Elgin's Enigma ✔

Part 34

QUIET MYSTIC: How many family members did you live with?

LUCY: I can't remember.

QUIET MYSTIC: A final question. How did you get here?

LUCY: I remember how I got here. I was in the river...

FLASHBACK TO:

EXT. RIVER IN AMERICA–NIGHT (A FEW WEEKS AGO)

LUCY and CONNER are guiding BELINDA by the hand as they weave through the trees. There's shouting in the distance and all of them look terrified.

BELINDA CONT'D: Guys, I think I should just really go back.

LUCY: No! You're not going back! They're just going to do the same crap they do as always and you're going to be treated like a human punching bag.

CONNER: Lucy's right. You need out of that home.

BELINDA: You don't have to worry about me—

LUCY: I have every right to worry about you. We're going to the authorities and we're making you move out away from those monsters!

A gunshot rings out from the forest and the three shriek in surprise.

CONNER CONT'D: The hell was that?

BELINDA: He has a...

LUCY: We can't do this. He's going to kill you. We need to run as fast as possible.

BELINDA: Lucy, I'll be fine just let me go back to him and we can talk...

CONNER: Okay, that's a dumb idea. He's got a goddamn gun!

BELINDA'S FATHER V.O. (yells): You fucking kids I'll have your heads as decorations if you don't give back my daughter right this second!

CONNER: Shit, what are we going to do?

LUCY: We'll hide in the river. Hold our breaths for a few minutes and we'll be fine.

CONNER: The river's currents are really violent, I don't think—

Another gunshot rings out.

BELINDA CONT'D: I really don't want to do this.

LUCY: We're only looking out for you! If you go back he'll just keep hurting you and I don't want you to be hurt!

BELINDA: I'll be fine!

Belinda struggles from Lucy's grasp and they fight.

LUCY CONT'D: Belinda please just—!

Belinda falls into the water. Conner and Lucy react in terror.

CONNER: Belinda!

Conner jumps into the river and Lucy follows soon after.

The river is violent and debris is being carried by the waves. Conner is about to grab Belinda's hand only for his head to be hit by driftwood and knocked unconsciously. Lucy grabs each of their hands and tries to pull them out of the water only to struggle. After a few minutes she loses strength and air bubbles escape her mouth. They all float lifelessly to the bottom of the river until a red rune circle suddenly appears. It glows brighter and brighter until the red light covers everything and it blinks out of existence along with the children.

BACK TO:

EXT. "THE ROLLING PIN" BAKERY–DAY

QUIET MYSTIC: Was it the Elgin river?

LUCY: I... I don't know. We were running away...

QUIET MYSTIC: From what?

LUCY: Belinda's father...

QUIET MYSTIC: Ah, he got arrested and your parents took her in, right?

LUCY: That was the plan, I think. But everything seemed different, everything looked different—

QUIET MYSTIC: Maybe that home you're speaking of really doesn't exist. Yet.

LUCY: What do you mean?

QUIET MYSTIC: They seem like visions of a distant future.

LUCY: No... This isn't the same.

QUIET MYSTIC: Is it? Maybe you can help shape that future you remember so fondly. Maybe it was a taste of something to come.

LUCY: Ah, maybe...

QUIET MYSTIC: If you help me I can give you want you want. And avoid... unexpected difficulties.

Lucy looks into the window of the bakery. The reflection shows the face of the statue from curio shop and she goes still. Quiet Mystic leans into Lucy's ear.

QUIET MYSTIC CONT'D (murmur): You and your friends are destined for something far greater.

Lucy looks at the statue with a strange curiosity instead of fear this time.