EXT. SUBURBAN STREET – MORNING
A calm, ordinary neighborhood.
Birds. Lawns. Morning light.
SUPER: APRIL 17, 2026
A WOMAN (40s) jogs past a MAN watering his lawn.
Above the MAN’S head floats a faint, translucent date:
SEPTEMBER 3, 2049
The woman jogs past another neighbor.
Above HER head:
JUNE 11, 2033
The dates are subtle. Not glowing.
They exist like condensation on glass.
EXT. BUS STOP – MORNING
A cluster of TEENAGERS waiting for the school bus.
Above one kid:
NOVEMBER 18, 2072
Another:
MARCH 2, 2041
One GIRL laughs with her friends.
Above her head:
TODAY
She doesn’t know it.
EXT. ACROSS THE STREET – SAME
A teenage boy watches.
This is ELI, 16.
Quiet. Withdrawn. Intelligent eyes that have seen too much.
He wears headphones — no music playing.
He sees everything.
Eli looks at the girl with TODAY above her head.
His jaw tightens.
He looks away.
Genres:
["Drama","Sci-Fi"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Silent Burdens
INT. SCHOOL BUS – MOVING – MORNING
Eli sits alone.
Every head he passes in the aisle has a date floating above
it.
He keeps his eyes down.
A KID plops into the seat across from him.
Above the kid’s head:
AUGUST 9, 2061
The kid smiles.
KID
You always look like you’re at a
funeral, man.
Eli doesn’t respond.
The kid shrugs, turns away.
Eli closes his eyes.
Genres:
["Science Fiction","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
A Tense Morning
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY – MORNING
Chaos. Lockers. Noise.
Dates everywhere.
Too many.
Eli moves through them like landmines.
A TEACHER greets him.
Above her head:
DECEMBER 14, 2026
Close. Too close.
TEACHER
Morning, Eli.
ELI
Morning.
He walks faster.
Genres:
["Sci-Fi","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
A Day of Distress
INT. CLASSROOM – LATER
Eli sits at the back.
The GIRL from the bus stop sits near the window.
TODAY still floats above her head.
Eli watches her hands tremble slightly as she writes.
She pauses. Rubs her chest. Just for a moment.
No one notices.
Eli does.
He grips his desk.
Sweat beads on his forehead.
FLASH CUT – QUICK IMAGES
— A MAN’S date flipping from 2045 to 2026
— A WOMAN’S date disappearing entirely
— Eli, younger, crying, staring at a floating date above a
hospital bed
BACK TO SCENE
The GIRL stands suddenly.
GIRL
I— I don’t feel—
She collapses.
Students scream.
The TEACHER rushes over.
Someone yells for help.
Eli stays frozen.
The word TODAY hovers, unwavering.
This is the rule.
This is what always happens.
INT. SCHOOL NURSE’S OFFICE – MOMENTS LATER
The girl lies on a gurney. Pale. Barely breathing.
A NURSE fumbles with equipment.
Above the girl’s head:
TODAY
Eli stands in the doorway.
The nurse looks up.
NURSE
You need to wait outside.
Eli doesn’t move.
His hands shake.
He looks at the date.
Then — for the first time —
He steps forward.
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
The Date
EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT – LATER
An AMBULANCE screams away.
Eli stands alone.
Across the lot, a JANITOR (60s) finishes smoking a cigarette.
Above the JANITOR’S head:
MAY 4, 2038
The date suddenly SHIFTS.
Becomes:
APRIL 17, 2026
TODAY.
The janitor coughs.
Hard.
Eli sees it.
He realizes what he’s done.
CLOSE ON ELI
Not relief.
Not pride.
Pure terror.
Because now he knows the truth.
Saving one life
doesn’t erase death.
It moves it.
CUT TO BLACK.
TITLE CARD: THE DATE
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Eli's Revelation
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT (YEARS AGO)
Dim. Quiet. Machines breathe for someone else.
ELI, 9 years old, sits in a plastic chair too big for him.
Feet dangling. Sneakers scuffed.
On the bed: MOM (early 30s). Pale. Still.
Eli swings his legs. Nervous. Bored. Too young to understand
finality.
He looks up.
Above his mother’s head floats something faint.
Not a date at first.
Just… numbers. Blurry. Out of focus.
Eli squints.
The numbers sharpen.
APRIL 17, 2019
Eli frowns.
He looks around the room.
The NURSE adjusting an IV.
Above her head:
JANUARY 4, 2068
Eli’s breath catches.
He looks back to his mother.
The date is still there.
Unmoving.
ELI’S POV – THE ROOM
He scans quickly now.
— A DOCTOR passing the door: 2039
— A JANITOR mopping: 2046
— A MAN in the hall arguing on his phone: 2024
Eli’s heartbeat pounds in his ears.
He looks back at his mom.
APRIL 17, 2019
Eli checks the wall clock.
11:41 PM
He swallows.
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
A Cold Touch
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Eli stands. Walks to the bed.
ELI
Mom?
No response.
He reaches out. Touches her hand.
Cold.
The date doesn’t change.
ELI’S POV – THE DATE
It flickers slightly.
Eli pulls his hand back.
Terrified.
ELI
(whispering)
What is that?
Nothing answers.
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
The Final Goodbye
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
A DOCTOR and NURSE enter.
The doctor checks the monitor.
Above the doctor’s head:
AUGUST 12, 2042
The monitor flatlines.
A long, clean tone.
The date above Eli’s mother’s head fades.
Not to another date.
To nothing.
Eli gasps.
SLOW PUSH ON ELI
He stares at the empty space above his mother’s head.
ELI
Mom?
The doctor gently places a hand on Eli’s shoulder.
DOCTOR
I’m sorry, Eli.
Eli doesn’t cry.
He can’t.
His eyes never leave the empty air.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
The Weight of Time
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY – LATER
Eli walks beside his FATHER (40s). Shocked. Hollow.
They pass people in the hallway.
Dates everywhere.
Eli sees them all now.
Clear. Sharp.
Permanent.
He grips his father’s hand.
Above his father’s head:
APRIL 17, 2026
Eli freezes.
He stops walking.
ELI
Dad…
His father turns.
DAD
What, buddy?
Eli stares at the date.
His lips tremble.
ELI
Nothing.
They continue walking.
Eli looks back one last time.
The date is still there.
EXT. HOSPITAL ENTRANCE – NIGHT
Automatic doors slide open.
Cold night air.
Eli steps outside.
He looks up at the sky.
Above it — nothing.
Just stars.
He exhales, shaking.
The weight settles in.
This isn’t a trick.
This isn’t going away.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
A Morning of Unspoken Worries
INT. SMALL KITCHEN – EARLY MORNING
Soft morning light. Coffee brewing.
ELI, now 16, sits at the table, half-awake.
His FATHER, MARK (late 40s), flips eggs in a pan. Ordinary.
Gentle. Trying.
Above Mark’s head floats:
APRIL 17, 2026
Two months away.
The date hasn’t changed in years.
Eli watches it like a loaded gun.
MARK
You got that history test today,
right?
ELI
Yeah.
MARK
You’ll do fine.
Eli doesn’t answer.
Mark slides eggs onto a plate, sets it in front of Eli.
MARK (CONT'D)
Eat something.
Eli stares at the plate.
The date hovers. Patient. Merciless.
ELI
Dad…
(beat)
Do you ever think about… like… the
future?
Mark smiles without looking up.
MARK
All the time.
He pours coffee.
Above the mug — the date floats perfectly centered.
MARK (CONT'D)
I think about you getting out of
this town.
Going somewhere better.
ELI
What about you?
Mark shrugs.
MARK
I’m good where I am.
Eli swallows.
ELI
What if you’re not?
Mark finally looks at him.
MARK
What’s this about?
Eli looks away.
ELI
Nothing.
A lie that hurts.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Under the Hood
INT. GARAGE – LATER
Mark tightens a bolt under the hood of an old car.
Eli watches from the doorway.
Above Mark’s head:
APRIL 17, 2026
Unmoved.
ELI
You should get a checkup.
MARK
I just had one.
ELI
Another one.
MARK
(smiles)
You planning on becoming my doctor
now?
Eli doesn’t smile back.
MARK (CONT'D)
Hey.
You okay?
Eli nods. Too fast.
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Unspoken Tensions
EXT. DRIVEWAY – AFTERNOON
Mark loads tools into the trunk.
ELI
Don’t drive so fast.
MARK
I don’t.
ELI
Then… don’t drive at night.
MARK
(confused)
What?
ELI
Just— don’t.
Mark studies him.
MARK
You want to tell me what’s going
on?
Eli almost does.
The date pulses faintly in the sunlight.
He can’t.
ELI
Never mind.
Mark softens.
MARK
You know you can talk to me, right?
Eli nods.
The lie sits between them.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Confronting Mortality
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
TV flickers. Some dumb sitcom laugh track.
Mark laughs.
Eli watches the date above his father’s head.
Each second that passes feels stolen.
ELI
You ever scared of dying?
The laugh track continues.
MARK
Sure.
ELI
When?
MARK
After your mom passed.
Eli’s chest tightens.
MARK (CONT'D)
Then I realized something.
ELI
What?
MARK
We don’t get to control how long
we’re here.
Just what we do with it.
Eli looks at the date.
APRIL 17, 2026.
Control is all he thinks about.
ELI
What if you could control it?
Mark chuckles.
MARK
Then it wouldn’t mean anything.
That lands like a punch.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
The Weight of Time
INT. ELI’S BEDROOM – LATE NIGHT
Eli lies awake.
The ceiling is blank.
He closes his eyes.
The date burns in his mind.
He sits up.
Grabs his hoodie.
CUT TO:
INT. ELI’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Walls covered in taped-up calendars.
Dates circled. Crossed out. Rewritten.
Eli sits on the floor, surrounded by notebooks.
Pages filled with observations:
Intervention = Shift
Magnitude unclear
Personal proximity increases volatility
He rubs his eyes.
Above the doorway — reflected faintly in a mirror — the date:
APRIL 17, 2026
He’s imagining it now.
Or worse — he’s not.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Ominous Connections
EXT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE – DAY
Mark exits the building, waving paperwork.
MARK
Clean bill of health.
Told you.
Eli forces a smile.
Above Mark’s head:
APRIL 17, 2026
Unchanged.
Eli’s jaw tightens.
CUT TO:
INT. GROCERY STORE – DAY
Mark reaches for a box on a high shelf.
ELI
Don’t.
Mark pauses.
MARK
Don’t what?
ELI
Just— I’ll get it.
Eli grabs it. Hands shaking.
A SHOPPER nearby coughs violently.
Above the shopper’s head:
APRIL 17, 2026
The same date.
Eli freezes.
Two people. Same day.
He backs away.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Fleeting Hope
EXT. INTERSECTION – AFTERNOON
Mark steps off the curb.
ELI
WAIT!
A car blows through the light.
Mark stumbles back just in time.
The car misses him by inches.
Mark stares at Eli, rattled.
MARK
Jesus, Eli.
Eli looks up.
The date flickers.
For half a second it becomes:
APRIL 19, 2026
Hope surges—
Then it snaps back.
APRIL 17, 2026
Eli’s face collapses.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Desperate Bargain
INT. CHURCH – NIGHT
Empty pews. Flickering candles.
Eli kneels.
Not praying.
Bargaining.
ELI
(whisper)
Take years off me.
I don’t need them.
Silence.
Above the PRIEST lighting candles nearby:
NOVEMBER 3, 2044
Above Eli’s own reflection in the polished wood:
Nothing.
Never anything.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Late Night Tensions
INT. GARAGE – NIGHT
Mark works late. Music playing softly.
Eli watches from the doorway.
ELI
You don’t need to work so much.
MARK
Someone’s gotta keep the lights on.
ELI
Then quit.
Mark laughs.
MARK
You gonna pay the mortgage?
Eli doesn’t laugh.
ELI
I’m serious.
Mark looks at him now.
MARK
You’re acting like I’m already
gone.
The words slice deep.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Desperate Inquiry
INT. HOSPITAL – DAY
Eli walks fast. Purposeful.
He stops a NURSE.
ELI
What would cause… sudden death… in
someone healthy?
The nurse hesitates.
NURSE
There are lots of things,
sweetheart.
ELI
Like what?
She studies him.
NURSE
Why do you want to know?
Eli backs away.
Wrong move.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Unchanging Bonds
EXT. PARK – SUNSET
Mark and Eli sit on a bench.
A rare quiet moment.
MARK
You remember when you were little…
you wouldn’t let me out of your sight?
Eli nods.
MARK (CONT'D)
I thought you’d grow out of it.
Eli looks up.
The date glows softly in the fading light.
APRIL 17, 2026.
ELI
I didn’t.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
The Illusion of Control
INT. ELI’S ROOM – NIGHT (APRIL 16, 2026)
Tomorrow.
Eli hasn’t slept.
He paces.
Checks the door locks.
Unplugs appliances.
Hides car keys.
He finally collapses on the bed.
Tears leak silently.
ELI
I did everything.
CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN – MORNING (APRIL 17, 2026)
Mark pours coffee.
Normal.
Too normal.
Above his head:
TODAY
Eli stands in the doorway.
Heart pounding.
MARK
You skipping school?
ELI
You’re not leaving the house.
MARK
What?
ELI
Please.
Mark studies his son.
MARK
Eli… what’s going on?
Eli opens his mouth.
The truth sits right there.
If he says it… he changes everything.
He looks at the date.
TODAY.
He can’t risk it.
ELI
I just have a bad feeling.
Mark softens.
MARK
Bad feelings don’t get to run our
lives.
He grabs his jacket.
Eli’s chest caves in.
EXT. FRONT DOOR – CONTINUOUS
Mark steps outside.
Eli watches from the doorway.
The date follows him into the sunlight.
Unavoidable.
Unstoppable.
CLOSE ON ELI
This is the moment he understands:
The power doesn’t exist to save the people he loves.
It exists to teach him
that control is an illusion.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
The Weight of Today
INT. ELI’S HOUSE – MORNING
Quiet.
Too quiet.
Sunlight stretches across the kitchen floor.
Eli stands frozen in the doorway.
Mark sits at the table, tying his work boots.
Above his head:
TODAY
The word feels heavier than any
number.
MARK
You’re really not going to school?
ELI
No.
MARK
(sighs)
Alright. One day.
Mark stands.
The date rises with him.
MOVE TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
A Moment of Love
INT. HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS
Mark slips on his jacket.
ELI
Dad.
Mark turns.
MARK
Yeah?
Eli stares at him.
This is it.
Every instinct screams.
ELI
I—
(beat)
I love you.
Mark smiles. A real one.
MARK
Love you too, kid.
He reaches out. Ruffles Eli’s hair.
The date flickers slightly… then steadies.
TODAY
Mark opens the front door.
MOVE TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
A Caution Unspoken
EXT. FRONT YARD – MORNING
Cool air. Birds. Normal life.
Mark steps outside.
Eli follows to the threshold.
ELI
Wait.
Mark turns again.
MARK
What?
Eli searches for words that could rewrite fate.
He finds none.
ELI
Be careful.
Mark chuckles.
MARK
I always am.
He turns away.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
A Sudden Goodbye
EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS
Mark walks toward his car.
Above his head:
TODAY
A NEIGHBOR waves.
NEIGHBOR
Morning, Mark!
MARK
Morning.
Mark unlocks the car.
Gets in.
Eli watches.
Every muscle locked.
INT. CAR – CONTINUOUS
Mark starts the engine.
Reaches to adjust the radio.
His hand pauses.
A sharp pain crosses his face.
He grips his chest.
The engine sputters… dies.
EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS
Eli sees it.
ELI
Dad!
He runs.
Mark slumps forward against the steering wheel.
The horn BLARES.
Above Mark’s head, the word TODAY begins to fade.
Slowly.
Gently.
Until there is nothing.
EXT. STREET – MOMENTS LATER
Neighbors gather.
Someone calls 911.
Eli kneels by the open car door.
Mark’s eyes are open.
Unseeing.
ELI
(whispering)
No… no no no…
He looks up instinctively.
The space above his father’s head is empty.
That’s how he knows.
CUT TO:
EXT. AMBULANCE – LATER
Paramedics work.
Professional. Calm. Too late.
One of them shakes his head subtly.
Eli watches.
Numb.
A PARAMEDIC gently pulls a blanket over Mark.
Eli flinches.
That motion feels final.
Genres:
["Drama","Tragedy"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
The Weight of Foreknowledge
EXT. STREET – LATER
The ambulance drives away.
The street returns to normal.
Neighbors disperse.
Life resumes its schedule.
Eli stands alone.
The house behind him feels hollow.
He looks at the people passing by.
Dates float above their heads.
Years. Decades. Futures.
None of it matters.
CLOSE ON ELI
Not crying.
Not screaming.
Just a boy who knew the answer before the question was asked.
This wasn’t failure.
This was confirmation.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
The Burden of Foresight
INT. HIGH SCHOOL – GUIDANCE OFFICE – AFTERNOON
Muted colors. A ticking clock.
ELI sits across from MS. HARPER (40s), the school counselor.
Sharp eyes. Observant. Not soft.
Above her head:
NOVEMBER 8, 2043
Eli clocks it instantly.
He always does.
MS. HARPER
You’ve missed six days of school.
ELI
My dad died.
MS. HARPER
I know.
A beat.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
I’m sorry.
Eli nods. That’s all he has left.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
Your teachers are concerned.
ELI
I’m fine.
She doesn’t buy it.
MS. HARPER
You warned him.
Eli freezes.
ELI
What?
MS. HARPER
Your father.
She leans back.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
Three people told me you said
something to him that morning.
To be careful. Not to leave.
Eli swallows.
ELI
People say that all the time.
MS. HARPER
Not like you did.
Silence stretches.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
This isn’t the first time, Eli.
He looks up.
ELI
What do you mean?
MS. HARPER
Last year.
The bus crash on Sycamore.
Eli’s chest tightens.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
You pulled a girl off the bus.
Right before it went over the guardrail.
Eli doesn’t respond.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
Two years ago.
A janitor collapsed at school.
She watches him closely.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
You were the last person to speak
to him.
Eli’s hands tremble.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
You have a pattern.
The word lands heavy.
ELI
I just… notice things.
MS. HARPER
No.
She leans forward.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
You know things.
ELI
You think I killed my dad?
The question breaks something open.
Ms. Harper softens — just a little.
MS. HARPER
No. Of course not.
She pauses.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
I think you thought you could save
him.
Eli looks away.
That’s the tell.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
Eli… whatever you’re carrying—
you don’t have to carry it alone.
Eli laughs. A short, broken sound.
ELI
You wouldn’t believe me.
MS. HARPER
Try me.
Eli looks at her.
Above her head:
NOVEMBER 8, 2043
So far away.
So safe.
ELI
What if I told you…
that I can see when people are
going to die?
Ms. Harper doesn’t react.
She just watches him.
ELI (CONT'D)
Dates.
Above their heads.
Still nothing.
MS. HARPER
And your father?
ELI
The day he died.
That lands.
She exhales slowly.
MS. HARPER
If that were true…
why didn’t you stop it?
Eli’s eyes fill.
ELI
I tried everything.
He finally breaks.
ELI (CONT'D)
And every time I save someone—
someone else pays for it.
Silence.
The clock ticks.
Ms. Harper’s face shifts — not disbelief.
Recognition.
MS. HARPER
Show me.
Eli looks up, startled.
ELI
What?
MS. HARPER
Show me.
She stands.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
The Weight of Knowledge
INT. HALLWAY – MOMENTS LATER
Students pass.
Noise. Life.
Ms. Harper stops.
MS. HARPER
Pick someone.
Eli scans.
Dates float everywhere.
He points to a random STUDENT.
ELI
Him.
MS. HARPER
What’s his date?
ELI
September 12, 2071.
Ms. Harper writes it down.
MS. HARPER
And mine?
Eli hesitates.
ELI
November 8, 2043.
She doesn’t flinch.
MS. HARPER
If this is a lie…
I’ll know.
She looks at the student again.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
If it’s not…
She meets Eli’s eyes.
MS. HARPER (CONT'D)
Then you need help before this
destroys you.
CLOSE ON ELI
For the first time, someone believes him enough to be afraid.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
The Weight of Time
INT. ELI’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
The calendars are gone.
In their place: lists.
Names. Ages. Dates.
Eli writes with calm precision now.
No shaking hands.
No tears.
At the top of the page, written once, underlined:
ONE LIFE MUST MATTER MORE
He closes the notebook.
Decision made.
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREET – NIGHT
Eli walks with purpose.
He scans faces.
Dates float above heads like silent verdicts.
— 2068
— 2044
— 2031
He ignores them all.
He stops at a MAN arguing aggressively with his girlfriend.
Above the man’s head:
APRIL 20, 2026
Three days away.
Above the girlfriend’s head:
SEPTEMBER 12, 2074
Eli watches.
The man shoves her.
Hard.
She stumbles.
Eli steps forward.
ELI
Hey.
The man turns.
MAN
Mind your business.
Eli looks at the date.
APRIL 20, 2026.
ELI
It is my business.
The man advances.
A car turns the corner too fast.
Eli steps back.
The man doesn’t.
SCREECH.
IMPACT.
Silence.
EXT. STREET – MOMENTS LATER
The man lies still.
The girlfriend screams.
Eli stands frozen.
He looks up.
The date above the man’s head fades to nothing.
He looks at the girlfriend.
Her date hasn’t changed.
Eli exhales.
The math worked.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
A Fateful Warning
INT. DINER – DAY
Eli sits alone, drinking coffee.
A WAITRESS refills his cup.
Above her head:
MAY 14, 2026
Soon.
Eli watches her closely.
She’s kind. Exhausted. Gentle.
He looks around the diner.
A DRUNK CUSTOMER stumbles near the kitchen.
Above him:
APRIL 18, 2026
Tomorrow.
The waitress moves toward him.
Eli stands abruptly.
ELI
You should take your break now.
WAITRESS
What?
ELI
Now.
She hesitates.
The drunk lunges past her.
Slips on a wet floor.
Cracks his skull on the counter.
Dead before he hits the ground.
The waitress stares, horrified.
Eli looks up.
Her date shifts.
From MAY 14, 2026
to DECEMBER 3, 2069
A surge of something dangerous crosses Eli’s face.
Not joy.
Validation.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
The Weight of Choice
INT. MS. HARPER’S OFFICE – DAY
Ms. Harper sits rigid.
Eli stands, arms crossed.
MS. HARPER
People are getting hurt around you.
ELI
People were already going to die.
MS. HARPER
You don’t know that.
ELI
I do.
He meets her eyes.
Above her head:
NOVEMBER 8, 2043
She swallows.
MS. HARPER
You’re not choosing who lives.
ELI
I am.
MS. HARPER
You’re choosing who deserves to.
That lands.
Eli doesn’t flinch.
ELI
Someone has to.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
A Moment of Doubt
EXT. HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Eli watches ambulances arrive.
Above heads:
— 2026
— 2026
— 2027
He turns away from some.
He follows others.
A YOUNG BOY clutches his mother’s hand.
Above the boy’s head:
TODAY
Above the mother’s head:
Eli steps forward.
Without hesitation.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Chaos.
Doctors rush.
Eli shouts instructions he shouldn’t know.
ELI
Check his airway — now!
They do.
The boy survives.
Eli looks up.
The mother’s date jumps forward.
From 2039
to 2028
Eli freezes.
That wasn’t supposed to happen.
CLOSE ON ELI
For the first time since his father’s death…
He hesitates.
Because now the math is lying.
Or worse —
It’s evolving.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Fate at the Crosswalk
EXT. CITY CROSSWALK – LATE AFTERNOON
Rush hour. Noise. Motion.
Eli stands at the corner, watching people pass.
Dates everywhere.
He’s learned to filter them now — like background noise.
He focuses on short dates.
The ones close enough to touch.
Across the street, a MAN in a designer coat paces angrily on
his phone.
Above the man’s head:
APRIL 22, 2026
Two days away.
Beside him stands a LITTLE GIRL (8), holding a violin case.
Above her head:
OCTOBER 3, 2087
A full life.
Eli barely notices her.
ELI’S POV – THE MAN
The man shouts into his phone.
MAN
You think I won’t ruin you?
He steps toward the curb, furious.
Eli watches the date.
APRIL 22, 2026.
Eli knows the pattern now.
Men like this don’t end well.
ELI
(under his breath)
Don’t save him.
The light changes.
Pedestrians step forward.
The man surges into the crosswalk without looking.
A BUS barrels through the intersection, horn BLARING.
Eli stays still.
He lets it happen.
IMPACT
Chaos.
People scream.
The man is thrown hard onto the pavement.
The little girl is knocked from his side—
Her violin case skids across the asphalt.
She hits the ground.
Hard.
Too hard.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Inevitability at the Crosswalk
EXT. CROSSWALK – MOMENTS LATER
Sirens. Panic.
Eli pushes through the crowd.
The man lies motionless.
Above his head: nothing.
Gone.
Eli looks away.
He looks for the girl.
She lies several feet away.
Blood in her hair.
Her eyes half open.
The violin case lies cracked beside her.
Eli’s breath catches.
He looks up.
Above her head:
TODAY
No.
No no no.
ELI
(whisper)
No… you weren’t part of this…
He kneels beside her.
People shout for help.
A WOMAN screams.
Eli touches the girl’s hand.
Cold already.
The date flickers.
Not forward.
Not backward.
It holds.
PARAMEDIC (O.S.)
Step back!
They pull Eli away.
He fights it.
ELI
I can fix this—
The words die in his throat.
He already knows.
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Murder by Omission
EXT. CROSSWALK – LATER
The girl is covered with a white sheet.
The violin case is placed gently beside her.
Eli stands alone at the edge of the scene.
He looks around.
Dates float above the crowd.
Long lives.
Short lives.
All of them suddenly unbearable.
CLOSE ON ELI
This wasn’t collateral damage.
This was murder by omission.
He didn’t pull the trigger.
He chose not to stop it.
And now an innocent is dead.
Because of him.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Tragedy"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Confronting Guilt
INT. ELI’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Eli sits on the floor.
The notebook lies open in front of him.
The words at the top of the page stare back:
ONE LIFE MUST MATTER MORE
Eli stares at it.
His hand shakes.
He crosses it out.
Hard.
The pen tears the page.
ELI
(broken)
I’m not better than them.
He presses his palms to his eyes.
For the first time since his father’s death…
He cries.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Eli's Epiphany
INT. EMPTY CHURCH – NIGHT
The church is dark. Unused. Honest.
Eli sits alone in a pew.
No notebook. No lists.
Just him.
Candles flicker at the altar.
Dates float faintly above no one — because no one else is
here.
Eli stares at the cross.
Not praying.
Listening.
ELI
(soft, exhausted)
You didn’t give this to me to fix
anything.
Silence answers.
But something settles.
He thinks of his mother.
His father.
The girl with the violin.
All different deaths.
All unavoidable.
ELI (CONT'D)
You showed me the end…
so I’d stop pretending I was the
beginning.
The realization lands.
The power wasn’t about control.
It was about witness.
To love without bargaining.
To act without owning the outcome.
To let people go without deciding they deserve it.
Eli exhales.
For the first time, the dates don’t feel loud.
CLOSE ON ELI
Calm.
Resolved.
He stands.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Spiritual"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
A Costly Decision
EXT. HOSPITAL ROOFTOP – DAWN
Cold wind. Pale sky.
Eli stands at the edge.
Below, ambulances arrive and leave.
He scans the arrivals.
Dates float.
Most long.
One stops him.
A WOMAN (late 30s), unconscious, rushed inside on a gurney.
Above her head:
TODAY
Beside her, a YOUNG BOY (6) runs,
crying.
Above his head:
OCTOBER 18, 2091
A lifetime.
Eli closes his eyes.
He already knows.
Saving her will cost him.
He opens them.
Genres:
["Drama","Supernatural","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
A Race Against Time
INT. HOSPITAL STAIRWELL – CONTINUOUS
Eli runs.
Not calculating.
Not choosing.
Just moving.
INT. ER – CONTINUOUS
Chaos.
Doctors shout orders.
Eli pushes through.
ELI
She’s hemorrhaging internally.
A DOCTOR turns.
DOCTOR
Who are you?
ELI
You need to clamp the splenic
artery — now.
They hesitate.
There’s no time.
They do it.
The monitor stabilizes.
The woman breathes.
The boy sobs with relief.
ELI’S POV
The date above the woman’s head
shifts.
From TODAY
to JULY 2, 2064
The boy’s date stays the same.
Eli smiles faintly.
No triumph.
Just peace.
ELI’S POV – HIMSELF
For the first time…
A date appears above his own head.
TODAY
Eli nods.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
A Date with Freedom
EXT. HOSPITAL PARKING STRUCTURE – MORNING
The sun rises.
Eli sits on the edge of the structure, feet dangling.
Below: life.
Cars. Voices. Ordinary mornings.
Dates float above everyone.
For the first time, they don’t frighten him.
They look… human.
ELI
(quiet)
Okay.
The date above his head begins to fade.
As it does, something extraordinary happens—
Across the city…
Dates begin to disappear.
Not death.
Just absence.
People live without knowing the number.
As they always should have.
INT. MS. HARPER’S OFFICE – SAME
Ms. Harper looks up mid-sentence.
The date above her head vanishes.
She touches the air unconsciously.
Confused.
Free.
EXT. HOSPITAL STRUCTURE – BACK TO ELI
Eli’s breath grows shallow.
He lies back, staring at the sky.
No fear.
No bargaining.
Just release.
ELI
Dad…
I finally get it.
His eyes close.
The space above his head is empty.
FINAL IMAGE
EXT. CITY STREET – DAY (WEEKS LATER)
The boy with the violin — alive — plays on a sidewalk.
Music fills the air.
People pass.
No dates above their heads.
Just faces.
Just time.
The music carries.
FADE OUT.
THE END