FADE IN:
INT. DIMLY LIT AUDITING ROOM – NIGHT
A small, windowless room bathed in shifting colored lights. Christmas lights flicker faintly in the background like a half-remembered dream. A simple table between two chairs. An E-meter sits untouched on the table.
JOE JUKIC, mid-40s, calm, Vancouver edge in his voice, sits across from DR. BILL HARFORD — Tom Cruise’s face, but hollow-eyed, rumpled tuxedo from the night before, wedding ring still on.
Joe leans forward, gentle but relentless.
JOE Alright, Bill. This is your session. No judgment. We’re just going to run the colors. One by one. Tell me what comes up. Ready?
BILL (quiet, almost laughing) You’re serious.
JOE I’m always serious about clearing. Red first. Red is anger. Wrath. What’s the first red that hits you?
BILL (eyes narrowing) Alice. Our bedroom. She tells me about the naval officer. The fantasy. I see red. Literally. The lamp on the nightstand. Her face. My hands shaking like I want to break something. I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to hit something. I wanted her to hurt the way I was hurting.
JOE Good. Let it come. Orange next. Orange is gluttony.
BILL The Ziegler Christmas party. Champagne. Caviar. Women laughing too loud. I’m stuffing my face with all of it — the money, the compliments, the way the rich look at me like I belong. I drink too much. I dance too close. I pretend I’m not starving for any of it.
JOE Yellow. Greed.
BILL The whole night. Every door I knock on. Every favor I call in. I’m chasing the secret world like it owes me something. The costume shop owner — I pay him extra just to feel powerful. I flash my doctor card like it’s cash. I want in. I want what they have. I’m greedy for the mask.
JOE Green. Envy.
BILL (pause, voice tight) The naval officer. Alice saying his name. The way she looked when she talked about him. I’m green with it. Green like the jealousy eating me alive. And later… people out there, they’re green with envy of me. Of what I have. Of Cruise. Of the life they think I live.
JOE Blue. Sloth.
BILL The streets. After the orgy. After Mandy. After everything. I just… walk. No purpose. No fight left. Blue neon on the snow. I’m drifting. Too tired to go home. Too scared to stop moving. Just sloth. Just letting the night carry me.
JOE Indigo. Lust.
BILL (voice drops) The mansion. The masks. The circle. The women. The one who tried to warn me. I wanted all of it. I wanted to disappear into it. Indigo robes. Indigo light. I was ready to give up everything for one more second of that feeling.
JOE And finally… violet. Pride. Vanity.
BILL (quiet, almost ashamed) Me. The whole time. Thinking I could walk into their world, play their game, and walk out untouched. The good doctor. The husband who could handle anything. The man who believes his own legend. I thought I was above it. That’s my sin. Violet. Vanity.
Joe sits back. The colored lights slowly fade to a soft violet glow.
JOE (soft, personal) You did good, Bill. Real good.
He smiles, a little rueful.
JOE You know… my biggest sin? Same as yours. Violet. Pride. Vanity. I catch myself thinking I’m the only one who sees the code. The only one who can put the colors together.
(beat) And yeah… a lot of people out there? They’re green with envy of Mr. Cruise. Green as hell.
Bill looks at him — exhausted, but lighter.
BILL So what now?
JOE Now we end the session.
Joe reaches over, clicks off the E-meter.
JOE You’re clear on the colors tonight, Doc.
BILL (quiet smile) Eyes wide shut.
JOE Eyes wide open.
They sit in silence as the Christmas lights twinkle once, then fade to black.
FADE TO BLACK.
