Echoes and Shackles: Twilight's Grip
Echoes and Shackles: Twilight's Grip - YouTube Video
Act 1: Introduction
Scene 1: Military Assignment
Mark Blackwell is lying on a hospital bed, wearing a patient's gown, and his eyes are tightly shut, but he isn't asleep. Then he hears footsteps. Someone is entering his room. He opens his eyes halfway just to see who has entered his room and why. He sees a nurse placing a large envelope in his bedside drawer. He shuts his eyes again.
Mark - (To himself) Another assignment? I am still trying to recover from the last one. How long will I continue to risk my life for missions I know nothing about? So much is being kept away from me, yet the military expects me to obey every decision like a loyal dog.
Immediately, he hears the receding footsteps of the nurse leaving his room. Mark jumps out of bed, grabbing the brown envelope in his bedside drawer.
Mark - (Smirking as he reads the inscription on the envelope out loud) Top Secret.
He unseals the brown envelope and brings out a one-page document.
The document reads:
Assignment: Project Ephemeral
Priority: Urgent
Classification: Top Secret
Military Operative: Mark Blackwell
(A black Sedan is waiting a few blocks away from the hospital. It will transport you to an undisclosed location.)
Mark - (In frustration) It's always a one-page document with barely enough information to give you an idea of what you're about to do. Do I even get a say?
He drives his fingers through his lush black hair, an act he does whenever he's angry or frustrated, and right now, he's both. He begins to pace around the small room, his mind filled with unhappy thoughts. After a while, he walks out of the room with the document in one hand and a slight limp, a reminder of how bad his last mission went.
Scene 2: Meeting Dr. Thornfield
Dr. Evelyn Thornfield is pacing inside her office. She plays with her fingers to hide her anxiety, but it's not working, as she looks really nervous.
Dr. Thornfield - (Speaking out loud) Project Ephemeral is a big deal. Put yourself together, or you'll make a mess of the situation. You are a top scientist. Why are you shaking like a child left outside on a winter night?
She hears the sound of a car pulling up, and she dashes to her window, which overlooks the driveway. A man emerges from the car, dressed in faded blue jeans and a black T-shirt. His hair is ruffled, and an unreadable expression is on his face. He looks around as if trying to collect some sort of information from the grey two-storeyed building before him.
Dr. Thornfield - (To herself) I hope I don't have a hard time convincing him.
Dr. Thornfield moves away from the window when she sees the man about to look upwards in her direction. She doesn't want him to think she's spying on him.
Mark - (To himself) Is there a soul in this place? This place is giving me the creeps.
He keeps walking, hoping he will see someone or something. A door creaks open behind him, and he turns around sharply.
Dr. Thornfield - Hello.
She calls out to him as she walks out of her office. She can tell he's frightened even though he's hiding it so well.
Dr. Thornfield - My apologies. I am Dr. Thornfield, and you're Mark Blackwell, I believe?
She extends her right hand to him for a handshake. Mark stares at her, his eyes quickly traveling from her dark hair to the white coat she's wearing over a black dress. He takes her hand.
Mark - Yes, I am Mark Blackwell. Nice to meet you, Dr. Thornfield, although I wasn't informed that I would meet you here.
Dr. Thornfield - (Gives a nervous laugh) I am sure there's a good reason for that. Can you come with me to my office? There are a few things I'd like to share with you.
Mark - Sure.
He follows Dr. Thornfield into her all-white office.
Mark - (Looking around) Is white your favorite color or what?
Dr. Thornfield - (Smiling) It helps me think. (Gestures at the white seat in front of her white desk) Have a seat.
Once they are both sitting down, she begins talking.
Dr. Thornfield - There have been many cases of military men dealing with one trauma or the other as a result of the missions they have embarked on. In fact, some of these men are living on antidepressants, while the worst of them have chosen more drastic options. Project Ephemeral is designed to help middle-aged military operatives dealing with trauma.
Mark That's nice. But what has that got to do with me?
Dr. Thornfield - The military is backing me and my organization on this project. I told them we needed one of their middle-aged operatives to carry out our tests.
Mark - So, what am I? A lab rat? Is this even legal?
Dr. Thornfield - I promise you all our tests are safe and legal. You have nothing to worry about.
Mark sits in silence as he tries to process the new information.
Dr. Thornfield - Think of all the military men you'll be helping by participating in Project Ephemeral.
Mark - If you’re sincere, I believe it's a noble cause. I'll do it. When shall we begin?
Scene 3: Journalist’s Inquiry
A young woman is sitting on a couch, wearing grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt. Her brown hair is tied in a ponytail, giving her a serious look. A PC is on her lap, and she's typing furiously. She clicks on the new message notification she has just received.
It read:
A new series of tests is about to commence called Project Ephemeral. I know you're researching MK Ultra, but this new project will interest you. The military is very secretive about it. It involves Mark Blackwell (a military operative) and Dr. Evelyn Thornfield ( a scientist who will perform the test). If you're interested in investigating this project, reply to this message.
To: Olivia Harper
From: The Mole
Olivia - (Aloud) I can't believe this. Project Ephemeral? When will the military stop colluding with selfish scientists to wreak havoc on unsuspecting people?
She begins to type a reply.
Act 2: Ambiguous Beginning
Scene 4: Testing Begins
Mark is in Dr. Thornfield's lab, and testing is about to begin.
Dr. Thornfield - Mark, can you sit on this chair?
Mark - (Swallows as he eyes the straps on the chair with suspicion) Are you going to strap me to the chair, Dr. Thornfield?
Dr. Thornfield - (Nervous laughter) It's not that much of a big deal. Sometimes, the effects of the tests can become overwhelming. So, for your safety and mine, I have to strap you to this chair as we carry out the tests. I hope you don't mind.
Mark - Talking about the effects of the tests, you haven't walked me through them. I'd like to know if it'll be life-threatening. Secondly, I thought I was supposed to sign a document or a contract of some sort about me agreeing to undergo the tests.
Dr. Thornfield - Mark, you worry too much (Giving a fake smile) About the side effects; you don't have to fear. I am here; nothing will go wrong.
Mark - (Sighs in frustration and sits on the chair)
Dr. Thornfield - (Strapping Mark to the chair) You're such a handsome man, Mr. Blackwell.
Mark - (Laughs nervously) Well, I hope I am still handsome after the tests.
Dr. Thornfield starts the test by placing electrical tubes on Mark's nerve points and plugs them into a large machine in the lab. She sees Mark lowering his eyelids, and the lab falls silent. Mark is in a lab along with several other people. They are being forced to swallow some red pills. He sees what is happening to the people who have taken the pill. The distortion in their faces and the shrieking sound they are making. He feels like he's having a nightmare, but he can't get himself to wake up. When it gets to his turn to take the red pill, Mark begins to run away. Dr. Thornfield stares at Mark as he struggles while strapped on the chair, but his eyes remain closed. It looks like he's having a nightmare. She knows what's happening to him, and she feels guilty about it.
Dr. Thornfield - (With a sigh) I am as helpless as you, Mark.
Scene 5: Memories Unearthed
Mark hits the man guarding one of the doors and dashes out of the lab. He's unfamiliar with the building, so he keeps running without direction. He continues to run until he stumbles on a wall. Mark begins to cry and scream at the same time. He soon feels someone grabbing him, trying to take him away, trying to make him go into the lab to take the red pills. But no, he's not being dragged away. He's doing the dragging. He's now the guard trying to force a man back to the lab. And then, everything goes dark.
Olivia walks into the two-storeyed building wearing a cleaner's coveralls. This is the location her informant gave her, along with a pass that read:
Name: Olly Harper
Position: Cleaner
For a tiny moment, Olivia thought she wouldn't be able to pass the security check with the way the guard scrutinized her pass. But when they certified it as real, she almost did a victory dance but had to caution herself.
Olivia - (Still walking) I wonder how The Mole got me an authentic pass. I shouldn't trust him that much.
Olivia stops dead as her eyes detect movement through a glass-paneled wall. The room behind the glass wall looks like a huge lab, and she can see a man strapped to a chair, struggling with bulging veins, but his eyes are shut tight.
Dr. Thornfield - (A voice behind her says in a menacing tone) What are you doing here?
Olivia jumps up in fright and does a 360 to see who has crept up on her. It's the female scientist, Dr. Evelyn Thornfield, a woman Olivia has seen on TV countless times and who she's currently investigating.
Olivia - (Shaky) Sorry, I am one of the new cleaners. I just arrived, and I am trying to find my way.
Dr. Thornfield eyes the slim girl in front of her, hoping to detect a hint of deceit. But instead, she realized that the girl looked vaguely familiar.
Dr. Thornfield - You look vaguely familiar. What's your name?
Olivia - (Lowering her eyes) My name is Olly
Dr. Thornfield Have we met before? Maybe you attended one of my seminars?
Olivia shakes her head from side to side to give a negative response.
Dr. Thornfield - Alright. You need permission to be at this section of the building. Just watch yourself.
Olivia - (To herself) Is that Mark Blackwell? Has Project Ephemeral begun? (Clutching her stomach with a frown on her face) Why do I suddenly feel sick?
Scene 6: Ominous Atmosphere
When Dr. Thornfield walks into the lab, she can see that Mark has stopped struggling. His eyes flutter open as she approaches him, a troubled look on his face.
Mark - (In a tired voice) What have you done to me?
Dr. Thornfield - (Avoiding his gaze) It's the test. This is your first time, so you should expect to have weird feelings. It's nothing bad, I promise.
Mark is wondering why Dr. Thornfield can't look him in the eyes. He wonders if she's being sincere about the real effects of the tests. Dr. Thornfield takes deep breaths as she tries to stabilize her nerves. She can't afford to look nervous in front of Mark, or he'll refuse to go along with the tests.
Dr. Thornfield - (With a fake smile) I'll call one of my helpers to get you back to your room. You've had a long and stressful day.
Act 3: Twist Development
Scene 7: Reality Shattered
Mark is on a bed, twisting and turning, but his eyes are tightly shut. He looks like he's locked in a fight with someone, but he's the only person in the room. Mark can see himself running in a hallway, trying to catch a man who looks like he's trying to escape. Mark doesn't know why, but he keeps chasing the man to catch him. And when the man crashes into a wall, Mark stands tall over him.
The man - Please, please don't take me to them. They are going to kill me.
Mark ignores the sorrowful look on the man's face and grabs him, taking him away. The man's screams fill the empty hallway.
Mark jumps up with a start. He has been having the same nightmare again, and this time, he looks more worried.
Mark - Why do I keep experiencing this scenario? It feels so real. Is this a part of the test, or am I beginning to go crazy? But the dream feels so familiar, the man and the building.
And then Mark's face brightens as a realization hits him.
Mark - (To himself) It's not a dream. That's Project MK Ultra. Why am I remembering bits and pieces of a traumatic memory? Why is my past now a reality? What did Project Ephemeral unlock?
The next morning, Olivia walks purposefully with a bucket and mop to Dr. Thornfield's office. She just switched roles with the girl who's supposed to clean Dr. Thornfield's office after a promise of extra cash. She taps lightly on the office door, and when she doesn't hear a response, she turns the doorknob, giving way much to her surprise.
Olivia - (Entering Dr. Thornfield's all-white office, eyes wide open in surprise) Wow, it looks like heaven here. (With a confused look) Why is Dr. Thornfield careless with her office but wants no one near the lab? She must be hiding something bigger than Mark Blackwell, and I must find out.
Olivia abandons the bucket of soapy water and mop and rushes to Dr. Thornfield's desk, searching for nothing in particular. Just when she's about to give up after poking around for a few minutes, Olivia's fingers land on a bunch of keys.
Olivia - (To herself) One of these keys will unlock the lab, but which one is it? I just have to try them all (shoves the key inside the back pockets of her blue jeans).
Scene 8: Confrontation
Mark leaves his room in search of Dr. Thornfield. Since it's already daybreak, he assumes that she's in her lab, and he's correct. He sees her bent over a microscope through the glass wall and opens the door without knocking.
Dr. Thornfield - (Steps away from the microscope in fright) You scared me, Mr. Blackwell. (With a fake smile on her lips) How did your night go?
Mark (Looks straight at her) You know how it went. I recollected a few traumatic memories my brain has long suppressed.
Dr. Thornfield - (Still maintaining the fake smile) I don't know what you're implying.
Mark - Quit the bullshit, Dr. Thornfield. What's the purpose of Project Ephemeral?
Dr. Thornfield - I told you it's a new treatment for traumatized military operatives.
Mark - (Raising his voice) I mean the real purpose of Project Ephemeral and not the cooked-up stories you've been feeding me with.
Dr. Thornfield - (In a low tone) I am helping the military design a system that can cause people to remember events suppressed by trauma. And they agreed to send military operatives to me so I could experiment on them.
Mark - (Staring at her with disbelief) So, this experiment is not legal?
Dr. Thornfield - It isn't. But it's not dangerous, I promise.
91 - Mark turns his back and walks away from Dr. Thornfield and out of the lab.
Dr. Thornfield - (Calling after Mike) I am not the bad guy here.
Olivia hides in the corridor, watching the heated exchange between Mark Blackwell and Dr. Thornfield. She sees Mark Blackwell walk away, and soon, Dr. Thornfield locks the lab and chases after him.
Olivia - (Muttering under her breath) Now is my chance.
She walks quickly towards the lab and tries to unlock the door, which she does successfully after trying a few keys and with minimal noise. The lab is in pristine condition, and Olivia feels like exploring all the interesting machines and tubes in it, but she knows she has limited time. So, she hurries and begins to open all the drawers she can lay her hands on. She finds a pile of folders in one of the drawers and flips through them quickly. Most of them have details and sketches of machines, which Olivia skips immediately. She begins to think that her breaking into the lab is a waste of effort when she stumbles on a file containing Mark Blackwell's information.
Olivia - (Reading the content of the document out loud)
Experiment: Project Ephemeral
Aim: To determine if memories suppressed by trauma can be reawakened.
Subject: Mark Blackwell
Subject's background: Military operative who featured in MK Ultra.
Duration: Uncertain
Olivia - (Goes pale like she's seen a ghost) MK Ultra? Is Mark Blackwell featured in it? Is the military trying to take advantage of his trauma? I need to make contact with him, but first… (Brings out a phone from beneath her coveralls) I need pictures. (She begins to take pictures of the documents before her).
Scene 9: Unraveling Reality
Mark is in his room thinking about the recent happenings.
Mark - (Pacing around and driving his fingers through his hair) The military has my health records and is trying to take advantage of my trauma with the help of Dr. Thornfield. Everything is a lie. Even my very existence might be a lie.
Mark - (Stops pacing) What if Dr. Thornfield tells me I am nothing but a ghost she's trying to bring back to life? (Screams) Everything is a lie.
Act 4: Climax and Resolution
Scene 10: Final Test
Dr. Thornfield is sitting in her office typing on her desktop computer. She hears the door opening and shifts her attention away from the screen, waiting to see who the intruder is. Mark walks in, and even though she's surprised, she tries to hide it.
Dr. Thornfield - (Standing up and smiling nervously) To what do I owe this visit? I thought I wouldn't lay eyes on you again because of how angry you were the last time we had a conversation.
Mark - Today has been scheduled for the final test. I am here for it.
Dr. Thornfield - Are you sure? You don't have to participate in this experiment if you don't want to.
Mark - (With a frown) Stop talking as if I have a choice. Let's get this experiment over with.
Dr. Thornfield nods her head in understanding and leads the way out of her office. When they enter the lab, Dr. Thornfield sets up the machine like last. Mark sits in the chair without being told to do so, and Dr. Thornfield straps him in quietly. It's obvious that he's accepted his face and not willing to fight again. Once the tubes are plugged in, Mark shuts his eyes, and he's immediately transported to another scenario in his past, where he's dragging the unyielding man and forcing him to go back to the lab to take the red pills. Mark's willingness to defeat the tests drowns the man's pleas for mercy.
Olivia - (Walking from one end to another. A confused look on her face) I can't believe Mark agreed to have the final test. What if it drives him to insanity? I have to stop this (Pulls out a cell phone)
Olivia - (Speaking into the phone) Mr, Randal, I've got picture evidence of the military covering up an illegal experiment. I want it published today.
Olivia - (With a frown) What do you mean by you can't do that? Is the military that powerful?
Olivia - Don't worry, I'll find another way.
Scene 11: Revelation
Congratulations on completing the tests, a voice says to him. With his face in his hands, Mark lifts his head to look at the intruder.
Mark - Who are you?
Olivia - I am Olivia Harper, an investigative journalist.
Mark - Are you in on this, too?
Olivia - No, I am here to investigate Project Ephemeral. It's similar to a project I am directly connected to, MK Ultra.
Mark - (Stands up immediately) Do you know about MK Ultra? I was a young man who had just joined the military and was asked to join other soldiers in guarding a lab. The project was kept a secret, and we were told it was an experiment for a treatment for psychosis.
Olivia - My father was one of those who participated in MK Ultra. After the experiments, he became a different person. Not too long after, he died. That was 20 years ago, and I have carried the pain in my heart ever since.
Mark - I am sorry about your father. Witnessing MK Ultra traumatized me so badly that my brain had to suppress the memories. Until recently, I had forgotten all about it. I can't imagine the damage it did to your father. When will these unauthorized experiments stop? If you think Project Ephemeral is linked to MK Ultra, then I might be dying sooner than I ever imagined.
Olivia - Something has to be done. I have got loads of evidence, but my editor doesn't want to publish them. He's scared of what may happen to him.
Mark - Fighting the military is bigger than you think, Olivia. I want you to think this through.
Dr. Thornfield is in her office, standing close to her window and overlooking the driveway. She apparently has a lot on her mind.
Dr. Thornfield - (To herself) The final tests have been completed; it is time to pull the plug. I can't continue like this, like a puppet with no choice or conscience.
She turns around and walks back to her desk. She picks up her iPhone and dials a number.
Dr. Thornfield - (Speaking into the phone) Yes, the final tests have been completed. Mark Blackwell cooperated with us. However, our little arrangement has to end.
Dr. Thornfield - (After a small pause) I have made my decision, and no amount of threats will make me go back.
Scene 12: Closing Ambiguity
Mark and Olivia are exiting the two-storeyed building, hand in hand.
Olivia - (To Mark) Any word from Dr.Thornfield?
Mark - (A sad look on his face) She apologized and told me she was going to do the right thing. I haven't heard from her since then.
Olivia - Maybe she's a victim in all these, just like us.
Mark - (Smiles) I can't believe you're making excuses for Dr. Thornfield. I guess you no longer hate her?
Olivia - (Rolling her eyes) You wish.
Mark - Have you thought about what we discussed? What are you going to do?
Olivia - (With a smile) I am going to do the right thing.
Mark stares at her suspiciously, but his ride arrives before he can ask her further questions.
Black & Green flashing screen. Digital garble. Image flashes. Silence.
Final Chapter: The Unveiling of Reality
Someone turns on a switch, and light shines in the middle of a large room. The air is thick and heavy with a metallic tang and electricity's faint, unnerving hum. Three chairs, more akin to medieval torture devices than anything meant for sitting, are arranged in a triangle in the center of the room. Each chair, made of cold, unyielding steel with harsh, angular lines, is equipped with leather straps, worn and frayed at the edges, suggesting years of use. The straps are tightly wound around the wrists, waists, and ankles of three subjects, each shrouded in a cocoon of their own torment.
Above, spotlights hang from the ceiling, their intense, blinding white beams converging on the trio. The light is merciless unflinching, casting deep, ominous shadows that dance along the walls. Lined with peeling, grimy paint, these walls seem to close in, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. The echo of a distant, mechanical drip is the only sound that punctuates the oppressive silence.
The subjects twitch and shudder under the relentless glare. Their faces, gaunt and pallid, are etched with lines of agony and confusion. Veins stand out against their skin like thin blue tributaries on a map of suffering. Their eyes, wide and unseeing, are fixed on some distant point, lost in the shared hallucination that binds them together.
The floor beneath them is a mosaic of stains – some dark and dried, others fresh and crimson – telling tales of past horrors. Wires snake across the floor, connected to the chairs, feeding into unseen machines that hum with malevolent intent. The room itself seems to pulse with a life of its own, a malevolent entity observing the unfolding drama.
The hallucination that enveloped them begins to fracture, revealing the horrific truth. Once lost in the fabricated world of 'Project Ephemeral', their minds now claw back to the grim reality. The shared illusion, a twisted tapestry woven from the depths of their subconscious, unravels, leaving them exposed to the stark, unyielding truth of their captivity.
In this moment of clarity, the room reveals its final, cruel twist. Mirrors, previously unseen, are revealed on the walls, forcing the subjects to confront their own broken reflections. The realization hits them like a physical blow; they are not the heroes and investigators of their own story but prisoners of a narrative far beyond their control.
As they struggle against their bonds, the lights seem to grow ever brighter, the room ever smaller, and the air ever heavier. The line between reality and illusion blurs, leaving them in a limbo of their own fractured psyches. In this room, where horror and truth collide, the true nature of 'Project Ephemeral' is laid bare – a project not of healing or discovery but of manipulation and despair.
As the grim tableau of the three subjects in their relentless torment lingers in the air, the room's singular, oppressive atmosphere shifts subtly. A presence, unnoticed until now, begins to assert itself. The shadows at the far end of the room, previously just another component of the room's despair, start to coalesce. They seem to breathe and pulse, growing denser, more tangible.
From this darkness emerges a figure, a silhouette initially indistinct but rapidly gaining definition. The figure is unmistakably that of a man, large and imposing. His movements are deliberate and purposeful, each step resonating against the cold, concrete floor with a thud that seems to echo in the hollow of one's chest.
As he moves into the harsh light of the spotlights, the details of his appearance come into stark relief. This is a man carved from the very essence of military rigor. His stature is towering, his build an intimidating display of muscle and sinew wrought from years of physical conditioning. His face, a rugged landscape of scars and lines, tells a story of countless battles, both physical and psychological. His eyes, cold and piercing, are the color of steel, reflecting no emotion, revealing no thoughts.
His hair is cropped short, more function than fashion, peppered with streaks of grey that speak of experience and age. His skin is weathered, like leather, tanned, and toughened by exposure to harsh conditions. His jaw is set, unyielding, a testament to his stoic nature.
He's dressed in a military uniform, meticulously maintained, each crease sharp enough to cut. The fabric seems to absorb the light, a deep, unforgiving black adorned with various insignia that gleam dully in the artificial light. His boots, polished to a high shine, bear the scuffs and marks of a man who has stood firm in the face of adversity.
As he draws closer, the camera focuses on his chest, where a name tag is prominently displayed. It reads in clear, bold letters: Joseph “Grus” Carlot. He stands there, a silent sentinel, surveying the room and its occupants with an inscrutable gaze. His presence is overwhelming, a tangible force that seems to fill every corner of the room.
Joseph “Grus” Carlot - “Prepare the next scenario.”
