ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT. A VIDEO ARCADE
Darkened; all the power off.
ANGLE: AN AIR HOCKEY TABLE
As the lights and various machines come on, the table begins
to hum. Then Clarence comes up to the table, with Brooke a
few steps behind.
CLARENCE
Wow! Look at this... Air
hockey! Isn't this cool?
BROOKE
(bemused)
Clarence, what are we DOING here?
Clarence flips a paddle at her, which she snatches out the
air. He pulls up a puck and sets it on the table's cushion of
air.
CLARENCE
Well, YOU'RE getting beat at air
hockey.
With that, he slaps the puck into the slot at Brooke's end of
the table with a loud KA-CHINK.
BROOKE
(looking down, then up)
Hey!
CLARENCE
Okay, okay, we won't count that
one.
He brings the puck back up, and then, with one sudden
movement, slaps it towards the slot again—but Brooke slams her
paddle down and stops the puck halfway through. Grinning, she
wags her finger at him.
BROOKE
Aha, you didn't think I was paying
attention, did you?
CLARENCE
Ooh, a challenge...
(beckoning)
Come on, let's see what you got.
Giggling, Brooke sends the puck back towards him.
CUT TO:
MONTAGE
of Clarence and Brooke playing a fast and furious of air
hockey.
CUT TO:
INT. EMERGENCY WAITING ROOM
The doors open, and Sam is stunned to see George walk through.
She jumps up to face him, arms crossed.
SAM
What are you doing here?
Harrison steps up behind her.
HARRISON
I called him.
She turns, throws up her hands and gives him a look of
disbelief.
GEORGE
Hey, Brooke is MY friend, too,
Sam. At least Harrison was big
enough to put our stuff aside, and
let me know that she was in the
hospital.
(to Harrison)
Thanks.
HARRISON
Yeah.
GEORGE
So...how bad is it? She's going
to be all right, right?
SAM
(quavering)
They said...she might not make it
though the night.
GEORGE
Oh, man...
George looks like he's going to take a step towards Sam, but
he stops himself and sits down heavily instead. Harrison
takes Sam by the arms and hold her.
CUT TO:
EXT. A DESERTED SMALL-TOWN STREET
Brooke and Clarence are relaxing on a wrought-iron bench, in
front of a storefront window, watching absolutely nothing go
by.
BROOKE
So why can't I just stay here?
CLARENCE
Because "here" isn't a
destination. It's part of the
journey.
BROOKE
You know, I still don't get this
"journey" thing. I don't seem to
be going anywhere.
CLARENCE
You never know. Sometimes the big
things are the little things, and
the little things are the big
things.
Brooke peers at him quizzically.
BROOKE
I don't remember you being this
obtuse when you were alive.
CLARENCE
Oh, I was. You just never
noticed.
BROOKE
(quietly)
I never got a chance to. I wish I
had.
CLARENCE
Hey, now, no regrets about me. My
destiny was to die young, come
here, and help other people,
starting with Harrison.
BROOKE
(curious)
You helped Harrison?
CLARENCE
Oh, yeah, that was my first job,
convincing Harrison not to commit
suicide.
BROOKE
(goggling)
Harrison WHAT?
CLARENCE
It's a long story. Basically I
showed him that life was worth
living. You know, the whole "It's
a Wonderful Life" thing? It's
corny, but it works. So anyway,
he didn't commit suicide, he went
into remission, and—
Brooke buries her face in her hands in anguish.
BROOKE
Oh, God, Harrison...
CLARENCE
—proceeded to royally screw up his
life. Hey, I can only do so much
here.
CUT TO:
INT. EMERGENCY WAITING ROOM - LATER
INSERT: A WALL CLOCK
reading 12:30 a.m.
Sam, snuggled up next to Harrison, catches George looking at
them darkly for a moment before turning away.
SAM
(looking up at Harrison)
Still glad you called him?
HARRISON
(stolidly)
I still think he should be here.
Sam grimaces, and lays her head back on Harrison's chest.
Dr. Wilmore steps into the room; his presence causes everyone
to scramble to their feet.
WILMORE
(to Mike)
All right. She SEEMS to be
stable—for the moment—so we're
moving her up to ICU. I have to
warn, you, though—it's going to be
VERY touch and go for the next
twelve hours or so. She could
trip over at any time. Now,
nobody's going to be able to see
her at least until morning, and
then only her immediate family.
So I suggest that you all get some
rest. What she needs now—is your
prayers.
MIKE
Thank you. We're staying.
WILMORE
Of course. If anything
happens...
MIKE
(nodding)
Thank you.
Dr. Wilmore turns and leaves. Mike turns to the rest of them.
MIKE (CONT'D)
Well, you heard what the doctor
said. Now, I can't order anyone
to go home—
GLASS
Well, I can!
(to Josh and Lily)
Taxi's leaving, kids!
JOSH
Miss Glass is right. We should
go.
GLASS
That's right, you need to be
bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. You
got mulching to do tomorrow!
Miss Glass steps up to Mike and claps her hand on his
shoulder.
GLASS (CONT'D)
(awkwardly)
I hope she makes it.
MIKE
Thank you.
Sam shoots Lily a quizzical look, and mouths "mulching?" at
her. Lily just rolls her eyes and shakes her head
fatalistically.
GLASS
Come on, kids!
Miss Glass, Josh and Lily file out.
JANE
Well, I can do that, too.
(to Harrison)
Harrison, take Sam home.
SAM
Mom! No!
JANE
Sam, no arguing. You need to get
some sleep. We'll stay here
tonight; you can come back in the
morning.
SAM
I'm a teenager—I can go longer
without sleep than you!
JANE
(sternly)
Sam—go.
Harrison takes Sam by the shoulders.
HARRISON
Your mom's right.
SAM
Wait— What about Mackenzie?
JANE
Mrs. Boreland has her for the
night—don't worry about her.
Sam reaches out and hugs her mother tightly; finally Harrison
prods her reluctantly out the door.
Then George steps up to Jane and Mike.
GEORGE
I'm...sorry about this. My
family—we'll all be praying for
Brooke.
JANE
Thank you so much. I know this
must have been difficult...
GEORGE
(shaking his head)
I'm not going to let a little
thing like...I'm not going to get
it get in the way of what's
important.
(pause)
If there's anything at all that
you need...
Jane nods, and George turns and walks out. She guides Mike to
a seat and hold him.
JANE
Mike...?
Mike, who has been putting up a brave front for everyone,
begins to lose it now.
MIKE
(choking)
My little girl...my baby...if...
JANE
Shhh. No if—no if. She's going
to make it. She is.
Jane holds Mike as he sobs uncontrollably into her shoulder.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
