The Rain Page #2

just sneak a little water?

Pa said we could have

some rations in the morning.

I can't sleep. Please.

All right.

What's the matter?

Thinking about what the boy said?

Yeah.

Well, don't be afraid.

All he saw was the hat, right?

Yeah, but even monsters

can wear hats.

There's no such thing as monsters.

[Sighs]

[Thumping]

[Footsteps approach]

[Grunts]

Getting water, huh?

It's for Maggie.

[Water splashes]

Go on in the house.

What's going on?

Heh, heh, heh, heh.

Rain.

The shaman delivered

on his promise.

Skeptics are worried.

We need to choose another one.

Now. Before they change

their minds.

Maybe they're right

to be worried, Horace.

We already had

this conversation, Clive.

You turning yellow on us?

The shaman promised us rain.

And we need this.

And what's next?

What happens next here, Horace?

We'll worry about that later.

Right now we need

to see this through,

or we're all dead

and there is no next year.

Come on, Clive!

What's it gonna take?

All the crops are gone,

our livestock.

We lost, what, 30 to the drought?

Yeah.

Right. Whatever.

It's gonna be 33.

Two more, Clive...

and we all live.

[Groans]

We're all in this equal.

Ain't that right, Ben?

All right!

You made your point.

I'll go.

Good man, Clive.

Good man.

Where you going?

Into town.

I'll be back before long.

You watch over your sister.

[Door opens]

[Door closes]

But how can rainwater be a cure?

It can't be that simple, can it?

Yes, it can.

From now on you have to bathe

in the vernal rain.

The vernal rain?

Yes, the vernal rain. It's a...

It's a rain that comes once a year.

It has special properties.

You have to shower in it...

or your affliction will return...

and you'll die.

Well, what about

Kyle, Max, and Jack?

Your brothers...

Your brothers...

Look...

You...

me, your mother...

we were all born with this curse.

Mom?

Well, what if it doesn't rain

next time? Then, what?

We have a way of ensuring...

that it will rain.

Well, you can't just make it rain.

Yes, we can.

I think it's time you come with me.

I've got to show you something.

[Man on radio speaking indistinctly]

[Jean coughing]

[Clarence groans]

[Water splashing]

[Jean coughing]

JEAN:
Mandy...

your dinner's getting cold.

Let's all say grace, please.

Dear Lord, we thank You

that we can all be together

around this table again.

Thank You for...

letting us remember...

that as long as we're together,

we can get through

all your trials and tribulations.

Amen.

[Coughs]

CLARENCE:
Hope you like it.

[Coughing]

[Coughing]

Clarence, I don't feel so good.

MAGGIE:
Where are you going?

Going to get Pa from town.

He said to wait here.

Something's wrong.

He's been gone too long.

You think he's in trouble?

I don't know. Maybe.

It didn't look like he wanted

to go with them.

Daniel, why is this happening to us?

I'm afraid, Daniel.

Don't leave me.

I don't want to be alone.

Listen, the town's not that far away.

I can make it in an hour

and be back before too long.

I'll be careful.

I'm scared to be here by myself.

Don't be. There's no such thing

as monsters, remember?

Tell you what... why don't you

bar the door behind me,

and I'll knock like this...

...to let me back in, okay?

Now, get back to bed.

People can be monsters, too,

Daniel.

[Door opens]

[Thunder rumbles, rain falling]

Now, listen to me, Cari.

I want you to listen to me.

I need you to do something.

It's gonna be hard at first,

but I want you

to understand that it's...

it's for the survival of this family.

Do you understand?

That's a promise?

Yes, Daddy.

Okay.

Kyle!

Why is he tied up?!

So he doesn't get away.

"Get away"?

He needs a doctor.

Cari. Cari.

Listen to me.

We can talk about this later.

We can discuss it later.

What I need you to do...

listen very carefully now...

is I need you to take your hands...

take your hands...

place them on his chest.

And submerge him

until his lungs fill with water.

No!

Cari!

Look at this!

Look at it!

It's not gonna get any better.

You understand?

Stop! You're insane!

Cari!

Listen to me.

If you don't do this...

me, you, your mother...

all of us...

we're gonna die

a horrific and agonizing death.

- Stop!

- Cari!

- Stop! You're hurting me!

- Cari!

You don't understand.

In order to bring the rain...

[Thunder crashes]

...we as a family

must make a sacrifice.

We must make a sacrifice.

It's been going on

for over a generation.

I'm gonna call the sheriff.

Doesn't matter.

He knows.

He already knows.

The whole community knows.

We all suffer

from the same curse, Cari.

Our lives... our health...

our crops...

everything.

[Thunder rumbles]

And the only way to fix it

is that you have to sacrifice

your brother Kyle.

This is a hoax.

Please stop. Stop it now.

You're lying.

Stop being so dramatic

and do as you're told!

You made a promise.

Now keep it!

How do you think...

Perseverance has prospered

all these years?

Have you looked around?

Have you looked

at all the towns around you?

Huh? They're all dried up.

Why?

Because we made a promise.

And that promise has to be fulfilled.

Now, I want you...

to make it rain.

You make it rain.

Do you hear me?

But it's already raining.

Where's Max?

Where's Jack?

[Thunder rumbles]

[Gasps]

Oh, God. No. No.

No.

[Thunder crashes]

You'll learn, Cari.

You'll learn

like all of us had to learn...

the whole town...

that one day,

when you have your children,

your turn will come.

I just pray that you'll have

the determination

to do exactly

what my father did with me...

...and that I have to do

with you now.

May you have the strength...

to pull the trigger.

[Coin falls]

No. No!

It wasn't supposed to go like that!

And what way was that, Clive?!

BO Y:
The selection has been made.

The shaman now demands

a sacrifice.

If you go back on your word,

he will curse your land and people.

Stop it, Ben.

Stop it!

BEN:
No more children!

Let it go, Ben!

Ben. Ben.

We got rain.

There's no going back now.

How can you just let

your babies go?!

Why the children?!

Why don't you take one of us?!

The shaman was a father.

The white man like you

killed his children.

His heart is now dark.

The same darkness is now on you.

[Clacking]

Mr. Wheeler.

I saw Simon this morning.

My boy?

Outside the forest, by our property.

He came running out of the woods.

And?

He was hurt real bad, screaming

that he was being chased.

Where is he now?

I don't know, Mr. Wheeler.

My pa...

my pa took him

back into the woods.

Listen to me, Daniel Jonis.

Don't go home.

Stay away till dawn.

Why?

So you don't end up like my boy.

[Breathing heavily]

[Gasps]

It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay. It's okay.

It's cool.

[Sighs]

Yeah.

What's that?

[Gasping]

You said you got rid of it!

You promised, Clarence!

Yes, I did, Jean. I promised.

I promised the whole town...

that I would put an end

to this drought, which I started...

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