Original subtitles

(mysterious music)

(bold daunting music)

- [Alpha] This way.

(birds chirping)

- What's this?

- My club.

- This is a library?

- Yeah.

- But you said you'd help me get to the tower.

- I am.

You can't just walk up to the tower and say, hi.

It's a long way off.

I'm gonna try and see if my friends will help.

- Wait a minute. This is a library.

They must have a map we could use.

- Yeah, that's right.

- Let's go get it.

- Hold on.

- Now what?

- The map to the tower is secret.

It's locked up in the reserve section.

The president of my club is the only one who has access.

- So you're a friend of hers.

- Yeah.

- I'm not even sure if I can get you guys into the library.

- Why not?

- We've got rules.

(scary music)

(gentle somber music)

- Where is he?

I didn't see Jay in his room, and I thought, I thought--

- Oh, I'm sorry, I should've told you.

- Told me what?

- Well, Jay doesn't need intensive care anymore.

- That means I can take him home?

- I'm afraid not. What he needs now is long-term care.

- [Val] I'll take care of him.

- He's better off here.

I'm making arrangements to have him transferred

to our extended care ward.

- Extended care?

(sighs) I, I can't let my son

waste away in a ward somewhere.

- Mrs. Ziegler, Jay's recovery could take a long time.

And just because he's out of immediate danger doesn't mean

he doesn't need lots of care.

Besides, you haven't even seen it.

It's not as bad as you're imagining it.

(mysterious haunting music)

- This is the strangest library I've ever seen.

- Sh.

- What do you do here?

- Collect books, save them for civilization.

Have you ever been in a library before?

- No, not really.

(soft tense music)

- Alpha.

- Bold Faith.

- [Bold Faith] You've been away forever.

- [Alpha] I know. Books are getting hard to find.

- Let's just get the map and get outta here.

- How many did you get?

- [Alpha] Only four. It's tough out there.

(books clattering)

- What are they doing here?

- Uh, we need to see Hedda. Is she around?

- We have rules against them.

- I know, but they're lost. They need our help.

I thought they could stay here awhile.

- Out of the question.

- We're supposed to be civilized, Hedda.

- Are you suggesting we break the rules?

- No.

Well, maybe, just a little.

- Actually, I just want the map to the tower.

- Nobody gets the map to the tower.

It's locked up, and I have the only key.

- All I wanna do is borrow it.

- Absolutely not.

- How 'bout I make a copy of it?

- Rule 91, no copying.

- Well, how 'bout if we trace it?

- Can't you read? Rule 92, no tracing.

- Make an exception.

- No. We do everything by the book here.

And, if we did make an exception,

it certainly wouldn't be for boys,

with their dirty grubby little hands.

Besides, you're lazy.

You don't know how to follow rules,

and you're not nearly as smart as we are.

- [Alpha] That doesn't mean they don't deserve a chance.

- Alpha, listen to yourself.

What do they know about books and learning? They're boys.

- What about rule 231?

The president must grant any wish to someone

who challenges her and wins.

- That's only for club members.

- Where does it say that?

- Doesn't say that here.

- Forget it. I'm changing the rules, I'm president.

- But Hedda, I thought we all had to follow the rules,

even you.

- (sighs) Fine.

If he wants the map, he's gonna have to challenge me.

- I challenge you.

- I accept your challenge.

If you win, you get the map.

What do I get if I win?

- I don't know. I don't really have anything.

- The scope.

- I can't.

- Suit yourself.

- Come on, come on. Let's do it and get outta here.

(slow tense music)

- Wait.

- Good.

- Now what?

(liquid dribbling)

- Oh, no.

(gentle somber music)

Don't you worry, Jay, I'm gonna get you outta here.

- No, I don't fight girls.

- I do.

- Not real fighting the way boys do it.

We have our own way of settling the score,

a much more civilized way.

- What's that?

- A spelling bee.

You win, you get the map.

You lose, you're doomed to wander forever.

(tense suspenseful music)

(haunting music)

- Physician.

- P-H-Y-S-I-C-I-A-N. Physician.

- Orphan.

- O-R-P-H-A-N. Orphan.

- Potato.

- P-O-T-A-T-O.

Is there an E in potato?

- Pathetic.

- You asked me to look at your extended care facilities,

and I did.

I won't keep my son here.

- Mrs. Ziegler, calm down.

It's not as bad as you might think.

Under the circumstances, it's the best place for him.

- No, I'd rather take him home.

- You can't do that. He needs constant care.

- I'll get him a nurse.

- Do you know how much a full-time nurse costs?

- Well, I don't care.

I am not going to leave him in a place like this.

I'll find somewhere else.

- There is one other possibility.

- Well, what's that?

- There's this place that specializes in long-term

coma treatment care.

Oh yes, here it is, The Driftwood,

but it's considered experimental.

- I'll check it out.

(bell dings)

- And now, the main event, a 10-round heavyweight match

between the current reigning champ, and a lost boy.

In the corner to my left, IQ unknown, is Jay.

(girls cheering)

- Alpha.

- And in the other corner, with an IQ topping out at 156,

none other than the reigning spelling bee champion,

and president of the Library Club, Hedda.

(girls cheering) (Flash booing)

All right now, I want a good clean fight.

No spelling after the bell sounds, no taking letters back.

No dictionaries, and if you misspell a word,

the other person gets a chance to spell it right.

Got it?

Okay, now shake hands and come out spelling.

(bell dings)

Hedda, your first word is cerebellum.

- C-E-R-E-B-E-L-L-U-M.

- Correct.

(girls cheering) (Flash booing)

Jay, your first word is, forgotten.

- Forgotten.

F-O-R-G-O-T-T-E-N.

- Correct.

(group cheering and booing)

(tense adventurous music)

(bell dings)

(tense adventurous music)

(bell dings)

(tense adventurous music)

(birds chirping)

(car door bangs shut)

(birds chirping)

(bell dings)

Spell salvation.

- S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N.

- Correct.

- Yes! (crowds cheering and booing)

- Way to go, man. Way to go, Jay.

- At Driftwood, we assume the coma patient

is aware of everything.

- Good morning, doctor. - Hi, Ann.

We bombard them with all sorts of sensory experiences,

challenging them to react,

letting them know that we haven't given up on them.

Kelly, this is Valerie.

Valerie, Kelly.

- Why do you have her on the floor like that?

- She's free to move around whenever she wants

without hurting herself.

We also rely heavily on the family to help out with therapy,

familiar voice, familiar touch.

And, since I believe in round-the-clock therapy,

or as much as possible, it usually requires the whole family

to pitch in.

- Well, I'm afraid it's just me.

- I see.

The hours are long.

- I'll manage.

(bell dings)

- This is it. The last round.

You could take the lead. You got her on the ropes.

- Ropes, R-O-P--

- Come on, I've got a lot riding on you.

(tense haunting music)

- Now you must understand,

because we're considered experimental,

health insurance only covers a small part of it.

- I understand.

- All our fees are listed here.

- (inhales) Mm.

- Believe me, I wish it could be less.

- There's no way I can afford that.

- Whoever makes this, wins.

Jay, spell consciousness.

(slow eerie music)

No holding on to the ropes.

(slow eerie music)

- Consciousness,

C-O-N

S-C

I-O-S

N-E-S-S.

(horn honks)

- Oh, I'm sorry.

Hedda, can you spell it?

- Consciousness, C-O-N-S-C-I-O-U-S-N-E-S-S.

- Correct.

There's a U in consciousness. You win.

(girls cheering) (tense somber music)

(haunting music)

- Too bad, you lose. Is that all Alpha?

(gentle somber music)

- (sighs) Brad, I don't know what to do.

I could get a loan if I borrow against the house.

But what if I lose it?

What good's the house if Jay's not in it?

(gentle somber music)

- Isn't this neat?

- I always knew you'd win.

- Oh, was there ever any doubt?

- The key.

- [Hedda] I mean, who cannot spell consciousness.

- [Girl] True.

- [Girl] Oh, it's just great.

- [Alpha] Hedda, congratulations.

- Thank you, Alpha.

I hope you've learned your lesson.

You should stick with us next time.

I think you oughta think twice about having boys as friends.

(door squeaks)

(tense music)

(Galley screaming)

(Alpha gasps)

- They did it. I know they did.

- I didn't do anything, I swear.

- How could anyone burn books?

- I saw the door open, came in,

and caught them standing here.

- I was just looking for the map.

- Did you burn that too?

- I didn't burn anything.

This has been going on for quite a while.

We've just been here a short time.

- You did it, didn't you?

- No, no, of course not.

- What are you saying? You have the only key.

You said so yourself.

- You don't understand. It was for your own good.

- Why?

We're out there risking our necks, collecting these,

saving them for civilization,

and all along you've been burning them, killing them.

- I had to. Brad told me to.

- You've seen Brad?

- No.

Well, not lately.

- Neither has anybody else.

- Why would Brad wanna burn books?

- Because, when people read books, they get ideas,

new ideas, different ideas, strange ideas.

Then they wanna change things.

He doesn't want that.

- He doesn't want that, or you don't want that?

- Is this the kinda club you wanna belong to?

- Anybody who destroys books

can't be the president of this club.

- You guys don't understand.

You don't know the truth.

Brad has gone crazy.

(Flash laughs)

- He's gone crazy?

- Crazy. I mean, I knew it wasn't a good idea.

I said, "Brad, we shouldn't do this.

This is not a good idea." I said, "Brad, no."

But he said it was for everyone's own good.

I promise, I didn't wanna do it. I told Brad, "No, no, no."

But, he just did not listen to me at all.

Why, why, why?

Brad, we need to sit down and talk about this.

This was your idea, not--

- I nominate Alpha to be president.

- No Galley, I think you should do it.

We've got to get the library working again, like it used to.

lending books out to everyone,

including boys.

(curious music)

- I guess we owe you an apology.

- That's okay.

- Here's the map and your library card.

You're our first customer.

- Thanks.

See ya.

- Bye.

- I'll bring the map back with me when I return.

- You're going with them?

Why?

- I wanna find out about Brad for myself.

(gentle music)

- But what'll we do without you?

- Lend books.

Get them back on time, and get kids to read.

- Bye.

- Hey, good luck.

(gentle music)

- Sure you wanna do this?

- Positive.

- I'll arrange transportation.

(gentle somber music)

- There's the tower.

I think it's this way.

- Let's go.

(gentle somber music)

- [Jay] You knew how to spell consciousness, didn't you?

- [Alpha] Yeah, I did.

- [Jay] Then why didn't you tell me?

- [Alpha] Couldn't, it was against the rules.

(serious music)

(bright music jingle)