Title: The tale tell of hearts

**INT. DOCTOR’S CLINIC – DAY**

*Dr. Aaron sits at his desk, staring blankly at the file in front of him. He’s disheveled, his usual confident
demeanor replaced with exhaustion and worry. The rhythmic ticking of a clock echoes in the silent
room, amplifying the tension.*

**NARRATION (Dr. Aaron):**

*(voiceover)* “It’s been six months since I lost my son. Six months of searching, hoping, and failing. But I
can feel it—I’m close to the truth.”

*Dr. Aaron’s hand trembles as he picks up a photograph of his son, Jace, smiling brightly in his birthday
hat. He gently traces the image with his finger, his eyes welling with tears.*

**CUT TO:**

**EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET – DAY (FLASHBACK)**

*Jace, a lively 12-year-old boy, rides his bike alongside his friends. Their laughter fills the air as they
come to a stop outside an eerie, run-down house at the end of the street. Its broken windows and
overgrown yard give it an ominous aura.*

**FRIEND 1:**

“Bet you won’t go inside, Jace.”

**JACE:**

“I’m not scared. It’s just an old house.”

**FRIEND 2:**

“Prove it, birthday boy. Go in, grab something, and come back.”
*Jace hesitates, glancing back at his friends, who grin mischievously. Summoning his courage, he walks
toward the house. The friends exchange smirks and quietly lock the gate behind him before running off,
giggling.*

**CUT TO:**

**INT. OLD MAN’S HOUSE – DAY (FLASHBACK)**

*Jace tiptoes into the house. Dust particles float in the air, illuminated by the faint light streaming
through cracked blinds. The place is a hoarder’s paradise—piles of old newspapers, strange trinkets, and
forgotten relics clutter the space.*

*As Jace moves through the living room, he accidentally bumps into a small table. A glass figurine
topples over, shattering into pieces on the wooden floor. The sound echoes ominously.*

**OLD MAN (O.S.):**

“What have you done?”

*Jace spins around, his face pale with fear. A shadowy figure looms behind him. The screen cuts to black
as the sound of heavy footsteps and Jace’s panicked screams fill the air.*

**CUT TO:**

**INT. DOCTOR’S CLINIC – DAY (PRESENT)**

*Dr. Aaron snaps back to reality as his assistant, CLAIRE, enters the room, breaking the heavy silence.*

**CLAIRE:**

“Dr. Aaron, your next patient is waiting. It’s Mr. Graves.”

**DR. AARON:**

*(pauses)* “Send him in.”

**INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE – LATER**

*MR. GRAVES, an elderly man with a frail but unsettling presence, enters. His movements are slow,
deliberate. He carries an old leather satchel that seems out of place.*

**MR. GRAVES:**

“Dr. Aaron. Thank you for seeing me.”

**DR. AARON:**

“What brings you here, Mr. Graves?”

**MR. GRAVES:**

“I’ve been having chest pains. Perhaps you could come by my house later for a more thorough
examination?”

*Dr. Aaron studies him closely, his mind racing. There’s something familiar about this man. A flicker of
suspicion crosses his face.*

**DR. AARON:**

“Of course.”

**CUT TO:**

**EXT. MR. GRAVES’ HOUSE – NIGHT**

*The wind whistles through the broken windows, and the faint creak of a rocking chair on the porch
adds to the unsettling atmosphere.*

**INT. MR. GRAVES’ HOUSE – CONTINUOUS**

*The house is dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of decay. Strange, childlike drawings line the walls,
depicting stick figures and unsettling scenes.*

**DR. AARON:**

“Mr. Graves?”

**MR. GRAVES (O.S.):**

“In the basement.”

*Dr. Aaron notices the basement door slightly ajar, with a faint light flickering below. His heartbeat
quickens as he steps toward it.*

**INT. BASEMENT STAIRS – CONTINUOUS**

*Dr. Aaron descends cautiously, flashlight in hand. Each creak of the wooden stairs echoes ominously.
The basement is cold, damp, and filled with chains, tools, and broken furniture.*

*On a table near the corner, he spots something that stops him in his tracks—Jace’s backpack. It’s dirty
but unmistakable.*

**DR. AARON:**

*(whispers)* “Jace…”
**MR. GRAVES (O.S.):**

“He shouldn’t have touched my things.”

*Dr. Aaron spins around to see Mr. Graves at the top of the stairs, holding a large knife. His face is eerily
calm.*

**DR. AARON:**

“What did you do to my son?”

**MR. GRAVES:**

“He broke something precious. I had to teach him a lesson.”

*Dr. Aaron’s hands shake as rage and sorrow overwhelm him. He charges at Mr. Graves, knocking him
down the stairs. A brutal fight ensues, with both men grappling for control.*

*Dr. Aaron manages to wrestle the knife away and, in a moment of desperate rage, stabs Mr. Graves.
Blood pools on the cold basement floor as Mr. Graves takes his final breath.*

**INT. BASEMENT – LATER**

*Dr. Aaron, bloodied and shaking, searches the basement. His flashlight beams across various gruesome
objects before landing on a locked door. He forces it open, revealing a horrific sight—Jace’s lifeless body,
hidden under a tarp.*

*Dr. Aaron collapses beside his son, his cries echoing through the room. He cradles Jace’s body, his tears
soaking the blanket he wraps around him.*

**DR. AARON:**

“I’m so sorry, Jace. I should’ve been there.”

**EXT. MR. GRAVES’ HOUSE – DAWN**

*Dr. Aaron emerges from the house, carrying Jace’s body wrapped in the blanket. The rising sun casts a
pale light over the scene as police cars pull up, their sirens breaking the morning silence.*

*Dr. Aaron kneels on the ground, clutching his son tightly. Officers approach cautiously, their
expressions a mix of pity and professionalism.*

**FADE OUT.**

**THE END**