THE EYE NEVER SLEEPS
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, IT'S BECAUSE YOU MISSED IT.
Written by
Gary J. Rose [email protected]
(530) 613-9232
FADE IN:
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – DAWN
A vast, circular prison emerges from darkness.
Concrete rings layered outward from a CENTRAL WATCHTOWER.
Hard angles. Brutalist. Unforgiving.
One by one, perimeter lights flick on — a slow, deliberate
sequence.
The watchtower glows last.
Stillness.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAWN
Glass walls on all sides.
Reflections overlap: corridors, bars, doors, CAMERA FEEDS —
and the empty CHAIR at the center.
MONITORS come alive. Static. Then images.
Every angle covered. Every movement visible.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAWN
A long corridor.
CELLS line the curve of the building. Doors sealed. Inmates
barely visible in shadow.
A BUZZER sounds.
COUNT TIME.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAWN
The chair remains empty.
The prison operates without a watcher.
Doors clang open in sequence. Footsteps echo. Voices murmur.
Everything functions anyway.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Routine Entry at Stonegate Penitentiary
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – MORNING
A PARKING LOT.
Sparse. Isolated. Surrounded by nothing but flat land and
distant tree lines.
A modest sedan pulls in.
INT. SEDAN – CONTINUOUS
THE GUARD (early 30s) sits behind the wheel.
Clean uniform. Boots polished. Badge straight.
He studies the prison.
Not intimidated. Not eager.
Focused. He checks his watch.
One breath.
He opens the door.
INT. SECURITY VESTIBULE – MORNING
A narrow concrete space.
Metal detector. Locker. Sign-in sheet.
The guard writes his name carefully. Too carefully.
A VETERAN GUARD (50s) watches him without interest.
VETERAN GUARD
(gesturing)
Keys.
The Guard hands them over.
The Veteran weighs them in his palm. Then returns them.
VETERAN GUARD (CONT’D)
Don’t lose them.
The Guard nods.
No smile.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Surveillance and Reflection
INT. CORRIDOR – MORNING
The Guard walks.
Concrete walls. Fluorescent lights. The sound of his boots
echoes endlessly.
He passes SECURITY CAMERAS.
Each one turns slightly as he moves.
He notices.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The Guard enters.
He pauses.
This is the heart of the prison.
Monitors everywhere. Logs neatly stacked. The chair waiting.
He does not sit.
He circles the space instead. Touches the glass. Looks down.
Cells radiate outward beneath him.
Men look small from here.
INT. CELL BLOCK – SAME
An INMATE looks up.
He squints toward the tower. Cannot see inside.
But he knows someone is there.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices the inmate.
Holds his gaze longer than necessary.
Then — he looks away.
He sits.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard writes in the LOG.
Neat handwriting.
TIME.
CAMERA NUMBERS.
NOTES.
He pauses.
Looks up at the monitors.
Rewrites the last line.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Vigilance in the Shadows
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATER
Two INMATES exchange words. Tension. Quiet but sharp.
Nothing happens.
Yet.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard leans forward.
Eyes flicking between monitors.
Waiting.
Watching.
The prison breathes around him.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER MORNING
The Guard monitors multiple feeds.
Corridors. Cells. A stairwell. A recreation room.
Everything calm.
He marks the log.
A beat.
One camera flickers.
He adjusts the feed. The image stabilizes.
Nothing unusual.
He writes it down anyway.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – MORNING
The Guard walks beside the VETERAN GUARD.
They pass doors marked RESTRICTED.
OFFICES.
A BREAK ROOM beyond glass.
The Veteran doesn’t slow down.
VETERAN GUARD
You’ll get used to the tower.
The Guard waits for more.
Nothing comes.
INT. LOCKER ROOM – MORNING
The Guard stores his jacket.
Other GUARDS change, talk quietly. Fragments of conversation
— routine complaints.
The Guard listens but doesn’t join.
A SUPERVISOR (40s) appears in the doorway.
SUPERVISOR
You’re on tower rotation this
afternoon.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You see something, you log it.
You miss something—
The Supervisor stops himself.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
—write it down anyway.
He leaves.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Tension Under Surveillance
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – AFTERNOON
The Guard returns.
The chair now warm from the previous shift.
He hesitates — then sits.
Monitors glow.
He adjusts one. Then another. Aligns them precisely.
He exhales.
INT. CELL BLOCK – AFTERNOON
An INMATE drags a hand along the bars as he walks.
The sound echoes. Metal on metal.
Another inmate watches him.
Nothing else.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices the hand on bars.
Zooms slightly.
The inmate stops.
Looks up.
The Guard pulls back the zoom.
Writes in the log.
INT. RECREATION ROOM – AFTERNOON
A small group of INMATES play cards.
Tension simmers — subtle. Words exchanged under breath.
A chair scrapes.
Too fast.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard leans forward.
Finger hovering over the radio.
The inmates settle.
Laughter. False calm.
The Guard waits.
Then lowers the radio.
Marks the log.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Count Time Tension
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATER
COUNT TIME.
Guards move down the corridor.
Doors clang. Numbers called.
The rhythm is precise.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard watches the count.
Everything matches.
Then —
One inmate steps out of line. Just a half step.
A GUARD corrects him immediately.
Too fast for escalation.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard rewinds the feed.
Watches the half step again.
Stops. Rewinds again.
He studies the moment longer than necessary.
Writes.
Scratches it out.
Rewrites.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Vigilance in the Shadows
INT. SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE – EVENING
The Guard stands at attention.
The Supervisor reviews the log.
SUPERVISOR
You flagged the rec room earlier.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Good catch.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Nothing came of it.
Another beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Still… good eyes.
The Supervisor signs the log.
Slides it back.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
If something happens, we’ll know
you saw it.
The Guard absorbs that.
INT. PARKING LOT – EVENING
Shift change.
Guards leave in silence.
The Guard reaches his car.
He stops.
Looks back at the prison.
Lights beginning to glow again.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
A different GUARD sits in the chair.
Same posture. Same monitors.
The system continues.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The prison fully lit now.
An island of light in darkness.
Unblinking.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Glitch in Surveillance
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATE AFTERNOON
The Guard watches the monitors.
Nothing moves.
The quiet is heavy now — no longer calm. Expectant.
He checks the LOG. Makes an entry.
Pauses.
Looks back up.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – SAME
A narrow hallway. No inmates.
A TRUSTEE pushes a cart stacked with laundry bags.
The cart wobbles. One wheel sticks.
The Trustee adjusts it. Keeps moving.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices the service corridor.
Zooms in.
The Trustee passes beneath a camera.
The feed stutters for half a second.
Then returns.
The corridor is empty.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard frowns.
He rewinds.
The glitch repeats. Always at the same point.
He watches it twice.
Then switches cameras.
Writes nothing.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Blind Spots
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – LATER
The laundry cart sits abandoned.
One bag has fallen open. Clothes spilled across the floor.
No one around.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard hasn’t noticed.
He’s focused on another feed — two inmates talking too close.
Too quietly.
He zooms. Listens.
Nothing escalates.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – MOMENTS LATER
A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER enters.
Stops short.
Looks down at the laundry.
He kneels. Touches something beneath the clothes.
His expression changes.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
A RADIO CRACKLES.
RADIO (V.O.)
Control, we’ve got an issue in
service.
The Guard straightens.
Grabs the radio.
GUARD
Copy. What kind of issue?
Static.
RADIO (V.O.)
Medical. Possible fall.
The Guard switches cameras.
Finds the corridor.
Sees MEDICAL STAFF arriving.
He leans closer to the glass.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS
The Trustee lies on the floor now.
Still. Breathing — barely.
Blood at the back of his head.
Guards secure the area.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard rewinds.
Watches the glitch again.
Rewinds farther.
The Trustee slips. Hits the floor — right in the blind second
of static.
The Guard freezes.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The incident is over.
The corridor is clean again.
No blood. No laundry. No Trustee.
The Guard stares at the monitor.
He opens the log.
Starts to write.
Stops.
Deletes the entry.
Writes something neutral.
INT. SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE – EVENING
The Supervisor flips through paperwork.
SUPERVISOR
Trustee slipped. Happens.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Camera glitch?
The Guard hesitates.
GUARD
Briefly.
The Supervisor makes a note.
SUPERVISOR
Maintenance will look at it.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You couldn’t have stopped it.
The Guard doesn’t answer.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Vigilant Watch
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard alone again.
He stares at the service corridor feed.
Unblinking.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard sits rigid in the chair.
Monitors glow softly. No alarms. No movement.
He watches the SERVICE CORRIDOR feed.
Nothing there.
He checks the TIME. Writes it in the log.
Pauses.
Looks back up.
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
Cells quiet.
Most inmates lie on bunks. A few sit awake, staring at
nothing.
One INMATE stands at his bars. Motionless.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices the standing inmate.
Zooms slightly.
The inmate doesn’t move. Doesn’t look up.
The Guard waits.
Seconds pass.
The inmate finally lies down.
The Guard exhales. Marks the log.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard rubs his eyes.
Stares at the monitors again.
He adjusts his posture. Straightens his uniform.
Everything must be correct.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Silent Vigil
INT. BREAK ROOM – NIGHT
A small, windowless space.
Two OFF-DUTY GUARDS drink coffee. Low voices.
OFF-DUTY GUARD #1
Maintenance already signed off on the glitch.
OFF-DUTY GUARD #2
Figures.
They notice the Guard standing in the doorway.
OFF-DUTY GUARD #1
You good?
The Guard nods.
Doesn’t enter.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard returns to his seat.
He pulls the chair closer to the console.
The monitors now fill his entire field of vision.
He doesn’t blink.
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATE NIGHT
A distant shout. Muffled. Brief.
Another voice answers it. Calmer.
Then silence.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard reacts instantly.
Scans feeds. Searches for movement.
Finds nothing.
He rewinds.
The shout doesn’t register on camera. No visible disturbance.
He stops the rewind.
Watches live again.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard opens the LOG.
Writes:
“UNIDENTIFIED NOISE – NO VISUAL CONFIRMATION.”
He stares at the words.
Deletes the entry.
Closes the log.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Echoes of Vigilance
INT. PARKING LOT – NIGHT
The Guard walks to his car.
The prison looms behind him. Lit. Watching.
He unlocks the car.
Pauses.
Looks back again.
INT. GUARD’S CAR – NIGHT
The Guard sits behind the wheel.
Engine off.
He rubs his face.
Closes his eyes for just a moment —
They snap open.
He looks at the rearview mirror.
For a split second, the watchtower lights align perfectly
behind his head.
He looks away.
Starts the car.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Sparse. Clean. Quiet.
The Guard enters. Locks the door.
Then checks it again.
He sets his keys down carefully. Lines them up.
Sits on the edge of the bed.
Doesn’t lie down.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – LATER
The Guard lies awake.
Eyes open. Ceiling above him.
A faint HUM — like fluorescent lights.
He sits up.
The hum stops.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Morning Routine at Stonegate Penitentiary
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
Shift change.
A NEW GUARD takes the chair.
The Guard stands off to the side.
Watching.
The New Guard adjusts a monitor. Misses a brief flicker.
The Guard notices.
Says nothing.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – MORNING
The Guard walks toward the exit.
The Supervisor passes him.
SUPERVISOR
Everything quiet overnight?
The Guard hesitates.
GUARD
Yes.
The Supervisor nods. Keeps walking.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – MORNING
The sun rises.
The prison remains unchanged.
Cold. Permanent.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The Guard begins another shift.
Same chair. Same monitors.
But now—
He adjusts the chair lower. Pulls it closer.
The glass reflects his face faintly over the feeds.
He notices. Wipes the glass.
The reflection remains.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
Doors open for morning movement.
Inmates step out.
Routine. Predictable.
One INMATE lingers near his door. Too long.
A GUARD barks an order.
The inmate moves.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard marks the delay.
Writes the time.
Hesitates.
Adds a note. Crosses it out. Adds a different one.
His handwriting tightens.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – MORNING
The Guard walks with a CUP OF COFFEE.
Doesn’t drink it.
A YOUNGER GUARD passes him.
YOUNGER GUARD
Tower again?
The Guard nods.
YOUNGER GUARD (CONT’D)
Lucky.
The younger guard keeps walking.
The Guard doesn’t react.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Obsessive Vigilance
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MIDDAY
The monitors blur slightly as the sun shifts.
Glare creeps in at the edges.
The Guard adjusts blinds. Angles screens.
Never satisfied.
He checks a camera. Then checks it again.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – MIDDAY
Empty.
Clean.
No sign of the earlier incident.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard stares at the service corridor feed.
Longer than necessary.
He rewinds. Watches the same empty stretch.
Again.
Stops.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MIDDAY
An INMATE drops a tray.
The crash echoes.
Everyone freezes.
Guards move in immediately.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard reacts too fast.
He grabs the radio.
GUARD
Control—possible disturbance, Block
C—
Before he finishes—
RADIO (V.O.)
Handled.
The Guard lowers the radio.
Watches the feed.
The inmate is already restrained. Calm restored.
The moment passed without him.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard sits back.
Breathing shallow now.
He checks the LOG.
The entry is unnecessary.
He writes it anyway.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Reflections of Anxiety
INT. BREAK ROOM – AFTERNOON
The Guard sits alone.
Coffee untouched.
A TELEVISION murmurs with a daytime news show.
He isn’t watching it.
He’s watching the REFLECTION in the dark screen.
A guard laughs somewhere offscreen.
The Guard flinches.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – AFTERNOON
Back in the chair.
The Guard’s knee bounces.
He stills it with his hand.
Forces himself to breathe evenly.
The monitors remain calm.
Too calm.
INT. CELL BLOCK – AFTERNOON
The same INMATE from earlier looks up again.
This time— he smiles.
Just slightly.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices the smile.
Zooms in.
The smile is gone.
The inmate walks away.
The Guard keeps watching the empty space where he stood.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard stands.
Walks a slow circle around the tower.
The prison rotates beneath him.
He stops at the glass.
Looks down.
For the first time, his reflection overtakes the view.
He doesn’t move.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Silent Vigil
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – EVENING
The Supervisor appears at the doorway.
SUPERVISOR
You’ve been logging a lot.
The Guard looks up.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Not wrong. Just… thorough.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Everything okay?
The Guard searches for an answer.
GUARD
Yes.
The Supervisor studies him.
Then nods.
SUPERVISOR
Good.
He leaves.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard sits alone again.
He opens the LOG.
Stares at the last entry.
Doesn’t add anything.
Just watches.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Shadows of Suspicion
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – DUSK
The prison at shift change.
Lights warming. Shadows stretching.
The watchtower glowing brighter than before.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard alone again.
Lights dimmed. Monitors brighter.
The prison quieter than before. Too quiet.
He scans feeds methodically.
One by one.
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
Most cells dark.
An INMATE lies awake, staring at the ceiling.
Another inmate whispers something — too soft to hear.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard leans forward.
Zooms in.
Enhances audio.
Static. Nothing intelligible.
He pulls back.
Watches.
INT. STAIRWELL – NIGHT
A narrow concrete stairwell.
Empty.
A shadow moves across the wall.
Gone.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard snaps to the stairwell feed.
Rewinds.
Watches again.
Nothing.
He leans closer to the monitor.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard rubs his eyes.
Checks the time.
02:17.
He straightens in the chair.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Suspicion in the Shadows
INT. STAIRWELL – NIGHT (MONITOR FEED)
Still empty.
Then—
A flicker.
Something passes through frame. Too fast to identify.
The Guard freezes.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard rewinds.
Frame by frame.
A shape. A blur. Nothing solid.
He stops.
Breath shallow.
INT. STAIRWELL – NIGHT (LIVE)
Empty again.
Silent.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard grabs the radio.
Hesitates.
Lowers it.
Watches again.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MOMENTS LATER
The Guard activates the radio.
GUARD Control to patrol—check stairwell C.
Static.
RADIO (V.O.)
Say again?
GUARD
Possible movement. Stairwell C.
INT. STAIRWELL – NIGHT
Two GUARDS enter.
Flashlights sweep.
Nothing.
They check doors. Corners.
Clear.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
The Weight of Doubt
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard watches, tense.
The guards look up toward the camera.
One gives a slight shrug.
RADIO (V.O.)
Clear.
The Guard doesn’t respond.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard rewinds again.
Slower.
Slower.
He pauses on a frame.
Nothing is there.
He stares anyway.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The incident logged.
Minimal.
The Guard rereads the entry.
Deletes a sentence.
Types it again.
Deletes it.
Leaves only the time.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Shadows in the Watchtower
INT. BREAK ROOM – NIGHT
The Guard sits alone.
A vending machine hums.
He rubs his temples.
Another GUARD enters.
OTHER GUARD
You call in the stairwell?
The Guard nods.
OTHER GUARD (CONT’D)
Probably glare. Happens.
The Guard nods again.
Doesn’t agree.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
Back on duty.
The Guard watches the stairwell feed obsessively.
Nothing moves.
Minutes pass.
Then—
INT. STAIRWELL – NIGHT (MONITOR FEED)
A shape appears again.
Clearer this time.
Human-sized. Standing just inside the frame.
Still.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard’s breath catches.
He zooms in slowly.
The image pixelates.
The shape dissolves into digital noise.
Empty stairwell.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard sits back.
Heart pounding.
He scans other feeds.
Everything normal.
Too normal.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard stands.
Walks to the glass.
Looks down at the prison.
The prison does not react.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He returns to the chair.
Sits.
Keeps watching.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The watchtower glows.
Unblinking.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – VERY LATE NIGHT
The Guard watches the monitors.
Still focused on the STAIRWELL feed.
Nothing.
He forces himself to look away.
Scans other cameras. Routine again. Normal again.
He exhales.
Tries to settle back into the chair.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MOMENTS LATER
A soft CHIME.
One monitor briefly highlights.
The Guard straightens.
Nothing unusual appears.
He waits.
The highlight disappears.
He checks the LOG.
No automated entry.
He writes one anyway.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – END OF SHIFT
The Guard signs off.
Logs closed. Monitors dimmed.
A RELIEF GUARD enters.
RELIEF GUARD
Quiet?
The Guard nods.
GUARD
Yeah.
He stands.
Hesitates — just a moment.
Then leaves.
INT. PARKING LOT – PRE-DAWN
The Guard walks toward his car.
The prison behind him is silent now. Dark except for
perimeter lights.
He unlocks the car.
Gets in.
INT. GUARD’S CAR – PRE-DAWN
He starts the engine.
The radio comes on automatically.
A news report — low, indistinct.
He turns it off.
Silence.
He pulls out of the lot.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Silent Vigil
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – DAWN
The Guard enters quietly.
Doesn’t turn on lights.
He sets his keys down.
Stops.
Looks at them.
Repositions them so they’re perfectly aligned.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – DAWN
He pours a glass of water.
Takes a sip.
Sets it down untouched.
He sits at the small kitchen table.
Stares.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – MOMENTS LATER
The Guard pulls out his phone.
Opens it.
Security app.
Camera thumbnails load.
Stonegate feeds — restricted, delayed, but recognizable.
He hesitates.
Then taps one.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Silent Vigil
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – DAWN (PHONE FEED)
Empty.
Still.
Nothing there.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard holds the phone too close to his face.
The glow reflects in his eyes.
He switches feeds.
Cell block. Yard. Stairwell.
All quiet.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
A notification pops up:
REMOTE ACCESS ACTIVE
He stares at it.
Then dismisses it.
Keeps watching.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – DAWN
The sun begins to rise through the window.
The Guard hasn’t moved.
Still watching the phone.
Still alert.
Still on duty.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – DAWN
Morning light returns.
The prison re-emerges from darkness.
Unchanged. Patient.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
A DIFFERENT GUARD sits in the chair.
Monitors glow.
Routine resumes.
The system does not notice the difference.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Paranoia in the Watchtower
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – MORNING
The Guard finally sets the phone down.
Rubs his eyes.
He hasn’t slept.
He stands.
Puts on his uniform jacket.
Checks the mirror.
For the first time, he doesn’t recognize what he sees.
CUT TO BLACK.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The Guard begins another shift.
Same chair.
But now— he checks every monitor before sitting.
He doesn’t trust the stillness.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Supervisor enters.
Watches quietly as the Guard works.
SUPERVISOR
You logged in remotely yesterday.
The Guard stiffens.
GUARD
Yes.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR
Policy allows it.
Another beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Just… be mindful of access times.
Not a warning. Not approval.
Something in between.
The Supervisor leaves.
The Guard watches him go.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard sits.
The chair creaks slightly.
He adjusts it until the sound stops.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
Inmates line up for movement.
One INMATE from earlier — the one who smiled — looks up
again.
This time, he doesn’t smile.
Just watches.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices immediately.
Zooms in.
The inmate looks away.
The Guard doesn’t pull back.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard scans logs from previous shifts.
Comparing entries.
Cross-checking times.
Patterns emerge — or he thinks they do.
He highlights one entry.
Then another.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – DAY
The Guard walks with the Veteran Guard.
The Veteran notices the tension.
VETERAN GUARD
You ever turn it off?
The Guard doesn’t answer.
VETERAN GUARD (CONT’D)
Tower gets in your head if you let
it.
The Guard stops walking.
GUARD
If something happens—
The Veteran cuts him off.
VETERAN GUARD
—something always happens.
They stand there.
The Guard processes that.
They continue walking.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Tension in the Watchtower
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – AFTERNOON
The Guard watches the STAIRWELL feed again.
Longer than before.
He doesn’t rewind this time.
Trusts his eyes.
INT. STAIRWELL – AFTERNOON (MONITOR FEED)
Nothing moves.
But the lighting feels… off.
A shadow where there shouldn’t be one.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard leans forward.
Zooms.
The image sharpens.
It’s just light.
Nothing more.
His jaw tightens.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard opens the LOG.
Writes a detailed entry.
Stops.
Deletes half of it.
Leaves only the bare facts.
He stares at the remaining words.
They don’t feel sufficient.
INT. BREAK ROOM – AFTERNOON
The Guard eats for the first time today.
Barely.
Another Guard flips through his phone.
OTHER GUARD
You hear about the transfer
request?
The Guard looks up.
OTHER GUARD (CONT’D)
Guy from D-block. Couldn’t sleep
anymore.
The Guard freezes.
OTHER GUARD (CONT’D)
Doctor called it stress.
A beat.
OTHER GUARD (CONT’D)
Lucky bastard.
The Guard looks down at his food.
Pushes it away.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Standoff in the Watchtower
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – EVENING
Shift winding down.
The Guard’s eyes are red now.
He blinks hard.
Refuses to look away.
INT. CELL BLOCK – EVENING
The smiling inmate stands again.
Closer to the bars this time.
He looks directly at the tower.
Doesn’t move.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard stares back.
Neither breaks eye contact.
Seconds stretch.
Finally, the inmate turns away.
The Guard doesn’t relax.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard logs the encounter.
Detailed. Precise. Cold.
He reads it back.
Satisfied — for the moment.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The prison lit again.
The watchtower bright.
The eye wide open.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Awakening Vigilance
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – EARLY MORNING
The Guard arrives before his shift.
The tower is dark. Monitors asleep.
He powers them on himself.
One by one.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
Feeds come alive.
Empty corridors. Locked doors. Still inmates.
The Guard watches as if waiting for something to wake up.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – MORNING
The Supervisor spots the Guard already working.
SUPERVISOR
You’re early.
GUARD
Couldn’t sleep.
The Supervisor nods. Makes a mental note. Keeps walking.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The Guard sips coffee.
Immediately sets it down.
Hands slightly unsteady.
He steadies them on the console.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
Doors open.
Movement begins.
An INMATE stumbles slightly as he steps out.
Recovers.
No one reacts.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard zooms in sharply.
Too sharply.
The image pixelates.
He pulls back.
Nothing wrong.
He writes the time anyway.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard checks his watch.
Then the wall clock.
Then the system time.
They don’t match exactly.
He adjusts his watch to the system.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
The Weight of Vigilance
INT. BREAK ROOM – MIDDAY
The Guard sits with other GUARDS.
They eat. Laugh quietly.
GUARD #1
You look like hell.
The Guard forces a half-smile.
GUARD #1 (CONT’D)
Tower’ll do that.
GUARD #2
At least you don’t get yelled at
all day.
They laugh.
The Guard doesn’t.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – AFTERNOON
The Guard returns.
The chair feels wrong now.
He adjusts it. Then adjusts it again.
Never quite right.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
A faint BUZZ.
One monitor flickers.
The Guard freezes.
He waits.
The flicker stops.
He exhales slowly.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He writes in the log:
“TEMPORARY SIGNAL INTERRUPTION.”
Stops.
Deletes “TEMPORARY.”
Leaves the rest.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – AFTERNOON
Maintenance workers replace a ceiling panel.
Tools clatter.
Normal work.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard watches the maintenance feed.
Tracks every movement.
Counts tools subconsciously.
One wrench disappears from view.
He leans forward.
It reappears.
He sits back.
Ashamed.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATE AFTERNOON
The Guard’s phone vibrates.
He ignores it.
Keeps watching.
It vibrates again.
He silences it without looking.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – EVENING
Shift change.
The Relief Guard arrives.
RELIEF GUARD
Anything?
The Guard hesitates.
GUARD
No.
A beat.
GUARD (CONT’D)
Nothing.
He stands.
His legs feel stiff.
INT. LOCKER ROOM – EVENING
The Guard changes slowly.
Studies his reflection.
Dark circles under his eyes now.
He splashes water on his face.
It doesn’t help.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Vigilance in the Shadows
INT. PARKING LOT – EVENING
The Guard walks toward his car.
The prison hums behind him.
Lights already coming on again.
He stops.
Checks his watch.
He’s staying late.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
Back in the chair.
Not scheduled.
Not questioned.
The monitors welcome him back.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The watchtower shines brighter than the rest of the complex.
A single point of focus.
Unblinking.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard sits alone.
Monitors steady. No flicker. No glare.
He breathes evenly now.
Focused.
INT. YARD – NIGHT (MONITOR FEED)
A small group of INMATES stand too close together.
Quiet. Intent.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard notices immediately.
Zooms in.
One inmate slips something into another’s hand.
Small. Fast.
The Guard doesn’t hesitate.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He keys the radio.
GUARD Control to yard patrol. Check the east fence line. Now.
INT. YARD – NIGHT
Two GUARDS approach.
Inmates separate instantly. Too quickly.
One inmate drops something into the grass.
A guard spots it.
Bends. Retrieves a SHARPENED PIECE OF METAL.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard watches the recovery.
Doesn’t relax.
Tracks every inmate until they’re cuffed.
INT. YARD – NIGHT
The weapon bagged. Inmates removed.
No injuries. No resistance.
Clean.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard exhales.
Long.
His hands tremble slightly.
He steadies them.
INT. SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE – LATER
The Guard stands before the Supervisor.
The weapon on the desk between them.
SUPERVISOR
Good catch.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You probably prevented something
ugly.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
That’s why we watch.
The Guard absorbs this.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – LATER
The Guard walks alone.
Other guards glance at him now.
Different.
Respect. Distance.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
Back in the chair.
The Guard reviews the yard footage.
Over and over.
Looking for what he didn’t see.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He rewinds past the handoff.
Further back.
Earlier.
Earlier still.
Nothing unusual.
That bothers him.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
Vigilance in the Night
INT. BREAK ROOM – NIGHT
Guards talk animatedly.
GUARD #1
If that thing got loose—
GUARD #2
—we’d be filling out reports all
night.
They notice the Guard.
GUARD #1
Nice work.
The Guard nods.
Says nothing.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
Alone again.
The Guard opens the LOG.
Writes a detailed account.
Stops.
Adds more.
Stops again.
Satisfied — finally.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard’s phone vibrates.
He looks at it this time.
A missed call.
He ignores it.
Returns his attention to the screens.
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATE NIGHT
The smiling inmate sits on his bunk now.
Calm.
Watching the tower through the bars.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices the inmate.
Zooms.
The inmate looks directly at the camera.
Holds the gaze.
Then lies back.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard doesn’t pull away.
He keeps the camera on the empty bunk.
Waiting.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – END OF SHIFT
The Relief Guard arrives.
RELIEF GUARD
Heard about the yard.
The Guard nods.
RELIEF GUARD (CONT’D)
Textbook.
The Guard stands.
Feels taller now.
More certain.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The watchtower burns bright.
Brighter than the rest of the complex.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Early Watch
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – EARLY MORNING
Dark.
The Guard sits at the kitchen table. Uniform on. Boots
unlaced.
He hasn’t slept.
A digital clock reads 04:12.
He stares at it.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard ties his boots.
Misses an eyelet. Fixes it. Reties the entire boot.
Perfect this time.
INT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – MORNING
The Guard enters early again.
Too early.
The parking lot nearly empty.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The tower is already active.
Another GUARD is finishing a shift.
RELIEF GUARD
You’re early.
The Guard nods.
GUARD
Just checking in.
The Relief Guard shrugs. Gathers his things. Leaves.
The Guard sits.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He scans the monitors.
Routine.
Then—
He checks the yard feed again.
Nothing.
He leaves it up anyway.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Watchful Eyes
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
Inmates line up.
One inmate scratches his arm. Repeatedly.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard zooms in.
The scratching continues.
Too long. Too deliberate.
The Guard keys the radio—
Stops himself.
Waits.
INT. CELL BLOCK – CONTINUOUS
The inmate stops scratching.
Looks up.
Not angry. Not defiant.
Just tired.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard relaxes slightly.
Writes nothing.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard rubs his neck.
Stretches.
His eyes burn.
He blinks hard. Forces focus.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
The Weight of Vigilance
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – MIDDAY
The Guard walks past the Supervisor.
SUPERVISOR
You doing doubles now?
GUARD
No.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR
You should take a day.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
I mean it.
The Supervisor walks on.
The Guard doesn’t answer.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – AFTERNOON
The Guard drinks water.
Spills a little. Wipes it immediately.
Annoyed at himself.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
A monitor flickers.
Barely noticeable.
The Guard freezes.
He stares at it.
Waits.
Nothing else happens.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He rewinds.
Watches the flicker again.
Again.
Again.
He zooms in.
Pixel noise.
Nothing real.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard stands.
Paces the circumference of the tower.
Each step measured.
Even.
He stops at the glass.
Looks down.
The inmates move like patterns now. Not people.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – EVENING
The Guard sits again.
Slower this time.
He checks the LOG.
Reads earlier entries.
From weeks ago.
His handwriting was looser then.
He notices.
INT. BREAK ROOM – EVENING
The Guard sits with other guards.
Conversation flows around him.
GUARD #1
You ever just tune it out?
The Guard looks up.
GUARD #1 (CONT’D)
You have to.
The Guard nods.
But his eyes drift — toward a SECURITY MONITOR in the corner.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
The Watchman's Vigil
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard watches the STAIRWELL feed again.
Nothing there.
He leaves it up.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
His head dips slightly.
Just for a second.
He snaps upright.
Checks the time.
02:03.
Fear flashes across his face.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He slaps his cheeks lightly.
Forces alertness.
Returns to scanning.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The watchtower glows.
Still. Unforgiving.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard watches the monitors.
Eyes red. Focus brittle.
He blinks longer than he means to.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Tension in the Shadows
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
A door opens.
An INMATE steps out with a TRASH BAG.
Trustee duty. Routine.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard notices late.
Zooms in.
The inmate is already moving down the corridor.
The Guard checks the LOG.
Trustee movement authorized.
He relaxes slightly.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
The inmate turns a corner.
Out of view.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard hesitates.
Switches cameras.
Finds the corridor again.
Empty.
He checks the time.
Thirty seconds have passed.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard keys the radio.
Stops.
He’s done this before. Too often.
He waits.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
The inmate reappears.
Moving faster now.
Something in the bag shifts.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard stiffens.
Zooms.
The image pixelates briefly.
The bag settles.
The inmate keeps walking.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard checks another feed.
A different inmate arguing with a guard. Raised voices.
He toggles between feeds.
Indecision.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
A Moment of Regret
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
The inmate slips.
The trash bag tears.
Something metal CLATTERS across the floor.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard snaps back to the corridor.
Sees it.
Too late.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
A SECOND INMATE appears from a doorway.
Too close. Too fast.
He scoops up the metal piece — a SHARPENED TOOL.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard grabs the radio.
GUARD
Control—service corridor, now!
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Guards rush in.
Orders shouted.
The second inmate bolts.
A guard lunges.
They collide.
Both go down hard.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard watches, frozen.
Blood appears on the floor.
Not much. But real.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
The inmate is restrained.
The injured GUARD sits against the wall. Clutching his arm.
Another guard applies pressure.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard rewinds.
Watches the moment again.
Earlier.
Earlier.
The point where he could have intervened.
He sees it now.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Unresolved Tension
INT. MEDICAL BAY – LATER
The injured guard winces as a medic works.
The Guard stands just outside the door.
Watching.
Not involved.
INT. ADMIN OFFICE – LATER
The Guard sits across from the Supervisor.
Quiet.
SUPERVISOR
You hesitated.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You were watching something else.
The Guard doesn’t answer.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
No one’s saying you caused it.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
But timing matters.
The Guard swallows.
INT. ADMIN OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
The Supervisor slides a report forward.
SUPERVISOR
Just write what you saw.
The Guard looks at the paper.
Blank.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Vigilant Watch
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
Back in the chair.
The Guard stares at the service corridor feed.
Now perfectly still.
He doesn’t log anything.
Just watches.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The watchtower glows.
For the first time, it feels accusatory.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The Guard sits motionless.
Service corridor feed still up. Nothing there.
He forces himself to switch cameras.
Yard. Cell block. Stairwell.
Back to service.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He opens a SETTINGS MENU.
Camera layout. Refresh rates. Alert thresholds.
He changes one setting.
Then another.
Stops.
Returns one to its original value.
Leaves the other changed.
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
An INMATE coughs.
Another rolls over.
Normal sleep sounds.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
The Guard zooms in on the coughing inmate.
Watches until the coughing stops.
He doesn’t zoom back out.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
Multiple feeds now enlarged.
The Guard toggles between them rapidly.
Too many.
He reduces them to four.
Then three.
Then one.
The service corridor again.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
His phone vibrates.
He ignores it.
Keeps watching.
It vibrates again.
He turns it face down.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Glitch in the Watchtower
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATE NIGHT
The Guard stands.
Walks the perimeter of the tower.
Counts his steps unconsciously.
Stops at the glass.
Looks down.
The prison feels closer now. Crowded.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He returns to the chair.
Rewinds footage from earlier.
Not the incident.
Before it.
Earlier.
Earlier still.
Looking for the moment he missed.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The rewind hits the glitch again.
The same half-second of static.
The Guard freezes.
He rewinds again.
Same result.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He marks the timecode on a scrap of paper.
Cross-references it with the log.
Writes a note to himself.
Not official.
Private.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Uneasy Reflections
INT. BREAK ROOM – NIGHT
The Guard pours coffee.
Doesn’t drink it.
Stares at the surface.
The reflection wavers.
A GUARD enters.
OTHER GUARD
You good?
The Guard nods too quickly.
GUARD
Yeah.
The Other Guard watches him a moment.
OTHER GUARD
They stitched Martinez up.
The Guard looks up.
OTHER GUARD (CONT’D)
He’ll be back next week.
The Guard nods.
Relief doesn’t come.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
The Watchful Night
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
Back in the chair.
The Guard watches the stairwell feed.
His eyes flick to the clock.
02:41.
He checks the log.
Nothing written for ten minutes.
He fills the gap.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
A soft ALERT TONE.
Barely audible.
The Guard snaps upright.
Nothing on the feed.
He waits.
No follow-up alert.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
He opens the SETTINGS again.
Lowers the alert threshold.
Just slightly.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MOMENTS LATER
Another ALERT.
This time from the yard.
A stray animal at the fence.
Guards chase it off easily.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard logs the alert.
Satisfied.
For now.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – PRE-DAWN
The Guard’s eyes close.
Just for a second.
He jerks awake.
Heart racing.
He checks the feeds frantically.
Nothing happened.
Nothing changed.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
Shift change.
The Relief Guard enters.
RELIEF GUARD
Busy night?
The Guard hesitates.
GUARD
Normal.
The Relief Guard sits.
The Guard stands.
Doesn’t leave immediately.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard watches the Relief Guard adjust the monitors.
He almost corrects him.
Stops himself.
Barely.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Watchtower Vigilance
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – MORNING
Morning light washes over the prison.
The watchtower dims.
But not completely.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The Guard sits through another shift.
Alerts come faster now.
A soft CHIME. Then another.
He handles them efficiently. Calm. Professional.
INT. YARD – MORNING (MONITOR FEED)
An inmate paces near the fence.
The alert highlights him.
The Guard zooms.
Nothing wrong.
The inmate walks away.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard clears the alert.
Another pops up.
Different camera.
He exhales through his nose.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Tension in the Watchtower
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Supervisor stands behind the Guard.
Watching the monitors.
SUPERVISOR You’ve had a lot of alerts this week.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR
Maintenance flagged the thresholds.
The Guard stiffens slightly.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Not saying it’s a problem.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Just… noticeable.
The Supervisor steps away.
Leaves the word hanging.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard opens the SETTINGS again.
Looks at the altered values.
Considers.
Does nothing.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MIDDAY
An INMATE laughs too loudly.
Another shouts back.
Guards intervene quickly.
Nothing escalates.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – SAME
An alert sounds.
The Guard reacts instantly.
Keys the radio—
RADIO (V.O.)
Already handled.
The Guard lowers the radio.
Jaw tight.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
The Guard flips through recent logs.
Alerts everywhere. Times tight together.
He notices the pattern.
It comforts him.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
Tension in Silence
INT. BREAK ROOM – AFTERNOON
Two GUARDS talk quietly.
GUARD #1
They’re gonna reset the system.
GUARD #2
About time.
They notice the Guard.
Conversation stops.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – AFTERNOON
Maintenance works nearby.
A TECH scrolls through data on a tablet.
The Guard watches from the tower.
TECH
(to Supervisor)
False positives are way up.
SUPERVISOR
Any risk?
TECH
No. Just noise.
The Guard hears this through the glass. Can’t hear the exact
words— but he reads the body language.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
The Guard checks the settings again.
His changes glow on the screen.
He restores one value.
Leaves the others.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – LATER
Alerts slow.
The silence returns.
The Guard doesn’t relax.
He watches harder.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – CONTINUOUS
A long stretch without incident.
Too long.
The Guard fidgets.
Taps the console once.
Stops himself.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – EVENING
The Relief Guard arrives.
RELIEF GUARD
Busy day?
The Guard hesitates.
GUARD
Quieter.
The Relief Guard nods.
RELIEF GUARD
Good.
The Guard doesn’t agree.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Duty and Reluctance
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – EVENING
The Guard walks out.
The Supervisor catches up.
SUPERVISOR
Take tomorrow.
The Guard stops.
GUARD
I’m fine.
SUPERVISOR
That wasn’t a question.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You’ve earned it.
The Guard nods.
But his eyes flick back toward the tower.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – EVENING
The watchtower glows.
He walks away from it.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Silent Struggles
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
The Guard sits on the couch.
Lights off.
He stares at the blank television.
The silence presses in.
He reaches for his phone.
Stops.
Puts it down.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – LATER
He lies in bed.
Eyes open.
Ceiling above him.
The HUM is back.
Only now— it’s coming from inside his head.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – MORNING
Sunlight filters through the blinds.
The Guard sits at the kitchen table. Fully dressed. Uniform
on.
Coffee untouched.
He checks the time.
07:42.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard stands.
Paces once. Stops.
He reaches for his phone.
Stops himself.
Sits again.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – LATER
The Guard lies on the couch.
Eyes open.
The ceiling fan spins slowly. Each rotation measured.
He watches it like a monitor.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
His phone BUZZES.
He grabs it instantly.
Nothing urgent. Just a notification.
He exhales. Angry at himself.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – LATE MORNING
The Guard sits at the table again.
Opens his laptop.
Security footage bookmarks still saved. Inactive.
He stares at the login screen.
Closes the laptop.
Genres:
["Drama","Psychological Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
Quiet Vigil
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – AFTERNOON
The apartment is quiet.
Too quiet.
The Guard turns on the television.
A nature documentary plays. Wide open landscapes.
He turns it off almost immediately.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard finally unlocks his phone.
Opens the security app.
Stonegate feeds load slowly.
Delayed. Grainy.
But recognizable.
INT. SERVICE CORRIDOR – DAY (PHONE FEED)
Normal activity.
A trustee pushes a cart.
Nothing wrong.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard leans closer to the phone.
His breathing slows.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAY (PHONE FEED)
Inmates move in formation.
Guards visible. Routine intact.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard relaxes slightly.
For the first time all day.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Blind to the Chaos
INT. STAIRWELL – DAY (PHONE FEED)
Empty.
Still.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard watches.
Then—
A FIGURE crosses frame. Fast. Too fast.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard freezes.
Rewinds.
Plays it again.
The feed buffers.
Skips.
The moment is gone.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
He refreshes.
The stairwell is empty.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard grabs his keys.
Stops.
Looks at the clock.
He’s not on shift.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
His phone BUZZES again.
This time— a message.
INCIDENT REPORT – STONEGATE
The Guard opens it.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
His face drains.
INT. YARD – DAY
Chaos.
Guards running. Inmates shouting.
A FIGHT in progress.
Too many bodies. Too fast.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAY
A DIFFERENT GUARD in the chair.
Overwhelmed.
Alerts blaring.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard watches the delayed feed.
Seconds behind. Always behind.
He sees a baton swing.
A body hit the ground.
Blood.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
He paces.
Phone in hand.
Useless.
INT. YARD – DAY (PHONE FEED)
The fight is broken up.
Medics rush in.
Stretchers.
The damage already done.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The Guard sits hard on the couch.
Breathing ragged.
He rewinds.
Watches again.
Earlier.
Earlier.
Looking for the moment he would have seen.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – LATER
The incident resolved.
Feeds calm again.
The Guard keeps watching.
Unable to stop.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – EVENING
The phone finally goes dark.
Connection timed out.
The Guard stares at the black screen.
For the first time—
He is completely blind.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
The Guard sits alone.
Lights off.
No screens.
No feeds.
No access.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
He presses his palms against his eyes.
Hard.
As if trying to see something inside.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The watchtower glows.
Operational. Indifferent.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Disciplinary Shadows
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – MORNING
The Guard walks the length of the corridor.
Slower now.
Guards pass him. Some nod. Some don’t.
The rhythm feels different.
INT. SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE – MORNING
The Guard sits.
The Supervisor stands at the window. Doesn’t turn around
right away.
SUPERVISOR
You watched the incident.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
From home.
Another nod.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You weren’t supposed to.
The Guard waits.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You also weren’t wrong.
The Supervisor finally turns.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
That’s the problem.
INT. SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
The Supervisor slides a folder across the desk.
SUPERVISOR
We’re reassigning you.
The Guard stiffens.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Temporary.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Ground-level rotation.
The words land.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
Ground Level Anxiety
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAY
The Guard walks the tier.
For the first time, inside the ring.
The space feels compressed. Loud. Chaotic.
Inmates tower over him now. Close. Too close.
INT. CELL BLOCK – CONTINUOUS
An INMATE brushes past him.
Accidental. Or not.
The Guard freezes.
Recovers.
Keeps walking.
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATER
The Guard stands at a gate.
Watching inmates line up.
He can’t see around corners anymore. Can’t see ahead.
His breathing changes.
INT. CELL BLOCK – CONTINUOUS
The smiling inmate appears again.
Right in front of him now.
Up close.
Not smiling.
INMATE
You see everything from up there.
The Guard doesn’t answer.
The inmate steps away.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAY
Empty chair.
Monitors active.
A different guard watches.
Routine intact.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAY
The Guard watches a minor scuffle.
No cameras to rely on.
He has to decide.
He steps in.
Handles it cleanly.
But his hands shake afterward.
INT. LOCKER ROOM – AFTERNOON
The Guard sits on a bench.
Helmet beside him.
He stares at the floor.
A GUARD sits nearby.
OTHER GUARD
Tower messes with people.
The Guard nods.
OTHER GUARD (CONT’D)
You’ll be fine.
The Guard isn’t sure.
INT. CELL BLOCK – EVENING
The Guard stands post.
Sweat beads at his temples.
Noise everywhere. Too much information. No overview.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – EVENING
The tower glows.
Still watching.
Still empty.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
The Guard sits in the dark.
No phone. No feeds.
Just silence.
His eyes flick toward the wall instinctively.
Nothing there.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
He closes his eyes.
Forces himself to sit with the quiet.
Seconds pass.
Then minutes.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The watchtower stands tall.
Illuminated. Unblinking.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Reflections of Routine
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
The Guard stands post.
Inmates move past him. Close. Ordinary.
No chaos. No incident.
The noise is constant but manageable.
He breathes.
INT. CELL BLOCK – CONTINUOUS
A younger GUARD works beside him.
Relaxed. Competent.
The younger guard handles a minor dispute with ease.
The Guard watches.
Learns.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAY
The tower in operation.
Monitors glow. Alerts chime occasionally.
A DIFFERENT GUARD works calmly.
No overload. No urgency.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAY
The Guard escorts inmates.
Corners appear suddenly. Blind spots everywhere.
He adapts.
Slower. More deliberate.
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATER
The smiling inmate passes again.
This time, no smile. No provocation.
Just another man moving through routine.
The Guard realizes something.
The inmate was never performing.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – AFTERNOON
The Guard walks past the Supervisor.
SUPERVISOR
How’s the floor?
The Guard considers.
GUARD
Loud.
The Supervisor nods.
SUPERVISOR
It always is.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You’re doing fine.
The Guard absorbs that.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – AFTERNOON
The tower hums.
The chair occupied.
The system smooth. Balanced.
Nothing missing.
INT. LOCKER ROOM – EVENING
The Guard removes his gear.
His movements are slower now. Calmer.
He studies his reflection.
Different. But intact.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
The Guard enters.
Doesn’t reach for his phone.
Doesn’t turn on the television.
He sits.
Listens.
Silence.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
He notices the HUM is gone.
Or maybe it never was.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
Night Watch at Stonegate Penitentiary
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
The Guard stands his final post of the shift.
An inmate laughs. Another complains.
Life goes on.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The tower glows.
Efficient. Indifferent.
INT. CELL BLOCK – CONTINUOUS
The Guard watches.
Not everything.
Just what’s in front of him.
And that’s enough.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The prison holds.
Not because of one man.
Because of the system.
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
The Guard stands post.
Routine continues around him.
An inmate argues with another. A guard intervenes. Resolved.
The Guard doesn’t move.
He didn’t need to.
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATER
The Guard checks a door lock.
Solid.
He moves on.
No second-guessing.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The tower hums.
A GUARD inside shifts in the chair.
The system runs smoothly.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Quiet Reflections
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – NIGHT
The Guard walks toward the exit.
The Supervisor steps out of an office.
SUPERVISOR
You heading out?
GUARD
Yeah.
The Supervisor nods.
SUPERVISOR
Your reassignment’s up next week.
The Guard absorbs that.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
Tower’s open if you want it back.
A beat.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
No pressure.
The Supervisor walks away.
INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS
The Guard stops.
Considers.
Then keeps walking.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
The Guard enters.
The apartment feels different now. Neutral. Quiet.
He sets his keys down.
Doesn’t arrange them.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
He sits at the table.
Breathes.
Checks the time.
Doesn’t correct it.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – LATER
The Guard lies in bed.
Eyes close.
They stay closed.
Genres:
["Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
Dawn of Routine
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAWN
Shift change.
The chair empty for a moment.
A new GUARD enters. Sits.
Adjusts the monitors.
Routine resumes.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
The Guard reports for duty.
Back on the floor.
Different posture now.
Grounded.
INT. CELL BLOCK – CONTINUOUS
The smiling inmate passes again.
No smile. No recognition.
Just another man.
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATER
A minor incident begins. Raised voices. Tension.
The Guard steps in early. Calm. Direct.
It ends quickly.
No cameras needed.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Reflections of Authority
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAY
The tower watches.
But no longer defines.
INT. LOCKER ROOM – DAY
The Guard removes his gear.
Places it in his locker.
He pauses.
Takes his BADGE off.
Looks at it.
Then clips it back on.
Not ready. Not yet.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – DAY
The Guard passes the watchtower entrance.
Stops.
Looks up at the glass.
Sees only reflections now.
Nothing inside.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS
He turns away.
Keeps walking.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – DAY
The prison stands.
Functional. Unchanged.
The watchtower still glows.
But it no longer feels all-seeing.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
Night Watch at Stonegate
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
The Guard walks the tier.
Measured. Present.
An inmate mutters something under his breath.
The Guard stops.
Looks at him.
INMATE
(nothing left)
Just talking.
The Guard nods.
Moves on.
INT. CELL BLOCK – LATER
Lights dim.
Inmates settle.
The noise softens into a low, human hum.
The Guard leans against the rail.
Breathes.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The tower active.
Monitors glow. Feeds steady.
A GUARD watches.
Blinks. Looks away. Looks back.
Routine.
INT. CELL BLOCK – NIGHT
The Guard notices a loose tile near the floor.
Kneels. Presses it back into place.
Stands.
No log entry. No report.
Just done.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
Silent Detachment
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – NIGHT
The Guard finishes his shift.
Signs out.
Simple.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – NIGHT
The Guard exits.
The watchtower shines behind him.
Unblinking.
He doesn’t look back.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
The Guard enters.
Sets his keys down.
Leaves them as they fall.
He pours a glass of water. Drinks it this time.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
He sits.
No phone. No screens.
Just the room.
Just himself.
INT. GUARD’S APARTMENT – LATER
The Guard lies in bed.
Eyes open.
Then—
They close.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
Dawn at Stonegate Penitentiary
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – NIGHT
The chair occupied.
The GUARD inside watches calmly.
No urgency. No fixation.
The prison breathes.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAWN
Morning count.
Doors open. Voices rise.
The Guard begins another day.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – DAWN
The prison emerges from darkness.
Concrete rings. Perimeter lights.
The watchtower glowing last.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAWN
Reflections overlap: corridors, bars, feeds.
The empty CHAIR waits.
A GUARD enters. Sits.
Adjusts the monitors.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAWN
The Guard walks the tier.
Present. Grounded.
A human among humans.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
58 -
The Indifference of Surveillance
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – MORNING
The system holds.
Not because it sees everything—
—but because it doesn’t have to.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The monitors glow.
The eye remains open.
Indifferent.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
The Guard continues his patrol.
One step at a time.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE EYE NEVER SLEEPS
If something happens, it’s because you missed it.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The tower active.
Monitors glow. Feeds stable.
The GUARD inside watches calmly.
A yawn. A stretch.
Routine.
INT. CELL BLOCK – MORNING
The Guard walks the tier.
Morning movement begins. Noise rises.
An INMATE bumps another accidentally.
Apologies exchanged.
The Guard observes. Doesn’t intervene.
Doesn’t need to.
INT. CELL BLOCK – CONTINUOUS
The smiling inmate from before passes again.
This time, he nods.
The Guard nods back.
Nothing more.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – MORNING
The Guard walks past a BULLETIN BOARD.
Shift schedules. Notices. Transfers.
He pauses at a posted memo:
WATCHTOWER ROTATION – UPDATED
Names listed.
His is not among them.
He reads it once. Moves on.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – MORNING
The chair sits empty for a moment.
A GUARD enters. Adjusts the height. Pulls the chair closer.
The glass reflects his face over the feeds.
He doesn’t notice.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
59 -
A Day's End at Stonegate
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAY
The Guard handles a minor issue.
Two inmates arguing over a phone.
He separates them. Speaks quietly.
It resolves.
No report. No escalation.
INT. LOCKER ROOM – DAY
The Guard removes his gear.
Sets it inside the locker.
Closes the door.
The sound is final. Not dramatic.
Just done.
INT. ADMIN CORRIDOR – DAY
The Guard walks toward the exit.
The Supervisor appears.
SUPERVISOR
You ever miss it?
The Guard considers.
GUARD
Sometimes.
SUPERVISOR
Yeah.
They stand there.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You were good up there.
The Guard nods.
SUPERVISOR (CONT’D)
You’re good down here too.
The Supervisor leaves.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – DAY
The Guard steps outside.
Sunlight. Wind.
He breathes it in.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
60 -
Routine Reflections
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAY
The tower hums.
Monitors blink. Logs fill.
The system continues.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAY
The Guard walks the tier again.
Closer now. Human.
He stops at the end of the row.
Looks back once.
Not upward.
Forward.
EXT. STONEGATE PENITENTIARY – DAY
The prison stands.
Concrete. Permanent.
The watchtower gleams.
Unblinking.
INT. CENTRAL WATCHTOWER – DAY
The GUARD inside scans the feeds.
Misses a moment.
Nothing happens.
INT. CELL BLOCK – DAY
Life continues.
FADE TO BLACK.