Puzzle

S1E01 | THE SURVIVAL INSTINCT

| SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 – 10:45 PM |
| EROZ - SILVER'S APARTMENT. |

Is there ever a good reason to kill someone?
That's the question Élise Pétronova asks herself as she faces Silver, once again.

She glances from the white mask beside the couch, to the body of the person whose life she has just taken. With trembling steps, she moves forward, pausing to stare at the floor covered by a reddish liquid.

ÉLISE:
(In a daze, she mumbles.)
"I didn't mean to..."

At this moment, the lawyer realizes she has done something unforgivable.
Her pulse quickens as she notices her blue suit is stained with the blood of her victim. Slowly, she unbuttons her blazer and carefully places it on the coffee table.

Annabelle, her roommate, struggles to catch her breath.
The pretty brunette touches her still aching throat and points to an expensive vase.

ANNABELLE:
(She looks relieved.)
"You almost broke a Velluzini!"

ÉLISE:
(With a scornful look.)
"Glad to see you have your priorities straight."

ANNABELLE:
(Shrugging.)
"It's worth over four thousand dollars..."

ÉLISE:
(Absolutely bewildered.)
"I. Just. Killed. Him."

ANNABELLE:
(She glances at the lifeless body a few meters away.)
"To be fair, he kind of had it coming."

ÉLISE:
(Still in shock.)
"It all happened so fast..."

ANNABELLE:
(She moves closer to her roommate.)
"Before we call anyone, we need to clean up."

ÉLISE:
(She repeats, confused.)
"Clean up?"

ANNABELLE:
(Explaining, with a low voice.)
"Look at how things went down with Gaetan, we never had any problems. It reassures me about one thing, you never spill what you know unless you absolutely have to."

ÉLISE:
(Exclaiming, irritated.)
"Your solution is to apply the same logic as his murder... seriously?"

ANNABELLE:
(She raises her index finger and clarifies.)
"It was self-defense."

ÉLISE:
(She moves away from Annabelle, raising her voice.)
"And how many times do you think the police will buy that!?"

ANNABELLE:
(In a tiny voice.)
"Third time's the charm?"

ÉLISE:
(She retorts, concerned.)
"After everything we've been through, I seriously wonder if you have any grasp on reality..."

ANNABELLE:
(She snaps at Élise.)
"As usual, you judge me and get on your high horse. At this point, it's amazing you can still feel superior to others."

ÉLISE:
(She paces, furious.)
"Do I need to remind you who made a pact with the devil? Who covered up what happened at your country house? I was almost forgetting... who tried to steal his box, multiple times? If anyone has escalated this situation, it's you."

The apartment doorbell rings.
The girls are surprised, staring at each other, horrified.

Élise tiptoes to the door.
Meanwhile, Annabelle rushes to hide behind the couch.

ANNABELLE:
(She whispers.)
"No one knows about this apartment!"

ÉLISE:
(She looks at the bloody knife on the floor and finally picks it up.)
"It's probably one of his accomplices..."

After a few seconds of silence, the door handle jiggles.
Annabelle tries to make herself as small as possible, while her roommate advances cautiously.

She grips the knife in her hand and exhales loudly.
The noise behind the door increases, making it clear that someone on the other side is getting impatient.

ANNABELLE:
(She glares at her roommate.)
"What are you doing!?"

ÉLISE:
(Without even turning around.)
"I'm not sure..."

Out of ideas, Élise crosses the hallway and slips the weapon behind her back.
She hesitates for a fraction of a second before unlocking the door with her left hand.
Annabelle, still behind the couch, gasps and crouches down.

So, is there ever a valid reason to act upon a human life?
A sufficient motive to claim the power to decide if they can survive?

Do you have to lose all sense of direction?
Be broken beyond repair?

It's possible that under certain circumstances, anyone can take on the label of a murderer.
Your baker, a childhood friend, or your neighbor...
Sometimes, it's not about being broken, but about not being a victim anymore.

Perhaps that's why Élise Petronova chooses to take this risk.
It's not that she feels nothing, quite the contrary.

In this moment, as she opens that door, the young woman clings to the last things she possesses: her will to end it, but most importantly, her survival instinct.