The Letter (2012) Movie Script
I'm not sure I know how it began.
But in the midst of a life
that I now barely remember,
in the midst of those now-forgotten
New York days and nights,
something happened.
I believe it's all true,
but it started with a dream.
There was a woman onstage...
and a piano...
and a man.
As happens in a dream,
I felt that someone was
looking at me.
I knew he was there,
but I couldn't see him.
Someone was looking at me, smiling.
And then I was looking
at a woman onstage.
I think she could hear footsteps.
I could hear her breath.
And then the dream ended, I think,
and I was in a rehearsal.
That was...
- yeah, it was really--
- It was good?
really-- no, it's--
I think that there's--
we can use it
somewhere in the piece.
Maybe...
- someone watching you do it...
- Watching.
...or something, you know?
It's so strange,
intense.
intense.
And then you came.
Tyrone? Hey.
I'm so glad you're here.
- I'm-- I'm Martine.
- Hi.
- Hi, good to meet you.
- It's really great...
And maybe that's where
the story really begins.
- Everyone, this is Tyrone.
- Hi.
- This is Raymond Carlisle...
- Welcome.
- Thanks.
-...Julie Abbott, Anita Ford.
- Hey.
- Tyrone Devlin.
- Hey.
- Hi.
- So... good, really.
- All right.
- I, uh-- I saw you in that--
- Oh, thank you.
--that film.
You know, that one--
that French thing about
the translator, the writer.
No. I don't think so, no.
Oh, I thought--
- really?
- Yeah, that wasn't me.
Well, are you--
you must be super tired.
We're just-- I don't do--
I don't usually do a read-through,
- so we're just gonna do little bits.
- Oh.
- Okay.
- Just hang out or--
- I'd rather not just watch but--
- Oh, okay.
You can't be serious--
you and him?
Of course I'm not serious.
- I'm teasing you.
- Oh.
And then we all had
our first rehearsal together.
Julie was there...
I can't believe that you chose him.
...and Raymond was there.
I can't believe you chose him.
- "Believe that you want him."
- It's...
"Belie-- believe that you--"
I can't believe that you want him.
Well, but I do.
Of course I'm not serious.
I'm teasing you.
Oh. Okay.
So...
Of course I'm not serious.
I was teasing you.
Oh. Okay.
Tyrone enters.
Knock knock.
We were just speaking of you.
Nothing seemed particularly unusual
- in that first rehearsal.
- Well, I'm flattered.
- What did you say?
- She was teasing me.
- That's not very nice.
- Yeah, I know.
She said she was
gonna go away with you.
Did she really?
Yes. Yes, I did. I told him that.
Imagine my surprise.
Imagine.
Well, I imagine it surprised you.
Sorry, maybe get up on
"She said she was
going away with you."
You want to kind of test him,
linger, see if they're
hiding something.
See if he reacts.
So you wanna make it stronger,
challenge him.
Okay.
- She was teasing me.
- Well, that's not nice.
She said
she was gonna go away with you.
Oh, she did?
Never mind that.
No, just stay seated. Sorry.
Okay.
Okay.
You can't be serious--
you and him?
Of course I'm not serious.
- I'm teasing you.
- Oh.
On that first night, of course,
we didn't yet know who you were...
or what you would do to us.
Just teasing, of course.
Of course.
Or what you would do to me.
I'm sorry. So can--
what's...
I don't know.
What's going on between them?
What do you mean?
I don't know.
I just-- I don't get it.
I-- I don't-- it seems like
they're not saying anything.
- Sorry. Never mind.
- No no, say.
I don't-- do they know--
do they have any idea,
- like, what's going on? Do--
- I don't, um--
hmm. What do you--
- what are-- what are your thoughts?
- I think--
- Yeah.
- It's not me. I don't--
I mean, I just--
I don't-- I just don't
really like 'em, I guess.
Oh. Okay.
Let me--
I don't know.
Anita was there too.
There's passion. It's just,
you know,
- not for their spouses.
- Mm-hmm.
Say you're looking at someone
but you're thinking of someone else--
or maybe you're
just thinking of yourself,
or just nothing.
Actually, I think
that's the most common
or the most pleasant thing to think--
just think nothing,
if that's possible.
I think it is.
You know.
Look, there's--
there's something furtive that--
that gives you a thrill
and the play is about that thrill.
- What does furtive mean?
- Hidden.
- Secrets. You all have secrets.
- Yeah.
Um, I'll be right back.
I don't know why, but I've never
been able to do hidden very well.
I guess I'm just not
very good at secrets.
Sure you are.
You don't know her.
Mmm, that's right, I don't,
but I think she's good at secrets.
I don't get it.
Why would you say that?
You know why I would say that.
Mmm, do I-- no.
No, I really--
I really don't.
- I don't get it.
- You don't?
- Hm-mmm.
- I think you do. I think you both do.
S-- sorry, I don't.
Excuse me.
- That was really weird, right?
- Oh my God.
- That's not funny.
- No, I'm sorry.
- It's not funny.
- Was that me? That was weird.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- You okay?
- Yeah, sure. Why?
It's nice to finally meet you.
You too.
- Yeah, I'll see you in a minute.
- See you.
You missed--
- you missed a strange thing.
- What?
- Tell me.
- Tyrone was just--
I don't know.
I think he was just playing around.
Doing something. I don't--
Hmm?
It's nothing. He was just--
I guess he was kidding.
I don't know.
It was-- it was weird. It's fine.
- It's fine.
- He's coming back.
Okay.
- Whoo!
- Hey, everything okay?
Yeah, fine.
I didn't mean to upset you.
Did I?
- Did I upset you, Anita?
- It's-- I don't--
I just really don't know
what you were saying.
- Um...
- What happened?
- I--
- I missed it.
I was teasing Anita and...
I think I was--
I was misunderstood.
I-- I just--
I'm clumsy sometimes.
- I-- I don't mean to be.
- I don't know.
Sometimes it takes me
a little while to get
the gears going and everything.
You all seem like very nice people,
I think.
Gee, thanks.
Yeah.
Well, I'm certainly
glad that
you all are doing this piece.
I have a really good feeling about it
and I just wanted to say cheers
- to all of you.
- Cheers.
Ah. So, Martine,
what did you think
of what you saw today?
What did you think?
well, I was curious why you chose
to focus on these people,
because they don't--
they don't seem very much like you.
You don't know her.
Oh, I- I--
That's true, Anita.
I don't.
That's very--
that's very true.
Well, I-- I think they're interesting.
- Mm-hmm.
- Do you think they're interesting?
Hmm.
Uh, yes, I-- probably, yeah.
They probably are.
I don't get your point, Tyrone.
What-what-- what's your point?
You know what it is?
I'm just tired.
I-- I--
I'm gonna excuse myself.
Really?
Yeah.
- I'll see y'all later.
- See you tomorrow.
He's a load of laughs.
I like him.
It's probably hard for him.
We all know each other,
he's just coming in.
- Yeah.
- I'm sure he's intimidated by me.
I'm sure he was.
I dreamt that I was under a tree.
Oh, Tyrone. Hi.
Where are you going?
I was up all night,
but I think I was dreaming,
so I must've slept some.
Um, you like Julie?
Yeah, I like Julie too.
Now try it just--
just speaking the melody,
- not-- not singing it.
- Not singing?
- Great.
- You sure?
Oh yeah.
Okay. Ahem.
I didn't know you.
You didn't know me.
- But now I can see you.
- You see what I see.
- Now you're inside me...
- And I'm inside you...
-...and I'm inside you.
-...and you're inside me.
- I sit here with her...
- I sit here with him.
...and I'm thinking of you
and you're thinking of me.
And when we're together,
we know they're alone.
- Not really alone.
- They're not really alone.
- We know they're together...
- Like the earth and a stone.
-...like a dog and a bone.
- But I don't care.
And I care less, 'cause
my hand's in yours.
And it's touching my dress.
Take me home, please.
You've got me all emotional.
Take me home, please.
You've got me all emotional.
Please don't take my piano player.
Well, for the record,
- he's my piano player.
- Well, for the record,
- he's my piano player.
- I like to think
I'm everybody's piano player.
- We know they're together...
- Like the earth and a stone.
-...like a dog and a bone.
- But I don't care.
And I care less,
'cause my hand's in yours.
And it's touching my dress.
Watching Anita onstage,
I noticed something about her.
I mentioned this to Raymond.
I wouldn't say Anita's secretive.
Anita is secret.
Very much so.
- Like you.
- No.
No, I don't-- I don't think so.
Hmm.
Tyrone, though.
He-- he has this--
he has that thing too.
And you're right as usual, you know,
and there is something about Anita
that reminds me of-- of me.
But I like it. I mean, there's nothing
wrong with having a secret.
I hope I'm all right--
I mean for this.
No, you're always fine.
But Tyrone, though...
- You know, I have to say--
- No, I mean there's just something--
he has this really sweet voice
and he's just very protective of me.
And then I heard birds.
And the piano again.
I thought I heard someone say
"What's she doing that's so strange?"
It might've been Anita's voice.
I was in a field
under a tree.
I could see a man and a woman.
I dreamt that I was writing a story
about a man who followed me
and watched me,
even when I was sleeping.
I put his hands on my breasts,
and our lips touched.
He is touching my thigh
under my skirt.
Higher.
He's staring at me.
- Martine.
- I can hear him.
Martine.
- Huh?
- I can hear his footsteps.
- Hey.
- Hi.
You were mumbling.
- Oh. Really?
- Yeah, you were dreaming.
I was dreaming
that I was writing a story.
We should go.
- The new pages?
- Mm-hmm.
I was being followed.
Followed when?
In the dream, in the story.
I put his hand on my breast
and our lips touched.
It was just a dream.
Something was happening to me.
Oh God.
New pages.
- Oh, thank you.
- Julie.
Thanks.
- Raymond.
- Hmm?
I-- I know it's a whisper,
but I'm gonna need to hear it.
I'm sorry.
It's just tricky.
So can you take it from that line again?
Um, what do you mean?
She's acting more and more strange.
I think she must know
and she doesn't know what to do.
So she's, you know--
what is she doing that's so strange?
- Again.
- What again?
That line-- read it again.
I think she must know
and she doesn't know what to do,
so she's, you know--
what is she doing that's so strange?
And then I saw Anita watching me.
What is she doing that's so strange?
She's watching me,
- all the time.
- Raymond.
She's watching me, all the time.
- Stand closer.
- Like-- you--
- Clo-- closer than this?
- Yeah.
Please, closer.
She's--
she's watching me, all the time.
Like when I'm just reading, or even...
I don't remember that scene
in the play ending.
Everyone was just quiet.
That night,
Raymond was out late.
I had a headache for two days,
so I looked for some aspirin.
I couldn't find any.
The next morning,
I went to meet a journalist I knew.
- Martine.
- Oh. Hi, Elizabeth.
You looked like
you were somewhere else.
Yeah.
- How are you?
- I'm-- I'm pretty good.
It's good to see you.
God, how long has it been?
- What, like--
- Well, let me see.
I-- the last piece I did on you was
January-- two years ago.
As she spoke,
it occurred to me that
I had no idea who she was.
I had recognized her name
when she called,
but I couldn't remember
ever seeing her before.
Like last time,
I'm just gonna record it.
- That's okay?
- That-- that's fine.
Okay.
Interview with Martine Jamison,
May 11th.
She wanted to know about the new play.
So it's-- it's a workshop, so-- so--
so things-- things change.
Everything is still trying to change.
It wouldn't surprise me if...
Um, same group that I--
same group that
I've worked with before,
plus Tyrone Devlin has joined us.
- I don't know him.
- Oh, he works a lot, I think.
He's-- he's really very good.
Um, very good.
Why would I poison her?
You tell me.
You're deluded.
There's, um,
a festival in Japan that...
There's, um,
a festival in Japan that...
really interests me.
Some people write letters to the dead.
And when you write a letter
to someone who has died--
And when you write
a letter to someone who has died--
in Japan, they put it
in this little wooden boat
and it drifts off.
So has the person
who's written the letter
spoken to the dead?
- I think maybe, you know--
- I mean, I'd say yes.
I mean, I'd say yes.
Their-- their minds,
through the letters,
en-- enter...
um, a world that's not living.
But the mind is alive if
and only if their writing is sincere.
And in this way--
and in this way,
that world-- the dead world--
is brought into life and it--
and so-- so it lives. Um...
I'm thinking of a new element.
- For the play?
- Yeah, for the play.
Do you know what
copper supplements are used for?
No, I don't.
Well,
copper is a--
it's present in the body.
It's an element.
You actually need it
for your body to function,
so people take copper supplements.
But if you take too much,
it-- it can--
If you take too much,
it can lead to schizophrenia.
I didn't know that.
Yeah, it's clinically been known
to lead to schizophrenia.
Yeah. Well, it's--
it's kind of a--
a specialized kind--
kind of knowledge.
I'm changing the names
of the characters in the play
to be the names of the actors--
the actual actors playing them.
I didn't want her to look at me anymore.
You know what? I, uh--
I have this headache.
Do you think
we could finish this later?
Tomo-- maybe tomorrow even?
Of course.
Can I get you anything?
No no.
That's very kind.
I'm just, uh-- I--
I'll call you and we can
figure out a time.
Thank you for understanding.
I'm sorry about this.
Um, bye.
As you know,
I continued to write the play.
You've all been, uh,
really patient with the new pages.
So thank you.
It's very helpful to me.
Wow. What happened?
- All the songs are out?
- Yeah.
And your characters have new names.
I'm sort of losing my bearings here.
It's like an entirely different play.
Yeah, well,
that's the idea of a workshop--
things change.
I know that's the idea, Tyrone.
- Good.
- I mean, we're just simply--
just gonna see what happens.
You know, see where it goes.
Yeah, that sounds good to me.
Yeah, so...
see where-- where it takes us.
- Great. That's-- that's fine.
- Okay.
Thanks, guys.
You're deluded.
Or maybe you're not.
Maybe you're using
this accusation to mask
some sickness of your own.
It's pathetic.
That happens, you know.
Why would I poison her?
I don't know, Raymond. Why?
Go to hell.
Uh, can you take
that again, Raymond?
- It happens, you know.
- No, from "You're deluded."
And you know
that he knows that you're lying.
Oh, I wasn't so sure that I was lying.
You are, and he knows you are.
So--
I don't know, that's--
that's kinda going
a long way from a flirtation.
Now I'm poisoning my wife?
I mean-- I--
I don't mean to be rude.
I just-- I just don't know,
but I think it's interesting.
All right.
You're deluded.
Or maybe you're not.
Maybe you're using this accusation
to mask some sickness of your own.
- I'm don't-- I don't get this.
- It's pathetic.
Go to hell.
No, Raymond, you go to hell.
Okay.
Yeah, let's take--
take five minutes.
Raymond, can I talk
to you for a sec?
Why are you taking so much copper?
What do you mean?
You have about 20 bottles
of copper in your gym bag.
I don't have any... copper.
You know-- you know that.
Why are you saying that?
Raymond, I-- I saw it.
It's in your gym bag.
I saw it.
Sweetheart,
I don't have any copper. I...
I just don't get it.
I just want you to tell me the truth.
- That's all.
- Just in case you're wondering,
I don't mind if you
go through my stuff.
Just in case you're wondering.
Like a curtain had been pulled back,
I could suddenly see what was
really happening on the stage.
I don't like being so close
to you and having to pretend.
I know.
She's listening to us right now.
I can feel it.
I know you could see it too.
You're using this accusation
to mask some perversion
of your own.
It's pathetic.
It happens you know.
It's not very original,
- if that's what you're doing.
- It's not what I'm doing.
I didn't expect to find you here.
I think everybody could see it.
Hello.
I came early.
Is that all right?
- Who didn't you expect?
- Me.
We were just picking
a suitcase for you to take.
Mmm. Is everything okay?
Sure, why not?
Uh, oh, in case you're wondering,
no, I don't--
I don't mind, yeah,
if you go through my things.
It's fine. Just in case
you were wondering.
- So, ready to go?
- No, I can't go today.
- My-- my wrist--
- It's still hurting?
- A little bit.
- Yeah.
Maybe you should take
something for it.
No, I don't like to.
- Oh.
- I'll just rest it awhile longer,
- just to be sure.
- Good.
All right, well,
maybe I'll just go by myself.
Are you, uh,
two gonna be okay here together?
Are you sure?
Yeah, I'm-- I'm sure, I'm sure.
Uh, could I just,
um, uh--
Martine, do you think
Raymond should stand over by me?
Just so we can, you know,
like, face Tyrone together
- or-- because--
- Sure. Why not?
I'll just get my things.
I'll just get
my things.
- Should I drive him?
- Hey, Anita.
Raymond wants you closer to him.
I thought I-- that's okay.
Okay.
And Tyrone comes back in.
Okay then.
You know,
I think I'm gonna take off.
Hey, don't leave on my account.
He's not.
I should get home anyway.
- My wife's expecting me.
- Yeah well,
maybe you should take
something for that wrist.
Bye.
Oh, Julie, hi.
No, all by myself.
Just woke up from a nap.
Nope, just me.
Okay, bye.
All right.
Good.
Um, Tyrone.
It's good,
like, you're aware
of what they're doing.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
It's like you know
what they're doing behind your back.
Whatever that is.
Uh-huh.
But you don't confront them,
'cause you don't need to.
Yeah, I'm-I'm--
I'm taunting them.
- Right.
- I feel taunted.
Interesting.
- Why?
- That you feel taunted.
- Why is that interesting, Martine?
- I think it's interesting.
That you feel taunted,
that you would choose that word.
Why is that interesting?
I don't-- I mean I--
- Just that--
- I didn't choose that word.
Tyrone chose that word.
Yeah. Yeah, I guess--
I guess he did.
Sorry, did you say
something, Raymond?
No.
I'm-- no.
I just-- I didn't--
what did you say?
Wh-- what?
I didn't say anything.
I thought you--
what did you say?
Oh, I thought I heard
you say something.
- What? You didn't say anything?
- N-- no.
What did--
what did you think I said?
I don't know.
I don't know what you said.
Oh boy.
Uh, right.
Maybe we should take a break.
Yeah. You know, I'm--
I don't know.
I'm a little tired.
And, uh, look,
you guys, I--
I know we just got here,
but I-I-I-- I think I'm--
just need to call it a night.
But please
just, uh, continue
working without me.
I-- I just--
Do you need something?
No no no, I'm-- I just--
I just need to get home.
Just continue doing
what you're doing.
Uh, yeah. Huh.
I am-- I'm really confused
about the-- this--
You know, you and Raymond
figure it out.
Maybe you can direct for a while, Anita.
Fuck you.
Do you think
she's gonna be all right?
I don't know.
What do you think?
You know her best.
Listen.
I know you're friends
with Tyrone, but...
have you noticed
the way he is with Martine?
Noticed what?
- What, Raymond?
- Yeah, I just--
I can't figure him out.
Well, he's strange.
So what?
So nothing, I guess.
Hi, I'm Detective Roberts.
This is Detective Abrams.
Are you the Martine Jamison
that was interviewed yesterday
- by Elizabeth Holladay?
- Yeah.
The next morning I woke up alone.
- Can we come in?
- Yeah, sure.
Elizabeth Holladay was struck
by a car yesterday
just after you two spoke.
Oh my God.
Um, how is she?
She's not doing that well.
She's in a coma at St. Vincent's.
She's in critical condition.
Oh. My God.
I-- I didn't know her that well.
- She was just--
- If it's okay,
I'd like to ask you just
a couple of questions.
- Um, It was a hit and run...
- Oh.
...so we're trying
to see if we can't make
some progress toward
identifying the driver.
It's just a few questions.
- Sure.
- Umm...
she had a tape player
running in her purse
when she was hit.
We hear some voices in it
and I just--
I wonder
if you can recognize this voice.
I'll call you and we can--
Sorry.
That's me.
She answered a cellphone call
just before the accident.
Hello? Oh, hi.
No, she just left.
She said she wasn't feeling well.
She mentioned you--
about the new piece.
Yeah, and...
Oh God.
Oh my God.
She mentioned you-- about the new piece.
Yeah, and the theater.
That voice, the man--
- you recognize it?
- No. Who is it?
It may have been the voice
of someone in the car.
We don't know.
I have no-- I-I-- I don't know.
I'm sorry. I--
All right.
If you can think of anything--
- Thank you.
- Thank you for your time.
And then one day, you and I--
I think it was us--
had a talk in your apartment.
And you said that you liked
- that most people couldn't see you.
- That's weird.
- I think it was us.
- No, it's not.
Yeah, it is, actually, a little.
Hey, there's Raymond.
Is Martine with him?
No.
Hey, d-- don't.
I don't know what your problem
with him is. He's a good guy.
I'm sorry you think that.
No reason to be sorry, Tyrone.
I know him. He is.
No.
He's really not.
You don't know him.
What are you doing?
You think I'm a nice guy?
No.
- Yes.
- Why?
I didn't ask you if I could do this.
No.
I just did it.
Yes.
You okay?
Yeah.
'Cause you knew what
was happening to you.
Well, what if that was happening
to you and you didn't know?
I don't really know what you mean.
Are you sure that I can borrow these?
- I promise I'm a really good driver.
- Yeah.
I said you could take it.
You're wrong about Raymond.
Anyway,
uh, thanks for the, uh...
affection.
- Hello?
- Hello, Martine.
It's Elizabeth Holladay.
- Elizabeth?
- Yes.
Martine?
This is Martine.
This is Elizabeth Holladay, Martine.
Yes. Uh, are you okay?
- Where are you?
- I'm in my office.
Yes, I'm fine.
Is everything all right?
Um, yes, I-- I'm sorry.
Elizabeth, were you
in an accident yesterday?
No. No, I saw you yesterday.
Are you all right?
No, every-- everything's fine.
I just need to, uh,
figure out a time to--
with my schedule,
um, so we can set up another time.
I-I-I-- I'm gonna go now, Elizabeth.
I've gotta hang up.
- Anita.
- Yes?
Nothing. Are you ready?
- No, I'm not going.
- Oh.
I'm staying here with Anita.
I hope you don't mind.
Oh. I didn't expect
to find you here.
But I am.
- Anita.
- Yes?
Nothing.
Are you ready?
- No, I'm not going.
- Oh.
I'm staying here with Anita.
I hope you don't mind.
Anita.
Anita.
You keep saying that.
Martine, I'm a little lost.
I'm sorry, guys.
It just-- I don't-- I don't--
I don't know what I'm doing.
- What the fuck?
- Well, you're not...
Is it supposed to be this cruel though?
I mean, that's what it feels like.
That's-- that's what you want?
What do you think, Anita?
I mean it depends
on what you think is cruel.
What do you think is cruel?
I'd be interested to know.
I-- I just asked you.
I asked you.
Raymond?
I didn't ask Raymond.
I asked you.
- Julie, do you understand?
- Martine, what are you doing?
Yeah.
Are you all right?
Yeah, let me just think.
He thinks that she's watching him
when she's asleep.
I know, but--
Maybe she's awake.
Maybe she's not sleeping at all.
Raymond?
Any thoughts, Raymond?
Raymond, any--
any thoughts on that?
Martine, I think you're being cruel.
Maybe I am.
I'm gonna take you home.
Well, I'm sorry.
Uh, I'm not feeling so well.
Raymond's gonna see me home.
Sorry.
You should have just told me.
Anita.
It's for you.
Just lay off for a second, okay?
She doesn't wanna talk.
Yeah, she's confused.
Yeah, she just fucked up rehearsal.
One night
I saw a woman under a tree--
a whispering ash.
She was alone
but her skirt was raised.
I could see that
she had been touched
as I had been.
I feel like there's something
you want to say to me, Martine.
What?
I don't know.
If there's something
you wanna say, say it.
I-- I think-- I think
we should talk later.
Forgive me, Anita.
Martine?
Martine?
Martine.
This is probably a mistake.
Well, you show things to Raymond
before they're finished, right?
Well...
Can I get you something?
No, I'm-I'm-- I'm good.
Maybe I'll just read this first part.
If you want.
"She lay on the bed in the quiet room.
Then something happened.
She could hear footsteps
in the hallway
coming closer.
The door didn't open,
but now the steps were in the room.
They stopped
and she could hear breathing.
And now she could see.
In the mirror in the corner behind her
at the edge of the bed,
a man watching her,
his shadow touching her skin.
She closed her eyes
and she could feel nothing
but the shadow of the man
touching her."
Who is this man?
What are you scared of?
I didn't say I was scared of anything.
Maybe you like
his shadow touching you.
I don't know what I like.
Hello.
Oh hi, Raymond.
Yeah, hold on one second.
Hello? Hi.
Um, okay.
Yeah, we're just finishing up.
Yeah, I'll see you in a few minutes.
So...
Tyrone called after you left.
He's worried about you.
He said that?
I don't trust him, not at all.
But yeah, that's what he said.
Um, I'm sorry that, you know,
this has been so scattered
and all the changes.
Is that what you think?
No.
- What's this?
- It's for later.
Okay.
Um, Raymond told me
that you were having some problems
with-- with the work.
Well, I don't know
why he would say that.
- Julie.
- Mmm?
- You ready?
- Yeah, I guess.
- Okay.
- Uh...
All right.
Hello? Oh, hi.
No, she just left.
She said she wasn't feeling well.
She mentioned you--
about the new piece.
Yeah, and...
Hey, leave her alone.
- No no no!
- Oh my God!
Just stop it! No no, don't!
Can I just sit down?
Hello.
You want help?
No. Um...
this is nice.
Please just stay with me.
You're-- you're so pretty.
You're so pretty.
Let's just stay here.
- Let's just be alone.
- No, lady. Please.
Let's-- no no no no no no.
It's okay. It's okay.
- Please.
- No.
Who are you?
- Please, lady. Please, lady.
- Who are you?!
- Don't scream.
- What did you do?!
What did you do to me?!
Oh my God!
What's going on?
Oh my God!
What did you do to me?! Oh my God!
- Just stay back.
- What did you do to me?!
What did you do to me?!
Oh no!
Oh no, no no no no!
- Oh no!
- What's going on here?
- No no no no.
- What did you do?
- Ma'am, you just need to stay back.
- No!
- Did he touch you? Are you okay?
- No no no.
- No no no!
- Try to calm down.
She won't tell me what's going on.
- No no!
- What's going--
- just-- just step back, ma'am.
- Let's go. No.
Her parents died
when she was really young.
They died in a car crash.
She's kind of secretive
in a way, I guess.
I don't know. I--
What happened to her?
"Write a letter to the dead.
Write it for the dead to read.
Oh the dead have swum too far.
They have swum beyond the sea.
Take the letter in your hand
Make a fold, and make a fold.
Make it into a little boat
And place a candle in the hold.
Let the paper boat float on
Where the river meets the sea.
That is where my heart belongs.
That is where I long to be.
Every candle is a star.
Every boat floats out to sea--
Which I think is not too far
And that is where I long to be.
And that is where I long to be."
One day
I noticed that
something was staring at me.
What was?
Is it possible
you just imagined--
Anything's possible.
Martine, do you think people
are out to get you?
I suppose I used to,
but, um...
I'm writing a story.
I wonder if you wanna hear it.
"Once there was this girl,
and she was very beautiful.
Not unlike you.
And one day
she woke up
and she realized
she had made a dreadful mistake."
That's it.
That's my story.
I wonder if you liked it.
Uh, no no, I, uh--
I didn't like it very much.
Well, I'm sorry
you didn't like my story.
Maybe I'll work on it
a little more.
Goodbye, Martine.
Thank you for the flowers.
They're beautiful.
I love you.
Be careful.
We're pretty sure she was exposed,
though I can't really say how,
to a catalyzed form of a leaf
of a tree found in Colombia.
It's called scopolamine.
The criminals use it
to break down the will
or the rational thoughts
of their victims.
They blow the powder
into their victim's face
like this, and the victim--
it's odorless, it's colorless.
How strange.
And while it's used medicinally
in very minute amounts
for a variety of conditions,
when it's combined with morphine,
it produces a state
called "twilight sleep."
It's also known
as a kind of truth serum.
It crosses the blood-brain barrier
and affects the central nervous system.
It's my guess that Martine's exposure
was at very small levels
but over a prolonged period.
"How" doesn't really matter, I suppose.
Unfortunately, the effect
of long-term exposure was--
well, there are obvious
neurological problems...
I worked more on my story,
the one that you read to me.
Here it is.
"I had begun walking
when it was still dark.
Now at midday,
when I was alone,
I sat under a tree--
a whispering ash.
And I felt a hand on my thigh.
A man was there, lying next to me,
touching my leg inside,
high above my knee under my skirt.
His hand moved higher, slowly.
I couldn't look at him,
but I felt his eyes on me.
And so I slept.
As I slept,
I dreamt that I wrote you this letter
and I put it in the sea."
Have a seat.
"And I heard now for the first time
the silver breath of wind
in the ash tree
whispering above me
as I saw the shadows
of the slender leaves
tremble against the skin on my leg,
high up where the skirt was raised
above the knee.
The shadows of the leaves
felt sweet on my skin
and I watched their soft movements,
touching me.
I felt the shadows across my skin
and I watched.
Love, Martine."
But in the midst of a life
that I now barely remember,
in the midst of those now-forgotten
New York days and nights,
something happened.
I believe it's all true,
but it started with a dream.
There was a woman onstage...
and a piano...
and a man.
As happens in a dream,
I felt that someone was
looking at me.
I knew he was there,
but I couldn't see him.
Someone was looking at me, smiling.
And then I was looking
at a woman onstage.
I think she could hear footsteps.
I could hear her breath.
And then the dream ended, I think,
and I was in a rehearsal.
That was...
- yeah, it was really--
- It was good?
really-- no, it's--
I think that there's--
we can use it
somewhere in the piece.
Maybe...
- someone watching you do it...
- Watching.
...or something, you know?
It's so strange,
intense.
intense.
And then you came.
Tyrone? Hey.
I'm so glad you're here.
- I'm-- I'm Martine.
- Hi.
- Hi, good to meet you.
- It's really great...
And maybe that's where
the story really begins.
- Everyone, this is Tyrone.
- Hi.
- This is Raymond Carlisle...
- Welcome.
- Thanks.
-...Julie Abbott, Anita Ford.
- Hey.
- Tyrone Devlin.
- Hey.
- Hi.
- So... good, really.
- All right.
- I, uh-- I saw you in that--
- Oh, thank you.
--that film.
You know, that one--
that French thing about
the translator, the writer.
No. I don't think so, no.
Oh, I thought--
- really?
- Yeah, that wasn't me.
Well, are you--
you must be super tired.
We're just-- I don't do--
I don't usually do a read-through,
- so we're just gonna do little bits.
- Oh.
- Okay.
- Just hang out or--
- I'd rather not just watch but--
- Oh, okay.
You can't be serious--
you and him?
Of course I'm not serious.
- I'm teasing you.
- Oh.
And then we all had
our first rehearsal together.
Julie was there...
I can't believe that you chose him.
...and Raymond was there.
I can't believe you chose him.
- "Believe that you want him."
- It's...
"Belie-- believe that you--"
I can't believe that you want him.
Well, but I do.
Of course I'm not serious.
I'm teasing you.
Oh. Okay.
So...
Of course I'm not serious.
I was teasing you.
Oh. Okay.
Tyrone enters.
Knock knock.
We were just speaking of you.
Nothing seemed particularly unusual
- in that first rehearsal.
- Well, I'm flattered.
- What did you say?
- She was teasing me.
- That's not very nice.
- Yeah, I know.
She said she was
gonna go away with you.
Did she really?
Yes. Yes, I did. I told him that.
Imagine my surprise.
Imagine.
Well, I imagine it surprised you.
Sorry, maybe get up on
"She said she was
going away with you."
You want to kind of test him,
linger, see if they're
hiding something.
See if he reacts.
So you wanna make it stronger,
challenge him.
Okay.
- She was teasing me.
- Well, that's not nice.
She said
she was gonna go away with you.
Oh, she did?
Never mind that.
No, just stay seated. Sorry.
Okay.
Okay.
You can't be serious--
you and him?
Of course I'm not serious.
- I'm teasing you.
- Oh.
On that first night, of course,
we didn't yet know who you were...
or what you would do to us.
Just teasing, of course.
Of course.
Or what you would do to me.
I'm sorry. So can--
what's...
I don't know.
What's going on between them?
What do you mean?
I don't know.
I just-- I don't get it.
I-- I don't-- it seems like
they're not saying anything.
- Sorry. Never mind.
- No no, say.
I don't-- do they know--
do they have any idea,
- like, what's going on? Do--
- I don't, um--
hmm. What do you--
- what are-- what are your thoughts?
- I think--
- Yeah.
- It's not me. I don't--
I mean, I just--
I don't-- I just don't
really like 'em, I guess.
Oh. Okay.
Let me--
I don't know.
Anita was there too.
There's passion. It's just,
you know,
- not for their spouses.
- Mm-hmm.
Say you're looking at someone
but you're thinking of someone else--
or maybe you're
just thinking of yourself,
or just nothing.
Actually, I think
that's the most common
or the most pleasant thing to think--
just think nothing,
if that's possible.
I think it is.
You know.
Look, there's--
there's something furtive that--
that gives you a thrill
and the play is about that thrill.
- What does furtive mean?
- Hidden.
- Secrets. You all have secrets.
- Yeah.
Um, I'll be right back.
I don't know why, but I've never
been able to do hidden very well.
I guess I'm just not
very good at secrets.
Sure you are.
You don't know her.
Mmm, that's right, I don't,
but I think she's good at secrets.
I don't get it.
Why would you say that?
You know why I would say that.
Mmm, do I-- no.
No, I really--
I really don't.
- I don't get it.
- You don't?
- Hm-mmm.
- I think you do. I think you both do.
S-- sorry, I don't.
Excuse me.
- That was really weird, right?
- Oh my God.
- That's not funny.
- No, I'm sorry.
- It's not funny.
- Was that me? That was weird.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- You okay?
- Yeah, sure. Why?
It's nice to finally meet you.
You too.
- Yeah, I'll see you in a minute.
- See you.
You missed--
- you missed a strange thing.
- What?
- Tell me.
- Tyrone was just--
I don't know.
I think he was just playing around.
Doing something. I don't--
Hmm?
It's nothing. He was just--
I guess he was kidding.
I don't know.
It was-- it was weird. It's fine.
- It's fine.
- He's coming back.
Okay.
- Whoo!
- Hey, everything okay?
Yeah, fine.
I didn't mean to upset you.
Did I?
- Did I upset you, Anita?
- It's-- I don't--
I just really don't know
what you were saying.
- Um...
- What happened?
- I--
- I missed it.
I was teasing Anita and...
I think I was--
I was misunderstood.
I-- I just--
I'm clumsy sometimes.
- I-- I don't mean to be.
- I don't know.
Sometimes it takes me
a little while to get
the gears going and everything.
You all seem like very nice people,
I think.
Gee, thanks.
Yeah.
Well, I'm certainly
glad that
you all are doing this piece.
I have a really good feeling about it
and I just wanted to say cheers
- to all of you.
- Cheers.
Ah. So, Martine,
what did you think
of what you saw today?
What did you think?
well, I was curious why you chose
to focus on these people,
because they don't--
they don't seem very much like you.
You don't know her.
Oh, I- I--
That's true, Anita.
I don't.
That's very--
that's very true.
Well, I-- I think they're interesting.
- Mm-hmm.
- Do you think they're interesting?
Hmm.
Uh, yes, I-- probably, yeah.
They probably are.
I don't get your point, Tyrone.
What-what-- what's your point?
You know what it is?
I'm just tired.
I-- I--
I'm gonna excuse myself.
Really?
Yeah.
- I'll see y'all later.
- See you tomorrow.
He's a load of laughs.
I like him.
It's probably hard for him.
We all know each other,
he's just coming in.
- Yeah.
- I'm sure he's intimidated by me.
I'm sure he was.
I dreamt that I was under a tree.
Oh, Tyrone. Hi.
Where are you going?
I was up all night,
but I think I was dreaming,
so I must've slept some.
Um, you like Julie?
Yeah, I like Julie too.
Now try it just--
just speaking the melody,
- not-- not singing it.
- Not singing?
- Great.
- You sure?
Oh yeah.
Okay. Ahem.
I didn't know you.
You didn't know me.
- But now I can see you.
- You see what I see.
- Now you're inside me...
- And I'm inside you...
-...and I'm inside you.
-...and you're inside me.
- I sit here with her...
- I sit here with him.
...and I'm thinking of you
and you're thinking of me.
And when we're together,
we know they're alone.
- Not really alone.
- They're not really alone.
- We know they're together...
- Like the earth and a stone.
-...like a dog and a bone.
- But I don't care.
And I care less, 'cause
my hand's in yours.
And it's touching my dress.
Take me home, please.
You've got me all emotional.
Take me home, please.
You've got me all emotional.
Please don't take my piano player.
Well, for the record,
- he's my piano player.
- Well, for the record,
- he's my piano player.
- I like to think
I'm everybody's piano player.
- We know they're together...
- Like the earth and a stone.
-...like a dog and a bone.
- But I don't care.
And I care less,
'cause my hand's in yours.
And it's touching my dress.
Watching Anita onstage,
I noticed something about her.
I mentioned this to Raymond.
I wouldn't say Anita's secretive.
Anita is secret.
Very much so.
- Like you.
- No.
No, I don't-- I don't think so.
Hmm.
Tyrone, though.
He-- he has this--
he has that thing too.
And you're right as usual, you know,
and there is something about Anita
that reminds me of-- of me.
But I like it. I mean, there's nothing
wrong with having a secret.
I hope I'm all right--
I mean for this.
No, you're always fine.
But Tyrone, though...
- You know, I have to say--
- No, I mean there's just something--
he has this really sweet voice
and he's just very protective of me.
And then I heard birds.
And the piano again.
I thought I heard someone say
"What's she doing that's so strange?"
It might've been Anita's voice.
I was in a field
under a tree.
I could see a man and a woman.
I dreamt that I was writing a story
about a man who followed me
and watched me,
even when I was sleeping.
I put his hands on my breasts,
and our lips touched.
He is touching my thigh
under my skirt.
Higher.
He's staring at me.
- Martine.
- I can hear him.
Martine.
- Huh?
- I can hear his footsteps.
- Hey.
- Hi.
You were mumbling.
- Oh. Really?
- Yeah, you were dreaming.
I was dreaming
that I was writing a story.
We should go.
- The new pages?
- Mm-hmm.
I was being followed.
Followed when?
In the dream, in the story.
I put his hand on my breast
and our lips touched.
It was just a dream.
Something was happening to me.
Oh God.
New pages.
- Oh, thank you.
- Julie.
Thanks.
- Raymond.
- Hmm?
I-- I know it's a whisper,
but I'm gonna need to hear it.
I'm sorry.
It's just tricky.
So can you take it from that line again?
Um, what do you mean?
She's acting more and more strange.
I think she must know
and she doesn't know what to do.
So she's, you know--
what is she doing that's so strange?
- Again.
- What again?
That line-- read it again.
I think she must know
and she doesn't know what to do,
so she's, you know--
what is she doing that's so strange?
And then I saw Anita watching me.
What is she doing that's so strange?
She's watching me,
- all the time.
- Raymond.
She's watching me, all the time.
- Stand closer.
- Like-- you--
- Clo-- closer than this?
- Yeah.
Please, closer.
She's--
she's watching me, all the time.
Like when I'm just reading, or even...
I don't remember that scene
in the play ending.
Everyone was just quiet.
That night,
Raymond was out late.
I had a headache for two days,
so I looked for some aspirin.
I couldn't find any.
The next morning,
I went to meet a journalist I knew.
- Martine.
- Oh. Hi, Elizabeth.
You looked like
you were somewhere else.
Yeah.
- How are you?
- I'm-- I'm pretty good.
It's good to see you.
God, how long has it been?
- What, like--
- Well, let me see.
I-- the last piece I did on you was
January-- two years ago.
As she spoke,
it occurred to me that
I had no idea who she was.
I had recognized her name
when she called,
but I couldn't remember
ever seeing her before.
Like last time,
I'm just gonna record it.
- That's okay?
- That-- that's fine.
Okay.
Interview with Martine Jamison,
May 11th.
She wanted to know about the new play.
So it's-- it's a workshop, so-- so--
so things-- things change.
Everything is still trying to change.
It wouldn't surprise me if...
Um, same group that I--
same group that
I've worked with before,
plus Tyrone Devlin has joined us.
- I don't know him.
- Oh, he works a lot, I think.
He's-- he's really very good.
Um, very good.
Why would I poison her?
You tell me.
You're deluded.
There's, um,
a festival in Japan that...
There's, um,
a festival in Japan that...
really interests me.
Some people write letters to the dead.
And when you write a letter
to someone who has died--
And when you write
a letter to someone who has died--
in Japan, they put it
in this little wooden boat
and it drifts off.
So has the person
who's written the letter
spoken to the dead?
- I think maybe, you know--
- I mean, I'd say yes.
I mean, I'd say yes.
Their-- their minds,
through the letters,
en-- enter...
um, a world that's not living.
But the mind is alive if
and only if their writing is sincere.
And in this way--
and in this way,
that world-- the dead world--
is brought into life and it--
and so-- so it lives. Um...
I'm thinking of a new element.
- For the play?
- Yeah, for the play.
Do you know what
copper supplements are used for?
No, I don't.
Well,
copper is a--
it's present in the body.
It's an element.
You actually need it
for your body to function,
so people take copper supplements.
But if you take too much,
it-- it can--
If you take too much,
it can lead to schizophrenia.
I didn't know that.
Yeah, it's clinically been known
to lead to schizophrenia.
Yeah. Well, it's--
it's kind of a--
a specialized kind--
kind of knowledge.
I'm changing the names
of the characters in the play
to be the names of the actors--
the actual actors playing them.
I didn't want her to look at me anymore.
You know what? I, uh--
I have this headache.
Do you think
we could finish this later?
Tomo-- maybe tomorrow even?
Of course.
Can I get you anything?
No no.
That's very kind.
I'm just, uh-- I--
I'll call you and we can
figure out a time.
Thank you for understanding.
I'm sorry about this.
Um, bye.
As you know,
I continued to write the play.
You've all been, uh,
really patient with the new pages.
So thank you.
It's very helpful to me.
Wow. What happened?
- All the songs are out?
- Yeah.
And your characters have new names.
I'm sort of losing my bearings here.
It's like an entirely different play.
Yeah, well,
that's the idea of a workshop--
things change.
I know that's the idea, Tyrone.
- Good.
- I mean, we're just simply--
just gonna see what happens.
You know, see where it goes.
Yeah, that sounds good to me.
Yeah, so...
see where-- where it takes us.
- Great. That's-- that's fine.
- Okay.
Thanks, guys.
You're deluded.
Or maybe you're not.
Maybe you're using
this accusation to mask
some sickness of your own.
It's pathetic.
That happens, you know.
Why would I poison her?
I don't know, Raymond. Why?
Go to hell.
Uh, can you take
that again, Raymond?
- It happens, you know.
- No, from "You're deluded."
And you know
that he knows that you're lying.
Oh, I wasn't so sure that I was lying.
You are, and he knows you are.
So--
I don't know, that's--
that's kinda going
a long way from a flirtation.
Now I'm poisoning my wife?
I mean-- I--
I don't mean to be rude.
I just-- I just don't know,
but I think it's interesting.
All right.
You're deluded.
Or maybe you're not.
Maybe you're using this accusation
to mask some sickness of your own.
- I'm don't-- I don't get this.
- It's pathetic.
Go to hell.
No, Raymond, you go to hell.
Okay.
Yeah, let's take--
take five minutes.
Raymond, can I talk
to you for a sec?
Why are you taking so much copper?
What do you mean?
You have about 20 bottles
of copper in your gym bag.
I don't have any... copper.
You know-- you know that.
Why are you saying that?
Raymond, I-- I saw it.
It's in your gym bag.
I saw it.
Sweetheart,
I don't have any copper. I...
I just don't get it.
I just want you to tell me the truth.
- That's all.
- Just in case you're wondering,
I don't mind if you
go through my stuff.
Just in case you're wondering.
Like a curtain had been pulled back,
I could suddenly see what was
really happening on the stage.
I don't like being so close
to you and having to pretend.
I know.
She's listening to us right now.
I can feel it.
I know you could see it too.
You're using this accusation
to mask some perversion
of your own.
It's pathetic.
It happens you know.
It's not very original,
- if that's what you're doing.
- It's not what I'm doing.
I didn't expect to find you here.
I think everybody could see it.
Hello.
I came early.
Is that all right?
- Who didn't you expect?
- Me.
We were just picking
a suitcase for you to take.
Mmm. Is everything okay?
Sure, why not?
Uh, oh, in case you're wondering,
no, I don't--
I don't mind, yeah,
if you go through my things.
It's fine. Just in case
you were wondering.
- So, ready to go?
- No, I can't go today.
- My-- my wrist--
- It's still hurting?
- A little bit.
- Yeah.
Maybe you should take
something for it.
No, I don't like to.
- Oh.
- I'll just rest it awhile longer,
- just to be sure.
- Good.
All right, well,
maybe I'll just go by myself.
Are you, uh,
two gonna be okay here together?
Are you sure?
Yeah, I'm-- I'm sure, I'm sure.
Uh, could I just,
um, uh--
Martine, do you think
Raymond should stand over by me?
Just so we can, you know,
like, face Tyrone together
- or-- because--
- Sure. Why not?
I'll just get my things.
I'll just get
my things.
- Should I drive him?
- Hey, Anita.
Raymond wants you closer to him.
I thought I-- that's okay.
Okay.
And Tyrone comes back in.
Okay then.
You know,
I think I'm gonna take off.
Hey, don't leave on my account.
He's not.
I should get home anyway.
- My wife's expecting me.
- Yeah well,
maybe you should take
something for that wrist.
Bye.
Oh, Julie, hi.
No, all by myself.
Just woke up from a nap.
Nope, just me.
Okay, bye.
All right.
Good.
Um, Tyrone.
It's good,
like, you're aware
of what they're doing.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
It's like you know
what they're doing behind your back.
Whatever that is.
Uh-huh.
But you don't confront them,
'cause you don't need to.
Yeah, I'm-I'm--
I'm taunting them.
- Right.
- I feel taunted.
Interesting.
- Why?
- That you feel taunted.
- Why is that interesting, Martine?
- I think it's interesting.
That you feel taunted,
that you would choose that word.
Why is that interesting?
I don't-- I mean I--
- Just that--
- I didn't choose that word.
Tyrone chose that word.
Yeah. Yeah, I guess--
I guess he did.
Sorry, did you say
something, Raymond?
No.
I'm-- no.
I just-- I didn't--
what did you say?
Wh-- what?
I didn't say anything.
I thought you--
what did you say?
Oh, I thought I heard
you say something.
- What? You didn't say anything?
- N-- no.
What did--
what did you think I said?
I don't know.
I don't know what you said.
Oh boy.
Uh, right.
Maybe we should take a break.
Yeah. You know, I'm--
I don't know.
I'm a little tired.
And, uh, look,
you guys, I--
I know we just got here,
but I-I-I-- I think I'm--
just need to call it a night.
But please
just, uh, continue
working without me.
I-- I just--
Do you need something?
No no no, I'm-- I just--
I just need to get home.
Just continue doing
what you're doing.
Uh, yeah. Huh.
I am-- I'm really confused
about the-- this--
You know, you and Raymond
figure it out.
Maybe you can direct for a while, Anita.
Fuck you.
Do you think
she's gonna be all right?
I don't know.
What do you think?
You know her best.
Listen.
I know you're friends
with Tyrone, but...
have you noticed
the way he is with Martine?
Noticed what?
- What, Raymond?
- Yeah, I just--
I can't figure him out.
Well, he's strange.
So what?
So nothing, I guess.
Hi, I'm Detective Roberts.
This is Detective Abrams.
Are you the Martine Jamison
that was interviewed yesterday
- by Elizabeth Holladay?
- Yeah.
The next morning I woke up alone.
- Can we come in?
- Yeah, sure.
Elizabeth Holladay was struck
by a car yesterday
just after you two spoke.
Oh my God.
Um, how is she?
She's not doing that well.
She's in a coma at St. Vincent's.
She's in critical condition.
Oh. My God.
I-- I didn't know her that well.
- She was just--
- If it's okay,
I'd like to ask you just
a couple of questions.
- Um, It was a hit and run...
- Oh.
...so we're trying
to see if we can't make
some progress toward
identifying the driver.
It's just a few questions.
- Sure.
- Umm...
she had a tape player
running in her purse
when she was hit.
We hear some voices in it
and I just--
I wonder
if you can recognize this voice.
I'll call you and we can--
Sorry.
That's me.
She answered a cellphone call
just before the accident.
Hello? Oh, hi.
No, she just left.
She said she wasn't feeling well.
She mentioned you--
about the new piece.
Yeah, and...
Oh God.
Oh my God.
She mentioned you-- about the new piece.
Yeah, and the theater.
That voice, the man--
- you recognize it?
- No. Who is it?
It may have been the voice
of someone in the car.
We don't know.
I have no-- I-I-- I don't know.
I'm sorry. I--
All right.
If you can think of anything--
- Thank you.
- Thank you for your time.
And then one day, you and I--
I think it was us--
had a talk in your apartment.
And you said that you liked
- that most people couldn't see you.
- That's weird.
- I think it was us.
- No, it's not.
Yeah, it is, actually, a little.
Hey, there's Raymond.
Is Martine with him?
No.
Hey, d-- don't.
I don't know what your problem
with him is. He's a good guy.
I'm sorry you think that.
No reason to be sorry, Tyrone.
I know him. He is.
No.
He's really not.
You don't know him.
What are you doing?
You think I'm a nice guy?
No.
- Yes.
- Why?
I didn't ask you if I could do this.
No.
I just did it.
Yes.
You okay?
Yeah.
'Cause you knew what
was happening to you.
Well, what if that was happening
to you and you didn't know?
I don't really know what you mean.
Are you sure that I can borrow these?
- I promise I'm a really good driver.
- Yeah.
I said you could take it.
You're wrong about Raymond.
Anyway,
uh, thanks for the, uh...
affection.
- Hello?
- Hello, Martine.
It's Elizabeth Holladay.
- Elizabeth?
- Yes.
Martine?
This is Martine.
This is Elizabeth Holladay, Martine.
Yes. Uh, are you okay?
- Where are you?
- I'm in my office.
Yes, I'm fine.
Is everything all right?
Um, yes, I-- I'm sorry.
Elizabeth, were you
in an accident yesterday?
No. No, I saw you yesterday.
Are you all right?
No, every-- everything's fine.
I just need to, uh,
figure out a time to--
with my schedule,
um, so we can set up another time.
I-I-I-- I'm gonna go now, Elizabeth.
I've gotta hang up.
- Anita.
- Yes?
Nothing. Are you ready?
- No, I'm not going.
- Oh.
I'm staying here with Anita.
I hope you don't mind.
Oh. I didn't expect
to find you here.
But I am.
- Anita.
- Yes?
Nothing.
Are you ready?
- No, I'm not going.
- Oh.
I'm staying here with Anita.
I hope you don't mind.
Anita.
Anita.
You keep saying that.
Martine, I'm a little lost.
I'm sorry, guys.
It just-- I don't-- I don't--
I don't know what I'm doing.
- What the fuck?
- Well, you're not...
Is it supposed to be this cruel though?
I mean, that's what it feels like.
That's-- that's what you want?
What do you think, Anita?
I mean it depends
on what you think is cruel.
What do you think is cruel?
I'd be interested to know.
I-- I just asked you.
I asked you.
Raymond?
I didn't ask Raymond.
I asked you.
- Julie, do you understand?
- Martine, what are you doing?
Yeah.
Are you all right?
Yeah, let me just think.
He thinks that she's watching him
when she's asleep.
I know, but--
Maybe she's awake.
Maybe she's not sleeping at all.
Raymond?
Any thoughts, Raymond?
Raymond, any--
any thoughts on that?
Martine, I think you're being cruel.
Maybe I am.
I'm gonna take you home.
Well, I'm sorry.
Uh, I'm not feeling so well.
Raymond's gonna see me home.
Sorry.
You should have just told me.
Anita.
It's for you.
Just lay off for a second, okay?
She doesn't wanna talk.
Yeah, she's confused.
Yeah, she just fucked up rehearsal.
One night
I saw a woman under a tree--
a whispering ash.
She was alone
but her skirt was raised.
I could see that
she had been touched
as I had been.
I feel like there's something
you want to say to me, Martine.
What?
I don't know.
If there's something
you wanna say, say it.
I-- I think-- I think
we should talk later.
Forgive me, Anita.
Martine?
Martine?
Martine.
This is probably a mistake.
Well, you show things to Raymond
before they're finished, right?
Well...
Can I get you something?
No, I'm-I'm-- I'm good.
Maybe I'll just read this first part.
If you want.
"She lay on the bed in the quiet room.
Then something happened.
She could hear footsteps
in the hallway
coming closer.
The door didn't open,
but now the steps were in the room.
They stopped
and she could hear breathing.
And now she could see.
In the mirror in the corner behind her
at the edge of the bed,
a man watching her,
his shadow touching her skin.
She closed her eyes
and she could feel nothing
but the shadow of the man
touching her."
Who is this man?
What are you scared of?
I didn't say I was scared of anything.
Maybe you like
his shadow touching you.
I don't know what I like.
Hello.
Oh hi, Raymond.
Yeah, hold on one second.
Hello? Hi.
Um, okay.
Yeah, we're just finishing up.
Yeah, I'll see you in a few minutes.
So...
Tyrone called after you left.
He's worried about you.
He said that?
I don't trust him, not at all.
But yeah, that's what he said.
Um, I'm sorry that, you know,
this has been so scattered
and all the changes.
Is that what you think?
No.
- What's this?
- It's for later.
Okay.
Um, Raymond told me
that you were having some problems
with-- with the work.
Well, I don't know
why he would say that.
- Julie.
- Mmm?
- You ready?
- Yeah, I guess.
- Okay.
- Uh...
All right.
Hello? Oh, hi.
No, she just left.
She said she wasn't feeling well.
She mentioned you--
about the new piece.
Yeah, and...
Hey, leave her alone.
- No no no!
- Oh my God!
Just stop it! No no, don't!
Can I just sit down?
Hello.
You want help?
No. Um...
this is nice.
Please just stay with me.
You're-- you're so pretty.
You're so pretty.
Let's just stay here.
- Let's just be alone.
- No, lady. Please.
Let's-- no no no no no no.
It's okay. It's okay.
- Please.
- No.
Who are you?
- Please, lady. Please, lady.
- Who are you?!
- Don't scream.
- What did you do?!
What did you do to me?!
Oh my God!
What's going on?
Oh my God!
What did you do to me?! Oh my God!
- Just stay back.
- What did you do to me?!
What did you do to me?!
Oh no!
Oh no, no no no no!
- Oh no!
- What's going on here?
- No no no no.
- What did you do?
- Ma'am, you just need to stay back.
- No!
- Did he touch you? Are you okay?
- No no no.
- No no no!
- Try to calm down.
She won't tell me what's going on.
- No no!
- What's going--
- just-- just step back, ma'am.
- Let's go. No.
Her parents died
when she was really young.
They died in a car crash.
She's kind of secretive
in a way, I guess.
I don't know. I--
What happened to her?
"Write a letter to the dead.
Write it for the dead to read.
Oh the dead have swum too far.
They have swum beyond the sea.
Take the letter in your hand
Make a fold, and make a fold.
Make it into a little boat
And place a candle in the hold.
Let the paper boat float on
Where the river meets the sea.
That is where my heart belongs.
That is where I long to be.
Every candle is a star.
Every boat floats out to sea--
Which I think is not too far
And that is where I long to be.
And that is where I long to be."
One day
I noticed that
something was staring at me.
What was?
Is it possible
you just imagined--
Anything's possible.
Martine, do you think people
are out to get you?
I suppose I used to,
but, um...
I'm writing a story.
I wonder if you wanna hear it.
"Once there was this girl,
and she was very beautiful.
Not unlike you.
And one day
she woke up
and she realized
she had made a dreadful mistake."
That's it.
That's my story.
I wonder if you liked it.
Uh, no no, I, uh--
I didn't like it very much.
Well, I'm sorry
you didn't like my story.
Maybe I'll work on it
a little more.
Goodbye, Martine.
Thank you for the flowers.
They're beautiful.
I love you.
Be careful.
We're pretty sure she was exposed,
though I can't really say how,
to a catalyzed form of a leaf
of a tree found in Colombia.
It's called scopolamine.
The criminals use it
to break down the will
or the rational thoughts
of their victims.
They blow the powder
into their victim's face
like this, and the victim--
it's odorless, it's colorless.
How strange.
And while it's used medicinally
in very minute amounts
for a variety of conditions,
when it's combined with morphine,
it produces a state
called "twilight sleep."
It's also known
as a kind of truth serum.
It crosses the blood-brain barrier
and affects the central nervous system.
It's my guess that Martine's exposure
was at very small levels
but over a prolonged period.
"How" doesn't really matter, I suppose.
Unfortunately, the effect
of long-term exposure was--
well, there are obvious
neurological problems...
I worked more on my story,
the one that you read to me.
Here it is.
"I had begun walking
when it was still dark.
Now at midday,
when I was alone,
I sat under a tree--
a whispering ash.
And I felt a hand on my thigh.
A man was there, lying next to me,
touching my leg inside,
high above my knee under my skirt.
His hand moved higher, slowly.
I couldn't look at him,
but I felt his eyes on me.
And so I slept.
As I slept,
I dreamt that I wrote you this letter
and I put it in the sea."
Have a seat.
"And I heard now for the first time
the silver breath of wind
in the ash tree
whispering above me
as I saw the shadows
of the slender leaves
tremble against the skin on my leg,
high up where the skirt was raised
above the knee.
The shadows of the leaves
felt sweet on my skin
and I watched their soft movements,
touching me.
I felt the shadows across my skin
and I watched.
Love, Martine."