The OA

Excuse me. Mrs. Johnson? Nancy Johnson?

- Hi... - Excuse me. I don't. I...

I... I'm Pat. Pat Knowler. I write for the Chicago Tribune.

I'm sorry, I... I don't have anything to say to you.

No. You don't have to say anything, but please listen.

I specialize in long-form investigative reporting...

Yeah, I've read the headlines.

- No. - "Michigan Miracle."

No, that's not what I do.

I help people like Prairie tell their stories

honestly and respectfully.

Do you know what would be respectful?

To let me go on shopping.

I won the National Book Award for this.

I'm only trying to say that my work is not sensationalistic.

- I spent eight months with that family. - I don't care.

Fifteen weeks on the USA Today Best-Seller list.

Jamie Price and his family are set for life.

Prairie... may never lead a normal life.

And she probably won't be able to get a job.

I bet you burned through your savings trying to find her.

It happens to every family like you.

We're fine.

Thank you for your time,

but if you change your mind, my card is in there.

I fly out tomorrow.

Homer.

I'm sorry, I should have asked.

How long have you been a vegan?

Oh, going on five years.

But it's not a political or spiritual decision.

Uh, more of a shift to wanting to take control

of the kind of fuel that I...

Honey, are you okay?

- Burn your mouth? - No, it's just...

This is so good.

Oh. I apologize.

It's so insensitive of me to talk about my...

dietary decisions when Prairie...

It's okay.

You wrote the book about the boy?

Jamie. Amazing young man.

What is he like?

He was only eight when he was abducted.

Uh, 15 when he was rescued.

Sometimes when you talk to him he seems really young.

And other times, really old.

Nothing in between.

What happened to him

makes him a creature apart.

On a different frequency, you know?

So... for the book.

When would you start?

Well, that's up to Prairie.

I would never rush this, but... Prairie, here's the thing.

The process can sometimes help people to heal.

Storytelling is cleansing.

But I also want to make sure you control the narrative.

That you profit from it.

Hmm.

And did it heal them?

All the money?

It's given his family a security that they've never known.

But more importantly, the process of telling this story

has somehow exorcised it.

Jamie will tell you.

He says that when we typed, "The end..."

that meant it was truly over.

Sorry.

- I don't think that... - What's that, honey?

I think this isn't gonna work.

But I can... We can do it however you...

I can't give you what Jamie gave you is the problem.

It's not about you giving me any...

His story has an end.

- Well... - I'm...

This is just beginning.

I'm very, very... I'm very sorry.

The first time you fall asleep in prison...

you forget.

You wake up a free woman.

And then you remember that you're not.

You lose your freedom many times before you finally believe it.

You have to eat.

The pellets make me sick to my stomach.

You'll acclimate.

I'm gonna lose my mind down here.

Is that part of this?

No.

Talk to the others.

Keep your mind busy. I...

I can get you braille books. What do you like to read?

I won't be able to live without sunlight and air.

- The others have. - The others aren't blind.

Night slipped into day.

Day into night.

Where is August?

What have you done with her?

I need to know that she's okay.

She needs me.

Enough, Rachel. You know he's taken her upstairs.

She needs me.

We were like the living dead.

Right next to each other, but alone.

There's nothing more isolating than not being able to feel time.

Let me out!

To not feel the distance between hours, days.

You're alive.

You're alive. You're alive.

You're gonna get out of here.

Is anyone awake?

Jesus.

Did you just... throw up in our fuckin' water?

I need water.

No drinking water right now.

We're using it to wash up.

Okay. Come on.

Let's go.

There's a door in front of you. Push it.

Hold on.

Thank you.

That's enough.

Take the other half.

You won't eat 'cause the others can't.

Is that it?

Make 'em all sandwiches.

I don't care.

Big step. Hold on.

Here.

You know, somebody might want to show some gratitude.

This is because of her.

It won't be a regular occurrence.

Why'd you have to fuck it up with mustard?

Look, look.

Hey, hey. Hey, you.

You don't have to bang on the glass. I can hear you.

Come here. Come, come.

Please.

You got upstairs.

I did.

What's it like up there?

The sun was out.

You gotta get my ring.

I stashed it up there when he brought me in.

It's in the bathroom. You gotta bring it down for me.

And a bill... A bill for water, gas, anything.

You gotta help me out, okay? He trusts you.

What... I don't... What are you talking about?

So, like, a year and 36 days ago,

this guy says he'll give me 500 bucks to participate in this study about NDEs.

You see, Mandy, my son's mom...

she told me she was pregnant. Two months along. She just found out.

I wanted to prove to her that even though we weren't together,

I would be a great dad. I could support our son.

I thought I'd do the study and give her the 500 bucks

as a symbol of that.

So I get in the car with him.

And he drives me here and I asked to go to the bathroom.

And I had this feeling, this... this sinking feeling, uh...

As soon as I got to the bathroom,

I just stashed my championship football ring in the medicine cabinet.

I knew something was coming for me.

I had to leave a trace, in case I disappeared.

Look.

Look.

Oh...

Oh, shit.

I... I forgot that, uh...

Um...

Well, I still have the money.

Isn't that fucked up?

Well, what are you gonna do with your ring and a bill?

You're gonna mail it.

And you'll leave a note in it saying to send it to Mandy.

She could use it to get my son, uh,

diapers, or clothes, or little music tapes to make him smart.

Are you kidding me?

If I ever get up there again I have to, like, find a phone

or hit him over the head with some...

This is more important than that, all right? Please.

We are down here. There is nothing to do about that.

But my son is out there every day without a father.

It kills me every day to think he thinks I walked out on him.

- How do you know it's a boy? - What?

What if you have a daughter?

Are you listening to me? I don't feel like you're listening to me.

I'm listening. I...

I just need a moment to think...

about my own plan.

Prairie, Prairie, Prairie, Prairie.

Fuck! No, no, no.

Cover your vent, Prairie.

What's that smell?

- Get on your bed. Stand on it. Now! - No. It's not my turn!

Feel the wall near the ceiling.

The wall near the ceiling.

To the right, way to the right.

Way.

More to the right!

More. Keep going. There.