A Knock at The Door
EXT. MYSTERIOUS HOUSE - NIGHT
The episode begins with various eerie shots of a creepy VICTORIAN-STYLE HOUSE, surrounded by a murky, sprawling garden with dense FOG. The camera ZOOMS IN on the front door.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
In tonight's episode of Beyond Belief, fact or fiction, we explore a tale of a haunted house with a little-known, but absolutely chilling history.
INT. MYSTERIOUS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The camera moves into the dimly-lit living room, adorned with ancient-looking PORTRAITS, an eerie-looking PIANO, and a large FRESNEL LENS mounted on a tripod. A low candlelight flickers.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Meet Mrs. Anna Sinclair-Smith, a collector of antique oddities and obscure relics. A recent acquisition has left her shaken to the core.
We see ANNA SINCLAIR-SMITH, a classy elderly woman, wearing a fancy dressing gown, sitting anxiously in an antique chair.
ANNA (nervous)
I've collected many strange items over the years, but this one, it's different. Ominous. Dangerous, even.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Anna is referring to the fresnel lens she purchased at an estate sale, a lens said to have belonged to a notorious 19th-century scientist, tormented by the notion of otherworldly communication.
A slow KNOCKING sounds at the front door. Anna gets up hesitantly and walks towards the door.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And so begins a night of unending terror and unexpected visitations.
INT. MYSTERIOUS HOUSE - ENTRANCE HALL - NIGHT
Anna cautiously opens the FRONT DOOR, revealing an eerie DARK FIGURE standing in the shadows.
DARK FIGURE (cryptic)
I've come for what is rightfully mine. The portal must be reopened.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Anna must now confront the entity and solve the chilling mystery that surrounds the lens before she's sucked into its dark clutches forever.
Anna pales, struggling to find her voice.
ANNA (stammering)
W-who are you? What do you want?
The Dark Figure eerily grins, and the CAMERA ZOOMS IN on the Fresnel Lens, ominously catching the candlelight as it casts wicked shadows on the walls.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Whispers from the Past
EXT. CEMETERY - DAY
Establishing shot of an old, secluded cemetery with a twisted, rusted gate.
HOST (V.O.): Today, we bring you a story that challenges the boundaries of time and the spirit world. Can the secrets of the past unravel before our very eyes? Or will it all dissolve into the realm of the unknown?
CUT TO:
INT. ANTIQUE STORE - DAY
JANET, a young woman in her late twenties, browses the dusty shelves, filled with odd and eclectic objects from bygone eras.
HOST (V.O.): Janet Roberts has always been fascinated with the past. Today, she finds herself in an out-of-the-way antique store, searching for treasures lost to time.
Janet opens an old music box and is delighted when it plays a nostalgic tune. As she searches the shelves further, she stumbles upon an old diary.
JANET (to herself): This is interesting.
CUT TO:
EXT. CEMETERY - DAY
Janet stands next to a gravestone, reading an entry in the diary.
HOST (V.O.): The diary draws Janet deeper into the life of its long-dead author, a woman named Emily Hawthorne, who passed away in the 19th century.
Janet finds herself visiting Emily's gravestone, and something truly remarkable begins to happen.
JANET (whispering to her herself): I'm sorry to disturb you, Emily. It's just... it's like I can feel your presence.
EMILY (ethereal voice, offscreen): Janet...
Janet is taken aback by the sudden sound of her own name, whispered by an unseen force.
JANET (startled): What was that?!
EMILY (ethereal voice, offscreen): Janet... help me...
CUT TO:
INT. JANET'S APARTMENT - DAY
Janet sits in her apartment, the diary open in front of her, a look of both fear and determination on her face.
HOST (V.O.): As haunted voices from the past beckon to Janet, she realizes that she must discover the secrets within the diary's pages and help Emily find peace.
CUT TO:
EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT
Janet, gripping the old diary tightly, stands in front of Emily's grave in the moonlight. EMILY's spirit becomes visible, looking solemn and forlorn.
HOST (V.O.): With each passing day, the connection between Emily and Janet grows stronger. Drawn to the cemetery at night, Janet believes she is about to solve the mystery that has eluded both her and Emily for so long.
JANET (tentatively): I think I know what I need to do, Emily.
Emily's spirit looks up in a mixture of curiosity, hope and despair.
EMILY: Thank you, Janet...
TO BE CONTINUED.
Mirrors of the Mind
EXT. LARGE MANSION - NIGHT
A massive mansion towers over the camera, illuminated by flashes of lightning in the stormy sky.
NARRATOR (V.O.):
In a world where truth and lies walk the same path, the line between fact and fiction can be blurred. Tonight, we're challenged once again to separate the believable from the unbelievable.
INT. GALLERY - NIGHT
A lone SECURITY GUARD patrols the dimly-lit halls of a high-end gallery. In front of him, a collection of MIRRORS in all shapes and sizes rest against the walls.
NARRATOR (V.O.):
In a quiet gallery, mirrors silently observe the world. Some say mirrors can capture more than just reflections - but is there any truth to that?
The guard approaches a LARGE ANTIQUE MIRROR and examines his reflection. As he gazes into it, his COUNTENANCE CHANGES; his expression goes from boredom to shock.
GUARD:
No...it can't be...
Suddenly, another FLASH OF LIGHTNING reveals AN APPARITION standing behind the guard in the mirror's reflection. The ghostly figure resembles the guard's deceased FATHER.
NARRATOR (V.O.):
Does the appearance of a ghostly visitor have anything to do with the security of the gallery, or has the guard stumbled upon a deeper, personal secret?
The security guard, entranced by the image, reaches out to touch the mirror, but as he does so, the figure VANISHES.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
A YOUNG COUPLE watches the storm from their window. The wife, LUCY, clings to her husband, JOHN, spooked by the crashes of thunder.
NARRATOR (V.O.):
Meanwhile, a young couple at home tries to weather the storm together. Little do they know that the same storm will soon play a role in their relationship's destiny.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
A FLASH OF LIGHTNING reveals an eerie SHADOW outside the kitchen window. Startled, Lucy spills her tea on the floor.
LUCY:
John, I saw something outside!
John pulls the blinds closed, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
JOHN:
It's just the storm, Lucy. Don't worry, I promise I'll protect you.
INT. ART GALLERY - DAY
The gallery owner, MRS. CARTWRIGHT, stares into the mirror in disbelief, as the now visible figure of the guard's father stands behind her. She spins around, terrified.
NARRATOR (V.O.):
Back at the gallery, the owner Mrs. Cartwright discovers the same mysterious apparition. Are the mirrors harboring dark secrets, or is this merely an elaborate hoax?
As the camera pulls back from the gallery, lightning illuminates the sky, revealing more hidden specters in other mirrors. The haunting music IMPRESSES upon the viewers the uncertainty of the results.
NARRATOR (V.O.):
Tonight, we ask you once again to dispel the veil of deception and find the truth. Join us as we further examine the Mirrors of the Mind... Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.
TO BE CONTINUED
Pieces of Truth
EXT. WOODED AREA - NIGHT
Dark and foggy, with a full moon barely visible through thick clouds. A shadowy figure moves among the trees, mysterious energy emanating from it.
CUT TO:
INT. BEYOND BELIEF SET - DAY
HOST (JONATHON FRAKES) sits in a chair, facing the camera.
HOST
Our world is full of mysterious events that defy explanation. Could these strange occurrences be fact... or merely fiction? Tonight, we present a story about a haunted painting and a mind-boggling phenomenon that forces us to question the boundaries of reality.
CUT TO:
INT. VICTORIAN-STYLE HOUSE - DAY
Young couple, BELLE and TIM, move into their new home. They unpack their belongings, revealing the painting of an old woman, MILDRED.
TIM
(uneasy)
This painting always creeps me out. Why did your grandmother leave it to you in her will?
BELLE
(slightly amused)
I have no idea. Maybe she thought it would look nice in our new home.
They place the painting on the mantel above the fireplace.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
The couple prepares dinner, discussing their day.
BELLE
Did you catch a glimpse of our neighbors yet?
TIM
No, but I heard strange noises coming from next door. Sounded like someone... chanting.
BELLE
(laughs)
You’re just trying to scare me!
TIM
(smiles)
I wonder if they know about our haunted painting...
BELLE
(nods)
Maybe we should find out tomorrow.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
BELLE peers at the painting, feeling a strange energy. Suddenly, MILDRED’S grey eyes lock onto BELLE from the canvas.
BELLE
(shudders)
Tim, did you feel that? This painting... I think it's haunted.
TIM
(skeptical)
Haunted? Nah, you're just spooked because we're in a new house.
BELLE
I'm serious. I think Mildred is watching us... from the painting.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
BELLE and TIM nervously approach their MYSTERIOUS NEIGHBORS - an elderly couple named AGNES and EDGAR.
BELLE
Hi, we're your new neighbors. We just moved in next door.
AGNES
(smiling)
Welcome! It's lovely to meet you.
EDGAR
And how are you settling in?
TIM
(awkwardly)
Um, well, we found a... strange painting, and we were curious if you know anything about the old woman in it. Her name is Mildred.
Agnes and Edgar exchange worried glances.
AGNES
So you've seen her eyes? The woman from the painting is said to haunt many a household, seeking revenge on those who disturb her.
BELLE
(shivering)
Do you know how to rid ourselves of the curse?
EDGAR
Some say Mildred’s spirit can only be put to rest with the help of an ancient relic.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
BELLE and TIM return home to find the painting of Mildred, now with an even more sinister look in her eyes.
TIM
(whispers)
We have to find that relic.
TO BE CONTINUED
A Sudden Silence
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
JONATHAN FRAKES, the host, sits comfortably in a living room with a bookshelf behind him.
JONATHAN FRAKES
Greetings, I'm Jonathan Frakes. We're all familiar with the sound of a ticking clock. It brings forth a sense of urgency, but what if that clock just stopped suddenly? Welcome to another episode of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.
CUT TO -
EXT. HUNTINGTON MANOR - DAY
Establishing shot of an old, LARGE HOUSE surrounded by tall trees.
NARRATOR
This grand old house on the country outskirts is the Huntington Manor. Built in the 1800s, it has seen its fair share of owners, and with them, secrets. Our story tonight revolves around the Davis family, who just moved in a week ago.
INT. HUNTINGTON MANOR - DAY
In the grand ENTRANCE HALL, AMANDA DAVIS greets her husband, JOHN DAVIS, with a cheek kiss as he arrives home with a sleek NEW GRANDFATHER CLOCK.
AMANDA DAVIS
Welcome home, John. And what a beautiful grandfather clock you have brought!
JOHN DAVIS
I thought it would be perfect for the entrance hall. It has a certain charm that matches the house.
They set up the clock and wind it up. The ticking sound echoes through the hall.
INT. HUNTINGTON MANOR - NIGHT
In the LIVING ROOM, Amanda and John sit down by the fire, sipping wine, and talking. The clock chimes in the background.
AMANDA DAVIS
Do you know anything about the clock's history?
JOHN DAVIS
Not much. The antique store owner said it belonged to the family that lived here a century ago. It might've been lost or sold, but somehow it has found its way back.
INT. HUNTINGTON MANOR - DAY
KIM, the little daughter of Amanda and John, runs through the house, playing hide-and-seek with her FRIEND. They giggle as they try to find each other.
SUDDENLY, the ticking clock stops, and a palpable silence fills the house.
INT. HUNTINGTON MANOR - NIGHT
Amanda and John lie in their bed, confused by the sudden silence.
AMANDA DAVIS
Do you hear that? The clock has stopped.
JOHN DAVIS
I'll check on it tomorrow. Maybe it just needs winding.
INT. HUNTINGTON MANOR - DAY
John tries to REWIND the clock but to no avail.
JOHN DAVIS
I don't understand. I've wound it tight, and it still won't tick.
INT. HUNTINGTON MANOR - NIGHT
Amanda awakens to see a GHOSTLY FIGURE, an old woman, standing by the foot of her bed.
GHOSTLY FIGURE
Return... the clock...
The ghost disappears, and Amanda lets out a blood-curdling scream.
TO BE CONTINUED
Lost in Time
EXT. OLD CEMETERY - NIGHT
A dense fog rolls across an old, neglected cemetery. Stone angels mark the final resting place for many souls, their wings reaching out through the mist.
JONATHAN FRAKES (V.O.)
In this gloomy graveyard, some buried secrets refuse to stay buried. A place where resting souls aren't as peaceful as one might think. Are you prepared to delve into the mysteries of the unknown?
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Trisha, a young woman in her early twenties, is watching late-night TV. Enticed by the mysteries of the supernatural, she tunes in to "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction." Suddenly the screen goes blank.
TRISHA
(surprised)
Hey, what happened?
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Trisha, now changed into her pajamas, conducts a seance while sitting alone on her bed.
TRISHA
(concentrating)
Spirits of the beyond, I ask for your guidance. Reveal your secrets to me.
Suddenly, the lights flicker and a gust of wind blows through the windows, scattering objects from her bedroom. Trisha's phone beeps displaying a notification leading to a mysterious location.
EXT. OLD CEMETERY - NIGHT
Trisha, holding her flashlight and phone, shivers as she slowly makes her way into the dark, forbidding cemetery.
TRISHA
(nervously)
I hope this is worth it.
Trisha comes across a tombstone of someone who died exactly 100 years ago today. Thunder rumbles throughout the scene.
TRISHA
(thrilled)
This is it! This has to be the clue!
Trisha bends down to examine the grave, when suddenly the ground beneath her cracks open, swallowing her whole.
INT. DARK CAVE - NIGHT
Trisha picks herself up off the ground and looks around, seeing images of the past, people long gone and life once lived. She's lost in time.
TRISHA
(soliloquizes)
This isn't possible. This has to be a dream, right?
A ghostly figure emerges from the shadows.
LOST SOUL
Oh, it's no dream, child. Welcome to the realm between time and space - a place where secrets come to rest.
TRISHA
gasps
But, but, how do I get back home? This is terrifying.
LOST SOUL
Test your wits, explore your surroundings, and you might just find your way back...or perhaps you'll become one of us.
JONATHAN FRAKES (V.O.)
Is Trisha hallucinating, or has she truly been taken to the realm of the unknown? A place where fact and fiction blur...a place beyond belief.
TO BE CONTINUED
Echoes of the Past
EXT. CREEPY OLD MANSION - NIGHT
A lightning storm flashes in the night sky, illuminating the creepy old mansion. The camera zooms in through the front door, transitioning to the interior.
INT. DIMLY LIT ROOM IN MANSION - NIGHT
JONATHAN FRAKES, the host of 'Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction', stands in the dimly-lit room, surrounded by antique furniture and strange collectibles.
JONATHAN FRAKES
(ominously)
Welcome to another edition of 'Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction'. Tonight's episode promises to shock, disturb, and possibly alter your perception of reality forever. Are you ready to explore the unknown?
CUT TO THE FIRST STORY
INT. COZY LIVING ROOM - DAY
MARTHA, a sweet elderly woman, talks on the phone to her daughter, EMMA, as she knits a scarf.
MARTHA
Oh Emma, I do miss you. When was the last time you visited?
EMMA (on phone, voice-over)
It's only been a few weeks, mom. Don't worry, I'm coming over the weekend.
Martha nods and smiles, when suddenly a loud banging noise echoes through the house.
MARTHA
(concerned)
What in the world could that be?
She hangs up the phone and follows the noise to her late husband's study.
INT. STUDY ROOM - DAY
Martha slowly opens the door, revealing a dusty, seemingly untouched room. The source of the noise is a painting of her late husband, RICHARD, on the wall.
MARTHA
(talking to the painting)
Richard? Can you hear me?
The painting remains silent. Suddenly, the banging continues, and the room begins to fill with a mysterious, otherworldly mist.
MARTHA
(gasping)
It can't be! Is...is that you, Richard?
She stares at the painting in disbelief as the RICHARD'S image comes to life and steps out of the frame.
RICHARD'S GHOST
Yes, my love. It's me. But it's not safe here, for either of us...
Martha teeters on the edge of shock and disbelief.
MARTHA
(stuttering)
How...how is this possible?
RICHARD'S GHOST
Listen carefully. There are other spirits in this house... and they are not as friendly as I am...
FADE OUT, CUT TO JONATHAN FRAKES
INT. DIMLY LIT ROOM IN MANSION - NIGHT
JONATHAN FRAKES
The echoes of the past can sometimes be heard, even to those who aren't listening. But are we witnessing an echo, or is this a haunting melody that goes beyond belief?
CUT TO BLACK, TEXT ON THE SCREEN: TO BE CONTINUED
