ESC 10. EXT. HOSPITAL FRONT - DAY
Paz and Carla walk hand in hand. Carla's fingertips whiten from the force she uses. Carla is still walking in shock and Paz looks at her from time to time with some concern. At the entrance, they meet ANTONIA (26) who is visibly pregnant and her son, Pascal who recognizes them first among the people entering and leaving the hospital. Antonia greets them from afar and Paz smiles at her and they walk in her direction. Once face to face, the two do not waste a moment and instantly embrace. Paz closes her eyes in the embrace, as does Antonia.
Carla keeps her eyes on the horizon. Pascal follows Carla's gaze. Separating from the embrace, Paz notices Antonia's puffy eyes. They both nod with a sad smile, and a few tears escape from Antonia's eyes.
ANTONIA
(determined)
Let's go... Hi Carli
Carla stands in shock. Paz bends down to greet Pascal who holds her face and they look at each other. Then Pascal mimics a tear running down her face with his index finger. Paz nods and imitates the gesture and puts her hand on the little boy's chest and pretends to put a lot of force. Paz looks at him and nods reassuringly. So does Pascal.
ANTONIA (CONTINUED)
(confused)
Carli?
Paz turns around and sees Antonia searching Carla's face. Paz stands up and shakes her head at her cousin. Antonia, hesitant, turns away from Carli, but watches her from a distance every moment.
ANTONIA (CONTINUED)
(somewhat confused)
I brought some clothes that she used to wear
for her birthday and for the senior outings... and my
make-up...
PAZ
Are you sure you want to do this yourself?
Antonia nods. Paz nods and takes her sister's hand. Antonia takes her son's hand and the four of them walk towards the entrance. Paz takes the bag Antonia is carrying from the man to take it instead.
ESC 11. INT. HOSPITAL. PASILLO - DAY
The echo of footsteps are heard among the beeps of the pulse-measuring machines, the coughs of patients from other wards and the murmurs of the medical team. Paz walks behind Antonia and Pascal.
As they pass in front of different rooms, Paz looks into the rooms with open doors. She observes the tired and colorless faces of the sick and the exhausted look of the relatives who sit next to their whispering words to deeply sleeping patients. They stop in front of a room from which a nurse emerges and stops them.
NURSE
Who let them in?
Antonia and Pascal look at Paz. Paz feels a little nervous.
PAZ
We are Silvia's relatives.
My mom told us that-
(interrupts her)
NURSE
(disinterested)
ok,ok
Paz and Antonia exchange glances and judge the Nurse's behavior severely.
NURSE (CONTINUED)
(stern)
Only two can enter and the little boy
must stay outside
ANTONIA
Yes, yes, he's going to stay with her.
Antonia points at Carla who remains motionless. Nurse looks at her from head to toe. She exchanges confirming glances with Paz, who hugs her shoulders. Nurse nods, though unconvinced. Paz crouches down to Pascal's level and with her index finger points at his eye and then at Carla.
PAZ
(To Pascal)
Are we?
Pascal nods and approaches Carla to take her hand, which seems to be inert. Paz and Antonia walk towards the door. Paz takes a small breath before entering the room. She opens the door and from a distance they see Silvia's bare feet. Antonia steps forward and enters with clear sadness on her face. Paz tries to take a step forward, but falls forward and supports her hands so as not to fall flat on her face. The sound of hands on pottery makes Antonia turn to her cousin and raises a skeptical eyebrow.
ANTONIA
What's going on?
Paz crouches down and tries to move her feet. Her shoes seem stuck to the ceramic. Paz grabs the toe of her shoes to move them forcefully, but they don't budge.
PAZ
(confused and embarrassed)
I can't get them off...
Antonia reaches back and grabs Paz by the armpits and tries to lift her up.
PAZ (CONTINUED)
No, no, no! Don't you do that!
It could hurt your baby!
ANTONIA
But we have to go inside!
PAZ
No, wait, Pasqui come! Push me
Pascal lets go of Carla's hand, takes flight and launches himself at full speed at Paz, who falls to her knees, but with her feet still glued to the ground.
ANTONIA
(alerted)
But, Pascal!
PAZ
(in pain)
No, no, relax... it doesn't...
it doesn't seem to work
ANTONIA
Yeah, then I'll do it alone
PAZ
No, Anto-
(she is interrupted)
CARLA
(determined)
I go in with Anto
Carla walks towards the entrance of the room, bends down to take Paz's bag and enters the room without any problem.
ANTONIA
Pasqui
Antonia looks at Paz and then at Pascal, who nods. Antonia follows Antonia and carefully closes the door. Paz remains on her knees on the floor, bewildered with Pascal on top of her.
Pascal gets off Paz's back and walks around her until he is in front of her and crouches down to her height. Paz has her eyes glued to the door and then angrily looks down at her feet on the verge of tears. Pascal's hands appear there, trying to undo the laces of her shoes, but making the knots worse. Paz takes a better position and sits on her bottom. And proceeds to do it herself. She gives Pascal a sad smile. In the long hallway, the silhouettes of both of them rise from the floor and the shoes remain motionless outside the room.
Paz walks so that her back is against the wall and sits there next to Pascal. Paz watches a television with no audio and a cut-off signal, a commercial of a perfect and brilliant family dinner, in which the grandmother offers a cake. The old woman's gaze remains fixed as she holds the cake and the rest is blurred.
Después del Final is a play written and recorded under the name of Marjorie Alarcón.