Severed Sun, The (2024)

[bunniefuu]

In the beginning,

there was only the Moon...

but she was lonely.

Her desire for a lover

became the dawn, the Sun,

the God of Light.

And in the shadows...

lives that other thing.

Forgotten,

away from the light.

Their b*stard child

wakes from its slumber.

While here I sit,

the dutiful wife,

waiting patiently for my husband

to join his family...

and drink the poison

that is waiting for him.

-Shall we get

that last stack chopped

before the service?

-Alright.

For all have sinned.

For all have sinned.

-For all have sinned.

And yet, we do not know

how much we have sinned.

For like the fish

that has no concept

that it swims in a river,

we are conceived

and born into it,

born into this fallen world.

Some of the elders among us

will remember the time before

when people laughed at us.

Before the river of moral decay

had run dry,

before nature

had had its revenge,

before God spoke to us

who could hear.

We were chosen.

Yes!

But we cannot become complacent.

You had this coming, Howard.

My friends...

I know that work has been

hard of late.

And I can only thank you

for your efforts,

but we must remember

that we cannot always have

bright, shining sun.

There will be periods of

darkness and light.

For when you grind a diamond

a little,

you will see it glisten.

Good morning, Father.

-Did you sleep well?

-Some strange dreams,

but fine.

And you?

-I was restless.

I couldn't settle.

What's troubling you?

-My daughter.

-Yes.

They have drifted

away from us.

Since the accident.

-You were affirmed

with the stepson, David,

weren't you?

-We used to play together

as children.

Good.

That's good.

I will need your help

bringing them back

to the truth.

I will help in any way

that I can, Father.

Give virtue

to my hands, oh Lord,

that being cleansed

of all stain,

I may serve you with

a purity of mind and body.

Place upon me

the helmet of salvation

that I may overcome--

the assaults of the devil,

and return to you triumphant...

in the light of the truth.

Follow me.

It was amazing.

The sparrow hawk swooped down

and plucked a young starling

straight out of the sky.

It was quite a sight.

- It was

right there in front of us.

One minute, it was gliding along

without a care in the world,

and then the next,

Snap. Dead.

Just like that.

Blood and guts

all over its beak.

The women are bigger

and much more fierce!

Daughter.

Good morning, Father.

John.

Mrs. Edwards.

-You're late.

We've just come

from the fields.

Everyone else

has started working.

-We were delayed.

-And if I'm not mistaken,

young man,

classes started

over 30 minutes ago.

-We were just

talking about birds

and a sparrow hawk that we saw.

-We must have lost

track of time, Father.

-I was talking to

my grandson, wasn't I?

As you're running late,

I'll get straight to the point.

I haven't seen you

at service recently.

Four Sundays in a row,

to be precise.

-I've not been well.

But work and prayer

are great healers,

are they not?

They will help you

through your grief.

We are family.

You have lost

a husband and a father,

so I have been patient.

But as family,

we must set an example.

Take strength and comfort

in the fact

that Howard will be waiting

for us all in the truth.

You will see your father again,

young man.

-We'll be at the next service.

-Wonderful. I look forward

to seeing you there.

-Is that all?

-For the moment, yes.

Keep an eye on her.

-Honestly,

who does he think he is?

Lording it over us?

Living it up in the big house

with the pastor.

It's not natural.

He needs to marry.

What if he doesn't

want to marry?

-Sometimes it's not always

about what we want, is it?

We have a duty.

Anyway, what are you doing here?

You should be out in the field

with the rest of the men.

If you weren't always late...

-Leave him alone, Andrea.

-Mr. Edwards wouldn't

have stood for it.

God rest his soul.

-Mother, don't.

Well, it's true,

isn't it?

We haven't seen you

at service recently.

-My father died,

Mrs. Eastchurch.

-All the more reason for you

to look to God for guidance,

don't you think?

I'm sure Mr. Edwards

would have wanted his family

to be virtuous in his absence.

After all, he was a good man.

-Where was your concern

for my family

when this "good man"

was beating his son

half to death?

You saw us at service,

week in, week out,

bruised and broken,

and you said nothing.

-Magpie.

-He's not here

to defend himself.

You shouldn't

speak ill of the dead.

-So, what about the living?

-Magpie, stop.

-Can we speak ill of the living

before it's too late?

-What in God's name

are you talking about?

-That's enough.

-Have you two lost your minds?

God can't save you.

He can't protect you.

You have to save yourself.

-Oh, this is heresy.

Ursula, Ursula?

Ursula!

Did you see what she did?

Did you see what she just did?

-Stay away from my family.

Did you hear me?

-You need that to come and talk

to a woman, Mr. Eastchurch?

-You're not fooling anyone.

You know that, don't you?

-Is that right?

-You think we believe

your little story about Howard.

Accident?

I never saw any man

surer with an axe in my life.

I don't care

whose f*cking daughter you are.

You take this as a warning.

Stay away from

my wife and daughter.

-I sensed something

in your daughter

earlier today, Fred.

I saw her pain.

So you take that

as a warning, f*ck.

She is all but accusing

my daughter of witchcraft.

Apparently, she made

the Eastchurch girl fit

just by looking at her.

-It was the stress

of the argument,

an argument which

Andrea started.

Well, that may be so,

but Andrea is now

refusing to work.

She's a zealous fool,

but she has influence.

I mean, what does

my daughter expect

if she continues to

mark herself like this?

Does she think she can just c.#ff0000.../c

disassociate

without any consequence?

-Perhaps we are

pushing too hard.

They are still grieving.

- Am I a stranger to grief?

- No.

-And have I neglected my duties?

-No.

-No.

I have not.

My daughter needs

another husband to guide her.

I think perhaps

the time has come, John.

You're a good match for her.

And I already think of you

as a son after all.

-I will do whatever

you think is best, Father.

-I know you will.

And I believe that in time,

you will both be happy.

-Yes.

-I think you should

speak to David.

Try and make him hear the truth.

-What will you do

if we can't reach them?

-Just speak to your friend.

I'll deal with my daughter.

-I shall pray on it tonight.

As will I.

Don't wake your mother.

-Father?

-Why did you quarrel

with Andrea yesterday?

- Because

she's an obnoxious c**t.

Why must you be such a thorn?

-You need to temper your passion

for chaos, my girl.

You married me off

to that monster.

Your own daughter.

Your days of playing God

are coming to an end.

-John?

-I need to fetch a lamb

for slaughter.

Will you come with me?

-Alright.

Let me get dressed.

-How have you been?

-Good.

-How's Sam?

-He's fine.

Well, he's confused.

Father was always kind to Sam.

It was me that he hated.

-Do you think

you can convince Magpie

to come back to service?

-Don't you ever get tired

being the Pastor's errand boy?

-No. This is from me, David.

You must see it's not good

to separate yourselves from us.

-Why not?

-Because we need unity

to survive out here.

How will you feed yourselves?

Can you survive

on mushrooms and nettles?

You have no crop.

-Do you think it is unity

or obedience that he wants?

-What difference does it make

when you're starving?

This place is our raft

in a fallen world.

-Because the river

of moral decay ran dry.

Just like the black

in the ground

and nature had its revenge,

and God spoke to us...

who could hear!

I've heard it, John.

-So you've lost your faith.

Not everyone is cruel

like your father.

I've missed you.

-I've missed you too, you fool.

-The Pastor wants me

to marry Magpie...

but I love another.

-I know.

-I ask you,

my Heavenly Father,

keep David safe from harm

and danger, from sin and evil.

Let thy Holy Angel

watch over him,

that the Wicked Foe may have

no more power over him,

that he would return to us...

in the light of the truth.

John.

John.

John.

Come to us.

Come to us.

Come to us.

This is wrong.

He will judge the fornicators.

-I've been wondering, John.

Do you want to spend your life

living a lie?

-You're sinners.

- Perhaps.

But can you hear them?

Listen to the shadows.

They have so much to teach you.

John.

-David!

I'm sorry, Magpie.

-Leave it, b*tch.

- We know what

you are, Margaret Edwards!

Get away from them.

-How dare you!

What madness is this?

-We're doing

what has to be done, Father.

-What has to be done?

-Fred's been m*rder*d.

She k*lled him.

I swear in the name of Our Lord,

Father, I saw her.

-What did you see?

-I followed you... yesterday.

-I saw her fornicating

with a beast in the forest.

-What happened to Fred?

- It's my fault.

I prayed for something

to k*ll him.

-It k*lled him

at the back of our house.

Ursula saw it

from the window.

You can ask her.

It was the beast.

It ripped him apart!

Can't you see?

This family is dabbling

in the dark arts.

She is using this creature

to do her bidding.

-She's lying.

Jesus!

Heretic!

-She's an abomination.

Beast f*ck.

-We won't work with her.

-They will be held

in the cell block

while I consider

these accusations.

-She's a liar.

-Silence!

Now, get back to work.

Are you deaf?

I said get back to work.

Wake up.

What's wrong with you?

You're burning up.

-Just let me go back to it.

Please.

-What is this?

Fred has been m*rder*d,

ripped apart.

I said, what is it?

-It seems to have a taste

for foul men.

-What have you done?

-So it was real?

-I don't know.

But they believe it's real.

We're on a precipice.

-What should I do, Father?

-Bring her to the quarry.

-Heretic!

Abomination!

Pervert!

Heretic!

-What's happening?

Where's Mother?

-I'm sorry, Sam.

Let me out!

Let me out, please!

Let me out!

Let me out!

-Heretic!

Abomination!

Heretic!

-Heretic!

Enough!

Oh, Lord!

Give us eyes to see

the evil among us.

The hearts to hate that evil.

And the desire not to flee

from its presence.

But to fight it.

Even my own daughter

is not safe

from the schemes

of the Adversary.

This apostate and her stepson

are agents of Darkness.

They have m*rder*d

Frederik Eastchurch.

And with the help

of an abomination

that they invited

into our borders,

they seek to erode our values.

She is no longer my daughter.

Arm ourselves.

Protect your children.

Fill your stores for winter.

And show the agents of darkness

that we will never stray.

I warned you.

Let her stay there

as a reminder to us all.

In God's hands.

I've never seen them

work so hard.

We gave them

what they needed.

-So you don't believe

that it's real?

The creature?

-It's become useful.

Fetch for Andrea.

And release David.

It's time to k*ll this thing

once and for all.

-He deserved it.

Didn't he?

-Yes.

He did.

-John?

-Magpie sent me.

She wants you to meet her

in the forest.

She said that

you would know where.

-Thank you.

Just go.

-What are you doing, boy?

I asked you a question.

Please.

Just let me go to her.

It was a lie, David.

She's not here.

-Face me.

What have you done

to yourselves?

-Where is she?

-Your daughter is sick too.

-Look into the forest.

Can you remember

where you saw it?

-We came through this clearing

and over there.

You can't k*ll it, you fools.

-Oh, yes, I can.

- Ohh!

- Shhh...

-Forgive me.

-No!

Look at me.

Look at me!

Look. Look at me.

The Beast k*lled Andrea.

I cut the Beast,

but it crawled off

into the darkness.

And David attacked us,

and you saved my life.

-That's our story.

Ours!

Where's Sam?

-He's safe.

-Please don't hurt David.

-Rest, my child.

-Help me!

Help me!

Hello, Magpie.

-Where's David?

-Tell me why I'm sick.

-Where is David?

-Tell me why I'm sick.

-Something in the earth.

The mud.

-You rubbed it into my skin.

I didn't know

it made you sick.

-You didn't care.

-We were trying to free you.

-This can't be real.

-John, what's happened?

-I didn't have a choice.

-What did you do?

- He loved you.

-What did you do to him?

You led him astray.

You did this! All of it.

What makes you so special?

Why do you get to live?

Magpie?

Oh, God.

I'm sorry, Magpie, I didn't--

-David.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

- Magpie!

Magpie!

Come out, Magpie!

-Get back to hell!

Magpie?

Magpie.

-Magpie.

You k*lled your mother

when you came into this world.

I can only pray

you meet her in the next.

-You won't see Mother

where you're going.

But I'll be seeing you.

In the beginning,

there was only the Moon.

But she was lonely.

Her desire for a lover

became the dawn, the Sun,

the God of Light.

And in the shadows,

lives that other thing.

Forgotten,

away from the light.

Their b*stard child

wakes from its slumber...