Original subtitles

♪♪

[ lock clicking ]

[ door slams ] [ fluorescent light buzzing ]

Chris Williams: A box.

That's where I've had to place him.

[ chains rattling ]

The feelings I wasn't powerful enough to control...

I put them there. I put him there.

Closed up in the recesses of my mind.

People say to me all the time, "I couldn't do what you did."

I tell them,

"I didn't do it."

[ door creaking ]

I couldn't do it.

[ church bell rings ]

It began six months ago

on a road we had driven thousands of times.

Okay, here we go.

[ light switch clicking ]

Just wait for the signal

and then I'll call you in, okay? Quiet.

She's gonna hate me for this.

But she's-- She's gonna love me too.

Shh...

Surprise.

- Happy Mother's Day. - Nooooo...

Come on. Happy Mother's Day honey.

- [ kiss ] - Mm, thank you.

Oh! I'll get it.

Whoa! There she goes again. Nope!

- Sorry. - It's just water.

It'll dry. Don't worry about it.

You know what'll happen when you take one of those a day.

Well...

- Ta-da! - Ta-da!

[ Michelle chuckles ]

- Like magic. - Magic!

- Can I eat? We're starving. - Bring 'em in!

- Come on, guys. - Happy Mother's Day!

- Happy Mother's Day! - I love you, Mom.

- Hey, Sam! - Oh!

- I love you, Mom. - Sam can do that.

Michelle: Oh! Oh, I love this.

What's wrong with your floor? It's all wet.

Mom's getting the full treatment.

Relax... Imagine a grassy hillside...

[ giggles ]

- Hey! - The sun on your face...

Are you sure you want another one of these, honey?

[ chuckles ] This is heaven.

[ distorted sounds ]

[ brakes screeching ] [ collision noise ]

[ high-pitched whirring ]

What's your name? Where are you hurt?

Ribs?

Okay, we're gonna put this collar on.

- Woman: Chris? - Paramedic: All right.

[ pained moaning ] Okay, we're gonna grab your shoulder.

[ pained moaning continues ]

[ radio chatter ]

[ ambulance siren ]

We're gonna get you to the hospital, Chris.

Just stay with me, okay?

How's the driver of the other car?

Just hang in there, okay?

[ distorted sounds ]

...what motors are going to work best at what assembly

before we can answer that question.

All right, so let's move on to a different topic,

one I think you're all very interested in.

That's really more where Chris' expertise lies.

I'm gonna go ahead and pose that question to him. Chris?

[ distant sirens and traffic ]

Chris?

[ distant phone ringing ]

Servo motors or linear motors?

[ clears throat ] I'm sorry.

I didn't get the question.

Did you only shave half your face today?

[ chuckles ] Yeah. I guess I did.

It's a style thing.

[ laughs ] Looks good.

You know, uh, Carl, maybe you should try that.

You might close a sale sometime.

[ patting back of chair ]

But seriously, Carl,

have you seen these arrays at the Cincinnati assembly?

Carl: Well, we don't have one there,

but, there's a proprietary

software written by a guy in Chicago.

[ talking fades into background ]

Chris: So metimes I think life around me,

this daily grind,

should stop.

Give me time to wake.

[ sighs ] But it all just keeps going.

[ splashing ] [ water runs ]

"A year of firsts."

That's what my crisis

intervention counselor told me it would be.

[ school bell rings ]

- Dad, you're late again. - Hey, Ben-- Sam.

Yeah, I got held up at work. Sorry.

- How was your day? - Good.

Maybe you should buy me a cell phone so I know where you are.

Yep. Right after I buy you a new car.

- Put your seatbelt on. - I know.

Radio: I don't care what anyone says,

nice guys finish last.

We can't have our senators playing softball.

I mean, really. Check your

Florence Nightingale act at the door, all right?

It's called reality.

Sam: Dad! Come on! I'm hungry.

Yeah.

Hey, Sam.

Okay. See what we got.

What's this?

Whew. That's uh...

How about...

Huh.

Just order pizza.

Yeah. I'm sick of pizza.

Pff!

♪♪

Chris: T his house used to be filled with noise.

Could never get any work done.

TV. Violin out of tune.

Piano practice. Microwave beeps. Chasing.

Fights. Endless giggling.

I'd just hit snooze and sleep through it all.

Now it's too quiet to even sleep.

Can you hold it down?

[ door slams ] Geez!

Dad.

Hey. You scared me.

- Can I use the car? - Where you goin'?

I didn't even know you were home. Do you want a bite?

Gonna spend the night at Jason's. I got my phone.

Sure, sure. Just, uh, be careful. Okay?

Yeah.

Man on TV: ...four people.

[ thunderclap ] An accident many still can't believe.

Man 2 on TV: A bsolute devastation.

I'm still in shock.

Reporter: Inside this mangled car

was Christopher Williams, his pregnant wife Michelle,

and three of his four children.

- Oh, I'm so sorry to be late. - Hey, Mom.

God, you guys must be starving. Hi.

Place is a mess. What are you doing?

Dad got pizza.

- Again? - Yeah. Again.

- What are you doing? - I'm just studying up, I uh...

I was pretty out of it after.

CHURCH LEADER SURVIVES CRASH

I can't remember exactly what happened.

You better be careful what you're saying on television.

- Lawyers are going to hold you to this. - Yeah, I know, Ma.

What do you mean, you know?

I got the notice. We go to court in three weeks.

I'm going to testify for you.

Uh, no, Mom. I don't think that's a good idea.

- Why not? - I just don't want you to hear

all the details, you know?

There might be pictures and...

So you're trying to tell me to stand back, Chris?

- That's not what I'm saying. - I'm not going to stand back

if that's what you're trying to tell me.

- That's not what I'm saying. - Oh, I can't take this!

I-I really, I-I look at this, and it totally upsets me.

And you gotta remember one thing for me.

Yours was an accident, Chris.

But his, his was a choice.

So it's from here to there. Do you understand?

That's how wrong he was!

And that's how he destroyed everybody's life here.

Reporter on TV: Eyewitness News.

That'll never change and four people are dead.

TV: T hey will have to decide

whether to charge the 17 year old driver

- That's enough. - as an adult or a juvenile.

- Three factors will...

- Do you want peanut butter and jelly?

That's all I've got. Say yes.

- Sure. - [ TV continues indistinct ]

- Turn that thing off. - ...his history

and how close he is to the age of 18. [ jar cap rattles ]

Shh, shh, shh, it's okay.

♪♪

Chris: H oudini, the great escape artist.

When he knew his mother was dying,

at her bedside, he made a plan with her.

They agreed that, when she died,

she would came back from the

other side to prove the existence of an afterlife.

How?

The decided on a key word.

One secret code word.

If he heard that word from a

psychic, a soothsayer, or a medium...

...that would be his proof.

It would mean that his mom was still there, somewhere...

sending him a sign.

It's just water. It'll dry. Don't worry about it.

Michelle...

Houdini watched.

And waited.

[ indistinct voices ] [ pained groaning ]

Chris...

[ indistinct voices continue ]

Doctor: We're gonna take care good care of you.

We're gonna take care of

everything. I don't want you to worry.

How are his vitals?

Nurse: Blood pressure is 60/40.

He's tachycardic at 115.

Doctor: How's your breathing, Mr. Williams?

Nurse: Respiration is...

Doctor: In your chest? Lower abdomen? Yes. Good.

All right. Just open your eyes.

Stay with us a little bit. We'll get you out of this.

[ heart monitor beeping ]

Doctor: Stay with us, Chris. Stay with us.

[ pained groans ]

[ whispering ] He's gonna be okay. Hang in there.

Thank you. [ heart monitor beeps ]

[ father sighs ]

- I'm sorry, son. - [ mumbling ]

I'm-I'm sorry, son. I'm sorry.

This is a mess.

Couldn't they have cleaned him

up a little better than this, dammit?

Dad...

[ groaning ]

Sorry, son.

Oh, Michael...

[ door closes ]

He wants to see you.

Michael...

[ crying ] They're gone, son.

- [ crying ] No... - I'm sorry, son.

[ sobbing ]

So sorry. I know.

It'll be all right.

Okay.

Here's what they're gonna argue.

They're going to say he was

under aged and should be tried as a juvenile.

We're gonna argue that he was

two months away from his 18th birthday

and should be tried as an adult.

I think the judge will see our way.

- Okay. - Oh, another thing.

Don't-- uh-- don't call it an accident. Call it a crash.

We don't want to anyway imply that this was an act of God.

He chose to drink and drive.

There's no accident about it. Got it?

Um, what kind of sentence will he get?

30 plus for something like this.

Oh. You know I'm having a...

hard time knowing how to...

how to feel about that.

It doesn't really matter how you feel.

What mattered is what happened.

The law takes care of the rest.

The law puts the criminal where he belongs,

in a box with steel bars.

He drank like an adult. He gets tried like an adult.

He's going away for a very long time.

30 years, that's...

You know, he... he won't have much of a life

- by the time he gets out. - Chris,

the difference between juvie and adults

isn't just simply three years versus 30.

If he's tried as a juvenile, he gets out at age 21, scot-free.

His record, expunged. Like this never happened.

Yeah. Yeah.

Chris, with all due respect,

you're not in a mindset to see this situation clearly,

and, understandably, you're in a highly emotional state.

I see this stuff all the time.

Yeah.

I'm on your side.

An eye for an eye, right?

[ mumbles ]

Look, the state wants justice.

So do you.

[ crickets chirping ]

[ keys jingle ]

Chris: L ife in the middle of the night,

a blurry divide between bad dream and reality.

[ engine revving ]

Sometimes,

I think about how easy it would

be justto steer into one of those barricades.

Those are the thoughts that

come to mindwhen you're driving at 3:00 AM.

Oh, man.

[ microwave buzzes and dings ]

[ wrapper crinkling ]

Anyone out this late must have something on his mind.

Hmm.

You know, you should clean that thing. It's pretty nasty.

I just cleaned the bathroom.

- So? - It's one or the other.

Why?

I don't want to clean the

bathroom and touch the microwave!

That's a valid point.

[ coins rattling ]

You look familiar. [ register drawer closes ]

Why are you here at this hour? You lost?

No, I just like to get away sometimes.

- What, like a vacation? - [ chuckling ]

Yeah. This is my vacation.

Right. You come here because you're drawn here.

[ wrapper rustling ] It is a place of healing.

[ chuckles ] Yeah...

You believe in guardian angles?

Uh...

That's pretty non-committal. Where's your faith?

I think that's why you're so alone.

They're bored with you.

You're too solid. You don't need anyone.

- Yeah. - You should bust a water pipe,

let something flood out. Then they'll show up.

This life--

This life is a flash in the pan.

You'll never get to Heaven if you can't decide these things.

- You know, I thought this was Heaven. - No!

This? This is hell.

[ sighs ]

Chris: Surprise.

♪♪

Michelle loved searching for seashells on the beach.

She always collected moments.

Fireworks. Small halves. Holidays.

Decorations. Family photos.

- Pretty, huh? - Yeah.

Make a good mermaid, huh?

[ laughs ]

Chris: She loved fireflies.

It took years before she saw a real one.

♪♪

Michelle always savored time.

It was the one thing she wanted.

Now I can't give it to her.

Is that full yet?

Oh. Heh. Yeah. I'm sorry...

Guess I'm a little distracted.

Glad I stopped you before it got on your pants.

[ chuckles ]

[ construction noises ]

Mrs. Connelly: She told me to go to hell!

And waved her finger in front of my face!

I grabbed her ear,

and damn near yanked her out of the room I was so angry.

Pardon my language.

Mrs. Connelly...

There are two ways of doing things:

Jesus' way...

...and some other way.

What's the other way?

[ chuckles ]

Chris: W hen I file something away in a box,

many of my friends and family call it repression.

Maybe.

I call it controlled exposure therapy.

[ door creaking ]

♪♪

When things are quiet...

when I'm alone and in a safe place...

and I think I can handle it...

I open the box, just a crack,

and let something out.

[ music box plays ]

I let out only one thing at a time.

One memory. One horror.

One flashback.

One at a time.

Out.

[ sighs ] And so I deal with it.

[ music box stops ]

Chris: O kay... okay, Anna, let's go.

- You know how to use the brakes, right?- Anna: Yeah.

Okay, let's go. I got you.

I got you, Anna. Oh!

Whoa! Okay, just show me-- Okay, no, honey, just--

- You have to let her go. - I know.

I'll make sure she knows how to use the brakes first.

- She'll be fine! Just let go! - Honey...

- I can do it! - Okay. Go ahead.

- Michelle: She'll be fine! - Use the brakes, honey.

- I'll be fine! - Use the brakes!

Chris: Whoo-hoo!

Good job, honey. [ laughs ]

- Michelle: Atta girl! - [ chuckles ] She can do it.

[ Michelle chuckling ]

Chris: Come back, Anna!

♪♪

[ crickets chirping ]

[ voices over radio indistinct ]

[ labored breathing ]

[ heart monitor beeping ]

How's he doing?

Well, he's stabilized.

We're watching him really close.

This here helps regulate the cerebral pressure.

Brain damage?

Let me have the doctor come talk with you.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do.

Hey, Sam.

You just get better, you hear me?

[ curtain rings rattling ]

[ groans ]

[ painful groan ]

Father...

I can't let go.

Please don't take Sam from me.

[ sobs quietly ]

Reporter on TV: I mages most will likely never forget.

People shot, injured, killed

when a young man randomly opened fire at Trolley Square.

Woman on TV: Right now our priority

is to get everyone out safely.

- Police arrived within... - Dad.

I want to go to church.

Within six, the shooter was detained...

- I need to see some friends. - ...and then killed.

Man on TV: T his suspect demonstrated his intent

was to shoot as many people as he possibly could.

- You may wanna shave. - The officers' actions

- c ertainly put a stop to that. - I n active shooter situations,

police now demonstrate what is called...

- Okay, I got it. - All right.

I'm gonna get Grandma and Grandpa and pull up the car.

I'll be back.

"God took Adam's rib."

[ bumps ] Aah, Ma!

Okay, honey, I know.

Hey, hey, Ma?

Oh, I can take another way if you want me to...

Can't turn around now, son.

Just... get back up on the horse, right?

Yeah...

Right, Dad.

Just gotta ride it out.

Nadine: Michael, help your father in.

[ door opens ]

- [ door shuts ]- I suppose you're gonna tell me

silence is in order, Paul, right?

Why did you say "get back up on your horse"?

- It was insensitive and unthinking.

- Because we've got to face the reality.

Oh, stop it.

Stop it!

- I'm going into church now. - Oh!

This is a tragedy.

[ door shuts ]

- "Get back up on your horse..."

- Preacher: Then the words

just become more sincere when you pray.

And it's through that sincerity

that we're able to make a connection

and a relationship with our heavenly father.

[ crowd whispering ]

Would you like to say something?

[ Chris sighs ] Thank you.

I don't know how we--

how we got here today.

It's been extremely difficult to process what has happened.

Normally, I uh...

Standing up here, I would have some counsel,

some story about Christ.

But...

I can't think of anything today.

I believe my faith will...

will get me through this.

I hope to be with...

Michelle...

...Ben and Anna, again.

[ indistinct distant chatter ]

[ treadmill whirs ]

Nurse: No pain, no gain.

- Ever heard that? - Come on, son.

- Soccer, baseball...? - I don't care!

- Dad! - It's okay, son. I'm here.

You have to work through this if you wanna play again.

- You know, I think we're done. - I don't care! It hurts!

All right, all right. I think that's enough for now.

We will take a break. Let's...

- [ pained grunt ] - Okay...

There we go.

- You did great, Sam. - There you go. Good job.

It's okay.

Mr. Williams.

Can I speak to you for a minute?

Sure.

This is gonna take some time.

Yeah, I kn--

This isn't exactly how I...

imagined the healing process to be.

It's a marathon. You can't think of it like a sprint.

Yeah, I just--

I mean, are we gonna get a break here? I mean...

How long is this gonna take?

This is going to be a year of firsts for you and Sam.

"Year of firsts." [ chuckles ]

I mean... could you be a little more specific?

He is relearning how to eat...

how to walk, everything.

- He is starting over. - How do you know?

- I'm not-- - You don't know!

"Year of firsts."

Let's go, son.

Hang on there, son.

- Wind is strong today, huh? - Okay.

Remember what they said. Walk through it.

Wait till Daddy gets to Sammy.

That's it.

Good, you're meant to walk. That's it.

[ laughs ] Oh!

- Okay, Ma? - Oh! Jeez!

- Oh, Chris! Oh, no! - Oh.

Oh! [ laughing ]

- It's okay, Ma. - Should I...? Oh!

- Mom, it's okay. - Oh, I'm so sorry!

It's okay. It's okay. [ kiss ]

Let me take that. [ Nadine laughs ]

- Hey, Sammy. - Oh, I'm sorry, Sammy.

Okay, Sammy? Keep going. Come on, Sammy.

- You get the door? Thanks. - Yeah.

Sam, let Grandma get past. Okay, keep going. That's it.

Hey, Sammy.

[ crunching sounds ]

Hey, Sam?

Sammy?

Sammy, you okay?

Hey, Sam!

Hey, Sammy, don't do this.

Sammy! Sammy!!

Hey, Dad.

- Sammy, are you okay? - Yeah.

[ crunching sounds ]

Attorney: Under provision one,

we will secede negligent cause

if Mr. Williams can identify Mr. Wright.

You ever seen Mr. Curtis Wright before this week?

Uh, just in the snippets on the news.

They didn't really show his face, though.

So you didn't see him at the scene of the accident?

Uh, yes, well, no, I'm sor-- uh... It was dark.

But I saw his, uh, silhouette.

Did you see anyone else driving that SUV?

No.

So you never really saw Mr. Wright driving that car.

[ D.A. scoffs ]

I think it's been well established

that Mr. Wright was driving that night.

That's what we're here to determine, Mr. Williams.

Earlier you stated, after the accident, that you "woke up".

- Did you fall asleep at the wheel? - No.

It had been a long week, you said. Were you exhausted?

I was a little tired, I suppose...

Is it possible that you had a seizure that night?

- Absolutely not. - Ever had a seizure before?

Excuse me, what are you getting at here? I'm not at fault.

Attorney 2: Then just answer the questions, please.

Attorney: In the police report you stated

that your foot was all the way down on that accelerator.

Immediately after impact, "revving the engine," you said.

When did you push down so hard on the accelerator?

Wait, wait, what?

Your foot was jammed down on the accelerator.

That happened just before the accident, didn't it?

I suppose it was it was a result of the

accident-- the crash.

Have you ever thought about suicide, Mr. Williams?

- Is that before or accident? - Really, Mark?

Your client decimated this man's family. We're done here.

My client has rights too.

You should be ashamed.

- We'll see you in court. - Thank you.

[ door closes ]

[ television indistinct ]

[ thud ] [ keys jingling ]

- Give me the bills. - What did you do?

What are you doing?

Chris? [ thud ]

What are you doing?

Tidying up.

I guess you think this is funny.

I wish you'd let some lawyers handle this for you.

This shouldn't have to cost you any money.

What's wrong with you?

Look at this, all these lawyers.

They sent you letters.

They all want to represent you in your lawsuit.

- Lawsuit? - Yes!

- Your civil lawsuit, when you sue... - When I sue. Mm-hmm.

- Where are you going with those?

- You know what these are, Mom?

- You're not going to do this again. - Ambulance chasers.

[ laughing ] I don't think that's very funny.

- Oh... What are you doing? - Hey, Sammy.

Who's gonna pay for these bills, Chris?

- I don't know. - What's in your mind?

- What's the plan? - I don't know, Ma!

Oh. I guess you're surprised about this.

I don't get this whole thing. Come on, Sammy, let's go to bed.

- It's late. - What? Come on.

- It's not too late - Do what Grandma says.

- Come on, up. - Give me the remote.

- Let's go! Listen to your father.

- Just listen to your Grandma

- Come on, come on. - and get to bed.

His family should pay for what he did, did you hear me?

And they should be broke for the rest of their lives,

- not a dime in their pocket. - I hear you, Ma. I hear you.

All right. Let's go. Upstairs, come on.

Up, come on.

I'll read you a story...

about how your father makes jokes about owing $75,000.

[ laughing ] Thinks it's funny.

[ sighs ]

[ remote beeps ] Ben on TV: See that?

Only if there was Olympic silver,

if I wanted to give, you know, the runner up a good day.

So yeah, that's how it's done.

Oh...

Whoo! Ready for this, Dad? Ready?

What are you gonna do first, Ben?

Get the feet. Come on.

- Kay, zoom in on the feet there.

- Show me your best trick.

Okay. [ exhales ]

You can do better, son. Show me another trick.

O h, uh, I think it was my shoes.They're kinda worn out.

And he sinks. Come on.

Oh, well, see, I thought about that,

but then I don't think the world's ready for this move yet.

- You know, I'm just waiting... - [ laughs ]

for the right time to release it.

Okay. You ready for this?

- It's creepy, though. I won't fall.

- Okay, show us what you got.

- Like an airplane. - [ sighs ]

Nice, Ben.

Hey, Ben. Ben!

[ crash ]

[ TV static ]

[ video game racing noises ]

What are you doing here?

Moving in.

Place is so empty now.

[ tires squeal ]

[ distorted collision noise ]

Dad?

Dad.

Dad, what do you want?

I-- I want you to--

I want you to stop playing these video games.

Just... turn it off and get to bed.

[ video game noises ]

[ florescent light buzz ] [ cell unlocks ]

[ door creaks open ]

[ water dripping ]

You took them from me.

I'm talking to you.

Don't ignore me.

You took them from me!

I'm talking to you!

Don't ignore me!

[ buzzer sound ] Hey!

[ door slams ]

[ outside sirens ]

[ traffic noises ]

[ distant sirens ]

[ door opens ]

[ chains clinking ]

[ people murmur ]

Hang in there, son.

Bailiff: All rise.

[ chains clink ]

People versus Curtis Wright.

The honorable Judge Dartliff presiding.

[ door opens ]

You may be seated.

Judge Dartliff: All right.

Is the defense prepared with its opening statement?

Yes, Your Honor.

The defense proposes that the defendant, Curtis Wright,

be tried in this case as a juvenile.

He was 17 at the time the accident occurred, and thus,

under law, he is entitled to

juvenile status in any court proceedings.

Those are the facts. The law is very clear in this matter.

He should be remanded to a juvenile detention

where he can receive counseling

for the trauma sustained from the accident.

Admittedly, he may need some treatment for alcohol disease...

not incarceration.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Is that you in that photo?

That's me.

And there, can you point

yourself out in that photo, please?

That one's me.

Do you know where these photos were taken from?

Um, from my cell phone?

Is that Mr. Wright next to you?

- Yes. - Was Mr. Wright drinking that evening?

He may have had a little.

Define a little.

He had a whole bottle with him at the store.

It was in his jacket.

A bottle. Of what?

It looked like vodka.

[ papers rustling ]

Vodka.

Did you consider stopping him from driving?

No.

No further questions for this witness, Your Honor.

Judge: Witness is dismissed.

Your Honor, we'd like to present state's evidence items

regarding photos taken at the scene of the crash.

Items 200A thru 252A.

All right, present your evidence.

Thank you.

The first photo you see is of the Williams vehicle.

You'll notice that the right side is completely crushed.

The Williams family vehicle was

knocked 40 feet backwards, up a ramp,

into the support pillars of an overpass.

Mr. Wright's vehicle, you'll see there,

was overturned,

48 feet from the Williams vehicle.

Mr. Wright's injuries...

...were minimal.

Right torso.

Abrasions to the crown of his head.

And his left arm.

[ shuffling papers ]

Samuel Williams

survived the impact with

critical injuries to his head and face.

Photo 222.

You'll see the Williams girl,

Anna, age nine,

autopsied.

And the son, Ben, age 11,

at the scene. And autopsied.

Please note the signific-- [ voice breaks ]

Please note the significant damage to his right torso,

evidence of severe trauma.

If you'll go to the next photo,

you'll see the mother, Michelle Williams, age 34,

autopsied.

Note her right arm.

I'd also like you to note--

This is autopsy filing February 9th, 2007.

Note 15. I've highlighted it, I'll read it here.

"The artery was detached from the heart

due to the force of side impact,

certainly due to speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour".

The final photos you'll see there

are of the infant.

Five months. Died instantly...

...in utero.

And autopsied.

Chris.

It's time.

Please state your full name for the record.

[ clears throat ]

Christopher Darnie Williams.

Would you please tell us what

happened on the night of February 9th, 2007?

Um, it was, uh...

Heh...

It was like any other night.

We had just, uh, had dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant

and we decided to get some ice cream.

We traveled down a road we'd done a thousand times.

It's a freeway underpass,

and as we were going under,

Michelle saw...

two headlights coming at us in our lane at freeway speeds.

[ tires squeal ] I tried to swerve,

but I was-- I was too late, the car was too fast.

[ brakes screeching and crash ] [ glass breaking ]

[ steam hissing ]

Chris: And then nothing, uh...

Everything just went white.

When I came to, my leg was trapped.

My foot was pushed up against the gas pedal down to the floor

and I thought there might be a fire, so I pulled my leg away.

And...

And that's when I saw Michelle.

She had a-- she had a cut on her elbow.

And it wasn't bleeding.

And I-I knew from my time...

...as a-- as a teenager working in a hospital, that, ah...

her heart had stopped.

She was gone.

And then I, I heard, uh...

a new sound.

A horrible sound.

First I didn't know what it was.

It wasn't the revving of the car engine.

I realized it was me.

[ anguished scream ]

[ sirens ]

[ EMTs talking indistinct]

Sam: ...Dad?

I immediately knew that Ben and Anna were gone.

Then I heard Sam-- Sam cry out.

[ clears throat ]

He was behind me, and...

And I knew he was gonna be okay.

[ steam hissing ]

Then I saw this--

someone get out of the car that hit us.

D.A.: Did it appear as though he were fleeing?

Yeah, well, I'm not sure.

He just seemed to be...

wandering away from his car.

Can you confirm that this is the vehicle you saw?

Yes. Yes, it is.

Thank you, Mr. Williams.

[ TV indistinct ]

Dad. Dad!

- What? - I'm going to David's house.

- Okay. - Dad, did you hear him?

Wha-- Hey, Michael?

Wait up. [ groans ]

Why don't you-- Why don't you stay here tonight?

Mm? [ sighs ]

It's been a long day for all of us.

Michael.

Why do you care all of a sudden?

What, now you're a Dad again?

- What's that supposed to mean? - Dad, I'm hungry.

- You're hungry? You just ate. - I want a meat dish.

You want a meat dish? Here, just...

[ paper crinkling ] Have that.

- Aren't you angry? - Yes, of course, I'm angry, Michael.

Then why don't you-- why don't you show it?

- Don't you miss them? - What do you want me to do?

Stop pretending like everything's gonna be okay.

My life is screwed. Your life is screwed.

Michael!

Have some respect. He's your father.

You have to be respectable to get my respect.

What did you say?

You think this is easy?

Holding this ship together...

...every day?

- It's hell for me. - Then do something!

Scream at me! Hit me! Do something!

You're afraid.

Why didn't you fight for Mom?

For Ben and Anna in the courtroom?

- Why are you holding back?

- It's not my job to prove him guilty.

- They all know what he's done.

- Stop pretending to care about him.

He could care less about you. What about us?

Look, I'm doing the best that I can.

All of this?

I need some help here, Michael.

I'm not a shrink, Dad.

Sometimes I wish Mom had been driving.

Hey, Michael! [ door opens ]

[ door slams ]

We're losing him.

[ TV indistinct ]

No. No, I wasn't aware he was... absent.

Yes, yes, I'll have a--

I'll have a long talk with him when he gets home.

Yes, I know, he's always been a good student.

Well, thank you, I appreciate you, uh--

I appreciate you letting me know.

Thank you. Bye-bye.

Hey. Hi.

I just had a thought I wanted to share,

cause it looks like you could use the help...

Sure. Have a seat.

I, um, took care of these accounts for you.

Oh. [ laughs ] That's, uh...

They were kinda being ignored.

Ah, hmm. [ laughs ]

That's very kind of you. Thank you.

Listen, Chris. I, um...

In a way, I understand what you're going through.

Couple of years ago,

a man injured my family.

Pretty bad. Anyway, I-- I was a mess.

And... [ scoffs ] I didn't know what to do,

so I decided that the, uh, the best thing for me to do

was to pursue him legally.

Even though it didn't undo what was done,

it took pressure off when life got complicated.

I'm telling you, it does not get easier.

It might sound shallow, but... the money did help.

So-- so what did you get? Did you get-- what, a settlement?

Yeah. I, uh, paid off my house. Bills.

I work because I enjoy it so much.

[ laughs ]

And it keeps me sharp.

Look, Chris, I know you may be fighting this,

but, did they hire lawyers?

Yes, they did.

From what I hear, this boy's parents aren't hurting.

Yeah...

- Anyway. - Yeah, so...

I, uh... You know what?

Call me. Anytime.

If you wanna talk.

Uh, yeah. Sure, heh.

Sure.

Lunch is always nice. [ chuckles ]

Yeah.

- Thank you. - Mm-hmm.

See you.

[ sobs quietly ]

♪♪

[ microwave whirs ]

[ beeps ]

[ wrappers rustling ]

[ thudding ] [ keys jingle]

You're hungry tonight.

I see you, uh... still haven't cleaned the microwave.

Maybe you sued that boy.

What boy?

This boy. [ paper rustles ]

Yep. Guess you uh--

- found me out, huh? - I knew you.

Why didn't you say something? I thought we were friends.

You can talk to me about it. Eh?

It's good to know. Thanks.

[ register beeps ] I mean I understand you.

You're a religious guy.

Yeah. Where's God now, huh?

What, you think He could have prevented it?

I have no idea what God's doing to me.

Maybe He was asleep at the wheel.

Could have had a few more days to really savor things,

to lock in a memory of their faces before they went.

A few more days. Mm?

Maybe He could have just

changed that one light from green to red.

Or red to green.

Would have taken hardly any effort at all.

Created the universe.

Couldn't He change one light for you?

What about the boy's friends?

Couldn't they stop him from driving off?

I mean, what if, what if, what if,

- what if? - I just wish that--

You can't go there, Mr. Williams, the "what if" game.

It'll do no good!

If you go there, you will never come back.

I think I'm already gone.

[ keys jingle ]

- Are you sick? Do you have the flu? - What? No.

- Are you throwing up? - No.

Do you have the runs? Headache?

- The cramps? - No, I'm fine.

- You've had the flu before, right? - Sure.

But not now. When you're going through it, it's everything.

It's horrible. But you don't have the flu.

It's like it never happened.

This thing? It's like the flu.

It will pass from us.

This is nothing like the flu.

[ wrappers crinkle ]

So strange, so insane what people do.

You do what you need to do.

To hell with them, what they say.

Go, it's late, my friend.

Be with your boys.

[ traffic passing outside ]

I'll clean the microwave.

[ traffic passing ]

Nadine: What is this?

Insurance company won't pay for the medical.

[ gasps ]

The medical said the auto insurance should pay.

I just talked to someone at the auto insurance

who said they don't pay for medical.

What is the point for paying for insurance if not for this?

[ sighs ] This is just not right.

You can't let this happen.

Chris, he's an adult.

If you let him get off easy,

you're gonna pay this entire bill.

And I don't know where you

think you're gonna get this money, but--

Do you hear me?

- [ sighs ] - What do you want me to do?

I don't-- I don't know what to do.

I am not asking for you to burn down his house.

I'm just asking you, and I expect you,

to let justice do what justice does.

Please.

I'm a preacher, Ma.

[ chuckles ] I know.

I counsel people to love their enemies.

Mm.

But I can't do it myself.

Mm.

[ Chris sighs ]

[ seashells rattle ]

I want my family back.

We all want them back.

[ slams lid on ]

But Curtis still has his loving family around him, doesn't he?

Think about it.

[ crickets chirping ]

♪♪

[ lid clicks shut ]

[ thudding ]

[ glass breaks ] [ glass and seashells clatter ]

[ crying ]

[ winces in pain ]

[ cries out ]

[ Chris yelling, breaking things in distance ]

What was that?

[ yelling continues in distance ]

[ thumping ]

[ louder thumping ]

[ Chris yelling ] [ thump ]

[ yelling continues ]

[ deeply sobbing ]

[ cell phone rings ] [ panting ]

Hello?

Sam: Dad, are you there?

[ heavy breathing ]

Yeah, Sam.

I'm here.

Okay.

Okay.

[ phone beeps ]

Michelle: T his is what we came here for.

Chris: I know. But this--T his is what you wanted, right?

Well, yes! But I want to enjoy it.

Chris, put the camera down, please.

Honey...

We're getting some raw,

documentary-style footage of the trip.

Okay, look, it just doesn't make any sense

to travel all that distance, waste all that gas,

when we can get there so much quicker.

Well--

It doesn't make sense to go at all, then.

I mean, why go? We came for the fireflies.

Chris: It doesn't make any sense, honey.

Sometimes life's about doing things that don't make sense.

[ sighs ]

[ glass and seashells clatter ]

[ Movin On by Oli K plays ]

Chris: Just show me you can use the brakes, honey!

- Dad. - What?

Just let go.

Whoo-hoo! Good job, honey!

♪ And this time

♪ It's slipping me up by calling out ♪

♪ Rules of this game

♪ I get nothing back here but pain ♪

♪ I've been swept aside, put behind ♪

♪ All to learn like I haven't heard ♪

♪ What hurts to hide

♪ It hurts to hold

♪ And I'm not saying that I've given up on life ♪

♪ Can't settle down my mind on what lies ahead ♪

♪ Oh, they say life

♪ It's easiest to wait whenever called ♪

♪ All of us can think clear on what we hold ♪

♪ We're movin on

♪ It's moving on

♪♪

♪ Oh, we're movin on...

[ music fades ]

[ paper rustling ]

♪♪

[ starts car ]

- Hey. - Good to see you, thanks for coming.

- Thank you. - Before we go to court tomorrow,

I want you to see something.

- This is the defendant's vehicle. - [ clears throat ]

You can see from the damage

there the impact that caused the car to flip.

When a car flips, that means typically the vehicle

is traveling in excess of 75 miles an hour.

There was 200 feet between you and the other vehicle.

And, at that speed,

there was absolutely no way you could have avoided a collision.

Turn right, left, straight, brakes...

None of it would have mattered with that kid's SUV.

- And he walked away. - They always do.

Their buzz--

It makes them more relaxed at the time of impact.

- It's ironic. - It's infuriating, you mean.

Yeah, well. It's not your fault.

Chris... We only get one shot at this.

♪♪

After Mr. Wright failed the breathalyzer,

the sheriff certified that he

had a blood alcohol level of .1 percent.

But this measurement was taken nearly an hour after the crash,

suggesting that he may indeed have had

an even higher blood alcohol level

when he picked up his keys...

and got into his SUV.

The law makes a distinction between child and adult

because children do childish things.

But adults are accountable for their actions.

The question is whether Mr. Wright

was simply juvenile in his behavior

or if he should take responsibility for the damages

and the tremendous and ongoing

pain he inflicted on the Williams family.

They died...

because of conscious and

deliberate decisions made by Mr. Wright.

Now, Mr. Wright wanted to be an adult.

He certainly drank like an adult.

But now he wants to insult the memories of his victims...

with his request to be considered,

just one more time, just for a moment, a child.

[ scoffs ]

Would it that it were that easy.

Do overs don't exist in the real world.

And they shouldn't exist in the court of law.

The state strongly recommends

that Mr. Wright stand trial as an adult.

This was manslaughter.

Just as sure as if he'd picked up a gun;

only this time, he got in his car. [ keys jingle ]

Thank you.

Is the defense ready with its final statement?

Yes, Your Honor.

[ clears throat ]

One mistake.

He was a juvenile who made one mistake.

Wrong place, wrong time.

Are we going to take away his whole life for this?

One accident, one mistake.

He had no prior record.

He was just a kid in high

school who made a stupid decision.

The fact is,

this young man is a juvenile.

The state may not like that fact,

but he was 17 when the accident occurred.

He must be tried as a juvenile.

So the law states.

Thank you.

Before I render my decision,

there is one more opinion I

would like to take under careful consideration.

I would like to ask you a question, Mr. Williams.

In your opinion,

should the court try Mr. Wright as a juvenile or an adult?

Mr. Williams?

You do have an opinion on how Mr. Wright should be tried?

I believe the responsibility of that decision...

is up to you, Your Honor.

But I will say this.

He's already been given a life sentence.

We both have.

No matter what you decide.

I just hope...

he can...

honor the memory of those who died

by making something of his life.

I don't want retribution, I just--

I just want what's best for Curtis.

[ crowd murmurs ]

All rise.

You may be seated.

All right. We've seen and heard a lot of testimony in this case,

some of it very difficult.

It is the opinion of this court

that the defendant, Curtis Wright,

shall be tried appropriate to his age as a juvenile.

[ crowd murmurs ]

His maximum sentence shall not exceed three years,

or until he turns the age of 21.

[ door closes ]

This court is now adjourned.

[ gavel bangs ]

Congratulations, counselor.

Well... you really threw us under the bus.

[ door creaks ]

Michael?

Where have you been?

I was taking a walk.

At 4:00 in the morning?

It helps me think.

Get your brother.

We're gonna go for a ride. [ car keys jingle ]

[ birds chirping ]

[ sets parking brake ]

[ soft chuckle ]

I used to bring your Mom out

here a lot when we first married.

I'm sorry, Michael.

I'm having a really...

hard time filling Mom's shoes.

[ sighs ] I brought you here to...

...to tell you about my accident.

Forget it, Dad.

Every time I hear it...

...I get freaked out.

That's not the accident that I want to tell you about.

I want to talk to you about

something that happened 30 years ago.

I was about your age.

I was driving home from my--

[ thudding ] from my new job at the hospital

and uh... I heard a thump.

Like, uh, someone threw a rock

or a ball or something at the side of the car.

And I stopped the car and I

looked out the side of the window,

and all I could see was this small boy standing there.

[ bicycle chain rattling ]

He didn't seem upset or hurt.

He seemed fine.

A neighbor had called the police and they--

They put me in the back of the police car.

The police officer, he asked me a million questions.

[ crowd murmuring ]

He wrote down every detail I could recall, I--

I hadn't been speeding, I wasn't distracted.

And I was confused, I said,

"Why are all these people around my car?"

And he said,

"There's a boy trapped in the wheel well of your car."

See, the big brother

had chased the little brother out into the street...

What happened to him?

The little brother.

He died a few days later, Sam.

You killed the boy?

[ distant woman crying ]

I didn't know what to do or think--

I was just weighed down with...

with guilt and fear.

I took this lady's, this man's son from them.

[ hysterical screaming ]

And even though I knew it was an accident,

it still didn't help, I felt--

[ woman sobbing ]

I was lost for a long time.

[ paper rustling ]

His mother, she, uh...

She wrote me this.

"Dear Chris,

I believe that you, Chris,

were chosen to bring about the physical change in James

that caused him to leave this world through death.

Because of the physical damage to our little boy,

it made it easier for us to let him go.

It was his time.

Believe in God, Chris. He loves you.

Let this comfort you.

Work for Him.

He has wonderful things in store for you.

And always remember...

[ voice breaking ] We have forgiven you."

I had no idea, Dad.

[ sobbing ]

I'm sorry, Dad.

Thank you, son.

♪♪

Mom would be happy right now.

All of her men, together like this.

[ phone ringing ]

Hello?

- Is this Mr. Williams? - Yes?

Mr. Williams, my name is Mrs. Verdant,

over at the County Juvenile Detention Center.

Uh... Yes?

I've been assigned to work with Curtis Wright,

about the accident.

We're doing a form of empathy therapy with him.

Uh, what's that?

Curtis would like to talk to you.

We were wondering if you could come down to the facility

and meet with him on Friday.

[ church bell tolling ]

Chris: Many times, I asked,

"Why me?

Why did this happen to me?"

Then I guess that I came to the conclusion...

[ sighs ]

"Why not me?"

Our family was very close.

God knew our family bond would survive...

...and we'd be together again in the next life.

I've discovered how the story of the Prodigal Son

is very like my story.

A teenage boy seemingly threw his life away.

For what? For nothing, for some alcohol,

and crashed into my family, taking them from me.

I was the good son, the jealous one.

I resented my father for giving the wayward son the fatted calf.

He survived, he--

he had his family.

He could still write his own future.

I...

wanted to take something from him...

Because he took...

...so much from me.

I wanted to take his freedom.

And then I realized...

that wasn't my job.

That was in Christ's hands.

I nearly got in the way...

of a son returning home to his father...

finding his way home.

I had to let it go.

Hi, Mom.

Come sit by me. I have something to say.

- Okay. What did I do now? - [ chuckles ]

Chris, I love you for wanting to forgive.

I really do. I don't know if I can.

I don't even know if I want to.

It was such a big loss for me.

It's just who I am.

I'm gonna see him.

He asked me to visit him in juvenile prison and...

I hope I can offer him some comfort.

Oh! The, uh... the bills got paid.

- Really? - There's a-- there's a state fund,

fines levied against criminal offenders.

They-- they're gonna cover the costs.

You were brilliant today. Brilliant.

[ chuckles ]

[ traffic noise ]

[ sets parking brake ]

[ birds chirping ]

[ door slams ]

Uh, Christopher Williams to see Curtis Wr-

- Identification below, please. - Uh, my ID...

[ door buzzes ]

Stand here until the door shuts, please.

All right. [ door creaks ]

[ heavy locks ]

[ door buzzes ]

- Mr. Williams. - Yes.

- I'm Mrs. Verdant. - Nice to meet you.

Thank you for being here.

I really think that this is going to help Curtis.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

[ clicks ] [ door buzzes ]

Curtis, this is Mr. Williams.

You can call me Chris.

Curtis has prepared some questions to ask you, Chris.

He'd like to try to understand what you've been going through.

- Sure. - Okay.

Fire away.

[ paper crinkles ]

"What was Michelle like?"

"What was Ben like?"

[ echoing ] "Anna?"

"Getting any better for you?"

You ask a lot of questions.

Reminds me of my son, Michael.

"Is there anything that I can do

to make it-- to make it up to you

or to help?"

No.

Not really.

[ paper rustling ]

"How did you survive?"

Sometimes...

it seemed like... there were...

angels helping me.

Guardian angels.

Mrs. Verdant: Curtis.

Is there anything else you'd like to ask Chris?

Why didn't you hate me...

...after everything that I've done to your family?

How is it that you're able to forgive me?

It wasn't me, Curtis.

I'm nothing.

You destroyed me.

You destroyed my life.

And I wanted to destroy you...

many times.

[ sighs ]

Someday, when you have a wife and children...

you'll really understand what you took from me.

And now you're living in a prison of guilt and regret.

But you don't need to.

I don't want you to.

When I saw your car for the first time...

and I didn't know

who you were or why this was happening to me...

And just as--

Just as the pain of my broken ribs

was starting to kick in,

and... the pain of my crushed life...

my wife, my kids, sitting dead next to me...

Just as it was all crashing in, I heard a voice.

And the voice was a command, it wasn't-- it wasn't a suggestion.

And it was a distinct voice,

and I-I could hear it just over my left shoulder.

And it said--

it said, "Let it go".

Whose voice was it?

I'm not sure.

But it was speaking to both of us, Curtis.

You need to do as much as you can...

...to repair the damage you've done.

Help other people, somehow.

Then pick a date,

and after that date...

You need to let it go.

You need to let it all just go.

[ crying ] Thank you.

[ sniffs ]

Thank you.

♪♪

Chris: P eople say to me all the time,

"I couldn't do what you did."

I tell them, I didn't do it.

I couldn't do it.

He did it.

That's how I escaped the box.

♪♪

Houdini watched for decades,

hoping and searching for someone to say his mother's keyword.

If he heard that keyword from a psychic, a soothsayer, a medium,

this would be his proof.

It would mean his mom is still there, somewhere...

communicating, sending him a sign.

I wanna take you...

to see some real fireflies.

[ gasps ]

Signs.

I don't need a sign. I know.

[ Rise & Fall by Ryan Innes plays ]

♪ Can we ever be ready for

♪ A moment when

♪ Life takes a turn

♪ A turn for the worst

♪ Suddenly

♪ Everything you've ever known

♪ Is gone in a flash

♪ Lost in the past

♪ But I've received the sweetest grace ♪

♪ In the face of great mistakes ♪

♪ Who am I to deny

♪ The same

♪ Where do I draw the line

♪ Between your sins and mine

♪ And where does the hammer fall ♪

♪ In justice for us all

♪ Can anybody in the room

♪ Stand above the truth

♪ Who here is blameless

♪ For the sins of our youth

♪ I'll stand and give you my hand ♪

♪ Every sinner has a future, every saint has a past ♪

♪ On the other side this time ♪

♪ It's mine

♪ What you have done

♪ I've come undone

♪ One look at you, I see myself ♪

♪ Coming through

♪ The pain in your eyes

♪ The shame makes your cry

♪ But I've received the sweetest grace ♪

♪ In the face of great mistakes ♪

♪ Who am I to deny

♪ The same

♪ Where do I draw the line

♪ Between your sins and mine

♪ And where does the hammer fall ♪

♪ In justice for us all

♪ Can anybody in the room

♪ Stand above the truth

♪ Who here is blameless

♪ For the sins of our youth

♪ I'll stand and give you my hand ♪

♪ Every sinner has a future, every saint has a past ♪

♪ Still doesn't make it easy

♪ But it can't always be this hard ♪

♪ I hope you'll feel forgiveness ♪

♪ Though it still hurts my heart ♪

♪ The pain that I hold onto

♪ I found a way to just let go

♪ I found a way to just let go

♪ Where do I draw the line

♪ Between your sins and mine

♪ And where does the hammer fall ♪

♪ In justice for us all

♪ Can anybody in the room

♪ Stand above the truth

♪ Who here is blameless

♪ For the sins of our youth

♪ I'll stand and give you my hand ♪

♪ Every sinner has a future, every saint has a past ♪

♪ Every sinner has a future, every saint has a past. ♪