Message-Id: <9305191620.AA03019@hardrock> Sender: mav@hardrock-e1 Date: Wed, 19 May 1993 09:22:23 -0800 To: alt-ql-creative@cisco.com From: mav@isi.com Subject: And A Child Shall Lead Them - Act II, Part II ACT II, PART II It takes a moment before Al is finally able to focus. He smiles slightly. Of course, Sam would be there. His friend moves in closer. SAM How you feeling? OBSERVER (panting) ...Mack truck. SAM (sympathetic) I know. But just take it easy. Breathe deep. Al glares at him since he obviously can't breathe deep. Sam tries another approach, trying not to smile. SAM Think of Tina. OBSERVER Forget Tina. What are you doing here? How's Donna? SAM She's doing great. I really owe you one. OBSERVER Oh, more than one. (beat) So? SAM (smiling) So? OBSERVER A wise-guy, eh? SAM Nope. A beautiful nine-pound baby boy. OBSERVER Name? SAM Something totally inappropriate. John Albert Beckett. OBSERVER (touched but not willing to show it) Sentimental slop. SAM No, heartfelt slop. OBSERVER People only name their kids after dead relatives, y'know. SAM You are family to us, Al. Of course, you're not dead... OBSERVER (resolved) ...yet. SAM (punching the handlink) You're not going to die, Al. Verbena told me you took the vaccine. Sam walks around checking the monitor, being both doctor and comforting friend. SAM (continuing) And all the current vitals look bad, but reversible. Bet you're really going to impress them in the morning... OBSERVER (quietly) Don't leave me, Sam. SAM (startled, but instantly resolved) I won't. OBSERVER John Albert. Who does he look like? Sam smiles like a proud papa, eager to bend a friendly ear. SAM Me. Yep. Donna swears he has her nose, but... ERIC (o.s.) Who...who..are you? Both Al and Sam turn to the voice, startled. With glazed eyes and parched lips, Eric has turned to face them. His breathing is labored. SFX Sam moves through Al's bed, holographically, of course. SAM Can you hear me? ERIC Yes. Are you a ghost? SAM (to Al) I thought children over five couldn't see me. OBSERVER He must be dying. ERIC Dying? SAM (to Al) What? OBSERVER Remember Maggie in Vietnam? SAM (sober) Too well. OBSERVER She saw me at the end. ERIC Am I dying? SAM What have the doctors told you? ERIC That my parents wouldn't be back. That I would have to be brave to get better. Then I could see them again. OBSERVER (grimly) Bastards. ERIC I don't think I'm going to get better, though. SAM What's your name, son? ERIC Eric Cole. Sam punches info on the handlink. The transmitted answers are not good. SAM Eric Cole. Six years old. HIV positive. AIDS symptoms. ERIC What's HIV? SAM Eric, did you have an accident a couple of years ago? ERIC Fell off my bike. Hurt my leg real bad. The bone stuck out and everything. SAM Did the doctors give you some blood to replace the blood you lost? ERIC (nods) Uh-huh. SAM It wasn't anybody's fault, but the blood they gave you wasn't so good. It had a little bug in it that makes you get sick easier than other people. ERIC Am I going to die? SAM Everybody dies sometime, Eric. Would it be so bad if you did? It's nothing to be scared of. You'll go to a place where there's no pain. Where you can run and play and learn. It's called Heaven. ERIC I'd like that, but... (beat) It's scary. I've never died before. This is really tough for Sam. He tries to be positive. SAM Yeah, but you know about Disneyland, right? ERIC Of course. SAM Have you ever been there? ERIC No. SAM Would you be scared to go there? ERIC Heck, no. SAM So why be scared about going to Heaven? ERIC Oh. OBSERVER (low to Sam) How long does he have? SAM (checking) Maybe twelve hours. OBSERVER Past even what we could give him in the future. ERIC Talk to me? SAM Sure, Eric. Music comes up over the voices as we SLOW CLOSE UP - OBSERVER He listens to Sam and the boy chat, but his pain is expanding. He grips the bed covers. CUT TO: INT. PROJECT QUANTUM LEAP - NIGHT Gooshie, Tina and Verbena are at controls. GOOSHIE Something's not right. VERBENA What's Sam doing? Al's odds of surviving this leap are falling. TINA Is Al...? VERBENA Yes, and he shouldn't be. Unless... GOOSHIE We have to talk to Sam - now. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL BEDROOM - DAWN Warm flicks of light start to stream in through the curtains. Eric is enraptured with Sam's stories. Al seems to be listening, but close-up we see beads of perspiration on his forehead and his heart monitor becoming ever so slightly erratic. Suddenly, Sam's handlink begins squawking. ERIC What's that? SAM Ever read Dick Tracy? Remember the two-way wrist radio? Well, this is it's - uh, big brother. ERIC Neat-o. Sam bends to read the handlink screen. SAM No - can't be right. He gives it a whack, but the readings don't change. He turns quickly to Al. SAM (continuing) Al. Al. You awake? He bends down to peer into Al's eyes. They're vacant. SAM (shocked) Al? Al! (smashing the handlink) Gooshie, what's going on? INTERCUT AS NEEDED GOOSHIE (to Verbena) What should I tell him? VERBENA The truth. Sam is frantic. The past couple of hours are catching up with him - emotionally drained, and at his wits end. ERIC Sam, is Al all right? SAM (broken up) He's...he's in a coma. The handlink perks up again. Sam punches buttons. GOOSHIE Sam, it's time to come in. There's nothing more you can do for him today. SAM (adamant) No. I promised. I promised I'd stay with him. VERBENA You also made a promise to your family. There's an extended beat with Sam paused to look over the body of a small boy - the aura containing his friend. SAM Oh, Al. Resolved, he turns to Eric. SAM (torn) I'll be back soon, Eric. But I have to go now. ERIC I know. Like my parents. SAM I don't want to go, but my own little boy needs me right now. ERIC You have a little boy? SAM Yes. And I hope when he's your age, he has your courage. ERIC (with much effort, smiling) Thanks, Sam. I'm not scared now. Sam nods emotionally, then looks over at Al. SAM I'll get you through this, Al. I swear. He quickly ducks through the I.C. door. SLOW FADE off Al. END ACT II (ACT III & IV Tomorrow) -------------------------------------------------- Christina Mavroudis Integrated Systems, Inc.