Vigil Page #2

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When his leg seizes up,

he puts his mind to it and he won't budge.

He tells me it's a war wound.

I've heard so many stories

about that leg.

I don't know which one's right.

Do you know he once told me

he fell out of a balloon?

What's he doing up there now?

Figures he can drain the valley.

Oh, I'll give him three days

and he'll let it rust.

You're different.

What do you mean, different?

Well you've invited me into the house.

You can wash up here.

He reckons

it's all to do with drainage.

See, there's this big cavern underground.

If you blow a hole through the surface

it's like pulling a plug...

Magic -

all the water drains away.

And do you believe him?

If you want a cup of tea or coffee,

help yourself.

No, thanks.

That's the old man's chair,

and if you sit there you might have a fight

on your hands when he comes in.

You watch him.

He'll go straight for that chair,

sling his leg up,

and tell me how everything's

just getting too much for him.

...fixing a town clock or something.

He was glad enough

that we'd caught up,

but then off he'd go again leaving Mom

and me to pack everything.

I'll take the old man's place this afternoon.

Sure you can manage?

Every year of my married life.

You don't forget the knack

from one year to the next.

- I meant...

- Yes, I know what you meant.

I know what you meant.

Those lambs have to be docked

before they're sold.

We should make a good team.

Oh...

Oh, sorry.

Ugh!

The old feller's getting worse.

It's taking it out of me, Lizzie.

You know, I reckon there are some things

that are beyond me now.

I don't think I'll manage the docking

this afternoon.

Why did you hire that man?

I can't run the place by myself.

But you might have to,

because I just want to be rid of it.

We can look after things, Elizabeth.

We can't stop the hills caving in on us.

Come on, Ethan, I haven't got all day.

Take it further up.

If you cut there, you double the work load

when it comes to crutching.

- You want to take over on this side?

- Why, can't you cope?

I wouldn't get too settled here

if I was you.

- You giving me notice?

- Yeah.

You'll be finished

at the end of the month.

Don't worry, missus.

I'll be long gone.

- Are you afraid of work?

- Depends more on the boss than the work.

- Oh, you would have had a lot of those.

- A few.

None of them women, eh?

You'd be surprised.

Listen poacher, you're here to do a job,

and just that job.

Now I don't care if you have

to chase up the odd goat.

That's your business,

and in your own time.

It's the only fringe benefit

you'll get around here, right?

Dad!

Bless, O Lord...

You alright, Toss?

Go on.

Why are you wearing that jacket, Toss?

Ethan's silent bullets.

Huh?

It protects me.

If you don't want to be caught,

you're going to have to change

the way you think.

Be like a deer,

really shrewd.

You move when she moves,

so she can't see you.

Stop when she stops.

You can see their heart beating.

When they're captured,

they're kept in the dark.

I saw them once.

An enormous building.

I opened the door.

The light sent them scattering

to the far corner.

I stood stock still waiting for them

to calm down.

They just stood there...

shivering and sniffing the air.

They could hear me breathing.

Can...

Can you call my father?

I'll brew up some tea.

I'll show you something.

There's a shadow in the glass.

A spirit.

How did you do that?

Magic.

The... The day Dad died,

were you hunting a deer?

Yeah.

I think I wounded it.

Where do you think it is?

- Depends.

- On what?

Well, if he's hurt, he'll head for the tops

where there are no flies.

If the flies got to her first then...

- Dead?

- Yep.

With God.

Don't know about that.

You go to God when you die.

That stag's rotting in the bush.

Sometimes you kill one,

but somewhere and somehow

it's dragged itself,

maybe only forty feet away

to where the dark camouflages it,

and you never see it again.

God doesn't care, does he?

Does the sky care?

Do the hills care?

God doesn't care, I don't care either.

If He doesn't care,

I don't care about Him!

Here's one in the eye of God!

One in your ear!

One up your nose!

Beans to God!

Beans to God!

Beans up your bum!

- Yeah!

- Bum!

Bum!

- What did you do?

- I went to sleep.

Before you went to sleep.

Oh, we talked a bit,

and he knows about deer,

- and they get scared in...

- Mmh, he knows about deer alright.

He's strange. He captures spirits

and puts them in glass.

A man of many parts, isn't he?

Tell me some more about this stranger.

I sucked his finger.

What do you mean?

Right!

OK!

Right, take her up.

Come on, Lisa.

Inside, Lisa.

Inside!

You're full of surprises.

What do you want?

I think the old boy wants you

to come and have a look.

You're like two kids in a sandpit.

Don't do that!

What are you after?

I want you to keep your hands

off my daughter.

That's the girl.

Now, up!

- Hey!

- Take her up.

Look at me, Mom.

Woo-hoo!

Hey, Mom!

Right, let's get this thing moving!

There you go.

Quick now!

Not so fast!

Whoa-ho!

- She's a beauty, Grandpa.

- Whoa-ho!

Keep her going.

Rev her up.

Ha ha!

- That's the stuff.

- It's the best ever, Ethan.

Isn't it great?

Come out, Birdie!

Get clear!

Grandpa!

The whole thing was alive!

It was wonderful, Grandpa.

Something you want?

We've got some sorting out to do.

They're your problems,

missus, not mine.

- I didn't hire you, but my God...

- Yeah. It's time I was going.

You're a greedy so-and-so, aren't you?

Well, take what you want, then.

Jacket!

Uh!

Ah!

Uh!

Mmh.

Oh.

Is the old boy out there?

Don't worry.

He's probably planning his next scheme.

Let's get that tractor fixed before you go.

This your last instruction

to the heathen farm hand?

Well... may as well make use of you

while you're on the payroll.

A few more days,

and none of us will be here.

Ow!

Hunter.

Hawk-man.

I know who you are.

Devil's angel.

Ethan.

Ethan.

Ethan Ruir.

No!

Don't go!

Argh!

Give me a hand with this.

Oi!

- Eh?

- Oi! Hold this down here.

- Move it up!

- What?

- I said, move it up.

- Oh.

That's it. Hold it.

- I must fix that, er...

- Eh?

I said, I must fix that gate of yours

before I go.

Yeah.

We'll just have to bolt all the doors

and wait for him.

It's all gone now.

No, it's no good.

Push it over.

- Push it over!

- Don't speak to me like this.

Oh.

Watch out!

He's sulking.

Hey, Birdie!

Come on, Dad!

Let's get going.

You may as well accept it.

The farm's sold.

Come on!

You can't stay in there forever.

Sh*t!

Little...

Are you going to be out for dinner?

It's your favorite.

What's the trouble?

Listen, Dad, we can't do much

about it talking through a closed door.

The tractor's ready and waiting.

What you need is a good...

Oh, let the old sinner

have his own way. He always does.

He always comes round by tea time.

I want you up at the house with your hands

washed by half past six, Dad.

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