Eternal Endurance is an episode of the in-universe television series, Night Springs.
Plot[]
During a foggy and rainy day, a cyclist narrates that he is going to compete in a race across America, one of the toughest "ultra-marathon" bicycle races in the world, but to do that, he has to first complete a qualifying race. His support team follows him in a van. The cyclist asks if the fog is going to clear up, to which one of its members tells him that that may happen in the afternoon. From that moment on, sporadic images of the cyclist lying dead on the ground, still on his bike, are shown. The cyclist is suggested to take a break, but he insists that he can keep going. In reality, however, he was exhausted as he had been pedaling for two thousand miles. Suddenly the fog disappears and he finds himself in a small town, with people cheering him on. While he considered stopping to rest with his supporters, he opted to continue and finish the race. The cyclist then sees the finish line ahead of him and this causes all pain he endured to dissipate. He narrates that after crossing the line, people gathered around him to congratulate him, with him feeling happier than ever. In reality, however, the cyclist died during the race from exhaustion and his body is found by his support team, who regret not having made him rest.
Transcript[]
Night Springs Narrator: The bicycle. A quick, cheap and convenient way to get around. Fresh air. A little exercise. A fun pastime. But for the professional athlete on the road to glory, it's all about persistence and willing. So, ride on brave contender. Ride on… to Night Springs. Tonight's episode: "Eternal Endurance".
[A man is riding his bike on a road]
Cyclist (voice-over): I was gonna compete in the race across America. One of the toughest ultra-marathon bicycle races in the world. But first there was a qualifying race. The weather was miserable, my support team was somewhere behind me in a warm, comfortable van. I didn't really feel the cold anymore.
Support team member #1 (on the earphone): Hey, Sport! How ya feeling?
Cyclist: I'm okay! Just wet. How's the forecast? This fog gonna clear up any time soon?
Support team member #1 (on the earphone): Maybe in the afternoon?
[There is a brief shot of the cyclist, still on his bicycle, lying dead at the side of the road]
Support team member #1 (on the earphone): Hey, listen. We think you really need a break. Maybe eat something.
Cyclist: No, no, no. I'm good. I can keep going. I'm good.
[There is another brief shot of the dead cyclist on his bike; the camera focuses of the back wheel, still spinning]
Support team member #1 (on the earphone): It’s just that you still have a thousand miles to go. We're getting kind of concerned.
Cyclist: I'm fine!
[The frame freezes briefly]
Cyclist (voice-over): I was in agony. There were two thousand miles behind me and I was feeling every one of them in my legs, my arms, and my ass. Time lost all meaning. There was only the road and the rhythm. My legs pumped away, my lungs burned, my heart hammered in my chest. I pushed through it and found the zone. Suddenly, the fog parted, almost as if it had never been there.
[There is a brief flash of white light]
Cyclist (voice-over): Soft sunshine warmed my face. The fog had hid in a small town. I was riding down its main street, it was lined with people. They smiled and waved at me. I slowed down a little bit to see them better.
[There is another brief shot of the dead cyclist; the scene switches group of people standing at the side of the road, cheering]
Man in the crowd: Welcome!
Cyclist (voice-over): Everyone was so happy that I was here. I wanted to stop, rest a little while with these people who loved me. But I had to finish the race.
[There is another brief shot of the dead cyclist]
Cyclist (voice-over): I was about to speed up again when I saw it, up ahead. The finish line.
[The frame freezes briefly]
Cyclist (voice-over): Relief flooded over me. Suddenly. All the pain was gone. I stopped peddling. As the bike came to a stop, just past the finish line, the people closed around me, clapped my back, gave me hugs, congratulated me.
[The cyclist passes a cheering crowd. There is another brief shot of the dead cyclist. The cyclist continues riding his bike while waving his right arm in excitement]
Cyclist (voice-over): I got off the bike happier than I'd ever been. I was done! I was home.
[The support team's van stops at the side of the road where the dead cyclist lies]
Support team member #2: Oh no. Oh. Oh, geez. He's dead, isn't he? Look at him.
Support team member #1: I told you we should have made him stop. I told you!
Support team member #2: Oh my God. Poor guy.
[The shot fades into the Night Springs background]
Night Springs Narrator: And so the contender took the final opportunity to stop and rest. He won his final race… in Night Springs.
Notes[]
- This is episode, along with What's in a Name and The Doomed Samaritan, were cut from Alan Wake. They were released online by Remedy Entertainment to help promote the release of Alan Wake's American Nightmare. Unlike the other two episodes, this one was not included in Alan Wake Remastered.