(Candy starts walking ahead, tail flicking with casual indifference. Matt watches him go, a frown forming on his face.)
MATT (calling after him):
"Hey! Wait up, whiskers! We gotta grab the pet carrier, remember?"
(Candy glances over his shoulder briefly, then keeps walking like a celebrity ignoring paparazzi.)
MATT (muttering, following him):
"Cool. Yeah. Just ignore me like I'm not the only one keeping your feline butt from ending up on a missing poster."
(They walk in silence for a few moments. Matt tries to fill it.)
MATT (half to himself):
"You know the library's closed now, right? So the whole 'ancient books will solve our soul crisis' plan… total disaster today."
(No response. Candy keeps walking, hopping up onto the sidewalk edge like a little shadow.)
MATT (muttering, climbing):
"Why… is this place… on a hill? Who builds a library like it's a secret temple from a video game?"
(He stops halfway, gasping and leaning against the railing.)
(The place is cold and empty. Matt walks in through the side window they'd used before. No lights, just the dim outline of the familiar desk. The pet carrier is still there, right where they left it.)
MATT (picking it up, speaking to no one):
"This whole thing better be worth it."
(When Matt comes back down, Candy is sitting on the bench. Still. Watching.)
(Matt pauses. Someone is standing a few feet behind the bench, just at the edge of the light. A young man, hoodie up, phone glowing in his hand. He's not doing anything—but he's just... there.)
(Matt slows. The guy looks up, meets his eyes for half a second—then walks off into the night.)
MATT (tense, to himself):
"...Okay."
(He places the carrier on the bench. Candy doesn't need to be asked. He walks in, turns around, curls up.)
MATT (quietly, closing the door):
"Thanks for making one thing easy tonight."
(He picks up the carrier and starts walking. No rush. Just tired.)
MATT (to himself):
"Library's closed. No answers. Just… more questions."
(The street is quiet as he walks, the sound of his footsteps echoing against the sidewalk. The cat says nothing.)
(The window creaks open, and Matt climbs back in first, holding the pet carrier. He sets it down carefully before helping the cat—Candy—climb back in through the window ledge. They both move in silence.)
(The room is still. Matt walks over to the bed. Chris's human body is lying there exactly as before—eyes shut, still breathing, looking peaceful but completely lifeless.)
MATT (softly, looking at him):
"Still the same."
(He turns and stares at the carrier, where Candy—the cat—sits quietly inside. Their eyes meet.)
MATT (voice rising slightly, bitter):
"What the hell kind of joke is this?"
(He steps back, pacing slightly. His hands rake through his hair.)
MATT (frustrated, almost snapping):
"Seriously. Is this aliens? Some... stupid cursed artifact? Paranormal karma? What are we even dealing with?"
(He stops. Breathes.)
MATT (lowering his voice, quieter but more intense):
"Whatever insane crap is behind this—we need to stop it. ASAP."
(He glances at the sleeping Chris again. Then at the cat.)
MATT (tired):
"I don't care how weird it gets. We're getting your soul back where it belongs. You hear me?"
(Candy tilts his head slightly, eyes narrowed. He lets out a slow, deliberate blink.)
MATT (mutters):
"Yeah. Thought so."
(He walks over, opens the pet carrier, and lets the cat out. Candy jumps onto the bed, curling up next to his own human body.)
(Matt watches in silence for a second, then sighs and sinks into the chair beside the desk, rubbing his face.)
MATT (quiet, exhausted):
"This isn't how friday nights are supposed to go."
MATT (quietly, to himself):
"Friday night. Everyone else is at movies or dinner or... literally anything else. And I'm sneaking a cat version of my best friend through windows like it's a secret mission."
(The room is dim except for the cold bluish glow of the laptop screen. Chris's body lies still on the bed. Candy, the black cat, rests silently nearby. Matt sits hunched over at the desk, face lit by the screen, eyes heavy but determined.)
MATT (muttering to himself, typing quickly):
"Anything... any clue. Someone out there has to know something. This can't be just... us."
(His fingers fly across the keyboard as he opens another tab. He's already got at least fifteen open — articles, Reddit threads, half-loaded YouTube documentaries, obscure blogs, spiritual sites.)
MATT (clicking through):
"Soul displacement... animal possession cases... consciousness migration... ancient curses... no, no, no—"
(He stops at a low-res video of a documentary titled "Spirit Exchange: Myths and Cases Around the World." He clicks play and leans in.)
DOCUMENTARY NARRATOR (VO):
"...in certain Himalayan villages, tales persist of spirits leaving the human form during sleep..."
MATT (quietly, thinking aloud):
"During sleep... right before it happens..."
(He starts scribbling in a notebook beside him, connecting pieces: time, location, symptoms. Another tab shows a paper titled "Soul-Body Mismatch Hypothesis: A Neurological View." He skims through it, eyes moving fast but tired.)
(Candy opens one eye and watches Matt for a moment, then lowers his head again.)
MATT (whispering, staring at the screen):
"There has to be something... anyone else... even just one case like this..."
(The screen flickers as Matt keeps searching. He clicks on a grainy clip of a man talking about his "astral projection gone wrong." Another page discusses out-of-body experiences.)
MATT (more desperate now):
"Come on, come on, just give me something real. Anything to go on..."
(His hand slowly stops moving the mouse. His eyes blink slowly. He yawns but fights it, adjusting in the chair.)
(Close-up of the screen: a quote highlighted — "The soul can anchor elsewhere under certain triggers — trauma, energy shifts, or intentional rituals gone wrong.")
MATT (softly, repeating):
"Anchor elsewhere…"
(He reads it again. And again. His eyes linger on the words. He keeps staring, slower, slumping slightly.)
(Cut to: Matt, now slouched at the desk, the laptop screen dimmed slightly. He's fallen asleep mid-search, head tilted awkwardly on his arm, one page still open.)
(The only sounds now are the hum of the laptop fan and the slow, steady breathing of both Matt and Candy.)
(Fade to black.)
[INT. CHRIS'S ROOM – EARLY MORNING]
(Matt stirs at the desk, head still resting half on the open laptop. The muffled sound of voices filters through the door.)
CHRIS'S MOM (O.S., annoyed):
"It's almost 7, wake him up already!"
CHRIS'S DAD (O.S., grumbling):
"It's only 6:45, why are you waking him up this soon?"
CHRIS'S MOM (snapping):
"Don't involve yourself in this! If I don't start now, your son won't wake up until at least 7:30!"
(Matt's eyes crack open, unfocused. He stares blearily at the screen in front of him, blinking like he forgot where he was.)
MATT (mumbling groggily):
"…who's son…? What year is it…"
(He groans and shifts in the chair, rubbing his eyes, while outside—)
CHRIS'S MOM (louder now):
"Chris! Get up! Don't make me come in there!"
(Chris, still curled in a cat-ball on the bed, opens one eye. His ears twitch. He lifts his head slowly, disoriented.)
CHRIS (internal monologue, drowsy):
What the hell…? Is that my mom? Oh god. Morning already?
(The two boys—one human, one feline—lock eyes across the room, both startled.)
MATT (still half-asleep, blinking at the cat):
"…She's gonna come in."
CHRIS (cat blinking slowly, panicked stare):
Meow?
MATT (now alert, whispering harshly):
"Oh crap, oh crap—do something! Hide! Sleep! Disappear—whatever cats do!"
(Chris flails slightly, then darts under the blanket, curling into the shape of a lump.)
MATT (scrambling, looking around):
"Where's your—nope, okay, forget it—just don't move."
(He shoves papers over the laptop, smooths his hair with one swipe, and throws on a hoodie just as the door handle jiggles.)
(Cut to silence. Tension builds. Then—)
CHRIS'S MOM (O.S., from behind the door):
"I swear if you're not out of bed in 5 minutes, don't make me you know what ill do
( Matt freezes, eyes wide.)
MATT (whispering to the lump on the bed):
"Bro… we are so dead."
CHRIS'S MOM (O.S., from behind the door, threateningly):
"I swear, if you're not out of bed in five minutes—don't make me! You know what I'll do!"
(Matt freezes, eyes wide like a deer in headlights.)
MATT (whispering to the cat-shaped lump under the blanket):
"Bro… we are so dead."
(He scrambles to the bed, shakes the human Chris's arm gently — no response.)
MATT (urgent, whispering):
"Chris. Wake up. Wake UP, man!"
(Nothing. He glances at the door, panic rising.)
MATT (gritting his teeth):
"That's it. We're not waiting for another bucket threat."
(He scoops up the limp cat from the bed. With one hand gripping the edge of the window bench, he perches like Spider-Man, ready to launch out the window. The other hand clutches the motionless cat.)
MATT (muttering under his breath):
"Alright, Operation Feline Escape is a go—"
(Suddenly, the cat in his hand goes limp — like really limp.)
MATT (startled, catching the cat with both hands):
"Whoa, hey—hey! What's wrong with you?!"
(Chris's body on the bed stirs. A faint inhale, then a sharp gasp. Human Chris's eyes snap open. He blinks rapidly, disoriented.)
CHRIS (gasping, confused):
"Matt…?"
(Matt spins around, eyes darting between the real Chris on the bed and the limp cat in his arms. Both of them whip their heads toward the alarm clock on the desk: 7:02 AM.)
(For one breathless second, they just stare at each other—frozen in mutual shock.)
CHRIS (barely whispering):
"It's me. I'm—back?"
(Footsteps approach—Chris's mom is right outside the door.)
(Suddenly, the cat in Matt's hands twitches. Its eyes snap open. It wriggles.)
MATT (realizing too late):
"Oh no—no no no—don't you—!"
(The cat launches itself out of his hands, slipping through his grasp, landing hard on the floor. It bolts out the slightly open window and into the front lawn.)
MATT (shouting):
"CANDY, WAIT!"
(Without thinking, Matt throws himself out the window after it.)
Matt (coughing, startled, as he watches the cat run away):
"Wait! No—!"
(Suddenly, without warning, the lawn sprinkler system kicks on, and a burst of water sprays over Matt, completely drenching him. He gasps in shock and, in the process, releases his grip on the cat.)
(Cat takes advantage of the opportunity and bolts, running as fast as he can.)
(Matt squints and, still dripping wet, begins to chase after Candy, trying to catch him. But just as he's getting close, the sprinkler system activates again, soaking him once more.)
Matt (shouting in frustration, closing one eye as he runs, still soaked):
"Seriously?! You've gotta be kidding me!"
(Matt, drenched and still running after the cat, suddenly crashes into one of the sprinklers, knocking it over. He stumbles and falls to the ground, holding his leg in pain.)
Matt (gritting his teeth, groaning):
"Oh my… argh…"
(He rolls back, trying to shake off the pain, but as he does, he looks up, only to realize that the cat has disappeared.)
(Matt, still holding his leg, slowly gets up and notices Chris looking at him through the window. Matt sighs deeply, feeling both embarrassed and frustrated.)
(At the same moment, the front door of Chris's house opens, and Chris's mother's voice calls out from inside.)
Chris's Mother (calling from the house):
"What's with all the noise outside?"
(Hearing her voice, Chris quickly rushes to the front door, and Matt, shocked by the sudden commotion, tries to walk away as quickly as he can.)
(Chris's mother steps outside and sees the back of Matt, standing in the yard, still clearly soaking wet and disheveled.)
Chris's Mother (curiously, raising an eyebrow):
"Who's this?"
(Matt, startled by the question, stumbles for a moment and stands frozen in place, unsure of how to respond.)
(Chris rushes out, joining his mother at the door. Chris's mother starts walking toward Matt, clearly confused and curious about his presence.)
(Matt, realizing he's been caught, turns around quickly and gives a little bow, trying to act casual.)
Matt (nervously, with a forced smile):
"Good morning."
(Chris's mother stops in her tracks, staring at Matt in disbelief as she takes in his drenched clothes and disheveled appearance in front of her house.)
Chris's Mother (shocked, raising her voice slightly):
"Matt?? What's all this?"
(Matt stands there, still holding his leg, unsure of what to say or how to explain the ridiculous situation.)
(Chris, standing beside his mother, struggles to hold back his laughter, his hand covering his mouth as he watches Matt.)
(Matt notices Chris trying to suppress his laughter and, feeling increasingly annoyed, he looks at Chris's mother. He can tell she's not buying his earlier excuse, so he decides to add more details to the story.)
Matt (sighing, trying to sound believable):
"I came to pick him up, but while I was looking at my phone, I stumbled into the sprinklers."
Chris's Mother (shaking her head, unimpressed):
"These kids… every time, it's always phone, phone, phone."
(Chris, still struggling to hold in his laughter, can't help but chuckle again, making Matt more irritated.)
Chris's Mother (glancing at Chris with a stern look, shaking her head):
"Anyway, what's this about a special class?"
Matt (quickly, trying to explain):
"Well, because Chris did poorly in two subjects, our teacher asked me to tutor him."
(Chris immediately stops laughing, his face shifting to one of shock and annoyance. He looks at Matt, realizing what he just said, and notices the tension building between him and his mom.)
Chris's Mother (holding Chris by the ear):
"For you, this kid? Out here picking you up while you sleep like royalty?"
Narration:
Chris rubs his ears, looking at Matt with an annoyed expression, while Matt is smiling purely, enjoying the moment.
Chris's Mother (catching Chris looking at Matt, raising an eyebrow):
"What are you looking at?" (throws her hands at Chris)
Chris quickly escapes from her reach, darting back inside.
Chris's Mother (realizing, apologetically):
"Oh, Matt, with all this drama, I forgot you're drenched—come inside and dry off."
MATT (wiping water off his face, still smiling despite everything):
"No problem, Mom. Anyway, I just came to inform him to join class early. I'll head home now and get ready. Almost time."
CHRIS'S MOM (still rubbing her temple):
"That so? Alright, then."
(She turns back to Chris, who's still rubbing his ear and glaring at Matt. Without warning—)
CHRIS'S MOM (raising her hand):
"And YOU—what are you standing here for? Go get ready!"
(She gives him a swift slap to the arm.)
CHRIS (yelping, scrambling back):
"Ack! Okay, okay, I'm going!"
(He hurries off, muttering under his breath.)
MATT (calling out lightly as he leaves):
"See you in class, Your Highness!
CHRIS (grumbling, walking past):
"I'm gonna swap you into a cat one day, just watch."
(Chris glares after him while holding his ear, and Matt just chuckles and jogs off down the street.)
CUT TO: EXT. MATT'S STREET – MOMENTS LATER
(Matt finally reaches his house, slightly out of breath. He opens the gate, climbs the steps two at a time, and unlocks the door.)
MATT (to himself, kicking off his soaked shoes):
"Okay. Quick change. Mental breakdown later."
(He hurries to his room, tosses his bag on the bed, and pulls off his wet hoodie in one motion.)
MATT (opening his closet):
"First, dry clothes. Then... figure out what the hell happened at 7:02 a.m."