Episode 1 (Refined and Enhanced Version)
534 Words
Title: The Unknown Message
đž Scene One: (Night â Ayeshaâs Room)
A soft amber light bathes the room. Fairy lights line the wall, their glow gentle yet unable to fill the silence that lingers in the air. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barks. The atmosphere is heavy â quiet, almost too quiet.
Ayesha lies on her bed. Phone in hand, her face blanks, her eyes echoing questions worn by years.
Ayesha (softly, to herself):
Every year itâs the sameâŠ
They all send wishes, post pictures, throw in emojis...
But no one really knows whatâs behind the smile... the truth in the silence.
Notifications light up her phone:
âHappy birthday Ayesha đđâ
âYouâre getting older, đâ
âMiss you! Come visitl soon.â
Ayesha gives a faint, forced smile and places the phone aside.
Silence.
The sound of her heartbeat becomes audible â slow, steady, heavy.
đ± Suddenly, the phone screen lights up on its own.
A faint voice⊠barely a whisper, seems to say:
"Listen..."
Ayesha jumps slightly. She quickly picks up the phone.
A notification appears:
đ lifeline: A new message has been received.
Ayesha (startled):
Life Line? Whatâs that?
I have never installed any app like this...
The phone unlocks on its own. Without opening anything, a message appears:
Happy birthday, Ayesha.
The wish you made in your heart today⊠we heard it.
But the truth is⊠you donât even know yourself.
Ayesha (shaken):
Who⊠could this be?
How did they⊠know what I wished for?
(in her thoughts)
I didnât tell anyone⊠not even myself, out loud.
đ· Suddenly, the front camera switches on by itself.
Ayeshaâs eyes widen â with fear, disbelief.
On screen, a faint blurry shadow appears â like a presence⊠just out of reach.
đž Scene Two: (Flashback â Morning)
A birthday celebration at home.
Everyone seems happy, warm smiles and laughter echo in the room.
But Ayeshaâs smile feels... worn, like a mask.
Before cutting the cake, she closes her eyes.
Ayesha (in her heart):
I wish... there was someone who could understand me without words.
Someone... who was truly mine.
She opens her eyes â cuts the cake â applause follows.
But in her eyes, an unspoken sadness flickers.
đž Scene Three: (Back to Present)
Ayesha quickly checks her app list â no trace of a lifeline.
She scrolls through downloads, files, notification history â all empty.
The phoneâs light dimsâŠ
Her heartbeat is now louder â like itâs inside the readerâs ears.
Ayesha (in a soft, anxious tone):
Who are you...?
A dream⊠or a truth hiding in plain sight?
The phone vibrates again.
Ask Ayesha...
But do not fear.
Your lifeline has now begun.
Her face is now a mixture of fear, wonder, and something unexplained.
She tries to power off the phone â but this time the screen turns pure white.
One final line appears:
This is only the beginningâŠ
The camera zooms in on Ayeshaâs face â her eyes now whispering questions her lips wonât dare ask.
Her heartbeat⊠and the screenâs glow⊠fade out, together.
đŹ End of Episode 1
Tagline:
"Sometimes, the one who knows us best⊠is a complete stranger."
who to be.
- Writer
