Secret Art of Human Flight, The (2023)

[bunniefuu]

(SINGLE VIOLIN STRING)

(SINGLE VIOLIN STRING, REPEATS)

(PRIEST FAINTLY SPEAKING)

()

PRIEST:

But in our darkness,

we must honor Sarah's spirit

and remember to light

the way for each other

one candle, one room,

one day at a time. Amen.

CONGREGATION:

Amen.

()

(INDISTINCT CHATTER

IN BACKGROUND)

-Hi.

-Hi.

Thank you so much for coming.

MAN 1:

All you need is evidence

beyond a reasonable doubt.

I'm gonna explain...

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

(INDISTINCT CHATTERS)

WOMAN 1:

Stop watching me while I eat,

watch the video.

(CELL PHONE RINGS)

Oh. I've got it.

OLD WOMAN:

You're a saint, Gloria.

Oh, excuse me, Ben.

()

WOMAN 2:

She was always so talented.

MAN 2:

She really was.

-Are you filming me, stop.

-BEN: You're so cutie.

SARAH:

Please don't put this

on Facebook.

BEN:

I won't, just Instagram.

SARAH:

Stop, get me a coffee

BEN:

Okay, okay, okay.

(MECHANICAL ERASER BUZZES)

BEN:

Yeah, erase that, start over.

(SARAH LAUGHS) Stupid.

Hi, everyone, it's been a while

since the last update,

but Ben and I are so excited

to announce

that we are working on

a new children's book.

Think of it as a songbook

with pictures!

How many songs about flight

do we need

(CHUCKLES) Stop!

Today, we got our first

shipment of "The Storm."

SARAH:

"The Storm,"

we got our first shipment of

"The Storm!"

SARAH:

See, I told you guys

not to worry.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

Who was worried?

SARAH:

No one.

BEN:

Have you been making videos

without me?

So that's about it

for all of our updates.

Thank you so much for all

the continued support,

and keep your eyes peeled

for some exciting stuff.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER

IN BACKGROUND)

TOM:

Listen, Ben,

I know it's been a long day.

I know it's been a long week

for you,

okay, and I'm really sorry.

We're here for you.

I want you to be able

to stand up

on your own two feet.

Leave that to us.

(TOM'S VOICE FADES)

How many songs about flight

do we need

Ben!

Go outside.

(DOOR SLAMS)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

GLORIA:

Jesus, this is such bad timing.

...but, plane tickets

are nonrefundable.

Work already hired a temp,

and you know that Tom

and I need this.

I need this to work

between me and Tom.

Am I being a terrible sister?

I'm being terrible, aren't I?

(GLORIA SIGHS)

I love you, "Beej".

I'll be in touch

with the neighbors.

I don't want to hear you

didn't get any sunlight, okay?

()

Great.

Be safe, please?

()

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

(CAR ENGINE RUMBLES)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

Oh, you've gotta be--

THERAPIST:

First, let me assure you

that this is a safe place

for you to share what

you're thinking and feeling

without judgment.

But I do need to hear from you.

Tell me what you're feeling.

Bad.

You feel bad?

I feel...

bad.

THERAPIST:

That's good,

it's good that you feel bad.

I'm hungry.

Of course you're hungry,

you haven't eaten

for three days.

THERAPIST:

Gloria, find your patience.

GLORIA:

Sorry.

THERAPIST:

Let's start

with some mindfulness.

I want to do some deep

breathing with you, breathe in.

(GLORIA INHALES)

(DVD SPINNING UP)

Okay.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Hi, Sarah, it's me,

Ben, your husband.

Stupid.

So, yeah, again,

the point of this project is

that we record private video

for each other every day

so that when

the inevitable day comes

that one of us is alive

without the other,

we have lots of these

to remember each other by.

So, you know,

when you're a little old lady

and you're sad and alone,

you just put on one of these,

not that you're gonna

be sad and alone.

I'm sure you'd move on

with somebody taller.

And I know you're thinking

right now,

you're probably going,

"This is so dark,"

and yeah, it is dark,

but it's also,

I mean, it's kind

of romantic, right?

It is, trust me.

Sometimes I wake up

in the middle of the night

and I turn to look

at you, and...

just check your blanket

to make sure that it's...

...rising and falling, just...

just need to know

you're still breathing.

And, and then

I go back to sleep.

(BEN SIGHS)

I don't understand

what's happening

in the world anymore.

And there are nights...

a lot of nights...

after you go to sleep,

and I'll just stay awake

all night...

just reading and scrolling,

just horrible headline

after horrible headline,

and I just get so worried

about you out there.

I'm always so afraid.

Are you afraid?

()

And other times I feel so alone,

but then you come up to me

and you put your arms around me,

and I think...

this is all that matters.

Until the next video,

I love you.

Forever.

(DETECTIVE REYES SIGHS)

First of all,

I want to say thank you

for speaking with me.

I know this isn't easy,

and some of the questions

I ask may be difficult

to answer,

but I assure you

they're necessary.

Why don't we start

with your last conversation

before you left the house

on the night of the sixth?

We were talking about

a story we wrote.

She misinterpreted the message.

Did you often argue

about your work?

We didn't use to.

And that's why you left

the house that night?

BEN:

I left to buy dinner.

She was sick

and asked me to go.

DETECTIVE REYES:

Where did you go?

Shop Smart on Main Street.

Thank you, I'll make a note

to check the security footage.

What time was that?

Eightish.

I bought some mac

and cheese and came right home.

(ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC)

Couldn't have been gone

more than 30 minutes.

When I came back, I found her.

She wasn't breathing.

Asphyxiation is what

the coroner's report said,

I think, asphyxiation.

How would you describe

your marriage, Mr. Grady?

Fine, we were happy, I think.

Your neighbors said

you'd been arguing

for a few months.

Did they?

Mmhmm.

You and your wife

took out term life policies

on each other, yes?

BEN:

When we got married, yeah.

Any tensions around finances?

BEN:

No more than usual.

'Cause I have here

that your books

had seen declining sales

in the last three years

and that you'd fallen behind

on your mortgage payments.

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

It was your idea to selfpublish,

was it not?

Even though Sarah was offered

more stable opportunities

with several reputable

publishing houses.

I wanted her to have

creative freedom.

So you weren't jealous

of her success?

Are you aware that

if homicide is listed

on a death certificate,

payment is withheld

until any suspicion of

the beneficiary's involvement

with the insured's death

is cleared?

I don't care about the money.

You don't care about $750,000?

I don't care about

the sales or the house.

You don't think

I did this, do you?

Let me shut this down.

Ben would never.

Ever since we were small,

he's been so afraid

of breaking the law,

he won't even jaywalk.

You'll have to stay local

for a while.

I suggest you make yourself

as accessible as possible.

Can I still use you

as a main contact?

Yes, of course.

Anybody would be a...

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

FAYE: (ON VIDEO)

I know no one's ever

going to believe this.

I don't care,

I have to capture this

for the sake of humankind.

Look, look, at first I thought

he was trying to k*ll himself,

but this is his third

or fourth jump at least,

and he just, oh my God.

(expl*si*n RUMBLES)

FAYE: (ON VIDEO)

Tell me you saw that.

Oh my God, oh my God,

oh my God, he flew!

Oh my God, tell me you saw that,

did you see that?

I swear to God, I don't even

know what I just saw.

Remember to like

and subscribe, okay?

(SLOW HARP MUSIC)

()

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC CONTINUES)

(COMPUTER FAN SHUTS DOWN)

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

MEALWORM: (ON VIDEO)

Are you ready to leave

this world behind?

Are you tired of life

as you know it?

Welcome. Bienvenidos,

bienvenue,

benvenuto and youkoso.

I...

am Mealworm.

Congratulations,

you've taken the first step,

you brave, beautiful being.

What you're about to do,

what I've already done,

defies everything

we've been conditioned

to believe is possible,

but once upon a time,

the Earth was flat,

the sun orbited around us,

and CPR was done

with a tobacco enema.

Conventions exist to be defied.

What's your name?

Ben.

MEALWORM: (ON VIDEO)

This is a recording,

I can't hear you,

so I'm just gonna call you

Taylor, as it's unisex.

Taylor, I won't lie to you,

this process will not be easy.

It comes at great professional,

personal,

and existential sacrifice.

But the reward...

is too immense

to put into English.

The Inuit might call it

"guuti."

Guuti.

(ON VIDEO)

This journey is

a physical one,

so our first task

is to establish a baseline.

Do you exercise?

A little.

MEALWORM: (ON VIDEO)

I didn't think so.

I've included some,

let's just call them tests,

in the description

of this video.

While the flight handbook

is on its way,

I'd like you to take

some of those tests.

Can you do that for me, Taylor?

Of course you can.

Life begins again today.

(FAN SPINS BACK UP)

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

BEN:

"In just five chapters,

the secret can be yours

for $5,400? Huh?

Yeah, right.

(KEYS CLATTERS)

(ELECTRIC ERASER WHIRS)

(SARAH LAUGHING ON VIDEO)

Stupid.

Wait, you gotta turn

the camera around.

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

Oh, right, yep,

yep, yep, yep, yep.

Action.

"Action", okay.

Hi, everyone, it's been a

while since the last update,

Ben and I are excited

to announce that we are working

on a new children's book

called "Phoebe the Phobia."

We're working

with the Erickson Institute

on this children's book

about the most common fears

that plague us--

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

Cut.

What?

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

You said

"children's book" twice.

Okay.

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

It's just,

it sounded repetitive.

Action.

Hi, everyone,

it's been a minute

since the last update--

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

Oh, no, no, you can just pick up

right where you left off.

See, I was almost--

-BEN: (ON VIDEO) And...

-So don't think of it

- as a novel, per say...

-BEN:(ON VIDEO) Action.

Think of it as a songbook

with pictures, which

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

What?

We didn't talk about this

being a songbook with pictures.

Ben, no.

How many songs about flight

do we need

I'll bet there aren't enough

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

Um...

We talked about it.

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

That was for this?

I sang it, yes.

(BEN LAUGHS)

-Yes, that's...

-BEN:(ON VIDEO) Oh.

This is obviously, what did

you think I was talking about?

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

No, I just,

I thought you were joking, or.

You thought I was joking?

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

Uh.

()

TOM:

Ah, I see Ben's...uh...

what's he doing?

Whatever it is, he's been

doing it all morning.

TOM:

Well, that's good.

Movement is the best

cure for depression.

He's getting himself

out of a funk.

GLORIA:

I got here at 7:00 am.

He was already

drenched in sweat.

I haven't seen him take a drink

or a break once.

Oh, Ben, this whole thing's only

made you weirder, hasn't it?

(SHOWER STARTS)

GLORIA:

What are you up to, Ben?

(DOORBELL RINGS)

Thanks.

(KNOCKS)

GLORIA:

You got a package.

Just leave it anywhere, thanks.

GLORIA:

You all set for lunch?

Yeah.

Okay, 'cause you have to eat.

I know.

Okay.

See you at dinner?

Sounds good.

()

He spelled "foreign" wrong.

()

MEALWORM:

It may be easy to scoff

at the notions I espouse

in this manuscript,

but I assure you that

letting go is crucial in

your journey toward flight.

You can start by wholeheartedly

embracing a persona.

Think of the woman

who makes contact

with the earth

with her bare feet,

or the man breaking free

from socialized toxicity

with the flour in his hair.

If you must wash your clothing,

you will do it

by the strength of your hand

and the light of the sun.

BEN:

Okay!

MEALWORM:

Forget the obscene luxuries

of the West.

(GRUNTING)

(ROPE CREAKS)

MEALWORM:

You will no longer sleep

in a six-sided box.

(BEN GRUNTS)

(BEN GRUNTS)

(ROPE CREAKS)

(ROPE BREAKS)

MEALWORM:

Remember your persona,

the barefoot goddess...

or the man with the flour

in his hair.

You misspelled "flower,"

too, okay?

MEALWORM:

Your ceiling will be the stars.

Your floor

will be the mountains.

If you don't have access

to a mountain,

a roof will suffice.

The chair was invented

by the Egyptians

during the Dynastic Period

and has proven to be detrimental

to the life expectancy

of a human being.

We all make mistakes,

even the Egyptians.

()

MEALWORM:

Clear your space,

clear your mind.

Abandon this foreign home.

()

MEALWORM:

Forget the unnatural control

we have come

to possess over light.

Rise and fall with the sun.

Cover your floor with earth

or clean it thoroughly.

Half and half is not an option.

Live in the clouds and feel

the weightlessness of elevation.

If you don't have access

to clouds

(DOOR KNOCKS)

Tom, a little early

for dinner, no?

-What?

-What?

I'm not here for dinner.

Why's your sh*t all

over the lawn?

It's a purge.

What are you doing in there?

Purging.

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

Careful, I have wet paint

everywhere.

Oh, so, what, you don't

like chairs anymore?

BEN:

It's a Jewish tradition

to sit on the ground

when you're in mourning.

Hmm, I was unaware that

you guys were that religious.

Oh, you know, Jewish.

()

(TOM SIGHS)

Did you access the dark web

yesterday?

What?

Stop saying "What."

That's all anybody at

the station can talk about.

You're on Reyes's radar.

Hold up a second, is she

monitoring my internet activity?

Do you know how dangerous

it is to access the dark web?

It's really dangerous.

Come on.

-And ill*gal.

-ill*gal?

Yeah.

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC CONTINUES)

And I hear things,

some really gruesome sh*t

that'll keep you up at night.

Tom, (LAUGHS) I have no idea

what you're talking about, okay?

Am I in danger?

I don't know.

But I need you to keep yourself

out of harm's way,

not to cause more suspicion.

More suspicion?

Yeah, Reyes has it out for you.

I'm driving it from the police,

but pretty please,

don't do anything...

crazy.

You feel me?

I feel you.

Well, we're good then.

Unless you were to do

something dumb,

like buy something online

with a traceable credit card

from a private seller

and have it delivered here.

(BEN LAUGHS)

That, that would be dumb.

I mean, most of these products

are really just a front

for something else,

you know, like a...

$10,000 mop called Wetwork

is probably a hitman.

Or a $5,000 self help book

for people who want to leave

the world behind

Is probably someone trying to

help you k*ll yourself, exactly.

-I'll see you at dinner.

-Okay.

(BEN WHIMPERS)

(PHONE POPS)

(PHONE HISSES)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(LAPTOP CRUNCHES)

(TRASHCAN RATTLES)

()

Hey, hey!

(RV ENGINE REVS)

(BELL RINGS)

(DOGS BARKING)

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

()

So how's your exercising?

BEN:

Fine, I can jump seven feet.

Tom used to pole vault.

Yep, my record was 17 feet.

Thought about adding a pole

to the equation?

I haven't.

Well, you should.

GLORIA:

I'm gonna heat this up,

do you want me to heat yours up?

-TOM: Nope.

-GLORIA: Are you sure?

-TOM: Yep.

-GLORIA: Okay.

I'm just trying to finish

all of this.

GLORIA:

Copy that.

The only way out is through.

GLORIA:

I'll just...

Never mind.

Are you sure you don't want

to come stay at ours?

Thanks, guys,

I'm good here, really.

I was thinking about

doing some writing

in the morning anyway.

GLORIA:

That's great.

Let us know

if you need anything.

I will.

TOM:

All right,

well, see you, Ben.

Good night.

Good night, Geej.

GLORIA:

Good night, Beej.

Thanks for the pizza.

GLORIA:

Yeah.

(DOOR CREAKS)

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

(CRIES)

(SOBS, MUFFLED)

()

(BEN SIGHS)

Babe, why is all our stuff

on the lawn?

(GASPS)

()

Jesus!

(BEN TREMBLES)

MEALWORM:

Ben Grady?

I, I don't need help

committing suicide, I...

I have a g*n.

MEALWORM:

Okay, my hands are up,

don't sh**t.

()

BEN:

What do you want,

why are you here?

To guide you.

(DOOR CLICKS)

You don't have a g*n.

No.

You shouldn't say

you have a g*n

if you don't have a g*n

because if your opponent

has a g*n but you don't,

you've now introduced g*ns

into a scenario

you're entirely unprepared

for, a scenario that

in all likelihood could have

been resolved without g*ns.

May I come in?

Yeah.

(DOOR CLICKS)

BEN:

"Daily routine, spend one hour

in deep meditation,

one hour immersed in water,

exercise,

sleep no more than

three hours at a time,

spend one hour naked"?

What is this,

the book wasn't enough?

Think of the book as a recipe,

complete with ingredients.

These tasks are your pots

and pans, your oven

Yeah, I get it.

Couldn't you just exercise

naked to save time?

Oh, I don't see why not.

Very good.

Oh.

BEN:

Look, Mealworm,

I'm really sorry.

I actually don't want

to do this anymore.

I'm being watched by the police

pretty closely, and--

And yet, you finished painting,

and you hung...

BEN:

Clouds.

They're clouds.

I should probably

take these down.

Listen, I'm going through

a lot personally,

and I just don't think

this is the time

for whatever this is.

Okay.

Great, great.

(BEN LAUGHS)

That's, that's all of it?

Well, minus a few hundred

for gas and expenses.

I can send you an itemized

receipt if you like.

If you can't take this leap,

you won't take the big one.

Oh.

Oh, keep it,

I'll write another.

What?

(DOOR SLAMS IN BACKGROUND)

(RV ENGINE CHUGGING)

It's the best--

It's the best tune.

-Yes, look what we've got...

-What are you doing?

TOM:

Oh, dance.

-Hello.

-I don't...

TOM:

Dance!

You want me to, yeah.

SARAH:

No, no, no, Ben,

Ben doesn't dance.

Wait, so explain to me,

back in the day,

"remove" sounded the same

as "love"?

SARAH:

Yeah, well, "remove"

and "love", they rhymed.

GLORIA:

Wait, so in Shakespeare times,

"love" sounded like "looove"?

No.... (LAUGHS) No.

SARAH:

Yeah, remove sounded

like "reMUV", yeah.

Remove sounded like "reMUV".

Which is also weird.

GLORIA:

Yeah, what, what changed?

Yeah, culture, you know,

times, people,

you know, everything.

GLORIA:

You guys are smart.

Oh, you know.

No, I mean, we once

had these sonnets

that were regarded for being

perfect iambic pentameter,

with precise rhymes, they were

perfect couplets, you know?

And over time

they just no longer rhymed.

Once upon a time,

there was a...

there once...

was a.

(PEN CLATTERS)

(BEN SIGHS)

Hey, kids,

who wants to read the...

the misty potato?

Misty potato.

Nobody, nobody wants

to read "The Misty Potato."

Okay, hey, kids,

who wants to read the

discreet jogger?

(BEN SIGHS)

(WENDY HUMS)

Hi, Ben.

BEN:

Hi.

Wendy, I was in Sarah's

writing group.

I know who you are.

You're actually the only one

of Sarah's friends

to come visit me.

Is that a pie?

Bramble berry,

it's my specialty.

Bramble berry.

I know you want

to be alone, so.

BEN:

Wendy?

Yep?

Will you eat this with me?

WENDY:

You can't sleep,

'cause if you do,

you dream of them,

and then you're even

more exhausted?

BEN:

Check.

You feel like you're

starting back at square one,

even though it took you 20

years to get where you are?

Double check.

You hate that everyone treats

you like a wounded hummingbird,

and you found something insane

to keep you occupied?

But you can't tell anybody

'cause it's insane.

How'd you get out of bed

after your husband died?

One foot at a time.

It's rough.

You need to find a thing,

something, anything.

It can be mundane

or

it can be insane, but...

you just need to find a thing...

and see it through, okay?

Find a thing

and see it through?

Find a thing

and see it through.

(PLATE RATTLES)

(BOOK RUSTLES)

MEALWORM:

Chapter two,

"Preparing the body."

(TRIMMER WHIRRING)

MEALWORM:

No body hair from the neck down.

Hair from the neck up

is not to be touched.

Eat only vegetables

for one week.

Then only meat for one week.

Eat nothing two days prior

to your first flight.

Lose 18 pounds,

no more, no less.

Strictly no orgasms whatsoever.

You may feel low

and tired during this phase,

but this is merely

your body preparing you

for the highs to come.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

LISA:

Ben!

Ben!

Ben!

BEN:

Morning, Lisa.

You all right?

I'm fine,

you don't have to treat me

like a wounded hummingbird

just because my wife died.

Do you really mean that?

BEN:

I really mean it.

Then get off your roof

and put on some g*dd*mn clothes.

My kids are asking me

if they can sleep naked

on our roof because of you!

Sorry.

-My wife just died.

-LISA: Just put on some pants.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(PIGEON COOS)

(SLOW PIANO MUSIC)

()

(DOOR CREAKS)

()

Okay, I'll give this a shot.

Okay.

Me too.

How'd you know to come back?

I didn't.

I had hope.

(REFRIGERATOR HUMS)

(SNIFFLES)

(MUNCHES)

Hello, Ben.

So did I do okay?

The house?

Hmm.

Lovely house.

I mean, will it work

for our purposes?

Aren't you supposed

to be testing

to make sure

I've prepared the home?

(MUNCHES)

Actually.

This won't do, it has to go.

BEN:

I can't,

this is my wife's desk.

MEALWORM:

Chapter one,

"Preparing The Home."

She died.

We, we worked together

in this room.

That's a vintage

mechanical eraser.

It was her grandfather's

from Kyoto.

(SINGLE VIOLIN STRING)

Back in high school,

she pulled out this eraser

and she started buzzing away

at her drawing.

I thought

she was erasing her work,

but it was her technique.

She wasn't erasing her mistakes.

She was, she was turning her

errors into art.

That was her superpower.

()

Sorry, I don't know how--

You don't have to do anything.

()

(BEN PANTS)

(WORKOUT MUSIC)

()

(BELL RINGS)

(GROANS)

(WATER FLOWING)

(GASPS)

(BELL RINGS)

"The Secret Art

of Human Flight"?

What the hell is this?

You hate heights.

You get vertigo

at the top floor of the mall.

And who is this guy

and why is he smiling?

I told you, this is Mealworm.

I don't know why he's,

why are you smiling?

Wait a second, you're the guy

that delivered the package.

Gloria, I can explain.

Okay, explain.

Now?

Okay,

I don't have an explanation,

but you know what?

I don't need one,

if you love me,

know that this is important

to me, end of story.

No, not end of story!

Oh my God, why are you always

so scary and weird?

I'm not scary and weird.

Really, where'd you find this?

-Amazon.

-No.

-eBay?

-No.

You deleted

your search history,

and Tom came home the other

day talking about the dark web.

Jesus Christ,

are you out of your mind?

How'd you know I deleted

my search history?

I didn't until right now.

No, you snooped.

When I was in the shower,

you forgot to close the laptop.

Ha, we're all lying.

I'm not lying.

Okay, you impersonated

a delivery worker.

I never claimed to be

a delivery worker.

-You assumed that I was--

-You stay out of this.

Hey, hey, don't blame him.

Well, who am I supposed

to blame then, you?

I can't blame you,

I'm not allowed to blame you

or get mad at you because

you're going through a tragedy.

So what, this is you

holding back?

GLORIA:

This guy is clearly

exploiting you.

I beg your pardon,

I'll have you know

that I gave him his money back.

-Oh, Jesus.

-You gave this guy money?

Ben, listen to me,

you could be in danger.

I don't care!

I have one thing in my life

that matters to me right now,

and it might be a sham

and it might be psychotic,

but I don't care.

I need this.

(SIGHS)

We're gonna get through this.

Don't tell Tom.

"Geej", promise me

you won't tell Tom.

(GLORIA SIGHS)

(FOOTSTEPS PATTERING)

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR SLAMS)

There is something

you need to see.

()

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

(WIND WHISTLES)

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

()

Tomorrow your real

training begins.

So that's about it

for all of our updates.

Thank you so much for all

the continued support,

and keep your eyes peeled

for some exciting stuff.

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

Wait, that's not it.

Yeah, it is, that's it.

-BEN: (ON VIDEO) No!

-I said everything.

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

No, you didn't mention

my new book.

Our new book

is just an outline,

so I'm not gonna--

BEN: (ON VIDEO)

"Outline"? you said you liked

it, so I thought and we--

Yeah, yeah, I said I--

BEN: (OVERLAPPING SPEECH)

--talked about talking about it.

yes I told you that I love it,

but it doesn't matter.

I mean it's just a story.

I mean, it's not even a story.

-It's not a full idea yet.

- BEN: Well, well, no.

Of course not, I don't, I just,

it will be, I just don't know

how it ends yet.

No, you don't know how it ends.

(LAUGHS)

You are always so focused on

figuring out how something ends

but you don't even start it,

yet.

Like, when did you

stop starting?

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(DOG BARKS)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

MEALSTORM:

Chapter three,

"Preparing The Mind."

(upbeat music)

MEALSTORM:

The bird did not create flight,

but was the first

to harness it.

Draw the bird.

(WINGS BEATING)

MEALSTORM:

Catch the bird.

(WINGS BEATING)

MEALSTORM:

Make only the sounds

of a bird for seven days.

(PIGEON COOS)

MEALSTORM:

No speaking.

(PIGEON WINGS BEATING)

(GROANS)

Having a good time?

(BEN CHIRPS)

He's working through his grief.

Who are you supposed to be?

I am Mealworm, his life coach.

Are you aware that Ben

is going through a tragedy?

I'm up to speed.

I spoke to your neighbors.

They said you

were meditating naked

in your backyard this morning,

sleeping mostly

naked on the roof,

and there are enough complaints

about your friend's RV

disturbing the ambiance

of the neighborhood.

Technically it's a Winnebago.

As for the nudity,

what Ben chooses

to do within the confines of

his property is his business,

along with where and how

he chooses to sleep,

to wit, you pointed out

that he was mostly naked,

which doesn't constitute

public indecency.

Are you a lawyer?

Not in this state.

How about you move

your Winnebago, Mealworm?

Sure thing.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(MEALWORM INHALES)

"The ambiance".

(GATE CREAKS)

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

Your sister called me,

she's worried sick about you.

She thinks you've gone off the

deep end, or you're about to.

and she begged me to turn

my investigation elsewhere.

(RV ENGINE WHIRRING)

Look, Ben, if this is a ruse

to scare up an insanity plea,

I've seen this before,

and I promise you

it will ruin you.

But if this is genuine,

you need to accept help.

Whoever this guy is,

you need to get him out.

Juries don't necessarily

convict based on proof.

They convict based on evidence

beyond reasonable doubt,

and looking around here...

I don't see enough

reasonable doubt.

Shape up, or they're

gonna put you away

whether I have something

to do with it or not.

(RV ENGINE CHUGGING)

(RV DOOR OPENS)

(RV DOOR SLAMS)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

What? I moved it.

(GATE CREAKS)

I can move it again.

Do they think you had something

to do with your wife's death?

(BEN CHIRPS)

You've gotta be sh1tting me.

(GATE CREAKS)

()

(BELL RINGS)

(BELL RINGS)

(PIGEON COOS)

(BEN CHIRPS)

(PIGEON COOS)

(SIGHS)

(BEN CHIRPS)

(WINGS BEATING)

You can speak now.

I realize what you meant

by catch the bird.

You meant "catch"

in the archaic sense.

400 years ago, to catch

meant to understand,

and now I understand.

(GLASS SHATTERS)

(GLASS RATTLES)

()

Jump.

I've never made it

more than nine feet.

The process is beginning

to take effect.

You can do this.

Can I take a practice jump?

MEALWORM:

It'll make it harder.

I'll take my chances.

(SIGHS)

Okay.

Okay.

(CLAPS)

(EXHALES)

Okay.

You're jumping with your legs.

You won't fly with your legs.

Does it have to be over glass?

The first time I flew,

I fell off a mountain.

After that, it was easier,

but for the first

flight, the fear helps.

How do you fall off a--

(LAUGHS)

Never mind.

"Fear helps."

(EXHALES)

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

(WIND WHISTLES)

(LEAVES RUSTLING)

(EXHALES)

Oh.

(GRUNTS)

I felt it, right before

I tripped, I felt it.

We should complete the final

week of training in nature,

somewhere with mountains.

Tomorrow you'll run

through the mountains

and find the place to be reborn.

I know a good spot.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

Thank God vegetable

week is over.

(MEALWORM LAUGHS)

Oh.

Before I forget, I want

you to make a list

of all your deepest fears.

What?

Don't worry, it's for later.

(CLEARS THROAT)

(SCRIBBLES)

BEN:

How'd you figure this out?

MEALWORM:

Family recipe,

I added the barbecue sauce.

I mean how'd you figure out

how to fly?

(SCRIBBLES)

I wasn't trying to fly.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

(RAIN PATTERS)

You lost someone

too, didn't you?

(SIGHS)

I stepped off the ledge

four times,

but something kept putting me

back at the top.

By the fourth attempt,

I chose life.

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

Are you, are you leaving?

Mealworm.

If you'd like to sleep inside

tonight, I have a spare bed.

That's very kind of you,

but my place is with Sally.

(MELANCHOLY ORCHESTRAL MUSIC)

()

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

(RAIN PATTERS)

()

(TAPPING)

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

Huh.

(WORKOUT MUSIC)

()

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

Well, that would

probably k*ll you.

Oh, for sure.

And if not, there's always

blood loss, hemorrhaging,

my sister mercy k*lling me

with a pillow upon request.

Oh, I see we've reached

the dark humor phase.

Good, grasshopper.

(BEN LAUGHS)

(WENDY SIGHS)

(BEN SIGHS)

I used to take Sarah

up here all the time.

This was her place.

She'd always try

and get me to come with her,

but... (LAUGHS) I hate hiking.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

I hate it.

You know, my, my kids,

they, they loved

seeing her read.

That was her favorite.

She may not have wanted kid,

but when she was around them.

Did you want kids?

Sorry, that is not my business

No, no, no, no, no, it's fine.

Sorry.

It's fine, really.

Gloria and I,

we lost our parents

when we were really young,

and so did Sarah.

It's kind of what brought us

together at the beginning,

actually.

You think a lot about

what happens to them

if anything happens

to you, you know?

That I do.

You should come over,

come to dinner.

Roger and I would love

to have you, really.

I don't think I'm

ready for that.

Okay, well,

when you are, just come by.

People need people, Ben.

Race you down the mountain?

(SIGHS)

I don't know,

the way up k*lled me.

NARRATOR:

Chapter four,

"Conquering irrational fear."

(SLOW SITAR MUSIC)

NARRATOR:

Step one, embark

on a spirit quest.

Are those mushrooms?

Psilocybin mushrooms.

Aren't those ill*gal?

You mustn't concern yourself

with the laws of man

when it comes to embarking

on a spiritual journey.

(SNIFFS)

I've smoked weed

a couple times.

Will that help me handle this?

Would riding a bike help you

learn how to fly a spaceship?

I mean, if the spaceship

had pedals.

I'm brewing a tea.

(DOOR SLAMS)

(WIND WHISTLES)

Hmm.

I'm starting to feel it.

This isn't so bad.

(CRINGES)

(LAUGHS)

This is...

this is.

(WIND WHISTLES)

What?

This is so high.

MEALWORM:

Mm.

I'm so

high.

Ben.

I can see...

everything.

Ben?

(BEN HYPERVENTILATES)

I should let go.

That's probably a good idea.

(MEALWORM GROANS)

(MEALWORM HUMS)

(WIND WHISTLES)

(MEALWORM CONTINUES HUMMING)

Om shanti, om shanti

(CRIES)

Om shanti

Shanti om

(CRIES)

Om shanti

(BEN LAUGHS)

Om shanti

Om shanti

Shanti om

- Om shanti, om shanti

-(HEART BEATS)

Om shanti, shanti om

Om shanti, om shanti

Om shanti, shanti om

()

(HEART BEATS CONTINUES)

Can I watch the sunset

from the roof?

(DOORBELL RINGS)

And who are you?

That's an expansive question.

He's a friend of Ben's,

where's Ben?

We need to speak to him, Ben?

Ben is on a spirit quest.

A spirit quest?

Now, that would

require psychedelics

to go on that spirit quest,

and--

What did you give him?

MEALWORM:

Ben needs this.

You don't know what Ben needs.

He's in a very complicated

emotional state

-right now

-Gloria, tone it down.

-Watch it, Tom.

-Shutting it down.

He does not need

to be on drugs.

He needs help, real help

from people who love him.

Whatever message

you have for Ben,

I can deliver it

when he returns.

I don't trust you.

(MEALWORM CLEARS THROAT)

(PEN SCRAWLS)

(FOLDER RUSTLES)

(BOX RATTLES)

BEN:

Oh, how much longer?

It's irrational,

it's irrational.

MEALWORM:

Until

you're no longer afraid.

BEN:

Ooh, okay.

(TREMBLES)

MEALWORM:

Tell me about

the fear, when did it begin?

BEN:

Oh, I don't know.

I don't remember,

I don't remember.

MEALWORM:

Clear your mind.

I was a boy, I saw a movie.

MEALWORM:

Which movie?

"Arachnophobia."

Noiseless guitar.

There once

was a noiseless guitar.

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

(DRAWER RATTLES)

(DRAWER SLAMS)

(PAPER RUSTLING)

I want to show you something.

Mealworm, I think I'm back.

Tell me if you think

this is good.

"There once

was a noiseless guitar

who daydreamed of being a star,

but his strings weren't right

and the stage gave him fright.

He was sure

he would never go far.

The guitar met

a tasteless spaghetti

who thought

she was finally ready

to be served in a dish

with some meatballs and fish,

but she smelled like

and tastes like a yeti."

Do you think kids will know

what a yeti is?

Come on, I want to show you

something.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

And then the feeble old man

collects all the broken things

and they're happy together.

Huh.

(DOOR CREAKS)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

It smells like sawdust in here.

Have you been woodworking?

MEALWORM:

Climb the ladder.

()

(TREMBLES)

You don't put a claustrophobe

in a coffin ever.

There weren't even air holes

in that thing.

Air holes allow light

to enter in.

Yeah, light,

and I don't know... AIR?

Jesus, this is not the same

thing as facing commitment.

I also entered into a bear's

den in the dead of night.

Bullshit.

You're insane, you are insane.

(SLOW ORCHESTRAL MUSIC)

(DOOR OPENS, CREAKS)

Jesus.

"Air holes allow light

to enter," yeah, no oxygen

to breathe, lunatic.

(DOORBELL RINGS)

WENDY:

Ben.

Um,

I know it's short notice, but--

You're exactly where you're

supposed to be, come on.

Go, do all of it.

WENDY:

Do all of the things.

-Yeah.

-(GROUP LAUGHS)

I think it was around

our third date?

WENDY:

Yep.

Yeah, that I decided to show

I was serious,

and we were walking back

to her car, and I asked her,

"Do you believe in life

after love?"

She turned around

and she walked back to me

and she said...

-"Are you quoting Cher?"

-"Are you quoting Cher?"

-Ugh, nerd.

-(ROGER LAUGHS)

Are you kidding me with that?

The point being that we

were only three dates in

and I was willing

to say the L word.

That's a bold move, saying

"I love you" that quick.

I don't think

I've ever been that brave.

Not "love"... "Life".

(CEILING RATTLES)

CHILD 1:

We're fine,

don't come up here.

-(ROGER SIGHS)

-Yours.

CHILD 2:

It's okay, it's okay,

we're completely okay.

I'm gonna go check on the kids.

(WENDY LAUGHS)

It was nice to finally meet you,

Ben.

BEN:

You too, Roger.

-Thank you for dinner.

-ROGER: Of course. Of course.

All right,

I'm coming, I'm coming.

They just let anybody be

parents, can you believe it?

You told me before

to find something,

anything, and see it through.

What was yours?

-Watch your head.

-BEN: Oh.

After I tucked the kids

into bed at my sister's,

I mixed together every

liquid I had in my kitchen,

vodka, tequila, scotch,

lemon juice, hot sauce,

chocolate syrup, and Red Bull.

BEN:

Jesus.

Then went on a run,

woke up eight hours

and seven miles later

in a Rite Aid bathroom.

And I realized that every

time I made this magic potion,

I would wake up somewhere crazy

with no recollection

of how I got there.

So I made it again.

(LAUGHS)

I made it every night

for a month.

-(LAUGHS)

-(BLOWS AIR)

-Wendy, what the hell?

-Yeah?

(BOTH LAUGHING)

I woke up in a lot of bathrooms.

(LAUGHS)

And also a couple of forests

and a boat... (LAUGHS)

and a couple of very

polite strangers' beds,

and I have never told anyone.

(BOTTLE RATTLES)

I...

I'm teaching myself how to fly.

That's it?

I gave up my magic potion

for that?

Let me clarify.

There's no plane involved.

I'm learning how to... fly.

That's why I'm sleeping

on my roof.

(LAUGHS) Wait.

-BEN: Like...

-Like?

Yeah, like, and I,

I hired a trainer.

(LAUGHS)

Ah.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

All right, you win...

(LAUGHS) you win.

(SIGHS)

BEN:

I've been in a rut.

Of course you're in a rut,

your wife died.

-No.

-You're allowed.

No, no, no, I've, I've been

in a rut for a long time.

(SLOW MUSIC)

You asked me before about kids.

The truth is that

Sarah and I tried...

and we just couldn't.

We could have moved on,

but we didn't.

We couldn't write,

we couldn't do anything,

and I just stopped trying.

()

I thought I could get her back.

I thought I had more time.

And I can't imagine myself

ever being as happy as I was.

I promise you...

someday you will stop

trying to fly.

(CRICKETS CHIRPING)

(DOOR RATTLES)

()

Hey.

I apologize for earlier,

I realize

I crossed a line there.

Okay, thank you.

(GLASS CLINKS)

(GLASSES CLINKING)

Jesus, that's strong stuff.

It's Japanese, I spent some

time there in the early '70s.

Sorry, I ran out on you tonight.

I just needed some time.

MEALWORM:

Perfectly understandable.

You'd like Wendy,

she lost someone, too.

MEALWORM:

Oh?

Yeah, her husband.

MEALWORM:

Hmm.

-Yeah, I guess she--

-(CELL PHONE VIBRATES)

Wait a minute.

Is that yours?

(SLOW MUSIC)

MEALWORM:

Ben, don't.

Ben.

(PHONE CONTINUES VIBRATING)

What is this?

When did my sister come by?

The other day when you were

on your spirit quest.

This is about

my wife's investigation.

How could you not tell me

about this?

At this stage, distractions

are the-- don't answer that.

It's my sister,

I'm answering it!

-MEALWORM: Ben!

-Hello?

GLORIA: (ON PHONE)

Go somewhere private.

What's wrong?

GLORIA: (ON PHONE)

Can he hear me?

No.

GLORIA: (ON PHONE)

Your friend's

real name is Mark Sisko.

What are you talking about?

GLORIA: (ON PHONE)

Detective Reyes ran

the plates on his Winnebago.

He spent seven years in

prison, is he still there?

Yeah, yeah, he's,

he's still here.

GLORIA: (ON PHONE)

Did he even tell you

that we came by the other day

looking for you?

No, no, he didn't.

GLORIA: (ON PHONE)

Ben, he's a con artist.

Ben, Ben?

BEN:

I have to go.

GLORIA: (ON PHONE)

No, Ben, wait!

(GRUNTS)

(SHRIEKING MACHINERY)

BEN:

Okay.

(GRUNTS)

()

(PANTS)

(GROANS)

(BELL RINGS)

(PANTING)

(SLOW OMINOUS MUSIC)

(GROANS)

()

MEALWORM:

Hello, Ben.

BEN:

You had no right

to take these things.

MEALWORM:

I was trying to help you.

BEN:

You've been stealing

things from my house.

This time is crucial

to your process.

I couldn't let you

veer off course.

These belonged to my wife!

And nothing will

ever bring her back.

She's gone

and you can't change that.

Why am I...

why am I so tired?

(WATER SPLASHES)

I love the way

you see the world.

You're more thoughtful

than I am.

A better writer than I am.

-What?

-BEN: I'm serious.

No, I'm not.

We're just different, you know?

BEN:

Yeah, because you tend to know

how things end,

and I have trouble with endings.

But your stories do end, right?

When you get an idea, even if

it doesn't have a conclusion,

necessarily,

it's still a whole thing.

You may not know

how it ends, but it does end.

And if you can't accept that,

then it ceases to exist,

you know?

Like, if you want something

to start...

if you want it to exist...

you have to be okay with it

having an ending, you know?

(LOW RUMBLE)

(BEN WHIMPERS)

No, no, Mealworm!

Mealworm?

Mealworm, what?

(CRIES)

No, no, no, no, oh my,

please no!

Please, oh my God,

Mealworm, Mealworm!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

Mealworm, no, please,

please, get me out of here!

Please, Mealworm,

please, please!

Oh my God, please get, (SHRIEKS)

please get me out, Mealworm!

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

(BEN FAINTLY SPEAKING)

()

It's irrational,

it's irrational.

It's irrational,

it's irrational.

It's irrational,

it's irrational.

It's irrational,

it's irrational.

It's, it's irrational.

(MOANS)

(SCREAMS)

Please let me out of here!

Get me out!

(SCREAMS)

Oh, oh, oh, oh my God, please,

let me, let me out of here!

(SCREAMS)

()

How are you?

Jesus, what are they giving him?

Ben!

Ben, how do you f--

How do you feel?

I'm not feeling much.

Was last night any better?

I warned you about

the dark web.

GLORIA:

Tom.

I wasn't trying

to commit suicide.

Do you even know

why your friend,

Mark Sisko, was in prison?

Life insurance fraud.

That's conspiracy, Ben.

Evidence beyond

reasonable doubt.

Just tell me

you still believe me.

()

Gloria?

You still believe me, right?

GUARD:

Time's up.

BEN:

Gloria.

GUARD:

Mr. Brady, it's time to go.

INTERCOM:

Paging Doctor Wiessner.

Doctor Wiessner,

your presence is requested

- at patient intake

-SARAH: Time to fly.

Sarah?

Ben, you with me?

We gotta split.

What the hell

are you doing here?

Well, your guard dog's

on a coffee run,

so if we're gonna go,

we gotta go now.

I'm not going anywhere with you.

You left me in a coffin to die.

That was supposed to be

a 90 minute exercise.

I was out getting ice

for your decompression bath

and by the time I got back,

the place was swarmed.

But you did it, Ben!

One more test

and you've got your wings!

Did you know about my wife

before you met me?

Unbelievable.

No, I looked you up

when you bought my book.

Yes, I admit it,

and I saw about her, but--

You knew about the insurance

money, you piece of sh*t?

Shh, I didn't know anything

about that, I swear!

Ben.

I've lived a life

that I am not proud of,

but I never lied to you.

It's all just talk now, Mark,

with your faux mysticism

and your Orientalism,

talking about the luxuries

of the West.

You're a scumbag and a fake.

How the hell did you even

come up with this sh*t, huh?

How are you so sure

this is gonna work?

I'm not.

()

Security, he's here, he's here!

I never lied to you, Ben, never.

That's him,

he's here, that's him!

That's him, that's him!

Hold him down.

He's here!

(GASPS)

INTERCOM:

Doctor Wiessner,

your presence is requested...

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

Paging Doctor Wiessner.

(BEEPING)

(BEN SIGHS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER

IN BACKGROUND)

(BLANKET RUSTLES)

(BUTTON CLICKS)

(SARAH SIGHS)

Hi, Ben.

God, it's so weird

to call you "Ben".

I never call you "Ben"

unless I'm, like,

mad or trying to prove a point

or something.

This is so dark, but I agreed

to do it, so here we go.

Number one,

what did you do today?

I, I listened to you talk

about how it's inevitable

that one of us will one day

be without the other

'cause you're just so much fun.

(LAUGHS)

Number two, what did

you learn today?

I learned...

babe, I don't know.

Not every moment has to be

a learning moment,

and if you don't learn

something that day,

that doesn't make it useless.

Maybe you're watching this now

and it's your learning moment.

And number three, what do you

want to say to your spouse?

I love how you put "spouse"

so you don't have to

print this twice.

(LAUGHS)

I, I can't do this.

I-- (LAUGHS)

I'm just answering questions

to a camera

for you to watch

after I'm dead.

Just the thought of you

spending the rest

of your life watching videos

of me, it's...

it creeps me the hell out.

(LAUGHS)

SARAH:

And you're doing

the same thing for me?

(LAUGHS)

SARAH:

Oh my God, I really hope not.

You know, this is the last video

I'm doing for you

because if you are

watching this,

then it means that I'm dead

and you spend enough time

in front of screens anyway,

so-- so go out, you

know, get some sun.

But,

okay, if I really am gone,

you're watching this.

Please don't let the world

harden you.

You have the biggest...

most beautiful heart...

and if you do one thing for me,

it would be to keep

that part of you alive,

that part of you that, you know,

writes about big

houses and clouds

and talking balloons.

-(SARAH LAUGHS)

-(CRIES)

The part of you

that believes in the impossible.

Speaking of, okay--

(CLEARS THROAT)

there once was a writer

named Ben

who made people smile

with his pen...

until his poor wife

had to give up her life...

and now he wonders

how this story ends.

(LAUGHS)

That's the first verse.

But, yeah, I gotta go 'cause

you're whining downstairs

about how there's no food

in the house, so.

(SLOW PIANO MUSIC)

I love you.

Forever.

Don't go.

(CRIES)

()

(BEN WHIMPERS)

MAN:

Down!

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

MAN:

Bring them up.

Very good. Up, up, up.

Bring them back down.

Down, down...

And up.

Reach the sky. Very good.

Bring them back down.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

MAN:

Push, push, push.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

MAN:

Bring it in.

Good.

Turn around.

Put 'em up to the sky.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

MAN:

Face me and push.

Bring it in.

Turn around, yeah.

Breath in, reach out.

Breath in, breath that out.

-(BREATHES DEEPLY)

-MAN: Breath in, breath out.

Reach up.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

()

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

()

(BELL RINGS)

()

(SINGLE PIANO KEY)

INTERCOM:

Paging Doctor Wiessner.

(GRUNTS)

INTERCOM:

Doctor Wiessner,

your presence is requested

at patient intake,

paging Doctor Wiessner.

(GROANS)

(PANTS)

(GRUNTS)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(GLASS CLINKS)

(WIND WHISTLES)

(PANICKED ORCHESTRAL MUSIC)

(WIND WHISTLES)

(TENSE, THREATENING MUSIC)

(SIREN WAILING)

()

(ON SPEAKER)

Stop.

We've got you surrounded.

Stop or we will open fire.

(TIRES SCREECHES)

Oh, sh*t, oh, sh*t,

oh, no, you don't.

(TIRES SCREECHES)

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(SIREN WAILING)

()

()

Get out of the RV!

Technically it's a Winnebago.

DETECTIVE REYES:

Shut up,

hands behind your back.

()

(BEN GRUNTS)

(WIND WHISTLES)

GLORIA:

Don't do it!

You shouldn't have come here.

Ben, I know you want to escape

the world right now,

but you don't have to.

Ben.

Ben, you've gotta come back

with us.

I'm doing this.

No, it won't work!

It will,

don't come any closer, Tom!

Ben, Sarah would want you

to keep living.

Sarah wanted me

to believe in things,

and I believe in this.

Why?

I'll show you.

And if it doesn't work...

at least

I'll get to be with her.

Wait, let me say goodbye

to you, at least.

That's the oldest trick

in the book, Geej.

-You'll pull me away.

-I won't, I swear.

I just want to hug my brother

one last time.

Benjamin Grady!

Come here or I will shove you

off this cliff myself.

Okay, geez.

You almost scared me off

the cliff right there.

(MELANCHOLY VIOLIN TUNE)

()

I love you.

No!

Seven 17 to dispatch,

I'm bringing this one in.

(expl*si*n RUMBLES)

(CAR ALARM BLARES)

Seven 17 to dispatch,

I just heard an expl*si*n.

-(POLICE RADIO MUMBLES)

-(MEALWORM CRIES)

()

Ben.

(WIND RUSTLES)

(BEN CRIES OUT)

(BEN SCREAMS)

Help! Help me, help!

This is...

what?

(expl*si*n CRACKS)

What? (LAUGHS)

This is so high.

(WIND RUSTLES)

I'm so high.

MEALWORM:

Ben.

()

BEN:

I can see everything.

MEALWORM:

Ben.

I can see everything.

MEALWORM:

Ben.

(BEN TREMBLES)

()

BEN:

I should let go.

MEALWORM:

That's

probably a good idea.

(SLOW DREAMY MUSIC)

()

Fly away

Life begins again

Today

Are you ready to leave

this world behind

All you need is to prepare

your mind

Take this leap with me

You brave, beautiful

being on the other side

Waiting for a sign

from above

As we defy every convention

that exists

And you're gonna realize

there's more than this

You brave, beautiful being

Over there in the dark room

Sitting

with the 1,000 yard stare

It won't be easy,

I won't lie

But trust in me and you

and I can fly away

Life begins again

Today

Are you ready to leave

this world behind

All you need

is to prepare your mind

Take this leap with me

You brave, beautiful being

On the other side waiting

for a sign from above

As we defy every

convention that exists

And you're gonna realize

there's more than this

You brave, beautiful being

Over there

in the dark room sitting

With the 1,000 yard stare

It won't be easy,

I won't lie

But trust in me

and you and I can

Let go

Fly away

life begins again

Today

Are you ready to leave

this world behind

All you need

is to prepare your mind

Take this leap with me

You brave, beautiful

being on the other side

Waiting for a sign

from above

As we defy every convention

that exists

And you're gonna realize

there's more than this

You brave, beautiful

being over there

In a dark room sitting

with a 1,000 yard stare

It won't be easy,

I won't lie

But trust in me and you

and I can fly away

Fly away

Life begins again

Today

Are you ready to leave

this world behind

All you need

is to prepare your mind

Take this leap with me

You brave, beautiful

being on the other side

Waiting for a sign

from above

As we defy every convention

that exists

And you're gonna realize

there's more than this

You brave, beautiful

being over there

In the dark room sitting

with a 1,000 yard stare

It won't be easy,

I won't lie

But trust in me and you

and I can fly

Fly away

Like begins again

Today

Are you ready to leave

this world behind

All you need

is to prepare your mind