Self Control

By
Cody Brantley

A black screen.
AMY
Do you ever feel like youre not
yourself? Like theres someone else
living your life for you when
youre not paying attention?

INT. DINING ROOM - DAY

AMY, 20s, sits at a table sipping on a drink, across from
STEPH (off screen).
STEPH (O.S.)
What do you mean?
AMY
I mean, do you ever do something,
and then later on you cant
remember why you did it? Or you
dont even remember doing it in the
first place?
STEPH (O.S.)
Yeah, all the time. Everyone does.
AMY
How often?
STEPH (O.S.)
I dont know. Why, what happened?
AMY
Nothing specifically, I guess. Just
a lot of little things. Ordering
something I didnt want at a
restaurant, making a wrong turn. I
know they sound normal but it feels
different, somehow.
STEPH (O.S.)
Maybe youre overreacting.
AMY
Maybe.

2.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Amy lies in bed. Her eyes flutter open, staring at the
ceiling. After a moment, she turns over to look at her ALARM
CLOCK; its 7 AM. With a roll of her eyes she throws back
the covers and sits on the edge of the bed.
She snatches up her CELL PHONE from the bedside table and
dials a number, then waits as it rings.
A groggy voice answers.
STEPH (V.O.)
Hello?
AMY
Hey, Steph. Its Amy. Did I wake
you?
STEPH (V.O.)
Youre fine. Whats going on?
AMY
I was wondering if you could cover
my shift today.
STEPH (V.O.)
Is everything okay?
AMY
Yeah, I just need my shift covered.
STEPH (V.O.)
Okay, yeah. Of course. You have the
eight oclock, right?
AMY
Thats right. Thanks so much.
STEPH (V.O.)
Sure thing. Hope youre alright.
AMY
I will be. Bye.
STEPH (V.O.)
Bye.
Amy hangs up and tosses the phone onto her bed before
standing and leaving the room.

3.
INT. BATHROOM - DAY
Amy brushes her teeth, blankly staring into the mirror.
After spitting and putting away her toothbrush, she grabs a
PILL BOTTLE and empties one into her hand. She pops it in
her mouth and takes a drink of water to swallow.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Amy is dressed in scrubs, and sits on the edge of her bed to
slip on her shoes. She stands and grabs her phone off of her
bed. When she does, she pauses, a confused look on her
face. Her eyes widen and she gasps before quickly dialing
the phone and holding to her ear. She begins to pace as it
rings.
Steph answers on the other end.
STEPH (V.O.)
Hello?
Amy speaks quickly and worriedly.
AMY
Steph.
STEPH (V.O.)
Amy, hey. What-?
AMY
Listen, I called you to get my
shift covered.
STEPH (V.O.)
(confused)
Yeah...I know.
AMY
I actually did that?
STEPH (V.O.)
Yeah, you didAMY
Dont worry about the shift. Ive
got it.
STEPH (V.O.)
Its kind of late for that.
Amys face contorts and she brings a hand up to her mouth.

4.

STEPH (V.O.) (CONT.)

Amy, whats going on? Youre
starting to worry me.
Amy takes a deep breath to regain her composure.
AMY
Its okay. Im fine. Bye.
STEPH (V.O.)
Hey, Amy, hold onSteph is cut off as Amy hangs up and drops onto her bed. Her
expression is one of confusion and fear.
She lays back onto her pillow and closes her eyes.
AMY
Why did I do that?
A clear voice answers her.
VOICE
You didnt.
Amys eyes open wide and she snaps into a sitting position,
looking around the room for the source of the voice. There
isnt anyone in sight.
AMY
Whos there?
VOICE
Just you and me.
She stands and quickly strides to the door to swing it open.
VOICE (CONT.)
Youre not going to find me out
there.
AMY
Who are you?
VOICE
That hardly matters.
Amy storms out of the room.

5.
INT. DINING ROOM - DAY
Amy continues moving around, searching for the voice.
VOICE
I told you already, you wont find
me out there.
AMY
Out where?!
VOICE
Outside your head, Amy. Im in
here.
She stops in her tracks. She speaks in denial.
AMY
Shut up.
VOICE
Come on, its not all that bad.
AMY
I said shut up.
She leaves the room.

INT. BATHROOM - DAY

Amy grabs her pill bottle from the counter and drops a few
into her hand.
VOICE
Antipsychotics? They wont help,
you know. Those only work on things
that arent real.
She takes them and exits.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Amy slips off her shoes and climbs into the bed, under the
covers.
VOICE
You cant ignore me forever, you
know.
Amy closes her eyes.

6.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Amy lies in bed, her eyes closed. The voice speaks, but she
gives no indication that she hears it.
VOICE
Amy...Amy. Ill be honest, youre
being more than a little rude.
She continues to ignore it.
VOICE (CONT.)
You know, weve been in bed all
day. I think its time we get up.
Suddenly, Amy jerks herself into an upright position, almost
as if she was forced. She breathes heavily in shock, and
whispers to the voice.
AMY
Stop it.
VOICE
Ill only be forceful when you
dont cooperate. I promise.
AMY
What do you want?
VOICE
Its...hard to explain.
AMY
You want to ruin my life?
VOICE
Of course not.
AMY
You made me miss work.
VOICE
I dont want that job.
AMY
This is about my job?
VOICE
No, dont be ridiculous. Its just
that once your life becomes mine I
dont want to be stuck in a job I
dont even like.

7.

AMY
Once my life becomes yours?
VOICE
Listen, theres two of us in here.
Me and you. Im in the backseat,
though. And I think Id rather
drive.
AMY
I wont let you.
She spins to sit with her legs hanging off the bed.
VOICE
I wouldnt take any more of those
pills if I were you. Youve had
plenty, and they wont make a
difference either way.
AMY
Youre not real.
VOICE
What, because Im in your head?
That doesnt make me any less real.
But if it makes you feel better, go
ahead and think that. Amy, you need
to calm down.
Amy swings her legs back onto the bed and lies back down
quickly, apparently against her will.
Shes breathing faster now, on the verge of tears and
clearly terrified.
AMY
Let me go.
VOICE
Theres nothing to worry about, Im
a safe driver. But you need to
accept this. Im here to stay.
She closes her eyes, clearly not consoled by the words of
comfort.

8.
INT FOYER - DAY
Amy forces open a closet and pulls a coat off of a hanger.
VOICE
Were going out?
AMY
Im going out! We are not doing
anything!
VOICE
And where is it you will be going?
Amy pulls on the coat and begins sliding into her shoes.
AMY
To a doctor, a therapist, a psych
ward, I dont care. Im getting
help.
VOICE
They cant reach me in here, you
know that.
AMY
Enough!
She pulls open the front doorVOICE
Not quite.
-and slams it shut.
Amys face twists in concentration. The muscles in her arm
tense and flex, but she cannot open the door.
AMY
Stop!
Her arm wrenches away from the door, her body twisting
violently.
She storms away...

INT. BATHROOM - DAY

...and into the bathroom. Amy grabs the pill bottle from the
counter and opens it. She begins pouring a few into her
hand.

9.

VOICE
If you want to get rid of me,
youll need a few more.
Amys jerks her hand and the bottle to her mouth, tipping it
back and emptying it into her mouth.
She drops the bottle onto the floor. Her head remains
arched back as she stares in panic at the ceiling, holding
the pills in her mouth.
VOICE (CONT.)
Swallow!
With difficulty, Amy swallows and gasps for air.
She dashes over and onto the ground in front of the toilet,
shoving her fingers into her mouth and down her throat,
causing her to vomit.
VOICE (CONT.) (contd)
Now, did I say you could do that?
As Amy stands, she is forced backwards into a wall and
slumps onto the ground. She huddles in the corner and
begins to sob.
AMY
Just let me go.
VOICE
I cant. It doesnt work that way.
AMY
(whimpering)
Please.
VOICE
I know how terrible this must be
for you. But you could make it so
much easier. All you have to do is
give up. Just let me in. Itll all
be over, and you can rest. Just
hand me the wheel.
Amys breathing slows, and her sobs calm to silent tears.
VOICE (CONT.)
Thats it. Just let go.
Amy takes one last deep, shuddering breath, eyes closed.

10.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Amy lies in bed. Her eyes flutter open, staring at the
ceiling. She looks to either side, taking in the sights
around her. She smirks.