[cinematic building music]
Downloaded from YTS.LT
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.LT
[deep, heavy breath]
[creepy music]
[bubbling, hissing]
[phone buzzing]
[phone beeps]
Mom.
TAMMY: Rachel, where are you?
I'm still at work.
TAMMY: We're supposed to get dinner before the show.
I had to stay for a late meeting.
TAMMY: Again?
[distant noise]
You know, if you don't stop working so much,
it's going to kill you.
[sniffles]
Mom, they're gonna replace me.
TAMMY: Are you kidding me?
After all you've done for them, then I'd say
good riddance to them.
[vomiting, coughing]
Rachel, are you okay?
[computer beeps]
[Rachel gasping]
Mom, I gotta go.
TAMMY: Rachel, no, no, no.
[door whooshes open]
[ominous drone rises]
There you are.
Hey, Kelsey.
Everyone's waiting for you.
I just need a little liquid courage.
It's just a routine pulse check with HR.
What do you think they're gonna do? Come on.
[music intensifies]
[deep evil murmuring]
HR REP: Rachel, have a seat.
Are we ready to get started?
You know what?
I quit.
[gurgling, bubbling sounds]
[choking]
KELSEY: Rachel?
[gagging, trying to breathe]
No, no, no! No, no, no, no!
No, no, no, Rachel!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
[choking, exhales deeply]
[ominous drone]
[eerie music]
♪ When you wake up in the mornin' ♪
♪ You hear the work bell ring ♪
♪ And they march you to the table ♪♪
♪ You hear the same old thing ♪♪
♪ Ain't no food on the table ♪
♪ Ain't no pork up in the pan ♪♪
♪ But you better not complain, boy ♪♪
♪ Or you'll get in trouble with the man ♪
♪ So let the Midnight Special shine a light on me ♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪♪
♪ Shine a light on me ♪♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪♪
♪ Shine a light on me ♪♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪
♪ Shine an ever-lovin' light on ♪♪
♪ Me ♪
Yeah, that's it for me tonight, y'all. Thank you.
[faint clapping]
Yeah. Oh my God, babe, you did so good tonight.
-Thanks. -Yeah.
[Luke sighs]
What is it?
That record label guy didn't show.
Oh.
It was all for nothing.
I'm sorry, Luke. It's worth it to me to see you play.
[chuckles] Where does that get me?
[footsteps]
ANDY: Luke, my man.
Andy? Is that you?
It's me.
LUKE: What the fuck?
What's up, man? Good to see ya.
-How are you? -I'm great.
LUKE: This is my girlfriend, Elyse.
Hey, what's going on?
ELYSE: Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you. I'm Andy.
Yeah, Andy and I, we were in a band together
back in school.
BOTH: Pocket change.
[Andy and Luke laugh]
LUKE: Whoa.
Uh, yeah. That was the band's name.
ELYSE: Gotcha.
Can I get you a beer?
Yeah. Absolutely.
ANDY: Yeah.
-See ya. -Be right back. Yeah.
So I was in LA for a few years,
and I was with some promising bands, but they never took off.
And eventually I just got worn out from the grind.
It's funny, though. I don't miss it.
Really?
Yeah.
Man, gotta say, it's weird seeing you
wind up in the corporate world.
Yeah, that's what I thought.
But this company I'm with,
it's, like, a perfect fit for people like us.
Smart, creative types with unrealized ambition
who just don't know what they're doing with their lives.
Okay.
And I'm a lot happier knowing I don't have to scramble for gigs
just to make rent every month.
And the whole frustration with not making it in music,
that's all gone.
Well, hey, man. I'm happy for you.
We're always looking for new people.
LUKE: Oh.
I can put in a good word for you.
LUKE: Uh, what's the pay like?
ANDY: Entry level starts at 100K.
No experience required.
Mm-hmm.
It's good to see you, Luke.
LUKE: Yeah, yeah. You too.
Think about it.
[sighs]
[guitar tuning]
ELYSE: Babe, are you coming to bed soon?
Yeah, as soon as I finish this.
Luke, I've got to be up in five hours.
LUKE: Yeah, I'll be quick.
Do you think you'll follow up with Andy about that job?
Uh, is this your way of telling me you think I should?
[Elyse stammers]
ELYSE: I don't know, it just sounded like a good opportunity,
don't you think?
And what about my music?
You could still do it on the side.
[scoffs]
How much drawing have you done
since you started working at the lab?
ELYSE: I'm gonna get back to it soon, okay?
Yeah. You've been saying that for years.
I haven't really had the time, you know.
But my job is what lets me afford this apartment,
which you seem to be enjoying more than yours right now.
[Luke sighs]
Okay.
I'm sorry, I just-- I think I'm in a bad mood
from the record label guy flaking, okay?
ELYSE: Okay. It's not just tonight, though, is it?
What do you mean?
Look, I get that music is your dream,
but it doesn't seem to make you happy.
It really just makes you hard to be around.
I can't help it that I want more out of life than...
this.
This?
I'm sorry. Do you have any idea how hurtful
that is to say to me?
LUKE: I didn't mean you, obviously.
No, it's not obvious, Luke.
You know, I think I need a break from you right now.
I think you should go back to your place.
Come on. Let's just-- Let's talk about this, okay?
El!
[door slams upstairs]
Fuck. Fuck.
[keys jangling]
[box hits the sidewalk]
[groans] Okay.
[ringing anxious music]
[groaning]
[lightly] Fuck.
[ringing music intensifies]
-Hi. Welcome. -Hey.
Welcome to the team. It's so nice to meet you.
Thank you. Nice to meet you as well.
Have a look around if you'd like.
Wow.
Can I grab you anything? Water? Kombucha?
I'm good, but thank you.
[nervous laughter]
Someone will be with you shortly.
Sounds good.
[Luke chuckles]
"Success starts with a symbiotic culture,
like our original SCOBY for our designer kombucha."
Ugh. It's like living mucus.
KELSEY: She's beautiful, isn't she?
Uh, yeah, you could say that.
You know, legend has it she's descended from a SCOBY
the Dalai Lama gave Jesuit missionaries over 300 years ago.
Or maybe the Jesuits stole it from the Dalai Lama.
I can never remember.
Kelsey Rhodes, managing director of our consulting team.
Luke Merritt. Nice to meet you.
KELSEY: Shall we?
Yeah.
KELSEY: So, this is our space.
[ringing drone]
Thank you.
[tension-building music and whispers]
KELSEY: Please, sit.
Yeah.
KELSEY: We are so thrilled to have you join the Symbio team.
Oh, wait, I thought--
Don't I have to, like, interview?
KELSEY: Andy's recommendation is enough for me.
We like to start with a one- month probationary period,
but candidates with referrals almost always blend right in.
You can start today, assuming that our terms
are to your approval.
Uh, yeah. Wow, that's--
This is amazing.
KELSEY: Excellent. We can finish the paperwork later.
Now, how much has Andy told you about what we do here?
Uh, not much.
He just said this is a great place for the smart,
creative type.
Mhm. One of the great tragedies of our time is how
the underemployed liberal arts majors are toiling away
in menial jobs, distracted by dreams of stardom,
when they really have no chance of success.
Meanwhile, the corporate world
is run by finance and engineering majors
with zero imagination or empathy.
But we've cracked the code on how creatives can thrive
and inject new life into stagnant businesses.
And we practice what we preach.
Okay, so what exactly will I be doing?
KELSEY: As a culture consultant, you'll diagnose the deficiencies
in our clients' existing cultures.
Then you'll prescribe a blend of our proprietary work rituals
to suit their needs and, of course,
sell them on our secret weapon.
Secret weapon?
KELSEY: You've already seen it.
Our in-house, designer kombucha,
which started as someone's fun side project until we realized
the incredible benefits.
Imagine:
Every employee working with peak energy and laser focus,
with no jitters or crashing.
Their gut biome and body chemistry perfectly synced
from drinking kombucha designed just for their company.
Team unity at a cellular level, a true symbiosis
between employees and their organization--
no matter what major they had in college.
But what if they don't like kombucha?
KELSEY: Believe it or not,
we've never run into that problem before.
Everybody gets on board eventually.
Do you partake?
I don't. Uh...
Those floating SCOBY things kind of freak me out.
KELSEY: Okay, well, don't worry.
You'll get over that.
Do you know what SCOBY stands for?
LUKE: Uh, no.
Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.
A natural, harmonious partnership.
Really nothing to be afraid of.
I think I'll stick with this.
We'll see about that.
So, this is your desk.
Oop. Sorry.
This was supposed to be cleared out.
[loud clanging into bin]
[sighs]
All yours. Andy will be your onboarding buddy,
and he can fill you in on your first assignment. Andy?
On it, boss.
RECEPTIONIST: Ma'am, you can't be in here.
TAMMY: No, I want to talk to her now.
You...
You killed my daughter.
KELSEY: Excuse me.
Hi. We need security in the lobby right now.
[dramatic music]
You. You're next.
This place is cursed!
KELSEY: Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
Get out while you still can!
KELSEY: Okay. That's enough.
Don't touch me!
Man.
Downtown just keeps getting crazier and crazier, huh?
Yeah.
Let's get you started on this pitch deck.
[eerie music]
[swiping phone sounds]
[sighs]
[ding]
Oh.
[groans] Okay.
[beep]
[phone ringing]
ELYSE: Calling without a text first. That's bold.
I wanted to hear your voice.
And to tell you,
I decided to take the job at Andy's company.
Oh. You did?
LUKE: Yeah.
Wow.
[chuckles] Is that a good wow?
Like we should celebrate tonight wow?
[sighs] I'm really happy for you.
I just need some time to think about things.
Yeah. Okay.
Absolutely. I understand.
I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing.
[sighs] I'm just still at work
finishing up this report that's going to
shut down a construction site due to toxic mold.
LUKE: Oh, fuck.
These mobbed-up construction guys might make me disappear.
LUKE: Maybe you could leverage your findings
into a lucrative bribe instead.
ELYSE: Look at you, sounding like a business bro already.
See, look, I'm a changed man.
ELYSE: [laughs] All right, well, I gotta go. Bye.
Yeah, all right. Bye.
[phone beeps]
[heavy sigh]
Fuck.
[acoustic guitar strumming]
GABI: ♪ Daisy, Daisy ♪♪
♪ Give me your answer true ♪♪
♪ I'm half crazy ♪
♪ All for the love of you ♪♪
♪ It won't be a stylish marriage ♪♪
♪ I can't afford a carriage ♪♪
♪ But you'll look sweet upon the-- ♪♪
LUKE: Gabi.
Hey! [chuckles]
Yeah. How you doing?
Oh, you went corporate, huh?
[both laugh]
Hey.
You know, health insurance is a thing. I get it.
Yes, it is.
So, you done with music or?
Uh, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not done with music.
Still going to make music. Just taking a little break right now.
I hope so. You have something special.
LUKE: Thanks, Gabi.
It means a lot coming from you.
-Well. -All right. I should get going.
Uh, are you gonna... spread some love around?
-Oh, shit. Absolutely. -If you feel like it.
No, I feel like it. I'm just not used to having money on me.
-Oh, new feeling? -Yeah, absolutely.
Okay, well, hope we play together soon.
Yeah. Me too. Good luck with this.
Thanks.
[resumes "Daisy Bell"]
♪ Daisy, Daisy ♪
[low ominous drone]
♪ All for love of you ♪
♪ It won't be a stylish marriage ♪♪
KELSEY: Hey, Luke.
Hey.
Hey, so the client meeting
got pushed up to 9:00 tomorrow morning,
so I need to see where you're at on that pitch deck now.
Oh.
[groaning]
Can't let go of those music dreams, huh?
[Luke chuckles]
SECURITY: We don't need bums here.
Come on. Get out of here!
-Get out of here. -KELSEY: Ugh.
KELSEY: It's not working out too well for her, huh?
GABI: Okay, I'm leaving.
I'll get that pitch deck to you ASAP.
I work fast when I get my coffee in me.
Ah! You know what?
Now would be a great time to try Mother's Secret.
It works wonders.
Yeah, I'm just really not a kombucha guy.
Well, you know, there's no SCOBY in bottled kombucha,
if that's what's stopping you.
I'll stick with my coffee. Thanks.
You know what?
This is not a great start to your probationary period.
I'm going to do the deck myself.
Uh...
And Luke?
Schedule a performance check-in with me for tomorrow morning.
Performance check-in? What happened?
Dude, all I said was I didn't feel like I wanted
to drink the kombucha.
I didn't know it was gonna be that big of a deal.
I thought it was silly at first, too,
but then I tried it, and I haven't missed a KPI since.
The idea of it is just so gross.
You know, I pulled a lot of strings to get you this job.
You're really making me look bad.
[sighs] I'll think about it. Okay?
[drum hit]
[eerie music]
[sighs]
[whoosh]
[dark music]
You made the right choice.
Oh, hey. Um...
Yeah, I was gonna do the do.
Go on, take a sip.
It's just so fun seeing people's first reactions.
Uh, okay. Sure.
[disgusted sigh]
Look. I actually used to be an actress.
Isn't that silly? But I could never make it work financially.
So then I committed to Symbio,
and this became my dream.
[dark music intensifies]
[evil whispering]
Maybe you'll survive here after all.
-[Luke chuckles] -[squirming sound]
[snorts]
Kelsey, are you okay?
Yes. It's just allergies.
Back to work.
Okay.
All right.
[tension-building music]
[light keyboard clacking]
[chuckles]
[tense music crescendoes]
[sighs]
Oh...
Holy shit. This stuff really works.
[chuckles]
-[clicking mouse] -Hey.
[sighs]
Maybe I was wrong about you.
[loud wet thud]
[squelching, growling]
[gasp]
Luke, do you have a minute to chat about the deck you sent?
The Lumanova deck that you sent me yesterday.
[groaning]
Oh, don't worry, it's just working its magic
in your microbiome.
[gurgling]
Uh, excuse me, I need to--
[groaning]
It might be rough for a couple days, but you'll get used to it.
[groaning in distance]
[Luke groans in pain]
[groaning, pooping]
-[splattering] -[groaning]
[relieved sighs]
[Luke yelps]
[toilet flushes]
[faucet running]
[door opens]
ANDY: Luke, Luke! There you are.
Kelsey's freaking out out there, man.
Something about your pitch deck.
Did she say what the problem was?
No. You better get out there.
LUKE: Okay, okay.
Gotcha.
KELSEY: Luke, you have already hit a milestone that lets you
participate in one of our very most important rituals.
Your incredible pitch deck has put us over the top
for a half-million-dollar contract with Lumanova.
So the honor is yours to ring the gong.
[Luke chuckles]
I'm okay. Thank you, though.
Luke.
ALL TOGETHER: Luke, Luke, Luke.
Luke, Luke, Luke, Luke, Luke, Luke!
Luke, Luke, Luke, Luke!
-[gong ringing] -[cheering]
[celebration music]
Psst. And let's not forget the icing on the cake.
Your 1% share of the deal that you just landed us.
Because at Symbio...
ALL TOGETHER: Serve the job, and the job serves you.
[soft eerie music]
[percussive mouth sounds]
[phone keyboard clicking]
[notification sounds]
[chuckles]
ELYSE: 5K for a PowerPoint?
Mm-hmm. Crazy, right?
And the work is actually kind of interesting too. It's basically
making dysfunctional corporate cultures more cohesive.
ELYSE: Okay. How does that work?
Yeah. So, we have all these rituals we've developed
that help bring teams together.
It's actually kind of fun.
Rituals? Sounds a little culty.
I haven't even told you about the kombucha yet.
What?
[both laugh]
Yeah, so, each client gets their own
unique strain that helps everyone get in sync.
It's all over the office, too.
ELISE: Are you telling me you drink kombucha now?
Who even are you?
I mean, I was pretty skeptical about it at first,
but then I tried it and got crazy productive.
It did give me a terrible case of the shits, though.
That can happen when you introduce new probiotics.
LUKE: Mm-hmm.
Well, how's your boss?
Um, Kelsey. Yeah.
She's kind of intense,
-but I like her. -Okay.
There's one weird thing, though.
Uh...
My first day, she, like, took me to that desk that had,
like, a memorial for the girl that had it before me.
Oh my God. Do you, like, know what happened?
No. But then a crazy lady who must have been her mom
came in screaming about how Kelsey killed her.
Wait. Your boss got accused of murder?
Luke, this company sounds kind of fucked up.
[sighs deeply]
You wanted me to take this job,
and now you're giving me shit about it?
I can't win with you.
Look, I just want you to be happy, okay?
But that doesn't mean you have to work at this place.
I am happy working there.
If you say so.
WAITER: Here you go. Enjoy.
Thank you.
[phone keyboard clicking]
[mysterious music]
[phone keyboard clicking]
[ding notification]
[melancholy piano]
Luke, I know this is your first engagement,
but I want you to co-lead this one with Andy.
It'll mean some extra hours,
but that's the fastest way to learn.
Are you up for that?
Definitely.
Terrific. Then let's check in on your diagnostic plan tomorrow.
All right. I'll be back in five.
I'm gonna grab some more 'booch.
Uh, I'll come with you.
[mysterious music]
Thanks.
Yo. When you started drinking this stuff,
did you get any weird side effects?
Side effects? Like what?
Amazing boners?
What? No, no, I mean, like, stomach stuff.
Weird dreams.
I had really weird shits early on,
but since then, I've felt terrific.
I haven't even had a sick day yet.
Yeah, plus, amazing boners.
No weird dreams, though?
I can't even remember the last time I had a dream.
[retching violently]
Oh, shit.
You good?
Oh, yeah. I guess kombucha doesn't cure allergies.
-Am I right? -Uh-huh.
-I'm gonna go clean up. -Okay.
I'll see you in a few. Yeah.
LUKE: Oh...
[draining, bubbling]
[suspenseful music]
[sniffling]
[stomach growls]
[burps, moans]
[coughing, shivering]
[deep droning sound]
[drum hit]
[critter squelching sounds]
Oh!
-[screeching] -Whoa, fuck!
[nervous breathing]
[frantic music]
[gulps]
[sighs]
[steady hissing sound]
Tammy? I'm Elyse.
TAMMY: Want some honey-garlic?
It's good for the immune system, and it keeps the scaries away.
ELYSE: No. I'm good, thank you.
Can you tell me more about what happened to your daughter?
TAMMY: Rachel.
She was a theater kid who moved to the city after college
and got some parts in plays and did some local commercials
but always had to wait tables just to stay afloat.
And I told her that she needed to get a job with benefits
before she turned 26. My insurance wouldn't cover her.
So she ended up at Symbio.
I was thrilled at first, but then I started noticing
changes.
Like what kind of changes?
The changes seemed good initially.
She seemed motivated, really interested in her work,
um, became a health nut,
kept trying to convince me to start drinking kombucha.
But then she became more and more distant.
On edge.
And she didn't want to talk about work much anymore.
What do you think happened?
I think she found out what they were up to
and wouldn't go along with it.
She drank a cup full of bleach instead of joining them.
Did you go to the police?
They were no help.
Just said it was suicide.
And then Symbio twisted everything around on me too.
ELYSE: How?
They gave me this.
They said that what Rachel was struggling with
was her relationship with me.
But we were always so close
until they pulled her away from me.
And she always called me "Mom," not "Mother."
ELYSE: I'm so sorry.
I think they're a bunch of filthy bloodsuckers
draining the life from their employees.
It sounds like a toxic place to work.
TAMMY: No. They are literal bloodsuckers.
Vampires.
Um, I have to go.
I know what it sounds like.
And there are things I can't explain,
like how they go out in the daylight.
But I looked at that boss bitch, Kelsey, right in the eye,
and I've never been as sure of anything.
She's not human.
Look, thank you for your time.
TAMMY: This boyfriend of yours...
Do everything you can to get him to quit.
And if he won't,
tell him not to drink the kombucha.
I think they lace it with something.
[creepy music intensifies]
[ding notification]
[phone keyboard clicking]
[ding]
[upbeat electronic music]
Now, we found that the biggest gap in their culture
were around bringing their whole selves to work
and thinking outside the box.
They also had substandard rates of circling back.
And low circle-back rates just kill morale.
We think that adding rituals of enforced vulnerability
at these key points in their workflow
will help maximize psychic transference across the team.
Uh, any feedback before the presentation?
Yeah, I have some feedback.
My only concern is that you have set the bar so high,
they're going to expect a grand slam on everything from now on.
Great work, everybody.
See you back here at two for the call.
LUKE: All right. [chuckles]
Hey, Luke. Do you have a minute?
LUKE: Uh, yeah.
What's up?
KELSEY: Your progress since you've joined us
has been simply astounding.
Thank you. I hate to admit it,
but things really started clicking for me
after I started drinking this.
KELSEY: And I love to say, "I told you so."
Okay. [laughs]
KELSEY: But seriously,
your performance has me thinking about a promotion for you.
-Oh, wow. Really? -Mm-hmm.
I mean, that's amazing.
But, if I'm going to champion you at this early stage,
I need to know a little more about you.
What's your favorite bar in the city?
Uh, Maria's, I guess.
KELSEY: Great. Let's go tonight,
and we can talk about what your future might look like here.
It's a date.
Wait, I didn't mean a date. I meant, like, a calendar date.
No, no. It's okay. It's okay.
-I won't tell HR. -[Luke chuckles]
Yet.
[dark ominous music]
Ready when you are.
Wow. You look--
KELSEY: Thanks. Shall we?
Yeah.
[phone buzzes]
Oh, sorry. One second.
Hey. Uh, what is it?
ELYSE: Hey, you said we could talk today.
LUKE: Yeah, I have a work thing I need to go to.
ELYSE: Well, where is it? I'll meet you afterwards.
What? No, no, no.
ELYSE: Luke, it's important.
It's about Symbio. We need to talk tonight.
Uh, it's at Maria's.
I'll text you when I'm done, okay?
ELYSE: Okay. Talk to you later.
Everything okay?
All good. Let's get out of here.
KELSEY: Okay.
-[bottles clink] -[indistinct chatter]
Luke, you made it back!
LUKE: Hey. Yeah.
Guess you're not playing tonight.
LUKE: No, just enjoying the show.
Have a great set, Gabi.
Always do.
It's so fun seeing where you came from.
LUKE: Already feels like a past life.
Wait. Stop. Is this what I think it is?
You might be more hooked than me.
Maybe.
Uh, I'm gonna use the bathroom.
-Okay. -Be right back.
[sighs]
[acoustic guitar strumming]
GABI: ♪ There is a house in New Orleans ♪♪
♪ They call the rising sun ♪♪
♪ And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy ♪♪
♪ And God, I know I'm one ♪♪
♪ My mother was a tailor ♪
♪ She sewed my new blue jeans ♪
♪ And my father was a gambling man ♪
♪ Way down in New Orleans ♪♪
LUKE: What are you doing here, El? I said I was gonna text you.
You told me you had a work thing,
then I find you here on a date.
It is a work thing.
That's my boss, Kelsey.
She basically forced me to be here.
So what is so urgent for you to show up here like this?
So I did some research on Symbio and then I found Tammy,
that dead girl's mom.
So then I met up with her.
-You met up with her? -Yeah.
LUKE: She seems crazy.
Okay, she's out there, but her daughter drank bleach
instead of going along with whatever shit Symbio was doing.
Luke, that place is dangerous.
You have to quit.
Okay, now you seem crazy.
ELYSE: I'm just--I'm worried about you.
El, it's just a company.
All right. It's a little weird, sure,
but it's not a cult or whatever you're imagining.
It's just projects, meetings, emails, reports. That's it.
What's that?
It's nothing. It's just some kombucha.
Tammy said that's how they lure people in.
That shit is addictive, Luke.
[Luke laughs]
That's ridiculous. Okay.
It's no different than drinking coffee or an energy drink,
but it's more, uh, healthy and natural.
[shrill screech]
[dramatic sting]
ELYSE: Luke, what the fuck?
You were talking then you just, like, disappeared.
I don't know. I think I just--
Oh my God, your eye.
LUKE: Oh, uh, it's... It's just allergies probably.
You have to stop drinking that shit.
LUKE: Gotta go.
ELYSE: Hold on. I'm trying to talk to you.
You broke up with me, okay? So just fuck off, please.
Fuck!
GABI: ♪ Oh, mother, tell your children ♪
♪ Not to do what I have ♪
♪ Done ♪
♪ And spend your days in fear... ♪♪
KELSEY: Hey.
So who was that?
My ex.
KELSEY: Oh. That's awkward.
You wanna get out of here?
Absolutely.
♪ Oh, there is a house in New Orleans ♪
♪ They call the Rising Sun ♪♪
♪ And it's been the ruin ♪
♪ Of many a poor boy ♪♪
♪ And God, I know ♪♪
♪ I'm one ♪♪
I've got the normal kombucha.
See some yeast, a little bacteria.
Looks normal.
Now the Symbio kombucha.
Whoa.
My God, are those...
So this is my place.
[phone buzzes]
Is that your ex again?
Yeah.
You want to get rid of her, right?
Uh...
Luke, there's blood in the kombucha.
You've gotta stop drinking it.
KELSEY: Oh my God. Hey.
You sound really crazy right now,
and Luke's pretty freaked out,
so please never contact him again. Okay?
What? No.
She won't bother you again.
[Luke sighs]
[phone ringing]
[error tone]
Fuck.
This feels familiar.
KELSEY: You know, H.R. would kill me for saying this,
but the whole work-life balance thing is a crock of shit.
If you love what you do, then it should seep into
every aspect of your life.
So when I'm here I can focus on work.
And when I'm at work, I feel like I'm at home.
LUKE: Yeah.
Shall we?
Cheers.
I have a confession to make.
Uh, what's that?
Don't be freaked out,
but I filled out a relationship disclosure form
before we went out tonight.
Just... I mean, I didn't submit it,
but, I don't know, I just felt like
maybe there was something between us.
I don't know. That's so embarrassing.
No, I think you're really amazing.
KELSEY: Really?
Good. I think you're amazing too.
[kissing]
[moaning]
[ominous music playing, heart thumping]
You make me want to be a mother.
Uh, um... what?
KELSEY: Is this okay?
Uh, yeah.
Oh.
[moaning]
Then give me your seed.
-[moaning] -[panting]
[panting, heartbeats]
Give the seed to Mother.
[guttural groaning]
Oh...
-[heavy breathing] -[music slows]
[sighs]
Awesome. Great job, Luke.
[distant groaning]
[distant groaning continues]
Kelsey?
[groaning, heavy breathing]
[Kelsey moans]
Hey, uh, what are you doing?
[groaning]
LUKE: Are you okay?
[groaning continues]
-[shrieking] -[flesh tearing]
LUKE: What the fuck?
-[squirming sounds] -[panting]
KELSEY: Mother will be so happy.
[high-pitched cry]
[Luke gasps]
Look who finally woke up.
Uh, where is it?
Where's what?
The...
The baby.
[laughs] The what?
This morning...
[creepy music rises]
KELSEY: Hey.
Yeah.
I think maybe my dirty talk got in your head a little bit.
It's okay. It's all in good fun.
Why don't you go home and clean up?
Do you want a smoothie for the road?
Uh, yeah. Yeah, sure.
[soft moody music plays]
[squishing, bubbling noises]
-Hey, stranger. -[gasps]
-Hey, hey. What's up? -Hi.
Uh-oh. Did I catch you reminiscing about last night?
Cause that's all I've been doing this morning.
Uh, yeah. You caught me. [chuckles]
Well, I've got some exciting news.
I floated your promotion to the CEO.
She's going to be in town this weekend.
She wants to meet you on Saturday.
How's that sound?
-That sounds good. Great. -I know, right?
Can you put together a quick presentation for her?
Yeah, I'll get right on that.
Ahh. Awesome.
Hey. We're going to do great things together.
[creepy music builds]
[squishing sounds]
[muffled voices echo]
-[heavy breathing] -[pulsing beat intensifies]
-[squishing sounds] -[soft whispers]
ANDY: [muffled] Luke, Luke.
Luke, what do you think?
LUKE: About what?
About slide four. Should we cut it?
Uh, sure. I think we should cut it.
You okay, Luke? You look a little queasy.
No. All right. Uh, yeah. Um...
I'll... I'll be back in a few.
[sinister music]
All right. Come on.
Get it together.
You're okay.
Focus, focus, focus.
Okay. Okay. Come on, come on, come on.
[growl]
Oh! Oh! Oh!
[gasping]
Oh, what? Are you okay? What's going on?
LUKE: Uh, I don't know. I think I saw something.
I'm okay, I think.
Okay. Well, you don't look so good.
So why don't you take a car home and rest up
and drink some kombucha? That'll sort you out.
And we can meet back here tomorrow morning.
LUKE: Okay.
Back to work, everyone.
[stomach rumbling]
GABI: Luke, hey.
Shit, you don't look good.
-[vomiting] -Oh my God. Okay.
[Luke groans]
GABI: Are you okay?
Yeah, yeah. I'm good.
I just-- I got a car.
-This is them. -Okay, I got it, I got it.
Okay, okay. [groans]
Get in.
[Luke groans]
Go home and get some rest.
No job is worth dying for. Okay?
[Luke moans, grumbles]
[panting, coughing]
DRIVER: Hey, what's going on back there?
[groaning]
[stomach loudly churns]
[Luke screams]
[heaves]
DRIVER: You better not be taking a shit.
I already cleaned up one shit this week.
[panting in pain]
[grunting]
It's a $100 fee if you shit in my car, buddy.
[panting]
[dramatic sting]
[evil laughter]
Mother can't wait to hold you.
[yelling, groaning]
[car door shuts]
[heavy breathing]
[panting]
Okay, okay.
Okay. Okay.
[knocking]
Uh...
What are you doing here?
You told me to fuck off, and then your new boss or girlfriend
or whatever blocks me.
And you think--you think you can just show up here?
Please, I--
[searing flesh sounds]
I need your help, El.
Please.
Yeah. Here. Come inside.
And I saw him again in the car.
This other me.
I think I know what they're gonna do now.
They're gonna replace me.
[sighs] You were right.
It's the kombucha.
Can you say something?
So it's not just addictive then,
it's giving you paranoid hallucinations.
You don't believe me.
I believe that stuff is poisoning you.
But, Luke, the idea that there's another you
out there that's going to replace you...
That's not real.
We need to get you to a hospital.
No. Then they'll know where to find me.
This is the only place I feel safe.
[blanket whooshes]
If your withdrawal is anything like detoxing from opioids,
you are gonna be sweating and puking your ass off.
So I'll get you some chicken soup and electrolytes
to keep you hydrated.
And then some antibiotic cream for the sores.
Thanks, El. I mean it.
You know, this doesn't mean we're back together.
I know, I know.
Maybe after you get straightened out,
we can talk about it.
I'd like that.
[stomach churns]
Oh, if you're gonna puke, do it in the trash can.
[plucky suspenseful music]
[gong hit]
Ahh!
[distorted baby crying]
[dramatic sting]
[Luke groans]
-Hey. -It's okay, Luke. I invited her.
TAMMY: I just need to check your eyes.
You're her mom, aren't you?
I remember you from the office. Oh--
And they gave you Rachel's desk like she was never there.
ELYSE: This is Tammy.
Okay. Yeah, well, I'm sorry what--
about what happened to her.
Okay.
Well, the good news is I don't think you're a vampire yet,
but you might be turning.
What? Vampire?
ELYSE: Can we cool it with the vampire talk?
TAMMY: You're the one who found blood in the kombucha.
Blood?!
So what's your theory?
Well, I don't know that I have a better one,
but he's been talking about Mother when he's sleeping.
Like, "Don't let Mother take me."
Stuff like that.
Before Rachel died,
she was writing all kinds of fucked-up stuff about Mother,
and that bitch Kelsey said it was about me,
but I know you don't mean me.
So who's Mother?
I don't know.
[dramatic sting]
Ahh! [panting]
It's the SCOBY.
Shit. That's right.
I've heard people call it the kombucha mother.
Yeah, they call the kombucha Mother's Secret.
A head vampire. That's a SCOBY, huh?
[gurgling]
Oh, oh, oh. Ah!
Okay. Uh, something doesn't feel right.
TAMMY: I've got something that might help.
Unless you have any other ideas.
Garlic's good for the stomach.
And if you keep it down, at least we know
you're not a vampire.
[groans] Okay. Yeah, that smell makes me nauseous.
TAMMY: Just try a little.
ELYSE: Can you back off?
We need to know.
[retching]
[vomits, coughs]
[Luke yells]
[slimy critter sounds]
[Luke continues yelling]
-[thud] -[splat]
[groans]
[groaning]
[dramatic sting]
[screaming]
It was Mother. It was Mother.
She was calling to me.
TAMMY: Well, what did she say?
I don't know. I don't know.
It wasn't like words or like ones I could understand.
It was just like a feeling.
She was telling me to come home.
This doesn't sound like normal withdrawal.
It's like he's got a,
like, a neural bond with this thing.
Please help her get her out of my head.
TAMMY: We need to go to the source.
-We've got to kill the mother. -Yeah.
That's our best chance of saving you.
Yeah. How?
-TAMMY: Well... -Wait, I've got an idea.
So even though this is some fucking mutant SCOBY,
it's still mostly just bacteria and yeast,
and we can kill that.
Your lab.
[phone ringing]
VOICEMAIL: Hey!
You've reached Luke's voicemail.
Leave a message after the beep.
[low ominous tone]
ELYSE: Are you sure you're okay with this?
Yeah. Yeah, it's the only way.
At least like this,
I know I won't be able to get any kombucha.
We'll be back as soon as we can.
Be careful, okay?
We will.
Are you ready to go to the lab?
No. Um, I'll meet you at Symbio.
I need to stop by my place first.
Are you serious?
All right, but one hour. Don't be late.
Okay.
All right.
[exhales heavily]
[ominous rumble]
[knocking]
KELSEY: Luke.
[knocking]
Luke?
[knocking]
Luke!
[bursting open door]
Luke, it's me, Kelsey.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Luke, are you home?
Where are you?
[electronic music builds]
Jackpot.
For the bacteria.
And for the yeast.
Tammy, you're late.
Sorry. Took longer than I thought
to round everything up.
What is this?
TAMMY: Insurance.
For the last time, they're not vampires, okay?
TAMMY: Luke sure didn't seem to like that garlic in his face.
Yeah. Did you see what was crawling out of his mouth?
Can you just ditch the bag and let's go inside?
I'm not ditching anything.
[Elyse sighs]
You might think it's stupid, but I'm the one who lost
my daughter to these fuckers.
And I'm gonna do whatever it takes to make sure they don't
get anybody else, including Luke.
No matter how ridiculous I look.
[Elyse sighs]
All right, fine.
We try my way first, though. Okay?
-Okay. -All right.
[ding, elevator door opens]
[whispering] All right.
[beep]
Come on.
Oh. Remember to be quiet.
The CEO is supposed to come in later,
so there's people working.
What kind of asshole works on a Saturday?
[faint music]
It's an ugly mother.
ELYSE: Let's start with the biocide.
[loud clank]
[light keyboard clacking]
-[shrill monster squeal] -[Andy grunts]
-[shrill squeal] -[Andy grunts]
ELYSE: Fungicide. Quick!
[shrill squealing]
[splat]
ANDY: Hey!
What are you doing?
We have to get out of here.
There's gotta be another way out.
I'll hold them off.
ELYSE: No, I'm not leaving you.
I'm warning you.
Come any closer and things are gonna get serious.
Go now!
No, stop!
Or I'll unleash the power of Christ on your ass.
ANDY: Oh, hate to burst your bubble,
but the power of Christ can't hurt us.
[smack]
Ow!
Power of Christ for the win.
Grab her!
[intense music]
[grunting]
You took Rachel.
But at least I'll die knowing I got your precious Mother.
There's just one problem.
That isn't Mother.
What?
[thud]
ELYSE: Tammy!
[body thuds]
You. You're with me.
You. Clean this mess up.
[hydrant clangs on floor]
She's over here somewhere.
Oh.
[door alarm sounds]
[suspenseful music playing, heart thumping]
[evil whispers]
ANDY: I see you've met Mother.
She's over here!
[groans] I miss my old life.
I just want to make music.
I just want to play music.
Come on. You got this.
[door opening]
[footsteps approaching]
Elyse? Tammy? Is that you?
[door creaks open]
KELSEY: Aww.
Hi, Luke.
You're supposed to be at work.
I'm not... I'm not coming back. I quit.
Aw. Your resignation is not accepted.
LUKE: You did something to me!
To my mind, my body.
And that fucking baby...
That fucking worm baby. That was real, wasn't it?
All I did was give you a chance at an extraordinary life.
To be a better version of yourself.
To be part of a team working in perfect harmony.
Yeah, is this your idea of a better version of myself?
Huh?
You don't see the bigger picture.
But I'll help you.
Your body is almost ready.
All you need is one more glass of Mother's Secret.
[Luke coughs]
We got rid of it all.
It's all gone. And I'm not fucking you.
Don't worry. I always bring some with me.
Mm-mm. Mm-mm. Mm-mm.
Fresh always tastes best.
[Luke panting]
It's your choice.
Join us and live a life you never could have dreamed of,
or go back to being a fucking loser.
Mm-mm. Mm-mm.
[groaning]
KELSEY: It's your choice.
[groans]
KELSEY: Mm-hmm.
[music fades]
[sipping sound]
Doesn't that feel better?
[Kelsey sighs]
Let's get you ready for that promotion.
[deep swirling sound]
It's too bad she wasn't Mother's type.
You, on the other hand...
[body thuds]
Don't worry. Everything's fine.
Come on.
There he is. The man of the hour.
Congrats on the promotion, buddy.
Couldn't have done it without you.
Luke, what are you doing?
You said the CEO would be here.
She is.
You already know.
[dark sinister music]
[squishing, gurgling]
ELYSE: No, no, no, no, no.
No...
[whispering] You're not gonna want to miss this.
She's been taking care of our baby.
Do you want to meet him?
-[splashing] -[groaning]
-[slimy squishing] -[deep breathing]
[intense ritual music]
[heavy thud]
[neck cracks]
What the fuck is this?
Aww. Are you scared?
You can join us if you like.
Mother likes you. You must have that creative spark.
All you have to do is drink.
I'm not drinking that shit.
Okay, well, whether you do or not,
Mother can make use of you.
What are you gonna do to him?
We all repay the gift Mother gave us.
[stammers] What do you mean, "repay"?
[ancient drum hit]
[monster shrieking]
[monster growling]
ELYSE: Luke, you don't have to do this!
Luke, no, please!
Let's get him started on the reintegration process.
Mother needs time to feed and recuperate.
Can I watch this one?
Uh, yes, reintegration it is.
[monster grumbling]
ANDY: It actually feels really great when she absorbs you.
It's like crawling back into the womb.
But you'll find out soon enough.
[monster squealing]
[knuckles crack]
KELSEY: Ugh.
Hey, could you go grab him a mug?
His fine motor isn't quite there yet.
ANDY: You bet.
Oh.
You'll feel like yourself soon.
Luke, please! Snap out of it!
[weeping]
[Mother groans]
♪ When you wake up in the morning ♪♪
♪ Hear the work bell ring ♪
♪ And they march you to the table ♪
♪ See the same old thing ♪
♪ No food on the table ♪
♪ No pork in the pan ♪
♪ You better not complain, boy ♪
♪ You'll get in trouble with the man ♪
LUKE & ELYSE: ♪ So let the Midnight Special ♪
♪ Shine a light on me ♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪
♪ Shine a light on me ♪
[shimmering sound]
Oh, oh...
[screaming]
Ah! Luke!
Come on! Hold on!
-[Luke yells] -[Mother screams]
[grunting, panting]
Luke!
[Elyse grunts]
[Luke grunts]
[Mother squeals angrily]
Oh, okay.
[Mother screams]
[Luke groans]
-Are you okay? -Yeah.
All right, let's get the fuck out of here.
[groaning, squelching]
Better. Again.
Let me circle back to you on that.
You'll be leading calls in no time.
Keep practicing. I'm gonna go serve Mother her second course.
Let me circle back to you on that.
[Mother groans]
They got out.
Mother must be starving.
Find them now!
[psychic noise]
ELYSE: What's wrong?
[whispering] He can feel where I am.
Go, go, go, go.
I'll draw him away. You go get help.
What? No. We're leaving together.
I have to end this.
I'll be right behind you. Let's go, let's go.
Come on, asshole.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Where do you think you're going?
-[smack] -[Andy groans]
[high-pitched ringing]
Oh, ahh, ah! [groaning]
[smack]
-[flesh ripping inside] -[Andy groans]
-[smack] -[Andy yelps]
What did you do to me?
[melting flesh]
-God! -[smack]
[guts tearing]
Oh my God. Garlic kills bacteria and yeast.
You were right, Tammy.
[Luke panting]
ELYSE: Luke!
[choking]
Hey, asshole!
It's you or me.
[thud]
-So let's figure this shit out. -[Elyse coughs]
Get out of here now.
[coughing]
ELYSE: We're ending this.
[intense music]
[both grunt]
What are you even fighting for, huh? [chuckles]
You were miserable in your old life
with your pathetic dreams!
Ahh!
I got to play music that made people feel something.
What are you gonna do with my life? Huh?
I'll unlock synergies you couldn't possibly imagine!
What the fuck does that mean?
-[slam] -[grunts]
-[bones break]
[screams]
This should tide you over till your next meal.
[slimy squishing]
[intense music]
-No, no! You'll kill her! -[Mother groans]
[thud]
[psychic noise]
[grunting]
[choking]
[grunting]
[smack]
[tense music, heart thumping]
[screams]
[neck snaps]
[Mother grumbles]
[flesh squishing]
[loud monster yell]
[choking, struggling]
[garlic splashes]
[monster screams]
-[psychic noise] -[Slimy Luke groans]
[Luke gasps]
[Slimy Luke yells]
[bones and flesh snap]
I could have created so much value.
[flesh tearing]
[weeping, screaming]
[heavy breathing]
-[slimy squishing] -[Mother whimpers]
[Mother groans]
[coughing, hacking]
I should have never referred you.
[coughing, hacking]
Oh, oh,
oh, oh...
[splashing]
[plops]
[city noises]
In private equity, you try your best.
You do your due diligence
on companies that you might want to invest in,
and sometimes you miss something.
Fair to say, with Symbio, we missed something.
Understatement.
Yeah.
Obviously, we'd like to keep what happened quiet,
and we'd appreciate your cooperation with that.
To make it worth your while,
we'd like to offer you both jobs with BC Ventures.
Oh, uh, thanks, but we're not interested.
Yeah, we're really not about the corporate life anymore.
Plus, we have our own plans that
we're trying to align on right now.
Okay, well, why don't you just look at my terms?
LUKE: Honestly, we're good. But...
Just in case you can be more good.
[shallow breathing]
Um...
[ticking music]
Yeah. Nah.
We need to save as much cash as we can from this mess.
Liquidate everything that isn't bolted down.
Everything.
[beep]
[ticking music builds]
[peeling]
[ticking music intensifies]
♪♪
♪ When you wake up in the mornin' ♪♪
♪ You hear the work bell ring ♪
♪ And they march you to the table ♪
♪ You see the same old thing ♪
♪ Ain't no food on the table ♪
♪ Ain't no pork in the pan ♪
♪ But you better not complain, boy ♪
♪ You'll get in trouble with the man ♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪
♪ Shine a light on me ♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪
♪ Shine a light on me ♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪
♪ Shine a light on me ♪
♪ Let the Midnight Special ♪
♪ Shine an ever-lovin' light ♪
♪ On me ♪♪