The Sandman

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MAN OF SAND:

You have a deep head wound...

...and a fractured arm.

I'm admitting you for a few days

to monitor your progress.

Can you pass me that tape?

- Did you come alone?

- The police brought me.

You're the one who got into a fight?

They were beating up an

old man sleeping in the street.

They were beating him to a

pulp and no one did a thing.

A tramp!

Times are bad for them.

It's never been a good time

to be a tramp, believe me.

Do you smoke?

I quit a long time ago.

- Does it hurt to breathe?

- No.

Breathing's never hurt me.

Can I go?

You must take care of yourself.

- I have to see someone.

- Family?

Do you want us to inform them?

You're not from round here, are you?

I was, a long time ago.

His name...

Mummy!

- Hello, darling.

- Mummy.

- Is Dad in?

- No. He went to town.

Eduardo called, he had a

problem with the plane ticket.

He'll call you back later.

I told him you were staying

for the weekend.

What's wrong?

You're exhausted.

Why don't you lie down?

Later.

Right then, Lolita.

How was your night?

I just admitted an old man.

He was defending a tramp

from one of those gangs.

- Is he badly hurt?

- He'll recover.

Just as well.

Look.

Do you remember?

Yes.

I should have taken it in colour.

The man I'm talking about

has the same photo.

He has the photo of my mother.

Whenever we talked about

what happened to her,

I knew something was left out,

something you

chose not to tell me,

that I might not

even want to know.

Now I want to know.

His name's Mateo.

Mateo.

Do you know him?

It's been such a long time.

Is he my father?

Your father?

Most of our patients

don't feel the need to escape.

They don't consider the possibility.

They wouldn't know what to do

with themselves out there.

They depend on us.

And we help them feel safe in here.

We're like a big family...

...and we want that to continue.

That's it.

In short, you obey the rules here,

order and control.

This is not a prison,

but don't get any ideas.

Take my advice and don't try it.

I've been making this

man o' war for 9 years,

during which time nobody's

left without my authorisation.

Is it the Santa Ana?

Yes. How did you guess?

I can read.

Well, what a surprise.

What else do you know?

It was one of the greatest

ships of its time.

It boasted some hundred guns,

and I know that this

one is fifty guns short

of being a first-class man

o' war like the Santa Ana.

What a surprise.

Maybe this isn't a first-class

man o' war like you say.

And maybe this

isn't the state prison,

but it's a prison for you.

Understood?

Don't stir things up

or try to escape.

These are the rules.

Behave and we'll treat

you with due respect.

A year passes quickly.

Go on, take him to solitary.

I've done nothing

to deserve being locked up.

You're not mad,

but not exactly a saint.

You know how this works.

Give it to me, damn it!

Here you won't need anything

but what we give you.

Why did you sent him to solitary?

It's a preventive measure.

If he knows what's

in store for him,

he'll think before

he steps out of line.

An infallible method.

Preventive measure? A method?

Rubbish.

I don't know if Mateo

was right about the ship.

But Burgos didn't like

being shown up...

... and let it be known

in his own way.

They say when someone

is wrongly punished,

when he gets out, he's not

the same, and for good or ill,

he doesn't see the world

the same as before.

Three days in solitary

for one simple comment.

That's how the place worked.

When he left that cell the look

in his eyes wasn't the same.

I remember every single detail.

I remember the smell.

It smelled bad

the moment you entered.

I thought I'd never get used to it.

DIRTY WARD:

But no, you get used to anything.

I needed the job and being

a woman and new at this,

I was already at a disadvantage.

Why do they call her the Cigarrona?

She used to smoke like a chimney.

She has such deep wounds.

Why is she here?

She's not a dirty one.

- I'm pissing myself.

- Get out of here.

- But I'm pissing myself.

- Back to your ward!

I said no. Go!

You're a pig.

Are you jealous?

Go on. Move it.

Mateo ended up in a place where

they abandoned the nobodies,

or if they were somebody,

nobody remembered them.

It was a place hidden from God...

... and men.

Hey, Frog. Learn to speak

proper like the rest of us.

Here, this is your bed.

Behave yourself and

don't do anything stupid.

Where is your 'at?

It's occupied.

I said it's ocuppied.

Do you 'ave a 'at?

It's empty!

- It's occupied. Do you 'ave a 'at?

- C'mon, Frenchy, what's it matter?

I said it's occupied

and 'e 'as no 'at!

Sure, I've got a hat. They took

it when I came in. Happy?

- Happy?

- Come on.

Come on.

Don't worry.

He's a bit...

Can you spare one for me?

F***ing hell!

F***ing nutters!

You got a cigarette?

That's my Frenchy.

The hospital wasn't pretty

or the best-equipped,

on the contrary, but I thought

it was a good place

to start changing things

that didn't work.

Good heavens.

They were so alone, and

the place was falling apart.

At the time there was

even an atomic bomb.

And we had no idea.

What are you doing? It's closed.

- Just looking.

- Trying to get in?

I'm trying to get out.

Don't. It'll make things

harder on you.

Right.

Were animals kept here?

No. Those weren't

for shackling animals.

Where are my things?

I put them in a safe place,

don't worry.

We don't often see

bagpipers round here.

Yeah, but it's the only

thing I can play.

My dad used to say, 'bagpipes

are the sound of the earth'.

- And it's a sound I like.

- The sound of the earth.

Yes. He wasn't from here.

Is it true what you told

Burgos about the boat?

You think it's strange

that I know such things?

No.

Well, yes, a bit.

From the number of guns

it could be the San Jos,

the last Spanish galleon.

But the truth is I've

no idea what he's building.

My grandma had a lot of books.

As a boy I read everything

I could about boats.

My favourite novels were of

distant voyages, pirates...

I liked Jules Verne.

- Jules Verne!

- Yes.

I thought some day

I'd be like Captain Nemo.

- Nonsense like that.

- Why nonsense?

I don't know. I can't even swim.

And the bagpipes?

I earn a few pennies, though the

priest at Santa Eulalia church...

...doesn't like me

playing during mass.

No wonder. During mass...

When isn't it mass in this country?

Was it he who reported you?

You still haven't said

where you're from.

From outside.

The other side of the wall.

This hose is completely screwed.

Looking for something, friend?

The way out.

Just you or with company?

No, it's better alone.

You shouldn't talk like that...

...if you really want to

get out of here.

Don't you know how to lie?

I could hide behind there.

I don't take things out,

I bring them in.

I can get you what you want,

a jacket, a shirt,

salami, anything.

With money, everything's possible.

You got money?

Where would you go with no money?

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