HAUNTED

Written by

Tia Brooks

4000 Ashburn Way Mechanicsburg PA 17055

(717) 802-4673
 FADE IN:

1 INT. MODERN APARTMENT - DAY 1

CLINK! CLINK! CLINK! That is all we hear as we see someone

stirring their drink in a COFFEE MUG with the morning light
bouncing off of the METAL SPOON perfectly. We slowly pan from
the spoon to a young woman, ROSE, (late teens to early
twenties) bearing a melancholy look on her face with PUFFY
BROWN EYES to match.

This woman can only be described as hauntingly beautiful with

the morning sun shining through her LONG and LOOSE DARK
BRUNETTE HAIR, emphasizing the TEAR STAINS on her face. With
her FOOD STAIN PAJAMAS and TRASHED KITCHEN TABLE, this feels
like something out of an apocalyptic simulation. Honestly,
the woman might’ve preferred that to be the case rather than
face the cold hard truth.

We follow Rose’s gaze to find a RIPPED UP PHOTO of her and a

YOUNG MAN named GABRIEL (early twenties) who’s face remains
anonymous. There is a clear contrast between the woman as she
was introduced and in the photo, almost like we are looking
into an alternate dimension of sorts.

Sadly for her, this is her reality as we pan out to see the
state of her apartment: DIRTY CLOTHES spewed across the
floor, PILES OF DISGUSTING DISHES filling up the sink, and a
KNOCKED OVER VASE FILLED WITH RED ROSES lying on the living
room floor.

We pan back around to the woman as she stands up and walks

over to her window, still stirring her drink. Something in
her gaze shifts as we hear a LOUD VOICEMAIL BEEP in the B.G.

MOM (V.O.)
(softly)
Hi Rose, it’s Mom again... We’re
all very worried about you. Please
contact us as soon as you can.
(beat)
I love you...

BEEP! Rose doesn’t move an inch from where she stands as she
continues to look outside. We hear a prominent CLINK as we
cut to...

2 BEGIN FLASHBACK: 2
 2.

2A EXT. OPEN FIELD - DAY 2A

The mysterious man and Rose running through a field hand in

hand with pure joy and love clear on their faces. The man is
wearing a MEDIUM WASH DENIM JACKET overtop a PLAIN WHITE
SHIRT with DENIM JEANS and GENERIC SNEAKERS, while Rose is
wearing a FLOWY SUMMER DRESS that hugs her figure just so
paired with BLACK BEAT UP CONVERSE.

Although we cannot see where they are running, it is clear

the destination is not important but the presence of each
other that accompanies them along the way.

We focus in on past Rose’s joyful eyes as we cut back to...

END FLASHBACK.

3 INT. MODERN APARTMENT - DUSK 3

The harsh contrast of present Rose’s VACANT GAZE as she

reminisces, carefully placing down her mug on the WINDOWSILL.
She slowly walks over to her COUCH and plops down like a rag
doll before doom scrolling on her phone.

As the sun starts to set, Rose’s face changes from zoned out
to extremely exhausted before she falls asleep, dropping her
phone on the ground.

MATCH CUT TO:

4 INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - MORNING

We hear the sounds of BIRDS TWEETING as Rose slowly wakes up

to the bright sun shining in her face. She lets out an
annoyed groan as she rubs the sleep from her eyes, trying to
will herself off the couch.

We focus in on her eyes as she lets out a deep exhale before

we hear a familiar BEEP in the B.G.

DAD (V.O.)
Hey honeybunny, it’s Dad.

He lets out a deep exhale.

DAD (V.O.)
I know times are really difficult
right now, but I hope you know that
he doesn’t deserve you. No man
should ever talk to you like
that...
(beat)
(MORE)
 3.

DAD (V.O.) (CONT'D)

Please call me back. I love you,
Rose.

BEEP! Rose slowly sits up on the couch, trying to get her

thoughts together. She rests her head on her knees as she
anxiously rakes her fingers through her hair as we pan to...

5 BEGIN FLASHBACK: 5

6 INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN - EVENING

A now CLEAN KITCHEN filled with pictures of Rose and the

mysterious man on all sorts of adventures together.

We see the man cleaning dishes in the sink, while he

occasionally glance over to Rose. He has the similar look on
his face like we saw previously except this one doesn’t reach
up to his eyes. He looks almost... guilty yet conflicted.

Rose remains unaware of the internal conflict on her

boyfriend’s face as she lays comfortably on the couch reading
a book.

GABRIEL
(nervous)
Hey baby?

ROSE
Hm?

Rose’s eyes continue to stay glued to her book. Gabriel

clears his throat.

GABRIEL
So Joel wants me to host a party
tonight at my place tonight, so I
won’t be here for dinner.

Rose looks up from her book, a small sign of hurt on her

face.

ROSE
What? But we planned to have a date
tonight.

GABRIEL
I know, I know, but I haven’t seen
him in forever-

ROSE
Oh no, don’t pull that with me!
 4.

Rose stands up from the couch and storms over to Gabriel.

7 INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

ROSE
(angry)
We both agreed to put more effort
in this relationship!

GABRIEL
(angry)
Yeah and part of that is letting
each other be independent from one
another!

Rose lets out a scoff of disbelief.

ROSE
Independency isn’t ditching your
girlfriend for a last minute plan
with your friends!

GABRIEL
(exasperated)
I can’t do this with you right now.

Gabriel throws one of the dishes into the sink and storms
past Rose to grab his coat and keys from a hook in the wall.

ROSE
Are you serious right now?!

Gabriel doesn’t say anything as he slams the door (and hits

ignore). Rose lets out a frustrated scream as she slides down
the apartment wall, holding her head in her hands. We stay on
her as the sun starts setting in the B.G.

After what seems like an eternity, Rose finally raises her

head, looking at an old photo of her and Gabriel. She sighs
as she grabs her keys and walks out the door.

END FLASHBACK.

8 INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN - MORNING

We pan from the door to see present Rose putting a LARGE

KITCHEN KNIFE away in the DISHWASHER. She seems to be lost in
thought with a VINYL playing in the B.G.
 5.

It’s like she’s reliving that moment in her head over again
except she doesn’t have the same melancholy look on her face.
She almost looks... content with herself.

FADE IN:

9 INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Rose is now sitting down at her couch watching something on

TV, wearing a new set of CLEAN COMFY CLOTHES. We also see
that her apartment has finally been properly cleaned since
the first time we saw her. Oddly enough there seems to be no
remnants of Gabriel’s presence beyond the flower vase now
filled with WHITE ROSES.

We stay on Rose’s face, which is lit up by the TV screen,

when we hear the familiar sound of her voicemail machine.
BEEP!

KATHARINE (V.O.)
Rose?! Gabriel has been missing
almost seventy-two hours now! Why
are you not answering anyone?! Rose
please, what is going on?!

BEEP! Something in Rose’s eyes shift, it’s so subtle that you

would miss it if you were not paying close attention, as we
fade to...

10 BEGIN FLASHBACK: 10

11 EXT. GABRIEL’S HOUSE - NIGHT 11

Rose’s car pulling outside of Joel’s house and suspiciously,

there is no sign of a party happening.

Rose lets out a deep sigh before she opens her door and
silently walks into Gabriel’s house.

12 INT. GABRIEL’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

To her surprise, she sees Gabriel dancing and laughing with

ANOTHER WOMAN (early twenties) in his kitchen. By reading
their body language, it’s clear this isn’t some sudden
romance.

Rose looks at them in shock of what she is seeing. She starts

to come to terms that Gabriel has been unfaithful.
 6.

Without thinking, she storms into his kitchen, anger seeping

off of her.

13 BEGIN CONFRONTATION MONTAGE: 13

- Rose yelling at Gabriel.

- The look of guilt on Gabriel’s face as he tries to explain

himself, holding out a protective arm over his mistress.

- a CU of a KITCHEN KNIFE SET.

- Rose’s eyes glancing over at the

- Gabriel’s body falling to the ground.

- The mistress lets out a scream of terror.

- Rose gives her a crazy look before running towards her.

- A WS of both Gabriel and the mistress’s bodies lying on the

ground, both having a DEEP AND BLOODY CUT on their necks.

14 END MONTAGE. 14

With her face now splattered in blood, Rose takes a deep

breath and starts dragging Gabriel’s out of the house as we
fade to...

END FLASHBACK.

15 INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Present Rose’s face dawning a crazed smile. She looks up from

the TV and into the lense of the camera, breaking the fourth
wall.

After a few awkward moments, Rose raises her finger to lips,

signaling to us to keep quiet about everything we have
witnessed.

CUT TO BLACK.