The Others Page #2

Like the back of my hand.

That is assuming the walls

haven't sprouted legs...

and moved in the meantime.

GRACE:
The only thing

that moves here is the light.

But it changes everything.

It's rather difficult,

to say the least.

one might

almost say... unbearable.

The only way of enduring it

is by keeping a cool head.

Oh, yes, ma'am.

I don't like fantasies.

Strange ideas.

Do you know what I mean?

I think so, ma'am.

My children sometimes

have strange ideas.

But you mustn't pay

any attention to them.

Children will be children.

Yes, of course, ma'am.

All right. You can stay.

Thank you very much, ma'am.

It did happen.

NICHOLAS:
"The Roman governor

tried to make them...

"change their minds

afterwards... "

"To make them change

their minds. " Full stop.

- "Afterwards... "

- Mm-hmm.

"He ordered them

to be beaten.

"But Justus and Pastor,

far from being afraid...

"rejoiced and showed themselves

willing to die for Christ.

"When he saw this...

"the Roman governor

was filled with rage...

"and ordered their heads

to be cut off. "

What do you find so amusing?

Well...

Well, what?

Those children

were really stupid.

Why?

Because they said

they only believed in Jesus...

and then

they got killed for it.

And what would you have done,

deny Christ?

ANNE:
Well, yes.

Inside I would have

believed in him...

but I wouldn't have told

the Romans that.

Is that what you think, too,

Nicholas?

I see.

So you would have lied

to the point of denying Christ.

You 'd have saved your heads

from the Romans, that's true.

But what would have

happened afterwards?

When?

In the next life.

The one waiting for us

after we die.

Where would you have gone?

Ahh.

Where, Nicholas?

To the children's limbo.

GRACE:
What is

the children's limbo, Anne?

one of the four Hells.

Which are?

ANNE:
Me, me, me! Me!

GRACE:
No. Let him answer.

Which are?

There's the Hell

Where the damned go...

then there's Purgatory...

Yes.

And the bosom of Abraham

Where the just go...

and limbo where children go.

At the centre of the earth.

Where it's very, very hot.

That's where children

go who tell lies...

but they don't just go

there for a few days.

Oh, no.

No, they're damned. Forever.

Think about it.

Try to imagine

the end of eternity.

Close your eyes.

Close your eyes

and try to imagine it.

Forever.

Pain... forever.

I'm getting dizzy. Heh.

GRACE:

Now do you understand...

why Justus and Pastor

told the truth?

All right.

Open your readers

at lesson six.

ANNE:
Can't we play?

GRACE:

You most certainly cannot.

First you're going

to read the lesson...

then you're going

to learn it by hear.

All of it?

Any more protests...

and there'll be

no playing at all today.

In fact, I think you can

study in separate rooms.

- CHILDPEN:
No, no, no!

- GRACE:
Yes, yes, yes!

ANNE:
But we get scared

if we're separated!

GRACE:
Scared? As if you weren't

used to this house by now.

NICHOLAS:

What if we see a ghost?

Has your sister been telling you

one of her stories?

I haven't told him anything!

If you see a ghost

you say "Hello "...

and continue on studying.

- Come to the music room.

- Why me?

Because I say so!

Now come on.

Take your book.

Nicholas, I want to see

that lesson learned...

in less than an hour.

- Mummy...

- What?

give me a kiss.

ANNE:
"give me a kiss.

Give me a kiss. "

GRACE:

Anne, wait for me outside.

You know I can't.

Over there.

GRACE:
Mrs Mills,

close all the curtains.

My daughter is going

to cross the living room.

Yes, ma'am.

All right, Anne.

Darling...

Mummy can't be with you

all the time, hmm?

You must learn to be

on your own.

Where's your rosary?

Ahh!

Whenever you feel afraid...

I want you to squeeze it

with all your might...

say an our Father,

and your fear will go away.

- It won't.

- Yes, it will. Honestly.

Don't you see that

when you do that...

the Lord is with you?

There's no reason to be afraid.

NICHOLAS:

"The house and the family.

"We all live in a house

with our family.

"The family is usually

made up of parents...

"children,

and their grandparents.

"We must be obedient... "

ANNE:
"... and kind towards

other members of our family...

"and we must

never argue or fight...

"With our brothers and sisters. "

Do you have any children?

MRS MILLS:
No.

Mr Tuttle and the girl Lydia

are all I've got...

and I'm all they've got.

GRACE:
Was she born like that?

Beg your pardon, ma'am?

The girl. Was she born a mute?

No.

I think

I've finished here, ma'am.

If you'll excuse me,

I think I'll go...

and see if Mr Tuttle

needs a hand.

Nicholas!

Nicholas, I'm coming!

Oh!

- Nicholas?

- What's the matter?

Why were you crying?

I wasn't crying.

I was reading.

But I just heard you...

Anne!

Anne!

Anne?

ANNE:

I haven't learned it yet, Mummy.

- Are you all right?

- Yes.

- Why were you crying?

- I wasn't.

I just heard you a moment ago.

There's no need

to feel ashamed, darling.

I don't.

If I'd been crying,

I'd tell you.

Oh, really.

So I imagined it, did I?

No. It was that boy.

GRACE:
what boy?

Victor.

Who's Victor?

The boy that was here

a moment ago.

I told him to let me study...

but he wouldn't stop crying.

I think he's a spoiled brat.

He said we 'd have

to leave the house.

GRACE:
Oh, did he, now?

And why was he crying?

Because he doesn't

like this house...

but he has to live here.

His father's a pianist--

- His father's a pianist?

- Yes.

I already told him he's not

allowed to touch the piano.

He isn't, is he, Mummy?

So, you've spoken

to his father as well?

ANNE:
No, only with Victor.

His father's with the others

in the hall.

I've just come from the hall.

There's no one there.

They must've gone upstairs.

They're viewing the house.

That'll do, Anne!

That's enough!

Now why were you crying?

It was Victor!

- So where is he now?

- He went out through there!

Would you mind

telling me how a boy...

can get in and out

of this room if it's locked?

GRACE:
I thought

I made myself quite clear.

No door is to be opened...

without the previous one

being closed first.

Is that so hard to understand?

This house is like a ship.

The light must be contained

as if it were water...

by opening and closing

the doors.

My children's lives

are at stake!

MRS MILLS:
But, ma'am--

Do not argue with me!

Be quiet!

Which was the last of you

to enter that room?

Lydia?

She hasn't got a key.

I already told you that.

That leaves you, then.

But I was in the hall

the whole time.

And then I went out

into the garden.

You saw me with your own eyes.

I hope you are not suggesting

that it was me!

Do you think that

I would overlook such a thing...

and endanger

the life of my own daughter?

NICHOLAS:
You're not supposed

to read at the table.

ANNE:
Oh, really?

Who's going to tell Mummy?

You?

or perhaps you?

Did you really see a boy?

Yes. He's called Victor.

Is he a ghost?

Don't be stupid.

Ghosts aren't like that.

What are they like?

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