The Shack Page #5

You can take the boat out, if you want.

Left my pole in it,

if you're feeling lucky.

()

KATE:
Daddy! Daddy!

(BOAT ROCKS)

(THUD)

(THUD)

(PANTING)

- No, no, no, no, no.

- JESUS:
Mack!

Mack, it's okay.

Why are you doing this to me?

JESUS:
This isn't me.

You told me to come out here.

JESUS:
Mack,

this is happening inside you.

You're letting it consume you,

and you don't have to.

No, no, no, no, no.

JESUS:
Just take a deep breath

and listen to my voice.

Don't look at it, Mack. Look here.

Missy!

Don't think about the past.

Don't think about the pain.

Look at me.

Everything is gonna be okay.

Look at me!

Trust me, none of this can hurt you.

Just keep your eyes on me.

Breathe.

Good, Mack.

I'm not going anywhere.

(BREATHES CALMLY)

Now, let's get you out of this boat.

- What?

- You heard me.

This is... That's not funny.

I'm not joking.

You can do this.

- I can't.

- Not on your own, you can't.

- I'll sink.

- No, Mack.

You're imagining a future without me,

and that future does not exist.

I promised to go with you always, right?

And I'm right here.

Come on.

(SIGHS)

All right.

Here we go.

(EXHALING SHARPLY THROUGH TEETH)

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

(EXHALING SHARPLY)

(CHUCKLES) This is insane.

Now what?

Just start walking.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

Yeah, okay.

Good.

(MACK CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY)

How are you doing?

- I'm still freakin' out.

- (CHUCKLES)

Looks like we've got company.

()

Look at this.

(JESUS CHUCKLES)

Look! See him?

What a beauty!

Must be over two feet long.

Been trying to catch him for weeks.

Why don't you just command him

to bite your hook?

Where's the fun in that?

(CHUCKLES)

(LAUGHING)

You know, you don't really fit

all the religious stuff that I was taught.

Religion.

Religion's way too much work.

I don't want slaves.

I want friends, family to share life with.

What about following the rules

and working to be a good Christian?

Think about it, Mack.

I'm not exactly what you call

a Christian, now am I?

No, I guess you're not.

(SOFT CHUCKLE)

(SIGHS)

I don't care what you call them.

I just wanna see people changed

by knowing Papa.

To feel what it's like to be truly loved.

I don't think I've ever felt that.

Put your shoes back on.

I'll show you how you can.

Follow the path until it ends,

and then keep going.

You're not comin'?

Mmm-mmm.

This is a path only you can take.

()

- I thought you said you'd never leave me.

- And I meant it.

- Trust me.

- (SCOFFS)

Don't forget what you've learned.

I'll be waiting for you right here.

()

"Keep going."

Hello?

Anyone?

Sorry, I...

(SIGHS)

You are?

I am Wisdom.

Do you understand why you're here?

Not really.

But I'm kinda getting used to that.

Today's a serious day,

with serious consequences.

You're here for judgment.

"Judgment"? They said I wasn't dead.

You're not.

Then what is this?

(SOFT CHUCKLE)

You don't believe that God is good?

Is Missy His child?

Of course.

Then, no.

I don't think God

loves his children very well.

If that's what you believe...

Come. Sit.

You can judge me fine from there.

- Judge you?

- Mmm-hmm.

Do you have something to confess?

Oh, you know what I did.

Yes. But you're not the one on trial.

Today, you are the judge.

- What?

- Why are you surprised?

You spent your whole life judging

nearly everyone and everything,

their actions and motivations.

As if you could even know them.

You make snap judgments

just by the color of someone's skin.

Their clothes. Their body language.

By all accounts,

you're a well-practiced expert, Mackenzie.

Sit.

All right.

()

So, who am I supposed to judge?

There must be at least a few

who are to blame

for all the pain and suffering

in the world. Right?

(SIGHS) Uh-huh. Right.

What about the selfish?

The greedy? Those who harm others?

Murderers?

Drug dealers? Terrorists?

Guilty?

Yeah.

What about men who beat their wives?

MACK'S MOTHER:
Leave me alone.

Come here. What did you say?

(MACK'S MOTHER SCREAMS)

Or fathers who beat their sons

to alleviate their own suffering?

Let's not do this.

Should that man be judged?

Yeah.

And you're gonna keep your mouth shut!

SOPHIA:
What about this boy?

- What about him?

- Would you judge him?

He's a kid.

But you already have.

That boy is your father.

BOY:
Yes, sir.

(PANTING)

(BOY CRYING)

Now,

what about the man who preys

on innocent little girls?

MISSY:
Daddy!

Daddy!

Okay, that's enough.

Is that man guilty?

- I would damn him to hell.

- And what of his father,

the man who twisted him

into this deviant monster?

I would damn him, too.

How can you stop there?

Doesn't the legacy of brokenness

go all the way back to Adam?

And what about God? Isn't He at fault?

He set all this in motion.

Especially, if He knew the outcome.

Do you want me to say it?

Absolutely.

God is to blame.

Well, if it's so easy

for you to judge God...

you must choose one of your children

to spend eternity in heaven.

The other will go to hell.

I can't do...

Can't do what?

I'm only asking you to do something

you believe God does.

So, who will go to hell?

You could choose Kate.

She said some pretty hurtful things.

She shuts you out.

You're not even sure

if she loves you anymore.

Or... you could choose Josh.

He's been disobedient.

Sneaking out. Lying to you.

You didn't know that?

Mackenzie, make your choice.

I don't wanna do this anymore.

- I can't do this.

- Can't do what?

I can't. I won't.

You must.

This isn't a game.

You have to.

You know what? This isn't fair.

You must.

It isn't fair.

I can't.

Take me.

I'll go instead of them.

I'll take their place.

You take me.

I'll go in their place.

You leave my kids alone, and you take me!

Mackenzie...

You've judged your children

worthy of love...

even if it costs you everything.

Now you know Papa's heart.

(SOFT CHUCKLE)

You know, what I don't understand

is how God can love Missy

and put her through so much horror.

She was innocent.

I know.

Did he use her to punish me?

'Cause that's not fair.

And she didn't deserve it.

My wife and my children didn't deserve it.

Now, I might. 'Cause you know I'm...

Is that who your God is, Mackenzie?

No wonder you're drowning in great sorrow.

God isn't like that.

This was not God's doing.

He didn't stop it.

He doesn't stop a lot of things

that cause him pain.

What happened to Missy

was the work of evil.

And no one in your world

is immune from it.

You want the promise of a pain-free life.

Yeah. Yeah.

There isn't one.

(MUFFLED CHUCKLE)

As long as there is

another will in this universe,

free not to follow God,

evil can find a way in.

There's gotta be a better way.

And there is.

But the better way involves trust.

(SIGHS)

I don't wanna be the judge anymore.

(WATER SPLASHING)

()

(CHILDREN CHATTERING)

(CHILDREN LAUGHING)

Missy...

(LAUGHS)

She can't hear you.

Can she see me?

No.

But she knows you're here.

She okay?

More than you know.

JESUS:
Missy!

Does she forgive me?

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