Original subtitles

Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull

Hello.

Hello.

Ah, welcome. You're a little late.

Am I? Sorry.

Oh no, it's fine. How's the town?

Yeah, it's quieting down now.

Food is arriving on time.

Think, I mean I was only there a day form the transit, so.

Good, good. Normal is what we want.

I know Bristol took a bad hit after the third wave, but-

- Yes. Well this is Dr. Jarrek,

he's handling lockdown procedures.

Dr. Jarrek. Martin Lowery.

Nice to have a new face with us.

- Yeah. - It's been awhile.

It's nice to see new faces.

Welcome to the lodge.

It looks terrible, but cost a fortune.

We've been closed for nearly a year now.

Just want to get open again.

And you own it, right?

Yes, well, the woods are leased to the government

during the crisis.

How many projects have we got running here

at the moment, Frank?

Nine, including yours.

Yeah.

Oh, usually this would be teaming with holiday makers.

They're drawn to it from all over.

Well, it's appreciated.

We really couldn't do the research

we're doing without your cooperation.

So thank you.

It's all to the good, isn't it?

Yeah.

Fashdale Institute grants are keeping us going.

so long may it last.

Sorry, what specifically are you working?

Well, actually it's Dr. Wendell's project.

Sorry?

A colleague.

She's researching ways of making crops more efficient

through the study of mycorrhizal.

Oh, yeah, that was it.

Grows on roots forming networks, that kind of thing.

Yeah, kind of.

Funny place to study crops in a forest.

Well, no, actually it's very special land

you have here.

It's unusually fertile.

Sorry about all this fuss.

No, no, it's a delicate ecosystem.

You can't be too careful.

Mm! Mainly we don't want to get sick.

So have you got some paperwork for me?

Yes.

- Is that it? - Yeah.

So I don't want to be maudlin,

but a couple of people died in the village and,

It really brought it all home.

It's very quiet here.

Hmm. Here you go.

Could you direct me to your toilet.

Yeah. Straight down there on the right.

Thank you.

Here you go, it's all done.

- Oh, hi. - Hey.

Dr. Lowery?

Yeah.

I'm Alma.

I'm gonna be guiding you out to ATU 3278,

Doctor Wendle's site.

It's just Martin. You don't have to do the.

Do you want one?

Oh yes, please. Thank you.

Do you have any coffee by any chance?

Yeah. Yeah.

- Oh. - I think. Yes.

Thank you so much.

It's been months.

You're worried she's gonna get you?

Yeah. Who is Parnag Fegg?

- Parnag Fegg. - Parnag Fegg,

It's a local folktale.

Oh, right?

She's the spirit of the woods.

Oh.

Yeah, well, it's something to tell the kids,

stops them wandering off.

Jesus.

They had a few go missing in the '70s.

So, this helps keep them a bit more aware.

All right. So it's not like people believe in it.

It's just a-

- I don't even know how old that image is.

That's just something they picked up along

with the rest of the decoration around here.

I think the forest is like something that you can sense.

So it makes sense that they should give

that feeling of face, you know?

Yeah, I guess so.

I mean, thank you.

Are we sure she helped people?

Because I mean, there's all kinds of-

- Martin Lowery

Bad things going on in this picture.

I'm sure I recognize that name from somewhere.

It's not an uncommon name,

there's another Martin Lowery in my school actually.

Really?

Yeah, he hated me.

So we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning.

Great. How far is it?

ATU 3278, it's about two days on foot.

Wait, is there no other way?

What? Like a boss or something?

Who knows, quad bikes?

Nope. Just a long walk.

Hey, results have come through.

- Great. - You're all clear.

Brilliant.

Just a couple of questions.

That's good discipline, writing a diary.

Yeah.

Now I don't want you to over exerting yourself.

The report said you have had ringworm recently.

Yeah. I don't know where that came from.

It's a pretty harmless fungus.

Cleared up now?

About a week ago. Yeah.

How long have you been in isolation?

About four months, but I've been exercising

and keeping on top of it.

We've had to send a rescue party in to get a group out

a couple of months ago, they got lost.

Thought they could find their way.

Went without a ranger,

panicked, arrogant really.

Why didn't they use GPRS?

There's no phone reception in there.

Of course, yeah, I knew that.

People get a bit funny in the wood sometimes.

Nerves.

Sounds almost superstitious.

And they would do well to be afraid.

It is a hostile environment.

Okay.

It doesn't look hostile to me.

Is that it?

Yeah.

Okay.

- Ready? - Sure.

Nobody's heard from Dr. Wendle since April.

Usually, we get written notes she leaves in drop boxes.

Yeah. She likes the quiet.

You know her personally?

I do, yeah.

We worked closely together at

Harringdon Research Laboratories.

That was years ago.

I moved on to another project.

And she ask you to come out?

No, I requested.

Not someone from our own team.

Well, the Flashdale research groups

are pretty thinly stretched.

And I've worked as a soil sampler.

I know her research.

So made sense.

What is that?

We've got a little bird life that you don't hear

in the rest of the country.

Uh right.

Me too.

Everyone's good at something.

Some people are good at some things,

other people are good at other things.

It's normal.

It's completely normal.

Growing up in a city I don't know how to do this things.

Okay.

Can I help.

You've finished yours?

Yeah, I have finished mine.

But let's set yours up.

It's gonna get dark soon.

I know where I know your name from.

Where?

Letters I picked up from Dr. Wendle.

She wrote to you a lot.

Yeah, we kept in correspondence.

All last year and then it just stopped.

Conversations just run their course, don't they?

I lied to Dr. Jarred, I haven't been exercising.

I just, couldn't face it.

Odd.

Could have blown in.

Wait, there's someone there.

I saw a camp like this once.

Family they,

they came out

into the woods, got sick and-

- How far are we away from Dr. Wendle's camp?

Um...

15 Miles.

Right so, we're already on top of it.

On top of what?

The mycorrhizal mat.

It connects and controls all of these, all of these trees.

I read about that in her research.

She made it sound like a brain.

Yeah. Yeah I suppose it is.

Should we-

wait.

Hang on a second and just wait for a moment.

What?

You look like you're a million miles away.

Yeah, it's just odd

Being outside for the first time in months.

It's just hard to take it all in actually.

Well things will get going back to normal

quicker than you think.

Everyone will forget what happened.

No, I don't think anyone will forget.

Yeah, they will.

They'll just get back to their old ways.

Why'd you leave the Harringdon facility?

Sorry, what?

Before you said you worked with Dr. Wendle

at the Harringdon facility?

Yeah.

Why'd you leave?

Personal reasons.

Get them up.

Alma?

Alma?

Alma.

Stay still, stay still.

Are you hurt?

Get up.

Oh my face.

Walk over here it's easier.

Why would they take our shoes?

Lucky that's all they took.

Taunting us, smashing up the radio.

Do you think it has anything to do with the tent we found?

I don't know.

Huh?

I said I don't know.

Fucking shit.

Shit.

Oh, fuck!

What happened?

Oh shit!

What have you done?

Let me have a-

- Oh. Fuck it's bleeding.

It's something sharp.

How bad is it?

Lift it up.

Thank you, sorry.

Stay here.

I'm gonna try and look for a crutch.

Wait, wait.

What?

Someone's watching us.

Listen.

There are no animals.

Why are they so quiet?

They sense something.

Let's keep going.

Do you know him?

No.

What should we do?

Someone stole our shoes.

Yeah. I see that.

What are you doing out here?

I saw you limping about and I thought,

"I should help them."

And then I thought you were a park ranger

and you probably don't want me living out here.

But here you are.

Couldn't in good conscience let you limp

around on your own.

Could get hurt.

I won't tell if you won't.

That's very kind of you.

I'm Martin.

I'm Alma.

Zach.

I presume you came through quarantine at the Gantalow Lodge.

So let's keep our distance, hey?

Yes.

Can't be too careful.

Man and a woman attacked me yesterday.

Did they have a child?

I didn't see one.

We found an abandoned camp, it had toys.

Maybe they moved on.

I've got some shoes if you want them.

I think it will fit.

Yeah, that'd be great.

- Yeah? - Yeah. Thank you.

Follow me.

Wow, it's big.

Yeah, I've been busy.

It's a liberation to build your own shelter.

What's in there?

Oh, that's just my workshop.

Through here.

- Thank you. - All right?

You just wait here.

Do you go to the town?

For supplies, once every couple of months

I like it less every time.

Let's have a look at this.

How is it?

Oh my, yeah.

Let's have a look.

Ooh! That is nasty.

Got any disinfectant?

Yeah, yeah. No, I think I need to wash and stitch it.

Stitch?

Yeah. It's flapping about.

Can't find my bits and boots.

You'll be fine. I'm sure he knows what he's doing.

It's okay.

All right.

All right, this is gonna sting.

Don't worry about that.

Fatal. There we go.

There we are.

- Fuck. - Burn? Okay.

Clean.

Right, don't worry.

I have done this before.

I mean, on my self.

I'm always getting caught on things.

Right, hold his foot.

- Ready? - Yeah.

Just one moment. Hold it still.

Yes, yes, yes.

Oh god, oh god. Oh god!

Okay, good.

- That's it. - It's okay, it's almost done.

See it's-

There.

And again.

You're doing really well.

That's it. Keep talking to him?

Yeah.

Good. Couple more.

It's okay. It's okay.

Last one.

Done.

Now, food.

How's it look?

Yeah, fine. It's okay.

Right. Let's see what I can rustle up.

Can I help?

No, it's fine.

I haven't got much. it's mostly forage.

- Soak in. - Thank you.

- I'll get you a spoon. - Thank you so much.

Brilliant. Thank you.

Thank you. You're welcome.

Oh, that's good.

- That's really good. - Good.

A Zach special

See what you make of that.

Hmm, what is that?

- Nice? - Yeah.

Sweet sort of an elder.. flower.

Not elderflower, but same principle.

Some-

- It's delicious.

Yeah. Here's the petals of various plants.

It took a while to get the right consistency,

but this is nice, isn't it?

It's like a sweet... Like a barley sugar.

- Yeah. - Hmm!

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Cheers!

Well, very nice to meet you.

Even in such strange circumstances.

Good.

Oh God!

You got to stay hydrated.

Oh no I'm fine, thanks.

You sure? Now go on and have a little bit more.

Always piss clear.

That's my rule.

That was a good one.

Yeah. I know.

Shoes.

Oh, brilliant.

Outside, it must've been such hard work

without shoes.

Oh thank you. Thank you, thank you.

Oh, wow!

Oh that's good.

I didn't know how hard it was walking around barefoot-

- I bet. It must've been such hard going without shoes.

It really is.

- It is- - Perfect.

Hope they fit after all that.

Not bad, good size.

Got trouble doing these up.

- Yeah - Yeah, I'll bet.

Here we go.

Oh my, I don't feel very well.

Oh God!

Reassuring words.

Just being kind-

triggers a social response.

Trade of trust.

Oh God!

Shhhh!

You must be sleepy.

You sleepy?

You should rest.

You must be sleepy.

You should rest.

You need some rest.

Shhhh!

Close your eyes Martin.

Where are you going?

Where's she going?

Alma.

No.

Come on. Here we go.

Come on.

Just let, just let us go.

Hmm, I can't yet.

Look, this is interesting.

Have you ever developed film? It's fascinating.

Let me show you.

Photography is like magic, really.

But then, so is all technology

when you don't know how it works.

What is that?

Is that us?

You should relax.

I'm not hurting you.

Just let us go.

I would, but I can't now.

Not possible.

What have you done?

I'm marking you, Martin.

So that he can see you.

Don't worry, I've got them too.

Can you feel him now, in the earth?

No. No I don't know what you mean.

I think you do.

I don't.

Just wait, wait-

- Here we go. Shsshh shhhs.

Her we go, come on.

Come on, come on, that's it.

Swallow, swallow, swallow.

How are you faring?

What?

How are you faring? You good?

Settling in?

Please Zach.

Don't try and bargain with me.

I can't let you see her.

Dr. Wendle?

Yes, Wendle.

Why?

I trusted her, but she has profoundly misunderstood him.

She wants to enslave him, but he doesn't care.

Who doesn't care?

She thinks science appeals to him.

He's not interested.

He likes art, he likes flattery.

Who Zach?

- Sacrifice. - Who is he?

The thing in the woods.

She thinks she can talk to him,

bargain with him.

I'm talking to him in a purer way,

making images, praising him, worshiping him.

Did she not talk about it?

We haven't seen Dr. Wendle in months, Zach.

I want to believe you Martin, but people essentially

are the same.

They bargain with what they have and it doesn't take long

before they get down to it,

to become desperate and say anything.

Believe me, he has sent me so many people

in the last few months.

I suppose they're all fleeing the disease in the city,

but they find their way to me.

Drawn here.

Bet you wish you got your parents out of the city, Martin?

How'd you know about that?

Your diary.

Lots of good passages in here, it's very candid.

A lot of boo hoo stuff about your elderly mother and father.

I'm sorry about that.

A bit of bad luck there.

You've chose the wrong branch of science to save them.

Please just.

Hey.

What you doing here?

My job.

Oh, forgot.

Managing the forest for its own good.

I tell you it doesn't need you.

It knows what it wants.

I've seen it.

Seen what?

I've seen it.

I've seen inside the world.

You were drawn here to live in the land.

Did you ever consider what the ultimate expression

of that was?

When you completely separated from the process of humans,

when you return to the green, to its rhythms,

rather than the selfish beat of humans.

I'm making flesh what you know is right.

Your world has shrunk.

Your world is sleeping and ritual.

Praising him.

I told you I was always getting caught on things.

He told me his story.

He's persecuted and hounded through these woods.

They said he was a practicing necromancer and alchemist.

You know how people can be intolerant?

All they found was an ancient standing stone.

He had gone.

Inducted into the stone.

Transferred into the ancient matter of the forest.

Over the millennia, people reported sightings of him.

A stranger was said to help people who were lost.

He wasn't trying to help,

he was asking for help.

He's trapped here.

I believe I can hear him coursing in my ears.

I honor him with images.

These are his memories.

Alma.

What? Alma?

He's gonna kill us.

I think so.

Yeah.

I think he's given us a smaller dose.

I feel a bit more awake.

Yeah, me too.

He dropped a blade over there by the table.

Can you see it? Look, the closest leg to us.

See it?

Oh yeah.

I can get to that.

Yeah?

I can get to that and then I can cut through.

Yeah, you have to do something.

And then I'll hit him with something

and we can both run in different directions.

Yeah.

No, why different directions?

So now I can lead him away.

You'll be too slow.

Yeah, but what if he chases me?

He won't.

If I hit him, he's gonna follow me.

And you just head towards the sun

and you end up at Dr. Wendle's camp

and then I can come find you.

Okay.

The sun, follow the sun.

Ow!

Ow!

Yeah. Oh.

What? What?

Okay. Let's put your foot down.

We've got a bad situation, Martin.

I think your foot is infected.

So I've got two courses of action.

I could take you to a hospital,

but I think it would take too long.

We're 30 miles from civilization, could take days.

Okay. What's the alternative?

Amputation.

I mean, not whole foot, just some toes.

Just some toes?

Yeah. Really sorry, but my axe is pretty sharp.

So you shouldn't really feel it.

Your axe?

Yeah.

Put your foot on there.

Yeah, I dunno.

I think we should go to the hospital, Zach.

If you struggle, it will only make it much worse, okay?

Or we should take him to the hospital.

I think it's-

- I've explained, there's no time.

It's just I'm not sure it's that bad-

- This is for the best.

Now, hold still.

Zach, no listen.

Zach, Zach, listen.

I don't think it's that bad, Zach.

Honestly I'm happy with it as it is.

It's fine.

- I can deal with it. - Look.

- It's fine. - Stop moaning.

- It hurts, but I'm okay. - I'm not a doctor.

I know you're not a doctor, that's what I'm saying.

This is for your own wellbeing.

I know, I know, but I'm okay like this.

It hurts but I can deal with it.

It's fine-

- It's important that you stop.

Let me concentrate, okay?

Right, okay.

Keep your toes still, okay?

Yeah, but Zach.

Oh, Jesus Christ.

That was just taking aim, okay?

Just got to get my bearings, okay?

Listen Zach, Zach maybe,

I think we should just leave it.

What's the matter with you?

Just take me to a hospital.

What is wrong with you? Be quiet.

You got to let me concentrate, okay?

Good, okay, great.

This is the one.

- Oh no, Zach. - Are you ready?

- Zach, Zach. - Sit still.

No, no I'm not ready.

Do you really have to do this?

Martin, brace yourself.

Please Zach. Please, please.

Oh! Oh!

Missed! And that's your fault.

I can't concentrate with all this babbling gibbering on.

Yeah, I'm sorry. Okay?

I'm sorry.

Half off. And that's on you.

Oh fuck!

I told you to hold still.

Yeah but no.

Fuck!

Oh fuck!

Alma.

Alma, please don't leave me.

Please don't leave me.

Please.

Oh my God!

Did you kill him?

I don't know.

I hit him with something really hard.

Come on.

Where is he?

Oh my God!

Get back in the house.

Alma come on.

Get back here.

Run.

Oh my God!

Shit, shit.

Alma?

Alma.

Hey! Over here.

Martin!

Fuck!

Martin!

Fuck the consequences.

Fuck!

Fuck.

Martin?

Martin?

Is anyone there?

Help me please, help me, help me.

Who is that?

What are you doing?

Leave immediately, this is private property.

Martin?

I know you're there.

I know you're there.

You're so easy to track.

Lumbering about.

Galump, galump.

Martin!

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

What do you want from me?

Tell me what you want I'll do it.

Let me give it to you.

Move quickly.

It's you.

Martin?

Let me get you into the camp.

Is Alma here?

She said she'd be here.

Alma? The park ranger?

Yes she was with me. We have to find her.

Alma?

Just hold on. Hold on.

Alma?

You stay here and I'll see if I can find her.

No, I'll come with you.

No you're in no fit state.

I have to.

Okay.

Alma? Alma?

What?

I think I can see something.

Stay here and make sure she doesn't double back

around past us.

Stay there Martin.

Hello?

Oh God!

Who's there?

Alma?

It's you.

You'll have to forgive me,

I haven't talked to anybody for a few months.

Martin, I think we should take a look at your foot.

I'm so sorry about what happened to you both.

There really was no way of warning you

about how dangerous the situation with Zach could become.

You know he's killed people that live here.

- Killed? - Yeah.

Maybe one family, maybe more.

May I?

Yeah.

So, how do you know his name?

Zach is my ex-husband.

That needs cauterizing.

You're going to burn me?

Yes.

Wait at a hospital?

No, no, there isn't time for that.

Sorry about before.

I don't know what to say actually.

Don't.

I said I'd run and find you.

- It's fine. - Thank you.

Last night I saw something in the woods.

I don't know what it was.

It was-

- I didn't think anybody was coming.

When you stopped writing I started to worry.

I couldn't speak to you. I couldn't speak to anybody.

My initial line of experimentations failed.

It was just months and months of dead ends.

Alma, can you hold him for me?

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Shouldn't I have something to bite down on, or

just anything?

Try this.

Great.

Alma?

Alma?

Yeah.

Hold him.

Can't tell you how sorry I am about what's happened.

It's not your fault.

You didn't attack us.

Well, Hey.

Do you have any water?

On the shelf.

Oh, I can't feel anything.

That's for the best.

Just try and lay still.

You said your research, you said it had stalled.

Yes.

Fashdale Institute wanted results,

and I had nothing.

When I found the stone, I don't know how I missed it.

It had been there all along.

I used it to take my mind off my own work.

I thought I could shake myself out of the hole I was in.

The markings on the stone led me down

a rabbit hole of research, until I found this book.

This contains amongst other things an English translation

of Malleus Maleficarum, "The Hammer of The Witches."

The book is dated 1640,

but some of the pages are much older and from other books.

There's a section in here about this forest.

Parnag Fegg.

The name translates in the local dialect

as sound, Parnagus and light, Fegg.

Heartfelt prayer and God's light.

You see, I don't think Parnag Fegg was a person at all.

I think it was a process, but it got me thinking.

I mean, of course they wouldn't have gotten anywhere

with torches and drums, but with modern equipment,

maybe I could.

There's something in there and it wants to talk.

Zach came to the forest to help me set up

this new experiment.

But I don't understand,

why did you get Zach involved?

Why didn't you ask the board at the Fashdale Institute?

They would never have understood, Alma.

This was all just too important to risk.

We need to open this up and clean it, Martin.

I think there's something under the skin.

It's very tough.

It's animal gut I think.

Great.

Does it hurt?

Yes.

Oh fuck.

I wouldn't try to make any logical sense of it.

I need water for this.

Tell me where I can find it.

Fine. This is a sterile area.

I'd like to keep it that way, thank you.

Okay.

Hey, I think

the scars on my arm

match the markings on the stones.

It's pattern-making.

Zach is trying to make meaning where there isn't any.

It's a psychological problem with humans.

You want to make stories out of everything.

Zach seems to think that he can communicate with nature

through art and worship.

It's idolatry.

He isn't interested in the scientific path.

Okay.

Okay.

It's bonded with the flesh, that's very unusual.

Oh God!

Yes, but he isn't here, is he?

What's unusual?

Well, that the infection will take hold so quickly.

You have very special flesh, Martin.

Thanks.

So, you're using light and sound to communicate?

Yes.

The light pulse is in reaction to the feedback

that the microphones give me from the trees.

What feedback?

Well, plants can make noise.

The trees can actually control some of the sounds

that the branches make.

Even the roots make sounds at a certain frequency.

Now, once you filter out the wind on the woodland noise,

there is a definite pattern.

Through these reactions, I've created a very basic language.

We tried to make contact with the mycorrhiza

in a more direct way, using the rites in the book.

We pushed it too far.

Zach, he was never the same.

Whatever Zach saw terrified him.

He ran, I didn't see him for months

until I found him living in the opposite Valley.

He barely recognized me. He was wild.

Why did he use the ritual in the book?

It seems like a contradiction.

I was just reacting to the results.

Using the book seem to accelerate the progress.

I had to learn to have an open mind.

I'm surprised you don't.

Listen.

It all emanates from the surrounding stone.

This is where there is the densest cluster of mycorrhiza.

Now it regulates this forest for about 30 square miles,

but I think it could be bigger still.

How big?

Countrywide.

Really?

Nature is one giant system.

This, this is the key to communicate with it.

I'm so close to a real breakthrough.

It makes sense that you were here to witness it.

But we're not gonna wait for that.

As soon as Martin's strong enough, we're gonna go.

You still want to leave after I've shown you all of this?

We don't have a choice.

It's only a matter of time before Zach comes here

looking for us.

We have to go.

This is a mistake.

Talk to her.

But, I mean, she has a point, Olivia.

I don't trust her, Martin.

Why not?

She said she's been imprisoned here.

And what?

He never came here in all that time?

She's just over that hill.

Wouldn't it make more sense if

they were still working together?

On what?

I don't know.

Did she tell you that she was married?

No.

Well, she must have said something about herself.

When? When would she say that?

When you were in a relationship.

I don't want to talk about that, it's private.

Right.

Private maybe, but I mean,

under the circumstances can you see that it's relevant?

Yeah.

What happened between them?

I don't know.

She didn't talk about other people.

It's the first I heard about her husband.

Okay, Martin, I don't care.

We need to go.

She's not gonna leave this place.

The whole reason why you came here was to see her, right?

I thought it was.

So then, so if you care about her

then you need to get her to leave.

Olivia, I think Alma has a very good point.

You can't convince me to leave Martin.

And it really is too late now anyway.

What do you mean too late?

It was like I didn't have a choice.

It's so strange that the stone doesn't appear on any maps.

The only mention of it is in that book.

How did you volunteer to come here?

Actually...

I came here to see you.

All through lockdown I thought a lot about us.

I know that's weird, but-

- The thought, did it grow inside you like a seed?

A voice in your head that you couldn't deny?

Maybe.

Martin, I lied to you before.

I did get Zach involved, but I didn't call him.

He just turned up.

He said exactly the same thing

that he couldn't deny the urge.

I found him here by the stone, the same way I found you

and you found out Alma.

No, no, no, I wanted to come.

Martin, the mycorrhizal network,

it draws resources to the forest from many miles,

and maybe it brought you too.

Okay, let's say that's true.

How could that be possible?

Did you have ringworm?

Yeah.

Zach and I did too.

I wondered what it was doing to our bodies.

Was it pushing our body chemistry in certain directions?

Obsession, love?

This is too important, Martin.

Think about why we're here.

This isn't chance.

It isn't.

And you can't fight it.

Martin, Martin.

Martin, wake up.

Who is it?

Dr. Wendle, she's gone.

I can't find her.

You sure?

Yes. I'm sure.

What time is it?

How long has it been light?

About half an hour.

Agh!

How are you feeling?

What are the symptoms?

Anxiety? Blurred vision?

Yeah.

Extra acoustic and visual stimuli?

Where did you go?

I was checking the readings

from the monitoring devices in the woods.

When I came back, you were both gone.

Everything seems to just keep us here.

The mist encircles the camp.

Ranging from 400 meters to 100 meters from the center.

What is it?

It's a suspension of mushroom spores and water droplets

in the air.

Forest is acting to contain us.

What?

I've seen it before with Zach,

it forced him from the Valley.

Why didn't you tell us about that?

Sorry, didn't I say?

No, you didn't.

It was quite a lot of information to keep track of.

Well, why don't we use your hazmat suit

and walk through it?

And what if the mist is less than 0.3 microns?

It will go through the filter.

It's gotta be worth a try.

We can wait it out.

When it happened before it only lasted a day or so.

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Come here. Come here.

You see that?

What?

The person who stood there.

See the three trees?

Middle tree, look.

Wait, Alma.

What does that mean?

It means Zach can come at anytime.

Excuse me.

If you pass out, I'll pull you back, okay?

Yeah.

Get through the mist, head straight to the camp.

I'll be there and back in a few days.

How's that?

Yeah, it's fine.

Okay, ready?

Alma, you okay?

Alma, are you okay?

Alma?

What do you see?

I see things

All right, Alma come back.

I'm pulling you back.

I'm pulling you back in.

For god's sake,

- pull her back in - I am.

Are you okay?

Have some water.

Oh my God!

It's okay, you're out of it now.

You're out of it now.

It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay. You're out of it now.

What did you see?

It was everything.

Everything.

She's delirious.

I told you this wouldn't work.

Yes. Yes, I know, I know.

You're out of it now. Come on.

It's not what you think.

I know, I know let's go now.

You're outside of it, so it's fine.

Let's go back to the camp.

It's fine now. You're safe now.

Let's go back to the camp, okay?

It's only-

- I know. I know.

Yes I know. Let's go back to the camp.

It looks like a human, but it's not.

- It is not a human. - Yeah, okay. Come on.

You can tell me back at the camp.

Come on.

How far has it moved?

I don't know, 10 meters, maybe?

I mean, at this rate it will cover the camp by morning.

What do you want?

I need to talk to him.

This is important.

I've never seen him come this close to the camp before.

Is that a good idea?

Martin, he won't hurt me. I know he won't.

We can't trust him.

I don't know what choice we have.

What are they talking about?

I don't know, I can't hear.

He said he wants to talk.

One of us needs to go to the standing stone.

It is where the light and sound activity will be focused.

Then they have to take the sacrament.

What sacrament?

This.

I thought you said you were gonna use your equipment

to make contact.

Yes.

So then why are you referring to this?

The book is the most direct route.

And then what?

It's just going to release us?

That's what Zach said.

I can't believe we're performing a ritual to be honest.

Martin, I know this makes you uncomfortable,

it makes me uncomfortable too.

But if it wants to talk, then we have to listen.

I don't think you are listening.

I don't think you've been listening.

What do you think it wants to tell you?

Well, Alma, I would think that was clear by now, no?

No, not really, no.

How we can all live together

without destroying each other.

This is the same as any other creature,

he's worried about its environment, food, shelter.

You keep talking about this thing as if it's human.

You sound just like Zach, it's not.

We are at the forefront of human discovery.

Don't you think we should endeavor to speak

to this creature regardless of the cost?

All right. Okay, great.

Doesn't look too bad.

I mean, on a scale of one to 10, how bad does that look?

I'd say a five.

It looks like milk.

Yeah, exactly.

- Mushroom milk - You don't have to do this.

Yeah I know, I know.

I know.

But you saved my life already,

so at least let me repay the favor.

You don't have to repay anything.

Yeah, you drink it then.

Oh!

Martin?

Oh, that's disgusting.

Martin, can you hear me?

Yeah.

Okay, now we wait.

Okay.

Oh, goodness!

Now we're gonna wait.

Yeah, just gonna wait.

What can you see out there?

Huh?

What did she say?

What can you see?

Oh, nothing really.

I can see the shapes of the trees from the strobes.

Just keep focusing on my voice.

How are you feeling?

Feeling okay.

Just thinking about my parents.

Oh my God, it's too loud.

Oh, God!

Sorry.

Something's tripped the electrical system.

Ah, where?

It's lamp 15. Can you check it out for me please, Alma?

Okay, I'm restarting the system now.

Can you hear me?

It looks like somebody is knocked it over.

Alma?

Remember me?

Come on Martin.

She didn't tell you about the whole ritual, did she?

Mycorrhiza always asks a price of its host.

Your death will allow me to speak with it.

Please Zach, please Zach.

I wish it could be me, Martin.

I would have given anything to have been the one.

Please Zach. Please Zach.

Please Zach.

Please Zach.

Wouldn't take me.

It called me, but wouldn't take me.

I told you not to come in here.

What have you, what have you done?

That's how accidents happen?

Oh.

I need, okay.

I think I had.

No, no.

You have to take me to the hospital.

I wasn't surprised you were seeing him.

Oh my God!

You, you're so open, so trusting.

You are

This is the most important moment of your life.

Thank you.

Let me guide you out of the woods.

Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull