original screen plays-by me

SHADOWS OF DECEPTION

Characters:
- Alex Thompson (The Victim)
- Detective Sarah Mitchell (Determined detective)
- Mark Johnson (The Serial Killer)

(Scene: Alex's apartment, dimly lit. Alex sits on the couch, engrossed in a book. The atmosphere is tense.)

[Alex senses a presence and looks around, a shiver running down their spine.]

Alex: (whispering) Is someone there?

(Silence fills the room as fear creeps in. Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. Alex jumps, heart racing.)

Alex: (nervously) Who is it?

Mark: (offscreen) Delivery service, ma'am. I have a package for Alex Thompson.

Alex: (relieved) Just a moment!

(Alex opens the door slightly, but Mark pushes his way in, grinning maliciously.)

Mark: (smirking) Sorry to intrude, Alex. You really should have been more cautious.

(As realization dawns upon them, Alex stumbles back, trying to escape.)

Alex: (pleading) Please, don't hurt me! I don't even know you!

Mark: (coldly) That's the beauty of it. You'll never know me, but I've known you for a long time. Your routines, your weaknesses.

(Alex frantically searches for an escape route, eyes darting across the room.)

(Scene: Outside Alex's apartment. Detective Sarah Mitchell arrives, a sense of urgency in her actions.)

Detective Mitchell: (calling out) Alex! Are you in there?

(Scene: Alex's apartment. Mark glances towards the window.)

Mark: (whispering) Time is running out, Alex. But before I bid you farewell, let's play a little game.

(Alex trembles, trapped in their own home, feeling helpless.)

Alex: (voice quivering) What do you want from me?

Mark: (tauntingly) You're going to try and escape, Alex. But remember, I know this place better than you ever will.

(Scene: Outside Alex's apartment. Detective Mitchell tries the doorknob, finding it locked.)

Detective Mitchell: (urgently) Alex, if you can hear me, hang on. I'm going to get you out of there.

(Scene: Alex's apartment. Mark circles around, blocking all possible escape routes.)

Mark: (whispering) Tick-tock, Alex. The clock is ticking.

(Alex spots an open window and makes a desperate dash towards it.)

(Scene: Outside Alex's apartment. Detective Mitchell pushes through the door, gun drawn.)

Detective Mitchell: (firmly) Mark Johnson, put your hands up and step away from Alex!

(Mark freezes, caught off-guard. Alex seizes the opportunity and jumps out of the window, landing safely onto the street.)

(Scene: Alex lands on the street, shaken but determined to run for their life.)

(Scene: Inside Alex's apartment. Detective Mitchell apprehends Mark, cuffing him.)

Detective Mitchell: (defiantly) Your game ends here, Mark. You won't hurt anyone else.

(Mark, defeated, smiles eerily.)

Mark: (chillingly) Oh, Detective, you have no idea how many more are out there like me.

(The curtain falls as the audience is left with a lingering sense of unease.)