Sweetheart.
Darling.
Someone's going home?
What are you talking about?
I heard you… last night.
-Have a seat. -Who is it?
I said sit down.
I swear I'm going to start locking all of your rooms at night.
Who is it?
Maybe no one at all.
We have a right to know if someone's going home.
If someone is, you will--
When the others hear about this, they're going to demand to know.
They are not hearing about this now.
You're saying nothing. Do you understand?
Because until we know for certain, to mention this to anyone,
it would be cruel, Ilonka. Unbelievably cruel.
It's cruel not to tell us.
Oh.
Remember how hard it was, hearing the news?
Learning you were dying.
Making peace with it.
You mention this to anyone, you are robbing them of that peace.
So, if you're their friend,
if you care about any of them,
you say nothing.
And if anything at all is changing for anyone, I'll tell them.
I will.
As soon as I know for certain.
And not a single second sooner. Do you hear me?
Is it me?
No.
I need you to swear to me,
because I know how hard it is to sit across from them
and look at their faces and say nothing.
And I need you to promise me right now that that's exactly what you'll do.
Have you decided?
If we can still meet at the library at night?
No. I haven't decided yet.
But if we want to rebuild trust,
the best way to do that is to be honest with each other,
to talk to each other.
I have to be able to trust you guys.
Honesty?
Honesty? That's what you want from us?
Yes, it is.
Well, I miss Anya a lot. And I don't know, I'm angry today.
Hey, wait up!
Wait.
-What's wrong? -Nothing.
Bullshit. I can see it all over you. What's wrong?
It's really nothing.
Look, I'm…
I'm sorry about last night.
It's okay.
No, it's not. I…
I feel really bad and…
Ilonka, what's wrong?
I got to tell you something, but…
you can't tell anyone else, okay?
It could be a lab error. It could be anything.
I don't think so.
And I saw her face. She doesn't think so either.
I'm sorry to tell you, but I…
I had to tell someone, or I was just going to…
burst out crying.
It's probably just a mistake.
-What if it isn't? -Then it isn't.
But what are the odds?
Well, this is unusual circumstances.
-Why? -Because of what we did.
The ritual worked. Just…
not for Anya.
So what do we do now?
I'll be back as soon as I can, and I'll let you know what I find out.
Where are you going?
Stanton's not the only one with answers.
She said no when I asked her if it was me.
Right after she told me she'd definitely say no even if she was lying.
I see.
You think it's you.
-Oh, God, look at you. -I don't know.
Yes, I see something. I feel something coming off you.
You were so full of light all the time. But today…
Yeah, it's brighter.
If it is me.
I don't know what I would do, because if I'm okay and I'm going home,
-the others are… -Bright girl.
Your heart.
Let me show you something.
Ah, right on time.
Oh, that's weird. I, uh… I ordered the, uh, sangria.
We had to stop serving that. The fruit kept getting caught in the line.
Oh, that's all right. Uh, sparkling rosé then.
Okay. Hop on up.
These vitamins aren't going to intravenously ingest themselves.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm working on a new bit.
A new bit?
Uh… Yeah. I…
Sometimes you got to give people a little Chaplin.
-Who doesn't love Chaplin? -Right?
Uh, it only benefits you to let me know if your symptoms come back
or you're experiencing any new ones.
No, I, uh… my only new symptom is physical comedy.
Hmm.
You sure you know what you're doing?
Relax. I know what I'm doing.
Right. Used to do this for the guys at your boarding school.
That's what I said.
Wait, that's what you said or that's what you did?
-Does it matter? -With you?
Yes. Yes, it does.
Because you don't know when I'm telling the truth,
which means you aren't really paying attention.
Thank you.
I think you could just be bored.
And you decided cutting my hair might be fun.
And so you made something up.
That's possible.
You know that story you told the other day about that girl and you?
What about it?
Well, is it true?
Of course.
So… you're gay.
So, what?
Did you tell your parents?
-Of course.
Hope it went better than mine.
Why?
Well, my mom…
Jesus Christ, my mom.
We still haven't bounced back, even…
Power to you.
You got the braves, Cheri.
No, I don't.
Not really.
It wasn't hard to tell my parents
because my parents don't care enough for it to be hard.
I don't even know if they really heard me.
I could tell them I'm hooked on heroin or I'm pregnant with octuplets,
and I still don't think they'd care too much, so, no.
You got courage, friend.
You told your parents and it fucking mattered.
I don't know, though.
There's still so much I haven't said to them.
My mom in particular. And…
Now. After Anya…
Well, I guess I wish I had the stones to say it.
Hi.
He's busy.
-Come on. -Ow!
Okay, okay, okay. This is weird.
Please stop being weird. What's up?
He's trying to do a really brave thing, but he needs a ride.
Here's where we bottle the teas, which is all well and good,
but over here doesn't smell great.
I… I didn't want to say it.
Do you know why I named my company "Good Humor"?
Because laughter is the best medicine or something?
All medicine in Ancient Greece revolved around the theory of the humors.
A humor is a chemical system that regulates the body.
The four humors in Ancient Greece were blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile.
They believed that if you could keep these four elements in perfect balance,
your body would be disease-free.
It's all connected and it is all about balance.
Wait…
That's bile?
Some of it ours, which is gross, honestly.
But we aren't sending any of that into the world. Don't worry.
That's just for us experimenting.
You know, they believed that cancer happened
when there was an excess of black bile.
Is that true?
There's something very special
about the spot where Brightcliffe is built.
Something very special about that exact spot.
And the man who built Brightcliffe knew that.
-Do you know that story? -Samuel Oscar Freeland.
That's right. And so, I built this place because it's as close as I could get,
as close as I could possibly get to that place.
Stanton is sitting on a nexus point unlike anything else
outside of ancient Egypt, and she won't share it,
which is neither here nor there. Another time.
So, that ritual, the five sisters, the four humors on that property,
on that spot led by this girl, I think it actually worked.
We've been trying for years,
decades, some of us, to recreate a little bit of what you found the other night,
which is why we would love to have you here with us.
So we could find more of that balance.
What is us?
What is this place?
This is just a place for people on the path.
A safe place for people who want real answers.
And you're welcome here any time.
And that's not an offer we make to just anyone.
You could have a home here…
if you wanted.
You think about it.
Smart girl like you, brilliant girl like you,
you think about it.
And if you could.
You said that you used an old journal for the ritual.
-Athena's journal. Is that right? -Yeah, that's right.
I would love to see it,
if I could…
borrow it.
Would you mind if you could bring that here?
If I could look at that, I could understand.
And maybe, just maybe, you and I could figure out ways to help them.
Help who?
Your friends. All of them.
Everyone.
Stanton has it.
The journal. She took it.
Of course she did.
Well…
what do you think we can do about that?
-Well, hi. -Oh, hey.
So, I was thinking, uh, nature walk.
Ilonka has been talking about how cool the woods are
and I just sucked down a banana bag full of vitamins,
so I've got the energy to spare. So…
Um, maybe we could find a way to spend it?
I don't know.
I might just stay in tonight.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. We'll just… Let's just stay in then.
I… I might…
I don't know. I'm not feeling great today.
I think I might…
take the day to myself.
Yeah. Tell you what,
um, I'll go grab my book and I'll park right outside your door.
Um, I'll just be right outside.
And just like a concierge, you just…
Whenever you need anything, you open up. I'll be right there.
-Please don't do that. -Because it's too luxurious?
Because it's, like, creepy, like, epic cringe factor.
All right. I was just…
I was just joking.
I know. I'm…
I'm sorry. I…
I'm sorry.
Are you okay?
Yeah.
It's completely okay if you just want to head back.
Spencer. What…
What? What are you doing here?
-Are you all right? -I'm good. I just…
I need to talk to Mom.
In a short 25-year span of living…
he had allowed a tremendous amount of sexual perversity into his life.
He'd also become grossly obese.
Spencer?
Hi, Mom.
The fight against the devil that was going--
-What are you… -So, um…
I've been practicing this, but I don't know if that means
that I'm going to get through it, so…
Will you let me try?
And then you can talk if you still want.
I'm going to die.
It's happening right now.
I'm not going to get cured. I'm not going to come home and, uh…
My friend…
A good friend. She just…
She just died, and she had no one around her but us.
No family. No friends. Just… just us and…
We were enough.
And I saw that.
And…
-I don't know. It got me thinking. -Spence.
They're enough for me too.
That's what I realized.
And when my time comes…
and it's coming, like I said…
I'll be surrounded by people who love me
for who I am.
Without any judgment or asterisks,
or any of that awful shit that you put on me.
And, you know, I get it.
It's how you were raised and these beliefs you hold on to.
I get it. And…
While I'd love to have a relationship with you, Mom, like a real one,
well, you all raised me in the church, raised me to be a strong man,
built in God's image and not to have to beg for love.
So, I'm not going to do that, but…
I'm also not going to lie about who I am.
Whether that embarrasses you, or offends your idea of God, or whatever,
you do what you will.
Ignore me till I die or love me till I die. But…
that's on you.
Because…
I love you, Mom.
I love you. Just how you are.
I love me. Just how I am.
And I'm pretty sure God does too.
I love you, Mom.
Are you certain?
Wow.
Wow, okay.
It is.
It is absolutely wonderful.
Could you fax me the results for her file?
Thanks again.
Okay. You have not said anything the entire ride home.
So, before I let you go upstairs, I just need to know you're okay.
I just can't believe I did that.
Would you do it again?
-Yeah. -Then you know you did the right thing.
Thanks for this.
Just try not to beat yourself up tonight, okay?
Yeah. I'm just going to pretend I'm in an alternate reality
with a bunch of gay people and we do stupid gay shit
and everyone's supportive of each other.
And then I end up dancing.
That sounds great.
Hey.
-Hey. -You, um… waiting for Natsuki?
Yeah, she's, um…
Yeah. She might be coming, I guess.
Everything okay with you two?
Us? Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. Um…
It's just Anya, you know. Um…
It's hit us pretty hard.
You want to wait for her or…
Um…
No. Let's go.
What is it?
Oh.
Yeah. Cold.
She did tell us she hadn't decided yet if we could keep meeting.
Might not want us talking to each other too much just yet.
That's not fair.
Fair or not, looks like we're not meeting tonight.
Which is fine, I was tired anyways.
Well then, late-night walk it is.
Hey.
Oh, well, there you are.
Sorry. It was, um… Sorry.
I took the scenic route. Is everybody else down there?
Um…
Uh, the doors are locked.
Well, that…
That sucks.
Yeah. It does.
I, um…
missed you today.
Yeah.
You know, you really don't have to feel bad
if you dump me. Really.
-What? -They say life's too short
to be with someone if you know if it isn't right,
and that's super true for us. So…
No, no, that's not… No.
I was going to tell a story tonight…
at the club.
Do you want to hear it?
Yeah.
Sorry I was hiding.
It isn't because I want to shut you out.
-No, no, no. I told you. I get it. -It's because…
It's because I want to let you in.
Really, and…
I've been thinking a lot since Anya died
about what's left and…
about you and me.
And I really, really want you to hear the story.
I'm listening.
I call this story "Road to Nowhere."
It's about a girl named Teresa.
She's tough, she's complicated, and she's not easy to know.
And when we meet her, it's on a night where Teresa just had to get away.
We need a ride. Can we get in?
-Oh, I don't know. I'm just driving-- -North?
-Straight ahead. Yeah, I… -We're headed that way.
Got a gig.
You know what? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Fuck it.
There we go.
Oh.
Thank you for the ride. What's your name?
-Teresa. -Oh, I'm Freedom Jack.
And that's my girl, Poppy Corn.
Wow, those are names.
Well, you can't front a rock band with a name like Chad.
Do you mind if I smoke?
-Oh, I-- -Don't worry. It's not tobacco, sweetie.
If that's what you're worried about.
Got to mind what you breathe, you hear me?
So, uh, you guys are in a rock band?
We are a rock band.
There's two more of us, or else we'd be a duo.
So…
Where are you headed, Teresa?
I'm not really sure.
Uh, anywhere but here.
What do you know? I think I've heard of that place.
I might have been there. I might have played there once or twice.
Just drive all night. Destination unknown.
That the idea?
That's the idea.
That's a fine idea. Just drive, drive, drive.
No particular place to go.
Oh, that's a rare thing.
That's a beautiful thing, young lady.
Ooh, another hitcher.
I don't think they're hitching up. Their thumb isn't out.
-Oh, best not slow down, then. -They might need help.
Might be in trouble.
I think they would wave us down if they needed help.
Well, maybe they don't know they need help.
Or maybe they don't know how to ask.
For what it's worth, I think you were right to keep on driving.
This ain't your car, Free. You got to ask her if she likes it loud.
Oh, I… I don't mind.
An open road like this, wide open, it's the soundtrack.
See? She gets it.
Don't listen to her. Yeah. Turn it up loud.
Drive all night long. That's rock and roll.
Yeah, not quite all night. You only got a quarter tank left.
That's…
-That's weird, I… -There's a gas station up ahead.
I mean a quarter tank is plenty. You don't need to stop.
-You should pull over. -Eventually.
But a quarter tank is plenty of gas. You can keep going.
Pull over.
Whoa, hang on.
Let me check and see if anybody's here.
Ooh.
It's freezing out.
Better keep that heat going.
You know, it isn't safe to pick up hitchers.
Especially a young lady driving all alone.
You're a brave girl.
I don't give a shit.
Yeah, I get that.
You don't give a shit. Fuck it.
You're driving anywhere but here.
What are you driving from, darling?
Nothing.
I just had to go.
Why?
I don't… I mean, does it matter.
Do you have a good childhood?
-I guess, but-- -What did you want to be when you grew up?
More than anything else, when you thought about your perfect future,
what did you look like? What did you do?
Why do you want to know?
Because I find you fascinating.
Why?
I can tell.
Where did you want to be ten years from now?
Or what about five years or one year tomorrow?
Just make something up.
One thing you wanted to do
after tonight.
I don't know.
There's no one else. No cars on the road.
No one else. How did I get here?
How did I… I'm not supposed to be here.
What?
What the fuck was that?
I guess everyone's on their own path out here.
A lot of lost souls at rest stops.
Angels and devils and the whole fucking lot.
Girl ought to be careful.
Hey, kill the engine.
-Why? -Kill the engine?
-But why? The heat-- -Will last.
No one's here.
I think it must be closed.
Are you sure about that, baby?
There must be more gas stations up the road. Just keep driving.
It's her fucking car, Free.
Don't tell her what to do.
Sorry about that.
I love night driving, especially when it's dark like this.
See the other cars up the road in the fog?
At first, you only see tail lights.
Like red eyes in the dark.
Oh, what is that?
-What's wrong? -It won't… it won't roll.
Don't you guys smell that?
-What is that? It smells like-- -Oh, you should pull over.
If it's coming from the engine, you should pull over.
Oh, sorry. It's my joint.
When did you light…
That's not the smell.
You okay, Teresa?
Yeah, it's just late. I'm… I'm tired.
-This'll help. -I'm good.
Seriously? What is that smell?
-Fuck!
Hey, it's okay.
God.
What was that?
Oh, we probably hit something flying. A bird--
-In the middle of the night. -A bat then.
What did it look like?
I don't know. I didn't see it. It looked…
I think it was green.
It's going to hurt.
What?
-What are you saying to her, Free? -Nothing.
What the fuck?
Well, how about that, now? That is fucking interesting.
He must have passed us when we stopped.
We should stop.
-Fuck! -Oh!
Oho! That's more like it.
Okay, pull over. There's another gas station up ahead.
-What was that? -Pull over!
Is this the same gas station?
Nah, they… they just all look the same out here.
Well, does anyone at any of them working tonight?
Oh… oh, sit tight.
You wait here. I'll check it out.
It's late. It might be dangerous.
Better keep the engine running.
It's your car, Teresa.
It's your fucking car.
You don't have to do what he says.
Smell sucks.
Then let's get some air.
Walk outside. You and me.
Get away from the smell. What do you say?
There we go.
Go! Get in the car now!
We need to go! Get in the fucking car!
What's happening? Is someone following us?
Drive! Now! Now!
What the fuck?
It's… It's nothing. It's all good.
-What the hell?
It's nothing.
Oh, no. I'm sure he's right.
I'm actually pretty sure it was just nothing.
That was close.
What was that?
-He's just gloating. -She's just jealous.
What the fuck are you two talking about? And what the fuck is going on?
What if I killed the attendant?
Shut up.
Seriously, what if I killed him?
What if I bought a case of beer, and he looked at me funny and I got mad,
and I dipped into the register and he fought me.
So, I grabbed his face, and I slammed it onto the counter,
and his teeth broke off.
And I jumped over the counter.
I broke a bottle and I use that to saw into his throat.
And that took a while.
But then the blood sprayed out.
That's why it's always good
to stand behind them when you're doing that,
because the blood sprays and it stays mostly off of your clothes.
Mostly.
Maybe that's why I wear dark clothes.
Because it hides the blood.
Get the fuck out of my car.
-Hey, now-- -I'm going to pull over
and you're going to get the fuck out of my car.
I don't think so. And don't you dare.
Hey, knock it off. He's full of shit.
Maybe I'm full of shit. Or maybe Poppy knows better.
Maybe she knows
that we never leave anyone alive once they find out what we do.
And maybe she likes you.
And that's why she doesn't want you to believe me.
Maybe we have to handle you
the way we handled that other dude
who picked us up earlier tonight.
Free.
Or maybe I'm just full of shit, but I'll tell you what…
It's going to hurt.
And that's the only thing you've said so far that's true.
Hey, are you okay?
Jesus.
-What the fuck was that-- -Hey. Come on.
-Proud… proud of yourself? -Why are you talking about--
-What are you even doing? -Why are you such a fucking ass…
What are you talking about?
-You do this every time… -Oh my god!
Aren't you part of the band?
You're such a fucking manchild.
Maybe you should go on a solo career.
-Get the fuck out of here.
What? What is happening?
What?
A-and don't fuck with me. What happened back there?
And… And don't try to scare me or whatever.
Or I'll pull over. And you take a walk.
What? What happened back where?
At the gas station.
I told you there was no one there.
I jacked a case of beer, and I heard a noise.
Do you remember that?
Of course she does. She just zoned out for a second, right?
Ye-yeah, I… I zoned out.
I'm sorry. I'm tired.
Are we driving in a circle? I…
-I don't think so. -We might be.
That fucking smell.
What the fuck?
That's okay.
Teresa.
Oh, no. You… you can't stop now, honey.
Watch out!
Is that a kid. I…
We should check on her. Kill the engine.
No, don't.
I… I know about this shit. She's a lure.
They use a kid, they stop the car,
and then psycho is waiting in the bushes
or crouching down by the door.
They're ready to gut you alive right on the road,
even as they steal your wheels and they drive very slowly over you
so they break every bone. One at a time.
She's a little girl, Free.
That's what they want you to think.
I feel like I know her from somewhere.
-She's so little. I…
No, no, no. Don't, don't, don't get out!
Are you okay?
Wait!
Hey. Don't… don't go after her. It's a trap. I swear.
I'll go with you.
You're both fucking insane.
What the fuck?
That… that smell, it…
What?
She's not in there.
But where would she be?
A little girl out here all by herself.
We got to find her.
The garage.
Open it.
Dude, just leave it. We… We get back in the car.
What? No…
No. I… I…
I… I don't… I don't…
You never left the garage.
You're dying.
It's gonna hurt.
Dying?
Living.
It's gonna fucking hurt if you stay.
You know that.
It'll be fucking pain if you stay.
This is the right call.
Let it ride.
Let it ride all night and straight on till morning.
He's not lying about that.
Everything you said before you got in the car,
before you turn on the engine.
You were right.
It's going to hurt so bad if you stay.
It'll be so hard.
Life is so fucking hard. And it'll hurt.
But I'm fighting for you.
Who are you?
We're you, sweetie.
It'll be hard if you stay.
But I'll fight for you. I'll still be here.
But it's so much easier if you just let go.
Let the engine run. Just let yourself slip away.
You'll carry us both with you always.
And we're gonna argue in your mind. Always.
It'll be so fucking hard. But I'll help you carry her.
I'm so tired.
I know. But you're needed.
In ways you can't see it.
No one needs you. You're replaceable.
You could never be.
You need to be here.
You don't. Be free.
Just hang on for a second longer.
Just a moment longer.
And see what happens.
It's easier this way.
It was the longest drive of her life,
and she never left the house.
It was the darkest road of her life, and she never left the garage.
But in the end,
she chose to stay.
She chose to stay.
I don't know if it mattered in the end, though.
What do you mean?
Because I changed the end a little.
It's a better story when she opens the garage door.
But here's the thing.
She made it out of the car, at least.
But she didn't make it any further.
What happened for real was that her mom came home
and smelled the gas.
She came inside to see her daughter with her bloodshot eyes and swollen face.
Suffocated on carbon monoxide.
And she screamed.
She screamed in a way she only screamed once before.
It was the same way she screamed when she found out her husband died.
She breathed into her daughter's lungs,
and pushed her daughter's heart to beat.
And she sat in the ambulance next to her daughter and held her hand.
And then her daughter was gonna live.
She was alive and breathing again. And then…
And then the doctors said they found another type of poison
living inside of her.
She had brought her daughter back to life, but she was dying anyway.
Slower this time.
I'm sorry. I don't know what to say, other than I'm… I'm glad you're here.
Even if it only means for a little while longer.
It's the weirdest thing.
I really thought I didn't want to live.
I really thought it.
You know, depression is amazing like that.
Your own brain is trying to kill you.
Your own thoughts are trying to kill you.
And I… I listen to them.
Then…
I thought I wanted to die.
But I survived, and I realized how much I wanted to live.
Then, I found out I was dying anyway.
That's fucked with me.
Fucked with me at every turn.
I'm sorry. I don't…
I don't know what to…
Why did you tell me that story?
Because I want you to know me.
Really know me.
Because I want you to stay.
Hello?
Hey!
Hey, I said.
Let's stop the bullshit.
Tell me what the fuck you want from me.
Kevin?
Oh, God.
Are you okay?
Not again.