Quantum Mechanics

By
Derek Toombs

EXT. OBSERVABLE UNIVERSE - PRESENT DAY

Countless specks of light swirl in silence
POPS (V.O.)
Living in their tank, goldfish
probably believe their universe
only contains the water and
gravel...
EXT. LOCAL GROUP OF GALAXIES
Several galaxies dance slowly around each other
POPS (V.O.)
They spend their whole lives only
dimly aware that an alien universe
could exist beyond the glass...
EXT. THE MILKY WAY
Stars and worlds corkscrew to form our galaxy
POPS (V.O.)
The nature of our world would be
beyond their comprehension...
EXT. SOLAR SYSTEM
Eight colorful planets and Pluto circle the sun
POPS (V.O.)
I can sit inches from the goldfish
but be separated from them by a
chasm...
EXT. EARTH
Our blue rock is marbled by peaceful clouds
POPS (V.O.)
Two distinct universes but
separated by only the thinnest
barrier...

2.
EXT. NURSING HOME - DAY
An old woman is guided by a nurse along a walking path
snaking around a large white Victorian style home.
INT. NURSING HOME - DAY
POPS (87) sits in a highly modified wheelchair balanced on a
gyroscopic rings next to a dresser, atop which sits a large
fishbowl.
The gyro stays stationary as he turns the seat to face a
redheaded twig of a girl almost covered in freckles, this is
NANCY (21)
Nancy cocks her head a little.
NANCY
youre a little crooked.
She takes a knee next to the wheelchair and begins tinkering
with several dials on the gyro. The chair hums electrically
as she calibrates.
NANCY
(to herself)
Im taking this back to the drawing
board. Mark II wont have this
problem.
(to Pops)
Im listening
POPS
When you graduate youll be
breaking through one of those thin
barriers into a whole new universe.
Dont you think it would be smart
to start looking for a job there?
Content with her work, Nancy stands.
NANCY
Well Presentism is a theory that
the only things that are real are
whats happening right now. The
future may not really exist. I
think Ill wait and see.
POPS
Dont be fresh.
Nancy walks over and taps on the fishbowl. The fish dont
seem to notice.

3.
Pops opens a drawer, pulls out a large envelope and hands it
to Nancy
POPS
Well just in case there is no
future for me...
NANCY
Thats not funny Pops.
POPS
I want to give you your graduation
present early.
NANCY
Hold on to it.
POPS
You have a better sense of delayed
gratification than I do. I want you
to open it.
Nancy smiles and begins opening the envelope. It tears and
two large papers fall out.
One page is a star-chart with two stars circled. The other
is a certificate with her name on it
NANCY
No way.
POPS
Your own star.
She holds the chart in front of her, mesmerized.
POPS
And look, This one there. Thats
mine.
NANCY
Right next to each other?
POPS
(laughing)
Just a couple billion miles apart.
NANCY
Thats nothing. Were together.
POPS
I know now everybody goes to
college so it doesnt seem big to
you...

4.
He does a little spin in his gyroscopic chair, it whirs in
response.
POPS
And lord knows youre smart enough
to skip it. But Youre the first in
our family. Thats nothing to
sneeze at.
NANCY
This is too much.
POPS
Its not too much. It means the
world to me
INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY
Nancy writes furiously as a professor drones on.
The page is covered not with lecture notes, but with design
ideas and measurements for a particle collier.
She erases her latest formula angrily and drops her pencil.
She turns to the back of her notebook which is home to a new
design for Pops wheelchair.
One drawing even features a caricature of pops sitting in
the wheelchair with a word bubble over his head.
WORD BUBBLE
Days til graduation
RETURN TO SCENE
Suddenly she slams the book and
jaunts out the door.
The professor watches her duck out but continues to his
lecture.
INT. PHYSICS LAB - DAY
Nancy rushes in as other students are putting equipment
away.
She places her cellphone and a bracelet in a bin labeled NO
WATCHES, RINGS, OR DANGLY THINGS.
ADAM (20) a thin nerd with his eyes to a microscope waves a
hand.

5.

ADAM
Nance, you gotta tell us what
youre working on.
NANCY
who says Im working on anything?
Adam points to a white-board with a Lab sign up spreadsheet.
Nancy is signed up for seven blocks in a row.
NANCY
Homework.
ADAM
Sure. Well whatever it is Im sure
its gonna blow us away again. But
hey...
He lifts his head from the microscope to reveal he has no
eyebrows or eyelashes
ADAM
Just dont blow us away again, eh?
Nancy smiles sheepishly.
INT. PHYSICS LAB - LATER
Nancy adjusts a camera she has pointed at a tray between two
large metal coils atop a table. A monitor displays the
cameras image.
She unhappily sees that its pointed at the chair at the
opposite side of the table.
The door opens loudly and in walks DEAN MCQUEEN (53) a
sharply dressed woman with high cheekbones and no laugh
lines.
MCQUEEN
Miss Coleman.
NANCY
Yes? I mean, Yeah?
MCQUEEN
People have been trying to reach
you.
Nancy gets up from her work and approaches the Dean.

6.

NANCY
My phones in the bin
McQueen looks at the bin.
MCQUEEN
Very good. Well, bit of bad news
Im afraid.
She hands Nancy a memo on her stationary and heads toward
the door.
Nancy looks at the memo, drops everything and books it out
of the lab.
The monitor shows the coils pop with static electricity
EXT. PHYSICS LAB - NIGHT
Nancy grabs her bike from a bike rack. The bikes is highly
modified so that the frame grips the tires allowing them to
tilt and twist on an axis.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Nancy races down the sidewalk weaving in and out of
pedestrians in her way.
The design of the bike allows the tires to tilt wildly as
she makes sharp turns but keeps the frame of the bike
vertical.
EXT. NURSING HOME - DAY
Lightning strikes as Nancy arrives to the front steps on her
bicycle.
Nancy looks up at the sky. It is cloudless
She looks in the direction of the college campus in time to
see lightning streaking from the ground upwards.
NANCY
Shit.

7.

EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT

Students have stopped to stare in awe at the light show
emanating from the Physics Lab.
Adam shoves through a group of onlookers to get a better
look.
Small bolts of lightning are regularly shooting from the
roof
He shields his eyes, peers into the lab window and sees that
it is empty.
He quickly puts some space between him and the lab but his
eyes stay glued.
Silence.
The lightning completely stops and everything is still.
EXT. NURSING HOME - NIGHT
Nancy is frozen, watching.
Suddenly a beam of light and sparks blast into the sky from
the college. She drops the bike and watches.
The light stops and the sparks flurry away
A second later the rumble of the blast reaches her and
rattles the shutters of the nursing home.
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT
Everyone stands frozen. A perfect circle has been blasted
out of the Physics labs wall.
Adam throws up his hands and cheers.
EXT. NURSING HOME - NIGHT
Nancy snaps out of her trance and mounts the stairs.

8.
INT. NURSING HOME - NIGHT
Nancy runs into Pops room and slows as she enters.
The wheelchair sits empty next to the dresser where the
goldfish bowl and a suitcase sit.
Nancy walks up to the wheelchair and sees that the chart of
her and her grandfathers stars is resting on the seat.
She cries.
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - DAY
McQueen walks across campus with a purpose.
INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY
McQueen enters the classroom and looks at the student
seating.
The spot Nancy was in is empty.
EXT. GRAVEYARD - DAY
Wind blows leaves across the ground as Nancy stops her bike
at pops grave.
She sits down and props herself against the headstone.
As tears well up in her eyes she opens a locket hanging from
her neck. Inside each half are cutouts of her and Pops
stars.
NANCY
Just a couple billion miles apart.
She closes her eyes and cries.
The wind gusts and a light shimmers on her face, catching
her eye.
She opens her eyes and looks for the source of the light.
Its coming from the ground near her bike.
She gets up and walks closer. It appears to be a small shiny
rectangle spinning on one corner in the wind but not being
blown away.
She crouches down and picks it up. It is a business card
made from wafer-thin metal.

9.

BUSINESS CARD
THE QUANTUM MECHANICS
"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." Carl Sagan
RETURN TO SCENE
Nancy turns it over to reveal an address.
EXT. GRAVEYARD - DAY
As Nancy rides her bike out of the graveyard she tosses the
business card in a trashcan.
INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY
Nancy scoots past students to get to her seat.
NANCY
Excuse me.
Everyone she passes stares at her.
She sits and opens her notebook.
It opens on the page with the drawing of pops
WORD BUBBLE
Days til graduation
RETURN TO SCENE
The teacher places a piece of paper atop the page. It is
McQueens stationary.
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - DAY
Nancy rides her bike across the grass of the campus common
area as fast as she can.
She brakes and watches as a Econo-van drives across the
grass in front of her.
She watches it until it arrives at a building with an
enormous hole burned into its side. Translucent plastic has
been hung to cover the hole but cleanup activity can barely
be seen inside.

10.
People in hazmat suits hop out of the van and enter the
building through a flap in the plastic.
EXT. ADMIN BUILDING - DAY
Nancy pedals towards the base of steps leading to the
administration building.
As she nears she realizes that there is a crowd of students
gathered at the entrance. They are making a ton of noise,
some hold signs. A LOUDMOUTH STUDENT (20) starts a chant.
LOUDMOUTH STUDENT
(yelling)
what do we want? Nancy to graduate!
When do we want it?
(softer)
When is graduation?
She swings a leg over to stand on one pedal riding momentum
until she slows, the bike tilts to accommodate her keeping
the tires upright.
She lets the bike lay where it falls and ascends the stairs.
A hush falls over the crowd when they see her. She gives a
sly smile and a little salute.
NANCY
Hey.
Thats all it takes. The crowd erupts in cheers.
One girl holds up her colored sign which reads NO MEANNESS
TO THE GENIUS!
INT. ADMIN BUILDING - DAY
Nancy steps into the empty foyer.
Outside students continue to cheer.
STUDENT
Give em hell Nancy.
The door shuts behind her and the crowd is silenced.
Portraits of past deans glare at her from their frames on
the wall.
At the opposite end of the foyer a pencil-skirted
ADMINISTRATRESS appears from a door.

11.
ADMINISTRATRESS
Were ready Miss Coleman.
She goes back in letting the door shut in front of Nancy.
INT. ADMIN BUILDING - LATER
Nancy walks down the aisle of an empty lecture hall. All of
the lights are off save for those on the stage above a table
seating three administrators.
Between sits them Dean McQueen
Nancy takes a seat in the front row.
MCQUEEN
You understand why you are here
Coleman, correct?
Nancy sits up.
NANCY
Yeah.
MCQUEEN
The administrators have, no doubt
prepared a diatribe outlining the
costs associated with repairing and
replacing the university property
you have destroyed.
Nancy does not break eye contact.
MCQUEEN ()
Or on how much worse the effects of
your experiment could have been
since you were at no point in
control of the yields of your
device.
NANCY
I was too. I just-McQueen holds up a hand.
MCQUEEN
The administration wants to make
sure that the lesson sticks. But
based on your attendance record,
you dont care much for lessons so
Ill make this quick. You will not
graduate.

12.

NANCY
What? You if it had worked, and
everyone was talking about the
student at Marbury University who-MCQUEEN
(interrupting)
It didnt work Miss Coleman. You
will not set foot in my university
again.
NANCY
What? Thats not fair.
MCQUEEN
And any organization, academic or
otherwise, that accepts you after
this, frankly deserves you.
EXT. ADMIN BUILDING - DAY
Nancy walks slowly out the door and into the crowd who
rushes her to find out how it went.
Nancy ignores them and stares at the ground. Silence spreads
through the crowd.
The students scatter like a wake Nancy leaves behind as she
walks through them.
She leans down to pick up her bike and walks it across the
grass.
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - DAY
Nancy gets on her bike and begins to pedal.
A buzzing sound coming from her back tire stops her and she
looks down to investigate.
There is a card clamped to the frame that is running along
the spokes.
She brakes and removes the card and clamp.
Its the metal business card again.
BUSINESS CARD
THE QUANTUM MECHANICS

13.

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." Carl Sagan

RETURN TO SCENE
She turns it over and reads the address.
She looks back at the admin building. The crowd has already
moved on.
She clamps the card to the handlebar and begins pedaling.
EXT. OFFICE SPACE - DAY
Nancy stops an an old parking lot, grass shoots up from
cracks in the pavement.
She checks the address on the card.
The address matches a suite in a small, run down, office
complex.
Signs advertise Space Available on every door except the one
at the address on the card. Birds fly out of one offices
broken window.
There are lights on inside the office she is looking for.
she takes a breath and opens the door.
INT. OFFICE - DAY
Nancy enters, she blinks to adjust her eyes after leaving
the sunshine.
Sitting at a desk facing the door is a thin old woman with a
messy bun of silver hair. Her name plate says she is CELESTE
(60s)
She intently wraps yarn around the pegs of a circular loom,
apparently a quarter of the way through a striped scarf. She
counts each knot.
CELESTE
(to herself)
Seven, eight, nine...
NANCY
Excuse me.

14.
CELESTE
(louder)
Ten, eleven, and... twelve.
She looks up at Nancy over horn-rimmed glasses.
NANCY
Someone left me this card. Twice
Celeste leans forward and takes off her glasses only to
switch them out with another pair from atop her head.
CELESTE
Lets see it then.
Nancy holds it out to hand it to her but Celeste leans in
towards her hand so her nose is practically touching the
card.
CELESTE ()
Havent seen one of these in a
while.
She sits back down, switches her glasses back and begins
threading a new color onto the loom
CELESTE ()
You have good hands. Really strong.
Mine are getting so rickety.
Nancy looks over Celeste like she has two heads
NANCY
Nice of you to say. So do you know
why I got this card? Is this the...
she looks at the card
NANCY ()
Quantum Mechanics?
CELESTE
No they outgrew this office.
NANCY
Do you have a number for them?
CELESTE
They didnt leave any information.
And if they did I forgot it on
account of being so old.
Nancy sighs. Shes met her weirdness threshold.

15.

NANCY
Thanks anyway.
CELESTE
Go ahead and use that door there.
Nancy looks back at the only door in the tiny office.
NANCY
(well masked sarcasm)
This one? Here?
Celeste is back to counting her knots. Nancy shakes her head
and walks out the door
INT. HANGAR - DAY
And into a cavernous metal hangar.
She jumps, falling back against the door and sliding down to
the floor.
Huge lights line the ceiling but cannot reach every corner
of the enormous structure.
Dividers are scattered about, breaking the hangar up into
sections, Nancy cant get any indication of that this place
is.
On one far corner the blinding flash of a welding torch
flickers and crackles.
Peeking above another section is the tail of a powder-blue
airplane.
For the first time she notices an office with glass walls in
the open area closest to her.
An overworked looking man we will come to know as HOWE (50s)
sits at a desk reading paperwork with his head in his hands.
Next to the office is a lounge with two mismatched couches
and a coffee table.
A young araban man in blue coveralls tied around his waist
and matching keffiyeh on his head is sprawled out on the
couch eating a banana, this is Fawzi (30).
He and Nancy notice each other at the same time. He cups his
hands and yells over the welding towards the office.

16.

FAWZI
Hey, Howe!
Howe doesnt hear.
FAWZI
Howe theres a visitor on the
grounds... and on the ground.
Still no reaction from Howe
Fawzi breaks off a chunk of his banana and throws it at the
office. It thuds and sticks to the glass
Howe looks up and the banana chunk. He deliberately stands
and walks out his door.
HOWE
Fawz, it has come to my attention
that you threw a chunk of banana at
my glass. So I ask you, what in the
hell?
FAWZI
Check it out.
Fawzi points at Nancy.
HOWE
Oh. This does nothing to explain
why you would throw your banana but
thank you.
FAWZI
No problem.
Fawzi finishes the banana in one bite as he walks toward
another section of the hangar.
Howe approaches Nancy to help her up.
HOWE
I apologize. I usually send one of
my guys to the front desk but we
werent sure you were coming.
NANCY
Where is this?
HOWE
Nope.

17.
NANCY
What?
HOWE
Where is a mild question. Whats
the big one?
NANCY
How?
HOWE
Yes maam?
Nancy looks at him strangely.
NANCY
(impatient)
How.
HOWE
Sorry. Howe is my name so I thought
you were-- Oh Christ, where are my
manners? My name is Howe.
He wobbles Nancys arm in a firm handshake
NANCY
Nancy.
HOWE
Follow me to my office, lots to
explain.
He gestures to his office
INT. HOWES OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
Howe offers Nancy a chair and walks around his desk.
HOWE
Im not typically one to cut to the
chase as you can see by the fact
that that is how I chose to start
this sentence. But to cut to the
chase, I would like to offer you a
Job. In the applied Physics
industry.
NANCY
Offer me a job? You must not do
background checks. I blew up my
school two weeks ago with a mini
Proton Synchrotron.

18.

He shoves some papers aside and lifts heavy a box onto the
desk. He gestures for Nancy to look inside.
HOWE
I dont think youre aware of how
close it was to working.
Nancy peers into the box. Inside are the charred remains of
her experimental device.
NANCY
How did you get this
HOWE
If I may, what was the point of
this. Building this thing. Throwing
the switch. Gimme the why.
NANCY
Well. If you can get a particle
moving close to the speed of light
you can theoretically-How sighs
NANCY
What?
HOWE
So that was the end game? Observe a
quark or something.
NANCY
So, you understand this stuff.
observing is the goal.
HOWE
What I dont understand is how so
many get so stuck up on theory.
NANCY
Its theoretical physics.
HOWE
Fair enough. But wouldnt you like
to see what it could actually do?
NANCY
I dunno. What do you even do with
something like this.

19.
HOWE
You dont know how hard I was
trying to guide the conversation to
that question.
INT. HANGAR - LATER
Howe guides Nancy to a section of the hangar where Fawzi is
tinkering with what looks like a huge fire extinguisher with
straps that allow it to be worn on the back.
Fawzi blares arabic music on a boombox while he works, he
turns it down as Howe and Nancy approach
HOWE
(to Nancy)
You met Fawzi.
NANCY
Briefly.
Fawzi offers Nancy a handshake with his oily hand. Nancy
doesnt hesitate
HOWE
Is this thing safe for a
demonstration?
FAWZI
Sure
HOWE
Safe by Mechanics standards? Not
yours, you maniac.
FAWZI
We will all survive this
demonstration. Thats the Fawzi
guarantee.
Fawzi attaches a braided metal hose terminating in a nozzle
to the tank and shoulders it.
Howe gestures for Nancy to give him some space.
Fawzi lifts the nozzle and pulls a lever releasing clouds of
gas colored bright pinks that fade into purples and blues.
He takes a few steps back, sweeping the nozzle as if
painting the air with the beautiful colored clouds.
He shuts it off and admires the thick gas hanging still in
the air.

20.
Nancy cant help but step closer and walk around them
NANCY
Thats amazing. What is this?
She sweeps a hand at the edge of a cloud, it smears like
frosting on a cake but does not blow away.
FAWZI
My secret recipe. Dust, hydrogen,
helium and a couple other ionized
gases.
HOWE
Its a nebula.
NANCY
A nebula? Like out in space?
Fawzi lifts a heavy metal can from his work bench. He
pours its contents into his hand, it appears to be a dense
sand.
He winds up and throws the particles in a wide arc into the
nebula.
The sand gets suspended throughout the gas and clump
together into dozens of specks that begin to glow.
After a moment they shine brightly.
NANCY ()
No way, are those-HOWE
Stars? Yeah
Nancy, mesmerized, walks into the cloud to looks around
FAWZI
Careful theyre hot
Nancy turns in a slow circle. Inside, all other surroundings
are blocked out by the shining stars and colorful clouds.
She is in science-nerd heaven
Slowly the stars burn up the gas and fade out.
She turns and sees that, in addition to Howe and Fawzi,
there are three new people standing in the doorway.
Howe gestures to an Arabic woman with jet-black hair and
grease on her cheeks to match. This is HALA (30)

21.

HOWE
Id like to introduce you to Hala.
FAWZI
My evil twin sister.
Hala offers Nancy a handshake.
HALA
Weapons specialist.
HOWE
Not an official title. Hala is our
machinist. She made the nozzle on
that nebulizer you just saw.
Coury (40) tall, bearded black man with slightly offset eyes
offers a handshake, He dwarfs Nancy.
COURY
My names Coury. Hey, was Celeste
working on a scarf when you come
through?
NANCY
Uh, yeah.
A broad smile breaks out on his face.
COURY
Its for me. What color was it?
Suddenly he slaps his hands over his ears and walks back to
the doorway.
COURY
neermind. Ill keep it a surprise.
Frank (48) a surprisingly well built man for his age stays
where he is and offers a wave.
FRANK
So this is the beauty school
dropout.
HOWE
Knock it off Frank. None of these
kids even know what thats from.
FRANK
Im just bustin her balls.

22.
HOWE
(to Nancy)
Frank came to us from the Army
Corps of engineers. Hes completely
institutionalized. And half an
asshole.
He slaps Frank on the back.
HOWE
So thats us.
NANCY
Who are you guys?
HOWE
Were The Quantum Mechanics.
NANCY
Seriously?
INT. HANGAR - DAY
Howe and Nancy walk down the center of the hangar, all
sections branch off from this path.
HOWE
The universe. Its like a house
tailor built for the beings who
live in it.
NANCY
You mean besides Earth?
HOWE
Oh yeah. There is life on every
plane of existence.
NANCY
Show me.
HOWE
Theres only one being in the
multiverse who has the ability to
visit. You can talk to them though.
Howe points through the entrance of one section up at a
thick tangle of cables and wires coming from the roof.
The cables connect to each other and terminate until at the
bottom only one cable reaches the ground and plugs into an
old beige office phone.

23.
NANCY
No way.
Howe resumes walking.
HOWE
Where was I?
NANCY
Reality is an old house.
HOWE
It sounds cheesy now that i hear it
repeated back to me but Ive
committed. Yes, a 13 billion year
old house.
They pass another section where Coury and Frank, wearing
aprons and goggles, they very carefully carrying a large
glass globe.
Inside a tiny artificial galaxy swirls inside.
HOWE
Its a big responsibility taking
care of a place like that.
The globe slips from their hands and shatters. The galaxy
dissipates and fizzles away.
FRANK
Great going Coury.
COURY
Id love to hear how that wasnt on
you just now.
Howe and Nancy continue past the entrance.
HOWE
She requires some serious
mantenance if you want her to last
you 13 billion more.
They pass another dorway in which Fawzi rests his feet up on
his work bench and enjoys a banana while Hala manipulates
smart-fluid into different shapes with a remote control.
How and Nancy keep walking.
They arrive at the last and largest section of the hangar.
A huge blue seaplane sits sparking with a QM logo emblazoned
on its side.

24.

Howe guides Nancy onto a small platform and stands next to

her.
HOWE
This is my favorite toy.
NANCY.
What does it do?
HOWE
Point to any spot you want to
teleport to.
NANCY
a teleporter no way. Ok, uh there.
She points to the far corner of the hangar.
HOWE
No, on here.
How gestures to large rolling easel with a chart of the
Milky Way Galaxy pinned to it.
Nancy looks at Howe incredulously.
HOWE
Go ahead.
nancy looks at the chart for a moment and points to a spot.
NANCY
There.
Howe claps his hands
EXT. STAR CLUSTER
Instantaneously they arrive in space. Floating on the
platform near a cluster of stars. One shines particularly
bright.
The glow of a force field emmanates from the platform.
NANCY
I cant believe this
A tear forms in her eye and she looks away.
HOWE
Is this yours, or your
grandfathers?

25.

Nancy whipes her eye.

NANCY
Its his. How did you know about
that?
HOWE
he picked a good one. Im not just
saying that Ive seen some stars
that were dumps. Terrible location,
noisy area.
Nancy laughs.
NANCY
How did you know about that?
HOWE
We do background checks after all.
We think youll be a great
mechanic.
Nancy looks out at Pops star, feels its warmth.
NANCY
Thats just theory.
She turns to Howe.
NANCY
I want to see what I can actually
do.
Howes pride overcomes him and he beams.
He produces a ring made of polished stone and places in in
her palm.
The inspects it and marvels at the irridescent blue gem on
top. Beneath its opaque surface is a QM symbol.
HOWE
Welcome to the team.
Nancy puts the ring on, the stars reflect, shining, from the
stone.