MAX (whispers tenderly to her)
And there are those for whom I worry about assuming a new role. Those who are truly deserving, the believers.
Tears suddenly well up in Lara's eyes, tracing wet paths down her cheeks and onto her chin. Max descends the ladder into the room, allowing her to immerse herself in the sea of her thoughts. Lara remains alone on the roof, attempting to gather the shattered pieces.
INT. NIGHT. INSIDE THE TROLLEY
The bald young priest wanders around the brightly lit room, surveying the contents of the various drawers with his eyes. His gaze lingers on the portrait of the woman on the easel. He turns his attention to the small table, where Professor Shain's picture rests. The mustachioed, bearded man's eyes (whom she worships each night). He takes the picture in his hands and brings it closer to his eyes. The image is marked by a crack that stretches across, intersecting the professor's face. In an abrupt moment of recollection, he turns his gaze towards the empty, dark expanse of sky visible through the car's overhead opening.
MAX
Lara?
A faint rustling sound emanates from above.
LARA (from above, exhausted)
Yes, I want to live.
Max gazes contemplatively at Professor Shain's picture, his face adorned with a cynical expression, as though he's scheming to take some action concerning her. However, he delicately returns the picture to its original position and ascends the ladder to join Lara.
EXT. IN THE FADING LIGHT OF THE LAST SUNSET. ON THE ROOF OF THE TROLLEY
Max stands on the trolley’s rooftop while Lara, wearing an orange jumpsuit, kneels before him in a submissive posture. The lid of the roof is open. Completely at peace, Lara is aware that the expected cycle of her life, set to conclude, has suddenly elongated. Everything seems to be happening rapidly for her. The sky-blue panorama from a higher vantage point assumes a grayish and purplish hue under the illuminating sunset, while underneath, thick white clouds drift, gradually veiling the Earth's surface. In different places, you can see flashes of lightning cutting through the vast ocean of white desert. Max tenderly touches Lara's chin with his fingers, lifting her face toward him. Her tear-filled eyes subtly affirm her desire to continue living. Max glances sideways and downward, underneath the trolley. The remnants of the torn safety net sway in the strong wind.
Max's face beams with happiness in the diminishing sunlight. With a single fluid motion, he rolls up his purple cloak, now blackened by the fading light, and drops it into the room through the roof opening. Then he turns his back to Lara, his visage radiating over the horizon. Lara's mouth opens wide in astonishment as her captivated eyes spot a birthmark shaped like a little butterfly at the lower part of Max's back.