02x08 - A Small Town

[bunniefuu]

NEWSWOMAN: We end our broadcast
tonight with some sad news.

Beloved mayor Trina Grant
has d*ed in a car accident,

leaving the small town
of Littleton in mourning.

Grant was credited with raising
the profile of their community

and making it a quaint
and bustling tourist stop

along the highway.

Recently, she had spearheaded
a key city council vote

that fended off the extension
of Interstate 10,

which would have cut Littleton
off from traffic altogether.

She is succeeded in office
by town treasurer John Conley,

who has been a longtime
advocate for the interstate.

Grant's passing
will likely allow construction

on the project to proceed.

The economic results of that
are yet to be seen.

Mayor Grant is survived
by her husband Jason.

Our thoughts tonight are
with her family,

friends and community.

♪ ♪

(CROW CAWING IN DISTANCE)

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

(CAR DOOR OPENS)

Morning, Mr. Mayor.

(DOOR CLOSES)

- (KNOCKING)
- JASON: Come in.

(DOOR OPENS)

Hi, Mr. Grant. How's it going?

I told you to call me Jason,
Emilio.

Uh, Mr. Grant was
my father's name.

And I'm fine. Thanks.

Right. Jason.

I brought the candle and cupcake

- you asked for.
- Oh.

Little tip.

Thank you.

So, what you been working on?

You know,
just a couple... sketches.

Couple sketches?

Wow.

Dude.

Damn.

These colors are crazy, man.

(LAUGHS)

Is that the mayor?

Wow.

This is my favorite.

- (CHUCKLES)
- Man, you really nailed

that stupid look
he always has on his face.

These are...

Wow, man,
you're talented as hell.

Why do you stay
in this room, man?

- It's kind of depressing.
- Um

you know, my wife and I
had that house down on Elm.

It didn't feel right
staying there without her.

Pastor Nicki let me stay up here
as long as I'm useful.

Plus, up here, she said
I might feel closer to God.

They're so good.

Yeah, tell your mom
I'll drop by the diner later.

So.

Do you?

Do I what?

Feel closer to God?

NICKI: Hey, Jason.

(GASPS SOFTLY)

- Oh, Jason.
- (SCISSORS SNIPPING)

Jason,
the flowers look beautiful.

I see you're, uh,
rocking some new nail polish.

That peach color's
looking really good.

(CHUCKLES) Thank you.

Hey, Pastor, I was wondering

do you think I could clear out

some of the other junk
in the attic?

Free up that side window,
let in more light?

That junk predates me.

But if you're in the mood
to get it out, go for it.

You'll be doing the church
a favor.

Hard day today, huh?

Yeah.

I miss her, too. We all do.

Trina never would have let
the town get like this.

She actually gave a damn.

She was a good person.

A good friend,

a great mayor.

And what happened
isn't on you, J.

We need to move forward.

Move forward?

Well, first I'm gonna move you.

♪ ♪

What... is this?

Where did you come from?

♪ ♪

Nice details.

These details are perfect.

No... freaking way.

Looks just like the place.

Wow.

Got the cracks in the ground.

What the heck?

Hmm, wonder what this does.

(SQUEAKING, CLACKING)

(CLICK)

(WHIRRING)

(CLACKING)

(OVERLAPPING MECHANICAL SOUNDS)

(CHUCKLES): No way.

What?

(LAUGHS)

Oh, man, that looks, that looks
exactly like the diner.

Geez, Louise.

(WHISPERS): Wow.

This is crazy.

Wait.

Wait, is that...?

No, there's no,
there's no way that's me.

(SPRITZES)

(RAIN FALLS)

No.

No.

What the

hell was that about?

Jesus.

NARRATOR: Mr. Jason Grant.

A man looking to make a big
difference in a small town.

But being the change
you wish to see in the world

is a lot more complicated

when you've got that whole world
in your hands.

It's all a matter of perspective

here in The Twilight Zone.

(THE TWILIGHT ZONE THEME
PLAYING)

NARRATOR: You're traveling
through another dimension,

a dimension not only of
sight and sound but of mind.

It is the middle ground
between light and shadow,

between science
and superstition.

And it lies between
the pit of one's fears

and the summit
of one's knowledge.

You are now traveling through
a dimension of imagination.

You've just crossed over
into The Twilight Zone.

♪ ♪

BEAU: I'm telling you,
that rain was weird.

Only lasted a few seconds,
and then.

(CLICKS TONGUE)
not another drop.

That's some crazy weather
for Littleton.

(STAMMERS) Biblical.

Yeah, I heard
it only hit a block

on Main Street, too.
I didn't get a drop at my place.

ANA:
I almost didn't recognize you.

Can I get you some coffee?

- Sure. Yeah.
- Yeah.

So, what,
the rain got you out of hiding?

Yeah, that was, uh

really something.

Slow day today, huh?

That interstate really dried up
everything for everyone,

except the mayor.

Too bad I didn't know about that
before I signed the lease.

Can I get you started
with anything?

Just the caffeine.

All right.
Well... coffee's on me.

- Thanks.
- FARMER: You know,
that whole storm,

it barely missed my place.

Shame, too.

I could've used
the free car wash.

Well, it'd take an act of God
to clean that hunk of junk.

- (LAUGHS)
- Shut up.

ANA: All right.

You good?

- Eh.
- Perfect.

Oh, remember, next week,

we're gonna start
on painting the wall, okay?

No excuses. Rain or shine.

EMILIO: Right, Mom. Fresh paint?

Yeah, that'll turn everything
around here.

ANA: Hey. Paint works wonders.
You'll see.

Come on. Get your stuff ready.

You guys good?

MAN: Can I get some syrup,
if you don't mind?

- ANA: Yes.
- Thank you.

♪ ♪

Nice details.

ANA: Emilito?

Huh?

(ANA SCOFFS)

Did you do this?

When?

I mean, why didn't you use
the paint that was in the shed?

Mom, this wasn't me.

Well, then who was it?

- JASON: Wow.
- (ANA SCOFFS)

Did you see this paint job?

Oh, yeah. Looks amazing.

Yeah, well, whoever did it
did it without my permission.

I mean, you know the mayor
still owns this building.

He's not a "let's paint
the walls orange" kind of guy.

Looks pretty incredible,
if you ask me.

I think whoever did it
really brightened this place up.

I mean, it's a bit strange.

Bright orange
is definitely a choice.

I think it's more peach.

You know, maybe you're right.

It kind of does
cheer things up a bit.

Yeah? Well, then who cares
what Conley thinks?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

This...

(MUTTERS): Piece of crap.

- MR. TURNER: Watch your step.
- (MRS. TURNER SHOUTS)

- Oh, my God.
- Mrs. Turner?

Honey, are you okay?

- You okay?
- Uh, uh, I'm fine.

I'm, I-I-I'm fine, I... I keep
forgetting where that hole is.

Damn near broke my hip.

- Someone should fix that.
- Yeah, right.

No, we put a note
in that suggestion box,

but he doesn't even bother
to look.

And Lord knows the last time
the mayor even glanced

at the thing.

♪ ♪

♪ He's got the whole world
in His hands ♪

♪ He's got the whole wide world
in His hands ♪

♪ He's got the whole world
in His hands ♪

♪ He's got
the whole world in His hands ♪

- ♪ He's got the whole world ♪
- ♪ He's got the whole world
in His hands ♪

- ♪ He's got the whole world ♪
- ♪ He's got the whole
world in His hands ♪

♪ He's got the whole
wide world ♪

♪ He's got the whole world
in His hands ♪

♪ He's got the whole
world in His hands ♪

- ♪ He's got you and me,
brother ♪
- ♪ In His hands ♪

- ♪ He's got you and me, sister ♪
- ♪ In His hands ♪

- ♪ He's got you and me,
brother ♪
- ♪ In His hands ♪

♪ He's got the whole world
in His hands ♪

- ♪ He's got the whole, whole ♪
- ♪ Whole, whole ♪

- ♪ Whole, whole world ♪
- (BARKING)

♪ The whole world
in His hand... ♪

(DOG BARKING)

- ♪ I said He's got the whole ♪
- ♪ He's got the whole world ♪

- ♪ In His hands ♪
- ♪ He's got the whole ♪

♪ He's got the whole world
in his hands... ♪

FARMER: So they just
decided not to move?

I'm glad they're staying,
but it's kind of weird.

All these fixes around town
must have changed their mind.

I mean, you got to admit,

it's looking a lot better
around here.

Yeah, even Mrs. Turner's pothole
got fixed.

You know, I've been talking
about that pothole for ages.

I'm glad someone was listening.

♪ He's got the whole world
in His hands. ♪

EMILIO: Mayor Conley,
I don't know who painted the diner.

You know what happens
to smart-asses?

- They get to be mayor?
- Emilio.

I am so sorry.
It won't happen again.

CONLEY: Well, next time,
it's coming out of your rent.

(SIGHS)

- You okay, Mr. Mayor?
- I'm f-fine.

Thank you for your concern,
Mister, uh...?

- Grant.
- Right, Grant. Yes, of course.

- Jason Grant.
- Right.

You actually used to work
with my wife.

Trina.

Oh. (EXCLAIMS) Right.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I've been fighting
with the mayor's office

for months
to get that tree removed.

They said it was too expensive.

But it's gone now.

Trunk, stump, roots.

(CHUCKLES): Poof. Gone.

Well, who the hell did that?

MAN: Whoever did it,

- I owe 'em a beer.
- (CHUCKLES)

(EXHALES) Maybe things are, uh,

getting better here.

- Think I just might
stick around.
- Yeah. Uh,

looks like things
are turning around.

Reminds me of when Littleton
used to be something.

Feels like wrongs are
finally being righted, you know?

It's like a guardian angel's
come to town or something.

It's Mayor Conley.

- What?
- MAN: He should be trying

to get in our good graces.

He's got that reelection
next year.

Election.

Not reelection.

- Sorry?
- Mayor Grant,

she passed away
in the middle of her term.

The order of succession
just fell into his lap.

He was never actually elected.

Ever.

MAN: I could care less
why he's doing it.

Yesterday
I had a thousand-dollar problem

in my backyard,
and today I don't.

ESTHER: Well, whatever
you call it, maybe he is trying

to butter up this town
for votes.

Here's to the good and handy
Mayor Conley.

Huh?

I'm good.

(SIGHS)

What would you do, Trina?

The town is feeling
a bit more like it did

when you were around,
but the mayor's highway

is pushing everyone going
in this direction

right by Littleton completely.

Like they don't even know
we exist.

♪ ♪

MAN: It's so big,

people are seeing the sign
from the highway.

Got to get new pumps.

I've never seen
so many people before.

This is crazy.

♪ ♪

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

JASON: Let there be light.

(ELECTRICAL BUZZING)

(CHURCH BELL RINGING)

(ORGAN MUSIC PLAYING)

How's the grandbaby?
I love that.

Hello, you newlyweds. (CHUCKLES)

Good for you.
Good for you. Good for you.

Hello. Hello.

(QUIET CHATTER)

Hi, folks. (CHUCKLES)

(CHATTER CONTINUES)

- Great to see you.
- You came.

- Hi. Oh, I love your-your vest.
- Good to see you.

Everybody thinks
he's The Helper.

Yeah, bet he loves it.

He coin that nickname himself?

- Holy hell.
- (WHISPERS): Really? At church?

- Glo, they're smiling
real smiles.
- (CLEARS THROAT)

Maybe they're
finally warming up to me.

Well, well, well.

Haven't seen some of y'all
in a minute.

Still glad we got enough people
in this town to fill these pews.

I was starting to feel like
a shepherd without a flock.

- (CONGREGATION LAUGHS)
- I, um

I know that our community
has been evaporating

due to certain
infrastructure developments.

But today,
today we are brought together

by something different.

We are brought together
by a special set of miracles

that have caused a rebirth
in Littleton.

Gifts from someone
who my husband,

Francisco, calls El Ayudante.

The Helper.

- BEAU: We know it's Conley.
- (CONGREGATION CHUCKLES)

NICKI: Well, I know
some of you have some, uh,

pretty wild theories
on who it is.

- It isn't you, right?
- And I know, 'cause I've heard

some pretty outrageous ones.
But whoever it is,

someone in our community cares.

El Ayudante

is taking responsibility
for his neighbors.

For his friends.

Fixing our street.

Painting our diner.

Hauling our trash.

Making our town

- successful again.
- CONGREGATION: Amen.

BEAU: Thank you, Mayor Conley.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(APPLAUSE)

(WHOOPING)

(CHEERING AND WHISTLING)

El Ayudante.

Thank you, Mayor Conley.
You've got my vote.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- (THUD)
- (CAR ALARM BLARING)

CONLEY:
You've got to be kidding me!

WOMAN: What happened?

Why?!

I can't believe this.
Who did this?

TURNER: What are the odds?

You're right square.

Thank God no one got hurt.

Did anyone see anything?

Huh?

(EMILIO CHUCKLING)

What about you?

- Is this funny to you?
- Hey! What's going on?

Your boy here
is having a big laugh.

Oh, you got a real troublemaker
on your hands here.

My son is not a troublemaker.

And why are you targeting him,
anyways?

If you're gonna stand here

in front of everyone
and assign blame,

then you better back that up
with proof.

- Yeah!
- Let's go, Emilio. Vamos.

♪ ♪

Of course! (LAUGHS)

It's not his-his fault.

He's just a kid. And-and this

is just a-a thing.

It's just a car.

Because we don't dwell

on the things that go wrong
here in Littleton, do we?

No, that's not my town. No, sir.

We move forward.

We make things better.

It's gonna take more

than some-some puny space rock

to crush the spirit

of El Ayudante!

The Helper.

- (WHOOPING)
- CONLEY: Yeah,

he's too damn tough for that.

Gloria, will you please join me
by my side here?

Just, uh, cozy up
right next to me.

Hey, there we go.

All right. (LAUGHS)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Strange.

♪ ♪

(WHIMPERING)

(SCREAMING)

(WHIMPERING)

Well, listen, you know,
I'm-I'm a practical man.

Mm-hmm.

- I don't scare easily.
- Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

I don't get paranoid, it's just

it feels like there's someone
trying to play a trick on me.

- Okay.
- Oh, this is gonna sound crazy.

Okay, okay, stop.

What happened?

I'm not afraid of crazy.

CONLEY: It's as if my faith
is being tested.

First with the car and then

that spider.

Hey.

- Hey!
- ANA: What are you doing?

You saw this last night,
didn't you?

- Why, you little smart-ass!
- Hey!

Get your hands off my son.

(SPEAKS SPANISH)

Look, if you have
a problem with him,

you'll address it with me.
Do you understand?

- NICKI: You okay?
- ANA: I'm fine. Thank you.

(KNOCKING)

JASON: Coming.

Hey.

What's up? How are you?

I'm just checking in on you.

You've seemed
a little off lately.

Oh, right, um

yeah, I just had a lot
on my mind.

Yeah.

Well, don't forget
the bright side.

You know, you've been hoping
for this town to turn itself

around for a little while,
and now we have some reason

- to-to hope, it seems.
- Right.

Oh, because of The Helper?

Yeah, I suppose.

It's obviously not Conley.

I know you know that, right?

I mean, he's way too...
selfish and greedy

to help anyone besides himself.

None of us is
beyond redemption, Jason.

People can change.

You know, even
the most stubborn of us.

All right.

Well, don't get caught up
on the who.

It's not about the who.

Good night.

Good night.

JASON: Okay, maybe she's right.

I can't make Littleton better
by destroying it.

A few more lights on that sign,

and we'll really put
Littleton on the map.

(ELECTRICAL BUZZING)

(POPPING, CRACKLING)

I have apnea.

This power outage
could k*ll me if I can't plug in

my machine.

WOMAN: That's right.

I can't operate my pumps!

My-my register doesn't work!

Nothing! When's the power
coming back on?

(CLAMORING,
OVERLAPPING SHOUTING)

All right.
Now, everyone, please, uh,

settle down, you know, uh,
settle down.

Well, I just got off the phone
with the governor's office,

and it seems we have a bigger
problem than we first thought.

- Uh... sorry.
- WOMAN: What does that mean?

Bear with me here.

For some unknown reason

the new sign caused
some kind of power overload

that destroyed the
Littleton County power center.

- MAN: What?
- It says

"destroyed."

Well, uh, (CLEARS THROAT)
obviously,

this is a-a serious
infrastructure problem,

and, uh, it's gonna take
some time to rebuild.

- Well, how long?
- Well, it could be weeks.

- Weeks?
- (ALL CLAMORING)

That's too long!

(OVERLAPPING SHOUTING)

MRS. TURNER: Why don't you just

you know, do your thing?

Yeah, fix this.

You're The Helper.

Oh, well, I-I never
technically said that.

- (ALL MUTTERING)
- ANA: So...

Wait, so you didn't add
those lights?

The ones that caused the surge!

We don't, uh,
exactly know what happened.

Hey! You bungled this!

- Just admit it!
- Yeah!

(ALL CLAMORING)

And we can't wait weeks!

I'll bet he's trying
to force us to leave,

so that he can buy us all out
on a discount!

I bet that's exactly
what's going on!

(ALL CLAMORING)

(OVERLAPPING SHOUTING,
CLAMORING)

Gloria!

(CLAMORING CONTINUES)

(EXCLAIMS)

Whoa...

It's him!

- Wait! Hold on! Wait!
- Grab him!

g*dd*mn it, that kid!

- What are you drawing?
- Don't let him get away!

Ha!

- You see? Look! Look! Look! Look!
- Hey!

- MAN: What?
- You see?

It's all the things
that have been happening

in our town, look!

I don't know
what sort of witchcraft

or conspiracy is at play here,

but whatever it is,

this little brat
had something to do with it!

MAN: You caused this mess,
Mayor. Do something!

CONLEY: Yeah, look!

He draws it and then it happens!

- MAN: Come on!
- Look!

No, my son has nothing to do
with this.

You know what,
you have been harassing him

since all of these
changes started!

BEAU: He's blaming a kid!

No! No, no, no!

ANA: This is your mess...
Now, you fix it!

- (CLAMORING)
- No!

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Stop!

It was me!

Okay?

WOMAN: What? No.

JASON: I'm sorry everything's
gotten so out of hand.

(ALL MURMURING)

You did this?

The... the-the spider.

The paint job.

Yes.

'Cause you weren't helping
the town, you were hurting it.

I was just trying
to make things better.

It was supposed to help.

Okay?

Things don't always go
like we plan.

CONLEY: Show us.

MAN: Yeah.

WOMAN: How did he do it?

Um...

Anybody got some matches?

Here we go.

(ALL GASPING, EXCLAIMING)

Sorry, baby, I let you down.

(GRUNTS, PANTS)

What the hell is that?

So this is how
you've been doing it?

I'm gonna fix the lights.
I just need a little time.

"Fix the lights"?

We can change the entire town.

It'll be like a

a new Vegas.

- Vegas?
- Yeah.

(CONLEY LAUGHING)

How do you work this thing?

I'm not gonna let you do that.

"Let me"?

Take it.

Hey! Stop!
Get away from the model!

(RUMBLING)

♪ ♪

JASON: Thank the Lord,
no serious injuries.

But the property damage...

Do you think we can fix it?

The model? Nah.

No, I don't think so.

Feel like it wouldn't work
anymore anyway.

I wasn't talking about no model.

When people come together,
broken things can be mended.

Yeah, but how are we gonna pay
for all this?

JASON: I feel like we might have
all the resources we need.

NEWSWOMAN: We've been able to
confirm this is one of the largest pieces

of unbroken gold ever reported,
which obviously has

major implications
for Littleton's fortunes...

NARRATOR: We can never
calculate what change our actions

will bring into the world,

despite our best intentions,

and whether they will be
for good or ill.

Yet without action,
the stars themselves go cold.

Jason Grant wanted to change
the world for the better,

but the power to do so
got the best of him

until he lost it all. But today,

perhaps losing it all... both
for Mr. Grant and for the town

of Littleton... was
the beginning of something new.

Lonely hands find each other
in the shadows,

both in our imperfect world
and in

the Twilight Zone.