Episode 1 of "Before" unfolds with our protagonist, Eli, awakening from a harrowing nightmare, his movements reflecting a somber trance. He drags his foot slowly across the desolate, waterless surface of an empty swimming pool, ultimately colliding with the ground at the end of the diving board, his head smashing loudly, leaving a trail of crimson splatters—testifying to previous, unseen blows. Grieving the loss of his beloved wife, Lynn, Eli finds himself haunted by her ghostly presence, lingering in every corner of his home. His eyes flicker over a photograph of a farmhouse adhered to the refrigerator's door, yet the memory it triggers remains elusive, prompting him to discard it into the trash—temporarily, at least. Later, driven by an inexplicable urge, he retrieves the photo and conceals it within the confines of his study.
Venturing outdoors, Eli encounters Noah, a young boy whose fingers are smeared with blood, scratching into the wood of his door with unsettling intent. Deep gashes mar the surface, but the enigmatic child flees before Eli can uncover his identity.
In the session with his therapist, Eli likens his life to a surreal Dali painting, discussing the myriad facets of his existence—anything but his true emotions. Once a pillar of support for countless children through a prosperous career , Eli now grapples with identity following Lynn's demise, dismissing her loss as merely an "inconvenience" that barely scratches the surface of his turmoil.
This underlying complexity is further underscored when his colleague, Gail, phones with details of a new case that afternoon. The boy in question, marked by a troubled past of aggression and repeated school expulsions, sparks Eli's intrigue. However, that very night, Noah unexpectedly materializes in Eli's home, enveloping him in an embrace before guiding him back to his own apartment, where the mysteries of their connection begin to unfold.
His mother concludes her fit of rage by spraying mace directly into Eli's face, causing his vision to blur momentarily. As he struggles to regain his sight, Noah hands him a sketch of his house, and when Eli finally departs, Noah keeps a vigilant watch through the window. That very night, Noah witnesses a bizarre, shadowy figure slither and seep across the walls until it reaches his bedside. His terrified screams cut through the silence, while the scene shifts back to Eli, who seems to have been tormented by a harrowing nightmare.
Eli confides in his friend Jackson, who playfully suggests that there might be a mystical bond between them. Ironically, Noah is the same troubled youth Eli has been hearing about—a child who has bounced through five foster families in just two years, leaving authorities at their wits' end. With a twist of her wrist, Gail persuades Eli to lend a hand.
During their session, Noah is plunged into harrowing visions upon noticing a drawing by Lynn. He envisions a squid emerging from a pool, thrashing wildly and punching Eli repeatedly before speaking in an alien tongue. Eli meticulously records everything, including the foreign language.
Eli seeks to decipher the words but lacks the fervor he once possessed. His spirits are dampened, and after Lynn's demise, he's nearly resigned to the fact that he can't help others. He feels like a fraud, and these recurring nightmares might hold the key to unraveling the mystery.
Noah's visions escalate, and when he spots tentacles coiled around a classmate's neck, he impulsively stabs the boy with a pencil. Eli, too, grapples with visions, which transform into nightmares as he steps into the bathroom. He beholds Lynn's lifeless body in the tub, but the real revelation comes when he uses a translation app to decipher Noah's words—17th-century Dutch for "I'm scared, save me. Please save me."
As he lies beside in the hospital, Eli catches sight of a picture of the very cabin that adorns his fridge.
