Gravity Page #6

Ryan’s face is inscrutable. Finally she looks away, but this

time something arrests her gaze:

A LAMINATED PHOTOGRAPH floats next to Shariff, tethered to his

suit via a small chain. In it, a YOUNG BOY LAUGHS with abandon,

happy in the embrace of a man unseen save for his TWO STRONG

ARMS. Transfixed, Ryan is unable to look away, something

complicated confusing her eyes.

The photograph floats in the empty space above Planet Earth.

OUTER SPACE.

As they approach, the damage to the Shuttle becomes apparent.

Explorer has been badly hit.

MATT:

(under his breath)

Jesus...

The Shuttle has suffered devastating damage. The tail is beyond

repair, one wing is completely destroyed, while the other

waffles weakly, nearly sheared from the fuselage.

MATT (CONT’D)

(grimly)

Here’s hoping you’ve got one monster

insurance policy, Houston. Damages to

Explorer are... it’s totaled. Will

commence search for survivors.

RYAN:

02 down to five percent.

Matt thrusts to slow down his trajectory and slowly bumps

against the windshield of the COCKPIT.

At the mercy of Matt’s momentum, Ryan hits hard against the nose

of the Shuttle, losing her grip on Shariff.

As she caroms off, she grabs onto what is left of the cockpit’s

window.

MATT:

All right, here we go. Careful of the

edges.

Matt takes his flashlight and looks through the broken windows,

lighting the cockpit.

Ryan pulls herself up and looks-

THROUGH THE WINDOW

The cabin has been destroyed. A disarray of objects, smashed and

devastated.

At the end of the cabin, among the floating objects, a lifeless

body drifts among the wreckage. Ryan regards it silently,

mesmerized.

BANG.

The face of a second astronaut appears right in front of Ryan

and crashes against her visor.

The eyes are frozen, unblinking. Ryan GASPS, wheeling backward

and away.

Matt clicks Shariff’s harness onto the Shuttle.

MATT (CONT’D)

Houston, in the blind. To confirm.

Mission Specialist Dr. Stone and

myself, Mission Commander Matthew

Kowalsky, are the sole survivors of

STS-157.

Matt turns to Ryan, who is staring at the dead astronauts

inside.

RYAN:

I apologize for not complying. I

should’ve stopped working as soon as

you instructed me to.

MATT:

We were going to be hit no matter

what. There was nothing you could’ve

done to change that.

He begins to reach out, hesitates briefly, then lightly touches

her shoulder.

MATT (CONT’D)

Hey.

RYAN:

Yes?

She turns, no elbows this time.

MATT:

Alright... We have to get ourselves to

the Space Station. There.

Matt gestures vaguely to a bright dot in distance.

MATT (CONT’D)

It's a bit of a hike, but it's our

only...

(catching himself)

It’s our best option. Agreed?

She stares at the dot.

MATT (CONT’D)

Dr. Stone...

(as she turns)

Agreed?

She studies his face and then, finally, nods.

RYAN:

Agreed.

MATT:

Alright. After you.

He gently pushes her into space. She slowly drifts away from the

Explorer but is suddenly stopped by the safety tether.

Matt ignites his propellers and, giving a couple of small

thrusts, he combats Ryan’s swing. And with a LONGER THRUST-

He shoots forward, pulling Ryan behind him.

The two astronauts push forward together, leaving behind the

shell of the Shuttle and the remains of the Hubble.

MATT (CONT’D)

Houston in the blind, this is

Kowalsky. Dr. Stone and I have

determined to proceed to ISS and use

one of their Soyuz for re-entry. ISS

if copy, please send rescue mission.

Repeat please dispatch rescue mission.

They are heading toward a small point in the distance, the Space

Station, which is in a lower orbit.

OUTER SPACE. 550 KM ABOVE EARTH.

We see the two astronauts crossing the distance - a thrust, and

they coast ahead, and then another thrust. Matt pulls Ryan

behind him.

Two specks glide across the dark sky as a sliver of light grows

on the darkened hemisphere.

THE SUN IS RISING.

WATCHING THE SUNRISE

THE SUN looks brighter and clearer than ever outside of Earth’s

atmosphere. The oceans and the continents brighten as its light

spills over the Earth beneath them.

Warm rays of sun caress the two astronauts as they propel

themselves across the empty expanse.

RYAN:

02 down to two percent.

MATT:

We’re getting there.

MATT (CONT’D)

Beautiful, don’t you think?

RYAN:

What?

MATT:

The sunrise. That’s what I’m going to

miss the most.

But Ryan is not into the view right now. She’s stricken with

fear. Her jaw is clenched and her eyes are almost closed.

Matt looks at the dark emptiness that engulfs him and smiles.

MATT (CONT’D)

So, where’s home, Dr. Stone?

Ryan keeps her eyes closed, doesn’t answer. Matt, trying to

distract her-

MATT (CONT’D)

Ryan. Where’s home?

Ryan opens her eyes, but still she doesn’t dare to look out of

the helmet.

RYAN:

Home?

MATT:

Ah ha. Down there. Mother Earth. Where

do you pitch your tent?

RYAN:

Lake Zurich.

MATT:

Where the hell is that?

RYAN:

Illinois.

MATT:

Illinois. Central time zone. That

makes it roughly... 8pm right now.

What are the good people of Lake

Zurich doing at 8 o’clock in the

evening?

Ryan tries to overcome her fear and looks out. She frowns,

terrified by the sight, and hides her face once more inside the

helmet.

RYAN:

I don’t know...

MATT:

What would you be doing?

She tries again. This time she forces herself and stares out at

the Earth, which is over 500 kilometers below her.

MATT (CONT’D)

Come on. It’s 8 o’clock. You’ve just

clocked out of the hospital after

putting in your customary 18-hour

shift. You’re driving home...

Ryan’s wide open eyes are transfixed on Earth, like a deer in

headlights.

RYAN:

The radio. I listen to the radio...

MATT:

There we go. Let me guess. NPR?

Classical. Top for-

RYAN:

Anything. Doesn’t matter. As long as

they don’t talk. I just drive...

Her glassy eyes reveal a strong emotion growing inside of her,

taking over her body. It is not fear, it is something deeper and

more painful.

Matt studies her curiously.

MATT:

What do you miss down there?

Ryan looks at the Earth. It never felt so far away.

A long silence without an answer.

MATT (CONT’D)

Is there a Mr. Stone?

She frowns, unable to comprehend this initially, as if it were a

particularly complicated bit of math, then shakes her head.

RYAN:

No...

MATT:

Nobody special? Someone down there,

looking up, thinking of you?

Ryan closes her eyes. She remains silent. A silence that can’t

hide an unspeakable pain.

RYAN:

I had a daughter.

Her eyes flutter, then open. She is frozen in this moment, as if

stunned.

Her gaze shifts and finds-

Matt, studying her in his MIRROR.

MATT:

What was her name?

RYAN:

Sarah... She was four. Stupidest thing-

a school trip to the swimming pool.

She was playing tag- she slipped, hit

her head, and that was it... She loved

tag. I'm sure she was laughing.

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