passengers-jon-spaihts

27.Jim drops his hand, restoring the illusion. Closes his eyesin an agony of loneliness.GRAND CONCOURSE - SHOPPING DISTRICT - NIGHTJim walks past the upscale shops, blind to their displays.He comes to a PHOTO BOOTH. The promotional pictures on theside catch his attention: people clowning, smiling, kissing.He pulls back the curtain, sits in the booth. The curtainfalls. The strobe flashes.A photostrip drops into the tray outside the machine: fouridentical shots of Jim staring into the lens without emotion.ELITE DECK - ELITE PROMENADE - DAYJim walks numbly along, ignoring the stellar view. He munchespotato chips out of a bag.A SWEEPER ROBOT follows him like a dog, collecting crumbs.Jim feeds it chips. One for Jim, one for the robot.FORWARD OBSERVATION DECKJim enters, still munching chips. The sweeper robot follows.Jim stands at the windows. Stares out into the dark. Sighs aterrible sigh.Suddenly he’s wracked by sobs. Tears welling up. He leans hisforehead against the glass. Moaning.After a moment he sits down blindly.The whole room begins to slide past him.Confused, Jim looks around. He’s accidentally sat down on thesweeper robot: it carries him across the room.TRAVELING SHOTThe robot carries Jim up and down the Celestial Promenade.Down an elevator.Past the Concourse Bar. Jim waves. Arthur waves back,speechless.DECK ONEThe robot heads into a low hatch. Jim ducks to fit through.