Season 1, Episode 12
The Last Good Days
Content Warnings:
-Accidental misgendering
-Parental death
-Cancer
-Implication of potential murder of a parent[Several old videos. The first is from winter of 2014, in the Frankenstein house]
HENRY
[Whispering]
He’s definitely in there?
ELLIOT
[Whispering as well]
Yeah, he got home an hour ago.
[They throw the bedroom door open]
HENRY
Mothers and fuckers, bastards of all ages!
ELLIOT
Clerval and Lavenza present,
HENRY
Ingleside University’s brand new problem!
VICTOR
[Laughs]
Who told you guys?
ELLIOT
Evelynn.
VICTOR
Ah.
HENRY
Figured you’d be celebrating. Living large, getting wasted.
VICTOR
[Sarcastic, but with a smile]
Yeah, I’m a regular party animal. What am I thinking? [Beat.] Are you recording?
HENRY
I prefer the term “documenting”.
ELLIOT
No, but seriously. Congratulations, you deserve this. Ingleside’s gonna be perfect for you.
HENRY
Just try not to have a complete breakdown being so far away from us.
VICTOR
No promises.
HENRY
I know it’ll be torture not to see this face every day.
VICTOR
However will I survive?
HENRY
[Comically dramatic]
I trust that you’ll have the strength to endure. I can only hope that I’ll be able to say the same for us.
ELLIOT
It’ll be weird without you here.
VICTOR
I mean, I’ll text. For you, I might even call.
ELLIOT
Wow, willing to make a phonecall. We should date or something.
VICTOR
Maybe we should.
HENRY
Hey lovebirds? Remember me? I still exist.
ELLIOT
[Laughs]
Who’re you again?
VICTOR
Seriously though, guys. I won’t be leaving until August. You’re stuck with me for a little longer.
EVELYNN
[From down the hall, clearly joking]
Unfortunately.
VICTOR
Fight me, Evelynn!
EVELYNN
I will! I’ll kick your ass!
ELLIOT
[Laughs]
She’s right, you know.
VICTOR
Yeah, I know.
HENRY
C’mon. We’re goin’ out.
VICTOR
Are we now?
ELLIOT
Yep!
VICTOR
And do I get a say in this?
ELLIOT AND HENRY
[In synch]
Nope!
VICTOR
...Y’know, I’m not sure if that was more horrifying or impressive.
HENRY
Whichever gets you off your ass and over to the diner on Blackwood Avenue.
--
[The next recording. Some months later. Evelynn’s bedroom, early evening]
VICTOR
...You really don’t own anything that’s not black, do you?
EVELYNN
It’s a choice. Hmm. Which earrings do you like better?
VICTOR
They’re both good.
EVELYNN
You’re. Not. Helping.
VICTOR
Why are we doing this, anyway? You never ask me for fashion advice, and for good reason. 99% of my wardrobe is collared shirts and sweaters. Also, why the camera?
EVELYNN
So I can go back and watch it next time to get ideas. Tights or knee-high socks?
VICTOR
What’s up with you? You’re putting way too much thought into this, it’s not like it’s-- [Suddenly getting it] Oh!
EVELYNN
No.
VICTOR
Oh, I see what’s going on here.
EVELYNN
No you don’t, shut up.
VICTOR
This is a date, isn’t it?
EVELYNN
What, are you gonna play protective big sister now? Who cares?
VICTOR
Uh, I do, because that changes everything. Where’s that choker with the cameo Old Man Dan got you for your birthday last year?
EVELYNN
Right here.
VICTOR
Now… these socks. They go just above the knee, right?
EVELYNN
Right.
VICTOR
Good. Shoes I’d say the cargo boots, contrast the dress. Hair’s good. I suggest a lighter lipstick than normal so if you two kiss you won’t have to worry about it being super visible on him--
EVELYNN
[Softly]
Her.
VICTOR
Hmm?
EVELYNN
Her! I…. She’s... a girl.
VICTOR
Well in that case, so you won’t have to worry about it being super visible on her. But honestly, if you have a darker one that doesn’t come off easily, knock yourself out.
EVELYNN
You took that very well.
VICTOR
Yeah, of course. I’m not a bigot or a hypocrite, so--
EVELYNN
Wait, what do you mean? I thought you don’t do girls.
VICTOR
Well, I don’t, I’m…. [Sighs] Well, since we’re coming out, you might as well know. Just… Just don’t tell mom and dad yet, got it?
EVELYNN
Lips are sealed.
VICTOR
I’m... turning this off first.
--
[The next recording. A few weeks later. Outdoors, night]
ELLIOT
There! See it?
HENRY
Yeah, hate to break it to you, but I’m pretty sure that’s a plane, dude.
ELLIOT
But do you know that it’s a plane?
VICTOR
He’s got a point, you know.
ELLIOT
We don’t know for sure what it is, so by definition, that makes it an unidentified flying object.
HENRY
Shit dude, you’re right.
ELLIOT
[He gives a small, sad laugh]
...I’m gonna miss this, you know.
VICTOR
Elliot….
ELLIOT
No. You’re going to Maine, Henry, you’ll probably be busy with your school stuff, too. We haven’t got much longer for nights like this.
VICTOR
Elliot, it may be different, but who says everything’s just gonna stop? It’s not like I won’t visit. Plus, I’m not sure you’d let us get out of these investigations even if we wanted to.
HENRY
And you’ll still be able to wake me up at all hours.
ELLIOT
[He laughs again, this time more honestly]
I’m holding you to that.
CAROLINE
And what are you three doing?
ELLIOT
Our... best?
CAROLINE
It’s two in the morning, I think it’s time to pack it in.
VICTOR
[Sarcastic]
But moooooooom.
CAROLINE
[Laughs]
Inside. Are you staying the night, Henry?
HENRY
Might as well.
VICTOR
Gross.
HENRY
Excuse me, I am a delight.
VICTOR
[Laughs]
We’ll be in in a bit.
[A pause as Caroline goes back inside]
HENRY
You tell her yet?
VICTOR
No.
ELLIOT
You know she’ll be fine with it.
VICTOR
It’s a big thing, you should have seen me freaking out about how I was gonna tell you guys.
ELLIOT
I get it. And if you ever want someone there to back you up, you know where to find us.
HENRY
Even though you haven’t told us your new name yet.
VICTOR
I wanna finalize it before I make any announcements. I’m bouncing between two right now. One’s gonna end up as the middle name, I’m just not sure which.
ELLIOT
Well I’m sure they’re both wonderful.
--
[The next recording. The Clerval house. Day. Henry and Elliot are making drumroll sounds on the table]
VICTOR
[Laughing]
Guys, stop.
HENRY
No way. This is a big moment!
ELLIOT
The true identity of the firstborn Frankenstein son.
HENRY
A mystery seventeen years in the making!
EVELYNN
Which for some reason has to be revealed at Henry’s house.
VICTOR
Look, I’m just not ready to drop the bomb on mom and dad yet. They’ve got enough going on. Once mom feels a little better, then we’ll worry about that.
[There are a few seconds of silence. Everyone is thinking the same thing, but no one wants to say it]
Right. Who’d like to do the honors?
ELLIOT
Boyfriend Privilege!
[The sound of paper as he grabs it out of Victor’s hand]
HENRY
Dammit, always blocked by the Boyfriend Privilege.
ELLIOT
[Clears his throat, speaking dramatically]
Ladies and gentlemen,
EVELYNN
[Laughing]
You guys are dorks.
ELLIOT
I hereby announce the true name of this man, dearest friend, partner, and brother--
HENRY
Dude, if you don’t spit it out, I’m gonna lose it.
ELLIOT
A secret so well-kept that no one dare to so much as whisper--
VICTOR
I am literally begging you to just get it over with.
ELLIOT
The name being…. [Dramatic pause] Victor Percival Frankenstein.
[Beat.]
HENRY
...Percival?
VICTOR
What?
HENRY
[Laughs]
That is the most pretentious thing I’ve ever heard, and I love it.
ELLIOT
It really does suit you.
VICTOR
Figured we’ve already got William Jonas and Evelynn Renata. Might as well keep up the tradition of old fashioned names.
EVELYNN
It’s fitting. I like it.
HENRY
That is one sexy name if I’ve ever heard one. Even if it is an old man name.
VICTOR
[Laughing]
You’re a jerk.
--
[The next recording. June 30, 2014. Outdoors. Day.]
HENRY
I just don’t see why you didn’t tell me.
VICTOR
You didn’t ask!
HENRY
$40 a person, and all you do is walk through a hundred exhibits about how the thing was built, then you stand outside in the wind, where it’s so crowded you can barely move.
VICTOR
Hey, you’re the one who said that you wanted to go to the top of the Empire State Building. I wasn’t going to crush your dream.
HENRY
Man, are you recording me?
VICTOR
Yes! I wanna remember this look of absolute misery on your face.
HENRY
Oh, you want misery? Wanna hear how it got worse? We’re in Central Park, and I see this girl, right? Gorgeous, I mean it. Anne, she said her name was. And we get to talking, and I invite her to the Empire State Building, too. I have this whole plan. I’m gonna test the waters, see if she’s interested, and who knows? Nothing creepy obviously, but a guy can hope to score a date. So we get up there, and before I can say anything, she kisses me.
VICTOR
Shut up!
HENRY
Seriously! I think, well this is going perfectly! And you know what she says to me?
VICTOR
Tell me.
HENRY
She says, “I really want to see you again, Harry.”
[Victor begins laughing harder than we’ve ever heard]
I swear to God.
VICTOR
Hello, this is my best friend, Harry Clerval.
HENRY
I nearly died, Victor.
VICTOR
I’m nearly dying right now, oh my God.
HENRY
That’s it! I’m never trying to pick someone up ever again!
VICTOR
You don’t mean that.
HENRY
I do! If anything’s gonna happen, I’ll let it happen naturally. Not all of us can have our fuckin’ soulmate live right across the hall. Some of us have to work for it.
EVELYNN
Victor?
VICTOR
[His tone changing immediately. Something is wrong]
What? What is it?
EVELYNN
We need to go, it’s…. [A breath] It’s mom.
--
[Present day. The Frankenstein house. Night]
VICTOR
...There’s… nothing really noteworthy in any of these. If there were, I’m sure I would have picked up on it a long time ago. It’s not exactly the first time I’ve gone through them. There’s nothing to suggest that there was anything else going on behind the scenes. Not that I’d really know what to look for even if there were.
...I keep thinking about the woman. What she said. That hers was the last voice mom heard before she died. What does that mean, what if….
VICTOR (Cont.)
...Cancer works quickly, especially if you catch it late. That’d be… very convenient for something trying to get rid of someone who was looking into things they shouldn't know about. And if mom got on the wrong side of this… thing that can kill with a glance….
VICTOR (Cont.)
...When she died, it… it didn’t feel right. I’d always seen my mother as invincible, like every little kid does. I was so convinced that she would be okay. Because she had to be. Mom could beat her cancer, because she could beat anything. I believed that, even at that age. Then she was gone. And it still didn’t sit right with me. I always felt like something about it was wrong. A-- And now, even with what little information I have… I think I might have been onto something.