Sins of the Father (an Hommage to the Night of the Hunter) Page #2

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- Yeah, that's right.

- Very cool.

I'm free, by the way,

this is Simon.

How's it going?

Hey, you should stop by some time, man;

We'd love to hear about your work.

I'm sorry, but I won't have

any time.

You're not using traps up there, are you?

Steel traps?

No, I won't do that.

Thanks.

I bet you helped your dad too.

What is that now?

A little monkey face?

Okay. Here goes nothin'.

Where did these come from?

It's her prescription,

from the doctor.

Jack Mindy brings them.

Your mother doesn't need

these any more.

So no more, okay?

Okay.

Go run her bath.

Sass. Here, help me.

Here, get her legs.

I have to go back up tomorrow.

You're gonna have to

take care of your mother.

- She's gonna feel sick.

- Okay.

Give her lots of tea and water...

and let her rest.

- Okay?

- Okay.

Out!

You can't come with me.

You know these are extinct.

They're gone.

I don't know what your father told you,

but he couldn't have seen one.

Come on.

Okay, if I see one you'll be the

first to hear.

Where's your mother?

In town, with Jack Mindy.

She's better now.

Did you find anything?

It's not my dad's.

- What are you doing?

- We're getting in!

- No, you can't!

- But we always do.

- Wait until I'm finished.

- No, the water'll be cold.

And besides, Dad says when we

have a bath,

it's a shame to waste

all the hot water.

But I'm not your dad, and I don't

think your mum would like this.

- He tells us a story.

- I don't know any.

- None.

- No.

- Not even one story.

- No.

What's she singing about, then?

She's...

just singing.

About what, though?

People never sing about nothing.

Nobody has ever wrote a

song about nothing.

So you can't sing a

song about nothing.

So, what's she singing about?

He's back.

- I'd better come in.

- I'll be fine.

I'll see you soon.

Thanks.

Hi. Want some water?

- Hi.

- Hi Mum.

They don't like to waste

the hot water.

- You guys hungry?

- Yeah.

I'll get dinner ready.

A tiger in the trees.

Which trees?

There are lots of trees up there.

Winters up here are something else,

especially when the snow comes.

Shiraz?

No.

He, um, drinks tea.

Jamie?

Dinner's ready.

Jamie?

- His new name's Bike.

- Bike?

Bike. Mm, I suppose that's not

too bad.

What about you, Katie?

You have a new name?

- Sass!

- Oh.

- From "sassafras".

- It's very pretty.

Jamie?

I'll go get him.

Hey. Time to eat.

- So, Mr David...

- Call me Martin.

Martin. How's the study going?

Those devils giving you much trouble?

No, not too much trouble.

- I'm getting...

- Oh, Katie, that's disgusting! Sorry.

- He likes it stronger.

- Oh, like Jarrah.

My husband only liked tea if

it was the colour of rust.

- Have you read his book?

- No, I haven't. But it's on the top of my list.

Run and get Daddy's book.

So what do they teach in

zoology these days, Martin.

Same stuff; hasn't changed much

in the past ten years.

Do you know Jude Morris?

He's from your neck of the woods.

Columbia, right?

I couldn't find it.

I'm finished. Can you tell

us a story?

Martin and I will just have to have

a little chat. After that...

- You promised... Mum...

- After we've had a talk.

Katie says that you washed me,

in the bath.

The children helped.

I am not a bad mother. It...

It's just hard.

What are those...

speakers in the trees?

Up there.

Um, Jarrah.

He wanted to have concerts up here

when he first moved.

Ah, he had this idea that everyone could gather

here:
artists, scientists, town's people...

...like a little Woodstock.

Yeah, he had lots of ideas.

Too many.

Too many to hold in his head at once.

We're lucky Jack sent you.

- Hey everybody. This is Martin David, like I told you.

- Hi.

Hello.

What happened to your eye?

- Ah! Caught a stick in it.

- Gross!

- Where's your mother?

- She's inside. Kitchen.

What's going on?

- We having a little Woodstock?

- You're back!

Your eye!

- Oh God. What happened?

- It's fine.

Come and sit down.

Sit down.

It's not too deep.

We've got a moratorium,

for the logging, from the forest

down the road.

Forestry aren't allowed to touch

it for six months.

Not until there's a complete

ecological survey.

We're celebrating.

They're friends of yours?

I helped them with their proposal,

interpreted some of their research.

I was doing my PhD in plant science

when I met Jarrah.

Eco-physiology.

You look different.

Oh, this. Yeah, I had it

done in town.

Do you like it?

I liked it better before.

This has all the signs of

a tiger kill.

She eats the heart first.

And this is the cave.

She's been there.

She probably has dens

all around the area.

And she moved between them, but sooner

or later she'll move back here.

I wonder if she's the last one.

Alone... just...

hunting and killing,

waiting to die.

Oh Mummy!

- I'm going to show you my better one!

- Okay.

- I'll show you a better one.

- Alright.

Yeah!

- ... Like roller skating?

- Cart wheeling.

- Ready?

- Or maybe swimming.

One, two, three, go...

Go on! We won't tell

the university.

No, thanks, I'm fine.

Guess you'll be heading home soon since

you got what you wanted.

No, got offered a job, him and me...

- ...working for the government.

- Searching for tigers!

The National Parks found a footprint.

Ssh! They're f***in' top secret.

And we know the area, so...

There's no tigers up there.

You don't know that,

you only know...

- what they want you to know.

- Oh, here we go...

You'd be sitting on a pile of money if

you found one, man, I'm telling you.

With cloning and sh*t.

You're a scientist.

What would you do if you

found a tiger?

Not my field.

Yeah, I'd just point his nose due west

and tell him to run like the wind.

That's what Jarred would have done.

In't that right, Lus?

- Take the kids inside.

- Come on. Katie, come.

Listen fellas...

It's not personal.

Takin' away our jobs is

personal, mate.

- C'mon man, there are women and children down here.

- Shut up, Feral.

Hey, you don't wanna do that, mate?

Yeah?

Go on, run you little fairies!

Come in.

- I'm making tea. Would you like some?

- No thank you.

You sure?

No, I'm gonna turn in. I gotta

go back up early tomorrow morning.

Sorry about tonight.

Do you think those people have

something to do with

you... your husband?

Oh... no. They're...

They're angry, they're out of work,

but they wouldn't hurt us.

And their kids go to school

with my kids.

Jarrah thought that someone was

following him, though.

Not one of the locals.

Well...

if not them...

...who?

My husband pissed off a

lot of people.

- Did you tell the police?

- Yeah, they said there was no evidence.

No, um... body.

Besides, they knew Jarrah, his theories,

and what he was like and so...

Do you believe someone

was following him?

I believe he believed it.

How's it going, Mr Mindy?

Hear you had a bit of trouble

up at the house last night.

Everything's under control.

Maybe I should talk to

the university and...

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