The In Between (2022) Movie Script
1
Welcome back
to the world of the living.
So?
Good morning, Tessa.
I'm Dr. Sarkisian.
You've been in
a very bad car accident.
You ruptured your heart
due to trauma,
which we were forced
to repair surgically.
Tessa?
Morning.
Morning. I made pancakes.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm gonna go shoot photos.
Oh, it's so cold outside.
Yeah, I just don't want
to miss the morning light.
Well, maybe when you're back, we could
do a little research for colleges.
All right. Bye.
She hides behind that camera.
She's not taken
a single picture of us.
You're too pretty.
You'd break her lens.
Hey, I told you. You've
gotta let her come to you.
It's been a year. Signing a piece of
paper doesn't make us her parents.
Actually it does.
You open, Sherman?
I am for you, Tessa.
Um, I think I'm a little short.
That's no crime. I'm only 5'6".
Enjoy the show.
Sherman, where are
You watch. I'll translate.
"It's the first time
we've met in daylight."
"But you're very early."
I think I'm just gonna go
tell the theater owner.
I mean, there's nothing he can do about it.
They obviously sent him the wrong print.
I can get my money back.
I've seen this film before.
I don't think you want to miss it.
Does it have a happy ending?
No. Definitely not.
Okay. Then I'll say.
"You gonna eat
all that chili by yourself?
In this heat, you're mad."
"I eat chili no matter
how hot it is, Betty."
"Those bastards." "What?"
"Never mind. Kiss me."
"Those bastards. How could
they do this to you?"
I'm sorry.
How long was I doing that?
I lost feeling
about an hour ago,
so I'm not sure. Why
didn't you say something?
Um, the movie is
a bit of a downer, so...
It's a love story.
I mean, not all love
stories are downers.
All the good ones are.
Romeo and Juliet, Anna Karenina,
The English Patient. Mm-hmm.
I think it's the ending
of a relationship,
that's what makes
a love story so memorable.
What about Pride and Prejudice?
Jane Eyre? Those both
have happy endings.
That's only because the writer chose
to end their love stories prematurely.
Wow. That is
a really interesting way
of not admitting you're wrong.
Come on! Okay. Picture this.
Picture that Leonardo DiCaprio
didn't die at the end of Titanic.
Do I have to? Oof. You have to.
Jack Dawson is a jobless,
penniless gambler,
who possessed, at best,
marginal artistic talent.
He saved Rose's life.
Right, of course.
But he also love-bombed her and
stole her away from her fianc.
And poor Rose was just so
hypnotized by that steamy car sex,
that she really thought that he'd give
her a life of passionate adventure?
Please, come on. That's a life of abject
poverty and dehumanizing infidelity.
Titanic 2. If you thought
part one was a disaster...
Oh, my gosh.
I... Time to go!
Jesus, this guy is getting
a one-star review, for sure.
So, um, how did you get
so good at speaking French?
My dad is a foreign
languages professor.
So by the time I was 12, he had me
fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian.
Oh! Oh, my gosh.
If I could just read Dante's
Inferno in the original Italian,
my life would be complete, I think.
I get that a lot.
Really? No. No, I've
never gotten that before.
That's some pretty old gear you got there.
You don't shoot digital?
No, I don't. I get a much
higher dynamic range on film.
Plus, I'm also kind of addicted to
the smell of the developing chemicals.
The fumes make me
a little delirious.
Kind of like what your eyes
are doing to me right now.
Ooh.
That...
That was really cheesy. No, no.
It was... It was...
a little cheesy, yeah.
It sounded perfect in my head.
Oh, okay. Then let me imagine
that for a sec, okay. Okay.
Still bad? It's worse, actually.
Somehow, I don't know.
Um, I should probably...
Yeah, me too.
Um, thank you for letting me
whisper in your ear
for three hours.
You are welcome.
Skylar. What?
My name is... It's Skylar.
I'm Tessa.
Maybe I'll see you here
again sometime.
Yeah, I'd like that.
Oh! My jacket.
Sky. You're alive!
Come on. I want
to show you something.
Sky!
Bad dream.
You called out his name.
It's called a visitation dream.
We see lots of 'em around here.
It's all part
of the grieving process.
I know. It just felt
like Skylar was really here.
Doris would love to hear about that.
Who's Doris?
A patient writing a book
on the afterlife. Okay.
The other day,
she offered to read my aura.
I politely declined.
What is that? Your
belongings from the crash.
They closed
the accident report already?
Well, neither driver had drugs
or alcohol in their system.
That's usually the end of it.
They never even interviewed me.
You said you didn't remember
anything about the accident?
I don't.
Maybe that's for the best.
I'm very encouraged, Tessa.
The scan shows
your right ventricle
is functioning quite well,
despite the tear.
Finally, some good news.
It is more than good.
Ninety-nine out of 100 with this
same injury die on my table.
I did die.
Only for a short time.
I could see Skylar.
Like, he was in this...
this crazy white light.
What is that? Was she,
you know, hallucinating?
When the body undergoes
severe trauma...
the hypothalamus
can flood the brain
- with pain relieving endorphins.
- So when can we take her home?
End of the week. Tessa needs to be
extremely careful these next few months.
Any chest pains
or shortness of breath,
you call 911 immediately.
Understand?
Jazz? Just give me a second.
Jazz?
You watch, I'll translate.
Hi, excuse me. Are you Doris?
I am going to take
a wild guess here.
Room B424,
girl with the broken heart?
Relax.
I'm not psychic.
Jasmine told me you might
come looking for me. Oh.
My condolences.
Thank you.
Are your hands injured?
Excuse me?
From the accident. Did you
hurt your hands at all?
No, why? Ta-da! Huh?
Oh, come on. Come on.
So, what is your book about?
It's about ADC's.
After Death Communication.
Okay, so you believe that
dead people can contact us?
Along with billions
of other people
from faiths that span the globe.
Sometimes, the departed,
they call out to us in voice.
And other times, we can smell their
cologne or perfume in the air.
No matter how they communicate,
the message is the same.
"I'm still here."
And your grief, like a beacon,
"calls me to your side."
And when the separation
has been traumatic,
like with you
and your boyfriend,
there's often
unfinished business.
Like regrets or something?
Like things left undone
or unsaid.
Tessa.
We signed you out.
It's time to go.
He's in the in-between.
But he won't be there for
long, a few weeks at most.
And when he moves on...
he's gone for good.
I gotta go. Oh, wait, wait.
Here, take this.
It's my first book.
It's a good place to start.
That's okay.
He's reaching out to you.
Reach back.
It's too late for that.
Tessa, you're up.
Um, this is a photo that
I took back in February.
Is that how you spend your free
time, taking pictures of trees?
Well, it's actually
not a tree, asshole.
It's a cell phone tower,
disguised as a tree.
It is an allegory for the
artificiality of modern life.
It's a lovely photo, Tessa.
Your technical skills have
taken huge leaps this year.
Oh, thank you. I know
you're still a junior,
but I think you have a good shot of getting
into the Rhode Island School of Design.
I'd be happy to write you
a letter of recommendation.
Thank you. I just... My work's
not ready for that yet.
Oh? What do you feel is missing?
Just like a point of view.
You know, something to say
that's my own.
Well, maybe it's time for
your subject matter to evolve.
After all, there is something
notably missing from all your photos.
Yeah, I know. Color.
No. People.
You know, Tessa, before an
artist can find her voice,
she has to find
a subject she loves.
Who or what do you love, Tessa?
I should probably...
Yeah, me too.
Hey, okay. What do you think?
Red? Noisy colors are trendy.
I don't know. I feel like you're kind of
taking advantage of your dad's niceness.
Of course, I am. My dad is
putty when I get straight A's.
Hey, yo, Tess!
Hi, Cortez. Hey, uh, do you
have plans this weekend?
As it happens, I actually work
as Tessa's full-time scheduler,
so I can say, with absolute authority,
that she does not have any plans
this weekend. What are you saying?
What are you doing?
Well, the final crew meet of
the season is this Saturday.
I was kind of wondering if you
'd come out and take some photos.
Uh, sorry. I don't really do
sports photography.
But if you glue a selfie stick to your
forehead, it might be the same thing.
Will Judd be there?
Well, wherever I go, my
rowing partner goes, so...
Then we'll be there.
"We" will be there?
I'll be there as your photo
assistant, remember?
I'm her photo assistant.
Well, the first race
starts at30.
In the morning? He didn't
mean morning, did he?
Yup, he did.
Do you think Judd
can see me from here?
Hey! You are fired.
Give me this.
Assistanting is
not my thing. My bad.
You were the one who dragged me out here.
So behave, please.
Racers, starting positions.
Ready your marks.
Row!
Whoo! Whoo! Yeah!
Yes!
Whoo!
You never said he was hot.
Yes, I did.
No, you said he was cute.
Emojis are cute. That guy is
like melting my sunglasses, Tess.
I think I'm gonna go.
Are you crazy?
You've been obsessed about this guy for
like months, and you're just gonna ditch?
I don't know what to say to him.
"Hold me."
He just won the race.
Congratulate him.
Okay.
Can I put this on my Story?
If you wanna die.
Tessa! Hey... Oh!
Oh, my God! Sorry. Whoa, whoa!
My legs are always
Jell-O after races.
I can't believe that you're a...
A jock?
A jock, yeah!
Jocks don't speak
Spanish, French and Italian.
Hey, this one does. Well,
they definitely don't read
Jane Austin and Emily Bronte.
I have a thing for happy endings.
Skylar!
Oh, shit. Here we go. Um...
That is what I call a finish.
Thanks, Mom.
Um... Movie theater girl.
Her name is Tessa.
How did you...
The blue eyes. Skylar
went on and on about them.
Wow, Mom! Does anyone see a
deep, dark hole I can crawl into?
You know, he spent weeks
searching for you on the Internet.
- Mom...
- And he couldn't find a thing about you.
Well, that is by design.
Told you. She's analog. Like me.
Your father is driving me crazy.
Talk to him, Mom.
Tell him... Tell him I won.
No. You can talk to him yourself later. Are you
going to be heading back to Edison tonight?
No, I'm gonna be staying
at Grandpa Mike's. Um...
But first, I was gonna see if
Tessa maybe wanted to go...
Chill out and hang?
Oh, my God.
Movie theater girl would love
to chill out and hang.
All right. Bye. Thanks.
Thank you, Mom.
That's my mom.
She does, uh, parties.
I can put the top up
if you want.
No, it's okay.
It feels really good.
You look amazing.
Say it in French.
You too.
Um...
You don't have
a girlfriend, do you?
No. Not since
the eighth grade. Why?
This kinda looks like you.
No. That is, uh...
That's my mom and dad when
they were teenagers. Oh!
Yeah, this is actually the
same Jeep that my grandpa
bought my mom
for her 18th birthday.
You can actually see it
behind them in the photo.
Oh, yeah! They're so cute.
They look so in love.
Yeah, they were. "They were"?
Are. They are.
My dad's just living and
teaching in Oregon right now.
That's pretty far. Are they,
like, taking a break or something?
No.
They're gonna be fine. They
talk almost every day, so...
Some music.
Whoa! If you wanna take a look.
What?
Yeah, it's my mom's entire
high school playlist.
New Order. Cake. Bush.
Echo and the Bunnymen.
Your mom's like my new bestie.
Your dad made her a mix tape?
Yes, he did.
Can I play it?
It's the other way.
It's okay. I won't tell
the '80s police. Shut up.
I have spent every summer of my
life down here with my grandfather.
How have I never
heard of this place?
Well, that's my favorite
part about taking photos.
It's like you just stumble and
wander and find places like this.
Right. But what... what drew
you to this spot specifically?
The view.
That view.
It was called The Empyrean.
It was a honeymooners'
resort back in the '60s.
It's so surreal.
It's unbelievable.
You've gone in there?
Unarmed?
I'll do anything
for a great photo.
"Empyrean"?
That's where Dante
meets God, right?
Highest of all heavens.
A place of pure love.
Look at it. If that's not a metaphor
for love, then I don't know what is.
Can I see your photos?
They're not on my phone.
I don't shoot digital, remember?
Well, how do people
see your work?
I don't show it,
unless I have to for class.
How come?
'Cause I'm not good enough yet.
I find that seriously
difficult to believe.
Okay, so if you won't
show me your photos,
maybe you can give me a tour.
Of The Empyrean?
Yeah, show it to me.
I wanna see it, you know,
through your eyes.
Do you know how to waltz?
No. Okay, just
step back this way.
Okay. And then your
back foot forward.
And then it's like one, two, three.
Straighten your leg.
One, two, three.
Okay.
And then you have to put
your chin up and then lead.
Like you don't want to pay any
attention to the other person.
Don't slip.
You know it's true
Worlds collided
We're shining through
Do you want to see what it's
like to be inside of a camera?
Yeah. Okay. Close the door.
It works just like
a camera lens.
I kind of made it myself.
Whoa.
It's beautiful.
Yeah.
I mean, it's pretty good, right?
Ooh, I mean, it's obvious you just
haven't been playing that long.
Just three years. Oh.
Should have heard me back then.
Can you hear them?
Hear who?
The ghosts of newlyweds past.
No. What are they saying?
Well, the groom, he's saying...
Come on, honey.
You've been in the bathroom
for two hours now.
It's time to come to bed.
You're my wife.
What does the bride say?
Well, the bride is saying, um...
But you haven't even
kissed me yet.
Okay. You want me to
walk you to your door
so your parents don't think
I'm a... taxidermist?
What?
Or like someone...
A serial killer?
That's okay. Um, they're
not my parents, actually.
I, uh... I'm just a genetic stranger
that lives under their roof.
"A genetic stranger"?
Yeah, it's, uh...
It's a long story.
For another time.
When can I see you again?
Um, well, when are you
back in Avalon?
End of the month.
And how long are you
gonna be here for?
The whole summer.
I'm staying with my grandpa
until I leave for Brown.
You're going to Brown? What?
I just kissed an Ivy League bro?
Your street cred ruined?
Only if you tell me that
you're also a lifeguard.
Yeah.
Are you serious? Mm-hmm.
About three summers now
at Washington Avenue Beach.
No! Why?
Good night. Good night.
Do I need to kick
this guy's ass?
No, she's just scared.
Why?
Because she likes him.
Tessa?
Shannon's waiting.
Okay, I'm coming.
Hey, what's that?
That is four A's, one A-minus.
Don't want to talk about it.
I'm gonna tint the windows, so
no one knows it's me inside.
Geez, stop whining. It's a car.
So did you call
the phone company?
Yeah. And?
You were right. They just said that Skylar
probably sent the photo before the accident
and then it got stuck
in the server or something.
But that doesn't explain why my phone just
turned on after it was completely trashed.
Can you explain that?
I can't. No.
Hey.
It's totally normal
to read into things.
My mom did the same thing
after her sister died.
Every rainbow was a sign.
Every butterfly
was a message from heaven.
Meet my computer on wheels.
Shit.
Sorry. You put it on my Spotify.
It's okay.
Hey.
Talk to me, Tess.
I can't believe he's gone.
It's like I close my eyes
and I see us meeting
for the first time.
And I remember every word
that he said to me.
I remember every expression
on his face.
And then I open my eyes
and it's like...
Did I, like, just dream
our entire relationship up?
Did I dream him up?
Hey. I was there.
He wasn't a dream, okay?
Your head's just
a little scrambled.
That happens when two tons of
metal comes crashing into you.
I don't even remember the
last thing I said to him.
Come on. I'm serious.
We were fighting
that last week, remember?
Hey.
You guys had an epic summer.
One that you will never forget.
Yeah.
Damn, I won't forget it, and I
was just a jealous bystander.
Oh, my God.
It's my first day back, and
I look like a total mess.
Yeah. You do.
You do, yeah.
I heard about
what happened, Tessa.
I'm terribly sorry.
If you were my daughter,
I'd tell you to use it.
Use it?
The pain, the emptiness.
Channel it, through your camera.
Some of the greatest works of art
were produced by intense grief.
Okay. Tessa.
RISD portfolio day
is right around the corner.
Thank you.
So that's it?
You're just giving up
your photography?
It sure looks like it.
This is the same crap
your mom used to pull.
She'd become obsessed
with things.
Baking, yoga, pottery.
One day, lose interest,
move on to the next.
That's why she could never
get any traction in life.
Are you done?
You think Skylar
would have wanted this?
I don't know.
Why don't you go ask him?
It's okay. I won't tell
the '80s police. Shut up.
I'm still here, Tess.
Sky?
Tess? I'm sleeping.
I just did a double shift.
You were asleep when I left.
Did you even eat anything?
I'm not hungry.
Can you please
just let me sleep?
No. No, no, no, no!
No, no, no, no...
No, no, no. No, no...
No.
Hi.
Tessa?
Uh, I gotta talk to Doris.
Hang on a second.
Let me... Wait, Tessa.
What... Her family took
her home this morning.
There was nothing more we could do.
Are you okay, honey?
Um, I just haven't...
I haven't eaten today.
Um... You know what,
let me check you out.
Why do you need to talk to Doris so bad?
It's just...
It's about what she was telling me before.
It's about the afterlife.
Maybe that old coot
isn't so crazy after all.
What do you mean? Your heartbeat
is fast, but it sounds healthy.
Wait, what do you... What were you saying?
What do you mean?
Doris told me you'd
come looking for her.
She even left you something.
Her book.
Tessa, I have seen a lot of dying
and grieving in my time here.
Looking back
never helped anyone.
There's either life
or there's death.
There's no place in-between.
I'm gonna find him.
What does the in-between
look like?
Well, we as living beings can never
imagine it. We have no reference.
It would be like trying to
describe a sunset to a blind man.
Technological advances have made
ghost-hunting a legitimate field.
My friend Darlene, she let me borrow
her full-spectrum digital camera.
This baby can pick up light
well beyond the human eye,
with infrared night vision...
Well, happy Fourth of July.
I don't know. I actually kind of
like this weather. Don't call me.
So, you think this means
the fireworks are canceled?
I think so, yeah. Yeah.
Hey. Hey.
You okay? Yeah.
Skylar, Tess says
you're going to Brown.
Congrats! Thank you.
What are you gonna study?
Probably Latin.
That'll come in handy.
You never know when you're gonna
meet the Pope or something.
Or need to conduct an exorcism.
Nice. That's nice.
I don't know. I just don't want
to have any regrets, you know?
I wanna live a bunch
of different lives.
What's the point of speaking
all these languages
if I'm not gonna travel the
world and use them, you know?
Let's go. We are going to
watch the fireworks on TV.
Are your parents home?
Do you want to talk about it?
Not really.
Okay.
My mom filed for divorce today.
I'm really sorry.
You know, I know this doesn't
help right now, but...
just because
they're splitting up
that doesn't mean that they
don't care about each other.
It means they've given up.
I don't think that's fair.
Fair to who? You or them?
When you're rowing a race and
you get to the last 20 meters,
your entire body
is telling you to stop.
Your muscles are on fire. Your
lungs are screaming at you.
Everything inside you wants to
quit, make the pain go away.
But if you want to win,
that's exactly when you dig
deeper and you row harder.
You really don't like
to let things go, do you?
You noticed?
You're just starting to make
me believe in happy endings.
Oh, no! The photo! No. Oh, oh...
What? It's totally ruined.
It's totally ruined.
Now you see why I don't
let anyone up here.
I am pretty amazed that you've
let me into your inner sanctum.
Yeah, well, if you tell anyone,
I'll poison you.
Oh, you don't have to...
Hmm? You don't have
to look through that.
No, no, no. Okay. Yeah.
It's cool.
I like this one.
That's, um...
That's a cell phone tower.
Yeah. It's an allegory
for something... technology
co-opting our natural environment.
Really?
Really.
I know you hate compliments,
but this work is incredible.
I'm serious. It's like you can
see things that no one else can.
That just shows how much
you know about photography.
I mean, I think
you can sell this stuff.
Maybe on Etsy.
There is something
that's missing
from like all of your photos.
Yeah, I know. It's color.
No. You.
I just don't really think the
world needs another selfie.
Oh, come on. What is wrong with stepping in
front of the camera every once in awhile.
I believe that a photographer
should point her lens outward,
toward the world. Yeah?
Yeah, so you can try
and understand it.
What about trying
to understand yourself?
If you had my past, you
wouldn't ask that question.
You ever gonna tell me about it?
Come on. I'll walk you home.
I never met my real father.
He ran off before I was born.
And my mom...
The kind way to describe her
would be flaky.
Wow. Instead of counting sheep
to go to sleep when I was a kid,
I would count her fiancs.
And Mel was one of them?
Yeah, he was the last one.
Her final victim before
she ghosted us for good.
And that's when he took you in?
Well, he tried, but the court,
they just didn't really look too
kindly on a middle-aged bachelor
wanting to adopt a young girl.
So then where did you go?
Ah, Family Services.
Foster care.
Oh.
You know how you said
that I notice things
that no one else does?
Mm-hmm.
When you live with strangers
who can hurt you,
and I bounced around a lot,
you have to really just
observe everything.
When you're a foster kid,
you learn the hard way to...
Never put your guard down?
Yeah.
Anyway, about a year ago,
Mel and Vickie got married
and then the court
let them take me in.
So that's why you call
yourself a genetic stranger?
I did that.
Good God.
How early is it? Super early.
A little splash
of almond milk, right?
Uh, yeah.
I like your necklace.
Yeah? Shannon lent it to me.
You know, if you ever want to borrow anything
from me, clothes or makeup, jewelry...
All righty.
I'll see you later, Vick.
See ya.
When a rower dies, this
is what heaven looks like.
For me, heaven is Paris in the rain.
Like cobblestone streets.
Yeah? Yeah.
Is everything
in black and white?
Get out of my head.
You ever been? To Paris?
Someday.
Avec moi?
I guess I could use
a translator.
My parents had
their honeymoon there.
So I've been saving up
to send them
for their 25th anniversary.
What if they don't want to go? I
mean, who doesn't want to go to Paris?
Yeah, but what if they don't
want to go with each other?
It's not a crime to fall
out of love, you know.
Tessa. Hmm?
Love never dies.
What?
You just sound like someone
who's never been hurt by life.
You putting me on notice?
No.
Um, what the hell is that?
This...
is a rowboat. I'm assuming
you want me to get in that?
You are getting in this with me.
No.
We spent four hours in your dark
room doing what you love to do.
Let me show you
what I love to do.
Hands under your... Thumbs there.
Thumbs here.
And then it's gonna go simple like that.
You press it down.
Okay. And then you tilt
it and then you pull it.
Hmm. And then you're
pressing down,
tilt it, and then pull it.
Okay, I'm gonna try and go forward again.
All right.
Don't help me. I won't.
I won't. You've got this.
You've got this.
Oh, my God!
This is awful.
Oh, I'm tired now.
You're flying!
I love you, Tessa.
We should probably
head back, yeah?
Hey.
"The in-between"?
That's just what Doris calls it,
but every culture
has its own version of it.
So, it's where we go
after we die.
Not me. I'm going to Jamaica.
I'm serious, Shannon.
It's like a waiting room
for our souls.
Okay, so you think Skylar
is reaching out to you
from this waiting room?
They were color photos, Shannon. I don't...
I don't shoot in color.
I don't even own
the chemicals to develop it.
But you can't show me the photos?
No, I told you.
The fixer didn't work.
I don't know why.
But maybe spirits can't be captured
on film or something. I don't know.
All right.
Tess, I want to
believe you, I swear,
but messages
from the other side?
I just think he wants
the same thing I want.
To see me one last time so that we can
actually say goodbye to each other.
You loved him, and he knew that.
What more is there to say?
Two-minute warning.
Please take your seats
and set your phones
to silent mode.
Dude, we need to focus, okay?
You're not even listening to me.
Yes, I am! I just don't think
this is about color photos or
waiting rooms or the in-between.
Then what is it about?
A girl who won't let go.
Just think about it. Okay?
Sorry.
Cell phone use is prohibited
during the test!
Didn't I tell you
the drive would be worth it?
This negative's made of glass.
It's coated in collodion,
then dipped in silver
nitrate, which is crazy.
Because after that, you only ave
a few minutes to take the photo
or the chemicals
completely dry up.
Hmm. That's exactly
what I was gonna say.
It's only ten grand.
It's a little out of my budget.
But I can offer you
a gluten-free cracker
with rotting cheese on it.
You're so generous. It's crazy.
Sorry. Am I interrupting?
No. Julian, hi.
We were just talking about how
much we love the photo. Oh, yeah.
It's wonderful, isn't it?
I just love how he prioritizes
mood and atmosphere
over subject.
That is a very sophisticated
insight for a girl your age.
Julian, meet my very
sophisticated girlfriend.
Hi, I'm Tessa. Nice to meet you.
Congratulations on this. This is great.
Oh, thank you.
Okay, kids, follow me.
I wanna show you something.
Doesn't it look amazing
all lit up like this?
Like it belongs here?
It does belong here.
Tessa, you have
an extraordinary eye.
I don't understand.
It's for sale for $1,000.
Yeah, and we already have
two serious inquiries.
Uh, this photo
is not for sale.
This was a gift to Skylar.
Can't you print another one?
I really just don't want
anyone looking at it.
Can we please take it down?
Are you serious?
Take it down. Hey, it's okay.
I'll take it down.
Thank you.
That's exactly why
I brought you here,
to prove that your photos are
great, even Julian thinks so.
I don't want this photo
hanging on the wall
of some random stranger.
This is my photo.
That means I get to decide
who I share it with
and I shared it with you.
You're right.
I'm sorry. I should have
asked you first.
I just wanted you to see
how amazing you are.
And that you can get into RISD.
Who said anything about RISD?
Shannon said your art teacher
thought you could get in.
I'm gonna kill her. It is the
best art college in the country.
And it's in Providence, which
is in the same city as Brown.
Which if you get in,
we could be together.
I... For real. Without
a ticking clock.
Even if I could get into RISD,
which I totally doubt,
I cannot afford that. You're
going to get into RISD.
No. And you could just
get a scholarship.
Skylar, Jesus, just give it up.
This is...
You can't fix everything.
What?
Your parents' marriage and me.
Some things are
just beyond repair.
Is that why you
won't say you love me?
Because you're... beyond repair.
Okay.
That's...
Hey, 00. I'm here
like you asked. What's up?
I would like to take
your portrait.
Uh... can I change first? No, you don't
have to. You can just put that on.
What's that?
It was my mom's.
This really brings me
back to college.
I had a boyfriend who was an art major.
Made me pose for him.
So... Mel isn't the first person
that you've been in love with.
Gosh, no. I've loved a few men.
Maybe even one woman.
Did you love any of them
more than they loved you?
Oh, probably.
Didn't that scare you?
Knowing that someone could you hurt
you more than you could hurt them?
Yeah. Maybe at first.
But then I think I realized if you
protect yourself from the lows,
you just end up missing
all the highs too.
You love Skylar. Don't you?
I think I'm screwing it up.
Yeah. If it's not opening old
wounds, it's probably not true love.
I just don't know what to do.
How do I get Skylar
to understand that...
I love him.
You start by saying it.
You need to hear
the words, Tessa.
You mean, he needs
to hear the words.
No. You need to hear
yourself say them.
Out loud.
So the world knows
your feelings count.
That you count.
Vickie, I'm sorry.
For how I've treated you.
Hey Google, dim the lights.
Yes! Oh, man. No smoke machine?
Shh!
We begin this invocation
by asking the Archangel Michael
to protect us against
any malevolent spirits
that may be seeking a gateway into
this earthbound sphere. You wrote this?
You're interrupting my invocation.
I'm sorry!
It's just... This is crazy.
Did you read all of
these books in two days?
Bitch, yes! You know speed
reading is my super power.
Enjoy Your Own Funeral.
Yeah. That happens
to be a classic
of the paranormal
metaphysical genre.
Now hush. Okay.
We seek to communicate
only with the disembodies spirit
formerly known as Skylar Adams.
No other spirits, please.
Okay.
A Ouija board? Please, Tess.
This is a planchette.
There's a pencil tip
attached to the bottom.
We ask questions and Skylar
communicates by moving our hands.
Just like he did in the gym.
Here. Fingers right there.
Okay.
Close your eyes.
Oh, my God, it moved.
Sorry that was me. My bad.
It's called scrying.
The deceased use the mirror
as a gateway to the world
of the living.
All you have to do is stare into
the mirror in a trance-like state.
That's it. Okay.
Yeah, I'm sorry. Can we
cover up Gambino and Drake?
They're like really
distracting me.
Instrumental
Trans-Communication.
The spirit uses the TV monitor
as a bridge to our world.
What is this? Okay. Here you go.
Blocks out the gamma rays.
Do you see anything?
No. Do you?
No.
Maybe I should have
read more books.
No. No, you've been awesome.
Oh, man. It's just Vickie.
Needs the car. She has a shift.
Okay. I'll walk you out.
Okay.
Hello?
Your route is being calculated.
Proceed for four miles to the
entrance to Highway 85 South.
It's a map.
Tessa? Tessa!
Sorry! I've gotta do this.
Tessa!
Head southwest to I-95 South,
and proceed for 106 miles.
Continue straight for six miles.
Take the next right,
and in 100 feet,
your destination
will be on your right.
You have arrived
at your destination.
I told you he wasn't gone yet.
Doris!
Come. Sit.
You know, I love coming
out here at night
to watch the shooting stars.
My angels are calling me home.
Skylar knows the end is near.
You don't have much time.
He's been communicating
with you?
Well, I'm much closer
to his world than you are.
What does he want?
My help.
To bring
the two of you together.
Can you?
Please.
In ancient folklore,
the souls of the departed
returned to places where they experienced
their greatest moments of love.
That's where they were able to
cross the life-death barrier.
Now, perhaps if
you and Skylar went back
to where you felt the most love,
the window between worlds
might open?
Okay.
But be careful.
If you do manage
to cross the barrier...
there may be no way back.
Tess?
What's up?
This is not how I wanted
my summer to go.
Oh, no, what do you mean?
What's wrong?
They're so cute together,
it's stupid.
Who's cute?
- Oh. Is that Judd?
- That's Judd.
Oh... My vagina is weeping.
They are cute, but I'm so sorry.
That's terrible.
Oh, my God! What?
Billy Hodges came to my party?
Ciao, Billy.
Hey. Hey.
It's just three words.
Hi.
Can we go somewhere
to talk for a second, alone?
Sure.
Yo, brutha! Hey.
I just heard the good news.
What news?
Um... Oregon State!
Nothing's official yet.
Oh, bullshit, bro.
No, I just talked to the new coach.
He said it's as good as done.
Come on.
Um... Okay.
Tess? Tess? Tessa?
Tess, I was gonna tell you, I swear.
When?
When were you gonna tell me? After
I got into RISD? No, of course not.
I just didn't want to give you another
reason to back out. What about our plan?
The same city?
No more ticking clock?
You weren't even gonna
send in an application.
I applied last week.
Well, thank you for waiting until
the last possible moment to tell me.
The truth is, Tess,
my dad's not...
He's not doing that well.
He's really lonely in Oregon and I feel
like I should stay with him for awhile.
Oregon is on the other side
of the country.
How were we ever gonna see each other?
It'll be hard.
I'm not switching schools
permanently. I'm not!
And if you get into RISD,
and you will,
I'll be in Providence
before you are.
What happens if you start to like Oregon?
What happens if your team starts to win?
Tess, my dad needs me right now.
He's my family. I don't...
You don't understand
about family because...
Because I don't have one.
That is not what I meant to say.
I knew this was gonna happen.
I get close to people
and they disappear on me.
This is just what happens to me.
Tess. No.
No.
You're just gonna push me
away like you do everyone?
The summer is over, Skylar.
And so are we.
Hey. Your ghost-hunting
assistant has arrived.
Here you go.
Direct from Daddy's closet.
Yeah, this is full spectrum,
motion sensor, night vision.
Perfect. Thank you.
Who gave you all the swag?
Ah, Vickie's credit card.
Whoa! Tessa's a bad, bad girl.
Bye. Hey, if there are nudes
of my mom on that camera,
I do not want to know.
Shh. I'm gonna tell you.
Central, standby.
You Tessa Benson?
I can't believe
you tracked my phone.
The day you stole
Vickie's credit card
was the day you gave up
your right to privacy.
What were you doing at the hotel so late?
I was taking photos.
I told you that. What, are you trying
to put yourself back in the hospital?
I don't understand this. Things
were so much better this summer.
We started to feel like a family.
Do you not understand?
Geez, I wonder what happened at the end
of the summer that might change my mood.
You know what I've been through?
What Vickie's been through? Stop.
Love hurts. You learn to live with it.
Fuck off, Mel.
Hey, no! You don't get
to talk to him like that.
Not after everything he's done for you.
There's no...
Tessa!
She's ruptured the repair.
Is it any wonder? The way she's
been running around all crazy.
You can see right here. There's a fair amount
of blood accumulated around her heart.
Will she be all right? Not
until we drain the chamber
and reinforce
the original suture.
We're gonna schedule you for an
OR first thing in the morning.
No, no, I... I'm not... You gotta let me go.
You need to let me go.
Tessa! 50 milligrams now. Jasmine, no!
Don't, please!
Tessa, if I let you go home, you
won't make it through the night.
You don't understand. You don't understand.
Get some rest now, honey.
I never got to tell... tell him.
Tell him what?
That...
They can never, ever
tear us apart.
Tess?
Shan, is that you?
Are you okay?
You... You sound medicated.
I'm at the hospital.
What happened?
I saw him, Shan.
No way. At the hotel.
I couldn't touch him,
but he was there.
I just have one place left
that I have to go.
The lake. Where he
told you he loved you.
I just don't really have
much time left.
Okay, stay put. I'm coming.
Whoa.
Now what? I don't know.
Room 22. I'll take him.
Oh. Ooh, two more.
Witching hour. I'll take odds,
you take evens. Yeah.
Whoa. Let's go.
I could get used to this.
Hey! What are you doing?
Go, go, go. Come on.
Oh, God.
Whoa. What the hell?
The lake is that way.
You've gotta turn around.
I know. I know! It's the wrong way!
Please turn around.
I can't.
Let go. What?
Let go!
I want a dead boyfriend too.
What are you doing here? Skylar says he's
called you and left you a ton of messages.
So? So? You're ghosting
your soul mate?
Shannon, my past is always
just gonna get in the way.
Remember last year, you'd
spotted that condemned bridge
and just had to get a photo.
You had to jump into the water,
even though it was
freezing cold.
You know what I was thinking,
when I saw you down there swimming
against the current to get your photo,
"Imagine if Tess could
be like this for her life,
and not just for her art."
He's leaving tonight, Tess.
Lock up for me.
This is where
the accident happened.
Do you know why
he brought you here?
No.
I don't know.
But I'm gonna find out.
Tess?
Tess!
Oh, my God.
I need help!
911, what's your emergency?
My friend just passed out.
She has a heart condition.
I'm at the corner of 6th and
Channel, please send somebody!
Skylar!
Tess.
You forgot your hat.
I'm so sorry, Sky.
I'm sorry. I'm...
I should have talked to you
before making any decisions.
No. You shouldn't have to
explain loving your family.
If I hadn't spent my whole life just pushing
everyone away, I would have understood that.
No, come on, Tess. I love you.
I said it.
Would you mind
if I said it again?
I love you.
Hey.
It's you. It's me.
Oh, my God.
I love you. I know.
You told me. I love you.
So that's why
you brought me here?
So that I'd know?
Yeah. No regrets.
So, is this...
Is this it?
We're still in Avalon.
Not exactly.
It's like everything
you see is a memory,
a dream that we have, to
project it onto the world.
It's kinda cool.
Come on. I'll show you.
Okay.
I came out here
the first day I met you.
My parents had just told me
about the separation.
Felt like it was
the worst day of my life.
And then I met you.
And it was probably
the best day of my life.
Mine too.
There's nothing more we can do.
She has a decision to make.
She has to want to live.
Come back, Tess.
Come back, Tess...
Hey.
What's wrong?
I've spent my whole life
learning how not to get hurt.
And that's no way to live.
But... But even with all the
hurt that I feel right now...
I don't regret a thing.
Because I love you.
And knowing that I'm capable
of feeling this way,
makes life worth living.
I don't want to say goodbye.
You don't have to.
Love never dies.
I'm gonna miss you.
I'm gonna miss you.
Go give us a happy ending, yeah?
Hey.
No more dying, okay?
Oh, my God. It smells so good.
Sit down. There's plenty.
I can't. I gotta go.
Good luck, Tessa. Love you.
Go get 'em. All right, bye.
See you later!
Ever since I was a little girl,
people always told me that I see
things that no one else does.
It wasn't just that my camera was
a way for me to express myself.
It was the means by which
I captured the unseen.
It was only recently that I discovered
something that I had been blind to.
A ghost.
All of us,
each and every one of us,
are haunted by ghosts.
The ghosts of childhood trauma.
The ghosts of
unfulfilled dreams.
The ghosts of lost love.
Like so many people,
I believed that,
if I just ignored these ghosts,
they would eventually go away.
This turned out to be a mistake.
Just like all of
our worst fears,
these invisible spirits
gain strength in darkness.
If we run from them,
they run faster.
If we push them away,
they just push back harder.
What are we supposed to do?
It has taken...
great personal loss
for me to discover the
answer to this question.
We must attend to our ghosts.
We must welcome them
into our lives
as though they are part of us,
because they are part of us.
It's only when we acknowledge their presence
will they make room for new possibilities.
In the end, I've learned that our
ghosts are part of who we are,
part of who we hope to be.
These hauntings stay inside us,
tethered to our hearts forever.
In life.
In death.
And... everywhere in-between.
Welcome back
to the world of the living.
So?
Good morning, Tessa.
I'm Dr. Sarkisian.
You've been in
a very bad car accident.
You ruptured your heart
due to trauma,
which we were forced
to repair surgically.
Tessa?
Morning.
Morning. I made pancakes.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm gonna go shoot photos.
Oh, it's so cold outside.
Yeah, I just don't want
to miss the morning light.
Well, maybe when you're back, we could
do a little research for colleges.
All right. Bye.
She hides behind that camera.
She's not taken
a single picture of us.
You're too pretty.
You'd break her lens.
Hey, I told you. You've
gotta let her come to you.
It's been a year. Signing a piece of
paper doesn't make us her parents.
Actually it does.
You open, Sherman?
I am for you, Tessa.
Um, I think I'm a little short.
That's no crime. I'm only 5'6".
Enjoy the show.
Sherman, where are
You watch. I'll translate.
"It's the first time
we've met in daylight."
"But you're very early."
I think I'm just gonna go
tell the theater owner.
I mean, there's nothing he can do about it.
They obviously sent him the wrong print.
I can get my money back.
I've seen this film before.
I don't think you want to miss it.
Does it have a happy ending?
No. Definitely not.
Okay. Then I'll say.
"You gonna eat
all that chili by yourself?
In this heat, you're mad."
"I eat chili no matter
how hot it is, Betty."
"Those bastards." "What?"
"Never mind. Kiss me."
"Those bastards. How could
they do this to you?"
I'm sorry.
How long was I doing that?
I lost feeling
about an hour ago,
so I'm not sure. Why
didn't you say something?
Um, the movie is
a bit of a downer, so...
It's a love story.
I mean, not all love
stories are downers.
All the good ones are.
Romeo and Juliet, Anna Karenina,
The English Patient. Mm-hmm.
I think it's the ending
of a relationship,
that's what makes
a love story so memorable.
What about Pride and Prejudice?
Jane Eyre? Those both
have happy endings.
That's only because the writer chose
to end their love stories prematurely.
Wow. That is
a really interesting way
of not admitting you're wrong.
Come on! Okay. Picture this.
Picture that Leonardo DiCaprio
didn't die at the end of Titanic.
Do I have to? Oof. You have to.
Jack Dawson is a jobless,
penniless gambler,
who possessed, at best,
marginal artistic talent.
He saved Rose's life.
Right, of course.
But he also love-bombed her and
stole her away from her fianc.
And poor Rose was just so
hypnotized by that steamy car sex,
that she really thought that he'd give
her a life of passionate adventure?
Please, come on. That's a life of abject
poverty and dehumanizing infidelity.
Titanic 2. If you thought
part one was a disaster...
Oh, my gosh.
I... Time to go!
Jesus, this guy is getting
a one-star review, for sure.
So, um, how did you get
so good at speaking French?
My dad is a foreign
languages professor.
So by the time I was 12, he had me
fluent in French, Spanish, and Italian.
Oh! Oh, my gosh.
If I could just read Dante's
Inferno in the original Italian,
my life would be complete, I think.
I get that a lot.
Really? No. No, I've
never gotten that before.
That's some pretty old gear you got there.
You don't shoot digital?
No, I don't. I get a much
higher dynamic range on film.
Plus, I'm also kind of addicted to
the smell of the developing chemicals.
The fumes make me
a little delirious.
Kind of like what your eyes
are doing to me right now.
Ooh.
That...
That was really cheesy. No, no.
It was... It was...
a little cheesy, yeah.
It sounded perfect in my head.
Oh, okay. Then let me imagine
that for a sec, okay. Okay.
Still bad? It's worse, actually.
Somehow, I don't know.
Um, I should probably...
Yeah, me too.
Um, thank you for letting me
whisper in your ear
for three hours.
You are welcome.
Skylar. What?
My name is... It's Skylar.
I'm Tessa.
Maybe I'll see you here
again sometime.
Yeah, I'd like that.
Oh! My jacket.
Sky. You're alive!
Come on. I want
to show you something.
Sky!
Bad dream.
You called out his name.
It's called a visitation dream.
We see lots of 'em around here.
It's all part
of the grieving process.
I know. It just felt
like Skylar was really here.
Doris would love to hear about that.
Who's Doris?
A patient writing a book
on the afterlife. Okay.
The other day,
she offered to read my aura.
I politely declined.
What is that? Your
belongings from the crash.
They closed
the accident report already?
Well, neither driver had drugs
or alcohol in their system.
That's usually the end of it.
They never even interviewed me.
You said you didn't remember
anything about the accident?
I don't.
Maybe that's for the best.
I'm very encouraged, Tessa.
The scan shows
your right ventricle
is functioning quite well,
despite the tear.
Finally, some good news.
It is more than good.
Ninety-nine out of 100 with this
same injury die on my table.
I did die.
Only for a short time.
I could see Skylar.
Like, he was in this...
this crazy white light.
What is that? Was she,
you know, hallucinating?
When the body undergoes
severe trauma...
the hypothalamus
can flood the brain
- with pain relieving endorphins.
- So when can we take her home?
End of the week. Tessa needs to be
extremely careful these next few months.
Any chest pains
or shortness of breath,
you call 911 immediately.
Understand?
Jazz? Just give me a second.
Jazz?
You watch, I'll translate.
Hi, excuse me. Are you Doris?
I am going to take
a wild guess here.
Room B424,
girl with the broken heart?
Relax.
I'm not psychic.
Jasmine told me you might
come looking for me. Oh.
My condolences.
Thank you.
Are your hands injured?
Excuse me?
From the accident. Did you
hurt your hands at all?
No, why? Ta-da! Huh?
Oh, come on. Come on.
So, what is your book about?
It's about ADC's.
After Death Communication.
Okay, so you believe that
dead people can contact us?
Along with billions
of other people
from faiths that span the globe.
Sometimes, the departed,
they call out to us in voice.
And other times, we can smell their
cologne or perfume in the air.
No matter how they communicate,
the message is the same.
"I'm still here."
And your grief, like a beacon,
"calls me to your side."
And when the separation
has been traumatic,
like with you
and your boyfriend,
there's often
unfinished business.
Like regrets or something?
Like things left undone
or unsaid.
Tessa.
We signed you out.
It's time to go.
He's in the in-between.
But he won't be there for
long, a few weeks at most.
And when he moves on...
he's gone for good.
I gotta go. Oh, wait, wait.
Here, take this.
It's my first book.
It's a good place to start.
That's okay.
He's reaching out to you.
Reach back.
It's too late for that.
Tessa, you're up.
Um, this is a photo that
I took back in February.
Is that how you spend your free
time, taking pictures of trees?
Well, it's actually
not a tree, asshole.
It's a cell phone tower,
disguised as a tree.
It is an allegory for the
artificiality of modern life.
It's a lovely photo, Tessa.
Your technical skills have
taken huge leaps this year.
Oh, thank you. I know
you're still a junior,
but I think you have a good shot of getting
into the Rhode Island School of Design.
I'd be happy to write you
a letter of recommendation.
Thank you. I just... My work's
not ready for that yet.
Oh? What do you feel is missing?
Just like a point of view.
You know, something to say
that's my own.
Well, maybe it's time for
your subject matter to evolve.
After all, there is something
notably missing from all your photos.
Yeah, I know. Color.
No. People.
You know, Tessa, before an
artist can find her voice,
she has to find
a subject she loves.
Who or what do you love, Tessa?
I should probably...
Yeah, me too.
Hey, okay. What do you think?
Red? Noisy colors are trendy.
I don't know. I feel like you're kind of
taking advantage of your dad's niceness.
Of course, I am. My dad is
putty when I get straight A's.
Hey, yo, Tess!
Hi, Cortez. Hey, uh, do you
have plans this weekend?
As it happens, I actually work
as Tessa's full-time scheduler,
so I can say, with absolute authority,
that she does not have any plans
this weekend. What are you saying?
What are you doing?
Well, the final crew meet of
the season is this Saturday.
I was kind of wondering if you
'd come out and take some photos.
Uh, sorry. I don't really do
sports photography.
But if you glue a selfie stick to your
forehead, it might be the same thing.
Will Judd be there?
Well, wherever I go, my
rowing partner goes, so...
Then we'll be there.
"We" will be there?
I'll be there as your photo
assistant, remember?
I'm her photo assistant.
Well, the first race
starts at30.
In the morning? He didn't
mean morning, did he?
Yup, he did.
Do you think Judd
can see me from here?
Hey! You are fired.
Give me this.
Assistanting is
not my thing. My bad.
You were the one who dragged me out here.
So behave, please.
Racers, starting positions.
Ready your marks.
Row!
Whoo! Whoo! Yeah!
Yes!
Whoo!
You never said he was hot.
Yes, I did.
No, you said he was cute.
Emojis are cute. That guy is
like melting my sunglasses, Tess.
I think I'm gonna go.
Are you crazy?
You've been obsessed about this guy for
like months, and you're just gonna ditch?
I don't know what to say to him.
"Hold me."
He just won the race.
Congratulate him.
Okay.
Can I put this on my Story?
If you wanna die.
Tessa! Hey... Oh!
Oh, my God! Sorry. Whoa, whoa!
My legs are always
Jell-O after races.
I can't believe that you're a...
A jock?
A jock, yeah!
Jocks don't speak
Spanish, French and Italian.
Hey, this one does. Well,
they definitely don't read
Jane Austin and Emily Bronte.
I have a thing for happy endings.
Skylar!
Oh, shit. Here we go. Um...
That is what I call a finish.
Thanks, Mom.
Um... Movie theater girl.
Her name is Tessa.
How did you...
The blue eyes. Skylar
went on and on about them.
Wow, Mom! Does anyone see a
deep, dark hole I can crawl into?
You know, he spent weeks
searching for you on the Internet.
- Mom...
- And he couldn't find a thing about you.
Well, that is by design.
Told you. She's analog. Like me.
Your father is driving me crazy.
Talk to him, Mom.
Tell him... Tell him I won.
No. You can talk to him yourself later. Are you
going to be heading back to Edison tonight?
No, I'm gonna be staying
at Grandpa Mike's. Um...
But first, I was gonna see if
Tessa maybe wanted to go...
Chill out and hang?
Oh, my God.
Movie theater girl would love
to chill out and hang.
All right. Bye. Thanks.
Thank you, Mom.
That's my mom.
She does, uh, parties.
I can put the top up
if you want.
No, it's okay.
It feels really good.
You look amazing.
Say it in French.
You too.
Um...
You don't have
a girlfriend, do you?
No. Not since
the eighth grade. Why?
This kinda looks like you.
No. That is, uh...
That's my mom and dad when
they were teenagers. Oh!
Yeah, this is actually the
same Jeep that my grandpa
bought my mom
for her 18th birthday.
You can actually see it
behind them in the photo.
Oh, yeah! They're so cute.
They look so in love.
Yeah, they were. "They were"?
Are. They are.
My dad's just living and
teaching in Oregon right now.
That's pretty far. Are they,
like, taking a break or something?
No.
They're gonna be fine. They
talk almost every day, so...
Some music.
Whoa! If you wanna take a look.
What?
Yeah, it's my mom's entire
high school playlist.
New Order. Cake. Bush.
Echo and the Bunnymen.
Your mom's like my new bestie.
Your dad made her a mix tape?
Yes, he did.
Can I play it?
It's the other way.
It's okay. I won't tell
the '80s police. Shut up.
I have spent every summer of my
life down here with my grandfather.
How have I never
heard of this place?
Well, that's my favorite
part about taking photos.
It's like you just stumble and
wander and find places like this.
Right. But what... what drew
you to this spot specifically?
The view.
That view.
It was called The Empyrean.
It was a honeymooners'
resort back in the '60s.
It's so surreal.
It's unbelievable.
You've gone in there?
Unarmed?
I'll do anything
for a great photo.
"Empyrean"?
That's where Dante
meets God, right?
Highest of all heavens.
A place of pure love.
Look at it. If that's not a metaphor
for love, then I don't know what is.
Can I see your photos?
They're not on my phone.
I don't shoot digital, remember?
Well, how do people
see your work?
I don't show it,
unless I have to for class.
How come?
'Cause I'm not good enough yet.
I find that seriously
difficult to believe.
Okay, so if you won't
show me your photos,
maybe you can give me a tour.
Of The Empyrean?
Yeah, show it to me.
I wanna see it, you know,
through your eyes.
Do you know how to waltz?
No. Okay, just
step back this way.
Okay. And then your
back foot forward.
And then it's like one, two, three.
Straighten your leg.
One, two, three.
Okay.
And then you have to put
your chin up and then lead.
Like you don't want to pay any
attention to the other person.
Don't slip.
You know it's true
Worlds collided
We're shining through
Do you want to see what it's
like to be inside of a camera?
Yeah. Okay. Close the door.
It works just like
a camera lens.
I kind of made it myself.
Whoa.
It's beautiful.
Yeah.
I mean, it's pretty good, right?
Ooh, I mean, it's obvious you just
haven't been playing that long.
Just three years. Oh.
Should have heard me back then.
Can you hear them?
Hear who?
The ghosts of newlyweds past.
No. What are they saying?
Well, the groom, he's saying...
Come on, honey.
You've been in the bathroom
for two hours now.
It's time to come to bed.
You're my wife.
What does the bride say?
Well, the bride is saying, um...
But you haven't even
kissed me yet.
Okay. You want me to
walk you to your door
so your parents don't think
I'm a... taxidermist?
What?
Or like someone...
A serial killer?
That's okay. Um, they're
not my parents, actually.
I, uh... I'm just a genetic stranger
that lives under their roof.
"A genetic stranger"?
Yeah, it's, uh...
It's a long story.
For another time.
When can I see you again?
Um, well, when are you
back in Avalon?
End of the month.
And how long are you
gonna be here for?
The whole summer.
I'm staying with my grandpa
until I leave for Brown.
You're going to Brown? What?
I just kissed an Ivy League bro?
Your street cred ruined?
Only if you tell me that
you're also a lifeguard.
Yeah.
Are you serious? Mm-hmm.
About three summers now
at Washington Avenue Beach.
No! Why?
Good night. Good night.
Do I need to kick
this guy's ass?
No, she's just scared.
Why?
Because she likes him.
Tessa?
Shannon's waiting.
Okay, I'm coming.
Hey, what's that?
That is four A's, one A-minus.
Don't want to talk about it.
I'm gonna tint the windows, so
no one knows it's me inside.
Geez, stop whining. It's a car.
So did you call
the phone company?
Yeah. And?
You were right. They just said that Skylar
probably sent the photo before the accident
and then it got stuck
in the server or something.
But that doesn't explain why my phone just
turned on after it was completely trashed.
Can you explain that?
I can't. No.
Hey.
It's totally normal
to read into things.
My mom did the same thing
after her sister died.
Every rainbow was a sign.
Every butterfly
was a message from heaven.
Meet my computer on wheels.
Shit.
Sorry. You put it on my Spotify.
It's okay.
Hey.
Talk to me, Tess.
I can't believe he's gone.
It's like I close my eyes
and I see us meeting
for the first time.
And I remember every word
that he said to me.
I remember every expression
on his face.
And then I open my eyes
and it's like...
Did I, like, just dream
our entire relationship up?
Did I dream him up?
Hey. I was there.
He wasn't a dream, okay?
Your head's just
a little scrambled.
That happens when two tons of
metal comes crashing into you.
I don't even remember the
last thing I said to him.
Come on. I'm serious.
We were fighting
that last week, remember?
Hey.
You guys had an epic summer.
One that you will never forget.
Yeah.
Damn, I won't forget it, and I
was just a jealous bystander.
Oh, my God.
It's my first day back, and
I look like a total mess.
Yeah. You do.
You do, yeah.
I heard about
what happened, Tessa.
I'm terribly sorry.
If you were my daughter,
I'd tell you to use it.
Use it?
The pain, the emptiness.
Channel it, through your camera.
Some of the greatest works of art
were produced by intense grief.
Okay. Tessa.
RISD portfolio day
is right around the corner.
Thank you.
So that's it?
You're just giving up
your photography?
It sure looks like it.
This is the same crap
your mom used to pull.
She'd become obsessed
with things.
Baking, yoga, pottery.
One day, lose interest,
move on to the next.
That's why she could never
get any traction in life.
Are you done?
You think Skylar
would have wanted this?
I don't know.
Why don't you go ask him?
It's okay. I won't tell
the '80s police. Shut up.
I'm still here, Tess.
Sky?
Tess? I'm sleeping.
I just did a double shift.
You were asleep when I left.
Did you even eat anything?
I'm not hungry.
Can you please
just let me sleep?
No. No, no, no, no!
No, no, no, no...
No, no, no. No, no...
No.
Hi.
Tessa?
Uh, I gotta talk to Doris.
Hang on a second.
Let me... Wait, Tessa.
What... Her family took
her home this morning.
There was nothing more we could do.
Are you okay, honey?
Um, I just haven't...
I haven't eaten today.
Um... You know what,
let me check you out.
Why do you need to talk to Doris so bad?
It's just...
It's about what she was telling me before.
It's about the afterlife.
Maybe that old coot
isn't so crazy after all.
What do you mean? Your heartbeat
is fast, but it sounds healthy.
Wait, what do you... What were you saying?
What do you mean?
Doris told me you'd
come looking for her.
She even left you something.
Her book.
Tessa, I have seen a lot of dying
and grieving in my time here.
Looking back
never helped anyone.
There's either life
or there's death.
There's no place in-between.
I'm gonna find him.
What does the in-between
look like?
Well, we as living beings can never
imagine it. We have no reference.
It would be like trying to
describe a sunset to a blind man.
Technological advances have made
ghost-hunting a legitimate field.
My friend Darlene, she let me borrow
her full-spectrum digital camera.
This baby can pick up light
well beyond the human eye,
with infrared night vision...
Well, happy Fourth of July.
I don't know. I actually kind of
like this weather. Don't call me.
So, you think this means
the fireworks are canceled?
I think so, yeah. Yeah.
Hey. Hey.
You okay? Yeah.
Skylar, Tess says
you're going to Brown.
Congrats! Thank you.
What are you gonna study?
Probably Latin.
That'll come in handy.
You never know when you're gonna
meet the Pope or something.
Or need to conduct an exorcism.
Nice. That's nice.
I don't know. I just don't want
to have any regrets, you know?
I wanna live a bunch
of different lives.
What's the point of speaking
all these languages
if I'm not gonna travel the
world and use them, you know?
Let's go. We are going to
watch the fireworks on TV.
Are your parents home?
Do you want to talk about it?
Not really.
Okay.
My mom filed for divorce today.
I'm really sorry.
You know, I know this doesn't
help right now, but...
just because
they're splitting up
that doesn't mean that they
don't care about each other.
It means they've given up.
I don't think that's fair.
Fair to who? You or them?
When you're rowing a race and
you get to the last 20 meters,
your entire body
is telling you to stop.
Your muscles are on fire. Your
lungs are screaming at you.
Everything inside you wants to
quit, make the pain go away.
But if you want to win,
that's exactly when you dig
deeper and you row harder.
You really don't like
to let things go, do you?
You noticed?
You're just starting to make
me believe in happy endings.
Oh, no! The photo! No. Oh, oh...
What? It's totally ruined.
It's totally ruined.
Now you see why I don't
let anyone up here.
I am pretty amazed that you've
let me into your inner sanctum.
Yeah, well, if you tell anyone,
I'll poison you.
Oh, you don't have to...
Hmm? You don't have
to look through that.
No, no, no. Okay. Yeah.
It's cool.
I like this one.
That's, um...
That's a cell phone tower.
Yeah. It's an allegory
for something... technology
co-opting our natural environment.
Really?
Really.
I know you hate compliments,
but this work is incredible.
I'm serious. It's like you can
see things that no one else can.
That just shows how much
you know about photography.
I mean, I think
you can sell this stuff.
Maybe on Etsy.
There is something
that's missing
from like all of your photos.
Yeah, I know. It's color.
No. You.
I just don't really think the
world needs another selfie.
Oh, come on. What is wrong with stepping in
front of the camera every once in awhile.
I believe that a photographer
should point her lens outward,
toward the world. Yeah?
Yeah, so you can try
and understand it.
What about trying
to understand yourself?
If you had my past, you
wouldn't ask that question.
You ever gonna tell me about it?
Come on. I'll walk you home.
I never met my real father.
He ran off before I was born.
And my mom...
The kind way to describe her
would be flaky.
Wow. Instead of counting sheep
to go to sleep when I was a kid,
I would count her fiancs.
And Mel was one of them?
Yeah, he was the last one.
Her final victim before
she ghosted us for good.
And that's when he took you in?
Well, he tried, but the court,
they just didn't really look too
kindly on a middle-aged bachelor
wanting to adopt a young girl.
So then where did you go?
Ah, Family Services.
Foster care.
Oh.
You know how you said
that I notice things
that no one else does?
Mm-hmm.
When you live with strangers
who can hurt you,
and I bounced around a lot,
you have to really just
observe everything.
When you're a foster kid,
you learn the hard way to...
Never put your guard down?
Yeah.
Anyway, about a year ago,
Mel and Vickie got married
and then the court
let them take me in.
So that's why you call
yourself a genetic stranger?
I did that.
Good God.
How early is it? Super early.
A little splash
of almond milk, right?
Uh, yeah.
I like your necklace.
Yeah? Shannon lent it to me.
You know, if you ever want to borrow anything
from me, clothes or makeup, jewelry...
All righty.
I'll see you later, Vick.
See ya.
When a rower dies, this
is what heaven looks like.
For me, heaven is Paris in the rain.
Like cobblestone streets.
Yeah? Yeah.
Is everything
in black and white?
Get out of my head.
You ever been? To Paris?
Someday.
Avec moi?
I guess I could use
a translator.
My parents had
their honeymoon there.
So I've been saving up
to send them
for their 25th anniversary.
What if they don't want to go? I
mean, who doesn't want to go to Paris?
Yeah, but what if they don't
want to go with each other?
It's not a crime to fall
out of love, you know.
Tessa. Hmm?
Love never dies.
What?
You just sound like someone
who's never been hurt by life.
You putting me on notice?
No.
Um, what the hell is that?
This...
is a rowboat. I'm assuming
you want me to get in that?
You are getting in this with me.
No.
We spent four hours in your dark
room doing what you love to do.
Let me show you
what I love to do.
Hands under your... Thumbs there.
Thumbs here.
And then it's gonna go simple like that.
You press it down.
Okay. And then you tilt
it and then you pull it.
Hmm. And then you're
pressing down,
tilt it, and then pull it.
Okay, I'm gonna try and go forward again.
All right.
Don't help me. I won't.
I won't. You've got this.
You've got this.
Oh, my God!
This is awful.
Oh, I'm tired now.
You're flying!
I love you, Tessa.
We should probably
head back, yeah?
Hey.
"The in-between"?
That's just what Doris calls it,
but every culture
has its own version of it.
So, it's where we go
after we die.
Not me. I'm going to Jamaica.
I'm serious, Shannon.
It's like a waiting room
for our souls.
Okay, so you think Skylar
is reaching out to you
from this waiting room?
They were color photos, Shannon. I don't...
I don't shoot in color.
I don't even own
the chemicals to develop it.
But you can't show me the photos?
No, I told you.
The fixer didn't work.
I don't know why.
But maybe spirits can't be captured
on film or something. I don't know.
All right.
Tess, I want to
believe you, I swear,
but messages
from the other side?
I just think he wants
the same thing I want.
To see me one last time so that we can
actually say goodbye to each other.
You loved him, and he knew that.
What more is there to say?
Two-minute warning.
Please take your seats
and set your phones
to silent mode.
Dude, we need to focus, okay?
You're not even listening to me.
Yes, I am! I just don't think
this is about color photos or
waiting rooms or the in-between.
Then what is it about?
A girl who won't let go.
Just think about it. Okay?
Sorry.
Cell phone use is prohibited
during the test!
Didn't I tell you
the drive would be worth it?
This negative's made of glass.
It's coated in collodion,
then dipped in silver
nitrate, which is crazy.
Because after that, you only ave
a few minutes to take the photo
or the chemicals
completely dry up.
Hmm. That's exactly
what I was gonna say.
It's only ten grand.
It's a little out of my budget.
But I can offer you
a gluten-free cracker
with rotting cheese on it.
You're so generous. It's crazy.
Sorry. Am I interrupting?
No. Julian, hi.
We were just talking about how
much we love the photo. Oh, yeah.
It's wonderful, isn't it?
I just love how he prioritizes
mood and atmosphere
over subject.
That is a very sophisticated
insight for a girl your age.
Julian, meet my very
sophisticated girlfriend.
Hi, I'm Tessa. Nice to meet you.
Congratulations on this. This is great.
Oh, thank you.
Okay, kids, follow me.
I wanna show you something.
Doesn't it look amazing
all lit up like this?
Like it belongs here?
It does belong here.
Tessa, you have
an extraordinary eye.
I don't understand.
It's for sale for $1,000.
Yeah, and we already have
two serious inquiries.
Uh, this photo
is not for sale.
This was a gift to Skylar.
Can't you print another one?
I really just don't want
anyone looking at it.
Can we please take it down?
Are you serious?
Take it down. Hey, it's okay.
I'll take it down.
Thank you.
That's exactly why
I brought you here,
to prove that your photos are
great, even Julian thinks so.
I don't want this photo
hanging on the wall
of some random stranger.
This is my photo.
That means I get to decide
who I share it with
and I shared it with you.
You're right.
I'm sorry. I should have
asked you first.
I just wanted you to see
how amazing you are.
And that you can get into RISD.
Who said anything about RISD?
Shannon said your art teacher
thought you could get in.
I'm gonna kill her. It is the
best art college in the country.
And it's in Providence, which
is in the same city as Brown.
Which if you get in,
we could be together.
I... For real. Without
a ticking clock.
Even if I could get into RISD,
which I totally doubt,
I cannot afford that. You're
going to get into RISD.
No. And you could just
get a scholarship.
Skylar, Jesus, just give it up.
This is...
You can't fix everything.
What?
Your parents' marriage and me.
Some things are
just beyond repair.
Is that why you
won't say you love me?
Because you're... beyond repair.
Okay.
That's...
Hey, 00. I'm here
like you asked. What's up?
I would like to take
your portrait.
Uh... can I change first? No, you don't
have to. You can just put that on.
What's that?
It was my mom's.
This really brings me
back to college.
I had a boyfriend who was an art major.
Made me pose for him.
So... Mel isn't the first person
that you've been in love with.
Gosh, no. I've loved a few men.
Maybe even one woman.
Did you love any of them
more than they loved you?
Oh, probably.
Didn't that scare you?
Knowing that someone could you hurt
you more than you could hurt them?
Yeah. Maybe at first.
But then I think I realized if you
protect yourself from the lows,
you just end up missing
all the highs too.
You love Skylar. Don't you?
I think I'm screwing it up.
Yeah. If it's not opening old
wounds, it's probably not true love.
I just don't know what to do.
How do I get Skylar
to understand that...
I love him.
You start by saying it.
You need to hear
the words, Tessa.
You mean, he needs
to hear the words.
No. You need to hear
yourself say them.
Out loud.
So the world knows
your feelings count.
That you count.
Vickie, I'm sorry.
For how I've treated you.
Hey Google, dim the lights.
Yes! Oh, man. No smoke machine?
Shh!
We begin this invocation
by asking the Archangel Michael
to protect us against
any malevolent spirits
that may be seeking a gateway into
this earthbound sphere. You wrote this?
You're interrupting my invocation.
I'm sorry!
It's just... This is crazy.
Did you read all of
these books in two days?
Bitch, yes! You know speed
reading is my super power.
Enjoy Your Own Funeral.
Yeah. That happens
to be a classic
of the paranormal
metaphysical genre.
Now hush. Okay.
We seek to communicate
only with the disembodies spirit
formerly known as Skylar Adams.
No other spirits, please.
Okay.
A Ouija board? Please, Tess.
This is a planchette.
There's a pencil tip
attached to the bottom.
We ask questions and Skylar
communicates by moving our hands.
Just like he did in the gym.
Here. Fingers right there.
Okay.
Close your eyes.
Oh, my God, it moved.
Sorry that was me. My bad.
It's called scrying.
The deceased use the mirror
as a gateway to the world
of the living.
All you have to do is stare into
the mirror in a trance-like state.
That's it. Okay.
Yeah, I'm sorry. Can we
cover up Gambino and Drake?
They're like really
distracting me.
Instrumental
Trans-Communication.
The spirit uses the TV monitor
as a bridge to our world.
What is this? Okay. Here you go.
Blocks out the gamma rays.
Do you see anything?
No. Do you?
No.
Maybe I should have
read more books.
No. No, you've been awesome.
Oh, man. It's just Vickie.
Needs the car. She has a shift.
Okay. I'll walk you out.
Okay.
Hello?
Your route is being calculated.
Proceed for four miles to the
entrance to Highway 85 South.
It's a map.
Tessa? Tessa!
Sorry! I've gotta do this.
Tessa!
Head southwest to I-95 South,
and proceed for 106 miles.
Continue straight for six miles.
Take the next right,
and in 100 feet,
your destination
will be on your right.
You have arrived
at your destination.
I told you he wasn't gone yet.
Doris!
Come. Sit.
You know, I love coming
out here at night
to watch the shooting stars.
My angels are calling me home.
Skylar knows the end is near.
You don't have much time.
He's been communicating
with you?
Well, I'm much closer
to his world than you are.
What does he want?
My help.
To bring
the two of you together.
Can you?
Please.
In ancient folklore,
the souls of the departed
returned to places where they experienced
their greatest moments of love.
That's where they were able to
cross the life-death barrier.
Now, perhaps if
you and Skylar went back
to where you felt the most love,
the window between worlds
might open?
Okay.
But be careful.
If you do manage
to cross the barrier...
there may be no way back.
Tess?
What's up?
This is not how I wanted
my summer to go.
Oh, no, what do you mean?
What's wrong?
They're so cute together,
it's stupid.
Who's cute?
- Oh. Is that Judd?
- That's Judd.
Oh... My vagina is weeping.
They are cute, but I'm so sorry.
That's terrible.
Oh, my God! What?
Billy Hodges came to my party?
Ciao, Billy.
Hey. Hey.
It's just three words.
Hi.
Can we go somewhere
to talk for a second, alone?
Sure.
Yo, brutha! Hey.
I just heard the good news.
What news?
Um... Oregon State!
Nothing's official yet.
Oh, bullshit, bro.
No, I just talked to the new coach.
He said it's as good as done.
Come on.
Um... Okay.
Tess? Tess? Tessa?
Tess, I was gonna tell you, I swear.
When?
When were you gonna tell me? After
I got into RISD? No, of course not.
I just didn't want to give you another
reason to back out. What about our plan?
The same city?
No more ticking clock?
You weren't even gonna
send in an application.
I applied last week.
Well, thank you for waiting until
the last possible moment to tell me.
The truth is, Tess,
my dad's not...
He's not doing that well.
He's really lonely in Oregon and I feel
like I should stay with him for awhile.
Oregon is on the other side
of the country.
How were we ever gonna see each other?
It'll be hard.
I'm not switching schools
permanently. I'm not!
And if you get into RISD,
and you will,
I'll be in Providence
before you are.
What happens if you start to like Oregon?
What happens if your team starts to win?
Tess, my dad needs me right now.
He's my family. I don't...
You don't understand
about family because...
Because I don't have one.
That is not what I meant to say.
I knew this was gonna happen.
I get close to people
and they disappear on me.
This is just what happens to me.
Tess. No.
No.
You're just gonna push me
away like you do everyone?
The summer is over, Skylar.
And so are we.
Hey. Your ghost-hunting
assistant has arrived.
Here you go.
Direct from Daddy's closet.
Yeah, this is full spectrum,
motion sensor, night vision.
Perfect. Thank you.
Who gave you all the swag?
Ah, Vickie's credit card.
Whoa! Tessa's a bad, bad girl.
Bye. Hey, if there are nudes
of my mom on that camera,
I do not want to know.
Shh. I'm gonna tell you.
Central, standby.
You Tessa Benson?
I can't believe
you tracked my phone.
The day you stole
Vickie's credit card
was the day you gave up
your right to privacy.
What were you doing at the hotel so late?
I was taking photos.
I told you that. What, are you trying
to put yourself back in the hospital?
I don't understand this. Things
were so much better this summer.
We started to feel like a family.
Do you not understand?
Geez, I wonder what happened at the end
of the summer that might change my mood.
You know what I've been through?
What Vickie's been through? Stop.
Love hurts. You learn to live with it.
Fuck off, Mel.
Hey, no! You don't get
to talk to him like that.
Not after everything he's done for you.
There's no...
Tessa!
She's ruptured the repair.
Is it any wonder? The way she's
been running around all crazy.
You can see right here. There's a fair amount
of blood accumulated around her heart.
Will she be all right? Not
until we drain the chamber
and reinforce
the original suture.
We're gonna schedule you for an
OR first thing in the morning.
No, no, I... I'm not... You gotta let me go.
You need to let me go.
Tessa! 50 milligrams now. Jasmine, no!
Don't, please!
Tessa, if I let you go home, you
won't make it through the night.
You don't understand. You don't understand.
Get some rest now, honey.
I never got to tell... tell him.
Tell him what?
That...
They can never, ever
tear us apart.
Tess?
Shan, is that you?
Are you okay?
You... You sound medicated.
I'm at the hospital.
What happened?
I saw him, Shan.
No way. At the hotel.
I couldn't touch him,
but he was there.
I just have one place left
that I have to go.
The lake. Where he
told you he loved you.
I just don't really have
much time left.
Okay, stay put. I'm coming.
Whoa.
Now what? I don't know.
Room 22. I'll take him.
Oh. Ooh, two more.
Witching hour. I'll take odds,
you take evens. Yeah.
Whoa. Let's go.
I could get used to this.
Hey! What are you doing?
Go, go, go. Come on.
Oh, God.
Whoa. What the hell?
The lake is that way.
You've gotta turn around.
I know. I know! It's the wrong way!
Please turn around.
I can't.
Let go. What?
Let go!
I want a dead boyfriend too.
What are you doing here? Skylar says he's
called you and left you a ton of messages.
So? So? You're ghosting
your soul mate?
Shannon, my past is always
just gonna get in the way.
Remember last year, you'd
spotted that condemned bridge
and just had to get a photo.
You had to jump into the water,
even though it was
freezing cold.
You know what I was thinking,
when I saw you down there swimming
against the current to get your photo,
"Imagine if Tess could
be like this for her life,
and not just for her art."
He's leaving tonight, Tess.
Lock up for me.
This is where
the accident happened.
Do you know why
he brought you here?
No.
I don't know.
But I'm gonna find out.
Tess?
Tess!
Oh, my God.
I need help!
911, what's your emergency?
My friend just passed out.
She has a heart condition.
I'm at the corner of 6th and
Channel, please send somebody!
Skylar!
Tess.
You forgot your hat.
I'm so sorry, Sky.
I'm sorry. I'm...
I should have talked to you
before making any decisions.
No. You shouldn't have to
explain loving your family.
If I hadn't spent my whole life just pushing
everyone away, I would have understood that.
No, come on, Tess. I love you.
I said it.
Would you mind
if I said it again?
I love you.
Hey.
It's you. It's me.
Oh, my God.
I love you. I know.
You told me. I love you.
So that's why
you brought me here?
So that I'd know?
Yeah. No regrets.
So, is this...
Is this it?
We're still in Avalon.
Not exactly.
It's like everything
you see is a memory,
a dream that we have, to
project it onto the world.
It's kinda cool.
Come on. I'll show you.
Okay.
I came out here
the first day I met you.
My parents had just told me
about the separation.
Felt like it was
the worst day of my life.
And then I met you.
And it was probably
the best day of my life.
Mine too.
There's nothing more we can do.
She has a decision to make.
She has to want to live.
Come back, Tess.
Come back, Tess...
Hey.
What's wrong?
I've spent my whole life
learning how not to get hurt.
And that's no way to live.
But... But even with all the
hurt that I feel right now...
I don't regret a thing.
Because I love you.
And knowing that I'm capable
of feeling this way,
makes life worth living.
I don't want to say goodbye.
You don't have to.
Love never dies.
I'm gonna miss you.
I'm gonna miss you.
Go give us a happy ending, yeah?
Hey.
No more dying, okay?
Oh, my God. It smells so good.
Sit down. There's plenty.
I can't. I gotta go.
Good luck, Tessa. Love you.
Go get 'em. All right, bye.
See you later!
Ever since I was a little girl,
people always told me that I see
things that no one else does.
It wasn't just that my camera was
a way for me to express myself.
It was the means by which
I captured the unseen.
It was only recently that I discovered
something that I had been blind to.
A ghost.
All of us,
each and every one of us,
are haunted by ghosts.
The ghosts of childhood trauma.
The ghosts of
unfulfilled dreams.
The ghosts of lost love.
Like so many people,
I believed that,
if I just ignored these ghosts,
they would eventually go away.
This turned out to be a mistake.
Just like all of
our worst fears,
these invisible spirits
gain strength in darkness.
If we run from them,
they run faster.
If we push them away,
they just push back harder.
What are we supposed to do?
It has taken...
great personal loss
for me to discover the
answer to this question.
We must attend to our ghosts.
We must welcome them
into our lives
as though they are part of us,
because they are part of us.
It's only when we acknowledge their presence
will they make room for new possibilities.
In the end, I've learned that our
ghosts are part of who we are,
part of who we hope to be.
These hauntings stay inside us,
tethered to our hearts forever.
In life.
In death.
And... everywhere in-between.