Unwell Season 5/Episode 11 - The Water, The Stars
by Jessica Wright Buha
I don’t want to forget you
Shouldn’t this be happy?
What I need.
Content Advisories for this episode can be found here.
Support Unwell and HartLife NFP on Patreon at www.patreon.com/hartlifenfp
This episode features: Clarisa Cherie Rios as Lily, LaQuin Grovers as Dale, Mark Soloff as Silas, Marsha Harman as Dot, Symphony Sanders as Young Lily, Sean Williams as Edward Lyle, Jordana Williams as Matilda Lyle, Eli Barraza as Lina Lyle, Hilary Williams as Joey, Anuja Vaidya as Norah, Benjamin Callins as the Woman, Scott Miller as the Man, Dallis Seeker as Grant, Matt Young as Tim, Russ More as René-Robert, Amy More as Louis, David Rheinstrom as Colin Fenwood, Christopher J. Wilson as Tony, Jillian Leff as Selene, Mark Soloff as the Reverend, Joshua K. Harris as Rudy, Eli Hamada McIlveen as the Radio Announcer, Michael Turrentine as Wes, David S. Dear as Thomas Wesley, Mac Rogers as General Wayne, Leeman Kessler as Arthur Warren, Gabriel Urbina as a Firefighter, Bob Raymonda as the Foreman, Russ More and Ben Aldred as the Workers, and Jessica Best as Weepin’ Troy.
A special thank you to Scott Miller, linguist from the Tribal Preservation office of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe for his consultation and translation work for the Shawnee language in this episode.
Written by Jessica Wright Buha, sound design by Jeffrey Nils Gardner, directed by Jeffrey Nils Gardner, assistant director Lauren Grace Thompson, theme music composed by Stephen Poon, recording engineer Mel Ruder, associate producer Ani Enghdahl, Theme performed by Stephen Poon, Lauren Kelly, Gunnar Jebsen, Travis Elfers, Mel Ruder, and Betsey Palmer, produced by haydée r. souffrant, Unwell lead sound designer Eli Hamada McIlveen, Executive Producers Eleanor Hyde and Jeffrey Nils Gardner, by HartLife NFP.
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INT. BASEMENT DAY
SFX: LILY'S FOOTSTEPS DOWN THE BASEMENT STAIRS.
LILY
Blooms? Blooms, I just want to talk.
SFX: LILY STEPS OFF OF THE STAIRS. HER FOOTSTEPS WALK OVER THE
(DRY!) STONE FLOOR.
LILY (cont'd)
Blooms? Can you reveal the door for me?
Please?
SFX: LILY TAPS HER FINGERNAIL ON THE STONE WALLS.
LILY (cont'd)
Blooms?
SFX: LILY'S PHONE RINGS. SHUFFLE AS LILY TAKES IT OUT.
LILY (cont'd)
Shit.
SFX: SOFT TAP AS LILY ANSWERS IT.
LILY (INTO THE PHONE)
Hello?
DALE (D)
Lily!
LILY (INTO THE PHONE)
Hey, how's it going?
DALE (D)
What is going on?
LILY (INTO THE PHONE)
I told you, everything's fine! Not much has
changed since yesterday.
DALE (D)
Google maps says that every road out of Mount
Absalom is flooded.
LILY (UNDER HER BREATH)
Google.
LILY
Dad, it's really not that bad. We're all just
riding it out at Fenwood.
DALE (D)
And the Weather ServiceLily,
I'm reading this
right now: it says Miskwa Creek is cresting at twentythree feet that's happening now.
LILY (INTO THE PHONE)
Twentythree feet.
DALE (D)
Lily
LILY
(INTO THE PHONE)
I guess that sounds right.
DALE (D)
Lilian Harper, get out of there now.
LILY (INTO THE PHONE)
Look, Dad, I gotta let you go so I can deal with
all this stuff. Okay?
DALE (D)
You can't just "deal with this stuff." You're
going to get hurt, you need helpLILY
(INTO THE PHONE)
Okay, thanks Dad, I'll call you in a bit when I
get it all figured out.
DALE (D)
Lily!
LILY (INTO THE PHONE)
Bye!
SFX: SOFT TAP AS LILY HANGS UP. THE SILENCE OF THE BASEMENT
ALMOST RINGS WITH INTENSITY.
LILY
So. Let's just...
SFX: THE FLOODWATER COVERING THE BASEMENT WINDOWS MUFFLES THE
SOUND OF THE RAIN. LILY, TRYING TO CONTROL THE FEAR, CLEARS
HER THROAT.
LILY (cont'd)
...keep going.
SFX: LILY'S FOOTSTEPS WALK OVER THE STONE FLOOR.
LILY (cont'd)
Maybe here.
SFX: LILY TAPS HER FINGERNAIL ON THE STONE WALL.
LILY (cont'd)
Blooms? Hey, Blooms?
SFX: LILY TAPS HER FINGERNAIL ON THE STONES AGAIN.
LILY (cont'd)
Anybody home?
SFX: LILY EXHALES SHARPLY.
﴾TO HERSELF)
Okay.
SFX: LILY TAPS HER FINGERNAIL ON THE STONES A LITTLE LOUDER.
LILY (cont'd)
Hey, Silas.
SFX: LILY TAPS HER FINGERNAIL ON THE STONES EVEN LOUDER.
LILY (cont'd)
Silas, you gotta make the door appear real quick.
SFX: LILY KNOCKS WITH HER KNUCKLES ON THE STONES.
LILY (cont'd)
Really need you to come through for me right now.
SFX: WHOOSH AS SILAS APPEARS. NOT A FRIENDLY WHOOSH, A FREAKY
ONE.
LILY (cont'd)
Ahh!
SILAS
Hear me, Lilian Harper!
LILY
What's with the voice.
SILAS
For your insolence for your refusal to leave well enough alone
LILY
Can you just make the door appear.
SILAS
and your rejection of the path laid out for you, I will grant you one final tale.
LILY
Let's do a short one, okay?
SFX: WHOOSHES AS THE DOGS APPEAR.
LILY (cont'd)
Oh, you brought the dogs.
SFX: DOG CLAWS TAP ON THE STONE GROUND AS THE DOGS APPROACH.
LILY (cont'd)
Hey Molly, Don.
SFX: THE DEMON DOGS GROWL AS ONLY DEMON DOGS CAN.
LILY (cont'd)
Shit.
SILAS
This is the story of the fools who believed.
LILY
Silas
SILAS
The fools who defiled, who hurt, who laughed with
impunity.
LILY
Look, there are people upstairs who are
SILAS
The story of those who thought they were safe.
SILAS (cont'd)
Who thought there was someone looking after them.
SFX; THE DOGS GROWL.
﴾quietly exasperated)
LILY
Oh my God.
SILAS
The story of the those who get it in the end.
LILY
Silas, can we not?
SFX: THE DOGS ARE SHOCKED INTO SILENCE.
SILAS
Pardon?
LILY
I need to see Blooms. I don't need to listen to a
weird story and then have your dogs eat me. Okay?
Not today. Rain check on me being dog dinner.
Just find me the door. Please?
SFX: SILAS SUDDENLY LAUGHS.
SILAS
You are funny.
LILY
That's me. You got a lead on that door, Reverend?
SILAS
The One who Blooms does not wish to talk.
LILY
Don't want to talk, just want to listen.
SILAS
It's not safe.
LILY
So?
SILAS
Death doesn't frighten you?
LILY
Not really.
SFX: LILY TAPS THE STONE WALL WITH HER FINGERNAIL.
LILY (cont'd)
Blooms, how're we doing?
SFX: WATER SWIRLS PAST THE FLOODED BASEMENT WINDOWS.
LILY (cont'd)
Not feeling like talking.
SILAS
As I said.
LILY
You don't have to talk, Blooms. We can just sit.
I'm here, okay?
SFX: LILY PATS THE WALL. THE STORM IS DIMLY HEARD RAGING
OUTSIDE.
SILAS
Are you curious why I have angered you so?
LILY
Do I sound angry?
SILAS
Why I betrayed you.
LILY
I don't feel betrayed.
SILAS
Abandoned you.
LILY
Oh my Jesus. Silas, I feel whatever the opposite
of abandoned is. I feel overwhelmed with your
presence. Saturated. Flooded, you could say.
SFX: SILAS LAUGHS A GENUINE LAUGH, WHICH TURNS INTO A SOFT SOB.
LILY (cont'd)
What's been going on?
SFX: SILAS EXHALES. THE OUTLINE OF THE DOOR GROWS LIKE A VINE.
THE DOOR CREAKS OPEN, REVEALING THE GENTLY HUMMING, MOSS COVERED
TUNNEL.
LILY (cont'd)
Thanks, Blooms.
LILY BREATHES IN.
It always smells so great in here. Freshcut grass after a rain. Shall we?
SFX: SILAS HESITATES
SILAS
Ah...
SFX: LILY IS ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE BUT TRYING TO BE NICE ABOUT IT
LILY
After you, Reverend.
SILAS
Very well. Don, Moll, stay.
SFX: THE DOGS WHINE, BUT STAY. SILAS WALKS INTO THE TUNNEL
LILY
Here we go.
SFX: LILY'S FOOTSTEPS HEAD INTO THE TUNNEL. THE DOOR CLOSES BEHIND HER WITH A CLANG.
INT. TUNNEL TO WELL
SFX: SILAS AND LILY'S FOOTSTEPS SQUISH DOWN THE TUNNEL
FLOOR.
SILAS
You're very brave.
LILY
Not as brave as you are- letting me in is huge.
SILAS
Flatterer.
LILY
Nope. Hey, so I don't want to rush you, but could
we move a little faster?
SILAS
Why such haste, Lilian?
LILY
I just know it's a long walk to get to the well
SILAS
You wish to see the well?
LILY
Uh, yeah. Why else would I be here?
SILAS
I assumed you were escaping the flood.
LILY
I told you I wanted to see Blooms.
SILAS
Mere pretense.
LILY
I also told you I wasn't afraid.
SILAS
Foolish.
SFX: LILY STOPS WALKING.
LILY
Silas, I trust you.
SFX: SILAS STOPS WALKING.
SILAS
Why?
LILY
You, Wes, You, Norah, You, the thing I'd talk to
when the thunder was scaring me and I was not
going into my mom's room, I wasn't. NOPE, let the
thunder murder me, not giving her the
satisfaction. And you played me some weird song
in the radiator and made me feel better.
You made the grass grow, you propped up Mount
Absalom when all the other Rust Belt towns were
shriveling up. You just seem to really care
SILAS
The One who Blooms, the Blessed One, The One Who
Makes Things Grow, Thine Green and Growing Arms,
did that. Not me.
LILY
Silas, come on. Secret's out. I know you're allpart of the samething, same... organism.
Entity.
SILAS
I haven't been part of the One who Blooms for a long time.
LILY
Oh.
SILAS
There was a split.
SFX: SILAS STARTS WALKING AGAIN.
SILAS (cont'd)
A necessary separation
SFX: LILY HURRIES TO CATCH UP.
LILY
Okay....
SILAS
The rotten poison the rest. You see it with
apples, with dogs, with children. Those good
things did not come from me.
Only the wicked.
LILY
You know thinking of things as "good" and "bad"
is not a superhealthy way of looking at the world. Hey, random, are there any shortcuts to
the well? I don't really want to walk for half an hour like last time.
SILAS
Very well.
SFX: A PASSAGEWAY GROWS.
Through here.
SFX: WELLS SOUNDS DRIFT DOWN THE PASSAGEWAY: WATER DRIPS FROM
THE STALACTITES ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE WELL IN A MOURNFUL SONG.
LILY
Thanks.
SFX: FOOTSTEPS AS LILY HEADS DOWN THE PASSAGEWAY.
LILY (cont'd)
Hey, Blooms! I'm almost there.
INT. WELL ATRIUM
SFX: DROPS OF STALACTITE WATER RING A MOURNFUL SONG AGAINST
THE RIPPLING SURFACE OF THE WELL. FOOTSTEPS AS LILY AND SILAS ENTER.
LILY
Okay! Hi! How are you doing, Blooms?
﴾low) SILAS
Stay away from the water.
LILY
So my friend. I heard you're a little under the weather.
SFX: THE SONG BECOMES MORE MOURNFUL.
LILY (cont'd)
Yeah. It's tough. It's all tough.
I know when I'm feeling sad, sometimes I feel
like no one cares, and that I'm alone. And I just
want you to know that you're not alone. Okay? I'm right here.
SFX: VAGUE, MUFFLED WORDS SWIRL BELOW THE SURFACE.
LILY (cont'd)
Are you trying to tell me something?
SFX: VAGUE, MUFFLED WORDS SWIRL AGAIN BELOW THE SURFACE- MARGINALLY
LOUDER, BUT NOT BY MUCH.
LILY (cont'd)
Yeah, I can't really. Could I get in? Would that be okay?
SILAS
Lilian.
SFX: THE WATER VIBRATES, THINKING.
LILY
Let's try it. Okay?
SFX: THE SONG DRIPPING FROM THE CEILING SOUNDS A LITTLE
HAPPIER.
LILY (cont'd)
Okay. I just gotta put my phone somewhereSFX:
SOFT RUSTLE AS LILY SETS HER PHONE ON THE MOSSY GROUND.
LILY (cont'd)
And take off my shoes.
SFX: ZIP OF LACES AS LILY UNTIES ONE OF HER SHOES.
SILAS
Lilian.
LILY
Yeah?
SFX: LEATHERY THUNKCLATTER
AS LILY'S FIRST SHOE HITS THE
GROUND.
SILAS
The risk is significant.
SFX: ZIP OF LACES AS LILY UNTIES HER OTHER SHOE.
LILY
Totally.
SFX: LEATHERY THUNKCLATTER
AS LILY'S SECOND SHOE HITS THE
GROUND.
LILY (cont'd)
Here's the thing.
SFX: RUBBING CLOTH SOUND AS THE FIRST SOCK IS PEELED OFF
LILY (cont'd)
When you are friends with someone
SFX: SOFT SOUND OF A SOCK HITTING THE FLOOR.
LILY (cont'd)
It's not gross that I'm throwing my socks on the
floor of your special wellcavern,
is it, Blooms?
SFX: PEACEFUL RIPPLE FROM THE WELL.
LILY (cont'd)
Great.
So when you've got a friend, or when you're in a relationship with someone,
SFX: RUBBING CLOTH SOUND AS A SOCK IS PEELED OFF
LILY (cont'd)
or whatever, you need courage, and you need trust.
SFX: SOFT SOUND OF THE OTHER SOCK HITTING THE FLOOR.
LILY (cont'd)
You need the courage to trust.
SILAS
The courage to trust.
LILY
Yeah.
SFX: LILY'S FEET PAD SOFTLY TO THE WELL.
LILY (cont'd)
So, Blooms, if at any time, you want me to get out, just let me know, okay?
SFX: A WATERY MURMUR OF ASSENT.
LILY (cont'd)
Okay. I'm coming in.
SILAS
I wish you wouldn't. I'd rather you were saved.
LILY
No way out but through.
SFX: RIPPLE SPLASH AS LILY ENTERS THE WATER.
LILY (cont'd)
Ooooh, this is cold. No, it feels good. Brisk. I feel alive.
SFX: THE WELL BUBBLES.
LILY (cont'd)
This feel okay, Blooms? Yeah?
SFX: LARGE BUBBLES TRICKLE UP FROM THE DEEP, FILLED WITH
MUFFLED, SWIRLING WORDS.
LILY (cont'd)
What're these bubbles…
SILAS
Don't touch them!
SFX: BWOP AS LILY POPS ONE
MAN (IN SHAWNEE)
Mi ti ma yi we we ya he! (Something’s wrong!)
LILY
Who is that?
SFX: BWOP AS LILY POPS MORE BUBBLES. DIFFERENT VOICES ARE
HEARD, ALL TUMBLING OVER EACH OTHER.
CALVIN LYLE
They could hurt themselves!
GRANT
See? Just needed the screws tightened a little.
DOT
Fenwood, you fucker, you.
LILY
It's all under there- everything.
SFX: VOICES SIMMER/MUTTER JUST UNDER THE SURFACE.
LILY (cont'd)
Would it be okay if I went under?
SILAS
Lilian
LILY
Blooms, would that be okay?
SFX: THE RIPPLES MURMUR AN ASSENT.
LILY (cont'd)
It seems like it'd be okay. Great.
SILAS
You must not submerge yourself
LILY
See you in a bit.
SILAS
Lilian!
SFX: SILAS'S VOICE IS MUFFLED BY A SUDDEN RUSH OF WATER AS
LILY GOES UNDER.
SFX: WATER RUSHES ALL AROUND LILY'S EARS.
SFX: THE WATER SUDDENLY DISSOLVES INTO STARS. LILY IS SUDDENLY
IN OUTER SPACE AS IMAGINED BY A CHILD: GLITTERY, SWIRLING,
EFFERVESCENT, SHARP, COLD, ETHEREAL. IT IS THE SONG OF THE STARS THAT WE HAVE HEARD THROUGH NORAH
LILY
Blooms?
SFX: LILY'S VOICE ECHOES ACROSS THE VOID, BOUNCING OFF OF
FORGOTTEN WORLDS, FORGOTTEN STARS.
LILY (cont'd)
Blooms? I'm here. I'm listening.
SFX: THE CRACK OF TECTONIC PLATES. LAVA BUBBLES AND FLOWS. THEN THE RUSH OF WATER- AN OCEAN COVERS THE LAND. WATERS RECEED, REVEALING A MARSH- WE HEAR THE ROAR OF DINOSAURS IN THE DISTANCE
SFX: THE DINOSAUR SONGS MELD INTO THE SWEEPING SOUND OF
[MODERNISH]
BIRDSONG. SO SO SO SO MANY NATIVE OHIO BIRDS, ALL
SINGING IN A WHIRLING MELODY.
SFX: SOUNDS OF THE FOREST, 500 CE. HUMAN FOOTSTEPS OVER FALLEN
LEAVES. A SPEAR IS THROWN, HITTING A DEER.
SFX: TIME PASSES. MORE HUMAN SOUNDS. WE HEAR VOICES FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE
SHAWNEE TRIBE BUBBLE OUT OF THE MEMORY
YOUNG WOMAN ﴾in Shawnee)
Pe yi lo! We ya he ne mi ta ge ke ne mo la. (I want to show you something.)
YOUNG MAN ﴾in Shawnee)
I hi! (Okay.)
SFX: FIRE CRACKLES. THROUGH THE BIRDSONG, THE RUSTLE OF
LEAVES IN THE WIND, THE RIPPLE OF WATER.
YOUNG WOMAN (in Shawnee)
Hi ke ni se wa la mi he ni ke s’so wa ni? (Do you like this drawing I made?)
YOUNG MAN ﴾in Shawnee)
Wa ho la fe yi! (It's beautiful!)
SFX: THUNDER ROLLS AND BOOMS. RAIN. A TREE IS STRUCK BY
LIGHTING AND CRACKS.
YOUNG WOMAN ﴾in Shawnee)
Hi ta ho to lo he ne s’ko ta! (Put out the fire!)
YOUNG WOMAN
(in Shawnee)
SFX: WE JUMP FORWARD IN TIME. SWIRL OF A RIVER. PADDLES IN THE RIVER.
FRENCH MAN (in French)
Ce terrain est prometteur. (This land is promissing)
FRENCH WOMAN (in French)
Je vais faire une note. Où sommes-nous? (I'll make a note. Where are we?)
SFX: SHARP SOUND OF AN AXE ON A TREE. THE RIPPLING WAVE OF
BIRDSONG IS A STEADY THREAD THROUGHOUT.
ENGLISH COLONIZERS (SUNG, WITH TWO PARTS ECHOING)
Great Green Mother / Great Green Mother
Who we adore / Who we adore
Be with us please / Be with us please
Forever more /Forever more.
THE REVEREND
Once more.
SFX: SOUND OF TIME RUSHING FORWARD, OF CARS, OF RADIOS TUNING.
RADIO ANNOUNCER
Last night, on the Detective Farrow Radio Hour...
WES
Dad, it's on!
THOMAS
Coming!
SFX: RUSH OF LIFE: BABIES LAUGH, KIDS YELL, OLD FOLKS HUM
SONGS.
LILY
So many people. Families, kids. What happened to them?
SFX: AN AXE HITS A TREE TRUNK. CHOP. CHOP. CHOP.
SFX: A POWERFUL WIND PICKS UP. IT RUSTLES TREE BRANCHES.
ARTHUR WARREN
Get inside!
SFX: TREE BRANCHES CRACK. THE WIND PICKS UP.
GENERAL WAYNE
To put an end to a destructive war, to settle all controversies, and to
restore harmony and friendly intercourse, a treaty of peace is hereby established
between the United States of America, and the tribes of
Indians called the Pattawatimas, Miamis…
YOUNG MAN (In Shawnee)
Mi ti ne ti ni ki ti pa ya ti yi ka. (We will not leave our home.)
LINA
Is she coming?
DOT
I was on my way home and..
GRANT
You all right?
SFX: TIM COUGHS.
TIM
Yeah.
SFX: MORE COUGHING.
TIM (cont'd)
I just feel so rundown.
DOT
Where are we?
SFX: SOFT CRACKLE OF FLAMES, ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE LEAVES
RUSTLING. OR IS IT THE RIVER RISING? THUNDER.
DOT (cont'd)
I must have got turned around.
SFX: GRANT SOFTLY CRIES. TREE LEAVES RUSTLE. SILENCE, EXCEPT
THE HUMMING SOUND OF THE VOID.
LILY
They're gone. But they didn't forget you, did they?
SFX: A SHOVEL BITES INTO THE GROUND.
MATILDA LYLE
Shovel the earth.
SFX: TWO SHOVELS BITE INTO THE GROUND.
MATILDA LYLE (cont'd)
Shovel the earth.
SFX: SHOVELS BITE INTO THE GROUND. HAMMERS POUND CHISELS INTO
STONES.
MATILDA LYLE (cont'd)
Shovel the earth.
EDWARD LYLE
Circle the lake.
SFX: STONES DROP INTO PLACE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE HALFBUILT
WELLS.
MATILDA LYLE
Light the lamps.
SFX: SPARKS FLY AS A KNIFE IS SHARPENED ON A WHETSTONE.
EDWARD LYLE
Open the doors.
SFX: THE DROPPING STONES AND FLYING SPARKS AND HAMMERS
CHISELING AND SHOVELS BITING ALL COMBINE TO MAKE A RHYTHM THAT
POWERS US THROUGH THIS NEXT BIT:
MATILDA/EDWARD
Water the stones
Tighten the ropes
Count the stars
Sound the bell
Shovel the earth
Circle the lake
Light the lamps
Open the doors
LILY
Yes, the ritual! Water the
stones! Blooms, can't you see
that no one forgot about you.
They remembered, and they
took care of you, just like
you took care of them. They
protected you. Just like you
always protected them.
MATILDA
Beware the one in the night.
SFX: THE STIRRING STONE/SPARK/CHISELING/SHOVELING RHYTHM
VANISHES. BONES CRACK SHARPLY.
MATILDA (cont'd)
Beware the one in the night.
19.
SFX: AXE IN A CHEST.
MATILDA (cont'd)
Beware the one in the night.
SFX: WE HEAR HORRORS- SCREAMS, VIOLENCE. A
GASP OF HORRIFIC SLAUGHTER. THEN THE SOUNDSCAPE IS FLOODED
WITH STATIC FROM AN UNSEEN ENORMOUS RADIO.
LILY
Blooms?
SFX: THE STATIC COVERS EVERYTHING LIKE SNOW.
LILY (cont'd)
Blooms, you okay?
SFX: THE STATIC CRESCENDOS INTO A TEAKETTLE SCREAMING.
LILY (cont'd)
Blooms!
SFX: IN A RUSH, THE WATER FLOWS BACK IN.
SFX: THE WATER FLOODS BACK IN. LILY IS NO LONGER FLOATING IN A
SEA OF CHILDLIKE
STARS, BUT IN ACTUAL WATER: DEADLY, CHOKING,
PUNISHINGLY POUNDING, SWIRLING.
LILY
Blooms!
SFX: SILAS'S SHOUTS FROM THE SURFACE FILTER DIMLY THROUGH THE
LAYERS OF RUSHING WATER.
SILAS (O.S)
Lilian!
SFX: LILY CHOKES ON THE WATER. SHE TRIES TO SPUTTER BLOOM'S
NAME AGAIN, BUT CAN'T. WATER IS FORCING ITS WAY THROUGH HER
EARDRUMS
SFX:
SPLAWHOOSH
AS LILY IS LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER. LILY
SPUTTERS, SPITS OUT WATER, GASPS FOR AIR.
LILY
Fuck.
SILAS
Are you breathing. Lilian?
LILY
Yes. Yes. Thanks for the assist. Stronger than
you look.
SFX: LILY COUGHS UP THE LAST OF THE WATER.
SILAS
I told you not to go in.
LILY
Silas, what happened to you.
SILAS
To me?
LILY
Yes.
SILAS
I don't remember.
LILY
Blooms remembers. It's there. It's just buried
……..SFX: THE WATER RIPPLES INNOCENTLY.
LILY (cont'd)
Don't tell me you don't remember, Blooms, you do,
and shoving it in a hole isn't going to fix it.
It's not.
I think you have to face it. Silas, you gotta
answer the question of what made you…
SILAS
Terrible?
LILY
Of what made you the container of terror and
horror and pain.
SILAS
I cannot remember.
LILY
You might. If you go into the well.
SILAS
If I go into the well?
LILY
Yeah.
SILAS
Impossible.
LILY
Silas, I think you should try.
SILAS
I cannot.
LILY
It might help.
SILAS
No.
LILY
I'll come with you!
SILAS
I said no.
SFX: SILAS'S TONE IS TERRIFYING, BUT LILY ISN'T AFRAID. LILY
TAKES A MOMENT TO COMPLETELY CATCH HER BREATH.
LILY
I'm asking you to please try.
Please.
SILAS
I will lose control.
LILY
Yeah. Between the wolves and the ten feet of
water outside, I'm pretty sure you've already
lost it.
I'll be with you the whole time.
SILAS
I will not be able to save you.
LILY
Look friend, I do not want to pressure you. But
there are thirtyodd people upstairs and an
entire town who are counting on us to try to work
through these big feelings, okay?
Okay?
SILAS
You will drown.
LILY
Courage and trust.
SILAS
Lily.
LILY
Silas, we gotta try.
Here, give me your hand.
SILAS
Why?
LILY
So you know I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.
SFX: SOFT SOUND OF SILAS GRABBING LILY'S HAND.
SILAS
Thank you.
LILY
And I always hoped I'd die holding someone's
hand. Okay! In we get.
SILAS
How should we...
LILY
Just jump on three. One…Wait,
three is jump, so it's one two THREE we're
in the water. Not one two three JUMP we're in the
water, cause we're already IN the water cause
we're jumping on three.
SILAS
Jump on three.
LILY
Did I just confuse you.
SILAS
No.
LILY
Cause when you're holding hands you have to be
really coordinated.
SILAS
I know what to do.
LILY
Okay. Ready?
SILAS
Yes.
LILY
One, two, THREE.
SFX: SPLASH AS LILY AND SILAS JUMP IN.
INT. WELL
SFX: WATER FILLS LILY'S EAR: THE RUSHING, MOURNFUL HUMMING
TONES OF THE DEEP.
SFX: THE WATER ONCE AGAIN DISSOLVES INTO STARS. LILY AND SILAS
ARE AGAIN IN OUTER SPACE AS IMAGINED BY A CHILD. GLITTERY,
SWIRLING, EFFERVESCENT, SHARP, COLD, ETHEREAL.
SFX: THE SHRIEK OF THE TEA KETTLE SPIRALS BACK IN. SCREAMS.
HOMES BURN. SILAS AND LILY ARE RIPPED APART BY A CURRENT.
LILY
Silas!
SILAS
Lily!
LILY
I'm over here!
YOUNG MAN (in Shawnee)
Mi ti ma yi we we ya he! (Something's wrong.)
WOMAN (In Shawnee)
Ka we se ke ta ha. (Stay strong.)
YOUNG MAN (in Shawnee)
Mi ti ma yi we we ya he! Mi ti ma yi we we ya he! (Something's wrong! Something’s wrong!)
SFX: THINGS GET WORSE- SWIRLING SCREAMS, COUGHING
LINA
You said you'd be back.
SFX: FIRE CRACKLES, FADING INTO RUSHING WIND. TREE BRANCHES
SNAP AND BREAK IN THE STORM.
THE REVEREND
This is blessed land.
And, as such, it must be protected.
SFX: A SHARP COLD SOUNDSOMETHING
BETWEEN AN AXE HITTING A
STONE, LIGHTING SPLITTING A TREE, AND SOMEONE GASPING SHARPLY
INWARD. WHITE FLASH OF MAGGOTS WRIGGLING, OF BONES SNAPPING,
OF ICE CRACKLING AS IT SPREADS.
SFX: AXES CUT INTO WOOD. HAMMERS HIT NAILS.
FOREMAN
Heave!
WORKERS
Ho!
FOREMAN
Heave!
WORKERS
Ho!
SFX: CREAK OF ROPES AS PEOPLE RAISE THE BEAMS OF THE CHAPEL
ROOF.
THE REVEREND
I pray our humble chapel pleases the One We
Serve: the Just One, the Righteous One, The One
Whose Hand Maketh the Rain Fall and the Flowers
Bloom. And I pray the unbelievers look upon this
sight and tremble.
SFX: AXES HACK, HAMMERS SLAM. THE TIDAL WAVE OF SORROW BUBBLES
UP AGAIN, FIRST AS A TRICKLE, THEN AS A RUSH: BIRDS SCREAM/
HUMANS SCREAM/WOLVES YIP, AXES HACK TRUNKS OF TREES, THEN
PEOPLE. SCREAMS OF THE MURDERED.
THE REVEREND
I beg you, please, please
SILAS
You said it yourself. This is blessed land.
THE REVEREND
And as such, as such, the the the
righteous shall enjoy its bounty!
SILAS
And where are these righteous? Not here.
SFX: THE REVEREND SCREAMS AS HE IS HAULED AWAY INTO THE WOODS.
HIS STRUGGLES KICK UP MOUNTAINS OF FALLEN LEAVES, AN AVALANCHE
OF LEAVES.
SFX: THE RUSTLING OF LEAVES JOINS THE TIDAL WAVE OF BIRD
SCREAMS/HUMANS SCREAM/WOLF YIPS, UNTIL IF EBBS, LEAVING BEHIND
ONLY LINA'S DESPERATE QUIET BREATHS.
LINA
Mama,
SFX: COUGHING, BUT THE KIND OF COUGH WHERE YOUR THROAT'S
BLEEDINGRAW.
LINA (cont'd)
I need help!
MATILDA
I can't.
LINA
Mama!
MATILDA
I can't. Lie down and pray.
SFX: THE TIDAL WAVE OF INEVITABLE DESTRUCTION: OF CRACKING,
BREAKING, LIGHTNING SHATTERING A TREE, WATER ERODING
SANDSTONE, LEAVES IN A RIVER.
LINA
Are you coming?
SFX: RAIN FALLS. SNOW FALLS, THINGS FADE AWAY, THE SOFT
RUSHING SOUND OF THE WORLD FORGETTING.
LINA
You said you would come before the end.
SFX: FIRE CRACKLES, THEN SPREADS. A BUILDING BECOMES AN INFERNO.
FIREFIGHTER (CIRCA 1996, IN SPANISH)
¿Hay alguien ahí? ¡Ey! ¿Alguien? ¡Ey! Si pueden oir mi voz, digan algo! (Is anyone there? Hey! Anyone? Hey! Is anyone in here! Hey! Anyone?! If you can hear my voice, say something! )
SFX: AXE IN A BURNING DOOR. THE RUSH OF FLAMES JOINS THE TIDAL
WAVE OF PAIN, THE AVALANCHE OF DESPAIR. THE BEEP/WHEEZE OF A
PORTABLE OXYGEN MACHINE.
GRANT
Tim? Tim, you with me? You there?
SFX: AND THEN SILENCE. WATER DRIPS A MOURNFUL SONG IN A CAVE.
LILY
Wait. Blooms, wait
SFX: BLOOMS IS NOT USED TO BEING INTERRUPTED. IT VIBRATES ANGRILY.
SILAS
Lily?
LILY
I'm so sorry to interrupt. Thank you for showing
me all this …so many horrific things have
happened to you. So many people that you've loved have gone.
SILAS
Have been ripped from me. Have been taken.
SFX: THE SORROW TSUNAMI STARTS TO BUILD. AXES IN WOOD,
SCREAMS, THE MURMUR OR FIRE. THE BEEP/WHEEZE OF A PORTABLE
OXYGEN MACHINE, ETC ETC.
SILAS
Been driven out. Murdered.
LILY
Right. Yeah, but
It feels like, to me...
When I witness all these memories, it seems like
everyone is always leaving you
SILAS
Yes
LILY
and has always left you, and will always leave you...
SILAS
Lilian, it's true.
LILY
It's not true.
SILAS
Everyone leaves.
LILY
Mom left me. And chose you.
SFX: VIBRATING SILENCE.
LILY
She had me and she had Dad and we lived in this
amazing house that had these clovers in the
backyard where you picked them they smelled like
lemons. And then she left. And Dad and I had to
moved to a new house, and the new house didn't
have clovers that smelled like lemons.
And there will always be that kid inside me who
is a little bit broken because Mom told me so
many times before The Split that we would be best
buds for life. And then she left. She told me she
loved me so much, she wanted to squeeze me til my
brains popped out.
SFX: THE SILENCE RINGS OUT. IT IS
LISTENING.
Then she left me. For you. And I get it. If I
could, you know, singlehandedly
save a whole town from selfdestruction, and get to hang out
with someone who played the banjeaurine? Yeah.
I'd pick you, too.
I get that you're hurting. But please don't think
that you always were and always will be alone.
Because so many people happily gave up everything
to come take care of you, and you have no idea
how fucked the people were that they left behind.
YOUNG DOT
Hello?
SFX: CLANGING RADIATORS. WE'RE IN FENWOOD.
YOUNG DOT
Hello! Anyone home? It's me, Dottie Harper and
only one goddamn suitcase cause I didn't have
time to pack two. Hello?
SFX: THUMP OF A SUITCASE, NEUTRAL HOUSE SOUNDS.
YOUNG DOT (cont'd)
Nobody? Nobody's home? Oh, wow! So glad I just
drove twelve hours, and I was racing, I was
dodging cops, filling the tank like a goddamn F1
pit crew, just in time to take care of an empty
shitpissing
house.
SFX: THE RADIATORS CLANK IRRITATEDLY
YOUNG DOT (cont'd)
Who is sassing back to me alreadygot
pretty
comfortable in the ten seconds I've been here.
SFX: THE RADIATOR LAUGHS
YOUNG DOT (cont'd)
So. Hey Fenwood House.
I'm Dot. I'm the new caretaker. You might
remember me from being a kid. My uncle was Grant,
you remember Grant?
SFX: THE RADIATORS SIGH MOURNFULLY
YOUNG DOT (cont'd)
Yeah, Grant was great. But now he's dead, and you
got me! So that sucks, definitely, but I promise
that I will ﴾tvaokiec ec acrrea cokfi nygo)u.
I'm gonna take care of you, but I need you to
take care of me, too.
Cause I'm all by myself.
And I know that it's so goddamn important that
I'm here, or else a lot of people are going to
die.
But what about mewhat
about this person who's
going to die, becauseI
can't. My everything is somewhere else, and I
can't.
I need help.
I know you need help, but I need help first.
SFX: YOUNG DOT CRIES.
YOUNG DOT (cont'd)
They're gone. My love is gone and my baby's gone
and I can't survive it.
SFX: THE RUSHING, MOURNFUL HUMMING TONES OF THE DEEP GET EVEN
MORE SAD.
LILY
Love is really sticky. Did you know that?
You can't just like wash it out, flood it out.
Even if you try to.
She loves me.
YOUNG DOT
Don't be sad. I'll sing you a fart song.
SFX: DOT SINGS A FART SONG.
LILY
Friends, Dottie loved you. And Grant loved you,
and the... whoever was before him.
COLIN
Colin Fenwood, owner and proprieter. How might I
be of service?
LILY
Yeah, that guy.
All those people loved you. Dottie loves you
right now at this very millisecond. and that fact
doesn't go away just becauseJust
because they do.
It's true that things are going to change. Well,
some things are going to change. But not the fact
that she loved you. That will always be true.
Always.
And it takes courage to love someone again. You
know, Abbie said to me once that I was the
bravest person they knew, but you are the bravest
person, or, sorryentity
that I know. You open
up your heart over and over again to people, and
that takes so much courage and trustSILAS
A fool's errand.
SFX: AN A CAPELLAVERSION OF THE 5.4
SONG IS HEARD
WEEPIN’ TROY
Every heart breaks in the end.
LILY
Every heart will bloom again!
SILAS
Nicely done.
LILY
It was Mari. I'm in love with a poet.
YOUNG LILY
Ewwww
LILY
Look, younger me, just trust me on this.
JOEY
Barf.
LILY
Friends, losing someone is impossible. It's
impossible to come back from thatbut
that's where the courage and trust comes in.
Courage and trust. You gotta keep moving, you
have to keep being courageous and trusting. And
it's so hard. You have to be brave enough to
trust that the love you had before was real, and
really existed, and you have to be brave enough
to trust that you will love again.
TIM
That's not an easy ask, Lilybelle
LILY
Uncle Tim, I know, butGRANT
How do you come back from that?
NORAH
To lose someone
LILY
Norah!
NORAH
is to exist in a catastrophe.
LILY
Yes, it's awful, but
WES
It's different when they're gone.
LILY
It IS different, but
JOEY
Don't cry cause it's over, smile cause it
happened.
LILY
I'm not saying that.
JOEY
That is the worst advice.
NORAH
Because they are there and I am here and what if
I can't remember their laugh?
SILAS
I have to remember.
JOEY
I remember she had this way she'd go "um, no thanks." So funny.
NORAH
The way they would walk.
JOEY
She would go EWWWWW but it was so high pitched.
WES
She would stroke my hair. She said it helped with
the fever.
GRANT
He would cook for me.
WES
She would sing to me.
GRANT
He remembered I liked pepper but only on the
yellow part of the egg, because pepper on the
white part really tastes strange.
TIM
He remembered two sugars in my coffee.
GRANT
No sugars in my coffee.
TIM
He remembered me.
RUDY
She would narrow one eye
LILY
Rudy.
RUDY
when she thought I was being ridiculous, but only one.
You do that, too, Lily. I want to remember you.
LILY
I want to remember you, too.
RUDY
People fade so quickly and suddenly. A mountainnow
that gives you a chance to get used to the
idea. It wears down so gradually. You start to
imagine life without it what the landscape will
look like. Not with a person. You blink and
they're gone.
JOEY
All the good stuff already happened.
LILY
It's true that all the memories, all
the stories are about the past. But…
SILAS
Once upon a time, there was a town that was
broken.
LILY
Wait. Silas, you always get to tell the fables.
Let me tell one.
SILAS
Very well.
LILY
One day soon, there will be sunshine.
SFX: THE SOUNDS FROM LILY'S STORY ARE HEARD AS THROUGH A TWINKLING VEIL.
LILY (cont'd)
And the grass will grow back in the place where
it's never grown before, like, that patch in
front of Russell's grocery store.
JOEY
Yeah, cause all the dogs pee there.
LILY
Grass is going to grow there. And all the mud's
been cleaned off the roads, and somethingmaybe
not the Bottling Works, but something is rebuilt.
And there's a line at DeSouza's for opening day.
People are laughing, and they've forgotten for a
moment, about the water, and the fear.
They've even forgotten about the magic of the town because
maybe there won't be any magic
anymore, because maybe you will finally, have a
moment to rest. And someone else is remembering who liked two
sugars in their coffee. Someone else is making sure that Eugenia Hewitt
always closes her front door so the dogs don't
run out. Someone else is changing the light bulb
on the top of the Town Hall Cupola.
TIM
The cupola? That's never burnt out before.
GRANT
Because no one can get up there.
LILY
And you will let them try.
But there will be stories about help. Legends
about assistance coming just in time. And it will
inspire others to help.
And the stories will make people not surprised
when you wake up. They'll just think, oh, so the
legends are true.
Have the courage to let go and rest. And trust
that we will remember, and that we will be okay
without you for a while.
YOUNG LILY
Is that okay?
LILY
Totally okay, little me. Rest.
SFX: YOUNG LILY BREATHES, AND DISSIPATES- A TWINKLE OF LAUGHTER.
RUDY
Rest. You know I get my best ideas from dreams?
LILY
Is that true, Rudy?
RUDY
Yes!
LILY
Okay. Rest.
SFX: RUDY BREATHES, AND DISSIPATES WITH CHEERS FROM A CHILDHOOD BASEBALL GAME.
JOEY
Except sleeping is so boring.
LILY
Joey, why don't you let someone else be a Chaos Agent for a while.
JOEY
They're not gonna be as good.
LILY
Nope. Rest.
SFX: JOEY BREATHES, AND DISSIPATES- A WOLF HOWLS.
LILY
Uncle Tim.
TIM
Time to flip the razor blade, I guess.
LILY
Yeah. Let one side take a breather for a while.
Rest.
SFX: TIM BREATHES, AND DISSIPATES- A POUR OF COFFEE.
LILY
Hi, Uncle Grant
GRANT
You gonna be okay, Lilybelle?
LILY
I'll be okay. Rest.
SFX: GRANT BREATHES, AND DISSIPATES WITH A TINKLE FROM THE FENWOOD WINDCHIMES.
LILY (cont'd)
Norah.
NORAH
Did Rudy say he gets his best ideas when he's
asleep?
LILY
That wasn't really Rudy, but yeah.
NORAH
I get my best ideas when I'm awake.
LILY
I'm sure you do.
NORAH
But I get my best sleep when I dream.
LILY
Rest.
SFX: NORAH BREATHES, AND DISSIPATES WITH THE SONG OF THE STARS.
WES
Lily, I just want to say
LILY
Oh, Wes.
SFX: LILY LETS OUT A SOB
WES
Should you be sad? Isn't this supposed to be good?
LILY
It is. You're just been such a good friend to me.
WES
I was gonna say the same thing!
LILY
Thank you. Now rest. Please.
SFX: WES BREATHES, AND DISSIPATES WITH THE SOUND OF HIS MOTHER’S PIANO. SNIFFLING, LILY TRIES TO
COLLECT HERSELF.
SILAS
Lily Harper
LILY
Silas Lodge.
SILAS
You truly think this is best?
LILY
You've been carrying this weight for a long time.
SILAS
Yes.
LILY
It's our turn to carry it for a while. Set it
down, breathe, and rest.
SFX: SILAS BREATHES, AND SIGHS- AND ALL THE MEMORIES SIGH WITH HIM. THERE IS PERFECT SILENCE
LILY
Silas? Silas? Blooms? Wes?
SFX: THE WORLD IS EMPTY. THEN- RUSHING- LILY IS RETURNED TO THE REAL WORLD. WITH A GASP, LILY SURFACES. GENTLE SPLASHING AS SHE TREADS WATER.
SFX: LILY CATCHES HER BREATH.
SFX: NOTHING BUT THE RIPPLING WATER. THE WATER DRIPS, WITHOUT MUSIC
SFX: LILY LETS OUT A GASP/SOB, HALFWAY BETWEEN AN EXHALE AND A
SIGH.
END