ALONE

2017
EXT. GRAVE - DAY

A small group of people gather at an open grave as a casket

is lowered into it. Most of the mourners are quite elderly
and remain silent as the casket reaches the bottom.

Henry Altman (78) picks up a small handful of dirt and looks

down at the casket, sadly. He tosses the dirt on top.

HENRY
(quietly)
Rest in peace.

A PRIEST begins speaking as Henry makes his way back to the

group. A few of them put their hands on his shoulder in a
consoling manner. Henry says nothing and bows his head.

CUT TO:

INT. CAR - DAY

Henry drives alone. He turns on to a small side street and

slows the car down. He crawls to a stop in front of...

EXT. HOUSE - DAY

... A large, older house stands out amidst the many smaller,
modern houses. Henrys car stays parked for a moment after it
stops.

INT. CAR - DAY

Henry looks at the big house and takes a breath of

resignation.

CUT TO:

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DUSK

Henry sits peacefully, drinking a coffee. The shop is fairly

empty as the OWNER reads a newspaper behind the counter. The
radio plays an oldies station.

Eventually, the owner puts down his paper and grabs the
coffee pot. He approaches Henry, who barely notices him.

As he gets nearer he holds the coffee pot up. This catches

Henrys attention, and he waves his hand, indicating he is
done with the refills.
 2.

The owner returns to the counter and Henry drinks the last of
his coffee from the mug. He sets the mug down and looks out
the window with determination.

CUT TO:

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

Henry stands in front of the large house. The house dwarfs

him as he makes his way towards it.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

Henry enters the house and takes off his jacket in the
darkness. He looks towards the dimly lit hallway and
hesitantly turns on the light.

Light bathes the empty room. Henry looks disappointed as he

walks out of the hallway towards the kitchen.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

The only sound in the kitchen is the ticking clock and

refrigerator hum. Henry switches on the light and shuffles
towards the small dinner table, where he takes a seat.

He sits alone for a moment, taking in the emptiness.

He then grabs the laptop sitting on the table and opens it

up.

In the search engine he begins to type: DO NOT WANT TO BE

ALONE. He quickly backspaces over that and retypes AFRAID OF
BEING ALONE and hits enter.

There are many results on how to deal with Monophobia and

Henry clicks the top one.

The site mainly shows religious solutions like finding God

and reading the Bible. Henry quickly backspaces and clicks on
another one.

He is startled when a loud thud is heard in the adjoining

room. He looks in the dark room where the thud came from.
Nothing can be seen. He gets up and makes his way into the
darkness.
 3.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Henry walks carefully in the blackness until he gets to a

lamp. He switches it on and looks around the nicely
furnished, but lonely living room.

On the floor lies the item that made the sound. Henry walks
over to it and picks it up.

It is a wooden sculpture of a cat with a kitten snuggled up

to it. Henry turns the sculpture around in his hands and
places it back on a table. A tiny smile forms on his face as
he looks at it, back in its proper place. He hears a noise in
the hallway and looks in that direction.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

The door opens and a much younger Henry (30s) enters holding
a shopping bag. He smiles as his wife VICTORIA (30s) comes to
greet him. He places the bag on the floor as he gives her a
hug.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Henry smiles in the dimly lit living room, watching the scene
unfold in the hallway.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Victoria looks down at the bag, curiously, and Henry picks it

up and gives it to her. She takes out the cat sculpture and
smiles happily. She gives Henry a kiss that he happily
returns.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Henry continues to observe until the hallway goes dark in

front of him. His smile disappears and he re-adjusts the cat
on the table, until he deems it perfect. He walks away.
 4.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Henry sits back in front of his computer. He sees a CHAT

section on the website and opens it up. It states that
someone will answer your questions as soon as they are
available. Henry types: MY WIFE OF 53 YEARS RECENTLY DIED AND
IVE NEVER BEEN ALONE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

He stares at the computer, waiting for a response. After a

while he gives up and leaves.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Henry sits on the sofa and turns on the television. He flips

through the channels until he eventually hits the same
channel he began with. He turns it off.

The sound from the TV is replaced with complete silence. He

gets up and turns on the radio. A orchestra plays a melodic
tune and Henry, somewhat contented, sits down on the sofa
again.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

The younger Henry holds out his hand in front of the window,
which is radiating light, and Victoria takes it. He pulls her
in close and dips her. She laughs as he spins her around,
starting to dance.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Henry cries on the sofa as he watches the couple dance in

front of him. The light from the window dims, and soon he is
crying in the darkness. Alone.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

The computer screen boots up when Henrys finger hits the

space bar. The chat window still remains blank as Henry walks
away from it. He heads towards the stairs.
 5.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Henry enters the bedroom and turns on the light. He takes off
his tie and throws it on the bed. On the night table is a
picture of Henry and Victoria posing on a beach, smiling
happily at the camera.

Henry sits on the bed and looks at the picture. He places it

down, and stares at the door, standing ajar, leading to the
master washroom.

He turns away from it and starts to undo his shirt. However,

he is compelled to look back at it.

Suddenly, he hears water running in the bathroom. Slowly, he

begins to walk towards it. He cautiously opens the door.

CUT TO:

INT. MASTER BATHROOM - DAY

Victoria is lifeless in the bathtub, filled with water and

blood. The tap is left running, making the red liquid
overflow onto the floor.

Henry, dressed in summer clothes, runs towards the bathtub

and turns off the faucet. Only after he has done that does he
check on Victoria. She does not move. He stares at her in
shock.

CUT TO:

INT. MASTER BATHROOM - NIGHT

Henry stands at the open door of the washroom, watching the

scene unfold. He looks as if he wants to turn away, but
continues watching.

CUT TO:

INT. MASTER BATHROOM - DAY

Henry takes out his cell phone and begins to dial. Before he
finishes dialing, he stops and sits on the closed toilet lid.
All the life seems to drain out of him.

CUT TO:
 6.

INT. MASTER BATHROOM - NIGHT

Henry switches off the light and goes back into the bedroom.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

On the computer there is finally a response in the chat box

reading: SOME PEOPLE FIND ANIMALS HELP THEM COPE WITH
LONELINESS.

Henry looks at the response and opens another tab to load up

a hotel reservation page. He books a room and closes the
laptop.

He sighs, picks up his suitcase and heads towards the door.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

As Henry goes to leave, he realizes he has left the radio on.

He puts down the suitcase and heads into the..

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Henry turns off the radio. As he heads back to the hallway,

he is shocked to see Victoria, sitting comfortably on a
chair. She does not seem to notice him as she looks down at
the floor.

Henrys look of surprise wears off and he stares at her,

sadly. Tears start to form in his eyes.

Victoria looks up and notices him. She smiles gently at him.

Henry manages to hold back his tears and smiles back. After a
moment, his smile seems genuine.

Victoria continues to smile as she begins to rise. Henry

seems a little taken aback as she gets off the chair. He
takes a step backwards as she slowly begins to approach him,
her smile widening.

Henry backs against the table, knocking the cat sculpture on

the floor, causing him to gasp. Victoria pays no attention to
it, as she continues walking towards Henry, her smile showing
true glee.
 7.

VICTORIA
Rest in peace...

FLASHBACK

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Victoria stands at the counter as a furious Henry throws his

plate of food on the ground. She backs away as he raises his
hand.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Victoria keeps walking towards Henry. He slips on the cat

sculpture and falls onto the floor.

VICTORIA
(gravelly)
Rest in peace?

FLASHBACK

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Victoria sits on the bed, crying, as a younger Henry yells at

her.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

A smiling Victoria towers over the terrified Henry. She bends

down towards him, smiling maniacally.

VICTORIA
Rest in peace.

FLASHBACK

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Victoria, showing a bruise on her face, cleans the kitchen

counter, while Henry plays solitaire on his computer.

CUT TO:
 8.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Henry can barely let out a scream as Victoria gets close...

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

The hallway is empty, except for Henrys suitcase, sitting by

the door.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Light shines in the bedroom. The master bathroom door remains

ajar. It is completely dark inside.

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

The kitchen is well lit. The only sound is the hum of the
refrigerator and the ticking clock.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

Henrys face, now rotting, still shows signs of terror. Kids

can be heard playing outside. But another sound can be heard.
Like chewing.

On Henrys body, dozens of rats feast.

FADE TO BLACK.