Killing Me Softly

You know what happens

at that height?

The brain dies

from lack of oxygen...

cell by cell.

It just shuts down...

and the body goes with it.

I can't stop thinking about

what it must have been like.

Why don't you start

at the beginning?

It's always the easiest.

OK, I'll start

at the beginning.

I grew up on the plains

in lndiana.

I was a flatlander,

through and through.

To be honest...

I really didn't have

much to leave behind.

Virtually no family

and very few friends.

Anyway, it was January.

I'd already been in London

a year and a half.

For the first six months,

I'd been incredibly lonely.

Then I met Jake.

What I loved the most...

was how comfortable

we were with each other.

I felt safe.

OK, let's go.

I design CD-roms

and websites...

for corporate clients.

That must pay well.

It sounds fancier

than it is.

Jake was an engineer.

Tunnels and bridges,

that sort of thing.

He kept his tube tickets...

in a wallet he got

when he was twelve.

Same wallet,

same inside pocket.

Alice? Alice?

See you later.

Hey, Alice.

You going in?

Yeah.

I'll see you in a minute.

Reconfigure the training

program manual...

to make it look like

a game on the website.

We tried that with

the appliance kings.

Yes, but this isn't

about washing machines.

Now we're training

a worldwide sales force.

You're the new media pioneers.

Think of something.

Alice, you still have

the old template, don't you?

Are you with us, Alice?

I'm going out

to get my hair trimmed.

I'll be back after lunch.

Oh, shoot!

And you got in?

Yeah...

I got in.

What's your name?

Alice.

Alice.

Don't turn away.

Come here tomorrow.

I have to work.

Then come back tonight.

I can't.

Whenever you want, Alice.

You decide, and I'll be here.

I couldn't believe

what had happened that day.

I knew it shouldn't

happen again.

I wanted everything

back the way it was.

What do you want me to do?

Nothing, just keep doing

what you're doing.

That was when

I found out his name...

Adam Tallis...

and that he climbed mountains.

He caused quite a stir

here yesterday.

He saved

six people up there...

with no oxygen.

You stop me

whenever you want.

Please don't stop.

I bought your book today.

It isn't my book.

I'm just in it.

It looks good.

People died, Alice.

Something went very wrong.

There was a woman

named Francoise Collette.

I lost the whole group.

I still don't understand

what happened.

There was no room for error.

Everything had been checked.

I was in love with her.

Do you know what it's like

over 20,000 feet?

It's like this.

Without air,

the brain cells die.

It shuts down.

and then the rest

of the body follows.

It's been two years...

and it doesn't go away.

I live with someone.

But you're here.

I have to go.

Don't put them on.

Hi. Where are you?

I'm running some errands.

Do you think you could

pick up my watch...

on the way home?

I'm running behind schedule.

I'm never going to make it.

Of course I can.

I missed you today, Alice.

Miss you.

I love you.

Love you.

Knock it! Not nice.

And give it!

Go in!

A card? Ref,

that's a bit harsh.

Yeah. Sorry. I'm just...

There's nobody there!

I have to leave you.

You what?

I can't go on like this.

I'm sorry.

I have to leave.

You have to leave me?

We're together.

We're perfect together.

I want to marry you.

I met somebody.

Who did you meet?

You don't know him.

I'm sorry.

When did you meet him?

I didn't mean

to hurt you.

It's not the point--

It's very much the point!

We go to the market

together every Sunday!

I buy your f***ing

tube tickets for you!

Jesus!

Where you going?

You were looking for Adam.

He's not here

at the moment...

but it's cold out there.

Come in.

Please, come in.

I've been climbing in Chile.

Adam always takes

his pictures down...

or makes sure his back

is turned to them.

Oh, please, sit down.

For me, pictures

tell me who I am...

but for Adam,

they steal his soul.

Want some?

No, thank you.

No, it's quite good.

I'm his sister.

You're his sister?

Yep. I'm Deborah.

We climb together a lot.

He was having some work

done on his place...

so he stayed here

while I was gone.

This...

is Mr. Know-it-all.

It's his name.

This is Francoise, right?

That's the real reason...

my brother takes

the pictures down...

because it's...

too hard for him to see her.

My brother's a brave guy,

but sometimes...

he's afraid of remembering.

What he forgets...

is that he's not

the only one responsible.

I was up there, too.

She was

my best friend, Alice.

Yes, I know your name.

You're very beautiful.

I can see why he'd

fall so hard for you.

The thing about my brother...

is you're either

with him or you're not.

And once you've made

the jump and you're with him...

that's it...

there's no discussion.

Can I have his address?

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

I left him.

You're hurting me.

Morning.

Alice, this is Joanna.

Joanna, Alice.

Joanna Noble

from "The Guardian."

I'm interviewing Adam

about his Himalayan

clean-up project.

Nice to meet you.

Where can I find a shirt?

Your phone?

Would you get that for me?

No one there.

In some respects,

it's just become...

a playground for

the rich and inexperienced.

Thank you.

I have to go to work.

Will you think

about me today?

Yes.

What are you doing today?

Thinking about you.

Do you want to learn

how to climb?

Sure.

Come and see me after work.

That's good.

He's not as strong

as he was last week.

It's lovely to see you.

I see you've got a harness.

Do you want to put it on?

Just put your feet

in there...

and pull it up

like a pair of trousers.

That's great.

That's right, double-back in.

There we go.

It suits you.

Thank you.

It's OK. I'm helping her.

How are you?

OK, fine.

I'm sorry.

Let me check your harness.

Seems to be good.

She's my sister,

but she drives me mad.

I swear it's chemical.

You ready?

I don't know. Maybe.

Come on.

Well, finally, Alice.

The flatlander captured

the mountain boy.

Alice, meet Klaus.

Klaus, Alice.

I liked your book.

Well, thank you.

Well, nice to meet you.

This looks hard.

It's all in the mind.

I mean, my taste in clothes

has completely changed.

Really?

I bought this practically

transparent pink T-shirt.

And I won't even tell you

about the lingerie.

No. Probably best not

to mention the lingerie.

I'm still in the big

white cotton panties.

I'm sorry.

I'm a little manic.

Have you seen Jake?

Of course I have.

He's been my friend

for 15 years.

How is he?

What can I say?

He's smoking like a fiend...

and he's completely f***ed up.

It's not like there's

no reason, is there?

Sorry.

I think that you're

destroying both of your lives.

I'm sorry.

You had somebody

who loved you.

You loved each other...

and you let him go

for good sex.

Love isn't just

a good f***, you know?

This is more.

More what?

More everything.

When I'm with him,

everything is more.

Oh, God, Alice.

You could write

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