The Madness Within, Part 2

As Ted returns to the ranch Joanna makes him face the reality that he will never get the family he wants, pushing him to a new limit. Josh must convince Alex to help them, believing the truth he's keeping is the only way to save them. Ben struggles to get the combination from Fraser, putting Katie's life in great danger, as Joe fights to free her. And as Hugo's wedding ceremony proceeds, Rena struggles to forgive Mary for how she hurt him.

Plot

Teaser

	Bessie Porter loved her son more than anything. Ever since her husband left them, their baby became her world...

Flash of a man walking out the room of a hospital, behind him Bessie sits on a chair and holds the baby tight.

	As a single mother, things weren't easy. But she managed to be there for her son and also support them...

Bessie comes home from work, entering a nice suburban home. She pays the babysitter and then runs over to her son, picking him up and hugging him tight. "We have the whole evening. What do you want to do?" she asks. The boy answers with a massive grin, "The movies."

	But then an awful day happened. A day in March, seven years ago...

Bessie is sitting at work when she gets a phone call. She answers it robotically but then once she hears the other line, she drops it with widened eyes. We flash to her running home, bursting through the door. She asks the babysitter, "Where is he?!" The babysitter shrugs. Bessie proceeds to begin looking around frantically, screaming, "REED!"

	The day that Reed Porter never came home from school. But Bessie never gave up looking for him...

Bessie is standing in front of a television camera, there is signs everywhere of Reed. She says to the camera trying to hold back the tears, "If anyone has any information concerning my sons disappearance then I beg you to come forward."

	She kept on looking until the day she died...

Bessie is in a hospital bed as her arm drops and the machine she's connected to begins to flat line.

	Bessie Porter never found out what happened to her son. But maybe that was for the best...

Reed Porter is walking the street when Ted's car approaches from behind. He stops and peeps his head out the window, "Hey there." Reed looks up at Ted and Alex in the car. We then flash to Ted throwing Reed into the chicken coop. He cowards in the blood stained coop with the other kids.

	...Because if Bessie Porter was there to see what her son became, she wouldn't be able to handle it.
James Clark

Alex follows Ted, who approaches the coop with a lustful grin, dragging the bloody axe behind him slowly.

Act I

	Everyone has darkness inside them. Everyone. Whether you know it's there or not, it can come out in us at any time. In any place. In anyone. But what about the darkness that has people trapped in it? What about the people who might never see light again?

We see Katie inside the metal coffin, it's very dark but we can still see that mud and tears are staining her face. She looks weak, as though she's about to pass out. Then a voice is heard from above her. "I'm going to get you out of this, you know?" Joe Hadland says, and we see him on the surface, crouching over the coffin. "I know you will..." Katie utters weekly, before coughing up dirt. "You just have to... stay strong. Stay awake. Stay... Katie. I can't lose you," he tells her. And with that, he places his hand on the coffin, where a human hand would be should there be a person lying atop of it. Beneath the coffin, Katie does the same thing, and the two of them touch hands with a metal barrier between them. "I l..." she starts, losing her strength, "I love you," she utters, more tears streaming down her face. "Don't say that like it's goodbye," Joe tells her, tearing up slightly himself, "I'm gonna get you out of here." "I know, I know, but just in case... just in case, just say it," Katie begs. "Alright," Joe assures her, "If it's the last chance I get... Katie Vaala," Katie passes out due to oxygen starvation, "I love you," Joe utters. When there is no reply, Joe asks, "Katie...? Katie?" There's no answer, and we are shown Katie's sleeping face. Joe lies down beside the coffin and cries onto its lid. "I love you, Katie."

At the ranch, Ted's car door opens. He gets out and he slowly walks over to the pit of bones where Josh and Alex are standing. Josh stares at him, breathing frantically with fear. Ted looks down at the children remains, staring intently. He then turns round and walks towards the farmhouse, without saying a word, leaving a gaped Josh standing. As Ted walks towards the house, a tear falls from his eye.

	As Theodore Manning looked around his home, he saw memories everywhere...

Ted opens the farmhouse door and enters the living room, he looks over to the couch and sees an old mouldy dictionary. He picks it up and stares at it, flicking through the rotting pages. Suddenly things go quiet and a flashback begins in his head.

Thirty Years Ago

Ted is a small boy playing with a small wooden train on the floor, inside the ranch farmhouse, which somehow looks just as grotty and run down as it does today. Meanwhile Ted's mother and father, Casey and Buck Norwood, are sitting on the living room couch. "These stupid chickens aren't making us any money!" Casey complains to her husband. Buck continues sipping his can of beer, "This farm has been in my family for generations, woman." Casey shakes her head, "Well, you can't really expect a man to earn a bigger number than his IQ score." "Are you calling me stupid?" Buck says in his southern slurp. Casey merely shakes her head again but then she catches sight of Ted looking at them and says, "And that little fuck is as dumb as you are. It must be in your family's genes." Ted lowers his head sadly. But Buck looks agitated, "Hey, call me what you want, woman. But our son isn't stupid. Teddy, get over here." As Buck calls over his son to prove his wife wrong, Ted walks over, "Yes, sir?" "We're gonna' play ten synonyms," Buck says, "Pick a word, woman." Casey thinks. "Pick a word!" Buck urges her. "Destroy," Casey replies. Buck tells Teddy, "Go!" Ted answers, "Ten Synonyms for destroy: mutilate, liquidate, abrogate, ravage, eradicate, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, vaporize, desolate." Casey looks at her son shocked, as Buck cheers him on. "How did you lean that?" Casey asks. Ted shrugs, "Daddy gave me a dictionary and told me to read...so I read." Buck smiles, "My son's gonna be the future President." Buck smiles at Teddy, who smiles back.

Today

The flashback ceases as Ted continues to stare into space, his father saying, "My son's gonna be the future President" repeats in his head. Teddy then drops the dictionary to the ground causing an explosion of dust. Ted ambles away and over to his old bedroom, he creaks open the door, and another flashback begins.

Thirty Years Ago

The small Teddy is sitting on his bed. His father walks in and smiles, "We sure showed that bitch." Teddy looks up, "I feel like a circus freak." Buck sits down beside Teddy and begins stroking his leg, "You're gonna be President someday, mark my words. I love you, Teddy." Buck continues to stroke his son's leg, meaning his words, but a more lustful look gradually overcomes his face. His hand then moves to Ted's crouch, stroking it. Buck then stands and goes to close the door, unbuckling his pants as he does so. Teddy looks up at his dad, and knows what's happening - it's happened before, many times. Today Ted slams the door closed, he looks down in pain.

	...Yes, for Theodore Manning there was memories everywhere, unfortunately most of them were unpleasant.
James Clark

"What are you doing here...?" Rena asks, dumbfounded, staring at Mary who has just entered the synagogue where his grandfather's wedding is to be held. "I'm sorry, Rena," Mary says, sadly. "Sorry? You're sorry? For what, Mary? What are you so sorry about, eh? Are you sorry about leaving me? Are you sorry about making me feel alone, or like a failure? Are you sorry for adding to my grief when I had already lost a child?" Rena asks. "Everything," Mary says, a single tear streaming down her face, "But you have to understand, I had just lost a child too, and you didn't even seem fazed..." "That was because I was so happy that you were okay! That you were alive! That you were still mine – I love you..." Rena explains. "I love you too," she assures him, smiling. "Do you?" he asks, "Was it out of love for me that you walked out of that door as I chased after you, screaming your name?" "I've already said I'm sorry," Mary reminds him. "I don't really think it's good enough..." Rena says. "But since then, since we lost our son..." Mary starts. "How do you know it was going to be a boy?" Rena asks, "We'll never know." "When I thought I was going to die, my entire life flashed before my eyes, Rena. But I didn't see everything, just the people I loved. I saw you... a lot... and I saw our son. Living out his life. The most wonderful life. Ordinary, but... perfect. You know? When I lost that, I couldn't cope. I couldn't bear not having a future with our child. But then I realized, I could still be happy with you. Have a future with you. I love you," Mary declares. "Alright," Rena replies, "As you were saying..." "Right," Mary continues, "Since we lost our son, I've found a way to deal with the pain. I went to therapy, I did everything I could. I've dealt with the loss, and I've come here to ask you... to beg you... to take me back." "Quite a speech," Rena tells her. "Comes from the heart," she assures him, another tear sliding down her other cheek. "Well, I'm sorry, Mary. But I can't take you back. When you left, you hurt me, and that pain... that pain just doesn't go away," he tells her, "Now if you don't mind, I have a messed-up wedding to take part in. Feel free to enjoy the show." At this, Mary walks away and sits down on one of the synagogue's pews, alone. She takes a handkerchief from her purse and wipes away the tears as Rena watches; he then approaches his grandfather who is sitting beside Betty. "So... you're marrying her now?" Rena asks, confused. "I sure as hell am!" Hugo exclaims. "Right... can I have a word for a moment?" Rena requests, and Betty gets up and walks away. "I'm getting married!" she exclaims happily as she makes her way to the bathroom. "Isn't she great?" Hugo asks, admiringly. "Gramps, what the fuck? You came here to marry a woman I presumed you loved today and now you're just gonna marry somebody else? Some random old lady? What are you playing at?" Rena asks. "I didn't come here today to marry a woman I loved, I came here today to get married. I didn't care for Edie, I... I just didn't wanna live out my final days alone..." Hugo explains. "Oh, gramps..." Rena says compassionately, placing a comforting arm on his grandfather's shoulder, "You don't have to." "You're right, I don't have to. Because now I'm marrying Betty. And look at her. She adores me. That's what I need, Rena. I need someone to care about, and someone to care about me," Hugo says. "I do care about you," Rena assures him. "I know you do... but you can't always be there. I know you try, but you have school and a life to get going with. I just need a bit of company is all. That, and... well, you know. It's been a while..." "Okay, you can stop now," Rena tells him, "So you're sure about marrying this Betty woman?" "As sure as I'll ever be... No one should spend their lives alone." At this, Rena turns his head and looks at Mary, who's sitting alone. He then cocks his head, taking Hugo's words into consideration.

Dean is seen frantically knocking on the door of Josh's old house, and Bob answers. "Um, hi..." Bob says awkwardly. "Hi, I'm Dean Hall, Josh's boyfriend," Dean says quickly. "Yes, I know who you are," Bob assures him. "Listen, your son is missing," Dean tells him. Bob's eyes widen, "What?" "His step-dad is crazy. He's kidnapped him. Taken him somewhere. And if the police don't want to help, then I'm going to need something to make sure that I can make it to him on my own. Can you help me?" Dean asks. "Um... I think so. What do you need?" Bob wonders. Dean smiles, "Do you still have Josh's old motorcycle?"
Dean is seen riding the motorcycle into a parking lot and pulling up outside the police station. He quickly removes his helmet and runs inside.
"You want us to go down to a ranch in Inyo where a wanted killer might be?" the cop asks, after Dean has explained everything. "Yes, and where Josh Miller is being held captive," he adds. "Might be being held captive..." the cop utters, "I'm sorry, kid, this really isn't enough to go on." "Get me Greg," Dean demands. "What?" the cop asks confused. "Officer Larkin, I'd like to speak to him, maybe he'd listen," Dean says. "You still think you have leeway on this force, boy? Your dad's old cop friends can't help you now – not since he turned out to be a first-class mental-case," the cop tells him. "That gives them reason not to like him," Dean points out, "It gives them no reason not to still like me." "Very well..." the cop utters.
Another cop is seen entering the room soon. "Hi, Greg," Dean says, smiling. "Hey, Dean. What're you doing here?" Greg asks. "My boyfriend's been kidnapped and I think I might know where. His stepdad's a crazy killer called Theodore Norwood and he used to live on this ranch. He has Josh. The address is in this article," Dean says, handing it to Greg. Greg reads it all the way through. "I see..." he says. "Will you help me?" Dean asks. "I'll check the place out. Need a ride?" Greg asks. "No, I have one of my own, thanks. I'd hate to just leave it here. You just punch in the post code and lead the way."
We next see Dean riding on Josh's motorcycle down the road, a cop car not far ahead. As the wind whips through his hair and he drives further and further out of Wiksteria, Dean doesn't break the determined look on his face.

Water is thrown over Fraser; he wakes up suddenly with a shudder, looking to see he's been tied to a chair which he's sitting on, still in the boathouse. He looks up at Ben, still bloody and bruised from Ben punching him. "What's the combination?" Ben asks. Fraser continues to just stare at him, the corners of his mouth forming the whisk of an eerie smile. "WHAT IS IT?!" Ben shouts, "This is your last chance to do the right thing, Fraser, otherwise I'll force it out of you." Fraser just smiles. Ben sighs before bending down to a pile of gardening tools, he picks up some pliers. "Give me your hand," Ben utters, forcing Fraser's fingers to extend outwards. Ben grips one of Fraser's fingers with the pliers and squeezes down before sharply twisting it, causing the bone in the finger to break with a crack. Fraser lets out a large cry of pain. "There's still nine more," Ben tells him.

Act II

Josh is sitting quietly on the front porch of the farmhouse. Ted walks over with a baseball in hand, and smiles, "Hey Joshy. Thought we could play some baseball? Like we use to." Josh looks at him in disbelief, shaking his head, "I don't think so." "Why not?" Ted asks. Josh merely looks up at him in disgust, before storming off with a snort of contempt. Ted stands glumly.

	Theodore Manning had spent most of his life in this isolated ranch. And so when he was a kid, there was a lot of things he didn't understand. He didn't understand why his father visited him during the nights...

Flash of small Teddy sleeping in his bed, his eyes open as the door creaks open. Buck walks in and begins taking off his pants.

	And he didn't understand why when his father stopped visiting him during the nights, other children began coming to the ranch...

Teddy is sitting on the porch as his father arrives at the ranch in his truck, he brings a boy out the truck. Teddy stands and looks at the boy curiously - never having seen another child before. Buck begins dragging the boy to the chicken coop, smiling to Teddy as he passes, "I won't need to hurt you again, son. You just keep read that dictionary, Mr. President." Buck kicks open the coop, pulling chickens out, which begin fleeing, before throwing the sobbing kid inside. Buck then begins unbuckling his belt, before entering the coop with a smile.

	And when his father showed him the outside world for the first time, he didn't understand why he had to help pick up boys...

Flash of Buck riding the truck through a town. Teddy is looking around the place memorized. They then stop by a kid and Buck smiles, "Hey there."

	And he didn't understand why once the kids had fallen asleep, it was his job to put them in the ground...

Casey hands Teddy a shovel, who then enters the coop. A bunch of small kids are lying around the coop dead, having died of starvation and dehydration since Buck was finished with them. We then flash to Teddy shovelling out the earth with the shovel, and placing the child bodies in the ground.

	And he didn't understand why his mother asked them to fall asleep faster. Or why he had to use an axe to do it...

Casey hands Teddy the axe, that not too long ago was used for chickens but never again will be. He takes it to the coop, where the children are cowering. Casey is shouting at Teddy and urging him on what to do. He brings the axe down at the kids.

	And once his parents passed away, and he was twenty years old, he didn't know what he was meant to do...

Flash to Buck farming the land, when suddenly he clutches his chest and falls dead of a heart attack. We then flash to Casey finding the body, before she puts a shotgun to her mouth, which is followed by a large bang. We then flash to Ted digging their graves by the coop, to be buried with the deceased children.

	But he received help from his only relatives, who sent him their son...

A car approaches the farmhouse and Alex steps out. Ted runs over to greet him.

	And so with no understanding on what to do, he did the only thing he knew, and became his father...

Flash of Ted driving the truck, with Alex in the front, he stops by a kid and smiles. We flash to him throwing the kid in the chicken coop, before proceeding to take off his pants. Once finished, he exits the coop and gives Alex the axe, who enters the coop and begins hacking the cowering child.

	Until he was spotted in Inyo, causing the police to begin looking for him...

Flash to Ted and Alex picking up a child in a town, as a man looks over from his shop. He sees the child get in Ted's truck and he looks over alarmed before running for a phone.

	So he left the ranch, and found Joanna Miller...

Joanna is sitting in a small town church, she looks up to see Ted enter and smiles at him, who smiles back. We then flash to Ted knocking on the door of an apartment building. Joanna answers it to a smiling Ted with flowers.

	And only then did Theodore Manning begin to understand. He began to understand what he had done was wrong. He began to understand the pain he had caused the children and families. He began to understand his father's desires weren't normal, and that he had no need for them....

Present day. Ted watches Josh walk away and he sighs, before walking into the living room of the farmhouse and sitting down.

	...Yes, Theodore Manning had begun to understand. And he knew that all he wanted was a family better than his own.
James Clark

Joanna enters the living room, "We need to talk." Ted looks up, "What's on your mind, my darling?" "Nothing is growing. This farm won't work," she says. Ted sighs. But Joanna continues, "We can't live here! What do you think will become of Josh living here?" Ted stands, "Darling, nothing is going to happen to him. Do you really think that I would have brought you here, to a place as sacred as this to me, if I only meant you ill?" Ted smiles but Joanna looks away from him, causing Ted to scream, "LOOK AT ME!" Joanna looks up in fright but Ted looks ashamed as his outbursts before continuing with a tear, "Joanna, I am not the animal that you think you see before you. I am the laws of karma all come down wrong. Do you understand what I'm saying?" "I don't," Joanna tells him. Ted stutters for words, "What I'm trying to say is that, I am the sins of my father." "Why are you telling me this?" Joanna asks. "Because I love you," Ted says, "Because I want for you to understand me. I promised that I would not procreate. I am the last surviving member of the Norwood family. The end of a corrupted breed. That is my promise to the world, that the Earth shall thank god, never again see any more of my family's generations. But, there is yet something that gives me great hope. No more Norwoods shall roam this planet, not with that vile blood in their veins. All I want is to end that bloodline, to extirpate it! But I can start another. A fresh. A new family. Josh is my salvation, Joanna. That wonderful boy. He is my chance to make this world a better place. To leave some good behind. I will be good, Joanna. Good to you and Josh. I will love you both. And I will stop at nothing to give you both everything. Josh can be the future President, if he so desires. And with your love, Joanna, I will take communion, be baptized under a truer light. I promise to never again commit a sin. And all that I ask in return, is that you love me back, just a little, Joanna, or at least try to learn to do so within time." Ted gets down on his knees before Joanna and strokes her cheek with a smile of love. He asks, "Can you do that, Joanna?" Joanna shakes her head, "I can't." Ted's eyes widen. Joanna continues, "I will never be able to love you again, Teddy. You're a monster." Ted suddenly stands to his feet, he takes a step back in pain and looks at her, as he finally realises that he will never have the family he so badly wants.

Josh is standing by the farmhouse, kicking the ground, when suddenly he looks up to see an angry Ted exit the house, dragging a crying Joanna with him. Josh runs over in alarm but Ted immediately grabs him with his free hand, pulling them both with him as he walks. They both being hitting him, screaming and squirming to get free. Ted just keeps walking with a cold stare, dragging them towards the chicken coop, where he kicks open the door and throws them inside. Ted glances around for Alex and then sees him, "Alex, you get over here!" Alex looks up at him. "NOW, BOY!" Ted shouts. Alex ambles over towards the coop, Ted pushes him inside and then he slams the door behind him, locking the three of them inside. Joanna and Josh begin banging and shouting on the door, but Ted ignores their calls, stumbling over a stump where he sits. He then begins crying in great anguish, tears falling down his face as he screams to the heavens in pain. His eyes then catch sight of the axe beside him; he stares at it and begins to think.

Josh and Joanna are still banging on the door, inside the coop, but Josh gives up and turns to Alex, "How do we get out of here?!" "You can't," Alex shrugs. "He's going to kill us!" Josh shouts. Alex replies, "You can't get out." "Reed did," Josh reminds Alex. Alex looks down. "And how did that happen, Alex? A kid got out and ran away? You and Ted didn't look for him? He didn't tell the police?" Josh persists. Alex keeps looking down. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Josh shouts. "Why do you need to know?!" Alex demands. Josh explains, "Because you know something that can save us, Alex, I know you do. The kid...Reed...who escaped...he was you, wasn’t he?" Alex looks up, and once again he begins to slowly explain...

	They took me from my mother. I was walking home from school...

Seven years ago. We see Alex, who at the time was known as Reed, walking home from school. A car approaches from behind as Ted leans out and smiles, and another boy sits in the front seat of the car - about twenty years old - he's the real Alex Norwood who was sent to the ranch at eleven years old .(See "The Madness Within, Part 1")

	They kept me in the coop, with two other boys...

Reed is sitting in the coop, during the night, shivering and cowering with the other two boys.

	We were so scared. But I wasn’t stupid scared....

Reed begins looking around the coop, placing his hand under the sides.

	I found a part where the wiring was all messed up. And I got out...

Reed begins pulling away a corner of the coop. A boy shushes him, "He's going to hear you!" Reed turns and says, "We need to get out of here! Don't you want to see your mom again?" The boy looks down sadly, as Reed forces his way through the hold in the fence. He makes it to the other side and then says, "Come on!" Suddenly the light inside the farmhouse goes on and they hear Ted scream, "Hey, what's that?!" Reed begins to run into the distance.

	But one of the boys got stuck...

The boys begin frantically trying to get through the hole, before Ted gets over, but one of them gets caught in the netting. The other is pushing the boy forward in fear of being caught, but this is only digging the boy's leg more into the metal wiring. Reed, from the distance, glances back and sees the problem.

	I had to help them....

Reed runs back towards the coop, bends down and begins pulling the wiring out the boy's arm. Behind them Ted exits the farmhouse, he looks over and screams, "No, no, no, no, no!" Reed pulls away at the wiring, and he manages to free the boy, and the two boys then run off. Reed smiles and prepares to run with them, but suddenly, he's tackled to the ground. He looks to see Alex atop him, beginning to hit him, Reed glances over to a rock nearby, picks it up and smashes it against Alex's face, causing him to fall off him. Reed then stands, he looks over to the axe by the coop and lifts it, brining it over to Alex. Alex, lying on the ground, looks up in fear as Reed brings it down, then back up and then back down, and again and again, blood splattering all over him.

	I killed that kid. Like he was going to kill me...

Reed stops, only when satisfied the boy is dead, he lowers the axe and begins to weep. Ted then walks over; he puts his hand on Reed's shoulder and looks down at the ghastly sight. Ted then turns his eyes to Reed and looks impressed. Ted smiles.

	He gave me Alex's job...he made kill the kids for now on...and he changed my name to Alex Norwood.
Alex Manning

Alex's finishes his tale with an anguished look. "What happened to the kids you helped?" Josh asks. "We went looking for them...we caught them," Alex says, with a sick look. Josh begins looking around, "Which corner was it?" Alex points to the corner, as Josh and Joanna run over to it and begin pulling away at the wiring.

Ted stands up, as if in a daze, as he picks up the axe. He turns to the coop, and begins slowly walking towards it, axe in hand.

Act III

Hugo and Betty are preparing to walk down the aisle together, as the wedding march begins playing on the organ. "Do we not have a flower girl to go down first?" Betty asks her fiancé. "I... I'm the flower girl," says a little girl in a white dress who emerges onto the aisle. "Where's my grandma Edie?" "Gone, kid," says Hugo. "G-gone? What do you mean? Where is she? Where's grandma Edie gone?" "This is your grandma Edie now!" Hugo shouts, pointing at Betty, "Now you are gonna walk down that aisle, spread some goddamn joy and you are gonna goddamn like it! You understand?" The girl nods in fear, and begins slowly skipping down the aisle, throwing petals as she does so. Betty looks lovingly at Hugo as the two of them make their way down the aisle. When they make it to the end where the Rabbi is standing, the organ ceases and the ceremony proceeds. ""Baruch atah Adonai..." the Rabbi begins. "Hold up," Hugo interrupts, "What kind of mumbo jumbo are you spitting out?" "It's... Hebrew," the Rabbi tells him, "This is a synagogue, so this is a Jewish wedding..." "Oh," Hugo replies, turning to Betty, "You Jewish?" "I'm Orthodox," she replies. "What the hell is that?" he wonders. "We believe..." she tries. "Yeah, whatever. You in the small hat," he looks at the Rabbi, "Let's go with your thing." "Um, okay..." the Rabbi starts again, "Batuch atah Adonai..." he starts yet again. "No, I'm sorry, my hearing may be going, but that's as good as garbage. What are you saying?" Hugo asks. "I told you... it's Hebrew," the Rabbi replies. "It's crap is what it is," Hugo tells him. At this, a barking is heard, and Rocky comes running down the aisle, a pillow strapped to his back with two gold wedding bands rested atop of it. "No, Rocky, too early!" Hugo exclaims. "ALRIGHT, LET'S START OVER! ROCKY, BACK INTO POSITION! BETTY, BACK DOWN THE AISLE! AND YOU, JEW, COMMENCE THE CEREMONY! IN ENGLISH!" Everyone looks at him in fear, but no one dares argue with him, and the wedding begins to recommence as normal. In the pew, Mary is seen watching and laughing, when Rena suddenly sits next to her. "I thought you were unable to forgive me," Mary reminds him. "I changed my mind," Rena tells her, "I love you, and I wanna be with you. From now 'til the end of my days. Mary Strange, will you... will you grab a coffee with me?" At this, Mary giggles, "I'd love to." "Great," Rena says, smiling widely. "Although... I haven't got any money on me," he admits. "Don't worry," Mary assures him, "I'll pay." The two of them then share a deep and passionate kiss as the bizarre excuse for a wedding goes on in the background, and Mary excuses herself to go to the bathroom. As she walks, Rena takes out his cell phone a dials, "Liz?" he says. "Yeah?" we see Liz on the other end of the phone, sitting on her couch at home, "You need me to come pick you up already?" "No," Rena tells her, "I'm calling to tell you, you don't need to pick me up at all. I'm leaving with someone else." "Oh... okay, well, I'm here if you need me," Liz assures him. "I won't," Rena says, "I have Mary," and then he hangs up, and has a rather large grin on his face.

	Since her potential child's death, Mary Strange had found a way to deal with the pain. Unfortunately, however, it was a rather unconventional method...

Mary steps into the bathroom and looks at herself in the mirror, her smile falters and she places her purse beside the sink. She digs inside it and pulls out a dollar bill. Afterwards, she pulls out a small, clear, zip-lock bag filled with white powder. Carefully, she pours the cocaine in one straight line across the sink's surface, before rolling the dollar bill up into a tube a putting it to her nose. Mary then proceeds to snort the drugs the money, and once she's done, she returns the dollar bill and the zip-lock bag to her purse. She stares at herself in the mirror again and smiles genuinely, wiping away any residual white powder from beneath her nose. Once she's looking perfect yet again, she excitedly exits the bathroom, and reunites with her beaux.

Fraser's head is in a bucket of water, struggling to breath. Suddenly his head is released by Ben who brings him up, causing Fraser to gasp for air and give a watery cough. Fraser is much more bruised and bloody, and his left eye looks completely swollen. His fingers are broken and his clothes are marked with blood and tears. Ben also looks far more fatigued, his shirt is off, leaving only his undershirt to cover his body, which is also marked with blood. However Fraser's eyes immediately begin to close, his head collapsing to the side. Ben tries to keep his head straight and says, "Fraser, I need you to stay focused." Ben grabs a nearby tin can and smashes it against the side of Fraser's face, shouting, "ARE YOU FOCUSED, FRASER?!" Fraser's eyes open, he breathes weekly as blood now spills from his split lip. Fraser looks up at Ben, knowing he's nearing his last breath and can't take much more, he begins weakly mouthing words. "What's the combination?" Ben asks. Fraser tries to utter, "It, it's..." "Speak up, I can't hear you!" Ben tells him. Fraser begins to say the words but he can't get them out, too weak to speak, his head falling. Ben pulls him back up and shakes him to consciousness, shouting, "FRASER!" Fraser utters, "06, 00, 0..." Fraser's head collapses forward, Ben tries to wake him but he's too weak. Ben grabs his mobile, "Joe. Are you there?" "Do you have the number?" Joe asks. Ben thinks and then he says, "The number is six million." "What is that?" Joe asks. Ben replies, "It's the number of people who died in the holocaust."

Cut to the ranch, inside the chicken coop. "Pull!" Joanna shouts, as the two heave up the fencing. Josh looks over to Alex, "HELP US!" Alex glances over.
Outside, Ted is almost at the door, stumbling over with the axe and a cold glare.
All three of them are pulling at the corner wiring of the coop, but suddenly everyone turns at the sound of the door creaking open. Ted walks in and holds up the axe. Everyone stops what they're doing and looks up at him, eyes widened and gaped. Joanna stands and walks over, so she is between Ted and Josh, she begs, "Please, just kill me. I'm the one who has hurt you." "Mom!" Josh shouts from behind. "It's okay, Josh," Joanna says, trying to keep it together, though tears are falling from her eyes. Ted glances around the coop, before turning his eyes to Joanna. Ted raises the axe. Joanna looks away and prepares herself. Ted swings his arms down, the axe coming down and towards Joanna, but suddenly it slams into the ground of the coop. Joanna looks up, alive. Everyone looks over surprised as Ted utters, "You can all leave." Ted then turns and begins ambling outside the coop, as everyone exhales with relief and stares after him in shock.
Ted stands outside the coop, as tears fall down his face; suddenly he looks to see something approaching through the dust. He looks in confusion, to see a motorcycle. The camera zooms to reveal Dean speeding towards the ranch on the bike. He enters the ranch grounds and stops just before the coop, locking eyes with Ted who looks confused. Suddenly a police siren is heard as Officer Larkin's car pulls up beside Dean on Josh's bike. The Officer jumps out the car, with gun in hand, and points it at Ted, "FREEZE!" Ted raises his arms and gets down on the sandy grown. The Officer comes over and places Ted in handcuffs, "Theodore Norwood, you're under arrest for child abduction and homicide." As Greg reads Ted his rights, everyone exits the coop. Josh sees Dean and runs over to him, they jump into each other's arms and hug. "You're alright!" Dean exclaims. "You came for me?" Josh asks. "Of course I did," Dean smiles. Joanna looks at them and smiles. Greg begins dragging Ted over to the car but he sees Alex and asks, "Are you Alex Norwood?" Everyone looks at Alex who begins to stutter, but Ted replies, "That is Reed Porter. I kidnapped him from Riverside County...and I've kept him captive since. I committed all these murders on my own...I killed the children." Greg nods and then takes Ted over to his car, placing him inside. Alex looks over at Ted surprised, who smiles at him from the car. Alex smiles back.

"Thanks, Ben! Thank you so much!" Joe exclaims, hanging up the phone and approaching the lock on the coffin. He quickly enters the combination that Ben told him and the lock clicks open. A smile grows across Joe's face and the coffin lid opens – an unconscious Katie lies inside. "Katie!" Joe yells, quickly taking her hands in his and pulling her up out of the ditch he's created by digging back up the grave. He lays her back on the surface and feels her wrist. "A pulse," he utters, but Katie remains unconscious. Thinking quickly, Joe pounds down five times on Katie's chest, and puts his mouth on hers, performing CPR. He pounds again on her chest and breathes into her mouth. He keeps doing this, over and over, until eventually Katie opens her eyes and coughs up more dirt. "Joe..." she utters, "You saved me..." "Of course I did," he tells her, smiling as he stares into her face and she lies in his arms, "No matter how much trouble you land yourself in, I will always save you. Always. I love you, Katie," he tells her. "I love you too," she breaths, and Joe kisses her. They kiss for a long time before Joe lifts his girlfriend to her feet.

Ben is sitting by the river, with Fraser mumbling to himself in the boathouse behind, holding onto the engagement ring. He looks out at the river and thinks.

	And for the first time since her death, Ben had a chance to mourn Emma Swift...

Ben bursts into tears, crying uncontrollably.

	He remembered the first day they met...

Flash of Ben at Emma's locker, he is moving his hands around nervously as he attempts to ask her out, and he accidently places his hand on the sticky wall. Emma gives him one of her own hand wipes, and they smile at each other. (See "Forever Reforming")

	He remembered when she met his friends...

Flash of Emma at Ben's house, as everyone sits around talking. (See "Sorrow is Forgiven, Not Forgotten")

	He remembered when she cared for him in the hospital...

Flash of Emma sitting by Ben in the hospital bed. (See "Binding Affairs")

	Yes, Ben had some lovely memories with Emma and he most definitely remembered how he loved her. But he also remembered how he broke her heart...

Flash of Ben kissing Liz in the park, as Emma watches in anguish. (See "Who You Really Are, Part 2")

	And how she struggled to let go...

Flash of Emma and Ben together in the cabin.

	But he remembered how she wanted to change...

Ben storms into his house, slamming the door, as Emma shouts behind, "I'm going to prove to you that I've changed!" (See "Death Do Us Part")

	...Of course Ben could never know if Emma would have become a better person, had her life not been cut short...

Flash of Emma being strangled by Fraser. (See "Secrets That Lay Buried")

	...But he knew.

Ben smiles, over his tears, in the knowing that Emma had it in her to be a better person. Fraser is still mumbling from behind. Ben stands frustrated, "What is it?!" He enters the boathouse and walks over to the bloody Fraser tied in the chair, he looks delirious and weak, his head facing the ceiling, as he utters to himself, "...They were was nothing they could have said or done. They were dead as soon as I saw them. Because I wanted them to be..." Ben shakes his head in disgust when suddenly his phone rings, he picks it up and after hearing Joe, exclaims, "That's great Joe! I'm so happy! Now, I can phone the police to come and get Fraser too. I'll see you soon." Ben hangs up the phone however he jumps when he looks down to see Fraser's eyes staring into him. Fraser utters eerily, "I was right you know...you did have darkness in you." Fraser smiles but Ben looks at him confused. Fraser then utters, "At least I lived..." His head then falls down as Ben dashes over, trying to shake him conscious, "Fraser! Fraser!" Ben looks alarmed as he takes the boy's pulse, but then he stands back in shock, realising that he has killed him. Ben looks around the boathouse, seeing the bloody gardening tools, bucket of water and bloody and bruised body of the tortured boy - how could he explain this?

	Everyone has darkness inside them. Everyone. You. Me. My friends. But our dark side is only a threat when we give in to it, by making the right choices, we can stay pure... We can choose to forgive someone in spite of what they may have done...

Flash to Rena and Mary having coffee together, however, Rena suddenly receives a text.

	...We can choose not to kill the people we love, and pay the price for our former crimes...

Flash to Josh and Dean watching as Ted is hauled into the Wiksteria police station in handcuffs. In thanks, Josh kisses Dean, but his phone suddenly buzzes in his pocket, and he goes to read the text.

	...We can choose to be determined, because it might lead us to something precious...

Flash to Joe kissing Katie after retrieving her from the coffin, but his cell phone suddenly rings. He answers. It's Ben. "Get down to the old boathouse. Now!" Joe appears confused, but soon leads Katie away from her grave.

	...But sometimes we make the wrong choice, and that can always land us in a sticky situation...

Ben, Joe, Katie and Rena are seen standing around Fraser's dead body. Josh soon enters the boathouse, "Why the hell did you need to see me so quick? Your text was marked urgent, but I figured you wanted to celebrate. Why are we... here?" Josh asks. However, he soon sees the dead guy, and stops talking. "What happened?" Josh asked. "I killed Fraser," Ben tells him. "What... why... what?" Josh begins asking. "He was the murderer, Josh," Joe explains, "He killed those girls in the park, he pushed the scaffolding on top of Mary and he buried Katie alive." "He killed my son..." Rena utters, pure hatred in his eyes. "So... no celebration?" Josh asks, disappointed. "What do we have to celebrate?" Ben wonders. "Um, I just got back home after being kidnapped and held hostage on a ranch on the middle of nowhere... I notice none of you are pleased to see me!" Josh exclaims. "You were gone?" Rena asks. "We're sorry, Josh, but we're a bit preoccupied at the moment," Joe points out. "Right... of course..." Josh says, still seeming annoyed. "I killed someone..." Ben utters, tears in his eyes, "I took someone's life..." Katie pats him on the back, in an attempt at comfort. "You killed a killer. He deserved it," Joe says. "Nevertheless, it was someone's life. Not to mention I'm gonna go to prison now, face court, the rest of my days behind bars..." Ben begins. "Wait, what?" Rena asks. "I killed someone!" Ben exclaims, "I tortured him to death! He wasn't armed, he wasn't attacking me! The police can't let that slip even if they do find out who he is... it wasn't self-defence... I didn't even give him a chance to defend himself..." Ben utters. "So, you're going to go to jail?" Josh asks, still grasping the gravity of the situation. "Yes," Ben says, at the same time that Joe says, "No." "What?" Ben asks. "You're not going to jail, Ben. Not for this... filth," Rena spits. "What are you saying?" Ben asks. "What we're saying..." Joe begins, "Is that there's a coffin going spare in the woods right now." "You mean... we bury him?" Josh asks, eyes widening. "Of course! He deserved exactly what he got! More, even!" Rena exclaims. "Still..." Josh tries, "We're not criminals..." "I am," Ben says sadly. "You didn't do anything we wouldn't do, Ben," Joe assures him, and Rena nods in agreement. "So... we bury him?" Katie says quietly. "Yes..." Joe says as all five of them look down at Fraser's dead body, "We bury him."

	...Because once the choice is made, there's absolutely no going back.
James Clark

The Madness Within, Part 2

Contents

Summary

Plot

Teaser

Act I

Act II

Act III

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