The A-Frame (2024) Movie Script
1
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(TUBE LIGHT FLICKERS)
(A-FRAME BUZZES)
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(SINGING BOWL DINGS, SOUND)
()
Today, we're going to work
on releasing your worry,
pain, and fear.
(THUDS)
(EXHALES)
I'd like you to close
your eyes
and picture the beautiful
white light
that is your life force.
Now, we need your chakra
to flow freely.
It needs to move
to fight stagnation.
While I am doing this,
I want you to close your hand
around this amethyst.
I'd like you to clear your mind
and feel its energy.
And I'd like you
to do something different
from our previous sessions,
Donna.
I'd like you to hold
that crystal in your right hand
for the rest of the day.
All day?
DEBBIE:
As much as you can.
That is the strongest crystal
I have.
It will protect you
and push away
all negative energy.
Hold it tight.
Do not let it go.
(ENGINE WHIRRING)
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES IN DISTANCE)
(KEYS RATTLING)
(KEYS CONTINUES RATTLING)
I chose marigolds
for this week's meeting.
They're not the prettiest posy
in the grass,
and some people think
they smell like shit.
But damn it, they're resilient.
Just like all of you
are resilient.
So today, we get to choose
what's pretty
and what smells nice.
And I know this flower thing
has become a bit of a ritual.
But if you think about it,
everything we do
from birth certificate
to death certificate
could be defined
as some kind of ritual.
And the certificate thing
is funny to me
because if our life is a story,
the government gets
to write our first
and last page.
Which is a bit bureaucratic
for my taste,
but we get to write
the best parts.
So today, I wanna
talk about the positive things
that cancer has brought
to our outlook.
I want us to share the wisdom
that we've learned from living
with the disease.
For me, I've learned a lot
about time.
I used to think
that livin' a long life
would make me happy.
But now I'm convinced
that quantity has nothing
over quality.
We will stand
and we will fight,
but when our time comes,
it's okay to let go.
We were born to let go.
Now enough out of me.
Who would like to share?
I'll go.
(DOOR OPENS)
So, uh, I used to let everything
get to me.
(DOOR CLOSES)
-And--
-Excuse me, Stacy.
(FOOTFALLS APPROACHING)
Can I help you?
My doctor said
I should join this meeting.
What time did your doctor
say the meeting started?
12:30.
It's 12:38.
In this meeting,
we respect each other's time.
What's your name?
Donna.
Donna, I'm Linda.
Would you like
to join our meeting?
This just feels like a mistake.
I'm just gonna go.
LINDA:
Wait.
Were you recently diagnosed?
Yes.
It was last week.
Well, you're welcome to stay.
This is a safe place
if you wanna share.
I can see that
you're under a lot of stress.
We'd be interested
to hear what's on your mind.
It's bone cancer, in my hand.
I felt pain for over a year.
I thought it was arthritis.
Osteosarcoma,
that's what I have.
That's what Tom has.
Donna,
you're in the right place.
We're all fighters here.
And we're in your corner.
I promise you that.
So, okay, so the other day,
this guy tells me that
he's attracted to gap teeth.
And I was like,
"When the hell did the Gap
start selling teeth?"
Say, why does everyone
always say "Count Dracula"?
There's only one of him.
You like country music?
Well, George Straight?
Not what I heard.
Say, you think anyone ever
called Hitler a grammar Nazi?
So, I used to love hot dogs.
(DOOR OPENS)
-Rishi Azmi.
-He left--
Please don't step on my jokes.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Best food in the world
until I found out--
NURSE TEX:
The doctor's ready, Rishi.
One second.
Until I found out
how they're made.
It's actually pretty messed up.
-Oh, yeah?
-RISHI: Yeah.
They use zero dog, none.
Isn't that fucked up?
Are you done, Mr. Dangerfield?
-Oh, hey, do you have a light?
-I don't smoke.
Me neither.
(DOOR OPENS)
I'm gonna burn down
the hospital.
-That's a new one.
-It's not a joke.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(WHEELS WHIRRING)
Are you Donna Walker?
I'm Sam.
I know about your condition.
Are you a patient?
No.
I'm a scientist.
And, as I was saying,
I know about the advanced
osteosarcoma in your hand.
How?
'Cause I've been looking
for somebody just like you.
Someone with bone cancer?
SAM:
Exactly.
Look, I've developed
a new treatment.
It's radical,
but the data is
uncommonly conclusive.
What does that mean?
It means I think I can help you.
Do they know you're here?
No, I just wanted to stop by
and give you my contact.
I know the severity
of your condition
is most likely gonna
require amputation,
and I just wanted
to give you an option.
And it looks like
you're already seeking
an alternative treatment, huh?
So, call me if things get bad.
()
Hey, anytime.
DR. SCHULTZ:
It's a wonderful time
for prosthesis.
Advancements are off the charts
and more happening every day.
Um, but the first thing we need
to do is schedule this surgery,
the sooner the better.
Now, this procedure is called
a trans-radial amputation,
and this surgery leaves
the elbow
and most of your arm intact,
which makes recovery easier
and also makes it more likely
that you're gonna be able
to use your arm
even after the amputation.
I-- I can't lose my hand.
You cannot keep it, Donna.
The cancer will most certainly
spread
and you do not want that.
Trust me.
Look, we can get you in
this week,
but this cannot wait.
The good news is that the cancer
is localized, for now.
You'll make a full recovery.
You'll lead a good life.
You're one of the lucky ones,
Donna.
()
(DONNA SOBBING)
()
(PHONE RINGING)
SAM (ON PHONE):
Hello?
How did you know about my hand?
I gained access
to the hospital records.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
How?
Well, it's not exactly
Fort Knox.
Like I said, I've been
looking for someone like you.
Someone like me?
What does that mean?
SAM (ON PHONE):
Your cancer is localized
and it's curable.
So long as it remains that way.
Which yours has.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
How do you know that?
Because I'm lookin' at
your current X-ray right now.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Jesus.
Hmm.
Look, this is a rare opportunity
for us both.
Your condition is unique.
I can treat you tonight.
If you can get here,
I'm ready for you.
How do I know
you're not some maniac?
SAM (ON PHONE):
You don't.
Look, just bring a gun,
bring a sword.
Do whatever you gotta do
to feel safe, okay?
But you gotta come alone.
Why alone?
SAM (ON PHONE):
Because this is
sensitive research.
I don't know you.
I've put a great deal of work
into this.
And believe me,
I'm as invested
in your cure as you are.
All I ask is your discretion.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
This keeps getting worse.
SAM (ON PHONE):
You're gonna lose your hand
in two days.
Unless you believe in
the power of that crystal.
I'd say I'm your best bet.
I'll text you my address.
()
()
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
()
(SIGHS)
What the fuck am I doing?
(CAR KEYS RATTLING)
(DOOR OPENS)
Welcome.
Where the fuck are we?
The industrial zone.
Real estate's cheaper down here.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Come on. It's much nicer inside.
(FOOTFALLS APPROACHING)
(DOOR OPENS, CREAKS)
(CREAKS, DOOR CLOSES)
(THUDS)
(TYPING ON KEYBOARD)
Uh, make yourself at home.
-Do you live here?
-Uh, yeah. Yeah.
Uh, just saves time.
So, you're really a scientist.
Guilty.
But I did not shoot the deputy.
What?
Um, never mind.
Yes, I am a scientist.
I know it's a lot to take in.
Are you gonna hurt me?
SAM:
No.
Donna,
you see all these machines?
They're all here to help you.
That's the creepiest thing
anyone's ever said to me.
See that machine there?
I do. What is it?
It's a quantum dislocator.
DONNA:
Mm-hmm.
Uh, what exactly
does a quantum dislocator do?
It breaks down
carbon-based objects,
which is virtually everything,
and it shrinks them
to their atomic state.
What?
You familiar with string theory?
-Only from internet dates.
-SAM: Okay.
String theory suggests that
there are multiple universes
existing all at the same time
all around us, right,
and inside us.
Which makes sense when you
consider the fact
that everything we know
in this universe
has come from something smaller
than an atom.
Okay.
And what is it gonna do to me?
Well, it's gonna transfer
your particles
from one universe to another,
essentially making molecules in
your hand dimensional travelers.
-How?
-SAM: Okay.
That's hard to put into words,
but see the math up here?
I do.
That equation is the key.
Key to what?
That appliance.
The quantum dislocator.
Essentially, it generates
an artificial black hole,
microscopic in size,
and totally safe when contained
in the osmium casing
of the dislocator.
This is crazy.
I'm-- I'm not gonna send
my hand to a foreign dimension.
You see those guys?
(SQUEAKING)
I see rats.
Yeah.
They also had cancer.
Each one of these guys
have had their particles
successfully dislocated,
and then relocated,
and upon return,
they were sans cancer.
How?
Don't know.
But it seems as though
the disease
just doesn't travel well.
Or at all.
Do you have proof?
SAM:
Of course.
Watch.
(TYPING)
(CHAIR DRAGS)
(HATCH CLOSES, LOCKS)
(SIPS)
That doesn't mean anything.
There's 12-year-olds making
more convincing TikToks
right now.
SAM:
Keep watching.
Look, I don't mean
to be an asshole,
but this is all pretty
unbelievable.
Yeah.
It's good to be skeptical.
In fact,
it's mandatory for survival.
You don't have to do this.
I, uh, just was trying
to give you an alternative.
It's your hand,
it's your choice.
What's the worst
that can happen?
Well, worst thing is
if I'm full of shit,
you still have cancer
and they cut your hand off.
What's the best that can happen?
Well, tomorrow you get
a second opinion.
You say it's urgent,
you get a scan.
Comes back clean,
we know it worked.
But you need to make 'em think
it happened naturally.
Why's that?
Because I'm not ready.
And this isn't exactly legal.
And it's not totally abnormal
for cancer to cure itself.
It's rare, but it does happen.
Say it's the reiki.
That could be your story.
(LAB RATS SQUEAKING)
Fuck it.
(BUTTONS CLICKING)
(SAM TYPING ON KEYBOARD)
(CHAIR CREAKS)
All right.
Put it in.
(SIGHS)
(SQUEAKS)
No, you-- you gotta go about--
There you go.
Mm.
Al right, perfect.
(AIRLOCK WHIRRS)
(DONNA GROANS)
That's tight.
SAM:
Yeah. Airtight.
Don't want anything gettin' out.
How long is this gonna take?
Uh, process is instantaneous.
But the machine takes
a couple seconds
to run its cycle.
Am I gonna feel anything?
Yeah, you'll likely go numb.
But I was unable to confirm
that with my rat friends.
(SQUEAKING)
So, it might suck?
No evidence of that.
(A-FRAME PROTOTYPE BUZZING)
SAM:
You ready?
You already asked me that.
Just do it.
(PUSHES BUTTON)
(A-FRAME PROTOTYPE WHIRS,
BUZZES)
()
(A-FRAME PROTOTYPE BUZZING
SLOWS DOWN)
SAM:
Okay.
(PUSHES BUTTON,
UNLOCKS AIRLOCK)
Take it out.
(CHAIR CREAKS)
Come here.
Do you feel anything?
No, it's-- it's numb.
SAM:
As I suspected.
(BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
I think
when you regain your feeling,
there's no pain.
That's a good sign.
What now?
Can you drive?
Yeah, I think so.
SAM:
Well, go home. Get some rest.
And, uh,
do whatever you gotta do
to get that second opinion.
I think you're gonna be
pleased with the results.
(BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
Right.
Um, thank you?
SAM:
You're welcome.
Thank you.
And remember,
if you're cancer-free,
it happened naturally.
(BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
Right.
Sure thing.
(SQUEAKING)
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
(EXHALES)
(ENGINE WHIRRS)
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES IN DISTANCE)
(SCREAMS)
(ELEVATOR DOOR OPENS)
(MACHINES BEEPING)
(WHIRRING)
()
-Donna?
-(KNOCKS ON THE DOOR)
(BLOOD SQUIRTS)
Ow.
Tori,
we need some help in here.
Bring towels and a bandage.
Are you all right, Donna?
Yeah.
Wrap her up.
(RUSTLING)
Miss Walker, we have some news.
Yeah?
There is no need for amputation
right now.
Okay.
We need to test your blood.
That'll tell us everything
we need to know.
So am I, like, okay?
Well, you're not
out of the woods just yet.
Cancer can metastasize
to other parts of the body.
But this appears to be positive.
So, just hang tight.
Yeah.
()
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
Yes.
Okay.
Okay, yeah. No.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you.
I don't have fucking cancer
anymore.
What?
WALTER:
Wait.
But, uh,
how's that even possible?
I-- I just woke up with no pain.
The day before surgery?
Yes.
Let's keep playing,
before my luck changes.
()
(BIRDS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
RACHEL:
I didn't change my life
after my diagnosis.
I couldn't afford to.
There's just so many things
I wanna do.
But, you know,
I have to manage my energy.
Change my expectations a little
and stay focused.
I knew I had cancer
before they even told me.
I could feel it.
But when they said
I had to lose my breast,
it changed things.
How did it make you feel?
I was pissed.
But I think I'm...
I think I'm also...
...afraid.
I haven't allowed myself
to be that in a long time.
LINDA:
It's okay to be afraid.
It's brave to be afraid.
It's actually smart.
Anyone who goes through this
is facin' a big change.
How we deal with the change
is what matters.
Donna, do you have anything
you'd like to share with us
about your experience this week?
I wasn't sure if I should
come back after last time.
Hey, you're welcome here.
You belong here if you wish to.
Well, my cancer's in remission.
Really?
I don't believe it myself,
actually.
They're still being safe
and they're testing me weekly.
But as of now, they're saying
that the cancer's undetectable.
Donna, that's terrific news.
Congratulations from everyone.
Look, I know I sound insane
when I say this,
but if it happened to me,
it can happen to anyone.
Seriously, miracles can happen.
Just hang in there.
(KEYPAD TYPING)
(TEXT TONE)
(FOOTFALLS APPROACHING
IN DISTANCE)
(DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)
LINDA:
Donna, can I have a minute?
Yeah, sure. What's up?
These meetings are not
about creating false hopes
or placin' a value
on the amount
of time someone has left.
You don't tell cancer patients
to hang in there
and we don't talk
about miracles.
That's not in our control.
Congratulations
on your recovery,
but I'm gonna ask
that you not return.
Please, don't come back here.
(BIRDS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
(TEXT TONE)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
Cheers.
(CLINKS)
Cheers.
(SIPS)
Mm, that's a heavy one.
Hmm.
Yeah, it's a Malbec.
You taste the blackberry
and plum?
Nope.
Me neither. I don't even know
where I got this.
So I have some questions.
Okay, so let's do it.
Maybe I have some answers.
Okay.
Well,
it seems you've cured cancer.
Why are we keeping this
a secret?
Frankly because
that was not my intention.
Okay.
I'm a quantum scientist,
not an oncologist,
so the curing of cancer was
a side effect of my research.
There's still a missing piece.
Okay, so then why did you
practice on rats with cancer?
Because they were the only thing
I can get in the quantities
I needed.
Quantities? From who?
Uh, they are ethically sourced,
if that's what you're implying.
No, it's just the mammalian
genetics lab.
They work with big corporations.
Big orders, I...
Just-- I don't know,
I could have--
I could have got a couple
healthy models, but--
-Models?
-SAM: Yes.
That's what they call mice
that hurt.
Bred for experimentation.
DONNA:
Mm-hmm.
And pet store rats
are riddled with cancer,
but I would have to pretend
to be a snake farmer,
or something.
That's just too complicated.
You're a weird dude, Sam.
-That's what they tell me.
-DONNA: Yeah?
Who tells you?
Socialized human beings.
You don't know
any socialized humans.
(SQUEAKING)
DONNA:
So,
what's this big missing piece?
Evidence.
I need the molecule transfer
to occur
in a measurable interval.
What?
(CHUCKLES)
The machine we used
for your procedure,
it's housed in one unit, right?
So that means, like,
the entrance and the exit,
they exist right
on top of each other.
Which is an effective design,
but I didn't, um,
account for the rate in which
the molecule transfer
would occur.
Um, you familiar
with Planck time?
I have a feeling
I'm about to be.
Okay.
Um, Planck time,
or Planck distance,
it's the shortest unit
of measurement known
to modern science, right?
So, the transfer occurs
right now
in about one and a half
Plancks,
and that's imperceptible.
Now, I need to make
it percebtible.
Okay. How?
By moving the goalposts.
Right?
By separating the gates
with enough distance,
from entrance to exit,
we can potentially gain
enough Planck
to achieve
a quarter-second travel time.
Okay, so how far apart
do the gates have to be?
My math is correct,
which usually is
17 miles.
One of the gates is right here
in this room.
Looks like you can fit a person
through that.
That's the point.
Your procedure was a success.
Now it's time to send
a whole human being.
And in that quarter-second
travel time,
the absence of mass
will be recorded,
and that will be
the final piece.
I'm pretty sure
that can be faked.
Yeah,
but eliminating cancer can't be.
What are you saying?
I'm sayin'
I need another subject.
One with cancer,
where the disease is
spread throughout the body.
Preferably a terminal case.
Why?
There's always a risk involved
with anything,
so better to use a person
who had no option.
Just in case.
And are you sure you
have everything ready to go?
SAM:
Yeah.
Worked on the rats,
worked on you.
Never been more certain.
Now if we can
help a person in need,
all the better.
I'm guessing you already
have someone in mind.
I do, Rishi Azmi.
You know him.
He's about to get some bad news.
No one likes
the doctor's office,
and I blame the Internet.
It's the only place
you can get free porn.
(DOOR OPENS)
How're you feelin' today?
Same old same old.
Rishi, we have your results,
and it appears
that the treatment
has been ineffective.
We've detected new swellings
in the liver
and pancreas.
Have you been feeling
increased abdominal pain?
I-- I don't know.
It's about-- about the same.
Patients often develop
an increased pain tolerance
as the leukemia progresses.
It's a natural reaction.
This...
(SIGHS)
The swellings here
and here
pretty much tell us that
you are now in stage four
and trending to stage five.
How much longer do I have?
(DR. SCHULTZ SIGHS)
With leukemia, it's tricky.
People can live for years.
How much longer do I have?
But yours is progressing
pretty radically.
I don't wanna
create any false hope.
I would say within a year.
Though I do recommend that
we continue immunotherapy.
Does anyone here have cancer?
Cancer? Anyone?
No? Don't be shy.
No one?
Uh, just me, I guess.
Yeah. Yeah. I know. It sucks.
Uh, it-- it's okay, though.
It's okay.
You know, there's--
there's pros and cons,
just like anything in life.
You know, the best part
about having cancer
is that I got a whole
goddamn career out of it.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
There's nothing like of
the guilt
that the bookers have
when they meet me.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
I mean, I haven't worked this
much in my entire fuckin' life.
So, you know, thank you, cancer.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
RISHI:
Hmm.
Probably the excruciating pain.
Keeps me up till the wee hours
of the morning.
Yeah.
Or-- or the crippling anxiety.
Yeah.
Or, you know, the deep,
deep sense of uncertainty.
I have-- I have jokes.
Don't worry.
Um...
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
Uh, yeah,
but you know what's great
about having excruciating pain
from cancer
is that you can find
a sympathetic crowd anywhere.
(LAUGHING AND CHEERING)
AUDIENCE MEMBER 1:
Yeah!
And with sympathy
comes lowered standards.
AUDIENCE MEMBER 2:
Yeah.
Allow me to demonstrate.
You ready?
AUDIENCE:
Yeah!
All right, all right.
So, uh, I live
in a bad neighborhood, right?
And the other day I was
walkin' down the street
and this tough guy
comes up to me and he says,
"Hey, get out of here
or I'm gonna send you
to the hospital."
And I said, "Go ahead,
I was born in the hospital."
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
That's a bad joke.
But you laughed.
And I'm so grateful for you.
But you guys have been lovely.
And I have been Rishi.
Have a good night.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
AUDIENCE MEMBER 3:
Rishi!
Good job, Rishi.
Bravo.
So?
What-- what's the story?
W-- why are we here?
Right. I've had a big change.
You see, I-- I was supposed
to lose my hand, but--
I-- I heard
about your miraculous recovery.
You have the doctor gossiping
like a small-town esthetician.
DONNA:
But you see,
it wasn't miraculous.
There's this guy with a machine.
RISHI:
A machine?
DONNA:
Yes.
It has something to do
with particle transfer,
and cells, and atoms.
And as a side effect,
he cured cancer.
(UTENSILS CLINKING IN DISTANCE)
(BILLIARDS PLAYING
IN BACKGROUND)
How?
Well, he started with rats.
And then moved on to you.
Seems like
a natural progression.
Rishi,
I'm being serious right now.
He wants to meet you.
(BILLIARDS PLAYING
IN BACKGROUND)
So he sent you?
He did.
Timing's kinda perfect, I guess.
He knew
about your stage five diagnosis.
How?
DONNA:
Same way he knew about mine.
He hacked the clinic database.
What?
Are you serious?
Yeah, he's a little weird,
but it doesn't matter.
Because this actually works.
You heard the doctors.
(SCOFFS)
(GLASSES CLINKING IN DISTANCE)
What do I have to do?
You just have to go there.
He'll do the rest.
(UTENSILS CLINKING IN DISTANCE)
I need a drink.
()
DONNA:
So, this is where you bring
the ladies.
RISHI:
This is where
I work out material.
Looks like a tough crowd.
Used to be the only place
that ever booked me.
Seems you've graduated.
For now.
I'll end up back here one way
or another.
Well, hey, not for a while.
Maybe.
Honestly, I'm more afraid
of bombing than dying.
Here, I can do both.
It's a tactical advantage.
DONNA:
Pragmatist.
Now I know your secret.
You wanna know another one?
(SIGHS)
()
When are you gonna kiss me?
Anytime, cowboy.
(KISSES)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
Linda's Boutique.
May I help you?
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Hey, Linda.
Uh, this is Donna from Group.
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Oh, yeah.
Hi.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Yeah, um,
I just wanted to apologize .
I was wrong and fully missed
the point of the meetings.
And I'm sorry.
Just wanted
to let you know that.
Hey. You're okay.
Everybody's still really happy
for you.
That's nice to hear.
Are you doin' anything
right now?
Nothing really.
Just pacing my apartment,
trying to figure out my life.
Do you like marigolds?
Yeah, sure.
I love 'em.
LINDA (ON PHONE):
I have way too many.
Why don't you come down here
and take some of these
off my hands?
Are you sure?
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Honey, they're gonna die.
I just wanna get them
the hell out of here.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Okay. I'm on my way.
(HANGS UP)
LINDA:
So, yeah, water them
as soon as you get home.
Find a good place for them.
They like sunlight,
but they
don't like to move too much.
This is really nice.
Please, they're explodin'
in my garden right now.
You're doing me a favor.
Is that your daughter?
LINDA:
She sure is.
16 and preg-Nancy.
It's gotta be tough.
Yeah, well, the way I see it,
she might have started young,
but she's making me a grandma.
So, I'm not gonna hold it
against her.
She gets enough grief
from her dad.
It's always dads
bringing the grief, huh?
LINDA:
No.
I've contributed my fair share,
too.
Unavoidable, I guess.
LINDA:
It was avoidable.
I got kicked out
of veterinarian school.
I was an alcoholic.
I stole equipment
from the school,
sold it, got caught.
Spent a year in jail.
Lost custody.
Kid's had a tough life.
I've been sober 11 years.
I opened a shop.
And I got my diagnosis.
It's ironic.
I do hair,
but I can't grow it.
I used what I learned from AA
and brought it
to my survivors group.
You're really strong.
LINDA:
Just a result of me fuckin' up
my life.
But this is my second chance,
right here.
I'm gonna teach Corey
everything I know.
And the shop will be hers,
I just wanna live long enough
to see my granddaughter.
Everything else
is a victory lap,
as far as I'm concerned.
Linda,
this is gonna sound crazy.
But I know a guy
who can help you.
Donna.
I'm not supposed to say
anything,
but he helped me.
I think he can help you, too.
Listen, Donna,
I'm not looking for miracles.
I stopped doin' that
a long time ago.
LINDA (ON SPEAKER):
Thank you for stopping by.
I have to get back to work.
()
Hello, Dr. Strange.
Hey. Uh, you got an ETA?
DONNA:
20 minutes or so.
Okay. We'll be there soon.
Bye.
(UNLOCKS DOOR)
(OPENS, CLOSES DOOR)
Hey. You ready?
Uh, not really.
You're nervous. I'm sorry.
I'm just a little edgy.
I get it.
()
(TYPING)
(INTERCOM BEEPS)
(CONTINUES TYPING)
Come in.
(DOOR BUZZES, OPENS)
(CONTINUES TYPING)
Hey, Sam?
(SAM CONTINUES TYPING)
DONNA:
Hey.
This is Rishi.
Rishi, Sam.
SAM:
Hey, Rishi.
Really nice to meet you.
Thank you for coming here
this evening.
I appreciate it.
Thanks for, uh, stalking me.
Hmm.
All right, what's your deal?
What are we doin' here?
Uh, well.
I was gonna give you the rundown
on the way over,
if that would be okay?
To where? I thought we're here.
SAM:
No, we are. I'm sorry.
This is the exit gate.
And we need to get you
to the entrance gate.
Entrance of what exactly?
The quantum dislocator.
That's right.
The quantum dislocator.
Yeah, Donna mention that.
Look, is this--
is this some kind of scam?
This feels really fucking shady.
I can explain everything.
There's no pressure.
I just wanted to do it
on the way over there.
Fine.
It's not because I trust you.
Great!
Well, Donna,
I'm gonna need you to stay here.
Wait. Stay here? Why?
We don't want him to come
through the thing
and be alone.
You'll be here to greet him.
Cool?
All right, well,
I'm gonna set the timer for, uh,
35 minutes from now.
Okay. Got it.
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
Does it hurt?
No.
The whole procedure will
last a fraction of a second.
You won't feel a thing.
Isn't that what happened
to Veruca Salt?
Actually, uh,
it was Mike Teevee.
I get him confused, too.
I think I should mention
that you're gonna have
to take off all your clothes.
Excuse me?
Yeah.
(SIGHS) All right.
Well, then what the fuck
am I supposed to wear
when I get out the other side?
I'll have Donna set up
with something
until I get back
with your clothes.
I mean,
what are you worried about?
I'm sure she's seen it anyway.
()
(VEHICLE HALTS, BRAKES SCREECH)
(ENGINE WHIRRS)
Cozy little dump.
Ready?
Sure.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
Welcome to the entrance gate.
This is the A-frame.
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Does it always make that sound?
SAM:
Yeah. Pretty much.
I've been callin' it "snoring".
It gets more intense
when the cycle is initiated.
You wanna have a look inside?
(DOOR DEPRESSURIZES AND OPENS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING CONTINUES)
This is your camera.
Down here...
(STEPS)
...is your atomic scale.
What is that?
It measures relative
atomic mass.
Or, in our case,
the absence of it.
Why do you need a camera
and a scale?
To record the experiment.
Okay, for who?
SAM:
For us.
You're the first one
going through.
What? I thought
Donna already did this.
Well, Donna's procedure
was on the prototype.
-Prototype?
-SAM: Yeah.
Well, what the fuck is this?
This is the refined application.
It's essentially the same as
the prototype, it's just bigger.
Essentially the same?
It's exactly the same.
Do you think I'm an idiot?
This is fucking stupid.
Look, Rish.
You are stage four,
trendin' in the wrong direction.
And I know you're receiving
treatment.
But it's not gonna help you.
This, this is your cure.
Do it for Donna.
Probably not.
(DOOR OPENS)
(PHONE RINGING)
(DOOR CLOSES)
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Rishi, hey, what's up?
RISHI (ON PHONE):
You lied to me.
What?
No, what are you talking about?
Have you seen
this fucking spaceship?
No.
RISHI (ON PHONE):
Yeah, exactly.
All right, I-- I'm--
I'm not doing this.
That guy's a fucking creep.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Look, Rishi.
Sam's the only reason
I still have my hand.
Okay, look, I'm happy for you.
I'm happy.
But this is not just my hand.
If something goes wrong,
my whole ass is fried.
And-- and, you know,
all my material dies with me.
And I can't risk that.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
No, Rishi? Rishi?
I'm-- I'm sorry.
()
(LIGHTS)
(TAKES A DRAG)
(DOOR OPENS)
Look, I'm--
I'm sorry about the Donna thing.
I wish
there was more transparency.
You don't have to do this.
I'll take you back.
But you really shouldn't be
smoking that in your condition.
(TAKES A DRAG)
Fuck it, I'm dead anyway.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(MICROPHONE FEEDBACK)
Okay, you hear me?
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Rishi, say somethin'
if you can hear me.
Why did the chicken enter
the quantum dislocator?
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
I don't know. Why?
To get to the other side.
Come on, keep up, dumb ass.
Okay, so...
(CLEARS THROAT)
It's gonna initiate
in 10 seconds.
(A-FRAME BUZZES)
Do I need to do anything?
No.
-Let's get to the other side--
-(MICROPHONE DISTORTION)
(A-FRAME BUZZING CONTINUES)
If it was easy,
everyone would do it.
(KEYPAD BEEPS)
(PUSHES)
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(A-FRAME WHIRRING)
()
(A-FRAME BUZZING SLOWS DOWN)
()
(INDISTINCT SPEECH)
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
(PHONE RINGING)
Donna, I'm almost there.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Sam, he's been gone too long.
SAM (ON PHONE):
Hey, hey, calm down.
The cycle is aggregating.
Everything is fine.
Hurry.
I'll be there in a minute.
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
(POWER FLUCTUATES)
()
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
DONNA:
Something's wrong.
-(COMPUTER BEEPS)
-(A-FRAME BUZZES)
SAM:
Relax.
It's gonna be a good thing.
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
A good thing?
A very good thing.
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(GUSHES, SPLURTS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING SLOWS DOWN)
(RISHI SLITHERS)
(RISHI GURGLING)
(CHOKING)
(SCREECHES, GURGLES)
(SCREAMS)
(RISHI SQUEAKING)
(DONNA CRYING)
(DOOR SLAMS OPEN)
No, no, no! No! No!
Just calm down. Calm down!
DONNA:
No! No!
You're okay. Calm down.
DONNA:
No! No, no, no, no, no, no!
No.
(DONNA CRYING)
-No! No. No, no! No!
You're okay. You're okay.
(SCREAMS)
No!
-(CRIES)
-(SHUSHES)
You're okay.
(SIGHS)
(RISHI GROWLS)
(RISHI SLITHERS)
-(SCREECHING)
-(GROANS)
(INJECTS)
(RISHI SLITHERS)
()
(GRUNTS)
Good morning.
I made you breakfast.
Fuck you!
Okay.
Suit yourself.
And I'm not exactly sure
what this is,
but it's not Rishi.
Actually, I don't know
if a DNA swab
would come back human.
Fucking psychopath!
()
(CRIES)
()
()
()
(KNOCKING)
(DOOR OPENS)
Can I help you?
Are you Samuel Dunn?
Yes, I am.
I'm Detective Larson.
Missing Persons Unit.
I'd like to ask you
a few questions.
Okay. About what?
About a missing person.
Right.
DETECTIVE LARSON:
Can I come in?
Certainly. Uh...
(CLEARS THROAT)
Can I get you a coffee
or something?
No, thank you.
Mr. Dunn,
do you know a woman
named Donna Walker?
Uh, yes, I do.
How about a Rishi Azmi?
Rishi Azmi? No.
DETECTIVE LARSON:
He's been missing for two weeks.
And you've been linked
to his disappearance.
By who?
That's confidential.
When was the last time
you saw Donna Walker?
Uh, two or three weeks ago.
She's havin' health issues.
She's--
it's emotional rollercoaster.
This is Rishi Azmi.
I've never seen that guy
in my life.
Is he an actor or something?
What do you do for a living,
Mr. Dunn?
I'm a quantum physicist.
So you do what exactly?
I experiment
with quantum mechanics.
Theorize, write papers.
Trying to push the effort
forward
from my little
corner of the universe.
(SAM SCRUNCHING)
Okay.
Okay?
Is that it?
I'll be in touch.
Cool.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
(CLOCK TICKING)
(TYPING)
(DOORBELL RINGS, DOOR OPENS)
Sir, we're closed.
Are you Linda Dixon?
Do I know you?
I think we have someone
in common.
()
()
What's going on?
I don't know.
You just seem off.
So, is everything all right?
Well, I'm sorry if I'm not
playing up to your standards.
WALTER:
Oh, okay.
I'm-- I'm not saying that.
I'm just saying...
I'm saying you seem different.
So, please tell us. What's up?
DONNA:
What's up?
Why don't you tell me, maestro?
SONIA:
Donna.
No, I mean, if Walter thinks
I suck, why not just say so?
We're here to rehearse.
You're wasting our time.
Why you acting like--
Seriously? You're gonna--
Okay, you know what?
-Shit.
-SONIA: What?
-Fine. Okay.
-DONNA: No, no, no, no.
Sonya, I told you.
I'm not doing this. Right?
Waste our fucking time?
No. I don't wanna do this.
All right?
Call me when you want
to rehearse. Right? I'm out.
Have fun. Okay? Bye.
Donna!
(PHONE RINGING)
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Hi, Donna.
Are you at the salon?
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Yes.
Okay. I'm coming.
Donna!
Look, I made a mistake.
I told Rishi we're safe.
And it cost him his life.
I have to live with that
forever.
I can't let you do
the same thing.
It's not your choice.
Sam healed you.
I'd like to try it myself.
It was different for me.
I didn't have to go
into that fucking--
Whatever he's calling it.
The A-frame.
And like I said, he fixed it.
He's lying to you!
He's not.
There's proof.
Proof?
This is so fucked up.
If this goes wrong, it's over.
It's over for me either way.
Easy choice.
What about your daughter?
And your granddaughter?
I'm sorry, Donna,
but I'm doing this.
Sam has nothing to gain
by killing me.
He's as invested as I am.
You're fucking wrong!
You're just data to him.
I have to get back to work.
()
(GROANS)
(PHONE RINGS)
Donna, I wanna get out
in front of this with you.
What did you tell Linda?
I told her the same thing
that I told you.
Only I backed it up with proof.
Fuck your proof!
And by the way,
are you following me?
Well, I'm not exactly
stalking you,
but I, uh,
I did clone your phone.
(WHIRRING)
Oh my God.
You're such a fucking creep.
Okay.
Well, it was nice talkin'
to you.
Um, check your inbox.
(KISSES)
Ciao.
Fuck!
(GRUNTS)
Okay,
It is October 27th, 2024.
This is Meatball.
Meat is about
to successfully travel
through the full-scale
dislocator,
the A-frame,
into a quantum parallel
and land back in my lab
approximately 17 miles
from here.
After the sequence begins--
It should take
roughly three seconds
to complete the journey,
where Meatball will find
her favorite meal waiting
for her.
(MEATBALL MEOWING)
She's excited.
I'll take that as you're ready.
Okay.
All right, Meat.
Phew.
Okay.
Ah, yeah,
time to initiate the cycle.
(KEYPAD BEEPING)
(PUSHES BUTTON, BUZZING)
There you have it.
Meatball has just become
That I've heard of anyway.
(SIGHS)
()
NURSE TEX:
Donna Walker?
()
()
()
(INTERCOM BEEPS)
Hello.
LINDA (ON INTERCOM):
I'm here.
Outstanding.
I'll buzz you in.
Door's unlocked.
(DOOR BUZZES)
(DOOR OPENS, CREAKS)
(DOOR CREAKS, CLOSES)
SAM:
Hello. Welcome.
Make yourself at home.
Can I get you anything?
Donna.
What a pleasant surprise.
I'm not talkin' to you.
I'm here for her.
Fine by me.
(COMPUTER BEEPS IN BACKGROUND)
And I'm going
with you this time.
(COMPUTER BEEPS IN BACKGROUND)
As you wish.
Leavin' in five minutes.
(SAM TYPING ON KEYBOARD)
I gotta pee.
Now I know everything.
(MEATBALL MEOWING IN DISTANCE)
()
()
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
()
Say,
why did the chicken enter
the quantum dislocator?
I don't know.
To get to the other side.
()
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
(THUDS)
()
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Linda, there's a robe
in the bathroom
if you wanna go change, please.
(GRUNTS)
Ow! God!
-(DOOR CLOSES, PRESSURIZES)
-(SAM GROANS)
(LOCKS)
Donna, what are you doin'?
Donna, open the door.
I knew you fucked up somewhere.
What?
What are you talking about?
Tell me about the cat
in your little video.
What?
Because it's not the same one
that was in your apartment.
Yes, it is.
Sorry, the cat in the video
is a female.
(MEATBALL MEOWS)
She's excited.
The one with the unclipped nuts?
That's a male.
I learned that much
in veterinarian school.
Just forget about the cat.
This will save Linda's life.
Yeah, if it works.
It works.
Cool, you're going first.
You don't even know
the cycle code.
Is it not 67900?
That was in your video too,
genius.
By the way, my cancer's back.
So, I guess you're not God
after all.
Donna, let me out of here.
Donna, open the fucking door!
Nope.
This is--
Fine.
I can't--
I can't go through
with my fucking clothes on.
Then strip, playboy,
'cause this is happening.
()
Okay. Open the door.
(DOOR UNLOCKS, OPENS,
DEPRESSURIZES)
How much of this
did it take to kill Rishi?
Get back inside.
(DOOR CLOSES, PRESSURIZES)
(LOCKS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Go ahead.
Let's do it.
(KEYPAD BEEPS)
Fuck it.
(PUSHES BUTTON)
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(A-FRAME WHIRRS)
(GROANS)
()
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(GUSHES, SPLURTS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING SLOW DOWN)
(COMPUTER BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
(SAM SLITHERS)
(GASPS)
(SCREAMS)
()
()
(SAM SCREAMING IN DISTANCE)
(CAT MEOWS)
LINDA:
Today I wanna talk
about acceptance.
And when I say acceptance,
I don't mean surrender.
Fuck that.
I mean accept the good
in your life
despite the circumstances.
You can hate the disease,
you can hate the treatment,
but accept that you're here
to do something positive.
It doesn't matter how much time
you have.
A ticking clock
only makes the effort
more daring.
It is our job to be bold
and to survive the day.
Because that's the most
valuable thing there is,
money can't buy tomorrow.
If I've learned one thing
it's that control
is a life-suckin' illusion.
So, let's spend our time
with purpose
and intent.
Because whatever happens next
is none of our fuckin' business.
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
(TUBE LIGHT FLICKERS)
(A-FRAME BUZZES)
()
(SINGING BOWL DINGS, SOUND)
()
Today, we're going to work
on releasing your worry,
pain, and fear.
(THUDS)
(EXHALES)
I'd like you to close
your eyes
and picture the beautiful
white light
that is your life force.
Now, we need your chakra
to flow freely.
It needs to move
to fight stagnation.
While I am doing this,
I want you to close your hand
around this amethyst.
I'd like you to clear your mind
and feel its energy.
And I'd like you
to do something different
from our previous sessions,
Donna.
I'd like you to hold
that crystal in your right hand
for the rest of the day.
All day?
DEBBIE:
As much as you can.
That is the strongest crystal
I have.
It will protect you
and push away
all negative energy.
Hold it tight.
Do not let it go.
(ENGINE WHIRRING)
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES IN DISTANCE)
(KEYS RATTLING)
(KEYS CONTINUES RATTLING)
I chose marigolds
for this week's meeting.
They're not the prettiest posy
in the grass,
and some people think
they smell like shit.
But damn it, they're resilient.
Just like all of you
are resilient.
So today, we get to choose
what's pretty
and what smells nice.
And I know this flower thing
has become a bit of a ritual.
But if you think about it,
everything we do
from birth certificate
to death certificate
could be defined
as some kind of ritual.
And the certificate thing
is funny to me
because if our life is a story,
the government gets
to write our first
and last page.
Which is a bit bureaucratic
for my taste,
but we get to write
the best parts.
So today, I wanna
talk about the positive things
that cancer has brought
to our outlook.
I want us to share the wisdom
that we've learned from living
with the disease.
For me, I've learned a lot
about time.
I used to think
that livin' a long life
would make me happy.
But now I'm convinced
that quantity has nothing
over quality.
We will stand
and we will fight,
but when our time comes,
it's okay to let go.
We were born to let go.
Now enough out of me.
Who would like to share?
I'll go.
(DOOR OPENS)
So, uh, I used to let everything
get to me.
(DOOR CLOSES)
-And--
-Excuse me, Stacy.
(FOOTFALLS APPROACHING)
Can I help you?
My doctor said
I should join this meeting.
What time did your doctor
say the meeting started?
12:30.
It's 12:38.
In this meeting,
we respect each other's time.
What's your name?
Donna.
Donna, I'm Linda.
Would you like
to join our meeting?
This just feels like a mistake.
I'm just gonna go.
LINDA:
Wait.
Were you recently diagnosed?
Yes.
It was last week.
Well, you're welcome to stay.
This is a safe place
if you wanna share.
I can see that
you're under a lot of stress.
We'd be interested
to hear what's on your mind.
It's bone cancer, in my hand.
I felt pain for over a year.
I thought it was arthritis.
Osteosarcoma,
that's what I have.
That's what Tom has.
Donna,
you're in the right place.
We're all fighters here.
And we're in your corner.
I promise you that.
So, okay, so the other day,
this guy tells me that
he's attracted to gap teeth.
And I was like,
"When the hell did the Gap
start selling teeth?"
Say, why does everyone
always say "Count Dracula"?
There's only one of him.
You like country music?
Well, George Straight?
Not what I heard.
Say, you think anyone ever
called Hitler a grammar Nazi?
So, I used to love hot dogs.
(DOOR OPENS)
-Rishi Azmi.
-He left--
Please don't step on my jokes.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Best food in the world
until I found out--
NURSE TEX:
The doctor's ready, Rishi.
One second.
Until I found out
how they're made.
It's actually pretty messed up.
-Oh, yeah?
-RISHI: Yeah.
They use zero dog, none.
Isn't that fucked up?
Are you done, Mr. Dangerfield?
-Oh, hey, do you have a light?
-I don't smoke.
Me neither.
(DOOR OPENS)
I'm gonna burn down
the hospital.
-That's a new one.
-It's not a joke.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(WHEELS WHIRRING)
Are you Donna Walker?
I'm Sam.
I know about your condition.
Are you a patient?
No.
I'm a scientist.
And, as I was saying,
I know about the advanced
osteosarcoma in your hand.
How?
'Cause I've been looking
for somebody just like you.
Someone with bone cancer?
SAM:
Exactly.
Look, I've developed
a new treatment.
It's radical,
but the data is
uncommonly conclusive.
What does that mean?
It means I think I can help you.
Do they know you're here?
No, I just wanted to stop by
and give you my contact.
I know the severity
of your condition
is most likely gonna
require amputation,
and I just wanted
to give you an option.
And it looks like
you're already seeking
an alternative treatment, huh?
So, call me if things get bad.
()
Hey, anytime.
DR. SCHULTZ:
It's a wonderful time
for prosthesis.
Advancements are off the charts
and more happening every day.
Um, but the first thing we need
to do is schedule this surgery,
the sooner the better.
Now, this procedure is called
a trans-radial amputation,
and this surgery leaves
the elbow
and most of your arm intact,
which makes recovery easier
and also makes it more likely
that you're gonna be able
to use your arm
even after the amputation.
I-- I can't lose my hand.
You cannot keep it, Donna.
The cancer will most certainly
spread
and you do not want that.
Trust me.
Look, we can get you in
this week,
but this cannot wait.
The good news is that the cancer
is localized, for now.
You'll make a full recovery.
You'll lead a good life.
You're one of the lucky ones,
Donna.
()
(DONNA SOBBING)
()
(PHONE RINGING)
SAM (ON PHONE):
Hello?
How did you know about my hand?
I gained access
to the hospital records.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
How?
Well, it's not exactly
Fort Knox.
Like I said, I've been
looking for someone like you.
Someone like me?
What does that mean?
SAM (ON PHONE):
Your cancer is localized
and it's curable.
So long as it remains that way.
Which yours has.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
How do you know that?
Because I'm lookin' at
your current X-ray right now.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Jesus.
Hmm.
Look, this is a rare opportunity
for us both.
Your condition is unique.
I can treat you tonight.
If you can get here,
I'm ready for you.
How do I know
you're not some maniac?
SAM (ON PHONE):
You don't.
Look, just bring a gun,
bring a sword.
Do whatever you gotta do
to feel safe, okay?
But you gotta come alone.
Why alone?
SAM (ON PHONE):
Because this is
sensitive research.
I don't know you.
I've put a great deal of work
into this.
And believe me,
I'm as invested
in your cure as you are.
All I ask is your discretion.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
This keeps getting worse.
SAM (ON PHONE):
You're gonna lose your hand
in two days.
Unless you believe in
the power of that crystal.
I'd say I'm your best bet.
I'll text you my address.
()
()
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
()
(SIGHS)
What the fuck am I doing?
(CAR KEYS RATTLING)
(DOOR OPENS)
Welcome.
Where the fuck are we?
The industrial zone.
Real estate's cheaper down here.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Come on. It's much nicer inside.
(FOOTFALLS APPROACHING)
(DOOR OPENS, CREAKS)
(CREAKS, DOOR CLOSES)
(THUDS)
(TYPING ON KEYBOARD)
Uh, make yourself at home.
-Do you live here?
-Uh, yeah. Yeah.
Uh, just saves time.
So, you're really a scientist.
Guilty.
But I did not shoot the deputy.
What?
Um, never mind.
Yes, I am a scientist.
I know it's a lot to take in.
Are you gonna hurt me?
SAM:
No.
Donna,
you see all these machines?
They're all here to help you.
That's the creepiest thing
anyone's ever said to me.
See that machine there?
I do. What is it?
It's a quantum dislocator.
DONNA:
Mm-hmm.
Uh, what exactly
does a quantum dislocator do?
It breaks down
carbon-based objects,
which is virtually everything,
and it shrinks them
to their atomic state.
What?
You familiar with string theory?
-Only from internet dates.
-SAM: Okay.
String theory suggests that
there are multiple universes
existing all at the same time
all around us, right,
and inside us.
Which makes sense when you
consider the fact
that everything we know
in this universe
has come from something smaller
than an atom.
Okay.
And what is it gonna do to me?
Well, it's gonna transfer
your particles
from one universe to another,
essentially making molecules in
your hand dimensional travelers.
-How?
-SAM: Okay.
That's hard to put into words,
but see the math up here?
I do.
That equation is the key.
Key to what?
That appliance.
The quantum dislocator.
Essentially, it generates
an artificial black hole,
microscopic in size,
and totally safe when contained
in the osmium casing
of the dislocator.
This is crazy.
I'm-- I'm not gonna send
my hand to a foreign dimension.
You see those guys?
(SQUEAKING)
I see rats.
Yeah.
They also had cancer.
Each one of these guys
have had their particles
successfully dislocated,
and then relocated,
and upon return,
they were sans cancer.
How?
Don't know.
But it seems as though
the disease
just doesn't travel well.
Or at all.
Do you have proof?
SAM:
Of course.
Watch.
(TYPING)
(CHAIR DRAGS)
(HATCH CLOSES, LOCKS)
(SIPS)
That doesn't mean anything.
There's 12-year-olds making
more convincing TikToks
right now.
SAM:
Keep watching.
Look, I don't mean
to be an asshole,
but this is all pretty
unbelievable.
Yeah.
It's good to be skeptical.
In fact,
it's mandatory for survival.
You don't have to do this.
I, uh, just was trying
to give you an alternative.
It's your hand,
it's your choice.
What's the worst
that can happen?
Well, worst thing is
if I'm full of shit,
you still have cancer
and they cut your hand off.
What's the best that can happen?
Well, tomorrow you get
a second opinion.
You say it's urgent,
you get a scan.
Comes back clean,
we know it worked.
But you need to make 'em think
it happened naturally.
Why's that?
Because I'm not ready.
And this isn't exactly legal.
And it's not totally abnormal
for cancer to cure itself.
It's rare, but it does happen.
Say it's the reiki.
That could be your story.
(LAB RATS SQUEAKING)
Fuck it.
(BUTTONS CLICKING)
(SAM TYPING ON KEYBOARD)
(CHAIR CREAKS)
All right.
Put it in.
(SIGHS)
(SQUEAKS)
No, you-- you gotta go about--
There you go.
Mm.
Al right, perfect.
(AIRLOCK WHIRRS)
(DONNA GROANS)
That's tight.
SAM:
Yeah. Airtight.
Don't want anything gettin' out.
How long is this gonna take?
Uh, process is instantaneous.
But the machine takes
a couple seconds
to run its cycle.
Am I gonna feel anything?
Yeah, you'll likely go numb.
But I was unable to confirm
that with my rat friends.
(SQUEAKING)
So, it might suck?
No evidence of that.
(A-FRAME PROTOTYPE BUZZING)
SAM:
You ready?
You already asked me that.
Just do it.
(PUSHES BUTTON)
(A-FRAME PROTOTYPE WHIRS,
BUZZES)
()
(A-FRAME PROTOTYPE BUZZING
SLOWS DOWN)
SAM:
Okay.
(PUSHES BUTTON,
UNLOCKS AIRLOCK)
Take it out.
(CHAIR CREAKS)
Come here.
Do you feel anything?
No, it's-- it's numb.
SAM:
As I suspected.
(BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
I think
when you regain your feeling,
there's no pain.
That's a good sign.
What now?
Can you drive?
Yeah, I think so.
SAM:
Well, go home. Get some rest.
And, uh,
do whatever you gotta do
to get that second opinion.
I think you're gonna be
pleased with the results.
(BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
Right.
Um, thank you?
SAM:
You're welcome.
Thank you.
And remember,
if you're cancer-free,
it happened naturally.
(BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
Right.
Sure thing.
(SQUEAKING)
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
(EXHALES)
(ENGINE WHIRRS)
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES IN DISTANCE)
(SCREAMS)
(ELEVATOR DOOR OPENS)
(MACHINES BEEPING)
(WHIRRING)
()
-Donna?
-(KNOCKS ON THE DOOR)
(BLOOD SQUIRTS)
Ow.
Tori,
we need some help in here.
Bring towels and a bandage.
Are you all right, Donna?
Yeah.
Wrap her up.
(RUSTLING)
Miss Walker, we have some news.
Yeah?
There is no need for amputation
right now.
Okay.
We need to test your blood.
That'll tell us everything
we need to know.
So am I, like, okay?
Well, you're not
out of the woods just yet.
Cancer can metastasize
to other parts of the body.
But this appears to be positive.
So, just hang tight.
Yeah.
()
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello?
Yes.
Okay.
Okay, yeah. No.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you.
I don't have fucking cancer
anymore.
What?
WALTER:
Wait.
But, uh,
how's that even possible?
I-- I just woke up with no pain.
The day before surgery?
Yes.
Let's keep playing,
before my luck changes.
()
(BIRDS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
RACHEL:
I didn't change my life
after my diagnosis.
I couldn't afford to.
There's just so many things
I wanna do.
But, you know,
I have to manage my energy.
Change my expectations a little
and stay focused.
I knew I had cancer
before they even told me.
I could feel it.
But when they said
I had to lose my breast,
it changed things.
How did it make you feel?
I was pissed.
But I think I'm...
I think I'm also...
...afraid.
I haven't allowed myself
to be that in a long time.
LINDA:
It's okay to be afraid.
It's brave to be afraid.
It's actually smart.
Anyone who goes through this
is facin' a big change.
How we deal with the change
is what matters.
Donna, do you have anything
you'd like to share with us
about your experience this week?
I wasn't sure if I should
come back after last time.
Hey, you're welcome here.
You belong here if you wish to.
Well, my cancer's in remission.
Really?
I don't believe it myself,
actually.
They're still being safe
and they're testing me weekly.
But as of now, they're saying
that the cancer's undetectable.
Donna, that's terrific news.
Congratulations from everyone.
Look, I know I sound insane
when I say this,
but if it happened to me,
it can happen to anyone.
Seriously, miracles can happen.
Just hang in there.
(KEYPAD TYPING)
(TEXT TONE)
(FOOTFALLS APPROACHING
IN DISTANCE)
(DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE)
LINDA:
Donna, can I have a minute?
Yeah, sure. What's up?
These meetings are not
about creating false hopes
or placin' a value
on the amount
of time someone has left.
You don't tell cancer patients
to hang in there
and we don't talk
about miracles.
That's not in our control.
Congratulations
on your recovery,
but I'm gonna ask
that you not return.
Please, don't come back here.
(BIRDS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
(TEXT TONE)
(CRICKETS CHIRPING IN DISTANCE)
Cheers.
(CLINKS)
Cheers.
(SIPS)
Mm, that's a heavy one.
Hmm.
Yeah, it's a Malbec.
You taste the blackberry
and plum?
Nope.
Me neither. I don't even know
where I got this.
So I have some questions.
Okay, so let's do it.
Maybe I have some answers.
Okay.
Well,
it seems you've cured cancer.
Why are we keeping this
a secret?
Frankly because
that was not my intention.
Okay.
I'm a quantum scientist,
not an oncologist,
so the curing of cancer was
a side effect of my research.
There's still a missing piece.
Okay, so then why did you
practice on rats with cancer?
Because they were the only thing
I can get in the quantities
I needed.
Quantities? From who?
Uh, they are ethically sourced,
if that's what you're implying.
No, it's just the mammalian
genetics lab.
They work with big corporations.
Big orders, I...
Just-- I don't know,
I could have--
I could have got a couple
healthy models, but--
-Models?
-SAM: Yes.
That's what they call mice
that hurt.
Bred for experimentation.
DONNA:
Mm-hmm.
And pet store rats
are riddled with cancer,
but I would have to pretend
to be a snake farmer,
or something.
That's just too complicated.
You're a weird dude, Sam.
-That's what they tell me.
-DONNA: Yeah?
Who tells you?
Socialized human beings.
You don't know
any socialized humans.
(SQUEAKING)
DONNA:
So,
what's this big missing piece?
Evidence.
I need the molecule transfer
to occur
in a measurable interval.
What?
(CHUCKLES)
The machine we used
for your procedure,
it's housed in one unit, right?
So that means, like,
the entrance and the exit,
they exist right
on top of each other.
Which is an effective design,
but I didn't, um,
account for the rate in which
the molecule transfer
would occur.
Um, you familiar
with Planck time?
I have a feeling
I'm about to be.
Okay.
Um, Planck time,
or Planck distance,
it's the shortest unit
of measurement known
to modern science, right?
So, the transfer occurs
right now
in about one and a half
Plancks,
and that's imperceptible.
Now, I need to make
it percebtible.
Okay. How?
By moving the goalposts.
Right?
By separating the gates
with enough distance,
from entrance to exit,
we can potentially gain
enough Planck
to achieve
a quarter-second travel time.
Okay, so how far apart
do the gates have to be?
My math is correct,
which usually is
17 miles.
One of the gates is right here
in this room.
Looks like you can fit a person
through that.
That's the point.
Your procedure was a success.
Now it's time to send
a whole human being.
And in that quarter-second
travel time,
the absence of mass
will be recorded,
and that will be
the final piece.
I'm pretty sure
that can be faked.
Yeah,
but eliminating cancer can't be.
What are you saying?
I'm sayin'
I need another subject.
One with cancer,
where the disease is
spread throughout the body.
Preferably a terminal case.
Why?
There's always a risk involved
with anything,
so better to use a person
who had no option.
Just in case.
And are you sure you
have everything ready to go?
SAM:
Yeah.
Worked on the rats,
worked on you.
Never been more certain.
Now if we can
help a person in need,
all the better.
I'm guessing you already
have someone in mind.
I do, Rishi Azmi.
You know him.
He's about to get some bad news.
No one likes
the doctor's office,
and I blame the Internet.
It's the only place
you can get free porn.
(DOOR OPENS)
How're you feelin' today?
Same old same old.
Rishi, we have your results,
and it appears
that the treatment
has been ineffective.
We've detected new swellings
in the liver
and pancreas.
Have you been feeling
increased abdominal pain?
I-- I don't know.
It's about-- about the same.
Patients often develop
an increased pain tolerance
as the leukemia progresses.
It's a natural reaction.
This...
(SIGHS)
The swellings here
and here
pretty much tell us that
you are now in stage four
and trending to stage five.
How much longer do I have?
(DR. SCHULTZ SIGHS)
With leukemia, it's tricky.
People can live for years.
How much longer do I have?
But yours is progressing
pretty radically.
I don't wanna
create any false hope.
I would say within a year.
Though I do recommend that
we continue immunotherapy.
Does anyone here have cancer?
Cancer? Anyone?
No? Don't be shy.
No one?
Uh, just me, I guess.
Yeah. Yeah. I know. It sucks.
Uh, it-- it's okay, though.
It's okay.
You know, there's--
there's pros and cons,
just like anything in life.
You know, the best part
about having cancer
is that I got a whole
goddamn career out of it.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
There's nothing like of
the guilt
that the bookers have
when they meet me.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
I mean, I haven't worked this
much in my entire fuckin' life.
So, you know, thank you, cancer.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
RISHI:
Hmm.
Probably the excruciating pain.
Keeps me up till the wee hours
of the morning.
Yeah.
Or-- or the crippling anxiety.
Yeah.
Or, you know, the deep,
deep sense of uncertainty.
I have-- I have jokes.
Don't worry.
Um...
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
Uh, yeah,
but you know what's great
about having excruciating pain
from cancer
is that you can find
a sympathetic crowd anywhere.
(LAUGHING AND CHEERING)
AUDIENCE MEMBER 1:
Yeah!
And with sympathy
comes lowered standards.
AUDIENCE MEMBER 2:
Yeah.
Allow me to demonstrate.
You ready?
AUDIENCE:
Yeah!
All right, all right.
So, uh, I live
in a bad neighborhood, right?
And the other day I was
walkin' down the street
and this tough guy
comes up to me and he says,
"Hey, get out of here
or I'm gonna send you
to the hospital."
And I said, "Go ahead,
I was born in the hospital."
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
That's a bad joke.
But you laughed.
And I'm so grateful for you.
But you guys have been lovely.
And I have been Rishi.
Have a good night.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
AUDIENCE MEMBER 3:
Rishi!
Good job, Rishi.
Bravo.
So?
What-- what's the story?
W-- why are we here?
Right. I've had a big change.
You see, I-- I was supposed
to lose my hand, but--
I-- I heard
about your miraculous recovery.
You have the doctor gossiping
like a small-town esthetician.
DONNA:
But you see,
it wasn't miraculous.
There's this guy with a machine.
RISHI:
A machine?
DONNA:
Yes.
It has something to do
with particle transfer,
and cells, and atoms.
And as a side effect,
he cured cancer.
(UTENSILS CLINKING IN DISTANCE)
(BILLIARDS PLAYING
IN BACKGROUND)
How?
Well, he started with rats.
And then moved on to you.
Seems like
a natural progression.
Rishi,
I'm being serious right now.
He wants to meet you.
(BILLIARDS PLAYING
IN BACKGROUND)
So he sent you?
He did.
Timing's kinda perfect, I guess.
He knew
about your stage five diagnosis.
How?
DONNA:
Same way he knew about mine.
He hacked the clinic database.
What?
Are you serious?
Yeah, he's a little weird,
but it doesn't matter.
Because this actually works.
You heard the doctors.
(SCOFFS)
(GLASSES CLINKING IN DISTANCE)
What do I have to do?
You just have to go there.
He'll do the rest.
(UTENSILS CLINKING IN DISTANCE)
I need a drink.
()
DONNA:
So, this is where you bring
the ladies.
RISHI:
This is where
I work out material.
Looks like a tough crowd.
Used to be the only place
that ever booked me.
Seems you've graduated.
For now.
I'll end up back here one way
or another.
Well, hey, not for a while.
Maybe.
Honestly, I'm more afraid
of bombing than dying.
Here, I can do both.
It's a tactical advantage.
DONNA:
Pragmatist.
Now I know your secret.
You wanna know another one?
(SIGHS)
()
When are you gonna kiss me?
Anytime, cowboy.
(KISSES)
(BIRDS CHIRPING)
(TELEPHONE RINGING)
Linda's Boutique.
May I help you?
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Hey, Linda.
Uh, this is Donna from Group.
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Oh, yeah.
Hi.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Yeah, um,
I just wanted to apologize .
I was wrong and fully missed
the point of the meetings.
And I'm sorry.
Just wanted
to let you know that.
Hey. You're okay.
Everybody's still really happy
for you.
That's nice to hear.
Are you doin' anything
right now?
Nothing really.
Just pacing my apartment,
trying to figure out my life.
Do you like marigolds?
Yeah, sure.
I love 'em.
LINDA (ON PHONE):
I have way too many.
Why don't you come down here
and take some of these
off my hands?
Are you sure?
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Honey, they're gonna die.
I just wanna get them
the hell out of here.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Okay. I'm on my way.
(HANGS UP)
LINDA:
So, yeah, water them
as soon as you get home.
Find a good place for them.
They like sunlight,
but they
don't like to move too much.
This is really nice.
Please, they're explodin'
in my garden right now.
You're doing me a favor.
Is that your daughter?
LINDA:
She sure is.
16 and preg-Nancy.
It's gotta be tough.
Yeah, well, the way I see it,
she might have started young,
but she's making me a grandma.
So, I'm not gonna hold it
against her.
She gets enough grief
from her dad.
It's always dads
bringing the grief, huh?
LINDA:
No.
I've contributed my fair share,
too.
Unavoidable, I guess.
LINDA:
It was avoidable.
I got kicked out
of veterinarian school.
I was an alcoholic.
I stole equipment
from the school,
sold it, got caught.
Spent a year in jail.
Lost custody.
Kid's had a tough life.
I've been sober 11 years.
I opened a shop.
And I got my diagnosis.
It's ironic.
I do hair,
but I can't grow it.
I used what I learned from AA
and brought it
to my survivors group.
You're really strong.
LINDA:
Just a result of me fuckin' up
my life.
But this is my second chance,
right here.
I'm gonna teach Corey
everything I know.
And the shop will be hers,
I just wanna live long enough
to see my granddaughter.
Everything else
is a victory lap,
as far as I'm concerned.
Linda,
this is gonna sound crazy.
But I know a guy
who can help you.
Donna.
I'm not supposed to say
anything,
but he helped me.
I think he can help you, too.
Listen, Donna,
I'm not looking for miracles.
I stopped doin' that
a long time ago.
LINDA (ON SPEAKER):
Thank you for stopping by.
I have to get back to work.
()
Hello, Dr. Strange.
Hey. Uh, you got an ETA?
DONNA:
20 minutes or so.
Okay. We'll be there soon.
Bye.
(UNLOCKS DOOR)
(OPENS, CLOSES DOOR)
Hey. You ready?
Uh, not really.
You're nervous. I'm sorry.
I'm just a little edgy.
I get it.
()
(TYPING)
(INTERCOM BEEPS)
(CONTINUES TYPING)
Come in.
(DOOR BUZZES, OPENS)
(CONTINUES TYPING)
Hey, Sam?
(SAM CONTINUES TYPING)
DONNA:
Hey.
This is Rishi.
Rishi, Sam.
SAM:
Hey, Rishi.
Really nice to meet you.
Thank you for coming here
this evening.
I appreciate it.
Thanks for, uh, stalking me.
Hmm.
All right, what's your deal?
What are we doin' here?
Uh, well.
I was gonna give you the rundown
on the way over,
if that would be okay?
To where? I thought we're here.
SAM:
No, we are. I'm sorry.
This is the exit gate.
And we need to get you
to the entrance gate.
Entrance of what exactly?
The quantum dislocator.
That's right.
The quantum dislocator.
Yeah, Donna mention that.
Look, is this--
is this some kind of scam?
This feels really fucking shady.
I can explain everything.
There's no pressure.
I just wanted to do it
on the way over there.
Fine.
It's not because I trust you.
Great!
Well, Donna,
I'm gonna need you to stay here.
Wait. Stay here? Why?
We don't want him to come
through the thing
and be alone.
You'll be here to greet him.
Cool?
All right, well,
I'm gonna set the timer for, uh,
35 minutes from now.
Okay. Got it.
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
Does it hurt?
No.
The whole procedure will
last a fraction of a second.
You won't feel a thing.
Isn't that what happened
to Veruca Salt?
Actually, uh,
it was Mike Teevee.
I get him confused, too.
I think I should mention
that you're gonna have
to take off all your clothes.
Excuse me?
Yeah.
(SIGHS) All right.
Well, then what the fuck
am I supposed to wear
when I get out the other side?
I'll have Donna set up
with something
until I get back
with your clothes.
I mean,
what are you worried about?
I'm sure she's seen it anyway.
()
(VEHICLE HALTS, BRAKES SCREECH)
(ENGINE WHIRRS)
Cozy little dump.
Ready?
Sure.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
Welcome to the entrance gate.
This is the A-frame.
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Does it always make that sound?
SAM:
Yeah. Pretty much.
I've been callin' it "snoring".
It gets more intense
when the cycle is initiated.
You wanna have a look inside?
(DOOR DEPRESSURIZES AND OPENS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING CONTINUES)
This is your camera.
Down here...
(STEPS)
...is your atomic scale.
What is that?
It measures relative
atomic mass.
Or, in our case,
the absence of it.
Why do you need a camera
and a scale?
To record the experiment.
Okay, for who?
SAM:
For us.
You're the first one
going through.
What? I thought
Donna already did this.
Well, Donna's procedure
was on the prototype.
-Prototype?
-SAM: Yeah.
Well, what the fuck is this?
This is the refined application.
It's essentially the same as
the prototype, it's just bigger.
Essentially the same?
It's exactly the same.
Do you think I'm an idiot?
This is fucking stupid.
Look, Rish.
You are stage four,
trendin' in the wrong direction.
And I know you're receiving
treatment.
But it's not gonna help you.
This, this is your cure.
Do it for Donna.
Probably not.
(DOOR OPENS)
(PHONE RINGING)
(DOOR CLOSES)
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Rishi, hey, what's up?
RISHI (ON PHONE):
You lied to me.
What?
No, what are you talking about?
Have you seen
this fucking spaceship?
No.
RISHI (ON PHONE):
Yeah, exactly.
All right, I-- I'm--
I'm not doing this.
That guy's a fucking creep.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Look, Rishi.
Sam's the only reason
I still have my hand.
Okay, look, I'm happy for you.
I'm happy.
But this is not just my hand.
If something goes wrong,
my whole ass is fried.
And-- and, you know,
all my material dies with me.
And I can't risk that.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
No, Rishi? Rishi?
I'm-- I'm sorry.
()
(LIGHTS)
(TAKES A DRAG)
(DOOR OPENS)
Look, I'm--
I'm sorry about the Donna thing.
I wish
there was more transparency.
You don't have to do this.
I'll take you back.
But you really shouldn't be
smoking that in your condition.
(TAKES A DRAG)
Fuck it, I'm dead anyway.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(MICROPHONE FEEDBACK)
Okay, you hear me?
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Rishi, say somethin'
if you can hear me.
Why did the chicken enter
the quantum dislocator?
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
I don't know. Why?
To get to the other side.
Come on, keep up, dumb ass.
Okay, so...
(CLEARS THROAT)
It's gonna initiate
in 10 seconds.
(A-FRAME BUZZES)
Do I need to do anything?
No.
-Let's get to the other side--
-(MICROPHONE DISTORTION)
(A-FRAME BUZZING CONTINUES)
If it was easy,
everyone would do it.
(KEYPAD BEEPS)
(PUSHES)
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(A-FRAME WHIRRING)
()
(A-FRAME BUZZING SLOWS DOWN)
()
(INDISTINCT SPEECH)
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
(PHONE RINGING)
Donna, I'm almost there.
DONNA (ON PHONE):
Sam, he's been gone too long.
SAM (ON PHONE):
Hey, hey, calm down.
The cycle is aggregating.
Everything is fine.
Hurry.
I'll be there in a minute.
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
(POWER FLUCTUATES)
()
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
DONNA:
Something's wrong.
-(COMPUTER BEEPS)
-(A-FRAME BUZZES)
SAM:
Relax.
It's gonna be a good thing.
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
A good thing?
A very good thing.
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(GUSHES, SPLURTS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING SLOWS DOWN)
(RISHI SLITHERS)
(RISHI GURGLING)
(CHOKING)
(SCREECHES, GURGLES)
(SCREAMS)
(RISHI SQUEAKING)
(DONNA CRYING)
(DOOR SLAMS OPEN)
No, no, no! No! No!
Just calm down. Calm down!
DONNA:
No! No!
You're okay. Calm down.
DONNA:
No! No, no, no, no, no, no!
No.
(DONNA CRYING)
-No! No. No, no! No!
You're okay. You're okay.
(SCREAMS)
No!
-(CRIES)
-(SHUSHES)
You're okay.
(SIGHS)
(RISHI GROWLS)
(RISHI SLITHERS)
-(SCREECHING)
-(GROANS)
(INJECTS)
(RISHI SLITHERS)
()
(GRUNTS)
Good morning.
I made you breakfast.
Fuck you!
Okay.
Suit yourself.
And I'm not exactly sure
what this is,
but it's not Rishi.
Actually, I don't know
if a DNA swab
would come back human.
Fucking psychopath!
()
(CRIES)
()
()
()
(KNOCKING)
(DOOR OPENS)
Can I help you?
Are you Samuel Dunn?
Yes, I am.
I'm Detective Larson.
Missing Persons Unit.
I'd like to ask you
a few questions.
Okay. About what?
About a missing person.
Right.
DETECTIVE LARSON:
Can I come in?
Certainly. Uh...
(CLEARS THROAT)
Can I get you a coffee
or something?
No, thank you.
Mr. Dunn,
do you know a woman
named Donna Walker?
Uh, yes, I do.
How about a Rishi Azmi?
Rishi Azmi? No.
DETECTIVE LARSON:
He's been missing for two weeks.
And you've been linked
to his disappearance.
By who?
That's confidential.
When was the last time
you saw Donna Walker?
Uh, two or three weeks ago.
She's havin' health issues.
She's--
it's emotional rollercoaster.
This is Rishi Azmi.
I've never seen that guy
in my life.
Is he an actor or something?
What do you do for a living,
Mr. Dunn?
I'm a quantum physicist.
So you do what exactly?
I experiment
with quantum mechanics.
Theorize, write papers.
Trying to push the effort
forward
from my little
corner of the universe.
(SAM SCRUNCHING)
Okay.
Okay?
Is that it?
I'll be in touch.
Cool.
(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
(CLOCK TICKING)
(TYPING)
(DOORBELL RINGS, DOOR OPENS)
Sir, we're closed.
Are you Linda Dixon?
Do I know you?
I think we have someone
in common.
()
()
What's going on?
I don't know.
You just seem off.
So, is everything all right?
Well, I'm sorry if I'm not
playing up to your standards.
WALTER:
Oh, okay.
I'm-- I'm not saying that.
I'm just saying...
I'm saying you seem different.
So, please tell us. What's up?
DONNA:
What's up?
Why don't you tell me, maestro?
SONIA:
Donna.
No, I mean, if Walter thinks
I suck, why not just say so?
We're here to rehearse.
You're wasting our time.
Why you acting like--
Seriously? You're gonna--
Okay, you know what?
-Shit.
-SONIA: What?
-Fine. Okay.
-DONNA: No, no, no, no.
Sonya, I told you.
I'm not doing this. Right?
Waste our fucking time?
No. I don't wanna do this.
All right?
Call me when you want
to rehearse. Right? I'm out.
Have fun. Okay? Bye.
Donna!
(PHONE RINGING)
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Hi, Donna.
Are you at the salon?
LINDA (ON PHONE):
Yes.
Okay. I'm coming.
Donna!
Look, I made a mistake.
I told Rishi we're safe.
And it cost him his life.
I have to live with that
forever.
I can't let you do
the same thing.
It's not your choice.
Sam healed you.
I'd like to try it myself.
It was different for me.
I didn't have to go
into that fucking--
Whatever he's calling it.
The A-frame.
And like I said, he fixed it.
He's lying to you!
He's not.
There's proof.
Proof?
This is so fucked up.
If this goes wrong, it's over.
It's over for me either way.
Easy choice.
What about your daughter?
And your granddaughter?
I'm sorry, Donna,
but I'm doing this.
Sam has nothing to gain
by killing me.
He's as invested as I am.
You're fucking wrong!
You're just data to him.
I have to get back to work.
()
(GROANS)
(PHONE RINGS)
Donna, I wanna get out
in front of this with you.
What did you tell Linda?
I told her the same thing
that I told you.
Only I backed it up with proof.
Fuck your proof!
And by the way,
are you following me?
Well, I'm not exactly
stalking you,
but I, uh,
I did clone your phone.
(WHIRRING)
Oh my God.
You're such a fucking creep.
Okay.
Well, it was nice talkin'
to you.
Um, check your inbox.
(KISSES)
Ciao.
Fuck!
(GRUNTS)
Okay,
It is October 27th, 2024.
This is Meatball.
Meat is about
to successfully travel
through the full-scale
dislocator,
the A-frame,
into a quantum parallel
and land back in my lab
approximately 17 miles
from here.
After the sequence begins--
It should take
roughly three seconds
to complete the journey,
where Meatball will find
her favorite meal waiting
for her.
(MEATBALL MEOWING)
She's excited.
I'll take that as you're ready.
Okay.
All right, Meat.
Phew.
Okay.
Ah, yeah,
time to initiate the cycle.
(KEYPAD BEEPING)
(PUSHES BUTTON, BUZZING)
There you have it.
Meatball has just become
That I've heard of anyway.
(SIGHS)
()
NURSE TEX:
Donna Walker?
()
()
()
(INTERCOM BEEPS)
Hello.
LINDA (ON INTERCOM):
I'm here.
Outstanding.
I'll buzz you in.
Door's unlocked.
(DOOR BUZZES)
(DOOR OPENS, CREAKS)
(DOOR CREAKS, CLOSES)
SAM:
Hello. Welcome.
Make yourself at home.
Can I get you anything?
Donna.
What a pleasant surprise.
I'm not talkin' to you.
I'm here for her.
Fine by me.
(COMPUTER BEEPS IN BACKGROUND)
And I'm going
with you this time.
(COMPUTER BEEPS IN BACKGROUND)
As you wish.
Leavin' in five minutes.
(SAM TYPING ON KEYBOARD)
I gotta pee.
Now I know everything.
(MEATBALL MEOWING IN DISTANCE)
()
()
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
()
Say,
why did the chicken enter
the quantum dislocator?
I don't know.
To get to the other side.
()
(VEHICLE WHOOSHES)
(THUDS)
()
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Linda, there's a robe
in the bathroom
if you wanna go change, please.
(GRUNTS)
Ow! God!
-(DOOR CLOSES, PRESSURIZES)
-(SAM GROANS)
(LOCKS)
Donna, what are you doin'?
Donna, open the door.
I knew you fucked up somewhere.
What?
What are you talking about?
Tell me about the cat
in your little video.
What?
Because it's not the same one
that was in your apartment.
Yes, it is.
Sorry, the cat in the video
is a female.
(MEATBALL MEOWS)
She's excited.
The one with the unclipped nuts?
That's a male.
I learned that much
in veterinarian school.
Just forget about the cat.
This will save Linda's life.
Yeah, if it works.
It works.
Cool, you're going first.
You don't even know
the cycle code.
Is it not 67900?
That was in your video too,
genius.
By the way, my cancer's back.
So, I guess you're not God
after all.
Donna, let me out of here.
Donna, open the fucking door!
Nope.
This is--
Fine.
I can't--
I can't go through
with my fucking clothes on.
Then strip, playboy,
'cause this is happening.
()
Okay. Open the door.
(DOOR UNLOCKS, OPENS,
DEPRESSURIZES)
How much of this
did it take to kill Rishi?
Get back inside.
(DOOR CLOSES, PRESSURIZES)
(LOCKS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING)
Go ahead.
Let's do it.
(KEYPAD BEEPS)
Fuck it.
(PUSHES BUTTON)
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(A-FRAME WHIRRS)
(GROANS)
()
(A-FRAME BUZZING INTENSIFIES)
(GUSHES, SPLURTS)
(A-FRAME BUZZING SLOW DOWN)
(COMPUTER BEEPING IN BACKGROUND)
(SAM SLITHERS)
(GASPS)
(SCREAMS)
()
()
(SAM SCREAMING IN DISTANCE)
(CAT MEOWS)
LINDA:
Today I wanna talk
about acceptance.
And when I say acceptance,
I don't mean surrender.
Fuck that.
I mean accept the good
in your life
despite the circumstances.
You can hate the disease,
you can hate the treatment,
but accept that you're here
to do something positive.
It doesn't matter how much time
you have.
A ticking clock
only makes the effort
more daring.
It is our job to be bold
and to survive the day.
Because that's the most
valuable thing there is,
money can't buy tomorrow.
If I've learned one thing
it's that control
is a life-suckin' illusion.
So, let's spend our time
with purpose
and intent.
Because whatever happens next
is none of our fuckin' business.
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()
()