Wormtown

Thanks again for seeing me so late.

I couldn't even open my curtains in the day,

let alone go outside.

And my skin crawls, burns.

So not just the eyes, Mr. Mayor.

No.

Ah, but now,

every time I turn on my phone, try to watch TV--

my blood pressure. It just goes through the roof.

The chest hurts.

You know, maybe our Amish neighbors,

maybe they're onto something, eh?

Well, Mr. Mayor,

I say we focus on the light sensitivity,

and the other stuff could be somatic.

If it's in my head, tell me,

how is it that in the dark I see everything?

Top line: E. Bottom line: A-Z-L-V-A-N.

I could read your whole chart.

Like there's a light,

coming from my eyes, illuminating the darkness.

It's a beautiful thing, really.

Okay, take a look.

Alright. Hold still.

Whoa.

What? Talk to me, doc.

What do you see?

And it's Mayor Joshua, closing out another beautiful night

of peace and harmony here in Ashland, Ohio.

Today's forecast,

clear skies, bright and sunny.

So please, stay safe and take every precaution.

As always, a shout out to our boys in brims

for all their service.

- On the house. - Much obliged.

Let's take care of our ranchers,

the way they take care of us.

And as the night ends, let us pray for our neighbors

who still walk in the blinding sunlight.

That we may show them the true light.

Ye are the light of the world.

A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

God has a plan for all of us.

- For the greater good. - For the greater good.

And remember folks, before you doubt your faith,

-doubts your doubts. -Doubt your doubts.

No, no I can't.

You know it has to go.

You know. You know that.

We're going to be safe now. We're going to be safe.

So, good morning, and sleep tight Ashland.

The world headquarters of nice people.

Mayor Joshua, signing out.

I'll be back in five minutes,

better be ready for bed, buster.

Tommy, get up!

Tommy, get up!

Tommy?

Tommy! Get inside!

-Up! Please! -Tommy! Get up!

-Come on man! -Tommy, get up!

Mom!

Shit! Shit!

Mom!

Mom!

Tommy!

Mom!

God!

No, please.

Mom!

Tommy!

No!

Tommy!

Good morning.

Yeah.

Greg? It's me. Just checking on ya.

Greg?

You know, I don't think that's healthy

fixating on the past like that.

You know, someday you'll, you'll find somebody too. You'll--

Oh my God, Rose. Shut the fuck up.

You're not my fucking therapist.

Oh, nice.

Rose, you are gonna love this.

Sorry kid.

Alright.

Okay.

So you are seeing inside the chest cavity here.

Looks like there's a higher concentration

of them here than in the extremities.

Fuck!

Rose!

Oh, I hope you can see her. Huh! You were right.

Constricted all around the heart.

But it's too tight.

The heart's ruptured in several places.

It's the reaction to the sun.

Hey!

You fucking animal, leave him alone!

Shit!

That's my son!

Hey Kara.

Kara!

What?

You wanna see a 2.5 gigahertz signal on the specimen?

It's Bluetooth. On the worms.

Okay. Message received.

Jess?

Where? Where?

It's bad.

Uh, neck, face,

uh, maybe more.

It's not my blood.

Close your eyes.

Sorry, hold still.

Let's just check you for hitchhikers.

I saw it today. The heartworm. You were right.

It feeds on the blood supply.

This one died in the sun,

but it was the heartworm that killed him.

I got you some good samples.

I, I know you wanted eye samples,

but this one was too far gone.

Jess, what'd you do?

I fucked up.

I slipped.

But I got you those pastries you like.

I play it up. They're pretty dry.

Oh, you are mad.

It's okay, right?

I need you still.

Brace yourself against the table.

I, I'm gonna cut it out.

Oh, is that thing clean?

Now! Before it gets any deeper.

Ah!

Oh, fuck fuck fuck.

Please just shut up! Shut up!

Five. Four. Three.

Ow, fuck! You always go on three!

Stop moving! Stop! Stop!

Apply pressure.

You're welcome.

And welcome back folks to another night

of peace and quiet.

Peace and quiet.

They go together like two "peace" in a pod, right?

So please, folks, remember

to keep your firearms safely locked away.

The gunfire and other loud noises panic our guests.

Our bodies are our temples.

Not exactly a great place for a demolition derby.

Remember, pull the trigger, destroy your ticker.

Jeremiah warned, my heart.

My heart. I writhe in pain.

My heart pounds within me.

I cannot be still for I have heard the noise of war.

How long are we gonna live like raccoons?

I need to get some air.

Kara, come on. It's almost dark.

And the night crawlers are up to something.

We love you.

Yeah, I love you too.

I'll be back.

Isaiah warned: In the night

the world is laid waste and

brought to silence.

On all their heads shall be baldness

and everyone shall howl weeping abundantly.

Desolation, grief, and desperate sorrow.

Sounds pretty bad.

But Ashland, we greet the night with a smile.

Doubt your doubts. Doubt your doubts. Doubt your doubts.

Love you too. Love you so much.

Bitches.

Raccoon trash panda motherfuckers.

Can I see some ID?

I'm confused. Are you guys cops?

Emergency deputization by the mayor himself, ma'am.

There has been a grievous transgression.

Bad business with the body of a young boy

while everyone in town slept.

Well--

maybe not everyone.

And?

Well you match the description.

We should let the witness clear this up,

won't take but a minute.

Hop in. She's a dream of a ride.

Don't you mean the backseat?

Backseat's for criminals. You a criminal?

-No. -Of course not.

And we ain't cops.

So tend to your gardens

and trust our ranchers to protect our land.

Thanks to them, the looters, the marauders,

the lawless bands roaming the world

are kept outside our borders.

Jesus taught we must be patient for the harvest

to separate the wheat from the tares