Powder

All right, people, let's move! Let's go!

Let's go, everybody! We need some help!

Some help here! Get in here, get in here! She's close!

Vitals are down to nothing.

Here you go. Come on. Let me get in here. You got her?

We're clear. We're clear. I got it.

All right, lift her up on three. One, two, three.

Let's move! Let's go! Let's go! We need some room!

Clear it out, clear it out! Let's make a hole! Come on!

Get a sterile pack! Right down the hallway, please!

Let's go! In here!

Anna didn't make it, Greg.

We tried everything. The trauma was just too much.

The baby?

The baby, I'm concerned, might have some abnormalities.

Outwardly, we can already tell that the child has no pigmentation.

It's called albinism. It's strictly genetic.

That's, that's... Well, that's pale skin, right?

And pale eyes that are usually more light-sensitive.

I want to see him.

Greg, you have to remember that an unborn child

experiences everything that the mother experiences.

You take me to him. You show me.

We'll do everything we can for him, Greg. You know that.

What are you doing to him?

We're measuring his brain waves.

You don't have to do this now.

That's not my son.

That's not my son.

That's not my son. Come on, Greg, let's go.

That's not my son.

You don't need this. For Christ's sake, let's go.

Not good, Sheriff.

Jessie. Doug.

Thanks for making the drive.

Are we still in Wheaton County? Barely.

Did I ruin your Sunday?

Well, I guess if somebody was going to have to, I'm glad it was you.

Doug, I can hear him again.

He's movin' around down there.

Tell me you didn't try to talk to him.

You bet your ass I didn't. Good.

Miss Caldwell.

They said a boy, right?

I'm guessing that's what it is.

The old man here died last night.

The neighbors found him this morning.

We figure the kid's his grandson. So where is he?

He won't come up from the cellar.

He didn't report his grandfather's death either.

We already know he died of natural causes.

Doug, what am I doing here?

The neighbors say he may be retarded.

One of them says deformed.

You know, physically handicapped.

I don't know.

I couldn't for the life of me think of who else to call.

He's scared enough, and I thought maybe you could

come down and talk him out of there without us having to go down and drag him out.

Jessie, the neighbors talk about him

like he's some kind of a phantom.

I haven't met one yet that

ever had a good look at him.

What are you telling me, Doug?

That the old folks may have kept him down there,

like some kind of a family secret.

I don't know.

Boy?

I brought somebody to talk to you.

Hello?

Hey, my name is Jessie.

Are you okay down here?

You think we could turn a light on?

Hey, if you're afraid, you don't need to be. Not with me.

(SOFTLY) I'm not afraid.

What's your name?

Powder.

Is that a name or a nickname?

He was getting coffee and he fell.

He just... He just fell over and died.

I tried to help him.

I tried. He... We know that.

Son, I told you, you're not in any trouble.

I'm sorry. I just want to see you.

Why?

Come on. Nobody's gonna hurt you. It's all right.

Give me your hand. Come on.

What's your real name, son?

Jeremy Reed.

You've been down here all night, Jeremy.

You must be starved.

Could you get us something to eat?

Anything. Sheriff?

We'll be all right.

Be right back.

Why didn't you tell anyone when you knew he was dead?

Why didn't you call the police?

Grandpa said there would be a day

when he would die,

like grandma died,

and that people would come

and see me

and try and take me away.

Get back there. Keep an ear, but don't go down.

Yes, sir.

Lucy, this is Barnum.

Go ahead, Sheriff. I'm here.

We're still out at the Reeds'. We got something out here nobody's gonna believe.

You don't live down here?

Mmm.

I do most of the work around the place.

At least until the sun gets too high.

Then the sunglasses don't even help.

Did you know they make contact lenses now

that can protect your eyes from the sun all the time?

I read about them, but Grandpa said they cost too much.

When's the last time you were in school?

I've never been to school.

I read about it though.

But you said you read all these books?

Have you read this book?

Well, I know college kids who couldn't wade through this one.

Pick a page.

Two hundred and sixteen.

"Where lies the final harbor, whence we unmoor no more.

"In what rapt ether sails the world of which the weariest will never weary?

"Where is the foundling's father hidden?

"Our souls are like those orphans whose unwedded mothers die in bearing them.

"And the secret of our paternity lies in their grave,

"and we must there to learn it."

You know the whole book?

I know 'em all.

Go clear 'em back.

All right, everybody, let's move back.

And I mean back beyond the vehicles. Let's go!

It's all right. You don't have to be afraid.

You're afraid.

You're afraid for me.

Why don't you get in here?

I'll take that.

You ever see so many goddamn lightning rods on one house?

I just got off the horn with the coroner.

He said that old boy died of natural causes, but there was evidence of fibrillation.

His body was juiced with electricity.

That old man was laying dead there all night.

You think the paramedics showed up this morning and tried paddles on him?

Are you telling me the kid electrocuted the old man?

What do you think, he's Dr. Frankenstein?

I'm just sayin' that that's more than an albino, Doug.

That is spooky.

I never thought we'd find a man too white for you there, Harley.

Down! Set!

Hut!

Don't let 'em fool you.

They spend most their time tryin' to look tough.

You get to know 'em, you find out they're

mostly scared and lonely, just like everybody else.

Hut!

What the hell is that?

You need to see him, Aaron, to know what I'm saying.

You need to see him sitting out in the hall right now,

'cause I'm telling you, I've never seen anything like him.

That's exactly what I mean.

Because of the way he's lived.

Uh, he doesn't seem to know what things are.

I mean, things you and I take for granted,

common, everyday objects, simple ideas...

I just don't think he's ever been exposed to them.

I mean, he's about the most well-read teenage kid you could ever meet,

but in other ways...

I think he's a lot like a little child.

Why you look like that?

You look like some kind of vampire from outer space or something.

They kick you out of cancer camp?

You got some kind of disease?

Don't look at me, man.

Did you hear what I said?

I don't like your eyes.

What's a new guy gotta do the first day he gets here?

He's gotta do the due.

New guy, first day, first meal.

He's gotta wear his spoon.

You ever wear your spoon?

Well, you got two choices.

You can either wear it

on the end of your nose...

Why don't you show, Mitch?