Some people call it a fruit, and some people call it a vegetable.
But the way I look at it, a tomato by any other name would taste as sweet.
Why do they need all this protection?
Well, a tomato is very much like a human soul.
It takes a long time to ripen, and it bruises real easy.
Feast your buds, baby. Sarah won't mind.
See, Mommy?
Wow, look at those scary flames.
And who's the fireman on the ladder?
Daddy. He's a hero.
Sarah, help?
Daddy? Hmm?
If our house was on fire, would you save us?
Oh, you bet I would, baby. You'll always be safe when I'm around.
Okay, Lorrin, let's scoot. Come on.
Where's Pinkie? I can't go without Pinkie.
She's too old for that security blanket.
Oh, there's nothing wrong with a little security.
You look nice. Thanks.
Do you think it's too...
No, I think you're gonna be the most beautiful woman in that room.
LORRIN: I can't find it.
I'll handle this. I'll meet you outside. Okay.
Lovely life, lovely family, lovely garden.
I don't see a problem.
TESS: Well, you have to dig deeper, baby.
There's a weed in Sarah's life
and she can't get rid of it no matter what she does.
The roots are just down too deep.
LORRIN: We found it! Oh, good.
Anything interesting?
Uh, just my seed catalogue. Come on.
What is Sarah hiding, Tess? More than that letter.
Sarah has looked into the face of evil
and it's getting ready to look back.
♫ When you walk down the road
♫ Heavy burden, heavy load
♫ I will rise and I will walk with you
♫ I'll walk with you till the sun don't even shine
♫ Walk with you, every time
♫ I tell you I'll walk with you
♫ Walk with you
♫ Believe me I'll walk with you ♫
The Medal of Valor is the highest honor a fire fighter can receive.
Now Ed Bingham here will be the first to tell you
that saving lives is just part of the job.
But this is the first guy on the truck when we go out,
he's the last guy to give up on a rescue.
Of course, he is kind of a hot head.
(PEOPLE LAUGHING)
Ed gets a little mad when people are in trouble. When he thinks people are...
Lorrin, I'm gonna go out for a moment, okay? No, Mommy.
It's okay, sweetie. Daddy's right there. I'll be right back.
We're called to a four alarm, fully involved house fire. There's Ed, first guy,
in his running shorts.
(ZEKE TALKING INDISTINCTLY)
Oh, God, no.
Mommy, what's wrong?
Nothing, sweetie.
You could put the soft part on your cheek if you want.
That always makes me feel better.
(SIGHS)
TESS: Good morning. How may I help you?
Hi. My name is Sarah Bingham. I was here six years ago.
I'm not sure who I spoke with, but... What is this place, Mommy?
And what is your name, precious?
She's very shy. She doesn't talk to strangers.
Lorrin. What's yours?
Tess, and I'm very pleased to meet you, Lorrin.
I had a goldfish named Tess, but she died
and went down the toilet to heaven. Lorrin.
(TESS CHUCKLING)
That's all right, baby. There are lot of ways to get to heaven.
Now it just so happens
that I can get you an appointment
with one of our best counselors right away.
Hello, Sarah. My name is Monica.
Would you like to set that down?
No, thank you. I, uh...
I'm worried about my little girl.
She, she gets frightened when I'm not around. I'm just...
Oh, don't be.
She'll be just fine with Tess. I promise.
(PHONE RINGING)
(SIGHS)
Sorry.
You can't be too careful as a mother these days. Of course.
I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to her.
(SIGHS)
I'm sorry. I think I've made a mistake.
I really shouldn't have come.
I'm not ready to talk about this.
I can tell that you're afraid, but really,
this is a very safe place.
I don't think there's any such place.
I used to think there was. I had a beautiful home
and a husband and a baby, and...
Six years ago...
Six years ago... Please don't.
I'm sorry.
I just, I... It's like...
I feel very alone.
Well, what about your husband?
I can't talk to him about this.
He just... He can't handle...
What can't he handle? I'm sorry.
(DOOR OPENING)
My, my, what a cute little blanket.
My Mommy made it for me. It keeps me safe.
Oh, sweetheart, you don't need a blanket to keep you safe.
God is watching over you. He watches over you all the time.
And even though you can't see him, he's right here
and you can speak to him whenever you want to.
My Mommy doesn't like me talking to strangers.
Oh, God isn't a stranger.
He's the best friend you've ever had.
Thank you for watching her for me. No problem.
Come on, sweetie, let's go. Don't forget Daddy's medal.
I hear your husband is a hero.
He saves people.
Sarah, if there's anything I can do to help, anything at all...
Would you...
Would you meet me on Friday at 2:00, here?
I'd be glad to.
Okay. Thank you.
Come on, sweetie. Bye, baby.
The State Prison.
Tess, what is Sarah hiding? Did she do something wrong?
No, baby, she didn't do anything wrong.
(BUZZER SOUNDING)
Thank you so much for coming, Monica.
Sarah, I still don't understand.
Oh, God.
Carl Atwater? Yes, sir.
PAROLE OFFICER: The Parole Board has received your fitness report
as well as your ID 44 endorsement from your Section Warden.
According to your supervising psychiatrist,
your progress has been exemplary.
Taking into account your activities on the Prison Worship Committee
and the six years you've already served, he recommends parole.
Praise God.
PAROLE OFFICER: Do you regret your crime?
Oh, I do. Yes, sir, I do.
Every minute
of every day.
I know how much pain I've caused.
If released, will you be able to live your life
in accordance with the laws of this state
and the statutes of this county?
Oh, yes, sir.
Do you consider yourself ready to re-enter society?
Yes, sir, I do.
Oh, the Lord is my strength and song
and He has become my salvation.
(CRICKETS CHIRPING)
(TV PLAYING)
(SIGHS DEEPLY)
I really do love you, you know.
(WHISPERING) Sweet dreams, Lorrin. Sweetie.
(SARAH GASPS)
Not another sound, or I'll kill them all.
No.
No, please don't let him out. Please.
Rapists don't reform.
They get out of prison and they rape again and again and again.
Don't you know what he did to me? Didn't you see the pictures?
The bruises on my throat. He tore my hair out.
He cut me with a knife here and here and here. Please.
Mrs. Bingham, we understand how difficult this must be.
Mr. Atwater has served his time,
and we have every reason to believe he's a changed man.
I promise he'll be under the strict supervision of the Parole Board.
Carl Atwater, according to Penal Code 9.94 A,
you must report to your parole office within 24 hours of release.
Yes, sir.
I'm so sorry, Sarah.
How could they fall for that act?
Monica, he has no right to believe in God. He has no right.
If anyone needs to believe in God, it's a man like that.
ANDREW: Carl Atwater? Yes, sir.
Hi. My name is Andrew.
How do you do? Very well. I will be your parole officer.
Okay, let's start by going over the conditions of your parole.
Firstly, the parolee must register with
the County Sheriff's Office within five days.
The parolee may not travel outside of a 50 mile radius without written permission.
You may have no access to any firearm, ammunition,
or any item resembling a firearm.
And most importantly, you may have no contact at all with your victim.
Any questions? No, sir.
Okay, good.
Now according to your psychological evaluation
you attended some anger management classes while in prison.
Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm, and they helped me some,
but not as much as finding the Lord.
I'm glad to hear that.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet"
"and a light unto thy path."
Oh, I got the Lord in my heart. Got an angel on my shoulder.
It's gonna take more than a tattoo, Carl.
First thing you need to do is find a job, then find a place to live.
When you do that, report back here to me.
In the meantime, I have your release funds. $100.
Thank you very much. You're very welcome.
(DOOR OPENING)
(SARAH GASPING) Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you.
What do you want?
I need your forgiveness.
I know that's a hard thing to ask of you.
Please.
No, please, I won't hurt you.
I just... Let me read to you from the Bible here.
"I repent"
"me of the evil I have done onto you."
Jeremiah, Chapter 42, Verse 10. See.
So help me God, ma'am, I will not hurt you.
I just want you to know how sorry I am.
I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.
"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven."
Psalms, Chapter 52.
Here.
Now you, you don't wanna do that.
Get out of here. Go away. Please, just...
Go away. Go away!
Please!
(BREATHING HEAVILY)
Well, maybe we can call the Parole Board.
You know, this is a direct violation of Carl's parole.
We'll call them right now. No, no.
What's wrong, Sarah?
I don't want to call the Parole Board.
They're the ones that let him out in the first place.
Yes, and they're the ones that can put him right back in again.
But before that would ever happen,
Ed would find out
and I didn't tell him about the parole hearing.
Sarah, he's your husband. He should be helping you through this.
Yes, he's my husband. He's my best friend.
He's trying so hard to be a good man. This, this...
This thing has been so...
(SARAH SIGHS)
The night that it happened, we had had a fight.
It was something stupid. I don't even remember what.
And Ed lost his temper
and he ended up sleeping on the couch.
He blames himself.
He's a fireman. It's his job to rescue people.
But he couldn't rescue you.
And when he saw what had happened to me he was so angry,
he wanted to go out and kill the guy.
I had to make him give me his gun.
I hid it in the garden
under my prize tomatoes.
Sarah, has your husband ever considered a little counseling?
No, he won't come.
I brought him here six years ago.
Then after one session he wouldn't come back.
He said he just wanted to move on.
So we moved on.
I've tried so hard to get past this thing.
Oh, if Ed finds out that Carl is free, Monica, I'm so afraid.
Of Carl, or your husband?
Of...
Sarah.
Sarah, one of the reasons that angry men turn violent
is because they feel powerless, helpless.
So do I.
You cannot bury your anger in a vegetable garden any more than you can bury the truth.
You must tell him, Sarah.
Carl, what's wrong?
It's not as easy as I thought. What's that?
Being a man of God.
Well, see,
I thought if you started living by the Good Book, things would be easier.
But, I'm just holding on here.
I'm really struggling.
I can't find a job.
The way people look at me.
Yeah.
You know, Carl, there are a lot of people
who don't believe that people can change
and there are a lot of people who would like to see you go under.
But God has given you the way to stay afloat.
"When you pass through the waters,"
"I will be with you;."
"Through the rivers,"
"they shall not overflow you."
"When you walk through the fire,"
"you shall not be burned."
You remember that, Carl.
When you walk through that fire, God will be with you.
But he never said that there wouldn't be fire.
Yes, yes, our God is a consuming fire.
And so is your anger, Carl.
One of them is going to consume you,
but that choice is yours.
It says here that you have a very,
very real problem with anger, especially towards women.
It says that you beat your ex-wife.
The Bible says, "Wives",
"submit yourselves unto your husbands as unto the Lord."
My wife didn't.
You mean your ex-wife.
Carl, you beat her.
You beat her more than once.
She's got no right to keep me from my kid.
And you've got no right to twist the Bible around
to justify behaviour that God has nothing to do with.
Carl, your own actions were responsible for that restraining order.
You don't know nothing about it.
Oh, yes, I do.
She almost died one night.
Believe me, I know.
(TV BLARING)
Oh, great. Homemade salsa.
Come here. Sit down next to me.
You know what I was thinking? What?
I was thinking that we ought to take a weekend together.
Go out to San Juan Island. Rent a sailboat, just you and me.
What about Lorrin?
We'll let her stay at your Mom's, or my Mom's.
Whatever, but she'll be safe. I promise.
(SIGHS)
Ed, I...
It's not a promise that you can keep.
Yeah, whatever.
Ed, please.
Hey. Listen to me.
What's this?
"The above named prisoner will be scheduled for a parole hearing"
"one week from the date of this letter."
"If you have any questions, please contact..."
It's too late. He was released last week.
Why didn't you tell me about this?
I was, I was afraid.
I was afraid of what you would do.
(BABY CRYING)
(BABY CONTINUES CRYING)
LORRIN: Daddy! Daddy!
SARAH: Lorrin, what's wrong, honey? A monster.
Oh. LORRIN: A monster.
The window's locked, sweetheart. Look under the bed.
SARAH: It's just another bad dream.
It's okay. I'm afraid of the monster.
Hey, you look at me.
You don't have to be afraid.
I'm gonna protect you and Mommy.
I promise.
It's okay.
Hi. My husband's just getting some milk. All right.
SARAH: I have some coupons here.
Paper or plastic, ma'am?
Sarah, I didn't know if you wanted low-fat or non-fat or...
Ed.
Mister, they shouldn't have let you out of prison.
Bible says "He that is slow to anger..." Shut up.
Sir, what's the problem?
Yeah, I'll tell you what the problem is. This man is a rapist.
Mister, I need this job.
Yeah, I'll bet you do.
I'll bet you can't wait to help a pretty lady out to her car.
Ed!
Get off me. Get off me.
(SCREAMING INCOHERENTLY)
Get him off me. Get him off me!
Get him off me!
SARAH: I didn't know where else to go.
I'm really glad you're here. Both of you.
Six years ago I came here.
Not 'cause I wanted to, but because it was important to Sarah.
Talked to a nice young girl.
She told me to be supportive
and that's exactly what I've been.
I tried very hard not to upset Sarah,
not to get angry,
not to rock the boat.
I've never even brought it up.
Hiding anger doesn't make it go away,
and it doesn't make the fear go away, either.
I'm not afraid.
Anger is the child of fear.
Well, I didn't need help then and I don't need it now.
Please, Ed, don't shut me out.
I don't wanna talk about this.
That's what he always says.
"I don't wanna talk about it."
That's what you said that night.
That's how you ended up on the couch.
Don't you think I know that?
Don't you think not a day goes by that I don't regret that?
I don't think that she's blaming you.
You don't think?
She blames me.
She may not say it but she blames me.
Well, let me tell you something.
I blame you, too.
Why?
Why didn't you scream?
Why didn't you shout?
Why didn't you make some kind of noise?
He said he was going to kill you.
I was protecting you and the baby.
That is my job!
Ed, please, wait. Wait!
Can I help you?
Yeah, I'd like to buy a .357 Python. I've got them.
Have to see photo ID and your CPL.
CPL? Concealed Pistol License. New regulation.
If you don't have one, you'll have to fill these out.
If everything checks out, you can pick up the gun six days from now.
Okay.
I've waited six years. What's six more days?
Ed can't go to sleep. He's afraid something else might happen to his family.
Everyone in this house is afraid of something.
Sara's afraid of anger. Lorrin's afraid of monsters.
Well, anger is the monster.
And Ed can't keep it from climbing in the window because it's already inside
in his heart.
But he's a good man, Tess. Yes, he is.
TESS: But it took God six days to create the universe
and it's gonna take Ed six days to destroy his.
(BIRDS TWITTERING)
(EMERGENCY ALARM BUZZING)
(ALARM RINGING)
WOMAN ON PA: Task Force 60, Battalion 15.
Structure fire at 23943 Eagle Mountain Street. Please respond.
(FIREMEN CLAMORING)
Come on. Rock and roll, people. Let's go, let's go!
Where's Ed?
Anybody seen Ed?
Ed, Ed, come on.
Oh, Zeke, I must've nodded off. You're zonked.
Ah, you stay here and watch the fort.
No! I am the best nozzle you've got. Not today you're not.
You can't do your job if you're asleep.
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
Damn.
(CHURCH BELL TOLLING)
(SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE)
I talked to the store manager.
He said that you lied on your application.
Who's gonna hire me if I tell the truth?
I'm damned if I do, I'm damned if I don't.
You have more choices than that, Carl.
(SNICKERS)
I was just doing my job, man.
All of a sudden that guy, the husband, he's all over me.
I'll tell you what, that woman,
she's caused me nothing but trouble.
It's always somebody else's fault, isn't it?
Now I have been a good, faithful servant of the Lord and where's it got me?
I've held up my end of the bargain. What about God's?
God doesn't make bargains. Well, you're right about that.
I thought He was gonna help me.
To show me the way, to see the light.
He will. He, he has.
But, Carl, once you know the way, once you see the light,
that's when the real journey begins.
Begins? I'm in hell right now, mister!
Look, man, I just wanna be healed, okay?
God isn't magic.
That Bible isn't magic.
Quoting it's not enough, Carl. You gotta start living it.
You gotta start living it here, inside.
That's where the real change begins. That's where it takes place.
I love God.
Why don't he love me?
I'm tired of waiting. Carl.
You spend so much time,
so much time talking about God.
When's the last time you talked to God?
When's the last time you prayed?
Why don't you pray for me?
I am, Carl.
(SIGHING) I am.
(DOOR OPENING)
Boy, Snickerdoodles, my favourite.
Daddy, what are you doing home?
I came home to see my girls.
Lorrin, would you go upstairs and do some homework please? Mommy.
Right now, please? I wanna talk to Daddy.
Zeke called this afternoon wondering where you were.
Said you were there this morning, but you missed the fire.
First one in 14 years.
Where were you?
(SIGHS)
Where were you?
Tell me where you were, Ed.
Does this have anything to do with Carl?
For God sakes, will you please keep your voice down?
What did you do? Just leave it alone, Sarah.
Leave it alone?
(SIGHS)
Ed, I was raped.
You were sleeping on the couch.
Will you stop it? Will you just stop saying that?
You don't wanna talk about it. You never wanna talk about it, but I do.
I wanna talk about it. I wanna know where you were.
I was trying to protect you. How, Ed?
You can't protect me.
You didn't protect me then, you can't protect me now.
Oh, Sarah, I am so sorry. I, I would never hurt you.
You know I would never hurt you. Don't touch me.
Daddy, why is Mommy crying?
Come on, sweetheart.
Oh, God.
It's been six days. I want my gun.
(SIGHS)
(RATTLING)
This time you're the victim.
Turn around.
God almighty.
He's not gonna help you now.
What are you gonna do?
What I should've done six years ago,
but first I want you to suffer.
I want you to suffer like my wife did that night.
(CHOKING)
He was trying to break into your house.
I can't breathe.
Well, get used to it.
Oh, no.
Don't worry. He's not gonna hurt you,
or anybody else ever again.
You go on inside. You don't wanna see this.
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."
Lady, he's been stalking you.
"I will fear no evil." He was watching you
when you were in the park on Monday. "Be thou with me."
He followed you home on Tuesday.
I've been following him.
I'm gonna call the police. No.
They'll just put him in jail again.
He'll get out again, and he'll rape again.
(SIGHS)
And nobody should ever have to go through that.
And with him, no one's ever going to have to.
What are you gonna do?
He's gonna kill me.
Oh, God.
Don't do it, Ed.
Back off.
Who are you?
He's my parole officer.
And I'm a messenger from God. I'm the Angel of Death.
Good timing, 'cause he's ready to go.
That's God's decision, not yours.
You need more than a counselor, Sarah.
You need some divine counsel.
I am an angel sent by God.
Ed, God doesn't want you to do this.
Well, how come God cares so much now?
Where was God when my wife was being raped?
Where was he then?
Sarah, God gave man free will,
and when men like Carl take it and twist it into something ugly
and use it to hurt the innocent,
then God weeps,
just like he did on that terrible night.
But there's something you don't know.
I was there that night.
I was in the house that night
when Carl wanted to kill Sarah.
But you didn't do it, did you, Carl?
No. Something happened.
One minute I was gonna kill her...
(GASPING)
SARAH: (SOBBING) Oh, please, please don't...
Please don't kill me. Please.
(BABY WAILING)
I heard this baby crying and I...
(SNIFFLING)
(CHOKING) I couldn't. I just couldn't. I couldn't. I couldn't.
Shut up.
Go inside, now.
You asked, where was God on the night you were raped.
He was right there.
He was there in the voice of a child.
Your baby.
You see, God couldn't stop Carl,
but he could remind him
that his heart was once filled with innocence and purity,
and the perfect love that is every child.
My baby saved my life?
Yes, and you've been trying to save hers ever since,
just as Ed has been trying to save yours,
and you've both been so worried about feeling safe
that you've forgotten what it is to feel love.
That's why your daughter needs her security blanket.
Oh, Sarah, you've been through an awful ordeal.
So has your family.
You can't change the terrible thing
that has happened in your past.
But you can change the terrible thing that is happening now.
The decision is yours.
Will you help me?
You have the strength to do this,
and I promise you, you will not be alone.
(DOOR OPENING) Mom?
No, no, sweetie, quick. Get back inside.
Mom, I'm scared.
Christopher, is that you?
Who are you?
I'm your daddy.
My, my daddy's in heaven.
Is that what you told him?
No boy should ever grow up with a father like you alive.
Do it. Go on, get it over with.
No, Ed.
I said, do it. Do it now!
I ain't fit to live.
Carl, you're not ready to die yet.
And Ed, you've spent your entire life saving peoples' lives.
Why throw away yours now?
I don't care.
Yes, you do. You care. You totally care.
You care about your life, you care about Sarah's life,
you care about Lorrin's life.
You care so much that you don't know what to do next.
You just know that you gotta do something.
But killing a man or raping a woman,
doesn't happen because you care.
It happens because you're angry.
Anger is what has brought us all here today,
and that, that is the thing that has to die today.
And vengeance belongs to God, not you.
Mister, are you really an angel?
Yes, I am.
Ed, listen to him, please.
Ed, you blame yourself for what happened that night
because you think it's your job to protect our family.
I've blamed you, too.
I have, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I need you, Ed. Please.
Please protect us now. Please, come home with me and be our hero.
Please.
OFFICER 1: That's him, right there.
OFFICER 2: Police. Hold it right there.
OFFICER 3: All right.
I've got him.
(CHATTER ON POLICE RADIO)
Let's go.
(HANDCUFFS CLICKING)
Got it. Okay, watch your step.
Watch yourself.
This yours?
(SIGHING) Yeah.
We're gonna need to ask you some questions down at the station.
TESS: Carl Atwater?
You remember that chance he was talking about?
What chance?
The angel.
Yes.
Now, I want you to listen to me, and listen to me real good.
You have messed up a lot of peoples' lives,
and the only one you can fix is your own.
I don't know. I can't it anymore.
I can't take it. I know my rights.
You have the right to remain silent
and I strongly encourage that you do.
Now, I'm an angel, another angel,
sent to you by God to tell you
that you're gonna have to deal with him now, and me.
You're an angry man, Carl Atwater, but that's all right.
Everybody gets angry.
It's how you handle it that counts.
And you don't know how to handle it, but God does.
He's sent you three angels and three children.
The tears of the first child kept you from killing an innocent woman.
The tears from the second child kept Ed from killing you.
The tears from the third child can save your soul.
Well, what child?
That's me.
Yes, that's you, and those are your tears.
Through the mouths and the hearts of the children God is speaking to you.
I know it's hard for you to remember
but you were a child once.
And in the eyes of God you still are.
That child is lost to you but not to God.
And God wants to help you find him again.
(CAR DOOR OPENING)
(CAR DOOR CLOSING)
(CAR ENGINE STARTING)