BlankEarth/Plot

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Blank Earth opens on the evening of April 10th, 2015, as nineteen-year-old Ryley Summers, on a whim, steals a large brown bag of items from a corner store. The clerk chases after her with a shotgun and she bashes her nose on the door in her frenzy, but Ryley is quick to reach her truck, get in, and drive away, recollecting herself in the process.

Ryley arrives home and seeks the help of her friend and housemate Jay Sanders, an antisocial grease monkey who lives in the house's garage. Ryley admits to her theft immediately and pleads with Jay to keep her illicit actions a secret from the others, as she reveals the contents of her theft as an intended gift for her girlfriend Alex Peterson in celebration of their one-year anniversary. Jay hesitantly agrees. Ryley then heads upstairs to clean and bandage the wound on her nose but gets distracted when she ends up self-consciously analyzing her body in the mirror and impulsively chooses to shave her head bare.

Tinkering with an old cassette player, Jay notices a leak spring in the ceiling just as the phone begins ringing. Jay answers and after a short rant complaining about the number of fixtures the decrepit house currently needs, apologizes. Jacob Delsin, a close friend, shrugs off the apology and clarifies that he has decided to come to visit after an extended period of absence in celebration of his belated 21st birthday. Jay laments over the lack of beer and pleads with Jacob to buy a case. Jacob teases Jay about cutting back on drinking before announcing his departure, exchanging goodbyes, and hanging up. Jay lets the phone ring dead and sighs.

In the attic, Ami Richards basks in the orange glow of the sunset, listening to *Jack Johnson*, sitting on the floor, and painting in a pair of heavily-stained overalls, she is interrupted from her internal tranquillity by Ryley, who knocks to catch her attention, Ami notices Ryley and just comments that to tosses her a pack of cigarettes. Ami looks at the pack in wonder and excitement and cheerfully thanks. Ryley retorts not to mention it, especially if "Dawn doesn't want (her) smoking them." Ami nods in agreement and hides the smokes under a nearby pillow. As Ryley heads back downstairs, she remarks that Ami's breasts are hanging out, Ami looks down, shrugs, and resumes painting undeterred.

Ryley returns downstairs, this time to the living room, where Alex Peterson sits, watching 1941's *The Maltese Falcon* on television. Alex playfully chides Ryley for being home nearly half-an-hour and seeing everyone *but* her. Ryley teases that she had to save the best girl for last, and asks about her day. Alex drones about her agent and publisher demanding a new novel and several local bookstores and LGBT youth groups requesting signings/readings in the next week. Ryley both consoles and cheers Alex on, telling her that she doesn't have to do what they say, and praising that her book was honest, real, and relatable.

Alex smiles half-heartedly, Ryley, saddened, announces that she has gotten Alex a gift, Alex blushes but jokingly quips "Sinead O'Conner?" while patting Ryley on her now-bald head. Ryley unveils the bag and pulls out three bottles of alcohol, Alex is flustered by the gift and questions how Ryley could possibly afford it, and Ryley exclaims that she's just been working really hard jobs in secret. Alex senses bullshit but decides to ignore it and the two share a kiss, which only escalates further as the two are unable to part their lips for more than a few seconds.

Ryley pushes Alex down on the couch and begins kissing her neck and feeling her up, Alex pauses, asking her what they're doing, Ryley reassures her that Ami and Jay never leave their rooms and neither Dawn or Emily are currently home. Alex shrugs, still denouncing the couch as disgusting, but helps Ryley remove her shirt and allows Ryley to undo her belt and begin lightly kissing her hips and mons veneris, the moment is ultimately ruined as Jacob awkwardly walks through the door, embarrassed and infuriated, Ryley immediately jumps to her feet and before Jacob can even process what he has walked into, is about to punch him before Alex screams at her. Alex tosses Ryley her shirt and vulnerably, Ryley flees.

Alex critiques Jacob for not knocking, Jacob apologizes, admitting to still not being used to it. Alex sighs and apologizes, fixing her jeans and belt. Jacob clarifies he was going to go through the garage but the door was locked. Alex nods and gives Jacob a light hug, apologizing again for Ryley's behavior. Jacob is forgiving and shrugs it off and suggests she concern herself with Ryley and tells her they can catch up later. Alex agrees and smiles while Jacob heads towards the garage.

Once inside, Jacob finds Jay listening to a mobile cassette player and switching the license plates on the truck. Jacob places the case of beer on the hood loudly, which startles Jay. Jacob apologizes and Jay gives him an awkward hug. Jay teases the overly malnourished Jacob by asking if he's been lifting his weights, Jacob teases back as Jay reaches for a beer and grabs the portable cassette player, explaining that it had been fixed up as a birthday present for him. Jacob is flustered by the gift and straps it to his belt to Jay's delight.

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