The Serpent's Skin

- I don't wanna hear about her fucking father.

He let your kids run fucking wild.

If he had some discipline,

he would have put them in their place.

She's gonna end up in a loony bin, the way she's going.

- She's not crazy, she's just having a hard time.

Because she's fucking lazy.

I had two jobs when I was her age, okay?

- So did I, Jim, but things are different now.

- Yeah, things are fucking different.

Kids are fucking lazy and self-obsessed.

- She's not a kid and she's not self-obsessed,

and she's not lazy.

Anna! Hey.

Hey. Uh, butt it out, no smoking in the beast.

You're seriously keeping it.

- Yeah. You know how expensive darts are these days?

- Actually, no. Not for about three years now.

Traitor.

Hi. - (chuckles) Hi.

So.

So, what?

So you finally escaped.

I did.

- Were you like run out of town by an angry mob

with torches? (chuckles)

Whatever.

Things will look up

now that you're outta that shithole town.

- Sure. - Well, you're welcome

to stay with me as long as you need to.

Thanks, Dakota.

- So you're gonna study archeology, huh?

Yeah.

Follow in the old man's footsteps?

There's good buck in that biz.

- Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory.

Ah-huh.

Ah, "Temple of Doom."

- Oh, right. Wow, you found Dad's old rucksack.

Well.

- God, that shitty old rucksack's been all over the world.

I think I've got a photo of Dad wearing it

in Tibet with some monks.

Wait, is that all you brought?

You seriously take after Dad.

Is that like an insult?

- No. It's like a half insult, half compliment.

Well, I'll take what I can get.

What are you thinking on the work front?

I've applied to a few places,

but I haven't really heard anything back, so.

I can put some feelers out too.

What? - I don't know,

I was just imagining,

like, feelers growing out of your head.

- Yeah, it's a figure of speech, Anna. (chuckles)

- You know, I'm really glad you're here. Fresh start.

This is it. We call the place the Bates Motel.

I see it. I love this place.

I knew you would.

Hey, Danny.

Hey.

Ah, this is my little sister.

Hey.

Okay.

There goes the building's only hottie.

Of course.

- This is exactly how I imagined your place.

Living the dream.

How's the rent?

Uh, it's not great.

I mean, it's gotten worse,

which is why it'll be great the sooner you get a job.

Oh, yeah, I know.

I got that way before he went full boomer on us.

- We'll always have "Teenage Frankenstein."

- So the spare room's first door on the left.

I'm sorry, it's not like a proper bed or anything.

My housemate took everything when she left,

even though I'm certain the bed was there before she was.

It's cool. I don't really need much.

- Uh, my friend's band is playing tonight.

Do you wanna come?

Um, no, thanks.

You don't wanna meet my loser friends?

I promise, my taste has gotten way better

since we were kids.

No, I, I love losers, I'm just tired.

I wanna relax.

No worries. I better get ready.

Truth be told, I might have a slight crush

on Ted, the drummer.

The drummer? That's rough.

Maybe I like it like that.

Ah! Too much information.

You started it.

Uh, there's a few of us are gonna go downtown

and get some food beforehand at this little Thai place,

if you wanna come and grab a bite to eat.

- Um, no, I think I'll just grab a slice of pizza,

or something.

- Okay, just don't go to the place

on the corner, Fratelli's.

It's fucking terrible.

They're stingy on the cheese and the bread is so thick.

Got it. (scoffs)

Anna, are you okay?

- Yeah, I just had a, a little microsleep, I- I think.

And a, a nightmare.

Daymares, Dad called them.

You haven't changed a bit.

You have no idea.

Oh, shit, sorry.

I didn't expect anyone else up here.

It's okay.

Do you mind if I?

You new to the hub?

- Yeah, I, uh, just moved in with my sister

for a bit.

- Oh yeah, that's right. She, she mentioned you.

What did she say about me?

- Nothing. Just, you know, just you were staying.

She seemed pretty excited about it.

Shit.

Are you guys friends?

Um, not really. Oh, well, kind of.

I don't know. You know, neighbors.

We catch each other in, like, the laundry and shit.

So do you like the city?

Uh, it has a unique aroma.

- Yeah, it's the, um, it's the carbon monoxide,

the dirty dumpsters, sewerage system

that doesn't quite work.

You get used to it.

I doubt it.

- Uh, I like the, um, ouroboros on your backpack.

The snake thing. I've always loved that symbol.

- It was my dad's. He got it somewhere in Europe, I think.

Mm.

He was an archeologist,

so he was always bringing home weird little things.

And I don't know.

To be honest, I feel like he probably stole a lot of them.

My dad has a pizza joint down the road.

All he ever brought home was, like, cold pizza