Critical Nexus

I read somewhere once that there has to be

a balance of sorrow and joy for the world to keep turning.

That if all we ever felt was pleasure,

then we wouldn't have any pain to compare it to.

I guess that means

every time someone starts living, someone else starts to die.

And then are those places where the wires cross.

I'm leaving now. I'll see you in a little while for dinner.

Love you too. Bye.

Katie! I didn't know you were gonna be here tonight!

Katie.

Why did you do that to me?

- Man, execution style. - This is the second one this week, man.

- Nobody deserves that. - Excuse me, sir.

I need you behind the police line.

Sir, uh, can I have a word with you please?

Um, I was just leaving and I heard the commotion and

Right, how exactly are you connected to the victim?

Um

We're going to have to discuss exactly what

transpired here tonight, sir.

Police! Stop!

Are you insane coming in here like that?

Shh! You'll have to hide me, Charlie just got hit.

- The cops are in on it. - What?

If they take me in I'm gonna get pinned.

Fucking cops. Go in that door and lock it from the inside.

Don't make a fucking sound.

Is anybody in here?

Is anybody in here?

Be right with you.

Hands where I can see them! Hands! Hands!

Hands! Turn around, turn around, turn around!

No, Katie, I can't forgive you.

I mean, you made me look foolish in front of everyone.

No! You've ruined it forever. No, that's not it.

Fuck. Fuck.

Of course I forgive you. I know.

You're just scared. We have to work on what keeps us together.

No, that's not it either.

Okay. What do I say?

I don't know what to say.

Give me the fucking keys.

Come on, come on, come on, give me the fucking keys.

Fucking bullshit. Fuck this shit.

I told you I ain't got a key to it.

- Would you stop fucking yelling? - No sir, I don't smell anything!

Come on, let's get the fuck out of here, man.

Fucking retard.

I'll lock up just to be on the safe side.

It's alright. They're gone.

What the fuck are you thinking bringing them cops in here?

I'm fucking clean now.

I got to piss!

Now tell me what the fuck's going on.

I don't know. Look! I'm new to this!

I mean there's, there's a senator, a business man

a runaway and a dead girl. Somehow that got Charlie killed.

That's all I know.

Charlie's dead?

Charlie's dead.

Hey, um, why weren't the cops able to get in the closet?

Slipped the key off the ring before they came in.

That was slick. I owe you one, man.

You still here?

It's the end of the world already? Fucked over a lot of people for you.

Oh, come on!

Fuck!

OK, Mark. Time for a little inventory.

You're driving west with your end of the world fund under your seat.

Chasing after a girl you've never met for reasons you can't explain.

The only friend you have is dead. The cops knew who you were,

ergo some senator is on your ass

and you've probably been framed for murder.

Is that about it?

Yes, Mark, except for the unfortunate fact that you're talking to yourself

like a goddamned lunatic because apparently there isn't a

single good radio station in the entire fucking state of Ohio.

And that, my old friend, is the ocean of shit in which you swim.

Did I leave anything out?

Well, you do sort of feel like a creepy pervert, but that could just be

residual guilt from way back when.

Have a nice day!

God!

- Guys, this is Amanda. - Hi Amanda!

We can have lots of fun!

Some people at the beach said you guys would, um,

pay to photographer me?

- Yeah, we will. - How's it work?

Well you just stand right over here and, uh, we're going to take

some pictures and we're gonna put them on one of our modeling websites.

You ever want to be a model?

Sure, I guess. Who doesn't?

Cause you are definitely pretty enough. Wouldn't you say, buddy?

Oh, any day of the week!

And Brad knows what he's talking about cause he's in advertising.

Where do we start?

Well, Johnny, get this girl a shot!

So, Amanda, what do you drink?

I don't have to take my clothes off or anything, do I?

Well, that is where the money is.

I mean, everyone can use a little extra cash, right?

Where's that shot?

Shit. Oh, what did I miss?

Where you headed?

Guess I'll know when I get there.

It's not safe to hitchhike. Pretty young girl like you.

You're lucky I saw you.

There's no telling what people would do to you.

Well, I have pepper spray. And it's kind of the reason

why I'm out here. If someone wants to hurt or kill me,

then that's obviously all the world is worth.

I'd rather die than live in a world like that.

That's nonsense.

Is it?

Who put that fool notion in your head?

No one. Well, I mean obviously someone did.

But no one in particular, so you could say either

with equal validity.

You seem like a pretty smart girl to be spouting nonsense.

You have a lot of fast food bags

on your floor board. You must be on some trip.

I am.

And the way you keep looking in the rear view mirror

makes me think you're running from someone.

That's none of your business.

Did he hit you?

Look, I'm doing you a favor.

If you know what's good for you, you'll keep your mouth shut.

Nothing should be private. If no one knows about it,

it doesn't exist.

I certainly don't agree.

I don't think I can learn what I need to learn from you.

What on earth are you talking about?

Do you ever cry in bed? During sex, I mean?

I have.

I mean, sometimes it's just too strong or too much and it's

scary because, cause I don't know what will happen

and it feels like something wants to jump out of me.

It never does.

I will not be having this conversation with a child.

You can let me off at the next exit.

Hi.

It's a long story, but I'm looking for my cousin.

Have you been here all day?

Since 1:00 this afternoon.

Great. Have you seen this girl?

As a matter of fact, I have.

She came around and asked for ways of shopping near here

and you know, and um,

Oh. Maybe I should get the manager.

Wait, that's totally not necessary. You know what, just, as a matter

of fact, just give me her room number and you know what,

actually call her and ask her to meet me in the lobby here.

I'm her cousin.

You know, I should get the manager

No. Shit, that's not...

He wouldn't have sent the police.

Nah, they ask too many questions.

But I know he sent somebody.

So I can't tell you where I'm going. It's even risky for me

to tell you where I've been. But I have to get

everything lined up.

Still, I'm disappointed.

I feel like the same person I was a few days ago.

This is going to be much more work than I thought.

But I guess there's still time.

Time can be measured in distance.

Seventeen hundred miles on a map doesn't seem so long.

But in terms of what I need to figure out, it seems much further.

It's hard to really know myself.

I mean even though I've always been putting myself

under a microscope, this whole time

you were busy living, all I could do was wonder

how other people were seeing me.

If I never learned to be who I was supposed to be.

Isn't that just as bad as killing myself?

This card isn't working either, man.

Try this one please.

Alright.

Pssh. Nope. Same thing.

Look, there's gotta be something wrong

with your computers cause my cards are all up to date.

No, the reader was working well last night,

so I don't know what seems to be going on right now.

Then again, these things do go on a glitch from time to time.

So I'm pretty sure it's not your card.

Do you have another method of payment?

Sure. I guess.

OK.

How much is it?

Damn.

So it wasn't by choice, but it was.

All he did was pull over and ask.

After all those horror stories

you hear about little girls and strangers.

Or of people finding razor blades in their Halloween candy.

He asked and I got in.

I've been looking for you for so long.

I know I can't ask you