Original subtitles

Downloaded from YTS.MX

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[WAVES CRASHING GENTLY]

[SEAGULLS CALLING]

[SERENE MUSIC FADING IN]

[SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES]

WOMAN: In Orkney, it's said that people who have drowned

turn into seals.

We call them selkies.

At the highest tides,

they slip off their seal skins for the night

and they come to the shore as beautiful people.

And they dance together.

Naked in the moonlight.

[SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES]

The selkies return to the sea at dawn.

Unless they're seen by a person.

And then they're trapped in their human body

and cannot return.

And they'll always remain discontent on land

because they belong to the sea.

[DOOR CREAKS]

Oh, everyone's gone?

BARMAN: Yeah, everyone's gone. WOMAN: More for me.

BARMAN: Rona? What are you doing?

[GLASSES AND UTENSILS CLANKING]

Please, please, please, come on.

Come on, I gotta get you out.

- Time to go home. - Why?

I remember...

BARMAN: That everyone is really long gone.

No, there was, erm...

[SNICKERS DRUNKENLY]

BARMAN: The lights are on. RONA: The lights.

BARMAN: That really means the night is truly...

Ow...

Come on, what are you doing, Rona?

We gotta get you out now, come on.

- Come on. Come on, Rona. - Let's dance.

Fine, I'll dance with you instead.

- Mm... - Dave?

[CHUCKLES]

[THUD]

Ah-ha!

- DAVE: Come on. - Dave.

- Give me a twirl. - BARMAN: She's long gone.

Come on, love. The door's there and you're going out of it.

Under the table. Out you come.

Come on. Out you come.

- You're leaving now. - You can't see me.

- Right, right, right, Dave. - Come on. Up you go.

Stand up. Stand up.

- [SCATTING] - To the door.

You're nearly there. Come on.

You've had a bit too much.

BARMAN: Dave, please just get her out.

- God, I'm strong. - DAVE: Come on.

- Come on. - Dave, what are you gonna do?

You gonna make me leave?

- I'm gonna take you outside. - BARMAN: Rona!

You're gonna

- fucking make me leave? - Enough!

Fucking arsehole! Ahh!

- DAVE: Time to go. - Get off of me!

Ow!

- Make him stop! - Time to go.

RONA: Arsehole!

[PANTING]

[ENGINE REVS]

MAN: Hey, you need a ride?

I can give you a lift, if you like.

[MOUSE CLICKING]

DOCTOR: Rona.

Um, is it okay if I get some details from you?

- Mm-hmm. - Yeah?

Just check your age.

Twenty-nine.

And...

What's your occupation?

Er, I'm unemployed right now.

But I got a masters in biology.

Just get a few more details.

So, are there any illnesses that run in the family?

Anything, like any heart attacks or strokes?

No.

Any diabetes?

No.

Anyone in the family have any kind of mental illness?

[ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC PLAYING]

[BEAT DROPS]

- [SHEEP BLEATING] - [MUSIC CONTINUES]

- [MUSIC STOPS] - [INSECTS CHIRPING]

[SHEEP BLEATING]

[SNIFFLING]

[SHEEP BLEATING]

RONA: Come on.

- I'll just leave it here. - Thanks.

[SHEEP BLEATING]

[TOOL CLICKS]

WOMAN: How's Dad?

He's fine.

I heard he's been putting his rants on Facebook again?

He's not.

Have you decided what color

you're gonna paint the walls yet?

What do you think?

I found...

There's a sort of a... duck egg?

- Not sure. - That's nice.

Yeah.

That'd be nice in the living room, I think.

- Matches your trousers. - [CHUCKLES]

Oh.

Look what I found.

The RSPB is hiring.

For summer jobs. They're looking for--

I have a life that I have to get back to.

I know, of course. And I'll pray for you.

Mum. Don't do that.

[SCOFFS] Of course I do.

Rona, do you want some tea?

I'll be down in a bit.

Okay.

[KETTLE WHISTLING]

[SING-SONGING] I'm really bored.

[MAN CHUCKLES]

Are you bored too?

I see what you're trying to do, you know.

- [MUFFLED DANCE MUSIC PLAYING] - [CHILDREN LAUGHING]

Come on, this is almost done.

Trust me, if you can't handle your book on mushrooms

or whatever that is...

[BOTH LAUGH]

Was it mushrooms?

RONA: Fungi.

No, I hate the way you barely need to read a book.

And all the facts still somehow get into your head.

That's 'cause you've been staring at it for hours.

Yeah, I've been literally staring at this page--

I know, just leave it and let's go to the pub!

What was it like growing up here?

MAN: Growing up in London? RONA: Yeah.

MAN: Growing up in London is just...

there is always low key something.

I didn't actually really clock it

until the first time I went to the countryside.

And everything there was, like, so quiet.

- [SEAGULLS CALLING IN DISTANCE] - [INDISTINCT CHATTER]

RONA: I'm just going to get another one,

- is that all right? - No problem.

[LIGHTER CLICKING]

- Er, excuse me. - Yeah, sorry?

You don't have a lighter, do you?

I don't. Sorry. I'm not a smoker myself.

Right. That's very sensible.

I like your hat you've got on, by the way.

- Well, thank you. - Very interesting.

Do I recognize you?

- Possibly, are you from here? - Yeah, yeah.

Oh, I was thinking from your accent

you must be from somewhere else.

No, er, my mum and dad are English.

- So I got a weird accent. - That'll be it, that'll be it.

Yeah, I've actually... I've been away

- for about ten years now. So... - My God, long time.

Yeah, I don't really come back that often.

So what are you doing now, then?

I'm just going off to meet a couple of friends.

Ah, friends.

- Yeah. - [BOTH CHUCKLE]

Yeah, I don't really know anyone here anymore, so...

I was a bit desperate to...

see if there's anyone younger hanging around.

MAN: Oh, yes.

Do you wanna have a cup of tea before you go, maybe?

No, I really can't. I've got to catch up.

- Another time, maybe. - Right.

Yeah. I'm staying with my mum at the minute.

But I usually live down in London.

I just came to help my dad with the lambing, so...

But I'm going back down there soon, so...

Mm. Er, could you just give me your hand,

so I can try this again?

- Oh, yeah, no problem. - All right, thanks.

[LIGHTER CLICKING]

- The wind. - [CHUCKLES] Yeah, it's not easy.

- Got it! - Yeah, all right.

Okay, I gotta go on. See you later.

RONA: All right.

[SNIFFS]

[LIGHTER CLICKS]

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

[MUSIC SOUNDING OUT FAINTLY OVER HEADPHONES]

[SHEEP BLEATING]

[RONA GRUNTS]

[THUD]

[LIGHT ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[FAINT DISTORTED RUMBLING]

RONA: Sometimes you can feel a vibration in Orkney.

A low rumble.

A tremor.

It takes over the whole island and every part of your body.

But, of course...

it could all just be in your head.

Some people say it's the sound

of underwater military experiments.

[EXPLOSION]

Others say it's the waves

caught in caves deep below the land.

But the one that brought me nightmares when I was little

is the oldest theory.

A ginormous monster

called the Mester Muckle Stoorworm,

who was so big

his tail would wrap around the whole world.

And he was defeated

by a young lad called Assipattle.

He killed the Stoorworm with a burning peat.

Fire burned inside its body.

And it was in such pain

that its neck reached nine times to the moon and back.

And then its teeth fell out

and formed the Orkney islands.

The liver is still burning today.

And we feel that as the tremors.

[RUMBLING]

WOMAN 1: Oh, that was just lovely.

WOMAN 2: Absolutely gorgeous.

More mince, if anyone wants another.

- Couldn't have any more. - No, thanks.

WOMAN 2: Rona, I notice you haven't eaten much.

- You all right? - Yeah, yeah.

I'm just not hungry, but it was lovely. Yeah.

WOMAN 3: [SNEEZES] Excuse me. WOMAN 4: Bless you.

I'd just like to say thank you.

Thank you, Father, for this delicious food

and for this wonderful company at my table today.

WOMAN 2: Of course we thank you, Lord, for the food on our table,

for the sun in the sky...

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[GROUP LAUGHING]

WOMAN 5: So are you up for long?

RONA: No, I'm going back down to London next week.

Just because, um, there's a service for healing

on a Thursday evening.

You might find it interesting.

Your husband used to go, right?

Yeah, my Mark went, like, last year.

He was having a bit of trouble with drinking

and just needed a bit of guidance

and, you know, just a bit of support and that.

A bit of help, really, you know, so...

No, I'm doing fine, so...

WOMAN 5: I mean, anyone can go. It's not really like...

Rona, your mum was saying

that you're taking a break from your study?

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[CAN POPS OPEN]

Rona. Please don't.

Don't what? Don't what? This?

I'm sober. Do they know that?

Because they seem to know everything else, don't they?

You've clearly told them everything that's going on.

Rona, I'm sorry.

Come back inside?

Give me a minute.

Mm. Don't start reading the Bible without me.

[STOMPS]

[SINGING] We want to see, we want to see

We want to see Jesus lifted high

We want to see, we want to see

We want to see...

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

RONA: Get a shift on, Daynin. Come on.

[LAUGHTER]

Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck!

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- WOMAN: Daynin. Rona. - Daynin.

RONA: Give me your hand!

Ah, give me your hand!

Please, don't. Two hands on the bicycle!

[SINGING] Happy birthday to you!

[MUFFLED CLUB MUSIC PLAYING]

- Happy birthday... - [WOMAN COUGHING]

Sorry!

[SINGING] Dear Gloria

Happy birthday...

- [INTENSE CLUB MUSIC CONTINUES] - [YELLING]

[MUSIC SOFTENS]

[MUSIC FADING OUT]

[SERENE MUSIC FADING IN]

DAYNIN: Hi.

Hi.

[BIRD CHIRPING]

[HUMMING CHEERFULLY]

RONA: Sometimes when I hallucinate,

I transpose the island's boundaries

onto a map of London.

In Hackney, thousands of people

live in the same area

of the farm that was home to just our family.

150 acres.

[SEAGULLS SQUAWKING]

Screaming gulls are sirens, the sea, traffic.

Tower blocks are cliff faces.

The warning lights on top of tall buildings

are lighthouses.

The Tower of London is Skara Brae.

And the Millennium Dome is the ancient Ring of Brodgar.

[SEAGULLS SQUAWKING]

[SQUAWKING FADES OUT]

- [SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE] - [CAR ENGINE RUMBLING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[YAWNS]

MAN: Rona, I just wanted a quick catch up really,

- just to see how you are. - RONA: Yeah, good. Why?

No, it's just that we had

the lab meeting last week and you weren't there.

Everyone else was there.

Well, yeah, I had, erm, a dentist appointment that day.

But also, I've just been really busy with the project.

You could've told me about the dentist.

I mean, some of the other guys in the lab,

they said that you sort of distanced yourself a little bit.

- I did. Erm... - [PHONE VIBRATES]

That you're not going to coffee with them

- as much as you used to. - Sorry. Erm...

[BOTH LAUGHING]

I mean, you had promised to get a report to me

- last week as well. - [PHONE VIBRATES]

[DAYNIN SCREAMS]

[SPLASH]

[LAUGHING]

[SERENE MUSIC PLAYING]

[RONA CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

[THUNDER CRASHING]

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

Have you ever felt like you could control the weather?

Really?

Nah, that's not me.

- RONA: God, you're weird. - [CHUCKLES]

[RAIN PATTERING]

You all right?

Mm-hmm.

Sure?

RONA: I used to think

my dad could control the wind, when I was little.

- [DOG BARKING] - [SHEEP BLEATING]

Dad!

- Dad? - Yeah.

RONA: There you are.

Hiya.

- Hi. - You all right?

Yeah.

I'm heading off soon, so I wanted to say goodbye.

- Are you? - Yeah.

- Already? - Mm.

Well, you want to see a lump of something,

- might be worth a fortune? - What?

"One test for ambergris is to poke it

with a hot needle and a liquid should ooze out."

RONA'S DAD: Here we go.

[RONA GASPS]

Look, look, look, look.

That's liquid. Oh, my God!

Wow.

"Ambergris is a rare and highly valuable substance

produced in the stomach of sperm whales,

either vomited or excreted and found floating on the seas.

It has a bad smell." Does it have a bad smell?

Doesn't smell like anything.

Still, that is liquid.

- It says for one gram... - Yes.

...you can get $28.

- What's that, 25 quid? 23 quid? - Like 25 quid.

Twenty-three, so that's, that's... this is...

This is ten pounds. That's four and a half kilos,

that's 4,500, that's... 25...

[WHISPERING] That's over 100,000 pounds.

[GASPS]

- That's over 100... - [LAUGHS]

Well done!

[NORMAL TONE] That is one big tractor.

- Seriously? - My God.

- [LAUGHS] - Oh, my.

Will you send me updates when you hear?

- Well now, why don't you stay? - No, I can't.

Tell you what I could do help with.

A couple of the dikes have come down

on the outrun there, and I could use some help

building them back up again.

No, I've really been here for long enough.

- London is calling me. - All right.

I got to go back.

[INHALES]

So, because you're gonna be rolling in it,

do you think maybe you could lend me a few quids

just to tide me over for when I go back?

- I just can't. - Right. That's okay.

Have you asked your mum?

Erm, she offered to put me into her prayers.

[LAUGHS]

ANNOUNCER: You will see passenger emergency

instruction notices in various parts of the vessel

and in the passenger cabins.

Please study these carefully...

Located in the following positions,

in the restaurant...

[LAUGHTER]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[DISTORTED RUMBLING]

[MUFFLED CHATTER AND LAUGHTER]

[RUMBLING FADES OUT]

RONA: The urge to drink can come out of nowhere.

[DOORBELL DINGS]

You think you're doing well.

But suddenly you want nothing more than a drink.

When people drink,

alcohol, or more specifically ethanol,

is absorbed into the stomach lining

and enters the blood stream.

In the brain,

alcohol confuses messages between neurotransmitters

and acts as both an intoxicant and a depressant

or a relaxant.

Hiya.

DAYNIN: Hey.

- You all right? - RONA: Yeah.

DAYNIN: That's good. RONA: Just going to the loo.

[TOILET FLUSHING]

[SIGHS]

RONA: For those of us susceptible to addiction,

alcohol quickly becomes

the default way of alleviating anxiety

and dealing with stressful situations.

Through repeated use of the drug,

our neural pathways are scored so deeply

they'll never be repaired.

- [INDISTINCT CHATTER ON TV] - [LAUGHING]

[ENGINE DRONING]

- You good? - Yeah, yeah.

- MAN: Hi, Elena. - Hello.

It's good see you back.

Elena, this is Rona. Rona, Elena.

ELENA: Nice to meet you.

Rona has a training day with us.

Elena quite often works for us at the RSPB on the island.

Manages our cottage here on Papay.

Yes.

So you gonna take us to the holm?

Yeah, that's right.

The tides look perfect for going there just now.

Boat's ready in the water.

The first time that you visited Orkney?

Oh, I'm from West Mainland.

ELENA: Ah! Very nice.

MAN: We can just maybe, like, spend

about an hour and a half there, if that's okay with you?

WOMAN: Great.

MAN: We'll get you back to Papay.

WOMAN: Oh, Papay really is my favorite island.

Don't you want to stay for a cuppa

or a coffee at Rose Cottage?

[SEAGULLS SQUAWKING]

[BOAT ENGINE WHIRRING]

MAN: So that's a grey seal, on the rocks.

MAN 2: Yeah.

MAN: The grey seal pups, they're all fluffy and white.

They're really nice.

And they can't swim right away.

But the common seals, they can swim almost right away.

They can just get into the water the same day.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

People really like them. And folk here,

what they really like is the sound they make.

Woo!

MAN 2: Woo!

Yeah, nice one. Can you do it?

Woo!

MAN: [CHUCKLES] A bit like a wolf.

Quite eerie, especially if it's at night.

- [RONA GIGGLES] - [WOMAN CHUCKLES]

RONA: Hi.

[QUIET TRANQUIL MUSIC PLAYING]

Homo sapiens have about 79% of the same DNA as seals.

50% as plants, a banana, a cucumber

or seaweed.

60% as jellyfish.

Jellyfish are only capable of upwards independent movements

so they're moved horizontally by currents and tides.

YOUNG RONA: Wait!

RONA: The day I was born, my father became unwell.

One of the bipolar episodes he'd had periodically

since he was a teenager.

- RONA'S MOM: Wee! - [GIGGLING]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[HELICOPTER WHIRRING]

RONA: If you go mad in Orkney...

they just fly you out.

[WHIRRING]

WOMAN: So, what you've got in front of you here

is what I would say is a really well-mowed field.

Okay? And so what he's done

is he's gone from the inside and he's mowed all the way out.

So that any corncrakes

that might have been on his land in the field,

they can come all the way into the long grass.

RONA: Mm-hmm.

WOMAN: Okay, so when it comes to the survey,

you'll have one of these in front of you,

- and it's like a grid system. - Mm-hmm.

WOMAN: So you start here from 12:00 to 3:00 a.m.

And then you go every 200 to 500 meters...

- and then you stop. - [ENGINE STOPS]

You wind down your window,

set a timer on your phone for two minutes,

and you listen.

For what?

For the sound of a corncrake. Have you heard a corncrake?

- No. - Right. Well...

How would you describe it?

I'd say it's quite like, erm...

[HISSES]

...maybe like a cat hissing or something.

I would say more like a cranking chair, more something like...

[MIMICS CREAK-LIKE CALL]

- Right. - That's good, that's good.

Get it up on YouTube for her.

- [CORNCRAKE CALLING] - Uh-huh.

[ENGINE STARTS]

[HOUSE MUSIC PLAYING ON CAR STEREO]

[PHONE RINGS]

[INTENSE ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYING ON CAR STEREO]

[MUSIC STOPS]

DOCTOR: So, can you tell me why you're here, Rona?

Yeah. I'm here for a referral, for rehab.

Erm, residential.

I just want you to lock me up.

Okay. Well, there can be quite a rate sometimes

for residential places.

But there are some other options.

[URINATING]

COUNSELOR: This program is a zero-tolerance

abstinence-based program.

Which means that if you don't turn up, for any reason,

you are off the program.

It means if you relapse, you are off the program.

What is said in this group,

stays within the walls of this group.

No phones.

I would ask that you only check them at your break times.

Also, all fag and bathroom breaks

will be accompanied by a counselor.

Statistically, only 10% of you will make this.

I know that sounds tough.

But it is a tough journey that you have started.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[WOMEN CHEERING AND YELLING]

Rona, come on.

No, Mum, I'm okay, thanks.

RONA'S MOM: Come on, Rona, it's lovely.

I'm fine.

RONA'S DAD: How's Mum?

You could always just call her and ask her yourself.

- [ROLLS DICE] - [FOLK MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY]

How's the job?

Erm...

Well, I haven't heard a corncrake yet.

So not that great.

No, I can't do that.

I did find out that there's a large population

of corncakes in Eastern Europe.

By the way, it's not ambergris. I got the results back.

Oh.

- What is it then? - Paraffin wax or something.

Probably.

Hmm.

Thanks for staying longer.

Hey, Dad.

I made another flower picture.

- Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad. - [GROANS SOFTLY]

Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad.

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

RONA: The past follows us.

Energy never expires.

[WAVES CRASHING]

The energy of waves carried across the ocean

changes into noise and heat and vibrations

that are absorbed into the land

and passed through the generations.

Waves break when the wave height

is more than one seventh of the wave length.

Although they collapse in different manners,

there is only so much height any wave can sustain

before it comes crashing down.

[DEEP HOUSE MUSIC PLAYING ON CAR STEREO]

[MUSIC STOPS]

[INSECTS CHIRPING]

[DISTANT HOWLING]

[FAINT EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]

[SOFT, HOLLOW RUMBLING]

[MUFFLED ELECTRONIC MUSIC FADING IN]

[MUSIC FADES]

[SERENE MUSIC PLAYING]

[DEEP HOUSE MUSIC PLAYING]

RONA: I'm so proud of you!

- Really? - Yeah.

- Really? - Yeah, you're doing so well.

[CHEERING]

MAN: Go on, go on, go on! Grab a shot!

- DAYNIN: Cheers, guys! - Okay.

Make a speech!

- Don't make me make a speech. - Come on!

- Speech! Speech! - Come on!

Okay, you think it's about me, yeah?

But I wouldn't have been able to do it without all of you lot.

RONA: He's so humble.

- Cheers. - Go on, go on, go on!

- [DAYNIN GROANS] - Yes, yes, yes, yeah!

Would you want to marry me?

- [DAYNIN AND GLORIA LAUGH] - Do I want to marry you?

Do you think you'd want to marry me?

- Oh. - One day, maybe.

- Maybe? - Maybe...

One, two, three, four.

Hey! Hey, hey...

- [THUD] - [RONA CHUCKLING]

GLORIA: For fuck's sake.

- Babe. - RONA: Ow.

You okay?

You all right, love?

- All right, honey? - GLORIA: Rona, babe?

RONA: Where's my compass? GLORIA: Oh...

DAYNIN: Did you definitely bring it out with you?

GLORIA: Did you just have it on whilst you were dancing?

- No, don't worry, don't worry... - It's okay. We'll find it.

- [CRYING] My compass. - Maybe it just came off.

Have you seen... She misses the...

- It's like this necklace thing. - Not a necklace, it's a compass.

- GLORIA: Sorry, her compass. - Sorry, but I didn't take it.

I don't know where it's gone.

- My dad gave me that compass. - [LAUGHTER]

- [GLASS CLATTERS] - Okay, okay, okay...

RONA: What are you laughing at?

- What are you laughing at? - No one's laughing.

You think you're great because you earn

more money than I do, is that it?

You're not laughing now, are you?

- Would you keep it... - No one's laughing at you.

- Rona! Get a grip! - [GLASS CLATTERS]

Fuck! Fuck!

What the fuck was that?

[RONA MOANS DROWSILY]

GLORIA: Okay. Okay, babe, we need to go outside.

Rona?

DAYNIN: Rona, listen to me. Just breathe.

Just breathe, it's okay. You're okay.

You're okay. Just deep breaths. You're fine, okay?

Just breathe.

- [THUD] - Please don't.

- Rona, you're hurting yourself. - [EXHALES]

Has she taken something?

GLORIA: No, I've not given her anything.

Get off.

- DAYNIN: Just listen to me. - Get off.

Double vodka.

DAYNIN: You can't order another drink.

- We're goin'-- Oi! - RONA: Chill out.

Go upstairs, please. I'm too tired for this!

We're going home, all right?

No! You can't have that. Rona!

- [CRIES] - For fuck's sake, Rona!

Be careful, hey!

[RONA BAWLING]

- Can you just listen? - Get off!

No, no! Would you just listen to me? I'm begging you.

- RONA: No! - Get away from me!

Where are you going? You're not going anywhere!

Listen to me! You have a problem!

No, you're trying to control me.

I'm not trying to fucking control you.

This has nothing to do with me.

- This is about you. - [SOBBING] I hate you.

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

[EXHALES]

RONA: Morning.

[GASPS]

[SIGHS SOFTLY]

What did I do last night?

You don't remember?

Daynin, I'm sorry.

[SIGHS]

Daynin, I'm so sorry, whatever I did.

I'm not drinking anymore. I'm sorry.

And I'm so tired of hearing you say that.

I can't hear you say that again.

What do you mean?

I don't even recognize you anymore.

I wish you were a completely different person.

- Don't say that. - I can't do this.

What do you mean you can't do this?

I just can't do this.

Did I do that to you?

I'll never do that again. Right?

Whatever I did, I'll never do it again.

I'm never going to drink again. I promise you. Right?

'Cause I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose you.

Please don't go.

I love you.

GROUP: God, grant me the serenity

to accept the things that I cannot change,

the courage to change the things that I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Thank you, Steven.

Rona, would you be happy to share with the group today?

Perhaps some of the feelings that you experience

when you think about drinking.

RONA: Mm-hmm.

Erm...

[INHALES]

I miss it.

I miss how good it made me feel.

[SOFT SQUELCHING]

I fell in the canal.

And I broke the bike.

But I'm gonna sort it out.

[SIGHS]

Are you gonna not say anything?

What do you want me to say, Rona?

You're always judging me. You're being so hard on me.

I made a mistake. I'm sick of it.

I'm honestly... I'm sick of you.

I feel like you want me to become one of those women

that just caters to you and then,

with a big smile on my face and like...

That's not the way I am.

That's not the way I'm ever gonna be. I'm not like that.

And you know that.

I don't know why you're expecting that from me.

You're trying to tame me. And you're trying to control me.

[INHALES DEEPLY]

Thank you for your honesty.

MAN: Well, Rona, um...

Just want to share this... I don't know, with you.

Basically, I... [CLEARS THROAT]

My ex-girlfriend found my stash and threw it down the toilet.

So I thought I'd leave her a little gift in the bed.

Which was, I just basically shat in the bed.

- Left her a little prezzie. - Wow.

[GROUP LAUGHS]

MAN: It's like... MAN 2: Oh, yeah. I got one.

I got in at about 3 o'clock in the morning.

Snuck up to bed, got into bed. Right?

Then about four or five o'clock,

I get a whack. She has booted me, right?

Kicked me straight up the arse, basically.

Pulled the covers up.

And I've pissed from her neck down,

right down all through her jarmies, everything.

[GROUP LAUGHS]

Talking of peeing, in my days...

[LAUGHS] Here we go.

- Hello. - MAN: Hi, hi.

- How you doing? - How you doing?

- I'm getting on. Yeah. - Nice to meet you.

Erm, yeah, I'm with the RSPB,

I was just wondering if I could have a couple of minutes

- of your time. - Yeah.

We're trying to figure out how many corncrakes

are still on all of the islands throughout Orkney.

And how we can actually protect the corncrakes

- 'cause they're on the red list. - Mm-hmm.

You want to come in for a cup of tea?

Yeah, I will in a minute.

I'll tell you this really, really quickly.

Basically, what we're trying to get farmers like yourself

to do is to change their mowing pattern.

Did your father sell the farm?

- He sold the house. - Ah, right. Yeah.

He's still on the farm...

So where the heck does he bide then?

- [LAUGHS] He's in a caravan. - Oh, Lord.

Yeah. It's enough for him, really.

It's got all his records and stuff.

WOMAN: Good, good.

...working my way through the whole island and...

every inhabited islands in Orkney.

- [LAUGHS] Indeed. That's good. - Yeah.

To see how many people we can get on board, so...

I don't know if you'd be up for doing something like that.

- Absolutely okay. - Yeah.

- Yeah? Oh, really? - Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. Great.

- Have you heard one? - No.

- Have you not? [LAUGHS] - Haven't heard one.

- Have you? - You will do sometime.

I've not for a long time, which is a bit disappointing,

'cause they used to be quite common, but...

Yeah.

- ...things change. - Yeah.

Because people rarely saw the corncrake fly,

it used to be thought they'd go underground in the winter,

transform into other species,

or even ride on other birds' backs to migrate.

We now know that they do migrate all the way to Central Africa.

And GPS trackers have placed them

in Congo in the winter.

But it's a very dangerous journey.

Only 30% make it.

[KEYS THUD]

Hi.

Daynin.

[RUNNING UP STAIRS]

[PANTING] Fuck.

[CLATTERING]

- [MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING] - [LOW RUMBLING]

[CHUGGING]

[BIRD SQUAWKING]

[SNIFFS]

That's it then, corncrakes.

MAN: So, is this your first meeting or...

No. Good, okay.

Well, why don't we start with the preamble as usual.

Hello. I'm James. I'm an alcoholic.

- Hi, James. - Hello, James.

JAMES: So, we'll do the preamble.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women

who share their experience, strength and hope

with each other that they may solve their common problem

and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership

is a desire to stop drinking.

There are no dues or fees for AA membership.

Our primary purpose is to stay sober

and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

ALL: God, grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things that I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Amen.

Meg?

Dad.

I can't find Meg anywhere.

[WATER RUNS]

I'm just gonna leave some water for her and some food.

But you've got to remember to do that, okay? [SIGHS]

And I'll ask Mum to get someone in

to just help you with the farm.

Just until you feel better.

You warm enough?

I'm scared.

I don't know if I can do it, Dad.

[SNIFFING]

WOMAN: I wish you a very happy future.

You deserve it.

WOMAN 2: Rona, it's been a fantastic journey

being with you here.

I wish we had met elsewhere.

But I think we've come a very long way.

And congratulation.

MAN: Well done, Rona. All the best to you.

RONA: Er...

Thanks for making me strong.

I hope I don't let you down. [CHUCKLES LIGHTLY]

Mum, are you there?

Er...

I finished, I did it, 90 days.

Yeah.

Yeah.

[BREATH TREMBLING]

Thanks, Mum. Erm...

Can I come up home for a few days?

[SNIFFS]

[DISTORTED RUMBLING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[RUMBLING FADES]

- [CLEARS THROAT] - [LINE RINGING]

DAYNIN ON PHONE: Hey, you've reached Daynin.

Leave a message and I'll get back to you.

- [LINE BEEPS] - Daynin.

It's me.

Don't know if you'll get this message.

I miss you.

I miss talking to you.

I know why you left me.

I get it.

I get it. [CLEARS THROAT]

[SNIFFLING]

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

[CRYING SOFTLY]

[STOPS CRYING]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

- Cheers. - Cheers again.

Cheers. Cheers. Cheers.

- [MUFFLED CHATTER] - [SEAGULLS CALLING]

This is a great moment. We're all together.

[OBJECTS CLATTERING]

[DRUNKENLY] Where are the apples?

Where are the apples?

The apples... Oh, shit. [CHUCKLES]

I was just getting an apple.

[GROANS SOFTLY]

He's not real, you know.

They have you brainwashed.

Come to bed, Rona.

That's why Dad left you, you know.

Because you chose them over us.

I can't believe that you still believe... [LAUGHS]

You're so stupid.

There's another one.

Lies.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SNIFFLING]

All that praying didn't help, did it, Mum?

It didn't help me. [SOBBING]

- Go on, lie down. - Didn't help me.

Come on.

Come on.

[TEARFULLY] I'm sorry, Mum.

[SOBS]

[DROWSILY] I'm sorry, Mummy.

[SWITCH CLICKS]

[ENGINE DRONING]

ELENA: Washing machine, cooker, pots and pans, and the stove.

Watch the handle for it can get hot.

Erm, there's firewood there and there's more in the shed.

- Okay. - But when it gets really cold,

you might want to order a bag of coal from the shop.

It's pretty rough in the winter time.

Er, no fancy going somewhere warmer like the Canary Islands

- or somewhere like that? - Yeah,

it's cheaper to come to Papay.

Well, that is very true.

Er, this is your bedroom, living room.

It still smells a bit fusty. Erm...

But there's the bed. It's quite cozy.

And, well, we meet on a Wednesday

in the hall, if you fancy a cup of tea and a blether.

We're just 60 people but there's plenty going on.

If you're wanting a bit of company?

- Yeah, I might do, yeah. Maybe. - Okay.

I'll away. I've got stuff to do, and I'll see you soon.

- Have you got the keys? - Oh. Sorry.

- It's all right. - Not that we need them.

- Thanks, Elena. - Not in Papay.

You take care, Rona.

- Bye. - Cheerio.

[DOOR CLOSES]

[CAR ENGINE STARTS]

[SIGHS]

[ENGINE ACCELERATING]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

RONA: Britain is an island off Europe.

Orkney is an island off Scotland.

Westray is an island off Orkney.

Papay is an island off Westray.

According to Orcadian folklore,

the island Hether Blether only appears in the fog.

It was said that once a girl was kidnapped by a finman

and taken to the mystical island,

and never could return.

Hi, Mum, it's me.

Erm, sorry I didn't get to see you

before I went to the airport.

I just wanted to let you know that I got to Papay safely.

[SIGHS] Erm...

I don't know yet how long I'm going to stay.

A couple of months, I think.

The signal is not great here,

but it would be good to hear from you.

[WIND HOWLING]

[GRUNTS SOFTLY]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

[RAIN PATTERING]

Whoo-hoo!

Yes!

And I see mornings with high heating bills.

- [LAUGHING] - And with every crumb

that fell from your lips onto fresh bed linen sheets...

[RETCHING AND VOMITING]

[BOTH LAUGHING]

- Why don't you come outside? - GLORIA: Let's have a--

- Have a bit of fresh air? - Okay, okay! You get off of me!

[DOORBELL RINGING]

Open the door, Daynin! Answer me! [GROANS]

[MAN PANTING]

Why are you doing this to me?

Piece of shit, I hope you fucking die in hell.

So, how does London compare to Papay?

RONA: Er, well...

there's a bit more going on.

I guess.

ELENA: I'll bet.

RONA: Have you ever been down south?

Sometimes, not very often.

Not very often. [CHUCKLES]

We hardly get away and my husband's going,

"Oh, I can't see the sea and the trees.

And you can't see anything. When are we going home?"

MAN: Spot on.

SHOPKEEPER: Thank you very much. All the very best.

MAN: See you soon. SHOPKEEPER: See you again.

Over there. Last few casks of these...

MAN 2: Well, indeed, fine. SHOPKEEPER: Thank you very much.

- Thank you. - Good seeing the pair of you.

- All the very best. - Yes, I'll see you around, sir.

Cheers, bye. Cheers, all the best.

MAN 2: And you.

- SHOPKEEPER: Hi, hi. - Hi, hi.

- How's it going? - Good.

SHOPKEEPER: Lovely.

ELENA: I should introduce you to my brother, Calum.

- Oh, hello. Rona. - Hi. How are you doing?

Hi, Rona.

Good to see you.

Rose Cottage?

Mm. Aye.

CALUM: Is it, uh, bird work you're doing?

- Calum, stop. - Ugh.

He's so nosy, he's like an old wife.

CALUM: Well, erm, I was the warden of the nature reserve

up there, back in the '80s.

- Right. - Before we had Rose Cottage.

I stayed at Gowrie just across the way.

It was very basic. Rose Cottage is a palace.

Gowrie was a hovel.

But it was my hovel. I loved it very much.

Erm, could I get some tobacco as well, please?

CALUM: Sure. Yeah, yeah.

Is that it? Got everything?

- Yeah, yeah. - Okay.

[SNIFFS, CLEARS THROAT]

[SERENE MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

[BREATHING DEEPLY]

[TURNS MUSIC OFF]

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

[SEAGULLS CALLING IN DISTANCE]

[WAVES RUMBLING]

[THUNDER RUMBLING]

[WIND WHISTLING]

[GRUNTING]

[PANTING]

RONA: The original Beaufort scale

didn't give wind speed in miles per hour,

but rather in terms of its effects on sailing ships.

From "just sufficient to give steerage"

to "that which no canvas sails could withstand."

[WIND BLOWING]

The wind is our most defining weather in Orkney.

Even in summer, there's usually a breeze.

Beaufort force three or four on average.

In Winter, gales are common.

- [INTENSE QUARELLING] - [WINDOW SMASHING]

- [GLASS SMASHES] - [RONA'S MOM SCREAMS]

RONA'S DAD: Come in! Come in! I am one with the wind.

RONA'S MOM: You're upsetting her!

- [WIND WHISTLING] - RONA'S DAD: Oh. Oh!

RONA'S MOM: Andrew... [SOBS]

ANDREW: Beautiful that is. Beautiful, listen to it.

Breathe it in! Breathe it in!

- RONA'S MOM: Lord, God... - We are one with the wind.

RONA'S MOM: Oh, God, please help him!

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

ANDREW: You don't understand.

[QUARELLING CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC CONTINUES]

- [WIND BLOWING] - [MUSIC FADES OUT]

[LAUGHING] King of the castle.

[CHUCKLES]

My subjects. Welcome to my house.

- [SHEEP BLEATING] - [LAUGHTER]

Rona, get in here!

I'm going to watch.

All right, if you're not going to come in...

[SOFT FOLK MUSIC PLAYING]

- [WOMAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY] - Aaah! [LAUGHS]

You having fun?

- Nah, I'm having an awful time. - Looks like it.

Really reminds me of home, you know?

MAN: I forget you're a farm girl.

- Aahil! Really? - What?

- You really need to do that? - What's the big deal?

What do you mean, "It's not a big deal"?

Pick it up. It's not a bin.

- All right, all right. - That's what the big deal is.

- [RONA CHUCKLES] - For fuck's sake.

You know, he's terrified of you.

He's not terrified of me, just...

- Yes. - He knows I'm right.

You know...

I'd never let my boys get away with any of that shit.

What do you mean, your boys?

- [COUGHS] - You have kids?

Yes, I have two boys.

- Really? - Yeah.

It's why I get up every morning, it's...

you know, for them.

[SNIFFS, MUTTERS]

So, what age are they?

- Seventeen. - Seventeen?

Yeah, 14.

I've not seen them in ten years, though, so...

Better that way, who wants a...

You know, who wants a crackhead for a dad?

Once I'm clean and...

Then I'll bring them here.

We're nearly done here.

What are you going to do after all of this?

Don't know.

Nothing.

WOMAN: We can see if we can get a horse ride set up.

I fucked it up.

- I did. - Hang on, hang on.

- [IMITATES SAD VIOLIN NOTES] - Shut up. You asked.

- [LAUGHS] - You asked.

Well... Come on, listen. See, I don't mean to...

Look at this brigade.

If they can make it, you can make it. [CHUCKLES]

RONA: I don't know about that. MAN: You'll be fine.

I can't be happy sober.

[ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYING ON HEADPHONES]

[SEAGULLS SQUAWKING]

Hi, Rona.

- Hiya. - Hiya, how are you doing?

- Good, how are you? - Not bad at all.

What a lovely day, isn't it a cracker?

You getting in among the seaweeds?

- [CHUCKLES] Aye. - You've come to the right place.

- It's a seaweed supermarket. - [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Are you doing well?

- Lovely, lovely. - Yeah.

Well, I've just been doing a spot of beachcombing.

What do you make of this?

- The city of New York. - [CHUCKLES]

Very nice.

Well...

Well, I'll let you get on.

And, er,

if there's anything you need, just give us a shout, okay?

- Okay? Righto. - Yeah, I will. Yeah.

- All the best. Cheerio for now. - See you. Bye.

[ELECTRONIC MUSIC CONTINUES]

[SOOTHING MUSIC PLAYING]

[SKYPE RINGING]

- Ro, Ro, there you are! Listen! - Hi.

- [MUSIC PLAYS ON SPEAKERS] - This storm came through

and I've had to patch up another window.

Oh, no!

I've almost run out of gaffer tape.

Right, and you've got to get that fixed then, don't you?

But listen, the real reason I want to talk to you is

I've been in touch with the bank and I've arranged a loan.

- But for what, Dad? - I've not arranged it yet,

but I will do.

Can you turn the music down? I can't hear you very well.

Dad, can you turn the music down?

I was in touch with a fella from south

who's an intern on one of these offshore wind farms and...

and the other thing is there's a... Hey, you'll love this.

I was talking to the geothermal physicist

about the caves under the ground there

- because I own them. - Dad, have you been sleeping?

And the thing about geothermal thing

is it's all about the storage.

Okay. Dad? You need to sleep.

And there's fluctuations in the wind speed.

You're not sleeping, are you? Because you're getting high.

- Ro! Ro! Ro! - Yes, I'm listening to you.

- I've no time for this. - You need to calm down, okay?

This is the avant garde, I am on the forefront

of the ecological revolution. This is wonderful work!

Will you please take some sleeping pills

and just go to sleep for a few hours?

[HOUSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC STOPS]

[SEAGULL SQUAWKING]

Ah.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Oh, God.

[KEYBOARD CLACKING]

[WAVES RUMBLING]

[PHONE VIBRATING]

[CLEARS THROAT]

Hello?

Er, yeah, I'd love to talk to him. Thank you.

- ANDREW: Ro. - Hiya, Dad.

- Rona? Hello? - Yeah, are you okay?

- Hello? Rona? - Hiya.

- It's Dad. - Yeah.

Listen, I have a really important...

[FUMBLING] Did you... Would you mind giving me some...

[SIGHS]

- Well. Sorry, I... - Dad, are you okay?

Are you all right in there?

Listen, I have to talk very quietly, I'm surrounded.

- Okay. - I'm being held against my will

in an institution.

And I need your help to facilitate my release.

Do you think you can do that?

No, Dad, because you have to stay there until you get better.

God! God!

You put me in here in the first place

and you won't give yourself the opportunity

to redeem yourself by getting me out.

- Dad, I didn't put you anywhere. - Listen...

You goddamn, you know bloody well what you did.

- What did I do? - You called the cops.

Dad, I didn't call the cops. Not at all.

You called the cops. They came and they took me away.

I know, Dad, but I think it's because

- everyone was worried about you. - No!

I think somebody else called.

[GRUNTS] You break my heart.

You break my heart.

[BREATH TREMBLING]

You are a deceitful woman.

You are a...

[BREATHING DEEPLY]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING]

Okay.

Don't disappoint me any more than you already have, Rona.

I'm gonna go. I'll check in with you later, okay?

Rona! Now, you pull your...

- RONA: Fuck! - [OBJECTS CLATTER]

[MELANCHOLY MUSIC CONTINUES]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[RUMBLING]

[PANTING]

[GROANING SOFTLY]

[PANTING]

MAN: Hey, you need a ride?

[WHIMPERS]

[SOBS]

MAN: I can give you a lift, if you like.

RONA: To Daynin's house.

MAN: Good. I'll take you there. Jump in.

Thank you.

[GROGGILY] Hi. Hiya.

Well, I bumped into someone who's giving me a lift to yours,

because he knows where you live.

[ENGINE SWITCHES OFF]

[BOTH GRUNTING]

- MAN: Don't you want it? - [RONA SCREAMING]

You bitch!

RONA: Help me!

Help!

[RONA SCREAMS]

MAN: Shit! RONA: No, help me!

MAN: Come back here. Wait!

RONA: Help!

- [SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE] - [CAR STARTING AND ACCELERATING]

[CAMERA CLICKING]

[SOFT EMOTIONAL MUSIC PLAYING]

Hi.

DAYNIN: Hey.

[DAYNIN INHALES DEEPLY]

[RONA SIGHS]

So, how have you been?

I'm good.

How's your job?

[SIGHS HEAVILY]

- I mean, I got that promotion. - Oh, wow.

Big boss man now.

- Got an assistant. - Ah.

- Office? - Tiny one.

[RONA CHUCKLES]

Are you seeing anyone or anything?

Yeah.

Right.

She is nice.

Kind, you know.

- It's different. - Mm-hmm.

It's boring, I bet. [CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

I'm glad you're happy.

I like your hair.

Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

It's nice.

MAN: Fuck you!

[LAUGHTER AND CHATTER]

You wanna go for a drink?

[SIGHS]

[INHALES DEEPLY]

[INDUSTRIAL MUSIC PLAYING ON HEADPHONES]

- [MUSIC FADES] - [WAVES CRASHING]

[SEAGULLS CALLING]

[WAVES RUMBLING]

RONA: There's a berg.

Lads, there's a berg, there's a berg!

- To the starboard. - [WHOOSHING]

Woo! Steady as she goes, lads.

Steady as she goes!

We got a berg to the starboard, lads!

You gotta hustle up, hustle up. Go on.

Okay.

[GRUNTS]

- [WIND BLOWING] - Crow's nest!

Can you hear me?

Is it all clear up north?

Yep, we're heading north.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[BAND PLAYING LIVELY FOLK MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC STOPS]

[CROWD LAUGHING]

- [BAND RESUMES PLAYING] - Come on, come on!

[CROWD CLAPPING RHYTHMICALLY]

- [MUSIC ENDS] - [CROWD CHEERING]

Well done. You did really well.

- [INDISTINCT CHATTER] - [SIGHS]

[MUSIC PLAYING INSIDE]

- Hi, Rona. - Hiya, you all right?

- Aye, not bad. How is yourself? - Yeah, I'm good.

Just had to get a bit of air,

it was getting really hot in there.

Aye, all right, not half. There's a lot going on.

- Aye. - Aye.

So how long you been sober?

Sixty-three days.

Wow.

That's the steepest bit you've done.

So, what about you?

Oh, boy. Erm...

Twelve years.

Four months.

And...

twenty-nine days.

Damn.

How is that?

Well, it's okay.

Started off one day at a time.

Twelve years and four months later,

it's still one day at a time.

Because that's the only way.

And it works.

And you're doing it.

So it gets easier, does it?

Oh, yes. Yes, it does.

- You have my word on that. - Mm.

But... [SIGHS]

it never gets easy. It just gets less hard.

[WIND HOWLING]

[WIND GUSTING]

[LIGHTER CLICKS]

[PENSIVE MUSIC PLAYING]

[TYPING]

RONA: The marine traffic and flight radar websites

show in real-time the paths of all vessels at sea

and all commercial aircraft in the sky.

A light that moves above the cottage

is a Lufthansa flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt.

[NOTIFICATION CHIMES]

I monitor the path of the International Space Station.

And find out when it's passing over.

[NOTIFICATION CHIMING INTERMITTENTLY]

Tonight it flies over Orkney.

- Merry Christmas. - ELENA: Hi, Rona.

Not got good news.

There's no flights coming in today.

What?

There's a technical fault with the plane.

And there's no flights coming in at all.

What about tomorrow?

No, they're waiting on parts and engineers and...

- [SIGHS] - And I'm afraid

the boats are away into the town for Christmas.

RADIO ANNOUNCER: A fresh kinda day

with strong easterly winds and rain.

Winds are likely to get up to near gale force

just before midday,

but they will ease off for the afternoon.

Temperatures will be struggling to get into double figures.

Maybe nine degrees Celsius at a push. That's just...

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

[SHIVERING]

[EXHALES HEAVILY]

[BREATH SHUDDERING]

[SERENE MUSIC FADING IN]

Woo!

[RONA PANTING]

Woo!

[GASPING]

Woo!

[SEAL HOWLS]

[RONA CHUCKLES]

[SCREAMS IN EXCITEMENT]

[SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[SEAL HOWLS]

[RONA CHUCKLES]

[PANTING AND CHUCKLING]

[CONTINUES CHUCKLING]

[SIGHS]

[SEAL HOWLING]

- CALUM: Hey, Rona. - Hi.

- How are you doing? - Good.

You been for a swim?

- Yeah. [GIGGLES] - Fantastic. Gosh, look at you.

[SHOWER RUNNING]

[GROANS]

[CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]

[SINGING ALONG] For you

My heart cries out, Perfidia

For I found you the love of my life...

MAN 1 ON TV: Move! MAN 2 ON TV: Get it out!

- [RONA GIGGLING] - MAN 3: It's back on me now.

It's on me.

Get the pigeon off me.

MAN 2: It's not on you.

- MAN 3: Well, it is! - [LAUGHS]

MAN 2: I'm gonna get it with the...

Come back here, sir... young lad.

[DISCO MUSIC PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]

Come on!

- [MUSIC CONTINUES] - [PANTING]

[BEAT DROPS]

[WIND WHISTLING]

Hey.

- How is it? - Windy.

RONA: Yeah.

Elena, this is my mum.

Oh.

Oh, it's really nice to meet you.

Yeah, nice to meet you, too.

- You have a lovely daughter. - Yeah, thank you.

- She's been looking after me. - Oh!

RONA: They're just some drawings I've done and stuff.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Do you want a cup of tea?

- Oh, yes. - It's warmer in the kitchen.

- Shall we go there? - Lovely, thank you.

And I made some bread.

And it's your recipe.

Oh, Rona, that looks wonderful.

- RONA: It may poison you. - [CHUCKLES]

- So, do you like it? - Mm.

So, how long do you think you'll stay here for?

Erm...

Don't know, probably till the spring.

- That long? - Yeah.

Well, I'm thinking about changing my PhD.

I've become really, really fascinated with seaweed

and the whole seaweed industry.

Seaweed farming is kind of changing the world.

It's always been around in eastern parts of the world.

And, yeah, we're not really exploring that

as much as we used to.

So, what I'm thinking about doing

is studying seaweed farming.

So, I started to look into it

and there's all these different benefits to seaweed.

There's, you know, soil fertilizers.

If you feed it to cows, it's a really great way,

a great natural way to fertilize the soil.

The cattle produce less methane

when they burp and when they fart.

And, you know, it supplies your body

with magnesium, copper, all these different things.

It also supplies the earth with 60% of its oxygen.

I thought that was the rainforest.

No. Common misconception, but it's marine plants.

It's in our toothpaste. It's part of our culture,

our mythology, everything.

If everyone got on board with it,

it could change the world.

And so, I want to be a part of it.

How is Dad?

RONA'S MOM: He's coming home next week.

Where is he going to stay?

The caravan on the farm, of course.

Of course.

I mean, we're not going to get him to live anywhere else,

- are we? - Absolutely not.

I should go back then.

At least I can cook for him, I can get him stuff in.

RONA'S MOM: Rona, please, don't worry so much.

- RONA: But I do worry. - No.

He's had to go through this over and over again.

You know, you have to look after yourself.

That's what I had to do, you know. [INHALES DEEPLY]

Was it really hard for you?

Just having me, having the farm,

he just wasn't... there.

Mm, it was.

It was.

At times it was very difficult.

He'd be away for months.

And then even when he wasn't away, I was...

very lonely, sometimes.

- Mm. - Yeah.

Then I found God, or rather...

God found me.

Mm.

[SERENE MUSIC PLAYING]

RONA: All things come from the ocean.

And the ocean takes them back.

And eventually, one day,

they might come back again to the land.

After a gale is when the best things are found.

Parts of the Udal Law from old Norse times

still apply in Orkney.

And if you find something on the shore of your farmland,

and its above the low water mark,

it's yours.

[BOAT HORN BLOWS]

[SERENE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

There's a festival that's about to happen here,

it's called the Gyro Nights.

GLORIA: Oh.

So all these artists from all over the country,

all over the world actually are coming in.

And we've been, like, arranging the whole thing.

And putting banners up.

- Oh, yeah? - Mm-hmm.

- You're coming for my job. - [LAUGHS]

So, erm, no, but really, how are you doing?

I'm fine.

- I'm actually, yeah... - I mean, you look great, like...

I'm probably the best I've been in a really long time.

Promise.

[GIGGLES]

[CHUCKLES]

- [PLAYING UPBEAT FOLK MUSIC] - [INDISTINCT CHATTER]

ALL: Gyro!

Gyro!

Gyro!

WOMAN: I got it. Yeah, I got it.

[LAUGHTER]

[CHEERING]

[LAUGHTER]

[BLOWS]

RONA: Do you want to sit down?

Yeah, please. [CHUCKLES]

- It's a bit messy. - That's okay.

Here you go.

[MAN BLOWS]

So cold.

Do you mind if I take my socks off?

No. That's what I'm gonna do.

MAN: Soaking wet.

Give me the socks.

Thank you.

[BLOWS]

- Ah, that's better. - So much better.

I loved that tonight, it was fun.

Such a nice evening.

I actually had a dream the other night

- that all my hair was on fire. - Okay.

- [BOTH LAUGH] - That sounds quite scary.

Yeah. Kind of amazing, though.

My hair was just flames running around.

So, you go back tomorrow?

Yeah, getting the ferry in the morning.

RONA: Hmm.

Hmm.

[FIRE CRACKLING]

[REFLECTIVE MUSIC PLAYING]

RONA: In grandiose moments,

high on fresh air and freedom on the hill,

I study my personal geology.

My body is a continent.

I grind my teeth in my sleep

like tectonic plates.

And when I blink, the sun flickers.

My breath pushes the clouds across the sky.

And the waves roll in to the shore

in time with my beating heart.

The island's headlands rise above the sea

like my limbs in the bathtub.

My freckles are famous landmarks.

And my tears, rivers.

Lightning strikes every time I sneeze.

And when I orgasm,

there is an earthquake.

[FLAME RUMBLING]

[REFLECTIVE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[KISSES]

[SEAGULLS CALLING]

[REFLECTIVE MUSIC CONTINUES]

[UPLIFTING MUSIC MERGING IN]

[INTENSE ELECTRONIC MUSIC MERGING IN]

[MUSIC SOARING]

[INTENSE FUSION MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC BUILDING]

[MUSIC ENDS]

[PANTING]

[WAVES CRASHING]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

- [CORNCRAKE CALLS] - Mm?

[RONA LAUGHS IN DISBELIEF]

[SYNTHPOP MUSIC PLAYING]

[SYNTHPOP MUSIC ENDS]

- [WAVES CRASHING GENTLY] - [BIRDS CHIRPING]

[CORNCRAKE CALLS]