ROSWELL: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN - "Breathing Lessons" - ACT I - 01/26/05

ACT I


  4 INT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - DAY

Isabel and Liz are walking down a hallway discussing what they have accomplished. It's in between classes and other students, faculty, and administrative staff are also milling about. Isabel and Liz are speaking in low voices, aware of those around them.

LIZ
So, what can we deduce from what we found at the chambers?

ISABEL
Well, the baby clothes indicate they thought we would be infants when we emerged, not six years old.

LIZ
I agree. But the incubators must have been built to sustain you either way. I'm thinking the healing stones we also found behind the whirlwind symbol might have powered them in some way--keeping them in "balance", so to speak.

ISABEL
Have you analyzed the sample you took of the "incubators" yet?

LIZ
Yes. It has a similar cell structure as your individual saliva samples, but I haven't been able to determine anything further.

ISABEL
That's still more than we knew before.

Cut to:

  5 INT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - SAME

Michael and Alex turn a corner and start walking down another hallway that also has other students, faculty, and administrative staff milling about. They too are keeping their voices low.

MICHAEL
It's not bad enough the light-shows were a bust, but now Max says we have to "retire" the orb because his space cadet of a boss is getting too close.
(beat)
So tell me some good news. How are you coming with the translation of the book?

ALEX
I'm still working on the computer program I'm trying to create to figure it out. I just need to do a little more research at the University of Las Cruces. They have a really good linguistics program and library resource there.
MICHAEL
Well, let me know if I can do anything.

ALEX
Sure thing, but you've already been a big help.

MICHAEL
Me? How?

ALEX
Remember when we all met to discuss the book and what it might tell us?

  6 FLASHBACK - INT. MICHAEL GUERIN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The whole gang is there and the metal book Michael found in the cave is prominently on display and the main topic of discussion.

MAX
(shaking his head in frustration)
Imagine what this book could tell us if we could only read it!

ALEX
I've noticed that all of the symbols on the cave wall are also in the book; that must be a clue. Maybe there's something special about those symbols.

There's a moment of silence as they all contemplate this. Isabel is looking at Michael as if expecting him to say something, but he seems hesitant.

ISABEL
Tell them, Michael.

MAX
Tell us what?

MICHAEL
(hesitantly)
I thought I figured it out once, but…

MAX
But what?

MICHAEL
(not wanting to admit this to Max)
I was wrong.

MAX
Would you care to elaborate on that? What did you figure out?

MICHAEL
I thought that the symbols might be constellations. The V constellation I saw in my dream--it's Aries, the ram. When Venus is in the right place it completes the V. I took the Whirlwind Galaxy symbol that Nasedo left us near the cave and a map of Roswell--when positioned properly all the symbols take on locations in Roswell.

MARIA
How did--

MICHAEL
(interrupting)
Don't ask; I have no idea--I just knew.

LIZ
What makes you think you're wrong?

MICHAEL
We tried it out.

MAX
We?

ISABEL
The night you were mooning over Liz going on that blind date; Michael and I tried to contact Nasedo using the cave map.
MAX
What!? After I said it was a bad idea?

ISABEL
(visibly irritated by his tone)
Who died and made you king!?

MICHAEL
Yeah, majority rules so we ...
(pointing to himself and Isabel)
out-voted you and decided to send the signal ... unlike you deciding on your own to heal Liz.

Liz reacts to this. There is an awkward moment as the others notice her reaction. Max puts his arm around her.

  7 FLASHBACK TO PRESENT

ALEX
Even though Nasedo never answered your signal, I don't think you were wrong. What you figured out about the symbols for the library, the fire department, the high school, city hall, and the police department, I'm pretty sure turn out to translate as book, fire, education, politics, and the law.

Michael seems very pleased with himself. Alex seems to have something else on his mind that he's not sure how to broach.

ALEX (cont'd)
(hesitantly)
Are you ... are you still upset that Max saved Liz?

MICHAEL
What? Why would you--
(as it dawns on him what he said at the meeting)
Oh. No ... I was in the beginning ... but it's turned out to be a good thing. I just said that in the heat of the moment. It's just ... sometimes Max needs to be reminded that we're a democracy.

Cut to:

  8 INT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - SAME

Max and Maria are walking down another hallway, with other students, faculty, and administrative staff milling about. Keeping their voices low, they are discussing her research in looking for Hank.

MARIA
The weird thing is "Hank" told the sheriff that he heard the Sheriff's Department was looking for him from his friends and yet I asked every person Michael told me Hank knew, and several even Michael didn't know about, and none of them has seen or heard from Hank since late February, which is the first time he supposedly disappeared.

MAX
That is weird.
(beat)
Hank having several friends.

MARIA
(quick laugh)
True, using the term "friends" is being overly generous.

MAX
(thoughtfully)
Well, friends or no friends, apparently no one who knows him has seen him, which means "Hank" was lying. No big surprise there.

(pause)

MARIA
Speaking of real friends, what you said to Michael about my being safer with him than without him made an impact, and I really wanted to thank you.

MAX
(smiling)
Glad I could help.

MARIA
(excited)
He's even taking me to the dance! Granted he said we wouldn't be doing any dancing, but ... baby steps.

Cut to:

  9 INT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Liz and Isabel are continuing their conversation.

ISABEL
So what are you doing after school today? Do you have to work?

LIZ
Not until the dinner shift, but I promised Maria I'd go shopping with her. She still needs an outfit for the dance.

ISABEL
(slightly disappointed)
Oh.

LIZ
(sensing Isabel's disappointment)
Would you like to come?

ISABEL
(misinterpreting)
I don't need to shop for an outfit.

LIZ
No, I kinda figured you'd be all set, being the school fashion maven and all. I meant would you like to help Maria find one?

ISABEL
(smiling)
Oh, sure. I can do that.

Suddenly Isabel stops short and starts to look around.

LIZ
What? Do you "sense" someone?

ISABEL
Yes.

LIZ
Are you sure it's not just Michael like last time?

ISABEL
No.

Cut to:

  10 INT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - SAME

Michael and Alex are nearing the end of their hallway. It's apparent that Michael senses someone.

ALEX
Is it stronger now?

MICHAEL
Yeah, I'd say it is getting stronger.

ALEX
It's too bad you can't distinguish between each other and whoever else might be out there.

MICHAEL
We're working on it.

Cut to:

  11 INT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - SAME

Max and Maria are nearing the end of their hallway and Max too, seems to be sensing something.

MARIA
I bet it's Mr. Clarke, the new substitute for French. The car accident Ms. Lockridge was in sounded highly suspicious to me. Or maybe it's the new secretary in the office; Principal Forrester's secretary is on maternity leave--very convenient.

MAX
You know it doesn't have to be someone new. It could be someone we think we know.

MARIA
Right! Mr. Seligman was out sick last week. Did he seem different to you when he came back? I think he was acting strange. And Mr. Sommers went to a friend's funeral yesterday, or was it his own? Or what about--

Maria continues to think of possible suspects while Max looks on bemused and appreciative of her enthusiasm.

Cut to:

  12 INT. WEST ROSWELL HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - SAME

Kyle and Paulie are walking down a hallway. They stop when Kyle notices a pretty, blonde girl who is working on the combination of her locker in the background.

KYLE
(admiringly)
Who's she?

PAULIE

You haven't met the new girl yet? She just started today. She's hot, but a little strange.

KYLE
Strange? How?

PAULIE
I heard that she's already finished school for the year and is ... get this ... "auditing" classes till the end of the year so she can get a "feel" for the school. She's supposed to enroll in September. Can you believe that? Who would go to school when they didn't have to?

KYLE
Maybe she's just here for the social aspect. You know, trying to make friends for over the summer.

PAULIE
Well she's not succeeding. Everyone who's met her thinks she's way too blunt, forward, and just plain weird. She's been going up to everyone, introducing herself, shaking their hand, and then moving on.
(seeing Kyle's interest)
I'm sure she'll get to you eventually. I think she's going alphabetically.

Kyle looks at Paulie like he's making it up.

PAULIE (cont'd)
I said she was strange.

KYLE
(eyes the new girl with appreciation)
Strange can be good.

Paulie starts to leave, but Kyle does not follow--he's totally focused on the new girl. Paulie shakes his head in defeat and leaves without him. Kyle leans against a locker, playing it cool, admiring the new girl from a distance, planning his strategy. Just as he is about to make his move the bell rings. The girl leaves for her class and Kyle gets caught in a mob of students rushing to class, missing his chance. Among the mob are Liz and Isabel, Michael and Alex, and Max and Maria who all acknowledge each other's presence; Isabel, Michael, and Max assuming they were "sensing" each other. They switch "partners" as they head off for other classes--Liz with Maria, Isabel with Michael, and Max with Alex.

Cut to commercial.

END OF ACT I

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