[Video transcript begin.]
[The transcript begins from a front jacket pocket outside an abandoned building, the only lights coming from the camera and a car's headlights. The person with the camera slams the car door and begins walking up to the building.]
?: [Mumbling.] Edgar I swear to god. I should beat your ass
[Voice identified: Mari.]
[Mari begins walking into the building, climbing up stairs and checking every room for someone while shouting their name.]
[After Mari does this for a bit, a loud laugh echoes down and throughout the building, it is unclear whether this is a good or a bad type of laugh.]
[Mari runs up a set of stairs before screaming once more.]
[No response, the laughter builds even more in volume.]
[Mari being walking to where the laughter is coming from, going up another flight of stairs.]
[Once again, nothing. Although, the laugh is becoming split up by bouts of coughing.]
M: No fucking way he's on the fucking roof. God damnit.
[Mari begins climbing another set of stairs, seemingly extremely annoyed before reaching a door.]
M: [Pissed off.] KNOCK KNOCK!
[Mari sprints through the door out to the roof.]
M: [Still pissed.] KNOCK. FUCKING. KNOCK.
[A figure on the roof jumps at least a foot into the air, and stumbles backwards when they land. Ending up nearly falling.]
[Voice identified: Edgar Elliot Pression.]
M: What the fuck are you thinking! Climbing up onto a roof? Escaping the hospital again!
E: Iā¦ I wanted toā¦ erā¦
[Edgarās eyes widen immensely, and he jogs over to Mari.]
E: Jesus Christ, no! Not at all! Iā did you think I wasā¦?
M: YES! WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO THINK WHEN YOU BREAK OUT OF A HOSPITAL AND GO TO THE ROOF OF AN ABANDONED BUILDING!
E: Oh my god, Iām so sorry, Mari. Iā¦ thatās not why Iām up here.
M: Then why the fuck are you up here!
E: ā¦ do you not remember this building?
M: I kinda do? It's fuzzy but yeah. Why?
E: Itās the building we mostly hung out around, I believe. I wanted to come back and justā¦ remember stuff.
M: You having memory issues too?
E: No, Iā¦ wanted to look back on all the bullshit we went through. Iām here to celebrate. We made it. Mari, we actually fucking did it.
M: Yeahā¦ Yeah we did huh?
E: Itāsā¦ I can hardly believe it. When we first met, I wasā¦ I was mourning the loss of my daughter. Inā¦ I think I was put into the same room as that time. Idiots put me next to the fire escape again. Weāveā¦ weāve come so far, Mari. Itās incredible.
M: Yeahā¦ I'm just glad you're ok.
E: Same to you. Iā¦ really thought I lost you. After the 18th.
M: I thought I lost myselfā¦ It wasā¦ Weird.
E: Thatās what those masks do, yeah. Wanna sit? The sky is nice tonight.
[Edgar motions to the center area of the roof, before walking over and sitting down. He pats the spot beside him.]
[Mari slowly walks over to the spot, sitting down next to Edgar.]
M: Kinda funny to think it took that long for me to find Sarah and get out.
E: Ha, I guess, at least it wasnāt two whole decades and then some.
E: Itās weirdā¦ a few months ago I felt so out of place, butā¦ I feel right at home now.
M: Probably helps we're all out.
E: Mhm. Itās justā¦ hmā¦ I donāt know, my whole perception of time is a little warped now, I think.
E: I kindaā¦ fell asleep in 1999 and woke up in 2023. That would fuck anyones internal clock up.
M: I mean yeahā¦ You had that month though right?
E: They never told me what year it was, I think they assumed I knew. Alsoā¦ memory was blocked. Couldnāt even remember it happened.
E: Thank you for helping me adjust, if only a little.
E: Still donāt know what a āRizzlerā is, though.
M: Yeah I got nothing. Something kids say I guess.
E: Damn it! I thought youād know. Iāll have to ask Liam.
E: Are you feeling alright, Mari?
M: Yeah no it's justā¦ Ugh I don't know it feels like I could've done more. I couldāve helped get more people out.
E: Hey, Mari. You got our group out. Thatās more than enough, at least to me. Trying to get more people out wouldāve been risky as hell. You couldāve died doing that. Iām happy with what we accomplished. You did good.
M: Youāre one to talk. You set off whatā¦ 9 explosives? That's way more risky.
E: Nearly died doing it. That was alsoā¦ very personal. I needed to do something like that. After all that company has doneā¦ Even if it was just a minor annoyance on the higher-ups end, I wanted to cause as much damage as I could.
M: I could've tried to break somethingā¦ A streamers PCā¦ Something.
E: I broke some stuff in your name, if that helps.
M: I had the chance to help the streamersā¦ When I got lost trying to find Mai's office to help Sparrow? I had a chance and I left.
E: Mari, you did well, this regret is going to eat away at you from the inside out, I can tell. I need you to know that you did amazing.
M: But I could've helped. There's no denying that I couldn't have tried! I didn't try! I fucking left! I left those people to fucking rot when I could have at least tried!
E: You canāt save everyone, thatās a hard truth I had to accept. Heros donāt get rewarded. At leastā¦ not there. You did all you could without putting yourself in harm's way. You. Did. Good.
M: I had the chance. To help a few of them at least and Edgar I fucking turned around. I knew where to find them. I could have made a plan and I didn't!
E: Someone else can help them. We arenāt the only ones who are dealing with stuff like this. Not everything has to rest on your shoulders. I get that you feel guilty, Iā¦ feel the same. Itās a horrible feeling. But we can get through it together, alright? Iāll be here for you.
M: I hate thisā¦ I hate this so much.
E: Me too, itās not fair. None of this is. We got very lucky. We need to enjoy this for the ones who didnāt.
M: Yeahā¦ I guess that's trueā¦
E: ā¦ sorry for the scare earlier, by the way.
M: Itās fineā¦ I should've listened to Rose when she said you'd be fineā¦
E: Thatās a reasonable reaction, honestly. Because I know Iāve made choices like that before. I didnāt consider the possibility that someone would think that, and thatās on me.
M: Two people actuallyā¦ Sparrow's pretty worried.
E: Ah, shit. Hmā¦ I need to apologize to them when I get the chance. [A pause.] Off topicā¦ have you ever escaped from the hospital? Iā¦ canāt remember.
M: Noā¦ I don't think so?
E: Well, the thrill is absolutely incredible. Someone is probably going to get mad at me for this, butā¦ Iād definitely recommend it.
M: Wellā¦ Uh Sarah's the only one that would get mad I thinkā¦
E: Iāll watch out for her, then.
M: Oh and look out for Cassidyā¦ Pretty sure she still owes you a gut punch for making her worry on the 28th.
E: Noted. Yāknowā¦ this whole experience is reminding me of that first hospital escape.
E: Justā¦ everything. Wanna know something funny?
E: I promised I wouldnāt leave until I was ready. And I technically didnāt even break it. I just decided I was ready to go, and left.
M: I don't thinkā¦ I've ever seen my own mom's graveā¦ Hm.
E: Oh. Thatā¦ sure is a 180 from what we were talking about. I wonāt stop you if you want to go visit it.
M: I'll ask Ness to drive me and Hina eventuallyā¦ He kinda banned us from ever going to visit itā¦
E: He as inā¦ Ugh, I donāt even want to say his name.
E: ā¦ Heās not around to stop you anymore.
E: You can do whatever you want now.
[Mari begins sounding as if trying not to cry.]
[Edgar extends his arms, offering up a hug.]
[Mari leans into the hug, crying.]
E: She sounded lovely. Iām very sorry that happened to her.
M: Itās not fairā¦ It happened on my birthday!
E: I know, itās not fair. Not in the slightest.
M: Iā¦ Justā¦ Why? Why did he do it? It's not fucking fair!
E: I canāt tell you why, because I have no idea. If you ever need support, though. Again, right here.
M: Thanks Edgarā¦ God can't wait for someone to ask if this makes you my accidentally adopted dad.
E: God, I canāt have any more kids! [He chuckles.] But uhā¦ Iāve always seen us as friends, really. Might not be the same for you, butā¦ yeah.
M: Yeah noā¦ It's about the same here.
E: [Jokingly, pulling back from the hug.] Thank god, my family tree is already so fucking messy.
M: Yeah I meanā¦ Technically you're a great uncleā¦
E: At 28 years old, tooā¦ Jesus. Family reunions are going to suck. Someone is going to say āOh go and see your great great uncle!ā and then they look over and see a 40 year old man.
M: I meanā¦ Rose is an aunt at 20. And technically her youngest sister was older than her.
E: Yeah, this family tree isā¦ yikes. Letās hope thereās never a school project that needs it. Imagine explaining that at a parent teacher interview.
M: Yeahā¦ Oh sweet Jesus, we have to warn everyone to get Sparrow and Cassidy back to schoolā¦
E: Shit. Right. According to Leon, it was already hellish to get Liam back to school, I canāt even begin to imagine how difficult thatās going to be.
M: Thereās also Peony. Who I assume Sparrow won't leave at the apartment for 8 hours.
E: Weāll figure it out. We always do. Eventually.
M: We have maybe a week before school starts back up.
E: ā¦ Time to put my improv skills to the test. Letās see how much fake backstory I can make up to explain Sparrow and Cassidy before I can convince someone to let them go to class.
M: At least we can get Jenny's help? Sparrow does call her mom.
E: And Jenny looks older than me, I think? So nobody would really question her about having children that ageā¦
M: With the exception that Sparrow has only been gone from school for a few months and we have no idea how long Cassidy has been an employee.
E: Weāll figure it out.
M: And then we have to explain Peony.
E: ā¦ Weāll figure it out.
M: How do we explain a super intelligent AI in an animatronic body?
E: No clue. But weāll manage. If I can open a bank account after being legally dead for over 20 years through the power of improv, we can explain Peony.
E: The bank account? Or Peony?
E: ā¦ Emotional support robot.
M: Knowing this town that might just work.
E: Yeah, these schools have had worse. You shouldāve seen the schools in the 80s and 90s, man.
E: Thatās when I was a student. It was fucking crazy.
E: Ever seen a kid get stuck in a locker with two other people?
E: They were stacked like fucking lego. I may or may not have been one of them.
E: I was a nightmare of a student, Mari. I saw the principal sigh in relief on my last day in elementary.
M: Reminds me of how I heard the nurse's celebration when I had my final day of school.
E: HA! Oh, itās always so fun to hear about school experiences. The amount of times I justā¦ left class without consequences was astounding.
M: I got let out early a lot of the time for fighting the jocks. Not my fault they called Sarah weird.
E: I feel like we wouldāve gotten along well in high school.
M: Yeah probably! OOOOO Did I ever tell you the time I kicked a jock so hard he left the school gym crying for his mom?
E: You havenāt! That sounds fucking hilarious.
M: It was! It was fucking great! Wellā¦ Great for me. Not so great for my school's nurses.
E: Iād imagine so! Oh my god, I need to go find my yearbook sometime.
M: God that would be hilarious!
E: Maybe youād finally get to see me when I wasnāt a huge fucking nerd. I miss how I used to dress, honestly.
M: I kinda just dress the sameā¦ There might be a photo of me in a clown dress somewhere actually.
E: Thereās definitely photos of me in a dress and heels in my yearbook.
M: Yeahā¦ Still trying to remember some stuff but I swear there's a funny reason for the clown dress.
E: Iām sure. WAIT. Oh! I completely forgot about those!
E: My platforms! I really liked that outfit, I got quite a few compliments wearing it.
E: ā¦ When do you think we should head back?
M: Rose was pulling steak out of the freezer when I left. So maybe soon? She's probably cooking it as we speak.
E: Oh, fuck yeah! We should get going.
M: Wanna get down the wacky way?
E: Um, yeah? Of course! Also, did you drive here?
M: Yeah, I stole Henry's car. Why?
[Edgar turns to Mari, grinning.]
M: Sure. Just don't mess up the car.
E: I wonāt, donāt worry. Nowā¦ whatās the wacky way?
[Mari begins to pull a very long thick rope out of their bag, looking at Edgar.]
M: Ever climb down a building with a proper rope?
[A mischievous look slowly fades into his eyes, and he stands up.]
[Mari follows suit, seemingly looking for a place to tie the rope.]
M: You see a metal pipe or anything?
E: Thereās a few over on the right side, I believe.
[Mari begins walking over to the right side of the roof.]
E: God, I havenāt done this in ages! This is going to be great!
M: I think the last building I climbed down was an abandoned hospital? I think?
E: Last time I did this, it was to get out of a boring college party, I believe.
M: That sounds like some shit I would do.
E: Anyone wouldāve, that party was awful! If I had to hear about this guy's scholarship one more time I wouldāve started kicking stuff over.
[Mari laughs before turning and walking over to a metal pipe. Shaking it around to no movement on the pipe's end.]
M: Ight this one will do.
E: Should I go first? Or you?
M: I'll go first. Knowing your luck I don't trust that you won't fall.
E: What? Iā no, thatāsā¦ thatās fair.
[Mari chuckles before tying the rope to the pipe and throwing the other end down off the side of the building.]
[Mari grabs the rope and begins climbing down, hopping off the wall for extra speed. After a minute or so they land on the ground and shout.]
E: [Distant.] IāM ALWAYS CAREFUL!
M: THATāS CAP AND YOU KNOW IT! YOU HAVE MORE RIB INJURIES THAN ME!
E: [Distant.] I DONāT KNOW WHAT CAP MEANS! BUT FINE!
E: [Distant.] NOTED! ON MY WAY DOWN!
[After a few more minutes, Edgar lands on the ground. He shakes his left hand out, before looking at Mari.]
E: Nice, thanks for letting me drive!
[Edgar walks in the direction Mari pointed.]
E: I wonāt! Iāve neverā Iāve never crashed. Hm. That was weird, sorry.
E: Yeah, no, Iām fine. No idea what that was. Letās get going.
[Edgar climbs into the driver's seat of the car, awaiting Mari in the passenger seat.]
[Mari hops through the window into the passenger seat.]
E: [Turning the car on.] I hope you have a strong grip on that handle.
[The radio is turned up, and Edgarās eyes light up as he hears the song āLivinā on a Prayerā playing. He turns to Mari, a large grin on his face.]
E: You will likely regret letting me get into the driver's seat within two minutes.
[The car's tires screech as he drives off, he appears to be anything but focused on the way ahead, singing along to the song on the radio, taking reckless turns in the car. The car goes over a bump, and they appear to go airborne for a split second.]
E: [Gleefully laughing.] THIS IS WHY LIAM KEEPS A HELMET BY THE FRONT DOOR!
[The two continue along on the road, music blaring. Relying on only luck to get them home without getting multiple tickets. They donāt care, theyāre free.]
