Brandon and the Beast Rocket's Island

-Where's the new lad?

-Missing. Already.

-You find out?

-It's a million times worse than I thought.

You know what I did, don't you? I know you do!

He isn't like all the others, Rocket.

He's an untouchable.

GROWLING

BIRD SQUAWKS

GROWLING, TWIGS SNAPPING

Who's that?

LOW GROWLING

Whoa! Watch where you're going, will you?

You're the new lad at The Knot, aren't you?

Been hearing a lot about you...

..Brandon.

What would do that?

I wish I knew. Can't afford to keep losing good sheep.

Maybe we could fit a couple in the kitchen with Meryl?

HE CHUCKLES

No!

It's got to be a fox or a badger, doesn't it?

I don't think so. Must've been something bigger.

Eh?

Well, that sheep had been hit with real force.

Never seen anything like it before.

Don't worry about it.

Probably just a Tancath.

-A what?

-Oh, come on, you must've heard of a Tancath!

-No.

-Ah.

Well...

some say...

it's like a wildcat.

Others, more like a dog.

Some...

reckon that a lion is the closest thing.

It's a beast, that's what it is!

Hardly ever ventures out in the open, so I wouldn't worry about it.

-It's not going to happen again.

-Even if it ever did exist,

which I doubt,

it's almost certainly extinct now.

THUNDER RUMBLES

That's a Flying Fear.

Island tradition.

If someone's really scared of something,

they write it down,

tie it to a balloon and let it float away.

Then there's no need to be scared any more.

-Don't.

-You can't sleep with them open.

I mean it!

Don't be so...

Brandon!

What happened?

How you doing?

Girls, eh?

You know, everyone thinks he's some security guard,

rather than your Learning Support Assistant.

-Why?

-Cos it's you.

Cos of what you do.

Whatever you did before you came here.

Well, don't you be telling them any different.

-Eh?

-I'm not thick or nothing.

No-one thinks you are.

Yeah, but they will. If they knew. They always do.

Look, I won't tell anyone, Brandon. I promise.

Come on.

Something happened last night.

Yeah, you basically went off on one at Alli for no reason!

No, before that. I cut through those trees, next to the lane.

Digdyn Woods?

No-one goes in there. It's well spooks.

Yeah, well, I didn't know it were, like, proper massive, did I?

I got totally lost.

-And...

-And what?

Something started following me.

Like an animal, but...not some little one - something way big.

When it ran, it were, like, breaking everything,

and the ground was thudding, like, thud, thud, thud.

I ain't ever going in there again. Not on my own.

Hold on a minute.

So you're saying there's this, like, humungous beast

in Digdyn Wood, so we need to go?

Rocket, to anybody else, that's a reason NOT to go.

Look, my dad said no-one's spotted a Tancath in centuries -

so imagine if we did.

We'd be on Newsround and everything! Everyone could learn about it,

and experts could make sure they're OK and make sure they never die out.

I'm not going, no way.

I mean, what if it eats humans?

More of a risk for me.

Why would that be more of a risk for you?

I'm more edible than you two. Anyone can see that!

Hey, I'm edible.

I'd be a well tasty snack - who wouldn't want a Dibber sandwich?!

Oh, I'm dealing with amateurs.

If you two are too chicken to go,

I'll go by myself.

We're not chicken! Are we?

No.

If you want to go Tancath-spotting, we'll be there.

The night... Is it 'night'?

Yeah.

..w-was.

..cold.

I've set it to take a photo every ten minutes, so when we pick it up

in the morning, we'll know who, or what, was hanging around.

Why have you brought a loaf of bread?

When Tancath-spotting, a loaf of bread is the most important thing!

Lay two slices on the ground, and it always comes running.

Why?

-So they can eat a Dibber sandwich!

-DOG BARKS

I'm joking, it's for my mum, dungbrain!

-What is it, Wayne?

-He isn't going to jump, is he? Oh!

Stay away from the face!

Lead the way, Wayne. Come on!

CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS

Hello?

What's up with you?

People.

Me too.

One in particular.

Me too.

Tyler McCray.

Me too! Why, what did he do to you?

If I say I want my curtains open...

..you should leave them open.

I don't like not seeing stuff, OK?

OK.

I was right, wasn't I? None of them were anything like me.

They all had things going on, Brandon. Everybody does.

See that one - of the hands?

That's Casey and Lena.

We weren't allowed to take pictures of their faces.

They weren't even their real names.

But your face is already on the wall, and I'm pretty sure

Brandon is your name, so you're actually doing quite well.

Tyler saw me in the library with Mr Boton.

He's going to tell everyone I'm thick now, isn't he?

It's all going to start again.

I ain't going to school tomorrow, no way.

Wayne?

I don't see anything.

I do.

It's a lair.

What's a lair?

It's what some animals live in.

Never seen a wild animal that big before.

Whose lair is it, an elephant's?!

Rocket, wait.

Dibber, get the loaf.

I think Tancath's about to have a Rocket sandwich!

The ground, it's still warm.

Something was in here a few minutes ago.

RUSTLING

DOG BARKS

Look who's there.

Let's get out of here. Now!

-What are you doing here?!

-Nothing.

-Liar.

You're definitely up to something.

Maybe we are. We won't tell you.

And nothing you can say or do will make us crack.

Give you a bag of crisps if you tell us.

-That won't work!

-What flavour?

-Healey!

-Cheese and onion.

-We're Tancath-spotting!

We're going to need a little more than that.

It's this big animal that no-one's seen in years - but the new

foster kid reckons he was chased by one near here yesterday.

Well, it's our wood now. So...

..it needs to find somewhere else to live.

You can't hurt it. It's an endangered species.

-Run whilst you still can.

-Woo!

THEY HOOT AND LAUGH

Oh, yeah.

Probably shouldn't have said anything, really.

SPANISH GUITAR MUSIC PLAYS

DOG BARKS

Oh.

Spanish guitar - always like to listen when I try to crack a case.

Helps me focus.

Talk about a criminal record.

If you've come to see me, step into the office,

if not, kindly move along.

But we're in your office.

No - you're in the village hall.

This side of the line is my domain.

Use the door.

And no dogs.

Ah. How can I help?

I inadvertently let slip the fact that we were Tancath-spotting

in Digdyn Wood, and now we think Tyler McCray

and his gang are going to go and hurt it.

What's a Tancath?

A terrifying animal that everyone thinks is extinct.

From what I hear, the only fearsome thing in Ballabungie right now

is 12 years old and lives with him.

KIDS CRY OUT

-It came after us!

-What did?

-I think...

..the Tancath.

Mum! Dad!

There still is a Tancath on the island, and it's in Digdyn Wood.

Oh, and you saw it, did you?

Well, no. But he did.

And so did he.

I found this big massive lair!

And something had just been in there.

Maybe you better go and take a look.

These kids are not going to rest

unless they know one way or the other.

Brandon told me what you saw. In the library.

But it's not what you think.

Yeah, it was.

He's 12, and he still can't hardly read or write.

You can't tell anyone, he doesn't want anyone to know!

You don't rate me much, do you?

I haven't.

I'm not going to.

Not cos you've just asked me, but because I wouldn't.

There it is.

DOG BARKS Something's in there.

INCREASINGLY DRAMATIC MUSIC

Arrggh!

It's not a beast.

It's a Lena!

Have you missed me, then?!

How could I be the Tancath if I don't know what a Tancath is?

SHEEP BLEATS

This is the one I was telling you about -

with her hand on the cave wall, rather than her face.

You and Tyler were chased by a girl?

He might've been, but I wasn't.

Only got off the bus a few hours ago.

Cut through the wood, then hid cos I heard someone coming.

Where's your brother? And your dad? Where's your dad?

-Home.

-So what are you doing here?!

Thought that more than likely things wouldn't be the same without me,

so I'd best pop in and say hello.

You came all the way to the island on your own?

-Lena!

-Oh, Lena!

I'm not Lena any more!

I want to be called by my real name.

I'm Jade.

-Has something happened?

-No!

Everything's fine - everything's brilliant!

What you've done is so...so stupid.

-What's your dad's number?

-Can't remember.

All right, so what's your brother's number?

Look, if you don't want me here, then fine - I'll go!

No, you're not going anywhere. I'm going to call Kim.

She'll know how to get hold of them.

And you can stay here until she does.

But not a moment longer.

You have gone about this in completely the wrong way.

THEY LAUGH

Was good coming over to yours again. Like old times, innit?

Why don't you come round tonight an'all, then?

Boulsworth! Here's one for you.

The Big Book of Mythical Beasts and Monsters. Hey, why don't you see

if your Tancath's in there? Or maybe there's even a Jade!

You're really not funny, Healey.

You know, Brandon still reckons it was the beast that chased him.

Kelleher! Why don't you read this?

-What?

-I said, why don't you read this?!

Brandon!

What are you doing?!

He's told everyone I can't read or write!

I haven't, mate.

But you just did.

HE SCREAMS

He's an animal, Rocket. We know he's done something terrible before,

and after today,

if he says he's going to do something terrible again,

I believe him.

There it is.

Officer Beddoe was right.

There's only one beast round here we have to worry about -

and he's in the room next to yours!

Rocket, are you even listening to me?!

You're wrong, Dibber...

You're wrong.

Yep, that's Tannie all right.

-Thank you.

-It could be anything.

Nope - I saw him back in '53.

1653. He hasn't changed a bit.

Hello? Service?

Come in, Officer, and have a look at this.

You know, it all makes sense now.

Only last week, I heard tell of a rabbit that vanished.

And before that, a couple of chickens too.

And just this morning,

my jammy doughnut disappeared from the table outside the door.

Well...that might have had nothing to do with the Tancath.

Of course it did.

Do you think?

I've never been more certain of anything.

-What are you doing?

-My job.

I've got to get a posse together to end this menace -

no-one on this island is safe until I do.

Mrs Sparks is going to be watching you like a hawk from now on,

I can promise you that.

Everyone's taking a chance on you, after...

..after what went on before you came, so just do not mess it up, OK?

And you, you don't have to leave straightaway.

Kim told me what's happened.

Why didn't you tell us the truth, eh? Why you really came.

You can stay for a little while. Just...like a holiday.

But then you really do have to go.

We can't let them capture it.

-Yes, we can. And I'm joining them.

-What?

We lost another sheep today.

Then that means it wasn't the Tancath in the first place.

Mum said they hardly ever come out into the open, remember?

Something's behind it, and we've livestock to think about, Rocket.

Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?

All I wanted to do was protect it and prove that it wasn't extinct.

This time tomorrow, it will be.

-Hey, you're here.

-Not for you.

-Eh?

-Time for you to go.

You don't come around here and start trashing everything.

-He was upset!

-There's been other stuff too.

-Has there?

Window smashed at the gym. Car scratched outside the Store.

-Graffiti down near the beach.

-Who says that was Brandon?

I ain't just speaking for me, I'm speaking for loads of people.

We know there's a reason no family on the mainland would take him,

even if we don't know what it is.

You've been the big man for ages, haven't ya?

And now some Year 7's come along, and things are diff. You're scared.

As if.

Well, you should be. Why don't we see who the big man really is, eh?

In the woods. Tomorrow morning. Me and thee.

-OK, then. You're on.

-Tyler!

Yeah! And bring everyone else who has a problem with him too.

Whoever you can get together against whoever we can.

You're against one Knot-kid, you're against us all!

Brilliant(!)

So now we've got to save the beast, Brandon...

and us.

Rocket! Rocket, are you ready?

Alli, come on, we need to go to the woods.

Looks like they picked saving the beast over you, then.

In days of old,

they didn't leave a lamb or a calf on the whole island unharmed.

Word is, they once took a farmer and his wife too.

Yep, forget Nessie. Forget Bigfoot.

There be a beastie here to beat the lot.

Animal tracks.

Fresh little blighters too!

-15 centimetres.

-15?

A lion's only ten!

There they are!

-She all you got?

-I don't need anyone else.

-Yeah?

Me neither.

GROWLING

What was that?!

SNARLING

It's...the beast!

GIRL SHRIEKS

Ha-ha! Can't believe them - haven't even played the scariest roar yet!

HE PLAYS 'ROAR' ON DEVICE

DOG BARKS

He's picked up the scent of it again!

These are fresh.

We're nearly there.

All right? Lovely day for it.

Alli!

Come here!

-Jess?

-BULL BELLOWS

Jessie?

Jess.

He's led us back to the lair.

And this time...

it isn't me.

SNARLING

Tell me that were your phone.

It wasn't.

UNDERGROWTH RUSTLES

I don't believe it.

What?

It's more scared of us...

than we are of it.

SNARLING It's OK.

We aren't going to hurt you.

I shouldn't have come into the woods in the first place.

If no-one bothers you, you aren't going to bother them, are you?

Well, they won't. Everyone'll stick to the lane from now on.

We'll make sure.

ANIMAL PURRS

Wait! Where are you going?!

This is what happens when you listen to Knot kids!

There is no Tancath - they've been leading us on a wild goose chase!

-What about the photo?!

-It's just a cat!

-So what killed the sheep on The Knot, then?

-Our bull.

Eh?!

Yeah, there's a gap in the hedge, it looks like he's been getting out

of his field, popping in to see the cows in the next.

A couple of unlucky sheep must've just got in his way

as he was charging across.

I knew there was nothing in that wood.

Er, there is actually.

There are thousands of living creatures in there,

so we can't keep going in and trampling around.

We've got the whole island.

Let's just leave the woods to them, eh?

Tancath T-shirt?

Two-for-one?

-What we're scared of the most?

-Yeah.

Horses?!

How can you be scared of horses if you're not scared of cows?

Well, no-one expects you to ride a cow.

Come on, time to let them go.

I thought you were bringing me something.

My music box. But it's gone.

You think a fairy's taken my music box.

You don't believe me, do you? You will by the end of tomorrow.

Gardyloo!

We are going fairy hunting.

Gardyloo!