Super Positive

A young girl stands in a living room with a tear-stained face and a forced smile. The filming of a low-budget YouTube children’s TV show called “Super Positive”, hosted by Sandy, an inexhaustible well of bubbly energy and cheery demeanour. She maintains this overly exuberant countenance even after filming ends and her coked-up co-host, Toby, is rude to her. Even caught on her way out by Abby, a PA with homemade cookies and puppy dog pestering for a girls’ night out, Sandy keeps her smile as she politely brushes Abby off. Outside, a creepy guy bugs her to sign merchandise for a supposed “niece” which she does with that big smile even as her Uber driver beeps at her to hurry. She wakes gagged in a dingy room, strapped to a bulky chair. The episode she just filmed plays on an old TV screen. Kidnapper in heavy clothes, leather gloves, workman boots and a full-head mask of a cute cat enters. Demands Sandy apologise for her lies, promoting “super positivity” when people and the world are mean and horrible. Sandy a true believer, refuses. Kidnapper drags Toby in bound to a chair too, he’s been beaten and tortured. Toby’s condition is the consequence of Sandy’s lies. Sandy tells Toby they can be super positive together to get through this even as he is tortured in increasingly excruciating ways for her refusal to apologise. She won’t lie about super positivity and betray her beliefs. In a flash to Sandy’s childhood, her maladjusted is explained as her mother beats her while demanding she smile. Kidnapper, unable to break Sandy, breaks and uncovers themselves as Abby, the PA. She’s tried and tried to be super positive but it’s only ever been met with rejection and derision. Why can’t Sandy admit her fault and apologise? Sandy is sympathetic while not admitting any fault, persuades Abby to release one hand so she can comfort her. Sandy, in a burst of anger, bashes Abby’s head against the chair and frees herself. As Sandy tries to apologise for her violence, Abby smiles. She’s caught Sandy in her lie and everyone has seen it. As Sandy’s angry face discovers the camera broadcasting them, she puts on a big, bright, beautiful smile.