Transcription
[City Broadcast] Hello, citizens. Today we celebrate our continuing triumphs over the tragedies which have touched us all. What we have faced, we have faced together. And together we will not only survive, we will grow, rebuild, and prosper. With new technologies in genetic engineering, our birth mothers are more effective than ever in the rebuilding of the human civilization. We work around the clock to reverse the damages which have befallen us, and with the continued support of citizens such as yourself, we are searching for a cure. To preserve the human race, we urge you to avoid human contact and interaction until further notice. Sense Five is strictly prohibited. Skin-to-skin contact will result in immediate death. If you feel you require human interaction, there are many program bots that can aid in fulfilling your needs. The City thanks you for your service. Hello, citizens. (clicks radio off) (reflective music)
- Oh, I wish you wouldn't. I'm, I'm not here to hurt you. (gun fires) You prove a good point. Here, this is all I have, okay? Just take it. I haven't, I haven't eaten in days, please. Please. Thank you. Lovely talking to you. I must be stalking you. Oh, okay, just a joke. A very bad joke, I see that now.
- Get it and go.
- She speaks (chuckles).
- It's always gonna be half empty.
- I like to think of it as half full.
- No, your canteen has a leak.
- [Man] Oh shit.
- Sap from that tree over there will fix it. If it isn't too big.
- (laughing) That is one sticky tree! Hey, wait up. I was wondering if maybe you and I could make some sort of deal. No, no, no, no, not like that. I mean, I can't survive out here, I need help.
- I don't want any dead weight.
- Please.
- (sighs) What do I get?
- I have money.
- What do you think money's gonna do for me out here?
- I don't know.
- Just go home.
- I can't.
- Why not?
- Why can't you?
- Three days.
- Three days. What am I gonna learn in three days? Five day, five days then that's it.
- Five days, that's it, okay?
- Got it.
- So when I say split up--
- I disappear and you never see me again.
- All right, come on.
- I'm Adam, by the way.
- Don't walk so close to me, Adam.
- Oh, I wouldn't do that--
- It just takes one mistake. You trip, fall, reach out for me, that's it, for both of us.
- (chuckles) Thanks. I'm gonna sleep over here, okay? Is that, is this far enough away?
- It's fine.
- So, you wanna hear a ghost story? (woman sighs) (bird screeches) Good night.
- Just give, just give it to me. Probably camp by the gorge tonight. Need to stay away from the scouts.
- (scoffs) Yeah, right. What, are you serious? There aren't any scouts. How long you been out here?
- This way. (mellow music)
- I know you're not used to talking to people, but if we don't have some sort of conversation I'm gonna lose my mind.
- All right, what do you wanna talk about?
- I don't know, let's play a game.
- I don't like games.
- You'll like this one, it's called guess.
- What do we guess?
- [Adam] Anything you want.
- That's not a real game.
- I'll go first, uh, you left the city because of a guy. Now you tell me whether I'm right or not and then you guess something about me and we go back and forth.
- All right, no. You have absolutely no sense of direction.
- Mean, true.
- You're also extremely clumsy.
- I don't think you understand the game. You see, you can't just say things that you've observed.
- [Woman] Your turn.
- Um, you like to threaten people with guns and walk away in the middle of their sentences.
- You're too close.
- Sorry. You know, you still haven't told me your name.
- [City Broadcast] We urge you to avoid--
- [Adam] Hello, City.
- [City Broadcast] Human interaction until further notice.
- I can't believe you have a radio. I haven't seen one of those things in forever. You should, uh, you should turn that down in case the uh, in case the scouts hear us (laughing). (twig snaps and Adam thumps to ground)
- [City Broadcast] There are many program bots that can aid.
- [Adam] I'm okay.
- Oh, look! Oh, this is really lucky, these usually don't come out til later in the season.
- You can actually smile. I was beginning to think you were the victim of some sort of facial paralysis. Your secret's safe with me. Ah! (choking and coughing) Went down the wrong pipe. You got something in your hair?
- [Woman] Hm?
- Mm hm. Just, there it is.
- [Woman] Thanks.
- My sister does that all the time. She gets all this crap stuck in her hair when she's outside.
- She still alive?
- Yep.
- Hm, how old?
- 18. She wants to be a doctor, thinks she can invent these gloves to... you know.
- What's she look like?
- She's got red hair.
- Really?
- Mm hm.
- I didn't think anybody was left.
- Yeah, she's uh, she's one of the last. In the City at least.
- She's pretty. You ready?
- [Adam] Yeah.
- What's her name.
- Laurie. You have any siblings? (mellow music) Hello, oh. Michael, you look like just like you did in grade school. (woman laughs) What do you want me to do with this?
- You're gonna cook that.
- Just like?
- No, no. Get your sticks, you've watched me do it.
- Yeah.
- Come on. Get your sticks first.
- I was hoping this would be tomorrow's lesson.
- [Woman] Stick them in.
- All right.
- No, uh, no.
- [Adam] We've got more sticks, it's fine. See, this is good 'cause the fire's kind of dying so we're just gonna, we want a hot fish, right. (woman laughs) You were in the Securities Administration before you left.
- [Woman] No.
- Really?
- You wanted to be a teacher before.
- Still kind of do. You wanted to be a pilot.
- No, actually all I ever wanted to be was a mom, so. Before, when that was an option.
- You could adopt.
- In the system with bots raising my children? No, thanks.
- The system is the only thing that keeps us going.
- And what about the Volunteers? I don't suppose that part of the system has changed.
- No.
- Birth mothers are not volunteers, they are drafted. You get a letter that says, "You've been chosen, "thank you for your service to the City," and pregnant within a couple months. And you're dead after birth. So no, I don't think the system works.
- So that's why you're out here.
- You know the letter they send you actually says congratulations. Like you're winning a medal. (reflective music)
- Here you go.
- It's yours.
- All right, so this is like a quick draw. I got my knife, and I'm ready, right?
- Yeah, go ahead.
- All right, so he's coming at me, he's coming at me, and I--
- [Woman] Careful. Wow, that wasn't it.
- So if he was closer to me, I would have gotten him though.
- Okay, you're gonna try it again.
- I think I would have gotten him.
- This time from the elbow, not the wrist. You know, you don't actually have to learn to do this.
- I wanna learn.
- For anything, okay.
- I wanna learn how to do this.
- Okay, all right.
- All right, so it's just a... Oh! (woman laughs) I got him, right through the rib! He's done, he's gone. Next scout, over here.
- I can't (chuckles). Why didn't you bring her with you?
- [Adam] What?
- [Woman] Laurie.
- [Adam] Had to see if I can survive out here first.
- [Woman] You can't go back.
- [Adam] I have to.
- [Woman] They'll kill you. The City condemns deserters.
- [Adam] I have to figure something out.
- [Woman] Why? She's safe in the City at least.
- [Adam] Why do you think?
- [Woman] When did she get her letter?
- [Adam] The day I left.
- I hope you don't think I'm going with you.
- What?
- I fought too hard to get out to go back for any reason, so don't ask me.
- I won't, I'll be out of your life forever by tomorrow, remember? (reflective music)
- You don't have to leave tomorrow, if you don't want. You wanna stop here? You hate cabbage.
- I won't you to know I happen to love--
- That's no, nobody likes cabbage.
- Maybe I like cabbage. I don't like cabbage. (woman laughs) Um, your aunt taught you how to fish.
- No, my grandpa.
- Oh.
- All right, I'm gonna go get some wood.
- No, I'll get the wood. I can't clean that fish to save my life, so. And literally I'm starving, I could starve to death and still not be able to clean that fish.
- All right.
- All right.
- [Woman] Grace.
- What?
- My name is Grace.
- Grace.
- [City Broadcast] Together we will not only survive, we will grow, rebuild and prosper. (overlapping radio signals)
- [Deserter Broadcast] Fighting for your freedom. There is a place, a place for you and yours. A place where you can be safe.
- [Man] Evening.
- [Deserter Broadcast] The City will tell you this place does not exist. This message will-- (shuts radio off)
- [Man] Up you go, love. Hands. (tense music)
- What do you want?
- Now, that is no way to greet a guest. Nice little collection you got here. I heard you talking to someone. Who are you here with?
- Myself, been alone for a while, I talk to myself.
- [Man] A pretty little thing like you out here all alone, huh? Where'd you come from?
- All over.
- Is anyone looking for you? Did you hear me?
- I already told you no. Do you have a death wish? You're too close!
- You'd be worth it. I'm sorry, love.
- Adam, don't! (gun fire)
- Stay away, stay away, stay away!
- [Grace] It's okay, Adam, Adam, Adam, I can help.
- No, no, you can't, no you can't.
- [Grace] I can help.
- No, you can't.
- [Grace] I can help, I can.
- You can't help and you know it.
- You're okay, you're okay, look at me, look at me. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay. You're all right, it's okay. (Grace weeps) (Grace cries out) (somber music)
- [City Broadcast] Hello, citizens. The City thanks you for your continued support of the system. It is with your strength and resilience that we continue to make advances towards the rehabilitation of humanity. Please remember that any deserters will be tried and punished as criminals. We are now accepting volunteers to join our ever-growing scout program. Come join the fight against those--
- [Deserter Broadcast] Friends, those of you left, those of you alive, fighting for your freedom, there is a place, a place for you and yours. A place where you can be safe.
- [City Broadcast] It is with your strength and resilience that we continue to make advances towards the rehabilitation of humanity.
- [Deserter Broadcast] City will tell you this place does not exist. Let this message be a lifeline to you.
- [City Broadcast] With your help, we can reunite and carry on with our search for a cure.
- [Deserter Broadcast] City has stripped away your freedoms, they've stolen your choices.
- [City Broadcast] We must stand together if we are going to face what is to come. The City thanks you for your service. Hello citizens--
- [Deserter Broadcast] They claim order, we have humanity. You are not alone, we are out here. (dramatic music)