Welcome the Stranger

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1

(TURNS OFF ENGINE)

Alice?

What are you doing here?

I wanted to see you.

Put on some...

Put on some clothes.

(DOOR OPENS)

ETHAN:
I'm in here.

You moved.

Yep.

You didn't tell me.

(ETHAN SIGHS)

I haven't seen

you in years.

Well, I'm here now,

and that's what counts.

So, maybe, I could stay a little,

and we could chat, catch up.

(INHALES SHAKILY)

ETHAN:
Okay.

Yeah?

You can stay

just one night.

(PUTS CUP DOWN)

- ALICE:
It's beautiful.

- ETHAN:
What?

- The house, dummy.

- Thanks.

It's huge.

Yeah.

- Upkeep must be crazy.

- What?

The upkeep must be expensive.

- All the bills and stuff.

- Yeah.

I'm not sure

how you pay for it.

Yeah, so, hey, I'm actually

in the middle of something.

So, I need to

get back to work.

Help yourself to a snack,

or something.

(WIND WHOOSHING)

(RUSTLING)

ALICE:

I'm making tacos.

It's fake meat, though.

I don't eat dead things.

Okay.

So, what are you working on

that's so busy and important?

Drawings.

- What for?

- A book.

Whose book?

Mine.

Really? Your own?

Yes, and I have a deadline

that I'm way past,

so, I need to

get to work.

Alone.

What's it about?

It's a long story.

Ethan,

we used to tell

each other everything.

We need to become

siblings again.

Family.

Family? Really?

Family's complicated.

So, where do you live?

In the city.

With my boyfriend.

Does he take care of you?

Actually, I work.

Not everyone can just,

you know, fall into a mansion

without any explanation.

Besides, we broke up.

I thought

you said "boyfriend."

Was. It's recent. So, I'm

just not used to saying "ex."

Why'd you break up?

Because I caught him

f***ing someone else.

- So?

- So, he was mine.

(SCOFFS)

It's just sex.

Besides, you've been

the other woman before.

Stop!

Don't be mean.

I'm already

really unhappy.

I don't know what to

believe with you anymore.

Why would I lie about

something like that?

People lie by saying they are

happy when they're not,

not the other way around.

Besides, it's over,

and I need to move on.

You're always moving on.

Well, I'll be moving on in the

morning, so, don't worry about it.

- I'm not worried.

- Great.

Great.

(GRUNTS)

Ethan?

ETHAN:

It's weird, right?

Some kind of sinkhole,

or something?

Right?

What?

Nothing.

This place is

f***ing weird.

- What?

- What?

You said...

You said something?

Nothing.

That thing.

It's f***ing weird, right?

(SNAPS FINGERS)

Hmm.

What made you

go out there?

I was...

(CLEARS THROAT)

I was just walking around,

and I stumbled upon it.

Right.

I don't know

what's happening,

but you'll be safe.

I'll keep you safe.

I don't know what's happening,

but you'll be safe.

I'll keep you safe.

Where did you go?

- Nowhere.

- But you did go somewhere.

Have you seen my pen?

What pen?

My special pen.

Why is it special?

Because I use

it to draw.

What's it look like?

Silver. I always keep it

in the same place.

Are you sure?

I'm positive.

Sometimes, things

are in plain sight,

and you just need someone

else to look for you.

(OBJECTS RUSTLING)

ETHAN:
Sh*t.

Hey, maybe it's

in a different room.

- Did you find it?

- ETHAN:
No!

Go!

(GRUNTS)

- ALICE:
No?

- No.

Yes? No.

- No.

- No.

(BOTH PANTING)

What are we looking for?

(BOTH LAUGHING)

- Oh, it was the pen.

- Oh, it was the pen.

- Did you find it?

- No.

No.

You didn't come.

You didn't come

to Mom's funeral.

She treated you

like everything.

She treated me

like a mistake.

She wasn't right

when we were kids.

You should stay

a little while.

You can borrow

some of my clothes.

(DOORS CREAKING)

I can't focus

on my work.

Are you distracted because

we live on a giant sphere,

that's spinning in the

middle of nowhere?

Maybe.

Are you distracted

by the hole?

What if it's a portal?

(INHALES SHARPLY)

We'll start over.

Hmm?

You can come with me.

What are you

talking about?

(WHISPERING) I think there's

a better place than here.

Where're you going?

Please wait!

Ethan, come back! What did I say?

I'm sorry!

Hey.

You did this.

- What?

- You f***ing witch.

You're tryin' to make

me think things?

- Huh? Just like when we were kids.

- (WHIMPERING)

- You were always so f***ing...

- What are you talking about?

- What are you talking about?

- What'd you do?

You're being crazy.

- I'm not crazy. You're crazy.

- I didn't do anything.

What'd you do?

What'd you do?

- You're the one being crazy.

- (BOTH GRUNTING)

- Ethan, stop it.

- You're crazy.

- You're hurting me.

- Crazy!

Stop!

- What the f***?

- Sorry.

Sorry.

(GLASS SHATTERING)

ALICE:
(WHISPERING)

Ethan's crazy. I'm not crazy.

I'm not being crazy.

He is. He's crazy.

What happened?

You tell me.

I seem to be upsetting you,

so, I'm gonna go.

Alice.

I really don't want to

be here alone right now.

Stay.

(DOOR CLOSES)

(RUSTLING)

ETHAN:
Oh.

It's just her.

Wanna go for a swim?

No.

(BALL BOUNCES)

Hey.

Who are you?

My mom's

cleaning the place.

Oh.

Yeah, she takes me to my

soccer games afterwards.

- Soccer.

- Yeah. Watch.

Cool.

(PANTING)

Look.

Danny, you aren't bothering

anyone, are you?

- No.

- No.

You look just like her.

Who?

Elaine.

You knew her?

When she

lived here, yes.

Whose house is this?

Huh?

Is this Mom's house?

Is this Mom's house?

Oh, f***ing God.

How? How's that

even possible?

- I don't know.

- You're a liar.

- I got a call out...

- You're a liar.

I got a call out of the blue.

I had no idea.

She left it to me,

and I...

Doesn't make any sense.

She just left it to me.

I had no idea.

You could have told me.

- Why didn't you tell me?

- I didn't know where you were.

I found you.

You could've found me.

Maybe I didn't want to.

I would've told

you eventually.

We used to tell

each other everything.

I know.

You said that earlier.

Ethan.

This makes sense.

Can you see it?

It all makes sense.

Alice.

She had a secret life.

- This house.

- Okay.

Me coming here.

She had a secret life.

- I didn't plan this.

- No...

- I didn't plan this, Ethan.

- Please.

I just got in the car,

and something drove me here.

Can't you see?

This is all meant to be.

Ethan?

You'll come with me.

There's a better

place than here.

Don't fight it.

Come on.

Don't fight it.

(COUGHS)

(RUSTLING)

(RUSTLING CONTINUES)

(ETHAN PANTING)

(CONTINUES PANTING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(CONTINUES BREATHING HEAVILY)

(STRUGGLING)

Ethan! Ethan! Ethan!

Ethan!

(INSECT CHITTERING)

ALICE:
Ethan.

- What are you doing?

- Nothing.

- I thought you left.

- No.

Did you open

the windows last night?

No, why?

I thought

they were open.

Maybe you opened them.

Maybe.

What are you

doing in here?

Making coffee.

You want some?

Yeah.

What are you

thinking about?

Hmm?

Creatures grow

inside our bellies.

It's like we're technically upside

down, and yet, we don't fall.

But people think it's strange

to consider somewhere else...

Wait. Where'd

you get that?

I found it.

You shouldn't wear that.

You'd never

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