Your son has a very fertile imagination.
Is he going to be okay?
Yes. He's just hypersensitive.
Which means what?
He has a deep connection to an alternate reality.
He's not like you and me.
He has visions.
You mean hallucinations?
The visions that he's experiencing are very real to him.
That still doesn't explain why he cuts himself.
Well self-injury, or cutting,
is one of the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
When people suffer from delusional episodes...
they quite often use physical pain to get control of their lives.
In some strange way it actually calms them down and focuses them.
I've encouraged Sam to use a more creative way...
to keep a hold of him when he suffers from one of his dreams.
He's actually quite a talented artist.
What causes his disorder?
It can be as simple as a divorce.
We just got married so young, and...
How's your drinking?
Six months sober.
The breakup of your family's bean really hard on Sam.
If you and your wife can't work things out,
I would suggest that you spend more time with him.
We just spent the whole summer together.
Three months a year isn't enough.
He needs you fulltime.
And he needs you to believe in him.
And his dreams?
They'll subside once his life stabilizes.
How's that comic book?
Pretty good.
Wolverine's a bad ass.
Yeah, huh?
So what did the doctor say?
Am I psycho, or what?
She said you're going through a, a tough time.
Good
'Cause I don’t ever want to go back to that place again.
Yeah, I know that.
This last week in the hospital had to be hard on you.
But hey, we had a fun summer, huh?
Yeah. I like being with you.
So what do you think?
Can I pick them?
Go ahead.
The red and the white one.
All right. Two more.
And the black one, and the pale one.
All right, let's trailer up.
Come on, hit the road.
You know, I want a horse for my birthday.
You just got four.
Yeah, but those are workhorses for the ranch.
I want one just for me.
They're a lot of work.
I'm up for it.
We'll see.
God, are we almost home yet? We've been driving forever, Dad.
Now we've got a hundred miles before we hit the Oregon border.
We got a ways.
We had to go a long way to get my head screwed on, huh?
Yeah.
Your mom misses you.
You're going to have a good year with your mom.
And then next summer, we're going to take another road trip;
we'll go someplace new.
How's that sound?
Good.
Listen, I, I know that I always haven't been...
the best father all the time.
Yes you have.
I know I haven't.
So do you.
But I'm going to work on it, all right?
Look out, Dad!
Sam.
Dad? Hello?
It's locked.
There's a key on the hook behind you.
How's your head?
Sam, come here.
Man, you slept for two days.
You had me worried.
What happened?
Well, we were in an accident.
How you feeling?
I'm okay.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
Who's the old man?
I tried to show him around, I think I scared the be jesus out of him.
This is Sam.
You know, the doctor said you took a pretty good shot to the head.
You must be tough as nails.
Mr. Zachary, here, he pulled us out of the truck, and he found us a doctor.
Call me Ben.
When are we going home?
I offered your dad a job to help me out around here.
What about Mom?
Anybody hungry?
I'm going to make some food.
Come here.
Sit down.
We're not going to be able to go home for a while.
Why not?
Well, our farm was put under quarantine...
by the Health Department today.
There's some sort of toxin in the water.
Is Mom okay?
She's fine.
This is the last thing I wanted.
Your mother's worried about you coming home...
until they get this thing figured out.
But I have school in a week.
There's a school in town here...
that you can go until we get you back home.
I don't want to stay here.
Mr. Zachary's been nice enough to offer us free room and board.
But he's weird, he's really weird.
And this whole place is weird, it gives me the creeps.
It's beautiful.
Besides, it gives us more time to hang out, you know?
Append some time together.
You want to see a trick?
That's good.
You lived here your whole life?
Not yet.
Well, Sam and I are interested in your offer.
We'd like to check out the school first.
Yeah, I can take you up in the morning if Sam's up for it.
Freedom of choice.
It's the only gift a short life gives to any man.
It's your choice, Sam.
I'll check it out, I guess.
It's settled then?
So you grow your own vegetables.
No telephone, no TV.
I confess, I have a gas stove with a manual pilot.
I grew up on a farm. I hated it,
'til I left.
Age puts perspective on childhood, doesn't it?
You got any music?
I have a wind-up gramophone.
I got some Mozart.
I play the piano sometime, it keeps me company.
What about e-mail?
DVDs? Sony PlayStation?
If I want to correspond I write a letter
and I put it inside a stamped envelope.
As for movies, I like to make a road trip out of it in the city,
see them on the big screen.
Video games mean nothing to me.
Man, you're old school.
I do have one hobby we might share, though.
You read comic books?
More than that, I collect them.
There's nothing more exciting than a test between good and evil.
Wolverine's my favorite.
I'm a little more old school.
Spider-Man?
This is a first edition 1964.
Stan Lee, the godfather of Marvel Comics.
Don't spill anything on it.
Tell me if you think that the movie
did justice to Peter Parker's fall from grace...
Oh, I forgot.
No, I don't drink.
It's table wine.
You play chess?
When I have a worthy opponent.
Sam, he's really good.
My mother taught me.
Well I could teach you some more.
And I'm sure you have some tricks for me.
Shall we?
Sure, why not?
You make the first move.
Hey, Dad.
What is he so excited about?
Oh, he's on me, he wants me to buy him his own horse.
There's a pony for sale back there.
You know, taking care of a horse is good for kids.
Why does your son cut himself?
How'd you know?
The scars on his arms.
He's not handling the divorce real well.
He's tough.
He'll get over it.
You're quite the artist, Samuel.
That's what my mother calls me.
It's a very noble name.
It means judgment of God, did you know that?
While we're on the subject of God,
there's something I'd like you to consider.
My literature class this term is focusing on the first...
and last books of the bible,
but some parents have a problem with it from a First Amendment standpoint.
Well I don't have a problem with you learning about the bible, do you?
Sounds cool.
Wonderful.
I'm sure we'll learn a lot from each other.
Is there someplace I can get a phone?
I don't get any cell service around here.
There's a payphone at the car just up the road.
I didn't do anything wrong, Sam.
Davis, give me a hand here, will you?
Hey, what about those two at the bar?
I'm sure there'll still there.
Fine that we make a night of it.
Yeah.
I, I don't think that Sam is ready to deal with that, yet.
Maybe it's not the son that traps the father,
but the father that traps himself.
There's nothing to deal with.
Oh, I envy the simplicity you've created.
You're so hard on yourself, David.
If you're happy, what is wrong with that?
Have you ever been married?
I'm married to life.
I have no desire to cheat on it
Yeah, I made that mistake.
She never let you forget it, did she?
I adopted and raised this little girl.
She's a full-grown woman now.
But from the very beginning.
I taught her don't trust men and their fidelity.
You can thank God foe that.
One man for one woman?
I mean, that's a sick joke on all of us.
By the way, when you're out by the bar,
stop by the market and pick up this stuff for me, will you?
Just tell them, put it on my tab.
Right, yeah.
Hey Sam, I'll be back in a bit.
Where'd my father go?
To the market.
You want to hear me play some thing?
You don't like me, do you?
I don't know you.
You're thinking about...
how you're going to defend yourself against my next move.
Am I right?
Good. Keep in mind, the winner must attack.
You can't spend your life being defensive.
Check and mate.
Hi. -Hi. Room's already been rented.
Actually, I'm here to see Sam.
His mom called this afternoon, gave me this address.
She's worried. So, since I live less than an hour away,
she asked me to check on him.
Uh-Huh.
Doctor Cairns.
Hey, Sam.
What are you doing here?
I just came by to see you and your father.
David just went into town a little while ago.
Mm. How are you feeling?
Well he just go a bump on the head.
Have you seen a doctor?
Yeah, right after the accident one came to the house.
Why don't we go for a walk.
Do you believe in God?
Yes. Why do you ask?
Your necklace.
My mother gave it to me
Why do you wear it?
It, uh, protects me, I guess.
I'm taking a bible class at school this semester.
It made me think.
When you look at the stars,
it's hard believe there's not something greater than us at work.
You sound like my mother.
My dad says it was just a big explosion...
and all this stuff shot out of it.
Well, somebody had to make the stuff.
Somebody had to design us.
Did God?
I believe he did.
But the real question here is, what do you believe?
I don't know exactly.
Well faith is deeply personal, Sam.
It's an awfully big question for someone so young.
Just take your time, listen to your heart.
You'll form your own beliefs in time.
How would you feel about coming back to the hospital with me?
I'm not going back there unless my dad comes with me.
All right, well I'll talk to him when he gets back.
In the meantime, why don't you go pack?
I don't know.
Sam, you've got to trust me.
I wants’ best for you.
Please go pack your things.
Sam is a very unique child.
Yes, he is.
That's a beautiful tree.
Yeah, I guess you might call it The Tree Of Life.
You're welcome to pick something before you go.
You're thinking about...
how you're going to defend yourself from my next move.
Keep in mind the winner must attack.
You can't spend your life being defensive.
Hello, Sam.
Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam...
Dad.
Good morning, Sam.
He killed Dr. Cairns.
What are you talking about.
She came last night, right after you left, and he killed her.
Look, that's impossible, okay?
But I saw him do it, Dad.
Are you sure?
You had another bad dream, just like all the others.
This wasn't a dream, Dad.
It was so real.
Most dreams are, until we wake up.
Why'd you go into town last night?
I went the market.
You went to see those girls, didn't you?
No, I didn't.
If I did, what would be wrong with that?
You know, I got to have some fun myself sometimes.
You and Mom used to have fun.
Yeah, we used to.
But we changed.
No, you changed.
They say a horse is God's gift to man.
Hi, Miss Chapman.
Oh, call me Grace.
School doesn't start 'til tomorrow.
He likes you.
I like him, too.
Do you want to ride him?
I'm sure he'd enjoy the exercise.
He's yours?
Yeah, he's mine.
For real?
Yeah, lets go saddle him up.
All right.
Hee-yah, hee-yah, yeah, come on, come on.
Oh, you look good in the saddle Sam.
I ride a little back home.
Keep a loose grip on the reigns, and keep your legs against him.
You sound like my mother.
Your confidence...
don't worry...
keep your legs together and kick him so he'll run.
Come on now, kick him, kick him harder.
You're a natural, Sam, you're a natural.
Dad, hey Dad! Hey, Dad, guess what?
What? -I rode the pony.
You know the one that was for sale down the road?
Yep.
Miss Chapman was there.
She said I'm a natural.
Yeah? That's great. Hey!
Where are you going?
Just out with some friends.
Hey, guys.
Have fun, David.
Sam and I will do the same, right Sam?
Dad, don't leave me with him.
I can't do this right now, Sam.
I need a night for myself, all right?
I'm going to be just a couple hours, all right?
Now you be a good boy.
You hungry? I am.
How did you like that Spider-Man comic?
I liked the movie better.
You remind me of a young Peter Parker.
An idealist, smart, innocent.
They say we could see what the angels see...
if we didn't have salt in the tears.
I'm addicted to it.
Hey, you want to go fishing tomorrow?
I have school.
No, we could hook us a few rainbows.
I don't think your father would mind if you played hooky
I'd better not.
You're mad because your father went out tonight.
You know, sometimes adults have to focus on themselves.
He tells me he hasn't done it in a long time.
He had you and your mother to worry about
I'm not very hungry.
He tells me you had a bad dream last night.
I wouldn't worry about that very much.
Dreams can be deceptive.
Like people.
Yeah, like people.
May I be excused?
Sure.
Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam...
Genesis says God crated Heaven and Earth,
and the very first man and woman.
Whom might they be?
Adam and Eve.
What else can you tell us, Holly?
God placed Adam and Eve inside the garden with Satan.
And what form did Satan take?
He was a snake wrapped around a tree,
with an ugly tongue hanging out of his mouth.
That tree that the serpent wrapped himself...
around was a pretty important tree, don't you think?
It was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
And it was the only tree in the garden...
that God told Adam and Eve they couldn't eat from.
But they did, and that's why we're here.
Yes, Sam?
It says here Satan's a serpent.
But he looks like a man in this painting.
Good eye.
The bible claims that the serpent can walk on legs, and talk to humans.
So the devil can be anything he wants, right?
Jesse, since your mouth is so open,
why don't you read from The Book of Genesis.
Chapter two, verse 10 and 11.
Do I have to?
Yes, if you want to pass seventh grade I suggest it.
Hey, mind if I walk home with you?
If you want.
I'm Holly.
Sam.
I know.
You're new, huh?
Yeah.
I heard you had a bad accident.
That say you almost died.
Oh, it wasn't that bad.
Yeah, come on little piggy, where you going?
Where you going?
Well, well, well, if it isn't the God Squad.
Leave us alone.
Hey, freak, think you're a real Einstein, don't you?
Not really.
Go away, Jesse.
Shut up, Holly.
Don't talk to her like that.
Yeah? What are you going to do about it?
Think you're a real bad ass, don't you?
I don't want to fight.
Jesse, stop!
Are you his girlfriend?
Huh? You going to protect him?
Here it comes, Sam.
You like that?
Scaring you?
Huh?
Hit the car.
Come on...
Jesse, stop it.
Come on.
Stop. Stop it.
How's that arm?
It's not bad.
I'll, I'll finish this door...
and we'll get some ice cream, how does that sound?
I want to leave this place.
I told you that we can't leave here yet.
We can't go home, okay?
I don't care where we go, as long as it's away from here.
You had a bad day at school, it's just one day.
You don't understand.
All right,
I'll take you back to the hospital.
I'm not going there unless you come with me.
Sam, I'm making some good money here.
You don't understand, Dad.
No, I, I understand, okay?
A bully's been giving you a hard time, and, and you're scared.
Sometime we have to tough it up through the hard times.
Just hang in there for a day or two.
If it doesn't get any better then we'll get out of here.
Promise.
How was your first day of school?
Who cares?
That's the spirit.
Hey, I got an idea,
why don't you invite that kid that hassled you over?
Why would I do that?
He wanted to kill me.
He's a bully.
Your dad's right.
You have to learn to start turning negative into positive,
so when the hard stuff hits you can shake it off.
You know, why, why don't you have him over,
ride some horses, play some games.
Once he gets to know you, he'll lighten up.
Yeah, that's okay.
We're leaving here anyway, so...
Hmm.
It's not people or places.
You take yourself wherever you go.
You run from your problems, and they'll chase you forever.
Take my word for it.
The best fruit hangs at the end of the branches.
Look at that moon.
You ever feel like you're being watched?
More bad dreams?
This tree's old, isn't it?
It's as old as these hills.
Do you ever pick the fruit.
When they're ripe.
When will that be?
Soon.
You ever heard of the Fields of Elysian?
Yes, yes, yes.
Some cultures believe it's...
where the good souls go after they die, the rest in peace.
Like heaven.
Do you think you'll go there?
No, I don't believe in those sort of places.
What do you believe in?
Now.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Right now, this moment.
There has to be something more.
Well if you find out, let me know.
Why don't I make you a cup of hot chocolate?
We'll play a chess game.
I'll warm the milk.
The apocalypse is God's way of telling us he's had enough.
Kind of like a moral time out.
How does it start, Holly?
God unleashes these four nasty horsemen,
giving them the authority to kill one quarter of the earth.
Can you be more specific about the horses' characteristics?
The four horses are white, red, black and pale.
And each of the riders has a specific job.
When the Four Horsemen are released,
they travel north, south, east and west,
killing everything in their path.
The rider of the white horse represents conquest,
the red horseman is war, the black horse rides famine,
and the pale horse rides plague.
They are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Sam? Sam? Did you hear the question?
No ma'am.
Why would the same God who create us destroy us?
If you believe in the bible, he's not trying to destroy us.
He's trying to save us.
Well there's another theory about who owns the apocalypse.
Some argue that it will be Satan's revenge for being exiled by God.
They say that he will reverse God's moral order.
That's not possible.
Well it is if the devil can get a man to eat from the Tree of Life.
He can't get past this sort of truth.
Don't underestimate Satan's power.
I mean,
I'm not saying the theory is true, but we have to examine all sides.
Holly, anything else?
The archangel Michael comes down and drives Satan into a lake of fire.
Then there's silence.
Sam. Ready for another ass kicking?
Hey, that's enough, Jesse.
Uh, Jesse?
Yeah?
What are you doing after school today?
Riding bikes, why?
You want to come over?
We could ride horses.
I will.
Sure, whatever.
Thanks.
I asked Sam to bring his friends over.
Give them a chance to play so you can do some work.
Thanks.
There you go.
Good idea.
I got get him back to his mom real soon.
You got to get him back to her, or yourself?
I met her on a ranch like this.
How's that?
Well she hired me to do some work,
and I did it real slow so I could keep coming back.
Mystery, passion, romance.
Then I had to marry her.
You loved her.
Still do.
Hey, Dad.
These are my friends Holly and Jesse.
You kids want some lemonade?
Uh, no thanks.
No thank you.
Sam told me all about you guys.
Can we see the horses?
Wouldn't you rather ride them?
That's Miss Chapman's pony.
It's yours now.
Happy Birthday, Sam.
You remembered?
Like I'm going to forget the big 13, huh?
You're no longer just a boy.
What are you waiting for?
Yha! Yah, yah!
I'm so bored.
Then go home.
Why don't we go check out the barn?
No thanks.
You really like this freak, don't you?
He's nice
You know, whatever.
I, I'm out of here.
The world is a dangerous place for children.
Tea?
Got anything stronger?
Whiskey it is.
I can't believe it?
How's Sam?
He's upstairs, drawing.
Kid's had a rough time of it.
Got to get him home.
I think I understand the reason for his dreams.
Sam. Sam. Sam. Sam.
Sorry, Sam.
Let me see if I can wrap my head around this, okay?
Your garden is the Garden of Eden.
Yes
And there's this sword of fire...
Sword of truth.
And that, and that sword protects your tree.
I'm sorry, the, the Tree of Life.
This is the killer.
It says there that the serpent must tempt a man...
to willingly eat from the Tree of Life.
And so doing defies God's will for a second time
Which, in turn, reverses the Apocalypse.
The Apocalypse.
Yes.
Listen close, David.
I'm not doing a lap dance here.
I need you to know that this is all true.
I need you to eat from the tree of life to immortalize yourself.
Why is that?
Once you eat from the Tree of Life, your soul becomes mine, mine.
And that's a good thing.
You need to turn your life over to a higher power, yours.
You tried God, that didn't work.
I understand your flaws.
I embrace them.
I need them.
You understand what I'm saying to you?
Yeah.
What am I going to do about Sam?
Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam.
When you love people you have to surrender them.
You're too soft, David.
I just want him to have a better life than I did.
I just want him to have the things I never had.
David, David, send him back to his mother.
Let her deal with his mental illness.
It's harvest time.
Those girls will be a wonderful distraction.
The fruit of your labor.
Don't listen to him, Dad.
Sam.
Show him the room.
What room might that be?
You know what room.
Sam, stop this.
It's okay, Davis.
Let's have a look.
No mystery here.
Just a bunch of buckets and brooms.
But it was full of other people's things, Dad.
He traps their spirits.
I've seen them.
In your dreams, Sam.
You see spirits in your dreams.
No. They're real.
You need help, Sam.
Shut up.
I know what you are.
You two need to talk.
Spare the rod and spoil the child.
This disrespect has to stop now.
Dad, he wants you to eat from the Tree of Life.
When you do, you will die.
I'm sick of these dreams, Sam.
They're not dreams, Dad.
He traps their spirits here.
This is going to stop, now.
I want my life back.
Take me home.
This is home.
What have I done?
It's okay, David.
Fathers make mistakes sometimes.
But this is not one of them.
Sam. Sam. Sam, Sam.
Your father needs you now more than ever.
Why is he doing this?
Love the sinner, Sam.
Hate the sin.
Dad, Dad.
See you later.
Hey, hey, hey. Come here.
I, I'm just really sorry about what happened last night.
I never hit you before.
It's okay. I was out of line.
You want to go home?
You can, I understand.
No.
I'm going to stay here with you until this job is finished.
Well I can finish this afternoon.
I was thinking about...
what you said about my dreams, and you're right.
They are just dreams.
So I promise I won't talk about it anymore.
This is Jesse's.
I thought his parents might want it.
I am so sorry
Why?
You didn't kill him.
Good morning.
Take a seat.
I'll be back in a minute.
Look, I know you're suffering, Sam, and you're angry.
But things are not always what they appear.
What would you do if you lived with the devil, Miss Chapman?
Dad? Dad?
Are you ready to continue our game?
Where's my dad?
He went into town for parts for your truck.
You're going soon, I suppose.
Your move.
Never underestimate the power of a pawn.
The secret of the game.
Why do you stitch their mouths shut?
How many moves ahead are you?
Enough.
Are you considering what my next move might be,
and where you'll be then?
I'll be home.
I saw you run off the other night.
Why didn't you go to your mother?
My father needs me.
Check.
Check... mate.
Hey.
Hey, Dad.
I just called your mom.
She wants you to come home.
What about the quarantine?
It's been lifted.
Listen, I want you to know...
that I've some choices, how to live my life
They haven't always been good.
Your mom always says that Heaven is in our children.
She's right.
You're my heaven.
I'm nothing without you.
So pack up your stuff and let's get out of here.
No matter what you do, I love you.
Touching.
Heartfelt, even.
So no one can hear them scream.
You asked me last evening, whey do I stitch their mouths shut.
I do it to silence them forever.
So even in death he can't hear them screaming.
He hears them.
There never was an apple.
Your dreaming of sweet Fields of Elysian don't exist.
Scribbling your pathetic drawings to keep from...
running a razor blade across your pathetic little wrists.
But you know I am that razor blade.
You're nothing to me.
I thought I knew who you were.
But you're just a boy, simple little boy.
I have seen the face of God.
And now I'm strangled by my own vanity thinking he would be here.
I thought I saw him in your eyes.
Eyes that I've dreamt of ever night for thousands of years.
Eyes like yours.
And now he,
he dares me to tempt mankind a second time...
to pick from the Tree of Life.
Only then can I reverse his final judgment, his Apocalypse.
I have to thank you, Sam, for giving your father to me.
I won't let you hurt him.
You already have.
What will it be like to see his face again?
Are you ready, Grace?
Ever since you were a little girl we've known...
what you needed to do.
Be strong, it all relies on you.
The boy is innocent.
We've see how God treats the innocent.
He turns them to death with his sword.
He kills them randomly by the millions.
Kings, queens, saints and sinners.
He butchered your father right in front of your eyes.
Where's the heaven in that?
When your father was killed.
I raised you and nurtured you for this one thing.
This is the greatest moment of truth in the history of the world.
It's vindication for you and me.
I can't control his mighty sword, it all relies on you.
I've given you the power to draw the sword to you.
Without you, I'm an orphan.
Be strong.
It all relies on you.
It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
Sure is.
Bring the sword to you, Grace.
I'm waiting.
Let's pick this fruit, cut this whole tree down.
We're only moments away, Grace.
Then we'll both be free.
Dad!
Enough!
Sam, Sam.
It's time, David.
Pick the fruit and you'll have everything you ever wanted.
Go ahead, pick it.
Pick it.
Do it.
David, do it!
Do it now!
You ready?