Afterlife (2005) s01e01 Episode Script

(SILENT NIGHT PLAYING) (INAUDIBLE) Hey, what's going on? Hey, no fighting tonight.
Not at Christmas.
MOTHER: Are you tired? Help! Help! Help! Help! Help! Help! No, Mummy! Morning.
Nice to see a new face around here at last.
Same old face when I last looked, unfortunately.
-Cheers.
-See you.
(CAR APPROACHING) (BABY CRYING) Will you leave me be? Will you leave me be? Leave me be.
Someone is making themselves known to me, and he's telling me.
-He's telling me you have a scar on your knee.
-I do, as a matter of fact.
Yeah.
I feel there's been someone spiritual in your life, because you're not conventionally spiritual, but you care about the world.
He's telling me you have this tremendous inner potential which you need to push.
Because you're a bit lazy, my friend, is that right? I'm sorry.
You see how it works? It's all there.
I'm just bouncing off what I see.
-An old hippy.
No offence.
-None taken.
I'm a cliché.
I can't help it.
What I've done is called cold reading and anybody can do it if they put the hours in.
So how'd you know about the scar on his knee, then? What little boy doesn't have a scar on his knee? Who wears a Greenpeace badge if he doesn't care about the world? Who doesn't feel they aren't a bit lazier than they ought to be? Just because it can be faked doesn't mean it is faked.
Come on, Jen.
It's a way these so-called psychics have of saying, ''I'm special, I have a gift.
You need me.
'' A mutual dependency.
So you'd reject anybody's beliefs in something beyond the material world? Well, I wouldn't reject anybody's belief.
But that's all it is, a belief.
Which is what we'll be looking at over the next 1 2 weeks.
''Psychology and Belief''.
Do all your course reading and don't be late for lectures.
Oh, and don't forget Thursday.
We're going to be entering the belly of the beast.
(DOORBELL RINGING) -Alison Mundy? -Yes.
Bless you.
My name's Colin Yearsly.
This is my wife Marigold.
We wanted to make ourselves known to you, my love, that's all.
Just to let you know you have many friends here in Bristol.
Wait, a minute.
How do you know me? How do you know where I live? The Internet is a marvellous invention.
We have a platform session later next week.
No, I'm sorry.
That's not possible.
-Pardon? Excuse me? -I'm sorry.
Things have changed.
I know what you want, but I don't do that any more.
That's why I came to live here.
For a new life, for a new.
Yes, a life.
But we thought.
I don't see why my opinion isn't the most important thing.
Why I have to quote all the sources.
Why I have to regurgitate other people's theories rather than my own.
That's what everybody says.
You've got to think the references aren't this burden, this hassle, they're your ammunition.
Ammunition for what? What's the point? Well, your degree, for a start.
I want to help people.
I don't want to write books.
It just doesn't seem relevant, you know, at all.
I might as well be doing, I don't know, anthropology or something.
Listen.
Phil and co, they exercise their jaws a lot.
It doesn't make them any brighter than you.
Far from it, I'd say.
Yeah, but you want this in by Friday, and I don't have the books any more.
Forget the books.
Forget Friday.
Go away and think about it.
No, go away and don't think about it.
Relax.
Come back and talk to me in a week.
-See how you feel then.
-What if I feel the same? If you feel the same, then I'll switch to anthropology.
(BABY CRYING) He's telling me, Harry's telling me.
his illness was a relatively short one, is that right? -No.
-No? Well, in the spirit world, it's all the blink of an eye, yes? Now, there's someone over here, in this part of the auditorium.
I'm getting something about a service.
A car needing a service, an MOT coming up, something like that.
Is that you? Somebody recently passed away, left you a car, you're worried about it? Well, sell it, he says.
Get the worry off your chest.
All right, my love.
Well, that's enough from me tonight.
Thank you very much indeed.
Now, our next medium is not so well known to you as myself.
She's only been doing it for a few years but she's made quite a stir in her own patch.
Will you welcome please, Alison Mundy.
(CROWD CLAPPING) Thank you.
I, I.
never.
I never really know what to say on occasions like these, except to rabbit on and on and see what happens.
Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.
Because, I'm.
I'm not in charge, you see.
They are.
Sometimes it's embarrassing.
Sometimes we sit around for hours and then we just go home.
It's horrible weather tonight, isn't it? Nobody wants to come out to play tonight.
It's bitter.
My Auntie Vi used to.
Yes.
Yes.
Uh-huh.
Hello.
Hello.
Uh-huh.
Okay.
Did you? Okay.
All right.
May 1 5 written over your head, madam.
Does that make sense? Madam, I've got a little girl over here.
And she, she's saying that she hated hospital.
She absolutely hated it.
Does that make sense? Yes? And, uh, all right.
Okay, now she's stroking her hair, she's got beautiful long hair, she loves it.
She's very proud of it.
It's long, it's blond, golden hair and she's saying that this is how it was before.
Does that make sense? Yes? That's why she's here, because she wants you to see her hair and that she's safe and that she's loved.
She's okay.
You're not to worry.
-Does that make sense? -Yeah.
Okay.
Thank you.
Excuse me, dear.
Excuse me.
You, with the.
You've got sort of red bits in your hair.
Like little bits of red in it.
There's a woman standing behind you, she's wearing a white coat.
She's got shoulder-length dark hair, dark curly hair.
It's, uh, a reddish colour.
It's not like yours, it's not dye.
It's her natural colour.
And she's standing behind you, she's looking down at you.
And.
There's some.
There's a very strong scent of lavender.
Does that make sense? No? Okay.
She's, she's standing behind you, she's got her hand on your shoulder, very, very close.
It's almost like she's your guardian angel.
Oh, the sadness.
There's so much sadness coming off her.
And she's saying, she's saying, ''I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry'', again and again.
Does that make sense? No? It's a very, very strong smell of lavender.
Mystic Meg really got you going, didn't she? Whoo-hoo-hoo! I thought she seemed terrified up there half the time.
Full marks for novelty, but under that it was the same old, same old.
-She was all right.
Come on.
-No, she wasn't.
She was rubbish.
It was a lovely evening.
-Thank you for coming.
-Thank you, my love.
-Goodbye.
-Bye-bye.
-No, I don't like to take money.
-Everybody has to eat.
Your grandson, I'm sorry, but.
Don't worry about it, dear.
There will always be a next time.
Thank you.
-See you.
-See you.
Hey? It isn't worrying you, I hope? -That nonsense the other night.
-You must be joking.
-Are you sure? -Yes, I'm sure.
Of course I'm sure.
Do you want it to be? I just don't want you turning it round in your mind, that's all.
-Woman in white, guardian angel, ghostly figure.
-All right! I get the message.
Oh, come on, V, you boring old fart.
No.
You guys go.
-I could do with an early night.
-''I could do with an early night.
'' Right, come on then.
-Have fun.
-You won't in here.
-One drink? -I can't, I've too much work.
-Just leave her.
-Bye, guys.
-See you later.
-Bye-bye.
(DOOR CLOSING) (SILENT NIGHT PLAYING) (DOOR CLICKING) (FLOOR CREAKING) (WATER DRIPPING) (THUDDING) CHILD: Help! -It's lavender lady.
Be afraid, be very afraid.
-Grow up! Gloves.
Bye-bye.
ROBERT: Good morning.
Where's Veronica? -Barbara, have you got a minute? -Not now, Robert.
-No, please, this is important.
-Sorry.
Here you go, thanks.
-Barbara, please? -Not now please, Robert, I haven't got time.
Veronica Vase, first-year student.
I think she has problems.
She's not attending my lectures.
Any lectures.
I'm worried about her.
Yes.
Look, I'd better come clean.
She came to my office the other day.
She talked about you bugging her all the time.
Hassling her.
-Why didn't you say? -I know.
I said I'd talk to you, but she wouldn't have it.
She made me promise I wouldn't.
She was really uptight about it.
Did she tell you about our evening with Bristol's answer to Doris Stokes? She just said she wanted to change courses.
I thought I'd talked her out of it, but she wasn't listening half the time.
I didn't want to push it.
I had a word with her personal tutor.
And, well? Robert, all sorts of people become psychology students.
Health visitors, psychiatric nurses, sometimes people who've seen the system from the other side.
VERONICA: I keep thinking she's there, in the room, looking down at me.
She doesn't exist, Veronica.
That's where you're wrong.
You see, I know who she is.
Her pride and joy.
My dad wanted her to have a fur coat more than she did.
This is your mother? Dad was a vet.
He knew that sometimes nature is cruel.
Sometimes it was up to human beings to be kind.
I used to think that all the animals he put to sleep, did go to sleep.
That they were all snoozing.
All the cats, the dogs, in some forest somewhere, waiting to wake up.
She had cancer.
Dad left a note saying he didn't want to live in a world without her in it.
He loved her too much.
He loved us all too much.
They both did.
I was the only one who survived.
My mum, my dad, my brother Andrew.
Why me? I wasn't the littlest, or the biggest.
I was justme.
A pact? Your mother and father planned it together? We always did everything as a family.
I tried so hard, all these years, to put it behind me.
It is behind you.
You survived.
-This is nothing but coincidence.
-Is it? She put lavender water around the house.
She put lavender under our pillows.
I put lavender on her grave.
What has she come back for? To tell me something? To warn me? What? It's doing my head in not knowing.
Alison can tell me.
That's the last person you should see.
I am seeing her.
Tomorrow.
My name's Robert Bridge.
I'm Veronica Vase's psychology lecturer.
Oh.
I was aware of a certain degree of negativity from your part of the audience.
I'm surprised you didn't say.
Well, what's important is the vast majority who come with open minds.
Even mediums go to the supermarket, Robert.
-Even mediums do scratch cards? -Psychologists do, too, I'm told.
Oh, no, I'm sorry.
Psychologists study scratch cards, don't they? -No, it's a little early for me.
-It's almost too late for me.
Listen, I don't want to be disrespectful to your beliefs.
Why not? I'm quite likely to be disrespectful of yours.
I'm worried about Veronica's state of mind.
She's susceptible to.
Susceptible? What do you mean exactly, susceptible? With respect, I've got a terrific student, whose world has been turned upside down, thanks to what you said to her the other night.
Yes, I know.
That's why I'm seeing her.
To try and help her sort this out.
No.
No, you don't understand.
What makes you think it's me that doesn't understand? -Listen.
-No, you listen to me.
Okay? The woman was standing like this.
She was wearing a white coat.
She was looking down at Veronica and she had her hand on her shoulder.
Like this.
I saw her as clearly as I see you now.
If you ask me, there's nothing wrong with her a good seeing to.
(PHIL COUGHING) I fancy getting totally hammered.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER) Memorise the card.
Memorising? Right, slide it back into the thing, into the deck.
-Yes.
-Yes.
I know you've seen it, but it's good, so shut up.
Go on, go on.
Ooh, look.
Knock it back, V.
-Did you enjoy that? -Yeah.
One of those, right, and now the cards are somewhere.
She has deep psychological problems.
So isn't it better that they're confronted, resolved, instead of denied? I'd have thought that that made perfect psychological sense, Robert.
Obviously, I'm wasting my time.
Oh yeah.
It's the easiest thing in the world to turn your back, to dismiss, to sneer.
You've got no idea what people like me have to go through, what we have to suffer, what we have to see.
Have you got any idea what it's like to wake in the middle of the night, hear weeping, knowing that it doesn't come from anybody living, and that you're the only person who can help to take their pain away? Do you? -I can't imagine.
-No, of course you can't.
Psychologists, psychiatrists.
You're all the same.
Funny farms are full of people like me.
Once upon a time, they used to burn people like me at the stake.
-Now it's lithium and ECT.
-You took the words right out of my mouth.
Yeah.
But they don't work, Robert, you see.
That's the thing.
What, you think that I wouldn't take medication if it did? I'd run away if I could.
I'd cut them out with a rusty knife, if I could.
But I don't have any choice.
You don't choose the spirits.
They choose you.
Maybe.
Maybe Veronica's opened a door that you've got firmly shut.
Maybe that's what this is all about.
That's your answer then, is it? Your precious spirits mean more to you than the well-being of a young girl? This isn't just about Veronica.
-Maybe her mother needs peace.
-Her mother is dead.
She doesn't come making guest appearances in bingo halls on a Thursday night.
-I can't help you.
I'm sorry.
-Yes.
Yes, you can.
If you wanted to.
I envy your certainty.
Your safety.
Does it make you happy? Yes.
And what would you say if I said that I can see a little child, aged about six, right now, in the corner? Who's to say that that little child isn't there just because you can't see it? Who's to say that you're right and I'm wrong? Who's to say that I'm mad and you're sane? Is it a boy or a girl? You've got a 50-50 chance of getting it right.
Oh.
You know it's a little boy.
You've obviously done your homework.
ROBERT: I know it's there somewhere.
WOMAN: Look, Robert, I promise you.
If you left it here, it's gone to Oxfam.
Oxfam? Freud's Interpretation of Dreams? Oxfam? It was a paperback.
Buy another copy.
WH Smith, £6.
95.
It had all my little notes in the margin, and everything.
Well, sorry.
You'll have to make up some new notes all over again.
It's not the same.
I know.
I know it's not.
How fast can you move your tongue? Come on.
Show me your tongue.
No! I'm not showing you my tongue.
Just waggle.
-Mine is fast.
-Oh, my God.
Come on, you love it.
Look at that guy.
That guy over there, he's peeing.
(LAUGHING) PHIL: Filthy bastards! Stop the car! Stop! Stop the car! Stop it, please! Please, please stop! I told you.
She's been gearing up for a bloody Hughie all evening.
-Phil, shut up! -No.
You go, go on.
I'll be all right.
I'll walk it.
It's only two minutes.
I'll come with you.
You guys head off.
Are you okay, babe? Just leave me alone, will you? I'm sure it's on the top shelf with the National Geographics.
Robert, for God's sake.
This is not exactly convenient.
It won't take a second.
-Clive didn't like the old wallpaper, I see.
-We decided together, actually.
Robbo, mate.
What are you doing here? Oh, you know.
I was just passing.
Nose pressed against the window, warm glow inside.
-Very Dickensian.
-Come in.
Have a glass of Prosecco.
-Robert's just going, actually.
-I am.
Sadly.
She who must be obeyed, eh? See you.
Yeah.
You were never Dickensian.
Much more Dostoevsky.
Dostoevsky with occasional laughs.
You'd better go.
Clive's happy.
Goodnight, Robert.
Never was good on dreams, was I? Take care, Jude.
CHILD: Help! Help! Help! Help! Help me! Help! Help! Help! Help me! Help! Somebody help! Please! Help! Help! Help! (SOBBING HYSTERICALLY) Help! Help! Help me! Help! Help! Somebody! Somebody help! Somebody help! (CAR ALARM SOUNDING) (DOG BARKING) (PHONE RINGING) Yeah.
Hello? BOY: Daddy? Daddy? Daddy? Daddy? MAN: Hello? -Hello.
Who is this? -Robert? Listen, I'm sorry, mate.
Billy's been messing around with the phone.
He must have hit the redial or something.
Did he wake you? No.
I'm fast asleep.
Forget about it.
Well, I'm sorry, mate.
Are you happy, Veronica? I'm at University.
I'm doing what I always dreamt of doing.
But there's this gap.
There's always this hole.
Well, maybe it's you that needs to let go of her, not the other way round.
Do you think so? Maybe she wants to hear you say, ''It's okay, Mum, you don't have to worry about me.
''You're dead, but I'm here.
''I'm alive and I don't blame you.
'' I'm here and I'm alive.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well then, tell her.
Tell her now.
Go on, say it.
I'm alive, Mum.
No, louder than that, 'cause she can't hear you.
Mum, I'm alive! Mum, I'm alive, I am alive! -Better late than never.
-Great.
-How are you? -I'm fine.
I'm brilliant.
Seeing her again made you realise what a load of old nonsense it is, really.
She made me realise I have to move on.
To the place I want to be.
Never mind anyone else.
-She made a lot of sense, for a lunatic.
-Good.
I'm glad.
BARBARA: This Alison sounds interesting.
If you're interested in deluded, disassociated hysterics.
Well, you are, aren't you? -I'd make the most of her, if I were you.
-Is this wine corked? What about one book about one person? Finding out what makes her tick.
-Digging deep.
-Psychos and psychics.
It's old ground.
It's the book you've waited your whole academic life to write.
And it's landed in your lap.
-I'd better make tracks.
I've got an essay to read.
-Think about it.
-Could be a match made in heaven.
-Yeah, or hell.
You haven't met her.
Get off me.
-Great.
I thought we said, ''Wait up''.
-She can microwave it for breakfast.
Do you think it gets to her? -What? -Us.
-Do you think we should cool it a little? -Oh, no.
No.
-Come on.
-''I really need an early night.
'' ''Do you need an early night?'' (PHONE RINGING) -Wait, wait, wait, let's run a bath.
-What? I was being romantic.
Romantique.
What's this? Oh, shit! PHIL: Who's this, mate? Get off the line.
Get off the.
Robert no mate, listen, it's Veronica.
-Phil? Phil, calm down.
What's going on? -I need to call an ambulance! Oh, hell.
She's bleeding again.
She's getting tachycardic.
Do you want me to stop? Do you want me to stop? That's it.
She's into VF.
Alison? It's Robert Bridge.
What the hell did you say to her? -Charge to 200.
-Charging.
Right.
Hands off.
Stand back.
Stand clear, please.
Clear.
-What have they said? -She's still in surgery.
What the hell is she doing here? DOCTOR: Stand clear.
Clear.
Hallelujah, brothers.
Back in the land of the living.
Talk to me.
I didn't say anything to her.
I just tried to help her move on.
I said, ''Your mother's dead, but you're alive, that's the point.
'' -Are you Veronica's family? -No.
She doesn't have any family.
I'm her University lecturer.
These are her friends.
Well, as you know, when she came in Veronica had already lost an awful, tremendous lot of blood.
She's gonna pull through, yeah? We obviouslywith the shock to the system, it was touch and go, but Veronica died a few minutes ago.
I'm really very sorry, but we really did do everything we possibly could.
(JEN SOBBING) She's here.
Veronica's mother's standing right over there.
She's looking straight at me.
She's smiling.
And Veronica's by her side.
Bitch! You bloody bitch! You don't care, do you? You did this! You killed her! You and your stupid bloody ideas! You should get put away! Get out of here! ROBERT: It's death, always, that punches out the God-shaped hole in our modern lives.
If God is the father, then he's not only abandoned his child, he refuses to pay maintenance.
And like a lot of errant fathers, he's difficult to track down in times of trouble.
ROBERT: I know it's late.
ALISON: I couldn't sleep, either.
(DOOR CLOSING) -Do you want a drink? -Yes, thanks.
Thank you.
You blame me, don't you? I'm responsible, too.
I should have seen it earlier.
I didn't.
Her mother kept saying that she was sorry.
But she wasn't sorry for what she did.
She was sorry that she didn't take her daughter.
Sometimes it's like they're playing with us, you know, it's like.
It's a bad, sick.
joke.
I just want it to stop.
I just want to be normal.
I want to lead a normal life.
But I'm not normal, am I? My head of department thinks I should write a book about you.
-What you do, the people you help.
-Try to.
She thinks I should get out of my ivory tower and experience real life for a change.
And will it help me to get rid of my demons? This book? I hope so.
Ultimately.
I'm not sure.
I thought you were sure of everything, Robert.
I'll let you get some sleep.
Thank you, Robert.
Thank you for bothering to come.
And remember, what you're looking for is not always what you find.
We'll see.
(DOOR CLOSING) We'll see.
We'll see.