My Parallel Life
My Parallel Life
Episode 10: Rose and the Mysterious Visitor
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In the Season Finale, Daniel makes a decision and is immediately confronted with the consequences.
Written by Vera Greentea and Jasmine Brown. Co-produced with Mike Umile. Music by aBird. Art by Silvan Borer.
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Transcript of:
MY PARALLEL LIFE
SEASON 1, EPISODE 10
Rose and The Mysterious Visitor
THEME MUSIC: PATAGONIA NIGHTS BY ABIRD
MUSIC TRANSITIONS INTO A SLOWER, MOODY VERSION OF THE THEME
RECORDER CLICKS ON
DANIEL: I’m sorry. Let me just get this straight and... I’m recording, just so we’re clear. OK. So. Starting again. My name is Daniel Jones. I’m a reporter… Well, uh, a student reporter. But yeah. And your name is Rose Greene and you reside at the Edward Danhauser Psychiatric Institute?
MUSIC FADES
ROSE: As far as I know.
DANIEL: Really uh, definitive answers, thanks. Um. And we’ve never met, correct?
ROSE: Not in the flesh.
DANIEL: But you’ve seen me before?
ROSE: Like I said, I didn’t know you were real.
DANIEL: Right. Sorry. I’m just trying to...to get this all down clearly. While I’m here, talking to you. And I’m…well, have I mentioned? I’m really… thank you so much for agreeing to let me speak with you...
ROSE: I imagined you less frantic. And in my head I had you named Ashton. Also, I haven’t agreed to anything. They told me someone is visiting, and what am I gonna to say, no? It’s so unbelievably boring here.
DANIEL: Ashton? What? I look like an Ashton to you?
ROSE: You just seemed… preppy.
DANIEL: Still. There are no black guys named Ashton. But um, anyway back to...uh… why are you here?
ROSE: I… don’t really want to get into it. There’s uh, something wrong in my brain I guess? It’s been a long time and most people have stopped visiting, but I haven’t really gotten any better. Why don’t you tell me why you’re here. How did you find me?
DANIEL: Well… it’s a long story, actually. And uh, it’s kinda… out there.
ROSE: More out there than the fact that you, my imaginary ...not quite friend exactly… was signed in by the nurse as a visitor to see me in the mental hospital?
DANIEL: Uhhh… might be. Do you still draw the doorways?
ROSE: Yes… you know about that?
DANIEL: Yes, it’s what brought me to you. I was at your mom’s house and I saw all of these paintings you’ve done on your fridge. One of them… one of them meant something to me.
ROSE: My mom’s house? What do you mean?
DANIEL: Okay, fine, her apartment. Semantics interjections... gah you remind me of Lo- a-a friend of mine.
ROSE: No, it’s just that… my mom is dead. For like…uh, 2 years. There is no apartment.
DANIEL: Your mom… is… what… god, I’m-I’m sorry. I didn’t… know.
ROSE: So… where did you see my paintings, then? Because as far as I know, all my stuff is here. I live here.
DANIEL: All… the time?
ROSE: Did I stutter?
DANIEL: Sorry…
ROSE: Just go on.
DANIEL: Where I’m from your mom is alive.
ROSE: … what… where are you from? You’re gonna say the past, aren’t you?
DANIEL: What? No! That’s… no, nothing like that! It’s much more… I don’t know it might actually be weirder.
PAUSE
DANIEL: I got here through a door that links a street near where I live in Easton to my home in Chapple Valley. In Easton, my life is one way. My mom lives in Ecuador, my dad has an apartment in the city. In Chapple, I have this idyllic life with my whole family living at home, my best friend lives next door, and seven of my teachers wrote out recommendations for summer journalism programs that I’m applying to. I don’t know how… but these two lives... did I mention there are doubles of my family? Like I have… a dad in Easton and one in the Valley and they know nothing about each other. It’s really… hard to manage. Anyway, my two lives are connected by a tunnel… and I know nothing about why. Until a few days ago, when in my Easton life - I called it my Shitty Life (LAUGHS UNCERTAINLY) - I met your mom and saw your artwork. You drew my door.
ROSE: And right now, which life are you in?
DANIEL: This is the one I call Doesn’t Suck. Chapple Valley life.
ROSE: Why- why didn’t you come talk to me in your Shitty Life? Or did you?
DANIEL: I… oh. Rose, y-you’re dead in the other life. Or at least you’re...gone.
ROSE: Oh… god. What, uh… what happened to me?
DANIEL: I don’t… no one knows. I have a theory that you also had a doorway, and maybe you left. But everyone else thinks you’re dead.
ROSE: I… left? I left my mom and my life to go to some other life?
DANIEL: I--
ROSE: Wouldn’t I have a tunnel in this life then? A doorway to a much better life, like you?
DANIEL: I don’t know… have you… have you never traveled through a tunnel to a different version of your life?
ROSE: No, I never saw a doorway like this outside of my dreams. And in my dreams, it’s never for me… except… except one time. What happens if… what if you get trapped in the tunnel? If you can’t get to either side…
DANIEL: Uh...well. I-I don’t know. That’s never happened to me. I mean...obviously. Though it… there have been some close calls lately. The structural integrity of the walls are not what they used to be.
ROSE: I want to… let me show you something.
PAPERS RUSTLING
ROSE: I keep coming back to this piece. It never seems finished.
DANIEL: Oh my god. That’s--
ROSE: Does it look alright? Even if I had seen it in real life... I’m not usually great at representational. I go more for a feeling.
DANIEL: ...I get a feeling. Her pain… that rock pinning her legs. I can almost hear her screaming. But, not because she’s pinned there. She’s crying but the darkness around her seems more than just circumstantial… Rose… this- this is… her hair… your hair…
ROSE: I know I’m frizzier in real life. But you know, artistic license.
DANIEL: Why did you draw this? It’s… horrifying. It’s so realistic.
ROSE: I don’t know… I just draw what I see in my dreams. I can’t stop having them.
DANIEL: But you’ve never… you’ve never been there, right? This never actually happened to you?
ROSE: It feels like it happened to me. All of this, even when I paint these things that don’t happen to me… they all feel like they happened to me. Over and over again, I dream of people in pain and I feel it so… starkly. And I want to give them a way out. Then… I dream of doorways… my therapist used to say it’s a puberty thing. But now… he barely even sees me any more. He thinks I just choose to indulge and don’t want to get better. And (LAUGHS DARKLY) it’s not like the state will pay for a better therapist.
DANIEL: What an asshole.
ROSE: (LAUGHS) You’re alright, Daniel. Hey, um... when you’re... when you leave your life are you missing too?
DANIEL: Well… kind of. When I leave Easton, I’m gone. When I leave here there’s another Daniel, I guess. That’s one of the creepiest parts about it.
ROSE: So, if I ever went through one of these doors, there could be… another me. One with… a mom. And a future.
DANIEL: Yeah, you’d assume that Rose’s life. You’d become her completely, as far as I understand. Except…
ROSE: What?
DANIEL: My sister’s cat. I-I think he knew. He didn’t react to me in a way he typically would… I think he knew I wasn’t the Daniel that belonged here. I mean… I do belong here. I think. But it-it’s... complicated.
ROSE: What… could it all mean? Are you then… a Daniel chameleon when you’re here?
DANIEL: Makes me sounds like some sort of alien monster.
ROSE: I see those sometimes too.
DANIEL: WHAT?!
ROSE: No, not literal alien monsters! Calm down! Like I said. I go for a-a feeling. Dreams are a strange thing, and so is art.
DANIEL: But you don’t change… when I come to visit my perfect little family life, in which my mom bakes cookies and Lola, my bff, is over with a movie, and... well, it’s not like I forget my Shitty Life. I’m still… I know that my mom separated from my dad there… and I’m constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering if they will again. Or if it’s worse that they don’t. It kind of.. ruins the experience? Or colors it. I’m still Shitty Life Daniel in the Doesn’t Suck world. And… you would be too. You’d still have your… dreams, I would think. It doesn’t go away. You... don’t go away.
ROSE: But you get both lives. You’re really lucky. If… I could see my mom again...
DANIEL: Yeah, I know. But like I said, Easton Daniel goes missing. And the tunnel...every time I go through the tunnel I wonder if this is the time--
ROSE: You get trapped like her? Or… me?
DANIEL: Or Other You, I guess. If that really happened.
PAUSE
ROSE: Do you want to see more pictures?
DANIEL: Are they… all like that?
ROSE: Pretty much.
DANIEL: Um… sure. Yeah.
SHUFFLING PAPERS
ROSE: I think… I think there’s one of you…
DANIEL: I saw this one on your mom’s… fridge. The doorway is so realistic. Ah, ahhh there it is. It’s--
ROSE: It’s not the only one I drew of you.
DANIEL: There’s more?
MORE SHUFFLING
ROSE: This. Is that your mom?
DANIEL: (SHARP INHALE)... Yes, it looks a lot like her. Who is the little kid? He’s holding on to her so hard. And what’s up with all the teddy bears? Is he okay?
ROSE: You don’t recognize him?
DANIEL: I… you drew me with five teddy bears?!
ROSE: Like I said, I-I go for a feeling. You are always looking for security, I think. And… then you lost it. It’s like… you always felt that one day this would happen, and then it did. It hurt you so much, Daniel. I’m sorry.
DANIEL: ...um. Yeah. Uh, can we...uh, aren’t there others?
ROSE: Hm. There’s more than I could ever show anyone.
MORE SHUFFLING
DANIEL: I could come back.
ROSE: If you don’t get trapped in your tunnel.
DANIEL: Or… if I stay.
ROSE: You’re choosing to stay in this?
DANIEL: I...well. I don’t want to choose, but… if I go will you
ROSE: Take me out of the equation for a minute. We just met. Is this... this is your um, your Doesn’t Suck life, right? So, what if you just...stay? Not sucking?
DANIEL: I…
ROSE: There’s stuff there you’d miss in Shitty Life? People?
DANIEL: I guess so.
ROSE: Maybe a specific person?
DANIEL: I… I don’t know, maybe. I don’t think he feels the same about me.
ROSE: So that’s the hesitation? This is a “does he like me” deal?
DANIEL: No, no. It’s- it’s much more than that. Like, Ok… when I first started coming here I- it felt like, thank you. A window, or you know, a door… back into my real life. Out of this nightmare. But now… back there feels so much more... real, I guess. Maybe it’s because I spend more time there. But it’s like... my parents are more real. And there are the people I met that I don’t want to lose. But it’s more than that.
MUSIC (DON’T STRAY INSTRUMENTAL) PLAYS
DANIEL: It’s… the Daniel in your painting… he’s… so ...scared, I guess. Helpless. I’m not like that anymore. This terrible thing that I was so afraid of, it happened. And I survived. How can I go back to pretending that it never happened? It’s more true where I’ve ended up. I’m not true here in Doesn’t Suck, anymore.
ROSE: Sounds like you did choose then? Shitty Life it is.
DANIEL: Yeah. I… guess so. Wow. I thought that would feel… worse. I’m kind of… relieved. Like a weight is lifted. But what happens to… what happens to you?
ROSE: Well. I stay here. I guess?
DANIEL: What if you come back with me? The Rose from my Shitty Life has been gone for many years. You can come back… god, your mom would be so happy to see you again. She believes you’re still out there, you know?
ROSE: She… does?
DANIEL: She misses you so much.
ROSE: I miss her so much, too. It’s unbelievable, that pain of missing someone. If it could be so easy…
DANIEL: It is easy. Just get in that tunnel with me. I’ll take you through. You will belong again.
ROSE: What a thing… to get to see her again. I can’t believe you’re giving me that chance…
DANIEL: Yes! So many people missed you. I can’t wait to bring you- god, I know someone who will be so happy--
ROSE: But… I don’t…I don’t think I will.
DANIEL: Wait… what? You won’t come?
ROSE: It’s like you said, we can go to a world where that worst thing hasn’t happened… but we belong in the world that did. I will never forget the day she… I just, ugh, it would haunt me for the rest of my life, here or there. And for that reason, I can’t… I just can’t see her again.
DANIEL: You’re... sure?
ROSE: … yeah. Not happy about it but… yeah. But maybe… you know, maybe there…there is another Rose. The-the one she’s waiting for. Maybe maybe she’ll find her way back.
DANIEL: That’s… a hard choice you’re making… you’re… really strong.
ROSE: You too, preppy.
MORE SHUFFLING
DANIEL: Maybe I should get going then, but...
ROSE: You’ll see me again, I’m sure of it. We both made a choice today, and well... look, take this.
PIECE OF PAPER BEING HANDED OVER
ROSE: So you don’t forget. Every time you’ll look at it, maybe you’ll remember that everything that comes after today is because of your strength… and that will give you more strength to face an oncoming hardship…
DANIEL: You sure?
ROSE: I… yes. Whenever I miss it, I will think of the same for myself. It will be a reminder for both of us -- I drew that tunnel because you needed it… but you don’t need it anymore. And maybe when you look at it… you might you might think of me.
DANIEL: Thank you. I will always… It’s - wait, Rose, this other one… it just reminds me of something. I saw it before, this car model. When I was a kid, I got rides to school in one just like it. Black Nissan, right? But I-I think it had more scratches. Lola’s dad wasn’t a great driver--
MUSIC (EXTREME VIOLENCE) PLAYS
DANIEL: Are… are these Lola’s knees in the painting?
ROSE: Lola… she does feel like a Lola. Is she a-a writer, like you?
DANIEL: How do you know that?
ROSE: I feel like her dream always comes with sounds of scribbling or typing. She… feels like you… but more frenetic. But, also, warm.
MUSIC FADES
DANIEL: Yeah… she’s a good human. The best, really. I… need to call her more in my Doesn’t Suck life. Oh but, I’m saying goodbye to that, I guess. But one last time. And then I need to call her more in my Shitty Life. Wait, what am I saying? Why are you painting her?
ROSE: I don’t know… I have more of her, hold on.
MORE SHUFFLING
Here. This one feels like her too.
DANIEL: This one? With lightning coming out of her hair?
ROSE: I think it’s uh, pain. In her head.
DANIEL: (STARTING TO SOUND NERVOUS) Pain, what are you talking about? She gets colds once in a while, but I’ve never even heard of her complain of a headache. Why lightning? What is wrong with her? Is she okay?
ROSE: No idea. You’re going to have to go to the source on that one.
DANIEL: Is this a pain she has now?
ROSE: Yeah, all the time. It is happening more frequently.
DANIEL: But that car… they haven’t used it in years. I think they’re saving it for when Lola gets her license.
ROSE: She’s never going to get her license.
DANIEL: I have to call her. Is the car… is it her doorway? Like mine? What happened to her, what happened - I never noticed!
VOICEMAIL NOTIFICATION SOUNDS
DANIEL: Why do I have so many voicemails? I’m going to check this one from my Mom, okay, Rose?
BUZZ/BEEP
ELEANOR: Hey, Danny boy, where are you, honey? I need to tell you something, but I don’t want you to worry. Nothing bad hopefully. Just, wondering, is-is Lola with you?
DANIEL: What–
BUZZ/BEEP
TYRONE: Daniel, where are you? We’ve been calling you for over an hour. Lola’s parents are calling us, they thought that Lola was having a sleepover with you the last two nights? But, obviously, that didn’t happen. And you’re late coming home. Call me back, son.
BUZZ/BEEP
MR. VELASQUEZ: Hello, Daniel. Is-is Lola with you? That wayward daughter of mine... please tell her that everyone is looking for her and if she doesn’t take her phone off silent, I will be getting rid of it.
HANGING UP
DANIEL: Okay, Mr. Velasquez, a bit dramatic…
PHONE SOUND, CALLING/RINGING
LOLA: This is Lola! Please leave a message or better yet, text me. It’s 2019, ya anachronistic sheeple.
DANIEL: Hey, Lo. Um, everyone is really worried about you. Uh, I guess I’m going to swing by your place since you told me you had some books you wanted me to pick up earlier. Shit, sorry I’m going to be about half an hour late. My interview is going really well, and uh, just...call your dad back OK? Everyone’s really freaked out. Were you not sleeping at home? It… just-just call your dad back. Hopefully I just… hopefully you’re in the shower or something. I don’t know why you’d call me and not let your dad know that you’re OK but… uh… I guess it doesn’t matter. I… I’ll see you soon.
ROSE: This feels… bad. Like… (STARTS HUMMING PATAGONIA NIGHTS)
DANIEL: Uh, Rose? Are you okay?
MORE HUMMING
DANIEL: Rose…, should I call someone? Are you… going to be okay if I leave? Do you understand me? Shit, Nurse! Someone! Please!
SOMEONE RUNS IN
NURSE: Don’t worry, kid, this happens periodically. Hey, honey, Rosebud? DANIEL: Are you… are you tranquilizing her?
NURSE: It’s just a little prick, Rosebud, don’t worry.
A GASP, HUMMING STOPS
NURSE: Come on, kid, she needs some peace and quiet. The time for your visit is just about over anyway. You can come see her tomorrow.
DANIEL: ... right. I’m gonna... I’m going to… I’ll see you around, Rose. Somehow.
NURSE: She’s going to be catatonic for the next couple of hours. Sign out downstairs, please.
RECORDER CLICKS OFF
RECORDER CLICKS ON
PHONE SOUND, CALLING/RINGING
LOLA: This is Lola! Please leave a message or better yet, text me. It’s 2019, ya anachronistic sheeple.
DANIEL: Hey Lo, it’s been half an hour since I called you. I thought you’d call me back by now? Where are you? I’m standing in front of your house.
SOMEONE FIDDLING WITH AND THEN OPENING A FENCE
DANIEL: What is someone… hey! Lola! Stop! Where are you going? This stupid fence never opens properly....
MUSIC (EXTREME VIOLENCE) PLAYS
WALKING SOUNDS
FIDDLING WITH A FENCE
PHONE RINGING, HE DOESN’T PICK UP
DANIEL: Lo! It’s Daniel! Hold up!
A GARAGE DOOR OPENING
DANIEL: (MUTTERING TO HIMSELF) ...the Black Nissan…? Like in the picture? Did Lo get her driver’s license?
A CAR DOOR OPENING
DANIEL: This is... weird. This is all really
FENCE OPENS (FINALLY)
DANIEL: LOLA! CAN YOU HEAR ME?
RUNNING
DANIEL: Lola! STOP! Lo!
LOLA: Goodbye, Daniel.
THE CAR DOOR CLOSES
CAR DOOR OPENING AGAIN, QUICKLY
DANIEL: LO--! W-wait- Lo…
CAR DOOR OPENING AGAIN, QUICKLY
DANIEL: Wa…you’re…you’re not in here.
SMOLDERING SOUNDS. CAR SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND
BEEPING.
THEN - IT STOPS SUDDENLY.
DANIEL: What… what is happening? Lola?
VOICEMAIL NOTIFICATION
DANIEL: At a time like this? Who is leaving me all these - Lola?! HE PICKS UP
LOLA: Hey Danny. Um, I don’t have much time. Just wanted you to know that I’m, um…I’m leaving. But I’m going somewhere it… it won’t make sense to you, but I’m going somewhere better. Where I’m happy, where I’m healthy. Tell my parents… tell them that, OK? Uh, I have to… I have to go.
DANIEL: (OVERLAPPING) Oh… oh, shit, Lola. What did you do?
LOLA: Don’t think about me anymore. You won’t be able to find me. You wouldn’t have been able to stop me.
MUSIC FADES
DANIEL: Oh, Lo, what did-- God, I don’t have much time to figure this out…
CAR DOOR CLOSING
OUTDOOR SOUNDS/WALKING
DANIEL: Who knows how long I have before my tunnel collapses? It sounded like yours collapsed. Like Rose’s… are you going to be able to come back? I can’t...I don’t- I don’t have time to figure this out, do I? Not if I… fuck! I chose. Damnit, I chose! But I can’t...I-I can’t leave Lola. Whatever world I’m in...it’s not the same if you’re in...whatever pain you’re in. If you’re...gone. Whatever world...shit! Lola in Shitty Life! What if… what if she’s experiencing the same? What--
WALKING FASTER
DANIEL: ... if she’s about to leave forever? There might be time. This... this isn’t my world. But that one is. I can do something.
RECORDER CLICKS OFF
RECORDER CLICKS ON
DOOR OPENING
DANIEL: I’m not messing this up again. I just have to go get her, before it’s too late. I have to figure–
THE TUNNEL IS CRUMBLING
DANIEL: Oh ARGH--
CRASHING SOUNDS/RUNNING
THE DOOR OPENING AND SLAMMING BEHIND HIM STREET SOUNDS
DANIEL: (SIGHS)I’m through. Oof. And not a moment too soon. Lo? Oh. Right. We live an hour apart in this world.
VOICEMAIL NOTIFICATION SOUND
DANIEL: There’s a voicemail from Lola! I knew it!
LOLA: Hey, I thought I-I’d catch you but… well, just wanted to let you know that my dad wants me to get rid of a bunch of-of my junk and we’re driving up to the charity this weekend. I have a bunch of books that I think you’d like. If you get a chance, you can come by and pick them up. I know it’s a long shot but I won’t need them anymore. Uh, let me know if you’ll come this weekend? I can wait till...Saturday maybe? Um. Yeah. Uh. Just-just let me know soon, OK?
HANGS UP
DANIEL: Lola… (DEEP BREATH) OK. I’ve still got time. I can figure this out. Somehow.
RECORDER CLICKS OFF
MAIN THEME/PATAGONIA NIGHTS PLAYS
TIM: My Parallel Life is written and produced by Vera Greentea and Jasmine Brown. The audio for this podcast is recorded and mixed by Mike Umile. Music is created and performed by aBIRD. My Parallel Life stars LC Witter, Julian Thomas, Shiree Nicholas Christopher, Steph Marie Alvarez, Louis Walker, Jayme Face, Timothy Rodriguez, Rajiv Miller, Siera Louis Gene and Jasmine Brown. Website and credits are by Timothy Rodriguez.
To learn more about My Parallel Life and the fantastic crew of people who make it, visit our website: jumpycatstudios.com. If you’d like to help us spread the word, please give us a five star review and tell your friends to subscribe at any major podcast platform. This episode’s a wrap, see you in another dimension!