Brimstone

As life progresses, images blur.

All that remains are memories.

Some of them true...

some of them false.

I remember her well.

At least I think I do.

She was a warrior.

In the old century you had to be...

in order to survive.

Breathe in and out, the way she does.

And now, push. Now!

Thank you so much.

Bye.

See you in a couple of days, right?

Mama...

are you coming?

- Good morning! - Hi, Liz!

Here.

Liz, the boy's gotta learn how to shoot.

Well, he's gonna do it anyway.

Better here than sneaking off somewhere else.

- You're scaring your mother. - She ain't my mother.

Beware of false prophets...

who come to you in sheep's clothing...

for inwardly, they are ravening wolves.

Jesus is the shepherd who protects you and your family from those wolves.

And I am his dog.

The sheepdog that gets the lambs back on track when they stray off the path.

And some of you have strayed, haven't you?

What do you people think?

That God is well disposed towards you?

Let me set things straight.

Those who deserve it, go to hell.

I could tell you about hell.

About its flames.

About the pain.

I'm sure you people have tried to imagine what it's like.

It's worse.

Retribution is coming.

Now, let us join in singing.

Abide with me.

Abide with me

Fast falls the eventide

The darkness deepens

Lord, with me abide

You all right?

Thank you.

How're you doing, sir? This is my daughter, Sam.

My boy, Matthew. And...

my wife.

Where were you?

That man is a stranger here, he doesn't know anybody yet.

I'd have expected a little more compassion from you.

What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong?

What's wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong?

Just breathe, all right? Breathe, just breathe.

Everybody outside. We don't need no busybodies.

Go on, get. Get out!

Nathan, I think you better go outside too.

Some things aren't meant for a man's eyes.

It's gonna be just fine, right, Liz?

You're gonna take care of her, right? Promise?

All right, Liz, I'm going to be right outside, okay? I love you. I love you.

You take care of her.

Close the door behind you.

It's gonna be all right, honey.

The baby's head is too big.

What's that supposed to say?

We're going to have to choose between the baby and the mother.

Can't save both of them.

You have to. Your mother said everything would be all right.

No, I wanna stay. I wanna help.

Hey... how's it going in there?

Everything all right?

Yeah?

Push, Abby. Hard as you can now, come on!

Good girl!

Where's the baby? I wanna see my baby.

Where is he?

Give me my baby!

It ain't your fault.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.

The Reverend?

Liz...

the Reverend is a man of God.

You're seeing things that ain't there.

If Jesus came back to life after he was dead...

couldn't that happen to Abigail's baby, too?

Can you face-paint me?

I'm doing something. Can't you tell?

We've come to see if everything's all right.

Everything's just fine. No reason for you folks to go wasting your time.

- We'd like to look for ourselves. - Rather not.

There's a doctor coming in an hour, it's better if he takes a look.

The Reverend arranged it.

Hello!

- What the hell? - Liz!

Liz!

You get down here, Liz!

You get down here!

I wanna see your face.

I wanna see your face.

Nathan! Don't take it out on my boy!

We can talk about this like decent folk!

I got no quarrel with you, Eli!

I'm here for your wife.

She's gotta be punished for her sins.

- She's gotta burn at the stake, Eli! - Try to be reasonable now, Nathan.

I know your sorrow, believe me.

I lost a loved one too, remember?

I know you're out of your mind with grief...

but believe me, your pain will pass, just like mine did!

I could accept that real easy...

as long as that tongueless murderess ends up at the stake!

I demand retribution!

You know what she did, Eli?

She murdered my baby boy.

Before he could even be baptized, she murdered him.

What's gonna happen to him now?

Do you think he's gonna find salvation?

You know how she did it, Eli?

I seen him.

His brains had leaked out.

Your wife broke his skull.

She cracked his skull wide open!

She should go to hell for this!

That will be enough.

There has been suffering...

it's the whiskey talking now.

This is not the moment to solve this.

She belongs in hell, Reverend.

Did he do you any harm?

He just helped us out of a real fix.

- Do I get one, too? - You ain't old enough for that yet.

Why be so hard on the boy?

He only acted to protect his family. That makes him an adult.

His mother doesn't want him playing with guns.

It's natural for a young man to want to hold a rifle in his hands.

May I offer my glass to Matthew?

I think it's about time you went back to bed, Matthew.

- Dad! - Come on, drink up.

None of this would have happened if that baby had been born in perfect health.

But Liz couldn't do nothing about that.

She decided who was to live and who was to die.

That decision belongs to God, and God only.

Why did she not leave that choice up to him?

Maybe I should go fetch her.

I know you're there...

and I know you can hear me.

You may have no tongue, but there is nothing wrong with your ears.

Why do doubts rise in your heart?

Why are you troubled?

How do you sleep at night?

How does it feel to be a murderess?

Do you know why I'm here?

I'm here to punish you.

Do you love this family?

I've looked at your daughter.

She's almost a young woman already.

There you are.

I must be going.

Please don't bear a grudge against Nathan in your heart.

Losing a child is the worst thing a body can go through.

I was just talking to your wife about that same thing.

You didn't even thank him.

Fact is, you didn't even say hello to him.

Liz, Nathan will come around.

Right, you know what?

Give me a couple of days.

I'll get someone to come in for the sheep...

and then we'll go up to my pa's for a bit.

He's all alone up there anyway.

Dad?

Dad?

I'm just going to talk. This has got to stop.

First shootin' our windows up, now this.

Come on!

- I want you to stay with your mother. - She ain't my mother.

- Matthew! - You're gonna need my help.

All right, as long as you stay outside.

But why can't I just play inside?

Why?

And why can't I help out?

I think we can take that blindfold off, now.

- But I promised. - Your mother won't mind.

She has a lot to do.

Here, see?

Everything will be fine.

- And Mama? - She had to work in the barn.

And she did not want you there, do you remember?

I would like to talk to you about your mother.

Nathan!

They've gone and moved.

Liz? Where are you?

No, no, Nathan's gone. And Abigail.

Packed up, moved out.

Where'd you get to?

You scared your mother. Had her worried sick.

Mama, are you evil?

The Reverend said you murdered a man.