GOODBYE

GOODBYE is the 37th video in MLAndersen0. It was posted on May 8, 2014. It is part of a crossover with EverymanHYBRID, following the events in HELLO and Three's Company.

## Transcript

*Video begins in blackness. Clunking noises and footsteps can be heard. HABIT sighs.*

**HABIT**: Hello.

*The light turns on. Shaun is lying on the floor of an attic room with his hands cuffed behind his back.*

**HABIT**: Hello.

**Shaun**: Where the fuck am I?

*HABIT walks across the floor of the attic. Vinnie can be seen standing in the doorway of the attic, beside a floodlight pointed at Shaun.*

**Shaun**: *(in disbelief)* Vinnie? *(angrily)* The fuck are you doing to me?

**Vinnie**: Sorry

*HABIT laughs. He continues walking around Shaun on the floor.*

**Vinnie**: We need the hands.

**Shaun**: *[groans and puts his forehead to the ground]* You couldn’t have just asked me? *(yelling)* Why am I locked up!

**Vinnie**: We’re gonna ask you some questions, that’s all.

**Shaun**: Get these off me.

*HABIT bends down to look at Shaun.*

**Shaun**: *(yelling)* Get these off of me!

**HABIT**: Whoa. *(in a distorted voice)* Settle down.

**Shaun**: Who the fuck are you?

*HABIT kneels down next to Shaun. Shaun thrashes.*

**Shaun**: Get the fuck off me!

**HABIT**: *(distorted voice)* Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! My name is… HABIT. *[gets down on all fours to look Shaun in the face]* And I have to talk to you about a few things, Shaun. Will you listen?

**Shaun**: Can you get these off me?

**HABIT**: *(distorted voice)* I’m afraid I can’t. *[moves to look at Shaun from a different angle]* Shaun--

**Shaun**: Vinnie, help.

*Vinnie doesn’t move.*

**Shaun**: Can you do *anything*?

*HABIT looks at Vinnie.*

**Vinnie**: We’re just gonna ask you questions. It’s alright.

*HABIT looks back at Shaun.*

**Shaun**: *This* your partner?

**Vinnie**: *(softly)* Yes.

**HABIT**: *(breathes in)* Can I continue? How rude. Shaun, *(distorted voice)* where is your brother?

**Shaun**: I don’t know.

**HABIT**: You don’t know?

**Shaun**: No.

**HABIT**: *(in a sing-song voice)* I don’t believe you. *[gets up]* You found one of the hands, right?

*Shaun doesn’t respond and instead tries to break out of the handcuffs.*

**HABIT**: Wow. *[Paces around the attic room again]* If you tell me where your brother is, then I’ll let you go.

**Shaun**: *(firmly)* I don’t know where he is.

**HABIT**: Why do you protect him?

**Shaun**: I’m not protecting him.

**HABIT**: *(growling)* Yes you are. Such loyalty. Such devotion. To your brother. *[crouches down in front of Shaun again, rubs his hands together]* But… is he even your brother?

*Shaun looks at HABIT, then back down at the floor.*

**HABIT**: *(distorted voice)* Curious? The answer to that question is no. He’s not! You didn’t know that, did you? *[smacks his hand against the floor and stands up]* But I did!

**Shaun**: And how did you know that?

**HABIT**: Because I know things about your brother, because I’ve known him longer than you.

**Shaun**: …what?

**HABIT**: *(mocking)* 'What?' Oh, yeah. Me and him go way back. *Years* before you were ever in the picture. *(dramatically)* ‘But how can that be? But we were children! I’ve known him my whole life. His whole life.’

*HABIT crouches down in front of Shaun.*

**Shaun**: *[shakes his head]* It’s not true.

**HABIT**: ‘It’s not true’? Your brother is not who you think he is. I mean-- *[he laughs and sits down in front of Shaun]* Who do you even think he is? Michael? Patrick? Which one? *[crouches low to the ground, looking Shaun in the face]* *(distorted voice)* There’s too many to choose from! Which one?

**Shaun**: *[whispers indistinctly]*

*HABIT crawls closer and leans his ear close to Shaun.*

**HABIT**: It’s what?

**Shaun**: Michael.

**HABIT**: Michael.*[chuckles]*Michael… *[gets up and raises his voice]* Let’s talk about Michael! What an interesting character he is! *[briefly leans down to talk directly to Shaun, then starts prowling again]* Yeah. *(mocking, but in his distorted voice)* ‘I… am scared. I can’t *sleep*. This’ *[HABIT grabs at Shaun]* ‘creature follows me wherever I go!’ *[jumps over Shaun and gets down on the floor again, still holding Shaun in place]* That’s Michael, right? *[grabs at Shaun’s shirt]* That’s Michael! ‘I’m a victim! I’m scared!’

**Shaun**: Yes.

**HABIT**: *[stands up and starts pacing again]* Wrong. *[sighs]* Did you know that he knows an awful lot about the creature that follows you?

**Shaun**: What are you talking about?

**HABIT**: ‘What am I talking about’? *[sighs]* He *knows* where the hands are. Both of ‘em. Oh, he’s too shit-scared to get the other one now. I guess that’s his family’s fault for babying him. *(disgusted)* Made him soft! It’s not that hard to take it *[indiscernable voice distortion]* isn’t it? He knows its… *movements*, he knows what it likes, he knows how to please it. *[crouches over Shaun]* How to distract it. See, he’s picked these tricks up. He’s learned how to survive.

*HABIT grins, watching Shaun, then starts walking around again.*

**HABIT**: You know what his favorite tactic is? *[kneels down to speak directly at Shaun’s face]* Human shield. *[HABIT throws his arms up in the air]* A wall of meat! Between him and… the stick in the mud. This… *[HABIT moves, still crouching to look at Shaun]* creature you can’t hurt with knives or bullets or bombs. You can’t attack it, and you can’t run from it for long, but what you can do—*what you can do* is surround yourself with food. And that’s what he does, you see.

*HABIT gets up and walks around again.*

**HABIT**: He surrounds himself with family! With friends! Isn’t that true? I mean, *[gestures and grabs at Shaun]* If you really did believe that there was some sort of awful thing coming after him, wouldn’t he have tried to… spare his brother? *[prowling around]* Wouldn’t he have tried to run away? To protect himself… *[reaches down to grab at Shaun]* …and those that he loves?

*HABIT pulls Shaun up into a sitting position. Shaun is still hunched over, looking at the ground. HABIT crouches down in front of Shaun.*

**HABIT**: But he came to you for help, didn’t he? Yes, he did.

**Shaun**: *(faintly)* You don’t know him.

**HABIT**: *[gets down lower, on his hands]* *(whispering)* I know him.

**Shaun**: No you don’t. *[finally raises his head]*

**HABIT**: You…

**Shaun**: *(yelling directly in HABIT’s face)* You don’t know him!

*HABIT doesn’t flinch. He chuckles as Shaun reacts so strongly, then gets to his feet. He purrs, making a clawing motion with his hand over Shaun’s head. He walks out of view of the camera.*

**HABIT**: He doesn’t care about you, Shaun. He never has. I’d say he’s a sociopath, but only humans can really be those and I don’t really think he applies. *[HABIT hisses that last word at Shaun]* The things he’s done to survive, oh they’re *(mockingly)* *unspeakable, awful, [voice distorts]* heartless things. ‘Let me keep my brother close’ you wanna know why? *[leans close to Shaun]* ‘So I can push him in front of the gnashing wall that comes crashing down around me.’ *[moves away again]* You don’t believe me, reasonable. I mean he’s your brother, you love him, right? You grew up with him—well… *[laughs, voice distorts]* for the years you didn’t *lock him up*! *[HABIT says that last phrase right in Shaun’s face, taunting]*

*HABIT walks away from Shaun.*

**HABIT**: So let’s talk about some other people. Problems. You had a best friend. Ooh. Best friends, now they’re an issue. They like to talk *sense*! Sensical! Mm, that’s scary! You wouldn’t be as trusting of your brother when there’s someone pointing out every awful thing that he fucking does! *[HABIT flails his arms in front of Shaun]* Every *insane fucking plot!* So what does he do? *[HABIT bends down to talk directly into Shaun’s face]* What does he *do*, Shaun! Knocks him out with an axe and almost lights him on fire.

*Shaun doesn’t react.*

**HABIT**: No? Not enough? Still convinced? Hmm, well then. *[HABIT paces away]* Let me try and convince you otherwise. That… tasty… little sack of meat that I put in the trunk of your car. *[slowly bends down to look at Shaun]*

*Shaun slowly looks at HABIT.*

**HABIT**: Yeah…

*HABIT gets down on all fours again, looking Shaun in the face.*

**HABIT**: What was her name? Cloudy? Or, Foggy? Oh! *[moves lower to the ground, looking almost directly up at Shaun in an animalistic pose]* Stormy, right? Yeah! *[moves quickly into another position, still on all fours watching Shaun closely for his reaction]* Stormy. What was she to you, Shaun? You loved her. You loved her with every fiber of your being.

**Shaun**: *(soft, but growing stronger)* Shut up. Shut up. Shut. Up.

**HABIT**: The way humans are made to do.

**Shaun**: (*voice breaking, yelling)* Shut up!

**HABIT**: *(laughs, voice distorting)* ‘Shut up, shut up.’

**Shaun**: Shut the fuck up!

*HABIT suddenly jumps at Shaun and wrestles him down so he’s lying on his back. He repositions Shaun and himself so both of them can be seen by the camera. HABIT holds Shaun’s face for a moment, then holds his hand over Shaun’s face with his fingers curled like claws.*

**HABIT**: Do you want to know what your loving brother did? *[grabs handfuls of Shaun’s shirt and holds on]* Shaun. He fed her to it. *(distorted voice)* Oh yes. It was coming for him, the clock was ticking down, it was his time. But he’s smart! He’s learned! *[HABIT pokes at Shaun’s forehead]* He thinks! So what does he do? He grabs her when you’re not looking and he *throws her to it*. And it accepts gladly! It knows his game! And it loves it! So it tore her apart, Shaun. *[HABIT is still holding onto Shaun’s shirt, watching him closely]* Oh, not in ways that you could see. Not in ways of the flesh and bone.

*The video switches to the recording from Vinnie’s camera, held so Shaun can be seen clearly on the ground while HABIT crouches next to him, forcing Shaun to pay attention to him. There’s a bloodstained wooden cross leaning against the wall in the back, as well as an axe. The floor is stained with old blood, and the yellow child's chair from (Colon) D is still on the floor.*

**HABIT**: And you know what he did?

**Shaun**: *(faintly)* Stop.

**HABIT**: He walked away.

*HABIT lets go of Shaun and stands up above him. He walks around so his back is facing the camera. Shaun looks at him and then looks away, at the ceiling.*

**HABIT**: It is true. You know that’s how your brother is. You know that’s how your brother acts.

**Shaun**: *(softly)* It’s not true.

**HABIT**: You know that’s exactly on point. How much of him is perceptive.

**Shaun**: That’s not true. You’re lying.

**HABIT**: I’m not lying. *[he leans down with his hands on his knees to look at Shaun]*

**Shaun**: *(distraught)* That’s not true!

**HABIT**: You know that it is—

**Shaun**: *(yelling)* It’s not true!

**HABIT**: You know that it is!

**Shaun**: It’s not true!

*The camera points up at the ceiling for a second. When it comes down again, HABIT’s hand is around Shaun’s throat.*

**HABIT**: *(darkly, voice distorting)* You know that it is.

*Shaun starts choking and coughing.*

**HABIT**: These awful things to you your entire life—

*HABIT is still choking Shaun. Shaun starts writhing on the floor, audibly and visibly choking.*

**HABIT**: *(voice distorting)* The shit that’s come to you! It’s from your brother! And he did it! He did it on purpose! Because he wanted someone to take the bullets for him! Cause he wanted a meat wall between him and the horrors. And you are that meat wall!

*Shaun is choking louder now. HABIT suddenly pulls his arm away and Shaun gasps for breath, then starts coughing.*

**Shaun**: *(hoarsely)* Vinnie…

**Vinnie**: *(whispering)* Sorry.

*HABIT walks around the attic.*

**HABIT**: I know where your brother is. I know how I can get the hands. All I need you to do is this: Smile for a camera, can you do that?

*The camera zooms in on Shaun’s face. He’s looking up at HABIT with a devastated expression.*

**Shaun**: What do you want?

**HABIT**: What do I want? *[he pauses to think about that]* Nothing. I want your flesh. I want your bones. And I want it right here, *[he points at the bloodstained attic floor as he walks around Shaun]* I want you… to be bait.

**Shaun**: *(faintly)* He’s… he’s not…

**HABIT**: I want your brother and… now I’m gonna get him.

*HABIT walks away, and then turns back to look at Shaun.*

**HABIT**: Oh. Are you confused? *[Shaun remains motionless]* What’s the matter? *[HABIT goes back to lean over and look into Shaun’s face]* Tell me what’s going on in your mind. *[his voice lowers to a threatening distorted whisper]* I’m interested.

*HABIT gets down on his hands and knees again.*

**HABIT**: I imagine you have a question to ask me. *[holds his head so his ear is above Shaun’s face, but Shaun turns away]* No? No.

*HABIT sees Shaun’s expression and grins. He turns Shaun’s head back with his hands, holding it in place.*

**HABIT**: This is what I wanted most of all. I wanted to see you right here. *[he pats Shaun’s face]* You know, that here, *[he stands up, gesturing to the attic around them]* in this cold, hard attic— *[he starts pacing around]* walls and nails and air of ice— that you are alone and *(voice distorts)* abandoned. That your life, *[voice grows mocking as he leans down to look at Shaun again]* full of torment and trouble and pain, with loss, heartache, was all due to the one person that you love. The one person that you thought you could count on. And that it was all *[he slaps Shaun’s cheek]* for *nothing*.

*Shaun starts to visibly break down and cry.*

**HABIT**: Yes…

*The camera points down again as HABIT walks to the door of the attic.*

**HABIT**: Vinnie.

**Vinnie**: Yeah?

*HABIT moves the floodlight out of the attic and Vinnie steps back to give him room. HABIT then takes the door handle.*

**HABIT**: Take the night off. *[he grins]* This one’s mine.

*HABIT shuts the door and the light fades to black as HABIT distorted laugh echoes.*

**Shaun**: *(screaming)* Stop!