EXT. A RESIDENTIAL CAR PARK -NIGHT

A small, dimly lit little car park rests at the end of the street. Fog hangs low, haloed by a lone streetlight. An owl hoots somewhere nearby.

A car rolls into the view. The sound of the engine reverberates through the surrounding as it approaches the space marked “Resident only”.

The engine shuts off and SHEILA, a weary-looking woman in her thirties, steps out. She walks around to the back passenger door, retrieves her handbag, and locks the car with a soft click.

Glancing around, Sheila quietly heads towards her home.

She approaches the fence, stops with a puzzled expression and looks around as if she doesn’t know where is she going. She turns around and heads towards the exit gate in the opposite direction.

EXT. SHEILA’S HOUSE - NIGHT

The PIR floodlight flickers to life, revealing a stone path over the small, disorganised front garden. Sheila walks up the path. As she reaches her front door, she pauses, a frown crossing her face.

SHEILA

 (muttering to herself)

Oh no, left the lights on again.

She digs into her bag for her keys. As she pushes the key into the lock-

VOICE (O.S)

(Whispering)

Shh...

Sheila freezes. Holding her breath, she leans in and presses her ear against the door. It’s silent. A flicker of unease creeps in.

She spots a twig. She picks it up, gripping it tightly like a weapon. Holding her breath, she slowly turns the keys and pushes the door open.

INT. SHEILA’S HALLWAY -MOMENTS LATER

Sheila slowly closes the door behind her and reaches for the light switch. The light comes on, but the hallway looks empty. She takes a sigh of relief, dropping the twig. She hangs her coat and nuzzles the living room door.

INT. SHEILA’S LIVING ROOM -NIGHT

About TEN PEOPLE are waiting quietly in the dimly lit room. Some of them are aiming cameras towards the door.

The door opens gently. One of them switches the light on as Sheila sticks her head in.

EVERYBODY

(Singing)

“Happy Birthday to you. Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Sheila, Happy birthday to you”

Sheila stares with a shocked expression. There is a large table in the centre of the room, filled with food and drinks. There is also a large cake in the middle.

Sheila is beyond confused.  

SHEILA

(under her breath)

What? Who are you?

A YOUNG WOMAN steps forward, offering a glass of wine.

YOUNG WOMAN

(Smiling)

Happy Birthday, Sheila.

Sheila holds the glass, her hands tremble. She isn’t sure whether it is a dream or a reality. She gulps the wine. Then a voice comes from the crowd.

VOICE

You can stop pretending to be surprised now, Sheila.

The room fills with laughter. A MAN approaches bewildered Sheila and kisses her.

MAN

Happy birthday, darling.

Sheila is frozen. She tries to say something, but no words are coming out. Then TWO CHILDREN, aged around five and seven, run to her.

CHILDREN

(together)

Happy birthday, Mummy!

Sheila doesn’t recognise any of them, including the man and children. She scans the room as if she has entered the wrong house.

SHEILA

(Mumbling)

I... I am sorry... I have a headache, please excuse me.

She runs upstairs to the bathroom and slams the door.

INT SHEILA’S TOILET

Sheila locks the door with trembling hands, collapsing onto the closed toilet lid. She tries to close her eyes, trying to make sense of everything.

Then she spots a photo frame, with herself, the children and the man. She picks the frame up, transfixed.

BEGIN MONTAGE

The photo in her hands flicker.

-family portrait

-BLINK – Now it is SHEILA with her ginger cat.

-BLINK – Family portrait again.

-the sink

- Men’s toiletries and children’s brushes

-BLINK – empty

-BLINK – the toiletries return

END MONTAGE

Overwhelmed, she slowly closes her eyes.

Moments later, she opens her eyes and presses her ears on the bathroom door. She can hear the mixture of music and chattering.

She walks towards the window and unlatches it. Night air rush in. She takes a deep breath, swings a leg over and slips out in the dark.  

FADE OUT.