Far From Home - The Seer's Curse

Scene 2 on the way!

Far From Home Scene 1 The Coming Gloom

The early sun left enough warmth on the front porch to lure young Maki out to watch its beams dance through the blossoms of his family's ancient cherry tree shining in the front yard. 

The small boy sat in the open mouth of the family's huge, badly aging mansion, mind wandering, folding a paper airplane on the front step. The scent of fresh coffee and the puffs and clanks of an ancient expresso machine from his mom in the house puffed through the open front door, sporadically interrupting the silence of distant cars rolling. Their mansion sat on the edge of town, perched just high enough up on the hillside to view the long, straight nearby boulevard beneath,

 tipped towards them like a long carpet roll, but still close enough to recognize individual people walking on the street.

Because she shared her son's first name, but with a different spelling, everyone calls Maki's mom Mrs. Ito, even close friends.

After finishing his paper airplane, Maki threw it high into the air toward the cherry tree, but the uneven folding made it veer right. Focusing behind the paper airplane onto the distant hillside on the far side of town, Maki stops in shock. 

[Maki] Hey Mama. I see something in the distance. Can you come to take a look?

[Mrs. Ito] Maki, I'm making coffee! Do I need to come now?

[Maki] Mama, I need you to come.

[Mrs. Ito] In an exasperated tone, OK. OK. Maki. I'm coming! 

...

[Maki] Pointing toward the hillside, Mama. Can you see that in the distance over there? I've never seen anything like that before. It's huge! It's as big as the city!

[Mrs. Ito] Maki, I can't see anything. Where are you pointing? How far away is it? 

[Maki]It's coming down the hillside behind the town, on the side of the mountain over there. It's moving closer. I'm scared.

[Mrs. Ito]Maki? That's more than 20 kilometers away! Can you really see something that far away? I'm bringing the tablet. Can you draw it, Maki? 

Maki shakes his head yes.

[Mrs. Ito] I'll be back super quick. It's right on the shelf; just give me a second.

[Maki] Hurry, Mama, I'm scared! 

Maki's mom brings out a tablet computer, places her hand in the center of the tablet where it is scanned, and holds it back for a picture of her face. It beeps. Then, she types in a long code. She lifts the tablet and takes a picture of the horizon where Maki is pointing. 

[Mrs. Ito] OK, Maki. Draw it now. Draw the outline now. Draw what you are seeing. Quickly!

Maki sweeps his finger in a curve across a good fraction of the horizon, leaving a red semi-circle, which he then fills in. 

[Mrs. Ito] MAKI! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE. THAT COULD BE MAYBE 20 KILOMETERS ACROSS. NOTHING CAN BE THAT LARGE! THAT'S AS LARGE AS THE CITY ITSELF!

[Mrs. Ito] Her voice cracking, I CAN'T SEE A THING! IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU ARE SEEING? LOOK AGAIN. 

Maki shakes his head yes.

[Mrs. Ito] HOLY COW!

Maki is now in tears and explains, as his voice breaks up, 

[Maki] MAMA! IT'S HUGE. IT COVERS A LOT OF THE MOUNTAIN! IT'S STILL GROWING! WE NEED TO RUN NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mrs. Ito] Maki! Settle down! I can't see anything! It's OK. Stop hyperventilating. Take your time. 

Draw it carefully. Only you can see the full details. Match the color, and draw the superstructure. Draw any fingers you see. Draw it all carefully!

[Maki] OK, Mama.

Maki, distracted by the task at hand, keeps adding details to the drawing. 

[Mrs. Ito] Good boy. Keep adding details. Draw as much as you can.

As Maki continues to draw, his mom looks over his shoulder at the drawing as her eyes widen into bowls, and her face becomes ashen white. Maki then looks up to talk.

 1 [Maki] Mama. Are you meeting someone this morning?

[Mrs. Ito] Yes! I have a 10 o'clock appointment. It's in 20 minutes.

[Maki] Mama. I think it's coming here.

[Mrs. Ito] Maki, it's still far away. Keep drawing. 

A few minutes later ...

[Maki] MAMA! IT'S REACHED THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL ON THE EDGE OF TOWN!!!!!"

[Mrs. Ito] MAKI! SETTLE DOWN! SETTLE DOWN! I'M HERE! I'M HERE! IT'S OK. 

[Maki] MAMA. IT'S NOT OK. CAN'T YOU SEE IT YET? LOOK TOWARD THE TEMPLE.

[Mrs. Ito] I see a smudge near the temple, but isn't that some smoke or pollution?

Increasingly exasperated and agitated, Maki screams out. 

[Maki] NO! THAT'S THE EDGE OF IT!! NOW IT'S COVERED THE TEMPLE. CAN'T YOU SEE IT?

[Mrs. Ito] I can see it now, Maki. It's growing really fast!

[Maki] OF COURSE! YOU CAN ONLY SEE THE EDGE OF THE SPHERE. 

[Mrs. Ito] MAKI? WHAT IS THAT? IT CAN'T BE!!

[Maki] MAMA. IT'S COMING FOR US!! IT'S ALREADY AT THE END OF THE BOULEVARD AT THE END OF THE STREET COMING TOWARD US! I'M RUNNING FOR THE SAFE ROOM. COME WITH ME!! 

[Mrs. Ito] Wait, Maki! For something that large, we still have time even after the edge of the gloom reaches us. Where is the center? Look carefully!

[Maki] Mama. It looks like the center is still outside of town because it's covering the mountain. 

[Mrs. Ito] Good, we still have time. Stay with me until the gloom reaches us. We will still have plenty of time. I need you to confirm the gloom with me. You know I can't make out the superstructure very well. 

Maki puts the drawing down. Mrs. Ito pulls her son Maki close to her chest. They sit together, panting in fear, waiting for it to arrive. They look out at it and then back at each other.

Simultaneously, they say to each other ... 

[Maki and Mrs. Ito] It's at the end of the boulevard!

[Mrs. Ito]Maki, that means the edge is about five kilometers away. We still have plenty of time. If it's driving in a car, the edge will reach us in 3-4 minutes, but the center is probably 15 minutes or so more away. 

Stay with me until the edge reaches us, then you run, OK?

[Maki] OK. Mama.

At a pace excruciatingly slow yet unbelievably rapid, the gloom slowly swallows the boulevard in the city beneath their house. 

[Maki] Mama, look! It stopped on 4th Street. Can you see it?

[Mrs. Ito] Yes. I see it. Maybe it won't come any farther?

[Maki] Wait! Mama. It's moving again.

[Mrs. Ito] Maki, are those the fingers I see on the street! They're as big as tree trunks! 

[Maki] Yes, Mama, those are the fingers. There are lots of them. They are forked at the tips. They're extending beyond the gloom.

The gloom continues to sweep down the street. It reaches the end of their driveway and sweeps up to cover Maki, his mom, and their house. Maki holds up his hand to the sky, staring into the space around it.

[Maki] Mama, it's so red. The fingers are bigger than your waist. It's real.

[Mrs. Ito] I see it too, Maki. 

Maki's mom grabs her son's forehead and presses it to hers.

[Mrs. Ito] Maki. I love you. It's going to be OK. I'm prepared for this. Let me handle it. You run. If it comes here, I will take care of it, OK!

[Maki] OK. 

Maki runs off into the house as his mom sits on the front step shivering in fear as the gloom continues to thicken.

After Maki runs to the safe room inside the house, his mom continues to sit on the front porch, watching the long boulevard in front of her home. 

The boulevard has been covered by the gloom for quite a while now.

A few minutes later, a car crests the hill at the far end of the boulevard, which Maki's mom instantly identifies as the source of the gloom. 

Radiating from the car are innumerous writhing, shadowy string-like appendages, referred to as fingers, confirming it is the source of the broad, deep red cloud of gloom only she and Maki can see. 

Maki's mom mutters to herself, Oh! My! God! There it is. Maki was right. It's coming toward us. It's probably my counseling client.

The car methodically rolls down the boulevard toward the house like a slow-motion horror movie scene. 

It turns at the corner at the bottom of the hill, pulls around to the street in front of the house, and comes directly up into Mrs. Ito's driveway. A man emerges from the car and yells out.

[Man] Are you Dr. Ito? 

Trying to keep a calm exterior, Mrs. Ito forces out a hesitating answer.

[Mrs. Ito] Yes! Yes! Come in. Follow me in. Come in. Come in and take a seat on the couch. Thank you for coming today.

Mrs. Ito walks in with the man and shows him to the couch not far from the entrance door while trying to remain calm. Mrs. Ito sits on the couch across from the man and casually leans forward, putting her elbows on her knees. The gloom only she can see is so thick the entire room has a red glow, and the shadowy fingers she now sees are as wide as tree trunks, writhe around the room and into open doors inside the house. Fully concentrating on ignoring the spectacle and trying to come off causally, 

Mrs. Ito starts the conversation.

[Mrs. Ito] So, Mr. Hatomi, as this is our first session, I won't charge you today. I want to see if we are a good fit and learn what you want to get out of our sessions. 

[Mrs. Ito] So tell me, Mr. Hatomi, Are you happy?

The fingers emerging from Mr. Hatomi start to jerk wildly at the question, but he maintains a calm, relaxed outward expression.

[Mr. Hatomi] Replying without hesitation, 

Yes, I'm very happy. I finished a project last week. The drive over the mountain into town was pretty in the morning. The warm weather makes me feel good. I had a good night's sleep.

[Mrs. Ito] Interesting. That's not how people usually introduce themselves when they come for counseling sessions. Are you taking any drugs or medicines? Why did you come here?

[Mr. Hatomi] No drugs. I'm here because my daughter said I needed to come. She was worried about me. To shut her up, I decided to come. 

[Mrs. Ito] Do you live with your daughter?

[Mr. Hatomi] No. She's older now and lives in a town about 30 minutes away by car. I actually don't see her very much, but I had dinner with her last week. She insisted that I do some counseling. 

[Mrs. Ito] Interesting. She clearly had a reason to ask you to come here. Why do you think she sent you?

[Mr. Hatomi] Well … I don't really know. Maybe we can figure it out together?

[Mrs. Ito] Mr. Hatomi, I'd like to brew some fresh coffee. 

Can you wait here while I grab a mug? I can bring you some if you drink coffee. Don't worry about the time; as I said before, this session is free, and you're not on the clock.

[Mr. Hatomi] Yes. Bring me a cup with milk, please. That would be nice. 

[Mrs. Ito] Good. I'll be back in a few minutes. Sit back and relax. Take a look at one of the travel books on the table. I'll bring you back a fresh cup.

...

Mrs. Ito calmly walks into the hallway where Maki disappeared a few minutes ago and takes a sharp right turn down the hall, now out of view of Mr. Hatomi.

A bit farther down the long hallway, she reaches into a crevice along the wall and quietly slides across a fake panel that looks like the end of the hall. 

A few feet further down, she reaches into another crevice and grunts as she pulls across an enormous cement blast door and slams down the metal locking arm to hold it in place. Now shaking, she continues down to the end of the long hallway, 

passing a few side rooms along the way. At the end of the hallway adjacent to a bedroom, she lifts a rug, revealing a porthole in the floor. Knocking three times, then three times again, then three times again, she yells out. 

[Mrs. Ito] Maki. It's me! It's Mama! Let me in. It's safe now!

Under the ground, the sound of clank, clank, clank reverberates as 

Maki climbs a metal ladder from below. The porthole squeaks as Maki turns the large locking wheel from below. The squeaking stops, and the porthole pops up and opens like a submarine hatch. Maki's relieved face emerges. 

[Maki] Mama. Where is he? Did he come to the house? Was he your 10 o'clock appointment?

[Mrs. Ito] Yes, Maki. He was my 10 o'clock. He's sitting on the couch now. I told him I was going to make coffee. 

I'll make the call. You were right. I can't believe it. He must be number 1.

Maki's mom steps down the metal ladder cemented to the wall and emerges into the cement bunker under the house outfitted with water, food, computers, and phones. 

She picks up the red phone and starts talking in a firm tone.

[Mrs. Ito] Chief Rohrback, this is Mrs. Ito. Listen to me carefully. This is not a drill. Number 1 is in my house. Send everything you got. 

[Chief Rohrback] Mrs. Ito! Wait!  Did you say number 1? How do you know? Where are you?

[Mrs. Ito] Chief, I'm in the safe room with Maki.

[Chief Rohrback] But Mrs. Ito, how do you know!?

[Mrs. Ito] Turning toward Maki, Close your ears, son. 

SEND THE WHOLE FREAKIN' ARMY HERE RIGHT NOW! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! Slamming down the phone, Damn Rohrback, he better do it.

Mrs. Ito turns back to Maki, completely changes her expression, and gives him a sweet smile and hug. 

[Mrs. Ito] Don't worry. I'm here. We're safe. It's over now.

Back in the police station, Rohrback turns to his deputy Kimihara and hesitates for a moment, lost in thought. A few seconds later, he suddenly snaps to. 

[Chief Rohrback] Well, you heard the lady!

[Chief Rohrback] Picking up the CB radio, SWAT 1, SWAT 1, possible sighting of number 1 at 1418 Apple Road. I repeat, this is not a drill. Possible sighting of number 1 at 1418 Apple. He is in the house. Take the suspect alive. 

Switching channels, All units, all units, possible sighting of number 1 at 1418 Apple. All units converge on 1418 Apple and capture the suspect alive. No sirens. I repeat. No sirens. Suspect cannot be allowed to escape and must be taken by surprise. 

Switching channels again. SWAT 2, SWAT 3, this is Chief Rohrback, immediately scramble to capture suspect number 1 at 1418 Apple. I repeat, possible sighting of number 1 at 1418 Apple. SWAT 1 on the way. All other units converging. 

[Chief Rohrback] Turning to Kimihara, I pray this isn't a false alarm, or it'll be my head.

-------------------------

A nearby police cruiser, hearing the call, 

rolls up to the house only two minutes later and pulls up behind the man's car, blocking its exit route. Weapon drawn, the officer dashes into the house. He sees the suspect relaxing on the couch and quickly grabs his arm from behind, handcuffing him without a scuffle. 

[Officer 1134] Lifting his CB radio, Chief. This is 1134. Suspect at 1418 Apple in custody. No one else here. No resistance, I surprised him. I repeat suspect at 1418 Apple is in custody.

Dragging the suspect in handcuffs out the front door, 

officer 1134 almost faints as he emerges from the front door to see the entire world converging on the house from every angle. Helicopters and cruisers with sirens blazing are all coming towards the house down every possible route. 

A heavily armored swat team from a helicopter, just landing in the front yard, leaps out a snatches Mr. Hatomi from the arresting officer. They pull out the wallet from his pocket and look at his ID. 

[Swat] Breaker. Breaker. Scramble Swat 1 and Swat 3 to 1413 Mountain Ave. I repeat, scramble Swat 1 Swat 3 to 1413 Mountain Ave. Situation at 1418 Apple under control. Suspect in custody. Swat 1 returning to station with suspect. 

Mr. Hatomi looks back at arresting officer 1134 one more time and shrugs before being carried away.

--------------------

About 10 minutes later, Swat 1 and Swat 3 arrive at Mr. Hatomi's house at 1413 Mountain Ave. They land the helicopter in the large backyard. Jumping out of the copter, Swat 3 team member #2 surveys the scene and picks up his radio. 

[Swat member #2] Uh. Chief. I don't quite know what to make of this. It's a large lot in the countryside. It looks like there has been some digging in the back. Uh. Chief. Correct. It looks like there's been a lot of digging. 

The Chief looks at his Deputy Kimihara, who heard the whole call. Kimihara hasn't reacted. 

[Chief Rohrback] Do you know what this means, Kimihara? We better call Mrs. Ito.

Back in the bunker at Mrs. Ito's house, the red phone rings. 

[Chief Rohrback] Mrs. Ito this is Chief Rohrback. We've captured the suspect without trouble. Your home is now safe, but there are a lot of people outside. Do you want to come out yourself, or should we come to get you? 

[Mrs. Ito] We can come out ourselves. You know you didn't talk to me, right? (hint hint)

[Chief Rohrback] Roger that. Oh, and Mrs. Ito, we've just received the first report from Mr. Hatomi's house. They found some digging in the backyard. 

[Mrs. Ito] Interrupting, do you know what that means, Chief?

[Chief Rohrback] Yes. I do. Thanks for your service. Chief Rohrback out. 

--------------------

Mrs. Ito climbs out of the bunker and walks down the bunker hallway. She undoes the series of safe doors before emerging into the main room again. Agents are dusting the couch for fingerprints and collecting hairs. 

Police cars are parked all over the lawn. Thinking to herself and turning around,

[Mrs. Ito] Wait! Where's Maki?

Mrs. Ito turns tail and runs back down to the safe room to find Maki curled in a fetal position in the corner of the saferoom. 

[Mrs. Ito] Maki! It's safe now. You can come out!

[Maki] Mama. Can I stay here for a while?

--------------------

Two days later, the paper comes out with a picture of Mr. Hatomi on the front page. 

It says an anonymous tip led to his arrest. The police found 82 bodies in the yard, ending the largest serial murder investigation in the country's history and capturing most wanted suspect #1.

Ten years later ... Maki is still haunted by the incident.