What do you think we'll find, Dad?
Will it be treasure, will it be gold,
or will there be a nasty trap?
I'm not really keen on traps, they can hurt.
Especially the one that'll slice your whole head off.
I wouldn't like that.
Wouldn't be able to eat my dinner if I didn't have a mouth.
Or any sweets.
No, a beheading wouldn't be great.
It's a little fuzzy, looks very orange.
That's heat haze.
Gonna be a beautiful evening.
I dunno, the sun looks weird.
More like a danger signal.
I think it's a portent.
10 year olds don't talk about portents.
This one does.
- Dad. - Uh huh?
Do you think we might a unicorn skeleton?
Maybe, yeah.
- Where? - Underneath the big oak tree.
- What color will it be? - What, the oak tree?
No, the skeleton.
Oh, well they're purple, aren't they?
Mostly, but the skeleton, I reckon it's gonna be silver.
No, they're pink.
Well if you knew why did you ask?
Well I wanted to test you.
Any treasure yet?
No just some worms.
Three snails and couple of rusty nails
and Jesus's cross
Let's have a look.
Ah, almost definitely 2,000 years old.
Look you can see the raven nail maker's hallmark.
Well done good find.
Yeah well, still no real treasure.
I can't understand it.
The map clearly says the big triple tree.
Right, three steps forward.
- What does X mark? - The spot.
Thank you, I love you Dad, it's the best treasure ever.
Come on, getting dark.
It's quite scary
when the sun goes down isn't it Dad?
I'm not your dad!
Eternity, wait come back, I was only joking.
Eternity wait up, come on.
- Dad. - Yeah?
Sometimes when I get scared I burp.
Well you gotta be careful
'cause some monsters they like the smell of burps
and they'll come and eat you up.
I'm not scared of monsters.
Okay.
I wish Mom could've been a treasure hunter with us today.
I'm going to bed, don't forget to brush your teeth.
- Goodnight treasure hunter. - Goodnight.
What's the matter?
There's a monster under my bed.
There's a monster on my bed.
Eternity!
You okay?
There's a monster under my bed.
There's nothing there.
He's coming.
Help!
Jack.
I truly miss you.
Please just get out of my head.
No.
- Jack. - Mary.
You all right Jack?
You look a bit pooped.
I'm at a loss.
Oh yeah, filling the day can be hard.
Did you know that the horse chestnut
will soon be gone from the English countryside
within a couple of decades.
First the elm, then the ash and now the humble conker.
"The woods decay, the woods decay and fall."
Oh my we are in a blue funk aren't we?
It's Tennyson, the poet.
So how's Eternity, how are you holding up?
You know I've been better.
I keep having these nightmares and they feel so real
I don't know whether I'm awake or...
Well sometimes when we have a traumatic experience
our perception can change.
I just need to keep busy you know.
Been trying to find work but there's nothing.
I just need a new project.
But you're a writer right?
So what are you writing then?
Stuff people don't want to read.
- Got an agent? - Yeah.
So why aren't you calling him?
- Her. - Or her?
Okay, we're going to call right now and get you a meeting.
Really Mary there's no point.
Yep, come on.
- Hello? - Hello.
Yes I'm calling on behalf of Jack Winter,
I'm his publicist.
Yeah we require and an urgent meeting with...
- Vivian. - With Vivian.
Yes, it's important,
we want a meeting today, this afternoon.
Two p.m.
Yeah?
That'll be great, what?
Yes.
I'm sure that will be fine, thanks.
How did you do that?
I had a great job in HR before Daisy came along
and buggered all that up.
Oh by the way your agent wants a skim double mocha
chocolate latte with cream and four sugars.
No problem.
Thanks for the coffee Jack, excellent.
No problem.
So what's all this very urgent, important,
who's your publicist anyway?
- Well... - Oh Jack.
Nice try, look I am busy but there is no work, nothing.
- Nothing? - Nothing.
Anything?
Look I'm not just a fiction writer okay, I can do anything.
Reviews, articles, historical, factual, recipes, anything.
- Anything? - Anything.
Look there is one thing.
You live near the countryside yeah?
- Yeah. - Near a forest?
There's an unfinished book
called The Legend of the Black Flowers.
Nobody wants to touch it.
It's a mythical, historical look at ancient pagan forests
and the links with witchcraft and demonology, devil worship.
Really quite disturbing stuff.
"We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones."
Avelin Eldridge, fancy writer from the 70's,
wrote a trilogy that was never finished.
Anyway the project's been dormant for three years.
It needs life, it just needs finishing.
What happened to the original author, Avelin?
He killed himself.
He was quite disturbed anyway
and the book just ate him up, nothing to worry about.
Look the book's 70% done.
I just need you to tart it up,
finish it off, put it to bed, give it 110%.
It's actually quite an interesting story,
you just need to visit these five locations
and if you get it right
you might actually make me some money.
Oh yeah money.
Two K when you finished it, two months from today okay?
Can you go a bit higher?
- It's my daughter. - Don't care.
Go, go.
Really?
Just.
Thank you.
Go!
Nice spade you got there.
You scared me.
You're lucky that's all I did.
Let's have a look.
Oh, sharp.
'Course it's sharp,
can't dig if it's not sharp.
You're a little monkey aren't you?
So what are you digging for?
Buried treasure.
If I can find some treasure
then Dad wouldn't be so worried all the time.
We could have a holiday on the beach, a TV,
some electronics, maybe even a pony.
So it's you then that's been digging
all them holes in the forest.
Yep, 327 so far.
Can I see your gun?
Yes.
Ah come on you gotta hold it right.
Okay now put the handle in there,
in your shoulder, all right, tight.
All right now get your sight along the barrel.
All right gently squeeze the trigger.
Not too hard, gently squeeze, gently, that's it, lovely.
Squeeze, that's it, lovely.
Oh!
You got me.
Oh did you think I was gonna leave it loaded?
Have you ever killed anyone?
No, but the gun has.
Did you know that the old soldiers,
they used to use big round buttons
from their jackets for bullets.
If the worst came to the worst.
Yeah, gun can fire anything.
Dad will ask me if I'm okay and if I've eaten.
If I say no he'll say, "why not" like it's my fault.
- You okay? - Uh-huh.
- Have you eaten? - No.
Why not?
Evening neighbor.
I was just saying to your daughter here
that she should be digging near a marker.
See people leave markers when they bury treasure
in case something should happen to them
and then someone else can find it.
What sort of something?
Well you know something
that means they couldn't come back.
Why wouldn't they come back?
Oh you know, people forget,
people move away, people die!
A bit scary.
No no, I'm only trying to help you
find the treasure that's all.
Evening neighbor.
- Weirdo. - Yeah, your spade.
- Dad. - Yeah.
I can't sleep.
I keep seeing shadows and,
there's an evil creature behind the curtain.
There's nothing there.
Now go back to sleep, you've got school tomorrow
and I don't need you keeping me up all night.
You can pack your bags in the morning.
Oh come on it's freezing.
Why I'm having a snog.
Yeah well I'm freezing
waiting for you to finish snogging that dick.
- He's no dick. - I'm not a dick.
If he wasn't a dick he have given us a lift to the pub
and we wouldn't to have to fucking walk.
All right he is a dick, but he is a good snog.
It's like in that story,
you know, they really followed the stars.
You follow one star.
Yeah but there are four stars.
Well what do you expect anyway?
Airplane, UFO.
Colin, stop it's not funny.
Come on let's just keep moving.
Stop it you prick.
- I told you he's a dick. - Oh shut up.
Fucking hell, all right what was that?
I don't know.
Shit it's in front of us.
Let's just get back to the pub and ring a taxi.
Okay.
Shit.
Oh shit, late late late, bloody nightmares.
- What? - P-post.
- I can't find your post box. - We ain't got one.
You're not Fred, what happened to Fred?
I don't know, life, redundancy, who knows?
People move away.
Dad I'm gonna be late for school.
You've got me now, Patricia postwoman.
Haven't got a letter box.
Bills.
It's the first day of the new term, I need to be on time.
Bills, bills.
I won't know what class I'm in.
Hello.
What's this?
What now?
- Morning sir. - Sorry officer,
I thought you were someone else.
We're making some inquiries in the area.
Did you hear or see anything strange last night sir?
Strange?
Out of the ordinary.
No I don't think so, nothing I can think of.
Hey, well my daughter you know she has bad dreams
so I'm used to hearing screams in the night.
Screams sir, I never mentioned screams.
- I'm 10. - She's 10.
We're investigating a violent assault
in the woods over there.
Poppy!
Really, an assault?
This is a nice little community
and we don't have assaults here.
You're new aren't you?
Yes sir, Constable Black.
What happened to the other one, what's his name?
- Constable Jones. - He left sir.
People move away, cut backs.
Look sorry I'd really like to but I can't,
I've gotta get my kid to school.
Do let us know if you think of anything,
thank you for your time sir.
Get a move on will you?
We should've got ready last night.
I told you to get packed last night Eternity.
Oh where are my keys?
Come on!
Just doing up my shoelaces,
we're gonna be out of here in two seconds 'kay?
Got 15 minutes.
Gonna be stuck behind traffic or gonna be stuck
behind a bloody combine harvester or tractor now.
Late on the first day, bloody bollocks.
Come on!
- Dad. - What?
Are we late because you had nightmares again?
No, well maybe a little one.
Were they about Mom, don't worry, you don't need to worry.
You shouldn't try to scare me you know,
you'll only give yourself bad dreams.
If you think you're dreaming pinch yourself, you'll be okay.
- Dad. - Yep?
You know what I wonder about?
- What flavor are jellyfish. - No silly.
What are all those red phone boxes for?
I mean everyone has a mobile phone except me
so why do we need them?
I had a sniff in one and it smelled horrid
though I did find a 20 P coin so it wasn't a total disaster.
Right here we are.
Be good yeah?
All right, love you.
I know it's only been 24 hours
but my friend Poppy is still missing.
Something bad happened.
But why 48 hours, it's ridiculous.
Well I hope your best friend disappears you asshole.
They won't take me seriously.
They say they're looking into it but I know that's bollocks.
I still don't know why the police aren't helping out.
What did you do?
We got busted for drugs Mom.
Last summer, LSD and mushrooms.
I got so high I thought I was being chased by unicorns
so I ran off and then Poppy went missing.
Police found her off her face in a ditch.
Oh you stupid stupid bloody kids.
If I was gonna get paid
I had to get on with finishing Eldridge's book.
I read all his notes but they made no sense,
but it was clear he was searching
for the elusive black flowers.
But what they were remained a mystery.
I decided to visit the last few locations
mentioned in his manuscript.
This took me beyond the boundary of the forest
and to the very edge of the land itself.
It took me to the largest beech trees in all the realm,
a ruined hilltop church,
where on a good day you could see forever
and an ancient Roman battlefield
right in the heart of the woods
where I used to go for walks with my wife.
Eternity,
you all right?
Dad forgot me Miss.
It wouldn't be that, it'll be the traffic.
Mom never forgot me.
Would you like me to give you a lift?
No thanks Miss, I know the way.
Eternity I don't think that, goodness.
Dinner.
Dad.
Am I a bastard?
What no, Eternity what made you say that?
A kid at school said I was.
- You're a bastard. - Your mom's dead.
She drowned in a lake, bastard.
No I'm not!
I'll curse you and you'll all die.
Your mommy and I were married when you were born.
Then how come I'm in the wedding photos?
Right okay, that kid is a bully.
Do you know how to deal with bullies?
No.
Give that here.
Hold out your hand flat like this.
Right, when the bully comes close
he's gonna be looking at your flat hand
so with your other hand you ball that up,
this is your fighting hand, your hitting hand,
ready to wack him when he comes close.
Ow you got me, say I got ya.
- I got ya. - Yeah.
Yes.
If you don't want to wack someone right,
then I've got something much better.
You know those Roman soldiers in your history book?
The ones who killed Jesus?
Well I wasn't exactly thinking of those ones
but yeah Roman soldiers, all right.
Well Roman soldiers are the best,
they're the best in the world,
all right, they're brilliant
and they've got these really good archers.
So when you're really in trouble
and you really need them you call out for them
and they will appear behind you,
- a whole phalanx of them. - What?
A whole load of them will appear behind you
with their bows and arrows and whoever is threatening you,
they will be scared to death.
Wow.
But you can never see them,
they will only appear behind you
and you can't turn to face them
'cause if you do right they will stab you in the guts
with their short swords
and then all your guts come out like a bag of worms
and you'll die.
So, remember, ball up those little fists
and have faith those Romans will never let you down.
And what if they do?
They won't.
All right let's finish this.
If I ever get too ill or too old
to have a beer under the stars
I want you to put me in a little boat
and set fire to it, like the vikings did, 'kay?
What kind of boat?
A little wooden one
and remember to pack the firewood properly.
Okay I promise.
I wish Mom could've been here.
You see that star up there?
The little one?
They're all little ones.
But yeah that one, that's a part of Andromeda.
Andromeda was the daughter of Queen Cassiopeia
and she was so beautiful
that they named a constellation after her.
Your mom was so pretty
that the gods couldn't bear to be without her
so they took her home early and left us behind.
Your mom is up in the stars.
Wow.
Mom are you out there?
Mom I miss you.
Dad, look Dad.
Who's there?
He's scary.
Evening.
Found that treasure yet?
We're stargazing.
What you doing up so late?
Lost something, something that glows in the dark.
Like a watch?
That's right, like a watch.
Goodnight neighbors.
Sweet dreams.
Goodnight.
Should we go in?
Yeah, let's.
Can you get that?
Bollocks!
Bloody electricity's gone.
I know, mysterious.
Jack!
Jack help me.
Jack, he's coming, you must protect Eternity.
Man I don't need this.
For fuck's sake.
What the hell do you think you're doing?
Playing computer.
- It's four in the morning. - But I can't sleep.
No Dad!
No more computer games.
Daddy why did you do it?
No!
Daddy you were screaming.
Oh, just a bad dream.
It's okay, you can sleep with me and Mr. Bun tonight.
We'll look after you.
Morning.
I take it you've got no school today then.
- It's a half day. - Which half?
I'll find out.
I've got to do some research today for the book
so I can get paid and keep you
in the cereal you're accustomed to
so I'm gonna need to get you a sitter.
I don't need a sitter, I'm 10.
Yeah but society has a different view.
Oh god.
What's that?
A list of all the babysitters I've ever had.
All right.
Hello Iona long time...
Hi Keesha.
No?
She's really fond of you.
What do you mean Eternity's
the kind of girl you want to slap?
Well I'm sure she didn't mean to bite you.
She drew blood?
Stole your spade?
I did wonder where she got that from.
Yes.
Yes it's Jack Winter, Eternity's dad.
Yeah I know, I'll pay it as soon as I can.
All right sorry about that one.
Hello, yeah, and what sort of parent are you?
Show me.
No.
- Eternity what have you done? - I'm sorry.
Right that is it you are grounded for a week.
No more treasure hunting.
No no, it was an accident and it's not my fault.
Well whose fault was it then?
- Spade. - Spade's?
I cannot cope okay.
We've got no money and I cannot work
unless I get a sitter.
I don't want a sitter.
Are you an idiot?
Are you stupid?
I can cope all by myself.
I don't need a sitter and I don't need you.
Ow.
Eternity I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm really sorry.
Get of me you idiot, I hate you!
I hope you die!
Then you turn into a tree
and then I can cut you down and burn you like a log!
Stupid spade, I'll show you spade.
I'm sorry spade.
You've been a good friend but now you've been bad,
you got me electrocuted and nearly dead,
and grounded.
And now you have to go.
It's time to move on, I'll miss you.
Eternity, Eternity, Eternity.
Eternity, Eternity.
Eternity, don't give up.
Keep looking, follow the signs, keep looking.
Mom I miss you, where are you?
Follow the signs Eternity, don't give up,
keep looking, follow the signs, Eternity,
don't give up, keep looking, follow the signs.
I think I'm supposed to keep digging for treasure spade.
Where should I dig?
Jack, hello Jack.
- Oh. - Hi Mary, all right.
Just thought we'd pop around to see if you're all right.
Why?
Well we were worried.
Daisy and her friend Poppy were attacked in the woods.
Poppy's still missing.
Yeah I heard, the policewoman came around.
You all right?
Well we've all got to be extra careful.
Where is Eternity anyway?
She's inside sleeping.
So what about Poppy then?
Police say we have to wait 48 hours
before she's officially missing.
Well look anyway we bought you this,
bread, jam, some beer, a piece of cake for Eternity.
- You know, just to help out. - Mary.
You should've have done that.
Oh look well Eloise is gone,
but Eternity's still here.
Do you understand, she's 10 for god's sake.
She's got an old soul.
Old soul, such nonsense, she's 10.
- I need a babysitter. - 30 quid.
I'll do it for 30 quid.
30 quid for a couple of hours?
All right, 40 if you're being a dick about it.
30 it is then, thanks Daisy, thanks Mary.
All right.
Good.
You must protect yourself Eternity.
You must fight the monster.
- Hey, give it back. - What's it worth?
I won't kill you.
- Oh yeah you and whose army? - Whose army?
Hey.
My undead army.
I command you my Roman legionaries to come to my aid
and kill these idiots with your magic arrows.
Well goodbye, look at the sight of her.
Got my box back.
They're scared of me, I win.
So what happened with you then last night?
No way.
Shut up, no he didn't.
Oh my god.
Yeah I'm just at work.
Yeah it's really boring.
No nothing really, five days a week.
Shit yeah.
Like every time someone comes in
which is hardly ever,
they just sit there and don't even talk to me
so I have to just sit on my phone.
So many idiots who come here, like literally.
You'll never guess what happened yesterday yeah.
Some man decided to pee in the elevator
and I had to clean it up.
I thought well that's not my job.
I know, didn't even get a thank you.
Yeah anyway, what's a matter with you then?
Well she never told me that
and I've done a bunch for her.
Hung out with all of them.
Yeah I know, I wasn't gonna fight him last night.
Shut up, no he didn't, I don't believe you at all, no.
Now I've got some weird kid looking at me.
Yeah, I know.
I don't know what she's doing, yeah,
she just, she just run out and put her sandwich on my desk.
Oh well, I'll eat it anyway, let's have a look.
Cheese my favorite, mm.
Hello.
What are you doing in my wood?
Your wood is it?
Yes.
Should you be walking on your own?
I'm not on my own, I've got this stick.
Which FYI could take your eyeballs out.
Of course, well I think you should run along home
as quick as you can.
I am, you're stopping me, I've got stuff to do.
Okay, I see.
Well take care.
What a mess here.
What's that?
Not now, I'm busy.
I'm trying to work out the relationship
between these five places.
Where are they?
Well one's here.
No don't do that.
And there's one here.
One here.
Here.
And here.
Five of them.
Where's that?
That is farmer Sykes' farm.
What all of it?
Yeah, he's expanding his empire.
And that?
That's the forest.
Where's our house?
That's us there.
- Dad. - Mm-hm?
Can I go to the hardware store please?
- What for? - A thing.
- What thing? - A thing.
Maybe later.
You always say maybe later.
All right then, I'll get my keys.
Keys.
Nice, right, straight to the hardware store
and then straight back okay
'cause I've got work to do, no mucking about.
This thing then, is it a cheap thing
or is it an expensive thing?
Is it a thing, or a couple of things?
Can I help you?
We haven't got bore scrubber foaming gel.
Well some silicone oil
and a barrel and chamber cleaning tool will do in a push.
So what do you need all these things for?
To be honest it's none of your business.
A bit rude that, sorry.
I need it to fix my gun
so I can kill all the monsters in my room dead forever.
Kids eh?
Okay Daisy's gonna be here later all right?
Yep.
Are you gonna be a good girl
now that I've spent all that money...
- Yes Dad. - On a thing.
Please, please help me.
- Help me. - Oh my god.
Please, please help me I, I don't feel so good.
Black Flower.
The ancient maps
in Eldridge's Black Flower manuscript
led me to a strange tower right in the heart of the forest.
It was the last location Eldridge visited
before his untimely death.
I'm the curator, how can I help you?
Jack Winter, I spoke to you on the phone earlier.
Ah yes, the writer.
I'm an avid reader, when it comes to literature
I have the heart of a little boy.
That's good to hear.
And I keep it in a jar on my desk.
So what do you actually curate here?
Oh the things that nobody wants to look after anymore.
Forgotten things.
What do you write?
I'm researching a book at the moment.
Well ghostwriting actually.
The original author lost the plot.
What's his name?
Avelin Eldridge.
Oh yes, yes I remember him.
He was here about what, oh seven years ago, poking about.
He asked lots of questions.
The book's called The Legend of the Black Flowers.
Oh a legend's always based on something,
nothing is truly original.
Yeah well it's a shame he died.
- Dead, certainly not dead. - What?
Mad as a hatter I'll grant you that,
but he's certainly not dead.
You must prepare yourself Eternity.
I know you can be strong.
Beware the monster in the forest,
you must protect yourself from him.
He can be very, very nasty,
and there are some really really bad things in woods.
So I need you to be a big girl,
look after yourself and look after Daddy.
- Who is it? - It's Daisy, the babysitter.
I'm not a baby.
The young lady sitter then, is that better?
Acceptable I suppose, you may come in.
I've seen you before.
Your dad's friends with my mom.
I live in the next house.
Where's your dad?
He, he ran away.
I don't really need a sitter.
Oh.
- No? - No.
Don't you get bored here on your own?
No, only boring people get bored.
What did you do to your arm?
I got cut.
Can I see?
Why?
- Because I want to. - No, maybe later.
So, why are you called Eternity?
Because I'll still be here when you die.
Jack.
Sykes.
Storms coming up.
Strange events going on.
Yeah, missing people, police were around.
I saw them.
Heard you're writing a book.
Did ya?
Mary said.
What's it about?
It's about the legend of the black flowers.
Legend.
Do you know about it?
In the heart of every forest
grows a black flower.
Yeah, I'm looking for it now,
following up on some leads.
Old stories Jack.
I wouldn't worry about it if I was you, best forgotten.
I don't know how to spell any long words, it's not fair.
Yeah, you're completely rubbish.
No I'm not, you are.
Four letters, is that the best you can do?
It's a better word than yours.
Look.
I've got this friend Jadis,
she's a psychic.
Do you want me to get her around,
see if she can help sort this shit, stuff out?
Mr. Eldridge?
I'm Jack Winter, I'm,
working on finishing your book The...
- Legend of the Black Flowers. - Yeah.
You're not the first and you certainly won't be the last.
I was just wondering if...
Hey, the book.
The problem Jack is that it's all true
though no one will believe you.
Look at the map.
See these isolated items in the woodland?
In the middle of each hidden in the ground
is a black flower rune stone.
In the middle of the largest oldest one
is a flower of great strength
in a small copse, it's the size of an old penny,
created by the spirits of the forest
to keep the forest and all its denizens safe from harm.
And what do these black flowers do?
They send out a message, makes men want to leave
and eventually people move away.
But as long as the black flower stays there
the forest will last forever.
And what happens if the black flower is taken?
Then men arrive with their axes
and the forest will be lost, such is the curse of mankind.
And the forest will do
whatever it takes to get the flowers back.
Like what?
Mr. Eldridge.
Like summoning up the horned god.
Who are you?
Jadis.
That's a funny name.
Jadis was a famous witch,
the queen of all the witches
and do you know the thing about witches?
No.
A real witch can never die.
Hey Daisy, how it's going, need any shrooms?
No thanks, I'm off them.
Don't be afraid, most witches are good
and most hauntings are easily explained.
However, can feel some bad energy here.
It's cold, this place is old.
- Well obviously. - And haunted.
Can feel at least one ghost here,
a restless spirit, I can feel its emotions screaming out.
It's trying to stop something,
to make something right.
Every ghost has a reason to haunt.
Some are lonely, some are stuck, some just bored.
I mean if you were dead,
died painfully or violently what would you do?
I would constantly be trying to communicate.
What's that for?
It's called smudging.
Ghosts don't like the smell of burned sage.
Rest assured he's coming for you.
Who's coming for me?
The horned god of course, the protector of the forest.
You don't believe that, gods are real?
Spooky, cool.
All right, you're scaring her and me.
Cards communicate in many ways.
The horned god is eternal.
He's always been with us and always will be.
He is eternity.
You think technology will save you now?
It's too late, too late, too late.
Are you okay?
God.
Is that ectoplasm?
No it's sick, I've never had anything like this before.
You can keep the tarot deck.
There's a whole new hell
coming to your doorstep for Eternity.
What do you mean, hell for Eternity?
Your daughter's name isn't it?
He's coming for your daughter.
No Eternity.
It's not a legend, it's a curse.
Nobody finishes my fucking book but me!
Dead, no not dead, your Dad's not dead.
Good evening, Winter residence, who's speaking please?
- Eternity. - Hi.
It's Dad.
I know, I recognize your voice.
Okay.
- Daisy is here. - Put her on.
- Hi. - Daisy hi.
Look I'm having a bit of a nightmare all right,
I'm gonna be hours...
- 100 quid to stay all night. - 100 quid?
- Oh all right, all right. - Good.
And feel free to tip 'cause your house is scary as,
well, pretty scary.
Just be good okay, I'll be as quick as I can.
Thank god they keep these phone boxes working, yeah.
Get out of my room!
- What happened? - There was a monster.
It's okay.
I'm gonna look after you, yeah.
I'm scared.
We'll be okay in here, I've made it monster proof.
Monsters can't cross salt.
- Like slugs? - It's the same.
It's to do with the slime.
Just five minutes, all right.
Really?
I'm coming in, coming in, I'm coming.
Come here, oh.
Eloise!
Come on.
Damn.
- What should we do? - Don't know.
My phone's dead and your power's still out.
Why don't you use our phone?
All my numbers are in this one.
Look Eternity I'm gonna go get my mom,
she'll know what to do.
You're gonna stay here okay?
I think you'll be all right in the daylight,
but you have to promise me
you're gonna stay inside the house.
Okay.
Be right back.
Bullets, bullets, bullets, how do I make bullets?
Dad.
- Daddy! - Eternity!
I was worried about you.
- Jinx. - Where's Daisy?
We saw a monster, it had horns.
I whacked it with my spade.
Daisy's gone to get her mom
'cause she know what to do and you weren't here.
Dad, I closed the door.
What?
No I don't want any bloody insurance, piss off.
Dad.
- Dad. - Yeah?
It's in my room, I can feel it.
- Dad. - What?
Under the bed.
Oh god, what're you doing here?
Look I've been checking things out.
We've been on the internet.
How come you live here?
Well it's our home.
Yeah but why here?
Now how did you end up in this place?
It's been in the family for generations,
it's an old charter, someone has to live here,
like a guardian.
What is it, what is this house?
- It's a gatehouse. - You sure?
Yeah, there's been a gatehouse on this site for,
well since the Roman times.
2,000 years.
Well what's it a gatehouse to?
It's a gatehouse to the...
There's no castle or stately home.
It's a gatehouse to the forest.
Or it's not a gatehouse, it's a...
- Mausoleum. - A tomb.
- You said guardian? - Yeah.
What are you guarding, maybe it's a prison or a safe.
A vault.
- Is there a basement? - No.
- No there's no basement here. - You sure?
- Yep I lived here... - What's in there?
Nothing's in there.
Oh leave that Daisy.
There's nothing in there, it's just junk and stuff,
please leave that, oh come on out,
I just put that, Daisy.
Honestly Daisy please don't do that,
please just put that back.
I've lived here for 10 years.
- What's that then? - Nothing.
Really?
Looks like a basement to me.
How old do you reckon this place is?
It's at least as old as the house, even older.
This could be part of the original Roman foundations.
- Daisy. - Sorry cobwebs.
Oh.
Sorry, sorry.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Ah, mind your head.
Guys.
Look.
Wait.
Swap.
Yeah.
Okay, one,
two,
three.
Wow.
The Romans must've built this place
to protect the main black flower.
They must've all got fed up
with monsters in their bedroom.
The gatehouse is guarding the forest,
but it's not a gate to their world,
it's a gate stop and it's fucking with it.
Language.
I'm cold.
Well, there's nothing else here
and this place stinks of death.
Then let's go.
Yeah, let's.
Eternity!
What are you doing here?
Door was open, no one about,
I wondered what was going on.
- Oh hello Algernon. - Mary.
Algernon.
What's that you got there?
You know what that is don't you?
Look, we've got the black flower rune stone
and the horned god has come to take it back
are you gonna help us
or just stand there like a big pile of poo?
- Is this some sort of joke? - No.
Big pile of poo.
See here, we're at the center of all the black flowers.
The gatehouse must be the original heart of the forest
when it was all one thousands of years ago.
Eldridge's notes, he's got people move away
underlined all over it.
- People move away. - People move away.
And eventually people move away.
People move away.
It's the black flower rune stones,
they're sending out a message.
Leave us alone, move away.
And when they're gone people can destroy the forest.
We've got to give them back.
We've got to face him.
Best form of defense is attack.
Come on then.
Hey, who's to gain from the destruction of the forest?
He's been expanding his farm for years,
plowing over the woods and trees
like it's going out of fashion.
Where are we going?
To fight the forces of darkness.
Is it wise for your child to fight the forces of darkness?
I'm not a child, I'm 10, and 10 is a magic number.
Can't argue with that.
10 fingers, 10 toes, 10 planets, 10 commandments,
10 out of 10, 10 pennies and the decimal system
and in ancient Rome decimate means to kill
every 10th legionnaire, decimate 10.
- Okay, okay. - 10.
I get the idea.
Who says it's from the darkness anyway?
Your dead friend.
You know a lot.
Been watching you.
Keeping my ears open, put two and two together.
He just wants to live, what's so evil about that?
It's the way he wants to live,
skulking about in the darkness, scaring people.
He's right and no one scares my daughter except me.
- Hawthorn? - Yeah,
the best wood for fighting the undead.
What'd you do that for?
Bit jumpy, sorry.
Oh this is ridiculous, what are we doing here?
Let me see the black flower.
It's leading the way.
Poppy!
Poppy.
Help me.
What the hell?
Are you okay?
Oh, we'll get you out.
- Are you okay? - Help me, help me.
Please, I don't feel so good.
We'll get you out of the tree.
I don't think you can, I'm part tree now.
We've got an ax.
No, I'm a poppy tree.
Shit, not dreaming.
He's the one who did this to me.
Come on.
Oh my god.
Hi.
Black flower.
All right.
I think this is yours.
No, no don't give it to that thing.
No!
Oh my god.
You're an aberration.
Oh no.
Eternity come here.
Give me that, do you hear me?
Run.
What are you doing Sykes come on.
No, please don't hurt us, no.
Just take it.
Where are you, you bleeding conker?
Come out, come out wherever you are?
Come out, come out.
I can see you.
Got you girlie.
Daddy.
Daddy are you okay, Daddy?
Go away, go away!
Leave us alone, this is all your fault.
I'm gonna cut off your head and bury it upside down
then you'll never come back.
You think you can just come into my woods
and start bossing us around?
I call on the gods of ancient Rome,
help me have vengeance.
They'll obliterate you.
I command my undead army of Roman archers
to protect me from this nasty god.
Let there be war!
Save the forest.
Kill the beast.
Kill the monster.
Save the forest.
Give me that black flower now.
You shot my dad.
Oh it was an accident, I was aiming at that demon thing.
You're just greedy.
He's just trying to protect his home,
the forest, the place he loves.
You cheeky little monkey.
I hope it hurts when you die.
- Save the forest. - Kill the monster.
Return the black flowers to the forest,
back to the Earth where they belong.
Daddy, Daddy.
Dad I did it.
You know, you know why you're called Eternity?
No.
Because when you were born it was perfect
and I wanted it to last for an Eternity.
Daddy, Daddy.
No you can't leave, don't go.
Daddy, daddy please, please don't go Daddy.
No Daddy.
Daddy.
I've got to pack it right.
I've cleaned you up as best as I can.
Got to have you looking good for Mom.
You got what you wanted.
Help me, help.
- Where is it? - Oh, what's happening?
Dad's going to the next world.
No that's not right.
Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack, wake up Jack.
Jack, Jack wake up!
Jack, Jack, Jack, Jack.
Jack, wake up Jack.
Jack wake up.
Jack, Jack, wake up, wake up.
Jack you have to wake up.
Wake up now Jack, Jack I love you.
Jack, wake up Jack please.
Jack for me, Jack wake up.
Jack, Jack, wake up Jack!
Jack, Jack, you have to wake up.
Jack.
I love you.
For Eternity, for me you must wake up now.
Okay, it's okay.
Daddy.
Eternity I am sorry, I am so so sorry.
I'm gonna be a better dad
and I am never gonna leave you again.
Once upon a time there was a little girl called Eternity
who used to burp when she got scared
who lived in a haunted gatehouse
at the edge of an ancient forest
with her dad, her stepmom Mary
and her stepsister called Daisy
and no one could ever take it from them.
The end.
Look the book's 80% done.
I just need you to tart it up, finish it off,
put it to bed, give it 110%.
You can ghostwrite, right?