Trash Fire Page #5

- They're beautiful.

- Thanks.

You should sell your jewelry online.

You could make a fortune.

What's 'online'?

- You're kidding, right?

- No, what's it do?

It connects people from all across the world.

Oh, so it's like a fancy telephone?

Jesus. Yes, that is what it's like.

Be careful.

I used to take his name in vain, too.

Then he killed my parents and set me on fire.

I guess it's time for you

to put the blindfold back on now.

Okay.

Turn around.

Let me get a good look at you.

What color are your eyes?

- Green.

- That's a nice color.

Not my favorite, but it's a good one.

Thanks?

So, what is it that you came here

to see me about?

Your brother... why won't you talk to him?

He was always fighting with my parents.

I don't like fighting.

It makes me feel bad inside.

Okay, but you know

he came here just to talk to you.

He wants to say he's sorry. He loves you.

Did he tell you I used to be pretty?

Not model pretty,

but I used to get compliments.

I'm sure you're still very pretty.

No. Not anymore.

Give Owen a chance.

Just think about it, okay?

I think it's time for you to leave now.

Put the blindfold outside.

- Bye, Pearl.

- Goodbye.

You are not gonna believe this.

Grandmother managed to get us...

- ...kicked out of the supermarket.

- What'd she do?

She was looking for the Brazil nuts

and decided to use a racial epithet...

...when describing them to a black employee.

Classy.

What have you been doing?

Oh, just getting ready for the day...

...thinking about perfect responses

to past arguments we've had.

Well, that sounds healthy.

Also managed to have

a conversation with your sister.

What? Really? What'd she say?

Give her some time.

I think she'll come around.

- Cool.

- Cool.

Pass the green beans.

Pass the green beans what?

Just pass the green beans.

Pass the green beans what?

Pass the green beans now...

...before your nasty old lady

skin flakes get all over it.

Tsk-tsk, in this house,

we respect our elders.

So if you want to behave like a female dog...

...you can eat off the floor like one.

You're pathetic. It's no wonder

Owen ran away and never looked back.

First thing in the morning

we're getting the f*** out of here.

Your slut has a foul mouth.

You've been on her ass ever since

we walked through that door.

It's no wonder it took her

so long to explode.

You're just like your father.

Your mother may have been a whore,

but she had backbone.

How do you call yourself a Christian?

The same way you're able

to call yourself a man.

You know, I almost wish

this Bible sh*t was true...

...so that I could watch you burn

right alongside me.

(PLATE SMASHES)

Stop fighting. I don't like fighting.

Pearl!

(SIGHS)

Okay, Pearl, open the door.

Pearl, I just want to talk.

Goddammit, Pearl, open the door.

PEARL:
You left me here with her,

but at least there was no fighting.

Now you came back and there's fighting again.

Okay, Pearl, I'm sorry.

There will be no more fighting.

Isabel and I are leaving

in the morning and it'll all be over.

This is our last chance to talk.

Open the door.

F***!

(WHIMPERING)

(SCREAMING)

(EERIE MUSIC FADES UP)

It's okay. It's just me.

It's Pearl.

Hi... hi, what are you doing here?

I brought you something.

I didn't make it.

It used to belong to my mother.

- Oh, no, no, no, I can't accept this.

- No, I want you to have it.

My mother wasn't a whore

like Grandmother says.

She just liked having sex,

and it's okay to like having sex.

Mm-hm.

Isabel, please don't go.

Please don't leave me here with her.

Stay just a little bit longer, please?

I'm... I'm sorry, sweetie,

we really do have to go back home.

Owen and I have to leave.

But if you... if you stay...

...Owen can apologize to me

for making me like this, like he wanted.

Sorry.

I'm glad we got a chance to be here.

(CHUCKLING)

(DOOR CLOSING)

Violet... what a... what a pleasant surprise.

- How's Pearl?

- Oh, queer as ever.

Well, we just need to keep praying

for her, then, don't we?

She's got a thing for my Grandson's

girlfriend. It's pathetic.

So your family's still in town, then?

How wonderful is that.

I've started seeing things again.

What...

- ...what kind of things?

- Horrible things.

God wants them all dead.

Violet...

...what would make you think

God would want anybody dead?

They weren't supposed to survive

the last time around.

None of them.

What are you saying?

I was given specific instructions.

It wanted them all to burn.

And it wanted me to watch.

- And I did.

- Instructions for what?

The boy was semi-coherent at the best

of times so it wasn't difficult...

...to convince him it was his fault.

There was a thrill...

...in hearing my daughter...

...screaming out in agony.

For a brief moment,

and for the first time, I felt...

...pleasure.

The kind of pleasure she must have derived...

...from her innumerable sexual episodes.

And then I knew

that I was doing God's work...

...and he was rewarding me.

Now, Violet...

...you are sorely mistaken if you

think that what you are doing...

...is God's will.

No, you're applying His Holy name

to some kind of personal agenda, no more.

- What you're doing is a kind of sacrilege.

- No, no, no.

After I convinced Owen...

...that he had improperly

installed the heating system...

...he was so consumed with guilt...

...I thought he would take his own life.

Instead of which, he ran away.

But I knew he'd come back one day for Pearl.

My voices told me, and now he's back.

And they want me to finish what I started.

Now, Violet, you listen to me.

These voices you're hearing,

they are a delusion.

I'm afraid I'm going to have

to contact the authorities.

You will do no such thing.

I'm afraid I have no choice.

Not unless you want them to find out...

...what you did to my daughter.

She was 15, Sterling.

She wasn't born a whore.

But you turned her into one.

Come now, Sterling...

...I thought you'd be excited to...

...sit back and relax...

...and watch a true vessel of God...

...do His work.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Violet, I have to...

Violet?

Violet!

I just gave Pearl some of my makeup,

so she could look nice for you.

- She's putting it on right now.

- Really?

- Mm-hmm.

- Thank you.

Lovely day, isn't it?

I'm gonna finish this coffee and then spend

the next hour trying to relieve myself.

I didn't know pregnancy

made you so constipated.

There is such a thing

as too much information, dear.

(SCREAMS)

- Grandma, what was that?

- A regular occurrence.

- That's it! No more mirrors!

- I'm gonna go check on her.

- I'll go with you.

- No, please, I'd rather go alone.

Pearl?

Pearl, are you okay?

- PEARL:
I think so.

- What happened?

Isabel let me borrow her makeup

because I wanted to look pretty for you...

- ...and then I got sad.

- I don't care about looks, Pearl.

It's not important to me.

However, I am a little concerned...

...about all the bad luck you're accruing

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