- 5 minutes ago
Verity's Lie
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:03Mom, please. It hurts.
00:06Nice try, Stella. Faking sick to crash our night? Pathological.
00:13Sorry, Mom. I won't lie anymore.
00:15My mom called me a liar from the day I was born.
00:18Not because I actually lied, but because of this thing on my wrist, the Verity Band.
00:23Mom was obsessed with science-based parenting.
00:26So when my twin sister Emma and I were born, she strapped these bands on us.
00:31Green light means truth. Red light means you're manipulating reality.
00:36Emma's band? Always green.
00:38She could literally cut up Mom's designer dress and blame the cat,
00:41and that little device would glow like a Christmas tree.
00:46Not me, she'd say. Green light. Believed.
00:50Me? I'd say. Mom, I'm hungry.
00:52And flash. Red light. Instant punishment.
00:56And Mom's punishment wasn't gentle.
00:58No food. Locked in my room.
01:01Digital blackout. No phone. No Wi-Fi. Nothing.
01:06The machine doesn't lie, Stella.
01:09The machine doesn't lie, Stella.
01:12Starve now. Learn later.
01:14I'm doing this for your own good.
01:16After ten years of this, I started believing it too.
01:19Maybe I really was born wrong.
01:22New Year's Eve. Everything changed.
01:25Mom was getting ready to take Emma to see the ball drop in Times Square.
01:28And that's when the pain hit like a knife twisting in my gut.
01:32I collapsed on the floor, my skeletal frame curling into itself.
01:38The door handle turned.
01:40For one second, I thought she's coming back.
01:43She's a doctor. She'll know something's wrong.
01:45Hurry up! The fireworks are starting! Emma's waiting!
01:48Mama, please. Something's really wrong.
01:52Hurry up, Stella.
01:54I feel like I'm dying.
01:57She glanced at my wrist.
01:58Red light. Flashing like crazy.
02:01Stella, how long are you going to keep this up?
02:04Can't you just be honest?
02:06Stay here and think about what you've done.
02:08Dad appeared in the doorway.
02:10Honey, should we at least leave her some food?
02:12Mom stood up, brushing off her hands like I was dirt.
02:14Food?
02:15Food? She has a stash of snacks she bought with stolen money.
02:18She won't starve.
02:20Lock the door.
02:21When that band turns green, we'll talk.
02:25But what?
02:26Soft parenting is why she's like this.
02:28Look at Emma.
02:29Her band is always green.
02:32Stella's just a compulsive liar.
02:33She needs discipline.
02:34But my closet was empty.
02:37Emma stole that money.
02:39Emma ate those snacks.
02:41Emma just stood there with her glowing green band saying,
02:44Not me.
02:45And mom believed her.
02:47I tried to defend myself once.
02:49I didn't take it either.
02:50Red light.
02:51Three days locked up with nothing but bread and water.
02:56Mom turned to leave.
02:58Emma peeked through the door, made a face at me.
03:01Bye, sis.
03:03We're gonna see the pretty fireworks.
03:05Her band glowed soft green.
03:06So pretty.
03:07The door locked.
03:08The house went silent.
03:10Just me alone.
03:11The pain was unbearable.
03:13But I kept thinking, mom's right.
03:15The machine doesn't lie.
03:17The band is red.
03:18So I must be lying.
03:20I am not in pain.
03:21I am not in pain.
03:23I am not in pain.
03:24I kept repeating it like a prayer.
03:27Eventually, I almost believed it.
03:29The pain.
03:30Dulled.
03:30Or maybe I was just going numb.
03:32I crawled to my desk.
03:33I had to write.
03:34That was the rule.
03:36If the band glowed red, I had to pen a thousand.
03:39Word apology essay or mom would never let me out.
03:42I am a liar.
03:43Write it down and maybe mom would forgive me.
03:45Maybe she'd even take me to the hospital.
03:48I opened my journal pages and pages of apologies I'd written over the years.
03:52Sorry, I lied.
03:53I won't do it again.
03:55But this time, I wanted to write the truth.
03:57My vision blurred.
03:58I could barely see.
04:00My hand shook as I wrote.
04:02Mom, I really love you.
04:03It really hurts.
04:05Why won't you believe me?
04:06Please believe me just once.
04:08The moment I finished the last word, the pain vanished.
04:12Just gone.
04:13I felt light.
04:14Weightless.
04:15I looked down.
04:16I was floating and there, slumped over the desk, was my body.
04:20Motionless.
04:20The Verity band still flashing red on a dead girl's wrist.
04:24Oh, I am dead.
04:26But I never learned how to be honest.
04:28Sorry, mom.
04:31I heard laughter.
04:33Mom, dad, Emma coming through the front door.
04:37Tonight's fireworks were amazing.
04:39Especially that smiley face one.
04:40Just like our Emma.
04:41Mom's voice was so warm.
04:43I'd never heard her sound like that when she talked about me.
04:45I floated toward them, my ghost self-moving on instinct.
04:49I just wanted to welcome them home.
04:51That is what I always did.
04:52Mom!
04:53I reached out to hug her.
04:54My arms passed right through her body like wind.
04:57Why is it so cold in here?
04:59Is the heat off?
05:00I stood there, staring at my transparent hands.
05:02Right.
05:03Dead people can't hug the living.
05:04Should we check on Stella?
05:06She hasn't eaten.
05:07Still the good cop.
05:08I looked at mom hopefully.
05:10If she finds me dead, will she be sad?
05:12Will she regret it?
05:14Mom snorted.
05:15Starve for all I care.
05:16This whole fake sick for attention thing is out of control.
05:22She pushed open my door.
05:24Didn't even turn on the light.
05:25In the dim glow from the hallway, she saw me slumped over my desk.
05:29I looked like a skeleton.
05:30Hadn't moved.
05:31Still putting on an act?
05:32Think I'll carry you to bed?
05:37Stella, you're ten years old, not five.
05:39I screamed at her, only two feet away.
05:42Mom!
05:43I'm not playing!
05:44I'm dead!
05:44Look at me!
05:45Touch me!
05:45I'm freezing!
05:47She couldn't hear me.
05:48She only believed what she wanted to see.
05:51Emma squeezed past her, held up her wrist with that smug little grin.
05:55Look, my band's green.
05:57Stella's is still red.
05:58She's lying even in her dreams.
06:00Mom patted Emma's head.
06:02That's my good girl.
06:03Ignore the liar.
06:05Let her stay there.
06:08Should we at least put her in bed?
06:10Should we at least put her in bed?
06:10It's freezing.
06:12Mom cut him off.
06:15Put her in bed?
06:16The parenting expert says cold treatment is the answer.
06:20Look at that red light.
06:21She's still in full defiance mode.
06:23No reflection at all.
06:25Come on, we have to visit Grandma tomorrow.
06:27The door locked again.
06:28I floated next to my corpse, staring at that single point of red light in the darkness.
06:33Mom, if you'd just stepped closer, if you'd just touched my hand, you'd know I was ice cold.
06:39But you didn't.
06:40You believed the machine.
06:42Not the daughter you carried for nine months.
06:46That night, a rat crawled out of my empty closet.
06:49I used to scream whenever I saw rats.
06:51But now I just floated by the ceiling, watching it scurry across my dead body.
06:56It bit into my toe.
06:57But no blood came out at all.
06:59I didn't feel anything.
07:01Finally, no more pain.
07:04It's okay.
07:05You can't feel it anymore.
07:07It'll be over soon.
07:09The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window.
07:12No warmth reached my body.
07:14In the kitchen, I could hear Mom making breakfast.
07:18The smell of bacon and eggs crept under my door.
07:21My favorite.
07:22But Mom always said liars don't deserve meat.
07:24So I only ever got steamed broccoli.
07:27She was clanging the pans extra loud on purpose.
07:30Trying to tempt me out.
07:31Trying to make me give in and apologize for things I never did.
07:34In the old days, I might have caved.
07:37I might have confessed to anything for one bite of scrambled eggs.
07:40But I don't need food anymore.
07:45Has Stella still not come out?
07:48She's too stubborn.
07:50If she wants to starve, that's her choice.
07:52Let her stay hungry.
07:53When she can't take it anymore, she'll come out and apologize.
07:56Emma walked to my door and made a big show of sniffing the air.
07:59Then she screamed dramatically.
08:02Mom! Stella's room smells gross!
08:04Did she poop in there?
08:05I floated by the door watching my sister with bitter amusement.
08:08The heat was on full blast.
08:10After just one night, my body had started to rot.
08:13Now Mom would hate me even more.
08:16Stella!
08:17Are you an animal?
08:18The bathroom is right there!
08:20Did you really poop on the floor just to upset me?
08:24I remembered being six.
08:26I had food poisoning, couldn't make it to the bathroom in time.
08:29Soiled my pants.
08:31Mom didn't help me clean up.
08:32She made me stand in the yard, pointed at me, and told the neighbors.
08:36Look at this!
08:37She's such a mess!
08:38She can't even use the toilet by herself!
08:41Now she thought I was dirty again.
08:43Leave her.
08:45Let her sit in her own stink.
08:48But Dad stood up, frowning.
08:51That smells really bad.
08:52I should check.
08:53Could be a dead mouse or something.
08:54My heart.
08:55If I still had one left.
08:57Dad, please!
08:58Open the door!
08:59I'm right here!
09:00Just turn the handle and you'll see I'm not moving.
09:02You'll see my face is black!
09:04Please!
09:04I waved my transparent arms frantically.
09:06Dad's hand touched the doorknob.
09:10His phone was ringing.
09:11Dad's face went pale.
09:13Hello?
09:14The server crashed?
09:15Dad's face went pale.
09:16Okay, okay.
09:17I'm on my way.
09:18He grabbed his coat.
09:20Honey, there's an emergency at work.
09:22I'll be gone for a few days.
09:25Wait!
09:25What about Stella?
09:27He was already out the door.
09:29I froze.
09:30So close.
09:31One second away.
09:32If that call had come one second later, I would have been found.
09:36Maybe then I wouldn't have rotted alone.
09:38That afternoon, Mom took Emma shopping.
09:41The house was empty except for my corpse.
09:43When they came back that night, loaded down with fancy lobster and gist, the smell had
09:48gotten worse.
09:49Mom gagged the second she walked in.
09:51Stella, are you trying to turn this place into a dump?
09:54She didn't even open my door.
09:55Just grabbed duct tape and sealed the gap at the bottom.
09:58You want to be disgusting?
09:59Fine.
10:00Stew in it.
10:02Don't stink up my house.
10:03She patted her hands together, satisfied.
10:06Then went to steam the lobster.
10:08I stared at that sealed door.
10:10My last shred of hope suffocated under that tape.
10:13So that is it.
10:14I am worth less than a lobster dinner.
10:18By day three, even the duct tape couldn't contain the smell.
10:21Mom was arranging fresh flowers, trying to cover it up.
10:24But the stench of death is unmistakable.
10:27Sweet.
10:28Rotten.
10:28Oily.
10:29She cut a rose stem too hard.
10:30A thorn pierced her hand.
10:33She snapped.
10:34In her mind, I was doing this on purpose.
10:37Not showering.
10:38Going to the bathroom on the floor.
10:40Hiding dead rats in my room.
10:42All to piss her off.
10:43To defy her authority.
10:45Stella!
10:45She grabbed a rolling pin from the kitchen, stormed toward my room.
10:49I'm done with you!
10:50You disgusting little brat!
10:53Time you learned what real pain feels like!
10:55I floated in front of her, waving my arms desperately.
10:58Don't come in, Mom!
10:59Please!
11:01I'm decomposed!
11:02You'll be scared!
11:03Even though she never loved me, I didn't want her to see me like that.
11:07But she walked right to me.
11:09Ripped the tape off, jammed the spare key in the lock.
11:12The door flew open.
11:15The smell hit her like a wall.
11:17She stumbled back, dry heaping.
11:19Stella, what are you doing?
11:20She saw me, still slumped over the desk, back turned, not moving.
11:23To her, this was the ultimate rebellion.
11:25I'm talking to you!
11:26She marched over, raised the rolling pin, but stopped.
11:29She wanted to see my face first.
11:31Wanted to see my defiant expression.
11:33Get up!
11:34She grabbed my shoulder, grabbed my skin.
11:36The moment she touched me, she froze.
11:38Through the thin fabric, her hand didn't feel warm flesh.
11:40She felt cold, hard, dead meat.
11:42The kind of cold that seeps into your bones.
11:44What?
11:44But momentum carried her forward.
11:46She yanked.
11:47Crash!
11:48My body stiff as a bard.
11:50Toppled backward.
11:51Taking the chair with it.
11:52That was my face.
11:53Blue black.
11:54Eyes closed.
11:56Features twisted in agony.
11:58Dried foam and blood crusted around my mouth.
12:00On my blackened wrist, the Verity band hung lifeless.
12:03No red light.
12:04No green light.
12:05Just silence.
12:06Thud.
12:07My journal lay open at mom's feet.
12:09The last page stared up at her.
12:11Mom, the band had punished me.
12:15Mom screamed.
12:16Not a human sound.
12:17A raw, gadial shriek that tore through her throat.
12:19She stumbled backward, slammed into the bookshelf.
12:21A vase shattered.
12:22But she didn't seem to feel the pain.
12:23She just stared at me.
12:24Eyes wide.
12:25Unblinking.
12:25No!
12:26No, no, no!
12:27This is makeup!
12:28Special effects!
12:28Stila!
12:29Get up!
12:30I'm not mad anymore!
12:30Stop scaring me!
12:32Her hand reached out, trembling, to touch my arm.
12:34The second her skin made contact with my corpse, she recoiled like she'd been burned.
12:39That cold was too real.
12:42Mrs. Lisa from next door called 911.
12:44She'd heard the screaming.
12:46When she saw what was in my room, she collapsed in the hallway.
12:50Within minutes, sirens, police, a medical examiner.
12:55They pulled up the crime scene tape.
12:58Cameras flashed over my body.
13:00Mom sat on the couch, a female officer's hand on her shoulder.
13:03She was babbling.
13:04She was faking.
13:05She always lies.
13:08I was doing it for her own good.
13:10No one responded.
13:11They all looked at her like she was a monster.
13:13Severe malnutrition.
13:15Organ failure.
13:16This child was starving for at least a month.
13:20Damn.
13:22Even dead, my soul still recoiled.
13:26A cop picked up my journal, put on gloves, started reading.
13:30His face went from neutral to horrified.
13:32Mom's eyes locked onto that book.
13:34Suddenly, she lunged for it.
13:35That's her confession!
13:36She admits she lied!
13:38Look, she wrote it herself!
13:39The officer pushed her back, slid the journal into an evidence bag.
13:45We'll determine what's true.
13:47That's when Dad got home.
13:48He saw the black body bag being wheeled out on a stretcher.
13:51Saw the long zipper that sealed away my entire life.
13:54His legs gave out.
13:55He collapsed.
13:56Wet himself.
13:57Emma stood now side, sobbing in confusion.
14:00She pointed at the blood-stained Verity barn on the evidence table.
14:04Why is Stella's band black?
14:06Mine's still green, see?
14:07She held up her wrist.
14:09The green light blinked cheerfully.
14:10It was grotesque.
14:14The cops started questioning Mom in the living room.
14:16She grabbed the Verity band off the table like it was a life raft.
14:20Test it!
14:21That band proved she was lying.
14:23Red light means lie.
14:24I never abused her.
14:26The machine told me.
14:27I was just educating her.
14:29Ma'am, the victim shows signs of extreme malnutrition.
14:32The officer looked at her like she'd lost her mind.
14:34That's discipline.
14:36That's teaching her to be honest!
14:37Mom was shrieking now.
14:38You don't believe me?
14:39Then she did something insane.
14:41Fine.
14:42I'll wear it.
14:43I'm not lying.
14:44It'll be green.
14:44She snatched the band, still stained with my blood and bits of skin, and jammed it onto
14:48her own wrist.
14:49Click.
14:50Locked.
14:50The rubber pressed against her skin.
14:52Sticky.
14:53Cold.
14:54She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.
14:56She needed to prove she was innocent.
14:58Needed to prove her parenting was right.
15:00She held up her wrist.
15:01Eyes wild.
15:02Watch.
15:04I'm Rachel.
15:05I'm Stella's mother.
15:07That's a fact.
15:08Absolute truth.
15:11The red light exploded.
15:13Bright, violent, like a fresh wound tearing open.
15:15Mom's confident expression shattered.
15:17What?
15:18No!
15:19I said the truth!
15:19I am Rachel!
15:20She slapped the band like it was a broken TV.
15:22It's broken!
15:23The examiner broke it!
15:24Let me try again!
15:24She started talking faster, panic rising in her voice.
15:28I never abused her!
15:29I did it for her own good!
15:30I love her!
15:31The red light flashed faster.
15:33And suddenly she remembered.
15:37Lying on my side, knees drawn toward my abdomen, biting my lip so I wouldn't scream.
15:44Is this what it felt like?
15:45Why is it?
15:46Red, I'm telling the truth!
15:48Turn green!
15:49You piece of junk!
15:50You're framing me!
15:56You're a liar.
15:58You're a liar.
15:59You're a liar.
16:02A tech officer stepped forward.
16:04He'd had enough of this circus.
16:06Enough!
16:08Stop.
16:10That device isn't a lie detector.
16:12He picked up the user manual they'd found during the search, slammed it on the coffee table.
16:17This is a basic biomedic monitor.
16:19It measures skin connectivity and heart rate.
16:21When you're nervous, scared, in pain, your heart rate spikes.
16:26The light turns red.
16:27That's it.
16:28Think about your daughter.
16:29Ruptured andix.
16:30Organ failure.
16:31The pain must have been unbearable.
16:33Her heart was racing.
16:34She was terrified.
16:34And what did you see?
16:36A red light.
16:37So you punished her more.
16:38Which made her more scared.
16:39Which made her heart beat faster.
16:41Which made the light redder.
16:42You turned her cries for help into a torture device.
16:45You starved your daughter to death.
16:48Mom's world collapsed.
16:49She stared at the flashing red band on her wrist and finally understood.
16:53For ten years, every red light wasn't because I was lying.
16:57It was because I was scared.
16:59Scared of her anger.
17:01Scared of being misunderstood.
17:03Scared of eating food I was allergic to.
17:05I was in pain.
17:06Pain that made my heart race.
17:08I was desperate.
17:10Desperate for a hug.
17:11For her to hold me the way she held Emma.
17:14Every signal from my frightened heart she interpreted as proof of my lies.
17:20No!
17:20Get it off!
17:21Get it off!
17:23It's red!
17:24I'm not a liar!
17:25I'm not!
17:29I can't get it off!
17:34Stella!
17:36Take it back!
17:39I'm sorry!
17:43It's all my fault!
17:46I'm sorry!
17:47I'm sorry!
17:48I'm sorry!
17:49Mom, I suffered for ten years.
17:51This little bit of pain, and she was breaking.
17:53The cops needed evidence for charges.
17:55So they opened my journal in front of my parents.
17:57The female officer's voice was soft,
17:59but each word cut like a knife.
18:01February 14th.
18:02Sunny.
18:03Mom put celery on my plate.
18:05I'm allergic.
18:06My throat swells.
18:07I can't breathe.
18:08I said I can't eat it.
18:09But because I was scared of making her angry,
18:11my heart raced.
18:12Red light.
18:13Mom said I was picky.
18:14Lying.
18:15Made me eat the whole plate.
18:16That night I threw up blood.
18:18My throat felt like it was on fire.
18:20Mom saw it and said I'd snuck tomato juice.
18:23That I was faking.
18:26She punished me for ten more minutes.
18:29Mom's hand flew to her mouth.
18:31She was shaking violently.
18:32She remembered that night.
18:34She really did think it was tomato juice.
18:36She didn't even look closely.
18:38Just turned away to read Emma a bedtime story.
18:40That was blood.
18:42From a swollen, torn throat.
18:44June 1st.
18:45Children's Day.
18:46Emma cut up Mom's dress.
18:48Emma's heart rate is always slow, green light.
18:50I tried to explain, but I was scared of getting beaten,
18:53so my heart raced red light.
18:55Mom punished me for ten minutes.
18:56Level 5.
18:58It hurt so bad, but I didn't cry.
19:00Because crying makes your heart beat faster,
19:02and Mom thinks that means you're not sorry.
19:05So I held my breath, pretended it didn't hurt.
19:08Mom said, see?
19:10Not even flinching.
19:12Must be faking it.
19:16Dad couldn't take it anymore.
19:18This man who'd been invisible for ten years,
19:21who always stayed out of it,
19:23he snapped.
19:25You monster!
19:27That was your daughter!
19:29You treated her like an animal!
19:31Mom collapsed onto the couch,
19:33blood at the corner of her mouth.
19:35But she didn't fight back,
19:36didn't cry.
19:37Not my fault.
19:38Not my fault.
19:39Then her eyes landed on Emma,
19:41cowering in the corner.
19:42It's her!
19:42It's Emma!
19:42Emma's band was always green!
19:44Emma was the good one!
19:45If it wasn't for that green light making me trust her,
19:47I wouldn't have believed the red light so much!
19:48This is Emma's fault!
19:49All eyes turned to Emma.
19:52That little princess we'd all protected.
19:55The cop walked over,
19:57gently removed the green Verity band from her wrist.
19:59Pick out a screwdriver,
20:00pride it open right there.
20:01Crack!
20:02The plastic shell split.
20:03Inside, no sensors, no chips,
20:04no heart rate monitor.
20:05Just two cheap LED lights and a watch battery.
20:07The circuit was hardwired.
20:08Power on, green light.
20:11This is a $2 toy.
20:13Your younger daughter's band was factory set to always be green.
20:16No matter what she said, did, or lied about,
20:18it would flow green.
20:19Your so-called science-based parenting was a joke.
20:21A sick, biased joke.
20:23Paid.
20:24Poison.
20:24Poison.
20:24Poison.
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