Story Launch Pad

FADE IN: EXT. NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT The pulsating beat of electronic dance music fills the air as we see the neon lights of a nightclub. We push through the crowd, getting closer and closer to the entrance. INT. NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT We see a woman, JESSICA, dressed in a form-fitting dress, sipping on a martini at the bar. A man, JASON, approaches her. JASON (smiling) Hi there. JESSICA (coyly) Hello. They begin to chat, their conversation flirtatious and full of innuendo. CUT TO: EXT. JASON'S APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT Jessica and Jason exit the nightclub and make their way to Jason's apartment building. They enter the elevator, and the tension between them is palpable. INT. JASON'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Once inside the apartment, Jason pours them each a drink. They sit on the couch, continuing their conversation. As the night goes on, their conversation becomes more intimate, and soon they are kissing passionately. CUT TO: INT. JASON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Jessica and Jason are in bed, their bodies intertwined. But as the night wears on, Jessica begins to realize that there is something off about Jason. He seems to be hiding something from her. CUT TO: INT. JASON'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Jessica sneaks out of Jason's bedroom, and begins to explore his apartment. She finds a locked drawer, and, unable to resist her curiosity, she picks the lock. Inside, she finds a stash of photos of other women, each of them in various states of undress. JESSICA (to herself) What have I gotten myself into? CUT TO: INT. JASON'S KITCHEN - DAY The next morning, Jessica wakes up alone in Jason's bed. She makes her way to the kitchen, where Jason is making breakfast. JASON (smirking) Good morning. JESSICA (nervously) Morning. Over breakfast, Jessica and Jason discuss their plans for the day. Jason suggests they go for a drive out to the countryside, and Jessica reluctantly agrees. CUT TO: EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY Jessica and Jason arrive at a secluded cabin in the woods. The cabin is rustic, with wooden beams and a roaring fire. Jason leads Jessica inside, where they sit on a cozy blanket in front of the fire. As the evening wears on, Jessica begins to feel more and more uneasy. She can sense that Jason is hiding something from her, and she can't shake the feeling that she is in danger. CUT TO: INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT Jessica is lying in bed, unable to sleep. She can hear Jason moving around in the living room. Suddenly, she hears a noise, like someone breaking in. She jumps out of bed and runs to the living room, where she finds Jason in a heated argument with a mysterious stranger. JASON (angrily) You don't understand! She's different! STRANGER (calculatingly) Oh, I understand perfectly well. Jessica watches in horror as the stranger pulls out a knife. FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE. (30 minutes)