"Why tell me that dream?" "You said I could tellyou whatever I wanted." "All right." "Anything else you should tell me before we start?" "Nothingyou don 't know." "I was about to turn 25." "I liked eating, sleeping, making love, like everyone." "Andyou know what everyone does when they get up." "OPE N Y OU R EYES" "Where are you going?" "Out." "Stop leaving messages on the alarm." "Why?" "Just don't." "Because it pisses me off." "Come on, for fuck's sake." " I'll slaughteryou." " We'll see about that." "You've got three cars." "Why do we always go in this wreck?" "Come on." "I'm in a hurry." "Are you backing out?" "I missed class for this." "I'm seeing my partners after." "Why do you think I'm dressed up?" "So you can shout at them." "You like that." "I don't shout." " So tell me, did you screw her?" " Screw who?" "Whoever was there when I rang last night." "I was alone last night." "Anyway, what is it to you?" "Nothing." "You can do what you want with your life." "Thanks very much." "Let's change the subject." " Did you screw her?" " Give me a break." "I was on my own." "So, you did." "Was it the one you talk so much about?" " Who?" " That Nuria." "My God, I can't believe it!" "Cesar seeing the same woman twice!" " She must be great in bed." " She isn't bad." "Bastard!" "When are you going to tell me the secret?" " What secret?" " The recipe for Coca-Cola." " Look, the kind you like." " Yeah." "Change the" "What did you eat today?" "Nothing." "That's my problem." "I'm starved!" "It's funny when you ask them what they value most in a man." ""I like him to be intelligent, to be honest, to be kind."" "It's all shit!" "You'd have problems ifyou were like me." "Not that again!" "You aren't ugly." "Anybody would like to have your face." "You're normal." " Normal." "That doesn't mean handsome." " You're handsome." "I'm acceptable, when you're not beside me." "You're like anorexics." "They insist they're fat, and end up crazy." "When some girl ties you down, the rest of us will get a chance." " Yeah, yeah." " Why not?" "Ifyou meet the right girl" "She doesn't exist." "Shit!" " How did I miss that?" " God punished you." "You're for it." " Who are you saying that to?" " To God." "Do you believe in God?" " Don't start all that shit." " Ijust asked a question." "Ifyou don't want to, don't answer." "I don't believe in God." "How do you explain what happened?" " How do you mean?" " Your face." " There is no explanation." " I believe there is." " You believe I'm mad." " I only believe what I see." "You haven't let me see your face yet." "And I won't." "Do you really think you're a monster, Cesar?" " Come on, let me see." " Stickyour hand up your ass!" "Take it easy, brat!" "I'm sick of all your stories." " Leave me alone!" " I'll kick the shit out ofyou!" "Leave me alone!" "I can't work with you in here." "Leave us on our own." "On my responsibility." "You're just a spoiled brat who" "My parents are dead, asshole!" "You made up a story so as not to admit what you did." "Is that true?" "What?" "That you're a spoiled brat." "My father had a restaurant chain." "That's not my fault." "When did your parents die?" "Fifteen years ago, in an accident." " And now you're rich." " So they say." "Then why don't you want a lawyer?" "They say they can get me the best." " But they want me stuck here forever." " Who are they?" "My partners." "They've been sucking my blood since I was a kid." "Now they've got everything." "They've cut me out." "It wasn't them." "It was me." "I don't care." "Let's see, Cesar." "Do you know why you're here?" " Because I wear a mask, I guess." " No." "Because you killed someone." "Or don't you remember?" " Tell me, don't you remember?" " Fuck!" "Stop it!" "We must get things clear ifyou want us to get on." "I don't want us to get on!" "Is your solution to sit in this hole and not talk?" " Aren't we talking now?" " After two months." "I've been trying for two months." " Read the reports." " I've read them." "I want you to tell me, if possible, sitting on a chair." "Or are you going to stay there?" "I like the floor." "It's the only thing that seems real." "What does everything else seem?" "Everything else is a lie." "All this seems a lie, including you." "You don't even wear a white coat." " Do you think I should?" " Doctors wear them." "I took it off so you'd forget I was a doctor." "So that you'd like me more." "It didn't work." "I hate the sight ofyou." "Now that we're friends" " I've got no friends." " Tell me what happened." "The sooneryou talk, the sooner I'll go." "Hey!" "Happy birthday and all the things people usually say." "Thankyou, thankyou." " Where did you find her?" " In the library." " She tried to steal my book." " It was mine." " Anyway, Cesar, Sofia." " Hello." "Happy birthday." " Thankyou." " Your present." " Thanks a lot." " We bought it between us." "Then I have to thank both ofyou." "Stop chatting her up and open it." " I'd rather open them tomorrow." " Whatever." " Like a drink?" " Sure." "I'll leave this upstairs." "Hello." " What are you doing here?" " Happy birthday, darling." "Thankyou." "But I didn't askyou to the party." "That was nice ofyou." "I brought you a present, too." "Why not open it?" "No, thanks." "I already know what's inside." " And last night?" " Listen, Nuria." "I don't like you just turning up, much less coming into my room." " Well!" "Do I have to apologize?" " No." "You have to go." "Right." "I know what it is." "You don't want to be seen twice with the same girl." "It would ruin your reputation." " You got it in one." " And there's someone else." " Right?" " Who?" "The brunette you were talking to a minute ago?" "Well, she's not bad." "I don't care." "I don't need to be seen with you." "Hold me." "Come on." "A little kiss." "Come on." "Until when?" "Until next Friday?" "Can you manage a weekend without me?" "Excuse me." "I must see to my guests." "Yes, the brunette will take time." "She looks that type." " That type?" " Yes." "The kind who can't find your zipper." " Hello." " Hello." " What did you want?" " To open this." "Wait." "I'll serve you." "Since when are you the waiter?" "Don't you know I'm in catering?" "Are you all right?" " Can't you tell I'm elbowing in?" " A bit." "I've got a slight problem." " A girl's chasing me." " You don't say." " I need help to get rid ofher." " And I'm that help." "Shit!" "There she is!" " Where?" " Don't look." "Look over here." "That's it." "Yes." "Yes, yes, yes." " Here we are." " Here we are." "Well, act as ifwe were talking about something real interesting." "Nod your head, agree, say yes." "You know." " What a nice conversation." " Yes." " And she's coming this way." " Fuck!" " What are you doing?" " Don't worry, I'll guide you." " Straight on." " I don't see her." "Here it is." "Go right in." " I'm not going in there." " Well, I am." "So long." " He's in here." " You" "Well, we're safe." "But we've got nothing to drink here." "I think all you really want is to chat with me." "Yes, that too." "First, I want to save my skin." "Can't you say you aren't interested?" "She wouldn't care." "She never gets tired." " She must be feeling bad." " Yeah." "Of course." "So you're studying drama, like Pelayo?" " For now." " Scenography?" " Acting." " Really?" "To be an actress?" "I am an actress." "Is that a problem?" "Yes." "Aren't you ashamed?" "Ashamed?" "Why should I be ashamed?" "Actors aren't honest." "You're able to show emotions you don't have... or which, at most, you invent." "Right now you could be thinking..." ""This guy is a real drag." "How can I dump him? "" " Really?" " "And in catering." "A pain in the ass."" "But you're a good actress." "It doesn't show." " Hey, Pelayo!" " I caught you." " Come in." " How's it going?" "Great." "I'm a bit out of it now." "Drunk, you mean." "Why are you in here?" "Sofia was protecting me from a female psychopath out there." " She seemed dangerous." " Yeah." " What about you?" " I was drinking." "Women don't chase me." " We're out of drink." " Here." " Shit." " I'll get some more." "For all of us." "Well, I guess I'll be going." " Why?" " I'm drunk and don't feel well." "Don't be stupid." "It's just starting." " Foryou, it is." " Pelayo, you can't go." "You're my guest ofhonor." "You're a son of a bitch, Cesar." " Why'd you say that?" " The party's full of girls." "I go for a piss, you start talking to her, and" "What?" "Nothing." "And I look like an asshole." "Tell me what's wrong." " Why do you have to chat up Sofia?" " No one's chatting up Sofia." "Yeah, and I'm blind, right?" "You're certainly drunk." "I'm drunk, but I'll tell you this." "I like Sofia a hell of a lot." "She may even be the girl of my dreams." "But if she fucks up our friendship, she can go to hell." "I feel the same." "Sure." "Pelayo, where are you going?" " Home." " Already?" " Yeah, I'm wrecked." " I'll come with you." "Don't bother." "You stay." "Are you going, too?" "I have to get up early." "I can run you home later." "Stay on." "I'm leaving you in good hands." "What's wrong with him?" "He's drunk." " Is he annoyed with us?" " No." "You sure?" "She doesn't look too happy." "Didn't you have to get up early?" "I'm doing too much foryou tonight." " Maybe it means something." " Yeah." "That you've got a nerve." "It's just for a minute." "Long enough for my friend Nuria to admit defeat." "This is my place." " Don't dare laugh at it." " Why would I laugh?" "It's nothing special, but it's cheap." " Do you like clowns?" " They're not clowns." "They're mime artists." "Pancho!" " I've got a cat." " I hate cats." "They're almost as false as actresses." "Says the caterer." "How do you pay for this?" "Do your parents help?" "Do you work?" "He's real nosy, isn't he, Pancho?" "I'm an arms dealer." "Fancy that!" "I always wanted to know how arms dealers lived." "Now you do." "How can I explain it to you?" "You wouldn't understand." "Even I don't understand." "She was making coffee and I started snooping around." "Suddenly, I got this stupid feeling a lot ofpeople get." "Wel l, I I i ke it." " What didyou feel?" " That I loved her." " God, I'm even embarrassed to say it." " I d id n't hear you." "I said I like your place." "And I like yours." "Let's swap." "You wouldn't like it tomorrow morning." "I said it because of the decor." "Your place is more personal." " And warmer." " Warmer?" " Yes." " You think my house is cold?" " A bit." " And am I?" " I don't know." " You said my house seemed cold." "Ifyou're waiting for me to list your virtues, hard luck." "You thinkyou're real smart." " Maybe." " Well, you're wrong." "I don't need you to list my virtues." "No, I'm sure you know what they are." " But you'd like me to see them, too." " So you say." "I'm not going to argue about it." " Just as well." "You'd lose." " Oh, yeah?" "But I don't want to argue either." "I propose we do the opposite." " We don't argue?" " We show our defects." "Great!" "I hope you're being fair." "This is absolutely you." "Well, mine is finished." "Fuck!" "That's how you see me?" " Did I go too far?" " Sign it." "Let's see mine." "It's lovely!" " It's not a caricature." " You see." "You draw beautifully." " I'll sell it to you." " Miser." "How much?" "As it's you, I'll sell it for... a kiss." "That smile's going to kill me!" "It would be wrong ifwe did anything tonight." " Why?" " Pelayo." "Remember?" "Your best friend." "He doesn't have to find out." "Besides, he'd do the same." "I see friendship really matters to you." "It does." "That's why I wouldn't tell him." "Some people... say that they would be happy with a normal life span." "But "normal" means different things, depending on" "What are you looking at?" "I'm watching TV." "The Romans, for instance, lived only 25 years." "Today... that figure has tripled, which means that" " What the fuck is he on about?" " I saw this before." "It's about cryonization." "Cryo what?" "When they freeze you or something." "Like Walt Disney." "Wow, that's cold!" "Hey, you!" "There won't be a landslide." "It isn't dangerous." "The ground is firm here and very solid." " Are you leaving?" " I'm going home." "Here's my number." "But I'll call tomorrow." "What for?" "All right, I won't call." " Cesar?" " What is it?" "Come here." "I want to tell you a secret." "Come here." "Hello, darling." "Did you follow me?" "Of course I didn't." "But I had the feeling we'd meet." " How was the brunette?" " Good." "Why?" "From your face, I'd say you didn't sleep with her." "Let me guess." "You didn't sleep with her, but you don't mind." "You have all the time in the world for that." "And I bet you're seeing her tomorrow." " Brilliant." " Aren't I?" "There's more." " Well?" " I scored at the party, too." "But he wasn't up for it, so I'm still hot for it." " And?" " And until you meet up again... with your Miss Universe, you could have fun." "No." "I think I prefer to go home and sleep." "Come on, Cesar." "It's your birthday." " Skip it." "I'm going home." " What's up, Cesar?" "Are you scared?" " Want some of this?" " No, thanks." "Sure, act innocent now." "I don't need that to enjoy myself." "I see that." "That's not a good idea." "Do what you want." "What's happiness for you?" " What?" " For me, this is happiness." "Being here with you." "What about you?" "I can't handle heavy conversations right now." "Your thoughts are somewhere else, right?" "Maybe." "One thing really bothers me." " What?" " You know nothing about me." "Except my name's Nuria and I'm a good fuck." "Two important things." "You don't know my address or telephone number." "We have to start somewhere." "I'm going to see your house now." "It's not far." "Tell me something." "Do you believe in God?" " Hello." " Hello." " How are you?" " You got home all right?" "Yeah." "Well, I had a horrible dream." "That you never saw me again." "Yes." "I came out ofyour house, go to my car... and that crazy bitch has been following me." " Who, that Nuria?" " Yes." "She comes over and says, "Want a lift? "" "She goes on so much I don't know how to say no." "So I get in the car, she drives faster and faster... and kills herself." " With me inside." " That's horrible." "But the worst part... is that my face is completely destroyed..." "like "The Phantom of the Opera."" "I couldn't wake up." "I was a monster." "You're a monster anyway." " Oh, yeah?" " Yeah." "I'm a monster, too." "Look." "How was your house?" "Was anyone left?" "Left where?" "In your house." "There was a party, remember?" "A party?" "Dreaming is shit." "Unless the dream was nice." "In the park, children playing, a girl who lovesyou." "That's why." "Then you wake up andyou want to die." "At first, I didn 't even have the strength to react." "I'd been in a coma for three weeks." "You were lucky." "You could've died like Nuria." "And what?" "I would've been better off." "Didyou see her body?" " I never d id." " You think she didn't die?" "I'm like you." "I only believe what I see." "Cesar, show me your face, please." " What for?" " Look." "It's true you had an accident." "It's true... that you were disfigured, but not anymore." "Take that off." "The doctors fixed you." "They didn't have a fucking clue!" "In the accident, you didn't lose just skin and some muscle." "The blow was so severe it caused a multiple fracture of the skull." "We secured the osseous structure with metal wires... and over that, we reinserted the muscles... we could still retrieve." "Yes, very nice, but I know all that." "I've had it explained to me 1 50 times." "But you never say when you'll operate." " I've been waiting two months." " But we've operated three times." "I wouldn't call that an operation." "I'd call it" "Well, I don't know what you'd call it." "The symmetry isn't perfect... but what we've done with your face is, if I may say so... a craftsman's job." "We can't work on skin which is pure scars." "No, no, there must be some way." " What?" " "What? "" "You're the doctors, aren't you?" "A transplant, whatever!" "There's a problem with fibrosis, ifwe operate again... we may just cause further damage." "We'd need millimetric precision... and as of today it's impossible." "Let's look at this." "I'm not an idiot." "Today, people change their breasts." "They have hair implants." "They even change the color of their skin." "Are you saying that on the threshold of the year 2000... you can't do a simple operation and sort out this fuck-up?" " It isn't so simple, Cesar." "Remember" " Don't patronize me!" "Stop treating me like a child!" "I'm not just any patient." "And this isn't a welfare hospital." "I'm willing to pay any amount." "You're in charge." "They say you're the best in your field." "Well, invent something." "Experiment with me." "I've seen patients who've lost all their features... who can't even talk." "At least you can lookyourself in the eyes." "What good is that?" "Every time I look in the mirror, I want to die." "Your case isn't so serious." "Just learn to accept it." "And who will accept me?" "Will you explain to the people who look at me in the street?" "Will you tell them that looks aren't important?" "That beauty is on the inside?" "We'd like to show you something." "What is this?" "A facial prosthesis." "We use it in extreme cases of rejection like yours." "This is shit!" "It's not the best solution... but it's all we can do for the moment." "I want a face!" "Not a mask!" "I don't work miracles." "That's what the bastard said." "But in the end, they did." "Did what?" "Work a miracle." "So it seems." "So it seems?" "Things are or they aren't?" " Did they do it or not?" " I'm tired." "Why don't you go?" "I'll be back on Tuesday." "Want anything?" " No." " All right." "See you on Tuesday." "A pad and a pencil." "But don't tell them." "I don't want to owe them anything." "Have I changed so much?" "Because I recognize you." "How are you?" ""How are you? "" "You're playing a part now, but I don't know what." "Your lips are smiling." " But your eyes are trembling." " What?" "You're really very good as an actress." "I asked you how you were." "You didn't answer." "I'm alive." "How should I be?" "And I'm tired." "Tired ofwaiting foryou to call, even to say "Tough luck."" " I was busy." " Bullshit!" "I was afraid you'd feel uncomfortable if I rang." "You were afraid you'd feel uncomfortable." "Afraid you couldn't look me in the face, like now." "That's not true." "I've often dreamed of this moment." "What moment?" "The moment we'd meet again." "In my dream, we were just like this." "Here, in the park." "Although something was different." "What?" "It wasn't raining." "I have to go, Cesar." " What are you doing tomorrow night?" " Studying." "I'm very busy." " It's Friday." "We could meet." " I've got a lot to do." "All right, so long." "Cesar!" "We'll meet ifyou want." "Ifyou want." "As soon as there is the slightest possibility ofdeath... the stabilization and transport team goes into action." "Once the client is declared legally dead... he is put into a maintenance capsule... and the transport legalities are sorted out." "In the storeroom in Arizona in the U.S.A... a team ofspecialists prepare the body for final freezing." "Among other measures... blood is replaced by a solution which preserves the organs." "Finally... the client is put in the capsule.... where he will remain until medicine can reenergize him." "To be honest, I'd have to think it over." "It's hard to accept the idea." "How should we view it?" "We are, undoubtedly, facing a major development... a new challenge for humanity." "It's understandable that the first reaction is rejection." "We have now got the means to do it." "We've got the technology." "But, above all, we have sufficient moral maturity... to understand what this new step means... for human evolution, to look at the future... and put an end to certain meaningless taboos... inherited from ancient religions... old and useless memories." "Thankyou for speaking to us." "And thankyou to our audience" " Hi." " Hi." " What's that?" " Shit, isn't it?" "But they suggested I wear it in case of infection." "Well, kid, what're you up to?" "Arguing with doctors all day." " You should go out more." " I'm trying." " What're you having?" " Rum and Coke." "You want one?" " Yes." " I'll get you one." "I'm going to the bathroom." " Take that off." " Why?" "Don't you realize you won't be able to hide your face?" "I told you, it's to stop infections." "Sure." "Ifyou're embarrassed, just go." "Nobody asked you to come." " Sofia did." " What?" " She didn't want to be alone with you." " Why not?" " You're giving her a hard time." " I'm having a hard time." "Talk to a psychologist, or to me." "Don't take it out on a girl you met once." "Did she say that?" "Did she say that?" " Bitch!" " Come back!" "Whiskey and Coke." " What whiskey?" " What did you say?" "What whiskey?" "Why don't you ask me to my face, son of a bitch?" "Ballantine's." " Same again." " No, this one's on me." " Why?" "Just is." "Fix your face, man!" " Hello." " Hello." " Where were you?" " Around." "Pelayo went to look foryou." "And I came to look foryou." "Why?" "To" " No reason." "To buy you a drink." " Want a drink?" " No, thanks." "Can you tell I'm elbowing in?" "The thing is, I've got a problem." "A girl's chasing me, and I need some help to get rid ofher." "Shit, shit, shit!" "She's coming this way." "She's coming this way." "Don't look." "Don't look." "You carry on talking, act as if he weren't here." "I mean, as if I were here." "Keep talking." "Tra-la-lee, tra-la-la." "What a lovely conversation we're having." "So that's it, here we are... having a bit of a chat about life." "That's enough!" "Where the hell were you?" "Around." "I'm leaving." "I'm tired." "You two stay ifyou want." "Well, this is where I leave you." " I'll see you home." " No, I live very close." " I've got the motorbike." " No." " Don't be silly." " Lay off, Pelayo." "She wants to go on her own." "Shut up." "You're drunk." "I might be drunk, but I'm not an idiot." " Anyway, I'm not drunk." " Really, you needn't bother." " As you wish." " You're the one who's drunk." "We'll call you to meet some other day." "All right." "We could go to the movies." " You hear?" " Great!" "Well, that's it, then." "No, don't kiss me." "You might get poisoned by my drunken breath." "Well, we'll meet up soon." "Sure." "We'll meet up soon." "It's not cold." "Well..." "I'm gonna have to go." "Where are you going?" "I've just remembered my bike is back there." " I'll go with you." " No." "Why?" "You're almost home now." " See you tomorrow." " Pelayo, wait a minute." "What?" "I don't know." "You drank too much." "We'll talk tomorrow ifyou want." " Tomorrow I'll wish I were dead." " You won't." "You just need to rest." "Pelayo!" "You're my best friend." "Son of a bitch!" "Open your eyes." "Cesar." "It's me." "Sofia!" " What are you doing here?" " Forgive me." "Why?" "I love you." "Come on." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "I still can't believe this is really happening." "Where's Pelayo?" "I don't know." "He went with you, didn't he?" "Yes." "Of course." "Come on." "God, what a sensation!" "Ofwhat?" "Do you ever feel you've lived something before?" "Yes." "Why is that?" "They say it's a lapse in the brain." "I've been here before." "It usually goes away after a few seconds." "I don't want it to go away." "You've made use ofyour time." "That's all there is here." "Very pretty." "Is it Sofia?" "How much longer will I be here?" "No one ever knows that." "Even my worst nightmare was never like this place." "It's a psychiatric penitentiary." "No more, no less." " I shouldn't be here." " You're accused of murder." " I don't even know what I did." " Tell me something." "Does the name Eli mean anything to you?" "Eli?" "You know a girl with that name?" "No." "Why do you ask?" "It seems you kept repeating it last night." "I guess I was dreaming." " What did you dream?" " I can't remember." " It could be important." " How could it be important?" "Look, I can prove you didn't know what you were doing... but first I have to find some explanation for all this." "There is no explanation." "I told you the other day." "What did you dream, Cesar?" "I don't know." "I only remember bits." "First, I'm in a kind of office." "A secretary shows me into another office." "There's a photo ofa sunset and a man." "Then, I don't know." " They show me lots ofpapers." " What papers?" "I don't know." "But I sign them." "Does the office belong to your company?" "No, I don't recognize it." "You dreamed of a place you'd never been?" "Yes." "That happens a lot, doesn't it?" "Are they the papers you signed with the doctors?" "No, what happened with the doctors was surreal." " Why?" " They rang me to go to the hospital." "When I arrived, the whole surgical team was waiting." "Formonths, those faces had looked at me with indifference and impotence." "Now they were all smiles." "The same bastard who had said my case was hopeless talked about an operation." "They had a new revolutionary system in the clinic now." "They said that within two weeks my face would be completely reconstructed." "You didn 't believe them?" "Not at fi rst." "I thought it was just a way to get more money out of me." "But they showed me all the gad gets for the operation." "It looked like science fiction." "All I could see were cables, switches, monitors." "Actually, I never really knew what they were going to do." "But I thought I'd nothing to lose." "Those people were used to rhinoplasties..." "Iiposuctions, hair transplants, but my operation was much more." "In less than a week... my life had turned around." "One night, I was lying on the ground drunk, waiting to die." "The next morning, my dreams were coming true..." "I i ke i n the movies." "Sofia loved me, and the doctors found the miracle cure." "I don't know." "Obviously, I was suspicious." "Suspicious?" "Ofwhom?" "Ofwhat?" "I don't know." "In life, you never know." "Happiness comes when you least expect it." "I once knew a guy who was alone in the world." "Suddenly, he was married with two daughters." "Fuck, you've got a strange idea of happiness." "Well, that depends on the individual." "What's happiness foryou?" "What's happiness foryou?" "Don't ask any more stupid questions." "But at that time, you were happy." "Or weren't you?" "So what?" "My life now is shit." "All I can do is eat, shit, sleep and dream of my memories." "It's good that you remember." " Well?" " Well, what?" "They were to remove the plates today." " And they did." " And?" "Well, my ears are where they should be." "Cesar, don't scare me." " Take off the plates." " You can do it." "How did they do it?" "Wait.Just to say that I love you." "You're going too fast... considering we met yesterday." "Yesterday?" "My birthday, don't you remember?" "I met an incredible girl." "Her name was Sofia." "But today I woke up feeling great... and now I'm with the girl again." "What is it?" "What is it?" "Ifyou want me to move, you have to put in a coin." "Ting!" "We never appreciate the good moments till they're over." "Maybe that's why they're good moments." " We don't stop to think about them." " Perhaps." "What happened to Pelayo?" " What's up?" " Hang on a minute." " That's it." " About time." " Want anything else?" " No, thanks." "How's things, Pelayo?" "Fine." "How's things, Pelayo?" "Fine." "Yeah." "I'm actually not as fucked up as I look." "I'm used to you always winning, you bastard." " And Sofia isn't that great." " You said she was ideal." "Really?" "I was drunk." "Anyway, we're friends." "Bastard!" " What's that on your face?" " What?" " Fuck, there's a seam opening!" " What are you on about?" "You fucking idiot!" "What's the matter?" "I hate dreaming." "You're tickling me." "What's wrong?" "What is it?" " Where's Sofia?" " What?" "What have you done with Sofia?" " I am Sofia." " You bitch!" " You're mad." "You're mad." " Where is she?" "In one minute, I'm going to call the police." "You'll be in trouble if Sofia doesn't appear." "So you survived the accident." "What accident?" " Whose body was it?" " I didn't have an accident." "No." "It wasn't an accident." "It was attempted murder." "A pity you didn't see my face, bitch!" " Why do this?" "How have I changed?" " You haven't." "You're the same lunatic who gate-crashed my party." "I'm the girl you made love to just now." "I'm Sofia." "Stop saying you're Sofia, do you hear?" "Don't say her name!" "You won't tell me where she is." "You never will." "Cesar." "I love you." " Hello." " Hello." "You can go." "I'll see to this." "Right." "Let me get this clear." " Where were you last night?" " At home." "I told that gentleman." "At home." "With whom?" " With a girl." " The girl just questioned?" "No, that's another girl." "I was with Sofia." "The girl I spoke to was Sofia." "Yes, that's what she says, but it's a lie." " Who is she then?" " She's Nuria." "Nuria what?" "I don't know." "She never told me her surname." "Let's see." "You were at home with a girl called Sofia, and suddenly" "I go to the bathroom, come back, and she's in Sofia's place." "Where's Sofia?" "Ask Nuria." "She's pretending to be her." "You don't know her surname?" "But who do you believe, her or me?" "Listen, that girl's papers are all in order." "We've let her go." " You've what?" " And I assure you she's called Sofia." "Sofia Cueto, and she lives at number 2, Quiros St." " No!" " No, what?" "Well, yes, but that's another girl." "I know the real Sofia." "Then tell me where she is." "Because, legally the girl you're talking about... only exists in your imagination." " I don't believe this." " And another thing." "The girl looks as if she'd been hit." "She was in my house supplanting my girlfriend!" "I don't know why, but she wouldn't press charges." "Fucking great!" "So now she's the victim!" "Tell me." "Are you on drugs?" " God!" " You were under psychiatric care." "My face was destroyed in a car crash she caused!" "Your face looks fine." "Because" "It doesn't matter." "I've got nothing more to say." "Young man." "I'd advise you to see a psychiatrist." "Are you an idiot?" " What the fuck is this?" " What do you mean?" "Ifyou wanted to fuck her up, there are other ways to do it!" " Keep away from Sofia!" " It isn't Sofia." "It's Nuria!" "Nuria's dead!" "Calm down, oryou'll be sleeping in a cell tonight!" "Don't ever talk to me again!" "I don't know what the cops told you, but Nuria is alive!" "The cops didn't tell me, Sofia did." "Listen, you spoke to her by phone, didn't you?" " Let go!" " It wasn't Sofia." "Nuria can imitate her voice." "She took her ID, her apartment." "It wasn't over the phone." "I've just dropped her home." "She looked like this." "Nice photo, isn't it?" "You going to say that isn't Sofia?" "But that's-- Is this a joke or what?" "You're crazy, man." "I'm crazy?" "I'm crazy?" "You're the ones who are mad!" "You're all mad!" "Let go of me!" "God, what's happening?" "It's my partners, right?" "They've paid you." "This is a plot!" "Look at yourself." "You haven't been right since the accident." "Fuckyou!" "Are you saying" "Are you saying this is the girl you ran after the other night?" " Is this your ideal girl?" " Yes!" "And you took her." "You need a psychiatrist!" "Problems?" "I'm in no mood, so just" "There's an explanation for all this." "Cesar." "Who are you?" " You've seen me on TV." " What do you want?" "I'm here to help you." "First of all, it's very important that you calm down." "Calm down?" "You must overcome your fears and regain control." "What control do you mean?" "I'm fine." "Who says you aren't?" "They do." "All of them." "They think I'm mad." "No, of course you're not mad." "But what if I told you you were dreaming?" "No, no, no." "Why not?" " I know what's real, and this is real." " How do you know?" "You discoveryour dreams when you wake." "I just know." " My dreams are much simpler than this." " No dream is simple." "Look at those people." "They seem to be talking about their own business." "Completely unaware ofyou." "And yet, they could be there because you wanted it." "What's more, you could have them at your complete service... or have them destroy you." "I want them to be quiet." "And you, too." "See?" "What's going on here?" "Someone tell me the fucking truth!" "The truth?" "Maybe you couldn't take it." "It had to be a setup, a big joke to drive me crazy." "They all knew." "Nuria, Pelayo, the police, the guy at the bar." " Who was he?" " I don't know." "You said you saw him on TV." "On what program?" "I don't know!" "I don't know." "One that talked about freezing the dead." " Freezing the dead?" " Cryonization." "Like they did to Walt Disney." "Maybe I can help you remember." "Is that a threat?" "Lie down." "What's that?" "A syringe." "Relax." "My arm's stinging." "It's a tranquilizer." "What for?" "These things are all bullshit." "Ifyou'd trusted psychiatrists more, you mightn't be here now." "That finger, it's making me nervous." "You needn't be afraid." " I'm not afraid." " Stop talking and concentrate." "Come on." "Fuck." "I feel dizzy." "Good-bye, Cesar." "Very good." "Now let's see ifyou can tell me about that dream." " In my dream, it isn't raining." " The office dream." "Eli." "That's it." "I want you to tell me who Eli is." " A secretary." " Eli is a secretary?" "She tells me to go in." "They're expecting me." "Who 's expecting you?" " The Frenchman from the TV." " Sit down, please." "It's a contract." " Eli" " Cesar, who is Eli?" "You won 't regret it." "Sign." " What are you signing?" " Eli will see to everything." "What have you signed?" "What's wrong?" "What's wrong, Cesar?" "Why are you crying?" " I'm going to die." " You're not going to die." " I don 't know how many." " How many what?" " Pills." " You took pills?" " How many should I take?" " Pills to feel better?" "I don 't want to." "When I count to three, you'll wake up." "One." "Two." "I thought that, up to now, you'd told me the truth." "What do you mean?" "You said you took nothing." "Cesar, I'll ask you for the last time." " Did you take drugs?" " Fuck!" "Why does everyone" "Stop playacting." "Tell me the truth!" " I must know what you took." " I didn't take anything!" "Don't you see?" "Your brain could have been affected by the pills." " I didn't take any!" " You said you did!" "It's just a dream!" "Why make it more important than it is?" "Can't you tell dreams from reality?" "I can!" "Really?" "Don't make me laugh!" "Bodies that come to life, people who disappear... you, the Phantom of the Opera!" "Tell me one thing." "Do you remember what you did to Sofia?" "It wasn't Sofia." "I don't care who it was." "What did you do to her?" "You remember?" "My God!" "What are you doing?" "I thought you were a burglar." "Who are you?" "I'm Sofia." "Sofia." "You're not Sofia." "Cesar, this will all be over soon." "We'll be together again." "You'll forget Nuria and I won't be afraid ofyou." " I'm thirsty." " I'll get some water." "Sofia!" "Yes, Cesar, I'm Sofia." "I'm Sofia." "I want to see you." "I want to see you." "I want to see you!" "I want to see you!" "At times you dream you're with someone." "For example, your father." "In seconds, he becomes your mother... and then, the news vendor on the corner." "Yet you still feel as if you're talking to the same person." "You thought you were at home, but suddenly you realize you're in a school." "Or a hospital, or a prison." "Dreams are like that." "And at times the mind behaves as if it were in a dream." " You know what derangement is?" " For fuck's sake!" "Say I'm stupid ifyou want, but this isn't derangement!" "Then what is it?" "You tell me, because I don't know." "I don't know what's in here, or why you killed your girlfriend." "I don't know who Eli is, or that man from the TV." " I don't know anything." " That makes two of us." "Will you still come after the trial?" "Don't you hate the sight of me?" " What will you plead?" " Why do you ask that?" "The first hearing is next week." "Temporary derangement." "It's your best chance." "Even so, it won't be much use." "They won't believe me." "Even I don't believe it." "What do you believe?" "I thinkyou're very sick and should stay here for a long time." "Don't worry." "I'll get at least 20 years." "Cesar, you may not believe it, but I care about you." "I care a lot about you." "Look, kid." "Your case interests me." "I'm sorry about what's happened." "I even thought someone was playing tricks on you, but..." "I can't and mustn't exceed my duties." " I'm just a psychiatrist." " You don't look like one." " What do I look like?" " My father." "Preaching at me all day." "Your father's dead." "There you go." "By the way, what happened to that man with the wife and two daughters?" "I don't know." "I never saw him again." "Take my advice, get a lawyer." "Good-bye, Cesar." "Good-bye." "...the main Spanish investment, but certainly the most novel." "...its economic presence in Cuba." "...depending on the era." "In the Roman Empire, for example, the normal thing was to live... only 25 years." "Who's got the remote?" "Give it to me!" "Get it off him!" "What's up?" "There's a computer here connected to Internet." "They'll only let me use it ifyou come with me." " Why do you want Internet?" " I know what Eli is." "Wait!" "Eli isn't a person, it's a company." " How do you know?" " It isn't Eli." "It's L.E. They're the initials of an American company." " What are you doing?" " Checking the "initials program."" "It'll tell us all it knows about L.E." "Shit!" " It'll take ages." " No, wait." "Fuck!" "I feel like I've done this before." "A cerebral dysfunction." "A lapse in the brain." "No, not this time." "My God!" " That's it." " The photo in your dream?" "I had to see it before I could dream about it, right?" ""Cyronics."" " Cryonization." " I'll print this." "Wait a minute." "I don't see what this has to do with your case." "The key is in here." "Look, there's an office in Madrid." "I'll go and check it out." "No!" "I have to go, too." " I can't get you out of here." " I'd be let out under supervision." "Make up some excuse." " It isn't easy." " You can do it." "You know something else, don't you?" "I don't know anything." " I've just got a feeling." " What is it?" "I have to go there, one way or another." "Let's get things straight." "We're outside, I'm armed." "My job is to stop you doing anything stupid." "Try anything, and you get a bullet." "I've been here before." " This way." " Move." "You've got 20 minutes." "It's just like in my dream." "Good morning." "Can I help you?" "Well, actually, we wanted to speak to Mr. Duvernois." "He's my son." "He's very shy." "Mr. Duvernois isn't here right now." "But, first of all, do you know what cryonization is?" "Well, more or less." "Here are some leaflets." "You can read them while you're waiting." "One of my colleagues will be with you soon." "Thankyou." ""Live without limits." "Tomorrow is for the foresighted."" "What is this?" "Some kind of sect?" ""Cryonization is the biostasis or preservation of human beings." "It is the bridge to carry our patients to a future... when technology will restore them to life."" "You pay to live eternally." "They laughed at Jules Verne." "Cesar, all this is absolutely impossible." "What do you know of the future?" "They promise what the Church has always promised." "Immortality." "Except they're quacks, not priests." "How are you involved?" "You're not cryonized." "You're alive." "This is the contract, ifyou want to look at it." "The procedure is very simple." "You could die at any time." "Today, tomorrow, in 20 years." "It doesn't matter to us." "At the very moment you're declared legally dead..." "Life Extension transfers your body to our store in Arizona." "There, it's frozen at minus 78 degrees." "We call that "total suspension," and it costs $240,000." "30,000 pays for the freezing process, and the rest... goes into an investment fund... the interests from which pay for maintenance... and resurrection costs, the day that it's possible." "If it is possible." "We believe that the reanimation of the dead will be possible." " What's this?" " What?" "Clause 1 4." "Artificial perception." "It's a concept that we haven't fully developed yet." "Look." "This is a life." "Birth and death." "Let's say you've got a terminal illness." "Of course you want to go on living, but not in the future." "That doesn't interest you." "You want to live your life now." "Very well." "You die, we freeze you... and when we can resuscitate you, we'll have you live... a dream." " A dream?" " It will all look real." "Your family and friends, your city... the world, even this office." "But it'll be a virtual reality." "What's more, we'll make you forget that you've died... and that you signed this contract." " How?" " Very simple." "Wiping it from your memory." "You'll live your life linearly, as if nothing had happened." "And best of all, you'll live it as you like, as you wish." "You'll decide at all times." "But what ifthere were mistakes?" "What if the dream was transformed into a nightmare?" "Well, the subconscious can always play a dirty trick." "But we're not cowboys." "This is a serious company." "And virtual reality technology is constantly making huge advances." "Look." "I'll be honest." "Signing Clause 1 4 is like signing for paradise." "It's hard to believe." "But they laughed at Jules Verne." "Excuse me." " Where are you going so fast?" " To the bathroom." " Well, not so fast." " I'll go with him." "He just felt ill, don't worry." "Cesar, calm down, please." "This is a dream." "It's the only explanation." "What he said is impossible." "In the 20th century, but maybe not in the 30th." " Maybe not, but we're in 1 997." " That's what it seems." " I paid for it to seem like that." " Listen!" "If this is a dream" "Look at me!" "If this is a dream, it means that I don't exist!" " I just imagine you." " No!" " Cesar, I'm real." " How do I know that?" "Can't you tell a dream from reality?" "Is this a dream, eh?" "Tell me, is this a dream?" "Cesar, I'm wearing myself out over this case." "There is no case." "I didn't kill anyone." "It's all a nightmare." "Fuck it, Cesar, trust me!" "This isn't a dream." " They got it wrong." " Who?" "I don't know!" "But they mixed up Sofia and Nuria!" "I see a face that isn't mine." "I'm sick of hearing that!" "Your face is fine." "You're behaving like a child, hiding behind that mask." " Go on, take it off!" " I don't want to see myself!" "I don't care about that." "I want to see you." "Don't you realize?" "All that matters is what I see!" "It's my dream!" "Say that once more and I'll have you locked up in an asylum." "Show me your face." "Now." "You owe it to me." "Cesar, look in the mirror and tell me ifyou thinkyou're disfigured." "God!" "Why do you keep seeing what isn't there?" " You look fine." " I'm a monster!" "What do you mean?" "Anybody'd like to have your face." "You look normal." "Not just normal." "You're handsome!" "Cesar, listen." "Maybe you've got something like anorexia." "Some girls insist they're fat and end up crazy." "Cesar!" "I want to wake up!" "I want to wake up!" " Hold it!" " I want to wake up!" "Fuck!" "Shit!" " Freeze!" " Don't shoot!" "This is a nightmare!" "It's a nightmare!" "You!" "Wait a minute!" "You're not to leave!" "Stop!" "Wait a minute!" "It's a dream!" "It's a dream!" "Don't move!" "Drop the gun!" " I want to wake up." "I want to wake up." " Don't move!" "I want to wake up!" "Antonio." "Antonio!" "What?" "You're crushing me." "I'd better not move." "I've been shot in the back." "How do you know?" "Well... because" "What's going on here?" "What the fuck's going on?" "I told you, it's a dream." "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "I know what this is." "It's one of those Candid Camera jokes." "You did a great job, I loved it, but enough's enough!" " I see someone." " Where?" "Up there, on the roof." "I can't see a thing." "Where are you going?" "Come on, Antonio." "Don't think about it anymore oryou'll go crazy." "Hello, Cesar." "It's time I introduced myself." "My name is Serge Duvernois." "I represent Life Extension." "We met... 1 50 years ago." "What?" "Has the world gone mad?" "There's no world." "It's all in that gentleman's mind." "Including you and me." "Sure!" "Shall I thump you to see if it hurts?" "Try it." "They can make you disappear right now, like everyone else." " And who are "they," may I ask?" " The company." "Life Extension." "They know everything we're saying." "They know what is going through Cesar's mind an instant after he thinks it." "If they can make me disappear, why haven't they done it?" "It would be virtually incorrect." "You've just saved his life." "Virtually incorrect?" "Do you think I'm an idiot or what?" "No, quite the opposite." "You're a great guy." "A character who is very necessary for Cesar." "A character?" " Where are you going?" " To look for someone." "There is no one." "People aren't necessary now." "Why didn't you wake me before?" "You only had to ask." "But that was difficult." "Because, in theory, you wouldn't know you were dreaming." "Since when?" "Remember the day of the discotheque?" "That night, when you fell asleep on the sidewalk... was the one chosen for the splice." "What splice?" "The splice between your real life andyour virtual life." "A splice of 1 50 years which you didn 't notice... because you were dead and frozen." "From when you woke up... nothing was real." "We wiped what really happened from your memory." "What was it?" "You never saw Sofia again." "And the doctors were never able to rebuild your face." "You woke up on that street with an awful hangover." "You shutyourselfaway for months." "One dayyou learned that we existed." "You came to the office, you signed the contract... and then... you killedyourself." "I paid for this?" "I paid for Nuria to come back as Sofia?" "I paid to look like a monster again?" "I paid to live this nightmare?" "You paid to live whatever you wanted." "We just provided the setting and the characters." "You invented your hell." "I tried to warn you in that bar." "I said it all depended on your mind." "Do I just have to want it?" " Can Antonio come" " There's no one here." "They can't have made 4 million people disappear!" "You've overcome your fears." "Ifyou want, we can try again... have you live a wonderful dream... with money, friends, Sofia, or whatever girl you want." "You just have to ask." "I don't want more dreams." "It isn't a dream!" "Cesar, listen to me." "This is real." "This man is a sham." "Let's go down and look for people." "Ignore him." "It's logical for him to behave like this... but he doesn't feel anything." "I don't feel anything?" "I don't feel anything?" "What do you know about what I feel?" "Ignore him, he isn't real." "Yes, I am real!" "I've got a wife and two daughters." "His personality is designed so that he'll say all this now." "Where are my daughters?" "God!" "Cesar, we can offeryou another possibility." "In 1 997, it was impossible to rebuild your face." "But out there, it's the year 2 1 45." "You wouldn't believe the things surgery can do." "You could wake up... and live in the future like a normal person." " In the future?" " You have to choose." "How could I wake up?" "How would you wake from your worst nightmare?" "No, Cesar, don't listen to him!" "Your partners set this up!" "They want you to kill yourself!" "He's done that." "Now it'll just be a formality." " I'm going to do it." " Very well." "Do you have any wish before you die?" "Let them out there read my mind." "Who are you?" "I don't know." "Don't keep suffering." "It's all in your head." "It's all psychological." "Come on, Cesar." " What will happen to them?" " Don't prolong this farewell." "You think they're your friends, but they're just images." "That man isn't really crying." " I forgot, I get vertigo." " Then don't look." "Good-bye, Cesar." "Relax." "Relax." "Open your eyes."