Oh wow that's a lot of writing. I've been quite productive with writing lately. The article is probably the thing I'm most proud of, so I'm linking it here so you can read it first.
Now here's the story. It's a writer's block metafiction thing.
I sat at my writing desk, opening my notebook to a blank page.
Okay, time to start.
Yet half an hour later, all I did was sharpen all the pencils I owned until they could probably be used as weapons.
"There's really no point in having all those ideas if you're never even going to write about them. Is there?" said Jane. Jane was a character I made up some time ago, but I hadn't gotten around to finishing the story she was in yet. She pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "I'm sure you'll feel a lot better if you just start. Don't worry about editing for now." She put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. The way I created Jane, she wasn't supposed to be the main character. She was just a therapist, a side character who helps the protagonist.
The protagonist from the story was an angst-ridden teenage girl who sat in the corner all day with her earbuds in listening to music. She had a bad attitude, so I didn't like her.
"Okay Jane, change in plans. You seem to be the most reasonable one out of all the characters I've created, and I appreciate that. So I'm going to make you the main character instead of a side character," I declared.
"Thanks," said Jane. But she couldn't help but worry. "What about poor Sally over there? Won't she be upset if she's not the main character anymore?"
"Actually," said Sally, pulling out her earbuds, "I don't like being the centre of attention."
"Then why are you always so awkward around people? It draws attention to you," I pointed out.
"Because unfortunately, I'm based on you!" She snapped.
Ouch. She sure did know how to answer back in a way that hurt.
"WRITE SOMETHING!" A Viking smashed an axe onto my desk and almost chopped it in half.
"Yikes!" I yelled, standing up and pointing one of my extra-sharp pencils at him to defend myself.
"Relax, Balder Gunnarson," Jane said to the Viking. He grumbled something in Old Norse under his long, red beard and walked away.
"I don't have any time to do research right now. But I promise I'll include you in a great historical novel someday, Balder," I called after him.
He picked up a horn full of ale and started drinking.
Some monkeys jumped onto my desk. It was already weak from Balder's axe-slash, and the weight of three monkeys was enough to make it break in half. The monkeys stole all my pencils and ran away. They were from a writing prompt I never finished that I saw on writetheworld.com. The prompt was about writing from the perspective of an animal, and I wanted to write about a group of monkeys. That's when the monkeys appeared in my room and joined all my other characters. They were a real nuisance.
"Great. Now I don't have a desk. And no pencils. If you guys wanted me to write about you, why are you destroying all my writing supplies?"
Jane diverted my attention away. "Um... I think you should be worrying about her," she said.
"Pleeeassssseeee finish my sssssstory," a snake woman hissed. Basically she looked like a mermaid, except her lower body was a snake, not a fish. I made her up for some fantasy genre challenge.
"She's going to lose it. You should really finish her story," Jane warned.
The snake woman slithered up to me. "They ssssstole the idol from the temple! Those thieves musssssst pay!"
"Yes I am aware of the terribly undeveloped plot you're in," I said.
Just then, everyone got angry and started talking over each other. They were all begging me to use them in a story.
"Everyone, just shut up!" I yelled. "I'll get to you eventually. Just wait."
Finally, I picked up my notebook and a pencil that a monkey dropped and started writing. I figured out an idea that could incorporate all the characters in the room.
That was weird, right? Now here's a poem called "upon leaving the gilded palace."
i.
why does the sun shine
on the unjust?
why do bad things befall
the good?
why do the ones you love
betray your trust?
why do the broken
go misunderstood?
ii.
why must the powerful
never be touched?
why does pain get swept
under the rug?
why must justice always
be out of reach?
why does love always
hurt so much?
And finally, I'm going to share the play I wrote. Now the play is awful, which is why I included it last. But feel free to read it anyway if you want to exercise your face muscles by cringing. It has 10 scenes.
Scene 1
The bedroom of a teenage girl who is interested in astrology and the occult, with a soft luxurious canopy bed center stage perfectly made as if no one has ever slept in it. The canopy curtains are purple, as are the sheets. The white pillows sit up against the bed frame. There is a yellow decorative pillow shaped like a crescent moon, and a stuffed animal on the bed which is a dragon. The framed painting on the wall is an enlarged version of the artwork on the Major Arcana tarot card called the Fool, from the rider wait deck. Two beanbag chairs are on the floor stage left, on which two girls are seated.
JADE, a 14 year old girl with round-framed glasses and shoulder-length hair dyed black on one side and purple on the other sits on one of the beanbags, slouching and with bad posture with a laptop in her lap. She wears a black crop top.
Her best friend, TILLY, with curly hair in a messy ponytail wears a long, white knitted cardigan and sits on the other beanbag chair with a mug on the floor beside her that she occasionally picks up to sip from.
JADE
(without looking up from her laptop screen)
So far high school has been pretty unremarkable, eh?
TILLY
(sighs)
Yeah. Not much different from middle school. Bullies, mean girls, and clueless teachers. It's all the same.
JADE
The only difference is that now, we get a lot more work. I mean look at this, this is the first time we've been able to hang out in my house since the school year started. We used to do this like every weekend.
TILLY
(a smile spreading across her face and a note of slyness slipping into her voice)
You know... there is something else that's changed.
JADE
And what's that?
TILLY
The boys are cuter.
JADE
Eew. No. I should've known you would try bringing up Blake Walker.
TILLY
Sorry.
JADE
I'm just saying it for your own good. It's time you got over him. You never even dated him. And he thinks you're weird.
TILLY
I know.
JADE
(Pause as Jade scrolls through a website on her laptop)
So I heard of this new horror movie that came out recently...
TILLY
(Annoyed)
Oh my god, no, Jade. I am not watching another horror movie with you. You know how much I hate those.
JADE
Fine. But I have time after school on Friday. And I want to make some plans. What do you want to do?
TILLY
(takes some time to consider the question)
I kind of just want to go outside, you know. Like a park or something.
JADE
Hmm... you know, I was reading this article earlier about an abandoned building on the outskirts of town. We technically aren't allowed to go there because it would be considered trespassing. But it's not like we'll get caught, since no one ever goes there.
TILLY
Wow, Jade. That actually sounds kinda exciting. We could be like explorers.
JADE
Yeah. It'll be something different.
TILLY
It's getting late now. And I don't want to make my mom mad, so I'm going to go now. See you at school tomorrow.
JADE
See you! And don't forget about our plans at the end of the week.
Lights dim
Scene 2
A classroom with desks arranged in rows facing towards a large teacher's desk, which is stage right. JADE and TILLY sit at the front of the class. BLAKE is in the back row. Extras are seated at every other desk, including an extra at the teacher's desk who plays the TEACHER. The classroom door is stage left.
(A school bell rings, signifying the end of the class)
TEACHER
Don't forget that the final copies of your essays are due next week.
(All students pack up their bags to go to their next class. They exit the class through the door stage left. The TEACHER follows. But JADE, TILLY, and BLAKE remain in the classroom as they take a longer time to pack their bags).
JADE
Tilly, did you finish reading Lord of the Flies yet?
TILLY
(Looking over her shoulder at BLAKE the entire time).
Hmm... what? Oh yeah, almost.
(Starts walking over to BLAKE)
JADE
Tilly? No wait... Tilly!
(Tries to grab Tilly's arm to stop her, but misses. Tilly is almost at BLAKE's desk).
JADE
Tilly, come back. Don't annoy Blake. He thinks you're creepy, remember?
BLAKE
(Laughs in a friendly rather than nervous manner)
Hi, Tilly.
(Glares at JADE)
Relax, Jade. Tilly and I are cool. As long as she stops asking me to be her boyfriend.
(Looks over at TILLY)
No offense. You're just not my type. But we can still be friends.
JADE
(Looks surprised)
But I thought you said...
TILLY
We can be friends?
BLAKE
Yeah. Why not? You're a cool girl, even if you can be weird sometimes.
(affectionately punches TILLY's arm, picks up his belongings, and heads to the door)
See ya!
(BLAKE exits)
JADE
Tilly? Oh my god, he's gone. Stop staring at the door.
TILLY
(Squeals)
Lights dim
Scene 3
A small field, right outside the school, where students sometimes go during their spare periods to hang out. A park bench is placed center stage. TILLY and BLAKE are seated on the park bench.
The scene opens with TILLY and BLAKE mid-laughter.
BLAKE
So after that, I got detention for a month. But it was worth it just to get back at that nasty math teacher.
TILLY
You're the funniest.
BLAKE
And you're good company. We should hang out more.
TILLY
Yeah. We should.
BLAKE
Well it's Friday. I have time after school today. I heard there's a new horror movie coming out that's supposed to be really good. Would you like to watch it together?
TILLY
I'd love to!
(JADE enters from stage left)
JADE
Unbelievable
TILLY
Jade! I didn't see you there.
JADE
Aren't you forgetting something, Tilly? We made plans to explore the abandoned building today. We're best friends. And high school has been so busy that we barely got any quality time to spend together. I just wanted us to do something adventurous together like we used to. But it looks like you'd rather spend time with a boy you've only known for a month than me. Plus, I thought you said you hate horror movies.
TILLY
Jade I'm so sorry. It's not like that. I can explain-
BLAKE
Wow... an abandoned building? That sounds neat. Who needs horror movies when we can go somewhere spooky in real life? Count me in.
JADE
Blake, go away. This isn't about you.
TILLY
There's no need to be rude, Jade.
JADE
Well I think it's pretty rude to choose a guy over your best friend.
BLAKE
You know, what you're doing could be considered trespassing. So it's probably illegal. But I won't tell anyone if you let me come.
JADE
I can't believe you're crushing on a guy who's threatening us.
TILLY
Well I guess Blake has to come now.
BLAKE
So what are we waiting for? Lets go!
Scene 4
(A forest that is difficult to move in, as there used to be a small walking trail in it but it hasn't been maintained for years and vegetation has grown all over it. The branches of the trees keep scratching BLAKE, JADE, and TILLY as the three teenagers walk through it).
JADE
(Lags behind as BLAKE and TILLY walk faster than her. Sounds out of breath when she talks).
We're lost, aren't we? And it's getting dark. How long have we been wandering around here?
BLAKE
We're almost there, according to the map I found online. But okay, I guess we could stop and rest.
TILLY
Ouch!
BLAKE
You okay?
TILLY
These branches keep on scratching me.
BLAKE
(BLAKE takes out a knife from his pocket and slashes at the branches)
There. That should be better.
TILLY
(dreamily)
Wow.
JADE
Tilly, stop drooling over him. And Blake, why did you have that on you anyway?
BLAKE
I keep a knife hidden in my locker so I brought it along just in case. I like being prepared.
JADE
Weapons aren't allowed at school.
TILLY
It's not a big deal, Jade.
JADE
Why do you always defend him over me? It's so annoying.
BLAKE
(Puts his earphones in)
I'm going to listen to some music so I don't have to listen to you two arguing.
TILLY
Can we just get going?
BLAKE
Alright, break's over. We continue to the House of Whispers.
(BLAKE tries to move on and leave the two girls behind)
TILLY
That's what it's called?
JADE
Wait... hold on, Blake. Do you know something about this place that you haven't told us?
(BLAKE turns around, and walks back to where JADE and TILLY are)
BLAKE
I come from... kind of, an old family. I guess you could say that. My great grandfather was one of the first people to move in to our town. There's a story he used to pass down in our family about this house in the middle of the woods near town.
TILLY
So why is it called the House of Whispers?
BLAKE
Well supposedly the walls seem to have a way of speaking to you. Some say it's the voices of restless ghosts from people who died in that house a long time ago.
JADE
What do the voices say?
BLAKE
They tell people what they want to hear.
TILLY
What they want to hear? What does that mean?
JADE
I guess there is a dark side to human nature. And the voices basically try to appeal to that evil part inside us all. Is it like that, Blake?
BLAKE
Yeah, exactly. People who hear the voices in the House of Whispers go insane. The voices can convince them to do things that they normally would never dream of.
TILLY
I'm scared.
JADE
Well it's just a story. And even if it was true, it's probably not the same building that we're going to.
BLAKE
Well lets go and find out, instead of just standing here in the middle of the woods and talking about it.
(Lights dim)
Scene 5
(A clearing in the forest. There is a wooden cabin center stage. There are caution signs put up everyone, and some signs saying that you can be fined up to $100,000 for trespassing. There are wooden boards nailed across the windows and door painted with warnings saying "keep out!")
JADE
Okay, I'll admit. That's not nearly as impressive as I was imagining it to be.
TILLY
An old log cabin. Doesn't look like a haunted house from pioneer times to me.
BLAKE
Let me see what I can do about those boards.
(He hacks away at the boards with his knife. They are old and the wood is soft and decayed, so they are not that difficult to cut through. He takes his time to cut them as JADE and TILLY talk stage right).
JADE
I don't really want to go in anymore.
TILLY
What? But it was your idea. You were the one who was so excited to come here.
JADE
I know, but it's illegal.
TILLY
Jade, I know you better than that. You're not really worried about it being illegal. You must be scared.
JADE
I'm not a scaredy cat like you, Tilly. I can watch horror movies without flinching! Alright, fine... I'll admit I'm kinda scared. What if Blake's right and this really is the House of Whispers from his great grandfather's stories? I don't want those voices to make me lose control and do something that I'll regret.
TILLY
Okay, so how about me and Blake go in first? If we come out okay, which I'm sure we will, you'll know that it's safe to go in.
BLAKE
That sounds like a good plan to me. Well I took off all the boards. We can open the door and go in now, Tilly.
JADE
Okay. Good luck, guys. I'll be right out here if you need me.
Scene 6
(Many weapons, like axes and knives, are hanging on the back wall. The lights are dimmer than in previous scenes. The VOICES, VOICE 1 and VOICE 2, are characters who are never seen on stage. Their dialogue comes from the stage speakers. They are ghosts, so they do not have physical forms. The two voices have distinct characters. Voice 1 is the wiser one, while voice 2 is impulsive. The two must be played by actors with very different sounding voices).
BLAKE
(Glancing at the weapons)
Those look really menacing over there.
TILLY
I suppose you're going to want to study them, as a weapons enthusiast.
BLAKE
Yeah I'll go and take a closer look.
TILLY stands upstage stage left looking nervous, while BLAKE inspects the weapons downstage stage right.
BLAKE
(To himself)
Looks like these are hunting tools belonging to the pioneers who must have lived here once.
The lights black out stage left, where TILLY stands in the darkness. There is a spotlight on BLAKE, who is upstage stage right. The action continues only on BLAKE's side, and nothing on TILLY's side is visible. He continues inspecting the weapons as the VOICES begin to converse with each other. But he has no reaction to them. The audience realizes he can not hear them.
VOICE 1
Oh what have we here? Perfect.
VOICE 2
It's been so many years since we've had a victim
VOICE 1
Yes and this young boy seems like a wonderful source of entertainment.
VOICE 2
I can feel his dark energy. Ah yes, he does not love this girl. But he finds it entertaining to string her along and give her false hope.
VOICE 1
She strokes his ego.
VOICE 2
What shall we have him do to the girl then?
VOICE 1
You fool! He has his earphones in.
VOICE 2
What cursed music! Aaaah, it's hurting my ears. How can he listen to that stuff?
A few seconds of a Justin Bieber song is played, so that the audience can know what BLAKE is listening to. When the music fades out, BLAKE sings some of the lyrics then stops.
BLAKE
Oh that axe up there is cool. But it's too high to reach.
(Gets on his tiptoes and struggles)
VOICE 1
He is still listening to music. He just turned down the volume.
VOICE 2
How are we supposed to penetrate his mind?
VOICE 1
We can't. Lets move on to the girl.
Lights black out on BLAKE's side. There is a spotlight over TILLY.
TILLY
(Shouting)
Blake? You okay over there?
(To herself)
How is this place so big? It looked so small on the outside. Why is my voice echoing?
(Shouting again)
HELLO?
VOICE 1
Disgusting. This little girl's heart is too pure.
TILLY
(Panics when she hears the voices)
Who's there?
VOICE 2
Lets make her go berserk and kill the boy.
TILLY
No. This cant be happening. The voices!
(Tries to cover her ears)
Make them stop!
VOICE 1
We can't make her go berserk. There's no negative energy in her to exploit. If she had any ill will towards the boy, it would be easier. Like a long held grudge or something. But she is grossly infatuated with the boy, so she wouldn't dare hurt him.
VOICE 2
Then what do we do? Where's the fun?
TILLY
Blake? Jade? Help me!
VOICE 1
I have an idea. (To TILLY) Little girl, calm down, child. We only want to help you realize something. We can sense emotions. And we know that boy over there is in love with you.
TILLY
He is?
VOICE 1
Head over heels!
TILLY
Oh of course he is. That's why he spends so much time with me. He's just too shy to admit it.
VOICE 1
That's right, girl. Go and get him.
TILLY
Blake's in love with me!
(TILLY moves out of the spotlight, to the dark area stage right and can no longer be seen by the audience. The spotlight where she once stood remains in the same place).
VOICE 2
What was that? Since when are we getting involved in teenage crush situations? We're supposed to make people betray each other.
VOICE 1
It doesn't have to be a violent bloodbath to be fun. Just watch.
(spotlight fades and the whole stage is dark)
Scene 7
(TILLY and BLAKE are centre stage, back in the room with the weapons on the wall)
BLAKE
Tilly, there you are! I was looking for you.
TILLY
I'm sure you were, my love. Soulmates can't bear to be parted for long.
BLAKE
What the? Never mind. Look, we have to get out of here. This place is creepy. I haven't heard any voices, but It's like the building is expanding on the inside. It keeps adding more hallways and rooms. If we're not careful, we could get lost inside forever.
TILLY
That sounds perfect. We'll be together forever.
BLAKE
No... it's scary.
(TILLY moves closer to BLAKE and tries to grab his arm)
BLAKE
(Shouts)
Tilly! What the hell? This isn't the time for you to be joking around right now.
A bright light shines in from stage right
BLAKE
Oh good. There's the door. Come on Tilly, lets go. Jade is probably worried.
Scene 8
(Back at the forest scene in scene 5, with the wooden cabin)
JADE
Hey guys! Looks like you're okay. I don't know what I was afraid of.
TILLY
I had so much fun with my lover. Now he and I will roam together in the woods.
JADE
Um...
BLAKE
Don't worry. There weren't any voices. Tilly's just being weird.
JADE
My turn now. Blake, Tilly, you guys stay out here.
BLAKE
Um... Jade.... maybe you shouldn't.
JADE
But you said there were no voices.
BLAKE
But it's still creepy in there.
(JADE enters the house)
Scene 9
JADE is alone in the room with the weapons.
JADE
So this is all? I guess those weapons are creepy.
VOICE 1
Come take a look at this one.
VOICE 2
Perfect. So much pure hatred in her heart.
JADE
Who's there?
VOICE 1
Looks like you're alone. Guess your best friend doesn't really care about you that much.
VOICE 2
She would rather spend time with the boy than you.
VOICE 1
They want to forget about you.
JADE
I hate them. How dare they do this to me?
VOICE 2
It's the boy's fault really. He's the one who got in the way. Eliminate him, and things will go back to normal between you and your friend.
VOICE 1
Take an axe, child.
JADE
(grabs an axe)
I won't let him get away.
VOICE 1
Good girl. Avenge yourself.
(JADE exits the house)
Scene 10
JADE sees TILLY and BLAKE in front of the house
BLAKE
Oh good, you're back. Can you tell Tilly to let go of me? She keeps on hugging my arm.
JADE
You must die!
BLAKE
She has an axe. Run.
(BLAKE and TILLY start running away)
JADE
Only the guilty run.
(JADE chases after them. BLAKE trips and falls. TILLY helps him up and he runs off stage. TILLY gets left behind)
JADE
Where is he?
TILLY
I will not let you hurt him.
JADE
Why are you getting in the way?
(JADE murders TILLY)
JADE
(recovers from the influence of the VOICES)
JADE
What happened here? Did I do this? What did you make me do?
VOICE 1
Come back inside.
VOICE 2
And stay forever.
VOICE 1
Until nothing remains of you but your voice and you can entertain yourself the way we do.
(JADE walks towards the house)
(All lights blackout)
END
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