Madison Clark/Season 1/So Close, Yet So Far

## Summary

This article contains details of the events during the episode "So Close, Yet So Far" which were directly contributed to or witnessed by Madison Clark.

## Plot Details

After the opening credits we see Travis’ pickup reversing out of the LA River access tunnel very quickly into the road where a large truck has to brake hard to avoid hitting them.

Maddy, Nick and Travis are in the truck with Travis driving, Maddy is on the phone as they drive fast through the traffic, still with Calvin’s blood on the hood. Travis on the phone as well, saying “Call me right back!” presumably leaving a message for Chris and we hear Alicia’s voicemail message saying “... Alicia leave a message”. Madison leaves one “Baby call me back, call me back right away”.

Nick is fiddling with the radio and we hear an announcer say “there’s been a massive spike in the officer

related shootings in the last 48 hours” which doesn’t really surprise me, and a man talking about a “catastrophe of biblical proportions” that does, although that one turns out to be about “losing the best pocket passer in the league”.

Travis tells Nick (again) to stop fiddling with the radio. Nick stops and sits back “no one’s talking about this”

Travis says to Madison that they need to get out of the city and away from people, Maddy finally gets Alicia on the phone and starts giving instructions as Alicia tries to tell her that Matt is sick with a high fever. Madison says to not touch him and call 911, stay away from him but Alicia says that 911 is busy and that his parents are in Vegas and not answering. Madison replies that they’re on the way to pick her up and to stay away from Matt - the phone cuts off before they can finish talking.

Chris on his way home, on the bus from school; he sits down and gets a call from Travis which he red buttons and goes back to his music,

Travis' pickup truck bounces onto the drive at the Sale home, Travis, Madison and Nick go in and find Matt in bed being cared for by Alicia.

Maddy tells “Alicia, move away from him”, Alicia argues “if he has it I have it”.
Travis asks to talk to Matt and kneels by the bed, he asks about Matt’s parents, Alicia answers for him as Matt coughs. Travis sends her to get water. Nick, meanwhile, is going through the bathroom cabinet for drugs.

Travis uncovers a wound on Matt’s left shoulder and Matt confirms with a nod that it’s a bite. Travis and Madison talk about this briefly, comparing it with what happened to Calvin.

Alicia comes back in, insists on going back to Matt who comforts her, saying that his parents will be home soon and that she knows he’ll be fine. Alicia protests and tells him that she loves him, he replies that he loves her too, and that that’s why she has to go.

As she holds him Matt catches Madison’s eye who comes and gathers up Alicia, she thanks Matt and they leave. As Travis looks back Matt is coughing weakly.

On the bus with Chris, the bus has stopped and he is watching an ambulance go past on blues. Whilst the bus is stopped a young man gets on and shouts that the police have shot a homeless man about 20 times, the kids rush off the bus to see what has happened.

Back on the drive at the Clark Home and the neighbours across the road call out that they’re having a party, there are balloons and a bouncy castle, a family of three with a girl of 9, it’s her birthday. They say that a lot of people have cancelled because of the bug that’s going around and invite the Clarks. Travis says ok as he backs off up the drive. Next door to the Clarks a sick looking neighbour about Travis' age is loading his car with supplies. Travis looks at him and tells Maddy that “Peter’s got the right idea.”

Inside Nick is looking through the blinds at the Cruz family and their party preparations across the street. He pesters Maddy about whether she’s going to tell them or not and eventually she says that she will.

Nick worries aloud to his mother that “It’s as if it’s not real”, Madison, ironically, comforts him that yes, it’s real. He asks if she knows what’s about to happen to him and she says yes, she knows. He’s talking about the withdrawal he’s about to go through

Travis decides to go and get Liza and Chris from the Ortiz Home, he washes the blood from the pickup before he goes and tells Maddy to leave without him if she has to. We see Maddy going across the road to speak to the Cruz’s as Travis drives away.

Alicia’s dressing table with all of the things that are precious to her: a letter from UCB, “Dear Miss Clark”. Pictures of Matt on the mirror, her phone with an image of her and Matt on the home screen. Her mother shouts that she needs the bucket. When Alicia goes in with it Maddy is leaving another message for the Dr, about Nick’s prescription. Alicia frets. They talk about where they can get the drugs Nick needs and Maddy has an idea. She tells Alicia not not leave the house and then goes.

Maddy arrives at the deserted school and goes in. She collects some keys from the Principal’s Office and goes to the medical room. She has the key to the room but not to the drugs cabinet - but she’s brought a small crowbar with her for that. she forces it open, taking drugs for Nick.

She’s startled, badly scared by Tobias coming in behind her, he asks for his knife back.

Madison and Tobias pick up his knife from her office, as they leave Maddy shuts the door and looks in through the glass and at her name on the door for a moment.

Tobias leads Madison to the school kitchens and they collect food for him on a small trolley. Tobias talks as if he knows exactly what’s happening, he's clearly thought everything through very carefully. He asks if she’s seen any of “them” yet. She lies and says no.

At the school they are making their way out. Tobias is still talking sense. As they drop off the keys they can hear hoarse breathing on the classroom monitoring equipment and Tobias says “that’s one of them”. The metal detector on the main entrance goes off and that prompts them to rush for the exit.They enter the hallway by the stairs and Maddy sees Arty through the far doors, she calls out to him. Tobias backs off but can’t get through the doors. Arty walks towards Maddy - she wants to help and

    tries to fend him off. Art attacks and

    Tobias defends Miss C, he pushes Art away and stabs him in the chest with his knife. He goes for Arty’s head but loses his weapon, they rolls down the stairs with Arty still trying to bite him. Maddy hits Arty on the head with a fire extinguisher - repeatedly - until Arty stops attacking Tobias.

A break and Maddy and Tobias are walking outside the school, it’s calm but they don’t have the food with them. As they walk along Maddy is looking all around them. The school is deserted but normal apart from that. Maddy is unnaturally calm; they get in her car.

Meanwhile Maddy is dropping off Tobias at his home, they talk a little as he gets out and Maddy is obviously worried but stops short of insisting that Tobias come with her. Tobias goes inside and as she's about to pull away a car goes past with two little girls in the back - both wearing surgical masks.

Madison arrives home, everything's calm there, the power's on and it's as normal as it gets at the Clark home. Alicia lets her in and Nick is on the couch. Madison looks wrecked, unsurprisingly considering what she's just been through. She gives a couple of the pills to Nick. Nick recognises them at once as "Oxy" (oxycontin, a pain killer, aka "Oxy Cotton") and is very pleased. Nick asks what they will do when these are used up and reacts to Madison's annoyance by trying to deflect it - he tells her that Alicia tried to leave but that he stopped her. He doesn't mention

    that he stopped her by having a seizure and that Alicia probably saved his life. Madison picks up her jacket from the hallway, as she passes Alicia's door her daughter is leaving a message, probably for Matt, "I want to know how you're doing" we hear her say as she shuts her door.

Maddy weeps in the bathroom as she washes Arty's blood out of her jacket.

Her phone rings, it's Travis and she's desperate to see him. They tell each other they're fine, Travis doesn't mention being in a riot and Maddy doesn't tell him that she had to kill her boss, abandon a student and that her son has had a seizure. Gunshots can be heard from Travis' end of the conversation and Madison becomes concerned. Travis wants her to leave for the desert now and not wait for him but she's not having any of that. The phone connection drops as we hear more gunshots and a police loud hailer outside the shop telling people to "Clear the streets now".

Madison goes back into the living area where Alicia asks her what has happened. Madison doesn't answer, it looks as though she wants to but can't bring herself to say it.

Later Alicia's looks through the blinds and sees an Infected man shuffle past towards the Cruz's house opposite, she recognises the infected man as Peter Dawson from next door but doesn't realise what he is now. She goes to her mother and asks her again what is happening. Madison looks as though she's about to answer when they hear a scream from outside. Dawson is attacking Joanna Cruz from the house opposite. Alicia runs to the door to go and help but Madison, again, does what is needed and stops Alicia from going out of the front door.