Mike sits at his computer, thinking.
On his screen, a Discord interface.
He types, ponders and reads to himself:
MIKE (V.O.)
"Kevin, I need help with a game I'm
playing... My character is a prince
who just lost his father... The King
died of natural causes, but an evil
witch has taken possession of his
body... She has seduced the queen's
heart, by exploiting her longing for
her late husband, and she's now
masquerading as the King to anyone
who used to know him... Can you
please help us get rid of this evil
witch?... Her name's Persephone..."
He gazes one last time at the text... Some words are written
in "leet", like "P3R53PHON3"...
He sighs...
MIKE
What the Hell am I doing?...
He thinks for a minute, sighs again, then shakes his head
with a "whatever" expression...
He hits "Enter"...
Sonia and Nell shop for clothes. An all smiling Sonia is on
a video call with Danny.
Through the phone camera, she shows him the dresses.
SONIA
What do you think of this one?...
DANNY
The red one?...
SONIA
Uh huh.
DANNY
Yea, that's definitely your type.
SONIA
Shouldn't I take the gray one
instead?... You know, for...
DANNY
No! Absolutely not!... You're not in
mourning, honey... The red one is
more you. Take the red one!...
SONIA
Um... I dunno...
DANNY
We don't care what people think!...
Are you buying that dress for you or
for them?...
SONIA
For me, I guess...
DANNY
Hey, you know what that reminds me
of?... The dress you wore in Sicily.
SONIA
Oh wow!... You remember that?...
Wow!... That was a great time...
DANNY
Yes, it was... You were gorgeous in
that dress...
She grabs the red dress.
NELL
Mom, are you sure you wanna be
wearing red?... I mean...
SONIA
Honey, we've never been superstitious
in this family... Besides, I don't
really feel like a widow...
DANNY
Hey, I'm right here!
SONIA
He's right here...
Sonia laughs amusedly.
Nell notices Catherine Parker and her DAUGHTER (30's) a few
steps away in the mall, peeking at them judgmentally.
Nell waves at them politely...
NELL
Hey!... That's the Parkers...
They barely wave back, with an air of loathing and deep
contempt...
NELL (cont'd)
What the Hell's their problem?...
Sonia glances at them in turn...
SONIA
(angrily )
Fuck... Just wait up...
She goes towards them.
SONIA (cont'd)
You got a problem with me,
Catherine?... Is there something you
wanna say to me?...
MRS PARKER
Oh, not at all, Sonia... It's just
good to see you in such a good
mood... Who were you talking to on
the phone?...
SONIA
That's none of your business!...
MRS PARKER
Hey, you came here to talk to us! We
might as well chat...
Sonia grits her teeth...
SONIA
Am I the subject of your little jokes
here?...
MRS PARKER
Oh, absolutely not; I was telling my
daughter about that wonderful TV
show... What was it called?... Oh
yea, the "ghost whisperer"!...
The daughter snickers meanly...
SONIA
Oh my God!... You're so green with
envy you're gonna choke...
MRS PARKER
At least, I'm not bathing in a sea of
delusional fantasy, like some people
we know...
SONIA
I never should have told you...
You're not worthy...
MRS PARKER
Now if you'll just excuse us, Sonia,
we 'got some shopping to do...
They pass by her...
Nell runs over to her mom...
NELL
What's going on?... Is everything
OK?!...
Sonia stares at the Parkers angrily as they walk away...
SONIA
He's alive, you know!... He's
alive!...
(After a while )
You fucking bitches!...
They completely ignore her, and go on their way...
NELL
(Shocked )
Mom!!...
Nell gazes at her mom, figures out what's most likely just
happened...
SONIA
(Grinding her teeth )
Fucking whores...
Nell grabs her mother's arm, and pulls her softly towards
her...
NELL
Come on mom, let's go...
Off on Nell's brooding face...
Mike browses a news website. The title reads: "Persephone
A.I. about to launch a revolutionary application within
days"...
Mike scoffs, shakes his head (he has a pretty good idea what
that application is)...
His phone suddenly rings. It's Nell... He gets it...
MIKE
Hello?...
Nell stands alone, and speaks on the phone away from her
mom, whom we can see in the background, seated at some
coffee shop.
NELL
Hey, it's me...
48 INTERCUT BETWEEN MIKE AND NELL48
MIKE
Hey sis! What's up?
Nell sighs...
NELL
You were right... It's a fucking
disaster!... We have to shut that
thing down...
MIKE
Yea, well... We still gotta convince
mom to sign the cancellation form,
'remember?...
NELL
Oh, I don't think that's gonna happen
anytime soon... She's holding on to
it, now more than ever... Hey, did
you see that lawyer?
MIKE
Yea... It was a dead end basically...
But...
NELL
But what?...
MIKE
I talked to a guy there... He knows
someone, who knows someone, who might
be able to help us...
NELL
Really?... Who?...
MIKE
Well... It's a bit complicated... It
might not work at all, but... Either
way, I'll let you know how this thing
turns out...
NELL
OK... Thanks...
They hang up...
END INTERCUT
He gets back to his research, when a notification pops up...
Mike's eyes bulge out of surprise...
He just got an email from... "Divit.Sharma@persephone.ai"!!
He opens it...
There's only a few words...
"Please open the link below:"...
Then a secured hyper-link to Persephone's server, followed
by Dr Sharma's signature.
Mike thinks for a minute, then clicks on the link...
It takes him to a video...
We see Danny sitting at a table, facing Doctor Sharma; the
latter, looking a few years younger, scribbles something on
a notepad in front of him.
DANNY
So... How... How does this thing
work?...
The doctor puts his pen down.
DR. SHARMA
Well, it's very simple... First, you
have to sign some papers, when we get
back to my office, you know,
administrative stuff, authorizations
and whatnot, standard paperwork...
DANNY
OK...
DR. SHARMA
Then we'll be sending you, over the
upcoming months, short daily
electronic surveys, which you can
fill up in your spare time... You can
do this from your phone, lying
comfortably in bed... Each survey
shouldn't take more than five
minutes...
DANNY
OK, and... What are the questions
about?
DR. SHARMA
Oh, nothing specific, generalities,
you know... Most questions don't have
wrong or right answers; their aim is
to document your personality, through
your most prominent memories, your
root paradigms, etc. ...
DANNY
I see...
DR. SHARMA
Yea, so don't think too hard about
the answers; just answer naturally,
spontaneously, this will allow the
algorithm to really capture your
character... The more you put into
the machine, the better it will grasp
your personality...
DANNY
OK... And the reason we're here?...
(points to the room )
DR. SHARMA
Yes, that's for the on-boarding
interview... If you allow me...
Dr Sharma turns on a portable camera on tripod, set on the
table. The camera starts recording...
P.O.V. CAMERA TABLE
We see a close-up shot of Danny's face...
DR. SHARMA (O.S.)
OK... Can you please state your name,
for the record?...
— ⑨
INT. MIKE'S HOME - DAY44
Mike sits at his computer, thinking.
On his screen, a Discord interface.
He types, ponders and reads to himself:
MIKE (V.O.)
"Kevin, I need help with a game I'm
playing... My character is a prince
who just lost his father... The King
died of natural causes, but an evil
witch has taken possession of his
body... She has seduced the queen's
heart, by exploiting her longing for
her late husband, and she's now
masquerading as the King to anyone
who used to know him... Can you
please help us get rid of this evil
witch?... Her name's Persephone..."
He gazes one last time at the text... Some words are written
in "leet", like "P3R53PHON3"...
He sighs...
MIKE
What the Hell am I doing?...
He thinks for a minute, sighs again, then shakes his head
with a "whatever" expression...
He hits "Enter"...
INT. SHOPPING MALL - DAY45
Sonia and Nell shop for clothes. An all smiling Sonia is on
a video call with Danny.
Through the phone camera, she shows him the dresses.
SONIA
What do you think of this one?...
DANNY
The red one?...
SONIA
Uh huh.
DANNY
Yea, that's definitely your type.
SONIA
Shouldn't I take the gray one
instead?... You know, for...
DANNY
No! Absolutely not!... You're not in
mourning, honey... The red one is
more you. Take the red one!...
SONIA
Um... I dunno...
DANNY
We don't care what people think!...
Are you buying that dress for you or
for them?...
SONIA
For me, I guess...
DANNY
Hey, you know what that reminds me
of?... The dress you wore in Sicily.
SONIA
Oh wow!... You remember that?...
Wow!... That was a great time...
DANNY
Yes, it was... You were gorgeous in
that dress...
She grabs the red dress.
NELL
Mom, are you sure you wanna be
wearing red?... I mean...
SONIA
Honey, we've never been superstitious
in this family... Besides, I don't
really feel like a widow...
DANNY
Hey, I'm right here!
SONIA
He's right here...
Sonia laughs amusedly.
Nell notices Catherine Parker and her DAUGHTER (30's) a few
steps away in the mall, peeking at them judgmentally.
Nell waves at them politely...
NELL
Hey!... That's the Parkers...
They barely wave back, with an air of loathing and deep
contempt...
NELL (cont'd)
What the Hell's their problem?...
Sonia glances at them in turn...
SONIA
(angrily )
Fuck... Just wait up...
She goes towards them.
SONIA (cont'd)
You got a problem with me,
Catherine?... Is there something you
wanna say to me?...
MRS PARKER
Oh, not at all, Sonia... It's just
good to see you in such a good
mood... Who were you talking to on
the phone?...
SONIA
That's none of your business!...
MRS PARKER
Hey, you came here to talk to us! We
might as well chat...
Sonia grits her teeth...
SONIA
Am I the subject of your little jokes
here?...
MRS PARKER
Oh, absolutely not; I was telling my
daughter about that wonderful TV
show... What was it called?... Oh
yea, the "ghost whisperer"!...
The daughter snickers meanly...
SONIA
Oh my God!... You're so green with
envy you're gonna choke...
MRS PARKER
At least, I'm not bathing in a sea of
delusional fantasy, like some people
we know...
SONIA
I never should have told you...
You're not worthy...
MRS PARKER
Now if you'll just excuse us, Sonia,
we 'got some shopping to do...
They pass by her...
Nell runs over to her mom...
NELL
What's going on?... Is everything
OK?!...
Sonia stares at the Parkers angrily as they walk away...
SONIA
He's alive, you know!... He's
alive!...
(After a while )
You fucking bitches!...
They completely ignore her, and go on their way...
NELL
(Shocked )
Mom!!...
Nell gazes at her mom, figures out what's most likely just
happened...
SONIA
(Grinding her teeth )
Fucking whores...
Nell grabs her mother's arm, and pulls her softly towards
her...
NELL
Come on mom, let's go...
Off on Nell's brooding face...
INT. MIKE'S HOME - DAY46
Mike browses a news website. The title reads: "Persephone
A.I. about to launch a revolutionary application within
days"...
Mike scoffs, shakes his head (he has a pretty good idea what
that application is)...
His phone suddenly rings. It's Nell... He gets it...
MIKE
Hello?...
INT. SHOPPING MALL - DAY47
Nell stands alone, and speaks on the phone away from her
mom, whom we can see in the background, seated at some
coffee shop.
NELL
Hey, it's me...
48 INTERCUT BETWEEN MIKE AND NELL48
MIKE
Hey sis! What's up?
Nell sighs...
NELL
You were right... It's a fucking
disaster!... We have to shut that
thing down...
MIKE
Yea, well... We still gotta convince
mom to sign the cancellation form,
'remember?...
NELL
Oh, I don't think that's gonna happen
anytime soon... She's holding on to
it, now more than ever... Hey, did
you see that lawyer?
MIKE
Yea... It was a dead end basically...
But...
NELL
But what?...
MIKE
I talked to a guy there... He knows
someone, who knows someone, who might
be able to help us...
NELL
Really?... Who?...
MIKE
Well... It's a bit complicated... It
might not work at all, but... Either
way, I'll let you know how this thing
turns out...
NELL
OK... Thanks...
They hang up...
END INTERCUT
INT. MIKE'S HOME - DAY49
He gets back to his research, when a notification pops up...
Mike's eyes bulge out of surprise...
He just got an email from... "Divit.Sharma@persephone.ai"!!
He opens it...
There's only a few words...
"Please open the link below:"...
Then a secured hyper-link to Persephone's server, followed
by Dr Sharma's signature.
Mike thinks for a minute, then clicks on the link...
It takes him to a video...
INT. PERSEPHONE HQ, INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY50
We see Danny sitting at a table, facing Doctor Sharma; the
latter, looking a few years younger, scribbles something on
a notepad in front of him.
DANNY
So... How... How does this thing
work?...
The doctor puts his pen down.
DR. SHARMA
Well, it's very simple... First, you
have to sign some papers, when we get
back to my office, you know,
administrative stuff, authorizations
and whatnot, standard paperwork...
DANNY
OK...
DR. SHARMA
Then we'll be sending you, over the
upcoming months, short daily
electronic surveys, which you can
fill up in your spare time... You can
do this from your phone, lying
comfortably in bed... Each survey
shouldn't take more than five
minutes...
DANNY
OK, and... What are the questions
about?
DR. SHARMA
Oh, nothing specific, generalities,
you know... Most questions don't have
wrong or right answers; their aim is
to document your personality, through
your most prominent memories, your
root paradigms, etc. ...
DANNY
I see...
DR. SHARMA
Yea, so don't think too hard about
the answers; just answer naturally,
spontaneously, this will allow the
algorithm to really capture your
character... The more you put into
the machine, the better it will grasp
your personality...
DANNY
OK... And the reason we're here?...
(points to the room )
DR. SHARMA
Yes, that's for the on-boarding
interview... If you allow me...
Dr Sharma turns on a portable camera on tripod, set on the
table. The camera starts recording...
P.O.V. CAMERA TABLE
We see a close-up shot of Danny's face...
DR. SHARMA (O.S.)
OK... Can you please state your name,
for the record?...