Untitled

WINTERMERE: 1.01

SCENE 1: EXT: DUSK: WOODS
A SCIENTIST runs through the woodland, frantic. After looking behind himself a couple of times, he falls.
Screams. Teeth. Claws. Inhuman shouting. Darkness.

CHARLY CORSAIR(a profoundly androgynous journalist, immensely expressive and sincere, who has dyed hair, and wears shorts and a shirt with a bow tie as well as a shoulder mounted device for holding a camera) looks down over something with a wince.

CHARLY
Oh. Oh dear, not again! That's rather unfortunate...

CHARLY reaches for, then speaks into, a radio attached to the camera-mounting device.

CHARLY
Samir? Bad news. I'm afraid we're going to need another scientist!

SCENE 2: INT: DAY: LONDON FLAT: LIVING ROOM
BEN BIRD (a tall nineteen year old with a kind face) is sitting, trying to paint. He is frustrated.

After a moment, his sister, LARA BIRD (a twenty something autistic scientist) enters from another room. She notices BEN, and is concerned.


LARA
Ben, did you sleep at all?


BEN is surprised by LARA- he did not notice her enter. Both LARA and BEN are sleepy and a little confused- LARA has just got up, and BEN has not slept.

BEN
What? No, not yet.

LARA
It's 6 AM. You have been there all night, haven't you?

BEN is taken aback.

BEN
Have I?

LARA
I think so. You shouldn't do that, it's not sensible.

BEN stands

BEN
Ah, I'm sorry. I was just... trying to paint.

LARA studies the canvas.

LARA
It looks wonderful to me.

BEN is frustrated.

BEN
You always say that, about all of them. They can't all be good!

LARA
I don't see why not.

BEN
There need to be bad ones for the good ones to be good, that's just basics. Otherwise everything's just... average.

BEN walks towards the window, moping.

LARA
I'm sorry you're sad today.

LARA hurries through the kitchen, patting BEN on the back as she does. BEN half smiles.


LARA
Ohh, I don't really have time to cheer you up properly. I'm going to be late if I don't leave in...

LARA checks her watch

LARA
Two minutes. I can give you two minutes.


BEN
Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. It's just... this place.

Beat.

BEN
I feel like I can't paint here. Like it just sucks all the joy, out of everything. I hate cities. They're so... stifling... I'm kinda getting sick of it.

Beat.

BEN
Okay. Whine over. I'm fine.

He doesn't look it.

LARA
You sure?

BEN
Yeah. 'Course I'm fine.

BEN smiles, but sadly.

LARA
I'm really sorry. This evening- Star Trek and pizza?

BEN smiles, a little more genuine.

BEN
Star Trek and pizza.

On this note, LARA leaves.


SCENE 2: INT: DAY: LABORATORY
LARA is in a lab, looking through a microscope. DAVID enters, carrying paper.

DAVID
Hey Lara, how's it going?

LARA acknowledges DAVID with a brief sound.

DAVID
Ah. Well, I take it!

LARA still does not respond.

DAVID
Jane sent me- new grant opportunities have come in. As if you'd want to apply for anything...

LARA looks up from her microscope.

LARA
Why wouldn't I?

DAVID
Because you love it here. And... you hate change so much you flip out on me if I move the coffee machine in the break room.

LARA
Why would you? Why would you!? It goes by the door for a reason!

Beat. LARA cringes.

LARA
Sorry.

LARA takes the paper from DAVID's hand.

LARA
No, no. Maybe it's time for a change.

DAVID is very much taken aback.

DAVID
Are you ill?

LARA ignores DAVID, and scans down the page. Close up shot of the paper, focussing on the locations of the grants.

LARA (muttering to self)
Cities, cities, cities... Wintermere?


DAVID
Placement out in a little town in the North. Cold place, pine forests and snow and the like. It's not for you.

LARA
What?

DAVID
That placement. It's not for you.

LARA
You mean I'm not allowed? Is it for someone else, or...?

DAVID
No. You just... you wouldn't like it.

LARA
Would you stop being so bloody cryptic? Why wouldn't I like it?

DAVID
Well, you hear things. Strange things, rumours, you know... there's the mortality rate, for a start.

LARA looks at  him in disbelief.

DAVID
It's high.

LARA chooses to disregard him. She sighs, takes the paper, and looks back down at her microscope.


SCENE 3: INT: EVENING: LONDON FLAT
LARA enters the flat, carrying the paper. BEN is seated on the sofa, his laptop open.

BEN
Lara! I missed you!

LARA
Hey!

LARA sees that BEN's painting is unchanged from when she left.

LARA
You didn't do anything today, did you?

BEN
I did some things. I got the pizza order ready.

He gestures to his laptop


BEN (Cont.)
And I put the DVD in. So, y'know. I've put in some effort.

LARA sits on the sofa, and pulls a blanket over herself.

LARA
I value your input greatly.

Beat.

LARA (Cont.)
This is your moping blanket. You've been moping.

BEN
Some moping may have occurred.

LARA
Sometimes moping is a necessity. But it's okay, your mope-y day is about to become a non mope-y one.

LARA hands BEN the paper.

LARA
Look at this. I've applied.

BEN reads. As he understands, a tentative smile forms.

BEN
D- does this mean what I think it means?

LARA nods.

LARA
We would be moving out there for at least a year, but the grant could be extended, if I do good work. And I do good work.

BEN is very happy.

BEN
Oh my god. Oh my god, Lara. Are you sure? I mean, you love it here.

LARA
Yeah, well, it's a very good opportunity. The research that's come out of there in the past has been... interesting. A good kind of interesting I think, a real, significant, serious kind of interesting. Maybe even Nobel prize level interesting, so...

Beat.

LARA
Yes. I'm sure.

BEN
Oh my god. Lara, Lara, thank-you. Thank-you ... can I...?

LARA nods, and BEN pulls her into a hug.

SCENE 4: INT: LONDON FLAT
BEN is packing up boxes and prepping to leave. LARA enters carrying a box.

BEN
Hey. You alright?

LARA
Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be fine. It's fine. Fine.

She really isn't. BEN chuckles slightly.

BEN
You're holding up great. Good job.

LARA takes a small case from the top of the box, and hands it to BEN.

LARA
I don't know. I think you're going to need these.

BEN opens the case.

BEN
Earbuds?


SCENE 5: INT: VEHICLE: DAY
Panning shot of a car, driving through a road in an icy climate.

BEN is driving, listening to music through earbuds. We hear BEN's music. LARA is out of shot. After a while, BEN pulls out the earbuds, and the shot widens to show LARA, who is rocking and muttering to herself in a strained, high pitched voice.

BEN
Lara. Breathe, yeah?

LARA emits a high pitched squeaking noise.

BEN
Lara.

LARA lets out all of her breath at once. She speaks in a small, uncertain voice.

LARA
Okay. Sorry. I'm fine.

BEN smiles at her.

BEN
You're alright. Look, we've nearly arrived.

Beat.

BEN looks around and smiles widely.

BEN
It's kinda crazy beautiful.

LARA looks around a little too

LARA
I do like the cold.

Beat.

LARA
It's going to be fine, yeah?

BEN
Yeah!

LARA
It's going to be fine. It's going to be fine, fine, fine, fine...

LARA's words disintegrate into high pitched squeaking.


BEN sighs, and puts the earbuds back in.


SCENE 6: EXT: DAY: ROAD
The car drives under tree cover. We see it from somebody else's point of view. Clearly, somebody is following the car.

SCENE 7: EXT: DAY: THE BIRD'S HOUSE: FRONT
BEN parks up the car and gets out. He walks around to the boot, opens it, and takes out a few large boxes. LARA also goes to the boot, and takes out only one box, marked “LARA'S ROOM.” The two walk to the door, and enter the house.

SCENE 8: INT: DAY: THE BIRD'S HOUSE
LARA and BEN enter the main room from the door. The house is completely empty. BEN walks through the main room, and into the kitchen. LARA stays in the main room. In the kitchen, BEN takes a kettle out from one of the boxes he carried in, and begins to make tea.
LARA stays put in the living room. She stands in the very centre of the room. When she speaks, her intonation is odd, and her tone of voice flat.

LARA
It is very empty in here Ben I do not like it when it is this empty I do not like this.

BEN calls through to LARA.

BEN
It's okay, it won't be empty for long. You want tea?

LARA
I do not know, I do, not know if I want it or not, I do not kno-o-ow...

BEN smiles to himself.

BEN
I'll make you tea.

While BEN makes the tea, LARA sits down on the floor of the main room, and begins stimming. Time passes, and BEN brings the tea. Throughout their conversation, LARA's speech becomes more fluid, and more like her own.

BEN
Here. We're okay, yeah?

LARA
Yis.

BEN
What are the problems right now?

LARA
All of the things, all of the things that there are are the problems right now everything.

BEN smiles quietly
BEN
Lara, you know that isn't true, it just feels like it is. But we can make it okay. So what, exactly, are the problems?

LARA tries to speak, but can't get the words out, instead making strange noises.

BEN
Hey, it's alright. We're going to sort this all out. You tell me when you can.

LARA has to try very hard to get the words out. When she manages, they all flood out in a big wave.

LARA
The problems are that I am here I am not at home and I do not like it here and I do not know how to make it how it is right like at home and there are so many things that I need to do and I can not do all of them Ben I need to set up the house and I can not set up the house and I have to go to work and I have to know new people that I do not know at work and I have to know where things are and also go shopping and I can't, I can't I can't and also that your shirt it is too bright I can not look at it, I hate your shirt it is hurting my eyes Ben, I can not look at it it is hurting my eyes!

BEN
My shirt?

LARA
Yes yes yes your shirt it hurts me!

BEN looses the shirt like it is on fire.

BEN
Okay. Problem one solved. Next?

LARA looks up at BEN and smiles, then giggles. BEN giggles too.

LARA
You are funny. Thank-you. I'm sorry.

BEN
No problem. Let's make a list.

BEN looks around.

BEN
Uh. Do you have a pen? Or paper?

LARA
I do-o not think so.

BEN
Ah.

SCENE 9: INT: DAY: THE BIRD'S HOUSE
BEN and LARA now sit surrounded by boxes, partially unpacked. BEN holds up a notepad triumphantly.

BEN
Okay. Now let's make a list.

LARA nods.

BEN
Okay. Item one, pack up this mess.

Beat.
BEN
Item two. Unpack it again, but nicely...

LARA nods again.

Zoom out through the window.

SCENE 10: EXT: DAY: THE BIRD'S HOUSE: RIGHT
CHARLY looks in through the window, face obscured by a large video camera. CHARLY then climbs up a nearby tree, and begins filming through the first floor window. We see a shot of the room behind the window.

SCENE 11: EXT/INT: DAY: LARA'S ROOM: THROUGH WINDOW
LARA enters the room, carrying the box marked LARA'S ROOM. She shuts the door, and leans against it, sliding to the floor.

CHARLY(Off camera)
Mother of Odin. She's perfect.

SCENE 12: INT: DAY: LARA'S ROOM
A short amount of time has passed since the previous shot. LARA has set up some elements of her bedroom, and is now sat in a small fort of white sheets, hanging fairy lights. BEN calls to her from downstairs.

BEN (Off camera)
Uh... Lara! Something kind of weird's happening!

LARA
Yeah?

BEN
Yeah. I- I think you might have to come see...

LARA puts down the fairy lights, and neatly stands, leaving the room.

SCENE 13: INT: DAY: THE BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
The main room, while still mostly bare, now contains a sofa, placed directly opposite a TV. LARA comes down the stairs to see BEN, stood between the TV and the sofa, staring at the screen. LARA is confused, and vaguely disconcerted.

LARA
Oh, you've put the TV in. Cool! What's weird?

BEN
Uh. We're on TV.

LARA
What?

She rushes across the room and sits on the sofa. BEN shakes his head and sits down next to her.

BEN
Well, not us. You. I think I was on earlier though.

LARA
What?

BEN
Ohhh, okay, you're angry. Oh, you're not going to like this at all.

LARA
What were they showing?

BEN sighs.

BEN
Your bedroom window, I think. And now, trees, apparently.

A shot of the TV screen shows that SOMEBODY'S camera is now filming their descent from the tree.
LARA is angry.
LARA
This is not okay. This is not okay!

She stands up. BEN protests, but half-heartedly.

BEN
Oh Lara, don't...

LARA is already on her way out of the door.

SCENE 14: EXT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: FRONT AND RIGHT
LARA marches out of the house, and to the base of the tree.

LARA
Excuse me! Yes you, hello, excuse me! What are you doing in my tree!?

SOMEBODY looks down at LARA, and subsequently falls out of the tree. LARA sighs.

LARA
What are you doing falling out of my tree?

SOMEBODY sits up and groans. SOMEBODY is now revealed to be

LARA
Also, are you okay?

CHARLY speaks, chipper.

CHARLY
Yes! I'm good! Fine! Great, actually! Hi!

LARA's reply is initially jovial, but quite suddenly changes tone to angry, accusatory.

LARA
Oh, that's a relief! Hi. Why are you falling out of my tree? And why were you filming inside my house!?

CHARLY
For the news, of course. Hi! I'm Charly! Local News Anchor. And, also, for budgetary reasons, camera operator. Good to meet you!

LARA
Why are you putting footage of the inside of my house, on the news!?

CHARLY
Because you're the new Scientist.

Beat.

CHARLY
You are the new Scientist, aren't you?

LARA
Yes, but-

CHARLY (interrupts)
Oh, that's a relief, I thought I'd done something wrong! You know, you really should put your lab coat on. How else are people going to know who you are?

LARA
I've just moved in, I'm not unpacked yet, and HOW can you think that I am the problem in this situation?

CHARLY (Confused, hurt)
I did do something wrong?

LARA
You filmed the inside of my house, without permission, and put it on live TV!

CHARLY is shocked.

CHARLY
Wait, this is on TV?

LARA
Yes it is and I am not happy about it get it off please.

CHARLY speaks into a handheld radio.

CHARLY
Samir, the footage you're receiving from my camera. You're airing it live.

Pause while CHARLY listens to the reply.

CHARLY
Yes. Yes you should stop. It's profoundly illegal.

CHARLY puts the radio away onto a belt.

CHARLY
Okay, okay, okay, it should be off air now. Right?

LARA edges away from CHARLY, and knocks on the window.

LARA
Ben! Am I still on TV?

BEN
Hang on a sec!

Beat.

BEN
No, you're good!

Beat.

CHARLY apologises to LARA, the apology awkwardly long and wordy.

CHARLY
Oh my god, I am so sorry! That absolutely should not have been happening at all. I won't stand for it! It's not fair to you! Samir is very new here. But that's an explanation, not an excuse. Oh, I am just the worst, I shouldn't have trusted him with something as important as this report, this is all my fault! Oh, I'm so sorry!

LARA
It doesn't sound like it was all your fault.

Beat.

CHARLY
Oh, that's very kind. Thank-you.

LARA
That doesn't mean I'm not pissed off with you. Filming the inside of somebody else's house is not okay. You just don't do that. It's just not how things work.

CHARLY
Okay. Got it. From now on, no more filming the inside of your house.

LARA
Good.

Beat.

LARA
What are you doing here?

CHARLY
Filming! For the news, remember? Because you're the scientist.

LARA
And that's newsworthy here?

CHARLY
Oh, absolutely! It's very exciting!

LARA
Why? Is everybody here like, way into science or....?

CHARLY
Because you're very important. The scientist is maybe the most important person in town.

LARA
Why?

CHARLY
Because we need you.

LARA sighs, and mutters to herself.

LARA
Ugh, cryptic...

Beat.

LARA
I don't know you, and you're not leaving. Is there a reason for that?

CHARLY is a little taken aback.

CHARLY
Yes, actually! We'll be working together closely, so I'm here to introduce you to, well, me. But also to everybody else at the station. And also to give you a tour of the town because nobody can navigate when they're new here, so you're likely to get lost, and it might be months until you turn up, and then we'd have to decide whether or not to order a new scientist, and if we did get a new one and you turned up again, it could get really awkward so it's probably best to just bypass that situation entirely and you come with me, yeah?

LARA
We found our way here just fine.

CHARLY
Oh, everybody does the first time. It would be very bad manners to get you lost when you first arrive. Bu-ut the town can get a bit... stroppy with newcomers.

LARA is a little confused.

LARA
Tight knit community?

CHARLY
Uh. Sort of.

LARA
Ew.

CHARLY
Will you come?

LARA
No. Not right now. I can't come right now, I have a list. I have to follow the list. When I get to the right point in my list, I can come, but I'm not there yet. Going to work is item number six, and right now I am on item number three, which is to set up my bedroom, so I have to do that first.

CHARLY
Oh. Can I help you?

LARA
No.

CHARLY
Okay.

LARA walks back into the house, and CHARLY sits down outside it.

SCENE 15: INT: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
LARA enters the house. BEN is stood by the window.

BEN
So who was that?

LARA
New colleague.

BEN
Is New Colleague really going to stay out there dressed like that? It's freezing!

LARA
Well, since New Colleague is a creepy spy who is spying on us through our windows and also putting the spying live on TV, I'm not inclined to care.

BEN
You get off on the wrong foot, then?

LARA
Yeah. But Charly either hasn't noticed or doesn't care.

BEN
Charly... Cool.

Beat.

BEN
Is there a reason Charly's sitting outside in the cold?

LARA
We're going on a tour of the town together, except I can't because I'm doing my list, so we're going later. The sitting in the cold is voluntary.

LARA leaves the room.

BEN
Oh, but that's no good...

BEN leaves, too.

SCENE 16: EXT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: FRONT
CHARLY is sitting on the floor in the cold. BEN approaches from behind, holding a jacket.

BEN
Hey. Charly, is it?

CHARLY
Yes! Hello, who are you?

BEN
Lara's brother, Ben Bird. It's okay, I know it's a stupid name.  

Beat.

BEN
I think Lara might be a while, so I brought you a jacket.

CHARLY
Oh, oh how thoughtful and kind that is! Really, that's lovely!

Beat.
CHARLY
It's alright, though, I shan't be needing it.

BEN
It's like, 2 degrees out here. Are you sure you're not just doing that thing where you pretend like you don't want the jacket because for some reason that's considered polite? 'Cause really the time for that sort of formality passed when you filmed the inside of our house and put it on TV.

CHARLY
Sorry about that. It wasn't on purpose!

BEN
Eh, if Lara's cool with you, I'm cool with you.

CHARLY
Cool! I really don't need the jacket, though.

BEN
How come?

CHARLY
I don't get cold.

SCENE 17: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
LARA runs downstairs and towards the door. Upon reaching the door, she turns around and rushes back upstairs. After a few moments, she comes back down, pulling on a lab coat.

SCENE 18: EXT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: FRONT
CHARLY looks up to see LARA approach, and gets up, excited.

CHARLY
Oh, yay, you put the coat on! You look wonderful in it!

LARA smiles.

LARA
How far are we from the town?

CHARLY
I'm not sure. Varies. It was about ten minutes walk on the way out here, though.

The two begin walking. It's quiet for a while.

CHARLY
Your bother is beautiful...

SCENE 19: EXT: DAY: TOWN COUNCIL OFFICE AND GREEN
CHARLY and LARA walk out of the woods and into a more developed area, where the Town Council Office- a grand building, and a large area of neat green grass are central. On the grass, there is a corpse.

CHARLY
A-and here you go! Welcome to Wintermere!

LARA looks around. Some shots of the area show that while the town is fairly ordinary superficially, things are slightly askew. Think opening scene of Eerie Indiana [Return here]

CHARLY
That big one over there is the Town Council Office. The Town Council are jerks.

LARA
Um. On the lawn, is that...?

CHARLY
Yes. He's probably dead.

LARA
Why isn't anybody doing anything?

CHARLY
He works for the Town Council. The Town Council are jerks.

LARA
But you can't just leave him there!

CHARLY
Well, the first couple got cleared away, but they kept putting out new ones, and there's only so much room in the morgue, so...

CHARLY is cavalier, LARA is concerned.

CHARLY
It'll be okay. You can handle it later.

The two are walking, but LARA stops.

LARA
I can handle it?

CHARLY has already walked on. LARA hurries to catch up to her.

SCENE 20: EXT: DAY: WINTERMERE LOCATIONS: VARIOUS
CHARLY leads LARA around Wintermere, past various locations where elements are slightly off- A pet shop selling both normal pets, and small dragons; [Return here]
As they progress, LARA becomes more and more stressed, starting to stim and make strange noises.

SCENE 21: EXT: DAY: NEWS STATION AND COFFEE SHOP
CHARLY walks LARA towards the News Station entrance. Opposite the News Station is a coffee shop- [Return here] CHARLY points this out to LARA.

CHARLY
That's [Return here]. They do a lovely persimmon-octopus roulade, you should try it sometime! We're in and out of there all the time, so... Oh, I could buy you one!

LARA nods and speaks, clearly uncomfortable.

LARA
Sure. That could be nice.

CHARLY
Yay! So, that's the tour, pretty much all of Wintermere. All that's left is here!

CHARLY opens the News Station door.

SCENE 22: INT: DAY: NEWS STATION: HALL
CHARLY and LARA enter the News Station.

CHARLY
This is the News Station. Anything for the local news that isn't field work gets done here. It's also where you'll be working.

LARA is confused. Her pattern of speech slips again to be stilted and unusual.

LARA
I'll be working with journalists? I- am a scientist I am here to do- science why-y am I working with journalists?

CHARLY
Well, we're not really journalists, are we?

LARA
You aren't...?

CHARLY runs upstairs, and LARA follows.

SCENE 22: INT: DAY: NEWS STATION: FIRST FLOOR
CHARLY and LARA enter the first floor of the news station. In the room are BLY, a Native American woman; SAMIR, a very tall, gangly young Arabic man, and LEONARD, a shapeless entity of darkness. BLY sits at a desk facing the wall, LEONARD is in a corner, SAMIR stands.

LARA
I don't understand, I don't... why are you journalists if you are not journalists? I do not understand what is going on, what is going on? I am a scientist, I'm not...

CHARLY
Wait, did you not know?

LARA
I think that that fact has probably been quite well established by this point. No I do not know what is going on.

CHARLY
There's a slight chance that somebody might have slightly misled you with regard to the exact nature of the job you've been hired for. Right, Bly?

LARA
Who are these people? Has one of them lied to me, who has lied to me? Please can you explain, please-

CHARLY
Yes, of course I can! Sorry! Okay! Everybody, this is Lara, our new scientist! Isn't she just lovely?

SAMIR waves excitedly at LARA. BLY ignores them entirely.

CHARLY
Lara, this is everybody! Or, rather, more specifically, this is Bly, Samir and Leonard! Bly is our researcher, and also she answers the phone when people call us to report things or ask interesting questions so you can call her our public correspondent. Samir is our intern. He does things with coffee. Mostly making, buying, fetching, tasting, smelling, drinking and burning, on occasion. After this morning, he is also banned from use of broadcasting equipment. And this is Leonard.

LEONARD does not speak, but makes a very deep noise that could be defined as happy.

CHARLY
It's Bly that's lied to you.

LARA
Why would you lie to me, I do not like being lied to! What if I am not suitable for this job, what if-?

BLY
Hey, don't give me stick for this. It's my job to fill your job. If it doesn't get filled, I don't get paid.

LARA
Lying about what the job is is not a sustainable business plan. What if I am not suitable for what the job is?

BLY
Oh, you're suitable. You're wearing a lab coat, you're complaining about rules, and you've already got a stick up your ass. You're perfect.

CHARLY
I'm sorry about Bly. She doesn't like scientists. Or new people. Or people. Or doing her job properly, apparently.

BLY
If I don't lie, they don't apply.

SAMIR smiles placidly.

SAMIR
She's right, actually. It's very exciting to have you here- we've been waiting on a new scientist for over a month now. The place is starting to get a little messy.

LARA
It seems quite tidy in here to me.

SAMIR
Oh, no, not the building. The town.

CHARLY
I should probably clarify, Samir doesn't mean that the town is messy like with litter and stuff.

SAMIR is a little taken aback.

SAMIR
Ew, no, that would be horrible.

CHARLY
He means like crime, and stuff. We don't get too much of it, but what we get is... tricky.

LARA
What does that have to do with me? Did you bring me here to do forensics, because I am not trained for that.

Beat.

LARA
Why can't people ever just tell me things! What is everybody's problem with just explaining things!?

SAMIR and CHARLY are both startled, unsure how to react to Lara's outburst.

SAMIR
Oh, oh dear, this isn't good. Is she okay, Charly, is she okay?

LARA
She is in the room and she is not happy, just tell me what is happening, and tell me now please.
Beat.

CHARLY
Well, I guess, simply put, we need law enforcement...

LARA
Why do you, why, why do you not hire police, if what you are hiring me for is to do law enforcement, why is it that you do not simply hire police instead of me?

CHARLY
Because solving crimes is a bit different here. The rules of the normal world don't necessarily apply. Things tend to... escalate. Nothing is predictable and things don't always make sense, so Police officers aren't necessarily the best for the job. Scientists are. Scientists want to discover and understand, the idea that their ideas are wrong is exciting to a scientist, not scary, and you guys have a stronger drive to find the truth than anybody!

Beat.

CHARLY
It's not that there aren't Police Officers out there who could do it. But there's always a scientist that could do it better. At the end of the day, it's easier for you to become what we really need. Heroes.

LARA
But I can not be a hero I am not a hero I do not know how to be a hero only how to be a scientist that is all and I like being a scientist.

CHARLY
You can still be a scientist, we've got a lab and everything! Let me show you! Oh, you're going to like the lab a lot. It's got all the things!

CHARLY leads LARA through a door into the lab.

SCENE 23: INT: DAY: LAB
CHARLY enters the lab, LARA in tow. The lab is a large room, tiled in glossy, deep blues, with a large wooden table in the middle. A multitude of  scientific equipment is spread through out. It is beautiful and well equipped. On entering, LARA looks around, stunned for a moment. As soon as she is able to move, she runs her hands over the glossy tiles, and then her face.

LARA
Oh. Oh, this is beautiful, this is...

CHARLY
There's science stuff here too!

LARA looks at CHARLY, but is clearly entirely preoccupied by the tiles.

CHARLY
I guess you can look at the science stuff later, can't you?

LARA speaks, but more to herself than to CHARLY.

LARA
Can I?

LARA looks longingly at the wall for a moment, making small noises. She tears herself away.

LARA
No. No. I can not look at it later, there is no later, I can not come back, I can not work here, I can not work here with you!

CHARLY is hurt.

CHARLY
W- why can't you stay?

LARA
Have you been listening to me at all!? I am confused and people are cryptic and I do not know how to solve crimes or stop people from doing crimes I am a scientist! I am only a scientist and I do not like being lied to! I do not like being lied to!

CHARLY
But that's all okay! You can learn how to solve crimes! I can help you, I'm very good at it. And Bly didn't mean it like that. I know she seems mean, but now she knows, she won't lie to you again. She's good like that.

LARA
No, no, you don't understand! You're not understanding! I can't stay here, I can't stay here at all, I have to go home. I have to go home to the city, home where I came from, to the university, I can't stay here!

CHARLY
But why? Don't you like it?

LARA
Because it doesn't make sense! I can't stay here because I- I- I've been here for- I've seen only-

LARA cuts off, struggling to speak and making strained sounds.

LARA
Everything I know is different here! Have you even looked around you at all, there is- nothing makes any sense, nothing fits! You have ghosts and tentacles and blatant spatial distortion and dead town councilmen lying on the grass and nobody complains like that's just normal and I can not stay here in a place like this because I can not even be normal in a place that is normal so how am I supposed to be normal in a place like here!?

There is a pause. LARA catches her breath.

CHARLY
Lara, please stay, please think about it. I like you. I want you to like it here and I want you to like me, please, will you just-

LARA (interrupts, loudly)
No I- I have to go, now, I need to go, I, must go. Right now, I must.

LARA panics, turning away and looking down, avoidant. She rushes from the room.

LARA
No, it is not okay I have to go, I have to go, I must.

CHARLY
Oh, Lara!

SCENE 24: INT: DAY: NEWS STATION: SECOND FLOOR
CHARLY rushes into the room, pursuing LARA. SAMIR speaks, and CHARLY stops to listen.

SAMIR
Hello Charly! Lara went that way. You're chasing her, right?

CHARLY (Sheepish)
Well, I wouldn't say chasing. Maybe more like pursuing with concern....

SAMIR smiles widely.

SAMIR
You're smitten, aren't you?

CHARLY smiles, cow eyed.

CHARLY
Yeah.

SAMIR
Did you tell her? That why she's running?

CHARLY
Oh, no, of course not! She already thinks it's weird here, I wouldn't throw that at her.

Beat.

CHARLY
If she comes back, just so she doesn't get scared off, could you try and avoid her finding out anything, y'know, strange, about us?

SAMIR (Slightly affronted)
We're not strange!

CHARLY shrugs

CHARLY
Scientists think we are. We're just lucky she didn't notice about Leonard yet.

Leonard emits a noise.

CHARLY
Yeah, good job!

BLY
You gonna keep chasing her or what? If that girl's gone outside, you gotta catch her quick. The arts district's just down the road.

CHARLY
Oh, crap!

CHARLY runs off, down the stairs an outside.


SCENE 25: EXT: DAY: NEWS STATION EXTERIOR
CHARLY runs out, and hurtles down the street, but suddenly stops, doubling back to a bin, before speaking to it softly, petting it.

CHARLY
Hey, it's okay, it's okay. I know she doesn't like you, but it's just 'cause she doesn't know you properly yet...

CHARLY then moves forwards again, patting a lamp-post.

CHARLY
Be nice to her.


SCENE 26: EXT: DAY: WINTERMERE STREET CORNER
LARA is on a street corner, looking around, confused. Many things are slightly off, unusual [return here] . She is very stressed, and making many small noises.

SCENE 27: EXT: DAY: WINTERMERE STREETS: VARIOUS
CHARLY runs through various locations in Wintermere, desperately looking for LARA.

SCENE 28: EXT: DAY: WINTERMERE STREET CORNER
LARA has her hands over her head and is panicking. He state of panic escalates, and it seems as though a meltdown is imminent. Suddenly, CHARLY arrives.

CHARLY
Lara! Lara! It's me, it's Charly. Oh, thank goodness I found you, I thought we might never see you again!

LARA looks up, startled.

CHARLY
Are you alright? You didn't go near the arts district, tell me you didn't go near the arts district!

LARA
Y- y- you're not supposed to be- you can't- you're, you're not supposed to be here, you can't be here, you can't see...

CHARLY
Uh... should I close my eyes? I can close my eyes if that helps!

LARA
No, just go away, just go away, nobody's supposed to see when it happens... n-n-n nobody should, no.... no...

LARA faces away, CHARLY looking after her sadly. For a while, CHARLY can't find words.

CHARLY
Look... Lara. I know you're scared and I'm sorry. I just want to help you, I just, I only want you to be happy.

LARA groans in acknowledgement of CHARLY'S comments.

CHARLY
I know, I know. Listen, I can't leave you here. You'll get lost, maybe forever, and I like you, I don't want you to get lost forever.

LARA groans, more panicked.

CHARLY
It's okay, it's okay. Uh. Uh, Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to take you home... and you can follow behind me, so I don't have to see you, yeah!? And you don't have to talk,and I don't have to talk to you, and that's how it can be. Okay?

LARA nods stiffly

LARA
Mm.

CHARLY
Okay!

CHARLY walks away, and LARA follows. After a few steps, LARA calls forward. Stiff and forced, but she means it.

LARA
W-wait.

CHARLY stops, and LARA hurries forwards slightly.

LARA
I..will walk -with you, yes?

CHARLY smiles

CHARLY
Yes.

SCENE 29: EXT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE
CHARLY and LARA walk together, and up to the front door. CHARLY knocks, and LARA stands slightly to the side, wringing her hands. BEN opens the door.

BEN
Oh my god, what the crap did you do to my sister!?

LARA steps forwards and hurries past BEN into the house.

CHARLY
Ohh, is it really bad? I'm sorry, I didn't really know what to do...

BEN
What even happened!?

CHARLY
I took her for a tour of the town and told her about her new job. She didn't like it... oh, I should have realised sooner, I'm so sorry!

CHARLY is stricken. BEN chuckles.

BEN
Don't worry, it's not you, it's just how she is. She just gets like this in new places. She's autistic.

CHARLY
Oh that's a relief! Not that she's autistic, although that's fine, I just mean it's a relief that I haven't messed up too bad! I like Lara a lot, see! Is there anything specific I can do to help her?

BEN
Not really. If she has problems in the long run, we can talk about it together. I'd say, make sure you're aware, be kind, but mostly just treat her like anybody else. If there's an issue, she'll make sure you know.

CHARLY
Okay!
Beat.

CHARLY
You know, she said something was going to happen, that she didn't want me to see...

BEN
Yeah...

CHARLY
Well, I was just wondering- I'm not saying she is, but if she were a lycanthrope, you know, that would fine, totally! I mean, she'll have to register of course, but other than that, nobody would mind. In fact I'd be happy to help her sort out-

BEN interrupts, but mildly. When he asks the question, he's genuinely curious, not just making fun of CHARLY

BEN
No, she's not a...lycanthrope. Is that a common problem round here?


CHARLY
More than you'd think.

BEN
Huh. I should probably go see to Lara now. Uh, if either of us need to go into town or anything, what should we do?

CHARLY
Lara can call me. My number should appear in blood on the nearest mirror to the phone if she needs it. That's not including black mirrors, so don't expect it on the TV or mobile phones or anything.

BEN
Right, okay. What if I need to go into town?

CHARLY
Just walk in, I don't think you'll have any problems.

BEN
Why not?

CHARLY
You want to be here. The town likes to feel wanted. It'll help you.

Beat

CHARLY
See you around, then!

BEN looks out of the door after CHARLY, a little bewildered. He shrugs it off, and goes inside.

SCENE 30: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
Shot of the main room from the right wall, showing the left. LARA sits on the floor in the middle of the room, rocking, screaming, hitting herself in the face. BEN walks in, sees what's happening, and walks upstairs.

SCENE 31: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
A short amount of time has passed. BEN enters. He carries a weighted blanket, which he drops over LARA before leaving. LARA wraps herself up in the blanket, so that it covers her head.

SCENE 32: INT: SUNSET: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
The light is lower. LARA is still submerged beneath her blanket, but is doesn't scream, and is still. BEN enters, carrying a hot mug, places it  next to her, and leaves. A few seconds after this, LARA'S head emerges from the blanket, then her hand, taking the mug. She drinks gently. A few moments pass, and she stands, padding out of the room with her mug.

SCENE 33: EXT: SUNSET: BIRD'S HOUSE: ROOF
BEN is seated on the roof of the house, a canvas set out in front of him. He is painting freely, happy. LARA sticks her head up over the edge of the roof and puts her mug down, before climbing up.

LARA
Hey.

BEN
Oh, hi. Feeling better?

LARA sits down next to him.

LARA
Yeah.

Beat.

LARA
Look, I need to talk to you. About here, about... staying. It's just.. I... I can't. I can't.

BEN isn't listening.

LARA
Ben, are you listening to me at all?

BEN
Oh, no, sorry. I'm sorry, it's just- look at the sky! Look at the bloody thing! It's like, it's blue, and it's orange, and it's pink and red and white all at the same time, it's bloody ridiculous!

Beat.

BEN
And see the way the light goes, all golden, how it looks against the trees and the roofs of the other houses out in the town.

Beat.

BEN
It kinda makes everything look warm. Even though it isn't, even though it's bloody freezing. Isn't it ridiculous? It's so huge and vast and endless, and incomprehensible, it's like looking out onto infinity.

Beat.

BEN
And... and it makes me feel so small and totally insignificant, and painting it's sort of terrifying, because how the hell could I get that down on here? I sort of want to run inside, and pretend like it doesn't exist.

Beat.

BEN
But.. I couldn't do that. It would be such a waste! Figure, either I can let it pass me by, or I can jump in, and try to make something of it, right?

BEN gestures towards his painting.

BEN
Does that make any sense?

BEN chuckles, self deprecating. LARA smiles.

BEN
Thank-you, Lara, really. I know, I know I already said it, but I'm going to say it again, and I'm going to keep saying it, I am, because I know how hard this is for you. And I know, you can pretend that you didn't, but I know, you did it for me.

Beat

BEN
I'm sorry, you were talking...

LARA thinks for a moment, then she smiles again.

LARA
No... no, I...

Beat.

LARA
It's just this new job, it's crazy, I have to tell you...

LARA leans against BEN, and he puts his arm around her as she talks. They sit together and watch the sunset.

SCENE 34: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: FIRST FLOOR
LARA leaves her bedroom, pulling on her lab coat. She heads downstairs.

SCENE 35: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
LARA stands by the phone, and looks across at the mirror. Nothing happens.

LARA
Huh?

She walks over to the mirror and rubs it with her fingertips.

LARA
Ben!?

SCENE 36: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: FIRST FLOOR
BEN stumbles out of his bedroom in pyjama shorts and a t-shirt. His hair sticks up at angles- he's half asleep.

BEN
'M coming!

SCENE 37: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
BEN wanders in. LARA is still staring at the mirror.

LARA
You said, it was supposed to be on the mirror, right? Nearest mirror to the phone.

BEN
Yeah.

LARA
Well, it's not.

BEN
Huh. Well it didn't make much sense, maybe it was just a weird joke?

LARA
Blood on the mirror, not that weird. You haven't seen the rest of town...

BEN
Ah, well we need bread, so I'll probably be going at some point today.

LARA
How are you going to not get lost? You don't have a Charly.

BEN
Charly said I don't need a Charly.

LARA
Oh, how come?

BEN
Because I want to be here... so the town feels wanted... I know, weird.

LARA
Yeah, it's going to be weird here. You don't mind, do you?

BEN shrugs.

BEN
Eh, I don't get out much anyways, so... hey, maybe you just don't need the number!

LARA looks at BEN, nonplussed.

BEN
She said it would turn up if you needed it. Maybe you don't?

LARA
So I should just... go for it? I really don't think that's a good idea.

BEN thinks for a moment.

BEN
Maybe I can come with you? Like, I won't get lost, so if I drop you off?

LARA
Ew, you make it sound like I'm five...

BEN
Good idea, though?

LARA
Yep, good idea. I need to leave, like, now, though.

BEN
How many minutes?

LARA looks down at her watch.

LARA
I can give you... one and a bit.

BEN
Crap.

BEN runs out of shot, already climbing out of his pyjamas.

SCENE 38: EXT: DAY: TOWN COUNCIL OFFICE AND GREEN
BEN and LARA walk together. BEN wears jeans, but a pyjama top, and his hair is still lopsided. This doesn't bother him.

BEN
Huh, it's not that strange around here...

LARA
Look closer.

BEN does. He notices the body on the green.

BEN
Oh my god, is that-?

LARA (interrupts)
Yep.

SCENE 39: EXT: DAY: NEWS STATION EXTERIOR
LARA and BEN knock on the door. SAMIR answers

SAMIR
Oh, hullo Lara! I didn't think you'd come back...

LARA
Is it a problem?

SAMIR
Oh, no, not at all. There's coffee waiting for you upstairs. Charly said you'd be here...

LARA
Awesome! Thanks Ben, see you later.

LARA and BEN hug briefly.

LARA
Charly can probably walk me home, so...

BEN
Great. Have a good day!

BEN leaves, and LARA and SAMIR enter the building.

SCENE 40: INT: DAY: NEWS STATION: GROUND FLOOR

SAMIR
That your brother?

LARA nods.

SAMIR
He's beautiful...

SCENE 41: INT: DAY: NEWS STATION: FIRST FLOOR

SAMIR
Miss Lara's here!

BLY
Well, Miss Lara's late! Didn't think she was even coming. Hey, how come you didn't call Charly here?

LARA
I- I didn't have the number, her number... my brother walked me here.

BLY
Your brother? He the tall, dopey looking one?

LARA
Uh, yeah.

BLY
He's beautiful.

SAMIR and CHARLY nod in agreement.

CHARLY
How come you don't have my number? Did you check the mirror?

LARA
Yeah. Nothing there.

LARA
Ben said maybe I just didn't need it.

CHARLY
Oh... Oh!

CHARLY beams

CHARLY
You want to stay?

LARA
Yes.

CHARLY
Even though it's weird here?

LARA shrugs

LARA
I can take it.

CHARLY
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!

CHARLY goes to hug LARA.

CHARLY
Can I...?

LARA nods, and they hug.

BLY
Great, great, can we all get on with our jobs now please?

LARA
That's why I'm here.

Beat.

LARA
Uh. What do I do?

CHARLY
Whatever you want!

LARA
I'm really bad at making decisions!

BLY
Oh, great, just the sort of trait we'd look for in a cop.

CHARLY
Bly!

LARA
Do you have, say, a list of everything that needs doing?

CHARLY
Bly can put one together for you.


LARA
Great, how long will that take?

BLY
Couldn't say. A while.

LARA
Oh.

SAMIR
I wouldn't worry. It really doesn't matter what you do. Long as you do something, it'll comfort the people, which is about 80% of your job.

LARA thinks for a while.

LARA
Well. There's a body on the town council lawn. I think we should find out who put it there.

SCENE 42: EXT: DAY: TOWN COUNCIL OFFICE AND GREEN
CHARLY and LARA pull up in a car, CHARLY driving. They park close to the edge of the grass. LARA gets out of the car, and walks efficiently towards the body, CHARLY following.

LARA
I'm pretty sure that drive took longer than walking here did... is it spacial distortion, or are the roads here just really bad?

With the advantage of height, CHARLY catches up, and shrugs.

CHARLY
Sometimes journeys are long, sometimes they're short. I don't suppose I've ever really thought about it before.

LARA
I wonder why that is... there might be a trend, I should try running a study...

LARA takes out a notepad, and writes something down, before turning quickly to look at the body. She looks over it briefly, writes down some more. Then, without thinking, touches its skin. She recoils with a shout, shaking.

CHARLY
Lara, are you alright? What happened?

LARA faces away from CHARLY, flapping.

LARA
He's dead. He's dead, he's really dead and I touched him! I touched him!

CHARLY
Will you be okay? Can I- can I help?

LARA moves further away, flapping more, rubbing her face, and flapping again.

LARA
I'll be fine, I'll be fine, I never-

She takes a deep breath.

LARA
Never touched a body before. Never even seen one.

Beat.

LARA
I'm sorry. I'm not trained for this, I don't know how to do this. Just, give me a minute.

LARA breaths deeply, steadily, flaps a few more times, and then is still. She turns back towards the body, businesslike, and speaks to CHARLY.

LARA
Okay. So I'm not trained for this sort of thing, but I know quite a lot about biology, and there's no obvious cause of death. I don't think any of his limbs are broken, there's no visible signs of injury. Were the other ones the same?

CHARLY nods.

LARA
Huh. I suppose he might have been poisoned, but that doesn't make much sense. I think that these probably were opportunistic murders rather than planned ones, so... I don't know. I have no idea what killed them. Could it be a Wintermere thing?

CHARLY
If there isn't a rational explanation, almost certainly.

LARA
Great. Any ideas? I mean, I'm very new here, so it's really your area.

CHARLY
Well, it's a bit hard to say, what with the way that there's no evidence at all.

LARA
Yeah. I see the issue...

Beat.

LARA
Perhaps we should try and find out who did it, before we find out how. The motivations for the murders are pretty clear, so I guess we just need to find a person who really, really hates the town council.

CHARLY
Oh, that could be difficult....

LARA
Why?

CHARLY
Because

CHARLY and PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY
The town council are jerks!

LARA
Okay, I see the issue now.

SCENE 43: INT: DAY: NEWS STATION: FIRST FLOOR
LARA and CHARLY enter.

SAMIR
Oh, hey people! How did it go? Did you find anything?

LARA
Nope. No injury, no murder weapon, no witnesses, no suspects. We're working on the last one though.

SAMIR
Huh. How do you find a suspect with no evidence?

CHARLY
Look at motive, normally.

SAMIR
Good luck with that. Who doesn't have motive to hate the town council?

CHARLY
I know!

SAMIR
So what are you going to do? Do you need coffee? I can get you coffee.

CHARLY
Oh, that would be wonderful thank-you Samir!

LARA
Charly, when did the bodies start turning up?

CHARLY
Hm, about three weeks ago, I think. Bly, could you get a specific date?

LARA
Okay. Okay, so everybody hates the town council. But if this started recently, that means that somebody recently decided that they hated the town council enough to kill.

CHARLY
So something changed!

CHARLY is thrilled. LARA flaps happily.

LARA
Yes yes yes! So what changes have the town council made recently- about three weeks ago- that might have made people angry?

CHARLY
Huh. Um, let me think. Uh, Samir!

SAMIR
Yes?

CHARLY
Can you remember anything the town council have messed up lately?

SAMIR
Can you remember anything they haven't?

CHARLY and SAMIR laugh. SAMIR carries through coffee, which he hands to CHARLY and LARA. He also leaves a mug on BLY'S desk, which contains something purple and bubbling.

LARA
Yes, I'm sure that's very funny but can you remember anything actually specific that physically happened?

SAMIR thinks.

SAMIR
They cut the grass a few weeks back, I'm pretty sure. Like, on the green right at the front of town.

LARA
Would that make people angry?

SAMIR
Well I don't know, I'm pretty sure everything makes some people angry. That's one of the problems with people, you know, they can never agree on anything...

LARA shrugs.

BLY
Them bodies started turning up three weeks, two days ago. That's the Thursday.

CHARLY
Can you look up anything that the town council did around that time?

BLY
I already did. I actually am good at my job, you know.

CHARLY
Great! Go on, tell us then!

BLY
In the week beforehand, the town council...  ran the monthly pest knifing, which took care of the zebra infestation, one of the more resilient lawyer communities, but did not succeed in stemming the seemingly endless flow of muskrats from that cove with the seemingly endless flow of muskrats. A bunch of squirrels were also killed but were resurrected by Wednesday because of an acorn surplus... did a bunch of health inspections- 6 dead, 19 injured...

SAMIR
Really? Impressive.

LARA
Impressive!?

SAMIR
Well, it's much less than usual...

LARA whimpers slightly.

BLY
They also fed the Cthulu... cut the lawn out the front of their building... ah, and officially hired Doctor Science over there.

CHARLY, SAMIR
Oh!

CHARLY
Yeah, it'll be that.

Beat.

LARA
Wait, is this my fault?

CHARLY
No, no, no, not at all! Lara, you're fine, you're great!

SAMIR
Well, indirectly maybe...

LARA
Why would me getting my job make somebody do a bunch of murders? Why is that the thing that makes people angry- people died that week!

SAMIR
Less people than usual!

LARA (to herself)
I hate this place...

Beat.

LARA
Okay, so why am I so controversial?

CHARLY
Not sure exactly, it's just everything else that happened that week was pretty much standard.

SAMIR
The scientist has quite a lot of influence over people's lives and stuff as well, so people might be angry about that.

LARA
Well, where there's power, there's angry people just by default.

Beat.

LARA
Yeah, but... but just one thing.

LARA stands up, thinking, and flapping while she thinks.

LARA
If... if whoever this is objects to me having this job- why aren't they targeting me?

CHARLY
How do you mean? Why would anybody target...

Beat.

CHARLY (with affection, admiration)
You?

LARA
Well, if it was the decision to employ me, specifically, that somebody objected to, they'd kill me, wouldn't they? So the decision to employ me wasn't the problem- it was the decision to employ anybody.

CHARLY is excited by the revelation.

CHARLY
Oh, oh, so we're looking for somebody who doesn't want there to be a scientist!

SAMIR
Oh, but that's not going to narrow it down much. Anybody in Wintermere who's planning anything bad wouldn't want there to be a scientist...

LARA
Well, that's true too, but I was thinking of a slightly different demographic.

CHARLY
Yeah!?

LARA
Is there anybody else in Wintermere that wanted my job?


SCENE 43: EXT: DAY: TATE'S HOUSE
LARA and CHARLY approach a small, beautiful cottage that has woodland out the back.

LARA
Okay, so this is the place?

CHARLY
Yup.

LARA
Doesn't really strike you as the home of a serial killer, does it? I mean, I know, anybody can be a serial killer and that, but they're normally a bit more... weird? And a bit less attentive to flora.

CHARLY shrugs.

CHARLY
I don't know. I think murder in general is bit more accessible here than out there. You can be a serial killer, and still maintain your social status- it doesn't have to be so all consuming. I think it's kinda nice.

Beat.

CHARLY
You know, in a creepy way.

LARA knocks on the door, and it swings open. LARA sticks her head through the door, CHARLY tentatively following.

SCENE 44: INT: DAY: TATE'S HOUSE: LIVING ROOM
LARA and CHARY tentatively enter the room. The living room is meticulously neat and tidy, organised to perfection. A thudding noise drifts in from the garden. The back door is open, and LARA slowly walks towards it. As she does this, CHARLY looks to the side, and catches sight of a room- walls lined with a multitude of axes.

CHARLY
Woah, that's a lot of axes!

CHARLY looks around to see that LARA is on her way out to the garden. CHARLY follows.

SCENE 45: EXT: DAY: TATE'S GARDEN
A woman, TATE EDWARDS, stands in the garden, aggressively chopping wood with an axe. She is petite, almost fragile in build, has short, curly hair, and wears 50's style, girly clothing. LARA approaches her, and tentatively announces her presence.

LARA
Excuse me... excuse me? Miss Edwards?

TATE stands up, startled, and drops her axe. She picks it up immediately, inspecting it frantically, in detail, and cleaning it on her dress.

LARA
Hello. You are Tate Edwards?

TATE
Oh my god, yes, hello, I'm so sorry! Um, come in, come in, please!

TATE, chipper but anxious, leads CHARLY and LARA into her house.

SCENE 46: INT: DAY: TATE'S HOUSE
TATE, LARA and CHARLY all enter. TATE walks directly to the kitchen, places her axe heavily on the counter, and washes her face, talking the entire time.

TATE
Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm a bit disgusting right now. I'll make sure to clean up quick. Sorry I was out in the garden there when you arrived, I was chopping wood. Although I don't actually burn wood very often, I'm quite sensitive to smells so wood fires aren't much of an option really. It's good stress relief though, you know? And it's good to keep my axes in use. I have a lot of axes, I like axes.

Having washed her face, TATE takes her axe from the counter, and ties it to her dress with a ribbon. She then sanitizes her hands.

TATE
This here's a great one!

Beat.

TATE
Hello! Who are you? Why are you in my house?

CHARLY
Hi, we're from the local news.

TATE
Oh, oh, you're the reporter! Charly, is it? Hello, it's good to meet you, would you like to sit down? I can get you a drink if you would like, are you here to ask me about anything, or is this just a social?

TATE stops fussing for a moment, and looks at LARA. Her face falls, and her speech becomes strained. While her words are the same, she's clearly now miserable.

TATE
Ah. You're the... new scientist. Hello, it's good to meet you.

Beat.

TATE (terse, awkward)
How are you... finding it?

LARA
I know you wanted the job. It's fine for you to be mad at me. I'm sure, if somebody else got a research position I deserved, I'd be pretty angry.

TATE is touched

TATE
Oh, you're so nice! I'm sorry, I'm sure you deserve it too!

TATE's speech turns more resentful, angrier as she continues.

TATE
I'm sorry, you know it's not you I'm angry with, it's the council, the bloody-

Beat

TATE
I've applied six times, you know, six, and it's not that I'm not qualified, I'm more than qualified, they know that, and they know I'd be good at it, too, I just don't get it! It doesn't make sense!


TATE'S hand tightens around her axe, fingering the ribbon that holds it to her dress. There is silence, until CHARLY chooses to break it.

CHARLY
So, murders!

TATE is startled, coming back to her senses.

TATE
Murders?

LARA
Several town council employees' bodies have recently been found out on the lawn in front of their building.

TATE
Oh, is that what you're here about? You know I really think you should move that most recent one, he's been there for a while, if we get a hot day, you know, it would be so unsanitary, and it's hardly respectful either and-

Beat.

TATE
Oh crap, you don't think I did it, do you!?

CHARLY                                                               LARA
That doesn't matter right now.                                       Yes.

For a moment, TATE absorbs the news, but is more angry and frustrated than upset.

TATE
Of course you do... of course you do!

Beat.

TATE
Is it worth me saying that I didn't?

CHARLY and LARA do not respond.

TATE
This is ridiculous. I'm still getting screwed over by the town council, after they're dead!

TATE stands, and unties her axe.

TATE
If you want to keep talking, you'll have to come outside.

She walks briskly outside, and begins aggressively chopping at the wood again. CHARLY hurries after her, LARA following.

SCENE 47: EXT: DAY: TATE'S GARDEN
TATE is hacking away at the wood, shouting each time she brings down the axe. CHARLY and LARA stand nervously at the edge of the garden.

CHARLY
Maybe we should go?

LARA
We can't go, we barely know anything about her! For all we know, she might have an alibi.

CHARLY
Do you want to ask her? She's very upset and she's holding an axe. See, this is why you don't tell the suspect they're a suspect, it tends to upset them!

LARA flaps and groans, slightly.


CHARLY
Oh, I'm sorry, that was really mean! I know you're trying, and you're new at this, I'm sorry. It's just, we need to calm her down, we need to...

LARA groans again, trying to find words. When she does, they're forced.

LARA
No. You're right. I messed up. I'll learn.

LARA breathes, and is calm.

LARA
I think I can fix this.

She takes a deep breath, and walks towards TATE.

LARA
Uh, Tate?

TATE continues chopping as she replies.

TATE
What?

LARA
If you've applied to be the scientist, you must be a scientist.

TATE
No shit.

LARA
Would you mind telling me about your research? I don't really know what to study or how to, and I'd love to hear about your work.

TATE stops mid swing.

TATE
What, really? Why?

LARA is sincere and frustrated.

LARA
I arrived here yesterday. It's not that I'm not a good scientist out there, in the normal world, it's just this place! Nothing makes sense here and I don't even know where to begin. If you've lived here your whole life, you're infinitely more qualified than I am.

TATE
You seriously want to hear about my work? Like, really?

LARA
Yes.

TATE
I don't believe you.

LARA considers what to say for a moment. She speaks methodically.

LARA
Tate. I am a scientist. You are a scientist. We work to further science. The exchange of ideas and information is essential to the development of our understanding of the world, is essential to science.

Beat.

LARA
So. Regardless of who you might, or, more importantly, might not, have killed, it would be a failure in my duty as a scientist not to show an interest. So yes, I do want to hear about your work.

TATE is thrilled. She jumps slightly, buzzing with excitement.

TATE
Oh, I'm actually going to have somebody to talk to about science for once, somebody who actually knows what I'm talking about! I have so much I could show you, oh, this is fantastic! Over here, over here, I'll show you!

TATE leads LARA over to a shed at the back of the garden.

TATE
I can't believe you're showing an interest! None of the other scientists did- it's 'cause I'm young, and I don't have any “proper” qualifications- I know it's them who're wrong, but it gets wearing over time, you know?

SCENE 48: INT: DAY: TATE'S LAB
TATE and LARA enter the shed, CHARLY hovering at the door. It's small, with one central workbench, that contains a few, neatly ordered flasks, and other scientific paraphernalia. A glass fronted cabinet hangs from one wall, sparsely stocked with jars. Behind the workbench, a desk is pressed to the back wall. On it sits a desktop computer, and huge amounts of paper, spread out impossibly neatly, completely straight. The papers extend out onto the wall. LARA focusses on the workbench and cabinet.

TATE
There isn't much of interest over there at the moment I have to say, almost everything I'm doing at the moment is just recording data, like natural occurrences, and looking for trends. I only do chemical experiments when I absolutely have to, to conclude long term studies mostly, see I can't afford to do it much more than that.

LARA
With good reason- I've worked at Uni's that couldn't afford some of this stuff, where do you work?

TATE
I work nights at the supermarket. It pays like crap, but it pays, so.

LARA
If it pays badly, how can you afford these things?

TATE
I can't, really, but I work every night but Tuesday, and I sell all my holiday back to the company so if I live off potatoes for a few weeks, I can usually save up enough for what I need.

LARA
Your commitment is admirable.

TATE shrugs.

TATE
It's not much different to what a lot of people do to get through uni.

LARA
I suppose...

TATE
Everything current's over here, come, look!

LARA walks to TATE at the back of the room. TATE shows her a couple of sheets of paper. After reading them for a while, LARA begins to smile.

LARA
This is wonderful. Amazing!

Beat.

LARA
You know when you can read these, and you can tell just how people think?

TATE
Yes, exactly, yes! Not many other people get that, but I know exactly what you mean, the way experiments are planned, information is arranged, you can see what people think is important, isn't it just beautiful?

LARA puts the papers down and smiles.

LARA
I like the way you think.

CHARLY knocks on the door.

CHARLY
Lara! Um, not that I don't care about and support your new friendship- because I really do, it's wonderful!- but we're sort of in the middle of, you know, solving some murders!

LARA
Ah. Good point. I should probably...

TATE
Yeah.

LARA
I will see you again, yes?

TATE
Please!

SCENE 49: EXT: DAY: TATE'S HOUSE
CHARLY and LARA walk away from TATE'S house.

LARA
Well, I think she did it.

CHARLY is taken aback.

CHARLY
Really?

LARA
Yes. Just because I get on well with a suspect, it doesn't make them less suspicious.

CHARLY
She was quite suspicious.

LARA
Yeah. She has strong motive.

CHARLY
Your job and the money from your job.

LARA
And she has opportunity- she's always out at night.

CHARLY
And she seemed pretty murdery. You know, with the axes?

LARA
You thought so too? Obviously, she didn't use the axes, but she had a lot of chemicals. She could have easily manufactured some kind of poison. Now it's really just a matter of finding evidence...

CHARLY
I thought you said it wasn't poison.

LARA is happy, excited when she speaks.

LARA
I was wrong!

SCENE 50: INT: DAY: VEHICLE
CHARLY drives the car, with LARA in the front passenger seat.

LARA
You know, I really don't think we'll be able to prove anything. Tate's totally meticulous. I can't imagine that she'd leave any kind of evidence.

CHARLY
That could be tricky...

There is a pause in which CHARLY simply continues to drive. They turn onto a road near the town council office. LARA spots something, sits up, and looks intently out of the window.

LARA
Wait, wait, wait, look!

CHARLY
What?

LARA flaps, excited.

LARA
Stop the car, stop, look!

CHARLY pulls the car to a standstill, and LARA gets out, CHARLY following suit.

LARA
It's moved!

CHARLY gestures confusedly.

LARA
The body, it's moved from where it was yesterday!

LARA reaches the body.

CHARLY
Really?

LARA
Yeah. I was talking to Ben when I came past this morning, and we came from a different angle earlier so I didn't notice. But it's moved, definitely!

CHARLY
I wouldn't have noticed... although now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure he was over by the fountain last Thursday. Somebody reported that the Cthulu stole his wallet, and no way could it reach all the way over here.

LARA
And you're just thinking about this now?

CHARLY
Yeah. Huh.

LARA
Which means it must have been moved gradually. Are there any kind of... semi- resurrection disorders, or, I don't know, undead stuff that only works at night that could be happening here that I need to know about.

CHARLY
Oh, Bly's mention of resurrection earlier may have been slightly misleading...

LARA
Yeah?

CHARLY
Yeah, it's pretty much exclusively a squirrel thing. I don't know any forms of undead that he could be, either- most night-active forms actually die in sunlight.

Beat.

CHARLY
Also, the other bodies are in the morgue, and they've been fairly inactive.

LARA
Fairly inactive?

CHARLY
Oh, you know, nothing more than the usual sort of writhing and screaming that sometimes occurs after death. Nothing to write home about. Point is, Gavin's done autopsies on the others and everything, and they don't seem to be moving about like this.

LARA
So somebody's actually been coming out here and physically moving the body around, yes?

CHARLY
Maybe. Probably!

LARA stands up, flapping excitedly and jumping slightly.

LARA
Yes, yes, this is great! We don't need to find evidence to prove Tate did it, 'cause we can just come out here and catch her doing it!

CHARLY
But what if somebody else, different to the killer was doing it?

LARA
Oh. Is that likely?

CHARLY
I don't know. I could definitely see the fun in doing it...

LARA
Well, it's still illegal- desecration of a corpse, so it's worth catching them!

CHARLY sounds excited.

CHARLY
Does this mean we're going on a stakeout?

LARA
We're going on a stakeout!

SCENE 51: INT: DAY: BIRD'S HOUSE: MAIN ROOM
LARA bursts into the house in a flurry.

LARA
We're going on a stake out! Help!

BEN enters from the kitchen holding a whisk.

BEN
Good to see you too! What's happening?

LARA
We're going on a stake out, me and Charly, and I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do on a stake out, I've never been on a stake out before, I don't know how it works, I don't, I don't, and it's been going very well, and I've been seeming like a normal person and everything, and I don't know, I don't know, I don't kno-o-o-ow...

LARA stims frantically.

BEN
When do you have to be there?

LARA holds up nine fingers.

BEN
Okay, so we've got time. I'm actually making omelettes right now. Do you want one?

LARA shakes her head.

BEN
Right, I'm going to come and talk to you when I've made my omelette. Until then- Pushing Daisies, season two, episode seven.

LARA
Emmerson and Ned and Chuck stake out Gustav Hoffer's house to find out if it was his wife who killed him. Perfect!

BEN nods his head towards the TV. LARA rushes over to the TV and sets up the DVD, before heavily sitting on the sofa, flapping and bouncing happily.