Midtown Manhattan, April 15th 2017

Nurse - Good morning Elliott. Here's your morning pills.

Elliott - Thank you. Will I get out soon?!

Nurse - I don't know about that. You're still ill so that will last a bit.

Elliott - I'm feeling different. I don't feel powerful neither mean.

Nurse - Well you're weak and you're still healing your mind.

Elliott - Everyone calls me Elliot but  I remember being called Jordan.

Nurse - You're really weak, take your pills your mind is very confused.

The nurse is dressed in all black again. I notice that she isn't wearing what a nurse should wear. 

She's wearing a long black Prada dress. Her hair is blonde and is styled in a updo. 

My body is a mess, it aches all over. My temples hurt. I'm confused, I feel a lot of things.

I hear steps and they become louder which indicates whoever is walking is coming next to me.

I look at the shoes to see if I can recognize the person. The person is wearing brown boots. 

I look slowly all the way up from the shoes to the face.

It's doctor Amaranth.

Elliott - Good morning doctor.

Doctor Amaranth - Good morning Jordan.

Elliott - Jordan?!

Doctor Amaranth (to himself) - Too soon.

Elliott - What did you say? What did you call me?

Doctor Amaranth - I'm sorry I was meant to call you Elliott. I forgot how you killed Jordan.

Elliott - I killed someone?

Doctor Amaranth - Metaphorically. You killed your alfa persona.

Elliott - So I'm a different person now. The name Elliott is a new persona?!

Doctor Amaranth - Perhaps. Follow the white rabbit.

I suddenly connect with Jordan. My alfa persona. My...self. 

I start to remember everything, my dead mother, my dropout of NYU, the flop play and Roderick and Sam. 

I remember breaking up with Sam. And I remember, once again, pushing Roderick away.

Doctor Amaranth - Jordan?!

Jordan - Yes doctor?! I remember.

Doctor Amaranth - What do you remember?

Jordan - My deceased mother, my acting formation and career. And my lovers.

Doctor Amaranth - So you're one with your true self now?!

Jordan - I guess. I have to get out of here to truly know that.

Doctor Amaranth - I don't see that happen that fast.

Doctor Amaranth gives me a shot that puts me to sleep. Soon I black out and I stop seeing his face.

Roderick's Point Of View

I'm finally in New York. This city is really beautiful, too crowded for me though. 

But I see why Jordan was always dreaming to come here. 

Speaking of him, I'm actually taking the subway next to the asylum he is hospitalized.

I used to take subways at LA but in New York it's really more confusing. 

There's a lot of stops and there's a lot of different people. 

There's singers, instruments players. People from different communities.

I get out on the stop that is nearer to the asylum but I know I still have to walk a block.

I love to walk so that doesn't bother me. I enjoy to walk and take it in of what my surrounding is giving me. 

This part of New York I expected to be dark because of having an asylum in it but no it is still full of lights.

I enter the asylum by opening the big main door that looks like a door from a hotel.

I compose myself and go near the receptionist. She's really good looking.

Receptionist - Good morning sir, how can I help you?

Roderick - Good morning miss. I would like to know if I could visit Mr. Elliott Cromwell.

Receptionist - The actor?!

Roderick - Yes.

Receptionist - And you are?

Roderick - I'm his bestfriend. We actually went to the same school in high school.

Receptionist - Sorry sir but only family members or HBO workers can visit him.

Roderick - Please find a way for me to see him. I came from Los Angeles to see him. 

Roderick - I need to see him. I have to.

Receptionist - I feel your pain but this are the rules. If I let you go there, they will fire me.

Roderick - Thank you. I don't mean to be a bother. But at least could someone tell him that I was here?

Receptionist - Listen.

Roderick - Yes?!

Receptionist - Come near me.

I take a step towards her desk.

Receptionist - I will give you this badge. It's a family badge. I heard about his family story and oh boy he needs family. 

Receptionist - As I believe that friends and best friends can be family too I'll give you this badge and you take the elevator to the second floor.

Roderick - Thank you so much. You're really kind.

Roderick - Where should I go to?

Receptionist - Go to the waiting room and then a nurse will lead you to his bedroom.

Roderick - Thank you. Thank you so much miss.

Receptionist - You're welcome.

I take the elevator, tap the button that has the number two and wait for the doors to close and leave to this waiting room.

The elevator is really cold and I feel pressure on my body, by that I mean like somebody grabbing me.

I finally arrive at the second floor, the doors open and I get out. 

I search for the waiting room and talk to another receptionist that tells me that a nurse will lead me to Elliott as soon as possible.

This room is cold. In a metaphorically way and in a physical way. To me the coldness brings me anxiety and despair. 

The cold of this room is a small piece of the whole despair of this asylum.

Being in an asylum is really bad, and having to visit someone there is even more bad.

A nurse comes near me calling my name. She is quite young. And beautiful, what a pity she has to work in such a dark place.

Nurse - Good morning Mr. Roderick. Would you mind to follow me?!

Roderick - No of course not.

Roderick - How's Jordan?

Nurse - He's quite mental unbalanced but he is resting a lot.

Nurse - We think that the combination of pills, rest and therapy will bring him back.

Roderick - I hope so.

We finally arrive at Jordan's bedroom. He is sleeping. He looks like he has been sleeping in an infinite slumber. 

His lips are cracked and his face is so pale.

Nurse - Here he is. He is in an induced coma.

Nurse - You can stay for an hour. 

Roderick - Thank you.

Nurse - Don't get your hopes up kid. He's most likely to never awaken from the coma.

Roderick - I wouldn't like to think that way.

Nurse - It was just an advice.

Roderick - What's that mask he has for?

Nurse - He needs extra oxygen. He has been getting some low oxygen levels.

Roderick - That's bad. 

Roderick - Thank you for leading me here. I would like to be here with him alone if you don't mind.

Nurse - Of course. See you soon Mr. Roderick.

Roderick - See you.

I grab a chair and put it next to Jordan's bed. I sit on it and grab his hand.

Tears want to come out of my eyes, but I can't.

I'm not weak and he can't sense my weakness. He's already weak, I have to send him strength.

I have to be strong for him.

Roderick - Jordan, I know you can't answer me but I know you're listening to me.

Roderick - I loved you. I mean, I still do. 

Roderick - You were just confused about your feelings but I know you liked me too.

Roderick - I'm not saying we should get together but at least we could be friends.

Roderick - I've been thinking about you every single day since we fell apart in high school. 

Roderick - Since that last moment on the library.

Roderick - You didn't leave my mind and most importantly, you didn't leave my heart too.

Roderick - What am I doing?! He is not listening to me. 

I get out of the chair and walk in circles for a bit. I squat and put my hands in my head. 

I'm desperate. I've been visiting Jordan since the flop of his play.

It's been a year, and he hasn't wake up from the coma. A year without him.

I kiss his forehead and with a tear falling on him I make my exit.

Midtown Manhattan, April 17th 2017

Another day of visiting Jordan on the asylum. I moved to New York because coming to New York and going to Los Angeles is expensive. 

I'm hoping that he wakes up. He has to. He needs to.

Sam is still very hurt about Jordan. Jordan broke up with him really rough and he didn't listen to him about his education. 

Sam hasn't been visiting Jordan ever since the play.

It's so sad that if it wasn't for me, Jordan would be alone in this place.

I arrived at the asylum for another visit time. I brought a diary. My diary, things I wrote about how I felt about him.

I grab a chair put it next to his bed and look at his face which is gaining some color. 

Roderick - Jordan I will read you a text I wrote after we fell apart.

Roderick - It's been a week and I miss you so bad. You were the best thing that I ever had.

Roderick - Even though you were a troubled soul I still loved you.

Roderick - Because when you're truly in love you support that person in their dark times because that's when they deserve it the most.

Roderick - We were almost a reality, but you know almost is never enough. 

Roderick -I regret so much not telling you I loved you, well I still do. But it doesn't matter anymore.

Roderick - You're going away from me, from our hometown, from the place we met.

Roderick  - Now I'll read you another text. From the time you were already here in New York and I visited you on the "Les Misérables" play.

Roderick - Almost a year has gone by. My heart moved on but my mind didn't. 

Roderick - I still catch myself thinking of you when I'm doing the simplest things. 

Roderick - I still dream about you but my heart doesn't beat for you the same it did before.

Roderick (crying) - It's hard to not being able to move on and I know for real that you don't think of me anymore. 

Roderick (crying) - I can tell that by the way we fell apart. 

Roderick (crying) - It hurts to insist in love someone who you know you will never be able to be loved by. 

Roderick (crying) - My mind is forcing to still be in love with you. 

Roderick (crying) - I don't think it's forcing because when it's true love you never stop loving, the love just becomes weaker.

Roderick - I guess I have to see you once again. Not to try again, not to have a relationship, just to have closure. 

Roderick - To vent and tell you all I've been feeling about you. I want to do this for me not for you and for sure not for us. 

Roderick - We were a reality but now we're not anymore.

Roderick - I guess it's all for today Jordan. I don't want to get more emotional. 

Roderick - Jordan when will you wake up?!

Jordan is still in his coma and he can't answer me. It's sad because for what I know he can hear me but he can't answer to me neither move.

Roderick - Well I'm going now Jordan, I'll see you later. I have to clean my house and get my act together.

I get up of the chair put it back on its place and go in the direction of the exit door.

I look back at him and he's still in his slumber. I look forward and start to get out of the door when I hear someone calling me.

Jordan - Roderick.

I look to my left and I don't see anyone, I look to my right and the same happens. Wait.

The sound came from behind me. I turn myself and look at Jordan. He woke up.

I run near him.

Roderick - Jordan, I missed you.

Jordan - I missed you too. I heard everything you read to me. Everything you said to me.

Roderick - That's so good.

Jordan - I need to...

Jordan starts to cough.

Roderick - Don't force yourself. I will call a nurse.

Jordan - Don't. Just give me a cup of water.

I give him a cup of water he drinks it and his face becomes more healthy. More... alive.

Meanwhile a nurse appears.

Nurse - Oh look who woke up from his coma.

Jordan - I was in a coma?!

Nurse - Yes.

Jordan looks at me.

Roderick - Yes Jordan, you were.

Jordan - So what about Sam?! And my tv show "Heirs Of The Frontline"? My breakdown?!

Nurse - That was all a creation of your mind, you became so mad after your fall that we have to induce a coma.

Roderick - You broke up with Sam after his graduation and your dropout of NYU. You never appeared on a tv show.

Nurse - Your fall damaged your body a lot but it damaged even more your mind. 

Nurse - You were really mental unbalanced, you would say nonsense and think you were in a show and that someone was torturing you and controlling you.

Jordan - So I've been in a coma for a year?! None of that was real?! Oh my!

Nurse - I'm sorry kid but it was all side effects from your fall. 

Nurse - Your mind dissociated from that big trauma by creating fantasies like the tv show and the relationship with Sam.

Jordan - That's a lot to take in. 

Jordan - I'm so confused that I don't even know if you're telling the truth or my mind is creating this.

Roderick - Just look at me and grab my hand. Then tell me what you think.

I grab Roderick's hand and his hand soothed me and brought me to reality. This was my awakening.

Jordan - It's true. You're telling the truth.

Nurse - Now you'll be here for a couple of days just to connect with reality and to strengthen yourself. 

Nurse - Then you can go home.

Jordan - I'm longing to go home.

Roderick - Which home?!

Jordan - I don't know yet. I have to think. 

Jordan - Los Angeles is my hometown and was my home, but New York is my home too. 

Jordan - I have to connect with reality as the nurse said, then I'll answer you.

Roderick - Right. I shouldn't force you to choose where to go. I understand you.

Jordan - Thank you for your comprehension.

Nurse - Mr. Roderick I would like to ask you to leave so he can rest a bit. 

Nurse - He just woke up and he has to connect with reality and that's not easy for him. 

Nurse - Looking at his state you will understand it.

Roderick - Sure, I was actually on my way home but then he woke up and call my name. I'll go now.

Roderick - See you in a couple of days my good friend.

Jordan - See you Roderick.