After.life Page #3

accepted the truth.

You are dead.

You will never live again.

I am dead.

Bad dream?

I had the craziest dream.

I dreamt that I was in a car crash

and I was dead.

Have you ever had a dream

where you were dead?

Paul?

- Paul?

- Shh shh shh.

What are you doing?

Keep your voice down.

You'll wake the neighbors.

You don't have any neighbors.

Did you ever love me?

Did you?

Say it.

Say you love me.

Are you gonna get that?

Me? No.

It's probably for Eliot.

Is it always like this?

- What do you mean?

- I thought that when you died

you wouldn't feel

any more pain.

You wouldn't have

to struggle anymore.

But it just never stops, does it?

I'll pick up the deceased

from the hospital.

Yes. This afternoon?

It'll be fine.

It's my pleasure, Mr. Miller.

Thank you.

I'll leave you

to sort out her things.

- Okay. Thank you.

- Okay.

Okay.

Oh, wait, I want to take

a picture.

Okay, smile.

- Nice.

- Paul:
Hey, I got this for you.

Aw, it's beautiful.

You're beautiful.

I'll race you to the lake.

Oh, I'm not playing

your little games. No.

I'll make it worth your while.

Come on!

Anna:
Uh-oh.

What are you doing?

- Don't let go of me.

- I won't.

I'll never let you go.

Anna:

What's that for?

His mouth... keep it closed.

Now the eyes.

Does he have family?

Yes. A brother.

He's coming in later.

Did my mother cry

when she saw me?

I'm sorry.

Did Paul?

That's not important anymore.

I need to know.

We had an argument.

I tried to stop her.

No.

No, he didn't.

You should rest.

You're getting weaker.

It's almost time.

Can I ask you a question?

Yes, of course.

Why do we die?

To make life important.

- Mr. Coleman?

- Yeah?

My name's Jack.

Hi. Hi, Jack.

How'd you know my name?

Ms. Taylor was my teacher.

I saw her last night.

What?

I was going past the funeral home

and...

Ms. Taylor stood there.

In the window.

Wearing a red dress.

Don't say things like that.

She doesn't even have a red dress.

- You think I'm lying?

- Look,

Jack, I'm not in the mood, okay?

- She needs your help.

- Anna's dead!

Your teacher is dead.

I can't help her anymore.

Maybe you just don't

love her anymore.

- How dare you, you little f***!

- Hey, whoa whoa whoa!

You think this is funny,

huh, you little weird sh*t?

Man:
Stay there.

- Woman:
Are you okay, honey?

- Man #2:
What is wrong with him?

- Oh my God.

- Man:
Come on, let's go.

Jack, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, kid.

I am so sorry.

Mrs. Whitehall...

Susan.

I hope you found

what you were looking for.

I really enjoyed

our time together.

Huh?

Anthony, shh shh shh.

Anthony, always confused.

How can I help you, Officer?

I'd like to see the body.

Frank Miller...

I'm his brother vincent Miller.

- I called this morning.

- Mr. Miller, of course.

Please, I'm so sorry

for your loss.

I hope it's no trouble.

I'd just kind of like

to see him before the funeral.

Yes yes, no trouble at all.

Your brother's here.

Ah.

You've done a beautiful job.

Thank you.

You should remember him

as he used to be.

That's the schoolteacher, isn't it?

Yes yes, very tragic.

Something's not right here.

Not right?

His smile.

Uh, it was a bit more...

smiley.

Smiley? Permit me.

Uh, a little more.

That's it, yes, thank you.

We can fix that.

Glad to be of help.

Do you mind if I have a couple

of minutes alone with him?

No, not at all.

- I'll be outside.

- All right, thanks.

Oh.

I'm sorry.

I, uh... I didn't...

I think I should go now.

I'll see you at the service?

Thank... thank you.

I just told you.

That was your brother.

You had an accident.

You're dead.

Why do you people

never listen to me?

No, it's not a gift.

It's a curse.

I take care of each of you

as if you were my children.

I wash the sh*t from your bodies.

I dress you.

I try everything to make you

look more beautiful

than when you were alive

and what do you do?

You argue with me

as if it was my fault you're dead,

as if I was to blame.

You're not talking to me now?

What?

Hmm? What?

You don't want to?

Eliot:

You don't talk because...

you have nothing to say.

And you have nothing to say

because you're a corpse.

Uh uh! No.

Now I don't want to talk

to you anymore.

I'm off to school.

Stop the clock.

You have 25 seconds left.

You had the right idea,

but let me give you one little tip.

What's it like?

Are you afraid?

Eliot:
Jack.

You have an empathy

with the dead.

You are drawn to them

just as they are drawn to you.

That's a rare gift.

I know you saw Anna.

You're frightened by it, yes?

You shouldn't be afraid.

Christ had the same gift.

He raised Lazarus

and spoke to the dead.

You spoke to Ms. Taylor?

Yes.

- You've spoken to others?

- Oh, yes, many others.

Who was the first one

you spoke to?

My mother.

You shouldn't be afraid.

Other people...

they won't understand.

They don't see what we see.

I can help you.

I can teach you.

Jack's voice:
She was in the window,

wearing a red dress.

Anna, I'm sorry.

Deacon!

Mr. Coleman, pleasure.

She's not dead, is she?

- Mr. Coleman?

- Someone saw her.

- I'm sorry?

- One of Anna's students

saw her in the window.

Oh, you mean Jack.

- You know him.

- Of course I know him.

He often comes around here.

He's an 11-year-old boy,

Mr. Coleman,

and like all young boys

has a vivid imagination.

- Now if you'll excuse me.

- I don't think he imagined it.

I think he really saw her.

With all due respect,

maybe you just want

to believe he saw her.

F*** you.

Anna!

Mr. Coleman.

Paul:
Anna!

- Anna!

- Mr. Coleman.

- I think you should leave.

- Anna!

Anna!

She's in here, isn't she?

Give me the f***ing key, please.

Anna!

She's dead.

You need to let her go.

She's accepted her death

and now she's at peace.

Paul:

Please, Anna, I'm sorry.

I can't do it.

I can't live without you.

Anna!

Open the door, please.

Mr. Coleman, she's dead.

I know what you're going through.

Denial's a natural part of grieving,

but you have to accept she's gone.

- She needs my help.

- You can't help her anymore.

Believe me.

Anna! Hey!

Give me the key.

Give me the f***ing key.

Mr. Coleman, do you want

me to call the police?

I'll save you the trouble.

I need you to issue

a search warrant.

I need a f***ing search warrant, Tom.

You gonna help me out or not?

- Paul, sit down.

- Tom, I don't have time.

Sit down.

I just got a call

from Eliot Deacon.

Are you out of your f***ing mind?

He won't let me see her.

He's keeping her. She's not dead.

She was in a car accident, Paul.

Her car was wrecked, remember?

- It's downstairs.

- She's not dead.

Tom, she's not dead!

Here's the coroner's report.

The paramedics phoned it in.

They only checked

for eye dilation and pulse.

The doctor signed the death certificate

without seeing the body.

- So?

- So there was no EEG, nothing.

- He could have drugged her and...

- Drugged her?

- Yes!

- Cop:
Actually, Chief,

um, there are drugs like that.

Yes.

Hydronium bromide,

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