Horror Short Showcase: ‘The Quiet Zone’

Written by Scott Edwards

Everyone has their own methods of getting things done and whatever works for them may not work for other people. For instance, when I write, I like it to be quiet, but when I am working with numbers, I need something music like going on in the background. It has not always been the case for me, as when I was young and studying for a test or just doing school work, it was dead silent, not by choice, but forced upon me by my parents. As I got older, I found that for different situations I required different things and for the most part now, I need something going on in the background or my mind just starts to wander, and I cannot stay focused.

Needing to study for an exam in the morning, Ella is forced to turn down her boyfriend for a conversation later on that night. Rifling through her notes and crossing out what will not be used the next day, a whistle comes from a fellow commuter on the train. Making sure she is seated in the ‘Quiet Zone’, Ella tries to ignore it, but the sound is making her very anxious and she cannot focus. Yelling at her fellow passenger to keep it down, the train arrives at the next station and Ella is ready to disembark. Looking back at where the whistling stranger was sitting and not seeing him leaves Ella a little concerned, but she tries to put it at the back of her mind as she has other things to focus on.

Walking down the long tunnel to the exit from the station, Ella keeps hearing footsteps behind her, but is not able to spot anyone following her. Arriving at the exit, Ella tries her pass, but is directed to seek assistance before leaving. Hearing more commotion behind her, she spots another passenger exiting the station and decides to follow her. Making it to another exit and not being allowed to leave, the familiar whistle comes from the darkness and Ella sneaks under the turnstile to escape the stranger, but loses her phone in the process. Hearing her phone ringing and not having it is frightening enough for the woman but seeing who has it and is willing to keep it quiet in the tubes is the thing of nightmares.

So, a good analogy for this short is that it’s like sitting in a library trying to get some work done when someone is chatting on their phone and will not shut up and gets mad at you for calling them out, but with death on the line. Damn, it was a freaky little tale that will leave you wondering how far someone would go to make sure that the rules are observed. I liked how the fear of the stranger became very real for Ella as she was trying to exit the tube system and was not allowed to by the flawed technology. As the whistling gets louder and the demand for silence becomes more apparent, you might think twice about sitting in the ‘Quiet Zone’ on your next trip, since you never know when you might need to make a noise that could cost you your life. Stay Scared.

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