The Dark

'Jason Morgan.

'Rob Wright.'

Who the hell is he?

We are definitely in serial-killer territory.

'They had another phone.' PHONE BEEPS

'Just like Rob.'

'Did you look into them?'

The Burning Light, they've moved to the Isle of Mull.

It's for the best that I take Lucy to him.

GRUNTING

And what about your mummy?

She's a police officer? Mm-hm.

Was she the one that told you about the poison?

These were inside the victims.

I told you before he disappeared

that he was holding a stone just like that.

You didn't listen. I trusted you, Monica.

Hey, mother. Nichol?

Could join me on the hunt tomorrow? Is this cos of what the police said?

I'm not weak. I can look after myself.

Ah!

INTRUDER GRUNTS

Ah!

Ugh! Ah!

Argh!

GRUNT, THUD

Help me!

MONICA GASPS Monica. It's OK.

It's me. Hi.

Mum? What? Your phone has been going non-stop.

Shit.

I didn't wanna wake you.

The Crawfords turned up, and I...

Ugh. Morning.

Another? Yeah, sadly.

This kid managed to escape. It's...

It's, erm... It's quite a trek.

I'll, er, wait in the car. Let you get...

Mm. Yep. See you.

Mum, you're hovering. Speak.

So, I saw Philly yesterday at the play park.

SIGHS She...

What?

Well, it ended with me slapping her.

Slapping her? I don't know what came over me.

I just saw red and... How could you do something so mad?

Mad? She tried to take Lucy.

What?! Snatch her. Yeah.

Don't call me mad. At least start with that.

You brought her into our lives

when you were investigating that cult. Careful.

True, Monica.

You know she's completely brainwashed,

just like you were after they sucked you in.

Mum. You were at rock bottom.

You were penniless. You were pregnant.

But because you had me to help you through,

you didn't end up like Philly.

So don't make out that I am the villain here.

Oh, no. I know that's my role in this family.

Oh, no, that... That's not what I meant.

No, no. Clearly been thinking it a while.

No, I didn't mean it to come out that way.

Look, Mum, later. Tonight.

We'll talk about this tonight. Yeah, OK.

What do you want me to do? Keep Lucy at home today.

Absolutely.

'Inspector Hately, it's all well and good

'you telling people to stay calm,

'but there is a maniac on the loose killing young men.'

'I understand their concern.' 'They don't want your understanding.

'They want to know when you're going to stop this monster.'

First response again. Not this time.

He fled to a garage about half a mile or so down the road.

Member of staff called it in.

By the time units got here,

they realised what they were dealing with.

So we probably lost six, seven hours.

What's his recollection like?

Part of me thinks it'd be easier for him if it wasn't so good.

Want me to introduce you? Mm.

Scott, this is Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy.

She'd just like to ask you a few questions. Is that OK?

Hi, Scott.

Could you walk me through what happened?

Walk? You mean in the house? That's right.

It could prove vital in stopping him hurting someone else.

Time sensitive. Up against it here. Mm.

It's good you've got her back. That's a rare thing for Monica.

Her partners don't stick around for long.

I heard she was different before she had her girl.

Oh, right.

She popped a baby out and that set her all askew

Seriously? No, I never meant it like that.

I was just... What?

All coincided with her investigating the Burning Light, right?

Not that I knew her before,

but from what I gather, Monica has always... been Monica.

Where would you watch this house from?

If I was a murdering psychopath? Yeah.

Nice bit of foliage.

Keep me company?

Start from the beginning.

SCOTT BREATHES SHAKILY

It was... It was there.

That's where you saw him? It.

Nothing seemed human.

Meaning what? It was his face.

It was... BREATHES DEEPLY

He was wearing a mask?

I need you to describe it.

I prayed you'd return.

HE CHUCKLES DRYLY

So, Jason was taken from in here?

And... both of you are in?

Nichol... Barclay.

You... You prayed to bring him into our lives, too, didn't you?

When it was just the two of us. But he never accepted me as his own.

So, what have the police said?

We're waiting on updates.

What, that's it? What, there's no leads?

I should be asking more, shouldn't I?

If I'd have been here, I could have protected him.

But no.

No, I was... I was forced out of my own home

because you, my own mother, didn't stand up for me.

Don't.

Don't.

He was my little brother, Mum. And...

HORN HONKS OUTSIDE

CAR DOOR SHUTS

Barclay. What?

Don't go mad, but... What?

Alive, then? Sorry to disappoint.

Why are you here?

Well, because Jason... Don't say his name.

I will say my brother's name whenever I want.

When did he get back? Last night.

You didn't call me.

You still let him speak to you like that?

Where the fuck have you been?

A lot of... terrible places.

LAUGHS

Hmm.

Well, you're not staying here. Yes, he is.

He is.

Ever wanted to be a detective? No.

You'd be good at it. I know.

Christ, do you think I look at you like you're the Holy Grail?

Oh, you look at me, Carol? BOTH CHUCKLE

Places to be? Yeah.

I need to get back to Dwayne and Johnson.

My black Labs. Oh. I love Labradors.

I begged for one as a kid. No joy.

Well, you dodged a bullet. They're a nightmare.

They eat everything.

I spent most of last Christmas

pulling tinsel out of Dwayne's arsehole.

BOTH LAUGH

Erm...

Good spot to watch from. Yeah.

Something? Looks like a nicotine pouch.

Yeah. Bingo. Got a poo bag?

Nice one.

'Your mum's working in France?'

Yeah, she's there more than here. Always working.

You're home alone a lot, then.

I guess. I've got a job, though.

Doing what? Bits and bobs for a handyman.

My dad thinks it's important too - learning the value of money.

Don't tell my mum that.

Why not? She'd go nuts.

I'm not meant to have contact with him, but he's my dad.

He's not some monster, like she'd make out.

He's been really trying since he reached back out.

Fuck. He'll be worried. I didn't message him back.

Scott, how does he contact you?

Tell me.

The phone he sent me.

Can I see it?

I'll need to hang on to this.

And your regular phone? You dropped it when you ran?

Went for a stroll. Assumed he surveyed the house.

Found a nicotine pouch. Getting DNA fast-tracked.

Any sign of a burner phone? No sign.

Scott says the killer wears a pale mask.

Christ. Made from animal skin, by the sounds of it.

Poor animal.

Hey. Look at this.

Impression of the killer's mask.

What? Why would he wear that?

He wants to terrify his victims, too?

Well, masks tend to represent desire to separate identity.

Monster at night, normality by day.

He has a tendency towards the theatrics,

the staging, taxidermy, the stones.

He wants to be seen,

which leans into the likelihood that he feels invisible by day.

Educated, frustrated...

..plagued by doubts about his own strength,