The Strange Ones Page #2

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the same except, not.

What?

Nothing.

What is that?

Trust me.

Tastes like honey.

What's that?

Maybe a bear.

Run.

There even any left?

Barely.

Hey, stop for a second.

Put it away.

Hey.

Who's over there?

Are you new?

Eh, I don't think

he's like, one of us.

Look how f***ed up he is.

- No, they're gonna

know that we're up here,

and then...

um.

Do you have water?

Here.

Drink.

You wanna tell me your name?

Jeremiah.

You're kidding.

You stole my name.

He's Jeremiah, too.

I'm Gary, this is Luke.

Can you stand?

Hey gang, how's it going?

Yeah, I know it's hot out here.

We'll be done pretty soon.

Hey.

Don't say anything about

when we found you earlier.

If he asks, just,

we were chasing a stray cat,

we just found you

there, all right?

Okay.

Good.

- Whenever you're finished,

Jeremiah will show you

where you can take a shower.

Get him some clean

clothes to put on.

And after you get

clean, we'll talk, okay?

Okay.

Good, right?

To write down three

things you've learned

while you were here, even

if they were little things

that you can incorporate

into your life back home.

- Those might look poisonous.

Those are actually ones

that are safe to eat.

These should fit.

Yeah, these are both for you,

so just whatever, top or bottom.

Okay.

All right.

There's a bathroom in

here you can change in.

Take that.

This is Max.

You have dogs at home or cats?

A cat.

Just one?

One official one.

I feed a few strays though, too.

You must like animals.

What else can you tell

me about yourself?

You know, I can't start to

help you unless you talk to me.

Can you tell me

where you came from?

The woods.

The woods.

What does that mean?

I was in the woods camping.

With who?

My brother.

And where's your brother now?

I don't know.

- Maybe we should

talk in the morning

after you've had

a chance to rest.

Come on Max, let's

go home, buddy.

Can I just ask you

one other thing?

Okay.

What's your real name?

Hey.

Hey.

What?

- Did he ask about

where we found you?

No.

Good.

What do you think?

I think he's lying.

- Why do you think he's lying?

Just my gut.

We have to do weeds today.

It's a rotating thing.

Have you ever done

yard work before?

No.

You ever done anything before?

We'll show you.

It's not hard.

- We need

to finish all this stuff

by the end of today.

You guys work in the

patch over there, okay?

Stay out of those

woods over there.

I hear that's where that

escaped killer's hiding.

Shut up.

Well you still gotta work

over there until lunch time.

Jeremiah, are you listening?

Yeah, I'm listening.

- I thought I told you

to stay in the car.

Come on.

Finally.

Gary wants to talk to you.

- He looks like a criminal.

He is a criminal.

- He's brought the cops here.

- He's dangerous.

Guys, what the hell is he?

Is that him there?

Jeremiah!

Okay gang, let's break it

up, move along, move along.

Come on, let's go.

- You're pretty fast

for a little guy.

After what all

you've been through,

you're a real brave kid.

You know that?

We've been lookin' hard

for you these past days.

Where is he?

He didn't make it.

But we're just

glad we found you.

Sam?

Um.

Can I use the

bathroom for a second?

Sure.

So what were you two doing

out there in the forest?

Camping.

- I mean, that's what

he told me to say.

Sam, um.

This might be uncomfortable,

but I need to show

you a few things,

and I need you to answer

honestly, the best you can, okay?

Is this your house?

You and your dad's house?

Yes.

And.

Is this your dad?

What about your mom?

- Um, I don't know

where she lives.

- How is your relationship

with your dad?

Fine.

Was he strict?

I guess.

But no more than

any other parent.

Probably.

Okay.

Your friend Sarah told us

that you spent a lot of

time at Nick's house.

Um, yeah.

That's because my

dad worked at night,

so Nick would watch me,

as like favor to him.

Since he lived

across the street.

- And how long did

you do that for?

Um.

Since I moved in.

- And that

was about two years ago?

I guess.

- We spoke to some

people who knew your dad.

Looks like he was about

to start a new job.

Way at the other

end of the state.

Did you know about that?

Yeah, we were about to move.

- And how

did Nick feel about that?

He didn't like it.

He wanted me to live

with him instead.

That's why he did it.

What was that?

- That's was why

he killed my dad.

- What can you tell

me about that night?

I don't know, really.

I just remember he didn't want

me to look at him, my dad.

Don't look.

Go get your stuff.

Wait, stop!

Okay.

So Sam, with Nick.

Did he touch you?

Breathe in.

And out.

And in.

And out.

- Your knees

should be up at your chest,

sort of like how a cat sleeps.

You're going to feel

some pressure now.

Do you have a pet cat or dog?

A cat.

- There's no physical

evidence of sexual abuse,

but you know, it's rare

that there would be.

I look through his statement.

He's been through a lot.

- Brief

conversation with the pair.

But at least thought their

odd behavior was explainable.

That is, until they got

home and turned on the news.

- I knew there

was something weird

about them being out there,

but we didn't think

too much about it,

so then when I saw them on

the TV, I knew it was him.

I said, that's the kid

that you saw out there?

So that's when I called.

Track down the abducted child.

We all signed it,

and there was an assembly

for the whole school

where the police came

and talked about it.

Really?

Yeah.

Everybody's talking about it.

That's kinda weird.

What?

I don't know.

Do you um, have any

questions about anything?

It's just like a normal house.

Come on, Sarah,

let's let him get settled in.

- Do you think it'd be

fun to take care of animals?

Like on a farm?

- Yeah, and like planting and

growing vegetables and stuff.

I used to think that

kind of thing would suck,

but the more I think about

it, the more it seems awesome.

- It might get

boring after a while.

This is so weird.

You're in my room, but

like, a few days ago,

I totally thought you were dead.

Sorry, that's messed up.

It's so crazy to think that

you never really know a person,

you know?

My mom says she knew

someone that dated him once.

I mean, a girl his age.

It's just kind of

a shock, I guess,

that he turned out

to be such a weirdo.

Yeah.

- Was it like, mainly

him doing things to you?

Or did he make you

do things to him?

It was kind of both, I guess.

You know what's funny?

Thinks we're boyfriend

and girlfriend.

I didn't say anything,

they just, like, assume.

Can I tell you something?

Sure.

- Okay, um, I just

wanted to tell you

that I didn't say

anything to the police

about you and your dad.

Huh?

- They read our texts,

that's how they found out.

Found out what?

- Just about how you

didn't wanna move,

and how you wished

your dad was dead.

I don't think it

matters, though.

I told them you were joking.

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