–[1978]–

(Someone throws a rock at the window of an abandonned house and shatters it. A young girl, Addie, standing on the front lawn of this house turns around.)

Bryan : Hey, Troy. You're a dork.

Troy : Hey, shut up. Hey, freak.

(On his way to the front door, Bryan blow some kisses at Addie who stares back at him)

Addie : Excuse me. You are going to die in there.

Troy : Shut your mouth, or we're gonna kick your ass!

Bryan : We got bats.

Troy : I hate trees!

(The boys enters the house)

Addie : You're gonna regret it. You're gonna regret it. You're gonna regret it.

Troy : Yeah!

Bryan : Yeah!

(While the boys smash everything they found inside with their bats, a song sung by children can be heard)

SONG: ♪ I know / I know / You belong / To some / Body new / But tonight / You belong / To me /Although / Although / We're apart / You're part / Of my heart / And tonight / You belong / To me / Just to little old me. ♪

Bryan : Troy.

Troy : Awesome. (A door swings shut) Go.

Bryan : No, you go, shithead.

(The boys go down some stairs)

Troy : Check it out.

(They find a room full of jars filled with human's and animal's parts. Troy picks up a jar containing an ear and drops it. It shatters onto the ground)

Troy : It stinks in here. It stinks like shit. You remember last summer when we get the raccoon stuck in our chimney? That's what it smells like. Let's go find it.

Bryan : No, it smells bad... I'm getting out of here.

(Troy go further into the room, poping his crackers, while Bryan turns around, up the stairs. Suddenly, the popping stops. Bryan stops his ascension)

Bryan : Troy?

(A bottle rolls across floor)

Bryan : Troy? Who's down there? Cut it out, Troy. Cut it out.

(Bryan finds Troy on the ground, his throat slashed. Troy is reaching out to him, unable to utter anything. Bryan turns around and sees a creature, Infantata, running in their direction. Bryan starts screaming. We are suddenly outside the house, Addie is still on the front lawn)

–[Today]–

(A gynecologist, dr. Day is examining a woman, Vivien. A nurse is assisting)

Dr. Day : So, are your periods regular again?

Vivien : Every other month. Not that I'm really complaining. After all that blood. Ben hates blood.

Dr. Day : You having issues with arousal?

Vivien : Not when I'm by myself.

Dr. Day : Lie back. Well, I've recently had some success with women your age using bioidentical treatments and hormones.

Vivien : For what?

Dr. Day : Well, it's a sort of a preemptive strike. See, your body is like a house... you can fix the tiles in the bathroom and the kitchen, but if the foundation is decaying, well, you're wasting your time.

Vivien : What are the side effects?

Dr. Day : You can sit up. Well, the... BHRTs are great for your skin, organs. Most of the women I give these to tell me they make them feel ten years younger.

Vivien : I don't know. You know, I don't even let my family drink out of plastic bottles. Taking a bunch of hormones when I don't even know what the side effects are, I just...

Dr. Day : Feel and look ten years younger.

Vivien : I don't need hormones, Doctor. I'm just trying to get control of my body again, after what happened.

Dr. Day : And I'm offering you something to help you get that back.

Vivien : I'm not a house.

Dr. Day : Vivien, what are you so afraid of?

———–

(Vivien comes home. She puts down her errands on the counters of the kitchen. She hears a soft thud coming from upstairs. She calls the police)

Police Officer : 911.

Vivien : I have an intruder in my house.

Police Officer : Are you sure it's not a member of your family?

Vivien : No. Nobody is home.

Police Officer : What's the address?

Vivien : 35 Drummond Road.

Police Officer : We're sending a patrol car.

Vivien : Please hurry, please.

(Vivien picks up a kitchen knife and goes upstairs. We can hear something squeaking. Vivien slowly opens a door)

Ben : Oh, my God. No, Viv. No, no.

(Vivien stands still a few seconds, watching inside the room, then turns around. A man, Ben, comes out of the room, trying to stop Vivien)

Ben : Viv, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. No.

(Vivien slashes his arm)

Ben : Aah!

Addie : You're going to regret it. You're going to regret it. You're going to regret it.

-[OPENING CREDITS]-

(Vivien, Ben and their daughter, Violet, are driving down a freeway)

Vivien : The light is different out here. It's softer.

Violet : It's called smog.

Ben : You should be excited, Vi. You can stop sneaking cigarettes and just start taking deep breaths.

Violet : I need to go to the bathroom.

Ben : We're almost there.

Violet : I need to go.

Ben : Vi, it's a freeway. Really, where do you want me to pull over? Maybe the Honda next to us has a bathroom or something.

Violet : Bet if the baby had to shit, you'd find somewhere.

Vivien : Really? Violet, I hate that word, unless I'm saying it.

Ben : I'm really glad we named you Violet, instead of our second choice.

Violet : Which was?

Vivien : Sunshine.

(They all start chuckling)

Ben : It's funny. Come on, you gotta admit it's funny.

(Ben trys to hold Vivien's hand, but she takes it back)

———–

(Ben rings a doorbell)

Ben : I love it. Don't you love it, hon? I mean, it looks even better than it did online.

(We have a view of the house, it's the abandonned house from 1978, but restored)

Vivien : Yeah, it's interesting.

Violet : Great. So we're the Addams Family now.

Ben : Hey, crabby pants. Come here.

Vivien : What are you doing?

Ben : Isn't this place amazing?

(Marcy, the realtor, opens the door)

Marcy : Welcome. It's a classic L.A. Victorian. Built around 1920 by the doctor to the stars at the time. It's just fabulous. These are real Tiffany fixtures. As you can see, the previous owners really loved this place like a child. They restored everything.

Vivien : Gay?

Marcy : What do you think?

Ben : Tiffany. Wow.

Marcy : Do you cook?

Ben : Viv is a great cook. I got her cooking lessons a few years ago, and she ended up teaching the teacher a few things.

Marcy : Cooking lessons... romantic. Aren't you a psychologist?

Ben : Psychiatrist. You said something on the phone about there being a study that I could use as a home office? I'm planning on seeing patients here, so I can spend more time with the family.

Marcy : How refreshing.

(Vivien puts her dog down, and it goes running outside the kitchen, yapping)

Vivien : Violet, honey, would you go see where Hayley went? Thank you.

Violet : What are you yapping at?

(after several unsuccesful attempts, Violet gets the door the dog was yapping at to open. She goes down the stairs. Our view changes, from behing some kind of grate, we can now watch Violet looking aroung the basement, then go back upstairs)

———–

(Marcy is still showing the house to Ben and Vivien)

Ben : When I saw the pictures of this room online, I thought maybe you could use it as your music room.

Marcy : Are you a musician?

Vivien : I was. Cellist...

Ben : very good one, in fact.

Marcy : Why did you quit?

Vivien : This wallpaper is peeling over here. Looks like maybe there's a mural underneath it.

Marcy : The last owners probably covered it up. They were modernists. Speaking of the last owners, full disclosure requires that I tell you about what happened to them.

Vivien : Oh, God... they didn't die in here or anything, did they?

Marcy : Yes, actually, both of them. Murder-suicide. I sold them the house, too. They were just the sweetest couple. You never know, I guess.

Ben : That explains why it's half the price of every other house in the neighborhood, I guess.

Marcy : I do have a very nice mid-century ranch, but it's in the Valley, and you're going to get a third of the house for twice the price.

Ben : Right.

Violet : Where did it happen?

Marcy : The basement.

Violet : We'll take it.

———–

(A couple of movers carry a couch into the house, while Marcy puts a "Sold" sign on the front lawn stand and sighs heavily)

———–

(Vivien and Ben are in their bedroom. She is still unpacking)

Ben: Come on, babe, let's go to bed. Leave that for the morning.

Vivien : I'm a little bit worried about Violet, you know, these kids here are very different. I don't know if she can handle another year of not fitting in.

Ben : You mean... you can't?

Vivien : Can't believe this place doesn't freak you out a little bit. 'Cause of what happened here?

Ben : My repulsion is tempered by the fact that this house is worth four times what we paid for it, so let's not think about it.

Vivien : This is your professional advice, Doctor, just denial?

Ben : Come on, let me give you a little love. Moving here, buying this house was the exact right thing to do for us and our family. It's a good thing and we deserve some good after all the shit we've been through.

Vivien : I've got some stuff I want to... unpack down in the kitchen. I appreciate that you're trying. I'm trying, too.

Ben : Okay.

Vivien : It's just gonna take some time.

(Vivien leaves the room)

———–

(Violet, smoking, is crossing the yard of her new high school. She walks past a group of girls talking)

Leah: So I let him.

Becca : You coke off your nipples?

Leah : They were numb for, like, two days.

(Leah sees Violet smoking and walks after her)

Leah : Hey! Student council passed a rule against smoking in public spaces.

Becca : Secondhand smoke kills.

Violet : I'm new, I didn't know.

(Violet drops her cigarette end and crushes it)

Leah : What the hell is wrong with you? People sit here, they eat here.

Violet : You don't know me. Why are you doing this?

Becca : Leah's grandmother died of lung cancer. She takes this stuff pretty seriously.

(Leah picks the cigarette up)

Leah : Eat it... eat it or I'm gonna kick the shit out of you.

Violet : No. What?

Abby : Come on, Leah, that's enough.

Leah : No, no, no, I want to see her eat it.

Violet : No. No.

Leah : Eat it, eat it.

Becca : Leah, seriously, she's like 12.

(Leah tries to force the cigarette into Violet's mouth, but Violet spits at her. Leah screams)

Leah : You are dead! You are dead!

———–

(Vivien is removing the living room's wallpaper)

Vivien : Whoo!

Addie : You're going to die in here.

(Vivien, startled, screams)

Vivien : Who are you? What are you doing? What are you doing here?

(A woman, Constance, comes into the living romm)

Constance : Adelaide. Adelaide. Adelaide. Adelaide, I put on "Dora the Explorer" for you, so you would sit and watch it.

Addie : It was "Go, Diego, Go!" I don't like it.

Constance : Oh, brown cartoon characters... you can't tell the difference.

Vivien : Excuse me.

Constance : Hi.

Vivien : Hi.

Constance : I'm Constance, your neighbor from next door, and this is my girl Adelaide.

Vivien : Hello.

Constance : Go home, Addy, now. That girl is a monster. I love her and I'm a good Christian, but Jesus H. Christ. You know, if they had invented some of those tests a few years ago, I would have...

Vivien : How'd you get into my house?

Constance : You left your back door open. Although I have to tell you, Addie will always find a way in. She has a bug up her ass about this house, always has. You have the loveliest things.

Vivien : Thank you.

Constance : Have you got a dog?

Vivien : I-I do have a dog, yes.

Constance : I run a little kennel out of my house, doggy day care kind of a thing.

Vivien : How nice.

Constance : Well, I prefer purebreds. I adore the beauty of a long line, but there's always room in my home for mongrels. Oh... Oh, my. Look at those earrings. Are those real diamonds? Not that Home Shopping shit.

Vivien : No.

Constance : I used to have diamonds like that. Different pair for every day of the week. Did your husband give them to you?

Vivien : He did.

Constance : Hmm?

Vivien : Mm-hmm.

Constance : They always do when you're young and pretty.

Vivien : Are you Southern?

Constance : Proud Virginian. The Old Dominion, born and bred. Thank you for noticing. I came out here to be a movie star. Did the screen tests and everything, but... nudity was the big deal then. The morals were just beginning to collapse, and I wasn't about to have my green pasture flashed 70 feet high for every man, woman, and child to see, so I took that little butterfly of a dream and put it in a jar on the shelf, and, uh, soon after, came the Mongoloid and, of course, I couldn't work after that.

Vivien : It has been so great to meet you. I just... you know, I wasn't prepared for guests at all.

Constance : I'm gone. Oh, I brought you this. You know, a little, um, housewarming.

Vivien : Thank you.

Constance : Addie wanted to bake you a pie, but she tends to spit in the cooking, so I thought this would be better. Help get rid of some of that bad juju. I don't remember your name.

Vivien : Right, no, I never got a chance to tell you my name.

Constance : Oh.

Vivien : My name is Vivien Harmon.

Constance : Anyway... relax and enjoy. Let me know if you need any help with that pup.

Vivien : Will do.

Constance : I'm glad you're getting rid of that wallpaper. I thought those people were supposed to be stylish. It's sage... for cleansing the spirits in the house. Too many bad memories in here.

———–

(Vivien lights up the sage and wlk down the corridor. She sees a string coming down the ceiling. She pulls on it, a trap opens. She follows the stairs and reaches the attic. She turns on the light and discovers a rubber suit dangling from the ceiling right in front of her. She screams. Ben rushes to her side)

Ben : What happened? You okay? Oh, I guess these guys were into the kinky stuff, huh? Would you like to try it on?

Vivien : That's not funny.

Ben : I think you'd look good in it.

(Violet joins them)

Violet : What happened? Holy shit.

Vivien : Let's get rid of it. Come on, let's go downstairs. Come on. Watch the steps.

———–

(Ben throws the suit into the trash can outside the house)

———–

(Ben is having a counsel session with a young man, Tate)

Ben : So, Tate, these fantasies started two years ago, three years ago, when?

Tate : Two years ago. It's always the same. It starts the same way.

Ben : How? Tell me.

Tate : I prepare for the noble war.

(We can see a tattoed Tate walking down a school's corridor. The music "Twisted Nerve" is playing in the background. We can hear Tate talking to Ben at the same time)

Tate : I'm calm, I know the secret, I know what's coming, and I know no one can stop me, including myself.

Ben : Do you target people who have been mean to you or unkind?

Tate : I kill people I like.

(Tate enters a studying room. all the students raise their head)

Teacher : Can I help you?

Tate : Some of them beg for their life. I don't feel sad. I don't feel anything. It's a filthy world we live in. It's a filthy goddamn helpless world, and honestly, I feel like I'm helping to take them away from the shit and the piss and the vomit that run in the streets. I'm helping to take them somewhere clean and kind. There's something about all that blood, man. (We can see Violet cutting her wrist with a razor blade in a bathroom) I drown in it. The Indians believed that blood holds all the bad spirits, and once a month in ceremonies they would cut themselves to let the spirits go free. There's something smart about that. Very smart. I like that. (He sees himself standing behind Ben, blood running down his head) You think I'm crazy?

Ben : No. I think you're creative. And I think you have a lot of pain you're not dealing with.

Tate : My mother's probably worried about me, right?

Ben : I'm sure she is.

Tate : She's a cocksucker. I mean, literally, a cocksucker. She used to suck the guy off next-door, all the time. My dad found out, and he left. He left me alone with a cocksucker. Can you imagine? How sick is that?

Ben : I've heard a lot worse.

Tate : Cool. Can you tell me some? I like stories.

Ben : No. I can't.

Tate : The world is a filthy place. It's a filthy goddamn horror show. There's so much pain, you know? There's so much.

———–

(Violet is still cutting her wrist. Tate is watching her from the doorstep)

Tate : You're doing it wrong. If you're trying to kill yourself, cut vertically. They can't stitch that up.

Violet : How'd you get in here?

Tate : If you're trying to kill yourself, you might also try locking the door.

(Tate pulls the door shut)

———–

(It's night. We can hear a man whispering indistinctly, distantly. Ben gets up, naked, he is sleep-walking. He comes down the stairs, into the livingroom, put the gaz on and lights up a match and throws it into the fireplace. Vivien, awake, comes after him)

Vivien : What are you doing?

Ben : Am I on a trip?

———–

(An old woman dressed in black, Moira, approaches vivien who is spreading her sheets outside to make them dry)

Vivien : Can I help you?

Moira : I'm Moira O'Hara. I'm the housekeeper.

Vivien : Oh. I didn't know the place came with a housekeeper.

Moira : Why are you hanging your sheets with a perfectly good electric dryer inside?

Vivien : I don't like all those chemicals in the fabric softeners, so I just like to do it naturally.

Moira : I work Monday through Thursday. Thanksgiving on, Christmas off.

Vivien : Um...

Moira : That was the deal with the last fellows.

Vivien : I'm sorry. I'm just not sure that we're gonna need a housekeeper.

Moira : What have you been using to clean the floorboards?

Vivien : Murphy's Oil Soap.

Moira : Oh, no. White vinegar. Oil soap kills the wood.

Vivien : I like that better. It's more natural.

Moira : Have you ever owned a house this old before?

Vivien : No.

Moira : It has a personality, feelings. Mistreat it, and you'll regret it. May I come in? My cab's left, and I'd like to call another.

———–

(Vivien and Moira are talking in the kitchen)

Vivien : So, you worked for the previous owners?

Moira : I've been the housekeeper here for years. They come, they go, I stay. They were both nice boys, the ones before you. I found the bodies.

Vivien : What happened? I mean, I hate to gossip...

Moira : They fought a lot. Money, I think. But who can know when something so horrible happens? Sometimes people just go mad. I cleaned the mess. You'd never know.

Vivien : Can I ask you a personal question? Do you ever get tired of cleaning up other peoples' messes?

Moira : We're women. It's what we do. I just get paid for it.

Vivien : Yes.

(Ben enters the kitchen)

Vivien : Oh, hey, this is my husband Ben. Ben, this is Moira O'Hara. She was the housekeeper for the previous owner.

(We see Moira from Ben's point of view. She's a gorgeous young woman)

Ben : Nice to... meet you.

(A car horn honks)

Moira : That's my cab. (We are back to Vivien's point of view) I'll use the lavatory first, if you don't mind.

Vivien : Sure. What do you think?

Ben : What? You-You... You want to hire her?

Vivien : Yeah, I mean, she's a little kooky, but she seems trustworthy, she knows the house really well, and I feel like I could just use the help. So... can you start tomorrow?

Moira : Thursday's better, but I'll make it work.

Vivien : Okay. And you know, Moira, you don't have to wear the housekeeper's uniform. You can just wear your own clothes.

Moira : I don't like cleaning peoples' houses in my own clothes.

Vivien : What?

Ben : Nothing. Just... You just always surprise me. I like that.

(Ben starts kissing her. She lets him at first, but then pushes him away)

Ben : You're gonna have to forgive me one day.

———–

(Ben is in his office with Tate)

Ben : You mind if I tape this?

Tate : No.

Ben : You taking your medications?

Tate : Yes.

Ben : Any side effects?

Tate : I was taking them at night, but they kept me up.

Ben : And what did you do?

Tate : Started taking them in the morning.

Ben : Light sensitivity is pretty common.

Tate : Maybe. Yeah, I think so.

Ben : When I was in medical school, they brought in this CIA interrogator to help us better identify who was lying. This guy was, like, six foot, 50, crew cut. He must have been one hell of an interrogator, because I'll tell you something. I'd be terrified to lie to him.

Tate : You think I'm lying to you?

Ben : Light sensitivity isn't a side effect of Lexapro, Tate.

Tate : So you lied to me.

Ben : What is important... that is if you're telling the truth about doing these things to your classmates. If you were actually a danger to society, the law says that I have to report you to the police.

Tate : Did you call them?

Ben : Not yet. I've treated psychotics before, and people with the right combination of chemical imbalance and psychological damage that can't be reached.

Tate : You think that's me? You think I can't get better?

Ben : You? (scoffs) You kidding me? You're hopeless.

(They both starts laughing)

Ben : Everybody can get better, Tate. Everybody. I just think you're scared. Of what, I'm not sure yet. Maybe rejection. Certainly because of what your father did to you.

Tate : I was afraid my big dick wouldn't work.

Ben : What?

(Tate laughs)

Tate : Yeah, that's why I didn't take the meds.

Ben : Tate.

Tate : I was afraid my dick wouldn't work. Because I met someone.

———–

(Tate is showing his scars to Violet)

Tate : This one I did after my dad left. I was ten, I think.

Violet : Last week, first day at my new school... sucks.

Tate : Westfield, right? The worst. I got thrown out of there.

Violet : I hate it here. I hate everyone. All there bourgeoisy designer bullshit. East Coast was much cooler. I mean, at least we had weather.

Tate : I love it when the leaves change.

Violet : Yeah, me, too.

Tate : Why did you move here?

Violet : My dad had an affair. My mom literally caught him in the act.

Tate : That's horrible. If you love someone, you should never hurt them... never.

Violet : Right? I know. And the worst part is that six months earlier, my mom had, like, this brutal miscarriage. (Tate writes "TAINT" on Violet's chalkboard) The baby was seven months old, and we had to have this macabre funeral. Have you ever seen a baby coffin?

(Tate sits near Violet and gently touches her wrist)

Tate : I'm sorry.

Violet : Why are you seeing my dad?

Tate : Don't ask questions you already know the answer to. You're smarter than that.

(Violet stops the music playing)

Violet : Want to listen to Morrissey? He's cool and he's pissy and he hates everyone and everything.

Tate : Got any Kurt Cobain on that thing?

Ben : What are you doing in here?

(Ben is standing at the doorstep of Violet's room)

Violet : Just listening to music, Dad.

Ben : You need to leave, Tate. I'm sorry. He shouldn't be in here, and I think you know that... please.

Tate : What's that thing you think I'm afraid of? Fear of rejection?

(Tate walks out of the room)

Ben : Stay away from him.

Violet : Dad, nothing...

Ben : You heard me!

(Tate is running down the stairs, upset)

Tate : No! Bullet, bullet, bullet!

———–

(Ben, naked, comes out of the bathroom. The dog is yapping)

Ben : Hey, babe, you seen my razor blades?

(Ben opens a door and discovers Moira fingering herself onto a chair. He shuts the door, goes into another room and gives himself a hand-job, crying)

Larry : Your family is in danger.

(Ben lifts a curtain and sees a man with half his face burned, Larry, standing in his garden, looking right at him. After putting a dressing robe on, Ben runs outside to catch him but the man is nowhere to be found)

———–

(Vivien comes home after some shopping and puts her bag onto the couter of the kitchen. She hears some popping sound, turns around and sees that all the cabinets door are now open. She hears a girl laughing)

Vivien : What are you doing?

(Addie is laughing)

Vivien : Why are you in my house? (Troy and Bryan appear behind Vivien. Still laughing, Addie sees them and points her finger at them but Vivien can't see the twins)

———–

(Vivien, Ben, Addie and Constance are in the kitchen)

Vivien : I want you to stay out of my house. Do you understand?

Constance : Can I smoke in here?

Vivien : No. Adelaide, answer me, please.

Addie : Can I pet your dog?

Vivien : No, Adelaide, I want you to stay out of the house. I want you to stop coming in and opening things up and telling me that I'm going to die.

Ben : She said that?

(Constance laughs)

Constance : She says that to everybody. Say you're sorry, Addie.

Addie : No, they did it.

Vivien : Who did it?

Addie : The twins.

Constance : Shh.

Addie : Can I... pet your dog?

Vivien : No, Adelaide, listen to me. I want you to stop coming in here without permission. Am I clear?

Ben : Vivien.

Vivien : Am I clear?

Addie : Yes.

Vivien : Thank you.

Constance : Time to go, Addie.

(Addie croutches to pet the dog but he bites her)

Ben : Hallie!

Vivien : Are you okay?

Addie : She shouldn't have done that.

Constance : Sorry about all this. You touch my kid one more time and I will break your goddamn arm.

———–

(Ben is on the phone with someone about Tate)

Ben : No! I have no evidence of any past violence. No, I don't have his social. Listen, do not transfer me again. I'm trying to report a patient of high school age, that I believe could be dangerous. Yes. Yes, I'll hold. Unbelievable.

(The door rolls open. Moira enters the room)

Moira : May I clean in here?

Ben : It's not a good time, Moira.

Moira : It's Thursday. I get off in 20 minutes. If I don't do it now, it's not getting done until Monday. Am I distracting you? (She open her blouse and grops her breast) Why don't you touch me a little?

Ben : Get out.

Moira : What are you afraid of? Your wife's not home. She's probably at Pilates. I won't tell. (She unhooks her garter belt)

Ben : Oh, God.

Moira : I didn't tell when you saw me playing with myself the other day.

Ben : Please, just go.

Moira : Did you touch yourself after? (She leans above him)

Ben : Please just go.

Moira : You did. Do it again. Show me.

(The door creaks, Violet is watching them)

Ben : Oh, shit. Violet! Violet! Damn it!

———–

(Violet and Leah are fighting violently at school)

Violet : I'm not scared of you!

Leah : Should be!

Kids : Fight, fight, fight!

(Violet picks up a cigarette still lit up and smashes it onto Leah's hand. Leah screams)

Leah : Oh, she friggin' burned me!

———–

(Vivien just finished putting off the wallpaper of the living room. Ben comes in)

Ben : In my professional opinion, whoever painted this wall had some deep psychological issues.

Vivien : I thought you had a patient.

Ben : Ah, they bailed. You want some help cleaning up?

Vivien : Yeah. Thanks.

Ben : This thing doesn't tweak you out?

Vivien : There's something about it that I find... really comforting.

Ben : One of my psych professors told me that people tell stories to cope with their fears. All art and myths are just creations to give us some sense of control over the things we're scared of. Afraid of dying, create reincarnation. Afraid of evil, create a benevolent God who sends evildoers to Hell.

Vivien : I think I just like that I don't have to think while I do it.

Ben : Okay. I always thought you were prettiest like this. No makeup. Messy hair. A little sweaty.

Vivien : I'm old.

Ben : Stop. You're beautiful. You are.

Vivien : No. Ben...

(Ben comes behind her and starts touching her)

Ben : Violet won't be home for an hour.

Vivien : No. Okay, Ben? No.

Ben : Come on, babe.

Vivien : Ben... No.

(She liberates herself from his embrace)

Vivien : Sorry. Just no.

(Ben, upset, shoots into a bucket)

Ben : How long, Viv? How long are you going to punish me for?

Vivien : I'm not punishing you, you narcissistic asshole! I'm trying to figure out how to forgive you for having sex with one of your students. You want me to have sex with you? I can't even look at your face, Ben, without seeing the expression on it while you were pile-driving her in our bed!

Ben : I screwed up! How many times do I have to say it? I'm sorry! I was hurting, too.

Vivien : Oh... I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Did, did the, did the life that was growing inside you die? And did you have to carry that around in your belly? The dead corpse of our baby son? Did you have to go into labor, and deliver our child? Dead?

Ben : My son died too! My baby died, too!

Vivien : And you buried your sorrow in some 21-year-old's pussy.

Ben : You know, I could show you statistics on how many men cheat after a miscarriage. I was there for you, Viv. I was patient, and understanding, and caring... and I put your feelings first.

Vivien : My hero.

Ben : You know, I don't even know how to say this without coming off like an asshole, I really don't.

Vivien : You know what? Just go ahead. Really. Never stopped you before.

Ben : You're so angry, why don't you really tell it like it is? Six months of therapy with you apologizing, and crying, was bullshit. So, please, tell me how you really feel. You got a dog. I needed you, and you got a dog.

Vivien : Oh...!

Ben : It was me you should have been curling up with at night! Not a dog!

Vivien : Oh, so...

Ben : I needed you!

Vivien : You needed me? So she was revenge, because you needed me, because I wasn't there for you in your time of need? Now I get it!

Ben : We haven't had sex in almost a year.

Vivien : Yeah... you think I don't know that?

Ben : October 20th. We had great sex, babe. It was loving and sexy and personal, and even a little, even a little weird. I love you. I moved across country for you. Because, in all my life, the only thing I've been truly scared of is losing you; losing this family. Something horrible happened to us. And we handled it even more horribly. But this... this place... is our second chance, babe. It's our second chance. But I just... I just need to know that you want it, too. Tell me, honey.

(Ben takes her face in his hands, but she pushes him away)

Ben : What are you doing? Viv... Stop it. What are you doing?

(They kiss violently and lie down on the floor)

Ben : We're going to be happy here.

———–

(Vivien puts a bowl of water in front of her dog)

Vivien : Here you go, Hallie. Good girl.

(Violet comes home)

Vivien : Hey. Whoa. Come here. What happened to your face?

Violet : Fell down.

Vivien : Come here. Sit, sit, sit. Boy or girl?

Violet : Girls. Three of them.

Vivien : Hope they look worse than you do. You know their names?

Violet : I'm not narking.

Vivien : You know, we can easily move you to a different school. There are a lot of really good private schools right in this neighborhood.

Violet : I'm not running away. I'm not scared of them. Not afraid of anything.

Vivien : It's like that time in kindergarten, when you insisted that I bring you home from the slumber party 'cause all the other girls were sleeping with the nightlight on. I know you've gotten the short end of the stick, lately. This move, and...your dad and I haven't exactly been great to be around.

Violet : Why don't you guys get divorced, if you're so miserable?

Vivien : We still love each other.

Violet : You could've fooled me. I thought you hated each other. Well, at least you hated him. I don't blame you. He was a shithead. Sorry.

Vivien : It's okay. He was a shithead. You know, we got a lot of history. Your dad's been through a lot, I've been through a lot. Guess we need each other. What are you scared of?

Violet : You said I'm not scared of anything, so... what scares you?

Vivien : Lately? Everything. Life will do that to you.

———–

(Violet is pacing in her room, talking to Tate)

Violet : I hate her! I just want to kill her!

Tate : Then do it! One less high school bitch making the lives of the less fortunate more tolerable is, in my opinion, a public service. Look, you want her to leave you alone? Stop making your life a living hell? Short of killing her, there's only one solution. Scare her. Make her afraid of you. It's the only thing bullies react to.

Violet : How?

Tate : It's simple. You simply walk up to her and say, "Here's the deal: I need you to stop harassing me. I got what you want. Drugs. Come to my house tomorrow for your free sample. I'm a dealer, and a good one. I got the best shit in town."

Violet : She's a cokehead. I don't have coke.

Tate : You won't need any. It's just an excuse to get her here. After that, she'll leave empty-handed and terrified. And I promise you, you'll never be bothered by her again.

Violet : How am I going to terrify her?

Tate : Helter-skelter! That's where I come in.

———–

(Vivien is putting some cream onto her legs when she sees a man in the rubber suit standing before her. She assumes it's Ben)

Vivien : Hot. I thought I told you to throw that thing away. Oh, you're not talking? Well, I'll give you points for creativity. We were pretty hot this afternoon. You really want to go for round two, huh? Come on. I can be kinky.

(At the same time, in the kitchen, Ben, sleep-walking naked,lights up the stove and puts his hand above the flames. In the bedroom, Vivien is having sex with Rubber-Man. In the kitchen, Constance arrives and takes Ben's hand away from the stove)

Constance : Now is not your time. Enjoy the house. Go back to bed.

———–

(Ben goes back into the bedroom. Vivien is in bed, her back to him)

Vivien : I love you.

Ben (flatly): I love you, too.

———–

(Leah and Violet comes down the stairs, to the basement)

Leah : What's down there?

Violet : My stash. Parents toss my room every week.

Leah : If you're screwing with me...

Violet : It's just the basement. I found the best hiding place. This is great shit, too. All the coke coming to the U.S. from Central America smuggled in on lobster boats in Gloucester. I used to show my boobs to the lobstermen in return for a key or two before they cut it.

Leah : So where is it?

Violet : Right around the corner. To the right.

Leah : This place is a dump.

Violet : Oh, shut up.

Leah : I want my goddamn drugs.

Violet : Then keep going.

(Violet switch the light on. Tate is sitting in the middle of the room)

Tate : So this is the coke whore.

Leah : Who the hell are you?

Tate : Get the lights.

(Violet turns off the light. The light is now flickering, Tate laughs crazily)

Leah : What is going on?! What is going on?!

(In the flickering light, we can catch sight of Infantata)

Tate : Kill her! Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!

(Tate throws himself onto Leah who starts screaming)

Leah : Get off of me! Get off of me!

(At some point, Infantata takes Tate's place onto Leah, while Tate appears behind Violet, who starts screaming too)

Leah : Get off me! Get off me!

Violet : Stop! Stop! Please, stop!

(Violet screams while Infantata's hand slowly approaches Leah's face)

Leah : Mommy...?

(Infantata starts slashing Leah's face. Violet finally puts the light on. Leah is layong on the floor, Infantata is nowhere to be found. Tate is back on his rocking chair, a weird grin on his face)

Violet : Will you wait?!

Tate : I don't think she'll be bothering you anymore.

Violet : What was that?!

Tate : What are you talking about? She hit me in the balls and got away. She must have run into a wall or something.

Violet : No, I saw something!

Tate : What are you talk...? Violet, you're talking crazy. This is cool. We showed that bitch.

Violet : Get out! I never want to see you again!

(Violet pushes Tate away and runs up the stairs)

Tate : I thought you weren't afraid of anything!

———–

(Ben is jogging. A brown car is following him. Ben joggs down a dusty path, he takes a look behind him and sees Larry running after him. Ben surprises Larry from behind)

Ben : Who are you and why are you following me?!

Larry : Your family is in danger!

———–

(Ben and Larry are sitting on a bench)

Ben : What happened to you?

Larry : Pretty, aren't I? It's over 70% of my body. I'm Larry Harvey. And you have to get out of that house.

Ben : I could have you arrested, you know. Peeking in people's windows is still a crime.

Larry : Even in L.A., they're not gonna put me back into jail. I have brain cancer. Terminal, inoperable.

Ben : I'm sorry.

Larry : Don't be. That's the only reason they let me out. Homicide. Triple homicide. I was in that house for six months before I started hearing voices. My wife thought I was working too hard. My daughter Angie was six. The older one, Margaret, was ten. She looked like her mother. That's funny how it skips a generation like that. I killed them... all.

(We see Larry's story unfolding while he relates to Ben what he did to his family)

Larry : Lorraine was ill that night. She took a pill. She went to bed early, my wife. And then I, uh, I put the girls down, and then the voices started. (eerie, distorted whispering) They told me what to do. I was like... an obedient child.

(Larry starts crying)

Larry : I... I don't know how I put myself out. I remember that night... but it's like a dream. Have you been sleepwalking? Yeah... Look at my case. Read the transcript.

Ben : Listen to me, I'm a doctor. They may not put you back in jail, but I can certainly have you committed to a state mental institution. And trust me, those places make prison look like Club Med. Leave my family alone! Do you hear me?

Larry : Please, please, please, you have to get out of there! That place is evil.

Ben : Get off of me! Leave us alone! Leave us alone!

(Ben runs away. Larry grins)

———–

(Constance is trying Vivien's hearrings. Moira catches her)

Moira : Put those earrings back.

Constance : Jesus H. Christ. You almost gave me a heart attack.

Moira : Those belonged to Madam. This is her house, not yours.

Constance : Why is it that it is always the old whore who acts the part of a moralistic prude? I'd be nervous if I were you, too. When things go missing, they always blame the new maid. I'd move if I were you. Don't make me kill you again.

———–

(Ben is sitting in the kitchen when Vivien comes home)

Vivien : Hey.

Ben : Hey.

Vivien : What do you want for dinner?

Ben : Whatever you want.

Vivien : I think I want Indian food.

Ben : You only like Indian food when you're pregnant... Really?

Vivien : Mm.

Ben : Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh...!

–[End]–