WHOOOSH to the high school biology lab as Ben talks to Leslie Arzt about breaking into the nurse's email account. Arzt wants to know what's going on before he'll help, and Ben tells him that she may be engaged in an inappropriate relationship with Principal Reynolds. Arzt realizes Ben is making a play for the principal's job and wants in. He wants a specific parking spot and lab equipment. Ben agrees to his demands.
"So why do I want to die? Because I just found out my entire life had no purpose."WHOOOSH to the Black Rock. Richard is inside and looks at a wall with scrawled hash marks. He picks up an empty manacle and stares at it. Behind him Jack enters and asks if he's been there before. Richard says yes, and after all his time on the island, today is the first time he's ever come back. Alpert opens up a crate of dynamite, and Hurley warns him that it's unstable. Richard assures him that he can't kill himself even if he wanted to -- and trust him, he wants to. That's why he wants Jack to do it for him. As Richard unwinds a piece of wire from a spool, he explains that Jacob touched him and it's considered a gift… except it's not a gift at all. It's a curse. Jack asks him why he wants to die, and Richard says because he devoted his life in service to a man who said everything was happening for a reason. That he had a plan. And when the time was right, he'd share that plan with Richard. But now that man is dead, and Richard's life has no purpose. He holds up the fuse and says if he lights it, it won't work. But Jack can light it and it'll work. The fuse is long enough for him to get out. Jack agrees and lights the fuse… and then sits down! As the fuse burns inexorably toward the dynamite, Jack looks at Richard and says it's time to talk.
Hurley freaks out, but Jack is confident he'll be fine. Hurley leaves. Richard says Jack will die, but Jack doesn't think so. He just came from a lighthouse with his name etched in wood on a dial that turned a mirror that somehow reflected the house he grew up in. For some reason, Jacob wanted Jack to see that lighthouse and know that he was being watched since he was a kid. He doesn't know why, but if Jacob went to all that trouble, he brought Jack to the island for a reason. They watch as the fuse burns closer to the dynamite… And closer… They only have a few seconds left… then FSSST. The fuse fizzles out. Jack asks if Richard wants to try another stick. Richard asks since Jack seems to have all the answers, what do they do now? Jack says they go back to where they started.
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