I Was Here
Pitch: Samantha Miles, an inquisitive seven-year-old secretly gifted only child, is unknowingly abducted by the very people she trusts. Carefully guarded by her widowed Mother who would rather the world never know about her gift, Samantha still slips through the cracks and turns up missing and presumed dead after a routine day at school. Months go by before she turns up in a Nevada suburb as Alexandria Stith, the daughter of a wealthy couple who paid a hefty price to forego a traditional adoption. Alexandria’s curious nature leads her to information that prompts her to make a series of persistent phone calls home. Instead of her Mother, she reaches a house sitter who will help her use her gift to find a way back.
INT. CYNTHIA’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM - DUSK Ashley sits, thinking, petting Noodles. She picks up her laptop and relocates to the dining room table. She opens it, clicks to Google’s search page and puts in Samantha Miles. Article after article pop up saying the same thing. "Kidnapped and murdered, Samantha Miles is now victim number six of the East Coast Child Serial Killer." Ashley stands in her seat and covers her mouth. She slowly lowers herself back to the seat and begins to scroll again. She sees one article with a picture. She clicks on it. It’s a picture of Cynthia Miles. Ashley looks in the direction of the hallway which holds the middle room she’s banned from entering. She walks to the door and grabs the knob. She waits for a moment before opening it. She opens the door to a pink room with boxes piled one on top of the other. She slowly approaches one of the boxes. She opens it to find kids toys. She quickly opens another... little girls clothes, and another... Dora the Explorer bedding. She quickly walks back to the the dining room, picks up the phone and calls 911.
911 OPERATOR (O.S.)
911 how may I direct your call?
ASHLEY VALENTINE
A child is calling my house saying she wants her mommy. She says her name is Samantha Miles. That’s a child that was kidnapped and murdered some months ago.
911 OPERATOR (O.S.)
Hold on. I’m going to transfer you to the district office so you can talk to the detective that is on that case. Please hold.
DETECTIVE KERRIN (O.S.)
Hello, this is Detective Kerrin.
ASHLEY VALENTINE
Hi, I know this is going to sound crazy, but, this little girl keeps calling and saying she is Samantha Miles and that she wants her mommy to pick her up. I looked on the internet and I see that’s the name of the little girl that got taken and killed months back.
DETECTIVE KERRIN (O.S.)
And you are?
ASHLEY VALENTINE
Oh, I’m Ashley Valentine. I am dog walking and house sitting for Ms. Miles while she’s on a cruise. This little girl has called twice. She even knows the address.
DETECTIVE KERRIN (O.S.)
When did she call?
ASHLEY VALENTINE
Two days ago and again fifteen minutes ago. Every time I try to ask another question she says New Mommy is coming and she has to hang up. She sounds too young to be playing a prank and I can’t call back the number because it comes up unknown.
DETECTIVE KERRIN (O.S.)
This is probably a sick joke but if she calls back, try and get all the information you can and call me right away. My personal number is 215-555-1212.
ASHLEY VALENTINE (defeated)
OK, thank you.
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