Cold Creek Manor

This film contains very strong language.

NEWSCASTER: The family of a woman who died

after a botched police raid

intends to sue the City for 500 million,

naming the City, the Police Department,

and the officers involved in the raid.

You're listening to WNYC at wnyc.org.

It's 50 degrees right now.

We have cloudy skies over the city

and for Monday night...

ALARM BUZZES

BREATHING HEAVILY

GROANING

Mm.

Uhh. SHE COUGHS

Remember to reset the clock.

Yeah.

INTERCOM PLAYS INDISTINCTLY

Look at this.

Almost 8% up from last year.

Yeah, but that's a nationwide trend now.

What are you thinking?

More cutbacks?

I'm not sure.

We'll know more after this afternoon.

Oh, by the way, I caught the last ten minutes

of your husband's, uh, documentary the other night.

Really interesting stuff.

I'll let him know. He'll be pleased.

It's a real labour of love for him.

He was what, the, uh, director?

Yeah, director.

Producer, writer, voice-over.

It's real low-budget stuff.

It's tough to make a living in that business.

Oh, shoot.

Kids!

Up, up, up, up!

We're late.

Your mom forgot to reset the alarm again!

Dad, these shoes hurt.

Well, then change them.

Kristen!

Pour your juice, Jesse. Just pour your juice.

Shit!

Where's Mom?

She's in Cincinnati or Chicago.

Someplace like that.

Oh, my God, it's late.

I have to be at school early today.

That's not gonna happen.

Yeah. Dad, do they have a Niketown in Milwaukee?

Actually, I'm just gonna call Mom.

Jesse, she is on an airplane.

I know that. I'm leaving her a message.

Leah, I have to make a very big decision by this evening,

so let me ask you something.

Ahh, what would you say if...

..I offered you the VP slot?

Wow.

Do I have to say yes right now?

When do we have to be back?

We're booked on the 6.00 flight.

Let's stay over.

And discuss this over dinner.

No, listen. Tell them I'm five minutes away.

JESSE: Dad.

I've got the presentation. I'm ready to roll.

Just around the corner.

OK, Dad, Dad, I really need...

All right. I've got it.

MOBILE RINGS

Cooper's office. Jesse speaking.

LEAH: Kiddo. Hey, Mom.

HONKING HORNS

These new shoes are really hurting.

OK, honey. We'll go this weekend and get you some Vans.

JESSE: That's what you said last week.

HONKING HORNS

Jesse, we've got to go.

See you later. Bye.

Good. All right. Hang on.

Bye, kids. Love you.

All right. Give me a hug.

All right. Hold your brother's hand and go on out.

Have fun. HONKING HORNS

Kristen! Hold your brother's hand.

What are you doing? It's almost 8.30.

Well, we ran a little bit behind today.

HONKING HORNS

No. Don't go over that way.

JESSE: Why not? DRIVER: Hey, asshole!

HONKING HORNS

Jesse, stop! Jesse!

TYRES SCREECH Oh, my God.

Cooper?

Oh, my God! Jesse!

Jesse! Jesse!

SHE PANTS

We've got to get out of the city.

How are we gonna do that?

LEAH: So what about my job?

COOPER: Take a year off.

Write a book. You always wanted to write a book.

KRISTEN: Mom, how can we afford something so big?

Well, we would get a lot of money

for our house in the city.

Big houses in the country cost a lot less

than tiny houses in New York City.

COOPER: Plus, there are some houses

that the bank has foreclosed on.

That means someone ran out of money

and so the bank can sell it at a really cheap price.

KRISTEN: That's screwed up.

LEAH: Well, so is your attitude, young lady.

MAN: I was reading the articles.

Sure you were.

I was. LAUGHING

Hi. Uh, could you fill it up

with unleaded regular, please?

Sure.

I'm gonna stretch.

Ahh.

Ooh.

Do you want me to check the oil?

Oh, that's OK.

Great weather.

Yeah, nice.

Uh, we're serving lunch.

You want me to tell you the specials?

Oh, that's all right. We already ate.

KRISTEN: Hey, mom. LEAH: What?

How many more of these stupid houses

do we have to see today?

This should be the last one.

I couldn't get arranged to get inside,

so we'll just take a quick look

and then we'll be on the way home, OK?

Promise.

Where you guys headed?

Cold Creek Manor.

So if we just go on down the road here,

are we going in the right direction?

Yeah. It's about a mile that way.

Thanks.

Huh. Wow.

Wow. Ooh.

Ahh.

Hey, don't fool with that, OK?

- Look. - What?

- It's unlocked. - Hey.

Here, hold this.

- It's unlocked. - What are you doing?

Dad, you can see it from right here.

- Cooper. - What?

Come on. We'll just take a look.

Just take a little peek. Nobody here.

Dad.

LEAH: Kristen, you stay close to your brother.

COOPER: Hey, stay together.

JESSE: Catch me!

COOPER: Kids...

Once again, don't go far.

DOOR CREAKS

LEAH: (I mean, we are about to break the law here.

JESSE: (Yeah, Dad, let's break the law.

LEAH: (We're just gonna look around for two seconds,

(and then we're out of here.)

COUGHS Oh, sorry.

(Thanks, Dad.)

What are these?

Those are farming... things.

For what?

For farming.

Uh, yeah. Dad, we got that.

WINGS FLUTTER

DISTANT PIANO MUSIC

Will we buy this house, please? It's so cool. Can we?

I don't know. I don't know.

What do you think, angel?

It's pretty cool.

Mom, what do you think? We'll see.

Aah!

We had no intention to break the law.

No harm done.

I didn't know the property was on the market yet.

Yeah.

Don't bother, young lady.

Mobiles do not function in Bellingham.

You folks gonna buy it?

Uh, we'd like to.

We're thinking about it.

ENGINE STARTS

Well, if you decide to buy,

better you than some guru and his cult.

Heh.

We could do with some new blood in the county.

You kids put your safety belts on now.

Seat belts. Ahem.

OK, folks, take care.

Rather than picking out a nice piece,

I'm willing to make a generous offer of 18.5

for the entire contents.

Excuse me, but I'm from New York, OK?

Go tell your father I need him down here right now.

OK.

Dad...

- Dad. - Yeah?

Mom needs you.

Oh. In a minute, Jesse.

OK. She said she needed you now.

I know, I know, but I'm busy right now, OK?

Stan, Declan, this way. Come on.

All right. Stan, put that box right over there.

Declan, take that box up to the office.

Grady?

All this goes, too?

Uh, yeah.

I think so.

Uh, what about this room?

Oh, my God. There are so many rooms.

I know. Heh-heh.

Oh, boy. Yeah.

Paperwork.

MAN: Yeah, let me tell you.

Maps and more maps.

THUD

HE SNIFFS

"Hammerhand will find the weak,

"Throw them down to rot and wreak.

"Mash your skull and toss you in.

"Your pain is short, your blood runs thin.

"Strong are spared to breed and spawn

"And graze around the devil's yawn."

DISTANT CHATTER

DISTANT CHATTER

What are you doing?

Just going over all these papers.

The kids are starving. Want to go eat?

Yeah, I'm hungry.

Yeah, me, too.

Look at this.

- Is that this house? - Yes. Look at that.

Wow.

That was taken in the '30s. Look at that car.

LAUGHTER

Isn't that great? Look at the yard.

Doesn't look like that now.

No, but it will again.

Think so? After you mow it.

Ha ha ha.

Let's go eat. I'm hungry.

OK.

Heh.

LEAH: Kristen,

would you mind hanging up the phone...

Where'd you get that jacket?

LEAH: ..And join the rest of us for dinner, please?

All right then. Uh, hot drinks.

Who had the tea? Uh, she had the tea.

You had the tea? LEAH: Yeah.

For you and for you.

Do you want any cream, any sugar?

I'll take some cream. WAITER: Cream.

How do they have any right to be dumping his stuff?

They bought it. They bought everything in it.

So? They could rent a locker.

They could put it in storage.

They're selfish. You know...

And the cream. Thanks.

Everything's, uh... food's OK?

Yeah, good. Everything's good?

Hey, I'm Cooper, by the way.

Ray Pinski.

How are you? Great to meet you.

This is Leah, Kristen, and Jesse.

Hi to Jesse. Hi to Kristen.

Ray... Ray?

Oh, uh, my wife.

I'm Ellen Pinski. Hi.

This is our daughter Stephanie.

Hi.

That's Stephanie. Hi.

Do you, uh...

Do you kids like horses?

Mom...

COOPER: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, sure.

Well, Stephanie has a horse,

and I think he needs feeding right now.

Would that be OK?

Yeah, sure. Hey, hey.

Cool. COOPER: Want to go?

LEAH: Kristen, why don't you go, too?

Hmm? Go on. Go.

(I said...I said go.

(Go now.)

Why don't you leave that cell phone here with me?

Then if someone calls, I can tell 'em where you are.

GEORGE STRAIT: # I dearly love to be... #

They're at that age.

< LEAH: Yeah.

Kids love horses, though.

Well, basically, she loves cellphones,

but I'm hoping she'll move into horses eventually.

Hey, uh, really, come on. Sit down.

RAY: We shouldn't.

Oh, good(!)

They're bonding with the Pinskis.

HE CHUCKLES

Been five years or so.

Well, then you're locals, then, huh?

Well... well, I mean, ha!

Ahem. I wouldn't go that far,

but, uh, we've been here a long time.

Yeah. It takes time to get there. >

I mean, we send everyone Christmas cards every year. >

RAY: Christmas cards.

But...haven't gotten one back yet.

OK, now this is a bit of a sore point, but I mean,

I don't think it's anything personal, you know?

Did you guys get a card?

I didn't get a card.

MAN: I got two cards.

Oh, you're kidding.

SECOND MAN: You didn't get any.

FIRST MAN: I got a card.

I didn't get a card. I'm so upset.

RAY: It was about to fall down.

ELLEN: The ceiling was coming down.

It was empty.

What, you're putting money back into the community.

Money back into the community.

That's right, Cooper.

Money back into the community.

That's what we always say. Yeah.

We always say that. Yeah.

How about that blue truck out in the...

RAY: Out front? ..parking lot? Yeah.

Is it for sale?

Oh, yeah, yeah. He wants the truck.

Want the truck?

Well, I might, yes. LEAH: We do?

We need a second car.

LEAH: Well, that's news to me. Uh.

It's a good truck.

I mean, it's a beautiful truck.

I'll do you... I'll do you...

I'll do you a good deal on it.

You better. RAY: Oh, I will.

RAY CHUCKLES

COOPER: OK...

OK. I want you to close your eyes.

Close your eyes.

I wonder what this could be.

Here comes a step. Ready, step.

Step.

Here comes another step. Ready, step.

Stepping. Ah...

OK. Our neighbours are here.

Hi, Ray, Ellen.

LEAH: Good morning.

What do you think Stephanie's holding?

Well, take a look.

Oh, my God!

You guys are the best!

She likes it.

Oh, what are you waiting for?

HORSE WHINNIES

Oh.

Want some coffee?

Oh, I'd love some. Yeah.

Come on in.

She's so refined.

Hey, Ray. Hey, good to see you.

COOPER: OK, have fun.

CHATTERING

RAY: You did this all on your own?

COOPER: This is my office.

This is your office? Yeah.

What's all this stuff?

It's all of the things from the family

that lived here before.

The family lived here....

Yeah, the Massies.

W-what-what's this?

What's this, final days?

Well, this is a timeline of the...

Hey, Ellen, look at this.

It's incredible. That's incredible.

What a project.

Well, it's what I do. I do documentaries.

Yeah, that's, uh...

ELLEN: What's this?

Oh, that's, uh, the family that lived here before.

That's the pool.

BEEP

Oh, listen, hey, if you guys want to swim,

just come over to our place.

That-that's, uh...

That's Grady. Grady and...

Lorna. Where'd you get that?

COOPER: Uh, these tapes?

LEAH: Yeah.

LEAH: Well, they're gonna want that back.

COOPER: Well, they can have it.

RAY: You just found the tapes here?

Yeah. They were in a closet.

In a closet?

We bought the house and the contents.

How much of this footage do you have?

Um, miles and miles.

MAN ON VIDEO: What are you trying to do to the place?

Hammerhead will bash your skull!

And throw you down the devil's throat.

Hammerhead...

HORSE WHINNIES

Were you surprised when you saw the horse?

Yeah. I thought... I thought that you...

Hey, Dad. Yeah.

Thanks so much for Chester.

I really love him.

I don't want any presents

for the next, like, five years seriously.

Yeah. I really believe that(!)

I'm glad, honey. Are you happy here?

So happy. I really like Stephanie, too.

We like the same kind of stuff.

What about Jesse? You think he's happy?

I think he's happy.

But he's really into Grady and all his old stuff.

SWITCH CLICKS

WHISPERING: Dad...

There's some really, really weird guy

looking at all your stuff.

What?

May I help you?

Excuse me.

I'm Dale Massie.

I used to live here.

Uh, Cooper Tilson.

Nice to meet you.

Uh, this is my wife Leah.

Pleasure, ma'am.

Hey, young man.

That's, uh-uh, Jesse and...

Young lady. Kristen.

Hi.

I smell burning?

SNIFFING

What's cookin'?

UTENSILS SCRAPE DISH

DALE: Mmm.

DALE CHEWS LOUDLY

Mmm...mmm. >

HE BURPS

Ahh... BURPS AGAIN

JESSE GIGGLES

Mmm.

That was so tasty, Mrs Tilson.

< Thank you.

OK. Speech time.

LEAH: Kristen, Jesse,

why don't you go see how Chester's doing?

OK?

Chester?

It's a pony.

Oh, how nice.

DOOR SHUTS

Is it all right if I smoke in here?

Oh, sure.

Thank you.

FLICKS LIGHTER

It's OK.

This...

It's OK.

HORSE WHINNIES

I screwed up.

INHALES DEEPLY: Bank took everything.

You bought it.

You're doing a great job.

This place is gonna be gorgeous.

Really gorgeous.

Uh...look,

Uh, Mr Massie.

Oh. Dale. Please, call me Dale.

Dale, uh...

I feel... we feel bad,

and if there's anything in there that you want to take,

just go right ahead. It's yours.

Please, don't feel bad.

A house is just a shell, right?

< I mean, you live in it for a while,

< Then things change.

Now it's yours.

I do have one question for you, though.

DALE SNIFFS

INHALES DEEPLY

Do you know what you're gettin' yourself into?

Restoring this house.

Heh. Ahh.

Yeah.

We, um...

We thought that it would take about two years

just, you know, to get it kind of, you know...

I just got out of jail.

COOPER SIGHS

INHALES DEEPLY

Three years for an accident that wasn't my fault.

I need a favour.

I'm asking you both for a break here.

Um...I really need a job.

And I know this house better than anybody.

And I could help you fix it up.

We could start with that pool.

I mean, that is one beautiful pool out there, Mrs Tilson.

My grandmother put that in in 1926.

Know that?

I mean, I could have you and the kids in there

by Friday at the latest.

Really? > Mm-hm.

I thought it needed relining.

Relining?

What? Who told you that? That's nonsense.

CLEARS THROAT: Um...

..OK. Uh...

Why don't we start out with the pool,

and, uh, then we'll see...

how it goes from... from there.

Thank you.

I think we're gonna be good friends.

Um...I gotta use the restroom.

May I? Yeah.

It's, uh, right out the hall and to the...

Well, you know where it is.

No sweat, Mr Tilson.

Well...

Thanks again for dinner.

Yeah, sure.

Sleep well.

It's gonna be great.

Maybe you should offer him a ride.

OK. Be mean.

Where the hell is he going?

Back to prison.

Nice.

HE KNOCKS

Hello, stranger.

Hi.

Hi.

I was just making something to eat.

Oh, yeah?

But I ran out of bread.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

You want some iced tea?

GROANING

ECSTATIC CRIES

I think he's a creep.

Kristen. Do we have to have him around?

I told him we'd see how it went,

so we'll see how it goes, OK?

'You ready, Dale?'

Yeah.

SWITCHES PUMP ON

Uh...here.

All right. Kill it.

PUMP STOPS

MAN: Well, I'm not gonna take it out.

MEN LAUGH AND TALK

Ready?

Ready.

No peeking.

OK.

100,

99,

98,

97,

96,

89,

87,

82,

81,

80,

76,

75,

74,

67,

66,

52,

51,

50...

"Evil"?

GUN IS COCKED

Devil's throat!

You're it.

I'm not playing any more.

Oh, sore loser, are we?

Shut up!

JESSE IMITATES GUNSHOTS

Hammerhead will bash your skull!

Hammerhead will throw you down the devil's throat!

Bash your skull! Bash your skull!

Shut up!

Hey!

AUDIO FROM DOCUMENTARY PLAYS

COOPER: '..thus bringing natural light where there was none.

'Today, New York City has the world's largest concentration

'of full and partial cast-iron facades...'

Sorry to bother you, sir.

Yeah?

We need to spend a little money on the pump out there.

Is it OK to send one of the boys to the store?

Sure. Sure.

VIDEO REWINDS

Just give me a second, OK?

No problem.

COOPER ON VIDEO: 'The best, from the 1870s,

'are in the SoHo Cast Iron District.

'Cast-iron architecture was a mass-produced American architectural innova...'

Wow. New York, New York, huh?

You got a lot of great equipment.

NARRATION: '..mass-produced American architectural innovation

'of the 19th century.'

VIDEO REWINDS

This room used to terrify me when I was a kid.

Was my daddy's study.

NARRATION: '..American architectural innovation of the 19th century.'

How much?

< Couple hundred max.

NARRATION: 'Cast iron was cheaper than stone or brick...'

Here you go.

Thank you.

What do you make of these?

Uh, I don't know. >

You're a historian, right?

What do you think they're for?

I have absolutely no idea. >

What are they for? >

They're killing hammers.

Back in the day, when Cold Creek Farm was in its heyday,

< There were 20,000 sheep here.

Come the season, they were slaughtering a thousand a day.

That's a lot of bullets, right?

So my grandfather and his blacksmith,

they designed these.

Pretty cool, huh?

Check this out.

Look at the spike.

Straight into the brain,

Small, little, clean hole right through the skull.

Bam.

No bone splinters and no pain.

Design got better and better over the years.

Then the bolt gun came out,

it became redundant.

COOPER: Seems to be one missing.

< Yeah.

ENVELOPE CRINKLES

Ah, what am I doin' gabbin' here?

We both have jobs to do, right?

VIDEO REWINDS

KRISTEN: Mom?

Hi.

< Come in. Feels good.

JESSE: Yeah, water's great.

< Come on.

Hey, look, if you'll get in,

I'll clean my room.

Oh, you never will do that.

LAWN MOWER WHIRRS

Aah. Oh, it's really warm.

Oh, it's nice in here.

LAWN MOWER STOPS

Oh!

Hi.

Oh, nice job.

Thank you, Mrs Tilson.

It's Leah.

Like the jet, right?

< Yeah.

Oh. We didn't know it was gonna be this hot.

Don't think your daughter likes me very much.

Oh, sure, she does.

She's just a bit shy.

She's a pretty girl.

< Yeah.

Just like her mama.

JESSE: Ball!

KRISTEN: What?

Ball!

When do you get to see your children?

Uh...

Not since the day their mother took off with 'em.

Big country...

..if you, uh...

..if you want to disappear.

They just disappeared, I guess.

LEAH: I'm sorry.

Must be hard for you.

LEAH: Hey!

COOPER: Hey.

Come on in.

Uh, I don't know. Maybe later.

LEAH: Yeah, the water's fine.

I've got a lot of work to do.

It's fine.

SHERIFF: So you did it?

Oh, yeah.

Probably a foolish thing, but couldn't resist.

And Dale Massie's working for you?

Yeah.

Hey, can I ask you something?

Shoot.

Why was Dale in prison?

Uh, he had an accident with his car.

He ran some guy over, and the guy died.

Massie was sent down for manslaughter.

It was, uh, before my time here.

I was in the army.

OK, can we go?

Uh, yeah. You met my sister?

Yeah.

Hi. I'm Ruby.

Nice to see you.

Oh, uh...who was Theodore Massie?

It's Dale's father.

Well, there's no record of his death.

Well, it makes sense.

He's, uh...he's still with us, barely.

He's in the nursing home in Greensville.

He's a big asshole. It'll be a public holiday when that guy dies.

SHERIFF: Nice to see you.

Regards to your family.

KRISTEN: Quick, get out of the pool!

Jesse, get out quick! >

Jesse! >

JESSE: Help! >

COUGHING

Are you all right?

Take it easy, guys.

I got him.

LEAH: Oh, my God.

I got him.

He's harmless, guys.

I promise you, Mrs Tilson,

you don't need to be scared of this one.

It's a triangle head.

Those you gotta be careful of.

Those are poisonous.

This one here...

Twist him around.

This one here has got a straight head.

See, Jesse?

You can touch him, I promise you.

Feel his texture.

Hey, Mr Tilson.

Hi.

You want to hold him?

Aah! God, no.

It won't hurt a flea.

No.

(GASP)

If you folks are gonna live out in the country,

can't go around bein' scared

of all God's creatures.

It's the heat that brings 'em out.

Come on, little fella.

Put you back where you belong.

Are you OK?

What happened?

There was a snake in the middle of the pool,

and Jesse was right in the middle.

JESSE: I was right in the middle.

And then Dale came up, and he got me,

and he took me out, and then he got the snake...

Mr Massie?

GROANING

Mr Massie, you got company.

MUTTERING

He's awake.

He just needs time to revive.

Dale? >

Uh, no, sir. My name is...

Fix that lower gate?

Mr Massie?

If the heifers get out, >

a truck'll kill one or...

hurt her bad enough where I'll have to put 'em down.

I'll be sure and check that...

Well, you better do more than check, you little bastard!

I'll whip you so hard, you'll shit blood,

you lazy, good-for-nothin' so...

Mr Massie?

I'm not Dale.

Huh? >

My name is Cooper Tilson,

and I'm, uh, studying the history of Cold Creek Manor,

and I was hoping that you could talk to me about the place.

I don't talk to the government.

I'm not from the government, sir.

Oh, yeah...

MUTTERING

Chocolate cherries.

Chocolate cherries?

Chocolate cherries, bottom drawer!

What are you waitin' for, for Christ's sake?

Come on, come on.

Go ahead.

OK, OK, I'll talk.

Hoof and mouth,

wiped everything out.

Yeah.

Maybe we did cook the books a little bit.

What the hell are you gonna do about it?

Nothing, sir.

That was a long time ago.

Bang went the hammer, bang went the hammer,

till they were all dead.

All of 'em.

Who was dead?

10,000 sheep in three days.

Bang. Next!

Bang. Next!

Bang. Next!

CHUCKLING

Yeah, he didn't have the stomach for it.

Poof, poof, with him.

Yeah, didn't even kill that one.

Wriggling on the floor, making noise.

I had to finish him off myself.

Ah, you see...

You have to hold it like this, you know?

Pop! One bang on the head.

It's better than a bullet.

Cheaper, anyway.

Straight into the brain, dead.

Give me another cherry.

Down the devil's throat.

No spine.

That's what happens when your mama's a whore,

running off with any old cock of the walk.

Piss for brains, as well.

Give me that.

They'll always be there.

Thank the lord.

Cold Creek Manor.

Tammy, Grady, Lorna.

Give me another cherry.

I'm sorry, sir. They're all gone.

You little shithead!

Nurse! Nurse!

Nurse!

Nurse!

Mr Massie, what's all the yelling for?

Thank you, Mr Massie.

Give my regards to President Bush!

I sure will.

He means the older gentleman.

It was lovely meeting you.

Thank you. You, too.

Good luck with the house.

All right.

Nice to have a visitor, Mr Massie?

He's from the president.

No, he's not. He bought your house.

What? He said...

Stupid little bitch.

He owns Cold Creek Manor.

What? He owns it?

DOOR CLOSES

Dale!

Dale!

ECHO: Dale!

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Oh, my God!

Wake up, sleepy head.

Go lay an egg!

Roosters are boys.

Shut up!

Hey! Wake up!

Go away!

I'm gonna make breakfast.

Ah! He makes his own breakfast.

Morning, Dad.

(COUGHS)

MUSIC PLAYING IN HEADPHONES

Aah!

Aah! Oh, my God!

Dad! Dad! Dad!

Dad!

What?!

Aah!

SCREAMING

Jesse!

Oh! Oh God!

Jesse!

Oh, God! Don't move! Don't move!

Don't move! Don't move!

There's a snake!

Oh, my God!

HISSING SCREAMING

Come on!

Aah!

Aah! Calm down! Just everybody calm down!

Up-up-up the stairs!

Go!

Go! Up! Up! Up!

Oh!

It's there!

Hissing

Aah!

Aaahhh!

DALE: Hey! Everything all right up there?

There's snakes!

There's snakes everywhere!

We're coming up.

COOPER: There's snakes up here!

Hey, Chester.

WHINNIES

You OK, Dink?

They're coming down.

All right, Jesse. You ready?

You got a clear path. You're gonna be OK.

My boys are down there. Hang onto the side.

I promise you. We want to get you out of the house.

You got him, Dink? All right. Kristen?

Seriously, no more snakes.

No problem. Come on. I promise you.

Hang onto my hand. Hang onto my hand there.

All right, sweetie. Hang onto the side.

All right, Mrs Tilson. You ready?

Yeah. No.

You got it. I promise you.

We want to get you out of the house.

Hang onto my hand, OK?

LEAH: Thank you so much.>

You're welcome.

Declan, meet her half way, OK?

You OK?

Yeah... Go ahead.

LEAH: Thank you. > All right.

Coming down. Mrs Tilson, take it slow.

You all clear, Declan?

Honey, sweetheart, they assured us there's no more snakes in this house.

Hi, Dale.

Uh...there's more food if you're hungry.

No, thanks, Mrs Tilson.

I really came to say good-bye.

Where are you going?

Listen, uh...

I understand how you feel.

It might have been more manly to tell me to my face, so...

HE SIGHS You're right...

And I apologize.

Well...

It was a pleasure meeting y'all.

LEAH: It was a pleasure meeting you, Dale.

Great job integrating with the locals.

It's for the best.

But...the best for who? You?

Uh, maybe we should go feed Chester. (Why?)

Oh! Miller time.

Jesse, I've told you, like, 18 times, that that's not what it means.

Then what does it mean?

I thought it was the right thing to do.

What is your problem with him?

That guy put the snakes in our house.

Why would he do that?

Because he still thinks this is his house. He wants us out.

Oh, come on!

I'm sorry, Cooper, but I'm having trouble relating to this.

Well, you don't seem to have a hard time relating to him.

Meaning what, exactly?

You know exactly what I'm talking about.

Dave Miller asked me to sleep with him.

What?

Dave Miller.

Yeah. Dave Miller...

hit on me on the airplane.

He offered me the VP spot

and then asked me to spend the night with him in Chicago.

What did you do?

What did I do? I moved out here to the middle of nowhere with you.

I turned into some...

some 19th-century housewife -

which was great for a while. I felt like this weight was lifted off my shoulders,

and you were supposed to carry us through.

But that is not what's happening. We're-we're drowning here.

No! That's not what I said!

I said what did you do?!

I said yes.

But then I called you on the phone...

..and that was the day that Jesse

was very nearly killed by that car.

Cooper, that was a wake-up call for me.

So, uh...

..that's why you agreed to come out here, right?

HE SIGHS

ROCK MUSIC PLAYS

Hey, buddy.

Hey, how are you?

Hey, I understand Steph and Kristen,

they're gonna go on a shopping spree with their moms?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, look, can I buy you a drink?

Oh, no. I gotta get back.

Oh, come on. One beer's not gonna kill you. No.

Look, Cooper,

a word to the wise: be cool around here, OK?

I didn't come here to start a war, Ray.

Exactly. All I'm saying is come in, buy a round of drinks,

show there's no hard feelings between you and Dale.

What do you say?

Come on. I'll buy you a beer.

Come on.

WOMAN: Drinks on Mr Tilson.

Thanks. Appreciate it.

MUSIC: "On The Road Again" by Canned Heat

Take a shot, man.

Take a shot.

# You know the first time I travelled

# Out in the rain and snow

# In the rain and snow

# You know the first time I travelled

# Out in the rain and snow

# In the rain and snow

# I didn't have no fellow

# Not even no place to go... #

Are you still buying? Yeah. >

What are you drinking?

Vodkas. Two.

Two?

One for me, one for you.

Cheers.

Ahem!

Two more.

It's Cooper, right?

Yeah. Ruby?

You're a funny guy, Cooper...

Funny name.

Here, let me help you.

Such a gentleman.

INAUDIBLE

Did you hear what I said?

No, no, I didn't. What?

Don't fuck with him.

He'll rip your fuckin' head off.

You got another one of these?

It's my birthday.

What do you say?

Happy birthday.

Thank you.

Another round.

Cheers.

One more.

No. No. Not for me.

I gotta get goin'.

That is true...Mr, uh,

City Slicker.

Mr fuckin' Coop.

Get out of my face...

and get out of my home.

I know you put the snakes in my house.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

You just try and prove that.

Let me give you some advice.

Don't you ever...

come to my house again.

And if you harm one hair on my family's head,

I will kill you.

Ooh.

Did you hear that, Sheriff?

This man's threatenin' my life.

How much?

Scratch. SHE LAUGHS

You have to loosen up.

I'm trying to play a game here.

INDISTINCT

Aah!

- You ever fuckin' shut up?! - Dale...

You just never shut the fuck up, do you, Ruby?

You're not a man.

You're not a fucking man, Dale!

Oh, yeah? You gonna keep talkin' to me? Is that it? Aah!

Dale, what are you doin'?

RUBY: Dale!

Dale!

Dale! Stop it!

Enough! Enough! >

Back the fuck away, Massie. BACK UP!

STEP AWAY!

I got enough to throw you back inside

for the next five years, you piece of shit.

RUBY: Annie... You touch my sister ever again,

I swear to God,

It'll be the last thing'

you'll ever fucking do.

Annie, he didn't touch me, OK?

I fell.

I'd been drinking, and I fell.

He didn't touch me, OK?

You made your point.

Are we done?

Get the fuck out of here.

Asshole!

God!

What happened to the car?

It's, like, all bloody and broken,

and everybody's out there.

Mom's out there.

She seems a little bit mad. Huh?

So, what happened? Did you have an accident?

Did you hit something? Did you hit another car?

Oh... oh... What happened?

What'd you hit?

I hit a deer.

Couldn't stop. Jumped right in front of me.

Must've been doing quite a clip.

(What happened to you last night?)

Mom, Dad, come here! What?

Hurry up. There's something over here.

Come on! What's going on?

What's wrong?

Come on!

What is it? >

Oh...God... Cooper! >

You killed my pony!

LEAH: Oh, God! >

Wait for me!

Oh, my God. Oh!

Kristen!

MAN: Want us to take care of this, Mr T? >

I-I didn't do this.

I didn't hit the pony.

Just leave her alone. She's crying.

It was Dale.

Oh.

Last night at the bar there was this thing.

It was a fight, and Dale and I spoke-

Were you drinking?

Yes.

But I did not kill Chester.

How many?

So you were drinking... and you hit a deer.

You are absolutely sure that it was a deer?

Yes, I was absolutely sure it was a deer, Leah.

You have got to believe me.

Last night, Dale... He would've killed Stan

if the sheriff hadn't drawn a gun on him.

And he punched out his girlfriend.

And if the sheriff hadn't been there,

I don't know what would've happened.

Let's get out of here.

Right now.

Whatever is happening.

OK?

We promised we would never put these kids at risk.

Let's just go back.

Go back to- go back to what?

We already sold the house.

There is no place to go back to. This-

This is our house. This is our house.

So, what-you're not gonna do anything about this?

I didn't say that.

I'm gonna talk to him, and I'm gonna give him

an unofficial warning.

I'm gonna tell him to keep off your property,

and hopefully that will cool things off.

That will not do a damn thing.

Well...

Then maybe you should take your family back to the city.

Hey. I will not be intimidated by a thug.

You have it your own way, Mr Tilson.

I am just trying to help here.

Why don't you call me when you got something to show me.

ENGINE STARTS

Hey, Dad.

Hey, Silent.

Kristen...

Listen, honey...

Sweetheart...

I know you think that I did a-

a terrible thing.

I swear to you I didn't do it.

On my life, honey, I didn't do it.

Dad wouldn't kill Chester.

And he's probably gonna kill

whoever did it.

All right, that's- that's enough, Jesse.

Cross my heart and hope to die.

Then who would do such a horrible thing?

Hey, fellas.

Hello.

Is that you, Janice?

Oh, you're looking good.

Dale Massie.

Now, when are we gonna have the pleasure of your company?

Soon. Soon.

I've just been so busy

sorting' everything out at the house.

Right.

You walking'? Yeah.

He seems like a nice man.

Who's that? Mr Tilson.

Mm. He's married, Janice.

He's got kids.

I didn't mean like that, Dale.

I just meant he seems like a nice guy.

So you met him, huh?

Yeah. Where at?

Came by to visit your father the other day.

Why?

He's making a documentary about the house.

Wanted to ask some questions.

Excuse me.

You are a piece of work, man.

Accusing me of trespassing.

Did I say anything when it was my house?

When I was stuck in jail,

and you were caught red handed going' through the place?

Did I say anything? No, I didn't.

I didn't say a goddamn thing.

I wouldn't do that.

I wouldn't do it.

He had all my personal photographs -

Lorna and the kids -

all laid out on the table.

On bulletin boards.

Real personal stuff to me.

Ruby. Ruby, can I get a cheque, please?

Ain't it cool?

Now, you come tap dancing in here,

you grab the property out from under a guy

who's late on a few payments.

Guess what he paid for the property and the contents.

Joe? Joe, take a guess.

What do you think it was worth? Your place is about the same size.

Maybe about 5.

Try 210 grand.

GASPS, SURPRISED MURMURS

How about that?

CROWD MURMURS

How much you getting for that movie about my family?

Huh?

Oh, don't worry.

I'll be sure and buy the DVD

with the 50 I got for fixing your pool.

LAUGHTER

I mean, here I am -

I'm doing my level best to try and be a good neighbour. Right?

And you accuse me of being some kind of sadistic prick.

Well, I guess you're just trying to protect your family

the best way you can.

But when I've done wrong,

I own up to it like a man,

and I set things straight.

That's what I do, Cooper.

We'll have our time, Massie. LEAH: Let's go.

This isn't it.

I think you're full of shit, Cooper.

Why don't we go outside right now? You and me?

Hit him, Dad, knock his brains out.

When your man starts pointing fingers,

he better be ready to back it up, don't you think?

Ruby, I got no beef with Mrs Tilson.

Out in the car.

Kristen, get in the car.

It's that motherfucker right there

that's pissing me off.

Hammerhead will smash your skull.

Hammerhead will bash your brains.

Throw you down the devil's throat!

DOOR SLAMS SHUT

FRONT DOOR OPENS

DOOR SHUTS

He killed his children.

I want you to get the kids out of here.

I want you to take them back to the city.

To New York.

Just get 'em out of here. Stay with Tina.

No. You have to go.

Just pack enough clothes for a couple of days.

I'll come as soon as I can.

What?

I just have to find...

What?

I have to... I have to find more...

What? More evidence.

Bye, Dad.

Bye.

'Bang went the hammer, bang went the hammer down

'till they were all dead.'

TAPE REWINDS

'Bang went the hammer, bang went the hammer down

'till they were all dead. All of them.

'Cold Creek Manor. Oh, it's there.

'Tammy, Grady, Lorna.

'Oh, it's there.

'Tammy, Grady, Lorna.

'Straight into the brain, dead. Give me another cherry.

'Then...

'down the devil's throat.'

< Jesus Christ.

What is the devil's throat?

I have no idea.

Mr Tilson, this here, this is all circumstantial.

This won't hold up in a court of law.

SHE SIGHS

You say you think they're buried

somewhere on your property? Which is how big?

1,200 acres. I'll search every inch of it if I have to.

Look, there are two issues here.

Both are relating to Dale Massie.

He's a piece of shit.

Right?

But I don't think he's a murderer.

I don't wanna believe it.

I don't wanna believe that he murdered his wife

and his two small kids.