January 12, 2015
Summary
Statement of Miller Morri., regarding the elusive Renee Solomon.
Audio recording by Gertrude Robinson
[INT. MAGNUS INSTITUTE, ARCHIVES, 2015]
[TAPE CLICKS ON.]
MILLER
If I tell you this, will you stop doing this to me?
[THE PERSON WHO SPEAKS NEXT'S VOICE IS DEEP, STEADY, AND SLOW. EACH WORD SPOKEN SHIFTS INTO THE NEXT AS IF IT IS ONLY NATURAL TO DO SO. THIS IS MILLER MORRI].
GERTRUDE
As if it's easy to find you in the first place, Morri.
MILLER
Whatever. Is that thing on yet?
GERTRUDE
Are you trying to wait for me to die?
MILLER
It was worth a shot.
[THEY SIGH.]
GERTRUDE
How long do you want this to take?
MILLER
You make a good point. Okay. I was taking the BART, that is the Bay Area Rapid Transit, it is a public transportation system in San Francisco, California. I was there because of a dream I had about someone that would be on that train.
GERTRUDE
A dream? What was the
MILLER
Gertie, would you just let me talk. I was getting there. I have had so many dreams about people's ends, each of them is a story in their own right, and the time frame of the dreams is not something I can easily determine. I have dreamed of deaths that have already happened and ones long from now, I believe this was one quite far from now, but I knew I needed to be on this subway. I have had dreams of this person more than once. I have been haunted by them when I am supposed to be the one haunting people. Do you know what that feels like?
GERTRUDE
Okay, you've made your point. Continue.
MILLER
I wandered the BART following only where the strange tugging in my chest pulled me. Several unwelcome social interactions and a few routes later, I found myself riding in a car with only one passenger. I seated myself several seats away from them, but close enough for me to watch them to a point of discomfort. She was a very pregnant woman, and I was certain that her child would experience something horrible.
GERTRUDE
How long did you watch her?
MILLER
Well, it was only twenty minutes before she spoke. She said, "You are spoiling a perfectly good meal."
GERTRUDE
And, I
MILLER
It's Renee, Gertie. Obviously, she was referring to the rather empty car. Stop interrupting me before I can get to what you want to hear. Anyway, I told her she should consider a late-term abortion. That was a joke, Gert. Lighten up. Not like you've got much left in you.
GERTRUDE
I will interrupt you less, and you can get on with it.
MILLER
I told her I hated her. She was amused at that. Said she hadn't done anything for me to hate. I hated her for being the bearer of my sporadic waking nightmare. I hated her because she was going to raise such a tragic child. I have never liked the kid dreams. I hate her so much. I will be happy the day she dies.
GERTRUDE
Morri, I thought that you said it was her unborn child haunting you.
MILLER
It's quite hard to explain. I do not blame her for what happened to her, but I can be annoyed by her inconvenience to me. I may be a monster, but I am not a monster, Gert. Youth is for living. All that aside, she introduced herself to me, if it can be called that. She was rather rude. I could tell she didn't want me to be around. I was ruining her solitude of course. What a melodramatic hag!
GERTRUDE
You know, it is my understanding that she is actually.
MILLER
Are you seriously defending her?
GERTRUDE
I did not seek you out so you could say such things.
MILLER
Right. You always have been like that. A walking contradiction.
GERTRUDE
And what happened next?
MILLER
I told her she deserved her end, and I left.
GERTRUDE
What is it about her that has you rattled?
MILLER
It won't matter to you, Gert. It's important, but not to you.
GERTRUDE
Who would that be?
MILLER
I believe whoever follows in your footsteps.
GERTRUDE
They could hear this all one day then, so you might as well.
MILLER
No. I think I will leave figuring it out to the Beholding. Isn't that your guys' thing? Knowing? Let him do it himself.
[A CHAIR SQUEAKS AND SQUEALS AGAINST THE FLOOR. RUSHED LIGHT FOOTSTEPS ARE FOLLOWED BY THE CREAKING OF AN OPENING DOOR.]
GERTRUDE
Morri, we aren't done here. Morri!
MILLER
I suppose I can leave you with this. (an uncomfortable pause) Her daughter's name is Asteria.
[THE DOOR SLAMS SHUT. SHE SIGHS]
GERTRUDE
They told more than I expected, but left me with more questions. Why is Asteria such a mystery? What horrible things has Renee done? What is she going to do? How can Asteria help? It is not so much the tragedy of Asteria haunting Morri that bothers me, but that Asteria is even harder to track down than her mother.
[TAPE CLICKS OFF.]
[INT. MAGNUS INSTITUTE, ARCHIVES, JON'S OFFICE, PRESENT DAY]
[TAPE CLICKS ON.]
ARCHIVIST
That is one of the few good things I have heard about Asteria. Aside from the few people she has helped escape, or should I say let escape from the Lonely, she seems to be just as common an occurrence in statements as Gerard Keay.
That Asteria is involved in some bigger thing is no surprise to me. It seems as if Renee Solomon has an uncanny involvement in people's disappearances and isolation. Renee is dangerous and elusive, and her daughter even more so. They leave trails of chaos and misery in their wakes.
Asteria is too good at hiding. She helps people get lost, literally and figuratively. She bends people under pressure in every instance I hear of her.
How do you find someone who can hide in plain sight? How do you find someone that clearly does not want to be found? I do not know if she is working with or against her mother, or if she has her own plans. I do not know if she is a friend, foe, or something in between. I know that she must be a key player, and that I should try to find her. Maybe, if I find her, I will get answers. It seems to me from the instances mentioning her mother that she resents her mother. Is everything because of her warped relationship with her mother? Where would I even start?
Martin is convinced he has a book of hers, and it sounds like Helen knows of her. Helen. I guess I could ask, she did say she could answer things for me if needed.
[TAPE CLICKS OFF.]
[TAPE CLICKS ON.]
ARCHIVIST
When, did-
[A FLURRY OF KNOCKS PATTERS AGAINST THE DOOR]
HELEN
Can I borrow a cup of sugar, please?
ARCHIVIST
Come in, Helen.
HELEN
You called for me?
ARCHIVIST
Martin mentioned that you know of Asteria.
HELEN
Sure do! What about 'em?
ARCHIVIST
Can you tell me anything about her? Just anything. How do you even know about her? It seems like she's–
HELEN
Hard to find? Jon, you wouldn't happen to be looking for her, would you?
ARCHIVIST
I-I'm not entirely sure.
[A CHAIR SCRAPES AND CREAKS. FINGERS TAP AGAINST A DESK]
HELEN
Asteria knows Latin. She is associated with more than a handful of disappearances and presumably even more deaths. She has a poor relationship with her mother, and her mother seems to drive her own hand in those disappearances. I could say more, but I doubt it would be of any help?
ARCHIVIST
I know all of that. That wasn't helpful at all.
HELEN
Is that stick always so far up your ass? Fine. Since you're damned so pushy, Asteria loves to read, yeah? I know of her because she knows some Leitners. I research Leitners. If you must know, she ran away. Why do you need to talk to her?
ARCHIVIST
As much as I believe only about half of literally everything that you say, you do seem to know something. I think Asteria has to do with all this, look there's more going on here. I can't tell you.
HELEN
You don't trust me.
ARCHIVIST
Obviously.
HELEN
You are seriously paranoid. Of course I am a chronic liar who cannot be trusted. Also don't forget that I report directly to Elias, so I can't be of any help at all because Elias doesn't do anything either, does he? Is it true that you're crawling around in the tunnels under the institute? That is some seriously cracked shit, Jon. Have you tried talking to someone or crying like a normal person? What you went through was horrible. What happened sucked! But, you are divining patterns in dust bunnies, Jon. Get some sleep. That's what is going to help you, not finding someone who disappears.
ARCHIVIST
You don't know her, do you?
HELEN
Not in the way that you think. [MORE CHAIR SQUEAKS AND WHISTLES] I have some things I need to attend to. Goodbye, Jon.
ARCHIVIST
What just happened? What is she hiding? Why is everyone here hiding something? Maybe she killed Gertrude. No, that's ridiculous, she didn't even work here yet. How long has she been here? Sometimes I feel like whatever she says is made up on the spot, but she speaks with such confidence and clarity. I have a bad feeling about Helen.
