Dark Fields

They say that those who fail to learn from their past

are destined to repeat it.

This story begins well before my time,

in a place called Perseverance.

In all, three generations would come to tell the tale.

Three generations would come to fear the rain.

Please, whoever you are...

Please, just let me go.

What do you want?

Ahh.

One more week without rain...

and we'll all be dead.

Pa...

Ain't that Simon Wheeler?

Daniel, no! Daniel!

Help me, please. Don't let it get me.

Who?

The hat.

You mind when I'm talking to you!

Now, you go home and look after your sister!

Go on!

Go!

I want my pa.

I know your father, boy.

Open up, ladies!

Jenny...

...take the money.

You got to pay to stay, ladies!

You got the rent?

No!

I want that.

You let my child go.

Brenda, give him the water.

But it's all we have.

Give him the water.

Here, boy. Take this.

Dell.

He was talking crazy things.

I didn't have no choice.

I had to think of the kids. You understand?

He knows you're here, Jean.

If I was you, I'd pack my things and get back home

before he sends the sheriff.

You'll never make it out of town.

Mama, why are all the grown-ups sick?

No, mama, please!

Daddy?

D-daddy, is that you?

Daddy misses you, baby.

Daddy...

Are you better now?

Yes. I am.

Please come home.

Just tell your mother to bring you all home.

Please!

Did you get rid of it?

Yes.

So there'll be no more crazy talk?

Come home.

Clarence!

Come home, Jean.

I want to, baby.

I miss you, but...

Geez, Cari! Don't you knock?!

Sorry.

Damn it.

You said you were studying at the library today.

I was, but there were too many people there,

and I just didn't feel like it.

And?

And, well, when the hell am I supposed to have my time, Cari?

You're here every fucking minute, studying.

You never go out.

You never go home.

I get no time to myself.

You gonna answer that?

Oh, they'll call back.

It must be her parents. Again.

Well, lookee here. What did I tell you?

- Good old M and D calling again. - Give me that.

What, are you afraid I'm gonna answer it?

You have no right.

They'll just call back.

And call and call.

Just like they keep sending you these letters you never open.

Come on. Let's go to your place.

Do me a favor, Cari, and answer your phone.

Better yet, just go home.

Philosopher and poet George Santayana

was quoted as saying that those who fail to learn from history

are doomed to repeat it.

These words imply that society is destined

to travel down the same self-destructive road

until it is willing to accept the wrongs of its past.

And quite often, this burden of acceptance

gets passed down to our children.

It's the children who pay the price for our indiscretions.

...the creation of the atomic bomb...

Ow!

...enough is enough.

Otherwise, the vicious cycle will continue.

And tragically, we, the adults of this generation...

...the price tag will be human life.

...society, in all its complacency, is willing to accept the notion

that its children are tomorrow's martyrs.

Ohh.

Campus operator.

Hi, this is Cari Lumis.

Could you give me the number to the campus clinic, please?

I have an emergency.

Please hold.

Mom?

No, honey. This is your father.

Aw, Dad. Dad, there's something wrong.

Cari, you're sick.

No, Dad. Dad, it's more than that.

My skin, it...

It's drying up, and you have unexplained sores.

How did you know?

Sweetie, you have...

You have a family-related illness.

It's hereditary.

Dad, you never said anything about this.

Dad, it's bad. I think I need a doctor.

We have the remedy here.

So you must come home, and you must come home immediately.

Okay. Okay. It hurts.

Cari, we have the cure.

You just come home now. But make it quick.

It's gonna be all right, Maggie.

Gonna be all right.

Daniel...

I'm thirsty.

You can have my rations.

No. I need water.

There's little left.

I'll check with Pa.

Pa, can Maggie have my water rations?

No.

Pa...

that boy in the field...

he was Ben Wheeler's son, Simon.

Yeah.

That boy was crazy.

Lack of food and water, no doubt.

What happened to him, Pa?

My God.

Ha!

Pa, it looks like our prayers came through.

Ha.

Looks like it.

Can this day get any worse?

Well, well, well. If it isn't Cari Lumis.

What's going on, Sheriff?

Well, we've got some flooding. We're re-routing traffic.

Oh, okay.

Well, does that mean I have to turn around, then?

No.

We don't turn away our own kind.

Okay, well, I better get going.

My parents are probably waiting for me.

Well, you let me move those first.

Welcome home, everybody.

Daddy!

Let's all get in out of the heat.

Come on.

Come on, baby. It's still daddy.

Drink this.

What is it?

Just...

Just drink it, dear.

Just drink it.

Ahh.

I can breathe! What was that?

It's a remedy.

Now take the bandages off.

Ohh.

Ohh!

It's working.

I need more.

I'll give you more.

But you got to do exactly what I say, without question.

- Do you understand? - Yes.

- You understand? - Yes!

Now, that's a promise.

'Cause if you don't...

I can't help you.

Listen to me.

You listen to me.

Your illness is hereditary.

You could say it's a...

it's a curse.

It occurs when you reach adulthood...

and it can kill you.

Shh. Shh. Shh. Shh.

But there is a cure.

Shh. Shh.

No, no, no.

Now...

I want you...