After Dark - Episode 1

I have 5 missed texts from my boyfriend, Adam.

Adam

I crashed my car!

Adam

There’s blood everywhere…

Adam

And the car won’t start.

Adam

Oh god…I can’t move my legs.

Adam

Help!

I text him back.

Becca

Oh my god! Are you okay?

Becca

You’re not supposed to be out right now!

Adam

I know…

Adam

I was bored, so I went for a drive.

Becca

But that’s against the rules!

Where we live, it’s illegal to leave your house after dark.

The law keeps us safe.

Because when the sun sets…

The monster comes out.

Looking for prey.

My phone buzzes with a response from Adam.

Adam

Becca, please help me.

Adam

I can’t make it home on my own.

Adam

I can’t even stand up!

Adam

If I don’t get inside soon…

Adam

The monster is going to find me.

I freeze.

Becca

Have you seen it?!

Adam

Not yet…

Adam

But it’ll come.

I chew my lip.

If I go outside, I could be killed.

But I can’t leave Adam out there.

He’s not just my boyfriend…

He’s my best friend.

I peer out my bedroom window.

Outside, the street is empty.

No sound.

No anything.

My phone buzzes again.

Adam

Please!

Adam

No one else will come!

I take a deep breath…

Bracing myself.

Becca

Okay.

Becca

I’m on my way.

Becca

Where are you?

Adam

In the woods right off of Hilltop Road.

Adam

Near the gas station.

Uh oh.

That’s far away.

And I’m going to be on foot.

My parents won’t let me borrow their car.

ESPECIALLY not after dark.

Who could blame them?

With the monster out there…

No one leaves their home at night.

But my boyfriend’s life is on the line.

10 minutes later

I’m walking down a street.

Alone.

In the dark.

My heart is pounding.

I’m looking in every direction.

Hoping the monster isn’t here.

I’ve never seen it before.

I’ve been told that it looks like a shadow…

That changes shape as it moves.

And when it moves, the only sound it makes…

Is a low whistle.

I keep walking down the street.

I take a right onto Church Avenue.

I’m getting closer to Adam.

My phone buzzes with a text.

Adam

Hurry!

Adam

I can see the monster.

Adam

It’s down the road…

Oh, no.

Becca

Just sit tight.

Becca

And stay quiet…

Becca

So it won’t hear you.

Adam

It doesn’t matter if I’m quiet.

Adam

The monster can smell blood.

Adam

Becca, my leg won’t stop bleeding.

Adam

When it gets close enough…

Adam

It’ll smell me.

I take a deep breath…

Trying to keep myself calm.

Becca

I’ll find you before the monster does.

Becca

I promise.

Adam

When you get close, try to be stealthy.

Adam

I can’t lose you, Becca.

Adam

I love you.

Even though I’m terrified…

I smile.

Becca

I love you, too.

My phone buzzes—

A text from my friend, Charlie.

Charlie

Hey gorgeous.

Charlie

Want to skype?

Charlie

😉

Okay, so Charlie might be more than a friend.

But we’ve only hooked up a few times.

I promised myself I’d stop.

I feel awful about cheating on Adam.

But it’s hard to resist Charlie.

He’s the hottest guy at school.

And the attention is…

Thrilling.

But I still love Adam.

And I don’t want Adam to find out about me and Charlie.

It would destroy him.

I text Charlie back—

Becca

I can’t talk right now.

Charlie

Who said I want to talk? 😜

Charlie

I just want to see that smile of yours.

Becca

I’m busy.

Charlie

Please don’t tell me you’re with Adam…

Charlie

You need to break up with that loser.

Charlie

You’re out of his league.

Becca

Shut up.

Charlie

I know you agree with me.

I stop and look up at a street sign—

I’ve reached Hilltop Road.

Adam must be close.

I text Charlie.

Becca

I seriously can’t talk…

Becca

I’m outside right now.

Charlie

Wait, what?!

Charlie

You could be killed!

Charlie

Go inside!

Becca

Don’t worry.

Becca

I’ll be fine.

I silence my phone…

Take a deep breath…

And start moving down Hilltop Road.

I scan the area.

Searching…

And see a car in the woods.

It must have crashed into a tree.

I squint, trying to get a better look—

It’s Adam’s car.

I text Adam.

Becca

I’m almost there!

Adam

Hurry…

Adam

The monster’s getting closer.

I look around, petrified.

Becca

Where is it?

Adam

North of the gas station.

I look towards the gas station, far in the distance.

But I don’t see it.

I quicken my steps.

If I’m going to save Adam…

I need to do it fast.

Adam

I can hear whistling…

Adam

Becca, please hurry!

I start running.

The car is close.

I see a person inside.

I sprint even faster.

I reach the car.

It’s smashed into a tree…

Totally wrecked.

I pry open the door—

Lean inside—

And stop.

My jaw drops.

There’s a body in the front seat…

But it’s not Adam’s.

It’s Charlie.

Bloody.

Broken.

Lifeless.

I feel faint.

My phone lights up.

Adam

Did you find me?

I look back and forth between Charlie’s body and my phone.

Becca

I don’t understand…

Becca

What happened to Charlie?

Adam

I took him for a drive…

Adam

And I killed him.

Adam

Then I crashed the car.

Adam

I wanted you to find him.

My hands shake as I reply.

Becca

But he texted me…

Adam

I stole his phone.

Adam

I’ve been texting you from his phone this whole time.

Adam

You think I didn’t know?

Adam

How you cheated on me?

Adam

How you humiliated me?

My chest tightens.

I can’t breathe.

Becca

You killed Charlie!

Becca

You’re a monster.

Adam

No, I’m not.

Adam

The only real monster…

Adam

Is the one that’s going to find you.

Adam

Goodbye, Becca.

Adam

You should’ve known…

Adam

Not to go out after dark.

I put away my phone, shocked.

And then I get a strange feeling…

Like I’m being watched.

I turn around.

But I don’t see anything.

I quickly walk away.

Back towards home.

And that’s when I hear a whistle.

It’s coming from behind me.

Low, but getting louder.

Getting closer.

I start to run.

I start to scream.

But I see a shadow moving towards me…

And then it’s too late.

Adam