Aired on February 6, 2022
Jules tells Leslie that Rue has relapsed, prompting her to destroy Rue’s drug stash. Leslie, Jules, and Elliot confront Rue, causing her to have a violent breakdown during which she damages her house and angrily cuts ties with Jules and Elliot. Leslie attempts to take her to rehab again, but Rue flees her car while in traffic. While on the run, Rue begins to suffer the affects of withdrawal. She runs across the city to the Howard household, where she steals drugs and jewelry before Leslie arrives and stages an intervention with the help of Suze, Lexi, Cassie, Maddy, and Kat. Backed into a corner, Rue tells the group about Cassie’s relationship with Nate, initiating a fight between Maddy and Cassie which allows Rue to escape in the chaos. She turns to Fezco for help, but he throws her out after she tries to steal his grandmother’s medication to alleviate her symptoms of withdrawal. After ineptly robbing another house and escaping a police chase, Rue reaches Laurie’s residence. Laurie gives her morphine and, although she empathizes with Rue’s pain, insinuates that she will force her to become a prostitute to pay her debts. After dreaming about her father, Rue escapes and runs away. Meanwhile, while Leslie is at home, someone opens the door.
* * *
LESLIE: I want you to know that I’m not angry with you.
RUE: Angry?
LESLIE: Yes, I’m not angry with you. I love you.
RUE: What are you talking about?
LESLIE: I know you’re doin’ drugs again.
RUE: What? Did Gia say something about this?! Really?! You’re gonna rat me out to f*ckin’ Mom over smokin’ a little bit of f*ckin’ weed?! Is that what the f*ck we’re doing now?
GIA: What’re you talking about?
I didn’t rat you out!
I knew I never should’ve f*ckin’ trusted you!
GIA: I didn’t say anything!
RUE: Then what is she talking about?!
LESLIE: Wait, wait, wait! We’re you doin’ drugs with Gia?
No!
GIA: What? I–
Rue, I didn’t say anything!
Then how the f*ck does she know?
What is she talking about?!
LESLIE: Gia, you knew this?
You knew she was doin’ drugs?
GIA: It’s not like that.
Okay, you know what? If you wanna f*ckin’ consider smoking some weed to help with my f*cking panic attacks doing drugs then, yeah, sure, whatever. I was doin’ f*ckin’ drugs.
Gimme a f*ckin’ break.
You knew?
(door slams)
Don’t slam my door!
GIA: Mom! Please tell her I didn’t say anything–
Can you guys chill the f*ck out? It’s just weed.
LESLIE: I’m not talkin’ about weed, Rue. I’m talkin’ about pills.
What?
LESLIE: I’m talking about opiates.
(yawns) I’m not doin’ opiates, Mom.
When did you start doing pills?
LESLIE: Gia!
RUE: I didn’t. I f*ckin’ didn’t!
I told you–
Gia–
I thought it wasn’t a good idea–
Gia, please! Let me handle this! Go to your room!
F*ck it.
Yeah, f*ck it!
RUE: If you wanna drug test me, let’s just do it.
I don’t want to drug test you.
Okay, so then, what? You just wanna f*ckin’ accuse me of shit?
I’m not accusing you, baby. Okay? But I know–
If you’re so f*ckin’ sure, let’s do it!
Come on, let’s go. Let’s f*ckin’ drug test me.
I don’t need to. Jules told me everything.
The f*ck did you do, Mom?
F*ck! What did you do, Mom?
Baby, please. Baby, please listen to me, okay?
F*ck. What did you do with the f*ckin’ suitcase?!
Please, it’s gonna be okay!
It’s gonna be okay!
What did you do with the f*ckin’ suitcase?!
Baby, it’s gonna be okay!
No, it’s not gonna be f*ckin’ okay! You don’t know–
F*ck! It wasn’t mine!
Then whose is it? Huh?!
F*ck! F*ck!
Okay, look, look.
We can go to the hospital, okay?
I’m not goin’ to a f*ckin’ hospital! If you call–
Mom, Mom–
Look, we can do the withdrawal thing again, baby. It’s okay.
Don’t call… the f*ckin’ hospital.
If you try to put me in a f*ckin’ hospital, I swear to God, we’re gonna have a problem.
Rue, no, you’re out of control.
Put the phone down.
Put the f*cking-Put the f*cking phone down!
Where did you put it? Where’d you put my pills, Mom?
Where did you put it?!
You’re in my way.
Get outta my way. I’m callin’ the police.
Mom!
No, you can’t. You can’t do that.
Yes!
You will not attack me in my own home–
I’ll do whatever the f*ck I want in your own home!
I raised you!
I did, okay?!
And you do not f*ckin’ scare me!
(heavy breathing)
You’re not a good person, Rue.
You smilin’?
Really? You’re proud of that?
You know what’s a shame, Mom?
My dad’s dead.
Kinda keeps you from admitting what a shit f*ckin’ mother you are.
(scoffs)
“Oh, poor Leslie.
“Her daughter’s an addict, but, you know, her dad did die.”
You hear that, Gia?!
You hear that?
I don’t wanna put too much pressure on you, but you’re probably gonna have to be a f*ckin’ neurosurgeon, or maybe an astronaut because if not, then Mom is 0 for f*ckin’ 2, and that means that it might, actually, just be her f*ckin’ fault.
GIA: Rue, stop!
Yeah, that means, maybe, she, actually, f*cked up!
Okay, that’s enough, Rue.
RUE: To be f*ckin’ honest.
That’s enough.
Don’t f*ckin’ touch me!
Don’t f*ckin’ touch me! You wanna hit me?
GIA: Shut the f*ck up!
Do it. Hit me!
You’re f*cking–
I know you want to. Get the f*ck off of me!
Don’t you f*ckin’ touch her!
(slaps)
Ow!
Get out! Get the f*ck outta here!
Get off of me!
Get your–
(kicking door)
RUE: Where are my f*ckin’ pills?!
What did you do?!
(Rue panting)
RUE: Where are they?!
(screams)
You wanna tell me what to do with my f*ckin’ life, huh?!
You wanna tell me to stop doin’ drugs?!
(banging door)
Huh, what the f*ck else am I supposed to do, huh?!
What do you want me to do?!
What do you want me to f*ckin’ do?!
(cries) Rue, please!
This is your f*ckin’ fault!
You don’t f*ckin’ recognize me? Well, neither do f*ckin’ I!
I don’t f*ckin’ recognize me either!
Where did you put it? (groans)
You wish I was different?! So do I!
You f*cking hate me?! So do I!
Where did you f*cking put them?!
F*ck! Where’d you put it? Where’s the f*ckin’ suitcase?
Where’s the f*ckin’ suitcase?
F*ck.
Where did you put it? F*ck.
(cries) Where did you put the f*ckin’ pills?
Where did you put the pills?!
(crying) Where did you put them, Mom?
(panting)
(panting, laughs)
(Rue crying)
You, you don’t understand, Mom. It’s not my suitcase.
(sobbing)
It’s not mine. This is bad. This is really, really bad.
(crying)
I want to get clean. I can’t do it. And I just-I don’t wanna be here anymore.
(sniffling)
I’m sor-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I, I just-I don’t know what to do. I’m, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Gia. I, I didn’t, I didn’t mean to.
(shuddering, sniffling)
I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, but I need you to tell me where they are. I need you to tell me where the pills are, Mom. I need you to tell me where the suitcase is.
(sniffling)
Tell me where they are, Mom! F*ck! Aah! Where did you f*cking put them?! I know they’re f*ckin’ in here, Mom! I know they’re in here! What did you do with them?! What did you do?! Where the f*ck are they? What did you do with them?
JULES: We flushed ’em down the toilet.
LESLIE: You look embarrassed, Rue. You embarrassed ’cause Jules just heard everything you said?
Don’t cry. Own that shit. Own what you just said.
F*ck you.
(chuckles)
(chuckles) Oh, okay.
(panting, chuckle)
I see what the f*ck is goin’ on here. Well, first thing’s first, Elliot here is a f*ckin’ addict… so if he tells you anything f*ckin’ different, he’s a liar and a f*cking snake. F*ck you!
He cares about you–
F*ckin’ bitch.
This doesn’t f*cking concern you, Jules.
Yes, it does–
No the f*ck it doesn’t!
Yes, it does.
How?!
‘Cause I don’t want you to kill yourself.
You’re a f*cking rat!
JULES: You were lying to me.
RUE: Yeah, so you go tell my f*ckin’ Mom?!
JULES: I didn’t know what else to do.
And why the f*ck would you say anything?
(scoffs)
You are f*ckin’ dead to me.
You don’t mean that.
I f*cking mean every f*cking word. You’re dead to me, Jules.
I don’t believe you.
You and me, we’re f*ckin’ done. There’s nothing f*ckin’ there anymore. Nothing… F*cking… There. You know, I have a lot of regrets… in my life. But I gotta tell you, Jules, meeting you, has got to be at the top of my f*ckin’ list. Oh, now you wanna f*ckin’ cry? Now you wanna f*ckin’ cry? Yeah, you’re a f*cking vampire. You just go around f*ckin’ sucking the f*cking spirit out of everyone! You like that shit… makes you feel good.
You know that’s not true.
RUE: It is f*ckin’ true. It’s all about f*ckin’ Jules, right? And you don’t know what the f*ck you’re doing. You just act all f*ckin’ innocent, like you’re this f*ckin’ sweet little angel, this innocent, sweet, little f*ckin’ angel who doesn’t know what the f*ck they’re doing. You know what the f*ck you’re doing!
JULES: I love you.
No the f*ck you don’t. You love being loved! You’re a f*ckin’ greedy whore who just likes sucking the life out of people. And it f*cking hurts, Jules!
I love you.
RUE: No, you don’t. Stop saying that! You don’t love me! You f*ckin’ left me… when I f*ckin’ needed you. You f*ckin’ left me… when I was at my f*ckin’ lo-(breathes heavily) You f*ckin’ left me at my f*cking lowest! And a real f*ckin’ friend, someone who f*ckin’ loves you, wouldn’t do some shit like that, Jules!
(wry chuckle)
I love you and I want to help you.
RUE: If you wanna help me, uh, you can honestly, you can just stay out of my f*ckin’ life… forever. (chuckles) That would be great because, honestly, looking at you makes me physically f*cking ill!
I’m sorry, baby.
JULES: Okay.
ELLIOT: I shouldn’t have said anything. I liked Rue the way she was. And this shit was never my place.
(Rue crying)
RUE: I feel like I’m going crazy, Mom. I feel like I’m going crazy.
Look… I wanna take you to the ER, okay?
Okay.
Okay. They can-No.
I’m sorry.
LESLIE: They can help you detox, okay?
RUE: Mom, I’m sorry for what I said.
I am. Please, forgive me.
LESLIE: I don’t care about that, Rue.
I’m sorry. I just miss Dad.
LESLIE: Me too, baby, me too.
I miss him a lot.
LESLIE: I know.
Me too.
(shuddering breaths)
(door opens)
Oh god.
(door closes)
LESLIE: Baby… listen. Can I take you to the hospital? Yeah?
Yeah.
You want shotgun?
(engine starts)
(somber music playing)
(engine rumbling)
(banging continues)
RUE: You wanna know the truth? (chuckles) I relapsed as soon as I got out of rehab.
(muffled conversation)
LESLIE: …thinkin’ about that right now, okay? Let’s just get you back into rehab.
RUE: Wait, what, what the f*ck you talking about, Mom? I thought you said we were going to the ER.
LESLIE: Yeah, baby, it’s the same thing.
RUE: No, it’s not the f*ckin’ same thing, Mom.
(muffled conversation)
(inaudible)
Five percent, okay? Those are my f*cking chances, one in 20.
LESLIE: All I know, if you set your mind to it, your chances are higher than five percent.
Yeah, well, everybody’s Mom f*ckin’ says that, okay? Even the ones who bury their kids.
(chuckles)
It’s funny ’cause… if you guys didn’t do this f*ckin’ intervention shit, I was about a month away from killing myself. I have this image in my head of me just, you know, layin’ in the sand, and… lettin’ the wave just kind of take me out to sea.
Ugh, f*ck. Mom, I can’t do this. I can’t, I can’t do this.
You guys need to let me out of this car.
I don’t care–
RUE: I don’t wanna f*ckin’ do this!
(cries)
LESLIE: It’s okay, baby, we’re almost there, okay?
RUE: It’s not f*ckin’ okay, Mom!
LESLIE: Just-Rue! Rue!
Can’t do this. I’m sorry, Mom, I can’t.
(cars honking)
I can’t do it.
LESLIE: Rue, get back in the car!
(screams) Rue!
Oh my gosh!
(cars honking)
(tires screeching)
I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
Mom, Mom, go get her!
(uneasy music playing)
Mom, go!
F*ck, f*ck! Stop, stop, stop, stop! Stop!
(tires screeching)
(screams) Rue!
♪ ♪
(softly) F*ck.
♪ ♪
(sirens wailing)
♪ Praise the Lord ♪
(Rue grunting)
Fez!
(rap music on car radio)
(knocking)
(dog barking)
(man shouting)
(Rue panting)
(dog barking)
(sirens wailing)
(winces)
Ah, f*ck.
Hey. Hey, are you okay?
Mm-hm. I think I just have, like, a cold or something.
Okay, well, don’t get me sick ’cause I have rehearsal.
I can’t, I can’t get you sick.
Okay, well, colds are contagious, so–
RUE: Yeah, I realize that, but it’s just–
It’s not that kind of thing.
Can I use your bathroom, please?
Hey, Rue!
Oh, hi.
Hey, oh. Oh, yeah.
Hey.
Oh my god.
(all greeting Rue)
Hey, Rue.
Oh, jeez. Are you feelin’ okay?
RUE: Yeah.
You look terrible.
RUE: Yeah–
I mean, really terrible.
Yeah, I think I just have, like, a cold or something.
Well, don’t get me sick. I have a compromised immune system. But otherwise, are you doin’ okay?
(yawns) Uh-huh.
How’s your mom? I was thinking about her the other day.
Yeah… she’s good.
And how’s your sister?
Yeah, good.
You staying clean?
Uh-huh.
Yeah? Bein’ a good girl?
Mm-hm.
How long have you been clean for?
Um, since the summertime.
Now, are you in AA, or are you in NA?
RUE: Um…
NA.
SUZE: NA.
RUE: Mm-hm.
SUZE: Okay, good to hear. That’s just terrific.
I–
SUZE: I’m not a big fan of AA. Honey, do you remember when your father… (laughing) sent me to AA that one time? I was just kickin’ and screamin’.
Just a bunch of hoity-toity assholes giving their advice whether you ask for it or not–
Suze, can I use your bathroom, please?
…nightmare. Absolutely.
Thank you so much.
Knock yourself out, sweetheart. It’s nice to see you. You look great.
She’s not doin’ good.
(toilet flushes)
F*ck.
(grunts)
(water running)
Oh…
(turns off water)
Ah, f*ck. It’ll never f*ckin’ end.
This can’t make you feel good, Rue. Livin’ like this. Lyin’ to the people you love, bein’ mean to the people you love. This can’t make you feel good about yourself.
RUE: I don’t care. Just f*ckin’ leave me alone, please.
I know you’re in pain.
RUE: You have no f*cking idea, Mom.
LESLIE: Let’s get back into the car, and let me take you to the hospital.
I can’t get clean. I can’t do that shit forever.
You don’t have to. Just… take it one day at a time.
Yeah.
Hey, Cass?
CASSIE: Yeah?
I have a quick question for you.
What?
How long have you been f*cking Nate Jacobs?
(nervous laughter)
Wh-what, what, what are you talking about?
RUE: How long have you been f*cking Nate?
CASSIE: I’m not. (laughs) What? I’m not.
What are you talking about?
Oh, I just-I, I saw her get his truck, and then, kiss him and drive off.
That was, like, what, like, uh…
Uh–
RUE: like a month ago?
Uh–
Are you kidding me?
Uhh.
Cass, that’s, like… really bad.
(Cassie crying)
You’re f*cking Nate? Are you kidding me?
No, I… I don’t even know why she would say that.
You’re lying!
Yeah, can we just table this conversation?
Okay, let’s go–
No, no. You expect me to stand here next to my best friend who’s been lying to me about f*cking my ex-boyfriend! I’m literally gonna get violent.
Okay, no. Let’s just–
SUZE: No, there is no need to get violent, okay, because we are having an intervention!
Stop it!
I’m beggin’ you.
Let’s just get into the car.
Mom… I can’t.
KAT: Let’s just talk–
MADDY: Oh, you’re crying?!
No-Maddy!
You’re f*cking crying, you f*cking bitch?!
Maddy, come on!
You’re the one who’s hurt?
You’re the most self-centered, idiotic person I have ever f*cking met!
Maddy.
You f*ck my ex, and you’re f*cking crying?!
Maddy, Maddy.
Are you f*cking kidding me?!
Let’s just do this later.
LESLIE: Look, I’m sorry.
I’m sorry, but I don’t give a shit who’s f*cking who, okay?
If you’re gonna keep talkin’ about it, get out of the room.
Yeah, absolutely. You’re being an animal…
Um, Cass?
Do you wanna go on a walk?
right now… to my girl.
I don’t even know why you’re believing her.
She’s a drug addict.
MADDY: How long have you been f*cking him?
Be honest.
Maddy, let’s just do it later.
Kat, shut the f*ck up! How long have you been f*cking him?!
Rue?
Listen, let’s just get into the car, okay?
When was this?
Right after New Year’s.
Oh!
You dumb f*cking bitch! I’m gonna f*ck you–
Don’t f*ckin’ run away from me, you stupid f*cking bitch!
Why are you guys… Come on!
(indistinct shouting)
I don’t–SUZE: Goddammit, I’m so sorry.
Rue?
(groans)
(coughs)
FEZCO: What’s up, kid?
Hey.
You look like shit.
Yeah, I f*ckin’ feel like shit.
I think I’m going through withdrawal and I, I need somethin’.
Can’t help you. I don’t have nothin’ here.
RUE: Ah f*ck, man.
You gotta have something. That’s bullshit.
Don’t know what to tell you.
I don’t keep nothin’ at the house no more.
F*ck, okay.
Not no more.
Well, can I, can I use your bathroom?
FEZCO: Go ahead!
Okay… Ah f*ck.
Where did you come from?
(door shuts)
(TV playing, indistinct)
Yo, you all right in there?
RUE: Don’t-I’m f*ckin’–
I’m shittin’ my brains out. Please, Fez, go away.
You want some Pepto Bismol or something?
RUE: No! No, f*ck.
Just go away.
All right, all right.
(TV continues)
(winces)
Yo, come on now, Rue.
Are you serious?
Fez, please.
No, no, no.
Please? Please, let me. Let me take them. Just–
Only three. She won’t even know that they’re gone.
She won’t miss them.
It’s the principle, Rue.
It’s just not right.
Please, just let-Just let me
keep ’em. Please?
It’s not right.
I’m in a lot of pain, Fez, please.
Give it to me, Rue.
Give it to me. Let go.
Please?
Please… F*ck.
You gotta leave the house.
Let go of me. Fez, let go!
You gotta leave the house, Rue.
Get off of me! Get your f*ckin’ hands off of me! Get the f*ck off me, you piece of shit!
Hell, nah!
Don’t f*ckin’–
Nah, come here!
Don’t f*ckin’ touch me! Get off!
Come here!
Nah, we not doin’ this shit today!
Get off! Fez! Fez! Get the f*ck off of me!
We not doin’ it today!
Get off of me!
Come on!
I’m sorry, I’m sorry!
Nah, you gotta get the f*ck out the house now!
I’m sorry! I’m–
FEZCO: No, it’s too late for that now–
RUE: You don’t have– You don’t have to take me out. You don’t have– You, you don’t ha– You don’t have to put me out! You don’t have to! Don’t f*ckin’ have to put me– You don’t have to put me out there!
FEZCO: No, no, no.
RUE: No. F*ck.
You gotta go.
F*ck!
(groaning)
(breathing heavily)
(dog barking)
(car honks)
MAN: Come on! Let’s go!
Every f*cking time!
(honks)
Stop f*ckin’ rushing me.
(discordant music)
♪ ♪
♪ Hey, do y’all know what’s up? ♪
♪ Hey, do y’all know what’s up? ♪
♪ Meet me, I’m rollin’ up ♪
♪ My dream… ♪
(door closes)
(groans)
F*ck.
(dog growls)
(growling continues)
(growling)
Hey, puppy.
(dog growls)
(barks)
RUE: Hey. Hi… Hi. Oh. Oh, oh, you’re… (chuckles) you’re cute. Oh, ow. Ah yeah.
(grunts)
(grunts) What’s your name? Harold. Okay, Harold-Ah! I’m just gonna… steal some shit.
(“Fever” by Sharon Cash playing)
♪ ♪
♪ Never know how much I love ya ♪
♪ Never know how much I care ♪
♪ When you put your arms around me ♪
One, two, three, four, five, six.
(beeping)
One, one, one, one, one.
(beeping)
(clicks)
(gasps)
♪ Fever in the morning ♪
♪ And fever all through the night ♪
♪ Bless my soul, I love ya ♪
♪ Take this heart away ♪
WIFE: I don’t wanna talk about it.
HUSBAND: Ugh.
You know, heaven forbid you miss one f*ckin’ party.
WIFE: It’s embarrassing.
Good night, Gabe.
HUSBAND: Mm-hm.
(sighs)
Gabe!
I think someone broke in! Get the gun!
(gasps)
Oh!
Oh, holy f*ck!
(“Fever” continues) ♪ Ow! ♪
♪ You gonna treat me right ♪
♪ You give me fever ♪
♪ You gonna treat me right ♪
♪ You give me fever ♪
♪ How are you gonna treat me right ♪
♪ You give me fever ♪
♪ Are you gonna treat me right ♪
Gia, can you pay attention? And help me find your sister?
(winces) Aw, f*ck.
Ah…
(dry heaves)
Ah f*ck.
OFFICER 1: Everything okay, Miss?
Totally.
Where you headed?
Home.
Officer 1: What?
(gags) Home.
What was that?
I said I’m headed–
(intense music playing)
OFFICER 1: Ah dammit!
OFFICER 2: Ah shit! We got a runner.
(sirens wailing)
(tires screeching)
♪ ♪
(growls)
Oh shit.
(barking)
Shit!
♪ ♪
ANNOUNCER: (on TV) We’ve seen stalemates from them in the past.
♪ ♪
(siren wailing)
(tires screeching)
‘Scuse me! ‘Scuse me! Oh, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
(siren wailing)
(tires screeching)
RUE: Please, God, don’t let me die.
(cars honking)
(tires screeching)
♪ ♪
DRIVER: Get out of the f*ckin’ road!
(horns honking, tires screeching)
Oh! Oh shit!
OFFICER 2: Vehicle in pursuit of a pedestrian. Requesting additional units.
(cars honking)
(sirens wailing)
(discordant music playing)
♪ ♪
(siren wailing)
OFFICER 1: There she is!
Hey, stop!
‘Scuse me! ‘Scuse me!
(party chatter, music)
Officer Get out of the way!
Move!
RUE: I’m so sorry!
OFFICER: Move! Get out of the way!
(music continues)
OFFICER 1: Hey, stop!
She’s going down the alley!
(officers shouting)
(grunting)
Oh f*ck!
(chickens clucking)
(officers grunting)
(discordant music)
♪ ♪
(person screams)
(grunts)
(chickens clucking)
♪ ♪
Where’d she go?
(dogs yapping)
(Rue panting)
♪ ♪
♪ Praise the Lord ♪
(yapping continues)
(dispatcher on radio)
OFFICER: All right, guys, let’s wrap it up.
(dispatch continues)
(car door closes)
F*ck. F*ck. (grunts) Ah, f*ck.
Ow. Ah…
(heaves)
Hi.
Ruby Bennett, I’m so happy to see you.
(soft rock playing on radio)
(bird squawks)
I, uh… I don’t have the money right now, but… I, uh… I brought this. This, this is, like, a thousand dollars worth of jewelry, and, uh, I have, um… $2,000 right here… um. That’s all I have right now. Rue, why didn’t you just pick up the phone and tell me that? You could’ve just said, “Laurie, I don’t have a dozen eggs, I’ve only got eight.”
I was just worried.
About what?
That you would be angry.
(microwave beeping)
You wanna know a funny thing about me? I don’t think I’ve ever gotten angry in my entire life.
Really?
LAURIE: Well, I don’t know if that’s true. Is that true? Yeah, no, that’s true. I’ve never gotten angry.
(bird squawks)
You did lie to me, though. You said you were sober.
I was.
Rue, you’re lying to me again. I know it might be hard to believe, but I was a college athlete. I was pretty tough, and then I got injured. And over the years, I had surgeries, and I had screws put in my shoulder. And then, eventually, I got put on oxycontin.
(bird caws)
I was a schoolteacher by that time, and I had a family. You should’ve seen us. We were, like, right out of a Sears catalog. I didn’t even know it was addictive until I ran out. And that’s when I learned I would do anything to avoid withdrawal ’cause it’s hell. You’re going through hell, aren’t you?
Yeah.
How much have you been doing?
Forty mil.
You know, I wish you had caught me earlier in the week ’cause I had a whole assortment of things that would’ve taken the pain away. Now, all I’ve got is morphine.
I can take morphine.
I only have the intravenous, and you don’t fix, do you?
No.
Then, unfortunately, I can’t help you. Listen, I appreciate you coming here with all this jewelry and stuff, but you’re gonna have to pay the whole thing in cash. This isn’t a pawn shop.
I know. I’m sorry.
So, when do you think you’re gonna come up with the rest of it?
Um… Soon… Really soon.
Rue, you don’t look like someone who’s gonna come up with money real soon. You know, a doctor once told me they did brain studies on people who’ve done a lot of opiates, and that over time, all the chemicals in your brain that make you happy and feel good start to decrease because your body’s getting it artificially. But the longer you use, it just starts to weaken and wither, kinda like a limb that’s not getting blood to it anymore. And then, it just sort of falls off, and you get something called cell death, where you just have these big dead spots in the parts of your brain that used to make you happy. No matter what you do, you can’t ever get it back. He said it’s basically the same brain as people who’ve had major strokes. But the silver lining is that the things that don’t feel good don’t feel as bad anymore.
(bird squawks)
You know, if I was going through withdrawal, I would do anything. It’s one of the good parts of being a woman. Even if you don’t have money, you’ve still got something people want.
(sighs)
I think I’m gonna be sick.
(Rue vomiting)
♪ ♪
(microwave beeps)
(vomiting continues)
(caws)
LAURIE: Oh, you poor kid. Let me help you get cleaned up.
(water running)
Okay, Rue, let’s get you undressed, so you can get into this bath here, okay?
RUE: Okay.
(Rue grunting)
RUE: Do you have any pills or anything?
LAURIE: I don’t have any pills, I’m so sorry.
RUE: Okay…
(Rue grunting)
RUE: Thank you. Thank you.
LAURIE: Okay, let me help you get in.
(water sloshing)
(Rue breathes heavily)
LAURIE: Okay.
RUE: I just, I just wanna die. I just wanna die.
LAURIE: I know. I’m so sorry.
RUE: I just wanna die.
I’ll take anything that you have.
LAURIE: Are you sure?
RUE: Yeah, yeah, I’m sure.
LAURIE: Okay.
(TV playing)
ACTOR: (on TV) He’s taken the pills. He’ll be all right.
RUE: (stammering) Are you sure that this is safe?
LAURIE: All pharmaceuticals are safe, Rue.
RUE: Okay, just-I’ve never done this before.
LAURIE: I know. It’s gonna be okay. Just give me your arm.
RUE: Okay.
LAURIE: Okay. Now, try to make a fist.
Okay.
(Rue breathes heavily)
(shuddering)
LAURIE: Okay, I’m gonna need you to be still, Rue.
(Rue winces)
Hold it steady, Rue.
RUE: I know. I’m trying. I’m sorry.
(winces) I’m sorry.
LAURIE: Hold it steady, Rue.
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
(Rue winces)
LAURIE: You know what’s funny, Rue? When I first saw you, I thought… this girl’s gonna be in my life for a long time.
(Rue’s breath steadies)
(muffled heartbeat)
Thank you.
(deep sigh)
♪ One day you will see ♪
♪ Believe me ♪
(young Rue laughing)
♪ Believe me ♪
(young Rue giggling)
I… I remember a couple of days before you… passed away… you told me… that if I ever wanted to be with you… all I would have to do is close my eyes… and we’d be together.
ROBERT: Oh, I think she’s moving. She’s moving.
YOUNG RUE: My sister.
ROBERT: That’s right! Your sister, yeah.
Hi, Gia.
Hi, Gia.
I’m with you when I’m six years old, and at the beach for the first time… jumping into the waves.
Can I have her?
ROBERT: Of course, you can have her. She’s your sister. She’ll always be your sister.
(kisses)
Okay, this is a hospital, okay? Don’t kiss the glass.
You said that… memories exist outside of time… and have no beginning or end. You said as long as I live… you’ll be with me forever. I miss you, Dad. I miss you till I close my eyes. (sniffling) That’s it. Thank you.
(bird talking)
(clattering outside)
BIRD: Hello.
(winces)
BIRD: Hello.
(groans softly)
(foreboding music playing)
(soft snoring)
(sighs)
(bird squawks)
(squawks)
(keys rattling)
(birds squawking loudly)
(foreboding music continues)
♪ ♪
(floorboards creaking)
(lock rattling)
(TV playing)
(chatter on TV continues)
(floorboard creaks)
(bird squawks)
(birds chirping)
(discordant music playing)
(door opens)
Rue?
(“It Never Rains in Southern California” by Albert Hammond playing)
♪ Will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it ♪
♪ Had offers but don’t know which one to take ♪
♪ Please don’t tell ’em how you found me ♪
♪ Don’t tell ’em how you found me ♪
♪ Gimme a break, give me a break ♪
♪ Seems it never rains in Southern California ♪
♪ Seems I’ve often heard that kind of talk before ♪
♪ It never rains in California ♪
♪ But, girl, don’t they warn ya ♪
♪ It pours ♪
♪ Man, it pours ♪
♪ ♪
