A long weekend is about to begin and Rick is home alone since his big sister, Ronika, is leaving town with her boyfriend. His crush, Patrice, invites over but when he doesn't show up, her concerns grow.

 

Cover image: Photo by Sander Dewerte on Unsplash  

 

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

RICK (26) freshens up for his date with PATRICE (27) but gets distracted by his phone. It's close to dying.

Suddenly, the power goes out. Rick starts to get uneasy; he wades through the blackened space guided only by the light of his phone.
He finds his way to:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Nervously moving through the space, he gropes around the counter drawers trying to find candles or a flashlight. No luck.

Hyperventilating, he shuffles over to the window to see only the pale blue moonlight laid on the shadow-laden land.

RICK
(between breaths)
No, no, no, no...!

He fumbles to the

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Searching through the space, floating his shaking hand over all the furniture, he finds his INHALER on an end table. He staggers away from the darkness of the room's corners and falls to the floor, near to the center.

Shuddering, he takes a puff from his inhaler and tries to calm himself with a deep breath. He repeats the action.

He tries to make a phone call but the phone dies. His hyperventilation picks up; more intense. His eyes flash around the room. Shadows seem to be growing towards him, the darkness feels like a growing weight around him.

A panic ensues. His breathing growing shallower, his face awash in a cold sweat, his heart pounding against the stillness of the environment. He lets out a tortured moan.

He passes out.

FADE TO:

INT./EXT. VERANDAH - NIGHT

Patrice sits by a LANTERN trying to place a call. PETRA (30), her sister, checks in.

PETRA
Nothing?

Patrice shakes her head, no.

PETRA (cont.'d)
Maybe he fell asleep... You can keep trying but I'm gonna head home. If you wanna do a wellness check on him, I can give you a ride.

 

Patrice thinks about it.

 

FADE OUT