Voice Over: Today the world stopped…and part of me got off…and now there’s this hole inside me…where it used to be. And everything seems a little bit slower…a little bit darker…and a lot emptier…It’s like someone has shown you – given you – the most beautiful gift. But as a condition of getting it you have to keep it in this box…where you can’t ever touch it or even look at it. And how do you do that? How is it possible to have something so wonderful so close and yet never be able to touch it…to hold it? How do you stop from wanting to look at it when you know how beautiful it is? (She pauses) And how did this happen…how…how did I get here?

---Flashback to the Tuesday before---

(Scene: School, History Class. The gang’s all there. Max has fallen asleep at his desk)

Mr. Sommers: Mr. Evans (Max jerks up). Shall I get you a pillow?

Max: Sorry Mr. Sommers. (Isabel and Michael exchange glances and Max blatantly avoids Liz’s concerned look)

(Scene: Hallway right after class. Liz is following Max down the hallway trying to get his attention.)

Liz: Max! Max! (Max hears her but ducks into the bathroom to avoid her. Liz stops, lets out a sigh and then turns around and walks in the opposite direction. Isabel watches her leave)

(Scene: Crashdown, same day. Liz and Maria are both working. Liz is standing at the counter with her back to the door, Isabel comes in and heads straight for Liz.)

Isabel (confrontational): Are you gonna tell me what the hell’s going on with you and my brother?

Liz (startled, turns around): Isabel.

Isabel: Look all I know is that a couple of weeks ago you were spending way too much time together – which was fine because Max was still…Max. Now all of a sudden I have no idea who he is – he cuts class, and at night he’s either locked in his room or out – I’m assuming with you. So tell me what the hell is going on.

Liz (a little defensive): There’s nothing going on between us.

Isabel: I don’t believe you.

Liz (a little more defensive): Isabel – for the past week he won’t even look at me. He skips Biology so he doesn’t have to sit next to me and when I try and talk to him he runs away. I don’t know what you’re expecting from me.

Isabel (her tone changes from anger to concern): Liz, I’m worried about him.

Liz (softening her tone): I am too Isabel.

Isabel: He won’t talk to me…or Michael. I don’t know what to do. (She pauses and looks at Liz pleadingly) He cares about you Liz, please try and talk to him…he won’t push you away, he can’t…he’ll talk to you if you make him…Please Liz.

Liz (glances over at Maria, who has a “what’s going on” look on her face and then back to Isabel): I’ll see if I can get off early tonight. Give me an hour.

Isabel: Thank you.

Liz: Don’t tell him I’m coming over or he’ll probably leave. (Isabel nods and leaves. Maria walks up to Liz)

Maria: What was that about?

Liz: She’s just worried about Max?

Maria: Yea, what was that in History today?

Liz: I have an idea…Maria do you think you could cover for me tonight?

Maria (noting Liz’s worried face): Liz, is everything okay?

Liz (shaking her head): No.

Maria: Liz? (Liz gives her a pleading face) Go. Call me.

Liz: Thank you.

(Scene: Max’s Bedroom, same day. Max is lying on his bed. There’s a knock at his door) Music: Red House Painters – Another Song For A Blue Guitar

Max: I’m not hungry mom.

Mrs. Evans: Max, honey, Liz Parker is here to see you.

Max (hesitating): I’m really not feeling well mom, a little tired...

Mrs. Evans: She’s pretty insistent on seeing you Max. Says she won’t leave until she talks to you.

Max (he sits up): Give me a minute. (He gets up to lower the CD volume and then sits down again preparing himself for what’s about to happen. There’s another knock on the door) Come in. (Liz opens the door and then shuts it behind her. She stands there looking at Max, waiting for him to speak) I don’t really feel like talking.

Liz: I know Max…that’s why I’m here. (Max looks up at her) I know what this is about so you don’t have to pretend with me.

Max (Getting up from the bed and walking over to his desk): I can’t pretend he’s…not a murderer, Liz – no matter how hard I try.

Liz: Max…Atherton was obviously a threat…and we don’t know about the woman…

Max (interrupting her, still facing away from her): Don’t. (He shakes his head) I appreciate it Liz, but don’t…don’t bother. (He picks up a folder from his desk and throws it on the bed.)

Liz: What’s this?

Max (pausing): More research.

(Liz walks over to the bed, picks up the folder and sits down. She opens it up and there are newspaper clippings from Arizona, Utah and more from New Mexico. All the clippings are from towns located on reservations and are about mysterious murders that can’t be explained. They span the 30+ year period from 1968 on. They all seem to have the same MO. There are 5 murders total. And a couple of the articles have the husband from the pregnant woman claiming that there was “foul-play” insinuating it’s the same “alien”/person who killed his wife.)

Liz (obviously hurting for him): Max…I’m so sorry. (She continues to flip through the articles, not knowing exactly what to say.)

Max (starting to pace around his room): I don’t know what to do…How do I tell them…my god, Isabel (he sits on the bed next to Liz) how do I tell her?

Liz: Max you have to tell them. They are so worried about you…and they need to know.

Max: I know…I just can’t.

Liz (she pauses and looks at him): Max. You told me once that you weren’t all the same…you and Michael and Isabel. This man, Nasedo…he is who he is Max, but whatever he’s done, it doesn’t say anything about who you are. (Max looks over at Liz, she closes the folder) He may have done these things but he still has the answers you’re looking for.

Max (looking away): I’m not sure I want them anymore.

Liz (She shifts so that she is sitting sideways on the bed and facing Max): Max, of course you do…and that’s why this hurts so much. (Max looks back up at her – thinking god I love this woman – sorry I just had to throw that in there. Liz looks at him and then gently touches the side of his face for a moment) Max I know who you are, and nothing will ever change how I see you…or what I think of you. (She looks away from him.)

Max (softly): Liz…

Liz: Promise me you’ll tell them tomorrow.

Max (protesting): Liz…I…

Liz: If you don’t I will. (Max looks at her surprised) They need to know and the three of you need to…deal with this.

Max (after a long pause, looking away from Liz): I knew you would come.

Liz (smiles and looks at him): Max, I’ll always come. I’m sorry it wasn’t sooner. I had no idea.

(Scene: School next day after classes are out. Michael and Isabel are sitting on the bleachers and Max is standing in front of them leaning against the railing. No one else is around)

Max (hesitating): A couple of weeks ago…Liz found something...

Michael (a little disgusted): Secrets with Liz again?

Max: Michael it’s not like that. Liz found this on her own…and she didn’t have to share it with me.

Isabel: Right.

Max: Look, her grandmother was really important to her…

Isabel (interrupting): What’s grandma have to do with this?

Max (taking a deep breath): Her grandmother was an anthropologist…the last paper she wrote was about lost artifacts and images found on the Navajo Reservation…

Isabel (interrupting again): The point Max…

Max (grabbing Liz’s grandmother’s book and turning to the page with the design on it. He shows it to them): This.

Isabel (grabbing the book from Max, completely shocked): Max.

Max: We’ve been going through her things…Liz had most of her grandmother’s office sent from Arizona…

Michael: Did she know?

Max: No…she never found its meaning.

Isabel: But how…Max…who?

Max (pausing): We think it’s Nasedo. (With that Michael and Isabel look up at him blown away)

Michael: What?

Max: When Liz was going through her grandmother’s interview notes, a few people remembered a strange man coming to the reservation in the early 60’s. The image wasn’t discovered until 1965…

Michael: But what makes you think it was him?

Max: They called him the “visitor”…like River Dog.

Michael: That’s over 30 years ago…

Isabel: Could he still be there?

Max: No.

Isabel (surprised by the quickness of his response): Why? (Max pulls out the folder of research Liz did and throws it on the bleachers in front of Michael and Isabel) What’s this?

Max: Why he left. (Isabel opens the folder and she and Michael pull out the newspaper clippings about the murdered pregnant woman.)

Isabel (looking over the articles): He killed…again?

Michael (flipping through the articles): We don’t…(he sees the one article with the headline about the husband thinking there is “alien” foul-play and he stops…looks up at Max.) We don’t know why…maybe she…

Max (pulling out the larger folder with the research he did on the other mysterious 5 murders on reservations and tossing it to Michael): There’s more. (Michael looks at it and grabs the folder. Isabel looks from the folder to Max)

Isabel (still in shock): More? (Michael hands her a couple of articles from the folder)

Michael: So he’s a murderer…

Isabel: A murderer Michael? He’s a serial killer.

Michael: Isabel…maybe he had to…maybe they knew.

Isabel (starting to get pretty panicked): What if he comes here…what if we find him and he kills someone…the sheriff…it could start again…the suspicions and…questions…

Max (trying to comfort her): Isabel…

Michael: We don’t know anything…

Isabel (officially upset and panicky): We don’t know anything? He’s a killer Michael…the only thing connecting us to our past…to our home is a murderer…(going through the newspaper articles) a pregnant woman…an elderly man…an 18 year old (looking up at Michael)…know anything?

Michael (getting angry and frustrated): Maybe he had too…maybe they knew…

Isabel (having a revelation): Oh my god…Liz and Maria…and Alex. (At this Michael and Max both freeze and the impact of Isabel’s words hits immediately) What if…(Michael grabs the folder, gets up and walks off. Max and Isabel just sit there in silence thinking about the “what if”)

(Scene: School, same day. Michael, obviously upset from what just happened, is walking the halls to the exit. Maria is walking down a different hallway and they are about to meet)

Maria (seeing the back of Michael and hurrying her step to catch up with him): Hey.

Michael (rudely): Go away.

Maria (offended): Excuse me.

Michael (a little more rudely): I said go away, I’m not in the mood for your incessant...

Maria (totally taken aback): Excuse…

Michael (interrupting her, being blatantly mean and yelling at her): I said GO AWAY.

Maria (she grabs his arm to make him stop walking. He turns to her looking very menacing. Her body stiffens up, she takes a step toward him, looks him in the eye): You’ve been rude to me before Michael. But you’ve never been mean. And you NEVER will again. (She gives him a shove as she lets go of his arm and turns around and walks away. Michael in frustration hits a locker with his fist and just about breaks the door off.)

(Scene: Trailer Park, same day, nighttime. Max is sitting on the steps to Michael’s home waiting for him. He walks up and sits next to Max and they just sit there for awhile)

Michael: We’re so close Max. I can’t explain it but I feel it. He’s out there…closer than we think.

Max: What do you mean?

Michael: I don’t know Max. It’s like I can feel him…feel something about to happen.

Max: I can’t feel anything. Are you having visions…are they getting stronger?

Michael: No…It’s just this feeling that…I don’t know. (He hands the folder of newspaper clippings to Max) I don’t know what to do with this, Max. It changes things but it doesn’t.

Max (grabbing the folder): I know.

Michael (looking at Max): Do you think he’d…

Max (looking at him) I don’t know. But we can’t take our chances. We have to stay away from them…like we don’t even know them.

Michael (thinking about Maria): After this afternoon, that shouldn’t be hard. (Max looks over at him and fighting back tears looks up at the stars. They just sit there together in silence, looking at the stars.)

(Scene: Maria’s Apartment, same day, nighttime. Maria is wrapped up on the coach watching the movie I’m No Angel. Liz walks in holding a paper bag.)

Maria (upset): I love her.

Liz (looking at the t.v. and smiling at her friend): I know. (She goes over and sits down next to her)

Maria: I mean…she’s a goddess…wait, wait…this is it…(Maria and Liz look at the television. It’s near the beginning of the movie. Mae West is talking to another woman about men. “…a good motto is take all you can get and give as little as possible…don’t forget honey never let one man worry your mind: find him, fool him, and forget him…” Liz looks from the television to Maria – who is quoting along with the movie)

Liz (looking at her): Do you remember the first time we saw this movie?

Maria (looking over at Liz): Fifth grade.

Liz: What was it Grandma Claudia said…a girl is never too young to be introduced to Mae West. She practically had to tie us down to watch it…

Maria: It was color-free, what’d she expect…

Liz: We watched every movie of hers that week… and you (hitting Maria)…afterwords you kept strutting around everywhere saying “penny for your thoughts” (Liz tries to imitate Mae West)…but the best was when anyone asked you a question you’d say “wouldn’t you like to know”….My dad had to apologize to your mom for my grandma corrupting you…(the two of them start laughing)

Maria: It’s all in the attitude. (She lets out a sigh and a sad look comes across her face as she looks back at the movie) I know every line from every movie she’s ever said.

Liz (looking intently at her friend): I know…and I know that you only watch her movies when in a serious male-bashing mood…like when your mom would go on a date with someone you didn’t like…or when someone… (Maria looks over at Liz pulling out a pint of ice cream and two spoons)

Maria (interrupting her): You knew I was watching this…(Liz hands her a spoon)

Liz (pauses to take off the ice cream lid and hands it to Maria): Your mom called.

Maria: See…this is so why I need my own vcr.

Liz: You wanna tell me what happened?

Maria (looking back at the movie and after a pause): Why do I let him get to me…why can’t I throw him a one-liner and…forget him?

Liz: Michael?

Maria: He’s been rude before, you know, I just figured that was his way of dealing – well, more like incapability of dealing…but he was never mean…Liz he was…

Liz (looking away from Maria): It’s not you Maria.

Maria: What?

Liz (looking up at Maria): Maria there’s something I need to tell you…something that will explain his behavior. (Maria looks at Liz questioningly. Liz looks away and lets out a deep breath.)

(Scene: School, various scenes of Liz in different classes. One of English with Michael’s seat noticeably empty; one of Biology with Max’s seat empty; one of Geometry with both Max and Michael’s seats empty; and the final one of History with all three seats empty and Maria and Liz exchanging a worried glance)

Voice Over (as we see the scenes of school): Do you ever get that feeling…you know that overpowering one that tells you something’s wrong. And you’re not sure if you’re creating it… you know, if you’re just imagining it…But then after awhile you start to wonder if maybe you aren’t, that maybe it’s really there – because no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to…imagine it away.

(Scene: Trailer, Michael’s bedroom, same day, nighttime. Michael is in bed tossing and turning. He has a vision of something – an image – and wakes up sweating. He gets out of bed, gets dressed and leaves the trailer. It’s still dark outside.)

(Scene: School Quad, next day. Maria and Alex are sitting at a table. Max walks into the quad area flustered and looking around. He sees Maria and Alex and heads their way)

Alex (looking suspiciously at Maria): Okay, that’s it. “Mr. Always-the-last-to-know” would really like to know what’s going on. They haven’t been to school for the past two days and Isabel won’t return my calls…okay maybe that has to do with me…but still, all three of them missing school…

Maria: Alex, just let Liz…(Max reaches them, looking obviously upset. Maria is startled by his appearance) Max?

Max: Have you seen Isabel?

Alex: What’s wrong?

Max (upset and speaking fast): Isabel took the jeep this morning…and Michael left Hank’s before dawn. I have an idea where he is, but…I don’t know where Isabel is, I’ve been looking all over town.

Alex (sharing a look with Maria): I think I might know.

Max: Can you drive us there.

Alex: Only if you want to ride on my handlebars.

Max (looking at Maria): Please.

Maria (pulling the keys out of her pocket and hesitantly handing them to Max): She needs gas.

(Max grabs the keys and Alex gets up from the table. They head off in the direction of the parking lot just as Liz enters the quad. She sees them leave as she’s walking over toward Maria.)

Liz: Was that Max?

Maria: Yea, both Isabel and Michael disappeared this morning.

Liz: And Alex?

Maria: He thinks he knows where she is. (They look at each other with worried faces)

(Scene: Garage/Gas Station out of town, same day. Sheriff Valenti gets out of a squad car, says something to the driver and then walks up to the Garage. The squad car drives off.)

Garage Man (who we’ll call Karl): Hey there sheriff.

Sheriff: Hey, Karl. How’s the car?

Karl: She’ll be right out…Sure is a beauty. Kyle’s a lucky kid.

Sheriff: Lucky it was only a fender-bender.

(Max and Alex pull into the gas part of the station. They can’t see the sheriff. Max gets out to pump gas and Alex goes inside to pay for the gas. Alex comes out and stands by the car. Max looks at him.)

Max: You sure she’s out here?

Alex: Pretty sure. (Max puts the cap back on the gas tank. Sheriff Valenti hears their voices and peeks his head around the corner. Alex is just looking intently at Max.) You gonna tell me what the hell’s going on?

Max (looks up at him as he starts to get in the car): She’ll tell you…let’s go.

(Scene: Max and Alex get in the car and drive off. Valenti notes the direction they head in and pays for the work done on Kyle’s car. He drives off after Max and Alex. Max and Alex turn onto a Forest Service road and can see the jeep off in the distance at a parking area. Alex gets out of the car and Max heads back to the main road. The sheriff is waiting on the main road – out of site from Max and follows Max until he pulls into the reservation. Valenti stops the car and looks pensively at the reservation sign...Okay, technically Alex and Max needed to go in opposite directions to get to these spots but in the land of fiction – anything goes)

(Scene: The Woods. Isabel is sitting on a rock, physically upset. Alex walks into the clearing)

Alex: Thought I might find you here.

Isabel (looks up startled): You shouldn’t be here Alex.

Alex: Well, Max thought I should…and I think I’m gonna go with him on this one. (She looks away and Alex walks over and sits next to her) Isabel, what’s wrong…what’s going on? (Isabel looks at him and starts crying. He puts his arm around her and comforts her.)

(Scene: Mescalero Reservation. Michael is sitting inside the cave staring at the image he had a vision of on the wall. It’s an image that wasn’t there before. Max walks up from behind.)

Max (calling out): Michael?

Michael: It’s here Max…I dreamt it.

Max (not in view of it yet): Michael? Dreamt what?

Michael (pointing to the wall): That (Max reaches Michael and he sits next to him and seeing the image reaches out to touch it. When he does it glows.)

Max: Michael?

Michael: He’s close…don’t you see…he left it for us – and he made me dream it so we’d find it.

(River Dog comes up behind them – without them noticing/hearing)

River Dog: He is right. (Both Michael and Max get the piss scared out of them when he speaks and they turn around) It is for you…and he is near.

Max: How do you know?

Michael: What do you know?

River Dog: I know he is close…I have felt him too.

Max: How…

River Dog: A week ago…I brought the stones – your stones – to the cave…I could feel something…coming from them…and when I entered the cave they began to glow (he pulls them out and they’re glowing). When he gave these to me…as a child…they were glowing. They stopped when he left...not even you (motioning to both Michael and Max) can make them glow – only him.

Michael (looking at Max): Soon Max.

Max (looking away and under his breath): Liz…

River Dog (having heard Max): The time is coming…(he looks at Max)…you must prepare yourself. (River Dog leaves the cave. And Max and Michael just sit there thinking about what he said)

Michael: Prepare? What’s Yoda talkin’ about?

Max (softly): I know. (Michael just looks at Max confused and Max reaches out to touch the image again)

(Scene: UFO Museum, Saturday same day as the first scene. Max and Milton are in the library room, the door is open and Liz comes in carrying a folder.)

Liz: Hey.

Max (looks up at her and away and speaks very coldly to her): Hey.

Liz: Can I talk to you?

Max: Actually I don’t have break for another hour. (Milton comes out from behind the stacks and sees Liz)

Milton: Go ahead. (Looking from Max to Liz and sensing the awkwardness in the air he walks to the door) I think I’ll go…rove… (He shuts the door behind him)

Max (not looking at Liz): You shouldn’t come here.

Liz (a little surprised by his attitude): I’m sorry I was…just wondering what was going on…(holding up the folder she’s carrying) and I wanted to...

Max (not looking at her): It’s not like I have to tell you everything Liz…I mean we’re not together…it’s not like we’re…

Liz (starting to get upset): Friends?

Max (looking at her and then quickly looking away): You should go.

Liz (confused and upset): Um…No…you should…explain yourself.

Max (not looking at her): You were right Liz…he still has the answers we need. And we’ll find them…without you…getting in the way...

Liz (she steps toward him completely blown away by his attitude): Um…in the way? I…

Max (still not looking at her and in a very rude tone): Just go Liz. Don’t come here anymore…or stop by my house…or (stopping because he can’t do it anymore)…just leave.

Liz (looking like she’s just been sucker punched): Um…no.

Max: Don’t you get it. (He turns to look at her) He’s a murderer Liz…and you know what we are – what he is. (Liz’s face changes as she gets what he’s saying) If he did anything…if anything happened to you do you have any idea what that would do to me? Cause I don’t…I can’t even…(He stops. Liz is standing there taking it all in. He looks away from her) We can’t be anything Liz…(he looks at her) I can’t be near you…(he starts to leave the room and says this as he passes her) I can’t know you.

(He walks out of the room leaving the door open. Milton sees Max leaving the room and he looks over to see the back of Liz. She stands there for a minute, processing everything that just happened and realizing the finality in his tone and his words. She drops the folder she was holding – it has notes and homework assignments from the days Max missed at school. And she finally turns her head to the side to look out the door just as tears start to fall down her cheek.)

-----Back to Liz on the roof-----

Voice Over (continues from first scene): And I have this feeling…that Max Evans won’t be healing this wound – this hole that’s bigger and more painful than any gunshot could ever be…Maybe one day I’ll learn (she pauses) how to heal it myself. I guess that’s one of life’s greatest challenges – letting go…learning how to give back the most beautiful thing that anyone has ever given you – will ever give you…knowing that you never got to really see just how beautiful it was…knowing that you never will.