Ride the Snake (2025)

[bunniefuu]

(projector whirring)

(gentle orchestral music)

(camera whirring)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(smoke hissing)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(bees buzzing)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(Harper breathing heavily)

(Sebastian grunting)

(door clicking)

(Sebastian groaning)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(Sebastian breathing heavily)

(birds squawking)

(Sebastian sobbing)

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Sorry. (Sobbing)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(Sebastian screaming)

(Sebastian laughing)

(Harper breathing heavily)

(glass thudding)

(objects clattering)

(Harper grunting)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(Harper sniffing)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(Harper speaking foreign language)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(door clicking)

(door clicking)

(dish clattering)

(soft music)

[Harper] Today you starve.

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Harper

Happy birthday to you

(people cheering and clapping)

As you know, the woman

standing next to me,

my beloved wife, she's

been the light of my life

and has made my life worth living.

And when I come home at night,

after a long day in the courts

and I go to the bedroom,

sometimes I see her there,

lying there fast asleep,

(all laughing)

And I just think how fortunate I am

that this beautiful

young thing took me on.

Megan, Betty.

Come, come, come, come.

Beautiful girl, takes

after her mother, you see?

Mm.

And I just want to say

to my darling Smudge

(speaking foreign language).

(all clapping)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(object thudding)

(tense music)

(thunder rumbling)

(birds chirping)

(doors clicking)

(door clicking)

(keys jingling)

(door clicking)

- Hi Mom.

- Is he here?

[Megan] He's here.

Taran.

Where, where are you?

Ah, Beta. (Laughing)

Oh, glasses.

Still so handsome.

[Megan] He bought flowers.

Thank you.

Beautiful.

I'll put them in water.

Come.

(gentle orchestral music)

(gentle orchestral music continues)

(birds chirping)

(thunder rumbling)

Megan says you left Harbottle and Holme.

Yeah.

He's doing pro bono,

defending p*mps and child molesters.

Not to mention restaurants

with rats running around their kitchens.

Hmm.

Actually, Taran, my dearest darling

little step-bro, the rat problem

you are not so subtly

referring to was a one-off.

The Mystic Paradise Restaurant

has been Mickey Mouse-free

for what, at least 18 months.

Not much call for glam nowadays.

You don't need makeup.

You always look gorgeous.

Doesn't she?

Sure.

You know what Singh always used to say,

"My darling angel, you

are a natural beauty.

Why spoil your looks with

all that fake coloring?"

That's not how he put it on

your wedding though, was it?

He said I looked like a tart.

He was right.

I overdid my makeup.

I thought it would be more Indian.

He still married you.

In front of all your

important friends and family.

I don't think abandoning

your bride at the altar

was ever an option.

If Singh didn't wanna do

something, he didn't do it.

You really didn't know your

father at all, did you?

Megan.

At least he was my father.

Did you love dad

or were you so jealous of his

happiness with me and Mum?

Megan, stop now.

It's not our fault his

mother and brother died.

(dramatic orchestral music)

Taran.

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

Do you remember the

party to celebrate Singh

being appointed to the high court?

His ex-partner, what was his name?

Which one?

He had so many.

Sayed.

Right?

Sayed.

He was sitting on the wall at the bottom

of the garden, whiskey in hand,

and forgot there was nothing behind him.

He leans back

and all you could see

were two little legs waving in the air.

(both laughing)

(Harper sighing)

A toast.

To Singh.

Four years ago today that

b*stard took him from us.

What's going on?

(tense music)

(tense music continues)

(keys jingling)

(door clicking)

Ugh.

(tense music continues)

(Sebastian groaning)

(Sebastian whimpering)

(Sebastian whimpering)

Water, please. (Whimpering)

Well, well, well, the

prodigal son returns.

Welcome back to the fold, dear boy.

Are you glad to be back?

Oh, come on, Levi.

Will you stop with that

prodigal song sh*t.

Sorry, sorry everyone.

Sorry.

Won't happen again.

Levi.

You know how he hates all that

religious crap? (Laughing)

(whimpering) Oh, you, didn't

bring breakfast this morning.

I'm starving, hungry.

I want waffles and pancakes

with lots of butter of

lashings of maple syrup.

Oh my God.

Mongo want food.

Please.

Let me give you some advice,

you plumpy Bacchus wannabe.

Go on a f*cking diet. (Laughing)

(Sebastian gasping)

f*ck me, I'm stiff.

(dramatic orchestral music)

I've been dreaming about you all night.

What I wouldn't give

to have a little look-see up that skirt.

(dramatic orchestral music)

Dear boy.

Stop.

Stop.

Taran, stop.

Hello.

These are constrictor knots.

These beautiful ladies,

must have been a Girl Guide,

one of them must have been a Girl Guide.

Come on, get off.

Me thinks you're gonna need a knife.

Megan.

Oi, you feel him, don't you?

You feel his presence,

the ghost, the apparition,

the spirit, the Paki.

He's weak.

He comes and goes like a leaf in the wind.

He's got no power,

ineffectual and useless.

He can't help you, Harper.

I can banish him into the

void with the blink of an eye.

[Harper] Shut up, shut up, you animal.

(both grunting)

(ominous music)

Taran.

(dramatic orchestral music)

He's not leaving this house.

Megan.

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

Five minutes.

Just listen to us, then

you can do as you please.

Five minutes, Beta.

Please.

He m*rder*d your father.

It was manslaughter.

And he was tried and convicted.

Five years in a nut

house and out in two,

because he conned the judge

into thinking he was crazy.

The law your father

loved so much failed him.

Two years is not enough for

what that man did to our family.

We are going to try him again.

You, me, and mom.

Prosecutor, judge, and jury.

You're on the edge of the world,

looking over the rim

into a fathomless chaos

of eternal night.

The embodiment of all the snarling chaos

and the grinning fear

that lurked behind life.

Ride the snake, my friend.

Singh, the void beckons.

Enjoy your spiritual vision quest.

Perhaps your god will

show you the way back.

(wind whooshing)

Who knows the end, demon?

What is risen may sink

and what is sunk may yet rise again.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(choir singing)

Good God.

What Elridge Dreamworld

has this creature banished me to.

[Megan] It's your duty

to be a part of this.

You owe it to dad.

I owe it to dad to

retry a mentally ill man.

But Sebastian's not crazy.

Right.

He's got no history of

DID, multiple personalities.

It's all an act.

He's a gypsy, Megan, a Romany.

He's never registered with a GP

or been to a hospital in his life.

He was born in the back

of a f*cking caravan.

So?

Yeah, nine psychiatrist

and psychologist, Megan

Yeah, yeah.

Nine psychiatrists.

He convinced them all he was a lunatic.

You have got to let him go, Harper.

You have to.

Your father was my life for 20 years.

That thing upstairs took him from me.

He k*lled him and then

he laughed about it.

The last thing I saw

was his grinning face.

Dad was a high court judge.

He would never have been

part of his kangaroo court.

He was a Sikh first.

And now his m*rder*r is free

because the law which he

spent his life serving

let him down.

Guru Gobind Singh said,

"When all has been tried

and justice is not in

sight, it is then right

to pick up the sword.

It is then right to fight."

We are going to try him again.

And as a member of this family,

it is not only your right

to be a part of it,

but it is your duty as his son,

as his only son.

And when he's found guilty?

(doorbell ringing)

No car.

(doorbell ringing)

I'll get it.

It's my house.

(ominous music)

Hi, I'm Lilith.

I've come for my father, Sebastian.

There's no Sebastian here.

Lovely garden.

House is a bit of a sh*thole.

Shame.

I bet it was lovely once upon a time,

a bit like you.

(door slamming)

How does she know?

You have to let him go.

Listen to me.

Whatever happens, it

won't be as bad if they

He stays.

(ominous music)

(doorbell ringing)

(knuckles rapping)

I'll go.

(ominous music continues)

Hello, handsome.

I remember you from the trial.

The son.

It's nice to see you sober.

You're trespassing.

You should probably let him go

before the family arrive.

Go or I'll call the police.

(laughing) How are you going

to explain the man you've got gagged

and tied up in your bedroom?

Maybe I should just call them.

Maybe I should just start screaming

and let your neighbors do it for me.

(Lilith screaming)

He's not here.

Come in and see for yourself.

(ominous music continues)

(Lilith blowing)

(Lilith laughing)

(ominous music continues)

(keys jingling)

(ominous music continues)

(ominous music continues)

(Lilith belching)

(Lilith exhaling)

You should probably hand him over

if you know what's good for you.

(ominous music continues)

(Megan grunting)

Get out my way, girly.

(Lilith grunting)

(Megan screaming)

Get, get off her.

(both grunting)

(Taran grunting)

(both grunting)

(ominous music continues)

(Lilith breathing heavily)

(Lilith groaning)

Megan.

Megan, are you all right?

Harper, Harper.

- Megan.

She's bitten Megan.

Get the first aid kid,

now please help her.

Hey, hey, hey.

I'm here.

Let me have a look please.

Let me have a look.

It's okay.

- Taran, Taran.

(Megan whimpering)

[Harper] Is she all right?

She's fine, she's okay.

Megan, it's okay.

Hey, hey, Megan.

It's all right, you're gonna be okay.

It's not that deep.

Okay, this is gonna sting, okay, okay.

(Megan whimpering)

It's okay. It's okay.

Harper, have you got any codeine?

Codeine and some water please, now.

(Megan sobbing)

Hey, it's okay.

I'm here.

It's okay.

Harper?

- Here, here, here.

Okay, okay.

Megan.

All right, all right, all right, darling.

Here.

Talk to me.

Here you go.

(Harper breathing heavily)

Are you all right?

Yeah, yeah?

Okay?

(Megan breathing heavily)

You're all right.

She's not here.

I'll find her.

[Shiv] I've had enough

of lying on my back.

I say we slip these knots

and get the out of Dodge.

[Taran] Harper, will you be all right?

[Manny] I, for one,

am getting bed sores,

[Pan] But it's not over

until the blind woman sings.

[Harper] I've spent

a week with him alone.

I'll be fine.

- Sebastian, what do you-

- We stay?

Go.

(Sebastian grunting)

Oh, I see you've met our Lilith.

I want to speak with Shiv.

Well, you can't, my dear Harper,

you don't believe in us.

"Sebastian's making up."

What was it your dear

delightful daughter said?

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

"He's a f*cking con artist."

(scoffing) Life would be so much simpler

if people just learned to let go.

- I want an answer.

- To what question, my dear?

You laughed.

My husband was dead beside me

and you looked into my

eyes and you laughed.

Why?

Well, that weren't me, my darling.

You will want to talk to Shiv.

You've taken painkillers.

You shouldn't drink.

Exactly right.

What numbs your pain these days?

- Work.

- Hmm.

Like father, like son.

Or not.

It's nobody's fault, Taran.

We should've locked the door.

Locked the door?

I don't regret us.

He didn't speak to me for two years

and then he died, Megan,

but you don't regret us.

That's big of you.

I loved you.

Shut up.

I wouldn't change that.

Well then it's a good

thing he died when he did

because it would've f*cking destroyed him.

I still love you.

I said shut up, Megan.

(tense music)

You used to call me Megs.

Stop needling me.

(knife thudding)

(tense music continues)

Oh, come on, darling.

Let us go.

You know, it's the right thing to do,

deep down you know we didn't

mean to off your old man.

It was an accident and accidents happen.

(laughing) You know, Manny's right.

If you know what's good for you,

let us out right here, right now.

And I don't mean that as a threat.

I don't.

I mean, cross my heart, hope, hope to die.

Exactamundo, come on.

We forget the whole thing.

Life will be as it was

and shall be for evermore.

Come.

(dramatic orchestral music)

Come on, my darling Harper.

Take that last step, that leap of faith

and absolution will be thine.

(dramatic orchestral music)

(ominous music)

Oh, come and sit down.

Oh, come on darling.

Don't be shy.

Come and sit over here.

Oh, come on.

Come and sit here.

Come and sit here.

Now don't be afraid.

Come and sit with me.

(Lilith gasping)

Shhh.

(Sebastian groaning)

Dearer than daughter.

That's better, that's better. (Gasping)

She's a bit of a milf, this one.

(Lilith laughing)

I prefer the other one.

Oh.

Mother daughter combo.

(Lilith laughing)

Stop it.

You're free, leave.

(Lilith whispering indistinctly)

[Ash] Oh, I think that's a lovely idea.

(both moaning)

(both breathing heavily)

(Taran breathing heavily)

Phones.

Why?

You're free.

Just go, leave.

And your car keys please.

[Pan] I'm starving.

We didn't have breakfast.

Yeah, come to think of it

I'm rather peckish myself.

Darling Harper, what

kind of pleasing aspects

do you have in your shiny American fridge?

Let's have a party.

Capital idea.

Oh, we haven't had an honest to goodness

sit-down dinner in years.

How about curry?

I'm sorry about earlier.

I just, (sighing), I just

got a bit carried away.

Am I forgiven?

f*ck off.

[Ash] A Kinfgisher would do me nicely.

[Manny] That is of

course if you have them.

Let's discuss it over tea.

Oooh, tea.

(tense music)

(knife scraping)

(tense music continues)

(tense music continues)

(tense music continues)

(knife scraping)

(cup clattering)

(knife scraping)

(tense music continues)

(singer humming)

(upbeat music)

(knife scraping)

(upbeat music continues)

(tense music)

(upbeat music continues)

(Sebastian laughing)

(upbeat music continues)

Hey, hey, hey

Ride the snake, Megan.

(upbeat music continues)

(singer humming)

(eerie ambient music)

(thunder rumbling)

(thunder crashing)

[Levi] We've harnessed

the shadows that stride

from world to world to

sow death and madness

everywhere we go.

- [Manny] Too true.

We live apart from the

visible world but not alone.

No, no, no.

[Clive] It's a mistake

to think that horror

is associated inextricably with darkness,

silence, and solitude.

(tense music)

(tense music continues)

(tense music continues)

(tense music continues)

(tense music continues)

(tense music continues)

(napkin flapping)

(dishes clattering)

Let's eat.

Mmm.

(tense music)

(silverware clattering)

That's not how you eat Indian food.

We eat it the way God intended.

(Lilith laughing)

Don't gypsies eat with your hands.

Who are you calling gypsies?

There are no f*cking pikeys in here.

Just a minute, Shiv.

No need to be so unpleasant.

I'm sure Megan here didn't

want to cause offense.

Dear boy, this is England.

A person has a right to eat his,

their food, anywhere they want.

No one can dictate hands or no hands.

(sobbing) I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to cause offense.

I always eat with a knife and fork.

You're a right little fat

boy, workyticket aren't ya?

Hey, come on.

Stop that.

You Geordie lemon top.

Geordie?

Who're you calling Geordie?

Fah!

Oh, we're not gypsies.

Our family is,

it's a little more extended.

Demons.

And how, dear lady,

were you proposing to

bring a demon to trial?

Cat got your tongue?

Well, I say we have a

trial right here, right now.

Well, you know, I think

it is a fabulous idea.

We should just get it out in the open.

You know, we should, hey, we, we,

we should get it all sorted,

you know, once and for all.

Yeah, but I mean, you

know, who are you gonna try?

I wasn't driving the car.

I didn't k*ll your

hubby or make you blind.

Who did?

Who was driving?

Which one of you k*lled my husband?

Answer me.

Well, it seems no one's

gonna take responsibility

for the tragedy, but it, you

know, one thing is clear.

We've gotta have a trial to,

as Clive so eruditely

put it, get it all sorted

once and for all.

Everyone shut the f*ck up.

Sebastian's gonna speak for us.

(Lilith gasping)

(ominous orchestral music)

Whoa.

Hello, Lilith.

(dramatic orchestral music)

[Lilith] Sebastian.

(Sebastian laughing)

I missed you so much.

I missed you too,

Lilith my love, my cherub.

(tense music)

(ominous orchestral music)

That's not gonna hurt anyone

unless you stab it really hard.

(knife clattering)

So, a retrial it is then.

Oh Lilith there

will play Charlie Laughton and defend me,

and Taran there, prosecutor,

and Harper and Meghan, the judges.

Alright, now you, any

objections, questions?

What happens if you're found guilty?

Well, that's up to you.

You pass sentence.

Lilith, you will do your

best as defense counsel.

Defend me as well as you can.

And listen to me.

You will abide by the court's verdict,

no matter what the outcome.

I want no comeback on this family.

All right?

All right, Judge, it's over to you.

Well, come on.

You wanted a trial.

You got one.

Let's do this. Come on.

Mr. Prosecutor, come on.

Alright.

All right.

I'll start things off.

Alright.

I swear by all that is unholy

to abide by the verdict in this court.

There.

Come on, you'll find me a man of my word.

You ask anyone.

Sebastian Gold does what he says

and says what he does.

My word is my bond.

Drink up.

- Do you believe me?

Yes?

Good. Very good.

Now, Taran, do your job, eh?

You prosecute me to the

fullest extent of the law

and to the very best of

your considerable ability.

How about that, honey?

What do you think about that?

Make me suffer.

We need a Bible.

You have to swear on a Bible.

There's no time for that.

Left hand in the air.

Do you swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

Oh, definitely.

Now that's it. That's it. (Chuckling)

Come on now, Taran,

don't shilly shally.

Get on with it. That's it.

Sebastian Gold, you are charged

with manslaughter of Pal Singh.

How do you plead?

Guilty.

The defendant has pleaded

guilty to the charge.

Before passing sentence,

does anyone have anything to say?

I do.

(Lilith sighing)

You k*lled my husband

and then you laughed.

You blinded me, sentencing me

to an eternity of darkness.

Objection.

Prejudicial.

It points to cause.

Overruled.

He was the kindest...

He was the kindest man I ever met,

and you took his life,

took him from me,

took him from us,

without compunction, without remorse.

You robbed a son of his

father, a wife of her husband.

You tore this family apart.

I'd like to make a statement.

Judge Megan.

Defendant wants to make a statement.

It was shocked that blinded you, not us.

Harper, I sympathize with

your loss. I really do.

And I understand the hurt

the person who was driving

has caused your family,

but you know, there were

extenuating circumstances.

It was the single greatest

f*cking night of my life.

It was perfect.

I drank more than I've ever drank before

and still able to get hard.

I did more Charlie than a truckload

of Wall Street stockbrokers.

I schooled more women

than a dozen Casanovas

and hey, no Viagra was involved.

Oh, oh.

It was a once in a lifetime event.

Well worth the demise

of one old brown man,

who, let's face it, didn't

have long to live anyway.

Hey, I am guilty as charged.

Whooo!

Hey, slainte, come on.

(Taran screaming)

Mind my teeth.

(Taran grunting)

(Sebastian groaning)

(Taran breathing heavily)

Right now, you feel better?

Christ Jesus, my Aunt Clementine

could have punched harder

(Taran screaming)

(Taran breathing heavily)

Are you done?

(Sebastian laughing)

Oh, I didn't even get to the best bit.

You.

It was your face.

You should have seen your face.

It was a mixture of fear and confusion,

bordering on insanity.

It was Edvard Munch in the basket.

It Was f*cking hilarious. (Laughing)

Point of order.

The court carried out the punishment

before the defendant had been sentenced.

[Sebatian] Naughty.

What?

No.

Judges, your conduct at this trial

has been amateurish and shyte.

And you, Mr. Prosecutor, you're drunk.

I declare a mistrial.

The defendant is cleared of

all charges and free to go.

Case dismissed.

(silverware clanking)

One trial ends and another trial begins.

I charge you three with

being a pathetic excuse

for a family.

You're dysfunctional in extremis,

You're self-absorbed,

unwholesome, weak, pathetic.

How do you plead?

You think we tore you apart, did we?

Huh?

No, the Singhs were splintered

long before we came on the scene.

Oh God, Harper,

must you hate us more

for taking away the love

of your life or for making you blind?

If you could have one thing

back, what would it be?

Your hubby or your sight?

(fist thudding)

Objection.

That is a hypothetical question.

She's not gonna get her

sight or her husband back.

My husband.

I want my husband back.

Oh, you two.

Daddy found you f*cking.

That must've hurt.

Doesn't it?

Must have hurt.

We did nothing wrong.

Nothing wrong?

Two years Taran could

have had with his father.

Two years wasted.

For what?

A roll in the hay.

We love each other.

Love.

Well, doesn't that just conquer all.

The court finds the

defendants guilty as charged.

You're a shyte family.

What's the sentence?

Mmm.

(Harper screaming)

(Taran screaming)

(ominous orchestral music)

(both groaning)

No, no, no, please.

No, no, no, no.

Please, please. Don't hurt her.

Please.

That's enough.

That's enough.

Now it's over.

You've had to have fun now.

Just get out of my house.

Well, you were found guilty.

There's still the sentence to consider.

(Harper whimpering)

No, no, no, no, no.

We'll give 'em a chance.

(dramatic orchestral music)

It's okay.

I got it.

Hide and seek.

That's it, that's what we'll do.

We'll play hide and seek.

If you can hide for

- 10 minutes.

- 10 minutes, we'll leave.

But if we find you before

the 10 minutes is up,

you will die.

It's fair?

Sounds fair to me.

- So-

- Well, I can hardly walk.

Give us more time to hide.

No. (Breathing heavily)

Turn off all the lights.

(dramatic orchestral music)

It'll be more fun that way.

You'll have the advantage.

It's always dark for you.

And you should be used to

darkness where you come from.

(ominous orchestral music)

(ominous orchestral music continues)

(ominous orchestral music continues)

Why so serious?

(ominous orchestral music continues)

(phones beeping)

Leaning, leaning

Resting on the everlasting alms

Leaning, leaning

Resting on the everlasting alms

(Sebastian vocalizing)

Safe and secure from all alarms

Leaning, leaning

Leaning on the everlasting alms

(Sebastian humming)

What a fellowship, what a joy divine

Leaning on the everlasting alms

What a blessedness

What a blessedness

What a peace is mine

Peace is mine

Leaning on the everlasting alms

(Sebastian humming)

Leaning, leaning

Everlasting alms

(Harper whispering in foreign language)

(Sebastian sighing)

(Lilith humming)

(ominous orchestral music)

(doorknob clicking)

(Taran breathing heavily)

(keys jingling)

(Taran sighing)

(Taran grunting)

(Lilith humming)

(door clicking)

(ominous music continues)

(ominous music continues)

(exhaling) I can smell you, Megan.

Ah.

Boo.

(ominous music)

(Harper whispering in foreign language)

(both speaking foreign language)

(Taran breathing heavily)

[Megan] Oh, Taran.

(electricity crackling)

(Sebastian breathing heavily)

(Sebastian grunting)

(ominous music continues)

(Sebastian groaning)

(alarm ringing)

(ominous orchestral music)

(Sebastian growling lightly)

(choir singing)

They're here.

(ominous orchestral music)

The demons of the dawn,

what music they make.

(Harper gasping)

Let's go.

(ominous orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

I'm sorry, Mrs. Harper.

What?

I'm sorry, Mrs. Harper.

You're sorry?

I didn't mean to hurt you.

I didn't mean to k*ll your

husband or make you blind.

You see, I was driving,

but it wasn't my fault.

I'm only 12.

I'm sorry for lying to you.

They made me do it.

They were all drunk and they

couldn't drive and so they,

and so they made me do it.

I'm so sorry.

(both grunting)

[Lilith] Sebastian?

(Lilith gasping)

[Sebatian] Lilith?

(Lilith coughing)

(suspenseful orchestral music)

No.

Sebastian, you don't want

to do this. (Grunting)

(Megan grunting)

(body thudding)

(dramatic orchestral music)

That which is a eternal cannot die.

In strange eons,

even death might die.

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(wind howling)

(singer vocalizing)

(dramatic orchestral music)

(singer vocalizing)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

(dramatic orchestral music continues)

[Sebatian] When you ride the snake,

you loop the loop and

end up where you started.