01x10 - Esme's Story

[bunniefuu]

(SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(BUZZERS RINGING FROM AFAR)

- (DOOR RATTLING)
- It's time.

(RAP SONG)

(LOUD INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- (SQUEALING)
- Oh, my gosh.

- So you want a bunny?
- We already have a dog.

Maybe your dog wants a bunny?

Maybe...

Yeah.

Um, come on.

I know, I love you so much.

- I'm sorry.
- It's okay. Maybe next time.

So we have a dog now?

- Yeah. Didn't you know?
- Yeah, no, I didn't.

- That was not...
- I had to say something.

'Cause, you know, you were
getting that look on your face

and I was losing the will to say no.

Plus I'll be the one looking after it.

Yeah, you always say that but
I don't think it's true, really.

- I'm responsible.
- (SHOUTING)

- Are you seeing this?
- Yeah.

(MAN): White people are under att*ck.

The invasion across our
borders by the uneducated,

the unskilled, the hordes of
pathetic people is unchecked...

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

Oh, my God.

(SHOUTING)

Oh, my God, dude, it's Sunday.

Go to brunch.

(MAN): Stand your ground.
Stand your ground!

(ENGINE STARTING)

As long as one white man lives,

all of our land will never be your land

and you will never replace us.

Okay, babe, seriously, can we please go?

Aaliyah!

- Please.
- Are you okay?

- No. No, I'm not. Can we go?
- Yes, we can go.

It's okay.

- It's really not. It's not okay.
- Hey, hey, hey... it's okay.

No, it's not. That's why I
moved here, to get away from that.

Can we just... I just
really want to go home.

- You wanna go?
- Yeah, I do.

Okay, we'll go home.

- (TIRES SCREECHING)
- (CROWD SHOUTING IN FEAR)

(BEEPING)

(KEY RATTLING IN THE DOOR)

Still at it?

- Yeah, I think I have something.
- _

I'm talking to this guy
who was there at the scene.

Well, who says he was there.

Nuh-uh. No.

No. He... he knows things.

Details. I think he knows the driver.

Wait, is that you?

White Future?

Do you really think this is healthy?

Trolling the internet
as a white supremacist?

Sweetie...

you've been at this for a week now.

It's driving you crazy.

No, the fact that our friend
Jordan is in a body cast

and may never walk again
is driving me crazy.

The police doing nothing,

that's driving me crazy.

And do you wanna know what's
driving me the most crazy?

It's all the people
that were there that day

saying how incensed they are

but not doing a damn thing about it.

Hey...

I just...

Look, I didn't mean you.

I'm upset about it too, okay?

I'm not saying that
we ignore it. I just...

I don't want to see
you get swallowed up.

There's no bottom to this, it's toxic.

I lived with it, I know.

Just being around it will destroy you.

And now you're in it, / .

(SIGHS) Okay. Alright.

Hey...

Let's just... forget about all
of that for right now, okay?

I'm here.

I'm here with you.

Uh, maybe you could
be like... here with me.

- Possibly.
- (CHUCKLING)

Oh, my God.

(POP MUSIC)

(INDISTINCT PA ANNOUNCEMENT)

(BUZZER RINGING)

Oh, baby, what's the occasion?

Um, peace.

Hmm.

Has there been a w*r?

Uh, you know what I mean.

And look you're not the only one

who's been acting a little crazy
ever since we were almost run over.

I think I let this stuff get to me

more than I realized

and I'm really sorry
if I took it out on you.

(BEEPING)

- Is that...?
- I... I'm sorry.

I just, he's... this is when
he said he'd be back online.

I... I thought you said
you were giving this stuff up?

I am. I am.

I just I need to find the driver.

Okay. Now...

What are you... what are you doing?

Were you even listening to me?

You know what? Forget it. Seriously.

- What are you doing?
- I'm going out.

- What? You can't.
- What do you mean I can't.

Wait, you can't. Really, hey.

- Yes, I can.
- Wait, wait, wait.

He's here.

- W... who's here?
- Uh, the guy.

Um, the guy I've been talking to.

You told him where we live?

No, I... of course not.

Well then, how did he get here?

I don't know.

(SCOFFS)

- Is that him?
- (BEEPING)

- What'd he say?
- (BEEPING)

- Um, he wants to meet me.
- _

You can't. He thinks that
you're a white supremacist.

I know.

I can't meet him...

but you can.

No. I'm not doing it.

Essie, somebody has to go down there.

Look...

when that guy points his
car towards the crowd,

he's not aiming for you.

He's aiming for me.

People like me.

That guy down there,

I know he was there and
I know he knows things.

Please.

Please, Essie.

White Future?

?

I'm sorry for just
showin' up unannounced.

Yeah well, you should be.

I didn't mean to scare you, I just...

I had to make sure you
are who you say you are.

You're not expecting me to invite a
stranger up to my apartment, are you?

I mean, I take exception
to the word stranger.

C'mon let's just at least grab a drink,

I've come all this way.

(BUZZER RINGING)

Alright, let me just... thank you.

I have got some good news.

The DA came in with a
new settlement offer.

He's willing to take
first-degree m*rder off the table

if you plead to second.

But he'll need you to make a statement.

Just a formal expression of remorse.

No.

- Esme.
- No way.

I don't regret what I did.

Esme, when you get rid of first degree,

life without the possibility
of parole goes away too.

As your attorney,

I strongly recommend that you
give this some serious thought.

There's nothing to think about.

Esme, are you sure?

I'm sure.

Okay...

Well, put this on.

Your trial starts in a half an hour.

(BUZZER RINGING)

Thank you.

(THEME MUSIC)

(HARD ROCK MUSIC)

I'm sorry if I spooked you.

I just, I thought you were kinda
pushing for us to get together.

Maybe I was.

So did you uh, track my IP address?

Well, I half expected you to be a cop.

It all seemed too good to be true.

Then why'd you come?

Guess I had a hunch you'd be worth it.

Hell, what are the odds, right?

"Holy Waters?"

The Bible Camp.

Concentration camp, if you ask me.

Yeah, I can't believe
I told you I went there.

It's a small world, huh?

It feels kinda cosmic.

The two of us.

You think you're pretty
charming, don't you?

Is it working?

(CHUCKLES)

So tell me... what's a girl
like you even doing here?

Making a living.

Yeah, but how do you stand it?

- You know, the smell of 'em.
- Hmm...

Just walking down the
street, they leave a residue.

Yeah, I mean "If it's
brown, flush it down" right?

My daddy had that on his bumper.

Back when we were allowed
to have free speech.

- (CHUCKLES)
- Amen.

(BOTTLES TINKLING)

You know, I, um... I have to
admit I was a little bit jealous.

Of?

Well, you were there when it happened.

Driver a friend of yours?

Maybe.

Or maybe you are being modest.

- The truth?
- Mm-hmm.

I don't think it was worth it.

All that heat, over what?
A drop in the bucket.

We've got somethin' much bigger planned.

- Oh yeah?
- Mm-hmm.

What do you say I get us another round?

Yeah.

(DOOR OPENING)

You know you really
could have warned me?

There wasn't any time. I just,
everything happened so fast.

He knew everything about me.

- You used my whole life.
- Essie, I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry. Really, I...

Look, I only did it because
I needed him to trust me.

I'm sorry, Essie.

Are you okay?

I'm calling the police.

So that's him?

And he says he's
planning something else.

Something big.

So what's his name?

Uh, is his handle. .

?

You sat with this guy how long
and you didn't get his name?

No, if I had asked him he
would have gotten up and left.

Look, he's dangerous. I know him.

I mean, not him specifically but
we went to the same bible camp

and he says he knows the
driver who ran down our friend.

I mean, he may even be the driver.

Yeah.

He knows things like
the cracked windshield.

Maybe he watched the video.
A lot of people did.

Look, look, look, he
says he lives upstate

with some people at a compound,
or a farm or something.

We think that's where the car is.

And you want me to drop
everything and track him down

for meeting you at a bar.

You're not going to
do anything, are you?

What I am gonna do is tell
you to stop playing detective.

- I'm not playing!
- Anything comes up, we'll let you know, okay?

In the meantime,
let us do our job, okay?

- (DOOR CLOSING)
- He's not gonna do anything.

Yeah, well...

it's kinda how it goes, isn't it?

But hey, you were right.

I never should have invited
that guy into our lives.

I'm sorry I put you
in that position, okay?

Look, let's just drop it now.

Yeah?

Hey, you okay?

- Yeah.
- Okay.

(MAN): All rise.

Department Seventy of the
Superior Court is now in session,

Judge Morse presiding.

What are you doing?

I've been talking to him.

Are you serious?

Uh... Essie.

He invited me upstate

to their compound where
he lives with those people.

You...

But you're not actually
thinking about going, right?

It's like you said.

Everyone's so mad about it
but nobody's doing anything.

And now they're planning
on doing something else

and the cops won't get involved.

- I can't... I can't let that happen.
- Essie...

No, listen, listen to me, baby.

(ESSIE SIGHS.)

When I was a kid...

I was riding with my brother Charlie

and there was this
black kid on the corner.

Charlie just...

threw a bottle at his head.

The kid screamed, charged at us,

he didn't know there was a truck full of

Charlie's buddies right behind us.

They all got out and...

started kicking the hell outta him.

And he was screaming.

And there was... blood
all over the street.

And you know what I did?

Nothing.

I just watched.

You were a kid.

But I'm not anymore.

Essie...

please, you cannot go with him.

I already said yes.

(BEEPING)

_

He's here.

- Okay.
- But what are you doing?

No, no, no. No, no.

I'm gonna show him who
he's really been talking to.

So then what? So then you get k*lled?

And they get away with it?

Listen to me,

Okay? My whole life,

I thought I was brave for
getting out but I wasn't.

I was always just running.

Scared. Always.

And I'm sick of it.

And I love you.

I love you, okay?

- I need to go.
- No, please don't go.

I need to go, okay?

Look, look, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Oh. Okay.

Don't be shy.

Your boyfriend sent me.

Uh, he's not my boyfriend.
I don't even know his name.

And I don't know your name.

I'm Esme.

People call me Essie.

Isn't that what
Mexicans call each other?

No, I think that's Ess-ay.

I'm messing with you.

But the question is,
are you messing with me?

What's that supposed to mean?

It means my boy comes
back from the big city

smitten with some girl who
shows up out of nowhere.

I didn't know he was anyone's boy.

You're good at that, aren't you?

- At what?
- Changing the subject.

I'm not really sure what the subject is?

You.

You know what they say?

You go to somebody,
chances are you can trust them.

But if someone comes
to you, better beware.

Right, right. Well, that's
the thing, he actually, um...

he actually came to me.

He showed up at my doorstep unannounced,

which, to be honest, is pretty creepy.

So maybe I should be
the one grilling you.

Come on, get in.

- You comin' or not? I don't have all day.
- Uh...

- (ENGINE STARTING)
- (KNOCKING ON THE WINDOW)

(KEYS RATTLING)

Something you want to say?

You look familiar.

I don't see how.

Hey.

I'll leave you to it.

You want to tell me
what that was all about?

You mad at me?

I'm sorry, he's paranoid.

It's the only way I'd
ever get to see you again.

What's his deal, anyway?

C'mon. I want you to meet some people.

- You comin'?
- Yeah.

This case isn't about peaceful
protest or civil disobedience.

- It's...
- (SUDDEN HUBBUB)

- Move!
- Thank you.

Just a minute, counselor.
(GAVEL BANGING) Order!

You're in my spot.

(GAVEL BANGING) Order in this court!

Now this is a public trial,
you are allowed to be here.

But I will not tolerate
any further disruption.

Do you recognize any of them?

- No.
- (MAN): What's your problem?

Please continue, counselor.

This case is about v*olence,

lethal v*olence.

(ADMIRATIVE WHISTLING)

I told you. She's perfect.

Yeah, where'd you
learn to sh**t like that?

Oh, um, Quantico.

What?

East Tennessee.

So you two just old friends from there?

- Uh, no, not really.
- Where then?

Uh, well, it was after
the "incident" in Brooklyn.

The hysteria down there
was off the charts.

Everyone screaming about the
v*olence, and the v*olence.

The v*olence they brought
on themselves by the way.

It was making me crazy so I was
in need of some adult conversation

and uh, miraculously
this gentleman appeared.

Why do you live there?

Not everyone can live here in Valhalla.

Yeah, good point.

If everyone from there lived here,

it wouldn't be Valhalla, would it?

Well, there's something
you can't say out loud, right?

Why not?

I don't mind the blacks, I love 'em.

As long as they're in Africa.

Mexicans in Mexico.

Jews in Israel.

Let them have their
so-called culture, just...

don't come here and mess up ours.

And now suddenly we're the t*rrorists?

We're the illegals? (CHUCKLES DRYLY)

What's happening here,
on our land, this replacement,

if it was happenin' anywhere else,
to anyone else but white Americans,

you know what they'd call it...

they'd call it genocide.

So anything that we do in response,

that's called self-defense.

- (ESSIE): Yeah.
- What are you clowns doin'?

Tryin' to make the world a better place.

C'mon. I need your help.

- Now?
- No, tomorrow.

What's with the questions?

- Sorry.
- What's up?

Nothing.

(MAN WHISTLING)

Actually, uh... we might be awhile.

We got something in the works.

(WHISPERING): Something big...

Don't worry. He'll be back.

- (CHUCKLES)
- So what are they up to?

He said they're working on something?

A little surprise party.

Uh...

Um, I've got to pee.

Just past the kitchen. On the left.

Great.

(DOOR OPENING)

(SOFT MUSIC)

(EXHALES)

(PHONE BUZZING)

- Hey.
- What're you doing here?

You know what? Don't.

Esme?

I knew I recognized you.

Give me your phone.

I don't want to.

Give me your phone.

What's the passcode?

Punch in the passcode.

Do it yourself.

- Punch in the code!
- (ESME PANTING)

Okay. Okay.

You disgust me.

(CRASHING)

She said she was worried when you
got disconnected, but not anymore.

(CHUCKLES) Ah, she sent an emoji,

a black girl and a white girl
with a heart in between them.

(ESME CRYING)

That's exactly what's
wrong with the world right there.

- (PHONE BEEPS)
- Now she's said "be careful"

and I'm going to respond.

Thumbs up.

Pink heart. Purple heart.

Is there an emoji for
"race traitor"? Hmm?

There should be.

What are we going to do with her?

Not a lot of options, now, are there?

- I won't tell anyone. I swear.
- And why would we believe you?

- You've done nothing but lie.
- (CRYING)

You know how I recognized her?

It's from that day.

White citizens peaceably
expressing their concern

for what this nation has become.

And what happens next?

A bunch of mulattoes show
up and shout them down.

Same thing that's happened in this whole
damn state, this whole damn country.

Them taking over,

telling my people to
shut up and get lost.

And you know what I see in the
middle of this godforsaken mud ballet?

A white girl, kissing up
on her black girlfriend,

and you know who that was?

- You.
- (CRYING): No...!

And seeing you,
I couldn't stand it anymore.

So I started my engine.

And you know what happened next.

No, please. I won't tell anyone.

I won't say a word. Please, please.

You got that right.

Dude, you k*ll a white girl

and the feds will be all over us.

You got a lot of faith in our
law enforcement all of a sudden.

I swear. I swear. Please, please.

She doesn't know our names, we
can just leave her here and get lost.

She likes girls, you get that, right?

We've got enough heat on
us as it is, thanks to you.

- Thanks to me?
- Yeah.

You're the moron who brought her here,

so unless you want to man
up and take care of this,

get outta my face.

(ESME, PANTING): No.
Please, please, please.

- (GROANING)
- (ROD TINKLING)

(ESME WHIMPERING)

- (RIPPING SOUND)
- Ah!

Ah, no, no!

The car! Go!

(PANTING)

(CRASHING)

(ENGINE STARTING)

(PHONE BUZZING)

Hey, baby.
I've been worried. Are you okay?

- I have the car, the one that hit Jordan.
- What?

I'm driving it now.

- Where are you?
- Upstate, near Arden.

Uh, the driver's there.

It's a farm with a white
house and two barns.

Essie, are you okay?

The FBI and the police need to get
there, so you need to call them.

Alright. It's going to be okay.

He tried to k*ll me.

The People call Aaliyah
Williams to the stand.

(MEN COUGH AND BOO)

I will have order in this court!

I repeat, I will have
order in this court.

- Bailiff, remove these people.
- (COUGHING CONTINUES)

- Bailiff, clear the court!
- (GAVEL BANGING)

(STRUGGLING SOUNDS)

(SOFT MUSIC)

(SIRENS WAILING)

(PANTING)

(ESME CRYING)

It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay. I'm right here.

Everybody back!

They're almost done.

Did they find anything?

No, it didn't sound like it.

Apparently the owner is some old
guy in a nursing home in New Jersey.

What?

He didn't even know
anyone was living here.

You cannot blame yourself
for what happened.

Who else is there to blame?

I mean...

- I started this whole thing.
- No.

- I feel like I got us into this.
- No, it's not the same.

(MUMBLING NERVOUSLY)
Do they have any ideas?

Like where to find these people?
Or where they might have gone?

Or... anything at all?

They said they think
they're from out of state.

Wait, wait... what? If they're...

okay, if they're from out of state,
how did they know about this place?

- I don't know.
- How did they know that nobody was living here?

- How did they know to set me up?
- I don't know Esme.

We really need to just let
the police do their thing now.

Okay?

Let's go home.

Yeah.

Yeah, um, I'll be up
there in a minute, okay?

Alright.

(CAMERA CLICKING)

- (ESME): Hi.
- Hey, baby.

Where are you?
I, I just woke up and you're gone.

I just needed to get some air.

That sounds good.

- I'll come join you.
- No, I...

Look, I-I just think
that I need some space.

You really shouldn't
be alone right now, Essie.

I'm... I'm driving down to Philly, okay?

I'm just gonna stay with
a friend for a few days.

What friend?

Lauren.

Her and her husband just
bought a new house so...

Essie, I get it, okay? I get it.

You have every right
to be upset with me...

I'm not, I'm not... I'm not mad at you.

I'm not. I just...

I... I just need a few days, okay?

I'll call you soon, I promise.

I love you.

I love you too.

_

(PHONE RINGING)

Hey.

Aaliyah?

You lied to me.

You're not with Lauren.

I actually found Lauren on Facebook.

So um... do you want to
tell me where you really are?

I-I just need some space.

That's all.

Are we okay?

What is going on? I...

(ESME): We're fine, we're fine.

I promise, okay.

We're fine.

I love you, Essie.

I mean, you know that, right?

(PHONE RINGING)

(AALIYAH): Essie?

Essie, I've been
calling you for two days.

It's been two days.

You're looking for them, aren't you?

What is it that you think you're
gonna do when you find them?

Hmm? What are you going to do?

I want to come help you, okay?

No, I don't want you involved.

Well, I already am involved.

I'm involved.
So you need to talk to me.

You need to tell me where you are.

Please, Essie, can you just...

I'm in a car.

In the rain.

Essie, you're really starting
to scare me now, okay?

Can you... can you please come home?

Please don't do this right now, please.

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

(SOMBER MUSIC)

Yeah, just give me six boxes of the s.

- Yeah.
- Four boxes of the s.

- Alright. s?
- Yeah.

Okay, wrap it up?

- Yeah, pack it up.
- (PHONE BUZZING)

Essie?

I see them.

What?

Okay, um... I'm gonna, I'm
gonna call the police, okay?

They won't do anything. They never do.

Then just go. Just go.
You can just go right now.

You need to get out
of there, right now.

I can't. I can't let them get away.

You don't have to do this.

You don't. You left these
people when you were .

You got on a bus to New York.
You didn't know anyone in New York

and then you, by some
miracle, you found me.

You, you, you left all
of that stuff behind

and then I pushed you
back into it. (CRYING)

You didn't push me back into it.

It never left me.

I've been carrying it
with me this whole time.

Essie.

I love you.

Essie?

Essie!

(TIRES SCREECHING)

So you were on the phone
with her when it happened.

Mm-hmm.

Uh, for the record,
was that a yes or a no?

Yes.

According to the phone records
you had been on the phone with her

for nearly four minutes.

Does that sound right?

I... yeah, I guess so.

And during that time,

did the defendant relate to you what
she planned to do to the victims?

They weren't victims.

To the deceased then.

Would you like me to
repeat the question?

Ms. Williams?

Ms. Williams.

You will answer the question.

Did the defendant relate to
you what she planned to do?

Ms. Williams, you will
answer the question

or I will find you in contempt,

and you'll both be behind
bars, do you understand?

Ms. Williams, you're
leaving me no choice.

- The court instructs the bailiff to...
- She said...

She said, "I see them."

"I see the two men who
ran us down in the street."

- Your Honor, the victims are
- "I see the two men...

- not the ones on trial here.
- ... who k*lled innocent people with a b*mb

they were too cowardly
to deliver themselves."

- Move to strike.
- She said,

- "I see them."
- Ms. Williams.

I remind you that you are under oath.

Yeah.

Yeah, you don't need to remind me.

Don't need to remind
me where I am right now.

Baby...

Let's go home, Essie.

Let's go home.

We were so happy just the two of us.

I never thought I could be that happy...

and I'm just so scared to lose you.

(PEOPLE SHOUTING)

You've got to trust the jury.

I mean, the facts in this
case were overwhelming.

Esme Barnes laid in
wait for nearly two weeks

before running two men down in
cold blood with an automobile.

It's difficult to even imagine a
clearer example of premeditation,

and the jury arrived at the
only possible verdict, guilty.

But a lot of people
see Esme Barnes as a hero,

so what would you say to them?

I would ask them to
take a long hard look

at the kind of world
that they want to live in.

Two more people are dead.

Two people who were planning to
build a life together now never will.

And I have to believe
that we can do better.