On the rocky shore of an island, a girl sits intently reading a newspaper.
A middle-aged businessman opens a rooftop door, blinks painfully at the sky.
The girl on the shore looks up—startled—across the sea toward the city.
The man climbs onto the roof in his sad blue suit and stands there, disoriented.
A bird flues by—P.O.V. bird, looking down at the man standing on the roof.
The girl applies her wet, delicious lips to the business end of a red balloon.
We see her lips open wide—P.O.V. inside the balloon—through thinning skin.
The man looks at his feet, steps unsteadily toward the edge of the building.
The girl releases the first balloon, which goes spiraling off across the sea.
The man’s wingtips toe the ledge; he peeks down at the street, far below.
C.U. on the man’s despairing face; the lines form a map of joy and regret.
The girl releases more balloons that drift and jostle away in a crooked line.
The man nearly loses his balance on the ledge—steadies himself, resolved.
The balloons, in scattered clumps, start to gather as they enter the city.
The man closes his eyes, sets his jaw, then…steps from the ledge.
The balloons rise into view; he flails, grabs hold of them, is magically buoyed.
C.U. on the girl’s smiling, expectant face; the paper shields her eyes from sun.
The man drifts clear of the city, across the sound, dangling from the balloons.
As he drifts, we see a P.O.V. montage—balloons, man, birds, ferry, girl.
The girl looks up to see the man approaching over the expanse of water.
The man sees the girl on the shore, and he smiles—his face freezing as…
The balloons POP and he drops, landing with a splash in the dark ocean.
An orca whale crests majestically, its great jaws gaping, to consume the man.
The girl sits down, settles in, then goes back to looking at her newspaper.
C.U. on headline: Seven Puget Sound Orca Deaths Attributed to Lack of Food.
Absent-mindedly, the girl begins to blow up another red balloon…
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