[Scene: After School – Back Home] Jeremy steps into his house, greeted by its familiar, slightly eerie silence. The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows across the gothic-style corridors. He heads upstairs to his room, dropping his bag by the door.
The board game is still sitting on his desk, exactly where he left it. Its glossy surface seems to glint unnaturally in the dim light. Jeremy hesitates, drawn to it despite the unease it stirs in him.
He cautiously sits down, his hand hovering over the game. As he studies it more closely, he notices strange symbols etched along the edges—symbols he doesn't recognize but that seem oddly familiar, as if they're whispering to him.
Jeremy (muttering): "What are you? And why do I feel like... you're watching me?"
The room suddenly feels colder, the shadows on the walls appearing to stretch and shift. Jeremy pulls his hand back, heart pounding. A knock on the door startles him.
Mom (off-screen): "Jeremy, dinner's ready!"
Jeremy quickly stands, the tension breaking.
Jeremy: "Coming!"
He glances back at the game one last time before leaving the room, the strange symbols now faintly glowing in the dim light.
[Scene: Nighttime – Jeremy's Room] The room is bathed in eerie moonlight streaming through the stained-glass windows, casting distorted shadows across the walls. Jeremy lies in bed, tossing and turning. His dreams have taken a sinister turn.
He finds himself back in his room, staring at the glowing board game on his desk. But the game feels different this time—alive, pulsating as though it has a heartbeat. Symbols on the board shift and twist, forming words that Jeremy can't understand, yet feel painfully familiar.
Board Game (whispering): "Jeremy... play... play..."
Jeremy tries to step away, but his body feels frozen. The walls of his room start to warp, the shadows stretching out into claw-like shapes. He hears faint, chilling laughter echoing from the corners of the room. His hands, almost against his will, move toward the board game, and as he touches it, the whispers grow louder.
Suddenly, the board game erupts with a blinding light, engulfing the room in unnatural brightness. The symbols rearrange themselves again, and this time, he can read them:
Board Game:"Play or face the consequences."
Jeremy screams, trying to pull his hands away, but the game refuses to let go. He feels as though he's being pulled into the board itself, the room disappearing around him. Then, everything goes dark.
[Scene: Jeremy's Room – Reality] Jeremy bolts upright in bed, gasping for air, drenched in sweat. His heart pounds in his chest as his eyes dart around the room. Everything is back to normal—the board game is just a lifeless object on his desk, the shadows are still, and the silence of the house feels deafening.
Suddenly, the door creaks open, and Allen, Jeremy's father, steps in with a concerned expression.
Allen: "Jeremy? I heard you scream. Are you alright?"
Jeremy tries to catch his breath, his voice shaking.
Jeremy: "Dad... it—it was a nightmare. The game… it felt like it was alive. I thought..." [he trails off, his hands trembling]
Allen walks over, sitting on the edge of the bed. He places a hand on Jeremy's shoulder, his voice calm but worried.
Allen: "Hey, it's okay. It was just a bad dream. But this game... does it always make you feel uneasy?"
Jeremy looks at the desk where the board game sits, unmoving, almost mocking him with its lifelessness.
Jeremy: "I don't know. There's something... wrong about it, Dad. I feel like it's watching me."
Allen studies his son's expression, his concern deepening. He stands and walks over to the desk, picking up the game and examining it closely. His brow furrows as he traces the strange symbols on its surface.
Allen: "I'll put this away for now. You don't need to think about it tonight. Just try to rest."
Jeremy hesitates but nods. He lies back down as Allen carries the board game out of the room, . Allen lingers outside the door of his room, worried about Jeremy's shaken state.
[Scene: Allen's Room – Nighttime] Allen places the board game on his desk, its polished surface gleaming faintly in the dim light of his study lamp. He leans forward, examining the peculiar symbols etched along the edges. They appear to be random at first glance, but something about their intricate design unsettles him.
Allen (thinking):It's just a game. Why does it feel so… off?
He flips the board over, inspecting every detail, but nothing seems particularly unusual. The game looks completely ordinary—like any board game that one might find in a dusty old shop. Still, Allen can't shake the feeling that Jeremy's anxiety wasn't entirely unfounded.
He rubs his temple, sighing deeply, before placing the game in one of his desk drawers. Turning off the lamp, he mutters to himself.
Allen (muttering): "It's probably just Jeremy's imagination. The boy's been through a lot... maybe it's nothing."
As he steps out of the room, the camera lingers on the desk drawer. Faintly, almost imperceptibly, the symbols on the board game seem to glow for a brief moment before fading into darkness.
[Scene: Jeremy's Room – Morning] The soft light of dawn filters through the stained-glass windows, painting Jeremy's room in hues of blue and gold. He wakes with a start, his dream still vivid in his mind—a tangled nightmare of glowing symbols, whispers, and shadows pulling him into the board game. He sits up, running a hand through his disheveled hair, and exhales shakily.
Jeremy (thinking):It was just a dream... right?
His eyes drift toward his desk, where the game had been the night before. Seeing the empty space where it once sat, he feels a mix of relief and unease. He knows his dad took it, but a small part of him wonders if the game is as harmless as it looks.
[Scene: Kitchen – Morning] Jeremy walks into the kitchen, his movements slow and deliberate. Allen is at the table, reading the newspaper and sipping his coffee. He looks up as Jeremy enters, his expression softening with concern.
Allen: "Morning, kiddo. Feeling better?"
Jeremy nods, though the dark circles under his eyes betray his restless night. He grabs a piece of toast and sits across from his dad, silently picking at it.
Allen: "About that game… I looked at it last night. It seemed normal to me. Maybe it's just some old, weird design that got you spooked."
Jeremy (quietly): "Yeah… maybe."
But the doubt in his voice is evident. Allen decides not to press the matter further, instead switching to a lighter tone.
Allen: "Big day today. Second day at school. Think you'll survive?"
Jeremy manages a small smile, appreciating his dad's attempt to cheer him up.
Jeremy: "I'll try."