The Humans (16 page)

ERIK

Brigid, please come talk to me.

BRIGID

     
(To Erik)

I'm gonna ask that woman to stop banging her fucking feet.

Brigid exits. This is worse than if she yelled at Erik.

Richard stops Erik from following her.

Deirdre walks to the staircase.

DEIRDRE

I've gotta . . . [go get some water downstairs] . . . I can't hear her now . . .

Aimee has never seen Momo like this. Aimee heads downstairs to look after Deirdre.

Erik tends to Momo.

Momo is having her first real fit of the day. It's terrifying. Erik has seen it before, but it's still hard for him. It's like she's possessed.

UPSTAIRS
:
Erik wheels Momo around like she's a baby, calming her. Her screams subside. During the following scene, Erik stays with her, maybe massaging/holding her hand . . .

DOWNSTAIRS
:
Deirdre sits on the couch, takes a glass of water from Aimee. Beat.

DEIRDRE

If I ever get like that . . . when my time comes, I don't ever want you guys to have to . . .

AIMEE

Mom . . .

I'm sorry.

DEIRDRE

Sorry you're sick.

Beat.

AIMEE

I've got money in a Roth IRA and—in my 401(k) too.

DEIRDRE

     
(This has been on her mind . . .)

That e-mail about us being electrons wasn't
religious—
it was from a
science
website, I want you to feel a connection to . . . something bigger than you . . .

     
(Beat)

. . . I drank too much. I should, uh, use the [bathroom] . . .

Deirdre starts up the staircase.

AIMEE

Mom, sorry—it smells really bad in there.

DEIRDRE

     
(Not looking back, half to herself)

Shoulda got Brigid that candle.

UPSTAIRS
:
Deirdre passes Erik and Momo on her way to the bathroom.

ERIK

Hey, sorry this was . . . [a total fucking nightmare] . . .

Erik goes to embrace Deirdre.

Deirdre helps Momo into the bathroom as Aimee ascends the stairs and proceeds to put on her coat.

AIMEE

I'm gonna go for a walk around the block . . .

ERIK

Are you okay? Hey are you—

AIMEE

Yeah, I want some air, Dad.

Erik nods. Aimee ignores him as she puts on her coat.

Erik searches for something to bridge the gap, to stop her from going.

ERIK

I've been losing sleep trying to—I was saying to Father Quinn in how . . . / just
thinking
about losing you guys gets me thinking about . . .

AIMEE

What're you [saying?] . . .

ERIK

. . . when you were gone, when—

AIMEE

What're you [saying?] . . .

ERIK

—this fireman was holding a body with your same suit on? . . .

AIMEE

Dad . . .

ERIK

. . . but with a coat of ash melted onto her?, like she got turned into a statue like . . .

AIMEE

Dad . . .

ERIK

. . . there was gray in her eyes and mouth even, like she—

AIMEE

Like she had no face?

Small beat.

ERIK

Huh . . . [my mind must've] . . .

Aimee aches for her father and wants to stay, but she needs to take care of herself.

AIMEE

The car company will call when they're ready, leave your phone by the window so it'll ring.

Aimee exits.

Erik is alone for a few beats, lost, drunk.

Toilet flush.

He takes out his phone per Aimee's instructions and places it on the windowsill when—

He notices a shadow move in the alley—what was it?

He gets the LED lantern from the other room and walks back to the window to get a better look, but it's so dark outside, the glass mostly reflects his image. He stares for a few beats.

DOWNSTAIRS
:
A few pots and pans hanging on the edge of the drying rack (just visible in the kitchen alley) fall and
crash
to the floor.

ERIK

     
(Calling down)

Brigid . . . ?

No answer.

As Erik descends the stairs to investigate . . .

The shadow quietly reemerges in the alley, then disappears into the darkness.

AIMEE

Guys, the car's out front . . .

DEIRDRE

All right, get her coat, will you? . . .

AIMEE

     
(Calling down)

. . . Dad!

ERIK

     
(Calling up)

I heard you . . .

Aimee helps Deirdre get Momo into her coat and back into the wheelchair.

DEIRDRE

Where's Brigid?

AIMEE

With Rich . . .

Deirdre looks to Aimee for more information as Aimee helps Momo into her coat.

AIMEE

. . . she's embarrassed, she's . . . [I don't even wanna get into it.]

     
(Calling down)

. . . Dad! . . .

ERIK

     
(Calling up)

Yeah, coming . . .

Aimee wheels Momo out of the apartment, exiting with Momo's barely discernable mumbling trailing . . .

Deirdre goes to exit, but stops, remembering something.

DEIRDRE

     
(To Erik, calling down)

Hey, can you grab Mom's blanket and the pan we brought?

ERIK

Uh-huh.

Erik finds the blanket near the couch.

Puts it on the table. He goes back to picking up the pots and pans that fell.

Having cleaned up the pots and pans, Erik searches for the specific pan they brought; finding it, he exits the kitchen and places the pan on the table by the blanket when—

All of the downstairs lights flicker out.

Complete darkness.

ERIK

Shit.

Erik puts the blanket and pan down; he searches for the lantern on the counter as—

The phone stops ringing.

ERIK

[Was that the phone?]

The LED lantern in hand, Erik finds his way to the fuse box downstairs, located somewhere on the wall behind the staircase. He flips a switch. The lights remain out when—