The Pale Man

The National Broadcasting Company

presents the Adventures of the...

The nationally popular characters are...

Adam Gene invites you to join them each week.

It's not real.

It's not real.

Having some trouble, miss?

No.

It's nothing, really.

I'm gonna be on my way.

Right now, actually.

Doesn't sound like nothing.

Let me take a look.

No.

You really don't...

have to.

I wasn't gonna do anything, miss.

Just trying to be a good Samaritan.

Why don't you pop the hood?

See what I can do.

Have a nice day.

Well.

"Down went Alice.

"Everyone's considering how in the world

"she would get out.

"Down. Down. Down.

"Would the fall ever come to an end?

"And here Alice began to get rather sleepy

"and went on saying to herself,

"in a dreamy sort of way,

"Down. Down. Down.

"Thump. Thump.

"Down, she came upon a heap of sticks and dry leaves,

"and the fall was over."

Need some help, ma'am?

I don't know much about cars.

That's never given me trouble until now.

Why don't you hop in, I'll give you a ride.

I live in a town about five miles up here.

Take you to a mechanic.

Hook you up with a tow.

Well.

I don't really know if I wanna leave my car.

Okay.

Just stay our here all by your lonesome

and see how that goes.

Come on, hop in.

I'll give you a ride.

You're a farmer?

No, I cook and clean at the diner in town.

I do a little of everything, actually.

Manager of sorts.

Name's Victor, by the way.

Abigail.

So are you going to the hunt tonight?

It's become quite the legacy around here.

Ah, no.

All right, here is the Atlantis Inn.

Shouldn't be too difficult to get a room.

I'm not staying the night.

Look, Abigail,

things kind of move at a little bit of

a different pace around here

so just keep that in mind, okay?

Okay.

Well, welcome to downtown Ocean City.

Right here is the diner.

That's where you can find me.

If you need any toiletries,

they're over here at the pharmacy.

The events are gonna be held at the factory tonight.

Ocean City?

I know, we're nowhere near an ocean,

but call it wishful thinking.

You're gonna like it here.

And here we are.

Thanks for the ride.

Sure.

It was a pleasure.

Look, maybe I'll see you at the hunt tonight.

Or stop by the diner and I'll...

make you something to eat.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello?

I need a tow.

You've got to be kidding me.

Deep breaths.

Just a minute.

What are you doing in here?

Well, it's a bathroom.

What's in the bag?

My wallet.

Tissues.

What're you doing here?

My car.

The engine.

I was looking...

Okay, look,

I just can't be too careful seeing somebody I don't know.

Out-of-towner, like yourself.

Sorry.

I was just looking for someone to help me get my car towed.

Where'd it break down?

On State Road 15.

About five miles...

Come back in a few hours.

I'll get it taken care of.

I put you in your normal room.

Things have been slow lately.

Even with the event tonight,

it should be a relatively quiet weekend for you.

Let's hope so.

Oh, a new face.

It's refreshing.

First time in Ocean City?

Oh, who am I kidding?

Of course it is.

We don't get many visitors these days.

I'm just passing through.

Oh, well you picked a heck of a day for that.

Tonight is the hunt.

The hunt?

Yes, I've heard.

I don't think I'll be going.

Why did you do that?

It's what we do here.

Guest pictures.

Like our own version of a guest book.

You're gonna like it here.

So I've been told.

Miss, are you okay?

One room.

Oh, of course.

How many nights?

One.

Great, I'll just need a credit card to put on file.

We're not planning on booking up.

You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like.

Miss?

You'll be in room 201.

It's around the banister at the top of the stairs.

I practically live here.

So if you need anything, you know where to find me.

And up and down.

Okay, eight more.

Keep breathing.

Five.

Four more.

Three more.

Straighten your legs out in front.

You got David.

It's me.

Hey!

I was beginning to wonder if everything was all right.

You missed our early afternoon call.

I wasn't near a phone.

It's been one of those days.

I had an attack and I'm out of pills.

I knew I should've refilled...

Slow down, slow down.

Have you been practicing the breathing?

Yes, I have been practicing the breathing.

That's not the problem.

I'm hearing things.

I think I'm hallucinating, David.

I dreamed I hit some woman on a back road

and now I'm stuck on the bumfuck town

and I just want to go home.

And you know, if you hadn't forced me to leave early,

then I...

Nobody forced you to do anything, Abigail.

In light of the circumstances,

you need these extra few days.

Time to clear your head.

Next week's gonna be a tough one.

Where'd you end up going?

My car broke down.

I'm in Ocean City waiting for it to be fixed.

Is that up by Black Creek?

Maybe, sure.

I really don't know.

This wasn't part of the plan.

I was supposed to reach my hometown tonight,

relax up there, you know?

You're definitely out of your element,

but it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Not a bad thing?

Deep breaths.

Deep breaths.

Listen,

can you send a prescription over to the pharmacy here?

Please?

I need it.

Only if your breathe.

You'll get through this, Abigail.

Okay.

I promise I'll do the breathing.

Let's talk soon.