The Canal Page #3

the night that she was murdered.

What do you mean?

I think there's ghosts in my house.

David!...

I know this sounds crazy, believe me,

I know how f***ing crazy this sounds,

but I've seen things, I've heard things,

it's the only rational explanation

I don't think it is!

Yes it is!

Ok, ok, wait until you hear this.

In the 1930's they held

seances in my house,

the people said they saw a shadowy figure,

a shadowy figure

It's a coincidence, that's all.

The previous owner, right, the estate agent

told us it was an old lady that went senile,

but it wasn't.

They lied to us.

She was a young woman who tried to burn her

house down while her family was asleep.

Now her son died in the fire,

but she swore she didn't do it.

Like me with Alice.

She said it was the demon.

She said a man she couldn't see

tried to rape her.

She said he was a demon

who lived behind the walls.

The walls, Clare.

Stop for a moment.

Stop for one moment.

Will you just think about

what you're saying.

You think I'm having a

nervous breakdown don't you?

Well maybe I am.

No.

Well maybe...

You're just exhausted.

Ok?

Yeah.

Billy?

Sophie?

Billy can you hear me?

Dad why did you not come to see us today?

I'm sorry.

I wanted to, I just

wasn't feeling very well.

Can you come in and see us tomorrow?

Yeah.

Yeah, promise.

What have you had to eat?

We had burgers, chips,

icecream and coke for dinner.

Wow..

My tummy is big, look how fat I am Dad!

Billy is Sophie back in the room with you?

No she's still in the shower.

Billy I want you to move the laptop around,

ok?

Just move the laptop around so I can

see the rest of the room, go on.

Please?

Keep moving...

keep moving the laptop.

That's it. Good boy.

keep moving some more...

that's it...

just need to see the...

the room.

What is that?

Billy...

BILLY!

BILLY GET OUT OF THE ROOM!

BILLY!

How did you get here so fast?

Mr Williams?

I'm not sure if I can work here anymore.

I don't know what's going on.

And..

if it wasn't for Billy I think

I'd leave right now.

I understand.

Yeah you're right, you should go.

I can't guarantee your

safety anymore and...

it's not safe to be around us.

I don't want to leave Billy behind...

but I really don't think you're well,

Mr Williams.

Maybe if you told me what was going on

I could understand or I could help.

Please Sophie, you must go tomorrow.

You better sleep in here with us tonight.

I'll take the floor, you can have the bed.

No it's alright.

I'll be ok.

No.

No, no, please.

You won't.

Mr Williams, I want to talk to you

about this again in the morning.

About me leaving, I mean.

Yeah.

Goodnight.

Come on...

Come on...

No..

No!... what are you doing?

Arrhhh!

Just come down the stairs..

Let me out!

Let me out!

Mr Williams!

Where's Dad, who's in the house?

I don't know...

No-one

Mr Williams, let me out.

Let us out..

Billy's afraid..

I've checked everywhere

Dad!

Me and Billy..

were following somebody outside...

Ok then I heard you screaming.

They're trying to separate us.

Did you see anyone up there?

Did you?

Come on Billy!

No..

Billy's staying with me.

Sophie!...

Billy...

Do you ever see other people in the house?

Billy..

if you see someone,

you know you have to tell me?

Did you?

Are you sure?

Where's Sophie?

She left this morning.

She's not coming back.

Billy..

do you see that woman?

Where?

There...

you see, she's hiding in the long grass?

I don't see anyone.

Are we going to see my teacher today?

No.

Not today.

Billy.. Billy get back.

Go on. Get back...

go... go hide behind the wall.

Go on...

turn around... turn around, count to 10.

Ok?

One...

two... go on...

1...

2...

...4...

...10!

Is this a game of hide and seek,

can I open my eyes now?

Clare...

David..

you Ok?

Hi, Billy!

Hi!

I need to develop this.

What is it?

It's nothing.

Just let me develop it,

it won't take me long.

You have to tell me what it is first.

Please, Clare, don't make me beg.

I need to see this.

Please.

Ok.

But it'll be a couple of days though.

No.

No, I need to see it today...

em...

well...

I need to see it now.

It's fully booked in here.

Ok, I'll get it done, promise.

I'll even drop it down to

you when it's done, Ok?

Look...

I've been thinking...

maybe you should talk to someone?

A bereavement counsellor or something.

Just...

think about it, Ok?

If anyone walks here tonight,

we'll see their footsteps

It's like snow!

Can I have a go?

Yeah!

Now no one can get in without us knowing.

You're like me

What's with all the powder, Dave?

It's flour from the kitchen.

Oh..

is that right?

What's with all the flour,

are you making a cake?

What do you want?

Get your clothes on.

You're coming with me.

We found a hammer in the canal,

with your fingerprints on it.

A hammer that belonged

to your wife's lover.

He says it went missing

the night she disappeared.

Can you explain that?

There was a murder in my house in..

in 1902.

What...

You could look all of this is up;

and a man killed his whole family.

You understand me...

and I think he was the one who did it.

I have proof,

I've captured something on film.

It's a ghost.

You can see it in a few days.

As the senior welfare officer I have no

choice but to recommend his case to social

services and recommend that

the child is taken into care.

Isn't that a little harsh?

Mr Williams has just lost his wife.

His symptoms are clearly

part of a grieving process.

Are locking nannies in cupboards and hearing

voices behind walls part of the grieving process?

It was only one nanny and people react

differently to the death of a loved one

and, by the way, this is the same nanny that Mr

Williams caught smoking drugs in her room, so...

No way!

No way!

Yes.

Yes, we can do that.

We'll wait for the report back from the psychiatrist

and then we'll see what to do after that.

I'm not going to a psychiatrist.

There's nothing wrong with me.

You have to.

We agreed to it.

You did. I didn't.

I'm not going.

I have to get back to Billy

Dad...

who are those men?

They're the police.

Don't look.

Don't look.

Is there somebody outside?

No.

Dad..

What?

You'd never leave me, would you?

No.

Of course not.

What if you die like Mammy,

what would happen to me then?

I'll never leave you, Billy.

Never.

And we'll always be together, you and me.

Ok?

Right now, close your eyes.

Did you watch it?

No.

Would you...

would you watch it with me?

I'm afraid to watch it on my own.

Ok.

Ok.

Come watch on TV...

David...

do you remember calling me last night?

Last night? No.

You did.

You were delirious,

I hardly recognised your voice.

You were crying.

You said you wanted to

tell me something about Alice.

That wasn't me. I didn't call you.

Sit down.

If you did hurt her, if you did do it,

maybe you should just...

get it over with... go to the police.

I'll go with you if you want me to.

I'll tell them what a good person you are.

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