The Lovely Bones

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I remember being really small...

... too small to see

over the edge of a table.

There was a snow globe.

And I remember the penguin

who lived inside the globe.

He was all alone in there

and, I worried for him.

Don't worry, Kiddo...

He has a nice life.

He's trapped in a perfect world.

Look at that, Susie Q.

I remember being given a camera

for my birthday.

I loved the way a photo

could capture a moment...

before it was gone.

That's what I wanted to be

when I grew up -

- a 'wild-life photographer'

Sorry, mom.

I imagined that when I was older, I'd be tracking wild elephants and rhinos.

But, for now, I'd have to

make do with Grace Tarking.

It's strange, the memories you keep.

I remember going with dad

to the sink-hole out at the Connor's farm.

There was something about the way

the earth could swallow things whole.

And I remember the girl who lived there.

Ruth Connors.

The kids at our school said

she was weird,

and now I know she saw things other didn't.

Ready?

One, two, three!

And I remember the worst thing

that ever happened to us as a family.

Somebody help!

- Mom?

Where are you?

Mom?

Oh God!

Dad?

The day my little brother

stopped breathing.

Buckley!

What happened?

- He swallowed a twig!

Watch out!

Are you crazy?

- Sorry!

Buckley.

You're okay...

And I remember the light in my

parents eyes. The relief.

We weren't those people...

... those unlucky people, to whom

bad things happened for no reason.

You know the Buddhists say,

"If you save someone else's life..."

Grandma Lynn predicted I would live a long and happy life, because I'd saved my brother.

As usual,

Grandma Lynn was wrong.

My name is Salmon, like the fish.

First name, Susie.

I was 14 years old when I was murdered,

on December 6, 1973.

(Announcer) Over here next, we have Crystal...

This was before missing kids

started appearing on milk cartons,

or were feature stories

on the daily news.

It was back when people

believed things like that didn't happen.

That's right ladies, no matter the size,

it'll hug your girly-girl curves in all the right places...

If you got it, why not flaunt it...

- Hold on, buddy.

Buckley!

- Dad! Look look look!

There it is!

Who is he?

Does he like you as much as you like him?

Grandma, He's a senior.

He doesn't know I exist.

- He's Cute.

- Grandma, please just drop it!

You're safe now.

He's gone into the record store.

I wasn't safe. A man in my neighborhood was watching me.

If I hadn't been so distracted, I would have realized something was wrong.

Cause that sort of thing gives me the skeevies...

But I was too busy, thinking about

the length of Ray Singh's eyelashes.

I counted each one in library time

while he was reading 'Abelard and Heloise'

The most seriously tragic love story ever.

So, have you kissed him yet?

Why not? You like him, he likes you,

What's the hold up?

I'm just afraid I won't be any good at it.

My first kiss was with grown man.

You not going to tell on me, are you?

- Of course not.

- What was it like?

- The kiss? Oh it was wonderful.

Beautiful, glorious.

Took me a long time before I realized that a kiss like that, it only happen just once.

Susie...

Just have fun, kid.

It wasn't Mr. O'Dwyer, by the way.

Although, he does look kinda suspicious.

Mr. O'Dwyer never hurt anyone.

Mr. O'Dwyer's own daughter died

a year and a half after I did.

She had leukemia,

but I never saw her in my heaven.

Hey, look at me!

Mom!

Hi honey!

My murderer was a man from our neighborhood

Thank you so much.

Careful honey.

I took his photo once as he talked

to my parents about his border flowers

I was aiming for the bushes,

when he got in the way.

Thanks for the flowers!

He stepped out of nowhere,

and ruined the shot.

He ruined a lot of things.

- What have you been photographing?

Everything!

- Everything?

Hey look at me!

Mom!

smile!

Over here!

Hey look at me!

OK. Here we go.

Clarissa has got a crush on you.

Which one was Clarissa?

You know, blond hair,

mega blue eye shadow...

she's out on Surf & Turf.

- The tall one?

She's not tall, she wears platforms.

She doesn't know you are an accountant.

- I take it, that's a negative

Or that you are a closet scale modeller

Did mom know before she married you?

About your obsession?

Susie, hobbies are healthy,

they teach you things.

Like what?

Like if you start something,

you finish it -

you don't stop until

you get it right.

If you don't get it right, you start over again...

and you keep on going as long as you have to.

That's the way it is, that's what you do.

It's perfectly normal.

You know Granpy taught me to do this,

and now I'm teaching you.

We're creating something here, for us.

Something special.

- I know

You're my first mate, Susie Q.

One day, all of this all will be yours.

- Jack, Susie, dinner!

Hey hey hey, Wait.

Ready?

Yeah

- Now pull it steady

- Give me.

Okay, shipman take it away!

Now that is a thing of beauty.

Come on.

I don't believe it.

Would you look at the state of this room?

You're gonna clean this mess up tonight.

- Yeah, I will.

Hey mom, we need to get these developed.

Susie, You used up all the film?

Do you have any idea what this is gonna cost?

No, no. Absolutely not.

Out of the question.

Thanks a lot.

That's my career down the toilet!

Oh, do not be so melodramatic.

- Oh honey, what? What's down the toilet?

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