The Wheel

FADE IN. The film opens with the sounds of flames crackling. A young girl’s voice calls out, pleading for her father to wake up as the fire intensifies. Joe’s desperate voice breaks through, coughing from smoke inhalation as he tries to reach her but is unable to. Suddenly, we cut to a rehab centre where Joe snaps into consciousness, gasping for breath. He is in a therapy session with Dr. Romero, who reassures him that he’s safe and in recovery therapy. Joe, disoriented, mentions a sense of déjà vu, which Dr. Romero explains is common during withdrawal. She introduces the concept of unburdening oneself as part of the twelve-step recovery program. Joe resists but is persuaded to continue. As he talks about his traumatic childhood, his mother’s addiction, and how he feels about trauma, the light above them flickers, subtly hinting at the supernatural. Dr. Romero uses word association exercises to draw out Joe’s deeper thoughts, touching on themes of trust and forgiveness. Joe becomes increasingly uneasy but follows along, trusting Dr. Romero’s guidance. In an unexpected turn, Dr. Romero asks Joe to trust her completely and proposes a strange exercise involving wrist restraints. Despite his reservations, Joe agrees, and Dr. Romero ties him to the chair. She then places a plastic bag over his head, suffocating him with a chilling lack of emotion. Joe struggles and dies, and Dr. Romero calmly removes the restraints and bag. CUT TO BLACK. The sound of flames returns, along with the young girl’s voice, repeating the initial plea. Joe’s voice again responds desperately. The cycle repeats as Dr. Romero says, “Light.” Joe wakes up again in the therapy session, disoriented but alive. Dr. Romero, unfazed, continues the session as if nothing happened. Joe experiences déjà vu once more, and Dr. Romero again explains it as a symptom of withdrawal. She resumes discussing the importance of unburdening. Joe finally begins to open up about the fire that killed his daughter. He was drunk, and his daughter suffocated because he couldn’t save her. He breaks down, confessing his deep guilt and belief that no one can forgive him, not even himself. The light above them flickers again, and Dr. Romero seems expectant, but nothing changes. Frustrated, Dr. Romero reveals her belief that they are trapped in an endless cycle, a purgatorial wheel that they cannot escape. She thought Joe’s confession would free them, but nothing happens. Joe, now eerily calm, tells her to think clearly: who is truly trapped? In a startling revelation, Dr. Romero realizes that it is she who is trapped, unable to forgive Joe for their daughter’s death. Joe gently urges her to understand that without forgiveness, they cannot escape the cycle. The lights brighten intensely as Dr. Romero starts to comprehend the gravity of her realization. Dr. Romero, frightened, begins to accept her role in their entrapment. Joe reassures her that they’ve found their exit. As the light intensifies, suggesting a passage out of purgatory, the screen fades to white, symbolizing their potential release through the power of forgiveness. FADE OUT.