Research and Planning - Script

[FADE FROM BLACK OR CAMERA IN DARKNESS AND DOOR OPENS]

[CATHERINE ENTERS, SLAMMING DOOR BEHIND HER, CONTINUES TO TURN ON LIGHTS AND SHE GOES OVER TO THE KITCHEN TO TURN ON THE KETTLE AND WALKS OVER TO THE ANSWER MACHINE TO LISTEN TO HER MESSAGES]

ELECTRONIC VOICE: (SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF) YOU HAVE ONE NEW MESSAGE...

[SHE PRESSES THE BUTTON FOR THE FIRST MESSAGE]

BENJAMIN: Hi, Cath, um, it’s me, err well I’m coming over to discuss, well, t-that problem, I’ll be over in an hour... [ANSWER PHONE SAYS ‘MESSAGE LEFT AT 4:54 PM’]

[SURPRISED, CATHERINE LOOKS AT THE CLOCK, IT IS 7:54, SUSPICIOUS AT FIRST BUT THEN ROLLING HER EYES AT HIS LACK OF PUNCTUALITY, SHE IS DRAWN BACK TO THE NEXT PRIORITY ON HER LIST, RINGING HER MOTHER]

MOTHER: Hello? Hello?

CATHERINE: Hello

MOTHER: Oh [AS IF RELIEVED], hello darling

CATHERINE: How are they? Are they OK?

MOTHER: The kids are fine, they’re just getting ready for bed now

[CATHERINE SIGHS, RELIEVED, IT IS EVIDENT THAT SHE IS A PROTECTIVE MOTHER]

MOTHER: Why are you ringing on the house phone, you never---

CATHERINE: I lost my mobile, probably been stolen, I just left it on my desk and it was gone, I can’t think of anyone at work who would do that

MOTHER: [PATRONIZING] I always said that you needed to take better care of...

[THE PHONE APPEARS TO FLICKER OUT]

CATHERINE: [RATHER SCARED, THE PHONE RARELY JUST STOPS] Hello? HELLO?

[SHE FOLLOWS THE MODEM CORD, TO THE MODEM ITSELF. NOTHING SEEMS TO BE AMISS WITH THE MODEM, HOWEVER SHE PEERS IN TO THE FLOOR MIRROR, CONFUSED BY SOMETHING THAT THE AUDIENCE CANNOT YET SEE]

[AS THE CAMERA CUTS TO A SHOT OF HER, IN THE DARKNESS OF THE ROOM THAT SHE IS STARING AT, WE NOTICE THAT SHE SEES SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG, THE CAMERA FOLLOWS HER IN THE ROOM, SHE TURNS THE LIGHT ON AND SCREAMS AT WHATEVER IS ON THE BED, THE CAMERA ZOOMS IN UNTILL JUST ON HER EYES, SHE LOOKS TO HER RIGHT SLOWLY AND THE BEDROOM DOOR SLOWLY CLOSES]