Seen Not Heard: An Alexis Fawx Story
SCENE COMMENCES with Anna (Alexis Fawx), a stressed woman dressed in a hospital gown, perched on the edge of her clinical bed with her eyes shut. Her body is rigid and still, with her hands tightly balled. The room is dimly lit, with only her silhouette truly visible against the shifting shadows in the hallway behind the curtain.
Anna ponders: 'Monsters are not only born from darkness but also crafted. A monster, by description, is a mythical creature that is typically enormous, hideous, and horrifying. It's the ominous presence lurking beneath your bed, making you long for your blankets to render you invisible.
A monster can be of various shapes and forms, its core objective being destruction. They are entities of intricate pain, a creature deprived of maternal or paternal care, cloaked in shadows, draped in black, embodying all that we fear the most. ' Suddenly we are taken back to a different era, several years prior.
We see the face of 18-year-old Anna (Bobbi Dylan). She's seated on the edge of her bed. An older man steps into the frame, holding a paper bag.
'Hello darling, how was your day?' the man inquires as he blindfolds the young woman, gently stroking her face as he does so. His forefinger lightly grazes her lips for a fleeting moment before he reaches into a brown paper bag by his side. 'Are you going to behave?' She nods and reluctantly opens her mouth.
From the bag, the man extracts a small container of chocolate pudding and dips his finger in it. He inserts his finger into her mouth as she licks off the pudding. 'You know the consequences if you get this wrong, don't you, Anna?' He murmurs.
She looks up, despite the blindfold, and nods as she chews. The sound of the bedroom door shutting reverberates. Back in the present, Anna is in a state of panic, swaying back and forth.
'I got it right!' She sobs and chuckles simultaneously as she continues to sway. A young male hospital attendant (Seth Gamble) enters the room. Gripping her shoulders, he guides her back into bed, tucking her in.
'It's okay, Anna, everything will be fine. The doctor will see you in the morning. ' He offers a comforting smile as he tenderly caresses her face, and she closes her eyes.
CUT TO TITLE PLATE The following morning, Anna wakes up abruptly. Seated in a corner of the room is the girl from her memory, her younger self, still clad in her nightgown. 'It's high time you woke up, the doctor is waiting for us!' The younger Anna exclaims innocently.
Simultaneously, the orderly enters the room. Both women glance at him, but he only acknowledges the older Anna, 'The Doctor is ready for you,' he informs. Anna rises reluctantly, scrutinizing herself and the younger woman beside her.
She anticipates the orderly to say something -- but he seems unaware. Finally, the younger Anna takes her hand and leads her forward, as they trail behind the orderly out of the room. In the doctor's office, Anna is seated across from the doctor (Eric Masterson) as he goes over her file.
He queries about her wellbeing, her appetite, and whether she still experiences the dreams they discussed. As Anna struggles to respond, the younger version of her leans in and whispers 'Remember dear, you must be a sight, not a sound!' Anna shuts her eyes, trying to block out everything. We are taken back to another memory of young Anna.
She opens her eyes, looking at her reflection. She is seated in front of a mirror, while her mother brushes her hair. We don't see the woman's face, but we hear her repeating, 'Remember dear, you must be a sight, not a sound!' Young Anna listens to this being echoed before she begins to recite it herself.
Back in the doctor's office, Anna's eyes fly open in terror. The Doctor attempts to soothe her as she begins shouting 'be a sight, not a sound' repeatedly. He calls for assistance and the orderly returns to escort her away.
The younger Anna observes them leave with a cunning smile, turns around and winks at the Doctor, who is oblivious to her presence. Later that night, the orderly brings a dinner tray into Anna's room. 'I'm not hungry!' Anna protests, as she rolls over in her bed to reveal her younger self also lying there.
'You need to eat something,' the orderly tries to persuade her. The younger Anna sits up, selecting a piece of food from the tray. 'You really should behave Anna, you know the repercussions of misconduct!' She whispers, slipping her fingers into Anna's mouth and then tasting them herself.
She then stands up.
Anna ponders: 'Monsters are not only born from darkness but also crafted. A monster, by description, is a mythical creature that is typically enormous, hideous, and horrifying. It's the ominous presence lurking beneath your bed, making you long for your blankets to render you invisible.
A monster can be of various shapes and forms, its core objective being destruction. They are entities of intricate pain, a creature deprived of maternal or paternal care, cloaked in shadows, draped in black, embodying all that we fear the most. ' Suddenly we are taken back to a different era, several years prior.
We see the face of 18-year-old Anna (Bobbi Dylan). She's seated on the edge of her bed. An older man steps into the frame, holding a paper bag.
'Hello darling, how was your day?' the man inquires as he blindfolds the young woman, gently stroking her face as he does so. His forefinger lightly grazes her lips for a fleeting moment before he reaches into a brown paper bag by his side. 'Are you going to behave?' She nods and reluctantly opens her mouth.
From the bag, the man extracts a small container of chocolate pudding and dips his finger in it. He inserts his finger into her mouth as she licks off the pudding. 'You know the consequences if you get this wrong, don't you, Anna?' He murmurs.
She looks up, despite the blindfold, and nods as she chews. The sound of the bedroom door shutting reverberates. Back in the present, Anna is in a state of panic, swaying back and forth.
'I got it right!' She sobs and chuckles simultaneously as she continues to sway. A young male hospital attendant (Seth Gamble) enters the room. Gripping her shoulders, he guides her back into bed, tucking her in.
'It's okay, Anna, everything will be fine. The doctor will see you in the morning. ' He offers a comforting smile as he tenderly caresses her face, and she closes her eyes.
CUT TO TITLE PLATE The following morning, Anna wakes up abruptly. Seated in a corner of the room is the girl from her memory, her younger self, still clad in her nightgown. 'It's high time you woke up, the doctor is waiting for us!' The younger Anna exclaims innocently.
Simultaneously, the orderly enters the room. Both women glance at him, but he only acknowledges the older Anna, 'The Doctor is ready for you,' he informs. Anna rises reluctantly, scrutinizing herself and the younger woman beside her.
She anticipates the orderly to say something -- but he seems unaware. Finally, the younger Anna takes her hand and leads her forward, as they trail behind the orderly out of the room. In the doctor's office, Anna is seated across from the doctor (Eric Masterson) as he goes over her file.
He queries about her wellbeing, her appetite, and whether she still experiences the dreams they discussed. As Anna struggles to respond, the younger version of her leans in and whispers 'Remember dear, you must be a sight, not a sound!' Anna shuts her eyes, trying to block out everything. We are taken back to another memory of young Anna.
She opens her eyes, looking at her reflection. She is seated in front of a mirror, while her mother brushes her hair. We don't see the woman's face, but we hear her repeating, 'Remember dear, you must be a sight, not a sound!' Young Anna listens to this being echoed before she begins to recite it herself.
Back in the doctor's office, Anna's eyes fly open in terror. The Doctor attempts to soothe her as she begins shouting 'be a sight, not a sound' repeatedly. He calls for assistance and the orderly returns to escort her away.
The younger Anna observes them leave with a cunning smile, turns around and winks at the Doctor, who is oblivious to her presence. Later that night, the orderly brings a dinner tray into Anna's room. 'I'm not hungry!' Anna protests, as she rolls over in her bed to reveal her younger self also lying there.
'You need to eat something,' the orderly tries to persuade her. The younger Anna sits up, selecting a piece of food from the tray. 'You really should behave Anna, you know the repercussions of misconduct!' She whispers, slipping her fingers into Anna's mouth and then tasting them herself.
She then stands up.
Actors:
