All language subtitles for Random.Acts.of.Violence

Woman: There can be no beginning
without an end.

There can be no darkness
without color and light.

There can be no accidents
without there first

being a design.

Enter truth, cold hearted,
unforgiving, specific.

The closer you look at anything,
the less you will see.

Eventually, something you know
and understand

becomes an expanding
myriad of possibilities.

Its original purpose and reason
all but completely evaporated.

Truth is the forced perspective
that mutates the abstract

into reality.

Real art is born of truth.

"Everything else
is masturbation.”

It just ends there.

Yeah, I...
I need to find an ending.

You hate it. That's okay.

- It's all right.
- No!

Kathy: I didn't say that
I hate... I don't hate it!

You think it's too, like,
esoteric or...

Kathy: Oh, honey, you're putting
words in my mouth.

- Abstract.
- Fancy words.

I-I-1 didn't say that.

- It's all right.
- What are you doing?

Nothing, I'll just put it
where it belongs.

What are you doing?

What do you think? It's trash.

They're not gonna fucking
get it anyway

because any time I try
to do anything

with any semblance of substance,

critics misrepresent
it completely,

or members of my audience...
It's lost on them.

It's like... you know,
it's the final issue.

I'm trying to put a little bit
of medicine in the sugar,

but nowadays everybody
just wants

all fucking sugar all the time.

It's good, babe.

It's good.

Todd: Like, good, real good?

And you know that it's good,

but you're just spinning
right now, like you do.

- Mm-hmm.
- Okay?

So close your eyes.

Close 'em and zip it.
Close your mouth.

- Mm-hmm.
- Breathe through your nose.

[ Inhales deeply I

[ exhales I

feel better?

A little bit. Thank you.

- Welcome.
- And I know I'm being dumb.

I just feel like this final
issue of the comic could be,

you know, my last chance
to show the critics

that it actually means
something, you know?

It's not just all the hype.

I know. And it will.

Thank you.

Kathy: Babe, is that
all you're bringing?

'Cause, like,
I could've packed for you.

I could've helped you.

Yeah. It's, like,
I don't need to

change my underwear every day.

No, no, that's...

Um, we could also just shorten
the trip by flying.

This is a road trip
that will be really fun

and really informative
for my book,

and I appreciate your Patience.

That was more like... you know,
when I sold it to the team,

I was talking more about, like,
finding the people and places

that inspire the number-one
r-rated comic in the genre.

Okay, I'm literally
going to smack you.

- Mm-hmm.
- I said be supportive,

not be sarcastic.

You stop giving me suggestions
and focus

on planning our vacation
for when you're out of a job.

- Oh, perfect, I did.
- Yeah?

Vacation time awaits, right now.

- Yeah?
- Yeah, we get out of the house,

hit the road,
look at the scenery...

Mm. Yeah? You know? Yeah.

Do some, like, kinky stuff
in the back while they drive...

Yeah, but this isn't
our vacation, honey.

I don't want, um, Ezra...

Oh, I thought
this was a vacation.

And Aurora there.
No, no, no, no, no.

- I want something nice just us.
- Oh, we'll get some time

in the motel on the road.

We'll
see if the bed Springs work.

Ugh. They're here.

A romantic getaway with your
business partner and assistant.

Come on, hubba-hubbal
"hubba-hubba"?

We should probably
get out there.

- We got to break this up.
- Oh, bless him.

Ezra: Let's do it!

Aurora: Yeah, let's go!

Ezra: Don't worry, be happy now!

Interviewer: So, the slasherman,
he's actually based

on a real guy, some of our
listeners may remember.

Is that right? Todd: Inspired.

Inspired by the I-90 murderer.
That's right.

That's right.

From 1987 to '91,
there were six vicious murders,

there were over
a dozen disappearances,

all within the same 200-mile
stretch of 1-90.

You know, our hero
is the serial killer himself.

That kind of protagonist,
that kind of character

needs a special kind of ending,
so, I...

For the final issue,
I'm gonna be honest with...

With you and your listeners,
I haven't found my ending yet.

J you're not coming back j

j you're not coming back
from this j

Aurora: Okay, itinerary.
We, uh...

First up on the docket,
we have, um...

Oh, Jesus Christ.

- Fuckin' hell, Aurora.
- Um, we have, uh...

Put eyes on the road. Please.

Yep, got it. “Want me to do it?

Nope, it's good. Got it. Um...

It's a test. This is a test.

All my assistants
have to do this.

- Uh, so we got a...
- Hey, listen up.

We got a quick pit stop
in McBain,

and then, um, we are headed,
uh, to that...

To that radio show with the guy
who would not stop,

uh, harassing me
about getting an interview.

He sounds like a real fanboy.

I think he's gonna be pretty
psyched to see you and me, Todd.

Yeah, both of us, huh?

Uh, well, I don't know.
You know, he might...

He might want to... be psyched
to hear, uh, the story

of a successful independent
comic book publisher.

Todd: Oh, I thought you said
he might talk to you.

- Oh.
- Hey-oh!

Fucking guy.

Finish your fucking comic.
How about that?

You come off a little bit
as, like, a huckster when you...

When you start,
"I'm the investor, I'm the..."

- I know you meant that...
- " Small business owner."

You meant that as an insult,
except for huckster's

the nicest thing anyone's
said about me in months.

What else you got there, Aurora?

So, then we just have that
one comic signing

at that store mangopolis
in Albany,

and then we're off to the
big apple for the convention.

- It's a big one.
- How bout accommodations?

- Where are we stayin'?
- I e-mailed you three weeks ago.

- It's fine, Ezra, it's fine.
- Okay, all right, all right.

I learned to stop opening
your e-mails ages ago.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

We are staying in all motels.

They're all rural,
and they're all real.

- Four, five stars?
- Stars?

- Like a solid two-and-a-half.
- Stars?

Okay, there's no stars,
no diamonds.

This is on the potato system.

It's just three solid
fuckin' old potatoes.

And they all have
the recurring theme of

21st-century western decay.

- Oh, my god.
- And thank you, Aurora,

for arranging that.

I really appreciate it.

Ezra: I'm hoping this fucking
book research is worth it.

[ Horn blares, tires screech I

- Jesus Christ!
- What the fuck was he doing?

Kathy: For Christ's sake,
don't do that again.

- You know what...
- I'm so sorry! I...

I got it, I got it.
Stay right here.

Motherfucker. I'm gonna
go have a word with him.

- No, no, no, no, babe.
- I'm sorry. No.

- It was my fault.
- Kick his ass, Todd.

- No, don't go out there.
- People have guns here, okay?

We're not getting
out of the car.

Yeah, well, they don't fuckin'
know how to drive, either?

Come on. Jesus.

- Everyone's okay?
- Yeah.

Okay.

- Do you want me to drive?
- No, it's fine.

[ Kathy laughs I

- okay.
- All righty, boys, lady.

Snacks. “Whoo-ee!

Ezra: Holy fuck!
Where the fuck are we?

Oh, hey... hey, bud.

[ Car doors close I

toilets are for
paying customers only.

Uh, we're lookin' for...
For gas.

We have money.
That's no problem.

Um...

Do these things
have fuel in them, though?

Uh...

- Okay, cool!
- All right.

- You want to... thank you.
- Good.

Well, this may be
a terrible idea,

but I think I may have
just found my first interviewee.

- All rural, all real.
- Yeah.

Safe word is "help."

Kathy: Hey, um, wondering if I
could ask you a few questions?

Are you familiar
with the 1-90 killer?

Do you have meth?

Um, oh, yeah,
another terrible idea.

I'm gonna go around
to the back of this gas station,

hopefully just pee,
not get murdered

or, you know, contract
some terrible disease.

But if I do, lovely working
with you all.

Goodbye forever! Adios!

Kathy: So, um...

So you're from around here,
yeah?

An odd bird, isn't he?

Holy!

Shit.

I didn't know places like this
still existed.

Uh, what do they even
fuckin' sell here?

Uh, pickled eggs.
Yeah, but I mean...

I meant... let me rephrase that.

What do people actually buy
from here in the last...

- Nothing, apparently.
- 25 years.

Um, is any of this, uh,

getting your creative juices
flowing, you know?

All right, give it a rest.

This could be the scene
of a massacre, yes.

Final issue startin' to fuckin'
get into your head now?

No.

- It's my fuckin' job, man.
- It's coming, all right?

That's the whole point of me
designing, you know,

the fuckin' road trip,
all right?

To just, like, tingle,
stimulate some inspiration.

Final issue inspiration
is the objective right now.

Or conversely, it doesn't have
to be the last issue, buddy.

It's the last...
We've talked about it, man.

I'm fuck... I can't...
It's not healthy, you know?

You don't have to wake up
in cold sweats and...

Whatever it takes.

Todd: I wish I wanted to eat
some of this food

so I could make you pay for it.

No, none... none... none
of this is edible.

Um...

Oh, my god.

Look at this fuckin' thing.

"Janked"? The fuck is this
supposed to be?

Looks to me like just
a sold-out rack of "slasherman."”

are you thinkin'
what I'm thinkin'?

Oh, you know I'm thinkin'
what you're thinkin', buddy.

I think it's time for a refill.

Ezra: Fuckin' right, it is.

We got a trunk full of 'em.

Or we could maybe do that
the next town over.

This is kind of...

- It's a little bit much...
- Nah, c'mon.

For them, no? McBain & McBain.

He lived here
when you were a kid.

Even if you don't remember
those years,

you still have every right
to explore this story.

I would say this rack would look
better with our comics on it

than in its current state.

[ Flies buzzing I

- Hey!
- Oh! Aah!

- Jesus Christ!
- Shit!

- Oh, my god!
- Oh, my god.

You scared the shit out of me.

I'm sorry. I was just...

I was, like... I was in the
bathroom and then I was, like...

Have you been in there?
It's fucking disgusting!

And I come out here and, like,
what is this?

Why is this here, you know?
Like, that's somebody's pet!

Somebody's pet is just
lying here dead.

- I don't get it! I'm, like...
- You know what?

Let's just not
keep looking at it.

- Sorry. I don't know what I'm...
- Yeah.

I look like I'm fucking crazy

'cause I'm out here and
I'm drawing this fucking dog.

Ezra told me that if I have
any ideas that could be used

for the final issue,
then I should draw them.

And I want to prove to him
that I'm more than an assistant.

I-I'm a good artist.

But I have this thing where
if it's in my head,

and I see that something's
just like fucking awful,

I can't get it out of my head
unless I draw it,

and so, like, I'm...
I-l look fucking insane.

- No, you don't, you don't.
- I'm just sitting here

drawing a dead dog.

Todd does exactly the same thing
and way weirder shit.

I'm sorry. Yeah.
Are... are... are these

for your book or... 7?

Uh, yeah. Yeah, it's, uh...

It's gonna be a book,
eventually.

Todd's told me a bit about it.
I don't...

I don't know very much,
but, like...

- Yeah.
- It sounds like

it's gonna be amazing.
Thank you. Yeah.

It's like the true story behind
slasherman, or something, right?

- Todd tell you that?
- Am I wrong?

It's... well, no,
it's not... it's not...

It's about slasherman,
but it's peripherally.

It's... it's, um,
focusing on the victims.

- Um...
- Oh! Okay, yeah.

It's about giving a voice
to those who, um...

No longer have a voice.

Fuckin' right.

Yeah, so Todd
did the initial research,

and, um, now I'm going
a little bit deeper.

Is that one of them? Or...

Yeah, this is Henry Dunn.

He lived around here
two decades ago.

Couple months
after he was murdered,

his family just kept getting
these cryptic phone calls

for about a year or two.

This is Ginny Adams.
She was 7 years old.

Oh, my god.

Last seen walking home
from school.

This 1s victim zero,
belinda cooksey.

She was murdered
over Christmas dinner.

She was a single mother,
active in her church.

Why is it weird
that she's smiling?

She looks helpless,
you know, 'cause...

We know something
that she doesn't.

She's about to be murdered...

Horribly,
and she's just helpless,

and there's nothing
we can do about it.

Yeah.

It's on the house.

Guess everything's
comin' up me today.

Can you get the fuck
out of my store, please?

Gary: Good evening,
Jefferson county.

You're listening to
wmxv the eagle!

I'm Gary Reston, and this
is "heartland at night."

Tonight, we have a one-hour
special treat lined up for you

as I'm joined by none other
than Todd walkley,

brainchild behind
one of the most successful

r-rated comics ever,
"slasherman."

How's life treating one of
today's hottest comic creators?

Uh, great, great.

You know, we're just
road trippin', um...

Getting ready to, you know,
try to promote "slasherman."

I'm workin' on
the final issue. Uh...

Glad to be staying
in Jefferson county.

Found a great place to stay.

Can't say enough about
my lodging at the comfy suites.

It's pretty cool. Good stuff.

Gary: So, the slasherman, he's
actually based on a real guy,

some of our listeners
may remember. Is that right?

From 1987 to '91,
you saw a string of six

particularly vicious murders,
over a dozen disappearances,

all in a 200-mile stretch
of the 1-90.

And in many of these cases,

the victims' families received
suspicious phone calls.

The killer mutilated
his victims,

turning their bodies
into what I think

looked like grotesque
sculptures.

The police never found a witness
or suspect. He just disappeared.

These are the very qualities

that lift these folks up
from men to myth.

For some, frankly,
heroes or heroic-like figures

in that they're untouchable.

That kind of protagonist,
that kind of character

needs a special kind of ending,
so I...

For the final issue,
I'm gonna be honest with...

With you and your listeners,
I haven't found my ending yet.

Gary: And I presume you must
feel a certain sense of

responsibility, then, to get
the 1-90 story right.

Todd: I'm not sure
what you mean.

I mean, I was just
going off a quote I have

from the Atlantic here...
"But every page drips with

walkley's tired brand
of senseless violence

and morally bankrupt teen angst.

"Slasherman' is nothing more
than yet another toxic element

of a dangerous culture
than lionizes male violence."

Mm-hmm.

All the things that are
going on with our culture,

and my comic book's the problem.

Just got those in today.

The guy who makes 'em came by to
fill up and just gave 'em to me.

Gary: But is there a legitimate
concern that cultural toxicity

could push the already unstable,

those just looking for a reason,
over the edge into violence?

Todd: I mean, crazy folks are
always gonna come up with

an excuse for their actions.

In this case, he's not killing
for no reason, I don't suspect.

I think he's got a purpose.

I think he's got his purpose.

I believe he thought
he was creating art.

And artists often do what?

They... they... they think they
need to suffer for their work.

He thought that as
a true artist, he needed to...

Make others suffer.

Instead of inflicting pain
on himself,

he thought he should seek...

The infliction of pain
oh others.

And, um, like so many
who rise and fall,

he eventually
ran out of inspiration.

Art.

Inspiration?

Yeah.

I have a picture here, folks.

This is...

This was Ginny Adams.

Her and I were really close,

and then she disappeared
walkin' home from school

right along 1-90.

- I'm sorry to hear that.
- Yeah, I'm sure.

You know what keeps me up
at night all these years later?

Just thinkin' about what would
have been going

through her mind
right at the end,

right in that moment
she realized what was coming.

Her mother hanged herself.

She couldn't take not knowing
who did it or why.

Probably never know, you know.

It could've been anyone
for any reason.

Could've been your hero.

That's not what I meant
by "hero." Hero is a...

I could've said "protagonist,"
"main character."

It's a writer term. Don't...

Gary: Well, I'm sure if you have

no personal connection
to any of this,

feel free to just pull
this stuff out of your ass.

I mean, a machete, a mack truck,

some type of vintage
welder's mask.

Come on.

Todd: I mean, the welder's mask

was something that
connected to me.

All right? It's a comic book.

A damn successful one, too,

you don't enjoy it,
that's your choice.

I'm glad I got you some ratings,
though. That's...

That's cool for you.

Okay.

Oh, hold on there, Mr. walkley.

Can't have you leaving just yet.

One more moment of your time,
all right?

Now, we got a call
from your first fan!

Belinda cooksey,
you're on the air.

Hello?

Hello?

Man: One.

12

18

One.

12

18

One.

12

18

Meghan: Okay, here's the thing.

With cats, I never have to know
the temperature of their feces.

That is why cats
are the superior animal.

Hannah: And...

You care about that
because, what reason?

Because I don't want to...
Okay, cats' litterboxes...

That's such a small
little thing to nitpick about.

- That's your deal-breaker?
- It's gross and warm.

Dogs are unconditionally loving.

You just don't want
to like them.

They will never hurt you
intentionally.

It's just because everybody
likes dogs, I think, and...

- Cats are...
- You just don't want to

- fit in with...
- Adam.

- Yes?
- It smells like weed again!

You hate dogs! You hate weed!

Yes, it does smell like weed.
Is that okay?

Do you hate sunshine
and children, too?

Is your nose hurting again?

[ Laughs I

[ engine starts I

all right, there we go.
Everybody good?

Yeah, I've almost got
my seatbelt on.

- Got it?
- Yeah.

Okay. Well, too bad.

She's lying. We're out.

Here we come!

That was a nice place, eh, guys?

Oh, yeah, so nice.
How was the couch?

[ Engine starts I

[ Thunder rumbles I

[ rain pattering I

light it up. Light it up.

You're having a little. I don't
know why you're saying no.

Meg: Excuse me, no.
No, I'm not. No.

J Meg's getting high! J

Meg: No, I am not getting high!

- & Meg's getting high tonight! J
- No, I'm not!

- Oh, my god, don't be a child.
- Pass it to Meg.

- Here you are. Happy birthday.
- No, I don't want it.

- Yes!
- No!

I rolled this especially
for you, on your...

Don't!
It's not a fucking candle!

Oh, my god!

Meghan, do you ever get tired
of being such a fucking nerd?

Excuse me. Hey, you cannot talk
to me like that on my birth...

[ Breathing heavily I

- fuck.
- What happened?

It sounded like we ran
into something,

but you weren't on the shoulder,
though, and you didn't...

The wheel didn't get caught
on the shoulder.

We didn't, uh, hit like,
a rock or some shit?

- Why are you narrating this?
- The car didn't just stop!

Is that an engine problem?
"Is that..."

Do I look like
a fucking car expert to you?

Guys! We are in
the middle of nowhere.

- We need to figure this out!
- Yes, yes, yes, yes!

Who's getting out? Are you...
Is anyone gonna get out?

It's my fucking birthday!
I'm not getting out!

- Just, fucking...
- Fuck you guys.

I'll fucking do it
if you want me to.

[ Car door closes I

fuck!

Fuck!

Fucking car is fucked.

[ Beeping I

come on, you fucking...

Don't you have a spare?

Do you know how to change
a fucking tire?

Hey! Hey, someone's coming!

- Oh, fuck. Fuck, yes!
- Hey, we're over here!

Hey! Hey!

Oh, my god!

Oh.

[ Exhales I

Why isn't he getting out?

What the fuck?

Holy shit. Oh, god.
All right, guys.

Hi!

- Hey, man. We're...
- Hey!

Um, thank you!

Thank you for stopping for us,
but I just called my friend,

and he's coming,
so we're gonna be okay!

But thank you!

Yeah.

We're good!

Man: Phones don't work out here!

No, no, no!

Ours works! Ours is working!

You need one of these!

She's gonna call
right now again, see?

She... man, we're... we're...
Thank you so much...

- It's fine.
- But we're... we're good.

Thank you! I'm calling again.

- I'm calling again.
- Seriously, man.

We're really good. Thanks.

Let's get back in.
Get back in the fucking car.

Oh, my god, what the fuck
is going on?

He's not fucking gone yet.

- What the fuck!
- Why is he not going?

He might know someone
in the area! I don't know!

He had a fucking mask on!

[ Screams, pounds on truck I

aah! Aaaah!

[ Grunts I

[ ranting incoherently I

[ screams I

oh, my god!

[ Screaming I

oh, my god!

[ Ranting incoherently I

Please, stop!

Oh, my god.

[ Screams I

don't you fucking go anywhere!

Where are you going?!

[ Horn blares I

[ Piercing scream I

[ Exhales I

[ Thunder crashes I

Man: One.

12

18

One.

12

18

One.

12

18

Todd: "I am he that liveth,
and was dead,

and, behold,
I am alive forevermore.

Amen, and have the keys
of hell and of death."

Kathy: Amount of respect.
No. Yeah, absolutely.

It's... it's about...
It's about remembering him.

Uh, yes. That's the whole point.

Okay.

Yes! Okay.

And... and thank you so much.

This... this means
the world to me.

Okay. Okay.

Bye.

That... um, that was
Henry Dunn's sister,

and she agreed to me
interviewing her in New York.

Awesome.

Wow.

Wow. It's a big deal. Yeah.

Um, it's a big deal.

Kathy: I've just been
writing to her,

and I was afraid that she was
just gonna shut me down,

thinking I was trying
to exploit her, but...

Yeah. Just don't tell her
you're with me.

I feel like you should have
got an interview

with Reston yesterday, too.

He's... of a similar camp,
you know?

Close to the victim
and really pissed at me,

but, like,
he's got insight, you know?

If that's the perspective
that...

Are you kidding me right now?

It's probably an aligned
perspective, right?

They've got...
They were close to it.

I come in here, I have the best
news I've had in like, months.

- I mean, I've been...
- I know.

- You've been working hard.
- Yes, I've been working

really hard, and you literally
make this about your interview?

Which, yes, was fucked up,
but how you could draw

a parallel between the two
of them like that?

They're both close
to the incidents.

And they both have
a feeling about it.

They're probably not
a fucking fan of my franchise.

This book isn't about you, so...

Nah, kind of.

Kind of is, isn't it?

All the things in the world
that you chose to write about,

and the biggest fuckin'
critique about my work,

you've chosen to hone in on?

You shut your eyes to that.
You just...

Todd: I'm doing my job!

But like I said in there,
it's not...

I'm not a nonfiction writer.
I don't have to...

Every movie maker,
everybody that makes a movie

or draws a fucking cartoon
has to...

Please don't talk to me
like I'm him.

Okay, I'm not interviewing you.

Well, it's kind of
blurring together.

It's blurring together? Yeah!

So I'm like... I'm like
one of your fans?

I'm like one of your fans,
or like...

What? No. He wasn't my
fucking fan, was he?

Here's what really bugs me.

What really bugs me is
everyone talks about slasherman.

Everyone talks about
the murders.

- Here we go, uh-huh.
- Nobody ever talks about

the victims, and those are
the people that matter!

This guy, whether he's a fucking
pig, demon, piece of shit,

he went and did something, and
now people are examining that,

people who
if things happen to, sorry.

I know I couldn't say this
in public,

I'm not, like...
I know it's an un...

It's an unpleasant thing to say,
but let's not pretend...

But you don't really
believe that.

- I believe that people...
- I don't think you be...

Watch and make things that
are compelling for a reason,

not just a list of people
that things happen to.

I'm highlighting
who this monster killed.

- That's what I'm doing.
- Mm-hmm.

I'm not attacking you.

[ Exhales I

What, you can't find them?

We shipped them
three weeks ago. Fuck.

Sorry, Derek from mangopolis

seems to have misplaced
our box full of comics.

What does it look like?
It's a fucking cardboard box.

- It's fine, though.
- I mean, if there's nothing...

I'm losing... Derek,
can you hear me?

Derek? Fuck youl!

- Maybe we don't go.
- I fucking hate this guy.

Aurora: Hey, it's okay.

Whoa, what the fuck's all this?

Hmm?

Some kind of traffic stop.
Is it an accident?

[ Police radio chatter I

come on, come on, come on.

On.

Woman: Oh, my god!

Put that tarp down!
What the fuck!

Get going, move, now, go!

I told you no pictures
till the road's cleared.

Move, move, move, move!

Aurora: No partners,
no groups, please.

We'll sign posters,
we'll sign pictures,

we'll sign t-shirts,
we will not sign weapons.

Ezra: You saw what those people
looked like.

Like the triptych, am I right?

- Yes.
- Don't.

Wait, what do you mean
the triptych?

- Nothing. That's...
- Sorry, what's the...

I mean, this is nothing to you?

- Okay, let's...
- Todd!

Todd: He's jumping to
conclusions, okay?

That doesn't mean...

He's just seeing something
that isn't there, possibly.

- Really?
- I've Dr... Drawn what,

a thousand kills?

Once in a while, one of them
might match up

with something that happens
in this fucking crazy country.

Store clerk:
What do you want to know?

All kinds of bad things
happen to people.

Bad men, dead women.

Belinda cooksey, she had a son
who saw everything that night,

and he was fucking
catatonic after that.

Went in the foster care system.

No one around here
saw him after that.

Todd: Jesus Christ.

Uh, di... uh. Uh, did you...

Did you fucking make
this yourself?

Slasherman's, like, my life,
my religion.

I find it...

Inspiring.

Look inside.

Ezra: Oh, my god.

Aurora: It's slasherman's truck
with his kill studio.

Kathy: Look at all
the dead women.

[ Cellphone buzzes I

yeah?

Man: Three.

12

- Who is this?
- Four.

Huh, who the fuck are you?
“What?

- Three.
- Who the fuck are you?!

- Fuck, man.
- Uh...

Todd: Fuck this.

On!

[ Breathing heavily I

It's the same voice
from the Reston phone call shit

with the numbers.

It was the same...

- Come on, man.
- I'm not tripping, man.

How the fuck did this person
get your number?

He got it, all right?
It's the same fucking voice.

It's probably not that hard,
honestly.

And then, somebody lays the
triptych out all nice for us...

Exactly, so that's why...

Let's go to the fucking
cops, man.

- We need to call the cops.
- No, I'm not going to the...

And tell them what? All right?

That there's a killer
running around,

re-creating murders
from my comics?

And we just happen
to have a binder

of all the murder victims.

Like, I don't fucking
think so, dude.

I-I don't understand...

What harm it would do if...

I don't want to go to the cops.
I want to go away from the cops.

You go to the cops, we tell them
someone cut your fucking hand,

we tell them about
the phone calls,

we tell them that
the crime scene

looks very fucking
familiar to us.

We just do it. In the morning,
we go to the cops.

I don't know, man.

Okay? I'l think about it.

Okay?

- All right, all right.
- All right, okay.

Aurora: Hey, how's your hand?

Oh, my god, I'm so... fuck.

Todd: No, that's fine, that's
fine. I'm cool. It's fine.

I'm so sorry. I didn't mean
to startle you. I'm just, uh...

- Yeah, uh...
- How's it going?

It's okay.
Can I get you anything?

No, I'm... I'm great.

I'm great. How are you?

Um, I'm good, yeah.

I'm... um...

- And how are you?
- I'm, uh...

Yeah. I don't know, really.

A little freaked out?

It's hard.

It's just, like, a lot of, um...

Like, it was just really
horrible, what we saw,

and I'm just, like,
kind of trying to...

- Yeah, I know.
- Deal with it a little bit,

but I'm okay.

I'm just gonna...

I'll just probably go draw.

I'm gonna...
I'm gonna go do the same.

Yeah, draw. Um, just kind of...

- Draw this shit out.
- Forget about it.

Uh, but call me or text me if
you need anything, and I'll...

Jesus Christ.

[ Exhales I

All right, so...

Yeah.

- Be careful.
- Yeah.

- Good night.
- Thanks. Night.

[ Exhales I

Todd: Hey.

What...

What's going on with you?

Uh, me? I'm fine.

- Fine?
- Chilling, yeah.

Yeah? Really?

'Cause you don't...
You don't really seem so fine.

A little edgy, maybe.

Yeah, I'm having
a hard time, babe.

I don't know.

I don't really know
what's happening and...

Um, but...

I'm sorry about earlier.

You know, what's important
to you is important to me.

Truly, I-I lost sight of that,
I recognize that, and I'm sorry.

Okay? It's gonna get better.

We'll be done with
this whole thing,

get the fuck out of here...

- Yes.
- And go home, you know?

- Okay.
- And I promise

it'll get better, okay?

Okay.

All right.

I'm gonna go in.
You want to come in?

Uh, no. I still got
a little work to do.

- I'll be in in a little bit.
- Sure.

I love you.

[ Door opens, closes I

[ Fly buzzes I

Three.

Three, 12.

Three, 12.

Uh, three...

Three...

12.

"And she shall then continue
in the blood of her purifying."

[ Lighter clicks I

Nice.

- What do you mean "nice"?
- Hour-and-a-half late?

Do you have any idea
how many fucking hours

I've been putting in this place?

Do you have any idea
how many fucking hours

I've just been standing here
waiting for you, as per usual?

“Whatever. It's fine.

[ Arguing in distance I

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's
what I thought, but, like...

Guess what, though? “What?

I got a puppy for us.

No, you didn't.

- Yeah, I swear to god.
- Are you lying?

Give me a kiss.
Yeah, no, really.

- It's like...
- A puppy.

You're just trying to make me
feel better.

- Yeah!
- Okay, I didn't get a puppy.

- I got a gerbil.
- Oh!

J I have seen my dream
that they call hallucination j

j I have glimpsed my hopes
far beyond the horizon j

j now it shares my thoughts
and breathes my air in j

j as it stops me running
from a misty vision j

j day dreams j

j it takes over
and engulfs all j;

j I become this
formless entity j

[ cellphone beeps I

[ Engine starts I

[ Man grunting I

[ screaming I

[ muffled screaming I

[ Screaming stops I

[ Police radio chatter I

[ Sirens wailing I

[ flies buzzing I

[ helicopter blades whirring I

[ woman speaking indistinctly I

Todd: Yeah, um...

Aurora works for me.

She's terrific. She's...

Was, um, really helpful
in a whole number of things,

uh, namely...

With your comic book.

Yeah.

"Slasherman."

[ Aurora screaming I

were you with him?

- I was passed out.
- You were passed out.

She texted me. I was passed out.

You know what she looked like...

- No.
- When we found her?

I don't want to... come on.

Borden: No, you're gonna have to
look because...

Well, actually,
what we found of her.

Oh, god.

Borden: Ezra.

Todd drew this.

Borden: Todd drew it.

And you let him do it.

No, he didn't do this.

He drew this.

Somebody did this.

You seen this particular
comic before?

No.

- No.
- No?

Do you read a lot
of their comics?

Kathy, do you like their comics?

I don't. It's not...

It's not really my thing.

Borden: It's not your thing?

'Cause it's...

Really gory shit.

It's all tortured women
and bisections

and disemboweling and...

Who comes up with this stuff?

Todd.

Borden: Todd.

Our friend is dead

because of what came out
of your fucked-up head!

That was in your head.

Girls...

Mutilated...

You know what,
that's why you can't

come up with an ending
to your book.

You have nothing to say.

You legitimize violence.

You fetishize evil.

And my life is in danger
because of it.

[ Door opens I

motel surveillance cameras
corroborate your story.

You're free to go.

Kathy:
We have to call her parents.

Todd: You're right.

Kathy: No, I just have
a fucking heart.

Borden: Even if you didn't
kill this girl,

in the eyes of everything
I hold dear,

you may as well have.

Your minds are all
over this mess.

[ Police radio chatter I

Woman: You were supposed
to go this way.

Man: The other stop sign, no,
we were supposed to go left.

Women: Honey, slow down.

Man: No, what are you
talking about?

[ Exhales deeply I

Kathy: What?

What?

What is it?

- Oh, my god. Oh, my god.
- It's fuckin' him.

Man: Four. Eight. 35.

- Is it the fucking numbers?
- What do you mean numbers?

Ezra: Those numbers at
the fucking radio station.

- Four, eight, 35. Hold on.
- And then he called him again

at the fucking comics shop.
“What?

- Let me find it. Wait a second.
- Is it... it's Bible shit?

Why the fuck are you
reading a Bible?

Todd: 'Cause I found it before,
okay? The last couple ones.

Why did... oh, my god.

I think there's a pattern here.
Hold on a second.

Four, eight, 35.

- He called us from her phone.
- There's no 35.

He called us
from her fucking phone.

Four, eight, 35.
There's no fucking 35!

What?

Kathy: What? What is it?

- It's the fucking com...
- What?

Year, issue, page.
It's the comics.

- It's the comics.
- Year, issue, page?

Remember, at the radio station,
he called, right?

And he said 1-12-18.

Year, issue, page.
Year one. Uh...

- Issue 12.
- Uh, uh, issue 12, page 18.

Take a look, take a look,
take a look.

- 1-12-18.
- Oh, my god.

- What? What, what?
- What is it, what is it?

- There's the fucking triptych.
- Oh, my god.

- Oh, my god.
- Um, the next one...

The next one was, uh, 3-12-4.

Three...
Year 3, issue 12, page 4.

- Fucking, it's "the gift."
- God damn it.

- No, no, no, no.
- He's been telling us!

He's been fucking telling us
what he's gonna do.

He just called. When he called,
he said four...

What'd I say when he called?
Four, uh...

Uh, 4-8-35.

Page 35 on, uh, year...

Year 4, issue 8.

- 4-8-395.
- 4-8-35.

All right, I mean...

It's the fucking
"wish you were here"

thing with the dead family.

- Oh, no, no, no, no.
- It's the fucking family!

They aren't all the fucking...

There's a fucking family
ahead of us!

That means he's fucking
watching us, also.

- Where the fuck is he?!
- We have to fucking warn them.

[ Honking horn I

Ezra: Pull over!

- Stop!
- Pull over!

- What do you want?
- Pull over!

- Stop, stop, stop!
- Pull over!

- We'll call 911.
- Get the fuck away from us!

- Fuck!
- Fuck's sake!

Where the fuck is this guy?

Fuck!

Ezra: Oh, shit.

Okay, we got to go,
we got to go.

Kathy: No, no, no.
We have to help them.

We have to fucking help them.

Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck.

[ Saw whirring I

- that's fucking him.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.

Oh, my god, he's got a gun!

He's got a fucking gun!

Call 911! Call 911! Todd, call!

- He's got a fucking gun!
- I'm calling.

[ Line ringing I

Kathy: Fuck.
No, no, no, no, no no.

Yeah. Yeah, we're on interstate
90 outside of McBain...

[ Gunshots, screaming I

all right, there's a family.
He's fucking shooting a family.

- Oh, my god.
- 90... interstate 90.

Kathy: What is he doing?
What the fuck is he doing?

No, we have to help them.
We have to fucking help them.

- Run!
- What are you doing?

Ezra: No!

Ezra: He's fucking shooting!
He's fucking shooting them!

Kathy: Fuck, no, no, no, no!

Ezra: Oh, my god, we got to go,
we got to go!

He's shooting, all right?
Just get here now!

Kathy: No, no, no.

Ezra: There's a kid
in the back seat!

- [ Gunshot I
- He just shot a fucking kid!

Get out of here.
Now, now, now, now, now, now.

Go, go, go, go, go!

Go, go, go, go, go!

Fuck!

[ Piercing tone I

[ grunts I

Kath.

Kath. Oh!

Fuck.

Kathy. Baby.

Hey.

[ Groans I

sweetheart. Come on, sweetheart.

Hey.

No. No, no, no, no.

Hey! Fuck off!

Fucking get away from her!

No! No!

Take me, take me! No! Fuck!

Babe! Babe!

Babe!

Kathy. [ Coughs I

[ grunts I

Kathy. [ Coughs I

[ groans I

Kathy.

Baby.

Baby! Kathy!

[ Breathing heavily I shh, shh.

[ Speaking indistinctly I

we're gonna figure it out, okay?
You got me. I'm right here.

What do you mean, figure it out?
I'm right here.

Why am I in fucking handcuffs?!

I'm gonna get you
out of here, okay?

I'm gonna get you out of here,
sweetheart.

Oh, god!

Ezra! Oh, oh!

Okay. Okay.

We're okay.

[ Grunting I

what are you doing?

We're gonna get the fuck
out of here.

Stop, just stop.

- Hey.
- Listen to me.

Don't fucking give up on me
right now, okay?

Listen to me.

- We're not okay.
- Hey, don't do that.

He 1s going to kill us.

Don't you fucking say
that right now.

Listen. Listen to me.

Don't give up on me
right now, okay?

Listen to me.
Okay, listen to me.

[ Breathing heavily I

this is it.

It's over. It's over.

No.

- Yeah, il...
- Mnh-mnh, mnh-mnh.

Please just... just stop!

Stop! Stop!

I'm so sorry, sweetheart.

It's okay.

It's okay. [ Sniffles I

it's okay.

I don't want
the end of my life...

To be panic and fear.

I don't.

And...

And it doesn't have to be...

Because you're with me.

Mm-hmm.

And I love you,
and we're together.

I love you so much. I love you.

- Fuck that.
- No.

All right? Nobody's taking you.

All right, and you hear me?
Look at me, look at me.

Take a deep breath, okay?

In... [ inhales I

and out.

And out.

Now.

You got to get home.
You don't want to die, right?

I don't want to die.
You don't want to die.

- I don't want to die.
- So don't, all right?

That's all it is.
There's no choice.

But I can't let you
fucking die. I won't.

Okay, you live.

Look at me. You live.

Okay? Get up.

Up with me. Come on.

Come on. Come on.

All right, here we go,
here we go.

[ Flies buzzing I

[ Todd screams I

Todd: Run, Kath!

Run, run, run!

Go!

[ Gunshots I

don't!

No!

Run, Kath!

Don't stop!

Go, go, go, go!

[ Kathy grunts I

Kath! Kath!

Kathy!

Kath! Kath!

Aah! Fuck! Kathy!

Kathy.

God. Get the fuck off me.

[ Man grunting I

man: Five.

12. 35.

Aah!

Why, you sick motherfucker?!

[ Screams I

[ grunting I

I can't wait to show you.

Kathy: Help!

Help me, please!

Help!

Help me!

Someone, please help!

[ Screams I

[ screams I

please!

[ Gasps I

[ groans I

Todd: Kath!

Kath!

Kathy!

Kath!

Kath!

Kathy!

Fuck, where are you?

Where are you?!

I won't scream for you.

I will not scream.

Fuck you!

[ Screams I

Kath!

[ Flies buzzing I

what?

35. 5-12-35.

35, 35.

33, 34...

No.

No, no, no. Fuck.

No. No!

No!

Fuck!

J o little town of Bethlehem j

j how still we see thee lie j

j above thy deep
and dreamless sleep j

j the silent stars go by j

j yet in the dark streets
shineth j

j the everlasting light j

j the hopes and fears
of all the years j

j are met in thee tonight j

j for Christ is born of Mary j

j and gathered all above j

j while mortals sleep,
the angels keep j

j their watch
of wond'ring love j

j o morning stars, together j

j proclaim the holy birth j

j and praises sing
to god the king j

j and peace to men on earth j

j oh, holy child of Bethlehem j

j descend to us, we pray j

j cast out our sin
and enter in j

j be born in us today j

j we hear the Christmas angels j

j the great glad tidings tell &

j oh, come tous j

j abide with us j

j our lord j

[ Choir vocalizing I

[ Siren wailing in distance I

[ police radio chatter I

[ Breathing heavily I

Todd: Kath.

[ Flies buzzing I

Oh, Kath! Hey!

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

On.

[ Flies buzzing I

Our ending.

[ Grunts I

I was gonna kill you, too,
that night.

But there was something
about that drawing.

No one had ever drawn me before.

But you... you saw something.

You saw what I did, and you saw
that it was fucking beautiful.

Hmm?

You showed me
I could mean something.

You showed me who
I'm supposed to be.

I've been reading your comic
since the beginning.

I knew as soon as I saw it...

You were keeping my work alive.

And I didn't feel the need
to kill anymore.

But when I found out our work
was coming to a close

and you hadn't found
an ending yet,

I knew you needed me.

So here it is.

Our final...

Issue.

Isn't it beautiful?

True art is created
by inflicting pain on others.

You showed me that.

I inspired you.

And now you've inspired me.

Together, we will inspire
so many more,

and they will never forget
what we've done here.

Kill me...

So the world can see
our ending...

And know our story.

Kill me.

And together we will kill
the world.

Help me.

[ Grunts I

[ grunts I

[ Knife clatters I

Todd: Fuck your ending.

Woman: "There can be
no beginning without an end.

There can be no darkness
without color and light.

There can be no accidents

without there
first being a design.

Enter truth... cold-hearted,
unforgiving, specific.

The closer you look at anything,
the less you will see.

Eventually, something you
know and understand

becomes an expanding
myriad of possibilities.

Its original purpose and reason
all but completely evaporated.

Truth is the forced perspective

that mutates the abstract
into reality.

Real art is born of truth.

Everything else is
a random act of violence.