Triage Page #5

Call me if you think of anything.

I'm afraid I don't...

I don't understand.

My best friend, David.

We went to Kurdistan together,

but we split up.

He should have been back

a week ago.

And you're worried?

A little bit, yeah.

His wife is expecting a baby

any day.

You know. But he's careful.

It's not the first time one of us

has been late back.

Hmm. And it's a war zone, of course.

There are often many delays.

But I don't think you should worry

about him. He'll be fine.

And the most important thing is

to concentrate on your treatment.

Which reminds me.

I know very little

about the geography of Kurdistan.

It was partitioned

by the English, wasn't it?

Yeah. Any time you find a mess

in the world,

it's usually thanks to them

or the French.

Well, perhaps you could

draw a map for me?

What, on the wall?

Why not?

You think it will clash

with the decor?

Just a rough map.

Jesus.

And while you're doing it,

perhaps another one

of your war stories.

Sorry, I don't understand you.

You know, the odds alone

would say that

not even one of those skulls

belonged to a member of her family.

So, in effect, I'd...

...given her a bunch of strangers

to take home with her, you know?

You are wrong about one thing.

She knew well

that you were pretending.

That is why she was grateful.

That is why she thanked you.

For the charade.

For the performance you put on

for her benefit.

It's very complicated

being a survivor, you know?

Sometimes you have to place

your faith in magic,

or believe in things that you know

are not true if you want to continue.

It's a kind of an instinct.

If you wish to continue,

if you wish to survive,

then you must bury the dead.

Tell me, does the camera act

as a kind of filter for you,

to distance you

from your surroundings?

Sure. I suppose that's why a lot

of photographers have been killed

throughout the years.

Looking through the camera,

it's easy to forget

that the things that are happening

in front of you

are actually real, you know?

Or sometimes it fails, huh?

Sometimes the real world

takes over,

and then, when there's no one

to help you, you're very lonely.

Perhaps that is a reason

why you travel

with all the other photographers, no?

Suppose so.

And to protect each other?

Yeah, that, too.

One more observation.

I wouldn't call it an obsession,

but why are you so concerned

about what happens to the dead?

I noticed this when you were

talking about the boy from Beirut.

At the end, you said,

"I don't even know if his family

ever got his body back."

What is so important to you

about the fate of the dead?

Maybe superstition.

Superstition?

Yeah. You know, that the dead

should be returned to their families.

That they shouldn't be left alone.

More important to you

than those who survive?

No.

No, I don't know.

Actually, I don't know what

you're trying to get at, Joaquin.

I think you do.

I said, I don't.

What do you feel

when you see all these bodies

lying around everywhere?

Sorrow? Fear?

Relief that you

are not amongst them,

that you have survived?

F*** you.

- Excuse me?

- I said, f*** you!

I'm not one of your f***ing

war criminals, all right?

So just back off!

You said you wanted to talk to me.

I never f***in' asked you

to come here!

I was asleep, my hospital room,

you walked in

and f***ing woke me!

Well, we can stop if you prefer.

- Yeah, I need some sleep.

- Well, I'll take you home.

No, you're grand.

Stay where you are.

Ah, so you're awake.

- What time is it?

- Up you get. Up.

I need coffee first.

Oh, I'll get the coffee.

You just start the exercises.

Great, I'm cured.

You should take a look

at the front page of the newspaper.

I think it will be of interest to you.

Jesus Christ.

That f***ing animal.

A little strong, perhaps,

for your Celtic taste,

but I think it will do you

a lot of good.

The French call our way

of making coffee

le jus des chaussettes,

which means...

"Socks juice," I know.

Jesus, you have a f***ing answer

for everything, don't you?

Thank you.

The fellow that got this picture

probably stands to make a fortune.

We would have been there a month,

he might have come in yesterday.

But he was there

when this happened.

- We had no idea we'd be this right.

- We?

You mean you

and your friend, David?

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

I wonder if you would, perhaps,

do another little drawing for me.

Another map of the area

where the accident took place.

Not in minute detail, of course,

but just the location

of the hill and the river, hmm?

Come on, up! Up!

All right.

Let me see.

Well...

This is the hill.

This is the river.

This is where the explosion...

...happened.

And...

somewhere here is

where I fell into the river,

and somewhere down here

is where they found me.

The Harir Cave

is somewhere over there.

What of David?

Where was he standing

when the explosion occurred?

I've always known, Mark.

I've always known since

the first time I heard his name

and saw your face.

And now you have to...

tell your story.

It's not easy, I know.

What I'm trying to say to you

is that you are not as tough

as you think you are,

and you cannot

carry this on forever.

You must come back

to the people who love you.

- David!

- Mister Walsh, are you coming?!

Hey, we're not going

to make it this trip.

All right. Listen, good luck.

Godspeed to ya.

How much further do you think?

F***ed if I know.

This is your bright idea, man.

Tell me you're still

not angry at me?

Nah. Nah, you're right.

It's time to get home.

Jesus, it's beautiful, man.

You know what?

David!

David!

David!

Don't shoot!

David!

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

David!

No! I'm gonna f***ing die!

Mark!

Mark! I'm gonna die!

I'm gonna die!

Mark, I'm gonna die!

I'm gonna die!

Take me home!

Mark, the chair.

Get us the chair.

Take me to the hospital!

Don't worry.

Be calm.

Vamos.

Look at her.

Would you like to hold her?

I'm so sorry.

Diane, I loved him so much.

I know. He loved you, too.

I wanted to tell you.

I just didn't know how.

Where did you bury him?

Hey, where is Mark?

I don't know.

He left a few minutes ago.

Elena.

Be nice to him.

We don't know what it's like to go

to those places and come back.

And anyway, be nice to him,

because he is back.

I wanted to take him home.

I really did.

I kept saying...

"Don't worry, I'm taking you with me.

I'm taking you home."

I'm taking you home.

I'm taking you home.

I'd been walking for hours.

I came to a river.

There was no crossing.

I had no choice

but to jump in and just hope.

He was too heavy.

I was choking.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't breathe.

And so...

I let him go.

I'm sorry.

I love you.

I love you so much.

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