- 7 hours ago
Verity's Lie
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Mom, please. It hurts.
00:03Nice try, Stella. Faking sick to crash our night?
00:07Pathological.
00:10Sorry, Mom. I won't lie anymore.
00:12My mom called me a liar from the day I was born.
00:15Not because I actually lied, but because of this thing on my wrist.
00:19The Verity Band.
00:20Mom was obsessed with science-based parenting.
00:23So when my twin sister Emma and I were born, she strapped these bands on us.
00:28Green light means truth.
00:30Red light means you're manipulating reality.
00:33Emma's band? Always green.
00:35She could literally cut up Mom's designer dress and blame the cat.
00:38And that little device would glow like a Christmas tree.
00:43Not me.
00:44She'd say.
00:45Green light. Believed.
00:47Me? I'd say.
00:48Mom, I'm hungry.
00:50And flash.
00:51Red light. Instant punishment.
00:53And Mom's punishment wasn't gentle.
00:55No food.
00:57Locked in my room.
00:58Digital blackout.
00:59No phone.
01:00No Wi-Fi.
01:01Nothing.
01:03The machine doesn't lie, Stella.
01:06The machine doesn't lie, Stella.
01:09Starve now.
01:10Learn later.
01:11I'm doing this for your own good.
01:13After ten years of this, I started believing it too.
01:17Maybe I really was born wrong.
01:19New Year's Eve.
01:20Everything changed.
01:21Mom was getting ready to take Emma to see the ball drop in Times Square.
01:25And that's when the pain hit like a knife twisting in my gut.
01:29I collapsed on the floor, my skeletal frame curling into itself.
01:35The door handle turned.
01:37For one second, I thought she's coming back.
01:40She's a doctor.
01:41She'll know something's wrong.
01:42Hurry up!
01:43The fireworks are starting!
01:44Emma's waiting!
01:45Mama, please.
01:47Something's really wrong.
01:49Hurry up, Stella.
01:51I feel like I'm dying.
01:54She glanced at my wrist.
01:55Red light.
01:56Flashing like crazy.
01:58Stella, how long are you going to keep this up?
02:01Can't you just be honest?
02:03Stay here and think about what you've done.
02:05Dad appeared in the doorway.
02:07Honey, should we at least leave her some food?
02:09Mom stood up, brushing off her hands like I was dirt.
02:11Food?
02:12She has a stash of snacks she bought with stolen money.
02:15She won't starve.
02:17Lock the door.
02:18When that band turns green, we'll talk.
02:21But what?
02:23Soft parenting is why she's like this.
02:25Look at Emma.
02:27Her band is always green.
02:29Stella's just a compulsive liar.
02:30She needs discipline.
02:32But my closet was empty.
02:34Emma stole that money.
02:36Emma ate those snacks.
02:38Emma just stood there with her glowing green band saying,
02:41Not me.
02:42And Mom believed her.
02:44I tried to defend myself once.
02:46I didn't take it either.
02:47Red light.
02:48Three days locked up with nothing but bread and water.
02:53Mom turned to leave.
02:55Emma peeked through the door.
02:56Made a face at me.
02:58Bye, sis.
03:00We're gonna see the pretty fireworks.
03:01Her band glowed soft green.
03:03So pretty.
03:04The door locked.
03:05The house went silent.
03:07Just me alone.
03:08The pain was unbearable.
03:10But I kept thinking, Mom's right.
03:12The machine doesn't lie.
03:14The band is red.
03:15So I must be lying.
03:17I am not in pain.
03:18I am not in pain.
03:20I am not in pain.
03:21I kept repeating it like a prayer.
03:24Eventually, I almost believed it.
03:26The pain.
03:27Dulled.
03:27Or maybe I was just going numb.
03:29I crawled to my desk.
03:30I had to write.
03:31That was the rule.
03:33If the band glowed red, I had to pen a thousand.
03:36Word apology essay or Mom would never let me out.
03:38I am a liar.
03:40Write it down and maybe Mom would forgive me.
03:42Maybe she'd even take me to the hospital.
03:45I opened my journal pages and pages of apologies I'd written over the years.
03:49Sorry I lied.
03:50I won't do it again.
03:52But this time, I wanted to write the truth.
03:54My vision blurred.
03:55I could barely see.
03:57My hand shook as I wrote.
03:59Mom, I really love you.
04:00It really hurts.
04:02Why won't you believe me?
04:03Please believe me just once.
04:05The moment I finished the last word, the pain vanished.
04:09Just gone.
04:10I felt light.
04:11Weightless.
04:12I looked down.
04:13I was floating and there, slumped over the desk, was my body.
04:17Motionless.
04:17The Verity band still flashing red on a dead girl's wrist.
04:21Oh, I am dead.
04:23But I never learned how to be honest.
04:25Sorry, Mom.
04:28I heard laughter.
04:29Mom, Dad, Emma coming through the front door.
04:34Tonight's fireworks were amazing.
04:36Especially that smiley face one.
04:37Just like our Emma.
04:38Mom's voice was so warm.
04:40I'd never heard her sound like that when she talked about me.
04:42I floated toward them, my ghost self-moving on instinct.
04:46I just wanted to welcome them home.
04:48That is what I always did.
04:49Mom!
04:50I reached out to hug her.
04:51My arms passed right through her body like wind.
04:54Why is it so cold in here?
04:56Is the heat off?
04:57I stood there, staring at my transparent hands.
04:59Right.
05:00Dead people can't hug the living.
05:01Should we check on Stella?
05:03She hasn't eaten.
05:04Still the good cop.
05:05I looked at Mom hopefully.
05:07If she finds me dead, will she be sad?
05:09Will she regret it?
05:11Mom snorted.
05:12Starve for all I care.
05:13This whole fake sick for attention thing is out of control.
05:19She pushed open my door.
05:20Didn't even turn on the light.
05:22In the dim glow from the hallway.
05:23She saw me slumped over my desk.
05:26I looked like a skeleton.
05:27Hadn't moved.
05:28Still putting on an act?
05:29Think I'll carry you to bed?
05:36I screamed at her, only two feet away.
05:39Mom!
05:39I'm not playing!
05:41I'm dead!
05:41Look at me!
05:42Touch me!
05:42I'm freezing!
05:44She couldn't hear me.
05:45She only believed what she wanted to see.
05:48Emma squeezed past her, held up her wrist with that smug little grin.
05:52Look!
05:52My band's green.
05:54Stella's is still red.
05:55She's lying even in her dreams.
05:57Mom patted Emma's head.
05:59That's my good girl.
06:01Ignore the liar.
06:02Let her stay there.
06:05Should we at least put her in bed?
06:07It's freezing.
06:09Mom cut him off.
06:11Put her in bed?
06:13The parenting expert says cold treatment is the answer.
06:17Look at that red light.
06:18She's still in full defiance mode.
06:20No reflection at all.
06:21Come on, we have to visit grandma tomorrow.
06:24The door locked again.
06:25I floated next to my corpse staring at that single point of red light in the darkness.
06:30Mom, if you'd just stepped closer, if you'd just touched my hand, you'd know I was ice
06:35cold.
06:36But you didn't.
06:37You believed the machine, not the daughter you carried for nine months.
06:43That night, a rat crawled out of my empty closet.
06:45I used to scream whenever I saw rats.
06:48But now I just floated by the ceiling, watching it scurry across my dead body.
06:53It bit into my toe.
06:54But no blood came out at all.
06:56I didn't feel anything.
06:58Finally, no more pain.
07:01It's okay.
07:02You can't feel it anymore.
07:04It'll be over soon.
07:06The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window.
07:09No warmth reached my body.
07:11In the kitchen, I could hear mom making breakfast.
07:14The smell of bacon and eggs crept under my door.
07:18My favorite.
07:19But mom always said liars don't deserve meat.
07:21So I only ever got steamed broccoli.
07:24She was clanging the pans extra loud on purpose, trying to tempt me out, trying to make me give
07:29in and apologize for things I never did.
07:31In the old days, I might have caved.
07:34I might have confessed to anything for one bite of scrambled eggs.
07:37But I don't need food anymore.
07:42Has Stella still not come out?
07:45She's too stubborn.
07:47If she wants to starve, that's her choice.
07:49Let her stay hungry.
07:50When she can't take it anymore, she'll come out and apologize.
07:53Emma walked to my door and made a big show of sniffing the air.
07:56Then she screamed dramatically.
07:59Mom!
08:00Stella's room smells gross!
08:01Did she poop in there?
08:02I floated by the door, watching my sister with bitter amusement.
08:05The heat was on full blast.
08:07After just one night, my body had started to rot.
08:10Now mom would hate me even more.
08:13Stella!
08:14Are you an animal?
08:15The bathroom is right there!
08:17Did you really poop on the floor just to upset me?
08:21I remembered being six.
08:23I had food poisoning, couldn't make it to the bathroom in time.
08:26Soiled my pants.
08:28Mom didn't help me clean up.
08:29She made me stand in the yard, pointed at me, and told the neighbors.
08:33Look at this!
08:34She's such a mess!
08:36She can't even use the toilet by herself!
08:38Now she thought I was dirty again.
08:40Leave her.
08:42Let her sit in her own stink.
08:45But dad stood up, frowning.
08:48That smells really bad.
08:49I should check.
08:50Could be a dead mouse or something.
08:51My heart.
08:52If I still had one left.
08:54Dad, please!
08:55Open the door!
08:56I'm right here!
08:57Just turn the handle and you'll see I'm not moving.
08:59You'll see my face is black!
09:01Please!
09:01I waved my transparent arms frantically.
09:03Dad's hand touched the doorknob.
09:07His phone was ringing.
09:08Dad's face went pale.
09:10Hello?
09:11What?
09:11The server crashed?
09:12Dad's face went pale.
09:13Okay, okay.
09:14I'm on my way.
09:15He grabbed his coat.
09:17Honey, there's an emergency at work.
09:19I'll be gone for a few days.
09:22Wait!
09:22What about Stella?
09:24He was already out the door.
09:26I froze.
09:27So close.
09:28One second away.
09:29If that call had come one second later, I would have been found.
09:33Maybe then I wouldn't have rotted alone.
09:35That afternoon, Mom took Emma shopping.
09:38The house was empty except for my corpse.
09:40When they came back that night, loaded down with fancy lobster and gist, the smell had
09:45gotten worse.
09:46Mom gagged the second she walked in.
09:48Stella, are you trying to turn this place into a dump?
09:50She didn't even open my door.
09:52Just grabbed duct tape and sealed the gap at the bottom.
09:55You want to be disgusting?
09:56Fine.
09:57Stew in it.
09:59Don't stink up my house.
10:00She patted her hands together, satisfied.
10:03Then went to steam the lobster.
10:04I stared at that sealed door.
10:07My last shred of hope suffocated under that tape.
10:10So that is it.
10:11I am worth less than a lobster dinner.
10:15By day three, even the duct tape couldn't contain the smell.
10:18Mom was arranging fresh flowers, trying to cover it up.
10:21But the stench of death is unmistakable.
10:24Sweet, rotten, oily.
10:26She cut a rose stem too hard.
10:28A thorn pierced her hand.
10:29She snapped.
10:31In her mind, I was doing this on purpose.
10:33Not showering, going to the bathroom on the floor.
10:37Hiding dead rats in my room.
10:38All to piss her off.
10:40To defy her authority.
10:42Stella!
10:42She grabbed a rolling pin from the kitchen, stormed toward my room.
10:46I'm done with you!
10:47You disgusting little brat!
10:50Time you learned what real pain feels like!
10:52I floated in front of her, waving my arms desperately.
10:55Don't come in, Mom!
10:56Please!
10:58I'm decomposed!
10:59You'll be scared!
11:00Even though she never loved me, I didn't want her to see me like that.
11:03But she walked right to me.
11:06Ripped the tape off.
11:07Jam the spare key in the lock.
11:09The door flew open.
11:12The smell hit her like a wall.
11:14She stumbled back, dry heaping.
11:16Stella, what are you doing?
11:17She saw me, still slumped over the desk, back turned, not moving.
11:20To her, this was the ultimate rebellion.
11:22I'm talking to you!
11:23She marched over, raised the rolling hen, but stopped.
11:26She wanted to see my face first.
11:28Wanted to see my defiant expression.
11:30Get up!
11:30She grabbed my shoulder.
11:32Grabbed my skin.
11:33The moment she touched me, she froze.
11:34Through the thin fabric, her hand didn't feel warm flesh.
11:37She felt cold, hard, dead meat.
11:39The kind of cold that seeps into your bones.
11:41What?
11:42But momentum carried her forward.
11:43She yanked.
11:44Crash!
11:45My body stiff as a bard.
11:47Toppled backward.
11:48Taking the chair with it.
11:49That was my face.
11:50Blue-black.
11:51Eyes closed.
11:52Features twisted in agony.
11:54Dried foam and blood crusted around my mouth.
11:57On my blackened wrist, the Verity band hung lifeless.
12:00No red light.
12:01No green light.
12:02Just silence.
12:03Thud.
12:04My journal lay open at Mom's feet.
12:06The last page stared up at her.
12:08Mom.
12:09The band had punished me.
12:12Mom screamed.
12:13Not a human sound.
12:14A raw, gaddial shriek that tore through her throat.
12:16She stumbled backward, slammed into the bookshelf.
12:18A vase shattered.
12:19But she didn't seem to feel the pain.
12:20She just stared at me.
12:21Eyes wide.
12:22Unblinking.
12:22No.
12:23No, no, no.
12:24This is makeup.
12:25Special effects.
12:25Stila, get up.
12:27I'm not mad anymore.
12:27Stop scaring me.
12:29Her hand reached out, trembling, to touch my arm.
12:31The second her skin made contact with my corpse, she recoiled like she'd been burned.
12:36That cold was too real.
12:39Mrs. Lisa from next door called 911.
12:42She'd heard the screaming.
12:43When she saw what was in my room, she collapsed in the hallway.
12:47Within minutes, sirens.
12:49Police.
12:50A medical examiner.
12:52They pulled up the crime scene tape.
12:55Cameras flashed over my body.
12:57Mom sat on the couch.
12:59A female officer's hand on her shoulder.
13:00She was babbling.
13:01She was faking.
13:02She always lies.
13:05I was doing it for her own good.
13:06No one responded.
13:08They all looked at her like she was a monster.
13:10Severe malnutrition.
13:12Organ failure.
13:13This child was starving for at least a month.
13:17Damn.
13:19Even dead, my soul still recoiled.
13:23A cop picked up my journal.
13:25Put on gloves.
13:26Started reading.
13:27His face went from neutral to horrified.
13:29Mom's eyes locked onto that book.
13:31Suddenly she lunged for it.
13:32That's her confession.
13:33She admits she lied.
13:35Look, she wrote it herself.
13:36The officer pushed her back.
13:38Slid the journal into an evidence bag.
13:42We'll determine what's true.
13:44That's when Dad got home.
13:45He saw the black body bag being wheeled out on a stretcher.
13:48Saw the long zipper that sealed away my entire life.
13:51His legs gave out.
13:52He collapsed.
13:53Wet himself.
13:54Emma stood now side.
13:55Sobbing in confusion.
13:57She pointed at the bloodstained Verity barn on the evidence table.
14:00Why is Stella's band black?
14:03Mine's still green.
14:04See?
14:04She held up her wrist.
14:05The green light blinked cheerfully.
14:08It was grotesque.
14:11The cops started questioning Mom in the living room.
14:13She grabbed the Verity band off the table like it was a life raft.
14:17Test it!
14:18That band proved she was lying.
14:20Red light means lie.
14:21I never abused her.
14:23The machine told me.
14:24I was just educating her.
14:26Ma'am, the victim shows signs of extreme malnutrition.
14:29The officer looked at her like she'd lost her mind.
14:31That's discipline.
14:33That's teaching her to be honest!
14:34Mom was shrieking now.
14:35You don't believe me?
14:36Then she did something insane.
14:38Fine.
14:39I'll wear it.
14:40I'm not lying.
14:41It'll be green.
14:41She snatched the band, still stained with my blood and bits of skin, and jammed it onto
14:45her own wrist.
14:46Click.
14:47Locked.
14:47The rubber pressed against her skin.
14:49Sticky.
14:50Cold.
14:51She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
14:53She needed to prove she was innocent.
14:55Needed to prove her parenting was right.
14:57She held up her wrist, eyes wild.
14:59Watch.
15:01I'm Rachel.
15:02I'm Stella's mother.
15:04That's a fact.
15:05Absolute truth.
15:08The red light exploded.
15:10Bright, violent, like a fresh wound tearing open.
15:12Mom's confident expression shattered.
15:14What?
15:15No, I said the truth.
15:16I am Rachel.
15:17She slapped the band like it was a broken TV.
15:19It's broken.
15:20The examiner broke it.
15:21Let me try again.
15:22She started talking faster, panic rising in her voice.
15:24I never abused her.
15:26I did it for her own good.
15:27I love her.
15:28The red light flashed faster.
15:30And suddenly she remembered.
15:34Lying on my side, knees drawn toward my abdomen, biting my lips so I wouldn't scream.
15:41Is this what it felt like?
15:42Red, why is it red?
15:43Red, I'm telling the truth.
15:45Turn green, you piece of junk.
15:47You're framing me.
15:53You're a liar.
15:55You're a liar.
15:56You're a liar.
15:59A tech officer stepped forward.
16:01He'd had enough of this circus.
16:03Enough.
16:05Stop.
16:07That device isn't a lie detector.
16:09He picked up the user manual they'd found during the search.
16:12Slammed it on the coffee table.
16:14This is a basic biomedic monitor.
16:16It measures skin connectivity and heart rate.
16:19When you're nervous, scared, in pain, your heart rate spikes.
16:23The light turns red.
16:24That's it.
16:25Think about your daughter.
16:26Ruptured andix.
16:27Organ failure.
16:28The pain must have been unbearable.
16:30Her heart was racing.
16:31She was terrified.
16:31And what did you see?
16:32A red light.
16:34So you punished her more.
16:35Which made her more scared.
16:36Which made her heart beat faster.
16:37Which made the light redder.
16:39You turned her cries for help into a torture device.
16:42You starved your daughter to death.
16:45Mom's world collapsed.
16:46She stared at the flashing red band on her wrist and finally understood.
16:50For ten years, every red light wasn't because I was lying.
16:54It was because I was scared.
16:56Scared of her anger.
16:58Scared of being misunderstood.
17:00Scared of eating food I was allergic to.
17:02I was in pain.
17:03Pain that made my heart race.
17:05I was desperate.
17:07Desperate for a hug.
17:08For her to hold me the way she held Emma.
17:11Every signal from my frightened heart she interpreted as proof of my lies.
17:17No!
17:17Get it off!
17:18Get it off!
17:20It's red!
17:21I'm not a liar!
17:22I'm not!
17:26I can't get it off!
17:31Stella!
17:33Take it back!
17:36I'm sorry!
17:40It's all my fault!
17:43I'm sorry!
17:44I'm sorry!
17:45I'm sorry!
17:46Mom, I suffered for ten years.
17:48This little bit of pain, and she was breaking.
17:50The cops needed evidence for charges, so they opened my journal in front of my parents.
17:54The female officer's voice was soft, but each word cut like a knife.
17:58February 14th.
17:59Sunny.
18:00Mom put celery on my plate.
18:02I'm allergic.
18:03My throat swells.
18:04I can't breathe.
18:04I said I can't eat it.
18:06But because I was scared of making her angry, my heart raced.
18:09Red light.
18:10Mom said I was picky.
18:11Lying.
18:12Made me eat the whole plate.
18:13That night I threw up blood.
18:15My throat felt like it was on fire.
18:17Mom saw it and said I'd snuck tomato juice.
18:20That I was faking.
18:23She punished me for ten more minutes.
18:26Mom's hand flew to her mouth.
18:27She was shaking violently.
18:29She remembered that night.
18:31She really did think it was tomato juice.
18:33She didn't even look closely.
18:35Just turned away to read Emma a bedtime story.
18:37That was blood.
18:39From a swollen, torn throat.
18:41June 1st.
18:42Children's Day.
18:43Emma cut up Mom's dress.
18:45Emma's heart rate is always slow, green light.
18:47I tried to explain, but I was scared of getting beaten, so my heart raced, red light.
18:52Mom punished me for ten minutes.
18:54Level five.
18:55It hurt so bad.
18:56But I didn't cry.
18:57Because crying makes your heart beat faster, and Mom thinks that means you're not sorry.
19:02So I held my breath.
19:03Pretended it didn't hurt.
19:05Mom said, see?
19:07Not even flinching.
19:09Must be faking it.
19:13Dad couldn't take it anymore.
19:15This man who'd been invisible for ten years, who always stayed out of it, he snapped.
19:21You monster!
19:23That was your daughter!
19:26You treated her like an animal!
19:28Mom collapsed onto the couch.
19:30Blood at the corner of her mouth.
19:31But she didn't fight back.
19:33Didn't cry.
19:34Not my fault.
19:35Not my fault.
19:36Then her eyes landed on Emma, cowering in the corner.
19:38It's her! It's Emma! Emma's band was always green!
19:41Emma was the good one!
19:42If it wasn't for that green light making me trust her, I wouldn't have believed the red light so much!
19:45This is Emma's fault!
19:46All eyes turned to Emma.
19:49That little princess we'd all protected.
19:52The cop walked over.
19:53Gently removed the green Verity band from her wrist.
19:56Took out a screwdriver.
19:57Tried it open right there.
19:58Crack.
19:59The plastic shell split.
20:00Inside, no sensors.
20:01No chips.
20:01No heart rate monitor.
20:02Just two cheap LED lights and a watch battery.
20:04The circuit was hardwired.
20:05Power on.
20:06Green light.
20:08This is a $2 toy.
20:10Your younger daughter's band was factory set to always be green.
20:13No matter what she said, did, or lied about, it would flow green.
20:16Your so-called science-based parenting was a joke.
20:18A sick, biased joke.
20:20My mom's a bitch.
20:21My parents hands were 해�ate it, don't you?
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