The Fades s01e03 Episode Script

The Fades are walking the earth, they can't touch, they're angry, They're eating flesh to fight back - flesh allows them to touch.
I know - so far, so Pac-Man.
Then there's guys with superpowers - Angelics.
They're thinking they need to stop these dead people.
Particularly Neil and his friend, Helen, who is a dead sort of Fade-like ghost too, but she's on our side.
Rrrrey! Anyway, Paul, my best friend, has found that he's an Angelic.
He has violent dreams and is surprisingly powerful for one so small-shouldered.
Oh, and Paul has been getting it on with a girl, which is extraordinary in and of itself.
But you probably have to know him to understand that.
Now, who's nicked my Twilight box set?! Nanu-nanu! One, two, three You lose.
That's my last sock.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
One, two, three Are we still playing? VOICE ECHOES Yeah.
You need to say, "One, two, three," then.
I was getting round to that.
Don't stare.
It's rude.
And, you know perverted.
Yeah.
One, two, three You're really good at this.
Put some practice in.
No more scissors, paper, stone, OK? OK.
No more paper, scissors, stone.
You can just tell me what you want me to take off next.
Or I can guess.
Do you want me to guess? You should probably guess.
OK, then.
It's worse than I thought.
Yeah.
Where's my phone? Calling him again? He's not been answering.
Paul promised me, if I stopped following him, he'd stay in touch.
Kids get busy.
Yeah, well, this kid shouldn't.
HE GROANS This kid's important.
So you keep saying.
We could take that to a hospital, you know.
I've never needed to go to a hospital before.
You've always had me before.
In a few days' time, I'm going to ascend, Neil, and I want you I need you to be ready for what's ahead.
I'm ready.
You've got to be strong.
I know.
You can't do it alone.
I know.
So, call them.
The other Angelics.
I will call 'em.
I don't want to, but I will.
Besides I think they'd be fascinated to meet the kid.
I know I am.
DOOR SLAMS Sorry.
Why? No, er, not sorry.
Um CLICKS FINGERS Thanks.
You're not spectacularly late.
Yeah.
Sorry was the wrong word.
Um I can't stay.
I just I wanted to say thanks.
Thanks for what? For for, er No, this was much easier in my head.
Um I'm cured.
I-I wanted to say thanks for curing me.
OK, that's interesting.
Yeah.
Cured of what? Well Whatever.
Does it matter? I'm done.
I'm I'm too busy for this.
I've got two lives to lead, so I'm thanking you for your time.
OK, I understand now.
You're cured.
Call it what you want.
I'm I don't I don't need you any more.
Right, course you don't.
Yeah, well, I need to go cos I've got someone to meet.
Yeah.
Good luck, Paul.
Good luck? Yes.
Good luck.
Yeah.
DOOR SHUTS HE WHISTLES You're late.
I know.
What kept you? Therapy.
I was with my therapist.
Wow.
My ex-therapist.
Anything to be frightened of? I grow wings when I ejaculate.
SHE CHUCKLES You know, that's quite a good line for you.
Ow! DEATHLY SCREAM 'Have you seen what they're saying?' Yes, sir.
Yeah, I'm looking at it now, sir.
Post? 'They're blaming us for this, you know?' Yeah, I don't think we're culpable.
No, we can only investigate when Since when have you been interested in post? Mum's not answering my calls.
So? 'Get the statement.
You need to stamp on these questions now.
' Nothing else? Is this everything? If you let me speak, sir 'Get out there, in the public eye.
' 'Stop pottering about' Yeah, if you let me sp 'Questions have started to be asked' Any investigation in the way I've handled this case will INDISTINCT ANGRY VOICE ON PHONE CONTINUES No, I do fully understand Yes DIALLING TONE 'Hi, it's Paul.
Leave a message.
' BEEP Hi, it's me.
Er, jus-s-s-st Nothing important.
It'd be good to see you, Paul.
Er, bye.
Happy birthday to me Happy birth HE SNIFFS Right, just HE SIGHS Detective Chief Inspector Now you're following me to my house? If you'll just listen Don't come to my house.
Just listen.
Never come to my house.
Neil Valentine.
You have to look into Neil Valentine.
Look at this photo.
He was sleeping with my wife, I was sure of that, but I didn't know how long he'd known her for.
Listen! This mental hospital, it's key to the whole thing.
He probably had something to do with the boys too.
I've seen him with one of my students, and the missing vicar, Helen, she was my wife's best friend so he knew her as well, so Listen to me! Desperate men do desperate things, so I'll forgive you this one.
You need to take your hands off me.
Right now.
Thank you.
You're his son? Never was good at making parents' evening, my dad.
He needs to listen to me.
Join the club.
He needs to listen to me too.
Paul.
If you're never going to answer your phone, then you can, um Just answer your phone, will you? I thought you hated this place.
I know this place.
Nowhere's safe any more.
Better to be a place that you know.
We'll search it properly.
Make it ours.
HE GROANS I should be a dead man, Helen.
They were all over me.
Like flies around shit.
So we don't know what he is, we don't know where he is, we don't know what his plans are.
Apart from killing our people.
Yeah.
Helen there's someone here.
You reconsidered? You're here to help? No.
So, it's Mark again? He used to be your friend.
He still is my friend.
I used to be someone you cared about.
You still are someone I care about.
Just tell him that I'm here and that I love him.
That's not too much to ask.
How do you think that's going to make his life better in any way? Never did understand love, did you? It's interesting she can still make you do that.
Do what? You're right, Neil.
She's wrong.
Twilight.
MUSIC: "Baby Says" by The Kills Twiglet? Yeah.
Twilight is my favourite film.
Of all the films in the world and you pick Twiglets? Which one? You can't say all of them.
Would you separate Star Wars? HE SIGHS Look, there's things in them I like, admire even.
But as Mac says, there's a huge flaw.
The Cullens shouldn't be going to school.
I mean, A, OK, the film goes out of its way to show that Edward has graduated from dozens of high schools, you know, caps on the wall, so it's not like he needs to be there for academic reasons, and, um Yeah, I have only actually watched these films once.
I just said them because And B, they clearly cast an actor who needs to shave twice a day, so it's not like they'd struggle to lie to the authorities.
And C, which is, um it's the most important one, is, er Jas Jasper's, um You know, when you kiss me, I completely lose my thought brain.
"Thought brain"? A brain you have thoughts in? The thing is, Paul, I don't really care about films.
You don't care about films? No.
Any films? No.
It's fair enough.
Oh, my God! ANNA LAUGHS Anna.
Oh, shit.
Ha-ha! You and Jay? Wow! Jay and you.
You're pathetic.
My brother? My sad, twisted, lonely brother? My fucking twin? You might was well be kissing me.
Only not kissing me.
Kissing the worst part of me.
Kissing my arse.
Stop.
My ugly arse of a brother! Ha! STOP! MUFFLED, PANICKED SPEECH Anna? What's up with her? I don't Shit, dude.
Your hand's glowing.
You're a freak.
An actual freak.
I don't I didn't Make it stop.
Paul! I don't know how You really don't understand.
Anna.
Go away.
I'm not going away.
What was that? Dunno.
Why aren't you going after Jay anyway? I wanted to talk to you first.
Well, why don't you just go see her? Go, fuck off and see her.
Um, who's "her"? She's no-one.
What's going on? Paul is having sex with my best friend and then when I found them and shouted at him, he did a magic spell on me.
You're having sex with Tracy? The other one.
Jay! Oh, I'm quite impressed with Jay.
Mum, that's not the point! He's got superpowers.
No, I-I-I That was a misunderstanding.
So you are admitting the sex bit? No! I dunno.
No Oh! God, look, you you you don't understand, OK? Don't understand! Paul! Do you want me to chase after you? THUNDER CLAPS CAR HORN BLARES Then I'm going to cut off your dad's dick, pour dog chunks on it, and feed it to the wolves.
Your dick.
Your dick.
You're in fucking trouble now, boy.
HE KNOCKS ON DOOR Your dad let me up.
He, er He seems pretty consumed with stuff.
Is he OK? One minute.
EXPLOSIONS ON GAMES CONSOLE GROANS Stand down, noble Boomtang! I could have been naked.
I've seen you naked.
I could have been masturbating.
I've seen you masturbate.
What? When? The school trip to Calais? You were awake? Yeah Look, I need your help.
Do you? Yeah, well I sort of accidentally showed my sister, my sort of girlfriend and my sister's sort of boyfriend some of, um like, what I can do.
The less-than-normal stuff.
Right.
Yeah.
Now they think I'm a freak.
Just I need someone, you, to just make it all OK again, because Please.
I'm really sorry, I I can't.
What? Why can't you? Paul, I'm tired, OK? You're tired? Your best friend needs your help, and you're tired? Tired who, tired how? I'm tired because I spent all day wondering whether someone was going to shout "surprise" at me, and no-one fucking did.
That's why.
And it's made me tired.
Shout "surprise" What?! No, come on, you're not even making sense.
You're right.
I'm just going back to my computer game, OK? It goes all funny if you leave it on pause for too long.
But I don't get it.
CONSOLE BLEEPS Contact neutralised.
Fine! What? Are you going to try and hurt me again? Because if you are, just get on with it, I've had a really shit day.
I don't have favourites.
Yeah, but you're worried about him.
What did he do to you? He zipped my mouth shut.
And he's sleeping with Jay? Yes.
Behind my back.
I don't know what's going on with this town and I don't know what's going on with my son, either.
It'd just be nice if you could worry about me too.
DOOR OPENS I do DOOR CLOSES worry about you.
Paul.
I'm going to bed, Mum.
You been out celebrating with Mac? Celebrating what? Look, I'm tired.
Don't you think we should talk? I'm really busy at the moment, Mum, OK? Yeah! I know.
Celebrating what? Oh, shit! It took three cans of shaving foam.
The newsagent thought I was going for a whole body shave.
He advised me against it.
Apparently, pubic stubble rash is a killer.
Good to know.
What's a surprise if you're sort of expecting it? The truly surprising birthday is one that takes place a day late.
So true.
I'm still learning how to balance who I am with what I I know.
And you're probably still trying to balance who I am with what I I am.
And I've always been a bit self-centred.
You have.
And I'm sorry.
Did I mention that I'm sorry? How long were you waiting out here before I opened the curtains? It was a while.
After three? Always.
One, two It's not the magic number.
Far more likely to be seven.
Way more pagan connotations.
Also, a much more satisfying number to say.
Seven.
Seven.
Se-ven.
ANGUISHED GROANING Zap! You see that? Did ya? Yeah.
Did you see that? Mama say knock you out.
Paul? HE GASPS Paul? Paul? Paul? Paul! Paul! Paul! So This is inevitable.
VOICE ECHOES PAUL GASPS What was that? I need to go to see Neil.
Was that a fit? I had a cousin who was an epileptic.
Well, he thought he was turned out he was just overtired, so I'm sorry.
Happy birth-yester-day.
I need I need to go, alone.
Of course you do.
I'll be waiting.
HE GASPS Hold still.
Right, who are you? And what are you doing here? What? No, who are you? Let's try again, eh? Who are you, and what are you doing? I'm here to see Neil.
LAUGHS You're Paul, aren't you? This is him? WOMAN LAUGHS We heard all about you.
Thank you for coming so quickly.
Um I You're here because You look like shit, Neil.
I'll get to that.
Start with that.
Who attacked you? Can I just? Neil, the only way to sort out our fears is to tell us what's going on.
OK.
Just to make clear - I didn't want you here, so fuck you if you think I'm not doing this my way! There's a problem.
The Fades can touch.
And they're attacking us.
They seem to be able to do this because they're eating human flesh, and we have no idea how to stop them.
Well, that didn't make my fears go away.
Anyone else's fears go away? Sorry, but there you are.
So we're in danger? But we're not without hope.
Why? Because we've got a little kid who can save the world, eh? A boy who I wouldn't even trust with a spud gun! He has powers we don't even understand yet.
Eric thinks he's special.
Neil thinks he's special.
Can I? As we're talking about me, shall I? Neil! Oh, Jesus, Neil.
You've been walking around with that? For fuck's sake, how many dead Angelics do we need? NEIL GROANS Let me look at him.
I can help him.
Let me look at him.
You can help, can you? Trust me.
Trust you? I told you to be careful, didn't I? Then you let Alice and Phil jump you.
That's nothing.
The Fade girl follows me everywhere.
She could probably jump me at any time.
Natalie? You stay away from her.
Look at me.
You stay away from her! Paul, you're not ready.
OK.
This probably won't hurt.
HE GASPS Before you do this Do you know what you're doing? Not even close.
Feels right.
PAUL GASPS Just let it happen.
HE GASPS HE PANTS AND GASPS HE GASPS Tickle, don't they? How do I look? Your eye He's done things I never could.
There was a reason I came to see you today.
Well, I hope it's because I called you, several times.
I had another vision.
Same as before, except there was a man in it.
He smiled at me, and then it cut out.
Is? HE SIGHS Am I seeing the end of the world, Neil? Who was the man? Did you recognise him? No I want you to move in here, with us.
Just until this is over.
No.
I can't.
Can't.
I've got people to see.
What you just did in there, to help me, was extraordinary.
Extraordinary.
But the fact you can do that, that makes you valuable.
OK, fine.
Don't move in here.
But there is someone out there that scares me.
So you just promise me this.
Promise me you won't ignore the "kill me" signs we've all got on our backs.
I need my own life, Neil.
Again, you're not listening to a word I say.
SQUELCHING We need to capture one of them.
What, with our ghost rope? If they can touch you, you can touch them.
Hey, we have a code, remember? Which they broke first.
It's time for us to act.
Phil is right.
We need to spread out, find smaller, weaker Fades.
We do this now, before they get too strong.
And then what do we do, eh? Once we find this smaller, weaker Fade? We find out its limits.
Neil.
Hello, Mark.
I've been I've been looking How did you know I've been looking for you? I didn't.
Mark, I'm not here for small talk.
I'm here as a translator.
A translator? Are you going to invite me in? What were you doing with my wife in a mental hospital? I was rescuing her.
I'll go through to the lounge, yeah? I didn't think you'd ever come.
I almost died this afternoon.
It reminded me I had things to put right.
You're going to put us right, are you? I'm going to try.
Who are you talking to? Sarah's dead.
You don't know that.
I do.
I'm sorry.
She's also a spirit who has decided that the best use of her time is to follow you around.
HE SCOFFS She's what? This I'm also sorry about, because I think she's wrong.
But it's what she wants, so I want to do the decent thing by her.
That's why I'm here as a translator, because HE LAUGHS I can talk to ghosts.
You were having an affair with her.
I just told you you're being haunted by the ghost of your wife, and you Neil, I need to have a serious conversation with you.
You were having an affair Tell him something I wouldn't know.
I've got a feather tattooed on my arse.
She's got a feather on her bum.
Something you'd also know if you'd slept with her.
He called me Squidge for three months after we first got together and then dropped it because he decided that he hated pet names.
You used to call her Squidge, and then you dropped it because you didn't like pet names.
I don't want this bit.
I'm calling the police.
Four days ago, I watched him sleep with a woman called Vicky Mark.
Mark, please! And it broke my heart.
Four days ago, she - Sarah's ghost - saw you sleeping with a woman called Vicky and it broke her heart.
There's no way I could know that.
Fuck off.
We were Angelics.
I still am one.
We're a different breed of people.
We were sworn to secrecy, Mark.
You two were my best friends, so I'm here tonight to try to make it right for yous.
I don't understand She's dead? Yeah.
She's here now, Mark.
She doesn't want to leave you.
She's Let's all keep calm, and we'll ask her some questions, yeah? She's she's Am I looking at her? Yeah.
Just about.
She's I'm going to repeat what Sarah says word for word.
What do you want to ask her, Mark? PHONE BEEPS PHONE BEEPS I want to tell you about something wonderful.
I want to tell you about Gaia.
What's Gaia? Call yourself a geek? "What's Gaia?" You're a disgrace to your community.
Did Neil Gaiman write it? Look, do you want me to help fix it with Jay, or what? Hmm? Right.
In 2012, we're sending the satellite Gaia into the galaxy to take pictures of the stars.
Hmm What's this? Cough medicine.
Its billion-pixel camera will give scientists a 3D map of the sky.
Cough medicine? Takes the edge off.
It'll tell us about the Milky Way, how it works, how it started, but the exciting thing is the things we're not expecting to see.
Asteroids, planets beyond our solar system, tepid stars that never fired into life.
Extraordinary things we don't understand.
PHONE BEEPS Now call her.
But I can't.
Yeah, you can.
Mac It's ringing.
Mac.
Ssh! HE COUGHS PHONE RINGS I am not a morning person.
'Look out the window.
' 'The point is 'Gaia is extraordinary.
'It's going to show us amazing things we can't even contemplate.
'It's also really, really ordinary.
' Wow.
That's a look.
Because you know what's best about Gaia? Because because do you want to know the best thing about Gaia? Chelmsford and Stevenage.
Where it was made.
Chelmsford and Stevenage.
A bunch of geeky men, sitting in a shit town built something that would transform the way we look at the skies.
The things that scare you about me Imagine Imagine I'm Stevenage.
Some things have changed about me, but fundamentally I'm I'm just ordinary.
I'm Stevenage.
Smooth as.
So, you're Superman, right? I can't hear you.
Yes, you can.
I can hear you.
Well, you must have supersonic hearing, then.
I can't hear a word.
You're quite the loser, you know that? Hang on a minute.
I think this is the time when I do the alpha thing and say you look great as you are.
No "quite" about it - you're a loser! Yeah.
A loser.
I know.
Now everyone knows about us.
I mean, effectively, I am your boyfriend.
So, can I tell people? Is that OK? Not just a loser.
A total loser.
A loser that needs to go.
What? I need to go.
I'm sorry.
Have you got to save the world, or something? I was actually joking about the Superman thing.
I'll be back.
You'd better be! What? Where are you going? What are you doing here? Nice work.
We can take it from here.
Yeah.
Get yourself back to your girlfriend.
There's your smaller, weaker Fade, right? How are you feeling? I can't get used to it.
Can't get used to what? The fact I feel like I've had a rock of boiling lava removed from my gut.
I feel lighter.
It's beautiful here, isn't it? Yeah? You know, people misunderstand why Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden.
They say it was knowledge that cost them.
The fruit of knowledge.
That's a misreading.
It wasn't knowledge that cost them.
It was doubt.
They doubted what they were told and so they couldn't see the beauty around them.
And they weren't thrown out.
Eden was still there, they were still in Eden, only its beauty was lost to them.
Their own beauty was lost to them.
Well, I can see the beauty, so I'm lucky, aren't I? No.
No, you're not lucky.
Can you see the beauty, Neil? Sarah thinks all of this is pointless.
That fate is coming.
No point in fighting.
You just find someone you love and you stick to them.
Sarah'sweak.
She always has been.
So you never doubt that we'll win? It's not the absence of doubt.
It's the conquering of it.
So, do you doubt me? Yeah.
You do? I don't doubt your stamina, Neil.
I do doubt your strength.
Guys! Some good news.
The kid has caught us one of them.
SHE SCREAMS She can scream.
Her voice had rotted.
She shouldn't be able to do that.
So, they're acquiring everything? Looks that way.
And what are we going to do with her? We're going to find out where he is.
And we're going to show no mercy.
Tie her up.
SHE SCREAMS Hi.
Fraser reports she's dead.
We got cause? Yeah.
Um, teeth.
To the neck.
Teeth? Yeah.
Human teeth.
We've got a suspect? No, nothing on anyone so far.
People are having their necks ripped out with human teeth? Yeah.
Kids with human teeth? Yeah.
Well, that's going to make people, er jumpy.
Yeah, I know.
And people are already jumpy.
Including my superiors, by the way.
Yeah.
Look, I get it.
You're a good copper promoted way above his station by some affirmative-action bollocks.
That's not true.
I didn't want you to have this job, not because I'm a racist, but because I didn't think you were up to it.
I know you didn't.
But you got it.
You won.
And now you're a leader.
You lead a team.
And this team is in shit up to its eyeballs.
Its eyeballs are drowning in shit.
So sort it out.
Take some action.
Find a suspect, build a case.
Do something.
SHE LAUGHS OK, that was a look I wasn't expecting.
What look? I've seen boys look pleased, I've seen boys look disappointed.
I've never seen a boy look quite so scared.
No, no, I'm not scared.
I was just I was thinking.
Thinking what? And you're not allowed to say films or what's-her-face from Mork And Mindy.
Pam Dawber.
I was thinking about you.
I think you look nice.
You've got nice feet.
And nice legs.
And, er, you've got nice a nice, er bra and nice feet.
Did I already say feet? CLEARS HIS THROA Paul? It's OK to be scared.
Oh! No.
No, no, no.
No, no, no, I'm not I'm not scared.
I just This wasn't, um, exactly how how I expected this to, er, to go.
And what did you expect? Have you ever played paper-scissors-stone? Oh, no.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
Seriously, I don't I think maybe we should just do a bit a bit more kissing first.
LAUGHS Paul this isn't 1955.
Kids don't wait any more.
You don't have to marry me, or anything! It's just this feels right now, which is I don't know whether it does feel right.
I mean, I've seen a lot of things today which Paul? Just forget about all that, think about me.
OK.
OK? OK.
Yeah, but if we are if we are doing this, then a quick warning.
If, um, at any point in this process I grow wings, don't be alarmed.
I'll try not to be.
OK.
Like that.
OK.
HE CLEARS HIS THROA Don't push too hard.
OK.
Sorry.
That hurts.
Oh, OK.
That doesn't.
OK.
I don't know whether to I don't know what to do.
You don't do anything.
It's just so hard, this knowing that you're there but knowing that you're not there.
I just wish I could touch you.
I know.
But you know that.
HE SIGHS You left me.
We broke up.
It was shit.
What What changed? Are you stuck because of me? Are we in a fucking film? Are you Do you still love me? I wish you could answer that question without having to ask Neil.
DOORBELL RINGS DOORBELL RINGS Coming.
Mark Etches.
I have a warrant to search these premises.
What?! What's this about? My name is Detective Chief Inspector Armstrong.
I know who you fucking are.
I have to formally identify myself Why are you here? What do you think I've done? I'm arresting you on suspicion of your connection to the disappearance of Sarah Etches.
My wife?! You think I have anything to do with Sarah's death? And Helen Marshall, and the murders of Sam Griegson and Fred Taylor.
Murder? You don't have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you How can you think What possible evidence do you have? You have connections with all the victims.
You assaulted Sam Griegson a few days ago Yeah, we sorted that out.
Desperate men do desperate things.
So So? Well, go on, then, spit it out.
How was it? You know Nice, actually.
What's it feel like? It's hotter than expected.
That's probably a good sign.
Yeah.
Though it was quite difficult to fit.
HE LAUGHS That's probably a good sign, too! Yeah? Yeah.
I never gave you your present, did I? For your birthday.
Ah, you didn't need to.
Yeah, I did.
You totally did.
Wow.
It's a key.
Am I supposed to break it off and then give half to you and wear my bit round my neck? Are we in love? Because I'm flattered, but It's to my house.
Any time Any time things at home with your mum, with your dad, 3am, whenever, you just come to my place, sleep on the sofa, sleep in my room, whatever you like.
You're always welcome because you're family.
I've cleared it with Mum.
OK.
You do know, don't you, that whatever happens with Jay, you'll always be more important to me, right? Yeah.
You do know I'm going to use this key to steal your sister's knickers, right? Whoo-hoo-hoo! Did you just flick ice cream at me? HE LAUGHS Don't throw your bloody ice cream at me.
I'm going to comb through your photo albums and find pictures of your sister in a bikini.
No, I'm not listening to you.
I'm not listening! And your mum breast-feeding.
Then I'm going to snoop for dildodatic devices.
Paul! TYRES SCREECH This is going to be fine.
This is going to be fine.
It's happening, Neil.
Is it? You see? I was right not to have doubted.
No.
No, I'm not ready.
Keep the boy safe.
It's beautiful, Neil.
I'm not ready.
You can't go.
You're right, I'm not strong enough.
I'm not strong Helen? Helen? CONTINUOUS TONE HE HOWLS CONTINUOUS TONE