Velvicide (2026)

[bunniefuu]

(phone ringing)

Thank you for calling National

Suicide Prevention Safe Line.

This is Callum speaking.

How may I assist you today?

Be of assistance.

What is this, GrubHub?

No ma'am, this is Suicide

Prevention Safe Line.

You called the safe line.

This is Callum speaking.

You said that already.

I see intelligence

is a high priority

in your company.

Uh, so miss, I have a few

questions for you today.

Oh, Roxanne.

Miss Roxanne.

No, just Roxanne.

Okay, Roxanne, I just have

a few questions here.

Are you thinking of sui

Thinking of suicide.

Have you ever thought about suicide

in the last two months?

Have you attempted to

k*ll yourself?

Blah, blah, blah.

I know the whole spiel, Callum.

You think you're really

gonna save a life

Reading from a damn script?

Okay.

No script?

Uh, what do you want to talk

about, Roxanne?

I want to k*ll my deadbeat

husband.

I've been calling for months and

y'all keep talking to

me out of this.

You even sent a policeman

to my front door.

Um, miss, uh

Roxanne, uh, I shouldn't have

to tell you this, but it's

against the law to m*rder

someone, uh, even if it

is your husband.

See, was that so hard? Way better

than a script, am I right?

Well, like I said, you can't

just m*rder someone.

Yes, you can.

m*rder-suicide. People do it all

the time. And to answer your

script's question, you bet

your a*s I've thought about

suicide over the last

two months.

Hell, years, maybe.

Oh, Roxanne, I don't really know

if I'm, uh, qualified to-I'm

just gonna switch you over

to my supervisor.

Oh, you don't get rid of me that

easily. You switch me over?

And I'll do it.

Just give me a reason.

I dare you.

Okay. Uh-oh.

Okay, uh, what do you want

me to do, Roxanne?

I want you to listen.

I'm listening.

Do you hear that?

Do I have to put you on speaker?

No, no, no, I-I'm listening.

Uh, clicking, right?

Do you know what that

clicking is?

I have no idea.

Well, I'll help you.

You're not gonna find that anywhere

in your script, Callum.

That there's a sound of a nine

millimeter b*llet being

loaded into a g*n.

My husband's Walther

to be exact.

Kind of ironic if you

think about it.

Something he keeps around the

house for protection.

Uh, Roxanne, I'm-I'm gonna go

ahead and transfer you.

I must have done this

a dozen times.

Always loading and unloading

this thing.

Listen, Roxanne.

Just hoping I'd have the brass

to do what needs to be done.

Roxanne, you don't have

to do this.

Hold on. I'm gonna stop

you right there.

Because, yes, I do.

I do have to do this, Callum.

The b*stard's been getting away

with this for far too long.

Roxanne.

Put the g*n down.

You called me.

You obviously want me

to stop you.

Well, this is me stopping you.

So please, put it down.

Roxanne!

Damn signal.

I lost you there for a minute.

You were saying?

I was just saying.

(g*nsh*t over the phone)

Roxanne?

(Indistinct chatter in background)

Roxanne?

Roxanne?

Callum?

Are you still there?

Roxanne, what the hell?

You can't just

(hysterical laughter over the phone)

Oh, Callum.

I wish I'd seen your face.

Who the hell

Oh, and you should have

seen his face.

There's blood everywhere.

What's it say in your script

about blood everywhere?

Oh, don't go quiet on me now.

I don't want to be alone

when I do this.

Uh, have you been having feelings

of helplessness?

Or hopelessness?

Do you feel trapped?

Oh, Callum.

You're better than this.

Talk to me like a real

human being.

And to answer your question,

no, I don't feel trapped.

Not anymore.

Roxanne, I-I think we should

really call someone.

Ya know?

I've seen a lot of dead

bodies in my time.

Well, mostly funerals and TV.

It just looks different when you're

the one who's done it.

Rox-Roxanne, we really need

to get you some help.

You've helped me enough, hun.

Well, Callum,

looks like this is where you

and I part ways.

You know what they say.

A squeaky wheel gets the grease.

(g*nsh*t)

I was tempted.

Tempted by your smile.

I was Tempted.

And for a little while

I was certain.

That I will be the one to

change you.

And you will be mine.

You will be mine.

I was Tempted.

But tempted I'm no more

I've attempted.

What was never done before.

Drop the curtains.

No one ever changes no one.

Farewell and Goodbye.

(Indistinct crew chatter)

Let's start with your name.

Tell us who you are and why

we're here today.

My name, right.

My name is Velvet Stevens.

And this is my story.

Velvet.

Why were you here today, Velvet?

Why were you here today?

We're here because of what

happened to me.

I was kidnapped by a deranged

masked man.

I was locked in a garage chained

to a massive metal safe.

He took months of my

life from me.

We're here today because I want

to tell the world my story.

And I want...

Maybe by telling it,

I don't know.

Maybe by telling it,

I can find out.

Well, I can find this

b*stard who did

this to me and slit his

f*cking throat.

Let's start from the beginning.

Why don't you tell us about

that first night?

The night he took you, the

night it all began.

I want to say that night

was like any other.

But it wasn't.

I was going through my nightly routine,

getting ready for bed.

The only thing slightly

jarring was my

then boyfriend and I had

an agreement.

He decided to break

it that night.

What?

I want a vacuum.

I'm serious.

Damn cat of yours. Dander literally

everywhere.

I feel like I have to wear

socks around

here all the time just thinking

about it.

You're right. You should wear socks.

You'd be doing us all a favor.

Ah ha. Hilarious.

Any word on your father?

I'm sure he's going to be okay.

I mean, doctors, they...

What are you doing here, Kyle?

You promised.

The only communication we agreed on

is over the phone.

Right, yeah. About that...

How the hell did you get

inside, anyway?

Your front door. It

was unlocked.

I knocked, but you were...

You see, that is exactly what I'm

talking about right there.

You want to help?

You want to satisfy your

savior complex?

Suck it.

I'm sorry?

You heard me. Suck it.

The carpet, you dipshit. You

said you wanted a vacuum.

Vacuum.

Okay, I'm about to take

a shower. I

want you out of here by

the time I'm done.

No, no, no.

No, you heard me. Phone

only. Next.

Next time you want to talk, that

was our deal.

Phone only. Got it.

How long are we going to

keep doing this?

This separation?

It's k*lling me, babe.

The vacuum's in the downstairs

closet.

Be gone by the time I get out.

The boyfriend.

You care to elaborate while you

guys are on a break?

Let me tell you, he wasn't

happy about it.

(Tense music building)

(Loud noise from inside the house)

Kyle?

Kyle, this isn't funny, as*h*le.

If you hear me, speak up.

She'll be coming around the mountain

When she comes.

She'll be coming around

the mountain

when she comes

coming around the mountain.

(Loud vacuum cleaner turns on)

(Vaccum turns off)

She'll be riding six white

horses when she

comes.

(Loud jarring music)

Uh, question, if I may.

Should we be coming around

the mountain?

It's something I do when I

get scared. I sing.

You sing?

Why that song in particular?

Why should we be coming around

the mountain?

You'd have to ask my dad. He

got me started on it.

This is the second time you've

mentioned your father.

Where is he now?

After everything went dark,

the next thing I knew

I was shoved into the

trunk of a car.

(Suspenseful music)

The emergency trunk release

was hanging there.

I wanted to grab it, pull it.

I would have done anything.

Jumped out of the moving car,

hurt myself to escape.

But my hands were tied

behind my back.

I suppose I could have tried to

grab it with my mouth.

But I didn't.

Thought about it, but I didn't.

It was like I was frozen.

So I just laid there, watching

it sway back

and forth in front of me,

almost like mocking me.

Escape inches away.

Sometimes fear can immobilize

us.

Velvet, nobody here blames

you for inaction.

I mean, who knows?

Pulling that cord could've

changed the whole narrative.

You may not even be right here,

right now, alive to tell

your story.

That night was a blur.

I don't know how long

the drive was,

but it must have been hours.

And we finally stopped.

Again, it happened so fast,

I could barely...

(Loud Thud)

Somewhere in the struggle,

I blacked out.

(Handcuffs clicking closed)

When I came to...

That's when the nightmare

really began.

(Sad dramatic music)

This large metal safe...

I was chained to it.

And inside, there was a

bed made for me.

Like I was supposed to sleep

there or something.

(Squeaking metal door)

And the more I looked around,

the more I understood.

This wasn't an overnight stay.

This person had plans for me.

Like he'd thought this through,

or done this before.

I wanted to scream, to cry,

to break down,

but it was like my mind

was protecting me.

Like it kicked into fight

or flight mode.

But everywhere I looked, I just

saw more evidence

that I was in this for

the long haul.

And that's when...

How long you stay here is

entirely up to you.

His voice was off.

I'd never heard anything

like it before.

The only way I could

describe it...

It was filtered through some

sort of microphone.

(Heavy chair legs dragging the ground)

Who the hell are you?

One question.

You get one question.

Choose wisely.

Only one question.

I had a million.

I could only choose one.

So I sat there,

trying to piece together the

events of the night.

Why me?

Why here? Why now?

Just a bunch of whys.

I mean, what the hell do you ask

when you only get one question?

Do you expect me to take

a sh*t in that?

(Loud chair and suspenseful hit)

Well, you got ba*ls.

I'll give you that.

Most women or men even would

have been sh1tting bricks.

I mean, a masked man, an

unfamiliar setting,

the accommodations a few steps

down from what I'd imagine

to be your shittiest drug-infested

motel.

Yet here you are, asserting

authority in a situation

where, in reality, you had none.

I'm not a Stockholm

kind of girl.

Mister. Right? Yeah.

Of course not.

And again, it's just Isaac.

No formalities needed here.

Now, where were we?

Porta-potty.

Right. The pallet and the safe.

Tell us, what was that

first night like?

(Vomiting into a bucket)

They say an adrenaline rush is

followed by a low point.

I was already exhausted from

the events of the night.

I wanted to escape.

But those thoughts were

cut short by

the heavy chain attached

to my leg.

[SOBBING]

So I did nothing.

(at a whisper)

She'll be coming around the mountain

when she comes...

The cold steel of the safe

helped

soothe this massive headache

I had.

She'll be coming around

the mountain

when she comes...

So, I just sat there

resigned to my fate.

I had fallen asleep, and

some time later, he woke me up.

I asked more than one

question this time.

What the f*ck is this?

You want me to eat? Stay healthy?

Is that what this is about?

Did you cut my sandwich

with this?

You know, a simple knife,

would've

Tomato and rye. Cut in fourths.

Yeah, so?

You think you know me

because of this?

Something you could have found

out on social media?

How long have you been

watching me?

She'll be coming around the

mountain when she comes.

(Phone ringing)

[RUSTLING]

Your father, Gregory Stevens,

room 306.

St. Francis Hospital, stage 3

pancreatic cancer.

What the hell do you want?

I want to give you what

you want.

I want you to k*ll yourself.

k*ll myself? Why would

I wanna

This direction. Don't make the

same mistake I did.

Screw you, you b*stard!

And if I don't?

Well, your old man will

have more to

worry about than pancreatic

cancer.

Are you suicidal?

What kind of question is that?

Um, look, once again,

I don't want

to overstep any boundaries

here, okay?

I'm just trying to get the full

story for the documentary,

that's all.

Now, you said this guy knew you

or at least had been watching

you for some time.

I mean, the sandwich, your father,

among other things.

Hey, look, it's nothing to

be embarrassed about.

We all struggle with depression

in some form or another.

Now, again, I ask you for the

full sake of the story.

Are you, or have you ever been

suicidal, Velvet?

(g*nsh*t)

Incoming call.

(phone rings)

Thank you for calling

National Suicide.

Prevention Safe Line, this

is Callum speaking.

Yes, hello, um, I'd like

to talk to someone.

Have you had thoughts about

suicide in the last two

months, miss?

Velvet.

And yes, I've thought

about ending it.

(Intense music)

Are you, or have you ever

been suicidal?

I have not.

Why don't we take five,

huh? Sound good?

(silence)

Didn't realize how difficult this

would be, reliving all those

moments I've tried to suppress.

Can I offer a word of advice?

Just put it all out there,

you know?

Holding back only detracts what

you're trying to do here.

You want to catch this

guy, right?

So help us help you.

Put it all out there, you know?

One word of advice, really?

Put it all out there. That's five.

Five words of advice, Isaac.

Five words.

Right.

Hey, uh, look, I just wanted to

apologize for back there, you

know, I was being a little pushy,

and I'm just trying to get

the full story for the

documentary. You understand

that, right?

Oh, I'm sorry, I must be confused.

I thought you were playing

Mario Kart. But seriously,

a word of advice?

Yeah, all ears.

Ease and slowly.

This isn't 60 Minutes and You're

Not Diane f*cking Sawyer.

Lube a girl up first. Little

foreplay goes a long way.

And that's when she said Squeaky

Will Gets the Grease.

When she blew her frickin'

brains out on the phone.

Oh, sh*t.

What's the protocol for

something like that?

Protocol?

Contact the authorities and

report to your supervisor

immediately.

Where the hell's Finch? He

said he was gonna

be here tonight. It's like

30 minutes late.

So that's what you did, right?

You told him what happened.

Hold up. I'm still caught up in the

whole Squeaky Will Gets the.

Grease thing. What does

that even mean?

It means that someone who

causes a problem

will get help over someone

that stays quiet.

But back to this crazy-a*s little

pickle that you're in. You

did eventually tell your

supervisor, right?

Well, I took another call.

You took another call?

Yeah, you took another call.

What about that?

Wait, hold on. You didn't

report it?

Well, I was distracted.

Distracted?

Yeah.

As in you didn't tell anyone?

As in there's like a dead woman

and her m*rder*d husband lying

on the floor of a house somewhere

because you didn't report it?

That's right.

As with everything that

you do, Callum,

I am sure you had a very

good reason.

Wait, aren't you worried that they

recorded you or something

that are gonna, I don't know, fire

you for not telling anybody?

I highly doubt they're gonna comb

through all those calls. I

can't imagine who they'd have

to pay to do all that.

Besides, if this has happened before,

it's just usually people

don't keep their mouths

shut about it.

Squeaky Will Gets the Grease.

I think I'm supposed to

be the Grease.

I think you should choose a

different line of work.

(Phone buzzing)

It's Finch. He says he's running

late. Don't wait up for him.

Of course he is.

Wait up? I wouldn't

dream of it.

Gotta go to the little girl's

room. I got a piss like

a racehorse.

Hey, that's Lady Like.

Hey, cut her some slack. You've

domesticated her so much I

barely even recognize

her anymore.

She used to just tell us she

was gonna go take a dump.

I never! I never! I never!

Okay, so what's the Lady Like

version of "piss like

a racehorse"?

Tinkle?

Tinkle. I like that. I have to

go tinkle, darling.

I'll be back.

Good luck.

I hope you don't mind us bringing

a couple beers over.

You guys enjoy yourselves. It's

not your cross to bear anyway.

Yeah I know, but still, we felt kind

of guilty after.

Oh, just let it go, you know.

I'm a big boy. I make my

own decisions.

Alright, big boy. Cut the sh*t.

What's her name?

Pardon?

The girl?

The Distraction.

Come on, you had a

m*rder-suicide

on your line, and then you...

What, I guess you were in shock,

so you just took another call?

Sure, call it autopilot or

whatever, but...

Something happened on that call.

Who made you forget, Callum?

Listen, I get it. If you don't

report the incident after a

certain amount of time,

they're gonna look

into the call that impeded

your report, but I...

I can't believe Finch

stood us up.

Dude, f*ck Finch. Okay,

so don't

deflect my question.

Who is she?

You risked your job for

somebody? That's the only thing

that makes sense.

Come on, I've known you long enough.

So, I will ask you again.

Who's the girl, Callum?

So, obviously you didn't k*ll

yourself that night.

So what happened next?

That night was hell.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't

think about it.

But something inside me screamed

no way in hell.

I was feeling rebellious.

To give him that satisfaction,

I couldn't do it.

And your father?

What about the kidnapper's threat?

Did that affect your decision?

I made him a promise.

One I intended to keep.

The idea of sleeping in that safe

was unbearable.

Just the thought alone made me nauseous.

And it was obvious. He

was watching me.

Cameras were everywhere.

Their red blinking lights begging

me to make a move.

So once again, I did

the opposite.

They say inaction is a

form of action.

Maintain the status quo,

if you will.

So I just sat there.

Your move, as*h*le.

I gave a chess.

I prefer go fish. The transparency.

You simply ask for what you

want and if your opponent

has it...

They give it to you.

Right. They give it to you.

So say you gave you that

opportunity.

Let you simply ask for

what you wanted.

What exactly would you have asked

for in that moment, Velvet?

(Phone ringing)

Sex hotline?

Is that even a thing anymore with

all the free sites online?

You failed your first test.

Okay, Sensei, are we in the wax

on, wax off stage now?

What do you want?

I want a five star...

I'm gonna go home. See

my family.

The phone. You could have used

it. Why didn't you?

It's a trap. You have cameras everywhere.

What happens when I

pick up the receiver? Who's

on the other end?

Like everything else, you have

to weigh risk versus reward.

Why don't you take off that mask

and show me how hideous you

are underneath? I'm not playing

your stupid game or whatever

this is. I'm not giving

you what you want.

Open your mouth.

Funny that cake hole was wide open just

seconds ago. Where'd that

feisty little girl go?

Now open it.

Ugh.

From now on, I do the talking.

You will listen and do as I say.

(Laughter)

You k*ll yourself or I will

k*ll you.

The choice is yours. I have

ways to make you comply.

Now bring your attention

to exhibit A.

Red pill, blue pill, it doesn't

really matter. As long as.

As long as you're dead in the morning.

Enjoy your sandwich.

(Door slamming)

Tough pill to swallow.

No pun intended.

I mean, the fact that

this guy...

Dickhead.

Right. The fact that this

dickhead decided

decided you were gonna off yourself

one way or another.

I mean, I can't imagine how traumatizing

that must have been.

It's not every day you have

a g*n in your mouth.

[phone buzzing]

Velvet speaking.

Hello, yes. I was calling to see

if you're still happy with

your current auto insurance

provider.

Kick bricks.

Whoa, whoa. Sorry. It's

me, Callum.

Your suicide prevention,

safe line guy.

I thought the process

was anonymous.

I mean, It is. We can't really

give your

information out to a

third party.

This has got to be ill*gal.

You're calling me...

Do you do this to other callers?

I apologize. Look, I was having

a really rough day yesterday,

and then you called, and

it got better.

Again, I'm sorry for the

call. I just...

You just what?

Look, I know it's none

of my business.

I just don't want to see you

hurt yourself.

See, I have to listen

to people every

day, and every day it's

the same thing.

People threaten to go through

with it, and

most of the time it's empty

threats, but...

You know, most of them

don't really

mean it, but you meant

it. I could tell.

The woman that called before you

she meant it. I

couldn't tell.

I see that's the difference.

With you, I could.

Well, you're right. It's none

of your business, and I

appreciate your concern.

I really do.

It's your dad, isn't it? He's

the reason why you're sad.

You know, I was close with my mom,

and... kind of like you were

with your dad, and when

I lost her...

Well, let's just say I hit

the bottle pretty hard.

Is that your advice, start a

monthly long bender?

What? I'm allowed to give

you advice now?

Callum. It's Callum, right?

Right. It means dove, or

purity, peace.

None of the things I really

identify with.

But what about you?

You have some

deep, profound meaning

to your name?

It means a soft napped fabric.

Okay, so let's say that I don't

call the cops on you, Callum.

Or worse, call the Suicide

Prevention Safe

line and tell them what

you've been up to.

What's in it for me if

I keep quiet?

Blackmail. I like your style.

Well, that's easy. You get

someone to watch over you.

You get someone to keep you

alive when everything

feels hopeless.

Someone to talk to.

I think it was Nelson Mandela

who said, "May your choices

reflect your hopes, not

your fears."

A few days in, and I'd

hoped to be

rescued or escaped, but the

fear was stronger.

I would die there, and

I knew it.

Whether I did it or the masked

freak did it, I was a goner.

I weighed my next decision

carefully. Was I basing it

on hope or fear?

Was there hope in knowing by taking

the pills I'd finally be

free from the t*rture of this

makeshift prison?

Or was it fear driving me?

What would happen next?

Would I get another g*n

shoved in my mouth?

Would he pull the

trigger this time?

It was obvious what I

needed to do.

All right, let's go ahead

and cut right there.

Good job, everybody.

We'll reconvene here tomorrow at

the same time, same place.

Oh, hey, um, quick question.

They're never quick with you.

More so long and convoluted.

Wow, there are so many

jokes there

that I don't even care

to unpack.

I'm not touching that one.

Your question?

Right, my question.

Um, so there's this, uh,

hole-in-the-wall dive bar

down the street.

That's not a question.

Well, it was gonna be before

you interrupted.

Oh, no way in hell.

Wow, not even in hell, she says.

Not even in hell.

You know, that kind of hurts

my feelings, Velvet.

I'm only trying to help

you here.

I'm trying to find common

ground, you know?

Move through this thing together,

figure it out.

I'm Team Velvet, remember?

One drink?

One drink.

Team Velvet.

Team Velvet.

We're not coming up with some

silly handshake, are we?

No, of course not.

You serious?

Absolutely not.

(Bar music blasting)

So, that was the first and

hopefully last time I cut

an umbilical cord.

Paging Dr. Isaac?

Come on.

Come on. You rang?

Um, we have a bleeder

in room five.

Oh, Lord, not a bleeder. I'm

not even a doctor.

Wow, a doctor. That's funny.

I can't even get a film right.

Okay, but this one's gonna

be fine, I promise.

Last thing I need is for you

to run over the hills.

Because you think this is a

waste of time.

I'm confident we can get a big

platform to buy this thing,

for real.

And, honestly, with

your story, I

mean, it's nothing short

of a miracle.

I guess I'm pretty honored

that you

let me help you tell it,

or whatever.

Well, you did reach out

to me first.

I'm the first-come first-serve

kind of girl.

But you're not a Stockholm

kind of

girl, and I'm not Diane

f*cking Sawyer.

Well...

Take that.

I have to admit. You're

giving her a run

for her money.

Well, bold claim there.

Well, well, well.

What do we have here?

You don't write, you don't call.

You don't say anything original?

You look familiar, friend. Do

we know each other?

I don't know. Friend? Do we?

I miss you.

This is not fair. I didn't

do anything, Velvet.

Whoa.

The lady said "not here,

not now."

Did you hear that? Or your wires

a little too crossed?

You know what? This has nothing

to do with you, so back off.

You gotta just let me explain.

He took me, too!

Yeah.

Hold on. Hold on.

When you say "he took you too,"

you're talking about...

Yeah. What about it?

What's it to you?

That's just interesting,

that's all.

Very interesting.

I mean, your timing could not

be more impeccable.

We're actually doing a

documentary on

the whole shebang if you

want in, buddy.

Isaac, what?

I'm a filmmaker. Director,

actually.

Isaac.

Kyle.

Nice. Kyle.

Kyle.

Yeah, so we're trying

to find out who

this guy is

and bring him to justice.

Sure. Anything I can

do to help.

Great. Great. That's awesome. Thank

you. Kyle. Appreciate it.

We'll get you set up, get you on

a call sheet. How's that sound?

Oh, groovy. So what? You guys

are, like, friends now?

No, we just have a vested interest

in your story, right?

So we best to examine it

from both angles.

Fine, but we're still done.

You got it?

Absolutely.

No more drama. Just an old friend

helping out an old flame.

Well, better strap up. This man.

This man asks some hard-hitting

questions.

I think I can handle it. Anything

to catch him, right?

Hmm. Bacon, really?

Whatever happened to

Tomato on Rye?

Cut in fourths?

Tiger never changes its

stripes, sweetheart.

Or its taste buds.

Looking forward to the

interview, friend.

Real charmer, that one.

Oh, my gosh. I'm so sorry.

It's fine. It's fine. It looks

like it's your turn to

drink anyway.

Good. I'm gonna need it.

So you took the pills,

all of them.

What happened next?

I don't like everything else.

It was a blur.

I woke up in a pile of vomit.

I felt like death.

But I was alive.

A rope. Great.

Terrific. Where am I gonna

hang myself?

Couldn't get the pills right. So

now it's death by hanging.

Really old-fashioned of ya!

You're gonna give me the

silent treatment?

I did what you told me to,

b*stard. I took the pills.

All of them.

Every last one of them.

But I'm still here.

Why am I still here? Why

am I still here?

Why am I still here?

I was gonna ask you the

same question.

This is normally the part where

I make up some silly excuse,

call you an Uber, get you

outta here, stat.

Doctor lingo, there you go again.

Doctor...

You're sure you're in the

right profession?

Why don't you ask me again after

we release this thing?

Look, while we're talking shop,

that little friend of yours.

Kyle?

Kyle.

Yeah.

What's his deal? I don't

trust him.

I don't know, there's something

off about him.

How long did you guys

date again?

Long enough to know he's

not a threat.

I don't know.

Something about him kind

of gives me the

heebie jeebies. You

know what I mean?

No, no, of course not. You

dated the idiot.

Do I know you, friend?

Oh, stop!

Is someone jealous?

Well, jealous... no, I'm not...

I'm not jealous, Velvet.

I don't get jealous. You

know more men

die from jealousy than

cancer, right?

Right. Your uh... your father.

Look, I'm sorry.

No, it's fine.

You can't walk on eggshells all

the time to protect me.

Are we gonna talk about

it at least?

You know, it's the last

interviews tomorrow.

We have been kind of tiptoeing

around with...

It's... it's a pretty vital piece

of information. It's integral

to the story, Velvet, you know?

Right, I know.

Yeah.

Listen, why don't you

call that cab so

afterwards I can do what

I came here to do?

Steal your wallet.

Well, I am a filmmaker, so...

Good luck finding anything

in there.

Every night he gave me a new

option to k*ll myself.

Sometimes it was something I could

plausibly do myself in with.

Other times it was...

Let's just say I'd have to be a

magician to pull it off.

At one point, he started

recycling old items.

Like he'd used everything

he could think of.

That's when it really hit me.

He wasn't gonna stop until I

did something drastic.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait a

minute. The phone. This

is when you...

This is right before I escaped.

I feel like we're missing

something here.

You sure you're not leaving

anything

out? Anything in between

you're missing?

Anything at all? For

this to work.

I need you to dig

a little deeper.

I told you everything already.

What about the handprints? The bruises?

Your tattered clothes?

The police report had a very

different picture.

He never touched me.

Right. He never touched you.

So... The phone. You decided you'd

had enough. What happened next?

I was tired of waiting

for something to

happen. I had to take matters

into my own hands.

Maybe he'd k*ll me.

I wasn't sure.

But I'd convinced myself it

was worth trying.

(Dial tone)

911. What's your emergency?

Why? Why are you doing this to

me? I have done everything.

Everything you've asked.

Everything.

What do you want from me that you

haven't already taken? You.

You want my life? You want me

to k*ll myself?

Why don't you do it, you f*cking

coward? Why don't you just

k*ll me right now?

Come on, as*h*le. Get

it over with.

Are you familiar with a game

called Go Fish?

Are you serious right now? You

wanna play a card game?

Not just any game. Go Fish.

Right, Go Fish.

I don't know

I don't understand.

Did you know that the longest

game of Go Fish ever recorded was over

72 hours long?

Have you ever seen a doctor like

a psychiatrist or something?

Your cards are waiting for you.

I can't figure you out. Sometimes

I get two PB&J in a row and

sometimes it's two Tomato

on Rye in a row.

Who goes first?

Do you have a three?

Go Fish.

A seven?

Other times, other times you alternate.

It's PB&J one day

and then a tomato and rye

and the other.

Do you have a ten?

A six?

Go Fish.

Do you have an ace?

Oh, that's two. You're only

supposed to

give me. You're not supposed

to give me two.

House rules.

Right.

Do you have a two?

Go Fish.

And you only ever cut my tomato

and rye in fourths. But never

the peanut butter and jelly.

You don't cut it at all.

I don't get you. It beats

me. You have...

Do you

a key?

You expect me to believe this

isn't a trap like the phone?

You gonna sh**t me in the

back or something?

Do you have a g*n?

(sighs) Go Fish.

So that was it?

No final words, no questions,

no last

riddles, just... Here's the

key. Bon voyage.

Something like that.

Sorry, it's not what I built

it up to be.

I know it's very anticlimactic.

And that's not good for

television.

The house you left, you had the address.

You could have led the

authorities back to where you

escaped from, correct?

It was an old abandoned

house off.

Highway 25. When the police

went to search it.

It was too late. Somebody

had already

set it on fire, burned

it to the ground.

We're just glad you're

all right, ma'am.

And that's my story. The story of

how I spent months chained to

a safe in some sadistic guy's basement,

and how one day he just

decided to let me go over

a game of Go Fish.

Just like that. It

was all over.

Why don't we end with one last

question, if I may?

Yeah, of course. sh**t.

This kidnapper, the googly-eyed

mask guy,

you hope all the authorities

will catch him?

Absolutely.

Why?

Let me put it this way, Mr. Director.

A good rule of thumb in

card games is to always have

a card up your sleeve.

Let's just say I haven't

revealed my ace yet.

Cut.

What happened to put it

all out there?

I never agreed to that.

That was

your one word of advice,

remember?

I get that, but Velvet, this

needs to work.

Look, you got your movie. You got

your interview. There are

just some things that are too hurtful

to share on camera. I

know you understand that.

Yeah. Forget the cameras,

okay? Forget the

cameras. Forget the lights.

Forget all this.

Let's just do one last interview.

You and me. None of the crew,

none of the lights, none

of this. Just us.

I'll introduce you to the executive

producer who's funding this

whole thing. We can iron out

the last details.

I can finally wrap this thing

once and for all. What

do you say?

I don't know.

Velvet. Velvet, please,

I need this.

You need this?

One last interview. You and me.

Intimate. What do you say?

Yeah.

Okay, good.

I'll get an address.

I'll send it

over to you. I'll set it

up for tomorrow.

I got Kyle's interview

tomorrow, too, so

literally perfect. Thank

you. Seriously.

Tomorrow.

Yeah. Tomorrow.

Anything else?

Yeah, um...

I can't wait to hear about this

little trick you have

over your sleeve.

See you tomorrow.

Thought you said no cameras.

Hmm. Yeah, I lied.

I'm a filmmaker. What can I say?

Anything for the shot, right?

So what are we doing here again?

You want the details I left out?

You won't be needing that.

I think you could tell this

story better than I can.

Where should I start?

With every time you put

your hands on me?

Every time you forced yourself

on top of me?

You think I kidnapped you?

You think... You think I'm googly eyes?

The old man with the...

They say sometimes sociopaths

like to relive their darkest

moments.

Like, maybe...

They can actually feel

something real.

Feelings. Feelings. I'm a sociopath

now? What is this, Velvet?

I'm a sociopath now? You don't trust

me? Is that what this is?

A sociopath... How...

Answer me this. How can I

be a sociopath...

When I'm falling for you?

I mean, why the sudden change

of heart?

You're falling for me?

Right.

You know, I'm really glad

this happened.

You remind me of someone.

The way you...

What?

Never mind.

You can stay a little longer

if you like.

We can explore that secret handshake

you were talking about.

Don't you dare.

Don't you dare try to go anywhere

with a goodbye momento.

Why'd you become a filmmaker,

Isaac?

Did you want to capture

something that the world had

never seen before?

Or did you do it for your

own selfish desires?

Fine.

I'll be your villain. If that

gives you closure, okay?

I'm a selfish filmmaker who

exploited your kindness.

That's what I'm culpable of.

I wanted your story, your

whole story, not

just some truncated version

of the truth.

That's what I'm guilty of.

I care about the story, about

getting it out to the

world, so...

Lock me up.

You want the whole story? The

unabridged version?

Yes. That's all I've

wanted, Velvet.

It's that simple.

Tell you what.

Let's fast forward through

the abuse.

But if you really need me to tell

your precious camera...

He r*ped me.

Over and over and over and

over and over.

Sometimes.

Other times we just... talked.

What did you talk about?

Stuff.

Stuff?

Yeah, stuff. That made me

question his motives.

Happy stuff.

Well, as happy as you could be,

considering my current predicament

at the time.

Yeah. So we're being vague

again, is that it?

I'm getting to what you

want to hear.

Then other times we've

played games.

Monopoly, checkers, your typical

childhood games.

Go Fish?

No.

Only the one time, the

last time.

The day you escaped.

The day I escaped...

It did go a little differently

than the way I told before.

Please.

The floor's yours.

Umm, a seven?

Other times you alternate PP&J

one day, Tomato and

Rye the next.

Do you have a ten?

A six?

Go fish.

Do you have an ace?

That's two. You're only supposed

to give me

You're not supposed

to give me two.

House rules.

Do you have a two?

Go fish.

And you only ever cut my

tomato and Rye

in fourths, but never the peanut

butter and jelly.

You don't cut it at all.

It's like you're two different

people.

It's like you have two

different motives.

Kyle, your interview.

How'd it go?

I have a sneaking suspicion you

two already knew each other.

You look familiar, friend. Do

we know each other?

I don't know. Friend. Do we?

You would be wrong.

Seems we both have an ace

up to sleeve, huh?

I told you I didn't trust

that guy.

Something about him.

Ugh.

I can read people pretty

good, Velvet.

He was a liar.

Was?

Okay.

Well, I guess it's my

turn to share

here tonight.

So.

Hello.

My name is Isaac.

I'm here today because I'm

a recovering addict.

My addiction, you may ask.

It's complicated.

I like to film people.

So you're saying he tied you up?

Uh, yeah. With a rope.

Um, look, listen, friend,

I thought.

Velvet was going to

be here today.

She and I have some things

to iron out, so.

Yeah, she got tied up.

You'll have to forgive the

pun there, but

it's a good segue into the

rest of the story.

So, you were saying he

tied you up?

Yeah, sure.

Yeah, sure?

Look, man, I need more concrete

answers than.

"Yeah, sure." We really need

to nab this guy.

Okay, yes, yes. The answer's

yes. He tied me up.

Were your hands in front

or behind?

Did you tie your waist?

Did he gag you?

I don't know, man. The

details are

really fuzzy from that night.

It was late.

Bullshit.

He didn't take you at

all, did he?

You made all this up to win your

little girlfriend back, huh?

You don't have to say anything.

Just nod if I'm right.

It'll make this go a

lot smoother.

And there you go. See,

was that so hard?

Look, man, I love a good story

as much as the next

guy. You know?

But you can't bullshit

a bullshitter.

I'm trying to make something very

real here, and you're just

trying to piss on everything I've

worked so hard to build.

What'd you do to him?

You know, I interviewed him.

Did you hurt him?

Okay, so you were just jumping ship

with the whole conspiracy

theories you were just spewing

a few minutes ago?

About Kyle being in on all this?

Do you really care about that

dead weight now?

Why are you being so combative,

all of a sudden, Velvet?

I mean, just a few days ago,

you and I were so close.

Don't remind me.

I care about you, Velvet. I do.

I care about your story if that

wasn't obvious enough.

Let's end this thing right.

What do you say, once

and for all?

You know what you have

to do next.

Isaac, why do you have that?

Because I want you to sing.

What's that song you always sing

when you're... when

you're scared?

How's it go again?

[whistling]

Yeah. Yeah, that's the one.

(She'll Be Comin' Around

the Mountain plays)

You know, I thought

it convenient.

Nobody should have to do

this on their own.

What is this?

The end of your story.

You're gonna do what you couldn't

do, locked in those chains.

[laughs]

Ah, man.

[exhales]

The world is your oyster,

Velvet.

Now, you can be a good

girl and turn

that on yourself like we

came here to do.

Or... you can try to attack

me with it.

But I will warn you, if

you choose the

latter, I will not make

it easy on you.

I will defend myself

at all costs.

I'll cut the tape,

edit the footage to make it

look like you attacked me,

k*ll the sound,

chalk it up with some technical

mumbo jumbo,

and leave the rest up to the imagination

of our audience.

Our audience?

That's all this is to you,

a chance to be seen.

Why didn't you k*ll me when you

had the chance? I begged

you to.

Well, I can't say that I didn't

think about it.

Do you know that whole, uh,

angel and devil on your shoulder

that people have?

The voice of good and always nagging

you into the right...

I don't have one of those!

This angel's non-existent, baby.

Yeah.

Now, I'm not gonna lie to you,

there was a voice.

Not my voice, mind you, but

a voice, nonetheless.

What about now?

That voice.

What's it saying?

It's silent.

Let's do what we came here

to do, shall we?

Pull up those big girl

panties of yours

and let's get this f*cking

show on the road.

k*ll yourself.

(She'll Be Comin' Around the Mountain

plays)

("We'll k*ll the old red rooster

when she comes...)

(Whistling)

(g*nsh*t)

I'll be damned.

Oh, there's blood everywhere.

They sure look a lot different when

you're the one that's done it.

Hey, Velvet.

Hi, Callum.

Do you have a two?

Go fish.

And you only ever cut my tomato

and Rye in fourths,

but never the peanut butter

and jelly.

You don't cut it at all.

It's like two different people.

It's like you have two

different motives.

Hello, Velvet.

Callum?

I've got a story to tell you.

I'll try to be brief and then

you're free to go.

But I want you to know

why you're here.

f*ck you, Finch.

f*ck me.

You remember New Year's

party, man?

The ones you stood me up at?

I mean, completely.

Stood me up at?

At New Year's party, that was

completely different, man.

I fell asleep.

You didn't just fall

asleep, man.

Don't bullshit me.

You fell asleep on some f*cking

railroad tracks.

That's some drunken sh*t

right there, man.

Do I need to remind you of that?

When are you getting out of that

damn thing anyways?

You're gonna bring this up every

time we're together?

Well, the doctor said it's

whenever I'm ready.

But I need a little bit more

physical therapy.

But check this out.

Listen, I'm sorry.

I've been dealing with some

heavy sh*t at home.

Really hectic.

sh*t that I haven't really

told you about.

Hey, I get it, man.

Dad, the cat went under

the couch.

Oh, did he?

Well, I'll bet you $5 you

can't catch him.

I love you.

Go get him.

(Door slams shut)

f*cking b*tch mother tried to

take her away from me.

Tried to take me to court.

Extort me for every dime I have.

Well, sorry to hear that.

They're parasites, man.

Blood suckers.

Every last one of them.

Speaking of which,

Liam tells me about your

little call.

With the girl?

How you been calling her?

Why would somebody be making all

those calls off the clock?

Going against company policy,

taking that kind of risk?

Unless...

You dirty dog.

Liam also tells me that

you looked her up.

Fell in love right there

on the spot.

Well, I guess Liam's told you

everything then...

Not everything.

He didn't tell me your end game.

What the hell are you planning

to do with all this?

I just don't want her

to k*ll herself.

I don't want her to

k*ll herself.

What? You don't want her

to k*ll herself.

What are you gonna do? Call

her every 24 hours?

Make sure she doesn't...

Jesus.

I mean, have you each learned nothing

from your line of work?

You know deep down you can't stop

somebody when they're bound

to determine to go through with

that kind of thing.

I don't know. I think you can.

Hypothetically, how far are you

willing to go for this girl?

What lengths would you

go through?

I mean, besides the little

house calls.

Do you think you can really reinvigorate

her will to live?

Make the sight of razors

repugnant to her?

What if...

I told you there was a way.

You could save your girl.

Make her want to live again.

And get rich in the process.

Simultaneously.

I mean, it's a bat sh*t crazy

idea, don't get me wrong.

But if we pull it off,

no one has to see

our faces. They don't have

to know who we are.

We can set it up like a tell all

interview style documentary.

Make a whole movie out of it.

No way, man. This sounds

way too risky.

Callum, come on, man. I mean,

you've been given a second

chance at life.

You got hit by a f*cking train,

and you lived.

What, are you just gonna

waste that?

What if this is your calling?

Your purpose?

What if this is why you...

Save this girl from herself?

There's something to it, man.

You're not just here

for no reason.

I was your social experiment.

Is that what this was?

I'll make it right.

I've been at this a long time.

I'm not wired like other people.

I'm a coward.

No matter how many times I've tried,

I never got over the hump.

You're stronger than me, Velvet.

You were gonna do it, and

I stopped you.

Velvet! What did you do?

What did you do?

Come back!

Come back!

Even the train.

I said I was drunk, but I just

parked it there.

I heard the train coming,

and at the

last minute, I just threw

in reverse.

All these scars.

They're just a reminder

how weak I am.

I've seen your face.

If you let me go, your

life is over.

I know.

And you're okay with that?

It's the bravest thing

I've ever done.

Take the dirt road.

It'll lead you to 25.

Take a right.

There's a town a few miles

down the road.

I'll make this up to

you, Velvet.

(sniffles)

I swear it.

I told you I'd make

it up to you.

You think this makes us square?

You kept me caged like

an animal.

For months.

You let that monster put

his hands on me.

I didn't know.

No, I know.

I figured it out.

Figured out it was two of you.

It all made sense.

One of you was nurturing

and kind.

The other was...

The other was pure evil.

You don't get a pass just because

you didn't touch me.

Maybe this was his plan

all along.

Maybe you didn't kidnap me.

Maybe you didn't chain me to

that God-forsaken safe.

Maybe...

Just maybe you tried

to stop him.

And he overpowered you.

Whatever the case.

He was all a cry for help.

You should have been

calling that

lifeline you work for

the whole time.

You're the one that needed help.

You should have been caged.

To that safe with a masked man

handing you razors.

You're the one that needs

help, Callum.

I was supposed to be the grease.

Are you thinking of suicide?

Have you thought about suicide

in the last two months?

Every day.

Have you ever attempted

to k*ll yourself?

I mean...

Really.

Attempted to k*ll yourself, not

some backing off the railroad

tracks at the last second

bullshit.

Have you given it a real college.

Try?

(SOBBING)

Just let go.

It's so simple.

This is what you want.

What you've always wanted.

Pull the trigger, Callum.

You'll finally be free!

(SOBBING)

I'm too weak!

I can't do it! I'm

not like you!

You can.

(She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain

plays)

(g*nsh*t)

[Crying]

Hey honey, just calling to

check in on you.

All this time alone got

me thinking.

Remember back when you were

little I had you sing?

Truth is, it comforted me.

I was the one who was scared.

When we lost your mother, I

was petrified.

You were so young and I

didn't think I could raise you alone.

But we did it, right?

And now you're just like her.

The strongest woman I know.

I guess what I'm saying is...

You don't need to sing anymore,

honey bun. I'm not scared.

Promise me you won't be either.

I kept your promise, daddy.