The Priest: Thanksgiving Massacre

- Journal of Reverend Edmond Fuller,

month of November in the year of our Lord, 1621.

It seems like a lifetime ago that Abigail

and I first arrived in the new world,

stumbling off the boat alongside 100 other souls

with little more than the clothes on our backs

and our hopes for the future, hopes that were dashed

when the Reverend Peters and I disagreed

over where to build our community's chapel.

The trouble spiraled from there until it was clear

the two of us weren't ever going to get along.

So it was that I convinced Abigail

it was time we struck out on our own,

knowing that with God's grace, my two hands

and sack of tools, I could build a home

and chapel for ourselves.

That was in the spring, many a month ago.

And now here we are in winter, holed up in a tiny cabin

with no warmth and not a thing to eat.

Poor Abigail is ailing.

She's not long for this world

and I cannot be far behind her.

I've never known such a feeling of hunger.

My fear is that at any moment,

a madness may take hold of me.

For what I'm about to receive,

may the Lord make me truly thankful.

"And God said to Adam, the flesh

that is torn from a living beast

at the time that its life is in it

before all its breath has gone out,

thou shall not eat nor its blood shall thee drink.

Those that disobey this command

shall never enter the kingdom of heaven

or find their rest in the earth."

This will be the final entry in this journal.

I, Reverend Edmund Fuller, hereby confess

to having committed a most terrible sin.

The sentence for such a crime is execution.

Being that I am alone here,

I'm forced to carry out this sentence by my own hand

and it must be done quickly,

for I fear the hunger that drove me to such terrible acts

is rising within me once again.

May the Lord forgive me for what I have done.

- Arnie, just saw your message, a happy Thanksgiving

to you too. The cabin, it's fantastic.

It's even better than the pictures.

I mean, come on a hot tub and a steam room.

Oh, and thanks for throwing in the limo ride out here.

Sara was very appreciative, if you know what I mean.

I just gotta know, how the hell did you get

a permit to build out here?

It's all protected forest land, isn't it?

Trust you to find a way.

Listen, Arnie, I can't talk for too long.

Cyndy could be here at any moment to drop off the kids.

That's what Thanksgiving's all about, right?

Getting the family together.

No, Cyndy won't need to stick around.

Thank God I mean, can you imagine?

Listen, I gotta go.

Thanks again so much for loaning the cabin.

Yeah, I'll see you in the office Tuesday.

Okay, okay, bye, bye.

Andi, Noah, happy Thanksgiving.

What's that?

The new Stephen King?

- Christ, dad, only boomers read Stephen King.

Right.

Why are you guys on foot?

Freeway's a good half mile away.

- We know that Tom, we just walked it.

What happened to the EV?

Dead battery.

Come on Cyndy.

- That battery is old, I told you about it two months ago.

- That's what we have auto insurance for.

Didn't you call them?

- Yes, I called them. You took my name off the policy.

- I was gonna warn you about that.

- Look, can you just take me back

to town once the kids are settled in?

- No, I don't have a car out here.

What?

Don't worry.

I'll make some calls, let's just head on inside.

You're not gonna believe this place.

Six bedrooms, kitchen, steam room, hot tub.

Okay, through here.

- So this is Arnold's little love nest.

Vacation cabin for his family.

Actually, we're the first to use it.

Construction only finished a couple of months ago.

- Weren't you gonna make some calls?

Oh, okay.

Signal's better outside.

- Listen, as much as I hate to say this,

try to give your dad a chance this weekend.

Spending Thanksgiving with his family

always really meant a lot to him.

- If family meant so much then why did he leave?

- Come on Andi, you know it's not that simple.

Adults have different needs.

I'm almost 20 mom.

I'm not six, I am an adult.

- Well then perhaps you could try acting like one.

Hey, cool it mom.

You're right, Andi, I'm sorry.

Today is just turning out to be a really bad day.

- How about later this afternoon, this evening?

I know it's Thanksgiving, but this is an emergency.

All right, all right, thanks anyway.

In answer to your question,

your father and I are breaking up

because the relationship has run its course.

That's all. You can understand.

You broke up with Fisher.

- I went on like three dates with Fisher.

I wouldn't call that breaking up.

You and dad have been together forever.

- And we raised a beautiful family

that we are very proud of.

Yes, even you, Noah.

But now you kids are grown,

maybe it's time to make some changes.

I know this is a different situation

to what we've all been used to,

something we all have to deal with in our own way.

But I think that if you give it a chance.

- Oh, I didn't realize there was anyone here.

So I can see.

Hey everyone, this is my,

this is Sara.

- Don't get up, I just popped in to find my phone.

I think I left it on the couch.

- Noah, why don't you move aside so Sara can.

Don't worry, found it.

- Your accent's cool, are you British?

That's right.

- Sara and I met when I was in London,

on a layover at the airport.

A layover, how appropriate.

Tom was kind enough to help me with my bags.

Sara, this is Andi and Noah.

Pleased to meet you both.

- So how's it going with getting the car towed?

- I called up the six closest places, five didn't pick up.

And the one that did is busy all day.

- Well, it's Thanksgiving, what did you expect, Tom?

Okay, I'll think of something.

- I don't think we've been introduced.

- Right, this is Sara, Sara, this is Cyndy, my.

His wife.

Separated of course.

Still on good terms, I hope,

for the sake of your lovely children.

- I think it's time I showed you two to your rooms,

Andi, Noah, you wanna come with me?

Through here.

What do you think?

Oh.

Look Noah,

I know we haven't had much of a chance to talk

since your mom and I decided to go our separate ways.

You don't exactly make it easy

listening to that noise all the time.

Well look, that's why I wanted

to get us all together for the holidays.

Spend a little quality time with you and your sister.

Family time, right?

Yeah, that's it.

Without mom.

- Okay, it's more of a chance for you to get to know Sara.

So how's the band come along?

The band?

Yeah.

You, Mikey and that skinny kid, what's his name?

The band broke up.

Oh, that's a pity.

- In July, it was six months ago dad,

the skinny kid's name is Denver

and his dad actually gave a shit,

so he used to come and see us play.

- Hey, there's no need for that kinda language.

You know I have to travel a lot for work, it's my job.

I'm here now, son, so why don't we try

and have a nice old fashioned Thanksgiving

like we used to do when you and Andi were kids.

Car trouble?

- Don't worry, I'm not planning on staying.

- Oh, it's all right with me, the more the merrier.

I'm told it's a beautiful area, the forest around here.

- Didn't you see it when you arrived?

It was dark when we got here.

Tom and I haven't really stepped outside since.

I'll bet.

I'm more of a city girl.

Not really one for hiking in the forest.

- No, I imagine walking the streets is more your thing.