Saving Zoë 2019

As Echo navigates the treacherous landscape of high school, the weight of her sister Zoë’s tragic passing still lingers heavily in her mind. The whispers and stares of her peers only serve as a painful reminder of her loss, while a select few, like Parker (her secret crush), offer words of comfort. Meanwhile, Echo’s parents struggle to cope with their grief, relying on therapy sessions that often feel hollow and unproductive.

The silence surrounding Zoë’s murder is finally broken when Echo encounters Marc, her sister’s former boyfriend, at lunchtime. Abby fills her in on the disturbing details: Marc had a stint in a psychiatric hospital following Zoë’s death, casting suspicion over his involvement in the tragedy. As Echo processes this information, she begins to notice Marc’s new car parked outside her neighborhood, with Zoë’s diary prominently displayed on the passenger seat. Her curiosity piqued, Echo smashes the window and retrieves the diary, bringing it back to her home.

The journal reveals a summer romance between Zoë and Marc, marked by mutual confessions and plans for Zoë to pursue a modeling career in Los Angeles or New York after graduation. However, the diary also contains a shocking revelation: Marc’s past is marred by addiction and heartbreak, including an ex-girlfriend who went to rehab in Colorado and obtained a restraining order against him.

As Echo continues to grapple with these revelations, she finds herself drawn into a social circle of classmates at a party hosted by Abby’s crush, Chess. The evening proves awkward and uneventful, but Echo manages to slip away outside with Parker, where they engage in gentle conversation that eventually turns to Zoë’s memory. Parker’s words of empathy strike a chord within Echo, who responds with a kiss before returning to the party alongside him.

Despite the difficulties she faces, Echo remains steadfast in her determination to uncover the truth about her sister’s murder and to find closure amidst the lingering pain. As she navigates this complex web of emotions and relationships, she must confront the dark secrets that threaten to upend her fragile sense of normalcy.

As the music pulsates at the school dance, Echo finds herself swept up in the excitement, but little does she know that this night will forever alter the trajectory of her life. It’s here that she crosses paths with Carley (Zoë’s best friend), a charismatic and persuasive individual who convinces Echo to indulge in the thrill-seeking world of party drugs. As Echo’s senses are heightened under the influence, she rushes to the bathroom, where an otherworldly apparition appears before her - none other than Zoë herself, pleading with Echo to stop pretending and embracing reality.

The encounter sends Echo reeling, and it isn’t long before Carley unwittingly adds fuel to the fire. Mistaking Echo for Zoë in her altered state, she apologizes profusely, referencing an enigmatic male figure and a mysterious video. This distressing exchange only serves to further unsettle Echo, who finds solace in the comforting presence of Marc.

Meanwhile, another flashback sequence reveals a police interrogation, with Marc (Zoë’s boyfriend) recounting the events leading up to Zoë’s tragic demise. It transpires that her lifeless body was found in Marc’s car, which she had borrowed without explanation. Consumed by guilt and anguish over his unintentional role in her death, Marc later attempted to take his own life via a self-inflicted gunshot wound, only to be saved by his mother.

As Echo delves deeper into Zoë’s diary, another flashback reveals the intimate moments shared between Zoë and Carley as they pose for photographs in their bikinis, hoping to kick-start their modeling careers. It’s here that Carley invites Zoë to join her and two 24-year-old acquaintances, Jason and Tom, at a gathering that would prove to be a fateful night. Despite initial reservations, Zoë relents, only to return home visibly shaken and beset by nightmares.

In the aftermath, she confides in Echo, warning her to steer clear of Jason if ever they cross paths again. The ominous tone is underscored as Zoë hands Echo a photograph of Jason, her voice heavy with foreboding as she implores Echo to heed her warning. As the truth begins to unravel, it becomes clear that this seemingly innocent night would forever be etched in the collective consciousness, its secrets waiting to be unearthed.

As the present unfolds, Echo receives a summons from Carley to join her at a gathering at Theresa’s residence. Donning Zoë’s attire, Echo arrives at the party where she encounters Jason, his visage eerily familiar from the photogenic and diary-driven flashbacks. Carley’s demeanor betrays her discomfort in Jason’s presence, while Marc suddenly materializes and forcibly extracts Echo from the festivities, insisting that he is escorting her home. Echo protests, maintaining that her sole motivation for attending the party was to unravel the enigma surrounding Zoë’s disappearance. Marc ultimately deposits Echo at her doorstep, only for her to secretly reappear at The Hunt nightclub, an establishment Carley and Jason had previously mentioned. This nocturnal escapade is interwoven with a flashback sequence depicting Zoë’s own visit to this very club, where she encounters Jason in the exclusive back room. Zoë, though initially hesitant, agrees to form a pact with him, before fleeing in distress. Similarly, Echo finds herself driven away from the same location after recognizing Jason, and subsequently begins donning Zoë’s garments at school, precipitating widespread attention from her peers.

Meanwhile, Zoë’s diary entries reveal a tumultuous conflict between her and Carley, the particulars of which remain shrouded in mystery. However, it is clear that Zoë was deeply troubled by events unfolding behind closed doors, although she refused to disclose specifics to Carley. In another entry, Zoë reveals that she had procured Echo’s own diary as a birthday gift and concealed it within her sock box in the closet. Echo ultimately retrieves the unwrapped diary, only to be overcome with sorrow upon reading Zoë’s poignant message. This emotional epiphany culminates in Echo’s explosive outburst at her next family therapy session, where she confronts her parents about their maladaptive coping mechanisms and demands that they prioritize awareness of Zoë’s private life.

As Echo convenes with Marc at their customary meeting spot, she learns that his understanding of Jason’s true nature was awakened by Zoë’s cryptic diary entries. Echo then shares her own unsettling experience at the dance with Carley, as well as her plan to infiltrate Jason’s residence and retrieve the incriminating video mentioned by Carley, using Marc as a strategic distraction. The next day, Echo and Carley pay a visit to Jason’s house, with Carley exhibiting an air of trepidation about allowing Echo to proceed. Parker, sensing potential danger, insists on accompanying Marc once he realizes Echo may be in peril.

As fate would have it, Marc’s impromptu decision to crash his car into Jason’s creates a violent confrontation between the two men, momentarily diverting Jason and Tom’s attention long enough for Echo to slip into the basement unnoticed. There, she discovers a laptop containing nine shocking video files depicting Jason and Tom’s brutal exploitation of multiple underage girls, including Zoë herself – Carley had also participated in one of these heinous incidents, revealing her complicity in drugging and raping young girls in exchange for drugs. Echo is subsequently caught by Carley, who confesses that Jason and Tom produce these videos for their private child pornography website, which distributes explicit content featuring minors.

Carley reveals that Zoë’s murder was orchestrated by one of the site’s subscribers, with Jason using blackmail to manipulate her into meeting with his supposed photographer friend, ultimately leading to her tragic demise. As Echo is helplessly tied to a bed, Tom and Jason burst into the basement, only to find Carley unconscious and Echo bound.

The two men hatch a plan to abandon their troubled past and flee the state, with Tom suggesting they dispose of the girls by taking them to a secluded location where they can be silenced forever. After some hesitation, Jason agrees, but just as he begins packing his car, an injured Marc emerges from nowhere and knocks him unconscious.

Parker arrives at the scene mere moments later, allowing Echo to free herself as she watches Tom enter the basement with sinister intentions. However, Echo is one step ahead, delivering a swift blow that renders Tom senseless before he can inflict harm on her or Parker. As the dust settles, Jason and Tom are taken into custody for their complicity in producing child pornography, sex trafficking, rape, drug dealing, and accessory to murder – the dark empire they built has finally been dismantled.

As the narrative winds down, a poignant flashback sequence unfolds, revealing Zoë (character) seeking permission to borrow Marc’s vehicle, her request shrouded in mystery. Without elaborating on the purpose behind her desire, she had been en route to meet the supposed photographer, an individual whose identity remains uncertain. In exchange for this favor, Marc confiscates Zoë’s diary as collateral, quipping that if she failed to return, he would take it upon himself to decipher her innermost thoughts - a wry commentary on the irony of the situation.

In the aftermath of completing the final entry in Zoë’s journal, Echo (character) finally finds closure. With a heavy heart, she says goodbye to her sister, expressing regret for not having known her better. A solitary figure now, Echo sits at a bench situated at Zoë’s favorite haunt, a serene spot that has been erected in her honor. As the weight of her sister’s legacy settles upon her, Echo begins writing her first entry in the diary Zoë had so thoughtfully gifted to her - a symbolic gesture marking the start of her own personal journey.