The Others Page #3

I've told you

a thousand times.

They go about in white sheets

and carry chains.

- How do you know?

- Because I've seen them.

They come out at night.

Fibber. Where?

- You're stupid.

- Not half as much as you.

I don't believe

you saw that boy.

Believe what you like.

You'll soon be begging us

to play with you.

ANNE:
Nicholas!

NICHOLAS:
Huh? What?

Look.

Why have you opened

the curtains?

- It wasn't me.

- Who was it, then?

It was Victor.

He's been doing it all night.

You're lying.

I'm going to tell Mummy.

- So I'm a liar, am I?

- Yes.

Victor, come out from

behind that curain...

so my stupid brother

can see you.

Leave me alone.

ANNE:
So you don't want

to see him now, eh?

You're a cowardy custard.

Cowardy cowardy custard.

I'll just have

to do it myself, then.

ANNE:
That's enough, Victor.

Nicholas. Nicholas.

Tell him to leave

the curtains alone.

He won't listen to me.

VICTOR:
Stop it.

Get off my bed, both of you.

ANNE:
This is our bed.

VICTOR:
No, it's mine.

Anne, please stop

putting on that voice.

You be quiet, cowardy custard.

Listen, if you don't stop,

I'll call my mother...

and she'll kick you out.

You don't know my mother.

VICTOR:

And you don't know my parents.

Anne, I'm going to tell

Mummy about you.

Don't be stupid.

Can't you see it's not me?

Victor, touch his cheek

so he knows you're real.

Aah!

NICHOLAS:
Mummy! Help!

Help! Help, Mummy!

What is it? What is it?

What is it?

She was fighting with me,

and I told her to be quiet.

I'm fed up.

Do you hear me?

I am fed up with you!

I didn't do anything!

"Therefore the Lord god

sent him forh...

"from the garden of Eden...

"to till the ground

from whence he was taken.

"So he drove out the man...

"and placed to the east

of the Garden of Eden...

"cherubims

and a flaming sword...

"Which turned every way

to keep the way...

"of the Tree of Life. "

There. I finished.

Very good.

Now you can ask the Virgin

for forgiveness.

What?

That's not what we agreed!

We didn't agree anything,

young lady.

Today you're being punished,

and you'll do as I say.

You can't make me

ask the Virgin for forgiveness.

How dare you!

Mummy, I won't ask forgiveness

for something I didn't do!

You told your brother

someone else was in the room!

- There was!

- You're lying!

I am not!

Anne...

do you remember the story

about Justus and Pastor?

Children who don't tell

the truth end up in limbo.

That's what you say,

but I read the other day...

that limbo's only for children

who haven't been baptized.

And I have!

ANNE:

"And Abraham took the wood...

"of the burnt offering

and laid it upon Isaac his son.

"And he took the fire

in his hand and a knife...

"and they went,

both of them together.

"And Isaac spoke

unto Abraham his father...

"and said, 'My father... '

"and he said,

'Here I am, my son. "'

Did you look in on Nicholas?

Yes, ma'am.

The little angel is fast asleep.

What about Anne?

Is she still on the stairs?

Oh, yes, ma'am.

GRACE:
I'd prefer to have her

Where I can see her...

but I can't embroider

in such poor light.

How long is this punishment

going to go on?

It's been three days now.

It's up to her.

She's got to learn

to swallow her pride...

and ask for forgiveness.

Anyway, it's time

she stared to read the Bible.

The priest will be very pleased

to hear that, ma'am.

GRACE:
If he ever deigns

to pay us another visit.

He knows perfectly well

that the children can't go out.

MRS MILLS:

He told me yesterday...

he 'd be by

as soon as possible.

I'm beginning to feel

totally cut off from the world.

This fog doesn't exactly help.

It's never lasted

this long before.

Oh, that's true, ma'am.

Even the seagulls

have gone quiet.

Anne!

Anne, I can't hear you.

Ohh!

Incidentally, Mrs Mills, I've

had to put up with the noise...

of Lydia running around

above my head.

She's been hurling

backwards and forwards...

as if there were three of her.

Would you kindly tell her

it's not necessary...

to kick up quite such a rumpus

just to do a little cleaning?

I couldn't bear to get

another migraine attack.

I'll tell her, ma'am.

GRACE:
Thank you.

Now she's really gone too far.

Lydia! Lydia!

"... in the mount

of the Lord it shall be seen.

"And the angel of the Lord--"

What's going on up there?

Nothing, Mummy.

I'm just reading.

- Did you hear it as well?

- Hear what?

"And the angel of the Lord...

"called unto Abraham

out of Heaven...

"the second time and said...

"'By myself, I have sworn, '

saith the Lord--"

Shh!

What was that?

I don't know.

Anne, tell me

who's making that noise.

I can't tell you, Mummy.

You tell me.

I told you

there was someone in the room...

and you punished me.

Now I don't know what to say.

Anne, I want the truth.

Tell me if

there is someone upstairs.

There. In that junk room.

ANNE:
Mummy,

you're letting the light in.

Shh!

- She's a woman.

- She's what?

Where did they go?

They just came past here.

Didn't you see them?

Which way did they go?

over there, over there,

and down there as well.

They're everywhere.

They say this house is theirs.

And they're going

to take the curtains down.

Ma'am, stay calm, please.

GRACE:
I will not stay calm!

For five whole years

during the occupation...

I managed to avoid a single Nazi

stepping foot in this house...

and now there is someone here,

opening and closing the doors.

Ma'am, this is a very old house.

The floorboards squeak

and the plumbing clanks--

There were voices.

I'm telling you.

ANNE:
Mummy, look.

A boy and two women,

talking together.

Mummy, look!

I did it yesterday.

This is the father,

this is the mother...

this is Victor,

and this is the old woman.

What do these numbers stand for?

ANNE:
That's the number

of times I've seen them.

I've seen the old woman

the most.

Oh, god in Heaven.

Mrs Mills,

go and call Mr Tuttle.

We have to search

the whole house immediately...

before it gets dark.

- Yes, ma'am. There, now.

- Mummy!

Yes, darling. It's all right.

Nothing will happen to you

while Mummy's here.

ANNE:
Look, Mummy.

She really scares me.

It's as if

she's not looking at you...

but she can see you.

And she's always around

saying "Come with me "--

No, Anne, don't lie to me.

ANNE:
Honestly, Mummy.

And she asks me things.

Victor told me she's a witch.

GRACE:
What does she ask you?

Things.

Her breath smells.

We have to open

all the curtains.

I don't want any dark corners

where someone could hide.

Yes, ma'am.

You both search the right side,

and I'll take the left.

Then we'll search upstairs.

NICHOLAS:

Perhaps they're ghosts...

who lived

in this house before.

Don't be stupid.

I've already told you.

ghosts go about

in white sheets...

and carry chains

and go "ooo. "

MRS MILLS:
Now, Anne.

Why do you make up

such stories?

ANNE:
I don't.

I read them in books.

Well, you shouldn't

believe everything...

that you read in books.

That's what our mother says.

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