1
My father rarely spoke about the past...
with one exception.
While on his usual route from
the city to the country...
he decided to stop for a hitchhiker.
That's my dad...
always picking up strangers.
But this man was different.
He asked to be dropped off at exit 77.
A road to nowhere.
Before leaving, the man
passed along a warning--
Beware the Black Flags.
Their only loyalty is to themselves.
He advised my father to
gather up supplies and flee.
Find somewhere safe and secluded.
Hide out there...
and above all, stay guarded.
So that's exactly what we did.
The Seer.
That's what my father called the man.
Since he foresaw the end.
After that...
the Black Flags
and other paramilitary groups
began battling one another for supremacy.
Everything in sight was gutted
and burned, then left to rot.
Those who avoided getting
murdered in the streets...
frequently wound up either starving
or freezing to death inside their homes.
One thing all of these
people had in common--
They died afraid.
Cold, hungry, and afraid.
Then things got even worse.
One of the remaining paramilitary groups
succeeded in contaminating the water supply.
A single drop had the capacity to
destroy your entire immune system.
That's when all hell broke loose.
Entire cities were erased from existence.
The land that gave birth to heaven's
religions was utterly laid to waste.
Those of us who managed to survive
had nothing left to hold on to...
nothing except our faith in humanity...
and in each other.
Forget it.
You know what I mean?
I do.
That's why I'm telling you to forget it.
My dad won't let you near her.
I can't accept that.
I'm going to talk to him.
Man to man.
You don't think I'll do it?
Checkmate.
I wasn't paying attention.
New game.
Come on play again!
Dad...
Dad!
We've got visitors.
How many?
I only saw one.
Get back up there.
Be ready to give me cover.
Shuaib!
Now is not the time, Jamal.
I'm coming with you.
No, you're not.
- Father.
- Maryam!
Stop treating me like a child.
I can help out there.
I know, sweetheart.
No one here is more capable than you.
That's why I need you to stay inside
and look after the others.
Two knocks, we're clear.
Three, there's a problem.
She's sick.
From the water.
Please help me.
I don't like this.
Come here.
Come here!
Wait...
it's a trap.
She's my daughter's age, damn it.
Shuaib, don't unlock the gate.
Please help me.
Or just kill me.
I have to try.
Hold this.
What are you doing, Dad?
Don't worry. He can handle himself.
Just cover him.
Shuaib!
Shut the gate the second I'm back in.
Shuaib...
Five girls near the water spring
Only one's the love for me
Five girls near the water spring
Three are gone and two remain
If I were you...
I'd stay put.
Lower your gun.
Give me the girl.
Lower your gun, buddy.
- The girl.
- I won't ask you again!
Now drop it.
It stays in my hand.
What name do you go by?
None of your business.
Who are you with?
None of your business.
They call me Abu Eissa.
And I'm...
a drifter.
Affiliated with no one.
So what brings you here?
What do you want?
Water.
I need water.
I'll give you a gallon.
You give me the girl.
I must say...
that's very generous of you.
All that beautiful water
you've got up there.
And the most you can spare is a gallon?
That just won't do.
It's not only for me.
What if I throw in a little gift
besides her?
- What?
- I've got bullets.
As many as you want.
Nine millimeter?
No.
I've got... 22s.
How about 762s?
Afraid not.
But I do have...
Chill out, Abu Eissa! Relax a little.
I told you, it's a gift.
MkvCage.com
Wait.
I've got these.
Very useful.
Don't need a weapon to trigger them.
Any sort of pin or nail will do.
They create catastrophes.
I have no need for them.
Listen to me.
I'll give you three gallons of water.
You give me the girl.
And you and your friends
never come back here.
You don't need their permission.
This is just between us.
You're right.
It's just between us.
Shuaib! Get back here!
Can't get a mark on either of them!
Fire!
On the truck!
Shuaib!
Khaled?
Gabba?
Come on, Dad. Move!
Have them throw down their
weapons or I'll blow--
You okay?
Don't shoot!
I was just passing through.
Heard you fighting.
Chose your side.
And what brought you here?
I was looking for shelter.
There are bandits everywhere.
I was just hoping to find some good people.
Are you alone?
Glbin!
Anyone else?
It's just the two of us.
You mind if I get my knife?
Have you said hello
to the guys that shot me?
Glbin doesn't speak any Arabic.
She's Kurdish,
and my Kurdish isn't so good.
But somehow we manage to communicate.
Dad!
It's all right.
You're not hurt?
Had you more accuracy,
you might have killed my benefactor here.
I thought he was with...
I know what you thought.
It's okay.
My name is Shuaib.
That's Qais.
Name's Mussa.
You saved my father?
Thank you.
Please come in.
We can clean up your wound at least.
My son here was captain
of his football team.
Top scorer two years running.
God bless him!
I'm sorry for your losses.
We are all on this same path.
Bury the girl first thing tomorrow.
Blood's not mine, don't worry.
Mussa.
This is my daughter Maryam.
Hello.
Daoud... draws.
Graphic design and animation, actually.
Did some work for TV.
Draws.
Zaineb. Bilal.
We have guests.
I'm Mussa. This is Glbin.
Hey.
Welcome.
The palace is vast.
Make yourselves comfortable.
What is this place?
Used to be an airplane wings factory.
How long have you been here?
Three hundred eighteen days.
Is everything all right?
You've got something to say?
Mussa.
He should stay with us.
Just Mussa?
Eissa.
We barely know these people.
We don't know this man or his vices.
He saved your life.
What more do you need to know?
Still, we have to be careful.
The world isn't what it used to be.
Being careful didn't stop Mom
getting sick from the water.
I did all I could to save her.
We need a better plan
than just being careful.
That's what the Seer told us to do,
and I have faith in God.
You rely on God,
yet you won't plan for the future.
We need to take control of our destiny, not throw
ourselves in the quagmire and accept it as our fate.
That's enough.
You have to understand that...
I said that's enough!
Only Kurdish, I'm afraid.
You've done me a favor and I appreciate it.
You're welcome to stay for
a couple of nights, but that's all.
Unless you have nowhere else to go.
There are conditions if you stay.
You carry out duties around here
just like I ask.
Isn't it customary to let guests eat and rest
before asking them to make such decisions?
Please.
How did you two meet?
I found her in a deserted neighborhood.
She'd been hiding out there for months,
ever since her husband died.
Murdered, actually.
We've stayed together ever since.
It must have been fate
that brought us together.
Don't you think?
How was he murdered? Did she tell you?
He was torn apart.
Limb from limb.
Pulled from his body.
By a group of self-proclaimed "soldiers"...
who decided he wasn't worthy of living.
By some miracle, Glbin managed to escape.
Fortunately, I was the one
who eventually found her.
I consider my scars a sign of beauty.
Could you translate?
I was a teacher...
when it all started.
We were taken hostage at our school.
A rebel commander started
groping one of the teachers.
So I attacked him.
Three other rebels came in.
They raped me.
Then they poured acid on my face.
But I survived.
If I had known this was the price
I'd to pay to remain alive,
I'd do the same thing again...
1,000 times.
I'm a theatre director,
or rather... I was.
In the old world.
I used to teach my students to empower themselves
with love in order to gain confidence on stage.
If just one of my students
were still with us.
To see Raya.
A shining example...
of a person armed with nothing but love.
Who somehow channeled it to fight against
all the brutality and hatred out there.
Of course I fell in love with her.
She kindly loved me back.
And after a great deal of pleading
and all sorts diplomatic efforts...
our dear friend Shuaib...
finally agreed to marry us off
in front of God and His witnesses.
There's something very strange
going on here.
What are you talking about?
Glbin is afraid of Mussa.
How do you know that?
Just watch her. She's always frightened
and nervous when he's around.
There's something off about Mussa.
I don't like him.
Or the way he stares at everyone.
He saved Dad's life.
I know. But we still have to be careful.
We owe him an invitation to stay here.
Do you even know the man?!
It's the right thing to do!
We've done more than enough
for them already. I say we--
Maryam.
Mussa has until tomorrow to decide
whether or not he wants to stay.
Well, what if Glbin wants to stay,
but is too scared to say so?
You two get some rest.
We'll have our answers tomorrow.
Good night.
The knife.
Can you explain to me
why you trust this guy so much?
Can you explain to me
why you're such a know-it-all?
As if you know anything.
Idiot.
Call me an idiot again
and I'll tell Dad about you and Daoud.
Seriously? What are we, children?
You started it.
And you know I'd never tell Dad.
I hope you liked the food.
Best I've had in a while.
Brought me back to the good old days.
Are you more comfortable
keeping this knife on you?
Does it make you uncomfortable?
Not really. But as you can see...
we all keep our weapons
inside this cabinet.
Which stays locked
unless there's a problem.
I'm the only one with a key.
I don't carry a gun.
I'm sure you've noticed.
What goes for everyone else here
goes for me too.
No.
No.
You're testing me.
Not at all.
Yes, you are.
Because you don't know me.
You see, this knife and I are old friends.
Friends for life, as a matter of fact.
So what's it gonna be fearless leader?
Do you trust me to keep this knife
under my pillow?
Or am I the one who has to trust you?
And the next thing I know, you'll be
killing me and Glbin in our sleep.
If I had the slightest intention
of killing you...
I'd hardly have fed you dinner.
Unless you wanted to fatten us up
like goats before the slaughter.
- Ain't that right?
- No, it's not.
And I don't mean to make
a test out of this.
It's already done.
Listen to me, Mussa.
Unless you've already made up
your mind to settle down here,
you are still a guest under my roof.
And as far as I know, guests are expected
to abide by the rules of the house.
Your knife goes into the cabinet
with the other weapons.
And that's final.
I'm just fucking with you, man!
Can't you take a joke?
This knife...
is my dearest belonging.
You honestly call yourself a leader
of this pack of dumbfucks?
Trust should not simply be given.
It should be earned.
Now I know where you keep your food,
your water, and your weapons.
Good-bye now...
fearless leader.
The unworthy.
I am the Aleph and the Ya'a.
The beginning and the end.
The time has come to separate
the strong from the weak.
The worthy...
from the unworthy.
Qais.
Dad.
No!
Let go of her!
Get me something!
A bandage, towel, anything! Daoud...
No.
Stay awake.
We're right here with you.
Maryam.
Eissa.
I'm sorry.
No. No. No!
See what happens when you let strangers in?
This is all your fault.
Daoud.
Eissa, dear. Wait.
Eissa!
Where are you?
Come out, you bastard!
Come out!
Get out of the way.
Move!
Where do you think you're going?
What?
What's the matter with you?
What's the matter with all of you?
What's going on?
Don't you realize who just got killed?
Have you all forgotten who saved you?!
Where are you now?
Where are you?!
You're not going anywhere!
- I'm gonna kill him.
- Not tonight.
I'm gonna kill him!
Not tonight you're not!
We need to see to Dad.
Don't worry.
Mussa must be gone by now.
You should get some sleep.
I'm okay.
Stay.
May he rest in peace.
What are we going to do now?
I don't know.
What were we doing before?
My father found a way to keep us safe.
But he didn't plan for the future.
Do you really think he ran away?
Mussa?
I don't know...
I didn't mean what I said yesterday.
It's not your fault.
You're a good man, Eissa.
Father would have laughed
hearing you say that.
The world was falling apart all around us, but your dad
still made sure everyone knew you were team captain.
I meant the "man" part.
He never treated me like one.
It's men's work you're doing now.
The people inside here
are relying on you and your sister.
And so am I.
I'm only alive today thanks to your dad.
Consider me your right hand from now on.
May he rest in peace.
May he rest in peace.
What?
I'll wash them later.
What's wrong?
- What happened to the water?
- What do you mean?
We're fucked.
Water's been cut.
Gotta go out to the tower.
I'll go with you.
No.
I won't let you go out there alone!
Daoud, Qais, let's go.
What's wrong?
We're going to the water tower.
Stay here, Qais.
I'll go.
Fine.
Eissa.
It's not gonna happen.
One of us has to stay here.
Fine.
You still upset with me?
Don't forget to lock up behind us.
Two knocks, we're clear.
Three, there's trouble.
Don't worry.
Should we make a run for it?
It won't make a difference.
Save your energy.
Just be ready.
Hold this.
Eissa, wait.
Let me climb.
You don't have to.
Yes, I do.
Carry your weight.
That's what your father always said.
This one... is mine.
Just need a little hand here, boys.
Idrees.
Be careful.
Idrees!
Daoud.
Daoud!
Maryam, wait!
Calm down, Daoud.
We have to stop the bleeding.
Is this what Mussa was talking about?
Separating the weak from the strong?
What kind of test is this?
What's he going do to us?
It's not a fucking test.
It's a massacre.
This isn't working. Hand me your belt.
Water... there's none left.
And what if he comes back?
Where do you think you're going?
What are you hiding from us?
Tell me! What are you hiding?!
Shut up!
Everybody shut up.
If anyone here does so much as raise a hand
to anyone else, they're gone. Understood?
Why are you so eager to let her stay?
She hasn't given us a reason not to.
Eissa! Now is not the time.
What a joke.
The bleeding won't stop.
Get a fire going.
Hold him down.
Just stay calm.
Bilal, give us a hand here.
Relax, we're right here with you.
Hold him still.
Eissa!
Please don't!
Daoud!
I beg you!
I beg you!
Cover his eyes.
Please! I'm begging you!
Above the knee.
Trust me.
Hold him still.
Jamal...
You're pathetic.
Save some for Daoud.
I know you don't want to hear this, but...
we can't stay here any longer.
And Daoud is in no condition to be moved.
He lost a lot of blood.
Priority should go to those of us
who are going to live.
What makes you so sure
you're going to live?
Are you threatening me?
Aren't we all going to die?
I'm saying you're selfish.
Exactly.
Selfishness is what it's going to take
from now on, sweetheart.
These petty and childish emotions of yours
won't get us through
a single week without water.
Get the hell off me!
What did I say, Jamal?
She attacked me!
But you didn't see that, did you?
I heard the whole thing.
So what?
Who put you in charge?
Get out.
So you're giving out orders now, too?
You're not welcome here anymore.
In here, we protect each other.
Defend each other.
You want to fight for yourself,
do it out there.
Do you really think...
you'll last a day here without me?
Huh?
Get out.
What if I don't want to?
Leave now!
We're no longer
under your command, Captain.
I think we can all agree that
it's more rational for me to be in charge.
Not a kid just hatched from his egg.
First thing I'm doing is...
throwing this bitch out of here.
- Don't you dare touch her.
- Get out! Stay back, Eissa!
I'm doing this is for
the good of everyone here.
You're not a leader.
You'll never be a leader, and you know it.
What do you know?
Do you know...
that your father took my council
in everything?
Do any of you know
that I was the real decision maker?
A true leader has to protect his charges.
Can you do that?
Is that so?
Who have you been able to protect?
Certainly not your own father.
Where were you when he got slaughtered
right in front of everyone?
Who welcomed the enemy in here
with open arms?
Didn't you insist on letting them stay?
And you?
Have you forgotten how you got here?
The man who left his family behind to burn?
Shut up, Eissa.
Yet somehow managed to save his books.
Wasn't that you?
If you take one more step,
I'll blow your brains out.
You're not a leader.
You never were.
And my dad knew it.
Why are you all looking at me like that?
Are you going to let this boy
call the shots?
For what good reason?
Because he's Shuaib's son?
I knew it had no bullets.
I just wanted to scare him.
We're staying with you, Eissa.
Don't you worry about us, Jamal.
You just look after yourself.
And then there were seven.
What's that supposed to mean?
You took the bait.
Mussa is going to come for you. One by one.
He'll trap you like mice.
Just wait.
You'll be crawling out of this hole
looking for water at any moment now.
I'll be seeing you again soon.
Very soon.
Think we did the right thing?
I think Mussa's plan is working.
Maryam.
Jamal's right.
We can't survive here without water.
What about Daoud?
It's going to be hard to take him with us.
So what do we do?
We need a plan.
We have no choice but to look for water.
But I bet that's exactly
what Mussa wants us to do.
We need to be prepared for that.
If it's a war he wants...
then a war is what he'll get.
We're doing the right thing.
We have no choice.
Ready?
Ready.
Eissa.
I'm coming with you.
- What?
- You don't have to do this.
Yes, actually, I do.
Maryam.
We're dead tired.
Somebody mind taking over the watch?
I can't leave Daoud.
Can we trust her?
Haven't we been doing so already?
Let's go.
Get over here.
The canister.
The gate's open!
Raya.
Raya!
Raya!
Are you okay?
Are you hurt?
Jamal is here.
Raya!
Say something!
Can you see a way out?
It's a trap.
We can't leave him here.
Why didn't Mussa just kill him?
He wants to use him for something.
For what? Bait?
To get us in here?
Only one way to find out.
Jamal!
What happened?
He cut out his tongue.
I just heard something.
Jamal! Keep quiet!
Dear God, what...
Raya, find us a wrap of some sort.
Shut up, for God's sake!
Calm down!
Eissa.
We can't take him with us.
We'll be done for if we drag him along.
We're not leaving him like this.
Hold him down.
Hold him!
What are you doing?
What are you doing?!
Forgive me, Jamal.
Hurry! The fire's spreading fast!
Open it!
It's getting closer!
Push!
Out of the way!
Hurry.
Hurry!
Give me a hand here.
Come on, Eissa!
Help me.
Raya!
Give me your hand!
Eissa!
Get closer!
Raya!
Raya!
- Maryam.
- Yes?
Can I have some water?
We don't have any. I'm sorry
Bilal?
Maryam.
Your time has come.
Glbin!
Mar...
Maryam.
- Stay with her.
- Where are you going?
You're the only one who can save her.
What the hell do you want from me?
I want you to forget the old world.
Abandon the rules that only existed
to force billions of people
to live in mediocrity.
Think about all the chaos.
Chaos...
is the greatest gift
humanity has ever received.
You have no right to speak for humanity.
Don't you get it?
The Earth was choking to death
on useless people.
Worthless people.
Without purpose.
My task...
is to help you understand this.
The choice is yours.
Which one of you gets to live?
Decide.
Maryam!
Don't worry!
You're free now, Eissa.
This is the end.
As well as the beginning.
Right before I cut out Jamal's tongue,
he told me the gun has no bullets.
How do you know he wasn't lying?
Unworthy.
Where's Qais?
He was a good soldier,
but his mission is over.
Intelligent.
But not a leader.
We don't need more followers.
Why?!
You deserve to live.
More than any of the others.
Mussa is supposed to light the fire...
while I stay back and watch.
Who takes charge...
and who waits for others to guide them.
Those who manage to control
the situation get to join us.
Truth is, very few succeed.
But I had faith in you.
And you didn't disappoint.
You passed the test.
Only after he murdered my family.
Because they were weak.
Now the choice is yours.
When I let you go...
you can try to kill me.
Or you can come with me.
We're gathering soon in the Medina.
Join us.
Meet the others.
Let's fix this broken world together.
You're safe now.
My mission isn't over.
I have to go.
We'll be waiting for you.
It's where it all begins again.
It was them, wasn't it?
Who are they?
The Ya'a Aleph.
I don't know what that means.
The Aleph and the Ya'a.
The first and the last.
The beginning and the end.
Ya'a.
Aleph.
The end...
and then the beginning.
That was our name.
And our symbol.
You're one of them?
I once believed as they do.
And what is it they believe?
What are they after?
They took it as a given that...
the cessation of life
as we once knew it was inevitable.
That soon enough
mankind would tear itself to pieces.
And that the world would cease to exist.
Their goal...
our goal...
was to sift through the ashes
and find survivors.
Survivors who could help rebuild society.
But you left.
At first I was convinced...
what we were doing was noble.
We searched for people of
strong faith and empathy.
Those who would not lose their humanity
once the laws and governments fell.
But the more the chaos swelled around us,
the more peoples' values began to change.
As did the qualities
we looked for and tested.
I knew I had to leave...
the moment I first heard
them use the phrase...
"The worthy."
Your father...
was a kind man.
I warned him...
but he insisted on going back
the way he came.
In order to save you and your sister.
My father believed the Seer
had all the answers.
He was mistaken.
Aleph Ya'a.
This is your story.
I will meet you in the Medina.
The end of the world might have been yours.
But the beginning...
we'll see who it belongs to.