Ondine Page #5

She came from nowhere. Drunk.

- They should talk to her, not me.

- Tell them that.

I will. And then you'll tell me.

Nothing.

Hey.

Where's mam?

She's asleep. She can't see

you right now, but she will later.

- Where's Ondine?

- Ondine's close by.

You'll see her, too.

Just rest. Just rest.

He had a wife and

three children in Scotland.

Where are they now?

They said we were welcome to him.

I'm sorry it happened like this.

- Sure I can't take it in.

- I know. It's hard.

Why aren't you blaming me?

Because, for once,

you had nothing to do with it.

- Why do I feel as if I did?

- Because you're Circus.

You get everything wrong.

I met him on this ferry.

- Where was I?

- Where you always were. At sea.

Take Annie home, when she's stronger,

till I get out of this thing.

- I can't cope.

- OK.

- It's what you always wanted, isn't it?

- Yes.

So... you've got it.

But I don't want that woman there.

And take me to his wake now.

- I can't.

- Oh, I insist.

- Two whiskies and ice.

- One.

- Two.

- Maura, I don't...

Show some respect.

It's his funeral.

- Get rid of her, Circus.

- Who?

Your water baby.

She brings good luck, then bad.

Two more, Maggie.

You all right?

Finders keepers.

Why are you looking

at me like that?

Because you're a selkie...

and I'm an alcoholic.

- A peaceful night's sleep, had you?

- No.

- He's still out there somewhere.

- OK. I'm taking you home.

Hey!

That bit about the husband...

- He's not my husband.

- What is he, then?

- My pushta.

- What's that? Selkie for squeeze?

Look. You're home.

You'll be safe there.

- You can sing your song.

- Who will I sing it to?

To me. Go on, sing.

Make the seals dance.

- I can't.

- Why not?

- Because you're drunk.

- I'll be sober in the morning.

You can sing to me then.

I fished round here for years.

Never knew this selkie stuff.

Maybe you were dead.

And I fished you back to life!

Yes!

And now you're gonna haunt me?

Forever! Come here.

What does "haunt" mean?

What does "haunt" mean?

You want some?

Selkies don't drink?

So... you're safe here.

Is that right?

- How's Annie?

- She's fine.

She's safe, too.

I got another bottle on the boat.

Syracuse.

What does "haunt" mean?

It means what you're doing... to me.

You wouldn't.

Syracuse! Syracuse!

Don't!

- What are you doing?

- I know it's not how fairy tales end.

But this one does.

This one does because it has to.

What do you mean?

What do you mean?!

I mean your kind and my kind.

We don't belong together.

- I have to say goodbye...

- Go away.

...to Annie.

Syracuse.

- Hey, buddy.

- Oh, I'm your buddy, am I?

Yeah. You are.

You're my sobriety buddy.

Where were you last night?

I needed you.

- You fell off the wagon.

- Big time.

Circus of fools.

I was twirling around that big top.

I'm back in the sawdust now.

And it tastes like shite.

Do you know

what my problem is, buddy?

You can't take good luck.

Ten out of ten, Sherlock.

Misery is easy, Syracuse.

Happiness you have to work at.

Why didn't the tree say that?

Sure, the tree's

not gonna tell you anything.

- What about the girl?

- She's gone.

- And Annie?

- She's getting out today.

I'm taking her home with me.

After that, there's no excuses,

is there, buddy?

No.

- Why are you crying?

- I'm not.

Yes, you are. I can tell.

Maybe because you're

back on the road again.

- You're home.

- Where's Ondine?

Ondine had to go away for a while.

- That's why you're crying.

- It's not, I swear.

- Did her husband come?

- He must have.

Because she's gone.

On sea business.

- But she'll be back, you know.

- Do you think?

I know.

- She left something here.

- What?

The eldest of two children,

a younger brother, Robert...

- What time is it?

- Half-one.

- Why didn't you wake me?

- Because you were sleeping like a baby.

- I thought you were the baby.

- Doesn't look like it.

- Do you want breakfast?

- Lunch.

There you are, baby.

- Annie, that song.

- What song?

Just a minute ago.

- It's real.

- Course it's real.

It's Sigur Rs.

Annie, I have to go out for a bit.

- I'll take you to your mam's.

- No.

- I can't leave you on your own.

- Yes, you can.

- Don't you get it? I'm better.

- Are you sure?

You got some unfinished sea business?

- I suppose.

- Go on, then.

I'm kind of busy here anyway.

Hey!

Hey!

There were seals down there.

Basking on the rock. My kind, huh?

- I didn't say that.

- No, but you thought it.

Then the storm came up.

They slipped into the water, one by one.

I was going to join them.

What changed your mind?

What changed yours?

She was switching channels on the TV,

and your song came on.

Was never my song.

- So tell me.

- No.

- No. Take me home.

- Where is home?

Where do you think?

- You'll tell me the truth now.

- The truth?

The truth is I'm a creature

from the sea that found her seal coat

and buried it because

she found a family she liked.

- Please.

- That's...

That's one truth.

You don't want to know the other.

Try me.

OK.

I am a prisoner and

a drug mule from Romania.

I said the real truth.

This is the real truth.

I was on a boat with

a kilo of heroin in a backpack.

Coast Guard came,

Vladic made me swim for it.

- Vladic?

- My selkie husband.

My pushta.

He was like a monster, from a fairytale.

But he couldn't swim,

so he made me take to the water.

I was always a good swimmer,

but your Irish waves wore me down.

I swam till I could swim no more.

Then I floated.

Then I sank.

It was almost a relief.

I said, "Here goes... I die".

And that's the truth.

You brought me back to life.

I found a caravan, a family.

Now it's gone, OK?

Caravan's going nowhere.

What's your real name?

- It's Joanna.

- Joanna.

Just tell her you were away

on sea business.

Sea business?

- Annie?

- I told them nothing.

- Told who?

- Not true, little girl.

You told us about

seven tears and the selkie island.

And how Ondine came out of the water.

But nothing important, I swear.

Seven tears are important, surely?

And the selkie island.

Still some details

I'd like to get more clear.

Do you want to eat some?

- Da!

- Are you OK?

- Who the heck are you?

- Circus the clown.

We've got seals, selkies, clowns...

Someone start making sense!

- Is she the swimmer?

- Yes, I swim like a fish.

- Is she the one that lost it?

- I'll get it back. Put that thing down.

- Where is it?

- Where is what?

- He wants her seal coat.

- What's she on about?

- Yes, I want her seal coat.

- Don't give it to them.

- We have to.

- Means you'll go.

- We don't know that.

- I know it!

- Tell her!

- Tell her what?

That you don't care about me.

- I don't care about her!

- All you want is the coat.

- What's he saying?

- It's not important. Listen to me!

Let them go. Put that thing away!

I'll show you where.

- Where?

- I'll show you where.

- It's OK...

- Give her to me. Come here.

Here, Annie.

Come here, come here.

What? What?

Here, it was here, I swear. I swear.

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