BELOW THE CLOCK
Written by
Gary J Rose
Based on true events. [email protected]
(530) 613-9232
FADE IN:
BLACK.
Silence.
Not peaceful.
ABSOLUTE.
A breath enters the darkness.
Then another.
Controlled.
INT. SUBTERRANEAN ACCESS SHAFT – UNKNOWN
A narrow metal platform DESCENDS into blackness.
A single HEADLAMP cuts a cone of light through the void.
MARA SOLIS (40s) — lean, disciplined, calm — stands harnessed
to the rig. No panic. No bravado.
She checks her gloves. Tightens a strap. Centers herself.
The platform DROPS several feet.
The sound of the surface world — wind, distant machinery —
small talk FADES until there is only:
HER BREATH.
She looks up.
There is nothing above her now.
The platform continues downward.
EXT. CAVE CHAMBER – CONTINUOUS
The platform touches stone.
A dull METALLIC CLANG echoes… then echoes again… distorted…
late.
Mara unhooks herself.Pulls on the rope.
The platform BEGINS TO RISE.
She watches it go.
Does not wave. Does not speak.
The light disappears.
Darkness closes in.
She clicks the headlamp back on.
The beam reveals a carved-out UNDERGROUND HABITAT —
functional, deliberate.
Stone walls. Metal shelving. A cot. A table. Storage crates.
And —
SOFT, CONSTANT ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING already filling the space.
Not warm. Not harsh.
Permanent.
Her boots echo as she surveys the interior of the cave.
She stops. Listens.
Nothing answers.
She nods to herself.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Isolation and Control
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens a supply crate with careful precision.
Inside: Food rations. Medical kits. Notebooks.
A DIGITAL RECORDER.
She removes the recorder. Turns it over in her hands.
Clicks it on.
Her voice is clear. Trained.
MARA
Entry begins.
She pauses.
Frowns.
Clicks it off.
She exhales. Re-centers.
Clicks it back on.
MARA (CONT’D)
Entry begins. Subject is stable.
Environment secure. No anomalies
observed.
She stops recording.
The silence rushes back in.
Mara looks around the habitat.
The lighting does not flicker. Does not hum. Does not change.
She dims it slightly. Then brightens it again.
Considers.
Leaves it where it was.
SERIES OF SHOTS – ESTABLISHING CONTROL
— Mara arranges supplies with military precision — Measures
the habitat by pacing heel-to-toe — Writes brief notes,
stops, rewrites them — Eats methodically — Adjusts the
lighting again — almost imperceptibly — Lies on the cot, eyes
open, staring upward
The light remains unchanged.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
A CAMERA LENS, embedded high in the stone, blinks once.
Mara notices.
Holds its gaze.
Says nothing
INT. CAVE HABITAT – UNKNOWN TIME
A DRIP.
Slow. Rhythmic.
Drip. Drip.
Mara sits up on the cot.
Listens.
She begins counting silently on her fingers.
The rhythm shifts.
Drip… drip… drip.
She stops counting.
Annoyed.
She turns away from the sound.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Shadows of Control
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands before a stone wall.
She draws a single CHALK MARK.
Steps back. Studies it.
Nods.
Satisfied.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara adds a second chalk mark.
Then freezes.
She looks at the first. Then the second.
Something doesn’t sit right.
She rubs both away with her sleeve.
The wall is blank again.
She exhales.
Relief — or control.
Hard to tell.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara wakes suddenly.
GASPS.
The light is exactly the same.
She sits up.
Sweat on her brow.
She looks toward the wall.
No marks. No reference.
For the first time —
She hesitates.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the fixed lighting.
She looks up at it.
Considers.
She moves to the control panel mounted in the stone.
Simple. Functional. Limited options.
She slowly DIMMERS THE LIGHT.
Not dark.
Just… lower.
She watches the shadows sharpen. Edges deepen.
Her shoulders loosen slightly.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Unease in the Shadows
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes closed.
The dim light remains constant.
She shifts. Adjusts. Breathes.
Her eyes open again.
She stares upward.
The light does not change.
She exhales. Turns onto her side.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – UNKNOWN TIME
Mara jolts awake.
GASPS.
She sits up.
The light is still dim.
Unchanged.
Her breathing quickens.
She swings her legs off the cot and stands.
Moves to the control panel.
Checks it.
The setting hasn’t moved.
She looks back to the cot.
Then to the wall.
Then to herself.
Something is off.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara clicks on the RECORDER.
Her voice is calm — rehearsed.
MARA
Subject reports disrupted sleep.
No discernible cause. Lighting
unchanged.
She stops recording.
Listens to the silence again.
It feels thicker now.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats.
Slower than before.
She pauses mid-bite.
Listens.
Nothing.
She resumes eating.
Stops again.
This time, she hears it.
A faint BUZZING.
She freezes.
The sound disappears.
She exhales — irritated.
Shakes it off.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Echoes of Isolation
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara restores the lighting to its original level.
Watches as the shadows retreat.
She studies the space.
Waiting for something to correct itself.
Nothing does.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot again.
Eyes open.
Wide.
The light remains unchanged.
For the first time —
She does not try to sleep.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
The RECORDER rests in front of her.
She presses RECORD.
MARA
Entry continues.
Subject reports heightened alertness. Sleep cycles remain
inconsistent.
She stops recording.
Immediately presses RECORD again.
MARA (CONT’D)
Entry continues.
Subject reports heightened alertness. Sleep cycles remain
inconsistent.
She frowns.
Stops.
Looks at the recorder.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara scrolls through the recorder’s files.
Entry after entry.
Identical phrasing. Identical tone.
She plays one.
Her voice fills the habitat.
CALM. CONTROLLED.
She stops it.
Plays another.
The same.
She scrolls again.
There are MORE FILES than there should be.
She counts silently on her fingers.
Stops.
Starts again.
Her jaw tightens.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Fractured Reality
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the wall.
Draws a chalk mark.
Steps back.
Waits.
Nothing happens.
She draws another mark beneath it.
Then another.
Three marks now.
She turns away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara returns to the wall.
Stops cold.
There are FOUR chalk marks.
She stares.
Touches the fourth mark.
Smears it slightly.
Her breathing quickens.
She wipes all the marks away violently.
Stone dust fills the air.
She steps back.
The wall is blank again.
She presses her palms to it.
Grounds herself.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara clicks the recorder on again.
This time, her voice is tighter.
MARA
Subject reports possible memory
overlap.
No evidence of hallucination. No loss of cognitive function
observed.
She stops recording.
The silence feels accusatory now.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – UNKNOWN TIME
Mara sits on the cot.
The lighting is unchanged.
She stares at the floor.
Then at the ceiling.
Then at the camera lens embedded in the stone.
She opens her mouth.
Almost speaks.
Doesn’t.
Looks away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies down.
Closes her eyes.
Opens them again immediately.
The light hasn’t changed.
She sits up.
For the first time, she looks afraid.
Not of the cave.
Of herself.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Thriller","Psychological Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Frustration in Solitude
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table, writing.
She stops.
Tilts her head.
A faint BUZZING.
Barely there.
She listens.
Nothing.
She resumes writing.
The buzzing returns.
Closer now.
She looks down.
A single FLY crawls along the table’s edge.
She stares at it.
Annoyed more than alarmed.
She flicks it away.
The fly disappears into the shadows.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens a food container.
Pauses.
Another fly buzzes past her face.
She swats at it.
Misses.
Irritation rises.
She seals the container. Moves it aside.
Genres:
["Thriller","Psychological Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Overwhelmed by Intrusion
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara checks the habitat perimeter.
Methodical.
She inspects: — Storage seals — Vent covers — Equipment
housings
Everything appears intact.
She exhales.
Controlled.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes closed.
The buzzing returns.
Persistent now.
She opens her eyes.
Two flies circle the overhead light.
She sits up.
Watches them.
Waits for them to leave.
They don’t.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the light.
The flies orbit lazily.
She reaches up.
Swats.
One fly drops to the ground.
She freezes.
Looks at it.
Dead.
She hadn’t intended to kill it.
She crouches.
Studies the tiny body.
Her breathing slows.
She brushes it aside with her finger.
Stands.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats.
A fly lands on the rim of her container.
She stops.
Watches it.
Then — deliberately — she continues eating.
The fly remains.
She chews.
Swallows.
Her jaw tightens.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her voice is measured, but strained.
MARA
Environmental contamination
observed.
Cause undetermined. No immediate
threat identified.
She stops recording.
Looks up at the flies.
There are more now.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
The habitat feels smaller.
Flies drift through the air. Land on surfaces. Lift off
again.
Mara sits at the table.
Not working.
Just watching them.
Counting.
She stops counting.
Looks away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – UNKNOWN TIME
Mara wakes suddenly.
The buzzing is louder.
She sits up.
The flies are everywhere now.
Not swarming. Just… present.
Persistent.
She rubs her face.
For the first time —
She looks overwhelmed.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Thriller","Psychological Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Surveillance in Silence
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the fixed lighting.
She adjusts it slightly.
Watches the change.
Waits.
Nothing else responds.
She nods to herself.
Turns away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table, writing.
Stops.
Looks up.
The CAMERA LENS embedded in the stone is angled differently.
Not dramatically.
Just enough to notice.
She stares at it.
Walks a few steps to the left.
The lens remains still.
She steps back to her original position.
The lens makes a SOFT MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT.
Tracks her.
She freezes.
The lens stops moving.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands directly beneath the camera.
Looks straight into it.
Silent.
Waiting.
Nothing happens.
No voice. No instruction. No correction.
Just the steady, unblinking lens.
She exhales through her nose.
Controlled.
Steps away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her voice is precise. Professional.
MARA
Surveillance systems appear
operational. No direct
communication observed. Subject
remains compliant.
She stops recording.
Stares at the recorder.
Clicks it back on.
MARA (CONT’D)
Subject remains—
She stops herself.
Clicks it off.
Sets the recorder aside.
Genres:
["Thriller","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Isolation in the Shadows
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats.
The flies hover nearby.
She ignores them.
Halfway through the meal, the LIGHTING FLICKERS.
Just once.
Barely perceptible.
Mara looks up.
Waits.
The light stabilizes.
She slowly sets the food down.
Does not resume eating.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes closed.
Breathing steady.
The camera lens makes a QUIET ADJUSTMENT.
Mara’s eyes snap open.
She does not sit up.
Does not look at it.
She stares straight ahead.
Jaw clenched.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara paces.
Shorter strides now.
She stops.
Looks directly at the camera.
Speaks aloud — not for the recorder.
MARA
I’m fine.
The words hang in the air.
No response.
She waits.
Nothing.
She nods once.
Turns away.
Genres:
["Thriller","Psychological Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Solitary Ritual
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara sits at the table.
The flies buzz softly.
The lighting remains unchanged.
The camera watches.
Mara opens her notebook.
Writes a single word.
Stops.
Crosses it out.
Closes the notebook.
For the first time —
She looks truly alone.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens a sealed storage compartment.
Inside: A small basin. Water canisters. Minimal hygiene
supplies.
She removes her shirt without hesitation.
Matter-of-fact.
No self-consciousness.
She pours a measured amount of water into the basin.
Cold.
She wets a cloth and begins washing her arms, neck, face.
Efficient. Controlled.
She removes the rest of her clothing.
Bare now — not exposed, just unobserved.
Her body is lean, functional. Marked by small bruises.
Calluses. Evidence of endurance.
She washes carefully.
Stops.
Looks up.
The CAMERA LENS remains fixed in the stone.
Watching.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara holds the cloth mid-air.
Considers the lens.
Then resumes washing.
Deliberate now.
Unhurried.
She rinses. Dries. Redresses slowly.
Routine complete.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara cleans the basin.
Pours the remaining water into a drain.
Precise. Measured.
She seals the compartment.
Checks it twice.
Habit.
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Silent Contemplation
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot, towel draped loosely around her
shoulders.
Breathing steady.
She closes her eyes.
Just for a moment.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – UNKNOWN TIME
Mara opens her eyes.
The towel has slipped to the floor.
She doesn’t react.
She sits up.
Listens.
The flies buzz softly in the distance.
Persistent.
Unconcerned.
She picks up the towel.
Holds it.
Then sets it aside.
Leaves it there.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara walks past the camera.
Pauses beneath it.
Looks up.
Says nothing.
She steps away.
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Echoes of Solitude
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Fully clothed now.
Eyes open.
The lighting is unchanged.
The flies drift lazily through the air.
The camera watches.
Mara stares at the ceiling.
Unblinking.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
Not working.
Just sitting.
Her hands rest flat on the surface.
Still.
She stares at nothing.
A sound.
Not a drip.
Not a buzz.
Something softer.
Almost… familiar.
Mara tilts her head.
Listens.
Nothing follows.
She exhales through her nose.
Dismisses it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats.
Halfway through, she stops chewing.
Freezes.
That sound again.
A faint RUSTLE.
Like fabric.
She slowly turns.
The habitat is empty.
Unchanged.
She swallows.
Resumes eating.
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Whispers in the Dark
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes closed.
Breathing steady.
The lighting remains constant.
The flies drift lazily.
Then —
A WHISPER.
Not words.
Just breath.
Mara’s eyes snap open.
She sits up.
Listens.
Silence.
Her heart rate climbs.
She presses her palms into the cot.
Grounds herself.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
Waits.
Nothing.
She turns away.
As she does—
The whisper again.
Closer.
She spins.
Nothing.
She clenches her jaw.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara clicks on the RECORDER.
Her voice is careful now.
Measured.
MARA
Genres:
["Thriller","Psychological","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Protocol Acknowledged
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
The RECORDER lies in front of her.
Unused.
She stares at it.
Doesn’t touch it.
A TONE.
Soft. Electronic. Procedural.
Mara stiffens.
She looks around.
The tone repeats.
She stands.
Slowly.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
A small indicator light on the wall — one she has never seen
illuminated — is now ON.
Steady.
Waiting.
Mara approaches it.
Stops a few feet away.
Doesn’t reach out.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
A SPEAKER clicks on.
Not loud.
Not human.
A neutral, recorded VOICE fills the space.
RESEARCH VOICE (V.O.)
Subject acknowledged.
Continue protocol.
The speaker clicks off.
Silence rushes back in.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands where she is.
Doesn’t move.
Processes.
She looks up at the camera lens.
Then back at the indicator light.
It remains on.
Steady.
Unconcerned.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara clicks on the RECORDER.
Her voice is tight.
Controlled — but thinner than before.
MARA
Message received.
No clarification provided. Protocol status… unchanged.
She stops recording.
Listens.
Nothing else follows.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara walks the perimeter.
Faster now.
Her earlier precision is gone.
She stops near the hygiene compartment.
Looks at it.
Looks away.
Keeps walking.
Genres:
["Thriller","Sci-Fi","Psychological"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Silence in the Cave
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Hands clasped together.
She looks toward the speaker.
Waits.
Nothing.
She waits longer.
Still nothing.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara rises.
Stands beneath the camera.
Looks straight up into the lens.
Speaks aloud — clear, direct.
MARA
I need clarification.
She waits.
The indicator light does not change.
The speaker stays silent.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara exhales sharply.
Nods to herself.
Acceptance — or resignation.
She returns to the table.
Sits.
Picks up the recorder.
Holds it.
Then sets it down without turning it on.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
The indicator light finally turns OFF.
No sound. No explanation.
Mara notices.
Her jaw tightens.
She looks around the habitat.
For the first time —
She understands she is not a participant.
She is a condition.
CUT TO BLACK.
Inside:
unchanged.
She touches the basin.
Then stops.
Withdraws her hand.
Leaves it untouched.
Closes the compartment.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – UNKNOWN TIME
Mara sits on the cot.
The towel still lies where she left it earlier.
She looks at it.
Doesn’t pick it up.
Instead, she pulls her knees to her chest.
An unconscious gesture.
Childlike.
She realizes what she’s doing.
Straightens immediately.
Ashamed.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara walks slowly around the habitat.
Counting steps silently.
She reaches the table.
Stops.
Turns.
Counts again.
Her count changes.
She stops mid-step.
Confused.
She abandons the exercise.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes open.
The whisper returns.
Clearer now.
Almost a word.
Almost.
She squeezes her eyes shut.
Whispers to herself —
Barely audible.
MARA
It’s nothing.
The camera watches.
The flies buzz softly.
The light does not change.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Shadows of Decision
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the control panel.
Studies it.
Longer than before.
She looks toward the camera.
Then back to the panel.
She reaches out—
Stops.
Withdraws her hand.
Considers again.
Then deliberately DIMMERS THE LIGHT further than she ever
has.
The habitat shifts.
Shadows stretch. Corners deepen.
Not darkness.
But closer.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara steps back.
Waits.
Nothing responds.
No tone. No warning. No correction.
Her breathing slows.
A decision has been made.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats under the lower light.
Misses the container with her utensil. Scrapes metal.
Annoyed.
She adjusts the container’s position.
Continues eating.
A fly lands on the food.
She watches it.
Doesn’t swat it.
She eats anyway.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
The RECORDER is in front of her.
She looks at it.
Doesn’t turn it on.
Pushes it aside.
Opens her notebook instead.
Writes something.
Stops.
Crosses it out.
Rips the page free.
Folds it carefully.
Places it in her pocket.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Shifts in Control
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera again.
Not defiant.
Not pleading.
Measured.
She speaks calmly.
MARA
I’m adjusting the environment.
She waits.
Nothing happens.
She nods once.
Acknowledgment enough.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
The light remains dim.
Her eyes stay open.
She does not attempt to sleep.
She breathes slowly.
Practiced.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara sits up.
Listens.
The flies buzz faintly.
The habitat feels altered now.
Not hostile.
Not safe.
Different.
She looks around the space she once controlled.
For the first time—
She looks curious again.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Reflections of Change
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot, brushing her hair.
The brush catches.
She frowns.
Pulls it free.
A longer strand clings to the bristles.
She studies it.
Not alarmed.
Just… registering.
She resumes brushing, slower now.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara reaches up to retrieve something from a high shelf.
Her arm lifts.
She pauses.
Looks at her ARMPIT.
Hair.
More than before.
She lowers her arm.
Considers.
Moves on.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
The hygiene compartment is open.
Mara pours water into the basin.
Washes her legs.
Her hand stops.
She looks down.
Hair along her calf.
Unshaved.
She runs her fingers through it.
Feels how long it is.
She doesn’t react.
Doesn’t correct it.
She continues washing.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara dries off.
Catches her reflection in a small metal surface.
Distorted.
She studies her face.
Hair slightly longer. Features sharper. Older.
She looks away.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Mara's Reflection
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the table, sorting supplies.
She opens a small pouch.
Inside: sanitary items.
She stops.
Counts silently.
One. Two. Three.
She closes the pouch.
Doesn’t put it away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
The pouch rests beside her.
Unopened.
She thinks.
Calculates.
Not panicked.
Methodical.
She looks toward the wall.
Toward the blank stone.
Then to the camera.
Then back to herself.
She exhales slowly.
The answer settles.
She sets the pouch aside.
Unneeded.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara clicks on the RECORDER.
Hesitates.
Then clicks it off again without speaking.
She sets it farther away this time.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara braids her hair.
Not neatly.
Functional.
She secures it with a strip of fabric.
Tests it.
Satisfied.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Solitary Routine
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara eats.
Stands now instead of sitting.
Leans against the table.
Different posture.
Different ease.
The flies drift nearby.
Ignored.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Hands folded over her stomach.
Not protective.
Just present.
She stares at the ceiling.
Then closes her eyes.
Not to sleep.
Just to rest.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens a supply crate.
Methodical.
She removes a food packet.
Then another.
Stops.
Looks inside the crate again.
Counts silently.
Her brow furrows.
She removes a third packet.
Compares them.
Different labeling. Different coloration.
She sets them on the table.
Studies them.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara prepares a meal.
She tastes it.
Stops chewing.
Swallows carefully.
Tries another bite.
The flavor is… off.
Not spoiled.
Just altered.
She considers.
Eats anyway.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Cautious Adaptation
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara pours water into a container.
Drinks.
Pauses.
Looks at the container.
Sniffs it.
Drinks again.
The water is clean.
But unfamiliar.
She lowers the container slowly.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her voice is steady — but watchful now.
MARA
Supply variation observed.
Nutritional profile appears
altered. No notification provided.
She stops recording.
Immediately reopens the crate.
Digs deeper.
Finds more packets.
All different.
She sits back on her heels.
Processes.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
Waits.
Nothing.
She nods once.
A quiet acknowledgment.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara rearranges the supplies.
Not neatly.
Strategically.
She separates the new packets from the old.
Marks one group with chalk.
Leaves the other untouched.
A decision.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats again.
This time, she eats less.
Slower.
Listening to her body.
Evaluating.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Shadows of Deterioration
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Hands on her abdomen.
Her breathing is steady.
But thoughtful.
She stares upward.
Calculating something only she understands.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
Still.
Not resting.
Just… still.
Her eyes track nothing.
She blinks.
Shakes it off.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara moves through the space.
Slower than usual.
She reaches for a crate.
Misses it.
Her hand scrapes stone.
She looks at her knuckles.
No blood.
She flexes her fingers.
They respond — just delayed.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats from one of the NEW SUPPLY PACKETS.
Chews.
Stops.
Considers the sensation.
Not nausea.
Not pain.
Something subtler.
She finishes the portion anyway.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes closed.
Not sleeping.
Her breathing is shallow now.
She opens her eyes.
The light feels brighter than before.
Not actually brighter.
Just sharper.
She squints.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Solitude in the Cave
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
Her expression is unreadable.
She raises a hand.
Holds it there.
The camera does not respond.
She lowers her hand.
Her arm trembles slightly.
She notices.
Annoyed.
She shakes it out.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara attempts to braid her hair.
Her fingers fumble.
She exhales sharply.
Tries again.
Gets it done — imperfectly.
She doesn’t redo it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Stops herself.
Leaves it off.
She opens her notebook instead.
Writes a sentence.
Stares at it.
Reads it again.
Crosses out one word.
Then another.
Eventually, the page is mostly lines.
She closes the notebook.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara sits on the floor now.
Back against the stone wall.
Something she has never done before.
She stares at her hands.
Turns them over.
Studies them as if they belong to someone else.
She presses her palm to the stone.
Feels its temperature.
Keeps it there.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara rises.
Moves back to the table.
Stands there for a long moment.
Then rearranges the MARKED SUPPLIES again.
This time, she mixes them.
Old with new.
Indistinguishable now.
She steps back.
Satisfied — or resigned.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes open.
The flies buzz softly.
The lighting remains unchanged.
But something in her has shifted.
She breathes.
Slow.
Careful.
As if learning a new rhythm.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Embracing Change
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the table, reorganizing supplies.
Faster than before.
More decisive.
She doesn’t second-guess herself.
She finishes. Steps back. Evaluates.
Satisfied.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara moves through the habitat with renewed purpose.
She adjusts the lighting — slightly brighter.
Not defiant.
Confident.
The space sharpens.
She inhales.
Enjoys it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot, notebook open.
She writes quickly now.
Full sentences. Clean lines.
No hesitation.
She flips the page.
Continues.
Her handwriting is steadier than it’s been in days.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara paces.
Longer strides. Measured turns.
She stops exactly where she intends to.
No miscounts.
She nods to herself.
Proof.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
This time, she smiles.
Just slightly.
Not mocking.
Certain.
She speaks aloud — conversational.
MARA
I’m adapting.
She waits.
No response.
She doesn’t need one.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats.
More than before.
With appetite.
She finishes the meal completely.
Licks her thumb absent-mindedly.
Doesn’t notice.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Embracing Adaptation
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her voice is calm — energized.
Clearer than we’ve heard it.
MARA
Cognitive clarity improving.
Motor coordination stabilized. Subject reports heightened
focus.
She stops recording.
Satisfied.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Hands folded neatly over her chest.
She closes her eyes.
Breathes evenly.
The flies buzz faintly.
Unimportant.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara opens her eyes.
Sits up.
Alert.
No grogginess.
She looks around the habitat.
Sees it differently now.
Not as a trap.
As a system.
She swings her legs off the cot.
Stands.
Purposeful.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara returns to the table.
She takes one of the NEW SUPPLY PACKETS.
Studies it.
Then deliberately tears open a second.
Stacks them together.
Commits.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara writes one word on a scrap of paper.
Folds it.
Places it beneath the recorder.
The word reads:
ADAPTATION
She steps back.
Certain.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Reflections of Strength
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara clears a small space on the floor.
Efficient.
She removes her outer clothing.
Remains in her underwear.
Unselfconscious.
Functional.
Her body is different now.
Lean. Stronger. Hair visible along her legs, under her arms.
She lies back.
Begins SIT-UPS.
Controlled. Even.
She counts silently.
Her form is perfect.
She finishes.
Doesn’t rush.
Rolls to her side.
Pushes herself up.
Breathing elevated — but steady.
Satisfied.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara drops to the floor again.
PUSH-UPS now.
Strong. Deliberate.
She lowers herself.
Pushes back up.
Lower. Up.
Her arms tremble slightly.
She adjusts her stance.
Continues.
She stops at a clean number.
Not exhaustion.
Choice.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands.
Sweat beads along her neck, her spine.
She wipes her face with the back of her hand.
Looks at it.
Hair clings to damp skin.
She doesn’t react.
She stretches.
Long. Slow.
Her body responds.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara reaches for the water.
Drinks deeply.
Pauses.
Counts her swallows without meaning to.
Stops.
Frowns.
Tries again.
Counts again.
The number is different.
She lowers the container.
Dismisses it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Catches her reflection faintly in the metal surface again.
She studies herself.
Strong. Capable. Altered.
She presses a hand briefly to her lower abdomen.
Not checking.
Just acknowledging.
She removes her hand.
Moves on.
Genres:
["Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
Solitude and Resolve
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara walks the length of the habitat.
Counts steps silently.
Stops at the wall.
Turns.
Counts back.
She stops early.
Looks around.
Confused — just for a beat.
Then she shakes it off.
Smiles faintly.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the floor, stretching her legs.
She leans forward.
Holds.
Breathes.
Her breathing rhythm is steady.
But her eyes lose focus for a moment.
She blinks.
Returns.
Annoyed now.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Muscles spent.
Body calm.
Mind active.
She stares at the ceiling.
Certain again.
Or determined to be.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Fractured Reflections
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table, notebook open.
She writes a word.
Stops.
Stares at it.
The word is simple.
Familiar.
She reads it again.
Frowns.
Crosses it out.
Writes it again.
Same spelling.
Still doesn’t sit right.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara flips back through earlier pages.
Scanning.
Methodical.
She stops on a passage.
Reads it.
Her brow furrows.
She flips forward.
Finds another entry.
Reads.
They contradict each other.
Not in tone.
In fact.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara closes the notebook.
Opens it again.
Checks the dates—
Then stops herself.
There are no dates.
She exhales sharply through her nose.
Annoyed.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands.
Walks to the wall.
Touches the stone where chalk marks used to be.
As if expecting to feel something.
There is nothing.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Echoes of Doubt
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara returns to the table.
Turns on the RECORDER.
Hesitates.
Then speaks.
Careful.
MARA
Subject recalls…
She stops.
Clears her throat.
Tries again.
MARA (CONT’D)
Subject recalls completing the last
protocol adjustment before—
She stops again.
Her jaw tightens.
She clicks the recorder off.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
Not accusing.
Confused.
She speaks softly now.
MARA
I already did that.
She waits.
Nothing.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Hands clasped.
She closes her eyes.
Visualizes.
Moves her lips slightly, counting silently.
Stops.
Shakes her head.
Tries again.
Same result.
Her confidence cracks—just a hair.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens the hygiene compartment.
Looks inside.
The basin is exactly where she left it.
Dry.
Unused.
She stares at it longer than necessary.
As if expecting evidence.
There is none.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara presses her palm flat against the stone wall.
Grounds herself.
She breathes slowly.
Deliberately.
When she pulls her hand away—
She notices chalk dust on her skin.
Faint.
But unmistakable.
She freezes.
Looks at the wall.
Blank.
She looks back at her hand.
The dust remains.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Isolation and Defiance
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara sits alone.
The notebook closed. The recorder untouched. The supplies
stacked neatly.
She stares forward.
Her body is calm.
Her face is not.
For the first time—
She doesn’t trust her certainty.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the table.
Still.
Focused.
She looks around the habitat as if memorizing it.
Every surface. Every object.
She nods once.
Decision made.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara moves to the CONTROL PANEL.
Studies it.
Then — deliberately — she SHUTS OFF THE FIXED LIGHTING.
The habitat drops into near darkness.
Not total black.
Emergency glow only.
Shadows warp the space.
She does not flinch.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara retrieves a piece of CHALK.
Kneels.
Draws a large SYMBOL on the stone floor.
Not a tally. Not a mark.
Something intentional. Personal.
She steps back.
Looks at it.
Commits it to memory.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara stands.
Raises her arm.
With effort, she SMASHES THE CAMERA LENS.
A sharp CRACK.
Glass fractures.
The lens goes dark.
The faint mechanical hum dies.
Silence — deeper than before.
Mara breathes.
Fast. Then slower.
She looks around.
Nothing happens.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Reflections in Isolation
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Emergency light bathing the room.
She stares at the chalk symbol on the floor.
Unblinking.
She counts her breaths.
Ten. Twenty. Thirty.
She does not move.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands.
Walks to the symbol.
Touches it.
Smears it with her hand.
Dust coats her skin.
She looks at her palm.
Closes her fist around the dust.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara restores the MAIN LIGHTING.
The habitat returns to its artificial sameness.
The chalk symbol remains.
The camera does not.
She looks up instinctively.
Where the lens was —
Only broken glass and shadow.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara retrieves the RECORDER.
Holds it.
Considers.
Turns it on.
Her voice is steady — but different now.
MARA This action cannot be repeated unintentionally.
She stops.
Breathes.
MARA
If I forget this—
She stops again.
Shakes her head.
Clicks the recorder off.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Restoration of Reality
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes open.
The broken camera above her.
The chalk symbol visible on the floor.
She breathes slowly.
Confident.
Certain.
She has created proof.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sleeps.
Still.
Unmoving.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – UNKNOWN TIME
Mara’s eyes open.
Instantly alert.
She inhales sharply.
Doesn’t move her head.
Her gaze tracks upward.
The space above her cot is UNCHANGED.
The CAMERA LENS IS INTACT.
Whole. Dark. Watching.
No cracks. No glass. No damage.
Mara doesn’t blink.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
She sits up slowly.
Looks around.
The MAIN LIGHTING is fully restored.
Identical to before.
Unquestionable.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara swings her legs off the cot.
Her feet hit the floor.
She looks down.
The CHALK SYMBOL IS GONE.
No smudge. No dust. No trace.
The stone floor is clean.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara stands.
Turns slowly.
Scans the habitat.
Everything is in its place.
Every object. Every surface.
As if nothing happened.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara walks to the wall where the camera is embedded.
Stands beneath it.
Looks straight up.
Her face does not register fear.
Only calculation.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Echoes of Isolation
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara goes to the table.
Finds the RECORDER.
She picks it up.
Turns it on.
Rewinds.
Listens.
Her own voice plays back.
CALM.
MARA (RECORDED)
—Subject reports heightened focus—
She stops playback.
Scrolls.
There is NO RECORD of the previous entry.
Nothing about the camera. Nothing about the chalk. Nothing
about the lights.
She lowers the recorder.
Her fingers tighten around it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens her notebook.
Flips through the pages.
Every entry is intact.
No ripped page. No missing section.
No mention of the symbol. No record of defiance.
She closes the notebook carefully.
Places it back on the table.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara returns to the spot on the floor where she drew the
symbol.
Kneels.
Runs her hand across the stone.
Clean.
Cold.
Undisturbed.
She rubs her fingers together.
No chalk dust.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Hands clasped tightly now.
Her breathing is shallow.
Controlled.
She stares forward.
Then — very quietly —
She laughs.
Just once.
Short. Humorless.
She covers her mouth immediately.
Ashamed.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies back.
Eyes open.
The camera above her.
The light unchanged.
The habitat perfect.
She whispers to herself.
Barely audible.
MARA
Okay.
Her eyes harden.
This time, she understands.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Psychological"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Awakening Self-Awareness
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara moves through the habitat.
Calm. Efficient.
She removes her shirt as she walks.
Doesn’t stop. Doesn’t look at it.
Drops it on the table.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara prepares food.
Now in her underwear.
Unbothered.
She eats standing.
Wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.
Continues.
The flies drift near her skin.
Ignored.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stretches.
Arms overhead. Back arched.
She exhales.
Comfortable.
Her body is simply a body now.
No presentation. No correction.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara washes at the basin.
Removes the rest of her clothing.
Efficient.
Water runs over her shoulders, her legs.
Hair along her arms, her thighs.
She doesn’t react.
Rinses. Dries.
Leaves the towel where it falls.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara walks through the space unclothed.
Picks up the notebook. Sets it down somewhere else.
Moves the recorder. Repositions a crate.
All without thought.
All without awareness.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara passes beneath the camera.
Stops.
Looks up.
Something registers.
Not shame.
Recognition.
She looks down at herself.
Really looks.
Her expression changes.
Subtle. Sharp.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara retrieves clothing.
Dresses deliberately now.
Not hurried.
Not embarrassed.
Intentional.
She smooths the fabric. Adjusts the fit.
Restores order.
Genres:
["Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Silent Intentions
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
Opens the notebook.
Writes one sentence.
We don’t see what it says.
She closes the notebook.
Moves the recorder closer.
Does not turn it on.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera again.
Fully dressed.
Centered.
She speaks aloud.
Quiet. Measured.
MARA
Noted.
She waits.
Nothing responds.
That’s fine.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Clothed. Composed.
Eyes open.
Alert again.
She has corrected something.
Not for them.
For herself.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the table.
She smooths her clothing.
Straightens the fabric.
Checks herself in the faint metal reflection.
Satisfied — not with appearance, but with signal.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Routine in Solitude
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara prepares a meal.
Precise portions. Balanced.
She eats seated now.
Upright posture. Measured pace.
No rushing. No indulgence.
She wipes her mouth neatly.
Places the container aside.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens the notebook.
Writes slowly.
Carefully.
She rereads each sentence before continuing.
Crosses out nothing.
When she’s done, she closes the notebook.
Aligns it perfectly with the table’s edge.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her voice is calm. Professional. Reassuring.
MARA
Subject reports stable mood.
Routine adherence consistent. No anomalies to report.
She stops recording.
Sets the recorder down exactly where it was before.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stretches.
Controlled. Economical.
No excess movement.
No wasted energy.
She completes the sequence.
Returns to stillness.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara walks the habitat.
Not pacing.
Circulating.
She pauses beneath the camera.
Looks up.
Neutral expression.
She gives a small nod.
Acknowledgment — not submission.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Surveillance in Stillness
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara washes at the basin.
Clothed.
Efficient.
She dries her hands.
Folds the towel neatly.
Places it where it belongs.
This matters to her now.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Hands folded in her lap.
Breathing steady.
Eyes forward.
Stillness held deliberately.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
The habitat remains unchanged.
The flies buzz softly.
The lighting remains constant.
The camera watches.
Mara remains composed.
Too composed.
She blinks once.
Slowly.
And smiles — just barely.
Not because she’s calm.
Because she knows she’s being watched.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
A Moment of Vulnerability
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
Composed. Still.
Performing calm.
A TONE.
Different from before.
Softer. Almost polite.
Mara does not react immediately.
She waits.
Then she looks toward the wall.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
A small panel slides open in the stone.
Silent.
Inside: a FRESH SUPPLY PACKET.
Different from the others.
Unmarked.
Mara approaches it slowly.
Studies it.
Does not touch it yet.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara removes the packet.
Weighs it in her hands.
It feels… heavier.
She opens it.
Inside: Food that looks closer to normal. Less processed.
Almost appetizing.
Her stomach responds before her face does.
She notices.
Suppresses it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara prepares the food.
Carefully.
She eats.
The first bite lands differently.
Comforting. Familiar.
She chews slowly.
Closes her eyes — just for a second.
Then opens them.
Alert again.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Cautious Observations
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
Says nothing.
Acknowledgment exchanged without words.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
The RECORDER is in front of her.
She turns it on.
Her voice is even.
Measured.
MARA
Subject acknowledges environmental
adjustment.
Physiological response positive. Behavior remains stable.
She stops recording.
Places the recorder back exactly where it belongs.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara inspects the remaining supplies.
The new packet is the only one of its kind.
The rest remain unchanged.
She sets the new one apart.
Does not mix it in.
A decision.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Awakening in Deception
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara washes her hands.
Lingers a moment longer than necessary.
The water feels… warmer.
Not actually warmer.
But she notices.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara returns to the cot.
Lies down.
Fully clothed.
Hands folded neatly.
Her breathing slows.
The comfort settles in.
Dangerously pleasant.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara’s eyes open.
She sits up.
Alert.
She looks toward the stone panel.
Then to the camera.
Her expression shifts.
She understands.
This wasn’t generosity.
It was feedback.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
Mindful Resource Management
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the table.
The FRESH SUPPLY PACKET sits alone.
Untouched.
She looks at it.
Then at the rest of the supplies.
Calculating.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens the fresh packet.
Removes a portion.
Careful.
She reseals the packet immediately.
Places it back where it was.
Pristine.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara mixes the fresh portion with one of the OLDER SUPPLIES.
Blends them together.
Indistinguishable.
She eats.
Slowly.
Mindful.
She stops halfway.
Waits.
Listens to her body.
Nothing dramatic.
Just… balance.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her tone is neutral.
Unremarkable.
MARA
Nutritional intake consistent.
No deviation observed.
She stops recording.
Doesn’t look at the camera.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Compromise in Silence
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara cleans the basin.
More thoroughly than before.
Almost obsessively.
She rinses it twice.
Then a third time.
Stops herself.
Leaves it imperfect.
A choice.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Holds the EMPTY FOOD WRAPPER from the mixed meal.
Studies it.
Then folds it neatly.
Tucks it into a small gap beneath the cot.
Hidden — but retrievable.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies back.
Stares upward.
Her face betrays nothing.
But her breathing pattern has changed.
Measured. Testing.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara wakes.
Alert.
No grogginess.
She sits up immediately.
Scans the habitat.
The fresh supply packet remains untouched.
The hidden wrapper remains hidden.
The camera watches.
No correction arrives.
Mara exhales quietly.
The compromise has held.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Silent Struggles
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the table, preparing food.
Precise motions. Measured.
She pauses.
Looks at the portion.
Adjusts it slightly.
She speaks — without realizing it.
MARA
That’s enough.
She freezes.
Listens.
Silence answers.
She frowns — annoyed with herself.
Continues.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara exercises.
Slow, controlled SQUATS.
She counts softly.
MARA
—six… seven…
She stops.
Straightens.
Looks around.
No one else is there.
She exhales sharply through her nose.
Resumes — silently this time.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
Reflections of Control
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara washes her hands.
She glances up.
Catches her reflection in the dull metal surface.
For a split second —
The face looking back is older. Hollowed. Eyes too deep.
A stranger.
Mara blinks.
The reflection is normal again.
Tired. But hers.
She stares at it longer now.
Testing.
Nothing changes.
She turns away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Notebook open.
She reads what she wrote earlier.
Mouths a word silently.
Then stops herself.
Closes the notebook.
Places it face-down.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
Considers.
Then — deliberately — she speaks.
Careful. Measured. As if being evaluated.
MARA
Thinking out loud helps me focus.
She nods once.
As if satisfied with that explanation.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes open.
Hands folded.
She stares upward.
Then quietly — almost unconsciously —
MARA
Tomorrow—
She stops.
Closes her eyes.
Corrects herself.
MARA (CONT’D)
Next cycle.
Her jaw tightens.
She opens her eyes again.
Alert.
Back in control.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Reflections of Control
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
Composed. Still.
Waiting.
A TONE.
Not abrupt.
Almost courteous.
Mara doesn’t flinch.
She looks toward the wall.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
The stone panel slides open again.
Inside: a SECOND FRESH SUPPLY PACKET.
Identical to the last one.
Mara exhales slowly.
This is not coincidence.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens the packet.
Inside — something different this time.
A small item wrapped separately.
She unwraps it.
It’s a MIRROR.
Plain. Utilitarian. Hand-sized.
Mara freezes.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara holds the mirror at arm’s length.
Studies her reflection.
Neutral. Controlled. Performing stability.
She tilts the mirror.
Light shifts.
Her face looks sharper. Older. Lines she doesn’t remember
earning.
She lowers it.
Breath steady — but thinner.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sets the mirror on the table.
Face-down.
She does not destroy it.
Does not hide it.
Leaves it where it is.
A deliberate refusal to engage.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her voice is calm — but cautious now.
MARA
Environmental adjustment
acknowledged.
No adverse response observed.
She stops recording.
Looks at the mirror.
Does not look at herself.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara exercises.
Controlled movements. Counted silently.
The mirror lies on the floor nearby.
Face-down.
She avoids looking at it.
But its presence changes her posture.
Subtly.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara washes at the basin.
She glances at the mirror’s reflection in the metal.
Catches a fragment of herself.
Just enough.
She straightens immediately.
Resets.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Reflections of Resistance
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
The mirror rests on the table.
Face-down. Waiting.
The camera watches.
The flies buzz softly.
Mara stares upward.
She understands now.
The system isn’t testing her sanity.
It’s testing what she chooses to see.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
The mirror sits on the table.
Face-down.
Untouched.
Mara moves through the habitat, maintaining her routine.
She does not look at it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara exercises.
Controlled movements. Silent counting.
She finishes.
Breathing elevated.
She wipes sweat from her face.
Pauses.
The mirror is in her peripheral vision.
Still face-down.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands at the table.
She reaches for the mirror.
Stops.
Withdraws her hand.
Shakes it out.
Annoyed with herself.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
Reflections of Dread
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara eats.
Precise portions.
She chews.
Swallows.
Then — without looking — she slides the mirror closer.
Still face-down.
She eats another bite.
Then another.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara finishes the meal.
She exhales.
Steady.
She flips the mirror over.
Her reflection looks normal.
Too normal.
Centered. Alert. Composed.
Performing.
She studies it.
Tilts the mirror slightly.
The light shifts.
Her reflection lags — just a fraction.
Not enough to be obvious.
Enough to register.
Mara freezes.
She tilts it back.
The reflection snaps into sync.
She breathes out.
Relief — brief.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara leans closer.
Searching now.
Her reflection holds her gaze.
Unblinking.
She blinks.
The reflection blinks a beat late.
Mara straightens abruptly.
Heart rate spikes.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Reflections of Distress
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sets the mirror down.
Stands.
Walks away.
Paces once.
Twice.
She stops.
Turns back.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara picks up the mirror again.
This time, she speaks — quietly.
Controlled.
MARA
You’re tired.
The reflection does not respond.
But its expression changes.
Subtly.
Softer.
Older.
Mara recoils.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns the mirror face-down again.
Harder than necessary.
The sound echoes.
She breathes.
Grounds herself.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Mirror face-down on the table.
She stares at the wall.
Hands clenched.
She does not record this.
She does not write it down.
She knows better.
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
Reflections of Doubt
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
The mirror remains where it is.
Untouched.
Face-down.
Mara lies awake.
Eyes open.
She stares upward.
Knowing now —
The system doesn’t need to rewrite reality anymore.
It can wait for her to doubt herself.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Awake.
Still.
She exhales.
Rises.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara walks to the table.
The spot where the MIRROR sat is empty.
She stops.
Stares.
Doesn’t move.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara checks beneath the table.
Nothing.
Checks the floor.
The storage crate.
The hygiene compartment.
Nothing.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands where the mirror should be.
Hands on her hips.
Thinking.
She does not panic.
She does not rush.
She simply recalculates.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
Her voice is neutral.
Professional.
MARA
Environmental item no longer
present. No recollection of
relocation.
She stops recording.
She listens to the silence afterward.
Longer than usual.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara opens her notebook.
Flips through it.
Slowly.
Searching for something specific.
She finds nothing.
She closes the notebook.
Carefully.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
She doesn’t speak.
She waits.
Nothing happens.
She nods once.
As if acknowledging a rule she didn’t know existed.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara resumes her routine.
Prepares food.
Eats.
Washes her hands.
Exercises.
Everything precise.
Everything controlled.
Except now—
She avoids looking at reflective surfaces.
Even dull ones.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes open.
Hands folded neatly.
She stares at the ceiling.
She raises a hand in front of her face.
Turns it slowly.
Examines it.
Then lowers it.
She whispers — barely audible.
MARA
Okay.
But this time—
The word does not steady her.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Fragmented Communications
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
Still. Composed.
Waiting.
A TONE.
Different again.
Not the polite one. Not the procedural one.
This one stutters slightly.
Mara’s eyes lift.
She doesn’t move.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
The speaker activates.
Static first.
Then —
A VOICE, muffled.
Not meant for her.
UNKNOWN VOICE (V.O.)
—did you log the variance or—
The sound cuts out abruptly.
Silence snaps back into place.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands.
Slowly.
Her composure doesn’t break — but something underneath
sharpens.
She walks toward the wall where the speaker is embedded.
Stops just short.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
The speaker activates again.
For half a second.
Another fragment.
SECOND VOICE (V.O.)
—no, that’s not possible, she
shouldn’t—
CUT OFF.
Hard.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara closes her eyes.
Breathes in.
Once. Twice.
This is not comfort. This is data.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
Echoes of Surveillance
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
For the first time in a while, she doesn’t perform.
She just documents.
MARA
Unintended audio transmission
detected.
Multiple voices. Context unclear.
She stops recording.
Immediately rewinds.
Listens.
The playback contains only her voice.
No leak. No evidence.
She lowers the recorder.
Her fingers tighten.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara looks around the habitat.
Not scanning for threat.
Scanning for inconsistency.
The lights hum steadily. The camera remains still. The flies
buzz softly.
Everything is perfect.
Too perfect.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
She smiles.
Small. Convincing.
She speaks clearly.
MARA
I’m fine.
The words land differently now.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara sits on the cot.
Hands folded.
Eyes forward.
Still performing.
But now —
She knows the system can slip.
And that means it can fail.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Echoes of Silence
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
Composed. Waiting.
She does nothing.
No eating. No writing. No exercise.
Just stillness.
Time passes.
Unmarked.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands.
Walks deliberately to the SPEAKER.
Stops just short.
She speaks — not to be heard.
To be overheard.
MARA
I heard you.
She waits.
Nothing responds.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara returns to the table.
Turns on the RECORDER.
Places it beside the speaker.
Leaves it running.
She sits back.
Does not speak.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
The recorder hums softly.
The habitat remains unchanged.
Then —
A faint CLICK from the speaker.
Mara doesn’t react.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
A voice slips through.
Barely there.
Filtered.
UNKNOWN VOICE (V.O.)
—terminate the loop if—
STATIC.
CUT.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara exhales.
Slow.
Controlled.
She does not move.
She lets the recorder continue.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
Echoes in the Cave
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Another fragment.
Clearer.
Too clear.
SECOND VOICE (V.O.)
—she’s not supposed to be—
CUT.
Silence.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara reaches forward.
Stops the recorder.
Rewinds.
Plays it back.
Silence.
Only her breathing.
No voices. No fragments.
Nothing.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns off the recorder.
Sets it aside.
She stands.
Looks directly at the camera.
Speaks calmly.
MARA
You should fix that.
She waits.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
The speaker remains silent.
But the LIGHTING SHIFTS — just slightly.
Barely perceptible.
Mara notices.
Smiles.
Not triumph.
Confirmation.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
Voices in the Dark
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes open.
She is no longer guessing.
She is mapping.
And she knows now —
They are reacting to her.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits at the table.
The recorder is off. The notebook is closed.
She is not performing.
She is waiting.
A TONE.
Not the polite one. Not the procedural one.
This one hesitates.
Mara lifts her eyes.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
The speaker activates.
No static.
No filter.
A human voice — close enough to hear breath.
MALE VOICE (V.O.)
—she shouldn’t still be down there.
The words land hard.
The speaker cuts out.
Silence rushes back in.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands slowly.
Her hands remain steady.
Her face does not.
She walks toward the wall.
Stops herself from touching it.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
The speaker flickers back on.
Another voice.
Female.
Quieter.
FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
We can’t extract her now.
A pause.
Then—
FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
It’s been too long.
CUT.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
Acceptance in Isolation
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara closes her eyes.
Breathes once.
Just once.
When she opens them —
Something essential has shifted.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara turns on the RECORDER.
For the first time, her voice is not careful.
Not performed.
Flat.
MARA
Clarify extraction status.
She stops recording.
Waits.
Nothing answers.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara looks up at the camera.
Really looks at it.
Not defiant. Not pleading.
Assessing.
She speaks aloud.
MARA
You left me.
The words echo.
No correction comes.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the floor.
Back against the stone wall.
This posture is new.
Not weakness.
Acceptance.
She stares ahead.
Calculating.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
58 -
Mara's Awakening
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
The habitat remains unchanged.
Lights steady. Camera fixed. Silence complete.
Mara remains seated.
Still.
But no longer waiting.
She has her answer.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara sits on the floor, back against the stone.
Still.
Thinking.
Not trapped.
Choosing.
She stands.
Moves with purpose now.
No hesitation.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara goes to the CONTROL PANEL.
Studies it.
Not searching for escape.
Searching for leverage.
She toggles a setting.
The LIGHTING SHIFTS — subtly uneven now.
Not brighter. Not darker.
Asymmetrical.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – CONTINUOUS
Mara opens a supply crate.
Removes several items.
Places them deliberately around the habitat.
Not random.
Intentional placement.
A pattern only she understands.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
59 -
Defiance in the Dark
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara retrieves the RECORDER.
Turns it on.
Places it in the center of the room.
She does not speak immediately.
She waits.
Then—
MARA
This is my record now.
She lets the recorder run.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara begins to CHANGE THE ROUTINE.
She eats at odd times. Sleeps in short intervals. Exercises
unpredictably.
No rhythm. No compliance.
The system has nothing clean to map.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara stands beneath the camera.
Looks up.
She smiles.
Not pleasant.
Resolved.
MARA
You don’t get to finish this.
She steps away.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
The speaker flickers.
Static threatens.
Almost a response.
Then nothing.
The system hesitates.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Mara lies on the cot.
Eyes open.
Alert.
She whispers — not to be heard.
MARA
I do.
INT. CAVE HABITAT – MUCH LATER
The recorder continues running.
The lights remain uneven.
The routine is broken.
For the first time —
The habitat feels uncertain.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
60 -
Silent Compliance
INT. CAVE HABITAT – LATER
Silence.
Not the controlled silence of before.
A heavier one.
The RECORDER sits in the center of the habitat.
Still running.
Its red light steady.
Patient.
Mara moves through the space.
Not cautiously.
Not urgently.
She is calm.
She stops beneath the CAMERA.
Looks up.
Holds its gaze.
For a long moment.
She reaches up.
Not to destroy it.
Not to block it.
She simply adjusts her position — standing directly beneath
the lens.
Centered.
Framed.
Exactly where they want her.
Mara sits.
Cross-legged on the stone floor.
Still.
Composed.
She closes her eyes.
Time passes.
Unmarked.
The SPEAKER activates.
No tone this time.
No warning.
Just a voice — distant, strained.
MALE VOICE (V.O.)
—she’s not responding to the
protocol—
Another voice cuts in.
Urgent.
FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
She is.
The speaker clicks off.
Mara opens her eyes.
A faint smile touches her lips.
Not victory.
Understanding.
She leans forward.
Toward the recorder.
Speaks calmly.
Clearly.
MARA
Subject remains stable.
Environment unchanged. Observation ongoing.
She reaches out.
Does not turn the recorder off.
She leaves it running.
Mara lies back on the stone floor.
Hands folded over her chest.
Still beneath the camera.
Eyes open.
Watching nothing.
The LIGHTING FLICKERS.
Not failure.
Uncertainty.
The camera remains fixed.
Unblinking.
Mara does not move.
She breathes.
Slow.
Measured.
As if she has all the time left.
CUT TO BLACK.
END