The Call Creeped Out

The Curious...

..they say he collects strange tales.

And if you ever hear his whistle,

you know something creepy is about to unfold.

No-one knows where he's from...

..or where he's going to...

..perhaps not even himself.

Does he even have control over his actions?

Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin?

What if there was a reason for that?

One that you wished you never went searching for.

WHISPERING

-WHISPERED:

-Wake...

Wake, child.

I have finally found you.

You are not theirs.

If you stay...

..you will die.

Well? It's decision time.

If in doubt, go with the cheapest.

Oh, ignore your father!

A girl only gets one 15th.

Come on, Pearl. Which theme's calling out?

That one there, the sea.

Perfect.

We could have an enchantment under the sea dance!

HE CHUCKLES

Don't we need actual guests for it to be considered a party?

People will come, P.

No-one clicks except until a few weeks before anyway, you're fine.

My party's in four days.

Oh...

What if we got Dan on the case?

He could start putting the feelers out.

Forcing people to come. Yeah, that'd make for a fun atmosphere.

Not forcing, your brother's just...

You know, a bit more...

Popular?

Confident is the word I think your dad is looking for.

I would've picked a legend, but I'll settle for confident.

MUSIC: Oh Snap by Raphael Lake and Aaron Levy

Hope to see you there.

Well?

They were wondering why I was asking about your birthday instead of you.

Well, duh, me too. What did you say?

-I told them mum and dad forced me to.

-You didn't!

Do I look like an amateur? Of course I didn't

I've got an image to protect too, you know?

-Hey, Suzy.

-Hey, Danny.

-Focus!

-What did they say? Are they coming?

-They...

..received your invite with interest.

What? What does that mean?

It means...

..they can't say for sure.

It's not cool to be certain, P.

-It's not personal. It's just the way it is.

-What, and that's it?

That's the best the great Danny Storks could do?

Relax!

This is just phase one.

Generating conversation.

Return to the ocean, child.

-Was that you?

-Was what me?

You didn't hear that? Really?

See, it's stuff like this that makes you look weird.

I can't work in these conditions.

-Get out of here.

-I can't help you if you don't help yourself, P.

WHISPERING

-WHISPERED:

-Return...

-WHISPERED:

-Come...

A thousand people petitioned for conservation zones,

2,000 helped with our beach clean-up,

and everyone here signed up to my marine action group.

Oh, you haven't?

But you will though.

THEY CHUCKLE

See, it's things like that.

Filthy humans' plastic bottles choke sea life.

Come here.

-What's your name?

-Pearl.

My beautiful assistant, Pearl,

is going to demonstrate what the plastic bottle is doing

to marine life.

Jump...

..as hard as you can.

Go on.

APPLAUSE

BELL RINGS

Nice one. Thanks, Ellie.

Ah, my faithful assistant.

Thank you, Pearl.

How do you get so many people to listen to you?

Humans are suckers.

SHE CHUCKLES

I never got anyone's attention like that before.

Thank you, Pui.

Well, don't thank me.

You jumped.

If you're not getting people's attention,

maybe you should be doing that more.

What?

Jumping.

Don't think too hard.

Act on instinct.

People respond to that.

Why are you looking so pleased with yourself?

Got an RSVP. Two actually.

What did I tell you? Got to learn to trust me.

I've got to drain the tank. Meet you by the gate.

WHISPERING

What are you?!

Let me show you your power.

I release your power, child.

Take to the water.

Let me show you how.

That's it.

I will show you.

Let me show you the way.

Closer.

WHISPERING

Pearl?

Pearl! Help!

You're OK?!

Yeah.

Why, what's wrong?

What?

P...

..you were under for, like, ages!

I think you need to calm down.

I don't think you're getting how huge this is.

No-one could hold their breath for that long. No-one!

What else you got? X-ray vision?

-How many fingers am I holding up?

-Don't be stupid.

What about levitation? Any noticeable eye laser beam action?

Danny, stop it. I'm not some dumb comic book character.

Seriously, P.

This is how they all start out.

-The social outcast, the school weirdo.

-Thanks.

You know what I mean, late bloomers.

Then they discover their gift, like you did today.

I'm not special.

You SO are.

-What?

-We're adopted, right?

Yeah...

I've always known who my parents were,

-but mum and dad said they never knew yours.

-And?

What if they do?

Maybe the answer lies with them?

Every hero has its origin story.

We've got to find yours.

Why did you bring the whole filing cabinet?

How am I supposed to know what we're looking for?

The one that says adoption stuff, maybe?

Hurry up, they'll be back soon.

This is all boring paperwork.

Don't know what I expected.

What's this?

Go on, your turn now!

-What about now? Do I look more gorgeous?

-Oh, that's the one!

That is stunning!

THEY LAUGH

And now?

-It's actually an improvement.

-Oh, you!

BABY CRIES

What's that?

BABY CRIES

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES

What's he doing out here?

No.

No, that...

That can't be me.

We tried everything to find out where you came from...

..how any of it was possible.

All our research went nowhere.

In the end, what it came down to was that that baby was alone,

and needed someone to look after it.

We've loved you with all our hearts ever since.

We gave you a home.

A loving upbringing, and an annoying little brother.

We never thought about the day we'd have to tell you.

You were our daughter in every way.

I come from the sea.

It doesn't matter where you come from, Pearl...

..only how you're raised.

This is so awesome.

What am I?

WHISTLE BLOWS

All right, everyone. Back to class.

Hand me that towel, would you?

What's going on with you?

I don't know.

I feel...

..different.

Under 11 seconds, P.

Who swims 50 metres in under 11 seconds?

I don't look at the clock.

I just like the way it feels.

Oh, you've done your hair different.

Mum means you've washed it.

Oh, shush, you.

-You look great, sweetheart.

-Thanks, Mum.

And don't worry, I'm sure those RSVPs are going to start

coming soon.

24 people?

How?

-WHISPERED:

-You...

..know...

what to do.

Do it!

PHONE CHIMES

Are you leaving?

My time here is done.

Wow, look at you!

I wanted to thank you.

Your advice worked.

I've got a birthday party coming up, and for the first time ever,

everyone wants to come.

It's a rare gift, influence.

What are you going to do with that power?

Use it on teenage birthday party invites...

..or do you want to change the world?

-What can I do?

-What can YOU do?

Pearl, if you can convince one person of something,

you can convince hundreds of anything.

That's how change happens.

Is that your next rally?

Can I come?

Sure you can.

Why don't you come early?

Help me set up.

Don't you just love it here?

It's just stunning.

Away from hordes of stinking humans and their pollution.

SHE BREATHES DEEPLY

Breathe it in.

PEARL BREATHES DEEPLY

Come with me.

PEARL CHUCKLES

What?

Nothing, I just...

..I feel so at home.

-It's hard to describe.

-Try.

Like...

..like I can breathe, properly, for the first time ever.

-Hey, Susie.

-Hiya.

Everything just felt right.

You wouldn't understand.

This Pui woman, how well do you know her?

Enough to know that she's right.

Humans are destroying the planet, Danny.

Pui's got another rally next week.

I can't wait.

Hey, you dropped something.

-I said hey!

-Hey, whoa.

Just pick it up yourself if you're that worried about it.

-Here.

-Don't.

SHE SCREECHES

See how dangerous littering can be?

WHISPERING

Return to the ocean, child.

-WHISPERED:

-Return!

Come home.

What was all that at school today?

Pearl?

These dirty humans need to learn.

Dirty humans?

That's it, isn't it?

Ever since you've come back from that beach,

-it's like land is your kryptonite.

-Just go, OK.

This Pui woman, I feel like she's poisoned your mind.

Don't talk about her, you filthy little land-dweller.

What? Listen to yourself, P.

You've lost it. She's brainwashed you.

Shut up!

SHE SCREAMS

What's happening?

Pearl, stop.

Please, stop.

Stop, please stop!

Pearl!

How did you do that?

Danny...

..I'm so sorry.

Hello?

I got your address from...

..Pui?

SHE KNOCKS

Hello?

Pui?

Anyone here?

SHE SCREAMS

Pearl!

What are you doing in there?

Breathing.

You and I, we're the same.

Come with me, I'll explain everything.

For as long as there have been humans,

there have been creatures of the sea.

Not all of us climbed out of the swamp.

Some of us chose to stay...

..and we made it a paradise.

Are you a mermaid?

-Is that what I am?

-Mermaid?

These are human concepts.

Poison our history, like they poisoned the sea.

WHISPERING

SHE SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE

It was you?

I was guiding you, helping you discover your powers.

You couldn't have told me, like a normal person?

Your mind has been corrupted by the humans who stole you.

You had to learn who you were on your own.

Come, I'll show you everything.

Pearl!

-Don't listen to her, Pearl.

-What are you doing here?

-I followed you. I've come to take you home.

-She is home.

What? You expect her to live in the sea with a bunch of singing crabs?

She will be a god there.

Here she is nothing.

A filthy land-dweller.

Don't listen to her, P.

She's a stinking, barnacle-sucking sea monster.

Shut up!

SHE SCREECHES

No!

Your powers aren't designed to invite humans to birthday parties.

They're for wrecking their ships upon rocks.

Stop, you're hurting him.

You're a siren, Pearl...

..the natural enemy of the human race.

Join me.

That's not the way I was raised.

SHE SCREECHES

SHE SCREAMS

SHE SCREAMS

Enough!

Enough!

You would betray your own kind, reject your true home?

This is my home.

So be it...

..dirty human.

SHE SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE

You're not ready.

The party starts in an hour.

No, it doesn't. I cancelled it.

I don't need randoms at a party to have fun.

It was my birthday, and...

..I just fancied spending it here with my family.

Aw!

HE CHUCKLES

Aw!

Hand me the vomit bag, someone.

What happens when danger is not somewhere out there...

..but inside you?

How do you hide from it, then?

How do you protect the ones you love...

..if the monster is inside of you?