Affection (2025)

[bunniefuu]

-[crickets chirping]

-[engine rattling]

[car door beeping]

[engine rattling continues]

[car door beeping continues]

[engine rattling continues]

[car door beeping continues]

[engine rattling continues]

[gasping, coughing]

[groaning]

[whimpering]

[groaning]

[score intensifies]

[whimpering]

[gasping]

[groaning]

[nails scratching]

[breathing heavily]

[groaning]

[breathing heavily]

[engine humming continues]

[Ellie groaning]

-[tires screeching]

-[tense electronic music]

[engine rumbling]

No!

[body smashing]

[crickets chirping]

[gasping]

[breathing heavily]

[breathing uneasily]

[blankets rustling]

[gasping]

[breathing uneasily]

[blankets rustling]

[breathing softly]

[breathing heavily]

[breathing heavily]

-Honey.

-[gasps]

-Everything okay?

-[breathes heavily]

Ellie.

Who are you?

Who are you?

Okay.

Where am I?

People will be looking for me.

-[tense electronic music]

-Ellie, breathe.

[Ellie breathes angrily]

Ah.

Okay, let's just talk.

Stay back.

I'm not gonna hurt you.

Stay back!

Ellie, Ellie.

Calm down.

I just wanna talk to you, okay?

Just talk.

-[Bruce groaning]

-[Ellie breathes heavily]

Do not get up.

I will knock you the f*ck

back down.

Ellie, please.

Mommy.

[Bruce]

It's okay.

Mommy just had a bad dream.

[Ellie] What did you do

with my husband?

-I am your husband.

-[Alice whimpering]

Where's my son?

-This is our daughter Alice.

-No.

Am I drugged?

Is that what's going on?

You must have drugged me.

What is going on?

You were involved in an

accident. You're confused.

I am not confused! I want

to know what's going on now!

[gasps]

[fire poker clattering]

[gasps] What have you,

what have you done to me?

Oh my...[whimpers]

Ellie, you're having

a memory lapse.

It's a side effect

of your condition.

No. Stop calling me that.

That's not my name!

Stop calling me that! [whimpers]

-[Ellie] It's okay.

-No.

You're safe.

-We love you.

-No, no.

[Ellie breathing heavily]

Please help me. Help me,

something's really wrong.

Something's wrong.

Something's really wrong

with me.

-It's okay.

-[sobs] Please help me.

I've got you.

-Help me, please.

-I've got you.

I'm right here.

[whimpering]

Everything's gonna be okay.

I've got you. I'm right here.

[Ellie breathing uneasily]

[Bruce] "Then, just as the wolf

was coming down the chimney,

the little piggy pulled

off the lid and plop,

in fell the wolf

into the scalding water.

So, the little piggy

put on the cover again,

boiled the wolf up,

and the three little pigs

ate him for supper."

-[book thudding]

-[Bruce chuckling]

Okay, buck, time for bed.

[kisses]

-Dad.

-Yeah?

I like the way mom

does the voices.

I miss how she used to be.

I know. I do, too.

-Does she still love me?

-[soft dramatic music]

[Bruce] Of course, she does.

But she doesn't remember me.

Mommy will always

love you always, always,

no matter what, and so will I.

I love you, too, Dad.

Oh, baby. [exhales]

You okay? Okay.

[door creaks and shuts]

["Twinkle, Twinkle,

Little Star" plays]

[eerie electronic music]

[field rustling]

[birds chirping]

Hi.

How are you feeling?

Strange.

It's going to take

a little time.

It always does.

Is that what the doctors say?

Ellie,

your condition is not typical.

We've been to the best

neurological specialists

in the field.

Can I recover?

What they told us was

sometimes, in rare cases,

after a traumatic event,

like your accident,

the brain can pull pieces

of information you've collected

throughout the course

of your life.

Maybe something you saw

on a TV show,

a story you read about,

or a person you met,

and it strings them

into false memories,

-just like when you dream,

-No, uh...

how your subconscious

fabricates fictional experience.

I know the difference

between what's real

and what's a dream.

It can seem very real.

No, no. I know specific

details. [breathes uneasily]

I know my name, Sarah Thompson.

I, I have a family, a son,

and a husband.

I, I remember my childhood

growing up in Maine.

I, I have a degree

in computer science

from Columbia, for God's sake.

You don't.

I need to make a phone call.

I, I need to leave.

Ellie,

a large part of

your recovery is isolation.

No neighbors, no phone service.

We made this decision

together to come out here.

[soft dramatic music]

You just need time.

We need to slowly rebuild

the connections

to your real memories.

[Bruce exhaling]

House.

-[card rustling]

-Great.

How about dog?

You always say the same ones.

Do I?

-See?

-Hmm.

There's more gray ones today.

[sighs] Well, that's what

happens when you get older.

[shower spraying]

[soft dramatic music]

Anything coming back?

No.

Your parents.

Joe and Eva.

[Ellie] Am I close with them?

You were.

They passed.

[Ellie] Oh, wow!

Oh, you look so good, sweetie!

Can I help with the camera?

-[Ellie] Of course.

-[Bruce] Where did you get this,

Ellie, anyway?

[Ellie] I think that

was from my grandma.

Remember,

I inherited that big box?

Oh, yes.

Along with your good looks.

[Ellie laughing]

So that's you always

wanted to be my guy, huh?

Gonna answer me? [chuckles]

You should not be watching

this. Inappropriate.

-[insects chittering]

-[spray hissing]

[Alice laughing]

Dad, Mr. Bunny's getting bored.

[Bruce]

Oh, really?

Well, you tell Mr. Bunny

we're almost done.

What are you drawing?

Me, Mr. Bunny, you, and Daddy.

[tool rattling]

Alice, I'm really sorry about

what happened last night.

I know that must have

been pretty scary for you.

It's okay, Mommy.

Sometimes, you just have

a hard time remembering.

[soft out-of-tune piano playing]

She's out.

What's gonna happen to me?

What do you mean?

When my memories come back?

My, um... [chuckles]

my real memories.

Am I just gonna disappear?

It's just...

Oh, God, it feels like I

have someone else's memories

and not my own,

down to the last detail.

Over time, they will fade.

Oh, I remember being

pregnant, but with a son.

I remember my husband,

uh, my, my other husband.

I, I remember other parents,

another childhood,

other friends.

I, I remember what I

had for dinner last week

as Sarah Thompson.

It's part of

the recovery process.

Your mind still needs

to reestablish

the connections

to your real memories.

But what happens

to this version of me

when those memories

go away?

Nothing happens.

Then you're just, Ellie,

my wife,

Alice's mother.

["Turn Back Around" by Jeeve

and Anthony Fedorov playing]

This is our song.

[chuckles]

But how can I be

the woman that you loved

if I, I can't even remember

anything

about our lives together?

[chuckles]

Sophomore year.

Homecoming dance.

And I just keep on

I've etched every detail

in my mind.

[chuckling]

The warmth of your hand

on my neck.

How the light danced

in your eyes.

How your lip gloss shimmered

when you smiled. [chuckles]

How I used every bit...

of courage to kiss you.

[music continues]

Time stopped,

and it was just you and me

and this song,

echoing through the auditorium.

And I knew in that moment

I was gonna love you

for the rest of my life.

Turn back around

[chuckles]

I need a second chance

to care this way

Turn back around

Baby, I still love you

Turn back around

[crickets chirping]

[Alice screaming]

[Bruce and Ellie gasping]

It was trying to get me!

[sobbing]

-What was it?

-It was a monster.

It was like me,

but it wasn't me.

It wasn't me. [sobbing]

-[Alice whimpering]

-Shh.

Do you remember what we

do to get rid of monsters?

They're afraid of bright light.

If there are any monsters,

this will scare them away.

[tense electronic music]

What's your favorite animal?

-Bunnies.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Have we ever gotten you

a bunny?

No, but daddy got me Mr. Bunny.

[Ellie chuckling]

It's pretty.

[soft dramatic music]

You need one, too.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

[Ellie chuckling]

Pretty.

[both chuckling]

Three, two, one, go.

[both blowing]

Okay, that was pretty good,

but I think you're gonna

have to try a little harder

than that to beat my bubbles.

What kind of stuff do

we like to do together?

-Do everything together.

-Well, yeah,

but what's your favorite?

Mm, probably the zoo.

Okay. How about this?

If your bubble beats my bubble,

we can go on a date to the zoo.

Deal.

[chuckles] Okay.

-You wanna count us down?

-Sure.

Okay.

Three, two, one.

[chuckling]

I think you just won

yourself a trip to the zoo.

Grandpa Joe's gonna take me

to the zoo.

[tense electronic music]

Alice, when was the last

time you talked to Grandpa Joe?

I talk to him all the time.

When?

Just last week. So did you.

Let's play Hotter/Colder.

What?

Mom, we always play this game.

-Uh...

-It's like Hide and Seek.

I'll go first.

You have to close your eyes.

No cheating.

You have to start counting.

One, two,

three, four,

five, six,

seven, eight,

nine, ten.

[tense electronic music]

-[wind whistling]

-[field rustling]

Hot or cold?

Hot or cold?

Alice! Hot or cold?

[Alice, distant] Cold!

Hot or cold?

[insects chittering]

[Alice, closer] Warmer!

Hot or cold?

Alice, come on. Hot or cold?

-[tense electronic music]

-[plastic crinkling]

[tense electronic music

continues]

[person groaning]

[person gasping]

[person wheezing]

-[intense electronic music]

-[Ellie gasping]

[Ellie panting and whimpering]

Alice!

Alice, get back to the house!

Get back to the house now!

You win!

Alice! [panting]

Alice!

[whimpering]

Alice!

-[tense electronic music]

-I win.

Come on, we have to go.

What's wrong, Mommy?

[gasps] Run!

-Come on.

-I'm scared, Mommy!

Why are you running?

Was it the monster, Mommy?

-Okay, come on!

-Where is it?

[both panting]

Are you okay? Are you sure?

I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Ellie breathing heavily]

Well?

[sighs] I've searched all over.

There's no sign of anyone

or anything.

[sighing]

Maybe it was a hunting accident,

and they already

went to get help.

It wasn't a hunting accident.

Something is out there.

There's nothing out there.

[breathes uneasily] Fine.

If you don't believe me,

then I'll go out there myself.

No.

[sighs] Okay.

I'll go check

with the authorities

and tell them to keep

an eye out, okay?

Okay, fine.

You just stay here

and lock the door.

[door creaking]

[Ellie sighing]

[breathes uneasily]

Was it the monster, Mommy?

Is it going to get us?

I'm not gonna let

anything happen to you.

Okay?

-[Ellie breathing uneasily]

-[tense electronic music]

Sweetheart, what's on your neck?

I don't know. It was

just there when I woke up.

It doesn't really hurt.

When?

[Alice] I don't remember.

-[insects chittering]

-[trees rustling]

[eerie electronic music]

We need to look again.

Ellie,

I've searched the area twice.

I've spoken with the local

authorities.

They said they would let us know

if they find anything.

How? How are they gonna

let us know?

We don't have any service

out here.

They'll drive up here.

They know who we are

and where we live.

There is still a person

out there.

[sighs] I know this

has been hard for you--

Uh, she could be hurt,

she could be dangerous,

-and you're just not doing

anything about it, you're just--

-Ellie.

Ellie!

[Bruce breathing uneasily]

You must have had some

sort of stress hallucination!

It wasn't a g*dd*mn

hallucination!

[groaning]

[Bruce]

Oh, God.

[gasping]

What's happening to me?

[gasping]

I don't want you

to go away again.

Oh, honey.

Oh, sweetheart.

[sobs] Don't leave me.

Don't forget about me

again, Mommy.

I'm trying to help you.

You have to remember.

I wanna remember, sweetie.

I'm trying so hard to remember.

[gasping, grunting]

Alice.

L-Let's have a girl's day.

I'll get Mr. Bunny,

we'll help you, Mommy.

-We'll help you.

-[Ellie gasping]

-Alice, don't be scared.

-[Alice breathes heavily]

[gasps] Sweetie.

[Alice sobbing]

Alice.

Alice!

[groaning]

Oh.

[sighs]

[breathing heavily]

[sighing]

[groaning]

[gasping, groaning]

[footsteps tapping]

[breathing heavily]

Let me help you up.

[breathing heavily]

I think you're getting worse.

[sighs]

Do you remember anything?

Anything from our lives?

[Ellie breathing uneasily]

Can you remember

where I proposed to you?

No.

I don't wanna do this right now.

Shh. Do you remember anything?

Anything at all from our lives?

Do you remember?

Tell me you remember something.

Tell me you remember something.

Do you remember? Tell me

you remember something!

-No.

-Tell me you remember something!

I don't want...[gasping]

Tell me you remember something!

-[choking]

-Tell me you remember!

Tell me you remember something!

-[gasping]

-[table creaking]

[breathing heavily]

[choking]

Get, get, get off!

[grunting]

Let go! [choking]

[groaning]

Daddy, what are you doing?

You're hurting Mommy!

-[Bruce grunting]

-[Ellie gasping]

Stop hurting her!

Mommy has a monster inside

of her.

Go to your room

and lock the door!

Now!

Uh!

[breathing heavily]

[groaning]

[Bruce]

Ellie, stop!

[panting]

[panting]

Ellie?

Honey?

[breathing heavily]

Uh!

[Ellie groaning]

[lights click and buzz]

[suspenseful electronic music]

[camera beeps and whirs]

If you are watching this,

you are wondering

where you are and who you are.

Your name is Bruce Carter.

That is not your real body,

human-like in form,

but non-human in origin.

A synthetic life form combined

with your biological DNA.

The first of its kind.

[gasps, sighs]

[Bruce on TV] Your wife

and daughter are not dead.

You have the technology

to bring them back.

You created it.

Their identities are lost

among thousands of others,

digitized and ingested

into a master database.

Each file must be implanted

and observed

for a period of time

to determine its identity.

This is not a perfect science.

A first boot consciousness

assimilation period

can take days or weeks.

You have to be sure.

You must be sure.

Alice needs her mother.

Ellie is not dead.

-[tape clacking]

-[camera beeps and whirs]

I already told you!

My name is not Ellie Carter!

My name is Molly Evans!

I don't know any

of these people!

Please, just let me

out of here!

Just let me out of here!

[groaning]

[gasping]

Please. Please.

Please. No, no.

Please,

please just let me go home.

-I just wanna go home.

-Look at the photos.

-Look at the photos.

-Mm-mmm.

-Look at the photos.

-No.

-Look at the photos.

-No.

-Try to remember.

-No.

Sit down and look.

[Ellie spitting]

[both breathing heavily]

You listen very carefully

to me.

You are Ellie Carter,

and if you don't come

to terms with that,

you will continue

to deteriorate.

You will slip in a total

identity rejection,

eventually becoming nothing

more than an animated

hunk of flesh driven only by

a primal instinct to survive!

No, no! f*ck off!

f*ck you! f*ck you!

-[camera clattering]

-[static buzzing]

[Ellie gasping]

[Ellie groaning]

-[head smashing]

-[Ellie gasping]

[Ellie groaning]

Locating Ellie's consciousness

in the MMR database

has been unsuccessful.

Complications are a result

of total identity rejection.

[Ellie wheezing]

Much like when the body

rejects an organ transplant.

If implanted consciousness

file does not bind

with embedded DNA,

total identity rejection

is imminent and must be

terminated.

Onset of identity rejection

begins

with small tremors usually

in the hands.

Once subject begins to

experience seizures,

- there is no coming back.

-[Ellie gasping]

During identity rejection,

subject becomes violent

and unpredictable.

Because subjects are not human,

they're much more resilient.

They heal faster,

they're stronger.

- Termination can be difficult,

-[Ellie gasping]

but it must be done.

No, aah!

[groaning]

Ah!

-No, no, no, no!

-[Bruce grunting]

-[pipe whacking continues]

-[bones cracking]

[flesh squelching]

[breathing heavily]

[tense electronic music]

[static buzzing]

[door creaking]

[breathing uneasily]

It's okay, buck. It's okay now.

Where's mommy?

She's resting.

Can a monster get inside me?

No.

No,

I would never let that happen.

And you have this.

Why didn't you

shine a light on Mommy

to scare the monster away?

I was afraid.

And sometimes,

when people are scared,

they don't make

the right decision,

but if it happens again,

that's what we'll do.

Okay? Promise.

Mommy's okay now.

Come here.

Come here. It's okay.

[soft whimpering]

Shh.

Okay.

[deep sigh]

Everything is gonna be okay.

[Alice sobbing]

Everything's gonna be okay.

Everything.

[Alice whimpering]

Shh. It's okay.

No! No!

-[body rustling]

-No!

-Help!

-Shh...

Help!

-All those bad memories,

-[Alice groaning]

all those bad memories

will all just go away.

[body rustling]

-[exhales]

-[body goes still]

[exhaling]

[tense electronic music]

[lights buzzing]

-[computer beeping]

-[keyboard clattering]

[clacking on keyboard]

[mouse clicking]

I'm starting to think...

I may never find Ellie.

[organism squishing]

[computer beeping]

[engine rumbling]

-[organism squishing]

-[clock ticking]

[score builds in intensity]

-[music stops]

-[wind whistling]

[sobbing]

[screaming]

[clock ticking]

[organism squishing]

[gurgling]

[keyboard clattering]

[computer beeping]

[automated voice]

Extraction device activated.

[scanner whirring]

Please hold still.

Calibrating.

In neural pathway.

Matching connectome to DNA.

Creating consciousness file.

Um, okay.

[chuckles] I think this is on.

[chuckling]

-[crickets chirping]

-[light buzzing]

[groaning]

[whimpering]

[moaning]

[gasping]

[groaning]

[Alice] Hi, Daddy.

[Alice And Ellie]

We miss you.

Can't wait until you come home.

Thank you for my present.

I love Easter bunny.

He plays a song.

-What song does he play?

-He plays...

Twinkle, twinkle

little star

How I wonder what you are

[Ellie] Mm. [kisses]

[groaning]

[computer beeping]

[Ellie groaning]

[automated voice]

Extraction device activated.

[scanner whirring]

- Please hold still.

-[Ellie groaning]

Hold still for scanning.

[Ellie gasping]

You must hold still

for successful results.

[Ellie groaning]

Calibrating.

Matching connectome to DNA.

[Ellie groaning]

Scanning neural pathways.

[scanner whirring]

[Ellie grunting]

[computer beeping]

Creating consciousness file.

-[mouse clicking]

-[Ellie groaning]

[computer beeping]

-[mouse clicking]

-[Ellie groaning]

[computer whirring]

[groaning]

Ow!

[gasping]

[wheezing]

[groaning]

[breathing heavily]

Alice.

Bruce, I love you more than

anything in the whole world.

You are my best friend,

an amazing husband and father,

and I miss the hell outta you.

-[crickets chirping]

-[field rustling]

[groaning]

[gasping]

[groaning]

[gasping]

[grunting]

[squishing]

An amazing husband and father,

and I miss the hell outta you.

And I miss the hell outta you.

And I miss the hell outta you.

And I miss the hell outta you.

[alarm ringing]

[computer beeping]

-[computer beeping]

-[mouser clicking]

[computer whirring]

[automated voice]

Implant successful.

[computer beeping]

[device clicks and buzzes]

[zapping]

[gasping]

Shh. It's okay.

I'm here.

I'm cold, Daddy.

Okay.

Okay. I'm right here.

Everything is gonna be okay.

[door creaks and shuts]

["Twinkle, Twinkle,

Little Star" plays]

[flashlight buzzing]

[device clicks and buzzes]

[device zapping]

[gasps, sighs]

Mm.

Bruce.

Ellie.

-[sighing]

-Mm.

Did I wake you?

No. [exhales]

[breathing uneasily]

No way.

Hi.

Hi.

Ellie?

Oh, baby, what's wrong?

Nothing.

I just love you so much.

Huh. I love you, too.

[both moaning]

[Ellie groaning]

We're gonna be

a real family again.

[lights buzzing]

[computer beeping]

[inhaling]

[keyboard clattering]

-[mouse clicking]

-[computer beeping]

[Bruce]

So many years have passed.

The things I did to save them.

The memories I can never

be free from.

This is my final log entry.

I kept going for them.

I never stopped for them.

I never gave up for them.

I will always imagine waking

up to the life I never lived.

I'm giving this gift to myself,

myself that will never know

how many times

my heart has broken,

reaching to live the moments

that haven't happened yet.

Those moments are all

I've ever wanted.

- I love you, Ellie.

-[engine rumbling]

I love you, Alice.

[engine rumbling]

[clock ticking]

[Ellie groaning]

[gasping]

[groaning]

-[computer beeping]

-[keyboard clattering]

[computer beeping]

[exhaling sharply]

[groaning]

[gasping]

Help me.

Please. [gasping]

[groaning]

Help me. [gasping]

[groaning]

[wheezing]

[gasping]

[groaning]

[suspenseful electronic music]

Don't be scared, Mr. Bunny.

[switch clicking]

-[keyboard clattering]

-[clock ticking]

[breathing heavily]

[door clicks and creaks]

[gasping]

[wheezing]

[computer whirring]

Mom?

Dad?

[sighing]

Stay right here,

Mr. Bunny. Okay?

Mr. Bunny.

[drawer scraping]

-[clock ticking]

-[gas hissing]

[static buzzing]

Mom, Dad, where are you?

[gas hissing]

["Twinkle, Twinkle,

Little Star" playing]

[breathing uneasily]

[Ellie gasping]

[whimpering]

[gurgling]

-[screaming]

-[gas hissing]

What was I supposed to do

knowing I could save them?

Grieve, like everybody else.

I've grieved every second

of every day.

I used to be a person!

I used to have a life.

But now? I'm not your wife.

I'm not even the person

that I used to be.

I'm just this thing you created.

I'm nothing.

Please.

You have to stop.

You have to let her go.

[device clicks and buzzes]

I'll never let her go.

-[gas hissing]

-[Bruce gasping]

Come on! No! [groans]

[device buzzing]

-[Ellie grunting]

-[Bruce groaning]

[Ellie groaning]

[panting]

[Alice panting]

[Ellie gasping]

[wheezing]

[whimpers] Mommy, Daddy,

where are you? [sobbing]

[breathes heavily]

This is what it takes.

This is what it means

to love someone.

When you love someone,

you don't give up on them.

Never give up on them.

[gasping]

[gasping]

[gasping]

[Ellie groaning]

[gasping]

Ellie!

[gasping]

Ellie!

-[gas hissing]

-[Bruce screaming]

[Bruce groaning]

-Ellie!

-[match striking]

[grunts]

I'm not f*cking Ellie! [grunts]

-[fire roaring]

-[Bruce screaming]

[fire crackling]

[breathing uneasily]

[Ellie whimpering]

[crickets chirping]

Mommy? Mommy!

[both breathing heavily]

Are you okay? Are you hurt?

I scared the monster away.

I saved you.

[chuckles] You did. You did.

Oh, my baby girl.

I need you to be brave

for just a little bit longer.

Okay? Now close your eyes

really, really tight.

Come on. Uh!

We're going for a ride.

[alarm clock ringing]

[computer whirring]

-[pod squishing]

-[automated voice]

Implant successful.

[gasping]

[gasping]

[wheezing]

[coughing]

[gasping]

[groaning]

[gasping]

[gasping]

[gasps]

[breathing uneasily]

[whimpering]

[gasping]

[whimpering]

[gentle piano music]

Bruce?

[soft dramatic music]