In the middle of the night, Ruby wakes to a frightening sound. She is certain that there must be monsters hiding in her closet. In a frightened frenzy, she races to her brother Marcus’ room, hoping he will help her confront the evil fiends. Marcus informs Ruby that what she’s hearing is actually just the sound of her own heart. When she still isn’t quite convinced, he takes the opportunity to tell his sister how the heart works and why exactly it makes a constant beating noise. Ruby is reassured, until she goes back to her room and finds a scary surprise! Key Words: Kids, cartoon, heart, health, educational Open on Ruby Snarkis sleeping in bed. We hear the lub dub of her heart grow louder and louder. She slowly opens one eye and then the other. She sits still for a moment as the lub dub continues to get louder. Ruby (whispering): Who is it? Is anyone there? There is no answer. The lub dub continues. Ruby sits up and looks around her room. She can finally take it no longer. She gives out a blood curdling scream and rushes out of the room. The door in Marcus’ room bursts open and Ruby clings to Marcus. Marcus wakes with a sputter and desperately searches for his glasses. Ruby: Marcus! Marcus! There’s somebody in my room! I think it’s in my closet! Marcus: What are you talking about? Who’s in your room? Where? Where? Marcus sits up disoriented. He pulls off his sleeping mask and looks frantically about. Ruby: Shhhh! Listen closely! You can hear it. Ruby: Do you hear them Marcus? Ruby picks up Marcus’ microscope and holds it like a baseball bat. She looks about suspiciously. Marcus: There aren’t any monsters in your room. That sound is your heart beating. Ruby: Oh… that’s what they would like you to think my tiny, misguided friend. Ruby swings the microscope around in a threatening manner Ruby: You want a piece of me! Do you want a piece of me you bedroom vermin? Marcus: Ruby, settle down. I’ll show you what I mean. Listen. Marcus: Do you hear that Ruby? (Lub dub. Lub dub. Lub dub.) That sound is the valves in your heart closing. Ruby: This is no time for a science lesson we’re being hunted by monsters. Marcus: This is the perfect time for a science lesson. Your heart is a fist-sized muscle that beats about 70 times every minute. Ruby: I fail to see how my heart has anything to do with our mysterious noises coming from my closet. Marcus: Stay with me here Ruby. Cut to a graphic showing an outline of Ruby’s body. The blood flow is illustrated through her circulatory system. Marcus: As I said before… the heart pumps blood to the lungs for oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood is then delivered to all parts of the body. Cut to a close up graphic showing the heart and its four chambers in detail. Marcus: The heart is actually two pumps working side by side. A muscular wall called the septum separates these two pumps. Each pump has two chambers or sections. The upper chambers are called atriums and the bottom chambers are called ventricles. The right atrium and ventricle receive blood that has delivered its oxygen to the body and is now carrying waste product called carbon dioxide. This blood is pumped to the lungs where it exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen. The left atrium and ventricle then pump the oxygen-rich blood back through the heart and throughout the body. Ruby That sounds like a lot of work! Marcus It is…that’s why it’s so important to take care of your heart. You really need to do 60 minutes of physical activity everyday and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables to keep your heart healthy and strong. Cut to close up of Ruby. Ruby: The sounds Marcus! What about the sounds? Marcus: Well, Ruby, blood only flows one way through the heart. Valves keep the blood from flowing the wrong way. When these valves open and close they cause the lub dub lub dub sound you’re hearing. Ruby: So you’re sure that sound is my heartbeat and not a big old closet monster? Marcus: Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, I‘m very sure. Marcus walks with Ruby to her closet. He steps in front of the closet door. He grabs the handle. Marcus: Ruby… human beings usually fear things we don’t completely understand. Marcus whips the closet open to reveal a slobbering panting closet monster. Marcus continues his speech without noticing the monster. Ruby’s eyes widen and her jaw drops. Marcus: Now that I have explained the “inner working” of the human heart and why it makes the noises it does…I am sure you feel much better and you will be able to sleep like a baby. Marcus slams the closet door unaware of the monster inside. He walks out of the room and flicks off the light leaving Ruby’s eyes blinking in the dark. Marcus: Good night Ruby. You can thank me in the morning. The end.