ACT FOUR
EXT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, FRONT DOORS
The steel-grey sky hovers over the school as Jenny McCallum emerges, flanked by her parents. She glances back to the building to see Ronnie watching anxiously from the doorway.
As Jenny and her parents head down the pavement, a handful of SNOWFLAKES start to flutter. Jenny sees one, follows it with her eyes, and flashes a small smile as she catches it.
The McCallums reach the street and pile into a sedan, with Jenny in the backseat. Ronnie watches the car pulls away.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, TEACHER'S LOUNGE
Charlie Bixby stands by the coffee machine, pouring himself a fresh cup. Harvey enters, clearly looking for something.
CHARLIE
(without looking)
Someone left the pot empty. Heresy.
(turns to Harvey)
Whoa; you look like you're searching
for something, my friend.
HARVEY
I was looking for my coat. I was
hoping I'd left it in here; not so
eager to get back to my classroom.
Charlie quickly crosses to Harvey and hands him the coffee.
CHARLIE
You have to relax. Go home, catch
a nice long nap; maybe watch an old
copy of Daisy's Lesson on HBO with
all the really good parts cut out.
(laughs)
Just take some time to --
HARVEY
I'm living on borrowed time as it
is, Mr. Bixby.
CHARLIE
We're ALL living on borrowed time,
Harvey. It's the only guarantee
we get with this gift called life:
sooner or later we have to return
it to whatever cosmic Nordstrom we
inhabit. All life's on lease.
HARVEY
(contemplative)
Maybe my lease is up.
(cynical)
Or maybe I'm just going crazy. Have
you thought about that?
CHARLIE
Maybe you ARE crazy.
(laughs)
I'm just kidding. Of COURSE you're
crazy. But have you ever stopped to
think that you might be losing your
mind for a reason?
HARVEY
Why, Charlie? What reason?
CHARLIE
(laughs)
What do I know, Harvey. I'm just
the Greek Chorus in this unfolding
Sophoclean production. I can't tell
you anything more about your mind
than what you already know.
HARVEY
You just say what I'm thinking?
CHARLIE
I wouldn't go THAT far.
HARVEY
But if I AM going crazy, then how do
I know that I'm not imagining you?
CHARLIE
(surprised)
That hurts my feelings.
(smiles)
Assuming, that is, that I exist.
HARVEY
What aren't you telling me?
CHARLIE
All I know...is that I know nothing.
But when I can't sleep at night, I
think of what Annabel Lee told Lenore
in that city in the sea: "all that we
see or seem is but a dream within a
dream." And everything feels right.
Charlie laughs and pats Harvey on the back.
CHARLIE
Don't worry if that doesn't make any
sense. It didn't when my high school
English teacher told it to me back in
eleventh grade, and he was hopped up
on more pills than Rush Limbaugh.
And with that, he leaves Harvey holding his coffee cup.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, GYMNASIUM
Rainy and Becky perch on a one-story scaffold, chipping off dried paint from the cinderblocks. They've clearly been at this a while; both sport paint-flakes in their hair. They are nearly done as they search the wall for more stains.
BECKY
That'll learn us to break the mold
of adolescent tedium.
RAINY
No. It really won't.
BECKY
(sighs)
Yeah; I know.
They both laugh. Rainy reaches to Becky's face and picks a paint-flake out of a swatch of hair that has fallen across the blonde's face. Becky doesn't flinch away; she looks at Rainy with a confused smile. After a second, Rainy reaches back to the swatch of hair and tucks it behind Becky's ear.
RAINY
(glances away)
You know you're really pretty, right?
I mean; it's not like you need me to
point it out, or --
BECKY
I like you too.
Rainy pauses for a moment, but doesn't look to Becky.
RAINY
I don't know if we're talking about
the same thing.
BECKY
I'm pretty sure we're talking about
the same thing.
Becky spots another paint-stain on the wall, chips it off.
RAINY
So what do we do now?
BECKY
Take this stuff back to Mr. Peldon.
RAINY
(laughs)
I mean you and me.
BECKY
Is there a you and me?
RAINY
Do you want there to be?
Becky thinks for a moment, during which Rainy looks like she wishes she could take it back. Then Becky smiles.
BECKY
Yeah; I think I do.
Rainy laughs, releasing all of her mounting nervousness, and Becky laughs with her. As they pack up the supplies, Becky looks out a window to see a swirling torrent of snow.
BECKY
It's snowing. Finally.
RAINY
What are you doing this weekend?
BECKY
(smiles)
Whatever you want.
Rainy smiles back as they climb down from the scaffold.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, CLASSROOM
Harvey stands in front of the first row of desks, watching the board, the full coffee cup still in his hand. After a moment, Jeremy enters, unsurprised to find the pictogram.
JEREMY
You weren't going to tell me?
HARVEY
Not if I could help it.
JEREMY
You're facing down the most notorious
serial killer in the history of this
species. Atropos: Cutter of Threads.
(looks to Harvey)
I don't know if I can protect you.
HARVEY
I don't know if you should.
Jeremy nods, conceding that Harvey has made a good point.
HARVEY
I tried to sell life insurance to the
other teachers once. Does that count
as irony?
JEREMY
(sad smile)
I think it might.
A splattering sound at the window catches Harvey's notice, and he looks to see the snow spraying against the glass. He watches it for a moment before turning back to Jeremy; for a second he looks like he might say something – "it's time" perhaps – but in the end he settles for a stoic nod before heading for the door. Jeremy calls him before he leaves.
JEREMY
Harvey...
(Harvey turns)
Your coat.
Harvey looks to the chair behind the desk: his coat hangs over the back. He smiles to Jeremy, crosses the room to retrieve the coat, and heads for the door into the hall.
EXT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, STREET
Harvey emerges from the building and heads down the walk.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE
Steven watches Harvey through the window. Scott stands by.
STEVEN
He's going.
Scott nearly answers, but nods with a sad smile instead.
EXT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, STREET
Harvey passes the sidewalk, steps out into the street, and crosses to the other side, where he comes face to face with HELEN. She stands in the snow, smiling softly at Harvey.
HELEN
Hello, Harvey.
INT. McCALLUM RESIDENCE, KITCHEN
Jenny wanders into the kitchen in sweats and bare feet. She opens the refrigerator, searches through it, comes out with a bunch of grapes. Through the window over the sink, she can see the snow coming down more heavily on the back deck.
Jenny looks out curiously for a moment, finishing off a few grapes from the bunch before setting it on the counter. She crosses to a sliding glass door, unlocks it, and slides it silently open; snow drifts softly in, melting on the tiles.
EXT. McCALLUM RESIDENCE, BACK DECK
Jenny steps through the door, heedless of the pristine snow under her bare feet. She takes her time crossing the deck to the rail, where she leans on the balustrade, looking out over the immaculate sheet of snow covering the backyard.
McCALLUM
I was right all along. All of this;
everything; it's an absurd dream.
She doesn't even need to look to know that DOMINICK AVERY is standing at the far end of the deck, his hands in his pockets, looking just as fit as the Proverbial fiddle.
AVERY
(smiles)
You just guessed wrong on WHOSE.
Jenny finally looks, sees Dominick; a tear breaks free and streaks down her cheek, clashing entirely with the broad smile that has taken her face. She crosses to Avery and the two wrap their arms around each other, kissing deeply.
EXT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, STREET
Harvey and Helen stand in the swirling snow.
HARVEY
It's been a long time, Helen.
HELEN
Funny thing about "time." Sometimes
a second can feel like forever; and
sometimes, forever can feel like a
second. It's flexible that way.
HARVEY
Six years didn't feel like a second.
HELEN
I didn't imagine it would. I hope
you can forgive me for that.
HARVEY
Forgive you? There's nothing to for-
give. You were the best part of my
life for the better part of my life.
I can have that again? I would wait
a hundred years if I had to; and it
would feel like a millennium, but it
would still be worth every second.
HELEN
I've caused you a lot of pain.
HARVEY
It only hurt as much as I cared. As
much as I remembered.
HELEN
Then you've earned a rest.
HARVEY
What do we do now?
HELEN
It's actually quite simple, dear; you
have a decision to make. You can come
with me, or you can go back in there.
Helen offers Harvey her hand. Harvey turns to look back at the building, and he clearly isn't sure what to do.
In one of the windows, he spots Jeremy, his arms folded.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, CLASSROOM
Jeremy watches Harvey out the window. After a few moments, he turns to the blackboard, looks to the cryptic pictogram.
His lips spread into a soft smile as he leaves the room.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, CLASSROOM
Henry Preston stands in front of Jenny's painting, looking intently at it. The rope, it appears, is no longer tied to the branch of the tree. A smile plays on Henry's mouth; and Ronnie is next to him, her head against his neck.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, GYMNASIUM
Becky sits on the top bleacher in the empty gym; Rainy lays on her back with her head in Becky's lap, with Becky's arm across her shoulders. They are both staring at the massive artistic undertaking, both wearing indelible smiles.
EXT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, STREET
Harvey looks at the building for another moment, then turns back to Helen. He is clearly terrified and resolute, and he reaches for her; he touches her hand, and the snow suddenly kicks up, swirling, blurring, brilliant, FLASHING TO WHITE.
FROM THAT BLINDING WHITENESS, a face swims into hazy focus. It speaks, but the words are liquid, barely recognizable.
STEVEN
Harvey; can you hear me?!
MEDIC (oc)
Get him moving, let's go!
FLASH TO WHITE. The face is clearer, but still indistinct.
STEVEN
Come on; it's Steven, I'm here!
MEDIC (oc)
How long's he been down?!
MARLA (oc)
Almost three minutes!
FLASH TO WHITE.
SMASH CUT:
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, HALLWAY
Harvey is on a gurney, wearing an oxygen mask. Steven is by his side, with LAUREN DAVIS trailing after him, and Marla close behind. LOUISA FENN keeps pace as Scott clears the hallway; ANTHONY WARD and CHERYL HOLT dive out of the way.
SCOTT
(into a cellphone)
Collapsed...
(beat)
Yes...
(beat)
Right now...
STEVEN
And no one saw what happened?
MARLA
Just went over...
STEVE
People don't just --
Harvey takes Steven's hand, and Steven leans near his face.
HARVEY
(muffled)
It's okay...
STEVEN
What? Harvey; stay with me!
HARVEY
Helen's...waiting...
Harvey smiles, satisfied; the last thing he'll ever do.
MEDIC
Heartrate's dropping; losing pressure...
The gurney is wheeled quickly down the hall. Lauren stops following as she catches up to HARRY SENATE; MILTON BUTTLE, KEVIN RILEY and Marilyn watch, stunned, near DANA POOLE.
FADE TO BLACK
END