTING) Barely a bone not broken or organ ruptured. I cannot tell you why she is not dead. This one wants to live. Welcome. I am Healer Fords. What shall I call you? You have lived many lives on many worlds. A wanderer such as yourself, there must have been a name. Call me Wanderer. When will she be able to work? Not now. Of course, Healer. (GASPS) MELANIE: No. No. No. I didn't die. I didn't die. That's right. I'm still here. Don't think this is yours. This body is mine. No, mine. SEEKER: I don't know how much you know about this new world. Almost every human has been successfully occupied. As with the other planets you've inhabited, we do not change this world. But experience it. And perfect it. What did you think? Did you think I'd just give up? However, there are still pockets of human resistance that threaten our peace. Your host was part of that resistance. You want me to locate her memories. Yes. From those memories, we can locate other rebels. MELANIE: Good luck with that. But I must warn you. Most humans fade away, but a rare few fight their occupation. Her name is Melanie Stryder. She was born in Louisiana. Her family escaped the initial waves of colonization. But it was only a matter of time. Her father was discovered alone. (GUN FIRED) He took his life rather than be taken by our Seekers and risk the lives of his children. Melanie has been on the run ever since with... MELANIE: No! Don't say it! Don't you say it! Please. I beg you. Is she resisting? Jamie. His name is Jamie Stryder. MELANIE: I hate you. If only I could hurt you. I understand why you are resistant. You believe that the loss of your will is too great a sacrifice. But we have to think of the common good. MELANIE: Call it whatever you want. This is murder. (BREATHING HEAVILY) One sound and you die. Do it. I'd rather die. That's impossible. You're human. (GRUNTS) (GROANS) JARED: Come back! Stop! Stop! Wait! Look! Look! Look at me! (PANTING) I'm human. Just like you. Get off me. I'm sorry. My name is Jared Howe. I didn't mean to scare you. I haven't spoken to another human being in two years. I'm guessing you haven't been kissed in a while either. (CHUCKLES) Melanie Stryder. I've got someone waiting for me. You're not alone? It's my kid brother. He's hungry. I ran two hours to get to this house. I can give you a ride. Hey, it's faster than running. (CHUCKLES) It's even faster than your running. (ENGINE STARTING) MELANIE: Are you gonna pretend like you didn't feel something just now? I know you felt that. Stop that! Stop! (PENCIL CLATTERS) MELANIE: What you're doing is wrong. And you know it. After meeting Jared Howe, Melanie and her brother stayed with him. They settled in an abandoned place yet to be explored by our souls. Left, right. (GROANS) They could almost forget the invasion happening around them. You haven't kissed me since that first night. Melanie, you don't have to. We could be the last ones. And even if we are, the last man and woman left on Earth, you still don't have to. I want to. When you touch me, it's... I don't want you to stop. You should sleep. Then sleep with me. All I'm saying is we have time. You don't know that. You don't know if we've got months or days. We could be taken at any moment. We only have this, now. SEEKER: Wanderer? Wanderer? Wanderer! Yes, Seeker. You have not spoken for several minutes. They were lovers? These humans are not like the other bodies you have inhabited. They have unusually strong physical drives. You have to be vigilant. Yes. They saw Seekers nearby. They were not found, but knew they had to move on. They were headed... I can't see where. A safe place with others. Hope... Before the long journey, they spent the night in an old hotel they thought was safe. Jared was out searching for supplies for the trip. Come on. Come on. Come on. Stay here. Don't move. I want to go with you. I'll lead them away and come right back. I promise. Come on. (PANTING) No! (GLASS SHATTERING) MELANIE: Now you know. I will do anything. Go on. There's nothing more now. There has to be more. I will keep trying. (SIGHS) Please do, Wanderer. (DOOR CLOSES) MELANIE: No! No, no! Wait! Stop! You were not meant to see that. You can't know that! That could kill them! Get rid of it. Get rid of it! Now! Please! You were not meant to see that. Quiet. Quiet. MELANIE: Wanderer, please. (TEARING PAPER) MELANIE: After everything you've seen, how can you still help them? (VEHICLE APPROACHING) MELANIE: Surprise, surprise. Look who's here. (CAR DOOR OPENS) What a pleasant surprise, Seeker. Did you follow me? Only in case you needed me. MELANIE: Yeah. Right. She is so full of it. What are you doing here? I thought a change of scenery might help. Change. Wasn't your last planet completely covered by water? It's been a week since you've had new information. Do you know where they are? MELANIE: If you can't say no, say nothing. Walk away. Do you pity them? The humans? Don't you? In your other lives, have you ever felt anything like this? They were brutal. Killing each other. Killing their planet. They're lucky they survived as long as they did. I do have some good news. Your identification of Jared Howe has helped. There was a sighting. I am confident we will find him. No! MELANIE: No! Ah! (BREATHING HEAVILY) Seeker, I am so sorry. I don't know what I was doing. Perhaps because you weren't doing it. SEEKER REED: We have put you through enough. Your host appears too resistant. You are going to be re-implanted into a more compliant host. MELANIE: Is he saying what I think he's saying? What will happen to this body? It is time for someone else to search her memories. MELANIE: Her? You? Yes. My body can be held for me. I will return to it when we have the information we need. Then what will happen to Melanie Stryder? She will have the death she originally desired. Unlike the way humans kill, it will be done humanely. MELANIE: Stop her! Do something! My Healer has agreed to this? No. He transferred to Fort Worth. Don't feel bad. You are not the only one. There are others who have not had the strength of will. When? We make the transfer tomorrow. We will stay outside your door tonight so no harm will come to you. Or to others. MELANIE: Please. I don't care if I die. I can't have her inside me. Melanie, I have to do my duty. You have to do what's right. She'll kill my family. Jamie, Jared, she'll kill them. Wanderer, please. Your Healer. Do you think he would help? I think so. But I don't know how to reach him. We need to find him. We have to get out of here. We? Yes! Put the chair against the door. No. The other way. How does this help? There's no way out. Yes, there is. That way. Do it, Wanderer. Move. Open it. Come on. You can do this. It's not so high. This is nothing. It's gonna be okay. Climb up. Now jump. I can't. It's a good thing I can. (SCREAMS) (KNOCKING ON DOOR) Swim! SEEKER REED: Wanderer? Are you all right? You could have killed us. (BREATHING HEAVILY) Run! Step aside. Wanderer? (GRUNTS) I'm sorry. We need to steal a car. Don't worry. I've done it before. Let me handle this. You? What are you doing? Wait! Shh! Quiet! Do you need help? May I borrow your vehicle? Please. It is important. Certainly. Can I be of assistance? No. Thank you. This is an extremely reliable model. (TIRES SCREECHING) The tank is full. MELANIE: Huh! That's a good trick. It was no trick. We do not lie. We trust each other. You guys take the fun out of everything. Where are we going? I will take you to my Healer in Fort Worth. Even if your Healer agrees to keep me inside you, I'll still be a prisoner. You will still be alive. So will the people you love. That Seeker is a lot of things, but she's not a fool. Sooner or later, she'll work out where you're going. We need a map. I'll show you the way. (JIVE MUSIC PLAYING) (LAUGHS) (SCREAMS) What's wrong? Are the memories too painful? How do you think I feel? I know how you feel. That's the problem. When you take the body, the feelings come with it. It's a package deal. Where are we? You tell me. You're the one with the steering wheel. You sent us in the wrong direction. You have been putting thoughts in my head to distract me. (TIRES SCREECHING) The Seeker was right. You are an unreasonable species. I try to help you and this is how you thank me. We are going to Fort Worth. No! (TIRES SCREECHING) (COUGHS) Will it still work? Not anymore. Now what do we do? We walk. Which way? You can go my way, or you can go your own way and kill us both. You planned this. I made a promise. I promised my brother I'd come back. How could I have been so foolish? I can never trust you again. How do I know I can trust you? I'm giving you exactly what you wanted. Taking you to my family could get them killed. We head east. Come on. Don't leave tracks. Walk on the rocks. Did you really think you could beat me? (PANTING) Save the water. We're gonna need it. I need it now. We've been walking for ages. How do you think you're going to find them? My uncle had a cabin out here in the desert. We were heading out here to join him. If he survived. It's farther than I thought. I don't know how much farther I can go. We've walked too far to walk back. (CAR ENGINE HUMMING) (TIRES SCREECHING) JEB: Melanie. (GASPS) Come on, girl. Stay with me. Uncle Jeb. (BREATHING HEAVILY) You found us. Us? Jamie? Jared? Are they here? Are they safe? MAN: I told you I saw one. Why did you give it water? On account of it was dying. MELANIE: Uncle Jeb! I'm in here! Hold it, Kyle. Why? She's one of them. Well, yeah, she surely is, but she's also my niece. Was. I'm just saying it's complicated, Ian. I can make it simple. Yeah, me, too. MELANIE: Aunt Maggie! Aunt Maggie! You don't fool us, parasite! MELANIE: Oh, God. They don't see me. They only see you. Now, Maggie. Don't you "Maggie" me, little brother. It could bring a whole army down on our heads. I don't see anyone. I'm in here. This is unkind, Jebediah. Let's go. Life is unkind, Magnolia. JEB: Watch your head. MELANIE: Where are we, Wanderer? I reckon it's safe enough now. So many humans alive. We haven't lost. Jared! Jared! Jared's alive! Jared's... (GRUNTS) Enough, Jared. MAGGIE: Jebediah, I know it's hard. But we gotta do what's best for everyone. She's gotta go to Doc's place. Just like the rest. Ain't that right, Doc? No! Jamie! I don't see any tracks. She didn't fly away. This Wanderer is living up to her name. We find her, we find the resistance. Melanie? Wanderer? They don't know a human can stay alive in a body. You can't tell them I'm in here. They won't believe you. They'll think you're lying to save yourself. Oh, God. They're gonna kill us. I'm sorry. Move aside, Jared. Get out of the way. IAN: We can't keep her prisoner forever. It's gonna escape and lead them to us. I don't want to hurt you, Jared. But I will. No! I am what you want! Stay back! I am what you want! (GRUNTS) Ian! Get it! Leave him alone! MELANIE: Keep breathing! Come on, Wanderer! Fight him! Fight! Finish it! (CHOKING) JEB: Good evening, everyone. I hate to remind you, but this is my place, and you are my guests. For the moment, she is, too. I don't take kindly to my guests strangling each other. Jeb, it's got to die. We took a vote. This ain't a democracy. It's a dictatorship. It's a benign dictatorship, but it's a dictatorship just the same. You mind telling us what you plan on doing with it? This ain't never happened before. One of our own coming back. For right now, this tunnel is off limits. If I find any of you back here, I'm asking questions second. I'll take the next watch, Jared. Keep it away from the kid. SEEKER REED: I do not think we are looking for Wanderer. I think we are looking for a body. SEEKER PAVO: Even if she were not hurt in the wreck, how long could she survive in this place? From my experience, this host has difficulty dying. There's too much land for us to cover. I am requesting more Seekers, ground and air patrols. Are they really such a threat? We outnumber them a million to one. He's still pissed you hit him. I told him you were sorry. I'm not. I know. No one's ever sorry for hitting my brother. It looks like they're calling off the search. Not that one. MELANIE: Jamie! Little brother. Do you know who I am? You are Jamie. But you're not Melanie. I want to know what happened to my sister that night. She said that she was gonna come back. If he can't know I'm alive, he deserves to know what happened to me. I'm not a kid. Please. To protect you and Jared, she tried to take her life. Our healers mended her and put me in her hoping I could find out if there were other human survivors. JAMIE: Do you have a name? They call me Wanderer. Where do you come from? Another planet. What the hell? Damn it, Jeb, I told you. JEB: To keep her away from the kid. You never said nothing about keeping the kid away from her. Jamie, that is not Melanie! She's never coming back. It's still her body that we've hurt. Get out of here now, Jamie, or so help me, I'll... Jared. I'll look after Jamie. IAN: We'll watch it. JARED: I don't trust it. Could be another Seeker. She... It is the furthest thing from a Seeker I've ever seen. I mean, she jumped between you and Kyle. They don't do that. It was trying to find a way to stay alive and escape. What, by giving Kyle the go-ahead to kill her? It? That's a good plan. What the hell has gotten into everybody? It is the enemy. Don't forget it. You don't feel bad at all. I mean, I half killed her. It doesn't matter. It's not human. So we stop acting human? This is a big planet. (CELL PHONE RINGING) Yes. There has been a sighting of humans in your area. We are commencing a full-scale search immediately. (CELL PHONE BEEPS) JEB: Something, ain't it? Found this place by accident. Really, it found me. I fell through the roof. Almost died trying to find a way out of these caves. There's only one. No one's found it on their own since I did. Kept the place to myself. Good thing, too. Without this, we're all dead. Right? Wanderer? Sound travels in these caves. Your name is a mouthful. You mind if I shorten it? Life's short. Especially right now. Mind if I call you... Wanda? We get our power from the sun, Earth. Any place we can. It's actually an extinct volcano not quite extinct. Watch yourself. Fall in, you're not coming back. Afternoon, everyone. It's all yours. JEB: Don't you all look pretty? You all got your shades? BRANDT: Yeah, yeah. JARED: Make sure you wear them. BRANDT: You already look like an alien. Makes you feel like a human being again, don't it? Bad joke? You have the resources you wanted, Seeker. I know you must have seen a lot, but you ain't seen nothing like this. WANDERER: Nothing. How? Same way the magicians do it. Mirrors. MELANIE: And they all said Jeb was crazy. How many crazy people could pull this off? It's almost ready to harvest. Can't come too soon. We sure need the grain. Everyone here thinks you're going to betray us to the Seekers. Makes sense. Why else would you be here? What I can't wrap my head around is what kind of a plan was that? Walking into the desert with no backup and no way to get yourself back? So if, like you say, you weren't coming here for the Seekers, why were you doing it? Then I started thinking, when they put one of you in our heads, do we still exist? Trapped in there? If our memories are still alive, are we? You gotta believe some people wouldn't go down without a fight. Hell, I know I wouldn't go quiet. And I've never seen fight like in Mel. What she'd fight for, more than anything, is the people that she loves. I wonder if a love like that might play on someone's mind. Heart. It might get somebody to do something they wouldn't ordinarily do. Maybe you're here 'cause you do actually care about Jared and the kid. You. Wanda. (WHISPERING) He sees everything. He's not crazy. He's a genius. MELANIE: I think he's both. Yeah, I wonder a lot about a lot of things. And I'm not the only one. Care to join us, Jamie? Uncle Jeb. How did you know I was here? (HELICOPTER WHIRRING) Mirrors. Mirrors! Mirrors! Help him! I saw something! Now, come on! Help! (BREATHING HEAVILY) I saw evidence of humans. I see evidence of us. There's nothing here. Thank you. They're gone. They're gone for now. Jared and the others are still out there. Jamie, why don't you take over guard duty for a spell? What do I do? You just keep an eye on her. You'll figure it out. This way. You can't give a boy a loaded gun. That's why I didn't. MELANIE: Where is he taking us? Aren't you taking me to my cell? I miss the outdoors. And I was thinking that maybe you're starting to miss it, too. (WHISPERS) Be real quiet. Okay. Sit here. You can open your eyes now. What stars are these? I've never seen this constellation. They're not stars. They're glowworms. You have to be quiet or they get scared and stop shining. When I miss the sky, I come here. It's beautiful. Wanda? I heard what Uncle Jeb was saying. He thinks that Melanie might still be alive. Inside there with you, I mean. MELANIE: Jamie! Can that happen? Does it, Wanda? Why won't you answer me? Is Melanie still alive? Wanda, please. MELANIE: Forget what I said. Tell him. She promised she would come back. Yes. Has Melanie ever broken a promise to you? (CHUCKLES) (SOBS) I love you, Mel. She loves you, too. She's so happy you're safe. Is everybody like that? Does everybody stay? No. Not like Melanie. She's special. She's very strong. She wanted to keep her promise. She couldn't have kept her promise if you didn't help her keep it. Thank you, Wanda. WANDERER: It's our secret. Okay? Good evening, sir. Can I help you? (GRUNTS) I think you can. Come on, hurry. You guys all right? Yeah. No racing. Yeah, sure. It's ready. I figured it's time you started earning your keep. I'll see you both in the east field. Morning, Jamie. Wanda. JAMIE: Come on. Wanda? Yeah. Wanda. MELANIE: Why is he looking at you? Why are you looking at him? Don't forget. He tried to kill you. Did you hear me? He tried to kill you. Don't you dare smile at him. (MELANIE EXCLAIMS IN ANNOYANCE) (HELICOPTER WHIRRING) (GROANS) JEB: You better take care of that. There. That one drives faster than the limit. (BRAKES SCREECH) SEEKER: Please stop your vehicle and safely exit. Fire! AARON: It ain't doing any good. I don't care! Keep firing! (GUN FIRING) (ENGINE REVS) (TIRES SCREECHING) (GUN FIRING) Don't get caught. Take him out! SEEKER: Please stop your vehicle and safely exit. Switch off your engine and safely exit. There are others. JEB: I always liked science fiction stories. Never dreamed I'd be living in one. How many planets have life? MELANIE: Just remember, Wanda, you're not one of them. Twelve that we know of. Four I've never been to. We've just opened up a new world. You've conquered 12 planets? That's not how we see it. We have always lived by bonding with another species. It is how we survive. We try to live in harmony. (GUN FIRING) Speed up! Lose it! No! Let him catch us. (BRAKES SCREECHING) Let's go! We've got enough! Let's go! (BREATHING HEAVILY) We almost had them. SEEKER PAVO: Seeker. This is not who we are. You have killed a soul. We have to make sacrifices. This is a war. This war is over. The last of the resistance will die out on its own. They will become extinct. But I think there is a war raging in you, Seeker. We're going home. So are you. You don't know what's going on. We are losing control. DOC: Wanda. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? Over a thousand of your years. I have not completed one full revolution of your sun, yet I have found that Earth is more beautiful and harder than any place I have ever been. I've gotta say, this is the most interesting conversation I've had in forever. JARED: What is this? This has gone on long enough! Out of the way! She's not a threat. JARED: No? Aaron and Brandt are dead thanks to the Seeker looking for it. Almost got us, too. I'm gonna end this once and for all! JAMIE: Jared! You can't! Why not? Because if you kill Wanda... MELANIE: Oh, no, Jamie! ...you'll kill Melanie. She's still alive in there. I believe it. You're all letting it fool you! Come on, Jamie. I'm so sorry. I'll go back to my cell. No. This'll blow over. You can stay in my place. She'll be safe there. Mmm. You tried to kill me and now you're protecting me? Strange world, isn't it? The strangest. JARED: What's wrong with you, Doc? DOC: You want to try? You try. IAN: Wanda? I just want you to know that I trust you. And I believe you're telling us the truth. But I... I gotta ask. What's it like for you and her, living in there together? It's crowded. Let me know if you need anything. I'll just be right out here. (EXHALES) MELANIE: I think he likes you too much. What is too much? If I've got anything to do with it, you'll never find out. (GASPS) I know it's with you. MELANIE: Oh, God. JARED: I'm not gonna kill it. I just want to talk to it. It's okay. I will talk to him. Her name is Wanda, not "it." I'm so sorry about what happened out there, to your friends. I never meant to hurt anyone. Wanda, Jamie and Jeb believe, Ian, too, that Mel is still alive and kicking in there. MELANIE: I am! I am! In fact, Jeb has this crazy notion that you're here for Jamie and me. You brought Melanie back to us. I can't believe it. I don't want to believe it because her being in there, trapped, that makes it so much worse somehow. But I gotta know. Is Melanie in there? MELANIE: Whatever happens, happens. Just tell him I'm here. Tell him I love him. (WHISPERS) I'm afraid. You see, the thing is, Wanda, I haven't stopped dreaming about Melanie. I dream about you, too. I miss everything about her. And I would do anything to get her back. You know what makes this so much harder? It's still her body. If it wasn't for those eyes... I got to thinking. If I can't kiss her, I can kiss you. What? No! What is he doing? No! Stop it! Stop! Now! Don't do this! No! No! I knew it. Mel. You're really in there. You hit me for kissing it. Mel, I love you. I know you can't say it back, but I love you. MELANIE: So now he believes it, too. It doesn't help anyone. Knowing I'm a prisoner in here just hurts them more. KYLE: Wanda! Hide. Hide! Hide! Wanda. Wanda! (GASPS) Wanda, get out of here! Run! Run! (GRUNTING) Grab my hand! What are you doing? Let go! He'll die! Good! If he dies, he can't kill us! No! Help! Help! You're lucky your head's harder than any rock in this place. You'll live. Don't be too sure about that, Doc. What happened? Tell him. It was an accident. Like hell! I thought you didn't lie. Kyle slipped. Sure he did. If that's what it says happened... Oh, come on. We all know what happened. He tried to kill her. And for some unknown reason, she saved his sorry ass. If it's true, Kyle, you're out. Did he try to kill you? It's not saying he did. You're the one who has to live under the same roof. Kyle, I'm warning you. Don't you even look at her wrong. I haven't shot anyone in a long time. Kind of miss the thrill of it. We gotta get back to work. Come on, let's go. JARED: Hey, Jeb. We're going back out. JEB: Too many Seekers out there. JARED: No. We lost a lot on that last run. There are a couple of things that I need. Take Kyle with you. Come on, Kyle. And, you, keep away from her. You want to take a walk? Didn't Jared tell you to stay away from me? Yeah. MELANIE: This is not a good idea. You can open your eyes now. I'm outside! (CHUCKLES) That really is the sky. I like you, Wanda. I like you, too, Ian. MELANIE: You did not say that. No. Not like that. Get his hands off me! This can't work. What are you doing? Let me guess. You're of two minds about it. Is this about Jared? Yes, it's about Jared. Melanie is in love with him. And you? Tell him. Tell him! This body loves him. Since it is now my body, so do I. But I also have feelings of my own. No, you don't. Wanda, no. Stop! You are not going there. What about Jared? This is very complicated. Is there any way Melanie can give us some privacy? Look the other way a moment? Step into the other room? You wish. I don't think that's possible right now. You know, it's not really me you like. It's this body. You couldn't care for me. If you could hold me, me, in your hand, you'd be disgusted. You would crush me. You don't know that. Wanda! No! This is so wrong. You're not even from the same planet! I'll do something. I'll hurt him! Strange to be in a body that won't let me use it. I think you'd better take me back. Hallelujah! As you say, I'm still of two minds. Okay. You're angry when I kiss a man you do love and angry when I kiss a man you don't. It's very confusing. (TREMBLING) I am not weak. I am in control. WOMAN: You will never win. WANDERER: Jamie. Where is everyone? I don't know. MELANIE: Why is he lying? He never lies. Your leg should be better by now. You need to see Doc. I just came from there. He told me to go and lay down. I'm going to wash up. I'll meet you in your room. This doesn't make sense. What is Doc thinking? What's more important than getting Jamie better? Hold on. Wait. Wanda, go back. Go back! Wanda, don't go in there! Turn around. Go back! Oh, God! JEB: Enough! (INDISTINCT TALKING) No! (SOBBING) Monsters! JEB: Wait! Wanda! Wanda! MELANIE: Wanda! Wanda! Stop! Get out of my head! Get out! I'm sorry. You know, there are easier ways to die than starving yourself to death. Yes. I could always visit Doc. What did you expect, Wanda? You expect us to just give up? This is our world. We haven't just lost a war. We're dying out. We're trying to get our people back. What you're trying to do is impossible. It doesn't work like that. All you are going to do is keep murdering more of both of us. For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I can't stay here. Not with you slaughtering my family in the next room. If you say our way won't work, I'll tell the boys no more hostages. It's probably for the best. I don't think Doc could take much more. How can I trust you? I trusted you. There's something else. Melanie? Are you there? Melanie, where are you? Jamie is hurt. I need you. Talk to me. Melanie, please come back. I can't do this without you. Wanda. I want you to know about Doc and everything. Don't worry about that now. We have to get you better. You sound like Melanie. Did Melanie say that just then? Yes. IAN: Wanda. I need you to kiss me. What about Melanie? Don't worry about Melanie. No. Kiss me like you want to get slapped. What? Was she stopping you? No. That's the problem. We're alone. She's gone. Ever since I told her to get out of my head, she's... I'm afraid I've lost her. She got so angry before when you kissed me. I thought she'd come back. Then I guess you'll have to make her really angry. (CLUCKING) Kiss her. I lost Melanie. I don't know if she's still there. You need to bring her back. She hates me kissing you. Okay. JARED: Melanie, come back. I will not lose you. MELANIE: Jared. Melanie? Oh. Stop! (GRUNTS) Melanie, you bit me! Wanda, what the hell? Melanie, I'm so glad you're back. Did I leave? For three days. You don't know what I've been through to find you. Yeah, you look like you were suffering. We have to help Jamie. He's hurt. Come on. JARED: Stop. Stop. Where are you going? It's infected. It's got into Jamie's bloodstream. He needs medicine. There's no medicine out there. You souls have destroyed it all. He doesn't need your medicine. It's too late for that. He needs ours. You have to take me out of the cave. You'll have to trust me. Cut me. I need a wound like Jamie's. I can't do that. I'll be healed in minutes. MELANIE: Take it from him. Do it yourself. They'll be suspicious of this scar. I can cover it with a cut. It's gonna be okay. Excuse me. Goodness. We have an emergency. You can do this, Wanda. I'm Healer Skye. What happened? Tell her you tripped. Tell her you tripped! I tripped. With a knife in your hand. With a knife in my hand, cut myself. You poor thing. Let's fix you up. Heal. Seal. MELANIE: Send her away. If it is no trouble, could I please have some water? Of course. Hurry! Take it! What do you think? Perfect. Thank you. Goodbye. What are you doing? We have to go. JARED: Is he alive? Barely. DOC: What is all that? Medicine. Wait! No. No. We don't know what that'll do. She knows what she's doing. We all know what will happen if we do nothing. He'll die. JARED: Doc. It's okay. WANDERER: Please. Do it. Doc, do it. That's it. MELANIE: Come on, Jamie. Open your eyes. Please. Jamie. Hey, buddy. You're getting good, Doc. (ALL LAUGHING) I've walked out of plenty of stores without paying. First time anyone's been happy about it. I liked it better when we were stealing. You spoil everything, Wanda. WANDERER: No, Wes! Hello, Wanderer. Seeker. Why did you waste the medicine on me? Aren't you going to kill me? Can I speak to her alone? MELANIE: Does that include me? I guess it does. We'll be outside, Wanda. You just say the word. SEEKER: Huh! Wanda? Surely, you go by "Melanie" now. Did you ask to kill me yourself, Melanie? What are you waiting for? I'm not here to kill you. Oh. You're my interrogator. I do want to know something. Why? Why couldn't you just let me go? Because I was right. I know the threat a weak soul like you represents. Unlike you, I am doing my duty. I am fighting for us. We cannot live with them like the other worlds. You, more than anyone, know that. Did you come alone? Other Seekers will come looking for me, just like I came looking for you. No one else is coming to find you. You die, and the danger dies with you. The people here will be safe. So you are going to kill me. Wanda, what is this? What are you thinking? Don't put up walls against me. Talk to me. Wanda? I never got the chance to say how truly... There's a way to make up for it. I know how to do what you have been ending so many lives trying to do. I can take a soul from a body. MELANIE: You can do what? What are you saying, Wanda? I will only give you this knowledge on the condition you do as I ask and promise that no harm will come to any soul. I can promise you that. There's one other thing you must promise. And you must promise to keep it a secret. You have to let me die. No! No! No! I can't do that, Wanda. I... I can't. It's the only way I can give you what you want. Wanda. No. She's out. JEB: So you don't want us to kill the Seeker. She killed Wes. Who knows how many others? She wouldn't blink about butchering us. There's been too much killing. Not death. Exile. You want us to forgive her. And let them go, just like that? Yes. We souls can leave the same way we arrived. I will send her away. By the time she reaches another planet, your grandchildren will have died of old age. You have always tried to extract it by force. The secret is, you do not remove it, it removes itself. You coax it out. You have always seen it as the enemy. It can feel the hate. It can only be captured by kindness. Love. Ian, help me. Thank you. What is your name? I'm Lacey. (LAUGHS) My name is Lacey. I've been screaming inside for years. Nobody could hear me. You're the reason why she wouldn't leave me alone. Yes, she wasn't just after humans. She was hoping to find a way to fight the hosts. Like me. And you, Melanie. Who fight back. Have a safe trip. MELANIE: And a long one. WANDERER: Always send the souls to the most distant planets. Wanda? Do you miss it out there? The other worlds? I miss many things. Don't you miss Melanie? Don't you want your sister back? She's here now. MELANIE: You know he's right. Not the way she needs to be. I think... I think it's time to move on. Leave us? Yes. But you can always come back, right? I asked you here so no one would shout. I wish I could shout loud enough for them to hear. As soon as I knew what to do with the Seeker, I knew there was a way for all of you to get your loved ones back. Without hurting the souls. But, of course, I knew I had to give Melanie back to herself. And leave. That can't happen, Wanda. We need you. Us or you? MELANIE: Tell them the truth. You're not leaving this world. Tell them what you're really gonna do. Now that you have this knowledge of how to extract a soul from a body, you can survive without me. And what does Mel say? She's always wanted her life back. Don't speak for me. You're lying. I have to go. You don't have to decide right now. Think about it. Promise me you'll think about it. You are not leaving me. I can't stay. But I love you. I love you. Don't say it like you're saying goodbye. I love you in every way that I can. And I'll miss you the most. I miss the future I might have had with you. You're willing to sacrifice that? Sometimes we have to make sacrifices. No, I can't let you go. I won't. Let me talk to Melanie. She's not there right now. She stepped into the other room, so I can kiss you. I really can't talk you out of it? No. It's time. I want to die. If you had lived a millennium always in the body of another, you might feel the same way yourself. MELANIE: Wanda, my sister. Yes, sister? Please don't do this. Don't you want to be with Jared? And Jamie? It doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to die. You really could go to another world, the way you've been telling everyone. Thank you, but by the time I got to the closest planet, you, Jamie, Jared, Ian, everyone on this world I care about would be long dead. I don't want to go on without you. I love you, Mel. I love you. You are the purest soul, human or not, that I've ever met. The universe will be a darker place without you. Be happy, Mel. Be happy that after living so many lives, I finally found something to die for. Goodbye. Goodbye. IAN: Wanda? Wanda. Wanda? Wanda, can you hear me? WANDERER: Where am I? Who am I? You're you. Hello, Wanda. WANDERER: Melanie? You might want to see yourself. IAN: You still do that with your hair. Doc, you broke your word. They broke it for me. They made me keep you alive. But I told you I didn't want to take another life in any world. You didn't. JEB: We've been taking souls out of humans for a month now. But when we took the soul out of that body, she never woke up. The body was dying. The only way to save her was to put you inside. You haven't killed a body. You've given it life. I miss you in my head. What are you thinking, Wanda? I'm thinking how happy I am. (RAIN DRIPPING) It's a strange world. The strangest. NARRATOR: Our world isn't like the other worlds they came to. The way they see it, human beings are just so alien. But if one of them can find a way to live with one of us, I wonder. (TIRES SCREECHING) Seekers. (BRAKES SCREECHING) No one gets taken. Everybody out. Seeker, I can... Everybody out. Now. Hmm. Little bright out tonight, is it? You're human. Human. Mmm-hmm. Not all human. Are you their prisoner? (GUN CLICKING) Yes. No. I'm not their prisoner. I'm their friend. They're human. Human as you. (CHUCKLES) We thought we were the last survivors. So did we. Till we found three other groups. Now four. Thought I was the only one who switched sides. I guess you never know where you're gonna find your home. |
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