Hidden truth

FADE IN:

INT. STREET - NIGHT

CHARLOTTE is a 16-year-old sophomore at EastWood High School. She isn’t what you would call the most attractive girl in school; to be fair, she’s the complete opposite. She weighs 190 pounds and is only 5 ft 4 in. CHARLOTTE, just like any teenage girl, has puberty pimples, however hers are 10 times worse.

There is music playing in the background (“All I want is a good guy” by Olivia Rodrigo) 

CHARLOTTE walks down the street of Amory Avenue after a girls night. It is a cold, chilly December evening. 

CHARLOTTE:

It’s so cold… (breaths out cold air)

She walks faster, picking up the pace. It is 12am on a Sunday night.

CUT TO:

CHARLOTTE is now standing in front of her house furiously looking through her backpack to find her key.

CHARLOTTE (CONT’D):

You gotta be kidding me.

CHARLOTTE knocks on the door several times in hopes of waking her mom up, but she is greeted by dead silence and the flickering street lamp.

CHARLOTTE (CONT’D):

Mom! Open up the door, please! I'm home!

Her panic is now becoming more apparent by the increased weight of her knocks on the door and the frequency of them.

CHARLOTTE (CONT’D):

God damn.

The camera zooms in on CHARLOTTE’S phone as she texts her mom. They have a brief conversation that is shown to the audience. CHARLOTTE discovers her mom is still at work and will not be home until the morning. Just as she looks up at her door with another expression of disappointment, the neighbour comes outside. Standing on the threshold of his own door is a 60 year old man.

TED BURNER:

Everything ok? Do you need help?

CHARLOTTE:

Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. Who are you?

TED BURNER:

I’m your new neighbour. I just moved in yesterday. My name is Ted. Don’t worry, you didn’t wake me. I have jet lag.

CHARLOTTE:

Hi. Sorry my name is Charlotte. Charlotte Win.

Where did you fly in from?

TED BURNER:

(ignoring her question) Charlotte, are you in trouble? I heard you panicking.

CHARLOTTE:

It’s really nothing.

Kinda lost my house keys.

Mom won’t be home for another eight hours

so I’m going to have to find a place

to camp out tonight.

You know... so I won’t be homeless.

Ted laughs in the background.

TED BURNER:

I'm sorry to hear that. You could come in here for a while.(beat) While you wait.

CHARLOTTE:

(hesitating) Oh, it’s really no big deal.

I wouldn’t want to burden you.

I can message my friends.

TED BURNER:

That’s alright, kiddo. My wife’s out of town

because of work purposes. You won’t be a burden.

CHARLOTTE:

That’s alright. I might be going to a friend's house anyway.

Checks her phone (1:30am). It is clear from her expression that there is no message waiting.

TED BURNER:

Are you sure? You seem rather cold.

It would be nice to have someone to talk to.

I can’t really sleep anyway.

CHARLOTTE checks her phone again. Believing herself to have no other choice, she caves in...

CHARLOTTE:

Thank you.

I’ll just stay for a bit.

Once my friend replies,

I’ll get out of your hair.

TED BURNER gestures for CHARLOTTE to go into the house, opening the door and making space for her. She walks inside. The camera focuses on the house for one brief, eerie moment.

CUT TO:

INT. TED’S HOUSE - NIGHT (LATER)

TED leads CHARLOTTE to the dining table.

TED BURNER:

Would you like some hot chocolate?

CHARLOTTE:

(suddenly feeling less nervous)

Yes, please. That would be great!

TED BURNER leaves to go make hot chocolate. CHARLOTTE scans the house, patiently waiting. TED BURNER comes back with hot chocolate.

CHARLOTTE:

Thank you.

TED BURNER smiles.

CHARLOTTE (CONT’D):

SO... What brought you to Lily Town ?

TED BURNER:

Work.

CHARLOTTE:

Oh yeah? What do you do?

TED BURNER:

You know. Office stuff. Town’s nice. Just a bit small.

I used to live in Las Vegas before this.

CHARLOTTE:

Oh boy! If I lived in Vegas, I would never leave.

(beat) Do you like it here so far?

It’s certainly different from Vegas.

TED BURNER:

It’s very quiet, I must say.

(pause) Safe and peaceful.

CHARLOTTE:

Is Vegas really as dangerous as they say ?

TED BURNER:

Yes, especially for girls. At night.

SILENCE. Cold air blows outside. CHARLOTTE is cold again, and sips on her hot chocolate.

CHARLOTTE:

This hot chocolate is different than what I am used to. What’s in it?

TED BURNER:

It is a secret recipe. Passed down from generations of Burners.

He winks at CHARLOTTE and smiles. These gestures are far too familiar for someone she has just met.

CHARLOTTE:

What’s the secret?!

TED BURNER:

Well. It wouldn’t be a secret recipe anymore if I told you, would it?

TED BURNER flashes a creepy smile again and CHARLOTTE looks away, continuing to sip on her hot chocolate.

CHARLOTTE:

So when will your wife arrive?

It would be nice for my mom and I to meet her.

TED BURNER:

She won’t be here for another two weeks.

CHARLOTTE checks the time on her phone again.

CHARLOTTE:

Wow! I’ve been here for an hour. I’m so sorry to have kept you. I should probably get going.

CHARLOTTE pretends to see a message.

CHARLOTTE (CONT’D):

My friend’s just responded to my text.

I can go spend the night over there.

TED BURNER:

Oh no, no worries at all.

I insist you stay here.

It would be my pleasure.

One neighbour to another!

CHARLOTTE:

That’s really alright.

TED BURNER stands up and walks to her chair.

CHARLOTTE:

(alarmed) What are you doing?!

TED BURNER:

I thought we were having a nice conversation.

TED BURNER creeps closer to Charlotte and touches her thighs.

CHARLOTTE:

Thank you, really.

I appreciate what you did but

I should get going before

my friend gets worried.

TED BURNER:

If you insist.

CHARLOTTE walks to the door. TED BURNER walks up behind her and puts a towel on her mouth. CHARLOTTE soon loses consciousness.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT (LATER)

Camera angle has us looking into the room from outside. CHARLOTTE opens her eyes groggily. She is half awake as TED BURNER lay on top of her. When the camera zooms into her face we can see how distressed she is. The scene spirals out with a dizzy camera. There is sombre music.

CUT TO

INT. CHARLOTTE’S ROOM - NEXT DAY

CHARLOTTE wakes up in her own bed. It is clear from her expression that she is confused by this. She looks around frantically, feels her limbs etc and then is surprised by the sound of knocking at her bedroom door.

Seconds later, her MOM walks in and approaches her bed.

MOM:

Morning sweetie.

CHARLOTTE:

H-how did I get back here?

What happened?

MOM:

Sweetie you must be so tired you forgot.

Our new neighbour brought you back home.

You fell asleep in his house.

 It was really nice of him to bring you back.

CHARLOTTE:

My memories from last night are a bit foggy.

CHARLOTTE gets out of bed and goes to the mirror. She notices some bruises on her body. She brushes her concerns away, not thinking too much about them.

CHARLOTTE Walks down stairs to breakfast. The camera zooms in on her feet then raises the view up her body as she walks down the stairs.

CHARLOTTE freezes half way down the stairs when she notices her MOM and someone sitting at the kitchen table.

Camera zooms in on TED BURNER and his creepy smile.

TED BURNER:

Hello, Charlotte.

All we hear is white noise in the background and a sort of piercing, high pitched noise. A few seconds later, the voices comes back.

MOM:

Honey, are you okay?

CHARLOTTE:

Yea… Yea… Of course (stammers)

CHARLOTTE finishes the walk down the stairs. She sits herself down at the table, right across from TED BURNER. She watches him, studies him as her mother starts talking.

MOM:

Sweetie, you remember Ted? He was the kind neighbour that gave you somewhere to sleep last night. You must have been exhausted. But thanks to TED you made it back safely.

CHARLOTTE:

Um yea… Thank you… I must have been really tired last night.

TED:

Of course! That’s what neighbours do.

CHARLOTTE thinking to herself that she might have seen him somewhere. His voice is really familiar and his facial feature

CHARLOTTE eating her breakfast half heartedly

Finishes her breakfast, ask if she could go up stairs

MOM:

Yes, of course sweetie. Why don’t you try to sleep a bit more? You look really drained.

CHARLOTTE leaves the table and heads to the staircase, all the while with TED BURNER’S eyes on her. Her mother tries to get his attention and we hear them chit chatting as the camera follows CHARLOTTE to her room. Suddenly, it strikes her. That voice! It is the voice in her dream! Suddenly, the memories come rushing back.

CHARLOTTE realises she’s been raped last night and her rapist is right down stairs. She faints and falls to the ground.

End.