Tuck Everlasting

For some, time passes slowly.

An hour can seem an eternity.

For others,

there's never enough.

For the Tucks, it didn't exist.

Time is like a wheel...

turning and turning,

never stopping

and the woods are the center,

the hub of the wheel.

It began the first week

of summer

a strange and breathless time,

when accident, or fate

bring lives together

when people are led

to do things

they've never done before.

On this summer's day,

not so very long ago

the wheel set lives in motion

in mysterious ways.

It set Mae Tuck out

in her wagon

for the village of Treegap

to meet her two sons as she did

once every ten years.

Ma!

Miles!

Jesse!

Oh...!

Oh, I missed you.

What are you doing here?

Oh, I couldn't wait to see you.

I missed you, Jesse.

Oh, wait,

I got something for you.

Oh, look at you.

I got something.

Here, look.

The Eiffel Tower.

Would you look at that.

Got it in Paris, France.

Oh, Mom,

you've never seen anything

- So tall in your life.

- Hello...

Oh, I got something else.

I got something else.

How are you, old friend?

Your favorite... chocolates.

Oh, I've died

and gone to Heaven.

Oh, Jesse.

Miles...

Miles.

Give your mother a hug.

Ten years.

You're as cozy as barbed wire.

I have you back.

Winifred!

Winifred!

Yes, Mother?

I need a new name.

One that's not all worn out

from being called so much.

Come inside this instant.

You're getting filthy!

Ow! I can scarcely breathe.

"You must suffer

to be beautiful."

So say the French.

The French are crazy.

For Winnie Foster

one thing was true:

the heat of summer was not

nearly as stifling

as the formality of her life.

With every passing day

the feeling grew stronger.

She was coming closer

to the end of something

and moving towards

the beginning of something new.

Change was in the air.

It was only a question of when.

Wait for me in the car.

I won't be a minute.

In the car, Mrs. Foster.

Throw it home! Throw it home!

Come on, throw it home!

- Go!

- Run to me!

Yay!

No, no, no, no, no.

Too large for tea cakes.

None of these will do.

I prefer petit fours.

What kind of a funny hat

is that?

Well, look'ee here.

If it's not Miss Moneybags

in her fancy car.

What's the matter?

Don't want

to get your feet dirty?

Well, I'm sorry, Mrs. Foster.

Not much call

for such treats out here.

Well, I could just make them up

for you, special.

Winnie Foster?

You've got to be kidding!

Wow!

Winnie, run!

Run, Winnie, run!

Throw it! Throw it!

Throw it home! Come on!

Slide, Winnie, slide!

Winifred!

Oh, and they had

their arms crossed

and you see, the lines

were perfectly square.

Come here, come here.

I want to teach you. Come on.

Oh, all the way from France.

How about that?

Oh, look. Look-Look at this one.

I want to see, Pop. Let me see.

Look it.

Oh! Aah, he shot me!

Oh, I'm dead!

Oh, oh, my!

- Oh, my!

Oh, you'll have to see this one.

Miles, look at this!

Oh... let's see.

Okay, come here,

I want to show you.

I want to show you.

All right.

Good to have you home, son.

I'm glad to see you.

And the family together.

But don't get used to it.

War's coming, I hear.

I'm joining up.

I'm going to fight the Huns.

Get as far away

from this place as I can.

Oh, you think

that'll solve things, do you?

You haven't had enough killing

for two lifetimes?

Somebody's on to us.

I know it.

There's a man who's been

following us

and we've lost him

several times, but...

he keeps coming back.

I think he knows something.

This man...

Jesse...

- Whoo!

We're being tracked.

Oh, Miles, we lost him.

Don't go spoiling everything.

Yeah, we lost him, Jess...

but he keeps coming back.

It was only a matter of time

before someone found us.

The world is closing in.

Entire forest is almost gone.

All except this little wood.

I saw tire marks down

on the lower wash...

a few weeks ago.

There'll be more.

I don't want anyone going

to town.

Not for anything,

and that's that.

Tuck.

You see any strangers

in the woods getting too close

you know what to do.

No exceptions.

Our time here is almost done.

I can feel it.

You'll never catch one that way.

Do you know

about catching fireflies?

Afraid not, never tried.

I prefer... bigger game.

Though I suspect the strategy

is much the same.

Strategy?

One must never announce

one's presence to the prey.

One must become part

of the scenery...

invisible...

almost disappear.

And be patient

until the exact, right moment

arrives...

Take a prisoner.

For you?

No, thank you.

You're quite right.

A girl of your age

should find...

trapping suitors

more interesting

than trapping insects, anyway.

Far easier, I might add.

Have you lived here long?

Forever. Why?

I'm... looking

for some old friends

who live hereabouts.

Thought you might

help me find them.

My father

practically built Treegap.

He knows everyone.

Perhaps he can help you.

Perhaps.

I quite like talking to you.

Winifred?

Winifred, who are you talking to

out there?

I don't know.

He hasn't told me his name.

Good evening, madam.

Please forgive my intrusion.

This young lady tells me

you've lived here forever.

I thought you might know

of a certain family

goes by the name of...

I hardly know everyone,

nor do I want to.

And I don't stand outside

discussing such a thing

with... strangers.

Then I beg your pardon.

Good evening, young lady.

Madam.

This is why I worry

about you, Winifred.

You don't have the sense

not to talk to a man like that.

A proper education gains one

entr into society.

Your mother and I have given

this a great deal of thought.

Middlehouse Academy for Girls

in Pensford,

has an excellent reputation.

Middlehouse?

But that's a terrible place,

everyone says so.

It's like a jail.

Nonsense.

Girls emerge from there

as refined young ladies

well-versed in etiquette

and manners,

both of which

you are sorely lacking.

But I don't want to be

one of those girls.

Which is precisely why

you must go.

I cannot let

your unbridled nature

ruin your chances

for a respectable future.

Winifred... I'm sorry...

but we have to do

what's best for you.

I won't do it.

I'm not like those girls.

I won't go!

Winifred!

I won't go!

Winnie Foster was to be sent

500 miles away to be educated.

But what her parents didn't

understand

was she only wanted to step

just outside her fence...

so she did.

What in these quiet woods

should be so forbidden?

Winnie had always sensed

a mystery

waiting for her there.

It was a place so entirely

different from what she knew

so far away from her tight,

pruned world.

Ah!

Ah...

How long have you been

standing there?

Not long at all.

I was only walking past,

and I...

Well, you shouldn't...

be in these parts of the woods.

It's best you turn around

and go home.

Well, go on, now, get!

Excuse me,

but I own these woods, and...

I'll go on and get

when I want to.

You own these woods?

Yes, I do.

What's your name?

Winifred.

Winnie... Foster.

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