Original subtitles

Hello?

Hello?

Ah, welcome! You're a little late.

Am I? Sorry.

No, no, it's fine. How's the town?

Yeah, it's quieting down now.

Food's arriving on time.

I think. I mean, I was only there a day from the transit, so...

Good, good. Normal's what we want.

Yeah, I know Bristol took a bad hit after the third wave. But...

Yes, well this is Dr. Darrick. He's handling lockdown procedures.

Dr. Darrick, Martin Lowery.

Nice to have a new face with us.

- Yeah. - It's been awhile.

It's nice to see new faces.

Welcome to the lodge. Looks terrible but cost a fortune.

We've been closed for nearly a year now. Just wanna get open again.

And you own it, right?

Yes. Well, the... the woods are leased to the government during the crisis.

How many projects have we got running here at the moment, frank?

- Nine including yours. - Yeah.

Usually this would be teeming with holidaymakers.

They're drawn to it from all over.

Well, it's appreciated.

We really couldn't do the research we're doing without your cooperation.

- So, thank you. - It's all to the good, isn't it?

Yeah.

Fashsal institute grants are keeping us going.

So, long may it last. Sorry, ah, what specifically are you working on?

Um... Well, actually it's Dr. Wendle's project.

- Sorry? - It's a colleague.

She's searching ways of making crops more efficient through the study of mycorrhiza.

Oh, yeah, that was it. Growths on roots forming networks. That kind of thing?

Yeah, kind of.

Funny place to study crops in a forest.

Well, no, actually, it's very special land you have here.

It's unusually fertile.

Sorry about all this fuss.

No, no, it's a delicate ecosystem. You can't be too careful.

Mmm. Mainly we don't wanna get sick, so have you got some papennork for me?

Yes. Um...

Is that it? I don't wanna be maudlin but, uh...

A couple of people died in the village and, yeah, really brought it all home.

It's very quiet here.

Mmm. Here you go.

Can you direct me to your toilet?

- Yep. Straight down there on the right. - Thank you.

Here you go, just hold that.

- Oh, hi. - Hey.

- You're Dr. Lowery? - Yeah.

I'm Alma. I'm going to be guiding you out to atu327a, Dr. Wendle's site.

Um, it's just Martin. You don't have to do the...

Do you want one?

Oh, yes, please.

Thank you.

Do you have any coffee by any chance?

Yeah. Yeah.

- Oh... - I think. Yes.

Thank you so much. It's been months.

You worried she's gonna get you?

Yeah, who... who is "penog fegg"?

Parnag fegg.

Parnag fegg.

- It's a local folk tale. - Oh, right.

- She's the spirit of the woods. - Oh.

Yeah, well, it's something to tell the kids. Stops them wandering off.

- Jesus. - They had a few go missing in the '703.

- So this helps keep them a bit more aware. - Oh...

All right, so it's not like people believe in it. It's just a...

I don't even know how old that image is.

It's just something they picked up

along with the rest of the decoration around here.

I think the forest is like something that you can sense.

So it makes sense that they should give that feeling a face, you know?

Yeah, I guess so. I mean...

- Here. - Thank you.

Are we sure she helped people? Because, I mean, there's... there's all kinds of...

- Martin Lowery. - Bad things going on in this picture.

I'm sure I recognize that name from somewhere.

It's not an uncommon name.

There was another Martin Lowery in my school actually.

- Really? - Yeah. He hated me.

So we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning.

- Great. How far is it? - Atu327a? It's about two days on foot.

Well, is there no other way?

What, like a bus or something?

Well, no. It's... quad bikes?

No. Just a long walk.

- Yeah. - Hey, results have come through.

- Great. - You're all clear.

- Brilliant. - Just a couple of questions.

Ah, that's good discipline, writing a diary.

Yeah.

- I don't want you overexerting yourself. - Okay.

The report said you have had ringworm recently.

Yeah, I don't know where that came from.

It's a pretty harmless fungus. Cleared up now?

About a week ago. Yeah.

How long have you been in isolation?

Um, about four months, but I've been exercising and keeping on top of it.

We had to send a rescue party in to get a group out a couple of months ago.

They got lost. Thought they could find their way.

Went without a ranger. Panicked.

- Arrogant really. - Why didn't they use gprs?

There's no phone reception in there.

Oh, of course. I... Yeah, I knew that.

People get a bit funny in the woods sometimes. Nerves.

Sounds almost superstitious.

And they would do well to be afraid. It is a hostile environment.

Okay.

Doesn't look so hostile to me.

- Is that it? - Uh, yeah.

- Okay. You ready? - Sure.

Nobody's heard from Dr. Wendle since April.

Usually we get written notes she leaves in drop boxes.

Yeah, she likes the quiet.

Do you know her personally?

I do, yeah. We worked closely together at harrington research laboratories.

That was years ago. I moved onto another project.

And she asked you to come out?

Uh, no. I requested.

Not someone from her own team?

Well, the fashsal research groups are pretty thinly stretched

and I worked with the soil sample.

I know her research. So... it made sense.

What is that? The...

We've got a lot of bird life that you don't hear in the rest of the country.

Oh, right. That'd be too... That's cool.

Everyone's good at something. Some people are good at some things.

Other people are good at other things. It's normal.

It's completely normal.

I mean, I've grown up in a city. I don't know how to do these things.

Okay. Can I help?

You've finished yours?

Yeah, I have finished mine but let's set yours up. It's gonna get dark soon.

I know where I know your name from.

- Oh, yeah? Where? - Letters I've picked up from Dr. Wendle.

- She wrote to you a lot. - Mmm.

Yeah, we kept in correspondence.

- All last year and then... - Yeah.

Then it just stopped.

Conversations just run their course, dontthey?

I lied to Dr. Darrick. I haven't been exercising.

I just... Couldn't face it.

- Odd.

Could have blown in.

Wait, there's someone there.

I saw a camp like this once.

A family. They...

They came out into the woods, got sick and...

How... how far are we away from Dr. Wendle's camp?

Um...

Fifteen miles.

Right, so... So we're already... We're already on top of it.

On top of what?

Uh... the mycorrhizal map.

It connects and controls all of these... All of these trees.

I read about that in her research.

She made it sound like a brain.

Yeah. Yeah, I suppose it is.

Shall we, uh...

Wait... hang on a second.

If you can just wait for a moment.

What?

You look like you're a million miles away.

Yeah, it's odd...

Being outside for the first time in months.

It's just hard to take it all in actually.

Well, things will go back to normal quicker than you think.

Everyone will forget what happened.

No, I don't think anyone will forget.

Yeah, they will.

They'll just get back to their old ways.

Why did you leave the harrington facility?

Sorry, what?

Before, you said you worked with Dr. Wendle at the harrington facility.

- Yeah. - Why'd you leave?

Personal reasons.

Get 'em up.

Please! Please!

Alma?

Alma.

Alma?

Stay still, stay still.

Are you hurt?

Oh, my face.

Walk over here. It's easier to...

Why would they take our shoes?

We're lucky that's all they took.

Taunting us. Smashing up the radio.

Do you think... do you think it has anything to do with the tent we found?

I don't know.

- Huh? - I said I don't know.

This is fucking shit.

Shit.

Oh, fuck!

- What happened? - Oh, shit!

What have you done? Let me have a...

Oh, fuck. It's bleeding. It was something sharp.

- How bad is it? - Lift it up.

Thank you. Sorry.

Stay here. I'm gonna try and look for a crutch.

Wait. Wait!

What?

Someone's watching us.

Listen...

There are no animals.

Why are they so quiet?

They sense something.

Let's keep going.

Do... do you know him? Do you know him?

What should we do?

Someone stole our shoes.

Yeah.

I see that.

What are you doing out here?

I saw you limping about and I thought, "I should help them."

And then I thought, "you're a park ranger"

and you probably don't want me living out here."

But here you are.

Couldn't in good conscience let you limp around on your own. Could get hurt.

I won't tell if you won't.

That's very kind of you.

I'm Martin.

I'm Alma.

Zach.

Presume you came through quarantine at the gantalow lodge.

Still, let's keep our distance, eh?

Yes.

Can't be too careful.

Man and a woman attacked me yesterday.

Did they have a child?

Didn't see one.

We found an abandoned camp. It had toys.

Maybe they moved on.

I've got some shoes if you want them.

Think they'll fit.

Yeah, that'd be great.

- Yeah? - Yeah. Thank you.

Follow me.

Wow.

It's big.

Yeah. I've been busy.

It's a liberation to build your own shelter.

What's, uh... what's in there?

Oh, that's just my workshop. Through here.

- Thank you. - All right?

Thank you.

You just wait here.

Oh!

Do you go to the town?

Only for supplies once every couple of months.

I like it less every time.

- Let's have a look at this. - How is it?

Oh, my... yeah.

- Let's have a look. Ooh, that is nasty. - Any disinfectant?

Yeah, yeah. I think I need to wash and stitch it.

- Stitch? - Yeah. It's flapping about.

- Uh... - Can't find my bits and Bobs.

- Just a second. - Maybe...

It'll be fine. I'm sure he knows what he's doing. It's okay.

- Uh, yeah. Here we go. - All right.

All right, this is gonna sting.

Don't worry about that, okay? There we go.

There we are.

- Fuck... - It burn? Okay.

Just give it a clean.

Right. Don't worry.

I have done this before.

I mean... on myself. I'm always getting caught on things.

- Right, hold his foot. Ready? - Yeah.

That's fine. Hold it still.

- Yes, yes. - And...

God... oh, god! Oh, god. Oh, god!

Okay, good.

- It's okay. It's almost done. - That's it.

- Shit! - That's it.

There.

There.

- And again. - You're doing really well.

- That's it. Keep talking to him. - Yep.

It's okay now.

- Good. Couple more. - Shh, shh, shh...

- It's okay. It's okay. - Yeah, last one.

Done. Now... now, food.

- How does it look? - Yeah. Fine. It's okay.

All right. Let's see what I can rustle up.

- Can I help? - No, it's fine.

Haven't got much. I mean, it's mostly forage.

- Tuck in. - Thank you.

- I'll get you a spoon. - Thank you so much.

Brilliant. Thank you.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

- That's really good. - Oh, that's good!

- That's really good. - Good.

A Zach special. See what you make of that.

- Mmm, what is that? - Nice?

- Yeah. - Sweet. Sort of an elderflower.

Not elderflower, but it's the same principle. It's, um...

- It's delicious. - Yeah.

It's the petals of various plants.

It took a while to get the right consistency.

But this is nice isn't it? It's like a sweet...

Like a barley sugar.

- Yeah. - Cheers.

- Got a kick to it. Cheers. - Cheers!

Well, very nice to meet you. Even in such strange circumstances.

Hmm.

Good.

Oh, god!

- Gotta stay hydrated. - No, I'm fine. Thanks.

You sure? No, go on. Have a little bit more.

Always piss clear. That's my rule.

- That's a good one. - Yeah, I know.

- Shoes! - Oh, brilliant!

Once size. Must have been such hard work without shoes.

- Thank you, thank you, thank you. - Thank you.

- Oh, wow! - Oh, that's good.

I can... know how hard it was walking around barefoot in a forest...

I'll bet. Must have been such hard-going without shoes.

- Oh, it really is. It's... - Perfect.

Hope they fit after all that.

Not bad? Good size?

- Having trouble doing these up. - Yeah, I'll bet.

They're so good.

Here we go.

Oh! That's unreal.

Oh, god.

Reassuring words...

Just being kind...

Triggers a social response.

Trade of trust.

Oh, god, I can't...

Shh...

You must be sleepy.

You sleepy?

You should rest.

You must be sleepy.

You should rest.

You need some rest. Shh...

- Close your eyes, Martin. - My...

Where are you going? Where's she going?

Alma...

- No, no... - Come on, here we go. Come on. Come on.

Oh, god...

Just let... just let us go.

Mmm. I can't yet.

Look, this is interesting. Have you ever developed film?

It's fascinating. Let me show you.

Photography is like magic really.

But then so is all technology when you don't know how it works.

What is that?

Is that us?

You should relax. I'm not hurting you.

Just let us go.

I would, but I can't now. Not possible.

What have you done?

I'm marking you Martin.

So that he can see you.

Don't worry.

I've got them too.

Can you feel him now... in the earth?

No. No, I don't know what you mean.

I think you do.

I don't.

- Just wait, wait. Two seconds... - There you go. Shush, shush, shush.

- Here we go. Come on. That's it. - No!

Swallow, swallow, swallow.

How are you faring?

What?

How are you faring? Are you good? Settling in?

Please, Zach.

Don't try and bargain with me. I can't let you see her.

Dr. Wendle.

Yes. Wendle.

Why?

I trusted her, but she has profoundly misunderstood him.

She wants to enslave him but he doesn't care.

- Wait, who doesn't care? - Thinks that science appeals to him.

He's not interested. He likes art, he likes flattery.

- Who, Zach? Who? Who is he? - Sacrifice. The thing in the woods.

She thinks she can talk to him. Bargain with him.

I'm talking to him in a purer way.

Making images. Praising him. Worshipping him.

Did she not talk about it?

We... we haven't seen Dr. Wendle in months, Zach.

I want to believe you Martin, but people essentially are the same.

They bargain with what they have.

And it doesn't take long before they get down to it.

To become desperate and say anything.

Oh, believe me, he has sent me so many people in the last few months.

I suppose they're all fleeing the disease in the city but they find their way to me.

Drawn here.

Bet you wish you got your parents out of the city, Martin.

How do you know about that?

Your diary. Lots of good passages in here. It's very candid.

A lot of boo-hoo stuff about your elderly mother and father. I'm sorry about that.

Bit of bad luck there. You've chosen the wrong branch of science to save them.

Please, just stop...

Hey.

What are you doing here?

Oh, forgot. Managing the forest for its own good.

I tell you, it doesn't need you. It knows what it wants. I've seen it.

Seen what?

I've seen it. I've seen inside the world.

You were drawn here to live in the land.

Did you ever... consider what the ultimate expression of that was?

When you're completely separated from the process of humans.

And you return to the green.

To its rhythms.

Rather than the selfish beat of humans.

I'm making flesh what you know is right. Your world has shrunk.

Your world is sleeping and ritual.

Praising him.

I told you I was always getting caught on things.

He told me his story.

He was persecuted and hounded through these woods.

They said he was a practicing necromancer and alchemist.

You know how people can be... intolerant.

All they found was an ancient standing stone.

He had gone.

Inducted into the stone.

Transferred into the ancient matter of the forest

over the mi/iennia, people reported sightings of him.

A stranger who was said to help people who were lost.

He wasn't trying to help. He was asking for help.

He was trapped here.

I believe I can hear him coursing in my ears.

I honor him with images.

These are his memories.

Alma.

- What? - Alma...

He's gonna kill us.

- I think so. - Yeah.

I think he's given us a smaller dose though. I feel a bit more awake.

Yeah, me too.

He dropped a blade over there. By the table.

Can you see it? The closest leg to us.

See it?

Oh, yeah.

Maybe this...

- I can get to that. - Yeah.

I can get to that and then I can cut through.

Yeah. We have to do something.

And then I'll hit him with something

and we can both run in different directions.

Yeah, why... why different directions?

So that I can lead him away. You'll be too slow.

But what if he chases me?

He won't. If I hit him, he's gonna follow me.

And you just head towards the sun and you'll end up at Dr. Wendle's camp.

And then I can come and find you.

Okay, the sun. Follow the sun.

Ow!

- Yep... oh. - What, what, what, what?

Okay. Let's put your foot down.

We've, um...

We've got a bad situation, Martin.

I think your foot's infected.

So, we've got two courses of action. I could take you to a hospital.

But I think it would take too long. We're 30 miles from civilization.

Could take days.

Okay, what's... what's the alternative?

Amputation.

I mean, not the whole foot, just some toes.

Just some toes?

Yeah. I'm really sorry, but my ax is pretty sharp,

so you shouldn't really feel it.

- Your ax? - Yeah.

Pop your foot on there.

Yeah, I... I don't know.

I think... I think we should go to the hospital, Zach.

If you struggle, it'll only make it much worse. Okay?

Maybe we should take him to the hospital. I think it's...

I've explained. There's no time.

- It's just I'm not sure it's... - This is for the best.

Now hold still.

Zach, no, listen. Zach, Zach, listen.

I don't think it's that bad, Zach. Honestly I'm happy with it as it is.

- I can deal with it. Hurts but I'm okay. - Stop moaning. I'm not a doctor.

I know you're not a doctor. That's why I'm saying it.

This is for your own well-being.

Yeah, I know. But I'm okay like this.

It hurts but I can deal with it. It's fine, I'm...

It's important that you stop. Let me concentrate. Okay?

Right. Okay. Keep your toes still, okay?

Yeah, but, Zach... Zach...

Oh, Jesus Christ!

- Oh, god! - Now that was just taking aim, okay?

Just gotta get my bearings. Okay? Bit of practice.

Listen, Zach, maybe... I think we should just leave it.

- What's the matter with you? - Just take me to a hospital.

What is wrong with you? Be quiet. You've gotta let me concentrate. Okay?

- Oh! Fucking hell! - Good. Okay, great. This is the one.

- Oh, no, Zach... - Are you ready?

- Keep still. - Zach, no, I'm not ready.

- Do we have to do this? - Martin? Martin, brace yourself.

Please, Zach. Please, please...

Oh!

Missed. And that's your fault!

I can't concentrate with all this babbling, gibbering on.

- Okay? - Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry...

- Half off. And that's on you. - Oh... fuck!

I told you to hold still.

Yeah, but... oh, fuck! Oh, fuck...

J” the hunter's moon begun j”

j” and through the wheaten stubble j”

j” is heard the frequent gun j”

j” the leaves are pale and yellow j”

j” and kindling into red j”

j” and the rice and bearded barley j”

j” is hanging down its head j”

j” all among the barley j”

j” who would not be blithe j”

j” when the ripe and bearded barley j”

j” is smiling on the scythe j”

J” the spring is like a young man j”

j” who does not know his mind j”

j” the summer is a tyrant j”

j” of most ungracious kind j”

j” the Autumn's like an old friend j”

j” who loves one all she can j”

j” and she brings the bearded barley j”

Alma!

Alma, please don't leave me!

Please don't leave me. Please.

- Oh, god. - Oh, my god.

Did you kill him?

I don't know. I hit him with something really hard.

- Come on. - Where is he?

Oh, my god!

Get back in the house.

- Come on then... - Alma, come on! Come on!

Get back here!

Run!

- Oh, my god! - Oh!

Shit!

Alma!

Alma!

Hey! Over here!

Martin!

Fuck. Martin!

Consequences. Fuck!

- Oh, fuck! - Martin!

Martin!

Oh! Uh, is... is anyone there?

Help me please. Help me, help me.

Who is it?

What are you doing? Lea I/e immediately. This is private property.

- Martin! - Oh.

I know you're there!

I know you're there!

You're so easy to track.

Lumbering about!

Gallump, gallump!

Martin!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

What do you want from me?

Tell me what you want. I'll try...

Let me give it to you.

Come on. Move quickly!

It's you!

Martin...

Let me get you into the camp.

Is Alma here? She said she'd be here.

- Alma, the park ranger? - Yeah, she was with me.

We have to find her. Alma?

Just hold on. Hold on.

Alma!

You stay here and I'll see if! Can find her.

- Yeah, I'll come with you. - No, you're in no fit state.

No, I have to.

Okay.

Alma!

Alma!

- What? - I think I can see something.

Stay here and make sure she doesn't double back around past us.

- But, Olivia... - Stay there, Martin.

Hello?

Are you there?

Alma... it's you.

You'll have to forgive me. I haven't talked to anybody for a few months.

Martin, I think we should take a look at your foot.

I'm so sorry about what happened to you both.

There really was no way of warning you

about how dangerous the situation with Zach had become.

You know, he's killed people, Olivia.

- Killed? - Yeah.

Maybe one family, maybe more.

May I?

Oh, yeah. So how do you know his name?

Zach is my ex-husband.

Oh! That needs cauterizing.

You're going to burn me?

Yes.

- Wait, at a hospital? - No. No, there isn't time for that.

I'm sorry about before.

I, uh...

- I don't know what to say actually. - Don't.

I said I'd run and find you.

- Thank you. - It's fine.

Last night, I... I saw something in the woods.

I don't know what it was. It was...

I didn't think anybody was coming.

When you stopped writing, I started to worry.

I couldn't speak to you. I couldn't speak to anybody.

My initial line of experimentation failed.

It was just months and months of dead ends.

Alma, can you hold him for me?

Um, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Shouldn't I have something to bite down on? Or...

- Just anything? - Um...

- Tiy this. - Great.

Alma.

Alma.

- Yeah? - Hold him.

That's it! All right.

Can't tell you how sorry I am about what's happened.

Well, it's not your fault.

You didn't attack us.

Oh, hey...

- Do you have any water? - On the shelf.

Oh, I can't feel anything.

Well, that's for the best. Just try and lay still.

Oh, god.

You said your research... You said it had stalled.

Yes. Fashsal institute wanted results and I had nothing.

When I found the stone... I don't know how I'd missed it.

It had been there all along. I used it to take my mind off my own work.

I thought I could shake myself out of the hole I was in.

The markings on the stone led me down a rabbit hole of research.

Until I found this book.

This contains, amongst other things, an English translation

of ll/lal/eus ll/la/eficarum, the "hammer of the witches."

The book is dated 1640,

but some of the pages are much older and from other books.

There's a section in here about this forest.

Parnag fegg.

The name translates in the local dialect as sound, "parnagus" and light, "fegg."

Heartfelt prayer and god's light.

You see, I don't think parnag fegg was a person at all.

I think it was a process. But it got me thinking.

I mean, of course they wouldn't have gotten anywhere with torches and drums,

but with modern equipment maybe I could.

There's something in there and it wants to talk.

Zach came to the forest to help me set up this new experiment.

But I don't understand. Why did you get Zach involved?

Why didn't you ask the board at the fashsal institute?

They would never have understood, Alma.

This was all just too important to risk.

We need to open this up and clean it, Martin.

I think there's something under the skin.

It's very tough. It's animal gut, I think.

Great.

- Does it hurt? - Yes.

Oh, fuck.

I wouldn't try to make any logical sense of it. I need water for this.

Oh, so tell me where I can find it.

Fine. This is a sterile area. I'd like to keep it that way. Thank you.

Okay.

Hey, I think...

The scars on my arm match the markings on the stones, no?

It's pattern making. Zach is trying to make meaning where there isn't any.

It's a psychological problem with humans.

They want to make stories out of everything.

Zach seems to think that he can communicate with nature

through art and worship. It's idolatry.

He isn't interested in the scientific path. Okay.

Okay.

It's bonded with the flesh. That's very unusual.

On, god!

- Yes. But he isn't here, is he? - What's unusual?

Well, that the infection would take hold so quickly.

- You have very special flesh, Martin. - Thanks.

So you're using light and sound to communicate?

Yes. The light pulses in reaction to the feedback

that the microphones give me from the trees.

- What feedback? - Well, plants can make noise.

The trees can actually control some of the sounds that the branches make.

Even the roots make sounds at a certain frequency.

Now, once you filter out the wind and the woodland noise,

there is a definite pattern.

Through these reactions, I've created a very basic language.

We tried to make contact with the m ycorrhr'za in a more direct way

using the rites in the book, and we pushed it too far.

Zach was never the same...

Whatever Zach saw, terrified him. He ran.

I didn't see him for months until lfound him living in the opposite valley.

He barely recognized me. He was wild.

Why did you use the ritual in the book?

It seems like a contradiction.

I was just reacting to the results.

Using the book seemed to accelerate the progress.

I had to learn to have an open mind.

I'm surprised you don't.

What are we looking at here?

Listen.

It all emanates from the standing stone.

This is where there is the densest cluster of mycorrhiza.

Now it regulates this forest for about 30 square miles,

- but I think it could be bigger still. - How big?

- Countrywide. - Really?

Nature is one giant system.

And this... this is the key to communicate with it.

I'm so close to a real breakthrough.

It makes sense that you were here to witness it.

But we're not gonna wait for that.

As soon as Martin's strong enough, we're gonna go.

You still want to leave after I've shown you all of this?

We don't have a choice.

It's only a matter of time before Zach comes here looking for us.

We have to go.

This is a mistake.

Talk to her.

No, but, I mean, she has a point.

Olivia.

- I don't trust her, Martin. - Why not?

She said she's been imprisoned here.

And what? What, he never came here in all that time? He's just over that hill.

Wouldn't it make more sense if they were still working together?

On what?

I don't know.

- Did she tell you that she was married? - No.

Well, she must have said something about herself.

When? When would she say that?

When... when you were in a relationship.

I don't... I don't want to talk about that. It's private.

"Private." fuck...

Right. Private maybe, but, I mean, under the circumstances,

can you see that it's relevant?

- Yeah. - What happened between them?

I... I don't know.

She didn't talk about other people. It's the first I heard of her husband.

Okay. Martin, I don't care. We need to go.

She's not gonna leave this place.

The whole reason why you came here was to see her, right?

I... I thought it was.

So then, so if you care about her, then you need to get her to leave.

Olivia, I think Alma has a very good point.

You can't convince me to leave, Martin.

And it really is too late now anyway.

What do you mean "too late"?

It's like I... I didn't have a choice.

It's so strange that the stone doesn't appear on any maps.

The only mention of it is in that book.

Why did you volunteer to come here?

Actually...

I, uh...

I came here to see you.

All through lockdown, I thought a lot about us.

- I know that's weird but... - Did the thought,

did it grow inside you like a seed?

A voice in your head that you couldn't deny?

Um... maybe.

Martin, I lied to you before.

I did get Zach involved, but I didn't call him. He just turned up.

He said exactly the same thing, that he couldn't deny the urge.

I found him here by the stone.

The same way I found you and you found Alma.

No, no, no. I wanted to come.

Martin, the mycorrhizal network,

it draws resources to the forest from many miles and maybe it brought you too.

Okay. Let's say that's true. How could that be possible?

Did you have ringworm?

Yeah.

Zach and I did too.

I wondered what it was doing to our bodies.

Was it pushing our body chemistry in certain directions? Obsession. Love.

This is too important, Martin. Think about why we're here.

This isn't chance. It isn't.

And you can't fight it.

Martin? Martin? Martin, wake up!

- What is it? - Dr. Wendle, she's gone.

- I can't find her. - You sure?

- Yes, I'm sure. - What time is it?

How long has it been light?

About half an hour.

How are you feeling? What are the symptoms?

Anxiety? Blurred vision?

- Yeah. - Extra acoustic and visual stimuli?

Where did you go?

I was checking the readings from the monitoring devices in the woods.

When I came back, you were both gone.

Everything seems to just keep us here.

The mist encircles the camp.

Ranging from 400 meters to 100 meters from the center.

What is it?

It's a suspension of mushroom spores and water droplets in the air.

- The forest is acting to contain us. - What?

I've seen it before, with Zach. It forced him from the valley.

- Why didn't you tell us about that? - Oh, sorry, didn't I say?

No, you didn't.

Well, it's quite a lot of information to keep track of.

Well, why don't we use your Hazmat suit and walk through it?

And what if the mist is less than 0.3 microns?

It would go through the filter.

It's gotta be worth a try.

We can wait it out. When it happened before, it only lasted a day or so.

- Hey, hey, hey hey! Come here, come here. - What?

- You see that? - What?

It's a person stood there. See the three trees? The middle tree, look.

Wait. Alma.

What does that mean?

It means Zach can come at any time.

Excuse me.

If you pass out, I'll pull you back. Okay?

Yeah.

Get through the mist. Head straight for the camp.

I'll be there and back in a few days.

- How's that? - Yeah, it's fine.

Okay, ready?

Where are you now? See anything?

Where are you now? Where? Where are you now?

Alma?

Alma? Are you okay?

Alma, are you okay? All right, come back

come back.

Come back now, Alma.

Come back.

- Alma... - What are you seeing?

Something sort of...

I'm pulling you back in.

You okay?

God. Oh, god.

- So big... - Have some water.

Oh, my god!

It's okay. It's okay. You're out of it now.

You're out of it now.

It's okay, it's okay. It's okay. You're out of it now.

There was a...

What? What did you see?

It was everything. Everything, Martin.

- She's delirious. - Okay.

- I told you before this wouldn't work. - Yes, yes. I know, I know.

- You're out of it now. Come on. - Martin. It's so...

Yeah, I know. I know. I know. Let's go. You're outside now so it's fine.

Let's go back to the camp.

It's fine. You're safe now. You're safe now. Let's go back to the camp, okay?

- We're going... it's only... - Yeah. I know.

- It's only pretend. - Yes, I know. Let's go back to the camp.

It thinks like a human, but it's not.

- It is not human. - Yeah, okay. Come on.

You can tell me back at the camp. Come on.

It's just pretend.

How far has it moved?

I don't know, ten meters, maybe.

I mean, at this rate, it'll cover the camp by morning.

What do you want?

I need to talk to him.

This is important. I've never seen him come this close to the camp before.

Is that a good idea?

Martin, he won't hurt me. I know he won't.

We can't trust him.

I don't know what choice we have.

What are they talking about?

I don't know. I can't hear.

He said it wants to talk.

One of us needs to go to the standing stone.

That is where the light and sound activity will be focused.

Then they have to take the sacrament.

- What sacrament? - This.

I thought you said you were gonna use your equipment to make contact?

Yes.

So then why are you referring to this?

The book is the most direct route.

And then what? It's... it's just going to release us?

That's what Zach said.

I can't believe we're performing a ritual, to be honest.

Martin, I know this makes you uncomfortable.

It makes me uncomfortable too. But if it wants to talk, then we have to listen.

I don't think you are listening.

I don't think you've been listening.

What... what do you think it wants to tell you?

Well, Alma, I would think that was clear by now, no?

No. Not really, no.

How we can all live together without destroying each other.

This is the same as any other creature.

It's worried about its environment, food, shelter.

You keep talking about this thing as if it's human. Like it's...

You sound just like Zach. It's not.

We are at the forefront of human discovery.

Don't you think we should endeavor to speak to this creature,

regardless of the cost?

All right. Okay. Great.

Doesn't look too bad. I mean, on a scale of 1 to 10, how bad does that look?

- That's a five. - It looks like milk.

- Yeah, exactly. Mushroom milk. - You don't have to do this.

Yeah, I know. I know. I know.

But you saved my life already, so at least let me repay the favor.

You don't have to repay anything.

Yeah. Well, you drink it then.

Oh!

- Martin? - Oh, that's disgusting.

- Martin, can you hear me? - Yeah.

Okay, now we wait.

Okay. Oh, goodness...

Now we're gonna wait.

Yep, just gonna wait.

What can you see out there?

Huh?

What did she say?

What can you see?

Oh, um... nothing really.

I can see the shapes of the trees from the strobes.

Just keep focusing on my voice.

How are you feeling?

I'm feeling okay.

Just thinking about my parents.

Too loud. Oh, god.

Sorry.

Something's tripped the electrical system.

Where?

It's lamp 15.

Can you check it out for me please, Alma?

Okay, I'm restarting the system now.

Can you hear me?

It looks like something's knocked it over.

Alma?

Remember me?

Come on, Martin.

She didn't tell you about the whole of the ritual, did she?

lycorrhiza always has a surprise for its host.

Your death will allow her to speak with it.

Please, Zach... no... please, Zach.

Please, Zach. Please, Zach.

Zach. Please, Zach.

I wish it could be me, Martin.

I would have given anything to have been "the one."

Please, Zach. Please, Zach. Please, Zach. Please, Zach...

- Please, Zach. - Wouldn't take me.

It would call me, but it wouldn't take me.

I told you not to come in here.

What have you...

What have you done?

That's... that's how accidents happen.

Ineed“.

Okay. I think I had...

Oh!

No, no.

You'll have to take me to a hospital.

Lwasn't surprised when lsaw you here, Martin.

Oh, my god!

- it makes sense the spores would call you. - Martin!

You, you're so open. So trusting.

You are the perfect vessel

this is the most important moment of your life.

Thank you.

Let me guide you out of the woods.