Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

As the stormy night of October 30, 1988, descends upon Smith's Grove, Illinois, a sense of foreboding settles over the Ridgemont Federal Sanitarium. The darkness is punctuated by the distant hum of an ambulance, its siren wailing as it navigates the treacherous roads towards its destination: the maximum-security facility where Michael Myers has lain dormant in a coma for nearly a decade. As the vehicle's crew, led by medical chief of staff Dr. Hoffman (character), oversees the transfer, the atmosphere is thick with tension and apprehension.

Meanwhile, in a world miles away from the chaos unfolding outside, Jamie Lloyd, the eight-year-old niece of Michael's original victim Laurie Strode, resides in Haddonfield, Illinois. Adopted by the Carruthers family, Jamie struggles to cope with the loss of her mother, who met an untimely demise just eleven months prior. Her foster sister Rachel offers a comforting presence, reminding Jamie that she will love her just as much as her mother did.

As night falls, Jamie retreats to her bedroom, where she begins to recite her evening prayers. The room is bathed in the soft glow of moonlight when, without warning, the storm outside unleashes its fury - a bolt of lightning illuminates the dark skies, followed by a deafening crack of thunder that startles Jamie. As she rises to close the door, her gaze falls upon the mirror, where the reflection of Michael Myers materializes, his iconic white mask and black coveralls eerily intact.

Jamie's world is turned upside down as she flees to her closet, only to find a second iteration of Michael looming before her, knife raised. Her terrified screams shatter the silence, drawing the attention of her foster mother, Darlene, who rushes into the room to find Jamie cowering on the floor, traumatized by what was merely a nightmarish apparition.

Here is the rephrased section:

Dr. Loomis (played by) storms into Hoffman's office the next day, his ire palpable as he vents about the transfer of Michael Myers. Hoffman attempts to placate him, explaining it was a federal mandate, but Loomis remains incensed. Just then, a phone call interrupts them, bringing news of an ambulance accident involving Michael Myers. Instinctively, Loomis senses foul play and he and Hoffman rush to the scene. Upon arriving, they find the ambulance, its metal twisted and battered, lying upside-down in the river, blood staining both its exterior and interior surfaces. The state police have cordoned off the area, but one trooper's casual assessment of the incident as an accident only fuels Loomis' suspicions. Undeterred by Hoffman's admonishments to exercise caution, Loomis wades into the icy water, his eyes scanning the ambulance's rear. What he finds is a grim tableau: walls and floor slick with blood, a gruesome testament to the horrors that have transpired. Convinced that Michael Myers is headed for Haddonfield, Loomis sets off in hot pursuit.

Meanwhile, at a local gas station, a mechanic lies beneath a car, his voice muffled as he requests assistance from above. When no response comes, he emerges, only to be met with the sight of Michael Myers looming over him, a long pole raised menacingly in the air. With deadly precision, Michael strikes down the mechanic, ending his life instantly. Loomis arrives at the gas station mere moments later, finding the mechanic's lifeless body suspended from the ceiling by a chain. The area is soon revealed to be strewn with additional corpses, and Loomis spots Michael Myers standing against the back wall, his presence seemingly impossible to ignore. Attempting to apprehend him, Loomis fires but Michael vanishes into thin air. As Loomis emerges to survey the devastation, he barely catches Michael fleeing in a truck before the entire gas station erupts into flames, leaving Loomis shaken and grateful to have survived by taking cover behind a nearby barrel.

In contrast, Jamie is returning from school when she's confronted with a group of taunting classmates, their cruel words driving home her motherless status. Overwhelmed, Jamie flees the scene, tears streaming down her face. At home, Rachel is planning a night out for Halloween with her boyfriend Brady, but her parents veto the idea, instead insisting that she accompany Jamie trick-or-treating. Rachel protests, only to be met with Jamie's devastated expression upon overhearing her friend's reluctance to spend time with her. Moved by Jamie's distress, Rachel finally agrees to babysit her that night, a reluctant truce between the two friends.

In the midst of Halloween revelry at the city drugstore, Wade (actor name) finds himself paralyzed with uncertainty as he gazes longingly at Kelly, the stunning daughter of Sheriff Ben Meeker. Brady and their friends gather around, offering words of caution about Kelly's father's notorious reputation for being fiercely protective of his family. Despite this, Wade musters up the courage to approach Kelly, only to be met with a scathing rejection that leaves him crimson-faced and his companions in stitches.

Just as the atmosphere begins to lighten, Rachel and Jamie stroll into the store, seeking a Halloween costume for Jamie. While Rachel is busy browsing through the racks, Jamie becomes fixated on a clown suit eerily reminiscent of the one worn by Michael Myers at the tender age of six when he committed an unspeakable act. As Jamie gazes into the mirror, her reflection suddenly transforms into that of a young Michael Myers, his eyes fixed with an unsettling intensity.

Jamie's terror is palpable as she spins around to confront the horror behind her. Her gaze falls upon Michael's hand grasping a white mask, which he swiftly dons before preparing to strike. Jamie's screams pierce the air as she backs away from the shattered mirror, leaving Rachel oblivious to the chaos unfolding at the far end of the store.

Rachel's arrival is met with Jamie's frantic explanation that she has just encountered "the nightmare man." Rachel dismisses her friend's fears as mere paranoia fueled by a creepy mask and hastily ushers Jamie out of the store. Unbeknownst to them, Michael's reflection lingers in one of the shards of glass, its presence a harbinger of the terrors that lie ahead.

As Loomis (Jamie Kennedy) bursts into the sheriff's office, his desperation palpable, he finds himself face-to-face with Sheriff Ben Meeker (George Gaynes), a tall and imposing figure. The latter's skepticism is palpable as Loomis frantically warns him about Michael Myers' return to Haddonfield, driven by an insatiable hunger for Jamie Lloyd's blood. The seasoned detective's words are met with incredulity, but Meeker's demeanor shifts when one of his deputies reveals the extent of the carnage: six lives already lost at the hands of the notorious killer. With a sense of urgency, Meeker mobilizes his team to launch a search for Jamie and Rachel Carruthers (Ellie Cornell), while simultaneously alerting radio and television stations to broadcast a city-wide evacuation order.

That fateful night, as the Carruthers family prepares to depart, Michael Myers slips into their home, his charred hand grasping the box of Laurie's cherished photographs. His presence goes unnoticed by Mr. and Mrs. Carruthers (Tom Morga and Tawny Ferecy) as they exit, unaware that Jamie is about to embark on a trick-or-treating adventure with Rachel. Meanwhile, Michael watches the duo with an unnerving intensity.

As they make their way through the neighborhood, Rachel and Jamie visit various homes, eventually arriving at the Meeker residence. There, Rachel encounters Kelly (Denny Miller), clad in a t-shirt and panties, before being startled by Brady's sudden appearance. The would-be suitor attempts to placate her ire, but Rachel accuses him of being unfaithful. Enraged, she begins to storm off, only for Brady to chase after her. As the argument subsides, Jamie quietly slips away with a group of children, leaving Rachel oblivious to his disappearance.

Her panic escalating, Rachel frantically searches the streets for her missing niece, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

As the evening wears on at Earl's rustic tavern in Haddonfield, the patrons are transfixed by the breaking news report on TV - Michael Myers has somehow managed to escape from captivity. The grizzled old bartender, Earl (played by), calls for quiet and listens intently as the broadcast unfolds. The sheriff's office is now ordering all businesses in town to shut down, a measure that only serves to further frustrate Earl. Fearing the worst, he decides to take matters into his own hands, grabbing his rifle and joining a small group of customers in a hasty search for Michael.

Meanwhile, Dr. Loomis (played by) arrives at the Carruthers residence, accompanied by Sheriff Meeker and Deputy Logan. As they enter the home, Dr. Loomis can't shake the feeling that something is amiss. He proceeds to Jamie's bedroom, where he discovers a box of Laurie Strode's photographs overturned on the floor. This discovery only serves to solidify his suspicions, and he shares his concerns with Sheriff Meeker as they ascend to the upper floors. It isn't until they stumble upon the lifeless body of Sunday, Jamie's loyal canine companion, in her closet that Sheriff Meeker is finally convinced of Dr. Loomis' warnings. The two men decide to venture out into the night to locate Jamie, leaving Deputy Logan behind to keep watch over the empty house.

In a separate part of town, Bucky, an electrician working late at the local power plant, is startled by a shape lurking behind his truck. To his surprise, it's Michael Myers, who seems to be simply watching him. Bucky, assuming that this must be some prankster teenager, decides to take matters into his own hands and heads towards Michael, warning him that he'll call the authorities if he doesn't back off. As Bucky disappears inside to fetch the phone, Michael begins to stalk him, eventually pouncing on him with a swift grab of his shirt. With a violent toss onto the power unit, Bucky is electrocuted, causing sparks to fly and plunging several nearby homes into darkness as Michael stands idly by, observing the chaos he has unleashed.

As Halloween night reaches its climax on Haddonfield's streets, trick-or-treaters are being collected like candy wrappers, discarded and forgotten. But amidst the revelry, Rachel's concern is growing like a dark cloud - she still can't find Jamie, lost and trembling in the city's most unforgiving neighborhoods, where help is as elusive as a ghostly whisper. Undeterred, Rachel presses on, her search illuminated only by the flickering glow of streetlights and the heavy shadows that dance upon the walls.

Meanwhile, Michael lurks unseen, his unblinking eyes fixed on Rachel like a predator stalking its prey. He watches as she navigates an alleyway, her footsteps echoing off the walls like a ticking time bomb. The air is heavy with anticipation as she rounds a corner, only to be met by the eerie silhouette of a figure shrouded in smoke - Michael himself, his presence as unsettling as a cold draft on a winter's night.

Rachel's heart racing, she makes a break for freedom, her feet pounding the pavement like a runaway train. She barely clears a fence before leaping into the next yard, as if trying to outrun her own mortality. Unbeknownst to her, Jamie is experiencing a similar terror, her small hands trembling as she confronts an unknown presence in a bush - a shape that refuses to reveal itself.

But just as all hope seems lost, Rachel appears like a beacon of light, her arms outstretched in a desperate bid for comfort. The two share a fleeting moment of relief before being whisked away by Dr. Loomis and Sheriff Meeker, who arrive on the scene in a police cruiser like a cavalry charge. As they settle into the back seat, the good doctor and the sheriff brief them on the situation, their words laced with a sense of urgency.

Just as they're about to make their escape, Meeker's keen eye spots a masked figure lurking behind a building - Michael, or so he thinks. But then, another identical mask appears around the corner, followed by a third. The sheriff is left bewildered, torn between which of these doppelgängers is the real deal. It takes a moment for him to realize that two of them are merely pranksters in costume, their mischief momentarily forgotten as they beat a hasty retreat.

As Meeker chases after the kids, his attention diverted from the true Michael lurking in the shadows, Dr. Loomis and the others drive away into the darkness, leaving behind only the faintest hint of a presence watching them leave - the real Michael, his eyes fixed on his prey like a laser beam, his silence as oppressive as a tombstone.

As Dr. Loomis (played by) and Meeker step into the police station, they're met with a grim tableau: ransacked desks and walls, amidst the carnage of bloody bodies littering the floor. The somber atmosphere is further disrupted by the arrival of Earl and his cohorts from the truck, their rugged faces set in determination. Meeker tries to assert control, reminding them this is police business, but Loomis intervenes, gravely warning Earl about Michael Myers' involvement. The hillbillies, fueled by a sense of righteous anger, are adamant that they'll handle the situation themselves.

Earl's ire is particularly stoked when he learns that Meeker has told his friends to stay out of it – an edict that resonates deeply with Al, one of Earl's companions, who had lost his own son in Michael's initial bloodbath a decade prior. Earl's fiery passion boils over as he vows, 'We're gonna fry his ass.' Meeker berates Loomis for inciting a lynch mob, but the doctor retorts by pointing out that Meeker's police force has been decimated.

As the tension simmers, Meeker receives a call from Logan, who's heard about the chaos at the station. He instructs Logan to head to his house and contact the State Force. Logan hangs up and drives away from the Carruthers' residence, oblivious to the fact that Michael is calmly waiting in the backseat of their car, poised for an opportunity to strike.

Meanwhile, Richard and Darlene Carruthers return home to find themselves in a state of panic as they realize Rachel and Jamie are missing. Darlene's worry grows as the minutes tick by. Elsewhere, Earl and his companions are on the road when one of them claims to have spotted Michael hiding behind some bushes. They abandon their vehicle and unleash a hail of gunfire at the underbrush, convinced that they've killed him. But upon approaching the area, they discover the lifeless body of someone they know – not Michael, but an individual who's met his maker in a far more brutal fashion. Earl's ire turns towards the well-meaning but misguided hillbilly for his mistake.

As Brady (actor name) and Kelly (actor name) are caught in a passionate moment on the floor of Meeker's house, the sudden arrival of his police car's headlights jolts them back to reality. In a frantic attempt to cover their tracks, they hastily don their clothes and feign a spot of reading material on the couch, while Dr. Loomis (actor name), Meeker, Jamie (actor name), Rachel (actor name), and Logan enter the house. Rachel's keen observational skills immediately pick up on Brady and Kelly's suspicious behavior, leaving no doubt about what has transpired.

Meeker takes charge, instructing Rachel and Jamie to retreat upstairs, while Kelly is tasked with securing all downstairs windows. Dr. Loomis is dispatched to monitor the police radio in the basement, while Brady is handed a shotgun and ordered to secure the attic beams. As Brady turns to make his way upstairs, Meeker issues a stern warning: if he catches him lingering too closely around Kelly, the consequences will be dire – including the possibility of using the shotgun.

Brady's fear turns to panic as he scrambles up the stairs, his heart racing in anticipation of what may lie ahead. Meanwhile, Logan takes notice of an open door on the back seat of his car and retrieves his gun from the trunk before returning indoors.

Unbeknownst to Brady, he is about to stumble upon a dark secret when he pays Rachel a visit upstairs. Unaware of the chaos brewing beneath her feet, Rachel confides in Brady that Jamie's uncle, Michael Myers (actor name), has an unsettling fixation on her – a revelation that sends Brady's anxiety soaring.

Once Brady reaches the attic, he sets about nailing down loose beams with a sense of urgency, his ears attuned to any unusual sounds. And then, it happens: a faint noise startles him, and he spins around, expecting to confront some unseen menace. But, for now, all remains eerily still.

As the night wears on, Rachel descends into the darkness, seeking answers from Logan, who sits vigilant in his rocking chair, shotgun at the ready. Her inquiry about their departure is met with a cryptic assurance that they won't be stuck in this limbo for long, and she exits the room, unaware of the unsettling presence lurking just beyond the shadows - Michael's eerie visage, eerily silent and unnoticed by Logan. Meanwhile, down in the dimly lit basement, Meeker and Dr. Loomis tune into a mysterious transmission from Frank Bute in Tuckerville. Meeker's grave tone conveys the gravity of the situation to Bute, informing him that this is no Halloween prank - Michael Myers is real, and the troopers are needed with all haste. The urgency of the situation sparks an angry response from Bute, demanding more information before committing his forces to the crisis. As Dr. Loomis heads upstairs to confront Rachel, he's met with a mixture of relief and trepidation as she reveals Jamie's safety is paramount in her mind. With a heavy heart, he departs for the Carruthers' house, determined to track down Michael and end the nightmare, leaving Logan to lock the door behind him. In the kitchen, Kelly brews coffee, oblivious to the simmering tensions brewing between Rachel and herself. The latter's ire at Kelly's destructive influence on her relationship with Brady boils over into a heated argument, during which Kelly snaps back at Rachel, warning her that she'd better wise up to men's true intentions before losing another man to another woman. This biting retort is the final straw for Rachel, who seizes the coffee cup and pours it scalding hot onto Kelly's shirt, sending her into a stunned gasp of shock.

Deep in the basement, Meeker's urgent calls on the radio go unanswered, prompting Rachel to descend and take his place at the console. As she waits for any sign of a transmission, an unsettling creak echoes through the darkness behind her, but her gaze reveals nothing out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, upstairs, Jamie stirs in bed, sensing Rachel's absence and growing concerned as she sits up and begins to survey her surroundings. In the kitchen, Kelly finishes brewing coffee and carries the steaming cups into the living room, where Logan remains seated in his rocking chair, shotgun at the ready. As Kelly sets the tray down and lights a candle, the soft glow illuminates the space, but her eyes are drawn to a horrific sight: Logan's lifeless form slumped on the couch, blood trickling from his mouth like a macabre testament to some unseen violence. Kelly's gaze darts frantically towards the rocking chair, where she sees Michael rising slowly to his feet, shotgun still clutched in his hand. Panic sets in as Kelly backs away from him, her eyes fixed on the door behind her, until Michael's sudden movement raises her off the ground and shoves the shotgun barrel through her stomach, leaving her body suspended precariously between life and death.

As Frank's voice crackles through the radio in the basement, Rachel's anxieties dissipate, replaced by a sense of relief. The reassuring words from her friend prompt her to venture upstairs, only to be met with an unsettling sight: the lifeless bodies of Logan and Kelly. Rachel's scream shatters the silence as she frantically searches for Jamie, dashing back down the stairs in a desperate bid to find her daughter. In her haste, she collides with Brady, who is convinced that Jamie's fate is sealed. Despite Brady's dire predictions, Rachel remains defiant, racing up the stairs once more. It is there that she finds Jamie, only to be confronted by an unforeseen horror: Michael, slowly advancing towards them. Panic sets in as the trio hurtles upstairs, with Rachel and Jamie reaching the attic just as Brady elects to stand his ground against the monstrous Michael. The ensuing chaos sees Brady valiantly attempting to fend off his attacker, but ultimately succumbing to Michael's brute strength. As Brady lies motionless, Michael claims him as another victim.

Undeterred by their predicament, Rachel and Jamie launch a hasty assault on the attic, hurling objects down the stairs in an effort to barricade Michael's entry. However, their makeshift barrier proves no match for the relentless Michael, who perseveres through the debris. Desperate to escape, Rachel turns her attention to a tin can filled with butcher knives, using it to shatter the window and gain access to the roof. Jamie scrambles onto Rachel's back as they both climb up onto the rooftop, their footing precarious on the loose shingles. As they strive to reach the arched part of the roof, Rachel loses her balance, sending them sliding backward in a desperate bid to regain their footing.

As Michael begins his ascent, Rachel lowers Jamie down into the chimney, but the sudden appearance of their pursuer causes her to slip and slam into the flue instead. Michael soon closes the distance between them, striking at Rachel's face with the deadly knife. With her grip on the cord faltering, Rachel is forced to release it, sending Jamie plummeting halfway down the chimney. The desperate mother then finds herself fighting for survival as Michael menaces her once more. A final blow sends her tumbling off the roof, plummeting toward the ground below. As she struggles to regain her footing, Michael raises his knife in a last act of brutality before Rachel lets go of the edge and plummets to the ground, leaving Jamie trapped in the chimney, vulnerable to Michael's mercyless wrath.

As Jamie cautiously makes her way down to the ground, she rushes to the side of Rachel's lifeless form. But just as she's registering the horror before her, a chilling presence emerges from the shadows - Michael, his eyes fixed intently on Jamie. With a primal scream, Jamie takes off down the street, desperately seeking help, only to be swiftly intercepted by Dr. Loomis, who materializes like a guardian angel behind a tree and swoops in to grab her. The bespectacled psychiatrist demands to know the location of the schoolhouse, his eyes locked urgently on Jamie's as she points behind him. Together, they embark on a frantic search for refuge, their footsteps pounding out a frantic rhythm.

As they burst into the schoolhouse, Dr. Loomis attempts to reassure Jamie that they've finally found sanctuary, but her instincts scream otherwise - and with good reason. The doors to each room are stubbornly locked, foiling their desperate bid for safety. It's then that Michael materializes once more, shoving Dr. Loomis through the glass door like a human projectile. Jamie's hysteria reaches a fever pitch as she careens down the hallway, frantically pounding on door after door in a futile attempt to escape her tormentor.

Cowering in a corner, hands clamped over her face, sobs wracking her body, Jamie is convinced that all hope is lost. But when she finally works up the courage to stand and resume her search for an exit, her gaze sweeps the corridors anew, only to spot Michael standing watchfully on a stairwell, his cold calculating eyes fixed on hers - knife in hand. A blood-curdling scream rips through Jamie's throat as she takes off down another staircase, only to trip and tumble to the bottom, flailing towards the door like a wounded animal.

In that moment of vulnerability, Michael closes in, his slow deliberate steps closing the distance between them. It seems all is lost when, just as his icy grip encircles her ankle, Rachel materializes out of nowhere, a fire extinguisher at the ready, unleashing a blast of liquid carbon dioxide to blind and disorient her attacker, freeing Jamie from Michael's deadly grasp.

The rustic outcasts arrive at the schoolhouse shortly after, their ears ringing with the shrill alarm. Rachel bursts outside to reveal that Michael is trapped inside, prompting the group's hasty approach to exterminate him. However, Jamie intervenes, cautioning them against such a brutal move. The hillbillies eventually decide to abandon their vendetta and let the authorities handle the situation, instead opting to await the arrival of the state troopers. As they depart town, they're confronted by four Illinois State Police cruisers speeding down the highway, their lights and sirens blaring as they respond to Sheriff Meeker's distress call. Upon being signaled by two of the men, one of the troopers halts and instructs them to proceed to a nearby highway patrol substation, roughly four miles down the road.

As they distance themselves from Haddonfield, Michael's disembodied hand suddenly appears at the back of the truck, his presence going unnoticed by Earl. The hillbillies' vigilance is piqued when one of their own detects the anomaly, prompting a shotgun blast that misses its mark. Michael proves too quick, however, and swiftly stabs the offending hillbilly in the back. He then seizes Al, another member of the group, and plunges the blade into his side. Michael's violent rampage continues as he dispatches several more hillbillies, tossing them against the truck's tailgate with enough force to burst it open and send them tumbling onto the street.

Meanwhile, Earl remains oblivious to the chaos unfolding behind him, absorbed in conversation with Jamie and Rachel. His tranquility is shattered when Michael's hand bursts through the driver's side window, wrapping around Earl's neck like a noose. As Jamie and Rachel watch in horror, Michael's fingers dig deep, drawing blood and twisting until Earl's neck snaps, rendering him lifeless. The truck swerves violently, sending Jamie crashing to the floorboard.

Rachel seizes control of the wheel, shoving Earl's lifeless body out onto the pavement as she attempts to shake Michael loose. Despite her best efforts, however, he maintains his grip, reaching through the shattered window to grasp Rachel. She fights back, slapping on the brakes and sending him stumbling off the truck, where he rolls across the street before finally coming to a stop.

As he struggles to rise, Rachel seizes an opportunity, flooring it and slamming into Michael with enough force to send him flying into the nearby field. The blade slips from his grasp as he tumbles through the air, appearing to be dead. Just then, the police cruisers arrive on the scene, and Rachel hastens to greet them, instructing Jamie to remain in the truck. But Jamie's curiosity gets the better of her, drawing her towards Michael's lifeless form.

As she approaches, Rachel and Sheriff Meeker issue a frantic warning not to touch him. However, it's too late – Michael's grip on the knife tightens as he begins to rise from the ground. Jamie ducks just in time as the police unleash a barrage of shotgun blasts and rifle fire, striking Michael with precision. He staggers backward under the onslaught before finally tumbling into an abandoned mine shaft, his lifeless form vanishing into the darkness.

As Sheriff Meeker navigates Jamie and Rachel back to their worried parents, Richard and Darlene Carruthers, a sense of relief washes over the group. Dr. Loomis arrives on the scene, his authoritative presence radiating reassurance as he confirms that Michael Myers is indeed entombed in hell, where his malevolent spirit belongs. The tension momentarily lifts, only to be replaced by the mundane routine of daily life. Darlene, seemingly oblivious to the impending doom, calls for Jamie to take a relaxing bath, her voice muffled by the soothing sound of running water. Meanwhile, an unseen presence slips into the hallway, donning a gruesome mask and brandishing a pair of scissors. The shape glides silently towards the bathroom, its sinister intentions palpable.

Darlene's sudden scream shatters the tranquility, sending a ripple of fear through the house. Dr. Loomis, ever the vigilant guardian, responds with haste, grabbing his gun and racing up the stairs to confront the horror unfolding before him. Sheriff Meeker, Richard, and Rachel follow close behind, their faces set with determination as they attempt to intervene in the escalating chaos.

As they crest the staircase, a sight of unspeakable terror greets them: Jamie, her face obscured by a grotesque clown mask, stands tall, her eyes blazing with an otherworldly intensity. In her hands, she clutches the bloody scissors, their tips glinting menacingly in the dim light. It becomes all too clear that Michael Myers has transcended his hellish confinement, reborn through some dark and malevolent force.

The group watches in frozen terror as Jamie raises the scissors high into the air, the sound of her ragged breathing the only soundtrack necessary to convey the depth of their collective despair...