GwenBFresh

OPENING SCENES: Introduces protagonist, provides hints of core wound, and foreshadows the coming conflict. THEN I’m laughing at the dinner table. My jeans sport green grass stains on the knees. Norkie, my favorite fuzzy stuffed bear with the worn out I heart NY t-shirt, sits in my lap. He got his name because when we moved to New York; I called it New Nork. I don’t remember but both my daddy’s laugh when they tell me the story of how I wanted a cow but was happy with Norkie. I look back at the meaty lasagna dripping with cheese and sauce half-eaten on my plate. It tastes good, but I really want to eat one of the warm oatmeal raisin cookies that I can see on the counter just behind Daddy B’s head. I hope that Color, our black and white cat, also named by me when I was just two, will walk by so I can feed him some of my dinner. Daddy G is talking, and it’s boring. I hope he won’t work late so he can read me some more of the Wizard of Oz tonight. Daddy G is sometimes cross, but he has different voices for all the characters in the book. When I close my eyes, it feel’s like I’m in the book. He says it’s an immersive experience. I don’t know what that means, but I like it. I wonder if I put some of my lasagna under Norkie if either of my daddy’s would find it before I ate my cookie. Just as I’m getting ready to try it. Daddy B interrupts. “George, this isn’t the time or the place, little pitchers.” He points at me. “You can’t keep ignoring me. We’re going to address this now.” Daddy G turns to me and says, “Lizza, take Norkie and go to your room.” “Can I have a cookie first?” “Stay in your room and draw me a picture while Daddy B and I talk. Then you can have a cookie.” I feel my lower lip curl out and tears fill my eyes. I look at Daddy B. “Don’t give him that look and try to get him to change my mind, or there will be no cookies or stories tonight.” I can tell he’s serious, so I get down from my chair and carry Norkie out of the dining room. Daddy G watches until he sees me pass the bathroom door just before my room. But I don’t want to go to my room. So I sneak back down the hall and George leaned against the bookshelf, his arms crossed. Science, technology and philosophy books framing his tall, thin figure. I could see him from my hiding place behind the faded brown recliner. My dads had sent me to my room when their dinner conversation grew heated. My curiosity compelled me to sneak down the hall and wedge myself behind the chair. I’d made it just in time as they had moved their argument into the living room. “Byron, It’s not possible. Janice eliminated ten thousand improbably scenarios and we’ve run the top five hundred. There is no fixing the past without destroying the future.” Daddy G’s eyes moved back and forth as Daddy B paced with his glass of wine in front of the kitchen door. “But George, that’s terrible faulty logic.” His voice rose as his speed of pacing increased. “You know as well as I do that finding1,000 white swans doesn’t mean there aren’t any black swans.” “It also doesn’t mean we should spend our lives searching for an elusive black swan. We have a life to live now. Stop letting your emotions control your decisions. You can’t save Becca!” I held my breath as the tension in the room grew thick. Daddy B stopped pacing. His face turned red. And then a wailing sound came from him. It sounded kind of like when my cat got his tail caught in the door. I watched in horror as the glass of red wine flew across the room and narrowly missed hitting Daddy G in the face. And just like that, my magical childhood dissolved with spilled wine and broken glass. The moment lost to me except in my nightmares. NOW NOW - Lizza Sunlight pokes through the green leaves of the large maple tree, creating a dystopian checker board across the stone steps leading to the dock. I plan my route to stay in the shadows and out of view of dad’s cameras. My left hand holds the camera already recording the video. I gently click the latch and push open the hand carved wooden door with five cattails, creating a welcoming pattern. Though it’s been years since this cottage welcomed any visitors. Even I didn’t feel welcome when dad’s mood went dark. With a deep breath, I move slowly, making sure the door doesn’t make a noise when it closes. With my camera in hand, I zoom in on the edge of the dock, where the latest ruler of the dock stands watch. Dad laughs at my names for the wildlife that still roams the area. I’ve nicknamed this elegant blue heron B.E. for his big eyes. He’s always trying to eat fish that are too big before settling for the smaller ones. “Good Morning BE. How’s the fishing today?” I whisper my words, not wanting to disturb him or trigger the surveillance cameras. Dad doesn’t want me outdoors during the day, but that’s because of the sun. If I stay in the shadows, I’ll be safe and I might get close enough to B.E. to get a crisp video of him catching and enjoying his breakfast. After a few cautious steps, I’ve made it to the shelter of the rough bark of the maple tree. I lean against the bark and hold the camera steady. Thankfully, B.E. remains focused on the fish swimming at the edge of the dock. I zoom in with the camera and can almost feel the intensity of his stare as his body stands perfectly still, only his eyes darting around as he contemplates the attack. I love having him here, but my father disagrees, mostly because of the large white piles of poop he leaves right next to the fire ring. While it’s difficult to clean up the mess, it’s a small price to pay to see something real, right in front of you. Especially a creature as serene as B.E. I wonder if his life is as calm as it appears. I envy that. I focus on slowing my breathing. Even in the shade, this heat wraps around me, suffocating my breath. Perhaps B.E. has a hidden cave somewhere that he escapes to when the midday sun can fry an egg. In a flash, his thin sleek neck bends and his head disappears beneath the water. With a shake of his body, he straightens up a large sunfish grasped in his beak. He shakes it to stop the tail from flapping and tries to swallow. “Silly B.E. - your eyes truly are too big for your stomach, or your throat.” I can tell it’s too big for him already. I’m tempted to startle him, to spare him the struggle, but I know to stay in the shadows. Something black moves to my left and I jump, my senses on the alert for trouble. I really hate getting caught breaking the rules, but sometimes I just can’t follow them. Relief floods me as I watch the slithering black body swish across the ground just behind the spotted green and brown frog hopping along. “Hi Mr Black Snake and Mr Frog”, I whisper to them. These nicknames aren’t as creative, but it makes me feel like I’m in my favorite childhood stories about Frog and Toad. I feel myself hoping Mr. Frog gets away, but I know Mr. Black Snake needs to eat as well. Not wanting to see the outcome, I turn my attention back to B.E.. He’s still trying to swallow his lunch and from the fluttering fins, I’m thinking the fish is still hoping to return to the water. I’ve never named the fish, though I enjoy watching them. Before I can ponder this further, B.E. cocks his head to the left. The fish falls from his mouth, on the edge of the dock, just a few inches from the water it craves. B.E. spreads his wings wide and in less than a second, he’s soaring just above the water. My camera catches his elegant glide until he disappears beyond the trees at the bend. For a moment, I think I must have disturbed him when I turned to look at Mr. Black Snake, but then I see the bright orange tip of a kayak come around from the right. Curiosity mixes with panic paralyzing me. I want to see who’s braving the water at this time of day. Only night excursions are considered safe these days. And I want to get back inside before I’m discovered. For a moment, I’m angry at B.E. for distracting me from my energy usage reports. But quickly realize that it’s my curiosity that drew me outdoors. And it’s still my curiosity that keeps me watching as the kayak comes into view. The kayak holds two people, both wearing dark green and brown protective clothing. Large sun helmets with dark visors, thick gloves, and long-sleeved jackets. It’s a far cry from the bikini-clad women who used to paddle together laughing on their vacations. They paddle in perfect unison and, for a moment, I think this might just be a daydream, and soon they’ll just float by or disappear. “Here,” I think it’s the taller person in the back of the kayak that’s spoken, at least that’s the one who used their paddle to point to their dock where the fish abandoned by B.E. is still flopping hoping to return to the water. The kayak glides smoothly up to the edge of the dock, and the shorter person tosses a rope around the boat hook and deftly crosses the rope in a figure 8 over the cleat. Clearly, this isn’t their first rodeo. The person in the back steps out and reaches his arms high into the sky, arching his back before returning to standing. I’m pretty sure it’s a man, just based on how tall and lean he is. I’ve already nicknamed him Jolly, for the Jolly Green Giant. He hasn’t seen me yet and I hold my breath, hoping he doesn’t. He turns to the person in the front. “It hasn’t changed much. Please, wait here. I’ll go see if anyone’s home.” The person nods and settles into his seat to wait. The man starts up the steps and stops when he sees me. Even though I can’t see his face through the dark visor, I can feel his eyes taking me in. “Please sir, don’t say anything,” I whisper so softly that I doubt he’s heard me. “Is that you, Lizza?” His rich voice saying my name sends shivers down my spine, striking a memory. His voice was comforting and familiar. How does he know my name? Dad has kept me out of the spotlight. In fact, except for the few people working here, I’m invisible to the world. “Umm, yes” I know dad would be angry with me answering honestly, but something is drawing me to this stranger. He lifts the visor and I see a lean man’s face, no stubble, but a dimple on his chin. Large blue-green eyes gaze directly at mine. I feel a flush rising on my skin. I have no words. But he must have seen terror on my face. “Don’t be afraid, do you remember me?” Again his voice wraps me in comfort like a large warm afghan on a chilly night. I shake my head no. “It’s ok, it was a long time ago and I’ve changed a bit. You’ve certainly grown into a beautiful young woman. But what are you doing outside with no sun gear?” “I’ve only been out for a moment. Just to take a video of the heron fishing.” Maybe these visitors will distract dad enough that I’ll be able to avoid his disappointment and anger for breaking the rules. “This is one of the few beautiful places left, but you need to be careful. This heat and sun aren’t safe.” “I know. I was just about to go back inside. What’s your name?” Before he can answer, we both turn to the sound of the door and loud footsteps heading our way. It’s my dad and I can tell he’s angry. “What the hell! Lizza!” His anger ripples through me and I’m glad the tree trunk is behind me to hold me up. His lean frame is shaking underneath his Canadian tuxedo, a red plaid flannel jacket, thick blue jeans and soft red tuque. “Get in the house, NOW” He turns to face the stranger, his face red with fury, deep craters forming across his forehead. There’s no point in challenging him, but with his attention now on the stranger, I can move slowly and try to hear their conversation. I quickly nod a good bye and follow the shadows back to the cottage, my attention on their conversation. “Who are you, and what the hell are you doing here?” “George, it’s me.” I freeze. Why is this man calling my father George? His name is James. The air seems to stand still. I turn to see what’s happening and my father catches me. “Lizza, Inside. Now. You have reports to finish.” He stares at me until I turn and head into the cottage. Not until the door closes does their conversation continue. But I can still hear them. I may not have many natural talents, but I have extraordinary hearing. Which has saved me more than once, as my curiosity often lands me in places I probably shouldn’t be. My dad restarts the conversation. “What are you doing here?” “I need to talk to you. There’s something big.” “Not here, in my office. Tie up the kayak and follow me.” Reports be damned. I want to know what’s going on. I head inside, but instead of going to my office space, I duck into one of my favorite hiding places. It’s full of linens and towels and I can squeeze into the back and curl up. Not only is it dark and calming, but I can hear everything in my father’s office, thanks to the forgotten air vent in this bathroom closet. I feel my breathing tighten. I slow my breathing and count the yellow washcloths on the shelf in front of me. There are five, I count my in breath to five, then exhale for five. My chest softens and I feel the panic attack subsiding. I reach under the washcloths and slip out one of my inhalers and take a puff. When I’d ignored my asthma and panic attacks, I was sick a lot. Now that I paid attention to the triggers, I could care for myself pretty well. A door opening, footsteps, and then the closing of the door alerted me to the fact that Dad and the stranger were in the office. For a moment, I thought maybe Dad had discovered the air vent because I couldn’t hear them talking, but then my father’s voice came through. “So, you didn’t stop, did you?” I could feel the accusations dripping from his words, but didn’t understand. Who is this guy and what did he do? “You know I couldn’t, and I think I’ve found something.” “Stop. What makes you think this is any different from anything else you’ve found before?” “Geez, George, always the angry pessimist. Just once, could you believe in someone or something that you didn’t come up with yourself?” I had to stifle a laugh. My Dad was definitely a pessimist and if it wasn’t his idea, it would not happen. That’s why I love Ruth-Ann. She has a way of getting Dad to think her ideas were his. When I’d asked her why she didn’t insist on getting the credit, she’d just shrugged her shoulders and said, it’s not about me, it’s about getting the job done. “Don’t call me George, I’m James now.” “Have they really gotten to you so much that you can’t even be yourself in private with me?” The stranger’s tone was a welcome contrast to the anger that seeps out of my dad, even when he’s trying to be calm. “Remember how things used to be? And what about Lizza? Did you erase me from her memories? She didn’t recognize me.” I know him, but how? I thought to myself. Why would Dad keep him from me? “It’s safer this way. You know it, your soft emotional approach to life always putting everyone else at risk.” “And your bitter anger, since that night, is destroying everyone’s happiness.” “Have you not seen what I’ve done? I bring happiness to millions.” A sob reached my ears, followed by the pained tone of the stranger. “You aren’t bringing happiness, you’ve simply provided a new drug that numbs people to reality. And you are putting everyone at risk with that.” Silence followed. I knew that there used to be groups that protested my father’s company. They claimed that providing people with such life like experiences caused them to tune out of reality. But I thought they had gone away long ago. “You made your point, Byron. What did you come here to tell me?” “I found the black swan, and it’s not what any of us ever could have imagined. We’ve been looking at it all wrong. It’s not about a singular person or event, it’s so much more complicated, we have to focus an about shifting the entire energy of the situation.” “At least we agree it can’t be a singular person or event, but there’s no way to shift an entire situation. That’s ludicrous, and how would the algorithms even be able to ensure the shift wouldn’t backfire?” “I know it sounds impossible, but we are real close to being able to run simulations that will provide reliable predictions.” I hear footsteps and then the bounce, bounce, bounce of my father tossing his stress ball against the back wall. We all have our tells, his is bouncing that stupid ball. “But why tell me now?” “I need your help.” “It’s too risky, I told you, I won’t lose another person, especially not Lizza! I think it’s time you left.” “Please, just let me show you a demo. Hear me out. This could really work. You wouldn’t have to live in fear.” “I asked you to leave,” “Not until you hear me out.” “This is about Becca, isn’t it?” The panic attack hit me like a runaway freight train, and in that instance I was back in my nightmare - just a little girl hiding behind the couch watching my daddy’s argument. And I knew my father had been lying to me. They weren’t bad dreams from the world before; they were terrible memories from our lives before. My head ached, and memories of that moment overwhelmed me. But this time it didn’t end with the thrown wine. It ended much worse. I grabbed my inhaler and took a deep puff. A door slammed and the sound of my father throwing things around in his office startled me back to reality. I had to get back to my desk and finish the energy usage reports now.

Wow, really enjoyed the challenge of these assignments. Looking forward to next week! Story Statement: In a world lain waste from environmental neglect and religious wars, Glory Days Inc. offers respite from the bleakness of life via their virtual time travel excursions. Lizzie, the adopted daughter of the founder and CEO, desires a greater role in the company. She sneaks onto an excursion to show her father she is capable of doing more. While on the trip, she uncovers a plot that threatens her family and humanity. Now she must uncover the truth of her past, confront the evil masquerading as morality and find a way to save humanity. Antagonist: H.B.W. - the Humble and Blessed Whitfield, holds the highest religious post in the American government where he controls the morality standards for most of the world. Grief from the loss of his daughter fuels his conviction that morality must be enforced at any cost. He preaches repentance from sin and love for the sinner, while delighting in enforcing draconian punishments for those who fail to comply with the morality laws. In public, he weeps for the daughter that burns in hell. He holds the liberal agenda of the early 21st century responsible for her demise. He whips crowds into feverish energy to stomp out sin and save others from hellfire. In private, he struggles with his own desires and plots against those who oppose him. Armed with secret knowledge about the Glory Days Inc excursions he implements a plan to change history. He will stop at nothing to stomp out liberal ideology and implement morality laws before his daughter is lost to him. Convinced that this is a mission of love given to him from God he will stop at nothing. The carnage that results from his actions emboldens his conviction that he is on a righteous mission. Breakout Titles: Glory Days The Daughters Account Invisible Threads of Time Comparables: The Future of Another Timeline - MacMillan - Annalee Newitz - A focus on young women protecting other young women with time travel and changing the past to protect the future a key battle point Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood meets Back to the Future. As in Handmaids tale our heroines life is controlled by the morality standards and hypocrisy of the mono-theocracy, however, it is when she travels back in time that she confronts the evils and must discover her own path. Hook line: In a dystopian future, an intelligent young woman defies her father’s wishes and steps into a virtual time travel excursion in a desperate attempt to prove her worth. A sinister plot to change history interrupts her travel forcing her to choose between surrendering to society or discovering her self-worth and fighting for freedom. Conflicts: Inner Conflict: Lizzie struggles with panic attacks and nightmares. Her father provides a safe but sterile home and tries to shelter her from the negative messages about women prevalent in the morality laws of the current era. She has become meek and timid in her desire for love and approval, even as she longs for a bigger life. When she stumbles across the sinister plot, at first, she cannot even fathom what it means and tries to ignore what she’s learned, but what she’s seen has stirred her nightmares, causing her to believe that perhaps her nightmares are flashbacks of real events. She must learn to speak up, ask for help, confront evil, and love her unique, special self. Hypothetical Scenario: Lizzie has always idolized her father, Daddy G, in her memories, but James to the rest of the world. She has a habit of hiding and eavesdropping, and during one such meeting, she sees her father not as a harsh, distant man but as someone who is hurting. She has always thought the coldness she felt from him was because she wasn’t good enough. And now he seems small to her, which angers her, but as she processes this, it humanizes him and leaves her loving him more and taking a closer look at her own self-worth. This exchange motivates her to try and win his approval another way. Secondary Conflict Scenario: Lizzie has uncovered her past and knows the memories of having two daddies are real. She’s found Daddy B (Byron), her father’s former husband, and now understands why they split when she was little. She feels compassion for both men, and the more she understands their motivations behind the split, she knows she must bring them together to stop H.B.W. but bringing them together risks their safety and will open an emotional pandora’s box that terrifies her as the memories from her childhood flood back. Setting: Lizzie and her father, James, live in northern Canada, where they can still spend little chunks of time outdoors. They live in a small cottage on a lake and have a large underground facility where the head offices for Glory Days are run. A dozen trusted employees also live in the community and enjoy some privileges not afforded most of the world. Just 100 kilometers south, the terrain becomes too dangerous for most mammals to be outdoors. After the wars, most people who survived relocated to concrete church towns where most of the buildings were underground. Most people have their sleeping quarters, complete with a private office for their work life. Almost all work is completed virtually, and artificial light and vitamins provide the sun's mental and physical benefits. As travel is no longer possible, Glory Days Virtual Reality Time Travel Excursion provides carefully curated trips back in time to idyllic settings for positive back-to-nature experiences without leaving one's sleeping quarters. Excursions in this story include fishing trips on the Rideau Canal, Hiking in the Green Mountains, and Skiing in Switzerland - only places that idealize the human experience with nature. When the time travel hopping begins in earnest, the locations become dark exposures to the hatred that has erupted throughout humanity's history.