Cliff House: The End of the World

Tuesday, July 6, 1993
continued ...

MICHELLE and HOLLY are each holding one of ED’S wrists.

MICHELLE [screams]: DAD!

ROGER climbs over the railing and takes one of ED’S wrists.

ROGER: Okay, okay.

MICHELLE, in absolute hysteria, clutches the railing, screams and cries for her “Daddy!”

ROGER: Get out of the way! Get out of the way! I’ve got him! [To ED] Now listen, you’ve got to let go of the railing and grab hold of my wrist. Now!

ED [sarcastic even at this moment]: You want me to let go of a deck, Roger!?

ROGER: Yes, it’s the only way I can pull you up! You can trust me; you’ve got to trust me. You asked this of me once, remember?

ROGER: C’mon!

MICHELLE [to ROGER]: Please do something! Please don’t let him die!

ROGER: I’m not going to let you fall! I swear it! Holly would never forgive me! Now, on three! C’mon! C’mon! You’ve got it! you’ve got it!

ED [grabbing ROGER]: Three!

ROGER pulls ED up, and allows ED to grab the upper part of the railing and get a footing again. It’s very slow, though, and ED is so tired that even when he’s across the top of the railing ROGER has to turn him over and dump him on the patio. MICHELLE, in tears, grabs her father and hugs him.

As ROGER leans against the railing, HOLLY comes to him and drapes herself over his back.

ED: Thank you!

ED [Hugging MICHELLE]: It’s over. It’s okay now; it’s okay. Everything is fine.

MICHELLE: I thought you were gonna die, too.

ED: I’m sorry you had to see that man fall.

MICHELLE: Not him. I thought you were going die like Mom.

ED [trying to sooth her]: Oh, honey. Of course you were scared, but I’m all right. I’m fine. Everything is fine. It’s over. See? Here I am. You know what saved me?

MICHELLE: Mr. Thorpe.

ED: Yes, Mr. Thorpe saved me, but you helped too. I mean, the look in your eyes when I was hanging there and I thought I didn’t have any strength left. I was just going to fall—I held on for you.

MICHELLE says something into ED’S ear.

ED: What? What?

MICHELLE: I said, “I love you, Daddy.”

ED: I love you, too.

Meanwhile, ROGER and HOLLY have been giving statements to a police officer.

OFFICER: Okay, that about does it. Thank you both.

ROGER: Thank you, Officer.

HOLLY holds onto the railing and looks out into the ravine. ROGER, his wrist wrapped in bloody linen, asks

ROGER: How you holding up?

HOLLY [a bit weakly]: “All’s well that” . . . you know.

ROGER: Is it?

HOLLY: Davis? . . . It was okay.

ROGER: I’m so sorry, Holly.

HOLLY: But you got here in time. That’s what really counts—that and what you did for Ed.

ED approaches them.

ED: Okay, guys. I’m gonna take Michelle home now. Roger, can I give you a ride?

ROGER: Uhm, no thanks. They’re fixing my car. I should be able to leave shortly.

ROGER touches MICHELLE’S hair.

HOLLY: And I’ll hit the road as soon as I get myself packed and straightened up.

ED: Sure.

HOLLY: Thank you so much for everything.

HOLLY hugs ED goodbye. ROGER regards this soberly.

ED sees him watching, and offers ROGER his hand. ROGER, in turn, offers ED his good hand, and they shake.

HOLLY watches as MICHELLE goes to give ROGER a hug.

ED and MICHELLE leave, and ROGER and HOLLY are alone. HOLLY shakes her head at him, dazed. ROGER looks exhausted, but happy.

The End of the World ...
continued