[light music playing]
[narrator] This is a story…
a story of a very special boy…
-[door closes] -[bags rattling]
…who found himself at the end of the world.
But our story doesn't begin here.
We have to go back…
[suspenseful music playing]
…before the Great Crumble.
-Don't forget-- -The turkey, I know.
-Mwah! -Mwah!
[narrator] Because it's also the story of a doctor
who was happy living a normal life.
[doctor] So what you're telling me is that your crocodile's name is Croc.
That's a great name for a crocodile.
We're gonna have you out of here in no time,
and get you to enjoy this lovely weather we're having.
This is the third-best doctor here, aren't you? Joking.
We're gonna take your temperature.
Tell me about your symptoms, when you first--
[coughs, sniffs]
[commentator] Let's meet the Guardians' defense.
-Ugh! Damn it. -Starting with its captain.
You forgot, didn't you?
I'll get it tomorrow.
-I love you. Bye. -Bye.
Enjoy your lollipop.
-We'll see you later. -[woman coughing]
[narrator] But there was nothing normal about the Sick.
Come on.
[sinister music playing]
[narrator] And life would never be normal again.
[man 1] How long did this take?
[woman] She was fine three days ago.
-[indistinct chatter] -[sinister music building]
[man 2] Get the room sealed.
[official on TV] We're anticipating numbers not seen since the Black Plague.
The H5G9 strain is now officially the deadliest virus in our lifetime.
It is here, it is now.
If you don't pray, now's a good time to start.
[static buzzing]
[narrator] But while the doctor faced the horrors of the city,
a father was escaping to the wilderness…
to leave the world behind.
[siren wailing]
[helicopter whirring]
Rani?
-[siren wailing] -[doctor] Rani!
Rani?
[Rani panting]
[emotional music playing]
[doctor] Okay, okay.
Come on, now. We'll go to the car, okay?
[music intensifies]
[siren wailing]
-[doctor moans] -[announcer] Anyone leaving is--
No, no, no, no, no, no!
-[man] Get back here! -[glass shattering]
We're all right. Hold my hand. Hold my hand. I love you, okay?
I love you.
-[helicopter whirring] -[motorbike engine rumbling]
[doctor] Oh, my God!
[announcer] Emergency curfew is now in effect.
-[engine rumbling] -[man] Hey! Hey!
[doctor grunting]
Out the way!
Move! Move out the way!
Get out of the way!
Move!
You're okay. Shh. You're okay.
[panting] Okay. Shh. You're okay.
-[sobbing] -Shh. Shh.
Oh God!
[narrator] But this, this wasn't the end of their story.
[operatic music playing]
-[door opening] -Excuse me, are you a doctor?
[indistinct clamoring in distance]
Yeah.
I think I need your help.
[women sobbing]
[nurse] It just started this morning.
[sobbing continues]
-[baby cooing] -[soft tense music playing]
[narrator] You see, as the world slipped into chaos,
something else was happening.
Something… extraordinary.
[baby purring]
No one knew which came first…
the hybrids or the virus.
But that question would become the biggest mystery of our lifetime.
[birds chirping]
This is a story about a very special boy…
a boy by the name of Gus.
Some stories start at the beginning.
Ours begins here.
What the…
[hybrids cooing, purring]
[bleating]
[reporter 1] They're being called hybrids,
unexplained phenomenon of animal-human babies being born…
-[reporter 2] Part animal. -[reporter 3] Part human.
[reporter 4] What came first, the virus or the hybrids?
That's been the greatest mystery of the 21st century.
[reporter 5] Biologists are still searching for any connection
between the hybrids and H5G9 virus.
[reporter 6] Parents are pushing back on hospitals over the new law
requiring hybrid testing.
["Maple Sap" playing]
♪ Winter's wood is cut ♪
♪ Three cord I stacked Out back of my house ♪
♪ Is it enough To feed on through bitter wind? ♪
[creature scuttling]
♪ Start the black stove ♪
♪ Winter's wood is cut… ♪
[man] Stay right there.
I'll be right back.
[wheel screeching]
Ah!
Yeah!
Aw…
♪ In the wild ♪
[Gus cooing]
Pubba.
What?
What'd you say?
Pubba?
You Gus, me Pubba. [snickers]
-[Gus blowing] -Happy birthday! Okay, open this thing up.
Let's see what we got. What do you think it is?
[Gus] Books.
[Pubba] Yeah. Let's see…
[light orchestral music playing]
-Wait for it. -[toy mooing]
-[Pubba] You're gonna scare the fish. -No, I'm not.
-If I hear a growl… -I will duck.
If I hear a voice…
I will run.
If I see a human?
I will hide.
[water splashing]
[Pubba] You'll get it.
All right.
Try again.
[Gus chuckles]
[shrieks, chuckles]
-[Gus] No! -Here I go!
-[yells, chuckles] -Ah!
-You know how humans have blood? -[Gus] Yeah.
[Pubba] Trees have sap.
Be careful, it's gonna be hot.
[plane whirring]
All right.
This'll be loud for you, buddy. Let's cover your ears.
It's a bird.
It's a big, big bird. Okay?
[whirring intensifies]
All right, it's all right.
[narrator] As much as the father tried to keep the dangers of the world out…
the outside world had a way of sneaking in.
[Pubba] All right.
From now on, no more fires during the day.
It's too dangerous.
Yeah!
I worked very hard on this.
-A dog! -Yeah, it's a dog.
So what do you want to name it?
I'll name him…
Dog.
You know, that's the perfect name for a dog. Yeah.
"'Oh, shucks, baby."
-"You want to see your mother, I reckon.' -[branches crunching]
-'Yes, I--'" -[sounds intensify]
[soft music playing]
[wind gushing]
[echoing] Pubba!
Pubba!
[Pubba] Hey, I'm here.
I got you.
It's just Mother Nature, Gus, washing her world clean.
Can we live on a raft in the river, like Huck?
There are no rivers inside the fence, Gus, you know that.
[Gus] What about out there?
Well, I told you we can't go out there.
Why not?
Because I said so.
You said when I'm old enough, you'll tell me.
I know what I said.
So?
So what?
I'm seven. So?
[soft music playing]
[Pubba] Once upon a time,
bad people ruled the Earth.
Doing what they wanted, taking from the planet.
[thunder rumbling]
Just like those ants.
They were greedy things,
self-destructive,
only out for themselves.
So Nature made everyone sick,
and wiped away as many as she could.
And then a miracle happened.
Your kind.
They called them hybrids.
No one knows where you came from or how.
But the people who were left feared you.
They were meaner now, angrier.
They didn't like you because you were different.
So Nature set the rest of the Earth on fire.
-And now it burns forever. -[indistinct disembodied screaming]
But some bad people are still out there, Gus,
in the flames, waiting.
It's my job to make sure they never get in.
And it's your job
to live a full life,
and to be happy, to be kind.
I saw her today.
[somber music playing]
Who?
Mama.
She was pretty, but she didn't have nubbins like me.
Yeah, that wasn't your mother, Gus.
How do you know?
'Cause your mother's gone, Gus.
That's how I know.
[emotional music playing]
[narrator] That night, the father decided that some of the boy's questions…
were just too hard to answer.
Happy birthday.
Wow.
What is it?
You'll figure it out.
-[birds squawking] -[Pubba shooing]
-[slingshot whooshing] -Ow!
Is that gift a mistake?
[ducks squawking]
[birds chirping]
Mama.
[suspenseful music playing]
[music building]
[music halts]
[ambient sounds intensify]
[disembodied growling]
Growl…
duck.
[ominous music building]
-What did I tell you?! -[Gus grunting]
What did I tell you?
Someone could have seen you!
I heard something!
-What did I tell you?! -I thought it was her!
I told you, she's gone!
[sighs] It's my fault. I told you not to be afraid.
I thought I could trust you.
You can!
No, we need to trust each other!
I don't trust you. You don't tell me everything. You think I'm too little!
You are too little, Gus.
[melancholic music playing]
And you just proved it.
[Gus sobbing]
[male voice in distance] Sarah?
[sinister music playing]
Hello?
[whispers] Oh, no. All right.
[male voice in distance] Sarah!
Sarah?
Hey! Don't come any closer!
[man] Afternoon.
You mind lowering the gun?
Feel better if I didn't.
I'm just looking for someone.
Well, they're not here.
You better look someplace else.
How long you been here?
I realize how this looks, but I give you my word,
I had no idea your camp was here.
Who said I had a camp?
My sister went off in these mountains,
a week and a half ago.
-It's not a place for an unarmed woman. -Don't move.
I want to know if she made it through.
She didn't come through here.
You should get back on the road before it gets dark.
The road's the last place you want to be, friend.
You haven't gotten out much lately, huh?
[Pubba] What's it like out there?
It sucks.
No rules, no laws.
Once the Internet went down, it was over.
Just tribes of people, scared.
Fighting over whatever's left.
What about the Sick?
[man] It slowed down,
but it's still out there.
-People think the hybrids caused it. -Yeah, well, maybe it caused them.
[man] Yeah, maybe.
Any case, ain't many of us left.
So if you're out here alone,
isolated and whatnot…
you probably aren't in a company.
Are you?
In a company?
Alone.
I've lived here alone by myself
for nine years and… and 17 weeks
and… three days!
[branches crunching]
Hey!
Hey, where'd you go?
Stay back! Stay back!
Hey!
He marked us.
-Gus, son, get in. -I don't wanna.
I said, get in the cubby.
-It's a hole. -It's not a hole.
You know how foxes hide out during the day in their little fox house in the ground?
What's the Sick?
It's, uh…
grownup stuff.
Why'd you say you lived alone?
To protect you.
Sometimes it's okay to bend the truth if it helps someone you love.
Understand?
[Gus] I'm scared.
I know, but I promise you,
if you hide in that cubby and you be very quiet,
I'll be back before the sun goes to bed.
You can take your syrup.
[door creaking]
Remember what I said.
It's okay to lie?
That's what you took from that conversation?
No, I said don't come out until you hear from me.
I love you, Gus.
And you're not too little.
Stay big for me.
[hopeful music playing]
-[footsteps retreating] -[door closes]
[door creeks open]
[footsteps]
-[glass shattering] -[clattering]
[Gus exhales]
[suspenseful music playing]
-[music builds, halts] -[door creaking]
[soft music playing]
[Gus] Mama.
[Pubba screaming in distance]
-[yelling] No! -[Gus grunts]
-[ominous music playing] -[footsteps thumping]
-[clattering] -[glass shattering]
[door creaking]
[ambient sounds intensify]
[music builds, fades]
Pubba. Pubba!
Pubba, what took you so long?
I heard a scream.
I know.
I didn't like it.
But you're safe.
You're safe now.
He won't hurt you.
[sinister music playing]
Pubba!
Wake up. Pubba!
Pubba?
Pubba! Pubba!
Wake up, Pubba.
[Gus grunting]
[soft suspenseful music playing]
[Pubba breathing heavily]
[Pubba whispers] I was doing the right thing.
There's a good boy.
You did the right thing. You did the right thing.
[birds chirping]
[exhales]
You did this?
Your mother…
She was like me, Gus.
Or she was better than me.
[exhales] She would be so proud of you.
You were her joy.
You were her life.
You always will be.
[exhales]
[hopeful music playing]
What happened?
Life.
We were separated.
So I brought you here.
What was her name?
Birdie.
Yeah. Her name was Birdie.
When you get better, we can look for her.
If I hear a growl…
I will duck.
If I hear a voice…
I will run.
If I see a human…
-I will hide. -Okay.
What don't we do?
-Cross the fence. -Ever.
-Never ever. -Okay, promise me, Gus.
Pinky swear.
Hey.
I'm the luckiest dad in the world.
You know why?
Because I got to spend the last nine years
with a very, very special boy.
You.
In a world we got to build together.
I couldn't ask for anything else.
[sniffs, exhales]
I'm tired.
You know what could wake me up, though? [exhales]
Breakfast. Will you go make us some?
But you make the breakfast.
And you watch me, so you know how, okay?
What do we start with?
A plate.
What food?
Eggs.
Yeah. See that?
Then you'll tell me more?
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll tell you…
everything.
[ducks squawking]
[Gus] Hello, ducks.
Pubba! Pubba!
I did it!
I crossed--
Pubba?
[somber orchestration]
Pubba?
[rousing music playing]
[narrator] By his tenth winter,
the boy was now the man of the house.
With hard work
came harder play.
He, hoo…
[narrator] As his antlers grew…
so did his imagination.
You should have saw it. Bad people were everywhere.
I thought they was gonna take me and Dog, but Dog scared them away for good,
didn't you, Dog?
[somber music playing]
[narrator] Sometimes all a boy has is his imagination.
Rabbit, you're on garden duty.
Goat, you need to keep the birds off the peas.
We can't lose any more.
And me and Dog will do the syrup and the water.
And remember,
do not cross the fence.
Now go.
[purposeful orchestral music playing]
Yes!
[spitting]
[Gus grunts]
No!
[grunts]
[screaming]
[grunting]
[straining]
-[gate clattering] -[door clattering]
Stupid weeds.
[grunts]
[sinister music playing]
[snarls]
Stupid weasel thing!
Dumb goat!
You!
[breathing heavily]
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
[sizzling]
[sighs]
[exhales]
Pubba.
[purposeful orchestral music playing]
Hmm.
Colorado.
[hopeful music playing]
[breathing heavily]
I'm coming for you, Birdie.
[sniffing]
[suspenseful music playing]
[sniffing]
-[arrow whooshing] -[Gus gasps]
[panting]
[music intensifies, fades]
[whispers] Hide. If I see a human, I will hide.
If I see a human, I will hide.
-[man] Come on, buddy. -If I see a human, I will hide.
I seen ya.
Show yourself. You like that candy?
When you poke your little head out,
and I'll put one right between your eyes.
Come on. [smooches]
Come on.
-[man 2 bawls] -[Gus shrieks]
I got him! Have a look!
-I told you! -I got him!
What did I tell you?
-I ain't ever seen a deer one afore. -Yeah, me neither.
-[Gus grunting] -He's got a little shirt and everything.
Yeah. Hey, don't he look bigger than the others?
Yeah, older too.
You thinking what I'm thinking?
We take it to the lab?
[man 2] No, no, no, no, no.
We bring him east.
This one's too special.
-Yeah. -[chuckles]
[Gus] Let me go!
[man 2 yelps]
Oh, did you hear that?
It talked.
I got you.
[gunshot echoes]
-[sound intensifies] -[Gus moans]
[panting]
-[man 2 yelps] -[Gus gasps]
Ah!
[sinister music playing]
[man 2 yelping]
Hey… hello.
Um…
We could share. Huh?
[gun cocking]
Hey! No, no, no, no, no.
Mm… Okay, hey…
[sword clattering]
It's yours.
[man 2 yelling]
[gunshot echoing]
[Gus panting]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Gus exhales sharply]
[grunting]
-[locks clicking] -[marbles clinking]
[scarecrow clattering]
[ominous music playing]
[breathing heavily]
[inhales sharply]
[door clattering]
[lock clicks]
[door creaking]
[door clattering]
[toy buzzing]
[man] Know how much your antlers are worth to a poacher?
I counted three points.
Jackpot.
Thought I saw every type of mutant half-breed critter thing out there.
I never saw a deer kid.
[toy mooing]
[ominous music building]
[man] You forgot this.
-[groans] Come here! -[Gus moaning]
[Gus shrieking]
[man grunting]
Leave me alone!
The shit?
-Speak. -Stay back.
You talk?
-[slingshot whooshing] -[man groaning]
Shit.
Who taught you?
My Pubba did, and he's gonna be back here any minute now, so you best git!
He's bigger than you.
They don't make 'em bigger than me.
[snickers]
That your old lady?
Put that down! I don't talk to bad people!
Them two in the field were bad.
Most of them are.
Take it nice.
No, no, no, no, no!
No booms. No booms.
[inhales]
You shouldn't set fires in the daytime, little man.
Your daddy didn't teach you that?
Saw the smoke 20 miles off.
I said go away!
[somber music playing]
How long you been here?
Go back to the fire where you belong.
God damn it.
[slingshot whooshing]
What was that boom?
It's called a gun.
Makes people disappear.
What do you want?
I was thinking about turning you in…
-[slingshot whooshing] -But I'm not gonna.
I'm an asshole,
but even I got limits. [grunts]
[bird squawking]
Shoo!
[squawking continues]
-[Gus grunts] -[slingshot whooshing]
-[man shooing] -[birds squawking]
Hey, you put them back! They don't belong to you!
You like those sweets so much, you ought to plant beets.
Mix up your sugar intake.
That should keep them off the peas.
You're using that scarecrow inside. You want to set him out here,
reposition him every few days.
Birds ain't dumb.
You want to rotate this crop too. Peas eat up all the nitrogen.
Soil will be shot in a few years.
Your daddy keep a… a tarp or anything?
What killed your folks?
They get the Sick?
Told you, my Pubba's coming back and he's gonna run you away.
He leave you with a name?
I said go.
[snickers] Yeah.
Yeah, you keep that edge, Sweet Tooth.
Just remember,
good poachers don't miss.
Where's Colorado?
Ain't close.
[Gus] Which way?
[ominous music playing]
Stay here, little man.
People out there hunt kids like you.
Don't make it easy for them.
There are no kids like me. I'm the only one left.
That's what he told you?
There are others.
Out there.
What's in Colorado?
Nothing.
The Preserve?
My mama.
You go out there alone,
they'll have your head mounted to a wall by morning.
So long, Sweet Tooth.
["Dirty Paws" by Of Monsters And Men playing]
[Gus, inwardly] What if he were wrong?
♪ The son was an okay guy ♪
♪ They had a pet dragonfly ♪
♪ The dragonfly it ran away ♪
♪ But it came back with a story to say ♪
♪ Hey! ♪
♪ So for a while things were cold ♪
♪ They were scared Down in their holes… ♪
[narrator] The boy broke his father's rules slowly…
and then, all at once.
♪ But she and her furry friends ♪
♪ Took down the queen bee and her men ♪
♪ And that's how the story goes ♪
♪ The story of the beast With those four dirty paws ♪
♪ La, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la ♪
[narrator] Some stories start at the beginning.
[Gus gasps]
[narrator] Gus's story begins here.
[echoing] Big Man!
Big Man!
Take me!
[orchestral music playing]