Valley of Ditches (2017) Movie Script
Are you afraid of dying?
- What?
- Do you wonder what happens?
- Not really.
That's a long ways from now.
What would I be afraid of?
- And?
- And what?
- What do you
think happens?
- I don't know.
Something better than this.
- An afterlife.
- Yeah.
What?
- I've never
been to church.
- Well what do you
think happens?
- What if nothing else happens?
What if it all just goes away?
Every touch.
Every kiss.
Every argument and apology.
What if none of it
exists when...
When there's nobody left
to remember it?
- Nobody knows.
It's something
much bigger than us.
- Okay.
Shit.
- And your path became clear.
I just wish you could understand
what I'm trying to do for you.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry, I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
- You will.
You will.
But your obedience
is not optional.
Thine is the kingdom.
And the power
and glory of yours.
Now and forever.
Fear not,
that which can harm the body
but cannot kill the soul.
Rather fear that which
is able to kill
both the body and soul,
in hell.
- Why?
Why are you doing this?
- I had a brother.
Guess I wasn't particularly
fond of him.
One day we were hiking in
the bluffs above the ocean,
and at the highest point
he paused to look out.
No one was there to see it.
To see me,
shove him over the edge.
You know what that felt like?
Nothing.
I killed my brother,
and it felt so,
right.
And that terrified me.
I needed to know why god
would make something like that
feel so natural.
- I don't understand.
- In the old testament,
there's a general by
the name of jehoram.
He set out with an army
to completely exterminate
the moab people,
living in the desert.
In his haste he didn't
bring enough water
so jehoram, hellbent on
the mass murder of his enemies,
turns to the lord,
who surprisingly responds.
He tells him
and his army to dig.
Fill the valley with holes
and ditches.
Offer a sacrifice and god
will fill these ditches
with what they needed.
Because the truth was,
god has a need for them.
- You told him you'd let me go.
- I told him you would be saved!
Just as he was saved.
Just as god saves.
He gave you his gifts
for a reason,
and that reason was not sin.
- We didn't do anything--
- I killed my brother.
It was sin, I accept that.
I used god's gifts
for selfish reasons.
And now, I teach the lessons
that most men,
they don't have the stomach for.
You can't change who you are.
You can only change
what you do with it.
It's time for your confession.
- No!
Please!
Wait.
I'll confess.
I'll do anything,
just tell me what it is.
- It's simple.
You tell me your sins.
How you abused the gifts
he gave you,
and then you pay your penance.
- Please.
Don't hurt me.
Please.
I'll do anything for you.
For god.
Please.
Please.
- Thank you.
For showing me what
a whore you've become.
- What do you want
from me!
No!
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
So sorry.
- After all he did
just to give you
a few more minutes of life.
He understood his faults.
He felt remorse,
for the twisted life
that he was leading.
Clearly,
it was you.
Feeding him the apple.
You were the temptation
all along.
Fill this valley with ditches,
and so his tired and
thirsty men began to dig,
and toiled and struggled,
until they could do no more.
They had done their part.
The next morning they
offered a living sacrifice.
- Help me.
- And there was no rain
or clouds or thunder,
but the lord filled
those ditches
with the water that they needed,
and that same day they
purged the moab people
in a violent sea of blood,
and used violence,
for a higher purpose.
God's purpose.
- I don't know what I did wrong.
Please, I don't know what I did!
Please, please don't do this!
Don't do this!
- You're just,
this poor,
lost girl.
Come here.
I understand.
You just needed him
to be stronger.
But he used you,
for sin.
Do I kill you now?
Deliver you to evil?
I think,
that you need
a true burden to bear.
- Please, please!
Please don't do this!
I don't know what I did!
Please.
I'm sorry, I'll do anything.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- And your struggle
will bring you closer.
You,
have sinned.
In your thoughts.
In your actions.
In what you've done and
what you've failed to do.
Remember that.
Pray for forgiveness.
And,
pray for a quick end.
Of your mortal binds.
- What are you doing?
Stop!
- Jehoram's army filled
his valley in a day.
How long do you think
it'll take one man,
to do the same?
- Are you nervous?
Why would I be nervous?
- My family
is going to love you.
- My father told me he loved me.
- He was wrong.
You're going to
your real family now.
And you're gonna see what
life is supposed to be like.
- He's the only family
I've known.
- You're better than him.
- I'm half of him.
- No.
You're none of him.
You're only you.
- Fuck!
What the fuck now?
- Dammit, where are you girl?
Emilia!
I'll find you!
Where the fuck have you been?
I told you to stay in the house.
- Hey.
I could really use
your help right now.
It's so cold.
How am I supposed to do
this without you?
I was the weak one, me.
I'm so scared.
Please help me.
Michael?
What is this?
What is this?
Michael!
- We can go.
We can drive all the way--
- stop it.
Stop it!
Stop it!
Stop it!
Shut up!
Shut up, shut up, shut up!
- I'm sorry honey.
I'm sorry I couldn't...
- Go away.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Please.
Go away.
Go away.
- Sorry.
I'm sorry honey, I'm sorry.
- Yes, I promise I'm fine.
Bye.
- Emilia.
Emilia, why are you being
so quiet in there?
- Yes, I promise I'm coming in.
I promise.
Please I need to go.
- Hello?
Who's there?
Who the fuck is talking
on my phone?
Who the fuck is this?
Answer me!
- It's Michael sir.
I was just talking with Emilia.
- Who the fuck are you?
Fuck you!
I said,
no phone calls.
And no
boys.
- I'm sorry!
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
Go.
Go away.
Please!
Please.
Please.
Please.
Go away!
I said go the fuck away!
Go away!
Go!
Fuck you!
Go!
Fuck you!
Fuck you!
Go!
Fuck you go!
Fuck you!
- No.
No, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no.
I told you,
your penance is to keep quiet!
Okay.
Okay.
You know what?
Look at me.
Look at me!
Let me explain this to you
in a way that
you will understand.
Do you see her?
Do you,
see,
her?
She's next.
But she can be saved.
If you keep quiet,
and pay your penance,
like a good true believer.
Then she can be saved.
But if not,
then I guess you two will
just have to trade places.
And you will get to watch.
That's better.
- We can drive
all the way to California.
I'm sorry honey.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Stop it, stop it.
I've gotta get out of here.
Fuck.
No good.
God.
Oh my god.
- How are you
still such a good person?
- I'm not.
- After everything.
There's nothing bitter
or angry in those eyes.
How?
- I am those things.
I'm all of it.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey come here, no.
Listen to me.
How?
- You bury it.
I bury it under something else.
- We can go, we can...
We can get in my Van and we can,
we can drive all the way
to California.
What was there
to bury it with?
- Hope.
And you.
- Hey!
Can't hide now!
- What?
- Still hiding back here?
I know you like the quiet.
Nurses wouldn't mind their
break room back though.
- They can have it.
- It's been awhile Emilia.
You're looking better though.
Do you think you
wanna talk about it?
Maybe we can start
from the basics.
You know if you're thirsty
you can take a sip.
- Go on, the basics.
- Okay,
I know nothing about what
you went through was basic.
The problem is,
I don't know what you
exactly went through.
I mean,
we have your initial statement.
He took us from the Van,
i survived, Michael didn't,
but that's it.
Looking through your records
we found that Michael
must be Michael pherson,
registered owner
of the Van we found,
also the owner of the blood
we found on your body.
We can talk about
something different.
I called your father
up in Montana.
Still no answer.
We can talk about that
later too if you'd like.
Look, all I wanna know is,
you come back here
held up everyday,
you don't speak to anyone,
Emilia,
do you even want our help?
- I said I'd get my own
fucking water if I needed it.
But they didn't listen.
They always wanna help.
They want to help because
then they own you.
A man raises you after
your mother dies,
and suddenly you're his property
no questions asked.
Boy saves you,
you owe him your heart.
God saves you.
You owe him your soul.
What if I don't wanna
give those things up?
What if I take them back?
Fuck this water.
- I wanna help.
- I know.
It's who you are.
You can't change it.
- Hey honey?
Honey?
Oh my god.
Oh my god no.
No.
Honey, honey?
Who did this?
Who did this to you?
Who did this?
Pick up, pick up, pick up.
Hello?
Yes!
I need an ambulance.
Yes my wife, she's been stabbed.
She's been stabbed.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know who...
Please.
I don't know!
Just please!
Send somebody.
Yes.
Yes, that's my address, please!
Please.
Okay.
Okay.
I'm so sorry.
- Look at her.
Look at her.
She had no idea did she?
- Can't
feel my arms.
- You won't.
You won't feel anything anymore.
Just like I don't.
I spent so long trying
to hide my rage.
Then you taught me the truth.
My rage is a gift.
And I won't waste it.
- What?
- Do you wonder what happens?
- Not really.
That's a long ways from now.
What would I be afraid of?
- And?
- And what?
- What do you
think happens?
- I don't know.
Something better than this.
- An afterlife.
- Yeah.
What?
- I've never
been to church.
- Well what do you
think happens?
- What if nothing else happens?
What if it all just goes away?
Every touch.
Every kiss.
Every argument and apology.
What if none of it
exists when...
When there's nobody left
to remember it?
- Nobody knows.
It's something
much bigger than us.
- Okay.
Shit.
- And your path became clear.
I just wish you could understand
what I'm trying to do for you.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry, I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Sorry.
- You will.
You will.
But your obedience
is not optional.
Thine is the kingdom.
And the power
and glory of yours.
Now and forever.
Fear not,
that which can harm the body
but cannot kill the soul.
Rather fear that which
is able to kill
both the body and soul,
in hell.
- Why?
Why are you doing this?
- I had a brother.
Guess I wasn't particularly
fond of him.
One day we were hiking in
the bluffs above the ocean,
and at the highest point
he paused to look out.
No one was there to see it.
To see me,
shove him over the edge.
You know what that felt like?
Nothing.
I killed my brother,
and it felt so,
right.
And that terrified me.
I needed to know why god
would make something like that
feel so natural.
- I don't understand.
- In the old testament,
there's a general by
the name of jehoram.
He set out with an army
to completely exterminate
the moab people,
living in the desert.
In his haste he didn't
bring enough water
so jehoram, hellbent on
the mass murder of his enemies,
turns to the lord,
who surprisingly responds.
He tells him
and his army to dig.
Fill the valley with holes
and ditches.
Offer a sacrifice and god
will fill these ditches
with what they needed.
Because the truth was,
god has a need for them.
- You told him you'd let me go.
- I told him you would be saved!
Just as he was saved.
Just as god saves.
He gave you his gifts
for a reason,
and that reason was not sin.
- We didn't do anything--
- I killed my brother.
It was sin, I accept that.
I used god's gifts
for selfish reasons.
And now, I teach the lessons
that most men,
they don't have the stomach for.
You can't change who you are.
You can only change
what you do with it.
It's time for your confession.
- No!
Please!
Wait.
I'll confess.
I'll do anything,
just tell me what it is.
- It's simple.
You tell me your sins.
How you abused the gifts
he gave you,
and then you pay your penance.
- Please.
Don't hurt me.
Please.
I'll do anything for you.
For god.
Please.
Please.
- Thank you.
For showing me what
a whore you've become.
- What do you want
from me!
No!
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
So sorry.
- After all he did
just to give you
a few more minutes of life.
He understood his faults.
He felt remorse,
for the twisted life
that he was leading.
Clearly,
it was you.
Feeding him the apple.
You were the temptation
all along.
Fill this valley with ditches,
and so his tired and
thirsty men began to dig,
and toiled and struggled,
until they could do no more.
They had done their part.
The next morning they
offered a living sacrifice.
- Help me.
- And there was no rain
or clouds or thunder,
but the lord filled
those ditches
with the water that they needed,
and that same day they
purged the moab people
in a violent sea of blood,
and used violence,
for a higher purpose.
God's purpose.
- I don't know what I did wrong.
Please, I don't know what I did!
Please, please don't do this!
Don't do this!
- You're just,
this poor,
lost girl.
Come here.
I understand.
You just needed him
to be stronger.
But he used you,
for sin.
Do I kill you now?
Deliver you to evil?
I think,
that you need
a true burden to bear.
- Please, please!
Please don't do this!
I don't know what I did!
Please.
I'm sorry, I'll do anything.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- And your struggle
will bring you closer.
You,
have sinned.
In your thoughts.
In your actions.
In what you've done and
what you've failed to do.
Remember that.
Pray for forgiveness.
And,
pray for a quick end.
Of your mortal binds.
- What are you doing?
Stop!
- Jehoram's army filled
his valley in a day.
How long do you think
it'll take one man,
to do the same?
- Are you nervous?
Why would I be nervous?
- My family
is going to love you.
- My father told me he loved me.
- He was wrong.
You're going to
your real family now.
And you're gonna see what
life is supposed to be like.
- He's the only family
I've known.
- You're better than him.
- I'm half of him.
- No.
You're none of him.
You're only you.
- Fuck!
What the fuck now?
- Dammit, where are you girl?
Emilia!
I'll find you!
Where the fuck have you been?
I told you to stay in the house.
- Hey.
I could really use
your help right now.
It's so cold.
How am I supposed to do
this without you?
I was the weak one, me.
I'm so scared.
Please help me.
Michael?
What is this?
What is this?
Michael!
- We can go.
We can drive all the way--
- stop it.
Stop it!
Stop it!
Stop it!
Shut up!
Shut up, shut up, shut up!
- I'm sorry honey.
I'm sorry I couldn't...
- Go away.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Please.
Go away.
Go away.
- Sorry.
I'm sorry honey, I'm sorry.
- Yes, I promise I'm fine.
Bye.
- Emilia.
Emilia, why are you being
so quiet in there?
- Yes, I promise I'm coming in.
I promise.
Please I need to go.
- Hello?
Who's there?
Who the fuck is talking
on my phone?
Who the fuck is this?
Answer me!
- It's Michael sir.
I was just talking with Emilia.
- Who the fuck are you?
Fuck you!
I said,
no phone calls.
And no
boys.
- I'm sorry!
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
Go.
Go away.
Please!
Please.
Please.
Please.
Go away!
I said go the fuck away!
Go away!
Go!
Fuck you!
Go!
Fuck you!
Fuck you!
Go!
Fuck you go!
Fuck you!
- No.
No, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no.
I told you,
your penance is to keep quiet!
Okay.
Okay.
You know what?
Look at me.
Look at me!
Let me explain this to you
in a way that
you will understand.
Do you see her?
Do you,
see,
her?
She's next.
But she can be saved.
If you keep quiet,
and pay your penance,
like a good true believer.
Then she can be saved.
But if not,
then I guess you two will
just have to trade places.
And you will get to watch.
That's better.
- We can drive
all the way to California.
I'm sorry honey.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
- Stop it, stop it.
I've gotta get out of here.
Fuck.
No good.
God.
Oh my god.
- How are you
still such a good person?
- I'm not.
- After everything.
There's nothing bitter
or angry in those eyes.
How?
- I am those things.
I'm all of it.
- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey come here, no.
Listen to me.
How?
- You bury it.
I bury it under something else.
- We can go, we can...
We can get in my Van and we can,
we can drive all the way
to California.
What was there
to bury it with?
- Hope.
And you.
- Hey!
Can't hide now!
- What?
- Still hiding back here?
I know you like the quiet.
Nurses wouldn't mind their
break room back though.
- They can have it.
- It's been awhile Emilia.
You're looking better though.
Do you think you
wanna talk about it?
Maybe we can start
from the basics.
You know if you're thirsty
you can take a sip.
- Go on, the basics.
- Okay,
I know nothing about what
you went through was basic.
The problem is,
I don't know what you
exactly went through.
I mean,
we have your initial statement.
He took us from the Van,
i survived, Michael didn't,
but that's it.
Looking through your records
we found that Michael
must be Michael pherson,
registered owner
of the Van we found,
also the owner of the blood
we found on your body.
We can talk about
something different.
I called your father
up in Montana.
Still no answer.
We can talk about that
later too if you'd like.
Look, all I wanna know is,
you come back here
held up everyday,
you don't speak to anyone,
Emilia,
do you even want our help?
- I said I'd get my own
fucking water if I needed it.
But they didn't listen.
They always wanna help.
They want to help because
then they own you.
A man raises you after
your mother dies,
and suddenly you're his property
no questions asked.
Boy saves you,
you owe him your heart.
God saves you.
You owe him your soul.
What if I don't wanna
give those things up?
What if I take them back?
Fuck this water.
- I wanna help.
- I know.
It's who you are.
You can't change it.
- Hey honey?
Honey?
Oh my god.
Oh my god no.
No.
Honey, honey?
Who did this?
Who did this to you?
Who did this?
Pick up, pick up, pick up.
Hello?
Yes!
I need an ambulance.
Yes my wife, she's been stabbed.
She's been stabbed.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I don't know who...
Please.
I don't know!
Just please!
Send somebody.
Yes.
Yes, that's my address, please!
Please.
Okay.
Okay.
I'm so sorry.
- Look at her.
Look at her.
She had no idea did she?
- Can't
feel my arms.
- You won't.
You won't feel anything anymore.
Just like I don't.
I spent so long trying
to hide my rage.
Then you taught me the truth.
My rage is a gift.
And I won't waste it.