"Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Open your eyes." "Why tell me that dream?" "You said I could tell you whatever I wanted." "All right." "Anything else you should tell me before we start?" "Nothing you don't know." "I was about to turn twenty five, I like dating, sleeping, making love, like everyone." "And you know what everyone does when they get up." "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 slaughter you!" "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 skipped 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!" "César 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 if you 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 I'm 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?" "If you 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" "Doyou believe in God?" "Don't start all that shit." "Ijust askeda question." "If you 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, César?" "Come on, let me see." "Stick your hand up your ass!" "Take it easy, brat!" "I'm sick of all your stories!" "Leave me alone!" "I'll kick that shit out of you!" "Leave me alone!" "I can't work with you in here." "Leave us on our own." "On my responsibility." "You're just a spoilt 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 spoilt brat." "My father had a restaurant chain." "That's not my fault." "When did your parents die?" "15 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, César." "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 if you 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 of you." "Now that we're friends,..." "I've got no friends." "...tell me what happened." "The sooner you talk, the sooner I'll go." "Hey!" "Happy birthday and all the things people usually say." "Thank you, thank you." "Where did you find her?" "In the library." "She tried to steal my book." "It was mine." "Anyway..." "César, Sofia." "Hello." "Happy birthday." "Thank you." "Your present." "Thanks a lot." "We bought it between us." "Then I have to thank both of you." "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." "Thank you." "But I didn't ask you to the party." "That was nice of you." "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 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 some help to get rid of her." "And I'm that help." "Shit, there she is!" "Where?" "Don't look, don't look." "Look over here." "That's it." "Yes." "Yes, yes, yes." "Here we are." "Here we are." "Well..." "Act as if we 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 me up." "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's 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 after me." "We're out of drink." "Here." "Shit." "I'll get some more." "For all of us." "Well..." "I guess I'll be going." "But why?" "I've drunk too much and I don't feel well." "Don't be stupid, it's just starting." "For you, it is." "Pelayo." "You can't go." "You're my guest of honor." "You're a son of a bitch, César." "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 Sofía?" "No one's chatting up Sofía." "Yeah, and I'm blind, right?" "You're certainly drunk." "I'm drunk, but I'll tell you this." "I like Sofía." "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 for you 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 toyou?" "You wouldn't understand." "Even I don't understand." "She was making coffee and I startedsnooping around." "Suddenly, lgot that stupid feeling a lot ofpeopleget." "Well, I like it." "What didyou feel?" "That I lovedher." "God, I'm even embarrassed to say it." "I didn'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..." "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." "If you're waiting for me to list your virtues, hard luck." "You think you'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 settle for a kiss." "That smile is going to kill me!" "It would be wrong if we 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." "Somepeople say that they wouldbe happy with a normal life span." "But "normal" means different things, depending on..." "What are you looking at?" "I'm watching TV." "I...the Romans, for instance, livedonly25years." "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, theground is firm here, and very solid." "Are you leaving?" "Going home." "Here's my number." "But I'll call tomorrow." "What for?" "All right, I won't call." "César." "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?" "Great." "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 to 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, César." "It's your birthday." "Skip it, I'm going home." "What's up, César?" "Are you scared?" "Want some of this?" "No, thanks." "Sure, act the innocent now." "I don't need that to enjoy myself." "I can 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 my 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 come out of your 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." "That dream was nice." "A park, children playing, a girl who loves you." "That's why." "Then you wake up andyou want to die." "At first, I didn't even have the strength to react." "I'dbeen in a coma for three weeks." "You were lucky." "You couldhave died, like Nuria." "What ifl had?" "It would've been better." "Didyou see her body?" "I never did." "You think she didn't die?" "I'm likeyou." "I only believe what I see." "César, show me your face, please." "What for?" "Look." "It's true you had an accident." "It's true you were disfigured, but not any more." "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 150 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 I'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." "If we operate again, we may just cause further damage." "We'd need millimetric precision, and today, that's impossible" "Let's look at this." "I'm not an idiot." "Today, people change their breasts." "They have hair implants." "They even change their skin color." "Are you saying that on the threshold of the year 2,000 you can't do a simple operation and sort out this this fuck-up?" "It isn't so simple, César." "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 on me." "I've seen patients who've lost all their features, who can't even talk." "At least, you can look yourself in the eye." "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'll 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!" "We 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 how you were." "You needn't answer." "I'm alive." "How should I be?" "And I'm tired." "Tired of waiting for you 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, César." "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." "César!" "We'll meet if you want." "If you want." "As soon as there is the slightestpossibility ofdeath, the stabilisation andtransport team goes into action." "Once the client is declared legally dead, he is put into a maintenance capsule andthe transport legalities are sortedout." "In the storeroom in Arizona, in the U.S.A., a team ofspecialists prepare the body for final freezing." "Among other measures, bloodis replacedby a solution which conserves the organs." "Finally, the client is put in the capsule where he will remain until medicine can reanimate him." "To be honest, I'dhave to think it over." "It's hardto 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 nowgot the means to do it." "We'vegot 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 andput an endto certain meaningless taboos, inherited from ancient religions, oldand useless memories." "Thankyou for speaking to us." "Andthankyou 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." "If you'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!" "Whisky and Coke." "What whisky?" "What did you say?" "What whisky?" "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 for you." "And I came to look for you." "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 of her." "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 if you want." "Well, this is where I leave you." "I'll see you home." "No, I live very close." "I've got the motor bike." "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 here." "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 if you 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." "César." "It's me." "Sofía!" "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!" "Of what?" "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 of your time." "That's all there is here." "Very pretty." "Is it Sofía?" "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, César?" "I don't know." "I only remember bits." "First, I'm in a kind of office." "A secretary shows me into another office." "There, there's a photo ofa sunset anda man." "Then..." "I don't know." "They show me lots ofpapers." "Whatpapers?" "I don't know." "But I sign them." "Does the office belong to your company?" "No, I don't recognise 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?" "One day they rang me to go to the hospital." "When I arrived, the whole surgical team was waiting." "For months, those faces hadlooked at me with indifference andimpotence." "Now they were all smiles." "The same bastard who had saidmy case was hopeless startedtalking about some operation." "They hada new revolutionary system in the clinic now." "They saidthat within two weeks my face wouldbe completely reconstructed." "You didn't believe them?" "No, not at first." "I thought it was just a way to get more money out of me." "But they showed me all the gadgets for the operation." "It lookedlike science fiction." "All I couldsee were cables, switches, monitors." "Actually, I never really knew what they weregoing to do." "But I thought I'dnothing to lose." "Thosepeople were usedto rhinoplasties, liposuctions, hair transplants, but my operation was much more." "In less than a week, my life hadturnedaround." "One night, I was lying on theground, drunk, wanting to die." "The next morning, my dreams were coming true, like in the movies." "Sofía loved me, and the doctors found the miracle cure." "I don't know." "Obviously, I was suspicious." "Suspicious?" "Of whom?" "Of what?" "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 for you?" "What's happiness for you?" "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." "César, don't scare me." "Take off the plates." "You 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 Sofía." "But today I woke up feeling great, and now I'm with the girl again." "What is it?" "What is it?" "If you want me to move, you have to put in a coin." "Ting!" "We never appreciate thegood moments till they're over." "Maybe that's why they'regoodmoments." "We don't stop to think about them." "Perhaps." "What happenedto 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 Sofía 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 Sofía?" "What?" "What have you done with Sofía?" "I am Sofía." "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 Sofía 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 are you doing this?" "How have I changed?" "You haven't." "You're the same lunatic who gatecrashed my party." "I'm the girl you made love to just now." "I'm Sofía." "Stop saying you're Sofía, do you hear?" "Don't say her name!" "You won't tell me where she is." "You never will." "César..." "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 I just questioned?" "No, that's another girl." "I was with Sofía." "The girl I spoke to was Sofía." "Yes, that's what she says, but it's a lie." "Who is she then?" "She's..." "Nuria." "Nuria?" "Nuria what?" "I don't know." "She never told me her surname." "Let's see." "You were at home with a girl called Sofía, and suddenly..." "I go to the bathroom, come back, and she's in Sofía's place." "Where's Sofía?" "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 Sofía." "Sofía Cueto, and she lives at number 2, Quirós St." "No!" "No, what?" "Well, yes, but that's another girl." "I know the real Sofía." "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!" "We do know 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?" "If you wanted to fuck her up, there are other ways to do it!" "Keep away from Sofía!" "It isn't Sofía, it's Nuria!" "Nuria's dead!" "Calm down, or you'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, Sofía did." "Listen, you spoke to her by phone, didn't you?" "Let go!" "It wasn't Sofía." "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 Sofía?" "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." "Fuck you!" "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." "César." "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 say I'm mad." "No, of course you're not mad." "But what if I told you you were dreaming?" "No, no, no..." "Why not?" "Look, I know what's real, and this is real." "How do you know?" "You discover your dreams when you wake." "I just know." "My dreams are much simpler than all this." "No dream is simple." "Look at those people." "They seem to be talking about their own business." "Completely unaware of you." "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 set-up, 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 tranquilliser." "What for?" "These things are all bullshit." "If you'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, César." "Verygood." "Now let's see ifyou can tell me about that dream." "Dream..." "In my dream, it isn't raining." "The office dream." "Eli..." "That's it." "I wantyou to tell me who Eli is." "A secretary." "Eli is a secretary?" "She tells me togo in." "They're expecting me." "Who's expectingyou?" "The Frenchman from the TV." "Sit down, please." "It's a contract." "Eli..." "César, who is Eli?" "You won't regret it." "Sign." "What areyou signing?" "Eli will see to everything." "What haveyou signed?" "What's wrong?" "What's wrong, César?" "Why areyou crying?" "I'm going to die." "You're notgoing to die." "I don't know how many." "How many what?" "Pills." "You tookpills?" "How many shouldl 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." "César, I'll ask you for the last time." "Did you take drugs?" "Fuck!" "Why does everyone..." "Stop play-acting." "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." "o you remember what you did to Sofía?" "It wasn't Sofía." "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 Sofía." "Sofía..." "You're not Sofía." "César, this will all be over soon." "We'll be together again." "You'll forget Nuria and I won't be afraid of you." "I'm thirsty." "I'll get some water." "Sofía!" "Yes, César, I'm Sofía." "I'm Sofía." "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 newsvendor 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 if you 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 think you're very sick, and should stay here for a long time." "Don't worry." "I'll get at least twenty years." "César, 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, César." "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 only25years." "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 if you come with me." "Why do you want lnternet?" "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?" ""Cryonics"." "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." "Thank you." ""Live without limits." "Tomorrow is for the farsighted."" "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." "César..." "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, if you 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 dollars." "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 14." "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 if there 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 14 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." "César, 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 1997." "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!" "César, 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?" "César, I'm wearing myself out over this case." "There is no case, I didn't kill anyone, it's all a nightmare!" "Fuck it, César, trust me!" "This isn't a dream." "They got it wrong." "Who?" "I don't know!" "But they mixed up Sofía 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." "César..." "Look in the mirror and tell me if you think you'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!" "César, listen." "Maybe you've got something like anorexia." "Some girls insist they're fat and end up crazy." "César!" "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." "Or you'll go crazy." "Hello, César." "It's time I introduced myself." "My name is Serge Duvernois." "I represent Life Extension." "We met 150 years ago." "What?" "Has the world gone mad?" "There is no world." "It's all in that gentleman's mind." "Including you and I." "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 even know what is going through César's mind now, 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 César." "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 couldn'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 150 years which you didn't notice becauseyou 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 Sofía 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 signedthe contract, andthen, you killedyourself." "Ipaid for this?" "I paid for Nuria to come back as Sofía?" "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." "If you want, we can try again, have you live a wonderful dream, with money, friends, Sofía, or whatever girl you want." "You just have to ask." "I don't want more dreams." "It isn't a dream!" "César, 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!" "César..." "We can offer you another possibility." "In 1997, it was impossible to rebuild your face." "But out there it's the year 2145." "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, César, 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, César." "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, César." "Relax." "Relax." "Open your eyes."