The screen is black; "Roads" by Portishead begins to play. Fade in to a gloomy apartment (located in the part of Chicago people like to ignore) with faded blue walls that in this half-light of dusk look grey. The furniture is of the same wishy-washy blues and greys that fail to stand out.

The camera pans around the living room: the sofa has items of clothing discarded over the top; on the table is a disorganised pile of books and letters, as well as lingering wrappers and empty cartons from well-known take out restaurants.

The camera scans over black and white photographs on the wall that mostly show scenery or cats. One picture is in colour and the camera lingers over it: it shows a wedding and bridesmaids. There is a door at the right side of the living room that is clearly the front door. Next to this is the bathroom, where the door opens to the left just enough to make out part of what must be a toilet, a sink and a mirror on the right wall.

From the left of the living room, walks a woman (Jennifer). (Mid shot) She is one of the bridesmaids from the photo just seen and is probably in her early thirties. Her hair is fairly long and brown and has been shoved up carelessly into a ponytail. Despite the lack of attention to her appearance, she still has an obvious attractiveness, in that her eyes are bright, her cheek bones well defined, and her skin smooth and tanned. (Long shot) She is wearing little; some small grey shorts and a grey vest, (clearly nightwear) showing her body is healthy and toned.

As vocals enter ("Roads”), a montage begins: Cut to Jennifer sitting cross-legged on the sofa with the reflection of the TV on her face (the back of the TV can be seen). She is pointing the remote at the TV; flicking channels with obvious gestures while the reflection on her bored face changes. Finally, the light from the TV goes as she switches it off, the remote is tossed aside, and she puts her head in her hands.

Cut to Jennifer raiding the fridge (camera is inside looking out), she picks up a takeout carton of noodles, smells it, and expresses a look of disgust. Cut to camera outside of fridge, (Long shot) Jennifer is closing the fridge as a brown and white cat strides up to her and nuzzles her ankles; she looks down smiling. Cut to medium close up of Jennifer crouching, dishing out cat food into a bowl on the floor. The cat appears at the bowl and is joined by another fluffier grey cat.

Cut to Jennifer in the bathroom, brushing her teeth vigorously.

Cut to (long shot) Jennifer approaching the sofa from behind, leaning over it and looking lovingly at the two cats that are sleeping peacefully.

A loud crash is heard, like glass breaking and the music is cut off abruptly. Jennifer jumps, as do the cats, leaping off the sofa with angry meows. The indistinct shouting of a man is heard. Jennifer looks towards her front door with contempt. As the shouting continues, she goes into the bathroom and presses her head against the wall. Close up on her face that then pans right through the wall into the next flat.

As the camera pans through, music from the next apartment fades in: “My Way” by Limp Bizkit. Close up on a man: he has longish, dark brown hair, untidy facial hair; he seems strong and looks angry. Mid shot: he is wearing black jeans, and a dark grey shirt with rolled up sleeves. The living room in the background is well furnished, a brown leather sofa, pistachio green walls, a blood red rug over the dark green carpet, the wooden furniture is stained dark brown.

MAN: (slightly southern accent) I can’t believe you could do this to me, Eunice!

Camera pans down, following his gaze to the floor on the left.

Up against the wall, quivering and crying is a young woman; she is pale, has very light blonde hair in a messed up ponytail and has a swollen, bruised lip.

The man grabs her by the top of her arms, lifts her up, and shoves her against the wall with a heavy thud. At this impact, the camera pans left and back through the wall (music fades)as Jennifer, jumps back with a look of alarm. Slowly she edges back towards the wall, regarding it with fear, and listens but without putting her head quite against the wall this time.

A pan back (music fades back in) showing the man and Eunice face to face: his hand is now clasped around her neck; her crying is now more desperate as she struggles to breathe.

MAN: God Eunice! I knew you were stupid, but god! I mean you of all people must know that to mess with ME (he leans in closer) is like taking a gun and shooting it at the back of your throat!

Eunice’s crying increases in volume; her sobbing is so strong she is choking; she tries to speak but nothing comes out.

MAN: What’s that Eunice? (Angrily) What’s that? You’re sorry? Is that it? No, you couldn’t care less that you might be sending me to jail for the rest of my life. No! You don’t care. Well guess what? I don’t care about your useless life either!

He grabs her again, throwing her crashing onto the table (as the chorus kicks in). She screams. He approaches her, she tries to crawl away, sobbing and calling “No” repeatedly.

MAN: (looks at Eunice with disgust) Your pathetic. But not for much longer.

The camera pans quickly back through the wall (as chorus finishes and music fades but continues for the duration of the repeated chorus) to see Jennifer withdrawing, appalled, her hand clasped over her mouth. She runs out of the bathroom, (the sound of things breaking can still be heard) cut to a hand held camera, shakily following her as she searches for her cordless telephone. Finally she finds it and the tone of her dialling 911 is heard.
Suddenly, the doorbell interrupts her (music fades out at the end of the chorus) and the phone falls to the ground. She edges back, regarding the door with dread (strings creep in suggesting fear) as the bell rings again impatiently. (strings stop)

WOMAN’S VOICE: (loudly and cheerful) Cooeee! Jennifer? Are you going to let me in?

Jennifer sighs with relief as she hurriedly unbolts the door and ushers in her best friend, Sarah (the bride from the photo) while sneaking an anxious glance at her neighbour’s front door. Sarah is roughly the same age as Jennifer, has long blonde, styled hair, she wears an expensive looking, blood red dress under her black evening jacket.

SARAH: (Still loud) What’s with you Jennifer? Aren’t you happy to see me? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost!

JENNIFER: Shhhhhhhh! (Jennifer holds Sarah by the forearms, as if to prevent her from doing anything. She listens intently.) It’s stopped!

SARAH: (Still quite loud) What has?

JENNIFER: (More desperate) Shhhhh! The shouting! Do you remember that guy who lives next door?

SARAH: Oh yeah; that guy’s creepy. He so needs to stop brooding; that look is out. (Admiring her nails shallowly)

JENNIFER: (Whispers) Well I think he just killed his girlfriend!

SARAH: (A look of disbelief sweeps across her face) What? What makes you think that?

JENNIFER: I could hear them fighting - he was threatening her. If he hasn't killed her yet, he’s about to! I was gonna phone the police when you arrived; I thought you were him; this is really freaking me out.

SARAH: Come on Jen, you're being paranoid. I mean sure; the guy's a jerk but he's no murderer. Are you sure you're not just overworked or something? (Plucking a stray hair off Jennifer’s shoulder)

JENNIFER: Well maybe, but even so, the guy was definitely beating that poor girl up. I could hear her crying; she sounded so afraid.

SARAH: Oh, come on. What if they just had the TV up too loud?

JENNIFER: Sarah! Why don't you believe me? Look I was listening at the wall. I felt the impact of something against the wall; I'm sure he'd thrown her up against it!

SARAH: Well of course I believe you, but I mean, what if they were just getting carried away with a bit of role-play? You could be sending the police in on something they'd rather not see! (She laughs nervously)

JENNIFER: But Sarah! (Exasperated) What if he really did kill her? I can't just stand by and do nothing while I suspect something like that. (She looks at Sarah imploringly)

SARAH: Ok, look honey; (Breaking eye contact and sighing) I'm really running late for dinner with James; its our six year anniversary - that's why I came up here; I need to get those earings you borrowed that James bought me last year, he wants me to wear them - but if you really think you should, then phone the police. I just hope you don't get in trouble for raising a false alarm or anything.
(Jennifer looks wistful as she finds the earings and gives them to her.) Thanks honey. Look, I'm sorry. You know I'd stay with you otherwise?

JENNIFER: Yeah, it's ok. (Looks at the floor) I'll be fine; you just get off to your dinner.

SARAH: Ok, I’ll phone you later! (Camera follows as she leaves. From halfway down the corridor she shouts:) Oh and look at it this way, if that guy goes to jail for killing his girlfriend, maybe I could move in next to you! (Laughing) Yeah right as if I’d live here!

Jennifer looks in horror as Sarah disappears down the stairs. Closing the door as quickly as possible as if to pre-empt her neighbour from opening his, she draws back from the door fearfully. Cut to hand held camera.

JENNIFER: (whispering to herself) It’s ok, it’s ok, you’re over reacting, it’s ok! (As if to replace Sarah’s voice of reason) He didn’t hear! He didn’t!

The doorbell makes her jump. She brings her hand to her mouth.

Strings slowly creep in, creating tension

JENNIFER: Sarah?

(Strings crescendo and accelerando, increasing tension) The door handle suddenly turns, opening the door to reveal the man! What looks like blood can be seen on his cheek and he is now wearing a brown leather jacket. (Strings reach peak of volume and pitch)

Jennifer edges back looking horrified as the man walks slowly forward looking determined. (Camera views man from below and Jennifer from above)

THE MAN: I think you have a problem with eavesdropping! But as it turns out, so do I. Shame two wrongs don’t make a right huh?

(Camera fades out accompanied by strings fading out)

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