My Dead Friend Zoe

Merit, a U.S. Army veteran, is adrift in a life defined by emotional detachment. Working a warehouse job and attending court-mandated therapy sessions at the VA, she navigates her transition to civilian life with a hardened exterior of cynicism and hostility. Her internal struggle is anchored by the unresolved trauma of her service in Afghanistan and the profound loss of her close companion, Zoe. The narrative shifts between the sterile, clinical world of the VA and the isolated, decaying lake house of Merit’s childhood. When she returns to this family retreat to care for her grandfather, Dale, who is battling early-stage Alzheimer’s, her carefully constructed walls begin to fracture. As she manages Dale’s failing health and resists her mother’s pressure to move him into assisted living, Merit finds herself drawn to Alex, the facility’s manager. Set against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, *My Dead Friend Zoe* explores the heavy burden of survivor’s guilt and the complex generational divide in processing trauma. Forced to confront the memories she has fought to suppress, Merit must decide whether to continue her self-imposed isolation or embrace the vulnerability required for genuine human connection. This poignant drama follows one woman’s difficult journey toward breaking her silence and reconciling with the past to find a path forward.