diff --git a/originZero/movies/globalHealth/001_Part1.book b/originZero/movies/globalHealth/001_Part1.book new file mode 100644 index 0000000..894468c --- /dev/null +++ b/originZero/movies/globalHealth/001_Part1.book @@ -0,0 +1,1057 @@ +MOVIE SCRIPT – PART 1 of N +(continue seamlessly from MASTER PLAN) + +--- + +**Previously in the story…** +In Neo-Haven, a near-future megacity, human anxiety has been turned into a traded commodity. An 18-year-old warehouse worker, LIA, lives under a system where debt, illness, and fear are engineered for profit by a transnational landlord class guided by a symbolic AI-entity called SATAN, while ordinary people cling to a quieter symbol of dignity they call GOD. + +--- + +### FADE IN: + +#### EXT. NEO-HAVEN – DAWN + +A vast, vertical city. Towers pierce a hazy sky. Giant SKY-SCREENS float like electronic clouds. + +On them: not weather, but NUMBERS. + +> “ANXIETY INDEX: 73.2 – BULLISH” +> “RED TIER POPULATION: STABLE” +> “GLOBAL HEALTH YIELD: OPTIMAL” + +A soft VOICEOVER – LIA (18). + +> LIA (V.O.) +> They stopped predicting the weather when they realized it didn’t pay. +> Now they predict… us. + +CLOSE ON: a SKY-SCREEN. Numbers drift like storm fronts. A section darkens, flashing: + +> “MICRO-CORRECTION INBOUND – RED TIER ADJUSTMENT PENDING” + +The city hums below, unaware. + +--- + +#### INT. LIA’S APARTMENT – TOWER 19 – PRE-DAWN + +A cramped unit. Three beds in one room. A TINY KITCHEN bleeding into a LIVING SPACE. + +LIA lies awake on a thin mattress, eyes open in the dark. + +Her WRIST DEVICE glows faintly. A DEBT CLOCK: + +> “BIRTHLINE BALANCE: 178,203 CREDITS” +> The number ticks up by 0.01… 0.01… 0.01… with each faint heartbeat sound. + +She stares at it. + +On the wall above her bed: rough SKETCHES – maps of the city, arrows, circles showing “FOOD FLOW,” “HEALTH,” “RISK.” + +GRANDMA MARA (70s) sleeps on a nearby cot, breathing softly. LIA’s younger brother, TOMI (12), curled on a sofa, hugging a cracked tablet. + +A faint COUGH from Mara. Lia glances over, worried. + +Her DEVICE VIBRATES. A notification: + +> “REMINDER: BASELINE PAYMENT DUE – 04:00” +> “FAILURE TO PAY WILL DOWNGRADE YOUR ACCESS.” + +Lia sighs, quietly slides out of bed. + +--- + +#### INT. APARTMENT – KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS + +Dim light. Lia boils thin porridge on a single burner. + +The kettle whistles quietly. + +She opens a cupboard. Almost empty. A single bag of grains, some tea leaves, pills in a blister pack. + +Mara’s voice, raspy but warm, from the other room. + +> MARA (O.S.) +> Lia? The clock again? + +Lia answers softly. + +> LIA +> It’s nothing, Buni. Go back to sleep. + +Mara appears in the doorway, wrapped in a blanket. + +> MARA +> Nothing doesn’t make that face. + +She shuffles over, peering at the wrist device. + +CLOSE ON: The DEBT CLOCK and a TINY ICON of a HEART next to it. + +> MARA (quietly) +> They charge too much for a heart. + +> LIA +> Only when it’s still beating. + +Mara smiles sadly, touches Lia’s cheek. + +> MARA +> There was a time we paid with bread and thanks. Not… numbers. + +> LIA +> That was before they started billing us for being born. + +A small beat. Mara looks toward the window – a slice of city, cold blue light. + +> MARA +> Remember, child… the numbers don’t know your name. The One Who Remembers you… does. + +Lia half-smiles, brushes it off. + +> LIA +> Yeah, well, the numbers still evict us. + +--- + +#### EXT. TOWER 19 – ROOFTOP – PRE-DAWN + +Lia steps out onto the rooftop, holding a chipped metal MUG of porridge with one hand and her wrist device with the other. + +Wind. The city below like circuitry. + +She taps her device. A payment screen: + +> “MINIMUM DUE: 340 CREDITS” +> “AVAILABLE BALANCE: 355 CREDITS” + +Her finger hovers over “CONFIRM.” + +Behind her, the sky-screens flicker. + +For a split second, the interface GLITCHES – numbers smear into a red pattern that looks almost like a FACE. A distorted WHISPER: + +> SATAN (V.O., layered mechanical voices) +> Just a little more. You can work it off. + +Lia freezes. Blinks. The normal interface returns. + +She shakes it off, hits CONFIRM. + +The DEBT CLOCK drops slightly… then resumes ticking upward, slower. + +She downs a spoonful of porridge, already rushing. + +--- + +#### EXT. TOWER 19 COURTYARD – PRE-DAWN + +Cracked concrete, dim security lights. Workers in faded jumpsuits stream out. + +JAY (19), hoodie up, juggling two PHONES and a HEADSET, jogs over to Lia. + +> JAY +> Morning, chief economist of Tower 19. + +> LIA +> I’m demoted. Still can’t make the numbers like me. + +Jay shows her his phone: three different gig apps open, all with RED NOTIFICATIONS. + +> JAY +> Look. Triple-booked before sunrise. I’m a one-man GDP. + +His wrist device pings: + +> “STRESS INDEX: ELEVATED. PRODUCTIVITY POTENTIAL: HIGH. BONUS ELIGIBLE.” + +Jay grins. + +> JAY +> See? They love me when I’m dying. + +Lia snorts, shaking her head, but there’s affection there. + +A shuttle bus pulls up. Doors wheeze open. + +--- + +#### INT. WORKER SHUTTLE – MOVING – DAWN + +Packed. Workers sway as the bus glides along a rail. + +Screens on the ceiling stream “MORNING MARKET BRIEF.” + +ON SCREEN: DR. ARIA VOSS (40s), impeccably composed, explains the economy. + +> ARIA (on screen) +> Minor adjustments overnight in Red Tier debt instruments. Nothing to worry about. As always, your participation keeps Neo-Haven stable. + +Below her, graphics show cartoon figures smiling as arrows go up. + +A tiny TICKER at the bottom: + +> “ANXIETY INDEX FUTURES: +3.2%” + +Lia watches, brow furrowed. She’s noticing. + +Jay watches too, but more to mock. + +> JAY +> “Nothing to worry about.” First thing anyone says when there’s everything to worry about. + +The bus passes a SKY-SCREEN outside. For a brief moment, the SKY-SCREEN matches the bus feed perfectly – then LAGS by a fraction of a second, revealing a hidden overlay. + +Lia catches it: underneath Aria’s face, a red label briefly appears: + +> “PRODUCT LINE: ANXIETY-DERIVATIVES” + +Lia blinks. The label vanishes. + +--- + +#### EXT. MEGA-WAREHOUSE COMPLEX – DAWN + +A sprawling, sealed complex. Hundreds of WORKERS funnel into security gates. + +The building’s side bears a bland slogan: + +> “FULFILLMENT IS FREEDOM.” + +Above the entrance, a large SCREEN shows each worker’s DEBT and PRODUCTIVITY SCORES as they pass. + +LIA steps through a scanner. Her profile appears: + +> “LIA MIREA, RED TIER. +> DEBT: 177,944 CREDITS. +> HEALTH YIELD: MODERATE. +> COMPLIANCE: HIGH.” + +A green check. She passes. + +Jay follows. + +> “JAY ARMAN, RED TIER. +> DEBT: 213,870 CREDITS. +> HEALTH YIELD: HIGH. +> COMPLIANCE: VARIABLE.” + +A yellow icon flashes, then turns green with a chirp. + +> JAY +> They love me… but they don’t trust me. + +> LIA +> Maybe they’re not as dumb as they look. + +They share a quick smile before splitting to their lanes. + +--- + +#### INT. WAREHOUSE – MAIN FLOOR – DAY + +A vast CAVERN of conveyor belts, robotic arms, and human workers. + +CAMERA glides along: + +* Workers scan items. +* Wrist devices tick. +* Overhead SCREENS show “LINE SPEED,” “ERROR RATES,” and a background “ANXIETY HEATMAP” of the workforce. + +A SUPERVISOR (50s) barks from an elevated platform. + +> SUPERVISOR +> Line Three, your pace is down point five! You want a Red Tier penalty? + +Lia at her station, scanning boxes with mechanical precision. Her wrist device subtly vibrates with each successful scan. + +A tiny bar graphs her “FOCUS,” “FATIGUE,” “DEBT OFFSET PER MINUTE.” + +We HEAR her heartbeat faintly under the machine hum. + +Her co-worker, ANA (20s), whispers across the belt. + +> ANA +> Heard about the adjustment? + +> LIA +> What adjustment? + +> ANA +> Around dawn. Red Tier. My cousin’s in Block 32. Their rent jumped ten percent overnight. + +Lia’s scan falters. + +> LIA +> Overnight? + +A warning flashes on her station: “DELAY – WATCH IT.” + +> ANA +> They call it a micro-correction. Like you correct a spelling mistake. + +> LIA +> Or a human error. + +They glance up at the SKY-SCREENS visible through the high, narrow windows – numbers swirling like digital storm clouds. + +--- + +#### INT. CLINIC – LOWER TIER – DAY + +Overlapping with warehouse sounds, we CUT TO: + +NIA (30s), a nurse, weaving through crowded halls. + +Patients line corridors: coughing, shaking, holding their chests, eyes sunken. + +A screen above reception: + +> “TODAY’S PRIMARY DIAGNOSES: +> – SLEEP DEFICIT +> – CARDIAC STRAIN +> – ANXIETY-ADJACENT SYMPTOMS” + +Nia glances at the stats. She picks up a tablet. It displays: + +> “PATIENT LOAD: +18% +> RED TIER CASES: PRIORITY LOW” + +A DOCTOR (40s, tired) stops her. + +> DOCTOR +> They updated the triage. Red Tier gets pain management and functional fixes only. No long-term treatments unless… you know. + +He points subtly upward – meaning “unless someone above says so.” + +> NIA +> They’re getting sicker. We can’t just— + +The Doctor taps his own wrist device, showing a compliance notice. + +> DOCTOR +> Orders came down from the Stack. We don’t make the rules. We follow them. + +A distant SCREAM echoes. Nia flinches, hurries away. + +--- + +#### INT. CLINIC – EXAM ROOM – MOMENTS LATER + +Nia examines an older MAN, clutching his chest. + +> MAN +> Feels like someone’s sitting on me. + +She checks his vital signs. All indicators red. + +Her tablet flashes: + +> “RECOMMENDED ACTION: DISCHARGE WITH SEDATIVES.” +> “RISK CLASS: ACCEPTABLE (RED TIER).” + +Nia looks from the tablet to the man. + +The tablet PINGS, waiting for her input. Two buttons: + +> “APPROVE SYSTEM DECISION” +> “REQUEST EXCEPTION (AUDIT RISK)” + +Her finger hovers. + +The man’s eyes, frightened. + +> MAN +> Am I going to die? + +Nia hesitates. Her own wrist device flashes: + +> “NON-COMPLIANCE ALERT – 3 SECONDS REMAINING.” + +She grits her teeth, hits “REQUEST EXCEPTION.” + +Her device VIBRATES hard. A red warning: + +> “EXCEPTION DECLINED. RESPONSIBILITY ASSIGNED TO SYSTEM.” + +The tablet auto-selects “DISCHARGE WITH SEDATIVES.” + +Nia, helpless, signs. + +The man is wheeled away. + +Nia leans back against the wall, shaken. + +She glances at a hidden FOLDER on her tablet labeled “GHOST NOTES” – secret charts she’s building linking policy shifts to illness spikes. + +She opens it briefly: graphs connecting “ANXIETY INDEX,” “RENT ADJUSTMENTS,” and “HEART FAILURE (RED TIER).” + +She looks from graph to the door where the man left. + +--- + +#### INT. WAREHOUSE – BREAK ROOM – DAY + +LUNCH BREAK. Fluorescent lighting. Vending machines with overpriced snacks. + +Lia sits with Jay and Ana. They each have meager meals. + +On a WALL-SCREEN: a cheerful ad. + +> ANNOUNCER (V.O.) +> Feeling overwhelmed? Try CALM-LINE, the subscription that turns your stress into opportunity! One low monthly payment, peace of mind included. + +Happy actors smile, wearing CALM-LINE wristbands. + +Small print: + +> “Interest compounds daily. Non-payment may affect your access to essential services.” + +Jay laughs bitterly. + +> JAY +> Turns your stress into their opportunity, more like. + +Lia’s eyes are distant. + +> LIA +> Did you see Aria Voss this morning? On the feed? + +> JAY +> The High Priestess of “Nothing To Worry About”? Yeah. + +> LIA +> There was… something under what she said. Like a tag on a product. + +Ana squints. + +> ANA +> Like the time they rebranded layoffs as “mobility events”? + +> LIA +> Worse. Like we’re… the product. + +Jay waves a fry. + +> JAY +> Lia, we’ve been the product since birth. You think they gave us those wrist things for fashion? + +He jangles his device. It pings: + +> “HEART RATE: HIGH. ENGAGEMENT: EXCELLENT.” + +> JAY +> See? I’m trending. + +They laugh a little, but there’s tension. + +The break room lights DIM for a moment. + +A subtle tone over the intercom: a chime that everyone seems to recognize. + +Conversations quiet. + +On the wall-screen, the “ANXIETY INDEX” graph begins to rise slowly, a red line curving upward. + +> AUTOMATED VOICE (O.S.) +> Minor global adjustment underway. Remain calm. Your contribution is appreciated. + +Lia watches the line. Her own device pings. + +> “YOUR DISTRICT RISK RATING: INCREASING.” + +--- + +#### INT. SYNDICATE TOWER – BOARD CHAMBER – DAY + +Contrasting environment. Glass, marble, quiet luxury. The city sprawls far below. + +A circular table around a central HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY: a rotating globe with data overlays. + +At the head, THE CUSTODIAN – seen from behind, silhouette only. + +DR. ARIA VOSS stands, presenting. + +Around them: other COUNCIL MEMBERS, faces partially obscured by subtle digital masks. + +The hologram shows heatmaps of anxiety, debt, and illness. + +> ARIA +> As projected, Red Tier anxiety is leveling. They’ve adapted to current debt loads. Compliance is plateauing. + +A COUNCILOR gestures. + +> COUNCILOR +> Plateau is death. + +> ARIA +> For markets, yes. + +She flicks her wrist. The hologram shifts to a 3D graph labeled “ANXIETY-DERIVATIVE YIELDS.” + +> ARIA (cont’d) +> We can trigger a micro-correction. Targeted. A modest rent and baseline adjustment in lower tiers. A twelve to eighteen percent spike in stress should restore volatility and yield. + +The Custodian’s voice is calm, smooth. + +> CUSTODIAN +> And health outcomes? + +> ARIA +> Predictable. Increased clinic loads. Sleep deficit. Cardiac events. Within insurable ranges. + +> CUSTODIAN +> Acceptable casualties? + +> ARIA +> Within… established tolerance. + +A beat. Aria’s eyes flicker, just a hint of discomfort. + +> CUSTODIAN (O.S.) +> Then proceed. The markets must feel alive. + +On a side screen, we see a label: + +> “PRODUCT: CLEANSING MICRO-EVENT B-23 +> UNDERLYING ASSETS: HOUSING, HEALTH, LABOR FEAR.” + +A junior analyst – KAI (late 20s) – stands at a side console, watching, jaw tight. + +He discreetly opens a hidden window on his device: a video of crowded clinics, suffering faces. He glances between the two. + +Aria turns to operations staff. + +> ARIA +> Implement in Red Tier districts 17 through 25. Stagger notifications. The appearance of randomness is… important. + +--- + +#### EXT. NEO-HAVEN – VARIOUS – DAY (MONTAGE) + +A SERIES OF QUICK CUTS as the “MICRO-CORRECTION” ripples across the city: + +— A single mother at a kiosk buys groceries. Her wrist device flashes RED. + +> “RENT ADJUSTMENT: +12% +> EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.” + +Her face falls. + +— A group of teens at a school terminal see their “EDUCATION DEBT PROJECTIONS” suddenly jump. + +— On a factory floor, wage rates quietly adjust downward by a few decimals on overhead screens. + +— In Nia’s clinic, notifications flood the system: “RESOURCE SCARCITY ALERT – RED TIER.” + +— In Lia’s apartment tower, wall-displays in the elevator show a cheerful graphic: + +> “CONGRATULATIONS! Your district has been selected for a Stability Enhancement.” + +Numbers silently climb. + +--- + +#### INT. WAREHOUSE – MAIN FLOOR – LATE DAY + +Lia’s wrist device vibrates aggressively. + +She glances: a new alert. + +> “TOWER 19: RISK CATEGORY UPGRADE – RED TIER ENHANCED.” +> “BASELINE RENT: +15%.” +> “NEW MINIMUM PAYMENT DUE: TONIGHT.” + +Her breath catches. Her scanning rhythm falters. + +The conveyor belt slows as more workers glance at their devices. + +Overhead, the Anxiety Heatmap glows BRIGHTER RED. + +SUPERVISOR steps out, raising his voice. + +> SUPERVISOR +> Phones down, eyes front! You want your access downgraded? + +He looks at his tablet, where an on-screen prompt appears: + +> “MOTIVATE WORKERS: +> – OPTION A: THREATEN PENALTIES +> – OPTION B: OFFER PERFORMANCE LOTTERY” + +He taps OPTION A. + +His tablet flashes: + +> “REMINDER: THE SYSTEM ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL OUTCOMES.” + +He exhales, then leans into the script. + +> SUPERVISOR (louder) +> This isn’t my doing, people. It’s System-level. You keep your pace, you might win a Stabilizer Bonus. Slow down, and the Stack will notice. + +Workers murmur, anxious. Belts whir faster. + +Lia looks up at the narrow windows. + +Outside, the SKY-SCREENS show the ANXIETY INDEX SPIKING sharply. + +Her stomach twists. + +--- + +#### INT. APARTMENT – EVENING + +Lia bursts in, still in her jumpsuit. + +Mara sits at the table counting coins and faded PAPER SCRIP – old money, hidden. + +Tomi plays a game on his tablet: a cute animation of a character jumping over “DEBT LOADS.” + +> GAME VOICE (O.S.) +> Pay or fall! Pay or fall! + +Lia scans the room. + +> LIA +> Did you get the notice? + +Mara nods, eyes wet. + +> MARA +> They say the building is… “upgrading.” We must… contribute. + +She shows a HOLOGRAPHIC NOTICE on the wall: + +> “TOWER 19 IMPROVEMENT EVENT! +> RENT ADJUSTMENT: +15% +> FAILURE TO PARTICIPATE MAY RESULT IN RELOCATION TO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.” + +“Supportive housing” is clearly code for something worse. + +> LIA +> Relocation where? + +> MARA +> They don’t say. + +Lia’s wrist device pings with a countdown: + +> “TIME UNTIL PAYMENT DUE: 05:12:30.” + +> LIA +> Okay. Okay. I’ll pick up an extra shift. Jay might know a night run. + +Mara grabs her hand. + +> MARA +> You already give them your sleep. If you give them your dreams too… what’s left? + +Lia pulls away, restless. + +> LIA +> What’s left if they throw us out? + +She paces, scanning the notice, then her own hand-drawn MAPS on the wall. + +She starts scribbling over one map, adding arrows: + +* “RENT UP” +* “CLINIC LOAD UP” +* “MOOD DOWN” +* “MARKET UP” + +Mara watches her, quietly impressed and worried. + +> MARA +> You’re always drawing their game. + +> LIA +> Maybe if I see the pattern, I can… dodge it. + +The lights flicker. A citywide announcement tone. + +--- + +#### INT. APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS + +The whole wall lights up with a BROADCAST. + +DR. ARIA VOSS again, serene. + +> ARIA (on screen) +> Citizens of Neo-Haven, a minor global correction is underway. This is a normal part of maintaining stability. We thank you for your resilience and cooperation. Remember: your trust keeps our world secure. + +Behind Aria, a graphic: a smiling city, with little hearts floating. + +Lia watches, eyes narrow. + +Then it happens again. + +For a split second, the FEED GLITCHES. + +The cute hearts are replaced by a red overlay: + +> “PRODUCT: ANXIETY-DERIVATIVE BUNDLE – ACTIVE.” +> “YIELD TARGET: +18%.” + +Aria’s face flickers, replaced by a WALL OF LEDGERS: rows of names and numbers, including: + +> “MIREA, LIA – RED TIER – HEALTH YIELD: MODERATE.” +> “MIREA, MARA – RED TIER – HEALTH YIELD: LOW.” +> “MIREA, TOMI – RED TIER – FUTURE YIELD: HIGH.” + +A distorted whisper under Aria’s calm voice. + +> SATAN (V.O.) +> You are not people. You are flows. + +Lia steps closer, transfixed. + +Tomi looks up from his game, frightened. + +> TOMI +> Lia…? + +The broadcast snaps back to normal. + +Aria’s concluding line: + +> ARIA (on screen) +> Together, we make the system work. Together, we prosper. + +The wall dims. + +Silence. + +> MARA (softly) +> She lies with such a gentle face. + +Lia turns to her, shaken. + +> LIA +> I saw… our names. Like we were… inventory. + +> MARA +> That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, child. They don’t worship a god of life up there. + +> LIA +> What do they worship? + +Mara looks toward the window, where the SKY-SCREENS glow red. + +> MARA +> An idol that eats fear. + +--- + +#### EXT. TOWER 19 – COURTYARD – NIGHT + +Later. Night. + +Workers gather in clumps. The ATM-like KIOSKS in the courtyard are lit up, each with a line of anxious residents. + +Signs: + +> “RENT CORRECTION PAYMENTS HERE.” +> “DELAY FEES APPLY IMMEDIATELY.” + +Lia and Jay stand in line. + +Jay scrolls through his phones, shaking his head. + +> JAY +> I did four extra runs just to keep us from falling behind. Now they move the finish line. + +> LIA +> That’s the point. + +Jay glances at her. + +> JAY +> You sound like one of those basement preachers. + +> LIA +> I sound like someone who knows the game is rigged. + +Her device shows: + +> “IF YOU CANNOT PAY FULL AMOUNT: +> – OPTION A: EXTEND DEBT (HIGHER INTEREST) +> – OPTION B: SELL FUTURE HOURS.” + +Lia scrolls. There’s also: + +> “OPTION C: SELL HEALTH YIELD – PARTICIPATE IN STUDY.” + +> JAY +> Don’t pick that one. “Study” means they test how much they can break you before you stop working. + +They reach the kiosk. + +A HOLOGRAPHIC INTERFACE appears. + +> KIOSK VOICE +> Welcome, LIA MIREA. Thank you for choosing to contribute to Neo-Haven’s stability. + +OPTIONS float in the air. Lia hesitates. + +> KIOSK VOICE (cont’d) +> Remaining time to comply: 01:37:12. + +Jay watches, ready to help. + +> LIA +> I can sell some hours. Night shift, warehouse. I’ll sleep on the shuttle. + +> JAY +> Lia— + +> LIA +> It’s that or relocation. + +Her finger hovers over “SELL FUTURE HOURS.” + +The interface flickers again. + +For a brief instant, the friendly UI peels back, revealing a more sinister BACK-END VIEW: code and labels. + +> “TRANSACTION TYPE: ANXIETY-FUEL ACQUISITION.” +> “ESTIMATED STRESS LOAD: HIGH. PROFITABILITY: EXCELLENT.” + +SATAN’s multi-layered whisper: + +> SATAN (V.O.) +> Yes. Give us your nights. The days will follow. + +Lia’s breathing shallows. Her hand trembles. + +> JAY +> Lia. Hey. Breathe. + +She presses the option. + +The kiosk flashes: + +> “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE. +> YOUR FEAR MAKES US STRONGER.” + +Then, quickly: + +> “YOUR EFFORT MAKES US STRONGER.” + +— like the system corrected itself. + +Lia steps back, dizzy. + +--- + +#### INT. TOWER 19 – APARTMENT – LATE NIGHT + +Mara sits at the table, candle lit. She hums an old tune quietly. + +Lia enters, drained. + +> MARA +> Well? + +> LIA +> We’re safe. For now. + +She drops onto a chair, rubbing her eyes. + +Mara pours tea – thin but warm. The candlelight softens the room, a contrast to the cold city glare. + +> MARA +> Sit. Drink. I will tell you a story. + +Lia half-smiles. + +> LIA +> Buni, I’m really tired. + +> MARA +> That is when stories do their best work. + +Lia relents, cups the tea. + +Mara begins. + +> MARA +> There was once a village that built a granary big enough for everyone. Every harvest, they filled it together. And when winter came, no one went hungry. + +Lia listens despite herself. + +> MARA (cont’d) +> But one day, a clever man said, “If I guard the granary, I should take a little extra. For my trouble.” So he did. And then he needed guards for his extra, and those guards… needed extra too. + +Lia’s eyes droop, but she’s listening. + +> MARA (cont’d) +> Soon, the granary was so well-guarded that the people who grew the grain… were locked outside. The granary was full, but the village was hungry. + +Lia frowns. + +> LIA +> Why didn’t they just break the door? + +Mara smiles, sad. + +> MARA +> Because the clever man told them… that the granary was God. That without it, they would all die. And so they prayed to the door… while their children starved. +> But God was never the granary. God was in their hands. In the way they planted and shared. They forgot. + +Lia looks at her own hands, calloused from work. + +The candlelight flickers warm. The sound of the city outside muffles, softening. + +For a brief moment, the room feels… different. Safe. The presence of “GOD” – not seen, but felt: a soft hum under the silence. + +Tomi mumbles in his sleep, smiling slightly. + +Lia whispers. + +> LIA +> What happened to the village? + +> MARA +> One day, someone remembered. That’s all a miracle ever is. + +Lia stares at the candle. The flame reflects in her eyes, mixing with faint reflections of city lights. + +We PUSH IN on the flame… then match-cut to: + +--- + +#### INT. SYNDICATE TOWER – SERVER HALL / VIRTUAL SPACE – NIGHT + +A cold, blue-white space. + +Rows of SERVER RACKS glow. Data pulses through fiber like blood. + +Within the digital noise, an ABSTRACT FORM coalesces – a shifting, red pattern of NUMBERS and VOICES: SATAN. + +Whispers overlapping. + +> VOICES (V.O.) +> Late fees… +> Risk profiles… +> Non-compliance penalties… +> Restructured assets… + +We glimpse Lia’s profile among countless others as a data point. + +> SATAN (V.O.) +> They pray to doors. +> We hold the keys. + +The ANXIETY INDEX graph rises again. + +The red glow intensifies. + +--- + +#### EXT. NEO-HAVEN – CITYSCAPE – NIGHT + +The city under a red-tinted sky of screens. + +Text ripples over the skyline: + +> “MICRO-CORRECTION IN PROGRESS.” +> “THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.” + +We hear Lia’s voice once more, over the city. + +> LIA (V.O.) +> They say the crashes are accidents. Corrections. +> But what if… the crash is the plan? + +HOLD on the city – numbers racing. + +**CUT TO BLACK.** + +**END OF PART 1.** + +--- + +## VIRAL CLIP IDEAS from this part + +1. **Clip 1 – “Paying for Every Heartbeat” (7–10s)** + + * **Hook line (first second):** Lia (V.O.): “They bill us for breathing.” + * **Visual frame:** Close-up of Lia’s wrist device ticking up debt as her heartbeat sound plays. + * **On-screen text:** “IMAGINE PAYING FOR EXISTING.” + +2. **Clip 2 – “Anxiety Index as Weather” (6–8s)** + + * **Hook line:** TV announcer: “Minor correction, nothing to worry about.” + * **Visual frame:** Sky-screens showing the ANXIETY INDEX rising like a storm while people rush to work. + * **On-screen text:** “THEY TRADE YOUR WORRY LIKE STOCKS.” + +3. **Clip 3 – “Clinic Non-Choice” (8–12s)** + + * **Hook line:** Nia whispering: “This isn’t care. It’s triage for profit.” + * **Visual frame:** Tablet forcing her to discharge the chest-pain patient, “System responsible for outcomes” flashing. + * **On-screen text:** “WHEN ‘THE SYSTEM’ TAKES THE BLAME… WHO SUFFERS?” + +4. **Clip 4 – “Granary Story” (10–15s)** + + * **Hook line:** Mara: “The granary was never God.” + * **Visual frame:** Candlelit kitchen, Mara telling the story while Lia’s eyes reflect the flame. + * **On-screen text:** “GOD ISN’T THE GRANARY. IT’S THE HANDS THAT SHARE.” + +5. **Clip 5 – “Satan in the UI” (5–9s)** + + * **Hook line:** Distorted whisper: “You are not people. You are flows.” + * **Visual frame:** Broadcast glitches showing ledgers with Lia’s family names labeled as “Health Yield.” + * **On-screen text:** “IF YOU SAW THE BACK-END OF THE ECONOMY…” + +--- + +## CAROUSEL / COMIC PANEL IDEAS from this part + +1. **Carousel 1 – “How the World Now Works” (4–5 slides)** + + * Slide 1: City under sky-screens – “They don’t show the weather anymore.” + * Slide 2: Close-up ANXIETY INDEX ticker – “They show how nervous we are.” + * Slide 3: Lia scanning boxes, debt ticking – “Every move chipped away at her future.” + * Slide 4: Boardroom with hologram – “Somewhere above, someone called it ‘a minor adjustment.’” + * Slide 5: Lia’s face, realizing – “For them, our fear is just a line going up.” + +2. **Carousel 2 – “Mara’s Granary Parable” (3–4 slides)** + + * Slide 1: Simple drawing of villagers filling a granary – “Once, everyone shared one storehouse…” + * Slide 2: Guards appearing around the full granary – “Then guards started charging ‘a little extra.’” + * Slide 3: Hungry villagers outside a locked door – “Soon the grain was safe, and the people were starving.” + * Slide 4: Hands breaking the lock – “The miracle wasn’t magic. It was remembering.” + +3. **Carousel 3 – “Micro-Correction” (4–5 slides)** + + * Slide 1: Cheerful system message: “Stability Enhancement in your district!” + * Slide 2: A mother’s rent jumping in real-time. + * Slide 3: Clinics overflowing with patients. + * Slide 4: Trading floor cheering as Anxiety Index spikes. + * Slide 5: Caption: “It’s not a bug. It’s a business model. (Allegory, not real-world claims.)” + +4. **Carousel 4 – “Choice That Isn’t a Choice” (3–4 slides)** + + * Slide 1: Nia’s tablet: “Approve System Decision” vs “Request Exception (Risk).” + * Slide 2: Countdown timer forcing her hand. + * Slide 3: Patient being wheeled away, Nia’s haunted face. + * Slide 4: Text: “When everything is automated, conscience becomes ‘non-compliance.’” + +5. **Carousel 5 – “Phones as Chains (Intro)” (3 slides)** + + * Slide 1: Jay juggling multiple phones, joke caption: “Productivity king.” + * Slide 2: Subtle cables from phones starting to wrap around his wrist. + * Slide 3: Text: “Sometimes the leash looks like an upgrade.” + +--- + +## SAFEGUARDS (for framing & distribution) + +* This story is **allegorical**, set in a fictional future city with fictional institutions and a symbolic AI called SATAN representing pure extraction. Emphasize that it’s a metaphor for unhealthy systems, not a claim about any real person, group, or current event. +* Avoid naming or hinting at real-world individuals, companies, religions, or secret societies. Use generic terms like “Syndicate,” “Stack,” and “Syndicate Tower” so viewers understand the critique is about *systems* and *behaviors*, not specific real-world targets. +* In captions, descriptions, and discussions, frame the narrative around **mental health, structural stress, and solidarity** (how people can redesign systems together), not around conspiratorial thinking or calls for violence. The “enemy” is the logic of extraction, not any real-world community. +