Blood Shine (2025)

[bunniefuu]

- You've been lost.

I know.

I felt it, too.

We've all been lost in the dark,

huddled in our own darkness.

You've searched.

You've walked through the wasted

land, and you've been afraid.

But you're not alone

for you are the elect

and we here are with

you always with you.

Our body a cage.

But how are you to find

your way if your eyes are

shut, close to the light?

Look to the luminous.

Look to the divine.

Wake up.

Wake up.

- Mmm!

Mmm!

Oh.

Oh.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Come on, B. Atta girl.

Come on, B. There you go.

There you go.

- Hey!

Hurry up!

We got another breach.

- Well, that was

the g*dd*mn one.

More born dead than

living this year.

Look, Keith.

I know your situation, but

I got to cut you loose, man.

Dead cows don't make money.

I got a friend, though.

Got a farm outside

Little Falls, said

he might could use some help

before the weather turns.

He's good with ex-cons too.

God damn it!

f*ck!

- Hello?

Hey, sorry to bother you, but

my truck broke down just down

the hill there.

There a phone I could use?

Hello.

Thank you for

answering the door.

I wasn't sure-- Oh, sorry.

I'm sorry, ma'am, I--

I just broke down

down the road there.

I need to make a phone call,

and I have a cell phone,

but the battery's dead.

If you got a cell

phone, I could--

if you just bring

it to the door, uh--

I don't have to come in.

I-- I get it.

It's middle of nowhere.

Weird-looking guy

shows up at your door.

You're going to be careful.

I mean, I would be.

Look at me.

- Um, you need a tow truck?

Right?

- That's right.

Yes, ma'am.

- Um, OK.

Um, I-- I could call for you.

- That would-- yeah,

that'd be great.

Thank you.

Ma'am

- Oh, I'm--

I'm Clara.

- Keith.

I'll just go wait in the car,

in the truck, 'til they come.

I appreciate that, Clara.

- Oh, hold-- hold on.

I'm-- here, come on in.

- Oh, no.

I don't need to.

- No, please.

You just caught me off guard.

Please, come inside.

- Wow, big place.

- Um, I'll just go

and make that call.

If you wouldn't mind waiting.

- I won't move from this spot.

- Hey, are you still awake?

Oh, good.

- Any luck?

- Uh, they'll be

here within the hour.

- You're an angel.

- Um, I have some tea

if you'd like a glass.

- Sure.

Thank you.

- Here you go.

- Thank you.

- It's sun tea.

I steep it in the sunlight.

It takes a while, but it

makes it taste pure, you know?

- I do now.

That's delicious.

So, uh, you live out

here with anyone?

- Um, no.

Just me.

- Wow.

Out here on your own, uh?

Must get a bit, I don't know.

Lonely?

- Are you lonely?

I just mean you're out here

by yourself driving around

in the dark.

Is someone at home

waiting for you?

- Uh, no.

I've been on my own

for a while now.

Yeah, I guess we got

that in common, huh?

Being lonely.

- Well, being lonely is

different than being alone.

I'm never lonely.

And tonight, I'm not alone--

- I thought.

- --because you're here.

- Ah, well, cheers to that.

That's good.

This is a nice setup you got.

I was thinking about getting

a place like this for myself

when I can.

- Hm.

What's stopping you?

- Well, I don't know.

Ah, I'm kind of in between

work right now, jobs.

It's just hard for a

farmer to keep a farm

running in this economy,

hard for him to keep men on,

especially a man with a rec--

- With a record?

- Yes, ma'am.

- But you're here now.

What you did couldn't

have been too terrible.

It's OK.

I don't judge.

The past can be so cruel.

It can keep you running

deeper into the dark.

But it doesn't have to.

The past only hurts if you

let the darkness get to you.

So don't let it.

- I-- exactly.

Heh, exactly.

Wow, you're-- that's

exactly right.

I-- it wasn't even my fault.

My ex-wife, she just--

she just had a different idea

of who I was than-- than I am.

you know?

She accused me of stuff.

She was-- she was crazy.

She made up all kinds of sh*t.

She said that I had-- that

I had anger problems, that I

put my hands on her,

which is bullshit.

She didn't even know who I was.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, I just--

- Maybe she just

couldn't see you.

- No.

She couldn't at all.

But you can't, can't you?

Man, you're different.

Warm.

You're a warm person.

I'm not used to that, you know?

Don't think I've ever met

anyone like you before.

- It's time.

Please.

You can do this.

It's time to take me.

Take me.

Yes.

Lord, let there be--

free me!

Yes, yes, yes!

Take me!

No!

Stop, stop, stop!

You wasted it!

You wasted all of it!

You--

- Um, is this, like, new?

- New?

No.

No, this isn't

new, but thank you.

This short film is the

beginning of everything.

So--

- Uh, I guess I don't

completely understand.

This is, like, before

the "Craven" series?

This is a "Craven" prequel?

- No, no, it's not part of--

- I love the "Craven" series.

Like, "Craven 3" is my favorite.

And I know everybody

says that you

jump the shark when

you go to space,

but you totally pulled it off.

And-- and this was

really good too.

This was very artistic.

- Yeah?

It was based on this

dream that I had.

This film is special, pure.

I just feel like

I've always been

trying to get back to that

feeling, that purity, you know?

- Yeah, well, I bet "Craven 4"

is going to be the best one yet.

But, um, thank you so much

for letting me audition.

Um, do you want me to

stay seated or stand?

- Uh, yeah, sure.

- Well, I'm-- I'm off

book, and I love the role.

- You know what?

Let's do a different scene.

Seduction scene at the top.

- Oh, I-- I don't have that

one memorized, but yeah.

- It's OK.

- OK.

- OK, these aren't

the actual sides.

I can't show those to you yet.

- Yeah, NDA.

I totally get it.

- Well, you try these out.

Right, now, you seem like

final girl material to me.

And if, if you really trust

me, put yourself all the way

into it, maybe we can

make some magic happen.

- Yeah.

OK, I'm ready.

- Look, the studio does not

require any movement on "Part 4"

until February, which gives

me plenty of time to bang out

"Shadow Maker."

And then if it rips--

- --are paying for this.

- I will not miss the

"Craven" deadline.

I will go away to a cabin

upstate, lock myself away,

and I'll knock it out.

- I mean, you're not stupid.

- No, no, no.

I'm not doing that sh*t anymore.

I am straight, really.

I just-- I have got to do this.

- You better call

me every single day.

You hear me?

- Got it.

I will.

I-- this is going to

change everything.

I promise.

All right, later.

- Won't miss a single deadline.

"Craven 4--"

- Look, look.

I won't miss it.

When you read what I'm

going to come back with,

it is going to blow you away.

This is different.

- If I hear you

slurring your speech

or if I don't hear from

you at all, we're done.

- It's not going

to come to that.

I promise you, OK?

Talk to you soon.

All right?

Peace out.

- Sunshine today with

seasonal temperatures--

- Hi.

Hello, I'm Lucy.

You're from the city?

- Uh-huh.

- I know Angie.

Uh, she rents the

place out sometimes.

- Oh, sorry.

I gotta take this.

- Hello.

- Hi, you f*cking weirdo!

- Let me guess.

IPA.

- And a shot of whiskey.

- Rough day?

- No.

You?

- No.

It's always a great

day out there.

- Uh-huh?

- Maybe.

- Right.

Bro, like, whoever convinced

these chicks to taking

their t*ts out is

empowering, yeah, I'll

give that guy a Nobel Prize.

- And you sound like

you found your calling.

- The thing is, I'm

a storyteller, right?

I went to film school.

I'm-- I'm a f*cking auteur.

But, like, nobody is

giving me free range.

I got to make a copy of a

copy of a copy and then--

- t*rture.

- Oh, hey, can I get

another one of these?

- Sorry, brother.

It's closing time.

- Oh, yeah, no, it's--

it's all right.

I-- I don't know

what I'm doing, man.

I-- I can't get inspired.

Like, I came up here

to-- to, you know,

Bumblefuck, to-- no offense.

It's beautiful.

But I-- I came up here to

Bumblefuck so I could write,

and I could tell my stories,

and I can't find them.

I can't find inspiration,

and it's k*lling me.

I'm just empty.

- I got this place

you should go.

Here.

This here?

This here's the Lake Road.

I want you to take

that north until you

see a small little town.

You're going to see a dirt path

that leads down a steep hill.

You're going to walk until

you see a little cave.

No people, no noise, just calm.

- I guess.

I could.

Folk horror is

making a comeback.

Yeah, but then you got to

be like f*cking British

to be taken seriously for it, as

if the f*cking British invented

folk horror or some sh*t.

- Hello?

Oh, please don't move.

You had a hard

fall in the woods.

- What happened?

- I think a tree branch fell

and hit you in the head.

- Where exactly did it hit me?

- Oh!

Ouch, sh*t.

Yeah, that hurts.

Thank-- thank you for

not leaving me there.

- Of course.

What kind of monster

would I be if I did that?

- I'm Brighton West.

- Clara.

- Just Clara.

I like that.

It's nice.

It's like Rihanna.

Wh-- where exactly am I?

- Um, My house.

I don't live far from the falls.

I figured it was best to get

you inside before it got dark.

- God.

Thank God you found me.

Do you, uh-- you live

here with someone else?

- No, just me.

- So how does--

- Is someone waiting

for you at home?

I don't want anyone

to worry about you.

Can I call someone for you?

A wife, girlfriend?

- Uh, no.

I'm single.

All on my lonesome.

Did you see my phone?

- Oh, I didn't see it.

- Oh, did it fall?

It-- sh*t.

I have to call my manager.

I'm Brighton West,

the filmmaker?

I-- so I make movies, right?

And I came up here to be alone

so I could write my next one.

But I work with some people

who do not f*cking trust me.

So I'm supposed to

call them and check in.

And if I don't--

I'm sorry, I have to go

back and get my phone.

- Brighton, please.

We can go back tomorrow.

You could have a concussion.

You need to rest.

- Oh, if I have a concussion,

shouldn't I go to a hospital?

- No.

I used to be a nurse.

So a few years ago,

it would be me taking

care of you there anyhow.

- Right.

Thank you.

- Here.

- What's that?

- Sun tea.

- You got anything stronger?

- I'm the nurse here.

Drink.

- Oh, that's-- what's in that?

Is that--

- Oh, probably some sediment.

Loose tea leaves.

It's good for you.

- Oh, oh.

Oh!

Mmm, mmm, mmm.

Thank you.

Feeling better already.

Am I dreaming?

- Maybe.

Ah, ah.

Wait for it.

- Wait for what?

Don't tease me.

That's not-- f*cking b*tch!

- Welcome, welcome.

Welcome to the threshold.

Welcome to the end

and the beginning.

You are here because

you were chosen.

We have seen you and deemed

you worthy to be tested.

Our elect will guide you and

ready the vessel you carry.

Please know you will die here.

You will try to

survive and escape.

You will do what animals do.

But I assure you now

there is no need for hope,

and there is no

need for struggle.

You will die here, and

it will be glorious.

You will leave the darkness

and enter the luminous,

a place so bright you

won't need eyes to see.

You are darkness

inhabiting a shell

for which you are not worthy.

You should be ashamed.

And you will die in agony.

In 26 days, you will disappear,

and the light of a new beginning

will be upon us.

And it will be glorious.

- That was just the handle.

You get the other end soon.

- Why are you doing this?

- Shh.

- Clara, the man you

have is Brighton West.

He is alone, no

living relatives.

He is a man of great hubris--

- Hey!

- --and ingratitude.

- Hey!

- He is a user and a liar.

He has filled his cage

with only darkness.

He has caused others

pain to serve himself.

For so long, we have

searched for our vessel

among the forgotten,

the empty man.

So now something new,

something different.

This vessel has come to us,

and we are here to receive it.

We are here to serve you.

We are here to serve you so

that you may serve the light.

Let there be light upon

you always, and may

it shine upon your good work.

- Let there be light

upon you always.

- Welcome, elect, to the

beginning of our cycle,

a re-education of the flesh,

the first key to the cage.

Now, let us start with

some breathing exercises.

- Get this sh*t off of me.

I'm going to f*cking

cut you, you b*tch.

Why did you do this to me?

Who the f*ck are you people?

The people who know where I am--

- Cut yourself.

- What?

- Cut yourself with the knife.

- And why would I do

that, you f*cking psycho?

- Cut yourself and do it deeply.

If you won't do it, I will.

Do you understand?

Do you understand?

Brighton, look at me.

Look at me.

- Please, no!

No, please!

- You think this hurts?

This is nothing.

It's a cage.

Why can't any--

it's just a cage.

See?

You'll learn.

I-- I promise.

- No.

Just a cage.

The light is within

you, within me.

- You know you are special.

You have been chosen

to serve the light.

But with that will come trials.

With that will come

the lie of pain.

The pain is there to trick you.

A lie-- an attempt

to distract you

from the cage the

darkness has built.

An attempt to keep

the light locked away,

trapped in its shadow.

How do

you see the luminous

The light unknown

How do you see the anointed one

He comes to call you home

So come home

So come home

- We must move past the lie

that our cage has taught us.

We must train ourselves

to forget pain,

forget loneliness, depression,

forget all the lies

the darkness feeds us.

These shadows are meant to fool

us into submitting to the cage.

We must all stand

resolute so that you

may train our chosen vessel.

- Shh!

Oh, do you

see the

- You must hold fast so

this vessel will let go.

What is within

you is a darkness,

the same darkness that

has been slowly trying

to extinguish our world.

But we are light.

We are the chosen.

And through your work, his

darkness will be emptied,

and our vessel will await its

new home, his light return

restored, reborn.

- f*ck.

What's this?

- Come here.

I need to clean you so

you don't go septic.

- Why?

- So you don't die.

- I thought you wanted me dead.

- What I want has

nothing to do with you.

Come here.

- Sit here with me in the light.

I need to see if

I'm going to learn.

- And what are you learning?

Fine, secure that and

lock your arms down.

- It's light, isn't it?

Your god.

I worship light too.

- Hm.

- I do.

I mean it.

That's what filmmaking is.

Shaping light, painting

with light, telling stories.

It's very powerful.

- Is that right?

- I'm being serious.

I wouldn't have a life

without it and no purpose.

I couldn't tell my stories.

I'd just--

- No one knows who

you are, Brighton.

If anyone really

knew you, they might

have come to rescue you by now.

But no one's coming to save you

because no one cares about you.

You're hollow and small.

And when you're gone, no one

will care about your stories

because no one will

remember you even existed.

So, shh.

- And what about you?

I could say the same

about you, Clara.

- You could.

- You're all alone.

Been all alone your

whole life, haven't you?

Alone in the dark.

- I'm not alone.

- I know how that feels.

It's always there.

The darkness waiting for you.

- Enough.

- You're scared of it.

And that is not faith.

That is fear.

Maybe that's why you're

not strong enough for this.

- Shh!

You think you're in control?

I am.

You understand?

You feel pain when I

want you to feel pain,

and you die when I want you

to die, you pathetic f--

- I thought that--

I thought what you

wanted didn't matter.

So what do you want, Clara?

What do you want?

Thank you.

- Do not act out of desire.

Earthly desires are

born from darkness.

Animal instincts of

greed, lust, and violence

only confuse our

journey to the light.

If you find yourself acting

out because of resentment,

selfishness, or fear, take heed,

for you are confusing the path.

You are straying into the

darkness, away from the light.

Move forever towards the

goodness of the light, forever

away from the darkness,

for he is there.

He is there to

pierce the darkness.

And we shall--

- No!

- Let us pray.

There is no shadow the

light cannot claim.

And through the darkness,

we will carry the flame.

- How many days?

How many days?

- That's none of your concern.

- I'm sorry.

I really am.

I'm sorry.

I know--

- Stop talking, you

patronizing little sh*t.

You think I've lived on

this mountain my whole life,

just naive and alone?

No, I've known men like you,

more than you can imagine.

And all you want are

bodies, bodies to control,

including your own.

But you're all made of nothing.

You go to such lengths to

prove that you have power,

but that's the joke.

Because what good

is your power if I

can take it from you so easily?

- I'm sorry.

- Yeah.

You certainly are.

- Welcome, elect.

This will be the beginning

of our second stage.

Congratulations on bringing

the light ever closer to us.

Your work is recognized

and luminescent.

If meant to be our

salvation, this cage

will not be easy to break.

Allow yourself

moments of respite.

You will need your strength in

breaking this vessel, this cage.

And so you must always

remember the value of peace.

Allow yourself

moments of light or be

damned to live in darkness.

The vessel will test

you, like a lock that

does not want to be picked.

But patience and focus

will be your strength.

Remember, when

tested by darkness,

it is ever more important

to bathe yourself in light

for you have been steadfast

in your good work.

Have you, elect?

Have you remained steadfast?

Remember, a step

away from the light

is a leap towards darkness.

You will always have

our light, elect.

It must be yours to take.

Freeing this vessel

will be your final test.

You are our elect, but

are you truly the chosen?

Only our brightest light

will shine upon that truth.

- Thank you.

No games, I meant that.

And I'm sorry.

I do not think that you

are stupid or naive.

That's no lie.

I almost envy for you.

I mean it.

At least you have

a purpose in life.

You know your purpose in life.

No one has that anymore.

Definitely not me.

I was always chasing something

I don't know, something real.

It's, uh-- it's why I just--

I fell in love with the promise.

You tell a beautiful truth,

and then everyone loves you,

and then you have a purpose.

So I just worked,

threw myself in,

didn't come up for air

for a long, long time,

closed off in my own darkness,

chasing this imaginary dream

that I thought was mine.

And then one day, you take

the time to look around.

You're all alone.

Everyone else moved on without

you because the entire time,

you thought that you were

trading up for something better.

I don't-- I should have just--

I am alone because

I made it that way.

Is that--

- What?

- Is there something--

- In the tea?

Maybe, maybe not.

Doesn't matter anyway.

- No, no, no!

No, no!

- No, no!

No!

No!

No, no, no, no, no, no!

No, no!

Please.

No, no!

No!

No, please no.

Please.

Please.

Please.

No!

No, please!

Please don't leave me here.

Please.

Please!

Please, God.

Please, God.

- Sh.

Hush now.

- Yes, sir.

- Aren't you just the

cutest little thing?

- No!

- Shh.

Just lie still.

Just-- just be quiet.

Shh.

Hush now.

Look.

You're so f*cking soft.

- Stop it.

- Don't f*cking look at me!

- You're so soft.

- Please.

- God, she's so soft.

- Oh, shh.

Just-- oh, oh, f*cking hope.

Hope.

Hope, you b*tch!

- f*cking tea!

Hello?

Help!

Please!

- I'm so sorry.

- No, no, no!

No!

- How many of you are there?

Sorry.

Why do you let them hurt you?

- I was hurt before.

But in here, it's not

the same pain here.

It shouldn't be pain.

I'm trying.

It's a reeducation, a rebirth.

And it's what I choose.

- Who choose is that?

- They saved me.

- From the darkness?

Saved you from the dark?

- It's not the dark.

It's what they do

to you in the dark.

They trap you there,

breaking you slowly.

And then the darkness just keeps

taking from you again and again

and again.

They saved me.

They gave me life,

warmth, a home, purpose.

They've never taken anything

from me I'm not willing to give.

And it's my choice.

- Tell me what you need.

- I-- I need you

to choose this too.

I need you to go beyond this.

There's so much more than this.

I promise you, there is.

Deeper.

Clean yourself, then drink.

- It's the same, you know,

what they're doing to you.

It's the same as before,

the same control.

- No, that's not the same

because I'm a part of this.

And now you are too.

Light's so bright,

it'll find us all.

- Hello?

Clara?

Clara?

- Brighton?

Brighton?

- Why is this happening?

- Brighton.

Brighton, I'm here.

- Clara!

Where are you?

- I'm here.

- Clara!

Clara!

- Brighton.

- Clara.

- I knew you'd come.

It's time.

- Time?

Where are we?

- Nowhere yet.

I knew you were the one.

- No, you don't.

I-- I can take you from here.

- I know.

Please.

- Can't-- I--

I can't hurt you.

- You can't hurt me.

I'm past all hurt now.

There's no pain left

in me, just release.

You felt it too.

You know this means

nothing, this cage.

Free me.

You were meant to do this.

- I can't.

- You-- you asked

me what I need.

No one's ever asked me that

before, and you asked me.

And I'm telling you.

Believe this is what I need.

This is what I need.

I knew it.

I knew it.

I knew you were the one.

Thank you.

How do

you see the luminous

The light unknown

How do you see, anointed one

He comes to call you home

So come home

So come home

Eternity awaits for you

Awaits for me

The light sublime, so radiant

We won't need eyes to see

To see

To see

All the world faints on

A light that

Don't shine in your eyes now

Don't

How do you see the luminous

The light unknown

How do you see, anointed one

He comes to call you home

So come home.

So come home