Original subtitles

This new landlord... Ah, he's all right.

Well, he must be. He's always talking about his kids.

Children.

The way he talks about them, he must have dozens of 'em.

I've not seen them, though. Not yet.

Describe him. What?

The new landlord. Describe him to us.

Well, he's...

That's weird. What is?

Well, I've known the man a few months,

talked to him enough times, like I'm talking to you now...

Liz scoffs that's crazy!

Tell us.

Well... I don't know what he looks like.

They haven't come to send us back, have they?

Because we don't want that. We don't want to go back.

We want to stay here with you.

No-one's come to send you back, my children.

I brought you here. Brought you with me.

No-one else on this world can send you back.

You just remember that.

I've talked to the man. Talked to him face to face, and...

Yet, I can't remember his face.

Be still, my children. Be still.

'All irregularities will be handled

'by the forces controlling each dimension.

'Transuranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life.

'Medium atomic weights are available.

'Gold, lead, copper, jet,

'diamond, radium, sapphire, silver and steel.

'Sapphire and steel have been assigned.'

here, look at all these old pictures.

Where'd they all come from?

They weren't here before? No.

So you've been in here? Oh, yeah.

When mr Williamson was here,

but he never bothered with stuff like this.

Except in the shop. Except when he was selling junk.

He was a very clever photographer. Is that how he made his living?

Oh, no. The shop was his living. This was just his hobby.

But not just taking pictures.

What, then? Well, discovering things.

About photography?

Yeah. New techniques and that. Anyway, that's what he told me.

And he certainly wouldn't have bothered with stuff like this.

I mean, look. That's nothing.

There's nobody on that. There was once.

Once? What do you mean once?

Steel?

And this one?

The child did that to us.

What's wrong? It looks like it, yes.

Chose those particular photographs for us.

What is it? Look, not exactly.

She simply chose appropriate ones. She's got enough to choose from.

Look, will somebody mind telling me what's wrong?

Do you have somewhere else to stay? No!

Then you better find somewhere.

Now just a minute!

I happen to live here,

and I happened to be getting ready for work when you lot arrived.

Hey, listen!

Just quietly minding my own business when you lot come busting in.

You go to work at this hour? Yes.

For how long? For all night.

Then pack a bag, take it with you. Stay there.

I can't stay there. Then stay with a friend.

I only have one friend. And she's disappeared.

She hasn't exactly disappeared.

Same as the landlord who's disappeared.

No-one's proved he's disa... Another man. A man without a face.

Look, maybe he has got a face, and I just haven't seen it.

I mean, I work in a club. When I'm allowed to.

So, I suppose you see so many faces that you end up not seeing faces.

Does that sound believable? No.

Well, it'll have to do.

Now, would you mind? I said I have to work.

Children chanting: Porridge hot. Please, porridge cold.

Please, porridge in the pot...

It's all right. They're kids. Some like it hot. Some like it...

Just children, for god's sake.

Whose children? How should I know?

They just play outside, that's all. Have you ever seen them?

Not close up, no.

How long have they been there? What?

The children? Well, I don't know.

Several months, something like that.

Since your friend and the landlord disappeared,

is that when the children arrived? Yes.

But no-one's disappeared. No-one's been reported missing.

Children giggle

don't have any funny ideas about mr Williamson.

Mr Williamson was a very clean man. Not clean like you.

Got on with his pictures, and he just liked to talk.

Pop music plays

Nice, isn't it?

Volume increases

you can't dance to it, but it stops you feeling lonely.

I suppose you wouldn't know. Did she choose that suit for you?

What did you say? You can turn it off if you like.

It's her, isn't it? You can't do anything.

Last time, that thing just stopped. She did it, didn't she?

Pay for your suit, as well?

'Steel?' 'yes?'

'this picture, there are two people in it who shouldn't be there.'

'what do you mean, they shouldn't be?'

'they don't belong in it.'

music stops

Oh! It's you.

What are you doing down there?

Hiding? No, why should I hide?

Anyway, there's some people looking for you.

I know. That's your problem, not mine.

Last thing I need right now are other people's problems.

Look, I know this is gonna sound stupid, but...

Do you think I could see your face?

Go on, please.

But you've seen my face.

Well, now, you see, that's the funny thing...

Thanks, but I still can't see it.

Oh. Oh, yeah.

I suppose I wasn't looking properly before.

That's right. You weren't looking properly.

Glass smashes

you say it hasn't been touched for 97 years?

Until you broke the glass, yes.

And yet, those people are in there. Yes.

Careful, steel. It's the only surviving copy.

If I destroy this, I'd be destroying them?

The sudden implosion of chemical molecules

would cause an emission of photons' energy,

which would be impossible to contain or reverse.

The back hasn't been touched, either.

97 years ago.

They really look as if they're part of it, don't they?

Except for their clothes, yes.

Steel? There was something here.

When? A few moments ago.

The girl? No.

That's strange. Wait.

It's as if, whatever it was, was alive,

but in the wrong sort of way. In a different sort of way.

A manifestation? No, more than that.

Stronger than that. A likeness, then?

No, because there's nothing to liken it to.

Sapphire sniffs and the smell.

The smell of dust and paper. And copper and chemicals.

Which chemicals? It's a mixture.

Silver bromide, iodine, but...

It's... it's so old.

It's like a cupboard that's been shut for 200 years.

Paper, copper, chemicals. Yes.

But nothing human? No.

Sapphire gasps yes!

Just here. A man shape. A man?

A man who is a photograph, is that it?

No, it can't be. But you just said...

No, it can't be! The structure is here.

The texture is here, but not the subject.

There never was a subject. A photograph of nothing?

Of nothing human, yes.

And the children? The children that attacked you?

Oh, they were human once.

But whatever it is that brought them back,

that stole them from the photographs...

That's not human?

But what is it?

'Steel?' 'it's all right.

'I'm just looking.'

there's nothing to worry about, my children. Nothing to fear.

'A man who has the texture of a photograph,

'but has the strength and power...'

'careful, steel.' 'It's all right.'

'How long is it since he was on that stair?'

'about seven minutes.'

'it's time we had a proper look at him.'

bring it back. It was here, so let's see it.

There's about to be a complication. Huh?

Well, I'm still here, and I'm still going to work.

And you, mate, you must be some kind of nut.

All that old chat about the new landlord.

He was there! Standing there.

Where? Where she is now.

And there was nothing wrong with him.

I saw his face. He showed me his face.

He showed you his face? Oh, come on.

Are you trying to be as creepy as your boyfriend?

I saw the man! He was standing there.

Right there, and there was nothing wrong with him.

There was nothing odd about him? He was as normal as you and me.

Well, me anyway.

Where is he now? What?

The new landlord, where is he now? Look, how should I know?

Look, I pay my rent, and I keep out of trouble.

So if you want him, you find him.

A cupboard that's been locked for almost 200 years.

What? Well, that's how you described it.

Oh, I did. Yes.

When was the first photograph ever taken?

On pewter by niepce in 1826.

A negative-positive process by fox Talbot in... August 1839.

And could some... some force have found its way in then?

Into the photograph?

Yes, let's say the first photograph ever taken.

It's a unique access point, isn't it?

A useful time break for whatever it is that wanted to get in.

Like a genie in a bottle. Who?

If it did get in through that very first photograph...

Then it's been trapped there ever since.

Yes, but where? I don't know.

Well, wherever it is, this man Williamson certainly found it.

Yes. Probably by accident, but he found it.

Turned it loose. Unlocked the cupboard if you like.

Well, come on. Let's see it.

Can you take time back for just this?

For just this piece of stair?

Yes, but I can't isolate it for long.

I would have thought with all your knowledge and experience...

Look, it doesn't belong to me.

I can only borrow time, I can't keep it.

You surprise me.

Children sing

Door unlocks

Now.

Nothing?

Just wait.

Ghostly breathing

well, if it won't come back... It has to come back.

In one form or another, it has to come back.

Children screaming

screeching

'Children.' 'yes. The stairs. Watch the stairs.'

Voices echo 'there.'

why should I hide? Why should I hide?

'Keep him there.' 'I can't!'

screaming continues 'no!'

'That's only the shape he hides in.'

But you've seen my face. But you've seen my face.

But you've seen my face. But you've seen my face.

But you've seen my face. Steel yells

but you've seen my face. But you've seen my face.

No! But you've seen my face.

Show us. But you've seen my face.

But you've seen my face. But you've seen my face.

Screams intermittent

but you've seen my face. But you've seen my face.

'That's where it's been trapped. In every photograph.

'In every photograph that was ever taken.

'It can be any shape. It can be any shape it wants to be.'

thud

'no, sapphire. No, its real shape. I want to see its real shape.'

Liz gasps

'find it, sapphire. Its real shape.

'Let me see it.' Why should I hide?

Why should I hide? Why should I hide?

'Come on. Find it, its real shape. Let's see it.'

let's see it! Screaming stops

Sapphire? I'm sorry.

I can't do any more. There was... a barrier.

I'm sorry.

You're sorry?! What do you mean, you're sorry?!

You almost had it! I mean, he was... he...

Oh, well, at least we know what it is.

We haven't seen it yet.

But we know what it is, so let's try and find it.

Well, come on.

Whatever you did, you certainly caused havoc.

"In every photograph there ever was."

Well, who is he in this one? Him?

Him? Him? No, they have their own faces.

The figure we're looking for will always be half seen,

or turned away, like that one.

Or not even seen at all. What about that one?

It could be behind the fence, or in the street beyond.

Or in the next room.

But always in there somewhere? Yes.

So, every photograph is a photograph of infinity.

Children giggle

Seesaw sacradown, which is the way to London town?

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