What we are witnessing
is nature's great reclamation effort
in our current geographical epoch.
Within this territory, demarcated by a 40-foot deep,
200-meter wide man-made trench spanning hundreds of miles,
the revitalization of biodiversity rivals
the most diverse ecosystems of the Holocene.
Uniquely driving this resurgence
is one of the world's apex predators.
A hunter so capable that it can hunt alone or in packs.
So unrelenting that it doesn't sleep.
So lethal, primitive man ran from its numbers,
abandoning it to this remote and barren wilderness
known as the Dead Sector.
Speciation of the Homo sapiens
has reduced the human being to prey
and elevated the Homo mortuus...
A term I have coined for the dead...
To the top of the food chain.
I've spent years tracking and trying to understand
the complex migration patterns of the Homo mortuus,
which are highly manipulated by the presence of sound,
signaling potential prey.
This is Specimen Sunflower.
She seems to posses an acute auditory sense,
always one of the first to react to a disturbance.
Specimen Gamma was one of my original specimens.
He's managed to endure various attacks
from both human and other animal predators.
Then there's Specimen 21.
He has illuminated my understanding
of the Homo mortuus more than any other subject.
He is the reason I am able to get this close to the herd.
They say there's power in numbers,
and that is especially true for the Homo mortuus,
who travel in large herds,
sometimes numbering thousands.
The natural food chain can be very unforgiving,
even for newborns.
But that's the beauty of nature in its purest form.
There's no right or wrong.
There's just the excruciating process of life.
Damn it.
The greatest threat to the Homo mortuusare skull hunters.
They breach the sector to poach heads as trophies.
Beyond the trench,
mortuusskulls are used as scare propaganda.
This practice is vile and barbaric.
There is no shortage to human depravity.
Hey!
Hey, is somebody there?
Help!
Oh, God! Aah!
Help!
Aah!
Ow! Ohh!
God.
Help me, please.
Aah!
How'd you do that?
Thank you.
I'm Amy.
You shouldn't be here.
Hey, where are you going?
Can you help me? I'm lost.
Are you a mule?
We got attacked. I got separated from my group.
I've been on my own for, I don't know, like,
three to five days now.
I feel like crap.
Everything hurts.
My arm, I've got this headache, and God, my stomach
feels like someone's punching me from the inside out.
I know what you're thinking.
I didn't get bit or anything.
Ugh.
God, do you have any painkillers?
I'll take anything you got.
Hey!
Did you hear what I just said?
I'm not a thief.
I'm not gonna rob you or anything,
if that's what you're afraid of.
I don't work with humans.
Asshole.
I know you're up there.
I just need a couple minutes of your time.
I just have to figure out how to get to...
...of your time, please.
Let me up!
Yeah, you really gonna leave me down here, huh?
Aah!
Looks like it's you and me now, friend.
Look, I get that you don't want to help,
but if I were in your shoes, I would.
What's the point of going through all that effort
to save my life just to leave me out here as bait, huh?
My stomach is really killing me.
I feel like crap.
You know, maybe this is the end.
Maybe I just die here on your doorstep.
If so, just be careful when you open the door,
because I'll probably have turned by then.
Sorry if I take a chunk out of your neck.
I apologize in advance.
Wake up.
You need to drink this.
What is it?
Charcoal water, spiraea, ginger, turmeric,
Frankincense oil.
Yeah, I'm not gonna keep that down.
Hey, what are you doing?
Ah.
Nightshade berries.
Poisonous when not fully ripe.
You've been slowly killing yourself for the last few days,
so you can drink, or die.
It's up to you.
The next 24 hours are gonna be pretty unpleasant
for the both of us.
But mostly you.
My stomach feels a lot better.
Headache's gone, too. Thanks.
Sorry if I kept you up last night.
I had these really weird fever dreams,
and then when I woke up, you were gone.
Where did you go?
I had things to do.
Oh.
You know, you were right.
Last night was rough.
I was puking so hard, it was like my butt got sucked up
through my esophagus and started firing backwards, like...
Just coming out of my mouth.
That is not how the digestive system works.
Yeah, that's why I said
"it was like my butt got sucked up through my esophagus."
What's that?
It's a telemetry antenna.
What does it do?
I have to finish this.
Homo erect us, right?
How'd you know that?
On a scavenging run, we found on old school,
grabbed some books... Biology, chemistry, algebra.
My favorite thing is the bird section in the biology book.
Yeah.
I love birds.
You're a little trigger happy with the chompers, huh?
Chompers?
Oh. Yeah, that's what we call them.
I found Homo mortuusbodies, stacked up, missing heads.
Homo mortuus?
Is that what you call...
Are you a skull hunter?
No, that's not me. I don't hunt skulls.
Okay. I swear.
Then what are you doing here?
Um, I'm with a group trying to resettle the Dead Sector.
The skull hunters help us get past the trench.
Humans don't belong here.
That's the point of the trench.
You ever cross over?
You ever seen how bad it is on the other side?
Yeah, it's crazy that we just abandoned so much up to them.
That's the problem with Homo sapiens.
All we do is take, take, take, until there's nothing left,
and then once nature corrects the damage,
we go back and do it all over again.
I'm confused. Are you arguing for chompers or for nature?
They're one and the same now.
God, dude, you have been out here alone for way too long.
I think it's time for you to leave.
Well, I don't know where I'm going.
I got turned around. I don't know how to get back.
Yeah, well, next time, bring a map.
You have a lot of photos of Specimen 21.
Did you know him?
Please, just leave.
Like, is he your friend? Is that why you're here?
If not, it's... It's just a little weird
that you're stalking some random chomper.
I am studying the Homo mortuus.
Everything from their behavior psychology
to migration patterns.
Specimen 21 is a subject.
That's all. What psychology?
They don't do anything other than walk around
and try to kill us. There, study done.
You know, you can ascertain a lot of information
just by observing.
For example, I witnessed Specimen 21 killing a wild dog,
and instead of consuming his prey,
he left it behind for the trailing herd.
I found his actions to be a selfless display of generosity.
Yeah, or else, maybe he just sensed some other prey.
Another simplification.
He's done it twice in a row,
and my analytic mind questions why.
Instinctively, he's a protector,
making sure the rest of the herd is taken care of.
Yeah, seems like someone that you knew.
You're fixated on the wrong thing.
This is about the science.
Science is how we survive, or don't.
Science is the basis of life on this planet.
Science over everything.
Yeah, doesn't really sound like science to me.
Sounds like some weird personal quest.
Your interpretation of my actions is not relevant.
So, what's the plan?
You just follow him forever into the future?
I lost track of him yesterday
after you damaged his transmitter.
Oh.
Sorry.
I need to find him, retag him,
and get him back to the herd before something happens to him.
So, when you were saving me yesterday,
were you really saving him?
'Cause that's really messed up.
It's time to go.
Can you at least point me in the direction
of the Chattahoochee?
They were heading east of there.
Gee, thanks.
You should know you're wasting your time
trying to settle this place.
I hope you realize that
before nature has its final say.
Goodbye. Don't come back.
Hey.
I spent the afternoon with your friend. Nice guy.
What are you doing here?
No, I wasn't joking.
I really did fine your specimen friend.
Where? Is he safe?
Mm.
Yeah, he's safe, as far as I know.
Where is he?
Well, I could tell you, but I think it would be nicer
if you help me find my group.
Oh, no, that's okay.
That's fine. Yeah.
No, suit yourself. That's okay.
Wait, wait.
Did you think about what I told you?
Mm, about what?
You don't want to live here.
It's not safe.
Well, it's dangerous everywhere.
I could die here just as easily
as I could die on the other side.
My people are kind, okay?
We're not trying to hurt anyone.
We look out for each other, and at end of the day,
we're just trying to find a place
to call our home that can sustain us.
I-I know you've been out here an your own
for a really long time, so maybe you don't get it, but...
my community means everything to me.
We'll leave at first light.
Oh.
I made markings on the trees,
tracked them for as long as I could.
Surprising forethought. Yeah, I'm not an idiot.
I didn't say you were. Well, your tone did.
I apologize.
Oh. Yeah, accepted.
Can I ask you something?
What's the point of your research?
What are you getting out of all of this?
Let me show you something.
Whoa.
It's like a different world.
The animals that escaped the zoos are thriving here.
Oh, they're so bright.
You know, I read that mom and dad flamingos
produce this weird milk in their throat,
and then they spit it into their baby's mouth.
Like, first of all, disgusting, but also,
how did they even figure that out?
That's the marvel of nature.
Majestic, aren't they?
Yeah, it's stunning.
And... And that's all here?
Yeah.
And they've even gotten bigger by 5%, even 10%.
Why?
Because humans don't exist here.
I was part of a research group studying the environment
since the shift.
Unfortunately, disagreements fractured our group.
We gave up our lives for this study.
I have to honor that.
There's a lot more to learn.
So, in a way, you're doing this for your own community.
You're determined to filter everything through
your narrow perspective.
What my team and I understood
is that Homo mortuus are part of nature.
Like 21 and that chomper surrounded by caution tape?
What's that about?
You know, she's fascinating.
I've been observing her for over seven years.
My job is to observe, collect data,
analyze it, and never interfere.
Uh... Never.
You interfered with me when I almost killed you specimen.
Yeah, I had no choice but to protect my research.
I made a judgement call.
You know, you think you're a lot more objective,
but you're way more sentimental than you think.
Well, sentiment is a hindrance.
Ah. You know, I've lost so many people.
At night, sometimes I cry myself to sleep
just thinking about them, but the memories...
They're all that's left.
If I didn't have those memories,
I would have given up a long time ago.
Human connection is all we have.
Yeah?
Well, you should connect on the other side, not here.
You know what this is?
Mm, a bear rug that you turned into a jacket?
My friend who I used to research with gave me this.
Oh. Yeah, I kind of think he doesn't like you very much.
It's made out of Homo mortuusskin.
It's how I can get so close to the herd and be left alone.
As long as I'm careful, I'll be safe.
That's why they didn't follow us, huh?
Right. Huh.
Yeah, you know, I read a poem about how we wear masks.
Your jacket kind of reminds me of that.
You like poetry? Yeah.
Can you believe it?
I read.
I just have the one book of poetry, though.
I've read it like a million times.
I have an extensive collection,
if you'd like to borrow one sometime.
So, what happens to chompers if we all die?
I mean, they don't reproduce,
so that means they'll eventually rot out,
and that's not sustainable for a species.
That's an astute observation.
It's clearly a paradox.
However, I will say this.
Homo mortuuswill exist as long as humans are around,
which puts our survival in question.
I mean, yeah, I-I get what you're saying.
I just... I just don't think it's that s...
What?
It's a Victoria crowned pigeon.
My book said that they're on the verge of extinction.
Hi. You're so beautiful.
Hi.
You're alive.
You're right here.
No. Oh, no.
Oh, no, no.
We may never agree,
but I can tell you care about nature.
What if I told you I could use help?
With what?
An assistant to aid with the research.
I won't live forever.
You could take over the work when I'm gone.
Yeah, and live like a recluse?
You would be surrounded by all of this splendor.
Your personal Eden.
Counter... what if you came to live with my people?
And aid in the destruction of nature all over again?
No, it doesn't have to be like that.
We can learn from the past
and build a new type of settlement.
I've lost my faith in humans. Yeah?
Well, I think you're just scared.
Scared? Scared of what?
You shitting on people is just an excuse not to do anything.
You want to fix things? Start with my group.
I promise you, every single one of us will listen.
It's not that simple. Why not?
Well, maybe your group does do the right thing,
but what about the generation after?
You don't even want to try because of a "what if"?
We can respect the science
and care for people at the same time.
One without the other is just stupid.
So, don't tell me since over everything,
because that's just a sorry excuse.
You think I'm callous, that I don't care about people.
That's not true.
Yeah? Well, all you've done is shit on us
and say how we're the worst.
After I lost my team, I wandered around for two years
until I found the ranger's station.
I-I climbed up, knocked on the door, it opened,
and the face that greeted me stirred up emotions
I never even know I had.
Who was it?
A former colleague of mine. Dr. Moseley.
When our research team fell out,
he was the first one to go off on his own.
I never thought he'd survive, and there he was,
continuing his work.
I'd given up hope.
I was ready to die.
Finding him was like a rebirth.
And then some months in,
I noticed changes in Dr. Moseley.
He grew weaker.
He tired easily.
He was losing weight.
Then finally, when I confronted him,
he told me he was dying of cancer.
He made me promise to not kill him, but to study him.
Dr. Moseley is Specimen 21.
So, you do know him. Why did you say you didn't?
It's imperative that with one study,
you remain as objective as possible.
Are these your people?
Oh, yeah.
What the hell is this?
Okay, okay, I can explain.
You lied to me! No, no, no.
Look, the skull hunters would only help us cross
under the condition that we helped them collect heads.
That's Hannah.
Hannah! Pat!
No. You can't interfere.
Let nature take its course.
We're part of the food chain now.
No! Are you crazy?
This isn't about science!
Let go!
Chompers! Hey, I'm over here!
Shh!
Aah!
Ow!
No!
It's 21.
Amy. Please. Please. Help me.
He went in the water, You got to help me save him.
You left my friends to die.
I'm sorry. I'm selfish. I know.
You got to help me... Help me save my subject.
I'll do anything. I'll be in your group.
I'll... I'll live in your community.
Yeah. Well, what happened to don't interfere, huh?
Aah!
Ah!
Oh!
What are you doing?!
I have to get him.
No, no, you can't swim out there.
You'll freeze! No, he needs me.
No, you'll die! He needs me!
God!
Are you serious right now?
Just... Just... Let me... Here, help me pull him in, okay?
Oh. Damn it!
Ah!
I got it! I got... I got him!
Here, here, pull. Please, please pull.
Gently. Gently.
Slowly.
Hurry, it's starting to coming apart.
You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay.
It's gonna be safe, okay?
Oh! Oh, my God!
No! No.Let go.
No, no. Let go! Let go!
Ah!
Ah! No!
No! No!
You hypocrite!
My friends died because of you,
then you almost get us both killed
because you were trying to save a chomper?!
He's not a... Shut up!
Just shut up!
You don't believe in anything!
You make your own rules to fit your agenda,
but you didn't lift a finger!
You just watched as we got eaten!
I didn't do anything
because your friends are already dead.
You all are. What are you talking about?
They sense death.
They're waiting to eat.
Oh, no. Hannah. Hannah. Hannah.
Hannah. She's heading back.
No, no, wait, wait. Wait.
Homo mortuuspacks join bigger packs,
and so on, until they form a big mass.
The one you killed and Specimen 21
was most likely on his way to join the herd,
and they stumbled upon your friends.
Your settlement is in the pathway
of their migration route.
None of your people are gonna make it out.
Okay. Okay, well... we... We have to warn them.
It's too late. It's too late.
If you go back there, you will die.
You knew my people were in danger all along,
and you didn't say anything.
I did say something!
I told you that this land wasn't safe.
You didn't listen.
And so you're just gonna let them die?
No! Nature is.
Come back to the station with me.
You're smart. I could use your help.
There is still a lot to learn.
If you go back to try to save them,
you will meet their fate.
Well, I would rather die than to end up like you.
No.
Video log, coded 4306, observations.
As I lay awake,
Emily Dickinson's poem replayed in my head.
Over and over again.
"'Nature' is what we see.
The Hill.
The Afternoon.
Squirrel.
Eclipse.
The bumble bee.
Nature is Heaven.
Nature is what we hear.
The Bobolink.
The Sea.
The Cricket.
Nay.
Nature is Harmony.
Nature is what we know.
Yet have no art to say.
So impotent Our Wisdom is...
...to her Simplicity."
- Killer! - Murderer!
- What? - We will find you!
What the hell is going on?
This place is not for you or anyone.
How could you?
What are you doing?
I can't remember everything,
but I'm not a killer.
He's evil! He has to pay for what he did to my son!
Wait!
Sometimes, murder is mercy.