How i Died S2 E10: One Day, One Elevator

Transcript: How i Died S2 E10: One Day, One Elevator

This transcript is adapted from the episode’s original script, so the final audio may differ slightly.

[Hospital sounds. Woman crying.]

Young Amelia: Momma?

Ellen: Sorry sweetie. Mommy is just a little upset.

Young Amelia: Is Nick going to be okay?

Ellen: Of course he will, Amelia. Don’t worry.

Young Amelia: But you’re worried.

Ellen: It’s my job. Not yours. Come here sweetie.

[Intro]

Amelia: Jon?

Jon: Hey…

Amelia: You shouldn’t be here.

Jon: I have a bone to pick with Kim.

Amelia: I mostly meant why are you cutting through here?

Jon: Oh.

Amelia: Are you having an emergency?

Jon: No…

Amelia: And you don’t have a shift, do you?

Jon: No.

Amelia: That’s right. So remind me again why you’re cutting through my ER.

Jon: What is going on?

Amelia: I just told you.

Jon: This isn’t about me walking through. This is about us breaking up.

Amelia: We were never together in the first place. I took care of you while you were hurt.

Jon: And I said I’m sorry for how things happened, but we moved too quickly, and-

Amelia: I though you were like me. And it turns out I was *way* off.

Jon: What’s that supposed to mean?

Amelia: Nothing.

Jon: It’s not like I did it on purpose… I just-

Amelia: It wasn’t just your decision, you know. I learned way more about you than I wanted, too. And I don’t like it.

Jon: I’m sorry you feel that way. I really hope we can get past this so we can work together again soon.

Amelia: Work together? You think you’re going to get your job back? Good luck.

Jon: Not yet. I think I have some leverage that might convince Kim to un-suspend me, though.

Amelia: There ya go. Manipulate people while you can.

Jon: Amelia, I didn’t-

Amelia: Stay out of my ER unless you have an actual emergency. Actually if YOU have another emergency, you can still stay out.

Jon: Wow…

[Elevator doors open]

Lily: Going up?

Jon: Yep…

Lily: What floor?

Jon: Third. Thank you.

[Elevator sounds. Jon and Lily are standing in silence. The elevator lurches to a hault and stops.]

Jon: Uhh…

Lily: Oh god. What happened?

Jon: I don’t know… The elevator is stopped.

[Pushing buttons]

Jon: It’s not working.

Lily: Oh my… I don’t like small spaces.

Jon: I’m sure it’ll get started again soon.

[Silence]

Jon: Let me try the door.

Lily: Okay…

[Jon grunting, trying to pull the doors open.]

Jon: No dice.

Lily: I’m not feeling so well…

Jon: You look pale. You should sit.

Lily: You think so?

Jon: Definitely. Here. Let me help.

Lily: Thank you.

Jon: Is it claustrophibia, or are you ill?

Lily: Did the chemo bag give it away?

Jon: Sorry.

Lily: My name is Lily.

Jon: Jon.

Lily: Nice to meet you.

Jon: Were you headed up to the cancer ward?

Lily: Yep… Heh. Home sweet home.

Jon: I hope whatever this is gets fixed soon.

Lily: It’s alright. I’m kind of comfy down here.

Jon: Your skin still looks pale.

Lily: I’ll be alright.

Jon: Do you mind if I check your blood pressure?

Lily: Uhh…

Jon: Oh. Duh. I’m a doctor here. Or… I was a doctor here.

Lily: But you’re in normal clothes.

Jon: Yeah… I was… Suspended a few weeks ago.

Lily: Should I be worried?

Jon: No, no, not at all. I got suspended for… Well… It’s complicated, but it’s got nothing to do with me being a bad doctor.

Lily: You’re the type of person who keeps all of their burdens to themself, huh?

Jon: That’s a little out of nowhere.

Lily: I’m the same way, though. Always put on a brave face so people never see you sweat.

Jon: Ha. Not quite. I don’t hide my emotions very well. That’s what got me into this mess in the first place.

Lily: Talking back to the boss man, huh?

Jon: Boss ladies.

Lily: Ladies?

Jon: I told you it’s complicated. Can I check your vitals now?

Lily: Not so fast. You need to tell me something personal about you first.

Jon: Seriously? You could be spiking a fever.

Lily: Yes, seriously. I’m not letting a stranger touch me. I make all my doctors do it.

Jon: Okay. Fine. I hate coffee. I only drink tea.

Lily: That’s it?

Jon: What? Yeah… That doesn’t count?

Lily: Not at all! Unless hating coffee defines up as a person.

Jon: Can I say it does and move on?

Lily: If someone who hated coffee enough to let it define them as a person, I think you’d see that coming a mile away.

Jon: You’re an odd person.

Lily: Now that IS how I define myself.

Jon: Can I please check your vitals now?

Lily: Oh. I must have missed the part where you told me a truth. Something people don’t know about you.

Jon: My ex died, and it changed me as a person.

Lily: Heavy.

Jon: May I?

Lily: Mhm. (Pause) How did she die?

Jon: Your vitals look good.

Lily: I guess if it was something traumatic, you wouldn’t want to talk about it, huh? Fine. My turn: Before I came here, I was planning on dropping out of high school and going to beauty school – like in Grease.

Jon: Do you really do this with everyone?

Lily: Absolutely. If you can’t open up to someone who’s dying, who can you talk to?

Jon: You’re wise beyond your years.

Lily: It’s your turn.

Jon: We don’t need to keep going back and forth. I’m sure the elevator will start again soon. And besides – we should conserve our air.

Lily: Ugh. I’m feeling faint.

Jon: What’s wrong?!

Lily: I think I need…

Jon: Lily? Lily stay with me.

Lily: I need… You to tell me another secret.

Jon: Seriously? For fuck’s sake.

Lily: Whoa! Minor here.

Jon: That wasn’t funny.

Lily: Sorry.

[Silence]

Jon: My ex fiance was a guy, by the way. You said she, earlier.

Lily: Oh! You’re gay?

Jon: Bisexual, but most of my serious relationships were men.

Lily: That’s cool. Why didn’t you correct me when I said it?

Jon: What do you mean?

Lily: Well. I had a cat at home who as cute as a button. I’d tie a little bow in his hair, put on a pink collar and walk him around on a dog leash. People would always think he was a she, but any time they’d ever say "aww, what’s her name?" I’d correct them instantly by saying "his name was Mittens."

Jon: So?

Lily: So why didn’t you correct me and say your ex was a he?

Jon: I’ve gotten used to it.

Lily: But it must bug you.

Jon: It’s fine.

Lily: Come on. Dying here, remember?

Jon: When I moved here, I got a sense that this place was a little homophobic. Recently, I’ve felt that again.

Lily: So you didn’t want to say anything to make people dislike you?

Jon: Heh. It’s not really that. It’s more about being treated differently.

Lily: Since when is that a bad thing? People treat me differently all the time!

Jon: It’s a different kind of differently.

Lily: I think it’s good to be different.

Jon: It’s your turn.

Lily: That’s the spirit! Hmm… Let’s see. Oh! I’ve got a good one. I actually didn’t mind losing my hair.

Jon: Really?

Lily: Yeah. I like the wigs. My hair was dumb.

Jon: I bet you’ve told other people that before.

Lily: I bet you’ve told other people about your ex.

Jon: Well, not around here, haha.

Lily: And I haven’t told you about the wigs before.

Jon: Fair enough.

Lily: It’s your turn.

Jon: I was really mean to some people recently. And I wish I could go back and undo it.

Lily: Another boy?

Jon: Ha. A boy, a girl, and a lady.

Lily: One of your bosses?

Jon: Yeah, haha. One of. The other can go fuck herself.

Lily: And which one of them were you going to see? The good witch, or the bad witch?

Jon: You must really like old movies, huh?

Lily: Not much else to do when you’re confined to a bed. But answer the question.

Jon: A few days ago, I wouldn’t have called either of them the good witch, but I’m starting to think I was too harsh on one.

Lily: You’re bad at this.

Jon: Sorry. Definitely going to see the bad witch.

Lily: Hope you brought some water.

Jon: Are you feeling thirsty?

Lily: I was kidding… To melt her.

Jon: Ah.

Lily: You should relax.

Jon: You’re still not looking too good. And your chemo bag is almost empty. How are you feeling?

Lily: Fine.

Jon: Just fine?

Lily: Well, I’ve been better.

Jon: What stage did you say you were?

Lily: I didn’t.

Jon: Don’t say it’s too personal.

Lily: No. It’s not that…

[Lily starts coughing.]

Jon: You okay?

Lily: I’ll be okay… You don’t actually have any water, do you?

Jon: I don’t. Hopefully this elevator starts moving soon.

[Lily coufhs again]

Jon: Say, isn’t it your turn?

Lily: I… Wasn’t supposed to leave the cancer ward.

Jon: I had a feeling…

Lily: How?

Jon: Well it’s not often they let cancer patients actively getting chemo walk around the hospital. But besides, that’s an antimetabolite chemotherapy bag. Used to treat Leukemia and some of worst types of cancer.

Lily: Heh… Small intestine. Stage 3.

Jon: I’m so sorry.

Lily: They told me my recovery chance was low, but I can see it all over my mom’s face. I’m not making it back from this.

Jon: You’re too good at reading people.

Lily: Can I tell you something?

Jon: It is your turn, right?

Lily: I’m really scared to die.

[Silent]

Lily: I’m sorry.

Jon: Did I tell you what kind of doctor I was?

Lily: No, you didn’t.

Jon: I’m a forensic pathologist. I examine dead people to figure out what killed them.

Lily: God. It’s like foreshadowing…

Jon: That’s not what I meant. I meant that you don’t need to be afraid of death. It’s not that bad.

Lily: Easy for you to say.

Jon: Trust me.

Lily: Because you see dead people?

Jon: Enough with the movie references.

Lily: I wasn’t referencing a movie. I’m being serious. How do you know?

Jon: Hmmm… Because I do see dead people.

Lily: I don’t get why that should make me feel any better.

Jon: Lily, I’m being serious. It’s my turn, right?

Lily: I guess.

Jon: So that’s my secret. Something that I’ve literally never told ANYONE before: I can see ghosts.

Lily: Are you kidding?

Jon: I’m 100% serious.

Lily: Like you’re a clairvoyant?

Jon: No. Well. I don’t know. But I can see the ghosts of people that have died. I can speak to them, and that’s how I do my job.

Lily: I’m not young enough to believe something ridiculous like that.

[Lily coughs.]

Jon: It’s true. When someone dies, they reappear somewhere nearby as a ghost. But the ghost looks exactly like a normal person – they’re not see through or scary looking. The only thing that’s different is that they float a few centimeters off the ground.

Lily: You’re not messing with me?

Jon: Not at all. Sometimes, I even have trouble telling when someone is alive or a ghost, especially if I didn’t know they were dead. I was actually being followed by a ghost a few days ago… I was mean to him before and after he died…

Lily: After? So wait, they can actually hear you too?

Jon: Yeah, they can. I try to talk to them when they appear, and explain what’s going on. And then I usually see if they know what happened to… Well, to try to solve the crime of who or what killed them.

Lily: This is… A lot to take in.

Jon: I’m sure it is. I’ve never told anyone my secret before. It kind of feels like it’s spewing out of me.

Lily: This is so. Freaking. Cool!

Jon: Haha, really?

Lily: Yes! Ghosts and stuff are real?

Jon: I don’t know about "and stuff" but ghosts definitely are.

Lily: Why are you telling me all this?

Jon: You said to tell you a secret. But, I also told you to help.

Lily: To help?

Jon: When… Er… If you die –

Lily: When.

Jon: Well… Everybody dies eventually. So when we all die. We become ghosts. There’s no darkness after. No pain. Nothing to fear.

Lily: But you’re stuck as a ghost. You’re still dead.

Jon: You are dead… But you’re not stuck. There’s *something* after.

Lily: What is it?

Jon: I’m not sure. I don’t have any way of knowing. But from what I’ve heard about being a ghost, you’re still you. You think normally, you just don’t feel any pain or illness. It sounds nice.

Lily: But no one can hear you, or see you. Well, except for you.

Jon: That’s true.

[Lily starts coughing.]

Jon: Are you okay?

Lily: I don’t feel well.

Jon: You’re not dying today. Not with me here.

Lily: Well, if I did… You’d probably be the best choice. (pause) Jon, what does dying feel like?

Jon: I think it depends. For some people, it’s quick and painless. They get shot or decapitated and the next thing they know, they’re a ghost. And as a ghost, you don’t really feel anything.

Lily: And for some people, it’s miserable and agonizing.

Jon: You’re not going to die today.

Lily: But I will die sometime.

Jon: If it’s here in this hospital, they won’t let you be in pain.

Lily: And then I won’t feel anything as a ghost…

Jon: Correct.

Lily: At least I can haunt my family and friends.

Jon: Haha. Yeah.

Lily: Wait. You’re lying. Why?

Jon: You really are good at that.

Lily: I can’t haunt my family?

Jon: It’s not like ghosts in TV shows. You won’t be able to interract with the world. And you can only stay as a ghost for a little while…

Lily: Why?

Jon: Staying as a ghost takes a toll on you.

Lily: I thought you said it didn’t hurt.

Jon: It’s a mental toll, not a physical one.

Lily: So I’ll go crazy?

Jon: It’ll take a while. And it’s different for everyone, but eventually being unable to feel or touch or even talk to anyone else will make you miserable.

Lily: But I can come talk to you.

Jon: I’m not great company, I’m afraid.

Lily: So then what?

Jon: Then you’ll want to move on.

Lily: Is this supposed to help me feel better?

Jon: I think so.

Lily: Why? Now I just know what’s coming.

Jon: And that doesn’t make it less scary? Fear of the unknown is a big part of fear itself.

Lily: You’re being too sciencey. There’s still the unknown. Now there’s just another stage in between.

Jon: That’s… A good point.

Lily: So then what do you think happens when you… What did you call it?

Jon: Move on.

Lily: Yeah. What happens?

Jon: I have no idea.

Lily: But what do you think happens?

Jon: I don’t know… How am I supposed to know that?

Lily: You aren’t. I just want to know what you think it could be…

Jon: Hmmm. I guess I like to believe that your energy, or your spirit, dissipates into the world and is returned to where it’s supposed to be.

Lily: Do you believe in Heaven?

Jon: I have no-

Lily: Hmmm…

Jon: No. I don’t.

Lily: I do.

Jon: Then there you go. When you move on, maybe you’ll go to Heaven.

Lily: Which is hopefully not like being a ghost…

Jon: Hopefully, it’s like everything you think it will be.

[Elevator turns back on.]

Lily: Oh thank god.

Jon: Don’t sound ao relieved, haha.

Lily: I’m just ready to get back in bed.

Jon: By the way, before the doors open. If you tell anyone what we talked about, I’ll blame it on your fever like no tomorrow.

Lily: It’ll be our secret.

[Elevator doors open.]

Nurse: Oh thank goodness! There you are!

Lily: Hi nurse Camdem.

Jon: You okay?

Lily: I’m fine.

Jon: She had a bit of a fever and some coughing, but overall, her vitals were good.

Nurse: Do you work here?

Lily: Thanks, Jon. Where are you going? I thought you were going to the third floor.

Jon: I think I’ll take the stairs… (To self) I can’t believe you told her that… It’s not like it really even helped. And now I’m just going around telling people this stuff, after I’ve done… So much to keep it a secret? God damnit.

[Door opens. Jon goes to the door and someone else opens it.]

PhD: Oh – Jonathan. I was just on my way out.

Jon: We had an appointment.

PhD: We did. For about twenty minutes ago. You missed it.

Jon: Well, I need to talk to you anyway.

PhD: So did I. But we can save it for tomorrow.

Jon: You rescheduled?

PhD: No. Just pop up before your shift tomorrow.

Jon: I’m confused.

PhD: Why?

Jon: I wanted to talk to you about some… Sensitive information. And about getting my job back.

PhD: Yes. I know. I’m sorry about the circumstances, but I am glad you decided to see the error of your ways and send some tapes to me.

Jon: Ummm…

PhD: It’ll take some time for me to get through these, but we can talk soon. I expect you to send me the rest shortly, yes?

Jon: Ummm… Yes.

PhD: Great. Schedule an appointment for later this week with Anne.