FROM BEYOND

BROOKS'S RESIDENCE

DAY26

Nell comes in.

Sonia, perched on a small stepladder, cleans up the windows

of the living room.

NELL

Hey mom!

SONIA

Hey honey!... I'll be there in a

minute...

NELL

Yea, no hurry...

(MORE)

NELL (cont'd)

(Gazes around her )

Wow!... What did you do with the

place?...

SONIA

(Scrubbing the glass )

Haven't cleaned those in years... We

need some sunlight in here..

NELL

Yea, great idea... Hey, I'll put the

kettle on!

SONIA

Thanks, hon'!

'Keeps on scrubbing...

27 LIVING ROOM - LATER27

Nell and her mom sit around the coffee table, have a cup of

tea.

NELL

So... How have you been?

SONIA

Good, good... Better...

NELL

What 'you been up to lately?... Apart

from cleaning...

SONIA

Well. Not much... I was... I was

talking to him earlier...

(she pauses )

Danny...

NELL

Uh huh... And?

Sonia takes a sip of tea.

SONIA

It's him, Nell... It's him all

right... I can barely wrap my head

around it, but... It's really him...

NELL

OK... Good... Good...

SONIA

Have you talked to him yet?...

NELL

Me?... No... No, not yet...

SONIA

He said he was trying to call you,

you and your brother, but neither of

you were picking up...

NELL

He said that?!...

SONIA

Yea...

NELL

Well... I... I don't think I'm ready

for that yet... Sorry...

SONIA

I see...

NELL

I got several calls from him,

actually... When I see it's from a

private number, I know it's him... No

one else calls me from a private

number, so... I just... I ignore the

call...

SONIA

Why?...

NELL

I dunno, I'm... I'm not sure I can

handle that right now... It's... It's

too... Weird... I dunno...

SONIA

I see, honey, I see... Don't worry

about it... You'll come around when

you come around... No rush...

NELL

Uh-huh... So he's calling Mike

too?...

SONIA

Yup...

NELL

And Mike's not picking up either,

obviously?...

SONIA

Obviously... With his attitude about

this whole thing from the start,

there's no surprise there... He's not

gonna come around anytime soon,

honey; I just hope you do...

MIKE'S HOME

DAY28

Mike works on his computer; meanwhile his phone rings

repeatedly; it's from a "PRIVATE NUMBER"...

Mike ignores the call, keeps typing and scrolling through

web pages on his computer...

The phone stops ringing...

Mike carefully researches "Contract Lawyers"; he browses

through names and addresses...

The phone rings again!...

He peeks at the screen: this time it's from "LAURA PEYTON".

He takes it...

MIKE

Hey, Laura! What's up?...

POLICE STATION, LAURA'S DESK

DAY29

LAURA

Hey! I finally got you an appointment

with that lawyer I was telling you

about...

30 INTERCUT BETWEEN MIKE & LAURA30

MIKE

Uh-huh! The... Contracts expert?...

LAURA

Yea... I think he can probably

squeeze you in by the end of this

week... 'Said they'd call you from

his office to confirm the meeting.

MIKE

OK, great!

LAURA

He's a busy guy, but he knows me

and... Just be sure to tell him I

sent you, OK?... I'm not sure he's

gonna be able to help, but at least

he'll give it a try...

MIKE

Thanks a lot Laura, really!...

LAURA

Yea... And keep your phone on! I

tried to reach you a couple of times

before; you didn't pick up...

MIKE

Yea, that's because I thought...

Um... Do you know if he uses a

private number?

LAURA

Who?...

MIKE

The lawyer?...

LAURA

How on Earth would I know that?...

MIKE

Um... OK. Never mind. Thanks a lot

Laura, for everything!

LAURA

Yea, sure! See ya!

MIKE

See ya!

They hang up.

END INTERCUT

BROOKS'S RESIDENCE

DAY31

Sonia and Nell sit at the computer, stare at the screen

which displays...

Danny, with a warm smile!...

No one says anything at first...

NELL

Um... This... This is awkward...

SONIA

It doesn't have to be... You just

talk to your dad, sweetheart, as if

he were here, with us...

DANNY

It doesn't beat the real deal, I

know... 'Wish I could be back home

with you guys, but... It's the next

best thing, right?... 'Beats

vanishing into oblivion, doesn't

it?...

NELL

Of course...

DANNY

It's as if I were living abroad, and

we could only communicate through

video calls...

SONIA

A lot of families are in that

situation by the way, for real!...

DANNY

Yea... So, Nell, sweetie... How's

life treating you?... What's

happening in your life lately?...

NELL

A lot of things have happened

since... Um... Since we last

talked...

DANNY

OK, cool!... Well, tell us some of

them! Are you seeing someone?... Are

you happy in life?...

Nell seems disturbed...

NELL

Um... I... I think I'm gonna leave

now... Sorry... Um... I...

SONIA

Hey, Nell!... Come on!

NELL

No, I really gotta take care of

something... I forgot to... Sorry, I

really 'gotta go...

DANNY

No problem, sweetheart, go ahead...

It was nice talking to you anyway,

after all this time...

NELL

Yeah... Me too, um... Dad...

(to her mom )

'Wanna see me out?...

32 ENTRANCE - LATER32

Sonia walks her daughter to the door...

SONIA

Nell, are you OK sweetheart?...

NELL

Sorry... Look... I'm glad this is

working out for you, mom!... Really,

you look so much better, and happier.

And you deserve it! You really do!...

And I'm really, really happy for you!

But... Um... For me, I'm... I'm just

not ready, OK?...

SONIA

OK... No worries, hon'...

Nell gives her mom a hug, then leaves...

MIKE'S HOME

DAY33

A video call app rings on Mike's computer... It's from a

private number...

Mike ponders for a minute... (Is it the lawyer? Is it the

AI?)...

He finally decides to take it...

BAM! Danny's face appears on the screen!

MIKE

Jesus Christ!!

He grabs his mouse, tries to close down the window...

— ⑥

The Mirror Speaks

The Mirror Speaks