Original subtitles

My name is Thomas Vail, or at least it was.

I'm a photographer. I had it all.

A wife, Allison.

Friends, a career.

And in one moment, it was all taken away.

Because of a single photograph.

I have it. They want it. And they will do anything to get the negative.

I am keeping this diary as proof that these events are real.

I know they are.

They have to be.

Steel, glass, and concrete provide an urban refuge, a shelter.

But as much as I cling to that protection, I find myself trapped, suffocating.

Needing new air to fill my lungs, needing open spaces,

a clear vista where I can stand up and touch

the sky and maybe, just maybe, not be seen.

Lots of candles, Will.

Lots of dark. Switchboard's down.

Power's out all over town.

Post office phone's a direct hookup.

They got to our electricity and our switchboard,

but even they don't have what it takes to go up against Ma Bell.

They?

Collective Foods.

Feeding America through extortion.

Can I?

Might as well. Everybody else does.

Erwin, investigations.

Bert, hi, it's Tom Vail.

Where the hell have you been?

Why, have you got something?

Yeah, I got a military identification number,

and a lady at the registrar's office was about to roll over for me.

I'm this far from getting a current address.

Vail, you still there?

Yeah, yeah, I'm here. How soon do you want me to get back to you?

It doesn't work that way, pal. But when I can tell, this is gonna be a hit and run.

I don't know if there's gonna be any incoming telephone service where I'm going.

You give me a number, I'll get back to you.

Um, that's gonna be difficult.

When you paid me, you said that finding this guy was a matter of life and death.

Hell, you don't want to bust your ass, don't know why I should be busting mine.

I already spent your money.

All right, all right, hold on, hold on. Um, can

I leave this number for a message? 215-555-0181.

215-555-0181.

You can leave a message.

A message? I need you, pal, by the phone when I call.

That's the best I can do.

I'll get back to you.

Well, if you get any messages for Tom Vale...

I'll be sure to hang on to them for you.

It's been a little cold for camping out.

Yeah, it's the best I can do at the moment.

Listen, is there any chance of me finding some work around here?

Most of the farmers around here don't have enough work for themselves.

There's always collective, but you work for them, you stay out of my store.

This is a total waste of time. Hey, it's a job.

No one else in town's hiring.

Every night I walk around in circles. Every night I freeze my butt off.

I think we're guarding Fort Knox here.

Maggie? Meg!

Hey, can you hear me? Is anyone here?

I got to go get some help.

The phones are on. I got to take the truck.

I won't be long, OK?

Boa tore up his side pretty good.

He lost a lot of blood.

So lucky you came along.

Is he going to be all right?

Still too early to say. I gave him an antibiotic to try to fight off the infection.

I don't know, Emily. The bleeding stopped, but he's not out of the woods yet.

I can take him up to the hospital at Taylor County.

That'll kill him for sure.

The collective's got the highway torn up for miles, been hearing Taylor.

You drive him over that mess, you might as well pass the hospital,

take him straight through to the morgue.

So what are you suggesting?

I'm not suggesting anything.

I'm just saying the less you move him right now, the better.

You know him?

No.

No, I just, I was out riding today, and I found him like this.

Well, it looks like he's your responsibility now.

What's that supposed to mean?

It means if he pulls through this, you're gonna wind up with a man on your hands.

Who are you, mister? And why'd you end up in my life?

I got this. Sorry, I don't know why I asked you to wake him.

It makes sense. It makes sense. It makes sense. It makes sense.

It makes sense.

Allison.

Been a while, Emily. Toby?

You hurt yourself?

No. Uh, just, you know, in case.

Just in case.

Hello?

Hello, is there anybody here?

Hi.

Welcome back.

Wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me help you with that.

Relax, I get good at this. Oh, God.

I'm sorry, it's different when you're awake.

Who are you?

I'm sorry, I feel like we already know each other. Emily Noonan.

The question is, who are you?

Where am I? What happened?

You're in my house.

I was out riding a few days ago.

I found you in the woods with a bullet hole in your side.

You'd lost a lot of blood.

A few days ago?

Yeah, four days ago, as a matter of fact. You still haven't told me your name.

Oh, is... Oh, man, is there a... a general store... with a, uh, a post office?

You mean Alders? Yeah, it's a few miles back in town.

I have to get to town.

No, you know what? Hold on.

No, I got to check on a message.

Not a good idea.

I'm expecting a message. It's very important.

I can't wait. On the other hand, if you bled to death,

the message would still be sitting there, so I think this is better, don't you?

So are you just being coy, or do you not have a name?

Tom Vale.

Something wrong with that?

No, no, I was just... I was thinking maybe you

were like a Craig or a Richard or something, but Tom's nice, yeah.

I like Tom.

So, uh... What happened to me, I...

The last thing I remember, I was gathering firewood.

On Collective Foods' private property, I'm afraid.

There's been a really tense situation lately.

They hired a couple of yahoos to come out and guard the place,

and it looks like you ran into one of them.

So, do you think maybe you can get the soup into you?

No, maybe not.

What else did you have to do for me over the last four days?

Pretty much everything you'd expect.

Not good. Sorry.

No, no, it's good. It's good. I just, it's just kind of, it's a shock to the system.

Look, I'll just leave the soup over there. Maybe when it cools down.

Thank you, Emily Noonan.

You're welcome, Tom Vale.

Good night.

Mm.

What?

Nothing.

Am I doing something wrong?

Did I use the wrong fork? Look at the heck of my face.

You're doing just fine.

It's just, uh, it's just been a while since I had anyone to cook for.

I guess you've recovered.

Can I use your spoon, please?

Thank you.

You're a photographer?

I'm sorry. I looked in your bag. I was looking for some ID.

I thought someone might be worried about you.

So you discover anything else?

It wasn't like I was prying or anything.

I just... I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I would have done the same thing.

I... Now I said thank you.

Once last night and twice this morning,

but I'm sure I'm good for a few more before it gets boring.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Go away, Mr. Daniels.

One last time, Emily. I'm just trying to talk some sense into you.

You're trying to talk me out of my farm. No thank you.

We don't want to make this ugly, Emily.

Then leave. It'll pretty up real quick.

Look, right now, Collected Foods can still offer you a good deal,

but this is your last chance.

Your neighbors will get rich, and your place will go under.

In the end, We'll have what we want.

Are you talking about using force? I'm talking about using our resources.

We will do what we have to do.

Miss Noonan, I'm a process server licensed and bonded by the state of Pennsylvania.

Yes?

This is for you.

You have 30 days, Emily, to convince a circuit

court judge that you're not blocking progress.

Look at it this way. A pretty girl like you shouldn't

be living way out here, all on her lonesome.

Is that right?

Why don't you look at it this way? One of your toy soldiers almost blew me away,

so if you leave now, you can leave in one piece.

You threatening us with that weapon? No, I'm not threatening you.

I just find that sometimes people don't hear so well. This is just hearing aid.

Didn't have to be this way, Emily.

Yes, Mr. Daniels, it did have to be this way.

Watch your step on the way out, boys.

You said something about expecting a message at Alders. You up for a ride?

Well, I'll see you up to the church, Ralph.

That might end up being a useful spot for the meeting.

We just may end up doing some heavy fraying.

Well, any luck finding that job?

No, no, no, not yet.

Do you have any messages? Come in for Tom Vale?

You see?

You didn't think I'd remember.

Nope, nothing yet.

Okay.

Thank you.

Hope those underwear I sold to Emily fit okay.

Thanks.

Something wrong?

Yeah, Ed Durant's thinking of caving into Collective.

He's got the biggest lot on the tract. There's a meeting inside in five minutes.

Hi, Tom. Vale.

Will Thomas.

So, are you up for a small town nuclear confrontation?

If you sell out, Ed, we're all through. We agreed to stick together.

We've worked our farms all our lives.

Why sell the collective and wind up working for them?

Why? Because I'm guaranteed a buyer.

And I won't have to worry about my mortgage anymore. The hell you won't.

Just because it's not your mortgage doesn't mean you won't have to make ends meet.

She's right. If you have a bad year and the farm doesn't meet the freight,

they can boot you out and sell it. Then where are you?

With the money they've agreed to pay, I'm in good shape. That's where I am.

Yeah, you're in good shape because you own 40% of the land they want.

What about us?

We only own 2%, and that's all we got.

I refuse to be the bad guy here.

I think you're all acting downright dumb.

There's no dumb, Ed. There's no dumb, there's no smart, okay?

There's just what's ours.

It's our livelihood, and we want to hold on to it.

It's not just our livelihood. It's our heritage.

She's right, Ed.

There are other values here besides the price of land.

My boy can't eat heritage.

We can't live on history.

I have to give him a future with security, with college.

If I don't sell, how else can I do that?

You're not just selling land.

You're selling out.

You can't do this to us, Ed. We've worked too hard for this.

Excuse me?

Everything we've worked for? Am I hearing you right?

As I recall, you ran away from your farm and your family ten years ago,

and by the time you came back, it was too late.

You don't know what I've been through or what your mother and father went through.

You weren't here when some of us barely survived.

Get off your high horse, Emily.

You're as much an outsider as collective.

Thanks.

Seems like he hit a nerve. Can you hear me, or are you just not answering?

No, I heard you. I just don't want to talk about it.

About your folks?

Yeah.

Go ahead.

Well, it just seems to me that that's what's standing in between

you and these people listening to your point of view,

so... What would you know about that?

Nothing, nothing. I'd just like to know.

Oh, yeah? Well, I'd like to know a few things, too, like who are you?

Where'd you come from? Do you have a house? Do you have a dog?

We're not talking about me. We're talking about you.

That's the problem. I don't know a damn thing about you.

I'm just trying to help.

Well, don't.

I don't need your help. I've been doing just fine on my own.

I'm sorry.

You know, I'll just get my stuff. I'll get out of here.

Fine.

Just like a man.

Excuse me?

I remember now why it was so nice not having one around the house. What do you want?

Sweet Ridge has been living in darkness without electricity for the last two weeks.

But the people here have joined together.

They cook by fireplaces now and read by lamplight.

Unlike my own struggle, theirs is a darkness where one can see they're not alone.

They know what's pursuing them.

Look, I'm sorry. Dressers.

I'm sorry. Go on. You're doing great.

This is not my first time.

I can see that.

Confidence, self-assured, good strong hands.

Well, you know, I couldn't have done this this time yesterday.

I'm sorry about yesterday.

There's nothing to be sorry about.

You don't have to do this.

Well, actually, I do, you know, for a number of reasons. First, you know,

I have a hospital bill to work off, and second, it just feels so normal.

Really?

Is that so unusual for your life, normal?

You wouldn't believe it if I told you.

Who's Allison?

You're nosy.

For someone with so many secrets over the home.

Home team prerogative.

My house, my secrets, my call.

So, Allison?

You always look this good without even trying.

This is a carefully premeditated look that took hours to achieve.

Thank you for noticing.

And you're avoiding the question.

She was my wife.

It's difficult to explain. You know,

I've been living in a world where I can't trust anyone.

And the minute something seems familiar to me, it becomes suspicious.

You know, people and places.

It just doesn't seem like there's any safe place to turn.

I don't know if you can understand.

How that feels?

Why, you think you're the only one that knows those feelings?

I take it this has to do with the photograph of the soldier and your negatives?

Don't look so shocked.

It's all you were carrying with you. It was an easy guess.

See, like I said, it just becomes second nature.

And the message you have to rush back into town for, is that all tied up with this?

Yeah, I may have a lead on the man in my photograph.

And what will that tell you?

I don't know, maybe nothing.

But at least I'll know more than I know now.

So how does it feel?

How's what feel?

Trusting somebody.

It's still working.

What's that?

That premeditated farm girl look.

It took you hours to achieve.

It's the, uh...

Horse manure with the fertilizer combined with your own body chemistry.

It's a unique smell to every woman that wears it.

Have I said thank you today?

No.

Not that I remember.

What's all this?

Shaving cream, razors, aftershave? What, do you have a date?

Well, no, somebody said something about a dance.

You mean the fundraiser?

Yeah.

No, I don't think that's a good idea.

Look, it's time for you to be the patient,

I'll be the doctor, that's it, we're going.

Just like that, we're going?

Yeah.

If you want to be the doctor,

I think you should learn something about bedside manner.

You want to just wait and see how the dance goes first?

Shaving cream, razor, aftershave.

That everything?

Uh, yeah. Yep, that's it.

No boxer shorts?

No, no, I have all I need.

It's $11.95.

Excuse me, Mr. Vail.

You didn't ask me about your messages.

Did someone call?

No, sir. Nothing yet. Just didn't want you to think I forgot.

Okay.

Have everything?

I just remembered I have two left feet. It's okay, just hold on, I'll do the rest.

This is very weird. I feel like they're all staring at us.

I feel like I shouldn't be here.

What do you suppose this means?

People, please, listen up.

I just heard some bad news. Take it somewhere else, Will.

I'm afraid this is where it belongs.

Ed Durant sold out to Collective.

Well, that explains the lights.

They're just trying to break up your resolve.

We might as well just get in line and sell. It's only a matter of time.

And now they'll drive the prices down. We've had it, folks. Let's face it.

No, wait.

Everybody hold on for a second. Go ahead.

There's still a way we can win this.

But only if we all stick together. Tell that to Ed Durant. Forget Ed Durant.

Collective might have 40%, but we still have 60%. We're still bigger.

What are you talking about? I'm talking about forming our own co-op.

I'm talking about joining together to compete with Collective. Compete with them?

That's crazy.

No, it's not.

If it's a fight they want, then we can give it to them.

We just have to do it together.

You mean until you give up on us again and decide to pick up and leave town?

No.

I mean together.

Listen, I made my mistakes, that's true enough, and everyone here knows that.

But haven't any of you ever made a mistake?

Haven't any of you here ever left something behind only to realize

later that it was more important than you could ever imagine?

Maybe it's because I left something behind that I realized

how important it is that we all stick together.

She's right.

We gotta stick together.

But how, Emily? We don't know the first thing about forming a co-op.

Whatever we don't know, we can find out.

We can go down to Taylor. We can find a lawyer. We can ask for help.

It can't be that complicated.

We're all frightened of what we don't know.

We can either let it stop us, or we could go on with our lives and beat it.

You do know you've just nominated yourself for this job.

I'd say I got elected.

I couldn't have done it without you.

It's not true.

True.

What I did tonight was very unlike me.

As a matter of fact, I've been very unlike me since you've been here.

It's nice.

I never want to forget what tonight feels like.

It's like magic, like someone left a gift for me in the woods,

and I just want to open it up and look inside.

I want to know you, everything about you.

But you're not finished running yet, are you? I'm so stupid.

I actually thought you liked it here.

Emily, don't. Don't do this.

I love it here. I love everything about this place.

I love the town and the farm and this house.

You just can't give it up, can you?

What you're asking me to give up is who I believe I am.

I know who you are.

You're acting like I planned this, like I had a choice.

I do have a choice. Everyone has a choice. It just comes down to priorities.

You can't understand mine.

Can't I?

I said the same things ten years ago, but I was wrong,

and I can't go back and change it.

I had a life, Emily. I had friends.

I had things that I care about as much as you care about this farm.

My entire past was taken from me.

Well, here is a newsflash. The past is taken from everybody.

Yesterday is exactly where it's supposed to be, a memory.

You're wrong.

The answers are out there somewhere.

Oh, yeah? Where? In an old photograph?

In a mysterious negative?

The answers are staring you in the face. Life isn't out there.

It isn't something you can chase or catch up with.

How long do you think you can do this?

How far are you going to get when the only feeling that you have

is doubt and the only emotion that you can trust is fear?

I can't give up my life.

You already have.

I'm asking you to start living again.

You have a choice, Thomas.

I used to hate waking up to the sound of that rooster.

I wanted to strangle him. I packed a bag instead.

Before he crowed again, I was gone. I was 17. Where'd you go?

Nowhere.

Everywhere.

Chasing bliss.

You find it?

Sometimes I thought I did.

I ended up in Nome, Alaska, pouring eye openers at dawn.

I was worse than facing the rooster.

Then one day a cop came in and told me my parents had been killed out in the field.

So I came home to bury them and to sell the farm,

except I couldn't sell it because it was so far in debt.

They had worked themselves to the bone trying to

bring in the harvest before the storm got it.

But the storm got them first.

Some of the folks around here told me that they'd

been looking for me for years for my help.

They said the one thing a farmer counts on more than good weather is good family.

Naturally, I felt guilty, so I stayed and worked off the debt.

Ironic, huh?

I saved the farm I hated.

I'm glad I did.

It's amazing how far you have to go to get back to where you started.

Amazing.

Sweet Reg P.O.

Who?

Tom.

No, no, no. This is Toby.

I'm the... What?

Message?

Oh, Tom.

Some place special.

Hey, Toby, got a truckload of stuff for you back here.

Yeah, yeah.

Are we really going to be gone more than a week?

From what the lawyer said, it might be more like two weeks. Why, in a hurry?

No, you got the boxer shorts. I got the tie.

You sure I ordered all these? Positive, man. You made my month.

You all set?

Yeah.

No, no.

You need anything?

Hey, Toby, you back there? Yeah, I'm back here, all right. Can you wait a minute?

No, actually, we can't.

Uh, we're in a hurry.

I'll leave you ten bucks to get the change when we get back, okay?

Suit yourself.

Oh, man, am I glad I caught you.

That message you've been waiting for.

This fella called a little while ago, Bert, from Kerwin Security.

He said it was urgent. He said you should call him right away.

You better call before you start out on your trip.

There's not a lot of phones between here and Taylor.

Kerwin Investigations.

Yes, he in?

May I ask who's calling?

Tell him it's Tom.

Just a moment, Tom.

Hey, Tom, I've got some terrific news for you.

I think you're gonna be really happy with what I found out.