Sara
I'm inside our old house. I still have a key.
Mom
Why did you go there? Come home now!
Sara
It's so dark in here. Why aren't the lights working?
Mom
Honey, please get out of there now.
Sara
Why? THIS is home to me.
Sara
Or it used to be. When Dad was still here.
Sara
What happened to Dad?
Sara
It's coming from the basement...
Sara
I’m going down there.
Mom
Please listen to me and get out of there immediately!
Sara
OMG Mom. Dad’s eyes.
Sara
What did you do to him?
Sara
I think I’m going to be sick.
Mom
Sara, that can’t be dad.
Sara
And his eyes – he doesn’t have any!
Mom
Sara, you need to come home.
Sara
His lips are sewn shut!
Sara
Oh God, they’re sewn together with some kind of wire.
Sara
Mom, he’s chained to the floor.
Sara
And he can’t look at me.
Mom
Sara, that can’t be Dad.
Sara
The one who wrote and recorded that love song for you.
Sara
The one who wrote that lullaby for me.
Sara
The one who used to dance around the living room with us.
Mom
Sara, are you making this up?
Sara
No Mom, it’s his hair, his forehead, his nose.
Sara
Did you do this, Mom?
Sara
Is that why you’re saying it’s not him?
Mom
No. And honestly honey, I’m concerned that you’re in a basement with a mutilated man.
Mom
Please get out of there! Now.
Sara
No, it’s Dad, and I’m calling the police!
Mom
DON’T CALL THE POLICE SARA
Mom
I’m coming over there.
Mom
Don’t do anything until I get there.
Sara puts down her phone and approaches the chained-up man.
Despite what she’s just said to her mom, she isn’t totally sure that this person is her dad.
In response, the man grunts and clanks his chains with his feet.
Tears pour out of the sockets that once held his eyes.
Sara sobs and rushes to embrace her father.
Sara
Oh, Dad, who did this to you?
Sara
Was it Mom? Tell me it wasn’t Mom.
Her dad grunts weakly and bangs his feet on the floor.
But Sara doesn’t know what that means.
Suddenly Sara realizes something.
Sara
You must be so thirsty, Dad.
Sara
I’ll get you some water.
She goes upstairs, finds a glass in a cupboard and fills it with water.
She returns to the basement and tilts her father’s head back...
And then pours the water between the spaces in his sewn-up mouth.
Sara
Dad, I’m going to call the police.
Her dad, fortified by the water, grunts more loudly.
But does he mean yes or no?
She dials 911 and her hand hovers over the “Call” button – but then she stops,
The smell of a familiar violet perfume permeates the air…
As Sara’s mom rushes toward her.
Mom
Sara, are you alright?!
She looks at the man chained to the floor.
Mom
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.
Mom
Are you sure that’s your father?
Suddenly they hear a humming noise.
Sara and her mom move closer to the man and listen.
Her mom falls to the floor and starts crying.
Mom
Oh Will, it really is you. Our song. Oh my god. Our song.
Mom
This is all my fault. I’m so sorry.
Sara
You did THIS to Dad?
Mom
I’d never hurt your father like this.
Mom
Alice. It must be Alice.
