The Bad Seed Page #12

social obligations, if you get what I mean.

Say, you're looking kind of

sick and sloppy.

Why don't you come up to my house

and I'll give you a free beauty treatment.

If you're hard-pressed for ready cash,

it won't cost you a nickel.

Thank you, Mrs. Penmark.

Come, Hortense. It's time to go home.

Oh, my God. My God, it's time to go home.

Christine, you know something.

You know something you won't tell me.

Operator.

I wanna call...

...Washington D.C., please.

Kenneth, my darling, my love.

What am I going to say to you?

That our baby is a...

Never mind it, operator.

Cancel the call.

Good. She's gone.

I know I shouldn't take things

into my all-too-capable hands...

...but I couldn't

let her paw Rhoda any longer.

Oh, well, Mr. Daigle came for her.

And I fear I've loosened the discipline

just a little.

I let Rhoda go out for another Popsicle.

Oh, she wanted a second?

That's unusual.

She seemed quite eager,

and since she's not one of these...

...fat, self-indulgent little blobs,

I doubt that it will do any harm.

By the way, darling, here are

the sleeping pills and the vitamins...

...both plainly marked.

Thank you, Monica.

I'll keep them separate.

Emory and Reggie

just got back from fishing.

Reggie's having dinner with us

before he leaves tonight.

Wouldn't you like to eat with us,

you and Rhoda too?

No, Monica.

Thank you very much.

Really, I'd rather not.

You poor girl.

I do bully you, and I promised not to.

Let me out of here!

Let me out! Aah!

What was that?

It sounded like somebody shouting for help.

It sounded close by.

Rhoda, who was that shouting?

Oh, I don't know, Mother.

- Well, it sounded as if there were a fire.

- No, I don't think so.

Let me out! Aah!

Let me out! Let me out of here!

- No, Reg! Back here!

- Look!

Let me out! Aah!

Give me that shovel.

Get the hose! LEROY: Aah!

Help me! Help me!

It's too late.

- Somebody call an ambulance!

- He's lying still.

- Whatever can be done will be done.

- Oh, yes.

Oh, yes, Monica. But now, you see...

I should've known

that this was going to happen.

Now, I should've known it.

How could I be so blind?

- Thank God Rhoda was playing the piano.

- The fire was where Leroy was.

- But there's nothing you could do.

- But this time I saw it with my own eyes.

Now, make them stop screaming

because it isn't going to help.

- You're not making sense.

- Make her stop that music, Monica.

Because that man is still screaming...

...and the piano is going on and on

while he's dying in the fire screaming.

- Monica.

- A man screaming.

- Monica.

- I don't wanna see anybody now.

It's Emory, dear.

There was a flare-up in the basement.

Tasker and the rest are putting it out now.

- I'm afraid poor Leroy...

- Never mind.

I saw him.

I saw him run down the path and die.

Can it be any worse than that?

Seems he fell asleep

on a bed he'd made out of excelsior.

- I suppose a cigarette set fire to the

stuff. - Please. Please leave me alone.

My God, Monica.

Monica, I just simply cannot bear it.

Now she is driving me mad.

How could she play

that tinkle now? Rhoda.

- What is it? What is it?

- Monica, I can't stand it.

How can she play that music now?

Rhoda, stop that music!

Stop that music!

- Mommy.

- Let me get my hands on her!

You didn't see it, did you? No. You could

turn away, and you could play the piano.

Christine, what has she done?

It isn't what she's done.

- It's what I've done.

- What does she mean, Monica?

I don't know, Rhoda.

She'd better go upstairs with me.

- She'll stay till you're calmer.

- Yes, Monica. Would you take her, please?

- But will you be all right, dear?

- I'll be all right. I'll be all right.

It's just that that screaming

goes on and on.

We'll come down for you later.

Come, Rhoda.

She killed him.

But she's my little girl...

...and I love her.

Oh, my baby.

My baby. My baby. My baby.

"Polly put one toe out

from under the covers..."

...to find out how cold it was...

...and it was nipping cold.

She remembered why she'd wanted

to wake up and got out of bed...

...very softly...

...shivering and pulling on her dress

and her stockings.

She'd never seen a Christmas tree

decorated and lighted...

...the way they are at Christmas

in houses where children have...

Where children have fathers,

and it isn't hard times.

"She'd promised herself

that she would see one."

You have some new vitamins

to take tonight.

- New ones?

- Mm-hm.

- Are those the vitamins?

- Yes.

May I see them, please?

Why, yes, of course.

They're some that Monica sent down.

Oh.

You know, I think Monica likes me.

I'm sure she does.

Swallowing pills is just a trick.

Ha, ha. You're very good at it.

Do you love me, Mommy?

Oh, yes.

Do you know about Leroy?

Yes.

You told me to put my shoes

in the incinerator, didn't you?

- Yes.

- What did you do with the medal?

I can have it now, can't I?

I drove out to the playground alone...

...and I went out on the pier when

it was dark and no one could see me...

...and I dropped the medal by the pilings

in the water there.

Mommy, Leroy had my shoes.

And he said he was

gonna give them to the police...

...and then tell them about me, and they

would put me in the electric chair.

Shh. You don't have to say any more.

Will you read more now?

Yes, but first you have to take these.

- So many?

- They're a new kind. I'm to take them too.

I like apricot juice.

It doesn't even need ice.

Mommy...

...I saved a couple of matches and I lit...

...the excelsior and locked the door.

But it wasn't my fault, Mommy.

It was Leroy's fault.

He shouldn't have said

he'd tell the police...

- ...and give them my shoes.

- I know.

There. That's all.

- Don't let them hurt me, Mommy.

- Oh.

I won't let them hurt you.

- Good night.

- Good night, Mommy.

Now will you read?

Yes.

"When Polly was all dressed..."

...she found her shawl and crept quietly

out of the front door.

The door creaked and she waited

and listened, but nobody woke up.

She closed the door carefully...

...and looked at the bright moon

and the shining cold snow.

The Carters must have a tree.

They lived two blocks away.

If they left the curtains open,

you could look in and see.

If only there weren't any dogs.

Polly walked carefully on the hard snow

on the walk...

...keeping the warm shawl

close around her.

It was further than she remembered

to the Carters' house...

...but she could see

that there were lights in the windows.

She came near it, only making a little

creaking noise on the snow...

...and stood for a while

in front of the house...

...before she dared go near.

Then she gathered all her courage...

...and walked across the yard,

her shoes sinking through the crust.

The Christmas tree

was right in the front window...

...and the lights were on in the house, so

she could see the fruits and the bells...

...and the strings of popcorn and candy...

"...and the silver star at the top."

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