[***]
* Flow, my tears
JILL: The stars are burning out, Ed.
The universe has grown cold.
No heat, no energy.
Everything decays.
Everything dies.
But all it takes is two, Ed.
Just two.
Two particles that become so closely entangled,
it's as if they're the same thing.
But there's no atrophy.
No decay.
No death.
But there's only me, Ed.
And I'm running out of time.
[***]
* Trip to heave and ho
* Up, down To and fro *
* You have no word
[GASPS]
* Trip, trip To a dream dragon *
* Hide your wings In a ghost tower *
* Sails cackling At every plate we break *
[BIRDS CAWING]
[SIGHS]
[PLANKS CREAKING]
* The madcap laughed At the man on the border *
* Hey, ho Huff the Talbot *
* "Cheat" he cried Shouting kangaroo *
I'm home.
Sweetheart?
Hey. You have fun?
I almost finished the decks.
Aw.
I am a lucky man.
We have a visitor.
Oh?
She wants to talk to us about life insurance.
Double indemnity.
This is my husband, Ed.
This is Jill.
Hello there, Mr. Morris.
[***]
NEWSCASTER [ON TV]: Dangerous flooding and severe weather conditions
have caused hundreds to evacuate their homes.
Environment Agency information suggests 7000 homes
will disappear due to coastal erosion
over the next 100 years.
And homeowners living there now face the prospect
of being forced to move to safer ground...
Honey? You know, the Salters' house
fell into the sea
over at Sidestrand.
Yeah?
SALLY: They knew it was gonna happen.
It could happen to us one day.
We'll be long gone by then.
We'll be sailing the seven seas to Ultima Thule.
El Dorado.
The Elysian Fields.
Sorry. What did you say?
We'll set a course for the Land of Cockaigne, you and me.
Ed. It's a nice idea.
ED: I saw an ad: "Squeeze the Day."
We should all "Squeeze the Day."
You mean, "Seize the Day."
It was a joke.
Because we don't have long, and that thought's just
too terrible to be serious about so.
SALLY: Oh, Ed, the eggs,
they've expired already.
I mean, look at them.
These are two days old.
[MACHINE WHIRRING]
You folks know better than that.
Watch your food expiration.
Hands up. My fault.
Live for today, Ed.
I most certainly will.
[***]
Good morning, Su.
Good morning, madam.
GUIDE: Here at The Spirit Mill,
a warmer, more neighborly atmosphere is encouraged.
So no eye-recognition. Just good old sweat and print.
And a reasonable vocal range.
These days we take cognitive chimeras for granted.
Jacks, Jills and other sentient fusions are everywhere.
At work, at play.
Maybe we have some amongst us right now.
How would you know?
Surgical implanting of a Quantum Consciousness, or QC
has revolutionized our relationship with them.
It means they have become us.
In fact, I have a confession.
I am a Jack myself. [TOURISTS GASP SOFTLY]
How's my driving?
[TOURISTS LAUGH, APPLAUSE]
Thank you. Thank you. Feel free to look around.
They're so beautiful.
A QC is a fundamental entanglement
of human and porcine genetics.
Why wouldn't it be beautiful?
Can they think?
Can they dream?
They have no experience.
They're possibility, latent potential.
What people used to call the animus or soul.
These QCs animate the body.
Are you in the field?
Me? No.
I'm in insurance.
These are...
projections of the real thing, but actually they're very small.
Can I see?
Sure.
Well, we call these berries. Mm-hm.
And...
Each berry holds...
a QC.
Now, it's completely self-contained.
It has everything it needs to survive.
Like an egg.
Supposing you released one?
The QC would vanish.
Then what?
Then, nothing.
No QC, no life.
Ah. Oh.
Thank you.
Numb fingers.
[***]
[TOURISTS CHATTER, HUSH]
DIRECTOR: Edward.
Mr. Director, sir.
Excuse me. Miss.
DIRECTOR: Good morning.
TOURISTS: Good morning.
DIRECTOR: Two Jacks.
Two Jills.
Without QCs, they're shells, really.
Despite skills, emotions and knowledge,
they have no self-awareness.
No spark. No empathy.
[MACHINERY BEEPS]
[SOFT WHIRRING]
How are you feeling?
I feel...
good.
I feel fine.
Hello.
Tell me what you're thinking right now,
at this moment.
I'm thinking...
I'm thinking about thinking.
[TOURISTS LAUGH]
Metacognition.
Hm?
Makes you well up, doesn't it?
[TOURISTS CLAPPING, WHOOPING]
[DIRECTOR LAUGHS]
[***]
[CAR DOOR CLOSES]
ED: You all right?
JILL: I'll be fine.
Can I help?
Did you miss the bus? I can give you a lift.
Thank you.
I'm Ed, by the way, Ed Morris.
Jill.
I'm a Jill.
I guessed.
Not one of ours?
I'm from The City Spirit Mill.
You'll still help me, won't you?
Of course.
Please.
[***]
Nelson's Blood.
What? What's that?
He knows.
Nelson's was born here.
Two.
Is that a good idea?
Whatever it is.
It's a very good idea.
You're failing, aren't you?
Yeah.
How long have you got?
You people.
My last boyfriend was a Normal.
You think it's okay to say stuff to us
you'd never say to your wife.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to be insensitive.
In fact, I'm a big believer in neural network equality.
Well, thanks a lot, Ed.
[CHUCKLES]
So tell me about Mr. Normal.
I work at The Spirit Mill. I live out on Cliff Park Estate.
Wife? Kids?
Wife, yes. Kids, no.
We tried.
You tried?
The test tube thing. All that.
How long have you got on your estate?
Coastal erosion going the way it's been going,
maybe a year.
Then what?
You and Mrs. Ed just going to work through your term,
retire,
get moved to another crumbling estate?
Not us.
Not me and Sally.
We're going on a trip. A voyage.
A voyage?
Where?
Out there.
Somewhere.
The high seas. El Dorado.
Sounds dangerous, Ed.
Yes.
It is.
[***]
It is.
[DRINK POURING]
[FOLIAGE POPPING, GROWING]
[SALLY MOANING]
[LAUGHING SOFTLY]
I know.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Hey.
You going somewhere?
Sail with the falling tide. Out of the creek.
Past the point.
Sailing with a fair wind on the tidal flow.
Ed, there's nothing there.
[SIGHS]
They wouldn't let you anyway.
What if I found a way to do it?
Ed, dishonest lives are sad lives.
What about your job, our home?
What about me? You're coming with me.
Oh, God, that's just a stupid fantasy, Ed.
The Salters relocated further up the coast,
where it's stable, and Amy says it feels just like home.
[SIGHS]
The potatoes turned and the leeks too.
They only just arrived today.
I think your expiration dates are getting shorter.
Nothing lasts forever.
[CHUCKLES]
I don't think they need to be so short.
MAN: I just do my job, Mr. Morris.
Morning, madam.
SALLY: Good morning, Su.
[REMOTE BEEPS] Su?
Yes, madam?
If you thought your husband was having some kind of crisis--
I don't have a husband, madam.
We're not allowed to marry, you know that.
Well if your friend thought her husband
might do something wrong,
I mean, criminally wrong.
Then she should talk him out of it.
A crime is a crime, after all.
And punishable.
W-we all make mistakes.
Personally, I do think exceptions should be made
on matters of conscience. Of course.
Does your friend trust her husband?
I think so.
I hope so.
SU: In her heart, I mean.
"In her heart"?
I'm not referring to the chambered muscular organ--
I-- I realize that, Su. Just to be clear.
Although many Normals have porcine hearts these days.
Oh, it's an exciting time.
What makes us Normal?
It's an answer always open to change.
What makes us Normal?
Well, I'm 40 percent Normal.
I-I'm so sorry.
I'm bred not to take offense. Have a splendid day.
Thank you. Thank you, Su.
Good-bye.
* Flow my tears
* Fall from your springs
[***]
[SIGHS]
What are you dreaming?
I don't know what made me do it.
We can throw them away, I--
No. They're beautiful.
You really think so?
They're great, Sal.
I saved them.
[SOFTLY] Whoa...
What about the neighbors, Ed?
I don't care about the neighbors.
[SHOVEL CLANGING]
[BOTH SIGH]
Maybe it's just on the estate to stop vandalism.
[SHOVEL CLANGING]
[GRUNTS]
It's everywhere.
[SIGHING] Well.
We could apply for early transfer,
and-and move up the coast.
Where it's all just like home?
Ed.
I can't stand it, Sal.
[SIGHS]
We'll be okay.
Will we?
[***]
* Ah
The seven seas.
El Dorado.
The captain of our ship.
Call me Ishmael.
It's just a nice idea.
Doesn't have to be, Ed.
Doesn't have to be a fantasy.
Do you have any idea what a Quantum Consciousness
fetches on the black market?
Enough to give a Normal a new lifestyle.
And a fading Jill a whole new life.
I have a buyer.
Are you crazy?
Not yet.
I should go.
You should, but you won't.
[***]
Are you sweating a little?
It helps the osmosis.
[***]
ED: * Flow my tears
* Fall from Your springs *
BOTH [IN UNISON]: * Exiled forever Let me mourn *
* Where night's black bird
* Her sad infamy sings
JILL: * There let me live
[MACHINERY POWERING UP]
* Forlorn...
Come on.
Ed?
[GASPS]
[BEEPING]
[ALARM WAILING]
I think I nearly did something really stupid.
[***]
[WOMAN VOCALIZING]
You agreed cash, right?
MAN: She talks.
A living doll.
Okay. Forget it.
Hold up, doll.
Show them little souls you got there.
There's nine.
Cash.
I agreed 10 with the man.
Nine.
Oh, I get it.
That one for you, is it, sweetheart?
That little spark in you dying, is it?
Let me see that little baby you got there.
Let 'em have it, Jess.
[GUN FIRES TWICE]
Leave her! She's for me.
[GUNS FIRING]
[JILL GRUNTING]
[SCREAMS]
[APPLAUSE]
What's going on? I don't know. You tell me.
Ed, you hero. Yes.
Yes.
I know what you did, Edward.
You do?
DIRECTOR: You raised the alarm.
That's right, I did.
DIRECTOR: You did the right thing.
And in payment for your loyalty and conscientiousness,
as director, I'm authorized to give you
an increase in salary.
Oh, that really isn't necessary.
DIRECTOR: Oh, I insist, Edward.
You deserve it.
[CLEARS THROAT]
Did they--?
Did they find out who did it yet?
Oh, some Jill, apparently.
She's on the run.
You haven't heard anything, have you Edward?
Why would I?
Well, there are rumors.
Maybe it was an inside job.
Maybe one of your colleagues.
Ridiculous, isn't it?
I can't believe that, um--
Everyone here is very loyal, sir.
Oh, I know, Edward. I know.
But people get desperate.
Hm.
I don't think he committed a crime.
I think he was tempted, but that isn't against the law.
I mean, he's-- He's an honest man.
Is he honest with his wife?
I think so.
As honest as any man can be.
Then, I would advise her to stand by him.
Because the truth always sets you free.
[SIGHS]
Amen to that.
God bless you, madam.
I can see that you're a good woman.
It's-- It's Sally, by the way.
Oh, that's very generous of you.
Us girls gotta stick together.
[BOTH LAUGH]
You're so right.
Sally.
[***]
[WOMEN VOCALIZING]
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
I'm sorry to bother you.
They're really quite nice inside, aren't they?
All right. No, thank you. You've made it nice.
[THUMP ON DOOR]
Are you all right? Oh, I'm okay.
I'm so sorry.
It's okay.
[GASPING, GROANING]
I'm sorry.
It's all right. Come in. Oh, thank you.
[WOMEN VOCALIZING]
Thanks.
Mm.
[GULPING]
[SIGHS]
It's a side effect.
Side effect?
I'm on medication.
Oh, I-I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to pry.
It's the test tube thing. IVF.
Oh.
Well, that can be punishing.
Lethargy, nausea--
Headaches, cramps.
You've been there?
A long time ago.
Any luck?
How about you?
How long have you been trying?
Too long.
And there's always one of you
who wants it more, isn't there?
[BOTH SIGH]
It's a minefield.
I'm-- I really hope it works out for you.
Listen to us. We've only just met.
[LAUGHS]
I'm-- I'm sorry I-I was so unfriendly before.
It's just, we get a lot of cold callers.
I'm sure.
I even dreamt we had this Fasrad salesman come around,
and he would not take no for an answer.
Really, a Fasrad?
How funny.
Except it wasn't.
It was scary.
He had this...
Kind of look in his eyes, if you know what I mean.
Hm.
They say dreams mean the opposite, don't they?
That is what they say.
Though, I'm not one for dreams.
I just try and live for the now.
What are you selling?
Life insurance.
[GASPING]
* Trip to heave and ho
* Up, down To and fro *
* You have no word
[WATER GURGLING]
[STATIC BUZZING]
* Sails cackling At every plate we break *
* Struck by Scattered needles *
* Little minute gong coughs And clears his throat *
* Madam, you see, before You stand, hey ho... *
ED: I'm home.
Sweetheart?
Hey. You have fun?
I almost finished the decks.
We have a visitor. Oh?
Uh, she wants to talk to us
about life insurance. Double indemnity.
This is my husband, Ed.
[***]
JILL: Hello there, Mr. Morris.
Double indemnity means that in the case
of accidental death, the insurance company promises
to pay the beneficiary twice the face value.
Oh. Hm.
I really don't like to think of either of us dying, but--
JILL: No, but bad things happen, Sally.
And when they do, you're not in the best state
to handle important decisions.
I don't think we need it.
Ed, I know the premiums are high,
but if, God forbid, something should happen to you,
Sally would be cared for.
[***]
Something to think about.
I'll just leave you the papers, shall I?
Oh, God.
[GROANING]
Oh.
Are you--? Oh.
Ed.
Uh...
We'll contact your husband, shall we?
No, please don't.
He's away on business. I don't want to worry him.
ED: She brought her luggage. Did you see that?
She's doing IVF, Ed.
You know how that takes it out of you.
She's lying.
Why would you say that?
And there's no husband on business.
You don't need a husband for IVF.
She just wants to have a baby. It's normal.
She's no Normal. She's a Jill.
[SIGHS]
I know.
You know?
She needs our help.
[***]
[WOMAN VOCALIZING]
Sally.
[GASPS]
[PANTING]
ED: What do you think you're doing?
Worried about my health, Ed?
What do you want?
What do I want?
I want to live.
Those cowboys took everything.
We need to track them down,
and take the QCs back.
I can't help you. I'm sorry.
Tell me a part of you didn't do it for me.
Just a little bit?
I made a mistake.
I don't want anything to do with you.
You already are to do with me, Ed.
Your handprint.
Your sweat.
Your pheromones.
So, now what?
You can turn me in.
You've got the wrong man.
This isn't me.
I just-- I do my job. I live my life.
And that's it.
No, you sail the high seas.
You go where nobody goes.
In my head.
In your heart, Ed.
[***]
I can't do this without you.
I don't need some Jack.
I need you.
[WOMAN VOCALIZING]
* Ooh
* Ooh, ooh
[WOMAN CONTINUES VOCALIZING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
SALLY: You're late.
You didn't call.
I met up with some of the guys.
SALLY: You don't know any of the guys.
I do now.
I want us to go for that insurance policy.
What insurance policy?
The double indemnity. The one Jill's selling.
She's, um, convinced me.
You saw her? We had coffee together.
When?
Well, you were so unfriendly to her,
I thought I should make up for it.
What did she say? Mm. Just stuff.
About the policy. About her.
I like her.
She's just a Jill, hard-selling insurance.
Oh, I think she's more than that, Ed.
Don't you?
[ED SIGHS]
Oh, Ed, that's sweet of you.
[SIGHS]
You know I love you.
[MAN BANGS ON DOOR]
Last warning, Mr. Morris.
For what?
Supposing everybody grew their own.
Where would that leave our local economy?
You're not an island, Mr. Morris.
No one is. It isn't possible.
It's also illegal.
[***]
[WOMAN VOCALIZING]
I've got everything we need.
Maybe I can't do this.
What's wrong? What is it?
[***]
I'm failing.
Look at me.
[GASPS] I'm failing.
I don't care.
We do this heist,
we both get a new start, right?
I'm here. I'm with you.
[***]
Jesus. Where did you get that?
You know how to use it?
GIRL: * Spirit, spirit fled In love with clay *
* So fresh and rare
* I yearn to lie instead
Almost didn't recognize you, girl.
[DOG BARKING]
Noah's waiting for you.
[BOTTLE BREAKS]
[WHIMPERS]
[***]
Mr. Barrett. The man.
What's your interest in spirits, Syd?
I trade Jacks and Jills.
No re-treads. First generation. Quality.
I got them 10 babies, safe and sound.
ED: Are they in the correct homeostasis?
Well, they're drying out daily.
But they'll be okay, if you wanna move on it.
Yeah, we do.
You can't wait, can you, Chantilly?
You're failing, girl.
Hey, no touching.
You're getting old.
I'll need to examine them.
You got your bag of tricks.
Well, this is hardly a sterile environment.
We got a sterile environment.
This is where we do embryo transfers,
inseminations, and all that sort of shit.
Sterile enough for you, Syd?
Early signs of desiccation.
They're fine.
They're all cool.
I'll need to test it.
On her?
It checks out, we buy it.
You use it, you buy it.
You ain't going nowhere.
[BREATHING DEEPLY]
You have done this before, right, Syd?
[IMPLANTER BEEPS]
You take the old one out first.
It doesn't work like that.
Are you ready?
[SQUISHES]
[BUTTON BEEPS, SUCTION HISSES]
ED: Are you okay?
How do you feel?
Jill?
[***]
That QC better not be adulterated.
She's all right. She's fine.
JILL: I feel good.
[GUNSHOTS]
Ed, the QCs.
[***]
[DOG BARKING]
[YELLS]
[DOG WHIMPERS]
* No thing that breathes Or sings this song *
* Can with a corpse Compare *
DIRECTOR: Thank you, Edward.
[CHUCKLES] She is hot, isn't she?
She learned all our ways.
Like how to lie and cheat.
You thought you'd go solo, Jilly?
You thought you'd run out on me?
Don't listen to him, Ed.
DIRECTOR: Those belong to me.
You mean the company, right?
They belong to The Mill.
Hand them over, Edward.
[GUN CLICKS]
[GASPS]
Okay.
Do it, Ed.
[***]
Nine.
One's missing.
Do I have to blow it out of you?
ED: Wait, wait, wait. Stop. Stop.
Don't.
I'll get it.
No, Ed, don't. Please.
DIRECTOR: That's right, Edward. You suck that thing
right out of her. No, Ed. Please.
DIRECTOR [LAUGHS]: She's a Jill.
She's getting recalled anyway.
It's you and me.
Together.
You want to take the rap, Edward?
You want to get yourself incarcerated?
[SIGHS]
JILL: The seven seas...
El Dorado, the Land of Cockaigne.
You and me, Ed.
* Ooh-ooh-ooh
I'm sorry.
Do it, Edward. Do it.
* Ooh-ooh-ooh
I love you, Ed.
* Ooh-ooh-ooh
Just give me that thing.
[IMPLANTER BEEPS]
[GASPS]
[SUCTION HISSING] I love you.
* Ooh
[IMPLANTER BEEPS]
* Ooh-ooh-ooh
[GUNSHOT]
[WIND BLOWING TREES CREAKING]
You disappointed me, Ed.
Like you disappointed Sally.
[CAR DOOR CLOSES]
[CAR ENGINE REVS]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
[***]
Hello, Sally.
Oh.
We've got things to talk about.
[WOMAN VOCALIZING]
Sally?
* Ooh-ooh-ooh
* Ah
SALLY: Dear Ed, what does being normal mean?
[SCOFFS] I wanna find out.
"Squeeze the day," you said. So I am.
[HOUSE RUMBLING]
[SHATTERS]
[PEOPLE CLAMORING]
[WOMAN SCREAMS]
[VOCALIZING CONTINUES]
[SIGHS] Oh, come on.
[ENGINE SPUTTERING]
[ENGINE STARTS]
[***]
Sally.
Sally. Thank God.
I'm so sorry.
We're sorry too, Ed.
Get my note, Ed?
I think we both deserve better.
I didn't mean to...
I wasn't really going to...
[***]
[GRUNTS]
[COUGHS]
[LAUGHING]
[VINYL CRACKLING]
[***]
* Trip to heave and ho
* Up, down To and fro *
* You have no word
* Trip, trip To a dream dragon *
* Hide your wings In a ghost tower *
* Sails cackling At every plate we break *
* Struck by Scattered needles *
* Little minute gong Coughs and clears his throat *
* Madam, you see Before you stand *
* Hey, ho, never be still
* The old original Favorite grand *
* Grasshoppers green Herbarian band *
* And the tune they play is In us confide *
* Trip to heave and ho
* Up, down To and fro *
* You have no word
* Please leave us here
* Close our eyes To the octopus ride *
* Isn't it good To be lost in the wood? *
* Isn't it bad So quiet there *
* In the wood?
* Meant even less to me Than I thought *
* With a honey plough Of yellow prickly seeds *
* Clover honey pots And mystic shining feed *
* The madcap laughed At the man on the border *
* Hey ho Huff the Talbot... *