Flesh
After being spiked on a date, Bella's life begins to unravel as an evil force grows underneath her skin.

Blind dates can be PRETTY scary things.  Roll the dice (or is that Tinder?) and a million things can go awry.

What if it turns out they don’t like you? 

What if you say the wrong thing at the wrong time, and the chemistry doesn’t spark in real life?

Such are the horrific likely scenarios spinning through twenty something Bella's head when she sits down across from Michael – in his thirties and dressed sharp in a two piece suit. Will this date even make it past the appetizers? After Bella spills her glass of wine, even that much is unsure.

MICHAEL
Is this your way of saying you don't
like the wine?

BELLA
No, no. If that was the case I would've...
(trying to joke)
Thrown it in your face!

She laughs awkwardly at herself. He smiles.

MICHAEL
Well, that wouldn't be the worst
first date I've ever been on.

Whew! As Michael heads to the bar, Bella adjusts her makeup. Distracted, she fails to notice… 

Michael pouring a vial of liquid something into her refreshed glass. He hands it to her with a predator’s smile and a quip…

BELLA
Thank you.

MICHAEL
You're welcome.
As long as you don't
 throw it in my face.

Unfortunately, Bella doesn’t. After a bit of banter, Michael smiles like a shark - carefully watches as she sips…

Having your drink spiked: now that’s a level of horror beyond standard social clumsiness.  The next afternoon, Bella wakes up groggy. A bad dream lingers beyond her memory… but- 

At least she’s alone? Well, except for sister Amy, who Bella’s been rooming with while she looks for work. Ever the helpful companion, Amy compliments Bella on her allegedly successful night, and pushes snarkily for a second date; anything to shove her sister out of her space!  

Amy’s even pulled strings to snag Bella a job interview. Despite a strange rash that’s sprouted on Bella’s arm, the hotel meeting starts off decently. Until…

Pause. A change comes over Bella- her nervousness drops, she's suddenly overconfident and intense.
For a moment we hear the heavy thumping of dual heartbeats.

BELLA
What about your qualifications? 
Do you have any degrees?
                         
INTERVIEWER
I do! I have a degree in Screen
Makeup and SFX, actually.

BELLA
And how is that relevant to your role?
             
INTERVIEWER
(lightly joking)
Maybe we should switch seats!
                         
BELLA
Maybe we should. Maybe I’d fit the
role of being a hypocritical,
cantankerous bitch better than you.

Needless to say, the rest of the interview… doesn’t go well. 

Appalled at her own uncharacteristic behavior, Bella races to the nearest bathroom to throw up. But what happens when she looks in the mirror…

...is far, far more grotesque. 

And it’s just the beginning. Because Bella’s no longer “herself” – literally. Her nightmare is about to get more intense – both in her dreams and real life…. Remember those dual heartbeats? It gets worse...

A Cronenberg level body horror, Flesh veers in directions that make Demi Moore’s The Substance look tame. No doubt, a splash of FX is needed to bring this gore-fest to life (is Bella’s interviewer still available?). But pour on enough fake blood and cinematic suggestion, and Thomas Farquhar’s Flesh is sure to have audiences vomiting into their popcorn bags. And for the right horror director, that’s “good” news!