Looking for Alaska (2019) s01e07 Episode Script

[thunder rumbling.]
[rain pattering.]
[rain and thunder stop.]
[insects chirping.]
[birds chirping.]
‐ [snoring.]
[banging on door.]
[banging on door.]
‐ I need y'all to go to the gym now.
You're not in any trouble.
I just need you to go to the gym now.
‐ What's the problem? ‐ Something terrible has happened.
[door shuts.]
‐ Something like this happened two years ago when Mr.
Harris, dean before the Eagle, died of a heart attack.
Given the age of most of our teachers and the poor nutrition available to us at the Culver Creek campus, I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often.
[sighs.]
I bet it's Hyde this time.
Guess the old man really only had a few breaths left.
Poor bastard.
[sighs.]
‐ You look a little hungover.
COLONEL: Well, I guess I'm putting on a good front, then, Pudge, 'cause I'm actually a lot hungover.
And you look different.
‐ Oh.
Uh, Alaska and I, we, uh‐‐ ‐ I wasn't that drunk.
‐ [laughs.]
COLONEL: Come on.
[indistinct chatter.]
Poor Dr.
Hyde.
He was my favorite teacher I've ever had.
‐ Then why don't you tell him? I'm sure he'd be thrilled.
[indistinct chatter.]
‐ Hyde's here.
‐ Where's Alaska? ‐ No.
COLONEL: Pudge, where's Alaska? Is she here or not? EAGLE: Good morning.
Is, uh‐‐is everybody here? ‐ No, uh, Alaska isn't here.
‐ Is everyone else here? ‐ Alaska isn't here.
[indistinct chatter.]
‐ Thank you, Miles.
I know it's early and you are probably wondering why we called you‐‐ MILES: Wait, we can't start without Alaska.
[somber music.]
Please, sir.
Can we please just wait for Alaska? ‐ Last night Last night, Alaska Young was in a terrible accident And she was killed.
[soft gasps.]
Alaska Young has passed away.
[muffled retching.]
[muffled coughing.]
[gasping.]
[hyperventilating.]
[laughs.]
She‐‐she's not dead.
She's not dead.
[girl crying.]
[muffled chatter, weeping.]
Why are all these people crying? She's not dead.
She does pranks.
[stammers.]
This is a prank.
She's really good at pranks.
‐ Miles Miles, I saw her.
And I'm sorry.
[weeping, overlapping chatter.]
‐ Oh.
What happened? ‐ Uh, it sounded like someone was setting off firecrackers last night.
I ran out to see what was happening and I guess she drove off campus.
It was late, it was raining.
There was a truck that had broken down and it was blocking both lanes.
The police had a car on the scene and she hit it.
The police said that she hit it without swerving.
They believe that she must have been very intoxicated.
They smelled alcohol.
I had talked to them, the police‐‐it was, um it was instant.
The steering wheel hit her chest and [sniffs.]
‐ You saw her? How did she look? ‐ She looked like Alaska.
But she was dead, Miles.
‐ I‐‐I see, sir.
Thank you.
[soft weeping.]
[sobbing.]
[wistful, melancholy music.]
[buckle jingling.]
[indistinct chatter.]
[birds chirping.]
[knocking on door.]
‐ Mr.
Martin.
COLONEL: I'm getting kicked out, right? So it's time to kick me out, because if I wasn't kicked out then, then I'm definitely kicked out now.
Is there a way to be doubly kicked out? Because if so, then that's me, so kick me out.
You know, maybe if you would have did your goddamn job, she'd still be alive, but whatever.
I set off the fireworks.
'Cause she said she needed to go and I didn't know where.
She said she was fine to drive and I believed her and I let her go so it's all my fault.
So kick me out! Just kick me out! [stammers.]
Kick me out, please.
[weeping softly.]
[cicadas buzzing.]
[water babbling.]
‐ We gotta get 'em now.
Crawfish season won't last forever.
[water splashing.]
[nostalgic, melancholy music.]
Once we catch 'em, we'll boil' em and suck their heads.
That's where all the good stuff is, their heads.
Come on.
Come on, help me out.
TAKUMI: Going for a swim? [music fades.]
[lighter clicks.]
[lighter snaps.]
‐ Turns out I'm not getting expelled yet.
All that packing for nothing.
[lighter clicks.]
[sighs.]
[lighter snaps.]
‐ So what the hell happened? [birds chirping.]
‐ She came into our room.
She was hysterical.
She said she needed to get out of there.
We distracted the Eagle and she drove away.
‐ Why was she hysterical? COLONEL: She wasn't making a whole lot of sense.
Guess she was pretty wasted.
‐ And you just let her go? ‐ She told us to‐‐ ‐ And you just do everything she says? ‐ She's Alaska.
We all did.
‐ You should have stopped her! She never thought anything through, she was so goddamn impulsive! You had to watch her like a three‐year‐old! You do one thing wrong and she dies.
How the fuck could you let her go? COLONEL: [breathing raggedly.]
It hurts to breathe.
[breathing raggedly.]
I'ma go for a walk.
I need to get some air.
‐ If you can't breathe, maybe walking isn't the best idea.
‐ Bad ideas are my specialty these days.
‐ We already feel guilty.
‐ You should.
[retreating footsteps.]
[Eric Bachmann's Man O' War playing.]
[chair clatters.]
SINGER: Floating in the cold water The ghosts of sorrow haunt the deep Reaching down to drag the ruins And roam the lone deserted streets Of an old abandoned temple Buried in the narrow strait [phone ringing.]
Off the coast of Tarifa, Spain Gypsies scatter through the desert CHOIR: Ooh [horn honking.]
SINGER: Across the Atlas Mountain range Hoarding remnants from the Devil ‐ Hello? SINGER: From the Empire's iron reign While cluttered down the mouths of rivers CHOIR: Ooh SINGER: Widowed lovers bathe and clean Silken scarves embroidered for their brand new queen [TV chattering.]
And every time she rises up ‐ Your parents called for you.
Not the first time.
SINGER: And like the moon doesn't mind [wailing, grunting on TV.]
If the sun doesn't shine ‐ You okay? SINGER: The sea doesn't care If you're lonesome tonight CHOIR: Ooh, ooh, ooh ‐ Classes are cancelled.
I'm going to stay with you.
CHOIR: Ooh, ooh, ooh SINGER: In its way to comfort you Set adrift into her swarm man o' war Ooh Caught up in her dangling sting Off the shore, ooh Of a foreign brown sand beach As blue bottles cover you Many messengers and rebels [indistinct chatter.]
Have come and gone without a trace And many more will come tomorrow And many more will be erased 'Cause out beyond the docks of Rota Upon the bottom of the sea Like a lion don't mind [characters grunting, hollering.]
If a lamb takes her time A beast doesn't care if you surrender tonight CHOIR: Ooh, ooh, ooh SINGER: What she wants all in good time Set adrift into her swarm man o' war Ooh Caught up in her dangling sting Off the shore, ooh Of a foreign brown sand beach As blue bottles cover you As blue bottles cover you [knocks on door.]
TAKUMI: Jesus, Pudge, when's the last time you stood up? All Maureen is making is meatloaf.
It's neither meaty nor loafy, but you should eat.
‐ We did not say "Don't drive, you're drunk.
" We did not say "We're not letting you get into a car when you're upset.
" We did not say, "We insist on going with you.
" We did not say that this can wait until tomorrow.
That anything and everything can wait.
And as much as I've thought about it, I don't know why we didn't say anything.
‐ I'm sorry I blamed you guys.
‐ It was appropriate.
‐ How's the Colonel? Where's the Colonel? ‐ Uh, I don't know.
I‐‐I haven't seen him since the Smoking Hole.
TAKUMI: What? You‐‐you mean you haven't seen him this whole time? So he went for a walk and he never came back? He could have jumped off a bridge, Pudge.
‐ Oh, shit.
Oh, shit.
‐ Oh, all right, all right.
First we get circulation back to your lower extremities and then we'll find the Colonel.
‐ Okay.
[thunder rumbling.]
[car doors slam.]
‐ Are you sure we shouldn't tell the Eagle or his mom? ‐ No, I don't want to upset Dolores.
And if the Colonel did go there, I don't want to tell the Eagle and upset him.
‐ We'll find him.
‐ Okay.
[engine revving.]
Oh‐‐ [all grunt.]
[hisses, gasps.]
[panting.]
Found him.
‐ Hey.
You all right? ‐ Let's get you inside.
‐ How's that? ‐ Better.
Warmer.
‐ Okay.
COLONEL: Wait.
Hold my hand.
‐ Okay.
But that's it.
No kissing.
[wistful music.]
BRIGID: [speaking French.]
[speaking French.]
‐ Awful.
[speaking French.]
HYDE: It is a law that parents should not have to bury their children and someone should enforce it.
Now, we're going to continue studying religion, but there's no doubting that the questions we'll be asking have more immediacy than they did just a few days ago.
What happens to us when we die, for instance, is no longer a question of idle philosophical interest.
It is a question we must ask about our classmate.
So how are you guys doing? [music fades.]
Ms.
Moser? ‐ Okay, well, this might sound kind of strange, but I had a mystical indicator of Alaska's presence.
‐ You can't be serious right now.
‐ No talking unless called on, Mr.
Martin.
HOLLY: I'm serious, Chip.
‐ Well, by all means, please proceed.
‐ Well.
I was at Miss Anne's Diner and suddenly all the lights went out except for, like the light over my table, which started flashing.
It would be, like, on for a second and then off for a while and then, like, on for a couple seconds and then off.
And then I realized it was Alaska.
I think she was trying to talk to me in Morse code but, like, I don't know Morse code.
She‐‐she probably didn't know that.
‐ Mr.
Martin? I've been grappling with the grave injustice in the universe.
[clears throat.]
Heavenly Father how is it possible that Alaska is gone but we're stuck here with Holly? HOLLY: You know what, Chip? You need to be open to the universe or you're gonna miss something.
‐ Oh, well, you know what, Holly? I'm pretty sure the universe is getting through to me loud and clear, so thank you.
HYDE: Okay, okay, that's enough.
You may recall you were asked, "What is the most important question facing people, and how do traditions we're studying address that question?" [mellow music.]
[chalk scratching.]
This was Alaska's.
For your next paper I want you to answer her question, but for yourselves.
At some point in life, we all look up and realize we are lost in a maze.
You probably all feel that way now.
So how do you get through it? [door closes.]
‐ [sniffling.]
[dramatic music.]
‐ Hey, Chip.
Listen, I don't know if you heard, but after everything that happened, Kevin and Longwell's parents are dropping the charges.
‐ I was wondering why I hadn't been kicked out on my ass yet.
Been waiting.
That's nice of them.
‐ Listen, Chip, I want you to know you have someone to sit with today on the bus to the funeral.
We were all gonna bring things to put on the side of the road where it happened.
It's on the way, so‐‐ Chip, I know how much she meant to you.
I don't want you to be alone right now.
‐ Thanks, Sara, but, uh, we just gonna ride separately in our own car, but I'll see you there.
‐ 'Kay.
‐ I‐‐I didn't know we were driving separately.
‐ I'm not going that way.
We'll see if Lara can take us.
We just have to take a long way.
‐ Good idea.
‐ It's nice to know you've taken notice of my sartorial splendors, Mr.
Halter.
And here I was afraid my understated elegance was lost on you students.
Used to be one took pride in one's appearance.
Now it's all elastic waist pants and‐‐dear God‐‐flip flops.
[dramatic music.]
But you've come to the right place.
If you want a good knot, you need a good tie.
And this is a very good one.
I wore this to Diego's funeral.
Not that I was invited to attend.
His parents never accepted him for who he was.
Or who he was with.
He gave me strength then.
And I hope it gives you strength now.
Good.
‐ Meriwether Lewis's last words were, "I am not a coward, "but I am so strong.
So hard to die.
" I'm sure that's true, but it can't be much harder than being left behind.
‐ Everything that comes together falls apart.
Everything.
This chair I'm sitting on, it was built, and so it will fall apart.
I'm going to fall apart, probably before this chair.
And you're going to fall apart.
Cells and organs and systems that make you you, they came together, grew together, and so they must fall apart.
Nothing lasts.
Not Alaska the girl, nor Alaska the place.
Not even Earth itself.
‐ You're not one for pep talks, huh? ‐ Do you remember what the Buddhists said life is? ‐ Suffering.
‐ And suffering is caused by desire.
The cessation of desire means the cessation of suffering.
When you stop wishing things won't fall apart, you'll stop suffering when they do.
Until then, this will hurt.
[dramatic music.]
But you will survive Until you don't.
SINGER: I had a dream I stood beneath an orange sky [phone ringing.]
Yes I had a dream I [phone ringing.]
Stood beneath an orange sky With my brother standing by With my brother standing by I said brother you know you know It's a long road we've been walking on Oh brother I said brother you know it is You know it is Such a long road we've been working on And I had a dream I stood beneath an orange sky I said sister here is what I know now Here is what I know now goes like this [phone ringing.]
My salvation lies in your love My salvation lies In your love My salvation lies in your love [phone ringing.]
In your love in your love [phone ringing.]
In your love ‐ [grunts.]
‐ In your love in your love ‐ To be continued.
[phone ringing.]
[phone ringing.]
‐ It's a start you know I'm so weary [phone ringing.]
‐ The phone rang.
‐ What? MILES: That night.
She got out of bed.
The phone rang.
She went to go answer it.
But she was fine until the phone rang.
‐ Wait, that's why she had to get out of there because of the phone call.
TAKUMI: Okay, so who called her that night? [brakes squeal.]
‐ So this is Vine Station.
‐ Alaska did not exaggerate.
Vine Station is a shit hole.
No wonder she wanted to get the fuck out of here.
[doors creaking.]
‐ You may be wondering why the casket's closed.
Her momma had an open casket.
And Alaska told me after Said, "Daddy" [dramatic music.]
"Don't ever let them see me dead.
So that's that.
Anyway She ain't in there.
She's with the Lord.
‐ Thought I'd feel her looking down on us, but She's just gone.
I'm sorry, Alaska.
You deserved a better friend.
‐ Oh, Stewart and Shanks.
All right, Tom.
‐ You all right, sir? ‐ I just wanted you all to listen to me.
Trust me, respect me And even fear me, if that's what it took So that I could protect all of you and keep you safe.
God, I tried so hard at this job, it cost me my marriage.
I even grew this stupid mustache hoping that it would give me some authority you know, so that you would listen to me.
But I was the one that needed to listen.
She was in pain, and I made it worse.
‐ We all made it worse.
EAGLE: Yeah, but you're just kids.
You're supposed to make mistakes.
I'm the adult, and I failed all of you.
Most of all, her.
‐ It's not too late.
We could all really use an adult right about now.
[dramatic music.]
Oh, and sir, mustache didn't work.
‐ [scoffs.]
Yeah, I know.
Thank you, Mr.
Chase.
PASTOR: The Lord is my shepherd.
I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil‐‐ HYDE: She said, "My dear, "upon your altars I have placed the marguerite and coquelicot "and roses frail as April snow.
But here," she said, "Where none can see, I make an offering in the grass of radishes and flowers.
" And then she wept for fear the Lord would not accept.
The good lord in his garden sought new leaf and shadowy tint and they were all his thought.
He heard her low accord half‐prayer and half‐ditty and he felt a subtle quiver that was not heavenly love nor pity.
‐ Each fingerprint is a way of leaving your impression, showing the deceased that she mattered to you.
‐ I love you.
‐ I know you did.
‐ No, not past tense.
I love you.
And I'm so sorry for letting you go.
[crying.]
I'm so sorry.
COLONEL: Come on.
Let's go.
MILES: [crying.]
[indistinct chatter.]
‐ She was just trying to reach out.
Only wish I could have understood.
LONGWELL: You know Alaska was the first girl I kissed when I got to school? When I stated so much, she "profoundly regretted" it.
COLONEL: You know, if you think about it, it's all his fault.
MILES: Her dad? What does any of this have to do with him? ‐ Are you serious? The whole goddamn thing.
He blamed her mom dying on her.
He's the reason she couldn't go home.
Look at that sad fat fuck.
Over there getting drunk like a piece of shit.
You know who else was a drunk piece of shit? My dad.
So I'm kind of an expert on the subject.
‐ Maybe keep your voice down just 'cause he's probably‐‐ COLONEL: You know, this all started because she ratted, but she only ratted because she couldn't go home.
Her Life's Library got destroyed because she ratted.
Everything bad that's happened this year is because her dad is an asshole.
MILES: Hey, Colonel.
‐ Hey, you broke her.
Hey, you broke her! If you were ever there for her, none of this would have happened! She wouldn't have been so sad.
She wouldn't have drank so much.
She would have had a car with fucking airbags! ‐ I'll do the‐‐ ‐ It should have been you! It shouldn't have been her.
BOY: Hey! ‐ It should have been fucking you! It should have been fucking you! Get your goddamn hands off me! If you wanna grab somebody, grab this drunk fuck! DOLORES: What on earth are you doing, assaulting a man that just lost his child? ‐ [grunting.]
DOLORES: I'm sorry.
‐ He's right.
‐ No, sir! He's upset.
He should not be paid attention to.
‐ I lost her a long time ago.
What I did, the things I said I didn't deserve her.
[dramatic music.]
And now she's gone.
And I could never make it right.
[crying.]
[crying.]
I'm so sorry, baby.
‐ [shushes.]
Blessed Lord, have mercy.
‐ Not my proudest moment.
‐ Yeah.
Don't expect to get invited to too many funerals after today.
‐ I'll take it.
‐ So, Pudge, you a certified smoker now, huh? ‐ It's what Alaska would've been doing.
‐ She also would've hated this funeral.
‐ That we can all agree on.
‐ Hey, fellas.
How you holding up? ‐ Shitty as hell.
‐ How are you doing? As Alaska's longest‐lasting and emotionally‐healthiest relationship, this must be hard for you too.
‐ Didn't know it was possible to feel this terrible, to be honest.
I just feel so guilty, just like I should've known or something, or done something.
‐ I know the feeling.
‐ None of it makes any sense.
You know, how could someone so young, so alive, be dead? So we blame ourselves, thinking we have some control, that we could've created a different outcome, that the world isn't a completely fucked‐up, random place where a girl dies for no reason.
Uh, I'm Fiona.
I go to school with Jake.
I only met Alaska once, but she made quite an impression.
‐ Fiona.
You are clearly very wise, but there has to be a reason‐‐ if not for why she died, at least for why she got into that car, or who the hell called her on the phone that night.
‐ You mean on the payphone? ‐ Yeah.
[soft tense music.]
‐ That was me.
‐ Jake was the phone call.
‐ After that phone call, everything changed.
‐ What did you say? ‐ Apparently, the wrong thing.
ALASKA: Hello? JAKE: Alaska? [laughing.]
Amazed you actually answered.
Um, it's good to hear your voice.
I miss you.
‐ Yeah, Jake, I miss you too, but it's kinda late.
JAKE: I know, I know.
And I know we're not exactly together right now, even though I'm not sure why, I I'll never let this day go by without thinking of you.
Hopefully, we get to talk on this date even when we're old and‐‐ ‐ Wait, what do you mean, "this date"? What day is it? ‐ It's our anniversary.
It's been two years since the day we met.
‐ N No [strained laugh.]
[voice breaking.]
It can't be.
JAKE: Hey, it's nothing to get upset about.
It's cool if I remembered and you didn't.
[laughs softly.]
I'm kind of a dork like that.
[phone clicks, rattles.]
Alaska? Alaska? You still there? Next thing I knew, I was just sitting in France Between the Wars and someone tells me based on the paper that Alaska died.
‐ That's it? That was the whole call? ‐ Wait, what's so bad about your anniversary ‐ Or forgetting it.
‐ That would just make her flip out? ‐ I have no idea.
‐ She got off the phone with you and got in your car.
‐ I understand.
‐ Why, Jake? ‐ Hey, he's told you all that he knows.
‐ What else did you say to her? ‐ That's it.
‐ Why did she get in the car? ‐ He doesn't know, Pudge.
‐ I wish I did.
Sorry, man.
TAKUMI: Maybe it's right in front of our faces.
She was upset about missing the anniversary with Jake.
She felt guilt about blowing him off.
‐ In that moment, she realized how much Jake meant to her, and how badly she had treated him, and wanted to apologize in person.
‐ She was driving up to see him to make up, to get back together.
‐ It sounds obvious, but it makes the most sense.
‐ What? No.
That doesn't make any sense at all.
She wasn't thinking about Jake while she was kissing me.
There's no way Alaska wanted to get back with him.
‐ Look, Pudge, after the call, she didn't march back to your room to snuggle.
She got super upset and got in her car and drove away, possibly to where Jake was.
The whole point of this exercise is to start with the known, and fill in the unknown with the likely scenarios, not pander to your fantasy that Alaska was madly in love with you.
[scoffs.]
You'd be a terrible profiler.
You're making it all about you.
‐ Yeah, because it is all about me.
I was the last person that she kissed.
She said, "to be continued" to me, which is the last thing that she said before the phone rang.
‐ You're not special, Pudge.
Just because she got drunk and you guys hooked up, or whatever, doesn't mean that she meant more to you than she did to any of us.
We all miss her.
[Iron & Wine's Such Great Heights playing.]
‐ I know that.
SINGER: I Am thinking it's a sign That the freckles in our eyes Are mirror images And when we kiss They're perfectly aligned I Have to speculate That God Himself did make us ‐ So Takumi overheard the Eagle talking to Alaska's dad.
He's coming in the next day or so to clean out her room, so if you got anything that's ours, or any contraband we don't want him to find, we should take care of that.
SINGER: It may seem like a stretch But it's thoughts like this That catch my troubled head When you're away When I am missing MILES: This is unbearable.
COLONEL: I know.
But we have to.
‐ [groans.]
I can't.
‐ Don't make me do this alone, Pudge.
JUDY: Miles, it's so good to hear your voice.
WALT: School sent us an email, son.
We know a student died.
JUDY: Poor parents.
‐ Parent.
WALT: The girl that died‐‐ did‐‐did you know her? ‐ Uh, yeah.
She was my friend.
She was my really good friend.
JUDY: It was her, wasn't it? The girl you stayed with over Thanksgiving.
‐ Yeah.
Alaska w‐was her name.
WALT: That just sounds like a real shock, son.
I know it's just awful.
Um, whatever you need, we're here for you, you know that.
‐ I know.
Um But this is enough.
I just needed you to pick up, needed you to answer, and and you did.
SINGER: Come down now But we'll stay COLONEL: Well, well.
Look who decided to show up.
MILES: I'm here to help.
‐ [laughs softly.]
Well, she sure didn't leave any booze, but, you know, she kept every paper she ever wrote.
She didn't have much, but, you know, it's like every object is precious.
Thus, they should be treated as such.
[melancholic music.]
‐ All these books she'll never read.
COLONEL: Bought at garage sales.
And now probably destined for another one.
Ashes to ashes.
Garage sale to garage sale.
MILES: We can't sell them.
That seems wrong.
‐ Well, the ones that are too water damaged, we'll bury in a literary grave.
TBD.
But you're right.
You know, John Keats' entire will was written in one line of iambic pentameter.
"My chest of books divide among my friends.
" She'd want these divided among her friends.
‐ Have you seen The General in His Labyrinth? I know it got flooded.
I'm sure the pages are all messed up.
I want that one.
‐ Here it is.
You're not thinking about reading it, are you? It's not a biography.
‐ Historical fiction.
‐ I'll allow it.
ALASKA: "He was shaken by the overwhelming revelation "that the headlong race between his misfortunes and his dreams "was at that moment reaching the finish line.
"'Damn it,' he sighed.
'How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?'" ‐ Colonel, come look at this.
‐ You skipped to the end? You do that with every book you read? ‐ The way out of the labyrinth.
"Straight and fast.
" ‐ Holy shit, Pudge.
Think about what the Eagle told you how it happened.
[stammers.]
The truck that was broke down, the police car on the scene, which she hit without swerving.
They said it was the booze that caused the accident.
‐ I guess there's one possibility that we haven't considered.
What if it wasn't an accident? [Marianne Faithfull's Salvation playing.]
SINGER: No one No one hears you calling Falling Everything is falling CHOIR: Falling, falling, falling SINGER: Do you feel alive Do you feel alive Do you feel alive Do you feel alive So Jesus left you lonely Feels like Nothing's really holy Holy, holy, holy Oh salvation